AR-News: (US) Oklahoma Weekly Hunting News

[JanaWilson at aol.com]

A/w local OKC weekend hunting news:

Volunteer boaters are needed this July for a summer camp on Okla.'s
Lake Texoma for children with chronic illnesses.  Each year this camp
provides a morning of fishing for the kids and 75 boats are needed.
  A chaplan at the Univ. of Okla. Medical Center has been taking critically
and chronically ill children to the lake to experience the joys of camping
and fishing since 1997.
  He states "The excitement on their faces when they catch a fish for the
first time really makes all the efforts worthwhile."
  This camp inlcudes 150 children and 60 volunteers, including a
pediatric nurse for each cabin.

There have been two significant wildlife-related bills passed during the
recent Okla. legislative session.  Hopefully these bills will create more
fishing and hunting opportunities for Okla. sportsmen.
  The first bill is House Bill 2341 which will require sportsmen to buy a
yearly $5 Wildlife Stamp in addition to their annual hunting and fishing
licenses.  Money raised by this bill will be used to repay bonds that will
be sold to finance the purchase of more public hunting and fishing land
in the state.
  The second bill effective on 1 Nov. is for landowners who
lease their properties out for hunting and fishing and will not be legally
responsible for injuries that occur on their land, unless the injury was
caused by the property owner's willful or gross negligence.
  Most farm and ranch insurance policies do not cover the liability
of landowners who charge a fee to allow hunters and fishermen on
their land.
  The new law limits the civil liability of landowners who provide use
of their land for recreation such as hunting, fishing and wildlife viewing.
  This legislation was part of HB 2661 which is better known as the
"tort reform" bill.
  Many farmers and ranchers have been reluctant to allow hunters and 
fishermen on their property for fear of being sued if someone gets hurt.
  Under the new law sportsmen accept the risk while hunting and
fishing on private property.  Landowners are immune from civil liabilities
unless an injury is caused by a wilful, wanton or malicious act of 
negligence or gross negligence.  
  The Okla. Farm Burreau had been pushing for passage of the law for
at least 10 years.
  A landowner who charges $10 or more an acre can require visitors
to sign a waiver or written release of liability.  This is not required if
less than $10 is charged.
  This bill applies only to land that is primarily used for agricultural
purposes and not for the person who wants to put in a high fence
game preserve and put on private hunts.

                                                                    For the 
Animals,

                                                                    Jana, OKC
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.envirolink.org/pipermail/ar-news/attachments/20040626/c503729f/attachment.html