2016 Mexican wolf population survey reveals gains for experimental population

ALBUQUERQUE – The Mexican wolf Interagency Field Team (IFT) completed the annual year­-end population survey, documenting a minimum of 113 Mexican wolves in the wild in Arizona and New Mexico at the end of 2016. This compares with a minimum of 97 wild wolves in 2015.

“We are encouraged by these numbers, but these 2016 results demonstrate we are still not out of the woods with this experimental population and its anticipated contribution to Mexican wolf recovery,” said U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southwest Regional Director Benjamin Tuggle. “Our goal is to achieve an average annual growth rate of 10 percent in the Mexican wolf population. Although there was a one-year population decline in 2015, due in part to a high level of mortality and a lower pup survival rate, there are now more Mexican wolves in the wild in New Mexico and Arizona. The Service and our partners remain focused and committed to making this experimental population genetically healthy and robust so that it can contribute to recovery of the Mexican wolf in the future. We all understand the challenges we face as we try to increase the wild population of this endangered species.” Read more

Wildlife

New Rage Turkey Broadhead

SUPERIOR, Wis. (Feb 21, 2017) — Rage has designed a new broadhead specifically for turkey hunters that will eliminate the problem of a flopping-then-fleeing gobbler following an otherwise fast and deadly pass-through. The new Rage Turkey broadhead features a new cut-on-contact tip with a pair of massive Meat Hooks to inflict maximum lethal damage, all while slowing the arrow enough to anchor the bird. This Turkey Broadhead combines a gigantic 2.1/8″-inch-cutting-diameter, two-blade Slip-Cam broadhead with the Meat-Hook Tip to stop a turkey dead in its tracks. Read more

Archery

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

Apache Backcountry Track System

 

  • Largest contact patch
  • Infused snowmobile technology / efficient design
  • High ground clearance in deep snow
  • Enhanced handling properties

Deep backcountry snow and challenging winter conditions have sometimes lead to more cumbersome results with tracked ATV. The all-new Apache Backcountry Track System, from Can-Am accessories, has forever transformed ATV operation in harsh winter environments and deep snow. With its unprecedented, unparalleled and unbelievable engineering and performance, the new track kit offers a fresh approach to winter exploration, allowing Can-Am ATV owners to answer the call of the wild.

The Apache Backcountry Track System combines snowmobile technology with the Apache 360 Track System’s trademark execution, delivering the highest ground clearance, most floatation and best deep-snow performance of any track kit.

Read more

General

Hearing Protection Act Reaches 100 Co-Sponsors in House

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Thirty-seven days after introduction, the Hearing Protection Act (H.R. 367) reached a symbolic milestone in the House of Representatives when Rep. Drew Ferguson (GA-03) signed on as the 100th cosponsor. Introduced by Rep. Jeff Duncan (SC-03) and Rep. John Carter (TX-31), this historic piece of legislation will remove suppressors from the purview of the National Firearms Act (NFA), replacing the antiquated federal transfer process with an instantaneous NICS background check. The Senate companion bill, S. 59, which was introduced by Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID), currently has 7 cosponsors.

One of the reasons why the Hearing Protection Act is garnering so much support in Congress is because legislators have been hearing from their constituents. Since the HPA was originally introduced in 2015, over 135,000 emails have been sent directly to legislators from the system found at www.HearingProtectionAct.com. Although it may seem insignificant, every email that is sent and every call that is made in support of the bill is a step in the right direction. If you have not contacted your legislators in the new Congress, please do so today. Read more

Firearms

BRP Revolutionizes Multi-Passenger Performance Market with 2017 Maverick X3 Side-by-Side Vehicle

The Can-Am Maverick X3 MAX side-by-side vehicle delivers new levels of performance to the four-person off-road experience. © BRP 2017
New, four-person Can-Am Maverick X3 MAX side-by-side vehicle redefines family adventure with its levels of comfort, control and performance.

