Thursday, October 05, 2006
Arkansas Regulations Murky at Best
The Knoxville News-Sentinel has the big "gotcha!" story they were hinting about yesterday regarding Jim Bryson not having a fishing or hunting license in either Tennessee or Arkansas.
Admittedly, this has to be embarrassing for Bryson and his campaign.
Nevertheless, in Tom Humphrey's story, it is alleged that Bryson's hunting and fishing on his family's land in Arkansas was illegal. This is backed up by a quote from Jill Shaw of the Arkansas Fish and Game Commission to that effect.
But wait a minute...
I went through both publications related to fishing (43 pages) and hunting (72 pages) in Arkansas that are put out by the Arkansas Fish and Game Commission. How many references are there to a prohibition to hunting or fishing on your own land without an Arkansas license?
You guessed it - NONE.
And these were the extended versions of the Fishing and Hunting Rules and Regulations. There isn't anything in their abstracts or on the Commission's website regarding this issue, either.
I'm sure that the Commission has a different read on this than I do, but people cannot be expected to follow the law without proper notice of what the law is.
Bryson may have messed up through his comments at the debate, but I argue that he isn't the only one who made a mistake.
Admittedly, this has to be embarrassing for Bryson and his campaign.
Nevertheless, in Tom Humphrey's story, it is alleged that Bryson's hunting and fishing on his family's land in Arkansas was illegal. This is backed up by a quote from Jill Shaw of the Arkansas Fish and Game Commission to that effect.
But wait a minute...
I went through both publications related to fishing (43 pages) and hunting (72 pages) in Arkansas that are put out by the Arkansas Fish and Game Commission. How many references are there to a prohibition to hunting or fishing on your own land without an Arkansas license?
You guessed it - NONE.
And these were the extended versions of the Fishing and Hunting Rules and Regulations. There isn't anything in their abstracts or on the Commission's website regarding this issue, either.
I'm sure that the Commission has a different read on this than I do, but people cannot be expected to follow the law without proper notice of what the law is.
Bryson may have messed up through his comments at the debate, but I argue that he isn't the only one who made a mistake.
Permalink posted by Rob Huddleston @ 2:28 AM 
