USA Shooting

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. --(Ammoland.com)- The Junior Olympic program for USA Shooting can often be the beginning of the Olympic journey.

For four participants in the Tennessee Scholastic Clay Target Program, it’s the opportunity they’ve been working toward.

Grant Dorris of Henderson County 4-H, Trey Hill of Middle Tennessee Christian School in Mufreesboro, and Hannah Houston and William Stewart from Maury County have been selected to receive the support, assistance and coaching needed to advance through the ranks of competitive shotgun shooting.

“The talent pool has strengthened over the past year, and the competition was steep,” said Team USA National Shotgun Coach Bret Erickson, a four-time Olympian.

“We’re happy to acknowledge this group of young kids in hopes that they’ll gain the confidence and maturity necessary to be elite-level shooters in our program down the road.”

The team is comprised of nine trap, nine skeet and four double trap shooters.

About USA Shooting:
USA Shooting, a 501c3 non-profit corporation, was chartered by the United States Olympic Committee as the National Governing Body for the sport of shooting in April 1995. USA Shooting’s mission is to prepare American athletes to win Olympic medals, promote the shooting sports throughout the U.S. and govern the conduct of international shooting in the country. Check us out on the web at www.usashooting.org and on Twitter at twitter.com/USAShooting.

14-year-old Emily DeCuir of Spring Hill won a Tennessee Lifetime Hunting & Fishing License, given by TWF Board Member Tom Rice.

Tennessee Wildlife Federation

Tennessee --(Ammoland.com)- More than 120 student-athletes from Tennessee’s Scholastic Clay Target Program assembled at the Lannom Center in Dyersburg the evening of Feb. 3 with their parents, coaches, sponsors and guides to kick off the 4th Annual Tennessee Wildlife Federation Davis P. Rice Youth Waterfowl Hunt.

At the banquet Friday, a crowd of about 300 enjoyed a barbecue dinner while TWF Director of Ecological Services Chad Whittenburg served as master of ceremonies and hunt director. No one left empty handed – gear from Delta Waterfowl, Final Flight Outfitters and Ducks Unlimited was given away hand over fist, and a lifetime license and college scholarships were presented to a few lucky winners.

Tom Rice, a longtime TWF Board member whose son, Davis, was killed in an automobile accident in 2007, has always been focused on introducing kids to the outdoors. Rice funded one Tennessee Lifetime Hunting License, won by 14-year-old Emily DeCuir of Spring Hill.

Several students won cash scholarships. Murphy Watkins of McKenzie and Alicia Smits of Spring Hill each won $250 scholarships from Delta Waterfowl; Hunter Finan of Jackson and Ryan Scarlett of New Market won a $250 prize from Final Flight; And last but not least, Bryan Tefft of New Johnsonville and Hunter York of Dickson each won $500 scholarships from the TWF’s Tennessee Scholastic Clay Target Program.

Saturday morning found the young hunters spread across 18 farms in West Tennessee. RIO Ammunition had provided shotgun shells, and the guides were able to work ducks and geese into range.

“These kids are excellent shooters, but the majority of them had never been hunting before,” Whittenburg says. “It was an experience they likely won’t forget, and we sparked an interest that will help continue that great tradition.”

In addition to TWF, Delta Waterfowl, Final Flight Outfitters, RIO Ammunition and the Tennessee Army National Guard, other sponsors included Sweeping Corporation of America, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, the City of Dyersburg, Dyersburg Chamber of Commerce, Ducks Unlimited and Stites & Harbison PLC.

About:
The Purpose of the Tennessee Wildlife Federation is to champion the conservation, sound management and enjoyment of Tennessee’s wildlife and natural resources for current and future generations through stewardship, advocacy and education. Visit: www.tnwf.org

Tennessee Wildlife Federation

Tennessee --(Ammoland.com)- Each year since 1965, the Tennessee Wildlife Federation’s Conservation Achievement Awards have recognized the efforts of those Tennesseans who make outstanding contributions to wildlife and natural resource conservation.

Any Tennessee citizen, organization or industry who deserves statewide recognition for extraordinary conservation work is eligible for an award.

Winners will be honored at the Federation’s 47th Annual Conservation Achievement Awards & Legislative Reception, to be held April 18th at the War Memorial Auditorium in Nashville. The deadline for submitting nominations is March 6th, 2012.

Please click here to access the nomination packet, and here to see previous winners.

2011 Conservationist of the Year Kathleen Williams of the Tennessee Parks & Greenways Foundation

About:
The Purpose of the Tennessee Wildlife Federation is to champion the conservation, sound management and enjoyment of Tennessee’s wildlife and natural resources for current and future generations through stewardship, advocacy and education. Visit: www.tnwf.org

The Specialty Arms II gun shop was heavily damaged by fire early Sunday morning. Law enforcement officials have deemed the fire as an arson.

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

NASHVILLE, Tenn. --(Ammoland.com)- The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Nashville Field Division and the Tennessee State Bomb and Arson Section announced a combined reward of $5,000 for anyone who has information leading to the arrest and prosecution of the person or persons responsible for the arson fire on Dec. 25, 2011 at Specialty Arms II, 184 Old Nashville Highway in LaVergne, Tenn.

The fire at the federal firearms licensee was reported to police at approximately 2:15 a.m. Christmas morning.

The fire has been determined to be arson following fire scene examination and other investigative efforts. The ongoing criminal investigation is being conducted by ATF, the Tennessee Bomb and Arson Section and the LaVergne Police Department. Anyone with information should call ATF at 615–565–1410 or the Tennessee Arson Hotline at 1–800–762–3017 24 hours a day, seven days a week. All caller identities will be kept confidential and remain anonymous.

ATF is the federal agency with jurisdiction for investigating fires and crimes of arson. For more information about ATF and its programs, please visit www.atf.gov. ATF can also be followed on Twitter at http:twitter.com/ATFHQ.

Tennessee Wildlife Federation's Hunters for the Hungry Program

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – -(Ammoland.com)- The Tennessee Wildlife Federation’s Hunters for the Hungry program is inviting hunters across the state to donate harvested deer, so that food banks and soup kitchens have meat to serve hungry Tennesseans through the colder months.

Between now and Jan. 1, select Hunters for the Hungry processors can accept about 650 deer for free, which would provide more than 100,000 meals. Hunters can simply drop off the deer at a participating processor, and the meat is professionally butchered and distributed to local hunger-relief organizations. A list of processors with funding is available at www.tnwf.org/hunters-for-the-hungry.

“The venison that we receive from Hunters for the Hungry is a real blessing, because it is such a highHunters for the Hungry quality and versatile source of protein for those we serve,” said Shannon Niswander, kitchen manager at Room in the Inn in Nashville.

“We provide hundreds of meals on a daily basis to folks in our area who otherwise wouldn’t have anything to eat, and they really enjoy the dishes we prepare with venison.”

Based upon available funding, processors are allotted a quota for the number of deer that Hunters for the Hungry will subsidize. Beyond these quotas, any whole deer processed is paid for by the hunter at the same discounted rate, typically $40. All processors are certified by the state department of agriculture.

The Hunters for the Hungry program began in Tennessee in 1999. In its first year, the program collected 7,000 pounds of venison, providing 28,000 meals. Today, those numbers stand at more than 110,000 pounds annually, providing nearly half a million meals each year. By the end of this deer season, the program will have provided more than three million meals to hungry Tennesseans in just over a decade.

Founded in 1946, The Tennessee Wildlife Federation is dedicated to the conservation, sound management and enjoyment of Tennessee’s wildlife and natural resources for current and future generations through stewardship, advocacy and education. For more information, visit www.tnwf.org

Tennessee Wildlife Federation's Great Outdoors University Supports National Effort to Increase Youth Outdoor Participation.

Tennessee Wildlife Federation

NASHVILLE, Tenn. --(Ammoland.com)- The North Face has awarded a $2,500 grant to the Tennessee Wildlife Federation’s Great Outdoors University (GOU) program, which will help low-wealth children and families explore the outdoors. Since 2006, GOU has provided meaningful outdoor experiences to more than 8,000 inner-city children in Memphis and Nashville through day and weekend camping, fishing and nature trips.

The Tennessee Wildlife Federation (TWF) was selected from hundreds of applications because of the GOU program’s success in reaching kids who otherwise wouldn’t have the opportunity to experience Tennessee’s great outdoors. In the final grant cycle of 2011, The North Face awarded $125,000 in Explore Fund grants to 51 projects, helping more than 30,000 kids connect to nature.

“The children participating in trips through Great Outdoors University are being introduced to a whole new realm, and it’s impacting their lives and building an appreciation for the natural world that will carry into adulthood,” says Sonya Wood Mahler, TWF’s Great Outdoors University program manager.

“We hear over and over from our program partners that these are life-changing experiences for the kids, and only through the support of organizations like The North Face are we able to do it. Many of the kids tell me it is the best day of their lives!”

