SUBSCRIBE    ARCHIVES   
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2022

- EVENTS -
For #GivingTuesday 2022, Shepherds of Wildlife Society is partnering with Cowboy Cauldron Co. to offer volunteers a chance to win one of the premiere THE DUDE ® Cowboy Cauldron Co. models while also helping to raise funds for Shepherds' conservation storytelling efforts.
- FISHERIES -
At its Nov. 30–Dec. 1 Commission Meeting, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) approved a rule to set the Florida state waters recreational bag limit for Atlantic shortfin mako at zero.
The Keyhole aquatic invasive species watercraft check station at Pine Haven — Coulter Bay ramp has closed for the season due to the reservoir freezing.
- FISHING TOURNAMENTS -
Anglers who want a chance at winning the 2022 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship — being held Dec. 7-10 on Lake Hartwell — will likely have to catch some quality largemouth to stay in contention.
- FORESTRY -
The Michigan departments of Natural Resources and Agriculture and Rural Development encourage those who have eastern hemlock trees on their property to take time this winter to inspect the trees for signs of hemlock woolly adelgid.

- GEAR -
The blade design of Fire N The Hole Broadheads is what sets them apart from other broadheads. The blades are the workhorse of every design of broadhead. Fire N The Hole Broadheads have blades which perform better and do more than other blade designs.
The same durable, rugged, easy-to-set-up camo tents used by the military are now available to all with the launch of LightFighter’s all-new FIDO commercial line. Available in 1-man and 2-man configurations, they come with an included ground sheet.
Hornady’s Lock-N-Load Classic kit gets shooters ready to head to the range. Reloading cartridges can save money and, better yet, let reloaders optimize accuracy by precisely creating the load the rifle will shoot the best.
Mossy Oak and ZipSip, makers of adjustable, insulated drink holders, have collaborated to offer the ZipSip and BigSip in Mossy Oak patterns.

Designed to provide a tight and fast action that fish can’t resist, the all-new Yama Craw from Yamamoto Baits is sure to fill a void in both the Yamamoto line of lures as well as the fishing industry itself.
- HUNTING -
Preliminary Nebraska deer check-in numbers indicate 2022 statewide harvest is down 9% compared to 2021 for the November firearm season.
- INDUSTRY -
NSSF announced that Smith & Wesson will be making a donation of $5,000 to NSSF’s firearm safety initiative, Project ChildSafe. Project ChildSafe is a program of the NSSF actively promoting firearm safety and education in all 50 states and the five U.S. territories.
Gerald O’Keefe, former Civilian Marksmanship Program Board Vice Chairman, has recently assumed the role of Chairman and CEO – following the retirement of previous Chairman, Judy Legerski, this year.

In hopes of becoming the go-to outdoor recreational service platform for veterans, service members and their families, iSportsman has many internal operations scheduled for 2023. iSportsmanX is the first of these exciting, planned services.
The Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. (NYSE: RGR) Board of Directors has declared a special dividend of $5.00 per share for stockholders of record as of December 15, 2022, payable on January 5, 2023.
NSSF and Project ChildSafe released a new video, “A Teen’s Suicide Prevention Story,” telling the real-life story of a teenager who took the right steps, including using a Project ChildSafe gun lock, to help prevent his at-risk girlfriend from attempting suicide.
- JOBS -
Waypoint TV, is seeking an experienced Business Development Executive to join their growing sales team.

A full-time position at Kinsey’s Mount Joy, Pennsylvania offices, the Director of Kinsey’s Brands is responsible for monitoring and directing each consumer brand, with the directive of strengthening and developing brands to meet company objectives and benchmarks.
The Director of Kinsey’s Brands is responsible for monitoring and directing each consumer brand. The Director of Kinsey’s Brands is charged with the directive of developing and strengthening brands that meet strategic company objectives and benchmarks.
- NEW PRODUCTS -
Nilodor Pet Brands proudly presents their highly popular Ultra Grooming Collection.
Canik Firearms introduces the latest addition of the collectable Canik Signature Series with the "Miami Days and Miami Nights" versions. This limited-edition series will consist of 3050 (in honor of the iconic Miami area code - "305") individually numbered pistols of each the Days and Nights.

