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The 2010 Archery World Cup Stage 3 event in Ogden, Utah, which will commence on Tuesday with the official practice, is highlighted with a resounding 34 countries registered. The Archery World Cup, being held in the United States for the first time, is slated for competition starting on Wednesday, August 4 through Saturday, August 7. The world’s best target archers have come to the Beehive state for the third of four World Cup qualifying stages in hopes of earning a spot in the World Cup Final in Edinburg, Great Britain, in September.

Highlighting the list of countries is the United States, who leads the World Cup Nations Ranking with 443 points and 14 medals after the first two stages earlier this year. The next closest is Russia with 234 points, while the People’s Republic of China anchors third with 191 points.

The Ogden Archery World Cup prides itself in making all competition sessions free to the public to attend. The official practice and preliminary rounds will be held at Weber State University practice fields, Tuesday to Friday, located at 3848 Harrison Blvd., Ogden, Utah 84408.

The medal matches and championship finals will be held at picturesque Lindquist Field on Saturday, August 7 starting at 4 p.m. All attendees will receive a complimentary hot dog and soft drink. This exciting format puts the finalists in a head-to-head competition format where each arrow will be followed on a big screen allowing fans to follow every point earned. The closing ceremonies will feature a new archery technology and fireworks.

Other activities on Saturday for the family include the Family Fun Zone, Team USA autograph booth, and other sponsor booths. Lindquist field is located at 2330 Lincoln Ave., Ogden, Utah 84401.

MEDIA NOTE: All media members are invited to any and all competition sessions. The media must check-in for credentials onsite by contacting Ogden Organizing Committee Media Director Anthony Bartkowski or Ogden Convention and Visitors Bureau Media Representative Aimee Edwards.

About Archery World Cup… For the first time in history, the United States will host an Archery World Cup stage. Utah will welcome elite archers from over 35 countries. The pivotal third stage will be contested at Weber State University with the finals held at the picturesque Lindquist Field in Ogden, the same competition venues as the 2009 World Archery Youth Championships. Ogden will also host the Archery World Cup in 2011 and 2012.

The Archery World Cup, which started in 2006, has been a popular event for athletes, sponsors, media and fans. The FITA-sanctioned event allows organizers to select unique competition venues, which included hosting the finals by shooting over a canal at the 2009 Archery World Cup in Denmark, and competing from a floating platform at the 2006 final in Dubai. The Archery World Cup has grown into one of the annual premiere events for the international federation that attracts approximately 300 athletes from 30 countries at each of the various qualifying stages.

Contacts: Brent Rudolph 517-641-4903 or Mary Dettloff 517-335-3014

The Natural Resources Commission will consider proposed changes to crossbow regulations at its Aug. 12 meeting in Escanaba.

The NRC is studying proposals that would expand the regulations that were in effect in Zone 3 (southern Michigan) last year that allowed all hunters, 12 years of age or older, to use crossbows during archery deer seasons.

Elsewhere in the state, crossbow regulations were more restrictive than in Zone 3 last year. One proposal for 2010 would expand that regulation to the entire Lower Peninsula, while another would expand it statewide.

In addition, the NRC is likely to address proposals for minor changes to the regulations, including:

-lowering the minimum age from 12 to 10 years of age,
-allowing the use of modified bows where crossbows are legal,
-issuing temporary crossbow permits to hunters who have temporary disabilities, and
-eliminating the maximum speed of bolts that are shot from crossbows.

Hunters using crossbows would still be required to obtain a free crossbow stamp.

Results of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment’s mail survey conducted after the 2009 hunting season indicated that participation in archery deer hunting increased after crossbow regulations were liberalized.

BEAVERTON, Ore. – Leupold’s Tactical Optics Division has upgraded its Mark 4® Extended Range/Tactical (ER/T®), Long Range/Tactical (LR/T®) and Mid Range/Tactical (MR/T®) riflescopes to give American warfighters and snipers an even greater edge on the modern battlefield. The upgrades also offer numerous optical advantages for hunters, competition shooters and other civilian shooting enthusiasts.

