Early Ice Techniques

Each year, as the open-water fishing season winds down, ice-fishing fanatics eagerly await the lakes to freeze. No matter what date it’s finally safe to go, Wisconsin guides Jesse Quale of Green Water Walleyes Guide Service and Captain Troy Peterson of Mr. Bluegill Guide Service will be there immediately, as they both agree that early-season ice is generally the best ice fishing of the year.
Why Go Early?
The early bird gets the worm in many instances, and both guides say that can be the case for ice fishing. While it can be good all winter, both say there is something unique about early ice.

CLICK TO READ MORE //

Wildlife Caught on Camera

From the Boone and Crockett Club

Elk Hijinks on the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Ranch

In northwest Montana, the Club’s Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Ranch (TRMR) provides habitat for ungulates like mule deer, whitetails, moose, pronghorn, and the ever-endearing Rocky Mountain elk. And yes, the ranch is open to the public for hunting.

Enrolled in Montana’s Block Management program, the TRMR sits in hunting district 441. Over-the-counter elk tags can be used during archery season for bulls and cows. Rifle season requires a special permit. You do need permission to hunt the ranch prior to your hunt, and the details are available by clicking this link for BMA #77. Hunters typically harvest 8-12 elk from the ranch each year.

In the fall, the TRMR will typically hold around 300 elk, but the elk like it here year-round. They will branch off in June to drop their calves, then bunch up into herds of 30-100 in the summer months. They consistently move from mountain (sub-alpine) levels to prairie flatlands throughout warm/dry and cold/snowy weather cycles.

Alongside these elk herds, the TRMR hosts educational youth camps at the Rasmuson Wildlife Center throughout the summer. The ranch is the perfect base camp for Scout expeditions and hunter education classes. Scattered throughout the ranch are dozens of trail cameras set in key locations, which take thousands of shots every year. This is just a small sampling of what the elk are up to throughout the year.

 

Hundreds of seasonal park worker positions available in Michigan

Join our dynamic team of 1,300 summer park workers and spend your season in Michigan state parks, boating facilities and other outdoor spaces!

You’ll play a vital role in park operations, directly contributing to the visitor experience by welcoming guests, registering campers and ensuring the upkeep of our facilities through essential tasks like cleaning and grounds maintenance.

Beyond earning a starting hourly rate of $15.50, you’ll connect with nature, meet incredible people and gain valuable skills in customer service, teamwork and outdoor recreation.

Apply now! It takes less than five minutes to complete the online interest form.

Express interest now ?

To learn about other short-term, part-time and full-time job opportunities, visit Michigan.gov/DNRJobs.

Mystery Solved: Elusive Cougar Cubs Documented Again in Michigan

Nine months after two cougar kittens were documented in the Upper Peninsula, a new trail camera photo indicates the elusive animals are still alive and living with their mother.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources verified the Dec. 6 photo of an adult cougar being followed by two kittens down a snowy trail in central Ontonagon County. The last time the kittens were documented – in early March – they were only about two months old and their mother was nowhere in sight, raising concerns about the kittens’ survival.

But the newly verified photo shows an adult cougar with two juvenile cougars that appear to be about a year old, according to Brian Roell, the DNR’s large carnivore specialist.

Michigan is home to very few cougars and genetic testing has confirmed the existence of only adult males. The new photo suggests one of the first instances of cougar reproduction to take place outside the cougars’ core area in the Western states.

“This is a historic confirmation for Michigan since it is the first time in over 100 years that verified cougar reproduction has occurred east of the Mississippi River and possible even east of the Missouri River,” Roell said.

