Hunting and Fishing News & Blog Articles

Korkers has designed a limited edition pair of Devil’s Canyon fishing boots with Trout Unlimited to raise awareness and support the permanent protections for Bristol Bay. A portion of profit will be donated to Trout Unlimited’s efforts to raise awareness among anglers around the threat to world’s largest sockeye salmon fishery.

For the last two decades, anglers have been part of the hardfought effort to stop the formerly proposed Pebble mine. The proposed open pit copper and gold mine was slated for the headwaters of Bristol Bay, Alaska, home to the world largest sockeye salmon fishery and a crown jewel in the sportfishing and hunting industry.

In 2020, the key federal permit for the proposed mine was denied to the Pebble Limited Partnership as the proposal failed to meet Clean Water Act standards and was “contrary to public interest.” Now local fishing business owners, tribes and commercial fishermen are calling for permanent protections for the region to ensure Pebble- or another mining company- can’t come back in the future. 

The national fly fishing industry as well as outdoor industry leaders, companies have stood behind local sportfishing leaders in Bristol Bay during the fight against Pebble and now in the effort to advance permanent safeguards for the fishery and the industries who depend on it.

Each pair of Special Edition Devil’s Canyon boots will feature: 

Congratulations to our top teams and random draw winners!

Shooting teams awarded for growing their endowment!

In addition to free fundraising products and a donation matching program, MidwayUSA Foundation offers incentives to youth shooting teams that allow participating teams to receive additional endowment funds.  One of our most popular incentives is an Online Donation Drive, held twice per year.  This month-long incentive happened in April and we are excited to announce the winning teams!  Youth shooting teams that received the most dollars through online donations include:  

1st Place -Wasatch HS Claybusters – R18864 [UT] – raising $15,000 and winning $8,000
2nd Place -Pleasant Valley Trap Team – R46864 [IA] – winning $6,000
3rd Place – Taunton Marksmanship Unit – R4391 [MA] – winning $4,000
4th Place – Clear Creek Amana High School – R46916 [IA] – winning $3,000
5th Place – Hudson Raider Shooting Club Inc – R58909 [WI] – winning $2,000

Every youth shooting team that was not part of the top 5 and received an online donation in April qualified for our random draw.  Sarah Hall, our Project and Events Manager, along with our NEW Program Manager, Yim Szeto, held the drawing today, May 13, on our Facebook page.  You can check out the live video or visit our blog to see the full list of winners from our random draw.  Each team received $1,000! These funds are directly added to their team endowment and help grow a team’s annual cash grant.  Teams use their grant funds to cover critical expenses.  A shout out to all of the donors that made our Online Donation Drive a success too!

(MANSFIELD, TEXAS) – With less than two weeks to go, Sellmark is poised to be the MUST-SEE booth at during the 2022 NRA Show. Scheduled for May 27 – 29 at the George R. Brown Convention Center, in Houston, Texas. 

Throughout the show, attendees are invited to visit Sellmark in booth #2657 for optic giveaways and hands-on exhibits of new cutting-edge products under the company’s popular brands — Sightmark, Pulsar, Kopfjäger, BulletSafe and Firefield. Product display highlights include:

Visitors will also have the chance to walk away with a free optic by entering a daily drawing. Winners will be drawn daily at 3 p.m. Sunday’s lucky guest will win a Sightmark Citadel Riflescope signed by Keith Warren, host of The High Road with Keith Warren, airing on Pursuit Cannel. Participants must be present at booth #2657 during the drawing to win. The giveaway schedule is as follows:

About Sellmark

Sellmark is dedicated to making brands that sell by producing industry-leading outdoor lifestyle products and brands. Serving more than 50 countries, including retailers in every state across the United States, Sellmark Corporation produces industry leading products including night vision, laser sights, boresights, thermal scopes, tactical rifle scopes, red dot sights, hunting scopes, shooting rests and law enforcement products. To date, Sellmark products and brands have been sold in more than 5,000 locations around the world. Sellmark Corporation includes Sightmark, Pulsar, Firefield, Kopfjäger and BulletSafe. For information about Sellmark Corporation and its brands or products, visit www.Sellmark.com. 

