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Broken Clocks?

March 14, 2009

Even a broken clock shows the correct time twice a day as the saying goes. The forces of anti-liberty often point to Great Britain as a fine example of how things like gun control are a panacea for ending violent crime. What they do not like though is reality.

The horror of the school shooting in Winnenden will be followed by calls for Germany’s already restrictive gun laws to be tightened. But the hope that this will work is misplaced.

After the Erfurt school shooting in 2002, guns controls were supposedly strengthened and before that, in 1972, Germany introduced draconian gun laws to combat Baader-Meinhof terrorism. In the first three years after the legislation was passed, German military and police armouries “lost” 34 machine guns, 198 sub-machineguns, 363 automatic rifles and 1,142 pistols: with such firepower available from the organs of the State itself, the Federal Republic did not have enough terrorists to go round. As we in Britain now know, having seen the doubling of handgun crime within five years of our total ban on pistols, “gun control” is a perverse concept.

If the Germans are serious about stopping killers running amok in schools, they might consider the Israeli solution of arming teachers. It works there, as it has on occasion in America – the massacre in the “gun-free zone” of Virginia Tech can be contrasted with the assault by a former pupil on the neighbouring Appalachian Law School in 2002 that was halted by two armed students.

FULL STORY

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Posted in Editorial, Opinion, Education, Gun Control, Hunting Fishing and the Great Outdoors, Law, Local Politics Colorado, News, Non Compos Mentis, Politics, Wordpress Political Blogs | 1 Comment »

Get the lead out..? Why?

March 14, 2009

Yet another back door attempt at gun control and a hunting ban based upon nebulous reasons not science. Please note that I happen to be a big fan of solid copper bullets, and Hevi-Shot however they are very expensive compared to conventional ammunition. Nor are they all that available, or even the best choice for all situations. If this idiotic back door law via regulation goes through how long until all BLM as well as other public hunting venues are subjected to the same sort of emotion based management?

Friday, March 13, 2009
The National Park Service (NPS) has announced its intention to ban traditional ammunition containing lead in all its parks. The move would needlessly push hunters to use more costly bullets made of tungsten, copper, and steel. The restrictions, set to take affect by the end of 2010, were announced without regard to science and without soliciting feedback from sportsmens’ groups.

Park ranger“The NPS announcement demonstrates either complete ignorance or complete arrogance as to the effect that this policy will have on hunters,” said NRA-ILA Executive Director Chris W. Cox. “There is no science to support NPS’s contention that the use of lead ammunition in hunting is causing environmental contamination, having a negative effect on wildlife, or posing a threat to the health of visitors or park staff. This policy, and the lack of communication in advance with the sportsmen’s community, is a deliberate attempt to reduce the number of people who will want to hunt in the 60 parks that are open to hunting. This plays directly into the hands of radical anti-hunting organizations like the Humane Society of the U.S. which is advocating that hunters be banned from using lead ammunition.”

NRA-ILA will continue to be a voice of opposition against this unnecessary action and is committed to protecting the rights of hunters to use the ammo that is best suited for their hunting needs and budget.

To read NRA-ILA’s comments regarding the Elk Management Plan and the use of lead ammunition in Theodore Roosevelt National Park, please click here.

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Posted in Economics, Editorial, Opinion, Education, Gun Control, Hunting Fishing and the Great Outdoors, Law, News, Non Compos Mentis, Politics, Wordpress Political Blogs | 1 Comment »

We won, for now…

March 12, 2009 
Victory in the House!
-- But the land bill battle will continue

Gun Owners of America E-Mail Alert
8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102, Springfield, VA 22151
Phone: 703-321-8585 / FAX: 703-321-8408
http://www.gunowners.org

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Thanks to you, a bill expanding gun control on federal land was narrowly
defeated Wednesday morning, March 11.

The Omnibus Public Lands Act of 2009, S. 22, would have drastically
increased the amount of land controlled by the National Park Service,
thus subjecting such land to the anti-gun regulations of the agency.

