The Columbus Dispatch is reporting that Republican lawmakers and the Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP) have reached a deal on how guns can be carried in vehicles, the main sticking point in a bill that, if passed, will do far more to reform Ohio's firearms laws for Ohio sportsmen and gun owners and CHL-holders than remove the ridiculous "plain sight" car carry requirement.

From the story:

"I think we have a bill that the Second Amendment people support and that law enforcement is OK with," said Sen. Jim Jordan, R-Urbana, chairman of the Senate Criminal Justice Committee, which is hearing the bill.

The main fight centered on whether concealed-carry permit holders, while in a vehicle, should be required to carry a gun either holstered in plain view or locked away in a glove box.

If the gun isn’t locked away, the patrol wanted the gun in plain sight to protect troopers involved in traffic stops.

But gun-rights advocates, including bill sponsor Rep. James Aslanides, R-Coshocton, argued the plain-sight law caused logistical problems, particularly for women who carry guns in their purses rather than a holster. He also said it created unnecessary safety risks to move a gun from a holster to a glove box.

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By Larry S. Moore

The Ohio deer gun season has finally arrived. It is a time that several hundred thousand Ohio deer hunters look forward to each year. I am certainly among that group as I faithfully schedule some of my vacation each year for deer season. Many hunters are filled with anticipation of a big buck, while others simply hope to fill a tag and have some meat for the freezer. As a concealed handgun license holder (CHL), I have been anticipating the Ohio Division of Wildlife allowing me to carry my handgun concealed while deer hunting. It has been a long wait. I am still waiting.

I’ve talked to various individuals with the Division, including both Assistant Chiefs and the Chief. Yet nothing seems to move forward. I have written the Division. Assistant Chief Randy Miller answered that letter. Well, to be completely honest, he side-stepped the letter. Asst. Chief Miller correctly pointed out that the Chief of the Division, along with the approval of the Ohio Wildlife Council, sets the wildlife laws. He noted that these laws are applied consistently across Ohio that hunting is very safe, and part of the mission of the Division is to promote the shooting sports. All these things are true and have absolutely no bearing on the allowing the concealed handgun license holder to carry concealed while hunting.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Ohio Department of Natural Resources

COLUMBUS, OH - Young hunters across Ohio enjoyed another successful hunt during the Fourth Annual Youth Deer-Gun Season. Hunters age 17 and under killed 8,811 deer in the special two-day season, aimed at providing a high-quality hunt for younger Ohioans, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. Last year’s youth hunt saw a deer harvest of 8,722.

The Division of Wildlife estimated 30,000 young hunters took to the fields and forests during the two-day season. Counties reporting the greatest number of deer killed were Guernsey - 355; Holmes - 339; Ashland - 337; Tuscarawas - 324; and Harrison - 287.

“The youth deer-gun season has really taken off in popularity,” said Steven A. Gray, chief of the Division of Wildlife. “With Ohio’s new apprentice license program, the youth deer season is an excellent way for families to enjoy hunting together. It fits so well with the whole Families Afield initiative.”

The national ‘Families Afield’ initiative encourages more families to take their youngsters hunting. This national effort is being spearheaded by the National Wild Turkey Federation, National Shooting Sports Foundation, and U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance.

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