CAMP BUTNER, N.C. – SSgt Stephen Ferguson, 40, of Blackstone, Virginia, set a new event record in the Springfield Match Course at the Civilian Marksmanship Program’s (CMP) 2022 Eastern CMP Games & Highpower Matches, with a score of 295-13X. Ferguson edged the previous record, set by David Thompson in 2016, by only five X-shots.

The annual Eastern Games was held April 22 to May 1 at Camp Butner in North Carolina, with over 400 participants firing in the variety of vintage, modern military, highpower rifle and pistol opportunities offered on the schedule. Designed to provide unique challenges to a wide spectrum of guests, the event is filled with recreational-style competitions and educational courses that are suitable for new and experienced enthusiasts.

Recognitions and awards for individual accomplishments, such as for Overall, High Woman, High Senior and High Junior competitors, are part of the CMP mission and are featured at each competitive event held throughout the year.

William Trowell, 58, of Raleigh, North Carolina, claimed the overall win in the As-Issued 1911 Pistol Match and commented on his positive experience during the 2022 Eastern Games, thanks to the CMP staff members’ commitment to the sport and to the comfort of those in attendance.

“I saw that the CMP Support Staff was passionate in supporting the program and the shooters,” he said. “Even us little shooters – to get the achievement medals in a ceremony is a big morale booster.”

Washington, D.C. – The 2022 National R3 Symposium wrapped up last week in Broken Arrow, OK. The 220 participants representing over 100 different organizations with a vested interest in hunting and shooting sports were the first to lay eyes on data released from the Council to Advance Hunting and the Shooting Sport (Council), documenting a slight decrease in hunting license sales in 2021.

“It’s important to note that a hunting license sale does not necessarily equal a participant, but we often use sales as an indicator of participation trends,” said the Council’s Director of Research and Partnerships, Charles ‘Swanny’ Evans, as he opened the session on hunting participation at the Symposium. Swanny went on to present the findings of the Hunting License Sales 2020-2021 report.

This study was the follow-up to the COVID-19 and Hunting License Sales report the Council released last year, documenting a 4.9% increase in hunting license sales from 2019 to 2020. To continue monitoring the pandemic’s impact, the Council revisited this study in early 2022 to identify ongoing changes and emerging trends in hunters’ rates of license purchases. Working with Southwick Associates, the Council collected monthly resident and nonresident hunting license sales data from 46 state wildlife agencies to quantify and compare 2021 to 2020 sales. Among the 46 reporting states:

“While there was a decrease in resident hunting license purchases in 2021, the surge in nonresident license sales blunted the overall effect and sales were still higher than pre-pandemic 2019 levels,” Swanny said before turning the discussion to data from another source, the License Sales Data Dashboard.

The License Sales Data Dashboard project is stirring excitement because it will be transitioning to a real-time dashboard in the near future, providing timely information to the public and R3 practitioners. Southwick Associates recently updated it to its current form. While it only has data from 20 states, the overall trends demonstrated were similar to the Hunting License Sales 2020 – 2021 report. In addition to those trends, the dashboards provide a more in-depth view into several categories when looking at hunting license sale changes from 2020 to 2021:

Silencer Central, America’s largest silencer dealer, is thrilled to announce their newest partnership agreement with Canadian outdoorsman Jim Shockey. Shockey joins a growing list of partners who are dedicated to demonstrating the benefits of hunting suppressed and the use of suppressors in the outdoor industry.

Jim Shockey is an award-winning outdoor writer, wildlife photographer, videographer, naturalist, television producer and host, wilderness guide and outfitter. He owns exclusive outfitting territories in Canada’s wildlands including the renowned Pacific Rim Guide Territory on Vancouver Island, and the famed Rogue River Outfitting in the Yukon Territory. His outdoor television productions have won numerous awards from 2009-2017.

