If I may, I like to expand on what I said. During my 20 years in the Air Force, I had the pleasure or better put, the blessing to be in a position to assist the Local, State and Federal agencies mainly in Search & Rescue and in Law Enforcement. What I have witnessed in some cases more than most is nonviolent offenders getting themselves into trouble with the law and branding them as Felons. So where is the problem? I discussed the difference of "violent" and "nonviolent" offenders and this does have a direct impact on the family especially the children. How can a parent like a father bring up a Son with Felon branded on his forehead??? Yes, it's the price that person has to pay and should of thought about it when they did it. But for nonviolent Felon and when a period of probation set forth by the Court is passed and interdiction and monitoring by the Court has passed the real question is, should this individual gain back certain if all their rights provided this is a nonviolent individual??? Another point of view to add did this person act in a nonviolent way doing what a normal person would do, to only end up on the wrong side of the law, kinda like coming down a hill a couple of MPH over the speed limit in a controlled manner not reckless in any way??? We have all done it!

The problem I see with certain laws, somebody has a hammer like a DOT Cop and every 18 Wheeler is a nail. I have lost over $3000.00 in Lawyer fees and fines for bogus citations. Will someone explain how a Tractor & Trailer Rig governed at 62 mph claimed to do 78 mph cresting the top of a mountain climbing a steep grade several miles long? As there are bad Cops, there are bad courts loaded with Prosecutors to score, to put another notch on their belt knowing full well the defendant is innocent. In other words, your innocent, but the Prosecuting Attorney says if you plead guilty of a lower offence, you get to go your marry way down the road despite your totally innocent of any charges, you just don’t have the money to fight it. I’ve witnessed this first hand assisting Law Enforcement and as a Over the Road Driver and this is the top two reasons I didn’t pursue Law Enforcement besides my loss of hearing.

This is only for “food for thought”, all I ask is to think about it.

I remember a Gentleman who had the off with their head mentality. It was interesting to see later when he fail into the category of "Convicted Felon"!

Having spent over 24+ years in prison I would like to add my thought on "Game Wardens" acting out their idea of the "Thin Blue Line". Yeah, I know...PC. They are not "game wardens" any more. How nice, and they aren't "Big City Cops/State Patrolmen" either. And of course the big lie is that they have no choice in the matter of what laws that they can selectively enforce, Bull Hockey!!!! Most of the time crimes that were misdemeanors or even just warnings are now put on the books as "FELONIES". And the judges and juries are not able to say to what degree they would prosecute "THE LAW". All of that is out of their hands. They are not smart enough, legal minded enough, and they are too soft.
They let the bad guys out too often. Well, at $25,000 to over $100,000 per year that might not always be a bad idea. It costs to lock up a human being who can an does sue the State, County and even the Federal Governments to the tune of BILLIONS OF DOLLARS A YEAR. And that "horrible human" that raped that very nice church going girl...gets off with the DNA proving he wasn't in the same county at the time of the crime. He gets,what, $20,$30, $40,000 a year for wrong full imprisonment. It happens every day.
So before you go and join the "Far Right/Far Out" and want to put everyone of those guys behind bars. Remember, one, you are going to pay for that ... and in some states the cost of Prisons are as much if not more than the cost to run a State School System. Most of the time we are talking about less than 100,000 inmates vs 4 or 5 MILLION students...hmmmm
And two, most and I say most people who are licensed hunters are people that actually know how to do that. I mean you don't come from the inner city, grab a gun, get a license and go out into the woods, to ... what...get lost, shot, messed up. Since most law enforcement agencies are hooked up to the National Governments computers that have a record of everyone who has even been part of the Jurist Prudent System to any degree, I would say that anyone that is that determined to "make a bust" could find out if the individual is wanted, paroled, what crime was committed, when did he commit the crime, and does he really represent a threat. Felons are not all the same. And let me tell you this...anything that we "pull" on the inmates in 2010 will be pulled on us or our children by 2015, anything. Computers and the people that control them do not want to lose any of that control for any reason.
As for my 24+ years in Prison...I was the guy that would tell the inmate what he would have to do to "qualify" to go see the "Board". Of course when they would get hit for another two years...I would have to find something else for him to do, HHHHHHmmmmmmmmm "Would you like to learn how to hunt"?????

how many of obama's cabinet members should be felons when the rest of us would be in prison? it's not about the crime, but who commits it. our tresury secretary should be in prison but isn't because of our president! it's the same concept when it comes to new gun laws: why have new ones when we don't consistently enforce the ones we have?

