Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/590511
unters are applauding US Fish and Wildlife for not listing sage grouse as endangered. The decision leaves management in the hands of state wildlife agencies. Opposite: Jim Carmichel in the late ' 80s, working in his office from which he and a local judge used a deadly air rifle to rid their Tennessee town of pigeons.The hilarious story is one of 30 chapters in his new book, Classic Carmichel. H h i s ' N T h a t The Editors T Classic Carmichel Features Favorite Outdoor Life Stories Jim Carmichel hunted big game around the world during his 40 years as Shooting Editor of Outdoor Life magazine. But none of his amazing adventures ever made it into book form—until now. Scheduled for release in November, Classic Carmichel will feature nearly 400 pages of hunting adventures and firearms expertise by Carmichel, widely acknowledged as one of the foremost experts on sporting arms. Carmichel's exploits and prowess had no equal during what is arguably the Golden Age of international hunting and shooting. These are not just stories by a well-traveled adventurer—they are pure literature, written with a style and eloquence that deserve inclusion in any collection of great outdoor books and writers. The big 9x10½-inch book will feature more than 50 never- before-published photographs. Classic Carmichel will be available in hardcover for $40 and in a deluxe, signed and leather-bound edition of 350 copies for $75. Advance copies can be ordered online at SportingClassicsStore.com—click on "Books." Or, simply call (800) 849-1004. Sage Grouse Controversy Swirls Among Diverse Interests The US Fish & Wildlife Service decided the sage grouse does not need protection under the Endangered Species Act. The birds may continue being managed and hunted according to regulations set at the state level. This is either the best or worst biological decision in history, depending on the group criticizing it. Some energy, development, and ranching groups will grouse that not every acre of public land will be kept open to exploitation. Some environmental groups will probably sue because the decision does not ban the burning of fossil fuels worldwide. Science-based hunter-conservation organizations welcomed the news as proof that a ten-year collaborative effort by federal land agencies, 11 western states, a covey of conservation organizations, industry, and private landowners is working. Wyoming's sage grouse numbers, for example, increased by two-thirds from 2013 to 2015 and numbers are up in other states, too. The USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service has worked with 1,129 ranches to conserve 4.4 million acres of sage steppe with a projection for another 4 million in three years. Federal agencies have revamped national fire strategy to protect sage habitat and will adopt new management standards that protect or improve habitat across 50 million acres of public lands. Ten million acres of the best sage steppe will be withdrawn from mineral development for two years, after which a final policy will be set. The sage grouse was proposed for listing because its numbers plummeted from several million to as few as 300,000. The birds once thrived on 300 million acres in 11 western states. About half that habitat is gone, and most of the remainder has been degraded by livestock grazing, roads, energy exploration and drilling, spreading suburbia, invasive species, and fire. The unprecedented cooperative management efforts by all groups could herald a new approach to conservation that can prevent listing of many species. Protected sage grouse habitat supports some 350 other species, including mule deer, pronghorns, and elk. – Ron Spomer, Senior Editor Hunters Use of Modern Sporting Rifles on the Upswing A recent study by the National Shooting Sports Foundation shows a significant interest in hunting with AR-platform rifles, which are also referred to as modern sporting rifles (MSRs). The results of the study, Incidence Rate of Hunting with Modern Sporting Rifles, show that 27 percent of the hunters surveyed have used an MSR for hunting. Of that 27 percent, 58 percent owned an MSR that they hunted with and 16 percent had used such a firearm within the last year. Also, 48 percent of those who own and have hunted with an AR have done so only within the last five years. The study also revealed that interest in MSRs is likely more widespread than S P O R T I N G C L A S S I C S 1 1