Ciekot: Stay informed with outdoors public meetings

It was government public meeting week last week as I attended two meetings of interest to hunters, one on waterfowl hunting and one concerning Blackwater NWR.  While each proved the point that hunters need to stay involved, there was an interesting contrast between the two.

One, the annual DNR public meeting on waterfowl season proposals, was well publicized, with plenty of notice and ample opportunity for hunters to attend.  Yet I wasn't surprised that the attendance was startlingly low as the seasons are long, the bag limits high and happy people don't generally come out to meetings.  Still, I certainly always learn something at these meetings and believe that more hunters need to attend these to keep informed and provide feedback.

The second meeting, held at Blackwater Refuge, was a glorious mix-up.  It turned out to be a neighborhood meeting set up for landowners around the Refuge, but the week before an area outfitter posted online that it was a public deer meeting.  As it wasn't, there was of course no public notice and conspiracy theories soon blossomed that it was a secret deer meeting between the NWR and farmers who want all the deer killed.

Care to guess the attendance?  Yup, at a supposedly secret meeting on a Monday morning a dozen hunters showed up, some from an hour and a half away!  Once the true purpose of the meeting was announced it turned out to be a good morning and we even got some information on the deer hunt.

BUSY DAVE:  Lots to do as hunting season ends

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First, there will be a real meeting for public input on the deer hunt, mainly for possible changes to the 2018-19 season.  That will be in early April and I'll pass along the date here as soon as it's announced.

Second, and a big scare for the day, was that the NWR was planning on closing kayak/canoe/boat access for the deer hunt for the coming fall.  That's something we've been trying to get for years and I've personally championed, as it's a great way to reach hunting spots and brings Blackwater more in line with general statewide rules.  It seemed the biggest problem was a lack of feedback from hunters who enjoyed hunting that way last season.  The hope is that with just a bit of positive comment from hunters we'll be able to save the option.  When the public meeting date is announced please make every effort to attend and comment.

Legislative Update:  For the most part things are quiet in Annapolis on the hunting front, at least as far as bills in progress.  Sunday hunting bills for turkeys and deer in Kent County, as well as deer in Wicomico County, are alive and progressing.

The most interesting legislation are a combo of bills, SB1141 and HB1629, which would change the definitions of fox hunting/chasing so that a hunting license would be required.  Currently people involved in those activities are exempted from needing a hunting license.  The bills sound like something long overdue.  Not only would this generate more funds for the DNR Wildlife & Heritage division, which relies almost completely on license sales, but it would require hunter safety training for what is in actuality a hunt.  It would also include equestrian fox hunters in the hunting rules, which may make them more understanding when it comes to issues like Sunday hunting.