American Deer & Wildlife Alliance Now Accepting Nominations for the W.I.L.D. Awards

American Deer & Wildlife Alliance

AUSTIN, Texas --(Ammoland.com)- Creating a better habitat for business, the American Deer & Wildlife Alliance (ADWA) is proud to announce it is accepting nominations for its all-new Wildlife Industry, Leadership & Development (W.I.L.D.) Awards.

The W.I.L.D. Awards will spotlight real examples of what has been accomplished in the deer, wildlife and hunting industries, and the people and products who have made a significant impact. Nominations for the awards will be accepted through December 31, 2011.

“The spirit of the W.I.L.D. Awards is to recognize leading innovative approaches in products and to acknowledge the leadership of individuals in growing our industry,” says John Meng, president of the American Deer & Wildlife Alliance.

“By showcasing the most innovative products and the dedicated stewards within our industry, the W.I.L.D. Awards will contribute to the overall promotion of the industry and help keep our American outdoor traditions strong.”

W.I.L.D. Award categories include New Product of the Year, Best Optics, Best Firearm Product, Best Hunting Ranch, Wildlife Stewardship, Outdoor Advocacy, Deer Breeder of the Year and many others. To review the categories and submit nominations, please go to www.surveygizmo.com/s3/616163/WILD-Awards-Nominations

The American Deer & Wildlife Alliance is a non-profit organization working to promote the deer and wildlife industry and to preserve our American outdoor traditions. As a part of its public education efforts, ADWA sponsors the Points Report, a full-color quarterly newsletter providing industry news and commentary; Spikes Magazine, a quarterly youth publication distributed to summer camps and public libraries across the country; and www.iHuntAmerica.com website, a comprehensive search engine for hunting ranches, game preserves and outfitters. ADWA also sponsors Keith Warren’s Deer & Wildlife Stories, a nationally broadcast television program on the Pursuit Channel, and the Outdoor Patriot (www.OutdoorPatriot.com), a monthly podcast which features commentary and industry guests.

To learn more about the W.I.L.D. Awards and the American Deer & Wildlife Alliance or for membership information, visit www.deerwildlifealliance.org or call 512.778.6292.

Headquartered in Austin, Texas, the American Deer & Wildlife Alliance is a non-profit organization dedicated to the growth of the deer and wildlife industry, and to help educate consumers and the youth on the conservation issues which effect deer and wildlife as well as the industry. For more information on the American Deer & Wildlife Alliance, call 512.778.6292 or visit www.deerwildlifealliance.org.

National Shooting Sports Foundation

NEWTOWN, Conn --(Ammoland.com)- The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) – the trade association for the firearms industry – responded to the White House nomination of U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota B. Todd Jones to lead the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) with the following statement:

As the ATF begins its leadership transition with the appointment of U.S. Attorney B. Todd Jones to serve as the bureau’s acting director, NSSF looks forward to meeting with Mr. Jones and to continuing our industry’s cooperative relationship with ATF in helping them to curtail the illegal acquisition and misuse of firearms.

Though NSSF is still reviewing Mr. Jones’ record on Second Amendment-related issues, NSSF hopes to find in him an effective leader who can move the ATF forward and be supportive of the bureau’s cooperative relationship with America’s firearms industry.

One example of this cooperative relationship is the ATF-NSSF anti-straw purchasing campaign called Don’t Lie for the Other Guy – a program that educates retailers on how to better detect and deter illegal purchases of firearms and warns the public that it is a serious crime to attempt such an illegal purchase.

About NSSF
The National Shooting Sports Foundation is the trade association for the firearms industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of more than 6,000 manufacturers, distributors, firearms retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers. For more information, log on to www.nssf.org.

Gun Owners of America

Washington, DC --(Ammoland.com)- In case you were thinking that Barack Obama’s hatred of the Second Amendment was subsiding, Obama has now nominated — to the country’s second-highest court — an avid leader in the effort to destroy firearms manufacturers using frivolous litigation.

The nomination of Caitlin Halligan — formerly the solicitor general of New York – to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals would put a rabid anti-gun activist in a position where she could do maximum damage to the Second Amendment.

As New York’s solicitor general, Halligan was one of the chief lawyers responsible for New York’s baseless and politically motivated efforts to bankrupt gun manufacturers using frivolous litigation. In so doing, Halligan proved that she places liberal political activism above fealty to the law.

Halligan’s public hatred for firearms was only matched by her zealotry inside the courtroom. In a speech on May 5, 2003, Halligan called for “handgun manufacturers [to be held] liable for criminal acts committed with handguns.”

Certainly, no other manufacturer of another item — whether it be cars, baseball bats, or anything else – would be held liable for the criminal misuse of its product. And, as Halligan well knows, the application of that principle to firearms would surely eliminate the manufacture of firearms in America.

It is also significant that a Washington-based anti-gun group openly took credit for coordinating anti-gun suits such as Halligan’s.

After attempts of legal extortion of the firearms industry were repudiated by a bipartisan vote in Congress, Halligan’s office signed a brief calling for New York courts to declare the federal Gun Makers’ Protection Act “unconstitutional” because it supposedly overstepped Congress’ powers.

This, at a time when Halligan would no doubt hold the anti-gun ObamaCare is constitutional because there are no effective limits on Congress’ powers.

Finally, Halligan, in written testimony submitted to the Senate in connection with her nomination, attempted to conceal the extent of her anti-gun animus.

Halligan’s failure to provide information that would clarify her statements, thus keeping her testimony from being misleading, constitutes “fraud” against the Senate. As such, the only role she should play in the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals is the role of a defendant.

We have to stop this Presidential court-packing scheme. But we don’t have much time — the Senate could be voting on this anti-gun nominee this week!

ACTION: Contact your senators and urge them to vote against the Halligan nomination.

Click here to send your Senators a prewritten email message.

About:
Gun Owners of America (GOA) is a non-profit lobbying organization formed in 1975 to preserve and defend the Second Amendment rights of gun owners. GOA sees firearms ownership as a freedom issue. `The only no comprise gun lobby in Washington’ – Ron Paul

National Rifle Association

FAIRFAX, Va. --(Ammoland.com)- The NRA-ILA “Jay M. Littlefield Memorial Volunteer of the Year Award” is an annual honor that recognizes an NRA member who demonstrates exceptionally meritorious activism in defense of our Second Amendment rights.

Similarly, the “NRA-ILA Volunteer Organization of the Year Award” is bestowed upon a group that has gone above and beyond in defending and promoting our rights over the past year.

Nominations for these honors for last year (2010) should be submitted to:
NRA-ILA Volunteer Awards,
c/o Krista Cupp
NRA-ILA Grassroots Division
11250 Waples Mill Road
Fairfax, VA, 22030

Nominations may also be faxed to Krista at (703) 267-3918, or e-mailed to kcupp@nrahq.org.

All nominations must be submitted by NRA members in good standing and be accompanied by a one-page description of why the nominee is deserving. Winners will be selected by NRA-ILA staff and will be acknowledged at this Fall’s NRA Board of Directors Meeting. The deadline for submissions is July 1, 2011.

About:
Established in 1871, the National Rifle Association is America’s oldest civil rights and sportsmen’s group. Four million members strong, NRA continues its mission to uphold Second Amendment rights and to advocate enforcement of existing laws against violent offenders to reduce crime. The Association remains the nation’s leader in firearm education and training for law-abiding gun owners, law enforcement and the military. Visit: www.nra.org

The following is an additional comment added by AmmoLand Shooting Sports News:

Action:

AmmoLand Shooting Sports News would like to be considered for nomination under the group award. If you appreciate the work we have done to raise awareness and spread the message from the NRA please copy and paste the below letter and email a copy to kcupp@nrahq.org.

