ThinkingAfield.org

Salt Lake City – If the Archery Trade Association could be classified as barnstormers delivering both funding and a strong message to promote its Community Archery Program (CAP), then Michigan must be a fast-moving army as its leaders and foot soldiers boost archery participation statewide.

“We really have great momentum right now with a few standout states moving forward and making archery readily available to youths,” said Michelle Doerr, the ATA’s director of archery and bowhunting programs. “Michigan is among the states leading the way. They continue to make great investments in recruiting archers and bowhunters.”

Proof of this investment is the program’s progress: Since 2006, a Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) staff-person has been assigned fulltime to coordinating archery in the state, 10 more archery-focused, regional staff members are in the pipeline, and the $3.5 million Demmer Shooting Sports, Education and Training Center is set to open in September. The Michigan DNR partnered with Michigan State University in 2006 to develop the center, with a large contribution from the Demmer family. Archery became a viable part of the facility through contributions from the ATA and Easton Sports Development Foundation.

In 2008, the ATA provided the first $100,000 installment toward its $500,000 pledge to support the center and its outdoor Humphries Archery Park. Recently, the ATA contributed another $100,000 installment for 2009. The shooting center will serve as the hub of Michigan’s CAP, as well as the focal point for archery/bowhunting recruitment and retention efforts by the state’s wildlife agency. It includes a 30-meter, 12-lane indoor archery range and a 15-meter, 16-lane indoor firearms range, which can also be used for archery, and Michigan’s first outdoor archery park.

But an archery facility needs archers and bowhunters as much as archers and bowhunters need a shooting facility, which is why the ATA recently contributed $30,000 to Michigan’s state wildlife agency to help fund the 10 part-time, regional archery coordinator positions. Before this investment, the ATA invested $250,000 to fund the archery position filled in 2006, bringing total staff funding to $280,000.

The regional coordinators are now being hired to assist the agency’s Mary Emmons, who was hired in 2006 to promote archery and bowhunting statewide.

“As archery programs grew, we couldn’t keep up with demand,” said Emmons, the state’s full-time chief archery coordinator. “The regional coordinators allow us to put more instructors in the field, whether it’s for NASP, 4-H, Scouts or whatever. We’ve had a waiting list for archery classes. Now we can start filling those needs.”

In the 30-plus months since the MDNR designated a full-time position to archery, Michigan schools participating in National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) have grown from 40 to 320, promoting the need for more staff to accommodate this growth.

“The deeper we grow archery across the state, the more important it becomes to provide staff support,” said Rebecca Humphries, MDNR director. “Mary is a dedicated, enthusiastic leader, but she can only train so many people herself to teach archery. These regional coordinators aren’t full-time positions, but they’ll help Mary carry out her work.”

To date, the ATA has contributed $595,000 to Michigan’s CAP. This doesn’t include future commitments, which will bring total contributions to more than $1 million. Nationally, the ATA has provided funding totaling about $900,000 – including grants provided through CAP – to initiate NASP in the United States, Canada and Australia since 2004. It has also contributed nearly $960,000 in CAP grants, equipment and direct aid to state wildlife agencies to grow archery and expand bowhunting opportunities.

For more information about the ATA’s efforts to grow archery and bowhunting, please contact Michelle Doerr at michelledoerr@archerytrade.org or call (320) 562-2680.

About CAP: The ATA created the Community Archery Program (CAP) in 2005 as a multi-pronged effort to grow archery and bowhunting participation by working with city, county and state agencies while also enlisting help from archery shops, clubs and organizations. As such, CAP promotes NASP as an introduction to archery in schools, and the After School Archery Program (ASAP) as a vital component of community recreation programs. CAP also includes shooting facilities for year-round practice and competitions. The ATA supports CAP efforts by providing expertise, equipment and targets as well as cost-sharing for staff and facilities. Leaders in local CAP initiatives are state wildlife agencies that work with communities to develop and manage archery parks, school and after-school programs.

