Michigan elk hunting proposals would lengthen harvest time

Elk in Northern Lower Michigan

Nov. 4, 2025
Contact: Scott Eggeman, 517-983-8119 or Brent Rudolph, 517-730-8802

The DNR welcomes public feedback on proposals through Jan. 23

Michigan elk hunters would have longer harvest periods for the 2026-27 hunting cycle under draft proposals by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

The proposals would lengthen both elk hunting periods in the northern Lower Peninsula, home to Michigan’s elk herd.

  • Hunt Period 1 would run from the second Saturday in September through the second Sunday in October – a 30-day, continuous period. Currently, Hunt Period 1 is broken up into three, four-day hunts stretching across August and September – 12 total hunting days.
  • Hunt Period 2 would run from Dec. 1 through Dec. 15 – a 15-day period. Currently, Hunt Period 2 runs from Dec. 13 through Dec. 21 – a nine-day period.

Combined, the two hunting periods would provide 45 total days of harvest time, more than double the current 21 total days of harvest time. The proposals, which do not affect the 2025 elk hunting season, must be approved by the Michigan Natural Resources Commission.

In addition to making Hunt Period 1 longer and continuous, the change would move the period later in the season when the weather is generally colder and better for elk hunting. Read more

Hunting

SAF Files Lawsuit Challenging New Jersey Firearms Confiscation

The Second Amendment Foundation (SAF), joined by New Jersey Firearms Owners Syndicate, have filed a new lawsuit challenging the confiscation of a New Jersey resident’s firearms after his wife was involuntarily committed for a mental health evaluation.

The case, Aliaj v. Fort Lee Police Department (FLPD), stems from a language-related misunderstanding at a medical clinic in Englewood, New Jersey. Elsid Aliaj’s pregnant wife sought care for pregnancy-related nausea during which time she made a remark in her second language of English that caused the provider to mistakenly believe she may want to harm herself. She was put on a 72-hour mental health evaluation hold to rule out any danger to herself.

Subsequently, however, officers with the FLPD showed up at the couple’s home and demanded Aliaj turn over his firearms due to his wife’s involuntary admission to the medical facility. Believing he would be arrested if he didn’t comply, Aliaj handed over his firearms, ammunition and accessories. The officers provided no warrant or red flag order which would provide authority for such a seizure because they had none. Since the unlawful seizure, both FLPD officers and local prosecutors have continued to withhold Aliaj’s firearms with no legal justification, and have since doubled down on their unconstitutional conduct by seeking to revoke Aliaj’s New Jersey Firearms Purchaser Identification Card. There are no criminal or prohibiting allegations against Aliaj – merely that his wife may be prohibited.

“The actions by the Fort Lee Police Department and the Bergen County Prosecutor’s office are absolutely unconstitutional,” said SAF Executive Director Adam Kraut. Read more

Gun Control

Save Big on Smith & Wesson Long Guns This Holiday Season

Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc. (NASDAQ Global Select: SWBI), a leader in firearm manufacturing and design, today announced the launch of its Long Gun Holiday Rebate, aimed to provide our valued customers exceptional savings this holiday season.

From November 1, 2025, to December 31, 2025, customers who purchase a new eligible Smith & Wesson long gun will have the chance to receive a prepaid card valued at $50 for select M&P®15-22 rifles, $75 for select M&P FPC® and S&W® Response® carbines, or $100 for select M&P15 and M&P10 models. Whether you’re looking for a reliable MSR platform, a pistol-caliber carbine to complement your 9mm sidearm, or even a new .22LR rifle for training – you won’t want to miss this chance to save big with Smith & Wesson!

This limited time offer allows purchasers to claim one prepaid card per each new qualifying Smith & Wesson firearm bought during the promotional period. To qualify, the firearm must be purchased and transferred through a Federal Firearm Licensee within the specified dates. This offer must be redeemed online. For more details on eligible firearms and the rebate process, please visit www.smith-wesson.com/rebates.

Firearms

Springfield Armory Announces Launch of Gear Pac

Featuring an added retail value of up to $375, Springfield Armory® is proud to announce the launch of Gear Pac®. Offered with the company’s most popular handgun models, Gear Pac bundles optics and accessories for an unbeatable value. No redemption process is necessary to access it.