Primary upgrades include Leupold’s Xtended Twilight Lens System™, as well as options such as M5 0.1 mil windage and elevation adjustment dials, Horus reticles, front focal plane reticles and third-generation illuminated reticles. Selected options can be retrofitted for existing Mark 4 riflescopes, depending on model.

“These upgrades further enhance our field-proven line of Mark 4 riflescopes,” said Kevin Trepa, Leupold’s vice president of tactical sales and marketing. “Our mission to serve the unique needs of American warfighters and demanding civilian shooters continues as we develop precision optics to help them take maximum advantage of the reach and power of their rifles.”

New ER/T, LR/T and MR/T models feature the Xtended Twilight Lens System – Leupold’s best lens coating technology for low-light conditions. The system utilizes Leupold’s index matched glass with lens coatings designed to optimize the transmission of low-light wavelengths. As a result, shooters receive a crisper, brighter sight picture in dim light than ever before.

Following are key features of the available options:

* M5 windage and elevation adjustment dials have audible, tactile 1/10 (0.1) milliradian clicks to match range-estimating, mil-based reticle options. This allows fast and easy correction in the field, resulting in greater shooting precision.

* Horus reticles are mil-based and employ an advanced two-dimensional grid system that helps enhance both accuracy and ease of use. The fine grid marks do not obscure targets and thus allow rapid engagement, while the intuitive design can dramatically reduce training time. Horus reticle options include the H26, H27, H36, H37 and H58.

* Front focal plane reticles allow the operator to use the scope on any magnification while retaining the exact spacing of range-estimating reticle features (the reticle magnifies with the image). Consequently, the operator can accurately estimate range and calculate holdovers at all power settings.

* Leupold’s third-generation illuminated riflescope reticles advance the technology with an array of features designed to provide a user-friendly, intuitive system for fast target acquisition in tactical low-light situations. Third-generation illumination offers a 15 percent brighter reticle, eight different intensity settings (two compatible with night-vision equipment) and redesigned control dials to enhance ease of use.

While no single Mark 4 riflescope can be fitted with all the upgrade options, numerous variations exist and most models are capable of accepting multiple upgrades. To determine specific options available for particular scopes, contact Leupold Tactical Optics at 1-800-LEUPOLD.

Ready for deployment, Mark 4 ER/T, LR/T and MR/T riflescopes are waterproof, fog proof and shock proof. A 30mm maintube provides exceptional strength and allows for a wide range of windage and elevation adjustment. Exhaustive testing in the factory and field ensures durability. Flip-open lens covers are standard issue. Each scope comes in a matte black finish and is covered by the company’s Tactical Optics Warranty.

Leupold has offered precision optics for tactical applications since the 1985 introduction of Ultra riflescopes, which were designed to excel under the most extreme battlefield conditions. Today, more long-range Leupold Tactical Optics are in service with the U.S. military than any other brand. For more information on Leupold Tactical Optics, go to www.leupold.com.

Leupold & Stevens, Inc., the preeminent American-owned and -operated optics company, employs more than 600 people in its state-of-the-art facility near Beaverton, Ore., where rugged, dependable, high-performance Golden Ring® and Mark 4 optics are designed, machined and assembled. Leupold is a fifth-generation, family-owned company whose products are sold worldwide to military warfighters, law enforcement personnel, hunters, competitive shooters and wildlife observers. The product line includes rifle, handgun and spotting scopes; binoculars; rangefinders; flashlights; mounting systems; and optical tools and accessories.
Contact:
Patrick Mundy, (503) 526-1467 or pmundy@leupold.com

Jeff Patterson, (402) 437-6410 or jeffp@swansonrussell.com

ANN ARBOR, Michigan

A sensitive area of important waterfowl habitat has been impacted by the Enbridge Lakehead oil spill. On July 26, 2010 a leak occurred in an Enbridge pipeline that released what the Environmental Protection Agency estimates to be more than 1 million gallons of crude oil into Talmadge Creek, a tributary of the Kalamazoo River. Ducks Unlimited, the world leader in wetlands and waterfowl conservation, is communicating with state and federal agencies working on the clean up. DU continues to monitor the progression and potential consequences of the spill.

