Darton Archery, Black Eagle Arrows, and Conquest Archery staff shooters achieved multiple podium finishes at the 2026 Lancaster Archery Classic. Jacob Slusarz qualified first overall and finished second in Open Pro using Darton's TriTech 35, while other notable winners included Glenn Talley, Todd Ward, and Chloe Nelsen across various divisions.
Kyle Douglas of Team Mathews won first place in the Men's division at the 2026 NFAA Marked 3D National Championships in Redding, California. Team Mathews earned five podium finishes, including victories by Tim Audus in the Senior division and second-place finishes by Beretta McKee and Katelyn Bordwell in the Women's division.
New Mexico archers achieved exceptional results at the 2026 NASP® Western National Bullseye Tournament, with Ashlynn McGinnis finishing 7th nationally and Hugo Hashagen placing 4th among all middle school boys. The state's programs demonstrated significant growth across elementary, middle, and high school divisions with multiple top-50 national finishes.
The Bass Pro Shops and Cabela's Outdoor Fund has surpassed $1 million in grants supporting the National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP®), funding youth archery, outdoor education, and conservation programming. Founded by Johnny Morris, the initiative helps schools access archery equipment and introduces students to outdoor recreation and lifelong conservation values.
Pro archer James "Jimmy" Lutz set a new world record at the 2026 Gator Cup with a score of 719 in the 50-meter, 72-arrow round using Carbon Express Nano PRO RZ 350 arrows, surpassing the previous record of 718 that stood for over a decade.
CCI has been awarded the 2026 Gold Award for Rimfire Ammunition by Tactical Retailer and Shooting Sports Retailer readers. The reader-driven awards recognize CCI's quality, performance, and innovation in rimfire products as the industry's top choice.
German Precision Optics (GPO USA) announced that its GPO CENTURI™ 4-16x44i Super-Compact Riflescope received the 2026 NRA American Hunter Golden Bullseye Award. Owner/CEO Mike Jensen praised the riflescope as a game-changer offering compact, high-magnification performance at an affordable price point.
Federal Ammunition received the 2025 Gold Award for Best Shotshell from readers of Tactical Retailer and Shooting Sports Retailer. The award recognizes Federal's commitment to quality, performance, and innovation across its shotshell product lines, including Gold Medal, Black Cloud, Prairie Storm, and Custom Shop TSS loads.
Whitetails Unlimited granted $13,535 to the Spring Grove Lions High School Clay Target Club in Minnesota through its Staying on Target Program. The co-ed team, established in 2016, serves students from 6th grade through high school seniors and competes in trap and 5 stand disciplines.
WOOX, an Italian-American gunstock manufacturer based in Hickory, NC, has launched the Bravado "Grey Laminate" line of stocks designed for Henry and Marlin lever-action rifles. The precision-engineered stocks feature grey and black laminate construction with adjustable cheek risers and M-LOK compatibility, priced from $329 to $549.
XS Sights now offers fiber optic sights and optic plates for the HK VP9 pistol, featuring USA-made steel construction with advanced fiber optic technology for exceptional daylight brightness. The products include interchangeable fiber optic inserts and CNC-machined optic plates compatible with ACRO and RMR footprint optics.
Wise Arms LLC will continue as a National Sponsor of Whitetails Unlimited, according to WTU President Jeff Schinkten. The Louisiana-based custom firearms manufacturer, founded in 2014, is recognized for producing reliable, safe, and high-performing products using top-of-the-line manufacturing equipment.
NEBO has launched the COLUMBO 400+, a 400-lumen rechargeable penlight and expandable area light featuring Flex-Power Technology, eight light modes, and IPX7 waterproof rating. The compact device offers USB-C or AAA battery power options and includes a magnetic base and steel clip, priced at $34.99.
Real Avid, the leader in DIY for Guns®, offers premium gun cleaning chemicals including Tri-Max® CLP, Bore-Max® Bore Foam, Foul-Out® Gunk Blaster, Gun-Max® Gun Oil, and the new Gun-Max® Grease designed for firearm maintenance and reliability.
The Project ChildSafe Foundation announced winners of its 2026 Safety Sweepstakes, which raised funds for the NSSF's firearm safety education program. Nearly 3,000 donors participated, with prizes including firearms from Colt and Beretta, gun safes, and training courses from Gunsite Academy.
ALPS Mountaineering announces its third consecutive year partnering with Philmont Scout Ranch to support the Wilderness Pledge Achievement Award for Boy Scouts of America. The collaboration promotes environmental stewardship, with proceeds from award sales funding Philmont's sustainability initiatives including recycling efforts and conservation education.
Connecticut Valley Arms/BPI Outdoors will continue its support of Whitetails Unlimited as a national sponsor, announced WTU President Jeff Schinkten. CVA, founded in 1971, manufactures muzzleloading rifles and hunting equipment, emphasizing reliability and value for hunters.
MyOutdoorTV launches the "Just Dropped Channel," a live streaming channel featuring all-new episodes from popular shows including Bone Collector with Michael Waddell, Everything Eichler with Fred Eichler, Jim Shockey's Shock Therapy, MeatEater Hunts, Pigman: The Series, and Tracks Across Africa, available 24/7 to subscribers.
Outdoor Sportsman Group premieres Arctic Untamed, presented by Hornady and Leupold in partnership with Petersen's HUNTING. The film follows David Draper, Seth Swerczek, and Shawn Skipper on a wolf hunting expedition across Canada's Northwest Territories to support barren-ground caribou conservation efforts.
Ralph, Vicki, RJ, and Aubrey Cianciarulo invite viewers to their 26th season of The Choice on Pursuit Channel, beginning May 4th. The family hunts Osceola turkeys in Florida with Browning's Shaundi at Osceola Outfitters, attempting to achieve the Grand Slam in one spring.
FAIR CHASE, as defined by the Boone and Crockett Club, is the ethical, sportsmanlike, and lawful pursuit and taking of any free-ranging wild game animal in a manner that does not give the hunter an improper or unfair advantage over the game animals.
Last month we celebrated Earth Day, but the reality is that hunters have had a deep connection to conservation and our great outdoors for generations. That conservation ethic — grounded with a code of principles called Fair Chase — helped restore America’s wildlife and wild places a century ago and sustain them to this day.
However, the future of hunting and the conservation of wildlife in North America depends on the next generation of hunters upholding these principles. For those new to hunting, spring is the best time to plan for next year’s hunting season, and the Boone and Crockett Club’s online Fair Chase and Hunting Ethics course teaches this foundation before they head to the field.
New hunters in all states need to take a hunter’s education course that provides top level information about our conservation history and teaches about hunting regulations and safety.
In addition, the National Shooting Sports Foundation’s Project ChildSafe has an interactive Future Hunter’s Pledgemodule for parents and kids to go through together to learn and discuss firearm safety and responsible hunting.
The Fair Chase and Hunting Ethics course created by the Boone and Crockett Club adds to these core curriculums. The approximately hour-long module develops a stronger foundation of safety, conservation commitment and ethics that will enhance the individual’s hunting experience while ensuring the future of our hunting traditions.
The free course walks through the experience of two new hunters who learn about the rich tradition of Fair Chase, helping them understand responsible and ethical hunting. Upon successful completion of the course, students receive a certificate of achievement and a free “Hunt Fair Chase” challenge coin to carry with them as a reminder of their commitment to ethical hunting.
“The concept of Fair Chase is just as important today as it was over a century ago,” said Tony Schoonen, chief executive officer of the Boone and Crockett Club. “Most Americans are neither pro-hunting nor anti-hunting, most are on the fence. As hunters, we are all ambassadors for our sport. When we hunt ethically, we will garner more support from the public and help ensure our hunting heritage continues for generations into the future.”
With a degree in wildlife, Jodi Stemler brings a foundation in ecology to her freelance writing and her work as a communications and policy consultant for national hunting conservation organizations, including the Boone and Crockett Club. She lives in Colorado with her husband, daughter, and bird dog and they love to hunt birds and big game across the West.
