Whitewater introduces the upgraded TORQUE 7.4V Heated Vest, available fall 2026, featuring expanded core heating zones, Sorona® Aura insulation, and three adjustable heat settings for year-round water conditions. The redesigned vest combines active heating technology with premium wind-resistant materials and angler-focused ergonomic design.

Cara Kelly of Team Mathews won the 2026 IBO Women's Triple Crown Championship with a dominant performance in Nelsonville, Ohio. Team Shooters Sharon Wallace, Emily McCarthy, and Kelly swept the Women's podium, while Levi Morgan and Dan McCarthy secured second and third place in the Men's division.

Jacob Slusarz won the third leg of the IBO National Triple Crown in Nelsonville, Ohio, securing his second consecutive overall Triple Crown Championship. Competing with Darton Archery, Black Eagle Arrows, and Conquest Archery equipment, Slusarz delivered one of his strongest 3D rounds against elite competition.

The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation is auctioning 27 vehicles, boats, and surplus equipment through PurpleWave.com, with bidding closing July 28. Property Manager Daniel Griffith notes auction proceeds help fund new vehicles and equipment for the Department's conservation activities.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is auctioning 97 properties across Lower Michigan and the Upper Peninsula from August 4-28. Sale proceeds will fund the Land Exchange Facilitation Fund to acquire properties that better serve public recreation and conservation goals, as explained by Kerry Heckman, DNR forest lands and special projects administrator.

Outdoor Life selected TenPoint Crossbow Technologies' Titan X De-Cock as the 2026 Best Value Crossbow at $799, also achieving the most accurate performance with a 1.4-inch group average, outperforming the Ravin R10X Pro and Excalibur Rev X TD in testing.

Indiana Conservation Officers are investigating a fatal boating accident that occurred Saturday at Hammond Marina on Lake Michigan. Herman Woods, age 66, of Round Lake Beach, Illinois, was pronounced dead after a boat struck the marina's break wall with six individuals on board.

Nevyn Hengel of Sibley East High School (MN) won the male national championship, while Alexis Stupi of Aquinas High School (WI) claimed top female honors at the USA High School Clay Target League National Championship. Fall River High School (WI) captured the national team title with 485 points out of 500, with nearly 3,000 athletes from 469 high schools competing.

Michigan's Department of Natural Resources acquired the Black River Ranch property in the Pigeon River Country State Forest through a partnership involving the Forest Legacy Program, Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund, Little Traverse Conservancy, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, The Nature Conservancy, and National Fish & Wildlife Foundation's Acres for America program. A public celebration is scheduled for July 17.

Wild Giants Conservation Fund officially launched with a mission to restore iconic wildlife in the Caucasus Mountains of the Republic of Georgia. Founded by Tanner Tripp, the organization combines rewilding, community partnerships, and sustainable economic development to rebuild wildlife populations while creating lasting economic opportunities for local communities.

The 2026 Watchable Wildlife Contest is open with an October 1 deadline for photo submissions. The contest features three categories: nongame species, game species, and plants and insects. Photographers can submit up to five entries taken in North Dakota through the Game and Fish Department's website.

SLG2, Inc. brings its Shoot Like A Girl experience to Bass Pro Shops in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania on July 18-19, 2026. The free event features a mobile range with firearm and archery experiences, product demonstrations from leading outdoor brands, and hands-on safety education for women, families, and outdoor enthusiasts of all experience levels.

Judge Roger T. Benitez (Ret.) will deliver the keynote address at the 41st annual Gun Rights Policy Conference on September 25-27 in Dallas. Co-hosted by the Second Amendment Foundation and Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, the event features speakers including Brandon Herrera, Cam Edwards, and representatives from the ATF, NRA, and Silencer Shop.

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department stocked nearly 12 million walleye fingerlings statewide, with approximately 11 million raised at Garrison Dam National Fish Hatchery and 1.1 million at Valley City National Fish Hatchery. Additionally, 1.1 million northern pike fingerlings were stocked into 37 waters statewide.

Buckmasters launched its 40 Days of Giveaways presented by Mountain Dew on July 8th to celebrate its 40th anniversary. Daily prize packages from industry partners including Silencer Central, BANISH Suppressors, Browning Firearms, Rocky Boots, and Academy Sports + Outdoors will be awarded through the 2026 Buckmasters Expo in Montgomery, Alabama, August 14–16.

