writer500-

First off, I do think that you posted your initial question simply as a request for knowledge and research for something with which you were not familiar.

You have to understand, though, that this is an issue to which we' re all VERY sensitive. Popular culture and media (news and entertainment) are in a constant mode of political correctness and are, either directly or inadvertantly, attacking our Second Amendment. It is a RIGHT.

Hunting and fishing, to most of us, is truly a way of life - as has been previously mentioned. It' s a philosophy and for many damn near a religion. Unfortunately, it' s a philosophy and way of life that is not respected by supposedly open-minded folks that play such a large role in the national discussion on this issue - most notably politicians. This is the problem when you have decision-makers working to decide things about something that they have no knowledge. Walking a cornrow and having a pheasant explosively flush at your feet... sitting on stand for hours in the crisp fall air and seeing a handsome buck cautiously step just out of range... watching that trout sip in a fly that you have tied and delicately cast out into a gentle stream - these are the ultimate thrills that we enjoy - and these are the gun-owners who are DRASTICALLY underrepresented in popular discussion. To those who would take away guns - you won' t solve a thing. Criminals will still be criminals, and law-abiding citizens will be the only ones hurt by having a way of life trampled on.

I encourage you to look up the NRA for the loudest voice from our perspective - www.nra.org. Unfortunately, the voice of law-abiding gun owners and hunters is not immediately available through your TV.

Like I said before, I think you started this thread in a genuine search for knowledge. But hopefully somewhere in this you will see why we take it seriously. Because it is.