Category: Hunting

Boyt Harness Joins Boone and Crockett Hunt Fair Chase Initiative

MISSOULA, Mont. – Iowa-based Boyt Harness Co. is the latest name added to a growing list of supporters behind a new initiative led by the Boone and Crockett Club intended to highlight the core values of fair chase and to strengthen the image of the North American hunter.

“There was a time when sportsmen were openly admired and praised for their commitments to wildlife and habitat conservation,” said CJ Buck, the Club’s vice president of communications. “Today we’re subject to increasing attack and misrepresentation. As grossly unfair as this has become, no one is going to restore the positive image of hunters and hunting other than sportsmen themselves. The Hunt Fair Chase initiative seeks to help sportsmen become better brand ambassadors for hunting by rallying behind the time-honored traditions of fair chase and putting our best foot forward.”

The Hunt Right: Hunt Fair Chase initiative hopes to inspire sportsmen to unite behind an effort to improve their own public image and control the narrative about hunting that others have taken. The initiative will launch later this summer.

“Our society is governed by laws. Hunting too is governed by laws, but out of a sense of responsibility for the game we hunt and the country they live in, sportsmen go one step further,” said Buck. “A sporting approach ensures the game is respected and never threatened; the privilege of hunting is honored, and the no-guarantees nature of hunting and the memorable experiences we seek remain intact. There is a lot tucked up under the umbrella of what we know as fair chase.” Read more

Hunting, Wildlife

Get a Utah Bull Elk Hunting Permit

30,000 permits went on sale July 11

If you want to hunt bull elk in Utah this fall, it’s easy to get a permit to hunt during the general season. Just log onto www.wildlife.utah.gov, or visit a Division of Wildlife Resources office or your nearest Utah hunting license agent, and buy one.

A total of 30,000 rifle and muzzleloader permits went on sale July 11.

If you didn’t get a permit on July 11, don’t worry: it usually takes a few weeks for general elk permits to sell out. “Don’t wait too long, though,” says Lindy Varney, wildlife licensing coordinator for the DWR. “If you want to hunt elk in Utah, I’d encourage you to buy a permit as soon as you can.”

General archery elk permits are one type of elk permit that won’t sell out. They aren’t limited in number, so you’ll have no problem getting one.

General archery elk permits also went on sale July 11. They’ll be available until the extended archery elk hunt ends on Dec. 15.

Two types of units

Before you buy a rifle or muzzleloader permit, you need to decide which units you want to hunt on: any-bull units, where you’re allowed to take a bull of any size, or spike-only units, where only spike bulls may be taken.

If you buy an any-bull permit, you can hunt on all of the any-bull units in Utah. If you buy a spike-only permit, you can hunt on all of the spike-only units in the state.

While many hunters dream of taking a large, branch-antlered bull, Varney says a hunt on a spike-only unit provides several advantages.

“One of the neat things about hunting on a spike-only unit is the chance to hear and see big, mature bulls,” she says. “The spike-only hunts are held on the same areas where the limited-entry hunts are held. You can’t take a branch-antlered bull with a spike-only permit, but you can still experience the thrill of being near these big elk.”

The spike-only units are mostly public land, so you’ll have lots of places to hunt. And—just like taking a branch-antlered bull—taking a spike bull will provide you with lots of tasty, healthy meat.

If you’d rather hunt branch-antlered bulls on an any-bull unit, Justin Shannon, big game coordinator for the DWR, says two units in the Uinta Mountains—the North Slope unit and the South Slope unit—are the most popular units in the state. “Hunting any-bull units can be a challenge,” Shannon says, “but they hold some big bulls.” Read more

Hunting

S&W Performance Center Launches “Texas Whitetail Hunt Sweepstakes”

Enter for a Chance to Win a Hunting Experience with Wade Middleton

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Smith & Wesson Corp. today announced the launch of the “Performance Center – Texas Whitetail Hunt Sweepstakes“, which began on June 23, 2017 and will run until October 30, 2017 at 11:59 p.m. EST. Thewinner of the Texas Whitetail Hunt Sweepstakes will be awarded a Performance Center 460XVR™ revolver, as well as an all-expenses paid trip to participate in an exciting, three-day, filmed hunt with Wade Middleton of Yamaha’s Whitetail Diaries at his ranch located outside of San Antonio, Texas.

Tony Miele, General Manager of the Performance Center, said, “With all of the recent interest in handgun hunting, we are excited to offer an opportunity to hunt with one of the Performance Center’s flagship handguns and learn from Wade Middleton of Yamaha’s Whitetail Diaries, a professional handgun hunter. It’s not often that we are able to offer this type ofexperience, and we are looking forward to hosting the sweepstakes winner at Wade Middleton’s ranch this fall.”