Great Outdoors University was launched as a pilot program in 2006 in Memphis by TWF Board Member Peter Schutt. GOU was designed as an outdoor experience and education program that provides ongoing, hands-on outdoor and nature programming for free to low-wealth, at-risk children and youth. GOU participants come from partnering organizations that include outdoor education in their efforts. In Memphis, for example, GOU has partnered with the Boy Scouts of America’s ScoutReach program (ensuring that all young people have an opportunity to join Scouting, regardless of their circumstances) and Girls, Inc. (dedicated to inspiring all girls to be strong, smart and bold).

GOU has filled a niche that helps these organizations fulfill their mandates to provide outdoor education in their service to children and youth. The program was expanded to Nashville in the spring of 2009. In 2011, Schutt became the first Tennessean ever to be named the National Wildlife Federation’s Volunteer of the Year. Since its inception, this program has touched the lives of more than 8,000 youth participants.

Key program support comes from the Memphis Daily News, the Maddox Charitable Trust, the Memorial Foundation and the Cracker Barrel Foundation, among others.

“We believe in the importance of bringing youth together from diverse backgrounds and providing them with opportunities to get outdoors,” said Ann Krcik, director of Outdoor Exploration at The North Face. “We support organizations that work to create these opportunities for youth because we’ve seen firsthand how these programs can ignite a passion for the outdoors and teach them the importance of protecting the places we play for generations to come.”

To learn more about the Tennessee Wildlife Federation and the Great Outdoors University program, visit www.tnwf.org. To learn more about all of the Explore Fund grantees and to keep up on their progress visit, www.planetexplore.com/explorefund and www.twitter.com/TWFoutofdoors.

About The Tennessee Wildlife Federation
Founded in 1946, The Tennessee Wildlife Federation is dedicated to the conservation, sound management and enjoyment of Tennessee’s wildlife and natural resources for current and future generations through stewardship, advocacy and education.

About The North Face Explore Fund
The North Face® Explore FundTM is a grant program committed to supporting non-profit, community organizations that break down the barriers preventing children and families from experiencing the outdoors. The Explore Fund, administered by The Outdoor Foundation, finds, engages and provides funding for new partners that help further the mission of inspiring the next generation of explorers and conservationists by helping them discover nature’s playground.

About PlanetExplore
PlanetExplore is an online community founded by The North Face, powered by partner organizations that share a passion for the outdoors, and designed to help individuals and families learn about and participate in outdoor activities and events in their area. PlanetExplore is a portal to the outdoors designed to inspire and enable people of all ages to become regularly active outside, and to enjoy the benefits gained through a connection to nature.

For more information, please visit: The Explore Fund at www.explorefund.com or PlanetExplore at  www.planetexplore.com

Sustainable Forestry Initiative

WASHINGTON --(Ammoland.com)- The Land Trust of Tennessee, the North Carolina Coastal Land Trust and Wildlands Network received a Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) conservation grant today in support of their work to help private landowners and government agencies in the southeastern United States protect special forest sites though working-forest conservation easements.

The three non-profit conservation organizations were awarded a total of $65,000 over two years to work with hardwood forest owners, government agencies and SFI program participants to encourage owners to consider easements, and to offer advice and technical assistance.

“The SFI program is helping us equip landowners and public agencies with the information and expertise they need to protect more forests through conservation easements,” said Camilla Herlevich, Executive Director of the North Carolina Coastal Land Trust.

“We welcome the opportunity to be part of this creative collaboration,” said Doug Rodman, Middle Tennessee Project Manager of the Land Trust of Tennessee. “Working-forest conservation easements yield so many benefits – they protect biodiversity, reduce habitat fragmentation, improve air and water quality and increase carbon storage.”

Project activities will include community education and outreach workshops, training and technical assistance, and production of materials showing the value of easements. Other project partners are the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission; and The Nature Conservancy – North Carolina Chapter, along with SFI program participants, Louisiana-Pacific Corporation and Resource Management Service LLC.

A working forest conservation easement is a voluntary contract between a landowner and a land trust, government agency or other qualified organization in which the owner places permanent restrictions on future uses of the property to protect forest resources, while still managing it responsibly. It can result in potential tax benefits for the landowner, who still owns the property.

“Easements are one of the voluntary market-based tools we promote in the SFI standard to broaden the practice of sustainable forestry,” SFI President and CEO Kathy Abusow said. “This partnership also builds on standard requirements that help to conserve biodiversity and wildlife habitat, protect special spaces and encourage community involvement in sustainable forest management.”

“Conservation easements are a great business solution for forest landowners,” said Ron Sutherland, Science Director of Wildlands Network. “By promoting connectivity, they can help to sustain wildlife for the long term.”

Last year, SFI Inc. created the Conservation and Community Partnerships Grant program to build upon the more than $1.2 billion SFI program participants have contributed for research activities, including forestry research, science and technology since 1995.

The SFI 2010-2014 Standard is based on 14 core principles that promote sustainable forest management, including measures to protect water quality, biodiversity, wildlife habitat, species at risk, and Forests with Exceptional Conservation Value, and encourages community involvement. The SFI program is the only forest certification standard in North America that requires participants to support and engage in research activities to improve forestry forest health, productivity and sustainable management of forest resources.

About the Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc. (www.sfiprogram.org)
SFI Inc. is an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization, and is solely responsible for maintaining, overseeing and improving the internationally recognized Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) program. Across North America, more than 180 million acres are certified to the SFI forest management standard, making it the largest single forest standard in the world. SFI chain-of-custody certification tells buyers the percentage of fiber from certified forests, certified sourcing and/or post-consumer recycled content. The SFI program’s unique fiber sourcing requirements promote responsible forest management on all suppliers’ lands. SFI Inc. is governed by a three-chamber board of directors representing environmental, social and economic sectors equally.

About The Land Trust for Tennessee (www.landtrusttn.org/)
The Land Trust of Tennessee is a private non-profit organization that works to protect the unique character of Tennessee’s natural and historic landscapes and sites for future generations. Since 1999, they have worked with private landowners to protect nearly 60,000 of land throughout Tennessee. Conservation easements are their primary tool for the permanent protection of working lands, natural resources, wildlife habitat, recreational lands and open space.

About the North Carolina Coastal Land Trust (www.coastallandtrust.org/)
The North Carolina Coastal Land Trust was formed in 1992 to enrich the coastal plain communities of the state through conservation of natural areas and working landscapes, education and the promotion of good land stewardship. Since its inception, the Coastal Land Trust has protected over 47,000 acres/19,000 hectares of barrier island beaches, riparian corridors, and other special natural areas.

About Wildlands Network (www.twp.org/)
Wildlands Network is restoring, protecting and connecting the best wild places throughout North America because people need nature, and nature needs space to survive. It is connecting the biggest parks and healthiest conservation lands to create Wildways© landscapes that are large enough to sustain wildlife for the long-term.

GUN TALK RADIO Welcomes Memphis Listeners on KWAM 990 AM

Gun Talk Radio

MANDEVILLE, LA --(Ammoland.com)- Tom Gresham’s Gun Talk (R) welcomes KWAM AM in Memphis, Tennessee as the latest affiliate to add the nationally-syndicated radio talk show to their schedule.

The news/talk station airs Gun Talk on Sundays from 6pm – 9pm Central, and not only reaches an audience in Tennessee, but at 10,000 watts, extends into Arkansas and Mississippi as well.

KWAM AM can be found at 990 AM on the dial, and began broadcasting Tom Gresham’s Gun Talk this past Sunday, May 22nd, 2011.

More information on KWAM 990 AM can be found online at www.kwam990.com.
About:
Tom Gresham’s Gun Talk Radio is in its 16th year of national syndication, Gun Talk Radio airs live on Sundays from 2PM-5PM Eastern, and runs on 101 stations, plus SIRIUS XM Satellite Radio. All Gun Talk shows can be downloaded as podcasts through Apple iTunes, the Gun Talk iPhone App, the Blackberry Podcast App, or at www.guntalk.libsyn.com. More information is available at www.guntalk.com.

Tennessee Wildlife Federation

Nashville, TN --(Ammoland.com)- “The White-tailed Deer Breeding and Farming Act” was withdrawn from the House general conservation and environment sub-committee yesterday, which effectively killed the bill.

The separate bill to which the deer-farming language had been attached as an amendment was withdrawn from the agriculture committee last week.

The Tennessee Wildlife Federation led the charge, but it was our members and supporters who deserve all the credit.

Thanks to you, more than 1,500 emails and phone calls have been directed to members of the Tennessee General Assembly over the last few weeks. Hunters and wildlife lovers across the state made it clearly known that, considering the scientific evidence, the concept of allowing the breeding and sale of white-tailed deer as livestock is bad business. It would be foolish to risk our priceless natural resources for the prospective benefit of a few.

So hat’s off to you, the people of Tennessee, for standing firm on this issue, despite parliamentary maneuvers to get it passed in spite of public sentiment. You made the difference, and your efforts were much appreciated.

