Michigan Bear Forum, Furtaker User Group meetings set for August in St. Ignace

Hunting and trapping are an undeniable part of Michigan’s outdoor traditions. New and veteran hunters and trappers and anyone interested in how the Michigan Department of Natural Resources manages wildlife populations are invited to two upcoming opportunities in St. Ignace: the Michigan Furtaker User Group meeting (Aug. 23) and the Michigan Bear Forum (Aug. 24). Keep reading for details about each event, including links to surveys to collect recommendations that will help shape the discussions.

Hunting

Springfield Armory Announces New Echelon Gear Up Promotion

GENESEO, ILL. – Beginning August 1st, customers who purchase any new Springfield Armory® Echelon™ 9mm pistol will qualify to receive a “Gear Up” package featuring three extra magazines and a Springfield Armory dual pistol bag with the Crossed Cannon™ logo. This entire package totals up to a $170 added value.

The Echelon sets a new standard for modern, striker-fired duty pistols. With a host of patent-pending features, this modular and highly adaptable handgun is designed around a robust stainless steel chassis and revolutionary optics mounting system. Engineered with superior ergonomics and built to withstand the harshest conditions, the Echelon takes its rightful place at the front of the pack.

“Since its launch last year, the Echelon has proven itself to be a serious contender in the duty-grade 9mm pistol market with its robust performance and extreme adaptability,” said Steve Kramer, Vice President of Marketing for Springfield Armory. “With this new Gear Up promotion, customers will get the added value of three additional spare magazines and a high-quality range bag for this unparalleled 9mm pistol.” Read more

Firearms, Promotions

New Federal Premium Ultra Steel Waterfowl Loads Now Available

ANOKA, Minnesota –– Federal Ammunition launches Ultra Steel, a new Premium® product line designed for waterfowlers. Product details and availability can be found on the brand website.

Ultra Steel (federalpremium.com)

“Waterfowlers live for those moments when the birds do it right. And in those moments, they want a shell that does the rest,” said Federal Shotshell Product Manager Josh Vickers. “Our new Federal Premium Ultra Steel will exceed expectations. It blends the rear-opening FLITECONTROL FLEX wad with a payload of our best zinc-plated steel, producing extremely tight patterns for even deadlier performance.”

Federal Premium Ultra Steel loads are available in various standard payloads and double-stack loads that feature two sizes of shot: smaller pellets that create full patterns and larger ones that deliver better lethality. They feature reliable primers and clean-burning propellant with 12—or 20-gauge options. They are packaged in 25-count boxes.

“Our spherical, zinc-plated steel shot creates denser core patterns; the results in the core 15-inch circle are quite impressive,” continued Vickers. The new double stack payloads make it great for multispecies hunts, such as using BB & 2 blends on field hunts when either honkers or mallards could be coming in at any time.” Read more

Ammunition

SAF Wins Partial Judgment in Maryland Carry Law Challenge

BELLEVUE, Wash. —— A federal court in Maryland has handed a victory to the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) and its partners in a challenge of the state law restricting carry in certain locations, declaring three provisions in the statute to be unconstitutional. The case is known as Novotny v. Moore.

Chief U.S. District Judge George L. Russell III for the District of Maryland, a Barack Obama appointee, issued the 13-page ruling and a separate order granting summary judgment enjoining the state from enforcing provisions in the law which restrict the carrying of firearms in: (1) locations selling alcohol for onsite-consumption, (2) private buildings or property without the owner’s consent, and (3) within 1,000 feet of a public demonstration.

“We are pleased that the Court found Maryland’s draconian ‘anti-carry’ rule to be unconstitutional,” said SAF Executive Director Adam Kraut. “Such a provision flies in the face of this nation’s history and tradition. Of course, we will examine the court’s opinion and weigh our options for appeal to continue to challenge other provisions we believe are unconstitutional.”

SAF is joined by Maryland Shall Issue, the Firearms Policy Coalition and three private citizens, all of whom possess “wear and carry permits,” including Susan Burke of Reisterstown, Esther Rossberg of Baltimore, and Katherine Novotny of Aberdeen, for whom the lawsuit is named. They are represented by attorneys David H. Thompson and Peter A. Patterson at Cooper & Kirk in Washington, D.C., Mark W. Pennak at Maryland Shall Issue in Baltimore, and Matthew Larosiere from Lake Worth, Fla. The case was consolidated with a similar case known as Kipke v. Moore. Read more

Gun Control

Trump’s Fitting Comments on DEI and Kamala Harris’ Appointment

By Glen Wunderlich

Charter Member Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA)

When President Trump commented on President Biden’s push to factor-in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in his regime at the National Association of Black Journalists’ appearance recently, he was widely criticized for essentially indicating race was the reason for her appointment.  Interestingly enough, Biden made the following public comments in May 2024.

PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN: “They’re trying to erase Black history. We’re going to write Black history because it’s American history.

It’s American history. Together, we make history, not erase it.

To me, the values of diversity, equality, inclusion are literally — and this is not kidding — the core strengths of America. That’s why I’m proud to have the most diverse administration in history that taps into the full talents of our country. And it starts at the top with the Vice President.”

So, who’s trying to erase history?  If the shoe fits, wear it!

 

General

Presque Isle County man arraigned after DNR discovered 85 abused, abandoned animals

Aug. 2, 2024

Scott Allen Thompson, 56, of Hawks, was arraigned  by a judge in Montmorency County 88th District Court, following an animal cruelty investigation conducted by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

Thompson pleaded not guilty to four charges, including:

  • One felony of failing to provide animals with adequate care, punishable of up to seven years in prison and/or up to $10,000 in fines and community service.
  • One misdemeanor of animal cruelty, punishable of up to 93 days in jail with up to $1,000 in fines and up to 200 hours of community service.
  • Two misdemeanors for improper burial of dead animals, each punishable by up to 90 days in jail and up to $500 in fines.

“This is a rare situation for the DNR to get involved in, as domestic animal complaints and investigations are not our primary responsibility or focus. However, there were no other resources available,” said Chief Jason Haines, DNR Law Enforcement Division. “This is a very large-scale animal abuse case, and something had to be done.”

In June, DNR conservation officers initially responded to the more than 50-acre Thompson family property, located in Atlanta, with a search warrant regarding a dead horse. They located a total of 10 deceased animals, including: four geese, two chickens and a horse, pig, quail and rabbit.

The owners were ordered to properly bury the horse. The other nine animals were sent to the Michigan State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory in East Lansing, where lab personal determined starvation and dehydration were the causes of death.

On , conservation officers returned to the property with a second search warrant. They were shocked to find numerous animals starving, with no water and poor living conditions. Read more

Wildlife

Montana Releases 2023 Wolf Report; Population Strong After Increased Harvest

The wolf population in Montana remains healthy, according to the 2023 Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Wolf Report. Increased harvest during the 2023 wolf season has not yet resulted in an estimated decline to the statewide total. However, FWP biologists expect to see a moderate decline in wolf numbers next year resulting from the increased harvest in early 2024.

“We are committed to following the law to reduce wolf numbers to a sustainable level, which means ensuring Montana has a healthy state managed population,” said Quentin Kujala, FWP Chief of Conservation Policy. “The statewide wolf population estimate for calendar year 2023 is approximately 1,100 wolves, similar to 2022. However, we are seeing declines in the estimated number of wolves and wolf packs in Regions 3 and 4, which suggests the combination of hunting, trapping, and conflict management removals can effectively reduce wolf numbers.”

An example of this moderate decline is in FWP Region 3, where wolf population estimates have gradually declined from 214 in 2020, to 178 in 2023. Statewide, wolf harvest from Jan. 1 through March 15 was 176 wolves in 2024, compared to 144 over the same period in 2023. Both trends indicate a moderate decline in wolf numbers FWP biologists expect to be illustrated in the 2024 wolf report that will come out during the summer of 2025.

The estimated statewide wolf population for 2023 was 1,096, just one less than the 2022 estimated population and slightly below the 10-year average of 1,140 wolves but well above recovery thresholds. The number of wolf packs was 181, spread over 66,000 square miles. Total wolf harvest for the 2023-2024 wolf season was 286 wolves, which was an increase from 258 taken during the 2022-23 season.

Livestock conflicts, confirmed livestock losses and wolf removals were all down considerably in 2023, according to the report. Wildlife Services confirmed the loss of 32 livestock to wolves, including 23 cattle and eight sheep; one livestock guard dog was also killed by wolves. This total was lower than numbers from 2012 to 2022. Read more

Hunting, Wildlife

Springfield Armory Announces Hellcat and Hellcat® Pro Gear Up Promotion

Beginning August 1st, customers who purchase any new Springfield Armory® Hellcat® or Hellcat® Pro 9mm pistol will qualify to receive a “Gear Up” package featuring a Viridian® RFX11 green dot optic, three extra magazines and a Springfield Armory dual pistol bag with the Crossed Cannon™ logo. This entire package totals up to more than $300 in added value.

