NSSF Bullet Points Articles

Oregon Allots Tags for Terminally Ill Young People

The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission has approved the issuing of up to 25 free hunting tags for terminally ill youngsters. At the hearing held by the commission earlier this month, Danny Benson, spokesperson for the non-profit group "Hunt of a Lifetime," was an avid proponent of the proposal, reports the Salem, Ore., Statesman Journal. During his presentation, Benson recounted the story of one of two similar participants on 2005 hunts: "Troy got to come on his hunt…he returned home [to Pennsylvania] with a trophy mule deer…Troy got to experience his dream…four months later he passed away."

China Encourages Hunting

To enhance its wildlife management system and boost the nation's economy, China is calling for the launch of a national hunting club "to further regulate the market, enhance relevant laws and co-ordinate between hunting areas in remote places and customers in the east coast," reports the China Daily. The first-ever auction of hunting quotas, scheduled for yesterday, has been postponed, however, to solicit suggestions from the public, reports the Shanghai Daily. That paper reports that last year international hunters killed more than 700 wild animals in China, contributing more than $4 million to that nation's wildlife conservation.

Sunday Hunting to be Discussed

Virginia remains one of only a few states that prohibit hunting on Sunday, but that might be about to change, reports The Roanoke Times. Sunday hunting is scheduled to be discussed by the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries' Wildlife and Boat Committee on Aug. 21. The results of the meeting will likely be passed onto the full board at its Aug. 22 meeting. The department's board doesn't have authority to end the ban on Sunday hunting, but its endorsement would likely be weighed heavily by the General Assembly.

Rhode Takes Shot at Skeet

She has two Olympic gold medals and a bronze in doubles trap, but with the International Olympic Committee eliminating her event, Kim Rhode has her shotgun pointed in a new direction: international skeet. Rhode, in between training and an appearance at the SCTP nationals in Sparta last week, found the time to discuss her new goals in an interview with the Santa Clarita Valley Signal.

Report: Outdoor Recreation Pours $730 Billion into Economy

A report released Friday by the Outdoor Industry Foundation, Southwick Associates and Harris Interactive revealed the economic impact of outdoor recreation, including hunting. The study concludes that $730 billion is spent annually, supporting 6.5 million jobs, that is, one in 20 jobs in the U.S., and producing $88 billion in federal and state taxes. The "Active Outdoor Recreation Economy Study" was released at the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market in Salt Lake City.

NSSF Demands NBC Cease Airing Political Ad

Last Thursday, WNBC-TV in New York City began broadcasting a political campaign commercial by candidate for attorney general Andrew Cuomo that states Cuomo "led a legal battle against gun makers who arm gangs." In response to this blatantly false and defamatory statement, NSSF has demanded the station cease any further broadcast of the ad and will also file a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Read NSSF's letter to NBC Universal executive vice president and general counsel Richard Cotton.

Grand Opening

Kicking off with the SCTP nationals, the 107-year-old Grand American opened in its new location in Sparta, Ill., last week. The new $50 million, 1,500-acre World Shooting and Recreational Complex is expected to be an economic boon for southern Illinois, with the annual Grand being the facility's largest draw.

Record Turnout for Scholastic Program

Youth baseball has the Little League World Series. Youth trapshooting has the Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) National Championships. More than 1,600 youth trap shooters from 26 states converged on the newly constructed World Shooting and Recreational Complex in Sparta, Ill., Tuesday and Wednesday for the SCTP trap nationals.

Knife Owners' Advocacy Group Formed

Though the firearms industry has long been the target of some misguided legislators who seek unreasonably restrictive laws, advocacy groups such as NSSF and NRA are there as watchguards.

Walk-In Access Expansion Sought

The Colorado Division of Wildlife (DOW) wants to expand its popular Front Range walk-in hunting program to the Western Slope this fall, reports The Daily Sentinel. Plans for the program, now in its sixth year, call for adding waterfowling this fall and turkey hunting next spring. The program’s aim is to improve public access to private land by paying landowners for access.