Rehberg's sportsmen bill gets a mixed review

Rep. Denny Rehberg was co-sponsor of a bill in Congress last week that recognizes the right of hunters, fishermen and recreational shooters to use federal lands. But not all sportsmen are happy with the new legislation.

Ben Long — national co-chair of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, a group that advocates the protection of roadless areas — said the bill goes a bit too far.

Long, of Kalispell, said his group supports provisions that recognize the right to hunt and fish, but there’s also a provision that tinkers with wilderness law that could open places like the Bob Marshall Wilderness to motorized use. But a Rehberg spokesman said a last minute amendment to the bill exempts wilderness and wilderness study areas from motorized use.

The legislation did receive support from the National Rifle Association, Safari Club International and Ducks Unlimited.

H.R. 4089, the Sportsmen’s Heritage Act, is a four-part piece of legislation. One part opens Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service lands to recreational fishing, hunting and shooting unless the managing agency acts to close lands to such activity for specified purposes, including resource conservation, public safety, energy production, water supply facilities or national security.

“President Obama and his allies in Congress have waged a regulatory cold war against hunters, fishers and recreational shooters for long enough,” Rehberg said last week. “From seeking regulations on ammunition through the EPA to restricting access and use with the unilateral designation of national monuments, to nominating and confirming anti-gun Supreme Court justices, this administration is by far the most hostile to Montana’s outdoor heritage in recent history. The Sportsmen’s Heritage Act restores some balance to federal policy, and I hope the Senate will pass it quickly.”

The bill also requires federal land managers to facilitate access and use of public lands and waters for fishing, sport hunting and recreational shooting, and it allows federal agencies to lease land for shooting ranges and designate certain land for recreational shooting.

The bill also opens national monuments to recreational shooting, hunting and fishing with some exceptions. National parks and monuments administered by the National Park Service are exempt.

The act also has a provision to allow the importing of polar bears and parts taken prior to the bears being listed under the Endangered Species Act.

Lastly, it prohibits the Environmental Protection Agency from regulating any component of a pistol, revolver, firearm, shell or cartridge, including shot, bullets and other projectiles, propellants and primers, as well as any sport-fishing equipment subject to federal excise tax and sport-fishing equipment components. That would include lead sinkers and lead bullets used by shooters and fishermen.

The wilderness language appears to be the biggest sticking point in the bill. Long said he was hopeful the Senate, if it considers the bill, would amend the legislation.

The Wilderness Society also opposes the bill.