Sierra Bullets Acquires Barnes Bullets

MONA, Utah — Sierra Bullets, L.L.C., the Bulletsmiths®, a dedicated manufacturer of one of the highest?quality, most accurate bullets in the world, has acquired certain assets relating to the Barnes Bullets brand of specialty hunting bullets.

Founded in 1932 and headquartered in the Rocky Mountains just outside of Mona, Utah since 1967, Barnes is an industry leader in manufacturing environmentally sound, lead?free bullets. Known for its superior quality, terminal performance and accuracy, Barnes enjoys an almost cult like following among western big game hunters, shooters, and handloaders.

“We are super excited and honored for the opportunity to be working with the Barnes Brand. Our strategy is to be the leader in specialty premium bullets and ammunition, and Barnes adds an additional uniquely positioned “Super Fan” brand to the Sierra portfolio,” said Keith Enlow, President of Sierra Bullets. “We want to let the industry and Barnes’ consumers know we are devoted to ensuring the quality of Barnes products, and understand the importance of continuity. We are committed to Barnes’ wonderful employees and the people of Mona, Utah where the brand is based and will continue to operate.” Read more

Ammunition

Proposed Hunting Changes for Michigan

By Glen Wunderlich

Charter Member Professional Outdoor Media Association

As the largest statewide conservation organization in the country, Michigan United Conservation Clubs (MUCC) has recently passed a bevy of resolutions at its annual convention and will, therefore, pursue adoption by the Michigan legislature and/or Michigan’s Natural Resources Commission.  Here are some select issues now officially endorsed by MUCC that we may see become reality in the near future.

*  The Michigan Trappers and Predator Callers Association submitted a proposal to preserve hunting contests including rabbit roundups,  squirrel hunts, youth hunting events, hunting retriever trials and predator contests.  These contests help to promote youth hunting and time afield with family and generally aid in hunter retention.  I’ve often wondered why an individual may take an unlimited amount of coyotes, for example, during the course of any day, week, month or year and be in full compliance with the law.  Yet, when teamed with any group in contest form, it becomes intolerable to a certain segment of the population.  The answer lies in their anti-hunting platforms that oppose all hunting.

*  Also passed was a resolution to encourage the use of non-lead alternatives for fishing sinkers and bullets.  As more and more alternatives become available in hunting ammunition and fishing sinkers and jigs, copper and tungsten have become widely accepted and for good reason:  They can be more effective than lead without the possible effects of lead poisoning of wildlife and habitat.  In fact, without any governmental edicts, I’ve used copper alternatives in ammunition for many years in factory ammunition and handloads because I believe them to be superior to lead.

*  Next is a proposal to rescind a resolution passed 44 years ago that required all guns to be encased and for the case to be inaccessible when being transported in a motor vehicle and stored in the trunk of said vehicle.  The problem with the current law is that most vehicles sold today – pickups and SUVs – have no trunk.  Rationale for passage of this resolution should be self-evident.

*  In a parallel issue, it is currently unlawful  for a person to lean a firearm on a tailgate (loaded or unloaded) or to use a truck’s hood as a benchrest while target shooting.  Such activity is not necessarily dangerous, as long as a person follows common-sense gun rules and should not be a crime.

*  Next in line is a proposal to ban balloon releases.  The Alliance for the Great Lakes’ annual “Adopt-a-Beach” shoreline cleanup program has found between 4,400 and 7,200 balloons or pieces of balloon debris on Great Lakes beaches each of the 11 last three years, and a scientific study published in March out of the University of Tasmania that found balloons are the highest-risk plastic debris item for seabirds.  These balloon releases amount to no more than public littering, and although they may give some folks a warm, fuzzy feeling, they also kill our wildlife.  And, while we’re at it, we should have enough wisdom to quit sending lit paper bags floating into the air for similar reasons including fire prevention.

These are a few of the current issues under consideration that sportsmen and women should get behind, because real conservation of our resources is at the hands of those that hunt and fish and are funded through our licensing fees and excise taxes on related equipment.

Hunting

Bats on the Move

MONTPELIER, VT – The onset of fall sends Vermont’s bats into motion as they begin either migrating south or moving to regional underground hibernation sites for the winter.

Summer groups of bats that roost in buildings start to scatter in the fall, making it the perfect time to safely evict these uninvited guests from your attic, barn, or office building following the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department’s Best Management Practices, available at www.vtfishandwildlife.com.

Bat houses provide an alternative location for safely evicted bats to remain in your yard and continue eating huge quantities of insects that may be forest, agricultural, or human pests. However, bat houses do require some simple maintenance. Late fall or winter is the time to look up inside your bat house and make sure all the bats have left before cleaning out any abandoned wasp nests and planning any needed caulking or repainting.

You can also help bat conservation efforts by reporting large colonies of bats living in structures to the department’s website. Locations with rare colonies of endangered little brown bats are eligible for free bat houses from Vermont Fish and Wildlife. Read more

Wildlife

Primary Arms SLx 1×20 Prism Scope with Green Illuminated Reticle

HOUSTON, TEXAS – Primary Arms Optics has just released the latest iteration of its popular SLx 1x Prism, now featuring a green-illuminated reticle. This scope is part of Primary Arms’ SLx product line. SLx optics built Primary Arms’ reputation for innovation, reliability and value. All SLx optics undergo rigorous field-testing during development to best serve you in any environment. The SLx 1×20 Prism Scope with ACSS Cyclops reticle is one of the most popular low-magnification prism scopes on the market, mirroring the performance of a red dot or reflex sight with an etched reticle that eliminates astigmatic distortion.

