GOA and GOF File Lawsuit in Direct Response to Virginia Ban on “Assault Weapons” and Public Carry

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Gun Owners of America (GOA) and Gun Owners Foundation (GOF), alongside Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL) and 2A journalist John Crump, have filed a lawsuit today in direct response to Virginia’s enactment of SB749 and SB727, the “assault weapons” ban and public carry ban. These two bills represent the most immediate threat to the rights of every law-abiding gun owner in Virginia.

By criminalizing the purchase and transfer of the most popular firearms in America and effectively banning self-defense in public spaces, these laws are a direct assault on the Second Amendment and stand in open defiance of Virginia’s own constitution and necessitate an immediate strike in court.

Article I, Section 13 of the Virginia Constitution guarantees that the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. Read more

Gun Control

Michigan’s Natural Resources Commission approves deer regulation changes for 2026 and 2027

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May 15, 2026
Contact: Chad Stewart, 517-282-4810, or Brent Rudolph, 517-730-8802

a white-tailed doe and buck with 8-10 antler points stand chest-deep in the sparse, golden grass of a sunlit fieldFollowing extensive public input, the Michigan Natural Resources Commission on Wednesday approved several deer regulation changes for the 2026 and 2027 hunting seasons.

The seven-member citizen commission, appointed by the governor, acted on and amended recommendations developed by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to support healthy deer populations while balancing hunter opportunity and public feedback.

The department presented its recommendations to the commission in April. Under Michigan law, the NRC has the authority to issue wildlife orders and establish hunting regulations.

Changes for the 2026 deer seasons

The NRC’s approved changes include:

  • Elimination of the antlerless access drawing in the Upper Peninsula. Deer Management Units 351 and 352 have been rescinded. Hunters in the U.P. will only be able to use universal antlerless licenses in DMUs 022, 122, 155, 255, 121 and 055 during the 2026 season.
  • Reduction of the Statewide Muzzleloader Season from 10 days to three days. The shortened season will begin on the first Friday in December. In the Lower Peninsula, any legal firearm may be used during this season, which will now be called the December Firearm Deer Season.
  • Opening the Late Antlerless Season earlier, beginning on the Monday following the December Firearm Deer Season and continuing through Jan. 1. The season will be open across the Lower Peninsula except in Deer Management Units 245 (South Fox Island) and 145 (North Manitou Island). DMU 115 (Beaver and Garden islands) is now open for both early and late antlerless seasons.
  • Elimination of the Limited Firearms Deer Zone in the Lower Peninsula, allowing the use of all legal firearms, including bottleneck cartridges, throughout the Lower Peninsula. Firearms larger than .22 rimfire are now permitted statewide.
  • Authorization for residents with a valid senior deer license, senior deer combo license or senior antlerless deer license to use a crossbow during the Late Archery Deer Season in the U.P.
  • Elimination of the Extended Late Antlerless and January Archery Seasons, concluding all deer hunting seasons after Jan. 1.
  • Scheduling the Early Antlerless Firearm Deer Season to run concurrently with the Liberty Hunt during the second weekend in September. The Liberty and Early Antlerless seasons will be Sept. 12-13 this year.
  • Authorization for the department to establish universal antlerless deer license use limits in consultation with the commission. The limits will be reviewed and published annually. This change applies limits on the number of universal antlerless licenses that hunters may use within individual DMUs or counties.

In addition, the commission approved several administrative changes for 2026, including:

  • Allowing case-by-case exceptions to authorize wildlife rehabilitators to possess fawns for rehabilitation.
  • Resolving a gap between DMUs 027 and 036. This gap existed in the Wildlife Conservation Order only.

Changes for 2027 deer seasons in the Lower Peninsula

A group of Michigan white-tailed deer are shown in wintertime.The commission also approved several changes for the 2027 deer seasons in the Lower Peninsula only. Upper Peninsula deer regulations will remain unchanged in 2027.

