Youth Hunters a Bright Spot Amid Downturn

NEW DATA SHOW YOUNG PEOPLE REPRESENT GROWING PORTION OF HUNTERS . . . America's oldest outdoor tradition may be growing younger. New data from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service show that young people represent ever-larger portions of America's ebbing hunting population. The ratio of hunters age 6-15 has grown nearly 4 percent since 2001. Of the three outdoor activities tracked by the federal conservation agency, only hunting showed an increase in the percentage of youth participation. The ratio of young anglers fell more than 5 percent while young wildlife watchers showed the largest decline at 10 percent. Full Story

• ARKANSAS TO EXPAND SHOOTING FACILITY DUE TO YOUTH DEMAND . . . Due to recent growth in popularity of clay target sports among Arkansas youths, shooting facilities at the the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission's Rick Evans/Grandview Prairie Conservation Education Center will be expanded. Hundreds of new youth shooters got involved this year in both the Arkansas Youth Shooting Sports Program and NSSF's Scholastic Clay Target Program. The expansion of the Grandview shotgun ranges will provide a center in southwest Arkansas for youth trap, skeet and sporting clays competitions.

• THREE ANTI-GUN BILLS TO BE VOTED ON IN PENNSYLVANIA . . . The Pennsylvania House Judiciary Committee will vote on three anti-gun measures Tuesday at 10 a.m. The trio of bills includes a ban on law-abiding citizens purchasing more than one handgun a month, legislation that would permit local municipalities to enact their own anti-gun laws and regulations, which would create a patchwork of conflicting laws across the state, and a bill that will make criminals out of crime victims for failing to realize soon enough that their firearms were stolen. Pennsylvanians are encouraged to voice opposition to these bills. Learn more.

• TODAY IS NATIONAL AMMO DAY . . . Hunters and shooters are encouraged to purchase 100 rounds of their favorite ammunition today as a symbol of their support for the Second Amendment. Described as a BUYcott of ammunition, National Ammo Day is promoted by the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, which in a press release said the goal of the initiative is to "empty the ammunition from the shelves of your local gun, sporting goods or hardware store and put that ammunition in the hands of law-abiding citizens." Visit www.ammoday.com to learn more. 

• SPORTSMEN AGAINST HUNGER WEEK . . . With Thanksgiving, as well as many states' deer hunting seasons, upon us, it is timely to take note of Safari Club International's fifth annual just-observed Sportsmen Against Hunger Week, Nov. 12-18. It signals the challenge to North American sportsmen and women to donate portions of their harvest to the hungry in their communities. SCI Foundation's Web site provides databases to locate game processors and relief organizations.

• 50 NEW HUNTING AND SHOOTING OPPORTUNITIES . . . Five well-known members of the outdoor media help veterans and newcomers alike find hunting and shooting opportunities by combing the country and then reporting on new hunting lands, seasons, ranges and more in every state for NSSF's portal Web site, www.huntandshoot.org. Visit "Tracking Hunting and Shooting Opportunities in Every State" frequently, as new opportunities for all 50 states are reported upon throughout the year.

• SHOT SHOW EVENT PREDICTED TO SELL OUT . . . If you're attending SHOT Show, you won't want to miss NSSF's "State of the Industry" Dinner-Concert Gala with country music superstar Randy Travis on the evening of the show's opening day, Feb. 2. Tickets are selling fast. Don't wait to reserve your seat.

• STEP OUTSIDE MENTOR SWEEPSTAKES DEADLINE APPROACHING . . . As a hunter, angler, shooter or archer, mentoring someone who has never had the experience to enjoy these outdoor activities is a unique opportunity. If you have a story to tell as a mentor of a newcomer to the great outdoors, get entered into the STEP OUTSIDE Mentor Sweepstakes by Dec. 31 for a chance to win a $1,000 gift certificate to Bass Pro Shops.

• RUGER HONORED BY NASGW . . . Sturm, Ruger & Co. (NYSE:RGR) was presented with the "Firearms Manufacturer of the Year" award by the National Association of Sporting Goods Wholesalers. The award, presented at NASGW's Annual Meeting in Reno, Nev., recognizes Ruger's efforts to provide innovative products, quality customer service and profitability for distributors of Ruger products.

• SMITH & WESSON SIGNS CEO TO NEW CONTRACT . . . Smith & Wesson (NASDAQ:SWHC) announced it has entered into a new employment agreement with its president and CEO, Michael F. Golden, securing his continued service through November 2010.

• MICHIGAN STATE TO BUILD $3.5 MILLION SHOOTING SPORTS FACILITY . . . Michigan State University's board of trustees has approved plans to build a $3.5 million shooting sports facility, reports the Lansing State Journal. The 23,000-square-foot building will feature indoor archery and small-bore rifle ranges and three outdoor archery ranges. 

• 'THE POACHER CHRONICLES' ON MYOUTDOORTV.COM . . . Jim Solomon, co-host of "Xplor the Outdoors with Jim and Patti" outdoor radio show, announced the archived broadcast of "The Poacher Chronicles" on myoutdoortv.com. The monthly trademarked program exposes wildlife violators by name, offense and punishment.

• ARREST MADE IN DUMP-TRUCK SMASH-AND-GRAB . . . An arrest has been made in connection with a smash-and-grab in which a dump truck crashed into a Connecticut firearm retailer, reports The Hartford Courant. Police officers discovered the truck -- and a hole in Hoffman Gun Center's storefront -- when responding to the business after a burglar alarm was triggered around 3:25 a.m. last Wednesday.

• KUDOS TO DENNIS ANDERSON . . . In a recent article for the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, outdoor writer Dennis Anderson spotlights hunting's track record as one of the safest forms of recreation. "Despite impressions you might receive from the media, hunting is a safe pastime, or sport, and getting safer," Anderson writes. Read the complete article.

• INDUSTRY CAREER CONNECTION . . . Visit www.nssf.org/jobs for current employment opportunities in the shooting, hunting and outdoor industry. Employers: Log in to post a job opening. 

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