April 10, 2009 - TOP STORIES
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Firearm sales continue to climb
Pawlenty to spend deer opener in Thief River Falls
Minn. grandmother: Make fishing free for elders
Bear, moose app deadlines soon
New bill would restore protections for wetlands
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Firearm sales continue to climb
Firearm sales continued to surge across the country for the fifth straight month, extending a trend that began after the November elections. The increase also follows recent comments by several high-profile members of the Obama administration about re-imposing permanently and expanding the ban on modern sporting rifles.
Data from the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) show background checks on the sale of firearms jumped 29.2 percent in March when compared to March 2008 and were up 27.1 percent for the first quarter of 2009 over the same quarter last year.
The increase follows a 23 percent rise in February, a 28 percent rise in January, a 24 percent rise in December and a 42 percent jump in November, when a record 1,529,635 background checks were performed.
FBI background checks are required under federal law for all individuals purchasing firearms from federally licensed retailers. These checks serve as a strong indicator of actual sales.
Correspondingly, ammunition manufacturers are reporting record sales across the country as demand continues to outpace supply.
“Americans concerned about their ability to purchase many types of home defense, hunting and target shooting firearms in the future are continuing to purchase these products in record numbers today,” said NSSF President Steve Sanetti. “Along with this strong sales showing, we’ve also seen increased participation in firearm safety and education programs such as NSSF First Shots.”
NICS reported 1,345,096 checks in March, up from 1,040,863 in the same month a year ago.
NSSF, founded in 1961, is the trade association for the firearms, ammunition and recreational shooting sports industry. It promotes the safe ownership and responsible use of products its members make and sell. For more information, visit www.nssf.org.
Pawlenty to spend deer opener in Thief River Falls
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Governor Tim Pawlenty says he's heading to Thief River Falls in northwestern Minnesota for this year's deer hunting opener on Nov. 6.
It's the seventh annual governor's deer opener, which Pawlenty has used to highlight different parts of the state.
Last year's opener was held in east-central Minnesota with events in Cambridge, North Branch and Isanti.
Except for a four-point buck in 2004, Pawlenty hasn't had much luck on opening day of the deer hunting season.
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Minn. grandmother: Make fishing free for elders
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – An effort to make fishing free for the oldest anglers is getting a push from a 91-year-old grandmother with some formidable fish tales.
Irene Long of Isle showed a Senate panel photographs of her biggest catches.
One was a 54-inch muskie she released but hopes to hook again.
The Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee is considering a bill that would give away fishing licenses to Minnesota residents age 90 and up. It would cost about $16,000 a year.
Long says she started fishing in her 80s and wants more people her age to enjoy the sport, even though they live on fixed incomes. The base fee for a Minnesota adult fishing license is $17.
Bear, moose app deadlines soon
Bear hunt - http://mndnr.gov/hunting/bear
Applications for this fall’s black bear hunt now are available at any of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) 1,650 license agents or online.
Hunters interested in the Sept. 1 - Oct. 18 hunt can apply for one of 10,000 available licenses spread across 11 permit areas. Applications are due May 1. Hunters picked in the lottery must pay $38 for a resident license and $200 for a non-resident license.
In 2008, 17,362 applicants applied for 11,850 permits. Hunters harvested a total of 2,135 bears.
“Issuing fewer permits this year reflects the DNR’s interest in moderately increasing the black bear population,” said Dan Stark, wolf management specialist.
A number of factors are suggesting a declining population. Hunters must submit teeth from harvested bears. DNR wildlife researchers have determined that those teeth are from a younger class of bears. In addition, the hunter success rate is declining and there are fewer nuisance bear complaints.
Bear licenses for the no-quota area, which is the area outside of the 11 permit areas, can be purchased directly at any license agent beginning July 1. No previous application is necessary to buy a no-quota area license. The bag limit remains at two bears in the no-quota area and one bear in all quota permit areas.
Bull moose hunt http://mndnr.gov/hunting/moose
Minnesotans who want to experience a once-in-a-lifetime bull moose hunt this fall have until May 1 to apply for a permit.
Applicants will be applying for a total of 225 bull-only harvest permits, which are spread across 30 hunting zones of northeastern Minnesota. Permits for the Oct.3-18 hunt are awarded randomly to parties of two to four hunters.
Permit applications are available at any of the DNR’s 1,650 license agents. A fee of $3 per individual must be included with an application. Only Minnesota residents 16 years and older are eligible for the moose hunt. Any hunter who received a moose permit since 1991 is not eligible to apply for the once-in-a-lifetime hunt. Successful applicants must pay a license fee of $310 per party and attend a mandatory orientation session.
In 2008, 2,706 parties applied for 247 permits. Hunting parties harvested 110 bull moose.
There are about 7,500 moose in Minnesota. Concerns that the population is declining prompted the creation of a Moose Advisory Committee, which will make management and research recommendations to the DNR’s Fish and Wildlife Division in June.
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New bill would restore protections for wetlands
WASHINGTON – America’s wetlands would have their Clean Water Act protections restored under a new bill introduced today by U.S. Senator Russ Feingold (Wisc.) and 23 co-sponsors. The Clean Water Restoration Act, which is supported by Ducks Unlimited and other conservation/sportsmen’s groups, would restore protection to more than 20 million acres of geographically isolated wetlands at risk of pollution and destruction under current guidance from the Environmental Protection Agency and Army Corps of Engineers.
“Existing EPA and Army Corps of Engineers guidance make it clear that a legislative solution must be sought to restore protection to America’s wetlands,” said Don Young, Executive Vice President of Ducks Unlimited. “Many of these wetlands that have lost their protection are critical waterfowl breeding habitats.”
The guidance on interpreting the Clean Water Act from the EPA and Army Corps came in response to two Supreme Court cases. Since the guidance was released, permitting times for the farmers and ranchers that Ducks Unlimited work with have increased dramatically as agencies determine how to apply the guidance to proposed projects. Under the Clean Water Restoration Act, the guiding language would be restored to previously understood guidance, which would reduce the time to receive permits for land alteration.
“The loss of protection for geographically isolated wetlands and the confusion over how to interpret the new guidance is detrimental to people and wildlife,” said Young. “Alleviating these problems through the Clean Water Restoration Act eliminates both and will ultimately benefit everyone, from landowners to waterfowlers.”
To learn more about DU and the Clean Water Restoration Act see www.ducks.org/ cleanwater. Co-sponsors on the bill include Senators Boxer (Calif.), Cardin(Md.), Brown (Ohio), Cantwell (Wash.), Carper (Del.), Dodd (Conn.), Durbin (Ill.), Gillibrand (N.Y.), Kerry (Mass.), Kohl (Wisc.), Lautenberg (N.J.), Leahy (Vt.), Levin (Mich.), Lieberman (Conn.), Menendez (N.J.), Merkley (Ore.), Reed (R.I.), Sanders (Vt.), Schumer (N.Y.), Shaheen (N.H.), Stabenow (Mich.), Whitehouse (R.I.), and Wyden (Ore.).
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