Hunting and Fishing News & Blog Articles

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) is giving one coveted desert bighorn sheep tag to the Mule Deer Foundation (MDF) to auction during the 2023 Western Hunting and Conservation Expo (Hunt Expo). Ninety percent of funds raised through the sale of the permit will go back to TPWD for use in their bighorn sheep conservation efforts. The permit will be sold to the highest bidder during Friday’s Conservation Night event on February 3, 2023. 

“We are honored that Texas Parks and Wildlife has entrusted the Mule Deer Foundation with the sale of this incredible desert bighorn sheep tag,” said Joel Pedersen, MDF President and CEO. “Mule deer and bighorns often overlap in their range in western Texas, and we know that habitat enhancement, water developments, and other efforts to improve the bighorn populations will also benefit mule deer. We look forward to generating significant funding for these efforts through the sale of this tag at the Western Hunting and Conservation Expo next February.”

Hunt Expo is one of the biggest consumer sportsmen’s shows with an emphasis on western hunting. In addition to hundreds of exhibitors featuring top gear, guided hunts, and taxidermy, Hunt Expo’s evening auctions boast many of the premier hunting tags available in the West. The majority of the funds raised at these auctions directly support the conservation efforts of state fish and wildlife agencies. 

The Mule Deer Foundation has become increasingly active in Texas in recent years. In 2021, MDF partnered with the TPWD to provide $36,000 of MDF generated funds, which was matched by an additional $84,000 for projects in the Panhandle, Trans Pecos, and Llano Estacado regions. MDF supported water development actions in three Wildlife Management Areas and one private ranch that benefitted over 52,000 acres of mule deer habitat and helped fund a much-needed mule deer fawn dispersal ecology study in the Panhandle region. MDF continues to work closely with TPWD in identifying priority areas for habitat improvement projects that will benefit mule deer and hundreds of other desert wildlife species.  

“We are proud of our growing partnership with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.  Conservation funding derived from the sale of this desert bighorn tag will allow us to expand our joint efforts for mule deer and desert bighorn sheep” concluded Pedersen. 

A limited-edition shotgun produced for this special occasion is available exclusively at Green Top starting today 

ASHLAND, VA — Today, Green Top unveils the new “Virginian,” a limited edition Benelli Super Black Eagle 3, commemorating 75 years of retail business. Benelli USA is an iconic firearms manufacturer known for creating one of the world’s largest selections of semi-automatic shotguns.

Today at 10 a.m., executives from both Green Top and Benelli USA will present the “Virginian.” This exclusive, limited-run touts unique serial numbers beginning with 75GT, signifying Green Top’s 75th Anniversary (“GT” represents Green Top and “75” indicates the company’s 75 years in business). Adding to the value of this unique Super Black Eagle 3, these limited shotguns have been produced specifically for this event.

The “Virginian” is a 12-gauge version of the popular Super Black Eagle 3 model. It features a 26-inch barrel chambered for 3-1⁄2 inch shells. The “Virginian” boasts a Realtree Timber® finish and is furnished with five premium BE.S.T. choke tubes. The BE.S.T finish is guaranteed not to rust or corrode for 25 years. Other features include a braided paracord sling, a hard storage case, a sticker of the “Virginian” logo, and a certificate of authenticity. The “Virginian” is available for purchase in-store at Green Top today. A limited amount will be available online at Green Top, and a reserve amount will be featured at the upcoming GreenTop Outdoor Expoon Oct. 1-2, 2022. The “Virginian” is sold exclusively by Green Top for $1,999.99. 

“After 75 years in business, we have so much to celebrate, especially our relationship with amazing vendors, and we are so appreciative that Benelli USA is helping us celebrate our 75th anniversary with such an amazing product and continued support,” said Green Top CEO Blaine Altaffer. “The ‘Virginian’ is an absolute showstopper, and we can’t wait to share it with our amazing loyal customers. Benelli’s Super Black Eagle 3 is a great gun for waterfowl sportsmen and all hunters and shooters. We are anticipating that many people will be clamoring for these special-edition ‘Virginian’ models.” 

