Gun owners who have historically been able to use public lands for target practice would be barred from potentially millions of acres under new rules drafted by the Interior Department, the first major move by the Obama administration to impose limits on firearms.
Officials say the administration is concerned about the potential clash between gun owners and encroaching urban populations who like to use same land for hiking and dog walking.
“It’s not so much a safety issue. It’s a social conflict issue,” said Frank Jenks, a natural resource specialist with Interior’s Bureau of Land Management, which oversees 245 million acres. He adds that urbanites “freak out” when they hear shooting on public lands. [Read about the subpoena issued as a result of Operation Fast and Furious.]
If the draft policy is finally approved, some public access to Bureau lands to hunters would also be limited, potentially reducing areas deer, elk, and bear hunters can use in the West.
Conservationists and hunting groups, however, are mounting a fight. One elite group of conservationists that advises Interior and Agriculture is already pushing BLM to junk the regulations, claiming that shooters are being held to a much higher safety standard than other users of public lands, such as ATV riders.
Read More at US News By Paul Bedard, US News
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I feel this is a conspiracy to give the drug cartels and illegal 's a super highway where they are untouchable, and at the same time take away our shooting and hunting privilages. Obama and his entire socialist regime need to step back and leave our rights alone, since he lacks the time to do anything worth while!
"They note that shooters have a much lower injury rate than others, like ATV users."
Of course the difference is that morons on ATVs kill or injure themselves, and occasionally their kids. Morons with guns kill other people.
And the restriction would take place only if "reasonable attempts to reduce or eliminate the violations by the BLM have been unsuccessful." No violations, no problem.
James, Baby, why don't you and your gay-boy hero, Obozobongo, go together to stop the shooters? Do you have a bicycle?
Any nitwit who has hung around here as long as you have, Bug, should know I'm not a big fan of Obama's. And as a gun owner, I also do not favor of letting any nitwit shoot up anything s/he wants, thereby harming the reputations of those of us who know what we're doing with firearms.
I submit to you, James, morons with pens have killed exponetially more people than your afore mentioned morons with guns.
And to add, if I had a choice to be a moron with an ATV, a moron with a pen or a moron with a gun I should choose to be an armed moron. How about you, James?
No question–and I happen to have plenty of pens and plenty of guns. In fact, I've taught gun safety, and have spent most of my life in the West, and have had the experience of someone shooting past my wife's head while we were fly fishing.
In other words, I have an appreciation for guns and the Second Amendment, and a recognition that far too many people carrying them are morons. Unfortunately too many people on both sides refuse to acknowledge one or the other.
Indeed–especially the morons with pens who have the power to send people with guns to kill and die.
You are correct, Sir. The morons with the power to send us in harms way, in my opinion, does not, in most cases, have the moral convictions to exercise those powers. However, thank God we have those who choose to take up arms in defense of this nation. God bless them.
I agree completely.
I can see it now, "Oh, I hear gunfire ….. let's run over there and look at the targets, really, really, close to see if they are hitting the target".
It some one wants to freak out when they hear gunfire, that is their right.
They also have the right to leave the area if they don't like it.
Tell me I can't shoot there is infringing upon my rights.
Your rights end where mine begin – understand that.
We have turned into a nation of soft, sissified airheads incapable of defending our Nation or its Constitution. Our ancestors would really be proud.
Department of Interior is another unconstitutional and totally worthless entity that should be abolished. Their ignorance and mismanagement are the cause of the devastating wildfires and forest fires. Besides, this land does NOT belong to the politicians; it belongs to the people. The states need to reclaim the land that is being stolen from them for nefarious purposes and throw the feds out.
"this land does NOT belong to the politicians; it belongs to the people … states need to reclaim the land that is being stolen from them
So which is it–the people or the state who own the land? And if it's we the people, please get your cows off of my land, and quit cutting down my trees.
You bring up a good point, James. The individual rights of one ends where the individual rights of another begins. But, Goldie is also right in that the federal government should take their hands off of soveriegn lands of the various states. If the land in question is not necessary in the defense of liberty the federal government doesnt have the power to take it. Lease it maybe.
What I want to know is why do the walkers need to go to these areas that are funded by the taxes paid by gun owners and hunters don't they have enough walking paths already ? Get off our leasure time and go where you already have you walking paths. Enough is enough!
As a gun control issue, it reduces the areas to shoot in and practice, thus reducing the number of people interested in shooting sports, and reducing the populations' familiarity with weapons. Thus, people are more likely to vote against guns. We are more afraid and negative to things we are not experienced with.
Banning weapons on large areas of the US also effectively increases gun control by further limiting the locations where you can legally possess a firearm. Our country seems to be heading into a dangerous time. In a worse case scenario this could be used as a way to confiscate weapons, and control movement.
Please contact the Interior Department, and your politicians to oppose this.
ALL OF WASHINTON D.C. AREA WHERE GOVERNMENT BUSINESSES AREA ARE BELONGING TO ALL AMERICANS TAX PAYERS !
OBAMA HAS NO RIGHTS TO TELL AMERICANS NOT CARRY ANY WEAPONS UNLESS IF OBAMA DON.T MOVE SO STUPID ANYTHING AGAINST AMERICANS AND OUR GOVERNMENTS ! .
SO FAR OBAMA SHOWED THE WOREST "IDIOTISM AND NERDISM AND FEEBLEISM AND INSANITY AND LOOKS LIKE HE IS " DODO BIRD " ! . IMPEACH OBAMA NOW OR ELSE !! AMERICANS WILL GET AFTER HIM LIKE RIOTS IN ENGLAND AND GREECE ! .