Great Backyard Bird Count, February 17-20

Every bird counts, and every birder helps by adding to our understanding of mid-winter bird distributions and population dynamics (Carolina Chickadee photo by Brad Imhoff).
How many birds can you find during the 4 day GBBC event? (Red-headed Woodpecker photo by Manny Salas)

It’s time to prepare for The Great Backyard Bird Count! As its name implies, this grand event grew from simpler beginnings that included feeder counts, but over the past quarter century the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) has expanded into a worldwide birding celebration that takes place over 4 days in February each year. This year you can participate in the 26th annual GBBC anytime over President’s Day Weekend, birding as often and as long as you wish from February 17 to 20. It’s free, enjoyable, and easy for people from all walks of life to participate in identifying and counting birds to create a real time mid-winter snapshot of bird populations that provides valuable information for biologists, conservation leaders, and anyone interested in birds. Read more

Wildlife

Pennsylvania: Watch Wildlife Round the Clock From Home

Eagles and snow geese and bears, oh my! You can watch all of them this winter, anywhere you go, through the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s round-the-clock livestreams.

A new 24-7 livestream from a black bear den in Pike County launched this week, bringing to four the number of livestreams the Game Commission plans to run into the spring of 2023. Also showing are the Farm Country Eagle Livestream, which provides a bird’s-eye view into a long-established nest in a giant sycamore overlooking scenic farmland, the ever-popular Hanover, Pa. Eagle Livestream and the agency’s Snow Goose Livestream capturing the migratory action at Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area.

This is the first time since 2021 the Game Commission is offering livestream viewers an up-close look inside a black bear den. Bears den each winter, but few of them in known spots where cameras can be installed and footage streamed to viewers.

Luckily, the opportunity has presented itself again, and the Game Commission is proud to bring the livestream back, said the agency’s Information and Education Director Steve Smith.

“While all of our wildlife livestreams are popular with viewers, there’s nothing like watching and listening to bear cubs as they begin to explore their surroundings and, ultimately, emerge from the den with their mothers to see their new world in Penn’s Woods,” Smith said. “We’re glad to bring back this livestream for 2023 and offer it alongside our annual wintertime wildlife cams, all of which entertain and educate viewers, and give them a whole new appreciation for wildlife.” Read more

Wildlife

Bushnell Releases New Match Pro ED 15x56mm Binocular

Purpose-Built with SHOT-CALL Reticle for Competition and Long-Range Shooters

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. –– Bushnell®, an industry leader in performance optics, announces the new Match Pro ED 15x56mm Binocular, a high-quality optic designed for long-range precision shooters looking to combine features of a high magnification binocular and an MRAD based reticle. Designed with a proprietary, rotating SHOT-CALL reticle, the new binocular is perfect for helping shooters with spotting, ranging, target sizing and shot correction.

Designed for premium optical performance, the Match Pro ED boasts fully multi-coated ED (Extra-Low Dispersion) Prime objective lenses and BAK-4 Abbe-Koenig roof prisms with PC3 dielectric phase coatings to ensure 92% light transmission. The Match Pro ED binocular also features Bushnell’s EXO-Barrier for high resolution regardless of weather conditions.

The Match Pro ED’s offset SHOT-CALL reticle has a dedicated focus adjustment and can be rotated for leveling after IPD (interpupillary distance) adjustment. Users can secure their preferred IPD with the included BRIDGESET stabilizer, which ensures the binocular is set for quick use and provides IPD position stability while putting pressure on the binocular when mounted on a tripod in high wind. Read more

Optics

Night Fision to Release Fiber Optic Sights in February

DEARBORN, MI. – Night Fision, a leader in advanced tritium insertion solutions, is pleased to announce Fiber Optic sight offerings for Glock, Smith & Wesson, and Sig Sauer.

