“excise”

Through the remarkable vision of conservationists including NRA members, Americans today see wildlife thriving from sea to sea.

Despite its importance as a good food source, as a wildlife-management tool and as a crucial source of funding for conservation in the United States, hunting remains vulnerable to misinformation and negative attention from ill-informed media, which can encourage support for restrictive legislation. The hunting community must appeal to non-hunters through common goals, motivations and values if our pastime is to remain a fixture in American life.

Despite the fact hunters are the greatest source of revenue for the great outdoors, we still face restrictions on Sunday hunting in 11 states. The NRA-ILA continues to push for standardized regulations every day of the week to protect our right to hunt and our ability to affect conservation goals.

The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department is offering shooting-range improvement grants to encourage upgrades of shooting ranges for enhanced safety and operation.

Firearm and ammunition manufacturers have topped $14.1 billion in contributions to the Wildlife Restoration Trust Fund since its 1937 inception.

You wouldn’t go hunting without proper preparation; likewise, it’s equally important to prepare to communicate effectively about hunting before you find yourself trying to defend it.

In our zeal to teach hunter-recruits marksmanship and fieldcraft we must not forget to arm them with the knowledge of everything American hunters have done to conserve our natural resources. A well-armed hunter, after all, is our best advertisement.

Governor Glenn Youngkin has signed Senate Bill 8, to allow Sunday hunting on public lands. It will go into effect on July 1, 2022.

Any seasoned hunter could be accused occasionally of trying to out-shout an anti-hunter. But most of us also should follow our own advice: first count to 10. Then, and only then, calmly hit ’em with the facts.