6/4/2020
At this time, the Illinois State Police (ISP) is not accepting ICCL renewal certificates. Please do not try to submit them. When the Governor’s Executive Order is lifted and the 12 month clock starts, you will be able to upload your renewal certificate. We will keep you posted.
by Richard Pearson
Last Saturday morning I began hearing about violent protests that would occur later in the day. There had been peaceful protests earlier on Saturday afternoon but they turned ugly Saturday night. That pattern has now become familiar in only a few days when peaceful protests would be followed by violence, looting and marauding arsonists. Police were standing by simply watching lawlessness, looting and arson. All this had been confined to cities but rumors indicated that small towns would be next. The police everywhere were overwhelmed. This means that you are on your own to protect your property as well as yourself and family. This is exactly what I described a couple of weeks ago. I admit I thought I was ready, but quickly realized I was kidding myself. I was ready for one or two intruders in my house, not dozens. By Sunday afternoon and evening I quickly adjusted my plans and added two more escape routes in case of fire and made sure my fire extinguishers were ready. I loaded all my magazines and every firearm had a backup firearm. Sunday night passed without incident. On Monday I spent part of the day making sure my friends were also prepared. Monday night also passed without incident but while waiting, I realized how unprepared most people are. I am now going to invite them to a short training course using whatever firearm they have. Will it be enough? No, but it will still be better than no training and it might encourage them to get more training. You should get more training also.
by Richard Pearson
The arrival of June brings with it the summer shooting season although it is somewhat curtailed this year. We will get through this exercise of Executive Power but it will take determination. June also means the first hunting season is only two months away and upland game and certain waterfowl season is only three months away. It is time to start making your plans.
by Richard Pearson
While we may be seeing the light at the end of the tunnel when it comes to reopening Illinois, we still are going to have to deal with some terrible decisions that have been made by those in power. One of those decisions is the release of 4828 felons back in to Illinois communities to prevent them from getting the Coronavirus. As I always say, “What about us, are we chopped liver?” Apparently, that answer is yes. To get into prison these days you a really have to work at it. Felons have more protection than law-abiding citizens it seems.
5/20/2020
Chatsworth, IL – While Illinois families are dealing with the loss of loved ones and struggling with job loss and other economic hardships, anti-gunners are using the pandemic to push their agenda.
5/18/2020
Ranges 8, 9, 10 and 11 are closed due to flooding. All other ranges are also under water.
by Richard Pearson
Gun sales in April were still amazingly strong and were 69% higher than April 2019. Handgun sales were the majority of sales with 984,872. It is obvious that people are worried about the times we are going through and the social unrest that may be on the way. Everyone is preparing. People keep throwing the term social unrest around, but what does that mean? I can best describe social unrest by my own experience. I witnessed this at my own front door. In the late 1960s, I lived with two other guys on North Indiana Avenue in Kankakee, Illinois. It was an old 11 room house and my share of the rent was $27 per month. It wasn’t exactly Gold Coast property. The house was located two blocks north of the Kankakee Police Station. At the 4-way stop, a half a block from the house, people were getting robbed if they had the windows rolled down in their car. It was simple, if you had your driver’s window rolled down and you stopped, a guy would run up to the car and put a hunting knife to your throat. If you moved, you would get your throat cut. One night we were having a party and three of our guests were on our front porch. One-time riots broke out but we thought we were pretty safe with the police station only being two blocks away. When we looked at the police station, the windows were all boarded up. We had to park in the back and I carried my Winchester Model 12 shotgun in the car. When I got home, the shotgun was uncased and loaded when I entered the house. I know the neighbors saw me and that was just fine with me. I remember being home and getting a call from one or the other of the two guys who lived at the house, telling me they were on their way home. I would stand in the upstairs window and cover the rear parking lot with their pending arrival home. Two blocks from the police station might as well have been 20 miles. I totally understand why people want to arm themselves and why they need to. Needless to say, it wasn’t long before we found more upscale living arrangements.