“Jim will not be hunting suppressed in Canada since they are not legal across the border, however, his involvement in the outdoor industry and his dedication to educating hunters in the U.S. through his work will be beneficial to Silencer Central and our customers,” said Brandon Maddox, CEO of Silencer Central. “As we look to expand our reach and further educate others on hunting suppressed, Jim’s extensive audience is a target market, and we look forward to working closely with him through this partnership.”

Shockey attended Simon Fraser University and Carleton University in Canada and was an all-American swimmer and member of the Canadian National Water Polo team, attending two World Championships. He averages over 300 days on the road a year, traveling around the world to some of the most exotic corners of the planet. He and his wife, Louise, have been married for 37 years and have two children- Branlin and Eva- and four grandchildren.

Through the partnership and ambassador programs, Silencer Central strives to break the stigma surrounding silencers. An exceptional tool for sound elimination and recoil reduction, suppressors are multi-functional and great when used properly by hunters. Silencer Central delivers directly to customers in 42 states where silencers are legal. The shipping process has revolutionized the way suppressors are sold and allows for customers to streamline their purchasing experience by cutting out unnecessary hurdles to silencer ownership.

In the latest episode of the Ducks Unlimited podcast, Dr. Johann Walker and Dr. Scott Stephens join the podcast to provide an armchair view of habitat conditions in the U.S. and Canadian Prairies and openly speculate about what we should expect for the 2022 breeding duck population and production. While winter and early spring storms refilled wetlands in North Dakota, Manitoba, and the Canadian parklands, variable and dry conditions remain across important breeding regions of Montana and southern Saskatchewan and Alberta.

“Record-setting spring blizzards have significantly improved waterfowl breeding habitat in the U.S. and Canadian prairies,” said DU CEO Adam Putnam. “Runoff from April snowstorms in North Dakota and Manitoba have filled shallow wetlands, attracting breeding pairs and initiating a strong breeding effort in the eastern Prairie Pothole Region. Unfortunately, spring snow missed key prairie regions of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Montana, and those areas continue to be dry. Farther north, winter snowfall was above average in the Boreal Forest and Alaska, which will again yield quality breeding conditions in those landscapes. However, low production during the 2021 drought likely means this year’s breeding population will be one of the smallest in over a decade. Upcoming May surveys by state and federal partners will provide a more quantitative assessment of population levels and wetland conditions.”

To listen to the latest DU podcast episode, click here. 

Ducks Unlimited Inc. is the world’s largest nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving North America’s continually disappearing waterfowl habitats. Established in 1937, Ducks Unlimited has conserved more than 15 million acres thanks to contributions from more than a million supporters across the continent. Guided by science and dedicated to program efficiency, DU works toward the vision of wetlands sufficient to fill the skies with waterfowl today, tomorrow and forever. For more information on our work, visit www.ducks.org.

Remington Ammunition along with sister brand Federal Ammunition is proudly sending a check of $100,000 to support crisis relief efforts in the war-torn country of Ukraine.  A t-shirt campaign to support Ukrainian refugees generated a great response, with proceeds from the sales reaching the $100K milestone in less than two months. 

“This campaign and the tremendous response exceeded our expectations, forcing several re-orders of the t-shirts,” said Jason Vanderbrink, President of Remington, Federal, CCI, and Speer Ammunition. “I’m so proud of our loyal customers for being willing to pitch in and support the people of Ukraine who are suffering because of the horrors of war. Our ammo brands are proud to do our part.”

The t-shirts, available at www.remington.com/merchandise/apparel/ and www.federalpremium.com/ merchandise/apparel/ features the call out from Ukraine’s president needing ammunition to assist in their country’s defense. 

The t-shirts continue to receive a tremendous amount of support and are selling out quickly. If the desired shirt sells out, consumers can sign up to receive a notification of when the t-shirt has been restocked.

The $100,000 donation will go to support the humanitarian relief efforts through Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund – GlobalGiving. Remington, along with sister ammunition brands CCI, Speer, and Federal, also donated a total of one million rounds to the Ukraine armed forces. 

If you want to catch big bass during the post-spawn season, one of the best ways to do this is by fishing the edges of spawning bluegill beds.

