New cases of avian influenza confirmed in Arkansas

LITTLE ROCK — Biologists conducting aerial surveys to generate waterfowl population estimates last week located a few small groups of dead snow geese and Ross’s geese in Arkansas, Craighead and Lonoke counties that were later collected and tested positive for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza. Additional suspected cases have been found in Prairie, Pulaski, Faulkner, Clay and Poinsett counties. While sightings are not as prevalent as last year’s outbreak, the continued presence of the disease on the landscape does create a need to update hunters and anyone who has domestic birds or poultry livestock.

The risk of humans contracting the disease remains low, but hunters can help further minimize that risk by following a few simple precautions. As a general precaution, hunters should use good hygiene practices when handling, cleaning and preparing harvested waterfowl.

Safety Guidelines for Hunters Read more

Wildlife

This Week On “Hunting Matters”

This week “Hunting Matters” welcomes Michael G. Sabbeth.

Michael Sabbeth is a lawyer, lecturer, consultant and author. He lectures nationally and internationally on hunting and shooting ethics, rhetoric and the art of persuasion. Mr. Sabbeth consistently presents at International Hunter Education Association conferences, Texas Hunter Education Instructors Association and at major hunting and shooting conventions including Safari Club International, the Dallas Safari Club and the Namibia Professional Hunters Association.

He writes for about one dozen national and international print and on-line hunting and shooting magazines. He volunteers with organizations that support hunting and shooting opportunities for disabled people including veterans. He has written two books related to ethics and promoting hunting: “The Good, The Bad & The Difference: How to Talk with Children About Values” and “The Honorable Hunter: How to Honorably & Persuasively Defend & Promote Hunting”. Mr. Sabbeth lives in Denver, Colorado. His website is www.thehonorablehunter.com

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Hunting

Davidson’s Exclusive Smith & Wesson Model 20 Commemorates 200th Anniversary of the Texas Rangers

PRESCOTT, Ariz. – Davidson’s, one of the nation’s top firearms, ammunition, optics, and accessories wholesalers, is proud to announce a very limited edition heavy-duty exclusive revolver produced in collaboration with Smith & Wesson.

Limited to a production run of just 250 units, this .357 Magnum N-frame revolver is a stunning tribute to the fearless legacy of the Texas Rangers. Read more

Firearms

Rossi Survival Rifle

Bainbridge GA – Simple. Durable. Reliable. These are all words that come to mind when thinking of features in a last-ditch wilderness rifle. They’re also all features of the all-new Rossi Survival Rifle.

Built on the same tough-as-nails action as the Rossi Brawler pistol, the Survival Rifle is a 16-inch carbine with a hammer-forged barrel that accepts either 45 Colt or up to 3-inch 410 bore shotshells. The single-action trigger is crisp and breaks to the rear with minimal stacking, allowing shooters to place that all-important single shot exactly where they want it.

Additionally, the Survival Rifle features a polymer stock that holds additional ammunition, allowing outdoors enthusiasts to have plenty of extra ammo within reach. The automatic ejectors kick spent hulls and shells free of the gun with authority so that if you do need to reload, you can do it efficiently.

Lastly, the Survival Rifle can be quickly and easily broken down for easy transportation, fitting into small 72-hour bags or larger rucksacks. With an MSRP of $371, there’s no reason the newest offering from Rossi shouldn’t find its way onto your next outdoors adventure. Read more

Firearms

Savage Arms Announces Several New Rimfire Offerings

Savage Arms announces new additions to its popular and extensive rimfire line that include a new A22 Takedown in FDE and several new color options in the Model 64. All line extensions are now shipping.

“No other rimfire rifles bring the versatility and flexibility of the A22 Takedown,” said Beth Shimanski, Director of Marketing at Savage Arms. “Weighing in at only six pounds and available in 22LR, this rifle has been very popular and the FDE option should help continue that momentum. Similarly, the Model 64 is a staple for small game hunters and plinkers. We’re happy to offer six new color options in this accurate and fun semi-auto.”

