• Ruger New 10/22VLEH Target Tactical Rifle

• Remington Acquires Advanced Armament Corp

• Remington STS Shotshells Still the Choice of Champions

• WI Ring-necked pheasant season opens October 17 at noon

• Illinois Man Wins Shooting World Championship

• Streamlight Begins Implementing Standard for Flashlight Industry

• Streamlight Warns of Risks from Off-Brand Batteries

• Great Lakes Diet update

• Weekly Great Lakes Water Levels for October 9, 2009

• Shimano Xtreme Fishing Presents: The Off the Hook Sweepstakes

• Shimano compares Obama waterways "health care" to UN philosophy

• IL Supreme Court Rules Vehicle Console is a "Case"!

• Fall fishing in NY Oswego County

       Weekly News Archives

                         or

       New Product  Archives

Ruger New 10/22VLEH Target Tactical Rifle

Southport, CT October 5, 2009 � Sturm, Ruger & Co. announces the new Ruger 10/22VLEH Target Tactical rifle, a new version of the 10/22T Target rifle that provides many of the features offered in the Hawkeye� Tactical bolt-action rifle.

The 10/22VLEH starts out as a 10/22 Target Model.  It retains the precision-rifled, cold hammer-forged, spiral-finished barrel, but the barrel is shortened to 16-1/8� to reduce weight and improve handling.   The .920� OD match-grade barrel is capped with a target crown that protects the rifling at the muzzle.

The 10/22VLEH barreled action resides in a Hogue OverMolded stock.  This non-slip, rugged stock has been an aftermarket favorite among 10/22 enthusiasts, and is now offered in a factory-standard rifle.  The straight-comb Hogue

stock provides double palm swells, a varminter-style forend, and is complete with swing swivel studs and a thick, comfortable recoil pad.

The 10/22T target trigger is standard in the 10/22VLEH, offering a factory-crisp trigger with a lighter pull weight, allowing this precision-made rifle to meet its full accuracy potential. Finally, this full-featured rifle includes a precision-adjustable bipod for steady shooting from the bench.

Assembled with an empty ten-round rotary magazine, the 10/22VLEH Target Tactical weighs 6-7/8 lbs (without bipod).  It has proven itself to be a highly accurate rendition on the Ruger 10/22, famous for its ruggedness and reliability among rimfire autoloading rifles.

For more information on the 10/22VLEH Target Tactical rifle:  www.ruger.com.

Remington Acquires Advanced Armament Corp

Madison, NC - Remington has entered into a purchase agreement to acquire certain assets of Advanced Armament Corp (AAC). The transaction closed on October 2, 2009.

Located in Norcross, Georgia, AAC is an industry-leading supplier of signature noise reduction and flash reduction devices and combat-related accessories for the military, government and commercial markets. With their innovative design concepts, technologically-advanced manufacturing

techniques and core focus on the end-user, AAC silencers

and accessories have been selected by major firearms manufacturers, law enforcement agencies, commercial consumers, and military organizations globally since the company's inception in 1999.

AAC will continue day-to-day operations at their Georgia-based location under the guidance of company founder, Kevin Brittingham, and report to the Remington Military Products Division (MPD).

Remington STS Shotshells Still the Choice of Champions

At the Grand American World Trapshooting Championships

Madison, NC � At the recent 2009 Grand American World Trapshooting Championships held in Sparta, Illinois, Remington�s Premier STS target loads were the shotshells of choice for the sixth consecutive year.  Not only did Remington dominate Shell house sales, but shooters who used Remington ammo won more trophies than their competitors during the 10-day event in August.  Grand American shooters bought more than 4,300 cases of Remington STS target loads � an amazing 54 percent of all ammo purchased � and then they used those loads to take home a total of 480 trophies, 133 more than the closest ammo competitor.

Remington shooter David Shaeffer, of Glyndon, Maryland,

shattered a 21-year Singles Long Run Record by breaking 2,166 consecutive targets without a miss using Remington Premier STS Target Loads. His record-breaking Long Run

streak, which began June 20, 2009, and ended two months later, bested the old record of 1,695 targets and earned David the title of 2009 ATA Clay Target Champion. Shaeffer also broke 100 straight from the 27 yard line to capture the Remington Nitro 27 Handicap Title during the Grand American.  Asked why he uses Remington target loads, Shaeffer said, �I use them because they are the most consistent shell on the market today. They�re phenomenal.�

Another Remington shooter Stuart Welton, of Star, Idaho, was crowned Doubles Champion after breaking 100 straight in the program and then winning a shoot-off that went well into the night.

