NEED YOUR ACTION!!!
SB 150 an act to revise nonresident waterfowl licensure. Is in Senate Ag. Tuesday morning, 2-18-2020 at 10 am Rm 414.
SDWF strongly opposes. The bill has the potential to double the hunting pressure in South Dakota, making it a lose-lose proposition for the vast majority of waterfowl hunters, resident and nonresident alike, who are not using guide services or pay-to-play operations.
In addition, the bill removes the GF&P commission’s requirement to determine that adequate waterfowl hunting public access has been provided through the department’s land acquisition and development fund or through other means.
This bill was written by outfitters for outfitters, with no regard to the long term consequences of the privatization and commercialization of wildlife. The lottery draw for licenses is eliminated at the sole request of Alex Russo (Flat land Flyways) – he doesn’t like the current application process.
If SB 150 passes, it would combine the existing 4,000 10-day licenses and the 2,000 3-day licenses into 6,000 nonresident, two 5-day waterfowl licenses. Nonresident waterfowl hunters would be able to return for a second hunt. We estimate that 20% will return so we will see an additional 2,000 nonresident hunter trips. The GFP Commission would retain their authority to increase nonresident permits by 5% per year but now the start number is 6,000 not 4,000. SB 150 will increase nonresident waterfowl hunting opportunity by 14,000 hunter days or an increase of 31%.
Write the Senate Ag members, (listed below) and all other Senators and ask them to VOTE NO on SB 150 it is time to work on recruiting, retaining and getting the resident hunters back into the field, 2019 was the lowest number of resident hunters buying hunting lic.in SD, since 1938. It’s time to invest in resident hunters!
Senate Ag. Committee members. Blare, Rocky (R); Cammack, Gary (R); Ewing, Bob (R); Foster, Red Dawn (D); Heinert, Troy (D); Klumb, Joshua (R); Otten, Ernie (R); Soholt, Deb (R); Youngberg, Jordan (R)
How to contact your Legislator:
Go to http://sdlegislature.gov/Legislators/ContactLegislator.aspx?Session=2020 this will pull up all members of the House and Senate simply click on the Legislator you want your message sent to and create or paste your message.
If you do not know who your Legislator is go to this link:
http://sdlegislature.gov/Legislators/Who_Are_My_Legislators/default.aspx?CurrentSession=True
Or call and leave a message with the pages; tell them who message is for, the message, who you are. The page will deliver your phone message to their desk
Senate 773-3821
House 773-3851
Please write your response in your own words. It is fine to use our suggestions, but best if you do not simply just copy our points. Make your message a personal note from you to them. Include a family fishing picture if you have one for effect. As always, be polite and respectful.
Please include your name, number and address on all messages sent to your Legislators.
Thank you for all that you do! Together we can and do make a difference!