NSSF Bullet Points Articles

Stepping Up For Step Outside

Russ Thurman, editor of “Shooting Industry” magazine, presented a $6,000 check to NSSF’s STEP OUTSIDE program last week at the National Association of Sporting Goods Wholesalers (NASGW) Expo in Reno, Nev. FMG Publications, which publishes “Shooting Industry,” raised the money for the program at this year’s Shooting Industry Masters.

Fund's Misson Remains The Same

In a move to promote administrative efficiencies, NSSF and the Hunting and Shooting Sports Heritage Fund boards voted unanimously last week to bring the Heritage Fund under the NSSF umbrella. The six-year-old Heritage Fund led the way in helping coordinate a legal defense against municipal "junk" lawsuits and to have Congress pass the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act.

Agency Offers Web Site Scrapbook

Hunters and trappers enjoy viewing the success of others in the field, and one state is helping to disseminate images of those harvests. The Pennsylvania Game Commission is urging hunters and trappers to showcase their achievements on the Hunter/Trapper Photo Scrapbook, which appears on the Game Commission's Web site. A version displaying the accomplishments of junior hunters is also available.

Washington Post Features Young Hunters

Joining a growing list of newspapers nationwide, The Washington Post on Sunday featured a story exploring hunting as a family tradition threatened by age restrictions. The feature focuses on young hunters and their role in the future of hunting and includes statistics from Families Afield, a report from NSSF, the National Wild Turkey Federation and the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance. Incidentally, Families Afield also was the topic of weekend coverage on ESPN's BassCenter.

Hunting Safety Vs. Other Sports

"Unless you're the deer, hunting is a safe sport," reports Kentucky's Lexington Herald-Leader. Quoting various experts and using NSSF data, the newspaper Sunday pointed out that hunting is much safer than most modern sports. "Hunting has an extremely low risk and accident rate," said Mike Britt, an expert witness, consultant and forensic scientist for InterCity Testing and Consulting in New York.

Bear Vote Stands Up In Maine

Despite the November 2004 vote by Maine citizens that rejected Question 2, a ban on hunting bears over bait or with hounds or the trapping of bears, anti-hunters have continued to try to legislate their views. Seven legislative efforts this year that would have unreasonably restricted the state's bear hunt, according to the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance, have been defeated. The Maine Legislative Council refused to allow the most recent, a proposed ban on using hounds, sponsored by Rep. John Churchill (R-Washburn), even to be introduced.

Hunting For Sundays

Pennsylvania is one of a handful of states to forbid hunting on Sundays, but research firm Southwick Associates was hired by that state's legislature to study the economics and opinions surrounding the issue. When asked if they support some form of expanded Sunday hunting, 50 percent of residents said yes while 45 percent said no. Non-residents supported Sunday hunting by a much larger margin, 78-20. Southwick concluded that, if all hunting were allowed on Sundays, Pennsylvania could gain more than 5,000 jobs and $628 million in total economic impact.

Bill Protects Ranges, Sporting Groups

The Wisconsin State Senate passed a bill Wednesday that would shield the firearm industry, shooting ranges and sporting associations from civil lawsuits stemming from gun violence, reports the Associated Press. The legislation is similar to the recently passed "Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act," but includes additional protections for gun clubs, ranges and associations not included in the federal legislation. The bill next heads to Gov. Jim Doyle, who has said he plans to veto it. A two-thirds vote by each house of the state's Legislature would be needed to override the governor's veto.

Legislative Courses

South Carolina-based firearms distributor Ellett Brothers, along with Gun Owners of South Carolina and the NRA state affiliate, recently sponsored two legislative concealed weapons permit courses. More than 24 members of the state House of Representatives, staffers and family members took part. Those participants join the nearly 50,000 other South Carolinians who have completed the required eight-hour class in order to receive their concealed weapons permit.

Where The Girls Are

Female participation in NSSF's Scholastic Clay Target Program jumped 84 percent this year. More than 700 young women elementary- through high-school age competed in the program in 2005, a leap from last year's 382.