Beretta USA expands its Suprema Waterfowl Collection with Mossy Oak Original Bottomland camouflage, featuring an integrated layering system including wader jackets, bibs, insulator jackets and vests, and merino base layers designed for demanding waterfowl hunting conditions.
Yamaha Rightwaters donated a 150-horsepower Yamaha outboard engine to the Jetty Rock Foundation to support oyster restoration and marine research in New Jersey waters. The engine will power the foundation's new 28-foot Henriksel skiff, expanding conservation efforts and partnerships with NGOs, state agencies, and universities.
Dead Air Silencers will exhibit at the 2026 Connecticut SWAT Challenge (August 10-13) at Hartford Gun Club, showcasing their latest suppressor technology including the new CT5P suppressor designed for tactical teams and patrol officers running 5.56 NATO duty rifles.
The Sportsmen's Alliance alerts hunters that three animal-rights amendments will be considered during the Senate Agriculture Committee's Farm Bill markup on August 5. The amendments include the Greyhound Protection Act, the FIGHT Act, and the SAFE Act, which could restrict hunting practices and wildlife management.
The Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) and partners including the California Rifle and Pistol Association, Gun Owners of America, and Gun Owners of California announced a settlement in California Rifle and Pistol Association v. LASD, resolving claims against the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department over Second Amendment carry rights violations. The settlement follows LASD's compliance with California's 120-day CCW permit processing requirement and represents significant victories including nonresident carry rights and reformed permit fee structures.
The Second Amendment Foundation and partners including the National Rifle Association and Firearms Policy Coalition filed a motion for preliminary injunction in Renna v. Bonta, challenging California's Assembly Bill 1127, which bans Glock and Glock-style handguns starting July 1, 2026. SAF argues the ban violates the Second Amendment as handguns are constitutionally protected and in common use.
The Second Amendment Foundation filed a reply brief in Harrington v. Crawford, challenging the unconstitutional search of high school student Jack Harrington's vehicle based solely on his lawful gun ownership. SAF Senior Director Bill Sack and founder Alan M. Gottlieb argue the search violated Fourth Amendment rights without probable cause or valid consent.
Wildlife for Tomorrow invites attendees to the 2026 Arizona Outdoor Hall of Fame Induction Banquet on August 22 at The Wigwam Resort in Litchfield Park. The event honors inductees including Leland "Bill" Brake, Mark Hullinger, James Marquardt (posthumously), John Millican, and the Southeastern Arizona Bird Observatory for their conservation leadership and dedication to Arizona's wildlife and natural resources.
NOAA Fisheries is hosting a virtual "On the Water Wednesday" event on August 19 from 5:00-7:00 pm EST to discuss recreational fishing issues and the industry's future in the Southeast. Regional Administrator Andy Strelcheck will provide opening remarks, followed by community input on maximizing fishing opportunities while maintaining healthy fish stocks.
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks implements hoot owl restrictions prohibiting fishing from 2 p.m. to midnight to protect trout during stressful summer conditions. The 2026 season has 23 waterbodies under restriction, similar to 2024, based on below-normal snowpack and above-normal temperatures.
Do you need a universal, good to have in your box kind of fly? This Madam X variation works on rivers like the Big Hole, the Bitterroot, Rock Creek and the Blackfoot as well as on high mountain lakes. Target rising fish or work the edges of the lake where fish are cruising and hoping for a clumsy hopper or beetle to fall in. Cast it and twitch it. This fly is meant to move.
Parker Shipman caught a state record pumpkinseed sunfish weighing 1.23 pounds on Echo Lake near Kalispell on June 30 while fishing with his buddy Joe. The fish measured 10.04 inches long and 11.34 inches wide, surpassing the previous record caught in Fennon Slough.
Trevor Swisse of Sidney caught Montana's largest paddlefish in 2026, a nearly 117-pound female that had evaded capture for 22 years. The fish, originally tagged by North Dakota Fish & Game in 2004, gained 27 pounds over two decades. Regional fisheries manager Mike Backes estimates the fish is 40-62 years old based on spawning migration patterns.
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks lands in Missoula and Ravalli Counties will implement Stage 2 fire restrictions beginning August 7, prohibiting campfires, smoking in most areas, and internal combustion engine operation from 1 p.m. to 1 a.m. daily.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources, DTE Foundation, and ReLeaf Michigan are offering up to $95,000 in grants for community tree planting projects. Applicants can request up to $4,000 with a 1-to-1 matching requirement, with applications due September 14 through DNR MiGrants.
The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will consider recommendations for a 2027 mountain lion hunting season at its August 14 meeting in Blair. Staff will recommend expanding the Niobrara Unit and increasing harvest limits while reducing limits in Pine Ridge and Wildcat Hills units. The commission will also address bighorn sheep seasons, fee increases, and sportfishing regulation changes.
