I know of several folks that made mistakes young that cost them the privilege of owning firearms. They either went thru the legal process to regain that privilege, learned to hunt legally with a bow or moved on to a different hobby.
They went along... good for them. That is the safest route to take - kowtow, submit, go along. It's prudent, no doubt, and I'm in favor of prudence, even if I don't always practice it.
....they did not continue to disregard and disrespect the law and those that enforce it.
Some laws deserve contempt, and
some of those who enforce
those laws deserve contempt, too.
They do not continue to give law abiding citizens and legal gun owners a bad image.
Oh, I'd say that a guy deer hunting - someone who got convicted of a felony in years past, who lives a law-abiding life, causing no harm to his fellow citizens? - he doesn't give anyone a bad image. It's easier now than ever to become a felon these days -
charge 'em with six things, they'll plead to one! - and an otherwise law-abiding citizen hunting does no harm. Some felonies are truly bad things; others aren't - there's violent crime, an then there's pissing off a flight attendant (that can get you charged with a
felony carrying a 20 year sentence).
No, I don't have any sympathy for the dirtball.
That's a nasty thing to say; he may or may not be a dirtball. I don't know the guy, but hope he comes out relatively undamaged
and is able to lead a productive life, which would benefit everyone except perhaps a prosecutor who'd like to notch another conviction.