About the ATA: Since 1953 ATA has been the trade association for manufacturers, retailers, distributors, sales representatives and others working in the archery and bowhunting industry. ATA is dedicated to making the industry profitable by decreasing business overhead, and reducing taxes and government regulation while increasing participation in archery and bowhunting. ATA owns and manages the ATA Trade Show, the archery and bowhunting industry’s largest and longest running trade show worldwide.

The U.S Senate recently voted on an amendment that would have allowed Right-to-Carry permit holders to carry in all other states that also grant carry permits. The amendment, sponsored by Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and David Vitter (R-La.), won a significant majority of votes, 58 to 39, but failed to reach the 60 votes needed to avoid a Senate filibuster.

Anti-gun senators have long argued that the majority of Americans do not support firearm freedoms. They made this erroneous claim once again during the debate on the Thune/Vitter amendment. Now, a new poll has proven them wrong.

Conducted by Zogby International and The O’Leary Report, the poll looked at Americans’ opinions on some key issues related to the Second Amendment. One of the questions asked: “Currently, 39 states have laws that allow residents to carry firearms to protect themselves, only if they pass a background check and pay a fee to cover administrative costs. Most of those states also require applicants to have firearms safety training. Do you support or oppose this law?”

BELLEVUE, WA – The Second Amendment Foundation today filed a lawsuit on behalf of three residents of the District of Columbia and a New Hampshire resident, seeking to compel the city to issue carry permits to law-abiding citizens.

The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court on behalf of Tom Palmer, George Lyon and Amy McVey, all District residents, and Edward Raymond, a New Hampshire resident. SAF and the individual plaintiffs are being represented by attorney Alan Gura, who successfully argued the landmark District of Columbia v. Heller case in 2008 that overturned the District’s handgun ban on the grounds that it was unconstitutional under the Second Amendment.

“Once again,” said SAF founder and Executive Vice President Alan Gottlieb, “we’re heading back to court because the anti-gun city administration refuses to abide by the law. It is beginning to appear like residents of the District are up against a rogue city government that simply does not want to ease its stranglehold on the most important civil right of all, the right of self-preservation.”

“In most major American cities,” said attorney Gura, “where the right to bear arms is respected, licensed permit holders have proven themselves safe and effective. Washington, D.C. already requires handgun registrants to complete the background checks and training classes required of carry permit holders throughout the country. It is pointless to deny these individuals the right to bear arms.”

SAF previously sued the District over its restrictive handgun registration policies, leading the city to amend those policies. This time, SAF is alleging that the District previously had a city code under which the police chief could issue licenses to carry handguns to individuals, including citizens not residing in the District, though the city did not issue such licenses as a matter of policy for several years. That authority was revoked last December by the Mayor and City Council.

Plaintiffs are seeking a permanent injunction agai nst the continued ban on carrying handguns by law-abiding citizens for personal protection.

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.

By Glen Wunderlich
Outdoor Columnist
Member Professional Outdoor Media Association

A challenge to individual First Amendment protections under the U.S. Constitution is headed for a showdown in the U.S. Supreme Court this fall in U.S. v Robert J. Stevens. Mr. Stevens of Virginia was convicted of criminal charges for producing and selling films about dogs. Stevens’ conviction was overturned as a result of a Third Circuit Court of Appeals decision that said the law relied upon to convict Stevens was unconstitutional. Stevens may still go to prison and your right to watch hunting and fishing shows on television, or to read about them in printed media may end, as well, if the government succeeds in its quest to skewer him.

Whether the case has been suppressed or ignored by the media is ironic in that the guarantees of the First Amendment form the basis of free speech no matter how much we, as Americans, may disagree with how the messages are being conveyed.

Of particular concern to those in the hunting and fishing industry is the fact Stevens’ prosecution rested on his film “Catch Dogs”, which showed how dogs are trained to help catch prey (wild boar, etc.).

There is no allegation that Stevens engaged in dog fighting or any acts of animal cruelty. Nor is it even alleged that the images depicted in his films were illegal when taken. Furthermore, he did not take the images himself, but edited together films taken by others — films that were recorded in Japan, where the conduct is perfectly legal, and from historic films from the 60s and 70s in rural America.

