Legislation to rectify a longstanding inequity in the collection of the firearms and ammunition excise tax (FAET) - a major source of wildlife conservation funding - needs to be heard before the end of the current legislative session in both the U.S. House of Representatives (H.R. 6310) and the U.S. Senate (S. 3331). If we are going to ensure hunting and conservation efforts throughout the United States, passage of this legislation is essential.

The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) — the trade association for the firearms, ammunition, hunting and shooting sports industry — has been leading a broad coalition of sportsmen and conservation groups, including the National Rifle Association and Ducks Unlimited, in an effort to reform the federal excise tax.

While this legislation (H.R. 6310 and S. 3331) will not reduce the amount of the tax collected, it will allow the firearms and ammunition industry to pay the FAET on a quarterly basis, the same payment schedule as every other industry that supports conservation. Currently firearms and ammunition manufacturers must pay the FAET bi-weekly. This payment schedule forces many manufacturers to borrow money to ensure on-time payment, and industry members spend thousands of man-hours administering the necessary paperwork to successfully complete the bi-weekly payments — monies that are due long before manufacturers are paid by their customers.

The NSSF estimates that shifting to a quarterly payment schedule will free up approximately $22 million dollars annually for manufacturers to invest in new equipment and product designs, in turn leading to greater participation in hunting and the shooting sports.

Clearly a financially strong and growing firearms and ammunition industry will not only generate greater excise tax revenues, monies that will be used to fund conservation throughout the United States, but will also help ensure America’s manufacturers remain competitive in an increasingly global economy.

NSSF is asking all hunters, sportsmen, gun-owners and conservationists to CALL your congressman and senators immediately, urging them to co-sponsor this commonsense legislation.

U.S. Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121

Send a letter to your U.S. Congressman and U.S. Senators

Courtesy of NSSF

Following discussion with the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) — the trade association for the firearms industry — and many industry members, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) announced yesterday a major new ruling authorizing federal firearms licensees to use electronic (computerized) acquisition and disposition records provided the software used satisfies certain ATF requirements set forth in the ruling signed by Acting Director Michael Sullivan.

FFLs will no longer need to seek a variance from the Director of Industry Operations to keep a computerized A&D book.

“NSSF would like to congratulate ATF, and in particular the leadership of Acting Director Sullivan, on helping to reduce the paperwork burden on industry,” said NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel Lawrence G. Keane. “We look forward to continuing to work with ATF on other ways to utilize technology to aid America’s firearms manufacturers and retailers to reduce their paperwork burden while continuing to permit ATF to protect public safety.”

The ATF, at the urging of NSSF and firearms retailers, is expected to launch a voluntary E– Form 4473. This is a development which will save retailers time and greatly reduce the likelihood of entry violations

Courtesy of NSSF

NEWTOWN, Conn. — For many hunters, that 300-mile drive to deer camp may be put on hold this year. Unwilling — or unable — to spend more on gasoline than licenses and lodging, many hunters are checking out their options closer to home.

Recent surveys have shown that this is a national trend among American hunters. According to research conducted by Southwick Associates’ HunterSurvey.com, “40 percent of hunters indicated that rising gas prices will cause them to reduce their outdoor activities or reduce their travel distance.”

Realizing that gaining access to both public and private land can be one of a hunter’s most daunting challenges, some state fish and game departments have developed innovative programs to address the problem.

Pennsylvania, for example, provides the public with detailed maps that show areas accessible by local hunters. These include state game, forest and park lands, and national forest property, totaling over 3.5 million acres. Through a “landowner cooperator” program, an additional two million acres of private property have also been opened up to the state’s hunters.

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) recently unveiled a state-of-the-art mapping program using Google Maps. It’s a user-friendly service especially valuable for those new to hunting or new to the state. “Every hunter knows scouting is key to success, and these Google Maps make it easy to start scouting at home,” said Matthew Keenan, ODFW’s Access and Habitat Program Coordinator. The map features state wildlife areas, national wildlife refuges and private lands open to hunting through the state’s Access and Habitat and Upland Cooperative Access programs. Each area even has a descriptive bubble that provides information about the principal species hunted, size of the area, access periods and special regulations.

The Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG), working with sportsmen and landowners, provides sportsmen access to private land and through private land to public lands with a program called “Access Yes!”

