From the late-1980s through the mid-90s, it seems that every hunter who I ran into during muzzleloader deer season toted the same gun: a Knight MK-85. The first mass-produced “in-line, modern muzzleloader,” the Knight Rifle revolutionized the blackpowder hunting game, not to mention most state regulations.

Once the bailiwick of the coon-skin cap wearing crowd, primitive weapons hunts truly became a sport for the masses once in-line guns were produced.

So Outdoor Life is part of a cool contest operated by Crown Royal, sponsor of Field & Stream’s Hook Shots show and maker of the whiskey that comes in a purple bag. The contest is called “Pass the Crown,” and it’s a variation on the Secret Santa gift exchange anyone who’s ever worked in an office is familiar with. Are you lucky enough to have never worked in an office? Then here’s how this works:

We all know Gert Boyle as the stern and humorless head of Columbia Sportswear, who used her son Tim as a lab rat to test their gear in a number of hilarious television commercials. Her moniker, “One Tough Mother,” took on a new meaning for a would-be robber and kidnapper last week.

According to a report on AOL News, Boyle returned to her West Linn, Oregon, home last Wednesday to find a man in her driveway posing as a deliveryman. The man approached the 86-year-old Boyle, drew a gun and ordered her to lead him into her home. She complied with his initial request, but as she was disarming her home’s security system, she tripped a silent alarm that notified local authorities that help was needed.

Often times, finding the best hunting spot means getting as far away from the crowds as possible. These days more and more hunters are doing so by hopping in their all-terrain vehicle or four-wheel drive truck (obviously while keeping on legal trails and off fragile habitat). Hunting and off-roading just seem to go hand in had, after all, we all have our favorite hunting vehicles right?

But it never hurts to brush up on safety practices for off-roading before the season starts, and that's where the Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Association comes in. Sponsored by Arctic Cat, BRP, Polaris and Yamaha, the association is hosting an online course that covers key driving risks, safe riding practices and proper vehicle operation.