Utah's 2026 general-season buck deer and elk archery hunts begin August 15. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources provides comprehensive safety guidelines including tree stand precautions, broadhead arrow handling, and shot placement, along with preparation tips such as equipment checks, practice shooting at Lee Kay and Cache Valley ranges, and taking the DWR bowhunter education class.
Team Ruger's Randi Rogers and Gordon Carrell competed at the 2026 NRA Faces of Freedom ARC Regional Championship in Rapid City, South Dakota, using Ruger Harrier rifles. Rogers finished second in the open division with a score of 525.30, while Carrell secured a match win, demonstrating the reliability and accuracy of Ruger firearms in competitive shooting sports.
Sturm, Ruger & Company congratulates Team Ruger's Steve Foster on his outstanding performance at the 2026 Tennessee State Steel Challenge, where he earned multiple division titles competing with his Ruger 10/22 Carbon Fiber rifle and Mark IV pistol at Camp Davy Crockett in Whitesburg, Tennessee.
The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission honored 31 Arkansas schools with School of Conservation Leadership designation for 2026-29, impacting 33,709 students. Derek Ratchford and Mary Beth Hatch noted the program's unique approach to K-12 conservation education, with Cohort 3 receiving 100 applications for the 2026-27 school year.
The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission's Conservation Incentive Program has funded 585 landowner applications and improved over 16,000 acres in its first year. With $2.5 million in U.S. Forest Service funding, CIP 2.0 selected 349 landowners for 380 projects focusing on forestry practices, firebreaks, and prescribed burning to enhance wildlife habitat across Arkansas.
The Alabama Black Belt Adventures Association (ALBBAA) designated the 6th Annual Alabama Black Belt Birding Festival as the first official "Black Belt Signature Event," recognizing its role in promoting tourism and conservation. ALBBAA presented a $5,000 grant to Alabama Audubon to support the festival's continued growth throughout Alabama's 23-county Black Belt region.
Beretta USA will participate in the REEDS Fall Classic & Range Days on August 7-8 in Walker, MN, hosted by REEDS Family Outdoor Outfitters. Attendees can experience Beretta's latest shotguns and tactical firearms, including the new A400 Solo, with product experts providing hands-on demonstrations and guidance.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources Outdoor Skills Academy offers a beginner backpacking course Sept. 18-20 at Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park. Participants will learn trip planning, backcountry safety, Leave No Trace principles, and complete a 5.6-mile scenic hike. Cost is $105 per person including meals, with registration required by Aug. 14.
Idaho Fish and Game Director Jim Fredericks signed a conservation closure order for sturgeon fishing on the Snake River arm of CJ Strike Reservoir from August 2 through September 25, 2026, due to abnormally low dissolved oxygen and high water temperatures. The closure aims to protect Idaho's second-largest sturgeon population, which has declined 15% since 2022 and experienced 16 verified sturgeon deaths in the closure area.
NOAA Fisheries announced that commercial harvest of greater amberjack in federal Gulf waters will close at 12:01 a.m. local time on August 8, 2026, due to 2025 landings exceeding the annual catch limit. The closure, which remains in effect until January 1, 2027, is necessary to protect the overfished greater amberjack population.
Friends of NRA has opened grant applications for organizations supporting youth education, shooting sports, hunter education, and firearms training. Grants fund safety programs, marksmanship enhancement, and facility improvements, with application deadlines varying by state and at least two months provided for completion.
Whitetails Unlimited granted $533,741.97 to shooting sports organizations including NASP, USA Clay Target, and S3DA in partnership with the National Shooting Sports Foundation for National Shooting Sports Month in August.
Idaho Fish and Game will sell returned nonresident big game tags starting Aug. 6 at 10 a.m. MDT through GoOutdoorsIdaho.com, Fish and Game offices, and license vendors. Residents can purchase nonresident tags as second tags with varying eligibility restrictions by zone and unit.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is considering removing a bear hunting prohibition on Bois Blanc Island in Mackinac County, established in 1985. The DNR is seeking public comments on the proposal, which would allow bear hunting on state-owned land with landowner permission required for private land. Contact Cody Norton at nortonc3@michigan.gov to submit feedback.
Idaho's second big game controlled hunt drawing application period runs Aug. 5-15, with results posted by Aug. 25. Available tags include deer, elk, pronghorn, and black bear not claimed in the first drawing. Hunters with valid 2026 Idaho licenses may apply through Fish and Game offices, vendors, the mobile app, or GoOutdoorsIdaho.com.
The NSSF-adjusted NICS figure for July 2026 reached 1,061,883, an 8.5 percent increase from July 2025's 978,731. NFA checks surged 108.8 percent to 130,013, with Texas, Florida, and Virginia leading in NFA activity. Texas topped adjusted NICS checks among all states.
