Gun remark makes outdoorsman an outcast

[Missileer]

Has anyone read this article yet? I don't know much about the writer but as the article states, these are critical times and gunowners are pretty touchy about being called terrorists. But, again, it sounds like he was a victim of overreaction by gunowners.
Read the article and see which way you go on this.
Gun remark makes outdoorsman an outcast

Criticism of hunters who use assault rifles puts writer’s career in jeopardy

By Blaine Harden

Updated: 11:22 p.m. CT Feb 23, 2007


- Modern hunters rarely become more famous than Jim Zumbo. A mustachioed, barrel-chested outdoors entrepreneur who lives in a log cabin near Yellowstone National Park, he has spent much of his life writing for prominent outdoors magazines, delivering lectures across the country and starring in cable TV shows about big-game hunting in the West.

Zumbo's fame, however, has turned to black-bordered infamy within America's gun culture -- and his multimedia success has come undone. It all happened in the past week, after he publicly criticized the use of military-style assault rifles by hunters, especially those gunning for prairie dogs.

"Excuse me, maybe I'm a traditionalist, but I see no place for these weapons among our hunting fraternity," Zumbo wrote in his blog on the Outdoor Life Web site. The Feb. 16 posting has since been taken down. "As hunters, we don't need to be lumped into the group of people who terrorize the world with them. . . . I'll go so far as to call them 'terrorist' rifles."

More on this-
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17307316/?GT1=9033

 

[Marinerhodes]

"As hunters, we don't need to be lumped into the group of people who terrorize the world with them. . . . I'll go so far as to call them 'terrorist' rifles."

I would like to see the entire article he wrote. Some of it may be taken out of context. All in all I agree with the first statement. Perhaps the second could have been worded differently but I don't see what the bruhaha is all about.

 

[senojekips]

One dissenter from within will bring you down faster than 100 from without.

Jump on this man and keep jumping until he whimpers like a whipped dog.

Having seen what happened here in Australia, believe me, "You don't want to go down that road".

 

[MontyB]

One dissenter from within will bring you down faster than 100 from without.

Jump on this man and keep jumping until he whimpers like a whipped dog.

Having seen what happened here in Australia, believe me, "You don't want to go down that road".

I agree 100% I mean where did this guy get off expressing his opinion he is obviously a radical and probably an extremist oh wait I think its in the same constitution that upholds his right to own firearms seems the very people spouting about how the constitution is set in stone must have missed the free speech and expression sessions.

Anyway back to the story it has to be one of the biggest over reactions on a subject to date and that sort of thing has a nasty tendency to backfire however I agree with Missileer it looks like a case of some poorly chosen words and a massive overreaction.

 

[major liability]

Who would want to hunt with an assault rifle? 5.56x45mm is not a great choice for hunters. Now, a 7.62x39mm or 7.62x51mm rifle like an SKS or FAL, that would be nice. Just makes the hunter's job easier. I've always considered the weapon you use to be the setting for diffculty. If you want a challenge, use a single-shot bolt action. If you just want to shoot some animals, bring a battle rifle.

 

[senojekips]

I agree 100% I agree with Missileer it looks like a case of some poorly chosen words and a massive overreaction.

Monty, I'm no Rhodes scholar, but my English comprehension is at least as good as most, and the way I read it I could see no poorly chosen words, it looked quite deliberate to me. Anyway, that's just my view. Regarding the over reaction, "If" he was quoted correctly, there is no such thing as an over reaction without perhaps physical violence. That in my opinion would be an over reaction in such a case.

Who would want to hunt with an assault rifle? 5.56x45mm is not a great choice for hunters.

ML, I agree for the most part, but not completely as you have lumped two statements together. I would not call a 5.56mm assault rifle a good choice for hunting, the same cartridge used in a small hunting rifle is excellent medicine for foxes and other small game. An assault rifle in 7.62x39mm (for example) is a cat of a completely different colour. I have shot many hundreds of feral goats with both SKS and AK. the AK was particularly favoured because of it's compact size when rounding up goats on a motor bike.

 

[bulldogg]

The man was a professional writer... "poorly chosen words" hell no, "overreaction" possibly.

 

[MontyB]

The man was a professional writer... "poorly chosen words" hell no, "overreaction" possibly.

Ok I will rephrase it to be more in line with what I meant, he chose the wrong thing to say to his audience but still it was in my opinion an over reaction

 

[Bugfatty]

The blog in question strikes me as gun snob elitism.

This guy must have been living in a bubble for the last 15 years to not know how popular "terrorist rifles" had become in American gun and hunting cultures.

The complete blog entry:

As I write this, I'm hunting coyotes in southeastern Wyoming with Eddie Stevenson, PR Manager for Remington Arms, Greg Dennison, who is senior research engineer for Remington, and several writers. We're testing Remington's brand new .17 cal Spitfire bullet on coyotes.