The SLx 1×20 Prism Scope with ACSS Cyclops reticle is currently one of Primary Arms’ best-selling optics. With a massive eyebox, compact body, and 9.7oz weight, this prism optic is able to recreate the speed and agility of red dot and holographic optics with an etched ACSS reticle. The benefit of the etched reticle is two-fold, as it usable without batteries and does not blur with an astigmatism. Read more

Optics

Beretta Celebrates Its 494th Anniversary

(Accokeek, MD) This past Saturday, October 3rd, Beretta celebrated its 494th anniversary as a firearms manufacturer, which makes Beretta the manufacturing company with the longest history of continuous operations in the world. Beretta products have accompanied sportsmen and women all around the globe on countless hunting excursions, performed flawlessly in five decades of the Olympic Games, and been combat tested as the official sidearm of the U.S. Armed Forces for over 35 years.

In 1526, Mastro Bartolomeo Beretta (1490-1565/68) of Gardone Val Trompia, Brescia, Italy, received 296 ducats as payment for 185 arquebus barrels sold to the Arsenal of Venice. Although there is a history of Beretta products’ production in the 1500s, this particular moment in our history is the first documented sale of Beretta products in the known world, and it is the foundational point from which our company began its commanding presence in the firearms manufacturing industry. Read more

Firearms

G. Loomis Tackles Hard-Water Action with New IMX-Pro Ice Rods

WOODLAND, Washington — Action, sensitivity, and purposeful construction are the driving forces behind G. Loomis’ new line of IMX-PRO Ice rods, a 12-model lineup that will be available at tackle shops in early October. The IMX-PRO Ice series includes 5 rods with solid graphite blank construction for panfish and lighter applications as well as 7 tubular graphite blank rods for targeting walleye, northern pike, lake trout, and other larger species.

The G. Loomis crew began the development of the IMX-PRO Ice rods in January of 2019 during a trip to Lake of the Woods, perfectly coinciding with the week of the infamous ‘Polar Vortex’ weather event As the crew ventured out onto the ice in morning temperatures hovering at 50 below zero — and never going above 30 below zero for nearly four days —they experienced ice fishing in its utmost extreme. “Knowing that our goal was to design the best ice rods for any and all conditions, we quickly learned our full cork grip design and the use of REC recoil guides was a must,” said David Brinkerhoff with G. Loomis’ design team. “Our continued research in much better weather conditions during later trips that season as well as last winter led us to utilizing split-cork grips on our lighter power rods to enhance strike detection and hook-setting performance.” Read more

Fishing

Hi Mountain Seasonings Announces “Steak Lover’s Bundle Giveaway”

RIVERTON, Wyo. (Oct. 5, 2020) Time to get your grill ready because Hi Mountain Seasonings, the flavor leader in jerky and seasonings, is launching its “Steak Lover’s Bundle Giveaway” promotion today. One lucky winner will walk away with a steak package that includes two bottles of Original Steak Western Style Seasonings, Steak Rub, Merlot with Garlic & Rosemary Finishing Sauce, Pinot Noir with Garlic & Honey Finishing Sauce, Soy Ginger Marinade, Zesty Western Marinade a wireless thermometer to ensure the steak is cooked to perfection every time.

Entering to win is simple. Simply go to the Hi Mountain Seasonings Facebook page, and click on the promotion or just CLICK HERE. When prompted, fill in your name and email address and you are entered. One entry per person. All entries must be completed by midnight on October 30th. One entry per person, but everyone will be given an opportunity for more entries. When you enter you will be given a unique share URL. When a new participant enters the Giveaway via that unique URL, the original participant will be given additional entries. The winner will be announced on the website and notified via email. Read more

General

“Patternless” Eastern Diamondback Microchipped in North Florida

FWC biologist Pierson Hill recently documented an extremely unusual “patternless” eastern diamondback rattlesnake in north Florida, which he then microchipped and released safely for identification by researchers in the future. This color morph is exceptionally rare – only a small handful of patternless diamondbacks have been documented by biologists, according to FFWCC. It is worth sharing with you because it’s still warm enough for cold-blooded creatures to be active in the woods, despite it being hunting season.

Wildlife

Arizona GFD, NPS Enter Agreement for Bison Reduction at Grand Canyon National Park

PHOENIX and GRAND CANYON, Ariz. — The Arizona Game and Fish Commission (AZGFD) and the National Park Service (NPS) entered into an agreement on Friday, Sept. 25, to reduce the number of bison present on the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park.

In a concerted effort to disrupt the “refuge effect” that allows the bison herd to grow where there is no pressure on them, the agreement includes a number of tools for herd reduction including live capture and translocations, hazing, and lethal removal by skilled volunteers. Given the current distribution, abundance, density and the expected growth of this herd, the public and the NPS are concerned about increased impacts on park resources such as water, vegetation, soils, archaeological sites and values such as visitor experience and wilderness character. Reducing the herd size to under 200 bison will protect the ecosystem, park resources and values.

The herd reduction activities are conducted under a 2017 Environmental Assessment conducted by NPS and supported by the State of Arizona and the US Forest Service. Read more

Wildlife

POMA Holding Online Auction Through October 15

Johnstown, PA — The Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA) is proud to announce our first-ever POMA’s Friends and Family Auction.

Due to COVID-19, we were not able to have our LIVE Auction that is normally only available to attendees at our annual business conference. This year we are holding the auction online using GalaBid and extending the event to POMA’s friends and family. The auction will begin October 1st at 11 am EST and will close October 15th at 9 pm EST. We have some amazing items available, and are so thankful to all the participants from across our industry that have donated items. There may even be some new items joining the auction block during the event. Read more

General
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