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Hunting News Updates from around the World

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ROAR V5N3
Antis Bear Down on NJ
Instead of accepting the clear wildlife management benefits of the successful New Jersey black bear hunt mandated by state wildlife biologists, The New York Post reports anti hunters are supporting new legislation to ban bear hunting in the Garden State for five years. The new bill, S700, is identical to S1219 defeated last year (ROAR 4.8) by the Senate Environment Committee. New Jersey sportsmen should sound off to Senate Environment Committee members regarding S700. They also should voice objections to the rest of the New Jersey Legislature concerning this bill that also would put $95,000 in the pocket of the Humane Society of the United States.

Iams, HSUS in Bed
Western Hunter reports that the Iams pet food company is ignoring concerns voiced by sportsmen. The Proctor and Gamble subsidiary says it has no intention of ending its Grand National Sponsorship of the Pet Fest America tour developed by the Humane Society of the United States. Since appeals to Iams have proven ineffective, Western Hunter advised readers to contact P&G and Iams retail dealers directly “to voice displeasure over the relationship.”

PETA Exploits
Ever willing to stomp on religious sensitivities (ROAR 4.16, 3.13) to further its radical agenda, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals demonstrated against actor/director Mel Gibson and his new movie, The Passion of the Christ.
A gaggle of PETA drones — including one dressed as Jesus and others holding signs with Judeo-Christian overtones — appeared outside Gibson’s Montana ranch on the eve of the movie’s release to protest his raising livestock.

According to Petersen’s Hunting, PETA also continues to buy stock in companies it wants to influence, an activity it started in 1996 to reinforce the effect of its public demonstrations.

Wolf Status Upgrade
On March 24, Wisconsin’s Department of Natural Resources announced it has removed the state’s wolf population from its threatened species list, paving the way for a more proactive approach to managing this predatory species.

State officials also expect the wolf’s federal ESA “threatened” listing to be upgraded soon, thereby giving Wisconsin complete management of the species within its borders, including granting permits that would allow landowners to cull problem wolves.

SCI congratulates Wisconsin for paving the way for better wolf management. In other wolf news, the US Fish & Wildlife Service has published a detailed proposal for wolf management rules for the Western non-essential experimental population, allowing states to manage these wolves. Comment period ends May 10, 2004.

The Globe and Mail in Toronto reports that “scientists have devised a wolf-attack map for several states showing where most predatory animals are likely to roam.”

FFA Maligns Young Hunters
According to The New Voice of New York, Fund For Animals is encouraging New York to raise the minimum hunting age for all categories to 18. The minimum New York hunting ages are 12 years for small game and birds, and 16 years for big game.

The anti-hunting group is calling the Columbia High School Shooting “a wakeup call” to slow the introduction of youngsters to hunting, yet Fund For Animals fails to provide reliable evidence to support its argument.

SCI encourages hunters to be prepared to counter similarly unfounded claims in other states.

Smear Tactics
Canadian conservation groups have been targeted by animal extremists groups raising questions about charitable tax-exempt status, reports CP National News.

An apparent smear campaign, the anti-hunting Charity Action Team submitted its slanted report on March 1 to the Canadian federal government.

The Charity Action Team also is decrying the loss of charitable status by purportedly “genuine animal-welfare and environmental groups,” several of which practice radical anti-sustainable-use agendas. Canadian sportsmen should encourage the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency to ignore this biased fanfare.

Constitutional Amendments
South Carolina and Pennsylvania have joined the ever-increasing list of states that have ensured or are seeking to give residents the constitutional right to hunt and fish (ROAR 5.2).

South Carolina constitutional amendment H3702, which was submitted to “provide for the right of the people to hunt, fish and take game,” was referred from the South Carolina House to the state Senate on March 3 and is currently in the Senate Judiciary Committee awaiting debate.

According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Pennsylvania House “sent its constitutional amendment to the Senate by a vote of 189 to 11, a reminder of the power wielded by sportsmen.”

SCI urges South Carolina sportsmen to sound off to the Senate Judiciary Committee and the rest of the South Carolina Senate on this important bill. Likewise, Pennsylvania hunters ask state senators to make it a right of the people to hunt and fish.

Scholarship Available
New college students seeking financial assistance to attain a degree in wildlife management, natural resource management, wildlife biology, or similar discipline have a new resource to pursue -- SCI’s Alaska Chapter.

The Chapter is offering a $5,000 scholarship each year to an Alaska graduating high school senior who demonstrates academic excellence, is in financial need, and is an avid hunter.

For more information, contact Kelly Dau (907-373-5327, dau@mtaonline.net). Or, visit www.aksafariclub.org/hot_topics.htm to fill out the online form that should be submitted by March 31 to SCI Alaska Chapter, P.O. Box 558, Palmer, AK 99654.

Utah Poaching
In a recent Salt Lake Tribune editorial, 15-year-old hunter Sam McCarty called attention to Utah’s increasing problem with wildlife crime.

“In 2003,” he noted, “there were 4,142 illegal wildlife kills. These are only the reported cases. Many officials believe there is much more poaching than reported. Utah’s diminishing deer herds support this. Poaching isn’t just a crime against the government. It’s a crime against everyone. Poaching can only be stopped by the people of Utah. Everyone needs to get involved.”

SCI concurs with McCarty, and urges anyone with information concerning an act of poaching to contact their state wildlife department or local law enforcement officials.

