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Let's say you are in a lease with a small number of people, to the point that you know everyone and for the most part everyone works well together. Let's also say that you just learned that one of the members just so happens to be a convicted felon. If you were placed in this situation, what would you do?

How did said felon get his gun rights reinstated?

Keep my mouth shut and hunt. You think the guy is going to steal from you or just concerned that he's not legally suppose have a gun?

If the situation were true, I might be concerned about my association with the individual while guns were present.

If he's not allowed to be around or possess a firearm, it's his booty , not yours, hunt and enjoy.

Would depend for me on what the guy did to get into trouble and what he is doing now. Also how long he has been clean and out of jail. I would be hesitant within a few years of him getting out of jail as if he relapsed i would have concerns my four wheeler and other items of value at the club would disappear. However I believe we can all make mistakes and if I felt my life was safe around him and felt reasonably comfortable he had turned it around I would be comfortable hunting with him. Most people deserve a second chance.

I know someone in that situation. It was a bs conviction. This guy is good as gold and if he wouldn't have told me, I would have never known. I'll go to my grave and never speak his name. Judge the man by his current character and not his past actions.

Are you worried about him being a convicted felon or are you worried that he is breaking the law possessing a fire arm post felony? My understanding is that is tough to do but a felon can get his gun rights back but again very tough to do . As stated before what was the conviction? If its something of a sexual nature and women or kids are in the camp then I would be highly concerned. If its theft related then I would be more aware. I do a prison ministry at Parchman and have worked with many many felons both inside the system and those that have come out. You have to be very aware that they have been in the prison system but if they have paid their debt to society then treat them like any other person. That's really all they want. Much of the recidivism comes from convicted felons getting out of the prison and being treated like they have ebola. They cant get a job and find a place to live or something to eat so they turn back to what got them locked up in the first place as a matter of survival. If the man in question if causing issues in your camp or giving you reason for alarm that's one thing but if not then treat him like you would before you knew about this. As stated before he screwed up, he knows he screwed up, everyone in his life knows he screwed up don't make him pay for it again.Ive met several guys at parchman that are deeply saddened because they so loved to hunt and they know that because of what they did they most likely will never get to hunt again. Being in your camp is probably one of the great joys this man looks forward to and quite possibly keeps him straight.

Not saying this is you, but, if the guy knows Jesus, then who are we to continue to hold him accountable for his past?

Non-adjudication laws in Mississippi can permit certain felons to get their rights back.

I have a friend who made some mistakes in the past- like the rest of us but he just got caught- and he can own a firearm now.

I am friends with a guy that was arrested and convicted on drug charges in the mid to late 90's. He was a hunter. He did his time. He was released. He worked with the judge and taught educational programs concerning substance abuse and counseled. He was granted the right to have a gun again. 15-20 years later he runs a rehab facility, raised his kids, remarried, got an accounting degree and a doctorate. I am dang proud to call him a friend too. He is the exception to the rule and I realize that, but unless the pattern repeats itself, don't judge a man on his past mistakes. I am blessed a million times over that people don't judge me on my past.

Long Cut wrote:Are you worried about him being a convicted felon or are you worried that he is breaking the law possessing a fire arm post felony? My understanding is that is tough to do but a felon can get his gun rights back but again very tough to do . As stated before what was the conviction? If its something of a sexual nature and women or kids are in the camp then I would be highly concerned. If its theft related then I would be more aware. I do a prison ministry at Parchman and have worked with many many felons both inside the system and those that have come out. You have to be very aware that they have been in the prison system but if they have paid their debt to society then treat them like any other person. That's really all they want. Much of the recidivism comes from convicted felons getting out of the prison and being treated like they have ebola. They cant get a job and find a place to live or something to eat so they turn back to what got them locked up in the first place as a matter of survival. If the man in question if causing issues in your camp or giving you reason for alarm that's one thing but if not then treat him like you would before you knew about this. As stated before he screwed up, he knows he screwed up, everyone in his life knows he screwed up don't make him pay for it again.Ive met several guys at parchman that are deeply saddened because they so loved to hunt and they know that because of what they did they most likely will never get to hunt again. Being in your camp is probably one of the great joys this man looks forward to and quite possibly keeps him straight.

Great post, I have a friend that is a convicted felon that I would trust my life with. I hope folks don't judge me for what I did when I was a young man.

Hunkerdown II wrote:Let's say you are in a lease with a small number of people, to the point that you know everyone and for the most part everyone works well together. Let's also say that you just learned that one of the members just so happens to be a convicted felon. If you were placed in this situation, what would you do?

What is the hypothetical felony??? That would determine a lot. You have already stated you all work well together and you are a small group that knows each other. Like many camps no matter how small there are folks that just don't or can't get along and I bet if you bring this up and one or more people like the guy you will divide the few members you have and the camp will be so dysfunctional you will probably be asked to leave. Some felony convictions would warrant me leaving on my own because I like having my family with me at times but there are some felony convictions that wouldn't concern me that much. People do change.

Jeff wrote:Would depend for me on what the guy did to get into trouble and what he is doing now. Also how long he has been clean and out of jail. I would be hesitant within a few years of him getting out of jail as if he relapsed i would have concerns my four wheeler and other items of value at the club would disappear. However I believe we can all make mistakes and if I felt my life was safe around him and felt reasonably comfortable he had turned it around I would be comfortable hunting with him. Most people deserve a second chance.

I tend to agree with Jeff on this one, but I would be asking myself slayem's question.

I would be curious what the conviction was for. If it was tax evasion or some dumb marijuana charge from 10 years ago. We love to lock people up in this country for a little mary jane.
I would hunt ducks and mind my own business. If a person did their time, they should be fully restored to society.

Lazy Drake wrote:If a person did their time, they should be fully restored to society.

I know people who are the perfect example of how this statement is NOT true. Cocaine is a hell of a drug.