The DSC Foundation announced Steve Hornady as the 2026 DSC Foundation Legacy Award recipient, recognizing his decades of leadership at Hornady Manufacturing and commitment to conservation, wildlife stewardship, and hunter education. Hornady will be honored at the 2026 DSC Foundation Gala on July 25 at the Gaylord Texan Resort in Grapevine, TX.

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources has placed boating restrictions on the Barbee Lakes Chain, Tippecanoe Lake Chain, and Lake Wawasee due to high-water levels. Motorized watercraft are prohibited on the Barbee Lakes Chain, while idle speed restrictions apply to Tippecanoe and James Lakes and Lake Wawasee.

USA Shooting will host the 2026 Rifle Junior Olympic Championships April 8-13 at CMP facilities in Alabama, featuring top junior athletes competing in smallbore and air rifle events. This premier competition serves as a key selection match for the 2026 ISSF Junior World Championships in Suhl, Germany.

SLG2, Inc. will bring its Shoot Like A Girl experience to Bass Pro Shops in Glendale, Arizona on April 11-12, 2026. The free interactive event introduces women, families, and outdoor enthusiasts to shooting sports with firearms education using FATS simulators, archery instruction, and product demonstrations from industry brands.

Dead Air Silencers will return to Kalash Bash TX 2026 as a Bronze Sponsor, showcasing suppressors including the Wolverine AK suppressor, Ruger RXD910Ti, CT5P, Nomad Ti OTB, Sandman X, and Mojave 45 at The Ranch TX Club in Eagle Lake, Texas, April 10-12.

The Black Lake Chapter of Sturgeon For Tomorrow, partnering with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and tribal governments, seeks volunteers from mid-April through early June to guard lake sturgeon during spawning season along the Black River in Cheboygan County. The 20-year program has virtually eliminated poaching while protecting this threatened species.

Michigan DNR fuelwood permits are now available for $20 per household, allowing collection of up to five cords of dead and downed wood from state forest land. Permits can be purchased online at mdnr-elicense.com, in person at DNR customer service centers, or by mail application.

USA Archery received a USFWS Multi-State Conservation Grant to lead a nationwide initiative increasing target archery participation before the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games. The project, partnering with state fish and wildlife agencies, will develop recruitment and retention strategies with research support from Responsive Management, an internationally recognized social science research firm.

Whitetails Unlimited granted $841,768 to mission-related projects in Q1 2026, supporting its four pillar programs: Outdoor Education, Hunting Preservation, Habitat Enhancement, and Shooting Sports Advancement. The DEER Program and Preserving the Hunting Tradition Program received the largest allocations.

Check-Mate, a precision manufacturing leader in Thomasville, GA, is hiring a Product Engineer to bridge design and manufacturing. The role requires a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering and 5-10 years of product development experience, with expertise in CAD, GD&T, and DFMA principles. Interested candidates should submit resumes to Careers@checkmateIndustries.com.

Federal Ammunition is now shipping the Personal Defense Punch 9mm Luger 115-grain jacketed hollow point load, featuring a high-quality brass case with primer seal and balanced performance across platforms. The new lighter load complements Federal's popular Punch product line and addresses customer requests for 115-grain defensive options.

Bushnell, a Revelyst Inc. brand, announced the launch of its new A-Series optics line featuring the A1, A3, and A5 binoculars plus A3 monocular. Designed for travelers and outdoor enthusiasts, the lineup includes EXO Barrier® lens protection, IPX7 waterproofing, and Bushnell's Lifetime Warranty, available April 7, 2026.

BPI Outdoors has joined the IHEA-USA Member Discount Program, offering members 25% off products from brands including Bergara, CVA, PowerBelt Bullets, DuraSight, and Quake. The partnership provides hunter education professionals and volunteers access to discounted firearms, ammunition, and hunting accessories.

Turkeys for Tomorrow (TFT) hired Jason Tarwater as Director of Western Operations. With over 20 years of nonprofit experience and dual degrees in wildlife and fisheries biology from Kansas State University, Tarwater plans to expand TFT's western presence through flock establishments, corporate partnerships, and major donor facilitation to restore wild turkey populations.

Gun Tote'n Mamas, an award-winning women's concealed carry handbag provider, has partnered with Charter Arms Manufacturing. The collaboration showcases GTM's latest protection solutions, including the new Clutch Concealed Carry Purse, available through Charter Arms' Accessory Store.

Eddie Salter, known as "The Turkey Man," joins The Michael Waddell Podcast to discuss his pioneering work in turkey calling and hunting. Salter shares stories about early call makers like Ben Lee, the development of diaphragm mouth calls, and his World Turkey Calling Championships wins in 1985 and 1989. The episode explores the evolution of turkey hunting techniques and the importance of mentoring the next generation of hunters.

Chiappa introduces the 92 Core lever-action rifle in its Wildlands series, chambered in .44 MAG with a 16.5-inch barrel and angle eject action. The rifle features M-LOK slots, 5/8×24 muzzle threading, and 8+1 capacity, designed for practical field use with modern refinements while maintaining traditional lever-action aesthetics.

