Author: Adam Back

This FREE event also offers fun for
the whole family and a chance to win prizes.

BARNEVELD, Wisconsin. – Vortex® invites hunters to register today for one of two free, family-friendly “Hunter Sight-In” events held at the company’s state-of-the-art shooting facility in Barneveld, WI.

WHEN
August 15th^he-sixteen^he or on November 8^he-9^he
15:30-19:30

WHERE
Vortex Edge, 4 Vortex Dr., Barneveld, WI 53507

This year’s event will also feature a “deer camp” for the whole family, complete with a wall tent, food, drinks, prize tags, great stories and much more. To be a part of the fun, all you have to do is register online.

Attendees must bring their own rifle and ammunition. If you have any questions prior to the event about what to bring, please call 1-800-4VORTEX.

To see more of Vortex^®visit VortexOptics.com or follow us on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.

about vortex^®: Your desire to be the best you can be fuels our promise to deliver nothing less than exceptional performance, unmatched service and memorable experiences. In our view, your success is our success. Welcome to Vortex Nation™.

BELLEVUE, WA – Attorneys representing the Second Amendment Foundation and its allies in a federal challenge to Maryland’s restrictive concealed carry statute today filed their response to the state’s arguments against an earlier motion for a preliminary injunction In the case known as Novotny v. moore.

The answer brief was filed in the US District Court for the District of Maryland.

SAF joins Maryland Shall Issue, Firearms Policy Coalition and three private citizens in the case, all of whom hold “carry and use permits”, including Susan Burke of Reisterstown, Esther Rossberg of Baltimore and Katherine Novotny of Aberdeen, for whom Name the lawsuit. They are represented by attorneys David H. Thompson and Peter A. Patterson of Cooper & Kirk in Washington, DC, Mark W. Pennak of Maryland Shall Issue in Baltimore, and Matthew Larosiere of Lake Worth, Florida.

The lawsuit focuses on SB1, a bill signed by Gov. Wesley Moore, which added new restrictions on where legally licensed citizens can carry firearms for personal protection. Maryland is attempting to vastly expand so-called “sensitive locations” in an attempt to virtually ban licensed and legal concealed carry in nearly every location in the state outside of someone’s home or business.

“As we argued in our initial lawsuit, the state of Maryland is desperately trying to justify its extremist policies by offering historical analogues that don’t really exist,” said SAF founder and executive vice president Alan M. Gottlieb. “As we noted earlier, rather than try to comply with the new guidelines laid out in the Supreme Court’s Bruen ruling last year, Maryland lawmakers responded by adopting more restrictive gun laws than before. This is tantrum-level stubbornness that is usually confined to elementary school playgrounds, and does not belong in state legislatures or governors’ offices.”

“Today’s report further highlights the fact that Maryland’s recently enacted carry restrictions are inconsistent with this nation’s history and tradition of firearms regulation,” said SAF Executive Director Adam Kraut. “In defense of its law, Maryland clings to straws and reasoning well removed from a logical path to justify its new existence. Our brief systematically refutes the positions presented by the government and demonstrates that the challenged restrictions are constitutionally inadmissible.”

BARNEVELD, Wisconsin. – Developed for hunters and competitive shooters who need a compact yet super stable platform for precision shooting and backcountry glazing. The Switchback™ Carbon Tripod offers a superior strength-to-weight ratio to support heavy rifles, spotting scopes and large binoculars.

Weighs only 4.6 lbs. Folded length of only 29”. Designed without a center column for greater adjustability, it goes from a minimum height of 5.8″ to a maximum height of 65″. A carefully placed counterweight hook allows you to hang additional weight to dampen vibrations. Rubber feet with removable spikes to hold on to any type of floor. Sturdy carbon fiber legs, a lockable ball head and Arca-Swiss standard quick release mount mean you can go from glass to solid shooting mode in seconds.

