TUO announces the Kinetic Merino 150 Hoodie and TUO Logo Sun Hoodie, expanding its technical apparel line for off-season scouting and summer trekking. The Kinetic Merino 150 features 18.5-micron Merino wool for breathability and comfort, while the TUO Logo Sun Hoodie offers UPF 50 protection with moisture-wicking synthetic fabric.

Nebraska's archery paddlefish season runs June 1-30 from sunrise to sunset on the Missouri River from Gavins Point Dam downstream to the Big Sioux River mouth. Anglers must possess valid permits and paddlefish tags, with specific regulations for crossbows and nonresident permits.

Lewis and Clark State Recreation Area will host an informational open house June 6 at the Crofton Haymarket to discuss the Weigand Marina expansion. Park superintendent Jonathan Voelker invites slip holders and the public to learn about the project's operations, logistics, and design.

Lauryl Akenhead of Team Ruger won second place overall and Highest Lady at the Spears Mountain Safari NRL Hunter competition in Gladstone, Virginia, competing against 76 shooters with her Ruger American Rifle Gen II in 6.5 Creedmoor.

The USA College Clay Target League completed its spring season with 626 athletes from 66 colleges and universities competing in trap, skeet, and sporting clays. Justin Jerome from Alfred State College won Top Overall and Top Male honors, while Jordan Lewis from St. Cloud Technical and Community College earned Top Female. The fall season begins in September with the national championship in October.

Team Ruger's Gordon Carrell and Randi Rogers won top honors at the 2026 Texas State Open Championship in Orchard, Texas, competing with Ruger RXM pistols. Carrell secured first place overall in the Production division with a score of 259.01, while Rogers earned first place in the Carry Optics unclassified category and second High Lady.

The MidwayUSA Foundation's 5th Annual Day of Clays in Minnesota raised over $225,000 for youth shooting teams, with 350 athletes competing at Rice Creek Hunting & Recreation on May 2nd. Reed's Family Outdoor Outfitters sponsored the event, which benefited 42 youth shooting teams through the Foundation's donation-matching program funded by Larry and Brenda Potterfield.

Team Ruger's David Olhasso and James McGinty secured multiple victories at the 2026 Maryland IDPA Championship and PSA Shootout using the Ruger RXM in 9mm Luger. McGinty won first place in the PSA Shootout's Open Auto division, while Olhasso earned first place in the Enhanced Service Pistol division at the Maryland IDPA Championship.

The Coalition to Save Catalina Island Deer delivered over 30,000 petition signatures to Governor Gavin Newsom and California Department of Fish and Wildlife Director Meghan Hertel opposing the Catalina Island Conservancy's plan to eradicate the island's mule deer population. Supporters including Safari Club International, California Bowmen Hunters/State Archery Association, and local officials called for transparent, science-based wildlife management and full environmental review.

The Virgin River Program, a collaboration among local, state, federal and private partners, celebrates recent woundfin recovery successes on Endangered Species Day. After a significant hatchery loss in winter 2024-2025, the DWR partnered with the Utah Department of Transportation Division of Aeronautics to transport woundfin to the DWR Aquatic Animal Health and Research Center in Logan, where populations have rebounded to approximately 800 fish with ongoing reproduction.

Indiana Conservation Officers are seeking information about two AXIS Model 30 track chairs and Vietnam War-era helmets stolen from Fort Harrison State Park during break-ins on April 30-May 1. A $5,500 reward is offered jointly by a private donor and the Indiana Parks Alliance for information leading to recovery and arrests.

FWP will host a beginner paddlefish-snagging workshop June 6-7 in Miles City, covering biology, snagging techniques, gear selection, and catch-and-release handling. Participants must purchase a Yellowstone River paddlefish license and conservation license. Registration opens May 16 at www.register-ed.com/events/view/243426.

Vermont Fish and Wildlife is seeking volunteers for a spring cleanup at Green Mountain Conservation Camps at Lake Bomoseen and Buck Lake on Saturday, May 16. Education Specialist Hannah Lafont invites community members, scout groups, and clubs to help with repairs, construction, landscaping, and maintenance to prepare the camps for the 2026 season.

Paddlefish seasons on the lower Yellowstone River (yellow tag) and Missouri River downstream of Fort Peck Dam (green tag) open May 15 and run through June 15. Anglers should review FWP regulations for specific restrictions on each river section.

