It’s no secret that gun sales continue to boom. And they’re not all being bought by men, but women too. 

Here’s some interesting statistics on the handguns that are trending for women in 2021. It’s a glimpse at what women are choosing to train with and carry. 

Recently A Girl & A Gun Women’s Shooting League (AG & AG) hosted its 9th Annual National Conference. All 450 participants were required to go through a “gear check” process where their handguns, belts, holsters, and mag pouches were all reviewed and function checked. The following lists the most popular brands and models that the women brought to training.

Women’s Choices of Handguns

A total of 626 handguns were reviewed and logged by brand and model during the AG & AG gear check process. By far GLOCK was the most popular brand among women at the 2021 training conference. More than 32% of the handguns brought to the event were GLOCK pistols, of which the most preferred models were G19s and G17s. The next popular brand was SIG SAUER, with the P320 and P365 models, followed by Smith & Wesson’s M&Ps and Shields.

Brands
Percentage

GLOCK
32%
SIG SAUER
18%
Smith & Wesson
14%
Springfield
8%
CZ-USA
6%
Heckler & Koch
5%
Walther
5%
Ruger
2%
STI
2%
Canik
2%
Kimber
1%
Taurus
1%
Beretta
1%
Rock Island
1%
Wilson Combat
0.5%
FN
0.3%
Zev Tech
0.3%
Mossberg
0.2%
Accuracy X
0.2%
EMG
0.2%
Garrison
0.2%
German Sports Guns
0.2%
Girsan
0.2%
Hi-Point
0.2%
SCCY
0.2%
Interestingly, the logs reflect a lot of brand loyalty. For example, if a shooter brought two pistols (typically one for general or competition training vs. one for concealed carry courses), the pistols were usually the same brand, such as a G19 and G43 or a P938 and a P238. Seldom did women with multiple guns cross brand lines. This is noteworthy because it may indicate that if a woman finds a gun she likes, she is likely to purchase more products from the same brand.
Breaking it down further, these are the most popular model of handguns that ladies brought to training:

Models
Percentage

GLOCK 19
11%
S&W M&P 
7%
GLOCK 17
7%
SIG P320
6%
SIG P365
5%
HK VP9
4%
GLOCK 34
4%
S&W M&P Shield 
3%
Springfield XDM
3%
S&W M&P Shield EZ
3%
GLOCK 43
2%
SIG P320 Legion X5
2%
GLOCK 45
2%
CZ P-10
2%
GLOCK 48
2%
Walther PPQ
2%
Canik TP9
2%
STI Staccato
2%
GLOCK 43X
1%
Springfield XD
1%
CZ Shadow 2
1%
GLOCK 19X
1%
SIG P365XL
1%
Walther Q5
1%
SIG P238
1%
Springfield 1911
1%
CZ 75
1%
S&W M&P EZ
1%
Walther PDP
1%


LOCAL FISHING REPORT
On the local fishing scene, and despite low water conditions before the rains came, fishing was good to fair. 

According to Willie from Willie’s Bait & Tackle in Cementon, the Lehigh River, the falls area in Northampton and upriver have been yielding some trout, smallmouth bass and rockfish. River fish are favoring minnows and worms. 

Hokendauqua Creek by the nursing home, continues to produce trout for anglers who work the deeper holes. And the recently stocked Hokendauqua Creek for this past weekend’s kids fishing derby in Hokey Park, should have some leftover trout. 

For big trout, Trout Creek in Slatington has been surrendering trophy size trout that was stocked by Springside Fire Company in Slatington, who raise trout in a pond on their property. The funding of these trout is from local donations, said Willie. 

Up at Leaser Lake, sizeable (4-5 pound) largemouth bass are being caught but must be legally released as well as nice sunnies and huge muskies. Only trout may be kept there. 

Chris’ Bait & Tackle in Mertztown, reports Ontelaunee Reservoir in upper Berks County, was producing large (1.5 pound) crappies but they’re off the spawn now, however action should resume after they re-group. Ontelaunee is also producing catch-release 4-5-pound largemouths and huge snakeheads that have infested the lake.

According to Chris, he doesn’t know how snakeheads got in there, but they should be removed. In fact, some of his customers are buying large shiners and fishing specifically for them. 
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For you dedicated and long-time Colt firearm owners, the 175 year old company has been officially purchased by CZG – ??eská zbrojovka Group SE (“CZG” or “the Group”; PSE: CZG). CZG which has secured all necessary regulatory approvals from the U.S. and Canadian authorities, has successfully closed its acquisition of 100% of the equity interest in Colt, the parent company of the U.S. firearms manufacturer, Colt’s Manufacturing Company LLC as well as its Canadian subsidiary, Colt Canada Corporation. 

CZG and Colt are confident that the merger will bring significant operational, commercial, and R&D synergies for the combined business, which generated pro-forma aggregated annual sales in excess of USD 570 million in 2020 and which has more than 2,000 employees in the Czech Republic, the United States, Canada and Germany. 

