Hunting and Fishing News & Blog Articles

The newest issue of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers’ magazine is available today

MISSOULA, Mont. – The winter 2023 issue of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers’ quarterly magazine, Backcountry Journal, is arriving in mailboxes across North America. Here are some of the highlights of an issue that pairs perfectly with a cold evening, warm fire and your favorite beverage.

All the Right Words: “How does one field dress, with words, the complexities of war, guilt and responsibility?” After returning from deployment, BHA member and Marine Jake Lunsford battles his inner self and the elements on an elk hunt in the wilderness of Colorado.

The Stoic Hunter: Hunters are increasingly tapping into the teachings of Stoicism, an ancient school of thought that emphasizes calm acceptance in the face of forces beyond our control. BHA member Christopher Ross details how accomplished BHA members and backcountry outdoorsman – Clay Hayes, Mark Kenyon, Hal Herring, to name a few – are using the teachings of the Stoics to endure and persevere in the backcountry.

A Huntastic Holiday: BHA member Cayla Bendel braves the cold in pursuit of pheasants and holiday cheer. Spoiler: She finds both in the farm country of North Dakota.

Make a tax-deductible donation between now and December 31 and Orvis will match it.

Fishing guides are the backbone and the very face of the recreational fishing industry, a distinction earned from thousands of hours spent coaching and educating anglers from all walks of life each and every season. They are the ambassadors of the sport and the gatekeepers of our angling resources. It’s a rewarding but demanding job.

How long is a fishing guide’s day? Surely, it’s much longer than the hours spent on the water with their clients. The nonstop communication and logistical efforts with customers, gear wrangling, gassing up, meal prep, drive time and end-of-day gear maintenance stack up to make a guide day anything but a 9-5’er, and many seasonal guides go hard for dozens – sometimes hundreds – of days in a row. Days off are precious, unpaid, and often full of provisioning, boat and equipment maintenance, bill paying, personal relationship mending, and everything else a small business owner riding razor thin margins must deal with. While most guides enjoy what they do for a living, the demands are stressful and often overwhelming.

As a group, professional fishing guides are prone to a variety of social and economic stressors and mental health issues. Established in 2020 by Mollie Simpkins and KynsLee Scott, the Guide Relief Program (GRP) acknowledges this fact. Its simple mission is to lend meaningful support to these angling ambassadors and resource protectors on and off the water.

“Our goal is simple, but our task is challenging,” says Simpkins. “The GRP exists to take care of the people who take care of the resources every angler enjoys. We do this in a variety of ways. We were born out of COVID-19, helping fishing guides navigate and access the complicated and rapidly changing forms of assistance available to them. We’ve since expanded our role to offer small but meaningful grants to fishing guides dealing with all manner of personal and professional crises. These hardships can be related to things like last summer’s historic flooding in Montana or the devastation unleashed by storms like Hurricane Ian, but we don’t limit our assistance to guides impacted by natural disasters alone. Life comes at fishing guides fast and hard, which is why facilitating access to no-cost mental health services also lies at the core of our mission.

The DWX pistol combines the best from CZ and Dan Wesson for shooters of all stripes.

What began as an innovative idea among the brilliant minds at CZ and Dan Wesson has finally come to life. These ideas resulted in the jaw-dropping DWX pistol, a grand melding between the signature pistol designs manufactured by the two brands. Available in 9mm, the DWX is ideal for everything from USPSA competition to recreational shooting. 

The DWX starts with the crisp single-action fire control group from a Dan Wesson 1911 and combines it with the ergonomics and capacity of a CZ pistol. The grip angle and contour draw their lineage directly to the venerated CZ 75, providing an excellent fit for most shooters. Correspondingly, the full-size DWX is compatible with standard CZ 75 grips. In addition, low-profile red aluminum grips help drive the shooter’s hand high in the beavertail and provide a fantastic texture to plant it firmly in hand. 

More than just a competition handgun, the DWX sports a locked-breech barrel system for simplicity and features a CZ-style take-down via the slide stop. Borrowing time-proven double-stack magazines from CZ pistol families, the full-size DWX employs the 19+1 magazine from the P-09/P-10.

An ambidextrous safety delivers easy access for right- and left-handed shooters, while a flat, K-style trigger offers a textured face for a positive feel. Front strap checkering aids grip control, while a 1913 Picatinny rail makes it easy to mount a light or laser. A match-grade barrel with a bushing-less barrel system resembles that of the P-09/P-10 and offers shooters unparalleled accuracy and easy take-down. 

