I have always felt a debt to the man, Ed, who took the chance on allowing me to marry his daughter. Five kids later, and a few hunts together, he hasn’t “accidentally” shot me. Yet. At this point, I am quite probably in the clear. I love getting to give my favorite father-in-law the opportunity to hunt new animal species. He lives in Indiana and doesn’t have the variety of game Montana offers. We have been putting him in for a combo elk and deer license for the last few years. He not only drew the combo deer/elk licenses but also a special unit bull permit in Central Montana!

The first morning out, the Jeep thermometer sat at -20 degrees. It was nose-hair-freezing-cold, but the wind wasn’t unbearable. This was a new experience for Ed and two of his boys who came to be pack mules for their dad. As we hiked the mountains came into view. We scanned the daily elk migration route from the rancher’s fields to the bedding area. These and most elk, are generally under cover before the sun is in sight. We chose a cutoff ravine that happened to have a handful of elk moved into a clearing. There were two bulls in the group, including a respectable 5x6. Utilizing his backpack rifle rest, we ranged and dialed the scope for 450 yards. Trigger control is everything and the bull dropped from a single shot from Ed’s .280 Ackley. I was pumped! Watching for a few seconds to make sure he was down, I ranged the opening above the small herd, dialed my scope, and tracked a large cow as she came into view from the trees. My 33 Nosler's 250gr Barnes bullet took her through the lungs and she was lying still in seconds.

The fun part of being an outdoor writer is getting to hunt with the guns manufacturers let us use as it helps with their promotion. Ed was shooting a cute little Kimber Hunter Pro in .280 Ackley (the best the ’06 case has to offer in trajectory and terminal performance, yes this is my opinion). I have been anxious to get my hands on one of these rifles and this little sweetheart didn’t disappoint. We fed it Nosler factory 160 gr. Partitions and Vortex loaned us a 4-22x50 Razor HD LHT scope to mount in Tally rings (my favorite rings – lightweight and solid). I am amazed at the weight of the rifle and scope. The recoil was mild and the gun was accurate. Poor Ed, he only got to shoot the rifle twice for his two-game animals. The scope was amazingly clear and only weighed just over 21 oz. We used it as a spotting scope some of the time. Yes, it was that good!

It took us half the day to bone out the two elk. Ed and I danced our knives through the meat getting it into sturdy pack frames. My two brothers-in-law packed the meat to the jeep twice. My father always said it was good to have friends with strong backs and weak minds. My brothers-in-law didn’t care for this joke. No sense of humor. We had both elk out to the vehicle just after noon.

We hunted for a few more days in the crazy cold but couldn’t turn up a decent 4x4 muley. Ed has shot some awful nice whiteys but had never shot a mule deer. We ended up heading home to the Western side of the state to continue his hunt. 

We took off to visit a mountain an hour from home in search of the elusive muley buck that now hangs in Ed’s living room. It was first light and we were hunting our way down a logging road. Up above us, we spotted a small bunch of muley does and a nice 4x4 buck tending them. We ranged him at 400 yards while Ed got the Kimber rifle settled over an old stump. He waited for the buck to stand broadside and took the shot. At the boom, we watched the buck go down after a few jumps. I made the mistake of not taking a picture from the shot location to reference when we got up to where the buck was. We hiked back and forth, up and down, and finally found where he was piled up. A great trophy for a great man. (Yes, I am still trying to earn brownie points!) After some pictures, we gutted the deer, cut him in half just behind the cape, and slid him in two backpacks to hike back to the jeep.

Now it was my turn. The next day found us on top of one of my favorite mountains. The terrain here is steeper than a giraffe’s neck and slipperier than snot. The old logging roads are the hunter’s access and hiking trails. There were 3-4 inches of fresh snow and we found where a big-footed buck came down off the mountain and walked along the road before bailing off to somewhere below us. We hunted way up the mountain along the deep ravine and then headed back down. After passing the fresh buck tracks, we rounded the mountain and came up across from where the buck had gone off and below us. A side glance showed a muley lying in the snow.

