PFSC Resolutions
Voted on at the
Fall 2005 Convention
Below are the 11 Resolutions submitted to the
State Office, and approved by the Resolution Committee. These Resolutions
were voted on at the PFSC Fall Convention on Sunday, September 18. Also
included at the bottom of each resolution is a link to comments made about
the resolutions from DCNR or the PA Game Commission. 3 resolutions passed
and 8 failed.
GAME
#1) PFSC CONSERVATION RESOLUTION – Resolution Failed
RECEIVED
2/25/05
SUBMITTED
BY RAINBOW BOWMEN
CLUB
SECRETARY – JOHN S. POOLE, POLK, PA
APPROVED
BY VENANGO COUNTY – 2/22/05,
ROBERT LYNN STEINER, SECRETARY
TITLE:
To allow carrying of small game arrows in deer archery season
WHEREAS: Title 58, the PA Game Law, Chapter 141.41
currently make it unlawful to hunt for big game birds or mammals while in
possession of any arrow not “equipped with at broadhead,” and
WHEREAS:
Pennsylvania archers are permitted to small game hunt with
blunts, “Judo style tips,” field tips or broadheads; and
WHEREAS:
Pennsylvania archers are capable of choosing the
appropriately tipped arrow from their quivers for the game currently
presented; and
WHEREAS:
Pennsylvania archers, appropriately dressed in fluorescent
orange, would like to be able to harvest any legal big or small game when
presented with an opportunity; and
WHEREAS:
There appears to be no known safety reason or biological
consideration to preclude this activity;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen’s
Clubs petition the Pennsylvania Game Commission to change the wording in
Title 58, The Game Law, Subchapter C, “Big Game”, Section 141.41 subsection
(1) to read: “It is unlawful (from
“to hunt”) to “kill or shoot at” big game birds or mammals with arrows
other than those tipped with broadheads of a cutting head design.
View PA Game
Commission Comments about this Resolution
GAME
#2) PFSC CONSERVATION RESOLUTION – Resolution Failed
RECEIVED
2/25/05
SUBMITTED
BY RAINBOW BOWMEN
CLUB
SECRETARY – JOHN S. POOLE, POLK, PA
APPROVED
BY VENANGO COUNTY – 2/22/05,
ROBERT LYNN STEINER, SECRETARY
TITLE:
To allow stump shooting on State Game Lands
WHEREAS:
Section 135.41, paragraph 15 of the PA Code, Title 58, (Small Game
Lands Regulation) prohibits, in part, target shooting with bows and arrows
in a manner that could cause injury to persons or property………and
WHEREAS:
That could be and has been interpreted to preclude “roving,” a sport
where stumps, clumps of grass and leaves are chosen as targets by archers
using specifically designed heads such as
“Judo” style and blunts that result in minimal
penetration, immediate deceleration upon contact with any plant, stump or
earth and result in the optimum recovery of expensive arrows; and
WHEREAS:
There is no true safety or biological consideration negating this
activity;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Pa. Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs petition the
Pa Game Commission to add the following wording to Section 135.41,
paragraph 15 of Title 58:
“The intent of this paragraph is not to
preclude bow and arrow target shooting using blunt or “Judo” style heads at inanimate natural objects
as targets”
View PA Game
Commission Comments about this Resolution
GAME
#3) PFSC CONSERVATION RESOLUTION – Resolution Failed
RECEIVED
2/25/05
SUBMITTED
BY RAINBOW BOWMEN
CLUB
SECRETARY – JOHN S. POOLE, POLK, PA
APPROVED
BY VENANGO COUNTY – 2/22/05,
ROBERT LYNN STEINER, SECRETARY
TITLE:
To allow archery stump shooting in all except 3 day bear and 2 week
regular deer seasons
WHEREAS:
Title 58, The Pennsylvania Game Law, Section 2507 prohibits the shooting
of any bow and arrow at any “mark or target” other than legal game during
any big game season; and
WHEREAS:
Periodic practice shots during a daily hunt ensures accurate and
humane arrow placement on game; and
WHEREAS:
The field practice technique recommended by archery experts and
literature is the selecting of a random mark and shooting; and
WHEREAS:
Today’s “Judo style” tips and blunts are designed to stop arrows
upon any contact with minimum penetration; and
WHEREAS:
The light flight distance of an arrow shot at an eye level or lower
mark in itself precludes any safety risks; and
WHEREAS:
The mistaken selection from a quiver of an arrow with a broadhead
for this activity is not a real or true problem; and
WHEREAS:
There is no record of any hunting accident related to the activity
described in Section 2507 of the Game Law as related to bows and arrows;
and
WHEREAS:
The wording “during any big game season” is interrupted to
include those big game seasons for deer, bear and turkey that allow
archery hunting; and
WHEREAS:
There is no biological reason for this prohibition;
THERFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Pennsylvania Federation of
Sportsmen’s Clubs petition the Pennsylvania Legislature to remove any and
all reference to bow and arrows from Section 2507 (Restrictions on
Shooting) the prohibitions against shooting any “mark or target”.
