Hunters of Maryland Submit Op Ed to the Capital Gazette

The Hunters of Maryland have submitted an Op Ed to the Capital Gazette in opposition to Anne Arundel County’s Venison Food Relief Program – a program which provides $50 cash for every deer legally harvested and donated to the County’s food banks.  It became effective November 1, 2020 as we have previously noted on this website.  The source of taxpayer dollars:  federal COVID $$.  This Program has been ruled illegal by the Attorney General but is reportedly being ignored by the County.  How can this be?  What jurisdiction defies the Attorney General and why would they?  Why have laws if not to be enforced? 

We are doing our best to stop this illicit scheme to kill deer for cash before something similar spreads statewide, no matter how laudable.  For years hunters have willingly donated harvested deer to the needy without being paid or seeking any form of remuneration, aka Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry (fhfh.org).  The General Assembly, with help from Maryland’s hunting community, even passed a bill in 2018 providing a $50 tax credit for each deer harvested, with an annual cap of $200 (4 deer) that terminates on June 1, 2023 (http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2018RS/bills/hb/hb0007T.pdf).   Suffice to say the County’s Program has unimaginable unintended consequences.  It must be stopped.  We’re hopeful our Op Ed inspires the good citizens of Anne Arundel County to seek the Program’s time-sensitive termination.

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Anne Arundel County’s Recently Announced Venison Food Relief Program Ruled Illegal

Anne Arundel County recently announced a $50 cash payment to any hunter who legally harvested a deer and donated it to one of the County’s food banks.  The source of funding is a share of the County’s federal COVID payment.  When the Hunters of Maryland learned of this Program – effective November 1, 2020 – we sounded the alarm.  How can it be legal to use public dollars to harvest a publicly-owned resource, aka Public Trust Doctrine?  Inquiries were made to the Attorney General, et al, and the result of our efforts is reflected in the statement dated today from DNR’s Secretary Haddaway-Ricco to the County Executive of Anne Arundel County (shown below).  In short, it is illegal to harvest deer for money.

One could surmise the next step would be for proponents to pursue legislation authorizing such a practice during the 2021 Session of the Maryland General Assembly.  If introduced, the Hunters of Maryland will vehemently oppose the legislation in the court of public opinion.

2020-2034 Draft Deer Management Plan

A $50 Cash Incentive – Taxpayer Dollars -- to Harvest Deer and Donate to the Needy: Laudable, but is it legal?

Starting today, Anne Arundel County is offering licensed hunters $50 in cash to donate a harvested deer to the needy...financed with a portion of its federal COVID dollars.  Really?   HOM finds this incredulous and questions not only the ethics of this decision but its legal basis.  We are working with State lawmakers, et al, to seek an Advice of Counsel from Maryland’s Attorney General.  A close look at Title 10 of the Natural Resources Article (Maryland Annotated Code) makes clear the State – not local government – determines wildlife management policy consistent with and responsive to State law.  And this is the way it should be.  No where in Title 10 does it say any jurisdiction can determine seasons plus bag limits let alone affording them authorization to allocate taxpayer dollars for the taking of publicly owned wildlife, aka Public Trust Doctrine.  Could you imagine if locals made these decisions?

So then, where does Anne Arundel County think its authority emanates to administer this unprecedented action?   It was certainly not in the one-time bounty to control nutria, albeit an invasive species  – this authorization was and remans embedded in statute (see Section 10-202.1 of the Natural Resources Article, Maryland Annotated Code).  If ruled legally permissible, think of the rippling effect and the unintended – maybe intended – consequences.  What about a taxpayer financed bounty on resident Canada geese?    Get the picture.  If legal, we want to know that statutory reference.

Stay tuned. 

Blazers & Bourbon

Courtesy of HOM Member Chris Kelly, Steve Keithley (Founder) and Bill Miles (Advocate) were invited to an event at the William Paca House in Annapolis last night.  The event was billed as "Blazers & Bourbon".  What a great night.  Most every attendee we talked with last night was a hunter, including Delegate Seth Howard who is Member of the bi-partisan Maryland Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus within the General Assembly (seen standing with Steve who is also the owner of Broadleaf Tobacco Company located in Severna Park). 

Nothing beats sharing stories from afield with like-minded sportsmen over classic whiskey.  Envisioned will be an expansion of HOM’s ranks b/c of last night.  Thank you again hail-fellow-well-met Chris Kelly.

Issuance of “Maryland Outdoor Recreation Economic Commission – Final Report”

On October 13, 2017, Governor Hogan issued EXECUTIVE ORDER 01.01.2017.24 creating the Maryland Outdoor Recreation Economic Commission with a final report due date of December 1, 2019.  Below are links to both the EXECUTIVE ORDER and the FINAL REPORT.

https://dnr.maryland.gov/Documents/more/MORE_Executive-Order.pdf

http://dlslibrary.state.md.us/publications/Exec/DNR/EXORD01.01.2017.24G_2019.pdf

If you’re a hunter in Maryland, the FINAL REPORT may leave you with more questions than answers.

