Dismayed by the lack of marksmanship shown by their troops, Union veterans Col. William C. Church and Gen. George Wingate formed the National Rifle Association in 1871. The primary goal of the association would be to "promote and encourage rifle shooting on a scientific basis," according to a magazine editorial written by Church.
After being granted a charter by the state of New York on November 17, 1871, the NRA was founded. Civil War Gen. Ambrose Burnside, who was also the former governor of Rhode Island and a U.S. senator, became the fledgling NRA's first president.
An important facet of the NRA's creation was the development of a practice ground. In 1872, with financial help from New York State, a site on Long Island, the Creed Farm, was purchased for the purpose of building a rifle range. Named Creedmoor, the range opened a year later, and it was there that the first annual matches were held.
Political opposition to the promotion of marksmanship in New York forced the NRA to find a new home for its range. In 1892, Creedmoor was deeded back to the state and NRA's matches moved to Sea Girt, New Jersey.
The NRA's interest in promoting the shooting sports among America's youth began in 1903 when NRA Secretary Albert S. Jones urged the establishment of rifle clubs at all major colleges, universities and military academies. By 1906, NRA's youth program was in full swing with more than 200 boys competing in matches at Sea Girt that summer. Today, youth programs are still a cornerstone of the NRA, with more than one million youth participating in NRA shooting sports events and affiliated programs with groups such as 4-H, the Boy Scouts of America, the American Legion, Royal Rangers, National High School Rodeo Association and others.
Due to the overwhelming growth of NRA's shooting programs, a new range was needed. Gen. Ammon B. Crichfield, adjutant general of Ohio, had begun construction of a new shooting facility on the shores of Lake Erie, 45 miles east of Toledo, Ohio. Camp Perry became the home of the annual National Matches, which have been the benchmark for excellence in marksmanship ever since. With nearly 6,000 people competing annually in pistol, smallbore and high-power events, the National Matches are one of the biggest sporting events held in the country today.
Through the association's magazine, The American Rifleman, members were kept abreast of new firearms bills, although the lag time in publishing often prevented the necessary information from going out quickly. In response to repeated attacks on the Second Amendment rights, NRA formed the Legislative Affairs Division in 1934. While NRA did not lobby directly at this time, it did mail out legislative facts and analyses to members, whereby they could take action on their own. In 1975, recognizing the critical need for political defense of the Second Amendment, NRA formed the Institute for Legislative Action, or ILA.
Meanwhile, the NRA continued its commitment to training, education and marksmanship. During World War II, the association offered its ranges to the government, developed training materials, encouraged members to serve as plant and home guard members, and developed training materials for industrial security. NRA members even reloaded ammunition for those guarding war plants. Incidentally, the NRA's call to help arm Britain in 1940 resulted in the collection of more than 7,000 firearms for Britain's defense against potential invasion by Germany (Britain had virtually disarmed itself with a series of gun-control laws enacted between World War I and World War II).
After the war, the NRA concentrated its efforts on another much-needed arena for education and training: the hunting community. In 1949, the NRA, in conjunction with the state of New York, established the first hunter education program. Hunter Education courses are now taught by state fish and game departments across the country and Canada and have helped make hunting one of the safest sports in existence. Due to increasing interest in hunting, NRA launched a new magazine in 1973, The American Hunter, dedicated solely to hunting issues year-round. NRA continues its leadership role in hunting today with the Youth Hunter Education Challenge (YHEC), a program that allows youngsters to build on the skills they learned in basic hunter education courses. YHECs are now held in 43 states and three Canadian provinces, involving an estimated 40,000 young hunters.
The American Hunter and The American Rifleman were the mainstays of NRA publications until the debut of The American Guardian in 1997. The Guardian was created to cater to a more mainstream audience, with less emphasis on the technicalities of firearms and a more general focus on self-defense and recreational use of firearms. The Guardian was renamed America's 1st Freedom in June of 2000.
