Comment on Michigan’s draft 2022 wolf management plan by Aug. 4

Those interested in sharing feedback about the Michigan Department of Natural Resources’ newest draft of the state’s wolf management plan are invited to complete an online questionnaire, available through Aug. 4.

Michigan’s wolf management plan – created in 2008 and updated in 2015 – is being updated this year, using public input to identify prominent issues, assess public attitudes and review the biological and social science surrounding wolves.

The draft 2022 plan has four principal goals:

    • Maintain a viable wolf population.
    • Facilitate wolf-related benefits.
    • Minimize wolf-related conflicts.
    • Conduct science-based and socially responsible management of wolves.

Read more

Wildlife

Streamlight Launches Green Laser TLR Rail Mount Versions

Rail-Mount Tactical Lights Fit Long Guns; Offer Green Laser for Improved Targeting

Eagleville, PA –– Streamlight® Inc., a leading provider of high-performance lighting and weapon light/laser sighting devices, introduced the TLR® RM 1 LASER-G and TLR® RM 2 LASER-G tactical lights for long guns, each featuring a high visibility green aiming laser. Packaged as a system, the new rail-mounted lights feature independently operating push-button and remote pressure switches; the kit provides everything users need to mount to long guns. Also available in light only models, the TLR RM 1 LASER-G and TLR RM 2 LASER-G deliver 500 and 1,000 lumens, respectively.

“In addition to the original TLR RM 1 and 2 which feature a red aiming laser, we now offer new models with an integrated green laser, which appears brighter to the human eye than other colored lasers, to improve focusing on targets,” said Streamlight President and Chief Executive Officer Ray Sharrah. “Like earlier models, they also have an ergonomic, multi-function tactical tail switch and dedicated toggle switch. And they deliver the same powerful beam, with extensive range and solid peripheral coverage.”

The remote switch is designed to exit the weapon at a 90º angle, providing improved cable routing to preserve rail space. The lights feature three modes: Laser only, LED only and LED/Laser, operated by a side toggle switch. The face cap offers a safe-off mode to prevent unintentional activation. Read more

Optics

Frabill ReCharge Deluxe Aerator

Market-leading bait management product sets the new standard in aeration

COLUMBIA, S.C. – For over 80 years, Frabill has been the market leader in the bait management space, and the new ReCharge Deluxe Aerator continues the tradition of bringing new innovative products to anglers. The Frabill ReCharge Deluxe Aerator is a mobile livewell aeration system with an induction motor that provides time-after-time use to keep bait lively.

Outfitted with a rechargeable lithium battery, the ReCharge Deluxe Aerator can be conveniently recharged with the included 10V adaptor or through a USB cable.
A water-resistant gasket designed with an anti-back flow check valve keeps water out and bait alive longer. The universal hang-on clip with stability posts allows anglers to bring it on fly-in trips, shore fishing, or on any boat. Now a bucket or nearly any waterproof container can become a viable minnow bucket. Read more

Fishing

The Outdoors Drives Jobs: Career Paths in the Outdoor Recreation Economy

Growing Workforce is the Backbone of Thriving Industry

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Wednesday on a virtual webinar the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR) released a new report on career opportunities in the $689 billion outdoor recreation sector, to help industry leaders, policymakers and prospective workers understand how these jobs provide outstanding quality of life, support conservation goals, strengthen local economies, and connect Americans to the great outdoors.

“The backbone of this thriving sector is a growing workforce that meets the dynamic needs of today’s fast-paced industry,” said Jessica Turner, President of Outdoor Recreation Roundtable. “Right now, there are so many high-quality jobs that exist across the outdoor recreation industry for professionals with a variety of skillsets that provide outstanding lifelong careers, and we want to highlight those opportunities in this report.”

The report was released in partnership with the Oregon State University Center for the Outdoor Recreation Economy. “While professionals from across the country are carving out roles in this exciting industry that supports a conservation ethos and enables high quality of life, we also know that there is a growing skills gap in the outdoor workforce and that there are thousands of open jobs (for example, 31,000 in the marine industry alone) available for people seeking life-long and meaningful careers,” added Lee Davis, Executive Director of the Oregon State University Center for the Outdoor Recreation Economy (CORE).

