Author: Adam Back

Upper, WI — FeraDyne® Outdoors, a multi-brand family of products for the archery, hunting and outdoor industry, announces the acquisition of Outdoor Product Innovations, Inc. (OPI). OPI is the parent company of the Rhino Blinds, Rhino Tree Stands, Capsule Game Feeders®, Wicked Tree Gear™, LidCAM and LegCuff brands.

OPI’s diverse set of brands adds to FeraDyne’s growing position in the overall hunting market to include a full line of products in the categories of tree supports, hunting blinds, hand tools, feeders and hunting accessories. . As market leaders, each of OPI’s brands has built an excellent reputation for offering quality products at a reasonable price, with exceptional customer service. In line with FeraDyne’s desire to help more hunters succeed in the field, the OPI brands extend the versatility and diversity of the entire FeraDyne product range.

FeraDyne Chief Commercial Officer Jon Syverson commented: “OPI has done an excellent job of bringing together a diverse network of brands that has been open in our portfolio until now. Through this acquisition, we have the opportunity to expand on the momentum they have built over the past several years, while capitalizing on a multitude of opportunities presented by our combined retail network, private label product offerings and overall customer base.”

“Since the company’s inception in 2015, OPI has done a fantastic job of bringing together a distinct group of brands. We look forward to introducing them to our customers in the fall and during this year’s trade show season,” added Syverson.

About Outdoor Product Innovations, Inc:

Based in Elyria, OH OPI prides itself on manufacturing high quality, premium products for the hunting and outdoor industries. Innovative design and durability are two key components in each and every product line. From game feeders to ground shutters, tent pegs and tree supports, OPI has it all. Quality products combined with world-class customer service have been, and always will be, a recipe for success with a mission to make every outdoor experience safer, more enjoyable and more successful.

Billow Butler & Company, LLC initiated the transaction and served as exclusive investment banker and advisor to the IPO. Billow Butler’s investment banking team was led by Aaron Nowak, Managing Director.

About FeraDyne Outdoors:

Headquartered in Superior, Wisconsin, FeraDyne Outdoors is a leading manufacturer and marketer of a growing array of category-leading archery, hunting and outdoor brands. Through the design and development of industry-changing technologies, each brand supports an ever-evolving global market of outdoor enthusiasts with one goal in mind: success on the field. Driven by an unwavering commitment to the satisfaction of sharing in each customer’s accomplishments, FeraDyne brings together a number of iconic, award-winning, performance-driven companies including: Ax® Crossbows, Rage® Broadheads, Muzzy® Broadheads, Muzzy® Bowfishing , Carbon Express® Arrows & Accessories, Nockturnal® Lighted Nocks, TruFire® Triggers, Block® Targets, GlenDel® Targets, Shooter™ 3D Targets, Black Hole™ Targets, Hurricane™ Bag Targets, IQ® Bowsights, Archery Products Sure-Loc®, S4Gear™, Eastman Outdoors®, Apple Archery®, Rocky Mountain Archery, Wac’Em® Archery, Covert Scouting Cameras, Covert Optics and Scent Crusher® Rhino Blinds, Rhino Tree Stands, Wicked Tree Gear®, Capsule Feeders ™ LidCAM and LegCuff. For more information, visit www.feradyne.com. https://www.feradyne.com

Cousins ​​Hunting, a pioneer in game calls and hunting accessories, has been awarded a Readers’ Choice Gold Award for Best Shooting Sticks by Readers of tactical retailer^® magazine. This award highlights Cousins, and is a universally popular line of Trigger Stick^® products, such as the best shooting support equipment in the industry.

Serving as the only tactically focused B2B magazine on the market, tactical retailer has been the destination for shooting enthusiasts for the last eight years. Their readers are extremely passionate about gear, and these annual awards allow them to voice which brands they think are the best of the best.

