California Bill Will Ban Dogs from Hunting Bear, Bobcat

A California bill (SB 1221) that will ban the hunting of bear and bobcat with dogs has passed the California Senate and is expected to pass the Democratically-controlled Assembly. California lawmakers rejected such bills in 1993 and 2003, but this one is expected to land on Governor Jerry Brown’s desk for signature.

Fourteen states already ban the hunting of bear with dogs, and thirteen states ban the hunting of bobcat with dogs. Dan Tichenor, a retired engineer who hunts black bear with Plott hounds in California, says that the plan of anti-hunting groups is to ban hunting species by species and state by state.

MFHA Executive Director Dennis Foster makes the same argument, which he calls the “Domino Effect.” If we foxhunters want to preserve our sport, we cannot be selective in which game we support. Both figuratively and literally, we have “a dog in every fight” to ban hunting.

More details on the California bill may be read in Paul Rogers’ article in the San Jose Mercury News.