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

Why Fourth of July is Celebrated!

■Fourth of July Celebration

The Declaration of Independence

Philadelphia: John Dunlap, July 4, 1776
 Purchased through the generosity of friends and alumni of Williams College

American independence from Great Britain was declared by means of a broadside printed by John Dunlap, an Irish immigrant, on the night of July 4, 1776, by vote of the Continental Congress immediately following its vote to approve the text of the Declaration. Copies were delivered to John Hancock, then President of the Congress, in the morning of July 5th, and sent by him to the state governors that day and on the 6th. Among these were the copies read by Colonel John Nixon from a platform in the yard behind the Pennsylvania statehouse on July 8th, and by George Washington to his troops in New York on July 9th. Viscount Admiral Richard Howe intercepted a copy and dispatched it to London on July 28th.

A copy was also preserved by the Secretary of the Congress, Charles Thompson, in his minutes book; and it was to this text that a scribe, commissioned by the Congress, turned when preparing the ceremonial manuscript copy of the Declaration on parchment, preserved at the National Archives in Washington, D.C., which was signed by members of the Continental Congress on August 2, 1776. The printed Declaration of Independence thus predates the famous copy, signed by John Hancock et al., by nearly a month. The printed copy bears only the names, in type, of Hancock and Thompson on behalf of the Congress, and of the printer John Dunlap; it was the promulgation of an act of Congress and needed nothing more. The text of the ceremonial copy differs from that of the printed original only in its title: it became a “Unanimous Declaration” only later in July 1776, when New York State’s members of Congress changed their vote from abstention to the affirmative.

It is interesting to note, when considering the Declaration of Independence, the often-cited “intent of the Founding Fathers”, and the high prices manuscripts by those who signed the ceremonial copy command in the marketplace, that some delegations to the Continental Congress changed between July 4 and August 2, 1776. Therefore some who voted to approve the Declaration of Independence had retired from Congress before the ceremonial copy was prepared, and so never signed, while some who signed on August 2nd had not been in Congress on July 4th and so never voted on that auspicious day. The Chapin Library’s copy of the Dunlap broadside is one of only twenty-six known to survive, including fragments, of perhaps one or two hundred printed (the precise number is not known). It is also one of the best preserved copies, and the only one to have a physical connection to someone who both voted for independence and signed the ceremonial Declaration: Joseph Hewes of North Carolina. Hewes somehow obtained a copy of the broadside from John Hancock – members of Congress do not seem to have received copies as a matter of course – and wrote on it a docket, “Declaration of Independence”. Hewes died three years later, but his papers survived. The Chapin Library was fortunate to be able to raise the necessary funds to buy the Hewes copy of the Declaration from Christie’s, New York, when it came on the market in April 1983. See here for the names of the friends and alumni of Williams College who contributed to this important purchase.

Never forget what this means even today!

Scientist Tesll U.S.FWS African Lion is not Endangered

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: JUNE 26, 2013

Scientists Tell U.S.FWS African Lion Is Not Endangered

Washington, DC – Today, experts on the status of the African lion explained to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) that the African lion is not on the brink of extinction. Their testimony contradicts the claims in a petition filed by several anti-rights groups asking the service to list the African lion as endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

Safari Club International Foundation (SCI Foundation) participated in an exclusive workshop hosted by the FWS. SCI Foundation Conservation Chair Dr. Al Maki outlined current conservation efforts across the lion’s range and focused on Tanzania’s successful management of the species.
“Today’s presenters and scientists agreed with SCI Foundation’s position that the majority of African lion populations are secure,” said SCI Foundation President Joe Hosmer. “We are glad that SCI Foundation’s extensive lion population research could shape today’s important conservation and thus prove the African lion is not on the brink of extinction.”

“With years of experience researching lions in southern Africa, I was originally concerned that the FWS’s deliberations would not be based on the best available science,” Dr. Paula White. “I was pleased to see that the overwhelming evidence that was presented today demonstrated that lions are certainly not on the brink of extinction.”

“Lions reproduce like rabbits making habitat and prey the primary factor. Habitat and prey are secured for at least 100 years in the world’s largest protected areas,” stated John J. Jackson, President of Conservation Force.