WI - Ring-necked pheasant season opens October 17 at noon

Spring surveys reveal fewer wild, naturally-reproducing birds, in 2009

MADISON � Hunters heading out to Wisconsin�s prairies and marshes in search of ring-necked pheasants this fall may have to sharpen their skills to be successful this season according to state wildlife officials. The 2009 pheasant hunting opens statewide at noon Oct. 17 and closes on Dec. 31.

�Wisconsin�s wild, naturally-reproducing pheasant population experienced another challenging winter,� said Scott Hull, DNR upland game biologist. �Both major surveys used to gauge pheasant populations in the spring showed decreases in 2009. The spring crowing count survey showed a 36 percent decrease and the rural mail carrier pheasant survey showed a 35 percent decrease in the number of roosters counted compared to 2008.�

Brood survey information collected in July and August, however, showed a 25 percent increase in the number of broods seen per observer and an increase in the average brood size from 4.6 young per brood in 2008 to 5.3 in 2009. While spring pheasant counts were down, the increase in brood production is a sign that the pheasant population is starting to rebound from the impact of 2008�s record rainy spring. �Good brood production in 2009 will offset some of the overwinter mortality we observed heading into the 2009 breeding season,� said Hull. �This is certainly a positive sign for pheasants and pheasant hunters as we approach the fall opener.�

During the 2008 pheasant hunting season, more than 70,000 hunters went out in search of pheasants and reported

harvesting 360,207 birds. The top counties for harvest

included Kenosha, Dane, and Dodge.

What to look for

In Wisconsin, research has shown that wetlands are one of the most important year-round cover types for pheasants. Areas within the pheasant management counties that contain adequate winter cover such as cattail and shrub-carr marshes, well established native prairie fields, and areas with 15 percent or more of the landscape in idle grassland will have the highest pheasant densities. It will be important for hunters to identify areas with high quality habitat and concentrate hunting efforts in that area.

Pheasant stocking program

This fall Department of Natural Resources wildlife biologists plan to stock 71 public hunting grounds with approximately 45,000 game farm pheasants. This is a slight decrease from 2008 when 52,000 game farm pheasants were stocked on 70 public hunting grounds. The decrease is partially the result of higher feed and gas costs.

Hunters can check the Pheasant Stocking on State Properties on the DNR Web site for the 2009 Pheasant Stocking Information Sheet identifying public hunting grounds slated for pheasant stocking. Stocked public hunting grounds are primarily located in the southern part of the state. Hunters should carefully verify which public hunting grounds have a 2 p.m. closure and/or allow hen pheasant hunting.

For more info on the 2009 pheasant population go to: 2009 Fall Hunting and Trapping Forecast. See the 2009 Small Game Hunting Regulations available on the hunting and trapping regulations page for additional details.

Illinois Man Wins Shooting World Championship

EDGEFIELD, SC� Clark Bush of Carbondale, Ill., took aim and fired his shotgun in the final round of the National Wild Turkey Federation's 2009 Wild Turkey World Still Target Championships. Once the targets were scored, Bush emerged the world champion in the hunter division.

Clark Bush, of Carbondale, Ill., won the hunter division at the NWTF's 2009 World Wild Turkey Still Target Championships.

"The qualifying rounds last for a day and a half, so the length of the competition makes it tough," said Bush. "I am really happy to win the Hunter Division because anyone can go into a store and purchase the same set-up I used to win. The gun I used is actually borrowed from my son."

Bush's decision to borrow his son's 12-gauge Browning BPS and combine it with a Tru-Glo choke paid off as he earned his

first world title in his ninth trip to the championships. "It's a world of fun to travel down here and meet people from different parts of the country. My wife and I do it together; she's the women's champion from 2007," added Bush.

Still-target shooting simulates turkey hunters shooting a wild turkey gobbler at 40 yards. Winners are determined by the number of pellets a shooter is able to put in a 3-inch circle on a paper target. Bush's winning score in the finals was 29.

