NOV, 2011 "In The Crosshairs"
Nov 17, 2011
CONGRESSIONAL ACTION ALERT
For Immediate Release: November 17, 2011
Washington, DC - Safari Club International strongly opposes the
draft shooting sports policy that was recently released by the BLM.
This
draft policy is very likely to diminish shooting access to
public lands and could lead to reduced hunting opportunities on BLM
lands. It was released to the Wildlife and Hunting Heritage
Conservation Council who also have strongly opposed the policy
stating it will "have the practical effect of moving recreational
shooting off public lands."
"Sportsmen have repeatedly sought to collaborate with the federal
agencies and have been greeted with a proposed Bureau of Land
Management Recreational Shooting policy that is a slap in the face
to shooters and hunters everywhere," stated SCI President Kevin
Anderson. "This new policy could lead to a ban of recreational
shooting on millions of acres of public land, and reduce hunting
opportunities. The policy is also an affront to the foundation of
the Executive Order 13443: Facilitation of Hunting Heritage and
Wildlife Conservation, the federal advisory committee charter for
the Wildlife Hunting Heritage Conservation Council and the
Memorandum of Understanding between 42 sportsmen's groups and the
federal agencies on Recreational Sport shooting."
SCI finds the reason for this draft policy even more disturbing.
BLM believes that sport shooting is not compatible with changing
demographics and wants to prioritize "urbanites" over long-time
users. Frank Jenks, a natural resource specialist with the BLM is
quoted in a recent U.S. News and World Reports Article that "It's
not so much a safety issue. It's a social conflict issue," and that
urbanites "freak out" when they hear shooting on public lands.
SCI believes that public lands are held in trust for the public
and that BLM should manage its lands under its multiple-use mandate
and not bow to radical environmental pressure. "Sportsmen will not
sit quietly as this administration pushes them off of our public
lands and curtails traditional recreational activities", Anderson
concluded.
If you would like to help SCI oppose this unprecedented power
grab please consider donating to the SCI's Hunter Defense Fund.
Contributions to the Hunter Defense Fund will help us oppose
these government overreaches and Protect the Freedom to Hunt!