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The HSUS is America’s leading opponent of hunting, fishing, trapping and scientific wildlife management. It led the charge in a 2006 ballot campaign to ban dove hunting in Michigan, contributing $1.6 million to the effort. Among other voter issues, it also took the lead in the 1994 ballot campaign to ban cougar and bear hunting with hounds and bait in Oregon. It opposes hunting on National Wildlife Refuges and other public lands. It has filed lawsuits to impede the management of gray wolves and grizzly bears.
Some current policy attacks on sportsmen’s rights by the HSUS include:
* the launching of a campaign to address so-called “puppy mills,” abusive large-scale commercial dog breeding operations. Using sentimental images of suffering puppies, the organization is backing legislation in Pennsylvania that would devastate small hobby breeders, dog show kennels and sporting dog enthusiasts. The legislation is so radical that it has been opposed by the American Kennel Club, United Kennel Club and even dog rescue shelters in the state.
The USSA is taking the fight to the HSUS after its continuous attacks against sportsmen’s rights.
"A higher daily bag limit for these two species could result in a limited number of additional fish being harvested, but only when populations are high and catch rates are high," said DNR Lake Michigan Basic Coordinator Jim Dexter. "This situation may be experienced in localized areas or waters."
“With a name like the Humane Society of the United States, it’s easy to see why some people believe that there is a connection between it and local animal shelters, which struggle every year to make ends meet,” explained Pidgeon. “HSUS spends the bulk of its money on making contributions to politicians, lobbying, lawyers and expensive 30-second advertisements to promote voter issues aimed at banning various uses of animals.”
State Forest Campgrounds to Be Reopened May 12, 2008
ATLANTA MANAGEMENT UNIT
CADILLAC MANAGEMENT UNIT
GAYLORD MANAGEMENT UNIT
GRAYLING MANAGEMENT UNIT
GWINN MANAGEMENT UNIT
NEWBERRY MANAGEMENT UNIT
PIGEON RIVER COUNTRY
SHINGLETON MANAGEMENT UNIT
TRAVERSE CITY MANAGEMENT UNIT
* - a mandatory spay and neuter bill in California. The measure requires all dogs to be spayed or neutered by the age of six months, making it nearly impossible for sportsmen with mixed-breed sporting dogs to remain in the field.
* - opposition to bills from across the country that are intended to lessen barriers for youth and newcomers to take part in hunting.
“It is more important than ever that all sportsmen unite to combat the principal enemy of American conservation and the outdoor sports that make conservation possible,” Story said.
Fund Launched to Combat Largest Anti-Hunting Group cont.
* a mandatory spay and neuter bill in California, which would require all dogs be spayed or neutered by the age of six months, making it nearly impossible for sportsmen with mixed-breed sporting dogs to remain in business.
“The name Humane Society disingenuously implies that the organization is in the business of taking care of stray dogs and cats,” said USSA president Bud Pidgeon. “The HSUS does nothing to make the public think otherwise when tugging at the heartstrings of Americans when asking for donations.”
It is more important than ever that all sportsmen unite to combat the principal enemy of American conservation and the outdoor sports that make conservation possible, he said.
Pacelle has a sordid history of leading the anti-hunting crusade. When he was the national director of the Fund for Animals, which has since merged with HSUS, he was quoted as saying, “We are going to use the ballot box and the democratic process to stop all hunting in the United States …”
Pacelle has let the public in on the agenda of the HSUS, saying, “More money will mean more pet protection, but also more ballot initiatives to restrict inhumane and unsporting hunting practices, more state legislation, more local ordinances.”
DNR Seeks Input on Requests for Changes in Salmon Daily Bag Limits cont.
Dexter added that if large increases in river harvest became the norm that reproductive potential could be lost. While there is currently no information available to quantify this possibility, there is no reason to believe that reproductive potential will be lost by increasing the daily bag limit.
DNR Fisheries Division Chief Kelley Smith said that because Lakes Superior, Huron and Erie have low salmon populations and catch rates, this type of change would mean little to anglers in those waters.
"This is about providing consistent opportunity for anglers and maintaining our commitment to simplify regulations. Any bag limit change for these two species will not be harmful to their populations," said Smith.
Smith added that the current limit is not effective in terms of limiting catch in most years or controlling populations. Natural mortality exerts much more control than angler harvest.
"For all reasonable purposes this is a social question," said Dexter. "Most anglers never catch a daily limit, although in times of high abundance their catch rate can increase."
A "Frequently Asked Questions" (FAQ) list has been posted to the DNR Web site and is available at www.michigan.gov/dnrfishing under the Fishing menu. The angling community is invited to review this document and send email comments on the proposal by June 13 to DNR-Fish-Salmon-limits@michigan.gov. For those who do not have internet access, a copy of the FAQ can be obtained by calling one of the contacts listed.
