Washington, DC -

Today in a joint press conference held on Roosevelt Island, on the Potomac River just outside of the nation's capital, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced the formation of the Wildlife & Hunting Heritage Conservation Council which will serve as the advisory committee to the administration to advise on policy affecting every hunter in America. Safari Club International was present for the announcement and will seek to play a significant role on the newly formed Federal Advisory Council.

NEWTOWN, Conn. -

The National Shooting Sports Foundation Board of Governors has announced that its longest-sitting member, Robert W. Behn, is retiring. Behn, the former president of Marlin Firearms and senior advisor at Remington Arms, was elected to the NSSF Board of Governors in 1980 and has served terms uninterrupted for three decades.

Texas -

Justin Royal of Vidor, Texas, and Troy Luce of Beaumont, Texas, from Lamar University caught two bass weighing 8 pounds, 7 ounces Saturday to win $10,000* in the National Guard FLW College Texas Division tournament on Sam Rayburn Reservoir.

JASPER, Texas -

Pro Cody Woods of Jacksonville, Texas, caught three bass weighing 5 pounds, 10 ounces Saturday to win the FLW American Fishing Series Texas Division tournament on Sam Rayburn Reservoir with a three-day total of 13 bass weighing 32 pounds, 10 ounces. For his victory, Woods earned $24,680.

SOUTHPORT, CONNECTICUT -

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. (NYSE: RGR) announces that its Board of Directors has expanded its stock repurchase program from $4.7 million to $10 million.

Dripping Springs -

Hays County, the City of Austin, and the Hill Country Conservancy (HCC), with funding from the federal Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), came together to purchase a conservation easement on the historic Dahlstrom Ranch, a 2,254-acre ranch located near Buda, Texas. This rare collaboration between a private landowner, county, federal agency, and city, began in 2007 and will be the first private land preservation agreement of its kind.

Austin -

A four-year, multi-agency investigation that began when two Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Game Wardens received information about possible stolen property on two Northeast Texas ranches has ended with federal prison sentences for a father and son who pled guilty to transporting stolen property and wildlife trafficking.

Texas -

Who would have ever thought that four pounds would catch a check in a Bass Champs tournament? Well, it happened on Belton Lake February 6, 2010! High water, cold temps and elusive bass challenged 200 Central Region teams vying for more than $50,000 up for grabs. Jack Waldrop and Hub Bechtol topped them all with one of only two limits weighed in.

SHREVEPORT, La. -

National Guard FLW College Fishing is headed to Cross Lake Feb. 13 for the third of four stops in the Texas Division series. Forty collegiate teams will be competing for a top award of $10,000 to be split evenly between the school and bass fishing club.

INGRAM, Texas -

Leading wildlife conservation through commerce, the Exotic Wildlife Association (EWA) announces its 43rd Annual Annual Meeting & Fund-Raising Auction will be held on March 11, 2010, through March 13, 2010, at the Inn of the Hills Resort & Conference Center in Kerrville, Texas.