1st Quarter Newsletter
First Quarter encompasses National Conventions, Chapter Fundraiser, Late Season waterfowl, Coues Deer hunting and Desert Bighorn. SCI Golden Gate has much to report for this quarter! Here are the highlights:
List of Subjects/Sections:
1. Note from your Chapter President
2. New Members to Welcome
3. Meetings and Events since Last Newsletter
4. Legislative and Key Litigation Items
5. Hunter Education Classes offered locally and led by 2 SCI Golden Gate Members
6. Upcoming Events
7. Send your hunting pictures for the SCI-GG Website!
8. Projects Funded/Supported
Following is each item, expanded.
1. Note from your Chapter President
What a quarter it has been. This e-newsletter will bring back memories of the events you were able to participate in and bring you up to date on the ones you missed. SCI National has finally broken through the 50,000 member level – all the way to 53,000! I’d like to see our Chapter grow further – reflecting the political impact we are having on preserving hunting rights for future generations. Please invite your hunting friends to join – SCI represents all Hunters! Hope to see you at our upcoming dinners and events. Mike Borel
2. New Members to Welcome.
Please join me in welcoming the following 7 new members to SCI Golden Gate:
- Brett Fuller – Sunnyvale
- Steve Nobriga – Manteca
- John Pound – Clayton
- J.C. (Chris) Liddicat – Diablo
- Mark Wong – Alameda
- Dewey Savell - Oakley
- Randy Hall - Hayward
Please ask your pro hunting (or neutral) and conservation minded friends and relatives to join us. There are many reasons to join; with the key one being political impact. SCI does the heavy lifting for hunting and hunters rights (like NRA does for our Second Amendment rights). The incentive of a $50 gift certificate from Cabelas’ for a new National Membership continues to apply and our deal for the Chapter of $20 for the first year is also still in effect. Net cost to join both National and Golden Gate is $25! Major bargain! All hunters serious about keeping our right to hunt intact should be a member of SCI! Besides, it's fun!
3. Meetings and Events since Last Newsletter
January 23-27 International Convention in Reno. Super event, bigger than ever. 22,000+ attendees, > $12million for Political, Conservation, Education and Humanitarian impact. The Reserved Tables for Wed, Friday and Saturday banquets was even better positioned than last year and a great value (no added cost over a single ticket!) for those who participated. If you are at all interested in the banquets, speakers and entertainers, then you should definitely Plan on it for 2008. Mike Borel will again coordinate.
February 3 was our Special Youth Waterfowl Hunts at premier clubs organized by Peter Woolley and Ted Pryor. Those participating had a wonderful experience. This is an incredible opportunity for youth – we hope to have many more participants in 2008.
February 21 Member Meeting at Zio Fraedo's; Peter Woolley did a super presentation on turkey hunting in CA (including archery techniques). We had a great meal and a nice turnout for our first member meeting of the year.
March 3 was our Greater Bay Area Fundraiser in Foster City. We had a sell out crowd for the first time ever – 406! Items in the live auction were the biggest highlight (thanks especially to Auction chair Don Seibel who we recognized for this superb performance at our March Board meeting). Financially it was a huge success, netting us over $44K for our projects! There were some definite opportunities for improvement too – we apologize for the meal which was not up to the standard we have set and the Auctioneer was also below standard. Bob Keagy has volunteered to chair the 2008 GBA Event and fully understands the areas that need improvement. I hope you will return in 2008! Please join me in thanking 3 groups: 1. The persons on the Fundraiser Committee and leading various aspects – Don Seibel, Chip Hollister, Susie Hollister, Mike Borel; 2. The persons who helped set up, clean up, run for bid sheets, etc. - Don Seibel, Millie Seibel, Chip Hollister, Susie Hollister, Mike Borel, Joan Borel, Eric Carlson, ? Carlson, Mary McCosker, Paul Dalzell, Gus Motte, Bob Keagy, Michael Dickinson, Mary Heppler, Ted Pryor; and 3. Everyone who bought a ticket and participated!!! Thank you all!
