Drawn West

In this episode of the Drawn West podcast, I’m joined by Kurt Belding of Western Obsessions TV — and we dive into a story that honestly feels too wild to be real. Kurt just got back from a spring grizzly hunt deep in Alaska’s Chugach Range, and the trip had everything you’d expect from interior bear country: endless daylight, brutal weather swings, days and days behind the glass, bush planes, moos...

In this episode, we switch gears from tags to tackle and break down my Drawn West Christmas List for Fishermen—with a heavy emphasis on ice fishing. I walk through stocking stuffers, dice-game / white elephant picks, medium gifts, big upgrades, and a few “treat yourself” splurges. We cover proven gear like ice lures (Clam Rattlin’ PT Spoon, Tikka Flash, Pinhead Pro), safety must-haves (ice picks,...

In this Christmas Edition of the Drawn West Podcast, I’m running through the biggest gift guide I’ve ever put together — from legit $8 stocking stuffers to the XL gear you pick up when you crushed it at work and feel like treating yourself. Whether you’re shopping for a whitetail hunter, a Western hunter, an ice fisherman, or the family member who already owns everything, this episode is loaded wi...

One tag, one week, one lucky listener taking home two Reveal Ultras. In this episode, I walk through the full breakdown of our biggest giveaway yet — how the entry system worked, why we built a custom bonus-entry tracker, and how over 1,900 of you helped blow the doors off our sign-up goals. From Instagram follows to podcast subscriptions to the four code-word episodes (“Ultra,” “Mule Deer,” “Colo...

In this episode of the Drawn West podcast, we nerd out on one very specific problem a lot of us have: how do you turn a stump-infested woods into an actual huntable food plot without hiring a dozer crew? I bring on my buddy Jake Polk of Polk Whitetail Management and walk through exactly how we used the Woodland Mills PTO stump grinder to turn a nasty oak-wilt jungle into a clean, plantable half-ac...

Hang and Hunt that doesn’t suck! I walk through my exact whitetail tree setup that also works when you’re in a tree out West—stand choice (XOP Roam), the quiet-mod with blaze-orange paracord, Shelf-Lock, and how I carry it all with the XOP Gamma so weight rides on the hip belt. Then we get into the two-stick method with 3-step aiders (why two is enough for ~15–16 feet), my one-trip-up routine with...

Stephen Walker’s back on the podcast, and this time we’re breaking down our upcoming Colorado third-season mule deer hunt. We talk about how migration units really work, why Stephen switched from fourth season to third, and how to find those hidden pockets that most hunters walk right past. From dealing with pressure and road hunters to planning for realistic shot distances, this episode’s full of...

We’re out chasing mule deer, but I’ve got a quick bonus episode to hook you up: we’re giving away two REVEAL Ultra cell cams to one winner and rolling out the Mid-Season Archery Whitetail Checklist. The checklist’s free (mobile or print), brand-agnostic, and built to reuse your Western system for whitetails: base → mid → windproof shell, then add thermal as temps drop. I break down tops, bottoms,...

Early antlerless in Minnesota finally clicked. Abby and I walk through a week where we tagged two clean, quick does and—maybe more importantly—felt in control of the process. We cover why the backyard “test plot” worked, slug choice and hold (hug the shoulder), and how Abby’s doe cartwheeled and dropped while mine sprinted 100 yards before a solid blood trail told the truth. We break down the hitc...

In this episode of Drawn West, Brian catches up with returning guest Dan Matthews to finally tell the full story of his wild first archery elk hunt — a hunt that went from no tag, to a perfect bull, to floating a 700-pound elk down a river with the help of an excavator. Dan shares how a “poorly timed pregnancy” changed his Colorado rifle plans and pushed him into archery season, how he taught hims...

Dial in your western-hunt clothing the smart way. Brian breaks down a brand-agnostic layering system that actually works together: lightweight base, a true mid, a windproof shell, and a compressible thermal (puffy) you can mix-and-match from August heat to November glassing temps. He covers why “systems > single pieces,” how to stretch a few core layers across elk, mule deer, and antelope, and...

FREE Elk Hunt Gear Checklist https://www.getdrawnwest.com/gear#rifle-elk-gear-list Nine years of hunts, hundreds of lessons learned, and now it’s all in one place — the brand-new Drawn West Pack List. In this episode, Brian breaks down the launch of his free digital and printable gear checklists for every major western hunt — starting with Rifle Elk, and soon expanding to Whitetail, Mule Deer, and...

