The South Carolina Waterfowl Association (SCWA) will host the 2026 Waterfowl Heritage Festival on November 7 at the SCWA Wildlife Education Center in Pinewood. The family-friendly event features a Duck Call Competition, Sporting Clays Tournament, Waterfowl Gear Market, Kids Zone, live music, and vendors celebrating South Carolina's waterfowl heritage.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources will host the 78th annual Pointe Mouillee Waterfowl Festival on September 19-20 at Pointe Mouillee State Game Area in Brownstown. The festival features waterfowl hunting competitions, a Monroe Decoy Show presented by the Monroe Chapter of Ducks Unlimited, wildlife art, archery, and family activities celebrating the 4,000-acre wetland refuge.
The 25th annual Dead Creek Wildlife Day will be held October 3 in Addison, Vermont at the Dead Creek Wildlife Management Area. The free event features bird banding, live animals, working dogs, waterfowl calling contests, and activities hosted by the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department, Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation, and Otter Creek Audubon Society.
Iowa's DNR invites volunteers to participate in the annual Statewide Volunteer Day on Saturday, Sept. 26, at state parks and forests. Mike Cox, chief of Iowa Parks, Forests and Preserves Bureau, encourages participation in activities including trail clearing, building maintenance, tree planting, and litter removal.
The Indiana Department of Natural Resources will host open houses at nine state forests September 29 through October 1. Attendees can learn about outdoor recreation, forest management, and wildlife habitat while State Forester John Seifert and staff answer questions and accept feedback on state forest operations.
The 31st Annual Buckmasters Expo, presented by Mountain Dew, welcomed over 25,000 attendees to Montgomery, Alabama, August 14-16, 2026. The event featured Bulls & Buckmasters professional bull riding, special guests including Nate Hosie and Randy Birdsong, and the Top Bow Archery Tournament presented by the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. Attendees donated 10,997 pounds of food and $10,725 to Friendship Mission.
Safe LivinG, in collaboration with the Army & Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES), will bring its free firearms safety and suicide prevention experience to Fort Stewart, Georgia on September 11-12. The event features a mobile range with FATS by Inveris simulators, demonstrations from SABRE® and Streamlight®, and family-friendly firearm safety education.
The Black River Lake Sturgeon Hatchery and Research Center celebrates 25 years of conservation and research at Sturgeon Palooza on September 25, 2026. The free event features the Dinosaur Fish documentary, panel discussions, and displays from partners including Michigan State University, Great Lakes Fishery Trust, and Sturgeon for Tomorrow.
The 41st annual Gun Rights Policy Conference, co-hosted by the Second Amendment Foundation and Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, is scheduled for September 25-27 in Dallas. The event features keynote speaker Honorable Roger T. Benitez and presentations from prominent Second Amendment advocates including Dana Loesch, Brandon Herrera, and Joseph Greenlee of the NRA Institute for Legislative Action.
The Edson Fichter Nature Talks series returns for its sixth year in Pocatello this September, featuring free weekly lectures co-sponsored by Friends of Edson Fichter Nature Area and Idaho Fish and Game. Presentations include topics on animal behavior, nature sketching with biological illustrator Ashelee Rasmussen, beavers, and paleontology with Robert Gay from Idaho Museum of Natural History.
SLG2, Inc. will bring its Shoot Like A Girl experience to Professional Bull Riders Thunder Days on September 4-6, 2026, at Thunder Ridge Nature Arena in Ridgedale, Missouri. Sponsored by Bass Pro Shops, the mobile range will offer firearms, archery, and outdoor product demonstrations in the Fan Zone, with certified instructors emphasizing firearm safety and responsible ownership.
Michigan DNR highlights September outdoor activities including the Great Outdoors Jamboree presented by Pheasants Forever, harvest festivals at state parks, dune interpretation walks at Muskegon State Park, astronomy events at Island Lake Recreation Area, foraging and waterfowl hunting clinics, and the Heritage Gathering at Kellogg Community College focusing on Underground Railroad history.
Duck Commander, the renowned duck call manufacturer founded by Phil Robertson, is the title sponsor of the 2026 North Louisiana Sportsman's Expo in West Monroe, August 28-30. The company has created a guide featuring local attractions including the Duck Commander Museum & Store, regional restaurants like Belle's Old South Diner and JAC's Craft Smokehouse, downtown shops, and natural areas including Black Bayou National Wildlife Refuge.
Pheasants Forever and Michigan's Department of Natural Resources host a free Great Outdoors Jamboree on September 13 at Lake Hudson Recreation Area, featuring archery, BB gun shooting, kayaking, crafts, and more for all ages with equipment provided.
The Alternative Mass Media Conference planning committee announced speakers and topics for the pre-conference event held prior to the 41st annual Gun Rights Policy Conference, co-hosted by the Second Amendment Foundation and Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, September 25-27 in Dallas.
Pope and Young, North America's leading bowhunting organization, is accepting vendor booth reservations for its 35th Biennial Convention April 8-10, 2027 in Little Rock, Arkansas. The event features seminars, trophy displays, auctions, and a vendor area with manufacturers, outfitters, and archery companies. Contact Dylan Ray at Dylan@pope-young.org to reserve booth space.
The Black River hatchery near Onaway, Michigan is hosting free tours on September 5 featuring 3- to 4-month-old lake sturgeon. Researchers from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Michigan State University, and Sturgeon for Tomorrow will discuss sturgeon biology and restoration efforts, followed by fingerling releases into the Black River and Mullett Lake.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon is confirmed as a speaker for the 41st annual Gun Rights Policy Conference (GRPC) 2026, scheduled for September 25-27 in Dallas. The event, co-hosted by the Second Amendment Foundation and Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, features numerous Second Amendment advocates, legal experts, and media personalities.
The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission will host an expo on August 28 at the Benton Event Center featuring keynote speaker Craig Harper from the University of Tennessee. The event includes vendor displays, educational breakout sessions on wetland and wildlife management, and recognition of 2026 Natural State Landowner Conservation Award winners.
The AGFC and Ozark personality Joe Wilson are hosting the World Champion Squirrel Cookoff on September 12 at the J.B. and Johnelle Hunt Family Ozark Highlands Nature Center in Springdale. The event features cooking competitions, outdoor education courses, and demonstrations including the K-9 Unit and a cave experience trailer.