TODAY'S SHOOTING SPORTS NEWS

The last morning of the Last Grand American Day in Vandalia Ohio, 2005...

Amateur Trapshooting Association moves on...
It couldn't be said better than the article by Jim Morris staff writer of the Dayton Daily News 
and author of the book "Homegrounds." Photo slide show by Bill

Help Raise Awareness of Sportsmen's Efforts

PLAN AN NHF DAY EVENT OR PROMOTION . . . National Hunting and Fishing Day is just three months away. Set for Sept. 26, the annual celebration is a great opportunity for retailers, ranges, manufacturers and distributors to celebrate America's hunting, shooting and outdoor traditions with their customers. Each year, NHF Day events and sales promotions help to raise awareness in communities nationwide about hunters and their important role in conservation. The National Shooting Sports Foundation, which founded the NHF Day concept in 1971, continues to be one of the annual celebration's greatest supporters. Learn more and see a list of events being planned across the country at www.nhfday.org.

Industry News

·         LOOK BACK AT NSSF'S 2009 SHOOTING SPORTS SUMMIT . . . All of the video Webcasts from NSSF's 2009 Shooting Sports Summit are now posted online at nssf.org/summit. Watch the keynote addresses, TaskForce 20/20 overview, panel presentations and daily wrap-ups that were Webcast live during the summit. The Webcasts were sponsored by Davidson's.

·         REPORT UNDERSCORES BAN ON TRADITIONAL AMMO IS WRONG . . . The California Fish and Game Commission issued a report last week on blood lead levels in California condors that was inconclusive and supports NSSF's contention that there is no scientific basis for the state's ban on hunters using traditional ammunition in condor regions. "The problem all along with linking the use of traditional ammunition and the health of the California condor has been lack of conclusive scientific evidence that justifies banning ammunition containing lead components," said Steve Sanetti, president and CEO of NSSF. "This report only serves to support industry's position that the ban is unwarranted." Read NSSF's news release.

·         NASGW MANAGEMENT CHANGE . . . Wayne Smith will be stepping down as president of the National Association of Sporting Goods Wholesalers, a position that he has held for the last 5 1/2 years. According to NASGW's newsletter, "Wayne has indicated that he will take some time to deal with a personal health issue and to evaluate options for his future role in the shooting sports industry." A formal search for a new president will be conducted over the coming weeks. Tracy King Kolojeski, director of operations, has been appointed the primary contact for association business.

·         BROWNELLS SETS DATES FOR ANNUAL GUNSMITH CAREER FAIR . . . Brownells 4th Annual Gunsmith Career Fair will held April 23-24, 2010, at Des Moines Marriott Downtown in Des Moines, Iowa. Both days will include career-improvement seminars, job seeking and networking opportunities for soon-to-graduate gunsmithing students, recent graduates and working gunsmiths. Learn more.

Legal, Legislative & Regulatory

·         ONE-GUN-A-MONTH PASSES IN NEW JERSEY . . . The New Jersey State Senate passed by one vote (21-15-4) a bill (S. 1774) to limit the rights of law-abiding residents of the Garden State to purchase more than one handgun a month. Earlier this year, the same legislation was pulled from the Senate floor due to a lack of support; unfortunately, Sen. Fred Madden (D-Gloucester), who in the past opposed this legislation, provided the crucial vote allowing one-gun-a-month to pass.

·         BILL WOULD PROVIDE ALTERNATIVE SOURCE OF FUNDING TO PA. GAME COMMISSION . . . The problem of funding wildlife management agencies beyond moneys from license sales and Pittman-Robertson revenue is confronted virtually nationwide, and a bill in Pennsylvania's legislature addresses the situation, to some extent, in the Keystone State. An amendment to House Bill 1489, initiated by Rep. Camille "Bud" George and supported by Rep. David Levdansky, would give the Game Commission two percent of the state privilege tax on every producer who severs natural gas. The bill was reported out of the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and has been referred to the House Rules Committee for further consideration.

·         NICS NOW REQUIRES PLACE OF BIRTH . . . Beginning today (June 29), the FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) section will require that place of birth be provided for all FBI-initiated transactions. Full Story

Shooting

·         NSSF GRANT HELPS KICK OFF BIATHLON TEAM INITIATIVE . . . NSSF gave a major boost to the United States Biathlon Association's (USBA) funding initiative by awarding a grant of $10,000. The initiative, Team 2010, aims to broaden shooting sports industry support as the biathlon team prepares for the 2010 Olympics. "We welcome the opportunity to be a major and early supporter of Team 2010 and hope other members of the shooting sports community will embrace this exciting effort" said NSSF President Steve Sanetti. Information on partnership opportunities and on the Team 2010 initiative is available from Bob Delfay.

·         HADDEN CAPTURES WORLD CUP GOLD IN MEN'S TRAP . . . U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit member Ryan Hadden of Pendleton, Ore., won his second gold medal of the 2009 ISSF World Cup series in Men's Trap when he shot his way to the top in San Marino. He had previously earned gold in Cairo.

