Stuck N The Rut

Still one of my favorite archery bulls to this day.

I pursued this bull for multiple years but could never get close enough for an ethical shot with my bow. As time went on, word got out about him, and more hunters started chasing him on public land. By 2018, it was almost impossible to hunt him without another bowhunter bumping him out of the country.

The difference between me and everyone else? I didn’t quit.

As the seasons passed, most hunters burned out and moved on. In 2019, there wasn’t another soul pursuing this bull. That’s when my opportunity finally came. I caught him off guard, slipped into range, and made a perfect shot through his vitals.

Hunts like this are what keep me coming back. They’re a reminder that persistence pays off, and sometimes the biggest reward comes after years of staying committed when everyone else has given up.

One more month, and I’ll be chasing jungle giants again.

If you’re looking to become a better elk hunter especially when it comes to finding and consistently hunting mature herd bulls, be sure to check out our SNTR Elk Hunting Master Class. Link in bio, and good luck this upcoming hunting season.

Being a father is one of life’s greatest blessings. We’re grateful not only for the opportunity to experience the outdoors ourselves, but to pass that passion on from generation to generation.

Here’s to the dads raising the next generation of hunters, outdoorsmen, and adventurers

Travis’s oldest boy, Atigun, got it done on a beautiful bear, here is the story from Trav’s perspective,

“We had just one night to get it done after a busy baseball season with the kids, and with the bear rut in full swing, we were excited to finally get out.

While walking an old road, I was glassing a small opening when a beautiful chocolate-colored bear stepped out at about 50 yards. We spotted each other at the same time and she immediately bolted. As we moved around the corner, we nearly ran into a boar at 30 yards heading straight toward us—he quickly turned and ran off.

Thinking we had blown two good chances, we waited and regrouped. About 10 minutes later, we heard sticks breaking below us. We dropped back to get the wind right and soon picked up the same boar again. He had looped around and was coming back, likely looking for the sow.

We let him close the distance, and Atigun stayed steady and patient for a clean shot. At 51 yards, the boar stepped into the open, quartering toward us, and he made an excellent shot

I couldn’t be prouder of Atigun—at just 11 years old, he handled the pressure and stayed completely composed.”

“Oh, you’re just lucky…”

I hear that one a lot. And honestly, I agree to a degree, there’s always a little bit of luck involved in hunting. You can do everything right and still have things not go your way, but when you see someone consistently finding mature bucks year after year, at some point you have to ask yourself:

Is it really luck, or is there more to it than that?

The truth is, most successful hunts are the result of a lot of small decisions made long before the shot ever happens. The scouting, the planning, the glassing, knowing when to move and when to stay put—it all adds up.

I recently added a full breakdown of this mature buck hunt from last fall to our online Mule Deer Master Class. I walk through the hunt step-by-step and explain the decisions that led to the opportunity and ultimately the success.

This was a Public Land DIY hunt, which I believe is one of the toughest ways to consistently hunt mature mule deer. My goal isn’t to show off a buck, it’s to show the process behind it, so you can take something from it and apply it to your own hunts. 360 Sportsman • The ULTIMATE Outdoor Masterclass

I Had the opportunity to join my good friend Brian on a bear hunt he’d been planning for quite some time, and I was fortunate enough to be apart of this hunt. What made this trip especially memorable was stepping outside my usual hunting routine. I’m used to hunting with family and the systems we’ve developed over the years, so getting to experience Brian’s approach to planning and executing a hunt was both refreshing and educational.

I learned a lot, made some great memories, and shared an incredible adventure with a good friend. We can’t wait to bring you along for the full story soon on the Stuck N The Rut & Gritty YouTube channel.
Stay tuned!!!

Home, hunting, or work, it doesn’t matter. We can’t get away from the grizzlies here in Idaho. This griz couldn’t care less that our skidder is parked there. Delist the Grizzly already. This is getting ridiculous.