U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance

Columbus, OH --(Ammoland.com)- Senate Bill 1083, sponsored by Senator Bob Smith (D- Piscataway), would allow youth ages 10 and older and adults to hunt under an apprentice hunting license.

The apprentice license allows new hunters to try hunting under the mentor-ship of an experienced adult before completing a hunter education course.

A hearing for the bill has been scheduled for Thursday, February 9th at 10:00 a.m. in Committee Room 10 on the 3rd Floor of the State House Annex in Trenton. The bill is in the Senate Committee on Environment and Energy. New Jersey sportsmen and women should contact the members of the Committee today and ask them to support Senate Bill 1083. Tell them that apprentice hunting is vital to the future of our outdoor heritage.

“Families Afield has a nationwide track record of safely recruiting new hunters through apprentice hunting licenses,” said Jeremy Rine, U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance in-house counsel and associate director of state services. “This try-before-you-buy concept helps to boost hunter recruitment and retention, while keeping our hunting heritage alive for the next generation.”

Apprentice hunting licenses have been a hallmark of the Families Afield initiative across the country. The Families Afield initiative was established by the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance, the National Shooting Sports Foundation, and the National Wild Turkey Federation to bring a new generation of sportsmen to the field. Along with the National Rifle Association and the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, the coalition has worked to pass measures in 32 states with more than 600,000 apprentice or mentored hunting licenses sold since the program’s inception.
Companion legislation, House Bill 1544, is pending before the Assembly Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources.

Take Action! New Jersey sportsmen should contact members of the Senate Environment and Energy Committee today and ask them to support Senate Bill 1083. Tell them apprentice hunting licenses have been shown across the country to be a safe and successful way to recruit new hunters.

Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources

• Chairman Bob Smith (D- Piscataway) – Bill Sponsor
  Phone: (732) 752-0770 Email: senbsmith@njleg.org
• Vice Chair Senator Linda R. Greenstein (D- Plainsboro)
  Phone: (609) 395-9911 Email: sengreenstein@njleg.org
• Senator Christopher Bateman (R- Somerville)
  Phone: (908) 526-3600 Email: senbateman@njleg.org
• Senator Jennifer Beck (R- Red Bank)
  Phone: (732) 933-1591 Email: senbeck@njleg.org
• Senator Jim Whelan (D- Atlantic City)
  Phone: (609) 383-1388 Email: senwhelan@njleg.org

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. Visit www.ussportsmen.org.

Humane Society of the United States Howls about Wolves

U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance

Columbus, OH --(Ammoland.com)- The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is howling about the new wolf management initiatives and recent delisting action.

Wayne Pacelle, CEO of the animal rights organization HSUS, blogged recently that: “Of course we saw some setbacks and tragedies in 2011, too, such as removing federal protections for wolves in the lower 48 states…” Among the leaders in that removal of the federal protection for numerous problem wolves was the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation (USSAF).

While Idaho and Montana established wolf hunting seasons in 2011, thousands of miles to the east, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service finally agreed —under pressure from many sides— to delist the Western Great Lakes region gray wolf from the Endangered Species Act.

Wolf populations have far exceeded recovery goals in that region. For example, Michigan’s Department of Natural Resources estimates that nearly 700 gray wolves were roaming the state in 2011(www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153–256417–,00.html).

The delisting did not come easy. It took the USSAF and other groups to threaten to sue the Service if Western Great Lakes region wolves were not delisted and returned to state management.

Joining the USSAF in this HSUS defeat are the Wisconsin Bear Hunters Association, Dairyland Committee of Safari Club International Chapters of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Hunters Rights Coalition, Whitetails of Wisconsin, and Wisconsin Firearms Owners, Rangers, Clubs, and Educators, Inc.

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. Visit www.ussportsmen.org.

Illinois Proposed "Assault Weapons Ban" is Back & the Fight Is On

U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance

Columbus, OH --(Ammoland.com)- House Bill 1294, introduced by Rep. Edward Acevedo (D- Chicago), would prohibit acquiring new firearms that are classified as “assault weapons.”

The new definition for “assault weapon” would include many commonly used hunting firearms such as semi-automatic shotguns with a thumbhole stock or a pistol grip.

An exemption in the bill would allow a person to possess a so-called “assault weapon” while hunting and traveling to or from hunting. However, this is no relief for sportsmen or gun enthusiasts as the exemption would not include target shooting or the possession of “assault weapons” while at home.

The bill has been passed out of the House Committee on Rules and could be voted on by the full House soon.

“House Bill 1294 would ban many firearms that are commonly used by hunters in the state,” said Evan Heusinkveld, U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance director of state services. “Sportsmen need to call their representatives today to protect their right to own a firearm.”

Take Action! Illinois sportsmen and gun owners should contact their state representatives and ask them to oppose House Bill 1294. Tell them that many firearms commonly used for hunting and target shooting will be banned under the bill. To find your state representative’s contact information, visit www.ussportsmen.org/LAC.

For more information on this and other issues, contact the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance at 614-888-4868 or email info@ussportsmen.org.

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. Visit www.ussportsmen.org.

U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance

Columbus, OH --(Ammoland.com)- For more than a decade, sportsmen in Iowa fought for the opportunity to pursue North America’s number one game bird – the mourning dove.

Last year, the hard work and dedication finally paid off as the Iowa legislature passed Senate File 464 authorizing dove hunting in the state.

Now, just months after the first successful dove hunt, anti-hunting activists are pushing to have the season banned.

On January 19th, State Representative Mary Mascher (D-Iowa City) introduced House File 2061 that would prohibit dove hunting in the state.

“Despite the fact that the Iowa legislature clearly spoke last year by authorizing dove hunting, the animal rights lobby is not giving up,” said Jeremy Rine, U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance in-house counsel and associate director of state services. “Sportsmen need to show their support for dove hunting to their elected officials.”

Take Action! Iowa sportsmen should contact their state representatives and express their support for dove hunting. To find your state representative’s contact information, please visit www.ussportsmen.org/LAC.

For more information on this and other issues, contact the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance at 614-888-4868 or email info@ussportsmen.org.

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. Visit www.ussportsmen.org.

Rhode Island Bill Proposes Harmful Restrictions on Dog Housing & Tethering

U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance

Columbus, OH --(Ammoland.com)- Senate Bill 2035, introduced by Senator John Tassoni (D-Smithfield), would severely restrict how sporting dog and other owners keep dogs outdoors.

The bill would prohibit keeping a dog outdoors in a pen, cage, or other outdoor housing structure for more than 14 hours in a 24 hour period regardless of the size of the pen.

Tethering a dog for more than 10 hours in a 24 hour period would also be prohibited under the bill.

While the bill does include an exemption for sporting dog owners, it only would apply when the dog was actively engaged in hunting, training, or field trialing or while being transported to or from these activities. The exemption would not apply to sporting dog owners while they are at home.

Both prohibitions would set arbitrary limits on how sporting and other dog owners can keep dogs. This is despite the fact that reasonable and safe outdoor housing and tethering practices have long been utilized by hunters and field trailers who take great care of their dogs.

“This bill effectively kills the housing of dogs in outdoor kennels, a commonly accepted practice across the country and one that is used by many premier dog breeders,” said Evan Heusinkveld, U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance director of state services.

“The limits set by this bill are simply unwarranted, arbitrary, and would put many responsible dog kennels out of existence. Sportsmen and sporting dog owners need to contact their state senators and ask them to oppose this harmful bill.”

The legislation is similar to Senate Bill 140, introduced by Senator Tassoni last year.

Take Action! Rhode Island sportsmen should contact their state senators and ask them to oppose Senate Bill 2035. Tell them the restrictions imposed by the bill are unnecessary and would create an unwarranted hardship for responsible sporting dog owners. To find your state senator’s contact information, please visit www.ussportsmen.org/LAC.

For more information, contact the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance at 614-888-4868 or email info@ussportsmen.org.

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. Visit www.ussportsmen.org.

New Jersey Apprentice Hunting Bills Reintroducedon

U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance

Columbus, OH --(Ammoland.com)- Senate Bill 1083, sponsored by Senator Bob Smith (D- Piscataway), and Assembly Bill 1544, sponsored by Assemblyman John J Burzichelli (D- Paulsboro), would allow youth ages 10 and older and adults to hunt under an apprentice hunting license.

The license would allow new hunters to try hunting under the mentorship of an experienced adult before completing a hunter education course.

“Apprentice hunting licenses have been a cornerstone of the Families Afield program and our efforts to boost hunter recruitment across the country,” said Jeremy Rine, U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance in-house counsel and associate director of state services. “The try-before-you-buy concept has a proven track record of safely recruiting new hunters. New Jersey sportsmen are encouraged to contact their state assembly person and their state senator and ask them to support the future of hunting by passing these bills.”

Research has shown that not only is apprentice hunting successful at safely recruiting new hunters but that apprentice hunters are some of the safest in the woods.

The Families Afield initiative was established by the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance, the National Shooting Sports Foundation, and the National Wild Turkey Federation to bring a new generation of sportsmen to the field. Along with the National Rifle Association and the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, the coalition has worked to pass measures in 32 states with more than 600,000 apprentice or mentored hunting licenses sold since the program’s inception.

Take Action! New Jersey sportsmen should contact their state assembly person and senator and ask them to support Senate Bill 1083 and House Bill 1544. Tell them apprentice hunting licenses have been shown across the country to be a safe and successful way to recruit new hunters.

To find your state senator’s contact information, use the USSA Legislative Action Center at www.ussportsmen.org/lac.

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. Visit www.ussportsmen.org.

U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance

Columbus, OH --(Ammoland.com)- House Bill 855, introduced by Delegate Joseph R. Yost (R-Blacksburg), would classify all Virginia game animals and furbearers as nuisance animals.

Doing so would allow these animals to be killed year round without limits and with no regard to population levels.

The bill strips the oversight and control of the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries to set essential season dates and bag limits to ensure game populations remain sustainable and healthy. By classifying all game and furbearing animals as “nuisance” animals, the bill allows species of animals that cause any damage to agricultural crops, ornamental or shade trees, wildlife, livestock, or any other property to be killed any time during the year.

“When talking about bad legislation for wildlife conservation and sportsmen, it doesn’t get much worse than this bill. This move would effectively end wildlife conservation in Virginia as we know it. ” said Evan Heusinkveld, U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance director of state services.

