Hunting and Fishing News & Blog Articles

Registration to Compete for Largest Prize Purse in Bowfishing Now Open Championship to Showcase Best of Bowfishing, Benefit Conservation this Spring

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – The premier championship in the rapidly growing sport of bowfishing – the Bass Pro Shops U.S. Open Bowfishing Championship – will return to the Ozarks from April 30 – May 1, 2022, with team registration now open at basspro.com/bowfishing.

The ninth annual competition will be hosted at the Bass Pro Shops Shooting Academy in Ridgedale, Mo., with official tournament waters on Table Rock Lake, Truman Lake and Bull Shoals Lake. The popular event is open to the first 250 teams to register and offers the largest payout of any bowfishing tournament, providing a $100,000 guaranteed total purse of cash and prizes and $25,000 grand prize. In the first 24 hours of registration opening this week, more than 170 teams from around the nation signed-up to compete in the 2022 Bass Pro Shops U.S. Open Bowfishing Championship.

“Bowfishing offers a unique blend of hunting and fishing – and once you’ve tried it, you’re hooked for life,” said John Paul Morris, Founder of the Bass Pro Shops U.S. Open Bowfishing Championship. “We’re thrilled to host the U.S. Open Bowfishing Championship and look forward to welcoming the best in the sport to the Ozarks. Most importantly, this annual tournament directly improves habitat in some of America’s best reservoir fisheries, furthering our company’s commitment to conservation these last 50 years.”

In addition to the largest payout in the sport, State Record Jackpot prizes are available, with the harvest of a Missouri or Arkansas state record Grass Carp, Common Carp, Buffalo or Long Nose Gar on tournament night worth $10,000. A top-five finish in a TRACKER Bowfishing Boat will mean bonus cash as well, with $10,000 added to the $25,000 for the first-place team. The first- through fifth-place teams receive guaranteed payouts.

Huk, the nation’s leading manufacturer of performance fishing gear, has partnered with basketball phenom Keon Johnson to elevate awareness of Huk’s exciting apparel line through Keon’s growing fan base. The story is an uncommon combination of a “regular guy” with a great talent for basketball and a deep love for fishing and the great outdoors.

While most of his fans know all about Keon’s accomplishments on the court, very few have seen what drives him when he’s not in the gym. “Most of my fans know all about my drive for basketball, but I want to share with them how much I’m into fishing,” said Keon. He continued, “I want to share my love of fishing with my fans so they can see how fun it is and want to try it themselves.”

Keon’s love of fishing began when his father introduced him to fishing for catfish as a young boy below Joe Wheeler Dam. Over the years, the two made memories to last a lifetime – such as when Keon caught a huge 45-pound catfish! Keon was equally dedicated to both sports since his childhood, observing they both take work and dedication. “Basketball is a lot like fishing,” said Keon. “To become better at both, you must have patience and be willing to practice.” 

As Keon’s career began to take shape on a national stage, he looked to Huk to help him expose more basketball fans to fishing, and vice versa… especially among his own younger generation. Huk is proud to be working with him to achieve that goal. Keon added, “Some people don’t know you can look good and still go fishing. I love the way Huk fits me and the way their clothes look. I even wear their gear around town just to chill.”

In a world dominated by professional anglers, expensive gear, and high-end boats, those looking to try out fishing can often be intimidated by the sport. Huk looks to partners like Keon to combat this notion and make the sport more accessible to more people. “Huk understands what I’m about. I’m passionate about basketball, fishing, and the outdoors, and that you don’t need a big boat or all kinds of gear to do it” said Keon. “I want people to know you can have a great time fishing without all of those things. You just need time, patience and a rod and reel – and don’t forget your Huk shirt so you can look cool and be comfortable while you are doing it.”

Hoppe’s, the No.1 name in gun care products, has won a Gold Award in the Gun Cleaning Products category from the 2022 Predator Xtreme® Readers’ Choice Awards.

Predator Xtreme has been one of the industry’s top predator hunting publications for over 25 years. These annual awards give a voice to the publication’s passionate and knowledgeable readers, and allow them to share what brands they think are leading in the industry.

Hoppe’s has been the most trusted name in gun care products for decades, from its complete gun cleaning kits to tried-and-true Hoppe’s No. 9 Bore Cleaner.