The bluegill spawn is a great opportunity for catching giant bass, since bedding bluegill attract big post-spawn bass that feed on them to regain their strength.

Many bass pro anglers, including Roland Martin and John Crews, achieve high tournament finishes at this time of the year by targeting bass that feed on bedding bluegill.

In this article we’ll show you why you should take advantage of the bluegill spawn to catch monster bass, and we’ll also discuss the best tactics and lures for catching them there.

Why should you fish the bluegill spawn for bass?

Bluegill start spawning soon after largemouth bass are done with their spawn, which provides a great opportunity for hungry post-spawn bass to feed aggressively.

Houston Safari Club Foundation (HSCF) and “Hunting Matters” welcomes Heidi Lyn Rao, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Hunter Education Specialist for Southeast Texas.

Heidi Lyn Rao was hired by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) in 1998 and has recruited, trained, and retained volunteers, as the Hunter Education Specialist for Southeast Texas. In 2010 she also assumed the role as statewide Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW) Coordinator.  

During her TPWD career, she developed many partnerships and organized many education & outreach events. She started “Take Me Outdoors Houston” in 2009, when the Texas Wildlife Expo ended, and this will be the 14th year. She hosts wildlife workshops ranging from alligators to big game. She promotes hunting and outdoor safety to groups ranging from elementary school aged to flying offshore via helicopter to speak to oil and gas employees in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico on a platform. From teaching firearm safety to Rodeo Clowns during the Houston Rodeo, to hosting Hunter Education classes at the Sam Houston (horse) Raceway, conducting National Archery in the Schools Program and Student Air Rifle certifications, and partnering with many hunting, shooting and conservation organizations across Texas.         

She has coordinated 25 statewide BOW workshops across Texas, including the first-ever VIRTUAL BOW in 2020. She has reached over 6,000 Ladies who have attended BOW and continued their outdoors skills ultimately becoming hunters, anglers, and archers, especially through mentored BOW hunts. To date, 10 Texas Outdoor Women Network (TOWN) groups have launched across the state because of the statewide BOW. 

She received IHEA’s Professional of the Year; IHEA’s Executive Director’s Award; Houston Safari Club Educator of the Year and she is also in the Texas Hunter Education Halls of Fame. 

ATN Corp’s future-forward night vision and thermal models have received the 2021 Gold Award in the Category of Night Vision/Thermal by the readers of the Shooting Sports Retailer magazine.

ATN, Corp., an industry leader in innovative optics for civilians, law enforcement, and the military, is proud to announce the company received the Shooting Sports Retailer 2021 SSR Choice Gold Award in the Night Vision/Thermal category.

“What makes this award most special is the fact it is not based on a few judges’ opinions, but the readership of Shooting Sports Retailer, which means dealers of night vision and thermal gear found our products, including the new Odin LT compact thermal monocular, which we released this past year, to be a superior product backed by outstanding customer service,” James Munn, president of ATN Corp., explained.

Shooting Sports Retailer is the most respected and one of the longest-standing B2B brands in the shooting sports retail market, with more than four decades in the industry. Each year, it asks its readers to speak up and share their thoughts on the best brands in the industry today. Readers vote on brands they believe deserve the recognition and Shooting Sports Retailer honors the Gold, Silver, and Bronze award winners.

The ATN Corp. team will receive the award at the 2022 NRA Annual Meeting & Exhibits, to be held at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas, May 27 – 29, 2022. ATN will be showcasing its award-winning SMART optics, night vision, and thermal devices at booth 4304.

Becky Humphries to Retire in 2023; NWTF Board of Directors Names Kurt Dyroff and Jason Burckhalter to Serve as Co-CEOs

EDGEFIELD, S.C.—The National Wild Turkey Federation today announced that Becky Humphries, its CEO since 2017, will retire in February 2023 as the organization celebrates its 50th anniversary. To succeed her, the NWTF Board of Directors has appointed Jason Burckhalter and Kurt Dyroff, two of the organization’s top staff executives, as co-CEOs, effective immediately. Humphries will serve with them until she steps down.