“Virginia sportsmen and women are the backbone of conservation, not to mention they generate nearly one billion dollars for the state’s economy each year. This bill could decimate game and furbearer populations while the wildlife management professionals are powerless to do anything about it.”

House Bill 855 would apply to the long list of game and furbearers that are hunted in the state, including deer, turkey, and bear.

The bill was referred to the House Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources.

Take Action! Virginia sportsmen should contact their state delegates TODAY and urge them to oppose House Bill 855. Tell them the bill would destroy the state’s wildlife conservation efforts and ruin hunting and trapping in the state. To find your state delegate’s contact information, visit www.ussportsmen.org/LAC.

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. Visit www.ussportsmen.org.

Ready, Set, Trap - Trapping is Here to Stay

U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance

Columbus, OH --(Ammoland.com)- Trapping continues to be a hot topic in some regions, and a target for anti-trapping organizations everywhere.

The robust fur markets in some regions of the country today are proof that trapping is here to stay for a long, long time. Trapping is definitely an important hobby, outdoors pursuit, and vital tool for wildlife managers.

If you need more reason to get outdoors, or want to improve the odds of survival for some popular and huntable animal species like rabbits, waterfowl, or wild turkeys, then take up trapping.

Traps can also help take and control problem species, like beavers, that inflict millions of dollars of damage to property or crops each year. These damages range from ruined timber, to flooded crops, to holes dug in dikes and dams.

Then there’s the growing problem of missing pets—with coyotes being the culprits.

For example, one damage control specialist in Illinois recently reported that he had requests to trap and check the stomach contents of coyotes that were thought to have eaten pet dogs and prized cats in one region. In one case a coyote apparently ate a cat that was wearing a custom diamond encrusted collar.

There’s also the “smelly” issue of skunks. Anyone who has ever had a dog sprayed by a skunk wants trapping of the black and white creatures to begin immediately! It is also a fact that trapping helps prevent rabies and other threats to public health and safety brought on by a sharp rise in furbearer populations.

These include diseases spread by —or contracted by— foxes and raccoons. There are far more of these nuisance critters out in the fields and forests than the average citizen realizes. All you need to do to get a fractional estimate of the local population is look on and along the highways for road kill animals. You’ll probably see lots of raccoons, some foxes and a few coyotes, and in some places beavers, and the occasional bobcat. Raccoons have become very common in some areas and have caused homeowner problems by raiding bird feeders, trash cans, and pet food dishes.

The good news is that trapping supplies today are generally inexpensive and so are many resident trapping licenses. Fur prices, however, remain generally low partly because of the weak economy. With high gas prices on top of those, there may be critters and opportunities for you and for your traps.

For more information on trapping, visit the Fur Takers of America at www.furtakersofamerica.com.

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. Visit www.ussportsmen.org.

U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance

Columbus, OH --(Ammoland.com)- A recent USA Today full-page ad went straight for the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) jugular vein and decried the multimillion dollar fund raising and animal rights organization for only giving one percent of the millions of dollars it rakes in annually to actual animal shelters.

The ad, straight from an HSUS playbook with a sad looking puppy centered on the page, was sponsored by HumaneforPets.com.

That site is a subsidiary of Center for Consumer Freedom, also the owner of the HumaneWatch.org website. This is an organization that has been diligently working for years to, as they say “expose the HSUS as a fraud”.

Ad exposes the HSUS as a fraud

The Center for Consumer Freedom and HumaneforPets.com also placed the advertisement on a prominent billboard in New York City. Similar advertising messages appeared in The Washington Post, The New York Times, Variety, and the Washington, DC edition of The Wall Street Journal. There’s no doubt that the November 30, 2011 ads in national newspapers caught the attention of many, including HSUS president Wayne Pacelle.

Of course, Pacelle and the HSUS came out swinging over the bad publicity. Odd though, HSUS never denied the statement in the ad that HSUS raised more than $131 million in 2010 yet only passed one percent of that amount to animal shelters.

In his November 30 blog, (http://hsus.typepad.com/wayne/2011/11/rick-berman-scam.html), Pacelle takes a direct stab at the head of the Washington, DC-based Center for Consumer Freedom’s Richard (Rick) Berman.

Interesting Pacelle comments (and the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance interpretations) include:

• “He (Berman) runs “charitable” organizations, like the Center for Consumer Freedom (which fights the HSUS)… yet his groups don’t feed one animal…” notes Pacelle in the direct attack.

USSA – However, nothing in Berman’s literature ever said he feeds or houses animals. Berman’s newly formed group will reportedly help house and fund animal shelters. Animal shelters, and the feeding dogs and cats, are also not listed activities reported in the 2010 IRS form 990 filed by the HSUS. Education and research are listed as HSUS activities.

• “He’s (Berman) got the mansion in McLean, Va., and the Bentley in the driveway as the spoils, with his accountant wife standing by to tally the profits,” quipped Pacelle. HSUS actually ran a picture of the guy’s home in what can only be construed as an act of desperation to show a lucrative lifestyle.

USSA – The HSUS certainly knows much about lucrative. The 2010 HSUS IRS form 990 reports that the HSUS spent more than $5.5 million on office expenses in 2010 and more than $3.5 million on travel during the 12 month period. Read it yourself at http://www.humanesociety.org/assets/pdfs/financials/2010-form-990.pdf.

• Another Pacelle quote was “now, this Beltway con artist (Pacelle referring to Richard Berman) –who has probably spent as much time as anyone in recent years fighting against animal welfare–has formed a new supposed animal welfare charity. He’s calling it the “Humane Society for Shelter Pets,” blasts Pacelle.

USSA – The HSUS lobbies against the agriculture industry, hunting, trapping, dog breeders, pet stores and numerous other groups. Their lobbying efforts cost lots of money. In 2010, for example, HSUS reported spending more than $13.5 with a fundraising consultant and more than $10 million on marketing efforts to promote HSUS and its programs. More than $1.7 million was spent on legal fees by the HSUS that year alone.

• “In addition to our own full agenda of helping animals through education, advocacy, and direct care, the HSUS gives millions to other organizations. In the last five years, the HSUS has given more than $43 million in grants to other animal organizations,” reports Pacelle.

USSA – Now, the math means with annual HSUS donations received during those five years of approximately $100 million or more, the $43 million came out of a $500 million-plus cash pool at HSUS. In other words, they spent far less than 10 percent of their income helping other animal organizations.

• Finally, Pacelle’s blog questions Berman’s expenditures: “According to the most recently available federal tax filings for Berman, the Center for Consumer Freedom devoted massive financial resources—almost $1 million in 2010—to attacking animal charities, and spent an estimated $131,572 to oppose animal welfare legislation and ballot initiatives in 6 states,” Pacelle toots.

USSA – The HSUS should understand what massive really means. When you again look at the HSUS 2010 IRS 990 report, the group received more than $131 million (most from donations) and reported spending only about $4 million on program expenses. That is a real eye opener.

Those HSUS dollars and this Pacelle attack make Richard Berman out to be a real David, and his stone has struck a very BIG Goliath head.

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. Visit www.ussportsmen.org.

U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance

Columbus, OH --(Ammoland.com)- In a controversial new policy, the Obama Administration plans to broaden the reach of the already far reaching federal Endangered Species Act (ESA).

The new policy will make it easier to list more species of fish and wildlife as “endangered or threatened” and more broadly impose the ESA’s many restrictions.

Greater limitations on fishing and hunting, wildlife management, and public land access are a likely result.

The proposed policy, released on December 9 by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), see www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-12-09/pdf/2011-31782.pdf which newly interprets an old statutory term in the ESA: “a significant portion of its range,” or SPR for short.

Under the new interpretation, if a species is endangered or threatened in its SPR, it will be listed (and subject to the full range of ESA restrictions) in ALL areas where it is found even if not endangered or threatened in those other areas. The policy admits “we recognize this interpretation may lead to application of the protections of the Act in areas in which a species is not currently endangered or threatened with extinction, and in some circumstances may lead to the expenditure of resources without concomitant conservation benefits.”

Furthermore, those federal agencies admit that “application of the draft policy would result in the Services listing and protecting throughout their ranges species that previously we would not have listed, or would have listed in only portions of their ranges.”

Previously the SPR term had been regarded as a restriction on determining the existence of endangered or threatened species and the geographic scope of related ESA restrictions. In fact, when the original ESA was signed into law in 1973, that was precisely the meaning ascribed to SPR: “the term ‘significant portion of its range’ is used … to provide the Secretary with the authority to protect a [fish or wildlife] population [not the whole species] unique to some portion of the country.” The proposed Obama policy turns this intent on its head and recasts SPR as the basis for expanding species listings and the on-the-ground effect of such listings.

What does this mean to anglers and hunters?

U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance is worried that it gives the anti-angling, anti-hunting animal rights lobby more ammunition to attack our community. For example, activists have been pushing hard to put sage grouse on the list of endangered or threatened species. If they can show that the grouse are “threatened” in one area (and it’s a “significant portion of its range”), then all of the grouse could be listed – and made off limits to hunting everywhere. Anglers could face similar restrictions – get a species listed because it is in trouble in one area, then it’s off-limits everywhere because “this interpretation may lead to application of the protections [and restrictions] of the Act in areas in which a species is not currently endangered or threatened.”

Besides these threats – plainly stated in the proposed policy – new rounds of litigation impacting a wide variety of fish and wildlife species are almost guaranteed. The policy opines that “Congressional intent regarding the SPR phrase is unclear” and admits that court rulings interpreting the phrase are also inconsistent. The USFWS and NMFS are plowing ahead to twist and broaden the meaning of this phrase which will spawn litigation, create more costs to taxpayers, and open more opportunities for activists, including activist judges, to call the shots on fish and wildlife management.

We shouldn’t be surprised by this action. Broader federal power, more regulations, hostility to state management of fish and wildlife, and a determination to spend more federal money (even where public benefits aren’t clear) have been hallmarks of the Obama Administration. Reinterpreting the ESA as part of its continuing federal power grab is just par for the course.

USSA has carefully read 20 pages of Federal Register fine print and will be re-reading it again to see if there are any other buried regulatory “gotchas.” Public comments can be filed by February 7, 2012, and you can be sure we will be registering our strong opposition.

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. Visit www.ussportsmen.org.

U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance

Columbus, OH --(Ammoland.com)- Some hunters go hunting, and other hunters make it a mission to help others go hunting.

One such hunter on a mission is Scott Campbell of Delaware. Campbell founded Hunters Helping Soldiers in 2009, and this work has earned him recognition as an Outdoor Life 25: Leaders in Hunting, Fishing and Conservation. Campbell is also a U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Field Director.

