Why Hunters Should Oppose Chipman (Even If You Don’t Like AR-15s)
Last updated: March 23, 2026 · Originally published: August 3, 2021
Safari Club International needs you to help voice opposition to the Chipman nomination.
One of the deepest schisms in the gun-owning community is the one between those of us who think of our firearms as defensive tools and those of us who think of our firearms as a way to bring home wild game meat. The truth of the matter is, of course, that firearms are both of those things and more.
However, that division–false though it may be–often results in one group not caring about what happens to the other group. Please see the above for Ben Franklin’s thoughts on the matter … and here’s some background on why you should care a lot about the nomination of David Chipman for the Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Yes, even if you only own a single-shot falling-block rifle and you only shoot it once a year.
Chipman, a longtime gun control lobbyist, has expressly stated his support for banning the most popular rifle in the U.S., owned by tens of millions of law-abiding Americans, the AR-15-style platform. He holds many other radical anti-Second Amendment positions, all of which would not only impact the civil rights of Americans but will also have very detrimental effects on hunting and wildlife conservation.
The nomination of Chipman will significantly harm wildlife conservation and management efforts across the country. Manufacturers pay a 10- to 11-percent tax on firearms and ammunition, which directly funds state wildlife and habitat conservation, law enforcement, hunter safety programs and other wildlife-related uses. This tax comes from all recreational firearm manufacturing, not just those firearms used for hunting.
SCI was among the 22 organizations that sent a June 11, 2021, letter to Senate Majority Leader Schumer and Republican Leader McConnell outlining strong opposition to Chipman. As the letter noted, in 2017 Chipman testified before the House Natural Resources Committee in opposition to HR 3668, the Sportsmen’s Heritage and Recreational Enhancement (SHARE) Act, a bill that received significant support from the hunting and conservation community. The SHARE Act expanded access and opportunities for hunting, fishing, and recreational shooting on federal lands, an issue of great importance to America’s sportsmen and women.
“Based on these positions,” the letter stated, “it is clear to us that the confirmation of David Chipman as ATF Director would result in significant and far-reaching negative impacts to hunters, anglers, recreational shooters, and, importantly, to wildlife and its habitat.”
As you can see, anti-gun attitudes almost always dovetail with anti-hunting sentiment. It’s very common for politicians who oppose gun ownership in America to assure hunters that they’re not coming for our bolt-action Remingtons…and as long as you add the word “today” to that sentence, it’s true. But rest assured, once they start banning they will not stop. We must all hang together lest we hang separately. Please call your senator today and ask them to oppose the Chipman nomination.
We as citizens protected by the constitution shouldn’t have to do anything to stave off gun grabbers. It clearly writen in the 2nd amendment.it is The DOJs job to stop this .there is no question about it .I don’t care how these weasels twist the meaning of the constitution. They are wrong and we should be protected from them.we shouldn’t have to put one dam dollar into a fund we pay our taxes and the Department of Justice works for us not the media the democrats or a minority group who are using every trick they can to get what they want .why should anyone be subjected to this from a bunch of bigots.
Regarding the P-R tax: Imposing an extra tax, above whatever is charged for any other purchase of any other product, on a product of which possession is explicitly protected by a core constitutional right, is simply unconstitutional. It doesn’t matter where the money goes. Suppose they charged a tax premium on Bibles, a tax to vote, or a tax for being born a particular race?
That program is corruption, pure and simple. If you want to fund wildlife and related work, pass an across-the-board tax, not just a tax on the exercise of Second Amendment rights.
This is why we have the 2nd amendment. When the government becomes totalitarian which this one is becoming more and more everyday we have a way to stop them. That’s why they want to disarm us in the first place. It has nothing to do with stopping crime and everything to do with making it so their subjects won’t shoot them when they start taking away all the other rights we have. The 2nd amendment is absolute and has been in our constitution for well over 230 years. I’ll be damned if some pin head like Chipman is going to un do it.
Hunters will spend $35,000 on a complete hunting outfit including firearms, trailer, ATVs, etc., but not one nickel on the NRA , Second Amendment Foundation, or any other organization that will help preserve their rights. As a person who, despite my disabilities and living off Social Security, supports multiple Second Amendment organizations, I am appalled that only a few million of us put our money out to support the Second Amendment.. Even worse, with over 100 million gun owners, only a few million vote for candidates who specifically support the Second Amendment, with hunters being among the worst offenders. I have spoken to many hunters about this over the years, and the answers they gave me for not supporting the Second Amendment were all lame and selfish. They were also the first to complain about restrictive firearms laws and bans.
