This has been a big week for news in the outdoor world locally and nationally.
A disqualification marred an otherwise exciting event at the Bassmaster Team Tournament at DeGray Lake.
Brandon Gladish and Aaric Correll of Indiana were disqualified from the tournament Friday for violating Rule C7, which covers tackle and equipment. They were found to have used a device that is designed to hold more than one lure at a time, like an umbrella rig. Such devices are not allowed in Bassmaster events. The pair was in second place.
The team of Flannagan Fife and Royce Davis won the team portion of the tournament, catching 9 fish weighing 26 pounds, 8 ounces. Brandon Gray of Bullock N.C., won the indvidual title with 10 fish at 20 pounds, 3 ounces.
BASS PRO BUYS RANGER
Bass Pro Group announced Thursday that it would buy Fishing Holdings LLC — which manufactures Ranger Boats, Stratos and Triton — from Platinum Equity.
Ranger, based in Flippin, was founded by Forrest Wood.
Jon Storm, former editor of bassfan.com, is the new media marketing coordinator and technical writer at TxMQ , an international consulting firm. He follows trends in the fishing and marine retail and manufacturing arenas. His post on his LinkedIn page summed the merger succintly.
“A half-dozen years ago the big three — Tracker, Triton, Ranger — battled it out with big advertising spends,” Storm wrote. “Then Triton and Ranger merged after the crash of ‘08. Now one man, Johnny Morris, owns them all. Wow.”
Morris is the founder and majority owner of Bass Pro Shops.
WILDLIFE, FISHERIES FUNDING
An omnibus budget bill advanced by the U.S. House of Representatives last week contains funding provisions for federal wildlife and fisheries programs, according to the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership.
The North American Wetlands Conservation Fund and the Land and Water Conservation Fund would maintain current funding levels, according to the TRCP. The Forest Legacy Program would receive a $2 million increase from FY14 enacted levels.
Hunters and anglers will be interested to know that the bill also would prevent regulation of the lead content of ammunition or fishing tackle covered under the Toxic Substances Control Act.
The national wildlife refuge system will receive $474.2 million, a $2 million increase over last fiscal year. The North American Wetland Conservation Fund will receive $34.145 million, the same as fiscal year 2014.
The National Fish Hatchery System will receive nearly $53 million.
REMINGTON RECALL
Remington Arms Co. has issued a recall for all of its Model 700 and Model Seven rifles manufactured between May 1, 2006 and April 9, 2014. These rifles contain X-Mark Pro triggers which could, according to Remington, discharge unintentionally.
If the trigger on your Remington rifle has a ribbed face, it is not an XMP trigger and is not subject to the recall.
An XMP trigger has a smooth face and is subject to the recall.
For more information, go online to xmprecall.remington.comxmprecall.remington.com or call (800) 243-9700 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Enter your rifle’s serial number to determine if its trigger is subject to the recall.
Remington instructs owners of these firearms to stop using the rifles and return them to Remington free of charge. Remington will provide prepaid shipping tags, boxes and written instructions.