Competing in the hunter division requires participants to use factory shotguns and accessories. No modifications or customizations are allowed. All participants are required to wear eye and ear protection and be NWTF members.  Originally known as a "turkey shoot," the NWTF's Still Target Championships were conceived 17 years ago as a conservation effort to help turkey hunters better understand point of aim and point of impact of their turkey guns.

"The ultimate goal of the competition is to reduce crippling loss and misses in the field, but it's also a great way for equipment manufacturers to improve their turkey hunting products," said Rhett Simmons, NWTF director of special events.

Streamlight Begins Implementing Standard For Flashlight Industry

Company Helped Lead Effort to Create Standardized Tests and Uniform Rating System

EAGLEVILLE, PA, October 6, 2009 � Streamlight� Inc., a leading provider of high-performance flashlights for automotive repair, industrial, fire and rescue, law enforcement professionals and sporting enthusiasts, reported it has begun implementing a new basic performance standard for flashlights.  The company was instrumental in forming a coalition of 14 leading flashlight manufacturers to create the standardized tests and uniform rating system for flashlight equipment.

Developed with the guidance of the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), the series of guidelines is called the ANSI (American National Standards Institute)/NEMA FL1 -2009 Flashlight Basic Performance Standard.  It is the first flashlight standard worldwide and introduces definitions and testing methods for flashlight basic performance as well as associated marking.

Prior to development of the guidelines, there were no industry-wide standards to help buyers evaluate what flashlight would be best for the tasks at hand. In addition, there was no way to police false product claims made by manufacturers.

The new standard is the culmination of more than two years of research and testing among participating manufacturers. �As a group, we identified which basic metrics, such as run time and light output, we were going to measure and then determined the standards to evaluate performance,� said Streamlight President Brad Penney. �This standard represents a great step forward for the industry and a genuine benefit for the industry�s customers,� he said.

The standard helps customers rate and compare the most important features of personal lighting tools, including peak beam intensity, beam distance, impact resistance, run time, light output and water resistance.  Included in the standard is a series of icons which participating manufacturers plan to display on their websites, packaging and in catalogues, along with a rating that tells how each light performed.

While compliance with the standard is voluntary, the coalition hopes that that all flashlight companies will adopt it, Penney said, adding that �the real key to industry wide adoption of it will be consumer demand for this information at the point of sale.�

For more information on the FL-1 standard, visit www.nema.org/stds/fl1.cfm.

Streamlight Warns of Risks from Off-Brand Batteries

Use of Substandard Lithium Batteries in Flashlights Can Lead to Fire, Explosion or Burn Hazards

EAGLEVILLE, PA, October 8, 2009 � Streamlight, Inc., a leading provider of high-performance flashlights for industrial, fire and rescue, law enforcement professionals and sporting enthusiasts, issued another warning about purchasing and using inferior quality lithium 123A batteries with its flashlight products or other products.  Use of off-brand lithium batteries may present a risk of leakage, fire, explosion or serious personal injury, company officials said.

�Streamlight recommends only the use of U.S. made, high quality lithium batteries with its products, including Streamlight Battery No. CR123A, Panasonic Battery # CR123A or Duracell Battery No. 123,� said Ray Sharrah, Streamlight�s Chief Operating Officer.  �The use of other batteries, or the mixing of used and new or different brand batteries, could result in fire, explosion or burn hazards.�

Sharrah said that a Houston police officer suffered minor

injuries on October 4 when a Streamlight flashlight he was using during an investigation reportedly exploded while in use.  The flashlight was powered by off-brand Chinese batteries, which were the source of the explosion.

�Streamlight lithium CR123A batteries are manufactured to stringent quality control standards, incorporating safety features which ensure they will not overheat in our high-performance flashlights,� explained Sharrah. �By using quality U.S. made lithium battery brands exclusively, Streamlight product users can be assured that they can operate their flashlight products safely at all times.�  He added that users should never misuse, short circuit, improperly store or discard, disassemble or heat any CR123 batteries above 212 F (100 C).

Streamlight includes a warning about using off-brand batteries on applicable product packages and instructions.  Information is also available on the company�s website at www.streamlight.com/education/lithium.aspx.

