Police: Convicted felon hunting for coyotes without license

[Wendell]

WATERBURY, Conn. (AP) — Connecticut environmental police have arrested a convicted felon they say was illegally hunting for coyotes in a state forest. Police responded to Mattatuck State Forest on Thursday morning after getting reports of a man entering the woods wearing camouflage and carrying a firearm. When they found the man, they also discovered he was not wearing fluorescent orange as required by law. The hunter explained he just forgot to wear orange. Police determined the man did not have a hunting license, and because he was a convicted felon, was not allowed to have a gun. The hunter, whose name was not immediately released, was arrested on charges including criminal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, illegal small game hunting and hunting without a license.

<http://www.chron.com/news/crime/article/Police-Convicted-felon-hunting-for-coyotes-10905645.php>

 

[robjax]

I'm thinking if it was illegal for him to be hunting that area he shouldn't be required to wear orange. Why would they even mention that. He wasn't charged for not wearing orange.

"Seems like a real bad guy to me. He wasn't wearing orange...I'm glad he's off the streets." lol


"Police determined the man did not have a hunting license, and because he was a convicted felon, was not allowed to have a gun." Maybe that's why he didn't get a license.

 

[Frizzle Fry]

Maybe that's why he didn't get a license.

Felons can posses blackpowder weapons in any state the doesn't restrict them. MA is fine with felons having the "primitive weapon" but says no on the "reloading materials". Not sure what CT says with regards to that issue. Regardless plenty of licensed felon hunters out there using bows, black powder guns, and traps.

Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. This guy had a nice series of fails all in a row.

 

[robjax]

Felons can posses blackpowder weapons in any state the doesn't restrict them. MA is fine with felons having the "primitive weapon" but says no on the "reloading materials". Not sure what CT says with regards to that issue. Regardless plenty of licensed felon hunters out there using bows, black powder guns, and traps.

Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. This guy had a nice series of fails all in a row.

yeah....what can you do....lol

 

[jhblaze1]

I mean if it results in less coyotes I really don't give a shit. ****ing things are becoming a plague.

 

[Frizzle Fry]

yeah....what can you do....lol

I wonder how far he thought he was gonna get with the "I forgot my orange vest" excuse LOL

 

[JAD]

Felons can posses blackpowder weapons in any state the doesn't restrict them. MA is fine with felons having the "primitive weapon" but says no on the "reloading materials". Not sure what CT says with regards to that issue. Regardless plenty of licensed felon hunters out there using bows, black powder guns, and traps.

Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. This guy had a nice series of fails all in a row.

Prohibited possessors have been charged with criminal possession before based on possessing muzzle loading firearms in Connecticut.

 

[Frizzle Fry]

Prohibited possessors have been charged with criminal possession before based on possessing muzzle loading firearms in Connecticut.

Good to know (especially for those interstate non-gun blackpowder sales, as an MA resident).

Thanks!

 

[JAD]

Good to know (especially for those interstate non-gun blackpowder sales, as an MA resident).

Thanks!

In Connecticut we have a very broad definition of a firearm. As defined in CGS 53a-3(19):

(19) “Firearm” means any sawed-off shotgun, machine gun, rifle, shotgun, pistol, revolver or other weapon, whether loaded or unloaded from which a shot may be discharged;

Interestingly, however, blackpowder firearms and other antiques are exempted from the long gun and pistol/revolver transfer procedures (meaning that an individual does not need a permit or certificate to purchase one, nor do they need to complete paperwork or obtain an authorization number). In other words we can buy them direct, without papers. Also while antique pistols and revolvers require a permit in order to carry, there are circumstances (based on exemptions to the permit requirement enumerated in CGS 29-35) in which they may be lawfully transported without a permit, when most pistols or revolvers can't be. To further complicate matters, functionality is irrelevant with respect to certain statutes, but is a necessary element of the crime for others, depending on which title they appear in.