Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. (NYSE: RGR) is pleased to announce that Hoffman’s Gun Center & Indoor Shooting Range of Newington, CT has been named the 2011 Ruger Retailer of the Year. Owner Scott Hoffman received an engraved Mark III pistol to recognize his strong support for Ruger and his success in the retail firearms industry.

“We are very excited to present the 2011 Retailer of the Year to Scott Hoffman and Hoffman’s Gun Center. Scott and his entire staff are very knowledgeable regarding Ruger firearms, and they are dedicated to stocking and promoting our entire product line,” said Ruger President and CEO Mike Fifer. “Hoffman’s advertising efforts are industry leading and give our products visibility in print, online and on the radio. They also operate an indoor shooting range and participate in the Ruger Range Program, allowing potential customers the opportunity to try out and fall in love with Ruger firearms. Without a doubt, Hoffman’s offers the very best in service, value, and selection, and we’re honored to recognize them as our Ruger Retailer of the Year,” Fifer concluded.

Hoffman’s Gun Center & Indoor Shooting Range is a family operation that began in New Britain, CT in 1919. Surviving multiple re-locations and even a devastating fire, Hoffman’s has grown into the largest firearms retailer in New England with an equally strong online store. Ruger is proud to honor this first-class firearms retailer with the 2011 Ruger Retailer of the Year Award.

For more information on the extensive line of Ruger firearms, visit Ruger.com or Facebook.com/Ruger. For more information on Hoffman’s Gun Center & Indoor Shooting Range, visit www.HoffGun.com.

Fire managers are planning to burn 125 acres of piles just south of Munds Park, east of I-17 tomorrow February 8. Smoke will disperse to the north and northwest, and will settle in Munds Canyon overnight. Smoke will likely be noticeable in Munds Park and I-17.

All prescribed fire activity is dependent on personnel availability, weather – including winds and ventilation, and approval from the ADEQ (www.azdeq.gov).

Fire managers make every effort to minimize smoke impacts to the communities while continuing to address the critical need to reduce the risk of severe wildfires around those communities. Tactics to keep smoke impacts as minimal as possible include cancelling burns when conditions aren’t favorable, finding alternative uses for the debris in slash piles, timing ignitions to allow the majority of smoke time to disperse prior to settling overnight, and burning larger sections at a time when conditions are favorable to reduce the overall number of days smoke is in the area.

In addition, the Coconino National Forest coordinates prescribed fire plans with the partners of the Ponderosa Fire Advisory Council (which includes state and local fire departments), as well as neighboring forests, to reduce the impact of smoke on the communities.

Hunters and other members of the public will have through Feb. 21 to comment on new hunting rules proposed for the 2012-14 seasons.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is accepting written comments on more than a dozen proposals, ranging from allowing waterfowl hunters to use electronic decoys to adding a day to western Washington elk seasons.

Those proposals, posted at http://bit.ly/qZ6EMZ, have been developed after a series of public meetings and online discussions that began last summer, said Dave Ware, WDFW game manager.

“Many of these proposals are based on suggestions received from hunters and other members of the public since last spring,” Ware said. “This is a chance to comment on the department’s final recommendations.”

Written comments may be e-mailed to wildthing@dfw.wa.gov or mailed to: WDFW Rules Coordinator, 600 Capitol Way N., Olympia, WA 98501.

Ware noted that the number of hunting season proposals was significantly lower this year, largely due to a moratorium on new rules set by the Governor’s Office. Only rules necessary for resource conservation, required by state or federal law, or requested by those affected were considered by WDFW.

The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission, a nine-member citizen panel appointed by the governor to set policy for WDFW, is scheduled to hold a final round of public comments during a meeting set March 9-10 in Moses Lake.

The commission is scheduled to vote on the new hunting rules during a meeting April 13-14 in Olympia.

Thanks to numerous small snow events, the snow cover on the Maine Hut trail is now very good and the condition of the snow has been excellent for most of the 45 miles of the trail. The deepest snow is on the Carrabassett Valley side with the the least cover near the West Forks Trailhead. Skiers and snowshoers have responded positively and many are making the hut-to-hut excursions that they have been looking forward to all winter.