Thanks for your consideration – AmmoLand Shooting Sports News

———————

Dear NRA-ILA;

I would like to nominate AmmoLand Shooting Sports News for the NRA-ILA Volunteer Organization of the Year Award for their unrelenting effort to raise awareness and bring more exposure to all the NRA news, alerts and updates.

The efforts by AmmoLand, on behalf of the NRA, has helped to expand readership of NRA messages to hundreds of social media, blogging and news outlets across the world wide web.

Please consider AmmoLand for NRA-ILA Volunteer Organization of the Year.

Sincerely

Your Name

———————

Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife

Delaware --(Ammoland.com)- The deadline to submit nominations for DNREC’s 2011 Young Environmentalist of the Year Awards has been extended to Wednesday, June 15.

Nominations must be based on actions or projects that have taken place or are in progress and will be completed between July 1, 2010 and June 30, 2011.

“If you are a teacher, youth group leader, advisor, classmate, parent or friend of a Delaware student who is involved in a project that benefits our environment, we want to hear about that student from you so we can recognize them for their efforts,” said Joanna Wilson, awards program coordinator.

Nominations will be accepted between Sunday, May 1 and Wednesday, June 15, 2011. A winner will be chosen from each of the following categories:

• Elementary for students in grades 1-4
• Middle School for students in grades 5-8
• High School for students in grades 9-12

The Young Environmentalist program honors Delaware students whose actions have resulted in the protection, restoration or enhancement of Delaware’s natural resources. Judges will look for innovative projects that increase public awareness and demonstrate environmental ethics and stewardship.

Past honorees have included students who have organized tree plantings, a household hazardous waste community collection day and school recycling programs; students who volunteered their time with the Delaware Nature Society, DNREC’s Piping Plover Monitoring Program, the DuPont Nature Center, the Hooked on Fishing – Not on Drugs program, and the Marine Education, Research and Rehabilitation Institute, among other organizations; and a prolific poster artist, who worked to raise public awareness on a variety of environmental issues.

This is the 18th year for the award, which was established by DNREC colleagues and friends in honor of Dr. Edwin H. Clark II, who served as Secretary of DNREC from 1989 until 1993.

A $100 U.S. savings bond and a Delaware State Parks gift certificate will be awarded to each category winner in recognition of his or her contribution to the community. Winners will be honored in a special ceremony.

Nominations may be mailed to DNREC Public Affairs, attention Joanna Wilson/Jennifer Fitzsimmons, 89 Kings Highway, Dover, DE 19901, dropped off in person at that address or emailed to Joanna.wilson@state.de.us.

Nomination forms are available on the DNREC website, www.dnrec.delaware.gov, by emailing the address above or by contacting the DNREC Public Affairs at 302-739-9902.

National Shooting Sports Foundation

NEWTOWN, Conn --(Ammoland.com)- Products liability attorney Anne Patterson, who once represented Colt in a lawsuit brought by the city of Camden, N.J., has been nominated by Gov. Chris Christie to serve on the state’s Supreme Court.

The Camden lawsuit was brought about more than 10 years ago when the city tried to hold lawful firearms manufacturers responsible for criminal actions involving guns.

The city voluntarily dropped its suit in July of 2003.

Ms. Patterson, currently of Riker Danzig, is being opposed by several gun-control groups in the state.

About NSSF
The National Shooting Sports Foundation is the trade association for the firearms industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of more than 6,000 manufacturers, distributors, firearms retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers. For more information, log on to www.nssf.org.

Gun Owners of America

Washington, DC --(Ammoland.com)- On Thursday, the U.S. Senate rejected President Obama’s pick for a seat on the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.

In a procedural motion that required 60 votes, Goodwin Liu’s nomination was defeated in a near-party line vote of 52-43.

Liu was perhaps the most radical of Obama’s judicial nominees. The UC Berkley law professor supported the notion that the language of the Constitution is sufficiently ambiguous to bend with the times.

“It becomes pretty clear why ‘originalism’ and ‘strict construction’ don’t make a lot of sense,” Liu said in an interview promoting his book. “The Framers deliberately chose… broad words so they would be adaptable to new challenges over time.”

In Liu’s view, the right to keep and bear arms may have been necessary in the 18th century, but no longer needed.

For these reasons, the Senate was flooded with emails from gun owners insisting that Liu be voted down.
You can click here to see how your senator voted

While Liu’s defeat is a victory for Second Amendment supporters, it is also indicative that Obama is pursuing a course to pull the federal judiciary as far to the left as possible. GOA will continue to expose the disdain with which Obama’s nominees hold the Second Amendment.

About:
Gun Owners of America (GOA) is a non-profit lobbying organization formed in 1975 to preserve and defend the Second Amendment rights of gun owners. GOA sees firearms ownership as a freedom issue. `The only no comprise gun lobby in Washington’ – Ron Paul

AmmoLand Shooting Sports News Nominated for Gunnie Award for Best Gun News Blog

AmmoLand Gun News

Manasquan, NJ --(Ammoland.com)- The AmmoLand Gun News Wire has been nominated for the “Best Gun News Blog for 2011″ by LuckyGunner .com.

AmmoLand is a free online newswire that is constantly updating readers with important breaking Gun Rights, Firearms, Hunting and Conservation News.

Now we need your vote to lock down the title.  Visit the link below and scroll down to the Voting Box and navigate the to the 2011 Best Gun Blog – News section. Next click Nominees and Vote for Ammo Land. Your vote is needed to help us win!

2011 Gunnies Best Gun Blog - News

The 2011 Gunnie Awards (aka “The Gunnies”) recognize the best gun bloggers & websites for their contribution to firearm news, politics, and law over the past year. Each award is based on reader votes, so we need our readers to vote at the link below below and help us Win the title for Best Gun News Blog! Voting closes Friday, May 27th – vote today and tell your friends to vote too!

Gunnie winners will be announced & honored on Saturday night, May 28th at the 2011 LuckyGunner.com Blogger Shoot held in Knoxville, TN this Memorial Day Weekend.

Gunnie Awards Voting Page -  Click to Vote for AmmoLand http://tiny.cc/6716w

About:
Ammoland.com, the web’s leading Shooting Sports News Service for the Ammunition, Firearms, Shooting, Hunting and Conservation communities. Visit: www.ammoland.com

West Virginia Citizens Defense League

West Virginia --(Ammoland.com)- Our new U.S. senator, Joe Manchin is noncommittal on President Obama’s nomination of anti-gun zealot Andrew Traver to be Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

This is the same Joe Manchin who ran an infamous TV ad last fall in which he killed two birds with one stone by touting his NRA endorsement and highlighting his opposition to Cap and Trade legislation by nailing a copy of the bill to a tree and using it for target practice.

Well, Joe, 4 days after you were sworn in as our newest United States senator, the NRA–whose endorsement you so highly touted in your “Dead Aim” TV ad–took dead aim at the Traver nomination. Meanwhile, the Brady Bunch praised it.

However, 4 months later, you still have not taken a position–much less kept your promise to “always defend West Virginia.”