Vermont Fish and Wildlife's volunteer hunter education instructors are scheduling courses beginning in August and September. Taught by passionate volunteers, these free in-person courses in basic hunter education, bowhunter education, and trapper education are required before purchasing a first hunting license. Registration is required, and courses are listed on Vermont Fish and Wildlife's website.

The Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute (SAAMI) raised $28,000 for USA Shooting through an auction at its annual board meetings, exceeding last year's donation. The funds support the National Governing Body for international shooting sports, whose athletes earned five medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

GunBroker.com, the world's largest online firearms marketplace, announced integration with Slingit, an AI-powered platform enabling firearm dealers to appraise, acquire, and list used guns on GunBroker.com in under five minutes. The integration streamlines the workflow from gun counter evaluation to professional marketplace listings with AI-enhanced photos and optimized descriptions.

Millennium Outdoors announced Scott Ware's appointment as Director of Sales and Marketing. With nearly three decades of industry experience and 26 years at Outtech representing Millennium brands, Ware brings deep dealer relationships and product knowledge to strengthen the company's market presence and dealer partnerships.

AGM Global Vision announced the appointment of Leslie Vester as Head of Marketing. Vester brings over a decade of experience in brand strategy and marketing leadership to support AGM's expansion across hunting, shooting sports, law enforcement, and outdoor industries.

Korth Group Ltd. opened its new Kingston Distribution Centre and announced strategic partnerships with Kinetic Group, TriStar Arms, Eagle Claw, Daiwa, Northland Fishing Tackle, Yamamoto, PRADCO Outdoor Brands, and Thompson-Pallister Bait Co. Ltd. to enhance product offerings for Canadian outdoor retailers.

The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) is hiring a Regional Director for western Montana to oversee volunteer chapters, organize fundraising events, and manage grant programs. The position requires a bachelor's degree, five years of professional experience, and frequent travel throughout the region.

Safari Club International announced the chartering of three new chapters in Texas: East Texas Chapter in Tyler, Lone Star Chapter in Dallas, and Big Country Chapter in Abilene. CEO W. Laird Hamberlin stated the expansion reflects hunters' demand for strong leadership in defending hunting rights and conservation.

The Houston Safari Club Foundation's award-winning Hunting Matters podcast features Taylor Daily, Coordinating Wildlife Biologist with Quail Forever and the Oaks & Prairies Joint Venture, discussing native grassland conservation, prescribed fire restoration, and habitat management for quail and wildlife across North Texas.

Moultrie introduced the EDGE 4 series, a cellular trail camera line featuring Buck Shot AI technology that recognizes target bucks and sends cropped images to phones. The waterproof cameras offer enhanced night clarity, GPS location pinning, and multiple power options including a new solar attachment, with pricing starting at $129.99.

Galco unveils the Combat Master 2.0 belt holster for Wilson Combat Bulwark pistols, featuring modern EDC design with optic accommodation, premium steerhide construction, and traditional pancake-style concealment for faster draws and enhanced comfort.

Zanders, a national firearms distributor based in Sparta, Illinois, has added Timber Creek Outdoors to its portfolio. Timber Creek Outdoors manufactures American-made AR platform accessories including charging handles, handguards, and safety selectors, with CEO Tyler Tiller praising the partnership's alignment with their commitment to quality and dealer support.

Evolution Outdoor is showcasing the Ballistix Movr Collapsible Tote and Ballistix EDC Backpack at ICAST 2026 in Orlando, Florida, July 14-17. Both waterproof storage solutions are priced at $199.99 and feature premium construction with welded TPU design and durable materials for anglers and everyday carry use.

Millennium Marine introduced the BD-100 Big Daddy Boat Seat, featuring a 24-inch-wide seating platform with four additional inches of width compared to the original B-100. The seat includes breathable ComfortMAX fabric, integrated lumbar support, all-metal construction, and a fold-flat design, available in multiple colors with a one-year warranty.

Iron Valley Supply now stocks Viridian's firearm optics, green dot reflex sights, laser sights, and tactical weapons lights. The Viridian RFX1 Green Dot Reflex Sight pairs with Iron Valley's exclusive ODG Smith & Wesson Bodyguard 2.0.

