Grant to Buy Guns Denied

A $2,000 state grant that would have been used by a youth hunting club to purchase air rifles was shot down Tuesday by the Board of Supervisors.

Supervisor Steve Bennett, the board’s leading environmental advocate, asked that the grant from state’s fish and wildlife propagation fund not be awarded. The money should only be used for education purposes, he said.

A proposal by the Ventura County Junior Air Rifle Program to buy 10 air rifles, ammunition and targets as part of a wildlife education program is not allowed under state law, Bennett said. Air rifles are similar to BB-guns, using air to propel tiny pellets.

Such grants are issued for education programs aimed at conserving California’s fish and wildlife populations. The Board of Supervisors agreed to refer the grant back to the county’s Fish and Game Commission, which had recommended approval.

Commission Chairman Jeff Alexander said the panel would take another look at the grant application, but disagreed with Bennett’s interpretation of state codes governing the disbursement of grant funds

“It was reviewed for compliance with [state] fish and game rules and it is in compliance,” Alexander said. “The purchase of the air rifles goes along with the requirement for an education program that includes environmental awareness, species awareness and animal identification.”

An initial grant application was turned down because county fish and game commissioners were concerned that it lacked enough of an educational component, Alexander said. But applicant Nick Clark returned in March with an improved proposal, he said.

Youths involved in the Junior Air Rifle Program have agreed to build water basins and dove shelters in wilderness areas as part of the program. They will also learn about conservation during a summer camp-out in Los Padres National Forest, Alexander said.

The county Fish and Game Commission awards up to $100,000 a year in grants, Alexander said. About half of the money goes to the district attorney’s office to prosecute fish and game violations, he said.

Although the commission recommends who will receive the grants, the supervisors have final approval.

After the board meeting, Bennett said he is not opposed to the hunting club or to its use of firearms.

Bennett said he considers hunting “a healthy recreational sport for millions of Americans.” He does not hunt but occasionally finds a fishing hole, he said.