ThinkingAfield.org

From: Department of Natural Resources
Sent: Monday, May 04, 2009 3:21 PM
Subject: 2009 Elk and Bear Hunting Application Periods Began May 1

CONTACT: Adam Bump 517-373-1263, Rod Clute 517-641-4903, or Bob Gwizdz 517-373-3542

The Department of Natural Resources reminds hunters that the Michigan elk and bear hunting license application period dates have changed from previous years. Applications for elk and bear hunting licenses are now available through June 1.

There will be 360 elk and 11,473 bear hunting licenses available for the 2009 hunting seasons.

Only Michigan residents are eligible to apply for an elk license. Bear licenses are available for both residents and nonresidents; however, no more than two percent of licenses in any bear management unit will be issued to nonresidents.

Hunters can apply online at www.michigan.gov/dnr, at any authorized license agent or at a DNR Operations Service Center. A nonrefundable $4 fee is charged at the time of application.

Applicants may call (517) 373-1263 prior to June 1 for assistance with their application and may check the drawing results online at the DNR Web site beginning June 22 for elk and June 29 for bear. Also see the 2009 Michigan Elk Hunting Guide and 2009 Michigan Bear Hunting Guide for more details about the application processes.

You’d think Obama would thank the many responsible gun owners for their financial assistance. And, if he doesn’t think thanks are in order, maybe he should give it back…Glen Wunderlich

NEWTOWN, Conn. — During a time period of great economic uncertainty, firearm and ammunition sales have continued to increase throughout the country.

According to the most recent Firearms and Ammunition Excise Tax Collection Report, released earlier today by the Department of the Treasury, firearm and ammunition manufacturers paid more than $98.1 million in the fourth calendar quarter of 2008, up 31.3% over the same time period reported in 2007.

Manufacturers of firearms and ammunition pay a federal excise tax — a major source of wildlife conservation funding –on all firearms and ammunition manufactured (11% on long guns and ammunition and 10% on handguns).

The report, which covers the time period of October 1, 2008, through December 31, 2008, shows that $27.6 million was collected for pistols and revolvers, $35.0 million for long guns and $35.5 million for ammunition. Compared to the same quarter in 2007, collections were up 70.1% for handguns, 11.4% for long guns and 31.1% for ammunition.

These figures close out the 2008 calendar year. In 2008, a total of $345.2 million was collected in excise taxes, up 13.9% from the $303.2 million collected in calendar year 2007.

“Demand for firearms and ammunition is clear,” said NSSF President Steve Sanetti. “Since the November elections we’ve seen an increase in firearm ownership coupled with an unprecedented level of attendance at firearm safety courses nationwide. Americans are buying firearms, and they’re taking the proper precautions to ensure that they exercise their individual Second Amendment rights safely and responsibly.”

Using the latest collections as an indication of sales, a projection of $917.5 million was generated in the fourth quarter (calendar year) of 2008. Please keep in mind that although excise taxes are one of the best indicators of industry performance, they only report what the manufacturers paid in taxes and do NOT reflect retail mark-up and final retail sales. Furthermore, these figures are based solely on U.S. civilian sales and do not include sales to military, police and other governmental agencies.

Pistols and revolvers: $27,649,109.11 / .10 = $276,491,091.10 = $276.5 million for handguns

Long guns: $35,021,474.66 / .11 = $318,377,042.36 = $318.4 million for long guns

Ammunition: $35,488,061.46 / .11 = $322,618,740.55 = $322.6 million for ammunition

Total estimation for the quarter: $917.5 million

Using the same methodology, a projection of $3.22 billion dollars was generated in calendar year 2008, up 15% from the $2.8 billion projected for calendar year 2007.

Pistol and Revolvers: $907.1 million
Long guns: $1.15 billion
Ammunition: $1.16 billion

“These numbers speak to a much greater story,” said NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel Lawrence G. Keane. “America’s gun owners have serious concerns about the country’s current political make-up. Lawmakers should recognize this and understand that these gun owners are not merely consumers buying a product, but voters reacting to a very real threat.”

By Glen Wunderlich
Outdoor Columnist
Member Professional Outdoor Media Association

With all the concern about bovine TB and Chronic Wasting Disease in Michigan – including the 2007 TB scare in Bennington Township – some citizens believe the DNR overreacted when it banned deer feeding/baiting in the Southern Lower Peninsula. I am not necessarily one of those, but nonetheless, felt somewhat victimized by the recreational feeding ban. Like any other lawful caretaker of the natural resources, I obliged and went one step further.