Campbell got the idea for his military focused project because so many of his family members were also soldiers. He began his mission with a small, local-level hunt for veterans and the concept grew to include wounded vets, current active military members, families of deployed soldiers, and military retirees. Kids of those soldiers are also a major participating category.

“We held a youth camp this past summer, and we’ll do it again next summer,” noted Campbell. “The military came out to the event, including displays with HumVees, and this made a great impression with the kids.”

Hunters Helping Soldiers now has chapters in a dozen states—and is growing. A fundraising event that was held in November will help back several projects slated for 2012. Campbell is featured in the 2011 December issue of Outdoor Life magazine in the Helping Hands category. More details on the program can be found at www.Huntershelpingsoldiers.org.

USSA field director Howard Robinson of Arkansas also received this national recognition in 2009. Others receiving the honor this year include legendary knife maker Chuck Buck, Summit Treestand’s founder Dave Woller Sr., the late hunting call manufacturer Dick Kirby, and Chad Waligura, a young paralyzed hunter who has designed several innovations to help disabled hunters return to the fields and forests.

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. Visit www.ussportsmen.org.

National Park Service Pushing Land Grab

U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance

Columbus, OH --(Ammoland.com)- The National Park Service (NPS) is eying important hunting lands for inclusion in a large new West Virginia park unit.

Apparently the agency is looking at establishing this new unit – the High Allegheny National Park — in the Allegheny Mountains of eastern West Virginia.

Most of the land under review is presently part of the Monongahela National Forest and Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge – both of which have long hunting traditions.

I have hunted ruffed grouse, woodcock, and turkeys in these areas for years, and just last year I wrote an article in The Pointing Dog Journal about the rich hunting history of this area.

Hunters and anglers need to watch this park study, and NPS, like a hawk. The agency is historically hostile to hunters, becoming increasingly hostile to anglers, and is flat out opposed to wildlife and habitat management (both activities are important on Forest and Refuge lands). Plus, almost all NPS units are “parks” where hunting is prohibited.

Having NPS take over management of wonderful hunting areas within the Forest, like Spruce Knob and Dolly Sods, sends shivers down this hunter’s spine.

Some park proponents are already trying to assure hunters that hunting will be protected in the new park. I’m not buying it. We have seen the value of similar promises in the Big Cypress National Preserve (a NPS unit) in Florida where hunters have been harassed and systematically restricted for years. Even when the agency isn’t doing the restricting, anti-hunting activists are in federal court every other year pushing new limitations in the name of endangered species, wilderness “solitude”, protection of vegetation, and adverse impact on the tender aesthetic sensibilities of non-hunting visitors (of whom there are few).

Even stronger legal protections for hunting on Refuge lands have barely been adequate to protect hunting. Antis tried to shut down hunting in the Canaan Valley Refuge via a federal lawsuit filed in Washington, DC. U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance helped fight off that suit, but it revealed that saving hunting on federal land units remains a challenge. Similar problems impacting hunting and wildlife management on Forest lands has prompted USSA and others in the hunting community to push for the enactment of new a bill – HR 2834 – that keeps hunting (and fishing and shooting) open on the National Forest system.

Recently, the U.S. House Natural Resources Committee favorably reported the bill which should be on the House of Representatives floor in January. If we can barely protect hunting on the Canaan unit, where a 1997 law makes hunting (and fishing) “priority public uses”, and need new statutory protections for hunting on Forest lands (like the Monongahela), how are we going to ensure continued hunting and access on a new High Allegheny National Park?

None of this makes on-the-ground sense. The thousands of acres of public land within the Monongahela National Forest, and the Canaan Refuge, are committed to conservation (and open to hunting). The lands are subject to professional habitat management by the U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources.

You can kiss bona fide conservation management, and habitat projects, goodbye if NPS takes over.

It treats lands like “biospheres under glass” where management to help fish and wildlife is considered a sin against nature and hunters are surely not welcome. As far as hunters and anglers are concerned, bringing in NPS adds absolutely nothing and guarantees nothing but protracted fighting to retain the hunting heritage in West Virginia’s Allegheny Mountains.

USSA will be monitoring this closely because of its broad consequences for hunters and anglers (and because I don’t want some of the East’s favorite grouse hunting woods under NPS control).

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. Visit www.ussportsmen.org.

U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance

Columbus, OH --(Ammoland.com)- From a group that’s well known for filing lawsuits comes another stunt to grab attention—and possibly cause other serious long-term problems.

The Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) is offering a $500 reward for anyone who documents the existence of the South Florida rainbow snake.

Just last month, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service declared the snake extinct. The CBD is now claiming that the snake may still exist. The group wants to find evidence of the snake and have it listed under the Endangered Species Act.

In case you are wondering how this might affect hunting, trapping, and fishing, having the snake listed as an endangered species instead of extinct could possibly allow the CBD to go to court and ask for severe restrictions on things like recreation and development in areas where the snake might be found. One extreme result could be bans on hunting, fishing, and trapping or closures for sportsmen’s access in these areas.

Similar closings of vast areas of land occurred when an ivory-billed woodpecker —another critically endangered or possibly extinct species— was reportedly found in Arkansas a few years back.

The South Florida rainbow snake was one of the more than 300 species that the CBD wants protected under federal programs.

These large, rampant CBD petitions waste large sums of taxpayer dollars and cause great drains on USFWS manpower and resources.

Full details on the CBD snake promotion are at http://tiny.cc/0jag7

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. Visit www.ussportsmen.org.

U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance

Columbus, OH --(Ammoland.com)- Today the House Natural Resources Committee passed H.R. 2834, the Recreational Fishing and Hunting Heritage and Opportunities Act.

This bill would protect fishing, hunting and recreational shooting on federal lands.

H.R. 2834 passed the Committee with strong bipartisan support by a vote of 29-14.

This vital piece of legislation would require fishing, hunting and recreational shooting to be included in all federal land planning documents and would fix numerous inconsistencies in federal law that are being exploited by litigious environmental groups to reduce hunting opportunities on federal land.

This bill is strongly supported by the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance, Safari Club International, the National Rifle Association, and millions of sportsmen across the country.

“This legislation is vital given the Administration’s recent actions toward hunters and recreational sport shooters,” said Melissa Simpson, Director of Government Affairs for Safari Club International.

“Sportsmen have repeatedly sought to collaborate with the federal agencies and have been greeted with proposed closures in areas such as the Sonoran Desert National Monument, where the BLM intends to close the entire one-half million acre national monument to shooters. There are some 63 shooting sites within the monument, closure of which will end access for sportsmen. Passage of H.R. 2834 is necessary to protect against these anti-hunting policies.”

“Sportsmen are increasingly facing attacks aimed at stopping them from using public land,” said Bud Pidgeon, President and CEO of the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance.

“This bill closes the loopholes that anti-hunters have used time and time again to try to deny access for hunting, fishing and shooting. Now is the time to put a stop to it. We are extremely pleased and appreciative that the House Natural Resources Committee recognized the importance of this bill.”

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. Visit www.ussportsmen.org.

U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance

Columbus, OH --(Ammoland.com)- While hunting can have unexpected dangers such as tripping over roots and rocks as you trek, the real dangers facing hunters these days is the animal rights lobby who are trying to stop hunting and trapping all together.

While you’ve been hunting and scouting for deer or other animals, these groups have been scheming, developing, and working to pass legislation, and to win political favors and public opinion, to prevent you from ever hunting again.

Those groups are:

• The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is a powerhouse fund-raising machine that has been pushing through dog breeder bills in many states in back door efforts to make it harder for you to buy your next bird dog, fox hound, squirrel dog or other hunting breed. So called “puppy mill” bills affect far more than puppies. A good example that these bills hamper dog ownership and increase fees for all dog owners everywhere can be found in a Missouri bill that began as a “puppy mill” bill pushed by HSUS. When the bill was passed, the wording and regulations rightfully covered animal shelters owned and operated by nonprofits—one of the biggest places in any state where puppies are housed in cages. HSUS and other groups complained the new fees were expensive, hampered dog ownership, and were too burdensome to keep track of. Now, they want those same fees and restrictive regulations inflicted on hunters who breed and sell dogs. HSUS has also run undercover programs to investigate high-fenced hunting operations, and it vehemently opposes dove hunts and polar bear imports.
• People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is a group well-known for having nearly naked models parade around and make egregious statements about fur, fishing, whales, meat, and hunting. The group opposes all hunting and makes many attempts to halt hunting, fishing, trapping and everything but eating vegetables.
• Defenders of Wildlife works to protect the “pretty” animals. The group uses stunning photographs of bears, wolves, and lynxes to invite the public to join them to protect these species they declare to be “threatened or endangered”. Then, however, those donated dollars are used to file frivolous lawsuits to stop hunting. In fact, some species this group touts as threatened or endangered are not on any list.
• Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) was formed for the purpose of filing frivolous lawsuits against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) under the guise of protecting the sanctity of the Endangered Species Act. According to the CBD, nearly 800 plants and animals should be added to the lengthy endangered or threatened species list. These add-to-the-list requests tie up valuable man-hours and dollars of the USFWS and prevent the agency from doing research and improvements on habitat that help all wildlife populations. This hurts hunting and all wildlife in the United States.

This fall when you think about the possible dangers of hunting and how to protect yourself and your family, joining the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance as a Sentry could be the best protection.

By being a Sentry —at no cost to you— and staying informed on attempts to stop hunting, you will be better prepared to hunt again in the future. Help us spread the word about the dangers to all hunting.

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. Visit www.ussportsmen.org.

U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance

Columbus, OH --(Ammoland.com)- The Tucson-based Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) is no novice when it comes to lawsuits.

The CBD has filed numerous lawsuits in the past decade against the federal government and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service over perceived endangered species.

From tiny fish to frogs to polar bears, if it’s alive, it’s possibly included in a CBD lawsuit. This tactic does sometimes backfire.

Seems when the CBD decided to sue the U.S. Forest Service about cattle grazing allotments in 2002, it accused Arizona ranchers Jim and Sue Chilton of stewardship abuse.

The Chilton’s legally grazed their cattle on a ranching allotment in Pima County, Arizona, according to a report printed last year in Western Farm Press. The CBD sued the U.S. Forest Service to end the Chilton’s cattle grazing allotment and claimed the Chilton’s mismanaged the land where some possible threatened or endanger species resided.

