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In a scene that could have leapt from the pages of a Western, Texas native Bill Williams successfully defended himself and his wife from an intruding black bear. The bear initially appeared outside the couple's Colorado summer cabin in the evening, but as he seemed to be minding his own business, Mr. Williams thought best to leave him alone. He did load up his Uberti 1866 Yellowboy carbine however, simply as a precaution. In hindsight, its a good thing he did. The couple awoke with a start at 3:00 a.m. that same night, to the 250-pound animal breaking through the cabin window. Jumping up to investigate, Williams saw the bear on his couch less than four feet away. All told, Williams had to put eight rounds of .45 Long Colt into the black bear before it stopped moving. The couple credits keeping the rifle ready and close with saving their lives. They have since reinforced their door and barred the windows however, as an extra precaution. The Uberti, however, still resides by the bed.
Leupold & Stevens, Inc. has launched its LCO Pro F2 red-dot sight, combining optical clarity, reliability and purpose-built features in a full-sized red dot.
I am heartened by this year’s entries. In addition to fabulous photographs, almost all of you delivered exceptional narratives of your hunts. We used your very words wherever possible because it’s an honor to see you all rise to such an occasion as sharing a special moment with your fellow hunters. You now know a little bit about what drives an outdoor writer. —J. Scott Olmsted, Editor in Chief
On July 17 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) published a proposed rulemaking change on the Federal Register that, if approved, would allow western states to better manage their grizzly bear population. Despite their burgeoning population the big bruins remain on the “endangered” list under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), a fact that has paralyzed regional conservation efforts, impacted other wildlife populations and dramatically increased human/bear conflicts.
ALPS Mountaineering has released its Micro Air portable air pump. Compact and convenient, this pump packs a punch of inflation and is small enough to be hooked to a keychain without sticking out. This air pump delivers plenty of power without worrying about a battery going dead because it is connected to an external power bank.