196 





May 30, 1996 



STAFF Ml K l-RESIDFIVrs 



Michael W Foic. D Sc , Pn D„ 



B Vel Med , M R C V S 



Bioethtcs and Farm Animal Projection 



DiKK(rr<)R-s 



Peter A Bender 

 Don^d W Casrien 

 Anita W Coupe. Esq 

 Judi Friedman 

 Harold H Gardtner 

 Alice R Garey 

 Jane Goodall, Pti D 

 Julian Hopkins 

 Jennifer Leaning, M D, 

 Amy Freeman Lee, Utt.D, 

 Eugene W. Loren2 

 Jack W- Lydman 

 William F Mancuso 

 Thomas L. Meinhardt 

 O J Ramsey, Esq, 

 James D Ross 

 ManlynG Seyter 

 Paula R Smith 

 John E Taft 

 Carroll S Thnft 

 Robert F Weltxim. Esq, 

 David O Wleljers, M 

 Manlyn E Wllhelm 

 K William Wiseman 



The Honorable Don Young 



Chair 



House Resources Committee 



1324 Longworth House Office Building 



Washington, D.C. 20515 



Dear Chairman Young: 



On behalf of The Humane Society of the United States 

 (HSUS) and its three million members and constituents, 

 I would like to thank you for the opportunity to 

 express our views regarding ongoing deliberations 

 about the Migratory Bird Treaty Act as it pertains to 

 issues of "baiting" migratory birds. A recent 

 enforcement action of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

 Service in this regard was the focus of a May 15, 1996 

 oversight hearing. I request that these comments be 

 included in the record of this hearing. 



The HSUS is unalterably opposed to changes in the 

 Migratory Bird Treaty Act which would weaken the 

 critical and traditional protections of migratory 

 birds from attempts to lure large numbers for shooting 

 purposes using bait such as corn, wheat, or other 

 grains. Baiting prohibitions have been in place for 

 decades, and are accepted by the vast majority of 

 hunters as necessary for the protection of migratory 

 bird populations. 



Moreover, the populations of many migratory game bird 

 species, such as mourning doves in the West, pintails, 

 black ducks and even mallards remain below long-term 

 averages. Such species are vulnerable to overharvest 

 associated with baiting; relaxation of baiting 

 prohibitions will assuredly slow, and perhaps prevent, 

 the recovery of these populations. 



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