SHOT show is booming

The SHOT Show has been cited by the Trade Show News Network as one of the top 25 fast-growning trade shows based on attendance growth - a recognition that will surprise few who have attended the record-breaking SHOT shows in Las Vegas in recent years.

Minn Forest Zone Trappers Association Convention

The Minnesota Forest Zone Trappers Association is having its annual Trappers Convention and Gun Show on Friday-Sunday, Aug 10-12 at the Embarrass Fair Grounds starting at noon Friday and ends around noon on Sunday. Traps, trapping supplies, tail-gaters, skinning demonstration, trap setting demos, good food, fur-bearers of Minnesota exhibit and much more.

Friends of the NRA Banquet

The Ely area Friends of the NRA Banquet will be held May 24, 2012 at AMICI's Event Center, 10 W. Pattison Street, Ely.  5:30 pm social hour, 7:00 pm dinner.  Tickets are $40.00 per person. Contact Keith Siens at 218-235-3568.  Auctions, drawings and a fine dinner.

Anglers

Anglers contribute to good fishing every time they purchase a rod, reel or most other manufactured fishing products.
Not apparent at the checkout counter, these purchases quietly raise revenue through a 10 percent fe4deral excise tax paid by the manufacturers.
Granting these dollars to Minnesota and other states is the responsibility of the U.S. Fish and wildlife Services through its Wildlife and Sports Fish Restoration program.
Last year, the Minnesota DNR received $13.8 Million through this program.
Every one of these dollars is used to maintain and improve fishing, boating and angling access, and help create the next generation of environmentally enlightened anglers.
Read more about this important funding source at http:/wsfr75.com.
Spread the word, too, so more people know how manufacturers, anglers and natural resource agencies work together.

Taken from 2012 Minnesota Fishing Regulations booklet   








   

Controlled Burn

Yesterday evening (the 11th of April), the Babbitt Fire Department did a training session by doing a controlled burn at the rifle range. All the dead grass on the berms was burned off. Now if it would only rain. Many thanks to the Fire Department crew.

Photos by Dick K.

First open water fish of the season

25 pound Northern




25 Inch Walleye


Both fish caught and released this past weekend on Rainy River by local Cub member Chris. Fishing was excellent including three shore lunches.

Submitted photos.

Ammunition Warning

Federal Premium Ammunition Warning

Several lots of Federal Power-Shok .243 Win. 80-gr soft-point ammunition (product number 243AS) may contain incorrect propellant. Lot numbers ending in 5T561, 5T562, 5T563, 5T564, 5T565 and 5T566 my be affected. Federal warns that use of product from these lots may result in firearm damage and/or personal injury. The lot number is located on the bottom of individual boxes or on the side panel of 10-box cases. If you possess ammunition from these lot numbers, or have questions concerning this warning, please contact Federal Premium Ammunition at (800) 831-0850 or (800) 322-2342 and ask for Product Service. Federal Premium will cover the cost of returning affected product and will provide replacement ammunition.

News from Browning

Browning is making it easier for consumers looking for Browning products to find and purchase them with the launch of the new E-Commerce website, www.browningshop.com. The new site has a broad assortment of non-gun outdoor items on the one-stop shopping site.

Bill of Rights Quotes

"The Constitution shall never be construed...to prevent the people of the United
States who are peaceable citizens from keeping their own arms." - Samuel Adams, Debates and Proceedings in the Convention of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 86-87.

February 2012 Gun shows

Listing of Gun & Knife Shows in Minnesota for February 2012.

February 11-12 @ Chisholm National Guard Armory, Chisholm, MN 218/290-0274
February 25-26 @ Anoka Armory, Anoka, MN 763/754-7140

Minnesota Weapons Collectors Association
February 18-19 @ Convention Center, Minneapolis, MN 612/721-8976

ALWAYS CALL AHEAD - Call before traveling to any show that is a distance from home. Show dates and locations can change.

Minnesota Deer Harvest Declines

According to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR), lower deer populations and a windy first weekend of the firearms season resulted in Minnesota's deer harvest dropping 7 percent in 2011.
Minnesota hunters harvested 192,300 deer during the 2011 season, a drop of 15,000 from the 207,000 deer harvested in 2010.

If I had.....

If one could win a lottery. What has been described as the finest-condition Colt Paterson revolver sold for a phenomenal $977,500.00 at the September 2011 Creg Martin Auction in Dallas, Texas.
The catalog listed it as "an exceptional rare and fine ivory-ripped Texas or Holster Model No. 5." It set a record price for a single firearm sold at auction.

Glock

Glock recently donated $2 million to the national Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. The money will assist in the development of an interactive exhibit called the History Beat at the National Law Enforcement Museum - currently under construction in Washington, DC. The museum is being built
adjacent to the National Law Enforcement Museum in the Judiciary Square neighborhood, and the planned History Beat exhibit will feature artifacts that illustrate law enforcement's rich history.

shooting range

Going on vacation? Wonder if there is a shooting range in the local area? Check out wheretoshoot.org website, which allows
you to enter a zip code or city and state to get a list of ranges in your vicinity or near a location you're traveling to. You can choose what discipline you're interested in, and the site offers printable targets, local shooting news, video tips and even where to find firearms retailers.

January 12

More of a Firearm Quick-Reference Glossary

LEVER-ACTION: A gun mechanism activated by manual operation of a lever.

MACHINE PISTOL: Common European terminology for a submachine gun.

SUBMACHINE GUN: An automatic firearm commonly firing pistol ammunition intended for close-range combat.

ASSAULT WEAPON: Any weapon used in an assault. Webster defines it as "an instrument of offensive or defensive combat." Thus an automobile, baseball bat, bottle, chair, firearm, fist, pen knife or shovel is a "weapon", if so used.

More to follow.

Photo by Dick K.

January 10

A Firearm Quick-Reference Glossary

Firearms terms can be a contentious topic, but things really get skewed by ignorance or deliberation when guns appear on the TV tube or in the headlines.

ACTION: The working mechanism of a firearm. Various types exist, including single-shots, multi-barrels, revolvers, slide or pump actions, lever-actions, bolt actions, semi-automatics and automatics.

BRASS: A synonym for expended metallic cartridge cases.

CARTRIDGE: A single, complete round of ammunition.

More to follow

Photo by Dick K.

First Deer

21 year old Bethany L. had just successfully completed her Hunter Safety Course on line and was able to drop this nice doe two weeks later. It is her first deer and I bet it won't be her last. Nice shooting Bethany!


Submitted photo.

January 04 tip of the day

FORWARD MOMENTUM

When you knock down a pheasant, quail, grouse, or woodcock in thick cover, walk quickly to the place where you think it came down. Then search from 10 to 40 feet beyond that place. The momentum of a flying bird generally carries it farther through the air than you expected.


Photo by Dick K