Category: Hunting

Boone and Crockett Club Approves Positions on Technology and Environmental Litigation

MISSOULA, MT – The Boone and Crockett Club’s board approved two position statementsearlier this month during its 134th Annual Meeting held in New Orleans, Louisiana. The board approved the new “Technology and Hunting” position statement to reaffirm the importance of maintaining Fair Chase® principles when considering the use of technological advancements in a hunting situation. In addition, the updated “Environmental Litigation Against Federal Agencies” position outlines recommended legislative changes to the Equal Access to Justice Act that is being misused by nonprofit organizations to fund litigation against the federal government on environmental issues.

Over more than 130 years as an organization, the Boone and Crockett Club has seen many challenges to the traditions of hunting and the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation. The organization’s 1923 chartering documents outline its mission to “promote the conservation and management of wildlife, especially big game, and its habitat, to preserve and encourage hunting, and to maintain the highest ethical standards of fair chase and sportsmanship in North America.” When and where necessary, the Club has developed positions that support these beliefs and the Club’s mission.

“The Boone and Crockett Club’s position statements play a key role in informing and educating people, establishing a foundation for hunter ethics as well as conservation policy priorities that the Club will pursue,” commented James F. Arnold, President of the Boone and Crockett Club. “The Technology and Environmental Litigation position statements will help guide our policy efforts and provide ethics direction on the use of rapidly changing technologies in the hunting industry.”

The new “Technology and Hunting” position statement explicitly states: “The Boone and Crockett Club supports the use of legal technology to the extent it does not take an unfair advantage over the animal. The Club acknowledges that making these decisions is both personal and complex. With so much left up to the individual, having a universal code of ethics like Fair Chase to guide these deliberations is critical for both personal direction and fulfillment… The overuse or misuse of technology has the potential to undermine the special nature of hunting that is passed from one generation to the next. That is why the Club encourages everyone that hunts or mentors young hunters to ensure the use of technology does not demean the hunter-prey relationship in a way that diminishes the importance of the animal or the spirit of the hunt.”

The updated “Environmental Litigation Against Federal Agencies” position outlines how the well-intended Equal Access to Justice Act (EAJA), which permits the recovery of attorney’s fees in lawsuits against the federal government, is being misused by large, well-funded nonprofit groups to sue for alleged violations of environmental laws. These organizations can recover millions of dollars annually in legal fees under EAJA even if the claims are without substance, they win only a small part of the case, or settle out of court. The Boone and Crockett Club, which published its initial position statement on this issue in 2011, seeks to end the abusive litigation that occurs as a result of unintended loopholes in the law, diverting agency staff time and taxpayer dollars away from valuable conservation efforts. Based on the work of the Boone and Crockett Club, Congress passed minor reforms in 2019, but the Club believes more reforms are necessary and provides those details in its updated position statement.

The full position statements, as well as links to the other statements approved by the board, are available on the Club’s website. Read more

Hunting, Wildlife

Michigan: Urban Archery Season Extended in Three Counties

Hunters still seeking to take deer this season can plan to bow hunt in southeastern Michigan for another month. The archery deer hunting in the urban deer management zone of Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties is extended through Jan. 31.

The extended hunt is both a chance for hunters to pursue some high-quality deer and an opportunity for local officials to manage urban deer conflicts in their communities. Hunting is one option that can be used to decrease human/deer conflicts by controlling deer population numbers in affected areas.

Licenses for this season include a deer license, a deer combo license or an antlerless deer license. All rules and regulations for the archery season apply. Read more

Hunting, Wildlife

Michigan Deer with .450 Bushmaster

I held the camera, while my friend, Joe, made the perfect shot – perfect, because there was no meat loss. The doe ran about as far as the video shows (70 yards), and in fact, expired right on a lane for easy pick-up. The firearm was a Ruger American in .450 Bushmaster with Hornady Flex-Tip ammo. We didn’t want a shoulder shot because we could afford for the deer to run a bit without leaving the property.

Oh, and that young 10-point buck…hope he’s there next season, because Joe and I tagged out for bucks already.

Hunting

Wolf council meets to discuss habitat, enforcement

By Nick Green
The Wolf Management Advisory Council (WMAC) met December 7 to discuss habitat and enforcement efforts needed to sustain a robust wolf population.

New business included a review of sections 6.3 and 6.5 from the 2015 Wolf Management Plan. Old business included voting on recommendations to section 6.2 of the 2015 plan.

Council members first heard from Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Biologist Brian Roell regarding section 6.5 (maintain habitat necessary to sustain a viable wolf population ) of the 2015 Wolf Management Plan. He confirmed that wolves are habitat generalists and they are found in greater densities where there is greater availability of prey, which in Michigan is primarily white-tailed deer.

MUCC Executive Director Amy Trotter said Roell’s presentation highlighted the need for continued habitat management across Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

“Writing and adhering to forest management plans with wildlife habitat at the forefront, including a goal of no net loss of aspen, will be helpful to both deer and wolves,” Trotter said. “Resiliency and growth of the deer population is best achieved with healthy habitat first and foremost.”

