2013:
A YEAR IN REVIEW
(Continued from page 5)
Last year also saw a number of ballot issue campaigns
launched. Hot on the heels of legislative defeats over bear
hunting in Nevada and Maine, anti-hunting organizations
began collecting signatures to place a question on
Maine’s Nov. 2014 ballot. If successful, Maine voters will
be asked whether to ban bear hunting with dogs, bear
trapping and hunting bears with bait for the second time
in 10 years. In Michigan, animal rights organizations are
pushing two ballot initiatives that seek to bar the state
from designating wolves as a game species. Much like
the lawsuits over wolves, these ballot issues could spell
the end of Michigan’s wolf hunting season. In the west,
trappers in Montana and Oregon also saw their way
of life come under attack as groups began working to
collect enough signatures to place trapping on the ballot.
While the anti’s in Oregon have postponed their efforts,
Montana trappers are still squarely in the crosshairs.
ONE THING IS CLEAR: OUR WAY OF LIFE
IS UNDER ATTACK LIKE NEVER BEFORE.
While this is just a snapshot of the issues that USSA and
USSAF worked on last year, one thing is clear: our way of
life is under attack like never before. The animal rights and
anti-hunting community has never been more organized,
coordinated or well-funded than they are today. It’s
going to take a united front by sportsmen and women
nationwide to counter this effort. The U.S. Sportsmen’s
Alliance and USSA Foundation were formed 35 years ago
specifically for this purpose, but we need your help. If
you’re not currently a member – join the fight at www.
ussportsmen.org. If you’re already on board, thank you
for your support—but we need more people like you. Ask
a friend or family member to join you in defending our
hunting, fishing and trapping heritage today.
6
Sportsmen’s Monthly January 2014