Whitewater Fishing and Fish Monkey collaborated to create the Stealth Dry-Tec Glove, a cold-weather fishing glove featuring HIPORA waterproof membrane, 40g Thinsulate insulation, and touchscreen-compatible fingers. The glove balances warmth, dexterity, and protection for autumn and winter anglers.
Senior Conservation Officer Meghan Roos of the Idaho Department of Fish and Game received the 2026 IWC Guidefitter Game Warden of the Year Award from International Wildlife Crimestoppers and Guidefitter. Roos was recognized for leading significant wildlife crime investigations resulting in lifetime hunting revocations, over $180,000 in fines, and exposing a massive poaching operation involving 15+ suspects and 200+ illegally taken animals.
Owl Creek Dam at Placid Lake began eroding and piping water this week, causing lower lake levels. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks will remove the six-slip boat dock on July 29, though the boat ramp remains open. FWP is coordinating repairs with the dam owner and considering a temporary fish barrier to prevent non-native species from entering the lake.
Staccato 2011 announced fewer than 15 registration spots remain for the 2026 Staccato National SWAT Championship, taking place Sept. 25–27 at Staccato Ranch Vegas. The elite law enforcement competition features a $150,000 prize pool, with proceeds benefiting Fallen Blue, a non-profit supporting families of fallen officers.
Wild Giants Conservation Fund has begun production on a specialized wildlife enclosure in the Republic of Georgia for Bezoar ibex management as part of its Caucasus rewilding initiative. Founder Tanner Tripp emphasized the organization's commitment to transforming donor support into measurable conservation action while supporting habitat restoration and local communities.
Jeremy Michael Hill and Ryan Francis McGuire from Harrison were convicted of multiple hunting violations across Jefferson, Madison, and Gallatin counties. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks conducted a yearlong investigation revealing Hill illegally killed multiple deer over three years and used family members' licenses to tag harvested deer, while McGuire aided in vehicle hunting after legal hours. Hill received a 36-month privilege suspension and $2,980 in fines; McGuire received 24 months and $670.
Maryland's Department of Natural Resources implements an August 1-31 closure on striped bass targeting in the Chesapeake Bay to protect younger resident populations during vulnerable summer months. The closure encourages anglers to pursue invasive species like blue catfish and snakehead, which have no bag limits and support ecosystem health.
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is implementing hoot owl restrictions and full closures beginning July 29 on multiple southwest and western Montana rivers and creeks due to rising water temperatures. Restrictions prohibit fishing from 2 p.m. to midnight daily, while new closures protect bull trout congregating at tributary mouths on the Clark Fork River.
Wade Jensen from Moore, Idaho caught and released a 16.7-inch Arctic grayling at Fishpole Lake on June 20, setting a new Idaho state catch-and-release record. The alpine fish, known for its distinctive large dorsal fin, represents one of the most coveted species among mountain anglers.
Luke Anderson set Idaho's new certified-weight state record for Westslope cutthroat trout at 13.6 inches. Idaho's State Record Fish Program was revamped in 2016 to include separate categories for four cutthroat trout sub-species, opening opportunities for new records while reflecting decades of conservation efforts.
Governor Mike Braun and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources announced $1,297,500 in grants to 21 lake, river, and watershed projects across 18 Indiana counties through the Lake and River Enhancement program, funded by annual boat registration fees.
The Arizona Game and Fish Department is offering hunters the opportunity to draw permit-tags for mule deer, white-tailed deer, elk, and Gould's turkey. New this year is a dual-tag hunt allowing one application fee for both mule deer and elk in Game Management Units 22 and 23. The draw closes August 4 at 5 p.m. AZ time.
The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission opens applications Aug. 1-15 for permit-based dove fields across multiple WMAs including Shirey Bay Rainey Brake, Dave Donaldson Black River, Lake Conway, and Frog Bayou. Brett Leach, AGFC Waterfowl Program coordinator, notes sunflower fields attract doves more effectively than top-sown wheat, especially if rain causes germination before hunts.
Idaho hunters must claim deer, elk, pronghorn, or fall black bear controlled hunt tags by Aug. 1 or forfeit them. The deadline to exchange general season tags is July 31. New residency requirements for Lifetime License Certificates take effect July 1, requiring five years of Idaho residency.