“Who knew Cousins ​​was exceptional in products other than game calls? Well, photographing independent sports retailers across the country did it,” said Derrick Nawrocki, president of Grand View Outdoors, the publisher of tactical retailer. “They chose to vote the Primos shooting sticks as the best in the world. tactical retailer Choice Awards and they’ve done it now two years in a row. A remarkable achievement for any brand.”

Primos offers a complete line of shooting sticks, which shooters and hunters alike have relied on season after season. This year, Primos expanded their line of proprietary Trigger Sticks with pistol-mounted bipods and a new Apex^™ carbon fiber tripod that allows to hold firearms or crossbows.

Voting for this year’s Readers’ Choice Awards was conducted through an online submission system. Readers submitted thousands of entries for various product categories and brands. The votes were then counted to determine the Readers’ Choice winners.

About Cousins ​​Hunting

Cousins ​​Hunting, a brand of Vista Outdoor, manufactures calls for elk, deer, turkey, predators and waterfowl, as well as blinds, shooting accessories, game cameras, attractants and supplies, clothing and other hunting accessories. Primos also produces the ever-popular video series “The TRUTH” and the television show “Primos’ TRUTH About Hunting.” For news and information, visit www.primos.com or follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/primos_hunting/ and Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/primoshunting/. Stream the language on YouTube at www.youtube.com/user/PrimosHuntingVideo.

Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever are proud to announce a new partnership with Blue Forest Conservation and the hiring of Michael Brown as Manager of Innovative Finance, a joint position to oversee watershed restoration projects throughout the West. The partnership will help expand Blue Forest Conservation’s efforts by assisting landowners with the implementation of conservation projects on private lands.

Blue Forest Conservation is a nonprofit organization that harnesses financial innovation to create sustainable investment solutions to environmental challenges. Its flagship financial product, the Forest Resilience Bond, deploys private capital to finance forest restoration projects that reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires while improving landscape resilience. Building on the early success of their projects in the Tahoe National Forest (Yuba I and Yuba II), Blue Forest and The Habitat Organization are teaming up to meet the needs of private landowners.

“This partnership has enormous potential to impact wildlife habitat on a significant scale. Blue Forest’s innovative model of deploying private capital to address landscape-scale resource needs fits beautifully with PF&QF’s strength in public-private partnerships and our organization’s emphasis on conserving private lands,” he said. Ron Leathers, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever’s Chief Conservation Officer. “Our collective efforts will benefit wildlife, private landowners and local natural resource-based communities throughout the West.”

In his new role, Michael Brown will work closely with Blue Forest Conservation and local partners to develop a conservation delivery system using innovative financing mechanisms. “I am very excited about this new partnership and can’t wait to see what we can accomplish,” said Brown. “I have worked with private landowners and individuals who are familiar with Natural Resource Conservation Service programs, but do not have the capacity to implement large-scale projects. This new and innovative approach will allow us to support landowners where it is needed most.” Initial efforts focus on three pilot landscapes. Southern Oregon, the Bear River Basin (Utah, Idaho, Wyoming), and the Bitterroot Valley in Montana.

The Blue Forest model creates an opportunity to reduce the burden on private landowners to fund conservation by eliminating prohibitively high upfront implementation costs. Because of Pheasants Forever’s strong relationships with agencies and private landowners, the organization is in a unique position to work with Blue Forest to expand its financing model to private land. The association seeks to increase the pace and scale of conservation delivery by making it easier for owners to implement conservation practices. Ultimately, this will help landowners, communities and local economies become more sustainable and resilient in a changing climate.

Brown is a nine-year veteran of Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever, working as a Farm Bill biologist to increase technical assistance for private landowners. Most recently, he led the efforts of the Sage Grouse Initiative as Field Capacity Coordinator.

About pheasants forever
Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever are the nation’s largest nonprofit organization dedicated to upland habitat conservation. This community of more than 400,000 members, supporters, and partners is dedicated to protecting our highlands through habitat improvement, public access, education, and advocacy. A network of 754 local chapters spread across North America determines how 100 percent of its locally raised funds are spent – ​​the only national conservation organization to operate through this grassroots structure. Since its inception in 1982, the organization has dedicated more than $1 billion to 567,500 habitat projects benefiting 22 million acres.

