CCal Bergsma with a Pending Illinois State Record.

Boone and Crockett Club

MISSOULA, Mont. --(Ammoland.com)- Trophy whitetail entries from 2011 hunting seasons are beginning to pour into Boone and Crockett Club headquarters.

But while the sporting world waits to see which states are hot, or not, producers of giant bucks, North America’s overall robust trend in whitetail entries is a story for all conservationists to celebrate.

B&C historical records show that trophy whitetails are up 400 percent over the past 30 years.

“It’s worth remembering where America’s favorite big-game species stood not so long ago, at the brink of extinction, said Ben Wallace, Club president.

“In 1900, less than 500,000 whitetails remained. But habitat programs, research, science-based management, regulations and enforcement, all led and funded by hunters, brought this game animal back to extraordinary levels. Today there are more than 32 million whitetails!”

The Boone and Crockett system of scoring big-game trophies originated in 1906 as a means of recording details on species thought to be disappearing. Over time, these records evolved as an effective way to track the success or failure of conservation efforts.

As North America’s whitetail herd has grown, numbers of big bucks also have risen.

• For the period 1980-1985, hunters entered 617 trophy whitetails into Boone and Crockett records.
• For the period 2005-2010, the total jumped to 3,090, an increase of 400 percent.

During this 30-year span, many states and provinces saw percentage gains much greater than the continental average (see data below). For example, trophy whitetail entries from Wisconsin have risen 857 percent. In Illinois, the increase is 896 percent. Ontario went from a single entry to a whopping 41—a 4,000 percent gain!

Six states and provinces had zero entries in 1980-1985. For 2005-2010, they combined for 48.

Boone and Crockett offers two premier ways to trace and detail historic conservation developments, not just with whitetails but many other species as well.

A book, “Records of North American Big Game,” offers detailed tabular listings for trophies in 38 different categories of game. Each entry includes the all-time entry score, date harvested, location of kill, hunter and owner names, and selected measurements. At 768 pages, the book retails for $49.95.

A searchable online database, called “Trophy Search,” is another exceptional resource. By buying an annual subscription, users can sort B&C archival data in infinite ways to identify national as well as local trends. An annual subscription is $50.

Boone and Crockett Club Associates receive discounts on both items. Order online at www.boone-crockett.org or by calling 888-840-4868.

The list below includes state-by-state rankings for whitetail entries during the period 2005-2010, plus comparative data from 1980-1985.

B&C Trophy Whitetail Production, 2005-2010
(Typical and non-typical trophies combined)

1. Wisconsin, 383 entries (1980-1985 rank 3rd, 40 entries)
2. Illinois, 299 entries (1980-1985 rank 6th, 30 entries)
3. Iowa, 224 entries (1980-1985 rank 2nd, 59 entries)
4. Ohio, 215 entries (1980-1985 rank 14th, 16 entries)
5. Missouri, 214 entries (1980-1985 rank 9th (tie), 25 entries)
6. Kentucky, 199 entries (1980-1985 rank 9th (tie), 25 entries)
7. Indiana, 195 entries (1980-1985 rank 16th, 14 entries)
8. Kansas, 181 entries (1980-1985 rank 4th, 35 entries)
9. Minnesota, 172 entries (1980-1985 rank 1st, 76 entries)
10. Saskatchewan, 147 entries (1980-1985 rank 7th (tie), 27 entries)
11. Texas, 132 entries (1980-1985 rank 12th, 19 entries)
12. Alberta, 115 entries (1980-1985 rank 7th (tie), 27 entries)
13. Nebraska, 78 entries (1980-1985 rank 18th (tie), 12 entries)
14. Oklahoma, 48 entries (1980-1985 rank 22nd (tie), 7 entries)
15. Ontario, 41 entries (1980-1985 rank 42nd (tie), 1 entry)
16. Arkansas, 40 entries (1980-1985 rank 34th (tie), 3 entries)
17 (tie). Michigan, 39 entries (1980-1985 rank 17th, 13 entries)
17 (tie). Mississippi, 39 entries (1980-1985 rank 18th, 12 entries)
19. North Dakota, 31 entries (1980-1985 rank 31st (tie), 4 entries)
20. Pennsylvania, 26 entries (1980-1985 rank 45th (tie), 0 entries)
21. New York, 25 entries (1980-1985 rank 28th (tie), 5 entries)
22. South Dakota, 24 entries (1980-1985 rank 20th (tie), 8 entries)
23 (tie). Georgia, 23 entries (1980-1985 rank 5th, 31 entries)
23 (tie). Maryland, 23 entries (1980-1985 rank 28th (tie), 5 entries)
25 (tie). British Columbia, 19 entries (1980-1985 rank 24th (tie), 6 entries)
25 (tie). Maine, 19 entries (1980-1985 rank 11th, 20 entries)
27. Virginia, 17 entries (1980-1985 rank 22nd (tie), 7 entries)
28. Tennessee, 15 entries (1980-1985 rank 20th, 8 entries)
29. Colorado, 13 entries (1980-1985 rank 42nd (tie), 1 entry)
30. Idaho, 11 entries (1980-1985 rank 24th (tie), 6 entries)
31 (tie). Massachusetts, 8 entries (1980-1985 rank 45th (tie), 0 entries)
31 (tie). Quebec, 8 entries (1980-1985 rank 45th (tie), 0 entries)
33. Delaware, 7 entries (1980-1985 rank 42nd (tie), 1 entry)
34 (tie). Louisiana, 6 entries (1980-1985 rank 28th (tie), 5 entries)
34 (tie). Manitoba, 6 entries (1980-1985 rank 15th, 15 entries)
34 (tie). Washington, 6 entries (1980-1985 rank 31st (tie), 4 entries)
37 (tie). Montana, 5 entries (1980-1985 rank 13th, 17 entries)
37 (tie). Alabama, 5 entries (1980-1985 rank 34th (tie), 3 entries)
37 (tie). North Carolina, 5 entries (1980-1985 34th (tie), 3 entries)
40 (tie). Connecticut, 4 entries (1980-1985 rank 38th (tie), 2 entries)
40 (tie). New Hampshire, 4 entries (1980-1985 rank 38th (tie), 2 entries)
42 (tie). New Jersey, 3 entries (1980-1985 rank 45th (tie), 0 entries)
42 (tie). New Brunswick, 3 entries (1980-1985 rank 24th (tie), 6 entries)
42 (tie). West Virginia, 3 entries (1980-1985 rank 34th (tie), 3 entries)
45 (tie). Mexico, 2 entries (1980-1985 rank 24th (tie), 6 entries)
45 (tie). Wyoming, 2 entries (1980-1985 rank 38th (tie), 2 entries)
45 (tie). South Carolina, 2 entries (1980-1985 rank 45th (tie), 0 entries)
45 (tie). Nova Scotia, 2 entries (1980-1985 rank 31st (tie), 4 entries)
49 (tie). Oregon, 1 entry (1980-1985 rank 38th (tie), 2 entries)
49 (tie). Rhode Island, 1 entry (1980-1985 rank 45th (tie), 0 entries)

About the Boone and Crockett Club
Founded by Theodore Roosevelt in 1887, the Boone and Crockett Club promotes guardianship and visionary management of big game and associated wildlife in North America. The Club maintains the highest standards of fair-chase sportsmanship and habitat stewardship. Member accomplishments include enlarging and protecting Yellowstone and establishing Glacier and Denali national parks, founding the U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service and National Wildlife Refuge System, fostering the Pittman-Robertson and Lacey Acts, creating the Federal Duck Stamp program, and developing the cornerstones of modern game laws. The Boone and Crockett Club is headquartered in Missoula, Mont. For details, visit www.boone-crockett.org.

National Shooting Sports Foundation

LAS VEGAS --(Ammoland.com)- Energized by unprecedented gun sales nationwide, firearms industry professionals turned out in record numbers to the Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show (SHOT Show), and many made a point of saying “the best is yet to come.”

“It’s a wonderful time to be in our industry,” said Sandy Chisholm of North American Arms, a handgun manufacturer. “We’ve seen tremendous enthusiasm on the part of sellers and buyers, and we see the prospect of a very good year ahead.” Many agreed with that assessment of the market and of the SHOT Show.

The largest trade show of its kind in the world and the fifth largest trade show in Las Vegas, a city of trade shows, the SHOT Show set an overall attendance record of more than 61,000, including new highs for buyers at 36,383 and media at 2,466. Though show organizers deliberately reduced the size of the show to better accommodate attendees at the Sands Expo and Convention Center, still some 1,600 exhibitors filled booth space covering 630,000 net square feet. The show attracted industry professionals from all 50 states and 100 countries.

The SHOT Show is owned by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the trade association for the firearms, ammunition, hunting and shooting sports industry. Revenues from the show support NSSF’s many programs that carry out its mission of promoting, protecting and preserving hunting and the shooting sports. “The SHOT Show allows NSSF to do many good things for industry, shooting and hunting,” said NSSF President and Steve Sanetti. Added Chris Dolnack, NSSF senior vice president and chief marketing officer, “We have worked hard to make sure SHOT is a great selling and buying experience, and it has resulted in our best show ever.”

Thanks to Americans’ passion for firearms, the $4 billion firearms and ammunition industry has been a bright spot in the down economy. The industry supports many small businesses and helps preserve the 180,000 jobs associated with the shooting sports. In 2011, company executives saw records set for background checks, a reliable indicator of sales, including the most ever in a single month (December) and single day (Black Friday). Many in the industry believe, however, that Americans’ interest in owning firearms will continue to grow in 2012, fueling their unabashed optimism about the year ahead. Many also said they would not be surprised to see supporters of the Second Amendment react as they did before the last presidential election when their fears over candidates who were unfriendly toward firearms ignited a sales surge.

From the opening bell, buyers filled the aisles to review products, many of them new offerings that will make their way to retail stores during the year. “Traffic is like we’ve never seen it before,” said Mark Malkowski, president of Stag Arms, maker of modern sporting rifles (AR-style rifles), a big seller over the past several years. “Retailers we’ve talked to are expecting a record year.”

One firearms retailer, Todd Vance of Vance Outdoors in Columbus, Ohio, agreed. “We had our best-ever year in 2011, and we’ve started off this year great and expect to be up.” In his store, Vance said buyers are interested in concealable handguns, home-defense firearms, ammunition and tactical rifles, particularly new .22 caliber models.

Another handgun manufacturer, Sig Sauer, reported having its best first day at SHOT since the company began keeping sales records. “The market is stimulated,” said Bud Fini, vice president of marketing, who added that the company’s shooting academy is seeing many new gun owners. “First-time buyers, that’s where the expansion is coming from,” Fini said.

Accessories, from holsters to rifle slings to optics, are an important part of the SHOT Show. “We are selling sights like you can’t believe,” said Aimpoint’s Roger Bell of the company’s pro staff. “We signed up a lot of new dealers, and that says to me the market is expanding.”

In the Mossberg booth, Tom Taylor, vice president of marketing, said, “This is about as much excitement as I’ve seen at a SHOT Show. People are buying optimistically, and we’re going to build optimistically.”

For first-time exhibitors, the SHOT Show can provide a big lift. “When you are a start-up company without a big marketing budget, the SHOT Show helps put you in front of the right audience,” said Jeane Stewart of U.S. RAC, maker of firearm safety products for law enforcement. Stewart said her company great valued the show’s New Products Center.

Any SHOT attendee will tell you the show is more than about selling and buying; it’s a powerful display of industry unity and its resolve to meet any challenge affecting the right to make, sell and own firearms. At the NSSF State of the Industry Dinner, NSSF President Steve Sanetti said, “I have never seen us so unified and united in our purpose.” As evidence, he pointed to NSSF’s fast-growing membership, which now tops 7,000, an all-time high.

More than 2,000 NSSF supporters filled the sold-out hall for the State of the Industry Dinner, which was sponsored by Outdoor Channel and included a review of NSSF’s accomplishment from the past year and entertainment from hugely popular comedian Larry the Cable Guy.

Opportunities abound at the SHOT Show, and some who attend are selling more than products. At South Dakota’s booth, representatives had a goal of convincing manufacturers they should be making products in the state. “Last year South Dakota connected with more than 50 companies. Within four months, two of those companies expanded their operations to South Dakota,” said economic development commissioner J. Pat Costello.

Many awards are presented at the show. NSSF presented Larry Potterfield of Midway USA with its Ken Sedlecky Achievement Award for his generous and longstanding contributions to programs that promote youth target shooting. The Professional Outdoor Media Association and NSSF honored veteran communicator and best-selling author S.P. Fjestad with the prestigious POMA/NSSF Grits Gresham Shooting Sports Communicator Award. Fjestad publishes “The Blue Book of Gun Values,” a widely consulted database.

The show continues to benefit from the broadbased press contingent that lavishes attention on newly released products. The media, of course, are usually the first to spot celebrities, who this year included American Idol judge and rock star Steven Tyler, and NFL Hall of Famer Lynn Swann. A big success was SHOT Show Media Day at the Range on the day prior to the show, where credentialed press reviewed and tested products. More than 1,100 press and 100 exhibitors attended Media Day–more than ever before.

NSSF ramped up its use of social media to keep its members and consumers informed about the show, making frequent posts to the SHOT Show Blog and providing Twitter updates that showgoers followed on “Twitterfall” screens placed throughout the venue. An expanded NSSF press room sponsored by Budweiser accommodated the record number of press with free Wi-Fi, a large working press area and other amenities.

In conjunction with the SHOT Show, NSSF sponsored the PGA Charities’ Birdies for the Brave golf tournament that raised funds for injured armed service veterans.

The SHOT Show will return to the Sands Expo & Convention Center next year January 15-18.

About NSSF
The National Shooting Sports Foundation is the trade association for the firearms industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of more than 7,000 manufacturers, distributors, firearms retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers. For more information, log on to www.nssf.org.

Photo by Chris Wyman Photography Highland Lakes, NJ Fish & Wildlife worker Linda Morschauser is dwarfed by the heaviest and perhaps largest black bear ever recorded in New Jersey. At the Franklin check-in station on Friday, the final official live weight estimate for the bruin was 829.5 pounds. The bear was taken in the woods about 1/2-mile from Jefferson High School. / Chris Wyman

AmmoLand Gun News

JEFFERSON, NJ --(Ammoland.com)-A Morris County deer hunter who shot one of the biggest black bears taken in North America was disappointed.

“I would have traded getting two bucks instead of the bear,” said Bruce Headley, 62, of Weldon Road, Milton. Headley’s 829-pound live weight black bear was one of fewer than a dozen over 800 pounds in 35 states and most of Canada.

Bruce and his family prefer venison, but he missed a shot at a buck on opening day of bear and deer season, Dec. 5, at the 150-acre property that has been in his family for nine generations. It abuts the 3,200-acre Mahlon Dickerson Reservation, Morris County’s biggest park.