Michigan's Department of Natural Resources successfully collected 4.2 million steelhead eggs despite a lightning strike damaging the Little Manistee River Weir facility. The DNR deployed the Lower Platte River Weir as a backup source for the first time, with nearly 2.2 million eggs collected at Little Manistee and approximately 2 million at Platte River weirs.

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) introduced new paddlefish tagging options mirroring big game tag requirements, offering anglers paper or e-tag choices with electronic validation. Mandatory reporting varies by tag area with specific timeframes and methods, and FWP has launched online paddlefish dashboards for yellow, green, and blue tag areas to track harvest rates.

The U.S. Forest Service is investing over $80 million from the Land and Water Conservation Fund to support 15 Forest Legacy projects in 2026, permanently conserving over 34,000 acres of privately owned working forests. Three projects—Curley Creek Woodland and McNall Family Forest in Idaho, and Madrone Ridge in Oregon—are within high-risk wildfire zones.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources fully contained a wildfire near Tomahawk Creek Flooding in Presque Isle County that burned approximately 190 acres of state-managed land. DNR Lower Peninsula resource protection manager Jeff Vasher stated the cause remains under investigation, though a burned vehicle was ruled out. No evacuations were ordered and no structures were threatened.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources invites hunters of all experience levels to the annual Hunters of Color event on May 16 at Mott Park Recreation Area in Flint. The walk-through event features live demos, archery and pellet gun shooting, giveaways, hunter education information, vendors, and food trucks.

EOTECH announced its Officer-Involved Shooting (OIS) Optic Replacement Program, providing immediate temporary replacement optics at no cost to law enforcement agencies whose issued EOTECH optics are removed as evidence following verified OIS incidents. The program preserves training consistency and alleviates emergency replacement costs for departments.

RetailBI, powered by Gearfire, released its monthly Firearm Sales Index showing a 12.2% year-over-year decline in April 2026 and a year-to-date decline of 7.9%. The index uses same-store adjusted methodology from over 2,000 U.S. firearms retailers to provide accurate new firearm demand data, replacing reliance on NICS figures.

The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) is recruiting an experienced General Counsel to serve as a key advisor to leadership and the Board of Directors. The position, based in Missoula, Montana, requires a JD, legal licensure, and ten or more years of experience in non-profit law, land acquisitions, environmental law, and corporate governance.

The South Carolina Waterfowl Association released initial tracking data from its Mallard Research Project, revealing diverse migration patterns among three GPS-tagged mallard drakes captured near Lake Marion. The collaborative study with Clemson Kennedy Waterfowl and Wetlands Conservation Center, University of Texas at El Paso, and Palmetto Waterfowl Conservation examines wild and game farm mallard behavior in the Atlantic Flyway.

Henry Repeating Arms opened pre-orders for the Henry 1860 SUV Eagle, a custom-engraved rifle developed with the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War. Proceeds support SUVCW's mission to preserve Civil War veterans' history, with the rifle available for $4,160 at HenryUSA.com.

GRITR introduced the 3-Slot Rifle Mag Pouch, a hook-and-loop organizer for secure rifle magazine storage compatible with .223/5.56, 7.62x39, and .308 chamberings. The 600D Oxford fabric pouch features elastic retention bands and a full hook-backed panel for versatile mounting, backed by GRITR's Unlimited GRIT Lifetime Warranty.

Canik unveiled the METE MC9 Prime NC, a non-compensated version of its award-winning METE MC9 PRIME concealed carry handgun. The new model maintains the same ergonomics, trigger, and optics-ready capability while featuring a traditional slide and barrel profile for shooters preferring non-ported designs.

FALCO Holsters announces four new OWB hybrid holsters—C915, C915 L, C916, and C916 L—expanding its TalonGuard lineup. The models feature premium Italian leather and Kydex construction with optional light-bearing configurations, priced from $129.95 to $139.95.

Lancer Systems will exhibit at SOF Week 2026, May 18-21 at the Tampa Convention Center in Tampa, Florida, showcasing weapon systems, carbon fiber components, magazines, and unreleased products at Booth #227.

Steiner eOptics will participate in SOF Week 2026 (May 18–21) in Tampa, Florida, showcasing mission-critical binoculars, rifle scopes, lasers/illuminators, and imaging systems. The event, jointly supported by United States Special Operations Command and the Global SOF Foundation, brings together the international Special Operations community for collaboration and capability development.

The Montana State Parks and Recreation Board will meet June 16 to consider seasonal closures for Fort Owen State Park, Pictograph State Park, and Chief Plenty Coups State Park to reduce vandalism risk. Public comments are accepted through June 11, with in-person and virtual Zoom participation available at the FWP Region 5 Office in Billings.

