text:
Special Forces pays it forward for fallen comrades' kids (w/Photo Gallery)
Lee's note: I wrote this story for the paper this weekend. These "Gold Star" teens are some very special kids, whose fathers made the ultimate sacrifice.
Published: Sunday, April 3, 2016 at 11:26 a.m.
Last Modified: Sunday, April 3, 2016 at 11:26 a.m.
SARASOTA – When a United States military special operations service member falls in the line of duty, their children become "Gold Star" teens, denoting that their parent made the ultimate sacrifice for this country.
The special operations community — Special Forces, Army Rangers, the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, Navy Small Boat Teams, Navy SEALs, Air Force Combat Controllers, Marine Corps special operations personnel and other elite units — never forgets the sacrifice their colleagues made.
This small, tight community of special operators never stops caring for the children who were left behind, these very special Gold Star kids.
Gold Star Teen Adventures is a nonprofit founded by an active duty Special Forces officer in Fayetteville, North Carolina, not far from Fort Bragg. The group hosts eight adventure outings a year, which are held around the county. The outings are designed to foster relationships between the teens, and to develop leadership skills and build character.
"We don't run grief camps," said adviser Kevin McDonnell, a retired Army colonel and former commander of the Fifth Special Forces Group (Airborne).
McDonnell brought around a dozen Gold Star Teens to a remote ranch in Sarasota County this weekend, for "Operation Blackbeard," with cadets and midshipmen from several service academies assisting as mentors.
The kids got a chance to hunt wild hogs, horseback ride, shoot clay pigeons and much more. They stayed in tents and campers. Each teen was accompanied by an experienced hunting guide.
"They just value being here together," McDonnell said. "Our goal is to provide an example of what you can do if you apply yourself."
McDonnell and the other staff shrouded the teens in a blanket of securit because their fathers conducted sensitive missions against enemy forces still capable of causing harm. Pictures and interviews were not permitted of anyone under 18.
A daughter pays it forward
Kaylee Henry, now 20, is a Gold Star Teen who was mentoring female members of the group.
"Whenever you come on one of these trips, you don't focus on being a Gold Star Teen or grief of sadness," she said. "You just focus on having a good time, around kids who understand. We all support each other and love each other."
Henry has attended several Gold Star Teen Adventures, including scuba diving in Bonaire, one of the Leeward Antilles in the Caribbean Sea.
"This is my favorite one," she said of the Sarasota County outing. "And I've been involved a lot with the organization."
Henry keeps in touch with the other teens when home.
"The groups created an app and we message every day," she said.
Her new role as mentor came naturally.
"We don't talk a whole lot about our dads," Henry said. "We make sure they're comfy about what they're doing, make sure their needs are met, and make sure they're safe and having a good time."
A communication major at a state college, Henry was tasked with mentoring the other teens in social media, and much more.
"I've personally learned that it's okay to grieve and be sad, but there are so many people who care about you," she said. "Right now, there are six girls here, and I mentor all of them."
Several hours later, Henry was firing a shotgun for the first time, decimating clay pigeons, smiling ear-to-ear.
"It's fun!" she said. "I love it!"
Click here to see a photo gallery of the event.
Click here to read the rest of the story.
Charles M. Britt III, an attorney from Bradenton, recently took his two daughters, Shelby and Sydney hunting in northern Florida. Charlie started taking notes on his phone, so the property owner could better pattern his deer, but Sydney soon took over the note-taking duties.
The results are her touching, and at time hilarious, take on deer hunting with dad.
Sydney's "hunting diary" highlights what goes through a young ladies mind when she's sitting in a blind all day.
Thanks Charlie and Syd!
This is precious.
1157–Two small 8-point and a small 6-point, small 4-point, doe several other small bucks. bucks came in from field in front ran off
1207– lame blackbuck from behind
1218–two big groups ran thru. One shooter buck. But didn't stop.. From behind right
1245–shooting behind us
1254–Two does from top of field back towards us. One shot behind us
1256– Two shots, many shots
1325–Lame blackbuck walks up
1353–Squirrel seems to be eating a cantaloupe. Don't know how it was acquired…impressive
1355–After a long struggle, the lizard with the two missing legs has crawled. It's out the box window…sense of pride swells w/in me
1358–Dad awakens due to leaves crunching after a deep 20 minute slumber…seems refreshed and alert
1359–Dad heads in for another nap
1400–Dad awakens once more after leaves crunch again.. Seems to be awake for good this time..is focused and in the zone
1406–Stupid squirrel lost its cantaloupe and is on the hunt for the misplaced fruit
1407–I thought I heard a deer walking…was just another squirrel ..curses
1408–Lame blackbuck is still here…takes a big poop..continues eating
1409–Dad takes a big yawn…its is possible he may be clutched by the deadly jaws of slumber once more…updates to come
1410–Blackbuck lays down for a nap
1413–Cracked my neck and knuckles… Feels nice to be loose again
1416–Dad notices apple crumb on the binoculars..proceeds to flick it off…binoculars are in perfect working condition again
1417–Squirrel throws a large stick out of the tree…startles me..heart rate is momentarily increased
1418–Heart rate is back to normal
1418–Blackbuck is staring at us in the box… It is possible that he is onto us…We hold stiller than we have been…crosses fingers in hopes that he doesn't catch onto us
1420–Dad leans head in the side of the box… Is dangerously close to slipping into a deep slumber again
1421–Either party had yet to break the Mexican standoff
1422–Blackbuck had had enough of the standoff and is going back to sleep… Victory tastes sweet
1423–Strange noise echoes throughout the woods..is either a dog barking or a turkey… Dad gives me strange look as if to say "what is that"… I shrug my shoulders in bewilderment
1426–Four shots ring out throughout the forest…don't know who they are …dad seems unappreciative of the noise they are making
1427–Legs have lost their feeling as a result of sitting in one position without movement for a long time. Will try and bring back the feeling now
1427–Crossed left leg over right…sighs in relief as the blood rushes back to my legs
1439–More shots pierce the silence from afar. Again, we have no clue as to who is responsible and what their reasons are…dad mumbles "so annoying"… I concur with his resolution
1443–We finally have some movement other then the blackbuck..appears to be a doe…looks like she just woke up
1444–I confirm the gender of the animal using the binoculars… Nod to myself… I conclude. I am the master deer spotter
1445–I point at the animal to show dad.. He says "don't put your fingers out the window"… I silently kick myself and reflect on my mistakes
1447–Another doe has emerged from the foliage… Activity is picking up… Things are getting exciting … We are both ready to kill after hours of dead silence
1451–Dad comments that the blackbuck "just took a leak right there".. I nod and whisper "yeah"… We are both ignited with excitement now that the animals have begun to stir from their naps
1453–Does and blackbuck are co-mingling… MLK died for this.
1454–More shots ring out from far away.. Dad calls him a "dip…."… I hope they knock off this tomfoolery before violence ensues
1456–Blackbuck lays down for another nap… This joker is tired good lord
1459–Wtnessed a large fox squirrel take a poop… Never seen that before… Nature is amazing
1500–Dad asks what's in the lunch bag..I say peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.. He proceeds to whisper/sing a rendition of "peanut butter jelly time"… His acoustics are impressive given the circumstances
1501–Dad begins to consume the rations…begins with peanut butter and jelly sandwich
1503–A young 8-point buck emerges from the forest with a doe… Buck then ditches the first doe to go and eat grass w the other does…jerk
1505–Dad finished sandwich and Ike's through the rest of the rations… Nothing strikes his fancy and he picks up the binoculars
1506–Dad notices a doe licking the rear of another doe… Says "no homo though, right"… He laughs at how hilarious he is
1508–Squirrel gets too close to the box for comfort… Remember that I hate squirrels… become nervous… No telling what he's up to…
1525–Things have been quiet for some time…no new deer… Dad hopes that a "big ass deer will come a walking down that hill so that I can blast him"
1526–A young 6-point begins to walk right towards the box… Tensions are high… We hope he does not notice us and spook the others
1527–Hearts are pounding… Bodies are as still and stiff as boards… Neither of us are even taking the chance of breathing as the young buck walks closer
1528–Buck does not notice us…phew…we resume regular breathing patterns and relax our rigid bodies
1529–Accounting for the absence of my sibling companion, Shelby, I comment "Shelby must have been the only smelly one since the deer didn't spook this time"… I laugh at how hilarious I am.. Dad awards me a half-hearted chuckle
1536–Dad asks for the time …"1536″ I answer
1543–We hear a large twig crack… I ask dad what it was… He informed me that it was "just that stupid blackbuck stumbling around"… "Oh" I replied
1557–Mistook a blackface fox squirrel for a skunk…I am apparently subconsciously racist
1605–Dad commented on the natural grace and athleticism of the blackfaced squirrel… Must be really bored if he is that impressed by the marsupial
1606–As I peered through the binoculars at the blackfaced squirrel, it looked right at me, right through my eyes and straight into my soul… I feel extremely violated and uncomfortable
1611–Witnessed racial violence in the animal kingdom… Blackfaced squirrel attacked the white squirrel out of nowhere for no other reason than being white… I whispered to the trees "all lives matter"
1646–After holding out relentlessly for almost 6 hours, we finally broke down, subject to the cruel laws of nature, and went pee… No way to tell how this will affect the amount of deer we see… Not too worried though bc we haven't seem anything but a few squirrels in a long time.
Column: Too soon to celebrate Sarasota County hunting vote
by Lee Williams
The Sarasota County Commission took a bold step Monday toward making hunting available for the masses on public lands.
As my colleague Josh Salman first reported, the commission voted 4-to-1 to approve a new ordinance allowing hunting, but each parcel of county land where hunting is proposed must be approved by the board on a case-by-case basis.
Commissioner Christine Robinson pointed out that government owns about a third of the land in Sarasota County, much of which was
traditionally hunted before the government bought it.
"This is the first step to making hunting more available to all of our residents," Robinson told me. "If you don't own large tracts of land or are a friend of someone who does, you have little ability to hunt in Sarasota County."