The following is a letter Senator Manchin sent me responding to an e-mail I personally sent him and Senator Rockefeller (from whom I don’t expect as response since Rockefailure is an anti who has well-deserved F ratings from NRA and GOA):

March 10, 2011

[address redacted]

Dear Mr. Mullins,

Thank you for contacting me and sharing your concerns about the President’s nomination of a new Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Hearing from West Virginians is very important to me, and I appreciate your input on this issue.

The nominee, Andrew Traver, is currently the Special Agent in Charge (SAC) of the ATF’s Chicago Field Division. As you know, the Director of the ATF is appointed by the President, but his nomination is subject to confirmation by the full Senate. While the nomination of Andrew Traver has not yet come up for a vote, please be assured that I will keep your concerns in mind as I follow this confirmation process closely.

Again, thank you for taking the time to add your voice to this important discussion. If I may be of further assistance to you, please do not hesitate to contact my office.

With Warmest Regards,

Joe Manchin III
United States Senator

ACTION ITEM: Tell Senator Manchin to OPPOSE Traver Nomination
Since Senator Joe Manchin is noncommittal on President Obama’s nomination of anti-gun zealot Andrew Traver to be Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, it is obvious that he needs to “hear from West Virginians” and receive out input on this issue.

Please click on one of the following links and either sign a pre-written message or write your own message telling Senator Manchin that you OPPOSE the nomination of Andrew Traver to be the Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives:

* NRA
* GOA

About:
The West Virginia Citizens Defense League (WVCDL) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit, all-volunteer, grassroots organization of concerned West Virginians who support our individual right to keep and bear arms for defense of self, family, home and state, and for lawful hunting and recreational use, as protected by the state constitution and the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution. Visit: www.wvcdl.org

N.Y.S. Outdoorsmen Hall of Fame

Utica, New York --(Ammoland.com)- The New York State Outdoorsmen Hall of Fame proudly announces that it will induct eight new members at the Annual Banquet, April 30, 2011 in Canastota, NY.

The eight individuals represent a cross section of interests and achievements from various regions of New York State. What they do have in common is a lifetime of dedication to conservation and improving participation in outdoor sports.

Fred Golofaro
Fred Golofaro, editor of “The Fisherman” magazine, has been active in involving youth in fishing and a major advocate for expanding access and opportunity for sport fishing in the Long Island region. He has established a non profit Sport Fishing Fund that benefits outdoors activities for youth and funds conservation issues. The Kids Fishing Camp established by Golofaro educates children about recreational sport fishing and outdoor recreation.

Golofaro developed and managed the “Send a Kid Fishing” program that has allowed over 20,000 children to experience fishing and outdoor recreation. He also manages a series of annual fishing tournaments whose revenues support recreational fishing opportunities at state parks throughout Long Island. In addition to being an advocate for access rights and sport fishing, he has actively been involved with the Fishing Advisory Board and Casting for Recovery.

Harold Palmer
Harold Palmer was honored for his longtime service to sportsmen, including involvement in the New York State Conservation Council. He has served in many offices, including Legislative Vice President and President of NYSCC. During his term as president he worked with the State Legislature to secure passage of the Junior Big Game and Trapper Mentor bills. He also worked with the DEC to save the pheasant farm and stocking program from being eliminated.

Palmer has also been involved with Coxsackie Sportsmen’s Club in several roles including youth instruction in safe gun handling. Currently he is a NYS volunteer instructor in bowhunter education. As a member of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation he was responsible for presentations on the feasibility of restoring elk to New York.

Lin Menninger
Lin Menninger, a former teacher at East Syracuse-Minoa, did what many thought was impossible – bringing hunting and fishing into the school. Her Great Outdoors Club involved many students who had academic and discipline problems and by getting them involved in hunting, fishing, etc., their performance improved and they even became involved in giving back to the community. Following her retirement she incorporated this group into Advanced Strategies Adventures, a volunteer organization that is heavily involved with helping physically challenged sportsmen.

She has been very involved with the Onondaga County Federation of Sportsmen and serves on its Board of Directors. Among the many organizations that she is involved with are NY Bowhunters instructor, Women In Nature instructor, DEC Hunter Safety instructor, and a Search and Rescue volunteer. For her lifetime of involvement and service she has won many honors, including “Field & Stream’s” Heroes of Conservation Award.

Will Elliott
Will Elliott, an award winning writer for the “Buffalo News,” has covered the outdoor scene for 26 years. During that time he has been a strong advocate for conservation, ethics, and increased involvement in outdoor recreation. His columns in the “Buffalo News,” “New York Outdoor News,” and other publications has increased the knowledge of techniques and opportunities for sportsmen and alerted to issues of importance. He is a past president of the New York State Outdoor Writers’ Association.

Will Elliott has also served the sportsmen of western New York in many capacities and roles in the Erie County Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs and was a member of the Erie County Fisheries Advisory Board. He has been active in many clubs and organized and taught an adult education class in hunting and fishing. He actively volunteers at charity fishing tournaments, including the BassEye Tournament to benefit Cystic Fibrosis research and the Wounded Warriors program.

These sportsmen will be honored at the Annual Banquet on April 30, 2011. Guests and interested sportsmen are encouraged to attend. Information or reservations are available by calling 315-363-3896 by April 23. In addition to honoring sportsmen and women for preserving or enhancing our outdoor heritage, the NYS Outdoorsmen Hall of Fame is involved in many other educational activities including seminars, fishing clinics, or youth programs. Check the web site www.nysohof.org for more information.

See Part #1

N.Y.S. Outdoorsmen Hall of Fame

Utica, New York --(Ammoland.com)- The New York State Outdoorsmen Hall of Fame proudly announces that it will induct eight new members at the Annual Banquet, April 30, 2011 in Canastota, NY.

The eight individuals represent a cross section of interests and achievements from various regions of New York State. What they do have in common is a lifetime of dedication to conservation and improving participation in outdoor sports.

Robert Fields
Robert Fields has been an active member of the Mohawk Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited and has served in many capacities, including managing the web site and the annual Trout and Salmon Expo. But it is his work with the “Trout In the Classroom” program that sets him apart and has earned him a place in the NYS Outdoorsmen Hall of Fame.

During Bob Fields’ involvement with the program, the number of local schools participating in “Trout In the Classroom” went from one to 42. He has spent considerable time at local schools to convince school administrators and teachers of the value of the program. The students involved get hands on experience in raising the trout from eggs and learning valuable lessons in conservation.

Derwood Say
Derwood Say has been active in outdoor sports and helping others enjoy them for several decades. As an avid outdoorsman himself, Derwood has helped influence others on everything from trapping and hunting to camping and whitewater rafting. He has done this through his writing, his involvement with youth groups, and leadership in sportsmen’s organizations. His dedication has previously been recognized by awards from Allegany County Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs, Safari Club International, and the New York State Conservation Council.

In addition to the Outdoor Program at Cuba-Rushford Central School and the Youth Program at the Cuba Rod & Gun Club, he has been an instructor for Hunter Education and Trapper Education for over 35 years. Derwood has served as an officer of many sportsmen’s organizations including Cuba Rod & Gun Club, Enchanted Mountain Beagle Club, Cattaraugus County Trappers Organization, and as the sporting representative to many task forces in southwestern New York. He has been active in New York State Conservation Council, Allegany County Federation, and Conservation Alliance of New York, of which he was a co-founder.

Ed Pugliese
Ed Pugliese has a long history of involvement in conservation and sportsmen’s organizations, including the Onondaga County Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs. One of his major volunteer projects is coordinator of the Onondaga County Federation’s pheasant program. This is a major undertaking that requires organizing labor, materials, and all of the details that go into successfully raising 4,000 birds.

