Drawn West

If you’re already applying in Colorado… you might be missing one of the easiest hunts you can add. In this Colorado Antelope breakdown, Brian walks through exactly how to approach the 2026 application—what it costs, what kind of hunt you can expect, and how to actually pick a unit based on your point level. With the April 7 deadline looming, this episode focuses on strategy—especially for hunters...

Thinking of an elk hunt this year? Colorado needs to be on your radar! In this GOHUNT Bonus Episode of the Drawn West Podcast, we dig into Colorado elk—what’s changing, what’s coming next, and where the real opportunity still lives depending on your point level. Colorado is still the center of the elk hunting world, but it’s evolving. OTC archery has shifted, rifle tags could follow, and a major d...

Colorado is the king of Mule Deer States – and this episode we breakdown why! Big country, a pile of public land, and more opportunity than just about anywhere else in the West—it’s one of the few states where you can still put a plan together and actually go hunt. This episode kicks off the Colorado series with mule deer, and we start with what makes it so good. From early high-country hunts to l...

Montana might be one of the most confusing application systems in the West—and if you don’t understand how it works, it’s really easy to waste money or burn points for no reason. This episode is a full breakdown of the Montana draw system, but more importantly, how to actually make decisions inside of it. We walk through the difference between preference points and bonus points, how the combo lice...

Montana mule deer gets talked about like it’s an easy answer—but I don’t think it’s that simple. In this episode, I walk through Montana’s 2026 mule deer application strategy, what the tag really gets you, and what kind of hunt I think most non-residents should expect if they draw. We cover deadline, cost, draw odds, population trends, limited entry vs. general, and the regions I’d be looking at d...

Montana elk is one of the best opportunities in the West — IF you can figure out the draw system. In this episode of the Drawn West Podcast, Brian breaks down everything you need to know about applying for Montana elk in the 2026 application season. Montana is one of the most popular elk states for non-resident hunters, but it also has one of the most complicated draw systems in the West. Brian wa...

In this GOHUNT Bonus Episode of the Drawn West Podcast, Brian breaks down the full strategy for applying in New Mexico’s big game draw, one of the most unique systems in the West. Unlike most states, New Mexico has no point system, meaning every applicant has the same odds each year. Brian walks through how the three-choice draw system works, how to structure your hunt choices, and why New Mexico...

In this episode of the Drawn West Podcast, Brian Krebs breaks down one of the most common dilemmas Western hunters face: when should you keep hunting the same unit—and when should you move on and try somewhere new? After a recent ice-fishing trip to Devils Lake, Brian reflects on a conversation with friends about choosing between several Montana elk units. From thick black-timber grizzly country t...

Imagine this: Wyoming. Antelope tag in your pocket. Tough hunt. Then a giant buck steps out at 400 yards. You’re seated. Bipod down. Crosshairs steady. And you’re asking yourself one question: Do I take the shot? Last week we talked long range. Today we’re talking about the part nobody really wants to admit — just because you can hit steel at 400… doesn’t mean you should shoot that buck at 400. Br...

How far is too far when it comes to rifle shots on big game? In this episode, I sit down with Jayden Miller of West Elk Precision to break down what actually determines an ethical shot in the field — and it’s not just a number. We dive into zeroing properly, shooting positions, wind, cartridge selection, bullet performance, and how your real-world skill level changes everything. We talk about the...

You don’t need 20 points, a decade of waiting, or a once-in-a-lifetime tag to hunt the West consistently. If you’re willing to think strategically, you can build a system that gets you out there every single year. In this episode, we break down exactly how to hunt elk, mule deer, or pronghorn every season by rotating states, stacking applications, and using Idaho and Colorado as strategic anchors....

If you want to hunt the West, drawing a tag isn’t a detail—it’s the entire game. Western tags aren’t “grab one on the way to deer camp” — they’re a 6–12 month planning game, and this episode breaks the whole thing down in plain English. You’ll hear a listener question from Josh (Tennessee) who’s trying to get himself and his son out West this fall for mule deer or antelope with zero points, and we...

If you’ve ever been curious about trapping but felt like it was confusing, intimidating, or just “not for people like me,” this episode is for you. I sit down with Zach from Okayest Trapper to talk through what getting started actually looks like when you didn’t grow up trapping. The mistakes, the learning curve, the frozen ground, the gear decisions, and why most people underestimate how much wor...