Lt. Dave Shaw, assistant chief of DNR Law Enforcement Division, then presented on section 6.3 (enact and enforce regulations necessary to maintain a viable wolf population) of the 2015 plan, building off of Roell’s presentation on the mortality factors of radio-collared wolves.

Roell said data shows that human-caused mortality on radio-collared wolves accounts for more than 60 percent of mortality; however, only 58 collared wolves were illegally killed since 2006. Shaw said less than 20 percent of illegal taking of wolves cases have been solved in the last five years. Read more

Hunting, Wildlife

Sportsmen’s Alliance Raffle Deadline December 31

Time is running out to get your tickets for the 2021 Mega Raffle. Deadline is December 31. This year, we are limiting the tickets to 10,000 — and they are going FAST. This might be your last chance to buy tickets for 156 drawings with more than $265,000 in prizes.

Think of this – the odds of winning the Ohio Mega Millions lottery are 1 in 302,575,350– a $100 Mega Raffle ticket gives you 1 in 10,000 odds in EVERY (156) DRAWING!!!

Each ticket enters you into ALL prize drawings and you can win more than once (less than $0.60 per drawing!) You do not want to miss out.?

Check out the prizes!

  • Grand Prize = $45,000 Truck or $40,000 Cash
  • Tracker Boat or $20,000 Cash
  • Tracker UTV or $12,500 Cash
  • $70,000 worth of Hunting and Fishing Trips?+ a Vacation in Belize
  • 55 Guns
  • $25,000 in Guaranteed Cash Prizes

And NEW this year – A 50/50 raffle that we anticipate will be greater than $125,000.??

Trucks, guns, trips, gear and CASH! Click the link to see the full list of prizes. This is the biggest raffle in our history. All proceeds go to our continuing battle to preserve our hunting, fishing and trapping rights.

Buy Tickets Here: https://e.givesmart.com/events/nax/ Read more

Hunting

TenPoint’s Nitro 505 XERO with Garmin XERO X1i Rangefinding Scope

505 Feet Per Second. Garmin® XERO® X1i Rangefinding Scope. TenPoint’s NEW Nitro 505™ XERO is the Pinnacle in Crossbow Performance.

Mogadore, OH. For 2022, industry leaders TenPoint Crossbow Technologies and Garmin® have teamed up to release the new pinnacle in long-range crossbow accuracy and performance – the NEW Nitro 505 XERO. Delivering unheard of speeds of 505 FPS with a 400-grain arrow and featuring the revolutionary ACUslide™ silent cocking and safe de-cocking system, this perfectly balanced reverse-draw crossbow is equipped with the Garmin® XERO® X1i Rangefinding scope to deliver the fastest, most accurate long-range crossbow ever.

The industry’s fastest crossbow, the Nitro 505 XERO measures an ultra-compact 6.5-inches wide and 30.5-inches long and delivers never before seen power of 227 foot-pounds of kinetic energy.

“Teaming with Garmin® allows us to continue our commitment to building the most accurate crossbows for shooting or hunting situations – the Nitro 505 XERO is the fastest, most accurate, and most powerful crossbow ever manufactured.” said Rick Bednar, TenPoint CEO. “To exceed 500 feet-per-second and maintain the durability you’ve come to expect from TenPoint, our engineering team was denied no expense in the research, design and testing phase of this crossbow. All major components were designed to handle this level of power. The Nitro 505 is the most tested TenPoint crossbow ever – with over 25,000 shots put through the design.” Read more

Archery, Hunting, Optics

Pope and Young Confirms New World Record from Chuck Adams

December 15th, 2021- Pope and Young, America’s leading bowhunting organization is excited to announce that on Monday, December 6th, 2021, a Special Panel of judges from Pope and Young convened in Rock Springs, Wyoming, to authenticate the measurement of a potential World Record Velvet Typical Sitka Blacktail Deer, shot by Chuck Adams.

Chuck’s velvet Sitka Blacktail Deer scored an amazing 109 7/8” and is now the largest bow-killed velvet typical Sitka Blacktail Deer in North America. This amazing deer was shot on Kodiak Island in Alaska, on August 12th, 2021.

Measurers present at the Special Panel were (L to R) Keith Dana of Wyoming, Bruce Capes of Utah, Chuck Adams, Brett Ritter of Wyoming, Tim Rozewski (Director of Records) of Oregon, and Drake Atwood of Idaho. With a final score of 109 7/8”, Adams’ velvet typical Sitka Blacktail Deer was confirmed as the new Pope and Young World Record. This amazing deer surpasses the previous world record velvet typical Sitka Blacktail taken by Allen Bolen in 2020, measuring 108 1/8″. Read more

Archery, Hunting

Boone and Crockett Big Game Awards to be Held July 21-23 at Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium

MISSOULA, Mont. – The Boone and Crockett Club’s 31st Big Game Awards will be held next summer, July 21-23, in Springfield, Missouri, at Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium. The event recognizes the biggest heads, horns, and antlers from North America entered into the Boone and Crockett Club’s record book during the last three years. In early 2022, select hunters will be invited to submit their top scoring trophies in each category for panel judging and display.