Apparently no one at the CBD contacted the Chilton’s, who woke up one morning and read their name and the accusations in a local newspaper.

Experts soon noted the Chilton’s followed grazing guidelines. The Chilton’s filed suit against the CBD for defamation and libel—and won. As a result, the CDB had to pay the ranchers $600,000.

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. Visit www.ussportsmen.org.

U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance

Columbus, OH --(Ammoland.com)- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has formally announced that it is considering issuing an incidental take permit to Maine’s Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

This allows for the accidental take of a small number of Canada lynx in traps set by sportsmen for other legal species.

This is the latest step in a long battle against anti-trapping groups who have attempted to use the Canada lynx’s status as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) to ban trapping in the state.

In 2006 and 2008, anti-trapping groups sued the state seeking to stop Maine’s trapping season by claiming that the protected Canada lynx might accidentally be caught by a trapper while attempting to trap other legal species.

The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation (USSAF), along with the Maine Trappers’ Association, Fur Takers of America, National Trappers’ Association, and several individual sportsmen, intervened in the cases, ultimately winning a landmark victory for trapping in the state. At the same time, this sets a legal precedent nationally that makes it harder for antis to use the ESA to try and ban hunting, fishing, or trapping.

An incidental take permit issued by the USFWS would help shield the state from similar lawsuits seeking to shut down trapping. The permit would allow the state, and licensed trappers, to accidentally trap a small number of Canada lynx, when trapping for other legal species, without being in violation of the ESA. Essentially, the permit would recognize that a few accidentally caught Canada lynx do not threaten the species’ ability to survive and recover.

Without the permit, anytime a Canada lynx is accidentally caught in a trap, it is a violation of the ESA by the trapper, even if the animal is released unharmed. To be clear, the permit does not allow for the intentional trapping of Canada lynx but would act to protect the state and trappers who might accidentally trap one while trapping for other legal species. The permit would also include a cap on the total number of lynx that could be accidentally trapped.

The USFWS will seek and review public comments before making a final decision on the incidental take permit. It can then choose to approve the permit as written, deny the permit, or approve the permit with additional restrictions on trapping within the state.

“Maine has already enacted strict rules and reporting requirements for trappers in the state to help ensure that Canada lynx are not accidentally caught in traps,” said Jeremy Rine, USSAF associate director of state services. “

We hope that the Fish and Wildlife Service will grant Maine’s request for the incidental take permit without any new, unnecessary restrictions on trappers.”

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. Visit www.ussportsmen.org.

U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance

Columbus, OH --(Ammoland.com)- When Today posed a question on its www.msnbc.com website in late September, it was apparent that the topic was a hot one—fur.

The question was: “Do you think cities should ban fur?”

Soon the responses were 54% in opposition and 45% in favor of personal choice and the freedom to wear fur. Then, however, the comments exposed how some of those voicing their opinions are confused.

One bizarre anti-fur comment: “Governments should protect the weakest among us. That’s one reason for government, so society can protect itself from thugs and bullies.” Wearing fur was also compared to whaling and slavery by some responders.

Another responder saw the real issue in the comments:

“The Animal Rights Religion has taken control of West Hollywood, who is next? Those nutcases need to find something else to do rather than trying to dictate how the rest of humanity should live! If I want to eat hamburger or pork chops of friend chicken for dinner, I will, and I will live with the ethical consequences!

You have no right to try to prescriber how I will meet my nutritional needs, any more than you have the right to control my religious needs. After all, plants apparently have feelings too. Should we really slaughter all those carrots, peas, and lettuce just to feed us humans?”

The best response possibly was: “Once again, minority groups wielding terrorist type tactics are militantly shoving their agenda down the throats of the citizenry.” The end.

Source: www.msnbc.com/today.

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. Visit www.ussportsmen.org.

U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance

Columbus, OH --(Ammoland.com)- Black bears inhabit the U.S. from the lowland swamps of coastal North Carolina to the tall mountains of northern California.

While many Americans never spot a secretive black bear, more hunters and homeowners are seeing more bears in some areas of America.

Some of these persons say they are seeing too many bears.

Black bear populations are increasing in many regions of the U.S. The proof is growing. South Carolina’s Department of Natural Resources recently issued guidelines for dealing with problem bears. Hunters there killed nearly 100 bears during the 2009 hunting season, and cars killed more than 20 in the same period. The state is considering expanding hunting areas and seasons to counter problem bears and rising citizen complaints.

Down in Florida, bear numbers are on the upswing and the state is working on a bear management plan. Bears are also being noted in Mississippi, Texas, Louisiana and other areas where the bruins have been missing —or questionable— for decades. Louisiana brought in black bears from Minnesota and released them during the 1960s. Texas has seen bear numbers climb and now has a black bear management plan that runs through 2015.

Black bears have also been attacking humans from the Great Smoky Mountain National Park to Washington State. Some of those attacks have been deadly. Black bears are simply more numerous and widespread than other bear species, so the chances of being attacked by a black bear are higher. Black bears are also more frequently encountered around homes because they come close in search of food, such as the seeds or suet in bird feeders. Yet, grizzly attacks seem to always receive the national media attention.

If hunters seek bears and bear hunting tags, they should visit states and regions where bears are most bountiful. Much of the preferred bear habitat and hunting areas in the U.S. are along the spines of the Appalachian and Rocky Mountains. The coastal northwest regions and Alaska also have many black bears—and one Alaskan carrier that can help you put a black bear in your sights is Ninilchik charters at www.ninilchik.com. In many states, bear hunting licenses are sold over the counter. Montana is one state where you will have to take —and pass— a test to distinguish between black bears and grizzlies before you can hunt.

The work of anti-hunting groups who opposed the use of bait and/or hounds to hunt bears in past years can also be blamed —or thanked— for increased bear populations that threaten humans.

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. Visit www.ussportsmen.org.

U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance

Columbus, OH --(Ammoland.com)- While the 2011 calendar year end is a few months away, now is time to start making plans for 2012—and hopefully those plans will involve hosting or volunteering to work at a U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation Trailblazer Adventure program.

Plans are underway to again offer these one-day outdoor introduction programs that are popular with kids and families.

“The Trailblazer Adventure Program continues to be a great avenue for youth and families to become familiar with the outdoor lifestyle”, said Derrek Shively, U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance director of education. “We are excited about 2012, and look forward to new opportunities to reach out to communities across the country, as well as sustaining and recruiting both individual volunteers and organizations that make the Trailblazer Adventure Program what it is today.”

More than1.2 million participants have attended Trailblazer Adventure events since 2001 in 47 states. Those states range from Pennsylvania to California, and from Washington to Alabama. While many events are held in partnership with Boy Scout camps, this year events were also held at other locations, such as the Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky and the Bassmaster Classic Expo in New Orleans, Louisiana. An event was also held at Camp Ripley, a military base in northern Minnesota, and an event is coming to a community college this weekend in Nelsonville, Ohio. Another event will be held at Rockcastle Shooting Center at Park Mammoth Resort in Park City, Kentucky.

Trailblazer Adventure events include activities, demonstrations and orientation sessions designed to let children and their parents or guardians experience the outdoor lifestyle. Activities include: firearm shooting and safety (BB guns, shotguns or .22’s are used), archery, trapping, fishing and much more. Some sites have hosted hunting with raptor activities and game calling contests. All Trailblazer activities are conducted under the supervision of experienced instructors with an emphasis on safety.

Trailblazer has received many awards and accolades, including a U.S. Department of the Interior Take Pride in America® award for its leadership in recruiting youth and families to outdoor sports.

Additionally, many organizations have provided invaluable resources to make Trailblazer a reality in the past such as the National Shooting Sports Foundation, Boy Scouts of America, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, nearly every state wildlife agency, and numerous national conservation based groups, such as Fur Takers of America, Masters of Foxhounds Association, and the National Wild Turkey Federation. In addition to these groups, tens of thousands of volunteers, many from an expansive national network of local conservation clubs, have donated their time and money to make each Trailblazer event a unique experience for the children and families attending.

For more information about the Trailblazer Adventure program, e-mail trailblazer@ussportsmen.org or visit www.trailblazeradventure.org. For additional details about volunteering or hosting a Trailblazer Adventure Program event in 2012, contact Derrek Shively at dshively@ussportsmen.org or call 614-888-4868.

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. Visit www.ussportsmen.org.

U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance

Columbus, OH --(Ammoland.com)- Despite an outpouring of phone calls from sportsmen, Governor Jerry Brown signed into law a new gun registry bill that will require sportsmen to register all of their firearm purchases and transfers with the state.

The bill, Assembly Bill 809, applies the state’s current handgun registration requirements to all firearms, including rifles and shotguns commonly used by sportsmen for hunting and recreational shooting.

Sportsmen will now have to provide the state a laundry list of personal information anytime they buy or transfer a firearm. The information includes their name, address, place of birth, telephone number, and occupation as well as a detailed description of the handgun and the gun’s serial number.

The Governor’s official signing message accompanying his signature on the bill states that “[s]ince the state already retains handgun purchaser information, I see no reason why the state should not also retain information pertaining to the sales of long guns.”

“Governor Brown’s reasoning for signing the bill is absurd,” said Jeremy Rine, U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance associate director of state services.

“He is essentially telling sportsmen that since the state has already taken away some of your gun rights it is ok to take away more. Sportsmen should contact the Governor and tell them how disappointed they are that he signed this unnecessary bill. They certainly should also remember how their elected officials voted on this bill when they go to the polls in the future.”

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. Visit www.ussportsmen.org.

U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance

Columbus, OH --(Ammoland.com)- On Tuesday, an eight member Administrative Regulation Review Subcommittee approved Kentucky’s proposed sandhill crane hunting regulations. This Subcommittee was one of the final hurdles to the ultimate approval of a season.

The proposed hunting season has been under attack from anti-hunting organizations since the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources first proposed a limited sandhill crane hunting season earlier this year.

Sandhill crane populations have grown substantially over recent years and are now at levels that allow for hunting to be used as part of their management plan in the state. The Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources has worked with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to take a conservative approach to opening the new season.

The proposal will now go before the Interim Joint Committee on Natural Resources and Environment where it will be heard on November 3rd. This Committee is the final step in the approval process.

“This was the last major step that needed to be taken and the outpouring of support from sportsmen was heard loud and clear in the Capitol,” said Evan Heusinkveld, U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance director of state services. Kentucky sportsmen should be pleased that their elected officials have ignored the anti-hunting lobby’s rhetoric and relied on sound science and the management professionals in the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources.”