Is it worth applying for Elk and Antelope in Arizona? Lets dive into it! In this GOHUNT Bonus Episode of the Drawn West Podcast, Brian breaks down exactly what non-resident hunters need to know before deciding whether Arizona deserves a spot in their Western application strategy. From deadlines and costs to draw mechanics and realistic hunt expectations, this episode is built to help you avoid com...

Apply, skip, or just buy a point — this is how to make the right Wyoming elk decision in 2026. In this GOHUNT Bonus Episode of the Drawn West Podcast, Brian breaks down everything non-resident hunters need to know before applying for a Wyoming elk tag in 2026 — including deadlines, costs, point strategy, and when it isn’t worth applying. This episode covers how Wyoming’s elk system really works, f...

Inside SHOT Show 2026: the biggest hunting and shooting industry trends, gear, and surprises from the show floor. SHOT Show 2026 just wrapped, and this was my first-ever SHOT Show experience—so I went in expecting a hunting trade show and walked into one of the biggest shooting sports and firearms industry events in the world. In this episode, I break down what SHOT Show is really like, how it com...

SHOT Show week in Vegas, so we’re doing something a little different: a throwback “Rifle Gear 101” episode from the Western Rookie days, republished here on Drawn West. It’s a full, practical walkthrough of what actually matters for a western rifle hunt: layering for chaotic October/November weather, keeping feet dry with gaiters, and building a clothing system you can mix and match instead of buy...

Never hunted the West before? This episode is where you start. This is a full, start-to-finish breakdown of how to plan your first Western hunt without wasting time, money, or an entire season learning the hard way. We walk through every major decision — species, weapon choice, tag systems, budget, gear, scouting, and expectations — so you can stop overthinking and start taking action. This episod...

Dogs running deer, a 200-yard muzzleloader shot, a misfire on the follow up, and an 8-point that somehow stood there forever… this one was chaos in the best (and worst) way. Brian kicks off with two quick updates: the 2025 Colorado mule deer full film is live on YouTube, and a listener question from Joe that turns into a solid breakdown on picking your anchor elk state as a solo hunter. He talks r...

An 11-day winter road trip, four Airbnbs, overloaded trucks, and some of the most remote ice fishing in the Lower 48. In this episode of the Drawn West Podcast, Brian sits down with Matt Waldron to break down an 11-day western ice fishing road trip across Montana and Wyoming—what went right, what went sideways, and why destination ice fishing deserves way more attention from hunters and anglers al...

Brian and Abby are rolling home from Colorado (in the truck, somewhere around Iowa) wrapping Part 3 of their Colorado mule deer trip—and how the last stretch of the hunt actually played out. They break down a “mid-hunt sanity hack” (a rec center day pass for a legit shower), why they stayed committed to the same productive spot instead of gambling on new ground, and the one mistake that made the d...

Abbey's Tagged Out! This episode picks up on Day 2 of our Colorado mule deer trip, where the pressure ramps up fast. We roll into our “close to private” ridge in the dark and find trucks, four-wheelers, and guys stacked on every knob. Instead of joining the circus, we bail back to our opening-morning spot, watch a solid three-by-three feed at 325–250 yards, and talk through why Abby decides to...

In this GOHUNT Bonus Episode of the Drawn West Podcast, Brian breaks down Idaho’s big move for 2026 as one of the last “over-the-counter” western states shifts non-resident general deer and elk tags to a full draw system. He walks through what’s actually changing, key deadlines (applications due December 15 at 11:59 p.m. MT), the new five-choice application rules, and how group applications work s...

Abbey and I are recording this one straight from Colorado deer camp at the end of day one, and it already feels like we’ve been here a week. We walk through the whole road trip out from home, grabbing a Cruise America camper in Denver, rolling into camp at 11 p.m., then scouting all day Friday and hunting hard today. We break down what we’re seeing so far: ridiculous deer numbers, a crazy buck-to-...

Is the new Mathews ARC actually a game-changer, or just another flagship with fresh paint? In this episode of the Drawn West Podcast, I sit down with Daniel Parker from Mathews to dig into what’s really different about the ARC 30 and ARC 34. We break down the new limb geometry, the updated SWX2 cam with that perimeter-weight “flywheel” feel, and why this bow stays faster and quieter once you bolt...