New Gov't Proposal for Oceans and Great Lakes Ignores Recreational Fishing

Outlines structure that could result in closures of sport fishing in salt/freshwater areas across America

Obama Administration Ignores $125 Billion Sportfishing Industry in Management Policies

This past June, President Obama created the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force. The Task Force, led by the Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), was charged with developing a national policy and implementation strategy for conserving and managing the United States ocean territory and the Great Lakes. The policy will govern ocean and Great Lakes resource management and coordinate efforts among countless federal, state and local agencies.

Without recreational angler input, decisions made under this national oceans policy could be used to unnecessarily close saltwater and freshwater recreational fishing areas.  The Task Force was given 90 days to develop these basic recommendations, and 180 days to develop a comprehensive framework for coastal and marine spatial planning. The Task Force released its Interim Report on September 17, 2009. There is a 30-day public review and comment period.

Submit your comments here and read what others are saying also   We have until Oct 16 to submit our comments

The single most obvious flaw in the report is the omission of responsibly regulated recreational fishing as a key activity for the oceans and the Great Lakes. In addition, as a national policy document governing the oceans and Great Lakes, the report is skewed toward a preservationist policy of locking up

public waters instead of one that promotes sustainable uses

such as recreational fishing.

The American Sportfishing Association has taken issue with the Obama administration's sweeping oceans and Great Lakes management policy as having a significant negative impact on the sportfishing industry, America's saltwater anglers and the nation's coastal communities.

Many groups want to stop anglers from enjoying their time on the water. Over the past 10 years we�ve seen a dramatic increase in efforts to restrict or ban recreational fishing as a means to address a variety of issues. Your input is needed to ensure that this national policy does not unnecessarily close saltwater and freshwater recreational fishing areas.

This is of concern to America's 60 million anglers, whose conservation, economic and social contributions should be recognized as a key component of the policy

Submit your comments here and read what others are saying also

Or send a letter to the White House Council on Environmental Quality urging the Task Force to include recreational fishing and boating in the national policy: www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/ceq/initiatives/

oceans/interimreport/

Make sure your voice is heard so that anglers' conservation, economic and social contributions are recognized as a key component of the policy.

New legislation will protect fishing, hunting on federal land

Two bills introduced by Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R- AK) and Rep. Dan Boren (D- OK) will protect recreational hunting, fishing and shooting on land administered by the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service.

Backed by the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance (USSA), HR 3749 and the Senate legislation are companion bills collectively known as the Recreational Fishing and Hunting Heritage and Opportunities Act. They will prevent situations from emerging where public land is closed arbitrarily for hunting, fishing and shooting, mandating that such closures be done through a reasonable and transparent process.

Specifically, both bills would ensure that:

* Federal public land managers with the U.S. Forest Service and BLM provide for the use of and access to public lands for hunting, fishing and shooting,

* An "open until closed" policy is established for the lands

managed by the U.S. Forest Service and the BLM unless public and Congressional notification is given,

* Land managers are urged to lease land for shooting ranges by having the lessee offer suitable assurances to remediate leased lands at the termination of the lease, thus remedying concerns expressed in the past by the BLM over damage to land used for shooting,

* Skilled volunteers be used on federal public lands not open to hunting when wildlife management requires the culling of animal populations,

* Congress receives an annual report detailing any closures of land to fishing, hunting, or shooting and the reasons for the closures.

"Both bills will guarantee that access for America's sportsmen to prime public land won't arbitrarily be denied," states USSA President and CEO, Bud Pidgeon. "The USSA wholeheartedly supports these bills and urges sportsmen everywhere to contact you members of Congress and urge them to sign on."

Police chiefs back local terror watch

Suspicious behavior defined

Big-city police chiefs are backing an anti-terrorism community watch program to educate people about what behavior is truly suspicious and ought to be reported to police. Using brochures, public service announcements and meetings with community groups, iWATCH is designed to deliver concrete advice on how the public can follow the oft-repeated post-Sept. 11 recommendation: "If you see something, say something."

Program materials list nine types of suspicious behavior that should compel people to call police and 12 kinds of places to look for it.