A private landowner sent the trail camera photo of the cougars to the DNR on Sunday, Dec. 14. Roell verified the site of the photo Monday and the DNR’s cougar team confirmed the photo Tuesday by enhancing the nighttime image to verify the existence of the three cougars. The sex of the kittens is unknown. Read more

POF-USA Announces Limited Edition Goldberg Rogue Rifle

Phoenix, Ariz. – Patriot Ordnance Factory Inc. (POF-USA), a premier provider and manufacturer of the finest AR-type rifles in the world, has announced the release of a limited production Goldberg “Jack Hammer” Rogue .308 rifle, a special edition based on professional athlete and firearms enthusiast Bill Goldberg’s personal Rogue rifle.

This special edition rifle features exclusive black and burnt bronze Cerakote artwork by CGC Cerakote and includes a certificate of authenticity autographed by Bill Goldberg. The Goldberg Rogue is offered in a 13.75-inch pinned-and-welded configuration and is part of a limited production run of 100.

The Goldberg Rogue is built on POF-USA’s lightweight Rogue platform, originally developed to create one of the lightest .308 semi-automatic rifles on the market without relying on excessive lightening cuts. The result is a sub-6-pound .308 rifle that combines portability with patented POF-USA engineering.

Key features of the Limited-Edition Jack Hammer Goldberg Rogue include: Read more

Smith & Wesson Model 1854 Now Available in 360 Buckhammer

Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc. (NASDAQ Global Select: SWBI), a leader in firearm manufacturing and design, announces today the release of the Model 1854, chambered in 360 Buckhammer.

Introduced in 2023, the straight-walled 360 Buckhammer cartridge was specifically designed for deer hunting and optimized for lever-action rifles. When paired with the Model 1854 series, this combination provides the perfect hunting package for those who value tradition, performance, and innovation. Comparable to existing Model 1854 rifles chambered in .45-70 Government and .30-30 WIN, this new offering features a 6+1 capacity, a forged 416 stainless steel receiver with a side loading gate, and a 20-inch 410 stainless steel barrel that includes a 5/8-24 thread pattern for suppressor capability. Its large loop lever is designed for smooth operation, allowing for quicker follow-up shots, while the flat trigger design aids in reliable finger placement, supporting improved accuracy.

The Model 1854 360 Buckhammer comes equipped with several out-of-the-box features, including a Picatinny-style base for optics mounting, an adjustable XS Sights® ghost ring rear sight, a gold bead front sight, and a fixed magazine tube. The forend on this stainless-steel model offers three M-LOK® compatible slots for the user’s preferred accessories and integrated mounts for the addition of a sling. Read more

Henry Repeating Arms Commemorates America’s 250th Anniversary with an Ultra-Limited Heirloom Rifle

As the United States of America nears its 250th anniversary, Henry Repeating Arms is announcing the release of The Spirit of ’76 Semiquincentennial Edition, a museum-grade, limited-edition rifle honoring the nation’s founding and the ideals that shaped it. Limited to just 250 rifles, this exclusive offering stands among the most refined and historically significant firearms ever produced by the company.

The rifle is built on the legendary New Original Henry platform, a line-for-line reproduction of the world’s first lever-action rifle patented by Benjamin Tyler Henry in 1860, save for the modifications needed to accommodate the more modern .44-40 WCF cartridge it’s chambered for.

At the heart of the rifle is a nickel-plated brass receiver, fully engraved and selectively highlighted in 24-karat gold, serving as a canvas for a sweeping visual narrative of the American Revolution. The engravings depict pivotal moments and enduring symbols of independence, including Revolutionary War battlefield scenes, Independence Hall, the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the Betsy Ross flag, a majestic bald eagle, and an engraved rendering of the battle sword carried by George Washington.

The rifle is fitted with a polished blued steel one-piece octagon barrel and 13-round magazine tube, and features a buttstock crafted from hand-selected rosewood, personally chosen by Henry Repeating Arms Founder and CEO Anthony Imperato for its richness and character. Completing the rifle is a nickel-plated brass crescent buttplate with a period-correct trapdoor, underscoring the historical authenticity of the design.

