Kansas Beaglers! You better read this!

Steve Fielder · Post by **Steve Fielder** » Thu Mar 18, 2004 2:39 pm

There's a brand new trespass bill in the Kansas House of Representatives and it ain't pretty!

Senate Bill 496 passed the Senate by a 40 to nothing vote! Then it went to the House Tourism and Parks Committee and apparently has been moved to the House floor.

If you want to take a look at this baby, you can see the full bill at:

http://www.kslegislature.org/bills/2004/496.pdf

You may have to download Adobe Acrobat if you haven't already in order to see the bill. Here is my synopsis:

1. This is a trespass bill requiring written permission to hunt, fish, or harvest fur.

2. Written permission is required on posted land only.

3. If you are found guilty of "Criminal hunting" which is what trespassing is now called, you spend 48 hours in jail or 100 hours of community service, AND lose your hunting/fishing/furtaking license for six months on FIRST OFFENCE! Second offense, lose license for one year. Third offense, lose licence for five years.

4. If you are pursuing a wounded animal, you will not be charged unless you have been warned by the landowner. Failing to leave when warned will be considered an offense.

What to do? At this point, all we can do is to begin to bombard members of the Kansas House of Representatives urging them to vote NO. There's not much time! Here's the way bills become law: (we'll use this one as an example)

SB 496 was introduced and sent to the Senate Committee on Natural Resources. The committee tweaked it a little and "reported" it, or in other words passed it to the floor of the Senate. The bill passed the full Senate by a 40 to 0 vote. The bill is then sent to the House and assigned to the Committee on Tourism and Parks. Apparently they have "reported" the bill to the full House where it will be read three times and then voted upon. If it passes the full House, it goes ot the Governor to become law. We have two chances. Kill it on the floor of the House or depend upon the Governor to veto.

If you live in Kansas and you hunt, fish, or harvest fur, you need to call or email your representatives now! Here's the list of emails:

http://www.kslegislature.org/houseroster/index.html

BETTER DO IT NOW!

This announcement is a service of the Regulatory Affairs Department, Professional Kennel Club, Inc., 576 Romence Road, Suite 231, Portage, MI 49024. Phone 269-321-1814. Email dogstar118@aol.com

mony · Post by **mony** » Thu Mar 18, 2004 4:49 pm

It dosen't sound to bad to me. You just get writtem permision from the owner of the land and you won't have any problems. I wouldn't mind that at all.
Normally if a landowner gives you written permission he will also ask you to remove anyone else that you see on his property, giving you exclusive hunting rights to the property.
If he says you can hunt but won't give written permission you probably won't have any trouble anyway because he wouldn't press charges (unless he's a real A-hole).
If you look at it from the landowners point of view it's a good law.
If you look at it from a poachers point of view...

Take care,
Mony

YGD ( BUNNY BUSTER) · Post by **YGD ( BUNNY BUSTER)** » Thu Mar 18, 2004 5:30 pm

I DON'T SEE THE PROBLEM.
GET PERMISSION BEFORE YOU HUNT, WRITTEN OR OTHERWISE.
BUNNYBUSTER

Ray · Post by **Ray** » Thu Mar 18, 2004 6:25 pm

We have the same law in Ohio and it is no problem here either.I've always asked for permission to go on somebody's property.It's just the right thing to do and it is good that the authorities are seeing to it that it is done right.I am a land owner too and I wish that was in affect a few years back when some hunter was hunting behind my barn and I didn't know it,that is until bb's hit the barn beside my daughter while she was grooming her horse.I'm a hunter too and my neighbor that lives at the end of my drive even askes for written permission.You simply don't want to be caught without it.....Ray

Post by **Aaron Bartlett** » Thu Mar 18, 2004 7:04 pm

I will agree with everyone that getting permission is very important and everyone should but I think you need to really look at the wording of any bill that is tring to pass.
Simple sentences can be taken different ways.
For instance in this Bill, if you were hunting on property that you have written permission and your dogs take a track across the property you have permission to be on and onto someone elses property. Your dogs are tresspassing and if you go get them, you are tresspassing!
In my opinion, if you can keep any law from passing that even comes close to attempting to keep any of us from the right to free cast hounds you will be better off in the long run! Give them an inch and they will take a mile!!!!!!

