The Wildest Waterfowl Bands Hunters Have Ever Recovered

A metal leg band carries an eight- or nine-digit sequence that records the bird’s age, sex, and where it was banded. Report one, and you receive a certificate telling you when and where the bird was banded. Since the U.S. government’s program began in 1920, the federal effort has tagg...

By James Chen •

The Armory Life Presents: The 2026 Cantius Award

I have worked with Dr. Will Dabbs for much of my career as an editor and consider him to be both an exceptional contributor and a good friend. No matter the deadline or the assignment, I always know that I can count on him to deliver a well-rounded, thoroughly researched and — most importantly ...

By Mike Humphries •

The Truth About Alligator Gar, Ryan’s Dinosaur Fish

For much of the last century, the alligator gar carried a reputation that got it killed on sight. Anglers across its range treated the armor-plated, toothy giant as a nuisance that ate bass, crappie, and every other fish worth catching. That view has flipped. The species now has a cult following ...

By James Chen •

Capt. Dale Dye: The Battle of Guadalcanal

“It was scary, you know? The damnedest thing…” The old Marine flicked at a bright yellow tie he was wearing. “We were ordered to take Atabrine to prevent malaria. Most of us did that but it tended to turn our eyes and skin a bright yellow. And then a rumor started that the stuff would Rea...

By Capt. Dale Dye, USMC (Ret) •