2013 in Review

Well, its been a another great year for this ol' man from Montana or should I say Arizona since that is where I spent most of my childhood. Or maybe it from Northern California since this is where I have spent the last 26 years. Whatever, its been a good year.

We were fortunate to resurect the Granite Bay Safari Chapter and put on the 15 Annual fundraiser in June with the help of alot of dedicated SCI members, Al, Tony, Claude Jeff and Dan and my family.thanks everyone  for your support to keep Granite Bay Active. And to all the members who supported us to rebuild and regain our Chapter with SCI.

We had a good summer fixing the house up and enjoying our new liner to our pool during the hot spell. It was a work in progress to get the new liner in our pool but we made it work.

In September,our Dan and Emily tied the knot in Jackson. Mom and I were so honored to be the officials of the ceremony, what a beautiful day and couple.

Spent some of August with Dan and Emily in Nevada chasing Antelope bow hunting, no not me, but Dan did fill his tag after nine days of heat, wind, and many stalkes to get in range of those goats. I was just along for the ride but enjoyed scouting with their dog Kona.

In November, Dan, Emily,her parents and I headed for a late season whitetail hunt up in Idaho. New experience for all of us. Camped on the Selway River and enjoyed a beautiful experience chasing the deer with whitetails. Dan bagged a great dear, Emily a big doe, John, Emilys father a nice buck and I got some great pics. Just could not close the deal but had a great time hunting them deer  in the rut.

So here we are ready for the holidays. We had a major snow storm a few weeks ago which set the stage for the holidays.

I wish all my followers and friends a safe and peaceful Holiday Season. Be thankful for all you have and this great country we live in. Say a few prayers to all those in the military that protect us to be safe and come home soon.

Thanks to all my family, Dan, Emily, Ashlei, Adam, Mease and my Love Toni  for all your support this year and letting the ol'man be the ol'man. , Kiwi, Mojo, and Tinker along with Bo and Bella, not pictured. What a Family!

Merry Christmas and Happey New Year! See you in 2014!

Hunting Tips: Do Your Part to Prevent Wildland Fires

Hunting Tips: Do Your Part to Prevent Wildland Fires

Hunting seasons are upon us and as fall approaches cooler weather will be coming our way. As you prepare for your hunting trip, make sure you have plenty of water to put your warming fire out completely. Vegetation is dry and wildland fires can still occur. Do your part to ensure you do not start a wildland fire.

Before you head outdoors here are some tips brought to you by our friends at the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation:

1.Are warming fires allowed in the area you are hunting? Visit www.firerestrictions.us to find out.
2.It is best to keep your fire small and manageable, no larger than three feet in diameter.
3.Make certain you have an adequate clear zone above and around your fire, a four foot area cleared for every one foot of flame height.
4.Never leave your warming fire unattended.
5.Drown your fire with plenty of water and stir. Dirt is useful in putting out a fire.
6.Ensure it is cold to the touch before leaving.

If you are exploring the forests, rangelands, and back country in vehicles you must stay on established roads and trails and avoid driving over dry grass and brush that could be ignited by hot exhaust systems.
Have a safe, fun, and successful hunting season.

Thanks Nevada Fish and Game for this information

SCI Takes Polar Bear Imports to Supreme Court

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 29, 2013



SCI Takes Battle Over Polar Bear Imports to the U.S. Supreme Court



Washington, DC – Safari Club International (SCI) today filed a petition with the U.S. Supreme Court asking the Court to overturn the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s 2008 listing of the polar bear as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.  After the listing of the species, private conservation funding generated through sustainable use hunting evaporated.  By filing this petition, SCI is seeking to rectify this bad public policy.



“The listing of the polar bear was not called for under the law or science,” said SCI President Craig Kauffman.  “The polar bear enjoys historically high population numbers and occupies its entire historic range.  Canada has the best and most scrutinized conservation program in the world for its polar bear populations.  The listing of the polar bear was based on speculative projections about the impact of climate change on its habitat.  The listing has done -- and will continue to do -- more harm than good.”



The listing led to a ban on the import of polar bear trophies from Canada by U.S. hunters.  Before the ban went into effect, U.S. hunters had been allowed to import polar bears harvested from six approved populations in Canada.  These imports generated almost $1,000,000 in fees that was used for polar bear research and conservation in the U.S. and Russia.  U.S. hunters also contributed millions of dollars annually to local communities and companies, further encouraging sound management of the species.  The listing of the polar bear has eliminated these sources of conservation dollars, to the detriment of the species.



SCI is joined in filing the petition by Conservation Force and the Congress of Racial Equality.  All three groups sued the FWS in 2008 over the listing of the polar bear.  The parties have been litigating the case in the District Court and U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia since that time.  Both of those courts upheld the listing of the polar bear.