“With this acquisition, we have created a strategic relationship between CZG and Colt, which will bring significant opportunities for the group. We will focus on continuing to provide high quality products to our customers in a seamless manner as we harness the many synergies generated by this acquisition. We are confident that this combination will create value for our customers and shareholders alike and strengthen these iconic brands,” stated Lubomír Kova??ík, Chairman and President of CZG. “This merger also confirms our commitment to the North American market which is an integral part of our growth strategy,” he added. 

Thanks to this acquisition, CZG gains further production capacity and positions itself to become a leading firearms manufacturer and a key partner globally for military, law enforcement and commercial customers. 

“Colt is pleased to join forces with CZG. We are proud of our heritage and believe that the strength of the combined businesses and the many synergies created by the merger will enable us to honor our roots while also securing the future of the Colt brand. We look forward to continuing to deliver our high- quality products while also investing in innovation and new product offerings in the near future. We believe in the successful connection of our corporate cultures, the proven track record of our teams and the complementary nature of the CZ and Colt brands,” stated Dennis Veilleux, President and CEO of Colt. 

CZG – ??eská zbrojovka Group (CZG), together with its subsidiaries, is one of the leading European producers of firearms for military and law enforcement, personal defense, hunting, sport shooting and other commercial use. CZG markets and sells its products mainly under the  CZG - ??eská zbrojovka Group SE, (??eská zbrojovka), CZ-USA, Dan Wesson, Brno Rifles and 4M Systems brands. 

CZG’s subsidiaries include ??eská zbrojovka, CZ-USA, 4M Systems and CZ Export Praha. CZG owns a minority stake in Spuhr i Dalby, a Swedish manufacturer of optical mounting solutions for weapons. 

CZG is headquartered in the Czech Republic. It has production facilities in the Czech Republic and in the United States and employs around 1,670 people in the Czech Republic, the United States and Germany. 

About Colt 
Colt is one of the world’s leading designers, developers, and manufacturers of firearms. It has supplied commercial, military and law enforcement customers in the U.S. and throughout the world for over 175 years. 

Colt is a supplier to the U.S. military, the exclusive supplier to the Canadian military and it also supplies its products to other armed forces around the world. Colt firearms enjoy a reputation throughout the world for accuracy, reliability and quality. Colt pistols and revolvers are carried by military and law enforcement personnel in numerous countries and are used by hunters and sportsmen and sportswomen worldwide. Colt commercial, sporting, military and law enforcement rifles enjoy similar renown. 
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In preparation for the upcoming Memorial Day holiday weekend, the nation’s largest recreational boating safety event of the year is set for May 22-28. 

The National Safe Boating Week serves as a reminder to boaters to keep safety first and center all season long. 

According to the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission (PFBC), each year, on average, 700 people die in boating accidents nationwide. And nearly 85 percent of the victims were not wearing a life jacket. 

Last year the agency said there were 58 national recreational boating accidents resulting in 11 fatalities. None of the 11 were wearing life jackets at the time of the accidents. Alcohol or drugs were believed to have been a factor in three of the fatal accidents. 

Most recently, there have been three Pennsylvania boating fatalities so far this year. All occurred on private ponds and none of the victims were wearing life jackets. 

The first fatality occurred on Feb. 2, 2021, when a 70-year old male fell overboard from a kayak on a private pond. The victim was attempting to rescue his dogs who fell through the pond ice so he retrieved his kayak and launched it in open water where he subsequently went overboard. Both he and his dogs perished. According to the PFBC, sudden cold water immersion may have been a factor. 

The second fatality took place Mar. 20, 2021, when a 44-year old male capsized a 6-foot kayak while fishing on a private pond. Like the other victim, this man also did not wear a life jacket. Again, sudden immersion in cold water may have been a factor in his death. 

In the third fatality that occurred Apr. 3, 2021, when an 84-year old male capsized a 12-foot motorboat on a private pond. His boat was found drifting on the pond and he wasn’t located until the following day in 8 feet of water. The victim was not wearing a life jacket and like the others, it’s surmised sudden cold water immersion may have been a factor. 

There are three major accident factors according to BoatUS, the industry’s recreational boating organization. And they can be alleviated by following these rules:

 *The best life jacket is the one you will wear. It’s recommended checking the jacket’s label to insure it’s approved for your type of boating. For children, don’t be tempted to put a child in an ill-fitting life jacket. 

*Boating safety reports indicate that operator inattention, improper lookout (if water skiing/boarding), operator inexperience, excessive speed and alcohol rank as the top five primary contributing factors in accidents with power boats. 

*Remember to wear an engine cutoff switch if your boat is less than 26-feet, traveling on plane or above displacement speed. Engine cutoff switches can prevent boat strike injuries after an operator has been ejected from the vessel, or displaced from the helm. 

Three easy rules to adhere to for a safe boating season. 
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Watching wildlife is enjoyable, especially when young animals and birds appear in spring. But it’s best to keep your distance, says the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC). 

Picking up young wildlife can do more harm than good, and it’s also against the law, advises the PGC. 