After glassing him for a bit, I decided it was close to the end of the season and I was ready to be done. He was a good-looking deer with a fork on the left side and a four-pointer on the right. I dialed the scope in to 450 yards, laid prone with the rifle on its bipod, and squeezed the trigger. I have no idea what I did wrong. The bullet went just over his back and he jumped down the hill a few bounds to look back. I had missed. No matter how good you are or how great your gun is, once in a while, every hunter will miss and even moderate range increases the chance this will happen.

I was shooting a Nosler rifle with their new model 21 action in the 33 Nosler cartridge. The Big Bang Theory! It is a solid, but not overly heavy rifle that handles the recoil quite nicely. I hand-loaded the 250gr Barnes LRX bullets and could easily hit targets out past 700 yards with it. The Zeiss LRP S3 4.5-25x50 is a heavier but serious scope. This is probably the nicest scope I have ever used! Missing the buck wasn’t the gun or the scope’s fault. Less than a week before, I had hit my cow elk within an inch of where I wanted at a farther distance. Great gear is only as good as the goofball behind the trigger! That’s me, grade-A goofball.

I worked the bolt as he walked away from me back up through the timber. Settling the crosshairs in the middle of his back, I let another bullet go. He jumped a few more bounds and disappeared. We went back around and dropped down the hill to where his bed was. I had just missed him on that 1st shot. We followed his tracks up the hill and found that I judged the size of his rack wrong because I had judged his body wrong. He was by far the largest-bodied buck I have seen in that neck of the woods, and his rack has one of the largest frames I have put on my wall. Unfortunately, he had broken his left foreleg and it had healed but was a big mess of fused bone. I wonder if that is why he was missing his forks on the left side. Whatever the case, I was stoked! My father-in-law, brother-in-law, and son got to be there for the whole thing. They helped me pack the meat out and we went home feeling victorious. Sorry wolves, this one is mine!

 – By Dan Larsson 

NOMAD Outdoor unveiled the Cottonwood VX3, a late-season bowhunting gear system featuring a jacket and pants in Mossy Oak Bottomland pattern. The system combines high pile berber fleece, windproof membranes, and NOMAD's Silver Z Scent Suppression System for warmth and concealment during extended stand hunts.

Blocker Outdoors' Shield Drencher Insulated Jacket and Bib combine waterproof, insulated protection with solid blaze orange visibility for late-season deer hunting. The gear meets firearm season requirements across multiple states while keeping hunters warm, dry, and quiet during extended sits in harsh weather conditions.

Boyt Harness Company, a century-old premium sporting gear manufacturer, launched its new Boyt Upland Hunting Jacket designed for wild bird hunters. The technical outerwear features DWR-treated water-repellent polyester, reinforced brush-busting overlays, multiple pockets, and blaze orange safety accents, available in sizes Medium through 3XL.

Beretta USA launches its Multifield Performance Collection, a versatile apparel line featuring technical layers and outerwear designed to transition seamlessly from field and range to everyday wear. The collection includes pieces like the Cadet Flannel, Abisko Full Zip Fleece, Highland Heritage Windblock Sweater, and Halifax Sherpa Jacket, available through Beretta authorized dealers and online.

PROOF Research's Elevation MTR FDX rifle earned Outdoor Life's Editor's Choice award for Best Hunting Rifle of 2026. Shooting Editor John B. Snow praised the rifle's build quality and performance, highlighting the innovative PXT barrel technology that achieved a 0.58-inch 20-shot group average during testing.

Dead Air Silencers' Nomad Ti OTB has been named the 2026 Athlon Untamed Hunting Suppressor of the Year. The innovative over-the-barrel suppressor earned top honors for its lightweight titanium construction, compact design, and superior performance across multiple evaluation categories.

Dallas Safari Club announced that Trackan Lemon, a 13-year-old from Holden, Utah, is the 2027 Colin Caruthers Young Hunter Award recipient. Lemon, who completed the World Slam of wild turkeys and has participated in hunts across North America, exemplifies the award's values of leadership, conservation dedication, and community involvement. He will be formally recognized at the 2027 DSC Convention in Atlanta.

