It’s National Park Week – Visit Your Favorite Park Live on EarthCam

WHAT: From April 21st to 29th, the National Park Foundation is celebrating National Park Week! Be a part of the week-long celebrations with EarthCam’s live webcams. Explore and learn more about iconic National Park Service locations across the country, including the Statue of Liberty, Gettysburg Battlefield, Mount Rushmore and more!

WHY: EarthCam has proudly partnered with the National Park Service and National Park Foundation to connect and educate the public with these national park locations via live streaming webcam views. The theme for 2018’s National Park Week is “Park Stars”. Parks across the country will host special events including National Junior Ranger Day, Earth Day and more!

HOW: Be a part of the National Park Foundation’s National Park Week celebrations with EarthCam’s live webcams, installed in partnership with the National Park Service! Share your favorite images from the webcams on social media and be sure to include #FindYourPark.

Facebook Live and Online credit requirement:

  • EarthCam logo is not to be cropped out of the video, covered or altered in any way
  • Facebook Live: “Courtesy of EarthCam” and tag @earthcaminc
  • Online: “Courtesy of EarthCam” with a link back to www.earthcam.com

On-air credit requirements:

  • EarthCam logo is not to be cropped out of the video, covered or altered in any way
  • On screen credit is given “Courtesy of EarthCam”
  • Verbal on air credit “Courtesy of EarthCam”

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General

Texas Game Wardens Crack Down on Illegal Houston Fish Trade

AUSTIN — State game wardens issued more than 150 citations to 19 fish markets and restaurants in the Houston area that illegally purchased game fish from undercover officers during a recently completed sting conducted by the Special Operations unit of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Law Enforcement Division.

During the two-year operation, wardens in plain clothes offered to sell more than a dozen different Texas saltwater species including spotted sea trout, red drum (redfish), red snapper, southern flounder, black drum, catfish and croaker to seafood markets and restaurants along the upper Texas coast.

Of concern is the heightening demand for these aquatic resources, particularly highly-regulated red snapper, which led to this enhanced law enforcement intervention. Commercial harvest of red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico is strictly managed and monitored to ensure the long-term health of the fishery. Catches are tracked against an annual poundage quota limit, and red snapper sold into the market outside the legal system pose threats to the resource, as well as the commercial fishing industry that depends on it.

Evidence that some businesses are willing to work outside the law to obtain product, nearly half of the 40-plus businesses approached during the operation agreed to illegally purchase game fish. A similar undercover operation conducted by Texas game wardens between 2010-12 resulted in illegal purchases by only nine of 42 businesses targeted.

“Our objective with this operation was to identify and through law enforcement intervention disrupt the influx of illegal fish trade,” said Maj. Chris Davis, who heads TPWD’s law enforcement special operations. “About half of those we approached said no, so that was encouraging. But, many businesses were eager to buy aquatic products illegally, and wanted to place orders for more.”

Davis said wardens received tips from various sources identifying businesses known to purchase fish under the table, and began approaching those businesses using aquatic product seized from other cases. The risks extend well beyond conservation of the resource. Read more

Poachers

‘Powerful Opposition’ Kills Public Access Reform In Louisiana, Conservation Leaders Note

The Louisiana Delta was home to four Bassmaster Classics, including the 2011 championship won by Kevin VanDam. A bill to restore angler access to public waters in the delta was recently defeated in the Louisiana House of Representatives. Photo by: B.A.S.S.

 

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — A bill that would have restored anglers’ rights to access public waters in Louisiana was voted down in the state legislature this week by a vote of 37-59.

Proponents of House Bill 391, including B.A.S.S., the Louisiana B.A.S.S. Nation and the Louisiana Sportsmen’s Coalition (LaSC), were disappointed but not surprised at the loss, said Gene Gilliland, national conservation director for B.A.S.S.

“Everyone knew going in that this was likely to be a contentious issue and that it might take several years to find a good fix,” he explained. “When the vote came to the full House of Representatives, wealthy landowners and energy companies with deep pockets and armies of lobbyists persuaded legislators from many parts of Louisiana that are not even affected by this issue to vote against the bill.” Read more

Fishing

Michigan: Wintry Conditions Postpones UP Sharp-Tailed Grouse Release

Release of birds to western part of the region postponed until spring

A sharp-tailed grouse decoy is shown.

