Hunting and Fishing News & Blog Articles

Women are reportedly the fasted growing portion of the Wyoming hunting population, according to the Wyoming Game & Fish. While many women across the county would like to learn to hunt as a way to provide affordable, nutritious food for their family, there are barriers preventing them from heading straight to the field.  

Thanks to the generosity of their sponsors, the Wyoming Women’s Foundation (WYWF) brings together women from diverse socioeconomic levels by offering scholarships to attend their Annual Wyoming Women’s Antelope Hunt. Scholarships offered benefit Wyoming single moms, women who lack a network of hunters to learn from, Veterans and active military members, and women looking to share conservation values and outdoor experiences with other women. Thus far, over one hundred women and girls have attended the Wyoming Women’s Antelope Hunt on scholarship. 

In 2023, the Wyoming Women’s Antelope Hunt scholarship application will be open from February 15 – March 15. Applicants can learn more and apply now by visiting wywf.org/antelope-hunt-participate. 

By coordinating an all-inclusive hunt that offers full scholarships, WYWF ensures that participating hunters struggling to overcome the barriers associated with hunting have access to qualified mentors, professional hunting guides, necessary equipment such as firearms, scopes, and binoculars, and the chance to learn how to handle a rifle safely and confidently in the field. 

According to the hunt’s coordinator, Alex Shannon, “[WYWF’s] scholarship program is vital to our success. We cannot thank our incredible sponsors enough for making this possible. ” 

BELLEVUE, WA – The Second Amendment Foundation and its partners in a federal case challenging the federal prohibition on handgun sales to young adults ages 18-20, has filed a reply brief supporting their motion for summary judgment in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia. 

SAF is joined by the West Virginia Citizens Defense League and two private citizens Benjamin Weekley and Steven Brown. They are represented by attorneys John H. Bryan of Union, W. Va. And Adam Kraut of Westtown, Pa. The case is known as Brown v. ATF.

“We filed this case back in September,” SAF founder and Executive Vice President Alan M. Gottlieb recalled, “and it is moving along, which suggests the issue is ripe. As we explain in the motion, the defendants can’t point to a single enumerated constitutional right that does not apply by the age of 18. There is no historical evidence supporting an arbitrary prohibition on purchase and ownership of handguns for young adults over the age of 18. While people in this age group are considered mature enough for militia service, duty in the armed forces and in today’s world being able to vote, run for public office, start businesses, get married, enter into contracts and enjoy the full protections set down in the Fourth, Fifth and Sixth amendments. Only are their rights under the Second Amendment impaired.”

Kraut, who also serves as SAF executive director, notes, “The Biden Justice Department argues that Congress and the states ‘expressly recognized that those under 21 years old were generally unemancipated and subject to parental authority,’ which is ludicrous. People age 18 and over haven’t been considered minors for decades, and they know it. This fact, alone, leaves them unable to defend the constitutionality of this handgun ban in a manner that comports with the Supreme Court’s directive in last summer’s Bruen decision.”

“It is long past the time for this issue to be resolved,” Gottlieb added. “Young adults should be allowed to exercise all of their constitutionally-enumerated rights, and that’s really what this case is all about.” 

BELLEVUE, WA – The Second Amendment Foundation today filed an amended federal complaint challenging the
Biden administration’s new “Arm Brace Rule,” accusing the government of violating the Administrative Procedures
Act, the Second Amendment and the Due Process Clause of the 14th Amendment.

Joining SAF in this legal action are Rainier Arms, LLC and two private citizens, Samuel Walley and William Green.
They are represented by attorney Chad Flores at Beck Redden LLP of Houston, Texas.

Defendants are the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Director Steve Dettelbach, the
Department of Justice and Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. The complaint was filed in U.S. District Court for
the Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division. The case is known as SAF, et.al. v. ATF, et. al.

“The Biden administration’s new ‘arm brace rule’ is a marked departure from the ATF’s previous position about
whether pistols with arm braces are legally considered pistols,” said SAF founder and Executive Vice President Alan
M. Gottlieb. “This dramatic shift in policy leads us to conclude the president, through his agency directors, is
moving to change the definition of pistols fitted with these braces to be ‘rifles,’ and thus subject to the National
Firearms Act. In so doing, the administration has turned millions of law-abiding pistol owners into criminals who
suddenly own guns now defined as ‘short-barreled rifles.’ This is unconscionable.”

