NSSF Bullet Points Articles

New Mexico IDs CWD In Wild Elk

Two wild elk in New Mexico’s southern Sacramento Mountains have tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease, the first elk in the state to have done so. Both elk were killed southeast of Cloudcroft, the same area where a mule deer recently tested positive for CWD. One of the elk, a mature bull, was shot by a hunter. The other was found in poor condition by a state conservation officer.

Top Gun

The Air Force Services Agency has named pistol shooter Maj. Roger Sherman its 2005 Male Athlete of the Year. Sherman is a member of the Air Force Action Pistol Team, which is comprised of some of the Air Force’s top shooters. Sherman is the only military servicemember selected to the U.S. Practical Shooting National team and finished sixth of 700 competitors at the U.S. Practical Shooting Association National Handgun Championship and was a bronze medalist at the world championship. Sherman is a special assistant to the commander of U.S. Strategic Command at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb.

Left Of Center

A UCLA political scientist has confirmed what we in the firearms industry have known all along—that the mainstream media does indeed have a liberal bias. "I suspected that many media outlets would tilt to the left because surveys have shown that reporters tend to vote more Democrat than Republican," said Tim Groseclose, a UCLA political scientist and the study's lead author. "But I was surprised at just how pronounced the distinctions are." Read more about the study.

Democrats Rethink Strategy

The Democratic Party is rethinking its approach on the gun debate, reports The Boston Globe. By softening their rhetoric on gun control, Democrats are hoping to improve their chances in Western states, where hunters have been reluctant to vote for the party’s candidates.

Gun Trafficking Legislation

New York is considering legislation on illegal gun trafficking that could seriously impact licensed firearms dealers as well as the rights of law-abiding gun owners. The legislation is being aimed at severely punishing illegal gun traffickers, but Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (D-64) is pressing for it to include strict and unnecessary guidelines for licensed firearms dealers. New Yorkers are encouraged to contact their state senator and voice their opposition.

San Francisco Update

A lawsuit challenging San Francisco’s gun ban will first need to be heard by a trial court, the California Court of Appeals has ruled. The National Rifle Association, along with the California Association of Firearms Retailers and others, filed the suit in November after the city voted to ban the possession of handguns and the sale and manufacture of firearms within city and county limits. The lawsuit says the ban—Proposition H—clearly violates state laws and also violates the state and federal guarantees of equal protection.

Location Set For SCTP Nationals

NSSF’s Scholastic Clay Target Program will hold its National Skeet and Sporting Clays Championships July 14-16 at Rochester Brooks International Trap and Skeet Club in Rochester, N.Y. In 2005, the event attracted SCTP teams from a record 15 states to the Detroit Gun Club in Michigan.

SRP Commences Fire

NSSF's Scholastic Rifle Program is kicking off its 2006 season. This year's program handbook and online registration are available at www.nssf.org/SRP. SRP is a great opportunity for youths to compete as a team in an action-packed .22 rim-fire rifle event. The program is focused on providing a safe and fun way for elementary- through high-school age youths to enjoy the shooting sports.

Penn., Wis., Ohio Bills

Families Afield, the program of NSSF, the National Wild Turkey Federation and U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance aimed at eliminating unnecessary barriers for sons and daughters to hunt with their parents, enjoyed a banner week in several state legislatures last week. Legislation in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Ohio all made significant progress, with Pennsylvania’s HB 1690 being the first Families Afield legislation to reach a governor’s desk.

New Curriculum For Turkey Hunting Safety

To make a safe sport even safer, the National Wild Turkey Federation and International Hunting Education Association are distributing a new two-disk CD-ROM and DVD set as the newest learning tools for teaching turkey hunting safety. Sponsored by the National Shooting Sports Foundation and Walker's Game Ear, the DVD shows two hunts, tips for defensive turkey hunting and 27 "shoot/don't shoot" scenarios.