“When most predator hunters and shooters think gun cleaning products, it’s hard to imagine the first brand that comes to mind isn’t Hoppes,” said Derrick Nawrocki, President of Grand View Outdoors, the publisher of Predator Xtreme. “That is exactly how the Predator Xtreme readers have called it for now five years in a row, and eight of the last nine years running. Congratulations once again to one of the best brands around.”

Voting for this year’s Readers’ Choice Awards was conducted via an online submission system. Thousands of ballots were submitted by readers for various product categories and brands. The votes were then tallied to determine the 2022 Readers’ Choice winners. These awards are used by countless sportsmen and women to get an inside look into the best brands to consider when gearing up for upcoming hunting seasons.

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. (NYSE: RGR) has proudly donated to the Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation (SSSF), an organization dedicated to educating youth about the shooting sports. Ruger’s $30,000 donation was raised through auctions on GunBroker.com between September and December, 2021.

Since 2010, Ruger has been working with the popular firearms auction website GunBroker.com to auction off rare, unusual, discontinued or one-of-a-kind Ruger® firearms. All proceeds from these auctions are donated to various charities, with over $820,000 raised and donated in total over the last decade.

“We are proud to be able to support the SSSF in its mission of educating young folks all across America about the shooting sports,” said Ruger President and CEO, Chris Killoy. “These auctions are a creative way for us to support important organizations in our industry while also sharing one-of-a-kind Ruger firearms with our loyal customers.”

Some rare firearms that were sold to benefit the SSSF were a Ruger Vaquero® revolver featuring a hand-engraved western scroll design and a Hawkeye® Predator rifle previously owned by former Ruger CEO, Mike Fifer, who took the rifle on a hunt in Greenland with his daughter in 2011.

The press release can be accessed through the link below:

The National Deer Association (NDA) Field to Fork program continues to be a driving force in both recruitment and opportunity for adults with little or no hunting experience to get access to a structured and mentored entry into the sport. The widely successful program has recently homed in on a new group of individuals surprisingly close to the hunting world—employees of the firearms and outdoor industry.

In December 2021, NDA hosted a Field to Fork event with employees of industry leader, American Outdoor Brands (AOB). AOB owns several well-known hunting, shooting and outdoor companies such as MEAT!, BOG, Old Timer, Thomson/Center, Crimson Trace and others. While these individuals work closely with outdoor products and the hunting community, many had never had the opportunity to hunt.

“When we started Field to Fork in 2016, we quickly realized there were staff within our own company and supporting sponsor organizations interested in learning to hunt,” said Hank Forester, NDA Director of Hunting. “In fact, we all pass by aspiring hunters every day and they could use an invite to get started.”

Ten AOB employees new to hunting prepared for the event in advance by taking their online hunter safety courses and completing the Deer Hunting 101 course, the official NDA introduction to deer hunting class, produced with Today’s Hunter. Additional in-person education and range practice, led by the NDA staff & Missouri Department of Conservation representatives, took place before the hunt began.

All ten new hunters were able to harvest a deer at the event and had the opportunity to work closely with a mentor to dress, skin, and quarter their own deer through guided instruction and hands-on experience. Venison was the main course at all meals throughout the program.

The 2022 edition of the Florida Open Season Sportsman’s Expo is set for its traditional mid-summer slot, July 22-24 at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland.

The Florida Open Season Sportsman’s Expo features the latest products, gear and equipment for hunting, fishing and outdoor enthusiasts from industry-leading Exhibitors. Many of the Exhibitors offer exclusive “Try, Before You Buy” demo opportunities and specials “Show-only” pricing.

Attendees will have the chance to meet industry insiders, attend educational seminars and demonstrations, test out the newest products and shop for show special deals. Attendees can also enter to win door prizes all weekend.

Byron Ferguson will be performing his always popular Trick Shot Archery Show, each day of the Expo. Ferguson uses no sights or other gadgets when he shoots, going off feel and instinct.

Stay tuned to the Open Season Sportsman’s Expo website and social media channels for more information on additional seminar speakers.