Ducks Unlimited is urging those who encounter oiled wildlife or waterfowl resulting from the Enbridge spill to follow the recommendations of the EPA, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment, who have asked that people call the spill hotline at 800-306-6837. It is important that impacted wildlife be handled by trained experts. It is unhealthy to handle oiled wildlife without proper training and equipment and unlawful to handle oiled migratory birds without specific authority from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The same number can be used to obtain updates on the spill or to find out about opportunities to volunteer.

The Kalamazoo River lies within the Ducks Unlimited Great Lakes and Atlantic Regional Office’s Southeast Lake Michigan Watershed Priority Area. DU’s conservation program within this priority area incorporates scientific data and computer modeling to predict where mallards will settle on the landscape in the spring to nest. Southwestern Michigan, and the entire Southeast Lake Michigan watershed provide key habitat for Michigan-nesting mallards which have experienced a reduction in numbers over the previous years. DU has many active habitat restoration projects close to the spill area and will evaluate the effect of this spill on continuing efforts to restore emergent wetlands and establish native warm season grasses. As the spill is contained and the assessment phase begins, Ducks Unlimited will work to support state and federal agencies to reduce the impact of this event.

“We appreciate the great work being conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Michigan Department of Natural Resource and the Environment, and the Environmental Protection Agency, as well as Enbridge employees and contractors,” said Ken Babcock, director of Ducks Unlimited’s Great Lakes/Atlantic regional office. “This unfortunate accident is something no one likes to see, and is very difficult to contain and clean, so we are glad to see cooperation and acceleration of the clean up effort.”

DU will continue to work with federal and state agencies, and will monitor efforts as the clean up effort continues.

Ducks Unlimited is the world’s largest non-profit organization dedicated to conserving North America’s continually disappearing waterfowl habitats. Established in 1937, Ducks Unlimited has conserved more than 12 million acres thanks to contributions from more than a million supporters across the continent. Guided by science and dedicated to program efficiency, DU works toward the vision of wetlands sufficient to fill the skies with waterfowl today, tomorrow, and forever.

GW: Reference my post a few days ago, “The Excitement…

Facing a budget crisis, why would anyone burn money?

That’s a question worth asking the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, which recently destroyed 8,300 firearms allegedly confiscated from criminals; guns that could and should have been sold to licensed firearms dealers, or utilized by the agency as a means of raising money or saving it. Click on the title line for the rest of the piece.

BELLEVUE, WA – The Second Amendment Foundation and a Baltimore County, Maryland man have sued Maryland authorities in federal court because the man’s handgun permit renewal was turned down on the grounds that he could not demonstrate “a reasonable precaution against apprehended danger.”

The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland.

Joining SAF in the lawsuit is Raymond Woollard, who was originally issued a carry permit after a man broke into his home during a family gathering in 2002. Woollard’s permit was renewed in 2005, after the man was released from prison. That man now lives about three miles from Woollard. Defendants in the case are Terrence B. Sheridan is the Secretary and Superintendent of the Maryland State Police, and three members of the Maryland Handgun Permit Review Board, Denis Gallagher, Seymour Goldstein and Charles M. Thomas, Jr.

SAF and Woollard are represented by attorneys Alan Gura of Virginia and Cary J. Hansel of Joseph, Greenwald & Laake of Greenbelt, MD.

