Weekly News Archives

                         or

       New Product  Archives

Bushmaster Adds 308 Win Chambering to Carbine Line-Up

Bushmaster's offering of a 308 chambered carbine is another step in the continuing evolution of the AR platform and an exciting addition to the growing line of Bushmaster AR-15 style rifles. The Bushmaster 308 ORC (Optics Ready Carbine) in the venerable 308 Win chambering provides law enforcement agencies with additional firepower and longer range capabilities.

The ORC comes from the factory with two �-inch scope riser blocks for the shooter that wishes to mount an aftermarket optic to this 308 powerhouse. The riser blocks, which are mounted to the receiver length Picatinny optics rail, provide enough clearance above the upper receiver so the natural

cheek weld aligns the shooter's eye directly behind his chosen optic.

This heavy-hitting, mid-range carbine comes with mid-length gas system and a milled gas block that is mounted to a heavy-profile, 16-inch 4150 Chrom-Moly Vanadium chrome lined barrel and chamber which is capped with an A2 style birdcage flash hider. The heavy oval hand guards are heat-shielded and a six-position telescoping stock gives up to 4 inches of adjustment for the length of pull.

The Bushmaster 308 ORC is shipped with a lockable hard case, operator's safety manual, yellow safety block and black web sling. Bushmaster's one year warranty is included.

About $1395.00

www.bushmaster.com

Smith & Wesson Introduces S&W500 Bone Collector Revolver

Smith & Wesson has introduced a new X-Frame model in collaboration with Professional Hunter Michael Waddell - the S&W500� Bone Collector�. Engineered by the Smith & Wesson Performance Center, the Model S&W500 Bone Collector combines old-world craftsmanship with modern advancements into a new-age hunting revolver. This firearm is powerful, functional and capable of harvesting about any big-game animal on Earth. The Model S&W500 Bone Collector embodies the look, feel and attitude of Waddell's latest television venture, "The Bone Collector," airing on The Outdoor Channel.

Delivering more than a ton and a quarter of muzzle energy, the Model S&W500 earned the distinction as the most powerful production revolver when introduced. Built on the company's X-Frame, the Model S&W500 provides today's hunters with a well-balanced and manageable firearm when stalking large or dangerous game. Chambered for five rounds of .500 S&W Magnum�, the new Bone Collector revolver is manufactured with a stainless steel frame, cylinder and 10.5-inch barrel design. The S&W500 Bone Collector is standard with a two-tone finish, synthetic rubber grips along with the company's renowned smooth double-action and crisp single-action trigger pull. To help aide in recoil management, the Model S&W500 is also standard with a full 360-degree muzzle compensator.

Equipped with a variety of special features that only the individual attention of master gunsmiths can achieve, the Model S&W500 Bone Collector is hand-cut and fit to insure top-notch accuracy and precision. Additional Performance Center features include a heavy-duty ball detent lock-up between the cylinder crane and frame along with a chrome-flashed hammer and trigger. The trigger on the Model S&W500 Bone Collector also features an over-travel stop and the revolver is standard with a Performance Center action job. All these features contribute to a revolver capable of answering the needs of any serious handgun hunter.

The Model S&W500 Bone Collector weighs in at 79.3 ounces and has been fitted with a red ramp front sight and an adjustable black blade rear sight to help aid in target alignment. When traditional sights are not being used, hunters will appreciate the integral weaver base located on top of the barrel, which allows for optics to be easily mounted. For convenient carrying once in the field, a swivel mount bolt sling has been added. Adding to its allure, the new Model S&W500 is engraved with the Bone Collector logo on the frame and will have a limited run of 1,000 units.

(800) 331-0852

www.smith-wesson.com  

Rhode Wins World Championship

Rhode Wins World Championship

Munich---In dramatic fashion Kim Rhode accomplished a handful of things at the International Shooting Sports Federation 2010 World Championships in Women's International Skeet. First, Rhode won the World Championship title by shooting an overall score of 97/100 targets. In addition, she won an all-important quota slot for the USA Olympic Shooting Team at the 2012 London Olympic Games.  

In addition, Rhode and her teammates, Haley Dunn and Amber English won the International Skeet Team gold medal. With her World Cup wins in Acapulco and Beijing and this World Championship in Munich, she has now surpassed the threshold of 45 points which is required to qualify for the 2012 London Olympic Games.

Rhode now has 53 points and a commanding lead in the race

to earn the right to represent the USA in these upcoming

Games.