Gold Tip’s Boulche, Herve Finish First and Second at Nîmes Archery Tournament

Gold Tip, an industry leader in carbon arrows and bolts, along with Bee Stinger, maker of the most advanced line of stabilizers and side bars for bowhunting, is celebrating a strong finish at this year’s Sud de France – Nîmes Archery Tournament in Nîmes, France. Facing off against some of the world’s best archers, Team Gold Tip and Bee Stinger shooter Jean Phillipe Boulche placed first in the Men’s division. In the Women’s Compound division, Gold Tip teammate Sandre Herve took home a silver medal.

The Nîmes Archery Tournament, held January 21-23, is a premier indoor archery competition and trade show in Europe, attracting the best shooters from across the continent. Archers shoot two rounds of qualification and are then seeded for head-to-head shoot-offs of five, three-arrow rounds for a total score of 150.

“Jean Phillippe had an action-packed match at Nîmes,” said Tim Gillingham, national shooting staff manager for Gold Tip and Bee Stinger. “He stayed neck-and-neck with some of the best archers in the sport and was able to come out on top for the second year in a row. That’s an incredible achievement.”

Boulche started the match play shooting 149 in both his first and second qualifying rounds and then went into a shoot-off against one of Europe’s top all-around shooters, Stephan Hansen. They both shot perfect rounds of 150 and tied on the first two arrows of the shoot-off. The match was decided by one arrow closest to center, as scored by the second arrow, since the first was too close to call. Boulche’s Gold Tip Nine.3 shaft found the center and he finished out the next match with a score of 149, followed by a score of 147 in a pressure-packed final against Nicolas Girard for his second Nîmes victory.

Having now been in the U.S. Army for over a decade, Sgt. 1st Class Alexander Deal, 33, has gathered an abundance of profound experiences. Through initiative and discipline, his involvements have granted him the motivation to reach the highest levels of precision – forever aspiring to enhance his surroundings, including for those close to him.

“Understanding that every decision you make, even on a personal level, can have effects on the Soldiers around you – wanting to do better for yourself and wanting to do better for them,” he expressed about being in the military. “It seemed like a lifestyle I could get behind. I just really felt compelled to do it.”

After a trial run with the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU) Service Rifle Team at the Civilian Marksmanship Program’s 2021 National Matches at Camp Perry, Ohio, he officially joined the unique unit in November – ready to represent the United States through competition and educating others. He arrived at the USAMU from yet another elite unit that tested the strength of his spirit and was an honor very few will ever experience.

For five years, Deal served at The Old Guard, 4th Battalion, 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment – two of those years spent at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. For six months, he was a Squad Leader/Relief Commander for one of the three reliefs that guard The Tomb. The following year and a half, he was the attending Assistant Sergeant of The Guard/Operations Non-Commissioned officer. His duties at the Tomb included administrative responsibilities within the organization such as training, logistics and supply.

“All of us Tomb Guards go down to the Tomb for different reasons,” Deal explained. “For me, the initial draw was I genuinely wanted to serve with the best Soldiers that my current unit had, and from what I had been told and what I had seen, that was the Tomb Guards down there at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.”

Just like the symbolic representation it was named after, New Zealand based cult clothing brand Swazi Apparel’s Totem merino t-shirt bares the company’s clan logo, as a stamp of quality on this wardrobe staple.

Made from revolutionary NuYarn® merino wool, the Totem is ideal for the hugely energetic as it is thermal regulating, wicking away any clammy moisture. Odour neutralising at the same time, pack it for hunting trips when washing is limited and energy output high.

The highly sustainable NuYarn merino will dry five times faster than conventional merino, as well as offering 35 percent more thermal retention, so it keeps your core at a constant temperature even when wet. With 35 percent more elasticity, the Totem regains its original shape.

Highly impervious to wind, this next-to-skin layer is ultra-soft and lightweight, but resistant to pilling and holes. Vented side panels improve vapour permeability, while the extra-long length cut keeps vitals warm and protected, and prevents the top from riding up during active movement. 

Davey Hughes, founder and creative director of Swazi, commented: “Hard-yards doesn’t even begin to describe our new Totem. No matter the weather, this top is all business and plenty of party at the same time. Engineered with the latest smart fabric technology, it is ideal for the adventurer who depends on quality kit to help keep him at the top of his game.”

