The Hunting Heritage Protection Act moving through Congress was supposed to be a harmless proposal that evokes the memory of Teddy Roosevelt and reminds Americans of their legacy of hunting on federal land. The National Audubon Society says that if the bill, by Rep. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., becomes law, families will need to wear bright orange vests when they visit a wildlife refuge.
Hunters say they are the ones under attack.
As environmental groups file lawsuits and federal agencies write new land-use rules, the bill is needed to ensure that some federal land stays open to hunting, they say. In general, the bill would require that federal lands be open to recreational hunting unless national security, public safety or other federal or state laws restrict the activity. That means if federal land managers close one area to hunting, they must open an equal amount of land elsewhere for hunting. We've got too many public lands that people don't have access to. The House Resources Committee, chaired by Young, approved the bill earlier this summer and last week forwarded the measure to the full House for consideration.