The Wisconsin Conservation Congress (WCC) will hold their spring meeting online for the first time ever due to the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak. As part of the meeting, the WCC has included a questionnaire available online to take public comments. A major topic that will be covered at the meeting, and on the public questionnaire, is about prohibiting the use of traditional ammunition, which contains lead components. The Wisconsin Conservation Congress is collecting public input on the use of lead ammo while hunting for wild turkey, pheasant, ruffed grouse and small game on state-owned land.
Starting on page 13 of the questionnaire, there are seven questions related to the banning of traditional ammunition in Wisconsin on state-owned or -managed land. We urge you to vote NO on questions 1 through 7.
“Limiting ammunition options and forcing hunters and recreational shooters to use more expensive alternatives unfairly burdens them economically. Increasing the costs of almost any activity has been proven to reduce participation,” said Bruce Tague, vice president of government affairs for the Sportsmen’s Alliance. “Doing so based on incomplete, inconclusive and flawed data only underscores the political motives behind this push.”
Take Action Today-The questionnaire will be open for public comments until 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 15. The link to vote can be found here: Click this link to vote now! We urge our Wisconsin members to at least fill out the “non-toxic” ammunition section of the questionnaire in opposition to non-traditional ammunition and submit it prior to the deadline.
The Pittman-Robertson Act, passed in 1937, implemented an 11% excise tax on the purchase of firearms, ammunition and outdoor equipment that funds conservation efforts across the U.S. These taxes are collected, in addition to license and permit fees, and collectively these fund the majority of all conservation in the state of Wisconsin. Outlawing traditional ammunition would only undermine the Pittman-Robertson Act and, ultimately, lead to fewer sportsmen in the field because alternative ammunition is so much more expensive than traditional ammunition.
About the Sportsmen’s Alliance: The Sportsmen’s Alliance protects and defends America’s wildlife conservation programs and the pursuits – hunting, fishing and trapping – that generate the money to pay for them. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation is responsible for public education, legal defense and research. Its mission is accomplished through several distinct programs coordinated to provide the most complete defense possible. Stay connected to Sportsmen’s Alliance: Online, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.