Michigan: Marquette County man confesses to killing buck within city limits

A 37-year-old Marquette man confessed Monday to Michigan Department of Natural Resources conservation officers to illegally killing a buck inside the city limits.

The man’s name has not been released. County prosecutors are reviewing charges in the case, which could be either misdemeanors or civil infractions.

At about 10:30 p.m. Sunday, conservation officers received a tip from the public that a man claimed to have killed a trophy 12-point buck that was well-known to residents of a Marquette subdivision.

“He claimed to have killed the buck in Deerton, which is located about 20 miles from the subdivision,” said acting Lt. Ryan Aho. “Over the past few years, multiple residents of the community have shared pictures of the buck on social media, which they had seen regularly walking through yards.”

Acting on the tip, conservation officers contacted the man Monday morning. Following an interview, the man confessed to shooting the deer within the city limits.

“He also admitted to trespassing on private land located about a quarter mile from his residence,” Aho said. “The deer was killed over a bait pile from a blind constructed from trees cut illegally on the private property.” Read more

Poachers

NSSF Calls for House and Senate Action on Bipartisan Target Practice and Marksmanship Training Support Act

Call House and Senate Leadership TODAY and Urge them to Pass the Bipartisan Target Practice and Marksmanship Training Support Act

The U.S. Senate and U.S. House are about to wrap up the 115th Congress, and the bipartisan and universally supported Target Practice and Marksmanship TrainingSupport Act has yet to reach the President’s desk. This measure is NSSF’s top legislative priority on sportsmen’s issues. The bill would provide for increased access to public shooting ranges benefitting recreational target shooters, gun owners, hunters and sportsmen and women without costing taxpayers a dime.

Time is of the essence, and it is critical that Senate and House Leadership hear from you TODAY. Please urge Leader McConnell, Whip Cornyn, Speaker Ryan, and Leader McCarthy to work on a bipartisan and bicameral basis to enact this pro-sportsmen’s legislation before this Congress adjourns:

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY): (202) 224-3135
Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-TX): (202) 224-2934
Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-WI): (202) 225-0600
House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA): (202) 225-4000 Read more

Firearms

SIG SAUER Academy Adds Rifle and Shotgun Fundamentals Classes

div>

Newington, N.H. – SIG SAUER Academy, the leading provider of the highest quality firearms instruction and tactical training in the world, is pleased to announce the addition of Rifle Fundamentals and Shotgun Fundamentals to the 2019 course schedule.

Rifle and Shotgun Fundamentals are geared towards new firearms owners and provide students with the basic knowledge and skills necessary to safely handle, load, fire, and unload common types of rifles and shotguns. Students in these fundamentals courses will learn proper safety, operation, handling skills, marksmanship, zeroing procedures, positional shooting, and maintenance of modern sporting rifles and shotguns. Time is spent both in the classroom, and on the range, in a comfortable learning environment to develop a solid skill base with the equipment.

The first offering of Rifle Fundamentals is January 16, 2019, and the first offering of Shotgun Fundamentals is March 11, 2019. Read more

Firearms

Michigan: new program aims to boost grasslands in state game areas

Last week, representatives of the DNR, Pheasants Forever and several other groups gathered at Maple River State Game Area (which stretches through Clinton, Gratiot and Ionia counties) to launch the Adopt-A-Game-Area program and dedicate a kiosk recognizing sponsors of the game area.

This new program encourages individuals and organizations to sponsor grassland habitat projects on the state-managed lands they use and value. Maple River is the first to be sponsored.

“Grasslands give important benefits to both wildlife and people. In addition to providing habitat and food resources for many wildlife species, grasslands also improve water and air quality,” said Al Stewart, DNR upland game bird specialist. “Plus, grassland areas are simply stunning to view in mid- to late summer when the prairie wildflowers are in full bloom.”

Stewart said that grassland pollinators, like bees and monarch butterflies, help to pollinate crops that keep the country fed. “Without grasslands, we’d be in real trouble,” he said. Throughout Michigan, grasslands are being converted to agriculture and development and now are one of the rarest habitat types in the world.

Mature buck peeking up over a grassy area

The new Adopt-a-Game-Area program is a partnership between the DNR, Pheasants Forever and the Hal and Jean Glassen Foundation. Expanded support of this program, through sponsorships, will provide valuable nesting, brood-rearing, foraging and winter habitat for a wide range of wildlife including deer, turkeys, pheasants, ducks, cottontail rabbits, songbirds and pollinators. Read more

Wildlife

Boone and Crockett Club: CWD—It’s Time to Halt All Transportation of Live Deer and Elk

MISSOULA, Mont. – The Boone and Crockett Club today announced that it has released a new position statement on Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). The position affirms the best way to prevent CWD introduction and establishment is to prohibit all human-assisted live cervid movements.

