Gun remark makes outdoorsman an outcast

[ViRaL1]

SEATTLE - Modern hunters rarely become more famous than Jim Zumbo. A mustachioed, barrel-chested outdoors entrepreneur who lives in a log cabin near Yellowstone National Park, he has spent much of his life writing for prominent outdoors magazines, delivering lectures across the country and starring in cable TV shows about big-game hunting in the West.

Zumbo's fame, however, has turned to black-bordered infamy within America's gun culture -- and his multimedia success has come undone. It all happened in the past week, after he publicly criticized the use of military-style assault rifles by hunters, especially those gunning for prairie dogs....


more at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17307316/

Seems a bit harsh. I own a a gun and I don't have a problem with the idea of gun ownership, but I can't say that I've ever been a huge fan of the NRA.

Hunting with an assault rifle? Is that like fishing with dynamite?

[thecoalman]

Hunting with an assault rifle? Is that like fishing with dynamite?

Depends on the context which they don't mention in the article, a AR-15 for example has excellent accuracy at long ranges which is what it appears the original statement was in regards too. It uses the same bullet used commonly for "varmint hunting" in traditional rifles. The difference being of course that it is semi-automatic but at long range distances that is inconsequential except for being able to get the next shot off a couple of seconds quicker.

[rallynavvie]

[The NRA] do not want American gun owners to make a distinction between assault weapons and traditional hunting guns such as shotguns and rifles. If they did, a rift could emerge between hunters, who tend to have the most money for political contributions to gun rights causes, and assault-weapon owners, who tend to have lots of passion but less cash.

a AR-15 for example has excellent accuracy at long ranges which is what it appears the original statement was in regards too. It uses the same bullet used commonly for "varmint hunting" in traditional rifles. The difference being of course that it is semi-automatic but at long range distances that is inconsequential except for being able to get the next shot off a couple of seconds quicker.

I'm not sure what your definition of "excellent accuracy" and "long ranges" are but the AR-15, et al, are not really the best varminting choice in their stock format. There are FAR better options which are not only more economical but are also much more accurate. But you're right about getting another shot off quickly being pretty much useless at range.

The issue with the assault rifle garbage is that assault rifles were designed and produced for the primary purpose of killing other people en masse. The only difference between the civvy and military ones in most cases is the trigger group, the feel and handling of the weapon is still very much the same. Hunting rifles, however, do owe a lot of their design from old assault rifles such as the M1, Lee Enfield, and so forth all the way back to the days of the musket. So where do you draw the line?

I do enjoy my firearms, but they are tools. My prize is a PTR-91 that's essentially been retrofitted with all H&K parts. I would deem it an "assault rifle" since its basically an H&K G3 with a different trigger group. It still has the feel of an assault rifle. viral1's comparison to fishing with dynamite is apt: the assault rifle's build takes the sport away from hunting. I used this rifle once for hunting and ever since I've been a bowhunter. And I'm not a trophy hunter, I'll kill anything I have a license for as long as I can eat it. I don't care if the deer has large antlers or would look good on my wall at home, all I see is great steaks and sausage. EVERY hunter I've ever met that uses an "assault rifle" for deer hunting only cares about the trophy, every one of them. I've only met about a couple dozen of them but 100% is a steep figure.

[lordsmurf]

I personally think a hunter that needs an automatic/assault rifle is a dumbass AND trying to compensate for a tiny pecker.

Do you really need military equipment to kill a ******* rabbit? Is the big bad rabbit that hard of a target? Are we so stupid now that we have to use huge guns when natives once used rocks and later bow-and-arrow? Are we really that sad as a society?

[Shadowmistress]

I personally think a hunter that needs an automatic/assault rifle is a dumbass AND trying to compensate for a tiny pecker.

<thump>

That's me laughing so hard I fell out of my chair.

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