OR
The Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen’s
Clubs petition the Pennsylvania Game Commission for a written
interpretation of this section that defines “regular big game seasons” as
only the three day bear season and two week deer hunting season for the
purposes of enforcement of this section.
Either of the above would be an acceptable
resolution.
View PA Game
Commission Comments about this Resolution
GAME
#4) PFSC CONSERVATION RESOLUTION – Resolution Failed
RECEIVED
2/25/05
SUBMITTED
BY RAINBOW BOWMEN
CLUB
SECRETARY – JOHN S. POOLE, POLK, PA
APPROVED
BY VENANGO COUNTY –
2/22/05, ROBERT LYNN STEINER, SECRETARY
TITLE:
To expand Sunday Hunting opportunities
WHEREAS:
Sunday hunting for all but a few species has been traditionally
prohibited; and
WHEREAS:
Hunting is both a wholesome family-oriented recreation and the best
and only, in most cases, acceptable wildlife management tool; and
WHEREAS:
Commercial hunting facilities legally hunt on Sundays; and
WHEREAS:
School children, shift workers and many others would find their
hunting opportunities doubled; and
WHEREAS:
Camp owners and traveling hunters could double their weekend
enjoyment of time and investment; and
WHEREAS:
The current exclusion of Sunday hunting limits persons of certain
religious backgrounds from enjoying equal opportunities with those of other
religious backgrounds; and
WHEREAS:
Many state-owned liquor stores, lotteries and state parks, and many
private businesses including bars have Sunday activities and sales; and
WHEREAS:
State Park Rangers, Waterways Conservation Officers, police officers
and most persons in public service are expected to work on Sundays and
Wildlife Conservation Officers certainly should expect to as well; and
WHEREAS:
Currently gunfire noise is more prevalent on Sundays than any other
weekday since the hunting prohibition causes Sundays to be the natural
“range day”; and
WHEREAS:
In Pennsylvania there is no other legal consideration of the
operation of “excessively noisy” machinery or instruments such as those
found on construction and building sites, ATV’s, snowmobiles, chainsaws,
etc.
WHEREAS:
Large timber operators and farmers could use Sunday hunting to focus
hunting pressure on wildlife trouble spots on their properties; and
WHEREAS:
MOST IMPORTANTLY, the decision to allow Sunday hunting on one’s
property should not be legislated nor regulated by the government but
should be and is in fact a matter of PERSONAL PROPERTY RIGHTS.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Pennsylvania Federation of
Sportsmen’s Clubs petition the legislature to remove prohibitive language
dealing with Sunday hunting from Title 58, The Game Law, and instruct the
Pennsylvania Game Commission to create a voluntary enrollment program for
Sunday hunting on lands where the landowner requests the additional day of
hunting to alleviate wildlife related problems.
View PA Game
Commission Comments about this Resolution
GAME
#5) PFSC CONSERVATION RESOLUTION – Resolution Approved
RECEIVED 3/14/05
SUBMITTED
BY SALISBURY
ELK-LICK HUNTING CLUB
CLUB
SECRETARY – JOHN ZIMMERMAN, SALISBURY, PA
APPROVED
BY SOMERSET COUNTY –
2/16/05, WALT SMITH, SECRETARY
TITLE:
Deer & Forest Habitat Management
WHEREAS:
The Pennsylvania deer herd has been substantially reduced on most
public lands as well as those privately owned lands that are readily
accessible to hunters, and whereas many of the aforementioned lands could,
with better management, provide quality habitat for all Pennsylvania’s
animal and plant life.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the members of Salisbury Elk-Lick
Hunting Club request that the Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs
urge the Pennsylvania Game Commission to be conservative with future
antlerless deer allocations, seasons and bag limits. Instead focus any needed herd reduction
efforts on narrowly defined trouble spots around cities and suburban areas
while taking the lead in developing a major new initiative to improve habitat
for all our wild resources throughout the state.