Ed Van Put
Ed Van Put has served the Catskill trout fishery in many ways. As a DEC fisheries Technician his relationship with landowners was a major force in securing 52 miles of public fishing rights on the fabled Catskill trout streams. But to many others it was his writing and expertise that helped publicize the Catskill fishery and gain widespread attention to the resource and the issues.

His extensive diaries and records of fishing on the Delaware River, along with his reputation, were major factors in securing cold water releases from New York City reservoirs to protect that fishery. Ed has been a volunteer and ambassador for the Catskill Fly Fishing Center Museum for many years and has been selected for the CFFCM Hall of Fame. He personally raised the funds, wrote the text, worked with the foundry, and installed the historical markers along the Beaverkill. Ed Van Put continues to volunteer his time to Theodore Gordon Flyfishers, Open Space Institute, and Trout Unlimited to improve stream conditions, access, and habitat.

Ed has a special dedication to introducing others to the outdoors, whether taking an individual youngster on a waterfowl hunt, or serving a scholastic Shooting Sports coach, or teaching Hunter Safety Education at many area clubs. His dedication and organization are evident in the Women In Nature program which has grown under his leadership from a handful of participants to a maximum of 100 and a long waiting list. He has been an active leader in Project Appleseed where the Ruffed Grouse Society improves habitat. He is a previous recipient of the NYS Conservation Council’s Conservationist of the Year as well as other awards.

These sportsmen will be honored at the Annual Banquet on April 30, 2011. Guests and interested sportsmen are encouraged to attend. Information or reservations are available by calling 315-363-3896 by April 23. In addition to honoring sportsmen and women for preserving or enhancing our outdoor heritage, the NYS Outdoorsmen Hall of Fame is involved in many other educational activities including seminars, fishing clinics, or youth programs. Check the web site www.nysohof.org for more information.

See Part #2

N.Y.S. Outdoorsmen Hall of Fame

Utica, New York --(Ammoland.com)- The New York State Outdoorsmen Hall of Fame proudly announces that it will induct eight new members at the Annual Banquet, April 30, 2011 in Canastota, NY.

The eight individuals represent a cross section of interests and achievements from various regions of New York State. What they do have in common is a lifetime of dedication to conservation and improving participation in outdoor sports.

Will Elliott is an outdoor writer from western New York known for championing conservation, hunting and fishing issues and has served the Erie County Federation of Sportsmen in many roles as well as being on the Fisheries Advisory Board. Robert Fields of Oneida County has been a member of Trout Unlimited and has dramatically increased the number of participants and the success of the Trout In the Classroom program.

Fred Golofaro has helped secure access, increase fishing opportunities, and conservation on Long Island, and is responsible for the highly successful Send-a-Kid Fishing Program. Lin Menninger is an educator known for involving youngsters in outdoor activities, being a volunteer instructor for many different programs in Onondaga County and has been named one of “Field & Stream’s” Heroes of Conservation.

Harold Palmer of Otsego County has been active in various sportsmen’s organizations, including the New York State Conservation Council where he helped secure passage of the Youth Hunting and Trapper Mentor Bills. Ed Pugliese has been active as a volunteer coach and instructor for many organizations in Onondaga County and coordinates its highly successful pheasant program.

Derwood Say, an instructor, educator, and sportsman has been active in many organizations in Allegany County and southwestern NY, as well as co-founder of Conservation Alliance of NY. Ed Van Put of Sullivan County is well known for publicizing the Catskill fishery and is credited with securing public fishing rights, and protecting the fishery there in many ways.

These sportsmen will be honored at the Annual Banquet on April 30, 2011. Guests and interested sportsmen are encouraged to attend. Information or reservations are available by calling 315-363-3896 by April 23. In addition to honoring sportsmen and women for preserving or enhancing our outdoor heritage, the NYS Outdoorsmen Hall of Fame is involved in many other educational activities including seminars, fishing clinics, or youth programs. Check the web site www.nysohof.org for more information.

Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation Board Chairman Tom Baker Named to Outdoor Life 25

Congressional Sportsmen

Washington, DC --(Ammoland.com)- Tom Baker, Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF), was recently named to the 2010 Outdoor Life 25 for the magazine’s annual recognition of men and women who have changed the face of hunting and fishing.

Baker has served the last two years of Chairman of the CSF Board and has been a member of the Board since 2005.

He formerly served as district commissioner and past chairman of the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources Commission, a governor-appointed panel.

He also is a past director for the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and a member of the Boone & Crockett Club.

About:
The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2009. Throughout this time, CSF has maintained a singleness of purpose that has guided the organization to become the most respected and trusted hunting and fishing organization in the political arena. Visit: www.sportsmenslink.org

Leopold Conservation Award - 2011 Call for Nominations

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

AUSTIN, Texas --(Ammoland.com)- The Leopold Conservation Award, the top honor within the Lone Star Land Steward Awards proram, recognizes landowners who exemplify the land ethic of Aldo Leopold, translating their love for the land into responsible stewardship and management.

Texas’ 2011 awardee receives an Aldo Leopold crystal and $10,000.

If you, or someone you know, is a former Lone Star Land Steward Award recipient for their ecoregion, we invite your nomination for the Leopold Conservation Awards.

Nomination deadline: November 30, 2010

To download a Nomination Form, visit www.leopoldconservationaward.org.

The Leopold Conservation Award is presented by Sand County Foundation in partnership with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department as part of the Lone Star Land Stewards Awards Program.

About:
The Mission of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, (TPWD), is to manage and conserve the natural and cultural resources of Texas and to provide hunting, fishing and outdoor recreation opportunities for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. Visit: www.tpwd.state.tx.us

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

AUSTIN, TX –-(Ammoland.com)-  The $10,000 Leopold award is the statewide accolade within the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Lone Star Land Steward Award Program, which also recognizes land stewards in 10 different ecological regions and in corporate, co-operative and special categories.

The awards recognize Texas ranchers and other landowners who demonstrate outstanding, sustainable management of natural resources.

“The Leopold Conservation Award is the highest honor for private land stewardship in Texas, reserved for the truly exceptional examples of conservation achievement and commitment in our state,” said Carter Smith, TPWD executive director.

“We have had exceptional stewards in all areas of the state, and anyone can nominate a previous eco-region winner for the Leopold award. All the information to make nominations is on our website.”

The Leopold award is presented in honor of famed conservationist and author Aldo Leopold, who called for an ethical relationship between people and the land they own and manage. It is open to any landowner who has previously received an eco-region Lone Star Land Steward Award.

“The health of Texas’ landscape is dependent on hard-working farmers and ranchers across the state who dedicate themselves to ensuring that Texas’ land, water and wildlife are in better shape than when they found them,” said Dr. Brent Haglund, Sand County Foundation President. “Year after year, the quality of award nominations for the Leopold Conservation Award proves that Texas’ natural resources are being cared for by innovative landowners who want to see them flourish for future generations.”

Eco-region award winners and the Leopold Conservation Award recipient will be announced at the Lone Star Land Steward Awards ceremony next May in Austin. The Leopold Conservation Award is made possible in Texas through the generous support of the Bradley Fund for the Environment and Silver Eagle Distributors.

