From: "Faulk, Linda" <[email protected]>
To: <***@msn.com>
Subject: American Hunter
Date: Fri, 7 Apr 2006 11:56:19 -0400
Dear Mr. ***:
Thank you for giving us the benefit of your insights regarding the issues surrounding deer herd management in Pennsylvania. This issue is clearly complex, highly divisive, and above all, a state matter best resolved by knowledgeable, concerned parties within Pennsylvania.
The National Rifle Association has no position on the techniques advocated by the organization known as "Quality Deer Management." In addition, we have no position in regard to the pending lawsuit that has been filed by Unified Sportsmen of Pennsylvania (USP) against the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC).
We sincerely regret that the article "Whitetail Nation," published in the April 2006 edition of American Hunter, did not adequately reflect those positions. The policies adopted by the NRA Board of Directors and pursued by NRA's Institute for Legislative Action, serve as guideposts to hunting issues involving the Association. In general, NRA has a hunters' rights policy that looks very critically at laws and regulations that inflict burdensome new rules on hunters.
In writing about the challenges facing deer hunting in America, I hoped to shine a light on a tradition important to us all, and by doing so, to expose serious issues affecting wildlife management in the 21st century. Unfortunately, this article fell short of that goal. Instead, it antagonized loyal NRA members and possibly caused a deeper disagreement on wildlife issues in Pennsylvania. I regret this outcome very much.
My point was not to focus solely on the stand of Pennsylvania hunters or the state's game commission, but rather to view the events occurring there as a microcosm of hunting controversies in America that threaten our hunting heritage. It is obvious, however, from the communications I've received that many members were left with the impression that we advocated the position of the Pennsylvania Game Commission and that the arguments in opposition to the practices of the PGC were inadequately presented.
NRA has unbounded respect and admiration for American hunters who have financed and perpetuated a huge game population and gun owner tradition and who are fully competent to form their own opinion on hunting matters. In bringing its case to court, USP members are entitled to due process, and I applaud Pennsylvania hunters for their passion and commitment to tackle a tough issue.
American hunters have been and continue to be responsible for bringing many wildlife populations back from the brink of extinction and have sustained our present system of wildlife management. How we carry on this tradition into the future is of utmost concern to all of us, and we must all work together to address and resolve deep-seated management disputes whenever and wherever they appear.
Again, I apologize for any confusion this article caused as to NRA's position on deer management in Pennsylvania. Thank you for giving us further information that will serve to help focus subsequent articles on wildlife management.
Sincerely,
J. Scott Olmsted
Editor-in-Chief
American Hunter