Nebraska Senator Back with Effort to Ban Mountain Lion Hunting

Nebraska state Sen. Ernie Chambers is back with his anti-hunting crusade against scientific management of mountain lions. The senator led an identical charge in 2014 when the legislature passed a bill to ban mountain-lion hunting, which was ultimately vetoed by then-Gov. Dave Heineman.

Chambers reintroduced his legislation (LB 127) on Friday, Jan. 9, along with a new effort to ban the management of prairie dogs, including on private property (LB 128).

“The Sportsmen’s community in Nebraska did a great job last year in rallying opposition to this ideological attack on wildlife management, and we’ll need a similar response this year,” said Adam Wright, USSA’s associate director of state services. “Sportsmen across Nebraska, and really across the country, must speak up and let their state senators know how misguided this effort is.”

Sen. Chambers is advancing the legislation despite the fact that the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission has not yet decided whether to hold a mountain lion season in 2015. The Commission is currently reviewing the scientific data and population estimates to determine the need for a hunting season this year.

“Sportsmen understand that wildlife management decisions, including hunting seasons, need to be made based on the best available science. The Game and Parks Commission is doing its job right now in the state of Nebraska and should be allowed to make a reasonable decision based upon the fact, not anti-hunting rhetoric” said Wright. “Senator Chambers’ legislation would dismantle this science-based approach and ban hunting as a potential management tool at any point in the future. This is simply anti-hunting politics at its worst.”

Take Action! Nebraska sportsmen must contact their state senators today in opposition to LB 127. Tell them that sportsmen expect the professionals at the Game and Parks Commission to make wildlife management decisions. To find your senator’s phone number, visit USSA’s Legislative Action Center.