S1-E38: The FIRST THING You Should Do in Your Stand or Blind

Do You Remember Your First Frogasm?

It twitches a little, then throbs a little more. You manipulate it gently, but firmly, building a consistent rhythm. The pressure builds up. And then it builds some more. It’s almost unbearable. Finally, an explosion, liquids flying everywhere, and a simultaneous feeling of release and excitement. Yes, there is (almost) nothing better than a big bass crushing a hollow-bodied topwater frog through a heavy mat of vegetation, flying out of the water...

The First Thing You Should Do to Scout a New Property

There’s no worse feeling than losing a hunting spot, just as there’s no better feeling than gaining a new one. This is partly due to the fact that unlike familiar ground where you’ve got seasons of good and bad experiences filed away in the memory bank, new properties are all promise. You don’t know yet that the neighbor likes to drive his quad along the fence lines every night at sunset. Or that the new landowner’s nephew (who you’ll share the...

Ask MeatEater: When Should You Take Your First Elk Hunt?

We recently published an article that addressed the question of where to go on your first elk hunt. Many of you have also asked which month you should go on your first elk hunt. In Western states, elk seasons can run anywhere from August to January. When you go will have a big impact on your style of hunting as tactics change from one week to the next. For instance, calling works very well during the rut, but it may not work at all once rifle...