9/14/11

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 http://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

(Columbus, OH) – The lengthy battle over hunting access on dozens of units of the 100 million-acre National Wildlife Refuge system has ended—and hunters can declare VICTORY! In April 2011, federal Judge James S. Gwin ruled for sportsmen across America by granting summary judgment in favor of the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and other defendants while denying a lawsuit aimed at closing hunting on National Wildlife Refuge System parcels. After this ruling, an appeal process was opened, and the appeal clock began ticking. On Monday, that appeal period came to an end with the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) failing to file any appeal.

“This long sought win is a great victory for hunters everywhere, and reinforces the process of keeping national wildlife refuges open for hunting, by hunters,” said Bill Horn, the US Sportsmen’s Alliance director of federal affairs.

This long-running case began in 2003, when the Fund for Animals, which later merged with the HSUS, filed a lawsuit to stop hunting on 39 refuges. The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation (USSAF), along with other organizations, intervened on behalf of sportsmen. Anti-hunting groups later expanded the lawsuit to nearly 60 refuges. USSAF defended this case for eight years, through many rounds of hard-fought and costly briefing, providing stability in the defense as the U.S. attorneys assigned to the case changed frequently over that time.

Judge Gwin’s April 2011 ruling stopped HSUS’ attempt at using the National Environmental Policy Act to close hunting on these refuges. In making the decision, the judge noted that “Plaintiffs, however, are not entitled to an inviolate sanctuary for their preferred uses – Congress has determined that, to the extent possible, hunters, fishers, observers, photographers, and educators must share the refuge.”

The 1997 Refuge Improvement Act, championed by the USSA, made hunting, fishing and other wildlife oriented activities priority uses on refuge units. The Act also mandated hunting and fishing activities be “facilitated”. Now, 14 years after passage of the Act, Judge Gwin’s ruling firmly rejects Plaintiffs’ attempt to “end run” the Act.

“The majority of national wildlife refuges were created to be open to hunting, and now hunters everywhere can continue to legally pursue their interests on these great public lands,” said Walter “Bud” Pidgeon, USSA president and CEO. “With the end of this prolonged battle, this solidly reaffirms that hunting is a priority use of refuge land wherever and whenever compatible with wildlife management.”

The U.S. Sportsmen’s Legal Defense Fund (SLDF), the legal arm of the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation, has worked since the beginning of this case to defend the rights of hunters and has collaborated with other groups including Safari Club International (SCI). Together, the SLDF and SCI are co-counsels and also represent Ducks Unlimited, the National Rifle Association, Izaak Walton League, Delta Waterfowl Foundation, and California Waterfowl Association.

National Wildlife Refuges provide vast opportunities for hunters seeking waterfowl, big game, furbearers, and much more. Refuge hunting provides countless hours of public recreation while also helping maintaining optimal wildlife populations.

The National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 empowered the Fish and Wildlife Service to open refuges to hunting when compatible with the purposes for which the refuges were established. Today, hunters can continue to enjoy these benefits thanks to this important win.

About USSA and USSAF: The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance and the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation 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 has more than 110,000 Sentry members that regularly receive information about conservation issues, and then actively work to promote and protect scientific conservation through calls and contacts. For more information about the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance, U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation and the Sentry program, call (614) 888-4868 or visit: www.ussportsmen.org.-30–