Arizona’s Warm Freedom

By Glen Wunderlich

After the most grueling Michigan winter in memory, the time had come for a dual-purpose trip to visit family and to work in a bit of coyote hunting in Arizona.  With desert temperatures already in the 90s, it was a radical departure from mid-Michigan’s slowly evolving spring.  Snowshoes were replaced with uninsulated hiking boots, snake gaiters, a rifle over my shoulder, and a pistol at my side.

Arizona respects the right of all U.S. citizens to carry a concealed handgun with or without a permit, or to carry openly while in the state.  Certainly, the cultural change is dramatic, when compared Michigan, where open carry is permitted but problematic; although legal where I come from, the only people who carry openly (other than law enforcement) seem to always be testing authority.  In Arizona, it’s common for many.

Long-time resident, fellow predator hunter and my informal tour guide, Eric Ahlstrom of Apache Junction, packed his bags for Arizona after a close friend was executed by robbers in Chicago, while in the performance of his duties at a pizza joint.  It scarred Eric for life, and as a result, now openly carries a .45-caliber pistol wherever he ventures. 

Nobody gasps or calls 911, either.  At first, I thought it might be best for me to carry my Bond Arms derringer concealed, but I wasn’t about to over-dress to hide the fact.  It became as natural as sand and cactus in the desert to carry it in plain sight in a belt holster.

My sidearm was stoked with 3-inch, .410 shotgun shells of 7 ½ shot – a perfect combination for quick, close-range snake defense. 

Bond Arms Century 200 .45 Colt/3-inch .410

Bond Arms Century 200 .45 Colt/3-inch .410

 

While Eric fueled his Jeep at a convenience store/gas station, I took the opportunity to stock up on some sandwiches for the long day ahead and proceeded inside.

I watched intently, as the female clerk rang things up, all the while anticipating some type of negative reaction.  Nothing other than a thank you came forth, however.  Nobody else freaked out, either.  And, for the first time in my life, I began to understand how natural it could be to exercise my Second Amendment rights.  I was much more than a few thousand miles from Michigan; I was in the old “wild” West.

However, there was nothing at all wild about this culture – maybe snakes, lizards, and mountain lions – but, not the common, natural, day-to-day existence.

As Eric and I proceeded farther and farther into the desert, it became obvious that self-reliance was essential.  While northerners prepare for cold, Arizonians prepare for heat – and, yes, it is a dry heat, but hot is hot – especially when shade is as scarce as honest politicians.  With no cell phone service, we were on our own.

The old Jeep aptly navigated remote, rocky two-track trails, while we signed ledgers provided at each gate we opened and closed to confirm our presence and reason for being in the wilderness.

The long day ended without our firing a shot.  But, the adventure was more than a hunt; it was a step back in time and a refreshing change of pace where freedom reigns.

Arizona Senate approves four pro-gun bills

• House Bill 2339 would allow gun owners with concealed-carry permits to bring  weapons into government buildings, unless security measures- including armed  guards, metal detectors and gun lockers- are in place. The measure, by Rep.  Brenda Barton, R-Payson, excludes public K-12 schools, community colleges and  universities. Gov. Jan Brewer vetoed a similar bill last year.

• House Bill 2338 would allow authorities to charge a person who’s accused of  wresting a gun away from someone else with aggravated assault. Doing so is  already a felony offense. Proponents said it is a preventative measure in case a  criminal were to take the gun of someone using it in self-defense. Democrats  said the measure is a waste of time because it rehashes what’s already a crime.  The bill was also sponsored by Barton.

• House Bill 2517, sponsored by Rep. Steve Smith, R-Maricopa, would impose  fines on cities, towns and their lawmakers who enforce gun ordinances more  strictly than the state’s own laws. The bill would impose a civil penalty of up  to $5,000 on city and town governments that violate the statute. It would also  allow the state to sue individual government officials, such as city councilors,  and would prohibit them from using public funds to defend themselves in court.

• House Bill 2483  would ban cities, counties and towns from restricting the  shooting of guns on private property. The bill was sponsored by Rep. John  Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills.

Senators must still cast a roll-call vote on all bills.