“Building on Becky’s accomplishments and to prepare the NWTF for the future, the Board decided, after careful consideration, to tap the unique experiences and energy of not just one but two of the organization’s top executives,” said Bryan Perry, president of the NWTF Board of Directors. “Kurt and Jason have established proven track records as effective, forward-thinking senior executives and strong collaborators in managing the organization’s key operations. We believe Jason and Kurt will make an effective team to lead the NWTF.”

Under the NWTF’s co-CEO model, Dyroff will lead the organization’s mission-related activities, including conservation, finance and accounting, and general business support (legal, human resources and land holdings). Burckhalter will oversee membership and fundraising-related duties, including field operations and development, marketing and communications, membership, information technology, and facility management. Humphries will continue as part of the NWTF leadership team, overseeing government affairs until her retirement when those duties will transition to Dyroff.

Burckhalter has been the NWTF’s chief information officer for the past three years and before that served as its vice president of finance and controller. Prior to joining the NWTF in 2013, he held various executive roles with for-profit entities, including as CIO/COO of a national multi-site operation. Burckhalter is a graduate of Lander University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in finance/economics. He received an MBA from Augusta University and an accounting degree from Auburn University.

Lafayette, LA – Grey Man Tactical™ offers yet another amazing package with the #501 Case Lid Organizer Rifle Rack + Holster Integration RMP™. Designed to optimize storage space, the #501 package provides increased organizational solutions for your gear.

Simply attach the RMP™ directly to the case lid mounting points using the provided case screws. For lids without mounting points, fasten with the 3M Dual Lock Fastening Kit to complete installation. The #501 package is a great alternative to storing and organizing gear during travel.

The #501 Case Lid Organizer Package contents include:

QTY 1 – RMP™ size of your choice
QTY 1 – RMP™ Fasteners: Pelican Case Screws
QTY 1 – 3M Dual Lock Fastening Kit
QTY 1 – Rifle Rack – Rubber Clamps
QTY 1 – G-Code® Soft Shell Scorpion Mag Carrier [Rifle]
QTY 1 – G-Code® RTI Holster Integration Kit – QTY 1 – RTI Female + RMP™ Backer Plates

MSRP $199.97 – $264.97

For decades, grubs have been in anglers’ tackle boxes for one simple reason – they catch fish! Spro’s new Wave Tail Grub takes the basic shape of a traditional curl-trail grub and improves every aspect. With these modifications, the Wave Tail Grub is highly effective throughout the year in freshwater and saltwater applications.

The Wave Tail Grub is the ultimate combination of durability and attraction. Made from premium Japanese plastics, it holds up well to hard-fighting and toothy fish. In addition, it’s infused with a heavy dose of Amino Bite Scent. Spro’s Amino Bite Scent is long-lasting and can be reactivated with a simple stretch of the bait.

The oversized curly tail and ribbed body provide a life-like action when fished alone on a jig head or as a trailer on a spinnerbait or Chatterbait. The Wave Tail is also a perfect match with any SPRO Bucktail. There are seemingly unlimited ways to fish it effectively.

Available in 25 proven colors, anglers have unlimited combinations at their disposal for a particular application and species. Alongside the many color options, the Wave Tail Grub comes in three different sizes–3”, 4.25”, and 6”. SPRO’s innovation is second to none when it comes to providing anglers with all the essential baits to be effective on any body of water at any time.

SPRO Wave Tail Grub Features:

Since 1973, the NWTF has been committed to conservation of the wild turkey and preservation of our hunting heritage. That will never change.

But what is changing is the way we will lead our organization.

Becky Humphries, CEO since 2017, will retire in February 2023 as the organization celebrates its 50th anniversary. To succeed her, the NWTF Board of Directors appointed Jason Burckhalter and Kurt Dyroff, two of the organization’s top staff executives, as co-CEOs working alongside Becky until she steps down.

