Hunters Are Up in Arms Over Passage of Prop. 117

Last month’s passage of Proposition 117, part of which bans the hunting of mountain lions, and the recent severe cuts in the Department of Fish and Game budget have mobilized some hunters and hunting interests to fight back before they lose all mammal and fur-bearer hunting in the state.

The DFG says it can no longer afford regularly updated environmental data to justify hunts, leaving it defenseless against future challenges from animal rights groups in court.

Surprisingly quiet have been groups such as the National Rifle Assn. and firearm manufacturers, whose interests are at stake. Without their political and financial clout, even deer hunting could be lost.

That may be moot, others say, because with mountain lion populations uncontrolled, there won’t be many deer to hunt, anyway.

According to the Inyo Register, Duane Rossi, an Inyo County supervisor, termed Prop. 117 “a death sentence to wildlife,” including not only deer but quail and other species, and is calling for an exemption in that area.

Meanwhile, a new group called the California Wildlife Conservation Committee is planning to submit an initiative in 1992 to repeal Prop. 117. The group is headed by Loren Lutz, a retired Pasadena dentist who is well known for his work in restoring historic populations of desert bighorn sheep and, in recent years, advocating limited hunts of same.

Concerns also will be voiced during the Mule Deer Foundation’s “Great Western Deer Classic” convention and trophy exhibit in San Jose Friday through Sunday.

Also on Friday, an alliance of hunting-interest groups, including Quail Unlimited, will meet in Houston to map national strategy to combat the anti-hunting movement through public education.