Outdoor commentary and legislative issues.
Sharpen your pencils and prepare your paints! Artists, we want to see your designs for the 50th Anniversary DNR Deer Management Cooperator Patch. Design submissions for the contest are due by April 29, 2022.
The Michigan Deer Management Cooperator Patch has been a popular collector’s item for hunters since the early 1970s.
Contest guidelines are as follows: Read more
If hemlock trees on your property show signs of hemlock woolly adelgid infestation, now is a good time to plan for spring treatment of this invasive species. Hemlock woolly adelgid, native to Asia, is known to be present in areas of Allegan, Mason, Muskegon, Oceana and Ottawa counties in Michigan. These small insects suck sap from hemlock needles and ultimately can cause tree death.
Insecticides are available to control the insect, and in many cases, landowners easily can apply them by carefully following label instructions and application rate guidance. In Michigan, the label is the law. Due to certain restrictions on the use of these insecticides, you may need the services of a licensed pesticide application business. Read more
Thrilling ORV rides, outdoor exploring and forest adventures are waiting down one of Michigan’s thousands of miles of state forest roads. Every year, the DNR updates maps of these roads to improve accuracy and protect the environment, and then notifies the public of any changes. New maps go up at Michigan.gov/ForestRoads Friday, April 1, in an interactive web format and as printable PDF maps.
Map changes are based on considerations that include changing road conditions, data cleanup and input received from residents around the state. Maps show where state forest roads are open or closed to off-road vehicle use and which roads are only open to conventional vehicles. It’s important to stay on these roads when using motor vehicles to reduce erosion and damage to wildlife habitat.
The following mileages will be open to ORVs starting April 1: Read more
WEST POINT, MS – Mossy Oak, The Official Camo of Conservation and the Official Camo of the NWTF, is taking its focus and efforts to a new level with a brand new Wild Turkey Conservation Stamp project that will donate 100% of all money raised (including expenses incurred) directly to wild turkey conservation efforts. Mossy Oak is honored to unveil its inaugural wild turkey stamp as part of what will be an annual limited edition offering to support the wild turkey; the species that led to the “fistful of dirt”, and the conception of the outdoor lifestyle brand.
Mossy Oak’s Limited Edition 2022 Wild Turkey Conservation Stamp will be a 1.5” x 2” stamp titled “A Mossy Oak Moment”, created by artist Dan Moreton, originally painted for Mossy Oak in 1996. The stamp is available now at store.mossyoak.com. Every last penny raised in the sales of the Mossy Oak Wild Turkey Stamp will be entirely invested into wild turkey research projects reviewed and approved by an advisory board including the likes of Dr. Mike Chamberlain and Dr. Marcus Lashley, among other devout GameKeepers.
Mossy Oak’s founder and CEO, Toxey Haas wrote the following letter that will be sent with each stamp order:
My dad taught me a lot of things growing up in the woods with him. Two of the ones he instilled from an early age that lasted a lifetime were to always leave my piece of dirt better than I found it, and to love and respect all critters we hunted, but especially wild turkeys. Later in life we started calling that being a gamekeeper.
The wild turkey hasn’t always been here. In West Point where I was born and where Mossy Oak remains, we didn’t even have wild turkeys when I was born. I had to drive down to Choctaw Bluff in south Alabama to hunt them. I can’t imagine a spring morning spent without the chance to hear one of the sweetest sounds in all of nature – a wild turkey gobble. And we dang sure want to do everything we can to ensure our kids and grandkids don’t have to wonder what that sounds like. No disrespect to so many other animals we love, but the wild turkey is the grandest of birds.
Without wild turkeys there would be no Mossy Oak. And it’s our responsibility to do everything we can with the time we have on earth to ensure the turkey hunting community leaves the wild turkey better off than we found them. Turkeys are a precious resource. And they’re more vulnerable than most of the animals we hunt.
We’ve always helped look after them, but we’re really proud to create our first wild turkey conservation stamp. Every cent we raise from this stamp will go directly toward conservation research and projects with nothing left over. If we can do what we can with the dirt we’ve been given and everyone reading this does the same, we’ll have left it better than we’ve found it. And we look forward to helping fund some of the projects being pursued right now by some great gamekeepers around the country. Read more
SALT LAKE CITY — While COVID-19 was confirmed in white-tailed deer in parts of the U.S. last year, the virus was recently confirmed in Utah mule deer for the first time after the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources submitted samples taken from deer during winter health assessments.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has been collaborating on a research study to test various wildlife species for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19). As part of the study, DWR biologists collected nasal swab samples and blood samples from deer during the annual helicopter captures where biologists perform a health check and place GPS collars on the animals. From November to December, samples were taken from roughly 280 deer statewide and were sent to two USDA labs in other states for testing.
On March 22, the APHIS’ National Veterinary Services Lab in Ames, Iowa confirmed a case of the SARS-CoV-2 delta variant in one of the samples submitted from a female mule deer in Morgan County. Only one deer tested positive for the virus from the nasal samples, but several other Utah deer had the antibodies in their blood samples, indicating the virus had been in the deer population prior to the capture. Read more
Plymouth, MI – EOTECH is excited to announce that the new EOTECH Vudu 1-10x28mm riflescope is now shipping to dealers, wholesalers, and consumers around the world.
The 1-10x delivers outstanding performance and durability in all environments while offering First Focal Plane advantages and 1-10x power versatility. First Focal Plane (FFP) scopes provide many benefits, and the Vudu 1-10×28 FFP reticles make full use of this advanced design. The Vudu’s wide magnification range and rapid zooming balance shooting speed with precision. When combined with a choice of three modern reticles, the Vudu 1-10x28mm precision riflescope is a clear choice for close- to medium-range targets and everything in between.
