Conservation Policy Committee Holds Retreat at Mooncrest Ranch, WY

Farm Bill Passes with Boone and Crockett Support

Sportsman’s Act Fails in Senate: Wrap-up

Equal Access to Justice Act (EAJA) Goes Down with Sportsman’s Act: Retains Wide Support

Wildfire Disaster Funding Act Strongly Supported by Boone and Crockett

Assuring a Future for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF)

American Wildlife Conservation Partners (AWCP) Summer Meeting Wrap-up

AWCP Sign-on Letter: Northern Long-Eared Bat

Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA) Launches Legal Aid Program

Shooting Sports Roundtable (SSR) Preserves Shooting in New Mexico National Monument

Club Develops Policy on Lead Ammunition

Club Adopts Updated Position on Regulation of Game Farms, Supports New Guidelines for CWD Management and Supports Missouri Department of Conservation Oversight of Captive Deer

Boone and Crockett Led Coalition Seeks Review and Reform of the Northwest Forest Plan

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B&C CONSERVATION POLICY NEWSLETTER

CONSERVATION POLICY COMMITTEE HOLDS RETREAT AT MOONCREST RANCH, WY

On May 28-29, 2014, a Conservation Policy Committee retreat was hosted by Bob Model at his Mooncrest Ranch near Cody, Wyoming. The purpose of the retreat was to increase Club understanding, acceptance and support of the Committee’s programs and activities. The retreat was attended by approximately 30 Club members including Committee members and Club officers and past presidents. Bob Model and Steve Mealey co-chair the Conservation Policy Committee. The Committee is staffed by Professional members Greg Schildwachter and David Anderson.

The retreat overview and outcomes follow:

B&C Policy Retreat May 28-29, 2014 – Mooncrest Ranch, Cody, WY

OverviewThis meeting was intended to build teamwork and improve communication and continuity in the conservation policy work of the Club. Because this work is integral with all of the Club’s work, better communication and teamwork will benefit all involved in Club business. General topics included Committee strategy and accomplishments, improved Committee communication, needs and opportunities for other Club members to get involved, and coordination with Club members working on other Club programs. Outcomes1. There was a strong affirmation of the Committee’s programs and activities.

2. There was strong agreement that communication between the Committee and Club membership should be improved. Accordingly it was decided:

The Committee will prepare a quarterly electronic newsletter of Committee activities for Club members. The first edition will be shared and discussed at the Club’s 2014 Annual Meeting Friday December 5, in St. Petersburg, FL.

3. There was strong agreement that there is a need for the Committee to better inform Club members of the details of its programs and projects and to outline opportunities for members to participate in specific projects and activities. Accordingly it was decided:

The Committee will prepare a “catalogue” of Conservation Policy projects that describes the projects in detail and describes specific opportunities for Club Member support and participation in projects. The catalogue will be introduced to Members at the 2014 Annual meeting in St. Petersburg.

4. There was strong agreement to integrate Conservation Policy Committee funding into the Club’s general budgeting process consistent with Strategic Plan Objective 4.5 to “Improve financial allocation to better correspond with the Strategic Plan.” Accordingly it was decided that the Club will “as soon as possible”:

Create a budget line for the Conservation Policy Program and report expenditures from that line as part of its IRS return each year. Two lines will be added to the budget, one for revenues and one for expenditures.

If no expenditures are allowed in excess of revenue received, no budget categories will be reduced. This allows immediate tax-deductible contributions and expenditures as soon as the Club files the required notice of its conservation policy work to the IRS. When the accounting and reporting procedures are in place, any member or supporter of the Club can support the policy program through their tax-deductible contributions.

FARM BILL PASSES WITH BOONE AND CROCKETT SUPPORTThe Boone and Crockett Club worked closely with the U.S. Congress, specifically U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Michigan), U.S. Representative Frank Lucas (R-OK), U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Mississippi), and Representative Colin Petersen (D-MN), on the Conservation and Forestry titles of the Farm Bill. Earlier this year, it passed the Congress with broad bipartisan support. The Senate and House approved a bill that features reforms seen as beneficial to conservation in America.

