Michigan: adopt an osprey nest this summer

An early sign of spring, ospreys are making their return to Michigan. The magnificent fish-hawk with striking brown and white plumage can be seen flying along shallow, fish-filled waters of the Great Lakes region — hovering, then plunging feet-first to snare fish in its talons. Ospreys can be found across the state, but they once faced an uncertain future here.

Osprey were severely affected by use of the pesticide DDT and were listed as a threatened species in Michigan after their population declined precipitously in the 1960s. Fortunately, the sale and use of DDT was banned in 1972, giving ospreys a fighting chance. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of MI Birds partners, the DNR, the Detroit Zoological Society and friends at Huron-Clinton Metroparks, the osprey was successfully reintroduced to southern Michigan and removed from the threatened species list in 2009.

However, it is incredibly important that ospreys continue to be monitored closely statewide to document the health and abundance of their populations. While this species now boasts over 200 known nest locations throughout the state, it is still listed as a Michigan species of special concern. Read more

Wildlife

Help monitor reptiles and amphibians in Michigan

Now that warm temperatures are back, reptiles and amphibians are out and about — if you look around, you might be able to spot them. Perhaps you’ve heard spring peepers or wood frogs calling. Or maybe you’ve seen a garter snake slip through sprouting blades of grass.

If you see any frogs, toads, salamanders, snakes, lizards or turtles while out exploring natural areas, parks, trails or even your neighborhood, please report your observations to the DNR.

Observations provide valuable data on trends, distribution and relative abundance for Michigan’s reptile and amphibian species and inform the conservation efforts outlined in Michigan’s Wildlife Action Plan.

“Reptiles and amphibians benefit from conservation work done by the DNR and partners, but we also need assistance from community scientists to track how their populations are doing,” said Amy Bleisch, DNR wildlife technician. “Your observations help provide that data.” Read more

Wildlife

Avian-X® Introduces PowerFlight™Dove

GW: Sure would like to see one of these with a crow decoy...

Grand Prairie, Tx – For dove hunters looking for the ultimate, spinning-wing decoy, the wait is over. New for 2021, the Avian-X® PowerFlight™ Dove decoy sets the standard in motion decoys. Avian-X product engineers invested countless hours of hunting and observation that led to the PowerFlight Dove design. From its ultra-realistic paint scheme and true-to-life wing-spin speed to its carefully crafted molding, every detail is perfect.

The new PowerFlight Dove pairs a natural paint scheme and posture with an innovative patent-pending motion wing to mimic a real fluttering dove. The wings spin 360 degrees with contrasting colors that will attract a dove’s attention at long distances. The 360-degree spinning wings are tuned for true-to-life speed in winds up to 30 mph and feature photographic realism of an actual dove’s wings. The decoy looks so much like the real deal hunters should expect to have birds at close range. Read more

Wildlife

Legacy Sports and POINTER Shotguns Announce ACRIUS O/U Series

Legacy Sports Int’l and POINTER Shotguns are excited to announce their NEW ACRIUS Over Under series. The Reno-based company is now shipping their NEW POINTER ACRIUS over-under shotguns. The ACRIUS series is affordable, reliable and a natural upgrade for an experienced hunter or for a youngster’s first shotgun. The POINTER ACRIUS is a solid option.

From the field to the range, POINTER ACRIUS Over-Unders provide exceptional craftsmanship with a variety of popular gauges to choose from (12, 20, 28, 410), youth models in (20, 410), Features include – walnut stock, 5 chokes, extractors, raised vent ribs, crisp mechanical triggers, chrome lined barrels, barrel selector and shot-after-shot consistency that’s found in shotgun’s costing hundreds of dollars more. Whether you are chasing pheasants, mallards or crushing clay, the POINTER ACRIUS lineup will offer you solid performance at a great value. MSRP $589 Read more

Firearms

Taylor’s & Company HICKOK Revolver

Winchester, VA – Taylor’s & Company, the world’s leading marketers and importers of state-of-the-art historical firearms utilizing the latest innovative designs, is pleased to announce the addition of “The HICKOK” pistol to their Lifestyle Pistol Series for 2021.

Taylor’s & Company brings to the gun enthusiast classic firearms that made cowboys, lawmen and outlaws famous, but with a modern twist. All Taylor’s premium firearms are made using precision machinery and high-quality materials with one goal in mind; to create reliable and accurate reproductions of Civil War, Old West, hunting and tactical guns from the 19th century. The HICKOK is a perfect example.

