NWTF Tennessee Helps Add New Dimension to Wild Turkey Research

(UT students attach transmitters to hens. Photo courtesy of UT.)

When we think of the NWTF and Tennessee, we can’t help but think about our 50th anniversary celebration in Nashville just on the horizon, but that’s not the only thing to celebrate in the Volunteer State — the Tennessee NWTF State Chapter recently helped expand research efforts that will ultimately benefit turkeys and turkey hunters.

The new research extends the work of an active six-year research project led by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and the University of Tennessee.

Over the project’s six years, it has helped the TWRA manage wild turkeys with the best available science and has helped garner essential information for wild turkey management, including population vital rates (such as estimates of reproductive success and survival), habitat use, hunter attitudes and effort, disease ecology and the effects of habitat management.

“We are excited to continue this research partnership with Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and the National Wild Turkey Federation to address several important questions that have arisen during the past few years,” said David Buehler, Ph.D., UT professor of wildlife science. “Because of the intensive monitoring we have conducted over the past six years of over 700 radio-tagged hens and gobblers and over 225 poults, we are uniquely positioned to address contemporary questions such as the effect of the two-week season delay on turkey productivity and populations. Tennessee’s science-based approach to turkey management should serve as a model for others to follow.“

“This project has provided our agency important information,” said Roger Shields, TWRA wild turkey program coordinator and NWTF Technical Committee representative. “Foremost is an understanding that the observed decline in the turkey population here is not due to poor survival of adults, it’s being driven by low productivity. Almost across the board, we’re seeing reproductive rates are lower than we’d expect for a stable turkey population.” Read more

Wildlife

HAWKE Optics Brings Turkey-Hunting Optics to NWTF

Hawke® Optics, a worldwide leader in quality sporting optics that perform outstanding in the field while maintaining optimum value for the consumer, is coming to the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) Convention February 15-19, 2023 (booth #2156) in Nashville, TN, and they are bringing the best turkey-hunting shotgun optics you’ll find anywhere. Hawke is set to take over the turkey hunting market and you will not want to miss it. With more turkey hunters adding an optic to their shotguns every year, now is a great time to increase your accuracy for better hunting.

“We’re excited for this year’s NWTF Convention, and for our customers to get hands-on with the best range of turkey-hunting shotgun optics available,” said Kevin Sheehan, Hawke Optics VP of Sales & Marketing. “Our new Vantage IR 1-4X20 Turkey Dot shotgun scope sets a new standard for hunting sight performance, and for hunters looking for something else, we have the Reflex Circle Dot Wide-View sight and the 1x Prism Red Dot sight. Regardless of what style of sight you want for your turkey gun, we have you completely covered.”

The new Vantage IR 1-4×20 Turkey Dot scope was designed from the ground up to be the ultimate turkey scope. It uses Hawke’s new Turkey Dot IR reticle for extremely fast target acquisition. Being a multi-power scope, you can use it on 1x for reflex shooting when the bird is in close. However, you also can zoom in at longer distances with up to 4X magnification. The 4 MOA illuminated center dot is surrounded by a circle that measures 10 inches at 25 yards, when on 1x magnification. The floating non-illuminated posts at 3, 6 and 9 o’clock give additional guides and level confirmation for improved accuracy and rapid target identification. Read more

Optics

HatsanUSA High-Powered .62 Caliber PileDriver

Rogers, AR – HatsanUSA® is proud to announce its largest airgun – the .62 caliber PileDriver. The PileDriver is designed exclusively for high-powered hunting applications. Capable of producing over 700 ft-lbs. of kinetic energy in .62 caliber, it is also available in .45 and .50 caliber models. Although this rifle utilizes a 33-inch barrel, its bullpup design keeps the maximum length under 4 ft. The side-lever cocking mechanism is easy to reach and operate.

A 480 cc carbon fiber bottle fills to 4350 PSI and will provide up to 6 high-powered shots on a single fill. A built-in pressure gauge aids in monitoring pressure in the cylinder, and a quick-fill nozzle allows easy refilling. The PileDriver’s unique, patented hammer design eliminates traditional steel coil springs in favor of a smoother, easier-to-cock, gas piston mechanism. This top-loading single-shot rifle also features an extra-large loading port that will accommodate ammo up to 34mm in length.

The rifle’s 14-inch-long scope rail is cut to accept both picatinny and 11 mm dovetail mounts, offering plenty of real estate for various optics. Three picatinny accessory rails are attached around the air bottle for added customization. The high-strength steel barrel is precision rifled for long-range accuracy, and the absence of a shroud allows for sabot rounds, further expanding one’s ammunition options. The fully adjustable 2-stage Quattro trigger is another customizable feature the .62 Caliber PileDriver offers. The receiver is anodized in black, and a manual safety is included. Read more

Firearms

NSSF Files to Block Enforcement of Illinois Gun & Magazine Ban

WASHINGTON, D.C. — NSSF®, The Firearm Industry Trade Association, filed a motion for a preliminary injunction to block state authorities from enforcing HB 5471, the recently-enacted “Protect Illinois Communities Act,” which bans the sale of several hundred of the most commonly-owned semiautomatic rifles in America, including all rifles on the very popular Modern Sporting Rifle (MSR) platform. That same law also bans the possession of standard-capacity magazines and certain models of semiautomatic handguns. This unconstitutional law unquestionably violates the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Illinois citizens and the state should be enjoined immediately from enforcing it.

