SCI Applauds Dismissal of Challenge to Lead Ammunition Use in Kaibab National Forest

Mar 16, 2017

For the second time, a district court in Arizona has dismissed a lawsuit by the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) that attacked the use of lead-based ammunition in a National Forest.  CBD’s suit claimed that the Forest Service violated the Resources Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), a federal law involving disposal of solid waste, by not taking action to ban the use of lead-based ammunition on the Kaibab National Forest.  SCI and the National Rifle Association jointly participated in the case as intervenors to defend the U.S. Forest Service.

If successful, CBD’s lawsuit would have set a dangerous precedent that the use of lead-based ammunition for hunting violates RCRA.  Such a finding potentially would subject state, federal, and tribal governments who allow such ammunition use to serious liability under RCRA.  CBD and other anti-hunting groups could have used that precedent to attack the use of lead-based ammunition in other locations across the country, possibly leading to bans on the use of this type of ammunition.

The Court dismissed CBD’s case based on its conclusion that any ruling it could give would qualify as “advisory.”  The Court explained that courts are not supposed to give “advice” to federal agencies on how they should exercise their authority and discretion.   CBD now has three options for continuing its case:  (1) request reconsideration from the Court, (2) revise their lawsuit to try to address the Court’s ruling, or (3) appeal the decision to the Ninth Circuit.  The third option is the most likely.  Whatever happens, SCI and the NRA will be there to continue to defend against this attack on traditional hunting.  In the meantime, we will enjoy this victory.

Ammunition

MI DNR requests road-killed deer in southern Mecosta, northwestern Montcalm counties to be reported for sampling

The Michigan departments of Natural Resources and Agriculture and Rural Development announced the finding of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in a Mecosta County deer farm in late January 2017.

As part of the CWD surveillance effort in the area, the DNR requests that road-killed deer within specific townships in Mecosta and Montcalm counties be reported to a wildlife disease hotline. Samples are being collected from road-killed white-tailed deer found within Mecosta, Austin, Morton, Hinton, Aetna and Deerfield townships in Mecosta County, and Cato, Winfield and Reynolds townships in Montcalm County. To report road-killed deer in these townships ONLY, call 231-250-2537. Leave a voicemail (or text) with location information, and staff will collect the deer as soon as possible. Read more

Wildlife

Arizona Study: Social Tolerance, Genetic Diversity Equally Important to Mexican Wolf Recovery

*AZGFD study: Social tolerance, genetic diversity equally important to Mexican wolf recovery Cross-fostered pups into wild packs increase genetic diversity, lowers human conflict

PHOENIX –The success of Mexican wolf recovery across Arizona and New Mexico hinges more immediately on maintaining social tolerance than on genetic diversity, according to a recently published peer-reviewed study.

The study was published in Biological Conservation, a leading international conservation science journal. In it, the authors, which include Arizona Game and Fish Department biologists, conclude that maximizing genetic diversity in Mexican wolf recovery must be strategically balanced against impacts and concerns from local communities or the entire recovery program might be compromised.

“It has become increasingly evident that recovery of Mexican wolves will need to consider and weigh both the social concerns voiced by local communities and the numbers of wolves required for sustainable populations in the wild,” the study states. Read more

Wildlife

Get $10 Back on Made-in-USA Beman® Arrows

Beman offers $10 rebate on the ICS Bowhunter™ or ICS Indigo™ models.

Elevate your game with the Beman ICS Hunter Series and get $10 back for a limited time. The ICS Hunter Series offers a high strength, lightweight carbon shaft for hunt-ready reliability. ICS Bowhunter™ and Indigo™ are straightness and weight checked to stringent factory specifications at Beman’s Utah facility to insure accuracy.
This $10 mail-in rebate offer is valid with the purchase one half dozen (6) ICS Bowhunter or ICS Indigo arrows now through December 31, 2017.
See offer details and restrictions at www.beman.com/rebate

Archery

Browning’s New Cynergy Ultimate Turkey Shotgun is Out

A new Browning Cynergy Composite Ultimate Turkey over and under 12-gauge 3-1/2″ will have turkeys shaking on their roosts. The new shotgun comes with Mossy Oak® Break-Up Country® camo in 24″ or 26″ barrel lengths. The sights are the Marble Arms® Bullseye rear sight and fiber-optic front sight. A short Picatinny rail allows mounting of red dot optics.

With this Cynergy model, hunters can now customize their choke options with two different chokes, making the Cynergy Turkey Gun the perfect choice for turkey hunting. Five Invector-Plus choke tubes including an Extended Ultimate Turkey and Spreader are provided. In one barrel the hunter can install the extended choke for those longer shots, but can install the spreader choke in the other barrel for those times when the turkeys come to the call within feet instead of yards. All the hunter has to do is switch the gun to shoot the choke he wants with the flick of the top-tang safety/barrel selector.

Suggested retail is $2,339.99.

Read more

Firearms

MI DNR awards $100,000 in U.P. deer habitat improvement grants


Eleven projects funded across 13 countiesThe Michigan Department of Natural Resources has awarded a total of $100,000 in deer habitat improvement grants in the Upper Peninsula. The funds will be allocated to 11 grant award recipients.

