NSSF Commends Texas Governor for Supporting 2A Rights, Protecting Privacy Rights of Gun Owners

 

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. — NSSF®, The Firearm Industry Trade Association, praised Texas Gov. Greg Abbott after he signed into law legislation to safeguard the personal financial information of Texas gun owners and those making firearm industry-related purchases while using a credit card at gun retailers. Gov. Abbott enacted the financial privacy protections by signing into law HB 2837, the Second Amendment Financial Privacy Act.

The new law takes effect Sept. 1, 2023, and ensures that financial institutions and credit card companies are prohibited from using a Merchant Category Code (MCC) to track and share customers’ private financial information when they purchase firearms, ammunition and related equipment and accessories at firearm retail stores. The law also protects gun owners from political and financial retaliation for exercising their Second Amendment rights and safeguards against the possible creation of a “back-door” firearm ownership registry.

“Governor Greg Abbott has done it once again and fulfilled his duties to ensure Texans know their Second Amendment rights won’t fall victim to a radical ‘woke’ antigun agenda that seeks to weaponize the credit cards in gun owners’ wallets,” said Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel. “Americans exercising their right to legally purchase firearms, ammunition and other related accessories should never be concerned that their lawful and everyday purchases could be used against them by private financial service providers or government authorities simply for exercising their Second Amendment rights. The firearm retailer MCC was suspiciously created to do just that and to track names and financial data by including it in a government-accessible watchlist. Gov. Abbott put the Second Amendment barricades up for Texas gun owners by signing this critical legislation into law. Gun owners should worry about what’s in their wallet, not who’s in their wallet.” Read more

Gun Control

Hillsdale College to Host Junior Olympic Development Camp

Emily Stack Davis | 517-803-3745 | PR@hillsdale.edu

Hillsdale College to Host Junior Olympic Development Camp

HILLSDALE, Mich. — The Hillsdale College John Anthony Halter Shooting Sports Education Center will host the 2023 Junior Olympic Development Camp from June 19-24. The camp is open to shotgun competitors between the ages of 12 and 20. Campers will receive shotgun instruction, with an emphasis on mental game and competition readiness, from current and former USA Shooting Olympians and national team members. Professor of History David Raney will present a lecture on the Constitution. Read more

Firearms

Benelli Unleashes KAOS

June 2023, Accokeek, MD – Factory firearms, by their regular-production nature, follow established patterns based on their components. In other words, the gun placed in this box looks just like the gun put in that box and in the one before that. It is reminiscent of Henry Ford’s quip about the Model T — “Any customer can have a car painted any color that he wants so long as it is black.”

In defiance of the conventional assembly line protocols, Benelli is taking Ford’s comment to the opposite extreme—you can only have ONE finish on your Lupo rifle because no two are alike!

Introducing the Lupo KAOS, the first high-performance bolt-action rifle from Benelli to offer a one-of-one finish treatment across the barreled action and stock.

The Lupo KAOS is a limited-edition rifle chambered for the popular 6.5 Creedmoor and is intended to disrupt the notions of what a production firearm should be. Each Lupo KAOS rifle presents its own, one-of-a-kind styling thanks to a carefully selected base coat/overcoat combination that is artfully hand-distressed at the factory to give it a unique appearance. The barreled action is treated to a Cerakote finish that adds two or more complimenting colors selected from a carefully chosen 15-color earth-tone palette. The result is a premium rifle that stands out as much for its uncommon appearance as its unmatched reliability and accuracy in the field. Read more

Firearms

Women’s Outdoor Media Association: Renewed Mission, Fresh Look

FAYETTEVILLE, GA – June 12, 2023 – The Women’s Outdoor Media Association (WOMA), known for encouraging women in the outdoor endeavors of shooting sports, archery, fishing, and hunting, proudly announces a new WOMA logo and branding to coincide with their renewed commitment to promoting their efforts via social and mass media.

“As The WOMA continues to grow and evolve, we felt it essential to maintain a cohesive brand identity that reflects our values and mission,” stated WOMA President Erica Chin. “Through the last decade, our dedicated group of women has enthusiastically promoted their shooting, hunting, and fishing pursuits.”

