The HSUS Wildlife Land Trust: 25 Years of Waste and Pointlessness?

On Monday, the Humane Society Wildlife Land Trust, an affiliate of the D-rated Humane Society of the United States, celebrated its 25th anniversary. The Trust’s goal is to take donated land and “[prohibit] commercial and recreational hunting and trapping, a promise that no other national land conservation organization makes.” In fact, there is good reason to suspect this $12 million organization has a bankrupt track record on conservation.

The HSUS Wildlife Land Trust boasts about 20,000 acres of protected land—which is next to nothing to accumulate over two and half decades. In reality, this is very little when compared to other organizations or many of the wildlife refuges in the United States. One of many examples is the Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge in Nevada, one of the most important sites for birds in North America, which contains nearly 80,000 acres of land.

And just how are the funds being used? A quick look at the Wildlife Land Trust’s 2016 Form 990 (its most recent available) shows that of all its expenses, it is not conservation projects that eat up the lion’s share of the budget.

Rather, it is “education,” direct mail, and payroll which come in at a whopping $1,137,267—or 70 percent of the funds spent. It seems the priorities of the Wildlife Land Trust lie more with their headquarters in Washington rather than with meaningful conservation efforts.

As to the WLT’s prohibition on hunting, this comes from an ideological position and not a practical one for conservation. One of the most significant sources of conservation funding in the United States comes from something contrary to the agenda of the Wildlife Land Trust–hunting. As NPR reports, “Money generated from license fees and excise taxes on guns, ammunition and angling equipment provide about 60 percent of the funding for state wildlife agencies, which manage most of the wildlife in the U.S.”

Hunting and trapping have an intertwined and symbiotic relationship with conservation efforts in the United States, and this has been the case for a long time. This sort of relationship helps maintain a thriving ecosystem and can bring about chaotic conditions for man and beast when left unattended. Delaware has seen a decline in hunters and the state is now having to confront an out of control deer population, which is proving more and more disastrous for farmers, as the deer damage crops and spread diseases to livestock, thus having a real impact on the local economy.

Why then, should anybody give their money to a wildlife conservation organization that not only has aims contrary to conservation but also has very little impact?

Wildlife

Guided bike tours take cyclists through U.P. countryside into Michigan history

Registration is now open for the Michigan Iron Industry Museum’s popular Iron Ore Heritage Trail bike tours. Offered July 13, 20, and 27, the tours take cyclists on an approximately five-hour, 16-mile journey to explore historic sites and discover stories of the Marquette Iron Range.

Tours begin and end in Negaunee at the Michigan Iron Industry Museum, site of the Carp River Forge, where iron mined on the Marquette Range was first forged in the 1840s. Led by museum historian Troy Henderson, the tour pedals to the Jackson Mine, and then continues into Ishpeming, making several stops along the way, including Old Towne Negaunee and the site of the Pioneer Furnace.

 

Details and registration information are available on the Michigan Iron Industry Museum webpage at michigan.gov/ironindustrymuseum.

Wildlife

ZEISS Freedom Days Promotion

Thornwood, NY –

The ZEISS Freedom Days Promotion offers special pricing on the popular Terra ED 10×42 binoculars.  Purchase either of the Terra ED 10×42 black or gray models and immediately save $100.00.  No forms to complete.  No mail-in rebates.  Just smart, quick savings.

The Terra ED 10×42 binoculars retail at $449.99.  They feature legendary SCHOTT ED glass with multi-coated lenses and hydrophobic protective coatings. A fiberglass reinforced, lightweight, waterproof housing makes them ideal for on-the-go carry.  The Terra ED binoculars are available through participating ZEISS Authorized Dealers. Read more

Optics

Smith & Wesson Summer Savings Rebate

SPRINGFIELD, Mass.   – Smith & Wesson Corp. today launched the “Summer Savings” rebate program, offering a Smith & Wesson prepaid MasterCard* worth up to $50 with the purchase of select, new Smith & Wesson, M&P, or Performance Center firearms.  The Summer Savings rebate program is valid on qualifying firearms purchased from June 29, 2018 to September 2, 2018.

Purchasers of a new Smith & Wesson, M&P, or Performance Center firearm from the categories below between June 29, 2018, and September 2, 2018, will be eligible to receive the following:

•         $50 Smith & Wesson prepaid MasterCard* on any new, qualifying M&P Full or Compact Size pistol chambered in 9mm, .40 S&W or .45 Auto (excluding M&P Shield® pistols).  Performance Center M&P pistols are also included in this offer.

