Colorado’s Experience Soundly Refutes Common Anti-gun Talking Point

Last month, while addressing a group of Colorado sheriffs, Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper spoke on the topic of the state’s 2013 measure outlawing almost all private transfers of firearms. According to the Denver Post, Hickenlooper told the sheriffs, “I think we screwed that up completely… we were forming legislation without basic facts.”  A new Associated Press report examining Colorado background check data in the first year of the new law proves the accuracy of Hickenlooper’s statement, and should (although likely won’t) end the repetition of an already discredited anti-gun background check factoid.

The report states that the Colorado Legislative Council, an offshoot of the state legislature that is tasked with analyzing legislation, estimated that 420,000 additional background checks would be conducted in the two years following the new private sale restrictions. This led the Colorado legislature to allocate $3 million to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation to handle the anticipated increase.

However, the AP notes, “officials have performed only about 13,600 reviews considered a result of the new law — about 7 percent of the estimated first year total.” The article goes on to state, “In total, there were about 311,000 background checks done during the first year of the expansion in Colorado, meaning the 13,600 checks between private sellers made up about 4 percent of the state total.” Read more

Firearms, Gun Control

Bureau of State Canvassers Certifies Citizens for Professional Wildlife Management Petitions

Citizen Initiative Garnered Almost 300,000 Signatures from Registered Michigan Voters

LANSING—The Michigan Board of State Canvassers has certified the Citizens for Professional Wildlife Management (CPWM) petitions for a citizen initiative to allow the Natural Resources Commission to make science-based decisions on fish and wildlife conservation issues, including naming game species and issuing fisheries orders.

The Secretary of State Bureau of Elections staff report estimated that the pro-hunting group turned in at least 297,051 valid signatures of registered Michigan voters in support of the Scientific Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, which also creates a $1 million rapid response fund to protect fisheries from invasive species like Asian carp, and allows active military members to hunt and fish for free.

“We’re excited that so many registered Michigan voters directly petitioned their elected representatives under the Michigan Constitution to protect their outdoor heritage by making sure we make fish and wildlife conservation decisions with sound science,” said Matt Evans, legislative affairs manager for Michigan United Conservation Clubs. “Almost 300,000 registered voters have asked their legislators to pass this law, and I sincerely hope they listen to their constituents.”

The citizen initiative is now before the Legislature, which will have 40 days to pass the initiative. Both chambers are expected to meet on August 13, which would be within the 40-day timeframe.

The citizen initiative would render moot two referendums pushed by out-of-state anti-hunting and animal rights organizations that are trying to ban wolf hunting, despite biologists’ recommendations, by stripping the ability of the Natural Resources Commission to name game species using biologists’ recommendations.  Read more

Ammunition, Animal Rights, Firearms, Gun Control, Hunting, Wildlife

Task Force Formed to Counter Cyber Threats to Hunters

(Columbus, Ohio) – Sportsmen, conservation organizations and outdoor personalities met at the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance (USSA) headquarters yesterday to develop strategies to counter the recent increase in cyber-attacks on hunters.

The group makes up the Hunter Advancement Task Force with most members sharing a common theme of having been targeted by animal rights activists through social media.

“This is a great opportunity to start developing ways to hold those responsible for the recent wave of cyber-attacks against sportsmen accountable,” said Nick Pinizzotto, USSA president and CEO. “The task force is not only working to stop direct attacks on hunters but also discussing how best to educate the public on the vital role sportsmen play in the conservation of all wildlife.”

Attendees included outdoor television personalities Melissa Bachman and Jana Waller, Colorado hunter Charisa Argys along with her father Mark Jimerson,  Doug Saunders of the National Wild Turkey Federation, Bill Dunn of the National Shooting Sports Foundation, John Jackson of Conservation Force, Dennis Foster of the Masters of Foxhounds Association, Tony Schoonan of the Boone and Crockett Club and Mark Holyoak of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Other attendees included USSA President and CEO, Nick Pinizzotto, Evan Heusinkveld, USSA vice president of government affairs, Bill Horn, USSA director of federal affairs, Michelle Scheuermann of Bullet Proof Communications and author Michael Sabbeth.

Bachman, a television producer and host, found her life and career threatened after posting a photo of an African lion she harvested to her Facebook page last year. Almost immediately, Bachman came under attack from anti-hunters around the world. Bachman also found herself the target of death threats that “hit way too close for comfort” when anti-hunters showed up at her office.

“Regardless of your beliefs about hunting, Americans can all agree that threatening someone’s life is simply unacceptable.” said Bachman. Read more

Animal Rights, Hunting, Wildlife

Hunter’s Specialties Scent-A-Way MAX Scent Control Kits Help Hunters Remain Odor Free

The new Scent-A-Way® MAX Scent Control Kits from Hunter’s Specialties® contain everything a hunter needs to help control human scent on both their body and clothing for a more successful hunt.

