Posted on 01/29/2006 12:48:45 PM PST by Pharmboy
HELENA, Mont. -- Hundreds of people barred from having guns because they are felons on parole or probation are still able to get hunting licenses in Montana with no questions asked, an Associated Press investigation found. Montana may not be alone.
While nearly all states ban felons from possessing guns, only a handful -- including Rhode Island and Maine -- keep them from receiving hunting permits, and just a few others -- such as Illinois and Massachusetts -- require hunters to show both a hunting license and a firearms license.
"Our license dealers have no way of checking," said Lt. Rich Mann, with the enforcement program for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. "If someone wants to play with the system and beat you at it, they will." The AP examination of Montana hunting and corrections records shows at least 660 felons on parole or probation received tags in the past year.
The findings are based on a comparison of unique first, middle and last names, along with other identifiable information, that appeared in databases of both hunters and felons.
A state probation official said the findings likely would prompt the state to consider its own records search to see if parolees are violating terms of their release. "Obviously that's a big concern, and it makes me want to look into each of these cases," said Ron Alsbury, Montana's probation and parole bureau chief. The licenses don't specifically require the use of firearms to hunt, and state officials note that most felons could legally hunt using other weapons, such as bows.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsday.com ...
I am afraid that you and your fellow law enforcement officers have strayed from serving and protecting. Your only real job these days is fund raising, tying to catch people doing something wrong or even setting them up so it is easier for them to do something wrong. That way, you get your h@rd on and raise money through their fines and fees.
Remember, cops used to drive and be seen in HWY traffic to prevent speeding and other unsafe behavior, but now they have unmarked cars and hide in strategic place to catch people. Game wardens used to walk among fisherman and set up handy roadside checkstations to have a presence, but now they put taxidermied trophy animals right off of roads trying to get average joes, who have never even seen such a wonderful animal, to shoot at them and then when they do break the law, the G game wardens give each other high fives and express pure glee for tricking and catching their fellow man. Basically what I am saying is, who the heck is brain dead my friend?
Clinton, as he was leaving office, pardoned an Arkansas friend who was a felon - so that he could go deer hunting with his rifle.
The Lautenburg law should also be canned.
And that shooting at sounds can be scary--and dangerous. Once while out turkey hunting some hunter not far away from me (hunting for deer, I presumed) cut out a volley of high-power rifle fire that tore the heck out of a swatch of tree branches near my head. I probably aged several years right there and then.
All felonies are not equal. They do not imply the person is a violent criminal, or that he would use the gun in a criminal way. Your argument is the same as the gun grabbers toot about nonfelons.
Makes sense--violent felons should give up the right to legally own a firearm. Embezzelers are not a danger...
The crimes I was thinking of were more along the lines of technical crimes. In some States, if a misdemenor could result in time spent in a State prison, the classification becomes felony. It could be late child support payments, or some paperwork/workrule violations. There are too many petty prosecutions that when coupled with this rule, deny justice. Embezzlers may not be violent, but they often don't change their habits.
A lot of people buy water fowl stamps, but never consider hunting. I've often bought a fishing license & trout stamps, even though I KNEW it was highly unlikely I would use them that year. Some of this coud be similar.
Also, what about hounding game? Even with no intent to shoot, don't they need the license to 'pursue'?
Trapping also doesn't need a weapon beyond a club ot knife, but in most places I've hunted, you need a general hunting license before you can buy the 'furbearer' tag.
Final analysis: AP/Newsday/antis just trying to stir $*** as usual.
How many hunters do you know who have had an accidental discharge after making a kill...say by forgetting to return the gun to safe? I've already confessed to one other mishap of mine...may as well confess to another. There is a hole in a certain part of my truck's anatomy due to a failure with the safety.
Last day of the season, last ten minutes, I'm sitting under a pine thinking, skunked again, when I see movement, scope up, antler, drop down, safety off, fire. Nice 8-pointer. I was hunting alone but I went to use the truck phone. I value my gun...okay I'm minimizing it...I screwed up.
I've told my wife so if anything happens she should be able to collect on my NRA life member insurance. Or do they make exceptions for stupidity?
You're not familiar with the alleged G. Gordon Liddy crimes as related to the Watergate situation? You must be very young! Click the link above to take you to some helpful information. He did maintain a sense of humor about it...the license plates on his black Corvette read "H2OGate" when he was driving that car a few years ago.
~ Blue Jays ~
Thanks.
They aren't allowed to have firearms, but what about bows and crossbows?
That's what the Dukes of Hazzard used.
If you will reread my post, I said "certain" felonies. No, not a gungrabber in the least but "accidental" deaths out hunting always deserve a closer look. I'm like a ATF agent that I know, he said (this to an open class of all sorts of folks), "If you have an empty corner in your house, put a gun in it". You, like many, are categorizing whole professions as to fitting a certain mold, ain't gonna happen.
Nope, don't know of any "stereotypical" game wardens, each is an individual, just like you. And yes, we still get "out there", make many contacts of which 97% or so are certainly not in violation of anything, just "routine" stuff, sorry to disappoint you. In Texas, we enjoy great support from the folks that we work for, the landowners, sportsmen and the general public. Roadblocks were declared "verboten" many years ago for game checks in Texas but we still patrol in MARKED vehicles with UNIFORMED personnel and BTW, we are very much in the public's eye.
...and yes, I took great glee in catching truly wrong doers out there, on foot at night usually or in a boat matching wits with a poacher, or two or three. You are not considering a number of things or you have an axe to grind, I don't, I did my duty and finished with an honorable record, no false arrests, no gunning folks down, what's amazing is that quite a few violators shook hands after it was all over. I'm coming from first hand experience, no axe to grind but back to my original thought: hunting "accidents" resulting in death deserve a closer look, I'm not saying that you railroad someone, not at all, get a grip and don't be so hostile. The "brain-dead" remark I used usually referred to some OFFICER chalking a hunting related death off to an "accident" without looking further, do you see my point? If not, then your mind is closed and there can be no rational exchange of ideas.
I did. It's not in there. Thanks anyway for clearing that up.
LOL! Oh yeah, hey I've seen lots of transmissions "murdered", there certainly are accidents no doubt, we've all had our careless moments including many officers, no one is exempt from the careless moment.
Wow, you gotta wonder sometimes, when it comes to game violations on these threads and I post something inevitably I'll get flamed for just having served in the profession! It's like someone not even in the same state will immediately know exactly what happened and that I (we) were being Gestapo, gungrabbers or just ol' everyday goons. But thick skin is a must, not an option in LE.
OOPS!, it's in the second sentence where I said "depending on felony", I stand corrected, I must take time to proofread more closely.
I've noticed that several believe in the "dues paid, get back to normal life" point of view about crime and punishment. Yes, I believe in that also but there are felons that you don't want running around with firearms ("weapons" to cops, "firearms" to sportsmen--have you noticed that labeling difference?) such as those convicted of murder, certain manslaughter convictions (not self-defense), etc.
I realize things can certainly get mighty ticky but well, those things are decided by courts and legislatures, not the cop on the ground--or the game warden--yikes! Nothing like being flamed around here, touchy folks sometimes...
Yes, that's right. They get out and do the same thing that put them there in the first place.
" "dues paid, get back to normal life"...those things are decided by courts and legislatures"
It's the ATFE that has prevented governors and legislatures from reinstating gun rights. They claim Congress has not funded the provisions contained in the '68 GCA to do that. So, they have rejected ever app., that came to them with a gov's signature. They claim they have the final say in the matter, and Congress has not addressed the problem.
""weapons" to cops, "firearms" to sportsmen--have you noticed that labeling difference?"
Often.
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