In response to a lawsuit filed today challenging the Environmental Protection Agency’s denial of a petition to ban traditional ammunition containing lead core components, the National Shooting Sports Foundation will file a…
Op-Ed: Criminals now live in fear, thanks to ‘Castle Doctrine’
by Jason Phillabaum
Aristotle said, “Law is order, and good law is good order.” Although the law passed well after Aristotle’s time, his quote rings very true in regard to Ohio’s “Castle Doctrine.”
Under the Castle Doctrine, citizens of Ohio can now welcome law and order back into their homes, instead of giving fear and anarchy a place at the dinner table.
Even though the doctrine may have some legal edges, the common-sense reasoning that supports the doctrine is — for many — a welcome reawakening of the right to protect your home and family. For far too long, rights of criminals have triumphed over the rights of law-abiding citizens.
Thankfully, through the Castle Doctrine, the pendulum of protection swings back to the citizenry — where it belongs. Long ingrained in our collective consciousness is the belief that a man’s home is his castle. If this concept is our societal belief, then every person should have every right to protect his or her home and family with all his or her might against anyone who would dare to break into his or her “castle.”
In simplified form, Ohio’s Castle Doctrine presumes that a resident acted in self-defense if he used force against someone who unlawfully enters his home or occupied vehicle. Homeowners having the law on their side is only a recent fact.
Prior to Ohio’s Castle Doctrine, homeowners had to show that they acted in self-defense to use force to defend their home. In other words, the burden was on the homeowners, and they had to make a snap decision about only using as much force as was reasonable to properly defend their home and family.
White-tailed Deer Hunters Increase Kill on Opening Day of Gun Season
Ohio hunters had near ideal weather for the opening day of deer-gun season. Hunters took 37,805 white-tailed deer on Monday, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. The deer-gun season remains open through Sunday, December 5, and then reopens for two days on Saturday and Sunday, December 18-19.
The preliminary figures from deer check stations throughout the state show an increase of 12.5 percent from last year’s opening day total of 33,607.
Counties reporting the highest numbers of deer checked on Monday included: Tuscarawas – 1,806; Coshocton – 1,536; Harrison – 1,439; Guernsey – 1,406; Holmes – 1,312; Licking – 1,259; Washington – 1,192; Ashtabula – 983; Muskingum – 930; and Athens – 886.
Combining the results of Monday’s harvest with those from the early muzzleloader season, the first six weeks of archery season and the recent youth deer-gun season, a preliminary total of 96,725 deer have been killed so far this deer hunting season. That number compares to 97,371 harvested last year at this time. In all, hunters took a total of 261,314 deer during all of last year’s hunting seasons.
Strickland pardons Ohio man so he can recover his right to bear arms
by Chad D. Baus
The Cincinnati Enquirer and other Ohio media reported recently that Governor Ted Strickland issued pardons to 33 individuals, including one who has testified in support of legislation that would align Ohio law with federal statutes regarding the restoration of rights to Ohio firearms purchasers.
J.A.W., 35, was convicted while in college (1999) for possession of marijuana. In August of 2007 a judge in Hamilton county granted him relief from disability pursuant to O.R.C 2923.14, restoring his gun rights. Ohio law was also modified that year (via HB347) which allowed him to obtain a concealed handgun license (the new law prohibited the sheriff from using a conviction where relief had been granted as grounds for denial).
Not long after that, however, citing a 1998 U.S. Supreme Court decision, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE) stopped accepting Ohio’s court orders restoring a citizen’s right to own firearms, and he was no longer considered by the FBI’s National Instant Check System (NICS) as eligible to purchase a firearm.
December 4 is Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry Day in Ohio
Last year, more than 116,750 pounds of venison donated to Ohioans in need With the opening day of Ohio’s deer-gun season on November 29, hunters are reminded that donating a deer is…
Pepsi on Verge of Giving $250K to HSUS?
Sportsmen- Tell Pepsi the Truth about HSUS
The country’s largest anti-hunting group, the Humane Society of the United States, appears to be on the verge of getting a $250,000 grant from Pepsi Cola. The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance (USSA) and others are working to inform Pepsi about HSUS’ true, animal rights agenda.
Pepsi will award $250,000 to the top two vote getters in an online grant program it developed to provide funding to a variety of projects. Currently, HSUS is leading.
