.........It costs exactly zero dollars to take a stand. Calling or emailing a Representative is free. Speaking out in your own circle requires only courage and principle. Lots of good Germans stood by while the trains were loaded. 🫤
One of the problems with living in a litigious society is that everybody who hopes to survive must think like like a lawyer to some extent. So as I consider this topic, thoughts come, and the magic of the internet allows research.
My interest in the struggle between ADFG and federal agencies over fish and wildlife management is a subject of great interest to me. I'm not stupid enough to even imagine that my opinion matters, but I'm conniving enough to know that wrenches can cause great damage to the machines I dislike when tossed into the gearbox instead of turning nuts.
Thus the thought came to me: This is Alaska. It is full of bears, the feds want more of them, and federal lands within suitable bear habitats already have the highest densities of bears on Earth. Defensive firearms are and always have been a fact of life in Alaska, even with federal wildlife professionals. Do they carry lead-free ammo in their service weapons? Since firearms can be carried for defensive purposes even for people who are not carrying hunting licenses, the POSSESSION of leaded ammo on federal lands in defensive firearms shouldn't be banned.
Sure enough, I googled up queries using the keywords "possession" "lead" "ammo" "federal lands", and various keywords like those in various combinations. I got no meaningful hits regarding federal lands, and even few official hits regarding lead bird shot violations and penalties (lots of forum discussion by hunters, though), but I did come across hits regarding California's ban on lead ammo for all hunting. My reading revealed that the possession of lead ammo in the field in California, when not hunting, is perfectly legal in most circumstances.
In early August of 2005 I was running north on the Old Man Creek Trail from Eureka with rifle, camp, hunting license, and caribou permit in possession. South of Crooked Creek I came upon a Trooper (blue shirt) "interviewing" a couple of young hunters. He asked me to stop until he was finished with his customers. I did, and enjoyed the interesting show. When they left, it was my turn. First, he asked me for my license. I asked in reply why I needed one. I had no dead animal in my possession, and I had not shot at one.
That's how the exchange went. It was a legal dance the entire way. It was perfectly cordial, too. I learned quite a bit from the dance, and it helped my dance steps for the future. In the end, I showed him my documentation, and gave him my phone number and the description of my rig at the highway (but not my license plate number, because I don't memorize such trivia) after asking wh6 I should give him said information. I then gave him directions, because he was lost!!!
Bottom line? One can be on wild public lands, armed, and anonymous under most circumstances. But I'll always carry some form of official ID, just to prevent being "detained", although I'm tempted to respond to the next officer by speaking in espanol, just for sheets and grins, if I have some time to waste.
Lawfare is a game. I can play, but only for fun, and I don't expect to "win"..........only to to learn, or passively resist when there's no downside.
