Western Hunter

Know it or you’ll pay a permanent price I love backpack hunting; it reaches deep into my soul. The demand the mountain places on you, and that which you place on yourself, sharpens you physically and mentally. The accomplishment that comes with it and the feeling it provides is second to none. However, there’s a […] The post Backpacking: The Fine Line Between Tough and Dumb. appeared first on Western Hunter. View the full article

Packable rafts might just open you up to a new world Packraft hunting isn’t a subject often discussed by hunters in the western U.S. Alaskan hunters have been using them for over a decade, but most hunters in the Lower 48 haven’t even heard of packrafts, let alone have an idea about the hunting […] The post Floating a New Idea appeared first on Western Hunter. View the full article

For many, planning a hunt is a bittersweet endeavor. It is as much tedious and time-consuming as it is exciting and wrought with tradition. Despite the conflicting emotions, or perhaps in part because of them, we endure the process year after year in hopes of learning more about ourselves and returning with meat for our […] The post Tagline: April – May 2019 appeared first on Western Hunter. View the full article

This Ain’t Disney To me, coyotes are to the land what sharks are to the ocean. Like a shark, coyotes will eat almost anything. It doesn’t matter if it’s a mouse or a moose, a grasshopper or a grouse. If a coyote can kill it and eat it, then it’s going to get eaten. If […] The post How to Call in More Land Sharks appeared first on Western Hunter. View the full article

The Rollercoaster I looked up at the sky and heaved a sigh of frustration. Taking a deep breath, I looked around at the golden foliage in the fading light and tried to take stock of the moment. I reminded myself that I was fortunate to simply be there – hunting rutting elk in one of […] The post Enjoy the Ride, by David Burgess appeared first on Western Hunter. View the full article

It really doesn’t matter how good your camera and lens are if you don’t take care of them. A clean, clear lens is paramount to letting your images reach their potential. I’ve cringed more than once watching photographers carry their expensive telephoto lenses over their shoulder with the lens element facing the sky while walking […] The post Lens Care: An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure appeared first on Western Hunter. View the full article

Horse and mule packing gear has changed very slowly over time. In fact, the sawbuck pack saddle dates back to the time of Genghis Khan. This saddle design was used by the American Indians and was the foundation of the pack gear used by the fur trappers and prospectors playing a significant role in opening […] The post New Gear for the Hunting Horseman: A time-tested art can still occasionally use a slight tweak appeared first on Western Hunter. View the full article

Trent Williams, Wyoming, 2015 “There are certainly risks with hunting solo in this type of country, but I’ll be taking this gamble again. With a gentle mountain breeze blowing from the bull to me, I sat there on my knees, arrow nocked, bow ready, and a rangefinder reading of 38 yards. I had made it! […] The post All In: A hunter gambles on big elk vs. potentially dangerous conditions appeared first on Western Hunter. View the full article

Elk are big, tough animals. Even with well-executed shots, tracking is an essential skill to ensure recovery. Understanding elk anatomy will help you before the shot, and it will help you analyze the hit – and the ensuing tracking job – after the shot. Obviously, the main goal is to get an arrow or a […] The post The Anatomy of An Elk: Proper knowledge of shot angles and placement is “vital” appeared first on Western Hunter. View the full article

Making a living hunting elk is a dream job, but there is little information on how to actually make that happen. One question I get asked frequently is, “How do I become an elk hunting guide?” If you want to be a lawyer or teacher, there are well-defined paths to those professions. The same info […] The post Land Your Dream Job: How to become an elk guide appeared first on Western Hunter. View the full article

First Lite didn’t “invent” merino wool. It was around, but few in the hunting world even knew about it. First Lite Founder, Kenton Carruth, wore some on snowmobile and backcountry skiing trips in 2003 and was amazed by its functionality and comfort. Soon, he began researching it. It did wonders to draw moisture away from […] The post Gear Legends: First Lite Merino Wool appeared first on Western Hunter. View the full article

Elk encompass a wide variety of terrain across the West, from big alpine basins in the Rockies to sage country of the high desert. Of their typical haunts, no area can be as daunting to hunt as thick/dark timber – the seemingly endless conifer forests that aren’t glassable. This type of terrain can be tough […] The post Timber Topography: Using a topo map to locate elk in the dark timber appeared first on Western Hunter. View the full article

