Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Sportsmen Unite in Support of Scientific Forest Management

Orion has signed on to the letter referred to in this news release:

Tuesday, May 17, 2011
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WASHINGTON - As the U.S. Forest Service completes work on new planning regulations for the nation's forests and grasslands, an assemblage of prominent sportsman-conservation groups is uniting in support of policy that conserves wildlife and fish populations, habitat, hunting and angling, and high-quality outdoor experiences, the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership announced.

"The Buck Stops Here," a statement signed by 64 hunting and angling groups from across the country, strongly asserts sportsmen's priorities for managing America's 193 million acres of national forests and grasslands.

"In charting the future of our national forests and grasslands, the buck stops here," said Joel Webster, director of the TRCP Center for Western Lands. "These areas provide some of the nation's finest fish and wildlife habitat and publicly accessible hunting and fishing to millions of sportsmen. From wild sheep, deer, elk, turkey and grouse hunting to wild trout and salmon fishing, these lands will only become more important for our outdoor traditions as America's population continues to grow."

"With more than 400,000 miles of streams and 3 million acres of lakes, the Forest Service has a central role in the future of our nation's water supplies and fisheries habitats," said Keith Curley, director of government affairs with Trout Unlimited, a "Buck Stops Here" signatory. "The planning rule must ensure that management decisions are made using the best available science - and critical resources such as riparian habitats and water quality are protected or restored so that healthy populations of fish and wildlife may be sustained on Forest Service lands."

"The Wildlife Society encourages the Forest Service to strengthen the role of science in the final rule," said Michael Hutchins, executive director and CEO of The Wildlife Society, which signed the sportsmen's letter, "and to ensure that the ecosystem-based conservation and management approach leads to healthy fish and wildlife populations by placing greater emphasis on focal species-level monitoring."

"In order to sustain quality hunting and angling opportunities, forest plans must show how they will support not only rare plants and animals but also important species such as deer, elk, grouse and trout that are enjoyed and used by the public," stated Webster. "Non-routine projects must be carefully monitored to safeguard fish and wildlife - both during and after these activities."

Promulgated under the National Forest Management Act, the new regulations will govern management of fish and wildlife populations, watersheds, road building, timber harvest and habitat restoration on the nation's national forest lands. A series of forums enabled the public to ask questions and learn about the new regulations. Comments must be submitted by May 16.

Read "The Buck Stops Here" and review the list of sportsmen signatories.

Inspired by the legacy of Theodore Roosevelt, the TRCP is a coalition of organizations and grassroots partners working together to preserve the traditions of hunting and fishing.
Contact:
Katie McKalip, 406-240-9262, kmckalip@trcp.org

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

TRCP highlighting the importance of public land management

Orion Board members Gayle Joslin and Jim Posewitz are active members of the Hellgate Hunter's and Anglers mentioned in this video, also Land Tawney's dad was a founder of Orion:


Tuesday, May 10, 2011

MICHIGAN 'FAMILIES AFIELD' BILL CLEARS SENATE

From the NSSF Bullet Points:

 . . . The Michigan Senate overwhelmingly approved a bill that would eliminate the state's minimum hunting age and create a mentored youth hunting program for those under the age of 10. The bill, which passed by a vote of 30-6, would allow youths to hunt under the supervision of an experienced adult mentor. It now moves to the House, where an identical bill is already pending. The legislation is part of the nationwide Families Afield effort to increase youth involvement in hunting by allowing young hunters to safely experience outdoor hunting traditions under the supervision of an experienced mentor. Read more about the bill.

Friday, May 6, 2011

US removes gray wolf from endangered list

From The Wildlife Society Newsbrief:

The U.S. government is formally removing about 1,300 gray wolves in the Rocky Mountain region from the endangered species list, capping a legal battle that has dragged on for years. The Interior Department will also seek to remove thousands more wolves in the western Great Lakes region from the endangered list because they have recovered to "healthy levels," Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said. The final rule follows an order of Congress last month and means that states will manage the animals and that hunting will resume in Idaho, Montana, and parts of Utah, Oregon and Washington. More

Sportsmen Move Closer to Thousands of Acres of Federal Land

Orion has signed on to an American Wildlife Partnership letter in support of this legislation.

From the Outdoor Wire:

Hundreds of thousands of acres of Federal public land could soon be open to hunting, fishing, trapping and shooting as legislation was introduced in the United States Senate today to guarantee funding for improving public access to federal public lands. | For More...

Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., and Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, have introduced legislation-the "Making Public Lands Public Access Act of 2011"-that guarantees funding for improving hunter access to existing public lands. | For More...

Tuesday, May 3, 2011