She's right, of course. Most folks I know can't afford to buy their own 50-acre hunting preserve, or pay for private hunts on someone else's property.
Commissioner Paul Caragiulo echoed her thoughts.
"Not everyone is fortunate enough to have access to private land," he said. "In the meantime, it's real important to clarify that nothing has changed yet. You can't go out and start blasting away in county parks."
While the commission's vote is promising, there are other concerns.
Several folks who contacted me after the news broke were worried about how Sarasota County Parks Director Carolyn Brown will respond to the ordinance change.
When it comes to guns and hunting, Brown and her department have an abysmal track record. They've also proven they have the ability to hold up plans regardless of the commission's wishes.
Brown banned rifles chambered for .50 BMG at a county-owned shooting range, and only rescinded the ban after the National Rifle Association threatened to sue her for violating Florida's preemption law.
Her department delayed a $500,000 expansion to the Sarasota Trap, Skeet and Clays Club for more than a year, even though the commission had unanimously approved the deal.
When the nonprofit group Operation Second Chance tried to get access to county lands, where they hoped to establish a hunting lodge for wounded veterans and their families, Brown and her department fought them at nearly every step. Eventually, the nonprofit took the hint and withdrew their application. They're looking elsewhere. A real tragedy, that.
Unlike goings on at a south-county range, this new hunting initiative will be widely scrutinized and watched. And we may finally learn who's actually running Sarasota County — the elected commissioners or the staff.
— If we don't run into each other at the range, you can reach me at (941) 284-8553, by email at firstname.lastname@example.com or by regular mail, 1741 Main St., Sarasota, FL 34236. You also can follow me on social media at facebook.com/TheGunWriter or Twitter.com/ht_gunwriter
Montana just passed an OUTSTANDING law that allows hunters to donate hunting licenses to disabled veterans.
We need to bring this law home to Florida, now!
According to the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, the new law allows "residents and nonresidents to donate their hunting license to a disabled military veteran or disabled active duty service member who is working with an organization that uses hunting as part of the rehabilitation process.
"While one cannot choose the organization to receive a donated license, the disabled veteran or armed forces member who receives the license will be a Purple Heart recipient and have a 70 percent or greater disability rating," the department advises.
It's an easy process.
Hunters buy the license they wish to donate, download an application, and then drop it off or mail it to the state FWP.
"Each license must be donated or surrendered before the beginning of the general hunting season. Once you donate your hunting license, you are no longer eligible for any refund for the cost of the license. In addition, you cannot purchase the same license again during the license year," the Montana law states.
Assuming there's a type of game you're not interested in hunting for the season, this seems to be a great system.
If there's a lawmaker interested in crafting a similar bill for Florida, I can almost guarantee it will garner great support.
Lee's note: The Unified Sportsmen of Florida and the National Rifle Association are urging FWC to open a bear season in Florida — which
has closed for 21 years.
One fact from their joint press release stands out: "When FWC closed bearing hunting season in 1994, approximately 30 bears were killed by hunters that year. More than three times that number were killed on our roads and highways last year and the number is growing."
Here's the release:
Date: June 10, 2015
To: Commissioners
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
From: Marion P. Hammer
National Rifle Association
Unified Sportsmen of Florida
The National Rifle Association (NRA) and Unified Sportsmen of Florida (USF) support opening a new bear season in Florida. For sometime, we have raised concerns about the explosion in the bear population and the growing danger to human life as well as danger to pets and property damage.
The expanding number of bears intruding into suburban neighborhoods is creating danger for homeowners and has been evident for some time. There is no question that bears are attacking people, killing pets and doing property damage.
When FWC closed bearing hunting season in 1994, approximately 30 bears were killed by hunters that year. More than three times that number were killed on our roads and highways last year and the number is growing. It is clear the bear population in Florida has increased significantly.
Bears are terrorizing homeowners and preventing families from allowing children to play outside in some areas. It's time to reduce the numbers with controlled hunting.
NRA and USF are seeing an increased volume of calls from homeowners asking for our help in trying to get FWC to do something about bears that are threatening the safety of their families.
Opening a liberal bear hunting season will help bring the bear population under control and help restore safety to families in areas where bears are prolific.
Hunting is a management tool that FWC had used successfully in the past and continues to be an effective means to control wildlife populations that endanger the public.
We urge you to move quickly and open a new bear hunting season.
The Sarasota County Parks Department, which administers the rifle and pistol ranges at Knight's Trail Park, has created an online survey they will use "to help determine parks, recreation and natural resource priorities for our community."
There are 21 questions. It takes about five minutes to complete the form.
You can access the survey here.
There are several hunting and shooting-related questions, which are very important.
The parks department will use these surveys to determine how to spend our taxpayer dollars.
If we don't make our voices heard, our monies could go elsewhere, and we'll have no one to blame but ourselves if the parks department decides to create a butterfly sanctuary instead of adding more shooting lanes.
I'm asking all of you to please take a few minutes to fill out the survey. Your help will be greatly appreciated.
Public hunting land and shooting ranges are constantly in peril.
We need to support what we've got, as we lobby for more.
I will send the department a public-records request for the survey results, and publish them here.
Note: Please share this via your favorite social media.
Lee's note: If you haven't heard of Pittman-Robertson funds, suffice it to say it's the only tax sportsmen gladly pay. Pittman-Robertson funds are generated through a tax on firearms, ammo, fishing tackle and other gear. The money is strictly earmarked for conservation, wildlife habitat and recreation projects.
According to the USFWS, we sportsmen and women generated more than $1.1 billion in PR Funds last year. That's a hell of a milestone.
Here's the press release courtesy of The Outdoor Wire:
MISSOULA, Mont.—New statistics recently released by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) show hunters and anglers generated $1.1 billion in 2014. That funding will be distributed to state and territorial fish and wildlife agencies to support America's conservation and recreation projects.
"'Hunting Is Conservation' is not just a motto or a theme or a mantra. It's truth," said David Allen, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation president and CEO. "Sportsmen and women who hunt and fish are the people who generate the funds for on-the-ground conservation and wildlife management efforts from coast to coast."
The funding is raised through the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration and Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration programs which place excise taxes on the sale of firearms, ammunition, archery equipment, fishing equipment, electric boat motors, and from taxes on the purchase of motorboat fuel.
BREAKING: Judge dismisses request by League of Women Voters to stop suppressor hunting in Florida
An Administrative Law Judge has dismissed an attempt by the League of Women Voters of Florida to stop the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission from lifting its ban on hunting with suppressors.
In other words, the League asked a court to stop FWC from allowing hunters to use suppressors, and the court dismissed the League's request.
Suppressors remain legal for all types of hunting in Florida.
Here's the text of the court order:
Case No. 14-5667RP
On December 1, 2014, Petitioners, Charles W. O'Neal, Peri Sedigh, and Timothy Orrance, Jr. (Petitioners), filed a challenge to an amendment to Florida Administrative Code Rule 68A-12.002, entitled "General Methods of Taking Game; Prohibitions," proposed by Respondent, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conversation Commission (Commission). The matter was referred to the Division of Administrative Hearings (DOAH), where it was assigned DOAH Case No. 14-5667RP. On December 23, 2014, the Commission filed "Respondent's Motion for Summary Final Order/Respondent's Motion to Dismiss." On December 23, 2014, Petitioner filed "Petitioners' Motion for Leave to Amend Petition."
On December 30, 2014, Petitioners filed "Petitioners' Response in Opposition to Respondent's Motion for Summary Final Order/Motion to Dismiss." On January 8, 2015, the undersigned granted Petitioners' motion for leave to amend petition. This cause came to be heard on the Commission's motion and on Petitioners' response thereto by telephone conference call on January 9, 2015. Section 120.52(1), Florida Statutes (2014), defines "agency" for purposes of chapter 120, the Administrative Procedures Act (the APA) to include the Commission only when acting pursuant to statutory authority derived from the Legislature. When the Commission is acting pursuant to its constitutional authority, the Commission is not an "agency" for purposes of the APA. See Fla. Minerals Ass'n v. Fla. Fish & Wildlife Conser. Comm'n, 23 F.A.L.R. 2632, 2641 (Fla. DOAH 2001); Airboat Ass'n of Fla., Inc. v. Fla. Game & Fresh Water Fish Comm'n, 498 So. 2d 629, 631 (Fla. 3d DCA 1986); Caribbean Conser. Corp., Inc. v. Fla. Fish & Wildlife Conser. Comm'n, 838 So. 2d 492, 494, 504 (Fla. 2003).
The Commission exercises "the regulatory and executive powers of the state with respect to wild animal life." Art. IV, § 9, Fla. Const. This is a broad and comprehensive grant of authority for the Commission to exclusively exercise all the State's authority to protect wildlife.
Whenever the Commission acts to regulate the taking of wildlife, that regulation is based on the authority vested in the Commission by Article IV, section 9, Florida Constitution. The subject amendment regulates the taking of wildlife based on the Commission's constitutional authority.
Furthermore, Florida Administrative Code Rule 68A-1.008(5)(c)(1), adopted by the Commission pursuant to this Constitutional authority, states the following:
1. The Florida Wildlife Commission rules derived from Constitutional authority are not to be subject to administrative rule challenges under section 120.56. See Airboat Ass'n of Fla., Inc. v. Fla. Game & Fresh Water Fish Comm'n, 498 So. 2d 629 (Fla. 3rd DCA 1986). Under the APA, the Florida Wildlife Commission is not defined as an agency except when it is acting pursuant to statutory authority derived from the Legislature. See § 120.52(1)(b). However, rules derived from Constitutional authority can be challenged in a number of ways:
a. The Florida Wildlife Commission rules, and possible proposed rules, derived from Constitutional authority may be challenged directly before the circuit court by declaratory action, injunctive action or, in appropriate circumstances, under the Bert J. Harris Private Property Rights Protection Act, section 70.001, Florida Statues. Decisions of the circuit court can be appealed to the appropriate District Court of Appeal, and potentially to the Supreme Court of Florida.