In order to increase awareness of the sport and to provide insight to juniors looking to continue their marksmanship careers into college and beyond, the CMP periodically highlights some of the nation’s current collegiate rifle programs. Stay tuned this week as we feature the coach and athletes of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Rifle Team!

Q&A with Athletes and Coaches: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

The rifle program has been an integral part of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) culture since its founding years – dating back to 1899. That same year, the first Inter-Class Rifle competitions were held Walnut Hill Range in Woburn, Mass. MIT’s Rifle Club gained momentum and began to hold regular matches in 1907, funded largely by the National Rifle Reserve, which was created to train young men in marksmanship in preparation for war. The MIT Rifle Team was officially declared a sport of the school in 1916, using carbine and Springfield service rifles.

The current varsity rifle program is one of MIT’s two co-ed varsity teams, participating in both air and .22 rifle competition. The team is part of the Mid-Atlantic Rifle Conference (MAC).

College Coach Questions

C&H Precision Weapons offers a wide array of mounting plates that fit various slides and optics. It takes time and research to understand all the different slide cut footprints and what plate fits an optic of choice. Luckily, the team at C&H Precision is happy to help with your selection and purchase.

Once an adaptor plate is chosen the mounting process is relatively straightforward. Make sure the workspace is clean; it’s a great time to lay out all tools, ensuring all necessary items are present. Besides the plate and optic, a tool kit with appropriate Torx bits and drivers are essential. C&H Precision Weapons offer a complete tool kit setup. Fix-It Sticks are an excellent end-all-be-all tool system. The kit, sold on C&H Precision website, provides a T8 and T10 Torx bit, 10 in-lb torque limiter, and the t-handle system. This kit can be found: https://chpws.com/product/mrds-maintenance-kit/

As with any important tool assembly, cleanliness is of utmost importance. Cleaning the plate, screws, and tools will help to ensure a tight fit free from debris. After cleaning the screws, apply a dot of Vibra-Tite to the threads and allow to set for 15-30 minutes, depending on climate.

Depending on the model, press-fitting T-Nuts into the machined pocket on the bottom of the plate may be necessary. If trying to fit the mount into the slide and finding it too difficult, these t-nuts may need to be pressed farther into the plate. Once fitted into the slide, ensure the adaptor fits flat and the mounting holes line up with those in the slide.

Now comes the fun part, making it all work. Taking the appropriate previously cleaned screws with Vibra-Tite, insert them into the mounting holes. Torque is key to a proper fit with screws of the appropriate strength. It’s helpful to use a torque driver to tighten these to 10 in-lb. It’s helpful to finish this assembly by adding an oil-based sharpie mark over the screws and plate as a visual identifier of loosening walking.

XS® Sights is pleased to introduce new Lever Rails for Henry Big Boy carbines chambered in .357 Magnum (HN-6001R-N) and .44 Magnum (HN-6002R-N).

The XS Sights Lever Rails are machined from aircraft-grade aluminum and hard coat anodized to provide a lightweight mounting system that is tough enough for a lifetime of service. The rail bolts on to round barrel models of the Henry Big Boy – no gunsmithing required – for a quick, do-it-yourself upgrade. Machined to Mil-Std 1913 Picatinny specifications, the XS Lever Rail extends from the rear of the receiver to the front sight dovetail cut to allow mounting of any optic – red dot, scout scope, or low-powered variable optic (LPVO) – giving you the most versatile mounting platform available.

The XS Sights Lever Rails for the Henry Big Boy carbines are designed for carbines with steel receivers and round barrels. Due to differences in barrel contour, the rails and sights are caliber specific.

The XS Lever Rail will not fit carbines with brass receivers, and it will not fit carbines with octagonal barrels.

Retail Price: $72.00

ElaZtech® finesse baits scoring mega brown bass out West

Luke Clausen has always known about the record-class smallmouth bass swimming within a few hours of his Spokane, Washington home. Not that the greater fishing community has for the past several decades paid much attention. Which is just fine with the longtime Z-Man® pro, among the only anglers to win both a Bassmaster Classic and Forrest Wood Cup Championship. But when you post a picture of a jaw-dropping 7-pound 3-ounce beast, anglers become detectives. Everyone wants to know where, when and most especially, with what lure? 

