Sportsmen were outraged when Wildlife and Heritage Service Director Mike Slattery was fired in 2001 for his alleged role in the defeat of an anti-trapping bill the governor had backed.

Governor Glendening founded the Maryland Non-Lethal Wildlife Management Task Force in 2001 to examine methods of wildlife control that did not involve hunting, fishing or trapping. He appointed the nation’s two most anti-hunting organizations, the Humane Society of the United States and the Fund for Animals, to serve on the panel. On January 18, 2002, the task force released its final report.

Its findings call for many expensive programs to control wildlife such as high fencing, electrical fencing, roadside reflectors and more. The report states that the appropriate agencies should fund these programs - that will likely mean the use of sportsmen’s dollars. Last year, sportsmen paid for 75 percent of the agency’s budget. The report repeatedly recommends that people who want information about controlling wildlife call the Fund for Animals. Finally, the report recommends the governor appoint a more diverse Wildlife Advisory Commission to include people representing animal protection groups.

Most recently, Glendening’s anti-hunting administration has reversed the Maryland DNR’s position on two important sportsman issues. The administration is opposing House Bill 10, a bill that would authorize the DNR to establish a limited black bear hunting season. This bill is in response to recommendations from a previous task force established by the DNR to consider better management strategies for the black bear population.

The administration is also taking no position on House Bill 9, which would permit Sunday deer hunting. House Bill 9 states that hunting is the most effective and efficient method to reduce the size of the deer herd. It recognizes that deer hunting boosts local economies by bringing in an annual revenue of more than $200 million to the state.

Glendening has made Maryland a safe haven for the animal rights agenda. He has effectively muzzled the professional wildlife managers in the Maryland DNR and fired Slattery for being pro-hunting. He has brought in anti-hunting groups to examine the management philosophy of the DNR, and he has openly opposed pro-hunting legislation.

In November, the citizens of Maryland will choose a new governor. The reign of Parris Glendening will come to an end as he is not able to run for another term. In the meantime, he continues to pursue a permanent legacy that will revamp the face of the Maryland DNR and sportsmen’s rights. He is sending a message to his eventual successor that sportsmen have no political clout. Now, more than ever, Maryland hunters and anglers need to unite and choose a governor that recognizes the valuable role of sportsmen in conservation.