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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 26, 2020)
Wednesday, February 26, 2020 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon 15 Commentary... Recreational shooting is part of Central Oregon culture By Steve Poss Guest Columnist Many readers of the February 12 article on rec- reational shooting in the National Forest may not know that Federal law expressly promotes and pro- tects such shooting, or of the importance of recreational shooting to Central Oregon. Shooting is legal through- out National Forest and BLM land, subject to certain safe practices, and is not limited to the specific pits identified by the NFS. Bipartisan leg- islation enacted by Congress in 2019 provides that Federal land <shall be open to hunt- ing, fishing, and recreational shooting,= and that the NFS, BLM, and other Federal departments and agencies must <facilitate the expansion and enhancement of hunt- ing, fishing and recreational shooting opportunities on Federal Land= and <con- sider hunting, fishing and recreational shooting oppor- tunities as part of all federal plans for land, resource, and travel management.= Thus, the Forest Service staff in the Deschutes National Forest is required to actively facilitate the expan- sion of recreational shooting opportunities in the forest. Similarly, the closure of any Federal land to shooting can only be done in <the small- est area for the least amount of time= and requires excep- tional circumstances and strict procedures of need, evidence, public notice and rulemaking. Recreational shooting and hunting on public land have been at the heart of Central and Eastern Oregon9s self- reliant culture for genera- tions. They are woven into the soul of Sisters Country. As more than 50 percent of all land in this part of Oregon is owned or administered by the government, National Forest and BLM lands are the only places practically avail- able for many Oregonians to teach their children to shoot, engage in recreational target shooting essential to main- taining safe shooting skills, sight-in their rifles, and hunt. These lands are also the source of the pure, natural and healthful meat their fam- ilies depend on throughout the year. While shooting and hunt- ing are time-honored histori- cal uses of the land, they are not limited to <old-timers.= Many new residents con- tinue to move here precisely because of the shooting and hunting opportunities on public lands. And shooting ranks among the safest of sports; far safer, for exam- ple, than cheerleading or skateboarding. As firearm ownership and sales in the U.S. have skyrocketed over the past 20 years, firearm-related deaths and injuries have plummeted, thanks in large part to the gun-safety courses taught by thousands of NRA instruc- tors and others. Recreational shooting is a major part of our economy. Oregon9s more than 300,000 hunters annually spend more than $23 million to buy more than 1.3 million tags, per- mits, and stamps, and spend more than 2.2 million days hunting, most of it on public lands. They contribute more than $27 million in state and local taxes, $32 million in Federal taxes, and millions more in salaries, wages, jobs, and retail sales each year. Many of these jobs are right here in Deschutes County. Oregon9s more than 170,000 target shooters contribute many millions more. And through permits, NTED LADY PAI Antiques 541-904-0066 141 E. Cascade, Ste. 104 licenses, excise taxes on guns and ammunition, and donations to conservation organizations such as Ducks Unlimited and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, shooters have been and con- tinue to be the leaders in the preservation of wildlife spe- cies and the protection of habitat. As developers expand res- idential housing closer to the forest, and waves of people flee the urban jungles and gridlocked mountain-biking paths they created in places such as Portland or San Francisco for the beauty of small towns such as Sisters, they somehow feel entitled to tell residents to stop shooting where they have been shoot- ing safely for generations. That is cultural imperial- ism and narcissism rolled into one. Population growth is no justification for curtail- ing our long-standing rights. If you are offended or scared by hearing gun shots or see- ing hunters in the forest, there is a simple solution: do not move here. There are many other places where you will not have to coexist with families who safely and lawfully practice the shoot- ing sports. If you do move here, you do so with notice of these preexisting rights and practices which are vital to our way of life in Central Oregon. DAVIS TIRE Our family can take care of your family of autos & trailers Brakes • Axles • Ball Joints • Suspension • Shocks • Struts TIRE INSTALLATION, ALIGNMENT, REPAIR, BALANCING, ROTATION Serving Se Ser S er e r vin vi in g S Sisters i ist stt ers e s Since S in Si i nce nce 1962 19 9 62 6 2 Sisters S Sis ter s I Indu Industrial n str ndu s r ial i al l Pa ia P Park a rk r k 188 W. Sisters Park Dr. 541-549-1026 Dr. Thomas R. Rheuben General, Cosmetic, Implant and Family Dentistry ~ Your Dentist in Sisters Since 1993 ~ We are here to help you smile with confi dence! 541-549-0109 | 304 W. Adams Ave. | Sisters CONNECTING EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES S I S T E R S J O B WA L K ! g n i r i h e r ’ e Yes, w A U T H E N T I C J A PA N E S E , SU S H I , A S I A N Dine-In or Take-Out Tues.-Fri. 11 a.m.-3 p.m., 4-8:30 p.m. Sat. & Sun., 12-3 p.m., 4-8:30 p.m. Closed Monday DOWNTOWN REDMOND 511 SW 6TH ST. 541-548-3035 3/11 • 3/18 Look for printed listings of available jobs in The Nugget Newspaper 3/11 and 3/18 – many businesses will welcome potential applicants from 4-6 p.m. on these days. Listings will be available online 3/7 through 3/18. The Nugget Newspaper is pleased to partner with Sisters Country businesses to help connect with workers as they staff up for peak season. ATTENTION BUSINESS OWNERS: Have positions to fi ll? Join the Sisters Job Walk! Call or email The Nugget for full details, 541-549-9941, ads@nuggetnews.com.