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THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2020

- ACQUISITIONS -
Southern Marinas Holdings, LLC, a partnership between a New York-based private investment firm and Southern Marinas, announces the purchase of Hi-Lift Marina in Aventura; Hidden Harbour in Pompano Beach; and Palm Harbour in Cape Haze.
- AMMUNITION -
Federal Ammunition announces availability of Top Gun 100-Packs -- each containing four 25-count boxes of consistent Top Gun target loads. The rounds feature hard lead pellets, reliable Federal primers and specialized wad columns.
- ARCHERY -
Viper Archery’s new Rechargeable 3-Stage Universal Sight Light, The Charge, is designed around a long-lasting, rechargeable battery.

- CONSERVATION -
The Yell County Wildlife Federation, Arkansas Tech University Fisheries and Wildlife Society and Arkansas Game and Fish Commission recently combined efforts to pave the way for better habitat on Petit Jean River Wildlife Management Area in Yell County.
- EDUCATION -
The National Rifle Association announces the launch of its latest contribution to the hunting community, the NRA Experienced Hunter Education Course, an online review of everything an experienced hunter should know.
- FISHERIES -
Early last Thursday morning (March 12), personnel from the AGFC’s Joe Hogan Fish Hatchery in Lonoke stocked 290,000 redear sunfish fingerlings into the lake.
- HUNTING -
If you spend 10 or more days each spring turkey hunting in Alabama, your observations in the field can provide valuable information toward the conservation and management of eastern wild turkey.

Hunters can help the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission track hunting effort and success throughout turkey season this spring by signing up to be a part of the annual Spring Gobbler Hunting Survey.
- INDUSTRY -
Brownells has joined forces with Folding@Home to lend its excess computing power to help combat the COVID-19 virus sweeping across the globe
Partners since Plano’s founding in 1952, the International Game Fish Association, the duo announces an enhancement in the partnership with Plano’s involvement in IGFA’s Passport to Fishing program.

 

Bear & Son Cutlery is excited to announce that sporting goods retailer Scheels is now carrying a broad lineup of Bear & Son hunting, tactical, and everyday carry knives.

As COVID 19 continues to spread, QuietKat is doing everything in our power to stop the spread of this virus. Our employees have started to work remotely and we have limited all social activities.
Action Target Inc. announces a new teaming agreement with CoverSix Shelters. CoverSix provides customizable and scalable modular structures to defense, military, and training groups around the world. The two companies are working together to provide customers with world-class modular shooting range systems and turnkey solutions.
Swanson Russell led the competition and received 31 awards, including two Best of Shows and a Special Judge’s Citation, at the Nebraska ADDY Awards February 22 in Omaha.
- JOBS -
The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation seeks a performance-motivated team player with strong interpersonal skills to engage and manage volunteer activities, event fundraising and major gift fundraising in Michigan

Applications for the position of director of the National Bobwhite Conservation Initiative (NBCI) are now being accepted with a review of applications beginning April 17 and continuing until the position is filled, according to the University of Tennessee and the NBCI Management Board.
- MEDIA ADVISORY -
Effective immediately, the Pearl River (Mississippi) Resort Properties in Choctaw and Bok Homa Casino in Sandersville announces significant steps to protect the health and safety of their associates and guests.
- NEW PRODUCTS -
North Mountain Gear recently partnered with Mossy Oak, the Official Camo of Conservation, to offer North Mountain Gear’s 3D Leafy Jackets in Mossy Oak’s vintage patterns, Original Bottomland and Greenleaf.
Show off your outdoor style with Realtree Apple Watch Bands. Available in a variety of Realtree camo and Realtree Fishing patterns, these bands are made of premium medical-grade Thermo Polymer material to keep your wrist comfortable in a variety of conditions.

Galco announces availability of the Combat Master outside-the-waist concealment holster made for the HK VP9 pistol. A professional-grade belt holster of premium steerhide, the Combat Master is a high-riding pancake-style holster.
- NOTICES -
The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s open public forum and monthly meeting, scheduled for March 18-19 in Hope, have been canceled because of concerns caused by the spread of the coronavirus. All AGFC facilities have been closed to the public until March 30.

 

The Southeast Fisheries Permit Office walk-up window located at 263 13th Ave. S., St. Petersburg, Florida 33701, is closed effective immediately, and will remain closed until further notice. 

 

As of close of business Wednesday, March 17 at 4:30pm, EST, all DGIF offices are closed for walk in traffic until further notice.

Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge is announcing modifications to operations to implement the latest guidance from the White House, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), and local and state authorities to promote social distancing. As of 3/18/2020, Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuges Visitor Center will be closed and the opening of all campground and marinas on the Refuge have been postponed until further notice.
The Iowa Scholastic Clay Target Program and the Scholastic Action Target Program has cancelled all practices and competitions, as well as all coaches training, through April 30.
- ONLINE -
MYSTERY RANCH would like to bring attention to Episode 181 of the Beyond the Kill podcast brought to you by the Journal of Mountain Hunting. Nolan Osborne of JOMH sits down with MYSTERY RANCH Product Designer, Alex Rich, to discuss the new Pop Up series, as well as changes and updates for Mystery Ranch in 2020.
Go hog wild with the MyOutdoorTV watchlist, Silence of the Hams, with five episodes dedicated to wild hog hunting.
- OPTICS -
Launching this August, the Leica Calonox will be available in two versions: As a pure hand-held observation device – The Leica Calonox "View" - and as a mounted device on a riflescope – The Leica Calonox "Sight".
Featuring 6x zoom and reticle illumination in a 30mm design, Amplus combines high quality optical performance in a feature rich and robust construction for everyday all-around use.
Primary Arms Optics has opened pre-orders for the brand-new GLx 2x Prisms, GLx 2.5-10x44 ACSS Raptor M2 FFP, and GLx 4-16x50 MIL DOT FFP.
- ORGANIZATIONS -
FeraDyne Outdoors has joined an impressive list of corporate partners supporting the National Deer Alliance (NDA). FeraDyne Outdoors is the manufacturer of many of the archery industry’s leading brands and is engineering the evolution of lethal technology across all bowhunting categories.
Though times are uncertain for hunters and the hunting industry, it is important that every member and stakeholder in our community come together to support one another. The global spread of the coronavirus will not deter anti-hunters from their attacks on our way of life, so it is important that hunters use this time to maintain our reputation of leadership in social responsibility.
- PEOPLE -
National Wild Turkey Federation CEO Becky Humphries has received the George Bird Grinnell Memorial Award from the Wildlife Management Institute.
- RADIO -
This week, Outdoors Radio features sporting artist Bob White, Remy Battery president Mike Moeller and pro angler Duffy Kopf.
- RANTS -
Grant proposals are now being accepted for the AFTCO B.A.S.S. Nation Conservation Grant program. Grants of up to $5,000 each will be awarded for conservation-related projects from B.A.S.S. Nation states, clubs, high school or college teams.
- SHOOTING RANGES -
All Indiana DNR Fish & Wildlife Area (FWA) shooting ranges, excluding the one at Tri-County FWA, will resume normal operating hours beginning today, March 19.
The Hammond Cove Shooting Range in Hartland, Vermont will re-open for the season on Thursday, April 2, at 10:00 a.m.
- STATES -
With growing concerns from COVID-19 and recommendations from both Gov. McMaster and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources has made the decision to postpone the 2020 SCDNR Youth Fishing Tournament scheduled for March 28.

The Fish and Game Commission public hearing scheduled for March 19 in Boise has been canceled. As an alternative, on March 20, the Commission will conduct a web-based meeting that will start at 9 a.m., MDT. The public can hear or view this meeting online.
In accordance with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services’ recommendations designed to help prevent the spread of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), the Michigan Department of Natural Resources will close to general public traffic numerous customer service centers and field offices statewide.
Wednesday, organizations representing Maryland’s angling and boating community sent a letter to Maryland's Secretary of Natural Resources Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio regarding the pending 2020 striped bass regulations and expressed concern over the lack of public input in the Department’s management process.
In response to updated guidance from Idaho Department of Health and Welfare for public events, Idaho Fish and Game has canceled several events and limited access to facilities, such as hatcheries. Cancellations are limited to specific events and hunting and fishing seasons are unaffected.
Numerous state workshops, meetings and other events are being postponed during the coronavirus outbreak.
Effective Wednesday March 18, all of ODFW’s state-operated fish hatcheries were closed to public access and all visitors.
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has announced a series of responses to how it will do business over the next several weeks.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has closed the Olofson shooting range, near Big Creek State Park, and the Banner shooting range at Summerset State Park, through March 31.
To prevent the potential for spread of COVID-19, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission has temporarily closed public access to its Lincoln headquarters until further notice. Game and Parks’ district offices in North Platte, Norfolk and Alliance, and service centers in Kearney and Bassett will temporarily close Friday, March 20 until further notice. The agency’s Omaha service center has been closed to the public since March 16.
In accordance with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services’ recommendations designed to help prevent the spread of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), the Michigan Department of Natural Resources has closed shooting ranges and will restrict general public walk-in traffic at facilities statewide.
- TELEVISION -
The Country Outdoors Podcast is taking their popular show on the road for their first-ever Country Outdoors film series - The Country Outdoors Turkey Tour. The digital series, presented by Outdoor Channel, will follow host Mary and Zach Phillips, their dog Forrest Gump and videographer Joey Dombroski on a turkey-hunting adventure that will take them from Florida to Wyoming and all parts between.
“Become 1,” “Winchester Deadly Passion” and “Everything Eichler”
In response to the spread of COVID-19, Wild TV offices have been closed indefinitely with staff working from home.
This week on MOJO TV, high water levels prove to be quite the obstacle as Terry continues his quest at calling a huge crocodile on the Zambezi River with the Triple Threat Calling System.
- WILDLIFE -
The recent Mexican wolf count shows the population of Mexican wolves has increased by 24 percent since last year, raising the total number of wolves in the wild to a minimum of 163 animals.
 

