Sept. 27 a Day to Recognize Sportsmen's Efforts

Vol. 09 No. 36 - September 2, 2008

NHF DAY EVENTS PLANNED NATIONWIDE . . . Special events are being planned across the country for National Hunting and Fishing Day, set for Sept. 27. In this critical election year for sportsmen and sportswomen, the annual celebration will serve as a reminder to all Americans that conservation succeeds only because of leadership and funding from hunters, shooters and anglers. Everyone from retail stores to state fish and wildlife departments and sportsmen's clubs are planning special events that celebrate sportsmen and sportswomen and recognize their importance. For information on NHF Day, including how you can help promote the celebration, a list of events planned throughout the country and information on how to plan your own NHF Day event, visit www.nhfday.org.

NHF DAY DRAWING: WIN A YAMAHA GRIZZLY FI ATV . . . Hunters and anglers can enter to win a 2009 Yamaha Grizzly 550 FI ATV by visiting the official Web site of National Hunting and Fishing Day, www.nhfday.org. The drawing is open to Web site visitors as well as anyone who works or attends one of the many NHF Day celebrations to be held across the country. A list of events is at the NHF Day Web site. Yamaha Motor Corp., U.S.A. is the latest to sponsor the annual commemoration.

Election '08

McCAIN VP PICK A LIFELONG HUNTER, GUN-RIGHTS SUPPORTER . . . On her official Web site, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is described as "a lifetime member of the NRA and enjoys hunting, fishing ... and all that Alaska's great outdoors has to offer." Palin was tapped Friday as Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain's running mate. While campaigning for governor in 2006, she told USA Today, "We hunt as much as we can, and I'm proud to say our freezer is full of wild game we harvested here in Alaska." After the Supreme Court's recent ruling that struck down Washington, D.C.'s longtime handgun ban, Palin publicly applauded the decision. Newsweek.com features a look at the vice presidential pick and how her presence in the race could bring gun-related issues to the forefront. Learn more about the presidential candidates and their views on firearms-related issues at NSSF.org/VoterEd.

DNC PARTY PLATFORM ON GUN CONTROL . . . The Democratic National Committee has released its official party platform including its position on gun control: "We believe that the right to own firearms is subject to reasonable regulation, but we know that what works in Chicago may not work in Cheyenne. We can work together to enact and enforce commonsense laws and improvements -- like closing the gun show loophole, improving our background check system, and reinstating the assault weapons ban ..." View the offical platform (Firearms section is on Page 48).

RNC PARTY PLATFORM ON GUN CONTROL . . . The Republican National Committee has released its official party platform including its position on gun control: "We condemn frivolous lawsuits against firearms manufacturers, which are transparent attempts to deprive citizens of their rights. We oppose federal licensing of law-abiding gun owners and national gun registration as violations of the Second Amendment. We recognize that gun control only affects and penalizes law-abiding citizens, and that such proposals are ineffective at reducing violent crime." View the official platform (Firearms section is on Page 51).

'ELECT FREEDOM' THEME FOR CONFERENCE . . . It's time to register for the 2008 Gun Rights Policy Conference, which will be held in Phoenix, Ariz., Sept. 26-28. This 23rd annual conference, sponsored by the Second Amendment Foundation, will discuss relevant topics, preview the upcoming presidential election and analyze the U.S. Supreme Court Heller Decision.

Legal and Legislative

D.C. FFL EXPECTS TO BE LICENSED TODAY . . . The New York Times reports that Charles W. Sykes Jr. is expected to receive an annual license from the District Police Department today. That, along with his Federal Firearms License, will allow him to be the first person in the District of Columbia since the Supreme Court overturned Washington's ban on handguns to serve as a transfer agent for the purchase of firearms.

LAWYERS IN D.C. GUN-BAN CASE SEEK FEES FROM DISTRICT . . . The attorneys who successfully sued the District of Columbia over the district's gun ban have asked a federal judge to order D.C. to pay more than $3.5 million in legal fees. "It's unfortunate that D.C. taxpayers have to foot the bill for the anti-gun politics of their leadership," said NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel Lawrence G. Keane. "Certainly this money would be put to better use if it were allocated to proven crime-reduction measures like adding more police officers and prosecutors." Mr. Heller, the respondent in the case, has been forced to sue the District of Columbia a second time following the district's refusal to honor the Supreme Court ruling.

Shooting Ranges

NEW PUBLIC RANGE IN ALABAMA . . . The Marengo Public Shooting Range is scheduled to open on Thursday, when a ceremonial first shot will be fired at 10 a.m. The range, in Linden, was established by the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources' (ADCNR) Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division, in partnership with the Marengo County Commission. The eleventh range operated by the division, it will feature a covered shooting line with a 25-yard pistol and rifle range, a 100-yard rifle range and a shotgun area.

TEXAS AWARDS GRANTS FOR SEVEN RANGES . . . Shooters will benefit from $278,000 in matching grants for the construction and renovation of seven target ranges across Texas in Kerr, McLennan, Harris, Cochran, Angelina, Caldwell, Williamson and Smith Counties. One of the recipients, the Pines Sporting Club in Angelina County, will serve as a model club for the Scholastic Clay Target Program.

Hunting

PENNSYLVANIA COUNCIL SEEKS DIALOGUE WITH HUNTERS . . . The Governor's Advisory Council for Hunting, Fishing and Conservation wants to hear from Pennsylvania residents, especially sportsmen's clubs and recreation organizations, about how to improve the hunting experience in the Keystone State. Council Member Linda Steiner said the council views this effort as an opportunity for policy makers to look for fresh ideas on how to reverse the steady decline in participation.

STATE LOWERS MINIMUM AGE FOR AT-HOME HUNTER ED STUDY . . . The Pennsylvania Game Commission has lowered the minimum age from 17 to 14 required to take its independent study Hunter-Trapper Education Class. Initiated in 2006 for first-time hunters at least 17 years of age, the program, says Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe, "meets the needs of today's changing world by accommodating busy lifestyles." Though the program helps to remove the impediment of scheduling classroom time, students who complete the at-home portion of the course still must meet with a conservation officer to learn more about the Game and Wildlife Code, hunting ethics and landowner relations and then take the certification test. NSSF has long been a proponent of this independent study concept and has supported the International Hunter Education Association in developing a prototype program.

Jobs

INDUSTRY CAREER CONNECTION . . . Visit www.nssf.org/jobs for current employment opportunities in the shooting, hunting and outdoor industry. Employers: Log in to post a job opening.