Thus, if Petitioners wish to challenge the matter at hand, a means of such challenge has already been provided: Petitioners must bring their challenge directly before the circuit court.
DOAH was created by the Legislature and can only exercise the jurisdiction conferred upon it by the Legislature. The Commission, by its acts, cannot, as Petitioners argue, confer jurisdiction on DOAH. DOAH lacks subject matter jurisdiction to determine whether the proposed amendment violates the APA.
Based on the foregoing, it is ORDERED:
1. Respondent's motion to dismiss is granted, and the amended petition challenging proposed rule is dismissed without leave to amend.
2. Respondent's motion for summary final order is denied on the grounds that DOAH lacks jurisdiction to enter such an order.
3. The hearing scheduled to begin February 19, 2015, is canceled.
DONE AND ORDERED this 14th day of January, 2015, in Tallahassee, Leon County, Florida.
Administrative Law Judge
Division of Administrative Hearings
The DeSoto Building
1230 Apalachee Parkway
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3060
(850) 488-9675
Fax Filing (850) 921-6847
Filed with the Clerk of the
Division of Administrative Hearings
this 14th day of January, 2015.
Christopher Thomas Byrd, Esquire
The Byrd Law Group
3505 Lake Lynda Drive, Suite 200
Orlando, Florida 32817
Harold "Bud" G. Vielhauer, General Counsel
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Farris Bryant Building
620 South Meridian Street
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1050
Ryan Smith Osborne, Esquire
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
620 South Meridian Street
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1600
Eugene Nichols "Nick" Wiley II, Executive Director
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Farris Bryant Building
620 South Meridian Street
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1600
A party who is adversely affected by this Final Order is entitled to judicial review pursuant to section 120.68, Florida Statutes. Review proceedings are governed by the Florida Rules of Appellate Procedure. Such proceedings are commenced by filing the original notice of administrative appeal with the agency clerk of the Division of Administrative Hearings within 30 days of rendition of the order to be reviewed, and a copy of the notice, accompanied by any filing fees prescribed by law, with the clerk of the District Court of Appeal in the appellate district where the agency maintains its headquarters or where a party resides or as otherwise provided by law.
Lee's note: This email was originally sent to a friend who shared it with me but asked that they and the author remain anonymous.
It's touching beyond words, and speaks to yet another benefit of hunting with suppressors — a benefit I hadn't even considered.
* * * *
Subject: Suppressor/safety/autism/thank you
My name is xxxxxx, I am a Florida licence holder xxxxxx, a full time Florida resident, and an avid hunter and fisherman. Other then that I'm just a regular guy no one has heard of, but most importantly I am a father.
My greatest love in life other then my wife and child is the love of the great Florida outdoors, and I assure you, we utilize every aspect of the outdoors. We annually hunt archery, muzzeloader, and gun seasons. We apply every year for alligator season, and we also have a annual state parks pass that we often use off season. In addition to hunting and camping we also fish as often as possible.
The reason for this email is to let you know how pleased I am with the FWC's decision to allow hunting with a suppressor. I would like to explain why. While I'm sure their are some people who will think suppressors will be used for the wrong reasons, I want to assure you that most people are ethical sportsman that will use them legally and safely. The main reason I am so pleased is this new law opens not just more opportunities for me but for my young family as well.
My personal opinion of a suppressor is simply a safety measure. We would not send our children to play football with no helmets of padding. Nor would we let them even ride a bike without the proper safety equipment. So then why would we send them afield without a suppressor to quiet some of the sound made by firearms.
I, of course due to my love of the outdoors want to share it with everyone including my family. My son, xxxxxx was born autistic he is high functioning and really a pretty normal kid, his autism does have some drawbacks, he is withdrawn in large groups, has a speech impediment, and absolutely cannot tolerate loud noises. We have tried shooting but he just cannot handle the sound of a gun even with proper ear protection this deeply saddened me because I had envisioned taking him hunting with me.
It is with tears in my eyes that FWC has given my son and I the opportunity to go hunting together in a manner in which he can enjoy and not fear the sport. The combination of a suppressor and hearing protection will make it viable for him to go with me. My wife and I agree that we can take him shooting and hunting without the fear of hurting his hearing or making him altogether uninterested in the sport.
We also plan to take advantage of FWC's Hunter safety course as soon as he is age eligeable.
Please feel free to share this e-mail with whomever was involved for giving my son and I the opportunity to be together in the field.
Merry Christmas and happy holidays.
Thank you
XXXXXXXX and family
Is the League of Women Voters behind the lawsuit to stop suppressor hunting?
It appears the League of Women Voters of Florida may be behind — or at least heavily involved in — a lawsuit filed against the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, which seeks to stop FWC from lifting its ban on the use of suppressors for hunting in Florida.
Last month, FWC commissioners voted to remove the ban, opening up the use of suppressors on pistols and rifles for all hunting in the state.
Those involved in the lawsuit, which was filed this week, raise questions about the League's involvement.
One of the three named plaintiffs in the suit is Chuck O'Neal, who serves on the Board of Directors of the Florida League of Women Voters, and is the chair of the Natural Resources Committees of both the Florida League of Women Voters and the League of Women Voters of Orange County.
The attorney who filed the suit, Christopher Byrd, has led workshops sponsored by the League on the suppressor ban, including one which proposed to tell attendees that they "can do about this threat to public safety."
Patricia Brigham, who chair's the League's gun safety committee, said in a Tweet that while the League is not a party in the suit, they do support its goals. The League has said it opposes the use of suppressors for hunting.
Florida FWC Executive Director Nick Wiley said who the plaintiffs are doesn't really matter.
"We're not looking at who's involved," he said. "We're looking at how best to address it."
Wiley doesn't describe the Commissioners' actions as "lifting a ban."
"From our perspective, we had restrictions on suppressors. We have removed the restrictions. A 'ban' connotes something bad. We don't view it that way," he said late Thursday.
The lawsuit, Wiley said, hasn't altered the fact that suppressors are now legal for all hunting in Florida.
"The use of suppressors for any taking of game has been legal since that commission meeting," he said. "It (the lawsuit) won't stop or slow anything down. I don't see our agency being inclined to do anything immediate. We always follow the judicial process, but we believe what we did was appropriate and we're not inclined to back away."
Officials with the League of Women Voters did not immediately return calls Thursday night.
ALERT: FWC Removes Ban on Suppressors for Hunting
DATE: November 21, 2014
TO: USF & NRA Member and Friends
FROM: Marion P. Hammer
USF Executive Director
NRA Past President
At their meeting in Key Largo, Florida, today, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission voted to remove the ban on using silencers/suppressors on pistols and rifles for hunting deer, gray squirrels, rabbits, wild turkeys, quail and crows.
Using silencers/suppressors on pistols, rifles and shotguns for all other legal hunting was already allowed.
Following the suppressor vote, the Commission also voted to authorize an Executive Order to lift the ban immediately and allow hunting with suppressors to being at once.
Following that vote, Executive Order # EO 14-32 was signed. Using suppressor-equipped rifles, pistols and shotguns is now legal for all hunting in Florida.
Could there be a better Christmas present for young sportsmen?
Gov. Rick Scott on Thursday signed an executive order dropping the price of a Lifetime Sportsman License for kids and young adults by 50 percent.
The price of a Lifetime Sportsman License, which usually cost around $1,000, was reduced to $500 for Florida residents who are 21-years-old and younger.
The special offer is in effect from Nov. 24 through Dec. 31, 2014.
"Our state's natural treasures give families wonderful opportunities for both fishing and hunting from the Panhandle to the Keys. This Lifetime Sportsman's License will provide Florida's youth with the opportunity to spend time outdoors with their families," Scott is quoted as saying in a press release from the Unified Sportsmen of Florida. "Fishing and hunting are time-honored traditions in our state, and I encourage all Floridians to spend some time enjoying the great outdoors."
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the license includes: Hunting, Freshwater Fishing and Saltwater Fishing licenses; and Deer, Wildlife Management Area, Archery, Muzzleloading Gun, Crossbow, Turkey, Florida Waterfowl, Snook and Lobster permits.
The FWC also points out that the license remains valid in Florida even if the licensee moves out of state.
If your child is enjoys the outdoors, I can't think of a better gift than a lifetime of fishing and hunting without state license fees.
The license may be purchased at all Florida county tax collectors' offices, online at License.MyFWC.com and by calling toll-free 888-FISH-FLORIDA (888-347-4356). Residency must be verified.
For more information about a Lifetime Sportsman's License and this limited time offer, visit http://myfwc.com/license/recreational/lifetime-licenses/
UPDATED: League of Women Voters conduct compliance checks at Florida gun shops
The League of Women Voters of Florida has conducted more than 30 compliance checks at gun shops across the state.
Deirdre Macnab, Florida League's current president, said her members are checking to see whether the shops have a sign displayed, which tells patrons it's illegal to allow an unattended firearm to fall into the hands of someone under 16.
"Gun safety is an issue we've paid attention to and studied," Macnab said Tuesday. "Florida continues to be center-stage in issues related to gun safety. Stand-your-ground has put us in the national spotlight. We're exploring how we can make a positive contribution to insuring children are safe, and that there is responsible gun ownership."
Macnab believes Florida has irresponsible gun owners.
"Whenever you have accidents, the short answer is yes we do," she said.
The idea to conduct the checks, she said, came from Patti Brigham, who chairs the Florida League's Gun Safety Committee.
Macnab referred all other questions to Brigham.
"She will have statistics. I don't want to speak willy-nilly," Macnab said. "Certainly we have incidents of children getting their hands on guns. I would think that anybody would term that as irresponsible gun ownership. Our interest is in promoting responsible gun ownership."
Besides gun shops, Macnab said her members also visit prisons and public schools.
"We're not gun shop police," she said. "One thing we do as a volunteer organization – we monitor things. We felt it was very important to do the survey that covered the state."
