Awards & Honors

The National Wild Turkey Federation received the Winchester Legend Award at its 50th Convention and Sport Show in Nashville, Tennessee. Winchester Ammunition presented the award recognizing the NWTF's decades of commitment to conservation and hunting traditions. NWTF Board Chairman Bryan Perry accepted on behalf of the organization and its volunteers, members, and partners.

TightSpot, a Black Gold Premium Accessories brand member, won the Gold Award in the quiver category at the 2026 Bowhunting World Readers' Choice Awards, marking the 14th consecutive year for this honor. The award was presented by Bowhunting World staff during the NSSF SHOT Show 2026 in Las Vegas.

Spartan Precision Equipment's Springbok Tripod has received the NRA Golden Bullseye Award for Gear of the Year. The tripod features innovative silicone technology enabling rapid deployment from prone to standing positions and includes a MagnaSwitch quick-detach system for hunters in demanding environments.

Harold Knight and David Hale, co-founders of Knight & Hale Game Calls, were inducted into the Grand National Calling Championships Hall of Fame during the National Wild Turkey Federation's 50th Anniversary Convention. The ceremony recognized their 50+ years of influence in game call design and conservation.

Ameristep won a Gold Award in the Ground Blind category from Bowhunting World magazine readers for the second consecutive year in 2026. The company introduced the Frontline Wide-Bottom Extreme, a hub-style blind accommodating up to three hunters with six silent sliding windows and a 180° bowhunter view.

On Target Magazine awarded Federal Ammunition's 7mm Backcountry cartridge a 2025 Editors' Choice Award as part of its 24th annual awards program. The cartridge features patented Peak Alloy case technology and is engineered for short-barreled hunting rifles, achieving 3,000 feet per second through 20-inch barrels with 170-grain bullets.

The Wild Sheep Foundation presented multiple awards at the Sheep Show® in Bozeman, Montana, recognizing individuals and organizations for conservation and hunting contributions. Recipients included Jim Travis, Brett Wiedmann, the Texas Bighorn Society, Chris Barker, and numerous others honored for their dedication to wild sheep conservation across North America, Europe, and Asia.

Traditions® Performance Firearms announced Steve Kirkpatrick of The WL Carter Company as the 2025 Sales Representative of the Year. Kirkpatrick has represented Traditions products since 2006, demonstrating outstanding performance and dedication to customer relationships and brand growth.

CCI Rimfire Ammunition won the Predator Xtreme 2026 Gold Award for Rimfire Ammunition for the 10th consecutive year. CCI Rimfire Product Manager Steve Monniere announced two new Hunter Series loads featuring Small Game Bullets in 22 LR calibers for 2026.

Summit Treestands earned the Gold winner award in the 2026 Bowhunting World Readers' Choice Award for Climbing Treestands. Brian Malone at Summit Treestands highlighted the company's commitment to designing treestands that exceed expectations for safety, comfort, and silence.

Federal received the 2026 Gold Award in the Shotshells category from Predator Xtreme readers, marking their eighth consecutive year winning the honor. Federal Shotshell Product Director Dan Compton highlighted the Federal Premium Buckshot 4B load's copper-plated pellets and tight patterns for predator hunting.

Outdoor Sportsman Group presented Chris Dolnack, Senior Vice President and Chief Customer Officer for the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the SHOT Show in Las Vegas. Host Michael Waddell presented the award, recognizing Dolnack's three decades of contributions to the shooting sports and firearms industry.

German Precision Optics (GPO USA) announced that the GPO CENTURI 4-16x44i Super-Compact Riflescope won the 2026 NRA American Hunter Golden Bullseye Award. The award recognizes excellence and innovation in firearms, ammunition, optics, and accessories.

Hornady has been named the Top Ammunition Brand by Hook & Barrel's Top Shelf Awards, which honors best-in-class outdoor industry brands. Seth Swerczek, Hornady Communications Manager, emphasized the company's commitment to quality and craftsmanship. Winners will be honored at the 2026 SHOT Show in Las Vegas.

Hook & Barrel Magazine announced winners of its Second Annual Top Shelf Awards, honoring best-in-class outdoor industry brands and personalities across 21 categories. Editorial Director Nino Bosaz praised the community response, with awards to be presented at SHOT Show 2026.

After extensive testing by the editors of Outdoor Life, the Federal Gold Medal 6.5 Creedmoor, 140-grain Sierra MatchKing was named the Editors Choice for the most accurate load in 6.5 Creedmoor. The article outlining the testing and results was written by Outdoor Life Shooting Editor, John Snow.