Take Action! Sportsmen should call their legislators to thank them for their support of hunting and professional wildlife management. To find your legislator’s contact information, use the USSA Legislative Action Center at www.ussportsmen.org/lac.

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. Visit www.ussportsmen.org.

U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance

Columbus, OH --(Ammoland.com)- In case you have not heard, the U.S. economy is slow and federal dollars are scare.

Tax dollars are being very closely watched under public scrutiny. Now, there are less of those tax dollars to watch thanks to the former Fund for Animals, alias Humane Society of the United States (HSUS).

Back in 2003, the Fund for Animals (this group merged with and is now HSUS) sued the U.S. Department of Interior and its director Steve Williams, plus former director Dale Hall.

The charge: that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service violated the National Environmental Policy Act. These charges targeted the USFWS ruling that permitted hunting on 39 units of the National Wildlife Refuge system, and the lawsuit covered periods ranging from 1998 through 2003.

At great expense, the USFWS reviewed and update the NEPA status and findings on those 39 refuges and an additional 21 NWRs that expanded during the five-year period. On April 13, 2011, a federal judge ruled that the USFWS new information met the criteria and hunting could continue on the listed NWRs.

HSUS lost its lawsuit.

Then, however, HSUS filed on July 12, 2011 for “an award of a portion of the attorney’s fees and costs.”

The result: the USFWS must pay the defeated HSUS $116,000.00 dollars. Can you say fleecing or milking the system?

The bottom line: though the HSUS lost and was defeated by the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance, the U.S. Department of Interior, and other groups in this 8-year lawsuit and hunting remains open on the refuges, the HSUS gets $116,000 for simply suing.

As you can clearly see and read, lawsuits are profitable for some groups. Spread the word.

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. Visit www.ussportsmen.org.

U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance

Columbus, OH --(Ammoland.com)- Newly introduced H.R. 2834 (the Recreational Fishing and Hunting Heritage and Opportunities Act) is being supported by a “who’s who” of hunting groups for good reason: it is a necessary piece of legislation with a great upside for conservation.

Unfortunately, the Obama administration is opposing the bill and is joined by several groups with a history of opposing sound wildlife management and other conservation principles.

House Resolution 2834, a U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance backed bill, was introduced recently in Congress. Those testifying in favor of the Act included Bill Horn, U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Director of Federal Affairs.

His testimony revealed numerous benefits for anglers, trappers and hunters. And while there was no mention of roads, jeep, or anything else to do with travel by sportsmen on federal public lands included in H.R. 2834, there was the mention of wilderness. That word quickly triggered opposition from the government in concert with the Wilderness Society.

“The government and the Wilderness Society have publicly claimed this Act will open Wilderness areas to motorized vehicle use,” stated Horn. “A Society spokesman states if hunters are retrieving game on Wilderness lands, you could ride your off-road jeep anywhere you choose. Nothing could be further from the truth. The bill is not about road construction, jeep trails or motor vehicle access. The absurd comments could be to grab attention, or to simply oppose hunting.”

During the hearing, U.S. Forest Service Deputy Chief Joel Holtrop admitted to being opposed to the bill without fully reading or understanding it.

“H.R. 2834 was only formally introduced three days before this hearing and the Department has not had sufficient time to conduct an in-depth analysis of the legislation as introduced,” he stated.

Predictably, environmental extremists are already misrepresenting the bill that’s specifically worded and designed to ensure continued fishing, hunting, and shooting on Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) public lands. These lands total more than 400 million acres in the U.S. and provide critical opportunities for public fishing, hunting, and shooting activities. One feature of the bill declares that fishing, hunting, and shooting are “necessary” to fulfill the purposes of those public land areas designated as Wilderness per the 1964 Wilderness Act.

The provision is needed to counter recent federal court rulings from San Francisco that reinterpreted the meaning of “necessary” while creating precedents that fishing and hunting might be found to not be “necessary” in these areas and be prohibited. The “necessary” section of the bill restores the legal status for hunters and anglers that existed from 1964 until the recent San Francisco rulings.

The jeeps and off-road comments by the Wilderness Society in particular are clouding the real issue and will only confuse the public.

“This statement (about jeeps) is utter nonsense,” continues Horn. “H.R. 2834 specifies that hunting is “necessary” so that hunters (and anglers) cannot be run off Wilderness areas by federal judges deciding that these traditional activities are not necessary. The bill makes no reference to motorized vehicles and will not change existing limitations on motorized access on Wilderness lands.”

Environmental groups and the Obama administration through their opposition are distracting anglers and hunters from the potentially devastating consequences of the San Francisco court decisions along with the need to shield sportsmen from those bad rulings.

“And what’s really ironic is that while the Wilderness Society is complaining about vehicles on public lands, the group is staging a bus tour of a national wildlife refuge in Montana on October 1,” said Horn. “Nothing will make those elk flee, especially the bugling elk that are being targeted, like a busload of tourists filing off and gathering around or chasing to take a photo. The group should also take note that public lands roads and access make this “event” possible.”

Take Action! Sportsmen and sportswomen should call their Congressman today and urge them to support H.R. 2834. Tell them that this Act will protect the integrity of federal public lands for future generations and deserves their support. To find your Congressman visit the Legislative Action Center at www.ussportsmen.org/lac.

To voice your opinion of H.R 2834 to the administration, contact U.S. Forest Service Deputy Chief Joel Holtrop’s office at 202-205-1523.

Following is a list of national organizations supporting H.R. 2834:

• American Sportfishing Association
• B.A.S.S. LLC.
• Catch-A-Dream Foundation
• Campfire Club of America
• Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation
• Conservation Force
• Delta Waterfowl Foundation
• Houston Safari Club
• Mule Deer Foundation
• National Rifle Association
• National Shooting Sports Foundation
• National Trappers Association
• National Wild Turkey Federation
• Orion – The Hunters’ Institute
• Pope & Young Club
• Quail Unlimited
• Quality Deer Management Association
• Ruffed Grouse Society
• Safari Club International
• Texas Wildlife Association
• U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance
• Wildlife Forever
• Wildlife Management Institute

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. Visit www.ussportsmen.org.

U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance

Columbus, OH --(Ammoland.com)- While most rational folks realize that most of what you see in Hollywood movies is make believe or far from normal, the Humane Society of the United States sees things a little differently.

In fact, the animal rights group recently generated a news release based on the movie “Contagion.” Not so harmful, it seems, until you read the twisted HSUS “facts.”

The movie is a story about a lethal virus that spreads worldwide and kills most everything in its path.

Humane Society quickly takes a stab at farming in the first lines of its release, pointing out that current agricultural and industrial farm practices creates the perfect storm for Bird Flu.

Then, HSUS medically explains Swine flu can come from pig farms. Then, for a group that strongly promotes shelters and providing stables with overhead cover for horses and livestock, it reverses itself and says open areas permit sunlight and that UV rays can kill viruses found in farming areas.

They can’t have it both ways, now.

Then HSUS puts an ultimate spin on the “Contagion” movie and tries to attach itself to the movie while championing the science-fiction flick as a way to promote animal rights. Of course, all the “witches brew” that HSUS touts in the release becomes very clear when you follow the Hollywood link on the site—it takes you to an HSUS donation point. The group is collecting funds to “save” farm animals.

Makes you wonder whether HSUS’ movie critique is about diseases—or dollars.

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. Visit www.ussportsmen.org.

U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance

Columbus, OH --(Ammoland.com)- The Humane Society of the United States is pushing yet another deer contraceptive program in a national park that will cost U.S. taxpayers more than $170,000.

The plan is being pushed by three U.S. Representatives.

The misinformed trio recently sent a letter to U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Ken Salazar requesting that the National Park Service (NPS) consider a contraception project to control deer populations in Rock Creek Park. Ironically, the HSUS touts this as a pilot project, offers to cover only half the expense, and then claims great successes in other deer and horse contraceptive programs.

How can it be a pilot test program if they claim to have done it before? And just how “humane” is this type of program?

The contraception delivery requires one-shot from a special firearm that could harm the animal and definitely punches a hole in the target animal’s skin. That open wound could be a source for infestation or result in the development of maggots living in the animal after flies lay eggs at the site. Not good.

The NPS supports an alternative plan that uses archers to remove the surplus deer, bring the herd under control for FREE, and save many tax dollars. NPS information indicates that there are approximately 200 whitetail deer in the park and the only thing currently controlling their deer population is cars. The park covers approximately 1,700 acres.

HSUS has offered to only pay half of the $340,000-plus estimated expense that the project will cost.

“What really strikes us as calculating is that this 100-million-dollar-a-year-fundraising behemoth is only willing to pay a portion of the bill and put the rest on you and I,” said Bud Pidgeon, USSA president and CEO.

“Especially since hunters are willing to effectively take care of the problem and pay for the right to help.”

In this time of budget cuts and economic woes, the NPS has a chance to earn funds by charging a bowhunting permit and letting hunters do what they do best—control overpopulated deer herds.

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. Visit www.ussportsmen.org.

California Anti-Airgun Bill Defeated

U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance

Columbus, OH --(Ammoland.com)- California’s Senate Bill 798, sponsored by Sen. Kevin De Leon (D- Los Angeles), failed to make it out of the Assembly Committee on Public Safety and it has been defeated.

The bill, which would have threatened many sportsmen who use airguns, was changed a number of times throughout California’s legislative session.

Originally, the bill would have banned the sale of airguns, including BB and pellet guns used by sportsmen, unless the entire exterior surface of the gun was predominately colored white or bright red, orange, yellow, green, blue, pink, or purple, or was transparent. Essentially, airguns would have been required to be made to look like “toy” guns.

The most recent version of the bill did away with the “toy” coloring requirement for airguns, and instead would have repealed the state’s preemption law that prohibits local ordinances from regulating most airguns, like BB and pellet guns. Repealing this section of law would have opened the door for local municipalities in the state to set their own regulations or bans.

“If passed, Senate Bill 798 would have allowed each local government to enact its own set of regulations for airguns,” said Jeremy Rine, U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance associate director of state services. “One city could have required airguns to be bright pink while another could have banned them outright. Thankfully, sportsmen can rest a little easier knowing that this ridiculous idea has been put to rest for this session.”

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. Visit www.ussportsmen.org.

Slow cooked rabbit leg with duck confit mousse, pancetta, sautéed liver and pearl barley risotto.