The A22 Takedown presents an effortless breakdown, acting as the perfect backpack gun for tough hunts and hikes.

Key features include: Read more

Firearms

Denmark Legalizes Bowhunting for Large Deer Species

The European Bowhunting Federation (EBF) announces a groundbreaking development in Denmark’s hunting regulations. Effective January 1, 2024, bowhunting for large deer species, such as red, fallow, and sika deer, will be legalized. This decision aligns with Denmark’s commitment to ethical and sustainable wildlife management.

In February 2023, the Wildlife Management Council (VFR) consisting of hunters, anglers, fishermen and farmers associations, environmental and animal welfare groups, recommended this change, which then smoothly passed through consultation, reflecting a consensus across various sectors.

The Danish Technical University’s (DTU) study on animal welfare aspects in bowhunting has been a pivotal factor in this policy shift. This 4-year-long study highlights that skilled and responsible bowhunting meets high animal welfare standards. Read more

Archery

Utah Cutthroat Slam Reaches Record Number of Yearly Completions, Releases Newest Medallion

GW: The best trout fishing anywhere in the world can be found in Utah.

The Utah Cutthroat Slam saw a record number of completions in 2023 and is releasing the newest medallion for anglers who complete the fishing challenge.

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and Utah Trout Unlimited launched the slam in 2016 as a challenge for anglers to catch the four subspecies of cutthroat trout that are native to Utah in their native ranges, as well as a way to raise funds for cutthroat trout conservation. The original medallion was awarded to the first 1,000 anglers to complete the slam, a milestone that was reached in September 2022. Last year, the partners of the slam announced a new series of four medallions — one for each of the cutthroat trout subspecies — that anglers could earn when completing the slam. Read more

Fishing

 19 Years of a Michigan Coyote Camp

The Cronk clan has made a tradition of trapping with friends and family.

MUSKEGON, MI – All-around outdoorsman, Bryce Cronk, his brother Myles, their dad, and extended family reside in the northern portion of the lower peninsula of Michigan, an ideal playground for anyone who loves to fish, hunt, and trap.

For Bryce and his family, besides hunting and fishing, they’re on their 19th year of coyote-trapping camp about three hours northeast of ScentLok and Blocker Outdoors headquarters in Muskegon, Michigan. Like deer camp or spring walleye opener, setting miles and miles of late-season coyote trap lines is a tradition the brood repeats year after year. Read more

Hunting

Arizona Game and Fish Confirms 3 Coyote Bites in North Phoenix

Arizona Game and Fish Department wildlife officers are actively searching for a coyote or coyotes that have bitten three people since Saturday in the area just east of Interstate 17 and Happy Valley Road in Phoenix.

  • On Saturday, a 4-year-old child was bitten on the lower leg while walking with family members.
  • Also on Saturday, a man who was jogging in the same area was bitten by a coyote.
  • This morning, a man was bitten on the heel by a coyote south of Happy Valley Road near I-17. Read more
Wildlife

Enchanting Owls: Your Guide to Michigan’s Winter Birds

Each winter, Michigan’s landscapes transition from bustling migration activity and bursts of color to leafless trees and frozen ground. This quiet season allows us to hear and see large feathered visitors from the north, such as snowy owls (pictured), boreal owls, great gray owls and northern hawk owls. Surprisingly, these owls spend the winter in Michigan each year for its warmer, balmier weather, which is considerably warmer than the northern boreal forests and Arctic tundra they left behind!

January and February are the best time of year for an owling trip, and Michigan’s eastern Upper Peninsula is one of the best areas to view winter owls. The Shore to Shore Birding Trail can help guide you. Birding trails are driving routes with specific stops identified that offer bird viewing opportunities and can highlight natural and cultural features of local communities. Read more

Wildlife
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