Today, The WOMA organization boasts a growing membership of women from across the U.S. passionate about advancing the outdoor activities they love and sharing their experiences through all available media outlets. “Handing down the legacy of an outdoor lifestyle to the next generation of women is our responsibility,” Chin said. “The revitalized design and color scheme of our new branding, logo, and website helps us focus our energy toward that vital task.”

According to Chin, WOMA Vice President Jessica Adanich, the owner of DesignPod Tactical, tackled the project. “Her creativity and expertise made the entire process easy. Jessica listened to our input and created a design that perfectly embodies our mission. We selected royal blue as our new brand color because we believe it’s strong, confident, and patriotic,” Chin stated. Read more

Fishing, Hunting

Redding Reloading Equipment Introduces New Die Set for the 41 Remington Special

Cortland, NY….. Redding Reloading Equipment introduces a new 3-Die Set for the 41 Special. A 40-caliber, straight-walled rebated rim cartridge based on a shortened 41 Remington Magnum case which can be used in numerous different handgun and rifle actions. Redding took the lead when this cartridge was gaining attention in 2017 by introducing a special Profile Crimp die for use with the 41 Magnum die set. The 41 Special is now seeing a re-energization with the shooting sports community. With the ability to fit in the longer chambers of the 41 Magnum revolvers, the new cartridge will help shooters enjoy a day at the range or in the field without the heavy recoil of true magnum rounds. The enhanced level of interest demanded a dedicated die set for users of this unique cartridge. This die set will provide the needed capability to produce high quality loadings for hunting and shooting range requirements. Through the last 77 years, Redding Reloading die and die set families exemplify American Made quality and precision as produced in our one facility in Upstate, New York.

Redding continues to add cartridges to it standard product lines as consumer demand and industry support grows. It is also important to note that Redding continues to produce truly “Custom” die sets as well. The Engineering Group at Redding requires only a chamber reamer drawing or 5 fired cases from the firearm in question to quote the production of dies for virtually any caliber and firearm. Prices are quoted on an individual basis depending upon the complexity of the chambering and any need for tooling. Read more

Ammunition

Utah: Good News/Bad News on Water Levels

After a winter of record-breaking snowfall, it’s no surprise that we’re seeing higher than normal flows at waters throughout the state. After years of ongoing drought, it’s great to see water levels rising at our reservoirs and lakes.

Utahns are used to seeing our snowpack vary from year to year. These variations lead to fluctuations in water levels in our reservoirs, lakes, rivers and streams, which in turn impact the quality of fishing. Here’s a summary of how we anticipate water levels — both high and low — impact fishing in Utah in the coming months and beyond.
This year’s high water may mean slower fishing in lakes and reservoirs

Reservoir and lake water levels are higher this year than in past years, and this increased volume provides fish with more water to occupy. And, it provides more habitat for prey foods that fish rely on, like zooplankton and insects.

As a result of the current conditions, our prediction is that at some waterbodies fishing may be slower this year than in past years. That is because higher water levels allow fish to disperse more, making them more difficult for anglers to locate. Also, lots of natural prey and an abundance of other food sources may mean that fish bellies will be more full this year, making fish less inclined to take bait and lures.  But high water now means great fishing in the future at our lakes and reservoirs.

There is a silver lining to this. The high water levels provide conditions that are prime for fish growth. This is because the high water levels provide more habitat for various fish prey items such as zooplankton and insects to grow. Also, the high flows bring in nutrients that help these prey items flourish.

This means that anglers should see larger fish, probably starting next year.

Also, conditions are great for high survival of fish populations. In addition to bumping up the availability of food sources, high water generally provides fish with more habitat. For example, higher water levels submerge brush that has grown along shorelines during drought years. For species like yellow perch, crappie, bluegill and bass, this submerged brush provides great spawning habitat and cover for newly hatched fish. Also, the sunken vegetation adds nutrients to the water as it decomposes, in turn increasing the production of zooplankton and invertebrates — favored food sources for many species of fish.