This episode dives into the highs, lows, and lessons of chasing an early-season giant. From scouting new ground in North Dakota to taking a chance on a fresh stand, the story unfolds with all the emotion and intensity that comes when everything has to come together in a single moment. You’ll hear how mobile gear choices, reading trail cam data, and a split-second shot window shaped the hunt, plus...

What happens when you mix open-sight muzzleloader hunting with wide-open Nevada pronghorn country? Well, Layton found out this fall — and the result was an unforgettable antelope hunt that tested patience, gear, and strategy. In this episode, Brian sits down with Layton to unpack the challenges of hunting with primitive weapons, what it takes to draw Nevada tags, and how the stalk of a lifetime en...

Two Georgia kids, a Kia Sorento, and the biggest antelope a Wyoming unit had seen in 17 years. Carter McKenzie from the Hunt Lift Eat podcast joins Brian to share the wild story of his first Western hunt — a trip that started with cheap gear and no clue, and ended with a monster pronghorn in the back of a rental car. From tents blowing across the prairie to flying with rifles out of Atlanta, Carte...

What happens when whitetail tactics collide with world-class elk country? Bennett Bradford of DC Outfitters joins Brian to break down how they target once-in-a-lifetime Utah bulls using tree stands, trail cams, and early-season patterning. From running 200+ cameras to setting stands 40 feet high in quaking aspens, Bennett explains how a whitetail mindset can unlock opportunities most elk hunters n...

Buying and selling bows has always been a mess—used racks with slim pickings, eBay fees that eat your profit, and Facebook meetups that feel sketchy at best. Enter Bow Tackle, a brand-new platform built by archery shop owners and hunters for the people who live this stuff every day. Dan Ellyson from A1 Archery and Perry Bowers join the show to talk about how they’re reshaping the archery marketpla...

This is the episode everyone’s been waiting for — the official draw of the Mathews Lift X giveaway. What started as a goal to get 70 listeners turned into over 1,800 signups, 2,500 emails, and more than 53,000 total entries. Along the way came stories that hit harder than expected — dads who sold their bows to cover medical bills, hunters chasing a dream bow they’ve waited 20 years for, and famili...

From fish houses to four-season hunting rigs, Team Lodge has been reinventing what “camp” looks like for outdoorsmen. Brian sits down with Tanner Thompson-Moad to talk about how the company evolved from plywood shanties in 2003 to some of the most versatile hunting and fishing trailers on the road today. They cover the full story — from solving pain points like cramped trailers and freezing nights...

Getting your bow tuned doesn’t have to be complicated. In this Bridge Lock Bonus episode, Brian walks through how to set your left/right zero—starting with a five-foot rest alignment shot, then backing out to 20 yards to fine-tune your sight. He breaks down how to chase or correct arrow groups, when to trust a group vs. a single arrow, and how to make micro-adjustments without overcorrecting. Whet...

From pheasant country in the Midwest to prairie chickens on the grasslands, this episode dives deep into the world of upland hunting with Tim Brown — better known as The Bearded Uplander. Brian and Tim swap stories about growing up in bird camps, the bond between hunters and their dogs, and the unique obsession that keeps upland hunters chasing feathers across state lines. They cover everything fr...

Hunting and golf might look like worlds apart, but when it comes to gear, costs, and obsession, hunters know they’ve got the upper hand. Brian and Dan dive into why hunters spend far more than golfers, the never-ending rabbit hole of gear, and the unique stories that keep hunters talking long after the hunt is over. They swap tales from Alaska moose hunts gone sideways, the dream of drone pack-out...

Leveling your bow isn’t just a detail — it’s the foundation for consistent, accurate shooting. In this Bridge Lock Bonus Episode, Brian walks through how to set your arrow rest height, dial in your second and third sight axis, and avoid the mistakes that can throw your shot off in the field. From using a Baker Archery bow vise at home to checking for micro arrow rest changes with drop-away rests a...

Rack Hub just dropped one of the slickest euro mount systems I’ve ever laid eyes on — and it’s built to handle everything from your first whitetail to a moose that barely fits through the door. I sat down with Keegan Bruner to talk about the brand-new RHE mount, why it’s “wife-approved,” and how it solves the headaches we’ve all dealt with when trying to get a trophy on the wall. We dig into the d...

Think you need five grand and a closet full of Sitka to chase elk out West? Think again. In this GOHUNT Bonus Episode , I break down exactly how to plan a real elk hunt for under $1,500—without cutting corners or eating freeze-dried meals all week. We’re talking real numbers: tag costs in Idaho, Colorado, and New Mexico, how to split up gas costs with your buddies, where to camp (or crash), and ho...