What is he thinking..JIM ZUMBO.

[Reysc]

He is being cruxified/flamed as we speak. Warning it's a long read and comments are being posted non stop.. Don't make the mistake I made..LOL.. I always print long articles so I can read them at my leisure over a glass of wine but HOLY COW, when I check my printer it was printing page 358 of 833!!!
Author said the AR is an Assault Rifle and a TERRORIST RIFLE!!!

Hook up the laptop, sit in a comfortable chair then clicky..clicky here;

http://outdoorlife.blogs.com/zumbo/2007 ... t-60843228

[Lumberjack98]

He's already issued and "apology" but I doubt it's sincerity. He doesn't address the "terrorist" issue at all.

[flintknapper]

He's already issued and "apology" but I doubt it's sincerity. He doesn't address the "terrorist" issue at all.

He's really stepped in it this time.

We all make mistakes...so I will wait to see how this shakes out, but I found his apology rather obligatory. Hope it works out O.K. for him, he has done a lot of good things for the shooting sports in the past.

His apology:




I was wrong, BIG TIME

Someone once said that to err is human. I just erred, and made without question, the biggest blunder in my 42 years of writing hunting articles.

My blog inflamed legions of people I love most..... hunters and shooters. Obviously, when I wrote that blog, I activated my mouth before engaging my brain.

Let me explain the circumstances surrounding that blog. I was hunting coyotes, and after the hunt was over and being beat up by 60 mph winds all day, I was discussing hunting with one of the young guides. I was tired and exhausted, and I should have gone to bed early. When the guide told me that there was a "huge" following of hunters who use AR 15's and similar weapons to hunt prairies dogs, I was amazed. At that point I wrote the blog, and never thought it through.

Now then, you might not believe what I have to say, but I hope you do. How is it that Zumbo, who has been hunting for more than 50 years, is totally ignorant about these types of guns. I don't know. I shot one once at a target last year, and thought it was cool, but I never considered using one for hunting. I had absolutely no idea how vast the numbers of folks are who use them.

I never intended to be devisive, and I certainly believe in United we Stand, Divided we Fall. I've been an NRA member for 40 years, have attended 8 national NRA conventions in the last 10 years, and I'm an advisory board member for the United States Sportsmen's Alliance which actively fights anti-hunters and animal rights groups for hunter's rights.

What really bothers me are some of the unpatriotic comments leveled at me. I fly the flag 365 days a year in my front yard. Last year, through an essay contest, I hosted a soldier wounded in Iraq to a free hunt in Botswana. This year, through another essay contest, I'm taking two more soldiers on a free moose and elk hunt.

When I started blogging, I was told to write my thoughts, expressing my own opinion. The offensive blog I wrote was MY opinion, and no one else's. None of the companies that I deal with share that opinion, nor were they aware of what I had written until this firestorm started.

Believe it or not, I'm your best friend if you're a hunter or shooter, though it might not seem that way. I simply screwed up. And, to show that I'm sincere about this, I just talked to Ted Nugent, who everyone knows, and is a Board member of the NRA. Ted is extremely active with charities concerning our wounded military, and though he's known as a bowhunter, Ted has no problem with AR 15's and similar firearms. My sincerity stems from the fact that Ted and I are planning a hunt using AR 15's. I intend to learn all I can about them, and again, I'm sorry for inserting my foot in my mouth.

[stevie_d_64]

Rey, forget about the reading that stuff son...This is absolutely all about throwing gas on the fire and expecting everyone just to jump in and wallow around in the flames and ashes...

Stick with the wine and read something that doesn't raise the blood pressure...

If you do interject a comment, just tell them all you own the "devil's gun" and have the serial number to prove it, and you'll hunt whatever is necessary if and when you choose to do so...And in what manner...

That article is so not about huntin at all...More like someone assuming (negatively) an awful lot more about people who actually own an evil looking black rifle, and further assuming thats that is the first thing packed if we choose to go hunting...

I have zero use for such people and these views...

I am not a hunter, it is not something I aspire to do at this particular time...That doesn't mean I don't know how to do it...

[stevie_d_64]

"Flint",

I'm glad you just posted that apology from him...I hadn't seen it just yet...

The last paragraph sure appeared ironic...