The bill was brought to the floor of the U.S. House on what is known as
the "suspension calendar."  This calendar is normally reserved for
non-controversial bills. As such, any bill being passed under the
suspension calendar requires a two-thirds majority of those voting.

In this case, the pro-gun position prevailed by a mere two votes --
meaning S. 22 is far from being non-controversial.

Although suspension bills are not normally amended, one change was
allowed in a secret backroom deal between a few members.

The amendment, offered by Rep. Jason Altmire (D-PA), was intended to
alleviate the concerns of gun owners.

The Altmire amendment sought to protect hunting and recreational
shooting on federal land, but those steps are completely inadequate to
address the concerns of millions of gun owners.

The Second Amendment protects, as the Supreme Court affirmed in D.C. v.
Heller, an individual right to keep and bear arms.  That right was never
intended to protect only the shooting sports.

Under current regulations, firearms possessed for the sole purpose of
self-defense on land controlled by the National Park Service is
prohibited unless the person holds a concealed carry permit.

While millions of law-biding Americans hold CCW permits, many more do
not.  It is these citizens' rights that are going unprotected.

NPS land covers the gamut from busy thoroughfares to remote wilderness
areas.  These gun free zones are dangerous, in addition to creating a
patchwork of inconsistent regulations between federal and state land.

Although we won today, unfortunately the battle is not over.

The anti-gun leadership will attempt to bring this bill back to the
floor in a way that requires a simple majority, rather than the
two-thirds vote they needed Wednesday.

Several pro-gun congressmen will try to offer an amendment in committee
to simply allow state and local law to govern firearms possession on NPS
land.  This type of amendment would put more control at the local level
and protect the gun rights of all law-abiding Americans.

What is expected is that the leadership will propose a new 
"rule" that
blocks any such pro-gun amendments.

If that happens, the vote on the rule becomes the gun vote.

House leaders have not indicated when they will attempt to bring the
bill back to the floor, but it could come up at any time.

Therefore, your Representative needs to hear from you once again, for
two reasons. First, the entire House needs to be urged to reject any
parliamentary trick that excludes language to protect Second Amendment
rights on federal land.  Next, those who voted against your rights need
to know of your dissatisfaction, while those who stood up for your
rights should be thanked.

ACTION: Please use the Gun Owners Legislative Action Center at
http://gunowners.org/activism.htm to send your Rep. a pre-written
letter. Note: the LAC will automatically load the correct text for
individual Representatives, based upon their vote Wednesday.  Because
the list has to be divided in this way, the pre-written letters are not
editable by the sender.

----- Pre-written letter for those who voted pro-gun -----

Dear Representative:

Thank you for standing up for the Second Amendment by voting against S.
22, the Omnibus Public Lands Management Act of 2009.

This bill would greatly expand land controlled by the National Park
Service, and thus spread the agency's gun restrictions to even more
areas.  The NPS gun ban should be repealed, not expanded.

Although the pro-gun side won today, the battle is not over.  The
anti-gun leadership will try to bring the bill to the floor again, this
time with a rule intended to exclude a pro-gun amendment to repeal the
NPS anti-gun regulations.

If that is the case, I urge you to once again stand up for the Second
Amendment and vote against the rule.

Sincerely,

----- Pre-written letter for those who voted anti-gun -----

Dear Representative,

I am extremely disappointed that you did not stand up for the Second
Amendment on the issue of S. 22, the Omnibus Public Lands Management Act
of 2009.

This bill would greatly expand land controlled by the National Park
Service, and thus spread the agency's gun restrictions to even more
areas.  The NPS gun ban should be repealed, not expanded.

Although the pro-gun side won today, the battle is not over.  The
anti-gun leadership will try to bring the bill to the floor again, this
time with a rule intended to exclude a pro-gun amendment to repeal the
NPS anti-gun regulations.

If that is the case, I urge you to protect the Second Amendment rights
of law-abiding Americans and vote against the rule.

