Outdoor commentary and legislative issues.
In the newest video at www.GrowingDeer.tv Rae Woods harvests a mature doe over the 2014 youth weekend for deer hunting. Then Grant and the team head to Kentucky where Grant helps the landowner with his deer management objectives by harvesting a doe with his bow, passing a 3 year old buck, and planting trees for whitetail habitat improvement! Watch the hunts online today! Read more
FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla. — With more than 10 million hunters pursuing the white-tailed deer in the United States, according to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, this iconic creature reigns supreme as the most hunted species of game animal in North America. Walk by the newsstand in the fall and glance at the covers of outdoor magazines and it would seem deer and other big game are virtually all that is of interest. But that perception would be wrong. In fact, according to a recent study by HunterSurvey.com, about half of sportsmen surveyed said they had hunted small or upland game in the past year.
Read more
ANN ARBOR, Mich. – EOTech is proud to announce the introduction of two new models in its line of Holographic Weapon Sights (HWS). The new series includes the Model 518 and 558 and will hit retail stores just in time for the holiday gift-giving season.
In response to customer demand, EOTech took all of the best features of its HWS products and combined them into these highly functional and easy-to-use new sights. The 518/558 models both feature the highly sought-after quick-release base and side-button functionality of the EXPS series and run on AA batteries (lithium or alkaline), the most common batteries in the world. Read more
Wixom, MI- The Trijicon Reflex is a robust, battery free, dual-illuminated sight highly regarded for its ability to provide fast, both-eyes-open, target acquisition and pinpoint accuracy. New for 2014, Trijicon has added highly anticipated green dot reticle options into the Reflex line of products, resulting in the ideal combination of speed and accuracy. With several mounting options available, the Trijicon Reflex is a perfect choice for
rifle, carbine, and shotgun applications.
The unique green reticle offerings function as a highly visible reference for close-in shooting that provides a precision aiming point without obscuring the target at extended ranges. The new reticle options will be available in 4.5 MOA and 6.5 MOA dot sizes. Read more
BESSEMER, Ala. – Steyr Arms announced today that it has expanded its Scout Rifle line with the introduction of OD Green and “MUD” stock variants, both of which are now on American soil. Steyr also announced a substantial across-the-board reduction to the suggested retail price of its Scout Rifle offerings.
Due to the increased popularity of the Scout Rifle and a large purchase order from its parent company in Austria, Steyr is now offering a lower retail price of $1,699 for a Black, Gray, OD Green or MUD Scout Rifle in .308 Win. And now through the end of 2014, Steyr is offering an additional $200 savings, making a new Scout Rifle just $1,499. Read more
The newest round of biologist updates is ready for you to view! With the firearm deer season under way, everyone is curious about what’s happening out in the woods. Continuing through the end of firearm deer season, the DNR Wildlife Division will be releasing video updates from wildlife biologists around the state. These biologists will give their take on what they’re seeing, what they’re hearing from hunters in the area, what can be expected based on available food sources and more. This week we hear from biologists Jeremiah Heise (Saginaw Bay area) and John Niewoonder (southwest Lower Peninsula) about what to expect in their part of the state. If you haven’t picked up your deer licenses yet, head to your local retailer or E-License so you don’t miss out on the hunt. Also, don’t forget to tweet your harvest photos on twitter with the hashtag, “#MiDeerPic.” Good luck this season!
GW: Guess who’s behind the contrived issue…
RALEIGH, NC- An agreement has been reached in a lawsuit against the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, which will restore conditional coyote hunting in the five-county red wolf reintroduction area of eastern North Carolina.
The agreement will restore daytime coyote hunting on private lands in Dare, Hyde, Beaufort, Tyrrell and Washington counties by licensed or otherwise authorized hunters, with a special permit obtained from the Wildlife Commission and subsequent reporting of kill. In the other 95 counties of the state, coyote hunters may hunt during daytime or at night using artificial lights, and no special permit or reporting of coyote harvests is required.
The agreement stems from a lawsuit brought by the Southern Environmental Law Center on behalf of the Red Wolf Coalition, Defenders of Wildlife and the Animal Welfare Institute. The suit alleged the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission violated the federal Endangered Species Act by allowing coyote hunting in Dare, Hyde, Beaufort, Tyrrell and Washington counties where a non-essential experimental re-introduction of the red wolf is occurring. A court-ordered injunction issued in May halted coyote hunting in the five counties, except under extremely limited circumstances. Read more
With Michigan’s deer season swinging into high gear, it won’t be long before many hunters are bringing their harvested deer into the local butcher shop to have the venison processed and prepared for the freezer. And thanks to the generosity of those same hunters, thousands of pounds of that venison will end up not in their home freezers, but at local food banks and soup kitchens to feed the state’s needy and hungry citizens.
The donated venison is made possible through the Michigan Sportsmen Against Hunger program, a collaboration between the Department of Natural Resources and a number of conservation groups, designed to help hunters share their bounty with the less fortunate. Participants can donate an entire deer, a certain number of pounds of venison, or can simply make a monetary donation to support the program. Read more
After receiving heavy snowfall across much of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula this week, the Department of Natural Resources is monitoring snow depths and assessing potential impacts on wildlife, particularly the deer herd which is still recovering from the two previous severe and snowy winters.
Supplemental feeding of deer is allowed on private land in the northern U.P. counties along Lake Superior each year beginning in early January and in the southern counties if accumulated snowfall meets established minimum depths by mid-January. However, if snow depths continue to rapidly climb this winter and exceed the supplemental feeding triggers before the January dates, the DNR will consider taking emergency action to allow feeding at an earlier date.
“With more than 20 inches of snow already on the ground in some of the southern U.P. counties and more than 40 inches reported in some northern locations, we are looking at ways to mitigate potential detrimental impacts of the early and significant snowfall on the deer herd,” said DNR Wildlife Division Chief Russ Mason.
According to Mason, the DNR’s Wildlife and Forest Management divisions are also evaluating current timber sale contracts to identify opportunities to retain tree tops at logging sites on public land for deer to forage on throughout the winter.
Read more
With Nov. 15 quickly approaching, the firearm deer hunting season will soon be under way. The Department of Natural Resources encourages hunters to stop by a DNR deer check station after their successful harvest for DNR staff to collect important data from their deer and to receive their 2014 cooperator patch. A deer head (antlers must still be attached on bucks) or entire carcass must be presented to receive a patch. Data the DNR collects at check stations contributes key information to aid in management decisions made throughout the state.
As part of continued efforts to be mobile-friendly, the DNR now has made it easier to find locations to check deer. Smartphone users now can text “Deer Check” to 468311 and they will receive a text back with a link to the DNR’s interactive deer check station locator map. Hunters can utilize their smartphone’s GPS function to find the deer-check location closest to them and then get turn-by-turn directions to that location to have their deer checked.