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Wisconsin Hunters Rights Coalition Applauds Governor’s Quick Action on Pro-Hunting Legislation
On November 4, 2011 the Governor signed two recently passed pro-hunting bills – SB 228 and SB 75 – into law.

Wisconsin Hunters Rights Coalition Applauds Governor's Quick Action on Pro-Hunting Legislation

Wisconsin Firearm Owners, Ranges, Clubs & Educators

Wisconsin --(Ammoland.com)- The Gun Case Bill, SB 228, just passed through the Assembly yesterday. No longer will Wisconsin have the most restrictive gun case law in the country.

It is currently illegal to lay an uncased and unloaded firearm on the trunk of your car as you tighten your boots.

“Thanks to the Governor’s quick action in signing this legislation, hunters will be able to exercise safer handling of their firearms already in the 2011 deer season,” said Carl Schoettel, Vice President of the Wisconsin Bear Hunters Association. “Wisconsin’s gun case law has been completely impractical and has done nothing but penalize hunters for an irrelevant action, giving Wisconsin the reputation of being unfriendly to hunters.”

SB 228 is very straightforward, allowing hunters to have uncased and unloaded guns, bows and crossbows in or on their vehicle. Placing the firearm on or in the vehicle is often the safest and most practical place. Hunters should not have to put their firearm in the snow as they get out their gun-case every time they get back to their vehicle.

The other bill being signed today – SB 75 – from Senator Terry Moulton (R-Chippewa Falls) and Representative Tom Tiffany (R-Hazelhurst), helps preserve the integrity of Wisconsin’s deer hunting seasons by permanently ending Earn-a-Buck and making October T-Zone hunts into a rarity.

“We thank the Governor for recognizing that the intention of these programs was to help maintain our deer herds and all we have to show for it is an increase in tagging violations thanks to inaccurate registrations and population estimates” said SCI Central President Joe Koback.

The programs have been incredibly unpopular and the only measurable impact on hunting has been to turn some hunters away from the sport. The Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) own statistics show fewer hunters are hunting and less deer are being harvested while their own deer population numbers continue to grow.

The Hunters Rights Coalition is Wisconsin’s only group 100% dedicated to advancing hunting opportunities and protecting the rights of Wisconsin’s hunters. The Coalition is made up of several groups including: The Wisconsin Bear Hunters Association, Wisconsin Chapters of Safari Club International, and Wisconsin Firearm Owners, Ranges, Clubs, and Educators Inc.

For more information please contact our representative: Bob Welch 608-819-0150

About:
Wi-FORCE promotes and protects the shooting sports, hunting, and the lawful ownership and use of firearms in Wisconsin. We coordinate match schedules of member clubs, sanction the state championship matches, monitor and recommend legislation, and provide training and educational programs for our members, competitors and Wisconsin shooters. Wi-FORCE supports the interaction and education of all individuals and groups interested in the shooting sports and the natural right of citizens to own arms. Visit: www.wi-force.org

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Wisconsin Governor Signs Bill to Bring New Hunters into Field

Columbus, Ohio – -(AmmoLand.com)- Today, Governor Jim Doyle signed legislation that will enhance opportunities for sportsmen to pass their hunting heritage to the next generation. With Gov. Doyle’s signature, Wisconsin becomes the 29th state to lower barriers preventing new hunters from entering the field.

Senate Bill 167, sponsored by Sen. Jim Holperin (D-Conover), creates a mentored hunting license, which will allow people 10 years of age and older to hunt with an experienced mentor prior to the completion of hunter education. The legislation is the culmination of five years of work for the Families Afield Program, founded by the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) and the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance (USSA) to eliminate barriers to hunting. The cornerstone of the program has been the apprentice hunting concept which is embodied in the new Wisconsin law.

“We thank Gov. Doyle for signing this critically needed piece of legislation,” said Bud Pidgeon, USSA president and CEO. “Laws like this one in other states have proven to be effective at recruiting new groups of hunters such as women and urban residents. And most importantly, the program has been shown to be safe.

“Since the beginning of Families Afield, over 283,000 new hunters have been introduced to the field with a safety rate that even exceeds that of regular hunters,” said George Thornton, CEO of the NWTF. “Wisconsin has been a priority for our volunteers and we could not be more pleased that will now be law.”

“Replacing our ranks as older sportsmen pass on and leave hunting is critical to conservation and hunting,” stated NSSF President Steve Sanetti. “This new law is a major tool for accomplishing that important task.”

The effort to pass an apprentice hunting bill received great support across Wisconsin from sportsmen’s groups such as the Hunters Rights Coalition, Wisconsin Bear Hunters Association, Wisconsin State Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation, Wisconsin chapters of Safari Club International, Wisconsin Waterfowl Association, and the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation. The National Rifle Association also supported Senate Bill 167.

Several members of the Wisconsin legislature deserve special recognition for championing this effort. This includes Representatives Ann Hraychuck (D-Balsam Lake) and Scott Gunderson (R- Waterford) as well as Senator Holperin and Senate Majority Leader Russ Decker (D- Schofield).

About:
The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance is a national association of sportsmen and sportsmen’s organizations that protects the rights of hunters, anglers and trappers in the courts, legislatures, at the ballot, in Congress and through public education programs. For more information about the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance and its work, call (614) 888-4868 or visit its website, www.ussportsmen.org.

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