Marion Hammer, former NRA president and executive director of the Unified
Sportsmen of Florida, said it was "not only ludicrous, it is comical for anyone to claim the League of Women Voters is not anti-gun."
"Show me one time, just one time that they have ever done anything to support protection of Second Amendment rights, self-defense rights of the rights of law abiding gun owners," Hammer said Wednesday. "Show me one time that the Florida League of Women Voters has ever spent any of their money on programs to protect children from gun accidents. On the other hand, NRA has spent tens of millions of dollars on gun safety for children. NRA's Eddie Eagle program, that I personally helped create in 1988, has been taught gun safety over 27 million children."
Patti Brigham, who chairs the Gun Safety Committee of the League of Women Voters of Florida, has lobbied against "assault weapons" and against allowing hunters to use suppressors.
According to her Twitter account, Brigham has told her followers: "Say NO to allowing hunters to use silencers on their firearms in Florida," and "Imagine hunters using silencers on their guns. Scary. Write FL Fish & Wildlife Comm. and tell them you are NOT in favor of proposal!"
She also tweeted "Get rid of assault weapons," and included a link to a CNN story.
Brigham said less than half of the gun shops had the warning signs, which she said are required by state law.
She was not aware of any other League in any other state conducting compliance checks in gun shops.
"I know the League is studying the issue," she said. "We don't look at this as a partisan issue. Our focus is on gun safety, not gun control."
When I asked her if she was anti-gun, she dodged the question.
"I can only tell you that the League is not anti-gun. We're not anti-Second Amendment," she said. "We are for responsible gun ownership."
Better ideas
In my opinion, the League needs to understand that 99.9 percent of gun owners know that allowing an unattended firearm to fall into the hands of a child is a bad thing, but hey, thanks for checking on the signs.
If the League is serious about keeping unattended firearms out of the hands of kids, they should send a check to NRA's Eddie Eagle Gun Safety Program, or the National Shooting Sports Foundation's Project ChildSafe.
Both of these programs have done far more to shield kids from the dangers posed by unattended firearms than any gun shop placard or compliance check.
Along those same lines, perhaps the League should change the focus of its "Guns Safety Committee" to a "Child Safety Committee."
That way they could lobby and work toward preventing all of the causes of childhood injury and death, such as: abuse, neglect, drowning, vehicle accidents, poisoning, fires and accidents.
Please check back throughout the day as this story is updated.
Lee's note: This just arrived from the News Service of Florida.
By JIM TURNER
THE CAPITAL, TALLAHASSEE, September 10, 2014 — Hunting game in Florida could become a little less noisy by the end of the year.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission on Wednesday advanced a proposal that would remove a prohibition on the use of noise-suppressors, or silencers, with rifles and pistols when hunting deer, gray squirrels, rabbits, wild turkeys, quail and crows.
The proposal will now be advertised in the Florida Administrative Register, and the commission is expected to vote on the new rule in November.
While critics said muzzling rifle shots could increase the risk of people being struck by wayward bullets or cause people to wander unaware into hunting areas, backers of the proposal said such concerns are unfounded.
Commissioner Brian Yablonski noted that suppressors take out some of the big bang and recoil, but they don't silence weapons as depicted in the movies.
"It still makes a very loud sound and this was in all cases," Yablonski said during a commission meeting in Kissimmee. "We're talking louder than a rock concert, louder than a jackhammer with the suppressor."
Commission staff, hunters and a representative from the suppressor industry defended the proposal as a means to protect hunters' hearing, lessen the impact of hunting on others and even help while introducing people to the sport.
Knox Williams, president of the American Suppressor Association, estimated that 40,000 suppressors are already owned in Florida.
Florida currently allows the use of suppressors on shotguns for game hunting. A suppressor can also be placed on a rifle or pistol when hunting on private lands for non-game wildlife, which includes hogs, bears and armadillos.
Buck Holly, an owner of C&H Precision Weapons in LaBelle, projected that by lifting the ban, sales of suppressors at his Hendry County business would grow from about two to five a month to up to 10 a month. He said that would allow him to add one or two jobs.
"I know in most counties one to two jobs isn't a big blip on the radar, but in Hendry and Glades counties, one or two is a tremendous economic boost," Holly said.
Patricia Brigham, chair of the League of Women Voters' Gun Safety Committee, cautioned that a proliferation of silencers would reduce public safety.
"They're going to be used in such a way that they're not intended to be used, which is to harm other human beings," Brigham warned. "There are more important things than protecting the hearing of a hunter, than encouraging a young person to hunt … the more important thing is the errant bullet catching the sleeve of a nearby hiker, penetrating the skin of nearby hiker, penetrating the heart of a nearby hiker."
Katherine McGill, a founding member of the National Urban Wildlife Coalition, said more time should be given to the review.
"I have no problem with suppressors personally. If someone is target-shooting near my property I'd be glad that they are using them. I'd like them to be put on fireworks, too," McGill said. "But I don't want to be riding my horse in the woods and not hear that hunter out there."
Suppressors are allowed in 32 states for all hunting.
Division of Hunting and Game Management Director Diane Eggeman said lifting the prohibition isn't expected to lead to a widespread proliferation of the use of suppressors. She estimated a rifle suppressor costs between $750 and $2,000, while individuals also have to pay $200 for a federal criminal background check.
Holly placed the cost for most suppressors between $450 and $1,000.
Published: Tuesday, September 2, 2014 at 1:00 a.m.
Last Modified: Tuesday, September 2, 2014 at 12:15 a.m.
MANATEE COUNTY – Six generations of the Baden family have lived here, a rarity in transient Florida.
"We moved here in the '70s — the 1870s," says family scion Chris Baden, the owner, with his two sisters, of a 1,400-acre ranch in eastern Manatee through an irrevocable trust created by their parents.
Baden's grandfather used to be the Manatee County sheriff.
Guns have always been a big part of Baden's life, a love learned from another generation.
"My father taught me to shoot at a young age. He taught me the importance of the gun in American culture," Baden said. "He taught me proper usage, and threatened to wrap my BB-gun around a tree if I ever did a certain something again."
So it was no surprise that Baden's grand vision for Rocky Creek Ranch's
rambling acreage involved firearms. Not just a gun range, but a "shooting resort" — a destination for gun enthusiasts from across the country.
In addition to rifle and pistol ranges, Baden wants to see a bed & breakfast, a bunkhouse, kayaking and horseback riding on his rural property.
But those plans have been on hold now for two years while a long, acrimonious legal battle over Rocky Creek has pitted Baden against his neighbor and his sisters, who don't share his vision for the property.
The fight that has created a nearly unprecedented limit on Baden's ability to enjoy Rocky Creek through a judge's order that has drawn scrutiny from an unlikely pair: the Unified Sportsmen of Florida, a gun advocate organization headed by the past president of the National Rifle Association, and the American Civil Liberties Union.
Manatee County Circuit Judge Janette Dunnigan barred Baden from shooting or hunting on his own land. Dunnigan also banned Baden from bringing friends or visitors onto the property. Only members of his immediate family are allowed.
Dunnigan was not willing to be interviewed for this story.
Baden, 55 — and others — say his Second Amendment rights were violated by the judge's order.
"I can keep firearms, but I can't bear them," he said. "This is a textbook case of
people using their power to stop something they simply don't like."
Baden also believes the judge's order infringes on his First Amendment protections, the guarantee of freedom of association.
Legal experts have described the judge's order as overly broad and unconstitutional. They also note it seems to violate Baden's property rights, as guaranteed in the 14th Amendment.
Judge Dunnigan issued the order July 31 as part of a civil lawsuit brought by Baden's neighbor Garret Barnes, one of Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi's ex-husbands.
Barnes, whose property is adjacent to Rocky Creek, filed suit two years ago when he learned Baden had sought to open a shooting range on the ranch.
"From a personal standpoint, I don't like a gun range as my neighbor," Barnes told the Herald-Tribune.
Baden's two sisters, Joanna and Virginia, joined Barnes' lawsuit against their brother. They too oppose shooting on the family ranch.
Dunnigan's order came after she held Baden in civil contempt for allegedly violating an earlier court order, which barred him from operating a "commercial firing range," but allowed him to use his own firearms on the property for "personal use and enjoyment."
"No shooting or discharge of firearms; no hunting; no tours conducted for any
purpose; no events of any kind; only immediate family members on property until further order of the court," the order states.
Some critics see the order as overly broad.
"Personally, it seems to me that the judge was going for a record to see how many constitutional rights she could violate in one order," said Marion Hammer, executive director of the Unified Sportsmen of Florida and past president of the National Rifle Association.
The order "steps all over his First Amendment rights," said Michael Barfield, vice president of the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida.
"Mr. Baden has a right to associate with whomever he wants as long as he's not doing anything illegal on the property," Barfield said. "I don't understand the logic of the judge's ruling at all. This is prior restraint, which we consider anathema. She's prohibiting an individual from associating with others."
Even Barnes, the plaintiff, said he was somewhat taken aback by the judge's decision, describing it as "harsh" and "extreme."
On that he and Baden agree.
"The judge's order is so far-reaching and restrictive that the gun — the tool — I can't use it to protect my ranch, control the feral pig population or protect myself, my family or my property," Baden said.
Baden admits he's a bit of a maverick — the type of man who when pushed
pushes back, but he denies violating the original order.
"She accused me of violating the spirit of the injunction — not the injunction," Baden said. "Now the judge is violating my civil rights, not the spirit of my rights."
Baden sees his plans for the family as an outgrowth of his father's teachings.
"I believe it honors the entrepreneurial spirit my dad taught me," Baden said. "It's an opportunity to bring to Manatee County the tremendous experience that is the Rocky Creek Ranch."
In early 2012, several tactical training groups stayed and shot at the ranch, though Baden had no permits from Manatee County to operate a shooting range or the B&B.