Apex Tactical Specialties is pleased to announce the new Apex Super Clamp for use with Steiner MPS optics. Available now, the new Super Clamp increases the clamping surface area of your MPS optic to work on any dovetail mount manufactured within the ACRO mounting specs set by Aimpoint.
- ONLINE -
The world’s leading entertainment destination for hunting, fishing, and outdoor adventure programming, Waypoint TV, is hosting a three-hour Deer and Deer Hunting TV marathon on December 1 from 8 to 11 PM ET on Samsung TV Plus (Channel 1184), PLUTO (Channel 2205), VIZIO (Channel 258), LG (Channel 486), SLING, XUMO (Channel 718), and Local Now (Channel 2100), or watch Deer and Deer Hunting TV anytime on the Waypoint TV app or website.
- ORGANIZATIONS -
Whitetails Unlimited announces Megan Richard as the organization’s new Communications Director and editor of Whitetails Unlimited Magazine. Richard will be replacing Jeff Davis as he retires.
National Bowhunter Education Foundation (NBEF) will exhibit at the 2023 ATA Show, Booth #NP3, January 11-13 in Indianapolis, IN.

The National Deer Association (NDA) strongly opposes the recent action by the Mississippi Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (Commission) to remove Claiborne County from Mississippi’s Chronic Wasting Disease Management Zone (CWD-MZ).
DSC announce that Lisa Causey has accepted the position of Membership & Volunteer Manager, effective immediately.
Safari Club International condemns the Canadian government’s latest sneak attack on hunters, which if implemented as intended would qualify as the most extensive firearm ban in the country’s history.
- PROMOTIONS -
Trijicon Inc. announced that consumers who purchase any new REAP-IR 3 or IR-HUNTER 2 through a Trijicon Electro Optics retailer, will be eligible to receive a free Trijicon Tenmile riflescope (select models valued up to $2,265). The offer runs through January 31, 2023.
From Thursday, December 1 through Monday, December 12, Apex is running its annual ’12 Days of Apexmas’ sale offering customers 15% off their orders at ApexTactical.com. Use the discount code APEXMAS22 at checkout to receive 15% off (some restrictions apply). Shipping is free and each order will receive a free commemorative Apex ornament, while supplies last.
Beretta is offering a bundle promotion, during which consumers can purchase a new APX A1 pistol in a bundle deal (valued at $830 MSRP) with a factory-installed Burris Fastfire 3 optic and optic plate for a limited-time special price.
- PUBLISHING -
Several years ago, Chris Dorsey traveled to Paso Robles, California, to partake in a different kind of wine tour. The feral hogs that call the California coast their home had ravaged several local vineyards and the growers needed help from hunters to get the burgeoning porcine populations under control.
- RADIO -
Houston Safari Club Foundation (HSCF) and “Hunting Matters” welcomes Mark Hennelly, Vice President of Advocacy for the California Waterfowl Association.
- RECOGNITION -
Wednesday, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Officer Dillan Hudson received the 2022 Shikar-Safari Officer of the Year award at the FWC Commission meeting in Panama City Beach.
- RETAIL -
Bear Creek Arsenal® has hand selected 12 unique products each day from December 1st all the way to December 12th with each item to be on sale for a 48-hour period.
Women who carry concealed firearms aren’t all wearing on-body holsters, nor do they want to. In fact,in a recent survey, conducted by one of the nation’s premiere training organizations for women – A Girl and A Gun Women’s Shooting League – 27.4% of the women who responded carry off-body.
MidwayUSA is pleased to announce Short Action Customs as one of the latest additions to their offering of reloading supplies, gunsmithing supplies and more.
Bond Arms Handguns check all the boxes, whether it’s intended for self-defense, days at the range, a camp handgun, or simply an addition to a firearm collection.
Steelhead Outdoors Gun Case Keeper is a great gift for hunters to help organize and store hunting gear. This magnetic accessory is designed to attach to the upper corner of a safe and can hold a maximum of 30 lbs.
The CZ Configurator is an online tool that gives the power to fully customize and order the CZ firearm of your dreams from the comfort of your phone or computer. CZ gives complete control in the construction and accessorizing of the gun - model, caliber, colors, components, controls and accessories.
- STATES -
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is seeking public comment on open water fishing contests proposed for the 2023 season. Participants must comply with state fishing regulations, including daily and possession limits.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has announced the availability of over $200 million in new funding for multi-benefit ecosystem restoration and protection projects under Drought, Climate and Nature-Based Solutions Initiatives.
Landowners interested in releasing pen-reared pheasants have until Jan. 15 to submit an application.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has approved staff recommendation to update Gopher Tortoise Permitting Guidelines with the goal to better protect gopher tortoises by incentivizing relocations to protected recipient sites, clearly defining roles and responsibilities in the relocation process and clarifying other provisions in the guidelines.
- WILDLIFE -
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission has approved the addition of the striped newt to the state’s threatened species list.
To assist with the state’s continued bald eagle population growth, the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) encourages outdoor recreationists, aircraft pilots, drone operators and motorized paragliders to do their part by not disturbing the state’s 94 eagle breeding areas.
 

