C.A.S.H./WILDLIFE WATCH WORKS WITH ELECTED
REPRESENTATIVE
Wildlife Watch worked with Assemblyman Joel
Miller, R- Hyde Park, NY who agreed to sponsor our change in the
depredation permitting process. Wildlife Watch would like to see the depredation
permitting
process open to public scrutiny, and ideally subject to public
hearings prior to the game agency’s issuing a permit.
We met with NY State Assemblyman Joel M.
Miller of the 97th Assembly District of NY State to discuss legislation
to rein in an especially heinous abuse of the "depredation" permit-to
kill deer outside of the regular hunting season.
Depredation permits are usually granted
by state agencies to farmers or orchard operators who claim a loss due
to deer damage of their crops.
The NY State DEC hands out these permits
like lollypops. In a previous issue of the C.A.S.H. Courier, we reported
that an applicant in Dutchess County whose farm had been defunct for over
five years, received a depredation permit based on claims of financial
loss of his farm product. He used the permit to legally hunt out of season,
killing a doe who was nursing two fawns. One of the fawns was found dead
trying to suckle, the other fawn was wandering around until rescued by
a neighbor. It was at that point that we were notified.
Assemblyman Miller, after meeting with us,
drafted a bill that requires more scrutiny on the part of the DEC before
issuing depredation permits. It also requires the DEC to post all applications
for depredation permits on their web-site so that they become public knowledge.
According to Assemblyman Miller, the bill
was introduced too late to be acted on this session – but he did agree
to reintroduce it next year. P.M.
¨ ¨ ¨
Cormorant meeting at the office of Sen.
Hillary Clinton. See page 2.
¨ ¨ ¨
C.A.S.H. mailed a postcard alert to
our Ohio list based on a post that we received in which the
US Sportsmen’s
Alliance announced that "Sunday Hunting was on the Way." Claiming
that the US Sportsmen’s Alliance led a coalition of Ohio Sportsmen to ‘expand
the state’s outdoor heritage’ and claiming that the Ohio legislature
passed a bill to permit Sunday hunting without private land restrictions.
We quickly did a mailing to our members. We wanted our list to be sure
to call the Governor to stop Bill 493 from passing. It sounded to us,
prior to checking thoroughly, that private landowner rights could be
violated should this pass, but that was not the reality of the bill.
The bill, nevertheless, allowed for more hunting than before thanks
to Rep. Bob Latta (R-Bowling Green). We should give full credit to him
also (you know what I mean). It stated: "The bill removes all private
land restrictions during hunting seasons including the requirement that
the landowners must have 20 or more acres to hunt on Sunday." You
can see what triggered our concern and the person who sent us
the e-mail, and thus our quick turn-around.
The bill also removes the restriction that non-owners only
be allowed to hunt on property over 100 acres. They applauded
that fact that "sportsmen’ can now
hunt on Sunday without dealing with unnecessary and burdensome
red tape."
We wrote to our Ohio supporters: "IF
YOU MAKE NO OTHER CONTACT WITH YOUR GOVERNOR, PLEASE MAKE THIS ONE!!!!" The
Bill, unfortunately, was signed into law.
¨ ¨ ¨
C.A.S.H./WILDLIFE WATCH WORKS IN THE FIELD—
OPERATES "HOTLINE"
Wildlife Watch operates a hotline to give
advice to people such as determining if baby birds are fledging
and if so to reunite them with the parents to making sure that a fawn
has a mom
before "rescuing" the fawn. We also offer feeding and care advise
when possible. Additionally, when needed and where feasible, we help to
get animals to rehabbers with our Rescue Wagon. The sign reads, "Report
injured or orphaned wildlife to 256-1400" Serving Ulster, Rockland,
Orange (we should add Dutchess). Sometimes we have to take direct
action as you can see below.
Peter cutting a snake out of deer-netting.
