Montana officials are warning residents and visitors of unusually high bear activity, resulting from two key factors: drought conditions and a failed berry flush. According to a recent Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) press release, bear specialists across the state have been receiving reports of “bears that should be foraging for berries in the mountains…getting into trouble around homes and communities looking for something to eat.”What’s pushing grizzly and black bears away from their typical habitats for this time of the year stems from a below-average snowpack. “We started seeing spring green-up in January and February, and the bears…

Ask any angler about their favorite lures, and most of them will have a jerkbait at the top of their list. These versatile lures work for everything from panfish to muskie. Jerkbaits rose to prominence after anglers realized these lures could consistently outperform live bait, completely changing the face of angling. Despite their popularity, most anglers don’t know how to fully work them.Jerkbaits are more than a simple cast and crank lure—they’re versatile tools. With the right technique, you can use jerkbaits to catch fish throughout the entire water column. Here are a few ways to use them to catch…

Earlier this year, we attended Range Ready’s “Plinkapalooza,” a celebration of all things rimfire. There were head-to-head shoot offs, challenges and incredible feats of marksmanship on display, with most firearms chambered in .22 LR, but also some .17 HMR and .22 Mag. represented. Firearms, in semi-automatic pistol, revolver and rifle, were plentiful, as well as various ammunition offerings and sound suppressors. We even saw a few brand-new products unveiled. One of the companies present was Banish Suppressors, which brought not only a number of its Banish 22 suppressors but also a pair of new .223 Rem.-capable suppressors. These are of…

While Steiner is known for its magnified sights and binoculars, like every firearm optics company, the company also makes electronic red-dot sights. Steiner’s handgun series is the Micro Pistol Sight (MPS) first introduced in 2021. New for 2026, the company is updating the optic with the MPS 2.0. The Steiner MPS 2.0 is the newest generation of the company’s Micro Pistol Sight, originally introduced in 2021. MPS optics are closed emitter miniature red-dot sights designed for use on handguns. Popular with law enforcement and military users, Steiner sought to make a new generation of MPS sights that had a longer…

This is the first of two articles on the haunting disappearance of two Wisconsin hunting/fishing buddies who vanished in February 1961.Ronald Wick, 19, and Carl Stolz, 21, vanished for over 45 years after they went joyriding across a frozen Wisconsin lake around 3 a.m. on Feb. 21, 1961.The baffling fate of the two hunting, fishing, and trapping buddies sparked decades of rumors, theories, and heartache for the men’s families and friends. A Capital Times newspaper article two years later in March 1963 described the search for Wick and Stolz as one of the most intensive efforts in the history of…

In 2017, Mossberg announced the release of its unique 590 Shockwave, a shortened, shotshell-firing “firearm,” per ATF, that did not require regulation under the National Firearms Act. The Shockwave was shorter than traditional shotguns and did not use a shoulder stock, but it still maintained the 590’s pump-action mechanism. In 2025, Mossberg added to the category with its 990 Aftershock, which uses a semi-automatic operating mechanism while still maintaining a compact form factor. Watch our “American Rifleman Television: Rifleman Review” segment above to see the details. “Again, it’s a firearm by ATF definition,” American Rifleman’s Brian Sheetz said. “It’s greater…

Orchid, a provider of FFL technology solutions, analyzed the ATF’s Annual Firearms Manufacturing and Exportation Report for 2024 (the most recent data available) and compiled a list of the industry’s top 30 domestic firearms manufacturers. These 30 are estimated to collectively be responsible for 88 percent of the firearms made that year.Other interesting findings from Orchid’s analysis include:The top three manufacturers for total firearms were still Ruger, Smith & Wesson and SIG Sauer, but Smith & Wesson moved into second ahead of SIG. Ruger was first in total firearm production for the third year in a row.The top four pistol…

Within the suppressor market, one of the most popular segments, for good reason, is that of rimfire suppressors. Not only are rimfire guns popular and used for all manner of shooting sports, they also offer an inexpensive entry point into firearms, and the same holds true for rimfire suppressors. Generally speaking, rimfire suppressors tend to be less-expensive than their centerfire counterparts, providing an entry point in the world of suppressor use for many firearm enthusiasts. Below are five new rimfire suppressors on the market today. Angstadt Arms | Vanquish 22 for the Ruger Precision RimfireBringing baffle-free suppression technology to the…

Being a good angler means finding and catching fish in a variety of conditions. From high and murky to muddy and weedy to icy and freezing cold, we find pride in adapting and overcoming what the water throws at us. No matter how good of an angler you are, there’s nothing more challenging or frustrating than trying to catch a fish in clear, low water.Whether you’re targeting trout, panfish, bass, pike, muskie, or even catfish, when clear water gets low, every species out there becomes spookier than a rabbit in a vegetable garden. This doesn’t mean you can’t catch fish…

There’s accumulating guns—and then there’s collecting. The thing that distinguishes the latter from the former is that there’s generally a theme to a collection. It’s not that one’s better than the other, and there’s often a fair bit of overlap, but collectors generally have a running list in their head of desired acquisitions; the next “Grail gun” to add to the safe, if you will. This used to be more difficult in the olden times. However, along came the various web forums, whether brand-centric, themed around a certain type of shooting sport or hunting or specific to a state or…