Counting is Caring: Join the Great Backyard Bird Count

Around the world, people are helping birds by counting them for science.
New York, NY, Ithaca, NY, and Port Rowan, ON—Show the wild birds some love by taking part in the 23rd Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC). This year’s count begins on Valentine’s Day, Friday, February 14, and continues through Monday, February 17. Volunteers from around the world count the birds they see for at least 15 minutes on one or more days of the count, and then enter their checklists at birdcount.org. There is no better time to get involved because we are facing a bird emergency. In a study published by the journal Science last fall, scientists revealed a decline of more than one in four birds in the United States and Canada since 1970—3 billion birds gone. In addition to these steep declines, Audubon scientists projected a grim future for birds in Survival By Degrees, a report showing nearly two-thirds of North America’s bird species could disappear due to climate change. Birds from around the world are facing similar challenges and declines. Counting birds for science is one simple action that individuals can take to protect birds and the places where they live.

“In order to understand where birds are and how their numbers are changing, we need everybody’s help,” says the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Marshall Iliff, a leader of the eBird program which collects the GBBC data. “Without this information, scientists will not have enough data to show where birds are declining.” Read more

Wildlife

Groundbreaking TenPoint Crossbow Voted Best New Product

TenPoint Crossbow Technologies, manufacturer of the industry’s first safe crossbow de-cocking system, is pleased to announce the company’s all-new Vengent S440 crossbow was voted Best Hunting Accessory by outdoor retailers at the recently concluded Big Rock Sports Outdoor Expo in Nashville, TN.

The most noticeable feature of the Vengent S440 is the NEW ACUslide – the industry’s first silent cocking, safe de-cocking system. The ACUslide allows you to safely de-cock the crossbow by simply backwinding the handle, and unlike other de-cocking systems on the market, stop at any point without the fear of bow damage, injury, or losing control.

Measuring only 5.8-inches wide and shooting up to 440 feet-per-second, the Vengent S440 is the company’s fastest and narrowest forward draw crossbow ever designed. Read more

Archery

Leupold Offering Free Kestrel 5700 With Purchase of Mark 5HD

BEAVERTON, Ore. — Leupold & Stevens, Inc., has announced that, for a limited time, it will be rewarding retail purchases of any Mark 5HD riflescope with a free Kestrel 5700. The purchasers of all new Mark 5HD’s between Jan. 13 and March 15, 2020, will be eligible to receive a top-of-the-line ballistics weather meter, which is valued at $499.

The Mark 5HD has been crafted to redefine accuracy, precision, and optical performance for long-range shooters. Three models – a 7-35×56, 5-25×56, and 3.6-18×44 – are available in both milliradian and MOA configurations. Pick one up and you’ll feel the difference: it’s up to 20 ounces lighter than other scopes in its class. Get behind one and you’ll see the difference, from its superior edge-to-edge clarity to its extreme low-light performance. With three revolutions of elevation adjustment, the Mark 5HD was built to max out the performance of the latest long range rifles and ammo. Read more

Optics

Ethics course required before gathering shed antlers in Utah

SALT LAKE CITY — Collecting antlers that fall off the heads of deer, elk and moose each winter is a popular pastime in Utah. Before you head outdoors to collect shed antlers, though, you are required to complete the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources’ Antler Gathering Ethics course.

After dropping their antlers, male deer, elk and moose will grow a new set starting this spring. Looking for the shed antlers is a fun activity that your whole family can enjoy. However, late winter and early spring is a tough time of year for deer, elk and moose, which is why the educational ethics course is required if you want to go “shed hunting” between Feb. 1 and April 15.

“During winter, big game animals, especially deer, often have a difficult time finding food,” DWR Law Enforcement Chief Justin Shirley said. “If you spook an animal and cause it to run, the animal has to use up fat reserves and energy it needs to make it through the winter.” Read more

Wildlife

CCRKBA: Bloomberg Bought Va., Now He’s Trying to Buy the U.S.