China Bans Firearms
China has temporarily prohibited firearms import by hunters. While no reason was offered for the ban, Chinese officials told SCI that the restriction may be lifted in the next several weeks. Many hunts are being rebooked for 2005.

It’s A Croc
With a recovered saltwater crocodile population of some 60,000-70,000 animals, Australia’s Northern Territory should begin using hunting to manage croc populations to reduce predation.

The importance of commercial hunting of crocodiles in the Northwest Territory of Australia received unanimous CITES support in 1994. However, in order to include hunters in the management solution, the Australian government still needs to approve the export of harvested crocs.

SCI urges the Australian government to reconsider what Wildlife Management International says is “a policy opposed to ‘hunting wildlife for pleasure.’”

Wildlife Encounters
More human/wildlife encounters are making headlines, underscoring the need for increased management of wild species:
Arizona state wildlife officials registered nearly as many rabid bobcat attacks in January 2004 as in all of 2003, reveals The Arizona Republic.

The Rocky Mountain News reports a pack of coyotes has made a country club in a Denver, Colo. suburb its home and has been preying on pets and waterfowl in the area.

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette notes a 4-foot alligator took a ride on Florida school bus serving the Pasco School District.

Daily News says the number of California mountain lions killed by humans has skyrocketed in the past three decades, with more than 1,700 killed since 1995.

Drop Prop 117!
A recent USA Today editorial questions the protection for California mountain lions in the wake of the state’s fatal January cougar attacks on humans.

“Wildlife officials estimate that today there are 4,000 to 6,000 cougars in California, a tenfold increase since hunting them in that state was stopped in the early 1970s,” described writer Mary Stange. “Not only are lion sightings up dramatically, but lion attacks on livestock, pets, and humans have risen sharply. An average of one human has been attacked per year since 1990; three have died.”

While it would be difficult to overturn Proposition 117, the California legislation that created its growing problem with mountain lions, sportsmen nationwide should help SCI prevent state game officials from being victimized by anti hunters.

Cougar Countdown
Three recent incidents underscore the need for wildlife officials to have the authority to effectively manage exploding mountain lion populations across the western United States, and not be fettered by restrictive and ultimately detrimental absolute wildlife protection laws.

In the wake of January’s tragic mountain lion attack in Orange County, Calif., law enforcement officers were forced to cull a lion that was behaving “in a threatening manner near an elementary school” in the San Diego area, according to thesandiegochannel.com.

A mountain lion has been seen prowling around a Dublin, Calif. subdivision, according to the Alameda Times-Star.

In addition to supporting the efforts of wildlife officials to properly manage mountain lion populations, visit the California Fish & Game website to find out how to help lessen human-cougar encounters near your home, and what to do when encountering a cougar.

DOW Goes Hi-Tech
The Colorado Division of Wildlife has introduced an online resource enabling all hunters to apply online for 2004 big game licenses, and is now receiving more than 500 online applications per day.

Internet-savvy sportsmen should visit http://wildlife.state.co.us/total_licensing and follow the detailed instructions. “Not only does this service help safeguard customers from errors in their applications,” explained DOW manager Henrietta Turner, “it also makes the process much more convenient for our customers.”

Of course, hunters can fill out forms without going online, mailing them in or dropping them off at Denver’s DOW office.

CITES in Geneva
SCI represented the interests of international hunters in the setting and management of export trophies during the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species meeting in Geneva last week.

Other notable meeting highlights included:
CITES Secretariat thanking SCI publicly for its financial support for the publication of the book, “The Evolution of CITES”.

Tentative vote of approval by CITES Animals Committee and Plants Committee for revised criteria to be used in listing and delisting species. SCI championed these guidelines because they avoid politically-motivated listings of species.

Elk Die-off Solved
ESPN.com reports veterinary and wildlife officials investigating the mysterious elk die-off of some 300 animals southeast of Rawlins, Wyo. have discovered the culprit. The cause is the lichen known as parmelia, which is common in Wyoming’s desert soils.

“We are going to need to do further necropsy work to explore the exact physiology behind this,” said WG&F veterinarian Walt Cook, who worked non-stop with colleagues at the Wyoming State Veterinary Laboratory to discover the reason behind the die-off.

The finding follows an exhaustive analysis, which eliminated chronic wasting disease, lead, sulfates, tick paralysis, and a variety of other potential causes.

In other elk news, The Edmonton Journal, reports that despite tripling 2003 hunting licenses for deer and elk, Alberta Fish and Wildlife may introduce out-of-season hunting in 2004 to thin burgeoning populations.

SCI Georgia on BF Goodrich Outdoors
John Wilson, founder and president of Trophy Quest International, will soon start showcasing SCI’s Georgia Chapter on its weekly outdoor sporting television program BF Goodrich Outdoors.

A special 30-second spot will air during morning and evening broadcasts to educate some 10 million viewers about SCI Georgia’s outstanding Safari Wish program, plus its advocacy efforts for sportsmen and the wealth benefits enjoyed by SCI members.

The first airing will be Sunday, April 4 on the Fox Sports Channel. Check local listings for times.

State Wildlife Grants
The Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus and the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership are urging Congress to provide $100 million for the State Wildlife Grants to help fund on-the-ground state wildlife conservation projects across the country.

Over 60 lawmakers already have signed a letter urging Congress to dedicate the funds, and others may join this effort soon. For more information, visit the TRCP Web site.
 
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