• Sheboygan Walleye Club

• Crime with Firearms at 20-Year Low

• Report says Marine deaths hit record low In 2012

• Weekly Great Lakes Water Levels for May 17, 2013

• Wingshooting Clinics

• Water Usage Stamps

• Renew Watercraft Registration by Phone or Online

• IL Free Fishing Days June 7-10

• Deer Meetings

• Fishing season kicks into high gear with multiple openers for the U.P.

• Enjoy Michigan's Summer Free Fishing Weekend June 8 and 9

• BPS to open store in Niagara-On-The-Lake, ON

• Other Breaking News

Sheboygan Walleye Club

Click on the club name above to see more on their upcoming

tournaments, and go to their web site for more club info:

www.sheboyganwalleyeclub.com

NOW CASTING Dynamic Fishermen

On Animal Planet TV Show called "TOP HOOKER"

The producers of Top Shot, Dirty Jobs and The Ultimate Fighter are seeking America's best and boldest men and women to take on the new season of Animal Planet's extreme fishing competition, Top Hooker.

On this hotly-anticipated new TV show, you and a handful of daring fishing enthusiasts will tackle exciting and intense challenges on America's rivers, lakes streams and even the open ocean. We are looking for COMPETITIVE, OUTGOING and SKILLED anglers, spear

fishermen, game fishermen, fly fishermen, trawlers and trappers from all walks of life.

It doesn't matter if your experience is commercial, sport or recreational. As long as you're skilled, adaptable and confident enough to take on

anything we throw at you, you could win A BIG GRAND PRIZE and the title of Animal Planet's next Top Hooker. This is TV's wildest fishing competition. APPLY TODAY!!!

Send an email to [email protected]  with your name, age, phone number, location, a recent photo (without hat and

sunglasses please!) and a brief explanation of why you are America's next Top Hooker. * Due to the high volume of submissions, we highly encourage you to apply as early as possible. All applicants must be legal U.S. residents and at least 21 years of age. For more

information visit www.pilgrimstudios.com/casting/tophooker

For more info: , Blair Franklin, Casting Producer, Pilgrim Studios, Ph: (818) 478-4667, www.pilgrimstudios.com

Crime with Firearms at 20-Year Low

Americans unaware of dramatic drop

The U.S. Department of Justice and the Pew Research Center last week issued studies confirming that crime involving firearms, as well as violent crime in general, has dropped dramatically in the last two decades, even as the nation's population and firearms ownership has increased.

Yet, the American public believes that crime is rising. Only 12 percent of

Americans surveyed correctly replied that crime has been significantly

reduced in the last 20 years, as opposed to 56 percent who thought it was higher. On the other hand, Americans in a new Gallup poll do not rank gun control as a top national priority, placing it next to last on a list of 12 issues on which they think the President and Congress should be working.

Report says Marine deaths hit record low In 2012

The Coast Guard released its 2012 Recreational Boating Statistics on May 13, revealing that boating fatalities last year totaled 651, the lowest number of boating fatalities on record.

There were 651 boating deaths last year, a decline of 14.1 % from 758 in 2011, and there were 3,000 injuries, down 2.6 % from 3,081 the previous year. The total number of reported recreational boating accidents dropped to 4,515, a decline of 1.6 percent from 4,588 in 2011.

The fatality rate for 2012 of 5.4 deaths per 100,000 registered recreational vessels reflected a 12.9 % decrease from the previous year's rate of 6.2 deaths. Property damage totaled about $38 million.

"We're very pleased that casualties are lower and thank our partners for their hard work over the past year," Capt. Paul Thomas, director of inspections and compliance at Coast Guard headquarters, said in a statement. "We will continue to stress the importance of life jacket wear, boating education courses and sober boating."

Weekly Great Lakes Water Levels for May 17, 2013 

WEATHER CONDITIONS

The Great Lakes region experienced relatively cool weather this past weekend, with temperatures rising later in the week. There was some light precipitation throughout the basin early last week. The Great Lakes Basin has experienced below average precipitation so far this month. Expect warmer temperatures to continue this weekend and into this week with little to no precipitation.

LAKE LEVEL CONDITIONS

All of the Great Lakes are in their seasonal rise. The water level of Lake Superior is 2 inches above its level of a year ago, while Lake Michigan-Huron is 5 inches lower than at this time last year. Lakes St. Clair, Erie, and Ontario are 6, 7, and 2 inches, respectively, lower than their levels of a year ago. Over the next month, Lakes Superior and Michigan-Huron are forecasted to rise 4 and 3 inches, respectively. The water levels of lakes St. Clair, Erie and Ontario are projected to rise 3, 1, and 3 inches, respectively, in the next thirty days.

