Hunting and Fishing News Blog Articles

National parks are the crown jewel of America's public lands. Now, they will finally get updates to their aging infrastructures. (NPS Photo/J. Tobiason/) For decades, the conservation community has been advocating for the full and permanent funding of the Land and Water Conservation Fund, a program that uses royalties from offshore oil and gas oper

See the fish better. (Tessa Wilson via Unsplash/) Sunglasses aren’t just for protecting your eyes. Sure, that’s the primary feature, but for anglers, sunglasses are a tool for seeing more fish. Don’t buy gas station glasses and expect to spot as many brook trout in a stream or bonefish in the flats. If you’re not sure what’s best for you, we narrow

Necessary boat buys. (Roberto H via Unsplash/) So you bought a boat—congratulations. Now think about what you need inside of it. While options for boat gear are nearly endless, and depend often on what you’re doing, a few staples for any boat—especially a fishing boat—apply. Consider these before you launch into the big blue. Keep your stuff dry. (

Alluring choices for pike. ( Alan Bishop via Unsplash/) Northern pike are known for their aggressive behavior and extra-sharp teeth. They’re such aggressive predators, in fact, that if illegally introduced into a lake or reservoir, they’ve been known to eat nearly all other fish. But the qualities that can make them so destructive in an unwanted wa

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