Hunters Vs. Shooters

[Marshal Halloway]

Thanks Marshall, I didn't know the stats on Norway, glad to see they didn't go the UK or mainland European "Disarm the populus" way.
Plus, really,really really, cold winters, need good elk and reindeer steaks!

When I talk to fellow gun owners in the US, they are for the most part very surprised when they learn about the stats from Norway.
"Common belief" is that Europe as a whole has very strict gun laws and England has become the role model. That's not the case. My home country is still unattached to the European Union and has the highest rate of gun ownership in Western Europe, yet possesses the lowest murder rate. (Reference: Harvard Study Volume 30, Number 2 of the Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy - Title: "Would Banning Firearms Reduce Murder and Suicide? A Review of International and Some Domestic Evidence.")

Hunter and shooting organizations in my country represent one of the largest interest groups and provide a significant pressure against the anti-gun political agendas. Hunters and shooters are united in many areas and have for the most part succeeded in maintaining and keeping the long traditions and cultures within shooting and hunting.

The largest shooting organization in Norway is The National Rifle Association of Norway instituted by the Parliament in 1893, and consists today of 900 rifleclubs with 160 000 active shooters. The Constitution was, and has since been, as follows:"The National Rifle Association's goal is to promote marksmanship throughout the Norwegian population and thus prepare the population for National Defense".

The organization receives support from the Government for its activities through the annual Defense Budget. DFS and the Rifle Clubs cooperate closely with the Home Guard regarding training of marksmen and education of instructors. The organization arranges every year a national competition gathering about 5000 competitors. The Armed Forces play a vital support function in this annual event. Competitions are normally conducted with big-bore rifles caliber 6,5 or 7,62 mm. In the summer season the competitions are performed on rifle ranges at distances from 100 meters up to 300 meters, while during the winter season competitions are organized outdoors on targets from 100 up to 600 meters.

The National Rifle Association is also conducting a widespread recruiting effort to engage new members into its organization. About 20 000 of its members are between 12 and 18 year of age.The clubs are also heavily engaged in the training of hunters to become better marksmen. About 70 000 hunters pass the compulsory annual test, organized by the National Rifle Association Clubs, before they are licensed to hunt big game like Moose, Reindeer and Deer.

Back to topic:

I worked for several years as an "activist" to unite hunters and shooters. There is still some distance between what I call "riflemen and handgunners, but for the most part, they are now more united than ever.
They key thing when it comes to the hunters vs shooters is how we structure the organizations and how we can agree on working towards common goals. However, if the umbrella organizations don't agree, the grass root will simply follow suit and the topic Hunters vs. shooters will remain the same. Gun owners no matter their primary activity vs the anti-gun movement is the real topic.

[2HOW]

Thanks, Let's all remember that not only do shooters and hunters need to work together to protect our gun rights but if we lose, we need the hunters to help us shooters with our stalking techniques. 

 Oh I got that down pat .  1st you throw smoke, when they hunker down and see its just smoke they come out, then you drop white phosphorous on them and when they drop to the ground writhing in pain you hit em with the HE.  Oh !! Wrong technique  

[MikeBjerum]

I hunt because I enjoy sitting in the outdoors watching animals, plus if you sit in a tree and watch critters you a nut, but if you do it with a bow or gun in your hand your cool 

I shoot USPSA, because I enjoy running with guns (my mom wouldn't let me run with scissors).

I shoot rifle of all calibers in competition because I like the challenge and it makes me a better hunter (one shot one kill is as close as I can come to making PETA happy, and I'm too fat and outta shape to track an animal more than fifteen feet).

When arguing gun rights I like to keep in mind that we have the right to keep and bear arms for protection of the Republic - necessarily for hunting.

[tombogan03884]

 Oh I got that down pat .  1st you throw smoke, when they hunker down and see its just smoke they come out, then you drop white phosphorous on them and when they drop to the ground writhing in pain you hit em with the HE.  Oh !! Wrong technique  

Are you NAVY ? Let me clue you in, what works well with a 16 inch NAVAL rifle isn't quite as effective with any thing less than 40mm   

[tombogan03884]

Marshal, 600 meter INDOOR range, SWEET !  Norway probably still has enough people who remember the German occupation and the Cold war to keep alive the idea of "Home guard". America, insulated by 2 oceans has not been reminded of that need in the last 65 years. We forget that the primary reason the Japanese never considered landings on the mainland was the proliferation of private fire arms. You have much usefull experiance to share if we can get the darn Sheeple to listen.