As a result of these conditions, we expect strong growth of many fish species in the years to come. Anglers may expect to see larger numbers of trout starting next year, and more yellow perch, crappie, bluegill and bass in two to four years. Also, the fish that anglers see should be a little larger than in recent years.

Randy Oplinger
DWR Sportfish Coordinator

Fishing

Congress: Save the Boaters, Save the Whales

Following the House Natural Resources subcommittee hearing about NOAA’s proposed vessel speed restrictions along the Atlantic Seaboard, Senators Joe Manchin and John Boozman introduced the bipartisan Protecting Whales, Human Safety and the Economy Act of 2023.

Manchin (D-W.V.) and Boozman (R-Ark.) are co-chairs of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus and members of the Congressional Boating Caucus.

The bill would prohibit NOAA from issuing a rule that modifies or replaces the existing North Atlantic right whale vessel-strike reduction regulation until technological solutions recently authorized by Congress can better track whales. NOAA has proposed changes that would broaden the boundaries and timing of seasonal restrictions that reduce speeds to 10 knots along much of the East Coast.

“I know firsthand how important our fishing culture is to who we are, whether that’s on our trout streams in West Virginia or coastal fishing along the Eastern Seaboard,” Manchin said in a statement. “I’m proud to introduce the bipartisan Protecting Whales, Human Safety and the Economy Act of 2023 to prevent yet another example of dangerous federal overreach that would place unnecessary burdens on our seasonal fishermen, boat manufacturers and the coastal economies that rely on them.” Read more

Fishing

Muskie Record Holder Talks ‘Power’ Fishing Tactics

28-year-old muskie guide, Nolan Sprengeler, installed NORSK Lithium for critical power requirements to hunt & boat big fish

MN State Record Muskie: How It All Went Down

Then 27-year-old Public Works employee, part-time guide, Nolan Sprengeler, made quite a name for himself back in 2021 when he landed a 57 ¾-inch by 29 inch, 55 pound, 14.8 ounce, muskie on Mille Lacs lake. Sprengeler’s fish bested the previous 54-pound Minnesota state muskie record (weight) caught on Lake Winnibigoshish in 1957.

“It was late November and it really looked like Mille Lacs was going to ice up which would mean our muskie season was done for the year. I backed up the boat at the ramp and the water was frozen in the harbor. We checked a few more resort accesses and they were all frozen. Honestly, I was ready to go home. But my buddy Kevin Kray really wanted to fish. So we went back to the first access, chopped out the ice in the harbor with a spud bar, backed the boat in, and off we went,” recalls Sprengeler.

“It was 17-degrees when we got out there, so all our rods were freezing up. We definitely had the silicone spray going. I was down to my last rod at 9 pm and felt that thump, set the hook, and we netted it. She was hooked super deep so we had all the release tools out, which was even more difficult in the cold water. We got the hooks out, laid her out on the bump board, and she measured 57 ¾ inches. We got her back into the net and stabilized in the water. Kevin thought she was 60 pounds,” notes Sprengeler.

“She had been hooked in the gills, so we couldn’t get her in good enough shape for release,” recalls Sprengeler. “By this time, we also realized she was a state record so we got off the lake with the fish in the livewell. I called my buddy Austin and he found a certified scale at a meat market in Milaca but when we got there at 1 a.m. it turned out it was a 30-pound deli scale. So we drove home, packed the livewell and fish with ice, parked the boat in the garage, and started calling around to all the tackle shops and grocery stores the next morning.” Read more

Fishing

Getting into the Weeds

By Glen Wunderlich

Charter Member Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA)

When my pal, Doug, offered to take me fishing in his motorboat, I figured it would be a welcome change in tactics from my tiny self-propelled jon boat.  It’s not that my diminutive one-person craft hasn’t put me on some good fish this spring, but there is a fair amount of time and labor involved to work one’s path anywhere – especially when wind and water current are opposed to one’s navigational course.  Ah, but that’s part of the challenging and rewarding aspect of being the captain, as we all experience during lives’ journeys.

