Congress Gives Life to Important Public Lands Bill for Hunters, Fishermen, and Recreational Shooters
Take Action!
The Recreational Fishing and Hunting Heritage and Opportunities Act, HR 2834, has been introduced into the 112th Congress. This Act would require all federal land managers to include provisions for fishing, hunting, and recreational shooting in all land management plans. Priority for these popular activities on over 440 million acres, including wilderness and primitive areas on our US Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management holdings, will greatly expand and more importantly secure the opportunity to hunt, fish, and shoot on public lands.
This landmark measure recognizes that recreational anglers, hunters (including trapping) and shooters have been and continue to be the foremost supporters and funders of sound fish and wildlife management and conservation in the United States. The bill further highlights that hunting, fishing, and recreational shooting occurs on Federal public lands and waters without adverse effects on other uses or users.
In 1997, Congress passed the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act that designated fishing and hunting as priority public uses on Refuge lands in the US. The Refuge Act has solidified hunting and fishing on these public lands and curtailed attempts by anti-hunting groups to stop hunting on traditional wildlife lands. This new Act will extend this protection to other Federal lands. If you would like to review the text of this bill, it is available here.
NC Camo has prepared a short message for you to send to your Congressman or Congresswoman asking him or her to closely follow the Recreational Fishing and Hunting Heritage Act, HR 2834, and to support its passage. Eleven members have already signed on as co-sponsors; our North Carolina delegation should add some co-sponsors too. The time is right for sportsmen to assert their position on the right to hunt and fish on all our public lands.
Take Action Now!
NC Camo Coalition is a project of the NC Wildlife Federation.