Articles
Dove
How to Prep for Dove Season
My birthday falls at the beginning of September, which just so happens to coincide with the dove season opener in North Carolina. As a kid, I assumed dove season was just part of celebrating my birthday. As an adult, I have fully embraced the start of hunting season as a pretty good way to celebrate...
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Public Lands & Waters
The USFS Wants to Rescind the Roadless Rule, Speak Up Now
On August 18, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) has filed a proposed rule to rescind the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule. The announcement claims the rescission is due to the fact that the rule “exacerbates rising wildfire risk.” The Wildfire...
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Elk
31-Day Elk Hunt: Part 2, Bad Luck and Good Buddies
This is the second installment of a three-part elk hunting story by FHF founder, Paul Lewis. Stay tuned for the last segment or read the first here. On the morning of September 13th, I slipped into the river bottom, only to bump the herd and listen to them splash across the river. I stumbled across...
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Conservation News
Governor Walz is Trying to Block Mining in the Boundary Waters. Will it Work?
There’s good news for the conservation of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness—but will it last? Earlier this week, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz issued an executive order to enhance the protection of the Boundary Waters. The order is particularly concerned with mining leases and permitting in...
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Gear
Ask Wired to Hunt: Mechanical or Fixed Blade Broadheads?
Question: Should I use a mechanical or fixed blade broadhead, and what brands do you recommend? Answer: If I had a dollar for every time I’ve been asked this question, I could probably start manufacturing my own broadheads. Back when I was more of a fixture on the seminar circuit, I fielded this...
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Public Lands & Waters
Fisherman Discovered Two Friends Entombed in Car for 45 Years in Wisconsin Lake: Part Two
This is the second of two articles on the haunting disappearance of two Wisconsin hunting/fishing buddies who vanished in February 1961. Their remains weren’t found until July 2006, trapped inside their upside-down car on the bottom of Lake Waubesa near Madison. After two Wisconsin hunting and...
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Manage
Is CWD A Silent Fawn Killer?
If there’s one disease that needs no introduction in the whitetail world, it’s CWD. Since its first detection in wild deer herds, chronic wasting disease has been a constant source of contention and uncertainty within the hunting community. Studies have repeatedly shown that a high prevalence of...
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Wildlife Management
Hunter Sets Florida Python Challenge Record with 96 Snakes
The results are finally in from Florida's annual Python Challenge, and one hunter put together a performance unlike anything the competition has seen before. Held July 10-19, the 10 day event drew more than 900 participants from across the U.S. and beyond, all with the same goal: remove as many...
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Firearms
Are Suppressors Now Legal to Buy Over the Counter? Sort Of. Here’s What You Need to Know.
The nation’s two biggest suppressor dealers allowed customers to walk into their stores yesterday, purchase suppressors, and walk out with them. No fingerprints. No $200 tax. No wait time. They bought gun mufflers like they would firearms, passed instant background checks, and left. And they didn’t...
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Gun Reviews
Franchi .308 MULE Review: A Workhorse Rifle That Breaks the Rules
Hunting rifles of the last century often earned praise for their utility across multiple hunting seasons or big game pursuits. The same rifle a hunter might use in sheep country would have served him just as well in the big woods back East. Would it have been perfect for either scenario? No, but...
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Elk
31-Day Elk Hunt: Part 1, Family Ties
This is the first instalment of a three-part elk hunting story by FHF founder, Paul Lewis. Stay tuned for the next two segments. The silence was the worst part. Not the sudden silence of elk themselves, but the silence right after the shot, that sudden crushing, anxiety-filled pit in my stomach. For...
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Gear
The Best Elk Calls for Every Situation According to Jason Phelps
Elk hunting requires a lot of physical preparation, a healthy dosage of grit, and a few good elk calls. Here at MeatEater, it’s no surprise that we’re fans of Phelps Game Calls, and that’s exactly what we use to chase bugles through the mountains each September. Whether you’re looking for a bugle...
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Elk
The Anatomy and Ethics of the Elk Frontal Shot
I first heard about the frontal shot on an elk from a friend and watched a few clips on YouTube to try and learn more about it. My interest was peaked, but the shot still seemed risky to me. Shooting right at the chest of an elk doesn’t seem to leave much margin for error. Not to mention, in my...
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Gear
A Beginner's Guide to Trail Cameras
Trail cameras have become a staple for whitetail hunters, especially over the past decade. Where legal, they can be handy tools for locating and hunting deer or other game animals. They’re especially effective if you’re interested in targeting a specific size or age structure of deer (i.e. a target...
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Public Lands & Waters
Record-Low Water Levels Spur New Colorado River Management Plan
On July 31, the Bureau of Reclamation released the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the future management of the Colorado River through Lake Powell and Lake Mead. This 10-year plan will replace the 2007 operating guidelines currently in effect. This marks the first instance of the...
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