The National Bowhunter Education Foundation (NBEF) continues supporting the National Archery in The Schools Program (NASP) through donations of Genesis bows, scholarships for championship tournament winners, scoring pencils, and lane markers. NBEF Executive Director Marilyn Bentz and NASP President Tommy Floyd highlighted their shared commitment to introducing young people to archery and bowhunting.
Professional archer Tim Gillingham has rejoined Bowtech Archery as a brand ambassador. Gillingham will collaborate with Bowtech on competitive archery, hunting initiatives, and product development, leveraging his decades of experience and expertise to advance the company's performance and innovation.
Carbon Express Pro-Staff archers earned gold and silver medals at the USA Archery Field/3D Nationals and Team Trials in Yankton, SD. James Lutz won gold in Men's Compound, while Robbie Weissinger and Ryan Davis took gold and silver in Men's Barebow, all competing with Carbon Express Nano Pro arrows and TruFire releases.
Team Mathews dominated the second leg of the 2026 IBO Triple Crown in Franklin, Pennsylvania, with Dan McCarthy winning the Men's division, Sharon Wallace claiming first in Women's Pro, and Emily McCarthy and Cara Kelly securing second and third place respectively for a complete podium sweep.
Athletes using Easton X10 arrows won gold medals in all individual and team divisions at the Antalya 2026 Hyundai Archery World Cup Stage 3 in both recurve and compound competition. The aluminum-carbon X10 arrows have been the choice of elite archers for over two decades at World Cups, World Championships, and Olympic Games.
At the Hyundai Archery World Cup Stage #3 in Antalya, Turkey, the U.S. recurve men's team of Trenton Cowles, Nicholas D'Amour, and Christian Stoddard won silver. Debutant Savannah O'Donohue, 17, finished fourth in compound women after defeating Tanja Gellenthien and Katharina Raab.
Five archers won USA Archery 3D Nationals titles at Gavin's Point Archery Range in Yankton, South Dakota, including Ava Jones, Marcel Laurens, Cody Hasson, Joella Bates, and Michael Davenport, all of whom had claimed Field Nationals titles 24 hours earlier. Seven additional archers medaled in both competitions.
Team Ruger's Lauryl Akenhead won Top Lady, Top Suppressor, and placed eighth overall at the 2026 Bullet Central Northern Lights Classic in Aneta, North Dakota, competing against 86 shooters with her Ruger American Gen II rifle in 6mm GT across 19 challenging stages.
Whitetails Unlimited granted $33,593 to the Champaign County Outdoor Heritage Chapter in Ohio to support youth pheasant hunts, archery education, NASP programs, and local wildlife area improvements.
The Wild Sheep Foundation is hiring a Visual Communications Manager to advance its conservation mission through strategic communications and visual design. Based in Bozeman, Montana, WSF seeks an experienced professional to develop engaging content across multiple platforms. Interested candidates should apply to Julie Tripp by June 30, 2026.
NSSF commends House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman and Ranking Member Jared Huffman for introducing H.R. 9250 to reauthorize the Legacy Restoration Fund. The legislation would continue funding for deferred maintenance on federal lands managed by USFWS, USFS, and BLM, supporting hunting, recreational shooting, and wildlife habitat conservation.
The Bowhunter Podcast, in partnership with Poncho Outdoors, featured 9/11 survivor and retired Port Authority police officer Will Jimeno discussing his experience and his book "Sunrise Through The Darkness," co-authored with Michael Moats. The episode is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and Podbean.
ScentLok has launched tailored Women's Alpha Elite Jacket and Bib for female hunters, featuring Carbon Alloy® odor-adsorbing technology, DryLok® waterproof membrane, and Thinsulate® insulation. Both pieces are now shipping at retail for $349.99 each in Women's S-2XL sizes.
CZ and Guns.com launched an exclusive benefit auction running June 16-30 featuring a new CZ 75 Legend pistol paired with a restored 1935 CZ 175 motorcycle. Proceeds support Concerns of Police Survivors, Inc. (C.O.P.S.), which serves families of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty.
Mission Archery unveiled the 2026 Stryde, an entry-level bow featuring Solocam technology originally pioneered by Mathews Archery. The bow delivers speeds up to 323 FPS, offers draw lengths from 21 to 30 inches, and includes Mathews' 3D Damping technology for reduced vibration and noise.
NEBO introduces the TORCHY™ 3K Pocket Light, a compact 3,000-lumen flashlight featuring USB-C rechargeability, IPX6 water resistance, and Smart Power Control™ technology. Designed for professionals and outdoor enthusiasts, it combines powerful output with portability and durability at an MSRP of $69.99.
The Wild Sheep Foundation announced a partnership with singer-songwriter and outdoor television host Nick Hoffman as its newest ambassador. Hoffman, known for his award-winning Outdoor Channel series Nick's Wild Ride, is a passionate hunter and conservation advocate committed to supporting WSF's mission to put and keep wild sheep on the mountain.
SLG2, Inc. announced Work Sharp as its newest corporate partner for 2026, joining the Grand Safety Tour beginning June 13-14 at Bass Pro Shops in Niles, Ohio. Work Sharp will provide knife sharpening services and educational demonstrations at Shoot Like A Girl and Safe LivinG events throughout the nationwide tour.
