Does it do any good?

[PABuck_HNTR]

I look at this board lately and see all the talk about religion, abortion, sex scandals, and of couse politics. Are we so consumed by everyday news that we gloss over most hunting and gun related threads, and rush to post our opinions on gay marriage? Are we doing a disservice to those who may come here to find articles or information on hunting related topics and gun rights topics? Is the infiltration by some anti gun and anti hunting people here, who claim to be hunters or gun owners with different views, suceeding in taking our board over and sidetracking us away from important issues that relate to the sport that brought us to this site to begin with. Could we be sidetracked enough by weighing in on other issues not related to our sport to miss some of the things we can't afford to miss?

Should we form some kind of information network to inform as many of us hunters and shooters to whats going on with gun legislation? Or should we continue to send 35.00 a year to the NRA and say "I did my part , let them figure it out"? Membership in the NRA is important for sure , but is it enough? Not Hardly! Mike Bell, Strut and a few others here try to regularly inform people of whats going on. Do you use that information? Do you pass it on? Do you talk to people who don't hunt about hunting Do you invite someone whos never fired a gun to the range with you? Or do you just look at a post like this and say yeah yeah and rush to argue about whether or not Michael Jackson is a pedophile?

Just curious?



What did you do to help preserve gun and hunting rights today?

[strut]

F4YG's, I know what you mean, I have found a liberal forum that has several anti-gunners and I have been taking my arguments over there, I know I will not convert many of the hardcore dummies but its so easy to prove them wrong and show their ignorance with just a few facts , there are several people that read the post that don't respond maybe those people can and will see the ignorance of the anti-gun liberals when they see how they lie about guns and that they really don't know what they are talking about.

[stealthycat]

fight4yourguns

Honestly, I've done nothing lately on gun rights. I was an NRA member for years and finally got tired of all the crap they sent me, and the begging for money was worse than a stary dog begging for food - and sometimes you can't run those off.

Am I a bad American for it ? Maybe so, I dunno. I don't shoot anymore to ammount to anything, so its not on my mind about gun control. And with a Republican in the White House has gun issues really been prevalent at a govt level in the past 4 years like they were during the Clinton Years ?

I dunno, like I said, its not an issue for me like it was even 5 years ago. Sad maybe, but true.

[model722]

F4YG

Here is the way I see it, we are all hunters (I hope)on this site. It is good to post articles and news so we stay informed, but we all agree for the most part so why debate. I do constantly talk to anti's(or unsure folks) I'm not trying to make them hunters or even gun owners, but I do try to make them understand different strokes for different folks. Alot of times I can help them understand that we are not just a bunch of mindless dorks running around the woods. There is an old saying "know your friends, but know your enemys better". I still believe we can accomplish more through education then through name calling and passing judgement. Of course you still have those few nut cases that are behond any type of reasoning, but what the heck it's still worth a try. Let PETA and those groups keep doing what they're doing, they are slowly digging themselfs into a pit. I have talked to alot of folks and have been asked if hunters are as crazy and stupid as PETA, I just say a few kind words and go on. In other words leave a good impression, believe it or not it helps. Of course I also write congress and do other stuff, but I believe talking to others is just as important.

[Charlie P]

Do you use that information? Do you pass it on? Do you talk to people who don't hunt about hunting Do you invite someone whos never fired a gun to the range with you? Or do you just look at a post like this and say yeah yeah and rush to argue about whether or not Michael Jackson is a pedophile?

My local and at least one State official knows me,personally. The State official is also a hunter I stop and talk with him when he's in the yard.

Yes I talk to people that don't hunt. I think it's a good thing that some people don't talk with non-hunters, don't you?

I also take a few of the neighborhood kids scouting with me.

This spring my daughters teacher is letting me come in and doa presentation on how animals communicate. Did it last year in her Pre-school and it went over great. I don't stress hunting,but I bring my Turkey and grunt calls and a video that shows Turkeys gobbling and strutting and deer it really sucks them in.

I honestly believe politicians on a national level are not moved by E-mails and letters it's all about $$, and lobbyists.The individual citizen has lost their voice on the national scale.

[Deleted User]

[Deleted by Admins]

[PABuck_HNTR]

I also take a few of the neighborhood kids scouting with me.

This spring my daughters teacher is letting me come in and doa presentation on how animals communicate. Did it last year in her Pre-school and it went over great. I don't stress hunting,but I bring my Turkey and grunt calls and a video that shows Turkeys gobbling and strutting and deer it really sucks them in.

Thank You,you do more than most!

[farmcntry]

F4YG's, what do you do?

I help fund my friend, a NC hunters safety instructor. Local schools have ended Hunters Safety in the classroom and now they must pay for the course to be able to obtain hunting license.

My friend offers his course for free, but it does cost him, so I help him with materials and such.

I talk with non-hunters on almost a daily basis, and have been able to take their kids with me to shoot skeet and etc. I try to teach them about gun safety and then turn them over to my friend for the course.

Honestly, that's about it on my end.

[CalHunter]

F4YG, This is the poliitics section of the "NonHunting forum." Yes, I enjoy reading about 2nd amendment and other hunting issues when people post it. I also get email and mail updates about much of this same stuff from a variety of 2nd amendment and hunting resources. I don't think there is any anti-hunting/gun plot to take over this board and sidetrack us from gun issues.

