Ruger’s Newest Rifle: The Hawkeye Long-Range Hunter Reviewed
by Riley Baxter
Ruger has decided to enter the light-weight, long-range hunting rifle game with their appropriately named Hawkeye Long-Range Hunter Bolt Action Rifle. This gun is designed to be accurate, lightweight, user adjustable and tough. The light profile, stainless steel barrel contributes most to this rifle’s low weight and comes chambered in the most popular 6.5 calibers.
Anatomy of an Elk Hunt: The Monarch of the Mountain
by Dirk Durham
There it is! An answer! The best thing an archery elk hunter could ask for. It was a reply to my location bugle, deep down in a nasty Idaho backcountry hell hole.
Unboxing the test rifle, it was clear at a glance that the First Lite is not Roy Weatherby’s Mark V of yesteryear. The Mark V line got something of a makeover in the last few years, and the result is an updated take on an iconic and distinctly American rifle design.
The thrill in many backcountry hunting trips is having the ability to experience some of the most beautiful, wild country on earth. The slow drumming sound of horse hooves striking the trail will take you far away from civilization. If you are booking an outfitted horse hunt the few tips below may help you to pack and prepare for your backcountry experience more efficiently.
When it comes to setting your ground blind, there’s a lot to consider, and I see lots of ground-blind goers foil their waterhole plans with poor placement.
Upland game seasons are opening in August and September around the country. For those of us in the West who seek punishment and frustration, that means chukar season.
First, the Pack Out Bags are designed to have one bag on the back and one bag on the front, like a mail carrier bag. There is a hole for your head to go through and very wide padded shoulder straps. There are also straps and snap-in buckles that keep everything together.
As the Editor-in-Chief of GunsAmerica, Hunt365, Decoding Darkness, and Suppressor Academy, True Pearce brings a rare blend of legal expertise, competitive shooting credentials, and deep hunting knowledge to the forefront of the firearms world. A former professional sponsored 3-Gun and Multigun competitor with multiple championships and titles, True’s shooting career began in long-range and tactical sniper matches—and he still burns powder in precision competitions, now branching into Hunter NRL.
A certified firearms instructor who has trained over 10,000 students face-to-face, True has also served on both sides of the courtroom as an attorney and currently as an elected Prosecuting Attorney. He has prosecuted and defended high-profile self-defense and firearms cases, giving him a unique, real-world perspective on the Second Amendment.
Outside the courtroom and off the range, True is a true western outdoorsman. A lifelong hunter and rancher, he rides and hunts off his own string of horses and pack animals, chasing elk, mule deer, wolves, coyotes, and anything else in season. He’s a longtime reloader, producing both precision rifle ammo and, back in the day, handloading over 40,000 rounds of 9mm and 5.56 annually for competition.
He’s also a thermal and night vision expert, known for his obsession with high-end optics, and is rarely found without a camera or a guitar nearby. Whether he’s glassing a distant ridge, reviewing cutting-edge gear, or deep in legal research, True brings passion, precision, and grit to everything he does. Experience:
– Professional Shooter – Sponsored 3-Gun & Multigun competitor with multiple titles and a foundation in long-range and sniper/tactical matches.– Firearms Instructor – Certified instructor with over 10,000 students trained face-to-face.– Elected Prosecuting Attorney – Attorney with real-world experience defending and prosecuting self-defense and gun-related cases.– Hunter & Rancher – Horseback hunter with a working ranch, passionate about elk, deer, predator, and backcountry hunting.– Reloading & Ballistics Expert – Precision reloader and former high-volume competition handloader.– Optics Authority – Known for his deep knowledge and unrelenting standards in optics, thermal, and night vision gear.– Outdoor Creative – Avid photographer, guitar player, and outdoorsman with a sharp eye for gear and storytelling.– 2A Advocate – Committed to protecting the Second Amendment and educating Americans about their rights and responsibilities.
