I just read up on buying firearms in England on Wikipedia. Sorry, jorhman, but you are wrong. Shotguns are available and can be bought without too much hassle, but those holding more than 2 shells are restricted along with all rifles and pistols. So those of you who shoot semi-autos and pumps pheasant hunting would be s.o.l.
Gun ownership in the US is defined as a "right" under the Second Ammendment to the US Constitution. In England, it's a "privilage". Buying any firearms other that side by side and over/under shotguns is a major ordeal. Owning one for "self defense" is not a valid excuse.
Like others have said here, it's only the privilaged class that can afford to hunt. I was in England in November and it's manicured farmland throughout the entire route we traveled. I did see one rooster while touring a castle, maybe the family that has lived in that huge old palace for 600 years releases them for hunting?
Here in Wisconsin we have over 4 million acres of public land to hunt. Within 5 minutes of home I'm in the grouse woods. Walk out the back door of my place up north and I'm hunting public land. The common folk of Europe don't have that luxury.
I don't begrudge any landowner who leases his property to hunters. The USA is still a free country and he's well within his rights to charge for leases. And I also feel for hunters who have a hard time finding good ground to hunt and can't [or don't want] to pay fees for access.
Like was stated in the beginning of this thread, we are seeing our rights slowly erode as liberal politicians work their corrupt magic to take them away. They can't take our guns, but they sure are working hard trying. And they're working hard to limit our access to ammo, etc.
I can still park my truck on a road in SD, get out the dog and hunt a road ditch, or order a map from SD Fish and Game that shows me where there are public access lands, or knock on some landowners door and ask permission. If he says "sure, but I charge for access", that's OK, too. At least it isn't costing the 3,000 Euros the guy in France quoted.
And I own 5 rifles and 4 shotguns that would be illegal in England.
God Bless America! I hope all of you have a Blessed Christmas and a prosperous 2010!
First of all, ranger rick, I didn't say anything about buying guns in England. The gunshop I was in was in Paris, and there wasn't any problem with me buying a gun and walking down the street with it.
Secondly, the Brits I know shoot OUs, so I can't comment about more-than-two-shot guns. I don't own any autos or pumps, and neither do they, by choice. If you say autos are a problem in England, I'll accept your word. So what? I don't live in England and neither do you.
As regards land on which to hunt, I don't know, and haven't said, anything about England. What I saw in France was 70 miles of open farmland, from Paris south. It may not have been as lightly populated as SD, but it was not heavily populated, there were miles and miles of farmland with only a few very small towns, and the hunters I saw certainly looked like ordinary locals. Now if you want to pay big money to hunt, you can do that right there in Wisconsin, and you can shell out the big bucks in SD too.
I have told you what I saw with my own eyes, firsthand. What you know, and how you know it, I don't know.
As to your claim that "they" are taking our gun rights...well, that's just plain horsehockey. I can buy all the guns I like, all the ammo I like and hunt anywhere it's legal. So can you. "Liberal politicians work their corrupt magic" is nonsense and stupidity. What gun right have you lost in your lifetime? Can you name even one? Of course not.
Wake up, go buy some guns and ammo, and go hunting, and stop tilting at windmills and imaginary problems. If open country and free hunting is the most important thing in your life, more power to you. Live in the sparsely populated parts where there's plenty of open land and game, it that's what floats your boat. You also need to realize that there are folks who prefer to live in Boston, where their children can attend any of 20 fine universities right in town, and there are folks who consider the winter weather in Florida worth more than a limit of pheasants. There are folks who love the excitement of LA, and folks who love the Blue Ridge of NC. Those may not be your choices...so what?
Get down on your knees my friend, and thank God that we live in this country where we can all pursue our own dreams.
