|  David Krassler, of Citari Kennels, with a nice 300 pound spring Black Bear in New Brunswick, Canada. Photo by: Author
Federal, State and local laws apply to all selling and buying of firearms, regardless of where they are purchased! Most firearms owners know there is no such thing as a “gun show loophole”, but the general public, having been continuously feed lies and half-truths concerning firearms ownership, readily believes these stories that somehow the laws do not apply to at gun shows. The majority of gun dealers at gun shows are licensed Federal Firearms Dealers (FFL); a few others are private individuals selling their own individual firearms or their collections. Licensed firearms dealers must do a background check prior to completing any sale. Sales of long guns and shotguns, in most states, can now be accomplished via a phone call and two forms of photo identification; some states do require a previously obtained Firearms Identification card (FID). Handgun sales requirements in some states can be the same as for long guns, while others may also require a pistol permit signed by your local law enforcement agency, an F.I.D. card and a waiting period. By the way most of these permits and I.D. cards carry processing fees, which can range from $5-100! And most states requiring permits for handguns require a permit for each handgun purchased, some states also limit the number of handguns an individual may purchase in a certain given period of time! The truth is, the procedures for purchasing a firearm at a gun show are exactly the same as if you were buying at your local gun store.
Where legal, some private sales do take place at gun shows, however, they are still required to follow the laws concerning such sales; weather they take place at a gun show or private home. In some states permits may still be required to purchase handguns through private sales and all laws prohibiting the possession or purchasing of firearms by convicted felons and other banned individuals still apply. The truth of the matter is that their main objective is to eliminate the private sale or transfer of firearms. Their goal is to eliminate these practices and have all private sales and transfers go through an FFL dealer and have a FBI background preformed, basically building a firearms registration database. This legislation may sound quite innocuous and may make sense to you or you may believe it will not affect you. However, want to pass on your gun collection to family members or give your son or daughter a firearm for their birthday…this legislation will cost you time, more money and the possibility of your firearms being confiscated!
On the hunting front, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) recently released a report claiming that seven to nine million ducks and geese are lost annually due to hunters crippling the birds and being unable to recover them. The report commissioned by HSUS was written by a Canadian, Dr. Robert Alison, and goes on to state that the birds suffer an “excruciating and prolonged agony” after being struck by hunters’ shotgun pellets resulting in a “miserable death”.
According to the paper some 50 to 150 ducks and geese are wounded for every 100 bagged! HSUS spokesperson Bette Stallman claimed that the purpose of the report was to increase awareness of the high rate of wounding. She said that the HSUS would use loopholes in existing laws based on the extraordinary degree of animal suffering and conservation of species. Stallman went on to say that the HSUS would use administrative and public pressure as well as legal options to overturn these laws and change current regulations in an effort to benefit wildlife.
HSUS inspiration is obviously based on the recent events in Australia, where voters ratified legislation banning the shooting of ducks based on reports that the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals presented claiming high crippling rates. Stallman said that HSUS is not ruling out the possibility of taking their message directly to the voters, hinting at public ballot initiative. Some experts believe that the first such North American test will occur in Canada, where a majority of voters reside in urban population centers and hunter numbers, particularly waterfowlers, continue to shrink. | |
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