With 45 miles of trail, three full-service huts, 5 different trail heads and a weekend van shuttle, there are numerous ways to use the hut and trail system. From a simple one night ski in and ski out to an ultimate hut-to-hut adventure consisting of three nights lodging and four days of skiing, we can help you plan the trip that is right for you.

Our beautiful lodges offer comfortable beds, hot showers and delicious home-cooked meals. They are spaced about a day’s travel apart from one another, which makes a hut-to-hut adventure a fun and easy activity that anyone can do

Once again, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, in partnership with Louisiana Sea Grant, with assistance from the Coastal Conservation Association of Louisiana, the Louisiana Crab Task Force, the Barataria-Terrebonne Estuary Program, the Louisiana Wildlife Federation and the Nature Conservancy, will host the 2012 Derelict Crab Trap Clean-up in portions of St. Bernard, Plaquemines and Terrebonne parishes over the next two months.

Since the program began in 2004, the state has removed and disposed of more than 19,000 derelict and abandoned crab traps.  The removal of these traps is not only vital in conserving the blue crab resource, but also improves safety and navigability of waterways.

The schedule for clean-ups is as follows:

St. Bernard and Plaquemines parishes clean-ups will begin Feb. 25 at 6 a.m. and end March 5 at 6 a.m.  Volunteer clean-up days, hosted by LDWF and Louisiana Sea Grant, will be held on Saturday, Feb. 25 and Saturday, March 3 at Sweetwater Marina on Delacroix Island.

The Terrebonne Parish clean-up will begin March 17 at 6 a.m. and end March 26 at 6 a.m.  A volunteer clean-up day will be hosted by LDWF on Saturday, March 17 at Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium in Cocodrie.

Derelict traps may be collected anytime during the cleanup period. Representative with LDWF and Louisiana Sea Grant will be available at each disposal site on the volunteer days beginning at 8:30 a.m. to distribute instructions, maps and supplies to volunteers, assist with the unloading of derelict traps and document the number of traps removed.

In order to conduct the trap clean-ups, crabfishermen must remove their crab traps from within the closure area during the closure period, and all remaining crab traps will be considered abandoned and may be removed by agency personnel or volunteers.

Restrictions to clean-up activities are as follows:

• Crab traps may be removed only between one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset.
• Individuals removing crab traps may not possess these traps outside of the closure area; and, abandoned traps must be brought to designated    disposal sites.
• Regulations do not provide authorization for public access to private property, as access can only be provided by individual landowners.

Volunteers

LDWF continues to seek volunteers to assist with the crab trap removal. Volunteers willing to participate in the trap clean-ups are encouraged to pre-register with Louisiana Sea Grant. Registration information, along with other clean-up information is available at: http://www.laseagrant.org/crabtraps/.

Volunteers collecting crab traps are asked to place the traps and buoys at the predetermined disposal sites.

Additional information may also be obtained from the Derelict Crab Trap Removal Program web site www.derelictcrabtrap.net.

It is going to get a little wild at the Georgia Capitol this Wednesday as sportsmen’s groups and coastal conservation groups from the around the state gather to meet with state leaders for “Sportsmen’s and Coastal Day at the Capitol.”

“This is our 11th annual sportsmen’s event at the Capitol and we are excited to have this opportunity to talk about the impact that our sportsmen and women have on our state including directly supporting more than 31,000 jobs and generating more than $3 billion annually,” said Scott Tanner, the event organizer. “We also are pleased to add the recognition of ‘Coastal Day’ to this event to highlight the more than $2 billion annually that this area generates in tourism dollars as well as the state’s saltwater fishing industry.”

A broad spectrum of sportsmen’s and conservation groups will participate with displays, educational materials, interactive activities and live animals.  Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources and Coastal Resources Divisions will participate in the event.

Governor Nathan Deal, Lt. Governor Casey Cagle and House Speaker David Ralston are scheduled to speak at the event at 9:00 a.m.

“This event is an opportunity for the sportsmen of Georgia to say thank you to the legislators for their leadership and support in defending and advancing hunting, fishing, and conservation issues,” said Jennifer Lundy, State Caucus Manager for the National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses.  “Because of our legislative leadership, Georgia has abundant animal populations that provide our citizens with unrivaled opportunities for recreation and commerce.”

