Category: Hunting

Secretary Zinke Shows Support for Sportsmen on First Day in Office


Secretary Ryan Zinke and guests at the signing ceremony. (Source: Department of the Interior)
WASHINGTON — On his first official day as the 52nd Secretary of the Department of Interior, Ryan Zinke issued his first two secretarial orders benefitting the sportsmen and outdoor communities. Zinke invited various members from the sportsmen’s community for the signing ceremony of the secretarial orders that help expand public land access, as well as opportunities to hunt, fish and recreate across the country. Ducks Unlimited CEO Dale Hall was present for the signing ceremony.”Today’s actions by Secretary Zinke are a clear indication that sportsmen and women around the country will have a voice at the Department of Interior,” said Dale Hall. “Providing places for all Americans to hunt, fish and recreate is vitally important, as hunters and anglers are North America’s greatest conservationists. I want to thank Secretary Zinke for his strong commitment and look forward to working him in his new capacity at the Department of Interior.”

Order 3346 overturns the lead ammunition and fishing tackle ban on Fish and Wildlife Service lands, waters, and facilities. The second order, 3347, advances conservation stewardship, improves game and habitat management and increases outdoor recreation opportunities by directing bureaus and agencies to immediately identify areas where recreation and fishing can be expanded. The order also requests the Wildlife and Hunting Heritage Conservation Council and Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council to provide recommendations on enhancing and expanding access on public lands and improving habitat for fish and wildlife. Read more

Fishing, Hunting

Oregon Court Accepts RMEF’s Brief in Wolf Lawsuit

MISSOULA, Mont.—The Oregon Court of Appeals granted the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation’s application to file a friend-of-the-Court brief in a lawsuit by animal rights groups seeking to eliminate state wildlife management in Oregon.

“We stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, its professional biologists and wildlife managers, and the Fish and Wildlife Commission in carrying out their duty of managing all of Oregon’s wildlife,” said David Allen, RMEF president and CEO. “Oregon’s science-based wolf plan indicates wolves reached delisting criteria five years ago.”

As of December 31, 2015, Oregon’s minimum wolf population estimate numbered 110, marking a 26 percent increase over the 2014 population and a 42 percent increase since 2013. Biologists also indicate the actual number of wolves currently in Oregon is likely greater than the minimum estimate.

The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission voted to delist wolves from the state Endangered Species Act (ESA) in November of 2015. The Oregon legislature ratified the commission’s decision by passing a bill, which was later signed into law, removing wolves from the state’s endangered species list. Those moves had no immediate effect on wolf management yet animal rights groups still filed suit seeking to reverse the delisting. Read more

Animal Rights, Hunting, Wildlife

SCI Urges Support for H.J. 69

Safari Club International (SCI) encourages all sportsmen and women to contactyour U.S. Representative today and voice your support for House Joint Resolution 69.

If approved, H.J. Res. 69 will allow Congress to reverse a final rule, adopted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), that prohibits and restricts legal forms of hunting on National Wildlife Refuges in Alaska.

This final FWS rule contradicts the Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s constitutional mandate to manage the state’s wildlife resources for sustained yield, which is affirmed in the Alaska Statehood Act, the Alaska National Interests Land Conservation Act, and the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act. In short, the FWS regulation that H.J. Res. 69 will nullify is one that interferes with the State of Alaska’s ability to provide adequate wildlife for the state’s hunters.

With your help, H.J. Res. 69 will give Congress the opportunity to reverse this harmful FWS regulation adopted during the last months of the Obama Administration. It is imperative that you contact your Representative today and urge him/her to vote Yes on H.J. Res. 69. You must act NOW, as this Resolution is anticipated to be voted on the House floor today Thursday, February 16. Read more

Hunting

Federal Court Overturns ScentLok Decision

ScentBlocker has successfully overturned the original jury award in the case ScentLok brought against it in 2014 claiming false advertising. The case took an abrupt turn on January 30, 2017 when United States District Judge Gordon J. Quist issued the court’s Opinion granting ScentBlocker’s motion for judgement as a matter of law and vacating the original jury’s finding of liability in the case.

In the Opinion, the Court states “ALS (ScentLok) argues…this case essentially involved a “bait and switch”…regarding the sale of ScentBlocker’s Trinity products. According to the Court “These arguments fail.” The Opinion went on to state: “Noticeably absent from this case…was any testimony or evidence from the retailers. ALS presented no survey evidence, nor did any witness from Cabela’s, Gander Mountain, or Dick’s testify that they were deceived.” Read more

Hunting

B&C Confirms Largest Hunter-Taken, Non-Typical Whitetail

MISSOULA, MT – A deer taken in Tennessee this past season has been accepted by the Boone and Crockett Club with an entry score surpassing the current record taken by a hunter.

“All deer are unique in some form or another,” said Justin Spring, the Club’s director of big game records. “This particular deer is unique on so many levels.”

