[ODFW-News] ODFW News: Public Input on Mechanical Decoys Sought
ODFW News
Odfw.News@STATE.OR.US
Fri, 20 Sep 2002 13:57:05 -0700
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Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife =20
Contact: Anne Pressentin Young (503) 872-5264 x5356=20
Internet: www.dfw.state.or.us Fax: (503) 872-5700
=20
For Immediate Release September 20, 2002
Public Input on Mechanical Decoys Sought=20
PORTLAND - The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife seeks public comment =
before Oct. 10 on three options for the future use of electronic and =
mechanical decoys for all types of hunting. The Oregon Fish and Wildlife =
Commission will consider the comments when voting on the rules Oct. 11.
The Commission, the rule-making body for ODFW, is considering three =
options for the 2003-04 hunting seasons:=20
-Alternative A: No change to current regulations, which allow any type of =
decoy for big game and game bird hunting.
-Alternative B: The use of all mechanical, battery, wind, human or =
motorized-powered decoys would be outlawed. Spinning-blade devices, =
pull-strings, and wind-powered decoy kites would be included in the =
prohibition.
-Alternative C: Battery-powered or motorized decoys would be illegal. =
Human and wind-powered decoys would be allowed.=20
In recent years, the use of battery-powered waterfowl decoys has greatly =
increased, which has driven a debate between traditional hunting methods =
and use of new technology. No definitive statistics exist in Oregon, but =
ODFW biologists estimate the number of hunters using "robo" ducks is more =
than 50 percent in some popular hunting areas. The devices may or may not =
resemble a duck.=20
A limited number of studies suggest that hunter efficiency and harvest is =
higher with the devices. However, the total harvest in the Pacific flyway =
and in Oregon has declined in recent years while the number of hunters has =
remained constant.=20
Last spring, the Commission decided to address the larger issue of all =
motion decoys. Deer decoys with movable heads and tails exist, as do =
turkey decoys that move on a track.=20
More information about mechanical decoys may be found at www.dfw.state.or.u=
s. Click on Commission Meeting Schedule and then on the link to the Oct. =
11, 2002, meeting.=20
Public comments may be sent to ODFW Game Bird Program, P.O. Box 59, =
Portland, OR 97207, or e-mailed to bradley.d.bales@state.or.us. Comments =
must be received before Oct. 10, 2002, to be considered by the Commission. =
In addition, members of the public may testify at the Commission meeting =
Oct. 11, 2002. The meeting will be held in Sandy at the Mt. Hood National =
Forest Headquarters.
###
Information and Education Section
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
(503) 872-5268
or (503) 872-5264 ext 5528
TO UNSUBSCRIBE FROM THIS LIST, PLEASE GO TO http://www.dfw.state.or.us/publ=
ic/NewsArc/Listserves.html=20
AND FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS. =20
PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL.
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<DIV>Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife <BR>Contact: Anne=
=20
Pressentin Young (503) 872-5264 x5356 <BR>Internet: <A=20
href=3D"http://www.dfw.state.or.us">www.dfw.state.or.us</A> Fax: =
(503)=20
872-5700<BR> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>For Immediate Release September 20, 2002<BR>Public Input on =
Mechanical=20
Decoys Sought </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>PORTLAND - The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife seeks public =
comment=20
before Oct. 10 on three options for the future use of electronic and =
mechanical=20
decoys for all types of hunting. The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission =
will=20
consider the comments when voting on the rules Oct. 11.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>The Commission, the rule-making body for ODFW, is considering three =
options=20
for the 2003-04 hunting seasons: </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>-Alternative A: No change to current regulations, which allow any =
type of=20
decoy for big game and game bird hunting.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>-Alternative B: The use of all mechanical, battery, wind, human or=20
motorized-powered decoys would be outlawed. Spinning-blade devices,=20
pull-strings, and wind-powered decoy kites would be included in the=20
prohibition.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>-Alternative C: Battery-powered or motorized decoys would be illegal. =
Human=20
and wind-powered decoys would be allowed. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>In recent years, the use of battery-powered waterfowl decoys has =
greatly=20
increased, which has driven a debate between traditional hunting methods =
and use=20
of new technology. No definitive statistics exist in Oregon, but ODFW =
biologists=20
estimate the number of hunters using "robo" ducks is more than 50 percent =
in=20
some popular hunting areas. The devices may or may not resemble a duck. =
</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>A limited number of studies suggest that hunter efficiency and =
harvest is=20
higher with the devices. However, the total harvest in the Pacific flyway =
and in=20
Oregon has declined in recent years while the number of hunters has =
remained=20
constant. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Last spring, the Commission decided to address the larger issue of =
all=20
motion decoys. Deer decoys with movable heads and tails exist, as do =
turkey=20
decoys that move on a track. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>More information about mechanical decoys may be found at <A=20
href=3D"http://www.dfw.state.or.us">www.dfw.state.or.us</A>. Click on =
Commission=20
Meeting Schedule and then on the link to the Oct. 11, 2002, meeting. =
</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Public comments may be sent to ODFW Game Bird Program, P.O. Box =
59,=20
Portland, OR 97207, or e-mailed to <A=20
href=3D"mailto:bradley.d.bales@state.or.us">bradley.d.bales@state.or.us</A>=
.=20
Comments must be received before Oct. 10, 2002, to be considered by the=20
Commission. In addition, members of the public may testify at the =
Commission=20
meeting Oct. 11, 2002. The meeting will be held in Sandy at the Mt. =
Hood=20
National Forest Headquarters.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>###<BR></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Information and Education Section<BR>Oregon Department of Fish and=20
Wildlife<BR>(503) 872-5268<BR>or (503) 872-5264 ext 5528<BR>TO UNSUBSCRIBE =
FROM=20
THIS LIST, PLEASE GO TO <A=20
href=3D"http://www.dfw.state.or.us/public/NewsArc/Listserves.html">http://w=
ww.dfw.state.or.us/public/NewsArc/Listserves.html</A>=20
<BR>AND FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS. <BR>PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO THIS=20
EMAIL.</DIV></BODY></HTML>
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