SIG SAUER Introduces its First Line of Premium Centerfire Pistol Ammunition

Newington, NH  – SIG SAUER Inc., designer and manufacturer of the world’s most reliable firearms, introduces its Elite Performance Ammunition line – the company’s first-ever line of premium centerfire pistol ammunition. Designed specifically for personal defense, SIG SAUER Elite Performance Ammunition features a proprietary stacked hollow point bullet – the SIG V-Crown™ Jacketed Hollow Point – for reliable expansion, round after round.
The five introductory calibers and bullet weights are: 90gr .380Auto, 124gr 9mm Luger, 125gr .357SIG, 165gr .40S&W, and 200gr .45Auto. Read more

MI DNR, DTE Energy Foundation award more than $75,000 in tree-planting grants

More than two dozen Michigan communities will get assistance with tree-planting projects this year.The Department of Natural Resources and DTE Energy Foundation recently announced the award of grants totaling $75,313 to 28 communities in Michigan for local tree-planting projects. Grants awarded under this program will be used to help purchase nearly 1,100 trees of various species and sizes to be planted this spring and fall.
This year marks the 17th year of the tree-planting partnership between the DTE Energy Foundation and the DNR. Together, the DNR, DTE Energy and its foundation have planted more than 20 million trees on state-managed land and in communities throughout Michigan.
“Healthy trees provide many important benefits to our communities and the environment,” said Kevin Sayers, DNR Urban Forestry Program coordinator. “These grants will help communities enhance local tree canopy cover while also promoting awareness about planting the right tree for the right location, especially as it relates to utilities.” Read more

DNR announces new Michigan black bear education program for grades 6-8

GW:  The kids should love this…

The Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) Wildlife Division is offering a fun way for educators to integrate Michigan’s unique flora and fauna into their curriculum while still meeting the required educational standards. Teachers and their students now have an opportunity to experience A Year in the Life of a Michigan Black Bear.

black bear mascotThroughout the school year, students will learn about the life cycle of the Michigan black bear, general black bear biology and behavior, and how the DNR manages and maintains a healthy black bear population. An educator guide with activities and video lessons will be provided.

Classes also will have the chance to “follow” a black bear by using actual data points from a radio-collared bear to track it through its seasonal movements and see what a year in a bear’s life is really like.

This program is free of charge and open to all interested educators of grades 6, 7 and 8. Classes will need access to a computer lab and the internet in order to use the mapping application to follow the bear. Educators also will need access to the internet (YouTube) in their classrooms as well as a projector to make it easier for all students to see the video lessons.

Classrooms that participate in the program will be eligible to enter the Year in the Life of a Bear contest, where students can use what they learned to tell the story of a year in the life of a Michigan black bear. Students can choose to retell the actual journey of the bear they followed or get creative and use the information to interpret a typical bear’s yearly activities. Contest winners will be awarded prizes, provided by the Michigan Bear Hunters Association and the DNR, for their classrooms. Prizes are limited to one per school.

For more information and to sign up, please visit www.michigan.gov/wildlife and click on the “Education” button. Applications are due by Aug. 1 in order to receive the materials for the upcoming school year.

New senior hunt/fish combo license gives resident seniors price break, refund

GW:  Now, I’d call this giving back.  Very cool.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is making it easier for Michigan seniors age 65 and older to get a price break on the hunt/fish combo license. The new senior hunt/fish combo license includes a fishing license (good for all legal species), a base hunting license and two deer licenses for $43.

When purchasing the 2014 licenses without a senior discount, seniors who purchased the regular hunt/fish combo license paid $76. The only way to get a senior discount on these items was to purchase them separately as senior licenses.

The newly packaged discounted license is available for purchase as of April 14. In addition, resident seniors who paid the higher $76 price for a 2014 license will be receiving a letter from the DNR offering a refund of $33 — the difference between the regular hunt/fish combo and the senior hunt/fish combo. Read more

DNR advises caution to prevent spread of oak wilt disease

For most people, April 15 is the annual tax-filing deadline. For people like Robert Heyd – and other forest health professionals – April 15 also marks the beginning of the yearly window when oak wilt can be transmitted from diseased to healthy red oak trees.
According to Heyd, forest health management program manager for the Department of Natural Resources’ Forest Resources Division, oak wilt is a serious disease of oak trees. It mainly affects red oaks, including northern red oak, black oak and pin oak. Red oaks often die within a few weeks after becoming infected. White oaks are more resistant; therefore, the disease progresses more slowly. Read more

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