Member Alert
CA State Senate Passes Bill To Curtail Hunting 
There is a well-known saying, “As California goes, so goes the nation.” It is critical that the state’s latest ill-conceived anti-hunting bill not be passed into law.

On May 30, the California state Senate Bill 1487 passed out of the Senate 27 to 7 and is scheduled to be heard in the Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee on June 26.

SCI is encouraging all California hunters to contact their Assembly Member and urge their opposition to SB 1487.

If passed and enacted, the bill prohibits the importation and possession in California of several specified species, including their parts, of game animals lawfully harvested by hunters in African countries.

A number of the species listed under Senate Bill 1487, including hyena, hippopotamus, plains zebra and giraffe, are neither listed on the Endangered Species Act (ESA) nor listed as an Appendix I species on CITES.

For species listed on the ESA, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service already determines when their importation (and possession) in the United States benefits the conservation of the species.  California, which has no expertise in these matters, should not second-guess the FWS.

The apparent goal of the legislation is to discourage residents of California from hunting these species in Africa. Losing the ability to import their trophies will discourage Californians from hunting in Africa.

Should that occur, African wildlife and rural communities will lose a vital stream of funding for both conservation of wildlife and support for the local communities.  Additionally, without the money brought in by hunters, the range countries and professional hunting guides will lose funds for on-the-ground anti-poaching efforts.
Safari Club International – First For Hunters is the leader in protecting the freedom to hunt and in promoting wildlife conservation worldwide. SCI’s approximately 200 Chapters represent all 50 of the United States as well as 106 other countries. SCI’s proactive leadership in a host of cooperative wildlife conservation, outdoor education and humanitarian programs, with the SCI Foundation and other conservation groups, research institutions and government agencies, empowers sportsmen to be contributing community members and participants in sound wildlife management and conservation. Visit the home page www.SafariClub.org, or call (520) 620-1220 for more information.

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