The Performance Center – Texas Whitetail Hunt Sweepstakes is open now for entries, and will close October 30, 2017 at 11:59 p.m. EST.

To enter the sweepstakes, visit the Performance Center Facebook Page. Read more

Hunting

Senators Introduce the Strongest Legislative Package of Sportsmen’s Priorities in Years

A package of bills just introduced has bipartisan support and will benefit habitat, access, and conservation funding

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Only hours ahead of their departure for the Fourth of July recess, Senator John Barrasso (R-WY), Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), and a bipartisan group of senators introduced S. 1514, a strong package of bills that would benefit fish and wildlife habitat nationwide, while funding critical watershed restoration efforts in the Mid-Atlantic and improving access for recreational shooters on public lands.

The legislation would include the following:

  • Reauthorize the North American Wetlands Conservation Act—a grant program through which each federal dollar invested is matched an average of three times over by non-federal dollars—at $50 million annually through 2022.
  • Authorize the National Fish Habitat Conservation Act, which was created to foster partnerships that improve conditions for fish species and enhance recreational fishing opportunities.
  • Reauthorize the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the nation’s largest conservation grant-maker.
  • Reauthorize Chesapeake Bay restoration program at $90 million per year through 2022.Senators Introduce the Strongest Legislative Package of Sportsmen’s Priorities in Years

“What makes this effort different from sportsmen’s packages of the more recent past is that, right from the outset, it deals with meaningful conservation priorities by reauthorizing and instituting programs that will actually enhance fish and wildlife populations, habitat, and access,” says Whit Fosburgh, president and CEO of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. “We applaud Sen. Barrasso, Sen. Cardin, Sen. Boozman, Sen. Klobuchar, Sen. Capito, and Sen. Baldwin for their leadership and recognition of what American hunters and anglers value.” Read more

Firearms, Hunting

NSSF and Responsive Management Release Handbook to Increase Participation in Outdoor Recreation

The last century has seen a multitude of wildlife conservation success stories thanks to the efforts of the professional fish and wildlife management community. The restoration of once depleted species such as the white-tailed deer, wild turkey, bald eagle, wood duck, and Rocky Mountain elk, to name only a few, was no accident, nor was it the result of guesswork or management through blind optimism. Rather, these once-struggling populations successfully rebounded because biologists and resource managers applied scientific principles dictated by the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation.

The same governing principle—the use of sound science to dictate policy—also applies to the work now being done to increase participation in and support for hunting, fishing, sport shooting, and archery: R3 (recruitment, retention, and reactivation) efforts must be based on high-quality research and a solid foundation of fact. Read more

Fishing, Hunting

Conservation Money to be Wasted in Court

By Glen Wunderlich

With the Yellowstone population of grizzly bears having grown from a threatening low number of 136 bears in 1975 to a present estimate of 700, U.S. Secretary of the Interior, Ryan Zinke, has announced that federal protections are to be removed. Accordingly, management of the magnificent beasts is to return to the affected states and tribes. The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) Distinct Population Segment (DPS) consists of portions of northwestern Wyoming, southwestern Montana and eastern Idaho. Grizzly bear populations outside of this DPS in the lower 48 states will be treated separately under the ESA and will continue to be protected.

Success? Not so fast, says the largest anti-hunting organization in the world, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). Its lawyers have lined up in advance of the next round of nonsensical court battles between scientific game management and its emotionally charged rhetoric. It matters not that grizzly bears have more than doubled their range since the mid-1970s, now occupying more than 22,500 square miles. Once again, the fight is over hunting.

One thing we’ve learned over the years is that sustainability of any species of game animal is guaranteed, if hunting is permitted. Although it may seem counter-intuitive, it works every time it is employed. Just like so many other North American success stories including whitetail deer, wild turkeys, elk, antelope – you name it. They are all thriving under management plans that use hunting as a primary tool to manage the balance between a growing human population and habitat resources.

The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) grizzly bear population was determined to be recovered because multiple factors indicate it is healthy and will be sustained into the future. These factors include not only the number and distribution of bears throughout the ecosystem, but also the quantity and quality of the habitat available and the states’ commitments to manage the population from now on in a manner that maintains its healthy and secure status.

The GYE population of grizzly bears has surpassed recovery goals in both population benchmarks and duration of time meeting those goals, proving that the population is not just recovered, but stable and growing. Moreover, more than 100 grizzly bears have been killed for depredation of livestock or attacks on humans in the last two years – a significant number indicative of the population having reached social tolerance levels within the available habitat.

However, Wayne Pacelle of HSUS states in his blog, “ Specifically, the delisting rule ignores the ongoing existential threat posed to these bears by habitat loss, disappearance of staple foods like whitebark pine and cutthroat trout…”

What is ironic about this statement is that if these essential elements of the bears’ existence actually remain in jeopardy, then why would any group supporting the animals’ welfare take taxpayer dollars for lawsuit expenses earmarked for the very habitat improvements it says are lacking?

