Protect Grassland Birds by Mowing Later

Photo caption: Landowners with 10-plus acres of field can help protect grassland birds such as bobolinks by delaying mowing til mid-August. (Courtesy VFWD/Hall).

MONTPELIER, Vt. — From bobolinks flushing up from a grassy field to the beautiful song of an eastern meadowlark, grassland birds greatly enrich summer in Vermont. But many of these species are in decline due to the loss of appropriate grassland habitat.

Landowners can make a difference by altering the times of year they mow fields that are 10 acres or larger. The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department and Audubon Vermont are encouraging landowners to help promote these beloved species by waiting a little longer to mow and give these birds a chance to complete their nesting season. Read more

Wildlife

Michigan: enjoy free fishing, off-roading, state park entry June 8-9

Our popular “Three Free” weekend – two full days when Michigan residents and visitors can grab a fishing pole, ride the off-road trails and visit state parks, all free of charge – is back, June 8 and 9.

You can enjoy fishing without a license (all other fishing regulations apply) and a variety of no-cost events planned around the state during Free Fishing Weekend; ride without purchasing an ORV license or trail permit as part of Free ORV Weekend and visit state parks without the regular Recreation Passport entry fee.

Learn more about the DNR’s “Three Free” weekend.

Fishing

The New 2019 CZ 457 Family of Rimfire Rifles

Kansas City, KS – Small-game and youth hunting, Hunter Education training, target practice, and plinking: if any of these shooting sports are on your “to do” list, CZ-USA has a high-quality and affordable CZ 457 rimfire rifle for you and yours.

And, for 2019, CZ-USA has improved and upgraded the CZ 457 family of rimfire rifles to make them even easier to use and accessorize than ever.

All new 457’s now feature an American-style push-to-fire safety–something Hunter Education instructors and 4-H shooting coaches had asked CZ-USA to change. Now, rimfire practice and training with the CZ 457 will mimic and reinforce the safety use on other American-style centerfire and rimfire rifles.

Meantime, CZ-USA also tweaked several smaller features on the CZ 457 line. To make these rifles a bit more comfortable in hand, the actions have been trimmed back nearly one-inch in length, and slab-sided to reduce the footprint and weight of the actions.

To make improve shooting with a scope mounted on the 457’s, CZ-USA ditched the 90º bolt rotation of the past in favor of 60º rotation. This change provides more room between bolt handle and scope for easier cycling of rounds. It also allows for the use of scopes with larger ocular bell diameters and lower ring heights. Read more

Firearms

Savage’s 110 Apex Predator XP

Savage’s New 110 Apex Predator XP Perfect for Crushing Carnivores

WESTFIELD, Massachusetts – – Savage is excited to announce the new 110 Apex Predator XP, which offers adjustability and accuracy like no other predator package rifle. Shipments of these firearms have been delivered to dealers.

The 110 Apex Predator XP pairs a Model 110 rifle with a 4-12x44mm Vortex Crossfire II scope that comes mounted, bore-sighted and ready to hunt. The gun features the Savage AccuTrigger, thread-in heasdpacing, floating bolt head and precision button-rifled heavy barrel. Plus, the length-of-pull of its synthetic Mossy Oak camo stock can be quickly adjusted to fit any hunter for better comfort and consistency. The Crossfire II’s Dead-Hold BDC reticle makes it easier to place accurate shots at extended range, and the optic is securely mounted to a one-piece EGW 0 MOA rail. Read more

Firearms

SIG Spartan II Series Pistols Now Shipping

NEWINGTON, N.H. –SIG SAUER, Inc. is pleased to announce the Spartan II series of pistols with the 1911 Spartan II Full-Size and Carry, and the P238 and P938 Spartan II Micro-Compacts.

The Spartan II series of pistols are all hammer-fired, single-action-only, all-metal pistols with a distressed coyote finish. Each gun has custom engraved aluminum grips featuring the SIG SAUER Spartan helmet branding, an engraved, emblazoned slide with the classic expression “Molon Labe”, and SIGLITE Night Sights.

The 1911 Spartan II Full-Size and Carry are available in .45 Auto and feature an ambi thumb-safety, accessory rail, skeletonized hammer and trigger with all black controls, and comes with two 8-round magazines. Read more

Firearms

CMP’s 2019 D-Day Event

By Ashley Brugnone, CMP Writer

TALLADEGA, Ala. – The annual John C. Garand D-Day event, held June 6-9, 2019, at the Civilian Marksmanship Program’s (CMP) Talladega Marksmanship Park in Alabama, will stray from its usual format to celebrate history not only through marksmanship competition but also through fanfare and fun.

The event will honor the 75th anniversary of the Allied Forces landing at Normandy Beach in France back in 1944 through a series of vintage rifle and pistol competitions, along with breathtaking flyovers each day by WWII LT-6 and PT-19A fighter trainers from the Dixie Wing of the Commemorative Air Force out of Peachtree, Ga. Authentic ground vehicles, such as the M3A1 Halftrack and 1943 Stuart M5A1 Light Tank, as well as other static displays will also be presented to visitors of the park throughout the event.