And there is more:

• CARBON FIBER LEG CONSTRUCTION for robust strength without the weight
• 44 lbs. MAXIMUM LOAD to hold its own under sniper rifles and heavy optics
• 3 LEG SECTIONS WITH TWIST LOCK for quick adjustment
• 3-ANGLE LEG PIVOT LOCKS for various heights and secure mounting
• LOCKABLE BALL JOINT removes crosshair shift when squeezed

Shoot under, over or through obstacles. Standing, kneeling, sitting or prone. The Switchback™ Carbon Tripod (MSRP: $799.99, MAP: $599.99) lets you build a fast, solid glazing and shooting position from the ground up, no matter the stage of the game or phase of your hunt.

The Switchback™ Carbon Tripod can be used with any 1/4″-20 or 3/8″-16 threaded tripod head with the Switchback™ Carbon Tripod Head Adapter (MSRP: $39.99, MAP: $29.99), which is sold separately.

Click here to learn more about the Switchback™ Carbon Tripod and to find a dealer near you.

For a detailed list of Switchback™ specifications, FAQs, and high-resolution images, see the Vortex New Product Portal.

To see more of Vortex^®visit VortexOptics.com or follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Youtubeand Twitter.

about vortex^®: Your desire to be the best you can be fuels our promise to deliver nothing less than exceptional performance, unmatched service and memorable experiences. In our view, your success is our success. Welcome to Vortex Nation™.

(Washington DC) Today, Safari Club International (SCI) CEO W. Laird Hamberlin and Grand Slam Club/Ovis (GSCO) CEO Jason Price announce the first of its kind agreement between their respective organizations to create a partnership in the long term that produces an innovative experience. for their memberships, beginning with the 52nd Annual SCI Hunters Convention from January 31-February 4, 2024, in Nashville, Tennessee.

For more than 50 years, the paths of SCI and GSCO have run parallel, and today marks the beginning of a true partnership in conservation. Starting in 2024, SCI and GSCO will partner to bring two of the oldest and most prestigious organizations under one roof. SCI will hold their 2024 convention from January 31 to February 3, 2024, while GSCO will have their event on February 4, 2024. Both events will be held at the fantastic Music City Center in Nashville.

Hosting SCI’s Annual Hunters Convention and GSCO’s annual events back-to-back will foster the emerging alliance between SCI and GSCO, bringing the best outdoor advocacy opportunities under one roof to further expand what Forbes calls “the Super Bowl of Hunting Shows”.

SCI members will have the unique opportunity to stay an extra day in Nashville to experience this one-of-a-kind collaboration. In addition to the annual SCI Hunters Convention, GSCO will host a Lifetime Member Breakfast, Awards Luncheon, and Evening Banquet and Auction on February 4, 2024, highlighting its mission and primary goals. The GSCO Pantheon Award will be presented during the SCI Banquet on Saturday, February 3, 2024. Registration for all events will be available on the SCI and GSCO websites shortly.

This new partnership extends beyond the convention floors and is a huge step forward in bringing all hunters together.

“The collaboration between SCI and GSCO is a great opportunity for our two organizations. It is an occasion to unite our communities of like-minded hunters and better connect all hunters,” he says. Jason Price, CEO of GSCO. “We look forward to working with SCI ahead of their Annual Convention in Nashville, ensuring that celebrating hunting and hunters is high on the agenda.”

“I am excited about the new opportunities that the SCI and GSCO partnership will bring in 2024 and beyond,” says SCI CEO W. Laird Hamberlin. “By partnering, GSCO will further enhance SCI’s mission of being HUNTERS FIRST and reinforce our efforts to promote conservation through responsible and sustainable hunting practices. I, and our SCI membership, look forward to the opportunity to participate in GSCO events and support our joint advocacy for hunters, all in one trip to Nashville.”

Army Sergeant 1st Class Brandon Green arrived at Camp Perry a few days before the rest of his US Army Marksmanship Unit (AMU) teammates. SFC Green was asked to fire the ceremonial First Shot at the National Matches on July 10, and said he wanted a few days, he said, to collect his thoughts and prepare the speech he would give to the hundreds of people who would descend on the grounds. to celebrate the 116 years of history of the National Parties.

