Pennsylvania Game News - August 2011 - 42

long-standing tradition of hunting camps and clubs, Sunday hunting will effectively double the number of hunting days for camp owners and club members, and “Whereas, Sunday hunting is expected to generate a substantial increase in out-of-state license sales and the accompanying revenue for the Pennsylvania Game Commission, and “Whereas, hunting license sales and their associated federal matching funds are the primary revenue source for the Pennsylvania Game Commission in carrying out its mission, including maintaining 1.5 million acres of State Game Lands and acquisition of additional public lands, research and management of wildlife and providing information and education to the public, and “Whereas, Sunday hunting will provide substantial economic benefits to rural areas and businesses by increasing money spent by hunters on lodging, food, gas and other incidental items, and “Whereas, Sunday hunting is expected to generate $629 million in additional spending and create 5,300 new jobs, resulting in $18 million in additional sales and income tax, and “Whereas, the mission of the Pennsylvania Game Commission is to manage wildlife and its habitat for current and future generations, and “Whereas, Sunday hunting, which is currently permitted to control a growing population of coyotes, will provide the biologists of the Pennsylvania Game Commission a new tool to manage wildlife populations, and “Whereas, the 43 states that currently permit Sunday hunting have not experienced any discernable impact on the health or vibrancy of game populations, and “Whereas, the Board of Commissioners recognizes the authority to
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permit Sunday hunting lies entirely with the General Assembly of Pennsylvania, and “Whereas, if the General Assembly repeals the restrictions on Sunday hunting thus giving authority to regulate Sunday hunting to the Board of Commissioners, the Board recognizes the many stakeholder groups any action on Sunday hunting will effect and will endeavor to engage these stakeholders before passing any new regulations in regard to Sunday hunting. “NOW, THEREFOR, we the Board of Commissioners for the Pennsylvania Game Commission, do hereby urge the General Assembly of Pennsylvania to REPEAL the PROHIBITION ON SUNDAY HUNTING IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA.” Board prepares for emergency action in case CWD found in state With Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) nearly 10 miles south of the Pennsylvania-Maryland line, the Board of Game Commissioners today gave preliminary approval to a revised set of emergency powers to enable the agency’s executive director to take actions to mitigate risk factors and to determine the prevalence and geographic distribution of CWD. “For more than a decade, the Game Commission has been monitoring our CWD status and striving to prevent CWD from coming to our state,” said Carl G. Roe. “While I hope that I never have to use these new tools, it is imperative that this agency’s executive director be properly empowered to contain the disease to one area and prevent, or at the very least, slow the spread of this disease.” Under the emergency authority, if the executive director concludes the spread of CWD poses a threat within
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Pennsylvania Game News - August 2011

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pennsylvania Game News - August 2011
