Jerry Springer

While on one hand trying to encourage fisherman to use the beautiful Lake Davis Recreation Area near Portola, the Plumas County Board of Supervisors, a handful of local residents and some Save Lake Davis Coalition members are attempting to ban hunting on a portion of Plumas National Forest at the south end of the lake.

Lake Davis, the site of the infamous northern pike controversy, is a popular waterfowl hunting area, as well as a portion of the premier X6a deer hunting zone.

In February, 1999, the Plumas County Board of Supervisors, at the request of Supervisor Fran Roudebush, quietly passed a resolution (#99-6230) that recommends the California Department of Fish & Game Commission close the south end of the lake to all firearm use. As written, the resolution would prohibit rifle deer hunting, shotgunning for waterfowl, and could prohibit archery hunting as well.

California Department of Fish and Game wardens and biologists, and U.S. Forest Service law enforcement officers do not support this proposed closure. Also, the local Plumas County Fish and Game Commission on Thursday, December 2, 1999, drafted a letter to the Plumas County Board of Supervisors and the State Fish and Game Commission condemning any hunting closure at Lake Davis. The local chapters of the NRA and Ducks Unlimited are also against such a hunting closure.

In blatant disregard of the opposition from sportsmen's groups, wildlife agencies and law enforcement personnel, the County Supervisors are still requesting a closure from the state. In fact, the County Supervisors, in their request to the State Commission, falsely claim the support of the local Plumas County Fish and Game Commission. Ironically, Supervisor Roudebush claims to be a supporter of local sportsmen and women, yet on this issue she seems to be politically blinded by an anti-hunting segment of the community.

The County Supervisors claim this closure is necessary because of safety concerns to homeowners along Lake Davis Road at the southern end of the lake. This claim is unsubstantiated since there are only a handful of occupied residences along the proposed closure, none within shotgun or archery range. And along most of the proposed closure there are no developed structures at all! Also, only a few rifle hunters use the area, and those that do, do so safely.

We should not allow a few private landowners, adjacent to multiple-use public areas, using the guise of safety, to dictate restrictions on public hunting areas simply because the activities may annoy them. The implications of such hunting restrictions, and the precedent that they establish will be far-reaching throughout Plumas County and the rest of the state. Are we going to allow every area of public land to be closed to all hunting if there is a house somewhere within rifle range? Besides, the safety record of California hunters is impeccable. There is no legitimate basis for this hunting closure at Lake Davis.

Please write the Plumas County Board of Supervisors, and, most importantly, the California Department of Fish and Game Commission to voice your opposition to the closure of one of your waterfowl hunting areas and a portion of your X6a deer zone. Write today because the Commission will be addressing this issue at its February 4, March 3, and April 7, 2000, meetings.

Mr. Robert Treanor, Executive Director
California Department of Fish & Game Commission
1416 Ninth Street, 13th Floor
Sacramento, CA 95814
Fax: (916) 653-5040

Plumas County Board of Supervisors
520 Main Street
Quincy, CA 95971