Refuge Hunting Rule Is Live, and It Scraps the Nine-Refuge Lead Ban
Refuge hunting access just hit a record 92 million acres under the 2026 final rule. See what changed and how to check your station before opening day.
Adventure
Bezoar Ibex Comeback: How Wild Giants Plans to Restore Them
Georgia's wild bezoar ibex are down to two mountain areas. Here is the six-species plan Wild Giants Conservation has for the Caucasus, the numbers behind it, and whe...
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Trips worth taking and the planning behind them. Seasonal windows, public-land access, destination write-ups and the conservation news that decides where you can go.
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Blue Raccoon Photo: The Woman Who Really Found It
Nicole Carroll took the viral blue raccoon photos that copycat accounts reposted without credit. Here is why the raccoon was blue and where to find her.
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Chronic Wasting Disease Testing in 2026: What Hunters Need to Know
Chronic wasting disease testing is mandatory in more units for 2026. Here is what hunters need to know before the season, from sample drop-off to positive results.
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September Is That Weirdly Perfect In-Between Month
September is the quiet stretch between summer heat and leaf season: warm days, cold nights, empty trails and parks that clear out after Labor Day. I feel like a lot of people treat September like the leftover month. Summer’s over, fall hasn’t really started, so they just wait. That’s a mistake. This is the stretch…
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Grizzly Bear Management Shifts to the States: What Hunters Should Know
Interior proposed shifting grizzly bear management to Western states July 14, 2026. What the 4(d) rule means for hunters — and the Aug. 17 comment deadline.
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The Non-Lead Rule for 9 Refuges Was Rescinded One Day Before It Started
The lead ammo ban takes effect September 1, 2026 on eight national wildlife refuges. See which refuges, what Congress is doing, and how to switch loads.
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Federal Hunting Access Expansion Is Final: 1,450 New Refuge Opportunities
The USFWS proposed the largest federal hunting access expansion in its history. See what opens, the lead-ammo reversal, and how to comment by June 26.
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Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation: 42 Years, 9 Million Acres, and a Hunter-Built Conservation Model
The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation has protected more than 9 million acres of big-game country since 1984. Inside RMEF’s mission, programs, chapters, and how hunters can join in 2026.
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Spring Black Bear 2026: Where the Opener Still Pays Off This Month
Spring black bear 2026 windows in Idaho, Oregon, Montana, Wyoming, and Washington — opener dates, tag costs, and the gear that earns its keep.
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How to Catch Post-Spawn Walleye and Smallmouth Bass in Late May 2026
Post-spawn walleye and smallmouth bass move on a clock. Here’s the late-May 2026 playbook — water temps, structure, and the lures that work right now.
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Memorial Day 2026 Public-Land Prep: 9 Checks Before You Pull Out of the Driveway
Memorial Day 2026 falls May 25. Here are the 9 public-land checks — fire bans, road status, water, permits — that decide whether your weekend works.
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Morel Mushroom Hunting 2026: Where to Find Them This Week, How to Identify Them, and What to Avoid
Morel mushrooms peak across the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic from late April through May. Where to look, how to ID true morels vs the look-alikes that will hurt you, harvest etiquette, and where foraging is legal in 2026.