Law enforcement training was next on the priority list for program development. Although a special police school had been reinstated at Camp Perry in 1956, NRA became the only national trainer of law enforcement officers with the introduction of its NRA Police Firearms Instructor certification program in 1960. Today, there are more than 13,000 NRA-certified police and security firearms instructors. Additionally, top law enforcement shooters compete each year in eight different pistol and shotgun matches at the National Police Shooting Championships held in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
In civilian training, the NRA continues to be the leader in firearms education. Over 125,000 certified instructors now train about 1,000,000 gun owners a year. Courses are available in basic rifle, pistol, shotgun, muzzleloading firearms, personal protection, even ammunition reloading. Additionally, nearly 7,000 certified coaches are specially trained to work with young competitive shooters. Since the establishment of the lifesaving Eddie Eagle GunSafe® Program in 1988, more than 28 million pre-kindergarten to fourth grade children have learned that if they see a firearm in an unsupervised situation, they should "STOP. DON'T TOUCH. RUN AWAY. TELL A GROWNUP." Over the past seven years, Refuse To Be A Victim® seminars have helped more than 100,000 men and women develop their own personal safety plan using common sense strategies.
In 1990, NRA made a dramatic move to ensure that the financial support for firearms-related activities would be available now and for future generations. Establishing the NRA Foundation, a 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt organization, provided a means to raise millions of dollars to fund gun safety and educational projects of benefit to the general public. Contributions to the Foundation are tax-deductible and benefit a variety of American constituencies including youth, women, hunters, competitive shooters, gun collectors, law enforcement agents and persons with physical disabilities.
While widely recognized today as a major political force and as America's foremost defender of Second Amendment rights, the NRA has, since its inception, been the premier firearms education organization in the world. But our successes would not be possible without the tireless efforts and countless hours of service our nearly five million members have given to champion Second Amendment rights and support NRA programs. As former Clinton spokesman George Stephanopoulos said, "Let me make one small vote for the NRA. They're good citizens. They call their congressmen. They write. They vote. They contribute. And they get what they want over time."
Events across the West featuring products, services and destinations of 300 to 600 exhibiting companies. Hands-on activities, Youth Fairs, hundreds of seminars at multiple theaters, contests for beginner to expert. These events are the ideal opportunity to discover your life outdoors.
Welcome to 3 Brothers African Hunting Safaris! We are your best U.S. booking liaison for African hunting trips!
Our love for African hunting began with our very first safari. All three of us fell in love with the land, the people, the animals, and the entire experience. That very first experience led us to want to facilitate the same experience for others. The friendships we made and the experiences we continue to have allow us to make your dream trip a reality. It is our pleasure to make other hunters' dream trips come true. We handle all of the logsitics of the hunt so that our clients can enjoy the safari without having to worry about anything. From booking hunts, to flights, rifle transport, and transportation, we handle it all.
Providing the most effective terrain specific camouflage combined with quality, high performance hunting clothing and apparel to the best customers in the world.
Chaos Camo brings you the best in Camoflauge design. Taking the best of the light and dark colors to create a beautiful chaos that work well with nature. You can hide in the shadows, hide in the sun, or in the open, it won't matter this pattern breaks up the body.
We believe in providing Quality Hunting Knives at fair prices and dealing fairly and honestly with our customers and suppliers. At steelhuntingknives.com we realize that without you, the customer, we would not exist. Our goal is to provide excellent customer service and to respond to any inquiry you may have, the next business day and make sure you are satisfied with the product and service you receive from us.
Whilst the market gets ever more crowded with throw away fashion, Weird Fish continues to swim against the tide, creating quality clothing that is also ethically produced. Doing things right is very important to us here at Weird Fish, we pride ourselves on our own stringent ethical production policy, ensuring that all of our suppliers adhere to them.
We pride ourselves on the provenance and quality of our clothing, and work closely with our trusted suppliers to ensure our factories adhere to our strict rules, such as no child labour, and excellent working conditions. We are always looking for cleaner and greener processes and have recently worked with our first carbon neutral factory.