The U.S. Senate and House of Representatives passed the Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act of 2013, a Farm Bill authored by Committee Chairwoman Senator Debbie Stabenow and Ranking Member Senator Thad Cochran in the Senate and Chairman Frank Lucas and Ranking Member Colin Petersen in the House. The measure was signed February 7th by President Barack Obama, which made the bill law.

“Members of the Boone and Crockett Club have been working on the Farm Bill since it was conceptualized. We are pleased the bill reduces federal expenditures. It targets conservation to key forest, grassland, wetland and other wildlife habitats. And this is a direct result of the two chairs - Stabenow and Lucas - and the two ranking members – Cochran’s and Petersen’s - hard work. The Club greatly appreciates the common sense, balanced approach these great members of Congress were able to achieve,” said William (Bill) Demmer, President of the Club. The bill yielded a total of over $23 billion dollars in spending cuts, provides

certainty to agriculture and improves wetland, grassland, forest and wildlife programs. With over 74 percent of the land in the United States in private ownership, the Club places a lot of emphasis on the conservation of private lands. The Club worked to continue the highly successful Wetland Reserve program, which has been very beneficial in helping with restoring black bear habitat in the Lower Mississippi River Valley. The Club also worked to make sure that incentives for wildlife habitat improvement were continued, specifically maintaining the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program. The Club supported the addition of the Healthy Forest Reserve Program to be a participating program of the Regional Conservation Partnership Program. The Club also supported the Good Neighbor provisions in the Farm Bill to clarify that all types of projects may be delegated by the U.S. Forest Service to the state foresters, including projects involving commercial harvesting or other mechanical vegetative treatments.

SPORTSMAN’S ACT FAILS IN SENATE: WRAP-UPIn late July, the Bipartisan Sportsmen’s Act of 2014 (S. 2363 - http://1.usa.gov/1sfeY4w) failed to obtain the necessary 60 votes to move toward a full debate on the Senate floor. The Bipartisan Sportsmen’s Act--which the Club has strongly supported--was first brought to the floor on July 7th and had broad support on both sides of the aisle; it died in a 41-56 procedural vote having nothing to do with the merits of the bill, but effectively killing the bill until after the November elections.

The Bipartisan Sportsmen’s Act sought to increase public access to federal lands for hunters and fishermen, enhance recreational opportunities, and block increased regulation on their equipment. It was sponsored by Senator Kay Hagan, D-N.C. and Senator Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, along with 25 Republicans and 18 Democrats as co-sponsors.

A procedural motion to move ahead with the bill was approved by a wide 82-12 majority, but gridlock arose after senators on both sides of the aisle sought to add amendments—some of which were controversial—prior to final passage. An agreement on how to address those amendments could not be reached between the Republican and Democratic leadership.

Although it is disheartening to see America’s longstanding tradition of bipartisanship on sportsmen’s issues sacrificed to the continued gridlock preventing

meaningful bipartisan legislation, the Club appreciated Senators Hagan and Murkowski for their tireless, bipartisan efforts in introducing and carrying this potentially historic piece of legislation on behalf of current and future generations of hunters.

While our team was disappointed that the Sportsmen’s Act failed to proceed on the Senate floor, and that gridlock ruled the day yet again, it is greatly encouraging that we have such strong bipartisan champions in the Senate working hard for recreational anglers. Moreover, the Club hasn’t given up getting this across the goal line and is already working on a plan for this fall.

