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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2019

- CONSERVATION -
Ducks Unlimited and partners have finished another phase of the restoration work at the Jamestown Wildlife Area (JWA) that is already drawing birds. DU, Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism and partners restored 730 acres of wetland habitat at the JWA’s Gamekeeper Marsh.
- ENFORCEMENT -
Indiana Conservation Officers arrested Clint D. Lawson, age 30, of Terre Haute, yesterday evening on a warrant stemming from charges related to multiple counts of illegal taking of white-tailed deer.
- EVENTS -
Enjoy holiday crafts at the monthly Salamonie senior luncheon Monday, Dec. 2, at the Salamonie Lake Interpretive Center.

The TrueTimber trailer is at The Dirt Track at Charlotte Motor Speedway this weekend, bringing top quality camouflage apparel and accessories to fans.
Recently, the Michigan DNR took to social media to announce the first Happy Little 5K / Run for the Trees virtual race, and the response was amazing. In less than a week, nearly 20,000 people signed up to receive registration updates.
- FOR VETERANS -
With Veteran's Day approaching, Nexen Tire America, Inc. a worldwide leader in high-performance, passenger, SUV / light truck and winter tires, has brought the Nexen Hero Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon to the 2019 SEMA Show to highlight the build details of the off-road ready rig which will be given away to a well-deserving U.S. military veteran during the week of Dec. 16 as part of the Nexen Hero III program.
- GEAR -
Designed specifically for demanding LEO and military operators, hunters and precision shooters by two high-speed, low-drag Dallas SWAT officers, Kopfjäger Reaper Grip Gun Rests are designed to the provide the best, most versatile, high-stakes, SHTF stability on the market.

- HUNTING -
The hunting of all mountain lions in southwestern Montana hunting districts 390 and 391, which include portions of Broadwater, Gallatin, and Meagher counties, closed at one-half hour after sunset on Sunday, November 3, 2019.
Veterans or active-duty military personnel looking for some amazing hunting experiences at DNR-managed waterfowl areas are invited to take part in this month’s veterans preference hunt drawings. The drawings will take place Nov. 10, 11 and 12.
Hunting safely takes a little planning and preparation. A life jacket can go a long way toward bringing hunters home.
Nebraska’s firearm deer season is Nov. 16-24, giving individuals an opportunity to share a hunt with family or friends.

- INDUSTRY -
Sovereign Sportsman Solutions (“Sovereign”) is pleased to announce that Richard Bonazzoli has joined the company as senior vice president of technology innovation. In this newly created role, Bonazzoli is responsible for technology strategy and integration across all of Sovereign’s increasing number of products and services.
Honor Defense and Hyve Technologies have partnered on outfitting existing and new models. Honor Defense pistol owners now have a Hyve Technologies magazine extension available for their pistols.
Jackson Adventures is now the main corporate brand representing Jackson Kayak, Orion Coolers, Orion Kennels and Blue Sky Boatworks.

- INSTRUCTION -
Beretta USA announced two new sponsored locations for armorer training. In-field course locations include the Los Angeles Police Academy and Las Vegas Metro PD. Beretta also offers APX and 90 Series pistols and 1301 shotgun courses at the Beretta USA headquarters, Accokeek, Maryland.
- NEW PRODUCTS -
Wilderness Athlete®, The Authority on Outdoor Performance Nutrition™ brings nutritional bars to a new elevation with the launch of their Pack Out Bar.
Hard Core Apparel’s new FOUNDATION Series garments delivers core warmth, next-to-skin comfort, moisture management, odor control and athletic tailoring to make sure waterfowl hunters are always prepared to push the limits of what’s possible.
For MY20, Can-Am Off-Road has added several work-focused accessories for the line of Defender side-by-side models.

