May 15 is Endangered Species Day

But if delisting is the hallmark of conservation success, then permanent listings are the hallmark of conservation failure.

MISSOULA, Mont. – The Boone and Crockett Club acknowledges Endangered Species Day, Friday, May 15, 2015, with both celebration and concern.

Endangered Species Day recognizes our nation’s efforts to protect critically rare species and their habitats. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Wildlife Federation and others are observing the day. As America’s first wildlife conservation and hunting organization, Boone and Crockett also enthusiastically holds up the Endangered Species Act (ESA) as a significant piece of conservation legislation.

The ESA was signed by President Nixon in 1973. The plain intent of the law was to halt and reverse the trend toward species extinction, whatever the cost.

Achievements include the bald eagle, gray wolf, whooping crane, black-footed ferret and several other species whose populations benefited under the additional protections afforded by the ESA.

“We join in America’s applause of those hard-fought successes,” said Morrie Stevens, Boone and Crockett Club president.

Stevens added, “It’s also well to point out that the whitetail deer, elk, wild turkey, wood duck, bison, pronghorn, bighorn sheep and many other species also were once on the brink of extinction-but fully recovered thanks to voluntary conservation efforts and funding from hunters, long before there was an ESA.” Read more

Wildlife

First Wood Bison Calf Wild-Born In Alaska In At Least 100 Years

Washington, DC – Joseph Hosmer, President Safari Club International Foundation (SCI Foundation) announced recently that the first wild-born calves were spotted during an Alaska Department of Fish and Game aerial survey.

This marks the first time in 100 years that a bison calf was born in the Alaskan wild. This exciting milestone is part of a 20 year wood bison reintroduction project that sought to reestablish a wood bison population in the Innoko River region.

“It felt like having a baby shower or something. It’s just huge,” Cathie Harms, Alaska Department of Fish and Game regional program manager said. “It’s like the completion of the circle. We finally got animals into the wild and they are taking to it tremendously.”

SCI Foundation has aided the wood bison reintroduction effort for the past 10 years and is a member of the Wood Bison Restoration Advisory Group. Through its contributions, Safari Club has applied hunter dollars towards the maintenance of the bison holding facility, the care of the bison while in captivity, and the relocation of bison to the wild. Read more

Wildlife

Enjoy Michigan’s Summer Free Fishing Weekend June 13-14

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources reminds everyone that the annual Summer Free Fishing Weekend is set for Saturday, June 13, and Sunday, June 14. That weekend, residents and nonresidents can fish without a license, though all other fishing regulations still apply.

Summer Free Fishing Weekend graphicMichigan has celebrated the Summer Free Fishing Weekend annually since 1986 as a way to highlight the state’s vast water resources and high-quality fisheries. With more than 3,000 miles of Great Lakes shoreline, 11,000 inland lakes and tens of thousands of miles of rivers and streams, fishing and Michigan go hand in hand. Read more

Fishing

ABC: Proposed Legislation Could Prevent Millions of Bird Deaths

Painted Bunting, one of the bird species of national conservation concern that fall victim to collisions with buildings. Photo by Steve Byland/Shutterstock.

Washington – American Bird Conservancy (ABC), one of the nation’s leading bird conservation organizations, applauds U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05) and Rep. Morgan Griffith (VA-09) for introducing the Federal Bird-Safe Buildings Act (HR 2280).

The bill is designed to prevent the deaths of millions of birds by calling for each public building constructed, acquired, or significantly altered by the General Services Administration (GSA) to incorporate, to the maximum extent possible, bird-safe building materials and design features. Many buildings constructed by GSA are already, in fact, bird-friendly. The legislation would require GSA to take similar actions on existing buildings, where practicable. Read more

Wildlife

New Midland MXT100 Micromobile™ GMRS 2-way Radio

It’s compact. It’s powerful. It’s compatible. And, there’s nothing else like it. Midland Radio Corporation is proud to announce the arrival of its new MXT100 MICROMOBILE™ GMRS 2-Way Radio, an uber small mobile radio offering a bevy of great features – at an extremely reasonable price. Simply put, it is the new must-have for RVing, road trips, ATV/UTV activities and on and around the farm or ranch.