EQUAL ACCESS TO JUSTICE ACT (EAJA) GOES DOWN WITH SPORTSMAN’S ACT: RETAINS WIDE SUPPORTThe bill to reform the Equal Access to Justice Act developed by Lowell Baier and supported by most AWCP groups, H.R. 2919, was considered as an amendment to the Bipartisan Sportsmen’s Act of 2014 in the Senate. The bill has already passed the House with strong bipartisan support and no objections. This made it ideal for inclusion in the Sportsmen’s Act, which is a package of bills that, like H.R. 2919, had strong bipartisan support and had passed one or the other chamber in Congress. As reported above, disagreement over amendments is what stalled

the Sportsmen’s Act, but in the behind-the-scenes debate on amendments, H.R. 2919 had good support. This required numerous calls and meetings by Club Professional Members in Washington with Senate leadership and cosponsors of the Sportsmen’s Act and their staff. Until and unless the Sportsmen’s Act breaks through, we will continue pushing H.R. 2919 as before, for which we need a bipartisan group of senators to come together in the same manner of the House members who have pushed it thus far.

WILDFIRE DISASTER FUNDING ACT STRONGLY SUPPORTED BY BOONE AND CROCKETTThe Wildfire Disaster Funding Act (WDFA) is pending in both the House and Senate, and has bipartisan support. WDFA stops the fire borrowing (agencies must pay excess fire costs by tapping other funds) by funding a portion of the cost of wildfire suppression similar to the process used to fund FEMA for other natural disasters such as tornadoes and floods (technically speaking, the bill creates a budget cap adjustment to the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, as amended by the Budget Control act of 2011). Forest thinning, timber sales, and recreation access projects are disproportionately hurt by fire borrowing. Last year, for instance, the Forest Service transferred over $600 million from their other FS programs because wildfire costs in August and September exceeded the appropriated amount. In the House, 131 Members have co-sponsored

Rep. Mike Simpson’s bill, including: Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Greg Walden (R-OR), Rob Bishop (R-UT), Steve Pearce (R-NM), Scott Tipton (R-CO), Ken Calvert (R-CA), Cory Gardner (R-CO), Steve Daines (R-MT), Darrell Issa (R-CA) and Tom McClintock (R-CA). Rep. Paul Ryan opposes the bill, although he agrees the fire borrowing is a problem. Ryan believes that Congress should not amend the budget caps created in 2011. He also believes the bill would increase spending. There is a great deal of momentum to fix this. Ryan and Simpson work closely together and are good colleagues, and they must find a solution. Club Members George Emmerson and David Anderson met with Speaker John Boehner in August to discuss it and the meeting went well. Club Members meeting with elected officials should voice their support for the bills this fall.

ASSURING A FUTURE FOR THE LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND (LWCF)The Wildlife and Hunting Heritage Conservation Council (WHHCC) – a federal advisory committee – recently held a workgroup meeting to discuss LWCF. Professional Member Mitch Butler represented the Club at the meeting. The LWCF program has been an active topic in the conservation community, driven by a large coalition and by the Club. Not all efforts are going in the same direction, however, as the meeting of the WHHCC workgroup shows. The meeting purpose was to consider the options of reauthorizing or modifying the program. Reauthorizing would mean continued purchases of title or interests in lands and waters, which have typically meant large areas. Modifying the program could mean something small, such as the Club proposal called Making Public Lands Public that would put a share of the funding toward smaller-area purchases and leases that admit hunters to existing, larger public properties. Modification

could mean, hypothetically, big changes such as making mandatory the entire $900 million per year of possible outlays, or expanding the sources of funds beyond royalties from outer-continent shelf development to other royalties or taxes, or adding new uses of the funds for easements or to cover costs of administering or managing public lands and waters. All these are hypothetical in light of the well-established proposals for straight reauthorization with full funding, Making Public Lands Public, and the pressures to reduce spending in Congress and limit growth of public lands. If WHHCC forms a recommendation through this workgroup, that would be conveyed to the Secretaries of Agriculture and Interior, whose main role on the issue is to propose the annual program for LWCF in each budget proposed by the Administration.