Effective immediately, under the NWTF’s co-CEO model, Dyroff will lead the organization’s mission-related activities, including conservation, finance and accounting, and general business support (legal, human resources and land holdings). Burckhalter will oversee membership and fundraising-related duties, including field operations and development, marketing and communications, membership, information technology, and facility management. Humphries will continue as part of the NWTF leadership team, overseeing government affairs until her retirement when those duties will transition to Dyroff.

You can read the full press release about the announcement. Also, you can learn more about Kurt and Jason, and watch the below video to learn more about the transition and what it means for the NWTF and you as a member.

The Hornady Security® Wireless Hygrometer monitors temperature and humidity in real-time, all without opening the gun safe. In hot and humid conditions, firearms and ammo oxidize and degrade quickly, so monitoring their storage environment is critical. The Wireless Hygrometer makes this necessary task easy and convenient. 

The wireless hygrometer employs a remote sensor inside the safe, vault or room. It measures temperature and humidity data, transmitting it to an external base display. Wireless technology eliminates the need to open the container and check the storage environment, preventing temperature and humidity spikes from the outside air. 

The display features a large touchscreen that shows current high/low data from both the base and remote units in Fahrenheit or Celsius. Locating the base display in an accessible spot provides convenience and peace of mind, knowing at a glance if the safe’s contents are cool and dry—optimum storage conditions. 

While the sensor works inside any space, its unique design snaps perfectly into the Hornady® Square-Lok™ system for a quick mounting option inside a compatible Hornady Security container. The display features several placement options, including an integrated stand, magnets, hanging hole and Square-Lok™ mount.

Hornady Security created the Wireless Hygrometer for measuring moisture and temperature. The hygrometer pairs with Hornady Security’s in-safe dehumidifiers to combat oxidation-causing moisture.

Blackhawk, a Vista Outdoor brand and leader in law enforcement and military equipment for over 20 years, is honored to attend National Police Week in Washington, D.C. May 12-15. National Police Week draws attention to the men and women in uniform who protect and serve our communities across the nation. As a steadfast supporter of law enforcement since the brand’s founding, Blackhawk is proud to participate and support National Police Week and the many events throughout the week.

“The men and women who serve in the line of duty risk their lives every day to protect our communities and preserve the freedoms we enjoy as citizens of this great nation,” said Vishak Sankaran, President of Outdoor Accessories for Vista Outdoor. “Our appreciation for their courage and sense of duty are deeply rooted within the identity of Blackhawk, as well as our employees. Those who serve have made it their obligation to uphold the law and protect public safety, and we are proud to support this mission by providing high-quality products that support law enforcement operations at the highest of levels.

In 1962, President Kennedy proclaimed May 15th as National Peace Officers Memorial Day and the calendar week in which May 15th falls, as National Police Week. Established by a joint resolution of Congress in 1962, National Police Week pays special recognition to those law enforcement officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty for the safety and protection of others.

During Police Week 2022, law enforcement officers and other attendees will have the opportunity to interact with Blackhawk leaders, many of whom have served in various law enforcement or military roles. Blackhawk will feature the latest law enforcement-focused gear including its new Foundation Series Tac Nylon suite and T-Series™ duty holsters.

Blackhawk’s Foundation Series Tac Nylon gear features plate carriers, and chest rigs, all of which are built with modular capabilities, stronger construction and lighter weight than typical ballistic nylon gear found on the market. With even more handgun fits and carry options, the T-Series continues to be trusted by more and more law enforcement departments as their duty holster of choice. To date, the T-Series has been chosen by more than 300 law enforcement agencies across the U.S.

As part of its 100-year anniversary celebration, Federal Ammunition announces the release of their hardcover book, Federal Ammunition: The First Hundred Years. This 244-page hardcover book highlights Federal cartridge production and innovation over the past century and will be for sale at:

https://www.federalpremium.com/merchandise/education/1001683.html.

“It’s impossible to tell every tale in our history, but what we have captured in this book highlights Federal’s journey over the last 10 decades,” said Jason Vanderbrink, Federal Ammunition President. “From our humble beginning, the single most essential element of our overall success has been Federal’s longstanding commitment to building a superior product. We are proud of our accomplishments and are excited to share our history in this wonderful collection of stories.” 