About:
The Purpose of the Tennessee Wildlife Federation is to champion the conservation, sound management and enjoyment of Tennessee’s wildlife and natural resources for current and future generations through stewardship, advocacy and education. Visit: www.tnwf.org

Stalls with lighting, keypads, barricades, and signal lights, including Photo Eye Beam Security.

Action Target

Provo, Utah --(Ammoland.com)- Action Target is excited to announce the completion of the Shooters Edge Commercial Shooting Range and Retail Store located in Piney Flats, TN. This facility offers 5 Star accommodations and a clean and well designed atmosphere with extraordinary customer service.

Having the help and dedication of Joseph Bush, Don Reimer, Action Target Great Lakes Territory Manager Jason Snell, Project Manager Bryan Dahlberg, Bill Provencher from Carey’s Heating and Air Conditioning and many others, allowed us to create a range that is innovative, effective and accommodating to all types of shooters.

Equipment provided and stalled by Action Target includes the following:

• Tactical Baffle Layout: Provides for realistic training, including movement and shooting from any given point on the range with full errant round containment.
• 360 Degree Turning Target Retrievers: Perfect for decision making drills, qualifications, and tactical training. Also, includes Master Control for RSO.
• Track Runner: A running target that moves back and forth the width of the range.
• Shooting Stalls: Installed stalls came with lighting, keypads, barricades, and signal lights.
  Photo Eye Beam Security: Ensures all civilian shooters remain behind the firing line.

Congratulations Shooters Edge for a beautiful facility and phenomenal shooting range!

Other Recently Completed Projects

• Martin CSO – Robb Anderson
• PA State Police Academy – Matt Brinkerhoff
• Shelby County Sheriff’s Department – Jason Snell
• Fairfax County Law Enforcement Academy, VA – Mike Stillwell
• Odessa Police Department, TX – Aaron Ludwig
• Appleton Police Department, WI – Chris Hart

If you are interested in our products and are in the Great Lakes area, contact your Regional Representative Jason Snell. For all other areas, please visit our Contacts Page to find the territory manager for your area.

About Action Targets:
Action Target is a privately owned business headquartered about 40 miles south of Salt Lake City in Provo, Utah. For the last 20 plus years, Action Target has been the dominant force in shooting range equipment design and manufacturing for law enforcement, military, and commercial ranges around the world. We are proud of our commitment to deliver advanced firearms training products that help prepare our men and women in uniform for the heroic job of defending our safety and our freedom. Visit: www.actiontarget.com

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

GREENEVILLE, Tenn --(Ammoland.com)- Wayne Rumley of Bluff City, Tenn., entered a plea of guilty on February 16, 2011, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Greeneville, to dealing in firearms while not being a licensed dealer.

Sentencing has been set for June 27, 2011, at 9:00 a.m., in U.S. District Court in Greeneville. He faces a term of five years in prison, a $250,000.00 fine, and two years of supervised release.

Rumley was charged in an information with not being a licensed firearm dealer within the meaning of Chapter 44, Title 18, United States Code, and that he willfully engaged in the business of dealing in firearms between during May 16 to August 7, 2010.

On several occasions during this time period, Rumley sold firearms to undercover agents at the Tri-Cities Flea Market in Bluff City, Tenn.

The charges and subsequent guilty plea were the results of an ongoing investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Robert M. Reeves, Assistant U.S. Attorney represented the United States.

Tennessee Wildlife Federation

Nashville, TN --(Ammoland.com)- The Tennessee Wildlife Federation (TWF) announced today that L. Daniel Hammond, a long-time TWF board member and benefactor, will serve as chairman of the organization’s board of directors in 2011.

Hammond founded American Hometown Publishing in 2007, where he serves as chairman and chief executive officer.

“The Tennessee Wildlife Federation has a 65-year track record of success in protecting the interests of wildlife, habitat and those who care about them, and I have been honored to be a part of it for the last decade,” Hammond says.

“In 2011, we look forward to the continued expansion of our award-winning programs in advocacy, education and stewardship.”

Prior to forming AHP, Hammond was the founder and chairman, president and CEO of Franklin-based Publishing Group of America (PGA), where he oversaw the creation and launch of American Profile, the largest magazine launch in American history and now one of the largest publications in North America with more than 25 million readers each week.

TWF Chairman Dan Hammond

Joining the TWF board of directors is Phillip Crowe, a nationally celebrated wildlife artist who has been a supporter of TWF’s initiatives for decades. Crowe’s work – which has raised millions of dollars for wildlife and habitat – has been featured on numerous state waterfowl stamps, on limited-edition prints for organizations such as Ducks Unlimited and the National Wild Turkey Federation, and on two of the Tennessee Wildlife Federation’s state license plate designs.

Former University of Tennessee Head Football Coach Phillip Fulmer, who currently serves as a volunteer spokesman for TWF, has joined the organization’s advisory board. Fulmer will be a statewide ambassador for the Federation, helping to promote TWF’s mission by building awareness among key constituencies.

Founded in 1946, the Tennessee Wildlife Federation’s mission is to champion the conservation, sound management and enjoyment of Tennessee’s wildlife and natural resources for current and future generations through stewardship, advocacy and education. TWF’s programs include Great Outdoors University, which coordinates outdoor experiences for more than 1,500 underserved youth in Memphis and Nashville each year; the Tennessee Scholastic Clay Target Program, with 95 teams and 2,200 student-athletes across Tennessee; and Hunters for the Hungry, which provides more than 400,000 meals to Tennesseans in need annually.

Over the years, TWF has helped establish the wildlife management model in Tennessee and the agency that implements it, and the organization has been instrumental in the restoration of wildlife species like the bald eagle, Eastern wild turkey, elk and white-tailed deer in this state. In 2010, TWF led the effort to amend the state constitution to include a personal right to hunt and fish, which passed by an historic 90 percent margin of the votes cast in the gubernatorial election.

“All three of these men have contributed significant time, effort and resources to wildlife through their work with the Federation,” says Mike Butler, TWF’s chief executive officer. “Their continued support will facilitate our growth and multiply our impact, and we’re lucky to have them on our team.”

About:
The Purpose of the Tennessee Wildlife Federation is to champion the conservation, sound management and enjoyment of Tennessee’s wildlife and natural resources for current and future generations through stewardship, advocacy and education. Visit: www.tnwf.org

Tennessee Wildlife Federation

Nashville, TN - -(Ammoland.com)-  The Tennessee Wildlife Federation has been a champion on issues of importance to sportsmen and women for more than 60 years.

Today, we are proud to have led a six-year process to amend the state constitution to guarantee the personal right to hunt and fish.

This has been a grassroots effort, a campaign with a short timeline and a very limited budget. We led a coalition of virtually all national conservation organizations and more than 100 local clubs and chapters across the state.

Thousands of volunteers helped ensure our success, and their children and grandchildren will thank them one day.

Hunting and fishing are important to the people of Tennessee – and to the state – for economic and other practical reasons.

As we’ve seen here and in other states, some groups want to see hunting and fishing outlawed. But as of tonight, we can rest easy knowing that it will not happen here.

These days, the reality is if you want to be sure about something, you had better get it in writing.

About:
The Purpose of the Tennessee Wildlife Federation is to champion the conservation, sound management and enjoyment of Tennessee’s wildlife and natural resources for current and future generations through stewardship, advocacy and education. Visit: www.tnwf.org

NRA - ILA

Charlotte, NC --(Ammoland.com)- NRA-ILA grass roots news recently debuted a new and improved format for the “Grassroots News Minute” video!

To view the current video in its new format, please click above:

Cam Edwards talks with the NRA’s Deputy General Counsel Stefan Tahmassebi on the growing civil discrimination of diabetic gun owners during divorce proceedings.

Read More on these topics:

• Gun Owners Forced To Show Papers But Not Illegals?
• An End to the Lautenberg Amendment?

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

Quail Forever

Nashville, Tenn. –-(Ammoland.com)- Volunteer quail conservationists are alive and well in Tennessee, as evidenced by the formation of two new Quail Forever chapters. The Nashville area is home to the Music City Quail Forever Chapter, while Shelby County calls the Mid-South Quail Forever Chapter its own.

A nationally recognized name in wildlife habitat conservation, Quail Forever builds a connection in local areas because of its grassroots approach. Like only its Pheasants Forever counterpart, Quail Forever provides local Quail Forever chapters the ability to decide how 100 percent of their fundraised dollars are spent. This local control gives chapters, including the new Tennessee chapters, the ability to make things happen for wildlife in their communities, while belonging to a national organization advocating for wildlife and conservation in policy discussions in Washington, D.C.

Music City Quail Forever
Nearly 40 Nashville area conservationists, many with 20+ years of involvement with quail restoration and wildlife habitat improvement projects and hunter education, banded together to form Music City Quail Forever. The chapter figures to soon have more than 100 members, and has committed to holding five events in its first year of operation, including a youth hunt, sporting clay shoot, bird dog field trial, fish fry and a dove hunt – all in addition to the chapter’s annual fundraising banquet, for which the date has yet to be determined.