Under the new regulations in the Lower Peninsula, starting with the 2027 deer hunting seasons:

  • Buck harvest is limited to one buck per hunter.
  • A single deer license will be valid for one deer with at least three antler points on one side or for one antlerless deer.
  • A combo license will allow hunters to take one antlered deer and one antlerless deer, or two antlerless deer.
  • Existing DMU-specific antler point restrictions will remain in place.

The commission also approved a pilot “earn a second buck” program in the southern Lower Peninsula (Zone 3) starting in 2027. Under the pilot program, hunters must first harvest an antlerless deer before becoming eligible to harvest a second buck with a four-point antler point restriction. The DNR will determine participating counties at a later date and will bring forward an order in July outlining the program parameters.

In addition, the commission expanded exceptions authorizing deer management assistance permits for the take of antlered deer causing horticultural damage because of the new one-buck limit in the Lower Peninsula. These exceptions will require approval from wildlife and law enforcement supervisors.

The DNR is preparing the 2026 deer hunting regulations summary, which will include complete season regulations and hunting information. Digital versions will be available first through the Michigan DNR Hunt Fish mobile app and at Michigan.gov/Deer, followed by printed copies distributed to license retailers and DNR offices statewide.
Hunting

With water levels below emergency stage, demobilization efforts begin at Cheboygan Lock and Dam Complex

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May 15, 2026
Contact: Laurie Abel, 517-599-6703

Conditions have improved at the Cheboygan Lock and Dam Complex, and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources has demobilized pumps and other emergency equipment used to channel water around the dam.

To allow for the spillway gates to be reinstalled, pumps that were used during emergency operations had to first be shut down and removed.

Spillway gates are scheduled to be reinstalled early next week. Officials report that water levels at the dam have dropped out of the emergency stage, and the spillway is currently managing water flow effectively.

Officials emphasized that when the gates are reinstalled, they will remain fully open, and the volume of water passing through the spillway will not change from its current rate of flow.

Once the spillway gates are back in place, crews will reinstall the safety cable, which helps keep small watercraft from getting too close to the spillway gates.

The DNR reminds everyone that the Lincoln Street and Forks boating access sites remain closed for emergency operations. Other DNR access sites also are closed due to high water and dangerous conditions. Recreationists are encouraged to check the DNR website for closures at Michigan.gov/DNRClosures.

Fishing

DNR staff successfully complete steelhead egg collection after lightning strike damage

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May 14, 2026
Contact: Olen Gannon, 231-389-2551 or Joe Mickevich, 231-878-5234

Steelhead fryAfter a lightning strike at the Little Manistee River Weir (Manistee County) threatened to derail steelhead egg collection for this season, the Department of Natural Resources rallied to collect approximately 4.2 million steelhead eggs for Michigan’s state fish hatcheries. Staff were able to proceed with collection at the Little Manistee Weir, as well as deploy the Lower Platte River Weir (Benzie County) as a backup egg source for the first time, both of which contributed to the successful collection of steelhead eggs for future stocking throughout the state.

During severe weather the night of April 13, the Little Manistee River Weir facility was struck by lightning, which took out the main power, backup power source and emergency alarm notification system at the facility. This resulted in a loss of some of the fish being held in maturation ponds, as the systems that sustained the fish were offline — egg collection was scheduled to begin the following morning.

Once the damage was discovered, staff worked swiftly to restore power to the facility and collect eggs from the live fish on-site. Egg collection proceeded at this location in the following weeks, with the final collection there occurring April 29. Read more

Fishing

Ruger Introduces Marlin Mad Pig Customs Model 1894

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Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. (NYSE: RGR) is proud to announce the Marlin® Mad Pig Customs Model 1894™, a premium rifle developed in collaboration with Mad Pig Customs. Built on the proven performance of Marlin’s iconic lever?action rifles, this model delivers modern, factory?installed features previously found only on custom builds.

