Michigan DNR Wildlife Habitat Grant application period now open

Now through March 15, the Wildlife Habitat Grant Program will be accepting applications, with priority given to projects enhancing game species habitat.

“We look forward to the opportunity to partner with those who want to increase habitat and enhance existing habitat through the Wildlife Habitat Grant Program,” said Michigan Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Division Chief Jared Duquette. “Healthy and abundant habitats not only benefit wildlife, but also benefit Michigan residents by providing cleaner air and water and by offering spaces to enjoy nature, enhancing physical and mental health.”

Funding is available for local, state, federal and tribal governments, profit and nonprofit groups, and individuals through an open, competitive process. Minimum grant amounts will be set at $15,000, with the maximum being the amount of funds available for that grant cycle. The 2022 overall available grant amount is approximately $1 million. Read more

Wildlife

Primos Releases New Trigger Stick Gun Mounted Bipods

Adjustable Bipods Available in Prone, Sitting and Standing Models

MADISON, Miss. – January 26, 2022 – Primos® Hunting, a pioneer in game calls and hunting accessories, announces the new Trigger Stick® Gun Mounted Bipod. Highly portable and fast to deploy at any desired height thanks to its built-in one-handed trigger mechanism, the Trigger Stick Gun Mounted Bipod helps hunters make accurate shots with speed no matter where they are.

These bipods are quick-detachable and will clamp to the sling swivel stud of bolt-action rifles or to a picatinny rail on a modern sporting rifle. The design allows the shooter to utilize their sling and does not impede when shooting off-hand. The hinged design also allows the bipod to be folded parallel to the barrel when not in use.

With a sleek head design for ultimate portability and heat-treated steel and alloy construction, the Tigger Stick Gun Mounted Bipod can strap onto the outside of a pack and easily withstand whatever the elements throw its way. Read more

Firearms

Hornady Security RAPiD Safe Ready Vault Series Now Available with WiFi

Secure firearm storage is essential for responsible gun owners. The RAPiD® Safe Ready Vault Series is loaded with modern technology and proven security features to keep firearms secure while accessible. Hornady Security® RAPiD Safes offer quick, dependable firearm access using patented RFID technology while providing unmatched security from unauthorized users.

The RAPiD Safe Ready Vault series includes the Ready Vault and the Compact Ready Vault. The bigger, Ready Vault accommodates up to six long guns and fourteen handguns. The Compact Ready Vault model, the smaller of the two in the series, is sized for storing two pistols and up to three shotguns or rifles.

RAPiD Safe Ready Vaults use patented RFID lock-opening technology. Swiping an RFID-equipped wristband, key fob or decal over the safe’s sensor instantly opens the vault door. A programmable digital keypad and mechanical key offer additional entry methods. An AC-powered lock with battery backup provides 24/7 protection and rapid access. Programming RFID locks add the convenience of opening multiple safes with the same tags. Read more

Firearms

CZ Varmint Precision Trainer Gets a Boost in Accuracy

For anyone looking to get serious about rimfire competition shooting without the costs of a full-on custom rifle, a new day has dawned. CZ-USA has released its match-grade MTR chamber and the extremely tight tolerances that come with it in one of the gunmaker’s most popular 22 LR bolt guns—the 457 Varmint Precision Trainer (VPT).

The MTR chamber has already proven itself in its namesake, CZ 457 Varmint MTR rifle, and has garnered an excellent reputation for accuracy. The MTR variant of the VPT allows shooters to buy an affordable, match-chambered rifle that’s ready to compete right out of the box. This eliminates the perceived need to upgrade any major components, putting this rifle a step above the competition.

The Precision Trainer series was designed to provide the same look and feel as a full-size tactical rifle while allowing for more economical training. Though the golden days of cheap and plentiful 22 LR ammo may be behind us, the Precision Trainer has become more popular than we ever could have imagined.

The 457 VPT MTR merges the best of both models with the Manners carbon-fiber composite stock and the MTR chamber. This model utilizes a cold hammer-forged and lapped 16.2-inch barrel for superior accuracy. It is also threaded to allow easy installation of a suppressor or muzzle device.

New for 2022 the Manners carbon fiber stock now features an adjustable cheekpiece. The forend is recessed, drilled, and threaded for use with an Arca Rail. It still comes with the basic features that have set the 457 family of rifles apart; a fully adjustable trigger, a 5-round detachable magazine, and integrated 11mm dovetails for scope installation with an MSRP of $1,635. Read more

Firearms

Streamlight BearTrap Multi-Function Work Light

Rechargeable Work Light Offers 2,000 Lumens, Multiple Hands-Free Lighting Options

Eagleville, PA — — Streamlight® Inc., a leading provider of high-performance lighting, introduced the BearTrap®, a high-power work light that delivers up to 2,000 lumens for automotive and other inspection, identification and repair uses. Featuring both spot and flood beams, the light can rotate 270 degrees in its frame and clamps to virtually any surface or stands on its own for hands-free task illumination. It also features a magnetic base and a hanging hook for additional hands-free lighting options.

“The BearTrap is a technician’s dream work light, offering bright white light in both spot and flood modes and multiple hands-free lighting options for illuminating hard-to-reach places such as under a vehicle or when troubleshooting equipment repairs,” said Streamlight Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Michael F. Dineen. “It adjusts for easy positioning and with its rubberized construction, it prevents scratches when clamped to surfaces like a car hood. And because it uses a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, the BearTrap also offers extremely low operating costs.”

