Wal-Mart to Videotape Gun Buyers
Is America’s largest retailer getting out of the hunting and fishing business?
If not, it certainly seems to be cutting back.
Earlier this year, Wal-Mart told fishing tackle suppliers that their gear — like fabrics and other “rural products” — might be removed from some stores altogether, or at least be stocked only seasonally.
That doesn’t mean Wal-Mart is getting out of the fishing business, company executives said. Nor is the company turning its back on hunters, they added.
But recently, Wal-Mart joined New York mayor Michael Bloomberg at a gathering of his group, Mayors Against Illegal Guns, to announce a series of changes to the way the company handles firearm transactions.
In the future, firearm purchases at Wal-Mart will involve a video record of the sale, which the store will keep on file as a database of gun buyers. Employees also will be given the discretion to deny firearms sales to anyone who’s had a firearm traced by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms for any reason.
It’s unclear whether the cost of the new video system will be pushed, at least partially, onto arms and ammunition makers or consumers.
In the meantime, the National Rifle Association is urging hunters and shooters to contact Wal-Mart to show displeasure with the change. Wal-Mart can be reached at 800-925-6278 or www.walmartstores.com/contactus/feedback.aspx.
Habitat workshops
The Pennsylvania Game Commission is offering two free workshops on managing strip-mined land for wildlife habitat.
They will be 6 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday and May 21.
At the first workshop, which will be indoors at the commission’s regional office in Bolivar, biologists Tammy Colt and Larry Crespo will talk about the species that are found on strip mines, ways habitat can be improved and funding available for habitat management through Farm Bill programs. Kristin Sewak of the Natural Diversity Conservation Strategy will discuss invasive plant species that occur on strip mines and the methods that can be used to control them.
The second session will be outdoors at the Leon Mine Project, near Alice. Landowner Matt Sarver will lead participants on a tour of his strip mine property and discuss habitat management in progress, including invasive species control and native plantings.
Participants may pre-register for one or both sessions. Contact Tammy Colt at 724-238-4064 or tcolt@state.pa.us.
Derby winners
Twelve-year-old Andrew McKenzie of Mt. Pleasant won Catch of the Day honors in the Mammoth Park Fishing Derby with a 23 1/2-inch rainbow trout.
A total of 215 people took part in the contest, sponsored by the Westmoreland County Sportsmen’s League and the county parks department.
Matt Blystone of Mt. Pleasant won first place for the longest trout caught by an adult with a 13-inch rainbow, while 8-year-old Madison Miller of Greensburg took first for the longest trout caught by a youth with a 12 3/4-inch rainbow.
Tom Smith of Export placed first in the adult category for longest fish caught other than a trout. He caught a 16 1/4-inch catfish. In the youth category, first place went to 14-year-old Mark Shaffer of Tarrs with a 15 1/4-inch catfish.
The largest carp recorded in the contest was a 28 3/4-inch fish caught by Don Nutall of Latrobe.
Helping fish?
Thanks to the efforts of animal rights activists, one European country is going to try and save fish by forcing people to kill them.
Switzerland is preparing to essentially ban all catch-and- release fishing next year. New legislation says fish caught should be killed immediately with a sharp blow to the head from a blunt instrument.
Anglers — who will have to demonstrate their expertise by taking a course on humane methods of catching fish — will be prohibited from using live bait and barbed hooks, too.
The rule traces its roots to a 2005 law on the protection of animals, which was pushed by animal rights groups.
Originally published by The Tribune-Review.
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