The Marlin Mad Pig Customs Model 1894 is chambered in 357 Magnum and features a Cerakote?finished barreled action along with select upgraded components from Mad Pig Customs and Midwest Industries, enhancing durability, ergonomics and overall performance straight from the factory. The Mad Pig Customs Model 1894 represents Ruger’s continued commitment to offering shooters distinctive, high?end Marlin firearms that feature custom?grade, modern enhancements to suit every shooter.

To stay up to date on future Marlin announcements and learn more about the Marlin Mad Pig Customs Model 1894, visit MarlinFirearms.com, Facebook.com/MarlinFirearms or Instagram.com/MarlinFirearmsOfficial. Read more

Firearms

Beretta Completes 686 Silver Pigeon I Refresh with Updated Sub-Gauge Models and New Sporting Configurations

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Beretta is pleased to announce the continued expansion of its refreshed Beretta 686 Silver Pigeon I lineup with the introduction of updated 28-gauge and .410 bore field models, alongside the first-ever sub-gauge sporting configurations in the Silver Pigeon I family.

Following the 2025 refresh of the iconic Silver Pigeon I platform, which introduced a redesigned top lever and refined engraving updates, Beretta now extends those enhancements across its sub-gauge offerings. The new 28-gauge and .410 bore field models transition into the updated Silver Pigeon I design, while new Sporting variants give clay target shooters access to the same trusted Beretta over-and-under in lighter recoiling sub-gauge options.

“The 686 Silver Pigeon I has earned its reputation as one of the most trusted over-and-under shotguns in the world by combining timeless Italian craftsmanship with proven field performance,” said Caleb McMillen, Sr. Product Manager of Beretta USA. “With this latest expansion, we are completing the transition of the refreshed Silver Pigeon I family while introducing new sporting options that give sub-gauge shooters even more versatility on the range.”

Built on Beretta’s legendary low-profile 680-series action, the refreshed sub-gauge field and sporting models retain the premium features that define the Silver Pigeon I line, including:

    • Cold hammer-forged Steelium® barrels
    • Enhanced floral receiver engraving
    • Select European walnut stock and forend
    • Redesigned top lever geometry for smoother operation
    • Beretta interchangeable choke system

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Firearms

Beretta Titan – A Fusion of Tactical Performance and Ceremonial Elegance

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Beretta is proud to unveil the first one-off creation celebrating its 500?year anniversary: the Beretta Titan. A visionary modern sporting rifle, the Titan embodies several true firsts for Beretta and introduces unexplored solutions within the firearms industry, both from an aesthetic and a technical perspective.

Carlo Ferlito, CEO & General Manager of Fabbrica d’Armi Pietro Beretta S.p.A., has declared: “In recent years a new innovative category of firearms has gained space in the international arena: the Modern Sporting Rifles (MSR). This new category takes inspiration from the tactical world, translating accuracy and performances in contemporary design and ergonomics. Beretta now launches its interpretation of this exciting category.

Inspired by functional genetics and aeronautical-grade materials, the Beretta Titan is born to be a natural extension of the user and pushes to new limits its features of modularity, versatility, and accuracy. For the first time Beretta conceives a product that combines state-of-the-art materials like magnesium, titanium, and carbon fiber, in a synthesis of performance, elegance and manufacturing excellence.”

Developed through Beretta’s most advanced engineering and inspired by the rigorous demands of the tactical world, the Titan is a semiautomatic sporting rifle chambered in 6.5 Grendel. This configuration delivers superior ballistic performance and extended effective range, supported by the short-stroke gas piston system, with adjustable settings, and the enhanced two-stage trigger for a crisp, predictable break. Read more

Firearms

Leupold’s New BX-3 Alpine HD Binocular

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Leupold & Stevens, Inc., provider of the world’s most rugged, lightweight, and clear sport optics, is pleased to announce the launch of the BX-3 Alpine HD binocular, a new class-leading entry into the company’s award-winning line of observational equipment.

