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Senate rejects motion to remove Antelope Island hunting language after heated debate
Summary
Lawmakers debated language permitting limited hunts on Antelope Island (proceeds for park), with local senators and parks officials split; a motion to strike the hunt provisions failed and the language stayed in the bill.
Senators argued at length over lines in the appropriation bill authorizing proceeds from organized hunts on Antelope Island to be used for park management. Senator Jerry Stevenson proposed striking lines that would let proceeds from certain big-game hunts (bison, deer and bighorn sheep) up to $200,000 be used at Antelope Island State Park; he said many constituents prefer leaving the island undisturbed and moved to remove the language.
Opponents, including Senate Natural Resources and appropriations members, defended the provision as a practical tool to help parks cover operating costs and maintain herds in what they described as a closed ecological system. ‘‘To hunt them is almost like hunting at the zoo,’’ Stevenson said in describing the island herd and explaining constituent opposition; other senators responded that harvesting some animals had been used for decades to manage herds and raise park revenue. The motion to strike the specified lines failed on the floor.
Why it matters: The debate touched on parks management, tourism, local control and the use of revenue-raising strategies for state parks. Local senators from Davis County urged greater local input and more study; others framed the measure as a necessary revenue tool for the parks system.
Next steps: With the motion to strike defeated, the language remained in the bill as passed; senators urged local consultations and careful coordination between the Division of State Parks and the Division of Wildlife Resources moving forward.
