It was a warm September evening and the light was getting dim as Taylor and I made our way up the mountain to check for elk grazing on the ridgetops. Taylor knew where the elk would be, and when we got to a certain point his posture changed. He went...
I have a rare hereditary condition called Raynaud’s Disease. It’s a disorder that restricts circulation (blood flow) to your hands, feet, fingers and toes. This can lead to severe cold and painful sensations in your outer extremities — even when it isn’t that cold out. But, obviously, the colder it...
Man, you hate to rank stuff sometimes. Case in point, college football. What makes one team better than another, anyway — TV time, a difficult schedule, wins and losses? Rankings and choices concerning numero uno lend themselves to loopholes, weak arguments and plenty of opinions. So what exactly qualifies a...
A good hunt is an event to remember and cherish — whether you get a shot at a trophy animal or not. With a wide assortment of quality digital cameras available in virtually every price range, there’s simply no excuse for not capturing and saving some of those hunting memories...
Alaska hunting is the stuff of dreams, yet many convince themselves it’s beyond their reach. This is easy to understand, as guided Alaska hunts are some of the most expensive around. Single-species hunts for mountain goat, dall sheep and brown bear run anywhere from $9,000 to $14,000. A guided hunt...
As the first rays of an approaching sunrise poked through the darkness, I could see a cow elk grazing along the top of a ridge a several hundred yards away. As more light filled the hollows, several other elk were spotted, slowly but certainly making their way to the top...
Because so many of you will be flying to your hunting destinations this fall, there are some procedures you need to know before traveling with firearms. The events of Sept. 11, 2001, have changed life in America in many ways. Although the country is trying to return to a semblance...
Melissa Bachman isn’t just another pretty face in camouflage, put in front of the video camera to move the TV ratings needle. Yeah, she’s a good-looking lady, but more than that, she’s a hunter, spending 140 days or more afield every year. Bachman was raised in a hard-working, small-town family...
I'd been suckered back in — back to bowhunt moose in Southeast Alaska. I should’ve known better. I'd visited Southeast twice before. Some of the worst hunts of my life, though the second time I actually saw a couple bulls. I bowhunted somewhere else for moose before that, trudging through...
Caribou are some of the most sought-after animals in North America. They provide fun times, an action-packed hunt, and are cheaper than most northern North American big game hunts. Of the caribou subspecies, the woodland might be your best option, though. Here are five tips and reasons why. 1. Patternable...
The thought of yet another missed opportunity the previous evening boiled through my mind as I pounded my way up the trail in the black, early morning hours. “Was I being too conservative?” I relentlessly asked myself as I made the 2-mile hike back to a secluded drainage. Or, should...
It’s difficult to imagine I killed my first elk with a bow — a patriarch cow — a bit more than 25 years ago. My first bull — a Pope and Young class 6x6 — fell a year later. Where did all that time go? In my case, most of...
Data can be deceiving. That’s why oftentimes, the all-time records list you see aren’t the most accurate depictions of where big deer are truly coming from. That’s why we’ve compiled this list. It’s for those who still haven’t gone on that dream mule deer hunt and are still trying to...
Elk hunting is a serious sport for serious hunters. There's nothing easy about it. And there are many elk enthusiasts who have a wealth of knowledge. Here we have seven great tips from hunters throughout the country. 1. Truly Understand the Meaning of Elk Hunting It's not just about killing...
There’s no mystery here. While white-tailed deer are highly worthy game, but they lack a certain variety and normally don't offer the wide-open vistas and wild country the West offers in spades. The West can also require mental and physical toughness whitetails seldom ask of a hunter. Most importantly, most...
Since he was a hopeful teenager working at Fred Bear Archery in Gainesville, Florida, Fred Eichler dreamed that one day he’d get to hunt the species of remarkable creatures that were mounted on the company walls. Eichler’s adventure of a lifetime began the last week of April as a polar...
Since he was a hopeful teenager working at Fred Bear Archery in Gainesville, Florida, Fred Eichler dreamed that one day he’d get to hunt the species of remarkable creatures that were mounted on the company walls. That became a reality. Even though Eichler first had a unique and exciting polar...
The nutritional strategy of a backcountry bowhunter requires a systematic approach as cooking methods and food variety is limited. Here is my best recommendation for sustained energy levels, peak performance, combined with the most efficient system. Meal Components For breakfast and snacking, the staple of my backcountry diet is a...
I was looking forward to my first turkey hunt with my two young boys. I’d envisioned a quiet, peaceful morning in the blind while we waited for the birds to show up. I’d already talked with them extensively, and had explained what a privilege going hunting is. I felt sure...
Spend enough time in the outdoors hunting, especially in the backcountry, and odds are good that you'll eventually find yourself in a less-than-safe situation. Bear attacks, tree stand falls, fast water; the list of dangers are many. The following tales are real. They show us just how quickly things can...