2010 has been another watershed year for the four-time USA Olympic medalist. Last month Rhode won the U.S. Nationals in International Skeet and is currently ranked #1 in the World. Her quest to make all-time Olympic history by earning her fifth straight Olympic medal in her fifth straight Olympic games is starting to come to the attention of the entire Olympic Movement. This has never been accomplished by any U.S. athlete in an individual sport.

Rhode acknowledged "Quite simply, the costs for a competitive shooter are among the highest in the Olympic world. I could not succeed without the support of the United States Olympic Committee and USA Shooting as well as my amazing sponsors. In addition, there are those who are closest to me who are the "wind beneath my wings" and they know how much I appreciate their supportive efforts."

Winchester adds 20 ga. to the Super X3 Shotgun Line

Shooters who enjoy shooting a small gauge shotgun will fall in love with the new Super X3 20 ga. shotgun from Winchester Repeating Arms.  Like its big brother, the Super X3 12 ga., the new 20 ga. model utilizes the same Active valve system, making it the fastest cycling shotgun in the world. 

In 2010 the SX3 20 ga. is being offered in the Walnut Field model.   This new model shotgun is sure to be popular with both target shooters and hunters.

Features of the SX3 20 ga. include the following:

Active valve system

Back-Bored technology

Perma-Coat UT finish

Cast / Drop shims

Pachmayr Decelerator recoil pad

Length of pull spacers

Ambidextrous safety

Hard chrome chamber and bore

Available in 26" and 28" barrel lengths

About $1,199.00  

www.browning.com

Hunters in Illinois reminded to sign up for Safety Education Courses

Sign Up Now Before Fall Hunting Seasons Begin

SPRINGFIELD, IL � Hunters are encouraged to sign up this summer for a free Illinois Hunter Safety Education Course coordinated by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), or take one of the web-based hunter safety study course/field day options that are available to earn a hunter safety certificate.

�Summertime is the ideal season to sign up for a hunter safety course to get ready for the busy fall hunting seasons,� said IDNR Director Marc Miller.  �Whether you are an experienced hunter, an adult who is planning to hunt for the first time, or a youth hunter excited about heading to the field this fall, hunter safety education can help you enjoy a safe hunt.�

Illinois law requires that anyone born on or after January 1, 1980 must successfully complete a hunter safety education course before an Illinois hunting license can be issued.  Illinois offers traditional hunter safety education courses, which are coordinated by the IDNR and taught by volunteer safety instructors. The courses include instruction on hunting regulations, hunter ethics and responsibility, archery, firearms, ammunition, first aid, wildlife identification and conservation.  A minimum of 10 hours of instruction is involved.

While Illinois requires that many young and novice hunters take a safety education course, many states now require hunters of all ages to furnish evidence of having completed a hunter education course before issuing a non-resident hunting license.

Illinois hunters also have the option of participating in an online study course provided by either one of two authorized providers to help familiarize themselves with hunting safety

information.  The IDNR has partnered with Hunter-Ed.com and

HunterExam.com to provide the necessary coursework to help complete hunter safety education requirements in Illinois.  In addition to the online course work, students selecting the online option must also attend a one-day field day to finalize their hunter safety certification.

�Getting safety education to hunters is a good way to improve safety in the field, and offering both the traditional lecture-style hunter education course and the online study options give hunters of all ages a chance to take the course that best suits their schedule,� IDNR Safety Education Administrator Jeff Hopkins. 

Reviewing the online safety coursework is free to anyone, providing another tool for seasoned hunters to use to refresh their skills or learn about new programs and equipment each year. Anyone interested in reviewing the online coursework can to do so through the IDNR website at www.dnr.state.il.us/safety.

Those who complete the hunter safety education course and pass the final exam receive a certificate of competency.  More than 17,700 students completed the course in Illinois last year.  The IDNR Safety Education office reports there were 22 hunting-related accidents in Illinois in 2009.  Of those accidents, two resulted in fatalities.  In one instance, a bow hunter accidentally shot a fellow hunter; in the other case, a hunter died after falling from a tree stand.

�One incident is too many, and we want hunters to be safe while enjoying their outdoor experience in Illinois,� Hopkins added.  �Safety education can help that cause.�  

For more info: http://dnr.state.il.us/safety or call toll-free 1-800-832-2599.

July NICS background checks continue up

Data released by the FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) reported 1,069,792 checks in July 2010, ranking the month the highest July for most NICS checks. This figure represents an increase of 10.7 % over

checks in July 2009. The total number of background checks reported since the beginning of NICS is 118,006,677. FBI NICS disclaimer: These figures indicate the number of background checks requested. They do not indicate firearm transfers.

