Here at Browning headquarters in Utah we are still sitting squarely between winter and spring, but every day we get closer and closer to better weather. Not every part of the country is out of the woods yet, and our hearts go out to our Midwestern friends who are still suffering from the dangers of the heavy runoff and rains of 2008. Other parts of the country don't seem to be getting a rest either. Soon, this wild season of weather will be settling down and give us a rest before fall.

It is never too early to start getting ready for fall -- for both the hunts you are planning and for this year's critical political events. We recently received a note from the NRA asking for help getting the word out. Gun owners are facing a pivotal battle for the future of the Second Amendment on November 4th, 2008. And if this election continues on its current course, an anti-Second Amendment politician could win the White House and have the potential to give anti-gun forces greater influence.

Mentioning this in the Browning eBlast is certainly preaching to the choir, but you -- as avid hunters and gun owners -- can make a difference by encouraging others to join the NRA. And if your membership has lapsed inadvertently, now is a good time to bring it current.

At the end of this eBlast is a letter from the NRA and Browning Senior VP, Travis Hall, explaining where the risks are and what you can do to help. Please take a minute to give it your consideration and feel free to pass it along.

In this day and age entertainers who love the outdoors and especially those who love to hunt are a bit hard to come by. That is why a few aspects of the recent crop of hit TV shows has been so refreshing. If you happen to have eagle eyes you just may have seen the Browning Buckmark logo appear in a few very unusual places recently.

For instance on the hit TV show American Idol.

As over 30 million Americans know, each American Idol contestant gets their chance to be the focus of a short video biography. This year two contestants appeared in their bios wearing Browning hats with the Buckmark logo.

The first was Drew Poppelreiter. Drew grew up on a farm in Saltillo, Mississippi. He is the real deal in every way: an icon of the all American country boy. Not only is he a working farmer, an avid hunter and a life-long outdoorsman, he is a down to earth guy with an amazing country voice. And even though Drew didn't move on to the final round of American Idol, you are certain to see more of him in Country music circles, and certain to see more of his Browning hat.

And if that were not enough, you may have caught the video Bio of contestant Kristy Lee Cook and her Browning Hat. Kristy is not only beautiful and talented, but she is also not stretching the truth when she calls herself an "outdoor country girl."

Her hometown is Selma, Oregon where she has plenty of access to the surrounding country for her hobbies. Her favorite quote is "Rope it, ride it, wrestle it, cowgirl it." She is not shy about telling others that she leaves plenty of time to head for the hills to hunt deer and bear and more. Some circles of viewers are critical of her outdoor interests - perhaps we can all show how much we appreciate a hunting girl with a great voice by giving her our vote on the next show.

Lastly, if you haven't tuned in to the latest TV hit the Ax Men, don't miss it any more. In the words of the History Channel, it's "The first-ever non-fiction series about the treacherous life of Pacific Northwest timber cutters." Treacherous is an understatement.

If you are following the show, then you probably know that one of the leading logging companies on the show is called J.M. Browning Logging. The "J" in the name stands for the name of its founder Jay. But he and his team are crazy about another J. M. Browning, and that would be John Moses Browning, the world's greatest gun designer and the originator of the Browning Arms Company. Jay and his son Jesse - as well as many of their crew - are hunters, outdoorsman and Browning fans in every way. Jay is no ordinary logger or outdoorsman. He lost his hand in a logging accident and considers it just part of the risk of the job. He has a prosthetic that lets him keep sawing and, of course, shooting. Stay tuned for one surprise that will be enjoyed by "Show Us Your Buckmark" contest fans . . . Jesse will be getting a tattoo in a future episode and I bet you can guess what it will be.

It's important to note that all of these now famous hunters have been fans of Browning for a long before now. We applaud them and wish them all the best in their endeavors and especially on their next hunts.

Here is some info you won't get anywhere else.

If you go to the Browning website (www.browning.com) you will notice on the left side a list of product categories. For example: Firearms, Gun Safes, Camping, Fishing and Cutting Boards. Most Browning products are developed, managed and distributed by our teams here in Morgan, Utah and at our Arnold, Missouri facility. But not all.

Occasionally we find a product category that we would like to bring to you -- but we realize that a more specialized expertise can be found outside of our Utah and Missouri offices. And because we feel that bringing these products to you is important, we occasionally form close relationships and partnerships with others who have this expertise. These groups join the Browning family of products, but continue to maintain their own locations and utilize their own product design, manufacturing and marketing expertise. They do this under a special agreement which is usually called a "license."

