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January 2007 Latest News

January 23, 2007

Competitors' problems in the Caribbean

The Barbados Advocate has published an article outlining the difficulties faced by sports shooters in the area, and causing the stifling of junior sporting talent.

The former president of the Barbados Clay Target Shooting Association, Peter Reece, has given an interview at the commencement of the Barbados Open International Skeet, Trap and Sport Shooting Competitions.

At present, a firearm licence will not be granted to anyone under 25 years of age, which presents obvious problems. It prevents junior competitors from entering the sport and renders international participation near-to-impossible because of lack of training in the formative years. Unless a rigorous training program begins early in life, internationally competitive standard will rarely be reached.

Security demands since the September 11 attacks have left sports shooters in an even more difficult position because of the impediments encountered in transporting their guns. The smaller aircraft travelling between islands in the area are not being authorized to carry target guns in their usual taken-down and stored condition. Shooting competitions have been held regularly across many decades between Trinidad, Guadeloupe and Martinique, but the reluctance to allow sporting guns on aircraft has effectively brought them to a halt.

Barbados Advocate



January 20, 2007

Polar bear hunting in Russia

An article published by Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty has examined the case for further loosening of the restrictions on the hunting of polar bears in Russia, pointing out that increasing numbers of conservationists are speaking in its favour.

In recent times, the bears' movements have been noted as extending beyond their past range. Climate change is thought to have influenced this, largely by the reduction in available sea ice. As the bears spread out further in search of feed, increased contact with humans follows.

Bear hunting was banned in 1956, and then reintroduced with the use of traditional weapons only in 1973. Poaching has long been a problem, because it is very hard to enforce the laws. A skin sells for US$4,500. Because it is legal for a bear to be killed if it threatens a human, and also because penalties are relatively slight, there are many for sale, origins unknown.

Now, Margaret Williams, speaking for the World Wildlife Fund, is quoted by the article as saying that managed hunting, involving the people of local communities in the process, is a better way to support populations than to try to enforce total protection. In December, 2006, Congress in the United States passed legislation opening the way for enactment of the 2000 agreement signed by Russia and the US. This agreement gives hunting quotas back to indigenous Russians, and is coming in for increasing support.



January 8, 2007

Newscientist.com article supports trophy hunting

An environmental article on newscientist.com on January 6 has looked at several countries and found strongly in favour of hunting as a tool of effective conservation.

The article recognizes the validity of the economic motive as a means of producing and enriching the all-essential habitat, the lack of which has been responsible for the degradation and loss of many species over recent decades. There are many examples in African countries, but also others such as Pakistan, of successful use of hunters' money to improve conservation.

Where the local area has been harmed by overgrazing of stock and is unable to support potential game species in sufficient numbers to allow another useful fund raising activity such as photographic safaris, hunting can be effective. This is because hunters are prepared to tackle less congenial conditions in pursuit of their objectives.

When hunting is being effectively used, the revenue it generates encourages the local population to crack down on poachers and to use their own methods appropriate to the area and species to maintain healthy game populations.

The article also fairly mentions the two-way impact of hunting on land located beside protected areas. It is possible under some circumstances that quarry animals will be drawn out of the protected lands into hunting areas as hunters thin out the same species, leaving vacant territory behind. By the same token, under the right conditions, the reverse effect can take place. Genetic advantage can follow these game population-density changes.

Hunters, the article acknowledges, tend to do little or no damage to the population of quarry species because the predominant quarry is mature males, and as long as there are enough males remaining to service the existing females. While there are still questions deserving of more research, such as the longer-term effects of removing older males from prides of lions, the overall benefit is positive. The article ends by calling "well-managed trophy hunting one of the best tools in the conservationists' toolbox", largely because of the steady cash flow that it generates.

New Scientist.com



January 1, 2007

Women hunters in the USA

An article in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review in Pennsylvania, USA, has commented on the steadily increasing numbers of women who are taking up hunting. Profiling a female hunter who began target shooting in her thirties and then deer hunting in her forties, following her husband's initial interest, the article quotes the National Sporting Goods Association study which recently determined that women make up roughly 16 per cent of almost 21 million hunters in the United States. The proportion is increasing.

Thomas B. Doyle is the Association's Vice President of Information and Research. He is quoted as saying that women spend roughly $500 million annually out of a total of $3.4 billion exchanged for firearms, ammunition and accessories, but not including clothing. As much as twenty per cent of the total number of intending hunters sitting for qualifying courses is currently being made up of women. All areas of shooting, including rifle, handgun, air arm and shotgun disciplines, are making gains among women.

The second woman to sit on the Pennsylvania Game Commission Board, Roxane Palone, is quoted as crediting the National Rifle Association and the National Wild Turkey Federation with increasing interest among women through dedicated programs. She added that the family-related aspect acts as another drawcard.

Pittsburgh Live


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