Fish Habitat benefits from more than $3 Million in Funding

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will provide more than $3.3 million to support 68 fish habitat projects in 36 states across the nation under the National Fish Habitat Action Plan (NFHAP). An additional $9.9 million in partner contributions, over $13.2 million in total, will go toward restoring and enhancing stream, lake and coastal habitat, as well as to improving recreational fishing and helping endangered species.

The funding is provided for priority projects identified through fifteen Fish Habitat Partnerships established under the NFHAP. The partnerships formed help direct funding and other resources to habitat improvement projects offering the highest long-term conservation returns.

Aquatic ecosystems are especially vulnerable to changes in climate. Healthy habitats help fish and other aquatic life withstand flows and temperatures that are altered due to climate change. Thirty of the projects, supported by $2 million of the Service funds, will improve stream flow, remove barriers or acquire scientific information needed for long-term protection against the effects of climate change.

�The Service is pleased to work side-by-side with our partners to improve habitat for fish. These projects represent the mutual priorities of broad locally-based partnerships,� said Dan Ashe, Deputy Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

More than 40 percent of U.S. fish populations are currently considered declining, half of the waters in the U.S. are somehow impaired, and fragmented conservation efforts are not reversing these declines. Besides climate change, principal factors contributing to these declines include: habitat destruction and fragmentation, toxic substances, invasive species, harmful algal blooms and altered thermal regimes.

In addition to helping stem these declines, NFHAP projects also enhance fishing opportunities for the public by putting more dollars on the ground for fish conservation.  For a complete listing of funded projects: www.fws.gov/fisheries/fwco/nfhap

For more info about the National Fish Habitat Action Plan, its partnerships and programs: www.fishhabitat.org

Weekly Great Lakes Water Levels for August 13, 2010

Weather Conditions

Most of the Great Lakes basin received a few showers this week with temperatures above seasonal averages.  The remainder of this week will be partly sunny with a chance of showers and thunderstorms starting late today and continuing through the start of next week.  Temperatures will remain slightly above seasonal averages over the weekend and then drop to more seasonable levels next week.  Over the last couple of weeks a few locations have continued to receive well above seasonal amounts of precipitation while some areas have been experiencing drier than normal conditions.

Lake Level Conditions

All of the Great Lakes continue to be below last year's levels. Currently, they range from 5 to 7 inches lower than their levels of a year ago. Over the next 30 days, Lake Superior is expected to increase 1 inch, while Lake Michigan-Huron is forecasted to decline 2 inches. The water levels of Lakes St. Clair, Erie and Ontario are expected to decline 5, 4, and 6 inches, respectively, over the next month. See our Daily Levels web page for more water level information.

 Forecasted August Outflows/Channel Conditions

The outflows from Lake Superior into the St. Mary's River, and from Lake Huron into the St. Clair River, are predicted to be below average in August, while Lake St. Clair's outflow into the

Detroit River is expected to be near average during the

month.   The Niagara River's flow from Lake Erie is predicted to be slightly below average, and the flow in the St. Lawrence River is forecasted to be below average throughout August.

Alerts

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.

Boaters caught in weather changes

Caught out on the water by a fast moving storm?

Boaters who stay alert to weather changes and take appropriate action safeguard their property and the lives of those on board. If caught out on the water by a fast moving storm, here's what to do:

� Reduce speed, keeping just enough power to maintain headway.

� Make sure everyone on board is wearing a life jacket.

� Turn on your running lights.

� If possible, head for the nearest shore that is safe to

approach.

� Head the boat into the waves at a 45-degree angle.

� Keep the bilges free of water.

� Seat any passengers low in the boat, near the center line.

� If the engine fails, trail a sea anchor from the bow to keep headed into the waves. (A bucket works, too.)

� Anchor the boat if necessary

For more info and tips on boating & safely:  www.uscgboating.org

Surveys for anglers and shooters

Try the www.AnglerSurvey.com  and www.HunterSurvey.com . 

Take an active part in the angling industry and hunting and shooting industry by participating each month.  The results are shared with industry professionals and state agencies and organizations who work to support and improve fishing and hunting opportunities.

These logos will be permanently posted on our home page for easy access.

Surveys are based on usable responses from anglers & hunters/shooters across the U.S. This analysis presents the highlights and compares the results to the survey from one year ago.

