Bush/Kerry — No, I’m the Bigger Sportsman
Animal rights activists can see just how relevant they are by noting the ongoing battle between presidential candidates George W. Bush and John F. Kerry to demonstrate which is the bigger supporter of hunting.
In July, Kerry described himself as a deer hunter and has tried to reassure rural voters that his longstanding support for gun control does not mean preventing hunters from buying and owning guns.
Meanwhile, as the Republican National Convention opened in New York, the Bush administration announced that it was opening up land at 17 national wildlife refuges and wetlands to hunting and fishing.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced on August 30 that it would open four national wildlife refuges to hunting and fishing — Mount Long Leaf in Alabama; Cypress Creek in Illinois, Red River in Louisiana, and Waccamaw in South Carolina. It also opened up six wetland management districts to hunting and fishing — Devils Lake in North Dakota; Huron, Lake Andrews, Madison, Sand Lake, and Waubay in South Dakota.
In addition, the USFWS announced it was expanding land and mashes open to hunting and fishing at seven other wildlife refuges. In all, the USFWS opened up an additional 243,500 acres for hunting and fishing.
USFWS directory Steve Williams told The Associated Press,
This is just another example of the president’s commitment to sportsmen. . . . By law, Congress directed the service to consider and provide opportunities for hunting and fishing where it’s compatible on the refuges. We take that quite seriously.
Source:
Bush opening more lands to hunting and fishing. John Heilprin, Associated Press, August 31, 2004.