Some help needed in North Dakota!!!!!!!!!!

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Fieldmaster
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Some help needed in North Dakota!!!!!!!!!!

Post by Fieldmaster » Thu Feb 05, 2009 8:42 am

Cross posted from another board!!!!!! Please sign petition !!!!!!

There is a bill proposed in North Dakota that would dramatically alter the way pro trainers operate in North Dakota. It would change the date that pros can let dogs go on wild birds. Tom Nygard has created a web petition that is in opposition to this bill and it needs to be signed by as many people as we can get on short notice. We only have until tomorrow to gather names.

Go here to sign the petition: http://www.petitiononline.com/ND1499/petition.html

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Elroy's Bandit
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Re: Some help needed in North Dakota!!!!!!!!!!

Post by Elroy's Bandit » Thu Feb 05, 2009 9:25 am

Dave has been forwarding this everyone also, and I have signed the petition and have also forwarded to everyone I know. I have asked any/all outdoorsman I know regardless if the train or run dogs to please sign the petition. This needs a response, so ask your fishing buds, boaters, bird watchers, etc. These types of legislation can hit any outdoor person.
Bill L.

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Re: Some help needed in North Dakota!!!!!!!!!!

Post by BigShooter » Thu Feb 05, 2009 12:49 pm

In N.D. typically the pressure on the Game & Fish Dept. and on the legislature comes from residents. As I understand it residents that hunt in areas frequented by pros have come forth and complained that the training in some areas is too much for too long, pressuring the birds excessively, esp. Sharps. So when the hunting season opens the birds are already too spooky or have been driven out of a heavily trained area. Also the Game & Fish Dept. has received some evidence from Canadian studies that repeated bumping of the same brood does break the broods up and that in turn leads to higher mortality. Presumably this late in the year that would only be a problem for late nesters that lost their first hatch for some reason. The lands managed by the Game & Fish dept. already use the prohibited period from April through August 15th so this bill proposes to make the prohibition consistent across the State. Now if someone has facts from a biological study indicating little or no impact on the birds spookiness or survival by all means get that information to the N.D. Legislature.

Of course I oppose this bill because it potentially impacts our sport, the livelihoods of those involved, including the small business owners in the small towns of N.D.

Although the petition may be of some use the power is with the people of N.D. What interested parties need to do is to call all of the residents you know in N.D. Have them contact their legislator and voice their opposition to this bill. Also contact local bar, hotel, grocery store, feed store and other small business owners in the areas pros frequent and have them voice their opposition to their legislators. Opposition from five or ten key small town residents whose livelihood will be negatively impacted will get more accomplished than signatures from three hundred out-of-staters.

The hunters in Grand Forks & Fargo generally care more about their own hunting opportunities than they care about the small business owners in the small towns. Three of the bills sponsors are representatives from Fargo, one is from Larimore in Grand Forks County and one is from Jamestown. The lone sponsoring senator is from Fargo. This type of legislative proposal has been started before because Fargo hunters want what looks good to them regardless of whether it negatively impacts rural N.D. businesses. The rural residents are the ones we need to voice their opposition.

JMO,

Mark
Last edited by BigShooter on Thu Feb 12, 2009 2:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Some help needed in North Dakota!!!!!!!!!!

Post by BigShooter » Fri Feb 06, 2009 10:12 am

There was no action on the bill yesterday. I see the bill is not scheduled for any committee hearings today. Two of the bill's sponsors, Lyle Hanson of Jamestown & Scot Kelsh of Fargo are members of the Natural Resources committee. Here are their bios: http://www.legis.nd.gov/assembly/61-200 ... anson.html , http://www.legis.nd.gov/assembly/61-200 ... kelsh.html . Here is the link to the bill text: http://www.legis.nd.gov/assembly/61-200 ... SD0100.pdf

Anyone have an update?

Mark
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Re: Some help needed in North Dakota!!!!!!!!!!

Post by Windyhills » Sun Mar 01, 2009 2:13 am

The linked language is from the original bill....an amendment has since been offered (a few weeks ago) which amongst other things sets the training ban date in the middle of July. Will be interesting to see how this one plays out. Late training on wild birds is NOT popular with many rank and file resident hunters.

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Re: Some help needed in North Dakota!!!!!!!!!!

Post by BigShooter » Mon Mar 02, 2009 3:10 pm

The new laguage as adopted by the Natural Resources Committee is linked here: http://www.legis.nd.gov/assembly/61-200 ... SD0200.pdf

In House Bill 1499, the prohibited period has been changed back to April 1st -July 14th. Also an admendment has been added that provides a new permit process for a maximum 40 acre training area to be exempt from the prohibited training time period. The permit fee is not to exceed $10.

This bill is in process and has neither been affirmed nor rejected.

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Re: Some help needed in North Dakota!!!!!!!!!!

Post by BigShooter » Mon Mar 23, 2009 2:36 pm

HB 1499, as favorably amended was passed by the house (82 Aye, 12 no) on Feb. 18th. The bill was read in the Senate on 2/26 and referred to the Senate Natural Resources Committee, which held a hearing on 3/5 at 10:45. There are no additional records of any further action.

P.S. Just got an e-mail back from a committee member. They had planned to vote on it in committee this week but the vote may get deferred until next week because of the flooding along the Red River.
Mark

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Re: Some help needed in North Dakota!!!!!!!!!!

Post by BigShooter » Mon Apr 20, 2009 11:48 am

The Senate Natural Resources Committee amended the bill to add language to include non-resident amateur trainers required to be licensed by N.D. and moved the end date of the excluded period from July 14th to July 22nd (shortening the allowed training period again) along with a recommendation to "do not pass". The original House bill amended & passed by the House was amended and voted down by the Senate. I'll try to find out if it's dead or going to some House/Senate Conference Comittee for some kind of a compromise to be worked out. If anyone else knows something please post. The latest Senate version is linked here: http://www.legis.nd.gov/assembly/61-200 ... SD0300.pdf
Mark

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Re: Some help needed in North Dakota!!!!!!!!!!

Post by BigShooter » Mon Apr 20, 2009 12:00 pm

Just got an e-mail back from a legislator. He said it looks like the bill is now dead for this session.
Mark

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