The Fiber Optic sights will be available in Red and Green, with Ruby, a deep red, to follow. Available in Standard Height, and Optics Ready blade heights. Like the Optics Ready Stealth line, the fiber sights will also be equipped with a durable CNC steel sight body with fine serrations to eliminate glare, as well as the smooth and beveled edges work to minimize snag.

Each offering comes paired with a blank square rear sight which includes a set screw for additional security. The Fiber Optic sights will be available for purchase starting mid-February. Read more

Optics

Daniel Defense Announces Limited Series Rifles

BLACK CREEK, GA – Daniel Defense, manufacturer of the world’s finest firearms and accessories, announces its Limited Series Program, a collaboration with other world-class manufacturers to create small batches of unique, once-in-a-lifetime rifle builds.

The Series’ first build – MK12 Alpine Predator – with Multicam Alpine finish, Vortex Strike Eagle 3-18×44 scope, flat-front MFR Rail with popular M-LOK attachment, and a Magpul adjustable bipod, sold out within 30 minutes of launch. “Our first Limited offering was very well received and confirms our customers’ appetite for distinctive packages that are attractive, well equipped, and at a great value,” said Daniel Defense President and CEO, Marty Daniel.

Each configuration will pair a Daniel Defense premium firearm with a selective assortment of optics, accessories, and custom finishes from reputable brands like Vortex – as featured in this first release. “Our new Vortex Strike Eagle 3-18×44 is the perfect complement to this Limited Series Rifle,” said Sawyer Briel, Marketing Communications Manager of Vortex Optics. “Just like the Daniel Defense MK12, it features a rock-solid build to ensure accuracy, reliability, and repeatable performance.” Read more

Firearms

NSSF Challenges Illinois’ Unconstitutional Gun and Magazine Ban

WASHINGTON, D.C. — NSSF®, The Firearm Industry Trade Association, along with several co-plaintiffs, filed a legal challenge seeking declaratory and injunctive relief to prevent Illinois from enforcing the recently enacted law that bans most semiautomatic firearms including Modern Sporting Rifles (MSRs), certain models of semiautomatic handguns and standard capacity magazines.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed into law HB 5471, the “Protect Illinois Communities Act.” HB 5741 is among the nation’s most expansive gun control laws. It bans the sale of hundreds of models of rifles including commonly-owned MSRs, certain semiautomatic handguns and rifle magazines with a capacity greater than 10 cartridges and pistol magazines with a capacity greater than 15 cartridges. There are over 24.4 million MSRs in circulation today, more popular than the top selling Ford F-150, and tens of millions of standard-capacity magazines also in circulation.

“The Illinois gun ban law is an overreaching attempt to deny law-abiding Americans their fundamental and Constitutionally-protected Second Amendment rights,” said Lawrence G. Keane, Senior Vice President and General Counsel. “The U.S. Supreme has already recognized that semiautomatic rifles ‘traditionally have been widely accepted as lawful,’ and with over 24 million of these rifles in circulation today, they are clearly commonly-owned for lawful purposes, meeting the threshold set by the Supreme Court in its Heller decision. Semiautomatic handguns are overwhelmingly the choice of firearm for personal self-defense. This law is clearly unconstitutional and does nothing to punish the criminal. It only deprives law-abiding Americans from being able to exercise their full spectrum of Second Amendment rights.” Read more

Gun Control

SAF Files for Injunction in Illinois Gun Ban Case

Second Amendment Foundation

12500 NE Tenth Place · Bellevue, WA 98005

(425) 454-7012 · FAX (425) 451-3959 · www.saf.org

BELLEVUE, WA – The Second Amendment Foundation has filed a motion for preliminary injunction in its federal court challenge of the recently-signed ban on modern semiautomatic rifles and their ammunition magazines. The case is known as Harrel v. Raoul.

Joining SAF are the Illinois State Rifle Association, Firearms Policy Coalition, C4 Gun Store LLC, Marengo Guns, Inc. and a private citizen, Dane Harrel, for whom the case is named. They are represented by attorney David Sigale of Wheaton, Ill. The motion was filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois.

