acres of environmentally sensitive lands have been protected since then and sportsmen reap the benefits as wildlife thrives in these protected areas."
This is the third time in the past year that President Bush has met with the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance and other conservation organizations to discuss natural resources issues.
Illinois Protects Hunting on State Land
Illinois has enacted landmark legislation that will ensure the future of hunting on public land.
Senate Bill 2156, the Hunting Heritage Protection Act, was signed by the governor on July 29. The measure establishes in law that public hunting land cannot be closed without compensation, i.e. if a parcel of state land is closed to hunting another piece of public land must be opened. It provides that state public land management decisions, to the greatest practical extent, should result in "no net loss" of land area available for hunting.
"We are certainly pleased that the Illinois legislature recognizes hunting as an important part of the state's outdoor heritage," said Bud Pidgeon, president of the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance. "This legislation ensures that hunting lands will not dwindle but continue to grow."
The Hunting Heritage Protection Act also mandates that the Director of Natural Resources submit an annual report detailing areas that were closed to hunting, reasons for closures, and the compensatory areas that opened to hunting.
The provisions of SB 2156 are similar to congressional legislation that the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance helped draft in 2000. The federal bill, also called the Hunting Heritage Protection Act, was created to protect hunting on federal public land.
Illinois' Hunting Heritage Protection Act passed the Senate on March 2 by a margin of 45 to 4. The House approved the measure on May 4, 112 to 4. The law will take effect January 1, 2005.
Sportsmen should thank their legislators for passing SB 2156. To find your legislators and for contact information, call (312) 814-6440 in the Chicago area or (217) 782-4141 for the Springfield office or send a message using the Legislative Action Center at www.ussportsmen.org.