The judges panel will convene in late April to verify scores of invited trophies, which will then be placed on display in Wonders of Wildlife’s “Bucks and Bulls Hall” from May 1 through the Awards ceremony. Hosted by Bass Pro Shops, Cabela’s, and Wonders of Wildlife, the 31st Big Game Awards will include three days of recognition events and opportunities to tour the awards program display, all culminating in the gala awards banquet on Saturday, July 23.

“We are very excited to partner with Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s and the Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium to host the 31st Big Game Awards next July,” commented Tony A. Schoonen, chief executive officer of the Boone and Crockett Club. “This event only happens every three years and it is a true tribute to the fair chase hunters who found such success in the field. With this year’s event coinciding with the 100th anniversary of the National Collection of Heads and Horns, we will be honoring the history of wildlife conservation that continues to support the healthy wildlife populations that make these successes possible.” Read more

Hunting

Trulock: Guide to Patterning with Choke Tubes for Waterfowlers

Whigham, GA – In order to see the results of a quality pattern when patterning a shotgun, there are two equally-important elements needed that the experts at TrulockÔ Choke Tubes have found. One is a high-quality choke tube, like those sold at Trulock, and the other is a high-quality shotshell. Picking a lesser quality choke tube or a lesser quality shotshell will give poor results. When choosing choke tubes, choose TrulockÔ Choke Tubes with no frills, no gimmicks and no hype, just solid guaranteed performance or your money back.

Here is an example for waterfowl hunters. The photo below shows a Trulock 12-ga Precision Hunter Modified, Winchoke, Browning Inv., Mossberg 500 series with a Federal Black Cloud shotshell giving an 88 percent pattern density at 40 yards. See more details about this pattern here.

Trulock designs, builds, and tests all their choke tubes at their facility in Whigham, Georgia, using state-of-the-art CNC manufacturing. That process has allowed them to develop these chokes with special exit diameters that produce dense, hard-hitting patterns in all 12-gauge loads suitable for waterfowl hunting. Read more

Firearms, Hunting

Huge Michigan Buck Lost to Coyotes

By Glen Wunderlich

Charter Member Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA)

After having taken a good buck in early October’s archery season, I had volunteered to fill the role as support person for my hunting pal, Joe.  That meant I would also “dog sit” his spirited Blue Tick hound mix, Junior, in an attempt to keep his mind from focusing on his owner, who would inexplicably march away without him.  We had put the hound on three different deer-tracking chores in the past year as training exercises, and he was about to face his most difficult test to date.

The call came over the two-way radio at dusk that Joe had shot a large 8-point whitetail and I waited for him to return so that we could develop a plan to recover the animal.  Joe didn’t provide many clues other than to convey that the shot was somewhat low – or, at least that’s what he thought.

Darkness was descending and that very fact may have caused us to make our second mistake.  (I’ll get to the first mistake later.)  Instead of waiting, Joe insisted on getting on the trail without delay.  Although we found no blood or the arrow, Junior was impossible to hold back.  The danger of pushing a wounded deer into the next county became a concern, as Junior pulled us deeper into the unknown, dark surroundings.

We called off the hound and made plans to resume the ordeal in the morning.  The overnight temperature would be marginally cool enough to salvage the deer, if we were fortunate enough to locate it without further delay.

The landscape looked a lot more inviting at dawn, when Junior returned for some more controlled chaos.  Farther and farther we went, all the while watching the dog’s reaction to scent we could not detect.  Junior was all over the invisible airborne scent and was now guided by a slight breeze into his olfactory meter; he could not be held back and dragged Joe to the downed prize.

As I approached the duo, Joe was shaking his head in disbelief, as he stood motionless over an animal he didn’t want to believe was his.  The massive 9-point buck had been torn apart by coyotes relegating us to nothing more than a meal of antler soup.

Now, let’s get back to the first mistake:  the shot.  We discovered that the arrow had struck the magnificent animal too far forward – some 8 inches off the mark and that’s where the troubles began.  Although the 40-yard shot was simple to make in practice, real-world excitement had been in play.

We had not the luxury of knowing whether the animal was dead, and consequently made a judgment call to wait.  Typically, hunters would do best to hedge their decision to pursue a deer with a measure of patience, but given the end result, there simply may have been no good recovery procedure.

No doubt, we should have held off our initial search for at least 30 minutes, which could have given the animal an opportunity to lie down and expire.  While we’ll never know exactly what transpired after the shot, we do know the disheartening results could have been prevented with a better shot.

Joe’s buck destroyed by coyotes

Hunting
1 … 68 69 70 71 72 … 387