Muskoka Outdoors

National Geographic’s newest TV series, Wild Justice, is the kind of show that brings an exciting mix of CSI and Miami Vice to a California wildlife and forest setting. A show that puts poacher’s on notice and documents the adventures of California Game Wardens.

Wild Justice starts in a Wednesday night time slot of 10pm on December 1, 2010. A sneak peak of two back-to-back episodes can be viewed Sunday, November 28 at 9pm.

Wild Justice Nov. 28 at 9PM on National Geographic - Photo: National Geographic

The show exposes the dangers of the warden’s job and the challenges that these heroes of our wild areas endure each day on duty.

The reality of many remote areas, in our countries, is that criminals and poachers outnumber game wardens and law enforcement. Quite often, the wardens are in locations where a quick call for back-up is not possible.

Check out the preview (below) of the upcoming episode titled, Thrill Killer.

In this episode, Warden Brian Boyd and his trainee John Fraley take an unusual approach to catching hunters suspected of trafficking bear gallbladders.

Using real bear paws to mask his tracks and a scent drag to imitate bear presence in the area, Boyd hopes to lure the hunters into a trap that will enable him to catch them red-handed.

Wild Justice (and the web previews I have seen so far) have tweaked my curiosity as a hunter and angler. I am reminded of the importance of following local hunting regulations even when it might be easy for nobody to find out about it.

It’s about integrity.

When a hunter does something illegal in the forest and nobody is around to see it – it is STILL illegal. The terms ‘hunters’ and ‘anglers’ have been tarnished because they are often used interchangeably with the despicable  term of  ’poacher’.

One reason is because of media mis-representation – either intentional or not.

The second, and most important, is that many ex-hunters and anglers have lacked the integrity to harvest fish and wildlife in the ethical and humane manner they deserve. At that moment, when laws are broken and the code is forgotten – they become poachers.

Wild Justice gets a two-thumbs up from me.

Poachers be warned.

Bill C-391, An amendment to the Criminal Code (repeal of the long gun registry), passed a major hurdle in the legislative process earlier today when it was approved at Second Reading in the House of Commons.

For 14 years, the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (O.F.A.H.) has been determinedly fighting to scrap the long gun registry through media campaigns, rallies, presentations and meetings with public officials and politicians, and most recently, a national online petition.

The bill, a simple and straightforward piece of legislation was introduced earlier this year by Candice Hoeppner, Conservation M.P. for Portage-Lisgar, Manitoba. Once passed, the bill will provide for the repeal of the ill fated and much maligned long gun registry, created by the former Liberal government as part of Bill C-68 in 1995. The requirement to take firearms safety training, obtain a license and practice safe storage and transportation of legal firearms will not be impacted upon by the legislation.

“This is an important moment for law-abiding firearms owners across Canada. Since 1995, the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters, our provincial and territorial affiliates, recreational shooting organizations, hunters and farmers have been calling on the government to abolish the long gun registry, a paper trail nightmare which has cost Canadian taxpayers almost $2 billion dollars, a far cry from the promised $2 million dollar price tag,” said O.F.A.H. Manager of Government Relations and Communications, Greg Farrant. “We appreciate the fact that several members of the New Democratic and Liberal opposition in Parliament recognized the importance of this issue to their constituents and voted their conscience. Over the last few years, every major public opinion poll has clearly indicated that Canadians believe that the system has failed the test and hasn’t enhanced public safety or saved lives.”

The vote was one step in a long process that has seen law-abiding firearms owners across Canada and almost 80,000 signatories on petitions earlier this year urging the government to end the long gun registry. Two major police associations, some police chiefs and many frontline police officers across Canada have also indicated that they support elimination of the long gun registry.

“There is still much work to be done before Bill C-391 is finally passed, however this speaks to one important aspect of the government’s larger commitment to scrap Bill C-68. Ms. Hoeppner has shown a great deal of perseverance and has fulfilled a commitment to her constituents. She deserves a great deal of credit for recognizing the problem and tackling the issue head on,” said O.F.A.H. Executive Director, Mike Reader. “The bottom line is that criminals don’t register firearms. Instead of creating a paper chase for the law-abiding, the system needs to be revamped to focus on law breakers who use illegal firearms, many of them smuggled into Canada from the U.S., to commit crimes in our communities.”

With over 100,000 members, subscribers and supporters, and 660 member clubs, the O.F.A.H. is the largest nonprofit, charitable, fishing, hunting and conservation-based organization in Ontario, and the voice of anglers and hunters. For more information, visit www.ofah.org.

Contact
Greg Farrant
Manager, Government Relations and Communications
705-748-6324 ext 236
705-875-0274 (cell)

Lezlie Goodwin
O.F.A.H. Communications Coordinator
705-748-6324 ext 270

*Press Release Used With Permission

Ekos Research is currently conducting a poll of firearms owners using contact information obtained from the Canadian Firearms Centre (CFC). When the federal government was alerted to the existence of the poll they knew nothing about it and immediately began an investigation.