"We applied for permits in June 2012, and were trying to come into compliance as quickly as we could," Baden said. "We were told by the county that they had the discretion to allow us to operate without the permits, as long as we were working toward compliance. The perception that we were operating without a permit — wildly — was created by the opposition."
The tactical groups brought with them their handguns and M4 carbines, standard equipment for instructors who train police SWAT teams, high-speed military operators and overseas contractors.
"They were nationally known instructors — very well credentialed," Baden said. "And they were my friends."
Barnes, the neighbor, said he heard the fusillade and became concerned.
"They were doing all kinds of weird military training," Barnes said. "It was unsafe. It was only a matter of time before someone got hurt. These are not shotguns and rifles. They're big-time military weapons, and people going around and playing soldier."
Barnes filed suit in June 2012 against Baden, his sisters, their corporation, their trust and the three tactical training firms, which are in Ohio, Colorado and North Carolina.
"I'm a gun guy," Barnes said. "I'm very supportive of the NRA, but what I don't like is recklessness and putting people in danger. If you're downrange listening to bullets go over your head, it's an accident waiting to happen."
Barnes is seeking a permanent court order prohibiting the range from ever opening, as well as damages exceeding $15,000. His complaint says the range "was constructed by the defendants without proper licensing, authorization, permitting and in violation of Manatee County code and zoning regulations."
Baden's sisters joined Barnes' lawsuit in May.
In their motion to "intervene," the sisters claim their brother "obstructed and continues to obstruct all efforts of Virginia and Joanna Baden to control activities on the ranch and to obtain information regarding the ranch." The sisters say they have an "obligation to protect the ranch."
"The dangerous, unlicensed unauthorized and uninsured activities at the Ranch could be devastating to the Trust and Saray, Inc.," their motion to intervene states.
Baden described his relationship with his sisters as "rocky and distant."
Joanna and Virginia Baden declined to comment for this story, but their attorney Martin Garcia said Judge Dunnigan even considered prohibiting Chris Baden from setting foot on the ranch.
"She did not go that far, but she considered it," Garcia said.
Garcia said he does not view the judge's order as extreme, and is waiting to see whether Baden's attorney W. Nelson Kirkland asserts constitutional questions.
Garcia recently filed a motion with Dunnigan seeking to remove Chris Baden from the trust. He also sent a letter to Manatee County, seeking to withdraw Baden's application for operating permits for the range.
According to a transcript of the July 31 hearing, Dunnigan did consider banning Baden from his ranch, but added: "It is not my intention to interfere with his property rights."
She found that Baden's "conduct tended to degrade the integrity of the court's order."
The judge accused him of marketing, advertising and promoting the ranch, even though it was not open, and of offering a tour that included long-distance shooting, and training two young girls in gun safety.
"She also didn't like our website," Baden said. "And she even monitored my Facebook posts."
Baden pointed out he has a disclaimer on his website, alerting the public the ranch is not operating,
Dunnigan also appeared concerned about Baden's plans to host a fundraiser for the Manatee County Young Republicans on the ranch called "Bullets and Burgers."
Baden says the fundraiser, which he planned to host for free, did not violate any orders.
"It was political in nature," he said. "That makes it speech — political speech, supposedly protected speech."
Dunnigan's decisions have drawn scrutiny before. In August 2012, the judge was accused of politicking in Ed Brodsky's campaign for state attorney. The accusations stemmed from an April 2011 email, which Dunnigan sent to a court administrator who passed it to Brodsky.
The email references Manatee County restaurateur Ed Chiles, son of former Gov. Lawton Chiles, and longtime State Attorney Earl Moreland, who picked Brodsky as his successor.
"You can tell Ed Brodsky that Ed Chiles will support him and do a fundraiser up here," the email stated. "I talked with him on Saturday. I got the impression that Ed had already met with him. If that is not the case, then he should arrange that soon. He said it was Earl's man?? Tell Brodsky to mention my name when he calls. J."
Florida's code of ethics for judges forbids them from publicly endorsing candidates and from soliciting political contributions. Seven defense attorneys immediately asked Judge Dunnigan to recuse herself from their criminal cases, claiming that her support for Brodsky showed she was biased. She was "voluntarily reassigned."
In a letter to Chief Judge Andrew Owens, Dunnigan wrote that she did not believe she was biased, but that she felt she should be reassigned because "the issue is presenting a distraction and a disruption of the court's calendaring."
Before he became a law professor and dean emeritus at Stetson University College of Law, Bruce Jacob was a Deputy Attorney General in Florida.
He argued Gideon v. Wainwright on behalf of the state in 19 separate appeals before the Florida Supreme Court and federal courts of appeal. It was a case the state ultimately lost.
Gideon v. Wainwright is the landmark case in which the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that states must provide counsel in criminal cases, even if the defendant is unable to afford an attorney.
Jacob described Judge Dunnigan's order as overly broad, but said it "has to be considered in the context of the case." He also dismissed the First Amendment implications.
"The First Amendment may be involved, but one of the most important rights is the right to property — specifically, the right to use your property as you see fit, as guaranteed in the 14th Amendment. The right to property includes the right to use it," Jacob said. "The Second and 14th Amendments — these would be the arguments I would use first for him."
Because of the temporary nature of Dunnigan's order, Kirkland, Baden's attorney, said he cannot appeal it until after the case is resolved. But none of the attorneys involved knew how much longer the case could take.
Kirkland said he has never heard of a similar order issued by a circuit judge, especially involving litigants from rural Manatee County.
"The people who live in that area have traditionally shot and hunted on those types of properties for decades," he said. "The normal and traditional use is to go out and have the ability to engage in firearms use."
Barnes acknowledged that if Manatee County issues Rocky Creek its operating permits, his civil suit becomes moot.
In the meantime, Barnes said, Judge Dunnigan's no-shooting order is Baden's own fault.
"It's fairly extreme, but I think the judge adequately understood the facts and has protected the public from this man," he said. "Is it harsh? Absolutely, but the guy knowingly did all this without permits. The judge properly put in an injunction. He kept doing it. The judge properly held him in contempt."
Barnes said he was tending cattle on his property while Baden was shooting on his property, and that he heard "bullets whizzing overhead." None of his cattle or his property has been harmed, he acknowledged.
"It's not like he's operating a porta-potty business. This is a business that could kill people if bullets stray off the property," Barnes said.
Barnes' argument, known in the firearms industry as "bullet escapement," is nothing new, says Zach Snow, shooting promotions manager and range liaison for the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the trade association for the firearms industry.
Snow helps range operators in the exploratory or planning stages of range construction, as well as those with operational gun ranges.
"There are a lot of misperceptions out there, partly due to articles on bullet escapement, which create the impression for an uninformed person that all gun ranges present dangerous elements for surrounding properties," he said. "That, combined with overall encroachment and environmental concerns, has prompted many people to be resistant to having a range move in next door."
Education is the biggest challenge for most range developers, Snow said: "They must be able to educate the individual to let them know what's coming is a safe venue that will enhance recreational activities in the city, county or town."
Baden said Barnes has rejected numerous invitations to tour the range and talk about future plans.
Snow has seen all manner of political and legal fights involving new range construction, but nothing like Judge Dunnigan's no-shooting order.
"We as individuals have a right to do what we want on our own property," he said. "I find it mindboggling to think that a judge would order that."
You can access the comments on the newspaper story here.
Lee's note: It's become an all too familiar problem. A hunter posts a picture online of an animal they've harvested and then they're blasted, ridiculed and threatened by anti-hunting groups.
It's led to lost scholarships, legal dilemmas and more. Careers have been destroyed.
It's gone beyond simple cyber-bullying. Some hunters have received death threats.
Lately, female hunters have received the worst of it. Some of the harassment they've received has been downright evil, profane and extremely sexist.
It's got to stop.
A task force assembled yesterday at the headquarters of the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance.
They're pursuing legal remedies, both civil and criminal.
I wish them well.
Here's the story from the USSA.
Task Force Formed to Counter Cyber Threats to Hunters
From the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance
Sportsmen, conservation organizations and outdoor personalities met at the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance (USSA) headquarters yesterday to develop strategies to counter the recent increase in cyber-attacks on hunters.
The group makes up the Hunter Advancement Task Force with most members sharing a common theme of having been targeted by animal rights activists through social media.
"This is a great opportunity to start developing ways to hold those responsible for the recent wave of cyber-attacks against sportsmen accountable," said Nick Pinizzotto, USSA president and CEO. "The task force is not only working to stop direct attacks on hunters but also discussing how best to educate the public on the vital role sportsmen play in the conservation of all wildlife."
Attendees included outdoor television personalities Melissa Bachman and Jana Waller, Colorado hunter Charisa Argys along with her father Mark Jimerson, Doug Saunders of the National Wild Turkey Federation, Bill Dunn of the National Shooting Sports Foundation and John Jackson of Conservation Force, Dennis Foster of the Masters of Foxhounds Association, Tony Schoonan of the Boone and Crockett Club and Mark Holyoak of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Other attendees included USSA President and CEO, Nick Pinizzotto, Evan Heusinkveld, USSA vice president of government affairs, Bill Horn, USSA director of federal affairs, Michelle Scheuermann of Bullet Proof Communications and author Michael Sabbeth.
Bachman, a television producer and host, found her life and career threatened after posting a photo of an African lion she harvested to her Facebook page last year. Almost immediately, Bachman came under attack from anti-hunters around the world. Bachman also found herself the target of death threats that "hit way too close for comfort" when anti-hunters showed up at her office.
"Regardless of your beliefs about hunting, Americans can all agree that threatening someone's life is simply unacceptable." said Bachman.
Other members of the task force have also had personal experiences with cyber-bullying including Waller who has had not only threats to her life, but also to her career. Waller, the star of Skull Bound TV, found herself having to defend her livelihood after an anti-hunter called her show sponsors to accuse her of poaching.
Read the rest of the story here.
Lee's note: The National Shooting Sports Foundation says this is the best legislation for sportsmen in a generation.