This new initiative should greatly expand
existing programs, partner, cooperators and volunteer efforts, bring all
wildlife stake holders into the effort, feature more intensive and
innovative management of our public lands and waters, and provide
incentives and technical assistance to private land owners as well.
View PA Game
Commission Comments about this Resolution
GAME
#6) PFSC CONSERVATION RESOLUTION – Resolution Approved
RECEIVED
4/6/05
SUBMITTED
BY THE AMERICAN HUNTING DOG CLUB
CLUB
SECRETARY – BOB SILBER, CHURCHVILLE, PA
APPROVED
BY BUCKS COUNTY –
1/13/05, RONALD MCKNIGHT, SECRETARY
TITLE:
Either sex pheasant hunting in 6 southeast counties
WHEREAS:
Bucks, Delaware, Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton and
Phila. counties do not have
the habitat to hold much less have
support any meaningful reproduction of wild pheasants. Stocked pheasants provide the main source
of bird hunting in these counties.
WHEREAS:
The PGC stocks 670 hen pheasants in 4 of these counties annually at
approximately $16 each for a total of $10,720. This is an extreme waste of a resource
and funds when there is very little reproduction if any.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: The American Hunting Dog Club is asking
the PGC to permit either sex pheasant hunting in the counties listed
beginning with the 2006-2007 seasons.
This to include the regular and extended seasons, as defined by them
and afforded to hunters in other either sex WMU’s.
View PA Game
Commission Comments about this Resolution
GAME
#7) PFSC CONSERVATION RESOLUTION – Resolution Failed
RECEIVED
4/13/05
SUBMITTED
BY LEBANON COUNTY
WILDLIFE ASSOCIATION
CLUB
SECRETARY – GLENN L. BLAUCH, LEBANON, PA
APPROVED
BY LEBANON COUNTY –
3/31/05, GLENN L. BLAUCH, SECRETARY
TITLE: Spotlighting
Wildlife
WHEREAS:
There is considerable poaching of deer prior to the big game hunting
seasons, especially “trophy buck”, taking place in the State, and
WHEREAS:
This deprives the law abiding hunter the opportunity to take a legal
deer, and,
WHEREAS:
Prohibiting spotlighting for a period of time prior to and after all
deer seasons would be a way to cut down on the number of poaching
incidents, and
WHEREAS:
Spotlighting deer is already prohibited during the regular antlered
and anterless deer seasons,
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the PFSC petition the PA Game
Commission to prohibit spotlighting one week prior to the archery deer
season to one week after the close of the late muzzleloader season.
View PA Game
Commission Comments about this Resolution
GAME
#8) PFSC CONSERVATION RESOLUTION – Resolution Approved
RECEIVED
4/15/05
SUBMITTED
BY NORTH MOUNTAIN SPORTSMENS ASSOCIATION, INC
CLUB
SECRETARY – RICHARD S. SMITH, FORKSVILLE, PA
APPROVED
BY SULLIVAN COUNTY –
4/13/05, RICHARD S. SMITH, SECRETARY
WHEREAS:
The Pennsylvania Game Commission is currently not allowing “Live Fire”
in Hunter/Trapper Education classes and the Training Division has stated
that “:Live Fire” will not be allowed until a new training program can be
developed for the volunteer H.T.E. Instructors and conducted around the
commonwealth, and;
WHEREAS:
The National Rifle Association already has in place a training
certification for firearms instructors and Range Safety Officers which is
nationally recognized and used by such organizations as the 4-H and Boy
Scouts of America, and the PGC has freely admitted their intention to
plagiarize the NRA materials, and
WHEREAS:
A large number of the volunteer H.T. E. Instructors already have NRA
certifications and creating a new state level of certification would create
a burden on these instructors and add no creditability to the system over
the more readily available NRA certification program;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the PFSC encourages the PGC to not
“Reinvent the wheel” and to require NRA certification for “Live Fire” in
H.T.E. classes.