EasyExport has published a guide to new export regulations permitting American manufacturers to ship suppressors to international customers for the first time, effective November 20, 2026. The Trump Administration's regulatory changes open the international commercial market to American suppressor brands and their international buyers.
Insight Media Stream returned from ICAST 2026 with productive meetings focused on data-driven marketing solutions. Director Marc Morris highlighted growing demand for transparent, performance-based strategies that reduce acquisition costs. The company combines strategic planning, AI-powered optimization, and advanced audience targeting across multiple channels.
Armageddon Gear selected Guidefitter as its exclusive pro program partner, providing access to over 200,000 verified outdoor professionals. Founded by Army veteran Tom Fuller, Armageddon Gear manufactures precision shooting and hunting equipment domestically in Georgia, with products like the Game Changer shooting bag widely used in competitive precision rifle shooting.
Mile-a-minute weed has been confirmed in Jackson County's Concord Township following a landowner report to the Michigan Invasive Species Program. The Jackson, Lenawee, Washtenaw Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area and BCK CISMA are conducting surveys and herbicide treatment, with support from the Michigan Invasive Species Grant Program.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources and Iowa Lakeside Laboratory discovered and treated Eurasian watermilfoil in West Okoboji Lake's canal system south of Miller's Bay. Fisheries biologist Andrew Carlson emphasized swift action using herbicide treatment to protect the aquatic ecosystem. The DNR urges boaters to follow Clean, Drain, Dry protocols to prevent spread of invasive aquatic plants.
MidwayUSA is hiring two Product Specialists in Columbia, MO for Optics and Clothing, Footwear & Marketplaces categories. Positions offer $55,000-$71,500 annually with benefits including 401(k) matching, flexible PTO, and professional development opportunities.
MidwayUSA is hiring three Purchasing Specialists in Columbia, MO for Clothing, Footwear & Marketplaces; Knives, Camping & Fishing; and Ammunition & Reloading categories. Positions require 1-3 years experience, a bachelor's degree, and outdoor industry knowledge, with salaries ranging from $55,000-$71,500.
Hawke Optics announces the second-generation Frontier ED X Binoculars featuring rare-earth Lanthanum optical glass, extra-low-dispersion glass, and dielectric-coated BAK-4 roof prisms for exceptional clarity and light transmission. Available in four models with magnesium alloy chassis and backed by Hawke's No-Fault Lifetime warranty.
The Boone and Crockett Club appointed Al Clark as chief development officer. Clark brings over two decades of nonprofit leadership and fundraising experience, including previous roles at Ducks Unlimited, the National Wild Turkey Federation, and the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership.
Shell Shock Technologies announced the launch of NAS³ Primed Cases in .308/7.62x51mm and 5.56 NATO/.223 Remington calibers. The factory-primed nickel alloy cases are engineered to be up to 50 percent lighter than traditional brass while offering twice the tensile strength and greater corrosion resistance for precision, hunting, and duty-grade ammunition assembly.
FALCO Holsters announces two new Multi-Fit leather holster models: the AM03 Simple Leather IWB/OWB Holster priced at $49.95 and the DM04 Vertical Leather Shoulder Holster at $129.95. Both feature premium Italian leather and handcrafted construction while maintaining affordable pricing for broader customer accessibility.
Custom & Collectable Firearms unveils The Ledger, a limited-edition Walther PDP Pro-E Compact pistol restricted to 300 units. The firearm features a desert camouflage Cerakote finish, Vortex Venom 3 MOA red-dot sight, and adjustable sights, combining modern performance with distinctive custom styling for collectors and enthusiasts.
Millennium Outdoors introduces the RG2 Run 'N Gun Hang-On Combo, a 19-pound integrated system combining the M8 Hang-On Stand, M255 Vulcan Stick Ladder, and MQV8 M8 Stick Quiver designed for mobile hunters adapting to changing deer patterns and locations.
Kryptek Outdoor Group, American Sniper, and TXC Holsters unveiled a limited-edition line of premium Kydex holsters featuring Kryptek's Typhon camouflage and American Sniper branding. The collaboration honors Chris Kyle's legacy and reflects the three companies' commitment to American craftsmanship and quality for everyday carry.
