By Chad D. Baus

For the past several years, Buckeye Firearms Association has published a series of articles entitled "All Politicians Are Not The Same," highlighting elected officials who have proven strong support for the Second Amendment. Today, I believe we can add two more names to the list: Rep. Josh Mandel and Village of Walton Hills Mayor Marlene Anielski.

Many pro-gun voters will already be familiar with Rep. Mandel's Second Amendment credentials. As a freshman representative in the Ohio House he co-sponsored the House version of Senate Bill 184, Ohio's 'Castle Doctrine' Law, supported it from his position on the House Criminal Justice Committee, and voted for it when it came to the floor. Early this summer, Mandel, who served two tours of duty in Iraq as an intelligence specialist with the United States Marine Corps, announced his intent to run for Treasurer of State. In choosing to move up to the state-wide level, Mandel is also giving up an opportunity to run for re-election as a state representative in House District 17.

Enter Marlene Anielski, who currently serves as mayor of the Village of Walton Hills, a Cuyahoga County community in Mandel's district. Anielski is hoping to win her party's nomination as candidate to replace Mandel in 2010, and she has earned the support of the out-going representative. As such, her candidacy has drawn early looks from Buckeye Firearms Association volunteers, including NRA Election Volunteer Coordinator Wayne Capka in Ohio's 10th Congressional District. As we dug, one problem became immediately apparent. Just a few months ago, Anielski joined the gun control front group New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg founded, and misleadingly named "Mayors Against Illegal Guns" (MAIG).

Given the misleading nature of the group, which has resulted in the resignation of several pro-gun mayors from around the country after they realized Bloomberg's duplicity, and considering her having earned Mandel's support, it has been the hope of pro-gun activists that Mayor Anielski's involvement would turn out to be yet another example of someone being misled by MAIG.

Buckeye Firearms Association can now report that those hopes have indeed been realized, and that Mayor Anielski has just become the latest person to resign her membership in Bloomberg's group.

Statewide muzzleloader season moves to early January

COLUMBUS, OH - September 1 will again kick-off the state's fall hunting seasons – with the opening of the squirrel-hunting season that runs through January 31 – under regulations approved Wednesday by the Ohio Wildlife Council.

The statewide muzzleloader season will move to early January. Season dates are January 9-12, 2010, which includes two weekend days

Two additional northwest Ohio counties, Defiance and Williams, will be open for fall turkey hunting, October 10–November 29, bringing the total to 48 counties statewide. Spring turkey season for 2010 will be April 19–May 16, 2010. Spring gobbler hunters will be able to hunt all day the last two weeks (May 3–16, 2010) of the four-week season. Legal hunting hours during those two weeks will be one-half hour before sunrise to sunset.

The ruffed grouse bag limit will be cut from three to two, and the season will end on January 31, 2010. Grouse populations continue long-term declines with flush rates and harvest rates at record lows.

Deer hunters can again buy additional antlerless deer permits at reduced prices for hunting in an urban zone, participating in a Division of Wildlife-authorized controlled hunt or hunting during the September 26 to November 29 portion of the deer season. The deadline for using the antlerless permit will be extended to December 6 for those hunting in Deer Zone C. Cost of the antlerless deer permit remains $15.

A hunter can take only one buck in Ohio, regardless of zone, hunting method or season.