Matthew Every
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Hunting, Conservation, Firearms/Shooting, Camping, Bushcraft, Fishing, Outdoors, Off-Road Driving.
Articles by Matthew Every
Still in the Field: The Browning Auto 5
In this series, we look at the classic, discontinued, or longstanding guns that hunters still use in the field today (hence the name). Whether they’re out of production or not, you can still find them at gun shops and hunting camps all across the states. G.O.A.T. status only comes with longevity. Its the “all time” part of that acronym that says it all. For semiauto shotguns, there may be another greatest of all time waiting in the wings.
6 Shotgun Drills to Practice for Wingshooting
No matter how much you think you’ve mastered it, shooting a shotgun is a perishable skill. Like swinging a golf club or shooting a bow, you’re always better when you practice. The key with any kind of practice is to isolate your weaknesses and try to improve them. Personally, I’ve found that getting regular shooting instruction a couple of times a year is the best way to stay sharp. But for all of those times in between lessons, you can still get out there and have meaningful practice at the range.
Still in The Field: The Winchester Model 70
In this series, we look at the classic, discontinued, or longstanding guns that hunters still use in the field today (hence the name). Whether they’re out of production or not, you can still find them at gun shops and hunting camps all across the states. The year is 1936, and one of the finest, purpose-built, bolt action hunting rifles ever made has just appeared on gunstore shelves.
The Best Cold Weather Hunting Boots, Based on Testing
FIELD & STREAM NEWSLETTERS ALL F&S NEWSLETTERS We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn more Getting cold feet isn’t just a figure of speech for a hunter. It’s annoying at best and seriously dangerous at worst. Even on the back-40, it’s easy for a sub-par boot to force you to call it early on late-season hunts.
In this series, we look at the classic, discontinued, or longstanding guns that hunters still use in the field today (hence the name). Whether they’re out of production or not, you can still find them at gun shops and hunting camps all across the states. When most think of a pump shotgun, they picture a Remington 870. With over 13 million made, this is no mystery. An 870 was the first shotgun I ever shot and is still the gun I take duck hunting every year.
The Knives That Make Field Dressing Easier—Tested by a Former Hunting Guide
FIELD & STREAM NEWSLETTERS ALL F&S NEWSLETTERS We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn more You really want a small hunting knife to field dress a deer. What you’re doing is akin to surgery, and you wouldn’t want a surgeon to pull your appendix out with a bowie knife. That said, it helps to have a little horsepower sometimes, especially when quartering a deer for packing.
Ep. 1059: Back 40 - What's One Thing Every Hunter Is Making Way Too Complicated?
Subscribe Before planting food plots or cutting a single tree, where should you focus your attention? Adam Keith, Aaron Warbritton, Bill Winke, and Jeff Sturgis explain how they evaluate a raw hunting property from the ground up. You'll hear how they identify the natural features that consistently produce mature bucks, avoid common mistakes, and decide where future improvements will have the biggest impact.
Ep. 1055: Back 40 - Finding the Best Place on A Property That has Had Little to No Improvements
Subscribe Where should you start when you walk onto a completely raw property? In this episode, we break down the exact process for identifying the highest-impact locations for chasing whitetails. Joined by Adam Keith, Aaron Warbritton, Bill Winke, and Jeff Sturgis, we compare how each guest approaches a brand-new property, from reading topography and understanding bedding behavior to evaluating access, food, water, and hunting pressure.
Jigging for Squid Is the Ultimate Night Fishing Party
Squid were coming over the rail like live hand grenades into a foxhole, and it was all we could do to get them in a bucket before they exploded with ink all over the boat. The fisherman to my right took a blast to the face, and so did the deckhand, Mike, next to him. On the other side, another angler pulled in a double-header, and we got the first squid off just before the second one blew up. She dodged the shot like Neo in The Matrix, and ink hit the wall behind her with an audible splat.
