Mountain lions once padded across nearly every corner of the Lower 48, from the Atlantic forests to the Pacific coast. Today their strongholds are scattered, and only a handful of states still hold established, breeding populations. I want to walk through those last bastions, and the fringe states where cougars are slipping back in, to…
Backup guns are supposed to save your hide when everything else goes sideways, not add new ways to fail. Guides who live in mud, rain, brush, and salt spray have strong opinions about what stays in camp. Here are eight handguns many experienced outdoor pros avoid carrying as backups. 1. Kel-Tec P-32 .380 ACP The…
Serious preppers talk a lot about ammo, but the quiet workhorse in any emergency loadout is the magazine. They are the fragile link between a pile of cartridges and a working gun, and they are also heavy, bulky, and easy to lose. The real question is not how many you can hoard, but how many…
The last breeding population of Florida panthers left on Earth pads through a surprisingly narrow slice of one U.S. state. Once spread across the Gulf Coast and deep into the Southeast, this big cat now survives in the wild only in Florida, mostly in the swamps, ranchlands, and pine flatwoods of the state’s southwest corner….
A good fire should give you heat, light, and maybe a place to cook a steak, not a lungful of poison. Some wood products kick out toxic smoke, corrosive gases, and heavy metals when they burn. Here are 10 types of wood I will never throw in a stove, fireplace, or campfire. 1. Pressure-Treated Wood…
In Alaska, sidearms are tools first and status symbols a distant second. The 10mm Glock has become a common sight on riverboats, in floatplanes, and on the hips of hunters and fishing guides who want a lightweight backup against bears. Lately, though, a handful of dramatic failures and reliability complaints have some of those outdoorsmen…
Some rifle cartridges simply feel “right” when the shot breaks, tracking smoothly onto game and recoiling in a way that keeps you confident instead of braced for impact. That sensation is not just nostalgia or brand loyalty, it is the product of ballistics, ergonomics, and how a given caliber matches the terrain and animals you…
On crowded lakes and community ponds, fish learn fast. After watching lure after lure zip past their noses, they stop reacting to the same noisy baits and obvious boat traffic, and the bite can feel like it shuts off completely. When that happens, I have found that catching them is less about magic lures and…
Experienced hunters tend to converge on the same core priorities when they evaluate a rifle: it must fit the shooter, match the game and terrain, and keep working in ugly conditions without drama. The difference between a passable gun and one that veterans trust with a hard-earned tag usually comes down to how well it…
Hunting has a way of turning small mistakes into big, unforgettable lessons. The woods expose gaps in preparation, judgment, and character faster than almost any classroom, and most of the insights that matter are earned with bruised pride or a sick feeling in the gut. I have learned that if I pay attention to those…