Sincerely,

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Posted in Editorial, Opinion, Education, Gun Control, Hunting Fishing and the Great Outdoors, Law, News, Non Compos Mentis, Politics, Wordpress Political Blogs | 2 Comments »

ROCKY MOUNTAIN BIGHORN SHEEP

March 8, 2009

DOW VIDEO: ‘ROCKY MOUNTAIN BIGHORN SHEEP’ THE NEXT BEST THING TO BEING THERE

DENVER, Colo.– Few animals epitomize Colorado’s rugged and unforgiving mountains like the Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep. Yet the vertical terrain that keeps sheep safe from predators also limits opportunities for Coloradans to view and appreciate this majestic animal.

That’s why the Colorado Division of Wildlife dispatched their video production team to scale the steep ledges and rock cliffs along I-70 near Georgetown and capture the drama of bighorn sheep during the “rut” or mating season.  Filmed in high-definition video and recorded in digital audio, “Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep” takes viewers on an intimate journey into the world of Colorado’s state mammal. It’s now available online as part of the Division’s “a.m. Colorado” video library.

Bighorn rams are famous for their aggressive mating jousts; violent collisions that reverberate across the mountains and determine dominance within the herd.  Although the head-to-head combat is an annual rite, capturing this spectacle in high-definition format proved to be a challenge for Division of Wildlife videographers.

“We put in some really long hours on this project,” said Dennis McKinney, DOW video producer and videographer.  “Filming was physically more difficult than we had anticipated and it seemed like we were always in the wrong location or our view was impeded.  We spent nearly two months in the field before we were finally able to get the footage we wanted of two rams butting heads.”

“Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep” is the latest instalment of the Division’s “a.m. Colorado,” an ongoing series of short, online documentaries that capture the early-morning sights and sounds of some of Colorado’s most unique landscapes and wildlife species.  Filmed in high-definition video and recorded in digital audio, these mini-documentaries provide stunning visuals and sound, and incorporate informative captions that both educate and entertain.  In addition to bighorn sheep, current episodes feature the intricate mating dance of the greater prairie chicken, the spectacular breeding displays of the sage-grouse, the springtime gobble of the Rio Grande turkey and unique underwater footage of spawning whitefish, brown trout and kokanee salmon.

“The project was certainly time- and labor- intensive, but it was definitely worth all the hard work,” said Nick Clement, DOW video editor.  “The bighorn sheep are amazing and a great addition to the ‘a.m. Colorado’ series.  We are really happy with the final result.”

Since debuting last year, the “a.m. Colorado” videos have been viewed nearly 15,000 times, and continue to receive rave reviews.  Denver Westword said, “. . . the videos look fantastic and capture some of this state’s most unique early-morning wildlife displays. . . here’s hoping DOW keeps ’em coming.”

The high-definition videos are linked to the Division’s Web site from an outside provider, resulting in faster loading times and outstanding picture quality. To play the videos, viewers need a high-speed Internet connection and the latest version of Adobe Flash installed on their computer.

“‘a.m. Colorado’ is the next best thing to being there,” said McKinney. “We view the series as the ideal format to showcase Colorado’s amazing wildlife on computer screens around the world.”

In addition to the “a.m. Colorado” series, the Division’s video department produces a wide variety of wildlife educational DVDs and Web-based videos, which are distributed to hunters, anglers and wildlife viewing enthusiasts.  This department is also responsible for producing internal training and public-service content for the Division’s constituents and employees.

The “a.m. Colorado” series and other DOW online videos may be accessed directly by visiting the following link: http://wildlife.state.co.us/NewsMedia/Videos/

For more information about Division of Wildlife go to: http://wildlife.state.co.us.

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LAND PROTECTION AGREEMENT OPENS ACCESS IN LAKE COUNTY

March 8, 2009

This is just awesome news! This area has been “out of bounds” for nearly all people for as long as I can remember. It’s diverse attractions for outdoor recreation are hard to list. Or imagine as far as that goes. Great work Division of Wildlife!

LEADVILLE, Colo. – A four-way partnership between the Colorado Division of Wildlife (DOW), Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO), the Land Trust of the Upper Arkansas, and private landowners has resulted in a perpetual conservation easement on 3,200 acres of important wildlife habitat and scenic open space in Lake County.

