This from the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance

4/22/10

The nation’s largest animal rights group, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is continuing its new tactic of buying corporate stock in companies in order to push those companies to conduct business according to its wishes.

According to a press release issued by HSUS, the group bought stock in Flowers Foods Inc., a Georgia-based baked goods company. HSUS intends to use its position to push Flowers Foods to drop egg suppliers that don’t act in accordance with HSUS’ standards including the size of cages used to house hens. This is the same thing HSUS did by purchasing shares in Jack in the Box and Steak N’ Shake restaurant chains earlier in the year as reported by the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance (USSA) in February.

“These are not the actions of a group that only seeks to curb the ‘worst abuses’ as HSUS constantly asserts,” said Bud Pidgeon, USSA president and CEO. “This can only be described as a tactic to fundamentally alter long-standing American traditions and business practices

By Glen Wunderlich
Outdoor Columnist
Member Professional Outdoor Media Association

Baiting is back! One Ken Borton, who had fought a charge of illegally feeding deer by wildlife officials, not only got his case thrown out, but the ban on feeding and baiting deer in the Lower Peninsula was struck down. Otsego County’s 87th District Judge Patricia Morse stated, “The statute as drafted gives no guidance as to where and how to exclude wild animals from foraging near bird feeders. It leaves too much room for selective enforcement. It allows fact finders to rely on subjective criteria to determine criminal liability.”

So, that’s that. Or, is it? Clouding the verdict is this question: Does lifting of the ban apply to the entire Lower Peninsula or only Otsego County? When the baiting ban was struck down, conservation groups were taken by surprise and appear to have no immediate course of action formulated. When I asked MUCC Executive Director, Erin McDonough for a response she said, “No comment.” The Quality Deer Management Association is just as tight-lipped. However, I have learned from the MUCC website that the ban lifting only applies to Otsego County.

Although a punt might do for now, you can bet some serious huddling will take place soon. The MUCC and QDMA supported the ban, and unless I miss my guess, still will. This may be a good opportunity to rethink the drastic measures that were taken when the zero-tolerance law became effective.

It’s now been years since the Kent County private facility was found to harbor a whitetail deer with Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). It’s also been a couple of years since the unexplained case of Bovine Tuberculosis (TB) was found on a Shiawassee County deer; each area has been verified by the DNR to be free of these diseases since after testing tens of thousands of deer.

Personally, I will not be baiting deer, if the ban remains lifted. But, if the conversation moves beyond ethics, there may be some middle ground that can be explored. Biologists agree that CWD and TB are transmitted through nose and mouth contact, which is often the case when piles of bait are used. It seems to make sense to return to a baiting regulation similar to the one we had before the outright ban. Kernels of corn slung about in a large area obviously present less risk of close-quarters contact than a pile of apples or a block of salt or other sweet licks.

If the issue is to contain the spread of disease, the effort to date has been successful – including the TB zone in the northeast area of the Lower Peninsula.

If I appear to be in the middle on this issue, I guess I am. But a more level-headed approach may satisfy concerns of wildlife biologists, while at the same time could allow those who choose chum to chum.

On a tangent, Ken Borton, the man charged with the feeding crime has an interesting web site at www.KenBorton.com. He uses a live web cam and shows the temperature in Gaylord and level of snow in the winter. At any time you may see a turkey, deer, or other wildlife in view. In fact, a camera was focused on one of his bird feeders and deer were often seen feeding on spilled seed. Someone turned him in and that’s what set the wheel in motion – and, where she stops, nobody knows. Because someone else may test the law, if and when he or she is cited for a feeding infraction.

NEWTOWN, Conn. — Plant a sapling and, in time, it will bear much fruit.

That’s the way to look at Families Afield, a program launched in 2004 by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance and National Wild Turkey Federation to reduce states’ regulatory barriers to youth hunting.

Now firmly rooted in 29 states that have passed legislation lowering barriers to youth hunting, the program is producing bushels of new, young hunters. Families Afield’s latest report shows that from 2005 through 2009 more than 388,000 apprentice hunting licenses have been sold, based on 24 states reporting their license sales numbers. As the tree grows, the yield becomes greater: An increase of 100,000 apprentice hunting licenses occurred in 2009 alone.