No doubt, the latter two films contain extensive images of dog fighting. But Stevens is not a dog fighter – he opposes dog fighting – but loves the qualities in Pit Bulls that make them fighters. The outcome of the verdict could be devastating to all journalists and specifically to the traditional outdoor sports of hunting, fishing and trapping.

The Third Circuit struck down a federal law banning “depictions of animal cruelty.” 18 USC 48. The statute does not ban acts of animal cruelty themselves (and so this case is not about such actions). It bans images of animals being hurt, wounded or killed if the depicted conduct is illegal under federal law or illegal under the state law either (i) where the creation of the depiction occurs, or (ii) where the depiction is sold or possessed.

That means that a picture taken of the killing of an animal during a hunt (perfectly lawful where it occurred) could be a federal felony crime if that picture is sold or possessed somewhere in the United States where hunting (or the particular type of hunting, i.e., crossbow) is prohibited.

As the court of appeals explained, the law now makes it a federal felony to buy a picture of deer hunting in Shiawassee County or an image shot by a journalist of a hunter or angler taking a shot at a legal game animal or catching a fish — if that action is unlawful anywhere in the U.S.

Of little consequence, the law creates an exception if a jury finds that the images have “serious” value. The government defined “serious” as “significant and of great import.” The result accordingly is that all depictions of animal killings that might be unlawful somewhere in the U.S. are now presumptively federal felonies, with the only hope of protection being that a jury in San Francisco (or wherever an eager prosecutor wants to go) agrees that the images are “significant and of great import” – whatever those weasel words mean.

The government and Humane Society, which is pushing this issue with all its might, are trying to portray this as a case about dog fighting, because of the emotional appeal it stirs in many. Hogwash! It’s about the First Amendment!

When it comes to legal hunting, I am a realist, knowing full well that wildlife must be managed; we have made it so with our ever-encroaching and irreversible lifestyles into their territories.

As long as hunting is legal, I will be a strong proponent of any activity that can manage game in a manner that is actually more humane than that of Mother Nature’s own cruel reality. Depicting it should not be a crime and that’s why I have signed on to an Amicus Curiae brief, along with fellow journalists, in opposition to our current government’s will.

The very fact that this matter has progressed to this stage is further evidence that our country continues on its path away from the virtuous nature of our Founding Fathers’ wisdom. If the government wins this one, free speech will cost plenty.

NEWTOWN, Conn., July 31 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — During a time period of great economic uncertainty, firearm and ammunition sales have continued to increase throughout the country.

According to the most recent Firearms and Ammunition Excise Tax Collection Report, released earlier today by the Department of the Treasury, firearm and ammunition manufacturers paid more than $109.8 million in the first calendar quarter of 2009; up 43% over the same time period reported in 2008.

This dramatic increase follows a 31.3 percent increase in excise taxes from the previous quarter (4Q, 2008) and eight straight months of increased FBI background checks – another strong indicator of firearm sales.

A third reliable source, the National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA), reported that in 2008, “Hunting and Firearms” equipment was the only category to grow double digits and only one of seven categories that exhibited growth. NSGA’s forecast for 2009 shows “Hunting and Firearms” as one of only two categories to exhibit growth.

Manufacturers of firearms and ammunition pay a federal excise tax — a major source of wildlife conservation funding — on all firearms and ammunition manufactured (11% on long guns and ammunition and 10% on handguns).

This latest excise tax report, which covers the time period of January 1, 2009 through March 31, 2009, shows that $33.0 million was collected in taxes for pistols and revolvers, $38.9 million for long guns and $37.8 million for ammunition. Compared to the same quarter in 2008, collections were up 65.5% for handguns, 42.9% for ammunition and 28.3% for long guns.

Translation to sales:
Using the latest collections as an indicator of sales, a projection of $1.03 billion was generated in the first quarter (calendar year) of 2009. Please keep in mind that although excise taxes are one of the best indicators of industry performance, they only report what the manufacturers paid in taxes and do NOT reflect retail mark-up and final retail sales.

