Number: 1976-04
WHEREAS, the basic principles of scientific wildlife management usually provide for complete protection of those species classed as “endangered” or “threatened” or are dwindling drastically in numbers; and
WHEREAS, scientific wildlife management provides for hunting of suitable game species when harvestable surpluses exist; and
WHEREAS, wildlife managers can regulate harvests by varying the dates and lengths of open seasons, beginning and ending times of shooting hours, bag limits, mechanical capabilities of weapons, and other techniques; and
WHEREAS, legal actions have challenged the validity of some or all of these techniques to accomplish objectives determined by wildlife managers;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the National Wildlife Federation, in annual meeting assembled March 19-21, 1976, in Louisville, Kentucky, hereby urges the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to initiate and complete definitive studies to document the effects of various types of waterfowl hunting regulations upon wildlife reserves, giving first priority to considerations for maintaining optimum breeding populations of waterfowl in the adoption of regulations; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization recommends that federal and state wildlife agencies and private organizations initiate and/or accentuate education programs, such as waterfowl species identification, which encourages voluntary compliance with the spirit and intent as well as the letter of laws and regulations designed to properly manage waterfowl resources.