Headley had seen the big bruin in his backyard in late September “under a yellow delicious apple tree shoving apples into its mouth,” about half a mile from Jefferson High School. He wasn’t hunting for it, but was one of 7,294 other hunters who bought $2 bear hunting permits.

The next time he saw the giant bear was at 11:15 a.m. Dec. 9 while at his deer stand in the woods where he’d been since before daybreak, about three-eighths of a mile behind his house.

Neighbor John Pessagno, hunting about 350 yards away, called him on his cellphone after 11 a.m. to tell him five does had passed and were heading toward him. Headley saw only one doe come and bed down nearby.

“I was looking to see if a buck might be coming when I saw the bear coming up an old tote road,” Headley said. “I waited till he came to a clearing about 45 yards away, and when he did, I shot at him; I knew I hit it at least three times.”

After the bruin went 50 yards and dropped in a rocky, small ravine, Headley called neighbor Gordon Galfo, who drove over with his four-wheeler, then got Adam, Headley’s 21-year-old son, and Passagno, to help.

They chainsawed a path to the bear, used a “come-along” — a hand-operated crank with a cable — and pulled the bear up on a heavy-duty plastic rescue sled. They next picked it up with a front-end loader and put it onto Galfo’s pickup truck for the drive to the Franklin bear checking station.

It took them about three hours to get the bear out, including getting the equipment and help and clearing the path.

“It took longer to get organized than to get it out,” said Headley, who has hunted since he bought his first license at age 14.

He donated the big bear to the Division of Fish and Wildlife, which hopes to have it mounted and displayed at the Pequest Natural Resource Education Center, so others can see the biggest bear ever taken in New Jersey.

“If the hunter wants to donate the bear and the conservation groups are willing to cover the cost of having it mounted, I think the Pequest Natural Resource Education Center would be a great location,” said Division of Fish and Wildlife Director David Chanda.

“It would be a nice compliment to our conservation education programs,” he added. “After all, the black bear represents a truly remarkable success story.

“Especially when you consider that they were all but wiped out by the industrial revolution in the early 1900s, and now as a result of tremendous habitat and management programs developed by professional wildlife biologists, black bears have been sighted in all 21 counties and will forever remain a part of New Jersey’s landscape.”

Bear Biologist Kelcey Burguess of the Division brought it to Wildlife Preservations in Woodland Park, formerly West Paterson, the studio of famed taxidermist George Dante, whose work is on display worldwide.

Dante’s clients include permanent and traveling exhibits of the Museum of Natural History, the Bronx Zoo, and dozens of museums and zoos. The New Jersey Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs has offered to pay for Dante’s work on the bear.

The day before Headley brought his bear the Franklin checking station off Route 23 — driving past anti-hunting demonstrators who shouted and made [rude] gestures at successful hunters — John Noon of Sussex had brought in 776-pound bear he shot in Stokes State Forest. That bear was a record until Headley’s bear was weighed.

Hunters killed 469 bears in this year’s hunt that coincided with the six-day December firearms deer hunt, fewer than the 592 killed during the 2010 bear hunt, because fog, heavy rain and warm weather reduced the harvest this season. About 800 cubs are usually born every January.

Hunters had to bring their bears to one of five check-in stations where biologists extracted a bear’s tooth to age the animal, took a DNA sample, weighed and measured the bears and determined the location of where the bear was shot.

The division is preparing on a comprehensive report on this year’s season, which again included bears known to have caused damage and other problems. New Jersey’s bears annually cause tens of thousands of dollars worth of damage by breaking into homes, killing pets and livestock, damaging crops and preventing many homeowners from feeding birds or leaving barbecue grilles or garbage outdoors.

For this year’s successful bear season, 7,502 hunters bought 9,082 permits and had a 6-percent success rate, harvesting 140 male bears; 329 females. Of these, 19 percent had been handled during year by biologists: 311 in Sussex; Warren, 98; Passaic, 25; Morris, 33; Bergen, 1, and Hunterdon, 1.

The largest bear shot during the 2010 hunt had an estimated live weight of more than 750 pounds (651 pounds when field dressed) and was taken in Montville Township, near the Boonton border.
Heavyweight Contenders

Garden State adult male American black bears (Ursus americanus) weigh on average 400 pounds. Males are called boars; females, called sows, average 175. Headley’s bear was a boar. Cubs are born in January and most weigh an average of 80 pounds by their first December. Sows aggressively chase their cubs when the reach ages of 16-18 months, so they can breed again.

Pennsylvania’s state record bear, estimated at 879 lbs., was shot in 2010 in Pike County, but weighed 700 lbs. on June 7, 2009, when it was caught, tagged, weighed and released by N.J. bear research biologists off Old Mine Road, in Hardwick Township, Warren County. Six bears heavier than 800 pounds have been shot by hunters in Pennsylvania since 1992.

The U.S. record wild black bear, shot in North Carolina in November 1998, had fattened by eating discards near a pig farm. It weighed 880 lbs. A 805-pound black bear was killed by a hunter in Manitoba, the province where one that was 856.5 lbs was killed when struck by a vehicle on a road near Winnipeg in 2001.

New York’s record black bear, shot in Franklin County in the Adirondacks in 1975, weighed 750 lbs.

Bears can grow as big as 900 in captivity if they’re overfed, which is what happened to the wild one that roamed last year in Pike County, Pa., and had been fed by workers at the Fernwood Resort. The Monroe County hunter who shot it with a crossbow said he didn’t know that.

2011 Black Bear Season Harvest Data

(Below is is preliminary harvest information and subject to revision.)

Black Bear Harvest by Bear Hunting Area

Bear Harvest by Check-in Station

Jim Stabile

About Jim Stabile:
Jim has been writing about the outdoors since 1961 and is a current contributor to Gannett Sunday Papers. Jim was an editor at Outdoor Life Magazine in NYC and the editor of Michigan Out of Doors Magazine. He is currently an Officer in the New York Metropolitan Outdoor Press Association and still an active hunter, enjoying success in his 61st year of deer hunting.

Revision Shooter Max Michel Concludes 2011 Gun Season Setting World Records & Welcoming a New Daughter

Revision Eyewear

Essex Junction, VT --(Ammoland.com)- Max Michel, champion shooter for Revision Military, concludes his successful and eventful 2011 season by setting new Steel Challenge World Speed Shooting Championship records and welcoming a daughter – his third child with wife Jennifer – into the world.

Michel set the new World Record during the Roundabout (Stage 2) at the Steel Challenge with four runs totaling 7.96 seconds, during which Michel drew his pistol four times and hit 20 total targets.

His daughter Makenzie was born at the conclusion of the USPSA Handgun Nationals held in September, where Michel won one of his two National Championship titles.

In total, Michel rounded out the 2011 season with five individual 1st place finishes, including two National Championship titles, one Team Gold in Open Division, six 2nd place finishes and one 4th place finish. This past year marks Michel’s second year representing Revision Military.

“As the 2011 shooting season comes to an end, I reflect back on a very successful year and am extremely grateful for the support Revision Military has given me,” commented Michel.

“It’s truly great companies like Revision and my other amazing sponsors that make my accomplishments possible. It brings me great honor to give them two 2011 National Championship titles.”

ABOUT MAX MICHEL
In 2010, world champion shooter Max Michel joined forces with Revision in a partnership founded on mutual performance excellence. At age 29 Max Michel is a legend in the world of competitive shooting. A three-time World Speed Shooting Champion, five-time USPSA National Champion, three-time US National Steel Champion and 2010 US IPSC National Champion, Max is a dominant force in the pistol shooting sports. Born and raised in New Orleans, Max joined the famed U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU) Action Pistol Team in 1999 where he served for 10 years as an Army shooter and trainer. Today, Max is recognized worldwide as a top tier athlete in the practical shooting sports and Revision is proud to be Max’s eyepro brand of choice – both on and off the range.

• Follow Max Michel on Twitter at http://twitter.com/Max_Michel.
• Become a fan of Max Michel on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/maxmichel.us.

ABOUT REVISION
Revision develops and delivers purpose-built protective equipment for military use worldwide. The company, which began with eyewear, has expanded to face and head protection and continues to develop their capabilities for integrated, performance-enhancing soldier systems. To that end, Revision brings the most advanced expertise, state-of-the-art facilities and finest technical minds. Clients include the U.S. Department of Defense, the Canadian Department of National Defence, the Netherlands Defence Materiel Organization, the Swiss Federal Department of Defence and the UK Ministry of Defence. Privately owned and ISO 9001:2008 certified, Revision’s operational headquarters is located in Essex Junction, Vermont, USA, with additional offices in the Netherlands and Canada. For more information, visit www.revisionmilitary.com, write info@revisionmilitary.com, or call +1 252-288-5805.

FORT BENNING, Ga. -- Sgt. 1st Class James Henderson (middle), U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, won the individual championship at the 52nd Interservice Pistol Championship. Staff Sgt. Lyman Grover (left), USAMU, placed second and Marine Cpl. Luis Esparza (right) came in third. (Photo by Michael Molinaro, USAMU PAO)

United States Army Marksmanship Unit

FORT BENNING, Ga. --(Ammoland.com)- Despite fielding a team without its full arsenal due to deployments to Afghanistan, Soldiers from the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit showcased the skills and capabilities of the Army at the 52nd iteration of the Interservice Pistol Championship June 12-17.

Every service of the military was represented at the week-long event, braving the intense southern heat to be tested against the best the military has to offer.

Sgt. 1st Class James Henderson, USAMU, was crowned champion after dominating the field, winning every day’s aggregate and breaking the record for overall individual aggregate for the match, besting the record he set in 2008. It is Henderson’s seventh individual championship and the third time he has broken the match record.

“This is a true testament to being the best overall pistol shooter (in the military),” he said.

“It’s a week-long, it’s all four guns-it’s tough. It means a little more to me than shooting against civilians at the nationals. I don’t mean that in a bad way, but it feels good to be the best in the military. My job is to train other Soldiers so to be the best among them, it’s kind of cool.”

FORT BENNING, Ga. -- Sgt. 1st Class James Henderson, U.S. Army Marksmanship unit, fires at a target June 16 at Phillips Range during the 52nd Interservice Pistol Championships. Henderson won the overall individual championship and was also a member of the team champions, U.S. Army Blue. He set a new match record and won his seventh title at the competition. (Photo by Michael Molinaro, USAMU PAO)

Henderson’s overall total was 3554-194x, breaking the record by two targets. He won the .22-caliber, .45-cal., centerfire and service pistol aggregate titles as well as shooting nine high match scores to add to his hardware.

Henderson’s teammate, Staff Sgt. Lyman Grover, took home a second-place finish after scoring a 3529-160x, a new personal best. Marine Corps Cpl. Luis Esparza rounded out the top three after scoring 3514-168x.

U.S. Army Blue, made up of Soldiers from the USAMU, won the overall team championship with a score of 4643-202x. Team members consisted of: Henderson, Grover, Sgt. 1st Class Gregory Wilson, Staff Sgt. Patrick Franks, Staff Sgt. Jean-Noel Howell, and Sgt. Benjamin Lanzotti. The team won every team match during the competition, giving the Army a clean sweep during the week.

“Even though we are missing some guys, everyone still stepped up and did what they needed to do,” Henderson said. “It’s pretty impressive and shows their determination. It’s that strength we always talk about as Soldiers that drives us. The Army expects us to be the best and my teammates rose to the challenge.”

Two Marine Corps teams rounded out the top three: USMC Scarlet, with a 4590-177x, and USMC Gold, which scored 4454-132x. The South Carolina National Guard Blue team won the post/station championship for smaller teams.

Shooters compete with four different calibers of pistol, shooting one gun a day in individual and team matches. It makes it important that the competitors are proficient in a broad array of pistols and enables the competition to crown the best of the best.

The championship allows the best pistol shooters in the military the opportunity to come together and discuss new techniques to further enhance their services marksmanship capabilities.

“As we are part of a joint force that has been engaged in combat operations for nearly 10 years and a joint force that may remain engaged in combat operations for the foreseeable future, it is important to know that the marksmanship training provided to all of our fellow servicemembers will help shape the course of future battles and propel our nation to future victories,” said Lt. Col. Daniel Hodne, commander, USAMU.

Hodne told those who participated in the championship that they represent the very best pistol shooters amongst the entire joint force and that they represent a network and a capability.

“If you combine the very best as a capability built within a network, this group represents an incredible amount of potential energy to increase the marksmanship readiness of our joint force,” Hodne said.

The Interservice Rifle Championships are next on the schedule, slated for July 19-26 at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va. It will be the 50th anniversary of the prestigious competition.

FORT BENNING, Ga. -- Sgt. 1st Class James Henderson (right), U.S. Army Marksmanship unit, and fellow competitors fire at targets June 14 at Phillips Range during the 52nd Interservice Pistol Championships. Henderson won the overall individual championship, his seventh.(Photo by Michael Molinaro, USAMU PAO)

FORT BENNING, Ga. -- Soldiers, Marines, Airmen, Sailors and Coast Guardsmen compete at the 52nd Interservice Pistol Championships. The best pistol shooters in the military come together annually to test their skills against their peers and learn new techniques to further enhance their services marksmanship capabilities. (Photo by Michael Molinaro, USAMU PAO)

About USAMU:
The USAMU enhances the Army’s recruiting effort, raises the standard of the Army’s marksmanship proficiency, and supports the Army’s small arms research and development initiatives in order to raise the Army’s overall combat readiness. For more information on the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, contact the Public Affairs Office at (706) 545-5436, Michael.Molinaro@usaac.army.mil or www.USAMU.com.

SIG SAUER

EXETER, NH --(Ammoland.com)- Max Michel, Jr., captain of Team SIG SAUER, continued his strong start to the 2011 shooting season by setting a world record en route to victory at this weekend’s U.S. Steel Nationals in Titusville, Florida.

As the first Steel Challenge match of the season, the U.S. Steel Nationals attracts the top speed shooters from around the world. Competitors are often separated by razor-thin margins, as confirmed last year when Michel finished second, a mere 1/100th of a second behind the first-place winner.

“This match always pushes me to the limits,” Michel said. “The level of competition here allows practically no room for mental or equipment errors. Today, everything came together perfectly.”

Michel posted an overall time of 75.68 seconds, beating the previous record set in 2008. This is Michel’s third U.S. Steel Nationals victory in the past five years.

Next up for Michel will be the USPSA Area 6 Championship in Frostproof, Florida, April 14-16.

• To follow Max Michel and Team SIG, visit www.sigsauer.com/TeamSig/MaxMichel.aspx.
• Follow Max Michel on Facebook at www.facebook.com/maxmichel.us.
• Become a fan of SIG SAUER on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SigSauerInc.

