By CJ Lotz

Any decent hunter knows you never let good venison go to waste. If the grill of your truck happens to meet a deer in the road, once you get through cussing a blue streak, you report the accident and ask officials if you can keep the meat. But nobody TRIES to hit a deer, right? Well…

By Peter B. Mathiesen

Three years ago, outdoor writer, photographer, and consummate sportsman Peter Mathiesen left his hometown of St. Louis to start a new life in Alaska. Here’s why he made the move, what everyday life is like, and how it feels to have Denali right outside your window.

There is no telling how many bears walk within a mile of my home. I readily find both black and grizzly sign nearby. Grizzlies seem to want to shy away from the house, although blacks are far more curious.

Two summers ago, at around 9 p.m., I heard a single round discharged from what sounded like a large-caliber gun. My retriever barked once, looked up at me to see if we were going somewhere, and went back to sleep. That sounded close, I thought. Fifteen minutes later, a neighbor knocked on my door. He introduced himself and said, “I understand you’re a hunter. I don’t know what to do with this bear I just shot. Can you lend a hand?”

By David Maccar

Scientists announced yesterday that they've discovered a new species of black bass (genus Micropterus) in Florida that's related to the spotted bass.

According to this story on FloridaToday.com, researchers with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission first discovered the fish while DNA sampling in the Chipola River in 2007. The new species has since been found in coastal rivers in Alabama and along the western Florida panhandle, including the Choctawhatchee River.

By CJ Lotz

Grizzly hunting in Montana could be a reality as soon as next year, says a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service report.

The process to remove grizzlies from the list of federally protected animals could begin as soon as next year. Grizzly bears have been listed as “threatened” since 1975.

The new plan could allow for regulated grizzly bear hunting in designated areas within a 110,636 square-mile section of Montana, including Glacier National Park, the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex and the Rocky Mountain Front.