Results Matter in Black Rhino Hunt

By Glen Wunderlich

A controversial black rhino hunt is set to be auctioned by the Dallas Safari Club (DSC) on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Namibia.  Fueled by typical emotion-driven rhetoric, the usual suspects, including the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), oppose the hunt on the grounds that the animals are endangered.  On the other side, conservationists and biological scientists support the auction as a means to brighten the future of the prized African game species.

First a few facts are in order.  The number one reason for the decline from around a million rhinos in the year 1800 to approximately 30,000 today is poaching.  Rhino horn is one of the mainstays of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and thus has been responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands of rhinos.  The question is not whether rhino horn actually has medicinal value; enough Asians believe it does, and therefore, its value is literally double that of gold.

Namibia’s Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET) was established in 1990 and is responsible for the safeguarding Namibia’s environmental resources.  Since 2004, with the support of scientists in the international Convention on Trade in Endangered Species, Namibia is authorized to sell up to five hunting permits a year. With selective hunting as a part of its comprehensive rhino conservation strategy, the country’s black rhino population has more than doubled since 1990.

DSC expects the permit to sell for at least $250,000, perhaps up to $1 million. All proceeds will be returned to Namibia for underfunded rhino-related projects such as anti-poaching patrols.

Did you catch that?  All proceeds are to be returned to Namibia.

Contrast this with how HSUS uses its questionable tactics to line the pockets of its hierarchy.

HSUS CEO, Wayne Pacelle, raked in $395,000 in total compensation according to its latest tax return. In total, 38 people received over $100,000 in compensation from HSUS—up from 24 the previous year. HSUS put $2.9 million into its pension plan—significantly more than it made in paltry grants to support pet sheltering.

So, rather than paint the DSC with the same brush used on poachers, while lining its own pockets, wouldn’t it be philanthropic if HSUS leaders invested that money in anti-poaching efforts or in efforts to reduce the demand for rhino horns?  (That’s Wayne’s argument against the DSC, by the way, directly from his blog.) Read more

Animal Rights, Hunting, Wildlife

New York City Confiscating Rifles And Shotguns

If ever anyone doubted the reasons that the NRA vehemently opposes gun registration, here is a good example.  New York has changed the rules and is coming after citizens’ firearms based on registration records.  Letters being sent to owners contain the following language:

“It appears you are in possession of a rifle and/or Shotgun (listed below) that has an ammunition feeding device capable of holding more than five (5) rounds of ammunition. Rifles and shotguns capable of holding more than five (5) rounds of ammunition are unlawful to possess in New York City, as per NYC Administrative Code 10-306 (b).”

“You have the following options,” the letter explains.

“1. Immediately surrender your Rifle and/or Shotgun to your local police precinct, and notify this office of the invoice number. The firearm may be sold or permanently removed from the City of New York thereafter.

2. Permanently remove your Rifle and/or Shotgun from New York City and provide the following…Disposition Report/Registration Certificate…Notarized statement of permanent removal…Utility bill or other proof of residency regarding the address where the firearm will be stored outside the City of New York.
Read more:  http://dailycaller.com/2013/12/06/new-york-city-confiscating-rifles-and-shotguns/#ixzz2myShDr4u

Ammunition, Firearms, General, Gun Control, Hunting, Self Defense

Lasers Sights and Lights on the Hunt

(Wilsonville, OR)  Hunters have noted that white-tailed deer and elk populations have plummeted in some US regions because of last year’s disease outbreaks and increasing wolf numbers. More hunters are now turning attention to pests and varmints, like wild boars, coyotes, wolves, foxes, bobcats, raccoons and other species. Crimson Trace, the industry leader in laser sighting technology, makes products that can help increase the thrills-and successes-on the predator and pest hunts. Read more

Firearms, Hunting, Self Defense

SkullHooker Introduces The New Bone Bracket for Skullcaps

KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. (Dec. 9, 2013) – SkullHooker™, the company that has revolutionized the way hunters display their European skull-mount trophies, introduces the new Bone Bracket™.  Specially crafted for those that prefer to display their trophy using the skull plate as the base, the new Bone Bracket makes a simple and elegant solution to displaying skullcapped horns and antlers. Read more

Hunting, Wildlife

Hi-Viz Launches Camo Series of Shotgun Sights

Fort Collins, CO-HiViz Shooting Systems (a division of North Pass Ltd.), announces the Camo Series line of shotgun sights for 2014. “With almost all shotgun models being offered in a camo version, it only seems logical to have your accessories in camo as well”, states Trevor Young, Product Manager at HiViz. “We’ve decided to offer three of most popular shotgun sights in camo as well”, he adds. Read more

Firearms, Hunting

Obama and Bloomberg Use December 14 to Promote Gun Control

Google “Organizing for Action” (OFA), supposedly a non-partisan, grassroots group, and you get www.barackobama.com.  Likewise, click on the preceding link, and it takes you to the Organizing for Action website.  Despite OFA’s innocuous-sounding name, the Chicago-based group is an arm of the Obama political machine, the successor to a similar Obama store-front put together after his 2008 election, Organizing for America. Whatever the group’s name happens to be at a given moment, fulfilling the president’s goal of “fundamentally transforming America” remains its mission. Read more

Firearms, Gun Control, Self Defense
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