The Murray Road Agency, a marketing firm serving the outdoor industry, is hiring a senior communications specialist in Charleston, S.C. The role requires 3-5 years of PR and marketing experience, with responsibilities including client relations, campaign strategy, and media outreach. Knowledge of fishing, hunting, camping, shooting, and boating is preferred.
A federal court ruled that challenged NFA provisions are unconstitutional as applied to untaxed firearms in Silencer Shop Foundation v. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. SilencerCo, a named commercial plaintiff represented by Wiley Rein LLP, celebrates this landmark decision affecting silencers, short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, and any other weapons, representing a significant first step toward broader suppressor reform.
The Sportsmen's Alliance Foundation submitted official comments to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service urging protection of critical duck breeding grounds in the Prairie Pothole Region by maintaining strong drain tile setbacks. The organization warns that weakening current regulations would dry up vital wetlands, jeopardize billions in hunter-funded conservation investments, and violate federal law.
Friends of NRA has reached a historic milestone, welcoming more than 5 million attendees to its volunteer-led fundraising events since 1992. The organization has hosted over 27,000 events across all 50 states, generating more than $1.2 billion in gross revenue and funding over 66,000 state grants supporting firearm safety, education, youth development, and shooting sports programs.
An internal investigation by Transformative Workplace Investigations substantiated the Sportsmen's Alliance's claims against the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission, confirming violations of the Public Records Act and Open Public Meetings Act by commissioners Barbara Baker, Lorna Smith, Melanie Rowland, and John Lehmkul, including collusion with anti-hunting activists and staff mistreatment.
Walk the Talk America partnered with B.O.S. Lock on a July 29 content shoot in Florida to produce educational videos on responsible firearm storage and mental health. The collaboration developed realistic scenarios featuring B.O.S. Lock's Fusion biometric safety device to help firearm owners make informed storage decisions while maintaining authorized access.
SK Guns, the nation's only series-driven limited-edition custom firearms manufacturer, relaunches the "Pancho Villa" pistol in stainless steel. Limited to 300 Full Size Government Model Colt 1911 pistols chambered in .38 Super, this collectible firearm honors the Mexican Revolution with intricate engravings and 24k gold plating accents.
Federal Ammunition secured contracts to supply the Canadian Department of National Defense with 300 Blackout ammunition and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police with 12-gauge shotgun rounds for duty and training purposes.
Beretta USA introduced two innovative .22 LR pistols: the B22 Jaguar Tac Metal for recreational shooting and training, and the B22 Jaguar Metal Competition developed with the Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP) and TANDEMKROSS for Steel Challenge-style competition. The Competition model features premium TANDEMKROSS upgrades and is purpose-built for youth shooters and competitive athletes.
Armageddon Gear has launched the Gun Slinger Chest Rig, built on their proven Big Game Chest Rig platform and featuring a secure, adjustable holster for full-size or compact pistols. Available in AG Camo Nylon Cordura or Tan Double-Waxed Canvas in right- and left-hand configurations, the USA-made rig is priced at $209.99.
DeSantis Gunhide® launches the Slim-Tuk™ IWB holster (#137) for the H&K VP9CC, featuring an ambidextrous Kydex® design with a tuck-able 360° C-Clip for unlimited mounting options. The holster retails for $55.99.
Angled Spade Technologies released three 3D-printed suppressors: the FULCRUM and FULCRUM-Ti rifle suppressors rated for calibers 6mm and under, and the LOTUS 9mm suppressor. All feature proprietary baffle systems, HUB compatibility, and are made in the USA with MSRPs ranging from $779 to $899.
GRITR Sports & Outdoors, a Texas firearms retailer, has introduced a new Expedited Delivery Option on its website, replacing the previous In-Store Pickup filter. Customers can now easily locate products eligible for expedited shipping, with delivery options including Free Shipping, UPS 2nd Day Air, and UPS Next Day Air.
RSR Group's 2026 E-Vault Virtual Show featuring Ruger runs August 11-14, 2026, offering dealers exclusive online access to limited-time promotions, new product announcements, daily prize giveaways, and extended terms on Ruger products at www.rsrgroup.com.
Bill Hicks & Co., Ltd. is launching a Virtual Trade Show from August 7-22, 2026, offering dealer-only specials, new product previews, and extended payment terms. The event provides 24/7 online access to exclusive offers on their website.
AGM Global Vision will exhibit at the Mid-States Fall Rendezvous on August 11–12, 2026, at Booth 144 in Phoenix, Arizona. Keith Weaver and Scott Cook will represent the company, showcasing thermal imaging, night vision, and digital optics for hunting and outdoor use.