The DNR indicated it would test a certain amount of road-killed deer and asked that hunters voluntarily submit deer heads for disease testing, as well. Doing so is not always easy, but when we harvested deer on New Year’s Eve and another on New Year’s Day, I was compelled to help the DNR in its quest for knowledge – especially in light of the fact that one of the deer showed suspicious signs of some type of lung ailment.

About a week after processing the two animals, I took time off to head for the Rose Lake DNR facility and met a desk jockey there. The staff informed me that I couldn’t receive deer cooperator patches and I let them know that wasn’t the reason for my visit; I wanted to know what was wrong with one of the deer. A gentleman then filled out the requisite forms after I gave him the precise location of the kills. He tagged the heads and gave me two claim checks: numbers 288630 and 288631.

Approximately two weeks later, I entered https://secure1.state.mi.us/testresults on a search engine to follow up on the results at the MDNR Wildlife Disease Lab (the url is listed on the tags; How convenient!) After carefully entering the specimen numbers and my driver’s license number, no records were found for either number. Hmmmm. I then emailed Jean Fierke at fierkej@michigan.gov, because that’s what the site’s instructions advised. (There was also a phone number, but for the time being, I took the easy way out.) No response.

Then, while at the MUCC’s Outdoorama in late February, I strolled along an aisle and noticed a booth manned by uniformed DNR officials. Hmmmm again. I happened to have those two tags with me and a very polite and seemingly helpful agent plugged those numbers into the computer, along with my driver’s license number. Again, no record found. He even tried both tag numbers. Same result.

The helpful servant then telephoned the same Jean Fierke in Lansing, as I mentioned to him that I had emailed her with no response. He gave the phone to me and I ran off the driver’s license number to her and finished the conversation by giving her my telephone number before ending the discussion. The DNR representative at the show then explained how good their tracking system was and I went on my way after spending about a half hour of my life with them.

From the first of January to the first of May seems like a fair amount of time to answer an email or make a telephone call but maybe that’s just me. However, the next time the DNR pleads for hunting or fishing license fees, maybe I’ll have a talk with them. That is, if anyone cares to listen.

BELLEVUE, WA and REDWOOD CITY, CA

The Second Amendment Foundation, The Calguns Foundation and four California residents today filed a lawsuit challenging a California state law and regulatory scheme that arbitrarily bans handguns based on a roster of “certified” handguns approved by the State. This case parallels a similar case filed in Washington, DC, Hanson v. District of Columbia.

California uses this list despite a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court last summer that protects handguns that ordinary people traditionally use for self-defense, and a recent ruling by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals that the Second Amendment applies to state and local governments. The California scheme will eventually ban the purchase of almost all new handguns.

Attorney Alan Gura, representing the plaintiffs in this case, noted that California “tells Ivan Peña that his rights have an expiration date based on payment of a government fee. Americans are not limited to a government list of approved books, or approved religions,” he said. “A handgun protected by the Second Amendment does not need to appear on any government-approved list and cannot be banned because a manufacturer does not pay a special annual fee.”

“The Para Ordnance P-13 was once approved for sale in California,” Peña noted, “but now that a manufacturer didn’t pay a yearly fee, California claims the gun I want to own has somehow become ‘unsafe’.”

“The Glock-21 is the handgun I would choose for home defense, but California has decided the version I need is unacceptable. I was born without a right arm below my elbow and therefore the new ambidextrous version of the Glock-21 is the safest one for me. The identical model designed for right hand use is available in California, but I can’t use it,” said plaintiff Roy Vargas.

Added SAF founder Alan Gottlieb, “The Supreme Court’s decision is crystal clear: Handguns that are used by people for self-defense and other lawful purposes cannot be banned, whether th e State likes it or not. California needs to accept the Second Amendment reality.”

Co-counsel Jason Davis remarked, “The California Handgun Roster has always been about making the possession of handguns for self defense more difficult by imposing arbitrary and unconstitutional restrictions that limit choice and increase the cost of exercising a fundamental right.”

Joining plaintiffs Peña and Vargas are Doña Croston and Brett Thomas. Doña Croston’s handgun would be allowed if it were black, green, or brown, but her bi-tone version is supposedly ‘unsafe’ merely based on color. “I didn’t realize that my constitutional rights depended on color. What is it about two colors that makes the gun I want to purchase ‘unsafe’?”

