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Message: <blockquote data-quote="njsimonson" data-source="post: 245994" data-attributes="member: 1507">The Ag Committee hearing on SB 2315 went about as I expected.  The landowner reps probably outnumbered sportsmen at the testimony 3:2, but many of them were there as part of a dog-and-pony show for one presenter, who made them all stand.  They did not speak.   I left feeling like we will need to keep the pressure on until this thing is dead and then find a way to keep it from coming back next session.As expected, the ag committee stalled sportsmen with lots of questions (I fielded three following my own testimony) and offered up just tons of softball questions to the landowner contingent, which is about normal when they’re grilling the opposition (and it’s an ag-friendly forum).  But they ran a tight ship and there wasn’t anything to complain about. The topic got on to OnX chips and other technology, and there was great misrepresentation as to its usefulness in the field, particularly as no phone numbers are included in that. (I can’t believe no one mentioned Kirsch’s Trax chips – a North Dakota product!)You’ve all basically seen my testimony in the posts I’ve put on here, I tried to separate the fear-mongering stories from the actual numbers, and didn’t delve too far into my own experiences in the field, though I hunt 60% public, 35% Private, and 5% unposted each year:<ol> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">The law isn’t broken: 400 B-Misd trespass charges / 750,000 people and 59 hunting trespass charges / 140,000 hunters. Respect exists among more than 99.5% of the population, and 99.96% for posted lands.  This law will not fix bad people, and already does a better job than most of our criminal statutes.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">The “database” proposed is a poor man’s version of PLOTS and is a half-hearted attempt to fix the problem this bill will cause when 1M Acres disappear from hunting access and was only added as Erbele had nothing else, but he sure hung his hat on how great "his idea" was.  I called it a dog that didn’t hunt, and one that didn’t even guard the farmyard.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">As access goes, sportsmen go, and dollars go, and habitat goes and wildlife go.  Federal funds from P-R and other laws will drop.  Licensing revenue for the state will drop. Local funds for gas stations, restaurants and hotels will drop.  We can’t afford that.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Protecting hunting and fishing is a Constitutional provision, balance the public good against the unquantified “burden” or “work” required to post lands, their duty to find out facts and not feelings.</li> </ol>All in all, it was no better or no worse than I expected, but it left me feeling that there are other solutions that should be considered, and this nuclear option had been on the table for far too long, and how disappointed I was to return to ND and see the divide even larger than when I left in ’07. I offered three possible solutions, and explained I reached out to the moderator of an FB page yesterday who appeared to be a social leader for one of the groups attending:<ol> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">A joint Stockman-Sportsman-G&F module update for hunter’s ed on respecting posted land, even if it isn’t to the letter of the law – if you see the sign – stay off.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Increasing all B-Misdemeanor trespass to A-misdemeanor trespass (higher penalties)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Automatic seizure of firearms upon arrest, and forfeiture upon conviction.</li> </ol>There were no proffered solutions otherwise.  They sure kept talking about OnX saving the world.  There was also later discussion and offers by Terry Steinwand and others that an exploratory committee needed to assess the damage this bill would do before it is considered again, and he stressed the number one reason people quit hunting is due to access. That wrapped up the morning.  I didn’t stay for the afternoon due to other matters, but it didn’t appear there were many sportsmen left to testify at the 2pm hearing.I left with the feeling the battle will be long and grueling and every senator will count in this first vote.  We cannot let off the pedal, keep contacting your legislators providing them with new information and thoughts on this topic. Audio here: <a href="https://apps.nd.gov/itd/filetransfer/downloadByInvitation.htm?id=1-b8a60092d12a3c94a045f1f690e03d48" target="_blank">https://apps.nd.gov/itd/filetransfer/downloadByInvitation.htm?id=1-b8a60092d12a3c94a045f1f690e03d48</a> Our oppo starts about 45 minutes in.Stay on 'em! We get through this...we find a better way for everyone.</blockquote>

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