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CLEAR Temp: 62 °F Wind: CLM at 0 mph Thursday, June 5, 2003 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine W3 Magazine Jobs @ Mail Tribune Tempo A & E Oregon CarZone Wellness Connection Real Estate Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend May 23, 2003 State seeks to shoot from sky Agency looks for backing of controversial plan to kill diseased animals, predators from planes By DON JEPSEN for the Mail Tribune SALEM — A bill that would allow state game officials to hunt from aircraft was referred to the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee Thursday for review, but not without a struggle. House Bill 2209 originally was considered by the budget-writing Ways and Means Committee instead of by the natural resources. committee. And that incensed the natural resources chairman, Sen. Frank Shields, D-Portland. "This is about the process," he said after four days of successful lobbying to get it routed into his committee. The measure had been scheduled for a vote this week after being sent to the floor by Ways and Means. It passed the House earlier with only one no vote. Advertisement The bill to allow unrestricted aerial hunting was sought by Gov. Ted Kulongoski at the request of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. ODFW officials testified they wanted the new authority as a game management tool to harvest diseased animals and control predators, including wolves. "It’s wide open. There are no controls on how this new power would be used," said Sally Mackler, Jacksonville, wildlife chairwoman of the Rogue Group Sierra Club. Shields acknowledged that environmental groups had serious reservations, but added, "I think there’s some room for a workable solution." A liberal Democrat with a strong environmental track record, Shields pledged to keep an open mind on HB 2209. "It’s not going back to my committee to die," he said. Mackler characterized aerial gunning as "an extreme form of hunting. It is very high risk, it is costly, it is dangerous and it is very, very controversial," she said. Environmentalists are not opposed to using aircraft to protect wildlife species — for example harvesting elk to control chronic wasting disease — or for public safety. "However," said Mackler, "as written this bill is too wide open." Most Senate committees are now closed, although they can be reopened for specific bills upon approval by the Senate president. Don Jepsen is a free-lance writer living in Salem. Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Rogue Valley Auto Finder Rogue Valley Job Finder --> Rogue Valley Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Real Estate Showcase Food for Thought Hike of the Week Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Openings Prime Times