Anyone heard this?

[billrquimby]

In August 2007, President Bush issued an executive order directing all federal agencies to develop a 10-year plan to promote and facilitate hunting. The following is the full text:

 

EXECUTIVE ORDER

- - - - - - -

FACILITATION OF HUNTING HERITAGE AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION

 

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered as follows:

 

Section 1. Purpose. The purpose of this order is to direct Federal agencies that have programs and activities that have a measurable effect on public land management, outdoor recreation, and wildlife management, including the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture, to facilitate the expansion and enhancement of hunting opportunities and the management of game species and their habitat.

 

Sec. 2. Federal Activities. Federal agencies shall, consistent with agency missions:

 

(a) Evaluate the effect of agency actions on trends in hunting participation and, where appropriate to address declining trends, implement actions that expand and enhance hunting opportunities for the public;

 

( Consider the economic and recreational values of hunting in agency actions, as appropriate;

 

© Manage wildlife and wildlife habitats on public lands in a manner that expands and enhances hunting opportunities, including through the use of hunting in wildlife management planning;

 

(d) Work collaboratively with State governments to manage and conserve game species and their habitats in a manner that respects private property rights and State management authority over wildlife resources;

 

(e) Establish short and long term goals, in cooperation with State and tribal governments, and consistent with agency missions, to foster healthy and productive populations of game species and appropriate opportunities for the public to hunt those species;

 

(f) Ensure that agency plans and actions consider programs and recommendations of comprehensive planning efforts such as State Wildlife Action Plans, the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, and other range-wide management plans for big game and upland game birds;

 

(g) Seek the advice of State and tribal fish and wildlife agencies, and, as appropriate, consult with the Sporting Conservation Council and other organizations, with respect to the foregoing Federal activities.

 

Sec. 3. North American Wildlife Policy Conference. The Chairman of the Council on Environmental Quality (Chairman) shall, in coordination with the appropriate Federal agencies and in consultation with the Sporting Conservation Council and in cooperation with State and tribal fish and wildlife agencies and the public, convene not later than 1 year after the date of this order, and periodically thereafter at such times as the Chairman deems appropriate, a White House Conference on North American Wildlife Policy (Conference) to facilitate the exchange of information and advice relating to the means for achieving the goals of this order.

 

Sec. 4. Recreational Hunting and Wildlife Resource Conservation Plan. The Chairman shall prepare, consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations, in coordination with the appropriate Federal agencies and in consultation with the Sporting Conservation Council, and in cooperation with State and tribal fish and wildlife agencies, not later than 1 year following the conclusion of the Conference, a comprehensive Recreational Hunting and Wildlife Conservation Plan that incorporates existing and ongoing activities and sets forth a 10 year agenda for fulfilling the actions identified in section 2 of this order.

 

Sec. 5. Judicial Review. This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right, benefit, trust responsibility, or privilege, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, instrumentalities, or entities, its officers or employees, or any other person.

 

GEORGE W. BUSH

 

THE WHITE HOUSE

August 16, 2007.

 

[CouesWhitetail]

Yes, I remember hearing about that awhile back.

 

wonder if it has made any difference?

 

Amanda

[billrquimby]

Yes, I remember hearing about that awhile back.

 

wonder if it has made any difference?

 

Amanda

 

The only way it will make a difference is for hunters to remind bureaucrats that they've been given marching orders.

 

It would have been great to have known about this when commenting on proposed road closures in the White Mountains. Road closures if not done properly definitely will affect hunters by reducing access as well as limiting the distribution of hunters and their camps.

 

This was not a feel-good proclamation, such as Congress passes every year for National Hunting and Fish Day. This was an executive order to all federal agencies and the language is pretty clear: Federal agencies must determine what is necessary to promote and preserve hunting and then do it!

 

It wouldn't be out of place, I think, for individual hunters to write the regional directors of the BLM, Forest Service, and Bureau of Indian Affairs to see what they're doing to comply with this order.

 

Bill Quimby

[jamaro]

This is good but I am really bummed that Bush is letting USFS close lands to shooting.. I guess the NRA didn't take him to task on the issue because it would "embarrass" him. Michael Baine goes in depth on this subject in one of his podcasts...

[DesertBull]

Yes, that does stink, but maybe if shooters would pick up after themselves, quit shooting things they shouldn't be (signs, cattle, cactus, ect) things would be different.