West Virginia Governor Signs Hunter Safety Education Bill
April 7, 2008 (West Virginia)
West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin III has signed a bill helping to ensure the state’s continued rich hunting heritage.
Signed into law on April 1, Senate Bill 9 directs the West Virginia Board of Education to develop a hunter safety program for use in the state’s public schools.
The program, which will be conducted by an instructor certified by the Division of Natural Resources, may be offered over a two-week period to students in grades six through twelve. The program can be part of physical education classes, the general education curriculum or offered to students at the end of the school day.
Participation in the program is voluntary for students and anyone not wanting to take part will participate in another educational activity.
National Park Service Considers Hunting Options at New
National Park Service Considers Hunting Options at New River Gorge
Mountain State Hunters Must Watchdog Park Service Plan
November 9, 2007 (West Virginia)
Sportsmen’s grassroots action is needed to convince the National Park Service to augment and improve hunting opportunities on a top West Virginia public hunting area.
The National Park Service (NPS) is creating a management plan for the New River Gorge National River. The government is considering four alternatives: 1) enhance current hunting opportunities; 2) maintain hunting as it currently exists; 3) scale-back hunting; or 4) eliminate hunting programs at the New River Gorge. The possibility that hunting could be eliminated or scaled-back has many sportsmen justifiably concerned.
Sportsmen in the region should write the NPS in favor of expanded hunting opportunities as part of a new General Management Plan, which will guide the management of the 70,000-acre reserve for the next two decades.
“Sportsmen should support the option to enhance hunting, which will allow limited bowhunting, an increase in upland bird habitat and enhanced outreach opportunities,” said Rick Story, USSA senior vice president. “At the same time, hunters should recognize that the agency has not always been the sportsman’s best friend, and underscore opposition to options that will phase-out hunting opportunities, restrict the use of hunting dogs or even eliminate hunting altogether.”
In 2003, the NPS proposed to suspend hunting in the New River Gorge National River until it established a new set of rules for the hunting program and completed an environmental assessment of the area. The USSA asked the NPS to issue an emergency rule to allow traditional hunting to continue while the issue was sorted out.
The National Park Service will accept public comment on the New River Gorge National River General Management Plan through Dec. 15.
National Park Service Considers Hunting Options at New
National Park Service Considers Hunting Options at New River Gorge
Mountain State Hunters Must Watchdog Park Service Plan
November 9, 2007 (West Virginia)
Sportsmen’s grassroots action is needed to convince the National Park Service to augment and improve hunting opportunities on atop West Virginia public hunting area.
The National Park Service (NPS) is creating a management plan for the New River Gorge National River. The government is considering four alternatives: 1) enhance current hunting opportunities; 2) maintain hunting as it currently exists; 3) scale-back hunting; or 4) eliminate hunting programs at the New River Gorge. The possibility that hunting could be eliminated or scaled-back has many sportsmen justifiably concerned.
Sportsmen in the region should write the NPS in favor of expanded hunting opportunities as part of a new General Management Plan, which will guide the management of the 70,000-acre reserve for the next two decades.
“Sportsmen should support the option to enhance hunting, which will allow limited bowhunting, an increase in upland bird habitat and enhanced outreach opportunities,” said Rick Story, USSA senior vice president. “At the same time, hunters should recognizing that the agency has not always been the sportsman’s best friend, and underscore opposition to options that will phase-out hunting opportunities, restrict the use of hunting dogs or even eliminate hunting altogether.”
In 2003, the NPS proposed to suspend hunting in the New River Gorge National River until it established a new set of rules for the hunting program and completed an environmental assessment of the area. The USSA asked the NPS to issue an emergency rule to allow traditional hunting to continue while the issue was sorted out.
The National Park Service will accept public comment on the New River Gorge National River General Management Plan through Dec. 15.
<font color="808080"><font size="+2">Federal Proposal Will Eliminate Wildlife Habitat Proposal</font></font>- (04/09)
West Virginia
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The federal government has recommended a plan for a West Virginia national forest that will devastate wildlife management and cripple sportsmen’s access to federal land.
The USDA Forest Service has proposed to expand the wilderness designation in the Monongahela National Forest to include an additional 27,706 acres. If Congress approves the designation, which the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources and Gov. Joe Manchin oppose, critical wildlife management will be eliminated. The designation will also heavily restrict sportsmen’s access, allowing only traffic by foot or horseback.
“This is just one more example of how the federal government is trying to infringe upon hunters’ rights and diminish hunting opportunities,” said Bud Pidgeon, USSA president. “The USSA is working with members of Congress to make sure that hunting opportunities and wildlife conservation in West Virginia will not suffer.”
Expanding wilderness will take important forestland out of active management, depriving the areas of any future wildlife habitat improvements. Game and non-game species will become much less diverse and suffer greatly if active habitat management is eliminated.
The Monongahela National Forest encompasses nearly 920,000 acres in eastern West Virginia. There is currently 78,000 acres of wilderness areas in the forest.
Take Action! West Virginia sportsmen are urged to contact your U.S. congressmen and senators. Let them know you oppose additional wilderness designations in the Monongahela National Forest. Explain to them that the expansion will eliminate critical wildlife habitat management and severely restrict sportsmen’s access to federal hunting lands.
Sen. Robert C. Byrd
311 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: (202) 224-3954
Sen. John D. Rockefeller
5331 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: (202) 224-6472
U.S. Congresswoman Shelly Moore Capito
1431 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-2711
U.S. Congressman Nick Rahall
2307 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-3452
U.S. Congressman Alan B. Mollohan
2302 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-4172
National Park Service Considers Hunting Options at New
