Springfield, VA – Gun Owners of America (GOA) is announcing its opposition to a petition that would heavily restrict the importation of legally harvested wildlife into the United States as well as prohibit or heavily restrict the transportation of legally harvested wildlife across state lines.

This petition was sent to the U.S. Department of the Interior’s U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USDOI/USFWS), as well as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), by the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).

Mark Jones, a Certified Wildlife Biologist and GOA’s National Hunting Outreach Director, commented, “This petition threatens to change hunting as we know it in America and also represents a backdoor attack on gun owners. This petition, if it were to go into effect, would cripple many hunting opportunities and damage the American economy.  Further, it would damage the authority of the 50 state Fish and Wildlife Agencies that have a great track record of managing the nation’s wildlife for generations.  All hunters and Second Amendment supporters stand to be severely impacted if this petition were implemented, and the American tradition of hunting would never be the same.”

GOA has sent letters to both USDOI/USFWS and the CDC detailing the detrimental consequences of this petition for hunters and the United States economy.  From the letter:

…..sportsmen and women would be restricted from many hunting activities.  This would cripple wildlife conservation funding and deal a death blow to rural economies.  Hunters that were restricted from transporting harvests (i.e., meat, antlers, hides, etc.), without unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles, would be less likely to take part in such pursuits.  Long-term consequences for hunting are unknown but sure to be damaging…..Gun Owners of America urges the USDOI/USFWS and CDC to reject the CBD/NRDC petition.

The two letters can be read here and here.

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