“After today’s successful meeting, the FWS will be faced with a decision whether to list the African lion on the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Our expectation is that it will not be necessary as the scientific research demonstrates that there are strong stable lion populations throughout southern and eastern Africa,” said Dr. Al Maki. “The fact is that 70% of all African lions live in strongholds that are large, stable and well-protected.

Stay informed on world issues with hunting. Follow me on Facebook, thanks Cal

Outdoor Channel Pulls Production from Colorado!

I like this, the powere of the people to keep our guns rights.

 OUTDOOR CHANNEL PULLS PRODUCTION FROM COLORADO DUE TO CO SENATE BETRAYING 2ND RIGHTS!


From: Michael Bane
Date: Tue, Mar 5, 2013 at 4:09 PM
Subject: OUTDOOR CHANNEL Pulls Productions from Colorado
 To: Senator Steve King

Dear Senator King;
I met you yesterday after the so-called "public hearings" on the anti-gun bills; as I mentioned, I am an Executive Producer for OUTDOOR CHANNEL. I currently have four series in production, including GUN STORIES, the top show on OC, with several additional series in development. My series focus on guns, hunting, shooting and the outdoors.

This morning I met with my three Producers, and we made the decision that if these anti-gun bills become law, we will be moving all of our production OUT of Colorado. We have already canceled a scheduled filming session for late this month. Obviously, part of this is due to our own commitment to the right to keep and bear arms, but it also reflects 3 lawyers' opinions that these laws are so poorly drafted and so designed to trap otherwise legal citizens into a crime (one of our attorneys referred to them as "flypaper laws") that it is simply too dangerous for us to film here.

I can give you chapter and verse on the legal implications if you need, but suffice to say that the first legal opinion was so scary we went out and got two others. Al three attorneys agreed.
We are relatively small potatoes in television, but our relocation of production will cost Colorado a little less than a million dollars in 2013.

Secondly, we have proudly promoted Colorado in our productions (and have been moving more and more production into the state); now we will do exactly the opposite. What does this mean for Colorado? The community of television producers is a small one. Last week I had lunch with a major network producer who was looking to locate his new reality series in Colorado. That producer is also a shooter, and the new reality series will now be based out of Phoenix. That lunch cost Colorado over a million in economic impact.

Thirdly, according to numbers I received from the National Shooting Sports Foundation (for whom I used to work) yesterday, hunting had an almost $800,000,000 impact on Colorado in 2012, driving as many as 8330 jobs. Next month I will be in Texas meeting with most of the top outdoor/hunting producers, and the Number One agenda item will be Colorado. Already, hunting organizations and statewide hunting clubs around the country are pulling out of Colorado, and we expect this trend to accelerate rapidly.

The message we will take to our viewers and listeners is that these proposed laws are so dangerous to hunters and any other person, be she a fisherman or a skier who brings a handgun into the state for self-defense, that we cannot recommend hunting, fishing or visiting Colorado.. We reach millions of people, and, quite frankly, we have a credibility that Colorado government officials can no longer match. Colorado Division of Wildlife is already running ads trying to bring more out-of-state hunters to Colorado...in light of the flood of negative publicity about these proposed laws, I can assure you those ads will fail.

We estimate that as many as one-quarter to one-third of out-of-state hunters will desert Colorado in the next 18-24 months, which will quite frankly be a disaster for the hunting industry in Colorado and have a devastating effect on our western and northern communities (certainly cities like Grand Junction).

This is not a "boycott" in the traditional sense of a centralized, organized operation; rather, it is more of a grassroots decision on where shooters, hunters and other sportsmen are willing to spend their money. Look at the collapse of the Eastern Sports and Outdoor Show in February. That venerable multimillion dollar trade show chose to ban modern sporting rifles and standard capacity magazines, and within three weeks it collapsed as all vendors and sponsors pulled out.

Colorado is going to pay a huge price for laws that will do nothing. Thank you, sir, for your support.

Best.


Michael Bane

California Gun Control Bill Hearings!

Gun Control Bills Scheduled for Committee Hearings TODAY and TOMORROW

, It will not be often that we choose to forward political information to you. But, we feel that the current topics being addressed at the State need to reach you. Whether you are an avid hunter who uses firearms in the field or a fly fisherman that has no interest in picking up a gun...HEAR THIS NOW!These Gun Control, Anti-Gun Bills WILL HURT EVERY SPORTSMEN.

