Alert on Berlin Pond Public Recreational Access Ban. Comments Needed by June 3rd.

 

Folks, the use of Vermont's publicly owned natural resources for recreational use is at stake here.

 

Please Contact Laura Woods at The Department of Environmental Conservation and let them know you: "Support continued non-motorized public access to Berlin Pond!" and to deny the petition to ban public recreational access. Laura.Woods@state.vt.us

 

In 2012 the Vermont Supreme Court ruled that Berlin Pond is in the public trust and recreational use of the pond cannot be restricted.  Since that time, limited use (fishing, canoeing and kayaking) of the pond has occurred. The City of Montpelier and a so-called environmental group named Citizens to Protect Berlin pond have filed a 353 page petition with the VT Department of Environmental Conservation requesting that fishing and non-motorized use of this public resource be prohibited through the Use of Public Waters Rulemaking process.  Should the City of Montpelier have their way it will set a bad precedent as the first time the state has ruled to prohibit all access to a public water body.

 

More than half of Vermonter's receive their drinking water from our lakes, ponds and rivers and there is no scientific evidence that recreational use poses public health risks.  Although Montpelier has a state of the art water treatment facility, the petitioners contend that the drinking water supply is in danger due to toxins released from human contact with the water and a possible increase in turbidity from paddlers. They fear that terrorists will now be able to access the pond and kill the citizens of Montpelier. They have brought up concerns that the increase traffic has put walkers and bikers at risk, (especially those that are alone), and that the outdoor enthusiasts have been littering the roadsides, throwing soiled diapers in the pond and running over geese and their goslings.  They worry of the increase in road maintenance of the public highway that circles the pond. 

 

Even more concern was brought up about canoe and kayakers displacing waterfowl, shy bird species and the endangered common loons that frequent the pond will be killed of chased off.  Of course their highly scientific report neglects to reflect that the common loon was taken off the endangered species list in 2005 since the loon recovery program was a major success thanks to the support and financial assistance by outdoor enthusiasts like you.  Since 1983 the loon population rebounded from 7 nesting pairs in 1983 to 81 nesting pairs in 2013.  The Vermont Center for Eco-studies who oversees the program attributes the success of the loon recovery to the relatively few nest failures due to human disturbance and the number of successful nest near camps and on busy lakes and ponds.  Another argument is that people should not need to recreate on Berlin Pond because there are other nearby ponds to recreate on.  Apply this mentality statewide and we wouldn't have many lakes, ponds, or rivers to recreate on.  200,000 people draw drinking water from Lake Champlain alone.

 

The petition goes on to state that sportsmen had a paradise initially, but we have managed to fish it out of perch in 12 short months. and that they expect Zebra Mussels and other invasive species to move in quickly.  Milfoil is already established and the potential for Zebra Mussels infestation is likely right up there with the odds of a terrorist attack. On that note I forgot to mention that according to the Department of Homeland Security terrorists would likely use the distribution system not the raw water supply to launch a terrorist attack.  They say it's easier, cheaper and can be initiated from almost any resident, commercial building or fire hydrant.  After reviewing dozens of comments from anti-access enthusiasts, the one I like the best referred to outdoor enthusiasts like you and I as monkeys. 

 

The bottom line is that their arguments lack any scientific backing.  The Fish and Wildlife Department and the Agency of Natural Resources was scolded by the attorney for Citizens to Protect Berlin Pond for too eagerly lending public support of non-motorized recreational access and in their mind not honoring the public process. The point is that out fish, wildlife and water resources experts support access.  I could go on picking their petition apart but because I know how busy folks like you are this time of year and I need to keep it short.  Please take 30 seconds to send in a comment, your local pond might be next.

 

Please Contact Laura Woods and The Department of Environmental Conservation and let them know you support non-motorized access and to deny the petition brought filed by Citizens to Protect Berlin Pond. Laura.Woods@state.vt.us

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vermont Classic Match (Max Michel and Travis Tomasie)

The Vermont Classic Match will be at Lamoille Valley Fish & Game Club June 5th - 8th. 

It is a big Level II match with pro shooters Max Michel and Travis Tomasie shooting on

Friday.   Both Michel and Tomasie have served on the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit. 

