By Chad D. Baus

The San Diego Union-Tribune is reporting that, two years after California passed a gun control law requiring the next generation of semi-automatic handguns to leave a microscopic identifying code on spent casings, the controversial technology appears no closer to being introduced in that state, let alone anywhere else.

The story notes that California Attorney General Jerry Brown has not certified the law, which is required before it can take effect as scheduled on January 1, and his aides could not say when that may happen.

Other states that were considering a similar gun control measure instead have pulled back, and similar federal legislation has failed to move.

Permits to participate in youth gun hunts will be awarded by lottery

COLUMBUS, OHIO - An increasing deer population, resulting in extensive damage to plant communities, has led the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Natural Areas and Preserves to coordinate special controlled deer hunts including youth hunts at four state nature preserves—Desonier (Athens County), Goll Woods (Fulton County), Johnson Woods (Wayne County) and Lawrence Woods (Hardin County). A random drawing will be held to select participants for all four hunts.

The hunts will take place November 21 during the regular youth deer gun hunting season. At each site, successful applicants must be accompanied by a non-hunting adult partner. Only one deer may be harvested during the youth hunting season. Youth hunters aged 17 years and younger are eligible. All Ohio hunting rules and regulations will apply.

Interested applicants should submit a 3x5 card with their printed name, complete address and daytime telephone number along with the preserve hunt title (i.e. “Desonier Woods Youth Deer Hunt”) and a $5 processing fee (check or money order) for each entry to ODNR Division of Natural Areas and Preserves, 2045 Morse Road, Bldg. F-1, Columbus, Ohio 43229. Applicants may apply for more than one hunt but will only be drawn once. Permits are transferable.