Fall wild turkey hunting opens in 48 Ohio counties on Saturday, October 9, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), Division of Wildlife. The season continues through Sunday, November 28.

"Summer brood observation data are still being analyzed, but the 2010 hatch appeared to be a little better than last year," said Wildlife Biologist Mike Reynolds. "Acorns appear to be abundant in much of eastern Ohio this year. Good acorn crops usually result in lower fall turkey harvests because flocks are widely scattered feeding on acorns in forested areas. Hunters who spend time scouting feeding areas will be more likely to locate flocks of birds this fall."

Hunters harvested 2,180 wild turkeys during last year's fall season. Reynolds added that Ohio's current wild turkey population is around 230,000. He anticipates as many as 20,000 people, not counting private landowners hunting on their own property, will enjoy Ohio's fall wild turkey season.

by Chad D. Baus

The Associated Press is reporting that a Youngstown church community haunted by the parking-lot shooting death of an 80-year-old member in January is now mourning the killing of another elderly parishioner minutes after leaving church.

From the article:

Someone fired up to a dozen shots at Thomas Repchic, 75, as he drove from church Saturday with his 74-year-old wife, who was wounded but expected to recover. The couple had just left St. Dominic Roman Catholic Church, where Jacqueline Repchic works in the office on Saturdays.

No arrests have been made in the ambush-style killing, but detectives believe the couple may have been victims of mistaken identity, Youngstown Capt. Rod Foley said. Investigators do not believe the shooting was entirely random, Foley said.

"We're working on a theory that it was misidentification," Foley said. "Common sense is going to tell you, why would you want to target a 75- and 74-year-old lady?"

by Chad D. Baus and Ken Hanson

A report released by billionaire New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's gun control front group, Mayors Against Illegal Guns (MAIG), has received excessive coverage from its willing friends in the media this week, and is being used by Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman as "proof" of the need to overturn Ohio's statewide preemption law that prohibits city governments from enforcing gun control.

But the report is not based upon new, unreleased data. It is the same data and flawed methodology that has been used for years.

Early voting, also called Absentee voting, starts on September 28, 2010.

Any registered voter in Ohio can vote early. You simply need to apply for an absentee ballot.

If you live in Hamilton, Franklin, Montgomery, Cuyahoga, Madison, or Mahoning county, the Board of Elections is mailing an absentee voter application to you.

Click here for step-by-step instructions on how to vote early.

If you choose to vote early, please review our Pro Gun Voter Guide before you cast your vote. You can also download our Voter Guide as a printable pdf.

We have researched candidates in Ohio and have assigned them a grade based not just on their words, but also their actions on gun rights. Many of these candidates have earned our official endorsement. We grade and endorse candidates exclusively on gun rights and do not consider any other issue.

by Chad D. Baus

For much of the 2010 campaign season, the economy has dominated voters' thoughts as to their plans for the voting booth - far outweighing factors that often make the difference in close elections. But with The Dayton Daily News reporting that poll numbers between John Kasich and Ted Strickland have closed to within just four points, the gun issue could again become a deciding factor. [UPDATE: A Fox News poll is also confirming the race is narrowing - down to a 2 point gap and within the margin of error.] [UPDATE #2: A New York Times/CBS News poll is also confirming the race is very close - just a 1 point gap among likely voters.]

The race is tightening just as differences between Strickland and Kasich on the gun issue are receiving increased attention in both the state and national media.

NOTE: During Non-Election Periods, this guide will give you all your SOS voter information instead of a candidate list

Use this handy tool to create a custom voter guide for your district.

Follow the directions below carefully. You'll get a list of candidates who will be on your ballot, along with our grades and endorsements. You can then print your custom voter guide for reference on election day.

Privacy Assured: We do not collect any information with this tool.

Voter Guide FAQ

by Ken Hanson

UPDATE: Our supporters have once again shattered all of our expectations. The $2,500 dollar matching fund was exhausted in just a few hours. We have already written a check for $7,500 to help the victims fight this police harassment. If you wish to donate to Buckeye Firearms Foundation's general fund for future cases please visit: BuckeyeFirearmsFoundation.org

UPDATE #2: Wisconsin Carry, Inc files Federal lawsuit against the City of Madison and Madison Police Chief Noble Wray

On Monday, September 20, 2010, we received the sad news that the Ft. St. Clair gun club in Eaton, Ohio is closing. While we lament the loss of another range, we were touched that one of their final acts was to give a generous donation of $2,500 to Buckeye Firearms Foundation, a 501(c)(3) corporation dedicated to defending your firearm rights.

At almost the same time, we received word of a truly horrifying abuse of police power that occurred in Wisconsin over the weekend.

Five members of Wisconsin Carry Inc., a state firearms rights group in Wisconsin, were legally open carrying in their local Culvers restaurant when a dreaded "man with a gun" call was made to the local police.

Volunteer to make a difference

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), Division of Wildlife has collaborated with Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry (FHFH) in an effort to assist with the processing costs associated with donating venison to Ohio food banks.

"Last year's effort in Ohio was great, with 44 of Ohio's 88 counties receiving part of the 122,221 pounds of donated meat," said Josh Wilson, operations director for FHFH. "Our volunteer organization can still use your help as part of the state is without coordinators or meat processors."

Anyone interested in becoming a local Ohio FHFH coordinator or a participating meat processor should visit the "Local FHFH" page at fhfh.org. The current list of coordinators along with their program names and the counties they are serving can be found there.

Prospective volunteers or meat processors can contact one of the existing coordinators to discuss time commitment or any other questions they might have about becoming a FHFH coordinator or meat processor.

Responsibilities of a local coordinator:

The Brenham Banner-Press in Texas reported recently that a bank in Chappell Hill, TX (about half-way between Houston and Austin) removed a "no-guns" sign over the summer and put up a sign of an altogether different kind.

From the article:

Any would-be robbers looking to walk into the bank here had best think twice.

There's a new sign in town.

About a month ago, Chappell Hill Bank president Edward Smith looked at a sign on the front door prohibiting concealed weapons from his business and decided to make a policy change.

Licensed to carry a handgun? Come on in, and bring your weapon.

The sign, now prominently displayed on the bank's front door, says, "Lawful concealed carry permitted on these premises. Management recognizes the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution as an inalienable right of all citizens. We therefore support and encourage the carrying of licensed concealed weapons."

Smith told the newspaper he made the policy change to send a warning to potential robbers, and also to express support to Americans' right to bear arms.