View PA Game
Commission Comments about this Resolution
GAME
#9) PFSC CONSERVATION RESOLUTION – Resolution Failed
RECEIVED
4/21/05
SUBMITTED
BY NIXON GUN CLUB
CLUB
SECRETARY – BUTCH YEARDIE, BROWNSVILLE, PA
APPROVED
BY FAYETTE COUNTY –
4/8/05, HELEN PAWLOWSKI, SECRETARY
WHEREAS:
The Scheduling of the antler & antlerless deer season together
by the PA Game Commission is resulting in a more unsafe and unethical way
of hunting.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the members of the Nixon Gun Club
urge the P. F. S. C. to lobby the PA Game Commission in separating the
2-week antlered and antlerless season for safety reasons.
View PA Game
Commission Comments about this Resolution
FIREARMS
#1) PFSC CONSERVATION RESOLUTION – Resolution Approved
RECEIVED 3/14/05
SUBMITTED
BY JOHNSTOWN RIFLE & PISTOL CLUB, INC.
CLUB
SECRETARY – JAMES GRECO, JOHNSTOWN, PA
APPROVED
BY CAMBRIA COUNTY –
3/09/05, ROBERT PIPER, JR., SECRETARY
TITLE:
Permitted Handgun Concealed Carry in Pennsylvania State Parks
WHEREAS:
On December 17, 2004, the Untied States Department of Justice
concluded without reservation that “the Second Amendment secures a personal
right of individuals, not a collective right that may only be invoked by a
State or quasi-collective right restricted to persons serving in organized
militia units.”
WHEREAS:
Article 1 Section 21 of the Pennsylvania Constitution clearly
states, “The right of Citizens to bear arms in defense of themselves and
the State shall not be questioned.”
WHEREAS:
The Pennsylvania Crimes Code, Section 6106, permits an individual
with the proper license to carry a firearm.
WHEREAS:
The PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR)
maintains regulations under Section 11.215 Weapons and Hunting and which
extend to all of its parks and which deny lawful concealed carry protection
to individuals who possess a valid Pennsylvania concealed carry permit.
WHEREAS:
Pennsylvania State Parks are not among those places in the
Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes where licensed concealed carry is
specifically prohibited (Pennsylvania’s Title 18, Chapter 9, Subsection 912
and 913 prohibition of weapons in courtrooms and schools.)
THERFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Johnstown Rifle and Pistol Club,
Inc. seek the support of the Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs,
Inc. to act on its behalf, and on the behalf of the citizens of the
Commonwealth, to undertake appropriate action to compel PA DCNR to
eliminate policy and regulations which prohibit concealed carry permit
holders from lawfully exercising their rights to self defense within
Commonwealth state parks and to assimilate, and comply with, state law
regarding lawful concealed carry of firearms.
View
DCNR’s Comments about this Resolution
ENVIRONMENT
#1) PFSC CONSERVATION RESOLUTION – Resolution Approved
RECEIVED
4/18/05
SUBMITTED
BY TOBYHANNA CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION
CLUB
SECRETARY – WILLIAM L. LEONARD, JR, TOBYHANNA, PA
APPROVED
BY MONROE COUNTY – 4/7/05,
WILLIAM L. LEONARD, JR., SECRETARY
TITLE: Establishment of the Greater Cherry Valley National Wildlife Refuge
WHEREAS: Pennsylvania is loosing land to
development at the rate of over 350 acres per day according to the U.S.D.A.
Natural Resource Conservation Service.
WHEREAS:
Monroe County is the second
fastest growing county in the Commonwealth.
WHEREAS: There is a grass-roots effort by a coalition of landowners with
support from local organizations in southeast Monroe County to form a National
Wildlife Refuge in the area known as the Cherry Valley.
WHEREAS: National Wildlife Refuges are managed by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife
Service (USFWS) and hunting, fishing, and trapping are supported by the
USFWS for wildlife management.
WHEREAS: The USFWS prepares an environmental assessment, hunting plan, and
compatibility assessment to determine how specific areas of the land would
be managed.
WHEREAS: Even if portions of this land were not open to hunting, fishing, and
trapping, any land protected from development is far more beneficial to
wildlife than a shopping center or housing complex.
WHEREAS: The proposed wildlife refuge is based on acquisition of land or
conservation easements from willing sellers and no one will be forced to sell
their land.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the PFSC support the concept of the
Greater Cherry Valley National Wildlife Refuge in Monroe County, PA.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the PFSC sponsor a resolution to the
National Wildlife Federation to promote a Constitutional