A few highlights from the report: Read more

Wildlife

SAF Files Notice of Supplemental Authority in Gun Rights Case

BELLEVUE, WA – Attorneys for the Second Amendment Foundation have filed a Notice of Supplemental Authority in a case challenging the ban on handgun purchases by young adults, ages 18-20, based on language in the Supreme Court’s ruling in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc. v. Bruen.

The notice states, “As Plaintiffs have argued, text, history and tradition all point uniformly in this case toward 18-to-20-year-olds having equal rights to other adults with respect to firearms, including the right to purchase them, and the Government has not pointed to any sufficiently rooted analogous historical restrictions that would take this case outside the scope of the Second Amendment’s protections.”

“The high court ruling in Bruen clearly opens lots of doors in our pursuit of gun rights,” said SAF founder and Executive Vice President Alan M. Gottlieb, “and this case is one of them.”

The case is known as Reese, et.al. v. BATFE.

As explained in the Notice, “The standard Bruen establishes for Second Amendment challenges is precisely the standard for which Plaintiffs argued in their briefing on their motion for summary judgment: “When the Second Amendment’s plain text covers an individual’s conduct, the Constitution presumptively protects that conduct. The government must then justify its regulation by demonstrating that it is consistent with the Nation’s historical tradition of firearm regulation.” Read more

Gun Control

Expedition Outside Connects Fly Fishermen to Private Rivers in Colorado

Private Land on Demand: Expedition Outside Connects Fly Fishermen to Private Rivers in Colorado

Durango, CO – Fly fishing enthusiasts wanting to fish private stretches of river throughout Colorado can now turn to Expedition Outside (ExOut) for access to hundreds of miles of trout-abundant rivers.

Just like when renting through Airbnb, an angler would simply go to ExOut’s website, find a river in the area where they’d like to fish, and book a day. ExOut delivers just as its tagline states — “Private Land on Demand.”

What most anglers may not realize is that Colorado landowners who have a river running through their property actually own the riverbed too. While this can make river access very limited in some places, ExOut is working with both landowners and fly fishermen to make those private stretches of river accessible.

“We are a conservation-minded company that uses technology to help fly fishermen and women find their perfect spot,” said Christian Barnes, Expedition Outside’s founder. “Our goal is to preserve our public natural resources by pulling pressure away from those areas and giving those who seek quality fishing and solitude a day on the river they’ll never forget.” Read more

Fishing

Boyds “Hornet” expands its list of laminate options

Boyds Gunstock Industries has always been known for giving their customers an unmatched range of options that improve the fit, function and appearance of a wide variety of firearms. Many of the aesthetic improvements are a result of Boyds’ signature laminate gunstock material. The gunstocks Boyds makes are visually enhanced using contrasting layers of color that accentuate the clean lines and contour of these precisely machined products. The vibrant combination of yellow and dark gray, which Boyds calls “Hornet”, brings the total number of available laminate colors to 14.

Like Boyds’ other laminate offerings, the new Hornet contains multiple layers of top-grade hardwood fused together with heat, pressure, and an adhesive resin that bonds the wood fibers together. This creates a stable shooting platform that helps increase your gun’s accuracy. This strength allows Boyds to machine its stocks to exacting standards and inlet them to Boyds’ house actions for a “drop in” fit for more than 1,200 different gun models. Boyds uses chemical resistant finishes to ensure that their stocks are moisture resistant, durable, and maintain their vivid color and performance.

Boyds’ co-owner, Dustin Knutson, sums it up effectively in one statement, “Boyds creates stocks to fit your body type, shooting preferences and your personal style. The new Hornet laminate color is a great way to make a statement and stand out from the crowd at the range!” Read more

Firearms

NSSF Hires Clement & Murphy

NEWTOWN, Conn. — NSSF®, The Firearm Industry Trade Association, is announcing it has retained Paul Clement and Erin Murphy of Clement & Murphy, PLLC, to represent NSSF in its appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in its lawsuit, NSSF et al v. James. The lawsuit challenges New York State’s unlawful public nuisance statute, which is designed to impose New York-style gun control on the lawful sale of firearms and ammunition products by permitting lawsuits against members of the industry for the criminal misuse of firearms that find their way into New York even when the sale occurred wholly outside the State of New York and in compliance with all applicable federal and the state laws where it took place.

Paul Clement and Erin Murphy recently formed their own law firm after their prior firm, Kirkland & Ellis, abruptly announced it would, “no longer represent clients with respect to matters involving the interpretation of the Second Amendment.” That announcement came just days after Clement and Murphy won the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case of New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen in which the court held the Second Amendment protects the right of law-abiding Americans to carry a firearm in public for self-protection.