Galco is excited to announce a Concealable belt holster for the compact SIG-Sauer P365/Streamlight TLR-6 combination. The Concealable is constructed of premium saddle leather and made to fit belts up to 1 1/2" wide.
SIG SAUER is pleased to announce the SIG SAUER Super Target .177 caliber, single-shot pneumatic air pistol is now available, along with a new line of pellets from SIG AIR.
TrueTimber announced Precision Shooting Equipment Core Series models will now be offered in their popular Strata pattern. The Core Series models — Brute, Unleashed and Stinger — will now benefit from the superior concealment and high-quality finish TrueTimber is trusted to provide.
- NEWS -
High Performance Technology white papers #1, and #2 explained how HIPERFIRE's trigger technology reduced trigger pull weight without compromising hammer fall power. White paper #3 shows the pull weight data that backs up HIPERFIRE's technology claims.

- ORGANIZATIONS -
The Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms is hailing the courage and tenacity of a Florida woman who, despite being eight months pregnant, used an AR-15 rifle to defend her husband and daughter from violent home invaders.
- PARTNERSHIPS -
The Rampart Range Recreation Area project supports The Great Outdoors Fund’s dual mission to enhance the nation’s recreation infrastructure and to expand access to public lands and waters.
- PASSINGS -
The 82-year-old McKinnis had been in the hospital for six weeks, dealing with an injury and infection sustained on a fishing trip in Wyoming.
- PROMOTIONS -
November is Military Appreciation Month at ERGO. The company offers active duty members of service and military veterans 25% off their orders from November 1st through the 30th, 2019.

- RETAIL -
TrueTimber announced Precision Shooting Equipment Core Series models will now be offered in their popular Strata pattern.
Norma is making their quality components – including projectiles and precision-manufactured brass – available for hunters and shooters.
Beretta recently implemented a new, lower price strategy for its APX series of striker-fired, polymer pistols, which means lower prices at retail for the consumer. The Beretta APX pistol is offered in Full-Size, Centurion, Compact, and Carry models and in both 9mm and .40 calibers.
With Badlands’ new Pyre Jackets and Bibs, you can tell Old Man Winter to go straight to… someplace warmer.

 

- SPONSORSHIPS -
“We’re proud that Halo Optics is a Whitetails Unlimited national sponsor,” said WTU President Jeff Schinkten.
- STATE PARKS -
The public is invited to Versailles State Park on Nov. 9 for an open house celebrating Bradt Natural Area, a newly opened part of the park.
Select Indiana State Park properties will close temporarily for controlled deer management hunts in the coming weeks.
- STATES -
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources The DNR Parks and Recreation Division and partners are set to design a public art sculpture at the trailhead for the Iron Belle Trail. The DNR will host a public engagement session at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 12, at the Detroit Design Center, Detroit.

Hunting opportunities at Yankee Springs State Recreation Area, a discussion on visitor and use trends at state parks, an order to regulate target shooting at Lapeer State Game Area and presentation of the department's hunter safety education 40-year teaching awards are just some of the agenda items for the next meeting of the Michigan Natural Resources Commission Thursday, Nov. 7, in Delta Township.
MDC will stock an increased number of extra-large lunker rainbow trout this season at its Urban Fishing Program lakes in honor of the 50th anniversary.
The Michigan DNR is accepting applications right now for its next conservation officer academy, which begins July 12, 2020, in Lansing.
The Future Forest Economy Initiative is looking for new ideas, products and markets to increase demand for wood across the northern New England and New York. The deadline for concepts to considered in the first round of funding in 2020 is Dec. 2, 2019.
Senate Bill 147, which would permit hunting on three Sundays – one within the archery deer season, one within the firearms deer season, and one on another Sunday selected by the Game Commission – will not provide additional Sunday hunting opportunity in 2019. If passed, the bill would not take effect until 90 days after passage.
- TELEVISION -
Sportsman Channel programs showcase all hunting has to offer, but this time of year, everyone wants to see big game hunting action. Shows such as Greg McHale’s Wild Yukon, Backwoods Life and Quick Hunts feature stunning videography to locations near and far, along with mesmerizing storytelling to help viewers feel like they are there.
Outdoor Channel’s Eva Shockey stars in a new reality television show launching on Monday, November 18 at 8 p.m. ET – My Outdoor Family
This week, The High Road is showing you a very special trophy whitetail hunt with Keith, Matti and her soon to be husband Ryan. Check out why the Legends Ranch is a magical place for hunters.
 