The bill will prevent anti-hunting groups from restricting hunter's ammunition choices – like the lead bans in California.
It gives states more flexibility in using Pittman-Robertson funds for range construction, which is vital.
It also allows more access to federal land for hunting and fishing.
Simply put, this is a great deal.
Here's a Fact Sheet from NSSF:
Have you heard the one about the game warden who can walk right into your home on a whim and rip open your freezer looking for illegal game or catch?
If you lie to them or refuse to answer their questions, you'll go to jail for the rest of your life, and they'll seize your home, your pickup, your wife and your kids.
They don't need probable cause or consent to search. They can board vehicles or vessels and root through coolers and compartments whether you object or not, right?
Conservation officers must follow the same Constitution as traditional law enforcement officers – including the Fourth and Fifth Amendments.
They have no special powers.
While I find over-limit fishing and poaching – especially poaching – personally abhorrent, anyone suspected of the crimes is innocent until proven guilty, and has the same Constitutional rights and protections as anyone else.
Here's a great story on the topic from the 2A- friendly staff at the Prince Law Offices:
The Constitutional Right Against Self Incrimination Applies Even to the PA Game Commission
By Tom Beveridge
Jack Coble of Perry County believes in his constitutional rights. In fact, he spent thousands of dollars to fight a citation he received from a Pennsylvania Game Commission officer – and he won!
On November 7, 2012, a Deputy Wildlife Conservation Officer Steven Shaffer entered Mr. Coble's farm to investigate a tip about "jacklighting" deer on his property. Jacklighting is an illegal method of spotlighting and shooting deer at night. Mr. Coble was home recuperating from serious hand injury when he was questioned by the deputy. He denied any knowledge of such activities, but left his home to drive around his 120 acre farm followed by the deputy. When they arrived at the barn, the deputy and Mr. Coble came upon his daughter and another man with the carcass of a deer.
As reported by the Associated Press, Deputy Shaffer testified that Mr. Coble became "irate" at this point and ordered him off of his land. Apparently, the deputy did not leave as requested, but testified that, when things "calmed down, he [Mr. Coble] admitted to being present when the deer was shot." Thereafter, Deputy Shaffer apparently cited Mr. Coble with a summary charge of the fourth degree (the fine totaling $150) under section 2126(a)(6) of Title 34 of the Game and Wildlife Code. This section states that it is unlawful for any person acting under the provisions for "destruction for agricultural protection" – an assumption apparently made by the deputy – to "refuse to answer, without evasion, upon request of any representative of the [PA Game] commission, any pertinent question pertaining to the killing or wounding of any game or wildlife killed or wounded, or the disposition of the entire carcass or any part thereof." Deputy Shaffer believed Mr. Coble was "being evasive" and, therefore, cited him under this section.
Mr. Coble hired Donald Zagurskie, Esquire, to defend him against this charge. Attorney Zagurskie successfully argued that it is a violation of Mr. Coble's Fifth Amendment right against self incrimination to cite him for not answering or evasively answering questions of the deputy. In fact, this section of the Game Code effectively forced Mr. Coble to answer the deputy's questions or be punished at the discretion of the officer.
In what this attorney calls a very commendable act, the Perry County Prosecutor handling the matter agreed with Attorney Zagurskie's argument stating that it certainly had merit and did not contest Mr. Coble's appeal. Although the Prosecutor, believed to be Daniel Stern, Esquire, notified the Game Commission and Attorney General's office of his decision not to contest the appeal, neither office initiated any actions to intervene in the matter or pursue the matter further.
So, what does this mean for Pennsylvania sportsmen? While this section of the Game Code is very narrowly applied, it means that you should not be intimidated by Fish or Game Wardens who tell you that you must answer their questions or face a penalty. It means that you have a Constitutional right against self incrimination and a right to consult an attorney. I strongly suggest that anyone who is questioned by any such officers be very respectful to their authority, but never be intimidated or forced to answer questions. Simply advise the officer that you wish to consult with your attorney before answering any further questions – regardless of the circumstances! You should feel free to contact our office at any time – day or night – and use our emergency number to obtain legal advice, and, if necessary, legal representation to protect your rights. Call us anytime, toll free, at 888-313-0416. Not only are we devoted to protecting your Second Amendment rights, but ALL of YOUR Constitutional Rights!
Lee's note: This just in from the FWC, via the Outdoor Wire. The changes will affect hunters from Pensacola to Tallahassee.
FWC proposes new deer hunting regulations for northwest Florida
The FWC conducted a public outreach and input process in northwest Florida during the first three months of 2013. During that period, the Commission received input and comments from hunters, farmers and the general public regarding how they would like to see deer managed in the newly proposed DMUs.
As a result of this outreach process, the FWC is considering rule proposals for both public and private lands in both of the DMUs in Zone D, specifically north and south of Interstate 10. Currently statewide on private lands and most wildlife management areas, bucks that are legal to take must have at least one antler that is at least 5 inches long.
The proposals would require that bucks harvested north of I-10 in Hunting Zone D have antlers with at least three points (each point having to be at least 1 inch long) on one side. South of I-10 in Zone D, the minimum antler requirement would be two points on one side.
The proposal includes an exception to the antler requirements in both DMUs whereby youth 15 years old and younger may continue to harvest bucks with at least one antler that is 5 inches or more in length.
Also, the FWC is proposing a change to the antlerless deer season ("doe days") on private lands within Zone D. Currently in that zone, the season to take deer of either sex (except spotted fawns) runs for seven consecutive days: Dec. 26 – Jan. 1. In the proposed rules, those dates north of I-10 would change to eight days distributed across four weekends (Saturday-Sunday after Thanksgiving, first weekend of muzzleloading gun season, third weekend of general gun season and the weekend after Christmas).
South of I-10, in Zone D, the proposal would change the antlerless season to four days consisting of two popular holiday weekends (the weekends after Thanksgiving and Christmas).
The purpose of modifying the antlerless deer season is to spread out the hunting opportunity, so that more hunters may be able to participate without substantially reducing deer populations. These changes would be monitored to measure the impact on the deer harvest and hunter satisfaction within each DMU.
For more information on these two proposed DMUs and their respective modifications to deer hunting regulations, go to MyFWC.com/Deer.
With the exception of S&W's venerable "Ladysmith," most attempts by the firearms industry to market a product to women have be dismal failures and a bit sexist.
Female shooters are not one homogenous buying bloc.
My wife prefers AKs and her HK 45. She looks at pink-stocked 10-22s with disdain.
Southwick Associates, Inc., of Fernandina Beach, an outdoor recreation statistical analysis firm, has released their Women in the Outdoors-2012: "A study of women's activities, perceptions, purchases, and related media consumption related to fishing, shooting and hunting."
The data was culled through the firm's AnglerSurvey.com, HunterSurvey.com, ShooterSurvey.com, and its online consumer surveys.
The report should be titled: "MANDATORY READING FOR ALL GUN SHOP OWNERS."
It's chock-full of interesting factoids and trends, that can help increase sales to female shooters, who are the shooting industry's fastest growing group.
Here are a few noteworthy examples:
The main reason – 85% – women went shooting or hunting in 2012 was to spend time outdoors.
Of the women who reported shooting in 2012, most – 65% – shot rifles.
Of the women who hunted in 2012, most – 71% – hunted deer.
Therefore, an enterprising dealer seeking to cater to female hunters should stock his racks with lightweight ARs in 6.8 or .308, rather than .22s in digital pink camouflage.
Unfortunately, when women seek information related to shooting or hunting, most are still reading magazines. Shooting-related websites came in second, followed by television, newspapers, social media and books.
I'll work on changing this trend myself.
Lee's Note: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service commissions a national study every five years to determine the economic impact of hunting, fishing and outdoor recreation.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission released Florida-specific information from the survey.
The state numbers are impressive – $9 billion worth of impressive.
I hope the pols in Tallahassee read this report.
Here's their release:
National Survey Shows Engaging in Wildlife-Dependent Recreation, Hunting, Fishing and Observing Wildlife Provides Economic Benefits
In advance of National Hunting and Fishing Day on September 28, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is proud to join with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Serve (the Service) in highlighting results from the 2011 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation.
The Florida state report, part of the 2011 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation, measures public participation in hunting, fishing, wildlife viewing and other wildlife-dependent recreation, as well as how much money is spent pursuing these activities. It is now available online at: http://www.fws.gov/southeast/florida/economicimpact-fl.html.
Some highlights based on the 2011 data show the following Florida-specific information:
- $9.0 billion total spent on wildlife-related recreation in Florida
- $4.6 billion spent in Florida from fishing-related activities
- $716 million spent in Florida on hunting-related activities
- $3.0 billion spent in Florida on wildlife-watching activities
The Survey, done every five years by the Service and the U.S. Census Bureau, has become one of the most important sources of information on fish and wildlife recreation in the United States.
"This is a 'must read' for anyone who hunts, fishes, or watches wildlife, as well as reporters, economists, tourism bureaus, and elected officials," said Cindy Dohner, Southeast Regional Director. "It is filled with valuable facts that show the economic impact of hunting and fishing and wildlife viewing."
Federal, State, and private organizations use the rigorously compiled and detailed information to manage wildlife and wildlife-related recreation programs, and forecast trends in participation and economic impacts.
"Hunting, fishing and wildlife viewing is an economic engine in Florida and the nation," said Chairman Richard "Dick" Corbett, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. "This tradition and our efforts to provide outdoor opportunities will define the legacy that we leave for the next generation."
Nationally, here are some highlights:
- More than 90 million U.S. residents 16 years old and older participated in some form of wildlife-related recreation in 2011, up 3 percent from five years earlier. The increase was primarily among those who fished and hunted.
- Wildlife recreationists spent $144.7 billion in 2011 on their activities, which equated to one percent of the Gross Domestic Product. Of the total amount spent, $49.5 billion was trip-related, $70.4 billion was spent on equipment, and $25.1 billion was spent on other items such as licenses and land leasing and ownership.