The lawsuit alleges that “Individuals cannot be required to demonstrate that carrying a handgun is necessary as a reasonable precaution against apprehended danger’ as a prerequisite for exercising their Second Amendment rights.” Plaintiffs are seeking a permanent injunction against enforcement of the Maryland provision that requires permit applicants to “demonstrate cause” for the issuance of a carry permit.

“Laws that empower bureaucrats to deny the exercise of a fundamental civil right because they cannot show good cause to exercise that right can’t possibly stand up under constitutional scrutiny,” said SAF Executive Vice President Alan M. Gottlieb. “We are supporting Mr. Woollard in this action because constitutional rights trump bureaucratic whims.”

The Second Amendment Foundation (www.saf.org) is the nation’s oldest and largest tax-exempt education, research, publishing and legal action group focusing on the Constitutional right and heritage to privately own and possess firearms. Founded in 1974, The Foundation has grown to more than 650,000 members and supporters and conducts many programs designed to better inform the public about the consequences of gun control. SAF has previously funded successful firearms-related suits against the cities of Los Angeles; New Haven, CT; and San Francisco on behalf of American gun owners, a lawsuit against the cities suing gun makers and an amicus brief and fund for the Emerson case holding the Second Amendment as an individual right.

SOUTHPORT, CONNECTICUT–Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. (NYSE-RGR), announced today that for the second quarter of 2010, the Company reported net sales of $64.4 million and earnings per share of 43¢, compared with sales of $72.4 million and earnings per share of 46¢ in the second quarter of 2009.

For the six months ended July 3, 2010, net sales were $132.7 million and earnings were 86¢ per share. For the corresponding period in 2009, net sales were $135.9 million and earnings were 76¢ per share.

The Company also announced today that its Board of Directors declared a dividend of 10.0¢ per share for the second quarter, for shareholders of record as of August 13, 2010, payable on August 27, 2010. The amount of the dividend was based on a percentage of Operating Profit after adjustment for certain items, the same approach used by the Company since 2009. Under this approach, the amount of the quarterly dividend fluctuates directly with certain operating results of the Company.

Chief Executive Officer Michael O. Fifer made the following comments related to the Company’s results of 2010:

* New product introductions remain a strong driver of demand and represented $42 million, or 32% of sales, in the first six months of 2010.

* The estimated sell-through of the Company’s products from distributors to retailers in the first half of 2010 increased 1% from the first half of 2009, despite a reduction in National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) background checks of 2% during this period.

* Cash generated from operations during the first half of 2010 was $17.8 million. At the end of the second quarter of 2010, our cash and equivalents totaled $58.7 million. Our current ratio is 4.0 to 1 and we have no debt.

* During the first half of 2010, capital expenditures totaled $12.6 million, much of it related to tooling and equipment for new products. We expect to invest approximately $18 to $20 million for capital expenditures during 2010.

* At the end of the second quarter of 2010, stockholders’ equity was $109 million, which equates to a book value of $5.68 per share, of which $3.05 per share was cash and equivalents.

* For the third consecutive year, a Ruger handgun has been named the Shooting Industry Academy of Excellence “Handgun of the Year”. The Ruger SR9c is the compact version of the SR9 striker-fired pistol, one of the slimmest and most ergonomic 9mm pistols on the market today.

The Company filed its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the second quarter of 2010. The financial statements included in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q are attached to this press release.

The Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q is available on the SEC website at www.sec.gov and the Ruger website at www.ruger.com/corporate/. Investors are urged to read the complete Form 10-Q to ensure that they have adequate information to make informed investment judgments.

About Sturm, Ruger
Sturm, Ruger was founded in 1949 and is one of the nation’s leading manufacturers of high-quality firearms for the commercial sporting market. Sturm, Ruger is headquartered in Southport, CT, with manufacturing facilities located in Newport, NH and Prescott, AZ.

Saint Paul, Minnesota – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced today that the new Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) general sign-up will run Monday, August 2nd through Friday, August 27th. Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever Farm Bill Biologists are prepared to work with landowners through the entire sign-up period.

