Make Hunting and Fishing Constitutional Rights in Washington State

[huntrights]

Make Hunting and Fishing Constitutional Rights in Washington State

Other states are doing it.  It is not an easy process, but it can be done as has been shown in other states.  Proper wording in the legislation, timing, and public support are critical.  This topic thread is meant to keep the subject on our radar.

When the time comes, there will likely be a flood of propaganda from anti-hunting and animal-rights organizations.  These organizations have very obvious and demonstrated objectives to eliminate hunting, fishing, and trapping altogether.  They have also been attacking farming and ranching activities in various ways.

People have the right to hunt, fish, trap, farm, and ranch.  This is not just an issue about protecting and defending "sporting activities", "hobbies", or "recreational pastimes"; it's about protecting our heritage and traditions that have been at the core of our survival since mankind walked this earth.  It's about the right of pursuing sustenance (food) by hunting, fishing, trapping, farming, and ranching.  Without these activities established as rights, people may be forced to depend on retail, corporate, government, or charity food distribution as their primary sources of sustenance if these “privileges” are suddenly taken away or improperly managed and regulated.

These activities should still be managed/regulated based on sound and unbiased science (i.e. harvest limits, seasons, land use, etc.) to ensure healthy and sustainable wildlife populations along with proper management of the resources used by farming and ranching.  This is an issue of rights versus privileges; there is a significant difference between the two.  The government and its emissaries are obligated to protect and defend rights versus the giving and taking of privileges on a whim depending on the current political climate.


The following link is a good resource for national updates on the subject:

State Constitutional Right to Hunt and Fish
http://www.ncsl.org/research/environment-and-natural-resources/state-constitutional-right-to-hunt-and-fish.aspx

[bearpaw]

I agree, a few other states are starting to pass legislation, WA should too. 

[Bean Counter]

I support this measure. If we are a free nation then our pursuits, however regulated by the government.should be viewed as rights recognized by the.state and not privileges granted.

Be advised that a similar measure failed in Arizona last year. WA being a state chock full of f-tard liberal Nazis means that you have am even bigger hill to climb. Good luck.

[KFhunter]

I'm not far off the banning of catch and release for salmonoid fish
 
case in point was fishing in BC couple years ago, clipped fin fish could be kept but intact had to be released.   So we'd catch five intact fish for every clipped fish. 
 
Of the five released per one kept maybe one or two would survive, seals and sharks would eat the rest.
 
 
stupid

[KillBilly]

How strange that this gets posted now. I have an ongoing dialogue with one of our Legislators to sponsor a new bill to make Hunting and fishing a right.

It should happen for the upcoming Biennium.

[Elkaholic daWg]

I support this measure. If we are a free nation then our pursuits, however regulated by the government.should be viewed as rights recognized by the.state and not privileges granted.

Be advised that a similar measure failed in Arizona last year. WA being a state chock full of f-tard liberal Nazis means that you have am even bigger hill to climb. Good luck.

 Yes Wa will be an uphill battle with that.

How strange that this gets posted now. I have an ongoing dialogue with one of our Legislators to sponsor a new bill to make Hunting and fishing a right.

It should happen for the upcoming Biennium.

 We will know soon

[Mudman]

I totally agree with this but It seems to me that using time and resource to push this would be a giant waste of time.  I do not believe there is a snowballs chance in H-ll that the liberals in this state would ever pass this.  Our time would be better spent getting these liberals out of office so we could push things like this.  Depressing I know but it is reality. The only way is with voter inituatives.  Like I always say we should take Tim Eyman hunting!

[JLS]

I totally agree with this but It seems to me that using time and resource to push this would be a giant waste of time.  I do not believe there is a snowballs chance in H-ll that the liberals in this state would ever pass this.  Our time would be better spent getting these liberals out of office so we could push things like this.  Depressing I know but it is reality. The only way is with voter inituatives.  Like I always say we should take Tim Eyman hunting!

Given the fact that the majority of the state's population is rather liberal, it would seem there would be a much higher probability of passing and INTELLIGENTLY marketed bill about hunting and fishing instead of living in the dream world that you are going to rid Olympia of all liberal politicians.

There is a small minority of anti hunters, and a small minority of hunters.  The large portion in the middle are the folks that you need to appeal to in a sensible and reasoned manner.

[Mudman]

I totally agree with this but It seems to me that using time and resource to push this would be a giant waste of time.  I do not believe there is a snowballs chance in H-ll that the liberals in this state would ever pass this.  Our time would be better spent getting these liberals out of office so we could push things like this.  Depressing I know but it is reality. The only way is with voter inituatives.  Like I always say we should take Tim Eyman hunting!

Given the fact that the majority of the state's population is rather liberal, it would seem there would be a much higher probability of passing and INTELLIGENTLY marketed bill about hunting and fishing instead of living in the dream world that you are going to rid Olympia of all liberal politicians.

There is a small minority of anti hunters, and a small minority of hunters.  The large portion in the middle are the folks that you need to appeal to in a sensible and reasoned manner.

  Ya thats a good point.  I pray you are right but am skeptical.

[Wenatcheejay]

I agree, a few other states are starting to pass legislation, WA should too. 

+1

[Feanix]

I totally agree with this but It seems to me that using time and resource to push this would be a giant waste of time.  I do not believe there is a snowballs chance in H-ll that the liberals in this state would ever pass this.  Our time would be better spent getting these liberals out of office so we could push things like this.  Depressing I know but it is reality. The only way is with voter inituatives.  Like I always say we should take Tim Eyman hunting!

The only scenario that guarantees failure is never trying.

[pianoman9701]

I totally agree with this but It seems to me that using time and resource to push this would be a giant waste of time.  I do not believe there is a snowballs chance in H-ll that the liberals in this state would ever pass this.  Our time would be better spent getting these liberals out of office so we could push things like this.  Depressing I know but it is reality. The only way is with voter inituatives.  Like I always say we should take Tim Eyman hunting!

The only scenario that guarantees failure is never trying.

 :yeah:x2

[Mudman]

Yes not trying is failure.  I merely suggest we approach it from different angle...  Noboby has responed to a voter iniatative(spelling?) idea for things like this.  I think it is the only way we can achieve goals.  The people are more likely to support hunters than legislators who are influenced by wdfw and  .  How do others feel on this idea?  Can you achieve const. amendments this way?

[Wenatcheejay]

Yes not trying is failure.  I merely suggest we approach it from different angle...  Noboby has responed to a voter iniatative(spelling?) idea for things like this.  I think it is the only way we can achieve goals.  The people are more likely to support hunters than legislators who are influenced by wdfw and  .  How do others feel on this idea?  Can you achieve const. amendments this way?

I'm all for it but the cost to get anything on the ballot is very expensive.

If (IF) we have a changing of the guard in Olympia there may be a chance that there are some changes. Moving ideology from a privilege to a right would be a huge change in philosophy. Js's (OP) move to do that would be the my to go 

[KyleMB123]

Even if we can't win the fight to make hunting a right in this state at least we are fighting that battle rather than some other battle that might result in more anti-hunting legislation being passed.  We should drag this thing out as long as possible to draw all anti-hunting attention to this and distract the tree huggers from going after what we currently have.  I think it's a win win.  As long as we choose the battlefield we can never lose.