The dramatic 1-10x magnification range truly sets this optic apart! At 1x, its wide field of view, generous eye relief and signature EOTECH Speed Ring is the ultimate setup for enhanced situational awareness and rapid shot transitions. At the other end of the spectrum, its 10x magnification and detailed reticle allow precise holdover shots at extended ranges.
With First Focal Plane scopes, the reticle grows as magnification increases. At high power, the reticle is an optical tape measure for estimating distance and precisely aiming holdover shots; at low magnification, the eye focuses on the bold, illuminated EOTECH Speed Ring for snapshots and quick follow-ups. Designed to be simple and intuitive, shooters will understand the versatility of this system with one look through the 1-10x28mm scope.
The Vudu 1-10x28mm riflescope is available with one of three illuminated reticles. The SR-4 uses MOA-based sub-tension marks for ranging, holdover, and windage corrections at higher powers and the Speed Ring with center red aiming dot for rapid shots at the lower power setting. The SR-5 is an MRAD graduated Christmas-tree style reticle for more precise windage and elevation holds. The LE-5 is like the SR-5 but features a familiar crosshair inside the Speed Ring rather than a single dot. On the left side of the scope, a push-button reticle illumination system provides intuitive controls; one button for on/off, and the others control brightness settings. Read more
?U.S. LawShield® Travel Guides
Houston, Texas – March 28, 2022 – U.S. LawShield®, industry leader and America’s largest provider of Legal Defense for Self Defense® coverage, offers state-specific Travel Guides and top tips for gun owners as they prepare to travel in the coming months.
According to Kirk Evans, President of U.S. LawShield, “Before you head south for Spring Break, trek to Grandma’s for Easter, or hit the road for your summer trip, we thought a quick refresher in common travel issues for gun owners would be helpful. Licenses or permits to carry a handgun aren’t like driver’s licenses and might not be honored depending on what state you find yourself in,” he said. “We offer resources to help you understand the ins and outs of traveling with your gun.” Read more
Mogadore, OH. TenPoint Crossbow Technologies recently launched the NEW Viper S400 Oracle X. Featuring the Burris® Oracle X™ Rangefinding Crossbow Scope and the revolutionary ACUslide™ cocking and de-cocking system, the Viper S400 delivers speeds up to 400 feet-per-second and is one of TenPoint’s shortest forward draw crossbows at just 32-inches long.
“We are excited to team with Burris and their storied past of range finding optics to bring the market a more affordable range finding crossbow option,” said Rick Bednar, TenPoint CEO. “At 400 feet-per-second and safe de-cocking, the Viper S400 has been one of our most highly rated crossbows ever, and the addition of the Oracle X™ takes it to a new level of performance.”
The lightweight and robust Burris® Oracle X™ Rangefinding Crossbow Scope features a built-in laser rangefinder that is activated via the wireless remote or the range button on the scope. With the push of a single button, the Oracle X™ instantly ranges game up to 200-yards away and reflective targets up to 500-yards away.
Forget the days of “gap shooting” with multiple aim points and reticle patterns – the 2x-7x Oracle X™ displays the distance to your target and provides an exact aiming point factoring in the angle of your shot – leading to greater accuracy and more ethical shots. Read more
Reliable and quality made shotgun for beginners and pros alike
Today, GForce Arms, Inc. is proud to announce the shipping of their lever action shotgun, the LVR410. This model is the newest in their line of home defense and hunting shotguns, aimed for the average person who loves to hunt or shoot trap. It features a beautiful Turkish walnut stock and forend, high grade aluminum receiver. It comes standard with their limited lifetime warranty.
Setting itself apart from the crowd, the GForce Arms GFLVR410 is initially nickel factory cerakote and blued nickel. Topped off with Turkish walnut stock and handguard, this lever action is a beautiful blend of classic and modern finishes. Read more
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Firearms Policy Coalition today issued the following statement regarding the ATF’s “Open Letter to All Federal Firearms Licensees” regarding its classification of some “forced-reset triggers” (FRTs) as “firearms” and “machineguns” as defined in the National Firearms Act (NFA) and Gun Control Act (GCA):
This latest effort by the ATF to punish and stoke fear among peaceable people who purchase protected-arms components specifically designed to comply with federal law is further proof of the agency’s abusive overreach of statutory and constitutional bounds and a manic desire to expand its dominion. Furthermore, by being purposefully vague in saying it “intends to take appropriate remedial action,” the ATF adds to the unscrupulous nature of this action leaving sellers and owners unsure if they’ll be subject to abuse.
Unless the ATF doesn’t understand the difference between resetting and pulling a trigger, the statement is further evidence of the agency’s underhandedness. After citing the “single function of the trigger” statutory definition of a “machinegun,” the ATF claims “some FRT devices allow a firearm to automatically expel more than one shot with a single, continuous pull of the trigger.” By virtue of its very namesake, “forced-reset trigger” systems require an additional pull before firing another shot.
The letter ends with a directive to contact a local ATF Field Office if “uncertain whether the device you possess is a machinegun.” Out of an abundance of caution, FPC suggests that individuals, entities, and businesses who are now or have been in possession of “forced-reset triggers” consider the below measures through which you may be able to protect and preserve your rights should ATF contact you, visit you, and/or demand that you surrender any item in your possession. Read more