Hunter Stephen Tucker, using a muzzleloader, took the deer from Sumner County, Tennessee, in 2016. Its official entry score into Boone and Crockett records is 312-0/8. This score surpasses a deer taken from Monroe Country, Iowa, in 2003 that scores 307-5/8, which was the largest hunter-taken, non-typical whitetail and ranked Number 3 all-time. The World’s Record and Number 2 in the non-typical category were both picked up, or found dead and score 333-7/8 and 328-2/8, respectively. Read more

Hunting

Pope And Young Club Announces A Potential New World’s Record Desert Bighorn

Chatfield, MN – On November 21, 2016, Tony Loop of Appling, Georgia closed within 30 yards above the largest ram he had ever seen. The big ram had no idea he was there. Tony steadied his bow and released the arrow. The time seemed to stand still. Finally, the arrow found its mark, hitting the ram between the shoulders and angling out the right front chest. The ram jumped up and ran about 100 yards onto a narrow rim and lay down. He tried to contain his excitement, but he and his guides knew that they may have just arrowed a potential new world record Desert bighorn sheep.

“As we knelt beside the big ram and admired this great warrior, I was overcome with both joy and sadness.” said Tony Loop. “He was majestic in every sense of the word. This archery hunt turned out to be both a spiritual and physical journey. I think my guides; Andy, Sam and Wade would all admit that they felt the same. Before us, laid the King of the Canyon and I had my guides to thank for making it all happen. As the four of us took a final look back into the canyon below, we could only imagine how wonderful it must have been for the big ram we named “Horseshoe,” to command such an awe-inspiring view everyday of his life.” Read more

Hunting

Sportsmen’s Alliance Seeks Clarification from Trump Administration

On Feb. 9, the Sportsmen’s Alliance submitted comments to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs seeking public clarification from the White House pertaining to President Trump’s executive actions issuing a freeze on new regulations, as well as mandating the repealing of two regulations for every new one passed.

The Sportsmen’s Alliance believes public lands should be presumed to be open to hunting, fishing, trapping and other recreational activities, unless closed for a specific and documentable reason, such as resource conservation, public safety, natural security or protection of private property rights.

Unfortunately, many federal statutes currently require that land managers take specific action to open public lands to recreational activities, and that requires agencies to adopt a regulation. The longstanding legal framework requiring that federal lands are closed until specifically opened poses challenges for public access to millions of acres of federal land.

“The Sportsmen’s Alliance is filing these comments to ensure that any efforts at regulatory reform ultimately helps hunters, anglers and other recreational users and does not inadvertently make these activities—or access to the public land on which they occur—more difficult,” said Evan Heusinkveld, Sportsmen’s Alliance president and CEO.  Read more

Fishing, Hunting

Stealth Cam® Unleashes Ultra HD 4K Video

Grand Prairie, TX- Stealth Cam®, continuing their innovative dominance on the trail camera market, announces a May 2017 release on the first trail camera featuring 30MP resolution and Ultra HD, 4K Video technology.

Stealth Cam is committed to producing products capable of providing the clearest images and the DS4K has every feature to help deliver these expectations. It is loaded with premium features, which include dual image sensors for optimal day and night high-resolution images, 42 NO GLO IR emitters for 100FT true invisible night time illumination, split second trigger speed, adjustable IR range, and many more. The 30 Megapixel hi resolution game camera has a 16:9 wide image ratio, manual shot capability and an SD card slot up to 64GB to house multiple images and videos when needed most. The DS4K uses Matrix™ Advanced Blur Reduction and Retina™ low light sensitivity improving the quality of low light pictures. Stealth Cam delivers yet another product to set market standards that will give users the most realistic images and videos available. To learn more about Stealth Cam products, please visit http://www.stealthcam.com.

Stealth Cam DS4K Features: Read more

Hunting, Wildlife

31st Annual Michigan Deer & Turkey Expo Returns

PEWAUKEE, Wis. — The annual Michigan Deer & Turkey Expo, the state’s premier consumer expo for hunting and outdoor enthusiasts presented by Field & Stream and Outdoor Life magazines, is returning for three days of all things deer and turkey hunting Feb. 17-19 at the Lansing Center.

Hundreds of hunting exhibitors and outfitter booths will be on-site to showcase the latest in hunting and archery equipment, accessories, clothing and more. Other show features include interactive activities, action-packed demonstrations and informative how-to seminars. Read more

Archery, Firearms, Fishing, Hunting, Optics

Sportsmen’s Alliance Sues Department of Interior Due to Refuge System Overreach

On Feb. 10, the Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation, the Alaska Professional Hunters Association and two rural Alaskans filed suit against the federal government seeking to overturn two Obama-era restrictions governing the management of National Wildlife Refuge and National Preserve lands within Alaska’s borders.

The Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation and APHA believe the rules are an overreach of the federal government into the traditional state role of game management, and this action in Alaska sets a dangerous precedent that puts hunting at risk on hundreds of millions of acres of public land nationwide.

The 96 million acres of National Wildlife Refuge and Park Service lands at stake in this lawsuit cover an area slightly larger than Montana, the fourth-largest state in the union.

“Game management belongs in the hands of boots-on-the-ground state biologists who understand the traditions, goals, game animals and ecosystems better than anyone, certainly better than a federal bureaucrat simply reading a report in a Washington, D.C. office,” said Evan Heusinkveld, president and CEO of the Sportsmen’s Alliance and Foundation. “These two rules represent yet another act of the Obama Administration that sets a bad precedent for states across the country that, if not stopped, would allow federal bureaucrats or a future administration more in line with anti-hunting activists to continue seizing control of traditional state decisions.”  Read more

Hunting, Wildlife
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