Roughly six months before Clausen’s giant November smalljaw ate a Z-Man Scented Jerk ShadZ, guide Travis Wendt boated a gargantuan bass of his own—a 23.5-inch (7-pound 11-ounce) smallmouth from the same water— a remote Idaho reservoir that’s anything but easy to access. The colossal fish, which ate a Z-Man Finesse TRD and sported an enormous 18-inch girth, overtook Idaho’s catch-and-release state record. Regularly guiding clients to smallmouth bass of a lifetime, Wendt scores nearly all his trophy fish on his two favorite finesse baits, a Finesse TRD and a TRD BugZ. 

“In a lot of these Idaho impoundments, the staggering bass growth we see is almost entirely fueled by populations of kokanee salmon,” notes Wendt, who makes frequent expeditions to these secluded smallmouth waters. 

First introduced to western reservoirs in the early 1900s, kokanee, a landlocked version of the sockeye salmon, now reside in countless reservoirs from California to Colorado. Plankton feeders by nature, kokanee salmon regularly grow to about 5 pounds. For bass and other predators, the smaller, younger salmon provide an oily, nutritous forage fish. 

The Flip-Kat is a portable kayak designed with a built-in pedal system and a chair that also serves as a leaning post. The Flip-Kat came about from a personal experience of living on the coast with no access to convenient, on-site storage for kayaks. This meant that in order to enjoy time on the water in a kayak, there was extensive transportation to and from expensive storage facilities required. A simple afternoon of fishing at the marina could easily turn into hours spent in traffic going to and from the storage facility. No one wants to have to sacrifice a day of enjoyment because it is too inconvenient, so with that the Flip-Kat was born. 

What is the Flip-Kat?

The Flip-Kat is a portable kayak that is portable, stable, and easily storable. The Flip-Kat is the first portable kayak that is made by serious sportsmen for serious sportsmen. The Flip-Kat is more stable, more comfortable, and performs as well as a standard kayak while taking up a fraction of the space. The Flip-Kat’s 4-foot-wide deck and 11-foot-long catamaran hull is designed to be large enough for comfort, durable enough to get you through choppy water, and then when you get home it can be folded small enough to fit in the standard closet. When folded, you can fit up to two Flip-Kat’s in the back of a large SUV. This makes the Flip-Kat perfect for an adventurer or anyone who lives an on-the-go lifestyle. The Flip-Kat is proudly made in the USA.

Features of the Flip-Kat 

Portable and Storable

Some of the most important features of the Flip-Kats are its portability and storability. Set up, the Flip-Kat is 4 feet wide and 11 feet long. Folded, the Flip-Kat is 2 feet wide and 5 feet long which makes it perfect for storing in any garage, closet, or shed. Even if you live in a smaller space such as a condo or an apartment, you will still have plenty of space to store your Flip-Kat. No need to worry about renting a storage unit, just store your Flip-Kat in any closet and when you are ready to use it, take it out, pop on the quick attach wheel system, and you are ready to go. Planning a road trip? No problem. This easy to store kayak fits easily in any SUV, UTV, truck, or RV. You can also purchase our Flip-Kat hatch rack which will allow you to fit an additional two Flip-Kats on the back of your vehicle. You don’t need a trailer to transport your Flip-Kats like you would with Kayaks. In two minutes you can have your Flip-Kat set up and ready to hit the water. 

Chair and Leaning Post

You can spend  hours out on the water thanks to Flip-Kat’s ergonomically designed, adjustable chair system that can be converted from a comfortable multi position seat to a stand-up leaning post. The chair/leaning post has 6 adjustable height positions and 9 tilt positions to create up to 54 different standing and sitting positions. This adjustability allows Flip-Kat to be adaptable to different types of people and to maximize its users comfort. The adjustable chair has a built-in cup holder, a tool slot, and a T-Track System for attaching rod holders, paddles, and other accessories. When the chair is extended to a leaning post you have a sturdy position for all of your standing activities. This feature is what makes the Flip-Kat stand out against everything else on the market. 

Stable Deck

The Flip-Kat’s large 4-foot wide deck gives you plenty of room to stand up and move around without worrying about falling into the water. If you do decide that you want to take a dip in the water, the attached pull-down step system will help you get back on deck with ease. 

