A NYC assemblywoman just released a potentially harmful bill during regular sessions of the NY State Assembly. This bill would prohibit the state’s participation in artificial pheasant propagation activities. Rosenthal has a long history of attacking sportsman, and she isn’t going to give up anytime soon. Interestingly when you look at the legislation she’s been involved with, at the start of her career she wasn’t as motivated to attack sportsman and gun owners. She has a long history of being passionate about rent regulations, adult care facilities and wetlands. She has had a great deal of things I could get behind regarding the environment, health care, schools, pharma, etc. Something happened though, in recent years she’s going hard at animal owners, sportsman, and gun owners. I want everyone to take a look at the bottom of this page to see the legislation she’s had a hand in. This is just a list of what I could find. I left out so many things that I didn’t think were applicable to the sportsman argument. I hope that she continues to do good work, and also that she begins to see the importance of sportsman and our lifestyles and contributions. If you look this stuff up, and see the history of her legislation and those like her, you will see what we are up against.
But this article isn’t wholly about Rosenthal, it’s about the bill she proposes. The Pheasant program has been around a long time and its loved by sportsman throughout NY. The Adult Pheasant Release Program, or APRP releases about 30,000 pheasant annually for the fall stocking program in more than 100 public hunting lands. They are also released for special sponsored pheasant hunts for youth, people with disabilities, women, and novice hunters.Â
In addition to the APRP, the state has the DOCP or the Day Old Chick Program. This program provides days old pheasant chicks to raise and release at no expense to the DEC beyond hatching. These birds are then released into approved areas as approved through the application process. Program participants include 4-H youth, sportsmen clubs and county federations, landowners, NYS Department of Corrections, and other individuals. DOCP cooperators allow pheasant hunting on hundreds of sites and thousands of acres of privately owned lands.
Home base for the APRP and the DOCP is the Reynolds Game Farm in Ithaca. It is the state’s only pheasant production facilityand has been in operation since 1927. What this means is that the bill aims to shut down this facility specifically, it’s not a blanket bill.
All pheasants distributed through DEC programs are released on land open to the public for pheasant hunting. Private landowners allow pheasant hunting on thousands of acres through these programs. The annual operating budget for the game farm is approximately $750,000, including pheasant propagation, program administration, annual facility maintenance, and most of the pheasant distribution costs. The game farm currently has four full-time permanent staff. It employs up to ten additional temporary staff during the peak of propagation activities (March-November).
Game farm staff function as a nearly self-contained administrative unit, responsible for program coordination statewide as well as safe and efficient operation and maintenance of all game farm hatching and brooding facilities, outdoor rearing pens, and office and garage spaces. Permanent staff purchase equipment and supplies, process invoices and expense accounts, and hire, train, and supervise seasonal staff. Staff also provide educational programs to local school groups and sportsmen’s clubs. The game farm receives a high volume of telephone calls and Department website requests for information. Staff distribute a variety of literature about pheasant habitat and pheasant propagation programs.
The game farm has served as a central location for various other DEC programs such as Chronic Wasting Disease testing and the River Otter Restoration Project. Over the years, the game farm has participated and supported numerous research projects with Cornell University either directly or indirectly. The game farm conference room remains a prime meeting place for DEC teams from across the state.
The pheasant propagation program reaches thousands of New Yorker’s by providing hunting and viewing opportunities. First and foremost, it provides sportsmen and sportswomen the opportunity to enjoy an open field hunting experience that is gradually disappearing with changing land use patterns across the state. The program provides access to thousands of acres of old fields and cropland where hunters can go afield and hunt pheasants. Many hunters across the state own and care for hunting dogs that are specially trained to hunt pheasants or other game birds of open fields.
The cooperator programs also provide a means for youth and adults to learn about the husbandry and natural history of pheasants, with an incentive to expand areas open for public hunting and to improve habitat for grassland wildlife species. Youth and adults spend hours caring for and releasing birds propagated through the state cooperator programs. The state propagation program provides quality disease-free birds and outstanding customer service to its constituents.