Scent-A-Way MAX features activated odor scrubbers that aggressively attract and attack bacterial odors generated by humans, neutralizing a wide range of environmental odors for quicker, stronger, longer MAXimum protection. Scent-A-Way MAX Scent Control Kits contain Scent-A-Way bar soap and anti-perspirant, a 12 oz. bottle of Scent-A-Way liquid laundry detergent, 15-count pack of Scent-A-Way dryer sheets and 44 oz. of the new Scent-A-Way MAX spray.

Scent-A-Way MAX Scent Control Kits are available at an MSRP of $34.99 in both Odorless and Fresh Earth Scent. Consumers who purchase Scent-A-Way MAX Scent Control Kits are eligible to receive a $5.00 mail-in rebate now through 1/31/15. For details, log onto the Hunter’s Specialties website at www.hunterspec.com. Read more

Hunting

DNR expands Hunting Access Program to eastern Upper Peninsula

 Partnership with private landowners will benefit sharp-tailed grouse hunters


In an effort to increase public access to sharp-tailed grouse hunting opportunities, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources has expanded the state’s Hunting Access Program to the eastern Upper Peninsula and is seeking private landowners to join the partnership program.
The Hunting Access Program (HAP) was created by the DNR in 1977 to encourage private landowners to allow public hunting access on their land under specific terms in exchange for a financial incentive. Until this year, HAP was primarily focused on southern Michigan, where public hunting lands are limited. “We chose to expand HAP to the eastern Upper Peninsula to help hunters gain access to productive sharp-tailed grouse hunting lands, which are mostly found on private land,” said wildlife biologist David Jentoft.
Sharp-tailed grouse hunting has been allowed in portions of eastern Chippewa and Mackinac counties since 2010 and is the only area of the state with an open sharp-tailed grouse season.
“Sharp-tailed grouse numbers in the eastern U.P. have benefited from the presence of critical grassland habitat, but since most of that habitat is privately owned, hunters — especially those from the Lower Peninsula or out-of-state who don’t have local connections — can have a hard time gaining access,” Jentoft said. “Expanding HAP will provide greater opportunities for hunters, while also offering an incentive to eligible landowners who choose to participate.”
HAP-enrolled lands in the eastern U.P. will be open from Oct. 10-31 for sharp-tailed grouse hunting only, or from Sept. 15 to Nov. 10 for small game hunting (which includes sharp-tailed grouse). Participating landowners will select which timeframe they prefer to enroll in and the land will be designated accordingly in the HAP digest. Eastern U.P. HAP lands will not be open for hunting deer or other big game species.
The DNR is partnering with the Chippewa/Luce/Mackinac Conservation District to implement HAP in the eastern U.P. Landowners who own 40 acres or more in the sharp-tailed grouse hunting zone are eligible to apply for the program; applications are currently being accepted.
For more information or if interested in applying, contact the Chippewa/Luce/Mackinac Conservation District at 906-635-1278, or the Sault Ste. Marie DNR Field Office at 906-635-6161, extension 56171.
Full details on the HAP program, including the HAP digest and maps of currently enrolled lands, are available at www.michigan.gov/hap. To learn more about sharp-tailed grouse hunting in Michigan, visit www.michigan.gov/hunting.

Hunting, Wildlife

The Best In Waterproof Meets Mossy Oak Camouflage

WILMINGTON, NC – DryCASE, the manufacturer of waterproof electronic cases, just introduced the Brunswick waterproof backpack in Mossy Oak® Shadow Grass Blades™ camouflage.

The Brunswick is perfect for toting all your hunting essentials and offers complete concealment in the field, blind or boat. It’s 100-percent waterproof and highly functional thanks to the unique two-way air valve on the bottom. Simply roll down the top closure and secure it shut, then you can open the valve and squeeze out any captured air, or trap air inside so the pack will float. The two-way valve even doubles as a draining tool if you want to fill it with ice and use the backpack as a portable cooler. Read more

General, Hunting, Wildlife

DNR’s Academy of Natural Resources gives teachers valuable “been there, done that” experience

Given a choice, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources would enroll every student in the state into a class on natural resources. Since that’s not exactly practical, DNR educators have come up with a more feasible alternative: educate the educators.

 

The DNR’s Academy of Natural Resources, now in its seventh year, enrolls teachers into a week-long crash course on natural resources. The idea is to provide the teachers with a broad overview of natural resources that they can use in their classrooms.

 

“We have 50 to 60 teachers enrolled in the academy each summer, and that translates into potentially reaching thousands of students,” said Kevin Frailey, who leads the DNR’s education efforts. “We do a lot of short-term education programs with teachers on a regular basis, but research shows that the more times we make contact with these teachers, the more information they’ll retain.Academy participant poses with lake trout netted on Higgins Lake.

 

“The academy is a unique chance to totally immerse teachers in natural resources for a week and really maximize our efforts and their learning opportunities.”

 

Teachers say it’s a strategy that works. Cindy Fitzwilliams-Heck, a professor at Ferris State University who first attended the academy as a student, returned to the academy this summer to obtain focus group feedback from the teachers attending the program. Read more

Fishing, Hunting, Wildlife
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