Minnesota experienced one of the largest Snowy Owl irruptions last winter and with all the owl sightings reported many of these owls were photographed by all levels of photographers. Like all owl irruptions I observed and witnessed during my 40 years of bird watching, the topic of owl baiting was very hot all over internet. In Minnesota local media and reporters created news segments to show on local Twin Cities news channels and even here in Duluth a segment was created for a local TV news show to report on owl baiting in MN. There was even articles in newspapers here in Duluth and Minneapolis discussing about all the harm these owls will endure once they are fed a mouse for a image. Then a local professional wildlife photographer / author from Duluth teamed up with the DNR non-game department to author a provision they wanted to add to the Game & Fish Bill. The provision would ban baiting or luring owls in Minnesota. I was immediately against the provision/amendment of this Game & Fish Bill because the authors claims were false, no data, statistics or research back their claims on why the provision was needed in Minnesota. So I wrote letters to all 120 plus MN House Members. Rep. Tom Huntley resides in Duluth and represented the eastern half of Duluth, I contacted him many times and also my own Representative Eric Simonson, who represents the western side of Duluth. (where I reside). I inform all the MN House members about my experience with owls, MN owl irruption history and owls behaviors I told them the truth, no tugging at heart strings, no exaggerations and other types of BS. I gave all the politicians my views during all my 40 years of watching birds including owls in MN. Then I read that many bird clubs, organizations and other bird societies in Minnesota were all signing on to this amendment, so I had one more contact to make to end this provision once and for all. I called my very good friend who is the District Director for Congressman Rick Nolan. I asked my very good friend to personally send my emails to Rep.Tom Huntley, Rep. Erik Simonson and Rep. David Dill. Then around April 21 or so, I gotten an email from Rep. Erik Simonson that he personally talked to Rep. Tom Huntley about the owl provision. Tom assured Erik that he will remove the provision from the Game and Fish Bill. I was in Colorado at the time leading a bird tour and I was thrilled beyond words. I beat the DNR ( Carol Henderson, Lori Nauman and others) the Duluth Author/Photographer and all the MN Bird Clubs that signed on to this provision. I beaten them all! The official news came in about two weeks ago that the Game & Fish Bill was passed without the provision that would ban owl baiting and luring in Minnesota. Now before you all rail against me and go into name calling and etc.. trust me I am prepare to hear from you all that wanted to see a ban on baiting owls in Minnesota. Well here is something you need to understand, I been witnessing owl feeding or luring since 1981 in Minnesota. During all those owl irruptions and non-irruptive years of northern owls in Minnesota, there is not one sign that owl populations are effected by people who feed them mice during those 33 years. ( Hell people could of been feeding owls way before 1981 ) Believe me if northern owl populations were proven to be effected in a negative way of any kind during all these years I would of supported this provision along with many other people who along side me fought this provision. In fact, northern owl species have not been effected in any way by people who feed them store bought mice. Owls like Great Gray Owls, Hawk Owls, Snowy Owls and Boreal Owls populations have not been effected by human feeding at all. It does NOT put them in danger or in harms way nor change their feeding/ hunting behavior. These all MYTHS! The only issue that does effect these owls is habitat lost! That is the real fight here not a ban on owl feeding. Preserving habitat! For example Boreal Owls use to nest quite regularly in far northern Minnesota but because of bad habitat management these owls are now on the threaten list in Minnesota. Currently in Sax-Zim Bog a male & female Hawk Owl that were fed off and on by people for nearly 4 1/2 months are raising young at a nest site in Sax-Zim Bog. A male Great Gray Owl that has been fed off an on for nearly TWO years based on the marking on his upper breast is also feeding young in Sax-Zim Bog at a nest location we found in the bog. These are the facts people!
Posted on: Sun, 18 May 2014 03:03:20 +0000
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