Among the indicators:

► If you smell chemicals or other fumes

► If you see someone wearing clothes too big and too heavy for the season

 ►If you see strangers asking about building security

 ►If you see someone purchasing supplies or equipment that could be used to make bombs

The important places to watch include government buildings, mass gatherings, schools and public transportation. The program also is designed to ease reporting by providing a toll-

free phone number and a Web page through which the public can alert authorities. Los Angeles has set up its toll-free number and planned to put its Web site up this weekend.

After the Sept. 11 attacks, the Bush administration proposed enlisting postal carriers, gas and electric company workers, telephone repairmen and other workers with access to private homes in a program to report suspicious behavior to the FBI. Privacy advocates condemned this as too intrusive, and the plan was dropped.

Chief Bratton and LAPD Cmdr. Joan McNamara, who developed iWATCH, said privacy and civil-liberties protections are built into the program. "We're not asking people to spy on their neighbors," Cmdr. McNamara said.

If someone reports something based on race or ethnicity, the police will not accept the report, and someone will explain to the caller why that is not an indicator of suspicious behavior, Cmdr. McNamara said.

The iWATCH program isn't the first to list possible indicators of suspicious behavior. Some cities, such as Miami, have offered a public list of seven signs of possible terrorism. Federal agencies also have put out various lists over the years

Great Lakes Diet update

From USGS we will be traveling back and forth to northern MI quite a bit over the next several weeks and would like to pick up stomach samples from those of you who still have some for us.  Please let me know when and where someone from the GLSC can stop by and grab samples.  If possible, get them to either the Bay City DNR or Alpena DNR office and we

can grab them from there.  Please keep them frozen. So far we have processed over 1800 fish stomachs - thanks to the high level of commitment of anglers who saved samples.

Thanks again and good fishing!

Edward F. Roseman, Ph.D.

Research Fishery Biologist

USGS Great Lakes Science Center

Weekly Great Lakes Water Levels for October 9, 2009

Weather Conditions

Temperatures were unseasonably cool throughout the much of the Great Lakes region early in the week. A low pressure system and a cold front are dropping into the Great Lakes region bringing much cooler temperatures and gusty northwest winds. This cold front will lead to lake effect rain and snow showers developing close to Lake Superior and northern Lake Michigan-Huron basins. In addition, the vast majority of the region will experience rain throughout the weekend as well.  Expect rain and snow showers to persist into Sunday, followed by a clearing trend arriving Monday. Temperatures will continue to be below normal for the rest of the next week.

Lake Level Conditions

Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St. Clair, and Erie are 2, 7, 5 and 4 inches, respectively, higher than their levels of a year ago.  Lake Ontario is at the same level it was a year ago. Lakes Superior, Michigan-Huron, St. Clair, Erie and Ontario are expected to decline 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 inches, respectively, over the next 30 days.  Over the next several months, Lake Superior is predicted to be near its level of a year ago. Lakes Michigan-Huron, St. Clair, and Erie are forecasted to remain at or above last years levels over the same time period.  Lake Ontario is forecasted to be near or below its levels of a year ago over the next six months. See our Daily Levels web page for more water level information.

Current Outflows/Channel Conditions

In September, the outflow from Lake Superior through the St. Mary's River and the outflow from Lake Michigan-Huron through the St. Clair River were below average. The Detroit River and Niagara River carried near average flows during September. The outflow from Lake Ontario through the St. Lawrence River was above average in September. 

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. 

Shimano Xtreme Fishing Presents: The Off the Hook Sweepstakes

Mastiff to Give Away a Fishing Dream Prize Package

San Francisco, CA - Oct. 8, 2009 - To honor the Oct. 20 launch of Shimano Xtreme Fishing for the Wii�, Mastiff is giving anglers a chance to win a boatload of fishing merchandise in the Off The Hook Sweepstakes.

From Oct. 12 to Nov. 22, visitors to the official Shimano Xtreme Fishing Web site (www.sxf-game.com) will be asked to answer a trivia question about Shimano Xtreme Fishing. Upon answering the question, they will be entered for a chance to win an assortment of merchandise from top fishing goods

manufacturers featured in the game. A new trivia question will be posted each week, and Web site visitors can enter up to once per week.