Each Gear Pac comes with four total magazines, a Viridian® RFX11 green dot optic and a premium pistol bag—coming up to a total value of up to $375. Available models include Hellcat®, Echelon®, 1911 and 1911 DS series handguns. All optics are mounted and ready for the range. Gear Pac SKU’s are permanent catalog offerings with no redemption necessary, providing instant value for customers.

Each Gear Pac handgun comes with a factory-installed Viridian RFX11 green dot sight for fast, intuitive aiming. With an MSRP of $229.99, the RFX11 offers a rugged yet lightweight design with IPX4 water-resistance and a high-strength polymer housing. The reflex optic features Instant-On® technology with an ambient light sensor and auto shut off to protect battery life. The unit is rated for 30k hours of runtime off of the included CR2032 battery. The result is a compact yet capable defensive green dot for the optics-ready pistol of your choice.

To securely hold and protect your optics-equipped Springfield pistol as well as the included four magazines, the Gear Pac’s premium pistol bag gives you a high-quality, heavy-duty nylon zippered case that has storage compartments for your gun and gear.

“Gear Pac offers firearms enthusiasts an opportunity to gain even more value with their purchase,” said Drew Herbst, Springfield Armory’s National Sales & Law Enforcement Manager. “The addition of a factory-mounted optic as well as four total magazines and a bag for carrying it all makes this an unbeatable deal.”

For more information on Gear Pac, please visit www.gearpac.com. Read more

Firearms, Optics

Once-in-a-Lifetime Chevy Outdoorsman K10 and Matching Winchester Rifle Anchor November Collector’s Elite Auctions

There are finds that make the hair on the back of a collector’s neck stand up. Objects that do more than survive time; they keep a story intact. The November Collector’s Elite Auctions lot brings one of those finds to market — the 1985 Chevrolet K10 4×4 Outdoorsman, a museum-grade survivor that pairs with a matching Winchester to complete a near-impossible period package. Around it sits a roster of rare firearms that range from frontier romance to exhibition-grade European engraving. Together they form a month’s offering that reads like a collector’s cabinet of curiosities.

This is a moment for provenance worshippers and history hunters. If you prize originality, paper trails, and objects that still smell faintly of their era, read on.

1985 Chevrolet K10 4×4 Outdoorsman (with complete Outdoorsman contents)

There are rare trucks, and then there is this. Bryant Ridge Co. offers one of the purest, most complete examples of the 1985 Chevrolet K10 Outdoorsman known to exist. With 79,973 original miles, original Colorado Gold finish, and the fabled MM7 four-speed manual transmission with overdrive, this K10 is less restored icon and more time capsule.

What elevates it beyond other square body survivors is completeness. The truck is accompanied by the original dealer invoice, factory pamphlets and manual, and the full Outdoorsman complement in new old stock condition: Winchester 94 XTR .30-30 with box and papers, Doskocil carrying case with box, Tasco 4×32 scope and shooting glasses with boxes, vintage Winchester red cap, Field & Stream ad, original rifle rack, and more. The engine bay stickers remain legible. The original smog pump and valves are intact. The undercarriage shows benign brown patina not corrosion. Only two known nonfactory items have been added: a passenger-side auxiliary fuel tank and a dash pad cover added to preserve the original dash.

RPO codes and factory options read like a who’s who of desirable kit: G80 locking rear differential, UA1 heavy-duty battery, Z53 full gauge package, LE9 5.0L V8, A28 sliding rear window, and notably, 8N5 Outdoorsman package. This truck runs and drives smoothly. For the collector who prizes provenance and originality, this K10 is a once-in-a-generation offering. Read more

Contests, Firearms

Donate a Doe – or Some Dough – to Help Michiganders in Need

Help fight hunger and ensure Michiganders have access to a nutritious protein source when they need it the most by contributing to the DNR’s Hunters Feeding Michigan program.

The program makes a positive difference in communities across Michigan, connecting hunters, wild game processors and charities to feed those in need.