Camping World began with one small store and a mail order business in an old farmhouse heated by a wood-burning stove. A tobacco barn served as our first warehouse. Since then, Camping World has grown into America’s leading RV accessories and service experts, bringing you everything you need for your RV, with Nationwide SuperCenters, an award-winning website, and full-color catalogs. Placing your order with Camping World is easy with knowledgeable crew members ready to help with questions or find just the right product you need.
ElkNut Outdoor Productions: Our focus is elk vocalization. Yes bulls & cows have a language! The key to success is understanding what the elk are saying.
Manufacturer of high quality fishing rods - Saltwater to Freshwater
The mission of Seeker Fishing Rods is to meet the needs of the angling community through the design and manufacture of application specific fishing rods....
For the past 20+ years, Seeker Rods has been providing the fishing community with the finest US built fishing rods available in a variety of materials. They have product lines ranging from entry-level to high performance. The corporate headquarters resides in Long Beach, CA.
At the plant in Long Beach, CA, Seeker fishing rods manufactures their rod blanks from the highest quality, best performing materials available today. From raw material, their blanks are compressed and heat set to exacting standards. Their unique process leads to the finest, most durable rods on the market today.
PJ Hunting Safaris is situated in the Limpopo Valley of South Africa. With the exclusive rights to the Limpopo Valley Game Reserve that covers an area of 70 000 acres makes PJ Hunting Safaris the Premier Outfitter in South Africa. Offering from small plains game to Elephant, Buffalo and Sable. PJ Hunting Safaris offers two 4 Star Lodges situated within the Game Reserve.
New assortment of custom 1/4, 3/8, 1/2, 3/4, 5/8, and 7/8 ounce jigs. All jigs are hand poured and hand tied to the head with a living image skirt to avoid sliding or loss of skirts. Each jig is equipped with an ultra sharp Mustad black nickel hook for increased penetration.
Hyde hunting is a brand of hunting apparel and gear, dedicated to game specific hunters and anglers. Our clothing is great for casual wear, scouting, working out, fishing, shed hunting and even hunting. Made in the USA.
Big Y Fly Co Inc ties and sells the highest quality fly fishing flies sold at discount prices, backed by the ridiculously good customer service. Carrying quality fly fishing and fly tying products introducing many innovative fly fishing products every year.
PENN®, Let The Battle Begin™
Eagle Archery has a wide selection of archery arrows, bows, hunting gear and shooting gear.
Mack's Prairie Wings was born out of pure American ingenuity when McCollum’s Hardware Store began supplying hunters flocking to the waterfowl mecca of Stuttgart, Arkansas in the 1930’s. If Mack’s wants you to know one thing about them, it’s that they hunt ducks. MPW takes pride in being “America’s Premier Waterfowl Outfitter”, and offers the most extensive waterfowl hunting selection through their 102,000 square foot ever-expanding store, catalogs and website. The products offered by Mack’s are chosen by hunters, ensuring the best waterfowl and other hunting-related products at the most competitive prices including decoys, products for hunting dogs, optics, hunting and casual apparel, shooting gear, gifts and much more. Mack's Prairie Wings is part of the BizRate Circle of Excellence for customer service and satisfaction offering superior customer service, expert help and easy returns.
Learn more about how Mack’s serves hunters and outdoor enthusiasts everywhere by visiting www.mackspw.com/
At Hunting Fanatics, we’re all passionate about hunting. Through this passion we know what a true hunter wants and needs, and this enables us to offer you a wide range of hunting products and gear we know you will love. Plus, we will get you a *bang* for your buck!
We strive to deliver the best products with the best service. Our products are tested rigorously and adhere to our high standards. That is why we offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee on all our products. If you are not happy, let us know immediately at [email protected] and we will make it right.
We deliver our product worldwide, and you will not pay anything extra for shipping it to your door. Yes, that’s right, no shipping fees. Buy one or buy ten, we ship at no extra cost!
