Michigan’s December grouse season offers chance to expand hunting horizons
By Katie Keen
With Michigan’s most popular hunting season – firearm deer – now put to bed, some hunters might not be ready to call it a day just yet.
The December ruffed grouse season, Dec. 1 to Jan. 1, offers an entirely different hunting experience for deer hunters who just can’t stay still, are always second-guessing the blind they chose or just want to get a few more miles out of their base license.
The base license – which all Michigan hunters already have, as it’s required to purchase other hunting licenses – is the only license needed to hunt ruffed grouse.
“I go because I’m crazy, I guess,” said Michigan Ruffed Grouse Society member Aaron VanderWall. “I would religiously go out on New Year’s Day, despite conditions, in hope of killing what would be both the last grouse of the season and the first grouse of the next year.”
Deer hunters who have never tried bird hunting might consider calling that friend or family member who’s always talking about his hunting dog, suggested Al Stewart, Michigan Department of Natural Resources upland game bird specialist. Read more
New M1A™ 6.5 Creedmoor Gives Serious Marksmen a Formidable New Choice
Springfield Armory’s Match-Dominating M1A Now Available in the Extreme-Precision Caliber Many Sharpshooters Prefer
GENESEO, ILL. (12/08/17) – Springfield Armory’s M1A™ Series has a hard-won reputation for handling any mission, any condition, any foe, at any range – and for taking home trophies from monster bucks to National Match crowns. Highly precise .308 WIN-chambered M1A models are found in the hands of elite tactical teams, snipers, backcountry hunters and competitive marksmen.Now skilled shooters can get legendary Springfield M1A durability in 6.5 Creedmoor caliber.
With high muzzle velocity, low recoil, and extreme long-range accuracy, the Creedmoor round is becoming increasingly popular and easily accessible. The new M1A 6.5 Creedmoor makes the most of the ammo’s attributes with the rifle design, craftsmanship, balance and response known to Springfield Armory’s storied M1A platform. Read more
Utah Business Owner Sentenced for Illegally Selling Firearms, Filing Fraudulent Tax Returns
Illegally Sold Firearms Over the Internet; Underreported More than $10 Million
A Salt Lake City, Utah, man was sentenced to 4 years in prison today for dealing in firearms without a license and filing fraudulent tax returns, announced Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg, of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney John W. Huber for the District of Utah.
According to documents and evidence presented to the court, Adam Michael Webber reached an agreement with the United States in 2007 that barred him from applying for a federal firearms license or engaging in the business of dealing firearms. Between 2007 and 2008, Webber was the sole owner of HK Parts, an Internet gun parts business. In 2008, Webber added firearms to his product line and primarily sold them on the Internet at www.hkparts.net. He also sold firearms and firearm parts out of the basement of his residence. Webber never held a federal firearms license and, from 2009 through May 2012, illegally sold firearms under the auspices of a company owned by another Utah resident. Webber also sold firearms to undercover Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) agents on two separate occasions, including selling one firearm for cash in a parking lot. In May 2012, approximately $180,000 in cash, a 70 pound silver bar, silver coins, and firearms were found at Webber’s residence during the execution of a search warrant. Read more
Michigan: More Deer Suspected Positive for CWD
Additional deer suspected to be positive for chronic wasting disease identified throughout the firearm season
30 deer from Clinton, Ingham, Kent and Montcalm counties have been identified either as CWD positive or CWD suspect since 2015
With the firearm deer season complete, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources has now identified a total of 30 free-ranging white-tailed deer that are confirmed or suspected to have chronic wasting disease. Several thousand additional samples are awaiting testing by Michigan State University, so numbers for this deer season could still change. Read more
Boone and Crockett Club on Conservation and Preservation
MISSOULA, Mont. (December 6, 2017) – The Boone and Crockett Club today released a comprehensive essay on conservation and preservation, which was approved by its board of directors during the Club’s 130th annual meeting atSavannah, Georgia. Club members gather the first Saturday each December to commemorate the founding of the organization by Theodore Roosevelt in 1887.
“Even during Roosevelt’s time, there was a debate about the roles conservation and preservation should play in the use of natural resources and the recovery of decimated wildlife populations,” said Boone and Crockett Club President Ben Hollingsworth Jr. “Today, more people are engaging in and having a greater influence on natural resource issues than ever before. Unfortunately, it appears far too many people are confusing the terms or not understanding what they mean. Most want to do what’s best, but many mistakenly believe they are supporting conservation when in fact they are supporting actions that stop conservation from happening. Having over a century’s worth of experience applying both conservation and preservation, the Club thought it was time to share what it has learned.”
The new essay explores the results preservation and conservation can produce and their relative effectiveness against inescapable forces such as climate change, invasive species, human population growth, and use of natural resource. It explains the important role of science and why the notion of “letting nature takes its course,” which is a phrase associated with preservation, will never result in the outcomes people really want in the vast majority of our landscapes, ecosystems, and economies.
Conservation and preservation are both concerned with protection of the environment, but they are based on different philosophies and management strategies that produce different results. Conservation is based on wise use and active management, and recognizes that people are part of nature and depend on natural resources; preservation views people as a negative influence on nature and seeks to eliminate their influence.
