PFSC At Work For You

In case you’ve missed the many issues we've been involved in on sportsmen's behalf, here's a recap of some past headliners:

The PFSC continues to try to help pass legislation that will help relieve the financial burdens our agencies are facing. Our agencies do so much that benefits more than just the hunters, trappers and anglers. This funding would help pay for some of the programs that provide a benefit to all Pennsylvanians. Possible options being considered are a 1% sales tax on sporting equipment, or a portion of the tipping fees. PFSC also supports the Governors Bond Initiative that would provide $800M for environmental projects including funding for our Agencies.

House Bill 2181 was a serious threat to State Game Land regulations. If HB 2181 had passed the legislature, the horseback riders and mountain bikers would have had unlimited access to all State Game Lands. The PGC would no longer have had control of game land regulations. Not only were your Game Lands being severely damaged, you could have expected horses and mountain bikes passing your stand while hunting deer or turkey.

This bill failed to come to the floor for one reason only. The persistent efforts of the PFSC! We were standing on the firing line defending your rights for the primary use of our State Game lands. At the hearing on this bill, the PFSC was the only organization opposing this bill that was permitted to testify. The PFSC was there on the front line, and won another critical battle for our sportsmen and women.

House Resolution 15 (2003) by Rep. Bruce Smith produced a study on the feasibility of combining the Game Commission and the Fish & Boat Commission. The study did not recommend a merger, but did say it could produce approx. a $5 million dollar savings per year, yet failed to report any of the potential costs of such. We believe that any merger, especially one under DCNR would result in a reduction of services to sportsmen and the resource. This is not about saving us money. It is about giving the politicians more control of our agencies. Stay tuned! This issue looks to heat up again in the future.

House Resolution 222 (2003) by Rep. Staback produced a study on the feasibility of combining the law enforcement of the Game Commission and the Fish & Boat Commission under DCNR. The study said a merger was feasible, but said it would cost an additional $5.8M more a year to operate. PFSC, along with all three agencies opposes such a merger.

We continue to monitor the threat of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) and the effects that it could have on our wild & farm populations of deer and elk.

The PFSC, along with help from the PA Trappers Assoc. and the Predator Hunters, were able to prevent the PGC from passing regulations at their April 2002 meeting that would have eliminated day-time coyote hunting during any deer season unless they had a valid deer tag. We were able to convince them to add “or a valid furtakers license.” We also helped correct the fluorescent orange regulation problems for predator hunters.

PFSC continues to represent its members at Game and Fish & Boat Commission meetings, and testifies at legislative hearings. See the testimony that the PFSC has given on behalf of the sportsmen and women of Pennsylvania by checking out our web page. http://www.pfsc.org

The PFSC hosts Range Seminars through the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) on Shooting Range insurance and liability laws and environmental issues.

Sportsmen and women have the right to fish, boat, etc. in all navigable rivers in this Commonwealth. This right was challenged and PFSC was there to fight for your rights. The PFSC alone fought the battle through all the courts at a cost in excess of $90,000. In 2000, the Supreme Court finally ruled in our favor, the beds of all navigable rivers belong to the public. If the PFSC had not been there, many of those rivers would likely be closed to public access today.

The Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs, Inc. is the only statewide sportsmen’s organization with full-time staff working for you. PFSC listens to and takes its direction from its grass roots members. Here’s just a sample of some of the issues PFSC has played a major role in:

· Stopping HB 2181 – legislation that would have taken away control of our game lands from the PGC & placed them under IRRC.

· Repealing the Philadelphia Firearms Act

· Establishing fish ladders for migratory species on the Susquehanna River

· Protecting existing club shooting ranges from closure due to noise complaints through Act 74 and SB 56 of 1997

· Preventing local governments from prohibiting hunting in their jurisdiction, through a successful case in the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania

· Insuring the public’s right to navigable waterways through a lawsuit over the Lehigh River.

· Supporting the bobcat season approved by the Pennsylvania Game Commission- animal rights groups oppose trapping, the most likely means of harvesting bobcats

· Support the Conservation and Reinvestment Act- national legislation which will bring millions of dollars to Pennsylvania for wildlife and habitat

· Monitoring firearms legislation and all legislation that could be detrimental to our outdoor heritage.

· Oppose any merger of our commissions, especially one under DCNR. We believe any merger would lead to a reduction in services to our fish and wildlife resources, and to the sportsmen and women of Pennsylvania who are proud of our outdoor heritage and who want our great traditions and heritage to continue. Also oppose merger of the law enforcement of the agencies.

· Support long term alternative funding for our Game Commission and Fish & Boat Commission so they can remain fiscally strong, and fighting for fair and equitable license increases when needed. We supported and helped pass a fishing license increase to provide financial stability to the PFBC

· Support the Growing Greener II Bond Initiative which includes money for wildlife & aquatics and infrastructure for the agencies, as long as there’s “no strings attached” for payback.

IF PFSC ISN’T THERE TO LOBBY FOR YOUR RIGHTS & PRIVILEGES, WHO WILL? JOIN TODAY SO YOUR VOICE CAN BE HEARD!

Help support the organization that works to preserve, promote and protect our Outdoor Heritage! Become a member today!