But he strayed. While crossing the Petrarca Range parking lot, she stopped to watch men and women compete in the Smallbore Prone Iron Sight Championship and to speak with Brad Donoho, CMP Smallbore program manager.

“I told Brad it looked fun and said he’d have to find a rifle,” Green said. “Brad said I have a guy who has an extra rifle. I borrowed a gun and borrowed ammunition and had a lot of fun.”

It was a low-key entry for a highly successful soldier. She is a 20 year member of the specially trained USAMU. She has won the long range interservice championships five times, the NRA long range national championships twice, and the interservice individual championship four times.

“His historic 2018 shooting season ended with Brandon earning four individual national records, capturing his first win in the President’s 100 games in dramatic fashion. He set a new national record – a perfect score of 400, with a 20 ‘X’ count,” said Christie Sewell, First Shot Ceremony emcee and CMP head of programs. “That year he also won his third National Trophy Individual championship and his third Mountain Man Trophy, setting a new national record.”

Green won three NRA High Power National Championship titles, one NRA Long Range Championship, and became the first person in history to win all four singles matches in the series.

“It’s an honor for me to be asked to fire the first shot,” Green said. “As a competitor and throughout our training, we insist a lot on consistency: consistency in training, consistency in your diet, consistency in taking your shots, your game planning, but the most consistent thing for me coming here to the National Games at Camp Perry, is that it constantly improves each year”.

Green was given the opportunity to choose his weapon for the ceremonial first shot, so he chose the bolt-action Winchester Model 70 that Emeritus Director of Civilian Marksmanship Gary Anderson used in 1972 to set the only perfect slow 200 shot. yards. score in National Matches.

The gun’s history begins long before that historic shot.

“This gun plays a special role in the history of marksmanship,” said Anderson, who attended the First Shot Ceremony. “It started out as my father’s rifle and became a match rifle. In 2019, I used it to fire the first shot, so it’s been here at the First Shot Ceremony a couple of times.”

The First Shot ceremony on July 10 was attended by hundreds of shooters, National Match competitors, and dignitaries from the political, military, and marksmanship worlds. Guest speakers included Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09); Congressman Bob Latta (OH-05); Maj. Gen. John C. Harris Jr., who is serving as Ohio’s Adjutant General; and Gerald O’Keefe, chairman of the board and executive director of the Civilian Marksmanship Program.

Congressman Latta is a longtime shooter and national match competitor who plans to shoot in three games this year. He said his father first came to Camp Perry for National Guard training, and shooting sports eventually became a family activity.

“It is important to pass that tradition on to the next generation. I was lucky to have a father who was a hunter and shooter,” Latta said. “Camp Perry is my favorite place in the world.”

O’Keefe spoke about the impact the National Parties’ long history has had on marksmanship, saying the WCC is committed to carrying that impact into the future. CMP unites its history and its future in its updated brand, “CMP: the home of marksmanship.”

CMP works tirelessly to promote marksmanship through the four pillars of firearms training, safety, competitions, and youth programs, and has ambitious plans to expand the reach of shooting sports across the country. CMP is building a state-of-the-art small-caliber indoor airgun shooting center in Columbia, Missouri, and is investigating options for establishing a presence in the West.

CMP is embracing technology in its effort to stay relevant and inspire the next generation of shooters. It recently purchased two laser shot simulation systems, has plans to modernize the electronic targeting systems, and is considering entering the world of esports.

As CMP looks to the future, it will keep an eye on the past. History will always have its place in modern national matches, as happened when Green shot up Anderson’s Winchester Model 70.

“Recording was absolutely a great honor,” Green said. “I was photographing a part of history.”

See a video highlight of the First Shot Ceremony at https://youtu.be/DeXPZlnvkLs. Photos can be viewed and downloaded at https://cmp1.zenfolio.com/p884066828.

The Civilian Marksmanship Program is a federally chartered 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. It is dedicated to firearms safety and marksmanship training and the promotion of marksmanship competition for United States citizens. To learn more about the CMP and its programs, log on to www.TheCMP.org.