“A lot of research went into making sure Families Afield was planned properly before its launch, and now because of that preparation Families Afield is really starting to pay dividends for youth hunters and for hunting in general,” said Chris Dolnack, senior vice president of NSSF, the trade association of the firearms industry.

States with the most apprentice hunting license sales are Pennsylvania, 102,663; Michigan, 59,929; and Ohio, 51,416. (See map for other state totals.)

Families Afield is based on a few simple premises: that parents, not politics, should decide at what age a child is mature enough to try hunting, and that when introducing a youngster to hunting, earlier is better.

The need for Families Afield became apparent when a study revealed that hunting regulations in many states did not allow youth to hunt with an adult mentor until sometimes 12 years old or later. The age restriction plus stringent coursework and certification requirements were deterrents to getting started, making it a whole lot easier for children to channel their enthusiasms into video games and organized youth sports.

These barriers were reducing the number of youngsters participating in hunting. Researchers found that for every 100 hunters lost, only 69 were taking their place. If that “hunter replacement ratio” couldn’t be improved, hunting itself could be compromised, along with its critical ties to wildlife conservation and America’s economy.

Families Afield’s answer was to allow licensed adult mentors to introduce youngsters to hunting at younger ages, instilling the passion for hunting in children early — and safely — thereby bonding families together and increasing attendance in hunter education classes.

“It’s satisfying to see Families Afield fulfilling its mission to grow the ranks of hunting,” said Melissa Schilling, NSSF’s manager of recruitment and retention. “Families Afield will have a long-term, positive effect on hunting, and while the program’s numbers are impressive, we’re still in the early stages. Over time, we believe this successful program will add millions of new hunters.”

Schilling added, “Families Afield shows the power of three organizations — NSSF, USSA and NWTF — pooling their various talents and resources to create a profound change in hunter recruitment and retention nationwide.”

To learn more about Families Afield and about your state’s hunting regulations, go to www.familiesafield.org.

(Columbus) – The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance (USSA) is one of numerous groups that are condemning the latest public relations smear campaign by the animal rights group Defenders of Wildlife targeting former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin.

Defender’s has sent out numerous e-mail pleas to its membership asking that they contact Discovery Communications Inc., the parent company of the popular Discovery and Animal Planet channels, and urge it to drop a proposed new documentary to be called “Sarah Palin’s Alaska” in which the former governor will star.

The Defender’s campaign largely rests on a gross mischaracterization of then Alaska Gov. Palin’s wolf management plan and recycled outrage at her opposition to designating polar bears as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

According to the Defender’s website, over 125,000 people have signed an online petition the group intends to forward to Discovery’s CEO David Zaslov.

The USSA has stood up against Defender’s before when the group used the wolf issue during fundraising appeals in 2009. At that time, the USSA and several other leading conservation groups sent a letter to Gov. Palin outlining support for the policy.

The USSA stands by this letter as an accurate representation of the policy. It clarifies that the Alaska program avoids game population decimation, especially for moose and caribou “through a rigorously controlled, scientifically based system.” To view the full letter, Click Here.

The USSA also shares Gov. Palin’s concerns over the ESA designation of polar bears as endangered. That decision was based largely on an unverifiable 50 year projection of what could happen as a result of global warming.

“Once again, Defender’s of Wildlife have chosen to engage in misleading emotional appeals in order to tarnish the reputation of Gov. Palin,” said Bud Pidgeon, USSA president and CEO. “Whatever one’s politics, Gov. Palin should not be falsely accused of being anti-conservation when her actions were in concert with wildlife management professionals and verifiable science.”

Take Action! Sportsmen can let Discovery Communications know that they support their production of “Sarah Palin’s Alaska” by writing a letter to David Zaslav.

Inform him that Gov. Palin is regarded as a conservationist by those inside and outside the wildlife management community and the rhetoric coming from Defender’s reflects an unscientific, emotional appeal. It fails to take into account the science supporting the wolf management program in Alaska as well as the lack of science used to place the polar bear on the endangered species list.