About Blue Forest
Blue Forest is a nonprofit organization committed to creating sustainable financial solutions to pressing environmental challenges. Blue Forest’s main financial product, the Forest Resilience Bond (FRB), deploys private capital to finance forest restoration projects on public lands that reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires. Blue Forest developed the FRB in partnership with the World Resources Institute and works closely with the USDA Forest Service and a host of NGO and academic partners who provide research, evaluation, and implementation expertise.

APEX Ammunition, manufacturer of hand-loaded, ultra-high-density Tungsten Super Shot (TSS) pellet cartridges designed for maximum performance, is proud to announce its partnership with 24.7Hunt. Led by Ranar Moody, these passionate, creative and joyous hunters focus on family, friends, companionship and fun in the field. 24.7Hunt artfully uses video and rap to teach, entertain and inspire a wide range of new and existing outdoor enthusiasts, from youngsters to older generations of men and women, as they learn about the benefits and joys of the lifestyle. Of hunting.

Whether hunting ducks in flooded forests, doves in fields of corn and sunflowers, or deer and other species, his camaraderie and passion for the hunting lifestyle shines through in his YouTube videos and social posts.

“The 24.7Hunt team is a great group of guys who educate and entertain their audience at the same time,” said Jason Lonsberry, CEO of APEX Ammunition. “His fresh, fun and welcoming approach is great at bringing new hunters of all generations and backgrounds to the outdoors and to our extended family of hunters. At APEX, our goal is to help hunters experience their best shot and we’re proud to partner with this talented and community-minded team.”

“If you think about it, shotgun shells along with a lot of other things bring us hunters together,” said Ranar Moody. “We share them, use them and experience them together. Knowing that a company like APEX puts their love and passion into a product like their waterfowl lots really helps us appreciate hunting that much more. Companies like APEX are responsible for providing countless numbers of outdoor men and women with great experiences and memories. It has been a dream to work with a family like APEX. We couldn’t feel more at home.”

You can follow 24.7Hunt on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook.

About APEX Ammo

What started in 2017 with a few handmade shells for a hunting trip with friends has turned into an obsession with providing wing shooters with the best performing ammunition possible. Founded by American veterans and hunting enthusiasts in the great state of Mississippi, APEX Ammunition pioneered the commercial application of ultra-high density Tungsten Super Shot for

create the most accurate and business-impacting draft loads. The driving principle behind the company’s continual pursuit of innovation and better performance is its commitment to offering a hunting experience like no other. For more information, visit ApexAmmunition.com.

Most organizations recognize that mentoring and personal training of new hunters can be the long-term answer to help save our hunting heritage. Mentors/Coaches come in many forms and are represented by a wide range of skills and talents. While there are undoubtedly thousands of excellent mentor/coaches in the US, there is no known training standard in the R3 community for developing highly qualified and trained mentor/coaches as ambassadors to save hunting and shooting as part of our culture. The First Hunt Foundation has wanted for years to put together training that can fill that gap. The NRA Hunter Leaders Forum is in tune with that desire and has awarded $120,000 to the First Hunt Foundation to assist with the development of an interactive online training that will assist all mentors/trainers in their quest to train the next generation of hunters.

The total cost of the project will be $160,000 and FHF President Rick Brazell says they believe they will easily find national organizations or businesses to help sponsor individual sections of the training to raise the remaining $40,000 and show their support for the effort. of R3. Brazell says, “Our vision is to set the gold standard for mentor/coach training in the R3 community using best practices for coaching and mentoring across diverse demographics and needs.” By also incorporating “How to Talk About Hunting” in today’s society, the course will enable educators to become effective ambassadors for the sports of hunting and shooting, but also to pass on that important information to the next generation of hunters.

