MI DNR to answer questions about CWD in Mecosta County at Feb. 22 town hall meeting

The Michigan departments of Natural Resources (DNR) and Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) recently announced the finding of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in a Mecosta County deer farm facility.

There are two upcoming opportunities for interested landowners, hunters and deer farmers to get the latest information and ask questions about this finding:

For deer farmers – Wednesday, Feb. 1
MDARD will hold a meeting at 7 p.m. at the Big Rapids Holiday Inn, 1005 Perry Ave., Big Rapids.

For hunters and area landowners – Wednesday, Feb. 22
The DNR will host a town hall meeting from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Morley Stanwood High School Cafetorium, 4700 Northland Drive, Morley. Read more

Wildlife

Blaser F16 and R8 Intuition Series

Expect the perfect design for the perfect shot. The right fit of the gun is everything when you want to be a successful hunter or shooter. With that in mind, Blaser introduces the Intuition Series, designed stocks specifically for the lady hunter – the new F16 shotgun and the well-established R8 rifle.

Now, instead of trying to adjust your shooting position to the rifle or shotgun, your gun will easily and consistently slip into your shoulder and rest there comfortably. Taking into account the different anatomy of women, Blaser has developed a Monte Carlo stock, which allows the hunter to effortlessly mount a gun without a second thought. It simply becomes second nature. The lower position of the butt plate allows you to mount the gun to your shoulder, giving you a firm grip on the gun and reducing the felt recoil at the same time, ultimately making the shot more comfortable. Recoil management has been addressed by making the original F16 Microcell recoil pad even softer, ensuring better absorption and steady placement in the shoulder.

For the F16 Intuition, the engineers at Blaser took it a step further and decided to go for a higher drop at the comb and additional cast. The benefits are clear so the shooter can obtain the optimal shooting position. Shoulders and neck will be relaxed allowing better movement from any shooting position and a swifter acquisition of the target.

Both Intuition stocks are shorter, reducing the distance between the pistol grip and trigger as well as the distance between the butt plate and trigger. The pistol grip now boasts finer features to easily accommodate a smaller hand reducing the risk of flinching. Suggested retail for the F16 begins at $4,195 and the R8 $4,385. Read more

Firearms

Important Michigan hunting and furbearer license changes to remember

Reminder: if you do not purchase your 2016 base license by Feb. 28, 2017, you will be unable to purchase a 2016 fur harvester license in the months of March or April.

All those who hunt and trap furbearing animals must have a valid base license and fur harvester license.

Feb. 28, 2017 is the last day to purchase a 2016 base license. A 2016 base license is required to purchase a 2016 fur harvester license. Read more

Hunting

Trump Nominates Gorsuch to Supreme Court

Last evening, President Donald Trump nominated Judge Neil Gorsuch, 49, an appellate judge from Colorado to fill the United States Supreme Court seat left vacant since the unexpected death of Justice Antonin Scalia almost a year ago. President Trump called Gorsuch’s nomination his fulfillment of a promise to voters who told him a justice who would “interpret them (the laws) as they are written was the single most important issue for them when they voted for me as president.”

Selected from a list of 20 potential judges compiled during the campaign. Gorsuch’s opinions on religious liberty and his feelings on the separation of powers were seen as key in his selection over Judge Thomas Hardiman. With an Ivy League pedigree- Columbia and Harvard- and a doctorate in legal philosophy from Oxford, Gorsuch is young enough that he could carry on the Trump legacy long after the President leaves office, as well as restoring the conservative/liberal balance of the Supreme Court.

His confirmation, however, will be hotly contested, with Democrats stung over the Republican’s blocking of Obama nominee Merrick Garland, spoiling for a fight. No word -yet- on whether Senate Republicans will use the so-called “nuclear option” of reducing the vote on Grouch to a simple majority rather than a 60-vote threshold should Democrats mount a serious effort to stymie the confirmation process. Gorsuch photo from 10th Circuit Court of Appeals with permission.

