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Senate hearing scheduled for anti-trapping bill in Maryland (2/20/2003) Maryland sportsmen are urged to attend a committee hearing to oppose anti-trapping legislation in the state senate. Senate Bill 272, sponsored by Senator Sharon Grosfeld (D-Kensington), will ban the use of leghold traps in Maryland. Sportsmen in the state rallied to defeat a similar bill during the last legislative session and action is again needed to stop Senate Bill 272 in its tracks. Delegate Barbara Frush (D-Beltsville) sponsored Assembly Bill 365, a companion bill in the House that would also ban leghold traps in Maryland. The proposals not only ban leghold traps for recreational trappers, they will prohibit agents of the Maryland Forest, Park and Wildlife Service from using the trap, which is a valuable wildlife management tool. The prohibition of trapping has proven problematic in other states. When trapping is banned, furbearer populations including beaver increase. The result is damage and flooding of roadways and private property. Uncontrolled furbearer populations can also decimate duck and goose populations through predation on nests and the loss of feed grasses in wetlands. There is also the potential for an increase in rabies and diseases. A ban on trapping would be the first step the anti's take in stripping Maryland sportsmen of their outdoor heritage. If trapping were lost, bowhunting or hunting with dogs would likely be the next dominos to fall. Take Action! Maryland sportsmen should plan to attend the Senate Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee hearing on Senate Bill 272. It is scheduled for Tuesday, February 25 at 1 PM in the Miller Senate Office Building, 2 West Wing, 11 Bladen St. in Annapolis. Sportsmen who are unable to attend the hearing should contact their state senators and ask them to protect the public's health, safety and sportsmen's rights by opposing Senate Bill 272. If your legislator is a member of the committee that will consider the bill (listed below), be sure he or she hears from you. Maryland sportsmen are also urged to keep the pressure on their Delegates to oppose Assembly Bill 365. Remind them that a ban on trapping would result in property damage, increase rabies and other diseases carried by wildlife, and eliminate a proven wildlife management tool, thus allowing several wildlife populations to suffer. The bill remains in committee, so if your legislator is a member of the Environmental Matters Committee (listed below), be sure he or she hears from you. Senate Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee Assembly Environmental Matters Committee CopyrightÓ U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance- www.ussportsmen.org
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