The Deer Habitat Improvement Partnership Initiative is a competitive grant program designed to enhance deer habitat on non-state-managed lands in the U.P.

“This year’s grants are for excellent projects designed to address local and regional deer habitat needs,” said Bill Scullon, grant program administrator and DNR field operations manager from the Norway Field Office. “Many of the projects funded in this latest grant cycle focus on improving long-term cover in deer wintering complexes (deer yards) and improving foraging opportunities for deer going into and coming out of stressful winter conditions.”

Projects have been approved for partnering organizations in Iron, Gogebic, Dickinson, Schoolcraft, Menominee, Iron, Ontonagon, Chippewa, Luce, Mackinac, Baraga, Marquette and Delta counties.

The grant proposal recipients selected for 2017 are:

  • U.P. Whitetails Inc. – $6,829
  • Ontonagon County Chapter of Whitetails Unlimited – $8,000
  • Dickinson Conservation District – $12,000
  • Gogebic Conservation District – $5,811
  • Camp Debby LLC. – $10,000
  • Sustainable Resources/ Forest Park School District – $5,360
  • Chippewa-Luce-Mackinac Conservation District – $10,000
  • Iron-Baraga Conservation District – $13,000
  • Marquette County Conservation District – $13,000
  • The Forestland Group and U.P. Whitetails Inc. – $10,000
  • Schoolcraft Conservation District – $6,000

Read more

Wildlife

Browning Introduces the Hell’s Canyon Extra Wide Safe 

Gun owners in need of added storage for large gun collections will want to check out the new Browning ProSteel Hell’s Canyon extra wide safe.

The Hell’s Canyon extra wide safe features a tough 11-gauge steel body with Pry-Stop End Bolts for improved break-in protection. The safe will also feature a 1-1/4″ formed door with inner plate, Force-Deflector™ Locking System, 1-1/4″ diameter chromed locking bolts on three sides of the door and hardened steel pin lock system. ThermaBlock fire insulation provides 1680° F/90 minute fire protection.
Available with either a new automotive-grade gloss black or rugged textured charcoal finish, the Hell’s Canyon Extra Wide safe features a three-spoke black chrome door handle and beige fabric interior. A premium DPX Storage System with Quick Access Barrel Rack and Scope Saver is also included, along with Axis adjustable shelving with Pistol rack. Total long gun capacity is up to 65 long guns depending on gun sizes.
The new Hell’s Canyon Extra Wide Safe is 60″ tall x 56″ wide x 25″ deep with a weight is 1,055 pounds. The black gloss model with the S&G mechanical lock sells for a suggested retail of $3,619.00. With the S&G electronic lock the suggested retail is $3,689.00. Suggested retail for the textured charcoal model with the S&G mechanical lock is $3,249.00 and $3,319.00 when equipped with the S&G electronic lock.
 For more information on Browning products, please visit the website at www.browning.com.
Firearms

Legal FAQ:  Use of Deadly Force in Michigan

This past week, MLive covered several cases of potential unjustified shootings in Michigan by otherwise legal gun owners.  This has led many people to ask us at Michigan Coalition of Responsible Gun Owners (MCRGO) when they may use a firearm in self defense.  The relevant section in Michigan law is MCL 780.972.  It reads:
780.972 Use of deadly force by individual not engaged in commission of crime; conditions.

Sec. 2.
(1) An individual who has not or is not engaged in the commission of a crime at the time he or she uses deadly force may use deadly force against another individual anywhere he or she has the legal right to be with no duty to retreat if either of the following applies:
(a) The individual honestly and reasonably believes that the use of deadly force is necessary to prevent the imminent death of or imminent great bodily harm to himself or herself or to another individual.
(b) The individual honestly and reasonably believes that the use of deadly force is necessary to prevent the imminent sexual assault of himself or herself or of another individual.
(2) An individual who has not or is not engaged in the commission of a crime at the time he or she uses force other than deadly force may use force other than deadly force against another individual anywhere he or she has the legal right to be with no duty to retreat if he or she honestly and reasonably believes that the use of that force is necessary to defend himself or herself or another individual from the imminent unlawful use of force by another individual.
General

STI Introduces The DVC Carry Pistol

With the perfect combination of weight and function, the DVC Carry Pistol was designed with the experienced shooter in mind.

Featuring all of the most popular features of the DVC line, the DVC Carry Pistol has been modified to work perfectly in the concealed carry market. The grip has been stippled by Extreme Shooters for a sure hold in stressful situations. The grip has also been shortened to “VIP” length for easy concealability. Even with the shorter, narrower 1.3” wide grip, the gun holds 15 rounds of 9mm ammo in the magazine. The DVC Carry Pistol has a black DLC coated frame and slide, and a copper colored barrel.

The lightweight aluminum frame and slide lightening cuts take this gun down to an unloaded weight of 26 ounces for a more comfortable carry over long periods of time. The DVC Carry Pistol features a 3.9” barrel and comes with low profile Tritium sights with a ledge rear, allowing the pistol to be cocked with one hand. The pistol also comes supplied with an additional magazine that extends slightly below the bottom of the grip for an extra 17 rounds of firepower.

The DVC Carry Pistol sells for $2,999.

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

Firearms
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