Waterfowl Shotgun Ban Bill
Christopher LaCivita for SPLIT REED
What does an Assault Weapons Ban have to do with waterfowl, upland, or sport-shooting shotguns? Assault Weapons Ban of 2022 (H.R. 1808) introduced by Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI) passed the House in late July 2022. It is now up for votes in the U.S. Senate. This bill is aimed at banning a large number of sporting rifles, magazines, and even shotguns. H.R. 1808 seeks to reduce crime, but it would instead punish millions of lawful and responsible shooters and sportsmen throughout the country.
Safari Club International (SCI), a leader in international hunting advocacy and conservation worldwide, recently reported this news on their social media channels in July stating:
“Under H.R. 1808, your Benelli Super Black Eagle III, Browning A5, Beretta A300, Franchi Affinity 3, and Mossberg 940 would all be ILLEGAL. Banning these firearms would fail to reduce violent crime in America while having a devastating impact on wildlife conservation funding in the United States.”
An exemption list was posted with the bill and many common waterfowl shotguns were either left out or not specifically mentioned. These shotguns included: Stoeger models, Benelli Super Black Eagle III, Browning A5, Beretta A300, Franchi Affinity 3, and the Mossberg 940. Even though some of these brands were mentioned in the list, if a model is not specifically mentioned, then it is subject to the law. This should concern all law-abiding gun owners.
Cyrus Baird, Senior Director of Government Affairs at Delta Waterfowl commented, “While waterfowl hunters may not think the Assault Weapons Ban of 2022 Act is a direct attack on them, the language included would have real-world consequences to our community, including banning popular waterfowl shotguns like the Benelli SBE3, Browning A5, and Beretta A300, among others.”
Waterfowler or not, there is no doubt that this is a direct attack on law-abiding gun owners in the United States. If lawmakers go through with H.R. 1808, then what is stopping them from going after every model of semi-automatic shotguns? Sportsmen and Women must join the fight and be more vocal in protecting their right to hunt and bear arms!
This bill is just one of many around the country that threaten your right to hunt and bear arms. As waterfowlers, we can’t just sit back and watch the process unfold. Organizations like Delta Waterfowl and SCI have “call to action” platforms set up so that you can contact your lawmaker to oppose bills like H.R. 1808.
In today’s uncertain political climate, I would recommend using these platforms to educate and defend your right to hunt!
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