The effects may not be seen on the grand scale immediately, but you can be sure that it will be seen if even one of these bills is allowed to infringe on our rights. The California Legislature will have its first hearing on AB 711 tomorrow April 16 in the Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee. Most in the outdoor community are opposing this bill.

COHA is opposing AB 711 on the basis that the legislature has delegated wildlife issues to the Fish and Game Commission and should not undermine that authority. The NRA is opposing AB 711 citing that misguided scientific data has been used prior to push anti-lead and anti-hunting agendas. SCI (Safari Club International) opposes AB 711 and has added that the alternative non-toxic (non-lead) projectiles on the market may also be being targeted as illegal because they are capable of penetrating some bullet proof vests.

The NSSF, (National Shooting Sports Association) also opposes AB 711. Wilderness Unlimited opposes AB 711, based on all of the above reasons and the fact that the ammunition manufactures do not have a prayer to fulfill our ammo requirements with reasonable products in the time allotted under the constraint of the proposed bill. At the very least, proposed gun control bills will take immediate effect on the Wilderness Unlimited community. When one group is affected in WU, we all are. Read more on AB 711 and the rest of the Bills below. We URGE you to take notice of the matter at hand and do what you can to help spread the word and share your opposition with your State Legislator. Regards,WU The following is being shared from theNRA-ILAContact your State Legislators in Sacramento TODAYMany anti-gun bills are scheduled to be heard in committee this Monday and Tuesday. Call AND e-mail your state legislators urging them to OPPOSE the bills listed below. Remind them that a criminal by definition does not obey or respect the law and any legislation infringing on gun owners will do nothing to affect criminals or their access to and misuse of firearms. Instead, urge them to focus on meaningful legislation relating to school safety, mental health issues, marketing of violence as entertainment for our children and the collapse of federal prosecutions of violent criminals.

On Monday, April 15 in the Assembly Committee on Revenue and Taxation at 1:30 p.m. in Capitol room 126 Assembly Bill 760 (Dickinson) imposes a sales tax of .05 cents per ammunition component (complete cartridge, bullet or case).

On Tuesday, April 16 in the Assembly Committee on Water, Parks and Wildlife at 9:00 a.m. in Capitol room 437 (Click here to listen to this hearing):Assembly Bill 711 (Rendon) BANS the use of all lead ammunition for hunting. On Tuesday, April 16 in the Assembly Committee on Public Safety at 9:00 a.m. in Capitol room 126 (Click here to listen to this hearing):Assembly Bill 231 (Ting) expands the law for Criminal Storage of Firearms and child access. On Tuesday, April 16 in the state Senate Committee on Public Safety at 9:00 a.m. in Capitol room 4203:Senate Bill 47 (Yee) expands the definition of "assault weapons" to BAN the future sale of rifles that have been designed/sold and are equipped to use the "bullet button" or similar device, requires NEW "assault weapon" registration of ALL those semi-auto rifles that are currently possessed to retain legal possession in the future, and subjects these firearms to all other "assault weapons" restrictions. Senate Bill 53 (DeLeon) requires persons to buy an annual ammunition purchase permit, requires the registration and thumbprint of the purchaser for each ammunition purchase, and bans online and mail order sales of ammunition to Californians.

Senate Bill 108 (Yee) requires mandatory locked storage of firearms within a locked house regardless of whether anyone is present.

Senate Bill 293 (DeSaulnier) BANS the sale of conventional handguns, if the state Department of Justice approves the sale of "Owner Authorized Smart" handgun technology. Senate Bill 299 (DeSaulnier) turns victims of firearm theft into criminals for failing to report the loss of their firearm within 48 hours.

Senate Bill 374 (Steinberg) expands the definition of "assault weapons" to BAN the future transfer of all semi-auto rifles that accept detachable magazines (including those chambered for rimfire cartridges) and virtually all semi-auto rifles with fixed magazines (primarily those chambered for rimfire cartridges), requires NEW "assault weapon" registration, requires registration of ALL those semi-auto rifles that are currently possessed to retain legal possession in the future, and subjects these firearms to all other "assault weapon" restrictions.