You're Using Too Much Gun
In deer camp last year, gunwriter Richard Mann and I were talking about rifle cartridges, and he made a great point about the guns people suggest youth and women shooters use for big game. Richard is one of the most knowledgeable shooters out there. He’s tested countless cartridges and shot game all over the world for more than 25 years. So the points he makes are worth listening to.
Ep. 460: Render - Cold Cases and Civil War
Subscribe Jordan Sillars joins host Clay Newcomb alongside Render crew members Dr. Misty Newcomb, Kristie Spielmaker, and Josh “Landbridge” Spielmaker for a behind-the-scenes look at the making of his hit Blood Trails true crime podcast. Jordan shares stories from the field, lessons learned during production, and advice on the basics of how to avoid foul play in the wilderness.
5 Great Workhorse Shotguns and Why Every Hunter Needs One
If you’re like me, your collection of shotguns is kind of like a set of golf clubs. Each is a different tool for a different purpose. I have a dainty, lightweight British 12-gauge for long walks and fast flushes. I have a smooth-shooting Remington 1100 for sitting still in the marsh. And I have a short-barreled 20-gauge for turkey hunting. But the most important gun in my safe is a beat-up Mossberg 500. I’ve used it to shoot deer, ducks, geese, turkeys, and pheasants.
The Best Fixed-Power Scopes, Tested and Reviewed
We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn more I absolutely love fixed-power scopes. The only problem is the rest of the shooting world doesn’t, and there aren’t a lot of them left on the market. But there are a few reasons why you might want to pick one for your next rifle build. Fixed powers only offer one level of magnification.
Rugged and Sharp: We Tested the Best Bowie Knives
We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn more It’s 1827. Jim Bowie, a frontiersman, illegal slave trader, and real-estate scammer, is in a fight to the death on an island in the Mississippi River. Several of his rivals have attacked him with cane swords, knives, and pistols. Bowie gets shot twice during the melee and is stabbed through the chest with a sword.
How to Make DIY Shooting Sticks
If you ever hunt overseas, you will undoubtedly encounter DIY shooting sticks. In places where there are few trees or rocks to brace a rifle on, like parts of Africa, a tripod shooting stick is standard issue. Simple, cheap, and effective, shooting sticks allow a foot-bound hunter to brace themselves for a shot just about anywhere. And while these tools have been eclipsed by more modern tripods in the U.S., I’d argue they are more versatile and easier to pack around.
The Best Hunting Knives, Tested in the Field
We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn more There are a lot of hunting knives out there, but these are a few of the best. We couldn’t cover every hunting knife, but choose one from the list below, and you will not be ill-equipped. From $300 skinners to $20 folders, we tested a variety of blades in every budget. We evaluated them for edge retention, quality, and versatility.
The Best Long Range Rifles, According to Our Testing
FIELD & STREAM NEWSLETTERS ALL F&S NEWSLETTERS We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn more There have never been so many rifles on the market—in so many price ranges—that are precise enough for long-distance shooting. Triggers, optics, factory ammunition, and bullet design have all gotten better, too. And there is a trove of niche accessories geared toward the hunter or shooter that wants to make far-away hits.
I Tested the New Ford Explorer Tremor to See if it Still Has Dirt in Its DNA
The rough desert road pitches sharply upward and then disappears into rock. Ahead of me, a Ford Explorer Tremor Edition—identical to the one I’m driving—tilts skyward and crawls over a mess of boulders. I watch its brake lights flash from the bottom of the hill as it drives almost vertically, kicking up dust, before it disappears over the top. Now it’s my turn. I know the SUV I’m in can handle the steep grade and slippery, rocky terrain. It’s the latest in Ford’s lineup of Tremor Edition vehicles.
We Spent Weeks Testing Rifle Slings to Find the Best for Any Hunting Style
FIELD & STREAM NEWSLETTERS ALL F&S NEWSLETTERS We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn more There’s a difference between rifle slings and rifle straps. The best rifle slings have adjustable loops to help you build a stable shooting position. Rifle straps, on the other hand, are designed for carrying a rifle. Some straps can be used as slings, but they’re best at carrying a rifle comfortably.
We Spent Hours Sitting in Blind Chairs—These Are the 8 Most Comfortable
FIELD & STREAM NEWSLETTERS ALL F&S NEWSLETTERS We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn more Blind chairs seem like a silly thing to obsess over, but they kind of aren’t. During deer season, you might spend as much time, if not more, sitting in a blind chair as you do your Lay-Z-Boy. They’ve got to be comfortable, but they also have to be durable to put up with being dragged in and out of the woods. They also have to be quiet.
So You Didn’t Roost a Turkey, Now What?
Spring evenings are supposed to make turkey hunting easy. A tom flies to the roost, rattles the woods with a few last gobbles, and gives you everything but an onX pin on where to start in the morning. But it doesn’t always work that way. Sometimes the sun sets, and the woods go quiet, leaving you with nothing but a fresh collection of mosquito bites and the uneasy feeling of “what do I do now?” When that happens, a 4:00 a.m. wake-up call is less appealing. But don’t give up just yet.
We Put the Best Automatic Knives to the Test—These Are Our Favorites
We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn more Automatic knives are kind of like the Hair Metal of EDC knives. They’re glitzy, menacing, and a little cringe-worthy. Yet, there’s also something endearing about them, like they came from a less serious, more carefree time. They don’t offer any big advantage over a flipper-style knife, but they’re a hell of a lot more fun to use. This doesn’t mean switchblades aren’t serious tools, though.
Are PRC Cartridges Just Magnums With a Fancy Name?
Hunting rifle cartridges come in waves. When my grandfather got out of the Army in the 1950s, military cartridges like .30-06 and 8mm Mauser dominated the woods. World War II and Korean War veterans knew firsthand about their potential, and there were plenty of cheap surplus sporter rifles on the market. Next came the magnum craze of the mid-20th century. Hunters wanted big cartridges that shot flat and hit hard.
The Best Rifle Slings of 2026, Tested
We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn more There’s a difference between rifle slings and rifle straps. The best rifle slings have adjustable loops to help you build a stable shooting position. Rifle straps, on the other hand, are designed for carrying a rifle. Some straps can be used as slings, but they’re best at carrying a rifle comfortably.
Whitetail World Record Holder Milo Hanson Dies at 81
Since 1993, the world record typical whitetail buck has remained a 213 5/8-inch giant taken by Saskatchewan hunter and farmer Milo Hanson. The deer—a clean, 14-pointer with an inside spread of over 27 inches—shattered an 80-year record and set the deer hunting world on fire. This week, Hanson passed away at age 81, leaving behind a Boone and Crockett record and one of the most enduring legends in big-game hunting history.
Milo Hanson, Legendary Whitetail Hunter and World-Record Holder, Passes Away at 81
Since 1993, the world record typical whitetail buck has remained a 213 5/8-inch giant taken by Saskatchewan hunter and farmer Milo Hanson. The deer—a clean, 14-pointer with an inside spread of over 27 inches—shattered an 80-year record and set the deer hunting world on fire. This week, Hanson passed away at age 81, leaving behind a Boone and Crockett record and one of the most enduring legends in big-game hunting history.
The Best Hunting Knives of 2026, Tested in the Field
We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn more There are a lot of hunting knives out there, but these are a few of the best. We couldn’t cover every hunting knife, but choose one from the list below, and you will not be ill-equipped. From $300 skinners to $20 folders, we tested a variety of blades in every budget. We evaluated them for edge retention, quality, and versatility.
9 Best Long-Range Rifles of 2025, Tested and Reviewed
We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn more › There have never been so many rifles on the market—in so many price ranges—that are precise enough for long-distance shooting. Triggers, optics, factory ammunition, and bullet design have all gotten better, too. And there is a trove of niche accessories geared toward the hunter or shooter that wants to make far-away hits.
West Virginia Hunter Bags Massive 17-Point Buck
Ben Reece first heard about the buck he shot on November 7 in mid-September when a friend spotted it on his trail camera far from where Reece planned to hunt. He thought the buck was impressive, but he didn’t think much more about it after that. This fall would be Reece’s first season on a new 3,800-acre lease in McDowell County, West Virginia, and he was just looking to punch a tag, bring home some venison, and get to know the new ground he was leasing.
West Virginia Hunter Bags Enormous 17-Point Buck in Rugged, Bow-Only County
Ben Reece first heard about the buck he shot on November 7 in mid-September when a friend spotted it on his trail camera far from where Reece planned to hunt. He thought the buck was impressive, but he didn’t think much more about it after that. This fall would be Reece’s first season on a new 3,800-acre lease in McDowell County, West Virginia, and he was just looking to punch a tag, bring home some venison, and get to know the new ground he was leasing.
Vintage Duck Guns
From our November/December Issue I was just starting to see the numbers on my wristwatch when Aidan made the call. “It’s shooting light,” he said in a steady, low whisper. Not a minute later, a silhouetted cloud of teal swooped over our blind, the decoys, and a flock of live birds that had beat the buzzer and landed early. Aidan cracked off the first shot, which sent the birds on the water flying. The sky in front of me was now full of teal.
Muzzle Brake vs Compensator: What's the Difference?
_We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn more › _ When it comes to muzzle brake vs compensator—no matter which one is right for you—one thing is for sure: You have more opportunity to employ these devices and more options for buying them than ever. Manufacturers are threading barrels for brakes and compensators (as well as silencers ) like never before. This is a good thing for hunters and shooters.
5 Combination Guns That Can Do It All
_We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn more › _ Have you ever looked at your favorite bird gun and thought, I wish this shotgun was also a rifle? Or maybe after shooting your AR you felt that it was missing something—like a sawn-off shotgun mounted on the forend. Combination guns have always pushed the limits of what’s practical to carry in the field.
How to Survive in the Outdoors, Survival Tips and Gear
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Shotgun Ammo | Field & Stream
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Lehigh Defense Tipped Xtreme Chaos Hunting Bullet Review
We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn more › I recently tested and hunted with a new copper-solid bullet from Lehigh Defense that might combine the best of both copper and lead-core bullets. It holds enough weight to penetrate deep into tissue, and it expands violently, causing a lot of damage in short order. Best unlike lead, you can hunt with it anywhere. It’s called the Tipped Xtreme Chaos.
7 Long-Range Shooting Tips
We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn more › I grew up shooting deer in the woods. The shots I’d take were hardly ever farther than 75 yards. I used a Remington 7400, and I’d practice shooting 1-gallon water jugs in the off-season. I could hit them every time at 100 yards, sometimes at 150, and once in a while at 200. Then I went out West. I met hunters who shot elk and mule deer at 400 yards with bolt-actions and big scopes.
How to Turn a Military Surplus Mauser Into a Scout Rifle
We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn more › THE WORST WAY to learn about corrosive ammo is to shoot some in your rifle and then let the gun sit for a few weeks. In my case, it was surplus 8mm machine-gun ammo that I’d shot through my Yugoslavian Mauser. After reading about how some military primers can rust a gun, I ran to my safe and held the rifle’s barrel up to the light. What had once been a shiny bore looked like a mine shaft.
Shooter With No Arms Hits a 1 MOA Target at 3 Miles
Think of something 3 miles away. Maybe it’s the grocery store, or the gas station—maybe a bridge you cross on your way to work every day. Now imagine trying to shoot a 52-inch steel plate at that distance. The bullet would likely take around 12 seconds to make impact. It would travel 1100 feet in the air. You’d need to know how gravity and wind would affect it in that time and compute mathematical equations to predict these forces. Before you even get there, you’d have to work up the right handloads.
How Much Is a Hunting License?
In 2023, a hunter bid $725,000 on a mule deer tag at the Western Hunt Expo in Utah. The bid shattered a record set the night before when a hunter bid $500,000 on an Antelope Island mule deer tag at the same event. Depending on where you hunt and what you hunt, a hunting license can get pretty expensive. But in general, they are surprisingly cheap.