Photo by Anne Muller
Our direct help with transportation, help
with capture, or direct care has benefited hawks, song birds, bunnies,
and opossums
¨ ¨ ¨
BONNIE THE BUNNY. This bunny was
found in a storm with an upside down head. We drove down to get her, got
her to veterinarians, and she is now with rehabilitators in Kingston,
NY who are trying various holistic remedies to reverse her very severe
head tilt. Thank you to Abby Wolf and the House Rabbit Society for
many helpful suggestions.
¨ ¨ ¨
Wildlife Watch was called in to investigate
a massive die-off of birds and other wildlife in Highland NY. We had their
bodies delivered to the NYS Pathologist and we are awaiting their response.
When an e-mail came to us regarding the
fact that Kohl’s and Linens and Things in Brewster, NY were planning
to prematurely remove the nests of swallows, we spread the word and
contacted the owners of the center. After being inundated with calls,
the center called us to say they would NOT be removing the nests until
after the birds have fledged. We suggested putting metallic fringes along
the area where they nest to keep them from renesting there in the future.
The birds apparently were getting into the stores. Thanks to Alice Mainiero
for getting in touch with us.
Where is the DEC when it comes to animals
that can’t be hunted? Nowhere to be found!
¨ ¨ ¨
Peter Muller – Gave a presentation and tabled
for LOHV - League of Humane Voters - at AR2002 in Washington, D.C.
¨ ¨ ¨
WILDLIFE WATCH EDUCATES THE PUBLIC
Pulin
Modi interned at Wildlife Watch/ C.A.S.H. during his senior year at Vassar. He
did a wonderful outreach to students of all ages, particularly the early
grades – Pulin arranged
for about 10 Earth Day (week) outreach events from second graders
to university students and even at the Capitol Building in Albany
at an
environmental rally.
Pulin tabled and also gave presentations
with Wildlife Watch/C.A.S.H. materials that included a petitioning
effort to remove sections of the NYS budget that would lower the big game
hunting
age to 14. Lowering the hunting age had been attempted by Michael
Bragman and we thought it was put to rest when Bragman left the Assembly,
but
then discovered this in the Governor’s budget. Thanks to pressure
from a number of animal rights groups, that section was removed before
the
budget was signed. Pulin also petitioned to suspend hunting this
year in the wake of terrorist attacks on the U.S.;
In the June 2002 issue of the NYSCC New
York State Conservation Council it says:
"The state has finally passed a budget and the new
license fee bill is law. ...The Conservation
Fund is secure again. Legislators turned
down the bill allowing 14 and 15 year-olds to hunt big game during the
regular season. Many of the legislators stood with the antihunting
arguments that young hunters are not responsible and can not be trusted
to handle guns safely. Some even compared young hunters to the crazy Columbine
students. We will need lots of letters and calls from parents
and relatives of young hunters next year to win them the right to
hunt. It
is sad that the Governor and Senate leaders gave up or caved in
on our deal."
¨ ¨ ¨
Connie Young is now the Outreach Director
for C.A.S.H. /Wildlife Watch and is using her great writing skills
to write letters on behalf of C.A.S.H. issues all over the country as
we get requests. Her very first letter was written to the Audubon Magazine
and was published ! Thank you to Carole Gilges of Virginia (formerly
of Connecticut) for alerting us to the dismal pro-hunting letter
that appeared in the Audubon Magazine.
Connie’s original letter exposed the
mismanagement of wildlife by the FWS and state game agencies that WANT
AN OVERPOPULATION of "game" species. That was excluded
from the letter they published.
As published in the 5/2002 Audubon Magazine
DEER IN THE
HEADLIGHTS
It is a sad forest that Ted Williams
exalts in "Wanted: More Hunters" [Incite, March-April]. In
it, hunters assume the role of wolves and cougars (incidentally, killed
off by hunters), and deer are killed to rid the world of Lyme disease.
