In observance of the Independence Day holiday, we will not be distributing any of our services on Friday, July 3. The Outdoor Wire Digital Network will resume our normal distribution schedule on Monday, July 6. If you have important news to distribute prior to the holiday weekend, please submit it no later than 4:00pm Eastern on Wednesday, July 1. News arriving later will not make Thursday’s final editions for the week.
ScentLok released the Ridge Bib, a new hunting bib featuring Carbon Alloy® and Silver Alloy™ scent control technologies, berber fleece lining, and eight pockets. The bib pairs with ScentLok's Ridge series apparel system and is now available online with camo patterns including the new Realtree XT-3™.
Blocker Outdoors engineered the Fused Cotton series to provide rugged, breathable apparel for heavy land management and early season hunting. The collection features a cotton-polyester blend with S3® silver antimicrobial technology and includes field pants, bibs, hoodies, shirts, and t-shirts designed for durability and odor control.
Colt's Manufacturing Company and Guns.com have partnered to auction an exclusive Colt Custom Shop Python 250th American Anniversary revolver, with all proceeds benefitting the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF). The one-of-a-kind firearm features hand-executed C-Class engraving and commemorates America's 250th anniversary and the Colt Custom Shop's 50th anniversary.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources announced the reopening of the Cheboygan Lock after closure due to high-water conditions and infrastructure repairs. The facility, regulated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, required emergency response from multiple agencies including the DNR, Michigan State Police, Consumers Energy, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Shell Shock Technologies sponsored shooter John Vlieger won first place in the Carry Optics Division and second overall at the 2026 Bluegrass USPSA State Championship in Wilmore, Kentucky. Vlieger credited Shell Shock Technologies' NAS³ cases for their consistency, achieving a 5-fps extreme spread across 11 stages with 997.5887 match points out of 91 competitors.
Conservation and hunting leaders, including the Council to Advance Hunting and the Shooting Sports, Boone and Crockett Club, and the National Wild Turkey Federation, issued a joint statement emphasizing that Recruitment, Retention, and Reactivation (R3) efforts are essential to hunting's future alongside public education and support.
Ducks Unlimited, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bass Pro Shops, and the U.S. Postal Service celebrated the first day of sale for the 2026-2027 Federal Duck Stamp on June 26 in St. Augustine, Florida. The $25 stamp has raised over $1.3 billion for habitat conservation since 1934, with 98 cents of each purchase supporting wetland protection.
Indiana Conservation Officers recovered the body of Erik C. Neithers, 54, of Indianapolis, Friday, June 26 at 3:39 p.m. near the area where he was reported missing after a canoe capsized in a retention pond in The Willows housing addition. Three family members were rescued.
Nebraska Game and Parks conservation officers will increase enforcement during Operation Dry Water, July 3-5, targeting boating under the influence. The national campaign aims to reduce alcohol- and drug-related boating incidents and fatalities during the Fourth of July holiday weekend.
Michigan's DNR offers free fishing classes for beginners at state parks, including Hook, Line and Sinker programs. Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery and Oden State Fish Hatchery visitor centers also provide learn-to-fish programs for kids and adults, with equipment provided and no license required for participants under 17.
Conservation First USA's Big Game Super Draw is offering $10 raffle tickets for 17 Arizona big game tags including bighorn sheep, bison, elk, pronghorn, Coues' whitetail, mule deer, and turkey. The ticket purchase deadline has been extended to July 14, with winners able to hunt for 365 days starting August 15, 2026.
Utah's Division of Wildlife Resources opens applications June 30 for permits to hunt greater sage-grouse, sandhill crane, sharp-tailed grouse, and tundra swan. Migratory Bird Coordinator Jason Jones notes Utah is one of only nine states allowing swan hunting. Hunters must apply by July 14 through the new Utah draw system.
Burris Optics announced a partnership with Promoboxx to provide retailers with brand-approved digital marketing campaigns including email, social media, and web content. The collaboration enables Burris dealers to promote products professionally while focusing on sales and customer service.
The Arizona Game and Fish Department leads efforts to survey and eradicate invasive apple snails from Arizona waterways, partnering with the U.S. Forest Service-Tonto National Forest, OdySea Aquarium, SEALIFE Aquarium, Tempe Parks and Recreation, and the Phoenix Zoo's Trailblazers and ZooTeens Program. A June survey removed nearly 300 snails and destroyed over 8,000 egg masses. Volunteer opportunities are available to help combat this invasive species.
