06/08/2007

Maine Passes Law to Increase Hunter Recruitment

A Families Afield bill that will help bolster the number of hunters in Maine has been signed into law.

Families Afield is a campaign established by the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance, National Shooting Sports Foundation, and National Wild Turkey Federation to urge states to eliminate unnecessary hunting age restrictions and ease hunter education mandates for first-time hunters.

Gov. John Baldacci signed Maine HP 370 on June 4. The bill, introduced by Wesley Richardson, R-Warren, will establish a one-year apprentice hunting license for persons 16 years and older. The apprentice will be required to hunt in the presence of a licensed hunter over 18 years.

States that have approved Families Afield legislation and regulations have measured the program’s performance and report a significant climb in new hunters. The available data reveals that apprentice hunting license programs brought nearly 34,000 new hunters to the field without a single hunting-related shooting incident.

Lawmakers in Oklahoma, Oregon, Kansas, Washington and other states have also passed Families Afield legislation this year to enact apprentice hunting license programs and lower hunting age restrictions.

Copyright© U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance-www.ussportsmen.org

02/26/2007

USSAF Will Defend Sportsmen in Legal Fight to Ban Trapping

A federal judge will allow the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation to represent the nation’s sportsmen in a precedent-setting lawsuit brought by anti’s to end trapping in Maine. The legal challenge is meant to derail hunting, fishing and trapping wherever endangered or threatened species exist.

On Feb. 23, U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock Jr. granted the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation (USSAF) and its U.S. Sportsmen’s Legal Defense Fund (U.S. SLDF) permission to join the suit, which was brought by the Animal Protection Institute. The anti’s are suing the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to expand endangered and threatened species protections to healthy and abundant wildlife populations.

“In light of a Minnesota U.S. District Court’s ruling on a similar case just weeks ago, we feel good that trapping has a strong chance of prevailing,” said Rob Sexton, U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation vice president for government affairs. “The real danger for sportsmen all over the country is that the taking of any species – by hunting or fishing as well as trapping -- could be stopped if a threatened or endangered species is determined to be in the area.”

At issue is the anti’s legal argument that trapping of any species should be banned to prevent the inadvertent catch of federally protected Canada lynx, bald eagles and gray wolves. There is no data proving this to be a problem.

The lawsuit represents more than a strike against trapping. If anti’s can stop trapping in a place where there is a risk of catching these federally protected animals, they can just as easily try to stop fishing where there is a risk of catching an endangered species of sturgeon.

The lawsuit also treads on states’ authority to manage wildlife. An unfavorable decision would virtually require judges to close hunting, fishing and trapping.

As the case develops, the USSAF continues to defend sportsmen’s rights in a similar lawsuit brought by API against the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR). On Feb. 1, an earlier suit against the DNR was settled and trapping preserved. The U.S. Sportsmen’s Legal Defense Fund had been party to that case, as well.

The USSAF joins the Maine suit, along with the Fur Takers of America, National Trappers Association, Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine, Maine Trappers Association, and individual sportsmen Oscar Cronk, Donald Dudley and Alvin Theriault.

The U.S. Sportsmen’s Legal Defense Fund is the nation’s only litigation force that exclusively represents sportsmen’s interests in the courts. It defends wildlife management and sportsmen’s rights in local, state and federal courts. The U.S. SLDF represents the interests of sportsmen and assists government lawyers who have little or no background in wildlife law.

Copyright© U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance-www.ussportsmen.org

10/23/2006

Courtroom Turns into Battleground for Animal Rights

Animal activists are suing the state to derail trapping in Maine. The suit is the latest in a spate of court cases that could lead to the end of trapping, hunting and fishing wherever endangered species exist.

On Oct. 12, the Animal Protection Institute (API) filed a federal lawsuit against the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (IFW). The case, which is nearly identical to an existing suit in Minnesota, centers around Canada lynx, bald eagles and gray wolves. The API claims that because these federally protected species could be caught in a trap, trapping should be prohibited. There is no data proving that there is a problem.

“The anti’s are not filing these lawsuits to protect the integrity of threatened and endangered species, but rather to advance their own political agenda,” said Rob Sexton, U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance Foundation (USSAF) vice president for government affairs. “They want to establish a legal precedent that can be used to stop all hunting and even fishing anywhere endangered animals exist.”

The USSAF and its U.S. Sportsmen’s Legal Defense Fund (U.S. SLDF) asked the court for permission to join the suit on sportsmen’s behalf. The U.S. SLDF is the nation’s only litigation force that exclusively represents sportsmen’s interests in court.

The U.S. SLDF received permission in September to join in a third anti-trapping lawsuit, which was also brought in Minnesota. The Humane Society of the United States and a smaller animal rights group are suing the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to stop trapping because Canada lynx could be caught in a trap. The U.S. SLDF has asked Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge Raymond Erickson to combine the suit with the one brought by API in that state.

“Each of these cases could set precedents that would affect how the ESA can be applied throughout the nation,” said Sexton. “If anti’s can stop trapping in a place where they assert there is a risk of catching lynx, they can just as easily try to stop fishing in bodies of water where they claim there is a risk of catching endangered sturgeon.”

Animal rights groups previously used the Endangered Species Act to force the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to suspend trapping with snares. The state’s coyote snaring program is still in limbo as state wildlife officials attempt to obtain incidental take permits from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to protect the state if any listed species are inadvertently injured or killed in a snare.

Copyright© U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance-www.ussportsmen.org

07/25/2003

Maine trapping ban fails; Sunday hunting bill lives on

With the close of the Maine legislature, a proposed trapping ban has been defeated and a bill to expand hunting opportunities carries over into the state’s next legislative session.

House Bill 347, sponsored by Rep. Thomas D. Bull, D-Freeport, would have banned the use of snares. State representatives responded to sportsmen’s pressure and opposition from the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife by defeating the bill. It did not pass before the carry over deadline.

As the anti-trapping bill died, the Maine House of Representatives carried over a bill to the next legislative session that would allow limited Sunday hunting.

House Bill 308, sponsored by Monica McGlocklin, D-Embden, would permit Sunday hunting of small game, including rabbits and gamebirds, on private property in towns, plantations, or townships that do not have a full local government. The legislature adjourned on June 18, but the bill will carry over in the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee until the next legislative session reconvenes on January 7, 2004.

Take Action! Maine sportsmen should contact their state representatives and urge them to support HB 308 when the legislative session reconvenes. To find your representative and for contact information use the Legislative Action Center at www.ussportsmen.orgor call (207) 287-1400.

Copyright© U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance-www.ussportsmen.org