Help needed with SB 187 'Special Hunting Permits for Antelope Island' TOMORROW

[news-events at uarc.com]

Dear friends,

Bison, deer and bighorn sheep on Antelope Island are in danger, and in need your help.  I speak of Senate Bill 187, "Special Hunting Permits for Antelope Island" sponsored by Sen. Hickman (R-St. George).  This bill would create three additional hunting permits on Antelope Island, and is being heard for the first time in the:

  Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee
  Thursday, 16th February at 9:00 am
  Room W015 at the Capitol Complex

We need as many people as possible to attend to show opposition to this bill.  In addition, please take a moment to contact your Senator.  If your Senator is on this committee, this is even more vital.  The following Senators are on this committee:

  Sen. Michael G. Waddoups, Chair - (R-Salt Lake)
  Sen. Scott D. McCoy - (D-Salt Lake)
  Sen. Fred J. Fife - (D-Salt Lake)
  Sen. Beverly Ann Evans - (R-Summit, Wasatch, Uintah, Duchesne, Daggett)
  Sen. Thomas V. Hatch - (R-Beaver, Garfield, Iron, Kane, Millard, Washington)
  Sen. Darin G. Peterson (R-Juab, Piute, Sanpete, Sevier, Tooele, Wayne)

To find out who your Senator is, visit:

  http://www.clerk.slco.org/Elections/Elected (for Salt Lake County)
  http://elections.utah.gov/maps.html

Contact information for them (email, phone number, etc) is available at:

  http://se15.utahsenate.org/perl/spage/roster2005.pl

To read the bill text, visit:

  http://www.le.state.ut.us/~2005/bills/sbillint/sb0187.htm

Antelope Island is a Utah State Park in the southeastern corner of the Great Salt Lake, just a few miles west of Layton and Syracuse.  About 15 miles long and 7 miles wide at it's widest point, this small island is the home to around 500 bison, 240 mule deer, 120 bighorn sheep, and dozens of other species of wildlife.  Thousands of Utahns visit the park annually to enjoy the serenity of the island away from the city, to view the wildlife, and to be closer to nature.

SB 187 would bring hunting parties onto this small island with the goal of killing the wildlife that is so precious to most Utahns.  The bill would create the following hunts:

  * Two deer permits between 10 Nov and 10 Dec
  * Two bighorn sheep permits between 20 Oct and 20 Nov
  * Two bison permits between 10 Dec and 24 Dec

There is no reason for these hunts.  Hunting on a small island with very few trees, with no where for the animals to go, is a bad idea.  The deer and bighorn sheep are in no danger of becoming overpopulated, and the bison population is already being controlled by the Park's annual round up.

Canned hunting is considered by many hunters and hunting organizations to be unsportsman, and not an acceptable hunting practice.  This is a canned hunt - let us not be confused.  And this is wrong.

The bison herd on Antelope Island, also called buffalo, is one of the largest public herds in the United States.  The bison are culturally significant not only to the Native Americans who used to live off the herds, but to all Americans who respect this noble creature.  The island already allows for the hunting of five bison annually in a once-in-a-lifetime hunt they hold to raise money for the island.  We have strongly opposed this hunt, as it also serves no purpose but blood lust and profiteering.

While the bison do exceed carrying capacity each year or two and need to be thinned, there are other ways to keep the population in check.  For example, sterilizing some of the bulls in the herd would allow for the population to stay in check without the need to kill or sell any of the animals.  Currently, each year 100-200 animals are sold off the island during the annual round up.  Most that are purchased are slaughtered for food.

Please take action against this bill, and let your legislators know how you feel about it.

Thank you,

Eric Waters
801-560-8238
Legislative Committee
Utah Animal Rights Coalition

[1] Antelope Island State Park website:  http://www.stateparks.utah.gov/park_pages/scenicparkpage.php?id=aisp
[2] Photos of the bison and the island:  http://gallery.vegcrew.net/uarc001123