Megan Plete Postol, Lead Editor of Athlon Untamed, has been elected to the Board of Directors of the Outdoor Writers Association of America (OWAA). She will begin her three-year term following the organization's August 2026 board meeting in Madison, Wisconsin, during OWAA's 100th anniversary celebration.
Women for Gun Rights praised the U.S. Supreme Court's 6-3 decision in Wolford v. Lopez, striking down Hawaii's rule that presumed private property open to the public was off-limits to lawfully armed citizens. Founders Amanda Suffecool and Dianna Muller stated the ruling protects constitutional rights and prevents governments from undermining Second Amendment freedoms through sweeping default prohibitions.
Steelhead Outdoors, founded by Charlie Pehrson and Corey Meyer, celebrates America's 250th anniversary by introducing seven new firearm storage products. The Shakopee, Minnesota-based company manufactures Made-in-USA modular gun safes, pistol lock boxes, and storage accessories designed for secure and responsible firearm storage.
GRITR Sports, a Texas firearms retailer, is featuring the Shadow Systems LE Series pistol lineup developed with law enforcement professionals. These striker-fired handguns offer duty-grade reliability and optics-ready performance, trusted by over 350 law enforcement agencies nationwide.
Sticky Holsters launches a new tan color option for its Belly Band and Guard Her Belt concealed carry products. The expansion maintains the same trusted performance and quality materials while offering enhanced versatility for users seeking a more discreet option under lighter clothing.
Birchwood Casey introduced a line of 100% biodegradable gun cleaners including Synvex™ Carbon Cutter, Synvex™ Copper Cutter, Synvex™ CLP-X Oil, and Synvex™ Bore Wash. These eco-conscious products remove fouling as efficiently as traditional petroleum-based solvents while being safer on skin and environmentally responsible.
Meprolight is offering a limited-time promotion through July 31, 2026, where customers who purchase qualifying Meprolight optics receive a free Backdraft suppressor via rebate. Jordan Stein, Digital Marketing Manager for Meprolight, encourages shooters to act before the deadline while supplies last.
Michigan's DNR operates 15 shooting ranges across the state offering safe environments for firearm, bow, handgun, and clay target shooting. The ranges feature trained staff, modern amenities, and low-cost alternatives to private facilities. Contact Gary Jones, DNR shooting sports manager, for more information.
Savage Arms announces Dean Partridge, host of Canadian Whitetail TV, has joined Team Savage. Partridge brings over a decade of whitetail hunting experience from Saskatchewan, Canada, and will leverage his multimedia platform across broadcast television, streaming, and social media to showcase Savage firearms.
The Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission approved new fishing and hunting rules effective immediately, including a 20 crappie daily limit at Lake Eufaula and Atoka Lake, eliminated crappie limits at Close to Home Fishing waters and seven other lakes, and updated 2026-27 seasons for migratory game birds, deer, elk, and black bear.
Montana is launching a specialty license plate starting July 1 that raises funds for wildlife crossing structures on highways. The plate, featuring artwork by Kylie Bute, a Gallatin High School graduate, will generate $20 per sale to Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks' Wildlife Highway Crossings and Accommodations Account to support collision-reduction projects statewide.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is hosting a regional workshop on July 22 in Bay County to help local governments establish gopher tortoise protection policies and access financial incentives for habitat management. Caitlin Jones, Local Government Coordinator for FWC's Wildlife Diversity Conservation Section, emphasizes the importance of local government partnerships in conservation efforts.
The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission permits fireworks at three state recreation areas on July 4: Branched Oak SRA at Lieber's Point, Pawnee SRA Area 1 beach, and Wagon Train SRA beach from 8 a.m. to midnight. Only state fire marshal-approved fireworks are allowed, and visitors must supervise children and properly dispose of used fireworks.
The Cianciarulo family—Ralph, Vicki, RJ, and Aubrey—hunt daytime and nighttime hogs in Florida using Browning BAR rifles and Pulsar thermals in the 26th season of The Choice, airing on Pursuit Channel and Wild TV starting Monday, June 29th.
Sporting Classics with Chris Dorsey returns for its eighth season on Outdoor Channel, premiering with a polar bear hunt featuring host Chris Dorsey and guide Ryan St John. The series airs Thursdays at 10pm ET on Outdoor Channel, with an exclusive special Chris Dorsey Reports: The Truth About Polar Bear Hunting exploring trophy import bans and hunting's role in wildlife conservation.
Field & Stream TV announced Q1 2026 results showing an average household reach of 175,000 viewers per episode across 90 million TV households nationwide. The network's highest-performing show reached 2,449,358 households, with additional distribution through Regional Sports Networks and a FAST platform generating 1.6 million hours viewed.