Owners of the Moyer Ranch entered the agreement to keep the land as a working ranch and preserve its vital wildlife habitat.  In addition, about a third of the ranch will be open to seasonal access to hunters and anglers.

A conservation easement is a legal property interest that compensates a landowner for relinquishing certain development rights as a way to ensure the long-term protection of the land.  The Moyer family received approximately $4.8 million in return for conceding future development rights on the property.  The Division of Wildlife and GOCO each contributed $2.4 million.  The Moyer family donated additional considerations including previous conservation considerations reached with the Land Trust of the Upper Arkansas in 2007.

“We are very pleased we were able to be a part of the cooperative effort to protect this important wildlife habitat,” said DOW Area Manager Jim Aragon.  “The Moyer family’s desire to protect the land, the wildlife resource, and to continue with their land stewardship and ranching heritage was key to getting this project done.”

“This has been such a great project,” said Bruce Goforth of the Land Trust of the Upper Arkansas.  “It will preserve the agriculture, wildlife habitat and water resources on the last, large, working ranch in Lake County.  And the water preserved will continue to flow down the Arkansas River, ensuring water quantity, quality, and good fish habitat for many miles.”

The Moyer Ranch has diverse wildlife populations including bighorn sheep, deer, elk, mountain lions, black bears, and an abundant variety of birds, small mammals, and other non-game wildlife.  The property also features several pristine feeder streams that connect to the Arkansas River.

According to Tom Martin, the local wildlife officer, the DOW’s conservation easement consists of multiple parcels. Most of the tracts are contiguous but some overlap others, and many are irregular shapes located on the steep hillsides.

Approximately 1,350 acres will be open for hunting and fishing. Hunting access will be limited to rifle season deer, elk, and bear; and limited archery and rifle hunting for bighorn sheep.  Public fishing access will be allowed on portions of Iowa and Empire Gulches.

In addition, the Moyer Family and Land Trust of the Upper Arkansas have agreed to allow fishing access on a stretch of Arkansas River upstream from the Hwy. 24 overpass at Hayden Meadows for nine-tenths of a mile to the Crystal Lake State Trust property.  Access points, parking areas, and signs still need to be posted, but the DOW hopes to have that done in the next few months. The result will be that the public will have fishing access to a contiguous stretch of the Upper Arkansas River that is over seven miles long.

COLORADO’S WILDLIFE HABITAT PROTECTION PROGRAM

Habitat loss is a primary cause for the decline of many wildlife species in Colorado.  As highly desirable lands are altered or converted to other uses, wildlife habitat can become degraded, destroyed, and fragmented. Habitat conversion and loss can also reduce opportunities for hunting, fishing, and wildlife observation.

The primary use of funds from the Colorado Wildlife Habitat Protection Program is to address the loss of critical big game winter range and migration corridors, but also to preserve other wildlife habitat as well.  Wetlands and riparian corridors along with important habitat for threatened and endangered species, and species of special concern are also a priority for acquisition.

By combining funding sources, including Habitat Stamp funds, GOCO funds, Game Cash funds, Wetlands Program funds, Federal funds and others, the DOW is able to bring together an array of species protection and land conservation tools and incentives not otherwise available. The preferred strategy uses perpetual conservation easements that provide incentives to private landowners that protects wildlife habitat and for beneficial wildlife management practices.

Conservation easements are used to guarantee that landscapes remain intact and to provide fundamental wildlife benefits on a long-term basis. All conservation easements must have an accompanying management plan that is approved by the landowner and the DOW.

Since 2006, sales of Habitat Stamps have been instrumental in protecting more than 60,000 acres of wildlife habitat in the state.  The DOW used some funds to purchase land, but most land is preserved through permanent conservation easements held by the DOW and various non-profit partnerships.

The primary focus is protecting important winter range and migration corridors for deer and elk, but acquisitions and easements have also protected critical habitats for sage grouse, opened up fishing access for anglers, and provided hunting access.

A nine-member citizen’s committee appointed by the Governor oversees the habitat stamp program.  The committee has reviewed dozens of proposals to protect critical wildlife habitat.  Proposals are reviewed and ranked according to wildlife benefits, public access, and cost.  Final approval comes from the Colorado Wildlife Commission.

