1997 MIGRATORY BIRD STAMP AND PRINT FEATURES HOODED MERGANSER
"Morning Repose," a painting by Raymond J. Easton of Rochester, has been selected as the New York State Migratory Bird Program's 1997 stamp and print, State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Acting Commissioner John P. Cahill announced today.
Proceeds from sales of the State's collector-quality migratory bird prints, stamps, posters and lapel pins are dedicated to the protection and management of wetland habitats in New York State and Canada.
"Morning Repose" depicts a male Hooded Merganser adrift on a tranquil Adirondack beaver pond. It is the thirteenth in a series of collector prints created specifically for the New York State Migratory Bird Print and Stamp Program.
"Raymond Easton's 'Morning Repose' is a beautiful work that continues the proud tradition of New York's Migratory Bird Print and Stamp Program, Acting Commissioner Cahill said. Since its inception, the Migratory Bird Program has raised more than $2 million, preserving wetlands in New York State and eastern Canada."
As a result of the Migratory Bird Print and Stamp Program, 21 major wetland preservation projects have been completed and several others have been started. In 1996, two major acquisition and management projects were completed at Alder Bottom, in Sherman and Clymer, Chautauqua County, and Oriskany Flats, in Rome and Whitestown, Oneida County. These projects, done cooperatively with Ducks Unlimited Inc., are an important part of DEC's effort to save and enhance wetland habitats in New York.
New York State Pheasant Stocking Program Eliminated
Let me begin by telling you that the State of NY has been stocking pheasants for the better part of 100 years on State managed lands for the sportsmen to enjoy. Back in 1991 our then Governor Mario Como decided to cut $500,000 from the Dept. of Environmental Conservation (DEC) budget, which would have eliminated the pheasant stocking program. Upon hearing about this, my two hunting partners and myself decided we could not let this happen. What we did was started a letter writing campaign to some of our legislators and the Governor requesting that the funding be reinstated for this valuable program. Our mailing list was very small, but very effective. We also had some 1,500 sportsmen signing petitions which were also sent to these elected officials. This also helped us establish a mailing list if we ever needed to fight for this program again. In the end we were very successful and had the funding reinstated. Elected officials understand the power of the voter. They also understood the tremendous amount of tax dollars that would have been lost just from the ripple down effect, in as dog care, dog food, vet bills, guns, clothing and other related items.
The sportsmen were successful in voting out Governor Como and electing Governor George Pataki. He assured us he was in favor of the sportsmen in this state. But he was no sooner in office that he decided to cut the funding for this valuable program. We are only talking about $500,000 again. This money is what it takes to keep two pheasant producing farms in operation, along with the necessary people of the DEC to stock the birds. This time I was well prepared for him. Again myself and my two hunting partners started a letter writing campaign. Our mailing list now comprised of some 15,000 names.
Thank god for the computer age. The legislators and the Governor were in for big surprise. They received so many letters they had no choice but to reinstate the funding for this program. I was told by some of the senators and assemblymen that if were not for this lettering campaign that the program would have been lost forever. The Governor blamed it on the anti-hunters and assured us it would never happen again.
Here we go again. Governor George Pataki has eliminated the funding for this program again. It is now up to the legislators to put the money back into the DEC budget. As I write this for you we are again under way with a letter writing campaign. The Governor is cutting $275,000 from the DEC's budget to get rid of this program. The plans are to close one of the farms and cut the adult stocking program by 40%. This will be a reduction on Long Island of approx. 1500 birds stocked. State wide it will be a total of approx. 14,000 adult pheasants. The major problem about this is the sportsmen pay for this program through the purchase of their hunting licenses. This money is not from the general fund. If it were general fund money then we would not have a leg to stand on. It is our the sportsmen money, not the general tax payers money. In any event we are now doing a huge mailing to the sportsmen, asking them to write letters to the selected politicians urging them to be sure to have the money reinstated for this valuable program. We do not want any of the farms closed period. I think we will prevail again but who knows how these anti-hunting politicians think.
We are asking your readers to write to their representative asking that the necessary funding be put back into the DEC budget for the pheasant stocking program.
Respectfully yours,
Jim Markey Ph 516-331-3639 JWMScout@AOL.Com
