By Dave Workman
Editor-in-Chief
Gun owners from Washington and Oregon have already been fleeing to neighboring Idaho to escape the gun control laws and warfare over wildlife management, but what happened in the Gem State this week could draw them like a magnet.
Idaho Gov. Brad Little signed legislation officially designating hunting as the state sport, according to the National Today, and there is more to come.
Outdoor Life is reporting that a ballot measure will appear in November allowing voters to choose the official state firearm, and there is already a list from which to choose, although it might be expanded.
- Winchester Model 1894 in .30-30
- Winchester Model 1873 in .44-40
- 1873 Colt “Peacemaker” in .45 Colt
- M1 Garand rifle in .30-06
- Colt M1911 in .45 ACP
- Remington Model 700 bolt-action in .30-06
And it all came about, according to the Idaho Press, because of the efforts of a 9-year-old Twin Falls youngster, Betty Grandy. She runs a newsletter titled The Grandy Gazette, which conducted a poll asking readers which sport best represented Idaho’s history and culture.
Under the text of House Bill 652, “The Legislature finds that the State of Idaho values the rights to hunt, fish, and trap and has enshrined such rights in the Constitution of the State of Idaho. The Legislature finds that the sport of hunting is historically and culturally representative of these traditions.”
The legislation was sponsored by state Reps. Don Hall and Grayson Stone, who represent the Twin Falls area.
This is not some stunt to cheer up a child. It’s the real deal, which declares the issue to be an emergency, and therefore it takes effect on July 1, just days before the United States celebrates its 250th Anniversary.
Pretty hard to top this achievement, especially for someone who is still in grade school.
Betty told the newspaper, “I’m glad that I got to be a part of Idaho’s history and that we now have a state sport that reflects Idahoans’ love of nature. I didn’t do this alone. I had people helping me every step of the way. I hope people remember that one person can have an idea, but it takes a lot of people working together to make it happen.”
As reported earlier, just across the border in Washington, fish and game management is in turmoil as one member of the Fish & Wildlife Commission just filed a lawsuit against the state Fish & Wildlife director amid allegations of improprieties involving members of the commission and the environmental community.
Gun control activities by majority Democrats in both states are also reportedly pushing many Washingtonians and Oregonians out to friendlier environments which respect rights protected by the Second Amendment.