• Music City Quail Forever chapter leaders include Don Purdy, president, from Nashville; Bob Qualman, treasurer, from Nashville; Butch Bice, banquet chair, from Nashville; and Herbert Sanderlin, youth/education chair, from Gallatin.
• The chapter’s next meeting will take place on Thursday, June 10, at 6:30 PM at the Ellington Agriculture Center’s Regions II building in Nashville.
• For more information on Music City Quail Forever, contact Don Purdy at (615) 415-2035 or via email at don.purdy@belmont.edu.

Mid-South Quail Forever
Shelby County’s Quail Forever chapter is led by chapter president Walker Morris, Jr. His dedication to quail conservation is evidenced by his 250-acre farm on which he works to improve bobwhite quail habitat. ” I’ve been chasing the little birds for 56 years, ever since I shot my first at age 11 with a single barrel .410 shotgun.” Morris said, “All my forefathers were avid about quail, and it’s a tradition I’ve always strived to carry on.”
Mid-South Quail Forever chapter leaders include John “Jurey” Howard, treasurer, from Memphis; John Campbell, co-banquet chair, from Germantown; and Terry Baskin, co-banquet chair, from Millington.

The chapter will meet the third Tuesday of each month at 6:30 pm at the Collierville Animal Clinic, with the next meeting on Tuesday, June 15th.

• Mid-South Quail Forever will host a sporting clays event on Saturday, September 25th beginning at 9AM at “The Willows” in Tunica, Mississippi (Harrah’s Casino).
• For more information about Mid-South Quail Forever, contact Walker Morris at (901) 218-3542 and morrishome2@bellsouth.net.
• For more information about Quail Forever in Tennessee, contact Tim Caughran, Quail Forever Regional Wildlife Biologist, at 618-791-3909 and TCaughran@quailforever.org.

About:
Quail Forever is the quail division of Pheasants Forever. Quail Forever is dedicated to the protection and enhancement of quail, pheasant and other upland wildlife through habitat improvement, public awareness, education and advocacy for sound land management policy. For additional information please visit www.QuailForever.org

Rockcastle Shooting Center

Park City, KY – -(AmmoLand.com)- Overcast skies, wind and chilly temperatures, not typical for Kentucky; could not keep away the many registered shooters, from six states and as far away as Brazil from attending this past weekends event.

Rockcastle Shooting Center which is part of Park Mammoth Resort hosted the event. The 15 station designed Sporting Clay course with targets set by Bill McGuire provided seasoned shooters with challenging registered NSCA level targets.

Nick Noble, General Manager of Rockcastle Shooting Center said, “For our first sporting clays event out of the gate, we were really proud to have had the largest turnout of shooters for a Tennessee Winter Series event. Many of the shooters commented they’re looking forward to returning in September when Rockcastle Shooting Center hosts the Gamaliel Cup, in addition to our other 2010 planned shooting events which are posted on our web site.”

After the competition, shooters gathered in The Lodge and Conference Center to receive their awards and relax in The Lookout Restaurant to enjoy a southern style menu that closed out their shooting day. Additionally, Rockcastle Shooting Center hosted a First Shots® program later on in the day, which was well attended by area residents.

The Rockcastle Shooting Center, located in south-central Kentucky is nestled atop a wooded bluff and is a part of Park Mammoth Resort a historic resort in Park City, KY. The 2000 acre resort features a 100 guest room cozy lodge, restaurant and conference center, indoor heated pool, scenic nature trails, 27 hole regulation golf course and an all encompassing shooting center meeting the needs for all sporting clay, pistol and rifle shooting enthusiasts.

For further information of scheduled events at Rockcastle Shooting Center and the first class accommodations and amenities offered by Park Mammoth Resort, visit our web site at www.parkmammothresort.us or email our guest client services at info@parkmammothresort.us.

Quail Forever

Knoxville, Tenn. – Tennessee is home to a new pair of Quail Forever chapters. Quail enthusiasts in Knox County formed Smoky Mountain Quail Forever, while Maury County quail hunters and conservationists formed Duck River Quail Forever.

Both groups set out with the common goal of improving habitat for a Tennessee species in great need, the bobwhite quail.

As Quail Forever chapters, the Smoky Mountain and Duck River groups will utilize Quail Forever’s local approach to wildlife habitat conservation.

Unlike other national conservation organizations, Quail Forever gives local Quail Forever chapters the ability to decide how 100 percent of their fundraised dollars are spent. This local control gives chapters and members the ability to make things happen for wildlife in their communities, while belonging to a national organization that gives wildlife and conservation a voice in Washington, D.C.

“Bobwhite quail populations won’t rebound by themselves. It takes people who care about quail, care about rolling up their sleeves and doing the necessary habitat work, and care about showing younger generations there is excitement beyond a box and a plug-in,” said Tim Caughran, regional wildlife biologist for Quail Forever in Tennessee. “I’m proud to say such quail folk call Knox and Maury Counties home.”

Smoky Mountain Quail Forever
This Knox County group already calls some serious quail conservationists members, and according to the chapter’s president, Mike Cable of Knoxville, will be digging into its first wildlife habitat projects this March.

• Chapter leaders include Joseph Justice, treasurer, from Knoxville; Jim Horton, youth/education chair, from Maryville; and Greg McDaniel, habitat chair, also from Maryville.
• For more information or to become a member of the Smoky Mountain Quail Forever chapter, contact Mike Cable at 865-809-4588 or via email at 428scj@charter.net.

Duck River Quail Forever
Working alongside one of the most biologically diverse river systems in North America, the Duck River Quail Forever chapter is optimistic about increasing quail populations and augmenting the work of state and federal wildlife agencies.

“We would like to work with wildlife professionals in the areas surrounding Duck River to improve upland habitat for quail and other wildlife,” said Bob Tarter, treasurer of the Duck River chapter. “We are fortunate to be located in such a naturally diverse area, and we think this will bode well for quail in the years to come.”

• For more information or to become a member of the Duck River Quail Forever chapter, contact Bob Tarter at 901-212-1453 or via email at Bob@nhecm.com.

Quail Forever is the quail division of Pheasants Forever. Tennessee is home seven Quail Forever chapters. For more information about Quail Forever in Tennessee, contact Tim Caughran at 618-467-2586 and tcaughran@quailforever.org.

Tennessee Waterfowl, Wildlife And Waters At Risk

Tennessee --(AmmoLand.com)- Please join the leaders in Tennessee waterfowl, wildlife and fish habitat conservation to discuss a new report that shows serious threats to Tennessee’s wetlands and streams and the wildlife, fish, and waterfowl that inhabit them.

This report provides an overview of the waters at risk in Tennessee and documents cases in Tennessee where important waterways have lost basic federal pollution protections because of the confused state of the law.

Included among these waters are wetlands associated with a vital tributary to the Tennessee River, a wetland impacting Tennessee’s treasured Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge, and wetlands under siege from development.

It is almost certain that these waters would have been protected prior to the 2001 and 2006 Supreme Court decisions that weakened the Clean Water Act.

Scheduled speakers are:

• Jim Murphy, National Wildlife Federation (moderator)
• Mike Butler, Tennessee Wildlife Federation
• George Lane, Tennessee Trout Unlimited Council
• John McFadden, report author
• Scott Yaich, Ducks Unlimited

DATE: January 27, 2010

TIME: 9:45 Eastern / 8:45 am Central

CALL-IN: 1-800-791-2345 participant code 19220#

In Range Now Taking Custom Ak-74 Rifles Work

Kodak Tennessee - -(AmmoLand.com)- At IN RANGE we have just about cleared our entire backlog of custom work, and we are now at our shortest turn-around time for building rifles ~ only 4-6 weeks.

We recently completed a large contract for AK-74 rifles for a major distributor and we are now ready to get back into our regular business of building custom Kalashnikov Rifles.

As all of you are aware, recent events in the news (shootings, confiscation of kits, original barrels no longer available, etc.) have motivated us to double our efforts building custom AKs.

We will continue to build guns as expeditiously as possible, and for as long as we possibly can in the event any new anti-gun legislation is introduced in congress.

The best way to contact them is via email. Time on the phone takes away from time in the shop. You can reach them at: inrange97@aol.com or www.inrangec2.com

About:
IN RANGE is your Krinkov “AKS-74U” connection. We have built numerous Krinks, AMD-65s, RPKs and full size AKs. If you bought that Krink kit and it’s a larger project than you thought. Give us a call we’ll build it for you. We also enjoy tackling that oddball parts kit. If there is a project you’ve been itching to have built call us.

National Rifle Association

Fairfax, Va. –-(AmmoLand.com)- Chancellor Claudia Bonnyman of the Chancery Court for Davidson County, Tennessee ruled last week that Tennessee’s restaurant carry law is unconstitutionally vague because of a perceived ambiguity over the state’s definition of restaurants. This law gave right-to-carry permit holders the chance to defend themselves from criminal attack while in a restaurant.

“This ruling is a setback for Tennessee’s law-abiding concealed carry permit holders,” said Chris W. Cox, NRA chief lobbyist. “We strongly urge Attorney General Robert Cooper to defend the Tennessee statute and appeal this unwise ruling.”