March "Hunter Safety Program” @USI, led by Pete Margiotta & Mike Vaiana trained another ~20 youth. They have their most aggressive calendar of sessions scheduled for this year. Call for info or to reserve space (925) 280-1430.
March 11 was our Member Chukar Hunt and Steak BBQ @Birds Landing. Michael Dickinson organized and those participating had a great time. 9 Hunters brought in 70 Chukar and 8 pheasant. The steak, beans and salad were great too! Thanks to Michael for organizing.
4. Legislative and Key Litigation Items (Segmented into Federal, State/Local, and International) [Assembled by Legislation Chair Ken Fish]
California Update
The legislative calendar in California is presently rather light as it pertains to gun- and hunting-related issues. As we begin a new two-year legislative calendar, please remember the following:
- All of the California bills that SCI opposes in this legislative session were defeated in the last session. Although legislators who are friendly to our positions do not hold a majority in either the Assembly or the Senate, we have been able to hold the line on punitive legislation by being organized and by continuing to contact our respective legislators and the Governor, who has proven to be mostly a supporter of hunting and gun rights. The Golden Gate Chapter and its sister chapters play an especially crucial role in this by reminding their legislators – most of whom are from districts that oppose our points of view on conservation, hunting, and gun rights – that they have significant and vocal minorities in their districts whose concerns they must also represent.
- All contacts with legislators make an impact. The kind of contact you make can multiply that impact. A phone call is always noted and registered, and it is generally counted by legislators as worth five (5) votes. If you have access to email, and if the legislator provides his or her email address, sending an email multiplies the impact five-fold, and generally is counted as twenty-five (25) votes. If you have the time and the inclination, sending a physical letter or a fax, multiplies that impact five-fold, and is generally counted as one hundred-twenty-five (125) votes. You can determine the degree of impact you have by the type of contact you make! If you only have time for a phone call, then make the call. If you can also send an email, do that. If you have the time to type an email, copy it into MS-Word and then mail or fax it, do that as well. Whatever you do, DO SOMETHING!
- The impact you make will be determined in large part by how you sound in writing. Always read your document carefully before you send it. Keep it short! One page, consisting of three short paragraphs is enough. Don’t ramble, and listen carefully to the words you use. Avoid anything that sounds angry, caustic, combative, rude, or insensitive. Safari Club may be many things, but we are respectful and respectable sports(wo)men. Our correspondence with our elected leaders must reflect that fact.
- Know your legislator. If you don’t know who your State Assemblymember or State Senator is, go to www.assembly.ca.gov. Consider bookmarking this site in your web browser. There you will find a link called “Find My District” where you can type in your address and get the contact information for both your State Assemblymember and your State Senator.
AB 334 – Loss/Theft Reporting (Levine– D, Van Nuys)
Description: This bill would make it an infraction for any person whose handgun is stolen or irretrievably lost to, within 5 working days after his or her discovery or knowledge of, or within 5 working days after the date he or she should reasonably have known of, the theft or loss, fail to report the theft or loss to a local law enforcement agency of the jurisdiction in which the theft or loss occurred or in which the person resides. The bill would require specified notices of this requirement to persons acquiring handguns after July 1, 2008, as specified. The bill would provide that local governments are not prohibited from enacting ordinances imposing reporting requirements that are stricter than those specified in the bill. The bill would require the Attorney General, in cooperation with law enforcement agencies and firearms-related organizations to develop a protocol for the implementation of these provisions, as specified, on or before April 1, 2008.
