Butler Creek Unveils New Element Scope Caps

Modular, Rugged Caps Offer Customization and Uncompromising Protection

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. –– Butler Creek®, maker of smart, field-proven hunting and shooting accessories, announced today the launch of its new Element Scope Caps. Rugged and modular, Element Scope Caps are designed to protect almost any scope thanks to various size options and a multi-flex rubber sleeve design.

The Element Scope Cap comes with modular, interchangeable lens caps to choose from – clear disk, ballistic data disk or standard black disk. The ballistic data disk accepts a ballistic chart template insert, which can be downloaded and printed from the Butler Creek website. This gives shooters easy access to critical ballistics data in the field, providing them with all the information they need to make an accurate shot before pulling the trigger. Read more

Firearms

XS Sights +2 Mag Extension Kit for Remington 870

Fort Worth, TX – XS® Sights is pleased to introduce the Remington® 870 +2 Magazine Tube Extension Kit for easy do-it-yourself installation. This lightweight magazine tube extension increases the capacity of standard Remington 870 shotguns by two shotshells and allows for the mounting of additional tactical upgrades. The kit includes a factory detent removal tool, a 45” Wolff® 12-gauge extended spring, and the +2 extension tube.

“This is a great product for shooters looking to expand the versatility of their standard four-shot 870,” said Zack Kinsley, Marketing Manager for XS Sights. “We have sold the tool to remove the factory detents for years and decided to provide a complete system that is simple, lightweight, and allows for personal preference tactical upgrades while installing the tube.”

Made from 6061 aluminum that is hard coat anodized, this one-piece tube weighs less than traditional steel tubes. The tip of the extension has wrench flats enabling an easier grip while attaching the tube. The flats also offer shooters the ability to use an adjustable wrench to get a snug fitment. Measuring six inches in length, the extension will not extend past a 20-inch barrel on a traditional four-round capacity shotgun tube. Read more

General

Ruger Introduces the MAX-9 Pistol

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. (NYSE: RGR) is excited to introduce the MAX-9™ – a pistol with all the features of a full-sized handgun in a size that is comfortable for everyday carry. Chambered in 9mm Luger, the Ruger® MAX-9 has an impressive 12+1 capacity. It measures just 6” long, has a slide width of less than 1”, weighs 18.4 ounces, and is equipped with a 3.2” barrel. This micro-sized pistol fits comfortably in an inside the waistband holster or pocket holster, or conveniently in a concealed carry purse.

The MAX-9 features a tritium fiber optic day/night front sight that adapts to a variety of light conditions, and comes optic ready for direct mounting of co-witnessed JPoint™ and Shield-pattern micro red dot sights. The 10-round magazines fit into a comfortably sized, medium-textured grip and 12-round magazines not only provide additional capacity, but also increase the surface area of the grip. Standard models are available with an ergonomic and intuitive thumb safety that operates similarly to those found on 1911-style pistols, and Pro models are available without the external manual safety lever. All models feature an integrated trigger safety and a loaded chamber viewport that provides visual indication of a cartridge in the chamber.

“The Ruger MAX-9 is a game changer,” said Ruger President and CEO Chris Killoy. “With industry-leading features at a highly competitive price, this American-made handgun will provide a versatile option for consumers looking for a superior offering in the popular micro-compact market.” Read more

Firearms

Buck Knives New High End Hunting and EDC Available Now

Buck Knives is pleased to confirm recently announced new products are now available. This variety of new knives include upgrades to famous classics and a bolster locking automatic.

Pro 100 Series Fixed Blades

The classic 100 Series hunting knives, including the famous 119 Special, received a serious upgrade with the addition S35VN steel and OD green canvas Micarta handles. The 102 Woodsman, 103 Buck Skinner, 105 Pathfinder, 119 Special and 120 General are now offered with this Pro Level upgrade. Made in the USA, prices range from $160-$250 MSRP.