Public access is not required, but projects that provide hunting and fishing access and those with matching funds from partners get additional consideration.

For more information, call (303) 291-7217.  Additional information on the Colorado Wildlife Habitat Stamp Program timeline for the 2009 enrollment period and a copy of the application is available at http://wildlife.state.co.us/LandWater/PrivateLandProgram/WildlifeHabitatProtectionProgram/

– end –

For more information about Division of Wildlife go to: http://wildlife.state.co.us.

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Posted in Economics, Editorial, Opinion, Education, Hunting Fishing and the Great Outdoors, Law, News, Politics, Wordpress Political Blogs | 1 Comment »

Objective Analysis May Lead To Real Reform

March 8, 2009

From time to time, elected officials actually do research an issue, learn the facts, and take the appropriate action. Such is the case with efforts to scrap Canada’s multi-billion, ineffective gun registry.

On February 9, 2009, Garry Breitkreuz, a member of the Canadian House of Commons for the Conservative Party of Canada, introduced Bill C-301–an act to amend the Criminal Code and the Firearms Act (registration of firearms). This Private Members Bill would bring to an end Canada’s much-maligned “Long Gun Registry.”

According to a recent article in Canada’s NationalPost.com, when the national long-gun registry was introduced some 14 years ago, Mr. Breitkreuz actually believed the onerous gun registry would help make Canada safer. Now he knows better.

“After many years of research, consultation and more than 600 access-to-information requests as a Member of Parliament, I now know that nothing could be further from the truth,” said Breitkreuz. “The gun registry has not saved one life in Canada, and it has been a financial sinkhole, estimated to have cost some $2-billion. Imagine how many more police we could have on the streets if we had invested more wisely. We need to dismantle the wasteful, futile registry and abandon the notion that this political pacifier is working. But most importantly, we need to stop placing onerous regulations on duck hunters and sport shooters who are not part of Canada’s criminal element.”

To read more about this important story, please click here.

When this law was put into effect we watched to see if indeed the people of Canada would submit to such nonsense foisted upon them. Well? The people not only spoke, they refused to comply. Good show people of Canada!

SOURCE

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Wyoming takes a step forward

March 8, 2009

Wyoming took a giant step forward by changing the effects of a law that was passed without a vote, in the dark of the night by the forces of mysandry and political correctness. Just this past week the cowards of the Supreme Court failed to address the immoral as well as blatantly un-Constitutional ex post facto Lautenberg Domestic Violence Act.

CHEYENNE — Wyoming residents accused or convicted of domestic violence may find it easier to regain their federal gun rights thanks to recent action by the state Legislature.

~snip~

Freudenthal said he’s comfortable that judges will be able to review people’s conduct for five years after a conviction before considering their expungement requests. “I think that gives you a pretty good chance to look at it, and evaluate their conduct,” he said Thursday.

Full Story

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Posted in Domestic Violence, Editorial, Opinion, Education, Gun Control, Hunting Fishing and the Great Outdoors, Law, Men's Issues, mysandry, News, Non Compos Mentis, Politics, Wordpress Political Blogs | 1 Comment »

S22 yet another assault on YOUR rights

February 24, 2009

Anti-gun Land Bill Moving Again
— Gun control should be stripped from the legislation

Gun Owners of America E-Mail Alert
8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102, Springfield, VA 22151
Phone: 703-321-8585 / FAX: 703-321-8408
http://www.gunowners.org

Monday, February 23, 2009

An alert last week asked you to urge your representative to oppose a
massive land bill that was scheduled to come before the full House at
any time.

The good news is that opposition to the bill grew so loud that the
leadership pulled it from the calendar so they would have more time to
muster enough votes to pass it.

Well, that also gives you another chance to contact your own
representative to tell him to OPPOSE the anti-Second Amendment Omnibus
Land Act. The bill, S. 22, is now scheduled to be voted on this week.

S.22 is a mammoth bill comprised of over 190 separate pieces of
legislation and will come to the floor with a rule that will not allow
pro-gun representatives to offer amendments.

