Memorial Day has ended. Its observance should never stop. Yesterday, today, and forever, let us continue to remember and honor our Fallen and their sacrifices for our freedom.

Jay Pinsky - Chaplain, American Legion Post 247

The Voice of Leadership Panel is now accepting nominations for the 2023-2024 Voice of Leadership Panel.

If you are passionate about the future of hunting and want to contribute to our community by collaborating with some of the industry's best and brightest emerging leadership, then let us know.

We're looking for people with something to say and need a global platform. Who are we looking for? Problem solvers, teambuilders, and passion.

The Voice of Leadership Panel is an appointed group of outdoor industry leaders who have volunteered to contribute their voices on crucial hunting and outdoor recreation issues to inform, inspire, and educate participants within our community.

What does your participation mean?

As a contributor for The Voice of Leadership Panel, your appointment is for one year, beginning in September. As panelists, members identify and propose solutions for crucial hunting issues through periodic team-based discussions throughout the year. Panelists will provide a minimum of four leadership-based editorials on key hunting topics featured in The Hunting Wire and often published with our partners at The National Rifle Association and The Outdoor Stewards of Conservation Foundation.

Think you can help? Email me - jay@theoutdoorwire.com

The Voice of Leadership Panel is an appointed group of outdoor industry leaders who have volunteered to contribute their voices on crucial hunting and outdoor recreation issues to inform, inspire, and educate participants within our community.

2022-2023 LEADERSHIP PANELISTS

• Ryan Brown - Executive Director, Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources
• Ryan Hoover, Director, Handgun Hunters International, LLC
• Courtney Nicolson - Associate Director Marketing & Communications, Sportsmen's Alliance
• Amy Ray - President and CEO - The Sisterhood of the Outdoors
• Jason Rounsaville - Executive Director, The Pope and Young Club
• Luke Thorkildsen - Board Member, The Mule Deer Foundation

Facilitators

• Peter Churchbourne, Director, NRA Hunter Leadership Forum
• Jim Curcuruto, Executive Director, Outdoor Stewards of Conservation Foundation
• James “Jay” Pinsky, Editor, The Hunting Wire & Archery Wire

Highlighting Manufacturers and Their Support of the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. — NSSF®, The Firearm Industry Trade Association, highlights a partnership with Taurus Holdings, Inc., in support of the “Partner with a Payer®” initiative by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS). In the video, titled “Building Our Partnerships,” the world-class manufacturing facilities at Taurus are showcased, which have been vital to assisting the state of Georgia and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) in their economic development of creating and maintaining resources for the public to utilize for outdoor activities.

Companies including firearm and ammunition manufacturers and importers contribute to the USFWS initiative by paying excise taxes into the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act (known as the Pittman-Robertson Act). More than $16.1 billion (over $25 billion when adjusted for inflation) have been contributed and distributed to individual states to allocate funds toward wildlife conservation, hunter-education programs and target shooting programs.

“This is a win-win situation for everyone involved, but especially outdoorsmen and women who are passionate about these activities and creating additional opportunities that future generations can utilize too,” said Tom Decker, Brand Manager, USFWS. “It enables manufacturers to also be active participants in managing wildlife areas and improving resources and facilities such as target shooting ranges. In return, the available facilities encourage the local community and industry partners alike to increase their regular participation and recruit others to use them as well.”

Employees from Taurus, Georgia DNR, NSSF and USFWS came together to nourish relationships and gain insight on each partner’s industry challenges. Through these shared experiences, the partners find ways to work together, support one another to overcome challenges, and understand each other’s opportunities for the betterment of wildlife resource management and public hunting opportunities. Understanding how each partner contributes to the American system of conservation funding is essential to the overall success of the initiative.

Taurus Holdings, Inc., whose 205,000-square-foot manufacturing facility is located in Bainbridge, Georgia, produces high-quality firearms with the support of employees who are passionate about the industry. A portion of each of its sales contributes to the excise tax, thus making public target shooting facilities and natural habitat more accessible to outdoorsmen and -women.

“Having more public resources, like this shooting range, made available around the country is very important to our business,” said Bret Vorhees, President and CEO of Taurus Holdings, Inc. “It makes these activities more accessible for current owners and new shooters to hone their skills, learn and practice proper firearm safety, and ultimately help expand the shooting sports and hunting alike. Without our contribution of excise taxes and the state fish and wildlife agencies' dedication to managing these funding opportunities, initiatives like these wouldn’t be possible.”

