Deer hunting rules likely to change MONTPELIER
May 27th, 2005 by Administrator
Deer hunting rules likely to see change MONTPELIER (AP) — A legislative committee on Thursday postponed ruling on a package of controversial new deer regulations to give the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Board a chance to revisit them.
The Legislature’s Committee on Administrative Rules also sent a strong message to board members Thursday saying they were concerned about the economic impact of the proposed rules and questioned the scientific data behind them.
The Fish and Wildlife Department estimated that the proposed rules would cost $1.9 million in lost hunting license sales.
“Most of the committee members were disappointed that the Fish and Wildlife Board hadn’t put much weight as the committee had hoped on the economic impact of the decision,” said Sen. Mark MacDonald, D-Orange, committee chairman.
The Fish and Wildlife Board voted last month to limit hunters to two deer a year, including one buck. It also voted to issue antlerless permits during muzzleloader and archery seasons and dropped a Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department proposal to ban the shooting of young spikehorn bucks.
The rules drew angry responses from hunters, who objected to the one buck rule, or others who had attended state sponsored hearings on the deer herd and expected a ban on the shooting spikehorn deer or something as dramatic.
At a meeting earlier this month, the board was divided over whether to reopen discussion of the rules.
Board member Walt Driscoll said a major point of disagreement has been over the definition of a point as “a discernible point” rather than an inch.
He said in recent weeks, board members have shown a willingness to compromise.
If the definition was changed, “We’d probably reconsider the vote and go with the antler restrictions,” he said Thursday.
The legislative rules committee can only decide if the rules exceed the scope of relevant legislation; if the rules are arbitrary; or if the rules are contrary to legislative intent.
“The Fish and Wildlife Board would certainly get a passing grade for their work, they would get commended for putting time into and working hard,” MacDonald said Thursday, “but maybe a redraft will get them on the honor roll.”
The committee is expected to meet on June 16, a day after the board’s next scheduled meeting. Fish and Wildlife Board Chairman Rob Borowske hopes to get board members together sooner.
“We’ve been working on this for eight months. We’d like to put this to bed,” Driscoll said.
By The Associated Press