FORECASTED MONTHLY OUTFLOWS/CHANNEL CONDITIONS

Lake Superior�s outflow through the St. Marys River is projected to be below average for the month of May. Lake Huron�s outflow into the St. Clair River and the outflow from Lake St. Clair into the Detroit River are also expected to be below average throughout the month of May. Lake Erie�s outflow through the Niagara River is predicted to be below average

and the outflow of Lake Ontario into the St. Lawrence River is expected to be below average in May.

ALERTS

Official records are based on monthly average water levels and not daily water levels. Lake Superior and Lake Michigan-Huron are below chart datum. Users of the Great Lakes, connecting channels and St. Lawrence River should keep informed of current conditions before undertaking any activities that could be affected by changing water levels. Mariners should utilize navigation charts and refer to current water level readings.

Hacking shows why gun owners oppose registry, records keeping
BELLEVUE, WA � Thursday�s revelation (May 9) that the Washington State court system has been hacked and the records of hundreds of thousands of citizens may have been accessed clearly demonstrates why gun owners are adamantly opposed to background check records keeping, and want the state�s pistol registry destroyed, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms said.

Reuters reported Thursday afternoon that up to 160,000 Social Security numbers and a million driver�s license numbers �may have been accessed.�

�This is the kind of vulnerability and privacy invasion that law-abiding, responsible firearms owners fear,� said CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb. �If hackers can break into the state court system, they can just as easily break into records kept on gun owners at the Department of Licensing, where the handgun registry is currently maintained. This could be a gold mine for gun thieves.

�This is why,� he continued, �we insisted that the state pistol registry be abolished and that no records be retained on background checks when we agreed to discuss background check legislation earlier this year. The other side wouldn�t budge. They want gun owner privacy to be at risk.�

Gottlieb noted that retaining records is a key ingredient of every background check proposal put forth by the gun prohibition lobby.

�Now the gun control lobby is threatening an initiative campaign to push their agenda,� Gottlieb observed. �If it mirrors what they tried to accomplish in Olympia earlier this year, you�re likely to see gun owners and other privacy advocates joining forces to oppose them.  �It�s appalling that this happened,� he concluded, �but it provides a stark lesson to those who would disregard the privacy of up to two million of their fellow citizens by demanding that records be kept on people who merely exercise a civil right protected by both the state and federal constitutions. Either you support privacy, or you support criminals. There�s no middle ground.�

Firearms Industry Trade Association Joins suit against Colorado Gun-Control Laws

NEWTOWN, Conn. -- The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the trade association for the firearms industry, has joined with 54 county sheriffs, Magpul Industries, the Colorado Outfitters Association, several firearms retailers, disabled individuals and other parties in a federal lawsuit brought today in the United States District Court for the District of Colorado in what is a broad-based challenge to Colorado's recently enacted gun-control laws.

"In addition to Constitutional infringements and unenforceable requirements regarding magazine capacity, as the sheriffs have pointed out, we believe it will be impossible for citizens to comply with mandated firearms 'transfers' through federally licensed retailers," said Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel. "Colorado's federally-licensed firearms retailers are being asked to process these transfers as if they were selling

from their own inventory and to monitor both seller and buyer through a

state-administered check process that can take hours or even days. They will not be able to recoup the actual cost of providing the service, which is capped at $10, but they will be liable for paperwork errors and subject to license revocation. Not surprisingly, we expect few, if any licensed retailers will step forward to provide this service."

"For this reason and the many others detailed in our joint action with our fellow plaintiffs, these laws need to be struck down," Keane said. The firearms retailers bringing suit are: 2nd Amendment Gunsmith & Shooting Supply, Loveland; Goods for the Woods, Durango; Grand Prix Guns, Littleton; Green Mountain Guns, Lakewood; Jensen Arms, Loveland; Jerry's Outdoor Sports, Grand Junction; Rocky Mountain Shooters Supply, Fort Collins; and Specialty Sports & Supply, Colorado Springs.

Wingshooting Clinics

The IDNR and participating partners sponsor wingshooting clinics at sites throughout Illinois to help improve the shooting skills of participants. Youth/Women's clinics are designed to teach participants basic firearm safety and the fundamentals of wingshooting. Hunter clinics are designed to enhance the wingshooting skills of hunters and provide sound 

wingshooting practice techniques. The clinics are conducted on weekends throughout the spring, summer and early fall. 

