Matt Janes's Blog

I know that the holiday season is upon us but it is now that you need to start thinking about where you are going to apply for this coming year. The application process in many western states changes from year to year. Several states deadlines are as early as February. Arizona just closed their leftover tag applications for Spring '08. To stay involved with the many opportunities that are available in all the western states, it becomes an all year process. Brendan in the Bakersfield store and myself in the Tucson store apply for every species in every western state. Most states have point systems and may take you several years to draw. However, there are typically a certain amount of tags set aside for "luck of the draw". Some states like New Mexico or Idaho have no points systems. But regardless, by applying for multiple tags in a year we are always guaranteed a couple tags per year in premium zones. Don't fall in to the trap of hunting the same old ground or thinking you will never draw. Time becomes more and more valuable. Spend it in a zone that produces. Apply, Apply, Apply!

Well so now we have the added requirement for a handgun to be listed "safe" to sell in the state of California, it must have a microscopic array of the serial number of the firearm imprinted into the chamber of the pistol. This technology is so far only available from one provider. Depending on the units that any manufacturer may want to produce and sell in California, the cost to implement the technology could be cost prohibitive. The problem with all this is that you could take an abrasive wheel to the inside of the chamber with no adverse effects to the firearm and the array would be gone. And since barrels are not a controlled item, just change the barrel. Heck buy a revolver and don't leave brass at the crime scene. Better yet, frame someone by picking up their brass and planting them at your crime scene.

My thought process on this is that it also becomes kind of a moot point anyway because ever since it became a requirment that all manufacturers have both a magazine disconnect safety and a loaded chamber indicator, no manufacturer has added a new gun to California's list anyway. So don't believe Arnold when he says he wants another tool for law enforcement, he sold out! This was a way to guarantee no new pistol models for California. Over time manufacturers loose interest in models or update them for current demand. There will come a day when your choice of pistols for sale in California will be VERY slim.

The problem now to repeal these laws would have to prove they are unconstitutional or a danger to public safety or repealed by the legislature with a 2/3 vote. None of which I suspect will happen.

I guess it's time to start talking about East California again! Give the coast to the liberals from San Francisco to LA. We'll keep the rest!

Arnold the Governator has shown his true anti sportsman colors by signing into law the Ridley-Tree Condor Preservation Act AB821. With no proof that lead bullets cause high blood lead levels in Condors, the state still banned lead centerfire rifle and handgun ammo usage while big game and coyote hunting in the "natural" range of the condor. It doesn't take effect until July 2008, but ammunition has to be "certified" before it is allowed to be used. So no one truly knows for sure if the list of "certified" ammo will be like handguns in California where manufacturers will have to have it submitted for approval to be on a list. So then once the list comes out, everyone will make a mad dash to buy ammo for their guns only to find out it isn't made in a "certified" type. Manufacturers will not be able to get up to speed on this near soon enough. Let alone load lead and non-lead ammo in marginal selling calibers. And forget bullet grain choices. Wow, I guess you might as well quit hunting with your 7mm-08, or 300 RSAUM, or 220 Swift, or 222 Remington. Basically if you don't want to pay for a new rifle in a common caliber, you're done. And what if you reload? The game warden comes up to you and says "let me see that ammo" and you don't have a box to show him that it is "certified" so you get popped for a $500 fine? This is ridiculous. The scenario of possibilities are endless. Effectively, the tree huggers won a huge victory in stopping more people from hunting again! How many more people will now be alienated with just one more reason why they don't want to hunt anymore in California? And don't think "great, more for me". This is a divide and concor thing. The less there are of you, the better for the anti's. Call or write the Game and Fish department now that it is a law. It is in their hands to enforce.