Max Michel Video - YouTube

www.youtube.com/watch?v=nM8nwZjaf1Y

4 min - Jun 18, 2009 - Uploaded by SIGSAUER

Max Michel SIG SAUER shooting team, multiple world record speed shooter in action ...
CPL Travis Tomasie Pro Tip on Speed Reloads - YouTube

www.youtube.com/watch?v=8d2VdaiIodo

3 min - Dec 17, 2010 - Uploaded by ShootingUSATV

One of the fastest pistol shooters in the world takes you through how to reload faster.

CPL Travis Tomasie Pro Tip on Calling Your Shots - YouTube

 

 

Rutland Herald: Pond partisans give state an earful (Public Access to VT's Natural Resources)

Rick Sanborn of the photo below was one the sportsmen's who won in a case

before the Vermont Supreme Court over Montpelier banning public access to

the Berlin Pond.  The state recently settled a case in which Sanborn sued the

city over its illegal enforcement of its illegal ban. Rick owns R&L Archery in Barre.

http://rutlandherald.com/article/20140528/NEWS03/705289895

 

Pond partisans give state an earful

By Amy Ash Nixon
Staff Writer | May 28,2014

• 

Stefan Hard / Staff Photo

Avid sportsman Rick Sanborn, owner of R&L Archery in Barre, advocates for recreational use of Berlin Pond during a public meeting Tuesday in Berlin. It was held in response to a movement by citizens wishing to see recreational use again banned on the pond, which serves as Montpelier's drinking-water supply.

 

BERLIN — A standing-room-only crowd offered conflicting views of the current quality of Berlin Pond and the risks humans pose to it Tuesday evening, during a hearing on whether to restore a ban on recreational use of the pond, which provides drinking water for the capital, part of Berlin and the local hospital.

About 200 people turned out for the meeting in the library of Berlin Elementary School.

The line of people signing in was still long 10 minutes into the planned two-hour hearing in the stuffy library.

The Agency of Natural Resources convened the hearing after the group Citizens to Protect Berlin Pond petitioned the state to restore century-old protections for the pond and ban all human activity on it. The Vermont Supreme Court had determined in 2012 that only the state, not the city of Montpelier, had the authority to regulate use of the pond.

Melissa Perley, the president of Citizens to Protect Berlin Pond, was the first speaker Tuesday evening.

Perley said the group supports responsible hunting, fishing and boating where appropriate. "Our petition is about a small fragile pond that is the sole drinking water source for the city of Montpelier and a section of Berlin." The city's water treatment capability was predicated on no human contact with the water, she said.

"It is also about the dangers that human actions introduce from humans with malicious intent." She said the fact that the water supply serves a capital makes the treatment facility a potential target.

Perley argued that "all water resources don't need to be exploited by humans" and said the petition seeks to protect the water as a refuge for wildlife without human disturbance. There are three dozen bodies of water within a half hour of Berlin Pond that allow full recreation, she said.

She told the ANR it had the opportunity "to say to the citizens of your capital city, the state, the nation and even the world ... that you stand for the cleanest possible drinking water. Make no mistake: Your decision will be seen and have consequences in places reaching far beyond the borders of Berlin, Vermont."

Perley was given thunderous applause and a standing ovation by many.

Another perspective came from Rick Sanborn, of Barre Town, whose appeal to the Vermont Supreme Court over the use of the pond for boating led to the lifting of the restrictions. He said, "I am one of the three people named in the Supreme Court suit, so this is the face behind the name."

He urged the group's petition be denied, saying it was "without merit."

"There is a roadway that goes completely around the pond. It's been there for centuries. Roadways bring motor vehicles," he said, painting a picture that the pond is not as pristine as the petitioners argue.

People also use the area, he said, and dogs are brought in.

"Around the pond we have homes and camps and farms. This is human civilization, and all the noises that go with it. ... Those homes all have septic systems. Where do you think that goes? This is certainly not an area that's undisturbed," argued Sanborn. "And we have the airport, which brings noise from all the small planes going in and out."

He ended his allotted two minutes by saying, "And by the way, that is not pristine water. It is full of poop" from animals including bears and moose that leave droppings in the water.

Rodney Elmer, of Northfield, a hunter education instructor for the state of Vermont, said, "Ethics is a hard thing to try and instill in anyone." He said he has seen people walking onto the land that Montpelier owns around most of the pond, which is posted against trespassing, and said he's told them they shouldn't be doing that.