For a complete schedule: http://dnr.state.il.us/lands/landmgt/programs/wingshooting/

WingshootingDates.htm

Water Usage Stamps

Owners of non-motorized watercraft, canoes, kayaks and paddle boats in Illinois are no longer required to have those watercraft titled/registered in Illinois, unless the vessels have a motor or sail. 

They are now required to purchase a 'Water Usage Stamp' for $6.00 per calendar year for the each of the first three vessels, and $3.00 each for any additional vessels. All of the new Water Usage Stamps (also known

as Paddle Passes) passes must be purchased at the same time to

receive the discount. 

Water Usage Stamps are mandatory.  The stamps should be available over the counter from DNR Direct license and permit point of sale vendors beginning July 1, 2013.  Use this link to find vendor locations for purchase of the water usage stamp: www.dnr.illinois.gov/LPR/Pages/LicensePermitVendors.aspx

Renew Watercraft Registration by Phone or Online

Watercraft owners in Illinois are reminded that IDNR is no longer mailing watercraft registration renewal

notices.  Watercraft owners can renew their watercraft registrations by using phone (866-867-3542) or online at: www.dnr.illinois.gov/recreation/boating/Pages/RenewYour

WatercraftRegistration.aspx.

This convenient service operates 24 hours a day (a convenience fee will be added to the regular registration fee to offset the cost of the

transaction).  When renewing, watercraft owners should have handy their

Illinois registration number and hull identification number (located on the registration card) and pen and paper to record their confirmation number. Forms of payment include VISA, MasterCard, Discover, American Express and E-Check.

Upon completion of the transaction, watercraft owners will receive a confirmation number that will authorize the immediate use of their watercraft on Illinois waters.

Free Fishing Days June 7-10

Free Fishing Days is a four-day celebration of fishing in Illinois in which anglers can fish without purchasing a fishing license, salmon stamp or inland trout stamp.  �Free Fishing Days is a great way to help our citizens -- no matter their age or experience level -- discover that fishing is a fun,

family activity available to all Illinoisans in nearly every corner of the state,� said IDNR Director Marc Miller. For more information on fishing opportunities in Illinois, check the IDNR website at www.dnr.illinois.gov or www.ifishillinois.org.

Deer Meetings

Illinois DNR has scheduled a series of open houses for the public to ask questions and receive information about Illinois' deer herd. IDNR Division of Wildlife Resources staff will be on hand at each meeting to discuss the deer management program, hunting regulations, and surveillance/management of chronic wasting disease.

The public is invited to attend the open houses from 4 � 7 p.m. on these dates and at these locations:

� June 3 � Rockford Public Library (East Branch), 6685 East State St., Rockford, IL

� June 4 � Hickory Hills Discovery Center (Twinleaf West room), St. Charles Park District, 3795 Campton

Hills Road, St. Charles, IL

� June 5 � Champaign County Farm Bureau Auditorium, 801 Country Fair Drive, Champaign, IL

� June 6 � John A. Logan College (TDR room), 700 Logan Drive, Carterville, IL

� June 11 � PASA Park, #1 Pasa Park, Barry, IL (off I-72 west of Pittsfield)

BPS to open store in Niagara-On-The-Lake, ON

Gateway to Niagara Peninsula

Springfield, Missouri-- Bass Pro Shops will locate its third Canadian store in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario as an anchor for The Outlet Collection at Niagara�a 520,000-sq ft shopping center under  

construction.  Located at the intersection of Queen Elizabeth Way and Glendale Avenue, this high visibility site will be the new gateway to the Niagara Peninsula.  The new 80,000 sq. ft. Bass Pro Shops Outpost store is scheduled to open in the spring  2014.

(Click on title or URL to read full article)

Bloomberg, Obama and liberal media muzzled about gun crime decline

The Justice Dept released a study recently that showed firearm-related homicides in the U.S. annually declined 39 % from 18,253 in 1993 to 11,101 in 2011. Nonfatal firearm crimes declined 6%  from 1.5 million to 467,300 in that time frame.

How gobies have altered Lake Michigan fishing
On May 4, two anglers weighed a five-fish bass tournament record for southern Lake Michigan. The Indiana men weighed five smallmouth bass at 25.72 lbs in an Angler�s Dream tournament out of East Chicago Marina.

Between a rock and a hard place: Michigan's national parks cut services amid budget woes
Isle Royale and other national parks all absorbed a five percent budget cut this year. In Michigan, that also affects Keweenaw National Historic Park, and Sleeping Bear Dunes and Pictured Rocks national lakeshores.