The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources launched IHEA PathPerks, becoming the second state agency to offer newly certified hunters pro-level gear pricing from over 200 outdoor brands including Hornady, Swarovski Optik, Weatherby, and Vortex Optics. Co-developed by the International Hunter Education Association and Guidefitter, the no-cost program reaches Alabama's approximately 500,000 hunters at no expense to the state or students.
The Montana State Shooting Facilities and Improvements Development and Oversight Task Force will meet Aug. 10 via Zoom. Co-chairs Rep. Kerri Seekins-Crowe and Sen. John Fuller will use feedback from over 1,400 Montana shooters and research from South Dakota, Wyoming, and Colorado to develop facility recommendations due June 30, 2027.
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is seeking public comment on ice fishing contests proposed for the 2026-2027 season. Participants must comply with state fishing regulations, and the FWP Fisheries Division will approve, conditionally approve, or deny applications. Comments must be submitted by August 24.
Major League Fishing's Bass Pro Tour Suzuki Marine Stage 7 season finale airs live on GAME & FISH TV from Lake Erie, Ohio, featuring 51 professional anglers competing for a $125,000 top prize and $600,000 purse across Saturday's Knockout Round and Sunday's Championship Round.
GAME & FISH TV launches the "Buck Zone" block featuring six premier deer-hunting programs including Buck Commander with Willie Robertson, HeadHunters TV, BuckVentures, Buckmasters, Drury's THIRTEEN, and Whitetail Freaks hosted by Don & Kandi Kisky, airing Thursdays in August on the free streaming platform.
Vermont's black bear population is estimated at 7,500 to 8,900 bears in 2025, exceeding the state's goal of 3,500 to 5,500 bears for the fifth consecutive year. The Vermont Department of Fish & Wildlife attributes the growth to sustained population increases and rising human-bear conflicts, urging residents to practice coexistence measures while the state considers expanding bear hunting seasons.
Three feral rabbits on Rocky Mountain College's campus in Billings tested positive for Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus 2 (RHDV2). The highly contagious virus, first detected in Yellowstone County in 2021, has since spread to several additional counties. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks confirmed RHDV2 in all three carcasses sent to their Wildlife Health Lab in Bozeman.
Feral domestic rabbits at Tongue River Reservoir tested positive for Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus 2 (RHDV2), a highly contagious and often fatal virus. Three additional infected rabbits were confirmed at Rocky Mountain College in Billings. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks advises proper carcass disposal and biosecurity measures for domestic rabbit owners.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is urging the public not to harm, harass, or capture the threatened eastern massasauga rattlesnake following a bite incident at Proud Lake Recreation Area. Amy Bleisch, DNR endangered species biologist, emphasizes staying on trails to avoid the shy snakes and their habitats, noting no confirmed human deaths from bites in over 100 years.
A wolf pack is shown walking down a road on a late winter day. Photo courtesy of Michigan DNR
For the first time, researchers from Michigan State University and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources have successfully estimated Michigan’s wolf population using remote cameras deployed throughout the Upper Peninsula.
The camera survey method, which began with a pilot proiect in 2022 and has since expanded, produced monthly estimates that generally align with wolf biology – lower counts during winter when the wolf population is at its lowest due to mortality, then increasing in the spring after pups are born.
A black gray wolf walks along a dirt road in May 2024. Photo courtesy of Michigan DNR
In addition, the camera survey aligned closely with the DNR’s longstanding winter track survey. Both surveys produced a February/March 2024 estimate of just under 800 gray wolves.
While the track survey is limited to producing a minimum estimate during winter, when wolf tracks are clearly visible in the snow, the camera survey provides a first look at how Michigan’s wolf population fluctuates throughout the year.
Camera survey estimates ranged from a low of 525 wolves in March 2025 to a high of 1,198 wolves in October 2024.
“Our winter track survey was doing exactly what it was designed to do, and that is to get a minimum count of wolves in wintertime,” said Tyler Petroelje, the DNR’s northern Michigan research specialist. “And now the camera survey is doing exactly what it’s intended to do, and that is to provide information on changes in total abundance throughout the year.”
In Michigan, the gray wolf is a federally protected endangered species.
However, wolves have surpassed state and federal population recovery goals for more than two decades and no longer warrant endangered status, according to the DNR’s wolf management plan.
The state’s ability to produce data on wolf abundance is important for reclassifying the animal as a recovered species and satisfying post-delisting federal monitoring requirements.
