Correction: Bill retains prohibitions against baiting coyotes and hunting them with dogs. A story on Friday erroneously stated that the amended version of the bill eliminated the ban.

by Guy Page

The Vermont Senate this morning, Tuesday March 26, is scheduled to give final approval to the amended version of S.258, the ‘management of fish and wildlife’ bill.

The proposed amendment was put before the full Senate Friday by Sen. Chris Bray (D-Addison), chair of Natural Resources and Energy, after it became clear the original version lacked the votes. Sen. Richard Sears (D-Bennington) is among the senators who said the amended version turned their no into a yes.

The amended version still removes rulemaking authority from the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Board, and gives it to the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife. It gives the board what Bray calls an “enhanced” advisory role. The new version restores appointment power of 14 members to the governor, and creates two new seats appointed by the Legislature.

The amended version creates detailed guidelines aimed at “balanced” appointment of members from among both licensed and un-licensed (non-hunting, fishing, trapping) Vermonters, and emphasizes their recognition of the dangers climate change poses to wildlife and habitat. It requires training of unspecified length, content and cost.

The amended version going before the Senate this morning includes prohibitions against trapping and hunting coyotes.

The bill received preliminary approval 21-8 Friday with Republican senators Brock, Collamore, Ingalls, Norris, Starr (Dem/R), Weeks, Westman and Williams voting no. Sen. Dick Mazza was not present. All other senators voted yes.

“If this bill passes, it’s the ending of hunting as we know it in Vermont,” Sen. Russ Ingalls (R-Essex) said. He predicted the State would gradually stop hunting of coyotes, bear, rabbits and bobcats – “a death by a thousand cuts.”

Ingalls also predicted that many Vermonters – including the 79,000 licensees – will remember in November. His statement drew a complaint from Sen. Sears, who said that ‘threats’ have no place on the Senate floor. Senate moderator Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman didn’t sustain Sears’ complaint, but did ask Ingalls to stay on the topic of the bill.

“I think this bill is a solution in search of a problem,” Sen. Terry Williams (R-Rutland) said. As a younger man he was an assistant game warden, he hunts now, and he said the health and overall quality of the deer herd has never been better than under the care of the Fish & Wildlife Board.

It is unclear whether Gov. Scott will veto the bill.

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