GRITR Range, a Dallas-Fort Worth indoor shooting range, is launching new training programs in August including a Ladies-Only Texas License to Carry class, Pistol Red Dot sessions, and an Intro to Competitive Shooting course alongside established beginner programs.
BERSA USA will exhibit at G.O.A.L.S. 2026, Gun Owners of America's flagship convention celebrating its 50th anniversary, taking place August 1-2 at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines. The company will showcase new suppressors, BP9 striker-fired pistols, and M2XI double-stack 1911 variations at Booth 2938.
CZ will exhibit at the 2026 Ducks Unlimited Expo July 31–August 2 at the Renasant Convention Center in Memphis, Tennessee. The firearms manufacturer will showcase products in Booth 859, connecting with hunters and outdoor enthusiasts while celebrating conservation and the outdoor lifestyle alongside approximately 300 vendors.
Sarsilmaz will exhibit at GOA's GOALS 2026 in Des Moines, Iowa, July 30-August 2, showcasing pistols including the SAR9 SOCOM Series, 7/24 Series, and SAR9 Gen 3 family. The company will participate in Range Day and operate Booth #2618 at the Iowa Events Center.
Hercules Safaris, a South Africa-based premier big game hunting outfitter celebrating 20 years, will continue its partnership with Whitetails Unlimited as a national sponsor, announced WTU President Jeff Schinkten. The company offers night hunting, plains game, dangerous game, trophy hunting, and family safaris with bow or rifle options.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources will host a public meeting on August 6 at the Maser Monarch Lodge in Okoboji to discuss shoreline restoration plans at Pilsbury Point on West Lake Okoboji. The project will stabilize nearly 1,200 feet of steep public shorelines damaged by 2024 flooding, with construction scheduled from fall 2024 through fall 2027.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) will hold an in-person meeting on August 5 at the Panama City Beach Conference Center at Edgewater Beach & Golf Resort, beginning at 9:00 AM CDT. The public is invited to attend and provide comments on agenda items or contact Commissioners directly via email at Commissioners@MyFWC.com.
Field & Stream TV announced its third quarter broadcast lineup featuring new episodes of On The Water Angling Adventures, Their Life, My Lens hosted by Chasten Whitfield, Goliath Fishing with Captain James Marko, Scott Linden's Wing Shooting USA, and The Scott Martin Challenge, now in its twenty-first season.
An adult male jogger was attacked by a bear on July 24 at Henrys Lake State Park's Aspen Loop Trail. The man sustained injuries but walked out safely with his uninjured dog. Idaho Fish and Game and Fremont County Deputies secured the scene; the park trail system is closed for one week pending safety assessment.
The Arizona Game and Fish Department released a video showcasing researchers conducting den checks on black bears as part of a statewide study led by wildlife specialist Samuel Lisak. The research, continuing through 2030, tracks over two dozen radio-collared bears across Arizona's diverse habitats to gather survival data and inform population management decisions.
Tragically, a murderer opened fire at a Fourth of July weekend block party in Compton, California earlier this month, killing 37-year-old Eric Washington and 19-year-old Meah Bordenave-Jenkins and wounding three others. The victims and their loved ones deserve justice. Police arrested one suspect, 54 year-old Antoine Jones, two weeks later and charged him with murder in Bordenave-Jenkins’ death. He deserves prosecution and punishment to the fullest extent of the law. The suspect in Washington’s death is still at large.
California state Democratic Assemblymember Mike Gipson, however, quickly used this latest tragedy to call for…stronger state and federal gun control laws. He cited background checks, age restrictions and so-called “red flag” laws as “basics” that would reduce criminal violence.
The problem with Assemblyman Gipson’s demands, though, is that California already has all three. The state routes firearm transfers, including private-party transfers, through licensed firearm retailers. Law-abiding purchasers face a background check and mandatory 10-day waiting period. California generally prohibits firearm sales to anyone under 21 and has an expansive “gun violence restraining order” system.
Nothing publicly reported about the Compton attacks establishes that yet another restriction on lawful firearm purchases would have prevented them. Once again, California’s answer to criminals breaking the law is to suggest writing yet another law further burdening the Second Amendment rights of the people who aren’t breaking the laws in the first place.