SCI and the other parties argued to the Supreme Court that the listing was contrary to the ESA in several ways.  First, the FWS failed to establish that the polar bear meets the definition of a threatened species.  Second, the FWS failed to explain its conclusion that the bear qualifies as “threatened” despite the fact that the modeling on which the Service relied indicates that 6,000-8,000 bears will exist 45 years from now.  And third, the FWS failed to take in account Canada’s extremely successful conservation program, including sustainable use hunting, before listing the species.



This will mark the fourth time that SCI has ventured to the Supreme Court.  In one case, the Supreme Court cited SCI’s brief in its published opinion.  SCI has filed Supreme Court briefs in cases involving depictions of animal cruelty, the Second Amendment, and the sound management of roadless areas of federal land.



The Supreme Court likely will decide whether to review the polar bear case sometime in the fall.  While SCI and the other groups have made strong arguments for reviewing this case, the Court regularly receives around 10,000 petitions a year and grants fewer than 100.  The future of successful hunting-based conservation programs in Canada and the ability of U.S. hunters to contribute to those programs hang in the balance.



“All hunters and individuals concerned with the expansive overreach by the ESA should consider financially supporting SCI, as fights at the Supreme Court are costly and require considerable resources,” concluded Kauffman.

Legistative Alert: Statewide ban on lead hunting ammunition! Do your part Now!

JULY 12, 2013


LEGISLATIVE ALERT!!!

PROPOSED STATEWIDE BAN ON LEAD HUNTING AMMUNITION PENDING IN SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE
ON SUSPENSE CALENDAR

!!!!IMMEDIATE ACTION NEEDED TO PREVENT IT FROM MOVING FORWARD!!!!

AB 711 (Rendon) Hunting: nonlead ammunition

Anti-hunters are accelerating their campaign to expand the current ban on lead ammunition for hunting in the range of the California Condor to PREVENT THE USE OF ALL LEAD AMMUNITION FOR ANY HUNTING THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE STATE!
THANKS LARGELY TO STRONG OPPOSITION FROM SCI MEMBERS, THE BILL IS PENDING IN THE SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE WHERE IT IS CURENTLY ON THE COMMITTEE’S “SUSPENSE” FILE, BUT IT WILL BE RECONSIDERED FOR PASSAGE AGAIN AT THE END OF AUGUST!

IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT ALL SCI MEMBERS IMMMEDIATELY CONTACT MEMBERS OF THE SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE AND THEIR OWN DISTRICT LEGISLATORS TO REQUEST THATAB 711 BE KEPT ON THE SUSPENSE FILE PERMANENTLY!!

If passed, AB 711 could actually result in the STOPPAGE OF ALL HUNTING WITH RIFLES AND HANDGUNS IN CALIFORNIA! This is because the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has made a determination that nonlead ammunition for these firearms meets the tests for prohibited armor piercing ammunition because of its chemical composition and the fact that various makes and models of handguns exist that, collectively, can shoot virtually all of it. It is illegal under both state and federal laws to use or
possess such armor piercing ammunition!

To date, ATF has not granted any waivers for sporting ammunition, and ammunition manufacturers are uncertain if they should continue to produce it!!!!

THUS, IF AB 711 PASSES, HUNTERS MAY FIND THEMSELVES IN THE POSITION OF NOT BEING ABLE TO HUNT SIMPLY BECAUSE THERE IS NO RIFLE OR PISTOL AMMUNITION AVAILABLE THAT IS LEGAL TO USE FOR HUNTING IN CALIFORNIA!!!!
SCIENTIFIC TESTING HAS SHOWN THAT THE CURRENT BAN ON LEAD AMMUNITION HAS NOT RESULTED IN SIGNIFICANTLY LOWERING THE BLOOD LEAD LEVELS IN CONDORS. IN FACT, ONE MAJOR SCIENTIFIC STUDY CHALLENGES THE VALIDITY OF PRIOR RESEARCH AND WHETHER HUNTERS’ LEAD AMMUNITION IS REALLY THE PROBLEM!!!!

ANTI-HUNTERS HAVE SPECULATED WITHOUT FOUNDATION THAT BLOOD LEAD LEVELS REMAIN ELEVATED BECAUSE HUNTERS ARE IGNORING THE BAN AND ARE ILLEGALLY USING LEAD AMMUNITION!!!! HOWEVER, ACCORDING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE, HUNTER COMPLIANCE IS AROUND 99%!!
SUPPORTERS OF THE LEAD BAN ARE COMPLETELY IGNORING THE POSSIBILITY OF ANOTHER SOURCE OF LEAD, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS ONCE FOUND THAT THE STILLBORN CALVES PUT OUT AT CONDOR FEEDING STATIONS AT THE TIME WERE CONTAMINATED WITH LEAD AND WERE, IN FACT, THE REAL CULPRIT!!!

