First, Upton I could care less whether you are a fan or not, it is people like you that turn so easily on your own kind.
Second, I could not find this article from Deer and Deer Hunting magazine on the net, so i could not cut and paste it, so I will be typing the exact comments from D&DH and Teddy's replies. Please forgive any typo's...
D&DH: Why did you plead guilty to illegally killing a black bear in Alaska? Ted: Just like in California, to fight a corrupt system would have bankrupted me and taken away from my life-support careers for God knows how long, and i don't trust our O.J.Simpson court system. This Alaska charge was an unintentional technical violation of an unprecedented never-before-heard-of law, only in the southeastern region of Alaska--Where if you bullet or arrow shows any signs of hitting a bear-- then your tag is invalidated. I still can't find anyone who has ever heard of such a regulation, even amongnst lifetime Alaskan resident hunters, guides and outfitters. Even the judge in Ketchikan stated that he had never heard of such a law. I was blindsided by this and, to my knowledge, the only person to have ever been charged under such a bizzare regulation.
D&DH: Didi you have a blood trail on the first bear? How long did you look for it? Ted:Yes, a minimal bloodtrail. My son and I, as always, searched diligently for many hours, even days. When we reviewed the tape in stop action, we realized that the arrow had actually glanced off the rib and had not penetrated the animal. The animal was not hurt--and certainly not killed.
D&DH: Did you know that Alaska had a law that stated that wounded equals a filled tag? Ted: No. I have hunted for 60 years, 35 years in Alaska, and everyone knows that the universal tagging law everywhere has always been " upon taking possession of the animal, the tag must be applied". This new, unprecedented regulatio exsists in this southeastern area of Alaska. i cannot find anyone who has heard of this rule.
D&DH: What responsibility are you taking for your actions? Ted:Was i negligent in knowing the Alaska bear hunting rule for the specific region I hunted that year? Absolutely. For my negligence, I have been charged with a violation and have plead guilty. To the best of my knowledge, I am the only person charged with violating this new, unheard of law. Lifetime hunters, guides, outfitters, even the resident Judge at my hearing were unaware of such an unprecedented regulation. While I disagree with Alaskas requirement that a tag is considered "filled" even on a non-lethal hit, that was the requirement at the time of my hunt. Had I known of that requirement i would not have hunted that region because I fundamentally disagree with it, and I certainly would not have hunted another bear.
D&DH: Will you hunt in Alaska again? You are now banned from hunting there for one year. Ted: Absolutely, I love Alaska and the great people and hunting there.
D&DH: What is your overall response to this situation? Ted: I am convinced that I am targeted by the feds for daring to use my First amendment rights-speaking out against the criminal Obama/Holder regime.. Alaska did not prosecute me, the Feds did. With the criminal horror of the Fast and Furious, Solyndra, the GSA outrage, the infestation of Obama's communist Czars and administration, the criminal runaway spending to obviously destroy America's economy--etc.etc.etc.-my speaking out against these government abuses of power and corruption has put me at the top of their enemy list.
D&DH: This is the second time in a year that a state has come after you, Why is this happening? Ted: Sadly both attacks came from the Feds. Since the anti-hunting, animal-rights maniac Jamie Rappaport Clark became director of US Fish and Wildlife, the government has scrambled to infest that agency and many others with hunter haters and gun haters. The examples of power abuse are mind boggling. They include things like illegal introduction of the Canadian grey Wolf: the insane slaughter of the Santa Rosa Island deer and Elk: the jackbooted raid on Gibson guitars: innocent families across America threatened and bankrupt over phenomenally stupid laws like creating felons out bowhunters for using the no.1 selling broadhead or lighted nock; raiding Amish farmers for selling raw milk; ruining families lives over false charges of wetland violations; and so many other inexplicable nonsensical rules and regulations that serve no purpose whatsoever in managing wildlife but overtly abused by government thugs (who are) out of control. The current US government is completely out of control, and the corruption and abuse of power is criminal and widespread.