About Max Michel:
By anyone’s account, Max Michel, Jr. is one of the premier shooters in the world. With three World Speed Shooting Championships (2009, 2007 and 2005), five USPSA National Championships (2009, 2007, 2006, 2005 and 2004), two U.S. Steel National Championships (2009 and 2008), 37 USPSA Area Championships, and nearly 100 Major Championship wins, Max Michel has become a dominant force in the pistol shooting sports. Michel also owns multiple World Speed Shooting records as well as the only Action Shooter to win all USPSA Area Championships in the same season (2010). As an international competitor, Michel has represented the United States in the last four International Practical Shooting Confederation (IPSC) World Shoots and returned home each time with team gold medals. He will again represent the nation in Rhodes, Greece, at the 2011 World Shoot and anchor the USA’s Open Division team.

About SIG SAUER, Inc.
SIG SAUER, Inc. is the largest member of a worldwide business group of firearms manufacturers that includes J.P. Sauer & Sohn and Blaser GmbH in Germany and Swiss Arms AG in Switzerland. This global network of companies gives SIG SAUER a world-class firearms knowledge base, unparalleled design expertise, and extensive manufacturing capacity, enabling the company to respond quickly and effectively to changing market conditions and the needs of its military, law enforcement, and commercial markets worldwide. SIG SAUER is an ISO 9001: 2008 certified company with over 400 employees. For more information on SIG SAUER, any of its products, or the SIG SAUER Academy, log on to www.sigsauer.com.

National Rifle Association

FAIRFAX, Va. --(Ammoland.com)- S. 570 — “a bill to prohibit the Department of Justice from tracking and cataloging the purchases of multiple rifles and shotguns.”

The bill would prohibit the use of federal funds for a multiple sales reporting scheme proposed by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Last month, the U.S. House of Representatives adopted an amendment with similar language. That amendment to an omnibus spending bill, offered by Representatives Dan Boren (D-Okla.) and Denny Rehberg (R-Mont.), passed the chamber (277-149) with broad bipartisan support.

The BATFE is demanding the authority to require all of the 8,500 firearm dealers in California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas to report all sales of two or more semiautomatic rifles within five consecutive business days, if the rifles are larger than .22 caliber and use detachable magazines. Yet, under existing law, the bureau has full access to every record of every firearm transaction by every licensed dealer, whether during a bona fide criminal investigation or simply to enforce compliance with record keeping requirements. This reporting scheme would create a registry of owners of many of today’s most popular rifles–firearms owned by millions of Americans for self-defense, hunting and other lawful purposes.

Please contact your U.S. Senators and ask them to cosponsor and support S. 570. You can find contact information for your elected officials by using the “Write Your Representatives” tool at www.NRAILA.org, or you can call your U.S. senators at (202) 224-3121. S. 570 currently has 17 cosponsors. To see if your senators are cosponsors, please click here: www.thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d112:SN00570:@@@P

About:
Established in 1871, the National Rifle Association is America’s oldest civil rights and sportsmen’s group. Four million members strong, NRA continues its mission to uphold Second Amendment rights and to advocate enforcement of existing laws against violent offenders to reduce crime. The Association remains the nation’s leader in firearm education and training for law-abiding gun owners, law enforcement and the military. Visit: www.nra.org

Smith & Wesson Shooting Team Sets New Record With 142 Wins In 2010

Smith & Wesson

SPRINGFIELD, Mass.--(Ammoland.com)- Smith & Wesson Corp., announced that Team Smith & Wesson members captured a record-setting 142 title wins during the 2010 competitive shooting season, surpassing the previous year’s record by 51 victories.

In total, the 26-team members brought home 60 state/sectional, 36 regional/area, 24 national and 22 world titles.

With an average of over 11 victories per month, the shooting team along with their wide array of Smith & Wesson firearms kept the competition at bay throughout the course of the season.

Leading the charge for Team Smith & Wesson were the company’s Champion shooters, Jerry Miculek, Julie Golob and Doug Koenig. Known throughout the world for their competitive spirit and shooting prowess, the Champions earned victories in nine different firearm divisions. Especially, but not limited to the world of revolvers, Jerry Miculek once again proved that he is the top competitor to beat, capturing wins in ICORE (International Confederation of Revolver Enthusiasts), Steel Challenge, USPSA (United States Practical Shooting Association), IDPA (International Defensive Pistol Association), STC (Sportsman’s Team Challenge) and Multi-Gun matches. His 2010 credentials include an eighteenth consecutive IRC World Championship, a ninth IDPA Indoor National Championship and a fourth USPA Multi-Gun Championship.

Following closely behind Miculek was Team Smith & Wesson Captain Julie Golob. During the 2010 season, Golob earned her tenth USPSA Single Stack title, her second IRC Championship title along with victories in Steel Challenge Production, Steel Challenge Limited and the IDPA National Championships. Not to be outdone was fellow teammate and professional shooter Doug Koenig. Koenig started out the 2010 season by winning his twelfth NRA Bianchi Cup and followed that win with his seventeenth Masters International Championship. Koenig also earned a fourth World Action Pistol Championship title, crushing his own World Record with a new one of 1920 with 189x’s.

With team wins posted in IDPA, USPSA, ICORE, Masters, Steel Challenge, NRA Action, STC, Multi-Gun and Industry Masters competitions, Team Smith & Wesson proved that regardless of the division or firearm used they were up to the challenge. Along with the 142 titles, Team Smith & Wesson also showed that it has a dedicated and talented group of junior shooters ready to take the next step. Comprised of Rachael Crow, Trevor Koenig, Janae Sarabia, Molly Smith, Lena Miculek, Shea Shelf and Coddie Lindsay, the Smith & Wesson Junior Team showed the maturity of veterans and skills to match as they represented both Smith & Wesson and its products at the highest level.

“The skill level and the desire to win was evident in this team from the very first match to the last round fired,” said James Debney, President of Smith & Wesson’s Firearm Division.

“We are also proud of the performance of our Smith & Wesson products which we believe helped play an important role in the team’s success.”

Debney continued, “Not only do we have an incredible team lead by our Smith & Wesson Champions, but we also take great pride in supporting the future of the shooting sports with our very talented and inspiring group of junior shooters. On behalf of everyone at Smith & Wesson, we extend a hearty congratulations to all of the shooters who competed under our company banner.”

Team Smith & Wesson Members for 2010 included:

• Annette Aysen
• Elliot Aysen
• Gordon Carrell
• John Bagakis
• Craig Buckland
• Dan Burwell
• Rachael Crow
• Julie Golob
• Doug Koenig
• Trevor Koenig
• Ernest Langdon
• Josh Lentz
• Coddie Lindsay
• Jerry Miculek
• Kay Miculek
• Lena Miculek
• Curt Nichols
• BJ Norris
• Dave Olhasso
• Tony Phan
• Janae Sarabia
• Mike Seeklander
• Shea Shelf
• Molly Smith
• Phil Strader
• Laura Torres-Reyes

About Smith & Wesson
Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation (NASDAQ: SWHC) is a U.S.-based, global provider of products and services for safety, security, protection and sport. The company designs and constructs facility perimeter security solutions for military and commercial applications, and delivers a broad portfolio of firearms and related training to the military, law enforcement and sports markets. SWHC companies include Smith & Wesson Corp., the globally recognized manufacturer of quality firearms; Universal Safety Response, a full-service perimeter security integrator, barrier manufacturer and installer; and Thompson/Center Arms Company, Inc., a premier designer and manufacturer of premium hunting firearms. SWHC facilities are located in Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, and Tennessee. For more information on Smith & Wesson and its companies, call (800) 331-0852 or log on to www.smith-wesson.com; www.usrgrab.com; or www.tcarms.com.

Boone and Crockett Club

MISSOULA, Mont.--(Ammoland.com)- It’s a piece of hunting history; a catalog of conservation successes.

The newly published Boone and Crockett Club’s 27th Big Game Awards, 2007-2009 is part of a book series that spans over half a century, and it’s now available for purchase.

The 704-page paperback contains listings for over 4,900 trophies in 32 categories of North American big game taken between 2007 and 2009.

Listings include B&C gross score, final score, location and date of kill, hunter and owner, overall rank and more.

The book also includes over 60 color and hundreds of B&W field photos and portraits.

“What really sets this publication apart are the written accounts of the hunts for some of the top trophies taken in the 27th Awards period. Readers will learn not just statistics, but the actual stories behind some of the greatest game animals ever taken,” said Julie Houk, director of publications for Boone and Crockett Club.

Boone and Crockett Club's 27th Big Game Awards Book

Boone and Crockett Club’s 27th Big Game Awards, 2007-2009, retails for $29.95 (Boone and Crockett members receive a discount) and is available in stores or directly from the Club. Order at www.boone-crockett.org or by calling 888-840-4868.

About the Boone and Crockett Club
Founded by Theodore Roosevelt in 1887, the Boone and Crockett Club promotes guardianship and visionary management of big game and associated wildlife in North America. The Club maintains the highest standards of fair-chase sportsmanship and habitat stewardship.

Member accomplishments include enlarging and protecting Yellowstone and establishing Glacier and Denali national parks, founding the U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service and National Wildlife Refuge System, fostering the Pittman-Robertson and Lacey Acts, creating the Federal Duck Stamp program, and developing the cornerstones of modern game laws. The Boone and Crockett Club is headquartered in Missoula, Mont. For details, visit www.boone-crockett.org.

Xtreme Shooter Patrick Flanigan

Wiley X Eyewear

Livermore, CA --(Ammoland.com)- Wiley X Eyewear is proud to announce that one of its top sponsored shooting superstars has just surpassed his own incredible world record.

Xtreme Shooting virtuoso Patrick Flanigan raised the bar he himself set, during the recent filming of Shooting USA’s “Impossible Shots” TV show, with a new world record: a mind blowing 7 hand thrown clay targets from the hip with a pump shotgun.

The 31 year-old Flanigan had the shooting world’s collective jaws dropping when he originally did what they thought couldn’t be done, breaking six hand thrown clays in a row, but now seven is the number to beat, and he’s probably the shooter who will eventually make it eight. But in the meantime, he and his sponsored eyewear team at Wiley X are thrilled with the amazing victory.

“The record I broke is for throwing seven clays by hand and shooting each with a separate shot from the hip with a pump shotgun,” said Flanigan. He also plans on breaking several more world records over the next few months and attributes much of his success to his advanced equipment.

“My Wiley X Black Ops Revolvr glasses help me see with the kind of clarity and consistency I absolutely rely on to set records in any conditions. Trusting my sight to anything but the best is not an option.”

Thanks to Wiley X, shooters are no longer limited to traditional shield style shooting glasses as Wiley X is the only premium sunglass manufacturer that certifies all of its products to exceed ANSI Z87.1-2003 high velocity and high mass impact standards and surpass strict OSHA safety ratings. Not to mention, all Wiley X Changeable Series lens models stand up to the much more stringent United States military VO ballistic standards as combat protective equipment, so shooters know they have the right High Velocity Protection (HVP) eyewear tailored for extreme safety and style.

Flanigan is no stranger to the extreme — extreme achievement in shooting sports during extreme conditions, and pushing himself to the extreme in other sports. During his incredible career he has broken eight Xtreme Shooting World records, including shooting 12 shotgun rounds in 1.42 seconds. When he’s not breaking targets and world records, he “relaxes” as a black belt in karate and setting Guinness Book of World Records feats in drumming.

“Patrick is an incredibly versatile athlete, and personifies the spirit of high performance and high excitement that we create our glasses to honor,” says Myles Freeman Jr., President of Sales for Wiley X.

“He pushes the limits of what’s humanly possible, and he’s not slowing down for anything. We’re proud to be a part of his amazing career and are excited to see what else he will achieve in changing the face of the shooting sports world.”

To learn more about the new Wiley X sponsored shooter Patrick Flanigan — or the company’s full line of high performance eyewear — contact Wiley X Eyewear at 7800 Patterson Pass Road, Livermore, CA 94550 • Telephone: (800) 776-7842 • Or visit online at www.wileyx.com. For updates on Wiley X pro athletes and events, find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/wileyxeyewear.

Revision Eyewear

Essex Junction, VT --(Ammoland.com)- Max Michel, champion shooter for Revision Eyewear, makes history with his Open Division Title win at the 2010 Area 2 Championships, held November 10-14, 2010 at the Rio Salado Sportsman’s Club in Mesa, AZ.

Michel is the first person in USPSA history to win all eight USPSA Area Championships in a single year.

His decisive win in this Level III Match was against 151 of the country’s top Open Division shooters. He secured the title with 1135.0241 match points, or 100.00%.

“To even be in this position and have the opportunity to win all 8 Area Championships is a huge success in itself. To stay healthy and keep the guns, ammo and gear running while balancing the family life and the sacrifices that had to be made to make this happen was a team effort,” commented Michel.

“My wife and kids have been extremely supportive of my shooting goals and my team of Sponsors truly made this possible.”

Michel continued, “Lastly, my father deserves to share this special season with me as he made every effort possible to push me and guide me through the ups and downs of this challenge. I strive everyday to be the father and man he is.”

Pro Shooter Max Michel Makes History & Sweeps All Eight USPSA Championships

Michel’s 2010 competitive season comes to an end with this definitive win at the Area 2 Championship. Revision and Michel look forward to what the 2011 season will hold.

ABOUT MAX MICHEL
In 2010, world champion shooter Max Michel joined forces with Revision Eyewear in a partnership founded on mutual performance excellence. At age 28 Max Michel is a legend in the world of competitive shooting. A three-time World Speed Shooting Champion, five-time USPSA National Champion, two-time US National Steel Champion and 2010 US IPSC National Champion, Max is a dominant force in the pistol shooting sports. Born and raised in New Orleans, Max joined the famed U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU) Action Pistol Team in 1999 where he served for 10 years as an Army shooter and trainer. Today, Max is recognized worldwide as a top tier athlete in the practical shooting sports and Revision is proud to be Max’s eyepro brand of choice – both on and off the range.

• Follow Max Michel on Twitter at http://twitter.com/Max_Michel.
• Become a fan of Max Michel on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/maxmichel.us.

ABOUT REVISION
Revision develops and delivers purpose-built eye, face and head protection solutions for military and tactical clients worldwide. We are specialists in integration for the optimum and necessary balance of protection and performance. To that end we bring the most advanced expertise, state-of-the-art facilities and finest technical minds. Clients include the U.S. Department of Defense, the Canadian Department of National Defence, the Netherlands Defence Materiel Organization, the Swiss Federal Department of Defence and the UK Ministry of Defence. Privately owned and ISO 9001:2008 certified, Revision’s operational headquarters is located in Essex Junction, Vermont, USA, with additional offices in the Netherlands and Canada. For more information, visit www.revisioneyewear.com, write info@revisioneyewear.com, or call +1 252-288-5805.

Become a fan of Revision Eyewear on Facebook. For every 50 new fans, Revision proudly donates one set of eyewear to deployed troops.

World champion shooter Max Michel wears the Revision Sawfly Eyewear System in competition and in training.

World champion shooter Max Michel

SIG SAUER

EXETER, NH --(Ammoland.com)- Team SIG Captain Max Michel has made history with his recent Open Division Title win at the 2010 Area 2 Championships, held November 10-14, 2010 at the Rio Salado Sportsman’s Club in Mesa, AZ.

