Outdoors in RI: Of rattlesnakes and wildlife, health tip, offshore wind farms, 2A updates – Jeff Gross

by Jeff Gross, contributing writer, outdoors, 2A

Wildlife

As more and more people are enjoying the woods, they should be aware of the wildlife in the woods.  Bears, Bobcats, and Coyotes are everywhere now – and all 3 can be a threat to man.  Another threat that is starting to pop up are Rattlesnakes. Common in the Blue Hills around southern Boston.  Rattlesnakes are now found in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, just 12 miles north of the Rhode Island Border. 

Rattlesnakes are venomous and their bite can kill a human being as well as dogs, etc.  While very rare to extinct in Rhode Island, they are becoming common in Massachusetts. There is an unverified rumor of these venomous snakes dwelling in some rock piles in Tiverton, Rhode Island, however, to date it is just a rumor. It is just a matter of time before they replenish their species in Little Rhody as Copperheads and Timber Rattlesnakes are closing in on the Rhode Island border.  People think EEE and West Nile Virus are a threat.  I’ll take bugs over snakes any day.  To date, few if any RI hospitals have snake bite anti-venom, however that is about to change as the EMT crews in northern RI will have it available soon, as well. These snakes can easily blend in with their camouflage patterns however at 2.5 to 5 feet in length, their size gives them away.  See header photo.

Also in the works is an effort to ensure that pet emergency hospitals in Rhode Island have the anti-venom as well.  Note, the 2 snakes in the video below are not fighting.  The snakes are in a courtship ritual prior to mating, so that means hundreds of baby rattlesnakes.  Sleep well tonight.

Hunting/Fishing Tip – Arm/Elbow Brace

While you are hunting, a way to take strain off your arm, and help avoid tripping over a Rattlesnake is to use some sort of arm or elbow brace.  Hunters often develop a form of tennis elbow from lugging that 8 lb, 12 gauge around. A reader inquired if I had any remedies for hunters’ elbow and the brace came to mind. This brace has come in handy up in Maine while fishing for Trout and smallmouth bass as inevitably this writer catches his elbow on the door jamb before hitting the road.  The brace takes the sting out of casting and also redistributes the weight when hunting afield.  The braces can be purchased at CVS, or Walmart. Turns out the reader took my other recommendation and purchased an Ithaca Model 37 featherlight in 20 Gauge that weighs in at a mere 5.5 lbs.  A great gun for Woodcock and Grouse in New Hampshire.

Offshore Wind Farms

In a report out of Newport, a Newport city meeting at Newport City Hall silenced opposition to the Newport Offshore Windfarms, only allowing proponents to speak. The Wind Farm issue is becoming as divisive as the Presidential election.  Progressives are suppressing commentary on many issues across the USA.  In most cases those with conservative or scientific opposing views are barred from speaking.  Self-interests allow only those with supporting views allowed to speak at these gatherings. We conservatives see this time and time again, with an example at the RI State House years ago when Representative Edith Aijello was the House Judiciary chair and allowed the Moms Demand Action 10 minutes each to speak and the gun owners only 2 minutes each to speak.  Folks, whether you want to admit it or not we are rapidly becoming the next USSR or PRC.

2A Update

It appears that another Maryland anti-gun law will be going to SCOTUS – MD’s handgun purchasing license law. Sound familiar, RI?  Like Maryland, Rhode Island has the blue card permit to purchase a firearm.  Also, this card is required to purchase ammunition.  All these laws are unconstitutional under the Heller and Bruen SCOTUS methodology. In Heller, if the text of the 2A is implicated, in this case purchasing a handgun or ammo, then the conduct of purchaser implicates the 2A.  It is then up to the Maryland or RI government to show that in the 18th century there was an analogous law. We all know there was no government permission slip required to acquire guns nor ammo.  While the MD case was upheld by the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals, this is actually a great thing for RI gun owners as, if Maryland shall-issue group petitions SCOTUS for a writ of Certiorari for the case, the final SCOTUS decision will apply directly to RI and all the other 48 states and territories.  If RI refuses to abide by the decision, like they did with the Caetano handgun decision, the government officials set themselves up for a major class action lawsuit.

Within the last 48 hours the Massachusetts Supreme court ruled that banning switch blade knives is unconstitutional.  This law is identical to the RI ban. The Constitution’s Second Amendment reads ” A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.”  Heller defined arms as any weapon that can be used offensively or defensively for all lawful purposes. This definition includes all knives. The question remains if the communists in Massachusetts will appeal to the Federal District courts.  If Massachusetts does appeal, then the Pro 2A decision ultimately will impact Rhode Island, Maine and New Hampshire.

The 5th circuit court of appeals upheld that people who use pot cannot be denied their 2A rights. The law at issue is 18 us code 922 g 3.  This ruling comes from appeal by the US DOJ from an identical ruling at the lower Federal District Court. These types of 922 g decisions are starting to pile up.  This writer has an issue with pot use. To the point he will not date a stoner!  He spent 4 years in the USCG keeping that s___ out of the USA.  However, my conservative support of the Constitution overrides my own personal opinion, therefore I will take one for the team on this particular case.  I see a new Trump Appointed US attorney General in 2025 dismissing many of these 18 US Code 922 G cases that deal with non-violent felons and gun ownership. These dismissals will take a large burden off the court systems.

Sooner or later John Q Public will ask since non-violent felons have the right to own and possess arms, including firearms, why the hell is the RI legislature making criminals out of honest law-abiding citizens?  I am thankful I will not be the one called on the carpet to answer that question.

Til next week – Jeff

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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, Commentary, and Whimsical. He can be reached at: [email protected].