Shoot Like A Girl® is proud to announce the addition of a new corporate partner, Bear Archery, to their expanding list of partnerships for the 2022 season. Bear Archery, and their goal of making archery accessible to everyone, joins a group of outstanding archery partners that play a key role in developing new outdoor enthusiasts at all Shoot Like A Girl events.

“We’re thrilled to add Bear Archery as a corporate sponsor,” said Karen Butler, Founder and President of Shoot Like A Girl®. “They strive to make archery affordable to everyone, while still having an outstanding product.  Our guests will benefit from having Bear bows available to shoot at Shoot Like A Girl experiences across the country.” 

Shoot Like A Girl’s unique and one of a kind event marketing platform allows brands like Bear to reach a large grass roots audience on a National level. In turn, Shoot Like A Girl’s attendees are afforded a free immersion into shooting sports at Shoot Like A Girl events.  Attendees are never charged to participate in the Shoot Like A Girl experience. 

“Bear is proud to partner with the Shoot Like a Girl team.” Said Alec Wyman, Marketing Manager for Bear Archery. “Fred Bear started Bear Archery with the goal of making archery equipment obtainable regardless of age, gender, and socioeconomic status. Shoot Like a Girl encompasses all our values while educating and inspiring women to experience everything archery has to offer.”

About Bear Archery

Exotac Creates the Ultimate Hand Fishing Rig

We all know that in a survival situation there are things you can do to dramatically increase your odds of survival no matter where you are in the world.  Water, food, fire, shelter, light, mindset are just some of the things that can help you move forward.  Exotac makes products to address some of your needs for survival and the xReel is one of those tools.  The xReel is a handline fishing reel that helps you to control your line without the use of a fishing pole and just your hands on the line so you can feel a strike from a fish or using a bobber you can set the hook with your hands.  It is a very simple method of fishing and if you can learn this skill, it can save your life in a survival situation.

The xREEL was built for survival fishing, and it is the perfect little fishing kit for your backpack. If you have not yet had the opportunity to try out some of the great products from the team at Exotac then this might just be the right product to get you started. We have been fans of Exotac for close to a decade now. We will not go anywhere without a Firerod, Titanlight and Ripspool in our backpack.

The Exotac xREEL is a handline fishing kit that fits over your fingers with a small (TPE) rubberized handle that easily slides right over your fingers. It is kind of a one size fits most folks handle, and it is very well thought out. The unit is self-contained with line wrapped around the outside in a spool and a small tackle storage compartment that is just large enough to house hooks, sinkers and a couple of floats. I add in a couple of really small spinners and a few flies to the mix. This is the perfect little kit which in a pinch could help you stay alive in the high country. The xREEL weighs about 6 ounces for those who are seriously weight conscious.

The xREEL comes with over 50 feet of 15 lb test. If you want more line you can reduce your line test down to something smaller. I have found that in most high country ponds and streams, line size rarely matters and 15 lb test is going to be more than enough. The unit comes with holes to park your hook. I recommend an assortment of different sized hooks as well as a few more weights in different sizes. This variety allows you to match the kinds of fish you see as well as the types of bugs you can collect wherever you happen to be.

I have not hand fished for quite some time but having the tools in a simple kit like this is absolutely genius. It is made in the USA and will last a lifetime. Be ready to pass on to the next generation. I recommend changing the line out every few years just to make sure it is ready to go when you need it. I also grabbed one of those cool little rubber wristbands you get at promotional events and wrapped that around the line. It fit perfectly and protects the line. If you ever needed to, you could cut up the wrist band into little chunks to make it look like bait. I am looking for one that is white, red or yellow but for now the black one works.

Hardworking, tax-paying Brownells customers get their chance to turn their tax refunds into fun and guns during the first-ever Brownells Tax Time Event, live now and lasting through Tax Day, April 15, 2022.

Over the next few months, Brownells will post unique content and highlight special products on the  Brownells Tax Time page.

The first spotlight of the Brownells Tax Time Event is the “Top 5 Fun Builds” detailing different gun builds customers can accomplish – along with links to both lower and upper receivers and parts, including fire control units for the popular Sig P320.

Over the coming weeks, customers can also look forward to videos on the Top 5 Rifles, Top 5 Handguns and Top 5 Optics that might fit the bill for putting a tax refund to enjoyable, fun use.

