Michigan: Colfax Fire in Wexford County is now 78% contained

Department of Natural Resources fire crews are making headway as they work to contain the Colfax Fire that continues to burn in northern Wexford County, Michigan. The fire, which was reported shortly after 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 25, is currently estimated at 378 acres. The acreage of the fire area will continue to be updated as more accurate data is collected and confirmed.

This brief DNR drone video, captured this morning, provides a glimpse of conditions in the area.

A blackened, burned area of the forest is shown in an aerial view.The fire is located approximately 5 miles northwest of the city of Manton and 21 miles southeast of Traverse City. The fire is 78% contained, with a total fire perimeter estimated at 6.3 miles. Currently, 5.9 miles of the fire line has containment line completed, with work continuing on the remaining 0.4 miles of uncontained fire line. The fire area is located east of 31 Road, west of 33 Road, north of 12 Road and primarily south of 8 Road.

The cause of the Colfax Fire remains under investigation.

Fire crews today will focus on establishing containment lines on the uncontrolled fire edge, monitoring and patrolling the fire area, mop-up and continued work to fell hazard trees.

Firefighter and public safety remains the No. 1 priority as fire suppression efforts continue. The DNR asks that the public continues to stay clear of the fire area. For those who must enter the area, use caution and be alert to the presence of dead, standing trees (called snags) that could fall over and for other hazards. Snags can fall across roadways, creating a hazard for people driving through the area. Additionally, due to the cooler nighttime temperatures, low-lying smoke from the fire may affect visibility in the area.

As a result of the combined fire suppression efforts, both on the ground and in the air, a total of 151 structures (86 residences and 65 outbuildings) were protected from the fire. There is no reported structure loss or damage. The only reported loss due to the fire includes a travel trailer, utility trailer, backhoe tractor implement and a snowblower. Read more
Wildlife

Boone and Crockett Club Receives Funding from Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund

MISSOULA, Mont. – The Boone and Crockett Club announced today that it has received a $50,000 grant through the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund to support policy outreach, research on chronic wasting disease, and the Club’s Poach & Pay project to address wildlife crime. This year’s grant also included a new area of interest – a virtual education curriculum created at and distributed from the Rasmuson Wildlife Conservation Center located on the Boone and Crockett Club’s Theodore Roosevelt Memorial (TRM) Ranch in north central Montana. The new, multi-faceted virtual education approach brings the TRM Ranch and all of its Rocky Mountain ecosystem inhabitants into the lives of classroom teachers and students through a variety of formats including augmented reality applications, Facebook live events, and downloadable electronic trail-camera curriculum modules. The lesson plans adhere to “Next Generation Science Standards” utilized by educators.

“Thanks to the support of the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund, we have made major strides on forest management policy, funding for conservation efforts, and improving access to federal lands and waters,” said Tony A. Schoonen, Boone and Crockett Club Chief Executive Officer. “Now with the additional support for our virtual education program, our nation’s youth will be able to learn about North American wildlife, including alpha predators like wolves and grizzlies, through the photos collected through our network of trail cameras and our live webcam.” Read more

Hunting, Wildlife

Meprolight’s Advanced Mepro MOR Pro

Born out of necessity, red-dot optics revolutionized rifle aiming solutions for CQB—Close-Quarter Battle— engagements. From the beginning, Meprolight® was in the forefront of this category of optics. As a result of their required military service in the IDF, the Meprolight® team learned first-hand the need for an advanced red-dot optic. Out of their experience, the Mepro MOR family of advanced red-dot optics was designed. Whether you are LE, a defense-minded individual or a hunter, the Mepro MOR Pro warrants your consideration.

Meprolight’s engineers utilized the latest state-of-the-art technology to create a rugged multi-purpose reflex sight incorporating a red dot sight and lasers with multiple power sources that exceeded MIL-Standard requirements. The Mepro MOR Pro is unique in that it is an
all-in-one red dot reflex sight/ IR and choice of green or red Visible Laser in a single unit. Shooters can choose from one of the reticles – 2.2 Dot/4.3 MOA Bullseye or 2.2 MOA Dot. The Mepro MOR Pro’s incorporated co-witness sighting system allows you to zero in one of the systems—Reticle, Visible Laser or IR Laser—and the other systems automatically zero in at the same time. Reticle intensity is adjustable to the shooter’s preference.

