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Originally Posted by beansgunsghandi
Allowing hunting with handguns would take a total re-write of restricted firearm law in Alberta and likely the entire country.
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No, it would not. All it would require is removing the prohibition in our Wildlife Act and a CFO that will issue some permits. It's that simple.
Here's a true story:
I was interested last year in how to shoot some pest coyotes off my deck using a .357 loaded with quiet .38 rounds. (No, I am not going to justify that to anyone. I wanted to. It's my deck and my property and they were after my dogs.) Anyway, I talked to the Firearms Centre in N.S. and they said I could only fire a handgun at a range. I asked her to show me that law. On hold. I was kicked upstairs. On hold again. There is no such law. I was then directed to the provincial CFO to see what s/he said. She agreed with me - there is no restriction to shooting off my back deck (out in the country) since the handgun would not have left my "residence". HOWEVER, the Wildlife Act prohibits hunting "wildlife" with a pistol and coyotes are wildlife. So, that was the end of that. It is an irrational law; a subsonic .38 round would be much quieter than my 12 ga.
Trotting out scenarios of Yosemite Sam blasting the countryside with his six-guns is not a rational justification to banning hunting with a handgun. Ironically, the opponents who raise such intolerant imaginations will call the rest of us "inbred rednecks" in the same breath. If you ask me, it is they who are sounding like an inbred redneck, not I.
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Start with that if you want to hunt with handguns.
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Impossible. Handgun hunting needs to start in one or two jurisdictions. Alberta is probably the best bet.
Only when the Gun Zombies see that the sky did not fall after handgun hunting was allowed somewhere will we be able to have a bigger conversation. Until then, there are many who are so brainwashed that all they can see are reruns of Yosemite Sam cartoons when the word "pistol" is uttered. Rational conversation becomes impossible. If we opened up hunting to handguns, probably with a calibre restriction like Huntin'Stuff proposed, I have little doubt nothing bad would happen. Folks who went hunting with a handgun would buy a lot of ground blinds and get closer. Not much different than the archers. I would have a pistol in my wall tent at night along with my short-barreled 12 ga. So what?
It is true that there is a large emotional/mental block to overcome. That emotional opposition is not based on fact but it is real. It is known as bigotry. I have never heard a good reason to back away from bigotry; including the fact that sometimes there are a great many bigots lined up on the other side.
Would it take some significant effort? Yes.
Would it take some real pressuring of politicians? Yes.
Would it take money for the effort? Yes.
Would there be lots of name-calling from those who like bans - and others? Yes.
So?