Federal Ammunition launched its Protect & Save rebate program offering 20 percent savings on select Federal Premium Personal Defense handgun ammunition through August 31, 2026. Qualifying products include HST, Hydra-Shok, Hydra-Shok Deep, Practice & Defend HST, HST Micro, and Hydra-Shok Low Recoil, with a maximum rebate of $200 per person or household.

Firearms News celebrates its 80th anniversary with its July 2026 issue, featuring Oleg Volk's cover story review of the US Palm STORM CAT4 AR-15-Type Pistol. The issue includes reviews of firearms from Ruger, Sig Sauer, and Springfield Armory, plus articles on suppressors, reloading, and Second Amendment coverage by contributors including James Tarr, Rick Rambo, Patrick Sweeney, and David Codrea.

Waypoint TV announced its return as the official sponsor of the ICAST 2026 Media Room, providing dedicated space for media professionals to connect and share outdoor industry stories. Co-founder and CEO Builder Brock emphasized the company's commitment to amplifying stories and brands that inspire outdoor engagement.

Game Cuffs has joined Whitetails Unlimited as a national sponsor. The company's patented wrist wrap and steel cable system offers hunters an efficient alternative to traditional deer drag ropes, reducing hand fatigue while providing better control and durability.

The Indiana Natural Resources Commission opened its second public comment period for proposed wildlife rule changes, including modifications to muzzleloader regulations, deer hunting limits, and endangered species classifications. The deadline for comments is July 30, with a public hearing scheduled for the same date at the Fort Harrison Inn in Indianapolis.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources will host two virtual public meetings on July 16th to discuss the Palisades-Kepler Dam Engineering Design Project. The 1936-constructed dam poses public safety risks, and Iowa DNR is evaluating options to modify or remove it while maintaining aquatic habitats.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources' Western Upper Peninsula Citizens' Advisory Council will meet July 20 in Escanaba to discuss state park safety, charter boat captain requirements, and resolutions on bat research, fishing, climate change, and Great Lakes winter guiding.

Field & Stream TV offers outdoor brands unmatched reach through 150 million annual FAST impressions across Roku, Xumo, LG, and other platforms, plus 140+ broadcast TV stations covering 90+ million households. The platform delivers 24/7 hunting, fishing, and adventure programming with robust targeting capabilities and original series including Angling Adventures, Duck Camp Dinners, and Hunt Club.

The Murray Road Agency and Carbon Media premiered "Fishing the 50," an original video series exploring fisheries across all 50 U.S. states. The debut episode, available on CarbonTV, features Chinook salmon fishing in Michigan's Lake Michigan and the Platte River State Fish Hatchery. The series combines cinematic storytelling with educational content about fishing communities and conservation efforts.

For most conservation organizations, selecting a credit card processor is viewed as a routine business decision. Staff compare transaction fees, customer service, software integration, and the speed at which deposits arrive at the bank. Rarely does anyone ask a more fundamental question: Does the company processing our donations and fundraising revenue actually support—or actively oppose—the community that makes our conservation mission possible? Increasingly, that oversight would carry consequences far beyond a few basis points in processing fees.

Across America, the camo-coalition of hunter-funded conservation organizations, and thousands of local conservation groups depend heavily on firearms-based fundraising. Banquets featuring gun raffles, live auctions, sponsor tables, and firearm giveaways generate millions of dollars each year, which ultimately fund habitat restoration, wildlife research, youth hunting programs, conservation education, and expanded public access.

Yet some of the nation's largest payment processors either prohibit firearm-related commerce outright or maintain policies that many within the firearms industry view as openly hostile to lawful gun ownership. The irony is hard to miss. Conservation organizations often raise money by auctioning and raffling firearms while simultaneously paying transaction fees to companies that refuse to process gun sales themselves.

The restrictions are hardly a secret. PayPal's Acceptable Use Policy prohibits transactions involving firearms, ammunition, and many firearm parts and accessories. Square's Terms of Service prohibit merchants from using its platform to sell firearms, firearm parts, ammunition, or weapons. GoDaddy Payments similarly bars merchants selling firearms and ammunition from using its payment services. These are published corporate policies, not obscure provisions hidden deep inside legal agreements.