The Area 2 Championship was the final Area Championship of the 2010 season that Michel needed to win in order to become the first person in history to win all eight Area Championships in a single year.

Michel competed against 151 shooters in the Open Division and finished with 1135.0241 match points, or 100.00%, to ensure his place in the history books.

“The Area 2 is a very competitive area with lots of great history. Rio Salado Gun Club is known for setting up fun, challenging stages and Match Director Paul Caudill and his crew did not disappoint this year,” commented Michel.

“Plenty of top level shooters came out to the Area 2 Championships this year and I have to thank my friends, family and sponsors for all the support. My father especially has helped to guide me and teach me to be a better shooter. I aim to be the father and man he is everyday.”

The Area 2 Championship concludes Michel’s 2010 competitive season on a high and memorable note.

• Become a Fan of SIG SAUER on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/SIGSAUERInc.
• Become a Fan of Max Michel on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/maxmichel.us.
• Follow Max Michel on Twitter at http://twitter.com/Max_Michel.
• For more information on SIG SAUER, or any of its products, visit www.sigsauer.com.
• For hi-res images of the Team SIG Shooters, visit SIG SAUER on Flikr.

About Max Michel
By anyone’s account, Max Michel, Jr. is one of the best shooters in the world. With three World Speed Shooting Championships (2009, 2007 and 2005), five USPSA National Championships (2009, 2007, 2006, 2005 and 2004), 2 US Steel National Championships (2009, and 2008), more than 30 USPSA Area Championships, and over 80 Major Championship wins, Max Michel has become a dominant force in the pistol shooting sports. As an international competitor, Michel has represented the United States in the last four International Practical Shooting Confederation (IPSC) World Shoots and returned home each time with team gold medals. He will again represent the nation in Rhodes, Greece at the 2011 World Shoot and anchor the USA’s Open Division team.

About SIG SAUER, Inc.
SIG SAUER, Inc. is the largest member of a worldwide business group of firearms manufacturers that includes J.P. Sauer & Sohn and Blaser GmbH in Germany and Swiss Arms AG in Switzerland. This global network of companies gives SIG SAUER a world-class firearms knowledge base, unparalleled design expertise, and extensive manufacturing capacity, enabling the company to respond quickly and effectively to changing market conditions and the needs of its military, law enforcement, and commercial markets worldwide. SIG SAUER is an ISO 9001: 2000 certified company with over 370 employees. For more information on SIG SAUER or any of its products, or the SIG SAUER Academy, log on to www.sigsauer.com.

Doug Koenig World Record Targets at 7th NRA World Action Pistol Championships

Smith & Wesson

SPRINGFIELD, Mass.--(Ammoland.com)- Smith & Wesson Corp., announced that Team Smith & Wesson member Doug Koenig finished the 2010 competitive season on a high note, winning a Gold medal and setting a new world record during the 7th National Rifle Association (NRA) World Action Pistol Championships held in Sydney, Australia.

Competing in the Open Division, Koenig dominated the field of international competitors by shooting perfect scores and X-Ring hits on three out of the four stages of fire while in route to his new world record score of 1920-188x. Joining Koenig in Australia for this year’s match were Smith & Wesson Champions Jerry Miculek and Julie Golob along with junior shooter Molly Smith.

Utilizing the same courses of fire as the NRA Bianchi Cup, the World Action Pistol Championships consist of four separate matches with fixed times on every string of fire. Over the course of the three-day match, individuals compete in the Practical Event (with shots fired from 10 yards to 50 yards); Barricade Event (shots taken from behind “cover”); Falling Plate Event (banks of six, 8″ falling plates); and the Moving Target Event (shots fired at a moving target exposed for just 6 seconds). Each event is worth 480 points with 48 X’s and the aggregate score of each competitor is used to determine the final standings.

“While the courses of fire are similar to the Bianchi, that’s about where the comparison ends,” said Champion Shooter Doug Koenig. “At least for me, everything is a little more extreme when competing overseas. From the preparation to the travel to the time difference and even when it comes to just communicating with your family, international competitions require shooters to make a lot of adjustments both mentally and physically.”

Despite dealing with the rigors of international travel, Koenig has enjoyed continued success at the World Action Pistol Championships, taking home titles in 2008, 2004 and 1999. With wins already secure from this year’s Bianchi Cup, Sportsman’s Team Challenge and Masters International Championship, Koenig entered the event looking to add one more title to what has been an extremely successful 2010 season.

Competing with his trusted Smith & Wesson 1911 DK pistol in .38 Super, Koenig was able to overcome stiff competition and less than ideal weather conditions to take home the title.

When asked about maintaining his equipment during international travel and over the course of the season, Koenig spoke highly of his various sponsors and was also quick to give credit to the firearm that helped him secure his most recent world record.

“It’s hard to explain the relationship between a competitor and his or her own firearm, because in each case the circumstances are different,” said Koenig.

“Over the years, I’ve been able to work directly with the Performance Center at Smith & Wesson and as a result, the 1911DK has all of the features I prefer. Though the gun I compete with in Action Pistol is highly customized for the Open Division, one of my goals from the beginning was to help design a firearm that your everyday shooter could take right out of the box and start competing with. This pistol allows anyone to do just that and of course the confidence I have in my own personal rig is immeasurable.”

While Koenig raced past the competition in pursuit of his Gold medal, Team Smith & Wesson also benefited from appearances by Jerry Miculek, Julie Golob and Molly Smith. Accounting for half of Team USA at the World Action Pistol Championships, Team Captain Julie Golob’s and Doug Koenig’s scores contributed to Team USA winning both the Open and Ladies Team World Titles. Elsewhere, competing in the Metallic Division, renowned shooter Jerry Miculek secured a 2nd place standing competing with his Smith & Wesson Model 627.

And last but certainly not least, 13 year-old Molly Smith continued to make her presence known in the shooting world by finishing an impressive 3rd place in the Junior Division shooting her Smith & Wesson Model 627 revolver. Competing in her first international match with shooters up to the age of 21, Molly proved once again that age isn’t everything by adding another trophy to her blossoming list of accomplishments.

About Smith & Wesson
Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation (NASDAQ: SWHC) is a U.S.-based, global provider of products and services for safety, security, protection and sport. The company designs and constructs facility perimeter security solutions for military and commercial applications, and delivers a broad portfolio of firearms and related training to the military, law enforcement and sports markets. SWHC companies include Smith & Wesson Corp., the globally recognized manufacturer of quality firearms; Universal Safety Response, a full-service perimeter security integrator, barrier manufacturer and installer; and Thompson/Center Arms Company, Inc., a premier designer and manufacturer of premium hunting firearms. SWHC facilities are located in Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, and Tennessee. For more information on Smith & Wesson and its companies, call (800) 331-0852 or log on to www.smith-wesson.com; www.usrgrab.com; or www.tcarms.com.

Boone and Crockett Club

MISSOULA, Mont.--(Ammoland.com)- Paul T. Deuling of Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, has received the Sagamore Hill Award, the highest honor given a hunter by the Boone and Crockett Club.

Deuling received the award, named for the New York home of Theodore Roosevelt, for taking a World’s Record mountain caribou in a hunt that exemplifies the sporting values that Roosevelt championed–fair chase, self-reliance, perseverance, selective hunting, and mastery of challenges.

Roosevelt founded Boone and Crockett Club in 1887 to help uphold these standards.

Deuling spotted the huge caribou during a 1988 solo hunt for Dall’s sheep in the Pelly Mountains of Yukon Territory. He had backpacked six miles across two shallow valleys and a range of hills, all choked with thick, tangled brush. After setting up camp, Deuling climbed a ridge to glass for sheep when he spotted the magnificent bull with a single cow.

Deuling later recounted the bull “appeared to have a black oak tree growing from its head.” A meticulous stalk and 10-yard shot with his .270 ended the hunt but began a grueling five-day meat-packing ordeal that would make Deuling temporarily regret his decision to take the trophy.

Eldon Buckner, chairman of the Boone and Crockett Club’s Records of North American Big Game Committee, said, “A Yukon game officer told me that Paul was the only person he knew who would have tackled that job, as the area where Paul killed his caribou is extremely tough country to get around in.”

Buckner added, “Along with being a hunter of the highest ethics, Paul also is an extremely modest man. It’s a story in itself, but he was finally persuaded to strip the hardened velvet from the antlers and have the caribou measured.”

New World's Record Mountain Caribou

When Deuling took his trophy to a Boone and Crockett Club official measurer to tape the antlers, they scored 459-3/8–more than 7 inches larger than the next largest mountain caribou in the Club’s records book.

For all potential new World’s Records, the Club requires score verification by a Boone and Crockett judges panel. However, years passed before Deuling shipped the antlers to complete this process. His trophy was included in a special public exhibition held in June as part of the Club’s triennial 27th Big Game Awards celebration in Reno, Nev. There, a judges panel verified the final score and confirmed the trophy as a new World’s Record, and Deuling was honored with the Sagamore Hill Award.

The award was created in 1948 in memory of Theodore Roosevelt, Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., and Kermit Roosevelt to honor outstanding trophies worthy of great distinction. Only one award may be given in any three-year period, but the actual frequency has been even less often. Deuling is only the 17th recipient of a Sagamore Hill Award.

About the Boone and Crockett Club
Founded by Theodore Roosevelt in 1887, the Boone and Crockett Club promotes guardianship and visionary management of big game and associated wildlife in North America. The Club maintains the highest standards of fair-chase sportsmanship and habitat stewardship. Member accomplishments include enlarging and protecting Yellowstone and establishing Glacier and Denali national parks, founding the U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service and National Wildlife Refuge System, fostering the Pittman-Robertson and Lacey Acts, creating the Federal Duck Stamp program, and developing the cornerstones of modern game laws. The Boone and Crockett Club is headquartered in Missoula, Mont. For details, visit www.boone-crockett.org.

THOR Global Defense Group

Fort Smith, AR --(Ammoland.com)- This Free Firearm Log Book from THOR Global Defense Group is a pre-made printable log book to keep with your firearms.

Keeping good records with your firearms and of your shots will aid in the maintenance and upkeep of your weapon, as well as add to it’s resale value.

Leave your own comments on any maintenance performed, regular cleaning or general notes in the “remarks” section on each line item.

Two parts Include:

• One document serves as a cover page for your weapon. Printable in PDF format
• The second document serves as a page in your weapon log book. Print as many as necessary and number pages appropriately. Printable in PDF format.

THOR Firearms Log Book Cover

THOR Firearms Log Book Inside Page

About:
THOR Global Defense Group produces a top quality line of rifles for commercial, law enforcement, government and military use. Please make a selection from the menu for more information. Visit: www.THORRifles.com

Largest Bull Elk Ever Taken on Film Exclusively on Sportsman Channel

Sportsman Channel

New Berlin, WI --(Ammoland.com)- Imagine seeing one of the largest elk racks in recorded history walk out of the thick brush and into close rifle range.

Now imagine that you have a film crew from one of the top hunting shows on television on-site as you get ready to place your shot.

That is exactly the dream scenario John Koster lived in real life on Arizona’s Hualapai Indian Reservation last fall. Watch this history-making hunt next week on Christensen Outdoors TV, beginning Tuesday, August 24 at 9:30 p.m. ET, with re-airs Friday at 12:30 a.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m., exclusively on Sportsman Channel.

The elk scored an astonishing 478 5/8 points, good for the #3 SCI world-ranking for a free-ranging, non-typical bull elk. To watch a sneak peak of the show, visit Sportsman Channel’s Facebook page at http://facebook.com/sportsmanchannel.

“As the leader in outdoor TV for the American sportsman, Sportsman Channel is proud to bring this riveting hunting story, as well as absolutely spectacular bull elk to our viewing audience,” said Gavin Harvey, CEO of Sportsman Channel.

“And as hunters, we applaud our friends at Christensen Outdoors for being there with John to capture this achievement with their high-quality and up-close video footage. It’s a thrilling outdoor adventure to watch unfold.”

Early in the hunt, Koster spotted a magnificent 7×7 bull, estimated as a 400-class animal, during a spot-and-stalk with a guide from Double D Outfitters.

“That bull had a ‘six pack’ for a front and everything else we were looking for. I wanted that bull,” said Koster in an article he wrote about the hunt titled “478 Arizona Monster” for Christensen’s Hunting Illustrated.

Hoping to get a shot at the 7×7, the pair settled into the same spot the next morning. Instead of that trophy, however, a different bull walked on the scene, toting a massive split-beam rack in full velvet.

“For some reason, I delayed (when I first saw him). Maybe it was that strange split that had me mesmerized…or that he was the biggest bull I’ve ever seen…but I almost blew the chance of a lifetime,” Koster wrote.

Koster got his bull of a lifetime and, thanks to the videographer, will always be able to back up his story.

“I would strongly recommend the Hualapai Indian Reservation for anyone interested in beautiful elk county, good people and some of the largest bull elk in North America,” Koster said in the article.

Christensen Outdoors, with host John Mogle, leads viewers around the world, into the serene wilderness with action-packed adventures that we’ve all come to love as hunting enthusiasts. Specializing in, but not limited to western big game, Christensen Outdoors has been the ideal source for fast-paced quality outdoor entertainment for the past 10 years.

About Sportsman Channel:

Launched in 2003, Sportsman Channel is the only television and digital media company fully devoted to the more than 82 million sportsmen in the United States, delivering entertaining and educational programming focused exclusively on hunting, shooting and fishing activities. Sportsman Channel is now available in HD, check with your local cable or satellite provider. Acquired by InterMedia Outdoors Holdings in 2006, Sportsman Channel reaches 27 million U.S. television households and is a part of the nation’s largest multimedia company targeted exclusively to serving the information and entertainment needs of outdoors enthusiasts.Visit www.thesportsmanchannel.com, follow on Twitter, @SPORTSMANchnl (www.twitter.com/SPORTSMANchnl), become a Fan on Facebook, www.facebook.com/sportsmanchannel and download Sportsman App at www.itunes.com/appstore

Revision Shooter Max Michel Set To Break Records With Two Recent USPSA Area Match Wins

Revision Eyewear

Essex Junction, VT --(Ammoland.com)- Max Michel, champion shooter for Revision Eyewear, won his fifth and sixth United States Practical Shooting Association (USPSA) Area Championships for the 2010 competitive season this past weekend in his bid to become the first pro shooter in history to win all eight in a single year.

Michel won the Open Division title at the Area 7 Championships, held in Fulton, NY on August 5th – 8th, 2010 and took home the Open Division title at the 2010 Hornady Area 3 Championship Match, held in Grand Island, NE, August 6th – 8th, 2010.

“The 2010 season is turning out to be a great year for me,” commented Max. On the possibility of winning all 8 USPSA Area Championships this year, Michel responded,

“While I am aware that I have a shot at making history, I am focusing more on the task at hand rather than the end result. I will have the rest of my life to reflect on personal accomplishments but I must remain focused on the present to do so.”