There are serious Second Amendment concerns with this legislation. S.
22 will greatly expand the amount of land controlled by the National
Park Service (NPS). Because the rights of lawful gun owners are
restricted on NPS land, the bill will create even more
“anti-Second Amendment” zones.

In contrast to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. Forest
Service, which allow State and local laws to govern firearms
possession, NPS land was until recently subject to a complete gun ban.

In the waning days of his administration, President Bush partially
reversed the ban, but that half-way measure still leaves a significant
portion of the gun prohibition in place. Gun Owners of America has
fought for several years to fully repeal the NPS regulations, but those
efforts have been hampered by the anti-gun leadership of both the House
and Senate.

GOA opposes many parts of the bill that are controversial and have not
been debated on their individual merits.

Consider just a few provisions of the 1,294-page bill:

* Section 2002 codifies the National Landscape Conservation System,
which groups together 26 million acres of federal land and places it
under one umbrella agency. The NLCS was created during the Clinton
administration and run administratively since that time. S. 22 will
make the system permanent, raising concerns for hunters and sportsmen.
Much of this land is consolidated from the BLM and the Forest Service,
which have always allowed hunting and recreational shooting. It is
unclear what rules will be promulgated by the new agency and if gun
owners’ rights will be protected at all.

* Section 5204 of the bill establishes the Washington-Rochambeau Route
as a Historic Trail. This dual trail begins in Rhode Island and
travels 650 miles to Yorktown, Virginia. The trail includes parts of
major thoroughfares on the east coast such as Interstate 95 and US
Route 1, meaning the gun ban could effect hundreds of thousands of
unsuspecting gun owners each day.

* Section 5301 authorizes the federal government to buy private land
adjacent to national parks and trails. Such land would be controlled by
the NPS, and thus be subject to the agencies’ anti-gun regulations.

* Section 7002 makes the birthplace of William Jefferson Clinton a
National Historic Site. Well, perhaps it’s fitting that the legacy of
former President Clinton, who was responsible for so many anti-Second
Amendment laws, will include yet another “gun free” zone.

In all, the bill designates over 2 million acres of wilderness,
establishes three new national parks, a new national monument, three
new national conservation areas, and four new national trails.

If there are parts of the bill that could stand on their own, they
should be brought up separately and dealt with in an open and fair
process — and not used as bargaining chips in exchange for compromises
of your Second Amendment rights.

Some people on Capitol Hill contend that all of these bills already
passed the House anyway. In fact, no they haven’t. More than 70 of
these bills now before the House were only passed by the Senate. The
House of Representatives never even held hearings or open debate on
these measures.

Representative Rob Bishop (R-UT) has indicated that he wants to at
least have the opportunity to offer an amendment to ensure that the
Second Amendment rights of all Americans are protected.

However, right now it looks as though the anti-gun House leadership
will refuse to allow any amendments to the bill, in order to ensure
that it goes straight to President Obama’s desk.

There is a possibility that an amendment to protect only hunting and
recreational shooting on federal land would be allowed. Such an
amendment by itself is not sufficient and is clearly designed as a
“cover” vote for gun rights compromisers.

Please contact your representative and urge him or her to insist that
an amendment be allowed to protect ALL of your Second Amendment rights
— not just hunting and recreational shooting.

ACTION: Please urge your Representative oppose S. 22. You can go to
the Gun Owners Legislative Action Center at
http://www.gunowners.org/activism.htm to send your Representative the
pre-written e-mail message below.

—– Prewritten Letter —–

Dear Representative:

I urge you to oppose S. 22. Among the many problems with this
1,294-page bill are the following concerns gun owners have:

* Section 2002 codifies the National Landscape Conservation System,
which groups together 26 million acres of federal land and places it
under one umbrella agency. The NLCS was created during the Clinton
administration and run administratively since that time. S. 22 will
make the system permanent, raising concerns for hunters and sportsmen.
Much of this land is consolidated from the BLM and the Forest Service,
which have always allowed hunting and recreational shooting. It is
unclear what rules will be promulgated by the new agency and if gun
owners’ rights will be protected at all.

