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

Michigan Cranes on the Menu

By Glen Wunderlich

Ribeye of the sky is what they’re known as in the Central flyway of the United States.  Before running for cover, there are no reports of cattle taking to the air, but for those hunters in the Central states it doesn’t matter, because they’ve found a delectable substitute:  sandhill cranes. 

Michigan has no sandhill crane hunting season, but Michigan United Conservation Clubs’ (MUCC) agenda includes proposed resolutions to change that.  However, what some folks don’t realize is that they are already being hunted in Michigan under federal nuisance permits issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.  Depredation permits, however, require that any birds killed cannot be kept for any purposes and must be disposed of, typically in a landfill or buried. 

Farmers applying for permits must first demonstrate that other non-lethal methods have been attempted unsuccessfully to keep cranes from eating or otherwise destroying crops.  And, permit numbers are growing commensurately with the sandhill crane population.  Nuisance cranes typically appear in farm fields in spring, where they uproot young corn sprouts and eat the kernel often requiring replanting of entire fields.  Also, affected are wheat fields, where even mature plants are stripped of grain.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources reports a growth rate of 10.5 percent per year over the past 50 years for the once-endangered species.  That’s astonishing success!

If Michigan is ever to approve a hunting season for sandhill cranes, it won’t come without certain turmoil, just as was the case with our short mourning dove season a few years ago.  Discussions are certain to focus primarily on emotional arguments, in opposition to scientific reasons to the contrary, though. 

One legitimate argument against hunting of the majestic birds centers on the possibility of killing endangered whooping cranes by mistake.  Whooping cranes and sandhill cranes are similar in size and shape, but whooping cranes are white with black wing tips. The penalty for shooting a whooping crane is a fine of up to $100,000 and/or up to one year in prison.  An online test for all sandhill crane hunters must be completed to minimize identification mistakes.

It seems immoral to kill them and bury them, however.  Plus, since no game animal has ever been threatened with species survival in the history of regulated hunting, there simply is no reason to believe that if crane hunting in Michigan is legalized, crane sustainability will be threatened.

The arguments will surface eventually and there is undoubtedly going to be plenty of fireworks, when the proposal is put on the table; we’ve been there with wolves and doves.  By the way, doves are on the MUCC menu, too and we could see this controversial issue raised, once again.

In any event, the anti-hunting fraternity from Washington D.C. is sure to bring out the long knives and the fake-news TV celebrities foisting their typical emotional rhetoric upon us all.  Meanwhile, sandhill cranes will continue to be hunted from Canada to Mexico, while we enjoy another round of popcorn.

Hunting, Wildlife

Walther CCP Recall

Walther Arms has identified a potential condition in Walther CCP pistols that could potentially cause it to discharge if dropped whether the manual safety is engaged (on) or disengaged (off). The safety of our customers is our paramount concern so we have voluntarily initiated this recall because of the possibility of a drop-fire occurring.

If you own a CCP, please do not load or fire your Walther CCP pistol and contact us immediately to arrange to have your pistol upgraded free of charge, using the following steps:

Step 1 – Contact us at 1-866-503-3389 (M-F / 8:00AM to 5:PM CST), email (ccprecall@waltherarms.com) or online (www.waltherarms.com/ccp-recall) and provide the serial number of your pistol.

Step 2 – After contacting us, we will send you shipping instructions so that you can return your unloaded pistol to us, free of charge via FedEx. The medium FedEx carton will fit factory CCP case.

Step 3 – We will upgrade and return your pistol to you free of charge. We will make every effort to complete the upgrade and return your pistol to you as soon as possible. Read more

Firearms

Davidson’s New Smith & Wesson Exclusives

Davidson’s is pleased to announce it has added two new Smith & Wesson products to its offerings. The M&P 15 Sport II in Flat Dark Earth and the Model 360 Scandium Airweight revolver are exclusively available from Davidson’s. These two guns are great additions to the Davidson’s Exclusive product line.

Davidson’s Vice President of Sales Matt Nicholson noted, “Davidson’s is proud to offer two new Smith & Wesson Exclusives – the S&W Sport II exclusive in Cerakote FDE and the Model 360 Sc Airweight. 2016 was a record year for the Sport II and we expect sales to continue to flourish with this new exclusive color. Smith revolvers have always been long sought after and the Scandium Alloy Airweight will be a popular model in the conceal carry market.”

The Davidson’s Exclusive Smith & Wesson M&P15 Sport II features a Cerakote FDE collapsible 6-position buttstock, fore-end, and pistol grip. The rifle is shipped with an FDE Magpul MBUS rear sight and FDE Magpul 30-round magazine. Other features of the rifle include a forward assist, dust cover, oversized trigger guard, a hard coat black anodized finish on the receiver, and a 16 inch 1:9 twist barrel chambered in 5.56 NATO/.223 Remington. Read more

Firearms

Winchester Adds New Turkey Hunting Super X Pump Shotgun

Winchester Repeating Arms has added a new model to the Super X® Pump shotgun line designed with the turkey hunter in mind. The new SXP Turkey is available in both 12 and 20 gauge versions and features a no-glare matte black finish and a synthetic stock and forearm.

The alloy receiver is drilled and tapped for scope mounts. The matte blued barrel on both models is 24″ long and is fitted with an Invector-Plus™ extra-full turkey choke tube. TRUGLO® fiber-optic adjustable sights are included and offer the hunter a great sighting system, even in low light.

The 12 gauge version is offered in 3½” chambering. Suggested retail is $439.99. The 20 gauge version is offered in 3″ chambering. Suggested retail is $439.99. Read more

Firearms

Michigan to Move Muskellunge to Build Broodstock

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources continues to make advancements in the state’s Great Lakes muskellunge program, and activities this spring will add to those efforts.

Since 2011, the DNR’s Fisheries Division has collected spawning Great Lakes strain muskellunge in the Detroit River. The collected eggs are reared at Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery in Mattawan and stocked throughout the state in fall. Although the Detroit River is a natural source of this native strain, it presents several challenges.

Water temperatures on the Detroit River typically do not reach optimal levels for spawning until late May or early June, much later than smaller inland waterbodies. This results in a short rearing period and fish not reaching maximum size for stocking each fall. Additionally, the Detroit River’s expansiveness makes it extremely difficult to efficiently find spawning fish.

To offset these issues, DNR fisheries staff have been working to establish inland broodstock lakes. Since 2011, Thornapple Lake in Barry County has been stocked with Great Lakes strain muskellunge to establish a population large enough to provide a spawning population. Starting in 2017, Lake Hudson, previously the long-standing broodsource for northern strain muskellunge, was selected as the department’s second broodstock lake. When the populations are large enough, spawning fish will be netted from these inland lakes rather than the Detroit River. Read more

Fishing
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