FWC TO HOLD PUBLIC MEETINGS ON DEER-DOG HUNTING PROGRAM
May 2, 2005
Contacts: Stan Kirkland (850) 265-3676
or Tony Young (850) 488-7867
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) will hold six public meetings in May around the state to explain the proposed statewide expansion of the deer-dog hunting registration program.
The only meeting in northwest Florida will be May 16 in Blountstown at the Calhoun County Courthouse Annex from 7-9 p.m. CDT.
The series of meetings are in response to a decision by FWC commissioners during the April commission meeting in Tallahassee where they voted to move forward with proposing expansion of the registration program statewide. This proposal would be considered for final adoption at the June 15-17 Commission meeting in Daytona Beach. Before making a final decision, the Commission asked staff to conduct a series of public meetings to make sure stakeholders are aware of the proposal and fully understand the registration requirements.
Last season the no-cost registration program was in effect for all deer dog running groups on private lands in northwest Florida. The statewide expansion involves no significant rule changes, said Stan Kirkland, the FWC’s regional spokesman in Panama City.
“Just about everyone who looked at the pilot program in northwest Florida last year has commented how effective it was in addressing conflicts between landowners and dog hunters,” Kirkland said.
He said 70 individual properties representing 57 deer-dog hunt clubs participated in the Northwest Region pilot program. These properties ranged in size from 40 to 31,000 acres and were located in 14 of the 16 counties within the region. There were no registered deer-dog hunting clubs in Escambia or Franklin counties.
During the past hunting season in the Northwest Region, there were 87 deer-dog hunting complaints, down 36 percent from 137 complaints during the 2003-04 hunting season. Only five of these 87 complaints were associated with registered deer-dog hunting clubs. In contrast, a review of the complaint data for the North Central and Northeast regions reflected an increase in complaints.
The FWC is sending a mail-out to dog-hunting clubs explaining the expansion of the program. A final report that includes any comments received at the upcoming meetings will be on the agenda for consideration at the FWC’s June 15-17 meeting in Daytona Beach.
Five public meetings will be held outside the Northwest Region. They are:
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Sebring, May 9, 7-9 p.m. EDT, Sebring Civic Center, 4509 W. George Blvd.; |
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Chiefland, May 10, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. EDT, Tommy Usher Center, 506 SW 4th Avenue; |
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Lake City, May 12, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. EDT, Columbia County School Board Auditorium, 372 W. Duval Street; |
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Brooksville, May 17, 7 – 9 p.m. EDT, Southwest Florida Water Management District Headquarters Auditorium, 2379 Broad Street; |
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Ocala, May 19, 7 – 9 p.m. EDT, Marion County Agriculture Extension Service Auditorium, 2232 NE Jacksonville Road. |
More information about the proposed statewide deer-dog registration program is available at MyFWC.com/hunting.
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