The new general CRP signup will be the first since 2006, and landowner demand is expected to be strong, especially considering the USDA has updated soil rental rates since that last general signup. “CRP continues to be a good option for producers to ensure income on the tough-to-farm and lowest producing acres,” said Dave Nomsen, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever’s Vice President of Government Affairs, “This general signup’s 4 million-plus acre nationwide allotment is likely to fill up quickly, so it’s critical that landowners get into their local USDA service centers immediately to examine CRP options on their land.” Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever have more than 60 Farm Bill Biologists working at USDA service centers to provide one-on-one assistance to farmers and ranchers during the 2010 general sign-up.

The new CRP general sign-up arrives in time to address the 4.4 million acres of CRP expiring on September 30, 2010. It is also representative of USDA’s ongoing action to maximize the wildlife habitat and environmental benefits created via the program’s 25-year history. This February at Pheasants Forever’s National Pheasant Fest, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced his pledge to keep CRP fully enrolled at the federally mandated (via the 2008 Farm Bill) maximum level of 32 million acres. With an additional 14.2 million acres of CRP slated to expire between 2011 and 2013, the new general sign-up is the critical first step, said Nomsen.

Today’s announcement also resonates with pheasant hunters, as CRP acres provide the top nationwide habitat component in producing pheasants. Just three years removed from record-setting pheasant harvests (Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota); hunters have been disappointed in the 6.5 million acres that left the Conservation Reserve Program without a general signup. America’s quail populations continue their rapid decline because of habitat losses. “This new general signup is critical to prevent us from losing more acres and for preventing continued population decline of the birds many of us love to pursue each autumn,” Nomsen added.

Nomsen also points out how understated CRP is to the rural environment and the rural economy. “For 25 years, CRP has been the nation’s single most important and successful conservation program, protecting water quality and soils, and creating habitat for a diverse mix of wildlife,” he said, “It’s a program critically important to the economy of rural America and our nation’s outdoor traditions. CRP in the next 25 years will continue all of these benefits, while also producing the habitat critical to pollinators and the $19 billion dollars honey bee pollination means to America’s agricultural economy.”

Since its formation in 1985, Pheasants Forever has been one of the nation’s strongest supporters of CRP. A voluntary program for agricultural landowners, CRP provides annual rental payments and cost-share assistance for the establishment of long-term, resource conserving covers on eligible farmland. The millions of acres of CRP lands in the United States protect topsoil erosion, improve water and air quality and is a major contributor to increasing wildlife populations – including pheasants and quail – in many parts of the country.

Pheasants Forever is dedicated to the conservation of pheasants, quail and other wildlife through habitat improvements, public awareness, education and land management policies and programs.
Contact:
Anthony Hauck (651) 209-4972 or AHauck@pheasantsforever.org

By Glen Wunderlich
Outdoor Columnist
Member Professional Outdoor Media Association

Last week’s column covered the first session with my new Horton Vision crossbow, which was little more than an introduction to some basics. When the chronograph indicated arrow speed at 290 feet-per-second (fps), I was somewhat surprised how much slower it was than the advertised speed of “up to” 325 fps. However, since its kinetic energy was still ample for whitetail hunting, this week’s focus is on accuracy and other considerations.

For an added measure of enjoyment, my friend and hunting partner, Joe Reynolds, brought along his new Parker Hurricane crossbow. The Hurricane model is about a year old, so Joe was able to get a good deal on it at the Deer Spectacular in Lansing this past spring. However, it uses the same mechanism as Parker’s newest model; only the stock has been changed. The salesman told Joe that it was rated at 350 fps – the fastest legal speed permitted by law in Michigan – and that Parker didn’t exaggerate its claims. It was time to find out.