In their motion, plaintiffs note to the court, “The Supreme Court has now repeatedly said that the Second Amendment ‘protects the possession and use of weapons that are in common use at the time.’ The firearms and magazines Illinois recently banned certainly qualify for protection under this standard. The firearms include many of the most commonly owned firearms in the country and the magazines are integral for the operation of common firearms.”

“Thanks to last summer’s Supreme Court decision in the Bruen case,” noted SAF founder and Executive Vice President Alan M. Gottlieb, “the defendants—in this case the State of Illinois—must justify the ban signed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker as being consistent with historical tradition rooted at the time the Constitution was ratified. They can’t possibly do so because the Bruen ruling clearly established there is no tradition of banning commonly possessed arms, and modern semi-auto rifles are owned by millions of citizens across the country.” Read more

Gun Control

Henry Repeating Arms Donates $75,000 to Leading Gun Rights Organizations

Rice Lake, Wis. – Henry Repeating Arms is proud to announce donations totaling $75,000 to some of the nation’s most impactful grassroots gun rights and Second Amendment advocacy groups as part of its charitable Guns for Great Causes campaign. The check presentations to the Second Amendment Foundation, Gun Owners of America, and the Firearms Policy Coalition took place at the Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show in Las Vegas, Nevada, the industry’s largest trade show.

“Henry Repeating Arms will never back down when it comes to supporting the individuals and organizations that work tirelessly to fight back against the political degradation of law-abiding Americans’ right to keep and bear arms,” said Anthony Imperato, CEO and Founder of Henry Repeating Arms. “Just like our Constitution, these organizations belong to and for the people. They have our backs, and we will always have theirs.” Read more

Firearms

SnapSafe Introduces Multi-Use Magnetic Accessories For Gun Safes, Etc.

Grand Island, NE – Everyone needs more storage space and organization without requiring major purchases or remodeling. SnapSafe® is proud to introduce several convenient and affordable accessories to help keep gear organized, maximize storage space, and increase the functionality of gun safes.

SnapSafe Magnetic Hook can be positioned on any exterior edge of any gun safe (or any other metal surface!) It has two rubber-coated prongs to hold range bags, binoculars, backpacks, etc. It’s magnetic, so it is easily able to reposition or move wherever it is needed. This little hook does significant work, rated to hold up to 15 pounds. At an MSRP of just $21.99, it’s an affordable, easy, and quick solution for any hanging storage needs. Read more

Firearms

Why Indians are Allowed to Gillnet Salmon

Netting and other forms of salmon harvest have been practiced by Pacific Coast tribes for centuries, long before the U.S. existed, tribal spokesmen point out. (Wikimedia Commons)
There has long been friction in Oregon and Washington between sportfishermen and conservationists on one side and Native Americans on the other over netting salmon runs that in some cases are now classified as at risk.

The rivers of the northwest once all belonged to local tribes to fish as they wished, and there were so few of them and so many fish that what they took had no impact on stocks.

That’s assuredly not the case now. From 2014 to 2019, the fisheries were so poor that the Commerce Department last year declared a fisheries disaster for much of the Pacific Coast, including the tribal fisheries in multiple rivers.

Among the many impacts on salmon runs today is an exploding population of sea lions, which heavily predate adult salmon as they gather below Pacific Coast dams on their spawning runs. (Oregon Dept of Fish & Wildlife)

Now, with dams, urban and agricultural water use, pollution and reduced water flows in most years due to reduced snow pack and sea lion predation as well as offshore commercial harvest along with limited recreational harvest, many of the salmon runs (but not all) are a shadow of what they were once and there’s concern among anglers that the tribes continue to use gear which captures many of the salmon that make it into the rivers in short order.

Why are the tribes permitted to use gill nets for the salmon when these nets have been outlawed for gamefish throughout most of the country? Read more

Fishing
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