BELLEVUE, WA – Anti-gun billionaire Michael Bloomberg’s Everytown for Gun Safety lobbying group will spend at least $60 million to support gun control candidates in 2020, leading the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms to declare “Last year he bought Virginia, now he’s trying to buy the United States.”

“Virginia was a test of Bloomberg’s buying power,” CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb observed, “and look how that has worked out. Now his gun prohibition lobbying group is promising to roll out the big bucks to buy state legislative and congressional races nationwide. He is weaponizing his wealth in an attempt to purchase the presidency, along with Capitol Hill and every state legislature in hopes of forcing every American to live under his dictates.” Read more

Gun Control

Walther Launches Meister Manufaktur Custom Pistols

Enhancing Excellence. Walther launches Meister Manufaktur range of custom pistols.

Walther, a company defined by over a century of engineering passion, precision workmanship, and innovation, has once again entered a new era of manufacturing.

The Meister Manufaktur program creates an exclusive line of hand-engraved, hand-finished pistols with newly developed coatings and finishes never seen before on a production line. Every Meister Manufaktur limited edition pistol promises respected Walther performance combined with hand-finished quality to exceptional detail. Read more

Firearms

Montana hunters speak up in support of more public hunting access to better manage elk herds

More than 1,200 Montana hunters have spoken up in support of increasing public access to hunt elk on private and public lands during the late October and November general season in order to better manage our state’s elk herds.

That was among the findings of a survey of more than 1,200 Montana elk hunters conducted by the Montana Wildlife Federation to gauge public support for different approaches to elk management. The survey asked hunters several questions about management of elk in the state.

Eight in 10 respondents said in the survey it is very important or important to increase public access for hunting during the general season to achieve better elk management. Montana has the longest general rifle opportunity for deer and elk in the West, with a five week season. For decades, public hunting during the general hunting season has been the primary management tool for elk and Montana hunters said they want to maintain that, and return to an emphasis on the five week season. Read more

Hunting

Whitetails Unlimited Deer Camp Tour 2020 Just Getting Started

Whitetails Unlimited’s Deer Camp Tour 2020 is off and running with the first events taking place on January 4 in Fort Kearney, Nebraska and Austin, Minnesota. WTU plans on holding over 80 Deer Camps in 23 different states during 2020.

Tickets for Deer Camp events have become a hot commodity, with many events selling out quickly. “Each Deer Camp has a limited amount of tickets available,” says Whitetails Unlimited Program Services Director Russ Austad. “Attending a Deer Camp has become a tradition for a lot of our members so when tickets go on sale, they sell fast.” Each attendee will also receive a 2020 Deer Camp shirt at the event featuring the logos of WTU’s 65 Deer Camp sponsors. The shirts are redesigned each year, which has made them somewhat of a collector’s item. Whitetails Unlimited would like to extend a special thank you to the 2020 sponsors who help make the Deer Camp Tour a huge success. Read more

Hunting

Michigan: snowmobile trails in eastern U.P. reopen after massive storm cleanup

Thanks to a true team effort between the DNR and snowmobile grant sponsors, more than 120 miles of state-designated trails in Chippewa and eastern Mackinac counties have been cleared and are ready to welcome back snowmobilers. A storm that began in late December dumped ice and snow across the eastern Upper Peninsula, snapping power poles, breaking branches and leaving many miles of trail impassable because of the debris.

“I’ve never seen a storm like that,” said Rob Shields, a DNR forest fire supervisor based in Sault Ste. Marie. “On top of ice, we were hit with 6 inches of wet, sloppy snow and ice on top of that. It just started snapping trees.” Read more

General

HAVA/NSSF Golf Tournament Raises $50,000 for Veterans

LAS VEGAS — NSSF today announced that its annual pre-SHOT Show golf outing to benefit the charity Honored American Veterans Afield (HAVA) raised $50,000. HAVA is a 501(c)(3) organization formed by companies in the shooting and outdoor industry that raises money to support disabled veterans as they work through the healing process and reintegrate into civilian life through guided hunts, target shooting events and other outdoor sports activities. Read more

General
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