Blocker Outdoors introduces the Shield Reliant Pant and Shield Reliant Shirt, a dual-purpose gear system designed for both land management work and early-season hunting. Featuring poly-spandex double-weave fabric with S3® anti-microbial technology and moisture-wicking treatment, the system offers durability and scent prevention at $99.99 each.
MassWildlife is offering free Archery 101 classes throughout summer at multiple locations, with equipment available to borrow for beginners. Eight public archery ranges are also open across the state for individual practice with free passes.
Easton's Match Grade Pro Shop Series arrows, crafted in the USA using the exclusive Acu-Carbon process, offer bowhunters premium precision with features including five-point straightness checks, advanced components, and helical fletching. The lineup includes the Easton 5.0, FMJ, AXIS, SONIC 6.0, and Easton 6.5 models.
Darton Archery, Black Eagle Arrows, and Conquest Archery achieved strong podium finishes across multiple classes at ASA Metropolis in Illinois. Notable winners included Cara Kelly in Women's Open Pro, Matt Hagstrom in Senior Known 50, and Brian Stokes in Senior Masters, with Randy Kitts praising the quality of shooters representing all three brands.
Team Mathews dominated the fifth stop of the 2026 ASA 3D season in Metropolis, Illinois, winning three pro classes with Kyle Douglas claiming Men's Known Pro, Cara Kelly, Sharon Wallace, and Emily McCarthy sweeping Women's Pro, and earning nine podium finishes overall.
Dave Roberts of MWS Associates, Inc. has been named 2026 Sales Rep of the Year by TenPoint Crossbow Technologies for exceptional performance in driving sales growth and expanding brand presence across Texas and Oklahoma. The award recognizes his consistent execution in strengthening dealer relationships and recruiting new accounts.
Hook & Barrel Magazine is celebrating America's 250th birthday and its 9th anniversary with a nearly $9,000 giveaway of American-made outdoor gear. The prize package includes contributions from Ruger, Federal, CCI, Leupold, EOTECH, Bear Archery, Easton Archery, Staccato, Wyld Gear, and Bear & Son. The sweepstakes runs through July 31, 2026.
Whitetails Unlimited granted $97,806 to the Catch-A-Dream Foundation for the 2025-2026 fiscal year, primarily through the Dream Sheds program initiated by Mark and Terry Drury of Drury Outdoors. Since 2006, Whitetails Unlimited has provided over $950,000 to support the foundation's mission of providing hunting and fishing trips to children with life-threatening illnesses.
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department will administer a guide and outfitter written examination on August 15 at 1 p.m. in Bismarck. Preregistration is required by August 7 by calling 701-328-6604. Candidates must pass the exam, complete a background check, obtain CPR and first aid certification, and meet employment requirements.
SLG2, Inc. will bring its Shoot Like A Girl experience to Cabela's in Hamburg, Pennsylvania on July 11-12, followed by Bass Pro Shops in Harrisburg July 18-19. The free event features hands-on firearm and archery experiences, product demonstrations, and outdoor education for women, families, and enthusiasts of all skill levels.
Dead Down Wind, owned by Arcus Hunting, is expanding beyond hunting season as outdoor families discover its scent elimination products work for camping, fishing, and everyday adventures. The brand's laundry detergent, field spray, and personal care items are becoming staples for parents managing sweaty sports gear, dog beds, and camping equipment throughout summer.
Kinsey's Inc., a leading outdoor sporting goods distributor, announced the launch of Kinsey's Plus™, a new dealer benefits program offering independent retailers enhanced purchasing advantages, priority services, and exclusive business benefits through annual purchasing thresholds or membership options.
Bass Pro Shops announced plans for a new 148,000-square-foot destination retail location in La Mesa, California, expected to open in 2028. Founded by Johnny Morris, the store will be the sixth Bass Pro Shops location in California and will feature immersive outdoor experiences, conservation initiatives, and employment for over 150 Outfitters.
CVA has issued an immediate safety recall for all Paramount, Paramount HTR, Paramount Pro, and Paramount Pro V2 muzzleloading rifles due to unsafe conditions from improper loading that may cause serious injury or death. Owners must cease use immediately and contact CVA at Paramount-recall@bpioutdoors.com or 770-449-4687 for recall instructions.
Metal Décor Studios, a Veteran-owned Wisconsin business specializing in handcrafted metal art, has renewed its national sponsorship with Whitetails Unlimited. The partnership continues to provide distinctive wildlife and Northwoods-themed metal décor pieces for WTU events and members.
Mossberg will continue its partnership as a Whitetails Unlimited national sponsor, announced WTU President Jeff Schinkten. The North Haven, Connecticut-based firearms manufacturer, celebrating its 100th anniversary, remains committed to innovation and quality design at affordable prices.
Pursuit Channel highlights its Main Beam Monday primetime block, presented by Wildlife Research Center, featuring whitetail hunting series including Dean Partridge's Canadian Whitetail, Red Arrow with Kip Campbell, Game On with Blaine Anthony, The American Way, Wallhanger TV, and Cabela's Deer Gear. The block airs Mondays at 8:00 p.m. ET across multiple platforms reaching over 22 million homes.
Sportsman Channel launches "Saturday Big Shots" programming block featuring hunting shows including Trijicon's World of Sports Afield with Dave Fulson, Hornady's Dark & Dangerous, MeatEater with Steven Rinella, and Winchester Deadly Passion with Melissa Bachman, airing Saturdays 8:00-11:30 p.m. ET.