Leupold & Stevens, Inc. announced the VX-Freedom Straight-Wall riflescope, designed for rifles chambered in popular straight-wall cartridges. The scope ships with three pre-calibrated elevation dials for .350 Legend, .400 Legend, and .450 Bushmaster, enabling hunters to compensate for bullet drop at extended ranges.
The Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) submitted formal comment letters to the ATF on multiple proposed rules, with Executive Director Adam Kraut and Director of Legal Research Kostas Moros urging modernization of regulations to better respect Second Amendment rights, gun-owner privacy, and interstate firearm travel.
Women For Gun Rights Missouri hosted a free School Safety Summit in Springfield featuring national expert Ed Monk, who presented on active-shooter response and school safety. The event educated parents, educators, and law enforcement on the Missouri School Protection Officer Program and practical steps to reduce loss of life during attacks.
Streamlight, Inc. announced the limited-edition ProTac 2.0 Ducks Unlimited headlamp, a rechargeable co-branded headlamp featuring 2,000 lumens on high, Desert Tan finish, and custom Ducks Unlimited branding. A portion of sales benefits Ducks Unlimited's wetlands conservation efforts.
Avian-X announced its new lineup of waterfowl hunting packs and bags, including the BA Backpack, Floating Duffel Decoy Backpack, Floating Lumbar Blind Bag, and Shell Bags. These purpose-built products feature rugged storage, flotation capabilities, and weather-resistant designs to help hunters organize and protect gear in the field.
Buck Bourbon introduces its 125 lb Wildlife Feed Keg, a premium big game feed made from bourbon industry by-products containing whole corn, roasted soybeans, and over 16% digestible protein. The durable tub is five times larger than standard 25 lb blocks and designed for long-term feeding locations or pre-season hunting preparation.
TUO Gear introduced TUO Ryse, a new camouflage pattern designed for whitetail hunters using macro-scale linear shapes and micro-texture detailing to break up the human silhouette at both close and long range. The pattern features a gray-based midtone with adaptive green and amber accents for early leaf drop through late season, field-tested in hardwood timber.
Kinsey's Distribution has been appointed as a Beretta USA Law Enforcement Distributor, expanding its firearms portfolio to include Beretta's tactical handguns and shotguns. The partnership provides eligible dealers nationwide access to popular Beretta platforms including the 1301 Tactical, A300 Ultima Patrol, 92 Series, PX4 Storm, and APX models.
Range USA, the nation's largest indoor gun range and firearm retailer, completed a comprehensive redesign across all locations featuring interactive gun displays, expanded optics cases, and streamlined range check-ins. The enhancements showcase deactivated handguns from Smith & Wesson, Ruger, Springfield Armory, Canik, and Taurus, along with new long gun display towers and doubled optics inventory.
Liberty Ammunition, a leading self-defense ammunition manufacturer, will exhibit at the Sports Inc Show in Nashville, TN at Booth #962. CEO Gary Ramey highlighted the company's new Liberty SPIKE 2.0 ammunition in .380 and 9mm calibers, emphasizing superior stopping power and performance compared to competitors.
The Michigan Natural Resources Commission will meet Wednesday, Aug. 12, at Lansing Community College. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources will livestream the meeting at 9 a.m. via the DNR's YouTube meetings channel, with the draft agenda available at Michigan.gov/NRC.
Effective Friday, August 7, Carter County will enter Stage 1 fire restrictions, with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks implementing campfire and smoking restrictions at Medicine Rocks State Park and other FWP properties in Big Horn and Richland counties.
Travelers' Rest State Park near Lolo is hosting a free "Lewis and Clark After Dark" astronomy event on August 12 from 9-11 p.m. in association with Western Montana Astronomical Association. The program features education about constellations and celestial navigation used by Lewis and Clark, followed by night sky viewing.
Arkansas State Parks will host a community open house on August 6, 2026, at Lake Chicot State Park to celebrate major improvements including a renovated campground with 42 RV sites, new amenities, and enhanced visitor facilities. Secretary Shea Lewis emphasized the department's commitment to investing in places that connect people to nature while ensuring safe, accessible experiences.
"The MeatEater Channel" returns to MyOutdoorTV throughout August, featuring Steven Rinella's extensive library of hunting and outdoor content including MeatEater, MeatEater Hunts, MeatEater Limited Series, and new productions like Our Way of Life and MeatEater Roasts, all available for streaming.
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks has issued an emergency closure for Silver Run Wildlife Management Area near Red Lodge due to grizzly bear activity. FWP is actively trapping a food-conditioned conflict grizzly bear that has been involved in Red Lodge area conflicts for several years and poses a public safety threat.
