Buckeye Firearms Assoc. leaders will be on hand in Cincinnati when Mitt Romney returns to battleground Ohio on Friday night, and it won't be for just any other rally.

According to The Washington Post, nearly 100 governors, senators, congressmen, mayors, Olympic gold medalists and other Republican luminaries are scheduled to join Romney and his vice presidential running mate, Rep. Paul Ryan (Wis.), in a Cincinnati suburb for a huge rally designed to launch the campaign on its final, frenetic three days of barnstorming before Election Day.

Dubbed the "Romney-Ryan Real Recovery Road Rally," the event will be held in West Chester, just outside of Cincinnati.

The campaign announced that almost every Romney campaign surrogate – from the candidate's wife, Ann, and their five sons to a number of Olympic athletes to a lengthy roster of pro-Second Amendment elected officials – will attend, underscoring the importance of Ohio's 18 electoral votes to the ultimate goal of defeating Barack Obama.

Editor's Note: Commentary on this article, written by NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre, was published in this month's America's First Freedom magazine.

by Jesse Hathaway

With help from New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's staff and liberal activists, Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman's office attempted to stop Ohio Governor John Kasich from signing a 2011 gun rights bill. The anti-Second Amendment groups targeted Kasich after failing to prevent the legislation's passage in the Ohio General Assembly, public records show.

Media Trackers has previously reported on the work of Coleman staffer R. Lee Roberts, the Ohio Coordinator for Bloomberg’s Mayors Against Illegal Guns (MAIG). Emails obtained by Media Trackers prove that last year Roberts worked with far-left activist group ProgressOhio and Bloomberg "Firearms Policy Coordinator" Janey Rountree to block Ohio Senate Bill 17 (SB 17) and a corresponding House measure allowing law-abiding Ohioans to carry firearms in more public places.

COLUMBUS, OH – Ohio hunters should begin preparing for the hunting seasons of some of the state’s most popular game species with ring-necked pheasant, cottontail rabbit and bobwhite quail. The hunting seasons for upland game begin on Friday, Nov. 2, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ (ODNR) Division of Wildlife.

The state’s cottontail rabbit population has been very good recently. However, Nathan Stricker, project leader with ODNR’s Olentangy Wildlife Research Station, said rabbit populations tend to go through an up-and-down cycle every seven to 10 years.

“Rabbit numbers are lower this year, but this type of decline is expected with this cycle,” said Stricker. “Regardless of these cyclical changes, cottontail rabbit populations are excellent throughout Ohio and provide plenty of opportunities for a family hunting outing.”

by Chad D. Baus

Amani Abraham, a journalist for AkronNewsNow.com (1590 WAKR), recently decided to take a concealed carry class and document her experience.

She also decided to perform a personal test to measure what she'd learned, by taking the Firearm Training Simulator test (F.A.T.S) at the Summit County Sheriff's Office before and after her CCW course.

From the article:

I was starting fresh. When the Summit County Sheriff’s Office set me up with the F.A.T.S test two days before my CCW course, I could tell my nerves were going to be problem throughout the journey. A real-life scenario was projected on a large screen where I was given a handgun to defend myself. My scenario: A robbery in progress inside my home. When I come face to face with the robber, he pulls out his gun and I shoot. Little did I know, he fired a shot in my direction before I even had a chance to pull my trigger.

by Larry S. Moore

A recent auction held at the Clark County Sportsmen Club outside Springfield led to many questions among southwestern Ohio shooters about the future of the club. Could the longtime club and shooting grounds be threatened with closure? Fortunately the answer is a resounding no. The auction was simply a combination of eliminating some surplus items and others donated by a member to benefit the club. I had received several inquiries about the club and decided to attend the auction to see firsthand what was happening at the club. What I learned only made me sorry I didn't bring my shotgun for some sporting clays.

Around election time, ask any gun owner who they are voting for and the answer usually goes right to the top of the ticket. The reply is usually related to the President, maybe Governor in an off year.