Michel’s next competition is the Steel Challenge World Speed Shooting Championship in Piru, CA on August 19th – 21st, 2010.

ABOUT MAX MICHEL
In 2010, world champion shooter Max Michel joined forces with Revision Eyewear in a partnership founded on mutual performance excellence. At age 28 Max Michel is a legend within the world of competitive shooting. A three-time IPSC World Speed Shooting Champion, five-time USPSA National Champion, and two-time US National Steel Champion, Max is a dominant force in the pistol shooting sports. Born and raised in New Orleans, Max joined the famed U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU) Action Pistol Team in 1999 where he served for 10 years as an Army shooter and trainer. Today, Max is recognized worldwide as a top tier athlete in the practical shooting sports and Revision is proud to be Max’s eyepro brand of choice – both on the range and off.

• Follow Max Michel on Twitter at http://twitter.com/Max_Michel.
• Become a fan of Max Michel on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/maxmichel.us.

ABOUT REVISION
Revision develops and delivers purpose-built eye and face protection solutions for military and tactical clients worldwide. We are specialists in integration for the optimum and necessary balance of protection and performance. To that end, we bring the most advanced expertise, state-of-the-art facilities and finest technical minds. Clients include the U.S. Department of Defense, the Canadian Department of National Defence, the Netherlands Defence Materiel Organization, the Swiss Federal Department of Defence and the UK Ministry of Defence. Privately owned and ISO 9001:2008 certified, Revision’s operational headquarters is located in Essex Junction, Vermont, USA, with additional offices in the UK, Germany and Canada. For more information, visit www.revisioneyewear.com, write info@revisioneyewear.com, or call +1 603-436-1748.

Become a fan of Revision Eyewear on Facebook. For every 50 new fans, Revision proudly donates one set of eyewear to deployed troops.

World champion shooter Max Michel wears the Revision Sawfly Eyewear System in competition and in training.

Boone and Crockett Club

MISSOULA, Mont.--(Ammoland.com)- The Boone and Crockett Club is now receiving four times more trophy entries than 30 years ago, and Theodore Roosevelt’s great, great grandson says hunters who reach this apex are notable beneficiaries of historic conservation successes.

Further, the TR descendant says trophy record holders are perfectly positioned to help keep hunters at the forefront of America’s resurging conservation movement.

Simon Roosevelt, whose great, great grandfather was the 26th President of the United States, legendary sportsman, consummate conservationist and founder of the Boone and Crockett Club, delivered the remarks as part of his keynote address at the Club’s recent 27th Big Game Awards in Reno, Nev.

Roosevelt said all hunters share a legacy with early Club members who developed the hunter-funded, science-based system that helped to recover that era’s devastated wildlife and habitat. That system remains the lifeblood of conservation still today. But those who achieve special status within the hunting community have a chance to join TR and his contemporaries in accomplishing “something even more important—more crucial for the long-term success of conservation—that is, fundamentally changing the way Americans think,” he said.

Although 80 percent of U.S. citizens now live in cities, they understand the importance of natural resources and sustainable use, says Roosevelt, but, “What they don’t understand is how we as hunters fit, or maybe better said, that we fit, and why we’re important. If we fail to get this message across, we will continue to lose hunters and hunting access, and ‘hunting’ may well come to mean nothing more than high-fence farms and park culling.”

Boone and Crockett record holders openly communicating who they are, what they do and their love of doing it—even when they don’t take an animal—will lead to greater public support of hunting, says Roosevelt. And that, in turn, will spur more resources for today’s conservation challenges: climate change, habitat loss and fragmentation, and diseases.

Roosevelt’s speech was a highlight of the triennial Boone and Crockett Club event held June 24-26 at Reno’s Grand Sierra Resort.

Other highlights included:

• • A free public showing of world-class antlers, horns and mounted specimens from across North America, all taken in the past three years.
• • A special display and recognition of Boone and Crockett-class trophies taken by hunters age 16 and under in 36 categories of native North American big game.
• • A variety of seminars and exhibits.

• Celebrations of the Boone and Crockett Club’s significant support for the science, ethics and habitat that sustain hunting and, therefore, conservation.

“Almost 125 years after TR organized Boone and Crockett Club, and more than 100 years after we launched a records program to capture details on species once considered bound for extinction, our triennial awards event remains relevant to the future of conservation,” said Tony Schoonen, chief of staff for the Club. “This is our way of doing exactly what Simon Roosevelt urged all of us to do—share with the public our love of hunting and connections to conservation.”

Sponsors of the Boone and Crockett Club 27th Big Game Awards included Boyt Harness Company, Buck Knives, Cabela’s, Dallas Safari Club, Eastman’s Hunting Journal, Federal/ATK, Hornady Manufacturing, Intermedia Outdoors, Leupold & Stevens, Mule Deer Foundation, Nikon Hunting Optics, Pope & Young Club, Remington Arms and Ammunition, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Trijicon and Wild Sheep Foundation.

About the Boone and Crockett Club
Founded by Theodore Roosevelt in 1887, the Boone and Crockett Club promotes guardianship and visionary management of big game and associated wildlife in North America. The Club maintains the highest standards of fair-chase sportsmanship and habitat stewardship. Member accomplishments include enlarging and protecting Yellowstone and establishing Glacier and Denali national parks, founding the U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service and National Wildlife Refuge System, fostering the Pittman-Robertson and Lacey Acts, creating the Federal Duck Stamp program, and developing the cornerstones of modern game laws. The Boone and Crockett Club is headquartered in Missoula, Mont. For details, visit www.boone-crockett.org.

Vermont’s Biggest Animals Ever To Be Displayed

Outdoors Magazine

Vermont --(AmmoLand.com)- The 2nd Annual Vermont Big Game Awards Show and Banquet, sponsored by Outdoors Magazine (www.outdoorsmagazine.net) will be kicking off Saturday, June 26, at the Elks Club in Montpelier. Trophy Show hours are from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. The Awards Banquet begins at 4:30 p.m.

“Last year it was remarkable to be in a venue filled with tremendous animals that were all harvested in my native state,” said Kyle Scanlon, the editor of Outdoors Magazine.

“Let’s face it, Vermont is not known as a big-buck state, but to see all those heads together … well … it was just something I never thought I would ever see.”

By all reports the second show promises to be even better than the first with dozens of heads on display. Over the past year the VTBGTC has made some tremendous discoveries, and three different 180-inch whitetails all harvested in Vermont will be at the show. These heads have never been displayed anywhere publicly before.

Whitetail lovers will also enjoy seeing some of the best bucks from 2009, as well as a few potential Boone and Crockett heads harvested in the 1940s that will be scored at the show for the first time. In addition, several old favorites will be on hand including the Drew buck, which was just remounted by Bragg’s Taxidermy for the club.

A fine selection of Boone and Crockett moose heads will also be on hand, including Vermont’s current state record. In addition, several bear skulls and mounts will be displayed. The highlight of this category is the Clogston bear that was killed in Coventry, Vt. in 2009 and has set the new Vermont record in terms of skull score.

Those who have previously had a Vermont trophy scored are invited to bring it for display during the competition. Raffles and games will be available for attendees throughout the day.

Immediately following the show will be the awards banquet. A few tickets are still available. Call Curtis Smiley at (802) 849-2986. The cost is $25 per ticket.

Taxidermy on Display
The brand new Vermont Taxidermy Classic will be run as part of the VTBGTC Awards Show. In addition to a room full of Vermont trophy animals, some of the region’s premier taxidermists will be displaying their best work. For more information, visit www.vermontbiggametrophyclub.com.

Mossy Oak's Perry Peterson Takes Second Largest Eastern Gobbler On Record

Mossy Oak

Iowa --(Ammoland.com)- Perry Peterson, Mossy Oak Regional Pro Staff Manager, took the second largest eastern subspecies of turkey on the last day of the Iowa spring season.

The huge gobbler scored an impressive 94.406 and is the #1 bird ever taken in Iowa and #2 overall. The bird weighed 26 pounds and 2.5 oz.

It had an unbelievable 13.5 inch beard and 2.0625 spurs. Peterson took the bird near his home in Manchester, Iowa.

Boone and Crockett Club

MISSOULA, Mont. --(Ammoland.com)- A celebration of conservation, hunting and extraordinary big game trophies is set for June 24-26, 2010, at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nev. Hosted by the Boone and Crockett Club, the event is a free public exhibition of world-class antlers, horns and mounted specimens from across North America.

Free attractions include displays of Top 5 trophies taken during the past three years, along with Boone and Crockett-class trophies taken by hunters age 16 and under, in 36 categories of native North American big game, plus a variety of seminars and exhibits.

Registered attendees also can enjoy raffles, an auction featuring hunts in top trophy regions across the continent and evening awards banquets and presentations.

More information on this triennial event, the Boone and Crockett Club 27th Big Game Awards, is available at www.biggameawards.com.

“This tradition dates back to 1947. That’s when Boone and Crockett Club began inviting the public to see the trophies that we honor as symbols of the world’s most successful model for wildlife conservation,” said Eldon Buckner, chairman of the Club’s Records of North American Big Game Committee.

“The exciting fact is that we are receiving four times the trophy entries that we received 30 years ago. This means wild, free ranging, trophy class animals are more plentiful today than ever before. And that is a tribute to those who manage our wildlife and the sportsmen who participate in that management,” added Buckner.

The Boone and Crockett system of scoring big game trophies originated in 1906 as means of recording details on species thought to be disappearing because of rampant habitat loss and unregulated hunting. Science-based conservation efforts led and funded by license-buying hunters brought those species from vanishing to flourishing.

Major outdoor news outlets are picking up on this conservation success story. InterMedia Outdoors, which owns Sportsman Channel and several publications including Petersen’s Hunting, is the Boone and Crockett Club’s media partner for the event.

“InterMedia Outdoors is proud to be a part of this story about conservation success and history,” said Jeff Paro, president of InterMedia. “We want to make sure our audience of avid sportsmen and women know about this celebration and the critical role they have played in the most successful wildlife management system in the world.”

Boone and Crockett records remain a classic gauge of habitat and management programs.

In addition to its prestigious history and tradition, the Boone and Crockett scoring system is strongly associated with the highest tenets of fair chase and hunting ethics.

About the Boone and Crockett Club
Founded by Theodore Roosevelt in 1887, the Boone and Crockett Club promotes guardianship and visionary management of big game and associated wildlife in North America. The Club maintains the highest standards of fair-chase sportsmanship and habitat stewardship. Member accomplishments include enlarging and protecting Yellowstone and establishing Glacier and Denali national parks, founding the U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service and National Wildlife Refuge System, fostering the Pittman-Robertson and Lacey Acts, creating the Federal Duck Stamp program, and developing the cornerstones of modern game laws. The Boone and Crockett Club is headquartered in Missoula, Mont. For details, visit www.boone-crockett.org.

Team SIG Shooter Max Michel

SIG SAUER

Exeter, NH --(AmmoLand.com)- Team SIG Champion Shooter, Max Michel, narrowly missed first place at the US National Steel Championship, held in Titusville, FL, from March 24 through the 29th.

In its 4th year of being held at the Titusville Rifle & Pistol Club, the US National Steel Championship has quickly developed a reputation as being one of the premier shooting competitions in the country.

Michel was behind by 2 seconds going into the last stage and broke the record on “Outer Limits” while under pressure with 11.11 seconds. Max broke his second record of the day during the “Pendulum” stage when he shot 9.29 seconds. He came in second place overall, only .01 seconds behind west coast shooter K.C. Eusebio, who placed first in Open Division for 2010.

Max Michel and Eusebio both shattered the old Open Division match record score of 80.09. That record was set by Eusebio during the 2007 competition. This year Michel shot 78.02, only to be bested by Eusebio who retained his title of Match Record Holder by shooting a 78.01, beating out Michel for the top spot and title by .01 of a second.

“The competition was strong this year,” Max Michel commented. “To enter the last stage with 2 seconds behind Eusebio and to come back to place second by .01 seconds is not an easy feat to do, but when you are using a gun like a SIG, it sure does help.”

Max Michel’s next competition is the Area 6 Championship in Covington, Georgia on April 16-18, 2010.

• To follow Max Michel and Team SIG, click on www.sigsauer.com/TeamSig/MaxMichel.aspx.
• Follow Max Michel on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Max_Michel.

For more information on SIG SAUER, or any of its products, visit www.sigsauer.com.

About Max Michel:
Max Michel first gained prominence in the competitive shooting arena with five USPSA® National Championships beginning in 2004 and three World Speed Shooting Championships in 2005, 2007 and 2009. Max has completed nearly 30 USPSA Area Championships and, as a representative of the United States, Max has competed in the last three International Practical Shooting Confederation® (IPSC) World Shoots, returning home with team gold medals. Max was a top recruit for the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU) from 1999 to 2009 and has been an active Army shooter and trainer. Max was also the Military Coach of the Action Pistol Team. Max Michel is currently the SIG SAUER Manager of Competitive Shooting Activities.

About SIG SAUER, Inc.
SIG SAUER, Inc. is the largest member of a worldwide business group of firearms manufacturers that includes J.P. Sauer & Sohn and Blaser GmbH in Germany and Swiss Arms AG in Switzerland. This global network of companies gives SIG SAUER a world-class firearms knowledge base, unparalleled design expertise, and extensive manufacturing capacity, enabling the company to respond quickly and effectively to changing market conditions and the needs of its military, law enforcement, and commercial markets worldwide. SIG SAUER is an ISO 9001: 2000 certified company with approximately 386 employees. For more information on SIG SAUER or any of its products, or the SIG SAUER Academy, log on to www.sigsauer.com.

Anchorpoint

LELAND, NC --(AmmoLand.com)- Trophy Score, an iPhone and iPod Touch application for scoring big game animals, is the first mobile application to be approved by Safari Club International.

Trophy Score is available worldwide in the iTunes App Store for $2.99 (US) and through the use of official SCI methods and diagrams, assists hunters through the process of scoring aoudad, cape buffalo, six subspecies of caribou, four subspecies of eland, kudu, pronghorn antelope and four subspecies of turkey.

Trophy Score iPhone and iPod Touch Application

Once scored, trophies are synchronized to the world’s only no-minimum record book at AnchorpointOutdoors.com.

“Not every hunter will get a world record, but their personal best may be pretty darn good,” says Trophy Score developer and Doubletough Ventures, Inc. President Chip Hunnicutt.

Trophy Score is the top-rated iPhone application for scoring big game using methods for scoring according to Boone and Crockett, Pope and Young and SCI. Once a method is selected, the hunter then chooses a species to score.

In addition to the species available through the SCI scoring method, hunters may also score typical and non-typical elk, whitetail and mule deer, four subspecies of bear, and three subspecies of moose.

“No app comes close to the detail we put into Trophy Score. The custom keypad with a dedicated 1/8 key for handling fractions, the ability to add a photo and syncing to the Anchorpoint Trophy Room are key differentiators,” said Hunnicutt.

