Comments on: Supreme Court Clears Hunter On Muzzleloader Charge

By: David Huie Green

David Huie Green — Mon, 26 Sep 2016 23:06:12 +0000

stalking 2001
domestic violence
grand theft 1999 2015
grand theft auto 2015
dealing in stolen property 2000
fugitive from justice 2001
driving while license revoked or suspended multiple convictions 2014
leaving scene of an accident 2014

To be honest, he probably needs more than a muzzle loader.

David for armed felons

By: McFly

McFly — Mon, 26 Sep 2016 07:20:09 +0000

Hey McFly here:
JustPlainCountry did the research and he’s right.
OK for felon to have muzzle loader BUT NOT ok to hunt in Florida unless he has his rights restored.
Statue is here in FWC publication:

http://m.myfwc.com/hunting/regulations/general-information/

By: what

what — Mon, 26 Sep 2016 02:29:43 +0000

“The 1st District Court of Appeal ruled in Weeks’ favor on the constitutional issue, spurring prosecutors to take the case to the Supreme Court.”

Are these prosecutors insane? the law is clear anything 1918 and before replica or not is not considered by the rules. He did not break the law clearly, so why are they wasting time harassing this guy? A waste of tax payer money going after this guy who has clearly done nothing wrong. I think the prosecutors look like fools and are just going after him for no reason.

Florida is arresting clowns, they need to get rid of these prosecutors.

By: Don

Don — Sat, 24 Sep 2016 10:54:41 +0000

Just don’t get a felony.. problem solved!

By: Brenda Gail

Brenda Gail — Sat, 24 Sep 2016 09:34:49 +0000

I don’t mean to criticize the person who wrote this article but it was hard to get the facts out of. I do know it is legal for a convicted felon to hunt with a muzzleloader. Not just any muzzleloader will do, it must be considered an antique or a replica of an antique muzzleloader, adding nothing to modernize it. It will also be to that hunters advantage to be familiar with how the law reads in case you have to explain it to a wildlife officer. I personally saw a member of our hunting party pull out a book and read it to a gamewarden and show him the law stating it was legal. If he had not have known the interpretation of that law, and been able to show them, he might have went to jail that day only to fight it out in court later. Maybe this Supreme Court ruling will help the people who have already paid there debt society for breaking the law, be able to hunt again with something more than just a bow or crossbow. And maybe it will be clear to wildlife officers exactly what is legal. After he had his pow-wow with 2 or 3 different wardens that day, he didn’t have anymore problems, they remembered him. Lol. My friend dog hunted with his. It was a double barrel, so he had two shots and he made them count. He usually killed as many buck deer as the rest of us. It just took him longer to reload.

By: Just plain country

Just plain country — Sat, 24 Sep 2016 00:14:48 +0000

This is from the FWC web site, ask FWC questions and answers.

Question:

Can I go hunting if I have a felony conviction?
Answer:

It is illegal in Florida for convicted felons to possess firearms, including muzzle loading guns, unless the convicted felon has had his/her civil rights restored and firearm authority restored by the state’s Clemency Board or the gun qualifies as an antique firearm under Florida statute 790.001(1). Properly licensed convicted felons may hunt with bows or crossbows during hunting seasons when such devices are legal for taking game. For additional information read the Hunting with a felony conviction web page.

By: jeeperman

jeeperman — Fri, 23 Sep 2016 21:18:37 +0000

I must point out that it is not technically LEO that need to know every law there is on the books. It is the DA/SA/prosecutor, etc. that must decide.
I suspect that the FWC officer saw a MODERN scope versus a period correct scope on the “replica” antique gun.

I would have to say if he had a night vision scope on the “replica” antique gun, then my common sense says he voided the “replica” antique gun use statute.

Perhaps the law needs to be changed to also state such guns can only be outfitted with period correct replica accessories.

By: CwBuff

CwBuff — Fri, 23 Sep 2016 18:40:14 +0000

The Justices need to do their homework before they provide an opinion on a case such as this. To deliver an opinion that states that scopes were not available for firearms circa 1918 is an opinion in err. While very crude and primitive by our standards today, scopes were used in the civil war. I’m no lawyer, but I’m pretty sure that was before 1918.

By: Just plain country

Just plain country — Fri, 23 Sep 2016 18:35:29 +0000

Florida Statute 790.001 [Definitions.—As used in this chapter, except where the context otherwise requires:
(1) “Antique firearm” means any firearm manufactured in or before 1918 (including any matchlock, flintlock, percussion cap, or similar early type of ignition system) or replica thereof, whether actually manufactured before or after the year 1918, and also any firearm using fixed ammunition manufactured in or before 1918, for which ammunition is no longer manufactured in the United States and is not readily available in the ordinary channels of commercial trade.]

This seems very reasonable to understand for us common folks. If they want the statute to mean something else then they need to rewrite it!!!

By: Jimmy

Jimmy — Fri, 23 Sep 2016 15:41:03 +0000

Jeeperman
You are probably right, all lawinforcmen officers need to be educated on the laws.
No tellig how much time and money it would save.