Mr. Zaslav can be reached at:

David M. Zaslav
President and CEO
Discovery Communications Inc.
One Discovery Place
Silver Spring, MD 20910

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

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

By Glen Wunderlich
Outdoor Columnist
Member Professional Outdoor Media Association

In a recent court decision, Judge Ricardo M. Urbina gave his blessing to Washington D.C.’s onerous and restrictive gun control laws designed to make it hard on the working family man to defend himself. He and the District’s leaders must be proud to have placed their anti-gun activism on display in spite of the 2008 landmark Supreme Court case of Heller. But after all, the door was left wide open for a challenge when “reasonable” gun ownership regulations might be acknowledged as acceptable.

What the District then did under the banner of reasonableness was an obvious attempt to push back against the law-abiding. First, it made hoop jumping an art form by requiring a 5-hour class and 20-question test plus personal visits to the police department for fingerprints and background checks. In addition, an applicant would be required to pay in excess of $550 for the paperwork fees. (In Michigan, we have similar tests and much lesser costs but only to obtain permits to carry pistols concealed. These costs and classes in Washington are simply to own a handgun!)

If all of the above doesn’t discourage a D.C. resident from handgun ownership, more “reasonable” restrictions might do the trick. To begin, all semiautomatic handguns are forbidden. That should eliminate about half of the troublemakers. If it holds more than 10 rounds, forget it. But if a determined citizen chooses the approved, politically-correct handgun for self-defense, for example, he must store it unloaded and disabled. (Actually this law was subsequently changed to only require guns to be locked when minors may gain access to them. Astonishingly, D.C.’s murder rate dropped 25 percent after the law was found unconstitutional in the Heller case.)

This just in:  A recent survey shows that crooks prefer the reasonable regulations 100 percent. We sure don’t want to be accused of discriminating against one who may be down on his luck, now do we?
If anyone cannot understand why Americans have propelled gun manufacturers profits into the stratosphere over the past year or so, slow down digest D.C.’s tactics once more.

No new arguments in defense of the District’s position on “public safety concerns” were offered in court; in fact, the court chose to ignore relevant facts that always point to less crime when firearms restrictions and red tape are relaxed. All that was needed was one port-leaning puppet appointed by Bill Clinton.

No doubt an appeal will follow but the chances of overturning the sham grow more difficult each day, as the Obama administration appoints more left-minded Appellate judges that reflect his own left leanings.

I am not surprised that a recent Harris poll indicates that some 18.4 million Americans “currently participate” in handgun shooting – an increase from 16.8 million only last September. The same poll showed that 40 percent of recent firearms purchasers were buying guns for home protection, followed closely by personal protection and target shooting.

Americans understand that more self defense is a deterrent to crime and they are demonstrating it no mater how hard government attempts to protects us from ourselves.

The Remington Outdoor Foundation has partnered with the National Archery in the Schools Program® to offer $3,000 in scholarships to college-bound students who are registered to participate in the 2010 NASP® National Tournament.

“For the Remington Outdoor Foundation, offering NASP® scholarships falls right in line with our mission to support our partners’ efforts to share hunting and target shooting traditions with youth, women and other participants,” said Jim Moore, president of Remington Outdoor Foundation. “We’re encouraged by the fact that a significant percentage of NASP® students reported they are more interested in other shooting sports, including hunting, since taking the archery program in school.”

High school seniors who write and submit a 500- to 1,000-word essay that answers the question, “How has the National Archery in the Schools Program® changed my life?” can win a $1,500 first place scholarship while second and third place winners will receive $1,000 and $500 respectively to help pay for their college education.

To be eligible for the scholarship, students must be registered to participate in the 2010 NASP® National Tournament, and winners will be announced at that event. For information about the world’s largest archery tournament, which will be hosted May 7-8 in Louisville, Ky., visit https://archeryintheschools.org/.

