Read the latest articles from Outdoor Life

yukon woods in the winter
Wilderness Survival

The Unsolved Mysteries of Trapper and Hunter Deaths Still Haunt the Yukon Wilderness Today

Ed Wilkinson and Bart Schleyer were as tough and experienced as they come, which makes their deaths all the more mysterious

The author fills out a test evaluation form at the 2025 Optics Test
Rifle Scopes

The 10 Best Precision Scopes, Budget to Premium Options Tested

We tested electronic, budget, and high-end long range scopes at our annual optics test

A photo of a fisherman in orange bibs holding up an icy winter pollock.
Saltwater Fishing

Quick Strike Podcast: Target This Underrated Saltwater Brawler on the Coldest Days of Winter

These overlooked fighters bend rods to the max this time of year

A snowshoe rabbit looking at a tent copyrighted
Rabbit Hunting

I Agreed to Hunt Snowshoe Hares — and Regretted It Almost Instantly

Sub-zero temps, tough shots, and pet bunnies make for challenging conditions

Two old color photographs of mule deer hunters
Mule Deer Hunting

We Miraculously Got Permission to Hunt a Secret Canyon and Had the Best Deer Hunt of Our Lives

Washington has plenty of canyons, but this one is special. It's full of big mule deer and empty of competing hunters

alaska bush plane crash
Survival Skills

5 White-Knuckle Tales from Bush Pilots Who Nearly Died, But Didn’t

Alaska's notorious wilderness pilots tamed the Last Frontier by combining courage and raw survival skills

An illustration of two deer fighting in front of a doe.
Whitetail Deer Hunting

How My Family Took 7 Vermont Bucks in a Single, Unforgettable Season

My kid brother shot his first deer with a .22, my wife shot her buck offhand, and the rest of us managed to do just fine, too

John Snow shooting a Surefire SOCOM6-MINI4 on a Surefire ICAR
Shooting Gear

We Put This New Special Forces Suppressor to the Test. Here’s How the Surefire SOCOM6-MINI4 Performed 

I shot the Gen-4 SOCOMs and Surefire ICAR 6 ARC battle rifle at Hat Creek

rabbit hunting
Rabbit Hunting

I Promised to Take My Boys Rabbit Hunting Every Day of Christmas Break

When you mix two sons, a good beagle, and plenty of Ohio rabbits, you end up with the best Christmas ever — if not exactly a holiday

Christmas cards for your best hunting buddies.
Camping

4 Christmas Cards Pat McManus Always Wanted to Send His Hunting Buddies, But Couldn’t

Sending Christmas cards to old fishing and ­hunting buddies is a staple of the season. These cards capture certain moments they’d probably rather forget

A dog wearing goggles fetches up a rooster.
Hunting Dogs

After My Bird Dog Was Nearly Blinded, This Ridiculous Piece of Gear Is the One Thing I’ll Never Hunt Without

This dove season I added a pair of doggles to my retriever’s first-aid kit. I didn’t realize I’d have to use them so soon

picking your first suppressor
Guns

The Suppressor Tax Stamp Drops to $0 on January 1st. Here Are 6 Tips for Choosing Your First Suppressor

Picking your first suppressor can seem daunting. Here’s what you need to know

A limit of drake mallards on a log beside a row of expensive duck loads.
Duck Hunting

Is More Expensive Duck Ammo Actually Worth It? I Put Some of the Top Loads to the Test

Here’s how steel, bismuth, and tungsten shot actually perform in a head-to-head comparison

Testing the CosiComu on the range
Bow Hunting Gear

Here’s Why Every Bowhunter Should Consider These Cheap Lighted Nocks

A world champion archer told me to use these lighted nocks (and he was right)

Three Florida fishermen with a big red snapper.
Wilderness Survival

Search Suspended for Missing Florida Fishermen Whose Boat Was Found Drifting in the Gulf

Officials said they had done everything they could to find the men, covering an area the size of Connecticut, and they thanked the volunteers who joined the search effort

A photo of a blue-gloved hand holding a winter trout caught from a river.
Trout Fishing

Quick Strike Podcast: Shake the Winter Freestone Fishing Blues

Soften the blow of tough trout rivers with these fly tricks and advice on when to fish and when to just stay home

crossbow testing
Bow Hunting Gear

The Best Bows, Crossbows, and Archery Gear of 2025, Based on In-Depth Range Testing

These are the best bows, crossbows, arrows, and sights that we tested this year

A Wisconsin hunter and a huge typical buck.
Whitetail Deer Hunting

Wisconsin Hunter Tags One of the Biggest Typical Bucks in State History During Extended Gun Season

Steven Loomans shot the buck with his grandfather's rifle on the 10th and final day of Dane County's metro gun season

bear hunting, alaska brown bear hunt, John B. Snow, brown bear, brown bear hunt, Alaska bear hunt, Alaska hunting adventure
Grizzly Bear Hunting

I Dreamt a Brown Bear Was in My Tent. Then One Actually Walked into Camp

A two-year quest for browns in the wilds of Alaska that included the expected (bone-chilling cold), the unusual (wolverines), and the bizarre (Blackhawk helicopters)

cessna control panel up close
Survival

I Was a Broke Hitchhiker Who Ended Up Flying a Plane with Zero Training

After a trip to the family farm for deer season, a broke hunter hitches his way home