"We want to keep that water clean. It's at the top of the watershed. ... Bottom line is we're all vulnerable to everything," said Elmer. "This is sort of like two ticks arguing over the dog they're on. ... This is our land, this is our water, this should matter to all of us. Interstate 89 is one million times more of a threat than any canoe or any one person. ... I don't hear a word about that, and that is the biggest threat to all of us."

Montpelier's police chief, mayor, city manager and public works director all spoke in support of the petition, urging that the former restrictions be reinstated to protect the water supply.

The city also has a petition before ANR, seeking restrictions on ice shanties and gas-powered augers, much less restrictive and comprehensive than the restrictions the citizens group sought this winter.

The City Council has lent its support to the Citizens to Protect Berlin Pond petition in a letter to ANR Secretary Deb Markowitz. The Montpelier Conservation Commission has likewise sent a letter of support for the all-encompassing ban on recreational activity on the pond.

Leslie Welts, a staff attorney with the Department of Environmental Conservation, told the crowd Tuesday evening that the department would take public written comments through June 3 at 4:30 p.m.

Comments received will be posted on the DEC website, and the public meeting will be posted in full so people can also listen to it. Several people expressed concern over not being able to hear the proceedings Tuesday evening, and Welts apologized for not bringing sound equipment.

Early in the hearing, one person asked if the agency would consider hosting a second hearing, and Welts said, "That would be out of our usual protocol."

She has said previously that the agency will consider each Berlin Pond petition on its own merits under the Vermont Use of Public Waters Rule and past decisions, but will issue a consolidated decision on whether changes are merited and, if so, what they should be.

amy.nixon @timesargus.com

Berlin Pond Hearing on Tuesday Evening

The current issue of "The Bridge" the Montpelier-based newspaper

has several different items in the paper supporting the banning of

public recreational use of the Berlin Pond. 

 

Those calling for the Agency of Natural Resources to ban recreational

use of the Berlin Pond are still beating on the same drum of the pond

being unique and wanting to deny public recreational access.

The Vermont Supreme Court has ruled that the Berlin Pond is a body

of water that belongs to the public.  Though the pond is Montpelier's

source of drinking water, the city has a state of the art water treatment

with excess capacity.  Canoeing, kayaking or swimming won't kill anyone.

 

Those opposing public use have actually argued that ice fishing shanties

on the pond could be a resource for terrorists.  Yes, they really did...

 

Those arguing to close the pond are saying that there are other public

resources.  So, go use them and leave Berlin Pond to just them.  The

people who want to close off those other public natural resources can

make the very same case.  Public natural resources belong to the public.

If you want public natural resources kept open to the public you can attend

the public meeting on this at the Berlin Elementary School on Tuesday

night, 6:00 to 8:00 P.M.  And you can politely tell ANR to "Keep the

Berlin Pond Open for Public Use" at:

Laura.Woods@state.vt.us or (802) 490-6100)

Disabled Veterans’ VT Hunting and Fishing Benefits Improve

 

VERMONT FISH & WILDLIFE

Press Release

 

For Immediate Release:  May 20, 2014

Media Contact:  Commissioner Louis Porter

 

Disabled Veterans' Hunting and Fishing Benefits Improve

 

MONTPELIER, Vt. – More of Vermont's disabled veterans now have increased hunting and fishing license benefits thanks to legislation signed into law by Governor Peter Shumlin on May 5, 2014.

 

"Vermont's veterans deserve our thanks for all they have given to their state and their country," said Governor Shumlin.  "Making more disabled Vermonters eligible for free hunting and fishing licenses is one way to offer them the recognition they deserve."

 

Act 116 (H.589) provides that a Vermont resident who is a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces and who is 60 percent disabled (used to be 100 percent) as a result of a service-connected disability may receive a free fishing, hunting, or combination hunting and fishing license, which will include all big game licenses, except for a moose permit, with certification by the veterans' administration. 

 

The legislation also has a reciprocity provision for veterans from other states. 

 

Fish & Wildlife urges people to call their licensing office for more information 802-828-1190. 

 

-30-

 

 

 

 

John Hall, Outreach Division

[phone]      802-828-1000      [fax]      802-828-1250

[email]    john.hall@state.vt.us

[website]    www.vtfishandwildlife.com

 

Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department

1 National Life Drive, Davis 2

Montpelier VT 05620

 

              

 

NSSF Bullet Points: UVM Sports Shooting Club in first story

 

The UVM Sports Shooting Club is a top competitor in college shooting matches.

