HB1453, as authored, was a good bill. It lost some votes of those in the house who fully support our constitution and property rights, when they limited it to only the original preserves in business in 2005, which was about a dozen. Being true supporters of free enterprise they could not support a restriction to just 12, let alone 4, so they voted against it on principle. They were in support of the right to have a preserve but did not believe in government restricting the liberty of Indiana citizens. I am on the IDEFA board and I have always been totally opposed to any attempt to limit the number of preserves, especially to just a monoply of four. Everyone did not support the bill, after it was amended to just 4 preserves. In fact, most people I spoke to in the deer business were opposed to it. I think the last amended change in the senate cost us the bill passing into law. I hope that manipulation by a few, not board members, who were seeking to have total control of the preserve business in Indiana was not the reason the bill was amended to just 4 preserves. It seems surprisingly convienient that it also included lowering the fence height back to 8 feet. Also, I believe that it was Rodney's lawyer who proposed that he didn't think it would win in the Supreme Court. Other arguments were put forth to convince senators, legislators, board members, and others that only having 4 preserves was the only chance for the bill to pass. It is possible that was all a smoke screen to get it amended to just the 4 preserve owners still operating. This same scenario has happened to some degree over and over again (trying to limit it to just these same 4 preserves). Myron Miller and Gary Jacobson both fought hard for the inclusion of other preserves. In fact, Myron told me he didn't know about the bill being amended to just 4 preserves until after it had been done. They were not pleased with the bill as amended, but -like many- they felt that something would be better than nothing. I believe that 2 wrongs don't make a right, so I openly fought for its defeat. Like the nuclear treaty with Iran, a bad treaty is not better than no treaty. Likewise, a bad bill is not better than no bill. I spoke to both Myron Miller and Gary Jacobson and let them know that I was going to do everything I could to encourage the defeat of the bill. I did not do this behind anyones back. I was very forthright about what I was doing. The Bible says "be sure your sins will find you out" and some day I'm going to stand before God and I want to hear Him say, "well done thou good and faithful servant." He not only knows our doings, but He knows the thoughts and the intents of our hearts. I hold no malice toward anyone in all this, but I must stand for what's right because I have myself to live with. If we fight for whats right like Proverbs says, we will win. You cannot violate principles of integrity and expect to prevail. My parents taught me that breaking rules deserves punishment, while obeying rules deserves reward. The amended bill rewarded the 4 preseves that disobeyed the DNR ruling and punished the other preseves who obeyed the ruling. The 4 preseves in operation have continued to earn income since 2005, while the preserves that obeyed the ruling lost their income. Justice was not being served and an injustice would have been perpetuated had the bill passed. I am for everyone having a right to have a preserve, including the 4 currently in operation. Respectfully, Jerry L Bell