When people see young animals and birds alone, they often mistakenly assume these animals are helpless and lost, in trouble or needing to be rescued. Bringing young wildlife into a human environment often results in permanent separation from their mothers and a sad ending for the animal or bird, it’s explained. 

Handling wildlife could also pose a threat to people involved. Wild animals can transmit disease and angry wildlife can pose significant dangers. 

Biologists and wildlife scientists encourage wildlife watchers to respect the behavior of animals in the spring and early summer, and to resist the urge to assist wildlife in ways that may be harmful. This is particularly noted for deer fawns and baby birds that may have fallen out of a nest. 

Here are some helpful tips from the PGC:

*Deer nurse their young at different times during the day and often leave their young alone for long periods of time. These animals are not lost. Their mother knows where they are and will return. 

*Young birds on the ground may have left the nest, but their parents will still feed them. 

*Young animals such as fox, opossum and raccoons will often follow their mother. The mother of a wildlife youngster is usually nearby, but just out of sight to a person happening upon it. 

*Animals that act sick can carry rabies, parasites or other harmful diseases. Do not handle them, even though they don’t show symptoms, healthy-looking raccoons, foxes, skunks and bats may also be carriers of the deadly rabies virus. 

*Many wildlife species will not feed or care for their young when people are close by. Obey signs that restrict access to wildlife nesting areas, including hiking trails that may be temporarily closed. 

*Keep domestic pets indoors, leashed or fenced in. Dogs and cats kill many baby animals each year. 

*Avoid projects that remove trees, shrubs and dead snags that contain nests during the spring and summer. 

Flying Trout Thief  

A buddy of mine took his 12-year old son trout fishing last week along the Jordan Creek by Home Depot in Whitehall. While fishing he noticed a great blue heron standing in shallow water on the opposite side of the stream. After a couple casts, my buddy latched onto a 13-inch trout that he swung onto shore, only to discover the fish swallowed the hook so he was in the process of removing it. At the same time his son was having trouble with his fishing gear so he stopped his effort and when to assist his nearby son. When he did, the heron flew over and grabbed his trout which was still hooked, and took off. Only problem was, it also took flight with his line, ultra-light rod and reel attached. My buddy could hear the drag releasing line because of the weight of his rig as it went airborne. The heron flew about 30 yards away before the hook dislodged and his rig dropped to the ground. Shortly thereafter, the heron returned to its original spot across the creek, possibly waiting to steal another trout from my friend. 
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Avid birders may be interested in the recent The Birding Wire press release regarding bird migration into the U.S. and, in particular, our area through the BirdCast website. 

BirdCast provides real-time analysis maps that show bird migration intensities of actual nocturnal movement into the United States and into our area with approximate dates of arrival. 
The migration is detected by the US weather radar network from sunset to sunrise. It’s produced by Cornell Lab of Ornithology and provides birders and scientists with insight into ongoing migrations, including an estimated the number of  birds moving into the states. 

BirdCast also provides local live bird migration alerts throughout the continental U.S. by employing real-time notices of bird migration as detected by radar. It’s a tool to determine whether birds are migrating into our area tonight – or any night – in low, medium or high densities. 

The site also serves to employ effective conservation efforts such as turning off lights when birds are flying at night to avoid attracting them to artificial light and a potential collision with buildings, windows and other structures. 

For more information check www.birdcast.info/migration-tools/live -migration-maps.

BLUE MOUNTAIN RESORT RE-OPENS OUTDOOR ADVENTURES

With the snow sports season over, Blue Mountain Resort in Palmerton has re-opened its Outdoor Adventures Park for summer and fall adventures. 

The park includes hiking, canoeing, zip lining, rock climbing, high ropes course, outdoor fitness classes and glamping, the latter has been expanded according to Ashley Seier, Blue Mountain Marketing Director.  

“Glampers will now be able to choose from basic or deluxe glamping experiences within Blue’s 25 glamping sites. Each has  their own unique view and settings on the mountain,” Seier explained.  

Seier went on to say sites are set along ski trails and require a UTV ride out to the site. Basic sites are located in the Valley below and provide a flatter surface that may be easier for families with small children. 

Also new at Blue is a beginner high ropes course that’s perfect for children and adults who need a little practice before upgrading to the more challenging course. “The beginner course is fully enclosed with netting, removing the need for guests to wear a harness,” said Seier. 

For added information check www.skibluemt.com.

TROUT STOCKINGS

Trout stockings are winding down for the year with Northampton County receiving none unless local fish and game associations buy and stock streams for children fishing contests. 

As for Lehigh County, the following streams will receive their final stockings for the year unless fish are stocked by sportsmen’s clubs and with some fish from the Lil-Le-Hi trout nursery. 
They are as follows: 

Little Lehigh: 5-6, 10-18; Switzer Creek: 5-6; Cedar Creek: 5-6; Coplay Creek: 5-5; Jordan Creek: 5-7. Note, not all portions of the aforementioned streams may receive fish as a lot is  dependent on water levels at the time and the amount of fish available. 
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