Next Season Prep: What to Do in the Off-Months Before October

The best hunters do their work in the off-season. Here is the month-by-month prep calendar that separates successful hunters from the ones who show up cold.

Conservation Economics: How Hunter Dollars Protect Wildlife

Hunters are the largest funders of wildlife conservation in the United States. Here are the numbers, the laws, and how it all works.

State Regulations Compared: Montana vs Wyoming vs Colorado Tag Systems

The three marquee Western hunting states have radically different tag systems. Here is how to navigate each as a non-resident hunter.

Hunting Dog Training: Retrievers, Pointers, Hounds at Home

A hunting dog is made in the backyard, not in the field. Here is a realistic training plan for the three main categories.

Hunting Camps: DIY Basecamp for Week-Long Trips

A well-run basecamp turns a miserable week in the rain into productive hunting. Here is the setup that actually works for long trips.

Public Land Hunting: E-Scouting OnX Hunt Before Opening Day

OnX Hunt and satellite mapping have changed public land hunting forever. Here is how to e-scout effectively before opening day.

Hunting Lease Economics: What You Pay and What You Get

Hunting lease prices have doubled in some markets over ten years. Here is what you should actually pay, what to expect, and when to walk away.

Canning Wild Game: Venison and Salmon Preserved Right

Pressure canning is the best way to preserve wild game beyond a year. Here is the safe technique for venison, salmon, and upland game.

Elk Jerky: From Carcass to Finished Product at Home

Elk jerky done right is the best in the freezer. Here is the technique from cut selection to finished product, based on 20 years of making it.

Smoking Wild Game: Brisket-Style Venison and Waterfowl

Wild game smokes differently than beef or pork. Here are the techniques that produce tender, flavorful results rather than dry disappointment.

Wild Game Cooking: Turning Venison Into Meals That Get Eaten

Bad venison is bad cooking, not bad meat. Here are the techniques that turn deer into meals your family actually looks forward to.

Backcountry Hunting Food: Lightweight Calories That Travel

Backcountry food is about calories per ounce, not gourmet meals. Here is how to eat well on a seven-day hunt without hauling 30 pounds of food.

Knives

Knife Sharpening: Field Sharpeners That Actually Work

Most field sharpeners do not work. Here are the three that actually put an edge back on a hunting knife when you are miles from home.

Hunting Packs

Hunting Packs: Mystery Ranch Metcalf vs Stone Glacier Sky 5900

The Mystery Ranch Metcalf and the Stone Glacier Sky 5900 are the default western hunting packs. Here is how they actually perform with meat on your back.

Hunting Camo

Camo Systems: Sitka Subalpine vs First Lite Specter vs Kryptek

Modern camo is a system of patterns built for specific terrain. Here is how Sitka Subalpine, First Lite Specter, and Kryptek actually compare in the woods.

Hunting Boots

Hunting Boots Tested: Crispi, Kenetrek, Irish Setter in Real Conditions

The $500 mountain boot debate is won and lost in real conditions. Here is what Crispi, Kenetrek, and Irish Setter actually do when the weather turns on you.

Binoculars

Hunting Binoculars: Why 8x42 Beats 10x42 for Most Situations

The 10x42 binocular is the default hunting optic but probably the wrong one. An 8x42 does more for more hunters in more conditions.

Spotting Scopes

Spotting Scopes: Swarovski vs Vortex vs Leupold Under $2,000

A spotting scope under $2,000 should be the workhorse of your western hunting setup. Here is how Swarovski, Vortex, and Leupold actually stack up in the field.

Rifle Scopes

Rifle Scope Selection: 3-9x40 vs 4-16x50 for Most Hunters

The shift toward 4-16x50 hunting scopes is driven more by marketing than by actual shooting conditions. Here is when each scope actually makes sense.

Traditional Archery

Traditional Archery: Recurve vs Longbow for Hunting Deer

Most trad bow debates are theological, not practical. Here is what actually matters when you are choosing between a recurve and a longbow for deer hunting.

Archery

Compound Bow Setup: Draw Weight, Draw Length, Let-Off Explained

Most compound bow problems come down to a bad setup at the pro shop. Here is how to make sure yours is right the first time.

Musky

Musky: The Fish of 10,000 Casts and What's Actually Worth It

The musky myth — 10,000 casts for one fish — is a slight exaggeration. The actual numbers and what it really takes to catch one.

Catfish

Catfish After Dark: Setting Up for a Productive Night

Catfishing is a nighttime game. Here's the rig, the bait, and the setup that puts blues, flatheads, and channels on the bank.

Ice Fishing

Ice Fishing on a Budget: You Don't Need a $12,000 Shack

Ice fishing has become an equipment arms race. Here's how to fish productively through the ice for under $500 in gear — because the fish don't care.