Federal Ammunition competition shooter and brand ambassador Casey Reed finished first at four straight USPSA championships. Reed is also an employee of Federal Ammunition who works as a Handgun Product Development Engineer.

Reed’s wins were as follows: First Place in the Resident Production Division at the USPSA Area 3 Championship in Grand Island, Nebraska, First Place in the Carry Optics Division at the USPSA Tennessee State Championship in Nashville, Tennessee, First Place in the Production Division at the USPSA Minnesota Section Championship in Forest Lake, Minnesota, and First Place in the Production Division at the USPSA Area 7 Championship in Bangor, Maine.

“Reed’s dedication and hard work continue to make him one of the best competitive shooters in the game,” said Federal’s Director of Marketing, Brian Anderson.  “His elite performance against world-class shooters at these four matches is quite impressive. We’re extremely proud of Casey’s performance and his reputation as an ambassador for the Federal brand and the company he works for.”

Reed uses Syntech Action Pistol ammunition when shooting competitions. Federal designers configured these loads to meet the accuracy, reliability and power factor requirements of shooters who compete in the International Practice Shooting Confederation (IPSC) and United States Practical Shooting Association (USPSA).

All summer long, USPSA matches challenge its competitors, showcasing each shooter’s skills in speed and accuracy,” said Reed. “I was fortunate enough to be able to pull off four consecutive championship wins. Syntech Action Pistol Ammo falls right in the sweet spot for power factor. I know the product well and it certainly helped me finish strong at these four events.”

Ryan Wee, 17, and his brother Tyler, 15, of Wake Forest, North Carolina, are used to sharing. They share a home, the same birth month and a passion for the same sport – rifle marksmanship.

At the 2022 Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) National Smallbore Matches, fired in July at Camp Perry in Ohio, the pair won the Freedom’s Fire team event for the second consecutive year. Ryan went on to earn third overall in the three-position aggregate while Tyler took fourth (separated by just six points). Both brothers also earned multiple age group awards for their performances in the Iron Sight and Any Sight Championships.

“I think that we are successful in the Freedom’s Fire match because we put out consistent scores and know each other’s strengths and weaknesses,” Tyler said. “Before the match, we discussed which positions either of us would most likely have trouble in and how we can work around that.”

“We don’t put any sort of pressure on winning the team match. We really just do it for fun” Ryan added. “I think competing with a sibling also takes a lot of the pressure away – we both know that we try our best, and there’s never any hard feelings or blame if things don’t work out for one of us during the match.”

The ranges at Camp Perry, where the National Matches have been held since 1907, are famous for their erratic conditions. Located right along on the shore of Lake Erie, the fickle environment has been known to test even the most seasoned marksmanship athletes. Yet, the Wee Brothers are never nervous to take it all on.

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 and target archery, congratulates team archers for their strong finishes at the NFAA First Dakota Classic and NFAA Outdoor Target Nationals. Team members Tim Gillingham and Kyle Douglas captured multiple top place finishes during the two matches, with Gillingham receiving additional honors as “Shooter of the Year” in the Senior Pro division.

The 2022 NFAA First Dakota Classic and the 2022 NFAA Outdoor Target Nationals both took place August 26-28 in Yankton, South Dakota. At the Dakota Classic, Gold Tip and Bee Stinger archer Kyle Douglas took second place in the Men’s Pro division. After battling for the lead all-day, the winner was decided in a head-to-head shoot-off where one arrow, closest to the center decided the victor. Douglas was edged out of the first place spot by a mere 1/16” of an inch.

Coming off recent victories at the NFAA Field Nationals and ASA Classic Championship, Gold Tip and Bee Stinger Staff Manager Tim Gillingham also took home the Shooter of the Year title as well as finished third in the Senior Pro.