Doubletough Ventures, Inc. has provided consulting services and solutions in online advertising, marketing, audio/video podcasting products and website design. Trophy Score and Anchorpoint were developed by Doubletough Ventures to enhance the hunting experience. For more information, please visit www.AnchorpointOutdoors.com.

67 successful youths will be recognized at the Club’s 27th Big Game Awards, June 24-26, 2010, at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nev.

Boone and Crockett Club

MISSOULA, Mont – -(AmmoLand.com)- Young hunters age 16 and under have taken 67 Boone and Crockett qualifying trophies over the past three years.

Each will be listed in the triennial Boone and Crockett Club 27th Big Game Awards book due out later this year. Included among the youth trophies are a massive Alaska brown bear and the largest non-typical mule deer recorded in 36 years, both of which are Top 5 specimens in their respective categories for the awards period.

All 67 successful youths will be recognized at the Club’s 27th Big Game Awards, June 24-26, 2010, at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nev.

The event is a celebration of conservation successes featuring a free public exhibition of world-class antlers, horns and mounted specimens from across North America. Hunters who have taken Top 5 specimens in 36 categories of native North American big game during the past three years are invited to participate in the exhibit, alongside the youths.

“At this year’s ceremony, for the first time ever, we’re honoring young hunters who’ve taken a Boone and Crockett-class trophy during the past three years,” said Eldon Buckner, chairman of the Club’s Records of North American Big Game Committee. “It’s gratifying to see youths, both boys and girls, broadly represented across big game categories.”

The 67 trophies by hunters 16 and under include:

• Alaska brown bear—2 entries (minimum score 26, top score 29-1/16)
• Bighorn sheep—3 entries (minimum score 175, top score 190)
• Black bear—8 entries (minimum score 20, top score 21-9/16)
• Columbia blacktail deer, typical—2 entries (minimum score 125, top score 135-6/8)
• Cougar—3 entries (minimum score 14-8/16, top score 15-8/16)
• Musk ox—2 entries (minimum score 105, top score 110)
• Pronghorn—5 entries (minimum score 80, top score 88)
• Rocky Mountain goat—3 entries (minimum score 47, top score 53)
• Roosevelt’s elk—2 entries (minimum score 275, top score 326-7/8)
• Mule deer, non-typical—1 entry (minimum score 215, top score 242-4/8)
• Mule deer, typical—4 entries (minimum score 180, top score 191-4/8)
• Whitetail deer, non-typical—15 entries (minimum score 185, top score 240-5/8)
• Whitetail deer, typical—17 entries (minimum score 160, top score 174-4/8)

Young hunters claimed 2.2 percent of all the trophies entered into Boone and Crockett records during the Club’s 27th awards period.

“We’ve accepted almost 5,000 total trophy entries between Jan. 1, 2007, and Dec. 31, 2009, which is four times the number we received 30 years ago. Clearly, wild, free-ranging, trophy class animals are more plentiful today than ever. That’s a tribute to those wildlife managers and sportsmen—including the young hunters—who participate in that management,” added Buckner.

The Boone and Crockett system of scoring big game trophies originated in 1902 as means of recording details on species thought to be disappearing because of rampant habitat loss and unregulated harvest. Science-based conservation efforts led and funded by license-buying hunters brought those species from vanishing to flourishing.

Scoring records remain a classic gauge of habitat and management programs. In addition to its prestigious history and tradition, the Boone and Crockett Club’s scoring system is strongly associated with the highest tenets of fair chase and hunting ethics.

Along with celebrating conservation and hunting, the Club’s 27th Big Game Awards is also a fundraiser for the Club’s mission programs. Registered attendees also can enjoy raffles, an auction featuring hunts in top trophy regions across the continent and the 27th Awards Banquet and ceremony on June 26.

InterMedia Outdoors, which owns Sportsman Channel and several publications including Petersen’s Hunting, is the Boone and Crockett Club’s media partner for the event.

For registration and more event information, visit www.biggameawards.com.

About the Boone and Crockett Club
Founded by Theodore Roosevelt in 1887, the Boone and Crockett Club promotes guardianship and visionary management of big game and associated wildlife in North America. The Club maintains the highest standards of fair-chase sportsmanship and habitat stewardship. Member accomplishments include enlarging and protecting Yellowstone and establishing Glacier and Denali national parks, founding the U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service and National Wildlife Refuge System, fostering the Pittman-Robertson and Lacey Acts, creating the Federal Duck Stamp program, and developing the cornerstones of modern game laws. The Boone and Crockett Club is headquartered in Missoula, Mont. For details, visit www.boone-crockett.org.

Maryland Department of Natural Resources

Annapolis, MD --(AmmoLand.com)- Maryland deer hunters harvested over 100,000 deer for the second time since modern deer management began in the early 1900s.

Surpassing this numerical milestone is consistent with the Department’s goals to reduce or stabilize deer numbers in most of the state. The record 100,663 deer taken during the 2009-2010 deer season barely surpassed the previous record of 100,437 deer set last year.

Hunters reported 33,761 antlered deer (1,115 sika deer) for the 2009-2010 season, a three percent decrease from last year. In contrast, the antlerless harvest increased two percent to 66,902 deer (1,267 sika deer) this year.

“Our survey information confirms that deer hunters have spent more time in the woods over the past two seasons, a trend we attribute in part to the slow economy,” said DNR Deer Project Leader Brian Eyler. “The increased effort has resulted in more healthy and sustainable venison being put in the freezer and is consistent with our efforts to manage the deer population.”

In Deer Management Region A (Garrett and Allegany counties), hunters reported 9,430 deer this year, a five percent decrease from the 2008-2009 total. The antlered harvest decreased eight percent to 4,964 deer this year, while the antlerless harvest of 4,466 deer was down one percent. Region A hunters continue to harvest good numbers of antlerless deer due to the additional day of antlerless firearm hunting on private lands that was added in 2008. The extra day was provided at the request of landowners in the region who wanted more opportunities to effectively manage deer numbers on their land.

The reported deer harvest in the remainder of the state (Region B) was relatively consistent for most counties. Hunters in Region B reported taking 91,233 deer for the year. The antlered harvest of 28,797 deer was two percent lower than last year, while the antlerless harvest increased two percent to 62,436 deer. Washington County once again led the harvest totals with 8,587 deer, followed by Frederick County with 8,447 and Baltimore County with 6,752 deer.

The deer harvest in Maryland’s suburban counties (Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Howard, Montgomery, and Prince George’s counties) continues to be strong. Hunters in these counties reported 21,231 deer for 2009-2010; up one percent over last year. DNR has liberalized antlerless harvest regulations in these counties in an effort to address the impacts that high deer populations have on Maryland’s suburban landscape and residents.

“Controlling the deer population in the suburban areas of the state is a challenging task. Fortunately, Maryland’s hunters have taken advantage of the liberalized antlerless deer hunting opportunities in these areas,” said Wildlife and Heritage Service Director Paul Peditto. “Without their efforts, deer management in the suburban areas would be much more difficult.”

Deer harvest results by county are available here.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR), which celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2009, is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages more than 467,000 acres of public lands and 17,000 miles of waterways, along with Maryland’s forests, fisheries, and wildlife for maximum environmental, economic and quality of life benefits. A national leader in land conservation, DNR-managed parks and natural, historic, and cultural resources attract 12 million visitors annually. DNR is the lead agency in Maryland’s effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, the state’s number one environmental priority. Learn more at www.dnr.maryland.gov

Kentucky Non-Typical Bull Elk Record: New state record certified for bull elk with non-typical antlers; taken on public access land.

Kentucky Department Fish Wildlife

FRANKFORT, KY. –-(AmmoLand.com)- Kentucky has a new state record for a bull elk with non-typical antlers.

Harrodsburg resident Terrell Royalty’s 7×7 elk scored 372 6/8 in the Boone and Crockett Club scoring system, besting the old record of 367 7/8 taken in Harlan County in 2008. Royalty took his record elk from a wildlife management area in Knott County on Oct. 4, 2009.

“This new state record shows the quality elk hunting we have on our public lands,” said Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources Commissioner Jon Gassett. “In addition to the great elk hunting on private lands, Kentucky boasts world-class elk hunting on public lands as well.”

A non-typical rack means the tines are not located in a typical location. Royalty’s elk had seven tines each on either side of its rack. The score is the totaled measurements of the main beams, tines, width and mass. The trophy could not be officially scored until after a 60-day drying period.

“I’ve hunted all of my life, I’ve had buck fever and all, but this bull was by far the biggest adrenaline rush of my life,” said Royalty, 52. “Once it hit the ground, I felt like I was being stabbed with a million needles and it lasted two or three hours. I was almost in shock.”

Royalty said he scouted the area with help from his friend Paul Moore, who participated in the 2008 cow elk hunt. “We started scouting well before the hunt and found this bull,” Royalty said. “Paul and I grew up together, and he helped me a bunch.”

The first week of the 2009 bull elk season started Saturday, Oct. 3. Royalty’s hunt proved fruitless for a day and half. Then, about 2 p.m. Sunday, Royalty, who was hunting with his best friend, Brad Smith, and guide Bob Hunter, heard a bugle.

“After we heard that bugle, we moved to get out front and downwind,” he said. “We tracked and tracked to stay out in front of this bull. About 5 p.m. or so, a cow calf came out and we cow called back and forth. Then, the one cow calf turned into about nine. The cows came out in twos and got older and bigger as they came out.”

The trophy bull then appeared in the clearing around 6 p.m. and bugled at another bull in the distance.

“He turned broadside and everything was perfect,” Royalty said. “It took 15 minutes to get the right angle on him.”

Royalty, who estimated that he was 340 yards away from the bull, aimed his .300 Winchester Short Magnum rifle and shot only once.

Tina Brunjes, big game coordinator for Kentucky Fish and Wildlife, was not surprised to learn the record had been broken.

“Kentucky continues to produce new state records with regularity,” she said. “Each year drawn hunters can reasonably expect a chance to beat the state record.”

Applications for this year’s hunt are now on sale online at fw.ky.gov, the official Web site of Kentucky Fish and Wildlife. It costs $10 to apply, and a hunter may apply only once. The drawing for the elk quota hunt is open to residents and non-residents. The deadline to apply for this year’s hunt is April 30.

Ohio Department Natural Resources

DAYTON, OHIO –-(AmmoLand.com)- The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife announced that another record-setting deer has been harvested in southwestern Ohio.

On Saturday, January 30, the 18-point non-typical (non-symmetrical antlered) deer, taken by Brian Stephens on November 30, 2009 with a muzzleloader in Highland County, was officially scored.

Brian Stephens, with friends and family by his side, excitedly awaited the official score Saturday morning in Xenia. The buck was scored by Mike Wendel, David Haney and Ron Perrine, certified scorers with Buckeye Big Bucks Club (BBBC). Gary Trent, BBBC president, announced the score as 232 5/8, which certified it as the new state record.

The Highland County deer is the largest non-typical rack ever taken with a muzzleloader in Ohio history, beating out the 2004 record of 225. The 35 1/8 inch left main beam is a Boone and Crockett largest ever recorded and the right main bean measured an impressive 34 1/8 inches.

Marty Murphy of the National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association said the score will be recognized as the largest ever in Ohio according to the association’s Longhunter Big Game Record Book.

This magnificent animal will also be a record for World Classics in the men’s muzzleloading category, according to Dan Stapleton. The World Classics scoring system does not include deductions and the main beam outside spread measurement is added. Under these scoring criteria Stephens’ buck scores 252 0/8.

“Deer hunting in Ohio continues to prove to be world-class,” said Todd Haines, ODNR Division of Wildlife District Five manager. “We are seeing the benefits of a successful whitetail deer management program.”

Brian Stephens’ deer is one more to add to Ohio’s record books. In the last decade, southwest Ohio has been the setting for numerous records including:

The Beatty buck, harvested in Greene County in the fall of 2000 by Mike Beatty, holds the record for non-typical at 304 6/8 and currently ranks as the number one non-typical buck in Ohio, the largest non-typical whitetail deer ever taken by a bow hunter.

A typical white-tailed deer killed by Brad Jerman in 2004 in Warren County, known as the Jerman buck, became an Ohio record with a score of 201 1/8.

In 2006 a world-class buck was harvested by Jonathan Schmucker in Adams County. The deer was scored at 34-point non-typical, 291 2/8 Boone and Crockett and 305 7/8 World Classics.
Also in 2006 the Metzner buck, harvested by Justin Metzner, scored 196 6/8 which positioned it to be the second largest deer harvested with a compound bow in Ohio; the fifth largest typical deer taken in the world in the Pope and Young record book; and Buckmaster’s seventh all-time typical white-tailed deer harvested with a compound bow.

“When we are continually in the record books with large non-typical and typical whitetails harvested Ohio, we attract the attention of hunters that might have hunted in another state,” said Haines. “The hunters staying and coming into Ohio is a boost to our economy. Each year, hunting has an $859 million economic impact in Ohio through the sale of equipment, fuel, food and lodging as well as supporting thousands of jobs.”

Ohio’s first modern day deer-gun season opened in 1943 in three counties; hunters harvested 168 deer. By 1956, deer hunting was allowed in all 88 counties; hunters killed 3,911 deer during that one-week season.

A detailed listing of deer-hunting rules is contained in the 2009-2010 Ohio Hunting Regulations, available where licenses are sold. It may also be viewed online at www.wildohio.com . Hunters who wish to share their success can submit a photo of themselves and their deer as well.

The Department of Natural Resources ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR web site at www.ohiodnr.com.

National Rifle Association

FAIRFAX, VA –-(AmmoLand.com)- The National Rifle Association’s Great American Hunting and Outdoor Show will feature a variety of impressive whitetail deer mounts thanks to the Great American Whitetail Collection and the NRA Mason/Dixon Big Buck Contest. The event will be held January 29-31, 2010, at the Carroll County Agriculture Center – Shipley Arena in Westminster, Maryland.

NRA’s Great American Whitetail Collection is a traveling exhibit displaying 50 of the largest and highest-scoring whitetails in the world. The massive first generation reconstructions of actual trophies have typical and non-typical bucks to awe even the most seasoned hunter.

Whitetails will also be featured in the NRA Mason/Dixon Big Contest, where any paying attendee can enter their impressive buck free of charge. Any antlered deer (Whitetail, Coues, Mule, or Sika) taken in North America will be accepted with a valid field or check tag attached to the mount. Sheds will not be accepted. All deer will be scored, but only free ranging deer will be awarded. Following judging and evaluation, awards will be presented for the top state entries in both the typical and non-typical categories. Top entries in the Youth and Women categories will also be awarded.

“The NRA Mason/Dixon Big Buck Contest is a great way for hunters to compare their whitetail trophies to others from surrounding communities,” said Bob Davis, Manager of NRA’s Hunter Services Department. “They also have the opportunity to see how their harvest stacks up against mounts from the Great American Whitetail Collection.”