U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance

Columbus, OH --(Ammoland.com)- While PETA, the Humane Society of the United States, and other animal rights groups and anti-hunting zealots aggressively promote veganism through numerous programs—including free courses supplied to schools and forced on kids and young minds across the US—seems their efforts are not lasting.

According to a recent study by Psychology Today, most vegetarians return to eating meat. Food & Wine magazine also recently profiled several meat-eating former vegans who now believe purchasing sustainable meat is a new form of activism. So, why the switch and obvious about-face?

Seems there are many health issues when humans try living like a rabbit. Becoming anemic, with dark circles and odd-colored skin, has plagued many who passed on beef or other meat sources.

More details are at www.psychologytoday.com/blog/animals-and-us/201106/why-do-most-vegetarians-go-back-eating-meat.

For those who claim they will now only eat sustainable or organic meats, take note. We are quick to offer up that a deer, elk, squirrels, rabbits, bears, or pronghorn are food sources that rank at the top of the organic chart. Add to that list doves, pheasants, problem geese and that raccoon in the backyard, and you have a virtual smorgasbord in which to choose.

A shopping trip to acquire these wonderful foods is called “hunting,” and in this meat-to-the-table process, collecting sounds like a sudden “bang” and nothing like the “ring” of a cash register. Any former vegans needing to learn how to “shop” can go to www.wheretohunt.org .

We’ll be happy to let them borrow a sharp knife.

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. Visit www.ussportsmen.org.

U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance

Columbus, OH --(Ammoland.com)- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has announced that it will be reopening the public comment period for its proposal to remove recovered wolf populations in the Western Great Lakes region as a listed species under Endangered Species Act.

Through the new comment period, the Service will be specifically looking for input addressing whether or not there are two separate species of wolves in the region. Previously, along with announcing that it thought wolves should be delisted the Service also announced that it may recognize a second species of wolves in the Western Great Lakes region.

This scientific one-wolf, two-wolf issue could be a major roadblock for delisting the wolves. An incorrect finding by the Service that two species of wolves exist in the Western Great Lakes region would give animal rights organizations ammunition to try and block returning wolves to state management.

During the initial comment period, the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation submitted extensive comments supported by wildlife and wolf genetics expert Dr. Lisette Waits. Those comments highlighted that genetic studies have shown there are not two separate wolf species in the Western Great Lakes region and the Service should not recognize a second species of wolves there.

“We are hopeful that this new comment period will give the Service additional information and time to reevaluate its previous two-wolf stance in the region,” said Rob Sexton, U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation vice president for government affairs. “Prevailing scientific facts show that only one wolf population exists within the region. Continuing to go against these facts would place an unsupported obstacle in the way of delisting the Western Great Lakes region wolves.”

Click here to read more about the two-wolf controversy.

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. Visit www.ussportsmen.org.

Wolf Facts and What It Means To You

Archery Trade Association

New Ulm, Minn. --(Ammoland.com)- It has been almost four months since my last “Wolf Facts”, so I think it is a time for an update.

As it stands today, gray wolves are no longer listed under the Endangered Species Act in MT, ID and small portions of WA, OR and UT. In Wyoming, there have been considerable negotiations and progress made between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) and Wyoming officials towards a proposal to delist.

In the Great Lakes states (MI, MN and WI), the Service is still working through a standard delisting process.

While all of this sounds pretty good, there are considerable challenges ahead that could derail any and all of these actions. In the following paragraphs, I’ll try to summarize the facts as best I can.

If you need background to any of what you read here, I urge you to visit the Archery Trade Association’s Web site by clicking here.

NORTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN WOLVES

MONTANA & IDAHO
Let me start by saying emphatically that gray wolves in the Northern Rocky Mountains are “recovered”.

The science is absolutely clear on this point. I base my position on discussions with wolf specialists who work for the three principle states (MT, ID and WY) and with the Service’s wolf specialist that has overseen the wolf reintroduction in the Northern Rockies since it began. These scientists all agree that wolves are recovered. I emphasize this point because you will hear from a lot of fronts that Congress in some way substituted their political motivations for “science” and that wolves and the Endangered Species Act would suffer as a result of this “political intervention.”

This is simply not true. In fact, when it relates to wolves, the science behind their management has been severely compromised for over a decade by overzealous wolf advocates and judges who felt the need to “advocate” from the bench. Congress simply eliminated the avenues of misuse of the Endangered Species Act and allowed wolf decisions to follow the science – as it should be.

As you can read in my earlier “Wolf Facts” updates, Representative Simpson (R-ID) and Senator Tester (D-MT) introduced legislation that was attached to Federal Budget legislation and signed by the President on April 15. Consequently, the previously approved Wolf Management Plans for MT and ID were deemed acceptable, wolves were rightfully determined to be “recovered” in those states, the protections of the Endangered Species Act were removed and wolf management was turned over to the state wildlife agency. The legislation also precluded any further judicial review of the decision.

This action took place in June and the two states have moved ahead with the task of wolf management. Both of these states have taken a scientifically based approach to managing their wolf populations. Like with their other wildlife species, management included setting sustainable population goals, scientifically based population monitoring and appropriate population controls that may include hunting as well as other population reduction actions where needed. Based on what I have seen to date, their actions substantiate what we have all known for years – the state wildlife agencies will approach wolf management in the same professional manner that they manage all other state managed wildlife species.

While all of these latest occurrences leave the impression that we are over the hump in MT and ID, there remains some gamesmanship going on within the legal arena. Wolf advocate groups immediately filed a legal challenge to the Congressional action. They argued that Congress interfered with the Constitutionally protected “separation of powers” when they legislatively precluded legal challenges to their action. They filed their challenge in Judge Malloy’s court – where they were sure to get a “friendly” reception. In July, Judge Malloy ruled against their challenge but he included language in his ruling that removed all doubt as to his biases on this issue. It was obvious that he wanted to uphold their challenge but simply could not find a legal loophole in the Congressional language where he could “cloak” his biases.

Kudos to the Congressional staff who wrote the language!

The wolf advocate groups have filed an appeal and vow to continue this challenge to the Supreme Court if necessary. I hope that we will hear from the Appeals Court still this year. I’ll keep you posted.

WYOMING
Things are progressing slower in WY than in MT and ID, primarily because WY lacked a “Fish and Wildlife Service Approved Wolf Management Plan” that was already in place in MT and ID. You can read my thoughts on this issue in my previous “Wolf Facts”.

Since my last “Wolf Facts”, there has been a lot of progress towards the development of an acceptable wolf management plan and earlier this month (August 4), Wyoming released a revised wolf management plan that has the tentative approval of the Governor of Wyoming, the Fish and Wildlife Service and the Department of the Interior. You can view this plan at the Wyoming Game and Fish Web site by clicking here.

I believe that this revised wolf management plan is a reasonable compromise. As you have read previously, I felt the original WY plan was scientifically sound and should have been approved by the Service. In fact, the Service initially approved the plan and then retracted their approval simply to appease an earlier ruling by Judge Malloy and with no scientific basis. That said, this new plan adds a small “seasonal expansion” of the WY “Trophy Game” area that will make it easier for wolves to migrate from ID to WY during winter months (when livestock depredation is not an issue). It also requires WY to maintain at least 10 breeding pairs of wolves outside of Yellowstone National Park – where the previous plan required 7 or 8 breeding pairs outside of the park. In my opinion, these are minor concessions for WY to make to win the approval of their plan and gain control of wolf management in their state.

All of this said, we all know that the next chapter in this wolf saga will be a final decision by the Service that will be immediately challenged by the wolf advocates. We also know where that will lead us.

The solution for WY is to mimic what was successful in MT and ID. Once an acceptable WY Wolf Management Plan is approved, the WY Congressional Delegation needs to step in with legislation that memorializes that plan in law and eliminates judicial interference.

WESTERN GREAT LAKES WOLVES
Things continue to be very unsettled in the western Great Lakes states of Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin. The Service and the state wildlife agencies have agreed on and approved wolf management plans for each of the states and the Service has moved ahead with a delisting proposal that appears to be headed for final approval. However, the legal posturing is already in the works and I suspect any final decision to delist in this region will be promptly met with a legal challenge.

Unfortunately I can’t be too optimistic here. There are two reasons for my lack of optimism. First is simply the track record of the Service being able to withstand legal challenges when it comes to the Endangered Species Act. The way the Act is written the “judge shopping” that goes on makes it virtually impossible to sustain a favorable ruling for a species as visible as wolves – regardless of the science.

My second reason for a lack of optimism is a little more concerning. At the time the Service announced their proposal to delist, they also announced the initiation of a comprehensive review of the genetics of gray wolves. Specifically, they are now suggesting the presence of another subspecies of gray wolf – the eastern gray wolf. (Read Doubling Up on Wolf Headaches )

If the Service decides that there is a significant difference between the gray wolf and the eastern gray wolf, then this new subspecies will likely qualify for a listing action. The problem is that in Wisconsin, the ranges of these two supposedly independent species overlap and it is impossible outside of a genetics lab to tell them apart which then makes management very impractical if the species are to be treated differently. Therefore, the delisting of the Western Great Lakes Population of the gray wolf will be in jeopardy in these overlap areas because of their similarity of appearance.

I’m somewhat suspicious of this new effort and am looking forward to seeing more of the science behind the decision. When I studied statistics in college, I found that you could use statistics to justify virtually any decision. What I found during my career with the Service and working on endangered species was that the science of genetics was just as “squirrely”. While the science can be so precise that you can distinguish between individual animals, the assumptions made to decide whether there is enough genetic difference between two groups of individuals to allow them to be treated as separate species or subspecies is nothing more than a collection of opinions.

My suspicious mind tells me that wolf advocates - maybe with the help of individuals within the Service - are setting the stage for a successful legal challenge for the delisting of the Western Great Lakes gray wolf population. Perhaps the practical reality of how to manage wolves in the field will prevail and we’ll be dealing with one combination of gray wolves in the Great Lakes which would be a relief to Minnesota where wolves have been recovered for two decades.

Once again, my solution is to follow the lead provided by MT and ID. Now that the Service and the state wildlife agencies are in agreement on the science, it is time for the Congressional delegations to step in and eliminate the potential for wolf advocates and judges who advocate from the bench to mess with the science.

THE ATA POSITION
The position of the ATA remains unchanged. We continue to recognize that there is a strong scientific basis for delisting the wolf in all six states (MT, ID, WY, MI, MN and WI). All six of these states have fully recovered gray wolf populations. They also have wolf management plans that satisfy the requirements of the Endangered Species Act and each state’s management plan has been approved by the Fish and Wildlife Service.

