Spring birding tours set for early May at Michigan’s Wetland Wonders

trumpeter swan on the waterThe Michigan Department of Natural Resources reminds wildlife watchers that spring birding tours – coming up Saturday, May 2 and 9 – are a fun way to celebrate the warmer weather and explore the state’s Wetland Wonders.

Birding tour highlights may include diving and dabbling ducks in full breeding plumage, trumpeter and tundra swans, osprey, bald eagles, sandhill cranes and many more. The tours will be led by DNR wildlife biologists and technicians and will include a sneak-peek driving tour into refuge areas that normally are closed.

Michigan’s Wetland Wonders are the seven premier managed waterfowl areas in southern Michigan: Fennville Farm Unit at the Allegan State Game Area, Fish Point State Wildlife Area, St. Clair Flats State Wildlife Area on Harsens Island, Muskegon County Wastewater Facility, Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area, Pointe Mouillee State Game Area and Shiawassee River State Game Area.

Spring birding tours are set for the following dates, times and locations:
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Wildlife

Redding Introduces Die Sets for the 6mm Creedmoor Cartridge

Cortland, NY…….New for 2015, Redding Reloading Equipment is offering die sets for the exciting new 6mm Creedmoor Cartridge.

With a growing demand and factory brass offered, Redding now introduces 6mm Creedmoor die sets for today’s reloader’s needs. This new round has great and game changing potential for a host of sport shooting and hunting disciplines, as a result, new sets will be offered in Standard Full Length, Standard Neck and Deluxe. Regardless of the individual shooters needs Redding die sets are now available to meet many types of shooting demand. The sets featuring a full length sizing die can also be customized by adding a carbide expander and all sets can be enhanced with the addition of a micrometer adjustable seat stem either in standard or VLD configurations. Plus a custom shoulder bump can be achieved by using these sets with Redding’s unique Competition Shellholders. Read more

Ammunition

New Custom Fire Pits from Plantation Spoiled

A new custom Fire Pit from Plantation Spoiled is the perfect addition for any camp, whether you’re at the hunting property, on a camping trip or ready for a backyard fire ring. Easy to transport and easy to set up, this Fire Pit turns any location into the perfect spot for a campfire. The stylish craftsmanship of these metal Fire Pits will have owners wanting to bring them home from the hunting property during the off-season for backyard Fire Pit enjoyment.

Plantation Spoiled offers a new Fire Pit that looks great, can be customized with scenes or logos, and is designed with a fire ring and base that are separate pieces for easy cleaning or moving. Fire Pits are a trendy addition for homeowners for backyard gatherings, and with a Fire Pit from Plantation Spoiled, there’s no need for the brick and mortar of a permanent fire ring. Read more

General

Firearms Industry Economic Impact Rises 125% Since 2008

NEWTOWN, Conn. – The total economic impact of the firearms and ammunition industry in the United States increased from $19.1 billion in 2008 to $42.9 billion in 2014, a 125 percent increase, while the total number of full-time equivalent jobs* rose from approximately 166,000 to more than 263,000, a 58 percent increase in that period, according to a new report released today by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the industry’s trade association.

“We have seen continued dramatic growth in the firearms and ammunition industry that is the direct result of consumer demand for our products since 2008,” said Stephen L. Sanetti, NSSF president and chief executive officer. “In our nation’s economic recovery since that year, our industry has been a standout, increasing our direct workforce by 78 percent, adding jobs that pay an average of more than $52,000 in wages and benefits. Wildlife conservation is the real winner here, as we increased federal tax payments by 108 percent, Pittman-Robertson excise taxes that support wildlife conservation by 145 percent and state business taxes by 106 percent. And gratifyingly, throughout this period of growth, both criminal and accidental misuses of firearms continued to drop.”

The Firearms and Ammunition Industry Economic Impact Report: 2014 provides a state by state breakdown of job numbers, wages and output covering direct, supplier and induced employment, as well as federal excise taxes paid. Access the full report here.

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Ammunition, Firearms

Outdoor News Partners With Camp Chef for Recipe Contest

(Plymouth, Minn.) — Outdoor News, Inc., publisher of locally written fishing and hunting outdoor newspapers in seven Great Lake states, invites readers to submit their favorite grilling, wild game, and fish recipes for a chance to win a Camp Chef SmokePro DLX Pellet Grill.

The recipe contest kicks off May 1st and final submissions are due June 12th. Readers of Outdoor News publications in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio and Illinois will then vote on the top five semi-finalists with the recipe earning the most votes winning the SmokePro DLX Pellet Grill from Camp Chef valued at $834. The winning recipe will be announced by Outdoor News, Inc. on June 25th, 2015.