I think many hunters and gunowners talk to quite a few non-hunting/shooting people about the positive aspects of guns and hunting. I regularly get to do so on my job as I get a lot of questions about both. this may not sound like a lot of people to you but I probably speak to at least 10-20 people per workday and often find them receptive to hunting and gun issues they were unaware of or had some concerns about. It's often some type of anti BS they've heard about and I am able to refute that with local crime and gun statistics that prove it just isn't so.

I think it's important to belong to whichever gun and hunting organizations you can afford to join as there is a lot of power in such organizations. Even if some people on here get tired of the NRA's fundraising, they still accomplish a lot of good for our sport and rights.

As for the effectiveness of what pro-gunners and hunters are doing, check out the latest fact sheet from the NRA-ILA that I've pasted below. Clear majorities of every group support a variety of gun and hunting issues. I say keep up the good work my fellow gunowners and hunters.

Fact Sheets
What American Voters Believe About
Firearm Owners` Rights And Hunting

The highly respected research firm Zogby International has conducted the first installment of its 2004 Zogby Values Poll, surveying 1,200 voters nationwide on issues that included firearms and hunting issues. Working with the Tower Center for Political Studies at Southern Methodist University and the O`Leary Report, Zogby`s questions interestingly examine differences in thinking between people living in the states that voted for George Bush in 2000 (Red states) and Al Gore (Blue states).

Voters were asked: "Do you agree or disagree that American firearm manufacturers who sell a legal product that is not defective should be allowed to be sued if a criminal uses their products in a crime?"

Voters in both Red and Blue states strongly oppose such lawsuits"”74% of the former and 72% of the latter. In fact, a majority in every demographic group opposed the lawsuits; the most strongly opposed, at 83%, were current members of the military and their families.

The survey also examined how Americans feel about Right-to-Carry laws, with the pollster asking: "Currently 36 states have laws that allow residents to qualify for a permit to carry a firearm to protect themselves if they pass a background check, if they participate in firearms training and pay a fee to cover administrative costs. Do you feel this is a good law or a bad law?"

Voters overwhelming favor these self-protection laws by a margin of 79% to 18%. Right-to-Carry drew better than 70% support in every demographic group, with even non-gun owners indicating their backing by 73% to 23%.

The survey also asked: "Which of the following two statements regarding gun control comes closer to your own opinion? Statement A: There needs to be new and tougher gun control legislation to help in the fight against gun crime; Statement B: There are enough laws on the books. What is needed is better enforcement of current laws regarding gun control."

By a better than two-to-one margin"”66% to 31%"”voters nationwide agreed with Statement B. Only self-identified liberals called for more laws, by a 53% to 44% margin. Moderates solidly favored better enforcement, 62% to 34%.

Voters were asked: "Do you agree the NRA is right to fight gun control on both the federal and state levels?" NRA`s support stood at 64%, with a party affiliation breakdown showed Democrats siding with NRA 54% to 42% and Republicans 73% to 22%.

Voters were also asked about hunting: "Which of the follow statements comes closer to your opinion? Statement A: Killing wild animals for food or sport is an American tradition and an essential part of wildlife management. Statement B: Hunting is a cruel sport and should be outlawed." Statement A was chosesn by of 92% of gun owners and 73% of non-gun owners.

The survey also addressed wildlife overpopulation, asking: "Some states in America are being overrun with growing populations of deer, bear, or wolves. When this happens, which of the following do you feel is the best option to take? 1) The state should lengthen hunting seasons; 2) Non-lethal methods of control should be used; 3) People should learn to live with wildlife."

Lengthening hunting seasons was the overwhelming response, chosen by 61% of the voters, while only 18% said use non-lethal methods, and 16% opted for coexistence.

The entire 2004 Zogby Values Poll can be found at www.olearyreport.com.

Posted: 1/16/2004

[PABuck_HNTR]

F4YG's, what do you do?

What do I do?

I'm a certified instructor to teach Basic Pistol and Basic Rifle classes. I teach junior shooters.I'm a certified Range Safety Officer. I'm a member of two local gun clubs I'm a member of the NRA The Second Amendment Foundation and Gun Owners of America. I have a diploma in Gunsmithing. I help to run classes in hunter education. I send email and newsletters to my gun club members to inform them of pending legislation regarding gun control laws or hunting changes for our state. I send hundreds of emails a year and 50 or 60 hand typed letters a year to my congressmen. I make phone calls on occassion to the same people. I attend some townhall meeting and city council meetings. I try to keep you guys on this board informed and thinking. I spend money I sometimes don't have to help the gun rights groups with their legislative programs. I buy ammo on National Ammo Day. I boycott groups or retailers who discriminate against me because I choose to enjoy the shooting sports.

I didn't post this thread to say I'm better than anyone else or to get a pat on the back. I just think that sometimes people who first come here to this board might get some impressions that we care more about other things.

I guess I wanted to point out that there are groups out there making alot of noise about the assault weapons ban and other gun related issues, like the emails I post from the Million Commie Mommies. These groups are way smaller than we are(gun owners) but the greasy wheel most of the time gets the grease. Do we make enough of a challenge for them?