Sportsmen’s Groups Address Core TRCP Issues with Senate Democratic Leadership
Congress has been busy so far this year introducing, debating and marking up legislation important to hunters and anglers. Many influential members of the sporting community, including TRCP President and CEO George Cooper, celebrated Earth Day by meeting with the Senate Democratic leadership to discuss pressing conservation issues and current legislative actions.
“Sometimes things move slowly in Congress,” said Cooper. “But right now numerous legislative actions affecting sportsmen are being contemplated, and having the opportunity to talk with Senate leaders enabled the TRCP and its partners to stress the importance of sportsmen’s values in these bills.”
Among the topics covered at the meeting were three of the TRCP’s core issues: climate change, energy development and clean water restoration. Measures focusing on these issues are presently being considered by Congress; the TRCP is actively working to assure that sportsmen’s interests are represented in the final versions of the legislation. To learn more about the TRCP’s efforts in Washington on behalf of hunters and anglers, please see the articles in this issue of the Square Dealer or click on the links above.
The April 22 meeting, hosted by Sens. Harry Reid (Nev.) and Debbie Stabenow (Mich.), also was attended by Sens. Barbara Boxer (Calif.), Roland Burris (Ill.), Dick Durbin (Ill.), Russ Feingold (Wis.), Kay Hagan (N.C.), Tom Harkin (Iowa), Ted Kaufman (Del.), Amy Klobuchar (Minn.), Blanche Lincoln (Ark.), Jeff Merkley (Wash.), Ben Nelson (Neb.), Jeanne Shaheen (N.H.), John Tester (Mont.), Mark Udall (Colo.), Tom Udall (N.M.) and Sheldon Whitehouse (R.I.).
“That Senators Reid and Stabenow hosted this gathering, and that so many senators attended, clearly demonstrates that Congress is listening to the sportsmen’s community,” said Cooper. “This meeting of minds should result in favorable accomplishments for hunters and anglers in the coming legislative session.”
As the Senate Energy Committee continues to deliberate elements of a sweeping energy bill, the TRCP remains vocal in its support of measures intended to safeguard fish and wildlife populations on America’s public lands. With the committee now ready to consider crucial measures in the legislation concerning public-lands energy development, energy transmission corridors and renewable energy production, the need for sportsmen to advocate on behalf of our fish and game resources is more important than ever.
The outlines of the energy legislation still are being defined. The TRCP maintains, however, that specific language be adopted to ensure that a stronger, more consistent approach is taken to federal management of energy development and transmission – whether it is renewable or nonrenewable, offshore or onshore.
American sportsmen always have appreciated the necessity of developing energy resources on our public lands and waters. At the same time, we understand that these activities be carried out in a manner defined by sound science and that sustains fish and wildlife so that our outdoor opportunities are assured for generations to come.
Sportsmen Laud Conservation Measures in Climate Change Bill
Two anglers with a speckled trout caught in the Gulf of Mexico near Sandestin, Fla.
Photo by Tim Zink
Shifting big-game migration patterns in Wyoming. Reduced waterfowl productivity in Minnesota. Diminished recreational fisheries in Florida. The effects of global climate change are inescapable – and have the power to transform where and how Americans hunt and fish.
That’s why sportsmen are praising draft legislation from the U.S. House of Representatives that details procedures for conserving fish and wildlife in the face of climate change. Introduced in March by Reps. Henry Waxman and Edward Markey, the discussion draft would attempt to limit the effects of climate change by imposing a cap on greenhouse gas emissions while investing in energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies. It also would create the Natural Resources Climate Change Adaptation Fund to assist federal and state agencies in implementing natural resources adaptation strategies and measures. And it would draw on existing state wildlife conservation strategies, also known as wildlife action plans, and stipulate revision of the plans to address adaptation strategies and measures for fish and wildlife.
Members of the TRCP Climate Change Working Group, comprised of representatives of leading sportsmen’s and conservation groups, stressed the importance of funding programs that would help safeguard natural resources and public lands from the negative impacts of climate change.
“Climate change is expected to profoundly alter a broad range of fish and wildlife species – and consequently could dramatically affect hunting and fishing opportunities in the future,” said Steve Williams, president of the Wildlife Management Institute and working group co-chair. “Provisions for adaptation in the Waxman-Markey draft would facilitate protection of public resources, including fish and wildlife and their habitats, from the harmful impacts of this inevitable planetary mutation.”
