Outdoor commentary and legislative issues.
The trial of Mark Morse, the top executive of The Villages (as seen on TV) who is accused of poaching game in Montana, has stalled while judges determine whether charges should be dismissed. Charges date back to 2006 and are quite extensive. More here…
Hat tip to www.Outdoorpressroom.com
This from the people at Brownells:
Since this is our final WebBench for the year, we wanted to take a little time to review just how the year has gone… and what we expect to see happen in the upcoming year, 2012.
Well, we would have to say 2011 was the year for home defense and personal protection firearms with their related accessories and equipment.
With the of expansion of concealed carry through all the states – except for Illinois, which we understand is working on the issue [and New Jersey which will have to be sued into submission] – this interest in self-protection has fueled much of the firearms sales, training, and accessorizing. When you layer over that the really tough economic times that have been thrust upon us, you get a tsunami of new and re-engaged firearm owners in America. Read more
Snowy owls are being sighted as far south as Chicago, and Kansas City this winter, apparently in search of food. They have also been seen at the Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport. More on the rather rare occurrence here…
A 43-year-old Phoenix man was killed, while helping retrieve a friend’s missing dog.
According to Phoenix police Mathew Giannattasio apparently had found the dog and was trying to get control of the dog when he fell out of his pickup truck and got pinned underneath.
A Massachusetts state trooper shot a 66-year-old woman who was walking her dogs when he mistook her pets for a deer.
The trooper indicated that he had mistaken her dogs’ tails for those of deer. It’s sure time for a hunter’s safety refresher and an eye exam. More here…
Authorities say a Indiana man, who shot and killed a 17-year-old boy playing paintball games, says he mistaked the teen for a coyote in a wooded area on his property.
WTHR-TV reports (http://bit.ly/uPuSb1 ) prosecutors will decide whether 41-year-old Jason Bagley will face charges in the shooting. More here…
By Glen Wunderlich
With deer season finished, hunters still have many opportunities to continue activities afield in the pursuit of one of Michigan’s under-utilized natural resources: small game. If the pounds are piling up, maybe it’s time to consider a meal of wild rabbit or squirrel.
If you are at all like most deer hunters, Read more
Birders can help to determine species around Kensington Metropark this winter during the 36th annual New Year’s Bird Count slated for Jan. 7.
The winter count focuses on non-migratory birds. More here…
The District of Columbia has been ordered to pay more than $1 million in attorneys’ fees as a result of the historic gun case of Heller vs D.C.
Dick Heller sued the city in 2003 over its ban on handguns and the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the ban in June 2008, saying it violated the Second Amendment.
A federal judge on Thursday issued an opinion awarding Heller’s attorneys $1,137,072.27 in fees and expenses. More here…
“Gray wolves are thriving in the Great Lakes region, and their successful recovery is a testament to the hard work of the Service and our state and local partners,” said Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe. “We are confident state and tribal wildlife managers in Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin will effectively manage healthy wolf populations now that federal protection is no longer needed.”