Impact of Anti-Gun Legislation on Hunting and Formal Target Shooting in Maryland

[dreadpirate]

I see a lot of discussion on 2A infringement, and with good reason for sure. I am wondering if anyone is looking at the impact on Hunting and formal Target shooting (e.g. CMP matches) as a result of current and pending legislation, not to mention that any real effect on addressing gun violence is dubious at best.

I am looking at Maryland DNR numbers for deer harvest dated Dec 2018:

https://news.maryland.gov/dnr/2018/12/18/hunters-harvest-31000-deer-during-firearms-season/

I see a lot of negative numbers in changes for deer harvest totals. I suppose you could just dismiss all this by blaming the weather. But in the face of these declining numbers there are a lot of proposed restrictions and red tape for owners of ordinary hunting rifles and shotguns. Not to mention talk of a substantial tax on ammo.

I think there is a strong case to be made that the laws being proposed will have a devastating effect on hunting (let alone a lot of legitimate recreational shooting). Do people realize what an increase in the deer population means? If the deer population is not kept in check, they will deforest the area and destroy the habitat for rest of the ecosystem. Don't we have a responsibility to manage our natural resources?

Or at least that's a case I would make. Just another angle to consider.

 

[Rack&Roll]

...Do people realize what an increase in the deer population means? If the deer population is not kept in check, they will deforest the area and destroy the habitat for rest of the ecosystem. Don't we have a responsibility to manage our natural resources?

Or at least that's a case I would make. Just another angle to consider.

This, EXACTLY!!

 

[teratos]

Deer fart and create global warming.

 

[shootin the breeze]

Deer fart and create global warming.

True but nowhere near the hot air coming out of occasional cortex’s blowhole. Shut her up and we’d have an ice age.

 

[Doctor_M]

Public safety hazard too... every year in Maryland there are about 10,000 deer/vehicle accidents. Unchecked populations will only increase that number.

 

[ironpony]

Sorry guys, this crap is for the children and not 10K + auto accidents or deer farts. insert :sarcasm sign guy here.

 

[dreadpirate]

Here's another thought; if we build, well anything, you need an environmental impact assessment if you so much as harm a butterfly. Someone from DNR should chime in and make an assessment of what this would do for hunting numbers. Not to mention everyone (not on this board per se) wants to cry and moan about the economic impact from the partial government shutdown. Well what's the economic impact of all this? You might say "it's a drop in the bucket". Ok - but the consequences of this anti-gun legislation just keep piling up.

 

[jollymon]

Public safety hazard too... every year in Maryland there are about 10,000 deer/vehicle accidents. Unchecked populations will only increase that number.

That is factored in for your Insurance rates , Less deer , Less payout by Insurance companies .

 

[dreadpirate]

That is factored in for your Insurance rates , Less deer , Less payout by Insurance companies .

Add that to the list.

 

[Mark75H]

Hunting guides would no longer be allowed to provide shotguns to waterfowl hunters. Might put a significant number of them out of business. Customers would just hunt in VA or NC where loaning a shotgun to a customer remains legal, at least at this time.

 

[Uncle Duke]

There seems to be some consensus that approx 88,000 Maryland hunters spend somewhere in the neighborhood of $2800 to $3000 annually on hunting related activities.

This figure initially seemed high to me. But when you take into account licenses, travel expenses, hunt club and land access fees? There’s rifles and shotguns and ammunition, boots and applicable clothing, meals and lodging and guide services and game processing. There are trips and tips and misc. supplies that oftentimes include hunting inspired ATV’s and sometimes RV’s, and dozens of other things that escape me at the moment.

The figure is probably not too far off. One thing for sure....whatever the figure is, it’s significant.


https://www.prnewswire.com/news-rel...-economic-activity-in-maryland-300747285.html

 

[Allen65]

The strategy of the hardcore antis is to incrementally reduce the size of the population involved with firearms until it's too small to fight finally getting steamrolled out of existence. In their line of thinking, economic contributions of shooting sports like hunting actually impede getting to their goal. The larger the contribution, the bigger the problem to them.

 

[Threeband]

Free condoms for deer.

 

[dreadpirate]

Free condoms for deer.

Yeah - there was a lot of push back from the bucks when they were told they had to buy their own condoms.

 

[Allen65]

Yeah - there was a lot of push back from the bucks when they were told they had to buy their own condoms.

Only from the young ones. The old bucks know better and pay for prevention than to take that kind of risk with potentially emotionally needy does. And fawn support costs a lot of corn.

 

[DivingDriver]

Free healthcare for all deer!!!

 

[paxfish]

There seems to be some consensus that approx 88,000 Maryland hunters spend somewhere in the neighborhood of $2800 to $3000 annually on hunting related activities.

This figure initially seemed high to me. But when you take into account licenses, travel expenses, hunt club and land access fees? There’s rifles and shotguns and ammunition, boots and applicable clothing, meals and lodging and guide services and game processing. There are trips and tips and misc. supplies that oftentimes include hunting inspired ATV’s and sometimes RV’s, and dozens of other things that escape me at the moment.

The figure is probably not too far off. One thing for sure....whatever the figure is, it’s significant.


https://www.prnewswire.com/news-rel...-economic-activity-in-maryland-300747285.html

I kinda skew the numbers I guess. I spend about $20 a season plus a license to take a deer or two. Maybe some fresh doe pee, and a bit of powder and ball.

Now, fishing on the other hand.....

 

[delaware_export]

California recently came to the conclusion, at least partly, they needed to recruit new hunters. All the stuff they are doing anti gun is not very good for hunting. They didn’t phrase it exactly that way but it does seem related.

It’s a shame that a place with such abundance is so blasted crazy.

 

[dreadpirate]

I kinda skew the numbers I guess. I spend about $20 a season plus a license to take a deer or two. Maybe some fresh doe pee, and a bit of powder and ball.

Now, fishing on the other hand.....

We are in real trouble if we have a red flag law for fishing tackle. I guess when all the guns are banned, that will be next.

 

[Kagetsu]

We are in real trouble if we have a red flag law for fishing tackle. I guess when all the guns are banned, that will be next.

Think safety. Ever had a hook slung in your ear? Somebody knows somebody that tells a story that somebody nearly lost their ear. Life jacket, helmet, safety glasses and that cone that dogs wear. And there should be a training permit required for such a sharp weapon. Barbs should be banned. You don't need a barb to catch a fish.