The leaves are changing, the temperatures are cooling, and general gun seasons are beginning across the country. It’s time to hunt! Before you hit the deer stand, it might be time to brush up on your shooting skills. Maybe they’ve gotten rusty since the last hunt. It’s time to grab your rifle, ammo, ear, and eye protection and hit the range! 

Before you ever climb into the tree stand, you need to get those skills sharp. A good hunter will be a well-trained shooter with their weapon of choice. If you respect the animals you are hunting, and you need to be able to quickly and humanely kill them. Anyone can shoot a deer. Deer are huge targets, but to humanely kill one, you have to hit them in an area approximately ten inches in size at best. 

It’s also worth training because when targeting the heart and lungs of a deer, it’s easy for that shot to miss and go low. Legendary hunter Fred Bear had a set of ten commandments for hunting. One of those commandments was, “Be sure of your shot. Nothing is more expensive than regret.” 

Fred Bear most certainly knew what the heck he was talking about too. Missing isn’t an option, so let’s get to the range and train. 

How to Train At the Range 

First and foremost, it seems to be a meme at this point, but you need to check your zero first. If you haven’t fired your deer rifle in a year, it’s worth making sure it’s still hitting where it’s supposed to. You may need to account for a different ammo weight or projectile design, or the optic just gets knocked around a bit. 

Getting involved in outdoor adventures together with your partner can have numerous benefits to your relationship as well as to both of you as individuals. For instance, outdoor trips let you encounter new experiences and create lifelong memories together.

Besides providing stress relief, going on an outdoor adventure together is also a chance to spend quality time together, which can help strengthen your bond as a couple.

But, as you may already know, not everyone is the outdoorsy type. And whether you’re thinking of camping, fishing, hunting, hiking, kayaking, mountaineering, or skiing, one thing is for sure. Your partner may sometimes need a little convincing before they agree to get on board or be part of your plans from the word go.

Luckily, here are a few great ways to get your partner on board with your outdoor trip plans.

1. Highlight the Benefits

One of the best things you can do is to explain why going outdoors is good for you and your relationship. Maybe you’re planning a family camping trip for a chance to reconnect or to get away from everyday stress. Perhaps your relationship needs a little distraction or you clearly need some quality time alone as a couple in a conducive environment to talk about sensitive topics as you connect with the beauty of nature.

Ballistic Best magazine recently recognized the all-new Federal 30 Super Carry Cartridge as an Editor’s Select Award Winner for Best Handgun Ammo. The awards were announced in the publication’s recent December 2022 / January 2023 issue.

“Federal’s 30 Super Carry round is definitely proving to be the perfect gap-filler between the 9mm and .380 ACP. We’ve run both a Nighthawk Custom GRP and an S&W Shield EZ chambered in this EDC round and have had nothing but remarkable experiences,” said Ballistic Best Editorial Director Nino Bosaz. “In the day and age of upping capacity without sacrificing power, carry comfort and shoot-ability, Federal’s 30 Super Carry is leading the way.”

With the new 30 Super Carry Cartridge, self-defense users won’t have to choose between a smaller platform with reduced bullet performance or a larger platform to carry more rounds. The 30 Super Carry has better terminal performance than a 380 Auto and as much muzzle energy as a 9mm Luger, all with a .313-inch projectile. Users will see performance like 9mm Luger with slightly less recoil and additional magazine capacity.

“The editorial staff at Ballistic Best is certainly well-versed on all of the latest and greatest guns and ammunition,” said Jesse Whiteside, Federal’s Senior Product Management Director. “We know the publication’s Editor’s Selects winners are chosen based on a lot of actual hands-on testing by dozens of their expert content creators. We are proud and excited that our new cartridge was recognized with this award. It proves that 30 Super Carry meets and exceeds the expectations of the publication’s experienced staff.”

Federal currently offers the 30 Super Carry in a 100-grain HST Jacketed Hollow Point (JHP) load in a 20-count box. The load is also available in the American Eagle 30-Super Carry 100-grain, Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) load in a 50-count box. New for 2023, 30 Super Carry will also be available within Federal’s popular Punch defensive ammo product line.

Built to be rugged and dependable, the Stinger RS handgun by Bond Arms® makes everyday carry a breeze. This double-barrel handgun is constructed from quality stainless steel for unmatched durability. The Stinger RS is paired with sturdy nylon grips providing a positive grip that’s no-nonsense for carrying, and rubber grips for comfort and trigger time at the range. The new, much thinner design compared to its predecessor in the Stinger makes this stainless steel version better for concealed carry. Wherever you carry this handgun, you’ll have comfort and security at your side.

