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Connecticut
We now have to push to bring it up for a vote.
Thanks CTCrow. Is this SB522 or a different version? My rep voted Nay on this and I want to follow up with him if it's the same bill. We had some back and forth discussion about the bill via email. Ironically, he said he had "a bear encounter" when he was going door to door during election season. I'm now wishing it was a closer encounter...
This is 522, but it was approved JFS which means Joint Favorable, Substitute, not sure what they added.
Ed, email Santiago and ask him what the Substitute Language was. I sent an email to Craig Miner, The Senator who sponsored it, but haven't heard back yet. Thanks
I emailed Rep Santiago to see when they plan to bring Sunday hunting. No response yet.
Rep Santiago has voted for and co-sponsor all the hunting bills I've asked him for a while. He had zero knowledge of hunting and we had a long conversation 4-5 years ago. He emailed me almost every half hour to keep me posted when when the first Sunday hunting passed.
Response from Rep Slap is below in quotes. Before I respond to him I wanted to see if you guys had any insight. My understanding is that the DEEP already does trap problem bears and transports them to other areas of the state. I don't see any additional cost arising if this bill passes. I do see revenue though
"Hi Andy -
Yeah it made it out of committee on Friday. I spoke with the sponsor of the bill and I know he has good intentions and it may be something I can support later on. My concern is that the way it was written is that the Bears would be trapped by the state in areas in high density (such as parts of Avon and west Hartford) and then transported to another part of the state, released and made available to be hunted. What is the cost to the state to be operating a bear transport service and are there issues with the state moving 'problem Bears' which aren't afraid of humans to other parts of the state?
I want to know what DEEP (state) thinks it can handle and are we creating public safety issues in other areas.
It's actually a fascinating issue and I am eager to learn more. I take your views seriously and will keep an open mind as it proceeds.
Oh - joint favorable means the joint committee (they're all joint because senate and house included) approved it. Language was changed somewhat as I indicated below. I actually spoke with sponsor before and we had a good chat about his intent. I think it goes to judiciary next.
Thanks again and as you know - I'm Always available to you -"
That response is complete BS. You should reach out to Craig Miner, the sponsor, he can tell you (and your Rep) how no trap and transport to hunt bears was EVER suggested. That doesn't even make sense.
Ace, politicians give answers to topics they know nothing about and they're very good at it.
My understanding is that the DEEP already traps problem bears and relocates them to other regions within the state. This may have been a new concept to the Rep. I will suggest that they consider using the empty Fastrack busses as shuttles....
Buses! What a great way to make better use of a wasted taxpayer money.
Any bear that was trap here in Windsor locks always seemed to make it back. I personally? noticed too that you never heard of a bear sighting east of the river till about 5 years ago. Seems to me that the population is growing and expanding at a rapid pace. They keep getting bigger too.
My club in Bloomfield loses dozens of 3D targets to bear(s) each year. Some of them look like they were hit with a grenade. If they won't let us hunt them, they should at least allow us to sue the bears so we can recover our costs.
Your rep response is BS. I read the committee bill and it says bear hunting will be conducted in the same way deer hunted is done. Bears will not be trapped and brought to places they can be hunted at. Bullshit !!!
All they dis was add AND BLACK BEAR after the deer hunting regulations. Here is the link.
All they did was to add "AND BLACK BEAR" after DEER Iin the deer hunting regulations.
I respectfully reminded him that the state already DOES relocate problem bears. I told him that I got a picture of one on my trail cameras several years ago in Norfolk and was able to read the # on the ear tag, so I reported the sighting to the DEEP. A biologist got back to me and was able to tell me it was a male that was relocated from Canton 2-3 years prior. I then sent him the link above that shows that the biggest problem is in the area he represents.
What would a bear season look like? Gun, bow? Private, state? Bait, no bait? How many permits would be issued? Big fees?
All that is to be determined Smoothdraw. Best guess would be: buy a tag and check to see if the quota has been filled each day. I doubt that Bait would be allowed.
The bill says archery hunting on private land / Sundays would be permitted, it I read it correctly. Prob depends on what zone
Ir would look just like deer season without the baiting and as Ace said, it would close once the desired number of bear harvest is reached.
I doubt it would be statewide. Hardly ever hear of bears on east side of river. Once in a while, but not often.
The zones where the bear density is the highest in the state are also the zones where deer density is the lowest. Coincidence? I know its probably more complicated, but some studies show that bears kill more fawns than coyotes. Too bad that the zones with the greatest bear problems would not benefit from Sunday hunting, unless they manage the zones differently between the two species.
Sounds like a teachable moment. Although common sense is not so common.
They might follow Massachusetts Bear rules and season format.
