They call it the Sportsmen's Heritage and Recreational Enhancement, or SHARE, Act. It sounds pretty harmless, but don’t let that fool you: this legislation includes some of the most destructive measur

[Richard W. Firth]

They call it the Sportsmen's Heritage and Recreational Enhancement, or SHARE, Act. It sounds pretty harmless, but don’t let that fool you: this legislation includes some of the most destructive measures related to trophy hunting, predator killing, and wildlife poisoning ever assembled in one package. And it has already passed the House. If enacted, the SHARE Act (H.R. 2406) would remove federal protections for gray wolves, expand trapping and recreational shooting on public lands, block efforts to restrict the use of toxic lead ammunition, block efforts to crack down on the global ivory trade, and even allow the importation of trophy polar bears from Canada, despite a 2012 law that banned it. Bear in mind, this bill is not directed at the regular deer or duck hunter. It caters exclusively to the wealthiest special interest trophy hunters, and has little to nothing to do with your average "sportsman." We must call on President Obama to stop this bill before it causes immeasurable harm to wildlife and our environment. Please contact him by e-mail--here is link: https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact to veto H.R. 2406 if it lands on his desk. Bettrt still call your Congressional Representive. If you don't know who she or he is, here is the link to the House website where you can get that informartion as well as contact information. http://www.house.gov/representatives/#name_c Each of these measures is worse than the last. The use of lead ammunition in hunting, for example, has long been known to wreak havoc on wildlife, killing 15 to 20 million animals, from bald eagles to grizzly bears, every year, after they ingest lead from leftovers of hunted carcasses. These bullets pose a risk for hunters too, since the meat from animals shot can contain lead shards. The bill would prohibit federal agencies, and the scientists that work for them, from carrying out their duty to evaluate and protect the public and environment from toxic substances such as lead. The repercussions are unthinkable. President Obama just made heartening strides toward restricting the importation and trade of ivory, which is the #1 cause of the rapidly declining population of African elephants. But one elephant still dies every 15 minutes due to poaching and/or trophy hunting. At this rate, these majestic creatures could be extinct within ten years. And, most alarming, there is a direct link between the illegal ivory trade and global terrorism. It is hard to believe there can be so much bad in a single bill. This is the most destructive anti-wildlife proposal ever to come to Congress, and we must not allow it to become law. Please get everyone you know to take this action.

[Richard W. Firth]

Unfortunately this legislation has passed the U. S. House of Representatives and now is before the U. S. Senate for consideration.  It is now known as S. 659, the "Bipartisan Sportsmen's Act of 2016".  This legislation now will make a mockery of the purposes for which our wildlife refuges were founded--to give complete sanctuary to the animals residing within them--that means no killing or harm by humans to take place within the refuge.  It also degrades one the word in the official title of the act, "sportsman" as any true sportsman would never injure or kill his opponent always giving a chance to come back and win.

This legislation will spell GENOCIDE for millions of our wildlife.  It will make our national parks including the refuges unsafe for either animal or human.

These so called sportsmen need to learn one fact and that fact is they have no exclusive says as how our wildlife will be treated.  By precedent and actual law the wildlife belong to ALL the people, not just one grouip or individual.  Even our Supreme Court ruled that hunting is a "NON-essential right"

It is time for the public who has more non hunters, non-trappers and non-fishermen than hunters, trappers and fishermen to demand a voice in how our wildlife should be treated.  This can be a beginning in making sure our voices are loudly heard.  Therefore, please write, fax, e-mail your two U. S. Senators to demand they vote against this unconscionable and EXTREMELY INHUMANE BILL.  You can find out who your two U. S. Senators are contacting the U. S. Senate website which can be accomplished by clicking on the following link:  http://www.senate.gov/index.htm

Please get everyone you know who truly cares about the humane treatment of our wildlife to call and call NOW!