Expert Guides

Peak Refuel meals taste more like something from the kitchen than emergency rations from the bottom of a pack. After hauling them into Idaho’s backcountry, they proved simple, filling, and worth making room for on a hard hunt.

Three additional defendants also faced consequences in the case. Together, they were fined $5,000, forfeited firearms, and lost a combined two years of hunting privileges.

National Hunting and Fishing Day is more than a date on the calendar. It is a reason to get outside, bring somebody new along, and show them why this lifestyle matters.

The big theme, according to Idaho Fish and Game Deer and Elk Coordinator Toby Boudreau, is simple: “Highly promising.”

The Streamlight ProTac Rail Mount VIR Pro stuffs a powerful white light and serious 940nm IR illumination into one flexible rifle light for around $248. After testing it from dark barns to targets hundreds of yards away, I found plenty to like and a few limits worth knowing before you mount one.

If you’ve ever been on a spot-and-stalk or a long hunt toting a rifle without a sling you have probably found yourself realizing just how useful they can be. Check out our top five deer rifle sling picks.

The best semi auto hunting rifles give you something a bolt gun cannot: a fast second shot without taking your eye off the animal. A good autoloader also soaks up recoil through its gas system, so the rifle moves less and you see the hit. That matters on running hogs, on a deer that steps [...]

The Smith & Wesson Model 1854 drags the classic .44 Magnum lever gun into the modern era with a threaded barrel, optic rail, M-LOK slots, and suppressor-ready performance. It also delivered sub-inch groups, ran without a mechanical failure, and put 10 rounds on steel in 5.5 seconds.

The Nocpix RICO 3 PRO H50R brings reliable autofocus, intuitive ocular zoom, and sharp 640 thermal imaging into one premium hunting optic. We ran it through hot, wet nights, hammered hogs, doubled on coyotes, and found technology that actually made the hunt easier.