The Report provides a detailed inventory of outdoor activities in Maryland, including acknowledgement of the disconnect between today’s youth and the great outdoors.  This is all positive indeed.  However, the Hunters of Maryland believe there was an opportunity lost not only to better showcase and promote the traditions of hunting – as a powerful multi-million dollar economic engine -- but publicly recognize that hunters, not taxpayers, shoulder the costs of wildlife research and management in Maryland.  And since there has not been an increase in the cost of a regular hunting license in Maryland for over 30 years, it’s easy to align the delta dots – and the attendant detrimental impact -- between escalating costs and declining revenues.  Yet, does not the entire citizenry benefit from wildlife research/management?

For example, the citizenry has little understanding of the American System of Conservation Funding (link below) whereby hunters/anglers underwrite natural resource management through their payment of license fees, stamps and equipment purchases, aka “special funds”.  In Maryland, there are no “general funds” – aka, taxpayer moneys – appropriated for wildlife research/management.  Look no further than the Public Trust Doctrine which recognizes that “government has an affirmative duty to protect, manage, and conserve fish and wildlife”, aka Chapter 367 of the Acts of 2010 (Conservation Law Enforcement Act of 2010).  The Hunters of Maryland tackled this controversial issue during the 2020 Session of the Maryland General Assembly.  In the final analysis, HOM successfully convinced the Hogan Administration and the General Assembly to appropriate – for the “First” time -- $100,000 in fiscal year 2021 general funds for DNR’s Wildlife & Heritage Service.  These moneys represented a true milestone in Maryland where taxpayers would finally share in the costs of wildlife research/management plus help promote hunter retention and recruitment at this pivotal time in history.

http://congressionalsportsmen.org/uploads/page/ASCF%20one%20page.pdf

Sadly, this historic appropriation of taxpayer moneys fell prey to the pandemic when the Board of Public Works reduced State spending by $413 million on July 1, 2020, inclusive of the $100,000 in general funds to DNR’s Wildlife & Heritage Service.

Looking ahead, the Hunters of Maryland will continue to promote the traditions and values of being afield, including creative strategies to get today’s youth off the couch and into the fields and waterways.  It’s not a chicken little argument to profess that hunting in Maryland – as we know it today – could be lost within a generation absent intervention by a concerned few today.

Hunters of Maryland Supports Hunt the Vote

In Association with Mr Dale Gertz, Hunters of Maryland is highly encouraging all sportsman to rally and go make your vote count November 3rd.

We invite you to Visit this website and watch a Video from Mr Ted Nugent.

America's Outdoor Lifestyle is Under Attack!

Please click this link to learn more…

https://huntthevote.org/

Advocate for the Hunters of Maryland just returned from Kansas

Advocate for the Hunters of Maryland just returned from Kansas after a long dove and blue-winged teal hunting trip with his brother, Mike.  Dove there are like locusts and the blue-winged teal are like ghosts from above, says Bill Miles.  And having  man’s best friend afield makes it all that much better.

Caucus Leadership Letter to MGA

Fellow General Assembly Members,

As the leadership of the Maryland Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus we wanted to ensure that we provided some information that may be helpful to your constituents who may be reaching out to you in regard to hunting licensure. We have recently been contacted by some constituents who have shared their confusion and frustration in regards to fulfilling the hunter safety requirement needed to purchase a hunting license for this year.  It is my suggestion that if they meet the requirements for a resident apprentice hunting license that they pursue that option first. The apprentice hunter must be accompanied and directly supervised by a Maryland resident who is at least 18 years old and possesses a valid Maryland non-apprentice hunting license.  More information is available through the Department of Natural Resources’ website: https://dnr.maryland.gov/Pages/service_hunting_license.aspx.  

The second option applies to hunters who held an apprentice license last year, based on the Governor’s executive order from June 19th which extended the expiration date of licenses, they may continue using last year’s hunting licenses.  The Governor’s order is effective until the 30th day after the termination of the State of Emergency.  The Governor’s order can be found here: https://governor.maryland.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/2089_001.pdf.  Please note there are still federal requirements for some forms of hunting, such as the Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp and the HIP Permit purchased through the Maryland Migratory Game Bird Stamp that require purchasing a stamp, which have not been extended.  

The third option is to take the hunter safety class online through another state that does not have a waiting list or require you to travel long distances to take the course.  Examples of other states that offer an online class that do not have a residency requirement for taking the course include Idaho, North Carolina, and Nebraska. Once obtaining a certificate of competency in firearms and hunters safety a number will be provided that can then be used to obtain a license in Maryland.  

I strongly encourage all of my colleagues to take the online hunter safety course in Maryland as it is very educational with regards to the laws and practices that we discuss regarding hunting in Maryland and how we train Marylanders to use and store firearms safely.

As always, we are encouraging everyone to hunt safely and use all appropriate caution when hunting.  We do not want any Marylander to miss the opportunity to hunt with their friends or family due to the unforeseen circumstances caused by this pandemic. We hope this information is helpful to you and your constituents.

HOM Founder Steve Keithley just returned from a successful Tule elk bowhunt in California

HOM Founder Steve Keithley just returned from a successful Tule elk bowhunt in California. He tagged this animal early in the hunt prior to evacuating the Shamrock Ranch due to wildfire warnings and heavy smoke

in the area. The other photo was taken at 12:30 pm the day of evacuation.

By 3pm the sky was pitch black with dangerous wildfire smoke.