The ATA will continue to stay engaged in this process and look for solutions to bring full delisting to all six states where sound science has found that the gray wolf has been effectively recovered.

As always, I look forward to a continued dialog and comments from readers on this topic.

HSUS Sets Sights on Co-Opting Religions

U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance

Columbus, OH --(Ammoland.com)- It seems that the most dangerous and well-funded group within the animal rights lobby, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is again trying to reposition itself to seem mainstream.

That transformation is a new “Faith Outreach” effort. Yes, HSUS is attempting to align itself with religions.

This path closely follows the animal rights group’s programs that have thrust its tentacles into school systems and young student minds around the nation. Churches should definitely beware.

The programs championed by HSUS outreach efforts include articles promoting a connection between animal rights and the congregations of the Unitarian Universalists and the United Church of Christ. And the HSUS furthers the connecting efforts by pushing pro-animal-rights statements attributed to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, the Seventh Day Adventist Church, the Episcopal Church and others religious affiliations.

Seems nearly any sermon can be twisted as promoting animal rights.

These twists could have been far from the intent of the speaker or presenter when the materials were spoken or presented. This doesn’t matter to HSUS.

Real eyebrows are raised, however, when you discover the HSUS’s St. Francis Day in a Box project.

A $15 toolkit promoting the animal rights philosophy includes: the Chronicles of Narnia; Animal Protection Ministries: A Guide for Churches; Eating Mercifully; the CAFO Reader: The Tragedy of Industrial Animal Factories (a stab at farming); and many others. These animal rights agenda packets are sold to churches, or congregation members, to raise funds for HSUS.

While this propaganda intertwines religion and animal rights as connected crusading causes, there is an obvious lack of religious tolerance in the missing mention of St. Hubertus, the patron Saint of Hunters. And of course the “toolkit” includes envelopes and instructions on how to collect funds in the names of pets, animals and wildlife, and then send those funds directly to HSUS.

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. Visit www.ussportsmen.org.

Grey Wolves Or Eastern Wolves Which is Which?

U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance

Columbus, OH --(Ammoland.com)- Just as it looked like the growing, recovered population of Western Great Lakes (WGL) gray wolves was going to be taken off the federally endangered species list and returned to state management, a new roadblock threatens long delayed delisting.

This time the hurdle is the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (FWS) latest proposed Endangered Species Act (ESA) delisting rule inexplicably finding that there are now two separate wolf species roaming Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan.

U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Director of Federal Affairs Bill Horn, who is a former Assistant Secretary of the Interior in charge of the FWS and ESA, joined Wisconsin’s Department of Natural Resources’ Secretary Cathy Stepp at a press conference last week to challenge the FWS’s two species proposal.

The FWS has issued proposed regulations (for a third time) to remove the WGL population of gray wolves from the endangered species list. Since the WGL wolf numbers exceed recovery goals by 600 to 1,000 percent, delisting is fully warranted.

But the proposed delisting rule includes a nasty surprise: it says there are two separate wolf species in the WGL region – gray wolves (Canis lupus) and eastern wolves (Canis lycaon). The FWS does not know how many of each roam the region, but still believes gray wolves are recovered.

“This ‘two species’ finding is a trick deal which undermines needed WGL wolf delisting,” stated Bill Horn, USSA Director of Federal Affairs. “Since the FWS acknowledges it does not know how many of the nearly identical eastern wolves (C. lycaon) are present in the WGL region, the agency cannot scientifically demonstrate that gray wolf (C. lupis) numbers do in fact meet recovery goals. Animal rights opponents of wolf delisting (and state management) will jump all over this fatal flaw in their next round of federal court filings.”

In fact, the best scientific data demonstrates – and almost all wildlife professionals agree – that the WGL wolves are a single discrete population that is more than recovered. In contrast, one FWS staff biologist has advanced the suspect two species theory that undermines delisting. This is counter to other information about the WGL wolves.

A recent affidavit filed by the US Sportsmen’s Alliance included conclusions by Dr. Lissette Waits, one of the nation’s wildlife and wolf genetics experts. This information emphatically concluded that there are not two separate wolf species in the Western Great Lakes region. Dr. Waits holds a PhD in Genetics from the University of Utah and is a tenured associate professor of Fish and Wildlife Resources at the University of Idaho. She has worked on the intersection between genetics and wildlife management, is a member of the FWS red wolf recovery team, has led a red wolf contract research project for FWS, and has studied gray wolves and wolf/coyote hybridization as well.

Wisconsin DNR also agrees that there is only one species present and that the wolves are fully recovered. Its wolf population surveys show more than 1,000 animals in a single population that continues to grow and expand. Growing numbers of unmanaged wolves cause biological problems (excessive predation) and social troubles as well; wolves are well known for preying on domestic animals, including dogs, horses, and cattle. State wildlife officials are barred from managing wolves until the animals are taken off the federal list of endangered species by the FWS.

“For years, science has shown that these wolves have far exceeded recovery goals,” said Rob Sexton, U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance vice president of government affairs. “Additionally, we hope that the Service will look at the prevailing scientific facts that show only one wolf population exists within the Western Great Lakes region, and it will avoid letting the antis use this unsupported claim as another roadblock to rightfully returning wolves to state management.”

Why the FWS has taken this two species proposal step, contrary to the best scientific evidence, remains unknown. USSA is concerned Obama Administration politics are to blame. “This trick deal allows the Administration to tell the Western Great Lakes states and hunters that it favors delisting, while winking and nodding to its activist pals that delisting is set up to fail,” said Horn.

Wolves are well documented for causing damage to private property and for reducing deer herds. Packs of WGL gray wolves have attacked hunting dogs, livestock and pets across the region where the large canines roam. Wisconsin DNR chief legal counsel Tim Andryk reports that the plentiful wolves in that state have cost his department more than $1 million in restitution fees to reimburse owners for killed livestock, hunting dogs, and killed and consumed pets. Nearly a dozen dogs –most of them hunting dogs–have been killed by wolves this year in Wisconsin—and hunting seasons open there soon, and more dogs will be harm’s way.

Joining the USSA in its position on one-wolf, one-problem exists are: Wisconsin Bear Hunters Association, Dairyland Committee of Safari Club International Chapters of Wisconsin, Whitetails of Wisconsin, and Wisconsin Firearms Owners, Rangers, Clubs, and Educators, Inc.

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. Visit www.ussportsmen.org.

U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance

Columbus, OH --(Ammoland.com)- Last week, the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance and its Sporting Dog Defense Coalition alerted Oklahoma sportsmen to a proposed local ordinance that would have prohibited most sporting dog owners in Tulsa from keeping more than three dogs.

This brought up a good point for sporting dog owners, and all sportsmen for that matter, to consider: Local laws and ordinances can be just as dangerous, if not more dangerous, than legislation being considered in your state’s capitol.

Local laws passed by your city council, county commissioners, or trustees have the same effect as a state law. The only difference is that a local law applies only to a specific area of the state like a city or a county. Simply put, if your local government passes a law that says you can’t do something, then you can’t do it. This makes local laws just as dangerous to sportsmen and sporting dog owners as state laws.

On top of that, local laws are often passed with few people knowing they were even being considered. Local lawmakers often have shorter legislative processes, are quicker to pass laws as a knee jerk reaction to isolated events, and aren’t as widely covered by the media as state issues. All of this means sportsmen have fewer chances to know what is going on and are given less opportunity to provide input.

So what can you do to make sure your local officials don’t pass laws taking away your rights?

Follow these tips:

• Stay informed. Make sure you are keeping an eye on what your local lawmakers are doing so you will know if they are considering something that might take away your rights. This can be as easy as reading your local newspaper and/or attending a few city council or county commissioner meetings.
• Educate local lawmakers like you would your state representatives. Take some time to meet with your local lawmakers and get to know them. Invite them to a club meeting, a club event, or a field trial. Give them information on sporting dogs and let them know that dog related ordinances, even if well intended, could potentially hurt responsible dog owners like you. If they know you as the knowledgeable “hunting dog guy” they are much more likely to turn to you when these issues arise.

Attacks on your rights as sportsmen and sporting dog owners can come from all levels – federal, state, and local. Sportsmen must be ready to fight to keep those rights at all levels of government.

As always, if you are faced with the threat of your rights being taken away, USSA is here to help.

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. Visit www.ussportsmen.org.

U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance

Columbus, OH --(Ammoland.com)- Last week, the New Mexico State Game Commission held a meeting to consider changes to the state’s trapping regulations. Included in the changes was a proposal that would have banned trapping on all public lands within the state.

During the meeting, the proposal to ban trapping on public lands, along with a number of other proposed restrictions on trapping, were quickly dismissed by the Game Commissioners. Also defeated was a proposal to increase many trap setback distances – the buffer between traps and trails and roadways.

“New Mexico sportsmen and trappers should thank the Game Commissioners for seeing through the anti-trapping rhetoric and instead basing the state’s trapping regulations on science,” said Rob Sexton, U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance vice president of government affairs.

“Sportsmen in the state can breathe a little easier now that this proposal has been defeated. However, we all know that these groups will be back to take another shot at trapping in the future.”

For months, animal rights and anti-trapping organizations had been pressuring the Game Commission and government officials to ban trapping on public lands.

“This is a great win for trappers and scientific wildlife management,” said Chick Andres, President of the Fur Takers of America. “Trapping is an invaluable tool for wildlife managers in New Mexico and across the country.”

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. Visit www.ussportsmen.org.

U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance

Columbus, OH --(Ammoland.com)- In a city known for proposing bizarre pet store bans, and that’s apparently always dealing with dog park problems, San Francisco’s Animal Control Commission has discussed possibly banning the sale of all pets, including fish. Yes, animal shelters there have apparently received gold fish in dirty bowls, and those owners did not want to flush the fish down the toilet.

The obvious over-reaction is to ban everything.

This far reaching proposed ban includes all animals and all live pets, from dogs and cats to fish, snakes and possibly spiders. Ironically, you could still buy and sell animals that are purchased to be killed and consumed.

Animal rights representatives argue that pet stores are the primary source of animals that eventually end up in overcrowded animal shelters. Pet store owners, and many current dog owners, view this law as one more step in the animal rights movement to force their agenda on everyone—everywhere.

This proposed all-animal pet ban has history. At a May 12, 2011 SF Animal Control Commission meeting, an attendee asked for an update on the proposed pet sale ban in the city, and inquired about when it might be considered again.

