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The Commission passed a recommendation from MDC’s regulations committee to change the wildlife code to allow year-round holding fur holding. This regulation will result in removal of the fur handlers permit. The rule will go into effect for the 2011-2012 trapping season. Currently the rule in going through the process of rule changes with the secretary of state and will be open to a public comment period before becoming official.

Jeff Beringer

SPORTSMEN'S ACTION NETWORK

Action Alert February 2, 2011

Call to Action - Congress Introduces bills in House and Senate on Wolf Delisting

S 249, The American Big Game and Livestock Protection Act, was introduced yesterday. The bill returns management of wolf populations to state wildlife agencies who have been so instrumental in recovery of wolf populations.

Senator John McCain and Senator Jon Kyl both signed on as original co-sponsors along with Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah (the bill's prime sponsor) and Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyoming), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Michael Enzi (R-Wyoming), Mike Lee (R-Utah) and James Risch (R-Idaho).

A copy of Senator Kyl's Introduction remarks can be read by clicking here. We are most appreciative of the support from Senator McCain and Senator Kyl for this important legislation and urge all of you to let them know how much you appreciate their leadership on the wolf delisting issue as well.

H. R. 509, sponsored by Congressman Denny Rehbert of Montana, was introduced in Congress last week with 15 co-sponsors from 12 different states. Efforts are just now being launched to obtain commitments from additional co-sponsors including Arizona's Congressmen with whom we are meeting this week.

H. R. 509 amends the 1973 Endangered Species Act by specifying that "the Act shall not apply to the gray wolf (canis lupus)". This week, we are expecting comparable legislation to be introduced in the U. S. Senate.

"The bi-partisan support received thus far for H. R. 509 is gratifying" says Ryan Benson of Big Game Forever. Please take a moment to thank them for their support. Clearly, the interest in supporting this bill demonstrates the level of frustration over misuse of the endangered species act and the endless use of the judicial system by environmental and animal rights activists to assault the right of the states to manage wildlife.

Benson is correct in saying "We have seen the politics of divisiveness used to pit sportsmen against sportsmen, multiple use group against multiple use group, state against state, and party against party." It is time for sportsmen and other multiple use groups to stand together on the wolf delisting issue and not allow "politics as usual" to prevail. We cannot wait till our elk, moose and deer herds across the west are totally decimated.

Rep. Rob Bishop (R-Utah)	Rep. Dan Boren (D-Oklahoma)
Rep. Leonard L. Boswell (D-Iowa)	Rep. Paul C. Broun (R-Georgia)
Rep. Dennis A. Cardoza (D-California)	Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah)
Rep. Dean Heller (R-Nevada)	Rep. John Kline (R-Minnesota)
Rep. Raul R. Labrador (R-Idaho)	Rep. Cynthia M. Lummis (R-Wyoming)
Rep. Jim Matheson (D-Utah)	Rep. Mike Ross (D-Arkansas)
Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska)

Help us continue the great effort advanced thus far. If your Congressman's name is not on this list call them today and ask them to sign on as a co-sponsor of H. R. 509. We will let you know when the Senate bill is introduced by Senator Hatch of Utah. Click here to sign on to the Big Game Forever Petition and to email your congressman.

Arizona Legislative Update

With nearly a thousand bills introduced thus far, House and Senate committees cranked up their schedules this week to meet the deadline for hearing House of Origin bills. The deadline for introduction of bills without special permission is February 7. For a list of bills being monitored by Arizona Sportsmen for Wildlife (AZSFW), click here.

Last week, the Senate Natural Resource and Transportation Committee voted to confirm the Governor's nominees to serve on the Game and Fish Commission Appointment Recommendation Board. Full Senate approval is anticipated this week as there were no dissenting votes in Committee. The Committee will be holding a confirmation hearing for Governor Brewer's Game and Fish Commission nominee, Robert Mansell, in the coming week or so. AZSFW is in support of all nominees.

Today, the House Energy and Natural Resource Committee (HENR) considered three bills of importance to sportsmen and wildlife. HB 2360, a technical bill to fix a glitch in last year's Commission Recommendation Board Bill, moved out of committee with a 7-2 vote in favor. Upon enactment of HB 2360, the Governor will be able to appoint the fifth member of the Commission Appointment Recommendation Board.

Other bills of interest in HENR included HB 2358, the wildlife guides and wasted meat bill, was held till next week to accommodate amendments requested by interested stakeholders and HB 2396 , the game and fish trophies and enforcement bill was held indefinitely in order to give numerous stakeholders an opportunity to resolve differences on the bill though the concept of enhanced penalties for taking of trophy wildlife was supported.

For more information on bills being monitored by AZSFW click here and enter the bill number for the bill of interest.

Act Now to Counter Court Ruling That Endangers Hunting Rights on Public Land

A recent alert from the National Wild Turkey Federation asks for our help to mitigate what could be a very troubling precendent and thus pose a threat to gun hunting on portions of our federal lands throughout the country. A federal circuit court ruling on the Forest Plan for the Huron-Manistee National Forest in central Michigan mandated that the forest consider banning all firearm hunting on all or portions of 13 Seimprimitive Areas. To learn more about the alternatives being considered by the Forest Service, click here.

Missouri Furbearer Records http://mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/trapping/furbearer-records