Ohio: Major Fish and Wildlife Poaching Ring Shut Down

COLUMBUS, OH – The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) has closed the adjudication phase of what has become the largest case in the 146-year history of the ODNR Division of Wildlife. The case, dubbed Operation North Coast, culminated in March 2016 with the execution of search warrants, arrest warrants and dozens of simultaneous interviews. The case primarily concerned the illegal taking and sales of Lake Erie sportfish and white-tailed deer meat products in counties along the Lake Erie shoreline. Since the takedown, state wildlife investigators have spent 2.5 years attending court hearings in Cuyahoga, Lorain, Lucas, Richland, Ottawa and Wood counties.

Following the initial search warrants and interviews, state wildlife investigators reviewed thousands of documents, conducted approximately 200 interviews, executed additional search warrants, examined hundreds of digital and physical evidence items that were seized and attended approximately 100 court hearings. Of the items seized were one vehicle, 96 deer and turkey mounts, 35 sets of antlers, more than 200 pounds of filleted sportfish and 400 pounds of de-boned venison and processed deer meat.

Nine defendants, including one in Wood County and eight in Cuyahoga County, were subsequently charged with engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity and associated crimes for operating as a criminal enterprise. The ODNR Division of Wildlife asserted that members of the group took deer illegally, often not tagging or reporting the harvests as required by law. The group would also create false harvest records by checking deer in the names of others to cover illegally taken deer meat and/or antlers. The agency further asserted that the deer meat was laundered into venison “smokies” that were sold or bartered for taxidermy and other services. Read more

Poachers

Create essential wildlife habitat with firewood

LITTLE ROCK – For landowners who enjoy a nice fire in their hearth or woodstove, the best time of year to cut next winter’s supply of wood is during late winter. With a little extra thought to the resulting woodlands, this can also be a great time to add valuable wildlife habitat on the ground.

Cutting trees for firewood is best done while the trees are dormant; the sap is concentrated in the roots, leaving the stem at its lowest moisture point of the year. Late winter cutting also allows an ideal amount of time for the firewood to season properly for the next winter.

Choosing a few mature oaks and hickories to remove from the forest canopy not only offers excellent, high-heat-value firewood, but also allows sunlight to penetrate to the forest floor, spurring new growth.
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Wildlife

The Association Applauds the Introduction of Legislation to Modernize the Pittman-Robertson Fund Act

Washington D.C. – The Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies is excited to see the reintroduction of legislation to modernize the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act (HR 877). This bipartisan legislation clarifies that the Pittman-Robertson(P-R) Fund can be used by state fish and wildlife agencies for outreach, communication, and education of hunters and recreational target shooters, including focused efforts on the recruitment, retention, and reactivation of hunters and recreational shooters through R3 initiatives without increasing taxes or existing user fees. Congressman Austin Scott (R-GA), along with Congressman Marc Veasey (D-TX), Congressman Richard Hudson (R-NC) and Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (D-MI), introduced the legislation yesterday.

“Updating the P-R Fund would allow flexibility for state fish and wildlife agencies to use their monies for the recruitment of sportsmen and women, thereby ensuring conservation funding in the future,” said Ed Carter, President of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies and Executive Director of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. “This bill, if passed, will help ensure that funding for wildlife conservation will keep pace with the demands of our citizens and our communities, while still continuing to meet our traditional wildlife conservation objectives.”
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Wildlife

Leica Ultravid HD-Plus ‘Customized’ Binoculars

Premium German optics brand Leica Sport Optics has unveiled a new ‘Customized’ edition of its bestselling Ultravid HD-Plus binoculars, which unite outstanding design and optical quality with a coffee-brown leather trim and a titanium color finish housing.

Made in Germany, these elegant binoculars feature excellent image brightness, strong contrasts and durable mechanics. Fluoride lenses ensure brilliant color rendition and perfect contrast for outstanding image brightness as well as pin-sharp images. Available in four versions: Leica Ultravid 8×32 HD-Plus, 10×32 HD-Plus, 8×42 HD-Plus and 10×42 HD-Plus, the package includes a premium calfskin bag and a neoprene carrying strap.