Sand County Foundation is a private, non-profit conservation organization dedicated to working with private landowners to improve habitat on their land. In the spirit of Aldo Leopold, author of A Sand County Almanac, the Foundation encourages the exercise of private responsibility in the pursuit of improved land health. Aside from Texas, the foundation presents Leopold awards in California, Colorado, Nebraska, South Dakota, Utah, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

For more information about how to nominate a landowner for the Lone Star Land Steward Awards, contact Private Lands Program Director Linda Campbell in Austin at (512) 389-4395 or email linda.campbell@tpwd.state.tx.us.

———
On the Net:

* http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/lsls

New York State Rifle and Pistol Association

New York - -(AmmoLand.com)- Below is a copy of a letter sent by the NRA to U.S. Senate Judiciary Chairman Senator Patrick Leahy and Ranking member Senator Jeff Sessions explaining their position on the nomination of Solicitor General Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court of the United States.

The letter is concise and to the point please read the letter and my comments following it.

NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA
11250 WAPLES MILL ROAD
FAIRFAX, VIRGINIA 22030
July 1, 2010

The Honorable Patrick Leahy The Honorable Jeff Sessions

Chairman Ranking Member

Senate Committee on the Judiciary Senate Committee on the Judiciary

224 Dirksen Senate Office Building 152 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Washington, D.C. 20510 Washington, D.C. 20510

Dear Chairman Leahy and Ranking Member Sessions:

We are writing to announce the National Rifle Association’s position on the confirmation of Solicitor General Elena Kagan as Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court.

Other than declaring war, neither house of Congress has a more solemn responsibility than the Senate’s role in confirming justices to the U.S. Supreme Court. As the Senate considers the nomination of Solicitor General Kagan, Americans have been watching to see whether this nominee – if confirmed – would respect the Second Amendment or side with those who have declared war on the rights of America’s 80 million gun owners.

During confirmation hearings, judicial nominees make carefully crafted statements regarding issues with which they do not personally agree. They often speak in terms of “settled law” or “I understand the right”. When those statements are contradicted by an entire body of work over a nominee’s career, however, it would be foolhardy to simply take them at face value. In Ms. Kagan’s own words, “you can look to my whole life as to what kind of justice I would be.” We agree.

As she has no judicial record on which we can rely, we have only her political record to review. And throughout her political career, she has repeatedly demonstrated a clear hostility to the fundamental, individual right to keep and bear arms guaranteed under the U.S. Constitution.

As a clerk for Justice Thurgood Marshall, Ms. Kagan said she was “not sympathetic” to a challenge to Washington, D.C.’s ban on handguns and draconian registration requirements. As domestic policy advisor in the Clinton White House, a colleague described her as “immersed” in President Clinton’s gun control policy efforts. For example, she was involved in an effort to ban more than 50 types of commonly-owned semi-automatic firearms – an effort that was described as: “taking the law and bending it as far as we can to capture a whole new class of guns.” And as U.S. Solicitor General, she chose not to file a brief last year in the landmark case McDonald v. Chicago, thus taking the position that incorporating the Second Amendment and applying it to the States was of no interest to the Obama Administration or the federal government. These are not the positions of a person who supports the Second Amendment.

During her confirmation hearings last year, Justice Sonia Sotomayor repeatedly stated that the Supreme Court’s historic Heller decision was “settled law”. Even further, in response to a question from Chairman Leahy, she said “I understand the individual right fully that the Supreme Court recognized in Heller’.” Yet last Monday in McDonald, she joined a dissenting opinion which stated: “I can find nothing in the Second Amendment’s text, history, or underlying rationale that could warrant characterizing it as ‘fundamental’ insofar as it seeks to protect the keeping and bearing of arms for private self-defense purposes”.

We would also note that both Heller and McDonald were 5-4 decisions. The fact that four justices would effectively write the Second Amendment out of the Constitution is completely unacceptable. Ms. Kagan has repeatedly declined to say whether she agrees with the dissenting views of justices Stevens, Breyer, Ginsburg and Sotomayor, which leaves unanswered the very serious questions of whether she would vote to overturn Heller and McDonald or narrow their holdings to a practical nullity.

This nation was founded on a set of fundamental freedoms. Our Constitution does not give us those freedoms – it guarantees and protects them. The right to defend ourselves and our loved ones is one of those. The fundamental, individual right to keep and bear arms is another. These truths are what define us as Americans.

Any individual who does not believe that the Second Amendment guarantees a fundamental right and who does not respect our God-given right of self-defense should not serve on any court, much less receive a lifetime appointment to the highest court in the land. Justice Sotomayor’s blatant reversal on this critical issue requires that we look beyond statements made during confirmation hearings and examine a nominee’s entire body of work. Unfortunately, Ms. Kagan’s record on the Second Amendment gives us no confidence that if confirmed to the Court, she will faithfully defend the fundamental, individual right to keep and bear arms of law-abiding Americans.

For these reasons, the National Rifle Association has no choice but to oppose the confirmation of Solicitor General Elena Kagan to the U.S. Supreme Court. Given the importance of this issue, this vote will be considered in NRA’s future candidate evaluations.

Thank you for your attention to our concerns. Should you have any questions or wish to discuss further, please do not hesitate to call on us personally.

Sincerely,

Wayne LaPierre Chris Cox

Executive Vice President Executive Director

NRA NRA-ILA

cc: Majority Leader Harry Reid; Republican Leader Mitch McConnell; Members of the

United States Senate

The above letter states the position of the New York State Rifle & Pistol Association as well. We must all contact our Senators demanding they vote NO on the nomination of Elena Kagan to the U.S. Supreme Court. More importantly, we must also contact our Democratic Representatives in Congress urging them to bring pressure to bear on their Democratic colleagues in the Senate; explaining that reelection to either House is dependent on following the wishes of their constituency.

Below is a link for finding and contacting your representatives;

www.nraila.org/ActionCenter/

Let’s do it!

About:
The New York State Rifle & Pistol Association is the state’s largest and oldest firearms advocacy organization. Since 1871, our organization has been dedicated to the preservation of Second Amendment rights, firearm safety, education and training, and the shooting sports. Our membership consists of individuals and clubs throughout the state. We are a not-for-profit 501(c)4 organization and the official NRA-affiliated State Association in New York. Visit: www.nysrpa.org

Arizona Game and Fish Department

PHOENIX, AZ – -(Ammoland.com)- Wildlife conservation and outdoor enthusiasts are reminded that the deadline to submit nominations for this year’s inductees into the Arizona Outdoor Hall of Fame is this Friday, May 28.

The Outdoor Hall of Fame annually recognizes individuals and organizations that have made significant and lasting contributions toward Arizona’s wildlife, the welfare of its natural resources, and the state’s outdoor heritage.

To obtain a nomination form, visit www.azgfd.gov/w_c/ArizonaOutdoorHallofFame.shtml, download a form from the link on that page, and return the completed form along with all supplemental materials to Wildlife for Tomorrow Foundation, c/o Arizona Game and Fish Department, Attn: Marty Fabritz, DOHQ, 5000 W. Carefree Highway, Phoenix, AZ 85086. Completed forms and materials can also be submitted by fax to (623) 236-7299 or by e-mail to mfabritz@azgfd.gov.

The Arizona Outdoor Hall of Fame was developed in 1998 by the Wildlife for Tomorrow Foundation. Selections for induction are made annually by the foundation’s board of directors, who review nominations that have been submitted. The foundation is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that works closely with the Arizona Game and Fish Department to provide additional support for projects and education activities where traditional resources are not adequate.