SCI Position: Oppose as the bill is bad public policy. Without AB 334, when a gun is lost/stolen, the gun owner and law enforcement are eager to work together to recover the firearm. If AB 334 becomes law, the same gun owner will contact an attorney because they will be subject to possible prosecution for violating Mandatory Reporting Requirements. This bill places well-intentioned, law-abiding gun owners and law enforcement in an adversarial position, which is why it is bad public policy. One of the most troublesome aspects of AB 334 is that it attempts to bypass state preemption of local regulation of firearms and related issues. AB 334 is currently identical in language to last year's SB 59, which earned this veto message from the governor:
I am returning Senate Bill 59 without my signature. While I share the Legislature’s concern about the criminal use of lost or stolen weapons, the ambiguous manner in which this bill was written would make compliance with the law confusing for legitimate gun-owners and could result in cases where law-abiding citizens face criminal penalties simply because they were the victim of a crime, which is particularly troubling given the unproven results of other jurisdictions in California that have passed similar measures. In addition, this bill may have undesirable legal consequences as it allows local governments to pass ordinances that differ from State law, thereby leaving law-abiding citizens with the task of navigating through a maze of different or conflicting local laws depending upon the jurisdiction they are in. A patchwork of inconsistent local ordinances creates compliance and enforcement problems that erode the States ability to effectively regulate handguns statewide. For these reasons, I am returning this bill without my signature.
Action Requested: Members are encouraged to contact their State Assemblymember to OPPOSE this bill, although no date for a vote by the full Assembly has yet been scheduled.
AB 362 – Ammo Sales (De León – D, Los Angeles)
Description: This bill would require that commencing July 1, 2008, unless specifically excluded, no person shall sell or transfer more than 50 rounds of handgun ammunition in any month unless they are registered as a handgun ammunition vendor, as defined. The bill would also require these vendors to obtain a background clearance for those employees who would handle ammunition in the course and scope of their employment. The bill would require the Department of Justice to maintain a registry of registered handgun ammunition vendors, as specified. Violation of these provisions, as specified, would be a misdemeanor. The bill would also provide that no retail seller of ammunition shall sell, offer for sale, or display for sale, any handgun ammunition in a manner that allows that ammunition to be accessible to a purchaser without the assistance of the retailer or employee thereof. Violation of these provisions would be punishable as an infraction with a fine of $500, or as a misdemeanor. The bill would further provide that no ammunition or reloaded ammunition may be delivered by a common or contract carrier pursuant to a retail transaction unless certain conditions exist. A violation of these provisions would be punishable as a misdemeanor, with enhancements for prior violations. Members are specifically reminded of the fact that all of the provisions of this bill were defeated as separate bills in the last legislative session.
SCI Position: Opposes this bill because it will restrict the number of retail outlets in California where handgun shooters (including those who hunt with handguns) can purchase ammunition. Moreover, it would effectively ban the purchase of ammunition through mail-order or internet channels, resulting in price increases due to reduced supply.
Action Requested: Members are asked to contact their State Assemblymember to OPPOSE this bill.
AB 821 – Lead Ammo Ban (Nava – D, Santa Barbara)
Description: This bill would enact the Ridley “Tree Condor Preservation Act” to require the use of nonleaded center fire rifle and pistol ammunition when taking big game and coyote within specified areas. The act would require the commission to establish, by regulation, by January 1, 2008, a public process to certify center fire rifle and pistol ammunition as nonleaded ammunition, and to define nonleaded ammunition by regulation. The act would also require the commission, to the extent funding is available, to provide hunters in these areas with nonleaded ammunition at no or reduced charge through a coupon program. Under the act, a person who violates those requirements would be guilty of an infraction punishable by a $500 fine for the first offense. A similar bill, without the coupon program, was defeated in the last legislative session.
SCI Position: SCI opposed this bill in the last legislative session, because it was not supported by scientific data from the Department of Fish and Game (DFG). In this session, DFG is moving separately to ban lead ammo under threat of an environmentalist lawsuit. Note that this lawsuit alleges that DFG has permitted the “illegal taking” of condors and other predators and raptors by failing to ban lead ammunition. Consequently, although the motivation for DFG to ban lead ammunition has nothing to do with a change in the science behind whether lead ammunition is toxic to raptors, it is now more difficult to argue during this legislative session than last that DFG doesn’t support the bill. Without scientific data to support a ban, however, SCI continues to hold that this legislation should be defeated.
Action Requested: Members are asked to contact their Assemblymember to OPPOSE this bill.