The Camp Chef Pellet Grill and Smoker is designed with the home griller in mind and has been recognized by AmazingRibs.com with the Best Value Gold Medal award.

Details on the contest can be found in the regular Outdoor News publication’s cooking feature, the “Taste of the Wild”, and online at www.outdoornews.com/CampChefContest. Follow the Outdoor News Taste of the Wild Facebook page for additional contest updates. Read more

General

Deep Six Full Metal Jacket Arrows: More Kinetic Power From Your Hunting Bow

Full Metal Jacket and Ultra-Micro Injexion carbon arrows are both field-proven on big game for hunters seeking more penetration for bow hunting. In its latest product advancement, Easton has combined these two arrow shaft concepts into one arrow—the Deep Six FMJ. The Deep Six FMJ arrow combines a full metal jacket over an ultra-micro diameter carbon core that results in the most advanced arrow ever available to bowhunters. Deep Six FMJ arrows pull more potential energy from the bow and increase penetration by focusing their mass into a smaller diameter and reduced surface area. This results in less friction during flight for higher speed and more kinetic energy downrange. The ultra-micro diameter also penetrates with less friction for more pass-through impacts to take down game quickly and assuring recovery.

Archery

California Now Moving To Ban Lead in Tackle

DTSC Runs Roughshod Over Anglers, Despite No Scientific Basis

(Sacramento, CA): Today, the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) announced that common fishing tackle would remain on a list of consumer products marked to undergo a costly and onerous regulatory process, a reckless move that could lead to a ban on most of today’s fishing tackle and will likely accelerate the decline in fishing participation, threaten jobs and reduce state revenue.

DTSC admitted in public hearings that it has no scientific studies demonstrating that lead poses an environmental problem in California. Yet, as evidenced its decision today, DTSC has declared fishing gear to be one of the top seven most significant threats to health faced by Californians and its environment.

“State regulators failed to comply with state law that requires them to conduct an independent analysis before including any product in this regulatory process. The inclusion of fishing tackle will likely harm recreational fishing and the jobs that depend on it,” said David Dickerson, President of the California Sportfishing League. “It appears that politics, rather than science, was the basis for DTSC’s decision. While there are many sources of pollution that pose a serious threat to California’s ocean and streams, anglers are not among them.”

In 2010, the U.S. EPA ruled that lead weights do not pose an unreasonable risk to wildlife and this past December, President Barack Obama signed a budget bill that prohibits the use of federal dollars to ban lead fishing weights. Read more

Fishing

Drones Banned from Interfering with Hunters

Unmanned aerial vehicles, also known as drones, will be banned from interfering with hunting and fishing on Michigan lands, under bills signed by Gov. Snyder.

Senate Bills 54 and 55, prohibit the use of unmanned aerial vehicles for taking game or interfering with hunting or fishing. Using a drone to harass someone who is hunting is also banned under the bills. The bills are now Public Acts 12 and 13 of 2015.

Hunting

Browning Trail Cameras Strike Force: Elite Performance in a Small Package

After a year in which the Browning Trail Cameras Strike Force rose to prominence by becoming one of the best-selling game cameras available in the marketplace, one may have wondered what the “next step” would be for such a popular camera. Well the team at Browning Trail Cameras did not disappoint and for 2015 the Strike Force HD Sub Micro Series camera aims to take the game camera experience to unprecedented heights.

From industry defining trigger speeds and recovery times to the self-adjusting IR illumination feature to the highest quality images available, these cameras were already destined to remain a staple for game camera enthusiasts around the country, but now equipped with their cutting edge BuckWatchHD™ technology, these cameras are positioned to become one of the hottest items in the entire outdoor industry this year.

With the ability to capture stunning 1280 x 720 HD videos with sound, users will immediately see how the improved video quality will enhance their overall game camera experience while seeing things they’ve never seen before with their old trail cameras. Whether it is two-weeks away from your deer season or the early stages of the rut, using these videos to strategically scout the wildlife in your area will arm you with more knowledge than ever before and increase your chances of harvesting that trophy of a lifetime. Read more

Hunting, Wildlife

Michigan Creates New Year-Round, Statewide Catch-And-Immediate-Release Bass Season

The seven-member Michigan Natural Resources Commission (NRC) approved and signed Fisheries Order 215.15, during their April 9 meeting, which establishes a year round catch-and-immediate-release bass season for all Michigan waters where angling is permitted. This Order also set seasons and harvest numbers for several other cool water species, representing the first time the NRC has exercised its new exclusive authority to set sport fish regulations as granted by the Scientific Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act of 2014. Read more

Fishing
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