Outdoor commentary and legislative issues.
NORSK Lithium’s Thermal Core Heating Technology™makes cold weather charging & fishing easy
New Hope, Minn. – In the Upper Midwest, temperatures have been above average this winter, leading to sketchy ice conditions, and difficulty getting to areas that typically hold communities of permanent fish houses and full-size trucks by now. Read more
“In the realm of shadows, every sense is heightened, every movement calculated. The night does not hinder the hunter but sharpens the edge of their resolve.”
This week we bring you an incredible project completed by Joint Force Enterprises in Jacksonville, FL. Joint Force specializes in Water Transfer Printing decoration of rifle stocks and other firearms. This project features a fully customized rifle stock and gun case dipped in TWN’s WTP-990 Badlands Black Water Transfer Printing film. Badlands Gear has taken its proprietary micro/macro digital pattern and given it a tactical facelift. The pattern features a dark gray color pallet that makes it perfect for tactical and lifestyle applications.
Badlands Black looks great on bows, rifle stocks, tumblers, and much more.
Check out all of their patterns here: Read more
Contact: Addison Motta AMotta@WildlifeForever.org
White Bear Lake, MN – Wildlife Forever, in partnership with the USDA Forest Service, is proud to announce the winners of the 3rd annual Art of Conservation Songbird Art Contest®. The contest brings awareness to the importance of songbirds and their critical conservation needs. A panel of judges from across the conservation industry selected state and national winners from over 2400 entries.
This year’s contest featured the Northern Cardinal, the Painted Bunting, the Chestnut-collared Longspur, the Red-winged Blackbird, and the Yellow-throated Warbler. After students select and research their species, they create both an artistic rendition and a piece of creative writing. Read more
WASHINGTON, D.C. — NSSF®, The Firearm Industry Trade Association, hails the introduction of the Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), which would ban the use of a firearm retailer-specific Merchant Category Code (MCC). The legislation would protect the Second Amendment privacy of firearm and ammunition purchasers from financial service and payment card providers compiling purchase history that has already proven to be exploited by the federal government for political purposes.
The U.S. Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) admitted to U.S. Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) in a letter that it violated the Fourth Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens that protect against illegal search and seizure when it collected the credit card purchase history from banks and credit card companies of individuals who purchased firearms and ammunition in the days surrounding Jan. 6, 2020. Treasury’s FinCEN had no cause, and sought the information without a warrant, to place these law-abiding citizens on a government watchlist only because they exercised their Second Amendment rights to lawfully purchase firearms and ammunition. Read more
FORESTVILLE, WI – Those who would nix your right to fish in an instant are active and organized – recreational anglers need to be equally vigilant.
Nearly half of Australia’s fishable waters are now off limits. Some European countries ban catch and release, claiming it hurts the fish. Think it can’t happen here. Think again…
The good news is that American angler interests are backed by the American Sportfishing Association (ASA), the nation’s largest trade association for the recreational sportfishing industry. The bad news is that they can’t completely protect your rights alone…and that’s where you come in.
Recently, ASA VP of Government Affairs Mike Leonard spoke at the annual NPAA conference in Fort Myers, Florida on the topic of advocacy, what ASA is doing on your behalf, and what you can do as an individual to protect your fishing interests. Read more
Jury Finds NRA, Wayne LaPierre, Woody Phillips, and John Frazer Violated New York Law
Wayne LaPierre and Senior Executive Ordered to Pay $6.35 Million for Causing Damages to the NRA
NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced that the jury in her case against the National Rifle Association (NRA) and three current and former senior leaders has found the defendants liable for violating the law. The jury found that Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre and former Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Wilson “Woody” Phillips were liable for financial misconduct and corruption in managing the organization. The jury concluded that LaPierre abused his position for his personal benefit and steered lucrative contracts to friends and relatives, including spending millions of organization dollars on lavish travel, private planes, expensive clothing, and more. LaPierre was found to have caused the NRA $5.4 million in damages and must pay $4.35 million. The jury also determined that Attorney General James has shown cause for removal of LaPierre from the NRA based upon his violations.