These latest videos and others in the series were produced by Shine United LLC / Kingdom Filmworks for NSSF through a Multistate Conservation Grant administered by the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

HeadHunters NW Delivers Shooting Industry Employee Satisfaction Survey Results

May 18, 2023 – Edgemont, SD – HeadHunters NW, the premier executive recruiting firm focused exclusively and deliberately on talent acquisition for the shooting, hunting, and outdoor industry, announces the results of its recent Shooting Industry Employee Satisfaction Survey. The survey provides data for corporate executives, team leaders, and human resource managers as companies in the firearms industry struggle to determine which incentives spark collaboration, motivation, culture, and productivity in their workforces.

“The purpose of the HeadHunters NW Shooting Industry Employee Satisfaction Survey is to help employers and managers in our industry better understand the needs and expectations of their workforce,” according to HeadHunters NW President Shaylene Keiner. “And boy, did we learn some compelling things along the way,” she said.

“One surprise was the number of people preferring remote work versus an office setting,” Keiner stated. Only 14 percent of the respondents favored in-person work, while the remainder split between fully remote and a hybrid combination of in-person and remote work. “This trend is indicative of many of the professionals we recruit for top positions in the industry. While remote work is not always practical for employers, the survey reflects this model appears to be the new normal,” she commented.

“Based on results from questions about corporate culture and satisfaction, it is crucial for our industry leaders to recognize the pitfalls of working remotely, including the potential for fewer collaborative workplace relationships, decreased opportunities for mentorship, and possible sluggish career advancement. Perhaps our leaders must address this trend by defining what drives the desire for staffers who prefer to avoid the office,” Keiner suggested.

“Another discovery from the survey is that professionals are ready to grow through skill building and training,” she said. “Fifty-one percent of survey participants expressed eagerness to improve skills via professional development education, while thirty-one percent hunger for firsthand training from leadership,” said Keiner. “Those numbers reflect a tangible opportunity to engage workers and guide company culture through education and mentoring.”

To see the full results and conclusions of the HeadHunters NW Shooting Industry Employee Satisfaction Survey, please visit headhuntersnw.com/employee-survey-results.

Would it help to learn more about how your company compares to other shooting, hunting, and outdoor industry companies? Please contact us today for a confidential discussion about benefits, compensation, remote vs. hybrid vs. in-person work environments, paid time off, and other vital details employees ask about by phone at 605-600-1709 or email info@headhuntersnw.com.

For more information about HeadHunters NW, visit HeadHuntersNW.com. Follow on social media at LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.

About HeadHunters NW

The Best Heads for Business

HeadHunters NW recruits talent for Fortune 500 corporations, venture, and private equity groups, family-owned businesses, and non-profits while uncovering talent for C-suite roles, vital management positions, and more. HeadHunters NW discovers thriving candidates from various industries, functions, and regions and places them in influential roles in the shooting, hunting, and outdoor industry. People who will drive your objectives to the next level are within our reach, and we secure them for you swiftly. HeadHunters NW helps you hire the best talent for your team in the timeframe you set.

Media Contact: Laura Evans, Silver Bullet Marketing

Email: Laura.silverbullet@gmail.com

Our nation's forests and watersheds are facing increasing challenges that threaten everyday life in ways such as changing climates, wildfires, water shortages and invasive species. Land managers are having to rethink their strategies to address these challenges, which don't recognize physical boundaries. As a result, solutions that can be implemented across entire landscapes are needed to create forests that are healthy and resilient.

To overcome these challenges, the Rocky Mountain Restoration Initiative promotes collaborative efforts, and encourages its partners at the federal, state, tribal, and local levels to expand the scope of their forest restoration efforts. RMRI was established as a collaboration between the National Wild Turkey Federation and the USDA Forest Service, selecting Colorado as the pilot location to demonstrate the Forest Service’s Shared Stewardship strategy.

Partners within the RMRI are restoring landscapes in the Southwest, Upper Arkansas and Upper South Platte regions of Colorado. The goal is to restore 310,000 acres of public and private lands in the Southwest, 30,000 acres of public and private lands in Upper Arkansas, and 75,000 acres of public and private lands in Upper South Platte.

