The Latest Hunting & Shooting News:

RAPID CITY, S.D.--Following action by the Game, Fish and Parks Commission, a framework of rules is in place to allow mentored youth hunting in South Dakota.

The commission’s action was prompted by a law passed in the last session of the Legislature that established mentored youth hunting. Now the rules are in place to allow youth who are accompanied by a mentor to hunt this fall.

RAPID CITY, S.D.—Regulations for the early fall Canada goose hunting season and the youth waterfowl hunting season were finalized by the S.D.  Game, Fish and Parks Commission at its July meeting in Rapid City.  Much of South Dakota will be open for the early fall Canada goose season which runs from Sept. 6 through Sept. 26. The areas closed to hunting during this season include Unit 2 which encompasses most of the counties along the Missouri River as well as portions of Fall River and Custer counties and, in a change from previous seasons, Perkins County. Also included in the closed area is Bennett County.

A special Web site offers waterfowl hunters up-to-date information about all four of North America's flyways.  The site, www.Flyways.us <http://www.flyways.us/>, a joint effort of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Canadian Wildlife Service, was developed by biologists and waterfowl manager across the Atlantic, Mississippi, Central and Pacific flyways.

The Game, Fish and Parks Commission approved proposals for the duck and goose hunting seasons at its July meeting in Rapid City. The seasons will be finalized at the commission's August meeting at Fort Sisseton. As proposed, Canada goose hunting along the Missouri River would get a little bit later start. The season in Unit 2, largely those counties along the river and portions of Custer and Fall River counties, would start on Nov. 1 and go through Feb. 13, 2009.

After a record year of antlerless deer donations, South Dakota's Sportsmen Against Hunger Program is expanding to include payments for the processing of doe and fawn antelope. The program will continue to offer a $50 processing certificate for antlerless deer and for 2008 will also offer a $40 processing certificate for doe and fawn antelope. The certificates are available directly from the processors with the majority of participating processors accepting the Sportsman Against Hunger certificate as the full payment for processing. After processing the meat is distributed to families who need meat.

As South Dakota's antelope population reaches a near-record size, the state Game, Fish and Parks Commission has approved a hunting season that offers significantly more licenses and tags.  To increase the harvest of antelope, the 2008 season will offer two new types of licenses: a three-tag license good for any antelope and two doe/fawn antelope and a three-tag license good for three doe/fawn antelope.

Since 1985, the National Wild Turkey Federation's Mississippi Chapter has raised and spent more than $1.8 million on conservation, hunter education, improving land access, research and many other projects within the state.

Jon Gafner would be more than happy to give away the $25,000 worth of merchandise his store sign promises if Brett Favre came back to the Packers.  The marquee sign on Gafner's Jackson Street business, Jon's Sport Shop, says, "Hey Brett, $25,000 shopping spree if you come back!"

Eleven years ago, Christopher Kurilla lost his battle with leukemia.  Now, a 220-acre paradise suited for all the outdoor activities he loved doing bears his name in Stearns County, Minnesota. The story of the Christopher Kurilla Wildlife Management Area is one that will truly touch your heart.

Pheasant hunter Kim Stephens may be a better shot with one arm than you are with two. See for yourself this week on Pheasants Forever Television, airing on Outdoor Channel on Thursday, July 10th at 10PM CDT / 11PM EDT. The episode will also air on Friday, July 11th at 10AM CDT / 11AM EDT and again on Saturday, July 12th at 5:30PM CDT / 6:30PM EDT.

More than 1,000 sporting clays enthusiasts will pour into Forsyth, Ga., Aug. 14 to Aug. 17, for the National Wild Turkey Federation's Turkey Shoot sporting clays tournament.

Over 600 of them will shoot in the event, held at the Meadows National Gun Club. Many will stop in the local Bass Pro Shops in Macon to purchase their ammunition, and will stay at local hotels throughout the four-day shoot, pouring hundreds of thousands of dollars into the local economy.

The S.D. Game, Fish and Parks Department is gearing up for its 14th Becoming an Outdoors-Woman workshop. The workshop will be held Sept. 19-21 at Outlaw Ranch, near Custer.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will hold a public hearing on whether to allow deer hunting in the Hemlock Ravine Scientific and Natural Area (SNA) on Wednesday, July 23, at the Carlton Fire Hall at 100 Forth St. N., Carlton, from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. or until all testimony is heard.

Ron, Raven, and Pheasants ForeverTelevision are back for the fourth season of the popular outdoor variety show. The show is slotted to air on Outdoor Channel on Thursdays at 10PM CDT / 11PM EDT, Fridays at 10AM CDT / 11AM EDT and again on Saturdays at 5:30PM CDT / 6:30PM EDT. Season four of Pheasants Forever Television will debut on Thursday, July 3rd at 10PM CDT / 11PM EDT.

During a contract signing ceremony today at brothers Jeff, Steve, Mike, and Brad Hemmer's farm, Pheasants Forever (PF), USDA, South Dakota Game Fish & Parks Department and elected officials celebrated the immediate success of a new Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) practice; State Acres For wildlife Enhancement (SAFE). As part of the event, PF requested an additional 500,000 acres nationwide for the program based on strong interest and demand for SAFE in multiple states.