Outdoor Channel launches the "Taste of the Wild" block featuring four new programs: Wild Fish Masterclass with Chef Mike Robinson, Feast By Fire with Jess Pryles, MeatEater Roasts, and Gone Again with Carter Andrews, premiering Mondays at 7 p.m. ET starting July 6.
One of Leupold's extraordinary employees, Simary Sam, Supervisor, Assembly.
When I kicked off The Maker Series, the first person to reach out was Leupold's Shawn Skipper.
"Leupold wants to be a part of this," he said. So, Leupold put me on a plane to Oregon and gave me a tour of their factory.
Like many gun writers, I arrived at Leupold expecting to be impressed by technology: state-of-the-art machinery, precision engineering, and all the sophisticated processes that turn raw materials into top-tier optics.
I saw all that. But what really struck me wasn’t the machines. It was the people.
As we moved through the factory floor in Beaverton, I realized I was paying less attention to the equipment and more to the men and women operating it. At every station, someone had mastered a skill most of us couldn’t begin to replicate.
It’s easy to assume machines do most of the work in modern manufacturing. Leupold shatters that assumption. Your riflescope wasn’t built by something. It was built by someone. And that someone is special.
What stood out immediately was the concentration. In a world full of distractions, Leupold workers focus on intricate assemblies that would give most people fits. Everywhere I looked, people were zeroed in on details measured in thousandths of an inch. Components were assembled, inspected, adjusted and verified with a level of care that bordered on artistry.
The gold ring is more than a logo. It’s a promise. A symbol of generations of craftsmanship, innovation, and pride built into every optic that leaves Beaverton. Long before it finds its way onto a rifle, that golden ring passes through the hands of skilled Americans dedicated to getting the details right.
The assembly areas fascinated me most. Rows of highly skilled employees moved with practiced dexterity, placing tiny components exactly where they belonged. Some jobs needed extraordinary hand-eye coordination; others called for the kind of patience and precision most people just don’t have.
Watching them work reminded me of surgeons, jewelers and master watchmakers.
We hunters and shooters think we’re detail-oriented. We debate quarter-inch groups, torque values, reticle subtensions and ballistic coefficients. But after seeing the Leupold team at work, I realized we’re amateurs. The professionals? They’re all in Beaverton making your riflescope.
The men and women on the assembly floor operate at a level far beyond ours. Even the most meticulous among us would seem careless by comparison.
After talking with several employees, I learned their attention isn’t just for perfectionism’s sake. It’s driven by purpose. Every lens, every component, every adjustment gets their full attention because they understand that the smallest detail can affect the finished product.
It also became clear that intelligence at Leupold is everywhere. Brilliant minds aren’t confined to engineering offices or executive suites. They’re on the factory floor, too.
Engineers solve complex problems. Machinists turn raw materials into precision components. Technicians detect imperfections most people would never see. Assemblers trust experience as much as instrumentation, often sensing when something isn’t quite right before any measurement confirms it. Then, before your optic ever leaves the factory, one final set of Oregon-based hands scrutinizes it with a level of precision and discipline that would bring a tear to a drill instructor’s eye.
There’s a difference between knowing how to do something and understanding why it matters. Leupold’s people know both.
As I walked through the factory, I couldn’t help but notice that no one seemed disconnected from the mission. Whether someone was machining components, assembling riflescopes, building red dots, testing electronics, or inspecting finished optics, there was a quiet sense that the work mattered. The optic on the bench in front of them would eventually find its way into someone’s hands; a hunter on a mountainside, a competitor on the firing line, a law enforcement officer, or a service member in harm’s way. I don’t pretend to know what motivated every person I met, but it was clear they understood their work had a purpose beyond the factory walls, and that was something I came to deeply respect.
Another realization came to me during my visit.
When I first envisioned The Hunting Wire’s Maker Series, I didn’t have a particular person or company in mind. I wasn’t picturing a specific gunsmith, engineer, engraver, designer or machinist. I just knew our industry spends too much time celebrating products and brands, and not enough time celebrating the people who make those products possible.
The makers at Leupold, engineers, machinists, technicians and assemblers, rarely ask for recognition, but their commitment is the foundation of the company’s reputation. After witnessing their dedication, I felt a responsibility as a hunter to honor their work in the field. Knowing the care and expertise poured into every riflescope, I realized using their equipment is a privilege that deserves my best effort and respect.
Leupold’s story is also a story of American craftsmanship. In an age when so many products are manufactured entirely overseas, there is something powerful about watching skilled American workers assemble, calibrate, test, and inspect every riflescope in Oregon. The result is more than an optic; it's a product shaped by generations of expertise, precision, discipline, and pride.
Touring Leupold changed how I see optics. Now, I see not just materials and technology, but also the talent and work ethic behind each product. Excellence at Leupold isn’t an accident. It’s built one careful decision at a time by people who take pride in what they do.
My visit left me proud, not just to use Leupold’s products, but to celebrate the American spirit behind them. The real story isn’t just the optics. It’s the people who make them, and the generations of craftsmanship and dedication they represent.
Leupold loves to remind you their rifle optics are assembled in America.
America should be just as proud of Leupold.
Look for more from the Leupold factory floor as we continue The Maker Series.
