WILDLIFE -- Some people are criticizing as overkill a bill in the Washington Legislature related to collecting shed antlers.

The bill, HB 1627, which so far has huge support among lawmakers, would black out the gray area of shed-antler hunters unleashing a dog to chase deer and elk on private property to cause the antlers to fall off.

• See the story from Wednesday's legislative committee hearing by S-R Olympia reporter Jim Camden.

But rather than criticize the bill as another needless law, let's confront the fact that deer, elk and moose are winter-weary in March and they need to be left alone to put on fat. The females are bearing young that will be born in May and June.  The males are still recovering from the rigors of the rut.

It might be cool that people are training their dogs to sniff out shed antlers.

But give some people a short leash and they want a mile. 

To let dogs chase big-game in March for the collecting antlers is greedy and stupid.

If anything, the law doesn't go far enough.   It should include stiffer penalties for people who disturb big game on winter ranges, public or private, and especially for those who send their dogs chasing deer, elk and moose.