Brett Thomas seeks to own the same model of handgun that the Supreme Court ordered District of Columbia officials to register for Dick Heller. However, that particular model is no longer manufactured, and its maker is no longer available to process the handgun’s certification through the bureaucracy.

“There is only one model of handgun that the Supreme Court has explicitly ruled is protected by the Second Amendment and yet California will not allow me to purchase that gun,” said Mr. Thomas.

“The so-called ‘safe’ gun list is just another gun-grabbing gimmick,” said co-counsel Donald Kilmer. “California can’t get around the Second Amendment, as incorporated, by declaring most normal guns ‘unsafe,’ and gradually shrinking the number of so-called ‘safe’ guns to zero.”

April 29, 2009

CONTACT: Rod Clute 517-641-4903 or Bob Gwizdz 517-373-3542

Natural Resources Commission to Consider Deer Management Unit Boundary
Changes

The Michigan Natural Resources Commission (NRC) will decide at its May 7
meeting whether to create two large deer management units (DMUs) that would
give hunters greater flexibility to harvest antlerless deer.

The proposal calls for the creation of multi-county DMUs on private land in
the southern Lower Peninsula and northern Lower Peninsula. DMU 486 would
include Mecosta, Muskegon, Isabella, Midland and Bay counties, as well as
all counties in Zone 3, except for Kent, St. Clair, Macomb, Wayne and
Monroe. DMU 487 would include the six counties where bovine tuberculosis in
the deer herd is an ongoing issue: Alcona, Alpena, Iosco, Montmorency,
Oscoda and Presque Isle.

The proposal would afford hunters the opportunity to take an antlerless deer
on private lands with a license that is valid in multiple counties. Existing
DMUs within the larger units that are largely structured along county lines
would still be maintained so that antlerless quotas for public land can be
established.

Legislation, HB 4610, would establish a “right to ride horses on state-owned land.” It is expected to be voted out of committee this Tuesday, May 5.

This legislation would force MI DNR to allow horseback riding on any state-owned lands where horseback riding has historically been allowed, regardless of the impact such riding has on habitat, wildlife populations and hunting. If this legislation passes, the right to ride horses would trump your right to hunt. This despite the fact that much of the public land affected was purchased with your hunting dollars (through license fees and federal excise taxes).

The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) — the trade association for the firearms, ammunition, hunting and shooting sports industry — is encouraging all sportsmen and hunters to contact the Tourism, Outdoor Recreation and Natural Resources Committee and urge them to oppose this anti-hunting bill.

Contact for committee members is below:

Joel Sheltrown (D), Committee Chair, 103rd District
Jim Slezak (D), Majority Vice-Chair, 50th District
Kate Ebli (D), 56th District
Mike Huckleberry (D), 70th District
Steven Lindberg (D), 109th District
Mike Simpson (D), 65th District
Woodrow Stanley (D), 34th District
Jim Stamas (R), Minority Vice-Chair, 98th District
James Bolger (R), 63rd District
Goeff Hansen (R), 100th District
Kenneth B. Horn (R), 94th District

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION T

April 23, 2009, Introduced by Reps. Hildenbrand, Elsenheimer, Schuitmaker, Mayes, Hansen, Booher, Crawford, Moore, Stamas, Daley, Calley, Kurtz, Agema and Sheltrown and referred to the Committee on Tourism, Outdoor Recreation and Natural Resources.

A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the state constitution of 1963, by adding section 27 to article I, to recognize a right to hunt, trap, or fish for, and to harvest, game or fish.

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the state of Michigan, That the following amendment to the state constitution of 1963, to recognize a right to hunt, trap, or fish for, and to harvest, game or fish, is proposed, agreed to, and submitted to the people of the state:

ARTICLE I

Sec. 27. Subject to conditions established by law and based on principles of scientific management of natural resources, the people have the right to hunt, trap, or fish for, and to harvest, game or fish that are the property of the state and are held in the public trust.

Resolved further, That the foregoing amendment shall be submitted to the people of the state at the next general election in the manner provided by law.

By Glen Wunderlich
Member Professional Outdoor Media Association

This year’s turkey hunt opener was precipitated by a trip to Meal and More in Morrice, which now houses its own thriving firearms business, where the accommodating staff offers fail deals – buy, sell, or trade. My friend, Joe Reynolds, “coerced” me into a gun-shopping escapade few weeks ago. (You may remember Joe’s New Year’s deer harvested with the aid of his bullish Lab mix, Cocoa.) Why, I’m still not sure, but he came away with a 1954 High Standard bolt action 12 gauge manufactured for Sears under the Ted Williams name. It sported a patented Multy-Choke and a bad case of acne along the bore near the breach. But, for $55, who’s complaining?