The first arrow was clocked at 352 fps and so was the second! (Understand that even though Joe’s arrows exceeded the speed limit, they would still be considered legal, because advertised speed of the manufacturer is how legal is defined in Michigan.) Penetration was beyond good; the arrow almost went completely through the bag target.

We set the bag at 20 yards and I shot one arrow, which was a little off the mark. But, when sighting in, there is no concern about being on target right away; the object is to shoot tight groups. Without a scope adjustment, I released my second arrow, which promptly struck the first arrow and drilled a hole clean through one of the vanes. We quickly wised up and placed several targets on the bag and never fired more than one arrow at each target.

Joe’s laser-like shots at 20 yards could not be seen and were close enough to center that we then moved the target to 30 yards. I made some scope adjustments after two initial shots and finished the 30-yard target experiment by placing the next two shots in the middle of two separate 1-inch squares! However, I was already holding over some two inches to get on center, making me question the calibration of the various horizontal lines on the Mult-A-Range scope. Joe then smoked a few more shots close enough to center that we moved the target to 40 yards.

My groups were still only a couple of inches but well below the center of the target, when using the second horizontal line on the scope for the 40-yard shots. The calibration of the reticle may be on the mark, however, from an elevated stand. Joe’s Parker was thumping the bag impressively but the wind was becoming a factor and we called off the session.

I resumed shooting the next morning and found that group sizes never exceeded a few inches out to 45 yards! When one considers the kill zone of a deer, which is approximately nine inches, the Horton Vision is well within acceptable standards – even for an accuracy freak like me. But another factor – one of noise relative to downrange arrow speed – began to creep into my mind. Even though the Horton Vision is probably the quietest crossbow on the market, it still makes enough noise to spook game before the arrow arrives at the longer ranges. At least that’s my theory. With that in mind, it may be a moot point, if an archer can hit a target beyond 50 yards with the Horton, if a deer will “jump the string.”

So, if you are looking for a narrower and lighter crossbow for field use, the Horton Vision may be for you. It’s obviously accurate enough. But, if you’d like to stretch the limit of the law, and be able to make longer shots, the Parker is as good as it gets in the velocity department.

Understand, however, that I wouldn’t attempt these longer shots without designing a stand with a solid rest similar to one used with a firearm. Otherwise, accuracy is not going to be any better than anything else. But, being able to use a rest is a decided advantage over vertical bows, not to mention that the crossbow remains cocked and ready to rock without all the extraneous movement associated with vertical bows. And, as demonstrated, it doesn’t take long to get dialed in.

The NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action wrapped up its lobbying efforts at the first session of the UN committee drafting an “arms trade treaty.” The “Preparatory Committee for the UN Arms Trade Treaty Conference” (called the “Prep Com”) has been meeting in New York from July 12 to today, July 23. The meeting is one in a series to prepare for a major conference to finalize an arms trade treaty in 2012.

NRA-ILA was one of few pro-gun groups at the meeting. Anti-gun groups had a strong presence led by the International Action Network on Small Arms.

The Chairman of the meeting, Ambassador Roberto Garcia Moritan, released a 14-point outline of a possible arms trade treaty. Several other supporting position papers were also published. The inclusion of civilian firearms remains one of the controversial aspects of the proposed treaty. Countries such as Mexico and the Netherlands want civilian firearms included in the treaty. Other countries, such as New Zealand, want those types of arms excluded from the treaty. In a move that disappointed anti-gun groups, Moritan’s treaty outline includes a category for “Exclusions,” and the supporting position paper lists an exclusion covering civilian firearms. Still, we must remain vigilant on this and series of other threatening issues.

The Prep Com will meet again in New York the week of February 28, 2011. It will meet a second time in July 2011. There are also an extensive series of workshops scheduled for 2011 to “support” the Arms Trade Treaty.

Below, you may view video coverage of these meetings by NRA News correspondent Ginny Simone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FulGZGJnmhs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8Hbddd7LL4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQ-RqSWsKP0

We will report on further developments as they occur.