Hunt Trip Spain is a professional hunting company established by Francisco Rosich in 1986. We are a family company that creates and preserves a personal contact with our hunters and non-hunters who have trusted in the experience and knowledge of Hunt Trip Spain during more than 28 years. Our exclusive purpose is hunting game trophies throughout Spain.
It all started when our founder, set out to design the best all around gun safe on the market today. His law enforcement experience evolved to becoming a leader in the lock and safe industry. Today, every one of our people from executive management to field personnel understands and lives by the total commitment to quality - achieved only when our products meet customer's needs. That's why we commit every resource for one purpose - to give you what you expect from our products, our people and our company - and to be the best and most affordable gun safe company in the industry!
We specialize in fish reproductions. Whether you are looking for a fish for the wall or a customized trophy room or museum design we can help you. We will match your photos of your fish caught and give you a memory of a lifetime. New Wave is a family owned and operated business for 35 years now. Take a look at our website to learn more. You can reach us by phone or email anytime. Catch For The Thrill- Release For The Future- Mount For The Memory!
ShockStraps are a tie down strap that adds a flexible Urethane component that keeps tension on the straps at all times. No more stopping to check.
Walk in our pro-shop and you’ll instantly be amazed with our outstanding selection of archery and hunting products. Talk to our pro staff and you’ll be instantly amazed with our years of knowledge and experience. At Heights Archery impressing our customers is what we do; it’s the only way we've stayed in business since 1990.
Our pro-shop staff has over 40 plus years in the archery only business, so we challenge you to bring us in a problem we can’t fix. Don’t worry if you can’t make it to the shop; just go to our Ask A Pro link and type in your question. We promise to respond as thoroughly and quickly as we can. We pride ourselves with our prompt, quality service, see we’re not in the business just to sell bows; we want to grow the sport of archery and bow-hunting. So we understand that an excellent buying experience is necessary to do so.
EVERWINNER's reputation for high quality innovative products and on time delivery is legendary. in 1991 EVERWINNER created the TICA brand. For many years EVERWINNER was a supplier (OEM manufacturer) to many famous fishing tackle brands. TICA was EVERWINNER's chance to establish themselves under their own label.
TICA has many patents issued for its innovative designs such as CYBERNETIC frame concepts which is a unique and major improvement to gear/frame alignment, stability, and line management. TICA has always developed its own designs to give a fresh approach to rods and reels to the fishing world. TICA/EVERWINNER now have over 30 agents worldwide with branch operations in Taiwan, the USA, Japan, China, and Europe!
TICA's experience in manufacturing technology with their research and development team has led to some of the world's finest rods and reels. TICA will continue to lead the fishing industry in new designs and quality innovations in the future. You can take pride in owning and fishing an engineering masterpiece!
Thank you for choosing TICA; they truly are, "Born to Perform"!
You know how much you have invested in your adventure. Not only in the cost of the trip, but in the time and money you have put into the preparation and the countless hours you have practiced and dreamed of what is to come . . . not to mention the memories you and those who matter most to you will carry long after the adventure itself is a blissful memory. And you know the best way to preserve those memories is with the finest taxidermy in the world. From the Original Jonas Brothers Taxidermy Studios in Colorado.
We will work with you BEFORE your trip even begins, providing you with all the forms and shipping materials you need to send your most valued skins, horns, antlers, tusks and skulls directly to us in Colorado. With NO middle men involved. And when you are back home and finally ready to relive your adventures and share them with those who mean the most to you, you will be thankful that the Original Jonas Brothers Taxidermy Studios is such a key part of your life.
With every tie and every fly box packed, our goal is to answer the universal questions of the fly angler:
1) How do I match the hatch?
2) Which flies should I use?
3) When do I fish each pattern?
At Ascent Fly Fishing, our passion and drive is to make both the science and cost of fly fishing accessible to all, with expertly-tied patterns and selections that match the lifestages of the bugs on the waters you fish, when you fish them.
The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is charged with conserving, improving and protecting the natural resources and the environment of the state of Connecticut as well as making cheaper, cleaner and more reliable energy available for the people and businesses of the state. The agency is also committed to playing a positive role in rebuilding Connecticut’s economy and creating jobs – and to fostering a sustainable and prosperous economic future for the state.
