Senator buoys firearms industry

The Shooting Hunting Outdoor Trade Show took place last weekend at the Las Vegas Convention Center, which means the latest and greatest shooting- and hunting-related products soon will be found on store shelves. But while firearms and all things connected with them were the show's main focus, State Sen. John Lee was center stage for at least one night.

During its business meeting Saturday, the National Shooting Sports Foundation named Lee the organization's 2007 Legislator of the Year. The NSSF owns the trade show.

"Sen. Lee has been a stalwart supporter of the firearms industry. We are pleased to honor him for helping to ensure that the lawful trade of firearms, in all jurisdictions of Nevada, runs safely and smoothly," said Lawrence Keane, NSSF senior vice president and general counsel.

Lee also was commended for his efforts on behalf of the Clark County Shooting Park under construction at the north end of the Las Vegas Valley.

The NSSF recognized Lee following his sponsorship of legislation that removed the requirement that handguns had to be pre-registered with the Clark County Sheriff's office before they could be brought into the county. Lee said that requirement, and the possibility legal action could be taken against SHOT Show participants who bring guns of all varieties into Clark County for show-related purposes, threatened the local convention's future.

Upon learning of the law, NSSF officials expressed concern that enforcement of the law would have made it impractical to have the SHOT Show in Las Vegas.

"With the thousands of guns that are here (at the show), we would have had a line from here to California to register those guns," Lee said. "Everybody that was coming here would not have been in compliance with state law.

"We had to quickly figure out what state law was, how we could make that law work in this convention area and then what was right for the citizens of Nevada."

This legislation, he added, "will allow the firearms industry to keep the SHOT Show in Las Vegas, bring tax revenues to our community and the state treasury, create jobs, protect our investment in the Clark County Shooting Park -- which will be a premier shooting facility -- and, as importantly, protect and strengthen the Second Amendment and hunting and shooting sports heritage, which is an important part of our culture here in Nevada."

Speaking of the county's new shooting park, early stages of construction are under way. The water pumping system that is required before any other work can be done on-site is being installed, and that has Don Turner, shooting park manager, smiling. Other work can be started as soon as the system is functional and bids are awarded.

"We've been 10 years in the making," Lee said of the shooting park. "We have not snuck up on anyone. We've been working with the federal government -- the BLM, every agency in the world -- and we're finally turning the corner on construction now. The plans are out. We are going to start building. We're hoping, in February or March of 2009, that we'll have the citizens of Clark County out there on that public range with their families enjoying the outdoors."

• TURKEY FEDERATION BANQUET -- The Las Vegas Strutters' annual banquet and fundraiser will take place Feb. 29 at the Fiesta Henderson.

Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $75 for an individual and $130 per couple, and a table is $575. A National Wild Turkey Federation membership is included in the ticket cost. Four memberships come with a table.

For tickets and other information, call Gregg Clark at 769-1613 or 432-6033 or Guy Brown at 567-1113.

Doug Nielsen is an award-winning freelance writer and conservation educator for the Nevada Department of Wildlife. His column is published Thursday. He can be reached at doug@takingit outside.com.