Swhacker Broadheads announces the launch of the #307 100GR Mechanical 2-Blade Broadhead, featuring exclusive Blade-Lock Technology, a 2" cutting diameter, and signature slice-twice blade action. Engineered and built in the USA by FL Outdoors, the #307 is designed for serious bowhunters seeking precision, reliability, and devastating field performance.

Darton Archery, Black Eagle Arrows, and Conquest Archery staff shooters achieved multiple podium finishes at the 2026 Lancaster Archery Classic. Jacob Slusarz qualified first overall and finished second in Open Pro shooting Darton's TriTech 35, while other notable winners included Glenn Talley, Todd Ward, and Chloe Nelsen across various divisions.

Whitetail Institute won Gold in the Food Plot Seed category of the 2026 Bowhunting World Readers' Choice Awards. VP/GM William Cousins credited the company's research-driven approach to forage development and field testing, emphasizing commitment to hunter success and product reliability.

The 2026 USA Archery Indoor Nationals in Owensboro, Kentucky produced significant ranking changes across multiple divisions. Notable performances included Boston Shelley's 1187 in fixed pins U15 men (pending national record verification), Dillon Thompson's 1189 in compound men, and Ava Jones's top finishes in both recurve and barebow women categories.

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks' Becoming an Outdoors Woman (BOW) program is hosting an ice fishing workshop in Havre on February 13-14. The two-part workshop for women 18 and older includes an indoor session on gear selection and safety, followed by hands-on instruction on a frozen pond. Registration costs $15 and opens January 31.

NEXTORCH North America announces NEXTORCH Ultra-Thin Tactical Gloves featuring seamless fingertip construction, CORDURA® fabric, dual-layer palm protection, and ten-finger touchscreen compatibility. Designed for tactical training, patrol duty, and outdoor activities, these gloves are priced at $44.99 and available through a 30-day free evaluation program for law enforcement and military agencies.

Mission First Tactical unveiled the MFT Ultra Low Ride IWB Holster, featuring a 1.5" lower ride position for enhanced concealment and comfort for larger-framed individuals. The ambidextrous holster includes adjustable retention with audio click confirmation and is available in multiple configurations with an MSRP of $59.99.

Whitetail Institute introduces Whitetail Sorghum Select, an innovative blend of two premium hybrid sorghum varieties designed for hunters and land managers. The product combines early and late-maturing hybrids to extend feeding opportunities while offering drought and disease resistance, attracting whitetail deer, turkeys, and game birds.

Ameristep, a Grand Prairie, Texas-based hunting blind manufacturer, has renewed its sponsorship with Whitetails Unlimited. According to Whitetails Unlimited President Jeff Schinkten, Ameristep's products help hunters stay hidden through simplified assembly and features that eliminate scent, noise, and reflection.

Easton announces the 5MM Steel HIT Break-Off Insert, an adjustable stainless steel accessory for archers that allows weight adjustment from 50 to 75 grains. Four times stronger than brass or aluminum, it optimizes arrow Front of Center and is compatible with all Easton 5mm arrow shafts.

CZ will exhibit at the 2026 Great American Outdoor Show, February 7–15, 2026, in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. At Booth #317, CZ representatives will showcase firearms for hunting, personal defense, and sport shooting, connecting with the shooting sports community.

Halo Optics has renewed its sponsorship with Whitetails Unlimited, announced by WTU President Jeff Schinkten. The company's rangefinders feature advanced technology including Angle Intelligence and Scan Mode to help hunters make confident, ethical shots.

Silent Steel USA will exhibit at the 2026 Great American Outdoor Show in Harrisburg, PA at Booth 587, showcasing its FLOW-IQ Technology suppressors designed to reduce blowback and improve shooter comfort. The company, founded as the U.S. extension of Silent Steel Finland, will educate attendees on suppressor technology and applications for hunting and shooting.

MTM Case-Gard introduced the Chronograph Case (CCXERO) in Dayton, OH, offering custom-fit protection for the Garmin Xero chronograph. Featuring precision-cut foam, hard-shell construction, and compact dark earth design, the case is priced at $14.50 MSRP.

Federal Ammunition expanded its Rob Roberts Raptor Steel waterfowl product line to six options in 2026, developed in collaboration with Rob Roberts Custom Gunworks. The new loads feature 12-gauge and 20-gauge options with heavy payloads and high pellet counts designed for improved shot patterns.

SHIELD Sights, a leading manufacturer of compact pistol optics based in Crewkerne, England, announced their inaugural debut at the 2026 Worldwide buy group show in Reno, Nevada, February 3–5th. The company will exhibit at booth #654, showcasing their red dot sights to industry partners, dealers, and media.

Wildlife Research Center® launched its Golden Estrus® Scent Stick Formula, a weather-resistant estrus scent made from fresh premium doe urine designed to trigger rutting bucks' mating instincts. The 2.5 oz stick offers easy application, extended scent release, and durability in harsh conditions, available at authorized retailers for $22.99 MSRP.

The expanded ATA Show Week in January combined six industry events including the ARRO Hot Show, NABA Show, NFAA Rushmore Rumble, and the first-ever Archery & Bowhunting Supershow. Nearly 400 exhibitors and thousands of attendees engaged in product demonstrations, education sessions, and competitions, with retailers like Straight Line Archery and exhibitors such as .30-06 Outdoors reporting exceptional business activity and consumer engagement.

Outdoor Channel, presented by US Palm, launches "Freshwater Sundays," a freshwater fishing programming block airing 8-11:30 a.m. ET featuring shows hosted by Kevin VanDam, Bill Dance, Mark Zona, Charlie Ingram, Ben Ballou, and other expert anglers showcasing bass fishing techniques and tactics.