This year’s inductees will be honored at the 13th annual Arizona Outdoor Hall of Fame Banquet on Aug. 28 at the Chaparral Suites Resort Scottsdale, 5001 N. Scottsdale Road.

For more information, visit http://www.azgfd.gov/w_c/ArizonaOutdoorHallofFame.shtml.

The Arizona Game and Fish Department prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, or disability in its programs and activities. If anyone believes that they have been discriminated against in any of the AGFD’s programs or activities, including employment practices, they may file a complaint with the Director’s Office, 5000 W. Carefree Highway, Phoenix, AZ 85086-5000, (602) 942-3000, or with the Fish and Wildlife Service, 4040 N. Fairfax Dr. Ste. 130, Arlington, VA 22203. Persons with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation or this document in an alternative format by contacting the Director’s Office as listed above.

Virginia Gun Owners Coalition

Virginia --(AmmoLand.com)- President Barack Obama is about to appoint the most anti-gun Supreme Court Justice ever to sit on the bench.

That is why I need you to take immediate action.

You see, Obama’s Supreme Court nominee, Elena Kagan, is violently opposed to your Right to Keep and Bear Arms.

Going back to her time as a Supreme Court clerk in 1987, Kagan supported gun licensing and registration.

As a lawyer in the gun grabbing Clinton Administration, Kagan personally drafted an executive order for Bill Clinton that would ban the importation of semi-automatic firearms.

During her recent confirmation hearings as Solicitor General, Kagan dismissed the notion that the Second Amendment deserved “unlimited protection against governmental regulation.”

Anti Gun Kagan dismissed the notion that the Second Amendment deserved “unlimited protection against governmental regulation.”

The appointment of Kagan could reverse the recent gains we’ve worked hard to achieve to protect our Second Amendment rights.

The appointment of Kagan could jeopardize our most recent victory at the Court, D.C. v. Heller, where the Court properly held the Right to Keep and Bear Arms is an individual right.

Remember, D.C. v. Heller was a 5-4 victory.

If we have more appointees like President Obama’s first nominee, Sonia Sotomayor, any ground we have gained in protecting our Second Amendment rights will be lost – maybe FOREVER.

If Kagan is confirmed, she could be that critical liberal vote for the anti-gun lobby and their allies.

That is why I need you to act now. There is no time to wait and see.

Cases involving the Second Amendment and an individual’s Right to Keep and Bear Arms are making their way through the appellate process and will be coming to the Supreme Court.

That is why I need you to call Senators Webb and Warner and urge them to filibuster the Kagan nomination.

Call Senator Warner at 202 224 2023 and Senator Webb at 202 224 4024 and urge them to filibuster the Kagan nomination.

Obama’s anti-gun buddies are already spending MILLIONS of dollars to get Kagan appointed to the Supreme Court.

Please make a donation at www.vgoc.org to keep VGOC in the fight.

About:
Virginia Gun Owners Coalition is Virginia’s only no-compromise, non-partisan gun lobby patterned after Gun Owners of America on Capitol Hill. VGOC is a non-profit tax-exempt organization under 501(c)(4) of the IRS code. Because we lobby politicians to protect and defend the 2nd Amendment, contributions are not tax deductible for IRS purposes. Visit: www.vgoc.org

Gun Owners of America

Washington, DC --(Ammoland.com)- The next justice of the Supreme Court could well cast the deciding vote on the constitutionality of ObamaCare.

And that justice will almost certainly preside, during the next thirty years, over dozens of cases which could very well chip away at the DC v. Heller decision, telling us which gun laws the court views as “constitutional” and which “unconstitutional.”

So it is more than a little interesting that Barack Qbama has reached into his closet of political leftists to bring out Elena Kagan — a woman whose legal views have been shaped by the most extreme socialist voices in Washington.

Kagan doesn’t have a record of judicial opinions. She hasn’t been a judge. So the crafty Obama figures that, without a paper trail, we won’t know of the ways she is moving American jurisprudence to the left until it’s too late.

But Kagan’s views on the Second Amendment are no mystery. According to columnist James Oliphant, Kagan was part of “a small group of staffers work[ing] behind the scenes to pursue an aggressive policy agenda” during President Bill Clinton’s second term.

Oliphant writes: “According to records at the William J. Clinton Presidential Library in Little Rock, Ark., [Kagan] drafted an executive order restricting the importation of certain semiautomatic assault rifles. She also helped prepare a question-and-answer document advocating the campaign-reform legislation then proposed by Sens. Russ Feingold and John McCain.”

Kagan was also part of the Clinton team that pushed the firearms industry to include gun locks with all gun purchases and was in the Clinton administration when the president pushed legislation that would close down gun shows.

President Obama has made it very clear that he expects Kagan’s “powers of persuasion” to make her and Justice Anthony Kennedy the swing votes to uphold his anti-gun ObamaCare legislation.

Kagan’s opinion of the “greatest lawyer” of her lifetime was her former boss — the consistently left-wing Justice Thurgood Marshall.

Bloomberg News reported on May 13 that while working for Justice Marshall, Kagan urged him to vote against hearing a gun owner’s claim that his constitutional rights were violated.

Kagan wrote that she was “not sympathetic” toward the gun rights claim that was made in Sandidge v. United States — an amazing statement for a woman who is being heralded for supposedly showing a “special solicitude” for the interests of certain groups.

Alas, it seems that gun owners are not a part of those groups for whom she would like to show special concern.

After the Heller case was handed down, Kagan did concede that the Second Amendment was an “individual right.” But that makes her no different than the talking heads at the Brady Campaign.

Kagan, like the President who nominated her, is an extreme leftist. According to WeeklyStandard.com (May 6, 2009), she is so far to the left she has lamented that socialism has “never attained the status of a major political force” in our country.

And according to Politico.com (March 20, 2009), she says that foreign law can be used to interpret the U.S. Constitution in “some circumstances.” Considering that most of the world does not respect the freedoms that are protected in our Second Amendment, this is a bad sign.

While every Senator needs to hear from us, there are seven Republican Senators in particular who need to hear from their constituents.

These seven Republicans voted for Elena Kagan last year when she was confirmed as Obama’s Solicitor General:

• Coburn (R-OK)
• Collins (R-ME)
• Gregg (R-NH)
• Hatch (R-UT)
• Kyl (R-AZ)
• Lugar (R-IN)
• Snowe (R-ME)

ACTION: Contact your Senators and urge them to vote NO on Elena Kagan — and tell him or her that you want Kagan’s nomination filibustered and defeated. As Kagan could be the deciding vote on the constitutionality of ObamaCare and many other gun cases, it is imperative that Republicans stick together and filibuster every anti-gun nomination from the President.

You can use the Gun Owners Legislative Action Center at http://www.gunowners.org/activism.htm to send your legislators the pre-written e-mail message below.

—– Pre-written letter —–

Dear Senator:

Please vote NO on the nomination of Elena Kagan. The next justice of the Supreme Court will almost certainly preside, during the next thirty years, over dozens of cases which could very well chip away at the DC v. Heller decision, telling us which gun laws the court views as “constitutional” and which “unconstitutional.”

But Kagan’s views on the Second Amendment are no mystery. Columnist James Oliphant writes: “According to records at the William J. Clinton Presidential Library in Little Rock, Ark., [Kagan] drafted an executive order restricting the importation of certain semiautomatic assault rifles.”

She was also part of the Clinton team that pushed the firearms industry to include gun locks with all gun purchases and was in the Clinton administration when the president pushed legislation that would close down gun shows.

