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Master Hunter Program Accepting Applications Beginning Jan. 1 2010

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

OLYMPIA, WA --(AmmoLand.com)- The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) will be accepting enrollment applications for its Master Hunter program Jan. 1 through Feb.15.

Two orientation meetings on the application and certification process have been scheduled.

Those meetings are scheduled for:

• Jan. 9 – From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the West Valley Fire Department, 10000 Zier Road, Yakima.
• Jan. 16 – From 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., in Room 172 of the Natural Resources Building, 1111 Washington St. SE, Olympia.

Details on the program, application forms and enrollment procedures are available at http://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/masterhunter/ .

Master hunters participate in controlled hunts to remove problem animals that damage property or threaten public safety.

“To qualify for the program, applicants must demonstrate a high level of skill and be committed to lawful and ethical hunting practices, said Bruce Bjork, chief of the WDFW Enforcement Program that manages the Master Hunter program. Those who have been convicted of violating a state fish and wildlife regulation in the last 10 years are not eligible.”

“This is a great opportunity for conscientious, committed hunters to assume a leadership role among their peers,” Bjork said. “Their knowledge and conduct in the field can help build positive relationships with landowners and assure public hunting opportunity in the future.”

Hunters enrolling in the program are required to pass a written exam, undergo a criminal background check, sign a Master Hunter Code of Ethics form and provide at least 20 hours of volunteer service on WDFW projects that benefit the state’s wildlife resources.

Hunters who successfully complete the certification process will receive a certificate; a patch and a master hunter identification card; and will be eligible to participate in depredation hunts.

Filed under: Hunting News by Ammoland No Comments »

First Virginia Gun Bills Introduced for Next Year

Virginia Citizens Defense League

Richmond, VA --(AmmoLand.com)- As Lobby Day (January 18th) approaches, VCDL is busy preparing to get as much of VCDL’s legislative agenda passed as possible. Of course we can’t get anything done without all of you doing your part by attending Lobby Day and sending those emails and making those phone calls to your elected officials in the General Assembly.

For those who might be new to all of this (and there may be many as the number of VA-ALERT subscribers went from 8,000 to 13,000 this year), you will be getting alerts frequently during January and February telling you to contact your Delegate and Senator about one bill or another. Those alerts will make it as easy as pie to do so, with pre-written messages and “click-to-send” simplicity.

Please be prepared for, and be patient with, the uptick in email frequency for the next few months.

THIS IS WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD, ladies and gentlemen, and this is where VCDL EXCELS!

So far seven gun bills have been pre-filed, with many, many more coming for the next several weeks.

All the bills introduced so far are pro-gun, but you can be sure that the anti-gun bills will be coming and our rights will be under assault.

If we stand together, we will prevail.

Here are the seven bills so far:

VCDL STRONGLY supports the following bills:

• SB 3, Senator Smith (R – Roanoke), clarifies that CHPs can be renewed via the US mail.
• HB 8, Delegate Carrico (R – Galax), matching House bill to SB 3.
• HB 26, Delegate Wright (R – Victoria), clarifies that a Circuit Court Clerk may *not* ask for any extra documentation or information from a CHP applicant. This, hopefully, will stop abuse from Fairfax and certain other jurisdictions.
• HB 49, Delegate Lingamfelter (R – Woodbridge), repeals “One Handgun A Month” completely! Delegate Lingamfelter already had this bill drafted when I called to ask him to put in such a bill for VCDL! How’s that for clairvoyance?
• HB 54, Delegate Cole (R – Fredericksburg), allows for the otherwise lawful carry of a handgun into a courthouse when the courthouse is being used for purposes other than judicial proceedings or official judicial activities. This will allow for lawful carry at things such as the Sussex County Board of Supervisors meetings, which are held at night at the Sussex County courthouse. This bill was put in at VCDL’s request.

VCDL SUPPORTS the following bills:

• HB 32, Delegate Bob Marshall (R – Manassas), allows faculty members with CHPs to be able to carry at state institutions of higher education without fear of being fired or reprimanded. VCDL prefers that students and staff with CHPs also be allowed to carry. The bill is a step in the right direction.
• HB 52, Delegate Cole (R – Fredericksburg), sets the penalty for a CHP holder not being in possession of his CHP while carrying to a $25 civil fine that can be waived by the court. Note: the Virginia State Police already has the CHP holder’s record showing his status. That information is automatically made available to officers in the field, so carrying the permit shouldn’t really be necessary in the first place. However, this bill is a step in the right direction.

About:
Virginia Citizens Defense League, Inc. (VCDL). VCDL is an all-volunteer, non-partisan grassroots organization dedicated to defending the human rights of all Virginians. The Right to Keep and Bear Arms is a fundamental human right. Visit: www.vcdl.org

Filed under: Gun Rights News by Ammoland 1 Comment »