The program, called the Pepsi Refresh Program, was started in January of 2010. According the rules, it is: “an online grant program which makes available millions of dollars to be granted to projects which are intended to improve communities through an online, democratic voting process…”
Up to 1,000 ideas can be submitted each month by individuals, companies and non-profit organizations. Thirty two of those ideas will be approved for funding based upon the number of votes received from registered online users. Of those thirty two; two will receive $250,000 and ten each will receive grants of $5 thousand, $25 thousand, or $50 thousand.
The Pepsi Refresh Program rules indicate that no proposal seeking funding can involve lobbying for the changing of laws. Consequently, the HSUS proposal that leads in the current round of voting claims its goal is to “rescue animals who are suffering from extreme neglect.”
However, as the USSA has argued many times, this simply frees up existing resources for HSUS to continue engaging in public policy battles. That means battles against sportsmen.
URGENT: Ohio House schedules sessions, but fate of pro-gun bills is still in doubt [UPDATED]
The Gongwer News Service is reporting that the Ohio House of Representatives has announced that it WILL hold full sessions on Tuesday, Dec. 7, and Wednesday, Dec. 8. “As needed” sessions were also set for Thursday, Dec. 9 and Tuesday, Dec. 14.
However, the story does not mention SB239 (Restaurant & Car Carry Rules Fix) and SB247 (Restoration of Rights) among whatever limited legislation action is being planned.
Additional information on a plan to bring these bills to a vote should be available on this website early next week. In the meantime, however, YOUR HELP IS NEEDED RIGHT NOW.
UPDATE 12/2/10: Please call your Representative immediately and ask that they sign the discharge petitions for Senate Bill 239 and Senate Bill 247, being circulated by State Rep. Danny Bubp’s office. Ask your representative to make extra effort, if needed, to get together with Rep. Bubp in person to sign the petition. By House rule, the petition circulator must witness the signatures, so your representative will need to make the extra effort to get together with Rep. Bubp in person to sign these petitions.
ODNR Extends Hotline Hours During Deer-Gun Hunting Season
Ohioans encouraged to report wildlife violations, illegal activity Individuals seeking information about the upcoming youth gun and white-tailed deer hunting seasons, or to report violations of state wildlife laws, can take advantage…
Time to give thanks for our great natural resources
by Larry S. Moore
The upcoming Thanksgiving Day and the holiday season is a time that I pause to give thanks each year. Typically this time of year my spare time is spent in the field hunting. Of course the Ohio deer season provides ample time for reflection from my deer stand. Whether or not game is harvested, there is always something to celebrate for my time spent outdoors.
I often listen to the stories of the old-timers, a group that I am fast approaching membership, when they talk about life in the last century. However, looking back, the current years are perhaps the best days when considering wildlife viewing opportunity, natural beauty and cleaner waters. We’ve certainly come a long way since the early 1900s. There is a lot for which to be thankful as we are truly enjoying some of the best hunting and outdoor recreation opportunities that the last hundred years has had to offer.
Dispatch article: Buckeye sticks to her guns for shot at Olympics
The Columbus Dispatch is reporting that a sophomore at The Ohio State University is working to secure her spot in the 2010 Olympics rifle competition.
From the article:
In high school, Amanda Furrer was a source of intrigue to her classmates, who knew her as “the shooter girl” for hitting the range both before and after class.
She missed about half her senior year while traveling from suburban Spokane, Wash., to international rifle competitions. At 17, she served as a first alternate for the 2008 Olympic team.
“That’s almost unheard of,” said Pat Cherry, her coach on the Ohio State rifle team. “I think she’s almost a positive to be in the next Olympics, unless something unforeseen happens.”
For now, the sophomore finance major is training intensely in shooting small-bore and air rifle for two teams.
On Sunday, Furrer will shoot in a coed match at OSU, where she’s one of four women on the 13-person team.
Later that day, she’ll fly to Rio de Janeiro for the Championship of the Americas, one of several tournaments in which she and the other women on the U.S. National Rifle Team will try to secure spots for the 2012 Olympics.
“That’s just crazy” to do both competitions, she said.
“But I think the NCAA matches are really good training for the bigger matches.”
According to the story, Furrer has been successful this year at both levels, winning the NRA National Intercollegiate Indoor Championships and receiving gold medals in the World Shooting Championships and the National Junior Olympic Championships.