“Scientists project that emissions already in our atmosphere, along with carbon deposition into our oceans, will lead to increased sea level rise; intensified storms, floods and droughts; disappearing mountain snowpack and altered stream flows; evaporating lakes and wetlands; ocean acidification and other disruptions,” continued Dr. Michael Hutchins, executive director/CEO of The Wildlife Society, a scientific and educational organization representing 8,000 wildlife professionals, and working group member. “If adequately funded, the natural resources adaptation program in the Waxman-Markey draft would represent a landmark achievement in the history of U.S. wildlife and natural resources conservation.”
The Waxman-Markey draft recognizes the importance of adaptation strategies in state wildlife action plans – tactics that enable landscape-scale approaches in natural resource management. As America struggles to address the negative impacts of global climate change on public lands, adaptation-focused funding will be essential in conserving our game populations – and sustaining our hunting and fishing traditions. The TRCP Climate Change Working Group will continue to push for provisions and funding to protect fish and wildlife and their habitats in upcoming climate change legislation.
Read “Season’s End,” a report detailing the predicted impacts of climate change on fish and wildlife in the United States and the implications for hunting and fishing.
Help ensure that our waters are conserved so that great hunting and fishing opportunities like this one will endure.
Ensuring that our nation's water resources are as clean as possible is vital - not only for our personal health but also for the health of fish and wildlife populations and their habitats.
Recent actions in Washington, D.C., however, have threatened to remove Clean Water Act protections for thousands of miles of streams and rivers that flow through our communities and for millions of acres of wetlands.
TRCP Unites Outdoor Community in Support of Responsible Backcountry Management
Kents Canyon in the Elkhorn Roadless Area in Idaho offers valuable habitat for a variety of game species.
Photo by JoelWebster
Sportsmen know that America’s backcountry lands are fundamental in maintaining exceptional public-lands hunting and fishing. Also known as roadless lands, these areas offer places of refuge for our fish and wildlife populations, where big-game animals like elk, mule deer and bighorn sheep can flourish and sport fisheries can thrive.
Yet hunters and anglers aren’t the only ones who recognize the value of roadless lands. Other public-lands recreationists, including hikers, mountain bikers, climbers, paddlers and backcountry skiers, have a stake in sustainable backcountry management.
To that end, a consortium of prominent outdoor-oriented groups has united to uphold the high-quality sporting and recreational opportunities provided by America’s backcountry. The TRCP, Outdoor Industry Association and Outdoor Alliance, together representing millions of public-lands users, recently sent a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack urging him to support responsible backcountry management by setting short-term and long-term rules that will guarantee the conservation of these priceless public lands.
“Responsible roadless area management is a catalyst that has united the interests of our diverse groups,” explained Mark Singleton, chairman of the Outdoor Alliance and executive director of American Whitewater. “The human-powered recreation community and the sportsmen’s community enjoy different activities on America’s public lands, yet collectively we understand the significance of these lands in securing our outdoor traditions. Specifically, we agree that our national forest roadless areas are a valuable resource that must be conserved.”
Close to 60 million acres of backcountry lands are encompassed within America’s national forests and grasslands, yet management of these areas has remained in limbo for years. Many outdoors-oriented groups support national legislation that conserves America’s backcountry lands and the fish and wildlife, sporting and recreational resources they sustain.
“The scenic and recreational qualities of America’s backcountry help guarantee high-quality outdoor experiences,” affirmed Amy Roberts, vice president of government affairs for the Outdoor Industry Association. “Roadless areas play a pivotal role in the $730 billion annual contribution of active outdoor recreation to the U.S. economy.”
In today’s tough economy, America relies on the dollars contributed by sportsmen and outdoor recreationists now more than ever. Robust backcountry lands can maintain strong economic engines in rural communities and continue to supply stable jobs associated with hunting, fishing and other sustainable outdoor activities. Businesses that provide services and products to these user groups – everything from guide and outfitter services to gear stores, motels, grocery stores and gas stations – are the lifeblood of many rural communities. Responsible administration of roadless areas can secure a profitable future for backcountry-dependent industries.
