I walked over 165 miles, rode horses 50 miles, and lost almost 20 lb in 24 days. The experience was a test of will and perseverance and was my hardest hunt to date. It proved to me that you have to fail in order to make corrections for success.

I lowered enough to stay out of sight and nocked an arrow. I drew my Hoyt and found my anchors. My heart was pounding, but I consciously took a slow breath as I settled my 60-yard pin.

Brown bear hunting is something else. I highly recommend if it’s on your bucket list that you MAKE IT HAPPEN! You won’t regret it.

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.

During application season in 2020, I knew I wanted to chase velvet mule deer above the timberline. I decided to go all-in for an archery tag in Colorado.

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.

It’s difficult to understand how a dream materializes, but for Storie Ratcliff his came in the form of a monster buck 7 years in the making.

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...

After 19 years applying, Randy Morrison found himself with a WY Moose tag in his pocket and a tough decision to make.

“NO WAY!” I thought as I read the results from Colorado’s drawing results webpage. I had drawn this same tag the year before, and with zero points, I didn’t expect to draw again. As luck would have it, I was one of a couple hunters that drew with no points.

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.

Two friends Nick & Tad head into the mountains in search of mature mule deer and succeed in their goal with two monster bucks.