A look back and a look ahead for the <i>Journal of Wildlife Management</i>

At the start of the new year, it always seems wise to take stock of where the Journal stands, look at how our metrics are trending, and discuss initiatives we are taking to improve service to our authors, membership of The Wildlife Society, and the wildlife profession.In this editorial we review statistical trends in submissions and decisions, the makeup of our editorial board, and the rate of publishing open access.We also provide recent journal news and highlight some priorities moving forward.Through 3 November 2025, we handled 364 submissions, consistent with the previous year (and higher than 2021-2023).Through September 2025