Leading Conservation Groups Respond to Attacks on Alaska Governor

(Columbus) – A consortium of conservation organizations today sent a letter of support of Alaska's wolf management program to Alaska Governor Sarah Palin.

The letter, spearheaded by the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance and signed by 8 other organizations representing nearly 3 million conservationists nationwide, came in response to unwarranted attacks on the Alaska wolf management program by the animal preservation group Defenders of Wildlife (DoW).

The attack includes a television ad featuring actress Ashley Judd. The ad is as part of an aggressive media campaign to cast public disfavor on Alaska's scientifically valid and sound method of predator management.

The conservation groups' letter clarifies that the Alaska program avoids game population decimation, especially for moose and caribou "through a rigorously controlled, scientifically based system."

The letter also highlights "the critical importance of science in wildlife management" and states that "the future of effective wildlife management necessitates that emotional pleas not substitute for reasoned analysis."

According to USSA Senior Vice President Rick Story, "It is imperative that people understand how important science is to maintaining healthy populations of wildlife species. In the absence of this program, not only would wildlife be destroyed, eventually, disease and hunger would kill far more wolves."

Story concluded, "It is simply wrong for an environmental group to use Hollywood glitz and glamour to hide science from the public."

The signers of the letter include:

The U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance
The Archery Trade Association and Bowhunting Preservation Alliance
Boone & Crockett Foundation
Conservation Force
The Dallas Safari Club
The National Shooting Sports Foundation
North American Bear Foundation
Pope & Young Club
The Texas Wildlife Association

To view the letter please visit: http://www.ussportsmen.org/Palin

The U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance is a national association of sportsmen and sportsmen’s organizations that protects the rights of hunters, anglers and trappers in the courts, legislatures, at the ballot, in Congress and through public education programs. For more information about the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance and its work, call (614) 888-4868 or visit its website, www.ussportsmen.org.