Rather than abandon their clients in the midst of ongoing representations, Clement and Murphy continue to stand by their principles and defend their clients’ fundamental Constitutional rights. They wrote in the Wall Street Journal, “The American legal profession’s willingness to take on and stand by controversial clients has made our system of justice the envy of the world. The profession shouldn’t back down from its willingness to tackle the most divisive issues. We certainly won’t.” Read more

Gun Control

Michigan: learn about wild mushrooms, bear hunting, fly fishing and more

The DNR Outdoor Skills Academy will offer opportunities to learn more about foraging for wild mushrooms, bear hunting and outdoor survival with July classes at the following locations.

Carl T. Johnson Hunting and Fishing Center in Cadillac

  • Wild Mushroom Clinic, July 10
    Learn how to identify a variety of Michigan’s edible wild mushrooms, where to start looking, and proper handling techniques for transport, cleaning, consumption (including some sampling) and home preservation. Cost is $40 and will include lunch. This class will be offered again Aug. 20.
  • Bush Craft, Survival and Wild Edibles Clinic, July 15-17
    In this unique, three-day class, you will learn the basics of what you need to survive if you ever find yourself stranded in the outdoors, including some wilderness first aid; how to safely prepare water for drinking; how to identify animal tracks and scat; plants you can gather as wild edibles and for medicinal uses, and which plants to avoid; how to safely start a fire without matches; how to shoot a bow and arrow; and more.
  • Bear Hunting Clinic, July 30 and July 31
    Students will learn the ins and outs of bear hunting with experienced hunters and knowledgeable DNR educators. The class will cover habitat, gear, stand placement, baiting, rules and regulations, carcass care, and hide care.

Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery Visitor Center in Mattawan

  • Fly Fishing 101, July 22-23
    Learn the fundamentals of fly fishing in this two-day class. Topics covered include knots, casting, fly tying, stream etiquette, catch and release, stream dynamics, macroinvertebrates, reading the water, and presentation. On Saturday afternoon, participants will head to local waters to bring it all together and catch some fish. Loaner gear is available.
  • Damsels Fly: Fly Fishing for Women, July 30
    For women who are new to fly fishing, this all-day workshop will teach participants enough of the basics to get out fly fishing with confidence. Topics covered include gear, rods and reels, casting, knot tying, macroinvertebrates, where to fish/reading the water and more. No equipment is needed to participate.

The DNR Outdoor Skills Academy offers in-depth, expert instruction, gear and hands-on learning for a range of outdoor activities at locations around the state. Learn more at Michigan.gov/OutdoorSkills.

Fishing, Hunting, Wildlife

Michigan: Comment on Draft 2022 Wolf Management Plan

Those interested in sharing feedback about the Michigan Department of Natural Resources’ newest draft of the state’s wolf management plan are invited to complete an online questionnaire, available through Aug. 4.

Michigan’s wolf management plan – created in 2008 and updated in 2015 – is being updated this year, using public input to identify prominent issues, assess public attitudes and review the biological and social science surrounding wolves.

The draft 2022 plan has four principal goals:

  • Maintain a viable wolf population.
  • Facilitate wolf-related benefits.
  • Minimize wolf-related conflicts.
  • Conduct science-based and socially responsible management of wolves.

Michigan’s wolf management plan has guided oversight of this iconic species in the state for the last 13 years. The 2022 update will include recent scientific literature, input from the Wolf Management Advisory Council and results of a new public survey about wolves in Michigan.

“Now that we have written a draft of the updated 2022 wolf management plan, it’s important that we gather feedback from the public to ensure the changes we’re proposing will support the long-term presence of a viable wolf population in Michigan, while addressing the needs of those with an interest in the health and viability of the state’s wolf population,” said Cody Norton, DNR large carnivore specialist.

Michigan’s gray wolf population was almost eliminated by the mid-1970s. Today, Michigan has a wolf population close to 700 in the Upper Peninsula. Gray wolves in Michigan were again removed from the federal endangered species list in early 2021, but a federal court decision in February 2022 returned them to federal protections.

The online questionnaire will accept comments through Aug. 4.

For more information about wolves in Michigan, visit Michigan.gov/Wolves.

Wildlife
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