·         USPSA HOLDS AREA 5 REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP . . . Wapakoneta, Ohio's Robert Vogel made it two years in a row as he again won the Limited-10 division title at the U.S. Practical Shooting Association (USPSA) Area 5 regional championship held June 19-21 at the South Kent Sportsman's Club in Dorr, Mich. The event received coverage in Sunday's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, which provided an article on Pennsylvania shooter Eric Scheirer.

Hunting

·         ONLINE AUCTION TO BENEFIT HUNTER EDUCATION . . . A month-long online auction of guns, hunting and fishing trips, and other outdoor merchandise to benefit hunter education programs nationwide officially begins today on GunBroker.com. The special auction, part of GunBroker.com's Heritage Partner Program, will send all proceeds to the International Hunter Education Association Foundation.

·         SEVEN INDUCTED TO LEGENDS OF THE OUTDOORS HALL OF FAME . . . An August 22 banquet at the Sheraton Music City in Nashville, Tenn., will serve as the occasion to induct seven outstanding personalities into the Legends of the Outdoors National Hall of Fame. Rob Keck, Toxie Haas, Jim Crumley, Eddie Salter, Emily Shaffer, Terry Redlin and, posthumously, Herb Parsons, will receive the honors, and the National Wild Turkey Federation will receive a special award. The banquet, open to the public, will be emceed by TV personality Brenda Valentine. For more information, contact George Mason, telephone 731-693-7770.

##

National Shooting Complex Sold

NEGOTIATIONS FOR POTENTIAL SALE OF THE NATIONAL SHOOTING COMPLEX IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS PROCEEDING

The Shooting Wire has confirmed reports that a "substantial" written purchase offer has been made for the National Shooting Complex in San Antonio, Texas.

While negotiations are described by officials as "very preliminary" the National Skeet Shooting Association Executive Committee and the National Sporting Clays Association Executive Council have approved moving forward with negotiations for that potential sale.

According to Michael Hampton, Sporting Clays Director of NSCA, the agreement does set the stage for a potential move of the organizations and their facilities, but is still "a long way from final."

The National Shooting Complex is a multi-faceted facility, located only a short distance from the San Antonio International Airport and a number of hotels and resorts. That choice location long been coveted by developers, but it wasn't until last Monday, November 15 that a written offer was actually made for the facilities and their significant landholdings.

The Complex facilities include a variety of shooting areas, including 45 skeet and 47 trap fields, 5 sporting clay courses, 2 NSCA 5-stand sporting fields, a 75 position 100-yard rifle range, a 75 position 50-yard pistol range and lighting for after dark clay target shooting. Additionally, there is a clubhouse, 4X4 and ATV courses, stadium seating for 1,000 people, meeting spaces capable of accommodating up to 300 people and on-site catering for events that can accommodate up to 2,500 people.

Skeet Field

The National Shooting Complex is the home of the Sporting Clays National and World Skeet Shoots. At this time, the Complex is still listed as the home for the 2007 Sporting Clays Championships beginning October 30 and the World Sporting Clay Championships in April.

In an update to members posted on the NSSA members' website (www.mynssa.com), NSSA President Louise K. Tarry and National Sporting Clays Association Chairman Robert Lepor acknowledge the "substantial written offer to purchase" the complex and steps taken by their respective boards. The update also reminds members the property has never been listed for sale and the decision to explore a sale was precipitated by the receipt of that "substantial" offer.

Earlier this year, the organizations formed a long range planning committee to perform "due diligence" should it ever become necessary to relocate their headquarters and home grounds. At that time, organization officials emphasized the fact the facility was not for sale and the formation strictly in preparation for what they felt was inevitable, given the heavy development going on around the facilities.

As Texas' number-one tourist destination, San Antonio continues to undergo rapid development and the National Shooting Complex location is regarded as prime property by area land developers.

While there is nothing definitive on a sale, speculation is already high as to a possible relocation site for the organizations and their home fields.. Two locations being bandied about in discussions include the facilities in Phoenix, Arizona and Sparta, Illinois. Sparta is already home to the Amateur Trapshooting Association (ASA).

Those rumored locations, says NSCA's Hampton, "simply aren't going to happen."

"We own our facilities," he says, "why would we want to go to someone else's place where they set the rules? We will have our own place and it will be operated under our rules."

"If a sale were to go through," Hampton says, emphasizing the if, "we will be looking at property in this area. Then, we'll build a facility that will be bigger and better."

The update to members says the organizations will proceed "as soon as possible with our attorneys and the land developer to attempt to get to contract." Additionally, the group assures members that any agreement would include "contingencies for enough time to find an acceptable site for our new home grounds, as well as allow us enough time to build out the new site and relocate there."

In the meantime, NSSA and NSCA business, both groups say, will "go on at Roft Road as normal."

--Jim Shepherd

COPYRIGHT 2006 by National Shooting Sports Foundation, Inc.

Permission is granted for broadcast, publication, retransmission to e-mail lists, WWW or any other copying or storage, in any medium, online or not, if 1) the text is forwarded in its entirety, including this paragraph, and 2) no fee is charged.  

  Return to top