“Joe Biden is continuing to use ATF as a means to circumvent Congress,” added SAF Executive Director Adam
Kraut, “and this new rule is his administration’s latest attempt. He has been obsessed with banning guns and
criminalizing gun owners ever since he arrived on Capitol Hill fifty years ago. In the process, he is causing
irreparable financial harm to firearms retailers, which to this administration must seem like an added benefit.”

Leaders of the Professional Outdoor Media Association, the Outdoor Journalist Education Foundation of America, and the National Association of Sporting Goods Wholesalers have partnered to host the third annual Shooting Sports Showcase at the Civilian Marksmanship Program’s Talladega Marksmanship Park in Talladega, AL, on Tuesday, March 28. The Showcase is a private event giving firearms and archery industry representatives a day to showcase new products to dealers, wholesalers, and members of the media, at one of the most impressive shooting venues in the country.

In addition to a variety of pistol, rifle, and shotgun ranges, the CMP Talladega Marksmanship Park has a spacious five-lane archery field. Each lane includes a 10’ x 10’ tent and a 6-foot table for archery companies to display and demonstrate their newest products. Contact Thomas MacAulay at [email protected] for more information.

Attendees are invited to a meet-and-greet Monday evening after exhibitors set up and prepare for the Showcase. “This pre-event gathering gives everybody a chance to relax and reconnect before shooting begins on Tuesday morning,” said POMA Executive Director Thomas MacAulay. “This extra time together was very well received last year because it set the tone for a great day of shooting.”

“We’re excited to cohost the Shooting Sports Showcase again this year,” said NASGW President Kenyon Gleason. “The Showcase is a fun, productive, and efficient way to do get lots of business done in a short time.”

OJEFA CEO Lisa Snuggs said, “Seeing media members make connections and gather story material for their various outlets has always been one of the best parts of my job in the outdoor communications business. The Showcase is a super event for firearms-related media to get informed and have fun at the same time.”

The Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) is in search of qualified individuals to fill counselor positions for its Junior Rifle Camps program. This premier program has an established history of providing the highest quality three-position and international air rifle and smallbore instruction in the country for high school athletes. Being a part of the Junior Rifle Camp program not only positively supports junior campers and coaches but may also be beneficial to the careers of counselors who lead instruction.

Camp Counselor positions are open to college students who have completed at least one year of school and are members of an NCAA or college club rifle team. Applicants must be available to work and travel throughout the 2023 summer for camps, though accommodations will be made for applicants competing in International Competition.

These are highly competitive positions, and selection will be based on a number of criteria including academic performance, shooting experience, coaching/youth leadership experience and references. All Camp Counselors who are selected for hire will be required to pass a background check and drug test before beginning employment.

Job duties will primarily consist of working with groups of five or more high school-aged athletes of various skill levels at five-day camps, four-day clinics and three-day advanced standing position camps. Additional duties include range set-up, break down, general cleanup, various range activities, assisting with camper registrations and check-in as well as working various CMP events outside the camps.

The staff will have downtime factored into the summer but may work extended days and weeks. Counselors will represent CMP at all times during the summer and MUST adhere to a code of conduct for the duration of their employment.

Nation’s largest upland event moves to Sioux Falls, SD in 2024

Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever’s 2023 National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic, presented by Federal Ammunition,   concluded today at the Minneapolis Convention Center following a record-breaking event for attendance and membership. A crowd of 33,154 supporters flocked to the organization’s 40th anniversary celebration, which started on Friday and was hosted in Minnesota for the first time since 2020.  

“We couldn’t have asked for a more electric atmosphere to celebrate the organization’s anniversary and the conclusion for Call of the Uplands, the first comprehensive national campaign in the history of The Habitat Organization,” said Marilyn Vetter, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever’s newly minted president and CEO. “The support we’ve received from volunteers, sponsors, and vendors as part of Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic is moving the needle for conservation, hunting heritage, public lands access and so much more. Thank you to all our dedicated supporters for making this weekend one for the record books.”

This year’s show floor was 40 percent larger than the last time the event was held in Minneapolis, making this the largest footprint in the history of Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic. Hundreds of the nation’s top outdoor retailers, outfitters, habitat equipment companies, dog breeders and dog trainers were in attendance —and the seminar stages were full of discussions covering everything from dog training and pheasant habitat to public lands hunting and opportunities that lie ahead for the 2023 Farm Bill.

The weekend was highlighted by a sold-out Saturday night banquet featuring a celebratory film to cap the end of The Habitat Organization’s six-year Call of the Uplands® national campaign. All told, the comprehensive effort was the catalyst for more than 11 million acres protected, enhanced, or restored throughout pheasant and quail country in North America since 2017. More information about campaign accomplishments will be released in the coming week. Additionally, a Life Member Breakfast of more than 600 attendees gave raucous applause as Minnesota Governor Tim Walz – a Pheasants Forever Life Member – announced a proclamation for “Pheasants Forever Day in Minnesota” on Saturday, February 18, 2023.