This new work light provides six output modes, including three spot and three flood settings. The BearTrap’s flood mode fills work areas with soft, bright light, ranging from 2,000 lumens on high with a 2.5-hour run time to 575 lumens on low, with an 8.75-hour run time. In spot mode, the light provides a white concentrated beam for specific task lighting, ranging from 1,000 lumens on high for 4.5 hours to 325 lumens on low for 12.5 hours. Read more

Optics

2020 Buck Harvest Highest in 21 Years According to NDA’s Deer Report

Deer hunters in the United States harvested an estimated 6.3 million white-tailed deer in the 2020-21 hunting season, the most since 2011, according to the National Deer Association’s latest Deer Report released this week. Harvests of both antlered bucks and antlerless deer were up over the 2019 season, but the estimated buck harvest of 3,041,544 was the most in 21 years.

“2020 saw the highest buck harvest in the new century, and amazingly we estimate that we set another new record for the percentage of those bucks that were 3½ years old or older,” said Kip Adams, NDA’s Chief Conservation Officer. “U.S. hunters are taking fewer yearling bucks and killing more of them as mature deer, but this doesn’t mean fewer bucks harvested overall. We’re killing older bucks and more bucks than ever in America.”

The steadily climbing percentage of 3½-and-older bucks in the harvest is the result of declining pressure nationwide on yearling bucks (1½ years old). Only 26% of the 2020 antlered buck harvest was yearlings, another new record low in modern history. The total buck harvest of 3,041,544 was up 5.3% from the previous season. It is estimated 41% of them were 3½ or older, or 1.2 million. While hunters killed slightly more bucks in total in the record 1999 season, the national harvest at that time was more than 50% yearlings, therefore the 2020 season likely saw the greatest number of mature bucks killed by American hunters in modern history. Read more

Hunting, Wildlife

Is there an E-Bike in your Outdoors Future?

— Frank Sargeant
Frankmako1@gmail.com

The idea of even getting on a bicycle may seem strange to most of us who haven’t traveled on two wheels since we were old enough for a driver’s license. While avid suburban conditioning fans may ride 10-speeds, for most of us bikes are just a distant memory unless our kids or grandkids are riding them.

They shouldn’t be. New models with electric power-assist not only make bikes more practical for a lot more of us, they open up new uses uniquely suited to two-wheel transportation—including great hunting and fishing access to remote areas and beaches throughout the nation.

The off-road versions of E-bikes now available make it possible to travel miles into difficult terrain on trails that are too narrow for full-sized vehicles, and to do it in silence, with almost no impact on the habitat or the wildlife. This gives them a huge advantage over noisy four-wheel ATV’s, a favorite of many hunters in deer and turkey seasons.

Scouting for springtime turkeys becomes far easier because it’s possible to roll along at a steady pace, three or four times your walking speed, while calling with a diaphragm call in your mouth and listening for a response. You don’t have to be quite so careful that there’s not a rattler or a moccasin watching your next step, either!

This display version at SHOT Show is carrying a cooler, but the single wheel cart is more than capable of bringing you and your harvest home on wheels. OWDN photo.

Read more

Wildlife

Bond Arms Roughneck Marking Compliance Recall

Granbury, TX (January 25, 2022) – Bond Arms is known for its outstanding fit and finish on every gun they build. To create a more affordable option for budget-conscious customers without compromising features, Bond Arms trimmed down its finishing process to create the Rough Series. The result is a handgun with the same outstanding qualities inherent in every Bond Arms’ gun without all the frills.

With quality firearms for wise consumers also comes mandatory ID markings. A batch of Roughneck 38/357 barrels made it into the consumer’s hands without the barrel’s full ID markings. To make sure Bond Arms is in full compliance with the production process Bond Arms needs all Roughneck 38/357 owners to do us a favor and take a look at their Roughneck barrels. If the barrel matches the sample highlighted below, please call Bond Arms directly at 817-573-4445 or email us at customerservice@bondarms.com to arrange for the return of the barrel. Read more

Firearms

NSSF Retailer Surveys Indicate 5.4 Million First-Time Gun Buyers in 2021

The National Shooting Sports Foundation® (NSSF®), the firearm industry trade association, revealed that at least 5.4 million people purchased a firearm for the first time in 2021. Nearly 30 percent of all firearm purchases last year went to new gun owners, based on NSSF’s retailer surveys and adjusted National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) background checks.

That figure is a 10 percent decrease from the 40 percent of first-time gun buyers revealed in similar surveys in 2020. More than 21 million background checks were conducted for the sale of a firearm then, with over 8.4 million of those estimated to be for those buying a firearm for the first time.

“We welcome these new gun owners to the greater community of law-abiding Americans who choose to own a firearm for lawful purposes, including self-defense, recreational target shooting and hunting,” said Joe Bartozzi, NSSF President and CEO. “The surveys revealed that new gun owners are continuing to embrace their Second Amendment rights and nearly half of them are seeking out professional training. These trends show that not only is there still a strong interest in gun ownership but also that these new gun owners are interested in learning more about the safe and responsible handling, use and storage of firearms.” Read more

Firearms

Houston Safari Club Foundation Becomes POMA Corporate Partner

(Houston, TX- January 25, 2022) The Houston Safari Club Foundation (HSCF) is pleased to announce its status as a new Corporate Partner of the Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA).

Since 2005, POMA has been a leader in outdoor sports communication excellence. Writers, filmmakers, organizations and businesses all unite under the POMA umbrella to bring the best in outdoor news and information to consumers.

“Together, we all work to spread the good news about the outdoors, shooting sports, hunting, and the conservation of habitat and wildlife around the world. Now, more than ever, it is critical for professionals in the outdoor space to unite and fight against censorship of our passions by social media,” states Joe Betar, Houston Safari Club Foundation Executive Director. Read more

Hunting
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