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Bill seeks to allow Wyoming hunters to carry automatic weapons
By BEN NEARY
Associated Press Writer
CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) -- Wyoming hunters could carry automatic weapons and guns equipped with silencers in the field under proposed legislation that would also allow archery hunters to carry firearms.
Sen. Cale Case, R-Lander, is the primary sponsor of the bill. He says he's heard from many archery hunters who want to carry firearms for defense against grizzly bears.
Case's bill, Senate File 79, wouldn't allow anyone to hunt with automatic or silenced weapons. But it would remove the current prohibition against possessing such weapons in the state's game fields and forests.
Case said Wyoming's game laws shouldn't penalize hunters for possessing automatic weapons or silenced guns when they're otherwise legal. He questioned whether hunters could be cited under the current law if they merely had such a weapon in their car and weren't using it for hunting.
"It shouldn't matter what weapon you carry on your pack, on your shoulder, or on a hip holster," Case said. "We need to focus the law not on what weapon you're carrying, but what weapon you're using."
Case said he's unaware of any being cited for carrying an automatic or silenced weapon while otherwise hunting legally. However, he said he regards the current prohibition as a gray area of the law that should be cleared up.
Gov. Dave Freudenthal said Wednesday that he hadn't looked at Case's bill but didn't see why hunters needed to carry automatic or silenced weapons when they're not allowed to hunt with them.
"If you can't take your wildlife with them, I don't know," said Freudenthal, himself an avid hunter. "To me, it would be just that much more weight you'd have to carry while you're walking around hunting."
Case's proposal doesn't sit well with at least one Wyoming game warden.
"Of course it would be a poacher's dream, to be able to shoot something, especially with a silencer, and not have it be heard," said Mark Nelson, a Cheyenne game warden and vice president of the Wyoming Game Wardens Association. "That would be very detrimental to wildlife."
On the question of automatic weapons, Nelson said, "That wouldn't be a good idea, either. The first shot should count. If a guy was out there with an automatic weapon, that would be dangerous for one, and I don't think it would be very ethical either."
Nelson also said he would be reluctant to repeal the prohibition against archery hunters carrying firearms.
"Some people could take advantage of shooting an animal with a weapon, and then saying they got it with a bow," Nelson said.
Nelson said he understands the concern of many hunters who enter grizzly country, but said they would be better off trying to defend themselves against a big bear with pepper spray.
Rep. Del McOmie, R-Lander, is co-sponsoring the legislation with Case. He said he's heard concern from many archery hunters that they want to be able to carry guns for self defense, especially in areas where grizzlies are becoming more prevalent.
"Up around Dubois, they've started taking over some of the prime areas where people have hunted for years," McOmie said. "Even with rifles, they're reluctant to go in there."
Ron Niziolek of Cody, vice president of Bowhunters of Wyoming, said his 400-member group isn't taking a position on whether bow hunters should be allowed to carry firearms.
"We don't support the idea of having firearms during the archery season," Niziolek said. "But if it were to progress and go a little bit farther, the only thing we could support would be having an unscoped handgun, or a shotgun with buckshot."
Allowing archery hunters to carry rifles or shotguns loaded with slugs could lead to poaching, Niziolek said.
Niziolek said he understands hunters' concerns about grizzlies. He said he and his father have been charged by grizzly bears the last two times they have hunted elk near Cody.
"We had our bear spray out and didn't have to use it," Niziolek said, adding that he could see that if someone had a rifle in a similar situation they might be tempted to use it.
Dennis Biddle of Lander said he and some friends had collected 2,600 signatures from people in Fremont, Hot Springs and Park County who support allowing archery hunters to carry firearms.
"I don't want a bear chewing on me when I'm bowhunting," Biddle said. "It's a dangerous situation, and it's going to get worse in our country."
http://www.jacksonholestartrib.com/.../wyoming/c46741f0be7fa75187257110006178c1.txt
By BEN NEARY
Associated Press Writer
CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) -- Wyoming hunters could carry automatic weapons and guns equipped with silencers in the field under proposed legislation that would also allow archery hunters to carry firearms.
Sen. Cale Case, R-Lander, is the primary sponsor of the bill. He says he's heard from many archery hunters who want to carry firearms for defense against grizzly bears.
Case's bill, Senate File 79, wouldn't allow anyone to hunt with automatic or silenced weapons. But it would remove the current prohibition against possessing such weapons in the state's game fields and forests.
Case said Wyoming's game laws shouldn't penalize hunters for possessing automatic weapons or silenced guns when they're otherwise legal. He questioned whether hunters could be cited under the current law if they merely had such a weapon in their car and weren't using it for hunting.
"It shouldn't matter what weapon you carry on your pack, on your shoulder, or on a hip holster," Case said. "We need to focus the law not on what weapon you're carrying, but what weapon you're using."
Case said he's unaware of any being cited for carrying an automatic or silenced weapon while otherwise hunting legally. However, he said he regards the current prohibition as a gray area of the law that should be cleared up.
Gov. Dave Freudenthal said Wednesday that he hadn't looked at Case's bill but didn't see why hunters needed to carry automatic or silenced weapons when they're not allowed to hunt with them.
"If you can't take your wildlife with them, I don't know," said Freudenthal, himself an avid hunter. "To me, it would be just that much more weight you'd have to carry while you're walking around hunting."
Case's proposal doesn't sit well with at least one Wyoming game warden.
"Of course it would be a poacher's dream, to be able to shoot something, especially with a silencer, and not have it be heard," said Mark Nelson, a Cheyenne game warden and vice president of the Wyoming Game Wardens Association. "That would be very detrimental to wildlife."
On the question of automatic weapons, Nelson said, "That wouldn't be a good idea, either. The first shot should count. If a guy was out there with an automatic weapon, that would be dangerous for one, and I don't think it would be very ethical either."
Nelson also said he would be reluctant to repeal the prohibition against archery hunters carrying firearms.
"Some people could take advantage of shooting an animal with a weapon, and then saying they got it with a bow," Nelson said.
Nelson said he understands the concern of many hunters who enter grizzly country, but said they would be better off trying to defend themselves against a big bear with pepper spray.
Rep. Del McOmie, R-Lander, is co-sponsoring the legislation with Case. He said he's heard concern from many archery hunters that they want to be able to carry guns for self defense, especially in areas where grizzlies are becoming more prevalent.
"Up around Dubois, they've started taking over some of the prime areas where people have hunted for years," McOmie said. "Even with rifles, they're reluctant to go in there."
Ron Niziolek of Cody, vice president of Bowhunters of Wyoming, said his 400-member group isn't taking a position on whether bow hunters should be allowed to carry firearms.
"We don't support the idea of having firearms during the archery season," Niziolek said. "But if it were to progress and go a little bit farther, the only thing we could support would be having an unscoped handgun, or a shotgun with buckshot."
Allowing archery hunters to carry rifles or shotguns loaded with slugs could lead to poaching, Niziolek said.
Niziolek said he understands hunters' concerns about grizzlies. He said he and his father have been charged by grizzly bears the last two times they have hunted elk near Cody.
"We had our bear spray out and didn't have to use it," Niziolek said, adding that he could see that if someone had a rifle in a similar situation they might be tempted to use it.
Dennis Biddle of Lander said he and some friends had collected 2,600 signatures from people in Fremont, Hot Springs and Park County who support allowing archery hunters to carry firearms.
"I don't want a bear chewing on me when I'm bowhunting," Biddle said. "It's a dangerous situation, and it's going to get worse in our country."
http://www.jacksonholestartrib.com/.../wyoming/c46741f0be7fa75187257110006178c1.txt
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