“I’m proud to participate in Sportsmen’s and Coastal Day at the Capitol,” said Mark Williams, Georgia DNR Commissioner.  “Hunting, fishing and our coast are not only economic engines in our state, but they also improve our quality of life.  I want to thank all of our sportsmen and partners on the coast for all they do for conservation in Georgia.”

The Michigan Natural Resources Commission will hold its regular monthly meeting Thursday, Feb. 9 at the Hyatt Regency,600 Town Center DriveinDearborn. All meetings will be held on the Hyatt’s second floor in Room DeSoto A & B.

Beginning at 9:30 a.m., the commission’s Michigan State Parks Advisory Committee will hear reports fromDNRParksand Recreation Chief Ron Olson and others on a range of parks issues. Included will be a discussion of the expanded role of the committee to include state forest campgrounds, which recently moved under the authority of theDNRParksand Recreation Division, as well as an update on the Recreation Passport, the funding mechanism for state parks instituted in October 2010.

At 11:30p.m. the Policy Committee on Wildlife and Fisheries will hear from Wildlife Division Chief Russ Mason on the Wildlife Division budget and other issues. Acting Fisheries Chief Jim Dexter will update the committee on the successful 2012BlackLakesturgeon fishing season.

The Committee of the Whole meets at 2 p.m. DNR Director Rodney Stokes will report to the commission on department initiatives.

At 3 p.m. the commission will recognize the winners of the Pure Michigan Hunt drawing. Three hunters were randomly selected from among 10,864 applicants who bought 29,408 chances for the award. The winners will receive licenses to hunt bear, turkey, deer, elk and waterfowl. In addition, each will receive a rifle, crossbow and other items donated byMichigancompanies and organizations.

Public appearance before the NRC will begin immediately following the award presentations. Persons wishing to give public comments to the NRC should contact Debbie Whipple, executive assistant to the NRC, at 517-373-2352 or whippled1@michigan.gov, to register. Registration is also available at the meeting location.

Eligible for NRC action is the final approval of the Mentored Youth Hunting program. State laws passed last year charged the NRC with creating the program and established a workgroup to formulate recommendations to the commission. If approved by the commission, the Mentored Youth Hunting Program would begin March 1.

Director Stokes will inform the commission about a proposed order that would regulate the use of the Lapeer State Game Area inLapeerCountyand a proposed order to regulate the use of state forest campgrounds.

Items eligible for action by Director Stokes include an order on commercial fishing onLake Erieas well as seven land transactions.

For more information on the NRC, including this meeting’s agenda, informational memos and past meeting minutes, go to www.michigan.gov/nrc.

Since 2009 hunters have had the opportunity to pursue snow geese during the spring as a result of a special management action referred to as a “Conservation Order” allowed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and adopted by the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Board.

The measure was adopted at the recommendation of federal and state wildlife scientists in response to concerns about a growing number of snow geese across North America. Eight states in the Atlantic Flyway (Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Vermont) will hold a Spring Snow Goose Conservation Order in 2012.

The Vermont 2012 Spring Snow Goose Conservation Order will occur statewide from March 11 through April 27.  The daily bag limit is 15 snow geese, and there is no possession limit. Waterfowl hunting regulations in effect last fall will apply during the 2012 Spring Snow Goose Conservation Order with the exception that unplugged shotguns and electronic calls may be used, and shooting hours will be extended until ½ hour after sunset.

A 2012 Spring Snow Goose Harvest Permit is required and is available at no charge on the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department’s website (vtfishandwildlife.com).  Hunters may also call the Essex Junction Office (802-878-1564) to request a permit.

In addition to this permit, hunters will need a 2012 Vermont hunting license (residents $22, nonresidents $50), 2012 Harvest Information Program (HIP) certification, a 2011 federal migratory hunting stamp ($15), and a 2012 Vermont migratory waterfowl stamp ($7.50).  Hunters can register with the Harvest Information Program by going to the department website or calling toll free 1-877-306-7091 during normal business hours.

The populations of snow geese, blue geese and Ross’s geese in North America, collectively referred to as “light geese,” have grown to record levels over the past three decades.