“The combination of high quality materials and technical perfection makes the new Leica Ultravid HD-Plus ‘Customized’ binoculars a personal statement for all those who will accept no compromise on excellent image quality and aesthetics. Our unparalleled experience in optical development and production is again reflected in this new edition,” says Nanette Roland, Product Manager of Observation Optics at Leica Camera AG.

Leica Ultravid 8×32 HD-Plus Customized: $2,195.00

Leica Ultravid 10×32 HD-Plus Customized: $2,245.00

Leica Ultravid 8×42 HD-Plus Customized: $2,445.00

Leica Ultravid 10×42 HD-Plus Customized: $2,495.00 Read more

Optics

SAAMI Acceptance Of The 350 Legend Cartridge

NEWTOWN, Conn. — The Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute® (SAAMI®), the firearms and ammunition industry’s technical standards-setting organization, is pleased to announce the acceptance of a new cartridge and chamber standard, the 350 Legend (350 LGND), introduced by Winchester Ammunition.

“SAAMI member ammunition and firearm companies are driven by technological innovation.” said Randy Bimson, Director of Technical Affairs and Technical Advisor of SAAMI. “Winchester’s 350 Legend cartridge brings a fresh look and innovation to a very mature cartridge category opening up new options to both the hunter and recreational shooter. SAAMI is pleased to include the new 350 Legend in the SAAMI standards.”

Winchester Ammunition is addressing a rapidly growing market segment, “straight-wall-cartridge-compliant” deer-hunting states. A growing number of states that previously restricted deer hunting to limited-range slug guns or muzzle loading firearms are now allowing rifles chambered in straight-walled centerfire cartridges, many of which originated as handgun cartridge designs. The Winchester 350 Legend offers a significantly flatter trajectory and better terminal performance over current straight-wall cartridges while remaining compliant in most applicable states. Read more

Ammunition

Streamlight Introduces Siege X USB

EAGLEVILLE, PA – Streamlight®, Inc., a leading provider of high-performance lighting tools, introduced the Siege® X USB, a multi-function, ultra-compact USB rechargeable lantern with multiple lighting modes, including a forward flashlight setting. The new light, designed to work in a wide variety of tactical, outdoor, DIY and other applications, delivers up to 325 lumens in lantern mode and up to 300 lumens in its flashlight setting.

The Siege X USB features three different lighting modes: smooth lantern lighting; a red LED setting to preserve night vision; and a front spot light to use the lantern as a handheld flashlight. The lantern handle, as well as a D-ring at its base, allow users to easily hang the light for large area lighting needs. Read more

Optics

How Birds Keep Warm in Winter

Have you ever wondered how birds can stay warm in the cold winter months? Common redpolls are a great example. These energetic foragers weigh less than 15 grams and can survive temperatures that plunge nearly 100 degrees below the freezing point! How do they do it? Birds of all shapes and sizes have special adaptations for living in cold climates. Here are just a few examples of tough birds and their tips for staying warm.

Shivering

Just like people, birds shiver to stay warm. Birds have much higher metabolic rates and burn more energy to stay warm than we do. Black-capped chickadees weigh less than half an ounce and can maintain a body temperature of 100 degrees Fahrenheit – even when the air is 0 degrees! They do this by having great insulation, being very active and remembering where they store their food. A steady supply of food is essential, because chickadees eat more than 35 percent of their weight every day! Compared to many other birds, chickadees have a large hippocampus – the part of the brain that’s responsible for spatial memory. In the fall, this part of their brain gets even bigger!

