Today's edition of The Outdoor Wire is split into two: the morning edition you are reading now, and an afternoon edition that you will receive closer to noon Eastern Time. The split editions are due to the large volume of releases appearing today.

Mathews unveiled the 2027 ARC APEX Series hunting bows featuring three axle-to-axle configurations, the new Flite Cable Containment system, third-generation SWX-3 Cam, and LowPro Slim Quivers. The bows deliver speeds up to 347 fps with draw lengths from 24.5" to 32.5" and are available in eight finish options including the new Sage color.

Mathews unveiled the SOLACE™, a compact women's hunting bow engineered for shorter draw lengths and lighter draw weights. Featuring the new SWX-S Cam, Flite™ Cable Containment, and Limb Shift Technology™, the bow weighs 3.75 pounds and delivers speeds up to 337 fps, combining performance with maneuverability for female archers.

The Ruffed Grouse Society & American Woodcock Society recognized Wayne Jacobson, Bruce Ogle, and David Sandstrom as inaugural recipients of the Diana and David L. Moore Conservation Excellence Award, honoring their lifetime dedication to forest management, wildlife habitat, and conservation leadership.

The MK Nature Center will host its 20th annual bird seed sale on December 4-5, offering high-quality bird seed and family-friendly activities including live bird presentations featuring peregrine falcon Wilson. Proceeds benefit the nature center's educational programs and operations.

The New York Department of Environmental Conservation confirmed chronic wasting disease (CWD) in a wild deer in western New York, prompting the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department to remind hunters of importation regulations. Vermont Director of Wildlife John Austin emphasized that CWD regulations are designed to prevent the fatal disease from infecting Vermont's deer and moose populations.

PROOF Research team members Scott Peterson and Kalani Laker achieved major wins at the Gas Gun Show Series Finale using PROOF Research's PXT barrels. Peterson won 1st Overall and 1st DMR Division, while Laker secured 1st RECCE Division and 1st in Division, demonstrating PXT's performance in competitive gas gun shooting.

Idaho conservation officers are seeking information on a bull elk shot and left to waste in Unit 21 between October 15-17 near Cabin Creek. Senior Conservation Officer Kyle Christiansen and the Citizens Against Poaching hotline are accepting tips, with rewards available for information.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources celebrated the graduation of three K9 teams at a November 10 ceremony. The teams include NRO D'Angelo Thigpen with K9 Frank from Parks and Watercraft, and State Wildlife Officers Michele Butler with K9 River and Gus Kiebel with K9 Gar from the Division of Wildlife. These specialized teams will support search and rescue, evidence recovery, and wildlife protection across Ohio.

Yamaha pro anglers Easton Fothergill and Clark Jordan Jr. won the 2026 Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter in Port Aransas, Texas, with a three-day total of 42 pounds, defeating challenging weather conditions to claim the $75,000 first-place prize.

GunBroker partnered with San Tan Tactical for a November 2026 sweepstakes featuring two custom rifle packages valued at $5,126.85 combined. Winners will receive either a San Tan Tactical "Peanut Butter" 6mm ARC rifle or a "Clear Ano" 5.56 NATO rifle, with entry open through November 30, 2026.

Three biological check stations in southeast Montana recorded pronghorn season closing data, with strong pronghorn harvests and slightly fewer hunters than the 10-year average. Hysham, Ashland, and Mosby stations documented hunter satisfaction and increased wildlife sightings, though many hunters failed to stop at required check stations.

After three weekends of general rifle season in north-central Montana, FWP's Augusta game check station reports 289 deer and elk harvested, 15 percent above the long-term average. Elk harvest is more than 20 percent above average at 110 animals, while overall hunter success remains strong at approximately one in four hunters.

Maryland hunters harvested 19,505 deer during the early 2026 archery and muzzleloader seasons, a 3% increase from last year and 5.3% above the five-year average. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources' Wildlife and Heritage Service Director Karina Stonesifer noted these seasons serve as critical population management tools alongside the traditional firearms season.

Idaho Fish and Game's second nonresident deer and elk tag draw runs December 5-15, 2026. Nonresident hunters must obtain a 2027 hunting license, review the 2026 Big Game Seasons booklet and 2027 Supplemental Brochure, and can submit up to five hunt choices each for deer and elk, with results announced in early January.

Twenty-five Indiana State Park properties will temporarily close for controlled deer management hunts in November and December. Anthony Sipes, natural resources manager for Indiana State Parks, stated the hunts are important for managing deer populations and their impact on native plant and wildlife habitats. Only individuals selected from the draw may participate.