Bloomberg News reported on May 13 that while working for Justice Thurgood Marshall, Kagan urged him to vote against hearing a gun owner’s claim that his constitutional rights were violated. Kagan wrote that she was “not sympathetic” toward the gun owner’s claim.

Sure, after the Heller case was handed down, Kagan did concede that the Second Amendment was an “individual right.” But that makes her no different than the talking heads at the Brady Campaign.

According to WeeklyStandard.com (May 6, 2009), she is so far to the left she has lamented that socialism has “never attained the status of a major political force” in our country.

And according to Politico.com (March 20, 2009), she says that foreign law can be used to interpret the U.S. Constitution in “some circumstances.” Considering that most of the world does not respect the freedoms that are protected in our Second Amendment, this is a bad sign.

Please vote NO on Elena Kagan and support any filibuster attempt against her.

Sincerely,

—————————————————

GOF Brief in McDonald v Chicago
Speaking of the Supreme Court, the next high-court judicial battle regarding gun rights will be an attempt to rule Chicago’s notorious gun ban as unconstitutional as the one struck down in Washington DC in the landmark Heller case. In essence, will the “individual right” affirmed in Heller apply to every state or just DC?

To view what Gun Owners Foundation is doing to influence this upcoming Supreme Court decision, and/or to make a tax-deductible contribution to further these legal efforts, please see:

http://www.gunowners.com/mcdonald.htm

About:
Gun Owners of America (GOA) is a non-profit lobbying organization formed in 1975 to preserve and defend the Second Amendment rights of gun owners. GOA sees firearms ownership as a freedom issue. ‘The only no comprise gun lobby in Washington’ – Ron Paul

2010 Sportsman Choice Awards

Sportsman Channel

-(AmmoLand.com)- Starting today, Sportsman Channel viewers can lead the effort to identify the shows and hosts who will take home top honors in the 2010 Sportsman Choice Awards, Sportsman Channel’s viewer-generated awards program.

Coming off a successful 2009 Awards event, where viewers cast more than 25,000 votes over an eight-week period, the network is expanding voting opportunities to encompass all four quarters of the year. All shows and show hosts airing on the network in 2010 are eligible and voting takes place on www.votesportsman.com.

The categories are:

• Best Hunt Show
• Best Shoot Show
• Best Fish Show
• Best Combination (hunting and fishing) Show
• Best Show Host(s)

Currently, viewers can vote for those shows and hosts that appear on Sportsman Channel during the first quarter of 2010, from January through March. Further nomination periods will occur quarterly, for a total of four nominating periods, with finalists announced close to the end of the year.

“We had such a successful voting round in 2009 that we wanted to encompass the entire year and keep the current shows fresh in people’s minds,” said Willy Burkhardt, president of Sportsman Channel. “This process allows viewers to vote on all of our shows that are airing currently.”

Sportsman Channel is giving away hundreds of first, second and third place prizes, which equates to a prize a day during the year. As an added bonus, all voters will be entered to win a $500 prize pack, which includes a $250 Cabela’s gift card and merchandise from Sportsman Channel.

With all of the exciting new and long-established shows on the network this year, the 2010 Sportsman Choice Awards promise to be the biggest and best year ever. Please visit www.thesportsmanchannel.com to see the complete list of winners and nominees for the 2009 Sportsman Choice Awards were recently announced at the Shooting, Hunting, and Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show in Las Vegas, NV.

SPORTSMAN CHANNEL: Launched in 2003, Sportsman Channel is the only television and digital media company fully devoted to the more than 82 million sportsmen in the United States, delivering entertaining and educational programming focused exclusively on hunting, shooting and fishing activities. Acquired by InterMedia Outdoors Holdings in 2006, Sportsman Channel reaches more than 20 million U.S. television households and is a part of the nation’s largest multimedia company targeted exclusively to serving the information and entertainment needs of outdoors enthusiasts. Visit www.thesportsmanchannel.com, follow on Twitter, @SPORTSMANchnl (www.twitter.com/SPORTSMANchnl), or become a Fan on Facebook, www.facebook.com/sportsmanchannel.

New Jersey Fish and Game

Trenton, NJ --(AmmoLand.com)- Do you have a friend or colleague in wildlife conservation whose dedication makes her stand out from the rest?

Is her passion for wildlife contagious? Does she inspire other young women in her field and take the time to encourage them?

You can help her receive the recognition she deserves by nominating her for the Conserve Wildlife Foundation’s 2010 Women & Wildlife Awards.

In March, Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey will honor two dedicated women for their roles in wildlife and natural resource conservation. Two Women & Wildlife Awards will be presented: one for Leadership and another for Inspiration.

Award candidates must be women engaged in the fields of wildlife science or natural resource conservation in New Jersey. The nomination deadline is January 22, 2010. The nomination forms are posted on the Conserve Wildlife Foundation website: www.conservewildlifenj.org/ .

If you know someone who deserves this honor, please take this opportunity to let her shine!

For more information, contact Patricia Shapella at patricia.shapella@conservewildlifenj.org or 609-292-3707.

PRATT, KS — -(AmmoLand.com)- The Kansas Wildlife Federation (KWF) wants nominees for its Conservation Achievement Program (CAP) awards, given annually to individuals or groups who are actively involved in programs to conserve the environment and promote environmental education and outreach. Any conservation-minded citizen may nominate someone who has done such work.

Dedicated groups and individuals often go unnoticed, so the CAP awards honor Kansans who have devoted themselves to conserving the state’s natural resources. Whether through education, communication, or on-ground habitat work, such dedicated people are eligible for CAP awards.

KWF honors those who have made special efforts in the areas of land and soil conservation, youth conservation, conservation communication, conservation education, wildlife conservation, water conservation, conservation legislator, conservation farmer/rancher, forestry conservation, stream team conservation, outdoor skills, and conservation organization. A Conservationist Of the Year award is presented as the top prize.

Nominations are due by Dec. 1. For more information, phone Ken Brunson at 620-672-0792 Visit: www.kswildlife.org

Kansas State Rifle Association

Kansas --(AmmoLand.com)- This is the time of year when Kansas State Rifle Association nominating committee is working on determining the slate of proposed Board Members to serve for the 2010/2011 election year. The proposed slate of Board Members will be presented to the Board at the January 2010 meeting where we will vote to approve the slate as presented.

The slate is then published in the April 2010 issue of the CHIPS ‘n’ RICOCHETS newsletters as per the bylaws of the association. A vote will take place at the Annual Members Meeting which will take place in Hutchinson, KS on June 12 & June 13, 2010. Term of service for Officers and Quadrant Directors is one year and term of service for Directors At Large are two years.

Our Secretary, Elizabeth Brown, has notified us that she is returning to school to obtain her Master’s Degree in Engineering and will no longer be able to serve. We will hate to see her go but certainly wish her the best in her endeavor. Elizabeth has done a wonderful job and she will be greatly missed.

In addition to needing a new Secretary, there will likely be openings for other board positions as well.

If you are interested in getting involved in the business of Kansas State Rifle Association we encourage you to contact us.

Requirements for Board positions are the willingness to work on a volunteer basis, attend quarterly Board Meetings in Salina, KS and attend the Annual Members Meeting once per year, as well as any duties relevant to a specific position. We are looking for people who are heartfelt about protecting our Second Amendment rights and preserving the shooting sports in all disciplines. Of course, membership in the KSRA is required. You must be dedicated to the cause and willing to actively serve as a member of the governing body of the KSRA.