I must be living in a vacuum. (That sounds about right) The guides on our hunt tell me that the use of AR and AK rifles have a rapidly growing following among hunters, especially prairie dog hunters. I had no clue. Only once in my life have I ever seen anyone using one of these firearms.
I call them "assault" rifles, which may upset some people. Excuse me, maybe I'm a traditionalist, but I see no place for these weapons among our hunting fraternity. I'll go so far as to call them "terrorist" rifles. They tell me that some companies are producing assault rifles that are "tackdrivers." (The AR-15?)

Sorry, folks, in my humble opinion, these things have no place in hunting. We don't need to be lumped into the group of people who terrorize the world with them, which is an obvious concern. I've always been comfortable with the statement that hunters don't use assault rifles. We've always been proud of our "sporting firearms." This really has me concerned. As hunters, we don't need the image of walking around the woods carrying one of these weapons. To most of the public, an assault rifle is a terrifying thing. Let's divorce ourselves from them. I say game departments should ban them from the praries and woods.

I agree 100% I mean where did this guy get off expressing his opinion he is obviously a radical and probably an extremist oh wait I think its in the same constitution that upholds his right to own firearms seems the very people spouting about how the constitution is set.

Thats not right. Yes he has a right to say what ever he wants.

WE also have a right to criticize and howl at him till the cows come home for what he says.

Who would want to hunt with an assault rifle? 5.56x45mm is not a great choice for hunters.

For cayotes, jack rabbits, feral pigs, small deer and such its a perfectly capable round.

7.62x39 is also a good deer cartridge. My deer rifle is an SKS.

After all, Zumbo was hunting Cayotes with .17 caliber rounds when he learned AR-15s were being used also.

 

[5.56X45mm]

Jim Zumbo's article was an insult to millions of firearm owners.

He was sponsored by Outdoor Life, Remington, Gerber Knife, and a couple of other companies. Also he wrote for the NRA.

His entire article was written as if the Brady Bunch or Ted kennedy wrote it. He claimed that AR-15s are not used for hunts. Which I can disprove in twenty seconds

He said that AR-15 are "terrorist rifles", that all rifles like the AR-15 (AK series, FN FAL, CETME, M-14, M1 Carbine, etc...) should be banned from ownership and from the legal use of hunting.

Well, in response the gun owning community wrote to him and all of his employeers tell them that we will boycott their products unless they fire him.

Here is what Remington said...

Press

OR IMMEDIATE RELEASE​

Remington to Sever Sponsorship Ties with Jim Zumbo​

Madison, North Carolina – As a result of comments made by Mr. Jim Zumbo in recent postings on his blog site, Remington Arms Company, Inc., has severed all sponsorship ties with Mr. Zumbo effective immediately. While Mr. Zumbo is entitled to his opinions and has the constitutional right to freely express those opinions, these comments are solely his, and do not reflect the views of Remington.
“Remington has spent tens of millions of dollars defending our Second Amendment rights to privately own and possess firearms and we will continue to vigorously fight to protect these rights,” commented Tommy Millner, Remington’s CEO and President. “As hunters and shooters of all interest levels, we should strive to utilize this unfortunate occurrence to unite as a whole in support of our Second Amendment rights.”
We regret having to terminate our long-standing relationship with Mr. Zumbo, who is a well-respected writer and life-long hunter.

###
http://www.remington.com/library/press/2007/2007-1.asp
​

Here is what the National Rifle Association said...

NRA Publications Suspends Ties to Jim Zumbo​

Thursday, February 22, 2007 (FAIRFAX, VA) – The following statement was issued by the National Rifle Association of America.
Comments expressed by outdoor writer Jim Zumbo reflect neither the opinions of the National Rifle Association and America’s gun owners, nor are they an accurate portrayal of facts in regard to semi-automatic firearms lawfully owned by millions of citizens. Therefore, NRA Publications has suspended its professional ties with Mr. Zumbo.
The ensuing wave of grassroots response in support of the Second Amendment is a clear indication that America’s gun owners will act swiftly and decisively to counter falsehoods or misrepresentations perpetuated by any member of the media – whether it is one of the major networks or a fellow gun owner.
That depth of feeling and the unanimity of the response from the nation’s firearms owners sends a message to the new Congress. It says that millions of people understand the issue of semi-autos and will resist with an immense singular political will any attempts to create a new ban on semi-automatic firearms.
At the root of this grassroots response is the basic truth that ‘gun control merely makes the innocent pay the price for the guilty’ and our folks fully understand that their rights are at stake. It says that for the enemies of the Second Amendment there is no chance that the kind of divide and conquer propaganda strategy which preceded the 1994 ban on semi-auto firearms will ever succeed again.
It is our hope that Mr. Zumbo will use his energy and talent to help preserve our Second Amendment, America’s First Freedom, by ensuring that no one else falls prey to the tragic demonization of gun owners.
http://www.nraila.org//News/Read/Releases.aspx?ID=8952

Here is what Outdoor Life Magazine (Which I told them I'd cancel my subscription if they didn't fire him) said...