The club is in the first story in this NSSF Bullet Points, see directly below.

 

The UVM Sports Shooting Club receives support funding from the Vermont

Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs and the Vermont's Friends of NRA banquets.

Having trouble viewing this email? Click here

Log In | Become a Member May 19, 2014 Vol. 15 No. 19

$100,000 in Grants Available to Colleges Watch a brief video about the Collegiate Shooting Sports Initiative NSSF GRANTS FOR NEW COLLEGIATE SHOOTING PROGRAMS . . . NSSF is accepting applications for a total of $100,000 in grants to public and private colleges for start-ups of new target-shooting clubs and teams. Up to $10,000 will be awarded to each qualifying school. The grants are provided through NSSF's Collegiate Shooting Sports Initiative, which is credited with spurring growth in collegiate target shooting across the country. "Students and coaches provide the passion, NSSF provides the seed funding," said NSSF Manager of Shooting Promotions Zach Snow. Grant guidelines and applications are available at www.nssf.org/college. Direct questions to Zach Snow at zsnow@nssf.org. Read the press release. NSSF Industry Summit HOTEL SPECIAL GROUP PRICING DEADLINE TODAY . . . If you haven't registered for the 2014 NSSF Industry Summit, the time is now. The Summit is only three weeks away and industry leaders from more than 100 companies and organizations have already committed to attend and contribute to this critical discussion. Registration does not include housing accomodations, so if you have already registered, please be sure that you have made your hotel reservations before today's special group pricing deadline. Government Relations Sen. Tom Udall (D-N.M.) speaks during a meeting of Senate Democrats with sportsmens' groups. NSSF president Steve Sanetti shown at right. SENATE LEADERS MEET WITH SPORTSMEN . . . NSSF President Steve Sanetti, together with leaders of several prominent hunting and traditional conservation advocacy organizations, met last week with the Senate Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee to discuss legislative priorities for sportsmen. Already passed by the House of Representatives, the Bipartisan Sportsmen's Act, S. 1996, awaits action in the Senate. In response to a question from Sen. Mark Begich (D-Alaska) concerning the nation's retail shortage of ammunition, Sanetti explained that a growing number of recreational shooters was driving unprecedented demand. He also reminded senators those sales were providing increased funding for state conservation projects through the Pittman-Robertson federal excise taxes collected from manufacturers. WASHINGTON POST PUBLISHES NSSF LETTER ON 'SMART GUNS' . . . User-authorized technology for firearms, what political proponents and the media like to call "smart guns," are very much in the news. As the industry's trade association, NSSF both responds to reporters' questions on the topic and seeks to correct mistakes, exaggerations and incorrect assumptions in news stories and commentary. Last week, NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel Lawrence G. Keane responded to a Washington Post editorial calling for New Jersey to immediately implement its nascent law mandating the technology for handguns sold in the state. Read the Letter to the Editor. See the NSSF fact sheet on "Smart Guns." SUNDAY HUNTING PASSES IN W.V. COUNTIES; MORE SUNDAY HUNTING COMING TO MARYLAND . . . West Virginia voters last week approved ballot measures to allow hunting on private property on Sundays in Braxton, Calhoun, Nicholas, Webster and Wirt counties. The ballot measure was turned down only by voters in Lewis and Gilmer counties, the latter by an unofficial total of a mere 30 votes. Tuesday was the first time that Sunday hunting has been put before voters in more than a decade. Read the NSSF press release. Meanwhile, as the result of newly enacted laws in Maryland, state game managers are now authorized to allow Sunday deer hunting for the first time on designated public land in Frederick, Washington, Allegany and Garrett counties. Sunday deer hunting on private land was already allowed in those counties. OPPOSE ILLINOIS LEGISLATOR'S EXTENSIVE ANTI-GUN BAN . . . Illinois State Sen. Dan Kotowski (D-33) has introduced SB 3659, the most extensive piece of anti-gun legislation seen so far this year. Under this bill, nearly all firearms would have to be registered (for an undetermined fee) or turned in to police. Kotowski's bill also contains a provision that licenses and registers all gun owners in Illinois. Additionally, the bill seeks a ban on all magazines having a capacity exceeding 10 rounds and imposes large fines and prison sentences for the possession of such magazines for AR-15s and other modern sporting rifles. NSSF is working to defeat this legislation. If you are an Illinois resident, contact your legislator to oppose this bill. See The NSSF Legislative Action Alert. JERSEY CITY FIREARM PROCUREMENT POLICY DRAWS NSSF RESPONSE . . . The Jersey City, New Jersey, administration