The grand-prize winner will reel in more than $1,000 worth of prizes including a Shimano Voltaeus 7-foot MH spinning rod with a Sonora 2500 spinning reel, a Hoyt AlphaMax bow, and a Muzzy Pro Extreme Bowfishing Kit, a Retriever Pro Combo Kit and Ghosted Fish hoody from AMS Bowfishing, and a copy of Shimano Xtreme Fishing for the Wii�.

Nine runners-up will also receive their own copies of Shimano Xtreme Fishing for Wii�, plus apparel from Hoyt and AMS Bowfishing.  For more information and official sweepstakes rules: www.sxf-game.com.

Shimano compares Obama waterways "health care" to UN philosophy

Obama Administration task force closing in on deadline for 'health care' for nation's shorelines, waterways

IRVINE, Calif. USA - October 5, 2009 - A recently published administration document outlines a structure that could result in closures of sport fishing in salt and freshwater areas across America.

The White House created an Interagency Oceans Policy Task Force in June and gave them only 90 days to develop a comprehensive federal policy for all U.S. coastal, ocean and Great Lakes waters. Under the guise of 'protecting' these areas, the current second phase of the Task Force direction is to develop zoning which may permanently close vast areas of fishing waters nationwide. This is to be completed by December 9, 2009.

Dave Pfeiffer, President of Shimano American Corporation explained, "In spite of extensive submissions from the recreational fishing community to the Task Force in person and in writing, they failed to include any mention of the over one million jobs or the 6o million anglers which may be affected by the new policies coast to coast. Input from the environmental groups who want to put us off the water was adopted into the report verbatim - the key points we submitted as an industry were ignored."

Recreational fishing generates a $125 billion annual economy in the United States and supports jobs in every state according to government figures. Through the Sport Fish Restoration program, anglers have provided more than $5 billion through excise taxes on fishing tackle to fishery conservation and education for decades.

In addition to the economic aspects, anglers lead the nation in volunteer conservation efforts on behalf of improving fish habitat, water quality and related environmental areas.

"There was no mention of the fishery conservation efforts which anglers have led for over 50 years in every state - an environmental success story that has no equal in the world", said Phil Morlock, Director, Environmental Affairs for Shimano. "The Task Force did not make any distinction between the dramatic differences between harmful commercial fishing

harvest methods and recreational fishing, even though we spelled it out for them in detail."

Claiming to be the result of a public consultation process, the report states:  "Having considered a broad range of public comments, this report reflects the requests and concerns of all interested parties."

The original White House memo and not surprisingly the Task Force report contains multiple references to developing a national policy where Great Lakes and coastal regions are managed, "consistent with international law, including customary international law as reflected in the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea" - a 300-page treaty the U.S. has never ratified.

"We question what implications there will be for state authority and jurisdiction in the Great Lakes and coastal regions if the U.S. adopts the U.N. Treaty," said Pfeiffer.

The report makes it clear that future authority for implementing the policy for coastal and inland waters will fall under White House jurisdiction with a new National Ocean Council comprised of over 20 federal agencies at Cabinet Secretary or Deputy Secretary level. No reference to Congressional jurisdiction is indicated.

"This significant change in U.S. policy direction is the result of a 90-day fire drill process as ordered by the President that, not surprisingly, lacks balance, clarity and quality in the end product," said Morlock. "People who simply want to take their kids fishing on public waters deserve better from their government," he added.

Shimano is joining with other members of the recreational fishing industry to urge anglers to contact their members of Congress and the administration to request this process be required to adopt the economic, conservation and social contributions of recreational fishing as key elements of the policy. It is critical that we ensure Congressional oversight and state jurisdiction and management continues.

E-letters can be sent to the administration and members of Congress by visiting www.KeepAmericaFishing.org.  The future of fishing is in your hands.

IL Supreme Court Rules Vehicle Console is a "Case"!

In a huge win for Illinois gun owners, the Illinois Supreme Court, in a unanimous judgment, announced on October 8 that an enclosed center  console of a vehicle is indeed considered a legitimate case for transporting a firearm within the meaning of the IL Criminal Code sec. 24 -1.4(c)iii:

 (iii) are unloaded and enclosed in a case, firearm carrying box, shipping box, or other container by a person who has been issued a currently valid Firearm Owner's Identification Card; or�

The case in question, People vs Diggins, involved the transportation of two unloaded firearms and two loaded magazines in the console of a vehicle driven by an individual

in possession of a valid FOID card.  In unanimous agreement

the justices ruled the trial judge erred in denying  defense the right to argue that a console is considered a "case" or "other container" under  sec. 24 -1.4(c)iii and for instructing the jury that the  console is not considered a "case". 