- The number of people who hunted or fished or both rose from 33.9 million in 2006 to 37.4 million in 2011.
- 71.8 million U.S. residents observed, fed, and/or photographed wildlife in 2011. Almost 68.6 million people wildlife watched around their homes, and 22.5 million people took trips of at least one mile from home primarily to watch wildlife.
- Of the 46.7 million people who observed wild birds, 88 percent did so around their homes and 38 percent on trips a mile or more from home.
- People spent $54.9 billion on their wildlife-watching trips, equipment, and other items in 2011. This amounted to $981 on average per spender for the year.
Complete survey results are available at: http://wsfrprograms.fws.gov/Subpages/NationalSurvey/NatSurveyIndex.htm


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Call of Duty: Black Ops
The Call of Duty franchise continues with the latest saga in epic battlefield mayhem, Call of Duty: Black Ops. Check out our pictorial for some of what's waiting for you behind enemy lines.

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- Published: New York, NY : Penguin Audio, p2012.
- Year Published: 2012
- Description: 7 sound discs (ca. 8 hrs.) : digital ; 4 3/4 in.
- Language: English
- Format: Book on CD
ISBN/Standard Number
- 9781611761368
- 1611761360
Additional Credits
- Restaurants -- Fiction.
- Community life -- Fiction. -- North Carolina
- Identity -- Fiction.
- Murder -- Fiction. -- Investigation
- Foundlings -- Fiction.
- North Carolina -- Fiction.
- Mystery and detective stories.
- Mystery fiction.
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Three times lucky
by Turnage, Sheila.
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Call number: Y BOCD Mystery / Turnage, Sheila
Available Copies: Downtown Youth, Pittsfield Youth
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Compact discs.
Reading by Michal Friedman.
Washed ashore as a baby in tiny Tupelo Landing, North Carolina, Mo LoBeau, now eleven, and her best friend Dale turn detective when the amnesiac Colonel, owner of a café and co-parent of Mo with his cook, Miss Lana, seems implicated in a murder.
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fun mystery
Charming, laugh-out-loud funny, poignant, with some intrigue, danger, and suspense -- but not too scary or intense. When I was a girl, a friend and I used to play at Nancy Drew, making up mysteries to investigate -- that girl would have loved this book as well.
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Wake Up and introduce your taste buds to a cartomizer full of WOW Vapor Cafe Mocha. A rich creamy flavor mixed with espresso and chocolate. This flavor is sure to save you a trip to your favorite cafe. Each box includes 5 prefilled cartomizers.
Write Your Own Review
Love itI received this in a sampler and it is, indeed, Wow! Will definitely be reordering this one. Good coffee and chocolate balance, perfect with a cuppa joe. Leaves a great after taste.
Perfect for a Flavorful Vape When You Want Something Different.I prefer to smoke the Cafe Mocha in the evening because the flavor is so intense that I appreciate it more at night than in the morning when I usually start with something mild.
I know. Coffee is usually a morning drink. But let's face it. These aren't coffee! LOL :)
Anyway, I really like the taste a lot. They make a nice change of pace from the flavors I vape the most, which are all menthol. Cafe Moca is definitely worth a try to see if you like it or not.
YummTaste like a mocha frape' from a coffee shop! Very yummy.
Best yet.This is by far my current favorite. The chocolate and coffee are both pretty subtle, but it has that nice earthy flavor that I can't quite put my finger on, but really enjoy. It's incredibly satisfying, I've gone through 7 of these carts and they've all been great.
My only complaint is that it seems get get that burnt plastic taste sooner than other flavors, but that might just be the way I'm using it. Still, this is my everyday flavor.
Love ItThis was actually the first cart that I vaped from V4L and I have been in love with it ever since. Good flavor, TH, and vapor. Nuff said.


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Strong Industries Corporation is a manufacturer of customer friendly carpet and hard floor cleaning machines.
Commercial and residential carpet and hard floor cleaning system gives you 7 uses in 1.
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Places in Algonquin
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" 40 Wall Street is a skyscraper featured in Grand Theft Auto IV. It is located in The Exchange in...
40 Wall Street


text: HomeFight Videos Antwain Britt vs. Lumumba Sayers Fight Video Strikeforce Challengers 20 Bruno November 19, 2011 Fight Videos 7 Comments Strikeforce Challengers 20 Fight videos of Antwain Britt vs. Lumumba Sayers. This main event bout took place on Nov, 18, 2011. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tweet Pin It Ronda Rousey vs. Julia Budd Fight Finish Gif Adlan Amagov vs. Anthony Smith Fight Video Strikeforce Challengers 20 7 Comments Doyle Brunson November 19, 2011 that was sweet Reply gunnyhighway99 November 19, 2011 Heavy hands deliver… Reply jack.perpetual November 19, 2011 The Jugger…Not. Reply snot November 19, 2011 i'm nothing without God….that's heavens area code shaved into the back of my head..amen Reply JJ November 19, 2011 yeah – sweet, but I don't like when guys want to carry on despite ref trying to break it and making evil faces a minute after the fight. The guy is already out – what you wanna do? kill him? go to Iraq if you like killing civilians pos Reply Klopper November 19, 2011 Ridiculous… another guy who doesn't know how to cover up. Reply MMAGiantSilva November 20, 2011 This show's me how good Derek Brunson is, he owned Lumumba pretty easy in the last challengers series. Reply Leave a Reply Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *Name Email Website Current ye@r * Leave this field empty


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Edmond Santa Fe is the King of Edlam, beats Edmond North
EDMOND — Edmond Santa Fe's Tre Kelley was at a loss for words after his team's 31-21 win Friday over Edmond North to clinch the District 6A-2 football championship.
"Amazing," the senior receiver said. "Like, amazing."
He thought some more about his team's incredible turnaround from 1-9 last year to district champs this year.
"Like, amazing," Kelley repeated. "To go from 1-9 to beating your archrival for the district championship? You couldn't ask for a bigger stage."
Kelley was lights out. He caught five passes for 185 yards and a touchdown — including catches of 67 and 82 yards that set up the team's first two scores.
But it was three third-quarter turnovers that were the difference.
After Edmond Santa Fe failed to get a first down on the second half's opening drive, Edmond North's Garrett Molinsky fumbled the punt return.
Santa Fe didn't score on that drive, but Edmond North fumbled a snap on its next drive and gave the Wolves the ball on their 15-yard line.
One play later, sophomore quarterback Justice Hansen connected with Kelley for a 15-yard touchdown.
The Huskies fumbled the ensuing kickoff return, and three plays later, Hansen found junior Dale Jefferson for an 18-yard touchdown that made the score 24-3.
"When we were able to get the turnovers and the capitalize on them with touchdowns, we were able to get the momentum and build on it," first-year Santa Fe coach Lance Manning said. "I thought that was the difference in the game right there. As close as they were at times to coming back, that's tough to overcome."
Edmond North did make things interesting at times, but never got closer than 10 points.
Edmond Santa Fe plays at Putnam City next week, but it will enter the playoffs with a chance for two home games regardless of that outcome.
"We've still gotta finish the regular season," senior safety Conner Bays said. "We need to go get this last win and go from 1-9 to 9-1."
But Friday's win has Edmond Santa Fe, which lost its only game in Week 2 to No. 1-ranked Midwest City, thinking higher than that.
"Tonight hasn't really even set in yet, because I've just been thinking about a state championship," Hansen said. "A district championship, that's just a side deal that comes with it."


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Welcome to the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Studies Program
The LGBT Studies is a Program within the Department of Women's Studies, in the College of Arts and Humanities. It currently offers an undergraduate certificate and a minor. The certificate is a 21-credit interdisciplinary course of study comprised of 15 required and 6 elective credits designed to complement any student's major field of study. The minor is a 15-credit interdisciplinary course of study comprised of 12 required and 3 elective credits. All current UMD students are eligible to pursue the certificate or minor; contact the Department of Women's Studies undergraduate advisor to register.
For Spring 2016 The Department of Women's Studies Proudly Presents:
Fourteenth Annual Lecture Series in LGBT Studies
Queer beyond repair evokes a double meaning. On one hand, it suggests that queerness itself is, has become, or can be a state of irreparability: that it must bear the burden of histories and structures of violence from which there is no final redress. In such a reading, repair appears, necessarily, as an impossible project. It asks us to account for queer practicesof sex, politics, reading, world-makingas modes of reprieve and endurance that must contend with the unshakeable legacies and foundational logics that undergird already consolidated fantasies of humanness, from imperial rule and anti-blackness, to the psychic and material structures of liberal politics itself. Such an account would require a re-inscription of the satisfaction, if not pleasure, we receive from the survival of queer forms of life within a nexus of lives marked by past, ongoing, and potential experiences of irretrievable loss, dread, and death.
On the other hand, queer beyond repair also suggests that there is, can be, or must be a queerness beyond repair. It evokes potentiality: a queerness that is more than the making of room to maneuver, a reinvestment in a politics of transformation, if not the unmaking of a world in which survivalbare survivalhas become, for so many, a desirable condition. This queerness insists on forms of reinvention, if not defiance, in excess of the states of decay we have inherited or the symptoms of disrepair we have learned to uncover. It asks us to be estranged from the present, even as we acknowledge the limits set by our fear of what might lie beyond life as we know it. The double meaning of beyond repair demands a questioning of deeply held convictions, at once political and theoretical, about amelioration and suspicion, hope and hopelessness, positivity and negativity, and the embrace or rejection of modes of living on made possible and held captive by damaged and damaging worlds.
What is queer beyond repair? This year's lecture series is interested in conversations that take up either meaning or both from a variety of inter and transdisciplinary perspectives.
