PepperBall Releases the Mobile Launcher

Lake Forest, Ill. (November 24, 2020) — PepperBall®, the world leader in non-lethal defense and trusted supplier to the US Army, over 5,000 law enforcement agencies, and consumers nationwide, has built on the success of its flagship LifeLite to bring consumers the PepperBall Mobile.

Using the same technology as its other launchers, the PepperBall Mobile combines an LED flashlight and aiming laser with a powerful PepperBall launcher, designed to provide peace of mind and safety to consumers across the globe. The PepperBall Mobile is smaller and sleeker than the Company’s flagship PepperBall LifeLite product, making it perfect for home, auto, and RV defense, and also for walking at night, camping, or traveling. Read more

Self Defense

CHARD Introduces Stainless Steel Dehydrator

TWO RIVERS, Wis. – CHARD continues to grow its best-in-class line of processing products with the introduction of durable, stainless-steel dehydrators, ideal for outdoors enthusiasts, health-conscious cooks and even craft makers. The stainless-steel dehydrators comes in both an 8- and 16- tray configurations, depending on the size of the job.

The dehydrator features a simple and easy-to-use LED digital display and a powerful drying system. The large fan blows evenly heated air evenly across all trays, eliminating the need for tray rotation. The clear, tempered glass door provides easy viewing, while the magnetic closure makes loading and unloading quick and easy. The dehydrator includes a unique non-stick drip sheet that catches dripping liquid for easy cleanup. Additionally, the dehydrator features a digital timer and thermostat (30 minutes to 24 hours and 35-80ºC / 95-176ºF) allowing users total control when it comes to preserving meats, vegetables, herbs and fruits. The Smart Save function conveniently maintains previous settings for repeated use. Read more

General

Michigan: have your deer tested for bovine tuberculosis

Don’t forget to bring your deer head to a DNR deer check station or drop box to be tested for bovine tuberculosis, especially if you hunt in Alcona, Alpena, Cheboygan, Crawford, Iosco, Montmorency, Ogemaw, Otsego, Oscoda, Presque Isle or Roscommon counties. We need samples from these counties to meet surveillance goals, which will help biologists understand the scale of infection in the local deer herd.

Sixty percent of deer that test positive for bovine tuberculosis show no signs of the disease, so testing is important. Read more

Hunting, Wildlife

Michigan DNR approves nearly $2 million in recreation grants for local park and trail improvement, development

Recreation Passport program’s 10-year grants output tops $12.7 million

A program that started 10 years ago with the goal of boosting visitation and funding for Michigan state parks also has created another important benefit: more funding for local, community parks and trails enhancement throughout the state. Today the Michigan Department of Natural Resources announced that 18 communities will share $1,926,000 for projects including trailhead development in Marquette County, recreation center renovation in Oakland County and park improvements in Crawford County.

The DNR introduced the Recreation Passport in 2010, replacing the traditional window sticker system for state park access with a purchase program tied to the renewal of license plate registrations. Support for the Recreation Passport has steadily grown since the program’s start – more than a third of Michigan registered vehicles now have the Recreation Passport on their license plate tabs – and that means more available funding for grants. With the announcement of this year’s recipients, the Recreation Passport grant program (established by Public Act 35 of 2010) has awarded just over $12.7 million statewide.

View a full list and descriptions of this year’s Recreation Passport grant awards. Counties where funded grant projects have been approved include Alcona, Alpena, Barry, Chippewa, Clare, Crawford, Genesee, Isabella, Lapeer, Manistee, Marquette, Monroe, Montmorency, Oakland, Ogemaw, Osceola and Shiawassee. Read more

General

Michigan DNR recommends $5.4 million in Land and Water Conservation Fund grants to support park projects

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has recommended 14 community and state parks, trails and sports facilities across the state to share $5,441,600 in Land and Water Conservation Fund grants.

“The Land and Water Conservation Fund is pivotal in supporting projects that improve the quality of outdoor recreation for communities across Michigan,” said Dan Lord, DNR grants manager. “This fund is an excellent example of successful collaboration among federal, state and local government partners who are focused on bringing real-world health and social benefits to residents and visitors.” Read more

General

Federal Ammunition Introduces New Swift Scirocco II

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ANOKA, Minnesota – – Federal Premium releases its new Swift Scirocco II centerfire hunting loads lineup. The new bullet promises to push effective range to new extremes while delivering a more lethal blow on impact. Shipments of this product have been arriving at dealers nationwide.

“We are happy to have partnered with Swift to load this fantastic long-range hunting bullet. Swift is known for bonded-core hunting bullets and is one of several Swift bullets that we load into our Federal Premium lineup,” said Federal’s Centerfire Rifle Product Manager Eric Miller. “The Swift Scirocco II produces excellent upsets at various distances and is an all-around, good choice for medium and big-game hunting.”

The Swift Scirocco II bullet’s streamlined design and high ballistic coefficient produce flat trajectories, while retaining more velocity and energy downrange. Aided by its proprietary polymer tip, the Scirocco II expands at minimal velocities yet offers high weight retention at close range thanks to its bonded copper jacket. Read more

Ammunition

Ruger Completes Acquisition of Marlin Assets

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. (NYSE: RGR) announced today that the closing of its acquisition of substantially all of the Marlin Firearms assets occurred on Monday, November 23. The agreement to purchase these assets emanated from the Remington Outdoor Company, Inc. bankruptcy and was approved by the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Alabama on September 30, 2020. The purchase price of approximately $28.3 million was paid with available cash on hand.

Chief Executive Officer Christopher J. Killoy noted the excitement that has permeated the firearms industry in anticipation of the confluence of these two iconic firearms brands, “Since we announced the agreement to purchase Marlin in September, we have heard from countless members of the firearms community – consumers, retailers, distributors, writers, and collectors – who are delighted that legendary Marlin rifles are now part of the Ruger product family. We are excited to start moving these assets to our Ruger facilities and setting up the manufacturing cells that will produce Marlin rifles for years to come. We look forward to re-introducing Marlin rifles in the latter half of 2021.”

Firearms

Monolith Discovered By Utah Wildlife Researchers

DPS Aero Bureau Encounters Monolith in Red Rock Country

On November 18, 2020, the Utah Department of Public Safety Aero Bureau was working with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources to conduct a count of big horn sheep in a portion of southeastern Utah.

While on this mission, they spotted an unusual object and landed nearby to investigate further.

The crew members found a metal monolith installed in the ground in a remote area of red rock.

The crew said there was no obvious indication of who might have put the monolith there.

The exact location of the installation is not being disclosed since it is in a very remote area and if individuals were to attempt to visit the area, there is a significant possibility they may become stranded and require rescue.

It is illegal to install structures or art without authorization on federally managed public lands, no matter what planet you’re from.

The Bureau of Land Management will be determining if they need to investigate further.

https://dpsnews.utah.gov/dps-aero-bureau-encounters-monolith-in-red-rock-country

Photos and Videos – credit Utah Department of Public Safety