As sportsmen, it’s important that we stand up to the constant attacks on our way of life. Unfortunately it seems like it always comes from the city, they don’t understand our culture or the lifestyles of those people who don’t wish to spend all of their time in the concrete jungle. This bill will be damaging to our sport, our culture and our lifestyle. Not to mention jobs and the entire pheasant program. It’s a classic slippery slope. This isn’t the first time they have tried this one and it won’t be the last.Â
Now more than ever is the time to make your voice heard. Write letters or emails to your local assembly representative, you can find your district according to the NY assembly district map below. Let them know you do not support A600. I have been vocal about this on facebook and it’s receiving good feedback, let’s keep the ball rolling and stand up for what we believe.
As mentioned before, this isn’t the first time they have tried and these attempts gain more steam each time. There are facebook groups and internet petitions on fire about the topic. The anti-hunting lobby is in full attack mode. There are currently almost 250 bills sitting with the Environmental Conversation Committee in the 2019 sessions alone.
We must acknowledge that not all of those are negative, but many are. Some examples are Bill A00722 which would ban field trails and hunting contests. Bill A95 Which would require gun owners to purchase liability insurance. A286 which gives tax credits for adopting animals, The A527 Crossbow bill that’s getting a lot of hype, S447 related to cutting skidder trails, A3730 which is a huge one for those of us hunting with dogs, we can talk about that one later. The list goes on and on with bills you should oppose or support.
Write your letters now and make a difference. I have included an attachement link for a DRAFT LETTER which you are welcome to download, edit, and use for yourself. If you want to look up bills you can visit the following link.
BELOW YOU WILL FIND THE TEXT FROM A600
Â
Below is a list of legislation I have found linked to Rosenthal. I only included bills that she proposed involving, guns, animals, pets, or hunting/fishing. I’ve tried to include them without bias as to whether I thought they were harmful or beneficial. She does have some bills out there that make a lot of sense, you may think that some of the bills below are among them or you may not. What this list does give you, is a clear picture of what her and those like her are about. They are spending a tremendous amount of time and resources on these topics. It’s important that if you agree with these policies, make your voice heard. If you disagree with these policies… MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD!
A05040 : Relates to prohibitions on fur products
A03485 : Prohibits using toxic ammunition in the taking of wildlife
A1301 : Relates to methods used to capture or dispose of nuisance wildlife
A01247: Prohibits entry to gun shows to anyone under twelve years of age
A01241:Provides for the humane removal of downed animals (little information on this)
A01111: Relates to prohibiting the sale, trade or bartering or possession with intent to sell, trade or barter of certain wild animals or wild animal products and to the penalties imposed therefor. (introduced twice)
A01066: Requires that handlers of police detection dogs have opioid antagonists to be administered to dogs in case of overdose ( I laughed at this one, I guess we have to assume she is an expert about drug dogs)
A01064: Requires instruction in anti-gun violence in all schools
A01007: Relates to the prohibition of shooting programs
A00948: Designates rescue cats as the official state cat
A00830: Prohibits tethering, restraining, caging or penning of dogs outside between the hours of 7 p.m. to 6 a.m
A00767: Relates to orders of protection with respect to companion animals (introduced twice)
A00737: Limits the animal dealers that are exempt under the provisions of article 7
A00729: Relates to outdoor restraints of companion animals
A00693: Relates to the verification of compliance in instruction in the humane treatment of animals.