EDGEFIELD, SC — On June 29, the North Dakota Industrial Commission approved more than $6.3 million from the Outdoor Heritage Fund and matching grants from the Renewable Energy Program, including a $200,000 grant to the National Wild Turkey Federation for habitat improvements of wildlife.

“Funding from the Outdoor Heritage Fund will result in more conservation being implemented in North Dakota,” said Clayton Lenk, NWTF district biologist in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. “All funds will go toward on-the-ground implementation or materials to help us achieve desired practices.”

The use of these funds will further build on NWTF’s riparian restoration efforts, such as the Waterways for Wildlife initiative, which prioritizes the restoration and conservation of riparian areas. By directing Outdoor Heritage Fund (OHF) resources toward select Waterways for Wildlife projects in North Dakota, the NWTF is able to allocate internal dollars to projects in other states. This approach enhances annual conservation efforts and maximizes the effectiveness of member-generated contributions. With the support of the OHF, we can expand our conservation footprint and achieve better conservation outcomes for riparian health and wildlife habitat conservation.

It is anticipated that a significant portion of the projects will focus on riparian areas, predominantly emphasizing improved grazing practices. These practices include the installation of off-site water facilities, as well as the creation of rotating grazing systems. By implementing these measures, managers can effectively remove livestock from riparian zones, promoting longer growth of native species and improving wildlife habitat. These initiatives also have the added benefit of improving water quality by increasing infiltration, reducing compaction, and decreasing erosion potential, among other positive impacts.

This year’s proposal encompasses riparian areas and uplands, focusing on vital habitats that may extend beyond riparian corridors. Practices implemented in these upland areas can vary greatly, from planting trees and establishing native pastures to grazing improvements and forest reduction, among others, all with the goal of positively impacting turkey populations.

With a four-year time frame to complete work on the project that covers approximately 1,500 acres, the NWTF will draw on strong connections with local chapters and leverage partnerships across the state. By collaborating with these key stakeholders, significant impacts will be achieved for the well-being of turkey populations and other wildlife in North Dakota.

About the National Wild Turkey Federation

Since 1973, the National Wild Turkey Federation has invested more than half a billion dollars in wildlife conservation and has conserved or improved more than 22 million acres of critical wildlife habitat. The organization continues to advance wildlife conservation, forest resiliency, and strong recreational opportunities across the US by working beyond borders at the landscape scale.

2023 is the 50th of the NWTF^he Anniversary and an opportunity to push the organization’s mission into the future while honoring its rich history. for his 50^he Anniversary, the NWTF has set six ambitious goals: positively impact 1 million acres of wildlife habitat; raise $500,000 for wild turkey research; increase membership to 250,000 members; dedicate $1 million to education and outreach programs; raise $5 million to invest in technology and the people of NWTF; and raise $5 million to build a $50 million endowment for the future. Learn how you can help us achieve these lofty goals.

Throughout the history of storytelling, many loyal and supportive companions have made the stories richer and more enjoyable. But there’s absolutely no reason why sidekicks’ role should be limited to entertainment. All of us can use one that can help us when needed. Especially for those who are always on the go but still want to be able to write down new ideas or tend to business, a pen they can count on would make a lovely companion.

Fisher Pen Company® offers a perfect companion for the outdoorsman in the form of a pen that embodies the spirit of adventure and unmatched reliability. fisherman’s anodized

The Aluminum Space Backpacker Pen features a sleek multi-color design and features

its PR4 pressurized medium point cartridge in black.

While these features already make the Backpacker attractive and functional, what sets it apart from all other pens is its unique feature: a key ring attached to the cap. This keychain allows the Backpacker to attach to absolutely anything and everything an active person would need for their activities. You name it: backpacks, fishing fanny packs, hiking gear, belt loops, camping gear, running belts, and bags.