Diesel vs Gas: Which Is Better?
So, you’re weighing the benefits of diesel vs. gas and day dreaming about how cool it would be to put the hammer down and roll some coal in a big diesel truck. Well, pump your brakes for minute. While a diesel may be the coolest, toughest pick-up you can own, it will come with its own set of problems. As a diesel-truck owner myself, I can say that, on balance, it’s worth it. Still, diesel vs. gas really comes down to cost and how you drive.
Q&A: L.D. McCaa of Westley Richards & Co.
Q&A: Westley Richards’ L.D. McCaa on Why Dangerous Game Guns Are So Cool _We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn more › _ Anyone who’s read classic books about going on a safari or vintage F&S stories on the subject , dreams of owning a Best-Quality dangerous game gun. They are guns designed to deliver fast, powerful shots without fail, no matter the conditions.
28 Gauge vs 410 for Hunting Turkeys
A few years ago, the 410 was given new life thanks to Tungsten Super Shot (TSS). The dense little pellets turned the diminutive gauge—usually reserved for youth small game hunters—into a viable turkey killer. This year, though, a new sub-gauge is getting its moment in the turkey woods. At the 2023 SHOT Show and the NWTF Convention, it was hard to take two steps without hearing how the 28 gauge is the next big thing for turkey hunters. Is this a push to get you to buy a new shotgun?
10 Forgotten Deer Rifles You Rarely See At Camp
_We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn more › _ It’s Whitetail Week at Field & Steam. All week long, we’ll share daily hunting tactics, gear tips, and stories dedicated to America’s No. 1 game species—the whitetail deer. And if you want even more deer coverage, sign up for our all-new weekly newsletter Whitetail 365 .
A Tour of Theodore Roosevelt's Home, Sagamore Hill
_We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn more › _ THEODORE ROOSEVELT lived on a ranch in North Dakota, a townhouse in New York, and at one point, the White House. He camped in wall tents out West, slept on the banks of the Amazon, and shared campfires on the plains of Africa. But more than anyplace else, T.R. called Sagamore Hill in Cove Neck, New York , home. The Roosevelts raised their children at Sagamore Hill.
Remington 360 Buckhammer Cartridge First Look
_We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn more › _ If you haven’t heard, Remington Ammunition is back, and this year they’ve got a brand new cartridge on the market. Dubbed the 360 Buckhammer, it’s made for states that require straight-wall rifle cartridges for deer hunting, such as Ohio, Indiana, and Iowa.
Canoe vs Kayak: Which Is Right For You?
_We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn more › _ Whether you’re a waterfowl hunter, an angler, or both, you’ve likely pondered the canoe vs kayak question. Each watercraft has its merits, and they’re both excellent choices for traversing small waters. Canoes and kayaks are also affordable compared to bigger boats. And though they may not be as fast as a motorized boat, they are much more reliable.
What's the Difference?
We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn more › The moment a bullet leaves a rifle barrel, it’s dropping. To compensate for that drop and get bullets where they need to go, long-range shooters use one of two units of measure: MRAD or MOA. Both are considered angular units of measure, meaning simply that they are used to measure angles.
Carbine vs Rifle: What's the Difference?
_We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn more › _ Carbines vs rifles are like rectangles vs squares. A carbine is a rifle, but a rifle is not a carbine. A carbine is a shorter version of an existing rifle, and the term has come to be used to describe all short, compact rifles. Because a rifle is defined as a gun with a rifled barrel designed to be fired from the shoulder, carbines are rifles, too.
Carbine vs Rifle: What's the Difference?
Carbines vs rifles are like rectangles vs squares. A carbine is a rifle, but a rifle is not a carbine. A carbine is a shorter version of an existing rifle, and the term has come to be used to describe all short, compact rifles. Because a rifle is defined as a gun with a rifled barrel designed to be fired from the shoulder, carbines are rifles, too. Carbines are handy, easy to carry, and just feel a little livelier in the hand than most full-sized rifles.
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