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January 24, 2003
Task force to recommend hunt
Group narrowly reaffirms decision
Mike A. Sawyers, Cumberland Times-News Staffwriter
ROCKY GAP — The Maryland Black Bear Task Force narrowly reaffirmed Thursday that it will recommend hunting as a management tool for bruin populations in the state.
With eight yes votes and four against, the group — meeting at Rocky Gap Lodge & Golf Resort — barely topped the 60 percent margin it had agreed upon for passage.
The swing vote came from Nancy Railey, who represents the rental real estate industry in Garrett County. Railey had not been present in October when the task force made its initial recommendation that hunting is a viable bear management tool.
“Do I have to do this?” Railey asked before silently pondering the issue and after many moments, voting to keep hunting in the bear management toolbox.
Also voting in favor of hunting as a way to reduce bear populations were Brooks Hamilton of the Garrett County Farm Bureau, Tom Rooney of the Maryland Sportsmen’s Association, Brand Frantz of Garrett County Emergency Management, Peggy Gosnell, citizen from Accident, Tom Mathews, task force chairman, Gary Fratz of the Maryland Wildlife Advisory Commission and Jerry Zembower of the Allegany-Garrett Sportsmen’s Association.
Opposing the use of hunting were George Falter, citizen from McHenry, John Hadidian of the Humane Society of the United States, Mike Markarian of the Fund for Animals and Ron Barry, a wildlife professor at Frostburg State University.
The group will meet again Feb. 27 to finalize the report, which will then go forward to Natural Resources Secretary C. Ronald Franks to be used during decision-making for future bear management.
“I just can’t make myself understand how hunting will alleviate bear damage,” said Hadidian in explaining his “no” vote.
Wildlife and Heritage Service biologists Steve Bittner and Harry Spiker said bear hunts have been expanded in Pennsylvania and West Virginia for the very purpose of reducing nuisance bear complaints.
Earlier in the yearlong process, the task force had recommended that baiting and the use of dogs not be allowed during any bear hunting that might take place.
Thursday, Markarian attempted to prohibit bow hunting as well.
“There are many studies that show that the wounding rate when bow hunting is as high as 50 percent,” Markarian said.
Mathews defended bow hunting as an efficient and quick way of killing wildlife.
Another 8-4 vote defeated Markarian’s motion. In this vote, however, Barry came down in favor of bow hunting, saying it may be necessary in the future to manage bear populations in and around locations spotted with homes and people.
A part of Thursday’s exercise was to revisit draft recommendations, taking a fresh look at them in light of more than 500 comments that were received from the public.
Mathews said public sentiment ran a little more than 4-1 opposing a hunt. Those comments were received via e-mail, mail and during a public hearing in November in Garrett County.
The task force is recommending that cultural carrying capacities for bears be established for each county in Maryland. That term refers to the number of bears that people of a county are willing to live with.
Task force to recommend hunt
Group narrowly reaffirms decision
Mike A. Sawyers, Cumberland Times-News Staffwriter
ROCKY GAP — The Maryland Black Bear Task Force narrowly reaffirmed Thursday that it will recommend hunting as a management tool for bruin populations in the state.
With eight yes votes and four against, the group — meeting at Rocky Gap Lodge & Golf Resort — barely topped the 60 percent margin it had agreed upon for passage.
The swing vote came from Nancy Railey, who represents the rental real estate industry in Garrett County. Railey had not been present in October when the task force made its initial recommendation that hunting is a viable bear management tool.
“Do I have to do this?” Railey asked before silently pondering the issue and after many moments, voting to keep hunting in the bear management toolbox.
Also voting in favor of hunting as a way to reduce bear populations were Brooks Hamilton of the Garrett County Farm Bureau, Tom Rooney of the Maryland Sportsmen’s Association, Brand Frantz of Garrett County Emergency Management, Peggy Gosnell, citizen from Accident, Tom Mathews, task force chairman, Gary Fratz of the Maryland Wildlife Advisory Commission and Jerry Zembower of the Allegany-Garrett Sportsmen’s Association.
Opposing the use of hunting were George Falter, citizen from McHenry, John Hadidian of the Humane Society of the United States, Mike Markarian of the Fund for Animals and Ron Barry, a wildlife professor at Frostburg State University.
The group will meet again Feb. 27 to finalize the report, which will then go forward to Natural Resources Secretary C. Ronald Franks to be used during decision-making for future bear management.
“I just can’t make myself understand how hunting will alleviate bear damage,” said Hadidian in explaining his “no” vote.
Wildlife and Heritage Service biologists Steve Bittner and Harry Spiker said bear hunts have been expanded in Pennsylvania and West Virginia for the very purpose of reducing nuisance bear complaints.
Earlier in the yearlong process, the task force had recommended that baiting and the use of dogs not be allowed during any bear hunting that might take place.
Thursday, Markarian attempted to prohibit bow hunting as well.
“There are many studies that show that the wounding rate when bow hunting is as high as 50 percent,” Markarian said.
Mathews defended bow hunting as an efficient and quick way of killing wildlife.
Another 8-4 vote defeated Markarian’s motion. In this vote, however, Barry came down in favor of bow hunting, saying it may be necessary in the future to manage bear populations in and around locations spotted with homes and people.
A part of Thursday’s exercise was to revisit draft recommendations, taking a fresh look at them in light of more than 500 comments that were received from the public.
Mathews said public sentiment ran a little more than 4-1 opposing a hunt. Those comments were received via e-mail, mail and during a public hearing in November in Garrett County.
The task force is recommending that cultural carrying capacities for bears be established for each county in Maryland. That term refers to the number of bears that people of a county are willing to live with.