The Backpacker has combined this handy key-ring feature with the excellent writing ability that characterizes all Fisher Space ballpoint pens. Write in zero gravity, underwater, in the rain, in extreme temperatures ranging from 30 below zero to 250 degrees F and at any angle, even upside down. You can put the Backpacker Pen anywhere you need it, take it with you

wherever you go, and write with him wherever you want. Now all you need to do is embark on adventures with your small but more than capable companion. With a near-zero failure rate and a retail price of $36, the Backpacker Pen also makes a great gift option for anyone who loves to keep on the go!

Backpacking Pen Features

• Style: Cap Off / Keychain
• Cartridge: Fisher PR4 pressurized, black ink, medium point
• Packaging: Moonscape Gift Box

Backpacking Pen Specifications

• Length: Open 5.65”; Closed 4.09”
• Width: .4″
• Weight: .8 oz.
• MSRP: $36

About the Fisher Space pen

Fisher Pen Company is a 75-year-old American manufacturer of pens, with the notable distinction of being the only pen used on every manned flight into space since Apollo 7 in 1968. While pressurized technology made it possible for astronauts to NASA write in space, it also provided all-weather, underwater, oil and grease, and -30 to +250 degrees Fahrenheit writing capabilities. These pens are the perfect tool for trade professionals, first responders, military, outdoor enthusiasts, hikers, backpackers, industrial manufacturers, underwater divers, and anyone who values ​​a pen that won’t fail.

For more information please visit
WWW.SPACEPEN.COM

Sport air rifle coach Colonel Sean Mulcahy led the Nation Ford High School MCJROTC rifle team to an extraordinary championship record with a unique philosophy: He doesn’t focus on winning. Between the time he formed the team in 2008 and his retirement in June, Mulcahy’s teams have won 64 national championship titles and claimed 26 national record certificates. His success as his coach was due, he said, to his being more concerned with building character than creating winners.

“I don’t focus much on winning. The joy of winning is fleeting,” Mulcahy said. “I focus on performance and personal goals. I don’t judge them by whether they came in first place or won a medal. I ask them: ‘Did you do the best you could?’ ‘You refused to give up?’ If the answer is yes, then they have met my expectations. If you do your best, you can celebrate your success.”

Mulcahy’s philosophy doesn’t mean he’s soft on his cadets. On the contrary, he demands a lot from them. Responsibility is a tenet underlying his training style, and he insists that his cadets meet standards of conduct that will lead to lifelong success. Students who are late to practice or express a careless commitment to the team are called out.

“I instill in them basic life skills so that they will be successful in life. When you come here, the golden rule is to respect yourself and others,” she said. “I hold them accountable. If I don’t, I’m letting them down.”

Part of that discipline is a heavy practice schedule. Mulcahy offers ten practice sessions each week, and his athletes must commit to five. Mandatory double practices begin two weeks before each national championship game. That means athletes are on the field two hours before and two hours after school for two weeks. That discipline leads to a strong character and many championship titles.

“We haven’t lost a game in almost five years at every level, and we’ve won championships by 100 points. Nine of my kids are now shooting at the NCAA sports level, which is pretty rare,” Mulcahy said. “Basically, we practice and prepare better than all the other teams. We shoot 12 months a year. What makes a champion are weeks of training.”

Mulcahy’s JROTC rifle team has come a long way since he formed the group at Nation Ford High School in Fort Mill, South Carolina, after retiring from the Marine Corps. At first, the team would transport their equipment to classrooms, the cafeteria, or any other school space that was available to practice.

“Each time, we had to assemble and disassemble the equipment. We had to share space with cheerleaders, dance classes and other sports teams, so we could only practice three times a week,” Mulcahy said. “We shot from corner to corner. We were literally shoulder to shoulder.”

Nation Ford then built for the team its own JROTC building equipped with a 25-point firing range, and the team upgraded from pump rifles to Crosman Challenger sporting class rifles. Those changes propelled the team to success.

“I was able to control the space and started offering practices in the morning and after school. Several kids went to two practices a day and became national champions,” Mulcahy said.

The dedicated students who thrived under Mulcahy’s coaching led the team to success.

