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Service as being of management concern, meaning they are declining and that 

 special management attention is needed to assure population viability. The 

 California Condor, Stellar's Eider, Piping Plover, Whooping Crane, Aleutian 

 Canada Goose, and the Everglade Snail Kite, are a few of the species and 

 subspecies in serious trouble. And, many species of our neotropical migratory 

 song birds are in serious decline with documentation of an overall 50% decline in 

 their volume in their annual flights over the Gulf of Mexico in the last twenty 

 years. 



Historical and continuing declines of so many of our avian species dictate that we 

 should exercise extreme caution in weakening our basic laws and regulations 

 designed to protect our migratory birds, both nongame and game species. We are 

 opposed to any weakening of the present regulations governing the baiting of 

 waterfowl and other game species or their enforcement. These baiting regulations 

 (50 CFR Part 20) were first enacted under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act in 1935 

 and are an essential part of the strategy to properly manage waterfowl and other 

 game species including doves. 



The October 13, 1995 Predators Dove Hunt near Cross City, Florida that the 

 Committee is examining today is an example of the necessity to continue the ban 

 on baiting and to support the efforts of U.S. Law Enforcement Officers in 

 enforcing the law. The hunting fields were baited with grains and Mourning 

 Doves were attracted to the bait and shot. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Officers charged 

 88 people with various violations including shooting over bait, hunting without 

 licenses, hunting with unplugged shotguns, exceeding the 12-bird bag limit, 

 shooting a Snipe out of season and killing a Black-billed Cuckoo (a nongame 

 bird). 



In addition, the Federal Agents were assaulted by four of the hunters. Of the 88 

 people charged, 82 forfeited their collateral thus admitting guilt and paid $3 1,475 

 in fines. Four men charged with assault stood trial and were convicted and given 

 five years probation and fines totalling $7,375. Two college students stood trial 

 and were acquitted. 



We believe these Law Enforcement Officers were carrying out their 

 responsibilities and properly doing their jobs. All of the defendants could have 

 stood trial to contest their innocence but 86 of 88 people charged were convicted. 



