PA. CONSTITUTION State's hunters seek to protect the sport

The proposed amendment is similar to provisions in 11 other states.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Long one of the most powerful voting blocks in the state, hunters in Pennsylvania are moving forward with a proposed amendment to the state constitution that would guarantee the "right of the people to hunt and fish."
Hunters say the amendment, which is similar to laws and constitutional amendments enacted in 11 other states in recent years, would protect their sport from what they say are attacks by animal-rights advocates and other groups that advocate hunting restrictions.
"The fact that it's standing there as a constitutional 'right' means something," said Bob Ging, a lawyer and hunter in Confluence, southeast of Pittsburgh, who sits on a gubernatorial sportsmen's advisory panel.
Goes to Senate
The amendment, sponsored by Rep. Matt Baker, R-Tioga, was passed by the House on Monday and sent to the Senate. It would have to be passed by the General Assembly in two successive legislative sessions before it could be put on the ballot to be decided on by voters.
Alabama, California, Minnesota, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin, Florida, Georgia and Louisiana already recognize the right to hunt, fish or trap.
While it is unclear exactly what the Pennsylvania amendment would do in practice, one legal expert said it could have unintended consequences and possibly end up conflicting with federal endangered species laws.
"It could get into sprawl, into environment," said David Kairys, a constitutional law professor at Temple University Law School.
U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance spokesman Doug Jeanneret said animal-rights activists often target practices that get a lot of publicity but affect relatively few hunters, such as hunting and trapping bobcats in Pennsylvania.
Inhumane practices
But animal-rights groups say they just want to stop what they consider the most inhumane practices, such as the use of steel-jawed traps and the organized hunting of exotic animals for a fee.
"But are we trying to stop deer hunting?" said Wayne Pacelle, senior vice president for the Humane Society of the United States. "No. We're trying to curb the more inhumane and unsportsmanlike practices."
Pacelle said he believed the amendment, which could go before voters as early as 2005, would be meaningless anyway.