Help Protect Michigan’s Sturgeon While Ice Fishing This Season

DNR reminds anglers of lake sturgeon fishing regulations and rehabilitation efforts

Ice fishing has been good this season, but anglers on the ice targeting walleye or other fish may unexpectedly find themselves with a lake sturgeon on the line. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources reminds anglers that regulations on the targeting and harvest of lake sturgeon are in effect, and that on most waters of the state, fishing for lake sturgeon is prohibited and any lake sturgeon caught must be released immediately.

What is a lake sturgeon?

Lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens), the only sturgeon species found in the Great Lakes, are unique in appearance and characteristics. They have five rows of bony plates, called scutes, on their backs and sides, as well as whisker-like barbels near their mouths. Often referred to as “living fossils” or “dinosaur fish,” lake sturgeon first appeared in the fossil record in the Mesozoic Era, 100 million to 150 million years ago. These fish are long-lived, with some documented at more than 100 years old.

Lake sturgeon are freshwater fish native to Michigan and found in North America throughout the Great Lakes, Mississippi and Hudson River basins. The species is an important cultural resource in the region, in addition to its ecological significance. But due to overfishing and habitat loss and degradation, lake sturgeon populations in Michigan began to decline in the 1800s.

Why are lake sturgeon protected?

As a result of declines in lake sturgeon populations, in 1994 the State of Michigan listed lake sturgeon as a threatened species. Since then, the DNR has partnered with state, federal and tribal agencies to rehabilitate lake sturgeon in the state. The goals of these efforts are to conserve lake sturgeon populations that are currently self-sustaining and to rehabilitate depressed or declining populations to self-sustaining levels so that lake sturgeon can be removed from the threatened species list. Read more

Fishing

FRAC and Franklin Armory Score Major Victory Against ATF in Lawsuit

The U.S. District Court in North Dakota issued its opinion in the Firearms Regulatory Accountability Coalition (“FRAC”)-Franklin Armory firearms classification-related lawsuit against ATF. In his ruling, Judge Daniel M. Traynor vacated the ATF’s prior misclassifications of Franklin Armory’s Reformation and Antithesis firearms. Judge Traynor’s ruling solidifies what the firearms industry has known for years—that the ATF has been abusing its firearms technology classification powers.

Per the Court’s opinion:

Franklin Armory presented a square peg, and ATF shoved it into a round hole. If Congress wanted “shotgun” to be a catch-all category for anything that doesn’t fit “rifle,” it could have done so. . . . . It is not for ATF to redefine the terms because it thinks Congress didn’t intend a certain outcome. Therefore, ATF exceeded its authority in defining “smoothbore” as anything lacking “functional rifling.” Read more

Gun Control

Love Trails? Apply for Michigan’s Open Advisory Workgroup Spots

If you’re as passionate about trails as we are, and you’d like to help shape state-designated routes and pathways throughout Michigan, apply for one of several volunteer positions now open for two of the DNR’s advisory workgroups.

“The DNR’s Parks and Recreation Division, which oversees our statewide trails system, relies on input and guidance from residents to help us maintain, improve and grow the thousands of miles of motorized and nonmotorized trails in communities around the state,” said Tim Novak, state trails coordinator. “We’re excited to share these workgroup openings and continue the work of providing outdoor spaces for everyone to enjoy and explore, efforts that help elevate Michigan’s reputation as the Trails State.”

Positions are available on both the Nonmotorized Advisory Workgroup, or NAW, and the Off-Road Vehicle Advisory Workgroup, also known as ORVAW. Read more

Wildlife

Team USA Prepares as 2025 Surf Casting World Championship Details Announced

As the United States of America Surf Casting Team moves into the final phases of their physical training and casting practice regimens, the Federation Internationale de la Pesche Sportive en Mer (FIPS-M) has officially released the final details for the anticipated 2025 Long Casting of Sea Weights World Championship.

The American trio of Ryan Lambert, Conner Brown, and Daniel “Big Dan” Nassiff hope to unseat the top surf casting teams and athletes on the globe. Despite distance records held by individual international casters in their respective countries and climates, competing together in a single event is what truly proves who the best surf casters in the world are.

The event is to be held in Tandil, Argentina – a town south of Buenos Aires, hosted in part by that nation’s premier sport fishing organization, Confederación Argentina de Pesca y Lanzamiento (CAPyL).

For several years now, Argentina’s team has claimed gold medals. Now on their home turf, world champion Salvador Bustos will attempt to lead his team to another title, and his own grand finale, as he is set to retire from international competition after 2025. Read more

Fishing

Targeting Spring Bass

In just a few short weeks, anglers across the United States will be gearing up for one of our favorite pastimes: spring largemouth bass fishing. Depending on where you are located, spring bassing could mean cool, crisp mornings, long days in the sun and rod-bending action for hours. No matter if you’re flipping soft plastics into heavy cover, casting buzzbaits or just plugging the shoreline of your favorite lake or reservoir, you’ll benefit from a good pair of fishing gloves.

Just as you’d wear a glove for golf or baseball batting practice, fishing gloves can help your game on the water by greatly reducing hand fatigue. Fish Monkey gloves have just the right amount of padding in all the right places plus a superb grip area that works as well when wet as it does dry to help relieve the pressure on your hands from making hundreds of casts every day. Another benefit: They offer good hand protection and reduce those fin pricks, scrapes and small cuts from hooks, gill plates, braided line and more. You can also virtually eliminate “bass thumb” —those scrapes on your thumbs from lipping and releasing largemouths—with a good pair of gloves as well.