Very well said Jed. I’ve run into the exact same thing, and it all gets down to them being too cheap to spend the money for the $20 or $25 annual fee. They also complain about the NRA “begging letters” for more funds, but if even 1/10th of gun owners joined, the NRA would be unstoppable. These guys also have guns with $1500 scopes and claro walnut stocks, but if if the firearm has plastic on it the Fudds turn up their noses at it, and then refuse to support the NRA. Like the ATF will leave them alone if they cave. They do more damage to the pro-RKBA movement than people like Chuck Schumer.
Well said. If we don’t all hang together and support organizations fighting to protect the 2nd amendment we’ll be hunting with peashooters.
I’ve never met a hunter, especially in the south, that doesn’t completely agree with the 2nd Amendment. You must be referring to them dang Yankees.
….and lest we forget….. Genesis 4: “…..and Cain slew his brother Abel with a rock”. If Chipman is confirmed, almost immediately there will be directives issued to ban almost any and every type of firearm. Take a look at the UK. VERY restrictive ownership and/or possession laws, so now they have an even uglier statistic – maiming and murder by KNIFE. And the answer? The British now have “Knife collection” barrels where you can turn in your large murder weapons. Guns, then knives, and then what? Do they confiscate anything and everything that one could possibly use to inflict injury or death on another with? Will it ever stop? No, not once they get started.
A bill was just filed in Massachusetts to expand their “assault weapons” law to ban all long guns with semiautomatic mechanisms. Are you awake yet, hunters?
No matter how you feel about AR-15s, AK-47s, etc. every legal gun owner is part of the same community. I think bumpstocks are useless, but I would still support those who want one. Anyone who doesn’t want to be part of the team and support the other guy just give your guns away or sell them, and stop being a roadblock.
Come and try and take it!
Chipman will single out those who oppose him.. One at a time, making them examples. We must start doing what the Romans did..
His list will be very, very long.
He will be after all guns shortly after being sworn in.
It’s pretty obvious the left has become the socialist party of America and fully intend to take ever firearm away from law abiding citizens regardless if you hunt or not. It really gets my goat that the term “AR” is referred to as assault rifle. It’s a great tactic by the anti gun group where the fake news media can impress on ignorant people how bad these firearms are by referring to the as ASSULT RIFLES. I wish people would do their homework and realize AR is simply the the manufacturer of that firearm.
The only thing the communist party will accomplish “if we allow it” is disarm law abiding citizens and allow thugs to take over. Just look at what’s happening in our country now.
For all the anti gun folks., do your homework and it would suggest you get out and try it with someone that has knowledge so you don’t get hurt. See what it’s all about before you knock it.
I do believe that this crime wave is intentional as they need a really good reason to confiscate everyone’s firearms. While a lot of people rolled over and wore their masks the same will not happen with firearm confiscation.
What kind of man wants to ban their own rifle? Where is the logic in that? Chipman stated in the nomination hearing that he had an AR-15. If he is so against them, then he should sell or destroy it, right?
John – but but but that particular AR-15 was ‘issued’ to him by the bats so it really wasn’t ‘his’ so it is okay if he takes away multiple millions of them away from deplorables. Never mind that those millions of rifles are legally owned by Law Abiding Citizens who are seven times less likely to commit any sort of crime than the LE community is. IOW they WILL comply with his totalitarian/elitist wishes or else.
Don’t you know – socialism is for the people not the socialist. Those in power will be exempt from gun confiscations.
Just remember that your military surplus bolt action rifles were the “assault rifles” of their day. They could easily be the subject of a gun grab.
Anyone who thinks they only want to take the AR’s just isn’t payin attention!! They ARE smart enough to understand the “divide and conquer” tactic!
They only take away what we give them!
Not like Popular Outdoorsman to start fear-mongering. Leave that to the NRA.
John, that’s not fear-mongering, that’s fact. Firemans have no distinction. They are going for all firearms eventually, and that’s if we don’t stand together & protect our right!
Right John, because there has NEVER been ANY move by the Demmies to ban ANY firearm!
And not one of them has EVER said they would, right???
Try getting your news source from outlets other than CNN John.
That or pull your ostrich head form the hole and just plain look around.
Stating facts, even ones you don’t want to hear, isn’t “fear mongering.” But just go ahead and trust the Democrats, right? They always do the right thing for freedom loving gun owners. I mean, what could go wrong?
Hey John “Dillinger”. Its obvious you’re not as tough as you would like others to think with your “Handle”. You are part of the problem. If you had any sense at all, you would try to be part of the solution. The First Amendment protects you and your opinion, but without the Second Amendment, you will loose the First and all of the others. Wake up Man!