Simply stated, it’s to pad its annual $130 million budget and fund its hefty retirement accounts, to stop all hunting, and to put us all on strict diets of vegan shoots and sprouts.

Animal Rights, General, Hunting, Wildlife

Tactacam For Recording Your Hunts

Caledonia, MN- Tactacam is unlike any other camera on the market. It is designed by hunters for hunters with one goal, sharing the excitement and enjoyment of your hunt. From the launch of our very first Tactacam 2.0 we have listened to the feedback and went back to the drawing board with high expectations and we feel we have exceeded them. The all new Tactacam 4.0 is packed full of features like Wi-Fi compatible viewing and control via your smartphone, battery indicator and the ability to film in 3 different resolution settings. The ultra-sharp lens and low light recording brings your target 5X closer than other POV cameras on the market making the Tactacam 4.0 the ultimate weapon mounted camera.

Product Features

  • Ultra HD 2.7k resolution @ 30 fps, 1080p-60fps and 720-120fps
  • External battery indicator
  • 5x zoom brings game closer than ever
  • 1 touch Power on Auto Record with Vibration indication
  • Tactacam App Wi-Fi compatible
  • Ultra-Sharp Lens optimized for Bow, Crossbow and Gun (no fisheye)
  • Low-Light recording like no other camera of its kind
  • Shock Resistant; 50cal tested and approved
  • Rechargeable cold weather lithium battery provides up to 2.5 hours of record time (extra batteries available)
  • Charging USB 2.0 and 110-120-volt AC outlet
  • USB 2.0 connection to Mac and PC
  • HDMI hookup for TV & hi-def monitors
  • Video Aspect Ratio: 16:9 Format H.264 for Facebook and YouTube
  • Storage: Micro SD card up to 64 GB (not included)
  • 8 GB card included with package
  • 1-year Warranty
Hunting, Wildlife

Poll: Support for Conservation Crosses Party Lines

New National Poll: For Hunters and Anglers, Support for Conservation Crosses Party Lines

WHITEFISH, Mont. – In a teleconference today, the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership and Public Opinion Strategies revealed the results of a national bipartisan poll of hunters and anglers, which shows that sportsmen and women on both sides of the aisle agree when it comes to many of the major conservation issues being considered right now by Congress and the Trump Administration.

A national survey of 1,000 voters who identify as hunters or anglers was conducted online and over the phone in May 2017, and the data show:

97% agree that protecting and conserving public lands for future generations is important
95% agree it is important to maintain public lands infrastructure, like roads, trails, campgrounds, and historic sites
87% want no cuts to conservation in the federal budget
82% support the BLM’s plans to conserve the greater sage grouse
4 in 5 support Clean Water Act protections for headwater streams and wetlands
77% of Republicans and 80% of Democrats support keeping the number and size of existing national monuments that offer hunting and fishing Read more

Fishing, Hunting

Online Video Shows Valuable Habitat Lessons For Deer Hunters

The newest video on GrowingDeer.com is a “how to” for designing a food plot in timber: how to select trees; how to decide borders; how to mark timber; which trees should be saved; which trees have value. Watch for the three primary considerations for food plot design: how to approach, hunt, and exit the food plot. Stay tuned to the end for new tips on trail camera placement for pre-season scouting. Click here to watch the video today! Read more

Hunting, Wildlife

FOXPRO’s BuckPro Gives Hunters An Advantage

GW: Make sure to check your state’s regulations before heading afield for deer.

The FOXPRO BuckPro gives you the ultimate advantage while chasing the most commonly hunted big game animal in North America. The unit comes with 25 whitetail sounds, and 10 predator sounds and holds 300 sounds. The BuckPro uses a single, high-efficiency Mylar cone speaker. Connect an external speaker to the jack on the side of the call for even more volume. While moving, a mature buck will likely come downwind. The system controls up to 3 BuckPro units from one remote for directional advantage.

The BuckPro remote features an elastomeric keypad for effortless use, even with gloves. It also has category files for easy navigation through sounds. The remote has a power on/off switch, volume up/down buttons, scroll up/down buttons, a mute, and much more.

The BuckPro is backed by a 3 year limited warranty, FOXPRO’s unmatched customer support, and is proudly made in the USA!

• Comes with 25 whitetail sounds, and 10 predator sounds (Holds 300 sounds)

• Full-function remote with LED display

• External speaker jack

• Auxiliary jack

• Operates, up to 3 Buck Pro units from one remote control for directional advantage

• Rugged housing straps to a tree to get the sound away from you

• Single, high-efficiency, Mylar cone speaker

• Power/Low battery indicator

• Operates on 8 “AA” Batteries

• USB port to reprogram sounds

Hunting
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