There’s not a lot of major news breaking, but there are several things around the industry worth talking about- briefly.

After news that several more distributors were throwing in the towel last week, I took advantage of a weekend with several industry friends to ask a simple question: “is the old distributor model going away?”

The answers were solicited separately, but you would have thought they’d been practicing their answers.Their answers were simple: “we hope not.” And their explanations were much like the ones I heard nearly every time former Ruger CEO Mike Fifer held a conference call with analysts after an earnings report.

“We depend on the distributors to give us significant support with smaller customers that might not make our threshold of business.”

“Distributors know their customers and their needs better than any manufacturer.”

“Distributors handle warehousing, shipping and, to some degree, financing, for small retailers that would be impractical for a manufacturer.”

The answer that was the most direct was this: “Good grief, I couldn’t begin to handle 20,000 customers.”

That having been said, no one from any of the companies said there wasn’t some consolidation going on today. And they all agreed that over the next 18-24 months there would be other distributors that would either sell out of close down. Industry consolidation seems to be inevitable as the business pressures put on the firearms industry impact everything from expansion to inventory management. Without access to capital, there’s no room for growth. As margins tighten (which online shopping has already done), the amount of profit shrinks. When it gets too-small to maintain, the options disappear. At that point the options are simple: sell or close.

If you’re one of those people waiting on a firearms suppressor as it sits in “suppressor jail” waiting for federal approval, you might be pleased to know the time between application and approval finally seems to be shrinking- a little. We’re getting word from Washington that the turn around time has shrunk to something under four months. That’s a lifetime to wait for a part that is more beneficial than malevolent, but it’s the way the current system works.

But there’s reason to hope things will improve. We got word last week that the American Suppressor Association (www.americansuppressorassociation.com) was given a report by the National Hearing Conservation Association that essentially endorses the idea of firearms suppressors.

Further, the NHCA “explicitly supports the Hearing Protection Act and similar legislative and regulatory reforms that seek to make suppressors more readily available to law-abiding gun owners.”

Now that’s a positive development, because the NHCA is made up of the world’s leading experts on hearing loss, not a group normally thought of as being terribly pro-gun. Their membership includes audiologists, scientists, physicians, engineers and other experts from industry, medicine, academia and - this is important- government.

It’s also an independent organization whose mission fits right along with the suppressor: “to prevent hearing loss due to noise and other environmental factors in all sectors of society.”

Of course, that doesn’t do anything to dissuade willfully ignorant politicians, but it does make it simpler to point out to the more rational that suppressors aren’t a threat because of some horrible intent, they’re a benefit to society.

Finally, a quick word about the passing of a legend in the fishing industry. Jerry McKinnis, one of the pioneers of fishing on television, a former owner of B.A.S.S. and all-round good guy, died over the weekend. I recall talking with him on several occasions, and being more than impressed with his abilities to translate fishing into entertaining television.

We were sitting at a Bassmaster Classic when I asked Jerry how he made fishing interesting television.

“You know how to make good television,” he laughed, “why you asking me that?”

My response was that I knew how to “make good television” but he seemed able to make good television while simultaneously making a great amount of money.

That, I explained, was what I really wanted to know.

“Oh,” he laughed, “that’s harder. You’ll have to figure that out on your own.”

Whatever the formula, he had it. And I’m still not doing outdoor television - but that doesn’t mean something not coming in 2020.

We’ll keep you posted.

—Jim Shepherd

OUTDOOR WIRE
Event Calendar

JANUARY 21-24
SHOT SHOW

Las Vegas, NV

JANUARY 24-26
Houston Safari Club Foundation's Annual Worldwide Hunting Expo and Convention

George R Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas

https://hscfdn.org/convention/attendees/

FEBRUARY 1-9
Great American Outdoor Show

Harrisburg, PA

 
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