Georgia Pellegrini, author of "Girl Hunter."

NSSF has filmed several game-cooking videos with chef, author, blogger and hunter Georgia Pellegrini, whose book “Girl Hunter” has been garnering considerable attention.

Georgia’s personal story has proven to be irresistible to both outdoor and mainstream media, particularly the latter where she has articulately discussed her reasons for taking up hunting and how hunting provides her with local, organic and sustainable foods to cook. The author is a woman who left her Wall Street job to become a classically trained chef and then had a food-source awakening when she came face to face with a farm-raised turkey she had to dispatch. This experience led her to hunting. “Girl Hunter” is a chronicle of her time spent afield and in the kitchen.

Georgia has been on the cover of Shooting Sportsman magazine, on the website of Outdoor Life, in the pages of The Wall Street Journal and on television with NBC’s Today Show. Soon she will be in NSSF’s Pull The Trigger newsletter, where, in the video tips that we filmed, Georgia will discuss techniques for preparing tender, juicy game; cooking tough cuts of meat; and creating fundamental sauces to make any game delicious.

Pull The Trigger, which reaches nearly 900,000 readers each month, is free and provides tips on target shooting, hunting, gun maintenance and other shooting-related topics. The videos featuring Georgia also will be available on NSSF’s You Tube channel at www.youtube.com/thenssf.

“Girl Hunter” is a fine read. The author writes about her hunts for wild turkey, quail, venison, wild boar, elk, javelina and squirrel. She ends each chapter with a healthy portion of recipes, a few of which may stretch the boundaries of even the most adventurous hunter-cooks. Javelina chili, anyone?

We enjoyed working with Georgia (and sampling some of her recipes). We thank her for sharing her expertise with us and with you.

While we respect the work of President Calderon to willingly take on his country’s powerful drug cartels, we continue to be disappointed that he, in the name of security, would urge our Congress to reinstitute a failed ban on so-called “assault weapons.”

Semi-automatic rifles, demonized as so-called “assault weapons,” are not machine guns but modern sporting rifles that are used every day by law-abiding Americans for the shooting sports, hunting and home protection. Since 2004, when the Clinton/Gore ‘assault weapons’ ban expired, modern sporting rifles have fast become one of the most popular types of firearms for law-abiding Americans to purchase. And according to a recent survey, nearly half the people buying modern sporting rifles are either current or retired members of the U.S. military or law enforcement.

The firearms that President Calderon would have the United States ban are functionally no different than any other semi-automatic civilian sporting firearm. They shoot only one shot per trigger pull, no spray firing as some allege, and use the same ammunition as other guns of the same caliber. What differentiates modern sporting rifles from other guns is cosmetic; for example, the type of stock on the firearm.

According to the Department of Justice, so-called “assault weapons” are rarely used in crimes (less than 2 percent). Furthermore, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has established that banning firearms and ammunition have no effect on crime levels.

It’s also worth noting that ATF statistics identify the average age of recovered firearms in Mexico (of U.S. origin) to be more than 15 years old, a clear indicator that these firearms are not straw purchased from the United States.

Moreover, it is well-documented that the drug cartels are illegally smuggling fully automatic firearms, grenades and other weapons into Mexico from South and Central America. Such items are not being purchased at retail firearms stores in the United States.

Here are some key facts that President Calderon should consider:

Fact: Only 12 percent of firearms recovered in Mexico are from the United States.

Fact: Firearms recovered in Mexico and successfully traced to the U.S. were originally sold at retail (after a background check) on average 15 years earlier.

Fact: Since the 2004 sunset of the failed Clinton gun ban on semi-automatic rifles (modern sporting rifles), crime in the U.S. has plummeted.

Fact: President Calderon’s gun-control sign sits in Juarez, ranked one of the most dangerous cities in the world.  It faces El Paso, ranked one of the safest cities in the world.

We can all agree that there are serious crime problems in Mexico; however, sacrificing the constitutional rights of law-abiding Americans as a means of addressing this issue is neither an option nor a solution.

