MI DNR announces surplus salmon available to public again this fall

The public again this year is invited to purchase surplus salmon that has been harvested at Michigan Department of Natural Resources weirs located in the northern Lower Peninsula.

Seasonal salmon runs include large numbers of fish returning to their native streams to spawn and die. The DNR maintains multiple sites (weirs) where fisheries biologists and technicians collect eggs and milt (sperm) from Chinook and coho salmon for use in state fish hatcheries. Once egg-take needs are met, fish in prime physical condition are made available to the public by American-Canadian Fisheries, a private vendor which assists the DNR with the salmon harvest.

ACF harvests the salmon for human and pet-food markets, as well as excess eggs for bait and caviar markets. ACF pays the DNR a flat per-pound rate for the salmon and eggs collected. They then make suitable-quality fish available wholesale to distributors who market the fish. All of this year’s distributors are located in the northern Lower Peninsula. Read more

Fishing

Michigan’s parks, trails and waterfalls provide great settings for leaf-peeping fall color

As we put away our flip-flops for the season and get ready to don our sweaters, many Michigan residents and visitors are eagerly awaiting the state’s stunning annual display of fall foliage.

“Leaf peeping” – a term for travel geared around fall color viewing – has become a popular pastime nationwide, and Michigan is no exception.

As one of the most wooded states in the country, with more than half of its 36 million acres of land forested, Michigan offers plenty of opportunity to see trees put on their fall color show.

One notable example is Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park in Ontonagon and Gogebic counties, where visitors can take in some of the Upper Peninsula’s best fall foliage views in a unique way – from chairlift rides at the park’s ski hill. Read more

Wildlife

Online Video Shows Ideas for Scouting Bucks, Treestand Placement, and More

In the newest video on GrowingDeer.com the deer hunting prep is in full swing! They’re scouting for bucks, hanging treestands near a new food plot, and using a new technique for fall food plots. Watch to see some nice looking bucks, the strategy behind their stand placement, and this new technique that keeps food on the “table” for whitetails throughout the season. Read more

Hunting

Ruger AR-556 MPR

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. (NYSE-RGR) is proud to announce the new AR-556® Multi-Purpose Rifle (“MPR”). This custom-built modern sporting rifle features an 18″ nitrided alloy barrel with rifle-length gas system, Ruger’s 15″ free-float handguard compatible with M-LOK® accessories, the Ruger® Elite 452™ AR-Trigger and ergonomic Magpul® furniture. The perfect rifle for a variety of uses, the AR-556 MPR is capable and versatile.

“We are very excited to add this model to our modern sporting rifle lineup,” said Ruger President and CEO Chris Killoy. “Our talented team of engineers worked carefully to develop the ideal custom package for the AR-556 platform that does it all, right out of the box. From plinking to competition shooting, the MPR is the perfect rifle for just about anything.”

The MPR’s cold-hammer forged 18″ alloy barrel with 5R rifling is salt bath nitrided for corrosion resistance and durability. The barrel is contoured to minimize weight without sacrificing rigidity, leaving a 0.75″ journal for the low-profile gas block. The soft-shooting, rifle-length gas system paired with a Ruger® muzzle brake provides smoother operation and softens recoil to keep every shot on target.

Ruger’s 15″ free-float handguard is light, stiff and versatile, with Magpul M-LOK accessory attachment slots along the 3:00, 6:00 and 9:00 positions. Additional slots on the angled surfaces near the muzzle are perfect for mounting a light, laser or QD sling cup. Compared to a typical quad-rail forend, the 1.50″ diameter handguard makes the MPR’s forend slim and controllable. M-LOK-compatible Picatinny rail sections can be easily added. The integral Picatinny rail at the 12:00 position is tightly controlled to the most current STANAG 4649 specification.

The crisp 4.5 pound trigger pull of the Elite 452 two-stage trigger is a great addition to the MPR. The lower receiver is fitted with Magpul’s MOE® grip and Mil-Spec MOE SL™ buttstock, making the rifle easy to handle, shoulder and shoot. The Mil-Spec compatible lower and upper receivers are CNC-machined from forgings and hard coat anodized. The MPR comes complete with dust cover, brass deflector and forward assist. Read more

