Mark Fike

Outdoor Writer at Freelance

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Articles

NRA Family | Help a Landowner Now for Hunting Permission Later

1 week ago | nrafamily.org | Mark Fike

Summer is most definitely here. Many species of wildlife are thriving, and that includes predators. With the economy, shortage of eggs and so on, many people have explored the idea of raising their own chickens, turkeys, quail, and other small animals in backyards for food. It is a great way to live. I can attest to that, as my entire life has been spent raising or hunting my own food.
NRA Family | Reviewed: Beeman XTREME VIPER Air Rifle

2 weeks ago | nrafamily.org | Mark Fike

** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. ** The Beeman XTREME VIPER comes in a wood stock or a synthetic stock in either .177 or .22 caliber. I tested the Model 1125 chambered in .177 with a wood stock. My initial impression of the gun out of the box was quite good. It appeared to be of good quality and well made.
NRA Family | Reviewed: GAMO P-27 Air Pistol

1 month ago | nrafamily.org | Mark Fike

When I picked up the GAMO P-27, I thought it looked a lot like the GAMO P-430, which I reviewed here. There are some similarities, but there are some differences as well. The P-27 retails on the GAMOUSA.com site for $62.90, while the P-430 currently is retailing for $39.90. Both guns operate on a semi-automatic CO2 powerplant. Both guns have a really neat double-ended magazine holding eight BBs or pellets on each end, totaling 16 shots. The P-27 has three white dots on the fixed sights.
NRA Family | Wild Wings: 6 Young Women & Their First Pheasants

1 month ago | nrafamily.org | Mark Fike

As a public-school educator, gun writer, and leader of a youth outdoor club, I've had the unique opportunity to speak to youth about hunting and shooting sports. Over the years, I've formed some valuable partnerships with businesses and families that have not only enriched the lives of many kids, but built a stronger community of hunters and shooters as well. One of my most meaningful partnerships has been with the Snow family.
NRA Family | Reviewed: Crosman M4-177 Air Rifle

1 month ago | nrafamily.org | Mark Fike

There are many gun enthusiasts who love M4/AR-style rifles these days. For that reason, I decided to give Crosman's M4-177 dual-ammo air gun a full review to see how it would perform on the range. UnboxingWhen I removed the air gun from the box, my first impression was that the rifle was a compact version of an AR. The rifle is sized so that small-framed and taller shooters alike can enjoy it.
NRA Family | Reviewed: Crosman Mag-Fire Ultra Break-Barrel Air Rifle

2 months ago | nrafamily.org | Mark Fike

UnboxingThe Crosman Mag-Fire Ultra break-barrel .22 air rifle was a bit of a surprise coming out of the box for me. The first thing I grabbed was the scope., which is a 3x-9x-40 AO. Many times when a scope comes with an airgun, the quality of the scope is not the best. However, this scope not only looked good, but had the adjustable objective that I love using to make everything crisp when shooting.
NRA Family | 5 Simple Steps to Field-Dress Your Turkey

2 months ago | nrafamily.org | Mark Fike

A morning's heated conversation with Mr. Tom has ended with your shot, and you now have the duty of turning him into both a beautiful reminder of your hunt via a fan mount, and the enjoyment of putting the meat on the table for friends or family to share. Here are the steps to follow once you have the bird tagged and at home where you take care of this chore. Step 1—Preparation FirstCreate a clutter-free area that is comfortable to do some minor butchering.
NRA Family | Reviewed: GAMO P-430 Semiautomatic CO2 Dual Ammo Air Pistol

Mar 21, 2025 | nrafamily.org | Mark Fike

GAMO makes quality airguns. Its P-430, although on the lower end of the pay scale, is no exception. It comes in a clear clam packaging ready for beginners or avid backyard air gun enthusiasts alike. When I cut the packaging around the pistol and started reading the directions, I worried that maybe this would be a tough review. The airgun was very lightweight, and the molded fit, although very comfortable in my hand, seemed more “mass production” than I was used to from GAMO.
NRA Family | Turkey Tactics: How to "Run & Gun" Safely

Mar 12, 2025 | nrafamily.org | Mark Fike

"Running and gunning" is a popular method of hunting spring gobblers. In short, it's the practice of hunting turkeys by calling and moving spots every so often until you engage with a tom. It's effective, and offers a certain freedom that many hunters relish. But there are some things that can go wrong with running and gunning, so spring turkey hunters should keep these things in mind while using this tactic.
NRA Family | Reviewed: Springfield Armory USA Hellcat Pro BB Pistol

Mar 6, 2025 | nrafamily.org | Mark Fike

When I first unboxed my Springfield Armory USA Hellcat Pro BB pistol, I briefly wondered if a mistake was made and a real 9mm was sent my way. I had to look a little closer to be sure. This semi-automatic BB pistol is a 1:1 replica of the real centerfire version from Air Venturi (the official licensee for all Springfield Armory replica firearms). This BB pistol has a real "whoa" factor. It doesn't just look the same as the real Hellcat Pro, but functions nearly the same.