Weighing in at a mere 16oz in overall weight, Bond Arms developed the Stinger RS to be light enough for everyday carry while retaining the fit and finish for which Bond Arms is famous. This pistol provides plenty of firepower while keeping the recoil manageable for shooting ability in a lightweight firearm and is offered in 9mm, .380 ACP and .38 Special.

Safety features include a cross-bolt safety, a rebounding hammer, and retracting firing pins. The Stinger is a comfortable and functional handgun that gun enthusiasts at all levels of experience can appreciate. The carrying feel is upgraded with a slimmer frame than the original Stinger from Bond Arms. 

Whether it’s a corrosive salt spray on the coast, hard days working in nature’s roughest elements, or simply plinking at the range, the stainless steel Stinger RS is tough enough for the job and slim enough to be comfortably at your side anywhere. If handgun collectors are looking for a durable, lightweight and comfortable EDC double-barrel handgun that packs a punch, the Stinger RS will end their search.

Stinger RS Features:

Brings extensive experience in marketing and the outdoor industry

Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever are proud to announce Shannon Hoheisel will be joining the organization’s corporate partners team as the corporate partners manager. In her new position Hoheisel will drive business development with specific focus on partnerships, as well as manage the corporate sales representative.

“Shannon will be a wonderful asset to our team,” said Chris Kalis, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever’s vice president of corporate partnerships. “She brings extensive experience to her new position, not only with sales and marketing, but also with the outdoor industry specifically.”

Prior to accepting her new position, Hoheisel was a senior sales and marketing executive for Ron Schara Productions, which produces seven outdoor lifestyle television shows across the country. While there, she developed marketing and advertising partnerships for numerous companies and organizations through TV, social media, digital, live event and podcast platforms. Before joining Ron Schara Productions, Hoheisel worked as the director of live events and experiences at Entercom Radio.

“With my background in building partnerships and events, I’m really looking forward to working with the Pheasants Forever team to develop lasting and effective partnerships,” she said. “That’s always my perspective and hope — to create longterm partnerships.”

TrueTimber is proud to congratulate Noah Gragson, driver of the JR Motorsports Bass Pro Shops, TrueTimber, Black Rifle Coffee Company No. 9 car, for being named the 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series Most Popular Driver.

Gragson, who will compete full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2023, had a historic year landing eight wins. A record-tying run of four consecutive wins in the month of September paired with 1,010 laps led and a series-high 21 top-five finishes kept him at the top of the leaderboard throughout the season.

“This has been such an awesome partnership with Noah and the JR Motorsports team along with our friends at Bass Pro Shops and Black Rifle Coffee,” said TrueTimber CEO Rusty Sellars. “I can’t congratulate Noah enough on yet another accomplishment in his young career. Noah brings so much energy to every race and has an incredible ability to get the fans engaged. What an exciting end to this season and we look forward to what the future holds for Noah.”

Gragson’s JR Motorsports No. 9 Chevrolet has carried the Bass Pro Shops, TrueTimber, Black Rifle Coffee Company trio of sponsors since a debut season-opening win at Daytona International Speedway in 2020. His career continues to build momentum with a fifth-place finish in the 2020 NXS standings, third in 2021 and second in 2022 after competing for the championship in the season finale at Phoenix Raceway.

To learn more about the entire TrueTimber product line and see all available patterns, visit TrueTimber.com. Details about future product launches can be found on TrueTimber’s Facebook and Instagram pages.

The Open Season Sportsman’s Expo welcomes industry-leading brands KUIU and Moultrie Mobile as the Official Door Prize Contest sponsors for each event in 2023.

At each Expo, attendees can enter to win Door Prizes by scanning QR Codes, located throughout the venue at each event. Moultrie Mobile will be awarding state-of-the-art Moultrie Mobile Edge Cameras. KUIU will be awarding a one-time $500 gift card at the last Expo of the year.

The March portion of the 2023 Open Season Sportsman’s Expo series opens at the Overland Park Convention Center in Kansas (March 10-12), continues at the Ohio State Fairgrounds Columbus, Ohio (March 17-19) and concludes at Kalahari Resorts & Conventions in the Wisconsin Dells (March 24-26).

KUIU engineers the world’s most innovative performance hunting gear that pushes the boundaries of ultralight weight and technology. KUIU develops jackets, pants, vests, packs, shorts, gloves, socks, headwear and a variety of other accessories and gear for hunting across all species and terrains.

