A malfunction at the Hebgen Dam on Montana’s Madison River crashed water levels this week and stranded thousands of fish. But thanks to a statewide volunteer effort, disaster may have been averted, though long-term effects on the fishery are still ...
7 Backcountry Hacks That Will Help You Survive Deep Off the Grid
I’ve been fortunate in my career to be surrounded by an eclectic group of professionals, from Green Berets and Army Rangers to some of the best backcountry hunters alive today. All these friends and peers have taught me a thing or two about living ...
Three Late-Season OTC Western Hunts You Can Do Right Now
Didn’t draw a tag this year? Perhaps you just couldn't plan a 2021 Western hunt in time, or maybe you just weren’t sure you could get away from work or family. You must be feeling some major FOMO right now as you scroll through the socials, liking ...
Is the New Garmin Xero A1i Pro Bow Sight Ethical?
Garmin just released the newest iteration of their Xero electronic bow sight. The Xero A1i Pro offers significant updates to the original. While many archery talking heads are making noise about this technological leap forward, not many are asking ...
The 8 Best Archery Pro Shops From Every Region of the United States
Not all archery pro shops are created equal. The best have competent bow technicians, a wide inventory spanning all budgets, and a welcoming, friendly, instructional atmosphere. Unfortunately, a shop that has all of these attributes is often the ...
Wild Game Recipes: 5 Ways To Make Freezer Space for Hunting Season
As summer days dwindle, so does the cache of wild game meat in my freezer. By August, all the backstraps, inner loins, and other prime cuts are gone. Less desired cuts sit on a lonely shelf or two like sad emo kids at a high school dance: the shank ...
Bowhunting Starter Kit: Everything You Need to Archery Hunt This Year
So, you want to bowhunt. Welcome. It's rewarding, and in many ways, a life-changing pursuit. There is, however, a learning curve. There are several learning curves, actually, the first of which is gear, so using a bowhunting starter kit to make sure ...
How To Find and Hunt Military Bases in the United States
Quality hunting, trophy potential, habitat management, and easy access aren’t often associated with military bases, but they should be. Over my 15-year military career, I have lived on and hunted several Army installations. It’s opened my eyes to ...
7 Hunting Podcasts You Should Be Listening To
In the not-so-distant past, if you didn’t have a mentor afield, you had to buy and read books or magazines to learn anything about hunting. While there’s still value in dead-tree media, the digital revolution has upended the old world order, and ...
Contingency Planning: 5-Point Prep for Tech Failure
Our reliance on technology isn't going away anytime soon. We have cellphones, satellite phones, GPS communicators, and GPS beacons that relay our locations to those with a need to know. What happens when technology fails? In US Army small-unit ...
6 Ways to Beat Cabin Fever This Winter
This can be a hard time of year. The holidays are over, and we’re ready for spring — but it’s still winter. For many people that means not leaving the house, or the couch, until the middle of March. But let's face it, there are only so many shows you ...
How To Deal with Trespassers on Private Hunting Land
Realizing that someone has been trespassing on your hunting property is not a good feeling. This year after gaining permission to hunt a piece of land, I went to scout it in preparation for a friend coming to hunt. There were multiple trail cameras ...
Photo Essay: Elk Hunting Sucks, or The Life of an OTC Archery Hunter
For the last four years, I have been archery hunting Colorado’s over-the-counter, or OTC, units for bull elk — with mixed results. OTC means the elk tags are sold to the general public literally over the counter, anywhere you can buy a Colorado ...
OnX Hunt: Is This Hunting App Worth $100?
In the second week of my 2019 elk hunt I was playing the public land shuffle — bouncing around forest service and Bureau of Land Management, or BLM, roads trying to locate elk while avoiding other hunters. No stranger to this game, I had pre-plotted ...
GEAR TEST: The Ultimate Bino Harness Shootout
With binoculars ranging in price from $300 to $500 for entry-level glass to more than $3,000 on the high end, it only makes sense to protect them. Not long ago, that meant a harness of a few elastic straps that held exposed binoculars close to the ...
Texas Hunting Nonprofit Encourages Vets to Bond with Nature, Each Other
Suicide and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have become widespread issues within the U.S. veteran community. According to the 2019 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report, the most recent data available, an average of 16.8 veterans ...
Review: Garmin’s Instinct Tactical is Fit for the Wild
When people think of Garmin, they generally think of the first GPS unit they had for their vehicle. But Garmin’s global positioning system technology is used across a variety of industries, including aviation, marine, fitness, and outdoor recreation. ...
4 Off-Grid Water Sterilization Methods for the Backcountry
When it comes to going off the grid, whether it’s backpacking, hunting, or fishing, water is a basic need. One can survive for weeks without food but only days without water. Unfortunately, humans are not equipped to drink water from natural sources ...
Review: The Tyto 1.1 is a Knife Every Outdoorsman Should Own
Hunters across the United States head into the wilderness each autumn in search of various game. Aside from their weapon, the most important item that every should hunter carry is a good knife, which allows them to properly care for the meat after ...
The Ultimate Outlayer System: Sitka Fanatic Jacket and Bib
While there’s a certain segment of the population who views the dropping temperatures and falling leaves as a sign for all things pumpkin spice and flannel, there’s a whole other segment who sees a purer purpose: the rut. In most areas of the United ...
What I Learned After Living in Kifaru’s Supertarp for Two Weeks
When preparing to go elk hunting in Colorado this year, I knew I wanted a floorless shelter, and Kifaru International’s SuperTarp was on the top of my list. For two weeks, it would be my home. The SuperTarp is a three-season, floorless, lightweight ...
Gear Review: The Garmin inReach Explorer+ and inReach Mini
We live in a time when near-infinite information and communication is literally at our fingertips. We can use cell phones to do everything from solving complex problems to organizing a night out with friends. So when our adventures, hobbies, or work ...
The Everyman’s Approach to DIY Archery Elk Hunting
I’m a self-taught bow hunter with a passion for elk hunting. The first time I heard the bugle of a bull elk echo out of my computer speakers, I knew I had to go and experience it in person. So that’s exactly what I did. In 2017, my first season, I ...
The Fitness Regimen That Will Prepare You for Elk Hunting
There’s no doubt that hunting elk in the Rocky Mountain West is a physical activity. If you don’t live in a state like Colorado, where the average elevation is 6,800 feet above sea level, then you are already going into the season at a disadvantage. ...