“My children are hard-working and intelligent children. I teach them to think for themselves,” she said. “Shooting is so dynamic and multidimensional. You have to analyze each shot, make the decision, look at the trends and adjust the shot.”

Mulcahy created an atmosphere at Nation Ford that allowed his athletes to focus more on building character than winning medals. In the end, they did both.

“I tell my kids it’s not about how you end up but how you perform. Most coaches don’t understand the pressure they put on athletes with their expectations. This sport is measured in degrees of millimeters. Stress and anxiety will ruin you,” Mulcahy said.

He has seen competitors on other teams collapse under the pressure, so Mulcahy strives to create athletes with strong minds.

“We focus on sports psychology and protective thinking. I tell my kids to clear their minds and meditate for 20 seconds before each shot,” she said.

So when the inevitable bad shots come, Mulcahy’s cadets are prepared.

“Everyone has a bad shot, but what is your reaction after a bad shot? That is the difference between success and implosion,” she said. “The coaches don’t get it. They paralyze their athletes with all the stress, and that makes it easier for my team.”

Mulcahy finished his career by leading his team to first place at the 2023 3PAR Youth Olympic and CMP Sports National Championships at Camp Perry on June 23 and 24. Mulcahy was proud of his team, but he leaves them with something more lasting than another medal: the skills to be a good human being.

“I want them to be happy and successful, and there is a formula for that,” he said. “My captain is not my best shot. My MVP is not my best shooter. He is the one who has a servant attitude who will do for others. He is the one who is selfless, humble and kind.”

The Civilian Marksmanship Program is a federally chartered 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. It is dedicated to firearms safety and marksmanship training and the promotion of marksmanship competition for United States citizens. To learn more about the CMP and its programs, log on to www.TheCMP.org.

Biologists continue to tag and track walleye and wiener in the Missouri River and Lewis and Clark lakes between the Fort Randall and Gavins Point dams as part of an effort to understand declines in fishing following historic flooding in 2011.

Since 2021, 201 fish have been tagged in the river and reservoir as part of a fish movement study. The fish sport metal tags on their jaws, but they also have acoustic transmitters implanted in their abdomens. Fifteen receivers spaced every 5 miles throughout the system record any fish that pass within half a mile. So far, 44 fish have been caught and 39 harvested. Two fish have been caught three times.

The biologists hope to use this information to help determine why fishing has declined in the reservoir since 2011, when months of high flows dumped many fish through the Gavins Point Dam. The loss included emerald glitters, the main forage base in the reservoir, which has not been recovered. Neither are walleye, despite the fact that more than 100 million fingerlings and fingerlings have been stocked since 2014.

Will Radigan, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln graduate student doing fieldwork for the project, said the study so far has shown that about 25 percent of the nearly 200 fish tagged move less than a mile, while that 10% have moved more than 60 A fish tagged in May 2022 below Fort Randall Dam moved 66 miles downstream to Gavins Point Dam in September, turned around and returned upstream and was caught in April near from where it was marked.

Two walleye and two sausages have passed through the Gavins Point Dam, a fact that is suspected to be part of the problem facing the fishery. Radigan is also sampling fish larvae in the spillway below the dam and found that during peak hauling, more than 20,000 fish per hour pass through the dam. More than 90% are freshwater drums, which are now the main forage base in the reservoir, but walleye and wieners are also moving through the dam.

The biologists used nets, electric fishing, and hook and line to capture a sample of fish from different reaches of the river, the reservoir, and the delta at its upper end. They even enlisted the help of Mike Hamsa from Yutan, a fishing guide for The Walleye Guys, who helped catch 56 fish to tag.

A few more fish will be tagged next spring and monitoring will continue through 2025.

Jaw tags are stamped with a three digit number. Anglers catching these fish are asked to call their state conservation agency to report the tag number. If they catch the fish, they are asked to retrieve the transmitter and return it as well.

In Nebraska, anglers must report tag numbers to the Northeast District Office in Norfolk at 402-370-3373.

Partners in this research project include the Nebraska Park and Game Commission, South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks, and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln School of Natural Resources.