“Secretary Vilsack’s strong leadership can make it possible for recreationists of every stripe to continue enjoying these important public resources,” stated TRCP President and CEO George Cooper, “and the outdoor community looks forward to working closely with the secretary and his staff to achieve a sustainable future for our nation’s unique backcountry landscapes.”
Take Action: Thank Sen. Bingaman for Advancing Mining Law Reform
Acid mine drainage from the Iron Mountain mine in California.
Photo courtesy of Earthworks
A new U.S. Senate bill that would institute long-overdue reform of the General Mining Law of 1872 offers hope to sportsmen that America’s most archaic natural resources legislation may be sensibly revised – and our public lands more sustainably administered – at long last.
Earlier this month, Senate Energy and Natural Resources Chair Jeff Bingaman introduced the Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2009 (S. 796), noting that the legislation would “make responsible changes” to the “outmoded” 1872 General Mining Law. Past efforts to modernize the 1872 law have failed, but with the support of America’s hunters and anglers, we can ensure that the 21st-century mining industry no longer is governed by a 19th-century law.
“In today’s tough economic climate, responsibly managing our public lands makes good sense,” said Tom St. Hilaire, TRCP vice president for campaign management. “The 1872 Mining Law not only fails to safeguard these lands, it also jeopardizes fish and wildlife populations that depend on them – consequently diminishing hunting and fishing opportunities and hurting the economic boost provided by sportsmen. The Senate bill would conserve these valuable natural resources at a time when we need them most.”
The 1872 Mining Law governs extraction of “hard-rock” minerals, such as gold, silver and copper, from our nation’s public lands. Under the 1872 law, more than 270 million acres of federal lands are open to hard-rock mining, mostly in the Rocky Mountain West. Absent the law’s meaningful revision, many of America’s most treasured public lands remain at risk, including important wildlife habitat and hunting areas, valuable fisheries, popular recreation sites, vital municipal water supplies and sensitive roadless areas.
President Obama celebrates after signing the Public Lands Bill Photo courtesy of the White House
The Omnibus Public Lands Bill, legislation that ensures the conservation of millions of acres of public lands and hunting and fishing opportunities, was signed into law by President Barack Obama on March 30. TRCP President and CEO George Cooper was on hand to witness the signing of the historic measure, which will help sustain invaluable fish and wildlife habitat and uphold America’s outdoor traditions.
The public-lands legislation comprises more than 150 lands, water and resources bill and numerous measures of importance to sportsmen, including the Wyoming Range Legacy Act, which prevents further development of the Wyoming Range, and the National Landscape Conservation System, which conserves hunting and fishing opportunities on millions of acres of Bureau of Land Management lands. Through its support of Sportsmen for the Wyoming Range, the TRCP worked alongside other hunting and angling groups to assure passage of the Wyoming Range Legacy Act, thereby safeguarding a region enjoyed by generations of Western families and home to elk, moose, mule deer and cutthroat trout.
President Obama evoked Theodore Roosevelt in his speech at the bill signing.
"What these gifts require in return is our wise and responsible stewardship. As our greatest conservationist president, Teddy Roosevelt, put it almost a century ago, 'I recognize the right and duty of this generation to develop and use the natural resources of our land; but I do not recognize the right to waste them, or to rob, by wasteful use, the generations that come after us,'" the president said.
“The Wyoming Range Legacy Act will sustain more than 1 million acres of prime big-game habitat and native trout waters in an iconic American landscape,” affirmed Dr. Rollin Sparrowe, TRCP co-founder and interim board chair. “The National Landscape Conservation System will conserve hunting and fishing opportunities on some of our country’s most important fish and wildlife habitat. This legislation’s significance to hunters and anglers cannot be overstated.”
Did you see us on the roadside? Or catch us on the radio? The Association of Political Consultants and Public Affairs Professionals (AAPC) did. Two campaigns associated with the TRCP roadless initiative in Colorado recently were honored at the AAPC’s 2009 Pollie Awards. The TRCP’s “Don't Target Colorado” billboard won a bronze award, and the “A Road is a Road” radio advertisement won the top prize in its category. Both were developed by RBI Strategy and Research.
“Fishing and hunting annually contribute more than $190 billion to our nation’s economic system,” said Joel Webster, TRCP associate director of campaigns.“Conscientious management of roadless areas can support strong economies in rural communities and stable jobs associated with hunting, fishing and other outdoor recreation.”
