MJP

One of 'em decided to leave me a present on the roof of my car. I would say it's poetic justice, and I'd totally share in the bounty of any geese that you decide to share. If there's a range day and people are willing to lend a non-owner a gun or two, I'd totally cover for you. And if not, sharing in the bounty!

That would be awesome - if there's pork, all I need to do is keep it in the oven a while longer to really cook it through, but that's no problem. How much would you like for it?

Actually, maybe. How lean is it?

I like making jerky. It's a really fun and rewarding hobby to make the manliest of snacks. Beef jerky is all well and good, but I'm always looking to try new things. So, hunters out there - do you ever end up with extra meat? If you do, I'd be interested in buying some off of you. The leaner the better, and I'll hook you up with a bag or two for your troubles. I'm not a hunter nor do I know how to butcher an animal, but I'd pay decent per pound for it. Venison, boar, bear, any meat would be of interest to me. I don't know what game hunting is like in NJ so hit me up with anything you have, or plan to have, this season coming up.

My big issue is that they requested everything in order within 30 days of their sending the letter (7/14). I've already made calls and sent faxes to the doctors and I seriously doubt that they're going to speed up the process. I doubt the two docs I need details from will boost my request to the top of their priorities list when they have actual patients going forward. I'm going to have to request extra time if I can't confirm that the doctors have sent in the details. Next time I'm dealing with paperwork of any kind for the state or government, I'm not going to be the nice guy - if I didn't get something on police letterhead then it doesn't get mentioned.

Update: I got a letter the other day from the HP police detective on my application, stating that they can't proceed without two extra STS-033s and Mental Health Forms for each other doctor I'd recently seen. I'm starting to think that I should probably have kept my mouth shut about forgetting those other two docs, since the reason I saw them was beyond minor and nowhere near a danger to anyone in general. My other concern is that if they have me sign a consent to search mental health records, wouldn't the pertinent data be in there? Here we go again.

Pretty interested... How much should I bring for admission and ammo?

UPDATE: here's where the fecal matter is impacting with the air impelling unit. I went to two psychiatrists more recently that I forgot to mention - a simple omission as basic as it gets. It was unrelated to the psychiatrist I saw as a kid, but I still needed to figure out what to do. It was only for scrip purposes to see if adderall would help for me, but since it didn't and they were so far apart (about 8-9 months between them) I simply forgot. I emailed the detective bureau secretary on Monday and got a call back from the detective handling my forms today. He was somewhat concerned because once the form is accepted, it's accepted, and something like this is a pretty serious omission that raises a red flag. I told him I definitely understood, and that's why I reached out to contact him and stay on the level. I explained that I was more focused on the one shrink from way back, and in the end he asked me to drop off, in writing, a letter stating the names of the doctors, the dates I saw them, and the nature of the omission. The HPPD detective told me that I'd also need to have the doctors forward him a letter with the same details, and it seems like he'll be contacting them upon receipt to verify. I'm starting to think that my forgetfulness may do me in to an appeal down the road, but all I can do is try to stay on the level.

Thanks for the good wishes, everyone! Update: received a letter today from one of the HPPD detectives. He asked me to contact the psychiatrist I'd listed on question 26 and have him forward a letter to the dept. with the condition I was treated for, duration of treatment, and medications I was prescribed in order to move forward. While I question the medical necessity of the police department knowing anything more than whether a psychiatrist considers me a threat to society or myself by owning a firearm, I'm stunned that someone looked at the paperwork so quickly. I'm hoping the low crime rate in Highland Park is the reason behind detectives having so much time to work on FID and handgun permit applications. I'd already called the psychiatrist and spoken with him and he's probably gotten his recordings and paperwork back from record storage so hopefully he'll be able to attest to their needs. I'm guessing once it gets put into whatever packet is sent to Middlesex County they'll decide whether I need to be signed off on by another shrink or if I'm denied/approved thusly. I hope I'm not spamming too much - who knows, maybe this will serve to help someone else who's had issues that require the help of more than a psychologist to enjoy recreational shooting or - hopefully not for the worst-case scenario readoning - a CCW. I don't plan on owning much for personal or home defense, just to enjoy shooting, but if something this minor is a barrier I shudder to think about what the process is like for someone who was ever actually in a mental institution at one point.