New Assisted and Automatic Opening Paradigms

Buck’s Shift Mechanism™ bolster locking technology is being reintroduced on the new 590 Paradigm assisted opening folder and 591 Paradigm Shift automatic. Each Paradigm is redesigned with sleek lines, superior S35VN blades, G10 handles and Cerakote® coated bolsters. Available in black or brown, each model is made in the USA. $225 and $250 MSRP.

417 Budgie

The Budgie framelocks feature a stout, two inch S35VN blade and G10 handles. This small EDC is packed with big features, including a large thumb hole for easy opening, a lanyard loop, belt clip and two color offerings of black or clear G10. Made in the USA, the Budgie’s are $100 MSRP. Read more

Cutlery

Michigan: spring turkey season leftover licenses available now

Turkey call ready? Check. Equipment sighted in? Check. Spring turkey license purchased? Buy your license now!

The spring turkey season is the perfect way to kick off a new hunting year and enjoy time outdoors during the spring awakening. If you didn’t apply for a license, or if you weren’t successful in the license drawing, leftover licenses for the spring turkey season are now available. Buy a remaining license at Michigan.gov/Turkey.

Are you looking for a more flexible option this spring? For a longer season, private-land hunters in southern Michigan can purchase a Hunt Unit ZZ (Hunt 0301) license for April 17- May 31. Read more

Hunting

Michigan DNR staff produces award-winning guide to school forests

Whether they consist of a couple acres in a suburb or hundreds of acres in a rural area, school forests are a perfect setting for hands-on learning about plants, trees, wildlife and how ecosystems work.

The Michigan School Forest Guide offers plenty of advice on school forests, from how to set one up, how to make the most of an existing school forest and even how to introduce students to public forests if a school forest isn’t available. It has been awarded the Thomas Say Award for Outstanding Publication by the National Association for Interpretation.

Who was Thomas Say, by the way? He was an early 19th-century naturalist who identified more than 1,500 insects and wildlife species native to North America. The awards program honors naturalists whose work inspires greater understanding, awareness and stewardship of natural resources.

“Once, there were more than 600 school forests in Michigan,” said Ada Takacs, DNR department specialist, who created the guide along with DNR staffer Mike Smalligan, AmeriCorps volunteers Rachel Straughen and Angel Squalls, and naturalist Maureen Stine. “If your school has a forest, that’s a plus. If your school doesn’t have a forest, there are still ways to get kids into this rich learning environment.”

Want a forest for your own school? A PDF copy of the guide is available Read more

Wildlife

Michigan S3DA Hosts Indoor State Championship

Williamsburg, KY – In order to comply with the local COVID guidelines, Michigan S3DA hosted the Indoor State Championship at Rising Phoenix in Troy, Michigan and Central Michigan Sportsman’s Club in Stanton, Michigan. The state championship was held over a two-day span with approximately 74 archers participating from 5 S3DA teams. To provide an extra layer of safety, each hosting facility offered multiple line times, provided hand sanitizer, limited the number of spectators, and enforced social distancing and facemasks except for when archers were on the line and in the act of shooting. Central Michigan Goldstar archer, Logan Fouts said, “Even with all the difficulties of trying to remember to put my mask back on, it was great to be able to compete again and shoot with my teammates and other teams.”

One of the line judges, Toni Falk reflected on the event, “What a pleasure it was to be a part of the 2021 MI S3DA State Tournament. Officiating gave me the opportunity to both observe and interact with an amazing group of youth competitors. I was especially touched interacting with two ladies in the same scoring group who were so close in score it appeared that it could go either way. In the very last end, one of the girls shot her best end of the day with five inside out x’s and the other girl had a miss. My thoughts were as I observed the scoring group, this is going to be a hard way to finish for one of these girls, but that was not the case at all. While I quietly observed, the girls moved from scoring the target with the miss to the target with 5 inside out x’s. When the five circled “Xs” were recorded, without hesitation, the archer with the miss recorded in her last end and congratulated her competitor with a high five for the awesome competition and finish. I walked back across the range thinking there is more than one winner at that bail. These kids are so inspiring!” Read more

Archery

New Boat Engine Cutoff Switch Law Goes Into Effect April 1

Applies to boats less than 26 feet operating on plane or above displacement speed

SPRINGFIELD, Va. – There are new engine cutoff device wear requirements for recreational boat operators as part of the January 1, 2021, passage of National Defense Authorization Act that included a U.S. Coast Guard Reauthorization. These devices, commonly referred to as engine cutoff switches (ECOS), are designed to prevent a boat-strike injury if an operator is accidentally ejected overboard while underway.