Understanding that consistent power is vital to the operating system, the MEPRO MOR Pro has four independent power sources—Fiber Optic, Tritium and two independent, commonly available AA batteries—that back each other up in the unlikely event one system goes down. The AA batteries, operate as standalone sources and will power the system if one goes dead allowing you to stay in the action. The large, 30mm crystal viewing window provides a crisp clear point of aim with both eyes open for increased situational awareness. Read more

Optics

SIG AIR MCX Rattler Canebrake Air Rifle

NEWINGTON, N.H. – From the SIG AIR division, SIG SAUER is pleased to introduce the MCX Rattler Canebrake Airgun Rifle mirroring the same design cues as the original rifle.

“The SIG AIR line of products combines the unmatched reliability, performance, and exacting standards that the consumer expects of SIG SAUER firearms, and the MCX Rattler Canebrake Airgun Rifle is true to these standards,” said Tom Taylor, Chief Marketing Officer and Executive Vice President, SIG SAUER, Inc. “The SIG AIR Canebrake has the same look, weight, and balance of its traditional firearm counterpart, given the immense popularity of the MCX platform, and the Canebrake specifically, combined with the current realities of the consumer market, this SIG AIR release is the perfect training tool. The Rattler Canebrake is the first of many exciting new products soon to come from SIG AIR.”

The SIG AIR MCX Rattler Canebrake Airgun Rifle is a .177 Cal. CO2-powered pellet, semi-automatic action airgun that utilizes the SIG proprietary 30-round rapid pellet magazine (RPM). The MCX Canebrake .177 airgun features a metal receiver, paired to a synthetic handguard with integrated M-LOK™ modular locking accessory mounting system, flip-up sights on top of a full-length Picatinny rail, a shrouded barrel, and flat blade trigger. Read more

Firearms

NLCA Files Brief in Lawsuit Against ATF’s Bump Stock Final Rule

The New Civil Liberties Alliance has filed a reply brief in Cargill v. Garland, et al. in the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. The lawsuit seeks to overturn the federal ban on bump stocks and halt its enforcement. NCLA contends that only Congress, not an administrative agency like the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), can write criminal laws such as the ban on bump stocks.

This case was the first challenge to ATF’s bump stock ban to go to trial, last September. Instead of shutting down an administrative shortcut and restoring constitutional lawmaking principles, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas turned a blind eye to numerous legal discrepancies caused by ATF’s unauthorized revision of a federal statute. Even though the Rule’s promulgation involved determining the scope of criminal liability, which is solely Congress’ responsibility, the district court concluded that bump stocks have always been prohibited by the statute—echoing ATF’s distorted claim that its rule is “interpretive” not “legislative” in nature. Read more

Firearms, Gun Control

Federal: Gould Brothers Break World Record

ANOKA, Minnesota – There is a new distance record for breaking a clay target with a shotgun load following an epic day at a rural Minnesota farm. Federal Ammunition sponsored shooters Steve and Aaron Gould, who make up the popular Gould Brothers exhibition team, broke their own record not once but twice outside Osakis, Minnesota on a cold and windy day this spring.

“We are always trying to push the limits of what is possible, and we knew that Federal’s TSS would be the round to make it possible to break a clay pigeon at further distances than we had in the past,” exclaimed Steve Gould.

The previous record was 160 yards set several years back by the duo of brothers. Now with Federal, and having the world’s leading shotshell manufacturer backing them, a new record was ready to be set. The Gould Brothers teamed up with Federal’s Adam Moser, lead shotshell engineer, to better understand the capabilities of Heavyweight TSS in both 7 and 9 shot sizes at extreme ranges.

“The #7 TSS has a significant advantage at 170 yards over the #5 lead at 160 yards. Three times the pellet energy and 100+ more pellets in the payload,” stated Moser, when explaining the differences between Heavyweight TSS and the previously lead load used to set the record. Read more

Ammunition

Utah Company and Its Owner Plead Guilty to Wildlife Trafficking Charges

A Utah man and his company Natur Inc. pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Salt Lake City to violating the Lacey and Endangered Species Acts.