This ruling would also seem to resolve the question as to the legality of transporting unloaded handguns in the glove box of a vehicle by IL citizens in possession of a valid FOID card.

Because there is a disagreement between the arresting officer, defendant, and a witness at the scene as to whether or not the console was completely closed at the time, the Diggins case has been remanded back to the lower court for further proceedings

Fall fishing in NY Oswego County

Another beautiful Oswego County summer has drawn to a close and we�re looking at a strong fall forecast of salmon, trout and steelhead for the tributary streams.  Just look at the numbers out of the lakewide Fall LOC Derby - Oswego County waters produced the 34.11 lb grand prize winner, four of the top five salmon, and 75 % of the salmon division winners. Nearly half of them were caught on flies produced in Oswego by A-Tom-Mik Mfg.

Holdsworth shows off the 34.11 lb prize-winning king salmon

he caught during the 2009 Fall LOC Derby out of Port Ontario

Bob Holdsworth of Coatesville, PA earned the $20,000 LOC grand prize with a 34.11 lb king salmon taken off Port Ontario with an A-Tom-Mik fly. Holdsworth was fishing Aug. 29 with Capt. Dan Peschler and his brother Glen aboard Fish Magnet. They weighed in at Lighthouse Marina. The top three finishers in the salmon division were RJ Cruz of 

Auburn on CruzCon-Troll, 34.04 pounds, weighed in at Larry�s Oswego Salmon Shop; David Begins of Pittsford, VT, 33.08 pounds, weighed in at Flat Rock at Jellystone Park, Mexico, aboard Dream Chasers; and Edward Hetrick of Edinburg, PA, 33.08 lbs, fishing on Straight Jackets and weighed in at the Lighthouse Marina.

Oswego�s Vic Minotti finished a close fifth place at 33.04 lbs., and Pulaski�s Glen Peschler took seventh at 32.06 lbs. Meanwhile, Oswego County Tourism�s Fish and Fun hotline (800-248-4FUN) has been busy with callers seeking current fishing conditions and visitor information. Our staff at the tourism office is just finishing up the fall and winter events brochure and we�ve started development of a brand new Oswego County Visitor guide.

The new guide will contain updated information on accommodations, restaurants, attractions and outdoor activities. Businesses should look for upcoming advertising opportunities. And last but not least, we�ll soon be unveiling a brand new tourism logo design!

Supreme Court Rules Vehicle Console is a "Case"!

In a huge win for Illinois gun owners, the Illinois Supreme Court, in a unanimous judgment, announced on October 8 that an enclosed center  console of a vehicle is indeed considered a legitimate case for transporting a firearm within the meaning of the IL Criminal Code sec. 24 -1.4(c)iii:

 (iii) are unloaded and enclosed in a case, firearm carrying box, shipping box, or other container by a person who has been issued a currently valid Firearm Owner's Identification Card; or�

The case in question, People vs Diggins, involved the transportation of two unloaded firearms and two loaded magazines in the console of a vehicle driven by an individual

in possession of a valid FOID card.  In unanimous agreement the justices ruled the trial judge erred in denying  defense the right to argue that a console is considered a "case" or "other container" under  sec. 24 -1.4(c)iii and for instructing the jury that the  console is not considered a "case". 

This ruling would also seem to resolve the question as to the legality of transporting unloaded handguns in the glove box of a vehicle by IL citizens in possession of a valid FOID card.

Because there is a disagreement between the arresting officer, defendant, and a witness at the scene as to whether or not the console was completely closed at the time, the Diggins case has been remanded back to the lower court for further proceedings

Ohio Wildlife Council Votes on Fishery Management Changes

COLUMBUS, OHIO - The Ohio Wildlife Council has approved changes that will affect Lake Erie walleye and yellow perch, crappies in 44 inland lakes, and Ohio River catfish according to the Ohio DNR.

The change to the timing of when bag limits are set for Lake Erie walleye and yellow perch was passed. New bag limits will become effective on May 1 instead of March 1. Changing this effective date allows for the walleye and yellow perch quotas set by the Lake Erie Committee to be considered prior to setting the bag limits.

