Tips & Tactics

This 4-week mountain hunting workout from MTNTOUGH gives you a structured, progressive plan—three days a week, minimal equipment—that builds the strength, endurance, and pack-carrying capacity that western hunting demands. Start now and show up on opening day ready.

John Dudley tested this gear from September to season's close. Here's his skin-to-shell layering system for the coldest sits.

A whitetail deer has 297 million scent receptors. Humans have 5 million. Here's how to close the gap.

Find out the 8 pieces of gear that can handle any hunt, from desert heat to alpine blizzards.

Musky are the fish of 10,000 casts. Learn the mechanics, tactics and strategy that separate legends from everyone else.

The 'boiler room' is the largest vital zone on a deer. Here's exactly where to aim for a clean, ethical shot.

Not sure whether to run a turkey vest or tool belt? Get the side-by-side breakdown of when each one wins.

Hunters once camoed up in red and black buffalo plaid. Here's how camo evolved into science-backed patterns like Optifade.

Three-time duck calling champion John Stephens won't trust a call until he's recorded and played it back first.

Snow geese get blamed for stripping fields bare. Here's the complicated truth behind the conservation hunt.

Turkey hunter Rob Ramsdale killed a 24-pound gobbler in a downpour. Here's the scouting trick that made it happen.

Call less than you think, especially on pressured birds. Get all 10 turkey hunting tactics that actually move the needle.

Baselayer, mid layer, outer shell: get the complete duck hunting layering system, from blind bag essentials to wader tips.

Basket antlers or candelabra? Learn the ear, tail, and gait differences that ID a buck before you pull the trigger.

Randy Newberg and Corey Jacobsen break down the 5 mistakes costing hunters their best shot at a bull.

Ditch your boots, widen your stance, learn to freeze on cue: 5 tactics for closing the last 50 yards undetected.

Chest, waist, inseam, feet: get the exact measurements to nail your wader size before you order the wrong one.

From scouting rubs and scrapes to hunting the wind, get all 8 tactics for putting more venison in the freezer.

Deer rely on movement and silhouette, not color, to spot you. Get the full camo and layering system that keeps you hidden.

From scent control to shot placement, get 8 tips for turning a spring bear hunt into meat in the freezer.

Hunting participation is up 26% since 2016. Get the complete beginner's guide, from gear to licenses to finding a mentor.

Bowhunter Adam Foss breaks down his full sheep-hunting kit, piece by piece, and why his system keeps evolving.

David Halloran breaks down every pocket of his turkey vest, from pot calls to backup strikers. Get his full loadout.

Deer may not see your blaze orange the way you think. Here's what their eyes actually pick up on.

Elk key on movement and contrast, not color, so breaking up your outline matters more than matching the terrain underfoot.

Hypothermia and frostbite are real risks in the field. Get the three-layer system built to keep hunters warm and focused.

Deer are red-green colorblind and process motion twice as fast as humans. See how OPTIFADE camo is built around their vision.

One hunter limits every shot to 25 yards with a longbow. Here's why he thinks that's the fairest way to hunt Alaska.

Beau Brooks shows how he softens his calls to close the deal on a wary tom right at the edge of shotgun range.

Beau Brooks breaks down the key differences in calling and hunting Eastern versus Merriam's turkeys.

Beau Brooks breaks the gobble down into simple steps so you can finally nail it on a diaphragm call.

Beau Brooks hunts turkeys across 15 states each spring. See why staying light and mobile is his whole game.

Ever wonder why bucks drop antlers when they do? Get the science behind testosterone, dominance, and antler casting.

Photographer Steven Drake shares how he keeps his camera gear working in the dead of winter, miles from anywhere.

Professional butcher Sierra Jepsen reveals the tender cuts of game meat that usually end up in the grinder by mistake.

Late season doesn't mean game over. Get the food, pressure, and patience strategy for catching a mature buck in the cold.

Beau Martonik shares his trick for reaching the stand dry, because breaking a sweat on the walk in guarantees a cold sit.

Scientists break down what a buck is actually communicating at a scrape, from the licking branch to the tarsal gland.

Corey Jacobsen breaks down each phase of the elk rut and the exact strategy that works for each one.

Slipped inside a bull's bubble? World calling champion Beau Brooks shares how to draw him in without blowing your cover.

Corey Jacobsen waited nearly two decades for this hunt. Drawing a coveted tag is a cause for celebration, but it’s also a crossroads that brings immense pressure. Questions about expectations and the meaning of success linger in the mind as the moment draws nearer. This hunt caused Corey to consider on how he’s changed as an elk hunter—and as a person—in the 18 years since he first applied. Amidst this self-reflection, he located a rut fest and called many bulls to bow range despite the rough country and sparse public land access.

Mature bucks move in daylight near cover. Matt Dye explains how edge feathering gets them moving past your stand.

SITKA Ambassador Beau Brooks breaks down calling techniques and regional strategies that'll change how you talk to turkeys.

An Olympic archer's tricks for tighter groups at distance: smaller peeps, lighter arrows, a locked-in follow-through.

Practice alone won't get you the shot. Learn the down-and-back drills that build the cardio and composure to make it count.

Cutting weed trees and adding fire can boost deer forage 500%. Learn the technique that builds habitat, not just plots.

A study found 45% of hens nested in just 7.5% of the landscape. Here's how to build the cover that gets them nesting.

Neck is one of the most underused cuts on any game animal. Get the braise recipe that turns it into your best camp meal yet.

From a Nebraska boyhood to training labs on Chicago sidewalks, one handler shares what it takes to build a retriever.

Two seasons chasing one buck came down to reading thermals. Learn how wind direction and rising morning air sealed the shot.

A veteran whitetail guide breaks down his silent-gear system, right down to taping his stand and harness with hockey tape.

From decoy touch-ups to washing your GORE-TEX (yes, really), here's how to use the off-season to get your gear ready.

An overweight bag forced a 12-pound cut in an airport hangar, fast. Get the tricks for packing a lighter kit.

SITKA helped secure permanent public access to the 18.9-mile Bridger Ridge Trail outside Bozeman, visible from our HQ.

Spring bear season fills more than the freezer. Learn how to render bear fat into lard that makes the flakiest biscuits.

Steven Drake shares his shed hunting playbook: where bulls winter, how many miles to expect, and when to start.

From conditioning stones to Scotch-Brite pads, learn how to maintain glass, slate, aluminum, and box calls all season.

Osceola turkeys barely gobble, which is why a sixth-generation Florida guide swears by a soft purr box and less calling.

Clean, lube and lock down every part of your bow, from cam bearings to release, with this off-season checklist.

Slopes steeper than 30 degrees are avalanche country. Learn to read the terrain and what rescue gear to carry.

Keep it clean, cool, and intact: a guide's three rules for field-dressing meat that actually holds up on the pack out.

Three weeks of stalled rut action finally break with a 180-degree wind switch and a buck stepping out at full draw.

Chasing tighter groups? A precision reloader shares five habits, from patience to weighing powder by the kernel.

One teaspoon of salt, one garlic clove, no water: the simple recipe a hunter's used to can venison for decades.

Ranar Moody grew up hunting with the older Black men in his family. Now his videos inspire a new generation to get outside.

From the one-arrow drill to filling pin gaps, a pro archer shares four practice habits that translate to the field.

Antelope hunts mean full-day stalks in 90-degree heat. Steven Drake shares five tips to stay hydrated and save your meat.

From a one-ounce backup headlamp to a $20 bill, a veteran backpack hunter shares the small gear that's saved his hunts.

Pro archer John Dudley breaks down ARC FLAWS, the 8-step checklist he uses before every shot he takes.

After nearly two years chasing a buck lost to rifle season, Alex Templeton finally draws on him in 10-below cold.

Know the terrain, find barriers of entry, and stay mobile. Three scouting habits that put a buck in range on opening day.

Dig a pit, bury a seasoned shoulder in hot coals and cook low for six hours. Works with deer, sheep or goat, no gear needed.

Bowhunter Adam Foss breaks down his full sheep-hunting kit, piece by piece, and why his system keeps evolving.

Professional archer John Dudley explains why perfecting your shot, not just finding the animal, is what actually fills a tag.

Meet the Montana nonprofit using a SITKA grant to send teens on 10-day backcountry hunting expeditions for free.

A gifted Dall sheep tag and 27 hours on watch lead outfitter Dustin Roe to a 96-yard bow shot on a broomed-off ram.

SITKA ambassadors share the shows, books, and podcasts getting them through quarantine, from Thrones to Jocko Willink.

An in depth guide to all things reloading with SITKA Ambassador, Randy Newberg. Everything from bullet and powder selection to seating depth to develop the perfect elk load.

Get MTNTOUGH's no-gym, no-equipment workout built to get hunters fit for fall season, anytime, anywhere.

Shoulder hump, claw length, face shape: learn the field checks that separate a black bear from a grizzly before you shoot.

Call maker David Halloran shares the turkey tactics he's learned over decades, from reading moods to picking a setup spot.

A turkey fanatic shares his scouting routine, plus why a Canada goose call locates more gobblers than an owl hooter.

A turkey's vitals shift dramatically at full strut. Mathews Archery shows exactly where to aim, broadside to straight-on.

A #DIVERGE8 judge breaks down three habits, from composition to timing, that separate a snapshot from a photo worth framing.

Photographer Jay Beyer explains how cutting the horizon from a frame, or leaning into it, can make a hunting photo feel wild.

Alex Brittingham trained her Jack Russell Terrier to run blinds like a lab. Meet Gator, the most unlikely duck dog around.

A #DIVERGE8 judge shares three tips for capturing harvest moments, including why he ditches his camera strap for the shot.

A public land elk hunter breaks his rifle season into opening weekend and post-opening strategies built around pressure.

Whitetail fanatic John Dudley swears by e-bikes and thirteen-hour sits to keep mature bucks from ever knowing he's there.

SITKA ambassadors share the small comforts, from spare contacts to a camp chair, that keep them sharp on a long hunt.

A #DIVERGE8 judge explains why the best hunting photos happen when the photographer disappears into the background.

Learn to read a map for the terrain funnels, where edge habitat meets changes in topography, that put mature bucks in range.

Elk 101's Corey Jacobsen breaks down when a frontal shot on elk works, when to pass, and how to make it a clean harvest.

A decade of bowhunting elk taught this hunter to stalk in socks, skip the calling, and shadow the herd bull instead.

An eye injury ended Nick White's compound bow hunting. Fifteen years later, a recurve elk hunt closed the loop.

A bowhunter who's earned private land access for years shares his five rules for turning a knock on a door into a yes.