Brownells announced that Daniel Defense products are now available to VALOR Program members at member pricing. VALOR is a member-only program for active-duty military, law enforcement, and federal agents, providing access to over 1,200 brands including Daniel Defense's full catalog of rifles, pistols, components, and spare parts through ID.me verification.
Stealth Cam announced the Spectre 4K Pro Dual-Core Cellular Trail Camera, featuring revolutionary Command AI functions including AI-powered false image detection, PIR zone selection, and Rack Alert technology. The camera captures 56MP photos and 2160P 4K video with dual image sensors optimized for day and night performance.
Browning Trail Cameras officially released the Defender Pro Scout Max HD Solar, a cellular trail camera featuring built-in solar power for extended deployments with minimal maintenance. The camera offers HD image quality, quick setup with a color viewing screen, and automatic network detection using pre-installed AT&T and Verizon SIM cards.
Savage Arms has reached a $1 million milestone in fundraising for youth shooting sports through its partnership with MidwayUSA Foundation since 2020. The partnership provides long-term financial support to youth shooting teams nationwide, with Savage Arms' products used in MidwayUSA Foundation's fundraising programs to build team endowments and expand opportunities for young athletes.
GForce Arms has joined Whitetails Unlimited as a national sponsor, offering firearms including handguns, hunting shotguns, and rifles at competitive prices. WTU President Jeff Schinkten welcomed GForce Arms to the organization, which has over 475 chapters and 120,000 members dedicated to white-tailed deer conservation and hunting traditions.
Dark Energy, a portable power company founded by Garrett Aida, has joined Whitetails Unlimited as a national sponsor. WTU President Jeff Schinkten praised Dark Energy's military-grade power banks, including The Reservoir and Poseidon models, for keeping hunters powered in the field.
For years, Aaron Lin’s family searched for something that would truly click. Like many parents of a child on the autism spectrum with ADHD, they explored different activities, unsure what might resonate or stick. Aaron had interests - coins, mushrooms, things that captured his attention - but nothing quite translated into a lasting, meaningful outlet.
Then came archery.
It wasn’t an immediate leap. The spark first appeared years earlier during a Cub Scouts session, a brief introduction that quietly stayed with him. Over time, Aaron kept bringing it up - asking about it here and there - until his family finally found a local Junior Olympic Archery Development (JOAD) club where he could give it a real try.
What happened next surprised everyone.
“In his first ever session, he was focused for the entire two hours,” his father Michael recalled. “We’d never seen that before.”
That moment marked the beginning of something bigger.
Now 14, Aaron is in his third year shooting Olympic recurve and shoots in the U15 division. He is in Utah this weekend competing at the Easton Foundations Salt Lake Summit. What began as curiosity has grown into commitment, highlighted by his first national tournament appearance in New Mexico last year and his selection to the Regional Elite Program (REP) Team West this season.
But Aaron’s journey in archery goes beyond scores and milestones.
“I am autistic,” Aaron shared. “Some of the information is harder for me to understand.”
Tournaments, in particular, can be challenging. The structure, timing, and procedures require constant attention - tracking shooting rotations, managing scoring, and staying locked in mentally.
“It takes a lot of mental effort for me to follow the procedures of a tournament,” he explained. “Sometimes I feel very anxious if I feel like I’m doing something wrong.”
Those challenges are real. But so is the support system around him.
Aaron credits his coach for creating an environment where he can learn at his own pace, with patience and understanding. That encouragement has helped him push through moments of uncertainty and continue building confidence on the line.
And in the process, something meaningful has taken shape.
“Archery is a fun sport and shooting arrows is satisfying,” Aaron said. “It’s cool to send the arrow flying through the air.”
It’s a simple description - but one that captures the essence of why he keeps coming back.
More importantly, archery has opened doors that once felt difficult to access.
“I feel like I’ve made a lot of friends in archery when sometimes it’s not easy for me to make friends quickly.”
That sense of belonging extends beyond his local club. Within the California archery community, Aaron has become a familiar face, known by judges and fellow competitors alike. His impact has even reached inside his own home - his older brother James took up the sport as well, going on to make a U.S. team in barebow and continue competing at a high level.
For the Lin family, archery has become more than an activity. It’s a shared journey.
Michael, inspired by his sons, earned his Level 3 coaching certification and now helps coach at their JOAD club, KSL Archery Academy, supporting not only Aaron and James, but other young archers finding their own paths in the sport.
And for Aaron, that path continues to unfold. What began as a quiet interest has grown into something steady and empowering, a place where focus comes naturally, friendships form, and effort turns into progress.
In a sport defined by precision and patience, Aaron Lin has found something even more valuable - a sense of confidence, connection, and joy., made even more special by the fact that his family has joined him on his archery journey.
For those inspired by stories like Aaron’s and interested in trying archery for themselves, becoming a member of USA Archery is a great place to start. Membership connects archers of all ages and abilities with certified coaches, local clubs, events and a nationwide community passionate about the sport.