The Hellcat series of 9mm pistols offers CCW enthusiasts a pistol that combines impressive capacity with proven performance. Featuring a best-in-class capacity of 11+1 and 13+1 with the included extended magazine, the pistol is available in 3” models as well as the RDP (Rapid Defense Package) variant that adds in a high-performance Self Indexing Compensator and threaded barrel. The slightly larger Hellcat Pro extends the barrel to 3.7” and lengthens the grip to offer an astounding 15+1 capacity in the included flush-fit magazine, and 17+1 in the included extended magazine.

The Viridian RFX11 green dot included in this Gear Up package is a compact reflex optic that direct-mounts to Hellcat OSP and Hellcat Pro OSP pistol slides, allowing for co-witnessing with the pistol’s excellent U-Dot iron sights. The optic weighs just 4 oz. and feature a 3 MOA green dot, “instant on” and auto shut-off operation, an ambient light sensor, and more than 30,000 hours of run time on a single CR2032 battery. Read more

Firearms, Promotions

Franklin Armory Launches Three New Binary AR Pistols with Braces

Franklin Armory, Inc., one of America’s most innovative manufacturers of firearms and accessories, announced today three new AR-style pistol models, each equipped with the patented Binary Firing System® and Franklin Armory’s linear compensating and flash suppressing Triumvir® muzzle device. All three pistols offer high-end furniture combinations and are built with 100 percent American-made parts and materials.

The C12 Pistol features a 12.5-inch barrel, mid-length gas system, forged receiver set, B5 grip, and the new SBA5 pistol brace from SB Tactical. The C12 Pistol’s combination of a mid-length gas system, Binary® trigger, and Triumvir muzzle device makes it a smooth-shooting, entry-level AR pistol for optimal close quarter applications. MSRP for the C12 Pistol is $1,289.99.

The Salus® Pistol features a 12-inch barrel, carbine-length gas system, premium billet receiver set, Franklin Armory’s FSR handguard, Ergo grip, Triumvir muzzle device, and SBA3 pistol brace. The Salus Pistol is a premium option for anyone seeking an in-vehicle or home-defense tool with the Binary trigger’s pull-and-release firing capabilities. MSRP for the Salus Pistol is $1,699.99.

The PDW-C7 features a 7.5-inch barrel, pistol-length gas system, forged receiver set, Franklin Armory’s FST handguard with Magpul M-LOK hand stop, Magpul K2 grip, Triumvir muzzle device, and SBPDW pistol brace. The PDW-C7 is a superior compact personal defense weapon that provides a genuine Binary pull-and-release firing option for ultimate flexibility in defensive situations. MSRP for the PDW-C7 is $1,559.99. Read more

Firearms

Kimber Releases New Carbon Compact

Kimber Mfg. has released the New Carbon Compact chambered in 9mm.

Kimber continues to develop compelling handguns with the latest addition to its striker fired line of pistols. The new Kimber Carbon Compact is a larger, more feature rich striker fired gun than its competitors. Built around a true Carbon Fiber Matrix filled grip housing, the new Carbon Compact has been sculpted to deliver the most efficient ergonomics of any polymer handgun available today. This new Carbon Fiber matrix delivers a superior strength ratio that withstands over double the impact force of standard firearms. Plus, the Carbon Fiber frame features a forward “Gas Pedal” or thumb rest for a thumb forward shooting grip style prevalent in today’s shooters. Also, the R7 has a high undercut and flared magwell that is normally found as aftermarket accessories from custom shops.

The pistol is also fully ambidextrous, and these attributes combined with the industry leading Kimber performance carry trigger deliver the best polymer striker fired handgun available in its class. This new model also features a longer 3.9-inch barrel, 4 interchangeable backstraps and comes with two magazines. A TFS model featuring a threaded barrel and direct mount Holosun 407K optic will also be available. The new Carbon Compact is built to exact tolerances found in the current highly reliable striker fired pistols from Kimber. This latest addition highlights the continuing shift toward optic and light bearing firearms demanded by today’s concealed carry owner.

“Mountie Mizer – Vice President of Sales for Kimber stated: This new Carbon Compact delivers on all the attributes that our consumers have been asking for and will make more people familiar with where Kimber is headed with our deeper offering of polymer striker variants which feature the best triggers on the market.”

The new Carbon Compact is shipping now and is the third product line extension from Kimber in 2024 with more new introductions on deck in the coming months! For more information on the Carbon Compact, or other premium firearms, please visit kimberamerica.com. Read more

Firearms
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