42 



and we try to provide that. That includes two parts: sound biology; 

 and fair, impartial, consistent enforcement of laws and regulations. 

 The Service is committed first of all to protecting the migratory 

 bird resource for the enjoyment of hunting and non-hunting publics 

 alike. We are demonstrating renewed commitment with our State 

 partners through cooperative habitat management efforts like the 

 North American program; through Federal-State implementation of 

 adaptive harvest regs; and through joint review of various things 

 such as the natural vegetation and baiting issue. 



Mr. Chairman, with your permission, I would like to call on Mr. 

 Oliveros, a special agent, who will outline the facts relative to the 

 Dixie County, Florida baiting issue. 



The Chairman. He will be recognized for 5 minutes of his own 

 time. 



Mr. Streeter. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 



[The statement of Mr. Streeter may be found at end of hearing.] 



The Chairman. Mr. Oliveros, you are up. 



STATEMENT OF SPECIAL AGENT JOSEPH OLIVEROS, U.S. FISH 

 AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 



Mr. Oliveros. Yes, Mr. Chairman. 



The Dixie County field was like many other baited fields that we 

 have investigated over the years. The things that made this field 

 unique were the extent of the baiting, the flagrant nature of the 

 baiting and the effectiveness of the baiting. Unlike most of the con- 

 troversial fields that have been discussed in the past, there was no 

 confusion on this field between an agricultural practice and the 

 bait on the field. This was not an agricultural field. The field in 

 question was a parcel of land that had been cleared of the forested 

 vegetation. That vegetation had been pushed up in piles, and most 

 of the ground was barren, making it very visible for anyone to see 

 any seeds that were on the ground. There were no growing crops 

 or any kind of plants growing on the ground that could be confused 

 with the seed that was found there. 



Now, as the testimony was heard earlier, we found out about the 

 field from a newspaper clipping. The newspaper indicated there 

 was going to be a large hunt. Whenever we see a large hunt, we 

 know that in order to have a successful large hunt, a large number 

 of birds are needed, and there are only two ways that I know of 

 that you can get a large number of birds concentrated for a hunt: 

 you can prepare a field in a legal manner, by growing a crop there 

 and have the birds attracted to that naturally-growing crop, or you 

 can bait an area. So, we routinely check areas when we see there 

 is going to be a large hunt. 



It was not a complicated Federal operation. To be quite frank 

 with you, it was a situation where the agent in Tallahassee saw 

 the article, and faxed it to the supervisor. It was forgotten about 

 for a week and a half. It said in the paper that the hunt would be 

 on October 13th. I was called by my supervisor, and he said would 

 you like to take a look? I agreed. We made a quick flight of less 

 than an hour to the area. We did not see anything that looked sus- 

 picious from the air. Only when I went to the ground to examine 

 an area did I drive onto what I later learned to be the Sanchez 

 field. 



