The Galco Concealable For the Ruger-57 Pistol

Posted on February 13, 2020 by CAMO News Staff

Galco is excited to announce a Concealable™ belt holster for the new Ruger-57 pistol!

The Concealable holster is one of Galco’s most recognizable and innovative belt holsters – and one of the most comfortable belt holsters you’ll ever wear. Its unique “forward molded” two-piece construction is contoured on the body side to the natural curve of the human hip, keeping all the molding on the front of the holster. This makes for significantly more comfortable carry and a narrower, easier-to-conceal profile than an ordinary pancake-type holster.

Constructed of the top 2% of premium steerhide available in America, the Concealable is hand-molded by our experienced craftsmen to fit specific handguns. This gives it excellent retention properties along with a beautiful appearance.

But beauty is only skin-deep, especially in a holster designed for concealment. The professional-grade Concealable also features an open top with firing grip accessibility for speed – and time is always in short supply in defensive situations.

The Concealable’s covered trigger ensures safe carry. Meanwhile, its double-stitched seams enhance durability, making the Concealable one of the longest-lasting holsters money can buy.

Lastly, the Concealable’s two belt slots fit belts up to 1 ½” wide, so it blends perfectly with current clothing styles. And blending in is the name of the game when we’re talking about concealed carry!

Available in black or havana brown, the Concealable retails for $131.

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Maryland: Striped Bass Conservation Regulations Set for Spring 2020

Posted on February 13, 2020 by CAMO News Staff

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced new striped bass conservation measures for the Spring 2020 fishing season to meet a coast-wide conservation target.

The 2018 benchmark stock assessment for striped bass indicated declines, so the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) has determined that conservation measures are needed for the 2020 fishing season. ASMFC is a management entity comprising 15 member states on the East Coast, including Maryland.

The conservation goal set by ASMFC is to reduce the total number of striped bass that are killed by fishing activities. This means reducing the number of fish that are harvested and the number of fish that die after being caught and returned to the water, known as dead discards.

Maryland’s management changes follow numerous meetings and discussions with stakeholders and a month-long public comment period, and were developed using the best available science and decades of experience. Measures for spring are designed to protect large migratory spawning fish as they enter the bay. The implementation plan was reviewed and approved by ASMFC’s Striped Bass Technical Committee and the ASMFC Board on Feb. 4.

In addition to a cut in the commercial quota, targeting of striped bass by the recreational sector will be prohibited starting April 1 — including a prohibition of trolling — and the spring trophy season will be delayed until May 1. Limits are one fish per person at a 35-inch minimum. These rules will be in effect until May 16. The full regulations can be viewed on DNR’s website.

The department will also move forward with conservation options for the summer and fall seasons in the 2020 Implementation Plan. Measures in the summer and fall are designed to reduce mortality caused by high temperatures and low oxygen in the water. The department will announce a public comment schedule for those regulations in the coming weeks.

In 2018, the department raised concerns about the problem of discard mortality with ASMFC. This resulted in Maryland being authorized to adopt a decreased minimum size from 20 to 19 inches. In addition, Maryland took unilateral action to require the use of circle hooks when chumming and live lining. Circle hooks are an effective conservation measure because they significantly reduce “gut hooking” that leads to discard mortality. ASMFC has now asked all other states to follow Maryland’s lead and enact this policy.

DNR also launched and is continuing to expand a statewide educational outreach program to assure compliance with these regulations. The department also instituted a system of advisories for anglers on hot days where both water and air temperatures could increase the likelihood of stress on striped bass.

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TrophyCatch celebrates first Hall of Fame Catch of Season 8

Posted on February 13, 2020 by CAMO News Staff

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) TrophyCatch program, now in Season 8, commemorates its first Hall of Fame bass caught in the new season. Weighing 14 pounds, 2 ounces, it was caught and released in Lake Placid on Jan. 31 by Thomas Hendel, also from Lake Placid.

“I was excited to learn I caught the first TrophyCatch Hall of Fame bass of the season and amazed at the size of my catch,” said Hendel. “This is the first bass I’ve submitted to TrophyCatch. I look forward to continuing my participation in this program for years to come.”

“Since its inception in 2012, TrophyCatch has approved over 9,000 photo submissions of largemouth bass exceeding 8 pounds that have been caught, documented and released into the waters of Florida,” said Jon Fury, FWC’s director of the Division of Freshwater Fisheries Management. “There is no other program like this anywhere and it could not have been possible without Bass Pro Shops and all of our partners who are committed to the conservation of Florida’s trophy bass fishery for our more than 1.2 million freshwater anglers here in the Fishing Capital of the World. Together, we will continue to enhance and protect 3 million acres of lakes, and approximately 12,000 miles of fishable rivers, streams and canals.”

Lake Placid, in Highlands County, is a 3,400-acre lake on the south side of the town of Lake Placid. Lake Placid offers great opportunities for those looking to catch a high number of fish, as well as the chance at a lunker. This unique lake has a variety of vegetation and quality habitat types, including deep flats, ledges and humps not typical of most Florida lakes.