AllenComm, a corporate training and e-learning company, will develop the training modules for the FHF. AllenComm has developed numerous training programs for the NRA and is familiar with outdoor-related training efforts. They will work with the FHF and many subject matter experts to design and test the training before it is released to the public in early 2023.

Adds Brazell, “We are even more excited that FHF has received a Technical Assistant Grant from the National Mentoring Resource Center to help with the development of this training. Having them on board ensures that we are using the latest science and research around tutoring. Having your stamp of approval will validate the credibility of the trainings.

“The NRA Hunters Leadership Forum is pleased to support the First Hunt Foundation,” said Peter Churchbourne, Director of the NRA Hunters Leadership Forum. “We have taken a long time to have a properly designed online training course to help those who teach hunting and shooting skills that is available to everyone. I’m excited that the training is free. All Fish and Game agencies and NGOs in the country will be able to use this training to help their people better understand best practices for advising and training new hunters. I want to thank the generous donors of the Hunters’ Leadership Forum for providing the funds that made this grant possible.”

For more information about the First Hunt Foundation, visit: https://firsthuntfoundation.org or contact Rick Brazell at [email protected] or (208) 917-9700.

Riton Optics will exhibit its products at the 2022 National Sporting Goods Wholesale Association Annual Show, Booth #619. As supporters of the hunting and shooting industry, RITON Optics is dedicated to increasing media relations of communication, distributors and buyers.

Schedule a meeting to learn more about RITON Optics during the NASGW convention.

Schedule meeting with Beth Ingram

About Riton Optics:

Born in the heart of the wild west

Directly from Tucson, Arizona, Riton Optics’ goal was to bring quality and affordability to the optical industry with the greatest focus on you – the customer and end user.

In the early years of the company, the focus was on market research, design and testing to ensure that the Riton line of optics could meet all end user demands. Staffed by avid shooters and hunters, the product line is rooted in practical, real-world applications that give you the quality and functionality needed in a variety of applications. The optic is then put through a series of tests by in-house experts, as well as top-tier military personnel, law enforcement officers, competitive shooters, and hunters from around the world. Riton has continued to increase its product line and market share each year through continual development of new products requested by you.

you will see the difference

At Riton, we have an unwavering passion for providing high-quality optics at the most competitive prices in the industry, coupled with incredible service. With each and every order we strive to exceed your expectations. From your first look through our high-density Riton glass to your interaction with our customer service team in Tucson, Arizona, we’re sure you’ll appreciate the quality of our service and products.

You’ll see the difference in everything we do because we’re different, and we built this company to be exactly that, so you, the consumer, get everything you deserve.

Visit www.RitonOptics.com

For more information, contact Chevalier Advertising, Marketing & Public Relations, Three Centerpointe Drive, Suite 200, Lake Oswego, OR 97035, 503-639-9190.

The Nebraska Parks and Games Commission approved a five-year plan to recruit, retain and reactivate outdoor enthusiasts at its Oct. 21 meeting in Broken Bow.

This 2023-2027 Recruitment, Retention, and Reactivation Plan provides goals, objectives, and strategies to help Game and Parks engage outdoor participants in outdoor opportunities.

The plan focuses on boating, fishing, hunting, parks, and shooting sports, as well as maintaining widespread support for conservation and recreation.

At the meeting at the Broken Bow Public Library, commissioners also approved changes to wildlife regulations that:

• added the Pine Ridge Mule Deer Conservation Area to the draw unit list, added the non-resident antelope archery permit to the antelope draw permit list, and allowed archery antelope hunters to non-residents apply for a preference point or archery permit;
• added turkeys to the list of animals that must be checked within 48 hours of harvest; Y
• Added language to allow hunters, starting in the spring 2023 season, to cancel and verify their electronic turkey permits on their mobile devices immediately after harvest.

Commissioners approved a change in fishing regulations to simplify the application process for special fishing permits for disabled anglers and allow annual renewals to be purchased through the online permit system.