The jury also found that the NRA failed to properly administer charitable funds and violated state laws that protect whistleblowers. Phillips and the current General Counsel and Corporate Secretary John Frazer were found liable for failing to uphold their duties as nonprofit executives. Phillips was ordered to pay $2 million in damages. Frazer and the NRA were also found liable for making false statements on the NRA’s regulatory filings. Read more
Unmatched Precision, Unrivaled Performance
Fort Worth, Texas – Rapid Air Worx, proudly announces the debut launch of its first pistol, the R.A.W. TM 1000 Field Target Pistol. Crafted with quality and reliability in mind, this pistol is poised to revolutionize competitive field target shooting, setting a new standard for accuracy, power, and performance in a U.S. made air pistol.
The R.A.W. TM 1000 epitomizes accuracy, ensuring shooters hit their target with consistent precision. Its proven regulator guarantees minimal shot-to-shot deviation. establishing it as a formidable contender in the world of field target shooting. Moreover, equipped with a user-friendly sidelever cocking system, the TM 1000 is easy to shoot allowing shooters to focus on aim and shot placement. Available with a 210cc or 480cc air cylinder, the TM 1000 is capable of shooting for extended periods between refills. The TM 1000 features an ergonomic grip and M-LOK® compatible chassis to mount additional shooting aids.
The TM 1000 features a fully adjustable precision trigger crisp and customizable trigger pull, providing full control over each shot. Read more
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is asking the public for any information as to the cause of a suspicious fire at Geode State Park on Sunday, Feb. 18.
According to Park Ranger Andrew Kuckler, a visitor alerted staff that a tree in the park was burning. While the fire was extinguished, the tree was severely damaged and its survival is uncertain. The cause of the fire is unknown.
The tree has been certified as the largest sycamore in Iowa. While the exact age is unknown, the sycamore is estimated to be around 350 years old, based on circumference and other measurements. Read more
Gun Owners of America (GOA) is excited to announce their inaugural Gun Owners Advocacy and Leadership Summit (GOALS), which will be held in mid-August in Knoxville, Tennessee.
This two-day weekend event is expected to draw tens of thousands of attendees and will feature speeches from leaders in the gun rights movement, educational panels, meet and greet sessions, and musical performances from major artists. Additionally, the convention’s festivities will kick off on Friday August 16th with an exclusive industry expo for manufacturers, retailers, and other firearms businesses.
GOA is also excited to share that all attendees will be able to lawfully carry while in attendance. Read more
NSSF®, The Firearm Industry Trade Association, applauded the decision by U.S. District Judge Andrew Schopler granting an injunction prohibiting the enforcement of California’s law that exposes firearm industry members to lawsuits in California for the lawful commerce in firearms that takes place entirely outside the state of California when those legally made and sold products end up being misused by criminals and others in California.
The ruling by Judge Schopler in the U.S. District Court of the Southern District of California enjoined the enforcement of California AB 1594, the so-called “Firearm Industry Responsibility Act.” NSSF sued to challenge the law in June of 2023 and moved for an injunction. In granting the injunction, Judge Schopler found the law is likely unconstitutional because it violates the Commerce Clause.
“We are thankful the court enjoined the state from suing members of the firearm industry under this unconstitutional law that attempts to use the real threat of liability on commerce beyond California’s borders and impose its policy choices on its Sister states,” stated NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel Lawrence G. Keane.
Among other provisions, California AB 1594 bans the manufacture, sale and marketing of firearms the state deems “abnormally dangerous.” It allows civil lawsuits against a firearm industry member to be filed by the Attorney General, any municipality and any person who claims to have suffered harm from the misuse of a legal, lawfully sold firearm by a remote third party. The law unconstitutionally invades the sovereignty of sister States by directly regulating lawful commerce occurring entirely outside the state of California in violation of the Commerce Clause and the United States’ system of federalism. The law also violates the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA) enacted by Congress in 2005 to stop just these sorts of frivolous lawsuits against members of the industry.
Keane added, “We are reviewing the balance of the court’s decision and whether we will file an amended complaint to provide the court more details on how California’s unconstitutional law and its threat of crushing liability is causing real and ongoing harm to members of our industry.”
NSSF also claims in its lawsuit that the law also infringes on the Second Amendment and chills First Amendment rights by restricting protected free-speech advertising of Constitutionally-protected products that are lawfully made and sold – even when that advertising takes place outside of California’s borders. Read more