On Nov. 18, 2020, a grand jury issued an indictment charging Jean-Michel Arrigona, 58, of Midvale, with unlawfully importing wildlife into the United States and reselling it from the Natur store in Midvale, which he owns. In a plea agreement with the government, Arrigona admitted that he imported approximately 1,500 wildlife items from 2015 to 2020. He only declared three of the packages, as required, to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or customs authorities. Arrigona resold the wildlife online and at Natur. The wildlife, primarily from Indonesia, consisted of taxidermy mounts and bones of bats, flying foxes, frogs, starfish, insects, rodents, and lizards. Some of the wildlife, such as the flying fox (Pteropus sp.) and monitor lizard (Varanus sp.) are protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which regulates trade in endangered or threatened species through permit requirements. The United States, Indonesia, and 181 other countries are signatories to the CITES treaty. Read more

Poachers, Wildlife

Vortex Venom 5-25×56 FFP Riflescope

BARNEVELD, Wis. – Vortex Optics is launching the all-new Venom® 5-25×56 FFP, the first in a new series of optics aimed at giving shooters all the tools they need to get into the game at an affordable price without compromising optical quality, or giving up the features they need to be competitive.

The Venom® 5-25×56 FFP is a perfect example of what shooters should expect from the Venom® lineup, providing new shooters an entry-level price with next-level tools. There are some obvious features that showoff the Venom® 5-25×56 FFP’s long-range pedigree. There’s the 34mm tube, maximizing turret travel. There’s the RevStop™ Zero System, a fast, easy, rock-solid return to zero. And, an included throw lever means rapid, smooth magnification adjustments are a snap.

But take a look inside the Venom® 5-25×56 FFP and you start to see how this riflescope makes it easier for new shooters to learn, all while keeping them in the game. The First Focal Plane reticle ensures subtensions are accurate throughout the mag range, which shooters will love because the EBR-7C reticle makes it easy to measure and range targets in scope. The 5x zoom range takes shooters farther, letting them punch out to 1,000 yards and beyond.

Just because a shooter is new to the game doesn’t mean they should be limited by inferior optics, and the Venom® 5-25×56 FFP is a perfect example of how the Venom® line makes it easier to not just get started, but to have the tools shooters need to be competitive right away. Read more

Optics

EOTECH® Vudu® 1-8×24 SFP Riflescope

Ann Arbor, MI – Competition shooters and hunters demand speed and precision from their riflescopes for close quarters to mid-range shooting applications. Vudu’s 1-8×24 SFP riflescope offers a versatile 8x zoom range so that shooters can quickly dial in the optimal magnification for any target presentation. Ideal for any MSR, bolt action, lever action or single-shot rifle, the Vudu 1-8×24 SFP provides tactical precision when every shot counts.

The Vudu 1-8×24 SFP features a wide field-of-view and a daylight-visible, illuminated aiming dot for fast target acquisition in all lighting conditions. The scope’s field of view at 100 yards is 105.8 ft. at 1x and 13.2 ft. at 8x. The reticle features a 0.5-MOA illuminated center dot with quad-level BDC suspensions. The Vudu 1-8×24 SFP’s HC3 reticle has four hold-over points providing the fastest compensating method for bullet drop on targets at different distances.

The Vudu 1-8×24 SFP features a rugged 30mm T6 aircraft-aluminum tube with a matte-black hard-anodized finish. This virtually indestructible housing protects the scope’s internal components. Bright and ultra-clear multi-coated HD lenses enhance light transmission, which is critical to shooting in low light. Like all Vudu scopes, the 1-8×24 SFP is waterproof, fog-proof and shockproof—essential for real-world shooting conditions. Read more

Optics

Vero Vellini Realtree Camo Gun Slings

Vero Vellini Realtree Camo Gun Slings are not only super comfortable, but they will absolutely stay put on your shoulder in all climates and temperatures. At the same time, they offer superior durability and an exceptionally clean design with beautifully detailed styling.

Available in the most popular Realtree camo patterns, the slings use an extremely durable thorn-proof nylon camo surface for maximum wear and durability. All edges are piped to prevent fraying and the camo surface is laminated to the neoprene surface for a smooth and even finish. The three-layer Air-Cushion® system sandwiches neoprene and other natural and synthetic materials to create an almost weightless feeling when you’re carrying a firearm and will also prevent your rifle from bobbing or bouncing excessively. Read more

Firearms
1 … 774 775 776 777 778 … 2,057