“You’ve got 48 minutes.”  The update snapped me back to reality. My next step would seal my fate. After being so cautious on the open face, I made the trees and started to relax. With one slip and the sound of gravel underfoot, the whole herd stood at attention.

Now at less than 15 yards, I let out a soft cow call to stop him for a shot. The bull was so close that you can see my perfectly-placed arrow.

Am I really seeing this? It just seems too good to be true. A group of good bulls on public ground in the middle of rifle elk season, leisurely feeding on an open plateau. I started to formulate a game plan, but it wouldn’t be for that day or even that season.

There was no wind; my pin was steady. I pulled through the release and snow exploded as the buck lunged forward and disappeared into the trees. I sank to my knees, drew in a deep, ragged breath, and waited for my nerves to unwind. The shot looked perfect, but time would tell...

My hopes were high, but the part I was most excited about was the chance to hunt big velvet bulls with a rifle. I think it may be every western hunter’s dream to shoot a bull in full velvet. With only a week of hunting until the bulls would be rubbing their velvet, we knew we had to get it done fast.

After about 45 minutes, it finally happened. I felt the wind hit the back of my neck. I immediately drew back and like clockwork, the bull’s head whipped upright.

David McShaw and his parents set out to complete the hunt of a lifetime despite being wheelchair-bound with muscular dystrophy.

Chad and Jake make the most out of an emotional situation when they bag the Bull of a lifetime in honor of their late father.

Hunting can be long, lonely, and incredibly taxing both mentally and physically, but it's often worth it.

A Successful Goat Hunt with a Trusty Weapon “It wasn’t a buffalo or a deer or a goat. It wasn’t […]

Weary from a long season, refusing to give up is still the best strategy. “Sleeping in that morning would have […]

Jeff Bruce, Idaho, 2015 I should have known that on a year when I’d just taken a new job with […]