“The ‘Access Yes!’ program is an exciting opportunity to get sportsmen and landowners together to improve habitat, increase hunting access and benefit private landowners. An additional benefit is that landowners and sportsmen get to know and respect each other,” commented Jim Unsworth, deputy director for IDFG.

In 2008 IDFG has made 444,735 private acres accessible to sportsmen and access to an additional 381,310 acres of public ground by working with private landowners. “We are doing our part to keep our hunters hunting at home in Idaho,” said Unsworth.

These programs, and similar ones in other states, have received significant funding from the National Shooting Sports Foundation, through its Hunting Heritage Partnership Program.

The NSSF helps sportsmen and women locate places to hunt at www.huntandshoot.org.

Hello Everybody!  Did anybody miss me?  Well I have decided to keep on blogging no matter what…..so I figured I would start out with an article about my favorite hometown………………..KANSAS!!

This article actually made the Bullet Points from NSSF!

The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) reports that there were 19 hunting accidents in 2007, with one fatality. This is an increase of two accidents over the previous year but still a very small number considering that approximately 271,000 hunters spent more than 3 million days afield in 2006 (the latest year for which figures are available), agency staff report.

It’s also a reflection of how hunting is getting safer. As recently as 1995, the lowest ever-recorded number of hunting accidents in Kansas was 21. In 1988, there were 51. In 1994, KDWP recorded 41 accidents, and in 1999 there were 32. In the eight years from 2000 through 2007, Kansas hunters averaged 18.5 accidents per year.

“By any calculation, hunting is safe,” says KDWP statewide Hunter Education Program coordinator Wayne Doyle. “Any incident — particularly a fatality — is tragic, but the concerted education efforts of our volunteer instructors over the years have made hunting safer than any outdoor activity I can think of. You may be more likely to get hit by lightning.”

Doyle’s appraisal of the lightning-to-hunting risk comparison is accurate. According to the International Hunter Education Association, 19 people were killed nationwide in hunting accidents in 2007, out of 12 million who hunted. According to the National Weather Service, approximately 70 people are killed annually in the U.S. by lightning.

As in past years, swinging on game accounted for most Kansas hunting accidents in 2007 — 10 out of the 19 total. Upland bird hunters were involved in fewer than half the accidents. Two happened on opening weekend of pheasant season, and several accidents involved alcohol. There was only one reported tree-stand accident.

Age apparently was not a factor, with the youngest hunter being 11, the oldest 60, and the average age 33.

“All these incidents were preventable with proper observance of the rules of safe gun handling and common sense,” Doyle explains. “And after the conclusion of legal proceedings, we’ll know more about the fatality.”

“Hunting is safe and getting safer,” reads one of KDWP’s slogans, which leads to another often quoted message from the conservation agency: “Pass It On.”

 Citi Merchant Services and First Data Corp. have put the true meaning of “this is a hold up” to federally licensed firearms retailers, distributors and manufacturers. Banning these sales is a move which will severely limit available inventory of firearms and ammunition to military, law enforcement and law-abiding Americans.

As soon as I learned this I thought about what credit cards I owned and if any of them were from this company.  I will never own a card nor will I apply for one under these circumstances.

 Firearms distributor CDNN Sports Inc. got a first hand experience to the refusal transaction.  It amazes me that a credit card company could have the audacity to say no to federally licensed retailers, distributors and manufacturers.  If the law is trusting FFL licensees to uphold all aspects of policies and procedures, I have no clue why a credit card company is trying to ban sale of firearms.  Its not like we get on the phone and call all the criminals when we get a shipment and have them stock up on inventory……Oh yeah thats right we are banning videos with guns and songs about guns, but yet the hunting and fishing community have a lower rate of death by accident then doctors have with accidental deaths.

I am glad to know that the NSSF has stepped in and replied to this ridiculuos action.  To Read NSSF’s response to First Data just click on link.  If you would like to reply to them or voice your concerns you are welcome to go to www.nssf.org.

To voice your concern to Citi Merchant Services and First Data Corp., please call 303-488-8000 or toll-free 800-735-3362.

I would hope that there is enough turbulence about this topic that Citi Merchant Service and First Data Corp change their mind about our right to bear arms and our right to spend our money the way we see fit.

Always

Camo Girl