The deadline to submit essays and completed applications is April 30. Students can find the scholarship guidelines and application form and submit their entry at Remington Outdoor Foundation High School Essay Contest or email to info@nasparchery.com. Students and instructors can receive NASP program updates and information by visiting NASP®’s Facebook Fan page.

If you know a college-bound high school senior who is participating in the 2010 NASP® National Tournament, encourage him or her to write an essay and possibly win a scholarship.

By Glen Wunderlich
Outdoor Columnist
Member Professional Outdoor Media Association

When crossbows shot onto the hunting scene last year, retailers enjoyed a robust boost in revenue. Additionally, the State of Michigan benefited from license sales. Yippee! Michigan House Representative, James Bolger of District 63 (Marshall) so declares the experiment a resounding success and now proposes to expand the use of crossbows to make more money for everybody. Hey, times are tough. Why not run with it?

Here’s why. Mr. Bolger’s resume indicates that he has run a small business employing 20 people in a communications business. Good for him! What it doesn’t show, however, is any background in the science of wildlife biology.

Nonetheless, he has proposed the following (HB 5922) redefining the term bow: “bow” would now mean “a device for propelling an arrow from a string drawn, held, and released by hand where the force used to hold the string in the drawn position is provided by the archer’s muscles or a weapon consisting of a bow, with a draw weight of 100 pounds or more, mounted transversely on a stock or frame and designed to fire an arrow, bolt, or quarrel by the release of a bow string that is controlled by a mechanical or electric trigger with a working safety.”

At first glance, the proposal seems innocuous enough but the language change would mean a much broader application in the use of crossbows. Crossbows would become legal in any season or region available to more traditional bow hunting. The problem is that Mr. Bolger is no different than some of the politicians in Washington: He’s not listening to the people.

Proposal G (1996) has given exclusive authority to the Natural Resources Commission (NRC) to regulate the taking of game using sound scientific management. The NRC and the DNRE will continue their work by holding open meetings and gathering scientific data on the potential impact of expanded crossbow use on our wildlife populations. This is what we, the people, are paying the NRC to do for us. And, when we gave the NRC this power in 1996, we did so by an overwhelming majority.

On March 4, Mr. Bolger’s legislation was sent to the House Tourism, Outdoor Recreation and Natural Resources Committee, where lawmakers heard criticisms that the plan nullifies regulations developed from much public input and review of options through the NRC last year.

Amy Spray, of Michigan United Conservation Clubs, opposes the bill and questions if it conflicts with Proposal G language that gives the NRC authority over “methods of take” based on sound scientific evidence. And, since we are reviewing crossbow statistics from only the first year of a three-year probationary period, it’s simply too early to determine what overall effect the current rules will have on the herd, recruitment of new hunters, hunter retention, and so on.

Where was Mr. Bolger last year when the crossbow rules were consummated and why didn’t he put his cards on the table then?

Obviously, not everyone will be happy with change, but it’s time we start listening to the experts – in this case wildlife biologists that we pay for this very purpose – instead of some greedy, short-sighted schemer. It’s entirely possible that Mr. Bolger’s crossbow definition change makes sense, but flexing muscle at this juncture could have a negative impact on deer herd management – not to mention morale of our employees. Let wisdom prevail by permitting our professionals to do what we pay them to do.

GW: The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) has slithered into a campaign in Michigan to prevent a moose hunting season. Once again, there’s always someone or some group that opposes science-based wildlife management in order to further an agenda. In this case, as always with HSUS, it’s about preventing hunting.

Within a short period of time, HSUS will invoke emotion into the mix and plenty of people will buy it regardless of facts – and regardless of the fact that we pay the NRC to manage wildlife issues.

There’s simply no way that licensed, lawful sportsmen will do anything to jeopardize the future of moose hunting any more than has been done with the elk program in Michigan. It’s managed quite well based on the sustainable numbers we have year to year in partnership with the hunting aspect of game management.

