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DNR asks committee to withdraw-and-resubmit regulation to add national forest lands and extend raccoon training season
Summary
The Department of Natural Resources told the committee it has obtained U.S. Forest Service consent to include national forest lands in certain WMAs and seeks to resubmit regulation 5441 to extend a raccoon dog training season from 5½ to nine months; the committee approved the withdraw-and-resubmit 8–0.
The Department of Natural Resources told a legislative committee it has secured consent from the U.S. Forest Service to include national forest lands in several wildlife management areas and asked to withdraw and resubmit regulation 5441 so those lands can be incorporated.
"For this extension, this is largely a raccoon dog training season, but it is going to provide our raccoon hunters with an extension from 5 and a half months to a 9 month training season," said Duncan Crottwell, director of government affairs for the Department of Natural Resources, adding that the regulation is structured to minimize conflicts between user groups.
Crottwell said the agency had been negotiating with the Forest Service prior to filing and received the agency's consent less than a week before the meeting. He told the committee the Raccoon Hunters Association in South Carolina supports the change.
Committee members moved and seconded a motion to withdraw and resubmit the document to allow the Forest Service lands to be included. The clerk conducted a roll call and the chair reported the vote 8–0 in favor of withdrawal and resubmission.
Next steps: the department will resubmit the regulation with the Forest Service lands added for the committee to consider at a later date.