•         $30 Smith & Wesson prepaid MasterCard* on any new, qualifying Smith & Wesson or Performance Center revolver (excluding M&P Bodyguard® 38 revolvers).

•         $25 Smith & Wesson prepaid MasterCard* on any new, qualifying Smith & Wesson SD™ or SDVE™ pistol.

To participate in the “Summer Savings” electronic rebate program, customers must complete and submit the online rebate form at www.smithandwessonrebates.com. All submissions must include proof of purchase and be submitted on or beforeOctober 1, 2018. Read more

Firearms

SIG SAUER P226 Select Sweepstakes

Newington, N.H.   – It’s time to kick-off the summer right, and register for a chance to win the SIG SAUER P226 Select. Take a chance and you could be the one lucky sweepstakes winner by visitingsigsauer.com/promotions now through July 4, 2018 to participate in this promotion.

The SIG SAUER P226 Select is a classic full-size pistol designed for ultimate performance. The P226 is the pistol that set the standard by which all other combat handguns are measured. Designed as SIG’s entrant in the military trials to replace the 1911, today the P226 is in use by federal agents, and numerous law enforcement agencies worldwide. Features include front cocking serrations, select G10 series grips, low-profile controls, SIGLITE Night Sights, a short reset trigger, and 15 round steel magazines.

There’s no purchase necessary to enter. For full contest rules, terms, and conditions visitsigsauer.com/promotions. Read more

Firearms

Nikon’s MONARCH HG 30mm Binoculars

Nikon Expands Award-Winning MONARCH HG Binocular Line

Melville NY  – With a century of optics-building technology at its back, Nikon announces its most advanced, highly engineered MONARCH binocular is now available in a compact form. The new MONARCH HG 30mm series follows in the footsteps of its award-winning* 42mm siblings and provides nearly identical performance specifications in a smaller size and nearly 8-ounce reduction in weight.

For The Best Images, You Need the Best Glass

Extraordinary optical performance is key to the new MONARCH HG 30mm binocular. The optical system of the MONARCH HG is engineered around its ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass with high-quality multilayer coating applied to all lenses and prisms. Dielectric high-reflective multilayer coating is applied to the binoculars’ roof prisms, achieving a bright view of up to 92% or higher light transmittance, and natural color fidelity. To assure long-term optical acuity, scratch-resistant coatings protect the MONARCH HG objective and eyepiece lenses. Read more

Optics

Planting Trees and Weed Control

One of the key advantages mast orchards have over food plots is that once established, they require far less effort.  Maximizing the growth potential of your trees does require occasional regular maintenance, particularly in the early stages of growth. That maintenance includes reducing competition.

Grass and weeds are the biggest competitors of young trees, stealing water and soil nutrients away from your new plantings. That’s why you should establish and maintain a 2 – 3 foot circle clear of weeds around the base of each tree. You can begin simply by physically removing grass and weeds down to the bare soil. Next, add mulch or mats within the weedless circle. This moderates soil temperature extremes, improves soil moisture retention and retards subsequent weed growth.

Herbicides are even more effective but require extra care as they can be absorbed by the trees you’re trying to protect directly through the bark. If you use herbicides like Round-Up, Chestnut Hill Outdoors recommends you apply them only when there is no wind, that you use a colored dye mixed in the herbicide so you can see it being applied and that you us a shield or hood on the sprayer wand to better control where it is being applied.

Another option is to use grow tubes. In addition to preventing herbicide contact, the tubes trap and hold even more moisture, raising relative humidity and ambient temperature inside the tube They also protect trees from animals like small mammals that may chew the bark, or deer that may rub the bark with their antlers. Tubes also protect trees from insect pests and wind desiccation.

If site conditions allow, you can also reduce weed competition outside the 2-3 foot circle by herbicide spraying, mowing and if properly done, controlled burning. Read more

Wildlife

Viridian “Art of Defense” Video Series

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. –– Viridian Weapon Technologies is pleased to announce the release of the new “Art of Defense” video series, showcasing life-saving firearms and defensive techniques for personal protection. Episodes will be released on YouTube beginning the last week of June. Viewers are encouraged to subscribe to the Viridian YouTube channel to be notified when new episodes are available. The first episode is now live here.