Reno, NV-
BRP (TSX:DOO) unveiled a new four-person flagship Maverick X3 MAX side-by-side vehicle tonight in Reno, Nevada, furthering its push to reshape the super sport market segment. The game-changing Maverick X3 MAX vehicle features the same sophisticated blend of defiant design, precision handling and exceptional power the two-seat Maverick X3 vehicle delivers, but also presents new levels of comfort and control to the multi-passenger segment of the off-road market. Read more

General

Starline’s New Year, New Gear Giveaway

SEDALIA, MO – Visit www.starlinebrass.com/contest or https://www.facebook.com/StarlineBrass/ to enter to win a new MEC MarksmanTM Metallic Press and Stand, 500 Sierra bullets and 500 Starline cases today.

Starline Brass kicked off 2017 with a bang with their “New Year, New Gear” Facebook and online giveaway. To promote the hobby of reloading, Starline, through the New Year, New Gear promotion, has given away some great reloading gear, with more giveaways coming over the next few weeks.

You can enter once each day during the promotion period and will receive two bonus entries for each person you share the contest with that enters. Read more

Ammunition

STI Introduces the DVC Tactical

Built with the tactical shooter in mind, the new DVC Tactical 2011© Pistol features aggressive slide lightening cuts and grip stippling, taking the most functional features of STI competition guns and putting them in a package for the defensive handgun shooter.

The DVC Tactical Pistol comes with rugged, fixed tritium sights and a threaded 5.0″ barrel. The gun features a low-viz black DLC (Diamond Like) coating and a copper tinted TiAIN (Titanium Aluminum Nitride) coated barrel. The gun comes standard with a tool-less guide rod and full length tactical dust cover for mounting a variety of accessories. The DVC Tactical Pistol also features the STI Tactical Magwell for quick reloads and mag stripping. The pistol is available in 9mm (20 round capacity) or .45 (14 round capacity) and sells for $2,999.

For more information, please visit www.stiguns.com or e-mail marketing@stiguns.com. Read more

Firearms

MI DNR reminds anglers of ice shanty removal dates

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources reminds anglers that mandatory ice shanty removal dates are approaching. Regardless of the date, shanties must be removed as soon as the ice is unable to safely support them, especially when Michigan experiences unseasonably warm weather as it has this season and the ice can quickly become unsafe for anglers to retrieve their property.

Ice shanties on Lake St. Clair must be removed by sunset Sunday, Feb. 26.

For counties in the southern Lower Peninsula, shanties must be removed from the ice by midnight Wednesday, March 1. Read more

Fishing

New compact FLIR M100/M200 thermal cameras

New compact FLIR M100/M200 thermal cameras deliver a new level of awareness on the water

WILSONVILLE, OR – Flir announces the launch of M100 and M200 marine thermal cameras, which brings the world of thermal vision to more recreational boaters. The benefits of thermal cameras include enhanced awareness while fishing, sailing, or cruising at night.

FLIR’s most compact pan-and-tilt marine thermal cameras to date, the FLIR M100 and M200 are engineered with FLIR’s Boson™ high performance thermal camera core, which features an integrated multi-core video processor that delivers superior image quality and artificial intelligence features. When the M100 and M200 are combined with a Raymarine Axiom MFD, users can take advantage of FLIR’s new ClearCruise™ intelligent thermal analytics that brings boaters an entirely new level of awareness and safety by visually and audibly alerting the operator when “non-water” objects such as boats, obstacles, or navigation markers are identified in the scene.

The M100 offers adjustable tilt to compensate for when the boat is running with the bow high. As FLIR’s most affordable marine thermal camera, the M100 retails for $2,495 USD. The M200 is a ground-breaking product that offers full pan and tilt for viewing 360 degrees in both vertical and horizontal planes. Priced at $3,495 USD, the M200 is FLIR’s brings safer navigation to more boaters around the globe. Read more

Optics
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