Big Game

A lone bowhunter was shot and killed by a black powder rifle hunter near the Kilpacker trailhead in Colorado’s San Juan National Forest on Friday, Sept. 17, 2021. A search party spent 10 hours looking for Houston resident Gregory Gabrisch, 31, who fell victim to what is being called an accidental...

Jason Phelps’ father initially held dim prospects for his son’s hunting career. “He told me I wasn't quiet enough to be a rifle elk hunter,” Jason said. “So, basically, I was born to be an archery elk hunter because I was allowed to get away with making noise. Those guys put on their white New...

My aggressive calling had enticed the herd into viewing distance, and now they were closing in to archery range. We were pinned. I found myself lying uncomfortably on my back, staring up at the quaky treetops, and my client was on one stable knee. I noticed his nocked arrow shaking like the...

It should go without saying that the right clothes can make or break a hunt. On a mild early-season day, that means packing layers that go from the crisp temps of first light to sun-soaked late mornings. Fail to do this and you’ll shiver into misery within the first hour of the sit or lose your...

Spin through an elk hunting website or magazine and you’ll see a lot of rugged backcountry—a mountain setting with a mule packstring, or at least hiking boots and trekking poles. But a new world-record archery bull taken in 2020 drives home an emerging fact: The world of North American elk is being...

The cow and calf must have thought we were sagebrush in the frail predawn light. We crouched low, motionless but completely exposed, as they sauntered on up out of the gulley not 12 yards away. We waited until they had passed before standing to see which way the rest of the herd was coming. Suddenly...

Have you ever wondered what goes into making a hand-made knife? In this video, knife maker Steve Schultz shows us how to do it. Although the process looks quick, it's quite a chore. Steve's been making knives for over 30 years, and it's a detailed process that requires specialized tools and skills...

As we saw in last week’s video of an eagle drowning a fawn, only nature can be this beautiful and cruel at the same time. In this vid, a hunter captures some incredible footage of a cow elk falling to its death in New Zealand. (Yes, there are Rocky Mountain elk in New Zealand—Teddy Roosevelt sent...

Myths, lies and old wives’ tales loom large in the outdoor pursuits. Here at MeatEater, we’re dedicated to separating facts from bull, so we created this series to examine suspect yarns. If there’s a belief, rumor, or long-held assumption you’d like us to fact check, drop us a note at factchecker...

As we covered a few weeks ago, the first howl of a baby wolf can bring anyone joy. The distressed bleats of a drowning moose calf? That does the opposite. Luckily, off-duty Calgary firefighter Scott Linton and professional paddler Benny Clark were there to take action when the startled calf fell...

If you are bear hunting from late May into June, your hunt will be influenced by the bear rut. Knowing all you can about it will make you a better hunter. A 1980 study by Kim Barber and Frederick Lindzey conducted on Long Island, Washington, found that female bears are in estrus ranging from six to...