SITKA Stories

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.

SITKA has unlocked a new category of hunting footwear with the Ascent line, designing and building it to be the best lightweight hunting shoes on the market. They combine the stability, support, and off-trail traction of a hunting or hiking boot with the lightweight, breathable comfort of a fast-moving trail runner.

Preparation. Precision. Controlled chaos. That’s tarpon fishing. SITKA Gear ambassador Captain Brett Martina works the waters around Apalachicola, Florida's Forgotten Coast, where tarpon have migrated for longer than humans have lived here.

Rancher Jaimie Stoltzfus belly-crawled to a buck with her 8-month-old strapped in a carrier, calling it her best hunt yet.

A single tick bite can do a lot more than ruin your day afield. Meet the gear built to keep bugs and sun off your skin.

Pushing the limits of what’s possible in technical hunting gear is, and always will be, our core mission. But part of the essence of SITKA is in the people who test, abuse and demand the best from it in the real world: our Athletes.

Why would a hunting brand move into fly fishing? The same reason SITKA started in 2005: gaps nobody else was closing.

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.

That mule deer in your yard might be 250 miles away by winter. This herd set one of the longest migrations on record.

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

Only two of eighteen grad students had ever worn waders. See how Five Oaks is closing that gap in the Mississippi Delta.

TRCP found 16 million acres of public land locked away with no way in. Here's how they're opening it back up.

For champion bass angler, Brandon Palaniuk, fishing was always the most important thing in life. And then everything suddenly changed. The film explores how a fishing-obsessed kid from small-town Idaho became one of the most recognizable faces on the national bass fishing circuit—and then something more meaningful than either of those.

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.

A Folds of Honor scholarship sent Kyle Engel to Montana's top wildlife biology program. Here's how his dad shaped that path.

See how Connor Gabbott friends floated past a sleeping grizzly, got charged by another, and portaged gear for 100+ miles.

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.

Chris Bee says if he had one setup for all fall, it'd be this. See why the Fanatic system is built for the rut.

Chris Bee breaks down his whitetail system season by season, from 80-degree early sits to sub-30 degree late-season cold.

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.

Rachel Ahtila's mum had one rule: 'Don't peak, my dear. Always make tomorrow better than today.' See what other moms taught.

150,895 acres improved so far toward NWTF's 1-million-acre goal. See how prescribed fire is bringing turkey habitat back.

SITKA released thousands of mosquitoes onto a blood-filled swatch to lab test Equinox Guard. See what stopped them cold.

A 2016 algae crisis turned Florida fishing guide Chris Wittman into a clean-water activist. Hear how it started.

A proposed rollback of the Roadless Rule threatens habitat along Oregon's Rogue River, one of the West's richest salmon runs.

Two buddies called in a Yucatan ocellated turkey, then turned its feathers into a fly built to fool permit.

A transplanted fish hatchery worker traded New York for Sitka's blacktail and world-class steelhead, and never looked back.

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

Swap oversized totes for clear, labeled bins and a drawer cart, and you'll stop digging through gear the night before a hunt.

Guide Lee Hart has 99 sheep hunts behind him at 85. His mentee drew the tag in Lee's unit and asked him along for the 100th.

John Barklow and Adam Foss went full cold-water immersion, then timed how fast SITKA's Hyperdown system brought them back.

Watch how a Purple Heart Marine who lost both legs found his way back, chasing Dall sheep in the Northwest Territories.

A career smokejumper explains how reading wind and terrain from wildfires now guides his canoe into deer season.

See the raw, unposed shots that have won SITKA's DIVERGE photo contest since 2013, no trophy poses required.

Join us for live in-store events! Stay in the know. Be the first to know about our in-store events, VIP meet-and-greets, product launches, and more.

Veterans traded their old mission for a new one: rebuilding the Chesapeake Bay's oyster reefs, shell by shell.

See what it takes to hunt the King Eider, North America's holy grail of duck hunting, on a remote island in the Bering Sea.

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

Chris Bee tagged his first buck at 10 and never stopped. See how that led him to owning his own Iowa whitetail ground.

Many hunters believe that a rainy day hunting for deer is a wasted day in the woods. The common wisdom is that deer bed down and won't move, forcing hunters to retreat to the warmth of their trucks or cabins.

Get the story of how a relocated bison herd and Kodiak's grizzlies learned to share the island.

Bootfoot, neoprene, breathable: get the pros and cons of all 6 wader styles before you pick your next pair.

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.

A hunting photographer spending 100+ days a year in B.C. backcountry breaks down the system that gets him through nasty fall.

A GORE engineer breaks down the trade-offs built into every Windstopper fabric, and how to pick the right one for your hunt.

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.

Base, insulating, outer: the science behind every layer, plus why 'be bold, go cold' beats overdressing on the move.

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

Merino wool, fleece, or just jeans? Find the right baselayer combo to stay warm without overheating in bibs.

Waders keep you dry to the chest, bibs keep you mobile and warm. Get the breakdown on which one your next hunt needs.

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

For over 15 years, this jacket's been the gold standard for wind protection. Meet the two guys who keep it cutting-edge.