Outdoor Life And Jim Zumbo Part Ways

By Todd. W. Smith
Editor-in-Chief
Outdoor Life magazine Editor-in-Chief Todd Smith released the following statement today regarding writer Jim Zumbo:
February 2007
In light of comments made by Jim Zumbo in his February 16, 2007 blog posting on the magazine’s website, Mr. Zumbo has offered to terminate his association with Outdoor Life, and the magazine has accepted his offer. Accordingly, he will no longer be contributing to the magazine in print or online. His final column with Outdoor Life will appear in the April 2007 issue, which has already gone to press.
We respect Mr. Zumbo's First Amendment right to free speech, and we acknowledge his subsequent apology and admission of error. However, Outdoor Life has always been, and will always be, a steadfast supporter of all aspects of the shooting sports and our Second Amendment rights, which do not make distinctions based on the appearance of the firearms we choose to own, shoot or hunt with.
We regret this turn of events, as Mr. Zumbo has been a good friend to this magazine and lifelong advocate for hunters and hunting rights.
We appreciate the comments we've received from our loyal readers about this matter and encourage them to continue to correspond with us. Please direct any additional comments to OLletters@time4.com.
http://www.outdoorlife.com/outdoor/columnists/article/0,19912,1592623,00.html

Beware of our grassroot powers. He said what he said about a week ago and within that time he got canned.

​

 

[Wallabies]

50 years ago you would be labelled a communist if you used an AK.

 

[5.56X45mm]

No you wouldn't... 50 years ago folks would've gone nuts trying to look at a AK series rifle. The soviets keep them top secert to the point of picking up the shell casings from the firing range and having the soldier that were issued them keep them in tear away burlap sacks so civilians and foriegners couldn't take photos of them.

If I had a AK-47 rifle in 1957, the firearm's world would of thought me as a God. No one knew what a AK-47 was.....

Next time you make a comment, make sure it makes sense.

 

[Wallabies]

Russia can spy on splitting the atom but America can't spy on something that was produced in the millions?

 

[5.56X45mm]

The soviets got the info of the bomb by insiders working on the bomb in American and England. Did you ever here of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg. They gave the Soviets America's Nuclear secerts. They were tried for treason and sentenced to death. Once again....

Next time you make a comment, make sure it makes sense.

I guess you failed History.

 

[Wallabies]

That's what I meant mate, most spies were native to the country the spying was occuring too.

 

[WNxRogue]

The soviets got the info of the bomb by insiders working on the bomb in American and England. Did you ever here of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg. They gave the Soviets America's Nuclear secerts. They were tried for treason and sentenced to death. Once again....

Next time you make a comment, make sure it makes sense.

I guess you failed History.

Actually, Klaus Fuchs, Donald Maclean and Theodore Alvin Hall gave much more information to the soviets about our nuclear secrets than the Rosenbergs. Klaus gave the most information, and he was arrested for espionage and give 14 years in jail, compared to the relative unimportance of the data given by the Rosenbergs, and they were give the death sentence.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethel_and_Julius_Rosenberg#Posthumous_revelations

 

[Wallabies]

The Rosenbergs didn't even work on the Manhattan Project, they aquired their intel via secondary sources. Now, the main weapon for an army is pretty hard to hide.

 

[5.56X45mm]

No it's not. When you are a nation with no freedom of the press, a secert police running around, and lastly a government in which everyone is watching each other.

Lastly, during that time period the SKS Carbine was in production to throw off the ideas of the western powers. The resaon why so many nations received SKS Carbines is because while it was a new design it wasn't revolutionary. SKS Carbines were being studied by Western nations because that was the firearm that was receiving all the news from the Soviet Armed Forces.

Germany kept the STG 44 a secert until we got them in out hands through the soviets.

The People Republic of China kept their new bullpup, the QBZ-95 secert untill they rolled in their troops into Hong Kong after the brits gave it up. The Chi-Coms have been working on it since 1995 but the western world did not learn about it since the PRC Troops rolled into town with them live on CNN.

 

[mmarsh]

My folks used to own a place in upstate NY. Lots of hunters up there. Mostly for deer, although there are short seasons for Moose, coyote, and even Black Bear. Turkey and smaller game birds as well. Most common rifles were 30-30 or 30-60.

In the 20 years they had the house, I don't recall a single time I saw a hunter carrying a military style assault rifle. So I think Mr Zumbo's remarks were on the level, at least about the part when he said a military assault rifle wasn't needed for hunting.

The 5.56mm in particular is not a hunting munition (unless the prey walks upright on two legs).

 

[5.56X45mm]

There are many popular rifle chambered in the 5.56x45mm caliber. Remington 700 Bolt Action Rifle, Ruger M77 Bolt Action Rifle, Winchester Model 70 Bolt Action Rifle, Savage Bolt Action Rifle, Steven's Bolt Action Rifle, Ruger Mini-14, AR-15....

All of those use the civilian version of the 5.56x45mm cartridge. The .223 Remington. The AR-15 is a very popular rifle used in varmit hunting and small game hutning like hog.

I guess I need to post another photo of another hunt with a AR-15