Articles

It doesn’t take long for two duck hunters to fill a limit when the conditions are right. Seven birds per person can come together quick, especially on a good morning in Montana. John Carullo of Simms and Matthew Krekelberg of Bozeman didn’t stop at a daily limit, or even a possession limit. The two...

When I was growing up, springtime was always catfish time. Every year, as soon as the ice had melted off the water and I heard the calls of spring peepers in the air, I’d grab my gear and head down to the river for an evening of kitty hunting. I never caught many fish in those days, but it always...

The Idaho State Legislator recently passed a bill that will shake up the state’s hunting regulations, particularly for big game and bird hunting. House Bill 939, which was signed into law on April 2, took aim at the use of technological aids for hunting. In particular, the bill, which was crafted...

Some lucky deer hunter will eventually shoot a whitetail with antlers bigger than those atop the buck Milo Hanson killed Nov. 23, 1993, near his Saskatchewan farm. With a certified score of 213-5/8 inches, Hanson’s 14-point buck became the world-record “typical” whitetail during the Boone and...

The best turkey hunting shotguns shoot consistently tight patterns with the right choke and ammo. Aside from that, there are other details that make them more desirable in the turkey woods. For instance, lightweight, shorter guns make it easy to maneuver when you're run-and-gunning or need to pivot...

You learn a lot about turkey loads and shotguns after you send several dozen patterns down range in the name of research. For starters, I think I’ll stick to a 20 gauge next spring after putting my shoulder through the wringer. The devastating patterns from some of the 20-gauge loads also made that...

Elk in Montana contend with a lot of different issues. From wolves and grizzly bears to forest fires and floods, to land development and extreme hunting pressure, these elk are proven survivors that seem to be able to bounce back from nearly anything. However, in the past couple of years a possible...

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is looking for any information related to the mysterious deaths of five bald eagles that were discovered in the Upper Peninsula. Michigan DNR released a statement on Monday, April 27, stating that the eagles were found between April 3 and April 1...

This past winter in northern Southeast Alaska broke the record for snowfall, getting more than 200 inches in my hometown. The last time we had a similar winter was in ‘06-’07, when the Alaska Department of Fish & Game asked hunters to kill fawns out of mercy. During my last hunt that season, I...

A mild winter and warm spring across much of the West have contributed to extremely below-average snowpacks and widespread drought conditions, prompting experts to use terms such as “historic” and “abysmal” when describing the current outlook. According to Climate Matters, the western U.S. snowpack...

It takes more than a single bad decision to lose your hunting and fishing privileges for life. For Tennessee resident Jerry “Trey” Truitt III, it came after years of poaching violations across western Montana. Truitt was sentenced to a lifetime hunting and fishing ban in early April in Ravalli...

A few Novembers ago, I set out for a hang-and-hunt on my favorite piece of public land in North Carolina. After over an hour of wandering, I stumbled across a hot white oak that was surrounded by fresh deer sign. Shortly after I set up, a young buck limped up to the acorns and stood perfectly for a...

A Connecticut angler recently caught a rainbow trout of epic proportions. On April 11, Richard Courtright Jr. was fishing at a Spring Fishing Day fishing derby on the West Branch of the Farmington River, where the Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (CT DEEP) had recently...

Earlier this week, Denver Water announced that it will soon drain water from one of Colorado’s most popular recreational fisheries: Antero Reservoir. The decision will shutter recreational opportunities at the premier trophy trout fishery, likely impacting it for years to come. Denver Water, a...

In mid-May of 2025, my son Bear Newcomb and I headed to southeast Alaska to hunt with my friend and outfitter David Benitz. I’ve previously hunted for mountain goats and also went wolf trapping with David. He’s an incredible Alaskan bowhunter, trapper, commercial fisherman, and he’s been an...