Senate Bill 396 (Hancock) BANS the POSSESSION of any magazine with a capacity to accept more than 10 cartridges, including currently legally possessed "grandfathered" large capacity magazines. Senate Bill 567 (Jackson) expands the definition of shotgun for "short-barreled shotguns" that are illegal to own.

Senate Bill 755 (Wolk) expands the list of persons prohibited from owning a firearm. Your state Senator and Assemblyman MUST hear from you TODAY urging them to OPPOSE the anti-gun bills listed above.

Don't forget to forward this alert to your family, friends and fellow gun owners throughout California and urge them to do the same. We need all of California gun owners and Second Amendment supports to continually call AND e-mail their state legislators.

The California Legislature needs to know that this tyranny against law-abiding citizens needs to stop. You can write your representative here urging them to OPPOSE the anti-gun bills listed above. Please feel free to also copy and paste all the bill information to ensure your state legislators know which bills to OPPOSE. You can also send a letter to all elected officials in California here. Please feel free to copy and paste all the bill information above to ensure the elected officials of California know which bills to OPPOSE.

You can also find information about anti-gun and pro-gun legislation in California at www.calnra.com. Help NRA Get Californians Connected With NRA's California ResourcesHelp the NRA expand its California network to keep all pro-Second Amendment Californians better informed about legislation in Congress, Sacramento, and locally that threatens your right to keep and bear arms, as well as developments in Second Amendment litigation and regulatory enforcement actions.

Please forward this email to your family, friends and fellow gun owners, whether they belong to the NRA or not! Encourage them to sign up for California NRA's Stayed Informed e-mails here. And follow NRA through these additional connections: Websites: NRA-ILA, NRA-ILA California, NRA ILA Legal Update, CalNRA.com, CRPA.org, CalGunLaws.com, HuntforTruth.orgFacebook Pages: NRA's page, CalGunLaws.com page, NRA Members' Councils' page, Hunt for Truth pageThe NRA recognizes that California is one of the most active Second Amendment "battleground states," so for decades NRA has devoted substantial resources to fighting for the right to keep and bear arms for Californians.

The NRA has full-time legislative advocates in its Sacramento office fighting ill-conceived gun ban proposals. NRA coordinates a statewide campaign to fight ill-conceived local gun bans and regulations. And NRA has been litigating cases in California courts to promote the right to self-defense and the Second Amendment for many years. NRA's California legal team continues to work pro-actively to strike down ill-conceived gun control laws and ordinances, and to protect the Second Amendment rights of California firearms owners.

For information about NRA's litigation efforts, see www.nraila.org/legal/litigation.aspx

Nevada Big Game Draw is Open!

The big game tag application process is now open. Applications must be received through the mail 5 p.m., and through the Internet by 11 p.m. by April 15 to be eligible for the drawing. You will be officially notified of the draw results by June 10. However, initial tag draw results will be posted online at huntnevada.com within 48 hours of the actual draw, which is usually held in late May.

Hunters can review hunt choices in the 2013 Big Game Seasons and Application Regulations book, which is posted online at ndow.org and available at NDOW offices and license agents statewide. NDOW will once again hold tag application workshops in Las Vegas (March 28) and Reno (March 27). The workshops include information on Nevada's big game management, tag quotas and allocations, draw odds, and bonus points. NDOW staff will explain common application errors, the computerized draw system and any new procedures or regulations for this year's drawing.

When selecting a hunt, it is always important to do your homework and know what to expect from the units you are applying for. The NDOW website is a valuable tool with several resources to help sportsmen select the right hunts. In an effort to make things easier, NDOW has placed the Top 10 Big Game Tag Application Resources on one page. The page includes maps, hunter information sheets, bonus point tables and hunt statistics and draw odds.

Take a Shot at One of Nevada's Specialty Tags

Nevada Dream Tags

The Nevada Dream Tags Program is a raffle that allows resident and nonresident sportsmen a chance at the hunt of a lifetime while also contributing to Nevada's wildlife habitat. The tags are similar to other western states' raffle tags and "hunt of a lifetime" tags.