DarrinG · Post by **DarrinG** » Thu Mar 18, 2004 11:15 pm

I agree with Aaron. This can lead to disastrous results, especially for dog hunters.....if you live in KS and run dogs, I think you better be concerned with this!

Also, nice to see a registry actually involved with actively helping fight aint-hunting bills in the states! Two thumbs up to Fielder and PKC for this!!!!!

mony · Post by **mony** » Fri Mar 19, 2004 7:28 am

Hey Aaron,
If your dogs take the track onto someone elses property just wait until they bring it back on the property you have permission to be on.
You could always say you shot at it and were persuing what you belived to be wounded game.Then you're not violating the new law (unless you've already been asked to leave).
I don't think it's against any law for a dog to trespass.

Take care,
Mony

TomMN · Post by **TomMN** » Fri Mar 19, 2004 11:17 am

Mony, can you honestly say you have never had to go and get your dogs off of land you did not have permision to hunt? I run coonhounds and beagles and I swear they go out of their way to get me in trouble every chance they get. If there is a piece of ground anywhere near that they shouldn't be on that's where they are heading and they're not coming back.

kjohns · Post by **kjohns** » Fri Mar 19, 2004 12:49 pm

Anytime you go on land you don't have permission to be on, you are trespassing. Whether it's to get your dog or go for a liesurely stroll. Just because your dog is there it doesn't give you the right to go on the property w/out permission. Of course I would go get my dog, but that doesn't mean its legal.

From what is posted, I see this as a pro land owner's rights bill, not a anti-hunting bill and I would have no problem with it.

mony · Post by **mony** » Fri Mar 19, 2004 12:59 pm

Sure I have Tom. Thanks for posting
I don't think most people would say anything if they know your just gathering up your dogs. Almost everyone knows that dogs follow the track regaurdless of where it goes and can't that they read a posted sign.
It would be more of a hassel to them than it's worth. In order to prosecute you, they would have to spend time in a court room.
If the police or conservation agents responded to a call like that they would most likley tell the landowner not to bother them with it again.
If your hunting on their land or damaging crops that's a different story.
Although the lawmakers don't usually use common sense when creating the law, Police officers and conservation agents usually do when enforcing it.

Take care,
Mony

NC Beagler · Post by **NC Beagler** » Fri Mar 19, 2004 9:54 pm

I can see how this would be bad for dog runners, but as someone who deer hunts, spends a lot of time, money and energy building deer stands, planting food plots, passing on small bucks, etc. - and constantly has people slipping on our property w/out permission to hunt and stealing our stands, well I'd love to send one of them to jail for 48 hours!

DarrinG · Post by **DarrinG** » Sat Mar 20, 2004 4:47 am

I hear ya NC Beagler, but this kind of law doesnt help that much, but it does make it harder on someone who is trying to hunt honest with their dogs. Theives will be theives no matter what law is passed. Catch em stealing a stand, go see the magistyrate judge and take a larceny warrant, catch em trespassing to hunt, get names, etc and tell em not to EVER be back without permission...catch em there again, go see the magistrate judge and get a trespassing warrant....the laws are already in place, we dont need this one!

Just my $0.02

DG TX · Post by **DG TX** » Sat Mar 20, 2004 6:37 am

Sorry, but if your on others land without permission you are breaking the law in Texas. Have caught people hunting deer and fishing stocked tanks on my own land without permission and it is WRONG. It is not a good feeling walking up on a man who has a gun and you DON"T have one on your own property

... Folks need to ASK FIRST! This situation is the reason why houndsmen are looked on as "trouble" in some areas today. And I have been fighting the "anti's" here for 25+ years.

Buckeye Bob · Post by **Buckeye Bob** » Sat Mar 20, 2004 7:55 am

I don't have a problem at all with this law and would support it if I was to vote on it.Here in Ohio the existing law is about the same and in my opinion is very helpful to a landowner when it is enforced.I ALWAYS get written permission,it is helpful if you imagine yourself as the landowner...since I own a half acre in town I appreciate the priveledge to trespass on someone elses property.This is America,where you have the right to bear arms AND the right to own and control property.

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Kansas Beaglers! You better read this!

Kansas Beaglers! You better read this!

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