Outdoor commentary and legislative issues.
During National Safe Boating Week, May 20-26, boaters are reminded to brush up on safety rules in preparation for peak boating season.
Follow these 10 tips reduce the risk of incidents and help ensure a safe and enjoyable day on the water. Read more
It’s bear season across much of the nation, the time when bears that have been in hibernation come out of their dens and are extremely active and hungry, which means it’s more likely you’ll see one if you’re out fishing, rafting, overnighting or hiking in bear country.
And bear country is expanding these days thanks to careful management, with increasing black bear populations in many states with adequate habitat.
In general, if you leave black bears alone they will leave you alone, with the occasional rare exception.
The grizzly population in Montana, Idaho and Wyoming is also expanding, and this is a more concerning matter for those of us who enjoy the rivers of the west. Grizzlies often show little respect for humans, in part no doubt because they have not been hunted in 20 years in Montana, 40 years in Wyoming, and this can lead to problems for both man and bear.
Grizzlies are sometimes encountered in the thicker foliage that grows around trout streams of the three grizzly states, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming. (USF&W) Read more
Connect-Ease 2.0 Provides Boaters/Anglers With An Even Better Engineering For Rigging No-Fail 12-, 24-, and 36-volt Trolling Motor Power Systems for Today’s Newer Power Systems Including Lithium and AGM
Prior Lake, MN – What have already become go-to rigging and power distribution products among in-the-know anglers and boaters for rigging today’s power-hungry trolling motors and marine/fishing electronics—as of April 2023, Connect-Ease trolling motor and GRAPH POWER rigging kits have been upgraded for even more longevity and peace-of-mind.
For fishermen or recreational boaters running today’s high-powered 12-, 24-, and 36-volt bow-mount trolling motors, Connect-Ease is proud to introduce the Connect-Ease 2.0 Upgraded Pro Trolling Motor Connection Kit w/Onboard Charging, which features heavier-duty 6-gauge wire (a change over previous 8 gauge) and many other engineering advances. Read more
Docking your pontoon in high winds and rough chop can create anxiety in even the most experienced pontoon pilot. Larger pontoon fenders are a great way to protect a boater’s investment during the docking process and when moored in turbulent waters. Calcutta Outdoors is excited to announce their production of a brand-new fender made specifically for pontoon boats that offers 38% more protection than a best-selling online fender.
“Anyone who’s ever docked with a crosswind knows the feeling of wanting a little more forgiveness when you’re bringing your boat in” says Ben Hayes, Innovation and Product Manager for South Bend by Calcutta. “That’s why we’re excited to give that captain a bit more peace of mind on approach or even when walking up to the cabin after drop off.”
The new Shoreline Pontoon Boat Fender features a unique design that offers more surface bumper area at the primary point of contact than the top-selling offering at the leading online retailer. The Shoreline Fender is 9 inches deep and 9 inches wide at its primary contact point versus 6.5” x 6.5” on a cylinder shape. Boat fenders help absorb shock caused by contact with other objects such as other boats or docks, which results in the fender preventing damage that could have been done to your boat. Read more
May 17, 2023 – The National Deer Association’s Public Lands Conservation Initiative has received a significant boost in the form of a $200,000 grant from the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund. The Fund has now contributed a total of $350,000 to the effort, which NDA launched in 2021 and which is ahead of pace to reach the goal of improving 1 million acres of public hunting land by 2026.
“We are incredibly appreciative of the generous support of Johnny Morris and the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund, which will help us accomplish important work on the ground for deer and hunters,” said Nick Pinizzotto, President and CEO of NDA. “The Fund and the organizations it has helped over the years have had immeasurable positive impacts on fish and wildlife conservation, and we’re proud to be part of it.”
NDA’s initiative – entitled Improving Access, Habitat and Deer Hunting on Public Lands – addresses landscape-level access and forest health issues nationally. By the end of 2022, NDA and our conservation partners, including the Outdoor Fund, had invested $2,164,206 into the initiative. In addition, NDA matched $335,000 in funding against the original $150,000 Outdoor Fund grant, as well as secured an additional $1.5 million in federal funding through stewardship agreements and appropriated funds, creating a total funding leverage of 12-to-1 for conservation. Read more
Anglers who catch walleyes in deep water should carry and learn how to use deep-water release devices to prevent fish deaths.
Walleyes are moving away from their spawning locations into deep water. Anglers reeling them up from depths of 25 feet or more can cause barotrauma in walleyes. Barotrauma is when the gas in a walleye’s swim bladder, which help control buoyancy, expands, forcing eyes to bulge and bladder to push out of its mouth. If the fish is released in this condition, it is unable to get back down to its depth.
Lake McConaughy, Merritt Reservoir and Elwood Reservoir typically are the reservoirs where this can be an issue.
Daryl Bauer, fisheries outreach program manager with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, said Nebraska anglers are not aware of deep-water release devices. Instead, he said, they use hypodermic needles to release the gas from walleye suffering from barotrauma, which he said there is no research to show it is effective in saving the fish.