Pistols and revolvers: $33,043,554.83 / .10 = $330,435,548.30 = $330.4 million for handguns

Long guns: $38,979,972.16 / .11 = $354,363,383.27 = $354.3 million for long guns

Ammunition: $37,846,038.52 / .11 = $344,054,895.64 = $344.0 million for ammunition

Total estimation for the quarter: $1.028 billion

SOURCE National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF)

Michigan’s Newest Hunting Opportunity Launched at Pure Michigan Hunt
Kick-Off

LANSING – A new hunting opportunity in Michigan today was launched with the
opening of the Pure Michigan Hunt application period. Dunham’s Sports in
Madison Heights sold the first Pure Michigan Hunt applications to Lt.
Governor John D. Cherry, Jr. and Department of Natural Resources (DNR)
Director Rebecca Humphries at a special kick-off event. Application sales
for this new, multi-species hunt are now available to the public.

The Pure Michigan Hunt will allow three lucky individuals to hunt for elk,
bear, spring and fall wild turkey, and antlerless deer. The successful
applicants will also have first pick of hunting sites at managed waterfowl
areas during the reserved hunt period. Hunters can purchase as many
applications for the Pure Michigan Hunt drawing as they wish. Applications
are $4 and will be sold at license retailers through December 31, 2009.
Three applicants will be chosen in January 2010 for eligibility to
participate in the 2010 hunting seasons.

“This is an outstanding way to continue Michigan’s hunting and conservation
heritage,” said Cherry, an avid hunter and angler. “I encourage hunters to
apply for the Pure Michigan Hunt to experience an unparalleled hunting
opportunity.”

The drawing is designed to increase opportunity for hunters to participate
in some of Michigan’s most-prized hunts, making it a hunt of a lifetime for
Michigan hunters, Humphries said.

“The Pure Michigan Hunt will allow individuals an additional opportunity to
participate in our most in-demand, limited-access hunting opportunities
through one application,” Humphries said. “We think this is an outstanding
opportunity to get the full flavor of Michigan hunting.”

“Michigan is the first state east of the Mississippi to create a
multi-species hunt,” said DNR Wildlife Chief Russ Mason. “This is a popular
type of hunting opportunity in western states, and we felt it was worthwhile
to offer here in Michigan where we have some of the best hunting in the
Midwest.”

The first Pure Michigan Hunt will be in 2010. Hunters may apply for this
hunt beginning July 27 through December 31, 2009. The Pure Michigan Hunt is
designed to be an annual event. Applications will cost $4, but unlike other
limited-access hunts, individuals can apply as many times as they wish.

Being selected to participate in the Pure Michigan Hunt will not impact
eligibility to apply for any other limited-access hunts. It will not negate
any preference points for bear nor weighted chances for elk. Similarly,
hunters who are disqualified from applying for future regular elk hunts
because of past success will be eligible for the Pure Michigan Hunt. In
addition, the applicants who are chosen for the hunt are not excluded from
future limited-access elk drawings.

Successful applicants can participate in any open season until they fill
their tags and can hunt in any unit or hunt period that is open for hunting
that species (except for bear on Drummond Island).

In addition, the DNR has a commitment from the archery industry to donate
equipment to each of the three chosen hunters.

Applications will be available at all license vendors or online at
www.michigan.gov/dnr .

The Department of Natural Resources today announced that hunters who
are successful in the upcoming drawing for antlerless deer hunting
licenses will no longer be notified by postcard.

“Drawing notification postcards are being eliminated as a cost-saving
measure,” said DNR Wildlife Division Chief Russ Mason. “This will
save more than $40,000 per year in postage and printing costs and allow
staff time to be reallocated to other projects.”

During this transition period, applicants for fall’s turkey hunting
licenses and managed waterfowl area reserved hunts will still receive
postcards because the change in notification was not announced prior to
the closure of the application period. However, applicants for all
limited-access hunting opportunities beginning in 2010 will not.

Applicants for antlerless deer licenses and other limited-access
hunting opportunities may check to see if they were selected for a hunt
at www.michigan.gov/dnrdrawings.