policy to require its police department firearms suppliers to provide detailed information about their business practices attracted the attention of the Wall Street Journal. Companies that do not comply with the city's questionnaire process are not allowed to submit bids to supply city police with rifles, handguns and ammunition. NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel Lawrence G. Keane told guns.com "The questions being asked display a profound ignorance of firearms public policy issues and what members of our industry do to cooperate with law enforcement. We think it is wrong to politicize the purchasing of law enforcement equipment. Police departments should be able to purchase the equipment that meets the needs of their officers." SECOND CALIF. PUBLIC WORKSHOP ON LEAD AMMO BAN IMPLEMENTATION SET FOR JUNE 3 . . . The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has announced the second public workshop to discuss implementation of the state's traditional lead ammunition ban will be held June 3 in Eureka at the Humboldt Bay Aquatic Center, 921 Waterfront Drive, from 7-8:30 p.m. Workshops feature a CDFW representative detailing the proposed implementation plan, after which public comments are heard. Last year, Gov. Jerry Brown signed AB 711 requiring the Fish & Game Commission to adopt regulations to ban lead ammunition for hunting no later than July 1, 2015, with full implementation to occur no later than July 1, 2019. Final recommendations to the Fish and Game Commission will be made in September. Additional workshops are being discussed for Redding, Sacramento, Fresno and San Diego. Individuals and organizations also may email comments to wildlifemgmt@wildlife.ca.gov (Use "Non lead implementation" in subject line) or send correspondence to CDFW, Wildlife Branch, Attn: Non lead implementation, 1812 9th St., Sacramento, CA 95811. For more Government Relations news, read NSSF's latest Government Relations Update. SHOT Show EXHIBITORS: NSSF MEMBERSHIP PROVIDES SHOT SHOW SAVINGS AND DISCOUNTS . . . Membership in NSSF, your industry's trade association and the owner of the SHOT Show, has a long list of benefits. For SHOT Show exhibitors, one of those benefits can mean huge savings on booth space at the show. On the SHOT Show Blog, NSSF's Senior Director of Sales Dave Jeannette provides a look at the ways NSSF members save big. Research USITC FIREARMS AND AMMUNITION DATA FOR MARCH 2014 . . . NSSF tracks and reports monthly U.S. import and export units for several sporting arms, ammunition and optics categories from the U.S. International Trade Commission. See a complete breakdown of each category's March import and export data. NSSF members can access additional historical import and export data by logging in and clicking NSSF Industry Research. Retailers NSSF RETAILER SEMINARS IN ILLINOIS, INDIANA AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY . . . Seven more NSSF Retailer Education Seminars are scheduled for this year, including ones in Bloomington, Illinois, on June 24 and in Indianapolis on June 26. NSSF encourages all firearms retailers in the region to register to attend these five-hour seminars designed to help FFL holders stay in compliance and protect their livelihood. Seminar topics include Regulatory Compliance, Deterring Straw Purchases, Error Proofing Your 4473, the ATF Inspection Process, Inventory Security and NICS. Seminars are free to NSSF members and $100 per person to non-members. Register today. Read press release. NEW ATF Q&A FEATURE FOR RETAILERS . . . This week's  ATF questions come from our 24/7 compliance hotline — that is free to use for our members, login for details. The questions cover properly documenting imported firearms in your A&D book and your responsibilities as an FFL to respond to a trace request. Take a moment to review the answers and please make sure your staff does as well. A new feature in the Retailers section of the NSSF website, ATF Q&A can serve as a great resource when a compliance question arises. Legal BREAKING: BRADY CAMPAIGN SUES NEW JERSEY TO COMPEL ACTION ON SMART GUN LAW . . . As Bullet Points was being prepared, word was received late this afternoon that the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence and the Mercer County chapter of the organization had filed suit in Mercer Superior Court to compel the state's attorney general to take action in a manner that would start the clock running toward implementation of the state statute requiring the adoption of user-authorized technology for all handguns sold in the state. NSSF will keep you informed as additional details become available. JUDGE UPHOLDS STRICT D.C. GUN LAWS . . . Washington, D.C. residents will continue to face the strictest gun laws in the nation in order to legally possess firearms in their homes as the result of decision handed down late last week by a federal district court Judge. In the case known as Heller II, the judge upheld Washington's extensive gun registration laws as constitutional. These are the laws put in