The NYS Dept of Environmental Conservation, Division of
fish, wildlife and marine resources, is running a three day FREE bow-
hunter/hunting training course in Mount Vernon, on Aug. 29, Sept. 12 and
Sept. 19.
It is being held in a poor neighborhood, in a smoke/gun
shop. This is typical - it would not be held in
Scarsdale or a tonier neighborhood.
It also seems highly questionable and outrageous that
taxpayer dollars are being devoted to teaching poor people how to kill,
while Yonkers teachers are being laid off. Taffy Williams and I are
attempting to block this course by injunction; further info about that
shortly.
The DEC flyer states the 'course' is funded IN PART by
the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act (!!!) and by federal excise
taxes on hunting equipment; but, according to Anne Muller, president of the
Committee to Abolish Sport Hunting, "The Bureau of Wildlife is running a
private hunting business on taxpayer money.
The excise taxes on firearms, bows and arrows are
insufficient to pay for their sport of killing animals. (New York State is
required to match 25% of the federal excise tax that is contributed to the
State.) All of the Bureau of Wildlife's overhead costs are paid out of the
general fund. No good deed goes unpunished, because with our money the
Bureau of Wildlife increases "game" species which then create human-animal
conflicts."
www.all-creatures.org/cash
I have strongly felt that the hype about the deer
'problem' in Westchester was just that - hype to help bring hunters in; the
creation of a 'deer committee' in Greenburgh has added to it.
PLEASE MAKE THE FOLLOWING CONTACTS TO HELP STOP HUNTING
TRAINING!!
CALL NYS DEC Sportsman 'educator' Matt Merchant (845)
256-3063
Demand this program be terminated IMMEDIATELY!
One reason we were able to get them to drop rodeos was
that Mt. Vernon didn't want to sully its image with that garbage; stress
that this is no different. Please write polite letters to Mayor Ernest
Davis, who may not realize this 'course' will be held:
Email for Mayor Davis:
[email protected]
cc: Asst. Denise Lima
[email protected]
Press Secretary
Leslie Alpert:
[email protected]
Westchester County Executive
Andrew Spano:
[email protected]
Please make these additional contacts regarding these
courses, also being given in Rye and Yonkers (when possible, please call as
well):
RYE: Mayor Steven Otis
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (914) 967-7404
City Council President Rozamond Larr
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (914) 967-3042
YONKERS: Mayor Philip Amicone
Email:
[email protected]
Phone: (914) 377-6300
City Council President Liam McLaughlin
Email:
[email protected]
Phone: (914)377-6314
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