By Glen Wunderlich
Outdoor Columnist
Member Professional Outdoor Media Association

Last week’s column covered the .17 HMR caliber and how the wrong scope can cause accuracy troubles. It must be understood that pushing a firearm and cartridge to their accuracy potential at various ranges involves a riflescope with an adjustable parallax objective lens. This week, the results of my testing a BSA Sweet 17 riflescope and Savage rifle are unveiled.

Before beginning, it’s important to note how Bullet Drop Compensating (BDC) scopes function. Given a certain bullet configuration, bullet weight, and specific velocity (among other variables such as sight height, temperature, humidity, sea level, etc.), a bullet’s trajectory can be closely calculated. And, since trajectory is the name of the long-range game, it’s vital to know these statistics, before fixing blame on one aspect of the equation. Blaming a firearm, a scope, or a bullet/load combination for results that do not measure up to expectations is only valid with facts at hand.

Enter the chronograph, which is an instrument that measures and records brief, precisely spaced intervals of time. When a bullet passes over the two measuring points of the chronograph, a digital readout of velocity is displayed. Then, plugging in the bullet’s weight and ballistic coefficient (readily available from bullet manufacturers), a shooter can determine how flat the load shoots.

With that information, a maximum point blank range (MPBR) can be set based on the size of the target. To determine MPBR, the first thing to know is the size of the intended target. For example, if a target measures three inches, the bullet must not go beyond 1.5 inches high or below 1.5 inches low within the maximum range. With ballistic software, the shooter plugs various zero ranges (the point at which the bullet strikes dead center downrange) without allowing the bullet to travel above 1.5 inches above the line of sight or center of the target. When the maximum height of bullet trajectory is 1.5 inches, you have found the zero range. The MPBR is found by checking the trajectory chart or curve to find where the bullet strikes 1.5 inches low. Once the MPBR is established, all the shooter has to do is aim at the center of the target, and as long as it is within the maximum range, the bullet will strike the 3-inch target. It sounds complicated – and, it is – but with an inexpensive chronograph (as low as $80) and ballistic software (less than $20), anyone can look like a genius.

The BSA Sweet 17 scope came with instructions and a ballistic chart. The scope is specifically calibrated to be used in conjunction with only 17-grain Hornady V-Max bullets, which are advertised to travel at 2550 fps. My chronograph verified the velocity of a Winchester load to be zipping along at 2580 fps. Incidentally, a 20-grain Hornady XTP load was right on the 2550 fps mark, but was set aside for the initial test. Once the scope was zeroed at 100 yards, the elevation turret could be turned to the desired range (up to 300 yards) and the bullet was supposed to hit the bull’s eye, assuming wind and other human factors were in order.

I set a target at 135-verified yards and fired three shots. All were 2.5 inches high. I switched to the 20-grain Winchester loads with the same results. Since there is no way to alter velocity with rimfire loads, as can be done with centerfire rounds, there was no reason to continue; the experiment was concluded.

For $65 I have a low-end scope with an adjustable parallax objective lens in 3 to 12 power. The bullet drop compensator is useless, unless I choose to alter the yardage settings with marks of my own – and, that remains a possibility.

However, based on my chronograph results and the inherent accuracy of the rig, it can still boast a MPBR of 165 yards with a tiny 1.5-inch target. And, that’s what makes this little speedster the rimfire king.

From the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance

Senator John Cornyn (R- TX) has blocked President Obama’s choice for a powerful regulatory position in the White House because of the nominee’s support for animal rights. He’s done his part, now sportsmen need to do theirs. Your support is needed to make sure the block, known technically as a “hold,” stays in place.

Cass Sunstein, the president’s pick to head the powerful Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), has been an advocate for the animal rights movement and is an anti-hunter. As a part of the federal budget office, OIRA has extensive authority to block rules, including those that protect hunting and conservation.

Sunstein claims that, “we might ban hunting altogether, at least if it’s sole purpose is human recreation.” He also supports allowing lawsuits on behalf of animals, a right currently only extended to human beings.