In addition to well-known Brownells personalities like Gun Techs Caleb and Steve O, future videos will feature some recognizable content creators from around the firearms world.

The Industry Day at the Range Safety Award, sponsored by Action Target, honors the participating company that demonstrates the highest standard of safety throughout the event. The 2022 Action Target Safety Award was awarded to Franklin Armory at the Boulder Rifle and Pistol Club Range on January 17.

The winner of the Action Target Safety Award receives a $2,000 credit toward the 2023 Industry Day at the Range event. Franklin Armory has elected to donate the $2,000 to Project ChildSafe. Project ChildSafe is a National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) program committed to promoting firearm safety to communities across the United States.

“Action Target recognizes the importance of promoting firearms safety throughout our industry. As market leaders, we understand the importance of building the safest and most advanced shooting ranges possible. We are proud to be a part of this great event and honored to recognize and congratulate Franklin Armory for taking the appropriate steps at Industry Day to promote firearm safety.” says Mike Birch, President and CEO at Action Target.

Safety auditors judged shooting exhibitors during Industry Day, and the score was determined by range safety criteria such as providing hearing and eye protection, control of ammunition and safe handling of firearms on the firing line. Scoring also took into consideration the posting of rules, availability of first aid kits at the shooting stations and crowd management.

“We recognize that Industry Day at the Range is a fast-paced event, and like all firearms, our products require diligent adherence to the four rules of firearm safety,” said Jay Jacobson, Franklin Armory President. “Our team has consistently made safety not just a plan, but a process.  The fruit of that labor has been a safe and successful experience for all who attended.  We know all of our industry peers share this commitment, and it is with great honor that we receive this award.”

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. –The outdoors is getting updated. iSportsman, the leading online recreational program management service in the nation, is making distant sign-in boards, manually logging harvest records in notebooks and never really knowing who is on your land or where they are a thing of the past with the launch of iSportsman ARX. The new digital land and activity management tool promises to change the way hunt clubs outfitters and private landowners manage hunting, fishing and other outdoor activities on their properties.

iSportsman is an innovative management solution, used to manage hunting, fishing and other natural resource-based recreation on military bases, state public hunting areas and national wildlife refuges across the United States. iSportsman ARX brings that same great service in an affordable, easy-to-use solution custom-tailored to the specific needs of private landowners.

Plotting and managing land boundaries, areas, tree stands, duck blinds, feeding plots and more is only part of the benefits iSportsman ARX has to offer. Using a mobile phone, hunters or recreationists can easily and quickly check into an area or stand for an activity and check back out upon completion. iSportsman ARX allows hunt clubs, outfitters and land managers to view who is actively recreating on their land, with whom and even what type of hunting they are engaged in. Harvest data is entered through iSportsman ARX by users so landowners, outfitters or club managers can maintain up-to-date, real-time records. The software allows clubs, outfitters and land managers to easily maintain records of harvests and finances, promote opportunities to other ARX users and even review charts and graphs that display hunting pressure and activity on their properties. Much of the financial and harvest data is downloadable to spreadsheets or can be shared with other stakeholders as needed.

Hunters and anglers can use ARX to collect and maintain data on each of their days spent outdoors reviewing the wind, weather conditions, temperature, moon phase, sunrise and sunset times, game seen, game harvested and more to analyze patterns for increased future success in the field. They can even manage all of their cell-enabled trail cams through the application, viewing photos and video from the comfort of their home, treestand or wherever they may be.

“There are a lot of great services for the individual hunter, but what makes iSportsman ARX different is how we offer robust digital tools for the individual hunter to improve their days afield, yet are built for organizations such as hunt clubs, nonprofit groups, outfitters or anyone who with land to easily manage all of the activities on their land to determine the best use of the resources and maintain optimal safety,” says Doug Howlett, an iSportsman LLC partner.

TRUE® brings to market the Flipper Knife – a great, all-around folding knife that is both easy to deploy and designed for years of dependable use. The Flipper is an extremely versatile blade, ideal for use around the house, on the jobsite, and everyday carry. True Knives are known for their innovative cutting solutions and the Flipper knife is no exception.