“This extraordinary country that we are so privileged to live and do business in was founded by ordinary people with an unshakable belief in their God-given right to freedom,” said Imperato. “With this rifle, we wanted to create something that honors their courage and conviction. Something worthy of being preserved, passed down, and remembered long after this anniversary has passed.”

Each rifle is individually serialized from USA250TH001 to USA250TH250 and is only available factory-direct for $4,115. For more information about The Spirit of ’76 Semiquincentennial Edition and to stay updated on Henry Repeating Arms’ future plans for America’s 250th anniversary, visit www.HenryUSA.com. Read more

Snowmobile Trail Section Closed in Western UP, Reroute Sought

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has closed a section of Snowmobile Trail UP16 in Iron and Dickinson counties, due to a change in private land access. The closure prevents a community trail connection between Crystal Falls and Sagola.

“We are exploring possible reroutes but have no good options currently,” said Carly Graff, western Upper Peninsula trails specialist with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

The affected closed section of trail covers six miles from the Michigamme River, along M-69 in Iron County to the village of Sagola in Dickinson County.

The trail will remain open from the Michi-Aho Resort, situated on the west side of the Michigamme River, west to the intersection of trail UP111, Crystal Falls and Iron River. Read more

Barnes Bullets & Sierra Bullets Announce Launch of TrueData Ballistic Calculator

Barnes Bullets and Sierra Bullets are excited to announce the launch of its new Ballistic Calculator, TrueData™. With Doppler-verified ballistics, precise environmental inputs and tools that match real-world performance, TrueData™ equips hunters and shooters with the ability to make confident shot decisions and achieve data-driven accuracy. Visit the websites at www.barnesbullets.com and www.sierrabullets.com to learn more about the app.

“2025 was a big year for product development at both Sierra and Barnes. We listened, we worked hard and in 2026 we are bringing products to the market that consumers have been shouting for. TrueData is no different! This app has been a long time coming – we built, we tested, we refined and we think this app is the most complete and user-friendly ballistic calculator available. We ask that everyone download it, put it through the paces and submit feedback to help us make this thing even better,” said Andrew Sparks, Vice President of Marketing & Business Development.

TrueData™ is available for free on both Apple and Android stores and can be found by searching for “TrueData Ballistics” in the relevant app store.

Key features include:

  • Doppler-Verified Ballistic Library: Instant access to accurate, Doppler-verified data for Sierra & Barnes Bullets. Select from multiple drag models, including Doppler-measured curves for supported bullets. These curves capture true bullet behavior across the flight path far beyond the approximations of G1 or G7. With 80+ Doppler profiles and ongoing expansion, the solver adapts to exact projectiles. G1/G7 values autofill for all bullets where Doppler data is not yet available.
    • Ammunition Library: Detailed ballistic profiles for Barnes factory-loaded ammunition.

Read more

SAF Files Amicus Challenging Lifetime Firearm Ban

The Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) and its partners have filed an amicus brief with the Third Circuit Court of Appeals in a case challenging the federal lifetime ban on firearm possession as applied to an individual with a decades-old misdemeanor DUI conviction.

The case, Williams v. Attorney General of the United States, will be argued before an en banc panel in February. SAF is joined in the amicus filing by the California Rifle & Pistol Association, Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms and Second Amendment Law Center.

“The government’s position defies Bruen and Rahimi by seeking to impose a permanent disarmament on a law-abiding citizen based solely on a nonviolent misdemeanor from 20 years ago, with no evidence of ongoing danger,” said SAF Director of Legal Research and Education Kostas Moros. “History shows that Founding-era laws addressed the risks of intoxication and firearms through temporary restrictions on those currently impaired, never by stripping gun rights forever from someone who once drank irresponsibly but has since reformed. We urge the Court to reject this overreach and affirm the district court’s ruling.”

If the Third Circuit rules in favor of Mr. Williams, it could have major implications for many others who are disarmed due to similar convictions. Read more

1 27 28 29 30 31 2,022