Success comes in many forms and on a hunt does not always end with a harvest. I remember my earliest adventures out in the woods trailing behind my father in his footsteps and even quite literally in the snowy New York winters tracking a harvest, beginning to learn and respect what success in the woods meant. Thinking back on one of my first deer hunts, success that day meant just keeping warm in our blind. Having my father, an experienced hunter and his close friend taking me under their wing for those first fall whitetail and spring turkey hunts, I picked up and learned as much as I could and even began finding some early success of my own. I’ll never forget the first youth turkey hunt, making it out to our blind before the crack of dawn under cover of darkness. Fighting back weary eyelids and straining my eyes through the dark till the spring woods came alive with that beautiful chorus, followed soon after by thunderous gobbles in the trees directly above. With the groundwork and scouting put in, that morning was picture perfect. Two older toms landed within forty yards. A few calls by my dad had my heart pounding as the birds went full strut on a beeline to our decoys. My spring turkey hunt ended within minutes with my first hunting success and an unstoppable smile.

Not long after I began to take up archery and finding a new passion with a bow in my hands, I set out to try for my first whitetail in the fall. In a very similar fashion to our previous hunts, everything had been laid out. Before the days of powerful apps like onX and BaseMap, my dad and his hunting partner like many others had a wall of Google Earth type satellite views of our properties including various stand and blind locations, prevailing winds, etc. Following the guide of the two, I spent as many evenings as possible after school or waking early on the weekends to get into the woods and before long I had harvested my first two deer. About a year following on a new property to us, it happened. I felt the overwhelming, core shaking experience of having my first giant make an appearance. I recall being extended at full draw for what felt like an eternity, realistically a minute at most, I was able to place the perfect shot and after a unique tracking experience through a swamp I had harvested my first mature whitetail – a gorgeous elven point proudly on the wall above my desk. I was beginning to think I knew what success in the woods meant.

Over the years I sharpened these skills finding success here and there and continuing to learn alongside my mentors. Time went on and life changes in both school and work, I found myself in the woods less and new hobbies had taken priority. It wouldn’t be a long hiatus till a friend had rekindled a flame and brought me out on a few fall hunts. Again, the plan and strategy formed from experience, sitting in a blind tucked perfectly out of sight in a spot led to finding a new form of that sought after success. Sharing previous as well as new outdoor experiences alongside new friends, being part of another hunter’s success brings a new meaning to it. Being adrift from the woods for so long and being there witnessing their hard-earned victory brought back a passion that I will not let go of again. Several hunting adventures were had and then a plan had been developed to head cross country to meet a new friend and mentor in the outdoor world to guide on my first Nebraska turkey hunt. This was a feat and great adventure at the time to drive sixteen hours and chase thunder-chickens, while having my own tag purchased my biggest concern for the week was helping make sure preparations were met and we were at our guides door promptly. An unforeseen cold front led to a slow start in the week and concerns for the time spent began to creep up. That minor stress vanished a few days into the trip. Weather began to warm, birds became responsive, the fire was lit. Our guide had us well hidden at the bottom of a knoll where just the evening prior birds roosted in the nearby hardwoods. A day of calling and patience led to that moment. A phrase my dad said to me when I was just twelve popped into my head, “get your sh*t together” was all I could think in the frantic yet quiet scramble to get us positioned. Following her well-placed shot on a tom that like normal, refused the decoy laid path we had set for him. The dust settled and with fist bumps and cheers shared out of blind I saw it, my hunting partners smile, like the one I couldn’t fight back on my very first successful turkey hunt. A long week, ending successfully with much more than just a harvest.

From that point on success had taken form in many ways and thoughts on it shifted significantly. I found myself enjoying the shared passion and success of others around me even more than my own. Often running a camera over their shoulder or running a climber up a nearby tree. Success now meant sharing these feelings I had on my first trips out as a young hunter till now, someone who has renewed a passion for the outdoors and has a lot to learn yet. The game has changed significantly over the years with the advantage of apps again like onX and BaseMap. Weather tracking and moon phase monitoring apps have put so much more power and access to knowledge in the fingertips of the hunter. These would soon come in handy on a challenge presented to me.

