The Minutes of the Madisonville, Texas City Council Meeting on January 15th included the following:
"Also in the meeting, after discussion with City Attorney John Bankhead, the council unanimously agreed to allow residents in the Lake Viser area to shoot buzzards that were destroying private property."
I'm afraid the Madisonville City Council might not know what they are "allowing". Most U.S. birds are protected by the International Migratory Bird Treaty, and permits to handle or destroy any birds protected by the treaty are not dispensed lightly. Such permits require not only good cause, but also specificity. No permits will be issued to dispatch wayward "buzzards" as this term is nebulous at best.
A permit to shoot "buzzards" lacks reference to a species. In this country, the term "buzzard" can equally pertain to members of the CATHARTIDAE family (vultures and condors), as well as any hawk in the Buteo genus of the family ACCIPITRIDAE (red-tailed hawk, red-shouldered hawk, broad-winged hawk among several others).
I would hope that any and all public entities involved (including the Madisonville city officials) would insist on clarification of the amorphous term "buzzard."
I fear that the good citizens of Lake Viser might determine what constitutes a "buzzard" the same way many people define good art: "I can't define it, but I'll know it when I see it."
A scary proposition at best!
"Also in the meeting, after discussion with City Attorney John Bankhead, the council unanimously agreed to allow residents in the Lake Viser area to shoot buzzards that were destroying private property."
I'm afraid the Madisonville City Council might not know what they are "allowing". Most U.S. birds are protected by the International Migratory Bird Treaty, and permits to handle or destroy any birds protected by the treaty are not dispensed lightly. Such permits require not only good cause, but also specificity. No permits will be issued to dispatch wayward "buzzards" as this term is nebulous at best.
A permit to shoot "buzzards" lacks reference to a species. In this country, the term "buzzard" can equally pertain to members of the CATHARTIDAE family (vultures and condors), as well as any hawk in the Buteo genus of the family ACCIPITRIDAE (red-tailed hawk, red-shouldered hawk, broad-winged hawk among several others).
I would hope that any and all public entities involved (including the Madisonville city officials) would insist on clarification of the amorphous term "buzzard."
I fear that the good citizens of Lake Viser might determine what constitutes a "buzzard" the same way many people define good art: "I can't define it, but I'll know it when I see it."
A scary proposition at best!
The coward shoots with shut eyes. -- Oklahoma Indian saying
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