effect after the Supreme Court ruled in 2008 in the first Heller case that the District's 30-year ban on handguns violated the Second Amendment. The case will be appealed. See a news story about the decision. NSSF, SAAMI MICROSTAMPING SUIT ORAL ARGUMENTS POSTPONED AGAIN . . . A Fresno, California, Superior Court judge last week postponed until Wednesday oral arguments in the lawsuit brought by NSSF and the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute (SAAMI) against the State of California to prevent enforcement of the state's microstamping statute. The state statute being challenged was enacted in 2007, but not made effective until May 2013, requires that all semiautomatic handguns sold in the state not already on the California-approved handgun roster incorporate unproven and unreliable microstamping technology. We will continue to keep you informed. News of Note NSSF PROVIDES FIRE-PREVENTION POSTER, 30-SEC. PSA . . . To remind target shooters and hunters to do their part to help prevent wildfires, NSSF offers a poster and audio public service announcement containing prevention guidelines for use throughout what is expected to be a bad fire season. The poster is available in two sizes and is suitable for use by shooting ranges, firearms retail shops, outdoor-equipment stores and online sharers. The 30-second PSA is for radio, television and Internet use. The straight-forward message is—"Wildfires have many causes—don't be one of them!" Read press release. Learn more at www.nssf.org/education/PreventWildfires.cfm. NSSF'S DOLNACK AMONG TOP 100 CMOs ON TWITTER . . . Social Media Marketing magazine has named its top 100 chief marketing officers on Twitter and among them is NSSF Senior Vice President and CMO Chris Dolnack. According to the magazine, "These are the top 100 CMOs around the world who, 1.) provide useful content, 2.) consistently engage with their followers, 3.) truly "get it" when it comes to the best ways to use Twitter and other forms of social media and 4.) were active on Twitter as of April 28, 2014." See the full list. ATK SALES UP 71% IN SPORTING GROUP . . . ATK (NYSE:ATK) reported that fourth-quarter sales in its Sporting Group -- which includes ammunition for law enforcement, military and sporting applications as well as firearms, optics, reloading gear and sport-shooting and tactical accessories -- were up 71 percent to $558 million compared to $326 million in the same period last year. Sales from Savage and Bushnell were $62 million and $132 million, respectively. For the full year, the Sporting Group achieved record sales of $1.9 billion, up 57 percent from $1.2 billion in the prior year. DANIEL DEFENSE NAMES NEW COO . . . Daniel Defense today announced a new chief operating officer, Fred Sharp. Sharp joins Daniel Defense from Ferno Washington Inc., where he was Vice President of Operations and Engineering. Cindy Daniel, the company's COO since 2001, has transitioned into her new role as Executive Vice President. NSSF Membership DID YOU KNOW? . . . NSSF's Voting Members receive a considerable discount on their SHOT Show booth space ($25 per square foot, compared to $35 for non-NSSF members). For information on becoming an NSSF Voting Member, contact Bettyjane Swann, NSSF Member Services Director, at 203-426-1320 ext. 237 or bswann@nssf.org. TWO WEEKS LEFT TO SUBMIT APPLICATIONS FOR SCHOLARSHIPS . . . NSSF encourages employees of voting Member companies and their family members to apply for education aid through NSSF's Voting Member Scholarship Program. A maximum of 25 winning entries will share in $60,000 in scholarship funding. Applications for these scholarships will be accepted through 5 p.m. Eastern time Monday, June 2, 2014. Learn more about scholarship eligibility and essay topics and to acquire an application at nssf.org/scholarship. Read the press release. Jobs FIREARMS INDUSTRY JOBS . . . Visit www.nssf.org/jobs for current employment opportunities in the shooting, hunting and outdoor industry. Employers: Log in to post a job opening. NSSF's Mission "To promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. " Click here to visit the NSSF website and see how we accomplish this mission. COPYRIGHT © 2014 by National Shooting Sports Foundation, Inc. Permission is granted for broadcast, publication, retransmission to email lists, Websites or any other copying or storage, in any medium, online or not, if 1) the text is forwarded in its entirety, including this paragraph, and 2) no fee is charged. "Bullet Points®," "National Shooting Sports Foundation®," "NSSF®," and all other trade names, trademarks, service marks, logos and images of the National Shooting Sports Foundation appearing in this publication are the sole property of the Foundation and may not be used without the Foundation's prior express written permission. All other trade names, trademarks, service marks, logos and images appearing in this publication are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. Bullet Points NSSF Current Issue NSSF.org Archive NSSF Blog Subscribe Join NSSF

