Michigan: NRC Approves CWD Deer Regs

At today’s meeting of the Michigan Natural Resources Commission in Lansing, the commission approved a series of deer hunting regulations aimed at slowing the spread of chronic wasting disease. The action came after months of commission members and Department of Natural Resources staff hearing from hunters, residents and others interested in the long-term health of the state’s deer population, and a thorough review of the best available science on chronic wasting disease.

“We hope that by setting these specific CWD regulations we can limit the movement of this disease in Michigan,” said Vicki Pontz, NRC chairperson. “We appreciate all the comments we have received from across the state. Michigan hunters are very passionate about deer and deer hunting, and I look forward to working with them as we continue to confront this threat to wildlife and our valued hunting tradition.”

CWD is a fatal neurological (brain and nervous system) disease found in cervids – deer, elk and moose. The disease attacks the brains of infected animals and produces small lesions that result in death. There is no cure; once an animal is infected, it will die.

The disease first was discovered in Michigan in a free-ranging deer in May 2015. To date, more than 31,000 deer in Michigan have been tested for chronic wasting disease, and CWD has been confirmed in 60 free-ranging deer in six Michigan counties: Clinton, Ingham, Ionia, Jackson, Kent and Montcalm.

The approved deer hunting regulations, which will be in effect for the 2018 deer seasons unless noted otherwise, include:

  • Reduced the 4-point on-a-side antler requirement on the restricted tag of the combination license in the 16-county CWD Management Zone. Under the new regulation, a hunter in the CWD Management Zone can use the restricted tag of the combination license to harvest a buck with antlers as long as it has at least one 3-inch antler.
  • Created a discounted antlerless license opportunity in the CWD Management Zone on private land; if purchased, the license will expire Nov. 4, 2018.
  • Effective immediately, a statewide ban on the use of all natural cervid urine-based lures and attractants, except for lures that are approved by the Archery Trade Association.
  • An immediate ban on baiting and feeding in the 16-county area identified as the CWD Management Zone. This area includes Calhoun, Clinton, Eaton, Gratiot, Hillsdale, Ingham, Ionia, Isabella, Jackson, Kent, Mecosta, Montcalm, Muskegon, Newaygo, Ottawa and Shiawassee counties.
  • A ban on baiting and feeding in the Lower Peninsula, effective Jan. 31, 2019, with an exception to this ban for hunters with disabilities who meet specific requirements. The start date on this regulation is intended to allow bait producers and retailers time to adjust to the new rule.
  • Effective immediately in the CWD Management Zone and four-county bovine tuberculosis area (in Alcona, Alpena, Montmorency and Oscoda counties), hunters with disabilities who meet specific requirements can now use 2 gallons of single-bite bait, such as shelled corn, during the Liberty and Independence hunts.
  • Allowance of all legal firearms to be used in muzzleloader season in the CWD Management Zone.
  • A purchase limit of 10 private-land antlerless licenses per hunter in the CWD Management Zone.
  • Restrictions on deer carcass movement in the five-county CWD Core Area (Ionia, Kent, Mecosta, Montcalm and Newaygo counties) and the CWD Management Zone.
  • Antlerless options on deer licenses/combo licenses during firearms seasons in the five-county CWD Core Area.
  • Expansion of early and late antlerless seasons in select counties.
  • Changes to regulations regarding wildlife rehabilitators. Read more
Hunting

MTM CASE-GARD’s High-Low Shooting Table

Since 1968, MTM has continued to design and produce products for the shooting enthusiast. From ammo boxes to gun rests to clay target throwers, MTM offers a huge variety of products essential to the sportsman. MTM designs an ultra-adjustable bench rest style shooting table for left and right handed shooters. The High-Low Shooting Table can stand 55” tall at the highest or 18” at the lowest setting.
The table is stabilized with three legs and footings that wedge in to the ground. The High-Low Shooting Table was designed for field use or uneven ground, as well as angled areas such as a hillside. The roomy 17” x 33” table surface is large enough to hold a rifle or handgun rest, ammo as well as tools. The comfortable, lightweight, portable stand is produced with a ridged, engineering-grade polypropylene top that is available in a dark earth color. To view the High-Low Shooting Table, please visithttp://www.mtmcase-gard.com. Read more

