Outdoor commentary and legislative issues.
The Arizona Game and Fish Department today filed a motion to intervene in a lawsuit recently filed against the Kaibab National Forest by the Sierra Club, Grand Canyon Wildlands Council and Center for Biological Diversity. The groups want the U.S. Forest Service to place a mandatory ban on hunting with lead ammunition in northern Arizona. Read more
By Glen Wunderlich
The Endangered Species Act (ESA) was designed to help the recovery of endangered or threatened animal species. One of the success stories has landed home – literally – as one of the world’s rarest birds, a lone whooping crane, has been spotted recently in Shiawassee County. In year 1941 only 23 of these birds were known to exist in the entire world, but today some 437 of North America’s tallest birds are alive.
Although there’s room to debate how taxpayer dollars are spent, who’d argue against such a noble endeavor to save one of our most magnificent species? Certainly, no politician would risk the ire of voters by diverting funds meant to save animals from extinction, but behind the scenes, legislation to introduce transparency in accounting for such funds has stalled without ever coming to a vote in the U.S. Senate, led by Harry Reid (D-Nevada). Read more
On Tuesday September 18th, the Center for Biological Diversity and the Minnesota-based group, Howling for Wolves, filed a lawsuit in the Minnesota Court of Appeals against the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR). That lawsuit attempts to block the state’s upcoming wolf hunting and trapping season. The anti’s are asking the Court to issue a preliminary injunction, seeking to stop the wolf season while the rest of the case is decided. Read more
This from my friends at USSA…
The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance has long been concerned over provisions within the Endangered Species Act that anti-hunting groups are using more and more to get large government payouts for filing lawsuits that do not help the recovery of threatened or endangered species. Many of these lawsuits even threaten to stop hunting, fishing, or trapping. Read more
NEWTOWN, Conn. — The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Monday denied yet another frivolous petition by the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) — an established anti-hunting group — calling for a ban on the traditional ammunition (containing lead-core components) for hunting and shooting. Read more
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. Read more