Twisting the choke to full, it did a fair job of punching holes in our makeshift turkey head and neck target with 1 5/8 ounces of 6 shot in a Winchester 2 ¾-inch shell. With only a bead front sight, there was no means to adjust the slightly off center pattern, so Joe would have to compensate on his own for a chance at his first-ever wild turkey.

Our roomy portable blind was set up along the edge of known turkey strutting grounds, where several adult gobblers had been observed during the past week. At 7 am, I sounded the opening day salvo of hen calls with my 30-year old box call and almost immediately, three hens came from the woods into the spring clover and alfalfa field. Our lone hen decoy was 22 yards in front of us and I was hoping to motivate the ladies into an early-morning chat. No such luck. They seemed to be on a mission away from us, never offering to be neighborly.

Although we were really hoping for some female company, what we were really after was a guest appearance by a proud, male suitor. Within minutes, three beard-sporting fellas followed in the footsteps of the females. I knew it would be a good trick getting these guys away from their dates, but I had to try. Although they stopped and looked toward us, they also could not see the decoy from their position and eventually thought it best to stick with their initial plan – whatever that was.

We never lost sight of them, but everything I threw at them seemed to fall on deaf ears. Approximately an hour later, a lone hen meandered toward our deceptive female partner for a little company. At long last, we now had a live decoy, so I kept up the chatter to keep her interest. It worked.

About a half hour later, the entire clan began an about face, although still several hundred yards from us. When a couple more hens joined the conference directly in front of us, the guys kept their distance well out of range. I had them gobbling their fool heads off but they continued to maintain their uphill advantage at 100 yards.

But, a little sweet talk from the confines of the hideout stirred enough desire within one of the gobblers for him to break away from the bachelor group. Sure enough, he couldn’t hold back any more and I clammed up as he marched directly toward our decoy. He came within a few feet of the deceiver, never having a clue as to her plastic nature or the fatal mistake lying ahead.

Joe laid it on the two-year old bird and it went down in a heap. He weighed 17.85 pounds – not the bully of the gang, but plenty good for one happy hunter.

BELLEVUE, WA – The Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms today criticized Milwaukee, WI Police Chief Ed Flynn for his open defiance of the State Attorney General’s office in a controversy over open carry of firearms.

Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen has stated that it is legal in Wisconsin for citizens to carry guns openly in a peaceful manner. However, Chief Flynn is ordering his officers to “take down” citizens, “put them on t he ground” and disarm them, and “then decide whether you have a right to carry it.”

The situation should alarm all Wisconsin citizens, whether they own guns or not, said CCRKBA Legislative Director Joe Waldron, because it places police officers and private citizens in a deliberately confrontational position. Also, he added, Flynn’s approach raises serious constitutional questions because of the state’s clearly defined “right to keep and bear arms for security, defense, hunting, recreation or any other lawful purpose” under Article I, Section 25 of the state constitution.

“Because Wisconsin does not allow concealed carry,” Waldron said, “the only way for citizens to exercise their constitutional right to keep and bear arms is to carry handguns openly. Chief Flynn should not assume he or his officers have the authority to decide who can and cannot exercise that right. His attitude is outrageous.

“Attorney General Van Hollen was correct in his statements about the legality of open carry,” Waldron continued, “and what does it say about a police chief when he publicly announces that he’ll do things his way and to hell with what the attorney general says?”

Waldron also said a plan, announced by State Rep. Leon Young, a Milwaukee Democrat, to draft legislation that bans open carry, “is inviting court challenge.”

“If you cannot carry openly, and you cannot carry concealed,” Waldron wondered, “how can law-abiding Wisconsin citizens exercise their state constitutional right to keep and bear arms? We encourage Rep. Young to address that issue to the state Supreme Court before he pushes ahead with that scheme.”

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) – Crews have held pirates off with Molotov cocktails, crates of rubbish and oil drums. They’ve electrified handrails, sprayed attackers with high-pressure fire hoses and simply kicked the pirates’ rickety ladders overboard.

But owners of ships plying the pirate-infested waters off Somalia’s coast have balked at having firearms onboard…(click on the title for the rest of the story.)