Trapshooting and Concealed Carry

 
The recently passed concealed carry bill was definitely a great achievement for our state as far as personal protection goes. I had my eye on a few items which could have potentially benefited trapshooters that were being discussed at one point or another, but they were unfortunately left out of the version that was signed into law.

The first one was a proposed item related to the type of training needed to obtain a permit. There was talk of allowing proof of participation in shooting competitions over a period of time being allowed as one of the methods for certification. While it doesn't affect me because I am a Hunter Safety alum, it does affect those trapshooters who were old enough to be exempt from those courses at the time of their inception. There are other methods of training that are acceptable (NRA training, ATA training, etc.), but it would have been nice to see that shooting competition option make it in. Not a huge issue I guess.

The second item that was being tossed around in the early stages was removal of the requirement for all guns to have to be cased and unloaded in a vehicle. This was an item that was part of the constitutional carry version of the bill (which really had no chance of being passed), but I was really hoping it would make it into the one that eventually became law. In the DOJ's Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about the new law, they state that "The law has been changed regarding hand guns but the requirements for transporting long guns still remains." The laws regarding transportation of long guns are the same laws that empower the DNR and other law enforcement agencies to cruise through shooting events and issue tickets to unsuspecting competitors whose unloaded, uncased guns are in contact with their vehicle.

With concealed carry going into effect in November, it would seem that the laws for long guns are outdated. Maybe eventually they will change to favor the trapshooter who loves to lean his unloaded shotgun against his car, or lay it in the back of his pickup truck between the singles and handicap.

Just wanted to vent. If you want to see the FAQ, visit this link: http://www.doj.state.wi.us/dles/cib/Con ... stions.pdf