“As we enter another decade, our vision of the “New West” continues to thrive, thanks to unmatched manufacturing,” said Rob Girard, VP of Sales & Marketing. The HICKOK is just another example of how we try to satisfy any and all customers whether they are competitive shooters, collectors, or new gun owners. From tried-and-true workhorses to newer favorites, you can’t go wrong with this revolver.”

Included in the Lifestyle Pistol Series, the HICKOK is an 1860 Army snub nose revolver made with the modern-day shooter in mind. It comes standard with a large Army-size grip for increased comfort and stability. Blued parts with a case-hardened forged steel frame and smooth walnut grip make this revolver a must-have. Other features include: walnut grips, front blade sight and rear sight on the back of the barrel. Available in .45 LC and .38 SP calibers, the HICKOK is a must-have for the modern-day firearm collector who appreciates the history of firearms. Read more

Firearms

Mule Deer Foundation Receives Grant from National Fish and Wildlife Foundation

Salt Lake City, UT: The Mule Deer Foundation (MDF) announced today that it has received $395,000 in funding from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s (NFWF) Rocky Mountain Rangelands grant program. The grant funding will support MDF’s Migration Corridor and Winter Range Initiative and be matched by $756,000 to implement habitat projects that focus on big game migration corridors and greater sage-grouse core areas. The new grant expands upon a 2018 Sagebrush Landscapes grant through NFWF that allowed MDF to launch the initiative, which has resulted in collaborative projects in several western states. With the new funding, MDF will expand the coordination between conservation partners across jurisdictional boundaries in order to increase the number and quality of habitat projects in western rangelands that benefit mule deer and other wildlife.

“The Mule Deer Foundation’s Migration Corridor and Winter Range Initiative has been our conservation focus for the last three years since NFWF helped kickstart our efforts in 2018, and the new Rocky Mountain Rangelands grant will allow us to grow these collaborative conservation efforts,” said MDF President/CEO Joel Pedersen. “MDF has the ability to work across state boundaries and with a wide range of federal, state, local, and nonprofit partners. The NFWF grant and matching funding will give us even more opportunities to improve rangeland habitat across the West.”

Since the signing of Department of the Interior Secretarial Order 3362 in 2018, MDF has been a leader in coordinating efforts to improve rangelands and sagebrush landscapes that are in state-identified priority big game migration corridors and seasonal ranges. Many of these areas also overlap with key sage-grouse habitat and provide benefits to the more than 300 species that depend on sagebrush rangelands throughout their lifecycle. MDF has worked with the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service, private landowners, and others to further refine priority areas for project implementation based on ecological need, partnership opportunities, funding availability, and overlap of mule deer and sage-grouse priority areas. Project goals through the new NFWF grant include 12,000 acres of annual invasive species removal, at least 10 miles of fence removal or modification, 3,000 acres of sagebrush shrubland restoration, and 300 acres of invasive juniper removal in sagebrush habitats in several western states. Read more

Wildlife

Primary Arms SIG M17 American Service Pistol Giveaway

HOUSTON, TEXAS – Primary Arms Online has announced the start of their ‘SIG M17 American Service Pistol Giveaway’, a free gun giveaway that will run through the month of April. Like all Primary Arms giveaways, entry is completely free, and no purchase is necessary. Just visit their April Giveaway blog post, hit the button, and fill out the entry form for a chance to win.

The focus of the giveaway is a SIG Sauer P320-M17 pistol, which comes with a variety of popular attachments and extras from the Primary Arms store. Accessories include a Safariland 7TS ALS Mid-Ride Holster, a Streamlight TLR-1 HL 1000 Lumen Tactical Weapon Light, and 5 SIG Sauer X5 21-round 9mm Magazines. The winner will also receive a package of range-day necessities, including a protective case from Bulldog Cases, protective eyewear from Magpul, electronic hearing protection from Walker’s, and apparel from Viktos. Combined, the grand prize totals in at a $1,468.33 retail value.