Perky Jerky is made with all natural ingredients and loaded with bold, exciting flavors. With just one taste of our carefully handcrafted premium Turkey or Beef, you’ll be hooked!
It’s low fat, low cal and packed with protein. No preservatives, no sodium nitrates, and no added MSG.
Whether you’re pounding the keyboard or pounding the pavement, hitting the highway or hitting the slopes, don’t forget your tender and delicious Perky Jerky.
Gannett Ridge Hunting Equipment is a Mountain Hunting Pro shop. We take pride in carrying proven hunting gear made for one of the most challenging hunting environments that exists in the world. We have built Gannett Ridge Hunting Equipment from a deep passion and respect for the mountains and the animals that call it home. We take that passion into each decision we make and every product we provide. Our biggest goal is to get you to best possible gear that will keep you comfortable, safe and give you the best possible chance to be successful on your next hunt. Gannett Ridge is owned and operated by people who have been through the sore legs, extreme heat and cold, week long rain and snow storms, hypothermia, frostbite, hundreds of thousands of vertical feet, sleepless nights and the extreme elation when a hunt goes right!. The bottom line is we have lived through and respect all the challenges, and Fun! of hunting in the mountains and it is from this place we provide and suggest gear that will work for you. Thank you for being our customer and best of luck in your next hunt. We understand the commitment it takes to be successful and applaud you taking on the challenge!
If you ever have any questions or concerns please feel free to call us at 970-493-4505 or email at [email protected]
1ShotGear provides the highest quality hunting gear and equipment to serious hunters worldwide.
Our Mission at 1ShotGear is to give you the largest selection of high quality gear available today and help you make the right choice for your situation based on our personal experience in the field. We want to create relationships that last and go beyond our store helping bring the hunting community together.
Pavati Drift Boats are filled with incredible ideas like our patented doors for easy entry, patented adjustable seat systems - easily re-arrange your seats for fly fishing or bait & tackle fishing, all-level floors for painless standing, proven easiest to row hull designs, plus we're the lightest drift boat on the market!
During the Vietnam Conflict, the military put out a request for food that tasted better, lasted longer and weighed less than old K and C rations. Our parent Company, OFD Foods, Inc (then called Oregon Freeze Dry) responded to that request and won the contract. We immediately started making freeze dried food as Long Range Patrol rations for the military. We've continued making food for the United States Special Forces and other branches of the military ever since.
As the war began to wind down, we took our surplus rations to military surplus stores, where they rapidly sold out. It was then in 1968 that we realized the great consumer demand for good tasting, easy to prepare freeze dried food and Mountain House was born.
Why Mountain House
Our meals have since been on many amazing adventures:
The North and South poles The tops of towering mountain ranges around the world Even to the moon and back! For nearly 50 years, consumers have continued to choose Mountain House as their favorite brand of freeze dried food for on-the-go adventures, emergency preparedness and survival. With just-add-water convenience, easy no-mess cleanup and home-cooked flavors, Mountain house is the best freeze dried camping, backpacking, hiking and emergency preparedness food money can buy!
We are surrounded by three mountain ranges in the Beaverhead National Forest that are full of elk, deer, moose, antelope, and black bear. Our Montana hunting site is remote but accessible with elevations between 7,000 and 10,000 feet above sea level. We have a wide variety of hunting terrain available ranging from moderate to rugged with 50% timber coverage. All these features combine for making great North American big game hunts!
Captain Mel Erickson owner & head Guide of Alaskan Gamefisher since 1989. Our Alaskan fishing charters are created specifically with your personal requests in mind. Our 30 plus years of experience makes the difference and we guarantee your satisfaction, Will make you happy with great Alaska fishing charter experiences.
Vorn Equipment patented release system ensures comfortable carrying of you firearm during your hunt. By pulling the release handle the firearm is release from the pack and it’s still easily accessible.