Allowing sportsmen in Virginia to go afield on Sundays was part of larger effort to increase participation in hunting that also involved improving access and opportunity for sportsmen living in the commonwealth.  Since most hunters take to the field on weekends, removing barriers to Sunday hunting would have effectively doubled the value of most hunters’ licenses. It would also address the blatant discrimination sportsmen face — discrimination that no other sport or activity participant contends with.  This prejudice also extends to private property rights, as sportsmen are prohibited from hunting on their own land.

The benefits of Sunday hunting extend well beyond the sportsmen’s community. An economic impact report released by a coalition of America’s leading conservation, sportsmen’s and hunting organizations had found that removal of Sunday hunting restrictions would result in an estimated 3,927 new Virginia jobs. The report also noted that these jobs would pay more than $105 million in wages and contribute more than $296 million in additional economic activity to the commonwealth.

“We’re disappointed not to have Sunday hunting pass this year,” said Lawrence G. Keane, senior vice president and general counsel for the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) – the trade association for the firearms industry.  “Still, we made significant headway in helping to educate Virginians on the importance of this pro-gun, pro-hunting and pro-economic legislation.  For the first time ever in Virginia, a significant Sunday hunting measure passed both a full committee and floor vote.  We will most certainly be back next session.”

NSSF is a member of the Sunday hunting coalition which includes the National Rifle Association, Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, Archery Trade Association, Bass Pro Shops, Boone and Crockett Club, Cabela’s, Delta Waterfowl, Mule Deer Foundation, National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses, Pheasants Forever, Quail Forever, Quality Deer Management Association, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Safari Club International, U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance and the Wildlife Management Institute.

Time-to-crime  refers to the period of time between original purchase of a firearm and the recovery of that firearm by law enforcement. The document obtained by the Beacon comes from ATF and was produced as part of the court record in the 2011 case National Shooting Sports Foundation v. Jones – a lawsuit filed by the NSSF and two NRA-funded firearms retailers challenging ATF’s legal authority to impose a multiple sales reporting requirement on 8,700 firearms retailers in Texas, California, New Mexico and Arizona.

A 15 year TTC, which has actually gone up since 2008, when then ATF Deputy Director Billy Hoover disclosed to NSSF that the average TTC for firearms recovered in Mexico was 14 years, demonstrates that these guns were not recently purchased in the United States.

If there’s “a flood of American firearms” headed across the border, as some in DOJ claim, it’s moving at a glacial pace.

Once appropriated by Congress, the funding will allow the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to significantly enhance and expand hunting and shooting access on existing federal lands – many of which are currently closed or extremely difficult to access.

Presidential candidate Rick Santorum with Miles Hall, president of H&H Shooting SportsComplex.

Fresh off primary victories in three states, presidential candidate Rick Santorum demonstrated his strong support for the individual right to keep and bear arms by visiting H&H Shooting Sports Complex in Oklahoma City en route to a rally today.

H&H is a NSSF Five Star member range owned by Miles and Jayne Hall.

The Santorum rally originally was scheduled to be held at H&H, but a surge of requests to attend the event forced a change to the Magnuson Hotel and Convention Center, where a crowd estimated at close to 2,000 gathered. The candidate delivered a speech that focused largely on energy, reported News On 6.

During his pre-rally visit at H&H, Santorum said, “I wish we could have had it here, this would have been perfect.”

He added, “I am very impressed. It is easy to see why gun ownership is so strong here, and I stand tall with the Second Amendment.”

Said Miles Hall, founder and president of H&H, “It was a great honor to show a small but important part of the shooting industry to one of our presidential hopefuls.”

We are pleased that the Virginia Senate and House of Delegates have recognized the importance of repealing one gun a month, legislation that rationed the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Virginians.   We look forward to Gov. McDonnell’s signature on this very important bill.

After Feb. 14, the House of Delegates will consider SB 323 and the Senate will consider its companion bill HB 940 before sending the legislation to McDonnell for his approval.

