A proposed amendment to the Kansas constitution making hunting, fishing and trapping a constitutional right has brought a lot of surprises.
Many voters don't know there's such an item on the ballot.
I've been surprised how quickly some saw nothing but evil within the proposed amendment. Some claim that if passed, the proposed amendment would destroy wildlife management as we know it. Others have lit up the internet complaining it could strip landowners of private-property rights and insure hunters, anglers and trappers could go anywhere, anytime.
Here's the wording:
"The people have the right to hunt, fish and trap, including by the use of traditional methods, subject to reasonable laws and regulations that promote wildlife conservation and management and that preserve the future of hunting and fishing. Public hunting and fishing shall be a preferred means of managing and controlling wildlife. This section shall not be construed to modify any provision of law relating to trespass, property rights or water resources."
The National Rifle Association helped get the proposal rolling, then federal and state representatives of the group have declined interviews with me about it. Rep. Adam Lusker, D-Frontenac, played the main role in getting the concept pushed through the legislature. He has not returned calls since an initial interview.
The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism has some information on its website. But more exposure and explanation of the proposed amendment could have soothed a lot of fears.
