Senate Republican Leader Looking For A Deal On Hunting Preserves

Senate Republican Leader David Long is urging both sides of the debate around Indiana’s high-fenced deer hunting preserves to work out a deal before he lets a bill legalizing the facilities advance. 

This year’s bill, which legalizes only existing preserves, is already a scaled-down version of previous legislation, which would have allowed the industry to expand.  LaGrange Republican Sue Glick, the bill’s Senate sponsor, says the work now is to address remaining concerns, including ones about morality.  She says that likely involves ensuring the preserves are big enough and include enough wooded areas and ground cover.

“We want to ensure this is a sportsman-like hunt, that these animals are not drugged or sedated,” Glick said.

She says she’s also looking at potential restrictions on importing deer across state lines into the preserves as a way to help prevent the spread of chronic wasting disease.