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The national Youth Hunter Education Challenge (YHEC) is far more than meets the eye. At first glance, it may only seem like another shooting competition, but when observed in context, it showcases the wide array of firearm proficiency, skills and knowledge that the competition's young men and women have obtained over the course of months of practice in preparation for the event and—more importantly—the safety that we should all practice while afield. You can get a closer look at the event with the photo gallery embedded above.
Information gathered by hunters using today’s generation of game cameras can improve the odds of success on opening day, but state conservation departments are also adopting the technology to get a better glimpse of tough-to-count wildlife populations. Biologists in Michigan and Idaho are among the latest to join that growing list.
There are few more utilitarian tools than a good, affordable shotgun. TriStar Arms is one of the leaders in producing firearms that fit into this category, and for 2025 the company released an update to its acclaimed Raptor semi-auto.