Author: Braxton Taylor

On August 5, a federal judge in Missoula, Montana, vacated a 2024 ruling by the US Fish and Wildlife Service that refused to re-list the Northern Rocky Mountain population of gray wolves under the Endangered Species Act. The decision threatens the current status of this wolf population and could eventually result in an end to hunting and trapping in three western states.Already, a coalition of sporting groups have appealed the judge’s decision, adding another chapter in the seemingly endless story of the battle over wolves in the West.“Safari Club International (SCI) is frustrated that the court ignored the reality of…

Davidson’s, one of the nation’s top firearm, ammunition, optics and accessories wholesalers, is releasing a new exclusive firearm produced in collaboration with Ruger. This version of the LCP Max is made with a Flat Dark Earth (FDE) finish and is available exclusively at Davidson’s and GalleryofGuns.com. First introduced in 2021, the LCP Max added more ammunition capacity, a redesigned frame, a slide with forward serrations and improved sights over the original LCP pistol. This Davidson’s exclusive version of the LCP Max has a front sight with a tritium insert with a white outline and a drift-adjustable, serrated rear sight. Other…

How an Alaskan military base is preparing for Trump-Putin meeting. President Trump is set to host Russia’s Vladimir Putin tomorrow at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, just north of Anchorage. The joint Air Force-Army base, which today supports F-22 Raptors, historically has been used to counter the Soviet Union and launch intercepts of Russian and Chinese aircraft. The location begs questions about the logistics of securing the site. Base officials declined to answer any of them, deferred questions about preparation for the visit to the White House, which declined to provide further information, citing operational security. But former Air Force officials said that with…

I like weird guns. There are only so many bolt-action hunting rifles you can write about in a year, so when the GOAT-15 crossed my radar, I was intrigued.The GOAT-15 is (as far as I can tell) the lightest semi-automatic rifle in the world. It looks and feels like a miniature AR-15, complete with the same fire controls, pistol grip, and adjustable stock. But closer inspection reveals that this is a totally new firearm. It was designed from the ground up by Mountain Billy Gun Lab (MBGL) of Charleston, Utah, as the ultimate lightweight .22 LR rifle for backcountry small…

The Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute (SAAMI) has issued the first “Voluntary Industry Performance Standards Criteria for Firearm Sound Suppressors for the Use of Commercial Manufacturers.” The detailed document took eight years of detailed and highly technical work to complete. The “Voluntary Industry Performance Standards Criteria for Firearm Sound Suppressors for the Use of Commercial Manufacturers” document contains thread and socket drawings, recommendations on how to communicate intended cartridge, minimum barrel length, maximum firing cadence and maximum rounds before required cooling, procedures and equipment required for suppressor sound measurement, measuring suppressor-to-bore alignment, testing for abusive mishandling, overpressure testing and…

Being selected for military special operations programs requires a layered approach to fitness. Here is a question from a reader on that challenging journey:What’s your recommendation for workout splits if I have an hour to work out in the morning and a few hours in the afternoon? Upper body strength and calisthenics are areas where I need the most work, given my triathlon background. I am planning for Air Force Special Warfare, with the goal of PJ training after selection. Thanks,NickTransitioning from a triathlon background to preparing for Air Force Special Warfare (AFSW) — especially with the goal of Pararescue (PJ)…

  Firefield | Rapidstrike 1-10×24 CR1Combining close-range agility with long-range accuracy, the Rapidstrike 1-10×24 CR1 is versatile, but also tough. Designed to withstand the recoil of a .338 Lapua Mag., the scope features a second-focal-plane reticle, pop-up, resettable, locking turrets; fully multi-coated optics; a single-piece, 30 mm tube and hard-anodized finish. It is shockproof, fogproof and water-resistant. Magnification: 1-10XObjective Lens Diameter: 24 mmReticle: Second-focal-plane BDCLength: 10.7 inchesWeight: 17.6 ouncesMSRP: $239(817) 225-0310; firefield.com Leupold | VX-6HD Gen 2 RiflescopeThe second generation of Leupold’s signature VX6-HD line includes a low-power, variable option in addition to three standard riflescope options. All models have…

00:00:00 Speaker 1: So like I co founded under Armour, people could say that was a big success. I’ve been involved with some other things that you could say with success. I have never felt successful ever once until about two weeks ago, sitting in Alaska overlooking the mountains, looking at my team move a bunch of hunters in and out. 00:00:20 Speaker 2: We just had a bear hunter come in. 00:00:23 Speaker 3: Really cool outfit. 00:00:24 Speaker 1: It’s close to my heart, It’s where I want to be. It’s outdoors at its best. And I was…

Rapidly changing policies at the Pentagon this year, from civilian workforce cuts and canceled contracts to a mandate for buying software faster, have changed the landscape for defense contractors.  And for Booz Allen Hamilton—one of 10 consultant firms targeted for cuts in a federal government contract review amid the shakeup—the plan is to lean into those changes. “It was a big pivot,” Andrea Inserra, president of Boox Allen Hamilton’s global defense business, told Defense One. “The whole world is under pivot….everything is changing…and I think there’s goodness to that.”Inserra, who previously led the company’s aerospace business, took the job in April and…

00:00:01 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Wired to Hunt podcast, your guide to the White Tail Woods, presented by First Light, creating proven versatile hunting apparel for the stand, saddle or blind. First Light Go Farther, stay Longer, and now your host, Mark Kenyon. 00:00:19 Speaker 2: Welcome to the Wired to Hunt podcast. This week on the show, I am running Terry Drury through our what would you do? Gauntlet, in which I will be asking him to share with me exactly how he would handle a series of different hypothetical, challenging hunting scenarios and circumstances. All right, welcome…