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Here’s what’s worth reading today, Saturday, May 2, 2020:
Trudeau announces ban on 1,500 types of ‘assault-style’ firearms — effective immediately
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a ban on some 1,500 makes and models of military-grade “assault-style” weapons in Canada, effective immediately.
Licensed gun owners will no longer be allowed to sell, transport, import or use these sorts of weapons in Canada.
“As of today, the market for assault weapons in Canada is closed,” Public Safety Minister Bill Blair said. “Enough is enough. Banning these firearms will save Canadian lives.”
Trudeau said there will be a two-year amnesty period to allow people who already own these firearms to comply with the ban. Trudeau promised to pass legislation in the coming months to provide “fair compensation” to people who own these firearms.
The Liberal Party promised some sort of buyback program in the last election, something that could cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars.
Texas CWD testing shows scale of effort to contain deadly deer disease
The latest numbers on Chronic Wasting Disease testing in Texas give some hope that efforts to contain the disease are working, according to state wildlife experts.
The CWD testing year that ended in February produced just shy of 13,000 CWD samples statewide by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department with the help of participating landowners and hunters. This number includes all samples collected in Texas CWD Zones and far exceeds the target of 7,039 samples.
During this period, Texas recorded 26 new confirmed CWD positives, with six additional “suspect positives” awaiting confirmation. That includes CWD found in a new area, Val Verde County, in a free-ranging white-tailed deer last December, and a second found in close proximity about a month later. Plans to manage the disease in this area are ongoing. All the remaining new free-ranging positives were within existing containment zones.
“Hunters can still plan for a good fall deer season and we encourage them to continue to have their deer tested to help TPWD biologists with statewide sampling efforts. Early detection is critical to managing and containing CWD to protect Texas deer,” said Clayton Wolf, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department wildlife division director. “It is important for everyone to be aware and informed about this disease, the zones of concern, the regulations and the common-sense precautions we’ve recommended for years.”
Child shot, killed in apparent hunting accident in Jefferson County
An 11-year-old Alabama boy has died in what appears to be an accidental shooting in eastern Jefferson County.
The incident happened about 9:30 a.m. when the boy was turkey hunting with a group of people. Investigators believe he was accidentally shot by a hunter within the group of four hunting together. The shooting happened Friday morning on Cedar Mountain Road in the Pinson area. The boy, whose father was with him, was pronounced dead on the scene.
Man recalls being shot during hunting trip; stresses importance of safety
The spring gobbler season is happening right now in the mountain state, making it a great opportunity to get outdoors. But sometimes taking advantage of the great outdoors can lead to incidents that can cause life threatening injuries.
On April 11, Jarrod Ballard and his friend traveled to Giles County for the opening day of spring turkey season in Virginia. But turned into an effort to save Ballard’s life after he was shot by another hunter.
“It felt like a sledge hammer,” says Ballard, “I actually blacked out for a couple seconds when I came back I saw the blood come off my head.”
Ballard says pellets struck him above the left eye, above his right ear, and through his sinus cavity. Weeks later in Mercer County, a seven year old boy was also shot while hunting. He was flown to Charleston Area Medical Center to be treated for his injuries.
55-year-old father, teacher dies after fishing trip to Langston Lake in Oklahoma
The body of a 55-year-old man whose boat capsized while he was fishing with his son has been found. James Harding Sr. was fishing on his boat with his son, James Harding Jr., when the boat began taking on water. Oklahoma Highway Patrol searched for hours Wednesday and again Thursday morning. They found his body early Thursday.
The 55-year-old was a high school history teacher at Star Spencer High School. When the boat sank, his 31-year-old son was able to swim to shore.
“By the grace of God I made it out,” said James Harding Jr.
Harding Jr. says they were heading back towards shore when, unexpectedly, the wind started picking up. “He just said kind of quietly, ‘Hey, son, we’re taking on a lot of water.’ He was already like knee deep,” said Harding Jr.
Seconds later, the boat started to sink and Harding Jr. was thrown into the water. “He kept asking me, ‘Hey, are you alright, son? Are you alright?’” said Harding Jr.
West Virginia hunters, ages 7 and 20, recovering after mistaken for turkeys, shot
A 7-year-old and his 20-year-old brother are recovering after being shot in a hunting accident on Tuesday, police with West Virginia’s Division of Natural Resources confirmed.
The boy and his brother, from Mercer County, were hunting within Camp Creek State Park when they “encountered a family acquaintance hunting the same area,” DNR Police wrote on Facebook.
The acquaintance then fired on both brothers, mistaking their movement for turkeys through the “heavily forested ridge mixed with white oaks and pines.”
Upon realizing his mistake, the acquaintance assisted with first aid before first responders arranged to airlift the 7-year-old to Charleston Area Medical Center, where he was said to be recovering in stable condition. His brother was treated on the scene.
Utah DWR says illegal collection of shed antlers a ‘major problem’
The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources wants hunters and wildlife enthusiasts in Utah to be aware of the consequences that come with trespassing on private property to collect antlers shed by big game animals over the winter.
Collecting elk, deer and moose shed antlers is legal and unregulated in Utah this time of the year, according to Jeremy Wilcox, a DWR conservation officer. In order to collect antlers between Feb. 1 and April 15, hunters need to complete an online ethics course and carry a printed certificate with them.
All elk, deer and moose in Utah shed their antlers roughly the same time every year, according to Wilcox, usually in the winter months when the animals are grouped together. As a result, it isn’t uncommon for the big game animals to shed near one another and leave heaps of antlers scattered throughout wildlife regions. If that region happens to be on privately owned property, Wilcox said hunters will sometimes trespass because selling antlers is so profitable.
“I think it’s because (of) the price of antlers,” Wilcox said. “They’re getting so much money for said antlers that it’s a money thing.”
Racine Co. judge charged and cited for improper hunting practices
A Racine County Circuit Court judge is facing a criminal hunting charge in Ashland County for an incident that reportedly occurred at his northern Wisconsin cabin late last year. Michael J. Piontek, 70, was charged April 24 as a party to the crime of illegally shining a deer. The charge carries a maximum sentence of a fine of between $1,000 and $2,000 and/or up to six months in jail. If convicted, Piontek’s hunting license would be revoked for three years.
On Nov. 26, a Department of Natural Resources warden was asked to watch Piontek’s cabin due to an ongoing investigation regarding the alleged hunting of deer during closed season with the aid of artificial light, something prohibited by hunting law, according to an Ashland County criminal complaint. While the warden was stationed outside Piontek’s cabin, he saw what he believed was an illegal floodlight mounted on the west side of the cabin. At approximately 7:30 p.m., the warden saw a six-point buck walk out of the woods and into the area near Piontek’s cabin. Moments later, the warden heard a rifle shot coming from inside. The deer was struck, buckled and reportedly ran off into a field. The shot occurred outside of shooting hours, which ended at 4:30 p.m. The warden also noticed that surrounding the cabin were approximately 21 gallons of deer bait, including corn, carrots, apples, sugar beets and bird seed. There is a 2-gallon legal limit of bait allowed.
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