State pheasant hunting in jeopardy

Copied directly from Connecticut Sportsman's Coalition email newsletter:
This issue impacts Every Sportsman! A question I've been asked is "What's Next - Hatcheries?" COMMUNICATE! Most won't know what you want unless you tell them! Many won't know the basics of the program unless you inform them. There will be no Public Hearing on this issue. DO IT NOW- Communicate as you did on the License Fee Reduction issue. Be polite.

In the Governor's Midterm Budget Adjustments under DEEP p.67, the following statement is found: "Reduce Funding for Sportsmen's Programs - Funding is eliminated for the pheasant stocking program $ - 160,000."

After convincing the Legislature in 2010 that a 100% license fee increase would severely impact license/tag/permit sales/recruitment reducing revenue to both the state and DEP, we are now faced with presenting similar arguments. Someone, OPM (Office of Policy and Management), the Governor's Office, or budgetary officials clearly don't understand the funding, economic impact, and detrimental effect on licensing/recruitment of this proposal. In the opinion of many, the Elimination of the Pheasant Program action is a uninformed budgetary rip-off that benefits neither the state or its citizens.

The Pheasant Stocking Program is Sportsmen funded and is self sustaining - NOTHING comes from the General Fund. Elimination of the program saves the state nothing and in the future reduces revenue to DEEP through reduced license sales, and to the state in terms of economic impact. The methodology is to count revenue generated from Pheasant Stamps ($28) and Small Game licenses ($19/$11 Junior) from those who purchased the stamps to get a total revenue. This number then determines the number of Pheasants that will be stocked in the following year. The $160,000 to be cut is the revenue generated last year and constitutes the stocking program for 2012.

Pheasant Hunting is a Gateway Activity for new hunters. Youngsters and some adults (particularly women) who have completed the mandatory Hunter Safety Course and purchased their Small Game License (mandatory for All hunting) look for a hunting activity. Hunting on state Pheasant Program stocked lands is the least expensive and a traditional family activity for new hunters. Other species available in the past have been Rabbits, Grouse, and Woodcock, but are no longer due to state lack of funding for habitat management. The Pheasant Program is THE new hunter entry vehicle and is used as such in DEEP Junior Hunting Training Day to increase hunting participation.

The economic impact of eliminating Pheasant Hunting is substantial. ALL Resident hunters averaged 12.2 trips and nonresidents 3.0 trips in Connecticut. Pheasant hunters number 4000-5000. Based on 2010 hunting licensees, resident hunters undertook 770.0 thousand trips and nonresident hunters 9.8 thousand. Total Hunting expenditures in Connecticut are impressive at $109.3 million in 2010 dollars. http://www.ct.gov/dep/lib/dep/outdoor_recreation/2011economicimpactstudy.pdf Table 3.2.3. Using a few of the most common costs (in 1,000s $): Food and Lodging 2,801.5; Hunting Equipment 29,266.3; Transportation 5,365.5, with approximately 60,000 hunters in the state and dividing the totals by 4-5000, economic loss to retail sales is substantial.

It is imperative you write, call, e-mail your state Senator and Representative and all the members of the Appropriations Committee expressing your position. E-mail addresses for the complete Appropriations Committee can be found at http://www.ctsportsmen.com Under "Legislation". To find your legislators with their addresses, tel numbers, etc. go to "How to Find Your Legislators" on the Legislative page. Contact Gov. Malloy "Share Your Opinion" http://www.governor.ct.gov/malloy/cwp/view.asp?a=3998&q=479088 . Contact the Commissioner DEEP Dan Esty (860) 424-3001 and Deputy Commissioner Susan Frechette (860) 424-3005.

hunting books for kids

It may be too late to order these books and have them by Christmas, but it's never too soon to get youngsters interested in hunting and the outdoors. I'm also glad to see that books like this are available.

My First Deer Hunt by Curtis and Michael Waguespack. A photo book where a boy goes out hunting with Dad, learns how not to scare off the deer and gets to see what it's like. Available through Amazon.com, Charting Nature and other booksellers.

Shawn Meyers' Hunt with a Kid website offers two titles, Conner's Big Hunt and Conner's Spring Gobbler. The illustration artwork, by Reed Sprunger, in both these books is superb! Also available through Amazon.com.

Also available at Amazon.com is Will's First Hunt by Kerri Busteed with illustrations by Leon Byers. It's been said that this book "...is a fabulous introduction to the world of Hunter's Safety and all that it entails...[and] that it opens the door to speak to our own children about the importance of guns, gun safety and hunting. This story is easily relatable to hunting and non-hunting families alike".

Even if you aren't certain your kids [or grandchildren, or nephews and nieces] are interested in hunting, getting them to learn about outdoor sports when they are young, is worth the effort.

hunting - deer and turkey season begins

Deer archery and turkey bow hunting season will be here sooner that you think.

In Connecticut, season starts on 15th September.

Depending on whether you hunt in the north [9/1/10] or south [9/15/10] zone, the September hunt period for Canada Geese may have started already.

Check the charts.

A NOTE TO LANDOWNERS: Hunters appreciate when you offer permission to hunt on your land, but an oral agreement is not sufficient. If you are allowing someone to harvest those nuisance deer gobbling your landscape, please give us a note in writing. We have to carry it with us. Thanks.

hunting - hunter safety courses

The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection has begun taking applications for upcoming Conservation Education/Firearms Safety Program classes.

It is recommended that you enroll early in the year and not wait until a month before the hunting seasons begin. Courses fill up quickly and you may have to wait or travel a longer distance to attend a course if none are available in your town. Where courses are taught varies from town to town and includes such locations as sportsmen's clubs, community centers, schools and offices of the Department of Environmental Protection. There are no fees for any of the courses and all materials are provided free of charge by the Conservation Education/Firearms Safety Program.

Anyone wising to enroll must do so through the DEP regional office [the closest one to me is in Franklin, CT]. You can also find where classes are being offered around the state.

FRANKLIN WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA - 391 Route 32, North Franklin
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. | Phone: (860) 642-7239

Pre-Registration is Mandatory. All firearms hunting courses are 16 hours or longer. You must attend all scheduled class times.

Preparing for hunting is more than this set of classes. Tree Stand Safety can be important, too. Improper use of tree stands is one of the most common causes for injuries and death to hunters in the field. For free online instruction on the proper use of tree stands and safety harnesses, go to this website on tree stand Safety.

By the way, you don't have to go out hunting [for which one should be licensed, anyway] to benefit from taking hunting, firearms or bow hunting safety courses. They are good cram courses on some of the many things a person ought to know when hiking in the woods anyway.

May be of particular interest to photographers, budding naturalists, plein-air painters and anyone interested in responsible use of firearms.