New Hampshire sportsmen must immediately contact their State Representatives to urge them to oppose House Bill 559.
HB 559 would gut the current methodology for appointments to the state Fish and Game Commission. Under the bill, existing requirements stipulating that members of the commission be an active outdoorsman holding a resident fishing, hunting, or trapping license in at least 5 of the 10 years would be removed.
The bill also, eliminates the current requirement that a member have at least 5 years of experience in conservation or scientific wildlife management.
These changes leave membership on the Commission up to political considerations and risk the Commission becoming stacked with animal rights activists.
Despite the bill being voted down in committee by a 16-0 vote, animal rightists are now pushing for a vote before the full House of Representatives.
Take Action! New Hampshire sportsmen are urged to contact their member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives to tell them to oppose this measure.
Tell them HB 599 politicizes the makeup of the Commission and could lead to opponents of hunting, fishing, and trapping gaining control over wildlife management policy.
To find your Representative’s phone number use the Legislative Action Center.
For more information regarding the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alert Network, call 614-888-4868, or email Greg R. Lawson, director of communications at glawson@ussportsmen.org or Sharon Hayden, assistant director of communications at shayden@ussportsmen.org.