The Lake Erie Committee comprises fishery managers from Michigan, New York, Ohio, Ontario and Pennsylvania. The committee's work is facilitated by the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, a Canadian and U.S. agency on the Great Lakes. Each year the committee sets the total allowable catch for walleye and yellow perch from Lake Erie. Total allowable catch represents the number of fish that can be caught by sport and commercial fishers without putting the stocks at risk. From the total allowable catch for the lake, individual state

quotas are calculated.

Adding 38 lakes to the current list of six lakes that have 9-inch minimum size limits on crappies was also approved. A bag limit of 30 crappies on all lakes with 9-inch size limits was also passed, which now equal 44 lakes across the state. Alum Creek, Caesar Creek, Deer Creek, Delaware, Seneca and Tappan Lakes have had the 9-inch minimum regulations for years.

An extension of the statewide catfish regulations to the Ohio River was passed. Ohio River anglers will be allowed only one channel catfish 28 inches or longer with no limit for channel catfish under 28 inches. In addition, only one flathead and one blue catfish 35 inches or longer may be possessed with no limit for flathead and blue catfish under 35 inches.

Input was sought at six public open houses at various locations across the state and a central statewide hearing. Information recorded at these open houses along with comments from the state hearing was forwarded to the division's central office in Columbus, where proposed rule changes were considered.

Officials ask us to be on the lookout for invasive crayfish

GERMANTOWN �With trapping well underway for a destructive new invasive crayfish species found recently in a Washington County pond, state fisheries officials are calling on citizens to be on the lookout for the crayfish in other lakes, rivers and ponds and to follow new rules aimed at preventing such new invaders from gaining a foothold in Wisconsin.

A new video showing the invasive crayfish is now available online at http://dnr.wi.gov/invasives/

�We cannot do it all on our own,� says Sue Beyler, DNR fisheries supervisor in Waukesha. �We have to have the citizens out there keeping an eye on things. There are only so many of us out in the lakes and streams of Wisconsin and we really depend on the citizens to be our eyes and ears.� The red swamp crayfish has reddish bumps on its claws while native Wisconsin crayfish have whitish bumps, Beyler says.

People who think they have found the red swamp crayfish in other southeastern Wisconsin waters can contact Heidi Bunk (262) 574-2130 or [email protected]. In the rest of the state, they can call Laura Herman (715) 365-8998 with University of Wisconsin-Extension or the DNR hotline: 1-800-TIP-WDNR (1-800-847-9367).

Beyler says that it's also important for people to not introduce nonnative crayfish into Wisconsin because the crustaceans can potentially decrease native fish, frog and crayfish populations. And, as of Sept. 1, 2009, it is illegal for people to possess them or transport them.

 The crayfish was discovered by a citizen and reported to the DNR on Aug. 25, 2009. DNR staff subsequently collected other crayfish from the pond and the crustaceans were 

confirmed as red swamp crayfish, a species native to the southeastern U.S. and commonly raised by southern aquaculture operations and sold to restaurants and school teachers for their classrooms. 

In other parts of the country where it has been introduced, the red swamp crayfish has harmed native fish and frog populations by eating their eggs, and out-competed native crayfish populations. In addition, the crayfish clip off the aquatic plants that fish need for spawning, feeding and shelter. The crayfish reproduces prolifically and can move overland, increasing its chances of spreading on its own.

Since its discovery, Beyler and other DNR staff and cooperators from University of Wisconsin-Madison have been setting traps and surveying nearby waters to determine how widespread the crayfish is, whether it�s a reproducing population, and whether the crayfish have spread, all information necessary to help design a control plan.

In addition, research has been continuing into potential chemical treatments to help control the population. There are no chemicals currently registered in Wisconsin for use to control crayfish, triggering processes by which the DNR must seek manufacturer permission to use a pesticide off-label and gain other state and/or federal permissions.

More than 1,000 crayfish have been trapped, netted on land or caught by hand by DNR and UW crews. Subdivision residents also have been helping catch the crayfish.

Signs have been posted around the pond to alert boaters, anglers, and other potential users of the pond that the invasive species is present and that it�s illegal to move live crayfish from the pond.