* Section 5204 of the bill establishes the Washington-Rochambeau Route
as a Historic Trail. This dual trail begins in Rhode Island and
travels 650 miles to Yorktown, Virginia. The trail includes parts of
major thoroughfares on the east coast such as Interstate 95 and US
Route 1, meaning the gun ban could effect hundreds of thousands of
unsuspecting gun owners each day.

* Section 5301 authorizes the federal government to buy private land
adjacent to national parks and trails. Such land would be controlled by
the NPS, and thus be subject to the agencies’ anti-gun regulations.

Since it appears that amendments will not be allowed to this bill —
thus prohibiting any attempt to remove these troubling provisions — I
would urge you to vote against S. 22.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

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Urgent Alert: Montana Pro-Gun Bill Needs Your Help Now!

February 21, 2009

From NRA/ILA;

Urgent Alert: Montana Pro-Gun Bill Needs Your Help Now!
Friday, February 20, 2009

Please Stand-Up and Make Your Voices Heard!

Today, House Bill 427 was defeated by the Montana House by a 42-58 vote.  The bill could be resurrected as early as tomorrow (Saturday) but we need your help to achieve that.  Any State Representative who opposed the bill can vote to have the bill reconsidered.

HB427 repeals an unwarranted Prohibition-era law that prohibits the possession of suppressors on firearms “in the field or forest” while hunting. The current prohibition on suppressors is so archaic, so poorly written it even criminalizes benign conduct, like simply being outdoors with a suppressor.

Hunting laws should be designed to benefit law-abiding sportsmen, not to restrict what they may do in order to more easily apprehend the small minority of law breakers.

Suppressors for hunting should be allowed as one means of decreasing the conflict between hunters and non hunters who complain about the noise associated with gunfire. In addition, a growing number of hunters seek to use suppressors as a means of protecting their hearing and that of their hunting partners.

The idea that suppressors are the sole domain of criminals is one generated by Hollywood. It sets a dangerous precedent to enact or reject laws based upon this fallacy rather than the reality that the vast majority of hunters comply with all laws and regulations and simply seek to exercise options that best address their individual circumstances.

Under existing law, the Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks can prosecute the criminal misuse of suppressors (poaching).  Anti-hunting zealots believe that the use of suppressors gives hunters an unfair advantage over game animals. This illustrates their failure to understand the most fundamental principles of centerfire rifle ballistics.

Please contact the following State Representatives and respectfully urge them to support HB427 and to bring it up for reconsideration tomorrow (Saturday). Contact information can be found here.

Duane Ankney (R-Colstrip)
Bob Ebinger (D-Livingston)
John Fleming (D-St. Ignatius)
Dennis Getz ( D-Glendive)
Dennis Himmenberger (R-Billings)
Cynthia Hiner (D-Deer Lodge)
Mike Jopek (D-Whitefish)
Harry Klock (R-Harlowton)
Bill McChesney (D-Miles City)
Robert Mehlhoff (D-Great Falls)
Mike Milburn (R-Cascade)
Art Noonan (D-Butte)
Pat Noonan (D-Butte)
Jesse O’Hara (R-Great Falls)
Don Roberts (R-Billings)
Cheryl Steenson (D-Kalispell)
Ted Washburn (R-Bozeman)
Jeffrey Wellborn (R-Dillon)
Copyright 2009, National Rifle Association of America, Institute for Legislative Action.
This may be reproduced. It may not be reproduced for commercial purposes.
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Turkey Hunting: Making a Wing Bone Call

February 18, 2009

Making a Wing Bone call


While yakking away with Neil about my addiction, and therapy for it, I mentioned using a wing bone call. This lead to him asking where he could get one, and my response was “Just make it.” He asked how, I briefly explained the procedure, and he asked me to write a piece about it for Hunters central. So, here we go; I will also provide a link or two on the subject at the end by people that are much better writers than I am. I will also provide a little background that may or may not be of interest, or help in this little project.