“The Club has been closely involved with ongoing research about CWD,” said Dr. Josh Millspaugh, Boone and Crockett Professor of Wildlife Conservation at the University of Montana. “With what we know today about how this deadly disease is transmitted and the potential for introduction to new areas, we urge states to adopt the conclusions, recommendations and Best Management Practices of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA).”

Most deer and elk are transported for the purpose of establishing or re-stocking commercial shooting preserves and game farms. State wildlife officials also transport live animals to replenish areas with reduced populations or establish new populations. Sometimes these transports are done in cooperation with local and national conservation organizations. All transportation of live cervid movements are covered by AFWA’s recommendations.

CWD is now found in 25 states, three Canadian provinces, Norway, and South Korea. CWD is not caused by a virus or bacteria that can be treated and cured. It is a protein that is picked up through contact with infected animals or their surroundings. CWD is always fatal. It attacks an animal’s nervous system, taking as long as two years before the animal begins to show outward signs of the disease. Currently there is no vaccine or practical way to test live animals for the disease. Read more

Wildlife

Hodgdon® Releases the 2019 Hodgdon Annual Manual

Hodgdon, The Brand That’s True®, is pleased to announce the release of the 2019 Hodgdon Annual Manual (the 16th annual edition).

This new manual contains data for Hodgdon, IMR® and Winchester® Smokeless Propellants in more than 5,000 loads, with updates for 17 rifle and pistol cartridges. Using this resource, handloaders can now find data for the new 224 Valkyrie and 6.5 PRC cartridges. Along with comprehensive load data, the 2019 Hodgdon Annual Manual offers authoritative articles by leading gun and outdoor industry writers, working with the editors of Shooting Times magazine.

“The Annual Manual is our printed yearly update for the ardent handloader,” said Ron Reiber, lead ballistician for Hodgdon. “We believe one of our competitive advantages is providing cutting-edge data on all our propellants. Our customers know they can look to Hodgdon to be first to supply this information on hot, new cartridges and newly-introduced powders.” Read more

Ammunition

U.S. DHS Awards Contract to Federal Ammunition for .223 Remington

ANOKA, Minnesota – Federal Ammunition was recently awarded a major contract from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Starting delivery in 2019, the multi-agency contract (MAC) provides for up to $75 million of .223 Rem duty ammunition to multiple Department of Homeland Security law enforcement components and other federal agencies for up to five (5) years. This contract will provide the organization’s agents and officers with .223 Rem duty and training ammunition. Read more

Ammunition

Michigan: Officers Recover Historical Artifacts Taken from Lake Michigan Shipwreck

Michigan Department of Natural Resources conservation officers recovered stolen artifacts from a historical shipwreck after receiving a tip from recreational divers. In September, the DNR Law Enforcement Division’s Great Lakes Enforcement Unit was notified that people were stealing internal framework – referred to as “ribbing” – from the Metropolis, a shipwreck north of Traverse City.

Metropolis is a 125-foot schooner located offshore of Old Mission Point in the East Grand Traverse Bay, which is part of Lake Michigan. The ship was abandoned after becoming lost in a snowstorm in November 1886. The remains of the Metropolis are divided in two portions, one located in 8 feet of water and the other at a depth of 120 feet. The site is part of the Grand Traverse Bay Underwater Preserve.

Michigan’s Great Lakes are home to 1,500 shipwrecks and 14 underwater preserves, including Isle Royale, which provide recreational diving opportunities. It is illegal to remove anything from underwater shipwrecks. Read more

General

Leica Ultravid Binoculars

Revered for their classic design when they first launched back in 2003, Leica has updated its iconic Ultravid binoculars by adding smart leather inlays and a complimentary calfskin case. Moving forward, Leica will be manufacturing Ultravid binoculars at its recently overhauled headquarters in Wetzlar, Germany.

Combining outstanding optical performance and high quality materials, Leica has improved the detailing on both the black and the silver anodized compact 8×20 and 10×25 models so that it now features eye-catching black leather inlays, ensuring even more precise and durable application. A soft leather case is also now included, offering ideal protection against scratches and dirt.

The compact size of the Ultravid binoculars makes them perfect for long-term, fatigue-free observation. Small in size and lightweight, they are designed to provide a fantastic viewing experience in a wide range of situations. The use of asphericial lenses offers the observer a sharp image right to the edge without color fringing and because of the short close-up distance these little Ultravids bring close up things even closer.

Selling price: 8×20 $869 / 10×25 $899 Read more

Optics
1 … 915 916 917 918 919 … 1,898