Forward email

Please Update Your Profile. This link is used to make changes to your email address and other contact information. Click Unsubscribe to remove yourself from this email list or to stop all future email communication from NSSF. Please do not reply to this email. Replies to this email will not be responded to or read. If you have any comments or questions please email us at onlinesubscriptions@nssf.org This communication is distributed by NSSF using Constant Contact email marketing solutions. Your privacy is important to us. Click here for NSSF's Privacy Policy. Click here for Constant Contact's Privacy Policy.

National Shooting Sports Foundation | 11 Mile Hill Rd | Newtown | CT | 06470

Warning of Federation Meeting

Proudly Serving Vermont Since 1875

 

 

May 16, 2014

 

RE: Notice of Federation Meeting

 

 

VTFSC Delegates & Officers -

 

 

Please be advised that there will be a meeting of the Vermont Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs this coming Sunday, 5/18.

 

The meeting will be held at the Barre Fish & Game Club starting at 10 AM, with this club located on Gun Club Rd in Barre, VT - a map to this facility can be found at this link.

 

An agenda for this meeting can be found at this link, which will also be available at the meeting.

 

 

Thank You,

 

Chris Bradley, Acting President

VSRPA Match Schedule

Vermont State Rifle & Pistol Association

454 South Main Street, Northfield VT, 05663

www.vsrpa.org

 

May 14th, 2014

 

Greetings High-Power Rifle Enthusiasts!

 

As the 2014 High-Power Rifle Shooting Season is about to start, the VSRPA wanted to take a moment of your time to touch base and to remind you of our website located at www.vsrpa.org.

 

First off, the Memorial Day Matches are just 10 days away - and there is still plenty of time to get registered.  As usual, Saturday 5/24 will be the Vermont State High-Power Championships on range 4-1.  Sunday 5/25 will be the Vermont State Mid-Range Prone/F-Class Championships on Range 4-1, while down on range 3-2 we will be holding two separate matches:  An "as-issued" M1 Garand match which will be followed by a 1903 Springfield Match.  For Monday we are pleased to inform you that the Camp Ethan Allen Training Site (CEATS) leadership has again allowed the VSRPA to use range 4-1 for an Excellence In Competition (EIC/"Leg") match for Memorial Day proper - so the more non-distinguished shooters who compete, the more points that will be available to win towards the highly-coveted CMP Distinguished Rifleman Award.

 

Secondly:  Beyond the Memorial Day matches we have at least three matches a month scheduled across the summer along with 3 high-power rifle clinics scheduled;  you can find our full schedule at this link.  Clicking that link will take you to our 2014 Schedule, and by clicking on the links in that schedule you can bring up the appropriate registration form for that match or clinic.

 

Thirdly:  If you have not renewed your membership now might be a good time to consider doing so, and you can find the membership application at this link.

 

Finally, for all of you who would like to become more involved with running matches (the more people we have that can safely run a match the more matches we can schedule), we can set you up with Range Safety Officer (RSO) training in addition to Officer In Charge (OIC) training...just contact either Steve Lawler (VP of High-Power Shooting) or Chris Bradley to learn more.

 

Hope to see you soon on the firing line!

 

Best Regards,

 

Chris S. Bradley - Secretary, VSRPA

 

Fox 44 News: Wildlife Law Gives Free Hunting Licenses to Veterans, Stops People From Shooting Across Roads

 

Governor Shumlin signs H.589 into law. 

 

http://www.mychamplainvalley.com/story/d/story/wildlife-law-gives-free-hunting-licenses-to-vetera/37268/Ovaraom5nk6gOQ3dzi9Sgw

 

 

 

Here is a link to H.589: Unofficial Version or if you want to read the bill with the mark-ups see: Official Version

IDPA and other Practical Pistol matches coming to St. Albans.