Presented by Defensive Mindset Training and Range Systems, the “Art of Defense” series is hosted by Beau Doboszenski, owner and lead instructor for Defensive Mindset Training. The video series is designed to address common defensive mistakes, answer everyday questions, provide concealed carry tips and deliver instruction on using tools like Viridian laser sights. Both novice and skilled shooters can take advantage of the materials and use the videos as a resource for effective firearms operation. Episodes cover a variety of topics ranging from target acquisition and trigger control to improved draw and more.

Beau Doboszenski                                                                            

As the owner of Defensive Mindset Training, Doboszenski conducts in-person training, develops curriculum and produces videos on topics of personal protection, firearms and more. From brand new shooters to the most advanced firearms operators, Doboszenski believes that all skill levels can benefit from additional training to help prepare them for real-world defensive scenarios. Prior to leading Defensive Mindset Training, he served as a U.S. Army Infantryman and was a first responder in the Pentagon on 9/11 and Sentinel at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery.

“Life can be unpredictable, so having the right tools, like Viridian laser sights, and knowing how to use them is key in any defense situation,” said Viridian President and CEO Brian Hedeen. “Our new ‘Art of Defense’ series aims to bring relevant information to our fans and customers, equipping them with the techniques to safely and efficiently defend themselves and their loved ones. Viewers can expect to gain valuable insight in a concise, easy-to-digest format that can be conveniently viewed on a lunch break or at home. These are skills that can only be mastered through instruction and repetition—and that’s why this series is so valuable.”

The first episode is available now, with additional episodes airing regularly. All “Art of Defense” videos and other educational content is available on Viridian’s YouTube channel. Read more

Self Defense

Steyr Training Academy Offers New Dates and New Courses

BESSEMER, Ala. (June 28, 2018) — Steyr Arms has announced the 2018 dates for Steyr Arms Training Academy at the company’s headquarters in Bessemer, Ala. Along with the popular SPR-I practical rifle course, Steyr will now offer a SPR-II extended-range rifle course this Fall. There is only one SPR-II course offered this year, and completion of SPR-I is a prerequisite to join.

Academy Director Eduardo Abril de Fontcuberta is the instructor for all of the courses. A native of Spain, Eduardo, is a world champion long-range competitor with more than 25 years of experience as a military and law enforcement sniper trainer and armorer. His name is probably most recognizable from his frequent writing in national firearm magazines and his book, 100+ Sniper Exercises. In order to provide more personal-trainer-like sessions with ample individual instruction, de Fontcuberta is limiting each of the three-day courses to a maximum of seven students. Each of the courses will provide students with a total of more than 24 hours of intensive instruction.

The SPR-I course is meant to provide students with theoretical knowledge, shooting practice and the ballistic skills needed to reach each Steyr rifle’s accuracy potential. The course covers the fundamentals of rifle marksmanship, creation of extremely accurate paper and electronic tables, as well as understanding of how different factors affect shooting. During the dynamic classroom sessions as well as range practice, de Fontcuberta will adapt to the students’ needs while covering all the components of successful long-range shooting, including equipment selection and refinement, proper zeroing techniques, zero-distance selection, scope and rifle accuracy testing, wind estimation, new hardware, and ballistics know-how and software options. A Steyr Logbook is also included with the course. Students who don’t own a Steyr rifle prior to the course can rent a Steyr Pro THB rifle, and other rifle models will be available on request. By the end of the course, students will be able to operate on their own with supreme confidence when shooting targets or hunting. Read more

Firearms

Parker Giving Away One-Of-A-Kind Parker Compound Bow

STAUNTON, VA. Parker Bows, the leading manufacturer of high quality Compound bows and Crossbows as well as RED HOT Crossbow Accessories is giving away a special edition Parker Poison 30 compound bow on July 9th, 2018.

Participants can register for a chance to win a special edition Parker Poison 30 by clicking here: https://www.parkerbows.com/poison30special/ . The Poison 30 is decorated in old glory and is sure to make its owner very happy. A winner will be selected Monday, July 9th and notified via email.

Shooting at a tack driving speed of 330 Feet Per Second (FPS), the Poison 30 features a T2 Cam System and extreme parallel limb design with up to 90% let-off. The 6.25” brace height combined with the 30” axle-to-axle, makes the Poison 30 perfect for those that want increased speed and maneuverability in the field. The Poison 30 is available in 27”, 28”, 29”, & 30” draw lengths, 50-60 lb and 60-70 lb draw weights. Each Parker bow and crossbow is Made in the USA and comes with an industry leading Lifetime Warranty. Read more

Archery
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