HB 962, Tennessee’s Restaurant Carry legislation, passed both the House and Senate with broad bipartisan support, but Governor Phil Bredesen vetoed the bill on May 28, disappointing more than 200,000 right-to-carry permit holders in the state. While an override of the veto only needed a simple majority vote to pass, it cleared both chambers with overwhelming, bi-partisan support. This law went into effect in July of this year after the Tennessee House and Senate successfully overrode Gov. Bredesen’s veto of HB 962. Tennessee joined 35 other states which recognize the right to carry in restaurants that serve alcohol when it enacted this legislation into law.

This law is crucial because crimes do occur in restaurants. On April 2, 2009, Benjamin Felix Goeser was gunned down at Jonny’s Sports Bar on Nolensville Road in Nashville. His wife, Nicole Goeser, has a right-to-carry permit, but she had to keep her gun locked in the car because of Tennessee law. Mrs. Goeser actively lobbied for the passage of this measure.

“Right-to-carry permit holders in Tennessee need to be aware that the chancery court’s regrettable and incorrect decision effectively suspends the law the legislature enacted and that they should not carry in restaurants until this litigation is resolved on appeal,” concluded Cox. “The NRA will continue to fight on behalf of our members, permit holders and victims of crime until this reasonable self-defense measure is restored as Tennessee law.”

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.

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

MISSOULA, Mont.—-(AmmoLand.com)- She used to cry when her father came home with a dead deer.

Now she’s the first woman hunter to bag an elk in Tennessee in at least 144 years. Tami Miller of Franklin, Tenn., hopes her story will inspire other women to take up hunting.

“It’s hard to get a babysitter at 4:30 in the morning but the experience of hunting is worth the trouble,” laughs Miller. “My husband introduced me to hunting. It has definitely enhanced our marriage and our family life. It’s something we can share, something that brings us all together in the outdoors. I wish more women would try it.”

She added, “Hunting is exciting. It’s empowering and it’s beautiful. When you’re out there at sunrise, and it’s so quiet you can hear a leaf falling from a tree, it’s priceless.”

Miller and her husband, both avid conservationists and supporters of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, in October participated in the state’s first elk hunt in modern times.

Elk disappeared from Tennessee in 1865 following years of habitat changes and unregulated hunting. In the 1990s, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and RMEF began an historic effort to restore a wild herd to the Volunteer State. By 2009 the population had expanded enough for hunters to take five surplus bulls. Four permits were awarded via random drawing, one via auction on eBay.

Knowing that auction proceeds would fund elk and habitat conservation, Andrew Miller didn’t mind paying $17,700 for the permit—or giving the permit to Tami as a special gift.

“My husband and I scouted together through September and October and I grew more and more excited about the hunt. The historical aspects were always on my mind. I thought about the women who walked these hills a long time ago, hunting for elk so their families could survive. I felt honored to represent them,” said Miller.

When the hunt day arrived, Miller joined the four other hunters—all male—in a group elk camp co-sponsored by RMEF and staffed by volunteers.

“I was a little worried about being accepted. I wondered if the men would think I was pushing my way into their fraternity. But everyone was supportive and wonderful. I met so many great people who really wanted me to succeed,” she said, adding, “I was actually surprised at how many people were watching to see how the woman hunter would do. In my hometown, girls and women that I didn’t even know were coming up and wishing me luck.”

When all four of the men killed their bull on the first day, but Tami hadn’t even seen an elk yet, anxiety simmered as she worried about letting people down.

“Hunting isn’t all about getting an animal but I didn’t want to be the only hunter who didn’t get an elk. I probably should have prayed for help finding a big bull. But, the next morning, as my husband and I hunted together in a beautiful place, with the colors of fall all around us, the stress melted away and I just thanked God for this day,” she said.

At dusk, after a long stalk, with her husband and two friends by her side, Miller finally steadied crosshairs on a bull elk, an animal many times larger than her. She was nervous. As her husband had taught her years before, she drew two deep breaths, then held the third and squeezed the trigger.

When the rifle spoke, the elk was hers.

“When I started hunting, I knew it would be fun to get outdoors with my husband and watch him doing something he loved, but I wasn’t sure I could kill an animal. Since then, I’ve learned that I can be a provider, too. I can bring food home to my family,” she said.

Miller’s 5×6 certainly wasn’t the biggest bull in the Tennessee woods but it will always symbolize an enormously important part of her life:

“Marriage is about sharing things, and, for us, hunting has become one of those things.”

About the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation:
Snowy peaks, dark timber basins and grassy meadows. RMEF is leading an elk country initiative that has conserved or enhanced habitat on over 5.6 million acres—a land area equivalent to a swath three miles wide and stretching along the entire Continental Divide from Canada to Mexico. RMEF also works to open, secure and improve public access for hunting, fishing and other recreation. Get involved at www.rmef.org or 800-CALL ELK.

Sportsman Channel

New Berlin, WI –-(AmmoLand.com)- Sportsman Channel, the premiere all hunting, shooting and fishing network, announced it has launched on Comcast’s Digital Preferred service in Portland, Oregon; Chattanooga, Tennessee; and Jackson, Mississippi.

These new launches will bring Sportsman’s high-quality hunting, shooting and fishing shows to Comcast Digital Preferred customers throughout these areas.

“We’re thrilled to bring Comcast’s Portland customers our strongest programming lineup in our history, delivering not only our traditional market leading shows but also fresh and innovative programming that allows us to continue to better serve Sportsmen,” said Willy Burkhardt, president of Sportsman.

“We look forward to continuing to provide our viewers and distribution partners with entertaining and informative content across our three programming pillars of hunt, shoot and fish.”

During the past year, Sportsman has benefited from the ongoing programming resources of its parent company, InterMedia Outdoors, the largest outdoor media content provider, which has helped to fuel the network with more than 500 original series episodes and 15 new shows in 2009 alone.

“With millions of sportsman across the country, the Sportsman Channel will bring original and quality programming to our customers in the Portland area,” said Lars Lofas, vice president of sales and marketing for Comcast’s Oregon/SWW Region.

Sportsman is now available on channel 405 in Portland; channel 738 in Chattanooga; and channel 738 in Jackson.

For more information on the Sportsman Channel, please visit www.thesportsmanchannel.com.

SPORTSMAN CHANNEL:
Launched in 2003, Sportsman Channel is the only television and digital company fully devoted to the more than 82 million sportsmen in the United States, delivering thousands of hours of the most entertaining and educational hunting, shooting and fishing programming available. Sportsman Channel is currently available in 17.8 million homes. Acquired by InterMedia Outdoors Holdings in 2006, Sportsman Channel is now a part of the nation’s largest multimedia company targeted exclusively to serving the information and entertainment needs of outdoors enthusiasts. For more information, visit www.thesportsmanchannel.com.

INTERMEDIA OUTDOORS:
InterMedia Outdoors, Inc. is the largest media company in the outdoor-enthusiast category, exclusively serving the information and entertainment needs of outdoors enthusiasts, with the largest network of websites dedicated to hunting, shooting and fishing; a portfolio of 15 magazines including powerful brands such as Petersen’s Hunting, North American Whitetail, Guns&Ammo, In-Fisherman, Fly Fisherman, and Florida Sportsman; syndicated radio programming; 23 market-leading television productions, the largest library of outdoors television programming and Sportsman Channel, the only television network dedicated exclusively to hunting, shooting and fishing.

COMCAST:
Comcast Corporation (www.comcast.com) is one of the nation’s leading providers of entertainment, information and communication products and services. With 23.9 million cable customers, 15.3 million high-speed Internet customers, and 7.0 million Comcast Digital Voice customers, Comcast is principally involved in the development, management and operation of cable systems and in the delivery of programming content.

Comcast’s content networks and investments include E! Entertainment Television, Style Network, Golf Channel, VERSUS, G4, PBS KIDS Sprout, TV One, ten sports networks operated by Comcast Sports Group and Comcast Interactive Media, which develops and operates Comcast’s Internet businesses, including Comcast.net (www.comcast.net). Comcast also has a majority ownership in Comcast-Spectacor, whose major holdings include the Philadelphia Flyers NHL hockey team, the Philadelphia 76ers NBA basketball team and two large multipurpose arenas in Philadelphia.

National Association for Gun Rights

Montana --(AmmoLand.com)- In a move typical for that fear-mongering organization with an ever-swelling acronym, the BATFE has written gun dealers in the states of Montana and Tennessee to let them know the BATFE will be disregarding the state sovereignty gun laws of each state.

The “Montana Made” law, just like Tennessee’s Firearms Freedom Act, is very simple.

Much of federal authority to regulate firearm sales and transfers stems from a liberal interpretation of every American tyrant’s favorite subterfuge, the “interstate commerce” clause. In essence, this is what gives the BATFE its nasty teeth.

With this in mind, Montana correctly understood that any weapon made in Montana by Montana residents and sold in Montana to Montana residents is Montana’s business and Montana’s business only.