AMERICAN WILDLIFE CONSERVATION PARTNERS (AWCP) SUMMER MEETING WRAP-UPThe network of sporting conservation groups that the Club helped charter at headquarters in 2000, the AWCP, held its summer meeting in August at the Camp Fire Club near Chappaqua, New York. The agendas at these meetings comprise mainly a series of updates on the issues led by the various partners. Among the new and notable issues addressed were the formation of the National Deer Alliance, the pending Endangered Species Act (ESA) decisions on sage grouse and long-eared bat (which Dan Ashe, Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) Director discussed in person),

and the success of Michigan Citizen’s Initiative for Wildlife Management, which passed in August in the Michigan legislature. Also discussed were two issues of overarching importance: The Land and Water Conservation Fund, which is pending reauthorization; and, the issue of coordinating game population goals of the states with habitat management programs on federal land. Regular Member Bob Model attended along with several professional members who were representing either the Club or the respective partner organization where they work.

AWCP SIGN-ON LETTER: NORTHERN LONG-EARED BATThe Club supported the National Wild Turkey Federation, Ruffed Grouse Society, and other AWCP partners in filing comments with the FWS on the status of the northern long-eared bat. This species is typical of many others proposed as threatened or endangered under the ESA: evidence points to a decline and the FWS therefore proposes restrictions on land management. In this case, land management

is not responsible for the decline, nor is it believed to remediate the decline, and, in fact, forest management may be helpful in creating habitat for the bat. The comments from AWCP make these points. The root problem here of restrictive rather than active responses to problems underlies many of the Club’s policy initiatives, including forest management, range management, and energy production.

ASSOCIATION OF FISH AND WILDLIFE AGENCIES (AFWA) LAUNCHES LEGAL AID PROGRAMThe AFWA, which is the Washington, DC organization of directors of state fish and game agencies, has formalized a strategy for dealing with legal issues affecting them. The courts have become a centerpiece of strategy for environmental advocates and also for anti-hunting advocates. This has made court action a

routine step in advocacy and no longer an occasional recourse to settle disputes. Therefore the AFWA strategy counters this by providing conservation lawyers with a common source of legal opinions and treatises, and with clinics in law schools to train law students.

SHOOTING SPORTS ROUNDTABLE (SSR) PRESERVES SHOOTING IN NEW MEXICO NATIONAL MONUMENTThe SSR, led by professional member Susan Reece of NRA, and of which B&C is a member, has made an important step forward. Responding to SSR concerns, the BLM has recognized recreational shooting as a legitimate recreation activity along with OHV and other uses within a national monument in New Mexico. On the Prehistoric Trackways National

Monument, there was a conflict area where shooting was creating a safety hazard. Instead of eliminating all shooting, the BLM Las Cruces District Office has restricted recreational target shooting only on those acres necessary for safety. The order establishing this arrangement has been proposed in the Federal Register and will be finalized after public comments.

CLUB DEVELOPS POLICY ON LEAD AMMUNITIONThe lead working group has been working to develop a lead policy for the Boone & Crockett Club. The draft policy uses a risk based approach to address potential concerns with the use of lead ammunition without unduly limiting the use of lead in situations where it has not been demonstrated to be a concern to wildlife populations. The policy includes the following elements:

• The Club urges agencies and organizations to fully understand the specific issues associated with lead and wildlife and to support appropriate select management actions based on sound science.

• The Club supports the continued availability and use of lead in ammunition for hunting, where appropriate, and for shooting.

• Where lead ammunition is demonstrated to be a

significant factor inhibiting a wildlife population, the Club supports state authority to selectively address the wildlife health issue.

• The Club supports the continued development and marketing of nontoxic ammunition, as well as jacketed loads that reduce lead fragmentation.

• The Club recognizes the use of best practices for shooting range construction and management to address lead on shooting ranges.

• The Club supports educational efforts about lead ammunition, so that hunters can make informed decisions regarding their choice of ammunition.

The final edits to the policy are being reviewed by a review team and will be shared in a final policy shortly.