A good hunting partner is like a good bird dog…you’re lucky if you get one great one in a lifetime. For the hunting horseman, a great hunting partner who also knows how to pack with stock is priceless. Each year of packing into the mountains and hunting elk is another great adventure. Fall of 2015 […] The post A Great Hunting Partner: The Forgotten Secret to a Truly Successful Hunt appeared first on Western Hunter. View the full article

Not to be left out of the revenue generation game, New Mexico has implemented their own. For 2019, the previously refundable hunting license fee ($65) will no longer be refundable. In addition to that, the Habitat Stamp and Habitat Management and Access Validation Stamp is now required to apply, at a cost of $10. The […] The post Hunt Tracker: New Mexico appeared first on Western Hunter. View the full article

“All the stalks that go wrong make the ones that go right just that much sweeter” Justin Davis, Colorado, 2017. I peered at the buck through the spotter as he fed with his ten buddies in the high alpine basin. It was the evening before opening day of the Colorado archery season and I couldn’t […] The post Picture Perfect – Justin Davis appeared first on Western Hunter. View the full article

Western bowhunters require more from their bow sights than our whitetail hunting brethren. Our average shot distances are double that of a tree-stand hunter and many bowhunters today are comfortable shooting at distances that were muzzleloader territory not long ago. Adjustable bow sights and computer-generated sight tapes have paved the way for pinpoint accuracy in […] The post Best in the West: Bow Sights for the Western Bowhunter appeared first on Western Hunter. View the full article

For many years, I packed a pair of 10x binoculars around my neck and a pair of 15×56 Swarovski’s tucked neatly in my pack. The theory was I needed the 10’s for close-up work and quick hand glassing, but once I reached my appointed spot, I would break out the 15’s, mount them on a […] The post 12 Strong: Making the Case for the Versatility of 12x Binoculars appeared first on Western Hunter. View the full article

The big news in Colorado for 2019 has nothing to do with actual hunting, rather the application/tag fee changes (as was highlighted by Mike Duplan in our last issue). The increases include a $3 to $9 per species application fee as well as a $100 preference point fee per species for bighorn sheep, mountain […] The post Hunt Tracker: Colorado appeared first on Western Hunter. View the full article

Mule Deer: The deer draw is a two-step operation to acquire a limited-entry tag. The deer or big-game combination tag ($587/$1001) application is the first step in the process, followed by the limited draw permit choices on the same application. Prior to last year, the deer combination draw was 100%, but in 2018, it dropped […] The post Hunt Tracker: Montana Deer and Elk appeared first on Western Hunter. View the full article

Mule Deer The deer draw is a two-step operation to acquire a limited-entry tag. The deer or big-game combination tag ($587/$1001) application is the first step in the process, followed by the limited draw permit choices on the same application. Prior to last year, the deer combination draw was 100%, but in 2018, it dropped […] The post Hunt Tracker: Montana Mule Deer and Elk appeared first on Western Hunter. View the full article

Over the past 10 years or so, a Western hunter’s standard kit has evolved in many ways. All sorts of gadgets and useful equipment have flooded the market and worked their way into the kit of the average hunter. We find ourselves spending more time researching and more money purchasing pieces that we believe will […] The post Hunt with a Camera appeared first on Western Hunter. View the full article

The Outlook on Coveted Tags in 2018. Bison The massive increase in tag cost between 2017 and 2018 (+$1900 bull/$1750 cow) led to predictions of substantially increased draw odds for 2018. If you look purely at the Area 2 bull stats (the only unit that has been open over the past decade), this would bear […] The post Hunt Tracker: Wyoming appeared first on Western Hunter. View the full article

As with any pursuit, there is a tiresome amount of information to learn. Going through my fair share of hobbies, I’ve never encountered one as complicated as embarking on the journey of becoming a hunter. The topics capable of diving deep within the realm of hunting are at times overwhelming; ammunition, arrows, packs, optics, tripods, […] The post The Overwhelming Nature of Nature appeared first on Western Hunter. View the full article

The best listens for hunters and outdoor enthusiasts With this issue, we’re starting a new column that will highlight podcasts – of the hunting variety and some completely unrelated that can benefit other aspects of your life. Why are we doing this? Well, “listen up”. Podcasts are one the fastest growing segments of all media…and for good reason. Unlike […] The post Podcast Highlights appeared first on Western Hunter. View the full article

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