Fluffing feathers

Whether fat, fur or feathers, insulation matters for most cold-weather animals. All cold climate birds pack on body weight in the late summer and fall in anticipation of the long, cold winter, but feathers also play an important role. All birds stay warm by trapping pockets of air around their bodies. The secret to maintaining these layers of air lies in having clean, dry and flexible feathers. The cleaning process, generally known as preening, depends on the species of bird. While all birds produce a special oil from a gland near the base of their tails, some cold-tolerant birds use this oil to weatherproof their feathers. Other birds like egrets, herons and mourning doves grow special feathers that disintegrate into a powder that they use to waterproof their feathers. Regardless of what weatherproofing method they use, preening helps birds keep a water resistant top layer and a toasty warm inner layer.

Roosting and cuddling

Similar to people who may cuddle for warmth, small birds like tree swallows crowd together in shrubs, vines and evergreen trees to share body heat. They can also slow down their metabolic rate to conserve energy. Cavity nesters like nuthatches, titmice and downy woodpeckers use tree cavities and nest boxes to stay warm. Cavities and boxes provide protection from the weather and help birds hide from predators. Larger birds like American crows and ring-billed gulls are also known to flock together for warmth.
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Wildlife

Arizona: GFD Reduces Size of Glassford Hill Pronghorn Herd

Translocation to boost, add genetic diversity to southern Arizona populations

PRESCOTT VALLEY, Ariz. — The fastest land animal in North America can make it seem so effortless, reaching a top speed of 55 mph, then being able to coast at 30 mph for miles. When they get their wheels rolling, there isn’t a predator that can keep up with them, let alone catch them.

There is one thing, however, that an estimated 100 pronghorn that have roamed the Glassford Hill area near Prescott Valley cannot outrun — development.

On Jan. 24, the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD), in partnership with the Arizona Antelope Foundation (AAF) and local private landowners, reduced the size of the iconic herd by capturing 45 of the fleet-footed animals and transporting them to various release sites in southeast Arizona.
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Wildlife

Norma Unveils Jacketed Hollow Point in .22 Mag

Norma® has announced the introduction of a new jacketed hollow point in .22 Mag. A great option for hunting pests, varmints and small game, Norma’s new .22 Mag is designed to deliver exceptional accuracy and punishing results out of this popular rimfire caliber.

“We’re very pleased to add this impressive .22 Mag jacketed hollow point to our growing rimfire line-up,” said Paul Lemke, General Manager for RUAG Ammotec USA. “The overall depth of penetration we’re seeing during testing bodes very well for those who rely on this caliber for pest control and small game hunting.”

Featuring a jacketed hollow point design, this new .22 Mag creates optimal penetration and expansion for lethality on small game. It’s also extremely accurate out to medium ranges. The Norma .22 Mag utilizes a 40gr bullet and has a listed muzzle velocity of 1877 feet per second. The MSRP for a 50-round box is $10.30 and for a 500-round box is $99.18.

Ammunition

SCI: We Broke No Laws at Convention

Anti-hunters fired blanks last month when they took verbal shots at Safari Club International and its Convention exhibitors in a media blitz, alleging that a new Nevada law had been violated.

“We are the good guys and through science-based conservation, we protect wildlife,” said SCI President Paul Babaz. “The antis only whine while hunters are out there in the wilds, protecting animals and fighting criminal poachers.”

In January 2019, representatives for anti-hunting groups gained entry into SCI’s membership-restricted annual Convention in Reno, NV for the purpose of exposing what they characterized as potentially illegal conduct by Convention exhibitors.

The anti-hunters publicized their findings, targeting SCI and several individual exhibitors. The accusers claimed that the exhibitors were selling items in violation of Nevada state law.

Not surprisingly, the accusers appear to have failed to properly research the law—or intentionally mischaracterized it–before publicizing their accusations. Also not surprisingly, the accusations were rebroadcasted by hundreds of internet communicators who similarly chose to skip the investigation that would have demonstrated the weakness of the accusations.

Nevada did pass a law that went into effect in 2018. N.R.S. 597.905 controls the sale of or possession with intent to sell products from shark fin, lions, elephant, rhinoceros, tiger, leopard, cheetah, jaguar, pangolin, sea turtle, ray, mammoth, narwhal, walrus or hippopotamus.
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Hunting
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