Entries will be accepted beginning on Friday, January 29, from 3:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. and Saturday, January 30, from 9:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. All mounts entered will be displayed during the show until 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, January 31. At that time, all entries must be picked up with matching entry stub and valid driver’s license.

General admission to the show is $10.00, but NRA Members pay just $8.00 when they present their valid membership card. Children 11 and under receive free admission. Visitors can also join or renew their NRA membership for only $35.00 and receive a free weekend pass to the show.

Show Dates & Times:

• Friday, January 29, 2010: 3:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
• Saturday, January 30, 2010: 9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
• Sunday, January 31, 2010: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

For more information on the NRA Great American Hunting and Outdoor Show, booth space sales, or entering the NRA Mason/Dixon Big Buck Contest, call (703) 267-1524 or send an email to rpeak@nrahq.org. To view floor plans, a list of exhibitors, seminar schedule, and other show information, visit http://www.nrahq.org/hunting/2010show.asp.

Boone and Crockett Club Big Game Awards

MISSOULA, Mont.— -(AmmoLand.com)-  A celebration of conservation, hunting and extraordinary big game trophies is set for June 24-26, 2010, in Reno, Nev. Hosted by the Boone and Crockett Club, the event is a free public exhibition of world-class antlers, horns and mounted specimens from across North America.

Free attractions include displays of Top 5 trophies taken during the past three years in 36 categories of native North American big game species, plus a variety of seminars and exhibits.

Registered attendees also can enjoy raffles, an auction featuring hunts in top trophy regions across the continent and an awards banquet and ceremony on June 26.

The entire triennial event, the Boone and Crockett Club 27th Big Game Awards, is slated for the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno.

For registration and more event information, visit www.biggameawards.com.

“This tradition dates back to 1947. That’s when Boone and Crockett Club began inviting the public to see the trophies that we honor as symbols of the world’s most successful model for wildlife conservation,” said Eldon Buckner, chairman of the Club’s Records of North American Big Game Committee.

“The exciting fact is that we are receiving four times the trophy entries that we received 30 years ago. This means wild, free ranging, trophy class animals are more plentiful today than ever before. And that is a tribute to those who manage our wildlife and the sportsmen who participate in that management,” added Buckner.

The Boone and Crockett system of scoring big game trophies originated in 1906 as means of recording details on species thought to be disappearing because of rampant habitat loss and unregulated hunting. Science-based conservation efforts led and funded by license-buying hunters brought those species from vanishing to flourishing.

Major outdoor news outlets are picking up on this conservation success story. InterMedia Outdoors, which owns Sportsman Channel and several publications including Petersen’s Hunting, is the Boone and Crockett Club’s media partner for the event.

“InterMedia Outdoors is proud to be a part of this story about conservation success and history,” said Jeff Paro, president of InterMedia. “We want to make sure our audience of avid sportsmen and women know about this celebration and the critical role they have played in the most successful wildlife management system in the world.”

Boone and Crockett records remain a classic gauge of habitat and management programs.

In addition to its prestigious history and tradition, the Boone and Crockett scoring system is strongly associated with the highest tenets of fair chase and hunting ethics.

About the Boone and Crockett Club
Founded by Theodore Roosevelt in 1887, the Boone and Crockett Club promotes guardianship and visionary management of big game and associated wildlife in North America. The Club maintains the highest standards of fair-chase sportsmanship and habitat stewardship. Member accomplishments include protecting Yellowstone and establishing Glacier and Denali national parks, founding the National Forest Service, National Park Service and National Wildlife Refuge System, fostering the Pittman-Robertson and Lacey Acts, creating the Federal Duck Stamp program, and developing the cornerstones of modern game laws. The Boone and Crockett Club is headquartered in Missoula, Mont. For details, visit www.boone-crockett.org.

Possible Record Nebraska Buck - Pic: NEBRASKAland Magazine/Nebraska Game and Parks Commission

Richardson County, Nebraska --(AmmoLand.com)- Practically every deer hunter walking into Ak-Sar-Ben Aquarium this week wants to see the picture.

They’ve already heard about the buck through online hunting forums, text messages or word-of-mouth. They know it was checked in at the aquarium.

So far, no one has been disappointed, said Tony

Korth, aquarium director at Schramm Park near Gretna.

“Everybody’s saying ‘state record’ right now,” Korth said Wednesday. “It’s hard to say.”

The 38-point whitetail generating the buzz was shot Saturday by a 24-year-old Texan hunting on private land in Richardson County. On Wednesday, Wes O’Brien told the Journal Star his trophy has received a preliminary score of 281.

The rack’s official score won’t be determined for 60 days. During the so-called drying period, antlers will shrink a little.

So it remains to be seen if the O’Brien buck will top a famous set of antlers from a deer killed 47 years ago in Hall County by bowhunter Del Austin of Hastings. Commonly called “Old Mossy Horns,” the Austin buck scored 279 7/8 , ranking it not only first in Nebraska, but a world record for a whitetail taken by archery.

“I don’t care if he doesn’t get any records. He’s amazing to me,” O’Brien said of his deer.

Read full story….

Hat Tip: Nebraska Game and Parks Commission

Team Sinclair Breaks Records With F-Class Nationals Wins

Sinclair Ammunition Reloading Supplies

Butner, NC --(AmmoLand.com)- The entire crew at Sinclair International, the premier supplier of ammunition reloading supplies, precision reloading tools and shooting accessories are bursting with pride over the fantastic performance of Team Sinclair at the recent F-Class Nationals.

Shooting in the F-T/R (tactical rifle) class “Team Sinclair”; Brad Sauve, Jeff Rorer, Derek Rodgers, and Paul Phillips raised the bar by winning both the 600 and 1000 yard events while breaking their own National records at both distances!

With three of the four team members shooting their .308 rifles off of Sinclair F-Class Bipods, they totaled 784-40X at 600, and 774-20X at 1000 yards.

“These gentlemen really know how to shoot and it gives us a great deal of satisfaction that our bipods were a part of their success,” said company President, Bill Gravatt.

Sinclair’s F-Class Bipod is specifically designed for the needs of F-Class shooters. It provides an extremely strong, stable, and comfortable platform for almost any rifle with a sling swivel stud. The F-Class Bipod adjusts from 5.5″ to 10.25″ with separate, no-notch, sliding height legs and a locking tilt feature.

About:
Sinclair International is the world’s premier supplier of high-quality reloading tools, components and accessories plus unique target shooting and hunting supplies. Stocking more than 10,000 items, the company supplies reloaders, shooters and hunters worldwide. To order, or for more information, call 800-717-8211 or visit sinclairintl.com and mention AMMOLAND.

North Carolina Police Chief Harvests Giant Gator

AmmoLand.com

Lake Marion, SC --(AmmoLand.com)- On the last day of South Carolina’s Public Alligator Harvest Program a thirteen foot two inch alligator was harvested from Lake Marion in Calhoun County near Stump Hole Landing.

The alligator weighed in at one thousand sixty pounds and measuring 13 feet, 2 inches. It took approximately two and a half hours to get the gator secured and ready for dispatch. Once secured the harvest tag holder dispatched the gator utilizing a Glock .357 Sig Handgun.rp

SC Gator Weighing 1,060 Pounds And Measuring 13 Feet, 2 Inches

This was a total group effort and each participant played a vital role in the alligator harvest. The participants were a diverse and interesting group and are listed as follows.

• Terry Chavis, Windstream Service Tech.
• Wendy Heckle, Fire Chief, St. Matthews Fire Dept.
• Tyler Garrett, Student, First Assembly Christian School
• Gregg Antley, Special Agent, SC Law Enforcement Div.
• Donnie Porth, Corner, Calhoun County
• Lin Shirer, Asst. Chief, Elloree Police Dept.
• Preston Avinger, Chief, Elloree Police Dept. (Tag Holder)

All harvest reports are not complete, but the alligator is currently believed to be the largest ( With combination of length and weight) killed this season.

For four hours, the group searched areas in and around Stump Hole Landing hoping to see signs of gator activity.

Lin Shirer said that at around 4 a.m., the group was getting ready to head home “when Wendy and Terry shined some eyes in a cove.”

The crew approached the cove and used a rod-and-reel to launch a snatch hook into the gator. The men said they initially thought the alligator was about a 7-footer. The gator crept along the lake bottom “for hours” after Antley struck him with a harpoon, Shirer said.

Nearly two hours had passed when the gator surfaced for a moment – just long enough for Shirer to get a glimpse of its immense head. He quickly determined the critter was much larger than they originally believed.

By 6 a.m., the men had secured the gator with three harpoons and a snatch hook. Avinger said once the alligator was secured, it was shot it in the head with a Glock .357 Sig handgun.

Next, the crew attached the gator by its head to their boat and towed him to Stump Hole Landing, a process that took more than two hours, Shirer said.P

1,060 Pound SC Gator was Big Enough for 7 Men

Boone and Crockett Club

MISSOULA, Mont.—-(AmmoLand.com)-In just the past 13 years, modern conservation efforts have produced an amazing 62 new state and provincial records—plus over 3,500 other Boone and Crockett-class trophies—for mule deer and elk alone. These special efforts and animals are profiled in two new books from the Boone and Crockett Club.

Records of North American Mule Deer and Records of North American Elk are the first records books dedicated solely to these two species. Previously, mule deer and elk were combined into a single Boone and Crockett volume last printed in 1996.

Since then, unprecedented growth in records listings dictated separate editions.

Julie Houk, director of publications for the Club, said, “The Boone and Crockett scoring system was originally developed to record details of big game species that were thought to be vanishing. Of course, hunters led historic restoration and habitat initiatives to ensure that didn’t happen. Today, this ongoing conservation success can be measured in many ways—including the page counts of these new books.”

Records of North American Mule Deer is 490 pages containing over 4,500 listings for Boone and Crockett-class mule deer, Columbia blacktail and sitka blacktail. Twenty-nine state and provincial records have been set in these categories since Boone and Crockett’s previous records book in 1996.

Records of North American Elk is 298 pages containing nearly 1,600 listings for Boone and Crockett-class American elk, Roosevelt’s elk and tule elk. The book includes 33 new state and provincial records in these categories.

Both books include all-time and award-class listings from the late 1800s through Jan. 31, 2009. Also included are geographic analyses of kill locations, maps, photos, tables and informative chapters from top outdoor writers such as Jim Zumbo and Bob Robb, as well as partner organizations Mule Deer Foundation and Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.

Read more at www.boone-crockett.org or by calling 888-840-4868.

About the Boone and Crockett Club
Founded by Theodore Roosevelt in 1887, the Boone and Crockett Club promotes guardianship and visionary management of big game and associated wildlife in North America. The Club maintains the highest standards of fair-chase sportsmanship and habitat stewardship. Member accomplishments include protecting Yellowstone and establishing Glacier and Denali national parks, founding the National Forest Service, National Park Service and National Wildlife Refuge System, fostering the Pittman-Robertson and Lacey Acts, creating the Federal Duck Stamp program, and developing the cornerstones of modern game laws. The Boone and Crockett Club is headquartered in Missoula, Mont. For details, visit www.booneandcrockettclub.com.

Boone and Crockett Club

MISSOULA, Mont.—-(AmmoLand.com)- Hunters can now learn to score North American big-game species for $5 per trophy type. For the first time, individual chapters of the official Boone and Crockett Club scoring manual are being offered as electronic PDF files.

Previously, only complete published copies of “Measuring and Scoring North American Big Game Trophies” were available.

“This manual is the definitive source for info on the Boone and Crockett Club scoring system. But, over the years, we’ve had many inquiries from hunters who didn’t want to buy the whole book because their interests were focused solely on one species. Some hunters are devoted to whitetails, for example. Other hunters had just drawn a bighorn sheep tag and just wanted to learn as much as possible about sheep before their hunt of a lifetime. Now we can accommodate hunters who don’t need the whole book, just a specific chapter,” said Julie Houk, director of publications for the Club.

The 12 chapters now offered as individual electronic files (via the Club’s online store at www.boone-crockett.org) include:

• Bears and cats
• Bison
• Caribou
• Deer, mule and blacktail
• Deer, whitetail
• Elk, American, Roosevelt’s and tule
• Goat, Rocky Mountain
• Moose
• Musk ox
• Pronghorn
• Sheep
• Walrus

Chapters are $5 each and available for immediate download as ZIP folders with e-book PDF files, plus separate folders with official scoring charts that correspond with the texts. No special hardware is needed to view these files but a free copy of Acrobat Reader is required. This software can be easily downloaded over the Internet if needed.

The entire publication also is available as a PDF file for $15, which is less than half the cost of the printed book.

“Measuring and Scoring North American Big Game Trophies” was published in 2009 as a third-edition paperback with 176 pages, how-to procedures, score sheets and dozens of illustrations. Included are chapters on Club policies related to fair chase, score shopping, party and proxy hunting, damaged and/or repaired trophies, escape-proof fencing, trophy entry procedures and many other trophy-related subjects. Authors include Dr. Philip L. Wright, William H. Nesbitt, Dr. C. Randall Byers, Eldon L. “Buck” Buckner and Jack Reneau with input from the Club’s 1,100 official measurers. Regular price is $29.95 (B&C members receive a discount).

Order the entire book or individual electronic chapters at www.boone-crockett.org or by calling 888-840-4868.

Boone and Crockett developed its scoring system to measure the success of conservation and management programs across North America. Official data dates back to 1830.

About the Boone and Crockett Club
Founded by Theodore Roosevelt in 1887, the Boone and Crockett Club promotes guardianship and visionary management of big game and associated wildlife in North America. The Club maintains the highest standards of fair-chase sportsmanship and habitat stewardship. Member accomplishments include protecting Yellowstone and establishing Glacier and Denali national parks, founding the National Forest Service, National Park Service and National Wildlife Refuge System, fostering the Pittman-Robertson and Lacey Acts, creating the Federal Duck Stamp program, and developing the cornerstones of modern game laws. The Boone and Crockett Club is headquartered in Missoula, Mont. For details, visit www.boone-crockett.org.

Remington Arms Company

Madison, NC –-(AmmoLand.com)- Remington would like to congratulate David Shaeffer, Jr. for his amazing accomplishment of setting the new Amateur Trapshooting Association’s (ATA) Singles Long-Run record of 2,166 registered singles targets. Shaeffer completed his record-breaking run at the Cardinal Center in Marengo, Ohio, on August 20, 2009, using Premier STS Light Target loads, the standard in target shooting reliability.

Shane Naylor, Remington’s Gun Club Product Sales Manager, said, “Dave has shown all of us what dedication, concentration and focus can do for you; especially when combined with the finest target loads on the market, Remington STS.” Naylor continued, “Don’t forget that in the midst of this incredible run, he broke 450 targets in the Clay Target Championship shoot-off and posted a 100 straight in the Remington Nitro 27 Handicap during the Grand American to take that title. Unbelievable is probably the best word to describe what he has done. I am sure this record will stand for years to come.

Congratulations Dave!”

