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STI International Donates $9,000 to U.S. Practical Shooting Association

Dave Skinner of STI presents the check to USPSA's Matt Pickhart (on the left).

U.S. Practical Shooting Association

SEDRO-WOOLLEY, Wash. —-(AmmoLand.com)- STI International, a leading manufacturer of competition firearms for the Practical Shooting market, presented officials from the U.S. Practical Shooting Association (USPSA) with a check for $9,000 during the 2010 SHOT Show in Las Vegas.

The check brings the company’s total commitment to funding USPSA programs to $23,500.

“The employee owners of STI International remain committed to growing the sport of Practical Shooting both abroad as well as here at home. That’s why supporting the U.S. Practical Shooting Association’s efforts to expand shooting opportunities for juniors, women and organizing matches around the country is so important to us.

We are proud to once again present USPSA with a check for $9,000 to help fund these vital efforts,” said Dave Skinner, president and CEO of STI International.

“STI continues to be one of our sport’s strongest corporate contributors. Not only does STI sponsor countless matches and shooters, but their valuable fundraising efforts have helped us grow our sport.

On behalf of our more than 18,000 USPSA members, I again thank Dave and the entire STI family for their generous donation,” said Dave Thomas, executive director for USPSA.

STI and USPSA announced this fundraising initiative at the 2008 SHOT Show in Las Vegas. The plan called for the production of two limited edition 1911 USPSA/STI signature pistols designed specifically for competition from which a portion of the sales would be donated to USPSA.

The STI-USPSA pistol program is the second such program of its type undertaken by USPSA to help fund the sport which has grown to record levels in the past four years. The first fundraising initiative was in 2006 when USPSA partnered with firearms maker Para USA, raising $31,000 for the organization.

About USPSA:
The United States Practical Shooting Association is a non-profit membership association and the governing body for the sport of Practical Shooting in America. USPSA has over 18,000 members and more than 350 affiliated clubs which host weekly matches throughout the country providing recreational shooters with the opportunity to test and refine their shooting skills in a safe, competitive environment. USPSA is also the U.S. Region of the International Practical Shooting Confederation (IPSC), which is comprised of approximately 67 nations. For more information, visit www.uspsa.org.

About STI:
Headquartered in Georgetown, Texas, STI International is a leading firearms manufacturer and the pioneer of the modular frame system for the 1911. A favorite of both top competitors and custom gunsmiths, STI pistols are widely regarded as the gold standard in the sport of Practical Shooting.

Filed under: Competitive Shooting News, Shooting Industry News by Ammoland 1 Comment »

Alligator Found At Coffey County Lake Kansas
Large reptile thought to have been released.

Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks

BURLINGTON, Kansas —-(AmmoLand.com)-  On Jan. 27, a group of anglers were fishing near the warm-water discharge in Coffey County Lake when they spotted an unexpected wildlife specimen — a 5-foot, 4-inch alligator.

Fortunately, the grizzled reptile was dead, so the anglers netted the critter and notified lake authorities, who called Jason Goeckler, aquatic nuisance species specialist for the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP).

“Alligators do not survive Kansas winters,” Goeckler said, “so this big guy was likely released by someone and then found refuge in the warm water of Coffey County Lake. We have no way of knowing how long it has been there.

Lake staff estimate the animal to be 6-8 years old, but we can’t confirm that or at what age it was released. What we can tell folks is that release of exotic wildlife such as this is irresponsible, illegal, and potentially dangerous to native species.”

In recent years, the spread of harmful, non-native species into Kansas waters has increased. The most notable example is the zebra mussel, which has been discovered in a number of Kansas waters and is known to be extremely destructive to native wildlife and municipal water systems. The cost of invasive species in the U.S. amounts to more than $100 billion annually.

The escape or release of animals and plants from aquariums, terrariums, or ponds and water gardens is harmful to pets and native wildlife, but it is avoidable. KDWP recommends that instead of releasing unwanted pets — including alligators.

Owners should use one of the following alternatives:

• find a new home for the pet;
• contact a pet dealer for proper handling advice or for possible returns
• give/trade with another aquarist, pond owner, or water gardener
• donate to a local aquarium society, school, or aquatic business
• contact a veterinarian or pet retailer for guidance about humane disposal of animals
• or seal aquatic plants and animals in plastic bags, freeze, and dispose in trash.

The American alligator is a warm weather species found from the southern Virginia-North Carolina border along the Atlantic Coast to Florida, and along the Gulf of Mexico as far west as the Rio Grande River in Texas. The only possible way for this animal to have reached Kansas is by human transport.

For more information about being a responsible aquarium hobbyist or aquatic pet owner, go online to www.habitattitude.net. For more information about aquatic nuisance species in Kansas, visit the KDWP website, www.kdwp.state.ks.us.

Filed under: Conservation News by Ammoland No Comments »