According to a National Shooting Sports Foundation press release the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), along with other anti-hunting groups and individuals, filed a petition with the Interior Department demanding rules against hunting with traditional ammunition on public lands. Public land accounts for one-fifth of the total land area in the U.S.
The NSSF warned that this action was coming after the HSUS playbook was discovered and feel that the HSUS ultimate goal is not a surprise considering the organizations anti hunting sentiments. As proof of this intent the NSSF quoted statements made by HSUS President and CEO Wayne Pacelle.
“If we could shut down all sport hunting in a moment, we would.” (The Kingman Daily Miner, 30 December 1991).
“We are going to use the ballot box and the democratic process to stop all hunting in the United States. We will take it species by species until all hunting is stopped in California. Then we will take it state by state.” (Full Cry Magazine, 1 October 1990).
NSSF went on to say that the 50 page-petition is littered with junk science and fails to make the case that the use of traditional ammunition is a threat to wildlife populations or to humans that would warrant such a drastic action.
NSSF urges concerned sportspeople to call Interior Secretary Sally Jewell today at 202-208-3181 and tell her to reject this scientifically baseless petition from HSUS to ban traditional ammunition. Let the Department of the Interior know that requiring the use of alternative, non-lead ammunition, is nothing more than a back-door way to ban hunting by raising the price of participating in an American sporting tradition. Make sure to tell them:
There is no sound science to support banning traditional ammunition used by hunters for centuries.
Don't allow the Humane Society and other anti-hunting groups to advance their end game of banning all hunting through the tactic of by banning the use of traditional ammunition for hunting on public lands.
There is absolutely no adverse wildlife population impact that warrants such a drastic measure.
There is no evidence that consuming game taken with traditional ammunition poses a human health to hunters and their family.
Hunters are the original conservationists. Excise taxes (11%) raised from the sale of traditional ammunition the HSUS and others unfairly demonize is a primary source of wildlife conservation funding. Banning traditional ammunition will harm the very animals HSUS claims to care about.