If you have any interest in serving on the Board, please contact me by phone or email so we can discuss your area of interest and I can relate specific requirements for any position you may be interested in.

I believe that most people will find that serving on the Board of Directors is a personally gratifying experience and one that you will not regret. I hope to hear from some of you soon!

About:
The Kansas State Rifle Association has one purpose. To promote and strive for the improvement and protection of the firearms and sport shooting industry and protection of second amendment principals by encouraging and stimulating well-qualified individual citizens to run for public office and to take a more active and effective part in governmental affairs.

Wisconsin DNR

EAU CLAIRE, WI --(AmmoLand.com)- With Wisconsin’s new mentored hunting law, youngsters 10 and 11 years old will be joining the upcoming gun deer hunt, carrying firearms under the close supervision of their mentors.

Each of these mentors has a big responsibility, and in a critical way so does every other gun hunter in the field this year, said warden supervisor Steve Dewald with the state Department of Natural Resources.

“We obviously want these youth to have a positive experience in their meetings with other hunters,” Dewald said. “These kids are at an impressionable age and what they see this year they will long remember. Our fondest hope is that these young people will be made to feel welcome in the community of hunters.”

And so everyone who hunts becomes a mentor. It has always been this way. And while a few violators will attract attention, thousands of hunter conservationists will quietly pursue their passion for wildlife this fall, following not only the rules but strict, personal codes of safety and responsibility.

To celebrate and honor these hunter conservationists, the state Department of Natural Resources and the La Crosse Tribune proudly announce the opening of nominations for the 13th annual Ethical Hunter Award.

“We are asking hunters to acknowledge ethical behavior in other hunters when they see it,” Dewald said.

Dewald, outdoor writer Jerry Davis and La Crosse Tribune outdoor editor Bob Lamb created the award in 1997 in an effort to bring attention to the positive contributions made by Wisconsin’s safe and ethical hunters.

“This is a statewide award, and every year we get nominations from all across Wisconsin,” Dewald said. “That’s a good sign.”

The award signifies the qualities of “hunters helping others rather than pursuing personal gain” and “hunters engaged in behavior that positively reflects on the tradition of hunting.”

Dewald encourages people who have nominated hunters in the past to consider whether the person they nominated would still qualify and to consider nominating that person again. There have been persons nominated in the past who would have won the award if nominated in a different year.

These stories that come in the mail illustrate what wildlife and law enforcement professionals already know – that positive and often admirable behavior is common among the majority of hunters, Dewald said.

The following are requirements to be eligible to receive the Ethical Hunter Award:

• The nominee must be a licensed Wisconsin hunter.
• The ethical hunting act must have taken place in Wisconsin during the 2009 calendar year.
• Written nominations should contain the name, address and telephone number of the witness or witnesses to the behavior that led to the nomination.

Written nominations should be sent to Warden Supervisor Steve Dewald at the Department of Natural Resources, 3550 Mormon Coulee Road, La Crosse, WI 54601 by Jan. 15, 2010.

An 18-year-old Rhinelander hunter received the award last year for helping a young woman hunter whom he met out in the field to trail, field dress and retrieve a 17-point buck that she had shot but was unable to find.

Other award recipients in previous years have been recognized for:

• assisting a conservation warden who was dealing with a dangerous subject
• restoring wildlife habitat
• making private lands available to new hunters
• providing opportunities for disabled hunters
• rendering aid to a citizen at a serious car accident

Special youth awards are also given to youngsters who hunt ethically.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Steve Dewald, warden supervisor – (608) 785-9970 or Ed Culhane, a DNR communications specialist, at (715) 839-3715

Insight Technology XTI Procyon LED Tactical Illuminator

InSight Technology

LONDONDERRY, NH --(AmmoLand.com)- Insight Technology, the world’s leading provider of tactical lasers, illuminators and thermal imaging equipment, announced that the XTI Procyon® LED Tactical Illuminator has been nominated by OpticsPlanet for a 2009 Brilliance Award in the Gun Mounted Flashlight of the Year category.

The XTI Procyon® delivers 125 lumens of stunning white light. Its patented Slide-Lock® design and adjustable rail interface allows for easy mounting to most railed pistols while its compact, machined aluminum housing fits existing M3 holsters. The XTI’s ambidextrous rocker switch offers the choice of Monetary On, Constant On or Strobing modes necessary to handle any low-light tactical scenario.

The OpticsPlanet Brilliance Awards recognize the brands and products that have exceeded expectations as well as received outstanding customer reviews. These brands lead the pack in the sport optics, shooting, military and law enforcement industries while putting forward great products year after year.

Sixteen categories have been identified by OpticsPlanet’s in-house experts and more than 100 products have been nominated. For the very first time, the 2009 OpticsPlanet Brilliance Awards will present its loyal customers with the opportunity to vote on the best product or brand in each category. Voting has started and will close November 1st. Winning products and brands will be announced at the awards ceremony in mid-November.

“We are very pleased to have been selected as a 2009 OpticsPlanet Brilliance Award nominee,” said Devin Standard, of Insight Technology. “The XTI Procyon has been one of our most popular tactical illuminators and based on this nomination it’s clear that OpticsPlanet customers agree.”

In addition to voting for Brilliance Award nominees, OpticsPlanet customers can submit their email and be entered in the OpticsPlanet Brilliance Awards Sweepstakes for a chance to win one $200 gift card or one of five $50 gift cards to OpticsPlanet.com. For more information, or to vote for the XTI Procyon from Insight Technology, visit www.opticsplanet.com/awards/2009/.

For more information on the XTI Procyon and the full line of Insight Technology tactical illuminators, laser aiming devices and thermal imaging equipment visit www.InsightTechGear.com.

About:
Insight Technology: Insight Technology Incorporated is the leading developer and manufacturer of tactical laser aiming and illumination products, integrated sighting systems, and thermal imaging systems for use by consumers, law enforcement officers and military personnel. Founded in 1988, the company operates its state-of-the-art facility providing highly effective and innovative tactical devices for extreme environments, advancing the effectiveness of the warfighter and first responder. Internationally recognized as exceeding the quality standards of ISO 9001, Insight Technology is located in Londonderry, New Hampshire.

National Rifle Association

Fairfax, VA --(AmmoLand.com)- Award nominations for the 2010 awards are being accepted until November 1, 2009.

Many women have made significant contributions in the areas listed below and you probably know a few of them.

Please take a moment to nominate them for an award appropriate to their contributions.

This is the perfect way to recognize their hard work and dedication.

In recognition of the significant contributions made by women in the areas of Second Amendment advocacy, education, volunteerism, hunting and shooting sports activities the National Rifle Association bestows the:

• Sybil Ludington Women’s Freedom Award upon women whose contributions have been made at the national level.
• Marion P. Hammer Woman of Distinction Award upon women whose contributions have been made at the local, state and/or regional levels.

For more information about NRA’s Women’s Awards Program, please call Patty Zollman at 800-861-1166 or visit www.nrahq.org/women/index.asp to download nomination forms.

Please note: Women may not be nominated for both the Sybil Ludington Women’s Freedom Award and the Marion P. Hammer Woman of Distinction Award in the same year.

Deadline For Nominations:
November 1, 2009

About:
The National Rifle Association is the premier firearms education association in the world. With nearly four million members nationwide and over 120,000 members in Virginia, the association is widely recognized as a major political force and America’s foremost defender of Second Amendment rights.