Southwestern Montana's general hunting season is halfway through with mixed results. Game check stations in Alder, Cameron, and Divide met with 759 hunters over November 7-8, recording 39 elk, 29 mule deer, and two white-tailed deer harvested, with success rates varying by location.

AmbassadorTrack launched FastTrack, a tool enabling brand representatives to instantly onboard retail staff and industry partners into secure VIP discount programs via QR code verification. The platform eliminates manual spreadsheets and coupon leaks while providing frictionless in-person onboarding in under thirty seconds.

Celerant Technology announced a new integration with Silencer Shop, the nation's largest suppressor distributor, providing firearms retailers with streamlined purchasing, automated inventory management, and expanded online product access through a single connected platform.

Viridian Weapon Technologies introduced the RFX Black Label series of green dot reflex optics, including the RFX15, RFX16, and RFX35 models. Each features CNC-machined aluminum housing, Quick Change Reticle system with three options, and motion-activated INSTANT-ON technology, with prices ranging from $269 to $319 MSRP.

The National Rifle Association (NRA) is offering free one-year memberships to active-duty U.S. Armed Forces members, including subscriptions to American Rifleman or American Hunter magazines and exclusive member benefits. NRA Executive Vice President and CEO Doug Hamlin stated the program honors service members' sacrifices in defending constitutional freedoms.

The International Hunter Education Association–USA (IHEA-USA) launched its new online hunter education course with the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) on November 11, 2026. The model returns 80% of course profits to participating states through its "Opportunity Bank" to support hunter education and public shooting opportunities. The course costs $20 and is available through IHEA-USA's Outdoor Education Learning Network (OutdoorELN).

Wildlife Forever donated four watercraft cleaning stations to Nevada and Colorado in partnership with the Bureau of Land Management to prevent aquatic invasive species spread. The stations at public boat ramps will provide boaters and anglers with Clean-Drain-Dry resources, supported by state officials including Nevada Department of Wildlife Director Alan Jenne and Colorado Parks and Wildlife Invasive Species Program Manager Robert Walters.

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. introduces the Ruger American Rifle Generation II Varmint Target models, featuring adjustable target stocks with TerrainFade Woodland camouflage, 20" heavy barrels, and Magpul M-LOK compatibility. Available in 6.5 Creedmoor, 6mm Creedmoor, and 308 Winchester.

Camillus Cutlery celebrates 150 years in business with a limited-edition commemorative tin set featuring a Buck 112 Lockback pocket knife and anniversary challenge coin. The exclusive release of 500 sets honors the brand's historic partnership with Buck Knives from the 1960s and 1970s.

GForce Arms introduces the RPX9 Exodus, a 9mm striker-fired pistol priced at $299 featuring Glock 19 compatibility, optics-ready slide, fiber optic sights, and a 5-year limited warranty. The pistol combines an ergonomic polymer frame with a 4140 steel slide and accepts Gen 3 and Gen 4 Glock 19 parts and magazines.

Magpul released two Enhanced Handgun Grips (EHG) for Ruger LCP MAX pistols, featuring improved ergonomics with high beavertail, undercut trigger guard, and reversible steel magazine release. Available in four colors at $39.99, the grips fit both LCP MAX PRO and Legacy models.

Century Arms announced the Centurion 11 TAC, a modernized 1911 pistol featuring an optics-ready slide, integrated Picatinny rail, and .45 ACP chambering. The new model combines classic 1911 design with modern capabilities for personal defense, training, and range use.

The Idaho Fish and Game Commission will hold a public hearing on November 17 at 7 p.m. PST and a business meeting on November 18 at 8 a.m. PST at the Clearwater Regional Office in Lewiston. The agenda includes decisions on CWD management, e-tagging for game birds, spring steelhead fishing modifications, and moose, bighorn sheep, and mountain goat status updates.

Donate Life Florida and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission launched "Cast a Line and Aim for Saving Lives," integrating organ and tissue donation awareness into Florida's fishing and hunting license process. The initiative will reach approximately 3 million licensed anglers and hunters annually through confirmation emails, marking the first time another state agency has partnered with Donate Life Florida to expand donation awareness beyond driver's license registration.

Guns & Ammo presents "Brownells Bench Masters," a firearms build competition hosted by Tom Beckstrand featuring experts Brad Fitzpatrick, James Tarr, and Jack Oller competing to build custom precision rifles from Brownells components. The show airs on Outdoor Channel and Sportsman Channel, with online episodes available on GunsandAmmo.com and YouTube.