Criminals Aren’t Waiting for Another Law
A person willing to wantonly fire into a crowd is not waiting for Sacramento to clarify the rules. Alleged murder, attempted murder, illegal firearm trafficking and criminal misuse are already serious crimes. Even in California.
New mandates on lawful firearm purchases only reach people who appear in person at a lawful firearm retailer, present identification, pay government fees, complete paperwork and submit to government background checks. They do not deter criminals who circumvent lawful commerce or unlawfully possess firearms despite being prohibited.
California should focus on prosecuting violent offenders, dismantling illegal trafficking networks and imposing meaningful consequences on those who illegally possess and misuse firearms. Instead, Sacramento wants to further burden lawful gun owners and firearm retailers while criminals remain unimpressed. After all, as NSSF has repeatedly pointed out, the overwhelming majority of criminals who commit their crimes using a firearm obtained that gun in an unlawful way. That includes theft, the black market or other illicit means.
Ban the Lawful Pistol, Ignore the Criminal Reality
One textbook example is Assembly Bill 1127, which took effect July 1. The law prohibits firearm retailers from selling certain popular semiautomatic pistols that California defines as “machinegun-convertible.” It targets pistols with a cruciform trigger bar that criminals can illegally alter by installing an already-illegal “machinegun conversion device,” or MCD.
As stated, those MCDs are already illegal. California law — not to mention federal law — already prohibits the import, manufacture, sale, possession and transportation of machineguns, with violations punishable as felonies. Installing the illegal device creates an illegal machinegun. NSSF reminds all lawful gun purchasers to stay on the “Right Side of Legal.”
California’s response was not limited to pursuing criminals who manufacture, traffic or install the MCDs. It banned retail sales of unaltered, commonly-owned pistols to law-abiding citizens. These firearms have been purchased, owned and relied on for years by numerous Californians, including law enforcement officers as well as law-abiding gun owners. Even former Vice President Kamala Harris admitted to owning this style of handgun.
The U.S. Department of Justice sued California the day AB 1127 took effect, challenging both the pistol prohibition and the state’s restrictive handgun roster, stating the law violated the Second Amendment.
“The Second Amendment is a sacred right belonging to all Americans, even those in California,” Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche stated in a press release. The lawsuit places California’s newest handgun restriction before a federal court, where it belongs.
Rights Buried in Ammunition Red Tape
California’s ammunition system follows the same model. Most buyers must undergo an eligibility check for every transaction. The standard background check costs $5 and depends on the buyer’s identifying information matching an entry in the state’s Automated Firearms System. A mismatch means rejection.
Those without a matching record may need an additional $19 basic check that can take several days. The California Department of Justice retains ammunition sales records and transfer information, and residents who buy ammunition outside of the state generally must route it through a licensed California vendor before taking possession.
California Waterfowl has documented hunters struggling with outdated addresses, mismatched records and delays. Some reportedly missed hunting seasons while attempting to correct state records. The system creates those obstacles for hunters, target shooters and lawful gun owners trying to comply, not criminals obtaining ammunition illegally.
Thankfully, the restrictions remain under constitutional challenge in Rhode v. Bonta. A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled in July of 2025 that the regime violated the Second Amendment. The court later granted an en banc rehearing and vacated that opinion. The full court heard arguments in March of 2026 and California continues enforcing the system while a decision is pending.
Screenshot of California Gov. Gavin Newsom appearing on the Shawn Ryan Show
Even California Gov. Gavin Newsom has been caught in the web he helped create. A SIG SAUER pistol given to him by podcaster Shawn Ryan remained with a licensed firearm retailer months later. Taking possession would require California’s background checks, paperwork, Firearm Safety Certificate, waiting period and other conditions — a fitting demonstration of the barriers ordinary law-abiding Californians face.
The Second Amendment does not disappear before or after a criminal commits a terrible act. Nor does tragedy give lawmakers a blank check to further burden citizens who had nothing to do with the crime.
The Compton families deserve answers and accountability. They do not deserve to have their loss used to justify another restriction aimed at lawful firearm ownership, which will do nothing to make Californians safe.
The state should stop treating constitutional rights as a problem and start treating violent criminals as the problem. The DOJ’s lawsuit and the pending Rhode decision will test whether federal courts finally force California to recognize that distinction.