AB 1472 – Micro stamping (Feuer – D, West Hollywood)
Description: This bill would, commencing January 1, 2010, expand the definition of unsafe handgun to include semiautomatic pistols that are not designed and equipped with a microscopic array of characters that identify the make, model, and serial number of the pistol, etched into the interior surface or internal working parts of the pistol, and that are transferred by imprinting on each cartridge case when the firearm is fired.
SCI Position: OPPOSE, as the identical bill was defeated in the last legislative session when it was then known as AB 352. In the discussion of this bill in the last session, the technology was shown to be easily defeated, and it enriches the sole vendor who has patented the technology. Moreover, the risk to law-abiding sportsman is high, as criminals could recover fired brass from local ranges, only to deposit these now-micro stamped casings at the scene of a crime. Investigators would then assume that the owner of the gun that stamped the casings was involved with the crime in question, resulting in significant legal risk to the innocent gun owner.
Action Requested: Members are asked to contact their State Assemblymember to OPPOSE this bill.
AB 912 – Mentored Hunting (Parra – D, Hanford)
Description: This bill would require the Fish and Game Commission, in consultation with the Department of Fish and Game, to create and implement a mentored hunting program meeting specified goals that allows apprentices to hunt resident small game, upland game birds, and waterfowl for up to one year, without meeting existing hunting license requirements, if the apprentice is under the immediate and direct supervision of a qualified mentor.
SCI Position: SUPPORT, as it furthers our long term goal of introducing young hunters to our sport.
Action Requested: Members are encouraged to contact their State Assemblymember in SUPPORT of this bill.
National Update
H.R. 1022 Reauthorization of the Assault Weapons Ban (McCarthy – D, NY)
Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy has introduced the above bill that seeks to re-authorize the Clinton-era “Assault Weapons Ban.” The new bill would NOT have a sunset provision, as did the old bill. Furthermore, it would ban entire new classes of weapons that were not previously considered “assault weapons.” Included among these would be virtually ALL semi-automatic shotguns, including nearly all that are used by hunters (Benelli, Beretta, Browning, Remington, Weatherby, Winchester, etc.), as well as many currently legal semi-automatic rifles (Browning BAR, Remington 7600, Ruger Mini-14 and 10-22, etc.). The bill has not made significant progress since its introduction, but SCI will continue to monitor it closely, as it has the potential to be a significant threat to our hunting rights.
50 Caliber Rifles
Both New Jersey and Illinois are moving aggressively to ban the purchase, sale, or ownership of .50 BMG rifles. These statewide bans are essentially identical to the one that Governor Schwarzenegger signed into California law in 2004 (AB-50, authored by Koretz, D-Hollywood). Members are encouraged to monitor these two bills in other states because buried in these two bills is language that would ban any center fire rifle over .50 caliber (including many beloved safari calibers such as .500 Nitro Express, .505 Gibbs, .577 Tyrannosaurus, .600 Nitro Express, and .700 Nitro Express). It is possible (likely) that if these bills pass in their present form, similar language would be introduced into California to amend AB-50.
DC Gun Ban Overturned
In March, a three-judge panel of the Washington, DC Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the District’s decades-old handgun ban was unconstitutional. In its opinion, it found that the 2nd Amendment guarantees an individual right to keep and bear arms, and that the DC ban violated the 2nd Amendment rights of the citizens of the District of Columbia. While this verdict is encouraging, it is not definitive. Several legal angles remain unexplored. The District plans to appeal to the entire DC Circuit, and if that proves unsuccessful, to the US Supreme Court. Furthermore, the NRA is backing legislation that would overturn the DC ban. Were this legislation to pass Congress, it would vacate the decision and return the legal debate to status quo ante. All who care about gun rights, whether pro-gun or anti-gun will continue to monitor this situation with great interest.
5. Hunter Education - ~20 more Students were trained during the last quarter out at the USI range in a September session! Thank you Pete Margiotta and Mike Vaiana! There are several more 2007 Options and they are noted on the Event Calendar at www.sci-gg.com and later in this newsletter.
