The Wildest Waterfowl Bands Hunters Have Ever Recovered

A metal leg band carries an eight- or nine-digit sequence that records the bird’s age, sex, and where it was banded. Report one, and you receive a certificate telling you when and where the bird was banded. Since the U.S. government’s program began in 1920, the federal effort has tagg...

By James Chen •

Where Big Bass Actually Go When Fall Arrives

The oldest advice in bass fishing tells you to run to the backs of creeks when the leaves turn. A tracking study from Texas Parks and Wildlife biologists dismantled that idea. They followed bass at Lake Fork and Toledo Bend Reservoir, and none of the tracked fish moved into the back of a creek on...

By James Chen •

Why Many Hunters Skip Scoring Their Trophy Bucks

A hunter who kills the buck of a lifetime and then declines to run a tape over it is not being modest. For many serious hunters, refusing to have a trophy officially scored is a deliberate choice, rooted in everything from privacy to a belief that a number cheapens the whole point of the hunt. [&...

By James Chen •

The Truth About Alligator Gar, Ryan’s Dinosaur Fish

For much of the last century, the alligator gar carried a reputation that got it killed on sight. Anglers across its range treated the armor-plated, toothy giant as a nuisance that ate bass, crappie, and every other fish worth catching. That view has flipped. The species now has a cult following ...

By James Chen •

Striped Marlin Off Washington Poised to Break State Record

A day of albacore trolling 45 miles off the Washington coast turned into a once-in-a-career catch when a group of Oregon anglers boated a 151-pound striped marlin — a fish now filed to become the new state record, according to Outdoor Life. An Unlikely Hookup in 4,000 Feet of Water Angler Tim D...

By James Chen •

Non Native Brown Trout Detected in Montana’s Flathead Drainage Alarms Officials

Wildlife officials in Montana have made a discovery that has fish managers concerned. Non-native brown trout have been detected in the Flathead Drainage, a waterway system that is home to native fish species. The finding raises new worries about how these introduced fish could affect the balance ...

By AllOutdoor Staff •

Record Westslope Cutthroat Trout Caught in Idaho Stuns Biologists

An Unusual State Record Luke Anderson landed Idaho’s newest certified-weight state record for Westslope cutthroat trout on the St. Maries River, a fish measuring 13.6 inches and weighing under one pound. The Idaho Department of Fish and Game announced the record on July 23, 2026. What makes...

By AllOutdoor Staff •

Montana FWP Lowers Wolf Population Estimate, Proposes New Hunting and Trapping Rules

New Model Cuts Montana’s Wolf Population Estimate Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks released its 2025 Annual Wolf Report on Friday alongside proposed regulations for the 2026-27 wolf hunting and trapping season. The report introduces a new population and distribution prediction model that ...

By AllOutdoor Staff •

Idaho Pays Anglers Cash to Catch Lake Trout on Pend Oreille

Get Paid to Fish Lake Pend Oreille Anglers and spearfishers on Lake Pend Oreille can earn cash rewards by turning in the heads of lake trout and walleye through the Idaho Department of Fish and Game’s Angler Incentive Program. The payout structure differs by species. Every lake trout head t...

By AllOutdoor Staff •

Colorado Wildlife Team Rescues Rare Cutthroat Trout From Gold Mountain Fire

When a wildfire threatens a forest, most people think about the danger to homes and large animals. But fires can also put fish at risk. That is exactly what happened during the Gold Mountain Fire in Colorado, where a team from Colorado Parks and Wildlife stepped in to save a very special group of...

By AllOutdoor Staff •