CLUB ADOPTS UPDATED POSITION ON REGULATION OF GAME FARMS, SUPPORTS NEW GUIDELINES FOR CWD MANAGEMENT AND SUPPORTS MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION OVERSIGHT OF CAPTIVE DEERIn December 2013 the Club adopted an updated position statement on regulation of game farms. In order to protect wildlife health the Club supports state bans on importation of captive cervids. It also opposes any legislation aimed at relaxing regulations governing captive cervid breeding or removing state wildlife management agency authority over such operations. In March 2014, the Club and 43 other partner NGOs and private companies co-signed formal comments to the USDA on proposed revisions to the Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Program Standards published in December 2013. These standards comprised optional guidelines to achieve and maintain certification of captive cervids with low risk of CWD. When the USDA published its finalized program standards in May 2014, it was apparent that none of the concerns expressed in the partner’s comments had been addressed. These concerns especially ones related to risks of movement of captive animals into and out of CWD-positive herds were advanced in person in Washington, DC by Club Professional Members Ron Regan and John Fischer and others, to the USDA-APHIS-Veterinary Services (VS) Deputy Administrator and other VS leaders. In response, the VS leadership agreed to revisit the CWD

Program Guidelines and indicated it would consider including all possible options for preventing, detecting, and managing CWD in captive cervids, including guidelines that are more stringent than those required by the National CWD Herd Certification Program.

During its 2014 session, the Missouri legislature passed a bill that contained language redefining captive deer as livestock and transferring regulatory authority from the Missouri Department of Conservation to the Missouri Department of Agriculture. Both state agencies testified against the language, which was added to a bill that contained beneficial provisions for Missouri farmers. Governor Jay Nixon vetoed the bill in July. The Missouri legislature reconvened in September 2014 for its veto override session. The Club provided information to Missouri Representative Chris Kelly, who supported veto of the bill and published an op-ed in the St. Louis Post Dispatch. The veto was sustained by one vote on September 10th and authority over captive deer will remain with the Missouri Department of Conservation.

BOONE AND CROCKETT LED COALITION SEEKS REVIEW AND REFORM OF THE NORTHWEST FOREST PLANOn July 1, 2013 eight representatives of Oregon hunter/conservationist/county organizations led by the Club sent a letter to the Oregon Congressional delegation urging Congressional review and reform of the Northwest Forest Plan (NWFP) as it applies to over nineteen million acres of Federal forest land on nineteen National Forests in Oregon, Washington and northern California. Five compelling reasons are cited for the review and reform:

1. Revision is overdue;2. Desired outcomes remain elusive;3. NWFP unintended consequences;4. New knowledge and professional experience; and,5. NWFP implementation has undergone significant and unbalanced change.

The letter emphasizes that review should assess the NWFP’s effectiveness/ineffectiveness in meeting its stated mission, vision, goals and objectives. Also emphasized is reform that includes identification and revision of policy necessary to repair ineffectiveness and provide urgently needed management consistent with the following principles:

• All stages of forest succession should be present continuously in healthy and reasonable arrays so that all habitats are preserved somewhere all the time; and,

• Adequate, sustainable, and predictable timber supply should be provided helping support local economies and governments.

To date (10/7/14), there has been no response to the letter.

Conservation Policy Committee: Stephen P. Mealey and Robert Model – Co-ChairsDavid R. Anderson, Lowell E. Baier, Thomas M. Baker, John G. Baughman, Mitchell Butler, Jeffrey S. Crane, James L. Cummins, Nelson D. Freeman, Ned S. Holmes, John L. Hopkins, Gary S. Kania, Lyle Laverty, Miles O. Moretti, John F. Organ, Ronald J. Regan, Simon C. Roosevelt, Stephen L. Sanetti, Gregory T. M. Schildwachter, Melissa Simpson, Casey L. Stemler, Gary J. Taylor, Eric L. Washburn, W. Alan Wentz