While small in size, the new MXT100 MICROMOBILE GMRS 2-Way Radio is big on innovation, making the radio highly functional, and built to perform for those who work and play outdoors. Offering a full 5-watts of transmitting power, the MXT100 MICROMOBILE GMRS 2-Way Radio includes an external magnetic mount antenna for extended range and reach, making it a great base for camping, hiking, caravaning, ATVing and other activities. Plus, the radio works with all other Midland and most other GMRS 2-way radios so everyone can keep in touch and communicate on the road, especially when cell service may not be reliable. Read more

General

New MINOX DTC 400 SLIM Wildlife Camera Sets New Standards for Concealment

The new MINOX DTC 400 SLIM Wildlife Camera lives up to its name, being so flat it sets new standards for increased concealment and inconspicuous monitoring.

The SLIM’s extremely flat body is only about one inch thick and is slightly curved so it fits every tree trunk neatly and snugly. Combined with its camouflage housing, the result is the unobtrusive presence you want and need in an effective trail camera.

Equally important, the MINOX DTC 400 features a MINOCTAR lens, ensuring a nearly distortion-free recording with every movement in sharp, high-contrast detail. The SLIM provides outstanding image quality with brilliance and natural color rendering, and videos are recorded in HD resolution for 10 to 60 seconds. Even in bad lighting or twilight, a powerful IR-flash with a range of up to 49 feet provides reliable images. Read more

Hunting, Wildlife

Muzzy Alcatraz Fishing Point

CARTERSVILLE, Ga. (May 14, 2015) — Muzzy, the leader in bowfishing equipment, has announced the introduction of the new Alcatraz 3-barb fishing point. Designed for maximum hold in retrieving soft-flesh fish, the new Alcatraz is smaller and lighter than most traditional barbed fishing points, offering better penetration and arrow flight.

The new Alcatraz 3-barb fishing point is comprised entirely of stainless steel, and with its three barbs, it offers great holding power. In flight and during penetration, each barb extends just 9/32-inch beyond the ferrule, but each expands for 2 1/2 inches of holding power during retrieval. With a quarter-twist of the needle-sharp tip, the 0.050-inch-thick barbs reverse for easy removal without the need to fully loosen or remove the tip. This new point from Muzzy offers maximum holding power and an extremely quick release to get you back to shooting faster. Read more

Archery, Fishing

PETA Lawsuit Imperils Rhino Populations

DALLAS – Animal-rights group PETA is suing the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to stop a management hunt that scientists say would benefit endangered rhino populations both biologically and financially.

Against a torrent of death threats, DSC auctioned the hunt in 2014 on behalf of the Namibia Ministry of Environment and Tourism. The auction generated a record $350,000. All proceeds were earmarked for rhino conservation in the African nation, and held in escrow pending U.S. approval of an import permit that would allow the hunter to bring home the taxidermy from his hunt. That permit was recently approved after U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service scientists confirmed the benefits to rhino populations.

Basically, the hunt would be used to remove an older, non-breeding, aggressive black rhino bull known to decrease productivity and increase mortality of its herd, while the $350,000 would fund law enforcement efforts to thwart indiscriminate rhino killing by poachers.

PETA’s lawsuit could postpone the hunt as well as the funding for rhino protection.

“Next time you hear about poachers slaughtering rhinos in Namibia, thank PETA,” said Ben Carter, executive director of DSC. Read more

Animal Rights, Hunting, Wildlife

Help on the Way for Elk Habitat, Research in Washington

MISSOULA, Mont.—From prescribed burning and noxious weed treatments to forest restoration, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation awarded grants that will fund 15 conservation projects benefitting 8,760 acres of vital elk habitat in Washington.

The grants total $212,692 and directly impact 8,760 acres across Asotin, Chelan, Columbia, Cowlitz, Garfield, Kittitas, Klickitat, Okanogan, Pend Oreille, Skamania, Stevens and Yakima Counties.

“These projects will help improve elk habitat in areas where encroaching weeds and forest overgrowth have a detrimental effect on wildlife,” said David Allen, RMEF president and CEO. “We are also providing funds for research regarding forage availability for elk and other wildlife near Mount St. Helens.” Read more

Wildlife

Nightforce Optics Goes 1-2 at USASOC International Sniper Competition

Photos Courtesy of Chris Schloesser

At the recently held U.S. Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) International Sniper Competition, several teams competed with the new Nightforce 5-25x and 4-16x F1 riflescopes. The first place team from USASOC utilized the new MIL-SPEC 5-25×56 F1, while the second place team from 10th Special Forces Group had MIL-SPEC 4-16×42 F1s on their rifles. Other teams also utilized a mix of new and legacy MIL-SPEC products to compete with at the grueling event. Read more

Optics
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