All that is required to get started in the raffle is to first purchase a Resource Enhancement Stamp (RES) for $10. Once you have your stamp, you can purchase an unlimited number of raffle tickets for each species available for only $5 each. You can purchase both the RES Stamp and the raffle tickets at Nevada Dream Tag.
One of the best aspects of this raffle is the ability to purchase tickets for your family and friends. Anyone can go online and purchase their favorite hunter chances at the hunt of a lifetime for their birthday or Christmas or any special occasion.
 Tickets for the Nevada Dream Tag raffle are available now and will be sold until June 30. The winners will be announced in early July.

Partnership in Wildlife (PIW)

Partnership in Wildlife (PIW) is a voluntary and optional participation program that offers unique hunting opportunities to hunters for a few statewide big game tags. A person with a PIW tag may hunt in any unit with an open season for the species listed on the tag, during the season dates when that unit is open for that species, and only with the weapon authorized to be used during that open season.

Applicants who are eligible and apply for hunts in the first big game drawing of the year can apply for PIW hunts at the same time. Marking the PIW box with your initials for the same species you applied for in the first drawing will let us know that you want to participate in the PIW drawing for some very special tags. (Doe, cow, depredation and junior hunt applicants are not eligible for PIW hunts.) The PIW tag fee donation is $10 for each species applied for. If successful for a PIW hunt tag, the entire tag fee the participant submitted with their main draw application will pay for the PIW tag. If unsuccessful in the PIW draw, $10 of the tag fee received will be placed in the Wildlife Heritage Trust Account. The remainder of the tag fee received from an unsuccessful applicant for a big game tag will be refunded to the applicant.

Silver State Tags

The Silver State Tag is similar to the state's Heritage Tags and will provide lucky recipients with the opportunity to hunt a specific big game animal statewide in those hunt units where there is an established season for the species specified on the tag. But unlike the Heritage Tags, which generally sell at auction for thousands of dollars, Silver State Tags will be available through Nevada's normal tag application process at a far lesser price.

Tag applicants can expect to pay a nonrefundable application fee of $20 plus the $3 predator control and $2 online convenience fee, which brings the total to $25 for mule deer, Nelson (desert) bighorn sheep and pronghorn antelope. An additional $5 is required for the elk application. Tag recipients will be charged the current fees established for the tag received. Applications may only be submitted electronically at Hunt Nevada.

In addition to expanded choice of hunt location, tag holders also will have an extended season in which to harvest their game animal. Tag holders also can use their legal firearm of choice throughout the season's duration – bow, muzzleloader or rifle.

Hope this is helpful. I have drawn four mule deer tags, two antelope tags over the past 15 years so you can draw.

A Young Americans Views

 TRANSCRIPT:   

  Delivered to the New Hampshire Legislative Assembly
  January 22,  2013

Dear citizens of  New Hampshire ,
 
Four days ago, I was across the street for a gun rally on the steps of the Capitol. I had  never been to a gun rally before. I expected it to be all about hunters and guns. I was surprised: People were not afraid of not being able to hunt. They were not afraid of criminals at all. Do you know who they were afraid of? The Federal Government. I was shocked. They were afraid of the government taking away their freedoms. 
 
The reason I went to the rally in the first place was that I heard children, like me, talking with President Obama about guns on the radio. I think those kids were far too young to make policy, and got it all wrong. 
 
Naturally, I don't want my mom or dad to die either, nor my friends or family. But I learned in school that the First Amendment gives us our Basic Freedoms, like Freedom of Speech,  Freedom of Religion and Freedom to Assemble. To  protect our God-given rights, our Founders gave us the 2nd Amendment: The Right to Bear Arms.
 
My Civics teacher  taught us that the reason our Founding Fathers gave us the right to bear  arms is to protect ourselves from the government of man because when man is given absolute power, he becomes absolutely corrupt. In 1776, guns freed us from the abuses of King George.  Today, guns keep us free from tyranny by government.
 
If President Obama wants to take our guns, isn't he taking away our means to protect our  right to freedom? Wasn't the 2nd Amendment given to us to protect our 1st Amendment rights? It's not by chance that those are the first two amendments. They were the two most important gifts our Founders gave the American people.
 
I don't know. I'm just a 14 year old girl, and that's what I thought I learned in school.  Did Mr. Obama learn something different in school than that? 
 
