Parker Giving Away One-Of-A-Kind Crossbow

STAUNTON, VA – Parker Bows, the leading manufacturer of high quality Compound Bows and Crossbows as well as RED HOT Crossbow Accessories is celebrating America’s Independence by giving away a special edition Parker Ambusher crossbow on July 4, 2017.

Just in time for July 4th, participants can register for a chance to win a special edition Parker Ambusher Crossbow by clicking here: http://parkerbows.com/USAXBOW/ . The Ambusher is decorated in old faithful and comes with a premium scope, sling, quick detach four arrow quiver, and four RED HOT carbon arrows with field points. A winner will be selected Tuesday, July 4th and notified via email.

Touted as the lightest, most compact crossbow on the market, the Ambusher redefines the crossbow industry in weight, performance, speed and value. The Ambusher features Parker’s proprietary Advanced Split Limb Technology with Micro-Lite Limb Pocket System, making it Ultra Compact while hurling arrows downrange at 315 Feet Per Second (FPS). The soft rubber stock spacer on the butt stock of the Ambusher delivers an additional 1″ of overall length and provides non-slip comfort and optimal eye position for the scope. For smaller hunters, the stock spacer is easily removable for a more custom fit. At a mere 6.5 lbs, the Ambusher is also Ultra Lightweight and Optimally Balanced for a steadier aim on the target. The factory installed and tuned Anti-Vibration and Shock (AVS) System comes equipped on the Ambusher to reduce noise and vibration for ultimate concealment. Each Parker bow and crossbow is Made in the USA and comes with an industry leading Lifetime Warranty.

If you would like more information on this promotional giveaway, visit Parker’s Website at http://parkerbows.com/USAXBOW/ or call (540)-337-5426.

Archery

Western Governors Split on Legislating the Endangered Species Act

Contact: Jared Saylor (202) 772-3255; jsaylor@defenders.org

GW:  Opening the law to legislative changes in this Congress will not result in good conservation policy says the animal rights extremists.  No doubt, it’s time for a change.

WASHINGTON – The Western Governors’ Association today issued recommendations to change the Endangered Species Act(ESA) at their annual meeting in Whitefish, Montana. Two governors – Gov. Jerry Brown (CA) and Gov. Jay Inslee (WA) – refused to join the resolution.

Jamie Rappaport Clark, president and CEO of Defenders of Wildlife, issued the following statement:

“The Western Governors’ Association’s call for legislative changes to the Endangered Species Act opens a Pandora’s box in this hostile Congress. Since 2015, Congress has introduced more than 150 bills, amendments and riders that would undermine the ESA and weaken conservation measures for imperiled species. We cannot risk opening the Act to the avalanche of destructive amendments that would gut our nation’s most effective law for protecting endangered and threatened wildlife.

“In the current highly partisan political climate, any bill to rewrite the ESA will significantly damage the Act and undermine imperiled species conservation. The Endangered Species Act is fundamentally sound. It does not need to be ‘fixed,’ it needs to be fully funded.

The ESA already allows for flexibility in protecting wildlife and their habitat. There is always room for creative, pragmatic solutions in implementing the Act. Science, not Congress, should determine how to save species.

“We commend California Gov. Jerry Brown and Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, who opposed the WGA’s resolution. Gov. Brown summed up the dangers of legislating on the ESA best when he wrote in a letter to Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead, former chair of the WGA, that ‘The current climate in Congress is marked by chaos and partisanship. This climate will not result in good conservation policy.'”

Background
In 2015, Wyoming Governor Matt Mead, who chaired the WGA at the time, launched the Species Conservation and Endangered Species Act Initiative intended to “take a hard look at the ESA—how it is working and how it is not working.” WGA held stakeholder workshops and webinars to hear from energy and mining interests, agriculture and forestry industries, government agencies, sportsmen and recreation groups and environmental organizations.