Animal Rights Group Dupes Donors Into Believing It Takes Care of Animals cont.
The Humane Society uses campaigns, such as the Meijer campaign, as a public relations tool to help it raise its $100 million dollar war chest for its animal rights crusade. Evidence of this is contained within its leadership. Wayne Pacelle, CEO of the organization, is the former executive director of the Fund for Animals, which was the nation’s leading anti-hunting group. Upon accepting the executive job at HSUS, Pacelle announced a merger with the Fund for Animals and quickly hired its most ardent hunting opponents as his top management staff.
The HSUS then swallowed several anti-livestock organizations, hiring their leadership as well. Its takeover of the Doris Day Animal League has given it access to Hollywood dollars, previously the home turf of the radical People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).
Unlike PETA, however, Pacelle and HSUS are not interested in making a large public relations spectacle using naked models or making outrageous statements comparing the Holocaust to the slaughter of chickens. Instead, HSUS has launched a series of campaigns that put it in a positive light with animal lovers in general.
Such was the case in 2005, when HSUS created a fund to aid animals stranded as a result of Hurricane Katrina. Later, the Louisiana Attorney General’s office launched an investigation of HSUS when allegations surfaced that the money never made it to the pets in need.
In 2007 it launched a campaign to address the issue of so-called “puppy mills,” abusive large-scale commercial dog breeding operations. Using sentimental images of suffering puppies, the organization is backing legislation in Pennsylvania that would devastate small hobby breeders, dog show kennels and sporting dog enthusiasts. The legislation is so radical that it has been opposed by the American Kennel Club, United Kennel Club and even dog rescue shelters in the state.
“Taking advantage of the American people’s love for their pets, HSUS is able to deceive donors and the public into believing that the organization is in the mainstream of American values,” said Pidgeon. “It is this mainstream image that allows HSUS to raise its 100 million dollar budget to take our hunting and fishing rights away. At the same time, by deceiving animal lovers, HSUS robs financially strapped dog and cat shelters of critical funds needed to actually look after abandoned and abused pets.”
The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance recommends that people who want to help real animal shelters give to their local shelter organizations.
“Some animal rights groups masquerade as pet shelters, so donating to a local organization gives the contributor the opportunity to determine how their funds will actually be spent,” said Pidgeon.
DNR Announces Reopening of All State Forest Campgrounds. cont.
Twin Lakes -- Cheboygan County
Black Lake Trail Camp -- Cheboygan County
Thunder Bay River -- Alpena County
Long Lake -- Wexford County
Pinney Bridge -- Antrim County
Stoney Creek Trail Camp -- Cheboygan County
Walsh Road Trail Camp -- Crawford County
Muskrat Lake -- Oscoda County
McCollum Lake -- Oscoda County
Pike Lake -- Marquette County
N. Horseshoe Lake -- Marquette County
Shelldrake Dam -- Chippewa County
High Bridge -- Luce County
Headquarters Lake -- Luce County
Bass Lake -- Luce County
Johnson's Crossing -- Otsego County
Mead Creek -- Schoolcraft County
N. Gemini Lake -- Schoolcraft County
S. Gemini Lake -- Schoolcraft County
Forks -- Grand Traverse County
Wildlife Regulation Changes Approved at May NRC Meeting. cont.
"Previously, private land antlerless licenses were sold over the counter, but many of the counties in northern Michigan sold out on the first day of availability," said Bailey. "An application allows everyone wanting a private land antlerless license an equal chance at obtaining one."
Also approved was an early firearm antlerless deer season to address disease and deer population issues in Zone 3 and in Alpena, Alcona, Iosco, Montmorency, Oscoda and Presque Isle counties. The season will be open for five days on private lands only beginning the third Thursday in September.
"The recent confirmation of bovine tuberculosis in Shiawassee and Iosco county deer necessitates additional steps to address this disease," said Steve Schmitt, DNR wildlife veterinarian. "A five-day antlerless season on private land provides additional opportunity to help decrease TB prevalence in those areas."
The five-day season in southern Michigan also offers additional opportunity for licensed hunters in other areas where deer populations remain above the desired goal.
Letter Exposes Animal Rights Agenda of HSUS to Feds cont.
This letter is a first step in the campaign announced last week by the USSA that will educate the media, elected officials, the public, sportsmen and the many others targeted by the animal rights group on the hidden, non-mainstream agendas of the HSUS.
As part of this campaign, the USSA has initiated the Sportsmen Against HSUS fund, which will be used in the continuing battle against the HSUS and its animal rights campaign. In addition to educating people on the group’s hidden agendas, it will fund campaigns combating the public policy threats initiated and supported by the HSUS.
Sportsmen immediately began showing their support for this campaign to expose the HSUS upon hearing of the fund’s launch.
Some recent legislative attacks on sportsmen’s rights by the HSUS include:
