NSSF Bullet Points Articles

Alaska Holds First-Ever Youth Day At State Rangers

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (DFG) kicked off “Take a Young Person Hunting Week” with its first “Youth Day at the Range” yesterday. Youths between the ages of 10 and 17 who were accompanied by an adult were able to practice at DFG ranges in Fairbanks, Anchorage and Juneau from 1-4 p.m. DFG employees were on hand to provide instruction and information on safe firearms handling.

A Day To Recognize Hunters

Vermonters will celebrate the first “Hunter Appreciation Day” Friday at the State House in Montpelier. The day will recognize the importance of the state’s hunters and their economic and environmental contributions. The U.S. Postal Service will issue a special cancellation postmark to commemorate the occasion. The Vermont Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs, NSSF and NRA have cooperated to create postcards to commemorate the event. Profits from the sale of the postcards will be donated to the Hunt of a Lifetime Foundation, which provides dream hunting trips for youngsters with a life-threatening, critical or terminal disease or sickness.

FedEx Delivers Expanded Discount Program To NSSF Members

The NSSF member shipping program just got more valuable, for now members can save up to 65 percent on LTL (less-than-truckload) shipments through FedEx Freight®. The service provides reliable delivery, including next-day and second-day regional service as well as coast-to-coast interregional service. FedEx Freight® is backed by a no-fee money-back guarantee.

Special NSSF Membership Offer To SCTP Coaches And Directors

Following up on a very successful mailing that presented a discounted NSSF membership fee for coaches and directors in NSSF’s Scholastic Shooting Program, Bettyjane Swann, member services manager, reminds those who have not yet responded that the initial dues will provide membership through all of 2006. For more information contact Swann at bswann@nssf.org.

POMA Joins NSSF

The Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA) has become an NSSF member, being the first organization of its kind to join the foundation. "Joining NSSF is the first step in a multi-step plan POMA has launched to ensure a close connection to the trade organizations that oversee and ensure the growth of the shooting and fishing industries," explained Betty Lou Fegely, POMA chairman and president.

Additional Support For 'Families Afield' Concept

As hunters prepare for autumn's first treks to America's woods, fields and wetlands, momentum is building behind a national effort to ensure mothers and fathers are free to share the sport with their young sons and daughters. Families Afield, founded this year by three organizations—NSSF, National Wild Turkey Federation, and U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance—calls for states to remove unnecessary legal barriers into hunting participation. Now that concept is being supported by two more organizations, the International Hunter Education Association and Responsive Management.

NSSF Seeks Change In Excise Tax Payment Schedule

At the International Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies annual conference in Nashville last week, NSSF proposed a change in the excise tax payment schedule applied to the sale of firearms and ammunition. Firearms and ammunition manufacturers currently pay a federal excise tax on a bi-weekly basis on shipments during the preceding two weeks. Other industries (archery, fishing) that are subject to the tax pay on a quarterly basis.

SCTP Youths, Coaches Spend Week At U.S. Training Complex

Fifteen young shotgunners from around the nation took aim at fulfilling their Olympic dreams this past week at the U.S. Olympic Training Center. Selected out of nearly 6,000 youths in NSSF’s Scholastic Clay Target Program, the athletes spent five days fine-tuning their shooting skills with U.S. Olympic shotgun coach Lloyd Woodhouse and his staff at this year's Junior Olympic Development Camp.

Canada Officials Delay Gun Regulations

The Canada Firearms Centre has put off several gun regulations that were supposed to take effect this month. Among the measures delayed until next year, the Canadian Press reports, is a provision to have police forces across the country register all their weapons—including seized guns—with the federal agency. New rules governing gun shows have been deferred until Nov. 2006, while regulations that would force gun manufacturers to identify all firearms with internationally recognized markings won't go into effect until the end of 2007.

Newcomers Try Shotgunning In Oklahoma

More than 1,800 people participated in a shotgun training and education program at the recent Oklahoma Wildlife Expo. Surveys suggest that about 600 were first-time shooters. Better yet, about 1,200 said they would try shooting again within the next year. The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation sponsored the Expo, an inaugural two-day event that drew 45,000 people.