By now, everyone should have come to the realization that we are looking at some challenging times ahead. While health officials working to “flatten the curve” of coronavirus, we’re all trying to adjust to a sudden shift in all our lives. This isn’t a local catastrophe, we’re all being impacted.

Just how much remains to be seen.

Yesterday, my wife relocated her office to our home. Today, I’m adjusting to a pair of very different kinds businesses working under our single roof.

Last night, I spent time talking with different industry contacts, asking what they’re seeing in their particular industry.

Essentially, everyone gave the same answer: the supply chain is being disrupted.

How badly is still the major question. But as things in China appear to be stabilizing, there’s some cautious optimism in some businesses that the disruption will be measured in weeks, not months.

But virtually every industry agrees:

  1. As supplies of raw material slow up, the first to feel the impact will be component makers,
  2. As they’re forced to slowdown-or possibly stop entirely- due to a lack of material, that impact will move up the manufacturing chain, eventually getting to manufacturers,
  3. When that happens, finished products will get scarce, and prices will likely rise.

What’s also accepted, although reluctantly, is that an industry of small companies will be disproportionately impacted.

We’re already hearing reports of small service providers on the West Coast telling firearms companies they’re beginning closures that will last 2-3 weeks. Consequently, their customers (the manufacturers) may run out of necessary pieces they assemble their parts.

As a result, both companies may shut down. Hopefully for weeks, not months.

Once the supply chain restarts, there will be a lag time between restarting and producing products.

The first will be a delay getting raw goods back into the supply chain. A second gap will happen as product is finished and sent to customers waiting on them.

Another delay happens as the customers resume their production. That’s when we will see just how badly manufacturing has been impacted. If the delays aren’t excessive, the smaller finishing houses -the people who apply coatings or whatever- should have survived. If they did, they start their work and eventually the gap between raw goods and finished products begins to narrow, then disappear.

That’s presuming, of course, each of the small companies can survive a shortage work or a shutdown mandate like those being considered in many parts of the country.

Work can stop; bills will not.

Yesterday, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee reminded reporters that more than three-quarters of Tennessee’s companies are small businesses, companies with 50 or fewer employees. “We’re having to take some extreme measures to protect our citizens,” he said, “we’re going to have to take equally extreme steps to protect our businesses because our citizens depend on those jobs.”

It’s a growing problem. Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak ordered all nonessential businesses in the state to close down Tuesday night. And those nonessential included casinos.

If casinos are nonessential in Nevada companies that provide everything from raw materials to parts coatings for other industries may be considered disposable. Without some form of governmental assistance, that is.

Our industry is largely comprised of small, entrepreneurial companies. We prefer small government. Our times, unfortunately, may make that impossible for many of our businesses to survive without some form of government assistance.

So we need to make certain that assistance isn’t just available, but that it’s neither politicized or weaponized against our industry. This assistance package needs to be available to every small business, not just the ones adjudged as “acceptable” by politicians.

There still are politicians who continue to push banks and lending institutions to deny credit to the “gun industry.”

While we’re all distracted by events far beyond our control, we can’t take our collective eyes off political hotspots or virtue signaling politicians. If we don’t, they will weaponize the very aid intended to help businesses - all businesses- survive.

Effective last night, Ford Motor Company stopped all production through March 30. General Motors is also closing down, but on a schedule determined by managers. Both companies say they’ll use the shutdown as an opportunity to sanitize facilities and devise new plans to deal with previously unforeseen challenges. They’re large enough to survive the uncertainty, although they fully expect the government to help ease their discomfort.

The coronavirus certainly qualifies as unforeseen challenge, not just for businesses, but for the people they employ.

We’re all working on how to respond. Staying calm while remaining vigilant would be a good way to start.

As always, we’ll keep you posted.

—Jim Shepherd

 
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