Outdoor commentary and legislative issues.
COLUMBUS, Georgia — These breathable multi-climate chest waders have a removable zippered liner system with 120 grams of insulation for versatility and adaptive comfort in all conditions. The shin, knees and seat areas feature heavy-duty, abrasion-resistant nylon, and the 1,200-gram Thinsulate boot has a cleated outsole.
MSRP: $289.99
LITTLE ROCK — The National Audubon Society recently announced the dates for the 120th annual Christmas Bird Count — Dec. 14 through Jan. 5.
The Christmas Bird Count is the longest-running wildlife survey in the world, employing tens of thousands of bird-loving volunteers to gather data on the number and type of bird species found during the peak of migration.
Individual counts take place in a 15-mile-wide circle and are led by a compiler responsible for organizing volunteers and submitting observations to Audubon. Within each circle, participants tally all birds seen or heard that day — not just the species, but total numbers to provide a clear idea of the health of that particular population.
Data from Christmas Bird Counts have been used in more than 200 peer-reviewed, scientific articles, including Audubon’s landmark, “Birds and Climate Change Report.”
There is no fee to participate and the quarterly report, “American Birds,” is available online. Counts are open to birders of all skill levels and Audubon’s free Bird Guide app makes it even easier to chip in. For more information and to find a count near you, visit www.christmasbirdcount.org.
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Michigan’s snowmobile season kicked off Dec. 1, but a series of significant winter storms has temporarily impacted the state’s snowmobile trails system.
Storms that began Wednesday, Nov. 27 have blocked trails with heavy snow and downed trees across the Upper Peninsula as well as in some parts of the northern Lower Peninsula, according to state trails specialists with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Parks and Recreation Division.
In the wake of the storms, the DNR’s contracted snowmobile clubs have responded and are clearing downed trees and grooming trails to ready them for snowmobilers.
“These storms dumped heavy snow and freezing rain that turned to ice, which snapped tree limbs and utility lines and even uprooted trees,” said Jeff Kakuk, DNR western U.P. trails specialist.
A similar situation is being reported in the northern Lower Peninsula and across the eastern U.P.
Paul Gaberdiel, eastern U.P. trails specialist with the DNR, said a groomer even became stuck in the snow between Munising and Manistique.
Significant trail clearing and grooming will be needed in the affected areas.
“It will take time because some people are trying to dig themselves out and remove the downed trees and branches on the trails,” Gaberdiel said.
The trails are open, but snowmobilers are alerted to watch out for downed tree limbs and other hazards, as well as work crews clearing and grooming trails.
“If you are out on the trails, we ask that you use extreme caution,” Kakuk said.
Before venturing out to ride, review the latest updated trail closures information at Michigan.gov/DNRClosures.
Michigan offers thousands of miles snowmobile trails, as well as available backcountry riding. For more information, visit Michigan.gov/Snowmobiling.
USCCA Provides Unique Glimpse Into Why Millions of Americans Carry
In the midst of a nationwide discussion about firearm safety and personal protection, the USCCA is providing a revealing look into what is motivating increasing numbers of Americans from all walks of life to carry firearms in a new 10-part YouTube series. Read more
A Competition Ready-Tack Driver That’s Also…Affordable!
Kansas City, KS – CZ-USA debuts its very first chassis rifle; the CZ 457 Varmint Precision Chassis chambered in 22 LR.
Ready for competition right out of the box, the CZ 457 Varmint Precision Chassis is built on an aluminum chassis and weighs in at 7 pounds. The rifle is available in two different barrel lengths, with a 16.5-inch and a 24-inch version. The adjustable Luth-AR stock can be configured to fit nearly any shooter, comfortably. Likewise, the trigger is adjustable for weight, creep and over travel, so it can quickly and easily be fine-tuned for each shooter.
The CZ 457 Varmint Precision Chassis’ five-round magazine is detachable. The barrel is factory threaded 1/2×28 for a suppressor, and the two-position, push-to-fire safety system provides intuitive protection.
The bolt-on the CZ 457 Varmint Precision Chassis rotates just 60º, allowing plenty of room between bolt handle and scope for easier cycling of rounds. That generous space provided by the short rotation of the bolt also allows for rifle scopes with larger ocular bell diameters and lower ring heights.
