Outdoors in RI: Fishing weather now, get ready for banner hunting season, 2A update – Jeff Gross

by Jeff Gross, contributing writer

For the folks that Deer it appears this year will be another banner year. Numerous areas are seeing numbers of Deer with 2 fawns, including in Maine. Also, Moose with twins are sighted in Maine, as well. Moose twins are quite the rarity. Large numbers of bucks are being seen as well so those of you using Antlered and Doe tags ought to fair well.

Deer photography courtesy Kylie Caruso 

Again, when the season comes into play be sure of your shot, as I entertained a large number of complaints about civilians not wearing fluorescent orange in 2022.  Hopefully the DEM enforces this valid safety issue before and during the hunting season.

Did you know that the White House is withholding federal funding to any schools that have a hunting program or an archery program? There are some school systems in Pennsylvania that shut down at the start of hunting season so the youngsters can go out and hunt. I pose this question to those hunters that abide by their unions’ directives to only vote for Democrats – how is that working out for you?

Like Deer season, Pheasant season is rapidly approaching. For you pheasant hunters one can tie wrap Pheasant feathers to a training dummy. A pre-tied dummy costs about $28.00 at Cabela’s, however, they wear out quickly.  Saving the feathers from your birds, including the wings and tails, can cut costs to about $1.00 for 5 tie wraps. Also, making your own training aid is a great lesson for kids as they will like the creative activity. This lesson also shows the youngsters that very little goes to waste. This involvement for the little ones will help develop an interest in hunting as they get older, as well.

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Smallmouth Bass Photos Courtesy Jon Gray

Trout Photos Courtesy  Brittany and Trevor Ashe

With the nice weather on the horizon, many are heading out during the day, fishing.  Remember, fish deep!  Bass and trout like the cooler, more oxygenated, water that is down in the 20 foot to 40 foot range.  Some lakes will require down riggers to get that deep.  However, the results, as you can see, will be worth the effort.  Using streamers towed behind a down rigger works well. Just using a 0.5 ounce spoon and letting it sink to the desired depth is another technique that has had great success for this writer, though nothing like the success noted above, for all those folks. With temperatures in the high seventies to very low eighties, there will be some great fishing going on.

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2nd Amendment SCOTUS update

Justice Samuel Alito had an important Second Amendment decision early Friday evening. The information will be added, here, as an addendum.  

At around 7pm, SCOTUS issued an order extending the stay on the Garland v. Vanderstock case to 5 pm, next Tuesday.  This case involves the Biden Administration BATFE order on frames and receivers and Gun Parts kits.  AKA, Ghost guns.  While this stay order is annoying, something big could be coming down the pike. Keep in mind SCOTUS is on summer recess.  Since Justice Alito always does the right thing, I personally think he deserves a long weekend. 4 days stay extension is not the worst decision.

Looking at it from an MRE perspective which is always optimistic – always looking for the positive – my reasoning says that SCOTUS will issue a writ of Certiorari as there is great concern that this Administration has become too inflated especially with the BATFE.  If Certiorari is the outcome this will be heard by Christmas this term, and will deal a second major blow to the White House as the Chevron difference case Loper Bright Enterprises v Raimondo will be decided.  These two cases have great potential to strip most of the authority from the Alphabet Agencies. 

As a Constitutionalist, this is very exciting.  Worst case scenario, SCOTUS could extend the stay to anyone who is not a plaintiff.  Remember when the pain in the neck writer keeps after people to join 2AF, FPC, GOA, NAGR, all of you that heeded his request are all plaintiffs as members of the forementioned groups and the stay would not pertain to you.  This is the 2nd national case that benefits Rhode Islanders and other states just by joining organizations that have our backs.  Depending on Tuesday’s outcome I may be due to write a significant 2A update.  Stay tuned and have a great weekend.

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Jeffrey “Jeff” Gross spent 21 years as an Analytical Chemist at the USCG R&D Center in Groton, Connecticut, Woods Hole Laboratories, and Helix Technologies. Changing careers is a “great learning experience for everyone”, Jeff says, and I’m an avid outdoorsman and conservationist, a student of the sciences, and the world. The US holds too many wonders not to take a chance and explore them”.Jeff is the Model Train and Railroad entrepreneur. Proud Golden Retriever owner. Ultra strong Second Amendment Advocate and Constitutionalist. “Determined seeker of the truth”. Jeff is a RIFGPA Legislative and Legal Officer, Freshwater Chairman, NRA Liaison.His subjects include Outdoors, Second Amendment, Model Railroading, and Whimsical.