On December 15, the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) announced the end of a controversial CWD control program: a sharpshooting initiative that involved baiting and spotlighting deer in areas where CWD has been detected. MDC Director Jason Sumners announced the news in an open letter.“As CWD has spread in Missouri over the last decade, MDC’s objective has been and continues to be to keep CWD infection rates low to protect the long-term health of the deer herd. This extensive undertaking can only be accomplished by working collaboratively with hunters and landowners,” he wrote. “At this time, MDC will be pausing…

Reliable, accurate and endlessly customizable, the Ruger 10/22 has sold more than 8 million units since its introduction in 1964, becoming one of the company’s most iconic gun models and one of the industry’s most successful semi-automatic rimfire rifle designs in the process. Much like the AR-15 and the Glock 19, over the decades it has cultivated a massive aftermarket ecosystem; today it is possible to build an entire 10/22-pattern firearm without using a single Ruger-manufactured component. However, not content to rest on its laurels, Ruger continues to innovate within the rimfire space. In late 2024, the company released a…

January 6, 1799 was the birthday of Jedediah Strong Smith, one of America’s greatest trapper-explorers. He was born in Bainbridge, New York. Smith explored a huge area of the American West during his short life. “He began his western voyages in 1822, when he joined the pioneering fur trader William Ashley on a trip up the Missouri River. Unlike earlier fur traders, who depended on Native Americans to actually trap or hunt the furs, Ashley eliminated the Natives as middlemen and instead sent out independent white trappers like Smith to do the job. To escape dependence on Native Americans, though,…

This mustardy venison and wild mushroom stew is hearty and rich, perfect for a cold day after a successful hunt. While you’ll often see this flavor combo with beef, it works even better with venison. The trick that sets it apart? The mushrooms are roasted separately and added at the end, giving them a toasted, earthy flavor and a firm texture—they won’t turn rubbery or mushy after a long simmer.For a serious umami boost, I like to use a mushroom rub from my cookbook Wild + Whole, but you can easily make your own by grinding dried shiitake or porcini…

(The photo above, courtesy of Openverse, was taken by “Terren in Virginia“, a witness to a 2008 baseball team “fan rivalry” brawl at a New York sports stadium.) The following is what I learned about security at lunch one day: Scenario One Tuesday, about six weeks ago, I stopped for a late lunch at a local upscale family restaurant in Virginia Beach, Virginia, that is part of a well-known chain.  It was about 3 o’clock in the afternoon and it seemed to be a quiet place to have lunch and prepare my Sunday school lesson. I selected a seat near…

00:00:01 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Wired to Hunt Foundations podcast, your guide to the fundamentals of better deer hunting, presented by first Light, creating proven versatile hunting apparel for the stand, saddle or blind. First Light, Go Farther, Stay Longer, and now your host Tony Peterson. 00:00:20 Speaker 2: Hey, everyone, welcome to. 00:00:21 Speaker 3: The Wire to Hunt Foundations broadcast, which is brought to you by First Light. I’m your host, Tony Peterson, and today’s episode is all about reflecting on the past season and trying to learn from it. 00:00:35 Speaker 2: Look, I know it’s…

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Robert Corbin, a former NRA president and Arizona attorney general, died of natural causes on Sept. 9, 2025, at 97 years old. “Bob will be missed by all for his dedication and service to his country, his state and the NRA,” said Buz Mills, a fellow member of the NRA executive council. “A great leader and mentor, Bob is irreplaceable. We are diminished.” Corbin was born Nov. 17, 1928, in the small town of Worthington, Ind. He joined the United States Navy in 1946. Two years later, he began studying accounting and worked as a court bailiff to pay for law school.…

The business of dispatching unwanted critters requires a platform capable of a high degree of accuracy. Nuisance animals such as prairie dogs are both small and skittish in nature, meaning that they tend to keep their distance and scurry away upon the arrival of incoming fire. One of the best solutions has long been a highly accurized AR-15, but alas, these designs have begun to fade from fashion over the years. Bent on keeping the company name in line with its roots, the new Bushmaster Firearms company is resurrecting legacy products, most with only minor changes to keep up with…