The 2026 SHOT University, presented by NSSF, attracted over 3,100 retailers and industry professionals during the SHOT Show in Las Vegas. The event featured educational sessions on compliance, marketing, and workforce development, plus a debut Suicide Prevention Town Hall led by mental health advocates. NSSF President Joe Bartozzi emphasized the organization's commitment to suicide prevention awareness and education.

International Wildlife CrimeStoppers and Whitetails Unlimited announced a strategic partnership to combat poaching through advanced technology, community outreach, and enforcement support. The collaboration aims to protect whitetail deer populations across North America using specialized equipment and training for law enforcement agencies.

Browning Trail Cameras introduces its 2026 Cellular Trail Camera Security Box, an all-steel enclosure designed to protect cellular trail cameras from harsh weather, tampering, and theft. The security box is compatible with select Browning models including the Defender Vision Pro Livestream, Defender Vision Pro HD AI, Defender Pro Scout Max HD AI, and Defender Pro Scout Max HD-DV.

Browning Trail Cameras introduces the Defender Vision Pro LSF, a 2026 livestream cellular trail camera offering real-time awareness through instant motion alerts and on-demand live viewing via the Strike Force Wireless app. The camera features 46MP photos, 1080p Full HD video, selectable infrared illumination, and flexible month-to-month cellular plans with AT&T and Verizon coverage.

Boss Buck, a manufacturer of deer blinds, stands, and feeders headquartered in Irving, Texas, has renewed its sponsorship with Whitetails Unlimited. WTU President Jeff Schinkten praised Boss Buck's customer service and products, including their state-by-state baiting regulations guide and dealer locator.

Content King Media, led by Ralph and Vicki Cianciarulo, continues its partnership with Hoyt Archery through The Choice TV, an outdoor television program airing on Pursuit Channel and Wild TV. Hoyt Archery praised the Cianciarulo family's professionalism and dedication over 20 years, with the next generation including RJ and Aubrey now involved in the show.

MyOutdoorTV launches the "Reel Legends Channel" in February, featuring fishing legends Jimmy Houston, Bill Dance, Al Lindner, and Roland Martin. The ad-free streaming channel offers programs including Angling Edge, Bill Dance Outdoors, Fishing with Roland Martin, Jimmy Houston Outdoors, and The VanDam Experience.

The year was 1997, and I was wrapping up a year-long assignment as the director of operations for a 4,000 Soldier air assault brigade. That was one of the most challenging jobs I ever had, even though it was 30 years ago. My commander was giving me my end-of-tour counseling, and it was all roses. The compliments made me feel great, but there was no constructive criticism, and nothing to learn and grow from. I decided to push it and challenged him to comment on what he saw as my weaknesses.

He paused for awhile and thought about it. He then said: “You are not a good listener.” Wow. I did not expect that. His simple statement caused me to look hard at myself to better understand why he felt that way. Here are some of the things I discovered:

• If somebody had disappointed me in the past or caused me to doubt what they said, I was quick to ignore what they were saying and not pay attention. My weakness of over-judging got in the way of effective listening.
• I was always in a hurry to get things done. I wanted to knock down targets and move on to the next thing. My lack of patience got in the way of effective listening.
• I constantly focused on myself and my responses when somebody else was talking. Instead of actively listening to what they were saying (through both words and body language), I was only thinking about what I was going to say. Even worse, I would cut others off with my response. My internal focus got in the way of effective listening.

Why is listening such an important skill for leaders? The easiest answer is that none of us has the market cornered on good ideas. In my role as a Commissioner for the Arizona Game and Fish Department, I have both a lot of relevant experience (lifelong hunter and angler) and education (degree in wildlife ecology), but my “going in position” is not always where I end up. In the military, I occasionally had to make quick decisions (especially in combat) without a lot of consultation. I learned that even in a crisis, though, I made better decisions if I asked others for options. I had to become a better listener if I wanted to make better decisions.

A recent example is in order, but I ask you, the reader, to be cautious of your judgement. Every state has different conditions and what works in one does not necessarily translate to others. In our state, crossbows are not authorized in “archery only” seasons (they’re permitted for the general and muzzleloader seasons). Previous commissions had made an exception for those with disabilities about 25 years ago and then they made the exceptions even broader about 10 years ago. As a result, we had a lot of abuse: many people were hunting with crossbows who had either never had a disability or who had healed and should not longer be granted an exception. The number of crossbow hunters had grown to the point where it was starting to have a biological impact in some areas.

We felt that a change was in order. I’ve been a bowhunter for more than 50 years (recurves and compounds), and my “going in” opinion was that crossbows did not belong in an archery season. Period. Our Commission uses a public process, though, and I worked hard to listen to all opinions: those of department employees, other commissioners, and the public (both crossbow enthusiasts and those who were not). In the end, my position shifted. I have come to believe that we need to continue to provide opportunities during archery-only seasons for those whose injuries or disabilities make them incapable of drawing back a vertical bow. We modified our rules to limit abuses, but still provide opportunities for those who really need them.

Back to 1997. Feedback is a gift, and I did not want to waste it. I wish I could tell you that I became a great listener over night but that is not the case. In fact, I am still working on it. You can too. Here are some recommendations:

• Try to leave your judgements about what did or did not happen in the past out of the present.
• Dedicate the time to focus on the other person and set aside your “to do” list.
• Try to put yourself in the other person’s shoes to see things from their perspective.
• Seek to understand, not to respond.

If you can improve your listening skills, you will build stronger relationships, make better decisions, and become a more effective leader. It takes work to be an effective listener, but if I can improve, you can too.

— Jeff Buchanan, Arizona Game and Fish Commission, Patagonia