Most avid anglers start fishing as kids—otherwise, they never fish at all. (Alabama DCNR)
The latest participation report from the American Sportfishing Association and the Outdoor Foundation counted 57 million recreational anglers in 2025. That’s a strong number, well above the level before the COVID-era surge, and the report says minority participation has increased over the past decade. Women now account for more than 21 million anglers who fish at least occasionally, according to the report.
The biggest issue for angling growth, though is that nearly one million anglers left the sport in 2025. That is to say, they reported fishing previously, but didn’t go at all in 2025. The demographics call this “churn”.
This leaky bucket has become one of the biggest challenges facing the fishing industry. The sport continues to attract some newcomers, but keeping them involved has become increasingly difficult. The reasons probably have less to do with the fish and more to do with the way Americans live today.
Demographics are working against fishing in ways that the industry cannot easily change. Baby Boomers formed the backbone of recreational fishing for decades. They bought boats, joined fishing clubs, subscribed to outdoor magazines and introduced their children to the outdoors. Many are still active anglers, but the oldest members of that generation are approaching 80.
Every year, the sport loses thousands of experienced anglers simply because people age—or die.
Replacing them is a challenge because American families have changed as well. The large families common a generation ago have become much less common. Many households today have one or two children rather than three or four. That means fewer opportunities for parents and grandparents to introduce youngsters to fishing.
The participation report found that 86 percent of current anglers started fishing before age 12. A child who learns to enjoy fishing often carries that interest into adulthood. A young adult who reaches 20 without ever developing a connection to the outdoors is much less likely to suddenly become a dedicated angler.
Where people live also matters.
Most urban areas have available ponds, often stocked by the state fisheries commission, where young anglers can get started. (RBFF)
America has become increasingly urban and suburban. Millions of people now live in apartments, subdivisions and densely developed communities where access to water is not part of everyday life. A child growing up near a farm pond or creek may have discovered fishing naturally—I know I did, and so did most of my cousins and friends. A child growing up in a city may need a parent to organize a trip, find a public access point and provide transportation before ever making a cast. And in most cases, that adult guidance just isn’t there today.
The cost of fishing has become another concern, particularly for boat owners. Fishing from shore, a kayak or a small aluminum boat can still be affordable, but the image many newcomers see is often the high-dollar side of the sport.
Through May of last year, new registrations of powerboats 15 feet and longer were down 4.3 percent compared with the rolling 12-month average per the National Marine Manufacturers Association. Towboats, runabouts and pontoons all remained below their recent averages. Freshwater fishing boats were one of the stronger categories, running slightly ahead of the average, but saltwater fishing boats continued to struggle.
Industry analysts point to rising prices, higher interest rates and growing inventory costs as reasons some buyers are hesitant—or completely out of the market. The average price of many boats has climbed dramatically since 2019.
Fuel, insurance, tackle and travel expenses all compete with household budgets that are already under strain. Fuel at over $5 a gallon at most marinas can’t be ignored, either.
Time may be the most difficult resource of all.
Youth sports alone consume enormous amounts of family time—my grandkids are constantly on the road for “travel ball”, wrestling and other competitions. The spontaneous fishing trips that many older anglers remember—grabbing a rod and heading to the water after school or on a Saturday morning—are harder to fit into modern schedules.
And then there are smart phones.
Smartphones and social media have changed the way Americans spend their free time. A youngster who once spent an afternoon fishing a neighborhood pond may now spend those same hours watching videos, playing online games or scrolling through social media feeds. Many kids stick their noses in that screen and don’t come up for air until parents force them to do so.
Yet social media is also one of fishing's greatest opportunities.
Videos explain everything from tying knots to reading electronics. State agencies and fishing organizations provide access information, regulations and fishing reports online. Smartphone apps help anglers understand tides, weather patterns and navigation. Someone who has never had a mentor can now learn from experienced fishermen around the country.
Social media has also introduced fishing to people who might never have discovered it otherwise. A young angler in an urban neighborhood can watch others fish, ask questions and become part of a community that extends far beyond local waters.
The same technology that keeps people indoors can also inspire them to go outside.
But getting them out there to try it, that remains with us, the current generations of avid anglers and boaters and all in the related industries that support so many of us.
Catching fish to take home and have for family dinner is also a part of the learning experience for many young anglers. (Missouri DNR)
Unfortunately, federal DOGE programs last year did away with funding for the Recreational Fishing & Boating Foundation (RBFF), which for over 20 years had helped boost programs like this on a national basis, so it’s now up to state agencies to do the job. (To be fair, it appears there was more than a bit of waste in inflated exec salaries in RBFF; it was a good idea that fell to typical Washington excesses, unfortunately.)
The RBFF reported that within just a few months of their marketing and outreach campaigns stopping, fishing license sales fell 8.6% across 16 states tracking data on the national dashboard.
Florida’s Fish and Wildlife Commission has an in-school program getting underway Aug. 20—details for teachers and sponsors here: FWC School Fishing Program.