Swivel seats, a 25-horsepower Mercury outboard plus a most ingenious Minnkota trolling motor that can hold a stable position by receiving signals from the sky.  That’s right!  No anchor required.  The 16-foot Lund craft has plenty of room for two and is stable enough to be able to stand, if desired.  Who wouldn’t trade a fishing workout for a relaxing day on the water?

We were loaded and off to the Looking Glass River’s public access at Babcock’s Landing a few miles west of Laingsburg.  The concrete loading ramp has no docking facilities, so I held a long rope tethered to the boat as it slipped gently into the river off the trailer.

The present lack of rain means low water and plenty of weeds that thrive with added light.  Typically, the river allows a tightly restricted avenue through the center, where weeds can be avoided.

However, one thing was clear and it wasn’t the water.  We started out using the trolling motor, but weeds wrapped themselves around the propeller’s shaft and made it useless.  The weeds were so prevalent there was simply no way to dodge them, so Doug prodded those 25 ponies to get us through.  And, we were through shortly enough, when Doug barked out, “We’re stuck!”  We didn’t hit bottom, but the low point in our adventure was upon us.

Weeds snarled themselves onto the gasoline motor’s propeller shaft but Doug had an ace up his sleeve:  a 3-foot paddle stashed aboard.  As he did his level best to maneuver the motor, my joy ride morphed into a workout unparalleled to that in my jon boat.  In fact, the exercise was one of total futility, as we went nowhere fast under my powerless paddling.

From the bow with one paddle to manipulate the boat in reverse was a tall order.  Back and forth across the bow, I shifted positions in an attempt to free us, but all I could manage was to work up a good sweat.

Doug continued to push the motor to cooperate and we finally broke free not far from our launch site.  We fished for a while in the only open water only a few hundred yards from the starting point.  Nothing.  With our tails between our legs, we headed back with a weed-compromised electric trolling motor.

Getting the boat onto the trailer would be a challenge we hadn’t anticipated.  Without a dock, the boat could not be tied off, so we drifted to shore, where Doug hopped off to retrieve the truck and trailer.  My job was to attempt to hold the boat in position with a long rope, while Doug backed up, but the current was in control and I soon realized the rope was too short; the boat needed to be farther from the shore in deeper water.

Captain Doug jumped to the rescue, as he hastily entered the waist-high water to push the boat forward onto the submerged trailer.

Now that he was soaked, we had only one more disturbing event remaining on our adventure.  When Doug finally began pulling the boat out, it had to be done with significant force, and in so doing, the trolling motor that was protruding from the bow bounced and poked through his taillight lens.  Insult and injury – we had it all.

Sure would have been a good place for my jon boat and some relaxation.

My Simple Boat

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Fishing, General ,

Michigan: Western UP Moose Population “Essential Unchanged” since 2019

Contact: Chad Stewart 517-284-4745

DNR moose survey results show population in western UP statistically unchanged since 2019

Some survey indicators mark dynamics to watch going forward

In survey results reported to the Michigan Natural Resources Commission in Roscommon today, the moose population estimate for the western Upper Peninsula was not statistically different from the last moose survey conducted in 2019.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has been surveying the western U.P.’s core moose population since 1997, typically every other winter. The 2023 survey marks the first survey completed since 2019 due to scheduling conflicts associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The 2023 moose survey estimate was 426* individuals, which is not statistically different from the 2019 estimate of 509 individuals,” said Tyler Petroelje, northern Michigan wildlife research specialist with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources in Marquette. “This continues the trend of plateauing abundance where population growth over the last 12 years is now less than 1%.”

Aerial moose surveys are conducted over core moose habitat areas during winter to identify and tally bulls, cows and calves. This past winter’s survey was conducted by the DNR during portions of January and February.

The western U.P. moose core range covers about 1,400 square miles in parts of Marquette, Baraga, and Iron counties. Moose were translocated there from Canada in two separate efforts in 1985 and 1987. Read more

Wildlife
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