Hunters can share their harvest by donating their deer at a participating processor or by taking part in Hunters Feeding Michigan deer donation drives. We’ll be taking deer donations in several locations across the state – including Clare, Eau Claire, Escanaba, Gaylord, Howard City, Linwood and Sterling Heights – Nov. 21-23. Read more

Hunting

FPC Asks Supreme Court to Strike Down Illinois Carry Ban on Self-Defense on Public Transportation

Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) announced that a petition for a writ of certiorari has been filed with the Supreme Court of the United States in Schoenthal v. Raoul, an FPC-backed lawsuit asking the Court to overturn the Seventh Circuit’s dangerous decision upholding Illinois’s ban on carrying firearms on public transportation. The appellate court’s ruling, the petition explains, shreds the clear command of the Constitution and defies the Supreme Court’s Second Amendment precedents.

The Seventh Circuit wrongly declared that buses and trains are “sensitive places” where Illinois can disarm peaceable people by decree. But the right to bear arms for self-defense does not vanish the moment a citizen boards a bus or subway. Millions of Americans rely on public transportation every day—and they don’t surrender their rights when they do. The Supreme Court’s review is urgently needed to restore clarity, reaffirm the Constitution, and end the lower courts’ retreat from fundamental liberties.

“The Seventh Circuit’s dangerous opinion was legally, historically, and morally wrong,” said FPC President Brandon Combs. “The Supreme Court must step in and make clear that the right to bear arms for self-defense doesn’t stop when you step onto a bus, train, or subway.” Read more

Gun Control

Flux Defense Antimatter Scopeswitch 2.0

Elevate your shooting experience with the new Scopeswitch 2.0, a game-changing device that combines rapid magnification adjustment with unmatched durability and versatility.

Salt Lake City, Utah — Flux Defense, a leader in advanced firearm accessories, is proud to announce the launch of the Antimatter Scopeswitch 2.0, the latest evolution in scope control technology. Designed for armed professionals, hunters, and competitive shooters alike, the Scopeswitch 2.0 offers a seamless way to control magnification while maintaining full engagement with your target. Read more

Optics

Trophy Scan Launches FREE App

Trophy Scan, the most innovative scoring technology in the hunting industry, has just launched an upgraded version of its mobile app – now available free to download on the Apple App Store.

This latest update gives hunters the ability to scan, score, store and share their trophies faster and easier than ever before, delivering instant, accurate scoring right from the field. Using your phone’s camera, Trophy Scan creates a precise 3D model of your Whitetail, Mule Deer, or Elk in minutes – providing a reliable, repeatable digital score that takes the guesswork out of traditional measuring. Stop Guessing. Start Scoring.

Scan. Score. Store. Share.

With Trophy Scan, every hunter can now: Read more

Hunting

SAF, Partners File Amicus in Case Challenging Firearm Possession Ban by Marijuana Users

BELLEVUE, Wash. — — The Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) and its partners have filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court urging the court to grant certiorari in Harris v. United States, a case challenging the federal ban on firearm possession by individuals who use marijuana.

SAF is joined in the amicus filing by the California Rifle & Pistol Association, Second Amendment Law Center, Operation Blazing Sword–Pink Pistols, Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus and Minnesota Gun Owners Law Center.

“The Third Circuit’s ruling defies Bruen and Rahimi by upholding a lifetime disarmament of sober citizens who occasionally use a substance – marijuana – that is now legal to various extents in 40 states and socially accepted by a supermajority of Americans,” said SAF Director of Legal Research and Education Kostas Moros. “History shows that Founding-era laws addressed the danger of mixing alcohol and firearms by temporarily disarming the actively intoxicated, never by stripping gun rights from anyone who simply drank in moderation. The Third Circuit ignored this close historical analogue and instead relied on remote comparisons to laws disarming the ‘furiously mad.’ We urge the Court to intervene and restore the proper Bruen framework.”

While the Supreme Court has recently granted cert in another marijuana-related case, U.S. v. Hemani, that case involves harder drugs than marijuana and other unusual facts, and the brief urges the Court to hear this case alongside it. Read more

Gun Control
1 … 76 77 78 79 80 … 2,052