Montana thus sought to take charge of its firearms industry with the application of a simple truism:

Any gun made in Montana by Montana residents and sold in Montana to Montana residents is intrastate commerce, not “interstate commerce,” and thus does not full under the purview of the federal government.

Potentially, the state would be able to say goodbye to NICS checks; Brady background checks; NFA taxes, bans and NFA databases — and most importantly, federal “assault weapons” bans, which Montana and Tennessee rightly anticipated.

In effect, the “Montana Made” law would have permitted Montana gun companies to manufacture any kind of weapon banned by federal law — including so-called “assault weapons” — and sell them to fellow Montana residents.

Moreover, in this scenario, no one — neither the manufacturer nor the dealer nor the buyer — would have to kowtow to the BATFE by paying them a $200 tax and surrendering one’s privacy to their notoriously inaccurate and oft-abused National Firearms Registry.

It was a new day for freedom — and other states besides Tennessee were thinking of following suit: Alaska, Colorado, Oklahoma and Texas.

Well, the BATFE — never one to have its power downplayed (or acronym belittled)– has written letters to both Montana and Tennessee gun dealers letting them know that they proceed at their own risk.

We can only guess what new horrors those words portend — probably more dead housewives and children as disgruntled ATF thugs shoot-to-kill anyone suspected of perhaps owning a firearm not properly taxed and regulated by Washington, D.C., power brokers.

What else would be new.

A few of our members expressed interest in contacting the BATFE to vent some righteous anger — the same thing we did when the Department of Defense said they were going to ban all once-fired military brass for resale.

Remember how the DoD reneged on that commitment after just a few days due to the widespread backlash from gun owners and law enforcement?

Well, this is a bit different. Writing the ATF and providing them with your information is akin to giving thieves your home address and the hours you won’t be home.

We’re going to take a different, less dangerous approach.

We’ve been talking to state officials from both Montana and Tennessee today to try to figure out the best way we can help these state laws succeed.

Please stay tuned to updates on this supremely important issue in our next article.

For now, click here to read Luke’s commentary on his blog and leave a comment as this development unfolds.

Outdoorchannel TV

TEMECULA, Calif. –-(AmmoLand.com)- Outdoor Channel, America’s leader in Outdoor TV, today announced that, alongside Comcast Chattanooga and the Chattanooga Chapter of Safari Club International (SCI), the Company has teamed up with the Chattanooga Community Kitchen for the area’s first annual “Sportsmen Against Hunger” event.

Scheduled for October 20th at the Chattanooga Community Kitchen, local outdoor enthusiasts will join together to serve meals to the hungry. Nearly 250 million meals are served annually via this program, which is active in all 50 states of the U.S., in parts of Canada and in several other countries around the world. Volunteers will be expected to arrive at 9:30 a.m., and the luncheon of venison lasagna and all the trimmings furnished by the Chattanooga Area SCI Chapter is scheduled to begin at approximately 10:45 a.m. The kitchen is expected to serve more than 300 people at this event and is located at 727 East 11th Street in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

“Outdoor Channel has a long history of providing community support and service to local charities, outreach groups and volunteer organizations. We’re inspired by the good folks at the Chattanooga Community Kitchen and are excited to expand upon the Company’s ongoing community involvement and humanitarian goodwill efforts,” said Tom Hornish, COO for Outdoor Channel. “’Sportsmen Against Hunger’ is a terrific initiative and one in which Outdoor Channel is happy to participate.”

“Comcast is pleased that the Outdoor Channel has reached out to assist the Chattanooga Community Kitchen. The kitchen provides a tremendous service to those in need, especially the homeless, and the game served is something most of the kitchen’s clients have never had the opportunity to try,” said Laurie Shipley, Public Affairs Manager for Comcast.

“Outdoor Channel has long been a sponsor of Safari Club International (SCI), and our Chapter appreciates the opportunity to work with them and Comcast on this project,” said Bill Swan, Chapter President. ”The local SCI Chapter represents more than 100 members and has been active in supporting the area Wildlife Officers with donations of equipment, donating money towards the Tennessee Elk Restoration Project, supporting the local zoo and the local animal shelter.”

The Chattanooga Community Kitchen is a freestanding social service agency focused on meeting needs, with a primary mission to lessen the poverty and despair among the homeless in the City of Chattanooga and to restore dignity and self-reliance.

“Serving more than 130,000 meals each year to our area’s neediest citizens, the Chattanooga Community Kitchen is excited to partner with the Outdoor Channel,” said Jens Christensen, Director of Marketing, Chattanooga Community Kitchen. “Community support is essential to our work with the homeless, and we greatly appreciate this partnership.”

About Outdoor Channel Holdings, Inc.
Outdoor Channel Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: OUTD) owns and operates Outdoor Channel, America’s leader in outdoor TV, and Winnercomm Inc., an Emmy Award winning production and interactive company. Outdoor Channel offers programming that captures the excitement of hunting, fishing, shooting, off-road motorsports, adventure and the Western lifestyle and can be viewed on multiple platforms including high definition, video-on-demand, as well as on a dynamic broadband website. Winnercomm Inc. is one of America’s largest and highest quality producers of live sporting events and sports series for cable and broadcast television. Winnercomm also owns and operates the patented Skycam and CableCam aerial camera systems which provide dramatic overhead camera angles for major sports events, including college and NFL football. For more information please visit www.outdoorchannel.com.

About Comcast Corporation
Comcast Corporation (www.comcast.com) is the nation’s leading provider of entertainment, information and communications products and services. With 23.9 million cable customers, 15.3 million high-speed Internet customers, and 7.0 million Comcast Digital Voice customers, Comcast is principally involved in the development, management and operation of broadband cable systems and in the delivery of programming content.

Comcast’s content networks and investments include E! Entertainment Television, Style Network, The Golf Channel, VERSUS, G4, PBS KIDS Sprout, TV One, ten Comcast SportsNets networks and Comcast Interactive Media, which develops and operates Comcast’s Internet businesses, including Comcast.net (www.comcast.net). Comcast also has a majority ownership in Comcast-Spectacor, whose major holdings include the Philadelphia Flyers NHL hockey team, the Philadelphia 76ers NBA basketball team and two large multipurpose arenas in Philadelphia.

About Safari Club International
SCI-First For Hunters is the leader in protecting the freedom to hunt and in promoting wildlife conservation worldwide. SCI’s 187 Chapters represent all 50 of the United States as well as 18 other countries. SCI’s proactive leadership in a host of cooperative wildlife conservation, outdoor education and humanitarian programs, with the SCI Foundation and other conservation groups, research institutions and government agencies, empowers sportsmen to be contributing community members and participants in sound wildlife management and conservation. Visit the home page http://www.safariclub.org or call (520) 620-1220 for more information.

About Chattanooga Area Chapter
Founded in 1999, the Chattanooga Area Chapter, which represents about 100 area members, has been a supporter of the Chattanooga Zoo, The City Animal Shelter, The Susan Korman Breast Cancer Facility, a shelter for abused women in the North Georgia, The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, and many other community projects. They can be visited at www.chattanoogachaptersci.org.

About Chattanooga Community Kitchen
The Chattanooga Community Kitchen is a freestanding social service agency focused on meeting needs. Our primary goal is to lessen the poverty and despair among the homeless in the City of Chattanooga and to restore dignity and self-reliance to those we serve. In all that we do, we strive to serve the physical, social and spiritual needs of the homeless and less fortunate without expectation of recompense but instead out of love and compassion for mankind.

Quail Forever

Decaturville, Tenn. --(AmmoLand.com)- Two western Tennessee shooting preserve owners have joined forces to create the state’s newest chapter of Quail Forever (QF). Jerry Lynn Phillips, owner of Turnbo Creek Shooting Preserve and Barry Stinnett, owner of Lakeview Shooting Preserve, volunteered their free time to organize the new Tennessee River Quail & Dove Chapter of QF.

“People want to bring quail back, but they don’t know how. Through Quail Forever, we’re able to provide that missing habitat expertise that’s been lacking,” explained Tim Caughran, QF regional wildlife biologist. “The leaders in this new chapter have an interest in bringing quail back, as well as a desire to foster the passion for quail hunting that will grow the next generation of quail hunters.”

QF’s unique financial model also appealed to the new chapter’s volunteer leaders. QF applies the successful Pheasants Forever model of empowering local chapters with the responsibility to determine how 100% of their locally raised conservation funds will be spent. As a result, grassroots chapter volunteers are able to see the fruits of their efforts locally, while belonging to a larger national organization with a voice on federal and state conservation policy. Quail Forever and Pheasants Forever are the only national conservation organizations that operate through this truly grassroots structure.

In addition to Phillips serving as the new chapter’s president, Stinnett has been elected treasurer, and Jeremy Vavouris has been elected youth & education chair. The new Tennessee River Quail & Dove QF Chapter plans to hold a quail hunt and banquet on Saturday, October 31st beginning at 1PM. The public is invited to attend. For more information about the event and the new Tennessee River Quail & Dove QF Chapter, please contact Phillips at (731)549-7568 or Stinnett at (731)206-0113.