Defenders of Wildlife is one of the few environmental organizations to have participated in nearly every one of the workshops and webinars, lending our expertise on the Endangered Species Act and offering constructive proposals for improving the administration of the Act without the need for legislative changes.

Animal Rights, Wildlife

2017 Michigan Duck Stamps and Prints Available Now

The winning 2017 Michigan duck stamp features a pair of northern shovelers.

The Michigan Duck Hunters Association, in cooperation with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, introduces the 2017 collector’s edition Michigan duck stamp and prints.

The Michigan Waterfowl Stamp Program, established in 1976, has become an icon for waterfowl hunters and wetland conservation enthusiasts. During the past 41 years, the program has gained popularity with collectors and conservation groups throughout the United States.

The Michigan Duck Hunters Association, a nonprofit organization dedicated to waterfowl and wetland conservation, coordinates the program in partnership with the DNR. Proceeds from stamp sales will be used to fund Michigan Duck Hunters Association projects, with 10 percent used to match DNR funding for purchasing, restoring and enhancing wetlands. Read more

Wildlife

Online Video Shows Valuable Habitat Lessons For Deer Hunters

The newest video on GrowingDeer.com is a “how to” for designing a food plot in timber: how to select trees; how to decide borders; how to mark timber; which trees should be saved; which trees have value. Watch for the three primary considerations for food plot design: how to approach, hunt, and exit the food plot. Stay tuned to the end for new tips on trail camera placement for pre-season scouting. Click here to watch the video today! Read more

Hunting, Wildlife

FOXPRO’s BuckPro Gives Hunters An Advantage

GW: Make sure to check your state’s regulations before heading afield for deer.

The FOXPRO BuckPro gives you the ultimate advantage while chasing the most commonly hunted big game animal in North America. The unit comes with 25 whitetail sounds, and 10 predator sounds and holds 300 sounds. The BuckPro uses a single, high-efficiency Mylar cone speaker. Connect an external speaker to the jack on the side of the call for even more volume. While moving, a mature buck will likely come downwind. The system controls up to 3 BuckPro units from one remote for directional advantage.

The BuckPro remote features an elastomeric keypad for effortless use, even with gloves. It also has category files for easy navigation through sounds. The remote has a power on/off switch, volume up/down buttons, scroll up/down buttons, a mute, and much more.

The BuckPro is backed by a 3 year limited warranty, FOXPRO’s unmatched customer support, and is proudly made in the USA!

• Comes with 25 whitetail sounds, and 10 predator sounds (Holds 300 sounds)

• Full-function remote with LED display

• External speaker jack

• Auxiliary jack

• Operates, up to 3 Buck Pro units from one remote control for directional advantage

• Rugged housing straps to a tree to get the sound away from you

• Single, high-efficiency, Mylar cone speaker

• Power/Low battery indicator

• Operates on 8 “AA” Batteries

• USB port to reprogram sounds

Hunting

Firminator’s AccuSeed System

Hunters who own or lease land that they want to improve for wildlife realize that one of the most effective things they can do to improve habitat is to plant food plots.

For those who are not already running large farming operations, that means they need economical, easy-to use and effective equipment to do the planting.

That’s why The Firminator is so popular: it’s an all-in-one machine that prepares the ground, plants the seed, and cultipacks the ground afterwards for top yields. Read more

Wildlife

Lake Harvests Likely More Fruitful Than We Knew

Harvests from freshwater fisheries such as the Great Lakes could total more than 12 million tons a year globally and contribute more to global food supplies and economies than previous estimates indicate, according to a study published today by Michigan State University and the U.S. Geological Survey.