Natural predators kill the weakest and sickest members of prey species;
human hunters prefer the best-as trophies. By removing the least fit,
natural predators improve gene pools. By killing the healthiest and
strongest-and leaving the most diseased-hunters weaken the species’ gene
pool. Williams writes, "Less than 10 percent of the public are
hunters." In truth, it is about 6 percent: a tiny special-interest
group linked to the weapons industry that helps fund wildlife
management. Killing has never been a good ethical answer. May I
remind you: We are
not gods.
Constance Young
Wildlife Watch Inc.
New Paltz, NY
¨ ¨ ¨
WILDLIFE WATCH WORKS WITH TOWNS
Good news! The Supervisor of South Fallsburg assured us
that there will be no killing of geese there. We confirmed that
with the town golf courses.
¨ ¨ ¨
WILDLIFE WATCH WORKS JUDICIALLY
Wildlife Watch and Ann Fanizzi, met with
the Lake Casse board members – sadly to no avail. They were going
to kill.
(Photo-Left - Anne
and Ann Fanizzi, petitioning in Lake Casse to stop the slaughter of
geese. Not one person knew it was going to happen.)
Wildlife Watch brought a lawsuit in Carmel,
NY to stop the killing of Canada geese. The Order to Show Cause was written
by Peter and Anne Muller, and Ann Fanizzi, with great help from Del Seligman,
Esq. Peter argued the case pro se.
Ann Fanizzi and Peter viewing the lake and
geese who had not yet been taken. Photo by Anne Muller
¨ ¨ ¨
WILDLIFE WATCH/C.A.S.H. WORKS
ADMINISTRATIVELY
See DEIS
The Wildlife Watch Annual Meeting was
held on June 9th in New Paltz NY. The food was catered by Vagabond
Cafe, a vegan restaurant in New Paltz. Thank you to the following people
for coming:
Andy Glick, Brian Shapiro, Frank and
Mary Hoffman, Gregg Feigelson, Abby Wolf, Rachel Lagodka, Silvie Lagodka,
Donna Quiros and Tony Ferranto, Rae Schlect, Harry and Sue Bourletos,
Ann Fanizzi, Connie Young, Peter Muller, Anne Muller, Lee Sneden, Celia
Lindblom, Linda Vassilatos, Scott Wilson, Sharon Cahr. THANK YOU
ALL!
¨ ¨ ¨
Eric Roth is an archivist for the
Huguenot Society of New Paltz. He is using his great organizing skills
at C.A.S.H. to help us keep archives and records for people who wish
to do research in the area of wildlife mismanagement.
¨ ¨ ¨
TATA - A 54 YEAR OLD CROW
Tata – the 54 year old crow – now blind
and arthritic, with a heart condition.
Anne Muller, editor of the Courier, had the pleasure of
serving the DEC late at night with a signed restraining order obtained
by Del Seligman, Esq. preventing the DEC from killing Tata, along
with a hawk. Del Seligman, Esq. Who is an animal rights attorney extraordinaire
won the restraining order after the bird was confiscated by the
DEC from
Kristine Flones, wildlife rehabilitator extraordinaire. The DEC
said because Tata was too old to be released and because he was blind,
and arthritic
he should die. Tata lived with a family for 50 years. They found
him as a youngster, and Tata could never fly. As Tata’s family is also
up in years now, and as Tata needs more than routine care, they turned
him over
to Kristine Flones. When the DEC caught wind of it, they were there
to kill Tata. This agency needs a TOTAL OVERHAUL!!!!!!!
The DEC finally, because of all the bad
publicity that they were given, is allowing Tata to stay with Kristine.
¨ ¨ ¨
FOLLOW-UP
The good news is that elk will not be introduced
in NY. The bad news is that it is because of chronic wasting disease (CWD).
In fact, the NY Chapter of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
is GONE. Their website says "Page cannot be found." Check
the website. In our next newsletter, we will be reporting more on
the horror
of Chronic Wasting Disease that is devastating deer and elk out
west, and has been travelling eastward.