While the UFC has yet to make an official announcement, NSSF has confirmed that “absolutely no firearms, ammo, hunting or knife companies will be permitted as sponsors in any Zuffa-promoted events.”

NSSF is encouraging all gun owners, sportsmen and firearms enthusiasts to contact FOX today and urge them to rescind this anti-gun corporate policy.  FOX’s decision to ban advertisements for lawful products owned by more than 80 million Americans is nothing more than corporate gun control.  We expect better from FOX.  So should you.

Make sure your voice is heard.  Here’s how to contact FOX:

Corporate Headquarters FSN
10201 W. Pico, Bld. 103
Los Angeles, CA 90035
Phone: 310-369-1000
Web: www.FOXSports.com

“Yesterday’s vote was a great step forward in our campaign to allow Sunday hunting in Virginia,” said National Shooting Sports Foundation Senior Vice President and General Counsel Lawrence G. Keane.  “We applaud Sen. Ralph Northam (D-Norfolk) for his fortitude and resolve in championing this bill through the Virginia State Senate.”

NSSF is encouraging all sportsmen in Virginia to contact their state delegates and urge them to support SB 464.  This legislation is limited to private lands and public marshes only and excludes deer hound hunting.

Allowing sportsmen in Virginia to go afield on Sundays is part of larger effort to increase participation in hunting that also involves improving access and opportunity for sportsmen living in the state.  Since most hunters take to the field on weekends, removing barriers to Sunday hunting will effectively double the value of most hunters’ licenses.

The benefits of Sunday hunting, however, would not be limited to the sportsmen’s community. An economic impact report released by a coalition of America’s leading conservation, sportsmen’s and hunting organizations has found that removal of Sunday hunting restrictions would result in an estimated 3,927 new Virginia jobs. The report also notes that these jobs would pay more than $105 million in wages and contribute more than $296 million in additional economic activity to the commonwealth.  Given this potential economic boom, the coalition is moving forward rapidly.

“With yesterday’s victory in the State Senate, we are now moving our focus to the House of Delegates,” said NSSF Director of Government Relations Jake McGuigan.  “Given that hunting license sales in Virginia have dropped from 500,000 in the mid 1970′s to 300,000 today, we need to educate sportsmen that in order to save one tradition, we need to modify another.”

NSSF is a member of the Sunday hunting coalition which includes the National Rifle Association, Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, Archery Trade Association, Bass Pro Shops, Boone and Crockett Club, Cabela’s, Delta Waterfowl, Mule Deer Foundation, National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses, Pheasants Forever, Quail Forever, Quality Deer Management Association, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Safari Club International, U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance and the Wildlife Management Institute.

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About NSSF:  The National Shooting Sports Foundation is the trade association for the firearms industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of more than 7,000 manufacturers, distributors, firearms retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers. For more information, log on to www.nssf.org

We need your help now in the State House of Delegates where we are facing very strong opposition in the committee and subcommittee — which has been intentionally stacked with delegates who oppose Sunday hunting.

SB 464 is limited to private lands only, public marshes and excludes deer hound hunting. Every hunter should support this measure if they want new generations to have the option to hunt in the future. Hunting license sales have dropped from 500,000 in the mid 1970’s to 300,000 today.

If we don’t increase license sales, our hunting tradition will be lost. The only way to promote license sales is by creating more time for sportsmen to hunt.

It’s time to modify one tradition in order to save another.

Please click here to contact your delegate today! Urge them to support Sunday Hunting!

If you reside in any of the following Delegates’ districts, your input could have even more of an impact.

Delegate Tony O. Wilt

Phone: (804) 698-1026
Email: DelTWilt@house.virginia.gov

Delegate C. Matthew Fariss

Phone:  804-698-1059

Email: DelMFariss@house.virginia.gov

Delegate Thomas C. Wright, Jr.

Phone: 804-698-1061
Email: DelTWright@house.virginia.gov

Delegate R. Lee Ware, Jr.

Phone: 804-698-1065
Email: DelLWare@house.virginia.gov