Tennessee is home to four QF chapters. For more information on Quail Forever in Tennessee, to start a chapter or join one of the states existing chapters, contact QF at (866)457-8245 or via email at contact@quailforever.org.

Shooters Committee on Political Education

Tennessee --(AmmoLand.com)- Every gun owner, and particularly concealed carry permit holders, take note!!!! States in which lists of concealed carry holders have been published – particularly in my home state, here in TENNESSEE – take note!!!!

Probably most of us know about THE COMMERCIAL APPEAL, newspaper in MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE, publishing a list of all of the concealed carry permit holders in the state. A stink was raised. The Tennessee state legislature produced a bill to stop this. Recently, I sent out an article from the CA about the fight in the state over allowing lawful carry in county and city parks. I pointed out how the CA was still promoting their publication of the list and how it was still available.

I did not know, until I read the article Concealed Carry Confidentiality Across the Fruited Plain, that the House of Representatives of Tennessee passed the bill (83-12), but the Tennessee Senate rejected Senate Bill 1126 by a 14-13 vote!!!!

I know some Tennessee state senators, and I know that some people getting this email from me know some Tennessee state senators. I hope that you will join me in making those 13 miscreant senators wish that there were 13 thousand of them – to help diffuse the wrath!!!!

Ask yourself – why would anybody do that? Well, you might ask why the Commercial Appeal did it in the first place. As you will read in the link above, the Arkansas Times thought that the CA’s publication of the list was “cool” and acted like a copy cat. The Arkansas state senate, like Tennessee, apparently has a few knuckleheads in it, too, so they and the governor who is ostensibly (but weakly) pro-gun, need an attitude readjustment.

Virginia got it right. A list was published and the citizens were so outraged that they rose up and bit the publication in the ass.

Gun owners take action!

About;
SCOPE is a New York State 2nd Amendment Civil Rights Organization dedicated to the preservation of firearms ownership since 1965. SCOPE is a New York State Not For Profit Volunteer Organization dedicated to the preservation of the Second Amendment.

AmmoLand - Shooting Sports News

Clarksville,Tennessee - I have to ask, have those in the county government lost their minds? Is passing laws to prevent the carrying guns around small children at play really necessary? People are afraid to bring their 4-year-olds to parks because they will have no way to defend their children or their families if they were to come face to face with someone who means them harm. Or is it the rampant and overwhelming crime in our parks that have people scared?

Because I seriously want to know what benefit there is in people NOT carrying a gun in a public park. Self-defense is the only reason I’ve heard.

Every crime prevention or safety Web site you go to will tell you to never approach someone committing a crime and to not fight back. You should be happy being the victim. You should call the police and let then handle it because when seconds count the police are just minutes away. That’s one reason we pay taxes, to make sure we have police officers available when needed.

I understand that you must have a carry permit in order to be able to have a gun in bars and parks now. But a carry permit is not the same thing as knowing how to use a gun safely. Yes, they’re screened, but who’s to say the person with the gun in their possession is really a safe gun owner because CCW licensed permit owners have only been finger printed, subjected to mental health and criminal background checks?

I believe the Second Amendment has it uses, but the right to restrict that right and endanger my children shouldn’t be one of them. I, for one, will not be taking my children to a county run park to play if it is a gun free zone.

I will do everything in my power to get guns allowed in our county parks and bars. I can’t imagine two more dangerous situations than someone with a gun around a bunch of drunks or innocent children and no way to defend myself or family. I hope the county government gets on board with the city and does the right thing, and that would be removing all gun free zones and allowing guns in all places.

You can see the original anti-gun article here.

BATFE

Tennessee - -(AmmoLand.com)- The purpose of this letter is to provide guidance on your obligations as a Federal firearms licensee (”FFL”). The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (”ATF”) is dedicated to your success in meeting your requirements as a Federal firearms licensee. The following guidance is intended to assist you in accomplishing this goal.

The passage of the Tennessee Firearms Freedom Act, H.B. 1796, 106th Leg. (Tenn. 2009) 1796 (”Act”), effective June 19, 2009, has generated questions from industry members as to how this State law may affect them while engaged in a firearms business activity. The Act purports to exempt personal firearms, firearms accessories, and ammunition manufactured in the State, and which remain in the State, from most Federal firearms laws and regulations. However, because the Act conflicts with Federal firearms laws and regulations, Federal law supersedes the Act, and all provisions of the Gun Control Act and the National Firearms Act, and their corresponding regulations, continue to apply.

As you may know, Federal law requires a license to engage in the business of manufacturing firearms or ammunition, or to deal in firearms, even if the firearms or ammunition remain within the same state. All firearms manufactured by a licensee must be properly marked. Additionally, each licensee must record the type, model, caliber or gauge, and serial number of each firearm manufactured or otherwise acquired, and the date such manufacture or other acquisition was made. The information required must be recorded in the licensee’s records not later than the seventh day following the date such manufacture or other acquisition was made. Firearms transaction records and NICS background checks must be conducted prior to disposition of firearms to unlicensed persons. These, as well as other Federal requirements and prohibitions, apply whether or not the firearms or ammunition have crossed state lines.

If you have any questions regarding the Federal firearms laws and regulations, please contact your local ATF office. ATF works closely with the firearms industry and appreciates the important role the industry plays in combating violent crime. A listing of ATF office phone numbers can be found at http://www.atf.gov/contact/field.htm. Carson W. Carroll, Assistant Director (Enforcement Programs and Services)”

About:
ATF – A unique law enforcement agency in the United States Department of Justice that protects our communities from violent criminals, criminal organizations, the illegal use and trafficking of firearms, the illegal use and storage of explosives, acts of arson and bombings, acts of terrorism, and the illegal diversion of alcohol and tobacco products.

We partner with communities, industries, law enforcement and public safety agencies to safeguard the public we serve through information sharing, training, research, and use of technology.

Tennessee Scholastic Clay Target Program

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – -(ShootingWire.com)- The Tennessee Wildlife Federation’s (TWF) Tennessee Scholastic Clay Target Program (TNSCTP) held the 2009 TNSCTP State Championships over the past weekend at the Montgomery County Shooting Complex in which 1,104 athletes competed in the shotgun sports of trap, skeet, and sporting clays.

State Champion teams were “crowned” in the three shooting disciplines and in five age-class divisions, as the “Super Bowl” of Tennessee youth trapshooting completed its eighth year. Additionally, several Tennessee teams qualified to compete in the national championships held in Sparta, Illinois in late July.

Trap Results

Varsity Division
Winning the 2009 State Championship in the Varsity division was the McKenzie Caba Crushers, McKenzie, TN, breaking 718 out of 750 targets. Members of the Caba Crushers are John Curry Burks, Brandon Sellers, Heath Bartholomew, Luke Anderson, and Jacob McBride.

Junior Varsity Division
Winning the 2009 State Championship in the Junior Varsity division was the Jefferson County 4-H Patriot Shooters JV1, breaking 676 out of 750 targets. Members of the Jefferson County 4-H Patriot Shooters JV1 are Matt Orr, Aaron Bailiff, Hunter Rich, Alex Swanger, and Kyle Nester.

Intermediate Advance Division
Winning the 2009 State Championship in the Intermediate Advanced division was the Carroll Co. Clay Busters IA, breaking 469 of 500 targets. Members of the Carroll Co. Clay Busters IA are Cory Mathis, Chelsea Mathis, Collin Pruett, Cody Thorne, and Peyton Turner.

Intermediate Entry Division
Winning the 2009 State Championship in the Intermediate Entry Division was the Coffee County Middle Clay Busters #2, breaking 401 of 500 targets. Members of the Coffee County Middle Clay Busters #2 are Derek Anderson, Hayden Zeigler, Chase Martin, Matt Johnson, and Blake Hickerson.

Rookie Division
Winning the 2009 State Championship in the Rookie division was the Hoodlum Alley #3, from Shelbyville, TN, breaking 410 of 500 targets. Members of the Hoodlum Alley #3 are Chase Smith, Ryan Patterson, Cannon Lamb, Wesley Griggs, and Austin Haithcote.

Trap Grand Champions
The Senior Grand Champion, the most prestigious individual TNSCTP award in the varsity division, is awarded to the varsity or junior varsity athlete with the highest overall score in trap. The 2009 Senior Grand Champion was decided in a dramatic shoot-off, with Allen Parker of the Morristown Trap Team winning the competition with a score of 148 out of 150 targets.

The Rookie and Intermediate Grand Champion, the most prestigious individual TNSCTP award, is awarded to the Rookie or Intermediate athlete with the highest overall score in trap. The 2009 Senior Grand Champion was decided in a dramatic shoot-off, with Daniel Antwine of the Haywood County Young Guns winning the competition with a score of 98 out of 100 targets.

Skeet Results

Varsity Division
The 2009 State Champions in the Varsity division was the Haywood County Young Guns skeet team, breaking 291 of 300 targets. Members of the Haywood County Young Guns skeet team are John Evans, Hayden Combs, and Will Taylor.