What a great place - I'm still in newbie mode and must have shown it, because the guy who answered my questions about the Beretta Neoses (Neoi?) was really helpful to a non-FID holder who couldn't even pick it up. The prices were amazingly reasonable, but I was only looking at .22LR pistols. It was what I'd seen on Gunbroker for elsewhere. I'll probably go there for my first pistol once I get my FID.

Highland Park has an info sheet that explains everything: what to do/fill out for first-time applicants, new permits, lost/stolen cards, physically mutilated or destroyed cards. It lists what exact forms to fill out and who to contact with questions. After you assemble everything, you make an appointment with the detective bureau secretary to go over the paperwork, get anything additional, and pick up your form for Sagem Morpho. Definitely do this in advance, because yeah, Sagem Morpho is slow as crap for scheduling. I had to settle for July 1st when I went to their website yesterday (the 11th). All the while when I was with the detective secretary, the fingerprinting pad that they use for booking was right there. Sigh.

Well, I walked in, and the rifles were out on display with a metal braided lock line through them, but it wasn't locked. The owners didn't seem to really care. It was only yesterday when I went to Heritage Firearms in Rahway that I found out no FID = no handle. Whoops. It's right on Raritan Ave. Hell of a selection including a few Arisakas. Not intended for firing but still, Arisakas! The place looks perpetually closed on the outside but it's legit. Update: I went to HP PD yesterday to hand in the paperwork. There were additional forms that I had to fill out concerning whether I was ever adjudicated a juvenile delinquent and if I or anyone in my household had ever had a restraining order filed against us. I'm pretty sure these were covered on the state form but oh well. I asked about the meds and psychiatrist. One of the detectives came in so the secretary asked her, and the detective told me I didn't have to tell him but he might be able to clear things up. I explained why I had seen the psychiatrist and he said that the state, at their option, might require me to see another psychiatrist at my expense and have them certify that I was no longer affected. He said that even though it was ten years ago, better to state it on the application. The county auditor would make the call as to whether to grant the permit without a psych visit or require me to make the visit, but he said it wasn't the town PD's call to make. So there you have it, they said they'd get on it but they couldn't give an ETA. Looks like it's in the queue for me.

Look, I don't want to cause drama - but I can 100% assure you I was not given meds hastily and for no reason. It was for a legitimate medical requirement and was combined with very, very effective talk therapy. I was on the meds for less than eight months and it was like night and day. I understand that there's serious controversy concerning over-medication, but please don't assume anyone on meds is just looking for pills. :-/ Anyway, update. I filled out two sets of the paperwork and two sets of the MH record check form and made an appointment with the Highland Park PD detective bureau to drop off the papers and make sure everything is in order. I'll get my appointment with Sagem Morpho once I have the ID off the paperwork (Can't schedule in advance. Oh well) and we'll go from there. I did stop by Rutgers Gun & Boat Shop in Highland Park to get my hands on a basic .22 rifle and see what I liked. There was (I think) a Mossberg 41 bolt-action that felt pretty good. The owners mentioned that usually HP will take 2 months, so here's hoping I can get some outdoor shooting in before the season is out.

I spoke with my psychiatrist - he says it's completely normal and that he signs off on letters for patients looking to purchase firearms all the time so long as he does feel they're safe. He said it'd take a few weeks to have my records pulled and sent over so he can verify them and certify beyond a shadow of a doubt. I'm glad he's being that thorough - all the better to make my permit ironclad. Plus it gives me time to decide between Neos v. Buckmark, Marlin 60 vs. insert bolt-action .22 here, or Ruger Single Six vs. Heritage Rough Rider.

Middlesex County referral service had me on the phone with a New Brunswick attorney who does a lot of mental health advocacy. She said I might also want to get a referral to an administrative law attorney since firearms permit applications are considered administrative law in NJ. I'll report back once I have the appointment fixed up - currently going to be Friday afternoonish since work is letting us out early - but the MH lawyer said that it really shouldn't affect me. We'll know more after my appointment with her. Then again, this is all a bit premature since my wife hasn't been hired on as a teacher yet, so buying a nice Mark II or Mark III is a bit out of the question until that happens. D: