MidwayUSA Foundation Offers Over 100 Prizes Through Its Annual Hometown Challenge Sweepstakes

Columbia, MO – MidwayUSA Foundation is once again hosting its Hometown Challenge Sweepstakes, an annual donation drive that offers over 100 sponsor-donated prizes to supporters of youth shooting sports. Donations of $20 or more, made between September 1-30 to a MidwayUSA Foundation youth shooting team endowment, will not only be matched but will also qualify for an entry into the sweepstakes prize drawing. The continued generosity of industry sponsors through product donations makes Hometown Challenge one of the Foundation’s most successful fundraisers for youth shooting teams each year.

“Our Hometown Challenge Sweepstakes allows us to showcase the great partnerships we have with industry retailers that know the importance of investing in youth shooting sports,” said MidwayUSA Foundation Executive Director Pete Eisentrager. “We’re proud to offer our donors the chance at winning a Big Frig Badlands cooler or a Vortex Optics Sparc Red Dot just by supporting their favorite youth shooting team.” Other quality prizes offered this month include a SoLo .22LR Certificate from Silencer Central, the new Take Aim Shot Tracker, a Volquartsen Black Mamba Pistol, a Ruger 10/22 Carbine, and several products from Mantis. The value of prizes offered through the Hometown Challenge Sweepstakes is over $30,000. Every $20 contribution increment qualifies as an entry; multiple entries are encouraged.

In addition to donors winning sweepstakes prizes, youth shooting teams that receive the most donation dollars during MidwayUSA Foundation’s Hometown Challenge can win additional funds to benefit their team endowment. Like all donations to MidwayUSA Foundation, the donor can choose the youth shooting team that benefits from their gift.

The top 5 fundraising teams will be awarded the following endowment dollars:

1st: $15,000
2nd: $12,500
3rd: $10,000

4th: $ 7,500
5th: $ 5,000 Read more

Contests

SAF Secures Partial Victory in New Jersey Sensitive Places Lawsuit

The Third Circuit Court of Appeals handed the Second Amendment Foundation and its partners a partial victory today in a case challenging New Jersey’s “Sensitive Places Law” but left in place carry restrictions for many public areas.

The case, Koons v. Platkin, challenges New Jersey law that create a series of “sensitive places” in which even permitted concealed carriers are prohibited from carrying their firearms. Those places create a patchwork of overlapping categories such as public gatherings, zoos, parks, beaches, recreation facilities, and more, intended to encompass nearly every square inch of the state.

In the partial victory, the Third Circuit upheld the preliminary injunction SAF won at the district court for some of these categories: youth sports events, private vehicles, public property and private property without the owners express consent. The Court also upheld the injunctions against a tax on the states carry permit, and a liability insurance mandate.

“Today, a panel of the Third Circuit concluded that ‘the People’ have the fundamental right to bear arms in public, with the minor caveat they simply can’t do so where people assemble with others, eat and drink, conduct commerce, discuss opinions, seek amusement and recreation, learn, worship, travel on public transit, seek leisure or community, and anywhere children or vulnerable people are normally present,” said SAF Director of Legal Operations Bill Sack. “And even then, in the remaining social wastelands leftover which the court grudgingly allows, one may only carry a firearm for self-defense if they have first secured the subjective endorsement of at least four ‘reputable’ persons. This treatment would not be tolerated in the context of any other constitutional right, and it should not be so here.” Read more

Gun Control

Bond Arms DT47: A Collector’s Firearm

Granbury, TX —Bond Arms continues to honor pivotal moments in American history with the DT47, a limited-edition firearm celebrating the inauguration of Donald J. Trump as the 47th President of the United States.

The DT47 features a 4.25-inch flat-sided barrel, engraved on both sides with intricate designs that capture the spirit of patriotism and victory. Chambered in .45 Colt/.410, this firearm delivers the versatility and precision Bond Arms is known for, paired with a comfortable B6 grip for excellent handling.

Available at its regular MSRP of $645.47, the DT47 offers collectors and firearm enthusiasts a rare opportunity to own a piece of history. With its distinctive engravings and limited availability, this model is designed to be both a display-worthy collector’s item and a functional addition to the range.

The DT47 isn’t just a firearm—it’s a tribute to a defining moment in America’s story and a

symbol of craftsmanship and heritage.

Firearms

Boone and Crockett Club Research Identifies Dark Figure and Conservation Cost of Poaching in the U.S.

Media contact: Jodi Stemler, 703-915-1386, jstemler@boone-crockett.org

Missoula, Mont. –—At a press conference held in Washington, DC, today, the Boone and Crockett Club announced the findings of the most comprehensive research project on poaching in this country. Using a Bayesian statistical framework, the Poach and Pay research determined that only about 4% of poaching incidents are detected. Setting a conservative estimate of what criminologists refer to as the “Dark Figure” of crimes that are undetected or unreported at 95%, the research found that the minimum conservation cost of poaching through lost fines and replacement costs for animals is $1.4 billion annually. The research also outlines the results of detailed interviews with stakeholders, typologies of poachers, barriers to prosecution of wildlife crime, and outlines specific actions that can be taken to reduce the amount of poaching in this country. The Boone and Crockett Club and partners will continue the Poach and Pay project to implement these actions with the goal of reducing the dark figure of poaching.

