Or a lie?
Since we all know what a lie is, I’ll explain the “10% Factor” to the uninitiated:
Basically, 10% of any group are assholes who will ruin it for everyone else. This is a minimum percentage. It can be higher than 75% in some groups (ie the “protesters who burned a soldier in effigy in Portland).
Here is the story I’m wondering about
For years, ATV-riding, gun-toting sport shooters have flouted gun laws in part of Idaho’s high desert by taking pot shots at ground squirrels and other animals.
Now, officials say, they’re also setting their sights on National Guard tanks that train in the area.
Rifles and pistols have been banned in a 68,000-acre area of the Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area since 1996.
But the federal Bureau of Land Management is considering expanding the gun-restricted area by 41,000 acres to try to limit shootings at Idaho Army National Guard troops who report slugs bouncing off their tanks on a regular basis.
“There’s a segment of the shooting community that will shoot at anything that moves,” said John Sullivan, the area’s manager.
National Guard spokeswoman Lt. Col. Stephanie Dowling said she thinks the proposed expansion would help alleviate the problem.
So, is it the 10% or is it a lie being used to close off more public land?
I’m not saying the tankers are lying, but someon their higher command may be. I know that I’d never shoot at a tank with anything besides another tank. Kind of pointless, in my reasoning. And foolish.
So. Anyone?
Probably not a lie. I gave up deer hunting about 15 years ago after having close calls with being shot at twice, plus a friend of mine who hunts the same section of the Coast Range being robbed of a kill at gunpoint while he was field-dressing it (the robbers were caught and went to prison).
There are just too many yahoos in the public forests, and until we legit hunters can figure some way to get them out of the woods, there is too much risk around here.
…also, they need to put some agents in the field to arrest some of these tank-shooters. The atricle admits that few are ever arrested for shooting crimes, and yet, to that dismal record of enforcement, they want to spread out the enforcement agents even thinner.
That doesn’t make sense.
Plus, this reporter doesn’t even own a spell-checker, apparently, spelling raptor as “rapter”.
We have a yahoo writing about yahoos, so we have a yahoo product in this article.
I agree, there’s always a small minority of yahoo’s who mess it up for everyone.
I’ve been on both sides of the equation here: military and hunter. When I was at Fort Huachuca in Arizona, it wasn’t uncommon for some idiot to try to see if his deer rifle would dent armor when we took our tracks on trails that went close the edge of post.
I’ve also been close to being shot twice because someone didn’t bother to make sure that the blob of orange he saw in the woods wasn’t a deer.
Want to keep the BLM from making more land off-limits? Then turn in idiots who take shots at anything that’s not a game animal or a target. After a few people spend some prison time or pay a huge fine, others will get the word and stop acting like fools while they’re out in the woods. If we police ourselves properly, then the government will be less likely to enact mass punishment.
Personally, I think that if the NG troopers were allowed to return fire, this problem would be fixed in about 8 seconds. Nothing says “Don’t shoot at the armored vehicles” like incoming ball and tracer fire.
All we need to do is issue live ammo to the tankers, and revise the rules of engagement ……
Merle
Too bad the tanks can’t shoot back, that would put an end to it.
Sounds about right–I know so many “hunters/shooters/idiots” here in Idaho. Such as going into a public parking lot alongside a river and popping a coyote in front of around 20 or so tourist. The judgement some of them use is amazing. Being a “rabid” shooter and firearms enthusiasist myself, I have tried to explain to them that when that happens they are giving ammo to the banners, but it does not seem to work. The bubba mentality in Idaho is astounding. I agree with letting the Tanks fire back!
I do know from experiance that it is happening. I drill (Army Reserve) out there normally, although Im deployed to Iraq right now. It is not an everyday thing but it does happen. People dont pay attention to their backstop. Also they drag tons of trash out to shoot at then just leave it out there. I understand not wanting to go and pay to shoot at a gun club, I grew up shooting out in the desert, but at least my daddy taught me to clean up after myself. I really hate the thought of closing down the area, I wish there was a better way to hold these guys accountable.