TRUE’S Flipper knife provides instant, one-handed access to a quality blade. The knife features a ball bearing folder mechanism that allows the sharp 3” 8Cr13MoV drop point, stainless steel blade to effortlessly move from a folded to a locked position. It is a great system for fast, one-handed deployability with little to no effort. There is no side deployment pin but a pyramid-style finger flipper at the top of the blade spine. With practice, it can be deployed similarly to a spring-assisted knife with only a flight flick of the wrist.

Being 0.75” deep this knife design fits easily inside a pocket with a deep carry clip position. It is both concealable and quick to remove from a pocket when needed. Combining these two features makes this an outstanding daily carry knife. A black oxide finish also mutes the metal making it blend well to dark clothing – like jeans – and hiding potential dirt stuck to the blade or scales.

The scales themselves are G10 and do house the liner locking mechanism. Set within the scales is a lanyard loop to affix a variety of lanyard or safety devices of choice. Beyond the aesthetic design is the practical texturing of the G10. Similar to the checkering of a gunstock, the scales feature a deep but subtle texture for grip retention and comfort. This reduces the potential slippage when using the knife around various environmental factors like rain or oil.

FEATURES

Tigress Outriggers & Gear, the world’s leader in trolling technology, is giving anglers even better control over their spread with the introduction of two new top mounts. The XD Bay Series Top Mount brings precision control to vessels up to 40 feet so they can dial in their spread inshore or off. The XD Crank Top Mount combines speed and precision, letting tournament anglers quickly deploy an effective spread at the first sign of life, current seam, or color break. 

Built for everything from Mahi to Marlin, the XD Bay Series Top Mount delivers full-size performance in a package designed for bay boats. The XD Bay Series Top Mount accepts all of Tigress’ world-class XD outrigger poles with 1-1/8” butt diameters in carbon or aluminum. Twenty-four adjustable positions in 15-degree increments stay precisely where you want them to, thanks to Tigress’ XD 316L stainless steel locking design, but stows quickly with HD Spring return. The upper arm will go exactly where you want it as well, with 19 locking positions at 10-degree increments. You don’t need to worry about bridges and trailering, thanks to horizontal stops that maximize clearance. 

The XD Crank Top Mount is built to deploy in an instant, giving anglers pinpoint precision that makes the most of fleeting opportunities. The user-friendly folding crank handle with integrated drive brake gets the outriggers out fast, with stainless steel and bronze-bushed head pivot that guarantees maximum strength and durability. The upper arm is also easily controlled, with a ball-bearing drive system with a balance spring assist. The two combine to offer 24 adjustable/locking positions featuring Tigress’ XD 316L stainless steel locking tooth design, including ‘Run’ and ‘Laydown’ position stops and eight optional user-indexable set-up positions.

Built with an extreme duty top plate, upper arm, and housings, the XD Crank Top Mount can handle all Tigress XD 1-1/2” butt diameter outriggers (and XD 1-1/8” butt diameter outriggers with an adapter) to 22 feet. The unique ergonomic, invertible 316 stainless steel mirror-polished handle design provides plenty of clearance on soft and hard tops over 2 inches thick, and is built for vessels up to 50 feet. It fits through all standard 3-inch diameter mounting plates and hard-top holes.

Both the XD Bay Series Top Mount and the XD Crank Top Mount is compatible with Tigress’ and other industry-standard 4-inch by 6-inch mounting plates, utilizing four 5/16-inch diameter fasteners. Each is built with fully sealed construction for generations of use utilizing extreme-duty 316L stainless steel and anodized aluminum and feature UV protection. So you can buy with confidence, Tigress backs the new mounts with a three-year limited warranty. The XD Bay Series Top Mount is sold individually; the XD Crank Top Mount comes in pairs. 

BARNEVELD, Wis. – American, family-owned Vortex Optics was selected by the U.S. Army to produce and deliver up to 250,000 Next Generation Squad Weapons – Fire Control (NGSW-FC) systems over a 10-year production period, beginning in 2022.

The Vortex Optics NGSW-FC, dubbed the XM157, was designed and built with the needs of the current and future warfighter in mind. The XM157 – invented, designed and engineered entirely in-house at Vortex® Headquarters – is a Low Powered Variable Optic (LPVO) with a display overlay, Laser Rangefinder (LRF), ballistic solver, environmental sensors, aiming lasers, digital compass, and wireless communication to provide for seamless connectivity on the battlefield.