Commissioner Philip Gerrie, who co-authored the proposed ban, stated, “I have not had the necessary time to possibly reintroduce it.”

The truth about the animal rights agenda is finally front and center: these folks do not want anyone, anywhere to have any pet—period.

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. Visit www.ussportsmen.org.

U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance

Columbus, OH --(Ammoland.com)- On Thursday, July 21st, the New Mexico State Game Commission will consider changes to trapping regulations which could ban trapping on all public lands in the state.

The Commission meeting is scheduled for July 21, 2011 at 9:00 a.m. and will take place at the Clayton Civic Center, 124 North Front Street in Clayton, New Mexico.

Two proposed rule changes are being considered by the Commission and will be debated on that day. The first, the “Recommended Rule,” would allow public lands trapping to continue with a few new restrictions on trapping. The second proposal, the “Alternate Rule,” would ban trapping on all federal, state, and other public lands within New Mexico.

“Sportsmen in New Mexico must make their voices heard today,” said Jeremy Rine, USSA associate director of state services. “Animal rights and anti-trappers are trying to bypass wildlife management professionals and shut down trapping. The state’s trapping regulations need to be based on sound science and not on unfounded claims by anti-trappers.”

The Alternate Rule was included for the Commission’s consideration when anti-trapping and animal rights activists started pressuring the Game Commission and government officials to ban trapping on all public lands.

“Trapping has been shown time and again to be one of the most effective wildlife management tools for states,” said Chick Andres, President of the Fur Takers of America.

“Despite this fact, anti-trapping organizations are constantly pushing to chip away at this country’s great heritage of trapping and wildlife management.”

Take Action! New Mexico sportsmen need to contact the state’s Game Commissioners and ask they oppose the Alternate Plan banning trapping on public lands. Sportsmen should also ask that they oppose any changes to the state’s trapping regulations that are not based sound science.

Contact information for the New Mexico State Game Commissioners can be found here.

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. Visit www.ussportsmen.org.

U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance

Columbus, OH --(Ammoland.com)- The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation (USSAF) and a group of state sportsmen’s organizations have submitted comments to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for returning recovered wolf populations in the Western Great Lakes region to state management.

Western Great Lakes wolves are currently on the Endangered Species List (ESA). This is the latest in the long-running saga of the USSAF’s support of scientific wildlife management.

In April, the Service announced a proposal to remove Western Great Lakes region wolves from ESA protection. This move would allow wolves in Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin to be controlled by state wildlife managers.

USSAF’s comments to the Service highlight two major reasons for delisting this population.

First, the comments point out that wolves in the region have far exceeded recovery goals. Second, USSAF’s comments address a critical scientific issue created by the Service when it also announced that it may recognize a second species of wolves in the Western Great Lakes region. An incorrect finding that two species of wolves exist in the region would open the delisting to a challenge by the anti-hunting lobby seeking to prevent the return of wolves in the region to state management.

USSAF’s comments are supported by the affidavit of wildlife and wolf genetics expert Dr. Lisette Waits. Dr. Waits’ comments highlight wolf genetic studies and other scientific facts showing there are not two separate wolf species in the Western Great Lakes region and thus, the Service should not recognize a second species.

Joining USSAF in its comments are the Wisconsin Bear Hunters Association, Dairyland Committee of Safari Club International Chapters of Wisconsin, Whitetails of Wisconsin, and Wisconsin Firearms Owners, Rangers, Clubs, and Educators, Inc.

“For years, science has shown that these wolves have far exceeded recovery goals,” said Rob Sexton, U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance vice president of government affairs. “Additionally, we hope that the Service will look at the prevailing scientific facts that show only one wolf population exists within the Western Great Lakes region and it will avoid letting the antis use this unsupported claim as another roadblock to rightfully returning wolves to state management.”

Previous efforts to delist recovered wolf populations have been reversed as a result of lawsuits filed by animal rights groups. In those cases, the reversals dealt with technical issues and did not question or overturn findings that wolves have met recovery goals.

Click here to view a complete copy of USSAF’s comments.

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. Visit www.ussportsmen.org.

U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance

Columbus, OH --(Ammoland.com)- While summer heat is searing much of the US, hunting dog owners everywhere are encouraged to be certain that their dogs are properly cared for, and prepared for, the “dog days” ahead.

While hunters set the highest standard for dog care in the US, these simple tips can apply to all dogs.

Heat can take a toll on animals that are outside—even for a brief period of time when air temperatures soar. No hunter wants to lose a great hunting companion to heat or heat-caused stress. Several simple and easy care tips can help protect your pet.

First, if your dog has long thick hair, keep it brushed and clean and free of burrs and matted areas. Keeping a dog’s coat clean reduces the stress on the animal. Possibly consider having long hair groomed and clipped on the dog to help it stay cooler.

Bob Wehle: No one held to a higher standard as a sportsman and a dog breeder.

When exercising your dog during summer days (recommended for all hunting dogs as fall seasons approach), select time periods that are cooler and when humidity levels are lower. Carefully selecting the time outdoors, and controlling the amount of exercise your dog receives, can help it avoid possible heat stroke problems. Learn and stay alert to overheating and its impact on your hunting dog. Don’t push exercise if your dog is panting heavily and develops white foam around the gums.

If your dog is kept in an outdoors kennel, always provide a shaded area so your dog can move out of the sun. If necessary, wrap the top and sides of the kennel with a shade screen. Provide plenty of fresh water on summer’s hot days. When possible, consider taking your dog for a swim in a lake or other body of water.

Also, be vigilant to parasites that can rob your dog of energy—or create irritations. Fleas and ticks can also cause your dog stress during the summer heat. Consult your veterinarian if you cannot keep these pests under control.

Be extra cautious about exposing your dog to pesticides and fertilizers applied to plants and lawns around the home. While popular with some homeowners, dogs might also eat coffee grounds and cocoa mulch used in home landscaping projects and could become ill or poisoned. The same goes for other chemicals that could be stored or open in the garage or work areas.

In addition to food to eat as scheduled, be certain your dog has plenty of clean, cool water to drink. Change the water daily—and often during the day when possible. Stagnant water can lead to other dog health issues caused by mosquitoes. Another source of water can work to help keep you dog cool and happy. You can also offer ice cubes or crushed ice as treats, as many dogs love these.

Dog days of summer —and those first hot days of dove season— do not have to be deadly days for hunting dogs. Learn the sign of heat stress in dogs and take proper precautions.

About the USSA: The US Sportsmen’s Alliance’s watchdog efforts protect the rights of hunters, anglers and trappers in the courts, legislatures, at the ballot, in Congress, and through many public education programs. The USSA works to battle anti-hunting organizations and their attempts to stop hunting, such as the more than a dozen puppy mill bills that have been introduced in various states. A recent puppy mill battle in Texas cost tens of thousands of dollars. You can help protect the future of hunting with dogs by making a donation- NOW—to the USSA’s Sportsmen’s Issues Defense Fund. For more information about the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance and to donate, call (614) 888-4868 or visit: www.ussportsmen.org.

U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance

Columbus, OH --(Ammoland.com)- If you are looking for future hunting opportunities, you might take a look at some odd recommendations by an unlikely source– PETA.

On the groups’ website are their lists of common pests that hunters can –or do—pursue.

On this PETA pest and problem species list are: beavers, geese, deer, raccoons, bears, coyotes, ducks, prairie dogs, mountain lions, foxes, and wolves.

Ok, most state game departments do not recognize most of those species as pests, but someone forgot to tell PETA. In fact only prairie dogs make the standard recognized pest species. One right answer out of a dozen guesses by PETA is not very accurate.

And if you are looking for a place to hunt, PETA also notes that “… hunting is permitted in many wildlife refuges, national forests, and state parks, and on other public lands.” Thanks, PETA, for helping hunters everywhere plan great summer, or future, hunt.

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. Visit www.ussportsmen.org.

U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance

Columbus, OH --(Ammoland.com)- Michigan’s legislature has passed Families Afield legislation that would allow new youth to head afield under the guidance of an experienced adult mentor.

Senate Bill 207, sponsored by Senator Joe Hune (R- Hamburg Township) and House Bill 4371, sponsored by Representative Peter Pettalia (R- Presque Isle), have been sent on to Governor Rick Snyder. Together, the bills eliminate the state’s arbitrarily-set, minimum hunting age and create a new mentored youth hunting program.

Current state law prohibits youth under the age of 10 from hunting, even when under the supervision of a mentoring adult. Under this new legislation, these youth will now be able to experience hunting under a program administered by the state’s Natural Resources Commission. These new youth hunters in the program will be permitted to hunt while under the supervision of an experienced adult mentor.

“We sincerely thank Senator Hune and Representative Pettalia for recognizing the need for Michigan to take this major step forward for youth hunting recruitment and participation in Michigan,” said Jeremy Rine, U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance associate director of state services.

“If signed by the Governor, the legislation will allow parents to decide when their children are old enough to hunt under the guidance of an experienced adult mentor.”

Michigan is in the minority of states that arbitrarily limit when a youth may begin hunting.

“This legislation aims to increase youth involvement in hunting by allowing young hunters to safely experience outdoor hunting traditions under the supervision of an experienced mentor,” said Senator Joe Hune. “The new Mentored Youth Hunting Program will allow Michigan youngsters to experience our state’s great hunting heritage while learning safe hunting practices from an adult mentor.”

USSA worked with the Michigan United Conservation Clubs (MUCC) in developing and advocating for Senate Bill 207 and House Bill 4371.

“MUCC would like to personally thank Rep. Pettalia and Sen. Hune for their willingness to develop a positive solution to improve youth hunting safety and ethics,” said MUCC Executive Director Erin McDonough. “The Hunter Heritage bill is long awaited by Michigan families who cherish our state’s great outdoor traditions.”

If signed by Governor Snyder, the legislation would be Michigan’s second Families Afield bill. In 2006, Michigan passed Families Afield legislation that created an apprentice hunting license for those 10 and older while lowering the state’s minimum hunting age requirements for both big and small game.

The Families Afield initiative was established by the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance, the National Shooting Sports Foundation, and the National Wild Turkey Federation to bring a new generation of sportsmen to the field. Along with the National Rifle Association and the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, the Families Afield coalition has worked to pass measures in 32 states with more than 600,000 apprentice or mentored hunting licenses sold since the program’s inception.

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. Visit www.ussportsmen.org.