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LETTER: Semi-automatic weapons are not needed for hunting

From reader Rod Retzlaff
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Nelson, B.C. Photo: Bill Metcalfe

The Liberals are taking a lot of flack from anti-gun control advocates who are claiming that many “hunting rifles” are on the list to be taken away from honourable, legal gun owners.

I am a hunter, and have been for more than 50 years. My family of five relied on my hunting skills to put food on the table. I have never had a problem hunting with a regular repeating rifle. The aim of any hunter who wishes to consume his quarry is to put as few bullets in it as possible. Bullets make a mess of your meat. The more bullets, the more bloody mess, and the less clean meat, so claiming that you need a semi-automatic gun to hunt with is complete hogwash.

Assault rifles are being banned, but a semi- automatic “hunting” rifle is every bit as dangerous a weapon. I am writing this today, Dec. 6, the very day when a delusional bonehead named Mark Lepine murdered 14 young, smart, beautiful women with a semi-automatic 22 calibre “hunting” rifle.

If that rifle had been anything other than a semi-automatic many of those young women would likely not have died. These weapons are absolutely not needed for hunting. The rabid gun nuts and the Conservative party are ramping up opposition to the Liberal’s weapon ban by spreading lies. Rural hillbillies like myself do need our tools to survive, but no one needs these kinds of weapons, and I am in favour of ridding our society of all semi-automatic guns. Think hard before you buy their poisonous scare mongering.

Rod Retzlaff

Glade