6. Upcoming Events
April 18 Member Meeting at Zio Fraedo's; Paul Dalzell speaking on experiences as Pro Hunter and Photographer
April 20 Election Ballots out for Board Positions, due back by May 20
May TBD Spec Event Afternoon in the hills for Disadvantaged Youth. At Mel Toponce Ranch in Vacaville. There will be nature hikes, target shooting, archery, weiner roast, stories, etc. Contact Ted Pryor for more information.
May 8-10, 15-16 "Hunter Safety Program @USI, led by Pete Margiotta & Mike Vaiana; Call for info or to reserve space (925) 280-1430; Location is USI, 4700 Evora Rd, Concord
May 16 Member Meeting at Zio Fraedo's; 20th Anniversary of Chapter Celebration. Don Causey (The Hunting Report) is speaker. This is a very special event with a very special speaker. Please make a special effort to be there! RSVP’s are needed.
May 20 Election Ballots due for 8 of Board of Directors
June 9 Sight In Day @ Chabot, organized by Michael Dickinson
June 23 Region 2 Sharing/Training Seminar for Chapter Officers & Board Members in Sacramento
June 23 or 30 SCI-PAC/Cal PAC Event at Sniders in Elk Grove (most likely date is June 23)
June 19-21, 26-27 "Hunter Safety Program @USI, led by Pete Margiotta & Mike Vaiana; Call for info or to reserve space (925) 280-1430; Location is USI, Concord
July 10-12, 17-18 "Hunter Safety Program @USI, led by Pete Margiotta & Mike Vaiana; Call for info or to reserve space (925) 280-1430; Location is USI, Concord
July TBD Sporting Clays @Birds Landing, organized by Michael Dickinson
July 18 Member Meeting at Zio Fraedo's
August 14-16, 21-22 "Hunter Safety Program @USI, led by Pete Margiotta & Mike Vaiana; Call for info or to reserve space (925) 280-1430; Location is USI, Concord
August 15 Member Meeting at Zio Fraedo's
August 25 "Freezer Cleanout prior to the new hunting season" Meat collection and Donation to St. Vincent de Paul
September 4-6, 11-12 "Hunter Safety Program @USI, led by Pete Margiotta & Mike Vaiana; Call for info or to reserve space (925) 280-1430; Location is USI, Concord
September 19 Member Meeting at Zio Fraedo's
September 22 National Hunting & Fishing Day - Celebrate! Introduce a Youngster!!
October 17 Member Meeting at Zio Fraedo's
November 21 Member Meeting at Zio Fraedo's
December 9 Member Christmas Party 3:30-7:30PM @Pierce's
7. Website www.sci-gg.com -- Request for Pictures for Showcase!
- Are you using our Chapter Website? It’s fun, informative and has info to help you make applications for hunting permits! If you haven’t visited lately, please do it now - www.sci-gg.com.
- Check the Showcase. Are your best pictures included? To get your pictures added send the jpg digital file along with a key to mike.borel@contextnet.com.
- The events and News items can keep you up to date on communications.
8. Additional Projects Funded/Supported
Josephine (Nina) T Plana, a 7th grade science teacher in San Ramon is being sponsored to AWLS this summer.
All Youth who applied for a waterfowl hunt in member clubs during the youth only hunt Feb 3 were accommodated and had a great time. Special thanks to Ted Pryor, Youth Chair and Peter Woolley, Secretary for their efforts to make this happen!
Safari Wish – for terminally ill youth with a hunting wish. Ted Pryor has launched an initiative for this and now has an elk hunt and taxidermy donated to support such a wish. If you know someone in this situation, please advise Ted Pryor or any other Board member.
Our UC Berkeley Wildlife Biology Endowment – we committed another $5000 to this, which continues to positively position SCI with new, upcoming Wildlife Biologists AND help fund meaningful big game research within CA. Current funding coming from the endowment is for Tule elk work. Marshall White, distinguished member of our Chapter, has also committed to match our funding, thereby doubling the amount to $10,000!
Mojave Preserve Water Study – we committed $10,000 in support of this study.
Best wishes for the Spring and Early Summer; good luck in the draws! Please make an opportunity to introduce a youth to hunting and recruit another member!
