Recent Rules Articles

In the crisp woods of Michigan, where generations of hunters have chased deer and bear through falling leaves and early snow, a quiet change might be coming. The state's Natural Resources Commission is looking at letting hunters ditch the old paper kill tags for a digital version on their phones. I

In the heart of Texas, where fishing has long been a cherished pastime for folks who've spent years casting lines into bays and rivers, a federal rule is stirring up a storm. The ban on using drones to drop bait or help with catching fish isn't some fresh regulation—it's rooted in a law from way ba

In the heart of Big Sky Country, where wide-open spaces have long drawn hunters chasing the thrill of a big mule deer buck, things are changing fast. The Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission just made some tough calls that could reshape deer hunting for years to come. At a marathon meeting in Helen

In the heart of Florida's wild landscapes, from dense swamps to sprawling flatwoods, a long-dormant tradition has come back to life. For the first time since 2015, the state has greenlit a black bear hunt, sending a select group of hunters into the field with rifles and crossbows. This move has sti

For guys who love the outdoors and the challenge of a big game hunt, there's some good news coming out of Montana. The state's Fish and Wildlife Commission just made some key changes to bison hunting rules that could mean more chances to bag one of these massive animals. It's all about giving hunte

For decades, Idaho stood out as one of the last places where a guy from out of state could still roll the dice on a general-season deer or elk tag without praying to the draw gods. Show up in December, buy over-the-counter, and hunt some of the best public-land big game country in the Lower 48. Tha

Every year, tens of thousands of Michigan men put their name in the hat for one of the most coveted tags in the Midwest: a Michigan elk license. With only 260 pure-random-draw tags handed out to residents from a pool that regularly tops 40,000–50,000 applicants, drawing one feels a lot like hitting

Every hunter in Montana knows the drill: you wait all year for the Fish, Wildlife & Parks tentative season booklet, study the maps, argue with your buddies over quotas, and then—bam—two commissioners drop amendments at the eleventh hour that could completely flip your plans. That’s exactly what

Every year around this time, serious anglers who chase grouper and snapper in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands get the same reminder from NOAA Fisheries: put the rods down in certain federal waters from December through February, sometimes longer. For 2025-2026 the rules haven’t changed, and

Thanksgiving is barely in the rearview mirror, the turkey leftovers are still crowding the fridge, and suddenly the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife hands every angler in the state the best possible Black Friday deal—two full days where nobody needs a fishing license, a shellfish permit, or a