Outdoor commentary and legislative issues.
Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc. (NYSE: RGR) announces the AR-556™ semi-automatic, M4-style, direct impingement Modern Sporting Rifle. With all major components machined at Ruger’s Mayodan, NC facility, the AR-556 offers consumers an affordable, American-made Modern Sporting Rifle with the rugged reliability they have come to expect from Ruger.
The Michigan Natural Resources Commission recently adopted several changes to the Deer Management Assistance Permit (DMAP) program, in order to provide additional assistance to landowners on an individual basis.
A DMAP is a permit that allows for the take of an antlerless deer and may only be utilized during an open season for deer. In order for a landowner to receive DMAPs, one of the following four criteria needs to be met:
In the past, individuals possessing a DMAP were able to utilize only the legal equipment for that particular hunting season (e.g., only archery equipment could be utilized during archery season). However, in some cases archery equipment has proven to be ineffective, and damage incurred by deer has continued through the season as a result.
The new change to the DMAP program will allow a DMAP holder, on a case-by-case basis, to seek additional signed permission to harvest deer using a firearm during select time periods of the archery season. DMAP holders will be required to have hunted their property during the archery season for the last two years and be in good standing with the DMAP program, meaning they have reported all DMAPs requested, issued and utilized on an annual basis. Read more
Michigan’s bowhunting season opens today, Oct. 1, and Department of Natural Resources conservation officers are sharing tips for a safe bowhunting experience.
“Bowhunting is a popular pastime in Michigan and we want everyone to have a safe and enjoyable hunting season,” said Sgt. Tom Wanless, supervisor of the DNR’s hunter education program. “There are some common-sense safety tips every hunter should review before heading to the woods.”
The top safety tips for bowhunting are: Read more
The crash and clank of antlers is a sound that most hunters hanker to hear – it means we are within a reasonable distance of two bucks that are sparing or fighting. However, few hunters know how to use these sounds to their advantage and “rattle-in” a buck of their own. Bringing bucks close by rattling can be a huge rush! Timing, herd dynamics and creating authentic sounds are all important if you wish to bring bucks within shooting range. Hopefully after reading this you won’t want to leave your rattling antlers at home any more. Read more
The Department of Natural Resources today announced the recipients of the 2015 Wildlife Habitat Grants. A total of $1,062,807 was awarded to various conservation organizations, units of government, landowners and nonprofit organizations. Read more
Department of Natural Resources’ parents love to share their hunting passion with their kids. This year, many of those kids participated in the Youth Waterfowl Hunting Weekend. Several bagged ducks or geese.
Mariah Niewoonder of Greenville, age 14, is like a lot of kids and brutally honest. “Deer and turkey hunting are kind of slow,” she said. “You just sit there, and you have to be quiet all the time. Duck hunting is much more exciting, and you get to talk and move around.” Mariah and her dad, DNR Wildlife Division Southwest Field Operations Manager John Niewoonder, hunted public land in Ionia County. Mariah’s older brother shot his first duck in the same spot four years earlier. Read more
Michigan’s bowhunting season opens today, Oct. 1, and Department of Natural Resources conservation officers are sharing tips for a safe bowhunting experience. Read more
Game Commission executive order temporarily halts hunting and trapping in seven townships.
The Pennsylvania Game Commission has temporarily closed all hunting and trapping seasons within seven townships in northeastern Pennsylvania, where the search continues for a fugitive wanted in the shooting death of a state police trooper. Read more
Chantilly, VA – Aimpoint, the originator and world leader in electronic red dot sighting technology, has announced the addition of the new Micro T-2 sight to the company’s professional product line. The Micro T-2 will be available for shipment in mid-October 2014, and will be offered alongside the company’s existing Micro T-1 product.
Since its introduction in 2007, the Aimpoint Micro sight has become the worldwide standard for compact reflex sights. Law enforcement and military end users have embraced this sight for its compact size, durability, and extremely long battery life. Feedback received from professional end users identified a series of desired product enhancements that have now been added to this new product. These changes include: a new sight housing which allows the addition of front and rear protective flip covers and anti-reflective devices, additional physical protection for the sight’s adjustment turrets, and increased ruggedness for the sight’s internal electronic components. Read more
Overland Park, Kan. – Bushnell Outdoor Products, an industry-leader in high performance sports optics and outdoor accessories for 65 years, was recently named a winner in the Field &Stream annual Best of the Best awards for their new Wireless Trophy Cam HD trail camera.
With hunting seasons starting up all across the country, the Wireless Trophy Cam HD is the ultimate next generation scouting tool. With the transmission of thumbnail images via email or text, hunters can monitor activity and keep an eye on the woods in near real time, while an exclusive free smart phone app allows hunters to quickly modify camera settings. Hi-res images are saved to the web portal (www.wirelesstrophycam.com) where users can download images or change camera settings remotely. Now hunters no longer need to walk around their hunting areas, making noise and spreading scent around. You can literally have the camera scouting for you right up until it’s time to go hunting. Read more