Galco has released holsters for Springfield Armory's new SA-35 4" pistol, including the Combat Master, Summer Comfort IWB, Miami Classic shoulder system, and Yaqui Slide models, along with magazine carriers and Underwraps 2.0 belly band options.

Heckler & Koch announces the VP9CC micro-compact pistol, featuring ambidextrous controls, interchangeable backstraps, and optional Vortex Defender CCW optics. The pistol meets NATO and HK standards and shipments have begun with dealer availability expected by end of April.

Magpul has introduced Modified Coyote Brown (MCB) PMAGs and AR accessories, including stocks, grips, and M-LOK accessories. The new MCB product line meets US Army TOP-3-2-045A requirements and is now available at Magpul.com and retail locations.

MDT announced new V-Mount adapter solutions, including the Spuhr Interface to V-Mount Adapter and M-LOK to V-Mount Adapter, enabling shooters to attach V-Mount accessories across wider mounting interfaces. These adapters expand the versatility of MDT's V-Mount system and are now available through MDT dealers and mdttac.com.

Springfield Armory launched the SAINT Gear Pac, bundling select SAINT rifles with a Viridian VENTA green dot optic, four Magpul PMAG Gen M3 magazines, and a premium rifle bag for over $200 in added retail value with no redemption required.

TrueTimber announces its Shadowbark camo pattern is now available on turkey hunting apparel and gear at Bass Pro Shops, Cabela's, and Mack's Prairie Wings, with select products also featured from Banded. The pattern, inspired by mature oak trees, delivers concealment through deep browns, shadowy grays, and weathered blacks for spring turkey hunters.

Orchid, the firearms industry's leading FFL technology provider, launched its "Locked & Loaded" April Sales Campaign offering 25% off two-year software subscriptions on Orchid POS, eCommerce, eBound, and eState through April 28, 2026. The promotion includes implementation and onboarding discounts for independent firearm retailers.

Fish Monkey offers retailers expanded glove assortments designed for specific fishing applications including kayaking, offshore big-game fishing, and filleting. The specialty collection features The Crusher for paddle sports, Quick Release and Beast Master gloves developed with captain Charles Perry, and the Gripper Fillet for fish processing tasks.

Lyman Products will showcase suppressors, reloading tools, presses, and accessories at the 2026 NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits in Houston, TX from April 17-19 at booth #2930. The event features Sonicore Suppressors, Mark 7, Pachmayr, A-Zoom Precision Snap Caps, TacStar, and Raytech products across 14 acres of show space.

ELEY UK, official sponsor of USA Shooting rifle and pistol teams, will exhibit at the NRA Annual Meeting in Houston (April 16-19, 2026) at Booth 1946. The company will showcase its rimfire ammunition, X-Shot training system, and new LOT Analyser platform, offering 10% discounts on trial packs through Killough Shooting Sports.

TriStar Arms will exhibit at the NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits in Houston, TX, April 17–19, 2026, showcasing new products including the Upland Hunter Thumbhole Stock, new KR22 Series color options, and the APOC Pro pistol. President Ryan Bader emphasized the importance of connecting with firearm enthusiasts and gathering customer feedback.

Prepared 2 Protect will exhibit less-lethal self-defense products at the 155th NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits in Houston from April 16-19. The company will showcase the P2P Secure 68P and P2P Defensor, featuring innovations like extended range and adjustable power settings for personal protection.

Range USA, the nation's largest indoor gun range and firearm retailer, will exhibit at the 2026 NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits in Houston, April 16-19 at booth #2355. The event will feature over 800 exhibitors showcasing firearms, ammunition, hunting gear and accessories.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has updated its burn permit webpage to make it easier for residents to check if burning yard debris is allowed in their area. Users can now select their county from a dropdown menu and view township-specific restrictions, with phone support available at 866-922-BURN.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources' Eastern Upper Peninsula Citizens' Advisory Council will meet April 14 in Newberry to discuss eHarvest digital tagging, 2025 deer season updates, and proposed hunting regulation changes. The meeting runs 6 to 8:30 p.m. EDT at the DNR's Newberry Customer Service Center.

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks will offer trail maintenance training on April 18 at Lone Pine State Park in Kalispell. Participants will learn skills from staff at Lone Pine State Park, Flathead Lake State Park, and the Montana Conservation Corps, then volunteer at local state parks. All tools, meals, and snacks will be provided.

First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park hosts a free nighttime program on April 18 featuring traditional Blackfeet star stories from a cultural presenter, followed by a celestial viewing session with park telescopes available for visitor use.

Shooting USA features coverage of the Safari Club International convention in Nashville with over 80,000 attendees, exhibition shooter .22 Plinkster performing card splits, and Hornady's new Versa-Prime case priming innovation.

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department distributed 8,500 blood collection kits to elk hunters in 2025, receiving 753 samples with 22 testing positive for brucellosis exposure. Jessica Jennings, Wildlife Health Lab manager, emphasizes hunters' critical role in tracking brucellosis prevalence across Wyoming's elk herds.

