Hunting tips, fishing times, season dates and field-tested gear, every Tuesday.
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From tag to table — official season dates for all 50 states, plus safe doneness temps for your harvest.
| Species | Archery | Firearm |
|---|---|---|
| Deer | Sep–Oct | Nov |
| Elk | Sep | Oct–Nov |
| Turkey | — | Apr–May |
All 50 state wildlife agencies, plus how seasons, tags and licenses work.
Find your state → Network| Doneness | Target |
|---|---|
| Rare | 125–130°F |
| Medium-rare | 130–135°F |
| Well-done | 160°F+ |
Safe pull temps for venison and steak, from Popular BBQ.
View full chart →Reader Favorites
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Sunglasses make poor eye protection, and vice-versa. Unless they’re GATORZ! Most commercial sunglasses are constructed of material that absolutely cannot withstand any impact more forceful than an expended brass case … and even though said brass case won’t break the lenses, it will absolutely insert its piping-hot self in between the frame and your face….
Here’s a guy who turned “one of these days” into “today, tomorrow, until I want to go home.” Do you ever look around you at the four walls of your office and think, “One of these days, I’m going to bust out of here and just travel the country, adventuring and hunting”? Of course you…
Real avid outdoorsmen don’t leave home without a knife … and Real Avid has the one you want. Seven knives make up the new RAV series, with several configurations in handle design, blade material and shape, length, blade finish, and lock style to meet a variety of user needs and tasks. Sized for comfortable and convenient…
I want to hunt turkeys, but I have no idea where to start … Turkey hunting is one of the most challenging and rewarding kinds of hunting in North America. Yes, they’re birds, but they’re not “just birds.” It’s hard to believe just how intelligent turkeys are until you’re interacting with them in the wild…
It’s Volunteer Week, and RMEF’s volunteers do much more than picking up trash … Volunteering doesn’t have to make you feel like someone working off a “community service” sentence. Volunteering for conservation could mean doing field work if that’s your jam, or it could mean fundraising to help protect a cause you believe in. The…
This land is your land, this land is my land … The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences (EXPLORE) Act on a voice vote, demonstrating the bipartisan nature of outdoor recreation and the importance of public land access to all Americans. The bill addresses several pressing issues for federal…
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Offshore angling just got a lot more kino … Ever heard of kite fishing? It’s an exhilarating fishing strategy that harnesses the power of ocean wind to create irresistible attraction. The kite keeps live baits on the water’s surface, creating a realistic presentation for surface-feeding fish. As anglers deploy the kites, a large surface area across…
The AR-15 may be “America’s Rifle,” but bolt-action rifles rule the day when it comes to harvesting game for the freezer. But what if you’re harvesting game for the good of the ecosystem? “When it comes to invasive species,” says the XDMAN, “the name of the game is eradication.” Right now, the chief offenders are…
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