This fact is important to know because sometimes you will notice that the web address for some of these products is different from www.browning.com. You may also notice that their street address and customer service department phone numbers are not the same as used by Browning in Utah.

Archery	Camping	Casual Sportswear and Gifts	Cutting Boards	Fishing	Footwear	Hitches
Home and Lodge	Hosiery	Off Road	Outdoor Cookware	Outdoor Health & Safety Products	Signature Automotive

There are really two types of partners.

1) Some products are licensed to established makers of other products, so their websites will appear as a departure from the style of the Browning site. Examples of this are Browning Fishing (which is managed by the experts at Bass Pro Shops) and Browning Hitches (which are part of the well-known B&W Trailer Hitches company). Another one is our "Off Road" products. These are special ATVs and Polaris Ranger side by sides with extra features that you only get with the Browning Editions. These sites will have their own look and even their own brand names present.

2) Other sites are more closely associated with Browning. When you select these products it is often difficult to know that you have left the main Browning site and that they are a licensee at all. And that is fine with all of us, because all of these products - in the truest sense - are Browning quality products. They must meet our strict criteria for design, dependability, fits, finishes and overall function. In our view, once they meet our requirements, then, and only then, may they carry the Browning name. We give you our word on that.

Without this collection of partners, the depth of our product line would be less, and you would not have some very special and interesting Browning products from which to choose. Unlike some other companies that license with reckless abandon, the Browning family of products are bound together closely with a tight commitment to working as a team and preserving the legendary history of fine products which we all revere.

Over the next few months we will be highlighting many of these partners and hope you will take a close look at the fine products offered. We know you will be pleased.

The best gun to own is what is sometimes called a "no apology" gun. That is, a shotgun or rifle so beautiful and so well made that you have the total assurance and peace of mind that wherever you go now and for years to come, you will always be proud to uncase it in front of anybody.

Over the years there have been many Browning guns that fit this category like the Browning Citori, the 22 Semi-auto, the BPS and the BLR among others.

Even though it doesn't have decades of use under its belt, the new Browning X-Bolt is also one of these. About 130 years ago John Browning started creating guns that were not only innovative, but in many cases they disrupted the status quo entirely. The X-Bolt is a disrupter. With its Feather Trigger system, detachable magazine and much more, it offers a huge leap above the already venerated A-Bolt in nearly every area. Yet the design is so solid and functional it has what it takes to remain a solid product for decades and even longer from now in the same way early John Browning designs did. Everything works. Everything looks perfect. No apologies required. On a recent Google search the words "Browning X-Bolt" brought nearly 5,000 website hits. This is the product being talked about right now and a product you must see. You can click here to go straight to more information on the new X-Bolt.

Dear Browning Company Customer,

Gun owners are facing a pivotal battle for the future of the Second Amendment on November 4th, 2008.

If this election continues on its current course, an anti-Second Amendment politician could win the White House and have the potential to give anti-gun forces greater influence with Federal agencies, Congress, key Congressional Committee Chairmanships and the appointment of judges.

With that power, you can count on them to move ahead with their agenda to harass gun owners with a flood of new regulations that could close gun shows, drive gun makers out of business and ban many popular firearms—including many of the guns you may own today.

Now, more than ever, we must protect our Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms from those who would affect that right.

The best organization to do that is the National Rifle Association, and I urge you to JOIN NOW.

Join by calling 1-877-672-2000 or by visiting NRA's website, www.insureyourgunrights.com.

NRA membership is regularly $35 per year. But if you join today, NRA will sign you up for a full year of NRA membership for a special election year rate of just $25.

When you join, you'll get great benefits including: a year's subscription to American Rifleman, American Hunter or America's 1st Freedom magazines, $1,000 in firearms insurance, plus you'll receive a 20-piece, rosewood handle multi-tool - a $29.95 value - free with membership.

Remember…the NRA's strength to save the Second Amendment comes from you. And with the biggest battles just ahead, they need your help more than ever. Resolve to take a stand for America's gun ownership rights, and JOIN today.

Sincerely,

Travis Hall
Senior Vice President
Browning

The Show Us Your Buckmark must go on.

Although winners have been chosen for the 2008 season, the Show Us Your Buckmark contest continues to go on. So please keep entering for a chance to win big prizes like Browning rifles and shotguns. And don't forget to check out the amazing entries already posted on www.browning.com and let us know which entries you think should win by casting your vote.

Visit the Browning Trophy Room

Click here to see the incredible trophy animals bagged by Browning owners from around the world.

Download The eBlast Exclusive Free Browning Computer Wallpaper: Plinking with the T-Bolt

Download this Browning wallpaper for your computer desktop.