Each month 10 participants are drawn from those who complete the survey to win a $100 gift certificate to the sporting goods retailer of their choice.  Participate and be heard!�

Ohio Boating Grant Application Deadlines Approaching

COLUMBUS - The Ohio Department of Natural Resources, (ODNR) Division of Watercraft will award more than $1.3 million in grant funding next year to local communities throughout the state. Eligible activities include boating education and enforcement programs and boating access facility improvements.

September 1 is the deadline to submit applications to receive funding in 2011 through the Emergency Boating Access Program. This program may provide up to 100 percent funding assistance to eligible political subdivisions and state/federal government agencies for minor emergency repairs to existing boating access facilities in Ohio. Approximately $375,000 is expected to be awarded through this program in 2011.

A deadline of October 1 is set for submitting applications to receive funding through the Boating Safety Education Grant Program. More than $360,000 is expected to be awarded for

local community boating safety education programs in 2011.

Grants carry a minimum local cost share of 25 percent of total program costs. Eligible applicants to receive these grants awards include political subdivisions at all levels, conservancy districts, state-supported school systems, the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, U.S. Power Squadrons and 501 C-3 certified nonprofit organizations.

The Division of Watercraft is holding a special information workshop on August 31 for organizations planning to submit a 2011 Boating Safety Education Grant Program application. The workshop location is the Division of Watercraft administrative headquarters, 2045 Morse Road, Building A-2 in Columbus. To register, contact Mary Hughes at (614) 265-6674 or Teri Crace at (614) 265-6534

Applications forms and additional information on the grant programs offered through the Division of Watercraft are available online at www.ohiodnr.com/watercraft

Survey results show walleye stocking needed

Survey provides valuable information about Chequamegon Bay fishery

ASHLAND - A wide variety of fish species found recently during a survey in the western portion of Chequamegon Bay in Lake Superior shows the bay generally supports a healthy fishery, but a decline in the number of smaller walleyes indicates natural walleye reproduction is limited, so continued walleye stocking is warranted, according to state fisheries biologists.

DNR fisheries managers will compare data with a like survey in 1999 and use the information collected to help manage, maintain and enhance the fishery of the area.  �We caught a wide assortment of fish, which reflects the unique mix of species we have in Chequamegon Bay� said Mike Seider, fisheries biologist in Bayfield.

Species found included walleye, yellow perch, bullheads, silver redhorse, pumpkinseed sunfish, carp, rock bass, northern pike and lake sturgeon. No trout or salmon were caught because the shallow water was above their preferred temperature range. Seider was surprised that no small mouth bass were netted but believed they may have taken up a different habitat type in the warmer and weedier water.

In June a trap net was set west of Excel Energy Plant in Ashland to repeat sampling that was done in 1999. The net was checked daily for a week. On each trip crews found 75-100 fish in the net

Seider said that although the net was only set in about 12 feet of water, several lake sturgeon were also captured each day with the largest fish measuring 50 inches. All the fish were measured and released, with some species receiving individually numbered tags. Walleye and northern pike had their stomachs pumped to assess their diet. The pumping does no harm to the fish which are returned to the water.

Lower walleye catches in the trap net supported the need for

supplemental stocking in Chequamegon Bay, Seider said, adding that the number of walleyes under 20 inches declined substantially since 1999.  �This is not surprising because other recent DNR surveys had shown that the number of smaller walleyes was down in the absence of stocking,� Seider said.

Walleye stocking was discontinued in the late 1990s because the population was flourishing and the DNR wanted to measure if there was natural reproduction along the Ashland shoreline.

�Our current fishing regulation of a five fish bag limit with only one fish larger than 20 inches has been very effective at protecting large fish because we consistently catch healthy numbers of walleyes greater than 20 inches throughout the year� Seider said. He explained that the decline of smaller fish since 1999, however, indicates natural reproduction is limited in the western portion of Chequamegon Bay.

Walleye stocking started in 1979 to compensate for over-fishing and quickly created a new localized population of walleye that returns to the Ashland shoreline each spring to spawn.  �Stocking really created a spawning population that did not exist previously,� Seider said. �Although the Ashland shoreline appears to have adequate habitat, it has become more clear their spawning efforts are contributing very little to the fishery.�

Fisheries managers reinitiated a stocking program by planting 200,000 walleyes in the bay in 2009 and about 450,000 walleye fingerlings June 2010. Stocking will be continued to help increase and maintain the walleye population in Chequamegon Bay.

Overall the recent survey provided an overview of the fishery in the bay needed in making management decisions about the species found, Seider said.