A few changes in access to hunting properties over the last two years compared to my younger years recalling the wall of maps. The loss of one well scouted property put a hurt on this falls season. Through a conversation with my friend and mentor a challenge was extended to me. A challenge to get away from my norm and plan focused hunts that I have experienced and do it solo. The theme of always following the guise of more experienced hunters is common for many but it was the crux for a lot of my early success. In a conversation regarding finding land to hunt, the idea of venturing up to the Adirondack State Park came up. A new excitement emerged. I set out to research, scout, and hunt in a new location without the “handholding” of having more experience around to influence me directly.

Field-testing and comparing four different knives through a series of outdoor challenges

By Albert Quackenbush, Owner/Author of the SoCal Bowhunter Blog

Connect to social media at any given time of day and I will venture a guess that you will see someone sharing a post that includes a knife. Show me a hunter preparing for a weeklong hunt and he will have a sharp knife in his kit. Even survivalist types carry amazing knives for bushcrafting. There are endless uses for knives, but I had specific ideas in mind for this article. For the better part of a year, I have been testing four particular knives to see how well they would work in both bushcrafting and hunting scenarios.

Disclaimer: I am no survivalist or bushcrafter. I am a hunter through-and-through, but I do make my own fires and shelters from time to time.

Creating a Featherstick

All four knives were sharp right out of the box. With little bushcrafting skill, I began testing these blades out with some simple tasks; making feathersticks, shaving bark, splitting wood and making a fire. It took me some time to get used to making a featherstick because the available wood was near a dried up riverbed. The heftier handled Case Recurve and TOPs BOB were easier to grip, where the ESEE had a smaller handle, but allowed for better control. The Shay Butler Intrepid surprised me with the best grip of all, but challenged me for making feathersticks properly, due to it being so sharp and having a steep angled blade.
Winner: ESEE Ashley Game Knife. 2nd place: Case Winkler Recurve

Shaving Bark

I found that shaving bark took a little less control as making a feather stick and the process went faster because I didn’t have to keep the shavings attached to the stick. As I tried different ways to shave the bark into thin strips, I figured out the Intrepid was easier to manipulate and control. The AGK was also easy to control. The Winkler Recurve allowed me to grip, shave and make short work of larger sticks for larger kindling. This one was tough because I felt the Recurve and Intrepid were extremely close in usability and function, but due to the combination of blade, weight and grip, the Case Recurve took this one over the Intrepid.

Splitting wood

Each knife was used on some small logs and I used a baton to strike the spine to see which worked well. This was a new experience for me, but it didn’t take long to figure out.

Lafayette, LA – Grey Man Tactical introduces the ultimate locking transportation package for both rifle and handgun with the #303 – Vehicle Locking Rifle Rack + Pistol Safe RMPX. The Locking Rifle Rack – SC-6 Mount secures your rifle by clamping down on the buffer tube or handguard of your rifle and utilizes a 12V cigarette lighter push button for electronic release of the locking mechanism.

Included in the package is the Vaultek® SL20i – Biometric Slider Safe that secures your handgun while keeping it out of sight. The RMP Cover adds an additional level of concealment covering the entire panel and the contents.

Designed to be the most durable and secure mounting solution on the market, the #303 package from Grey Man Tactical is the go-to option for firearm owners.

The #303 – Vehicle Locking Rifle Rack + Pistol Safe RMPX Package contents include:

QTY 1 – 15.25 X 25 RMPX
QTY 1 – RMP Cover
QTY 1 – RMP Headrest Mounting Clamp
QTY 1 – Master Lock® 5/16″ Python Adjustable Locking Cable
QTY 1 – G-Code® Soft Shell Scorpion Mag Carrier [Pistol]
QTY 1 – G-Code® Soft Shell Scorpion Mag Carrier [Rifle]
QTY 1 – Locking Rifle Mount – SC-6
QTY 1 – RMP Buttstock Cup Kit [Standard, Black Anodized]
QTY 1 – SE20-BK Keypad Safe

Team Winchester members Anthony Matarese Jr. and Joe Fanizzi proved once again why they are two of the top sporting clays shooters in the world. Matarese Jr. and Fanizzi recently traveled to the United Arab Emirates for the first inaugural Fujairah Mountain Championship.  This event offered one of the largest prizes in the shooting sports with over $200,000 in added money paid out to top shooters. 

More than 400 of the best sporting clays competitors from 44 different countries gathered to compete while also having to battle the harsh desert conditions and steep mountainous terrain. When the dust had settled, Matarese claimed 2nd place while Fanizzi took home the Junior championship and overall 3rd place. 