Built for hunters who go farther, glass longer, and seek optical performance that outworks price point, the BX-3 Alpine HD is available now. Featuring Leupold’s Elite Optical System, the BX-3 Alpine HD maximizes light transmission for bright, edge-to-edge clarity and a wider field of view.

“The BX-3 Alpine HD is absolutely the very best binocular in its class,” said Zach Bird, Product Line Manager for Leupold & Stevens, Inc. “It all starts with the Elite Optical System, which delivers fantastic light transmission and glare reduction from dawn to dusk, when animals are more likely to be on the move. Whether you’re glassing for elk on distant ridgelines or trying to pick out the antler tine of your target buck in the whitetail woods, the BX-3 Alpine HD will outperform the competition.”

Built to perform, but also to last, the BX-3 Alpine HD delivers lightweight strength via a magnesium chassis that possesses a lighter, stronger build for demanding terrain. A confident grip is ensured by an ergonomic design with enhanced armor texture for secure handling in all conditions. Leupold’s Guard-ion lens coating sheds dirt and water for a crisp, unobstructed image–keeping your glass clear in all conditions.

Two configurations of the binocular will be available at launch: 10×42 and 12×50. Both feature interchangeable, Form-Fit eyecups, allowing hunters to customize and personalize their setup and enjoy all-day comfort and fit. A binocular harness, lens covers, and a lens cloth ship with each unit. Read more

Optics

Northern Michigan residents caught with more than double the daily legal limit of walleye from Detroit River

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May 12, 2026
Contact: Acting 1st Lt. Jason Becker, 313-396-6890

fish in the back of a truck in a drivewayA group of anglers from northern Michigan was caught Friday with an overlimit of 34 walleye – more than double the daily legal limit, after fishing on the Detroit River.

“People visit Detroit from all over to take advantage of the abundant fishing offered by the Detroit River,” said Todd Szyska with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Division, and the division’s acting captain for the south region of the Lower Peninsula. “Our walleye fishery is world-class in part because of the many respectful anglers who follow the daily limits.”

The five anglers were staying at a rental property in the city of Detroit for the duration of their fishing trip.

Conservation officers saw the group north of Milliken State Park Friday morning. When the anglers returned several hours later, the officers observed them taking additional fish and approached the group with a search warrant.

In total, the five anglers were over the daily limit by 34 walleye. The daily walleye limit for the Detroit River is six fish per angler.

The anglers kept their legal daily limit and received citations for the misdemeanor offense. Read more

Fishing

Feeding Migrating Hummingbirds

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Rufous Hummingbirds range the farthest north of any hummingbird species even nesting in southern Alaska (photo by Fernando Ortega).

Northern-nesting hummingbirds are migrating now, including Ruby-throated, Rufous, Broad-tailed, and Caliope Hummingbirds. These tiny birds are flying hundreds of miles and more, before arriving and spending time preparing for the next leg of their migration flights farther north – or possibly establishing nesting territories near you. Because flowering plants are at a minimum as northern temperatures warm and plants revive, the center stage for many migrating hummingbirds is our nectar feeders and potted flowering plants as they provide important food, and our landscaping provides resting areas and shelter.

During the long migrations north, the importance of these resources can’t be underestimated. Attracting and benefitting hummingbirds is easy, as long as you live within the range of one or more hummingbird species. Providing sugar-water nectar in a hummingbird feeder is simple: 1) keep it filled, 2) keep it fresh (the nectar); 3) keep it clean (your feeder), and 4) mix your sugar-water nectar at a ratio of 1 part white cane sugar to 4 parts water – the sugar-water mix that is closest to nectar produced by flowers that hummingbird favor.

In addition to nectar, hummingbirds need protein, which they get by feeding on tiny insects and spiders daily. It’s interesting to watch hummingbirds as they hunt; in fact, many times when you see a hummingbird working its way from plant to plant, flower to flower, it may be feeding on tiny bugs hidden among the vegetation and blooms – watch closely. Read more

Wildlife
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