At the NFAA Outdoor Target Nationals, Gillingham set a Senior Pro national record of 596 out of 600 on day one and cruised to a first-place finish on day two. Meanwhile, Kyle Douglas fought his way to a tie for second place and won the single arrow shoot-off for his second podium finish during the weekend.

To learn more about Gold Tip and Bee Stinger, check out goldtip.com and beestinger.com.

RXC-200 and RXU-200 Compatible with Shield RMS or RMSc Pattern

Bushnell®, an industry leader in performance optics, announces the availability of two new micro red dot sights for personal protection and concealed carry, the RXC-200 and RXU-200. The two new micro red dots expand Bushnell’s proven RX Series and are compatible with popular optics-ready pistols such as the Glock® 43, S&W Shield, Springfield Armory Hellcat® and SIG P365.

Designed for compact semi-auto handguns, the RXC-200 and RXU-200 work across popular optics-ready pistols with the SHIELD Reflex Mini Sight Compact (RMSC) mounting footprint and pattern. Shooters with other handguns can utilize third-party adapter plates or rail mounts to use the RXC-200 and RXU-200 across even more platforms.

At the core of the RXC-200 and RXU-200 is an efficient and clear 6 MOA dot that automatically adjusts intensity for the environment and consumes less energy when holstered or stored. True Tone coatings mitigate blue tint and maximize light transmission. The sights also boast over 50,000 hours of battery life when exposed to typical indoor ambient conditions. Both sights also feature a built-in, backup rear dovetail sight for fast alignment and peace of mind.

Both of the now-available red dots share most of the same features and specs, with the RXC-200 “Compact” featuring a 23.5mm overall height and the RXU-200 “Ultra-Compact” featuring a shorter 19.5mm overall height. Each are slim and streamlined without buttons or protrusions which could snag, but windage and elevation adjustments are easily accessible.

The Popular L4A Dot Reticle is Hawke’s Most Popular Hunting Reticle and Is Now Available in More Magnifications

Hawke® Optics, a worldwide leader in quality sporting optics that perform outstanding in the field while maintaining optimum value for the consumer, has expanded the lineup of riflescopes that feature the brand’s most-popular hunting reticle – the L4A Dot. Two new Vantage IR scopes join the list of optics to feature the only reticle available across the entire range of Hawke riflescopes.

The L4A Dot Reticle is a variation of the classic L4 reticle. The L4A Dot uses a more open outer post design that helps keep more of the target visible while you are aiming. This gives you better accuracy and helps aid in tracking the target before you take the shot. If you’re deer hunting, for example, you will see more of the deer through the reticle, giving you better accuracy and increased confidence in your shot placement. You will experience better spacing from center to post at 100yds when on 4x magnification, which is equivalent to 83cm at 100m. This increase in vision is part of what has made the reticle such a popular option for hunters looking for the best scope and reticle combination to mount on their favorite hunting rifle.

Hawke has added two new scope options with the L4A Dot Reticle to the lineup – the Vantage IR 3-9×40 and the Vantage IR3-9×50. Both scopes are built on a one-inch main tube with multi-level red/green illuminated, glass-etched reticles. Both scopes have fully multi-coated optics with Hawke’s H2 glass and 11 layers of coatings for optimal clarity and light transmission. They have adjustable side focus and ¼ MOA adjustment. These scopes have a fast-focus eyebell, long battery life, and are provided with lens covers to protect your glass. Better still is the price, with these scopes representing some of the best value to you of any optic on the market. Add to that Hawke’s No-Fault Lifetime Warranty and you can’t beat it. Learn more about these new scopes and the rest of the lineup of precision rifle optics featuring the popular L4A Dot Reticle at www.hawkeoptics.com.

About Hawke
#VISIONACCOMPLISHED. Hawke is a worldwide market leader at the forefront of optical performance with class-leading innovation and design offering a complete line of sport optics from rifle, crossbow, shotgun and air gun scopes to binoculars, spotting scopes and accessories. Accuracy, strength, and precision; Hawke optics blend iconic design, exceptional engineering, and unrivalled craftsmanship to create an unforgettable viewing experience. As awareness of Hawke Sport Optics continues to grow, more customers are trusting Hawke as the unquestioned industry leader in optics. Learn more at  www.hawkeoptics.com.