“Anthony and Joe represented Team Winchester and the U.S. on the world shooting sports stage, and proved they are two of the best,” said Matt Campbell, vice president of sales and marketing for Winchester. “It’s exciting to see new events like this one and understand the importance of the shooting sports in different countries.”   

About Winchester Ammunition

Winchester is the largest small caliber ammunition enterprise in the world and the leader in delivering innovative ammunition products to hunters, sport shooters, law enforcement and the U.S. Warfighter. The 157-year-old Winchester brand is built on integrity, hard work and a deep focus on its loyal customers. Learn more about Winchester by visiting Winchester.com or connecting with us on Facebook at Facebook.com/WinchesterOfficial.

Winchester: Committed to Safe, Legal and Responsible Firearm Use

As a global leader in the shooting sports and hunting industry, and a brand of 157 years, Winchester is committed to safe, legal and responsible firearm use. Winchester works with key groups like the National Shooting Sports Foundation on a variety of topics important to our industry, including training and education, and on specific programs such as Gun Owners Care and Project ChildSafe. Winchester will continue to support programs, organizations and individuals who promote hunting and shooting sports activities in a positive and responsible environment. Any use of firearms by youth participants should be done under the direct supervision of a parent, guardian or other responsible adult. 

Looking for a little relief this tax season? Double the rewards and double the relief from Alien Gear Holsters® with their limited-time tax season promotion.

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“At Alien Gear Holsters, we understand that during tax season, every dollar counts,” Sandi Little, COO for Alien Gear Holsters, said. “During this tax season, we are offering our customers a great way to get that holster they always wanted at significant savings.”

On February 3 during the Western Hunting & Conservation Expo, the Mule Deer Foundation (MDF) hosted a forum to discuss strides taken to implement Department of the Interior Secretarial Order 3362 (SO 3362) and work still needed to improve big game migration corridors and seasonal ranges. MDF’s Western Big Game Migration Forum brought together more than 50 senior leaders from federal, state, non-profit, and industry partners who are actively engaged in wildlife connectivity. On the same day, the organizations celebrated the 5th anniversary of the signing of SO 3362 that has served as the catalyst for the collaborative conservation efforts on the issue.

“Secretarial Order 3362 was signed on February 9, 2018, at the Mule Deer Foundation booth during the Western Hunting & Conservation Expo, and it was fitting that we were able to celebrate its 5-year anniversary at our booth at this year’s Hunt Expo,” noted Mule Deer Foundation President/CEO Joel Pedersen. “SO 3362 marked a turning point to drive coordinated efforts, focus funding, and encourage collaboration on something we all hold dear: our great western landscapes that are home to mule deer, elk, pronghorn, and hundreds of other wildlife species. The Western Big Game Migration Forum provided the opportunity for us to meet with a wide range of partners and talk about our successes but also focus on the tremendous amount of work and funding still needed to truly make a long-lasting impact.”

Participants in the Forum included U.S. Department of the Interior Deputy Secretary Tommy Beaudreau, U.S. Department of Agriculture Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation Robert Bonnie, Bureau of Land Management Director Tracy Stone-Manning, USDA Forest Service Deputy Chief Chris French, directors or senior leaders from 11 western state fish and wildlife agencies, leadership from eight outdoor industry companies, and high level staff from nine different hunting-conservation organizations. The varied perspectives led to active discussions in a two-hour session before speakers outlined the issue to the public and media in a widely attended afternoon session. Closing remarks at the public session were delivered by MeatEater’s Ryan Callaghan, a leading voice in mainstream media for wildlife and hunting conservation.

“When we planned the Forum, we hoped to bring together all the high-level individuals who are working on this issue from federal land management agencies to researchers to state wildlife agencies to private sector partners—and all of those partners were in the room and contributed to an outstanding conversation,” commented MDF Chief Conservation Officer Steve Belinda. “A key theme for the session was recognizing we need to do even more to engage the public on this critical issue and increase funding opportunities so all partners can expand the pace and scale of work being done on the ground. We have had many successes, but we are just getting started and there is so much more we can accomplish working together.”

According to Casey Stemler, coordinator for SO 3362 for the Department of the Interior, direct funding to implement the order over the last five years included $6.4 million for research and $2.5 million for mapping support to state fish and wildlife agencies. In addition, $20 million was directed toward habitat conservation and management through a grant program coordinated by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. However, he acknowledged that this is just a fraction of the investments since significant work has been accomplished through funds from partner agencies and organizations. He also noted that the dramatic changes in the West in recent years due to increasing population, human development, and habitat loss continues to escalate the challenges these species face.