I gotta agree with Mike.. Looks like they did a pretty good job this year picking up a big number of gun owning felons.. Chances are those men wouldn't have gotten caught with their guns if they weren't hunting..

Remember when the Federal Law took into affect, if you have been charged with assault and battery, you are not allowed to posses a firearm. Sue put allot of good Veteran Law Enforcement Officer out of work. When good goes bad or is it when bad goes good?

The add money back into DNR and then tip off cops that they are most likely using a gun. And people say that criminals aren't smart.

In Michigan a bow, crossbow or a Black powder rifle can be used during rifle deer season so any convicted felon can hunt legally. Therefore prohibiting them from obtaining any kind of hunting license would be unconstituional. A black powder rifle,capable of killing a deer, bear, or other big game is NOT A FIREARM under federal law. They can be purchased without any paperwork at any licensed dealer!

I am a retired Law Enforcement Officer and I agree with those who say we should divide the violent from the nonviolent. A young man breaks into a hunting cabin and with 2 buddies steal a TV valued at $250.00 which is a felony. Do you think at 5o years old that person should not be alowed to hunt. I think they should have their priviledge restored. Several of my Law Enforcement friends feel the same way.

i think its good and bad
good:more money, hire more people =more jobs
bad:people dont get caught right away, could get away

The problem is that if you start carving out exceptions for non-violent felons, some day some idiot ACLU attorney is going to try to make the argument that child molestation is not a violent crime where no injury occurred (as in a simple touching). Well, it is - period. Then you get to the point of involuntary manslaughter - and that same idiot ACLU attorney will try to make the argument that if the involuntary manslaughter doesn't have a violent misdemeanor involved in the charge, then "should it really be a felony?" Pandora's box will be opened by the carving out of exceptions (see the tax code). If the felon can't vote without getting his rights restored through the proper channels, then shy should he be allowed to carry a firearm - even to hunt?

Last thoughts - I promise . . . 1) felons are liars by nature, and 2) drug crimes aren't necessarily violent crimes, but is there anyone who can claim with a straight face to believe that a person with drugs and money on his person at the same time he has a firearm on him is not violent, in that he is prepared to shoot and/or kill to protect those drugs and that money? Would a tax cheat kill to stay out of prison? Where is the line drawn? There is no rational reason for allowing felons to own and possess firearms.

As a convicted felon and an avid Wisconsin hunter I'd like to weigh in on this one. It is my God-given and Constitutional right to hunt. I am a bowhunter. I don't know how any felon buys a gun hunting license but that's pretty pathetic of our govt. to allow that. There's enough laws as it is in this country these days, we certainly don't need any more. Simply start running background checks on anyone buying a gun license and the problem is solved. I'm amazed anyone with a record would even have the balls to try to get a gun hunting license. You'd get in an enormous amount of trouble if you got caught. These guys are all idiots. Plus they make those of us who did one stupid thing a very long time ago look bad too and call into question our integrity and whether or not we should be allowed to hunt or whatnot. I'm glad the DNR is out there doing what we pay them to do though and busting these idiots. I love hunting and fishing, and I hope a few don't spoil it for the rest of us. As far as the law in Wisconsin goes, depending on what you're charged with, your right to vote is restored, but you will always be a "felon" as ;long as you live. Only a governor's pardon can take that away. I wasn't convicted of anything bad so I'm allowed to vote, and I should be. I, like all felons though, am never again allowed to possess a firearm or hold public office nor obtain most licenses. It's virtually impossible to get a job after 2001 with a felony as well. So we are stuck fighting for them and quoting laws to employers to convince them they can't discriminate against us for it. Thank God for over a year of unemployment. Nobody wants to give you a chance, even though your "minor" act of stupidity was well over 10 years ago.