Snapshots

In early January the Ruffed Grouse Society board of directors named Dr. Michael Zagata as its executive director and CEO. Zagata brings an impressive professional history to the upland conservation group's top job, including a doctorate in wildlife conservation, private sector leadership as Director of Tenneco Oil. Co.'s Environmental, Health & Safety Div., and public sector experience as Commissioner of the 4,000-employee New York Dept. of Environmental Conservation for Gov. George Pataki.

In accepting the position, Dr. Zagata pointed out that RGS's mission to improve the environment for ruffed grouse and woodcock requires active forest management.

"It is an ecologically sound mission that uses at least two of the tools, controlled fire and axe, advocated by Aldo Leopold, the father of wildlife management," Zagata wrote in an RGS statement.

For more information, visit www.ruffedgrousesociety.org.


Kimber has announced a major new commitment to fine game guns, naming shotgun expert and author Richard Grozik to promote the company's Turkish-built sidelocks: the side-by-side Valier and the forthcoming Marias Over/Under. Grozik is the author of Game Gun and Birdhunter and was one of Shooting Sportsman's earliest contributing writers. Grozik will work with a limited group of fine-gun dealers to sell the Valier and Marias and also will bring the guns to shotgunning gatherings. "We're going to be out campaigning with these guns," he said.

At press time the Marias was in production at the same plant that builds the Valier and was to be shown to dealers and the industry this winter, with spring 2006 delivery to dealers and consumers. Grozik said the Marias is built on a Purdey/Woodward back-action sidelock design and is expected to retail at $4,999 in Grade 1 and $5,499 with upgraded wood and engraving in Grade 2.

Grozik can be reached at shot guns@kimberamerica.com.

After 15 years without an increase in the price of a Federal duck stamp, the country's leading hunter-based conservation organizations have lined up behind a proposed $400 million reauthorization of the Wetlands Loan Act that's based on $10 increases in 2007 and 2015. The federal stamp would cost $25 in 2007 and $35 in 2015. The legislation, backed by Ducks Unlimited (www.ducks.org), Pheasants Forever (www.pheasantsforever .org) and Safari Club International (www.safariclub.org) among others, would borrow against future duck stamp revenues for accelerated wetlands conservation and the purchase of critical habitats.

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