Articles by Herschel Smith

Field & Stream does a good job outlining the history of the Open Fields Act, the history of this issue, and what’s at stake.  It’s in three parts.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

In part 3 the author writes the following.

There’s simply no getting around the fact that Hollingworth is a poacher, by definition. He has admitted to, been charged, and/or convicted of the following:

• Chasing coots with a boat and shooting them with lead shot.
• Shooting deer at night from a vehicle (though he insists his buddy pulled the trigger).
• Shooting cliff swallows.
• Shooting beavers at night on public land.
• Baiting migratory game birds.
• Shooting over the limit on ducks.

Hollingsworth told me that he believes that there should be some game laws—but he also said private-property owners should be able to shoot a deer or turkey any time of the year, so long as they use common sense and are shooting it to eat it, and that baiting waterfowl should be legal on private land, too, provided hunters adhere to the bag limits.

All of a sudden, I wasn’t so sympathetic.

That said, no matter how many past violations Hollingsworth has or how inexcusable they are, it is still fair to ask whether the wardens overstepped their bounds in this case. Did they go too far in planting the hidden trail camera? I think they did. And did they really need (as Hollingsworth describes it) to surround his home with multiple officers just to serve a warrant for a “stolen” trail camera? I suspect they didn’t.

Good grief.  Do you know how many bird species are included in the migratory bird act?  More than 800.  If a Woodpecker is tearing a tree apart on your property, and that tree, or group of trees, is (or are) necessary to prevent washes and fissures on your land, too bad.  You can’t kill it.  Chimney Finches or Chimney Swifts are protected.  If one gets into your chimney and dies for whatever reason, you have to live with the smell of death in your house because you didn’t drive it out of there before it died.

If a Killdeer nests in your gravel road, you can’t move it under Federal law.  I didn’t say not to kill Woodpeckers killing your trees.  I said that under federal law, you cannot do it.  These rules are stupid, concocted and promulgated by stupid and wicked men.

As for killing deer out of season, it would be nice for every man to be as well off as every other man, but that won’t happen in time and on earth.  Thus, some people just have to do what they have to do to feed their families.  I get the issue about modern game management techniques historically increasing herd size.  I really do.

But the creature isn’t above the creator.  And the creator gave man charge over the animal kingdom.  I am opposed to anything that gives government more power, because controlling men are always abusive.

It might be more accurate to do this while the rifle is in a vise.

Dancing around a tree trying to swat a woman.

And then there’s this.

CRAZY NANCY: "Mother Earth gets angry from time to time, and this legislation will help us address all of that."

pic.twitter.com/MhwEHszFjI

— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) August 13, 2022

Mother earth, father fortune and lady luck are all figments of the pagan imagination, no different than motionless totem poles.  There is no such thing as mother earth. Fortune and luck are pagan replacements for God’s providence and sovereignty. They have no causative power at all.

American Rifleman.

This round can launch projectiles weighing between 145 grains to 255 grains at higher velocities for an effective range of around 250 yards. The case is slightly tapered to contribute to positive ejection from bolt-action and semi-automatic rifles alike. Winchester’s initial ammunition options included 150 grain (2,350 f.p.s.), 160 grain (2,225 f.p.s.) and 180 grain (2,100 f.p.s.) hunting loads …

I try to step into sporting goods stores frequently to see what ammunition is for sale and what it’s selling for.  I noticed in the last two I surveyed (just this week) that there were dozens upon dozens of boxes of 350 Legend.  Between the two stores there were multiple hundreds of boxes.

These data points are anecdotal, but they’re still data points nonetheless.  It would seem to me that the 350 Legend has staying power.  I think the thing that has helped it most of all is that the case is designed to fit inside the AR chamber (something like 2.2″).

Making it look very easy.

That bear showed real dexterity and quick movement.

Dean Weingarten has a very informative article up at Ammoland.  He’s always a good read, although I disagree with his seeming exoneration of the NRA in these affairs.  It’s not just that they didn’t stop some of it, they actively participated in it, and failed to stop the worst parts.  Those failures today haunt the firearms community.

I won’t lift any of the article.  In this case it would be bad form since it’s so long and detailed.  But go read his piece.

I will mention that TCJ commenter Sisu mentions this in the comments.

Sen Thomas Dodd (Christopher’s corrupt, demonrat father; another political dynasty) had many roles in government including a stint with the FBI, and was second ranking lawyer at the Nuremberg Trials, it is there where he is said to have obtained and retained a copy of the Nazi’s Gun Control Acts. … Many will recall JPFO translated the Nazi 1938 Act and compared it to US GCA of 1968 proposed by Dodd; they are in all material respects the same legislation.

I didn’t know that.  Thanks to reader Sisu for educating us.

Several weeks ago I wrote to Double Tap and asked when 450 SMC was going to be available again, just as I said I would.  They responded that they were planning a run of it soon.

Reader Ned happened to stumble on this before I did.  They have it in stock now.  They don’t show it under available ammunition.  You’ll have to go to the search bar and type in ‘450 SMC’.

Remember, you’ll need a stronger recoil spring to shoot this ammunition.

I’ve already bought a box for hunting trips.  I recommend that you go to the range and shoot a couple of rounds to get a feel for the additional recoil over .45 ACP.  After that, it’s up to you.  This is expensive ammunition.

F&S.

On Saturday, August 6, two hikers came face to face with a black bear in Jasper National Park, in eastern British Columbia. The bear was only 30 meters away from the hikers when they encountered it on the popular Overlander Trail. One of the hikers fired off their 20-gauge shotgun to try to haze the bear away, but the bruin didn’t retreat. The hiker fired again, this time hitting the bear, which rolled down a creek bank. The hikers immediately left the scene.

[ … ]

An official told the CBC that a hiker using a loaded firearm in self-defense in the national park was “unprecedented,” adding that the hiker was charged with “several counts” under the Canada National Parks Act. It’s not immediately clear what those charges are and what kind of punishment the hiker may face. Parks Canada typically recommends that people traveling in bear country carry bear spray and know how to use it.

Using a loaded firearm in self-defense in the national park was “unprecedented.”

First, the Canada National Park system has existed since 1885.  I don’t believe him.  I simply do not believe that self defense with a firearm has never occurred in a national park in Canada.

Second, he needs to do a bit of talking to Dean Weingarten if he thinks bear spray is as effective as a large bore handgun, rifle or a shotgun.

But failing that, or simply not caring because they worship the creation rather than the creator, this is what it looks like for a government to wish humans to perish in lieu of animals.

The men are made in God’s image.  The bear is not.  Case closed.

This is an interesting project, and it goes to show that if you’re good with the mechanics, you can shoot any firearm well and accurately, even at distance.

I don’t believe there are many bolt action 45-70 firearms out there.  There are many lever actions, but the single shot tube loading rifles tend to go at auction for high prices.  The demand is so high that even the newer lever action rifles are sometimes sold at auction.

This is likely a one-of-a-kind build.