A00663: Includes wildlife animals as those subject to the animal cruelty provisions of the agriculture and markets law
A00639: Establishes a tax credit for the cost of veterinary services
A00025: Relates to the creation of a court appointed advocate for animals. (proposed twice)
A00058: Relates to prohibiting animal hatching projects in schools
A00061: Authorizes emergency medical care personnel to provide basic first aid to dogs and cats (proposed twice)
A00277: Creates a task force on animal laws
A00286: Provides for tax credit for the adoption of household pets from animal shelter or humane society
A00293: Establishes a municipal gun tip hotline program and municipal gun tip hotline fund
A00519: Restricts sales tax exemptions on fur-bearing articles of clothing or footwear
A00594: Relates to protecting wildlife and maintaining safety
A00638: Restricts the locations of gunsmiths and dealers in firearms in relation to day cares, educational facilities, and places of worship
A00655: Relates to establishing an oyster shell recycling tax credit
COSPONSORED
A00225: Provides for the registration and regulation of pet groomers
A00351: Amends the definitions of pet dealers; decreases the number of animals a person can distribute to fit under the exemption.
A00503: Relates to the safe storage of rifles, shotguns, or firearms.
A00703: Prohibits the use of lead ammunition in the taking of wildlife
A00722: Provides that it shall be unlawful for any person to organize, sponsor, conduct, promote, or participate in any contest, competition, tournament or derby where the objective of such contest or competition is to take wildlife.
A00894: Creates the responsible retirement of racehorses fund;
A00912: Prohibits the taking of zoo, petting zoo, carnival or circus animals
A01097: Relates to requiring the court to consider the best interest of a companion animal when awarding possession in a divorce or separation proceeding.
A01054: Requires the creation and imposition of restrictive commercial practices and stringent recordkeeping and reporting to prevent gun sales to criminals; provides that such measures shall be promulgated by the superintendent of state police; restricts premises of sales; requires employee training; prohibits straw purchases; imposes additional license conditions.
A01224: Excludes dogs, cats and any other domesticated animals from the definition of “wildlife”.
A01251: Requires semiautomatic pistols manufactured or delivered to any licensed dealer in this state to be capable of microstamping ammunition
A01424: Enacts “private environmental law enforcement act”; authorizes any private citizen who has an interest which is or may be adversely affected to commence civil judicial actions for injunctive or declaratory relief to remedy environmental harms under certain circumstances; provides that such action may be commenced against any person for any violation of an administrative or court order compelling an investigation or remediation of an inactive hazardous waste disposal site.
A01715A: Limits an educational institution’s ability to authorize the possession of a weapon on school grounds to certain officers or agents of a law enforcement agency.
A01897: Restricts the performance of surgical devocalization procedures on dogs and cats.
A01960: Relates to discrimination against owners of specific breeds of dogs.
A02525: Prohibits the hunting or taking of wildlife with the aid of an unmanned aerial vehicle.
A02571: Relates to the taking of menhaden; provides that menhaden (Brevoortia tyrannus) from which oil or meal is made may not be taken from the waters of the marine district with a purse seine unless the department determines there is an imminent risk of a fish kill.
A02684: Prohibits the possession, manufacture, transport and disposition of rapid-fire modification devices.
A02686A: Amends provisions relating to requirements for the safe storage of rifles, shotguns and firearms; requires sellers to provide notice of the duty to use gun locking devices and otherwise lock guns away from children and other persons not authorized to possess them
A02751: Declares the waters of the state to be public trust resources.
A02764: Prohibits ear clipping and tail docking of dogs unless deemed medically necessary to protect the life or health of the dog.
A03008: Creates a firearm violence research institute and a firearm violence research fund; makes an appropriation therefor
A03673: Relates to prohibiting the issuance of permits authorizing the use of wild animals in circuses; excepts an accredited zoo and a wildlife sanctuary.
A04516: Prohibits clauses in residential leases requiring the declawing of animals; provides that any person, firm or corporation who violates such provisions is guilty of a violation.
A04517: Establishes a twelve percent surcharge on the sale of animals by pet dealers and an animal shelter and wildlife rehabilitator account to be administered by an animal protection organization to be chosen by the comptroller and the commissioner of agriculture and markets.
A04853: Enacts Brianna’s Law; requires that operators of mechanically propelled vessels complete a boating safety course.
