Field Journal

Angler releasing a striped bass from a boat, about the Atlantic menhaden vote
Atlantic Menhaden Vote Nov. 9–12: What It Means for Striper Anglers
ASMFC meets in Newport Nov. 9–12 to decide the Chesapeake Bay reduction cap and the next coastwide menhaden quota. Here is what is on the table and why striper anglers... Read more...
Mule deer buck feeding at the edge of the timber
Colorado Amendment 83: What a Yes or No Vote Actually Changes
The measure we covered as Initiative 302 is now Amendment 83, and Colorado votes on it November 3. Here is what the text does, what it does not do, and... Read more...
Northern bobwhite quail standing in dry Texas grass
Texas Quail Season 2026: Scaled Quail Doubled, South Texas Bobwhites Slipped
TPWD's August roadside survey says quail are in good shape for the Nov 1 opener. One layer down: scaled quail more than doubled on the Edwards Plateau, while South Texas... Read more...
Hornady 6.8 Western 176 grain ELD-X Precision Hunter cartridge
Hornady's 2027 Lineup: The 6.8 Western Finally Gets an ELD-X
Hornady announced its 2027 products on Oct 14. Of 15 new loaded rounds, one is a big-game hunting load: a 6.8 Western 176 gr ELD-X. Here is what Hornady's own... Read more...
Wild turkey hen standing in green grass during fall turkey season
Fall Turkey Season 2026: 40 States Open, and the Fight Over Hens
NWTF counts 40 states with fall turkey seasons, and the 2026 changes keep tightening. The state map, the Texas rules, the research on hen harvest, and how to hunt a... Read more...
Muzzleloader rifle under a red BANNED stamp, about muzzleloader scope bans
Muzzleloader Scope Bans: The Rules in 2026 and the Fight Behind Them
Smokeless-rated muzzleloaders with TriggerTech triggers have pushed eight Western states to ban magnified scopes. The state-by-state rules, the agencies' reasoning, and the case on each side. Read more...
Texas Rifle Season 2026 cover: 5.64 Million Deer and the 2022 Gap, with a whitetail buck
Texas Rifle Season 2026: 5.64 Million Deer and the 2022 Gap
TPWD counts 5.64 million whitetails going into the Nov. 7 rifle opener. The ecoregion numbers, the antler outlook, and why the 2022 fawn crop changes which buck you should shoot. Read more...
Close-up of New World screwworm larvae
Screwworm Hits 50 US Cases as Texas Deer Season Opens
Fifty US detections since June, 14 Texas counties under infested-zone rules, and a billion sterile flies released. What it means for a hunter this fall. Read more...
The Roadless comment deadline moved to October 6th, over an autumn forest
The Roadless Comment Deadline Moved to October 6
Fifteen more days on the biggest public-lands docket of the year. What changed in the document, both cases at full strength, and how to file a comment that counts. Read more...
Angler holding a bull redfish on a jetty along the Gulf
Redfish Limits Are Falling Across the Gulf and Atlantic
Eight states, one stock assessment, and 3.2 million released fish a year in South Carolina alone. Where every state stands and what it means for your trip. Read more...
Dead whitetail buck lying on rocky ground, a victim of EHD
EHD 2026: About 1,570 Deer Dead in Five Wisconsin Counties
Wisconsin's EHD outbreak is the largest on record by raw mortality. Michigan has four counties confirmed. What it means for your tags and your freezer. Read more...
Whitetail buck running through the woods at night with its tail up
Missouri Just Deleted Its Last Antler-Point Restrictions
Eight regulation changes, one of them the removal of antler-point restrictions to slow CWD. The case for it, the case against, and the two dates that matter. Read more...