An alliance of sportsmen is leading the charge to make hunting and fishing a constitutional right in Oregon.
The Oregon Outdoor Council announced Thursday it will draft a ballot measure for the 2016 election that would guarantee the rights of all Oregonians to hunt, fish and trap under the state constitution.
Eighteen states have already amended their constitutions to protect hunting and fishing, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Dominic Aiello, president of the outdoor council, said they would like to see Oregon become the 19th.
“This has been a goal of ours since our inception in 2011,” Aiello said. “It would protect the lifestyle permanently.”
In past years, the council — which represents about 700,000 Oregon sportsmen — has worked with lawmakers in the Oregon Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus to push a “right to hunt” bill through the legislature. Both Sen. Bill Hansell, R-Athena, and Rep. Greg Smith, R-Heppner, are members of the caucus.
But like the council’s other major proposal to end a statewide ban on hunting cougars with hounds, Aiello said they failed to get so much as a hearing in the Senate. A ballot measure would instead take the issue directly to the voters.
Aiello is confident the public would support such an initiative. He cited a 2006 survey by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that showed 78 percent of people support an individual’s right to harvest wildlife.
“It’s a way of life for us,” Aiello said. “(Hunting) is ingrained in our culture as Oregonians.”
The Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife did not comment on the proposed ballot measure, and said it also does not take sides on legislation. Aiello said the initiative would not interfere with ODFW’s duty to regulate existing hunting, fishing and trapping laws, but would suppress the influence of special interest groups seeking to place further restrictions on sportsmen.
In particular, Aiello said they are concerned about a possible ban on lead ammunition. Lead ammo is believed to be a chief cause of lead poisoning among endangered California condors scavenging on the remains of game animals.
Hunters can buy bullets made out of brass and copper, but Aiello said those are more expensive and not available in all calibers. Removing lead bullets from shelves would lead to a further drop in hunter participation, he said.
“We’ve seen more and more restrictions put on sportsmen,” Aiello said. “We’re constantly having to defend our way of life.”
All together, hunting, fishing and trapping generated $929 million across the state in 2011, Aiello said.
The council plans to have its ballot language finalized by early 2015. From there, the petitioners will need 1,000 sponsorship signatures to get a ballot title from the state attorney general and move forward with additional signature gathering.
The sportsmen measure will need more than 117,577 signatures to make it onto the 2016 ballot.
