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WEBVTT ANDREW: HUNTERS CALL THIS AREAJUST SOUTHEAST OF SIOUX CITYIOWA ONE OF THE PREMIERE SPOTSIN THE REGION FOR THE GENERALPUBLIC TO HUNT AND FISH.>> IF YOU'RE HERE WHEN ALL THEBIRDS ARE HERE, THE WHOLE WATERIS COVERED WITH DUCKS AND GEESECOMING DOWN FROM CANADA.ANDREW: LANCE LARSON FEARS, IFIT'S TURNED OVER TO THEWINNEBAGO TRIBE, THEY'LL CHARGEHIGHER PERMIT FEES OR DEVELOPPART OF LAND AS A GOLF COURSE.>> THERE'S A LOT OF UNFOUNDEDRUMORS ABOUT WHAT THE PROPOSALIS AND AGAIN THE QUESTION NEEDSTO BE ASKED TO WHAT END THETRIBE WANTS THIS PROPERTY SO BADFOR?ANDREW: LEADERS OF THE WINNEBAGOTRIBE LOCATED IN NEBRASKA SAYIT'S SIMPLE.>> BECAUSE IT RIGHTFULLY BELONGSTO THE TRIBE.ANDREW: THE TREATY OF 1865 GAVETHE LAND TO THE WINNEBAGO BUT IN1970 THE CORPS OF ENGINEERSCONDEMED IT FOR A RECREATIONALPROJECT THAT WAS NEVER BUILT. >> THE TRIBE DOESN'T HAVE ANYINTEREST IN CHANGING THE NATUREOF THIS LAND.IT WANTS IT RETURNED TO IT WHICHTHE RIGHT THING TO DO.ANDREW: THEY'VE TRIED LEGALBATTLES.ONE FEDERAL COURT AGREED THELAND WAS ILLEGALLY TAKEN, BUTBECAUSE OF A TECHNICALITY THESTATUTE ON LIMITATIONS HAD RUNOUT.NOW CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE,IOWA CONGRESSMAN AND AVID HUNTERHIMSELF STEVE KING.>> THE ONLY WAY TO PUT THISTITLE BACK IN A JUST WAY, IS FORCONGRESS TO ACT ON IT.ANDREW: KING INTRODUCED HR36-88.IT WOULD TRANSFER TO THE TRIBE ALITTLE OVER 1600 ACRES OF LANDCALLED SYNDER'S BEND ANDWINNEBAGO BENDTHE CAMPGROUNDS, CABINS AND BOATRAMPS WOULD NOT BE INCLUDED.>> THEY ARE GOING TO ALLOW FORPUBLIC ACCESS IN A SIMILARFASHION THEY DO ON THE NEBRASKASIDE OF THE RIVER.AND THERE HASN'T BEEN AN ISSUETHERE THAT I KNOW OF.ANDREW: ONE OF THE CO-SPONSORSOF THE BILL NEBRASKAREPRESENTATIVE JEFF FORTENBERRYBELIEVES IT ACTUALLY COULD BEGOOD FOR HUNTERS.>> I THINK THERE ARE SIGNIFICANTPOSSIBILITIES OF NOT JUSTPRESERVING THE OPPORTUNITY FORHUNTING HERE BUT ENHANCING IT.>> VERBALLY THIS AND VERBALLYTHAT DON'T MEAN NOTHING.PUT IT IN WRITING.ANDREW: BUT BILL SMITH PRESIDENTOF THE MISSOURI VALLEYWATERFOWLERS ASSOCIATION ISSKEPTICAL THE TRIBE WILL KEEPTHE LAND AS IS OR SPEND THETHOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO MAINTAINIT.HE CALLS THE LEGISLATION IS ANEND RUN AROUND THE COURTS.>> BASICALLY NEGATE ALL THECOURT RULINGS ON THIS PARTICULARCASE.WASH IT AWAY AS IF THEY DIDN'TEXIST AND THEN JUST HAND ITOVER.>> PEOPLE WILL SAY WELL I'VEHUNTED IT FOR 40 YEARS AND YOUCAN'T IT AWAY FROM ME.BUT THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE DIDTO THEM.ANDREW: NEAR SIOUX CITY, IOWAANDREW OZAKI KETV NEWSWATCH 7.ROB: CONGRESSMAN KING SAYS HE'SASKING THE WINNEBAGO TRIBE TOSET UP THEIR HUNTING AND FISHINGFEES TO CORRESPOND WITH IOWA'S,AND TO OFFER APPLICATIONSONLINE.HE'S CONSIDERING A TOWNHALLMEETING TO GET ALL THEINTERESTED PARTIES TO HASH OUTTHE CONCERNS.KING SAYS THE BILL WILL NOT MOVE

Advertisement Bill to transfer land back to Winnebago Tribe draws fire from hunters Hunter: "giving sportsmen acres away for nothing" Share Shares Copy Link Copy