“NSSF filed this motion for a preliminary injunction because every day this unconstitutional law is on the books, law-abiding citizens are being denied their right to keep and bear arms of their choosing for self-defense and other lawful purposes,” said Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel. “This ban on MSRs and other commonly-owned rifles, standard-capacity magazines and certain handguns was passed in open defiance of the Supreme Court’s Bruen and Heller decisions. The Second Amendment protects the right of a citizen to freely approach a gun counter to legally purchase commonly-owned firearms, unless, as the Supreme Court held in Bruen, the state can prove its law is part of a historic, national tradition and heritage of banning such arms – something the state obviously cannot do.” Read more

Gun Control

CMP Offers GSMM Master Instructor, Range Officer Training Courses

The Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) has announced its lineup of Master Instructor and Range Officer training courses for 2023! These courses allow learning opportunities on how to train others in marksmanship as well as to ensure safety and proper regulations at local competitive events. The training schedule is stretched around the country throughout the year to increase CMP’s outreach to interested individuals.

Those seeking certification in teaching marksmanship basics and match details as “Master Instructors” of CMP’s sanctioned Garand, Springfield and Modern/Vintage Military (GSMM) rifle or Rimfire Sporter rifle events should look to the GSMM Master Instructor Training Workshops. Registration fee for the class is $135 and includes a notebook, thumb drive, sling, 20 dummy rounds and a CMP Rifle Scorebook. Read more

Firearms

NDA’s Deer Report Finds 88% of the U.S. Whitetail Harvest Occurs on Private Land

January 30, 2023 – An average of 88% of state white-tailed deer harvests occur on private land, according to the National Deer Association’s latest Deer Report, released today. Texas reported the highest rate of private-land deer harvest at 99% while Massachusetts reported the highest rate of public-land harvest at 43%.

“Most of America’s 600 million acres of public land are in the West, yet proportionally few hunters are residents of those states,” said NDA Chief Conservation Officer Kip Adams and one of the report’s authors. “Most whitetails live in the eastern states along with most hunters, and this new data underscores the conservation importance of habitat management and deer hunting on private land.”

NDA’s Deer Report is available for free download at this link. Read more

Hunting, Wildlife

Now’s the Time to Take the Handloading Plunge

By Glen Wunderlich

Charter Member Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA)

It’s never been more expensive to hunt.  It costs more for related gear than ever before thus making it more difficult to get outdoors and to enjoy Mother Nature’s finest offerings.  Folks wanting to improve their shooting skills quickly learn that requisite ammo is so expensive, that practicing is curtailed or ignored.  It’s hard to justify trigger time at $2 or more per squeeze.

At the same time, there has never been a better time to begin handloading than today.  Although the term “reloading” is commonly used to describe the activity of assembling specific components to develop customized ammunition, it is a bit of a misnomer.  Simply stated, all homemade ammo is handloaded, but not necessarily reloaded.  That’s because all new components are used in many instances, and if anything, the result is always unique – much more so than factory fodder.

Yet, surveys show most American shooters do not reload their own shotshells or rifle and pistol cartridges.  Studies have shown that 83 percent of shotgunners and 74 percent of centerfire shooters reported that they do not reload any ammunition at all.  Most shooters, who do reload their own ammunition, report reloading only small quantities – one to five boxes per month.

After the initial investment of a press, powder scale, dial calipers, etc. is overcome, dividends follow.  The more basic tools still provide excellent results, although the production time is slower than with more elaborate and expensive gear.  With instructional videos and quality loading manuals, getting started is easier than ever.  Of course, having an experienced hand-loading friend can cut down on the learning curve even more.

The vast majority of my custom handloading work is performed in the winter.  Down in the basement, while listening to the radio, a certain satisfaction develops with each finished cartridge that cannot be matched no matter how much is paid for the store-bought varieties.

No doubt factory ammo is better than ever, but custom loads tailored to a specific firearm can usually outperform even high-end, off-the-shelf loads.  Again, it takes a little education and patience, and some trial and error, but unsurpassed accuracy can be achieved; lower costs are icing on the cake.

Obviously, the initial set-up costs will be hundreds of dollars and the notion of savings may not materialize for years, or even never.  If the equipment is used sparingly, there may never come a time when the investment makes fiscal sense.

Conversely, having ammunition on hand in enough quantities to actually practice more at the range can spell better results afield.  Shooters have more desire to shoot their own hand-built inventions and the resulting experience is naturally translated afield where “the rubber meets the road.”

Perfect shots come from perfect practice and there is no way to get around it.  Plus, the self-satisfaction and self-sufficiency of handloading can be reward enough for many do-it-yourselfers who’ve taken the plunge.

Ammunition, Firearms

DNR ordered to shut down unregulated water source in Ontonagon County

Contact: Tom Seablom 906-250-0759 or Ron Yesney 906-228-6561

Process under way to cap-off water, curtail access
A roadside access point is shown where water has been drawn from an unregulated source.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has been ordered to shut down an unregulated water source at a roadside access point some locals have used for drinking water and other household needs for decades.