Some coastal anglers are starting to get grumpy about the growing number of sharks prowling both nearshore and offshore reefs these days. In some areas it’s getting so bad that charter skippers say the sharks view the arrival of their boats as a dinner bell, and swarm from all directions when they hear a boat pull up over a reef.

Some even say that the sharks actually follow their boats when they move from place to place at anything less than on-plane speeds. Landing more than the head of a grouper or snapper quickly becomes problematic with the big-eaters around.

The big eaters can make short work even of a 150-pound-tarpon when they home in on a hooked fish. (Captain Rob Gorta)

Not only that, but with the tight reef fish regulations these days, it’s common to catch several undersized fish for every keeper on both grouper and snapper species. For any that make it to the boat to be released, sharks view the released fish as a living chum line. Few of them make it safely back to bottom, even with release devices like the Seaqualizer getting them quickly back to the depths.

This presents not only the obvious problem of disgruntled fishermen, but also waste of a highly-valued resource. If anglers wind up hooking 10 red snappers and sharks eat nine of them, on a broad scale this quickly impacts numbers of catchable-sized red snappers. 

While the shark-killed fish are not “wasted” in an ecological sense because they feed the sharks, they are lost to human uses—and will also wind up eventually impacting the perceived number of snapper out there when NOAA Fisheries makes harvest rules for sport and commercial fishers. The seasons get shorter, the bag limits lower. And the sharks get fatter.

All species of sharks are slow-growing and slow to multiply, and they are an important part of nature’s web. But taking some steps to control their numbers a bit more tightly in some areas may be necessary to balance the scales. 

Bull sharks are among the primary culprits when it comes to stealing hooked fish--they're aggressive and abundant. (NOAA)

It’s possible to have healthy shark populations and also have outstanding numbers of reef fish, but it’s hard to have huge numbers of both. Nature is an ever-rebalancing equation. More predators mean less prey, whether we’re talking sharks and reef fish or wolves and elk. When prey numbers get low enough, predator numbers rapidly fall, which then allows the prey to rebuild, and so on. 

Man puts his finger on the scale in favor of one or the other because it has fallen to us to try to manage and preserve what nature gives us—and because we want to use the resources as well.

While we want plenty of sharks in a healthy ecosystem, we don’t want so many that we can’t make use of the resource too. 

Some avid conservationists would have it that man has no place in Nature anyway, and so we should give it to the wolves and to the sharks. But we respectfully disagree.

Man has evolved as one of the predators of animal life, and we have a place in the natural evolved order of life which includes preying on other species, as nearly every living thing does.

It would make sense for NMFS to up the quota on the types of abundant sharks that are eating the most reef fish—which would be bulls, blacktips, spinner and sharpnose and the like, and maintain protection of less common sharks like the great hammerhead, sand tiger, mako and white. This makes the shark fishers happy, the reef fishers happy, and balances our use of the resource. 

Federal biologists are understandably conservative in their management of sharks because of the slow reproductive potential of the various species—unlike the bony fishes, they do not lay millions of eggs each year, but instead have only a few live young in most cases. So it doesn’t take a lot of harvest to have a major impact on numbers.

Worldwide studies on sharks indicate drastic population declines in the oceans elsewhere in the world, in large part due to the ridiculous practice of “finning” sharks. This feeds an unsustainable demand for one small part of these creatures, which is sold to the Orient for prices of $500 a pound—the live sharks are usually dumped back into the sea to die a slow death. The practice has long been illegal in waters controlled by the U.S. 

But limited harvest of sharks—with the total catch made into leather, cartilage capsules, pet food and other useful products, would be a good thing for both fishers and fish. Hopefully NMFS will see its way to a review of the harvest in the near future.

— Frank Sargeant
Frankmako1@gmail.com 

 
Outdoor Wire - 155 Litchfield Rd., Edgartown, MA 02539
Copyright © 2021, OWDN, All Rights Reserved.