Moultrie Mobile produced the first-ever cellular trail camera of its kind. Moultrie Mobile was born to perfect the process, to offer hunting enthusiasts everywhere a more rewarding experience season after season. With Moultrie Mobile cellular trail camera technology, hunters can monitor their favorite spots from the convenience of a mobile app.

VIRGINIA BEACH, VA — iSportsman has proudly been serving veterans, service members and their families since 2009, providing them with a full suite of services to aid them in getting back outdoors and participating in the hobbies they enjoy. To continue this enterprise level service, a new feature will be available Dec. 19, 2022, on iSportsman.net. 

The soft launch of the intuitive iSportsmanX service is almost here —and will be free to use and available to all. Accessible on desktop and mobile devices through iSportsman.net, iSportsmanX is a modern outdoor activity search optimization tool that allows users to find recreational outings both around their current location or their intended destination. Inspired by the nomadic lifestyle of those who serve, iSportsmanX aims to connect veterans, service members, their families, and civilians to the best activities available in any given location. 

Returning results not only on iSportsman managed locations, but all locations related to the user’s search, iSportsmanX offers users an unparalleled look at the opportunities available to them. Users can search for activities on iSportsmanX by location name, activity keyword or recreation category. With an adjustable radius setting of up to 2,000 miles, searches can be tuned to the user’s preference.  

iSportsmanX service features will be immediately available to iSportsman.net visitors on December 16, 2022. Upon load, an interactive map will automatically produce results for outdoor recreational activities based on location. 

Once they make a selection, users will be brought to the activity’s page, which comes standard with contact information, state regulations and more. In addition, each activity page will recommend similar opportunities close by; meaning you don’t have to stay inside if a spot is overcrowded and can conveniently find another spot. 

Houston Safari Club Foundation (HSCF) and “Hunting Matters” welcomes Tony A. Schoonen is the Chief Executive Officer of the Boone and Crockett Club. 

Tony was born and raised in Butte, Montana. He grew up working on the Big Hole river for his father’s guide service, first shuttling vehicles and later as a river guide, putting himself through college. He and a couple of buddies started a production company, Stoney-Wolf Productions, and produced the first ever video on elk hunting. The company expanded rapidly, eventually producing 2,000 programs filmed on five continents. The subject matter ranged from hunting and angling to documentaries and youth education. 

Tony later worked with The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, developing a corporate partners program and eventually becoming the Vice President of Marketing and Communications. In 2004, several of Tony’s friends on the Board of Directors for Wonders of Wildlife, including John L. Morris, asked Tony to move to Springfield and help out with the museum and aquarium. Tony had a passion for Wonders of Wildlife since it was built in 2001, telling the story of conservation, providing a historical home for the American hunter and angler, and engaging and educating young people in and about the great outdoors. Tony served as Executive Director of the museum until he transitioned to the Boone and Crockett Club where he served as Chief of Staff and later the Chief Executive Officer. 

The Boone and Crockett Club is the nation’s oldest conservation organization. Founded in 1887 by Theodore Roosevelt and George Bird Grinnell, the Boone and Crockett Club helped to establish the principles of wildlife and habitat conservation, hunter ethics, as well as many of the institutions, expert agencies, science, and funding mechanisms for conservation. Its contributions include enlarging and protecting Yellowstone, and establishing Glacier and Denali national parks, founding the U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service and National Wildlife Refuge System, the Pittman-Robertson and Lacey Acts, creating the Federal Duck Stamp program, and developing the framework for modern game laws. 

Tony and his wife Jennifer are the proud parents of two girls. Tony hunts and fishes as much as time allows and includes his family whenever possible. All enjoy the great outdoors and share the same passion for wildlife and wild places. About Hunting Matters
Tune in to “Hunting Matters” with Houston Safari Club Foundation Executive Director Joe Betar as he engages in conversations with guests, from various backgrounds, who have a passion for hunting and conservation. Great discussions, news, hunting legislation updates and more! “Hunting Matters” airs each Saturday, 6am-7am CDT on KPRC AM 950 – Real Texas, Real Talk, a Houston iHeartMedia station, and Houston’s longest running radio station. “Hunting Matters” is also available via podcast on Apple/iTunes, iHeartMedia, Google, Overcast, PodBean and Spreaker. Subscribe, listen, rate and review. Hunting Matters is the recipient of a 2022 Gold AVA Digital award, a 2022 NYX/Marcom Silver award and a 2022 MARCOM Gold award. 