TrophyCatch is a partnership between the FWC, anglers and fishing industry leaders, such as Bass Pro Shops, that rewards the catch, documentation and release of largemouth bass weighing 8 pounds or heavier in Florida. To be eligible for prizes, anglers are required to submit photos or videos showing the entire fish and its weight on a scale to TrophyCatch.com before releasing it back into the water. FWC biologists use TrophyCatch’s citizen-science data for bass research, to make informed decisions about the management of Florida’s bass fisheries and to promote the catch and release of trophy bass. For more information about the TrophyCatch program, email Laura Rambo at Laura.Rambo@MyFWC.com.

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Land Donation Protects 3,450 Acres of Montana Wildlife Habitat

Posted on February 13, 2020 by CAMO News Staff

MISSOULA, Mont.—A conservation-minded landowner donated 3,450 acres of critical elk, mule deer and whitetail deer winter range in western Montana to the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.

“We are grateful to John Greytak for this extremely generous and substantial donation,” said Kyle Weaver, RMEF president and CEO. “We commend John for recognizing the crucial wildlife values of this land while making the decision to permanently protect them. He’s been a RMEF member since 1999 and recently elevated his commitment to conservation by becoming a RMEF life member and joining RMEF’s Legacy Lands Program.”

Located just north of Interstate 90 in the Bearmouth area of Granite County, the property is about 45 miles east of RMEF headquarters in Missoula. It lies within a vast landscape of various public and protected land ownership and provides important connectivity of wildlife habitat.

“I know what the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation does is like-minded to my passion. In fact, I’d say their passion kind of spawned my passion,” said Greytak. “It’s a win for me. It’s a win for RMEF. And in the long run it will be a win for the general public and the wildlife so I’m happy to have done it.”

The property continues to regenerate quality habitat as it recovers from a 2013 wildfire. Approximately four miles of perennial streams, including parts of three Clark Fork River tributaries, flow through the property providing quality water for elk, fish and other species ranging from moose and small mammals to songbirds and raptors. It is also well suited for public hunting opportunities.

RMEF is currently formulating a management and long-term ownership plan for the property but will make it accessible to the public for hunting and other recreational activities.

About the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation:
Founded more than 35 years ago, fueled by hunters and a membership of nearly 235,000 strong, RMEF has conserved more than 7.9 million acres for elk and other wildlife. RMEF also works to open and improve public access, fund and advocate for science-based resource management, and ensure the future of America’s hunting heritage. Discover why “Hunting Is Conservation™” at rmef.org or 800-CALL ELK.

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New Legislation Would Invest in Recreational Boating Infrastructure

Posted on February 13, 2020 by CAMO News Staff

This week, Representatives John Katko (R-NY-24) and Anthony Brindisi (D-NY-22) introduced bipartisan legislation that ensures critical water infrastructure projects are funded on an equitable, sustainable, and needs based system – a top priority on NMMA’s infrastructure agenda. The Safer Harbors for Our Recreation Economy Act (SHORE Act) would require the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to account for recreation-based economic impacts in cost-benefit analysis procedures used to prioritize funding for harbor maintenance, intracoastal, and inland waterways projects.

“Led by boating and fishing, outdoor recreation is one of the fastest growing segments of the economy – generating $778 billion in annual economic output and supporting 5.2 million American jobs – and the SHORE Act will help our industry continue to power national and local economies well into the future,” said Callie Hoyt, NMMA director of federal government relations. “We thank Representatives John Katko and Anthony Brindisi for their leadership on this legislation, which will ensure recreation-based water infrastructure projects across the country receive the attention and funding they need and deserve.”

“Boating and recreation generates millions of dollars in regional economic benefits and creates hundreds of Central New York jobs. However, as communities across Lake Ontario’s southern shore continue to face the devastating consequences of rising water levels, it is critically important that USACE and OMB prioritize funding recreational infrastructure projects that play a significant role in our local economy,” said Representative Katko. “To achieve this, I introduced the SHORE Act, bipartisan legislation that will prioritize critical maintenance water infrastructure projects in Little Sodus Bay, Fair Haven, Oswego, and coastal communities across Lake Ontario. Prioritizing and executing these maintenance projects will play a key role in creating jobs and driving economic growth and development.”

The boating industry’s significant economic contributions rely on safe, navigable waterways. By only accounting for commercial activity, the existing process fails to account for the value created by access for recreation activities leaving our economy at a disadvantage. In a time when federal lands and waters face a multi-billion-dollar deferred maintenance backlog, NMMA is calling on the federal government to be more strategic and efficient with the use of taxpayer dollars on infrastructure.

The SHORE Act would do the following to help ensure the maintenance needs of recreation-based harbors and waterways:

Directing the USACE and OMB to account for recreation-based considerations in cost-benefit analysis procedures for harbor maintenance, intracoastal, and inland waterways projects. This ensures the economic benefits of recreation are considered as part of the project authorization process.
Improve transparency and consistency in how recreation is accounted in project prioritization procedures by requiring USACE and OMB to report to Congress on how they have executed provisions of the SHORE Act and issue recommendations for establishing a uniform calculation for recreation-based economic benefits.

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