That is why it is crucial that the block remains in place.

Take Action! Sportsmen nationwide should contact their U.S. senators and ask them to support Sen. Cornyn’s hold on Sunstein. Let them know that you are deeply concerned by Sunstein’s radical statements about hunting and animal rights. Ask your Senator to join Senator Cornyn by blocking this appointment.

To find your senators’ information, please visit the Legislative Action Center at www.ussportsmen.org/lac.

For more information regarding the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alert Network, call 614-888-4868, or email Greg R. Lawson, director of communications at glawson@ussportsmen.org or Sharon Hayden, assistant director of communications at shayden@ussportsmen.org.

U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance
801 Kingsmill Parkway
Columbus, Ohio 43229
614-888-4868
www.ussportsmen.org
info@ussportsmen.org

By Glen Wunderlich
Outdoor Columnist
Member Professional Outdoor Media Association

After experimenting with my Marlin semi-automatic .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire (WMR) rifle and myriad ammunition variations, it was time to give it up. It never performed to expectations, failing miserably at the target bench and afield – even after having the factory install a new barrel. At Meal and More in Morrice, I traded it for a Savage model 93R17 in .17 HMR (Hornady Magnum Rimfire).

The diminutive .17 caliber cartridge is actually a .22 WMR case necked down to accommodate 17 and 20-grain bullets, which are propelled at advertised velocities of 2550 fps and 2375 fps respectively, making it the undisputed leader in rimfire velocity.

The .17 HMR evolved from a joint project between Hornady, Marlin, and Ruger, was introduced in 2002, and has become a huge success. From everything I have read, the .17 HMR enjoys a distinct advantage over the .22 magnum in the accuracy department regardless of bullet weight, configuration, or rifle manufacturer. It was time to find out for myself.

I opted for the heavier 20-grain ammo, choosing Hornady’s XTP offering, which is a controlled-expansion design. Other choices include full-metal jacket and explosive varmint bullets.

The Savage rifle came with an inexpensive Simmons 3 x 9 power scope and I figured I’d at least try it. I set targets at 50 yards and began punching paper. To my ultimate surprise, the little bolt gun never shot more than ½-inch groups with some in tiny clover-leaf clusters!

I realized I was on to something well beyond expectations, but as usual, my desire for improvement led me to check for parallax in the optics. On any scope without an adjustable objective lens (AO), parallax will be present to some degree at any range for which the scope is not set. Most rifle scopes are set to be parallax free at 100 yards, although some manufacturers such as Leupold are set beyond that. Rimfire scopes are typically set at 50 to 75 yards.

What does this mean? Parallax is defined as the apparent change in the position of an object (target) resulting in the change in the position from which it is viewed. Parallax is most noticeable at close range and can be checked easily. Just place your scoped firearm on a solid rest focused on a target. Then, move your head up and down, or side to side without touching the scope. If the target appears to move, you have parallax.

Parallax is problematic. If your eye is not positioned in exactly the same location before each shot, group size will suffer. Whether you are aware of it or not, parallax can account for poor shooting all by itself. With fixed parallax scopes, it’s like pedaling a bicycle with only one gear. Sometimes it will be just right; the rest of the time it won’t.

The obvious answer is to change to an adjustable objective scope, which permits focusing at any given range. Although the Savage has a fine adjustable Accu-Trigger, it’s not as costly as the Ruger model, and therefore, spending big bucks on a scope seemed inappropriate. I found a BSA Sweet 17 scope with AO in 3 x 12 power for a scant $65 on sale at MidwayUSA.com right now and couldn’t resist. The BSA scope seems like a fantastic deal with its screw-on scope caps, adjustable parallax, power range, and best of all, range compensation out to a whopping 300 yards!

The scope is made to work with 17 grain bullets traveling at 2550 fps, but I found that the little Savage was spitting out the 20-grain XTPs at that velocity and the 17 grainers a bit faster. It will be interesting to find out how the scope performs, once installed – especially at the longer ranges.

Next week we’ll review the results.