Ask that same gun owner who they will be supporting for Ohio Supreme Court and early in the cycle you will likely get a blank stare.

This close to the election, we hope most Ohio gun owners now know the names Sharon Kennedy, Robert Cupp, Terrence O'Donnell are the Supreme Court candidates who will honor Ohio's constitution and protect gun owners rights.

But a lot of voters are surprised to see just how many offices are holding elections. There are many District and County positions across the state. These include judges, commissioners, school boards, sheriffs, clerk of courts and others. These local races provide a great opportunity for gun owners to have a huge impact on the outcome.

But how do you know who supports your gun rights in these local races where most of the candidates you will never hear about until you read their names on the ballot?

Information is available at www.wildohio.com

COLUMBUS, OH – Deer hunters and members of the media can keep up with Ohio’s deer harvest numbers throughout the season at wildohio.com.

The deer harvest report will be posted each Wednesday by noon throughout the hunting season. Each report will compare the total harvest for the same number of hunting days for each year. The report will include deer killed by longbow, crossbow, shotgun, handgun and muzzleloader.

The value of the new reports will be realized most during the early archery season. The early archery harvest tends to be a very good predictor of how the rest of the seasons will fare, assuming weather conditions are average.

The ODNR Division of Wildlife will continue to issue press releases on the traditional season comparisons. The direct link to the website is http://bit.ly/ohiodeerharvest.

ODNR ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR website at ohiodnr.com.

by Linda Walker

This fall, anticipation is high as hunting season gets underway. All across this nation, Americans are heading out to enjoy one of the deepest heritages in our land's history - hunting with family and friends. But this fall is one of the most anticipated in decades for another reason. It's election season, and the November election has just about everything on the line for gun owners and hunting enthusiasts.

Critical elections will be held to decide our future on the local, state and federal levels. Topping the list is the race for President. The winner will be a man who will fundamentally shape the state of our economy and the character of the Supreme Court. And it's America’s millions of gun owners and hunting enthusiasts who can determine the winner.

In these uncertain times, only one thing is certain - the Obama administration has failed. Over the last four years, gun owners and sportsmen and women have felt the pinch of this economy. 401k's have disappeared, salaries slashed, jobs lost.

Each day, it gets tougher for Americans to pay the mortgage, add to savings and have a little extra left over to pay $4.00 per gallon to go on a hunting trip. Even the price of ammunition is up. So are gun sales, but that's likely because the fear of losing liberty and the pursuit of happiness is rising faster than gasoline prices.

Editor's Note: The following letter to the editor of The People's Defender in West Union, as well as the editor of The Ironton Tribune, was submitted by long-time Buckeye Firearms Assoc. Region Leader Rick Jones. Dr. Johnson is the primary sponsor of HB495 (Reciprocity & Concealed Carry Modernization).

To the Editor:

Why will I vote for and support Representative Dr. Terry Johnson?

by Jim Irvine

Election Day is less than two weeks away, and many people are already voting early or absentee. Most of the talk, commercials, and media attention are focused on the Presidential race. Voters receive very little information related to the judicial races, so it's hard to gather enough information to form an opinion. These races are critical, and have the greatest ability to influence our lives for years to come. Because they are "non-partisan" there is no party affiliation listed with their names on the ballot. You must walk into the voting booth knowing the candidates' names you are voting for.

In the statewide races for Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court, we have endorsed three Judges: Current Supreme Court Justices Robert Cupp and Terrance O'Donnell, and pro-gun Common Pleas Judge Sharon Kennedy. Supreme Court Justices Cupp and O'Donnell have ruled in our favor through their opinions in prior cases. They interpret our laws and constitution to mean what they say. We must vote keep them on the bench. There are indications that Cupp is behind in the polls. He needs your help.

Common Pleas Judge Sharon Kennedy is trying to replace an anti-gun Justice who ruled against our interests and supported the Columbus "Assault Weapon Ban." Kennedy is a shooter who understands our issues. All three Ohio Supreme Court races are critical for those who value freedom and the rule of law.