On May 15, the Maryland Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus played a pivotal role in advancing various pro-sportsmen’s bills in Maryland.
Senate Bill 231 (Chapter 476), sponsored by, among others, Senate Co-Chairs of the Maryland Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus, Senator George Edwards and Senator John Astle, was a Caucus priority in 2014. Through the passage of this legislation, archery hunters who are legally authorized to carry handguns will now have the ability to carry their sidearm while afield in Deer Management Region A (Western Maryland). SB 231 reached the governor’s desk following strong bipartisan votes in both chambers (43-2 in the Senate and 120-9 in the House). A companion bill in the House likewise cleared both chambers and was sponsored by, among others, House Co-Chairs of the Caucus, Delegate Michael Weir and Delegate Wendell Beitzel, who also serves as an Alternate Member of the National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses Executive Council.
As with SB 231, the Maryland Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus leadership came together to advance two Sunday hunting bills this session as well. Senate Bill 472 (Chapter 506), was sponsored by Co-Chair Senator George Edwards, while Co-Chair Delegate Wendell Beitzel carried a companion bill in the House. SB 472 concerns Sunday hunting in Alleghany, Garrett, and Washington Counties and will open up Sunday opportunities on private land and any public land designated as open for Sunday hunting by the Department of Natural Resources for all game birds and mammals, except migratory and wetland game birds.
Senate Bill 473 (Chapter 507), is another Sunday hunting provision, which provides for expanded deer hunting opportunities in Frederick County on Sundays (first Sunday in October through the second Sunday of January) on private land and any public land designated by the Department of Natural Resources to be open for hunting on Sundays.
For more information on the Maryland Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus please contact Brent Miller at brent@sportsmenslink.org.
Studies conducted at both the state and federal level have found that the number of hunters and trappers have been on a generally declining trend over the past several decades. To increase recruitment, retention, and reactivation (R3) of hunters and trappers, which initiative do you think would have the greatest impact?