Junior Varsity Division
Winning the 2009 State Championship in the Junior Varsity division was the 3 @ 8 Red team from Columbia, TN, breaking 287 out of 300 targets. Members of the 3 @ 8 Red are William Stewart, Colin King, and Garrett Schrader.

Intermediate Advanced Division
Winning the 2009 State Championship in the Intermediate Advanced division was the 3 @ 8 Blue team from Columbia, TN, breaking 236 out of 300 targets. Members of the 3 @ 8 Blue team are McKinnley Boatright, Matt Reusch, and Andrew White.

Intermediate Entry Division
Winning the 2009 State Championship in the Intermediate Entry division was the Cheap Hill IE team from Cheatham County, breaking 243 out of 300 targets. Members of the Cheap Hill IE are Slate Rider, Mitchell Potts, and Daniel Mahaney.

Rookie Division
*There were no complete squads in the Rookie Division

Sporting Clays Results

Varsity Division
The 2009 State Champions in the Sporting Clays Varsity division was the Henry County No Fly Zone Blue, breaking 273 of 300 targets. Members of the Henry County No Fly Zone Blue are Blake Triplett, Drake Williams, and Jensen Smith.

Junior Varsity Division
The 2009 State Champions in the Sporting Clays Junior Varsity division was the 3 @ 8 Red from Columbia, TN, breaking 258 of 300 targets. Members of the 3 @ 8 Red are William Stewart, Patrick McGee, and Garrett Shrader.

Intermediate Advanced Division
The 2009 State Champions in the Sporting Clays Intermediate Advanced division was the 3 @ 8 Blue from Columbia, TN, breaking 244 of 300 targets. Members of the 3 @ 8 Blue are Matt Reusch, William Dunnebacke II, and McKinnley Boatright.

Intermediate Entry Division
The 2009 State Champions in the Sporting Clays Intermediate Entry division was the Crockett County #1, breaking 179 of 300 targets. Members of the Crockett County #1 are Taylor Branch, Houston Haynes, and Chance Ward.

Rookie Division
*There were no full squads to compete in the Rookie Division.

About TNSCTP:
Started in Tennessee in 2001, TNSCTP is a youth development program which encourages participation in the shooting sports, successful academic performance, and engaging in an outdoor lifestyle. Highly successful, TNSCTP has more youth shooters participating in the program than any other state in the United States.

The success of Tennessee’s program is the result of program administration from the Tennessee Wildlife Federation and critically strong partner support from the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA), the National Rifle Association (NRA), and an impressive network of dedicated parents, youth and volunteers.

Visit: www.tnsctp.org

The Island by John P. Cowan

Bristol, Tennessee - -(AmmoLand.com)- Born in in 1920, Cowan studied art at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, where Norman Rockwell was one of his instructors. Cowan’s favorite subjects as well as his favorite sports are quail hunting and fishing for redfish.

All classic Cowan scenes are instantly recognizable as “real” by sportmen who have waded the flats and hunted the brush. His paintings have appeared as cover art and illustrations in such magazines as Fortune, Life, Look, Esquire, Sports Afield, Outdoor Life, and other national publications.

John was selected as one of the top 12 contemporary outdoor artists in America in celebration of the 100th Anniversary of Sports Afield magazine.

His impressive portfolio of over 80 limited edition prints contains some of the most collectible prints ever published. You can buy prints by John at the following sites.

Collectorscovey.com

Greenhousegallery.com

Ducks Unlimited

MEMPHIS, Tennessee - The President’s Top 100 are among Ducks Unlimited’s elite chapters throughout the nation. Every year, the list is reserved for the 100 chapters who raise the most grassroots dollars for DU’s habitat conservation work. The Birmingham, Alabama, DU Chapter made the list as one of the organization’s highest fundraising chapters.

“DU volunteers have historically gone above and beyond and these chapters exemplify our grassroots system,” said Bruce Lewis, president, Ducks Unlimited. “Volunteers within these chapters are this organization’s foundation and their passion for conservation is what fuels their hard work.”

The Birmingham Chapter has earned a spot on the President’s Top 100 list out of the more than 3,500 DU Chapters nationwide. DU’s grassroots system has become a model for other conservation organizations worldwide and has funded a portion of the more than 12 million acres DU has conserved since 1937.

“These chapters are showing that the future of waterfowl populations and wetlands that filter our drinking water are important to them and their communities,” Lewis said. “The more money we raise, the more habitat we can conserve and the closer we are to preserving our waterfowl hunting heritage. I would like to personally thank all our top 100 chapters for their achievement and look forward to seeing them among our elite chapters next year.”

About:
Ducks Unlimited is a unique organization because it relies on the generosity and passion of its volunteers to accomplish its goals. Striving for success, the top 100 chapter volunteers, like all DU volunteers never fail to answer the call.

With more than a million supporters, Ducks Unlimited is the world’s largest and most effective wetland and waterfowl conservation organization with more than 12 million acres conserved. The United States alone has lost more than half of its original wetlands – nature’s most productive ecosystem – and continues to lose more than 80,000 wetland acres each year.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - -(OutdoorWire.com)- Nicole Hafer from Zanesville, Ohio, received the National Wild Turkey Federation’s 2008 Conservation Educator of the Year Award during a special ceremony at the NWTF’s 33rd annual Convention and Sport Show in Nashville.

Hafer is an education specialist with the Muskingum Soil and Water Conservation District. She teaches outdoor education classes to local youth from grades K-12, in addition to courses at Zane State College.

Hafer makes learning about the outdoors fun for her students by helping them build wild turkey calls, plant trees and butterfly gardens and construct bluebird trails. She also incorporates games into her lesson plans to keep her students’ interest.

“It’s really thrilling to see my students get excited about nature,” Hafer said. “I teach a diverse range of students, but it is especially rewarding for me to see children from urban areas become amazed at seeing something in nature for the first time that many of us might take for granted.”

As Conservation Educator of the Year, Hafer was awarded a $500 grant, which she says will be used to purchase materials for her Wild Turkey Education classroom program. The remainder of the grant will be used to purchase seed mix for wildlife food plots, which her students will plant in Ohio’s Blue Rock State Park as part of the Kids Conservation Campers program.

“All of us at the NWTF are proud to present this award to Nicole,” said Christine Rolka, NWTF education specialist. “She is truly dedicated to what she does and holds her classes outside as often as possible so her students can better appreciate why conservation is so important.”

Upon accepting the award, Hafer credited NWTF chapters for donating education boxes, which enable teachers to teach their students about conservation.

“Many of the students I teach are hunters, but some have only seen frozen turkeys in a grocery store,” Hafer said. “The education boxes are a very, very valuable resource to help reach students from both rural and urban areas and teach topics they wouldn’t learn about otherwise.”

2009 Convention Sponsors
Bank of America, Bass Pro Shops, Browning, Call Makers and Collectors Association of America, Chevrolet, Crescent Cardboard Co., LLC, Federal Premium Ammunition, Foxy Huntress, Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center, Knight Rifles, Leupold & Stevens, Longleaf Camo, Marlin Firearm/H&R 1871 LLC, Mathews Bows, Inc., MeadWestvaco, Motorola, Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau, National Band and Tag, O.F. Mossberg & Sons, Inc., Outdoor Channel, The Outdoor Connection, Inc., Remington Arms Company, Inc., S.C. State Chapter, Sustainable Forestry Initiative, Tennessee State Chapter, The Sportsman Channel, USDA Forest Service, U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance, Weatherby, Inc., Weyerhaeuser, Wild Turkey Bourbon and Winchester Olin

About the NWTF: In 1973, Tom Rodgers founded the National Wild Turkey Federation in Fredericksburg, Va., as a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit conservation and education organization with a mission dedicated to conserving wild turkeys and preserving hunting traditions. Shortly thereafter, Rodgers relocated the NWTF to Edgefield, S.C., where it’s still headquartered today.

At the time NWTF was established, there were only 1.3 million wild turkeys. Today that number stands at more than seven million birds throughout North America, thanks to the efforts of state, federal and provincial wildlife agencies, the NWTF and its members and partners.

Growth and progress define the NWTF as it has expanded from 1,300 members in 1973 to nearly a half million today. With that growth has come impressive strides in wildlife management as the NWTF has forged dynamic partnerships across the country to further its conservation mission. Together, the NWTF’s partners, sponsors and grassroots members have raised and spent more than $286 million upholding hunting traditions and conserving nearly 14 million acres of wildlife habitat.

While wild turkey restoration is nearing completion, the NWTF still has much work to do. Across North America, supporters are working to enhance habitat for wild turkeys and other wildlife while providing hunters with more opportunities and access to public and private land. In addition, NWTF volunteers and partners are introducing youth, women and people with disabilities to the outdoors through special educational events.

If you would like to become a member of Team NWTF, join a committee or start a chapter, please visit our Web site at www.nwtf.org or call us at 800-THE-NWTF.