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is seeking public comment on multiple environmental assessments and proposals, including the Meyer Company Ranch Private Pond CEA, 2026 Trail Stewardship Program grant awards ($2 million to 51 projects), Stimson Lumber Co Conservation Easement, and Sportsman's Bridge Fishing Access Site Disposal, with various comment deadlines through June 7.

Indiana Gov. Mike Braun joined the Conference of Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors and Premiers and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources for a ceremonial tree planting at Summit Lake State Park. The event supports the GSGP's regional initiative to plant 250 million trees by 2033, with 27 million trees planted since 2024.

Waypoint TV announces the premiere of The Captain's Log Season 8, featuring new episodes launching Saturdays at 9:30am EST. The fan-favorite fishing series delivers technique-driven storytelling across diverse fisheries with new locations and honest fishing content that has made it a staple for Waypoint's audience.

Major League Fishing's seventh-annual Kubota Heavy Hitters Presented by Bass Pro Shops streams live on MyOutdoorTV from Orange Lake in Ocala, Florida, featuring 32 pro anglers competing for a $100,000 top prize and Berkley Big Bass bonuses up to $100,000.

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks begins the fourth season of a multi-year black bear study in the Gravelly Range southwest of Ennis. Researchers will collect hair samples using barbed wire corrals and conduct live captures with GPS collaring to better understand bear populations, habitat use, and inform management decisions.

They seem like an unlikely group of apostles, each wearing a slung AR-style rifle over a belt rig or chest pack filled with backup magazines, handguns, blowout kits (IFAKs) and knives.

But this mix of range officers and shooters from across the country are apostles. They’re the NRA’s best hope for popularizing the organization’s American RIfle Challenge. If they bought in to the competition, the hope was they would take that enthusiasm back to their home ranges and start running local ARC matches themselves.

While their rooms and meals were covered after they arrived for the ARC training at Camp Atterbury, Indiana, they paid for their own transportation. With gas at $5/gallon, that demonstrates a belief in the

Like true apostles, they came to learn how to spread a simple message: if you already own an ARC-style rifle, or are considering buying one, the NRA American Rifle Challenge is the competition designed to help you learn new skills, make new friends and…learn to run your AR correctly.

Rifle proficiency isn’t a message unfamiliar to the National Rifle Association, despite all the “issues” the organization has suffered over the past few years. Marksmanship training was, after all, the organization’s founding purpose.

The ARC competition itself isn’t new, but it never seemed to catch on with the shooting public.

The NRA’s competition division is tasked with changing that. As part of that task, the ARC program supports the use of AR rimfires, pistol caliber carbines (PCCs) and  the use of suppressors for training and competition.

If the people I spoke with and watched at Atterbury are any indication, we’ll be seeing many more of the ARC events around the country.

It won’t happen overnight, but the effectiveness of the folks being trained should go a long way toward turning it into a popular match. They are, after all, the disciples of the match.

Speaking with attendees from Michigan, Colorado, and California (shooting California-compliant ARs-with some difficulty), they totally “got” the idea that just owning an AR doesn’t make someone a competent shooter any more than reading a book about golf meant you were ready to play. Competency, in any endeavor, requires practice. Competition helps focus the mind while making weak points easy to spot.

Michigan resident Steve Wasenko not only demonstrated his willingness to learn, he demonstrated the fact that this competition would be applicable for everyone. Wasenko’s in a wheelchair, but his shooting abilities were on display to the point he finished first among the shooters/students in one of the demo stages.

“I love shooting,” he told me, “I want everyone to see that this is shooting where it doesn’t matter how experienced you are -or aren’t- it’s a chance to compete, have fun, and get better.”

He and his business partner are opening a new Michigan facility -and it will feature ARC matches. It will also encourage physically challenged individuals to come give shooting sports a try. As an alum of Trevor Baucom’s highly successful Adaptive Defensive Shooting Summits he’s not only an ambassador for ARC competitions, he’s a solid example of the ability to shoot not ending with a catastrophic injury.

The results from the Camp Atterbury training won’t be something quantifiable in the near term. It, like anything based on discipleship, will take time to bear fruit. As the attendees collected their sample targets, shirts for initial range officers, and other assorted training aids, it looked like they were leaving with two key ingredients for success: knowledge and enthusiasm.

We’ll keep you posted.

—Jim Shepherd

Editor’s Note: Learn more about the America’s Rifle Challenge at: https://arc.nra.org