#steven rinella
The other day, someone on our Facebook page expressed disapproval that I’d hunt in California. They felt as though I should boycott the state because of its grotesque record on gun rights. I categorically disagree with this sentiment. The idea that one should harm a state’s hunting and fishing industries as a way of punishing anti-gun voters makes about as much sense as punishing your cat over something your dog did. If California had more hunters and a more vibrant culture of law-abiding gun-owners, their politicians might not be making the mistakes that they are. But beyond the practical issue of how to win the battle over gun rights and hunting rights, there’s the issue of patriotism. America is a union of states, bound together by shared blood, shared history, and shared values. I’ll continue to travel freely throughout the U.S, regardless of a state’s political climate, until the day I die. I’ll do it because I can. And because I love to.