AB 711 IS ONLY THE BEGINNING. IF IT PASSES AND CONDOR BLOOD LEAD LEVELS DON’T DROP, THERE WILL BE LOUD AND WIDESPREAD DEMANDS BY ANTI-HUNTERS TO STOP ALL HUNTING STATEWIDE!!! THEY WILL NOT BE CALLING TO LOOK FOR OTHER SOURCES OF LEAD POISONING BECAUSE IT WOULD BE CONTRARY TO THEIR ANTI-HUNTING AGENDA!!!

AB 711 IS ONE OF SEVERAL BILLS SPONSORED BY THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE UNITED STATES. PLEASE VIEW THE YOU TUBE VIDEO OF LOIS LERNER, IRS OFFICIAL EMBROILED IN THE CURRENT IRS SCANDAL, AND HER TIES TO THE HUMANE SOCIETY:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=-n9BNmGtmv0

AB 711 IS NOW IN THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS WHERE IT WILL BE SET FOR A SUSPENSE FILE HEARING AT THE END OF AUGUST! PLEASE ACT NOW!
PLEASE IMMEDIATELY CONTACT THE SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE (IF YOUR SENATOR IS A MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE), YOUR OWN SENATOR, AND THE GOVERNOR IN STRONG OPPOSITION TO AB 711!

IMMEDIATE ACTION IS REQUIRED!!

PLEASE CONTACT THE FOLLOWING TO OPPOSE AB 711:

1. The Senate Appropriations Committee (Contact one of these senators if he/she is your elected Senator):
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS Member District Party Phone Fax
de León, Kevin (Chair)22D
916 651 4022
916 651 4922

Walters, Mimi (Vice-Chair)37R
916 651 4037
916 651 4937

Gaines, Ted1R
916 651 4001
916 651 4901

Hill, Jerry13D
916 651 4013
916 651 4913

Lara, Ricardo33D
916 651 4033
916 651 4933

Padilla, Alex20D
916 651 4020
916 651 4920

Steinberg, Darrell6D
916 651 4006
916 651 4906

2. Your Senator (if he/she is not a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee): http://senate.ca.gov/senators

TO LOCATE YOUR SENATOR BY YOUR ZIPCODE:
Please go to http://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov/ . Enter your street address, city and zip code in the boxes above the map of California; click on “Locate”. Your legislators and their contact information will then become available.

3. Governor Jerry Brown: Phone: 916-445-2841; FAX: 916-558-3160. To send an e-mail: http://gov.ca.gov/m_contact.php.

4. California Department of Fish and Wildlife: Chuck Bonham, Director – Phone: 916-653-7667; FAX: 916-653-7387.

5. California Fish and Game Commission: Phone: 916-653-4899; FAX 916-653-5040.

Stay informed on what is happening in Washington regarding your hunting rights!

Safari Club International Hosts Briefing For Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus on Hunting Heritage Legislation FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 11, 2013 Washington, DC – Safari Club International (SCI) today hosted a breakfast briefing for the leadership of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus to discuss priority legislation for America’s hunters and anglers. The focus of the briefing was on H.R. 1825, the Recreational Fishing and Hunting Heritage and Opportunities Act, introduced by Congressman Dan Benishek (MI). H.R. 1825 will secure permanent protection of hunting and fishing on U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management lands. “SCI would like to thank Congressman Benishek for his leadership for America’s hunters and anglers,” said SCI President Craig Kauffman. “America’s hunters and anglers expect this legislation to pass the U.S. House of Representatives soon.” “SCI, along with nearly 30 other hunting organizations, supports H.R. 1825 so that future generations of sportsmen and women will have equal access opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors on federal lands,” said SCI’s Melissa Simpson, Director of Government Affairs. “I was pleased to speak at today’s breakfast, and we see real momentum building for the Hunting Heritage Bill, H.R. 1825, just as we are about to approach the U.S. hunting season.” Congressman Dan Benishek also spoke at the briefing, along with Susan Recce of the National Rifle Association. Both delivered overviews of the incredible benefits that H.R. 1825 would bring for the average hunter. Other speakers included Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus Co-Chairs, Representatives Bob Latta (OH) and Bennie Thompson (MS), and their colleagues Representatives Rob Wittman (VA), and Tim Walz (MN). SCI was pleased to offer a forum for these leaders to discuss their plans for bringing H.R. 1825 to a vote in the full House