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Research shows that scent evokes memories and past emotions with more potency than any other sense. A psychologist would say that is why the scent of leather makes me think of football; why fresh-cut grass evokes memories of summer; and why one whiff of my mother-in-law's perfume terrifies the hell out of me.
It also probably explains the decades-old love affair sportsmen have shared with Hoppe's No. 9. Not only does it have a naturally appealing smell, but it stirs memories of times spent afield, a favorite over/under and maybe even the first time Dad showed us how to clean a gun. I love the stuff and, when I'm not trying to dab it behind my significant other's ears, I'm applying it to my guns. Problem is I only get to enjoy its scent wafting through my gun room for an hour or two before it's gone. Finally, though, Hoppe's has created the product sportsmen have demanded for so long: A Hoppe's No. 9 air freshener!
Let's celebrate its release by naming our other all-time favorite outdoor smells. I've listed my top 10 below. I look forward to reading some of yours.
On this week's #SundayGunday, NRA Media's Jay Grazio checks out the B Series Timber Tactical from Savage. A nifty little rimfire with an 18-inch heavy-profile, deep spiral fluted barrel, the Timber Tactical comes available in .22 LR, .22 WMR and 17 HMR, perfect chamberings for plinkers and small-game hunters alike. Learn more about it in this exclusive video.
One of America's favorite semi-automatic hunting rifles is back, in the Browning BAR MK 4. In this video, American Hunter Editor in Chief Scott Olmsted checks out the Hunter model, with a beautiful walnut stock, and aluminum alloy receiver.
The 7mm BackCountry came to light last year this time, utilizing a Peak Alloy steel case to raise the pressure limits from the traditional 65,000 psi all the way up to 80,000 psi. For 2026, Remington has joined the party with three offerings for the 7BC: Core-Lokt, Core-Lokt Tipped, and Speer Impact.
Late last month, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) verified a Dec. 6 photo of an adult cougar being followed by two kittens down a snowy trail in central Ontonagon County. The last time the kittens were documented—in early March 2025—they were only about two months old and alone, raising concerns about their survival.