Lawmakers try to guard hunting on public lands

If someone told you 20 years ago that the day would come when politicians felt it necessary to introduce legislation to protect hunting on public lands, lands in which we all share ownership, what would you have thought? Well, that time has come.

On June 25, U.S. Senators Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson, both of Georgia, joined forces with Rep. Denny Rehberg of Montana to introduce the Hunting Heritage Protection Act. The purpose of the act is to recognize our hunting heritage at a national level and ensure that opportunities continue for hunting on federal land.

The bill requires that federal land be managed to support and improve access for hunting while mandating that any actions taken by land management agencies result in no net loss of hunting opportunities.

If passed, the Hunting Heritage Protection Act (HHPA) would affect those of us who live and hunt in western states where the federal government manages a substantial percentage of public lands. In Nevada, for instance, approximately 87 percent of the state is managed by federal agencies.

Under the HHPA, the head of each agency charged with managing federal public land where hunting occurs is required to submit an annual report to Congress each October. That report must describe any federal land administered by the agency where access for hunting was limited at any time during the year as compared to the amount of access available during the previous year. Moreover, agency heads must provide an explanation for the loss of hunting opportunities as well as a list of areas under their jurisdiction that were opened to hunting to compensate for those areas where hunting access was limited or lost.

In addition, an agency will be required to submit written notification before it takes any action that would limit hunting on tracts of federal land of 5,000 acres or more.

"This legislation simply seeks to protect the rights of sportsmen to hunt on federal public lands all across America," Chambliss said in a written statement.

If Congress approves the act, it will be an acknowledgement that hunting is an important and traditional recreational activity and that hunters long have been among the foremost supporters of sound wildlife management and conservation practices.

"In a time where access to suitable hunting land is becoming increasingly difficult, this legislation goes a long way toward curtailing that trend and guaranteeing current or increased hunting opportunities are available today and tomorrow," said Bud Pigeon, president of the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance in voicing his support for the HHPA.

SHOOTING CLUB CLOSURE

Southern Nevada's shotgun shooting community lost a valuable resource when the Desert Lake Shooting Club closed its gates for the final time Tuesday. The sporting clays course at this facility was one of the finest in the Southwest.

I have been unable to learn the complete story behind Desert Lake's demise. In a statement sent to members, club management said, "Try as we might, we have not been successful in renewing our lease."

Freelance writer Doug Nielsen is a conservation educator for the Nevada Department of Wildlife. His "In the Outdoors" column, published Thursday in the Las Vegas Review-Journal, is not affiliated with or endorsed by the NDOW. Any opinions he states in his column are his own. He can be reached at dougnielsen@att.net.