“The M17 is one of the most exciting pistols on the market right now, and we’re happy to make it the center of our April free gun giveaway,” says Dina Sanders, Primary Arms’ Brand Marketing Manager. “We’ve collected some of the most popular parts from partner brands, putting together a one-of-a-kind pistol package that can impress anyone on range day.” Read more

Firearms

Win a Training Class at Vortex Edge

BARNEVELD, Wis. – Our goal at Vortex Edge™ is to offer every shooter who trains with us an unforgettable experience. But for one lucky winner and a guest of their choice, we’re offering the training opportunity of a lifetime: Starting April 1 and ending April 30 when we randomly select a winner, you can enter to win a 2-day, one-on-one training experience customized to your needs by the Vortex Edge™ staff, utilizing our new, state-of-the art training facility. You pay for your travel and the rest is on us.

From long-range shooting to pistol skills, tactical night vision work to placing better shots on big game, you choose the shooting applications and our team of experienced instructors will build you and a guest the perfect program. If you want to learn more about our facilities, and meet our instructors, here’s a behind the scenes look. You can also checkout the Vortex Edge™ You Tube channel, “The Total Shooter,” for firearms and training tips. Read more

Firearms

Encounter the Next Best Thing in Cellular Camera Technology

Grand Prairie, TX – Take scouting to the next level by instantly sending images to any mobile device or desktop computer nationwide with a Wildgame Innovations® Encounter™ cellular trail camera. The new Encounter cell cam offers a swift and smart solution, keeping hunters connected wherever via the HuntSmart app and its artificial intelligence features.

From the convenience of a phone, hunters can use the HuntSmart app to remotely monitor critical camera stats like signal strength, battery life, SD card capacity and data plan usage. HuntSmart also includes advanced scouting features like species recognition, enhanced filtering capabilities, and more.

Using these tools remotely, hunters can manage their hunting property with minimal intrusion. With data and activity captured by a net of several Encounter cell cameras, hunters can pattern specific bucks or behavior as it relates to seasonality, moon phases and weather. As a result, hunters will be able to more accurately predict key hunting locations without disturbing their property.

The Encounter camera operates on all cellular networks automatically attaching to the best provider in the area, meaning the consumer does not have to choose between cell service providers. A new and improved onboarding process expedites the setup. Simply scan a QR-code, and the camera is ready to send images to your phone or home computer. Encounter’s intuitive red, yellow, green indicator light shows cellular strength at a glance. Read more

Hunting, Wildlife

Firminator’s G-3 ATV Unit

Milner, GA (April 5, 2021) The original Firminator® was a brilliant solution for land managers looking to maximize their time, energy and financial resources by incorporating all the necessary food plot implements into one unit. But as the popularity of food plots grew, so did the demand, from a broader and more diverse group.

There were those who realize the best hunting plots are designed less for agricultural efficiency and more to maximize “huntability” by taking advantage of natural cover, terrain, wind direction and deer movements. As a result, these plots are often irregularly shaped and sometimes well off the beaten path, down the narrow trails, in the bottoms or up on the smaller ridges – places not easily accessible by heavy equipment and implements. There were more than a few land owners/managers who simply did not have tractors or larger implements, even for larger or more accessible areas.

With the technology already in place, Firminator needed only to downsize. The Firminator G-3 ATV Model puts all the same features of their full-size G3 implement into a unit sized just right for an ATV (four-wheeler or side x side). Though light enough to be easily pulled by a 500cc or greater ATV, its 800 pounds proves ample weight for the 16-inch ground turning discs to break up and dig into hard ground that other ATV harrows would simply bounce across the surface of. Its 3-inch square tubing steel frame can withstand anything you’d expose your ATV to, and more. The seed box, constructed of the same steel as three point models, feeds the Firminator’s precision ACCU-Seed delivery system. When you’re done seeding you can finish with the true agricultural grade cast iron cultipacker.

The ATV Model comes with a tow bar sized for a 1-7/8-inch ball, but also retains the 3 point hitch for use on a small tractor.

ATV MODEL SPECS:

      • Frame material: 3-inch square tubing
      • Weight: 860 lbs.
      • Discing width: 32″
      • Cultipacker width: 34″
      • Seed hopper: 34: x 14.5″ x 12 W
      • Seed capacity: 2 bushels
      • Disc size: 16″ (6 discs at 6″ spacing)
      • Tow method: 1-7/8″ ball or three-point hitchRanew’s Outdoor Equipment features the Firminator – The Firminator is by far the most versatile piece of equipment in the industry. The operator can choose from a wide range of angle and pitch adjustments to perform many different functions.

    For more information, please visit

    THEFIRMINATOR.COM

Wildlife
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