A blog written by Bauer discusses this issue and includes a video on how to deep-water releasing of fish. View it at magazine.outdoornebraska.gov/2014/11/deep-water-mortality/.
Anglers fishing Lake Superior can help the Michigan Department of Natural Resources evaluate the splake fishery by reporting marked splake. Splake, which are a hybrid cross between lake trout and brook trout, have been stocked in Lake Superior most years since 1971, with annual stocking since 1990.
Since 2021, marked splake have been stocked in Lake Superior. At the Marquette State Fish Hatchery, staff from the DNR’s Lake Superior and Northern Lake Michigan management units, as well as field staff from across the state, put in long hours carefully marking the splake by hand. These fish then get stocked at three Lake Superior ports: Copper Harbor, Keweenaw Bay and Munising. Splake stocked at each port get a unique mark specific to each location for further analysis. The goal is to create nearshore fishing opportunities in the smaller bays of Lake Superior, where some fisheries are available year-round.
| “The data we collect from anglers assists in making decisions on how to best manage Michigan’s fisheries,” said Patrick Hanchin, Lake Superior Basin coordinator. “Every marked splake reported matters to the data collection process. We’ll be marking splake through 2025, with the evaluation study being conducted through 2030.” Read more |
Key Message:
NOAA Fisheries is requesting comments on a petition for rulemaking to establish a year-round 10-knot vessel speed limit in the Gulf of Mexico and other vessel-related mitigation measures in an area referred to as core habitat by the petitioners. Rice’s whales are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) and are listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
NOAA Fisheries received the petition pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act from the Natural Resources Defense Council, Healthy Gulf, Center for Biological Diversity, Defenders of Wildlife, Earthjustice, and New England Aquarium. The petitioners are requesting that we utilize our authorities under the ESA and MMPA to establish a “Vessel Slowdown Zone” to protect Rice’s whales from collisions with vessels and noise pollution.
NOAA Fisheries seeks public comment on the petitioner’s request. NOAA Fisheries is not issuing a proposed rule at this time. NOAA Fisheries will consider all comments and available information when determining whether to accept the petition and proceed with rulemaking.
Comments are due by July 6, 2023
The petition proposes a year-round 10-knot vessel speed restriction within waters between 100 meters (m) and 400 m deep from approximately Pensacola, FL, to just south of Tampa, FL (i.e.,
from 87.5° W longitude to 27.5° N latitude) plus an additional 10 kilometers (km) around that area (referred to in the petition as the “Vessel Slowdown Zone”). Read more
WASHINGTON, D.C. — NSSF®, The Firearm Industry Trade Association, celebrated a milestone achievement after announcing firearm and ammunition manufacturers topped $16.1 billion in excise tax contributions to the Wildlife Restoration Trust Fund since its inception in 1937. When adjusted for inflation, the total is more than $25 billion. The latest Firearms and Ammunition Excise Tax (FAET) Collection report released by the Department of the Treasury, covering the 4th Quarter Calendar Year 2022, indicates that firearm and ammunition manufacturers contributed more than $235 million, the third-highest 4th calendar-quarter in history.
“The entire firearm and ammunition industry should celebrate this truly outstanding achievement and take pride in this announcement,” said NSSF President and CEO Joe Bartozzi. “The firearm and ammunition industry understands the conservation of wildlife and the habitats in which they thrive are invaluable. They are critical to future generations taking part in hunting and the recreational shooting sports traditions and learning about their vital importance. The Wildlife Restoration Trust Fund, funded significantly by taxes paid by firearm and ammunition manufacturers, is responsible for the restoration and recovery of America’s iconic game species across the country, including the Rocky Mountain elk, whitetail deer, pronghorn antelope, wild turkey and a variety of waterfowl. These contributions have also facilitated the remarkable recovery of the majestic American bald eagle, of which there are now more than 316,000 in the lower 48 states. The firearm and ammunition industry is filled with pride to achieve this landmark for conservation funding and the role our industry plays to ensure America’s wildlife is perpetuated for future generations.”
The astonishing total represents more than $1 billion contributed to conservation since announcing crossing the $15 billion contribution threshold just 12 months ago. It was less than one year before that remarkable achievement that NSSF announced Firearm and Ammunition Excise Tax contributions surpassed $14 billion. Read more
New for 2023: Whitewater® hats, gaiter, and gloves sure to please anglers of all walks
Muskegon, MI – Fishing is like baseball. No angler looks fully in uniform without a proper lid. For some, that’s flat-brimming a Richardson tucked down to the darn near eyebrows, while others like the Texas-bred relief pitcher look with the brim bent into an upside-down “U.”
Of course, that’s all just looking the part, but good hats do serve to protect the top of your head, keep the sun out of your eyes, and prevent hair from flying all over while rooster-tailing to a hot spot at over 6000 RPMs.
If you’re into hats like we are, you need to add these cool caps to your collection. There’s the Whitewater Watermark Hat with its front Blue Bell panel, white mesh back paneling, woven Whitewater logo patch, and adjustable snapback design, the perfect lid for flat-billing it… Read more