College of Arts and Humanities; The Graduate School; Office of Diversity & Inclusion; Office of Undergraduate Studies; School of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures; Center for Literary and Comparative Studies; Nathan and Jeanette Miller Center for Historical Studies; Department of Anthropology; Department of Communication; Department of English; Department of History; Department of Sociology; Department of Womens Studies; and the LGBT Equity Center
Department of English
We are located in 2101 Woods Hall,
in The Department of Women's Studies
Faculty News: We congratulate LaMonda Horton-Stallings, Associate Professor of Women's Studies, whose book, Funk the Erotic: Transaesthetics and Black Sexual Cultures has just been awarded The Popular Culture Association/American Culture Association's 2016 Emily Toth Award for the Best Single Work by One or More Authors in Womens Issues in Popular and American Culture!
"Being/Divided: Psychoanalysis and Ontological Negation"
Thurs. March 31, 4:30pm, KEY 0106
Please join us as we welcome Lee Edelman to campus for the second event of QUEER BEYOND REPAIR, the 14th Annual Lecture Series in LGBT Studies.
Want to find out more about the certificate or minor in LGBT Studies? To make an advising appointment, or to sign up for the minor or certifcate in LGBT Studies, go to ter.ps/meetJV and select an available slot.
We welcome Bobby Benedicto, Assistant Professor of Women's Studies to campus. His first book, Under Bright Lights: Gay Manila and the Global Scene was a finalist for the 2015 Lambda Literary Award for LGBT Studies.
For more news and events, visit the Department of Women's Studies hompepage http://wmst.umd.edu
For other current events on campus check with the LGBT Equity Center, the The One Project, the Multicultural Involvement & Community Advocacy office, the Pride Alliance.


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Before every Broncos player and coach, Ken McKinley spoke about his son's uninhibited love of football.
When Kenny McKinley was 5, he was standing near his father, who wanted to give a neighbor his business card. For several minutes, Ken McKinley looked but couldn't find a card.
"I've got a business card, dad," Kenny McKinley said.
He gave his dad an index card. It read, in a 5-year-old's handwriting: Kenny McKinley. Football player.
The Broncos and McKinleys gathered Friday afternoon at the team's indoor football field to celebrate the life of McKinley, a 23-year-old receiver who died Monday afternoon.
The team arranged to have eight members of the McKinley family — including his parents, Ken and Karen, and sisters, Kimberly and Kayla — fly into Denver to attend the 65-minute private memorial.
Kicker Matt Prater talked about his close friend's smile and ease in the way he made others do the same.
Locker neighbor and fellow 2009 draft class member Richard Quinn spoke about how McKinley always dressed well, a fashion sense that included attention to accessories.
Special teams captain Wesley Woodyard said that as the guy who is often considered the funniest guy on the team, he would turn to McKinley for laughs.
Broncos coach Josh McDaniels also spoke and became emotional, saying there was something about Kenny that made him "tough to yell at." McDaniels later momentarily broke down as he communicated the pride he had in his team for the way his players handled McKinley's death this week.
The memorial service helped bring closure to much of the Broncos' family. McKinley's funeral in his hometown of Mabelton, Ga. will be held Monday.
The Broncos will hold a moment of silence to honor McKinley prior to Sunday's home game against Indianapolis. The players will wear his No. 11 in a decal on their helmets.
The most gripping testimony from the service Friday came from McKinley's father. Ken McKinley said Kenny's first football jersey was a Doug Williams' Washington Redskins No. 17. There's a good story on how Kenny came to wear No. 11.
South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier wanted to pull out all the recruiting stops during a visit to the McKinley household. Spurrier said he wanted McKinley to wear the No. 11 that Spurrier wore when he won the Heisman Trophy while playing for Florida in 1966.
That de facto business card Kenny created when he was 5? It came full circle on draft day. McDaniels recalled how his conversation with McKinley, who was chosen in the fifth round, was the longest he's had with a draftee.
McDaniels remembered McKinley asking one question: "Does this mean I have my own football card?"
Mike Klis: 303-954-1055 or email@example.com


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Executive Assistant to the President
SmartRay Inc. - Markham, ON
This job posting is no longer available on Indeed. Find similar jobs:Executive Assistant President jobs - SmartRay jobs
About this company
SmartRay Inc. was established to offer energy efficient solutions in the LED lighting industry. Our mission is to provide a one stop...


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At NETWORK, we have puzzled over an appropriate response to the U.S.-led attack on Libyan armed forces. On the one hand ,we know that violence only begets violence and does not solve problems. On the other hand, we know that standing by when people are slaughtered is wrong. We share both views, but feel very uncomfortable with creating a third war in a region where we neither know the culture nor the political factions.
As we discussed this military action a few factors came to light:


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Why? Because you can! And pickle, and jam, or otherwise celebrate the resurgence of the domestic arts our forebears held so dear. Put on your best apron and step into our kitchen, won't you?
Making homemade medicine doesn't have to be difficult! An easy place to start is with a DIY immune-boosting, homemade elderberry syrup or jelly to add to your pantry shelf.
Nothing says autumn like pumpkin spice. Instead of treating myself to a pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks this year, I decided to make my own! Now I can have pumpkin spice lattes all season.
Extend the shelf life of our favorite herbaceous ingredients: making herb-infused simple syrups. They're easy, delicious and great in cocktails. Recipes for basil, mint and tarragon simple syrups.
Elderflower cordial - an easy to make refreshment that has the scent of summer.
Canning blueberries in a raw pack is easy enough for a new canner and special enough with the addition of Lavender Vanilla Syrup for one who seeks a delicious twist. Lovely on yogurt or with oatmeal, this one is a winner.
The Sparkling Lavender Lemonade was quite easy to make. I used leftover lemonade syrup from the Lemon Shandies I made recently along with homemade lavender simple syrup. Both of these syrups turned out delicious!
Rhubarb Syrup: ginger and rhubarb syrup ready for a fab breakfast or an amazing cocktail
Honeysuckle flowers make a lovely syrup for cocktails, smoothies, sorbets, and sauces.
Why buy artificially flavored syrup when you can make your own? It tastes better and it's cheaper than pure maple (but has maple in it).
Homemade Vanilla-Rhubarb simple syrup made from fresh garden-harvested rhubarb. Perfect for rhubarb mojito cocktails and mocktails.


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|Category Breakdown
|Sales & Marketing
|Costs & Contract
|Complaints & Service
|BBB Rating
Overall Rating
Metro Bancard (pickmetro.com) is a merchant account provider headquartered in Birmingham, Michigan. Metro Bancard' LLC is a registered ISO/MSP of Wells Fargo Bank, NA, in Walnut Creek, California. Although the company does not provide an address on its website, there is some evidence indicating that the company is headquartered at 1025 E. Maple Rd., Suite 107., Birmingham, Michigan 48009.
|Metro Bancard Products and Services
|Industries Served
Sales & Marketing | A
|Key Points – Sales & Marketing
|Uses independent resellers?
|Promotes deceptive rate quotes?
|Discloses all important terms?
Metro Bancard appears to partner with ISOs, resellers, and independent sales agents to market its services. Although this hiring practice typically results in complaints among merchants, we are currently unable to locate any negative Metro Bancard reviews that accuse the company's sales team of unethical behavior. The Metro Bancard website makes mention of interchange-plus pricing, and a company representative has confirmed that the standard rate under this pricing plan is interchange plus 0.25 basis points. Some companies advertise "interchange" or "wholesale" prices and condemn tiered pricing models in their official materials, but still factor deceptive markups into their cost. Interchange-plus pricing is the most transparent pricing model available, and we therefore award Metro Bancard an "A" rating in this category.
Costs & Contract | A
|Key Points – Costs & Contract Terms
|Swiped rate:
|Keyed-in rate:
|Termination fee:
|PCI compliance fee:
|Equipment lease:
There is currently very little information available about the standard Metro Bancard contract. The company's website does not provide any specific details about its processor or its rates and fees, and there are no online complaints about the company that report problematic terms at this time. A company representative has informed us that Metro Bancard offers standard pricing of interchange plus 0.25 basis points per transaction to all merchants, which is a very competitive rate quote. It is likely that Metro Bancard resells the merchant services of a larger processor, but the identity of this processor is currently unknown. It is also likely that the company's contract terms vary from sales agent to sales agent and are dependent on a merchant's size, business type, and time in business. If you have any knowledge of the standard Metro Bancard contract (including PCI Compliance fees, early termination fees, and service length), please leave that information in the comment section of this review.
Complaints & Service | A+
|Key Points – Complaints & Service
|Total complaints:
|Live customer support:
|Most common complaint:
We are currently unable to locate any Metro Bancard complaints that accuse the company of being a ripoff or scam. In fact, there appear to be zero negative reviews about the company across all consumer protection websites at this time. We have found two positive testimonials praising the company's pricing structure, which supports the company's claim that it offers Interchange-plus, and the Metro Bancard website offers multiple lines of communication for customer service. At this time, it appears that Metro Bancard offers responsive and capable customer service.
BBB Report | N/A
As of this review, Metro Bancard is not listed with the Better Business Bureau. Given the lack of a BBB rating and our inability to find much concrete information about the company's services, we are not factoring a BBB score into the company's rating at this time.
Related: Best Processors For E-Commerce
Bottom Line
Metro Bancard Review
Rated out of 5 Stars
Reviewed by Phillip Parker
Reviewed on 2015-04-27
Metro Bancard rates as a reliable credit card processor according to the limited information we have found about the company. Metro Bancard claims to offer Interchange-plus, the most transparent pricing model available, and is showing zero complaints online. The company's rating may be subject to change once the BBB establishes a profile for it.
This review was originally published on 3/25/13 and was last updated on 4/23/15.
Leave your review of Metro Bancard in the comment section below:
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Adele StephensonArtist, Maker
For many years I have been interested in exploring the sensitivity of the human body to place and environment. Until 2011 this was expressed largely through figurative work in both painting and collage that examined the relationship between space and identity. More recently however my work has moved away from the overtly figurative toward a concentration on landscape, with the presence of the body read full statement
|Wakefield, Yorkshire
|Practice-based research, Residencies, Private commissions