Hunting Rights in the Crosshairs?

Anti-hunting activists are planning an end-run around your rights!

Two bills are under consideration by Vermont’s Legislative Committee on Administrative Rules (LCAR) that will have a substantial impact on Vermonters’ hunting and trapping liberties. Both bills began as efforts to ban trapping and coyote hunting; both were changed to allow these practices, subject to administrative oversight; both have morphed into efforts to essentially ban trapping and coyote hunting under the illusion of permitting them, by imposing complex extra-legislative rules. 

LCAR must be held accountable to the clear legislative intent behind these bills: Vermont sportsmen and hunters must speak out NOW!

These bills do not merely impact trappers and coyote hunters: the methodology employed by those circumventing Vermonters’ hunting rights here will be used to steadily expand prohibitions and regulations until all hunting is essentially illegal. Beagle and other dog hunting will be next; bears and raccoons will be protected at the expense of longstanding traditions. If YOU do not stand up now, there will be little hope of standing later.

It appears that Vermont’s Office of Legislative Counsel (Mike O’Grady, the usual suspect) has jettisoned unbiased enforcement of the Vermont Constitution and is instead attempting yet another end run to enslave us. O’Grady and his overpaid office have repeatedly advocated for patently unconstitutional legislation, especially with regard to clear Second Amendment guarantees. Those charged with protecting our liberties are doing the opposite.

In the past, I have requested to know who drafts these legislative initiatives, and I’ve been told by the Office of Legislative Counsel that that is privileged information! That is, the identities of the people who write our laws are kept secret from the citizenry! I want to know who has drafted the proposed rules for LCAR (and the Department of Fish and Wildlife) to oversee Vermont coyote hunting and trapping regulations. That information should and must be available to Vermont citizens and taxpayers: we are tired and sickened by betrayals and lies by those paid to defend our liberties!

S. 201 began as a bill to ban trapping, but was changed to be more balanced. S. 201 was introduced to ban all coyote hunting, but was altered to permit regulated coyote hunting to continue. It appears LCAR will thwart that legislative intent by imposing burdensome rules that will result in a de facto prohibition – YOUR VOICE is desperately needed to tell these bureaucrats who works for whom, and that there WILL be accountability for this kind of Kafkian tomfoolery!

Please email charlene@leg.state.vt.us before noon on Monday, October 16, and sign up to testify on October 19 at 10:00 AM at the continued hearing on these bills. If you cannot attend on the 19th, you can still submit your written objection to Charlene and demand that LCAR honor the legislative intent of these statutes as drafted and not undermine them by addending politically-motivated rules that will render that intent moot. 

If Vermonters do not stand up for their own rights, no one else will!! You have the opportunity here to make a difference, and have your voice be heard. Support other hunters, and your own future rights to hunt and enjoy Vermont’s culture and landscape! 

Sign up, comment, attend, contact your legislators…. BE HEARD!!

I am working to raise funds to challenge LCAR’s actions in court should it decide to thwart the legislature with burdensome rules not intended in these bills. But the bird in hand is for you and others to attend this meeting and demand accountability NOW!! Please join us, and at least comment about your support for transparency in government and respect for the legislative intent behind these bills!