Hunting stories, fly-fishing strategies, public land issues, gear, camping, and other topics on Western outdoors.
Written by Jim Huntsman, The Western Huntsman is dedicated to the wild places of the American West and the traditions it’s known for. We discuss anything hunting, fishing, and a deep look into conservation issues that impact us.
Being a hunter is not simply a hobby. Hunting is a lifestyle built around hard work, grit, disappointment, success, and satisfaction. Here we will dig deeply into hunting Western game. Topics range from strategies, explanations, behavior, biology, and anything else hunting related. Too, species discussed are elk, deer, pronghorn, bison, coyote, bear, wolf, and upland game. Hunting does not always have to be about game; in the West we also enjoy other hunts such as morel mushrooms and huckleberries.
I grew up on mule deer hunting and pheasants. These two hunts were mainstays of my childhood and continue to today. In 2014, a chance encounter with a huge bull elk while hunting deer instantly changed my obsession to archery elk hunting. I am a lifelong student of Western big game and my main classroom is North Idaho.
From September through December, hunting is my primary focus. However, the rest of the year is dedicated to fishing. I’m no snob; I enjoy fly fishing, bait fishing, spin fishing, and trolling on a lake. I have a catch them however I can policy as long as it is legal.
Geographically, trout have been the most accessible fish for me to chase. Whether it’s a native cutthroat, a wily brown trout, or a predictable rainbow, they are all equally targeted and sought after. I enjoy bass fishing and walleye, but my true passion lies under the surface of Western trout streams and my fly-rod.
Listing conservation last is not a sign that it is least important. Hunting and fishing comes with a great responsibility to our public lands, access, and our treasured wildlife. My level of tolerance with those who seek to destroy or eliminate our public lands is non-existent. Our natural resources require loud advocacy that is consistent and impactful.
Here, we will provide conservation articles and content that is fact based, and rooted in scientific data. This will provide you with dependable insight and information to assist in the conservation efforts of the West. The more people we have involved and well informed, the harder it will be for the other side to pull the wool over the eyes of the masses.
He’s small, but he’s the first whitetail buck I successfully called in.
Other various topics include camping, backpacking, backcountry, woodsmanship, Western cooking, mountains, habitat, rivers, hunting gear reviews, camp set-ups, camping with trailers, campfires, tents, fishing gear, and more.