As summer approaches, the Michigan departments of Health and Human Services and Agriculture and Rural Development urge residents to take precautions against ticks and mosquitoes. Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian recommends using insect repellent, wearing protective clothing, and performing daily tick checks to prevent diseases like Lyme disease and West Nile virus.
All the leaves are brown (all the leaves are brown) And the sky is gray (and the sky is gray) I've been for a walk (I've been for a walk) On a winter's day (on a winter's day) I'd be safe and warm (I'd be safe and warm) If I was in LA (if I was in LA) California dreamin' (California dreamin') On such a winter's day – The Mamas & the Papas
What does it mean to be safe in LA? In 1965, when The Mamas & the Papas released their iconic song "California Dreamin'," Los Angeles was a very different place.
Today, what supposedly makes one safe in Los Angeles is determined by a cadre of predominantly left-wing ideologues who control the state legislature. Their latest attempt to make the streets of Los Angeles—and those across the rest of the Golden State—safe comes in the form of a law that outlaws a gun.
The prohibition on the Glock pistols is based on the State’s reclassification of the semi-automatic handgun as a machine gun.
That’s a MACHINE GUN, for those not reading closely enough.
Are Glock pistols machine guns—or, more accurately, machine pistols—other than the Glock 18? No. The Glock 19, 17, 43, 43X, 34, and so on, and so on, are not machine anything.
They are semi-automatic firearms. You pull the trigger once and it goes bang once. And it doesn’t go bang again until you pull the trigger once more. That’s how semi-autos work.
However, thanks to an illegally manufactured and illegally sold, aftermarket device called a Glock switch, also known as an auto sear (though it’s not the design used in the G18), California’s Democratic state leadership has banned Glock pistols solely on the basis that they could be altered—again, illegally.
This has nothing to do with Glock the manufacturer. Yet, because somebody, somewhere, somehow made a device to alter the function of the company’s federally licensed and highly regulated legal product, the California Legislature, with the help of the Governor, has banned Glocks beginning July 1.
There are two problems that stem from this legislative maneuver, assuming it can withstand the legal challenges being mounted by the NRA, the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF), and the Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC).
California Copycats
The first problem is the most obvious. Blue state legislatures will follow California’s lead and push through their own bad laws designed not to protect the public but to reduce the number of guns available to law-abiding citizens.
They will simply cut and paste the California legislation, add a line or two to give it that home-town flavor and, voilà, the Glock ban is coming to a state near you.
Thanks to its size, its political importance—both in terms of votes and fundraising—and its market share, which at one time was 11% of all firearms sold in the U.S., what happens in California finds its way to the rest of the country.
California's vehicle emissions standards are perhaps the best-known example of the Californication of the rest of the country.
Gun control has always been about eliminating the number and types of guns available to people to purchase, where and how those guns can be used, and lately how those guns must be stored in homes.
All of this is intended to force gun owners to conform to a government's increasingly restrictive view of how the Second Amendment should be exercised.
The result, as Mac Ghlionn points out, is: “It leaves the Second Amendment looking more like a limited-time retail promotion than an unalienable right.”
California's ban is about addition by subtraction, increasing gun control by eliminating one of the largest handgun product lines in America.
Setting a New Standard
The second, and more concerning aspect of the California Glock Ban—not that for gun owners this isn’t concerning enough—it also gives governments a new standard by which products can be banned, companies brought to heel, and citizens controlled.
If a legally made and sold Glock pistol is banned because of what alterations might happen, then it opens the floodgates to attack any product based solely on a possible negative outcome completely out of the hands of the manufacturer—not unlike suing gun makers for the criminal misuse of their product by others.
This kind of legislation will be used to force companies to alter a product’s design—which only works until someone develops another workaround.
Or, it will be used to pressure manufacturers into financial settlements. Money that will go into a state-controlled fund and be doled out to address the very issue that arises from either bad actors or idiots.
The infamous Tide Pod Challenge comes to mind. In California’s way of thinking, Tide should have known kids on TikTok would start eating Tide Pods, and therefore needs to answer for egregious misuse of its product.
Considering California's track record in how it uses taxpayer dollars to solve problems such as homelessness and high-speed rail, one can assume that any fund created could best be described more as a slush fund.
The irony here is that if California punishes Glock for something entirely out of its control, shouldn’t California legislators and bureaucrats face similar punishment for funneling money to NGOs and cronies whose purpose appears less focused on solving homelessness or building high-speed rail than on enriching politically connected interests?
– Paul Erhardt, Managing Editor, the Outdoor Wire Digital Network
