Pennsylvania’s Sporting Tradition Ban Referred to Senate Appropriations

Please Contact Members of the Senate Appropriations Committee!

Last week, the Senate Judiciary Committee passed a bill supported by “animal rights” extremists and state Senator Patrick Browne (R-16) is again leading the charge.  Simply put, Senate Bill 626 would criminalize and ban organized bird shoots in Pennsylvania. 

Organized bird shooting is a traditional, international shooting sport widely practiced in over thirty-five states across the nation not just in Pennsylvania as opponents falsely claim.  For over a century, shoots have been held in Pennsylvania by law-abiding, ethical shooting enthusiasts, hunters, and sportsmen who would not tolerate an activity that would constitute cruelty to animals.

Radical national "animal rights" groups, led by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), have organized and funded efforts in Pennsylvania and around the country to ban this longstanding traditional shooting sport. Make no mistake; this isn't just about banning organized bird shoots, but banning all hunting species by species.  Here are a few examples of HSUS activities:

* Led a 2006 ballot campaign to ban dove hunting in Michigan (contributing $1.6 million to the effort)

* Funded efforts ballot initiative in 2004 to ban traditional bear hunting in Maine

* Successfully lobbied for the cancellation of the 2006 New Jersey black bear hunt

* Opposes hunting on National Wildlife Refuges

* Opposes state pheasant stocking programs in Pennsylvania and across the country

Please call and e-mail members of the Senate Appropriations Committee to oppose SB 626.  Remind committee members that Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has many longstanding traditions dating back hundreds of years and Pennsylvanian’s stand by those traditions - vote to oppose SB 626.  Contact information for the committee can be found here.