Firearms

Beretta A400 Xtreme Plus TrueTimber DRT Sweepstakes

(Accokeek, MD)   Beretta is partnering with TrueTimber® to offer a chance to win a new A400 Xtreme Plus shotgun.
From now until October 12, fans will have the chance to win a Beretta A400 Xtreme Plus in TrueTimber® DRT™, a $250 TrueTimber® gift card, and other prizes from Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s.
Hosted on TrueTimber’s Instagram page, a giveaway post will be posted each week and one entrant will be selected randomly at the end of the week to be added to the sweepstakes “Winner’s Circle.” Those individuals will be entered for a chance to win the grand prize during the final drawing of this 10-week promotion.
At the end of the promotion, one winner will be chosen from the “Winner’s Circle” and win the grand prize of a Beretta A400 Xtreme Plus shotgun in DRT™, a $250 TrueTimber® gift card, and other prizes from Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s. The nine runners-up will receive a $50 TrueTimber® gift card.
To enter each week, you will need to like each giveaway post and follow @TrueTimberCamo, @Beretta_USA, @Cabelas and @BassProShops on Instagram. Read more

Firearms

ZEISS “Gear Up” Promotion For Conquest V4 Rifle Scopes

Thornwood, NY –
The ZEISS “Gear Up” Promotion offers you a great value by way of a $100 instant rebate on the Conquest V4 rifle scopes.  Purchase any of the four models from the Conquest V4 rifle scope family and immediately save $100.00.  No forms to complete.  No mail-in rebates.  Instant savings.
Conquest V4 rifle scopes retail at $799.99 – $1,199.99 depending on model and configuration.  The line-up consists of the 1-4×24, 3-12×56, 4-16×44, and 6-24×50 models.  These are designed and engineered in Germany.  Each feature a 30 mm aluminum main tube, offers a large range of travel adjustment, and incorporates a capped windage turret. These models have innovative second focal plane reticle designs, 3.5 inches of eye relief, and offer 90% to-the-eye light transmission. Read more

Optics

Michigan DNR Agrees to Deal to Keep Detroit Grand Prix at Belle Isle Park

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources  has finalized the terms of an agreement with the Detroit Grand Prix that will keep the event at Belle Isle Park for the next three years, with an option to extend the agreement for an additional two years.

The final agreement reduces the Detroit Grand Prix’s total time spent on Belle Isle for set-up, the race weekend and take-down from 84 days in its previous contract with the City of Detroit to 60 days in 2019 and 59 days beginning in 2020 in the new agreement with the State of Michigan. In addition, the new agreement will increase the annual fee paid by the Grand Prix from $200,000 in the Detroit contract to $325,000. Read more

General

You Might be an Avid Hunter

By Glen Wunderlich

It’s time to get ready for deer hunting.  Yet, for keenly eager hunters the fact of the matter is that the time to prepare is perpetual.   Here are a few symptoms that cause deer hunters to earn the moniker of avid hunter. 

You might be an avid hunter, if you search for antler sheds after the final season has ended.  The practice of shed hunting can be so intense, some states now have seasons.  For example, in Montana Wildlife Management Areas it is illegal to enter a state WMA prior to its formal opening day.  From Feb. 1 to April 15, in Utah you must have an antler-gathering certificate on your person while collecting shed antlers or horns.  Other states have restrictions, as well, but in Michigan, anyone is still able to hunt sheds at any time without any formal requirements.  The art of finding them has benefits such as learning where some of the big bucks were, and more importantly, which bruisers made it through the hunting season.

Michigan Shed Antlers

You might be an avid hunter, if you scout for deer.  Cruising the back roads and two-tracks in twilight hours with good binoculars is an enjoyable pastime even for non-hunters.  Who doesn’t like to see whitetails when they haven’t been spooked and are going about their daily routines of survival? 

Michigan Springtime Buck

Early Morning Whitetails

Antlered bucks are another spectacle altogether and the avid hunter searches them out from afar.  A window mount and quality spotting scope allows one to peer into cover, and tests one’s ability to spot not only movement, but horizontal backbone lines and colors otherwise unseen.

You might be an avid hunter, if you take advantage of game cameras as part of your scouting efforts.  It wasn’t long ago, that film cameras were inside of trailcams; they’re now as popular as VHS tapes.  The sky’s the limit and high-end game cams now use wireless technology to transmit photos and videos to smart phones and computers.  It may seem like a lazy person’s tactic to use cameras for scouting, but they certainly minimize, if not eliminate the potential to stink up the woods with one’s presence.  For some the biggest challenge is to leave the cameras alone for any extended times.

You might be an avid hunter, if you’ve ever pulled weeds from you food plots. 

Brassica Plot a Month after Planting

Guilty as charged!   In some states, hunting in conjunction with food plots or even farm crops is illegal.  But, in Michigan, where an over-abundance of deer remain, growing food for wildlife is big business.  Oh how excited I was to see the little brassica plants and sugar beets emerge, after planting before the month-long dry spell of July! 