Recognition by groups like the AAPC helps advance the TRCP’s work in the interest of sportsmen and America’s public lands.
A big thanks to everyone who sent in an answers to last month's T.R.ivia question. Congratulations to Tony Grossman, who was the first to correctly identify that Maltese Cross and Elkhorn were the name of T.R.’s two ranches. Send your answer to this month’s question to Brian McClintock (brianm@trcp.org) for your chance to win a DVD collection of the TRCP’s TV show "Life in the Open."
Updates from TRCP Partner Organizations -
News from the National Conservation Community
American Fisheries Society The AFS seeks papers for its new Marine and Coastal Fisheries publication. More>>
American Sportfishing Association
Read the latest ASA member update. More>>
Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announces more than $740 million will be distributed to states for fish and wildlife projects. More>>
BASS/ESPN Outdoors Does spraying herbicides during spring spawning hurt bass populations? More>>
Bonefish and Tarpon Trust
Read the first ever Bonefish and Tarpon Journal. More>>
Coastal Conservation Association
CCA reorganizes to prepare for more growth. More>>
Delta Waterfowl
Read about the success of the Delta Waterfowl Hen House Program. More>>
Ducks Unlimited
DU looks to the duck stamp to find more funding for conservation. More>>
Federation of Fly Fishers Learn about the Steelhead Committee and its efforts to help wild salmon and steelhead. More>>
International Game Fish Association The IGFA mourns the loss of trustee Kaye Pearson. More>>
International Hunter Education Association Support the IHEA by booking your travel arrangements through their website. More>>
Izaak Walton League of America
Find an IWLA event near you. More>>
Mule Deer Foundation
Get your chance to hunt mule deer this fall by supporting the Mule Deer Foundation through its game tag raffles and drawings. More>>
The Nature Conservancy
The Conservancy is protecting five important salmon watersheds in Washington. More>>
North American Grouse Partnership
The NAGP receives a $68,000 grant to support grasslands conservation in Nebraska. More>>
Pheasants Forever
Panhandle habitat work is the focus of the new Dallas-Fort Worth PF chapter. More>>
Quail Forever
Learn how to start your local QF chapter. More>>
Quail Unlimited
Fine art sculptor Alan Derrick has teamed with Quail Unlimited to raise money for wild quail conservation. More>>
Quality Deer Management Association
Read about the QDMA's guidelines for habitat management to improve your whitetail populations. More>>
Trout Unlimited
Trout Unlimited applauds federal judge’s decision to prevent West Virginia mountaintop removal mining companies from filling valleys with mining waste. More>>
Trust for Public Land
The Trust for Public Land praises Reps. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., and Ed Markey, D-Mass., for their proposal for climate change legislation. More>>
Whitetails Unlimited
Whitetails Unlimited continues to grow. More>>
Wildlife Management Institute
Patrick Noonan receives the 2009 George Bird Grinnell Memorial Award. More>>
The Wildlife Society Read the preliminary program for the 16th annual Widlife Society Conference. More>>
Every month, we profile an individual who works to conserve our nation's natural resources. Whether they're a head of a company or an everyday outdoorsman, they all are working hard with the TRCP to help guarantee that you'll always have a place to hunt and fish.
Joe McCartin Washington, D.C. United Association member, bird hunter, trout fisherman, TRCP Policy Council member
Q: How did you get involved in hunting and fishing?
A: I grew up hunting and fishing. My dad would take me out fishing for panfish, perch and bass when I was in diapers, later we would fish for walleyes and muskies. I was out pheasant, quail, duck, goose and dove hunting as soon as I able to pass hunter's safety. My dad had a number of English setters and Labradors when we were growing up, and he fishes on the Professional Musky Tournament Trail and the FLW Walleye Tour. From a very early age he would take the entire family to the local Pheasants Forever fundraiser.
Q: What are your favorite outdoor pursuits today?
A: I currently hunt for pheasant, quail, grouse, and woodcock with my English setter and Labrador mix, Dade. Now that I live on the East Coast, I mainly fish for brook trout on the fly, but I like to fish for everything.