The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and Hunt 2 Conserve committed $125,000 to support Amendment 83, a Colorado ballot measure that constitutionally protects hunting and fishing. The amendment declares hunting and fishing as the primary means for sustainable wildlife management, with over 300,000 hunters and 950,000 anglers expected to recreate in Colorado in 2026.

Following an October 9 ATF announcement, the agency will no longer enforce NFA requirements for suppressors, short-barreled rifles, and related items. SilencerCo explains the implications for suppressor ownership, including federal non-enforcement of registration and interstate transport restrictions, while emphasizing state laws remain applicable.

Whitetails Unlimited has launched a Sight-In Target Initiative providing free shooting range kits to help hunters and shooting enthusiasts safely and accurately sight-in their firearms before deer season. Each complimentary kit includes three 100-yard targets with grids, a center highlight ring, and a firearm safety poster. Contact Whitetails Unlimited at 920.743.6777 or nh@whitetailsunlimited.com to order.

Sierra Bullets and Barnes Bullets announced Cole Seyfert joined their sales team managing Key Accounts and International Commercial sales. Seyfert brings sales management experience from American Outdoor Brands and founded ROCT Outdoor, a premium dog gear company serving sporting and farm markets across the United States, Canada, and Europe.

The Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute (SAAMI) has standardized the 5.56 Commercial cartridge, introduced by Hornady Manufacturing Company. The new round features a 55-grain bullet at 3,400 fps with a maximum average pressure of 62,000 psi.

Primary Arms Optics announced the promotion of Jeff Scheider to Vice President of Sales. Scheider, who previously served as National Sales Manager, will lead sales strategy and strengthen dealer partnerships for the Houston-based optics company.

Silencer Central launched "Ship to Dealer," allowing customers to purchase suppressors online and pick them up at licensed dealers nationwide. The service follows ATF guidance eliminating NFA registration requirements for suppressors, available in 27 states alongside Silencer Central's traditional front-door delivery option.

The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) is hiring an Eastern Regional Development Director to support strategic fundraising efforts, manage major donor portfolios, and identify planned gift opportunities. The remote position requires a bachelor's degree, five years of development experience, and frequent travel throughout the Eastern United States.

ZeroTech Optics USA introduces the Trace X 5-25x56 FFP – RMG-H MRAD Illuminated riflescope, featuring a matched MRAD aiming system, illuminated first focal plane reticle, 34 MRAD elevation travel, and mechanical zero stop designed for precision competition and long-range shooting.

Trijicon introduces a new Standard Green Duplex reticle option for its AccuPoint 1-8x24 riflescope, featuring the company's battery-free tritium and fiber-optic illumination system. The versatile 1-8x magnification scope is designed for hunters and shooters preferring traditional duplex reticles with reliable performance across varying lighting conditions.

Wild Sheep Foundation leadership presented to the European Federation for Hunting and Conservation at their 2026 General Assembly in Brussels, discussing collaborative conservation efforts and WSF's Women Hunt® Program. WSF provided $50,000 USD to support FACE's advocacy work against international anti-hunting initiatives.

The Bowhunter Podcast, presented by Tactacam and Thompson Cigar, features contributors Emily Konkler, Darron McDougal, and Danny Farris discussing optimal hunting times and tactics for the 2026 whitetail season. The expert panel shares insights on early season, rut hunting, decoying strategies, and late-season tactics using DataSport's Fish & Game Forecaster as their baseline.

ZeroTech Optics USA introduces the Trace X 5-25x56 FFP – RMG 3 Illuminated riflescope, featuring an illuminated MIL grid reticle with a 30-mil vertical holdover scale, 34 MRAD elevation travel, and first focal plane design for competition, long-range shooting, and hunting applications.

ZeroTech Optics USA introduces the Trace X 5-25x56 FFP – RMG-H MOA Illuminated riflescope, featuring 116 MOA of elevation travel, 58 MOA of windage, quarter-MOA clicks, and an illuminated first focal plane reticle with mechanical zero stop for precision shooters.