A bill before the U.S. Congress that would return land to the Winnebago Tribe near Sioux City, Iowa,is drawing some fire from some hunting groups.They are afraid they will lose public access to one of the premiere game areas in the region, and they are targeting the bill's sponsor, U.S. Rep. Steve King, from Iowa.“He creates a bill that basically negates all the court rulings on this particular case. Wash it away as if they didn't exist, and then just hand it over," Missouri Valley Waterfowlers Association President Bill Smith said. Smith and other sportsmen are concerned what will happen to the areas called Snyder Bend and Winnebago Bend, nestled along the Missouri River."If you're here when all the birds are here, the whole water is covered with ducks and geese coming down from Canada," said Lance Larson, who lives nearby.Larson fears if the land is turned over to the Winnebago Tribe, part of it could be developed into a golf course, or they will have to pay additional permit fees, which are much more expensive.“Their market is non-resident hunters down south, guys who will come up here and pay big money to shoot a deer," Larson said.“The question needs to be asked: To what end does the tribe want this property so bad for,?"Larson said."Because it rightfully belongs to the tribe," Winnebago Tribal Councilman Isaac Smith said.Smith said the Treaty of 1865 gave the land to the Winnebago.But in 1970, the Corps of Engineers took the land, condemning it for a recreational project that was never built.Tribal legal counsel Danelle Smith says the tribe doesn't have any interest in changing the nature of this land, nor plans to build a golf course.“It wants it returned to it, which is the right thing to do," Smith said.The tribe tried battling the issue in court. One federal court agreed the land was illegally taken, but because of a technicality, the statute of limitations had run out.Now caught in the crossfire, is Iowa Rep. and avid hunter Steve King. He introduced HR 3688."The only way to put this title back in a just way, is for Congress to act on it," King said.King's legislation would transfer a little over 1,600 acres of land to the tribe.The areas include a waterfowl refuge, that is currently managed by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.The land with campgrounds, cabins and boat ramps at Snyder Bend would not be included. "They are going to allow for public access in a similar fashion they do on the Nebraska side of the river. And, and there hasn't been an issue there that I know of,"said King.Nebraska Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, a co-sponsor of the bill, says the measure could actually be good for hunters. "I think there are significant possibilities of not just preserving the opportunity for hunting here, but enhancing it," Fortenberry said.But Bill Smith, is skeptical the tribe will keep the land as-is or spend the thousands of dollars yearly to maintain it.“Verbally this and verbally that don't mean nothing. Put it in writing," Bill Smith said.He calls the legislation an “end run around” the courts.“Basically circumventing federal law, stuff that has already been determined. Giving sportsmen acres away for nothing," Bill Smith said.King said he is looking at the treaty, the court cases and what is right and just. “People will say, well, I've hunted it for 40 years and you can't it away from me. But that's exactly what we did to them," King said.King said he is asking the Winnebago Tribe to align their hunting and fishing fees to correspond with Iowa's and offer online applications.He is considering a town hall meeting to get all the interested parties to hash out their conerns together.He said the bill will not move forward until he says so.