CSM Lee Price, 76, of Surprise, AZ, arrived at the Talladega 600 ready to win. Not only was he the overall Any Sight competitor of the Match Pistol 2700 event, with a commanding score of 2424-41X, but he also led the .45 Pistol 900 Aggregate and the Pistol EIC Match. Additionally, Price was the High Senior in the As-Issued 1911 and Military & Police matches.

The matches took place during the Civilian Marksmanship Program’s (CMP) Talladega 600 rifle and pistol event – held Nov. 14-20, 2022, at CMP’s Talladega Marksmanship Park in Alabama. Over 260 participated in the annual competition.

Obtaining wins of his own was Eric Herrin, 59, of Raleigh, NC, who led the Any Sight portion of the .22 and Center Fire Pistol 900 Aggregates. Herrin also claimed the Garand Rifle Match and the EIC Aggregate, which features both pistol and rifle scores. He currently holds the record for EIC Aggregate at 1006-22X – set at last year’s Talladega 600.

Leading in the Metallic Sights portion of the Match Pistol 2700 event was Maj. Richard Martinez, 38, of Stafford, VA, with a score of 2118-17X. Andrew Granberry, 59, of Germantown, TN, tallied a score of 366-5X for the overall spot in the Military & Police Service Pistol event before going on to claim the As-Issued 1911 win, with a score of 368-3X.

In rifle, leading the Congressional 30 was PFC Dustin Carr, 21, of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, with a score of 296-6X. Following just one point behind Carr was Megan Hilbish, 27, of Emporia, KS, who earned second overall and the High Woman title.

The Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) would like to announce the addition of Scott Asbell to the State Director team! Asbell will serve as the State Director of Utah.

The CMP State Directors are representatives who help boost marksmanship programs by providing leadership, resources, program information, coordination, networking, motivation and publicity for marksmanship activities within their respective states.

Born in Heidelberg, Germany, Asbell began his shooting career with a smallbore rifle team at Heidelberg American High School’s JROTC program in the 1970s. He continues to shoot service rifle, highpower and .22 pistol matches today in the hunt for “Excellence In Competition” (EIC) points toward a Distinguished Rifleman Badge and a Distinguished Pistol Badge.

A leader, Asbell is currently the High Power Rifle Director for the Utah State Rifle and Pistol Association, coach and director of the Utah Shooting Team Junior Program and president of the Utah Service Rifle Club.

“As State Director, I’ll work to better market the many assets Utah has to offer to our youth and adults who desire to learn true marksmanship,” Asbell stated. “My hope is to fulfill the CMP’s mission and vision in Utah by coordinating ranges, raising funds and discovering new resources. With that, I’d like to publicize the varied opportunities available through the Distinguished Badge Program and develop more junior programs.”

Once again, trusting the outstanding performance and reliability of PROOF Research® barrels, Hamilton and Murphy win another grueling long-range competition.

PROOF Research®’s Weapons Test Specialist, Greg Hamilton, and Sean Murphy of Nightforce Optics, bring home a first-place win in the Coleman’s Creek Sniper Team Championships, held Dec. 9 – 11, 2022, in Ellerbe, North Carolina.

Considered one of the most hard-core sniper team challenges, the six-stage competition tests the shooter’s abilities to engage targets from 10 yards to 1700 yards. Each team was required to carry a sniper rifle, carbine, and pistol. At each stage, the competitors read a brief and had one minute to ask any questions before starting the stage. Stages varied from paper targets to “find, range, and engage” targets, to technical shooting problems the competitors had to solve. While competitors focus on their marksmanship skills, problem-solving, and teamwork are critical aspects of this unique team sniper competition.

Hamilton used an Accuracy International 6.5 Creedmoor with PROOF Research’s AI Pre-Fit stainless-steel barrel while Murphy used a  223 Wylde carbine with a PROOF Research AR 18” stainless steel barrel.

PROOF Research is a well-known brand within the precision rifle community and is one of the leading barrel brands used by champion competitors in the Precision Rifle Series (PRS) and National Rifle League (NRL). Developed to enhance mission success for our warfighters, PROOF Research’s carbon fiber barrels are designed for long-range accuracy, performance, and reliability under any environmental condition.