Rhode Island might soon ban captive hunting
Female white-tailed deer (a very common species in New England) with tail in alarm posture. There’s worry that bringing in elk and other species from other parts of American could introduce diseases.
— Photo by D. Gordon E. Robertson
Excerpted from an ecoRI News article by Rob Smith
“Five years after the plan was first introduced, state lawmakers are on the cusp of banning captive hunting practices in Rhode Island.
“Also known as ‘canned hunting,’ captive hunting refers to the practice of importing wild animals into a specific, fenced-in location for the intended purpose of hunting game that, in theory, cannot escape. Critics of the practice have argued that legalizing captive hunting would be a backdoor way into introducing wild game and even diseases that currently have no presence in Rhode Island, and would interrupt local hunters’ longstanding free-chase traditions….
“Identical bans (S2732A/H7294A) were introduced in the House and Senate earlier this year. ..