Organized by decade, the book highlights Federal’s landmark achievements over each 10-year span. Each chapter is packed with rich historical photos, images of vintage packaging and marketing materials, plus unique company images and support stories. The hardcover book is 11-inches by 8.5-inches in size and contains 244 pages. It features an original painting of the 1923 factory as cover art. Only 5,000 copies were printed of this limited-edition book. MSRP is $59.99.

“Our story of perseverance, imagination, and innovation has been shaped by many business leaders before us,” said Vanderbrink. “Throughout Federal’s existence, we’ve shared this incredible ride with a supportive Anoka community, and our stories of growth and success are forever linked. Federal has been, and will always be, a service leader. It is an honor for me to be part of this company and an outstanding American manufacturing story as we celebrate and shape the next century.”

When it comes to drawing strikes from predatory fish such as walleye, Gamakatsu’s new MaxEye Jig Heads are as good as it gets. The premium walleye jigs featuring the attention-getting MaxEye are available in numerous sizes and colors. The large, highly detailed life-like eye provides fish a focal point that they can’t resist. 

Gamakatsu’s MaxEye jigs heads have a durable paint finish that will not chip or flake. They also boast a dual offset rebarb wire keeper and collar system, which will safely secure the softest and most-fragile plastics or live bait without tearing. The premium Big River Jig Hook used on the MaxEye Jig Heads is tuned to provide an ideal balance of strength and weight. They sport an increased gap diameter to increase hook-ups and a special bend with an acute angle to provide better holding power. 

The Gamakatsu MaxEye Jig Pill Head has a shape that resists snags and imparts a unique action when it contacts the bottom. This design pairs well with live baits or plastics. The larger MaxEye Jig Swim Head has a special design that’s great for use with any soft plastic swimbait, and it pairs perfectly with bulky plastics or smaller finesse baits.

Any angler going after walleye would be remiss to head out on the water without some of these new Gamakatsu MaxEye Jig Heads.

MaxEye Jig Pill Head Features:

Incorporating Extremely Tough S35VN Steel, the New RAT-6 Delivers
on Durability and Functionality

Ontario Knife Company® (OKC®), the award-winning cutlery maker with more than 130 years of experience designing and creating blades for every need, is proud to announce the newest addition to its popular RAT Series of knives, the new RAT-6 fixed blade knife. Chock full of quality materials and field-proven design features, the RAT-6 thrives at both large chopping tasks and fine detail work, making it the all-in-one versatile knife you need for survival and outdoor use.

“Our RAT Series of knives are some of our most popular designs, and for good reason. Each RAT series fixed-blade knife employs a functional design with top-quality materials that can handle all your chopping or cutting tasks in the woods,” said David Fenske, V.P. of Sale & Marketing at OKC. “For the new RAT-6, we’ve upgraded the blade steel to tough-as-nails S35VN, while incorporating a 5.5-inch blade with a deep finger choil and a micarta handle. This knife will be a new favorite among survival and outdoor enthusiasts,” he added.

The new RAT-6 features a 5.5-inch, S35VN drop point blade with 58-60HRC hardness and a satin finish. This means its blade length falls between OKC’s popular RAT-5 and RAT-7 models. OKC upgraded its steel in the RAT-6 to S35VN, which is an extremely tough, high-quality steel that provides superior resistance to wear and chipping while delivering excellent, long-lasting edge retention. The knife has an overall length of 12.1 inches including a vast blade length sweeping into a piercing tip. This blade design makes the knife a real workhorse when chopping. The RAT-6 also incorporates a deep finger choil and a micarta handle for a secure grip for when you need to accomplish more detailed work. With such versatility, the new RAT-6 is THE knife you need when headed outdoors.

The new OKC RAT-6 is 100% Made in the USA and comes equipped with a Nylon MOLLE compatible sheath, perfect for strapping to packs, MOLLE belts, tactical vests, or anything with a MOLLE panel.