Vorn Equipment offers patented backpacks where you can carry your firearm well protected, securely and comfortably all day. When you suddenly need your firearm it can be released quickly and discreetly from the backpack and anyone who can put their right hand behind their head and touch the barrel can manage this.
Benchmade
Buck
Case Knives
Kershaw
Leatherman
Swiss Army
Zero Tolerance
Denver Tent has been manufacturing the highest quality tent, custom fabric and outdoor products since 1890.
Our vision is to be the premier tent and outdoor products resource in the industry by offering exceptional quality, trusted advisory and unparalleled customer service at competitive pricing for our customers that will create for them safe shelter and wonderful outdoor events and a lifetime of great memories.
A paradigm shift...to engineer gear that is an extension of the outdoor experience and not simply a barrier between the user and the environment. By utilizing only the most advanced fabrics and construction technologies, Sitka will always design gear that is engineered to work together as complete systems, excelling in performance, function, and protection.
Our customers will be able to hunt comfortably in the most diverse and challenging range of hunting conditions.
www.graytaxidermy.com
We are at the forefront of marine taxidermy, pioneering new ways to provide top quality fish reproductions for our customers worldwide. All Gray Taxidermy fish mounts are made from real fish, whether it is a beautiful Blue Marlin, Sailfish, or a Peacock Bass, all our mounted fish are realistic and life like. That's why Gray's Taxidermy trophy fish mounts are recognized world-wide as the finest salt water and fresh water fish taxidermy available.
Our products speaks for themselves. Our artists are true experts in their field and many of our employees are avid fishermen, hunters, or simply appreciate the outdoors. As we continue to grow, we pride ourselves in preserving the family owned and operated company atmosphere while offering a wide array of marine taxidermy products. Ask about our available plaques commemorating the date, location and name of the lucky angler. We also offer life like trophy baitfish to hang in front of your new trophy fish to complete the scene.
We also strive on providing unmatched customer satisfaction. Knowing that the product we build will be a lasting memory for years to come, and having a repeat customer is our greatest reward. Please feel free to contact us at any time or visit our facility in Pompano Beach, Florida, where you can meet the whole team and to receive a personal tour!
To learn more about the various species we offer fish mounts of, visit our official website at www.graytaxidermy.com
GunSafes.com, America’s leading online store is widely recognized for offering best-in-class security products to their customers. We stock a huge range of pistols and hand gun safes, biometric safes, wall safes, vehicle safes, truck vaults, water proof gun safes, fireproof gun safes, tactical gun safes and many others to meet the varied needs of our customers. In order to provide only superior quality products, we have associated with some of the top brands of the industry such as Browning Gun Safes, Rhino/Bighorn safes, Fort Knox, Winchester and many more. We are committed to making your shopping experience the best which should be done with no delays and back orders. Not only this, we have also made our website simple and easy to navigate which helps you to search your product by name or by manufacturer, or you can simply browse the bottom of our home page, where we have included a thumbnail photo and link for each of our products.
If you’re in the Sandpoint/Ponderay area you can visit our showroom conveniently located across the street from Bonner Mall in the Events Center.
Capture a part of the American West and experience the thrill of a lifetime doing your own personal hunt with Bitterwater Outfitters of California. Come hunt in Bitterwater Valley located just east of Paso Robles in San Luis Obispo County, California. We feature over 250,000 acres of prime hunting ground where you can choose from California wild pig hunts, California buffalo hunts, water buffalo hunts, exotics, California deer hunts, Aoudad hunts, pheasant and chukar hunts, upland game hunts, turkey and varmint hunts. The original Paso Robles ranch house serves as the hunting headquarters and offers the perfect mix of down to earth charm and comfort. Hunt with us on the Central Coast of California and we guarantee you'll be back for more. The California hunt is on!
Each one of our boats is handmade in our Colorado studio by a team of craftsmen. From the CRT to the ProGuide, they turn heads wherever they go.
Westwind Guide Service, owned and operated by Alaska Master Guide Tony Lee, specializes in brown bear, grizzly, moose, black bear and dall sheep.