I guess I am from the school of thought that you just don't laugh at another man's dog, or make fun of how they go about putting meat on the table...

[Reysc]

Rey, forget about the reading that stuff son...This is absolutely all about throwing gas on the fire and expecting everyone just to jump in and wallow around in the flames and ashes...

Stick with the wine and read something that doesn't raise the blood pressure...

If you do interject a comment, just tell them all you own the "devil's gun" and have the serial number to prove it, and you'll hunt whatever is necessary if and when you choose to do so...And in what manner...

That article is so not about huntin at all...More like someone assuming (negatively) an awful lot more about people who actually own an evil looking black rifle, and further assuming thats that is the first thing packed if we choose to go hunting...

I have zero use for such people and these views...

I am not a hunter, it is not something I aspire to do at this particular time...That doesn't mean I don't know how to do it...

Hey, Steve !! You're absolutely right Sir!! No need to waste time on such issues but I was just amazed at the comment and subsequent replies it generated.. Geez!! Want me to mail to you 863 pages of the stupid stuff I prnted?? Naw!! It's in tthe trash now..I am off tomorrow and you're right again, I will open a nice bottle of Cab and romance my EBR..LOL!!
You take care, Stevie and see ya' next time you're in my neck of woods!
ReySC

[flintknapper]

"Flint",

I'm glad you just posted that apology from him...I hadn't seen it just yet...

The last paragraph sure appeared ironic...

I guess I am from the school of thought that you just don't laugh at another man's dog, or make fun of how they go about putting meat on the table...

I graduated from that school too, (maybe thats good, maybe bad) but...I agree with you. Some thoughts are best left unsaid.

The man is certainly entitled to his opinion, but it makes sense to "choose" your audience when expressing it.

Maybe he's been hanging out with the Dixie Chicks, who knows?

[jimlongley]

The way I personally see it, he really needs to step up and take MORE responsibility for his words, his apology is weak and reads more like an excuse than a reason.

[KBCraig]

I hate to say it, but a big portion of the donors at Ducks Unlimited, National Wild Turkey Federation, etc., etc., feel the same way.

They might do it quietly, but they look down their noses at un-PC guns, and would gladly sell them out in exchange for extra days in hunting season.

Kevin

[Reysc]

I hate to say it, but a big portion of the donors at Ducks Unlimited, National Wild Turkey Federation, etc., etc., feel the same way.

They might do it quietly, but they look down their noses at un-PC guns, and would gladly sell them out in exchange for extra days in hunting season.

Kevin

My thoughts exactly!! I have a feeling the author had plenty of "Truth Serum" a.k.a. any intoxicating substance and just blurted out what he had been keeping to himself and his group...
ReySC

[Liberty]

There is something to be learned from this whole thing. There are innocent partys to this whole thing and I'm betting he loses his job over this. folks are cancelling their subscriptions and calling for a boycott of Springfield Arms. It was an unedited blog entry, and only his opinion. Maybe after a day or two things will calm down. His big biggest mistake wasn't in dissing the AR15, but in his actually calling for a ban of it.

We are all allowed and encouraged to have our preferences. and dislikes. and they don't have to be even reasonable, but for a man who makes his living because of the 1st and 2nd amendment to call for a ban of terrorist guns is truly a disgrace.

besides everyone knows that real terrorist prefer AKs and SKs

[Reysc]

"besides everyone knows that real terrorist prefer AKs and SKs "

LOL!!! Good wit and humor!!!

[KBCraig]

Having now gone and and looked at the comments... wow! I'm not surprised by the number, nor by their vitriol. I'm just surprised at how fast they came!

There were hundreds of comments in the space of an hour. That's more than just an ARFCOM strike... that's a lot of regular readers lashing out.

Kevin

[lrb111]

Having now gone and and looked at the comments... wow! I'm not surprised by the number, nor by their vitriol. I'm just surprised at how fast they came!

There were hundreds of comments in the space of an hour. That's more than just an ARFCOM strike... that's a lot of regular readers lashing out.

Kevin

FReepers, politcos, and darn near every gun site.
Since nearly every modern gun has a military history, it was a mega oops.

[The Marshal]

Worst part is that someone mentioned the Brady Site already has it on their website! Grrrr.

Here... this should make it better...


~Bill