The Sportsman's Club of Franklin County(SCFC)) in St Albans will be starting practical shooting matches and intro clinics this summer. 

The club has currently 2 bays to use. They will be ramping up this summer. So far this is what we have planned and scheduled:

• Wed May 7th and 21st(5pm-7pm)- Intro to Practical Pistol Clinic(FREE); -What you need for gear, rules for IDPA/USPSA/SCSA, and how a match is shot. Classroom stuff and for those that have never shot a match. Bring your holsters and gun(UNLOADED and CASED) and see what you can shoot. No ammo needed. Discounts from Safariland will be available.
• Saturday July 12th, IPDA Safety Officer certification class Cost: FREE to SCFC members and those that want to volunteer to be Club Safety Officer's. Else To be Nationally "IDPA Certified" you must meet their requirements and take the test; $15(SCFC Members) $50(Non-SCFC Member)

We will add more events and matches for the following groups once volunteers and equipment becomes available. 

The club wants to host the following matches

• IDPA- SCFC will be a "registered" club for IDPA matches and will be hosting Monthly IDPA matches and mini/practice matches during the weekday evenings.
• USPSA "outlaw/practice" matches, monthly and weekday evenings. registered matches/classifiers(TBD)
• Steel Challenge- TBD once we get our steel targets.

Volunteers needed and the match schedules will be posted at;

http://www.scoffc.com/calendar.php

And our Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/SCOFC

Questions can be sent to:

mike at mikescfc@gmail.com

We are looking at running a practice matches(1 field or 1 or 2 "classifier" drill stages)  during the week in the evening

Experience Outdoor Fun at Annual Family Camping Weekend

Have fun and learn new things with your family in the OUTDOORS!

VERMONT FISH & WILDLIFE

Press Release

 

For Immediate Release:  May 1, 2014

Media Contacts:  Debbie Fajans, 802-257-7967, ext 306, debbie.fajans@uvm.edu; Tom Rogers 802-377-2628

 

Experience Outdoor Fun at Annual Family Camping Weekend

 

Groton, Vt – The deadline for the 17th annual "Becoming an Outdoor Family Weekend," is May 15.   The program gives families an opportunity to reconnect as they explore the outdoors and sample new activities such as geocaching, orienteering, canoeing or nature photography.  

The event will take place May 30 - June 1 at Stillwater State Park in Groton and is open to all families.  It is geared to those new to camping or spending time outdoors.  It is sponsored by University of Vermont (UVM) Extension, the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department, and the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation. To register go to www.uvm.edu/extension/outdoorfamily.

The $175 fee covers up to eight people the campsite, all classes, instruction and most equipment. It also provides full access to all of the state park's facilities, including free rental of canoes and kayaks.  New this year is a free, optional Sunday night stay for families interested in extending their weekend.  

In addition to free time to enjoy the lake, hiking trails and other park amenities, each camper may sign up for three classes, choosing from more than three dozen options. Offerings include beginning mountain biking, basic firearm safety, outdoor wild game cooking, native wildlife and plants, various shooting sports, trail running, introduction to archery, advance kayaking, raptors in our backyard and wilderness survival, along with numerous other choices.

Among the activities offered for the first time this year are fly fishing, skeet shotgun, bat house construction, duck decoy head painting, making a walking stick and a competition shoot.  New environmental education classes for younger kids include a forest scavenger hunt and a session on exploring sounds in nature.

On Saturday afternoon staff from the Southern Vermont Natural History Museum in Marlboro will present a program on raptors with live owls and hawks and touchable artifacts. The weekend also features a bottle rocket making station and evening bottle rocket launch and a community potluck supper with hamburgers and hot dogs. Families are asked to bring a dish to share.

Returning families who encourage a new family to register for the weekend will be entered in the Refer-a-Family drawing for a free weekend stay at any Vermont State Park, courtesy of Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation. Complete details can be found in the registration booklet.

For questions about the weekend, contact Debbie Fajans, UVM Extension youth and family specialist, at (802) 257-7967, ext. 306, or (800) 278-5480 (Vermont calls only) or e-mail debbie.fajans@uvm.edu.

-30-

Tom Rogers

Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department

Information and Outreach

Davis 2 Building, 1 National Life Drive

Montpelier, VT  05620

[phone]      802-377-2628

[website]    www.vtfishandwildlife.com