Wing bone calls are a part of American History. Some people can call Wild Turkey’s using only their mouth. Most of us need a little assistance though, and so it has been for centuries. Native Americans were the first to use wing bone calls, and our forefathers were quick to learn about them. They passed on the knowledge of their construction, and I have been told that the skill is still taught across the Appalachian region. I first learned how to build this type of call from a retired Marine that had been raised in the back woods where as often as not; a successful hunt was the difference between eating well or not at all.

Like most new Turkey hunters I was not very good at getting a bird. The better hunting areas were also restricted by license “Draw” that most often did, and still do require several years accumulation of preference points. I was talking about this one day at the now defunct Al’s Sporting Goods in Arvada Colorado. Jeff, the old Marine that became my mentor asked a very good question of me; “Why don’t you put all that whine into a bone? You might even get close enough to get a bird if you do.” I looked at him like the idiot tyro that I was, and things went from there.

First, I needed the wing bone from an older Wild Turkey hen. Second, those previously mentioned hard to get licenses are very easy to get for the fall season, and, you can shoot hens as well as toms. I combined my deer season with a fall turkey hunt and the solution was at hand.

Domestic Turkey’s bones are too thin for making the best calls from, but I learned a work around for that problem which I will cover later.

I cook the bird first myself. Others say that is a “no no” so I am of a mind that it probably does not matter. What does matter is not cracking or crunching the wing bones!

I separate the wing from the carcass, and remove the very tip. Then remove all the meat from the remaining three bones. The technical names are Radius, Ulna, and Humerus but if you don’t have a background in Physiology or Medicine you can simplify them as big, middle, and small. Use a fine toothed small craft type saw and cut off the large ends of the bones. Then place them in a pot of water, to which I add a drop or two of dish soap, and also a few drops of chlorine bleach. That will soften the marrow in the center of the bones, as well as stabilize the colorization. Bring the water to a boil and simmer the bones for a short time. About ten to fifteen minutes seems to work, but don’t toss the water just yet. You might need additional baths for he bones. Remove the bones, and rinse them in clear water. Then, use a small wire or flexible piece of plastic to push out the bone morrow. An old ball point pens inner plastic tube seems to work well, just make sure that the ink is completely flushed. I have seen others recommend small pistol or rifle brushes for this task but all that has ever happened when I tried them was cracking the bones, rendering them useless. Repeat as needed to remove all traces of bone morrow.

Now, after drying the bones fit them together; the big bone to the middle bone, to the small bone. Some fine sand paper or crocus cloth will help to accomplish this. Don’t force the issue just sand the ends for a smooth fit. About a half an inch insertion is about right. Find the best position for you by turning the bones in your hand until you get a fit that feels right for you. Once you have located that, then use epoxy, JB Weld, or a similar product to glue the bones together. Let that set, and you are ready to go. I improve the joint strength by wrapping the joints with thread like you would a fishing rod guide, and coating them with lacquer or fly tying glue. I have also seen some that were supported with shrink tubing.

If using a domestic turkey’s bones follow the above instructions and after fitting coat the exterior of the bones with clear lacquer. A single coat seems to work although I have used as many as three coats before.

No two calls sound exactly alike, and that is a good thing when you are hunting birds that are well educated when it comes to staying alive in hard hunted areas.

To use a Wing Bone Yelper place it in your hand, cupping the call, then make a kissing or smacking noise over the end. It does take a bit of practice and you should try different positions in order to find out the best combination of kissing sucking angles and so on. Basically a yelper call, using bones from young and old birds, as well as from both Toms and Hens can have different results that can be a great boon in different hunting or photography situations. I once “froze” a Mountain Lion while Turkey hunting long enough to get a once in a lifetime picture using a Wing Bone Call made from two different Jake’s.

Patrick Sperry © 2009

Permission granted for not for profit, educational or brief review purposes.

Additional online related resources:

http://www.customcalls.com/makeawingbonecall1.htm

http://www.bowhunting.net/wildturkey.net/Articles/NWTF-2003-WingBoneCall.html

http://www.jesseshunting.com/wingbone-call.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHHXtzIv7ww

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