One of the most popular options is the Stubby from Fish Monkey. This design has been a best-seller since the first season it was introduced, and for some very good reasons. First, it was crafted for comfort and all-day wearability, with ultra-lightweight, quick-drying fabric and a second-skin fit, plus shorter fingers and cuffs (hence the name). The Stubby offers UPF 50-plus sun protection for the sensitive skin on the backs of your hands and has a non-slip silicone palm print. Read more

Fishing

PA Supreme Court to Hear GOA’s, GOF’s Challenge to Philadelphia’s Private Firearm Manufacturing Ban

Gun Owners of America (GOA) and Gun Owners Foundation (GOF), together with several individual gun owners, are pleased to announce that the Pennsylvania Supreme Court has granted our petition for allowance of appeal. This means that the Pennsylvania high court will now hear our challenge to the City of Philadelphia’s unconstitutional ban on the private manufacture of firearms.

GOA’s lawsuit challenges Philadelphia’s ordinance that restricts the manufacturing of firearms, components, and attachments for personal use. We argue that the ban violates Pennsylvania’s preemption statute, the Uniform Firearms Act (UFA), along with infringing Article I, Section 21 of the Pennsylvania Constitution, which guarantees the right to bear arms.

Philadelphia’s ordinance, which prohibits the private manufacturing of firearms through processes like 3D printing or completing unfinished firearm frames, directly contradicts state law, which preempts all local firearm regulations. GOA’s petition argued that the Philly ordinance infringes upon the constitutional right to self-defense and violates the UFA, which gives the General Assembly exclusive power to regulate firearms. Read more

Gun Control

Meet Some of Michigan’s Mighty Winter Birds

Brrr … it’s cold outside! But for many of our feathered friends, winter in Michigan is just another season. Get to know a few of our small and resourceful winter birds and the clever survival tactics they use to stay warm and find food throughout the winter.

The black-capped chickadee is an expert at staying cozy in cold temperatures – shivering and contracting opposite muscle groups to stay warm, and even lowering its body temperature at night and entering regulated hypothermia to conserve energy. These birds are frequent visitors to backyard bird feeders, carrying sunflower seeds to store in tree bark for later, when food is scarce.

How to ID:  Read more

Wildlife

Bear Creek Arsenal’s New .22 ARC Caliber

Bear Creek Arsenal, a leading manfacturer in the firearms industry, is excited to announce the launch of its latest product: 20″ parkerized and 416R stainless steel complete upper assemblies and rifles chambered in the groundbreaking .22 ARC caliber. This new offering is set to redefine the standards of performance and versatility for shooters and hunters alike.

Innovative Design and Superior Performance

The new 20″ uppers and rifles are meticulously engineered to deliver exceptional accuracy and durability. Available in both parkerized and 416 R stainless steel finishes, these uppers and rifles are designed to meet the diverse needs of firearm enthusiasts. The parkerized finish offers superior corrosion resistance and a rugged, tactical look, while the stainless steel option provides enhanced durability and a sleek, polished appearance.

Why the .22 ARC is the Best New Caliber

The .22 Advanced Rifle Cartridge (ARC) is a game-changer in the world of firearms. Developed by Hornady, the .22 ARC is designed to offer unparalleled performance with very low drag (VLD) bullets, making it ideal for a wide range of applications, from hunting to precision shooting.

Key advantages of the .22 ARC include: Read more

Ammunition, Firearms

Springfield Armory Coyote Brown 1911 DS Prodigy Comp 9mm Pistols

GENESEO, ILL. – Springfield Armory® is proud to announce the launch of the 1911 DS Prodigy™ Comp AOS 9mm in Coyote Brown Cerakote®. Offered in 5” and 4.25” variants, these pistols are integrally compensated to reduce felt recoil and muzzle rise, and combine the most beloved characteristics of the 1911 with modern capacity for unrivaled performance.

Cerakote has become the gold standard for gun parts with an advanced formulation that has virtually eliminated the need to oil the exterior for corrosion protection. This innovative coating not only enhances the durability and performance of firearms, but also offers significant benefits in terms of longevity and ease of care. The Coyote Brown Cerakote finish of the slide and frame of these 1911 DS Prodigy Comp pistols matches up with a Coyote Brown polymer grip module, complemented by black controls and a black diamond like carbon (DLC) coated match grade bull barrel.

The integral compensator of the Coyote Brown Prodigy Comp is discreetly designed, featuring a single port on the top of the hammer-forged slide and barrel. By redirecting gas upwards, it reduces muzzle rise and enhances control, allowing for faster and more accurate follow-up shots. Additionally, the pistols feature a tritium front sight positioned behind the compensator.

The Coyote Brown Prodigy Comp takes the proven 1911 platform and enhances it with double-stack capacity and a performance-driven feature set. Configured around a double-stack magazine, the polymer grip module of the 1911 DS pistol mounts to a forged steel frame, offering capacities of 17+1 and 20+1 (as well as 10-round variants for restricted locales).

To allow the ease of use of today’s most popular red dot optics, the Prodigy Comp pistols feature slides cut for AOS (Agency Optic System) plates. These billet steel plates deliver proper optic height for intuitive sight picture and instant target acquisition, and feature an integral rear sight. The Prodigy Comp ships with a HEX Dragonfly compatible plate as well as a cover plate, while additional optic-specific plates are available. You can find a full compatibility chart here. Read more

Firearms
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