Prolonged wintry conditions in the Upper Peninsula have forced the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to postpone a release of sharp-tailed grouse in the western part of the region – a place where they have not been seen reliably since the mid-1990s.

DNR wildlife biologists had planned to capture about 20 birds from the eastern U.P. and re-introduce them to Ontonagon County this spring. However, late winter snowfall and a persistent groundcover of snow, as deep as 3 feet in some places, have delayed the effort until next spring. Read more

Wildlife

Tactacam 4.0 Weapon Mounted Camera

Tactacam is unlike any other camera on the market. It is designed by hunters for hunters with one goal, sharing the excitement and enjoyment of your hunt. From the launch of our very first Tactacam 2.0 we have listened to the feedback and went back to the drawing board with high expectations and we feel we have exceeded them.  The all new Tactacam 4.0 is packed full of features like Wi-Fi compatible viewing and control via your smartphone, battery indicator and the ability to film in 3 different resolution settings. The ultra-sharp lens and low light recording brings your target 5X closer than other POV cameras on the market making the Tactacam 4.0 the ultimate weapon mounted camera.   MSRP $329.99 Read more

Optics

Kent Cartridge Elite Pro Target Line

Kent’s new Elite Pro Target™ loads use clean burning custom blended ball powders for consistent velocity and reduced felt recoil.  Kent’s proprietary Diamond Shot® technology uses a new revolutionary polishing process for consistent, uniform patterns and superior target breaking performance on the trap range. The shells feature a 10mm nickel plated head for smooth and reliable ejection. Read more

Ammunition

Agencies Make the Switch to GLOCK Pistols

SMYRNA, Ga. –   GLOCK, Inc. continues to grow a presence as the primary service weapon of choice for US law enforcement agencies.  While GLOCK is currently the preferred pistol for 65% of law enforcement agencies, those numbers continue to grow.  During the first quarter of 2018, GLOCK was pleased to welcome over a dozen new agencies making the switch from competitor pistols.

Among the agencies to choose GLOCK over several competitors are the South Carolina Highway Patrol and the West Virginia State Police.  Lt. Robert Perry from the West Virginia State Police said, “The GLOCK out performed any other manufacturer tested” which has led to the selection and ordering of 850 GLOCK 17 Gen5 pistols.  “The WV State Police has always prided itself in providing the best available equipment to its members and that is why we have chosen GLOCK,” said Perry. Read more

Firearms

New Bushnell AR Optics

OVERLAND PARK, Kansas –– Bushnell, an industry leader in high-performance optics, has added to its top-selling line of AR Optics with several new options designed specifically for the Modern Sporting Rifle platform.

The growing AR Optics line now has a scope specifically tailored for almost every prevalent caliber of today’s most popular rifle—including 22 LR, .223/5.56, .308 Win., .300 BLK, and even the red-hot 6.5 Creedmoor and .224 Valkyrie.

“Each scope has a throw-down power-change lever that can be set to two different heights,” said Bushnell Tactical product manager Bryan Parrish. “It makes these scopes as customizable as the rifles they share a name with.” Read more

Optics

Michigan: Iron Belle Trail Bolstered by $10.5 Million in Private Funding

Contact: Jordan Kennedy (Governor’s Office), 517-335-6397 or Ed Golder (DNR), 517-284-5815

Campaign forms to raise additional $155 million to complete the iconic trail

ANN ARBOR, MI – Gov. Rick Snyder today announced private donations totaling $10.5 million to help build the Iron Belle Trail, a major development for Michigan’s 2,000-mile hiking and bicycling “showcase” trail that traverses the state.

“Our natural resources and outdoor recreation opportunities in Michigan are second to none, and an important and defining part of who we are as a state,” Snyder said. “These generous contributions toward completion of the Iron Belle Trail help solidify Michigan’s reputation as ‘The Trails State’. I sincerely thank all of the sponsors for their vision and support of the Iron Belle Trail.”

The governor was joined by David Egner of the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation and Ann Arbor-area entrepreneur Michael Levine at Gallup Park in Ann Arbor for the announcement. The Wilson Foundation has committed more than $5.5 million to date, including a recent $3.25 million grant for trail development in Washtenaw County and more than $2.3 million to support trail design and planning in Detroit. Levine previously pledged $5 million. The funding will be used for engineering, development, signage and other needs on the Iron Belle Trail and to leverage other donations in the ongoing campaign. Read more

Wildlife
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