State Senator Lobbies for Background Checks on Hunters
There's something in the works that could affect everyone who hunts in Minnesota.
It's a background check of sorts that would be done 'after' you get your hunting license.
Sen. Wes Skoglund of Minneapolis has introduced a bill that would take the names of the half million people licensed to hunt in Minnesota and run them through a computer to cross-check them with the state's list of felons. That would help police discover who may have firearms they're not supposed to have, There's murderers out there, there's rapists out there. They've gotten hunting licenses and we're trying to find out who they are, said Skoglund.
Skoglund disagrees with those who say the bill is overkill, Most people aren't felons. 99.999% of them aren't felons. But about 100 to 200 of them will pop out. Murderers, rapists, robbers, people who have no business hunting, people who just simply don't belong in the woods.
Among those who testified Wednesday in favor of the idea was the man in charge of probation for the department of corrections, Bill Guelker, Being in the woods with someone who is a convicted felon not knowing that they're carrying a rifle, that should scare everybody.
Gun rights advocate John Caile points out it's not illegal for felons to have hunting licenses and adds that you can't assume those who do, are actually using guns, The problem with this bill is it really doesn't accomplish anything because it's not against the law for someone to apply for a hunting license. If indeed that turns out to be someone who is prohibited from possessing a firearm, once again you have to have the gun in his hand in order to prosecute him.
Senator Skoglund concedes licensed felons do go on so-called party hunts in which someone else does the actual shooting for them, But I don't buy it for most of them. Most of them are out there hunting. They've got a gun. They're actually out there hunting, they're shooting.
*Note: I have an idea for a Constitutional amendment. It goes something like: "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized". Sounds pretty good right?
Oh wait, we already have that one...
Hey, what in the world?!? :x