For organizations whose fundraising model depends on firearms, they represent a fundamental mismatch that many nonprofits never discover until after they've signed a processing agreement.

Industry consultants who specialize in firearm-related businesses have long warned that this risk often isn't apparent at the beginning of the relationship. Organizations may successfully open an account, process transactions for months—or even years—and only later discover that some aspect of their fundraising violates the processor's acceptable use policy.

Depending on the circumstances, processors may review the account, suspend processing privileges, terminate the relationship, or temporarily hold funds while an investigation is completed. Every situation is different, but the possibility alone should concern organizations that rely on time-sensitive fundraising events.

Picture entering the busiest fundraising banquet season only to discover that credit card processing has been interrupted halfway through this critical period or that auction proceeds have suddenly been placed on hold. The financial disruption could be substantial, particularly for organizations that depend on a successful banquet season to finance conservation work throughout the coming year.

The issue goes beyond processing policies and into an increasingly contentious debate over financial privacy. In 2022, the International Organization for Standardization approved a new Merchant Category Code (MCC) for firearm and ammunition retailers. Merchant Category Codes are commonly used throughout the payment industry to identify the type of business where a purchase occurs, whether it's a grocery store, hotel, airline, sporting goods retailer, or restaurant.

Supporters argued that a firearms-specific code could help financial institutions identify unusual purchasing patterns that might warrant additional review. Opponents, including the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the NRA, and numerous state attorneys general, viewed the decision far differently, warning that identifying purchases made at firearm retailers could become the foundation for what they describe as a de facto registry of lawful firearm-related transactions.

It is important to understand both the capabilities and limitations of the merchant category code. The code identifies the type of merchant where the transaction occurred; it does not identify the specific product purchased. Someone buying a shotgun, a gun safe, a pair of binoculars, or even hunting apparel from the same retailer would generate the identical merchant code.

Visa itself has emphasized that the code does not reveal individual products purchased. Even so, many Second Amendment advocates argue that identifying lawful transactions at firearm retailers represents an unnecessary intrusion into the privacy of gun owners.

Not surprisingly, state governments have taken sharply different approaches. Colorado, California, and New York have enacted laws requiring implementation of the firearm merchant category code, while Texas, Florida, Montana, Idaho, Mississippi, West Virginia, and several other states have passed laws prohibiting or restricting its use, arguing that it infringes upon the privacy rights of lawful gun owners. The resulting patchwork of conflicting state laws has created an increasingly complicated compliance environment for financial institutions and payment processors operating nationwide.

For conservation organizations, however, the question may be considerably more straightforward. Does it make sense for organizations funded almost entirely by hunters, sport shooters, and firearm owners to entrust their fundraising operations to companies whose published policies either prohibit firearm-related commerce or place it in a higher-risk category?

Increasingly, specialized payment processors have emerged specifically to serve firearm retailers, hunting organizations, conservation nonprofits, and other Second Amendment-related businesses. These firms have built banking relationships designed to accommodate lawful firearm commerce rather than treating it as an exception or a compliance headache.

That does not automatically make every specialized processor the right choice, nor does it mean every mainstream processor poses an unacceptable risk. Every nonprofit should conduct its own due diligence and carefully evaluate the policies, stability, and long-term compatibility of any financial partner.

But conservation leaders would be wise to ask questions that too often never make it onto the agenda. Does our processor explicitly allow firearm-related fundraising? Have we reviewed its current acceptable use policy? Could our fundraising activities conflict with the processor's published terms? If a problem arose during banquet season, would our processor stand behind us—or determine that our organization no longer fits its business model?

Too often, nonprofits spend countless hours negotiating fractions of a percentage point in processing fees while overlooking the much larger issue of philosophical and operational alignment. In today's increasingly polarized financial marketplace, the lowest processing rate may ultimately prove to be the most expensive decision an organization can make.

For conservation groups whose missions have been sustained for generations by hunters, sport shooters, and firearm owners, choosing a payment processor is no longer simply a financial decision. It is, increasingly, a statement about who they choose to support—and who they trust to support them in return.

– Chris Dorsey

Chris Dorsey is a 30-year media veteran and conservation thought leader who is the founding partner of Dorsey Pictures, a Global 100 Production Studio, and Mission Partners Entertainment Group, a leading IMAX/giant screen natural history producer.