I think it is terrible for someone to use a national tragedy for political gain, don't you? So, when I heard Mr. Obama issued 23 gun control orders in the wake of the Newtown tragedy, I was upset. In school I was taught executive means to execute laws -- not make them.  When did that change? Didn't the president swear an oath to uphold the U.S. Constitution? Doesn't the 2nd Amendment state: "the  right for people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed." ˇ Tell me  how 23 orders on gun control is not an infringement. Can someone please tell me that? Has King George returned?
 
I hope New Hampshire members of congress remember their pledge and do not use this  tragedy to create unjust laws. 
 
So I ask myself,  what gun would our Founders want their citizen militia to have today to  protect us from a government greedy for power.  I think Thomas  Jefferson would recommend a semi-automatic rifle  with 50-round clips, and pistols that hold 20. But, I'm sure George  Washington would demand these  arms.
 
Just so you know, I don't even own a gun, nor does my mom, or dad . But when I'm old enough, I want the right to buy a gun if I want to, so I can protect the America that I love. I hope I never need one, but I always say, "plan for the worst and hope for the best".  Unfortunately, that's sort of why the government is taking away our guns: they are planning for the worst Americans, and not thinking of the best. Maybe the question we should be asking is what caused the morality of the United States to decay? Are parents no longer  teaching their kids "thou shalt not kill?"
 
I want to live in an America with laws that protect the best people on Earth, not the worst, don't you? Wouldn't that be more free? Wouldn't that be more  American? Isn't freedom  what America is all about? The right to bear arms is our best guarantee to live free. 
 
Finally, at my  track meet at UNH on Sunday, I read the banner on the wall. It said three words: Tradition. Pride. Excellence. I hope and pray that New Hampshire will continue its tradition of excellence and lead the way for  the rest of the county, and never infringe on my rights. May the people  of the great state of New Hampshire carry on their long tradition of freedom, so we can proclaim with pride the  words our forefathers gave us: Live Free or  Die!
 
This is our United States . This is our New Hampshire . And that should never change.
 
Live Free or Die,  New Hampshire !
 
  Thank you,
Daphne  Jordan
Nottingham , NH

What do you think abut Daphine's views? Comment.

Contact your California Legislators and voice our opinion!

Hola, The noise level about gun rights, gun ownership, coyote hunting, bear hunting, 2nd amendments, Bill of Rights, Our Constitutional rights, Sandy Hook, Colorado shooting and on and on and on.  Is this not getting a little out of hand.  Where is the common sense to solve these issues and be logical about the solutions.

Common Sense people are informed people and take action(voting) on social issues. Common Sense people think about the issues and find out the truth about the issues and act accordingly. They are not influenced by the ill-informed media who only cares about ratings and sensationalism.

I talked to people all the time who do not hunt, are not sporting participants, are not against owning guns or against hunting, but are  just citizens trying to live their lives. Interestingly, when asked about hunting and gun ownership, most say they believe in the 2nd amendment and the need for managing wildlife with hunting as one of the options.

They are not afraid of guns and ownership, in fact, many have guns. What is missing is action to voice their logical comments. They are just too busy to make a statement of record. Apathy is the biggest culprit for change or no change in addressing the policies being discussed right now. Why? because the "squeaky wheel gets the grease" The anti's are vocal, organized, and make the most noise about these issues while the majority of reasonable citizens are apathetic to the causes.

Are you a logical citizen who wants to voice your opinion? Well here is how you do it.


How do you  contact your individual state legislators.  Please go to http://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov/ ; enter your street address, city and zip code and your California state senator and assembly member will be displayed. 

Clicking on those names will take you to the state legislator's home page which provides contact information, biographical information, etc. about that legislator.  Because of redistricting, only one-half of the senators (odd-numbered districts) were elected in 2012; the remainder (even-numbered districts) will be elected in 2014.

Ok, this is how you let your opinions known to your elected officials. Simple but you have to do it or your apathy will prevail. 

Obviously, these views are mine. I just feel the majority needs to be heard. Thanks Dan for your motivation to address this issue.

Two Supreme Court Decisions that Affect our 2nd Amendment Rights

Ok, here is another point of view of the laws of the land on gun rights, what do you think?

