UPDATE ON APALACHICOLA FOREST ROAD CLOSURES

A legal challenge to the road closure/opening plan created by the U.S. Forest Service was filed by the local Florida State Dog Hunters and Sportsman's Association. Challenges were also filed by Wild Law (an environmental group out of DC), by a local trail riders association representing motorcycle riders (not ATVs), and by an individual motorcycle rider. We have talked with Congressman Boyd's office and they are aware of our concerns, but are awaiting feedback from the Dog Hunters Association on how to proceed. We have also had conversations with Safari Club International about this matter and have asked for their assistance. Representatives from the Dog Hunters Association met with the local US Forest Service staff on Tuesday, December 4. We presented the concerns of all dog hunters, as we understood them. I, speaking on behalf of other sporting groups but not necessarily as a part of the legal challenge, also expressed opinion on how the closures would affect those who might fish in the pocket lakes in the forest, as well as still hunters who may now have to walk several miles to access still hunt stands. We thought the meeting went well. The US Forest Service suggested that they could, most likely, accommodate a few of the smaller opening issues that we had. However, they also suggested that they knew there were certain areas of the forest where they had proposed closures that would cause extreme hardship. Much of this was north of Bloxham and also in large tracts in Liberty County. They suggested that they would need to start a process over again in January to address these concerns and they suggested that they would be inclined to do that, if all parties (the 4 challengers) would agree to withdraw legal challenges. Late Friday, we were informed by the Forest Service that one of the challengers would not agree to that proposed action. Therefore, we are still left with the legal challenge and we are in a waiting game to see what the Service's official response will be. Please stay tuned for additional updates as this matter progresses.
Florida sportsmen are facing a serious setback on hunting and fishing opportunities in three national forests: Apalachicola, Osceola and Ocala. The U.S. Forest Service has proposed amendments to their management plans that will shut down many roads used by hunting groups and fishermen. In the Apalachicola Forest alone, approximately 50,000 acres will, in affect, be shut down to traditional hunting methods by the road closures. In addition, these closures will force other users of the forests to concentrate their activities into smaller areas, thereby limiting their access to the remainder of the forest.

Stakeholders worked diligently with the U.S. Forest Service during the development of these rule modifications. The user groups suggested alternative road closures and, in many cases, agreed with the Forest Service on the closure of many roads. These meetings and suggestions were summarily rejected, however. The proposed actions of the U.S. Forest Service seemingly ignore the Executive Order issued by President Bush just this past summer. Among other things, the order 1) directed federal agencies to evaluate the effect of their actions on trends in hunter participation and, where appropriate to address declining trends, implement actions that expand and enhance hunting opportunities; 2) consider the economic impact and recreational values of hunting; and 3) manage wildlife and wildlife habitats on public lands in a manner that expands and enhances hunting opportunities.

The actions proposed by the U.S. Forest Service will lead to less hunting and fishing opportunities by denying typical access to the property via roads that have been used for decades, if not generations. This will lead to a decline in hunters and fishermen and subsequently, will result in a negative economic impact on those businesses. If you are a user of any of these three forests and you are concerned about these impacts you are urged to contact Lane Stephens, executive director of Allied Sportsmen's Associations of Florida. Lane can be reached at lane@scggov.com.

Hunting with dogs in Florida dates back to the early 1800's. Early settlers
used dogs to help flush game from the dense thickets that made
up Florida's untamed landscape.

Today, thousands of families in Florida still enjoy this proud tradition. But with Florida's growing population and the desire of many of these new residents to live in rural settings, our hunting lands are being encroached upon.

But one organization is here to help protect this proud heritage,
the Florida Dog Hunters and Sportsman's Association.


For more information on REGISTRATION REQUIREMENT FOR USE OF
DOGS TO TAKE DEER ON PRIVATE LANDS, visit:
http://myfwc.com/hunting/deer-dog-hunt-registration.htm

Click here to open a PDF of the actual registration form:
http://myfwc.com/hunting/pdf/deer-dog-application.pdf

Deer Hunting with Hounds Coming Under Attack

A segment of the hunting community that is a part of the fabric of southern culture and hunting heritage has come under attack again in Florida. In the January 21, 2007 edition of the Gainesville Sun, a letter to the editor attacked the tradition of hunting deer with hounds. Once again, anti-hunter types are resorting to the tired old tactics of writing half-truths or any false statements in their attack of hunting rights.

Click here to see our response to this latest attack and to see letters of support that we have received in response to our efforts.

ATTENTION OSCEOLA WMA DEER DOG HUNTERS: By now many of you may have heard about the proposal to relocate a portion of the deer dog hunting and to greatly expand the deer dog hunting area overall, within the Osceola Wildlife Management Area. We are providing links to the information put out by FWCC on this matter. You will find a letter explaining the proposal, as well as maps of the current hunting alignment along with a map showing the proposed changes.

Link to FWCC Letter
Link to Map of Current Hunt Area
Link to Map of Proposed Hunt Area

A public meeting will be held on Friday, June 23, from 7 pm till 9 pm in Lake City, Florida. The location of the meeting is the Columbia County School Board Auditorium, located at 372 West Duval Street. The State Association has been involved in a working group which also included representatives of several local deer dog hunting clubs, still hunters, and other interested parties. The working group developed the consensus proposal that is the subject of the map of the proposed hunt area. While the proposal may not be perfect, we believe that it will lead to a decrease in dog trespass complaints on private property and will, at the same time, increase the deer dog hunting area from 81,678 acres to over 100,000 acres…a net increase of 22,045 acres.

As many of you know, typically when FWCC has a problem with dog trespass the response has been to just close the area down to dog hunting. In this case, FWCC is closing down a certain portion of the dog hunting area, but they are recommending giving us much more land than is being shut down. We believe this shows a willingness to work with us, rather than against us, and support from local hunting clubs helps make this happen. Please take a look at the information provided above and plan to attend the meeting in Lake City on June 23. While we would appreciate your support of the proposal, we understand that it is just that. Comments to improve the proposal are always appreciated.

Web Site Created and Maintained
by Andrea Johnson
In Loving Memory of Bo Johnson
6-7-74 - 8-20-04