Author: Kat Stevens

Gifting a firearm to the woman in your life—whether it’s your wife, mom, or sister—might seem like a thoughtful gesture, but it’s often not the best idea. Firearms are deeply personal tools, with critical factors like fit, caliber, and purpose varying greatly from person to person. Whether it’s for self-defense or hunting, the woman in your life should always have the final say in choosing her own gun. Let’s explore why this decision is so important and how you can support her in finding the perfect fit. It’s a common theme: gun-friendly men sliding into their local gun store to…

We’re recognizing the power and strength of women in the outdoors this month, and in this space we’re going to acknowledge that by talking about fear. Fear is a gift—not a curse, not a burden, and not something to be avoided. Stick with me, it’ll make sense soon. It flows into my argument about self-defense for women. THE BEAR AND THE MAN If you’ve spent much time on social media lately, you’ve seen the memes and random arguments over the man vs. bear question. No, this isn’t about the TV show only some of us remember. This is about the…

Constitutional Carry or Permitless Carry – we help sort out the confusion The trend of states doing away with their requirement for a concealed carry permit for gun owners looking to carry has been moving at a steady pace for a few years. At this time, more than half the country allows handguns to be carried by residents—or by visitors to the state—without a carry permit. Of course, that depends on a few factors. So what does permitless carry mean to you as a gun owner? Let’s consider some common misconceptions and how this could affect your next outdoor adventure.…

It used to be that iron sights were all you saw at the range and in classes, but with time that shifted to include the occasional red dot sight. Today, red dot sights on carry guns are common—if not expected—and that means considering adding a red dot sight to your own handgun (if you haven’t done so already). In fact, this isn’t only about gun owners carrying for self-defense purposes. Red dots are also great for handgun hunting whether you’re using a semi-automatic or a revolver. We have some suggestions regarding red dot selection and use, and we’re going to…

The air is crisp, if not downright chilly, and the sky promises an early snowfall. You’ve been sitting in your ground blind waiting for deer, and finally, one appears. Said deer is now on the ground, and you’re about to field dress it. Then what? Drop it off at a meat processor? Hang it in a cooling shed? Delegate the task to a friend you believe knows what they’re doing? There’s no reason you can’t learn to process your own venison. Help can be nice, but it isn’t a must. Here are some tips and tricks for making the coming…

Fall means many things to hunters, but mostly it’s about deer season. Sure, there are other seasons involved like dove, turkey, and duck, but deer remains the winner for sheer numbers of hunters involved. Of course, there’s something else that goes on in October: Halloween. If you have kids—or even if you don’t—you might stop and consider what this means to you as a firearms owner. And if you’re thinking this is just about self-defense, it’s not. Guns and Halloween involve a few factors, and we’re going to get into it here. SHOULD YOUR KIDS HAVE TOY GUNS FOR HALLOWEEN?…

It’s not an uncommon theme among hunters to assume they’ll both never break the law and never need to worry about self-defense in the woods. But in reality, it can be all too easy to inadvertently do something that results in some sort of issues with the DNR (fish and game), and just because you’re in the woods doesn’t mean you’re magically protected from danger. We’re going to go over the reasons why it can be smart to invest in some sort of hunting-related insurance, and we’re going to start with self-defense. Self-defense isn’t just for city streets. Every year…

It’s a common theme in the hunting world—and the gun world in general—to assume that it’s the man’s job to keep hunting traditions alive. It’s dad or grandpa who will take the kids into the woods to introduce them to all things hunting. It’s dad or grandpa who will teach the kids to shoot, clean deer and whatever else is required. And while it’s fantastic when the men in a child’s life are involved, it’s not just up to the guys to carry on hunting traditions. It’s for moms and other women, too. Strong Female Role Models As a shooter,…

Spend much time in the firearms world and you’ll find that there are many myths and some substantial misinformation circulating about women and guns. You might find it surprising that these conditions remain pervasive well into the 21st century; nevertheless, here we are. To help you make sense of some of what you hear in conversations about this topic, or when you walk into a gun store door or attend a gun class, I’ve compiled a list. Here are some of the most common untruths, why the information is factually wrong, and what that means for women who have an…

Guns are purpose-driven tools. That is something that’s said regularly, and it’s true. When you choose a firearm, you’re selecting it for a specific application. That might be self-defense, home defense, hunting or competition—but you probably have something specific in mind. However, it’s also true that some of your guns should be for fun. While they’re absolutely purpose-driven, that purpose can—and should—occasionally be fun. So, what makes a gun fun? A Piece of History If you’ve never considered adding a gun to your collection based entirely on its history, you should reconsider that. Historical firearms of all kinds are a…