The forend on the CZ 457 Varmint Precision Chassis provides an exceptional accessorizing capability with QD sling cockets and plenty of M-LOK slots. Since the rifle is sold without sights, the rifle’s receiver features CZ-USA’s 11mm dovetail milled right into the receiver for easy mounting of optics and rails. Read more
Introducing the Roughneck from Lucky Duck Predator Calls, a brand new call designed for the run and gun hunter. The Roughneck is the most recent release in Lucky Duck’s ground-breaking game call lineup. This remote controlled e-caller features extreme volume, one-of-a-kind sound library, and a brand new LD3X remote.
The Roughneck is extremely portable and compact without sacrificing loudness or clarity. The silicone cover adds a layer of protection, dampens accidental sounds from hard plastic housings, and increases speaker clarity. The new LD3X remote has an industry leading screen size, includes 10 levels of brightness, and backlit buttons for night hunters. This call comes with 150 preloaded exclusive sounds created by Rick Paillet and has a capacity of 2,000. The call runs on 10 AA batteries and the remote runs on 3 AA’s (not included). The Roughneck is compatible with Lucky Duck’s rechargeable lithium-ion battery pack.
MSRP for the Roughneck is $499.99 and it is available on luckyduck.com, or through a partnered retailer: http://www.luckyduck.com/dealers/.
COLUMBUS, Georgia — Get cold feet? The Boot Insulators from ArcticShield might be the answer. Their heat-retention technology has been developed and honed over many years, so it’s of the highest quality. These sport a polyester outer shell and liner, and are windproof, water resistant, lightweight and packable. Simply roll them up and slide them into your pocket or backpack.
MSRP: $64.00
Buy Now: ArcticShield Boot Insulators Read more
COLUMBUS, Georgia — They’ve nicknamed it the Hand Refuge, and for good reason. It’s like a sauna for your hands on a cold, crisp, wintery day. Using this reduces the need for heavy gloves, which can get in the way of shooting and other in-the-field tasks. It accomplishes this with a combined 800 grams of insulation. This includes 500 grams of Thinsulate and 300 grams of high-loft lining. It even has an external pocket for additional gear accessories. Just strap it around the waist, and you’re ready to go.
MSRP: $39.99
NEWINGTON, N.H. – SIG SAUER, Inc. is pleased to introduce the P320-M18, the commercial variant of the U.S. Military Modular Handgun System (MHS) M18. A smaller version of the M17, the P320-M18 features a 3.9” barrel, compact slide, and carry length grip module. The M18 was recently chosen as the official sidearm of the U.S. Marine Corps, and has been recently issued alongside the full-size M17 to all branches of the US Military as a result of the MHS contract award.
“Since the official selection of the M17 and M18 by the U.S. Army for the Modular Handgun System (MHS), we’ve seen significant civilian interest to own both variants of the handguns. The P320-based M17 and M18 are among the most tested handguns in history and the pair has been proven to be unmatched in both accuracy and reliability,” said Tom Taylor. Chief Marketing Officer, and Executive Vice President, Commercial Sales. “We are very proud that with the P320-M18, civilians can now own the same innovation and versatility that has made either the M17 and M18 the handgun of choice for all branches of the U.S. Military.”
The P320-M18 is a 9mm striker-fired pistol with an exclusive “M18-XXXXXX” serial number that comes with one 17-round magazine and two 21-round magazines. The pistol features a SIGLITE front night sight and a removable night sight rear plate as specified by the MHS contract. The slide is optic ready and with the rear sight assembly removed, the SIG SAUER Electro-Optics ROMEO1Pro Optic mounts directly to the slide. The P320-M18 is configured nearly identically to the U.S. Military’s models and features black controls, a carry-length coyote-tan grip module, coyote PVD finished slide, and an ambidextrous manual safety. The P320-M18 is also available in a state compliant version and is currently listed on the Massachusetts handgun roster. Read more
Columbus, Georgia — Heckler & Koch is proud to announce the US availability of the HK SP5, the only authentic sporting version of the legendary MP5 submachine gun available.
The SP5 was developed by HK as a semiautomatic, civilian sporting pistol that matches the look and feel of the legendary MP5 submachine gun.
“Our whole team is very proud and very excited to finally bring the SP5 to the US,” HK-USA COO/CSO Mike Holley said. “The MP5 isn’t just a customer favorite, it’s an HK employee favorite too. So, we are just thrilled to roll out the most authentic semiautomatic-only version of it we’ve seen in the US.”
Designed and manufactured to meet the definition of a civilian pistol, the SP5 is loaded with authentic features, like a Navy barrel with threaded tri-lug adaptor, paddle magazine release, fluted chamber and chrome-lined bore. Read more