tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-646025171886008830.post1216796283013170973..comments2023-06-06T08:31:42.360-07:00Comments on The SoCal Bowhunter: California AB 711 - The Anti's Are At It Again...and WinningAlbert Quackenbushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05601926880788750927noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-646025171886008830.post-79548850447558074422013-09-17T15:10:51.454-07:002013-09-17T15:10:51.454-07:00Thanks for your enthusiasm.
I hunt almost exclusi...Thanks for your enthusiasm.<br /><br />I hunt almost exclusively with a bow but understand this is one more step to eliminate all hunting. <br /><br />If the Governor signs this into law I hope and trust that it will shock all sportsmen in the state and get them off their buts to do something to stop these assaults on sportsmen. <br /><br />The California Rifle and Pistol Association and its members are doing a fine job of trying to hold the line on this and all the other 50 or so bills that have been introduced to limit gun ownership and to take wildlife management out of the hands the scientific experts. <br /><br />I encourage everyone to join this fine organization to stay informed and involved. It is critical!<br /><br />BobBob Kochnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-646025171886008830.post-20893872376111055502013-05-17T19:53:40.439-07:002013-05-17T19:53:40.439-07:00There were over 100 environmental groups who petit...There were over 100 environmental groups who petitioned the EPA on taking action to ban lead, both in ammunition and fishing lures and sinkers. In April 2012, the House of Representatives passed a measure, along party lines mind you, to effectively reinforce the notion that the EPA could not. I have also seen things happen within different state wildlife agencies based on either agenda driven legislation or monetary driven legislation in which the purpose of new laws and regulations were based on false or faulty reports. Meanwhile, the biologists for those very same state's agencies kept insisting that the data was false and it passed anyway.<br />Also, I find it interesting that data on dove mortality based on lead shot found in fields where hunts had taken place could cause massive kills, yet during the same period of the study, dove daily bag limits increased 25% (from 12 birds to 15 birds) due to higher dove populations. Which is it? Higher death tolls or higher populations?<br />I think the real facts are we don't know what the real facts are. Politics and agendas drive just about every agency now, from the EPA, to the IRS, to weather and climate change.Bill Howardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07332481397303536599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-646025171886008830.post-80646336459827081952013-05-17T12:01:22.699-07:002013-05-17T12:01:22.699-07:00Excellent tips, Phillip. I always appreciate your ...Excellent tips, Phillip. I always appreciate your honesty and not skirting around a point (mainly me speculating). I wholeheartedly agree with what you have said. I understand what you are saying about the EPA. While I understand they can't pass legislation, they can push to have it done. <br /><br />Thank you for writing such a detailed response. This is just what we needed to read and we DO need to do more than just call and write. We need to show up! Albert Quackenbushhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05601926880788750927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-646025171886008830.post-53656712504007355352013-05-17T11:53:06.608-07:002013-05-17T11:53:06.608-07:00Good stuff, Al. Harness that rage, and channel it...Good stuff, Al. Harness that rage, and channel it to get other CA sportsmen motivated enough to get off their butts, quit complaining about the government, and do something about it. Maybe it's too late for CA, but the efforts to spread this around the country are unabated. <br /><br />Important, by the way, to keep to the facts. Stay away from speculation, because it will come back and bite you later... and that hurts your credibility.<br /><br />Good examples:<br /><br />Condors are almost certainly getting lead exposure from sources other than lead bullets. I think that's valid. However, they are still eating lead bullets in the condor zone. Anyone who thinks there's 100% compliance with the ban is naive. There are plenty of folks out there still shooting lead.<br /><br />Point is, though, expanding the ban around the state isn't going to change that. There are scofflaws, poachers, and ranchers who couldn't give a rat's ass about condors when it comes to knocking off the ground squirrels, hogs, and coyotes on their properties. There are people who simply don't know. I can't tell you how many hunters have shown up for hog hunts with "silvertip" ammo, believing it wasn't lead. It wasn't by design on their part... they honestly didn't know the difference, and in a couple of cases, they were told by the salesman that the ammo was legal in the condor zone! No amount of legislation is ever going to change this.<br /><br />Another meme running around is that lead-free ammo is technically a violation of the armor-piercing, or "cop killer" bullet ban. First of all, let's be clear that the ban on armor-piercing ammo only affects handguns... not long guns (because almost any centerfire rifle bullet will penetrate soft body armor). This harkens back to recent discussions at BATF in regards to the growing number of handguns that are chambered to shoot rifle ammunition, such as the Thompson Contender. Bottom line, there is no current threat to lead-free ammo on that front.<br /><br />As far as the EPA, let's be clear that they are not trying to ban lead ammo (or fishing tackle). The EPA is not authorized to pass any legislation on ammo, and they have twice rejected petitions to ban lead. I did recently hear that there's some backdoor maneuvering to change the law so that the Agency can rule on ammunition, but I haven't had a chance to follow up on that. Could be just hearsay. Nevertheless, the "enemy" here is the Center for Biological Diversity and their assorted cronies. They are the ones beating down the EPA's doors to jam this legislation through... and lord knows we better hope they're not successful. While the CA ban currently only applies to hunting, the proposal before the feds is to ban ALL lead ammo. That's right... your skeet shooters, target plinkers, competition shooters will all feel this one. It's not just hunters. Even law enforcement would be currently included (although the CBD claims that there will be some sort of exclusion for LE purposes, there's nothing in writing that says so).<br /><br />The thing here that is NOT an untruth is that the major driver behind all of this is the anti-hunting organizations. They do see this impending legislation as another victory in their incremental assault on CA hunters. Given the current make-up of the state government, they're not going to see much resistance in their efforts. <br /><br />CA hunters need to step up. Contacting your legislators is just a start. You guys need to seriously consider marching in the streets. Crowding every Senate session, and speaking out to the media (some of them will give you space or air time... just don't act like an idiot when you get on there. Stick to facts, not speculation, and don't play the "victim" game. Nobody buys that from hunters.) Seriously, the HSUS and other groups think they've got CA hunters over a barrel. That's not a place you want to be.<br />Philliphttp://www.hog-blog.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-646025171886008830.post-50597623974233649662013-05-17T10:35:08.619-07:002013-05-17T10:35:08.619-07:00AB 711 must be stopped. Contact your representativ...AB 711 must be stopped. Contact your representative, and let them know you are opposed to this legislation. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01306343362264484065noreply@blogger.com