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department launched SCOUT, a specialized tool designed to analyze annual sage-grouse lek activity and build adaptive management strategies. The tool will be presented to the Sage-Grouse Implementation Team on April 8 in Casper.

The red snapper fishery in the Gulf of Mexico is one of the longest-running, most intensively managed fisheries in American waters. It’s also the one where management has aggrieved generations of recreational anglers more than any other in salt water.

NOAA reports that commercial harvest of red snapper dates back at least to the 1840s, when fishing activity was concentrated off Pensacola, Florida. Railroad cars of fish on ice headed north weekly.

Surprise! By the late 1800s, fishermen and scientists began noticing depletion off Florida. As nearshore fish declined, vessels pushed farther offshore. U.S. fleets expanded into the Campeche Bank off Mexico, and by the early 1900s commercial landings exceeded 7 million pounds annually. The western Gulf began to see comparable fishing pressure in the 1930s and 1940s, when “snapper banks” were discovered.

The Gulf shrimp fishery also grew dramatically from the 1960s through the 1990s as markets expanded. Shrimping effort more than doubled during that period. Juvenile red snapper are frequently caught in shrimp trawls, and this bycatch of millions of baby fish became a major source of red snapper mortality. The future of the fishery went back over the side dead as “by catch”.

Recreational fishing followed a similar postwar expansion, per NOAA history. Improved outboard motors, fiberglass boats, navigational electronics, and rising coastal tourism fueled growth in private and for-hire fishing. Party boats targeting red snapper became common across the Gulf. Recreational landings climbed from less than 500,000 pounds before 1950 to more than 5 million pounds by the late 1990s. Today, recreational anglers account for more than half of total red snapper removals when discards are included. A lot of released undersized fish die from barotrauma or are eaten by sharks.

The biological consequences were severe. Red snapper abundance declined steadily from about 1950 through the late 1980s as fishing pressure intensified.

Scientists measure stock health in part through “spawning potential ratio”—the ability of the population to produce eggs compared to an unfished stock. By 1990, spawning potential had fallen to roughly 2 percent, a level far below what is needed to sustain the population, estimated at 26 percent.

Too many fish were being removed, both directly through targeted fishing and indirectly through shrimp trawling.

Management efforts began in earnest in the late 1980s and 1990s. Regulators limited seasons, bag limits, minimum sizes, gear types, and the number of participants in both commercial and recreational fisheries. Shrimp trawlers were required to use bycatch reduction devices to limit juvenile snapper mortality. These measures slowed the decline but didn’t reverse it. By 2005, spawning potential had increased only to about 4.7 percent, again per NOAA calculus.

Between 2006 and 2008, recreational bag limits were cut from five fish to two, commercial size limits were adjusted to reduce discard mortality, and an individual fishing quota (IFQ) program was implemented for commercial fishermen. Shrimping effort in critical depths of the western Gulf was capped well below early-2000s levels, with provisions for area closures if effort increased.

Assessments in 2009 and 2013 showed rising abundance and declining fishing mortality. By 2018, scientists concluded the stock was no longer overfished and overfishing was not occurring. Spawning potential had climbed to about 20 percent—significant progress, but still short of the 26 percent rebuilding target.

As quotas increased, another paradox emerged. Recreational seasons grew shorter even as fish became more abundant. The reason was simple: anglers were catching fish faster. Advances in electronics, faster boats with greater range, the expansion of artificial reefs, and a larger population of catchable fish led to sharply higher catch rates. Average fish size also increased, doubling between 2007 and 2013. Managers responded by shortening seasons to keep landings within quotas.

Many state fishery department researchers felt NOAA was grossly underestimating the recovery and pushed for more localized control.

In recent years, management authority has shifted toward state-based approaches. Gulf states now play a larger role in setting seasons for private anglers landing fish in their jurisdictions, including adjacent federal waters. And seasons have become far more liberal.

This seems to be working—red snapper fishing for keeper-sized fish is about as good as it gets these days around the gulf. But the rebuilding isn’t finished. Red snapper are long-lived fish, capable of living more than 50 years, and older females produce exponentially more eggs than younger ones. Most fish in today’s population are still relatively young. Continued restraint is aimed not just at increasing numbers, but at restoring a healthier age structure.

An interesting aside—the Gulf shrimp fishery has declined dramatically because the cost of catching wild shrimp here is so much higher than the cost of importing domestically raised shrimp from Asia that there’s virtually no market. More shrimpers are going out of business, so far fewer baby snapper are being incidentally killed. And, with fewer shrimp being harvested, there’s more food left in the Gulf for those surviving snapper.

The Gulf red snapper story is no longer one of collapse, but of recovery under realistic fishery management—and a lot of credit goes to state fishery departments for the push that brought well-intentioned federal over-reach into line. Hopefully, the fishery will continue to thrive, despite the ever-growing pressure of modern technology that makes finding and catching them so much easier.

– Frank Sargeant
Frankmako1@gmail.com