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Hello, I would like to take this time to thank the comrmttee 

 chairman and committee members for the opportunity to present 

 testimony concerning a charity dove hunt for the Florida Sheriffs 

 Youth Ranch, Inc. that occurred on October 13, 1995. It is my 

 hope that through testimony the Migratory Bird Treaty Act will 

 have clearer and more consistent laws. Giving hunters both 

 knowledge and freedom to hunt ethically. 



I was a guest to the function by invitation from Ray Hodge, 

 fraternal brother and aid to Senator Charles Williams. Ray made 

 it clear that all the Alpha Gamma Rho brothers would be assisting 

 him in making the guests at the function comfortable during 

 lunch, the hunt, and dinner hours. If time allowed, we would be 

 welcomed to io:n the hunt. It was in this capacity that I 

 attended the charity dove hunt on October 13, 1995. 



Following the lunching, I was invited to hunt on a parcel of 

 land adjacent to the accused baited field. The invitation came 

 from another Fraternity brother, Rob Hatch, whose father owned 

 the land on which I was to hunt. The fields were only separated 

 by a field fence which is made of woven wire that stands 

 approximately 48" in height. While in route to the hunting 

 location, I entered on the Hatch's land and never crossed over 

 the field in question. Therefore, there was no need to inspect 

 the other field or to even cross the fence to hunt. The location 

 in which I hunted was ideal. I was placed between a large pond 

 located on the Hatch's land and the adjacent field. It was my 

 impression that there were more birds flying to the water than to 

 the alleged baited field. 



I arrived at my location at approximately 12:45 and was 

 not questioned by the wildlife officer, Mr. Pilgram, until 

 approximately 4:00. When the officer crossed the fence from the 

 alleged field into the Hatch's field, I heard him call out to 

 other hunters he was a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Officer. Because 

 of my respect for the law and knowing that I had not broken an/ 

 laws, I approached the officer who was about 100 yards away. Mr. 

 Pilgram was very polite but never told me why I was being 

 questioned. He took all the necessary information to complete a 

 citation and told me to report to a specified location in the 

 adjacent field. I left the Hatch's property the same way I had 

 arrived, and while going to the specified location, I stopped by 

 the barn where the luncheon had taken place. It was there that I 

 found out from other hunters that the adjacent field was 

 allegedly baited; as a result, I inspected the road in the field 

 while being driven to my assigned location. Even after knowing 

 the field may be baited, it was my observation that there was no 

 bai t present . 



