BISMARCK – The North Dakota Senate voted on two very prominent bills involving Game and Fish Department policies late Tuesday, rejecting one and passing the other.
HB1151, the deer baiting bill, which received more written comment than any other bill this legislative session, failed on the Senate floor 21-26. It had passed the House 76-18 and received a Do Pass recommendation from the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.
The bill sought to prohibit Game and Fish from implementing a ban on baiting in deer hunting units they determine are likely to aid in the spread of chronic wasting disease, or CWD, a disease that is fatal to deer. Currently about half the state is under a baiting ban.
“This is the infamous baiting bill as it relates to big game. HB1151 has been a bill that has been strongly opposed and supported,” Sen. Keith Boehm, R-Dis. 33, Mandan, said from the floor of the Senate. “Over 40,000 deer have been tested and only seven tested positive for CWD in 20 years.”
In response Sen. Robert Eberle, R-Dis. 28, Lehr, said “We’re seeking to micromanage an agency that we’ve entrusted with our wildlife.”
Sen. Brad Bekkedahl, R-Dis. 1, Williston, voiced his opposition to the bill, saying “We have veterinarians on staff. I don’t know how much higher you can get in the food chain in terms of information about wildlife management than a degreed veterinarian telling us a ban on baiting is the best practice.”
Proponents of the bill maintained that deer naturally gather to feed and that baiting is an insignificant risk. CWD is known to spread through contact of one deer with another.
Shortly after defeating HB1151 the Senators passed HB1538, a bill dealing with charges levied by Game and Fish for fishing tournaments. Game and Fish requires that 75% of all entry fees, regardless of the organization hosting the fishing tourney, be returned to contestants, and that Game and Fish is to receive a 10% “conservation” fee, leaving 15% for the sponsoring organization.
HB1538 removes all fees currently charged to nonprofits and similar organizations, allowing them to disperse fishing tournament profits for whatever cause they choose.
Another major aspect of the bill is a maximum conservation fee of $2,500 for tournaments other than nonprofits, youth, or civic organizations.
“The $2,500 is a big deal,” said Sen. Jeff Magrum, R-Dis. 8, Hazelton. “The price got so high.”
Major national fishing tournaments have avoided scheduling events in North Dakota due to extremely high fees charged by Game and Fish.
“Other states are a few hundred dollars at the most, and we charge 10, 15, 20,000,” said Sen. Todd Beard, Williston. “Game and Fish had the means and the wherewithal, knowing this was an issue, to say we can help this. They did not make one attempt to try and help with this issue and this is why we are where we’re at.”