EDGEFIELD, S.C. — As the National Wild Turkey Federation wraps up its 10-year Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt. initiative, all goals were met ahead of schedule and continue to positively impact wildlife and hunters.

In 2012, the NWTF set out to bolster its mission by creating the Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt. initiative, a national campaign entailing three distinct goals: Conserve or enhance 4 million acres of wildlife habitat, recruit 1.5 million hunters and open access to 500,000 acres of public hunting land, all by the end of the NWTF’s 2022 fiscal year.

In 2020, the final metric of the initiative was surpassed thanks to the dedication of NWTF chapters, volunteers, partners and staff. As the 2022 fiscal year officially closed Aug. 31, the official totals for the Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt. initiative are: 

“The 10-year initiative rallied our membership, staff and partners to help deliver our mission on an unprecedented scale,” NWTF co-CEO Kurt Dyroff said. “We faced many challenges over the last decade, but what we accomplished is a testament to our dedicated people who make the NWTF so special. We will look back 50 years from now and see that Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt. served as a springboard for mission-focused delivery far into the future.”  

At the beginning of Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt., the NWTF identified various focal regions of immediate need across the country and categorized those into six distinct areas of conservation, known as America’s Big Six of Wildlife Conservation. The NWTF’s Big Six model has become a staple in the organization’s conservation delivery and has allowed the NWTF to increase the scope of its work by working through emerging landscape-scale initiatives. 

Targeting Monster Redfish of Florida’s Banana River 

Over the course of their lifetime, redfish might feed along shallow estuarine waters, brackish creeks, grass flats, mangroves, oyster beds, bridges, inlet jetties and beaches from Texas to the Chesapeake Bay. They know no boundaries and are not particular about the depth of water or clarity if forage is present. Yet, the red drum within Florida’s famed Banana River pretty much don’t ever leave, which surprisingly doesn’t make them any easier to catch. 

Separating Merritt Island from Cape Canaveral, Cocoa Beach, Satellite Beach and Indian Harbor Beach, the 31-mile-long Banana River is an isolated lagoon that exists within a dramatic zone of climatic transition. Here, marsh and mangrove ecosystems flourish in a complex landscape where there is uniquely no tidal flow. There are no freshwater tributaries, no saltwater inlets, and the only outlet to the Atlantic Ocean is through a lock system at Port Canaveral. 

A Cocoa Beach, Florida, local who has been guiding the Indian River Lagoon for years, G. Loomis ambassador Capt. Willy Le can’t help but reminisce of the days not too far gone when the Banana River was brimming with seagrass. 

“This flat right here was so lush, the grass was thick as could be. But with water quality issues fueling massive seagrass die-offs, miles of underwater vegetation have been reduced to barren sand flats. There are still giant redfish, though they’ve changed behavior and where they would once tail and search out the seafloor, they now just cruise around looking for baitfish,” reflects Le. 

Valley Tieless Fishing Tackle, the company that designed and patented a fishing hook for people with physical or visual restrictions that makes it simple and easy to use, 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 all of us at Valley Tieless Fishing Tackle, HOC is passionate about what they do. We are very excited to tap the more than three decades of experience that the HOC team has in the outdoor industry,” said Chuck Noack, founder. “With their assistance we will get the word out about our products and more individuals that may be reluctant to go fishing because of a visual or physical handicap will now feel confident knowing there is a product that will make the experience easier and more enjoyable.

“We look forward to a very long and rewarding relationship with the HOC team.”

“I am very excited about these products,” said Karen Lutto, owner of Hunter Outdoor Communications. “Being able to get more people out fishing and enjoying the great outdoors is what we like to do at HOC.

“Valley Tieless Fishing Tackle will bring so many new people to the sport and bring many others back to it. It is going to be very exciting and rewarding for all of us” continued Lutto.