Southwest Colorado

In 2019, RMRI partners unanimously agreed to concentrate their initial combined efforts on Southwest Colorado. In 2022, the RMRI landscape in this area received a total investment of $11,949,786 for restoration work, with $4,201,761 of the total being non-federal funding from various sources. Volunteers from the Wildfire Adapted Partnership, the San Juan Mountains Association and the City of Durango contributed 19,935 hours of their time—which is equivalent to $597,053. This funding and volunteer support allowed over 100 projects and supporting activities to be completed on public, private, state, and tribal lands in 2022. As we look back on the accomplishments and progress made, we can celebrate the successes achieved through these collective efforts.

RMRI created a 10-year goal to treat 310,000 acres in the Southwest landscape; 290,000 of those acres on federal lands and the remaining 20,000 acres on private lands. RMRI Partners aim to treat approximately 29,000 acres of federal land and 2,000 acres of private land annually. Additionally, a goal was created to restore 93,000 acres of public and private lands in the first three years. 

The progress has been significant, with 13,734 acres of public land restored in the San Juan National Forest and U.S. Bureau of Land Management lands, and 748 acres of private land restored in 2022. The restoration efforts will improve forest health, mitigate large fire sedimentation impacts to key watersheds, restore ecosystems, improve habitat and reduce hazardous fuels to protect communities and prepare the landscape for fire.

Additionally, the RMRI efforts resulted in the restoration of 2,967 acres of water on public and private land, as well as the mitigation of 9,717 acres to minimize the impact of catastrophic wildfires on surrounding communities.

Upper Arkansas

The Upper Arkansas landscape encompasses Chaffee and Lake Counties, which are home to Colorado's largest river basin.

In 2020, the Envision Forest Health Council in Chaffee County formulated a 10-year plan aimed at reducing the threat of severe fires to community assets through targeted forest treatments spanning up to 30,000 acres by 2030. As of the end of 2022, a total of 5,158 acres of public and private forest land have been treated, and $23 million has been raised for future forest planning and treatment projects. Furthermore, 1,098 private landowners have acted to enhance wildfire resiliency in the county.

In Lake County, 155 acres of private land have undergone treatment to mitigate wildfire threats to the community. In 2022, the Lake County community, in collaboration with citizens and a Community Wildfire Protection Plan Leaders Team, developed an updated version of the Community Wildfire Protection Plan. The primary objective of the updated plan is to decrease the overall risk to the community's assets by approximately 50% within a 10-year timeframe through prioritized treatment of specific acres.

Upper South Platte

The Upper South Platte watershed is a crucial water source, providing 80-90% of the water supply for the Denver and Aurora metro areas, serving around 3 million residents. The Upper South Platte Partnership takes the lead in this region, bringing together government agencies, water providers, nonprofit organizations, and academic institutions. Through collaborative efforts in 2022, a total of 2,274 acres of land, spanning private, local, state, and federal properties, received treatment as part of shared stewardship projects. Additionally, four fire protection districts conducted 292 home inspections, and 930 properties participated in chipping programs. The Forest Service also burned 305 acres of slash piles, while $3 million in funding was allocated for new projects in the watershed, further supporting conservation efforts.

Source: Colorado Wildfire Risk Assessment Portal (COWRAP)

RMRI partners will continue their efforts to improve the key landscape of southwest Colorado through restoration work in 2023. On May 4, 2023, the U.S. Forest Service's Rocky Mountain Region was granted $46,709,453 to implement fuel breaks as part of the Wildfire Crisis Strategy implementation. The San Juan National Forest, which is part of the RMRI southwest Colorado landscape, will receive $13,150,000 to prepare 150,000 acres of land for prescribed fire through mechanical treatments. This funding will support the RMRI partners in achieving their shared values of restoring forests and habitat, protecting communities, supporting recreation and tourism, and ensuring clean and secure water in this focal landscape.

To learn more about the Rocky Mountain Restoration Initiative’s mission and ongoing projects, visit the website here.

