Entries from June 2009 ↓
June 18th, 2009 — Guns, Hunting, News
The decision was made less than a day before the East Wake High School (North Carolina) marksmanship team was set to face off in a statewide shooting competition. At the behest of one of the principals of East Wake, along with the superintendent, the school team was barred from competing in the competition.
Wake County, like many school districts, bans the presence of firearms from campuses and school sponsored trips. In this case, however, the decision to prohibit the team from competing extends the ban to state sponsored events, at an off campus location, and under the supervision of adults with firearms training. State law allows for firearm education at schools, while the decision goes directly against it. The decision also goes against efforts from wild life agencies, hunting organizations and other groups engaged in recruiting and replenishing the number hunters. It also goes against the cultural tradition of hunting in rural Wake. All of this for fear of a school massacre occurring.
The 16 member marksman and orienteering team is an offshoot of the school’s future farmers of America. The decision tossed away months of practice and hard work. Had the decision been made sooner, it could have been challenged.
Many Wake schools have marksmanship teams, allowing the use of air rifles at school sanctioned events, such as Cary High School’s Navy JROTC program. But according to the superintendent, JROTC programs are part of the curriculum while FAA programs are not. Ultimately, it came down to the decision made by the superintendent, who made his decision once another school sought permission to participate.
For the past thirty years, the Wildlife Commission tournament has been providing an incentive to middle and high school students to participate in a hunter education course, part of a broader goal of attracting new faces to hunting.
In response to the decision, the International Hunter Education Association expressed concern over the repercussions of such a decision. Their argument is towards the fact that prohibiting participation was a counter productive measure when it comes to the prevention of gun violence.
The event involves a combination of skeet shooting, archery, navigation and rifle marksmanship. The goal is to attract new hunters but more importantly provides means to learn about gun safety and what happens in the case of unsafe gun handling. Without the program, there is no incentive or opportunity to get the gun safety training. This can only lead to unsafe circumstances in many situations. The risk of any sort of school shooting, given the presence of adult supervision, is nil. Studies have in fact shown that it is due to wild life programs that gun safety has largely improved.
All in all, we have a school that is making its decisions out of fear and not looking towards prevention through education, not prohibition. There is clear evidence of the positive effect that education about firearms provides when given to the youth, and these wildlife programs are what enable the state to provide that education. They also help to bring fresh faces to the hunting industry.
Photo Credits: 1
Originally posted 2009-01-26 05:48:18. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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June 18th, 2009 — Hunting, News
In Texas, it is the occurrence that is the bane of hunters that comes only once every other year. During the four month season, hunting and fishing finds itself in the Texas Capitol building in Austin. Many hunters are unaware of the impact of the legislature on their activities. There can be special interest groups or politician mandates. There are also budget restrictions placed upon the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, which sets a upper cap on the amount of money that the legislature can spend in a year.
In the Texas House, there are a few misunderstandings on where the committee assignments are after the election of Joe Straus to the post of House speaker. This has given hope to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, as nothing has cut into their budget so far. However, it is too early in the game to be able to tell what will occur. The TPWD staff heads to the capitol, not to lobby (which is against the rules) but will provide testimony on the bills that will impact their budget, or the natural resources of the state in general. There have not been any sort of bills that deal with the natural wild life or fisheries, but there is one hot topic that has kept the TWPD on edge. The TWPD is going through what is known as the Sunset Revue, where its necessity and performance are evaluated and a determination is made as to whether or not to keep the department and if they keep it, how to improve it.
Now the TWPD has seen good days and bad, almost all of which was tied to their bookkeeping methods and such. Now that it dealt with, it looks that the TWPD will breeze through the review this time around. The committee overseeing the TWPD review has raised a concern over the invasion of aquatic plant species into this state, which the TWPD is putting millions of dollars and a large number of man hours, along with other agencies, towards the problem. The number one threat is the giant salvinia, but the hydrilla and water hyacinth are also a threat. The biggest issue behind this invasion is that there is a list of prohibited plants for aquarium and water garden usage, but it fluctuates too slowly to match what is going on. The solution is to switch to an approved plant list, where anything not on the list will require special approval.
Hunters will have to face the same consequences as some one with a speeding ticket, when the TWPD joins a 30 state license compact. What will occur is that out of state hunters who violate game laws, as well as Texas hunters in other states, will suffer a more severe penalty. The result is that wardens confronting a violation will have to present them to a Justice of the Peace for processing. A warden can write a ticket and send the hunter along, and if they fail to correspond, their license in Texas and in their home state may get revoked. This all includes the quarter of a million fisherman and 70 thousand hunters from Texas who travel out of state.
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Originally posted 2009-03-04 14:58:04. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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June 18th, 2009 — Game, Hunting, Open Season
With fall coming, it is soon to be open season for many different animals for hunting. Seasoned and new amateur hunters will be out in force and will be scouring designated areas for live game in the hopes of a good kill that they will be able to bring home and show off as a trophy or provide as a meal to their families. Hunting has been a long standing tradition in many countries and is looked upon as an honorable skill and a much needed service, provided the game is not in any way endangered and actually needs population control.
There are many different types of hunting an individual can choose, ranging in game from elk, deer, to smaller game like turkey or duck, and many others. In addition, hunting these games comes with hunters who have their personal preference in the weapons they use, which range from shotguns to bows. Many hunters prefer hunting through scopes at a distance, while others believe it is more respectful to the animal and a sign of a seasoned hunter if they are up close by using a bow. Regardless of which weapon a hunter chooses, he or she will use it to hunt his or her chosen game.
Every weapon used is considered a lethal weapon and the hunter must not only register the firearm, he or she must purchase a hunting license and prove that he or she has gone through a legal firearm safety course in order to qualify for the license. Some individuals find this frustrating due to the expense of the course, but some states offer them free of charge in order to help protect the hunter and anyone in the vicinity who might be in danger if the proper safety precautions are not being followed by the hunter. In addition, every store or firearm dealer has the right and responsibility to refuse selling a gun to any individual whom he or she does not think is safe to have that weapon, and to then inform the police of the decision.
Firearm safety courses are important for individuals as it teaches them how to properly care for and handle their chosen weapon. Shotguns in particularly are very dangerous, and are typically able to kill an individual in one hit depending on the range. During hunting season, there may be innocent people out in the area where hunters are hunting, and may not be wearing bright orange to protect his or herself. Firearm safety courses are very important as it teaches the hunter to hesitate and to be certain of his or her kill before firing.
When a hunter purchases a weapon, he should carefully select one based on his/her needs while being certain the weapon is properly fitted. An ill-fitting shotgun can damage a person’s hand or even dislocate his or her shoulder. If you are uncertain over which weapon is right for you, it is best to consult an experience hunter or gun shop owner.
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Originally posted 2008-11-10 14:04:48. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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June 18th, 2009 — Hunting, News