Shaeffer’s record surpasses the previous established record of 1,695 broken targets set in 1998.

Remington Premier STS Target Loads
Remington’s STS Target Loads have taken shot-to-shot consistency to a new performance level, setting the standard at all major skeet, trap, and sporting clays shoots across the country, while providing handloaders with unmatched reloading ease and hull longevity. Available in 12, 20, 28-gauge and 410 bore, Premier STS shells are the most reliable, consistent and most reloadable shells you can shoot.

But you don’t have to take our word for it; just ask the long list of Remington winners!

About Remington Arms Company, Inc.
Remington Arms Company, Inc., headquartered in Madison, N.C., designs, produces and sells sporting goods products for the hunting and shooting sports markets, as well as solutions to the military, government and law enforcement markets. Founded in 1816 in upstate New York, the Company is one of the nation’s oldest continuously operating manufacturers. Remington is the only U.S. manufacturer of both firearms and ammunition products and one of the largest domestic producers of shotguns and rifles. The Company distributes its products throughout the U.S. and in over 65 foreign countries. More information about the Company can be found at www.remington.com.

Beretta USA

ACCOKEEK, MD --(AmmoLand.com)- Beretta congratulates long-time team shooter Leo Harrison III as High Over All Champion at the 2009 Grand American, held at the World Shooting and Recreational Complex in Sparta, IL on August 5-15. Harrison who broke his own record from 1990 by one target, lead the nearly 3400 competitors by breaking 992 of the 1000 program targets. All in all, Harrison took home an impressive 22 trophies from this year’s Grand American.

In May, Harrison dominated his own Missouri state shoot by winning the singles, High All Around and High Over All. Throughout the summer shooting season he brought home 12 nonresident state championships. In June, Harrison took top honors as the nonresident High Overall winner at the Ohio State shoot with a score of 1196 out of 1200, in addition to winning the non-resident handicap and doubles championships.

Harrison also has claimed 11 ATA satellite grand championships this year.

“It’s been an impressive year so far for Beretta Team shooters, according to John Bauer, who manages the team, and Leo has had a particularly strong run.” “Harrison’s racked up more than 80 trophies already this year and participated in more than 10 events across the country capturing numerous High Over All, High All Around and Handicap, Singles and Doubles Championships.”

Harrison, who shoots a Beretta DT10 Trident Combo has put more than 16,000 qualified rounds through the shotgun this year, in addition to the targets he shoots for practice and shoot-offs.

“It’s a reliable gun, says Harrison, that’s why I shoot it.”

About:
Beretta established in 1526, is the oldest industrial dynasty in the world tracing its roots through 16 generations of continuous family ownership. Firearms bearing the Beretta name have been sold for almost 500 years. Beretta USA Corp. was founded in 1977 and supplies the standard sidearm to the U.S. Armed Forces. Today Beretta manufactures, distributes and markets a complete line of firearms, accessories and apparel. Beretta also owns and operates six retail Beretta Gallery stores worldwide. For additional information visit www.berettausa.com.

Steel Challenge Shooting Association

PIRU, Calif. —-(AmmoLand.com)- Max Michel of Covington, La. joins Doug Koenig, Jerry Barnhart and Jethro Dionisio as the only other shooter to win the Steel Challenge three times. Michel again won the title of World’s fastest this past weekend in Piru, Calif. where he dominated a field of the best shooters from around the country and across the globe.

Michel previously won the title in 2007 and 2005 when he shot as a member of the prestigious U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit. He now shoots for firearms maker Sig Sauer.

“Max joins a very elite club of three time winners,” said Michael Voigt of the Steel Challenge Shooting Association. “No competitor has posted a fourth win, but with Max’s skill and blazing speed it’s hard to imagine that barrier holding up for much longer.”

Michel captured his third Steel Challenge title by winning two stages and posting a final score of 82.09, a 2.33 second cushion over second place finisher and the 2009 Steel Master winner BJ Norris of Tyler, Texas.

For the second year in a row Norris found himself in the runner up position, this year posting a time of 84.42, well off his 2008 pace of 80.84. He also finished second in the Limited match but took top honors in the Open Rimfire Pistol event. The combined time of the three events allowed the Team Smith & Wesson member to successfully defend his Steel Master title by a comfortable margin of 8.93 seconds over Team Glock’s Dave Sevigny.

The defending Steel Challenge champion KC Eusebio of Diamond Bar, Calif. finished third by winning three stages, including setting a new world record on Speed Option, for a final time of 86.07. Eusebio won in 2008 with a time of 79.16. He also won the title in 2003 at the age of 15.

Rounding out the top five were Sevigny of Smyrna, Ga. in fourth winning one stage and ending the match in a time of 86.62 and 2004 World Champion Tatsuya Sakai of Kanagawa, Japan capturing fifth with 87.40.

For complete results from this year’s match and more information on the Steel Challenge and the Steel Challenge Shooting Association (SCSA) visit www.SteelChallenge.com.

About the SCSA:
The Steel Challenge Shooting Association (SCSA) is the governing body of the sport of Speed Shooting and organizer of the Steel Challenge World Speed Shooting Championships. To learn more about SCSA and the Steel Challenge visit SteelChallenge.com where you will find stage diagrams, complete results, a list of past champions, world record times and more.

Team Smith & Wesson's BJ Norris Shooting Limited Pistol

Steel Challenge Shooting Association

PIRU, Calif. —-(AmmoLand.com)- For the second year in a row Team Smith & Wesson’s BJ Norris walked off with the Steel Master crown at the Steel Challenge World Speed Shooting Championships held August 13-15 in Piru, Calif.

The Steel Master title goes to the shooter who posts the fastest combined time from two main matches and the rimfire match. Norris won with a combined time of 246.25 seconds winning the Open Rimfire Pistol title, finishing second in the Limited Pistol match and taking second in the Open Pistol event.

Norris’ 246.25 comfortably outpaced Steel Master runner up and Team Glock captain Dave Sevigny of Smyrna, Ga. by 8.93 seconds. Para USA shooter Todd Jarrett of Hopewell, Va. finished third, 16.15 second back of Norris.

The husband and wife team of Billy and Jessie Abbate of McDonough, Ga. came in fourth and fifth respectively. Billy ended up 25.02 seconds behind Norris while Jessie, a Team Glock shooter and the 2009 Ladies Steel Master, finished 31.43 out of first.

“The battle for Steel Master is always fierce and the pressure shooters face can be daunting. It’s difficult enough to win the title once but to repeat took tremendous skill and determination on BJ’s part,” said Michael Voigt of the Steel Challenge Shooting Association.

The Steel Master title is one of the hardest titles to claim at the Steel Challenge because it requires the winner to shoot at a very high level across three days of competition facing the best shooters in the world. Only 26 competitors entered the Steel Master race this year with all four runners up adding to the pressure by competing head to head with Norris in the Open Rimfire Pistol, Limited Pistol and Open Pistol divisions.

For complete results from this year’s match and more information on the Steel Challenge and the Steel Challenge Shooting Association (SCSA) visit www.SteelChallenge.com.

About the SCSA:
The Steel Challenge Shooting Association (SCSA) is the governing body of the sport of Speed Shooting and organizer of the Steel Challenge World Speed Shooting Championships. To learn more about SCSA and the Steel Challenge visit SteelChallenge.com where you will find stage diagrams, complete results, a list of past champions, world record times and more.

Glock Team Member Jessie Abbate Shooting Limited Pistol

Steel Challenge Shooting Association

PIRU, Calif. —-(AmmoLand.com)- One thing is clear from the shooting clinic Jessie Abbate put on during the Steel Challenge, she needs a bigger trophy room.

Abbate, who lives in McDonough, Ga., set five new world records on her way to scoring a hat trick at the 2009 Steel Challenge World Speed Shooting Championships in Piru, Calif. where she won the Ladies Open Rimfire Pistol, Limited Pistol and Open Pistol titles. In addition to collecting top honors in three divisions, Abbate claimed the coveted Ladies Steel Master title which is for the best combined time of the three events.

Abbate, a Team Glock member, held off the defending ladies champion and Team Smith & Wesson member Kay Miculek of Princeton, La. who stalked Abbate through the match taking second place in all three events. Miculek has won the Steel Challenge an amazing seven times and held seven women’s world records, four of which Abbate broke.

“Jessie really put on a clinic and her outstanding shooting through the entire Steel Challenge demonstrates how far she has come in the shooting sports. Hers is the standout performance of the match,” observed Michael Voigt of the Steel Challenge Shooting Association.

This is the second time Abbate has taken top honors at the Steel Challenge. Her first win came in 2007.

In the Open competition, Abbate took the Ladies title with a time of 94.94 to outpace Miculek by 9.20 seconds. Abbate’s time placed her 14th among all competitors in the Open division and was good enough for the 18th fastest time in the entire match. Third place went to Julie Golob of Team S&W with 106.87. Golob, a past Steel Challenge Ladies Champion who now lives in Glasgow, Mont., returned to the Steel Challenge after taking the year off to have a baby.

In the Limited Pistol competition, Abbate grabbed the ladies title with a time of 104.79 which put her 9th among all Limited shooters and over 17 seconds ahead of Miculek. Tasha Hanish of Scottsdale, Ariz. finished third with a final time of 141.66.

Abbate scored her highest finish in the Open Rimfire Pistol match where she placed sixth overall with a time of 77.95. Miculek claimed second with 82.93. Fellow Team Glock member Randi Rogers of Durango, Colo. took third with 92.12.

“One thing is for sure, Jessie is a force to be reckoned with on the range and any shooter, male or female, that underestimates her ability will find themselves among the disappointed when the final scores are announced,” warned Voigt.

For complete results from this year’s match and more information on the Steel Challenge and the Steel Challenge Shooting Association (SCSA) visit www.SteelChallenge.com.

Glock Team Member Jessie Abbate Shooting Ladies Open Rimfire Pistol

About the SCSA:
The Steel Challenge Shooting Association (SCSA) is the governing body of the sport of Speed Shooting and organizer of the Steel Challenge World Speed Shooting Championships. To learn more about SCSA and the Steel Challenge visit SteelChallenge.com where you will find stage diagrams, complete results, a list of past champions, world record times and more.

USA Shooting

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. –-(AmmoLand.com)- Amber English (Colorado Springs, Colo.) won the silver medal in the Junior Women’s Skeet event at the 2009 ISSF Shotgun World Championships in Maribor, Slovenia today and the Junior Women’s Skeet team of English, Ali Chiang (Redwood Shores, Calif.) and Caitlin Connor (Winnfield, La.) took home the gold and set a Junior World Record in the team competition. The Junior Women’s Trap team also added to the U.S. medal tally, taking home the bronze.

English won her first ever international medal after firing a total score of 71 out of 75 targets to finish in second place behind Swedish shooter Therese Lundqvist. Lundqvist captured the gold with 74 hits, breaking the world record of 72 hits, which was set by U.S. shooter Haley Dunn in 2005.

Natalia Panas of Russia earned the bronze medal with a total score of 69 targets. Chiang finished in fourth place with 67 hits and after a three-way shoot-off for fifth place, Connor, the 2009 Minsk World Cup silver medalist, ended up in the sixth spot with 66 hits.

English, Chiang and Connor finished on top of the Junior Women’s Skeet team podium with a record score of 204 targets. The three teammates broke the previous World Record of 198 targets shot by Russia at the 2007 World Championship in Nicosia, Cyprus.

The Russian team won silver ranking 12 targets behind the U.S., with a total score of 192 targets, while Poland secured the bronze with 191 total hits.

The Junior Women’s Trap team of Molly Bender (Montoursville, Pa.), Brandi Hobbs (Edinboro, Pa.) and Kayle Browning (Wooster, Ark.) earned the bronze medal today, shooting a total of 185 targets. China won the team competition, shooting a total score of 202 targets and setting a new Junior World Record. The Spanish team, holder of the record shattered by team China, closed the match in second place, winning the silver with 186 hits.

Individually, Bender finished the highest for the Junior Trap Women with 64 targets to land in 11th place, while Hobbs ended in 15th place with 61 hits and Browning fired 60 targets to finish in 18th place.

The Junior Trap Women’s individual competition was won by the 18-year old Chinese shooter Qi Quiwen with a total score of 69 targets. Xu Tian, also of China, closed the match in second place with a total of 68 +1 hits. Xu shot-off against Rachel Yardy of Great Britain who finished in third place with a total score of 68 +0 targets.

In the Women’s Skeet event, four-time Olympian and 2008 Olympic silver medalist Kim Rhode (El Monte, Calif.) scored the highest finish for the U.S. team, barely missing a spot in the final after losing a shoot-off for sixth place. Rhode ended in seventh place with 71 total hits. Haley Dunn (Eddyville, Iowa) finished in 24th place with 64 targets and Jaiden Grinnell (Port Angeles, Wash.) landed in 29th place with 62 hits.

The defending World Champion, Christine Brinker of Germany, who is also the 2008 Olympic bronze medalist, won the Women’s Skeet event with a total of 95 targets. The silver medal went to Thai shooter Sutiya Jiewchaloemmit with a total of 94 hits and Katiuscia of Italy took home the bronze with a total of 93+3 hits after winning a shoot-off against Russia’s Olga Panarina.

Corey Cogdell (Eagle River, Alaska), the 2008 Olympic bronze medalist, finished the Women’s Trap event in 14th place today with 69 targets, which was the highest U.S. finish in that event. Susan Sledge (El Cajon, Calif.) finished in 34th place with 65 targets and 1996 Olympian and U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit member Theresa DeWitt (Cincinnati, Ohio) ended in 36th place with 64 targets.

Seventeen-year-old Italian shooter Jessica Rossi became the new Women’s Trap World Champion after climbing from fifth place to the top spot in the final with a total score of 92 targets. Russia’s Irina Laricheva won the silver with 90 hits. The 2008 Olympic gold medalist, Satu Makela-Nummela of Finland, started the final round with the highest qualification score of 74 hits, equaling the World Record, but shot 15 targets in the final to finish in third place with 89 total hits.

Approximately 600 shooters from 70 countries are competing at the 2009 ISSF Shotgun World Championships in Maribor, Slovenia with competition running through August 16. Thirty U.S. athletes, including 15 juniors, are in Maribor vying for a spot on the podium at the biggest shotgun event of the year.

Competition at the 2009 ISSF Shotgun World Championships continues on Thursday, August 13 with the Double Trap Final. The Men’s Skeet final will close out the event on August 16.

For a complete competition schedule as well as updated, results, news, photos and video highlights of the 2009 Shotgun World Championships, please visit www.issf-sports.org.

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Winchester® Ammunition has been the exclusive ammunition sponsor and supplier of the USA Shooting Shotgun Team since 1999. Members of the 2008 shotgun team brought home four medals from Beijing using Winchester AA International Target loads. Winchester is an industry leader in advancing and supporting conservation, hunter education and our country’s proud shooting sports heritage. For more information about Winchester and its complete line of products, visit www.winchester.com.