A special D-Day commemorative ceremony on the opening day of festivities will welcome guests while honoring those who sacrificed everything three-quarters of a century ago. Whether competing, watching or just taking a look around, all are welcome at Talladega Marksmanship Park.

Rifle matches featured on the D-Day schedule include two days of Garand-Springfield-Modern (GSM) and Vintage Military competitions. A GSM New Shooter clinic will be held on the opening day of events, which briefs participants on the competition and allows them to engage in live fire practice. An M1 Maintenance Clinic and Open Practice for all other competitors will also kick off the D-Day event. Carbine and Vintage Sniper events will close out the weekend on Sunday. Read more

Firearms

RMEF Supports Returning Gray Wolf Management to State Wildlife Agencies

MISSOULA, Mont.—The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation fully supports removing the gray wolf from the list of endangered and threatened wildlife as proposed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).

“Gray wolves have exceeded recovery goals in many states, including Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and the western Great Lakes region,” Blake Henning, RMEF chief conservation officer, wrote in a public comment submitted to the USFWS. “RMEF maintains that where wolves exist, they should be managed by state wildlife agencies just as they manage elk, bears, deer, mountain lions and other wildlife. “

RMEF has been a long-time advocate for state management of gray wolves, which is in line with RMEF’s support of the North American Wildlife Conservation Model, under which state management of wildlife along with the financial contributions from hunters dramatically increased wildlife populations across the United States over the last century.

Wolves are currently above objective in Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin and are spreading into California, Colorado, Oregon, Washington and other states. The species is already under state management in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming where populations range anywhere from 150 to 400 percent above minimum recovery goals.

USFWS is not calling for the delisting of the Mexican gray wolf which is found in Arizona and New Mexico.

“The recovery of the gray wolf in the Northern Rocky Mountains and the western Great Lakes has exceeded all expectations. Gray wolves are no longer in danger of extinction, and it is time for wolf management to be turned over to the states,” wrote Henning. Read more

Wildlife

Endangered Mussels to Gain Protected Habitat in 18 Eastern, Midwestern States

WASHINGTON— The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today agreed to designate critical habitat for four endangered freshwater mussels found in 18 states in the East and Midwest, marking a major legal victory for the species and for the Center for Biological Diversity.

The four colorfully named mussels — snuffbox, spectaclecase, sheepnose and rayed bean — range from Wisconsin and New York to Alabama and from Kansas to Virginia.

“Freshwater mussels are America’s most endangered group of animals, so it’s fantastic that these four incredibly important creatures will get habitat protection,” said Tierra Curry, a senior scientist at the Center. “Those safeguards will benefit these mussels along with the health of rivers across 18 states.”

The mussels were protected under the Endangered Species Act in 2012, but the Fish and Wildlife Service took no action to designate critical habitat for them until after the Center sued the agency in July 2018.

Under the agreement the agency must propose protected habitat areas for the mussels by Nov. 30, 2024. That protection will require anyone conducting a federally funded or permitted project in the mussels’ habitat to consult with the Service to ensure the area is not damaged. Species with federally protected critical habitat are more than twice as likely to be moving toward recovery as species without it. Read more

Animal Rights, Wildlife

SIG SAUER Father’s Day Promotion

Buy One, Get One with SIG SAUER Father’s Day Promotion

NEWINGTON, N.H. –In celebration of Father’s Day SIG SAUER is offering an exclusive 2 for 1 Father’s Day promotion. Now through June 30, 2019 purchase any new SIG SAUER P226 pistol, and get a free SIG AIR X-FIVE ASP pistol.

The iconic SIG SAUER P226 pistol was designed for the U.S. Military, is carried by elite special forces, and has proven to be the premier combat pistol. The P226 is a full-size, hammer fired pistol available in various models, including the elite SIG SAUER Legion, and multiple calibers (9mm, 40 S&W, 357 SIG, and 22LR.)

With the purchase of any model SIG SAUER P226 pistol receive a SIG AIR X-FIVE ASP pistol. This Advanced Sport Pellet Pistol (ASP) is CO2 powered with a full blowback metal slide and frame, 20-round patented rapid pellet magazine, and adjustable rear sight. Read more

Firearms

$1 million in Michigan Wildlife Habitat Grants available; apply by July 26

Converting farm land into pheasant and small game habitat, conducting prescribed burns to restore native grasslands, cutting and planting oak trees to restore forest land – these are just a few examples of past Wildlife Habitat Grant Program-supported projects. Those interested in securing grant dollars from this DNR program for future projects are encouraged to apply for the next round of funding. Projects to enhance game species habitat will be given priority.

“This is an exciting opportunity to partner with others in the state to increase the habitat available for game species in Michigan and to enhance the existing habitat for the benefit of hunters, trappers and wildlife viewers,” said DNR Wildlife Division Chief Russ Mason.

Local, state, federal and tribal governments, for-profit and nonprofit groups, and individuals all are welcome to apply through an open, competitive process. The minimum grant amount is $15,000. The maximum is the total funding available for the current grant cycle. This year that amount is approximately $1 million. A minimum match of 10% is required. Read more

Wildlife
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