The letter below was written by a small group of Michigan crossbow supporters.
Those of you that can make the meeting may find it interesting and educational.
Good luck at the meeting!

Randy Wood
National Sales Manager
TenPoint Crossbows

Crossbow Supporters,
As I had mentioned last week this month’s Natural Resource Commission Meeting went well for us. Those who testified during the Public Appearances time in favor of easing crossbow regulations far outnumbered those who were opposed and we were effective. What is more we gained new allies in our efforts to see crossbows included in Michigan’s bow season and some very important allies to say the least.

We still need your help in contacting the members of the NRC and, even more importantly, to attend the March NRC Meeting in Lansing and speak in favor of inclusion. We have the facts of hard science behind us and that is a key measure by which regulations are supposed to be developed. I cannot emphasize how important it is to attend the meeting and speak.

March NRC Meeting
March 5th
Lansing Center
333 E. Michigan
Lansing, MI
Public Appearances: 4:30PM

Here is a link to Map Quest for directions. You can use the scale in the upper left corner to move the map in and out for more or less specificity .
http://www.mapquest.com/mapscity=Lansing&state=MI&address=333++E.+Michigan

You may contact the NRC by email. Send the email to Teresa Gloden who is the commission’s assistant. She will make sure the members see your emails. It is important for you to put “Crossbow Comments” in the subject line.

As always be polite, simple, and state our case. Anger falls on deaf ears. It is also important to give your full name, address, and phone # at the end of your message.

To email the NRC through Teresa Gloden send your message to:
glodent@michigan.gov

As I mentioned above it is vital that we have a large turnout at the meeting. In order to be put on the agenda you must contact Teresa on or before Feb. 28th. This is the deadline for being put on the agenda as a speaker during Public Comments. By signing up beforehand you will get five minutes to speak. When you email Teresa saying that you wish to speak all you need to do is mention that you would like to speak on the crossbow issue. Do not say that you are in favor of crossbow inclusion.

You can also sign up at the meeting, but then you only get three minutes and if the list of speakers is long you may only get one minute.

If you are speaking bring an extra hardcopy (printed out) of your comments and give them to Teresa after you speak.

We do have some talking points that need to emphasized in short, simple commentary. Please do not do a copy/paste of the talking points, but rather put them into other words. Repetitive messages tend to fall on deaf ears.

Proposal G requires the NRC to create fish and wildlife policy purely on sound scientific principals. The data is already out there supporting the fact that crossbows, when fully included in a state’s archery season, have never had a negative impact on the deer herd.

Hunter numbers are steadily decreasing and the DNR will soon be experiencing a multi-million dollar deficit. A properly structured crossbow license and/or stamp could help offset this budgetary catastrophe.

Pennsylvania has recently approved the use of crossbows during their archery season joining thirteen other full or partial inclusion states and four Canadian provinces including our immediate neighbors Ohio and Ontario.

Deer populations are precipitously high in most DMUs in the Lower Peninsula. Our own DNR Wildlife Division has stated that the use of a crossbow, as offered by full inclusion, would not have a detrimental effect on wildlife populations.

“Concerning the matter of crossbows being used fully included in Michigan’s archery season, “The Wildlife Division (of the DNR) has stated that the use of crossbows would not have a detrimental effect on wildlife populations.”
Director Becky Humphries

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