For the first time in at recent memory, Ohioans have a pro-gun Governor sitting in the Bexley Governor's mansion. And for the first time in recent memory, that governor is not a Republican.

Democrat Ted Strickland was sworn in after midnight Monday as the 68th governor of Ohio.

From the Toledo Blade:

Mr. Strickland was sworn in on the 1763 Huntington Bible, the oldest in the collection of the Ohio Historical Society. The book was owned by Samuel Huntington, who served as the first acting president of the United States, signed the Declaration of Independence and presided over the Continental Congress.

He handed it down to his nephew, Samuel, Ohio's third governor. The Bible is reported to have been used in the swearing in of Ohio's second governor, Thomas Kirker, in 1807.

The Blade goes on to note that the new (pro-gun!) attorney general, Marc Dann, will be sworn in at his Trumbull County home.

Buckeye Firearms Association looks forward to working with the Governor Ted Strickland and Attorney General Marc Dann to defend and advance the rights of Ohio citizens to own and use firearms for all legal activities, including self-defense, hunting, competition, and recreation.

By Jim Irvine

With a successful election season behind us, pro-gun Governor-elect Ted Strickland about to take office and several adversaries removed from office, some might think that the hard work is done. While most states have made tremendous progress in the last 20 years, Ohio has passed very few good firearms laws. It’s time to make up for lost time, and that will require hard work.

Even though we have pro-gun leaders in the Ohio House, Ohio Senate, and Governor’s mansion, we do not expect this year to be without problems. Change in leadership always brings unexpected issues. The Republicans control the House and Senate, but lost most statewide offices. Democrats have veto power, but not the power to bring a bill to a floor vote. For the first time in a long time, Republicans and Democrats will need to work together to pass any legislation. We are fortunate to have good people in leadership positions on both sides of the isle, but it would be naive to think this transition will precede trouble free.

Buckeye Firearms Association is positioned well to help our gun bills move forward, but we will we need more help to achieve our ambitious goals for 2007.

Click on 'Read More' below for the entire story.

January 3, 2007
Ohio Department of Natural Resources

Hunters took 22,413 deer during Ohio’s four-day muzzleloader season, December 27-30, with Tuscarawas County again leading the state with 949 deer checked, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. Last year, a preliminary total of 23,056 deer were taken during muzzleloader season.

“With the muzzleloader season results, Ohio will easily exceed the all-time deer harvest record of 216,443 set in 2004,” said Steven A. Gray, chief of the ODNR Division of Wildlife. “Ohio’s deer management program has become a model of excellence in the United States. Fortunately, our deer herd is in great condition and the challenge is to keep that quality through research and management.”

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During the last two decades, Ohio’s muzzleloader season has consistently grown in popularity. Twenty years ago, the statewide muzzleloader season accounted for 5 percent of the total deer kill, and today it constitutes 12 percent of the total annual deer harvest.

Hunters have killed a preliminary total of 214,337 deer across the state since Ohio's deer hunting seasons opened on September 30. Archery hunters took 45,733 deer during the first six weeks of the statewide archery season, which continues through February 4. The youth season resulted in 8,811 deer bagged. Hunters checked 111,672 deer during the statewide deer-gun season, with another 25,390 taken during the extra gun-hunting weekend. Another 318 deer were taken during the early muzzleloader deer season in late October on three specific hunting areas.