I became a shad addict on a quiet backwater creek in eastern North Carolina, just trying to find a way to kill time outdoors until turkey season kicked off. I was pitching a small red spoon from the bank when a hickory shad snatched it and launched itself from the water, twisting and flipping like a tiny tarpon as it tried to spit my lure. When that spoon came flying back at me mid-jump, I did what any self-respecting angler wasting time on a creek bank would do. I kept casting.Hickory shad are famous for their sudden sprints and aerial…

In May of 2024, Hodgdon Powder Company acquired RCBS from Revelyst, which was a segment of what was then known as Vista Outdoor. It looks to be a match made in heaven—after all, Hodgdon is a savvy company when it comes to handloading, and every handloader has probably used Hodgdon powders. But, RCBS has been around for more than 80 years, and you could argue that under Revelyst, it became a bit stagnant, at least when it comes to new handloading products. When Hodgdon took over RCBS, I talked with Joel Hodgdon, and he said all that was about to…

I recently re-read The Wine-Dark Sea by Patrick O’Brian. It is book 16 in the Aubrey/Maturin series. One episode in the novel describes Dr. Stephen Maturin riding a mule into the Andes to meet with conspirators who are plotting the overthrow of the Spanish government in Peru. As Maturin rides higher into the Andes, the temperature falls, and he pauses in his journey to put on a poncho. I suspect that the poncho that O’Brian had in mind as he penned his novel looked something like the one worn by Clint Eastwood in all three films of the Dollars Trilogy.…

On March 17, 1959, the US nuclear submarine USS Skate became the first submarine to surface at the North Pole. — After a multi-month restocking hiatus, we are again taking orders at Elk Creek Company. Here are our updated inventory counts: Pre-1899 Antique Rifles:  22 (We have deeply restocked 7×57 and 6.5×55 Mauser rifles.) Pre-1899 Antique Shotguns: 9 (Most are 12 gauge and most of them have fluid steel barrels!) Pre-1899 Antique Pistols and Revolvers: 21  (Mostly S&W top break revolvers.) Blackpowder Revolvers: 23 (Most are .44 caliber, with modern cartridge conversion cylinders available. We have deeply restocked the much-in-demand…

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Armed Citizen® Today During the early-morning hours of March 10 in Tulsa, Okla., a 27-year-old man broke into his ex-girlfriend’s home, first trying to get in through the window but ultimately kicking open the door. Once he entered, a person inside shot him in the chest. The intruder was transported to the hospital but died of his wound. No arrests were indicated after police questioned those in the home. (@TulsaPolice X account, Tulsa, Okla., 3/10/26) From the Armed Citizen® Archives – November 1985Hearing a crash, Valerie Donaldson grabbed a gun and opened her bedroom door to find four masked and armed men who…

00:00:08 Speaker 1: This is the me Eater podcast coming at you shirtless, severely, bug bitten, and in my case, underwear. Listening past, you can’t predict anything brought to you by first Light. When I’m hunting, I need gear that won’t quit. First Light builds, no compromise, gear that keeps me in the field longer, no shortcuts, just gear that works. Check it out at first light dot com. That’s f I R S T L I T E dot com. Okay, everybody, we’re joined today by author James mccommons. We’re gonna talk about how America uh nearly wiped itself…

00:00:10 Speaker 1: From Meat Eaters World News headquarters in Bozeman, Montana. This is Cow’s Week in Review with Ryan cow Calahan. Here’s cap there is a Cooper’s Hawk flying around the Los Angeles area that might have an untreated alcohol problem. In June of last year, a twenty five year old LA resident named Caesar Gustavo Diaz captured a juvenile Cooper’s Hawk at a park between La and Anaheim. All hawks are protected in America and it’s illegal to capture any species without the proper permits. But it’s what Diaz did next that had the media buzzing. In a…

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(Continued from Part 1. This concludes the article.) Storage A big challenge when living in small homes is storage space. In a climate with dramatic temperature swings like ours, we have, for example, different mittens, boots, parkas and hats for +30, 0, and -30 degrees. All of these are bulky. We also have special clothing for hunting, fishing, and rain, and various accoutrements for outdoor activities. So, we built lots of storage shelves in various outbuildings to hold labeled totes of out-of-season clothes. In our cabin, I store things under, over, behind, and beside furniture. For example, my husband built…