Gun Control

Michigan: Success of Fishing License Restructuring

Just a few years ago, the state of Michigan, and along with it, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR), had a big challenge on their hands. Around 200,000 people had left the state, where unemployment was peaking at 15% after nearly 800,000 jobs were lost over a 10-year period. Public perception of the agency was low, so the Michigan DNR went to work to gain public support and win back anglers. Read more

Fishing

Browning Ammunition Adds BXD Turkey Load

Arnold, Mo. – Browning Ammunition hit store shelves in 2016 and hunters were quick to put the company’s waterfowl and upland bird hunting loads to the test in fields and marshes across the country. In 2017, turkey hunters across the country will have much to celebrate as the brand introduces its new BXD Turkey load.

The loads will feature nickel-plated and buffered shot, loaded within an aerodynamically stabilized tight-patterning wad. BXD Turkey will come 10 rounds per box.

New offerings include:

12-gauge 3-inch 1-5/8 oz. at 1200 fps #4, 5, 6

12-gauge 3½-inch 1-7/8 oz. at 1200 fps #4, 5, 6

20-gauge 3-inch 1 ¼ oz. at 1200 fps #5 Read more

Ammunition

Versatile Mountable spotlight from Ultimate Wild

Nacogdoches, TX – Ultimate Wild®, a leader in providing high-quality outdoor and hunting products, introduces the new Versatile Mountable Spot.

Following the success of the SL-1000, Ultimate Wild has developed a rail and gun mountable version of their SL-1000 spotlight. This new spotlight can be mounted to optics, boat rails, or any round tubing for added light while hunting, fishing, or even just working on the farm. With its 1000 max lumen output, and 50,000 hour LED life, the Versatile Mountable SL-1000 will provide the light you need to get the job done. With its unique design, the mount can easily be a adapted to be used with most Ultimate Wild interchangeable LED heads. Read more

Optics

New Moultrie Game Spy 2

Moultrie’s Game Spy 2 is Feature Packed for 2017!
50-foot motion-detection range, 50-foot flash range and a lightning-quick trigger speed make the Game Spy 2 Plus game camera exceptionally diverse.

Birmingham, AL – Moultrie®, the best-selling brand of trail cameras, game feeders and wildlife management products, introduces the small but mighty Game Spy 2 Plus, which makes trail camera scouting simple and more affordable than ever. Keeping tabs on a mature buck is hard enough—operating a game cam to help find that buck shouldn’t add to the frustration.??

Boasting a 50-foot motion-detection range, 50-foot flash range and a lightning-quick trigger speed of 1 second, Moultrie’s Game Spy 2 Plus scouting camera captures multi-shot photos and video to meet your basic scouting needs without a hefty price tag. From monitoring a food plot to keeping tabs on a heavily used trail, the Game Spy 2 Plus has the capabilities to functions flawlessly in any scouting location. Read more

Hunting, Wildlife

Feb. 1 – Michigan spring turkey hunting application deadline

Spring turkey hunting applications must be in by 11:59 p.m. on Feb. 1! You can purchase your application online at E-license or anywhere hunting licenses are sold.

The 2017 spring turkey season runs April 17 through May 31, with several hunt periods to choose from. Hunt 234 licenses go on sale, over the counter with no application required, on March 20. Hunt 234 offers the most days to hunt, valid from May 1-31, and is open statewide except public land in southern Michigan. The Spring Turkey Digest explains regulations, season dates and hunt units.

For more information about spring turkey hunting, watch this YouTube video or visit www.michigan.gov/turkey.

Beginning March 6, applicants can check whether they were drawn for a license at www.michigan.gov/turkey. Any leftover licenses will be sold until the quota is met in each hunt unit and hunt period.

Hunting

TacSol’s Axiom Suppressor Named Best in Class

Boise, ID – Tactical Solutions, a leading manufacturer and provider of innovative firearms, rimfire conversions and accessories was recently named “Best in Class” by the experts at Silencer Shop for their Axiom Suppressor. Silencer Shop has a reputation for providing the simplest suppressor buying experience possible, with great customer service. They understand the benefits of shooting suppressed, and are recognized as the authority in this field. They gathered their knowledgeable staff to decide on the standout cans from 2016, and the TacSol Axiom came in first place. Read more

Firearms
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