Firearms

Seats for free MI CWD symposium The Michigan departments of Natural Resources and Agriculture and Rural Development will host a chronic wasting disease symposium Oct. 3-4 in East Lansing, Michigan. The symposium will highlight CWD research and management from across the country. “An impressive list of experts who are internationally known for their research of the disease will be speaking,” said Dr. Kelly Straka, DNR wildlife veterinarian. “There are representatives from multiple universities, including Georgia, Colorado State, Wisconsin, Illinois, Midwestern and Michigan State.” In addition, the symposium will feature speakers from state agencies representing Illinois, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Wyoming, as well as nongovernmental organizations and government agencies, such as the Quality Deer Management Association, the North American Deer Farmers Association, the United States Geological Survey and the United States Department of Agriculture. The format of the symposium includes speakers fielding direct questions from the audience. Attendees will be able to hear firsthand about the disease and how it is being studied and managed across the country. When: Tuesday, Oct. 3 – 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 4 – 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (On-site check-in begins at 7:30 a.m. each day.) Where: Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center, Michigan State University 219 S. Harrison Drive, East Lansing, MI 48824 Cost: Free – there is no registration fee. Note: Lunch is not provided. A food truck will be available for attendees to purchase lunch. Those interested can register at http://survey.sogosurvey.com/r/0AymgU. Seating is limited. There are approximately 100 spots available, and registration will close as soon as seating is filled. The event will be live-streamed for those unable to attend. Chronic wasting disease is a contagious neurological disease affecting members of the cervid family, including deer, elk and moose. It attacks the central nervous system of infected animals, resulting in emaciation, abnormal behavior and loss of bodily functions. There is no recovery. In 2015, Michigan’s first free-ranging CWD-positive deer was confirmed. Since the discovery of that animal, the DNR has sampled more than 13,800 deer from around the state. A total of nine of those animals have tested positive for CWD. For more information, visit the DNR website mi.gov/cwd. Contact: DNR Wildlife Division, 517-284-9453

Seats are free for MI CWD symposium

The Michigan departments of Natural Resources and Agriculture and Rural Development will host a chronic wasting disease symposium Oct. 3-4 in East Lansing, Michigan. The symposium will highlight CWD research and management from across the country.

“An impressive list of experts who are internationally known for their research of the disease will be speaking,” said Dr. Kelly Straka, DNR wildlife veterinarian. “There are representatives from multiple universities, including Georgia, Colorado State, Wisconsin, Illinois, Midwestern and Michigan State.”

In addition, the symposium will feature speakers from state agencies representing Illinois, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Wyoming, as well as nongovernmental organizations and government agencies, such as the Quality Deer Management Association, the North American Deer Farmers Association, the United States Geological Survey and the United States Department of Agriculture. Read more

Wildlife

Arizona’s bald eagles expand breeding sites in 2017

PHOENIX — Arizona’s bald eagle population continues to soar as the number of breeding areas expanded statewide and a record 82 young hatched during the 2017 breeding season, according to an annual Arizona Game and Fish Department survey.

While the number of hatchlings rose from the previous high of 79 in 2016, the number of young that actually fledged dipped slightly to 63 birds that made the important milestone of their first flight. In Arizona, at least 95 eggs were laid, which was slightly less than the 97 laid in 2016, and a record 85 breeding areas were identified, including two new areas. Read more

Wildlife

Northern Lower Peninsula landowners can enroll property in Hunting Access Program

HAP offers landowners the opportunity to make money, control wildlife damage, help boost hunter participation

Michigan is home to one of the nation’s largest and longest-running dedicated private-land public-access programs. Since 1977, the Hunting Access Program has enabled landowners to make the most of their property by allowing hunters to access private land for hunting.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources currently is accepting HAP applications from landowners in the northern Lower Peninsula with at least 40 acres and containing a minimum of 5 percent wildlife habitat. Read more

Hunting

New Cap Causes Big Blast with Plastic Bottles

FORT SMITH, AR – New Big Blast Caps turn used plastic bottles into reactive targets with a boom! An innovation from Umarex USA, Inc., the Big Blast Target Inflator Cap is now available at various retail stores and ready to turn your trigger time into a big blast!

The Big Blast Cap Target Inflator is a fun way to turn your used plastic soda bottles into a non-explosive, boom-making reactive target that merely operates by air pressure. With a Big Blast Cap, you can pump air into a plastic bottle using a standard bicycle pump or 12-volt tire pump and an athletic ball needle. The amount of air pressure you can pile up inside depends on the weather and size of the bottle. Recommendations and tips can be found atBigBlastCaps.com. Then just place it down range at least 60 feet away and shoot it with a fast-moving projectile. The pressurized air immediately disperses to normalcy creating a “big blast” as the air molecules rush out into the normal atmospheric pressure.

They’re perfect as a fun target for the whole family. Fill with almost anything you want! Shimmering explosions with glitter, spectacular booms with colored liquids or simple air-only “detonations” are just a few examples of visually loud fun! There are many ways to shoot bottles with a Big Blast Cap Target Inflator – .22s, 9mms, bows, dart guns, and airguns to name a few. Read more

General

Browning Adds to Hearing Protection Line

Browning has added new electronic and behind-the-ear muff models to their excellent line of hearing protection products.

The new Cadence Electronic Hearing Protector has an omnidirectional microphone with adjustable volume control to amplify ambient sound. Amplification shuts off when sound levels reach a harmful 82dB. This low-profile electronic hearing protector has a compact earcup design with a textured, soft cushioned headband. The Cadence provides 24dB NRR passive protection and meets ANSI S3.19 standards. Two AAA batteries (not included) are used to power the unit. Suggested retail is $64.99. Read more

Firearms
1 … 1,074 1,075 1,076 1,077 1,078 … 1,905