They also approved changes to Sport Fishing Orders that:

• added Ansley Lake, Flanagan Lake, Alda DOT, Birdwood WMA, East Sutherland WMA, and removed Victoria Springs Lake SRA from waters that require a 21-inch minimum length on black bass;
• changed the designated location on the Republican River above the Harlan County Reservoir for bag limits for channel catfish and size limits for walleye, dachshund, and dachshund;
• eliminated the catch-and-release designation for Lake Flanagan, placed a no-take restriction on northern pike, and created maximum length limits on bluegill, red-eared sunfish, and crappie; Y
• added walleye to the species prohibited from possession in Lonergan Creek at Lake McConaughy and added Otter Creek to the restrictions and set the deadline from April 1 to June 30.

Commissioners also approved changes to a variety of boating regulations regarding references to personal flotation devices, boat weight limits, and updating body of water lists for wake/no wake rules and boating hours, towing and other boating safety restrictions. Learn more by reading the Notice of Public Hearing at OutdoorNebraska.gov/pubicnotices.

In other business, commissioners heard reports on the Parks and Games Capital Maintenance Fund, an update on the fall season at state parks, and an overview of the City of Kearney’s new whitewater park.

The commissioners recognized Commissioner Bob Allen of Eustis, whose term on the board ends this year, for his eight years of leadership.

The Haumont family of Broken Bow was recognized for their contributions in hosting the annual Nebraska Youth Smallbore Silhouette Invitational in the Pressey Wildlife Management Area in Custer County.

The Commission also approved the meeting schedule for 2023: January 19-20, Lincoln; March 16 and 17, Kearney; April 20-21, Fremont; June 8 and 9, Alma; August 3 and 4, Valentine’s Day; October 12-13, Fort Robinson State Park.

Savage Arms has officially announced the Impulse Mountain Hunter as the newest model in its award-winning series of straight pull rifles. Introducing faster velocities and lighter weights for big game walks, this rifle is a game changer for 2023.

“At Savage, we don’t just value our customers’ feedback, we listen to it. Since 2021, when Savage released the first Impulse variant, the number one request we have received is for a lightweight version ideal for hunting in the mountains,” said Beth Shimanski, director of marketing for Savage Arms. “With extreme precision and innovative technology, the Mountain Hunter is light, sharp and encompasses everything that the Impulse family stands for, giving our customers what they wanted.”

Key features include:

• American Made Straight Pull Bolt Action
• User adjustable AccuTrigger (1.5-4 lbs)
• Removable, multi-position bolt handle
• 1-Piece 20 MOA Integral Rail Aluminum Receiver
• AccuStock technology with three-dimensional aluminum bedding
• Adjustable pull length
• wild design; Proof Research carbon fiber wrapped stainless steel barrel with muzzle brake
• 2 sling swivel studs
• 2-position safety pin
• Durable gray synthetic stock

Offering a wide variety of calibers, the Impulse Mountain Hunter is perfect for tough hikes and big bucket-list hunts. For more information on the Savage Impulse series, visit savagearms.com.

Part Number / Description / MSRP

57894 / 308 WIN 22-inch barrel / $2437
57895 / 6.5 Creedmoor 22-inch barrel / $2437
57896 / 300 WSM 24-inch barrel / $2437
57897 / 6.5 PRC 24-inch barrel / $2437
57898 / 270 WIN 22-inch barrel / $2437
57899 / 30-06 SPRG 22-inch barrel / $2437
57900 / 28 Nosler 24-inch barrel / $2437
57901 / 7mm REM MAG, 24-inch barrel / $2,437
57902 / 300 WIN MAG 24-inch barrel / $2437

about wild

Headquartered in Westfield, Massachusetts, Savage has been producing firearms for more than 125 years. Savage is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of rimfire and centerfire shotguns and rifles for hunting, competition and target shooting. Their firearms are best known for their accuracy, performance, and innovation. The entrepreneurial spirit that originally defined the company is still evident in its continued focus on continuous innovation, craftsmanship, quality and service. Learn more at www.savagearms.com.