According to the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the overabundance of light geese, which nest in far northern regions of North America, is harming their fragile arctic breeding habitat.  The damage to the habitat is, in turn, harming the health of the light geese and other bird species that depend on the tundra habitat.  Returning the light goose population to sustainable levels is necessary to protect this delicate habitat and every species dependent on it.

Greater snow geese make up a large share of the light goose population in the Atlantic Flyway.

“The population of greater snow geese has grown from approximately 50,000 birds in the mid-1960s to 1 million today,” said Bill Crenshaw, Vermont’s waterfowl project biologist.  “This increase has resulted in damage to agricultural crops and marsh vegetation in staging and wintering areas from Quebec to North Carolina. The Atlantic Flyway has established a goal of 500,000 greater snow geese to bring populations in balance with their habitat and reduce crop depredation.”

Hunters who obtain a permit will be required to complete an online survey after April 22 whether they hunted or not.  Hunters without access to the internet may obtain a copy of the survey by calling 802-878-1564.

The Spring Snow Goose hunt occurs annually from March 11 until the Friday before Youth Turkey Weekend.

During spring migration, snow geese typically move through the Champlain Valley in late March and early April. They usually pass through Vermont fairly quickly in route to their spring staging areas along the St. Lawrence River Valley.  Here they remain for about a month before moving on to their nesting areas in the Eastern Canadian Arctic. About 100 snow geese are taken by Vermont hunters during the spring seasons.

Redfield has added a 20-60x80mm model with angled eyepiece to its Rampage spotting scope line for hunters and wildlife observers seeking powerful optical performance at affordable prices.

The 80mm objective lens delivers a quality image in a wide range of light conditions, especially at higher magnifications.  With its 45-degree angle, the eyepiece provides enhanced comfort and ease of use.

“We introduced the Rampage series in 2010 when we revived the Redfield brand,” said Pat Mundy, communications manager for Leupold & Stevens, Inc.  “The new 20-60x80mm model is a very affordable spotting scope that offers extreme magnification with the user-friendly benefits of an angled eyepiece.”

The 20-60x range allows for an optimum balance of magnification and linear field of view, which is 105 feet (at 20x) to 52 feet (at 60x) at 1,000 yards.

Other Rampage spotting scope features include fully multicoated lenses and a premium BAK4 prism for outstanding image brightness, resolution and edge clarity.  A retractable lens shade helps reduce glare.  The tough polycarbonate body reduces weight to 43 ounces, and is nitrogen filled to make the spotter waterproof and fog proof in all field conditions.  A twist-up/down eyecup comfortably accommodates users with or without eyeglasses. The standard 1/4-20 threaded tripod adapter allows for easy installation on any standard tripod or window mount.

Measuring 15 inches in length, the spotting scope has an exit pupil of 4.0 mm – 1.33 mm, and a close focus distance of 14.3 feet.

The Rampage 20-60x80mm comes in a kit that includes a compact tripod, view-through soft case, neoprene neck strap, soft storage case, and eyepiece and objective lens covers.

Rampage spotting scopes are covered by the Redfield Limited Lifetime Warranty.  For more information, go to www.redfield.com.

To ensure that your machine works at optimum performance and you keep your snowmobile repair shop visits to a minimum, take the time to check and care for your snowmobile regularly during the season.

Regular maintenance on your machine could decrease the costs associated with keeping a snowmobile. And in the long run, it could also make your machine last years longer than an uncared-for machine. Better yet, a well-cared-for snowmobile is more likely to have a lower environmental impact and generally results in better fuel economy.

During the season, be sure to:

1. Follow the manufacturer’s fuel and oil recommendations.
2. Regularly check the spark plugs (as mentioned, it’s always a good idea to change them at the start of each season).
3. Keep the engine properly tuned and maintain fluid levels.
4. Avoid making any aftermarket alterations to your exhaust system. Not only can it result in louder noise emissions, it can also void your warranty and make your exhaust illegal.
5. Follow Owner’s Manual for regular maintenance tips.
6. Check the skis & carbides.
7. Check the track.
8. Check the drive belt for wear.

This article was re-purposed for Outdoor Hub with permission from www.SNOWMOBILEcourse.com.