“Our study provides an independent estimate of global inland fishery harvests based on food web ecology and fisheries activity, and can help resource managers in the United States and around the world make informed decisions about the often competing uses of inland fresh waters,” said Andrew Deines, a scientist with Michigan State University’s Center for Systems Integration and Sustainability during the study and the report’s lead author. Read more

Fishing

S&W Adds Flat Dark Earth and Gray Frame SD Pistol Models


Smith & Wesson® SD9™ and SD40™ Pistols Available in New FinishesSPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Smith & Wesson Corp. today announced that it has expanded its line of Self Defense pistols to include Flat Dark Earth (FDE) and Gray frame finishes. The Smith & Wesson SD Series, chambered in 9mm and .40 S&W, offers a variety of features designed for home and personal defense applications, including a smooth, consistent trigger pull and lightweight polymer frame.

Jan Mladek, General Manager of Smith & Wesson® and M&P® Brands, said, “The Self Defense pistol series is designed for personal and home protection in a lightweight, reliable package and at a price point that offers a great value. We are excited to expand the popular Smith & Wesson SD pistol series in new color options that appeal to our consumers.”

The SD9 and SD40 pistols offer consumers a reliable, durable striker-fired pistol that features a solid, molded polymer frame designed for comfort and durability, as well as an ergonomic grip. The Self Defense pistol series comes standard with a white-dot front sight and a white two-dot rear sight, as well as an accessory rail for optional lights, lasers and rail-mounted accessories to aid in home and personal protection. Both the Flat Dark Earth and Gray frame finish SD Series pistols feature a stainless steel slide and barrel with a durable Armornite™ finish, providing increased corrosion resistance. Read more

Firearms

Judge Sentences Michigan Man in Illegal Deer Baiting Case


Saginaw County man sentenced in illegal deer baiting caseA Saginaw County man was fined heavily, ordered to serve jail time, probation and community service, and had his hunting privileges revoked when he was sentenced recently for deer hunting violations he committed during the fall 2016 firearm deer hunting season.

Dexter James Sysak, 40, of Merill was convicted by a District Court jury in April of multiple hunting violations, dating back to Nov. 29. He was sentenced June 21.Sugar beets are shown spread over the field where illegal baiting took place in November 2016.
“Sysak had taken a dump truck of sugar beets and two dump trailers of corn and placed them on his hunting property,” said Michigan Conservation Officer Joseph Myers, who investigated the case. “The actual measure of bait was impossible to count but was estimated at two-and-a-half tons.”

Myers said conservation officers were alerted to a complaint of over use of bait via an anonymous tip to the DNR Report All Poaching hotline (800-292-7800) on Nov. 27.

The following day, officers went to the area, which turned out to be an old golf course —property owned by Sysak near the Gratiot-Saginaw county line. Myers said he found access to the site using a county road easement.

“I saw a hunting blind on the right and I could see an orange object through the trees,” Myers said. “It was a grain trailer full of corn with the door broken off and about 100 gallons of corn on the ground.”

Corn was spread over a wide area. Myers said he kicked a hard object while walking, which was a sugar beet.

“There was a 150-yard cobblestone road of sugar beets making a J-shape around the blind,” Myers said. “It looked like an individual had drove onto the property and just dumped the sugar beets out of a truck.”

With no name on the blind and no one at the site, Myers didn’t know who owned the land or the property. He decided to return the next day, Nov. 29.

“There was a truck parked there. I walked up to the blind and there were four individuals in the blind,” Myers said.

Myers said he saw Sysak pick up a hunter orange vest as Myers approached the blind.

After interviewing Sysak, Myers determined the bait, far in excessive of the 2-gallon limit, had been in the area for some time.

“Sysak also admitted to me that he had taken a 9-point buck over the illegal bait, making it an illegal deer,” Myers said. “I seized evidence and cited the suspect.”

Myers said Sysak showed him the gun he used and where he shot the deer from. He also told Myers which meat processor the deer had been taken to, a place just a couple miles down the road.

Myers contacted the processor and recovered the deer meat and antlers.

Sysak pleaded not guilty.

