NEW JERSEY BEAR CONFLICTS INCREASE AFTER GOV . CLOSES SEASON ON PUBLIC LAND
New Jersey released
their bear activity report for the first half of 2020 . According to the report , bear sightings increased in every county except one . Bear sightings increased by more than 93 percent compared to the same period in 2019 . Even more , damages and nuisance incidents increased by more than 39 percent .
In August 2018 , Gov . Murphy signed a politically charged executive order banning bear hunting on all state public lands .
The numbers underscore the importance of the Sportsmen ’ s Alliance , Safari Club International and New Jersey Outdoor Alliance litigation that seeks a reversal of the closure order . In November 2018 , the Sportsmen ’ s Alliance and our partners won a decision that found the closure order may not be lawful . Litigation continues towards a trial , tentatively scheduled for the end of September – just before the October black bear season .
CALIFORNIA ' S ATTEMPT TO LEVERAGE COVID-19 CRISIS TO BAN TAXIDERMY FAILS !
Senate Bill 1175 ,
introduced by Sen . Henry
Stern ( D-Calabasas ), has failed ! The bill was facing a midnight deadline on Aug . 31 after it was passed by the California Assembly , and only needed a concurrence vote in the California Senate before the clock struck 12 . The Sportsmen ’ s Alliance , along with a coalition of California , national and international groups , had been fighting the bill since its introduction in February . African officials also weighed in on the legislation , which would have been devastating to their countries , citizens , wildlife and conservation efforts .
" SB 1175 quickly advanced through the legislative process despite the strong opposition of the coalition and the African countries that would have suffered greatly as a result of the import prohibition ,” said Jacob Hupp , associate director of state services at the Sportsmen ’ s Alliance . The horrendous bill would have banned the possession or importation of animal products from a number of African big-game species , and was amended in May to prohibit live-animal markets similar to those in China thought to be responsible for the outbreak of COVID-19 .
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NEW HAMPSHIRE SESSION ENDS , MULTIPLE ANTI-SPORTSMEN BILLS DIE
With the 2019-20 New Hampshire session ending , several antisportsmen bills died : NH S 469 : would have subjected existing and new shooting range operators to fines if a shooting range violated noise ordinances without a grandfather clause . The bill would have enabled new homeowners , homeowner associations and local governments to regulate shooting ranges out of existence . NH S 588 : would have banned wildlife contests , including field trials , coyote hunts and big buck competitions . SB 588 is part of a national trend backed by the Humane Society of the United States and other animal-rights groups .
NH H 1504 : would have established a committee to study a recreational trapping ban . A recommendation to ban trapping would have set the wheels in motion to do so . NH H 1571 : would have deleted the requirement that appointed commissioners to the New Hampshire Fish and Game Commission be sportsmen who hold a license , allowing the appointment of anti-hunters . NH H 1602 : would have established a statewide animal-abuse registry for anyone convicted of even minor offenses involving dogs . The abuse registry would be publicized online and included an offenders name , photo and address .
SPORTSMEN ’ S MONTHLY
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