An order was issued to the DNR in December by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy.

“The DNR needs to cease and desist serving water to the public by use of the trailside flowing water outlet by Feb. 6, 2023, and to provide written notice within 30 days to any residential structures served by the non-potable water supply that water service will be discontinued on or before , 2023,” the order states. Read more

General

Kalamazoo man charged in series of hunting violations, admits he’s not an ‘ethical hunter’

Jan. 27, 2023
Contact: Lt. Gerald Thayer, 269-204-7045

A Kalamazoo man who admits that he’s “not the most ethical hunter,” was in court for a pretrial hearing related to illegal deer hunting.

Scott Kevin Meisterheim, 55, was arraigned earlier this month in the 8th District Court of Kalamazoo County for the following 10 charges, sought by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources:

Meisterheim the Poacher

  • Taking white-tailed deer outside of lawful hunting hours (one count).
  • Hunting white-tailed deer with no license (two counts).
  • Uses the deer hunting licenses of another (two counts).
  • Taking an overlimit of antlered white-tailed deer (two counts).
  • Transporting/possessing untagged antlered white-tailed deer (three counts).

The DNR requested additional charges for illegal bait, failing to immediately validate/attach kill tags and using another’s (hunting) license.

“This is an excellent investigation of a poacher who shows no respect for the resource or the ethics of fair chase,” said Chief Dave Shaw, DNR Law Enforcement Division. “Violations of this type deprive law-abiding people of their opportunity to have access to and enjoy a public trust natural resource, in this case white-tailed deer.”

DNR conservation officers began investigating Meisterheim, the poacher, in  after receiving tips that were reported to the DNR’s Report All Poaching hotline (800-292-7800).

Conservation Officer James Nason, who patrols Kalamazoo County, investigated a series of tips by interviewing several witnesses regarding Meisterheim’s illegal hunting activity from October to

Evidence collected during the investigation revealed that Meisterheim took at least 11 deer from Oct. 1-Dec. 24, 2021, including three deer Oct. 1, and that he believed he was “tagged out” the first week of archery season. Within three days, Meisterheim let two deer spoil; those were rejected by the processor due to their condition.

Nason interviewed Meisterheim at the Kalamazoo County Jail, where Meisterheim was lodged at the time for domestic abuse.

“Sure, I love to kill deer,” Meisterheim said. “If I could kill more I would, to be honest with you.”

Meisterheim, who was hunting without a hunting license, during all hours of the day and while using illegal bait, also obtained other people’s deer tags to cover his illegal deer, if he even tagged them at all.

He told Nason that he “is not the most ethical hunter, tagging other people’s deer, but I don’t care – I am addicted to the venison.”

In explaining why he was in possession of so many deer, Meisterheim also claimed that injured deer would stumble to, and die near his hunting location. Meisterheim also hunted several properties where he did not have permission, including in Kalamazoo and Van Buren counties.

Meisterheim is currently serving 18 months’ probation for aggravated domestic assault in Kalamazoo County. He is due back in court for the DNR charges in February.

Michigan conservation officers are fully commissioned law enforcement officers who provide natural resources protection, ensure recreational safety, and protect residents through general law enforcement and conducting lifesaving operations in the communities they serve. Learn more at Michigan.gov/ConservationOfficers.

Poachers

Trijicon Limited Edition ACOG 4×32 in Exclusive Tiger Camo Patterns

Trijicon Unveils Limited Edition ACOG® 4×32 in Exclusive Tiger Camo Patterns – Available Only Through Select Dealer Channels

WIXOM, MI – Trijicon Inc., global provider of innovative aiming solutions to military, law enforcement and individual consumers, is ringing in the new year with limited editions of the legendary ACOG® 4×32 riflescope in exclusive Tiger Camo patterns.

For a limited time, Trijicon will be offering both a three-color Tiger Camo version and a two-color Tiger Camo version of the famed ACOG through select dealer channels. Both options will feature the popular dual illuminated .223 Red Chevron (BDC) reticle with TA51 mount.

From the home of Trijicon founder Glyn Bindon to the front lines of America’s greatest fighting forces, the Trijicon Advanced Combat Optical Gunsight (ACOG) has grown to become one of the most durable, combat-proven, versatile aiming devices ever – why more than one million of the 4×32 model have been produced!

The ACOG is a fixed-magnification optic that was designed for a single purpose: to provide increased hit potential in all lighting conditions. With its dual-illuminated reticle, the Trijicon ACOG provides shooters with a distinct aiming point in all light conditions – without batteries. Powered by a tritium-phosphor lamp, the gun sight’s reticle glows in low-light/no-light conditions, while advanced fiber optics automatically adjust the brightness level and contrast of the reticle in brighter light conditions. Most models feature a unique caliber-specific reticle pattern that provides quick target acquisition at close combat ranges while delivering enhanced target identification and hit probability at extended ranges utilizing a built-in Bullet Drop Compensator (BDC) reticle. Read more

Optics
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