D&DH: Tell us about the California incident, which stemmed from a deer hunt, also in 2009, that led to 11 charges being filed against you in 2010 for alleged hunting violations/ Ted: I pleaded no contest to bowhunting within 400 yards of feed or bait, about equal to a jaywalking offense, though I never put out any feed or bait. The property line of my hunting ground was 80 yards from my tree stand, and there is no way of knowing what would be within 400 yards of adjoining properties. I was within 100 yards of an apple orchard and 30 yards from a water tank. I killed a 100 percent legal deer in a 100 percent legal manner. I was informed by counsel that I could win in court but, it would cost me hundreds of thousands of dollars and force me literally setup camp in California for up to possibly a year. Remember, this is the California that foun O.J. innocent. There are many other gory details to the fiasco. It was just a horrible, horrible miscarriage of justice, and heartbreaking (to learn) how the system works. They can bankrupt you over such a petty charge.
D&DH: Are you being unfairly targeted? If so, why? Ted: I have dedicated my life and resources to fight for hunting rights and gun rights and exposing abuses by our government. The hunting haters and the gun haters in government cannot make their case logically or legally, so they are following the Saul Alinsky "Rules for Radicals" guidelines to destroy their enemies with orchestrated lies and runaway abuse of power by extreme lefties in government and the media. Who could possibly not be aware of this except for the ignorant, soulless Americans failing to perform their "we are the people" duties in this unique experiment in self government? There is a pathetic gang of "we the Sheeple" out there, and it's diabolic.
D&DH:What do you have to say to the hunters who are calling you a poacher? Ted: I was raised to obey all laws, and i have throughout my life. I have never hunted without proper licenses, tags and permits, making certain I use the legal weapon, legal arrowhead, legal ammo and legal orange in the proper region, I have never hunted out of season or illegally after dark, nor have I ever knowingly broke any of the indescribable, outrageous volumes of strange, arbitrary, illogical, capricious game laws that exist. I am not a poacher, and people who claim that I am are small minded, shallow, haters. My critics are mostly jealous because I am my own boss and have created an amazing quality of life for my family and myself through incredible hard work and dedication. You find someone who has a problem with me and you are looking at an ignorant, cheap person. My supporters are legion, and the finest Americans there are. I am constantly invited to take terminally ill children on their last hunt, and the host heroic wounded warriors of the US military on hunting trips around the world. The absolute best are on my side, so my detractors are exposed for the fools that they are. I couldn't feel better about my real reputation and position in life.
D&DH: What do you think is the single biggest challenge facing American Deer hunters? Ted: The same embarrassing curse of apathy that has opened the door for the vile abuse of power and runaway corruption in our government. It is clearly the job of we the people to stay in tune with current affairs and speak out and communicate with our elected officials to steer the US straight. It is diabolical, for example, that Pennsylvania sportsman groups actually sided with maniacal HSUS on recent game law changes. This is suicide for conservation.
D&DH: Public land access is a major concern of deer hunters everywhere. What solutions might help increase available land access? Ted: With all due respect to Teddy Roosevelt, this land is our land, and never again should one single tax dollar ever be spent hiring a USDA hunter to kill the wildlife on state, federal or national lands. All public lands belong to we the people; 100 percent access is the goal.
D&DH: What is you biggest concern related to deer hunting's future? Ted: I am heartbroken at the disconnect and ignorance of so many sportsmen to the basics of sustain/yeild wildlife managment and simple conservation. The ridiculous volume of illogical, anti science based, punitive, arbitrary hunting regulations is inexplicable and son many hunters fail to work to demand simple common sense upgrade is the No.1 obstacle to retention and recruitment into our beloved hunting and fishing lifestyle.
D&DH: During your recent NRA convention speech, what did you mean when you said, "We need to ride into that battlefield and chop their heads off in November. Any questions?" in reference to voting incumbents out of office this November ? Ted: I reminded good Americans that it isn't the enemies fault for sneaking into the White House and abusing power, but rather we the people for bending over and allowing them to take corruption to a horrible new level. I begged everyone to register and vote, because warriors give up their lives so that we can. I spotlighted cockroaches and rallied those who care to stomp'm out at the voting booths in November, as is my duty as an American. By no strech of the imagination did I ever threaten anyone's life, or hint of violence or mayhem. Metaphors need'nt be explained to educated people.
So there you go, some of these words will likely go into history books for our kids. I hope everyone is now open since Teddy had a chance to speak. BGOOD, would you really give up everything just to prove you were right???? House, cars, family,???? I think you are all talk....
:hail: Give'm hell Ted.