Federal Ammunition launched an updated Ballistic AE App featuring a modern interface and combined HUD and DOPE charts for improved user experience. The iOS ballistics calculator now supports Federal, Remington, Fiocchi, and Speer projectiles, including new Peak Alloy products like 7mm Backcountry and 6.5 Creedmoor +Peak.

Ol' Man Outdoors announced its 2026 hub-style ground blind lineup featuring three models: the Buck Shot, Carnivore 270, and Bounty Hunter 270. Each blind offers enhanced concealment, visibility, and capacity for deer hunters, with features including camouflage fabrics, silent window systems, and rapid setup capabilities.

Defend reminds outdoor enthusiasts that tick protection remains important during fall hunting and outdoor activities. Defend Permethrin treats clothing and gear, while Defend Picaridin repels ticks on skin, both scent-free options for hunters.

Hardcore Waterfowl introduces oversized, foam-filled Rugged Series Bluebill Duck Decoys designed for harsh waterfowl hunting conditions. The decoys feature true-to-life paint schemes, WhaleTail™ Keel technology for natural movement, and come in 6-packs with four drakes and two hens at an MSRP of $119.99.

ZeroTech Optics is offering free Vengeance 10x42 binoculars with eligible riflescope purchases from October 15 through December 31, 2026. The promotion applies to purchases from zerotechoptics.com or authorized USA dealers, with a $12.99 flat-rate shipping charge for dealer-purchase redemptions.

Ballistic's Best Hunting Edition 2026 evaluated five rifle suppressors: Sig Sauer Endure 30, IWI IWS7Ti, EOTech DCBL 762, Dead Air Nomad Ti OTB, and Rugged 360 Ti. Testing measured weight, sound reduction, recoil, and point-of-impact shift to determine which suppressors deliver optimal performance for hunters.

Ballistic's Best Hunting Edition 2026 evaluated seven leading waterfowl shotguns including Winchester SX4, Browning A5, Mossberg 940 Pro, Beretta AX800 Suprema, Benelli Super Black Eagle 3, Franchi Affinity 3, and Stoeger M3500. Three shooters tested handling, fit, recoil, and performance, finding tight competition across modern duck guns with no single feature guaranteeing success.

Bass Pro Shops announced plans for a new 110,000-square-foot destination retail location in Irmo, South Carolina, expected to open in late 2027. The store will mark Bass Pro Shops' fourth destination retail location in South Carolina and is expected to employ over 120 Outfitters to serve the greater Columbia region near Lake Murray.

Maxim Defense, a manufacturer of precision firearms and suppressors, will sponsor and exhibit at CANCON West 2026 in Boulder City, Nevada from October 22-24, 2026. The event will feature hands-on demonstrations of Maxim's Quantum Series titanium 3D printed suppressors, including the Quantum 22K Rimfire Suppressor, alongside products from industry manufacturers.

Bilson Arms, an American-made tactical rifle and pistol manufacturer based in Louisiana, has joined Whitetails Unlimited as a national sponsor. The company specializes in innovative AR platform firearms, including their pump-style charging system and Blue-Collar Suppressors line.

Block Targets, based in Superior, Wisconsin, continues its partnership as a Whitetails Unlimited national sponsor. The award-winning archery target manufacturer produces durable block targets for all skill levels, compatible with field points, fixed blade, and expandable broadheads.

Project ChildSafe's Safety Sweepstakes, administered by NSSF, is now accepting entries for eight prize packages valued over $20,000, including offerings from Vault Pro, GLOCK, Hornady, Savage Arms, Leupold, and other sponsors. The sweepstakes runs through January 31, 2027, with winners drawn March 11, 2027.

Ralph and Vicki Cianciarulo, along with RJ and Aubrey, invite viewers to tune into the 26th season of The Choice on Pursuit Channel, beginning October 12th. The episode features the family bowhunting Kansas whitetails with J&M Outfitters in an exciting hunt for big game.