Engine cutoff devices can be located at the helm of the boat or on the tiller or body of an outboard engine and typically connect a boat’s operator to the cutoff switch with a lanyard. Some ECOS devices eliminate the lanyard and rely on wireless proximity devices to shut down an engine if the operator goes overboard.

Effective April 1, 2021, the new law requires a vessel operator to use either a helm or outboard lanyard or wireless ECOS on certain vessels less than 26 feet when traveling on plane or above displacement speed. These vessels include (1) boats that have a functioning engine cutoff device installed at the helm or on an outboard engine or have wireless ECOS, or (2) boats manufactured beginning January 2020. The Coast Guard increased the number of boats required to have ECOS installed after this date in an effort to reduce boating accidents and fatalities. Read more

Fishing

Smith & Wesson Unveils New M&P Shield Plus

The large capacity, micro-compact Smith & Wesson® M&P Shield Plus pistol is here

SPRINGFIELD, MA –?Smith & Wesson?Inc.?today announced?that it has released the next evolution of the Smith & Wesson M&P Shield pistol – the M&P Shield Plus. Designed for concealed carry, the M&P Shield Plus is the most advanced M&P Shield pistol to date, featuring a magazine capacity up to 13 rounds in a slim, micro-compact frame. The M&P Shield Plus is available in 9mm in a variety of configurations, including Performance Center® models with optics cuts, upgraded sights, and more.

Kyle Tengwall, Vice President of Marketing, said, “We’re excited to announce the next evolution of the M&P Shield pistol – the M&P Shield Plus. Packed with popular features such as a flat-face trigger, large capacity magazine, optics cuts, and more, the M&P Shield Plus product line has been designed to meet the needs of today’s firearm consumer. With over three million M&P Shield pistols sold in the past decade, the Smith & Wesson M&P Shield is a proven, reliable platform with the ability to stand the test of time – and best of all, the new M&P Shield Plus pistols are rolling out to retailers across the country now.”

The new M&P Shield Plus comes in both standard and Performance Center models, each with a variety of enhancements. The M&P Shield Plus features the hallmark 18-degree grip angle of the M&P pistol series for a natural point of aim, helping to better manage recoil and get back on target quickly. Standard M&P Shield Plus pistols include a variety of features, including a flat-face trigger, a new, optimized grip texture designed for concealed carry, and two magazines: an extended 13+1 round magazine and a flush-fit 10+1 round magazine. Performance Center M&P Shield Plus pistols feature all of the enhancements of standard models, plus porting, fiber optic sights, longer slides, and optics cuts. The MSRP on the new M&P Shield Plus pistol starts at $553. Read more

Firearms

Wild Population of Mexican Wolves Grows for Fifth Consecutive Year

2020 survey shows at least 186 wolves across the Southwest

The wild population of Mexican wolves in the United States saw its fifth consecutive year of growth in 2020. According to the recent count, the U.S. population of Mexican wolves has increased by 14% since last year, raising the total number of wolves in the wild to a minimum of 186 animals.

From November 2020 through January 2021, the Interagency Field Team (IFT) conducted ground counts in Arizona and New Mexico that concluded with aerial counts of Mexican wolves in January and February. According to the IFT, the 186 wolves are distributed with 114 in New Mexico and 72 in Arizona. In 2019, the team documented a minimum of 163 wolves, which was a 24% increase from 2018. This population has nearly doubled in size over the last five years. Read more
Wildlife
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