The Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs (PFSC) met for its semi-annual (spring) convention, March 28-30, in Scranton.  41of 54 eligible delegates were present for the Sunday voting session.



           On Friday, members attended PFSC, PA Wildlife Federation (PWF) and PFSC Endowment Board meetings, and then enjoyed a relaxing evening of fellowship.



           On Saturday, attendees of the Fish & Boat Committee were addressed by the PA Fish & Boat Commission (PFBC) Executive Director Dr. Douglas Austen and Dave Milko, Division of Fisheries Chief.  Gary Moore, Sally Corl and Walter Dietz were also present representing the PFBC.  Information on Susquehanna River water quality, expanding the early trout opener in the Southwest, preseason stocking, Wild Trout Initiative, marketing, expanding youth programs, access programs, dam repair, alternative license options and the challenge of climate change were discussed.



           PA Game Commission (PGC) Executive Director Carl Roe addressed a number of topics during the Game & Trapping Committee meeting.  The 5 day antlered deer only season in four WMU's (2D, 2G, 3C & 4B), HB 2205 (penalty increases bill), Point-of-Sale and the PGC’s financial situation were focused on by Director Roe.  DCNR’s Seth Cassell gave an update on DCNR’s mission/programs, including tree composition of state forests, Gypsy moth damage, gas wells and possible wind energy development.  Matt Ehrhart, from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, discussed The Reserve Enhancement & Protection Act of Pennsylvania (REAP).  Emily Brodsky, from Wildlife Leadership Adventures, spoke about a conservation program, scheduled for July 8-12 in Huntingdon County, for youths fourteen to seventeen.  



Representative Ed Staback, majority Chairman of the House Game and Fisheries Committee, dropped by to welcome convention attendees to the Scranton area and gave an update on several bills being considered in his committee.  Rick Spencer, Regional Representative for NWF, spoke about the National Wildlife Federation’s (NWF) mission and how they work with different organizations across the country on issues concerning sportsmen.

 

           The Environmental Committee discussed a wide range of state and federal environmental issues.  A proposal to increase the Allegheny National Forest Wilderness areas and an update on the proposal to create a National Wildlife Refuge in the Cherry Valley region of Monroe County were brought before the committee.  Rick Spencer, NWF Regional Organizer, provided updates on federal legislation.  Jim Connors, president of Monroe County Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs, spoke at length about the importance of the PFSC taking a stand on Global Warming and climate change legislation.  Other issues brought before the group included the Farm Bill, EPA’s Chesapeake Bay restoration initiative and the growing occurrence of prescrïption drugs in drinking water.  No formal action was taken by the committee on any of the above issues.



           John Hohenwarter, Regional NRA Representative for Legislative Issues, and Kim Stolfer, Firearm Owners Against Crime, spoke to the Firearms Committee about current anti-gun legislation.  They also discussed the importance of attending the April 7th Pro-2nd Amendment Press Conference at the Capitol.  Kim Stolfer said Allen Keyes, constitutional scholar, author, former presidential candidate and Reagan administration ambassador to the United Nations Economic and Social Council plans to be present at the rally.  Keyes will speak in defense of the preservation of human life.  He has said that “while anti-gun advocates speak in defense of human life,…what they have forgotten is one of the harsh realities of our human experience…you cannot defend life if you give up the means of that defense.”



           Saturday night’s Awards Banquet saw Devin DeMario, 23, of Manor, PA, receive the 2008 John F. Laudadio Conservation Leadership Award in recognition of her continuing efforts to protect the natural resources of our commonwealth.  (See separate release)  Special guest speaker, NRA’s 2nd Vice President, David Keane, talked about the connection between our 2nd Amendment Rights and our outdoor traditions, and the importance of protecting both.  Mr. Keene, as well as serving on the NRA Board of Directors, is also the Chairman of the American Conservative Union, the nation's oldest and largest grassroots conservative lobbying organization.



           At Sunday’s general session, delegates were addressed by Attorney General Tom Corbett who updated them on several issues his office is working on, including reciprocity.  Delegates then voted on several issues and resolutions brought before them.  A motion was brought to the floor, by Environmental Committee Chairman Ed Zygmunt, to have PFSC take a position on Global Warming, other than the current neutral position; however, the motion failed to reach a required 2/3rd vote to bring the issue to the floor.  The Shad resolution saw 9 out of 13 issues supported.  A resolution supporting the use of a percentage of the sales tax as an alternative funding source for wildlife resource protections, passed 23-18; a resolution extending the age requirement of Jr. Hunting Permits to the age of 18, failed 5-36.  The resolution for PFSC to disaffiliate with the NWF, failed 13-27 (1 abstention).  See PFSC’s web site for full details on the resolutions.  Full Committee Reports will also be posted on our web site.  http://www.pfsc.org



PFSC’s Fall Convention is set to be held September 5th-7th in Somerset.



Representing 95,000 sportsmen and women, the mission of the Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs, Inc. is to provide a statewide, united voice for the concerns of all sportsmen and conservationists to ensure their rights and interests are protected and to protect and enhance the environment and our natural resources.  The PFSC has over 75 years of experience fighting for Pennsylvanians’ rights and privileges to hunt, fish, trap, shoot and boat, and for conservation of the Commonwealth’s natural resources.