Proposed changes in regs on the shooting of pen raised mallards

This situation has evolved over the last several months, but the proposed change in regulations was published just this last week. We thought the retriever community would be exempted. We were wrong.

We are very close to losing live flyer mallards if the proposed USFWS proposal on the subject is adopted. The final public notice of regulations pertaining to the release of domestic mallards was published in the Federal Register on 8/26/03 (vol. 68, no. 165). Comments must be received by 12/20/03. While the title and body of the proposed regulation only seems to affect shooting clubs, the devil is in the attachments as the release of 'captive-reared mallards' would also be prohibited in trials, tests and training. The final draft may be viewed at http://migratorybirds.fws.gov

It is important to have a massive response to this unwarranted attack on the use of mallards. The primary concern are the spread of disease and the watering down of the viability of the mottled duck in Florida. For some reason, the Western Flyway people also want the practice eliminated. At a minimum, specific wording excluding mallards used in dog performance events should be included.

Comments should be directed to: Jerome R. Serie Atlantic Flyway Representative U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Division of Migratory Bird Management Room 224 12100 Beech Forest Drive Laurel, Maryland 20708-4038

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + Chris Barnes AOL IM: CNBarnes

I don't understand why you want a 'massive response'? Do you feel that their logic or science is wrong?

OR

You object to them curtailing your fun?

My point is, I love hunting whitetail deer, but if CWD shows up and they need to kill off the deer in the affected area I would not ask for people to stop the killing!

Is there a risk to the species in the area? Scientific answers only, (no gut feelings here).

edge.

We are very close to losing live flyer mallards if the proposed USFWS

The point is that there is a massive difference between releasing pen raised bird for private hunting and using them in dog performance events (field trials and hunting tests).

However, the proposed rule changes make no such distinctions. In short, it's a poorly written rule.

While I have no problem with the releasing of pen raised birds for private hunting, I also have no problem with FWS investigating the impact of doing it.

However, using pen raised birds for dog field events if fundamentally different. For starters, the birds are not released. Rather, they are thrown and shot immeadiately (as in less than 1 second later). They are done one at a time, not in groups (also different).