Washington, D.C. – Safari Club International (SCI) and millions of hunter conservationists worldwide are shocked and disappointed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) decision to continue the ban on the importation of elephants from Zimbabwe for the rest of 2014.

“Like my fellow hunters, I am disappointed in the FWS decision to persist in upholding a ban that has no sound basis in science and undermines conservation,” said SCI President Craig Kauffman.  “This administration continues to talk publicly about the benefits of hunting while siding with anti-hunting extremists time after time.  SCI’s Washington team will do everything within its power to reverse this misguided and baseless policy.” Read more

JACKSON- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Canadian Wildlife Service recently completed their annual waterfowl population surveys on the breeding grounds in the northern United States and Canadian provinces. These surveys monitor waterfowl populations and critical wetland habitats, which are used to help set hunting season frameworks. Overall, North American breeding duck populations increased 8 percent from 2013 estimates to just over 49 million birds. Read more

This from www.Humanewatch.org

The Humane Society of the United States’ lobbying arm, the Humane Society Legislative Fund, recently held a reception near Capitol Hill. The invitation was apparently sent widely across the Hill, and there was even a discount offered to Congressional staffers and interns to try to boost turnout. You’d think an open bar and a “bring your dog” event would attract droves—but you could practically hear the sound of crickets.

Why? It seems folks in D.C. have caught on to HSUS.

HSUS hasn’t had much luck in trying to pass federal legislation. The word is out that HSUS is essentially PETA in a suit and tie, and that was reinforced this week by ads we ran in a Capitol Hill publication. Read more

(Columbus, OH) – A 19-year-old Texas Tech cheerleader is the latest female hunter to be attacked by animal rights groups after she posted photos of her successful African safari on Facebook. Kendra Jones, from Cleburne, Texas has been hunting with her father since she was a child, including being on a safari when just six years old. Her latest hunt however has brought her a wave of Facebook attacks, including death threats. Read more

(Columbus, OH) – Charity Navigator, the nation’s largest and most-utilized evaluator of charities, has stripped their rating of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and other animal rights groups and replaced them with a “Donor Advisory” warning.

Charity Navigator rates organizations from one to four stars, with four being the highest rating possible. According to Charity Navigator, a “Donor Advisory” means that “serious concerns have been raised about this charity which prevents the issuance of a star rating.”

The move comes after Feld Entertainment, Inc., operator of the Ringling Brothers Circus, recovered $15.75 million in attorney fees from HSUS and their codefendants who include Born Free USA/Animal Protection Institute, Fund for Animals, Animal Welfare Institute, and the American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) as reported by USSA in early June. Read more