The DNR has monitored the wolf population through winter track surveys every other year since 2014. Because track surveys cover about 60% of the U.P. in any given year, they can be labor-intensive and costly. Staff must not only locate wolf packs multiple times but also follow them, sometimes for miles, to determine the number of wolves in each pack. In addition, track surveys require ideal snow conditions.
Two gray wolves move past a trail camera as part of the wolf camera survey. Photo courtesy of Michigan DNR
“If you think back to 2024, that was a very mild winter, and the track survey was difficult to pull off,” said Brian Roell, the DNR’s large carnivore specialist, who has conducted wolf track surveys for more than 25 years. “And then in 2026, we had the opposite – it was snowing every day and covering up the tracks, making it difficult as well.”
Biologists are increasingly using remote cameras across the country to estimate wildlife abundance, according to project researcher Jerrold Belant, Boone and Crockett chairman of wildlife conservation at Michigan State University.
While initial camera purchase costs are high, short- and long-term costs can be less expensive, and the camera surveys are not weather-dependent. Biologists can deploy remote cameras across large survey areas for extended periods, providing abundance estimates throughout the year.
Camera surveys can also be used to document and potentially help manage other wildlife species. The U.P. camera survey produced more than 2 million total images of various species including white-tailed deer, gray wolf, coyote, wild turkey, red fox, black bear and bobcat.
The DNR is currently using remote camera images of the elusive gray fox for another research project.
“There are many applications for remote camera surveys, not just for wolves but other species as well,” Belant said. “When you think of the importance of monitoring wildlife – not only for biodiversity but in relation to harvestable species – having a single tool you can use to monitor multiple species simultaneously can be a real advantage, both in terms of time and cost.”
Belant developed a proposal for the remote camera survey to estimate wolf abundance in 2020 with Dean Beyer, a former wildlife research biologist for the DNR.
A gray wolf is captured on a trail camera in 2022 as part of the wolf camera survey. Photo courtesy of Michigan DNR
After the DNR greenlit the project, researchers conducted a pilot camera survey of wolf abundance in 2022 and early 2023. The results were promising, and the U.P.-wide camera survey was launched in mid-2023.
For the U.P.-wide survey, researchers placed 1,311 DNR-owned cameras throughout the peninsula.
The cameras were positioned on tree trunks about 4 to 5 feet high along low-use roads and trails where wolves were expected to travel. Researchers also posted a notice to passersby about the research purpose of the cameras.
The research team changed out the cameras’ memory cards and batteries every year.
Matt Nelson, an MSU doctoral candidate who is coordinating the fieldwork, said the images were downloaded, run through machine learning programs to identify species and then double-checked by researchers.
Computer software removes all photos of humans and vehicles.
Using a scientific “space-to-event” model, the researchers can estimate the wolf population at specific times throughout the year. Researchers estimated Michigan’s wolf population monthly. By doing so, they could evaluate how mortality, reproduction and provisioning of pups changed the estimates throughout the year.
Results from the first 21 months of the full research project (October 2023-June 2025) show:
The three highest monthly population estimates were in October 2024 (1,198 wolves), November 2023 (1,084 wolves) and September 2024 (1,061 wolves). During the fall months, wolf detection is greater as pups are now large enough to travel with the pack and young wolves disperse to find a mate and new territory of their own.
The three lowest monthly population estimates were in March 2025 (525 wolves), February 2025 (538 wolves) and April 2025 (544 wolves). This makes sense, researchers say, because late winter is the lowest point in the annual population cycle for wolves. In addition, denning season typically occurs in early spring, when female wolves give birth. Fewer wolf detections occur when pups remain in the den and pack members spend more time returning to the den to care for the young.
Camera population estimates from February 2024 (773 wolves) and March 2024 (794 wolves) were very similar to the snow track survey estimate – 768 wolves – conducted during the same timeframe.
A gray wolf looks at a trail camera as the camera takes its picture in 2022. Photo courtesy of Michigan DNR
Researchers said the results support what they expected about Michigan’s wolf population.
“There were no real surprises,” Nelson said. “The camera survey worked really well and aligned with what we know about wolf ecology.”
Nelson said he’ll be in the U.P. until October pulling memory cards from the cameras to collect a third year of data, including an estimate for this past winter. That estimate will be compared to the 2026 winter track survey, which produced an estimated minimum population of 792 wolves.
Gray wolves once roamed the entire state of Michigan but are now known to inhabit only the U.P. Michigan is one of about 14 states with wolves, according to the Wolf Conservation Center.
In Michigan, the gray wolf is currently protected under the federal Endangered Species Act.
The federal government delisted the gray wolf from endangered species status in 2020, but a federal judge struck down that delisting in 2022. Prior to that, the wolf had been reclassified seven times from 2003 to 2014 amid a host of legal challenges involving conservation groups, ranchers, developers and others.