Despite their dissimilarities, however, the Club has never viewed conservation and preservation as opposing schools of thought. Conservation is the overarching concept with preservation being one of many management options within a broad conservation approach. Hollingsworth Jr. noted, “The Club has always believed preservation has value in the right place at the right time but not as a substitute for conservation in all instances. History proves this has been the correct approach.”
“If you read this essay, not only will you acquire a working knowledge of conservation and preservation, it will bring to light the widespread misuse of the terms conservation and conservationist by the media and some organizations,” Hollingsworth Jr. continued. “The challenges facing our wild places and wild things today are serious and complex. Whether it be intentional or out of ignorance, leading people to believe that locking up our natural resources is the only way to protect those resources and then calling it conservation is a major problem these resources cannot afford.
The Club is encouraging everyone, from journalists to educators to concerned citizens, to read this essay in order to develop a common understanding of conservation and preservation and what each can achieve.”What we need to be doing is advancing natural resource polices to achieve socially acceptable and ecologically beneficial results,” Hollingsworth Jr. concluded. “This has been made more difficult by the confusion and misinformation circulating today about historically proven best practices. We hope this essay will help clear up a few things so conservation can continue to thrive.”
The full essay can be read here. Read more
The full essay can be read here. Read more
Introducing the Versatile Mini Shot M-Spec from Sightmark
(MANSFIELD, TEXAS) – Joining an established line of reflex sights and red dots, the highly-anticipated Mini Shot M-Spec FMS (SM26043) from Sightmark is finally here. This all-purpose reflex sight is Sightmark’s most compact yet and utilizes an included low profile mount or AR riser mount to fit perfectly on a variety of firearms, including pistols, shotguns, ARs and AKs. Though it was designed specifically for law enforcement, the Mini Shot M-Spec is also ideal for competition shooting, hunting and home defense applications.
The Mini Shot M-Spec’s extremely low power consumption provides 300-30,000 hours of battery life, depending on power setting, from a single CR1632 battery. 100% waterproof, this compact reflex sight’s aluminum housing with steel protective shield makes it one of the most durable reflex sights on the market. But the M-Spec wasn’t just designed to be rugged, it is also incredibly user-friendly due to ambidextrous digital switch controls that allow both left and right handed shooters to turn on its 3 MOA reticle. Forget the special tools, as windage and elevation adjustments can be made at the click of a button. The Mini Shot’s versatility doesn’t end with the firearm it can be mounted to, either—10 brightness levels allow the sight to be used anywhere from extremely low light situations to bright sunny conditions.
Recoil rated up to .375 H&H, this unique sight boasts a 12 hour auto shut-off feature to help save battery. With a MSRP of $249.99, the Mini Shot is a no-brainer for shooters looking for a tough, small-sized reflex sight. The Mini Shot M-Spec FMS includes rubber cover, low profile fixed mount, AR riser fixed mount, battery and manual. Read more
Cam-AM Introduces Mud Focused Defender XMR
The aggressive Defender X mr HD10 side-by-side vehicle is factory built to tackle the nastiest of mud, where traction and torque are in high demand. An authentic mud monster, the muscular Defender not only reinforces the Can-Am brand’s leadership in the mud-riding spectrum, but it does so with unmatched styling and engineering ingenuity. The specialized Defender X mr HD10 vehicle – available in either a Carbon Black & Sunburst Yellow finish or premium Mossy Oak Break-Up Country camo – includes all the Defender XT HD10 package features, but expands upon those conveniences with its own advancements for greater success in the mud.The state-of-the-art Smart-Lok lockable front differential and large 30-in. (76.2 cm) ITP Cryptid mud tires, when mated to the existing 72hp Rotax V-twin HD10 engine, durable PRO-TORQ Transmission supply unprecedented levels of grip and sure-footed control in the mud. The Smart-Lok differential includes dual modes (Trail and Mud) for added convenience and ingenious terrain adaptation. The factory-installed snorkeled CVT and engine intakes ensure flawless execution when tackling wet and muddy conditions. Read more
Heizer Defense Now Shipping the PKO-45
(Pevely, MO ) – Heizer Defense, known for their innovative line of powerful pocket pistols, is pleased to announce that the PKO-45 pistol is now shipping.
The PKO-45 or Pocket 45, is the slimmest semi-auto .45ACP on the market at just 0.8″ wide and approximately 25 ounces. The PKO-45 is made with 100% US Aerospace grade stainless steel. There are no plastic or mimed parts on the PKO-45. It boasts a revolutionary fixed-barrel-under-the-guide-rod configuration, resulting in less recoil felt by the operator. The PKO-45 also features a snag-free design, internal hammer/single action, and a front strap safety with an additional thumb ambi-safety. It has 5+1 capacity with a flush magazine, and 7+1 capacity with the extended magazine.
For more information on Heizer Defense, visit www.heizerdefense.com. For press inquires contact Monica Arnold at pr@blueaugust.com.
House Passes Concealed Carry Reciprocity Bill
By a 231-198 vote the United States House of Representatives has passed legislation that would enable holders of concealed carry licenses to legally carry in other states. The measure also contained an amendment designed to address reporting and other issues with the NICS system. The bill was a top priority of Second Amendment groups, including the National Rifle Association.
“This vote marks a watershed moment for Second Amendment rights,” said NRA executive director for legislative action Chris Cox. “The Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act is the culmination of a 30-year movement recognizing the right of all law-abiding Americans to defend themselves, and their loved ones, including when they cross state lines.”