Hunting and Fishing News & Blog Articles

Sometimes you need to break the rules of early-season deer hunting. (John Hafner/) The opening weeks of deer season bring renewed excitement, promise, and enthusiasm. They also bring a fairly rigid set of “rules” that most deer hunters have adopted as rock-solid truth. Early season tactics center on feed-to-bed patterns (and rightly so) and are typ

Destin Demarion with a great smallie. (Bassmaster/) Many tournament bass fishermen are guilty of eating poorly on the water. Not only is this not good for physical health, but it can also affect your mind. Being able to think on the water and make good decisions is so important in this sport whether you are a Bassmaster Elite Series Pro or just enj

Focus on small properties to find an affordable deer lease. (John Hafner/) We could be in for one crazy deer season. With more and more folks interested in hunting and putting meat in the freezer during the coronavirus crisis, there’s a good chance that there will be a lot of hunters in the woods this fall. That could mean more pressure on public l

Stay comfortable while fishing. (Taylor Grote via Unsplash/) When most of us think about fishing shoes, we think about wading boots. But those aren’t the same thing. Plenty of times we end up fishing in places and situations where we’re not wearing waders but still need something to protect our feet other than running shoes or hiking boots. We have

Water? No problem! (Amazon/) We’ve all been there, headed out on a boat, kayak, raft or canoe, and we know we’re going to want to take pictures. But there we are, staring at our phone wondering if the risk is worth the reward. It probably isn’t. You’ll regret ruining that pricey smartphone. That’s why, if you spend much time on the water, you shoul

Always get to the top. (Lucija Ros via Unsplash/) Any activity in the mountains will require decent footwear. Everyone knows that (or should). But exactly what kind of boot is best for any given activity varies. Are you mountaineering? Do you backpack but also day hike? Are you hunting big country off trails or sticking to the named routes? Whateve

The author's favorite concealed carry caliber is the 9mm. (Federal Premium/) In recent months, many folks across the U.S. have considered or become first-time gun owners. Social unrest has prompted citizens in urban areas to buy a handgun for personal protection. But with so many cartridges and guns to choose from, it can be daunting to make a well

The author with a nice smallmouth caught in Minneapolis. (Raymundo Ruiz Jr./) Editor’s Note: If there’s one thing that’s certain after these last few weeks, it’s that Americans need to come together. To do that, we first must listen to those of us who have been ignored for too long. At Outdoor Life, that means Black and other minority hunters and a

Arizona poachers Blake Owens and Thomas “TJ” Purinton have been sentenced for their unlawful, dishonest and cowardly acts of poaching and fraud. But is their punishment enough? Unfortunately, these clowns will most likely never see the inside of a jail cell and only have their hunting rights revoked for 10 years.  I say this is complete garbage! Pe

There is not one universal backcountry rifle and load for every hunter. (Tyler Freel /) What is the ultimate backcountry rifle and cartridge? Our outlook on the world often tends to be in black and white, and this is especially true when it comes to rifles, cartridges, and other tools of the hunting trade that so many of us have a great passion for

Keep the pests away. (Brooks Rice via Unsplash/) Little takes the fun out of time in the woods than being covered in biting insects. Companies offer myriad ways to keep them away from shelters to candles. But not everything works. If you aren’t sure what does, we narrowed down four options suitable for just about any need. Get rid of bugs, don’t as

Snuggle up. (Yann Allegre via Unsplash/) If you’re the kind of person who likes zipping your mummy bag over your face, saying goodnight, and burrowing down deep, these aren’t probably the bags for you. But if you’ve ever tried zipping your sleeping bag to your partner’s, or using one as a bottom sheet and the other as a blanket, these are better op

Safety in the water. (diGital Sennin via Unsplash /) For many water sports in the country, life vests are required, and for good reason. People die every year from coast to coast in accidents that would have ended differently with proper life preservers. But what is the best choice for you and your family? We narrowed down some options. Your little

Whitetail bucks are genetically engineered to bed within 200 yards of prime feed in late summer. (Michael Hanback/) Praise the deer gods, it won’t be long now until you put the stress and uncertainty of the pandemic behind and head out for some much-needed rejuvenation time in a treestand. But don’t wait until the last minute to get ready. To tie y

Elite angler John Crews and his favorite Ned Rig. (BassMaster/) Catching bass is the objective for any bass angler and finding new ways to achieve that is fun. The Ned Rig is one of the latest techniques to put bass in the boat but even many seasoned professional anglers are behind the curve. I know this because I am a B.A.S.S. Elite Series angler