The XM157 is built around a 1-8×30 LPVO featuring a glass-etched reticle on lenses made entirely in the U.S. The XM157 weighs less than many traditional LPVOs with current weapon mounted LRFs and associated mounts and enables America’s servicemen and women to engage threats quickly and effectively.

With an integrated picatinny base that houses the Vortex® Active Reticle® system, the XM157 injects a digitally displayed image into the first focal plane of the optic and allows for intuitive displays to support ballistic drops, reticle shapes and sizes, and additional modes to display way points, identified threats, and fields of fire.

To account for a rapidly evolving battlefield and a broad range of climates and weather conditions, the optic withstood rigorous drop-testing, extreme hot and cold environments, immersion testing, and tens of thousands of rounds of live-fire testing.

WildEar by CavCom, Inc., the leader in innovative electronic hearing protection, today announced that it has selected Hunter Outdoor Communications (HOC) as its public relations agency of record. This announcement comes after a careful review process and is effective immediately.

“Like us, HOC is passionate about what they do. We are very excited to tap the more than 30 years of experience that the HOC team has in the shooting, hunting and outdoor arenas,” said Katie Macke, director of marketing. “When the best of the industry team up like this, they push each other to perform at new levels. The ultimate benefit goes to our clients who see new opportunities for success as a result of the synergy from our partnership.”

Hunter Outdoor Communications will lead media and public relations, influencer marketing, strategic partnerships and events on behalf of WildEar by CavCom.

Founded in 2011 and headquartered in Walker, Minn., WildEar is a wholly-owned subsidiary of CavCom, the leader in innovative industrial hearing protection and communication systems. WildEar designs and develops innovative electronic hearing products and protection for the avid outdoorsman, the weekend warrior, the swimmer, music lovers, cell phone users and those desiring comfortable, undisturbed sleep. For more information on the full line of state-of-the-art products visit https://www.wildear.com/, call 855-494-WILD(9453.)

Traditional shooters will want to check out the Easton Carbon Legacy.  The new Legacy builds on Easton’s 100-year tradition of making the world’s finest archery tackle.  When Doug Easton first began his archery company in 1922, he started out making handcrafted wood arrows and longbows one at a time in his small workshop. Each arrow featured Doug’s own signature cresting applied to the finest hand-selected cedar shafting.  Today’s traditional Legacy is a nod to Doug’s meticulous commitment to crafting the finest traditional equipment available in that era. The Legacy combines the traditional look of wood-grained carbon with high-visibility white-dipped and hand-feather-fletched craftsmanship to offer the finest vintage aesthetic. “We really wanted to make the Carbon Legacy something special,” stated Gary Cornum, Easton Marketing Director. “We went back into our archives and found some of Doug’s 1920’s arrows and borrowed ideas from his original wood shafts to inspire the look we were going for.”

Loaded with features the traditional enthusiast will value, the Legacy comes fletched with three 4” left wing helical feathers including a barred index feather with combinations of solid red, white, and bright yellow hen feathers. The Carbon Legacy is accurate, durable, and has exceptional flight visibility.  Legacy is available in five popular hunting sizes (340, 400, 500, 600, and 700). Includes RPS inserts and pre-installed 6.5mm 3D Super Nocks.

Features:

For more information on Easton Carbon Legacy arrows, see your local archery pro shop or visit

Brotherhood Outdoors season 14, episode 3 exclusively on YouTube

Spring Hill, Tenn. —Retired NFL defensive end and a member of the NFL Players Association Joe Tafoya travels from Washington State to Florida to experience his first-ever hound hunt for wild pigs on a new episode of the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance’s (USA) Brotherhood Outdoors.

The USA kicked off the 14th season of its Brotherhood Outdoors series, which takes everyday union sportsmen and sportswomen on extraordinary hunting and fishing adventures, on Jan. 3, with episodes airing exclusively on YouTube.

Episode three, now available on YouTube, begins with Tafoya, an avid deer and elk hunter in his home state, hefting a heavy spear with a massive point as he contemplates the conclusion to his hunt for a feral hog in the Florida scrub.

“I’d never hunted a wild hog before,” he said, “much less hunted one behind a highly trained hound wearing a radio collar and a Kevlar vest.”