Moose would be no different.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Greg R. Lawson (614) 888-4868 x 214
March 23, 2010
Sharon Hayden (614) 888-4868 x 226
USSA Unveils Exciting New Program
to Defend Sportsmen’s Rights

(Columbus) – Today, the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance (USSA) officially unveiled a dynamic new initiative aimed at building an army of sportsmen from coast to coast to protect America’s outdoor heritage for future generations.

The USSA’s Sentry Program is free to join and represents the most intense effort ever focused on attracting sportsmen to become active players in the fight to preserve hunting, fishing and trapping rights whenever they are threatened.

By becoming a Sentry, sportsmen gain access to instant email communications about local and national threats to their outdoor rights as they happen. They will also be given specific instructions on which public officials to contact and when as these threats emerge. This communication network will enable sportsmen to mobilize quicker and more effectively than ever before.

In addition to getting sportsmen engaged in advocacy, the Sentry Program offers additional benefits, giving sportsmen a “one stop” web site for key information including state hunting regulations, information on where one can find a shooting range and other hunting and fishing tips from recognized leaders in the outdoor community.

“There are many anti-hunting organizations seeking to do away with what we love,” said Bud Pidgeon, USSA president and CEO. “By coming together under the Sentry Program, sportsmen will enhance our ranks and collectively stand tall against those groups.”

There is no cost to join the Sentry Program and requires only a minimal amount of information from those interested. For more information, please contact 614-888-4868, visit the USSA’s website at www.ussportsmen.org/BeASentry, or e-mail info@ussportsmen.org.

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

By Glen Wunderlich
Outdoor Columnist
Member Professional Outdoor Media Association

There aren’t many things in life that we attempt for the first time which hold no room for improvement. Whether it’s bowling, golf, painting, driving – you name it – we fall short of perfection no matter how simple the task may have appeared. Shooting a firearm is no different.

Years ago, a neighbor and I were shooting bowling pins at 10 yards with our 9mm pistols, as a form of target practice. After he missed a few, we set them up and I shot each one of them in the head at the same distance. I then demonstrated the technique to my neighbor and, when we set the pins up again, he went 10 for 10 the very next time – all head shots, too. It was a matter of technique.

While I understand the compulsion to risk a dollar for millions on the lottery, for example, the consequences for failing seem small in comparison to the potential. There’s not a lot of harm for failing; heck, what’s a dollar today? But when it comes to pulling the trigger on a running deer at long range, the odds at success may be little better than winning the lottery’s jackpot, although failure may have consequences the trigger-happy hunter may not realize.

Clean misses are always better than shots that are almost good, when wounding and maiming result. However, the trouble with missing clean is that the unethical hunter usually has no clue as to why he missed. The shot may have been high, low, or behind the fleeing game. All he knows, if he bothers to actually check the scene carefully, is that he missed.

Worse yet, the game animal may be hit in a non-vital area that makes recovery impossible. If you are thinking, oh well, it’s only a deer, count yourself on the side of anti-hunters. It’s not that all gimpy game results from poor marksmanship, but who is going to convince the growing contingent of anti-hunters otherwise?

When we begin to accept that hunter numbers are declining and that anti-hunters are well-funded and are not going away, we may begin to understand the importance of hunting ethics.

I am not suggesting that some hunters have not attained the skill level to consistently kill animals on the run; I have just never met one. And, I don’t know anyone who practices shooting moving targets at long ranges and is good enough to follow the 9/10 rule: If you are good enough to place 9 out of 10 shots into a 6-inch circle at a given range with your chosen firearm, bow, or spear, then you are good enough. It’s a simple barometer that always works.

Practice doesn’t necessarily make perfect; perfect practice makes perfect. A working knowledge of the ballistic properties of your given load and firearm goes a long way toward understanding what happens downrange. But when a 20-mph wind blows at 90 degrees, your fingers are cold, it’s getting dark and you are not sure of the distance, it makes no sense to let one fly.

Shot discipline means that sometimes we go home empty-handed. It also means we didn’t cripple a healthy animal and that we didn’t give anti-hunters examples of foolishness afield.

Certainly, we were not able to bag that trophy buck by holding back, either. But, on another day, we might be able to get a better opportunity by outsmarting him and staying within our known limitations.