Here’s what’s worth reading today, Wednesday, June 19, 2019:
Democrats: AR-15s ‘Aren’t used for hunting,’ ‘Not viable for home protection’ Two Senate Democrats falsely claimed that the AR-15 is not used for hunting and isn’t “viable for home protection” in a tweet promoting gun control proposals. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D., Calif.) and Sen. Chris Murphy (D., Conn.) penned an op-ed in TIME calling for the banning of AR-15s and similar assault weapons. “Guns like the AR-15 aren’t used for hunting and they’re not viable for home protection. They have only one purpose, and that’s to fire as many rounds as possible, as quickly as possible,” they wrote. “Outlawing these weapons, an action supported by 60 percent of Americans, will bring down the number of mass shootings and reduce the number of casualties, just as it did when the ban first passed in 1994.”
MeatEater Inc.acquires First Lite, adds hunting retail to growing portfolio: It shouldn’t be a surprise that Steven Rinella’s MeatEater continues to shift, grow, and change — as it has since its inception. But with the recent eight-figure venture capital funding round from bigwigs like the Chernin Group, the buying power of the brand is proving to be both powerful and fruitful. And in a move that broadly expands its portfolio, MeatEater’s acquisition of First Lite both diversifies and solidifies a stake in the outdoor industry.
Jersey Shore fishermen have ‘once in a lifetime’ encounter with great white shark: While others may have tried to escape in fear, a team of fishermen in New Jersey considered themselves lucky when a Great White Shark approached their boat. The fishermen boating off the coast of Manasquan, which is about 10 miles south of Asbury Park, couldn’t contain their excitement and called the encounter a “once in a lifetime” experience, according to a video posted on Facebook.
Varmint hunting can raise a big stink: In June of 2015, Madison County Museum closed for reorganization until July 1, because former curator Lynda Breeding had moved away. Jane Day Reynolds had accepted the position as Museum Curator, and I had assumed the duty of writing Musings. That July 1, a new exhibit, Hunting and Fishing in Madison County, was scheduled to open and it will always be my favorite we have ever done. There were great photos and stunning mounts, and one, a ringtail cat, still fascinates me. The ringtail cat, on loan from Jerry Reed, has recently made a return visit and should be on display a bit longer. I’ve lived in Madison County all my life and never have I seen such as this ringtail cat.
Duck stamp designs should feature nature, not hunting: By far, the stamp program is the longest-running and most successful habitat conservation effort in the nation’s history. So, why mess with it? Which is precisely what the Fish and Wildlife Service will do if it follows through on an ill-conceived plan to require artists beginning next year who submit designs for the annual stamp to include hunting elements in their paintings.
The 9 best new compound hunting bows, tested and ranked: On the one hand, Danny Hinton is a stoic guy with an engineering background. On the other, he’s a die-hard bowhunter and the former owner-operator of an archery pro shop. He has, in other words, the perfect blend of technical and practical knowledge for our bow test, and he’s been a test-panel member for years. So I didn’t take it lightly when he declared the 2019 field of compound bows to be the best he’s ever seen. And I did agree with him. Still, not everyone here gets a trophy. It’s our job to find the very best equipment, and at the end of our most grueling assessment yet, we did just that. Here’s the scoop.
Lino Lakes kayaker charged with hunting protected swans: A 25-year-old Lino Lakes man is facing a half dozen illegal hunting charges after shooting a pair of trumpeter swans in northern Anoka County last year. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources sent conservation officers to check out reports of illegal hunting on Rice Lake in Lino Lakes one day last September. They saw a trumpeter swan swim away from shore, with a kayaker following behind. The paddler picked up a gun and shot the bird in front of the conservation officers.
Conserving wildlife migrations starts with listening to landowners: Conservation issues rarely inspire bipartisan consensus in Washington, but the need to maintain wildlife migration corridors is proving to be an exception. A series of orders from the secretary of the Interior and the Wildlife Corridors Conservation Act, introduced last month in both the House and the Senate, all seek to give migratory species the freedom to roam to find food, cover and places to raise their young.
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