You might be an avid hunter, if your deer blind is warmer than your bedroom.  Deer blinds are as varied as guns and gear, but nothing has spurred their growth as Michigan’s relaxed rules allowing elevated-platform hunting with firearms.  Although some folks may frown on them, because of the decided advantage they give hunters, their popularity has many virtues.  Being elevated is self-explanatory but hunting in the bitter cold of December, when most hunters have given up on the idea, has produced some magnificent bucks for those seizing the opportunity.  If a hunter cannot be comfortable and is squirming around in a futile effort to keep warm, he’ll either stay home or go home empty handed after spooking the game.  And, there’s no better way to introduce youngsters to the deer hunting tradition than to take them along for an adventure.

Getting ready?  For the avid hunter, it never ends.

Hunting, Wildlife

Causes of Death in America Statistics

By Michael D. Faw

While no one wants to die, no one also likes to be lied to.

According to most mass liberal media and some misguided school students, you would think all Americans will soon die from a firearms inflicted homicide or an accident involving a firearm.

Nothing could be further from the truth!

In fact, those widely noted and quoted champions of research, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), like to, and are paid to, find the facts. Their National Center for Health Statistics lists the leading cause of death in American as heart disease. This verifies those who argue spoons have killed more Americans than firearms. More CDC numbers reveal cancer, respiratory diseases, accidents (mainly ladders), strokes, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, influenza and pneumonia, and nephrosis are numbers one through nine in the causes of death listing. This group of illnesses and death inflictors amassed more than 1.9M (million) deaths in 2015 (best year stats are available) as reported in the Health United States, 2016 Table 19. Rounding out the top 10 in the leading cause of death for Americans was suicide. This accounted for 44, 000-plus deaths in 2015 in the United States of America. Not all of those self-inflicted deaths were accomplished with a firearm.

Firearm related deaths in America are actually low in the overall counts and totals.

It’s important, however, to also note that in causes of death, suicide ranked as number 7 among males and was not in the Top Ten causes of death listed for females.

Overall, in the white population, suicide dropped to cause No. 9 and was not in the Top Ten among causes of death for Black or African Americans in the survey numbers. Read more

General

Michigan: Take a free ride during Free ORV Weekend

Don’t forget that Michigan residents and out-of-state visitors can explore DNR-designated routes and trails without purchasing an ORV license or trail permit Aug. 18-19. All other ORV rules and laws still apply, and the Recreation Passport is required where applicable.

Explore the thrill of the ride yourself or take time to introduce friends and family to Michigan’s 3,700 miles of off-road trails and/or the state’s five scramble areas (St. Helen’s Motorsport Area, Black Lake Scramble Area, Silver Lake State Park, Bull Gap and The Mounds).

General

Mackinac Bridge to close to vehicle traffic Labor Day morning

If your Labor Day travel plans include crossing the Mackinac Bridge Monday, Sept. 3, please remember that the Mackinac Bridge Authority will close the bridge to vehicle traffic from 6:30 a.m. to noon.

The brief closure is for the safety and security of 2018 Annual Bridge Walk participants. The walk will begin at 7 a.m. in both St. Ignace and Mackinac City, but no busing will be available to transport walkers across the bridge. Read more

General

PepperBall LifeLite Launcher

PepperBall launchers provide highly effective personal protection at home, during recreation, at school and in the workplace. PepperBall LifeLite accurately propels small, non-lethal plastic projectiles filled with potent pepper powder, quickly disabling assailants.

LAKE FOREST, IL  — United Tactical Systems, developer of the world’s leading non-lethal professional and personal defense products, announced that its innovative and easy-to-use personal protection device, PepperBall LifeLite, is now available to the public. PepperBall has been in use for over two decades by more than 5,000 law enforcement and military agencies, but has not been available to the public until now. PepperBall offers an effective solution when lethal force is not warranted or permissible and is ideal as a non-lethal option at home, places of worship, while traveling, in schools and the workplace.

 

 

PepperBall LifeLite personal protection devices can be openly carried and are user-friendly. These launching devices use CO2 cartridges to accurately propel small, non-lethal plastic projectiles 60 feet at a velocity of 270 feet per second. On impact, these projectiles burst open to create a cloud of potent, debilitating pepper powder. The powder is designed to painfully disrupt normal function of the eyes, nose, lungs, and central nervous system, halting the immediate assault but without causing permanent bodily damage. PepperBall need not hit the body to be effective; the projectile can strike proximately and still overwhelm the assailant. The technology can also impact assailants even when they are not in the direct line of sight. Unlike pepper sprays and “stun gun”-like devices, PepperBall LifeLite gives users the advantages of time, distance, and accuracy. These in turn give users the confidence to carry and use the device when necessary. Read more

Self Defense
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