National Wild Turkey Federation 
PO Box 530 
Edgefield South Carolina 29824 
United States 

Cowboy Insurance is a Burris Optics original film that draws viewers into the Gateway Simmental Ranch, a fourth-generation cattle concern in Lewistown, Montana. Run by Jim Butcher and sons Logan and Brock, the film is an in-the-mud portrait of the ranching lifestyle and the never-ending challenges of livestock management. Spring, in particular, requires these ranchers to dig deep as they work the critical and often chaotic two-month calving season, combating unpredictable weather and predators to ensure their calves make it to the summer pastures. (Link: https://youtu.be/UengbSohVVg)

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Fawns are often discovered alone by people this time of year. Leaving newborns alone during the day is common for deer, and experts urge people to resist any "rescues" and leave them wild as they should be. (Photo by Jacob Miller/Readers' Photo Showcase 2021)

By Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation

Best Policy Is to Keep Young Wildlife Wild, Biologists Say

Spring is a time of renewal in nature, continuing the ancient cycle that defines the outdoor world. But each spring, well-meaning people interrupt that ancient cycle because they want to “rescue” newborn and young animals that might appear, at first glance, to be abandoned.

With Memorial Day weekend upon us, many people are planning to enjoy time outdoors, and the chances of having encounters with wildlife are greater. So, theOklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation is reminding everyone to keep young wildlife wild.

"If you find newborn wildlife while in the woods or in your yard that appears to be alone, chances are an adult animal is nearby and is simply waiting for you to move along so they can care for their young," said Mark Howery, Wildlife Diversity Senior Biologist with the Wildlife Department.

Late May and early June are the most likely times when people will come across a solitary fawn. The animal might appear helpless, but it’s actually part of the species’ survival strategy.

A fawn may be motionless and seem vulnerable, but this is normal behavior for a fawn, and the doe is probably feeding or bedding nearby. Even if you see a fawn alone for several days, you should still leave it alone. Fawns are safest when left alone because their colors and patterns help them remain undetected.

Does visit their fawns to nurse very infrequently, a behavior that helps fawns avoid detection by predators. If well-meaning people repeatedly visit a fawn, it can prolong separation from the doe and delay needed feeding.

Fawns will often be left in areas where people might easily find them, because those are places predators might be less likely to visit.

Game Warden Brayden Hicks, based in Blaine County, said Game Wardens often receive calls this time of year asking them to "rescue" fawns that have been found alone. “I tell them don’t touch the fawn, and don’t try to feed it. Normally the momma is around, and she’s left her fawn on purpose so she can go feed.”

The doe will also stay away from its fawn so the doe’s scent will not attract predators. "Sometimes the doe will stay away for many hours, but she will eventually come back and care for her fawn," Hicks said.

This advice applies to other species of wildlife, too.

When people interfere and take in wild animals, they normally are doing more harm than good, Howery said. "Those animals may lose their instinctual fear of people and begin to bond with and depend on people to survive. If returned to nature later, these animals may not be able to feed or be aware of what dangers to avoid. And in some situations, the young animal could even die from the stress of being handled by people."

If a fawn has already been moved from where it was found, it is recommended to return it the capture site, even if many hours have passed. The notion that a mother will reject the young after being touched by people is largely a myth.

If a fawn is visibly injured or found with its dead mother (or in cases of clear injury or illness for any wildlife), reach out for advice by calling a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. Phone numbers are listed by county at www.wildlifedepartment.com/law/rehabilitator-list. People may also seek advice from a local Game Warden listed at www.wildlifedepartment.com/law/game-warden-directory.

When observing wildlife in their natural habitat, go ahead and take a good photo or two, but then leave them alone. The best policy is always to keep young wildlife wild.

For more information, go to https://www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlife/leave-young-wildlife-alone.

With the development of the 20-year national master stewardship agreement, the NWTF and USDA Forest Service aim to address many ecological challenges across the nation.

Bear Creek Arsenal has partnered with Weapon Works LLC, also located in North Carolina, for limited runs of cerakoted rifles.

NSSF recognized four former sheriffs serving in Congress as Real Solutions.

Hornady engineered the Lock-N-Load Iron Press to be the heaviest, most rigid press in its class. This single-stage unit, powered with a spring-assisted 1-1/8-inch solid steel ram, is perfect for anyone demanding precision and repeatability from their reloading press.