Q: How long have you been with United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters? A: I started working at the United Association four years ago. Previous to that, I was a union organizer with the Service Employees International Union. I worked as a pipefitter in Chicago during the summers when I was in college. I attended Middlebury College in Vermont and spent way too much time hunting grouse, fishing for trout and snowboarding. It was an eye-opener going to the East Coast and seeing how intense the competition between hikers, bikers, snowmobilers and hunters can be for limited resources. We need to work together so everyone benefits from the outdoors, so everyone is concerned about protecting it.
Q: Why is conservation important to you?
A: Growing up, I saw public land shrinking as Chicago grew in size and there were fewer and fewer places to find pheasants near the city. Spending a lot of time in northern Wisconsin, it became apparent that the groups that were doing the most practical and effective work to preserve our shared natural resources were the fin and feather groups.
Q: What do you think is the most important conservation issue that sportsmen face today, and how do you see the unions helping the TRCP?
A: The most important conservation goal in my mind is making the fields, forests and clean rivers accessible to every American. That is the only way to build the next generation of conservationists. The key to accomplishing this goal isn't just providing a physical habitat, it is having an economy that works for everyone. Without a decent wage and standard of living, workers won't be able to take the family camping, fishing or hunting. Unions can help conservationists the most by creating an economy full of conservationists.
But on a practical note, during last session's Congress, the TRCP and the UA worked together to increase conservation funding in the Farm Bill and to promote Open Fields and clean water funding. I am excited about the Obama administration and the opportunities it will provide for unions and the TRCP to work together again. With this administration, the government is finally spending money on our crumbling waste water and drinking water infrastructure. We will finally tackle the climate change problem and transform our economy. New energy generation, industrial processes and building codes must be sustainable for the environment, but they must also be sustainable for communities and workers.
Readers of the Shooting Sportsman know Major Peabody. His outdoor escapades have been a feature of the publication since the first issue of the magazine in 1987. Galen Winter's collection of essays features some of the best Peabody stories.
Say "Martha's Vineyard" to a non-angler and he might think of a up-scale vacation location. Saying to a striper fisherman, and he'll think of one of the most intense striped bass and bluefish tournaments in America. David Kinney's new book, The Big One, chronicles this famous fishing tournament.
New Mexico field representative Ross Tuckwiller with an early-season Merriam tom that he shot near his home in Durango, Colo.
Joel Webster, TRCP associate director for campaigns, got his first turkey of the season hunting with P.J. DelHomme, hunting editor of Bugle magazine, in Montana.
TRCP senior writer and host of "Life in the Open," Ken Barrett (right) got the TRCP turkey season underway, bagging this tom in Kansas while hunting with Kevin Messmer, assistant regional marketing manager with Chevy Trucks.
We want your photos. Send photos to info@trcp.org.
Electronic photos only please.
In April of 1909, Teddy Roosevelt and his son Kermit headed to Africa for what would be a nearly year-long safari. They took many guns with them, and while T.R. had a bigger, more powerful 500/450 caliber Holland & Holland double rifle along, he called his .405 Winchester model 1895 lever action rifle the “Big Stick!” With the .405s he and Kermit shot the continent’s most dangerous game.
Some of the detail on Winchester's T.R. commemorative rifle.
The 1895 was never as popular as Winchester’s model 94 or model 1886 (which had been a favorite of T.R.). Given the drop of the stock and accompanying heavy load, the .405 was a real “kicker” and hardly a pleasant gun to shoot. In fact, the Russian Army purchased more of the rifles than ever were sold in the United States.
Nevertheless, Roosevelt liked the gun and used it extensively, along with his model 1903 Springfield in 30.06, with which he killed at least one elephant.
In addition to his rifles, Teddy also took along a 12-gauge Fox side-by-side, of which he said, “No better gun was made.” Many nice Foxes are on the secondary market, some reasonably priced. If you’d like a new, custom-made gun (and have escaped the current economic problems) take a look at the Foxes being made by Connecticut Shotgun Manufacturing Company, but be prepared for some sticker shock.
In 2008, Winchester issued a T.R. commemorative version of the model 1895, along with special ammunition to celebrate the 150th anniversary of T.R.’s birth. The 300-grain bullets leave the muzzle at just over 2,200 feet per second, which would prove lethal medicine for all the big critters in North America and many that Teddy and Kermit pursued in Africa. It’s engraved with a couple of likenesses of the 26th president and sports iron sights. It’s a top ejector and not well suited for use with a scope. But for gun collectors and history buffs the “big stick” is irresistible.