Two Supreme Court Decisions That Affect Our 2nd Amendment Rights

There are two Supreme Court rulings that directly relate to the current anti-Assault Weapon issue everyone needs to be reminded of.

 The first is United States v. Miller 1939. Miller possessed a sawed-off shotgun banned under the National Firearms Act. He argued that he had a right to bear the weapon under the Second Amendment, but the Supreme Court ruled against him. Why? At the time, sawed-off shotguns were not being used in a military application, and the Supremes ruled that since it didn't, it was not protected. Even though Miller lost that argument, the Miller case set the precedent that protected firearms have a military, and thus a legitimate and protected Militia use.

The military now uses shotguns regularly, but not very short, sawed-off shotguns, but an AR-15/AK-47 type weapon is currently in use by the military, therefore it is a protected weapon for the Unorganized Militia, which includes just about every American citizen now that both age and sex discrimination are illegal.

(The original Militia included men of age 17-45) Therefore any firearm that is applicable to military use is clearly protected under Article II, and that includes all those nasty-looking semi-automatic black rifles, including full 30 round magazines.

 The second important case is that of John Bad Elk v. United States from 1900. In that case, an attempt was made to arrest Mr. Bad Elk without probable cause, and Mr. Bad Elk killed a policeman who was attempting the false arrest. Bad Elk had been found guilty and sentenced to death. However, the Supreme Court ruled that Bad Elk had the right to use any force, including lethal force, to prevent his false arrest, even if the policeman was only trying to arrest him and not kill him.

Basically, the Supremes of the day ruled that as a citizen, you have the right to defend against your civil rights being violated using ANY force necessary to prevent the violation, even if the offending party isn't trying to kill you.

Both of these cases are standing law to this day.

 The Miller decision clearly includes AR-15/AK-47 type weapons as having a military application. The Bad Elk decision means that if the government tries to confiscate your  AR-15/AK-47, or arrest you for having one, you can kill the offenders on the spot, even if they are not trying to kill you.

Also consider this about gun registration:
Why Convicted Felon's Don't / Won't Have to Register Their [Illegal] Firearms
 U.S. Supreme Court’s 1968 Haynes v. U.S. decision:

Haynes, a convicted felon, was convicted of unlawful possession of an unregistered short-barreled shotgun.   He argued that for a convicted felon to register a gun was effectively an announcement to the government that he was breaking the law and that registration violated his Fifth Amendment protection against self-incrimination.   The court, by an 8 – 1 margin, agreed, concluding:

 “We hold that a proper claim of the constitutional privilege against self-incrimination provides a full defense to prosecutions either for failure to register a firearm…or for possession of an unregistered firearm.” (Summary from American Rifleman, March 2000, page 20)

 So, when these gun registration schemes are announced, be aware that only lawful gun-owners are required to register their firearms.   Unlawful owners are exempted from registration laws due to their constitutional protection against self-incrimination.  

Amazing but true…  Want to see more about hunting and my experiences, follow me on Ryan's Roost.

Sensor Safari at the ISE Show in Sacramento

Last weekend was the International Sportsmans Expo at Cal Expo.  Granite Bay SCI set up a Sensory Safari in the Youth Tent for three days.  What is so interesting about this project is that the Sensory Safari started out as a way for blind people to feel animal skins, mounts, and skulls.  This was so successful years ago that it became an experience for anyone.

It is hard to believe how many people have never touched an animal skin or even been close to an animal whether it was dead or alive.  It was amazing to see the thrill in their faces to touch a buffalo skin, feel the softness of a mule deer hide, be amazed at a Spanish Ibex.  For three days, hundreds of people passed thru our booth touching and experiencing the wonders of wildlife.

Guess what the most popular animal was for children and adults?  The duck- billed platypus from Australia. People could not believe this animal was real.  Did you know they are egg laying mamals and can be poisonous?

This was so much fun and we thanks all the people who came by. A special thanks to ISE for letting us have a booth and a special thanks to Jenna Copeland-Perry, from Wilderness Unlimited,  the camp director. The Youth Tent was well planned, well run and the food was great.

If you have a chance to experience a Sensory Safari, you will be amazed.
Want more information on how you can put on a Sensory Safari, contact me at cal2032@sbcglobal.net or Granite Bay SCI at www.granitebaysci.com.