A jury trial was held April 28 in District Court 65B in Ithaca in Gratiot County, where Sysak was found guilty by the panel of six jurors on all three charges against him. Those misdemeanors included an over limit of bait, failing to wear hunter orange and taking a deer by an illegal method.

Myers said Sysak admitted the facts necessary to prove the case during his testimony at trial. He also admitted he had rented a dump truck to place the bait on the property.

Sysak was sentenced June 21 to serve 45 days in jail, fined roughly $15,000, including $6,500 reimbursement for the deer and ordered to serve 90 hours of community service to the DNR once his jail sentence is served. He was banned from all DNR activities during his 2-year probation term. All sport license privileges were revoked through 2022.

The meat from the deer will be given to needy families in the community.

There were extensive terms set for Sysak’s probation. If any of those terms are violated, it would be grounds for Sysak serving up to 1 year in jail and potential lifetime revoking of his hunting license privileges.

Michigan conservation officers are fully commissioned state peace officers who provide natural resources protection, ensure recreational safety and protect citizens by providing general law enforcement duties and lifesaving operations in the communities they serve.

Learn more about Michigan conservation officers at www.michigan.gov/conservationofficers.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go towww.michigan.gov/dnr.

Media contact: Amanda Nalley, 850-410-4943 or Amanda.Nalley@MyFWC.com

Poachers

Rimfire Ammo is Back More than Ever

By Glen Wunderlich

Some four years ago, an ammunition shortage of unprecedented proportions hit the market and sportsmen and women felt the pinch.  Conspiracy theories materialized in attempts to explain the reasons we couldn’t get what we wanted, but the fact remained:  Factory ammo and components had dried up.

The rimfire segment of the market was particularly troublesome insofar as it represented the most popularly used ammo world-wide.  As supplies continued to dwindle, suppliers gobbled up what remained in an effort to gouge everyday shooters.  Although we’ll never again see 500-round bricks for $10, today’s rimfire options present plinkers a vast array of selections.

As a matter of fact, one of the best sources, www.MidwayUSA.com, currently has over 80 different rimfire options in stock and available for immediate shipment.  You won’t find this selection at the local Cheap Mart, if you find anything at all, as shoppers continue to grab the stuff as quickly as it arrives.

From sub-sonic to super-sonic, it’s all out there and here are some examples of some rather interesting offerings.

Federal AutoMatch Target Rimfire ammunition is specifically designed for use in semi-automatic firearms with less powder and lead residue.    At 6 cents per round, it is one of the most affordable high-velocity choices.

A favorite among plinkers is the Winchester Super-X ammunition at only 9 cents per round and offers a plated round-nose bullet design with a high velocity of 1300 feet-per-second.
Another popular choice is CCI Mini-Mag ammunition at 9 cents per round.  This ammo sports 40-grain, plated round-nose bullets with a velocity of 1235 feet per second.

Federal’s Game-Shok Rimfire high-velocity selection offers 40-grain copper-plated solid bullets at 7 cents per round.

Not to be omitted is the Remington Remington Golden Bullet loads at 10 cents per round.  The solid bullet is 40 grains with a muzzle velocity of 1255 feet-per-second.

If you are more accuracy-minded, I’ve found nothing better than the Lapua brand but at 25 cents per round, some friends have questioned my sanity.  My choice over the years has been its Center-X loads, because they perform superbly in any rimfire rifle I’ve tried.  Each sub-sonic cartridge is checked individually and tolerances are extremely tight.

Also available in rimfire configuration is the .17 HMR and .22 WMR calibers, which were non-existent to the market for the past few years.

Times have changed and the prices reflect the new normal.  But, the rimfire options have never been as numerous as they are now.

Rimfires are a great way to introduce new shooters to the sport, because of their low recoil and report and relative low cost.  And, once a youngster begins to punch paper and moves onto reactive targets, you’ll want to stock up.  And, for the first time in years, it’s possible once again.

Ammunition
1 … 1,090 1,091 1,092 1,093 1,094 … 1,898