Shooting USA features coverage of the Bianchi Cup 2026, the most prestigious action pistol match held at Green Valley Rifle and Pistol Club in Missouri, plus a ProTip from Team Colt shooter Wyatt Gibson for rifle shooters. The show airs Wednesday nights on Outdoor Channel and The Sportsman Canada Channel.

Idaho Department of Lands mandates that overnight visitors on state endowment lands in Unit 1 must properly store food, garbage, and attractants using bear-resistant containers approved by the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee or alternative secure methods to prevent conflicts with bears, including grizzly bears, during fall hyperphagia season.

Brian Nesvik brought an unusual qualification to his Senate confirmation hearing: He knew how to put tire chains on a pickup in a snowstorm. He could also classify mule deer from a helicopter and patrol remote country on horseback. The once Wyoming game warden explained his résumé to a town that would probably commission a study before installing the chains.

There is something reassuringly positive about having that fellow run the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Before President Trump nominated him in February 2025, Nesvik’s name meant little to most Americans. In wildlife circles, however, people knew the Wyoming director who had dealt with grizzly bears, wolves, and the increasingly crowded intersection of wildlife and people. Since assuming the federal job in August 2025, he has emerged as one of the most effective recent directors for sportsmen and practical conservation.

Nesvik earned his wildlife degree at the University of Wyoming, joined Wyoming Game and Fish in 1995, and worked his way from game warden to department director. He also spent 35 years in the Army National Guard, deployed twice to the Middle East and retired as a brigadier general. After retiring from the state agency in 2024, he ranched with his wife near Glendo.

A man responsible for both wildlife and cattle has reason to think carefully about where the wolves go.

Jeff Crane, president and CEO of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, describes Nesvik as “pragmatic, solution-oriented,” with “common sense born from experience.” Crane’s assessment comes from knowing him in Wyoming and watching him work in Washington.

The Service needs that experience. It administers endangered-species protections, oversees wildlife imports and manages refuges where Americans expect to hunt and fish. A decision that looks tidy on an agency spreadsheet can become somebody else’s expensive problem.

Nesvik understands the state managers receiving those decisions from Washington. He used to be one. Cooperation with state agencies has produced changes people can actually use: federal refuge regulations better aligned with state rules, and a streamlined statewide permitting approach for conflicts.

Then there is access. An August 2026 rule added 1,488 hunting and fishing opportunities at 111 refuges and hatcheries in 32 states. Interior called it the largest expansion in Service history. Total refuge acreage available for hunting now exceeds 92 million acres. That figure includes previously opened land, but the additional opportunities are considerable.

“The Director has skillfully navigated some of the most challenging and contentious issues facing wildlife managers,” says Taylor Schmitz, the foundation’s senior vice president and chief operating officer.

Colorado supplied another test. In October 2025, Nesvik directed the state to stop obtaining wolves outside the designated Northern Rocky Mountain area, challenging Canadian sourcing for its voter-mandated reintroduction. Colorado disputed his interpretation and pointed to earlier federal guidance allowing it. The disagreement matters, but so does Nesvik’s willingness to insist that a ballot initiative answer to federal oversight.

Overseas, he understands an economic reality often missing from American arguments about African wildlife: Somebody has to pay to keep the animals and their habitat. Regulated hunting can provide income that makes retaining wildlife worthwhile. Remove that incentive and a hunting concession can become cattle country or cropland. An American import restriction can reach far into an African village.

“He understands sustainable use conservation, all aspects of the outdoors from hunting and fishing to trapping and predator control,” says Safari Club International CEO Laird Hamberlin. “He is a true advocate of all sportsmen and women in America.”

The November 6 refuge review, Rooted in Purpose, proposes 29 changes that emphasize field operations, habitat management, and fewer bureaucratic obstacles. Its implementation deserves watching.

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation President and CEO Kyle Weaver credits Nesvik with “a strong devotion to partnerships with state wildlife agencies and private conservation organizations that invest directly in wildlife and habitat.” Weaver sees the same practical approach he knew in Wyoming continuing at the federal level.

That is where Nesvik’s promise will be measured. A refuge manager needs staff and equipment. A state biologist needs a federal counterpart who listens. A rancher needs wildlife policy that accounts for the ranch.

Nesvik has spent enough time outside Washington to understand why.

– Chris Dorsey

Chris Dorsey is a Coloradan, 30-year media veteran, biologist, outdoor television producer and natural history filmmaker whose writing has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, Forbes and dozens more national titles.