The O.F.A.H. shares the concern over this action expressed by the Canadian Shooting Sports Association (CSSA). The O.F.A.H. has written to the Minister of Public Safety to protest this action by the CFC and strongly agrees with the suggestion that if contacted by Ekos Research, all firearms owners should decline to participate in what is an obvious attempt to justify the continuation of the wasteful and badly flawed long gun registry. It is particularly disturbing that they would undertake this action when Bill C-391 to scrap the long gun registry is expected to come forward for Second Reading by the end of September, particularly since much of the information requested in the poll is already on their databases.

The CFC may have violated your privacy by releasing this information, despite assurances from the government of the day that this would never happen.

It is now more critical than ever that MPs support the passage of Bill C-391 that will bring an end to the long gun registry. If you live in a riding where your federal Member of Parliament is either Liberal or NDP, call their office immediately and urge them to support C-391. For more information visit the OFAH news site here.

*Press Release used with permission

So, four guys get ‘detained’ and 5 registered long guns (or rifles/shotguns) get confiscated in Vancouver’s West End. CTV News’ somewhat ‘sensationalized’ report said,

That’s when the men were taken into custody and five long-barreled rifles were seized, she said. But after checking police found out that the guns were legally registered to one of the men. Entire CTV Article Here

The article then says that there could still be charges laid because they are investigating if the firearms were being ‘correctly’ transported.

Come on.

How hard is it to determine if the firearms were unloaded, the action removed (where applicable), and trigger locks in place (where applicable), and locked in a trunk or similar compartment? You don’t have to be Sherlock Holmes or CSIS to figure that out! Transporting Non-Prohibited Firearms rules can be found on the Department of Justice Website. The photo in the article would certainly indicate that the firearms were in cases. That exceeds the law requirement in this case. One could be fairly safe in saying that a bank robber wont’ bother to take the time to case and un-case and load their rifle on the bank’s doorsteps.

Perhaps, the ‘alert citizen’ and CTV news could read up on these rules before they jump to conclusions. The citizens harrassed in this news article did nothing wrong. Start chasing gang members, bank robbers, terrorists and associated idiots with unregistered guns and leave the law abiding citizens alone.

I got an email from Jeff regarding the Perth Gun and Hunting Show. In his email he says,

Please, if possible, post attachment in your place of business, workplace , website or club. There are still tables for this years show. We are always looking for new and interesting vendors. If you plan to attend the show (not as a vendor) and wish to bring in any small item to sell or trade as for Jeff at the door and he will help direct you to the right people. Old ammunition, shell boxes, decoys , knives, game calls , or firearms are always welcome… Also, if you wish to have your company or business flyer or samples made available at the show, email us and we will give you an address to send them to…(the email address is a the bottom of this post)

The details about the show are:

SAT. & SUN. April 19th&20th
Sat. 9a.m. – 4 p.m. Sun. 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Perth Arena
2 Beckwith Street East

Admission $5.00 (under 16 free with adult)
VENDOR INQUIRIES CALL
JEFF 905-790-3614

TABLES AVAILABLE $35 / WEEKEND

BUY/SELL/TRADE
NEW/USED/COLLECTABLES

MILITARY ITEMS
KNIVES GUN PARTS
ARCHERY AMMUNITION
ANTIQUE AND MODERN FIREARMS
HUNTING CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES

Email for more information: CANADIANGUNOWNER@ROGERS.COM

No one likes to see anyone get killed. The recent shooting of a Yonge St. bystander is no exception. The gun used in the crime happened to be registered to the person who did the slaying. This is something that happens rarely as the problem behind gun crime are the criminals and gang members who use illegal guns. The problem is not caused by those of us who legally use registered guns.

Criminals are not deterred by a gun registries. They don’t care.

They won’t care about a call for a handgun ban by Ontario’s Premier and Toronto’s Mayor. In a Toronto Star article, McGuinty says,

“We have a shared responsibility, both Mayor Miller, myself and Prime Minister Harper and Canadians generally, to ask ourselves what more we might do to reduce the incidence of gun violence on our streets,” McGuinty said yesterday at Union Station.

I would like to remind Mr. McGuinty that the gun violence on the street is caused by gangs and criminals, not by the very small percentage of registered handgun owners. A gun ban would only target a small percentage of guns in Canada.

All the law abiding citizens have already registered them.

A gun registry was already supposed to reduce gun crime and protect citizens. Remember, we wasted close to 2 billion dollars on that. It did not help on Young Street.Think of the amount of police officers that money could have hired. A previous post I wrote suggests that would have been 19, 607 more officers.

Criminals would feel that.

I am positive the next step would be for a ban on all firearms. Again, the criminals would care less and that would leave 2 factions with guns. The Government and criminals.

That’s a bad mix. Especially, when you would have to wait for a 911 directed officer to come to your rural home and counter the gun toting criminal holding you up in your room.

I will end this post with another reference to a handgun ban video I did. I know I have used it before…but it fits so well.