“We have long known that poaching is a major problem in the United States, but we didn’t truly understand the magnitude of the problem until this Poach and Pay research,” noted Boone and Crockett Club chief executive officer Tony A. Schoonen in his comments at the press conference. “With this defensible assessment of the Dark Figure, we can clearly describe the conservation cost of poaching and prove that poaching is not a victimless crime—not only do we lose individual wildlife, we are also losing a valuable public resource with a high cost.” Read more

Poachers

SAF Files MSJ in Challenge to Caretaker Gun Ban

BELLEVUE, Wash. —— Attorneys representing the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) have filed a motion for summary judgment in its lawsuit challenging Illinois law that bans firearms in homes licensed to provide foster or day care.

The Foster Home and Day Care Home Rules and statutes in Illinois ban adults licensed to foster parent or provide day care in their own homes from keeping functional firearms for self-defense, even if they are otherwise allowed to possess them.

“Being a caretaker does not come at the expense of your fundamental rights,” said SAF Director of Legal Operations Bill Sack. “The constitutional analysis is no different here than for any other type of gun control. The burden is on the state to prove a historical tradition of similar regulation at the time of the Founding, and that tradition simply does not exist.” Read more

Gun Control

FN Awarded DoD Contract for Additional M240/M249 Machine Gun Barrels

(McLean, VA) FN America, LLC, is pleased to announce that the company has been awarded an additional $6.9m in orders for M240 and M249 machine gun barrels spread across nine deliveries by the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DoD) Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Land and Maritime.

“The contract to provide these barrels for M240 and M249 machine guns is a testament to our partnership with the U.S. DoD, which dates back nearly five decades,” said Mark Cherpes, President and CEO for FN America, LLC. “We are honored to support the U.S. military with the highest-quality cold hammer-forged barrels. The durability and accuracy of FN barrels provide our servicemen and women with the most effective and highest-performing products available.” Read more

Firearms

Experience Unparalleled Durability with the Millennium Buck Hut Magnum

Pearl, MS – The Buck Hut Magnum from Millennium Treestands® is a water-resistant soft shell hut designed for the modern hunter, delivering unparalleled durability, versatility, and comfort in the field.

Incorporating tough, water-resistant soft shell material and durable powder-coated steel design, the Buck Hut Magnum is constructed to tackle the roughest hunting conditions – season after season. The blind is designed not to spook game animals, featuring 14 black windows and a black interior. Suitable for bows, crossbows, and firearms, each window utilizes an adjustable height shooting rest for rock-solid shots. Additionally, it boasts a roomy interior and 7-foot height, making it ideal for standing shots with a bow.

Its sturdy tower features two adjustable legs to guarantee stability on any terrain. Lastly, the Buck Hut Magnum has a removable platform pad that can be removed during hot weather or added to provide extra warmth for those cold winter hunts.

Buck Hut Magnum Read more

Hunting

Ohio’s Sandhill Crane Count Shows Increasing Population

Volunteer observers reported 428 sandhill cranes in Ohio during the 2025 Midwest Crane Count, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. The count was coordinated by the Division of Wildlife, International Crane Foundation, and Ohio Bird Conservation Initiative.

During the 2024 count, volunteers observed 412 cranes. The 2025 results show a 4% increase in reports in one year. Volunteers surveyed 31 counties this year and found cranes in 24 of them. The five counties with the most sandhill cranes reported during the 2025 count were Wayne (101), Lucas (97), Ottawa (59), Geauga (51), and Sandusky (19).

The inaugural Midwest Crane Count was in 2021 and has grown in each ensuing year. This was the fifth year for the count. Ohio’s count results, by year: Read more

Wildlife

GunBroker, Savage Arms Team Up to Offer Chances to Win Precision Backcountry Rifles

GunBroker, Savage Arms Team Up to Offer Chances to Win Precision Backcountry Rifles

With hunting season right around the corner, Savage Arms and GunBroker.com kick off the Savage Arms Precision Backcountry Hunting Sweepstakes by GunBroker, giving hunters the chance to win one of four rifles tailored for big-game pursuits. Entries are open now through Sept. 30, and participants can return daily for bonus entries that boost their odds of winning.

“Backcountry hunts demand preparation, reliable gear and confidence,” said Beth Shimanski, Savage Arms VP of Marketing. “The 110 High Country and Axis 2 Pro Woodland deliver the accuracy and rugged finishes serious hunters demand. We’re excited to partner with GunBroker to put these rifles in the hands of four lucky winners just in time for fall.”

“GunBroker’s community lives for days in the field,” said Allen Forkner, vice president of PR and brand management at GunBroker.com. “This sweepstakes helps hunters gear up with proven Savage platforms and reminds everyone to come back every day in September for bonus entries.” Read more

Contests, Firearms

Michigan Forest Association Stands Ready to Help Landowners

Around 400,000 people in Michigan own land with trees on it. These forests may be small woodlots where families live, or larger forests up north used for recreation or investment. Collectively these “family forest landowners” manage 9 million acres, which comprises almost half of Michigan’s 20 million acres of forest and more than double the 4 million acres of state-owned forest land.

Taking good care of a forest is hard work and some guidance is helpful for any landowner. Many people, programs, agencies and organizations in Michigan serve family forest landowners, but how can any of them help 400,000 people with woodlands in all 83 counties?

Public-private partnerships are when the government works with the private sector to solve a complex problem together. Helping 400,000 family forest landowners is certainly a team sport with many agencies and organizations working together. One growing partnership is the collaboration between the Department of Natural Resources and the Michigan Forest Association. It is made possible with generous funding from the USDA Forest Service.

What is the Michigan Forest Association? Read more

Wildlife
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