[Sponsor]

[TStorm]

2A is about the right to own and bear arms, not what you (legally) do with them.  The end.  The basis for hunting with a firearm starts there.  There is no Constitutional right to hunt, be it with a firearm, a bow, knife or your bare hands.  Everyone needs to understand this.  It lands cold, but its the truth.

I'm "re"new to shooting in the past two years.  I have been out of the sport for about twenty years.  I've been a regular IDPA shooter recently and shoot sporting clays/skeet/5 stand on occassion.  I tag-along on hunts when I can swing an invite.  I picked both on this survey since I started purchasing an inclusive fishing and hunting liicense last year, just in case  . 

I make it clear to all the hunters I know that I'd like to give their particular fetish (deer, ducks, dove, turkey) a try.  Most understand there is a dwindling pool of hunters and want to share their sport as well.  I've been fortunate to have been invited on several hunts, but so far, all I've been able to do is borrow and sight-in a few different rifles .  Even though I've only seen bupkis on my few trips out to my friend's and coworker's stands, I have had a good time.  Success and interest in huntng is indeed dependent on the time you have to devote, which is becoming harder and harder to find in the world we live in today.

I appreciate the fact that hunters and fees associated with licensing, tags, etc., form the core of the major conservation efforts across the country.  Not PETA conservation, but true, healthy, realistic, population-based conservation ala Teddy Roosevelt.

At the same time, I invite hunters to pistol events, engage them in conversations where shooters are shooters, only the targets are different.  The groups need to stay together.

[charliefarmerboy33]

I am a Hunter and a Shooter.
For me hunting is less of a hobby and more of a state of being. I hunt to feed my family. I hunt to participate in the natural order of earth, taking my place in the food chain. I believe the role some creatures play is to provide food for other creatures. I rarely hang trophies on the wall. I will not stand in judgment of those who do. My trophy room is a deep freezer on the back porch. I do admit to enjoying the camaraderie of the Duck Blind.
I am also a shooter.
It is my responsibility as a gun owner to know how to use my firearms well and responsibly.  As a husband and father it is my responsibility to protect my home and my family. I MUST shoot to remain proficient. The fact that it is a lot of fun doesn't hurt. The second amendment has never been about hunting.  Its undeniable intent is for individuals to protect their homes and families from dangerous intruders, to help protect our country from foreign invasion, and GOD HELP US, to protect ourselves from our own government. I reload for economy and because it is enjoyable. I even cast may own bullets, again, because of economy and it is fun. 
Simply put we are all gun owners for what ever reason. We are all gun owners under the same threat to our rights. If we are responsible gun owners we will be One come November.

[Teresa Heilevang]

I hunt and shoot also. The game population is down, so hunting (like we used to do ) is on the downside... but I still enjoy it and I use all the meat so it is a double bonus.

I shoot. Not real competitively..but I sure like plinking when I can. 

[Marshal Halloway]

Marshal, 600 meter INDOOR range, SWEET !  Norway probably still has enough people who remember the German occupation and the Cold war to keep alive the idea of "Home guard". America, insulated by 2 oceans has not been reminded of that need in the last 65 years. We forget that the primary reason the Japanese never considered landings on the mainland was the proliferation of private fire arms. You have much usefull experiance to share if we can get the darn Sheeple to listen.

It is an outdoor range. Some of the military ranges are open to civilian use in the winter time. Deep snow doesn't stop a Norwegian from shootin'.

Most indoor ranges (I believe the number is close to 800) are max 25 meters, a few have 50 meters.

And you're right. The Home Guard after WWII has been a major influence for the shooting sports in Norway and still is.
In the 1930s defense was cut down to almost nothing but they sure learned a lesson when Hitler did the unthinkable.

[tombogan03884]

It is an outdoor range. Some of the military ranges are open to civilian use in the winter time. Deep snow doesn't stop a Norwegian from shootin'.

Most indoor ranges (I believe the number is close to 800) are max 25 meters, a few have 50 meters.

And you're right. The Home Guard after WWII has been a major influence for the shooting sports in Norway and still is.
In the 1930s defense was cut down to almost nothing but they sure learned a lesson when Hitler did the unthinkable.

It seems that most of the US population will not understand that until some one has their boot on OUR necks saying do it our way or die. Even then some STILL won't get it