NSSF PRESIDENT CALLS FOR STRONGER WFSA TO MEET HUNTERS' AND SHOOTERS' CHALLENGES WORLDWIDE . . . There is an organization called the World Forum on the Future of Sport Shooting Activities that hunters and shooters should know about because of the work it does on their behalf. It's a unique organization -- an international "association of associations" -- that brings together national groups dedicated to preserving the freedom to own and use sporting firearms around the world. With politically powerful forces pushing diverse strategies to curtail gun ownership internationally, WFSA is the international organization best positioned to share information and empower national organizations to respond to such challenges. The group's annual meeting took place recently at the IWA trade show in Nuremberg, where Steve Sanetti, president of the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute and the National Shooting Sports Foundation, delivered the important closing "call to action" speech. His "call" was for a bigger, more powerful organization. Read more in the NSSF Blog.
NSSF SHOOTING SPORTSCAST . . . NSSF today launched a video podcast that provides tips and news on hunting and the shooting sports. "Shooting Sportscast" is available for free download in high definition through the iTunes store. Episodes can also be viewed on NSSF's YouTube channel and in the hunting and shooting sections of nssf.org.
THIS WEEK'S VIDEO: PATTERN YOUR TURKEY SHOTGUN . . . Turkey season is getting under way in many states. The key in patterning your turkey shotgun is to be sure you have an adequate pattern density at typical turkey-hunting ranges. Watch this video on patterning your turkey gun and then head out to the range to be sure your choke/load combination is on target. Play Video
VERMONT FAMILIES AFIELD BILL CLEARS HOUSE . . . The Vermont House of Representatives on Wednesday passed apprentice hunting legislation aimed at reducing barriers for new hunters. House Bill 243 now moves to the Senate for further consideration. The bill is part of the national Families Afield effort by NSSF, the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance and the National Wild Turkey Federation. The measure, sponsored by Rep. Steve Adams (R- Hartland), will allow newcomers to try hunting under the close supervision of an experienced mentor prior to the completion of hunter education. Since the program's inception, Families Afield legislation has been passed in 29 states with more than 300,000 apprentice licenses sold to date. Other groups giving key support to the Vermont effort include the National Rifle Association, Vermont Traditions Coalition and Ducks Unlimited. Read more from the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance.
THE RIGHT TO HUNT . . . Momentum is building in some states for "right to hunt" legislation. States currently working to pass bills to make hunting a right include South Carolina, Tennessee and Arizona. In the last 15 years, right-to-hunt measures have passed in nine states, including Alabama, Minnesota, North Dakota, Virginia, Wisconsin, Louisiana, Montana, Georgia and Oklahoma (Vermont declared hunting a right in 1777), according to FOXNews.com. FOX News' Douglas Kennedy discusses the legislation in a recent blog post.
NEW JERSEY DEP APPROVES BEAR MANAGEMENT POLICY . . . The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection on Wednesday approved the state's proposed black bear management policy, which would likely mean the first bear hunt in the state in five years, NorthJersey.com reports. A public hearing will be held in May in Trenton before the final adoption of the plan. As reported in Bullet Points last week, New Jersey's black bear population -- and bear-related complaints -- have soared recently. There were 3,006 bear-related calls logged to wildlife officials in 2009, up more than 1,500 from just two years ago.
ATF / INDUSTRY QUARTERLY MEETING RESCHEDULED . . . The ATF / Industry Quarterly Meeting, which was postponed in February due to inclement weather, has been rescheduled for June 8 at the ATF facility in Martinsburg, W.Va. An agenda will be circulated as the meeting nears. Attendance is limited to NSSF and SAAMI voting members. Voting members interested in attending should RSVP to Marje Swarts at mswarts@nssf.org or 203-426-1320.
KEANE INSIGHTS: MINUTEMEN ROLLING IN THEIR GRAVES . . . The "Shot Heard Round the World" was fired in Lexington and Concord, Mass., back in 1775 when individual colonists, aka Minutemen, came out with personally owned firearms to stop the "Redcoats" from seizing the colonists' store of firearms and powder. Well, those brave Minutemen are probably rolling in their graves after the Massachusetts supreme judicial court ruling that the individual right to keep and bear arms protected by the Second Amendment does not apply to Massachusetts. Read more in NSSF's Keane Insights Blog.
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