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

At 78, with two heart valve replacements and a new hip, Don Lovely climbed to 8,400 feet for a ram he'd waited 45 years for.

Spearfishing at 3 a.m., grilling octopus at sunset: go inside a Big Island trip that became a lesson in community.

In the self-proclaimed duck capital of the world, one 6,000-acre property is fighting to save the flooded timber ducks need.

A Father's Day tribute to the Pennsylvania hunter who taught his son that the woods reward patience more than luck.

Painter Jess Mudgett drove into the sagebrush to finally paint the mural he had promised an old friend years ago.

Turkeys for Tomorrow's Jason Lupardus explains why wild turkey habitat is disappearing again, and what hunters can do.

Steven Drake spends 100+ days a year living out of his truck. Get the full tour of his hunting rig and setup tips.

Ashley Hudnall was rushed to the ER in the middle of the night, unable to breathe. It started with a single tick bite.

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.

Blaze orange gets credit for hunter safety. Socks deserve some too, staving off the blisters that end hunts early.

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.

Watch a traditional bowhunter close to 30 yards on a Dall sheep in the Alaskan backcountry, about as tough as it gets.

A UGA vision researcher helped SITKA reverse-engineer camo colors from how deer and turkeys actually perceive light.

An Alaska hunter reckons with being a climate advocate who flies to work and guides heli-skiing. Here's how he squares it.

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.

One elk caller turned his skills on turkeys, covering 18-plus miles a hunt rather than sitting in a blind all day.

One mountain hunter found his off-season fix on a sailboat. See how sailing and hunting scratch the same itch.

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

A turkey hunting road trip from Texas to New Mexico ends with a campfire meal of fresh turkey and foraged cactus pads.

Beau Brooks walks through the Turkey Tool Belt, built to keep you nimble when a boss gobbler sounds off two ridges over.

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

See the black-and-white waterfowl shot that took home DIVERGE 12's grand prize, plus 6 category winners.

Get step-by-step tips for keeping your waders clean, waterproof, and breathable season after season.

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

Ali Rione covered 150 miles over 12 days in British Columbia. Her Stone's sheep didn't show up until the last day.

John Barklow breaks down the Aerolite Collection, a 100% waterproof GORE-TEX system built for the coldest hunts.

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

Connor Gabbott shares the gear that's survived his harshest late-season hunts in coastal BC's February cold.

A custom guitar auction with Thomas Rhett funded new GPS tracking research on ducks across three major flyways.

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

Chris Derrick breaks down his whitetail kit, from breathable early-season layers to the warmest gear for all-day sits.

After a decade of tagging along on other people's hunts, she drew a bison tag and made her first solo shot at 40.

Beau Martonik breaks down his 5 must-have whitetail pieces and exactly when he reaches for each one.

SITKA's customer service lead Hayden breaks down which wader repairs you can DIY, and which need the pro Repair team.

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.

Farmers in California's Central Valley are rescuing wild duck eggs from their fields before the harvest comes through.

Lindsey Davis never planned to hunt. See how foraging, farming, and skinning roadkill led her to her first shot of venison.

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

Mountain Evo or Jetstream? John Barklow breaks down features and best-use conditions to match the jacket to your hunt.

Steven Drake breaks down SITKA's full big game pant lineup, from knee pads to weight, so you can match one to your hunt.

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.

A Whitetail Properties agent buys 40 acres in southern Iowa and learns what it really means to own land, and to work it.

Subalpine or Elevated II? Beau Martonik breaks down when to wear each pattern based on terrain, foliage, and your stand.

Merino or synthetic? John Barklow and Chris Derrick break down the real differences to help you pick the right baselayer.

Seeing my card get charged felt like winning the lottery, because essentially that's what it was. After almost 20 years putting in for a once in a lifetime Colorado bull moose hunt, I'd finally drawn the tag. Mine was just one of a handful of resident bull tags out of hundreds of applicants.

A writer joins a controlled burn with the Wild Turkey Federation, torching Michigan grassland to restore vanishing habitat.

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

John Barklow compares the new Mountain Evo Jacket to the classic Jetstream, both 100% windproof, to help you pick.

Rachel Ahtila spent years guiding others to their Dall sheep. For her first, she chose to bring her father instead.

Join Adam Foss and crew for weeks deep in British Columbia's backcountry, living with nothing but the gear on their backs.

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

Turkeys for Tomorrow's Chase Grubbs explains why wild turkey numbers are dropping again, and what's driving the decline.

Justin Lee wants his kids to grow up wild and free like he did. Meet the Hawaii conservationist, fisherman, and hunter.

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.

Turn your leftover game bones into a nutrient-rich broth with this simple roast-and-simmer recipe.

This elk bone broth ramen, topped with spicy ground elk and a soft-boiled egg, makes a hearty soup.

SITKA ambassadors share their worst-weather hunts, from a -22F Iowa treestand to a snowstorm packing out two Stone's sheep.

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.

SITKA built camouflage around how animals see, not how hunters wanted to look, and called it something else entirely.

Full waterproofing or max breathability? Learn the difference between GORE-TEX and WINDSTOPPER to pick the right layer.

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.

Turn tough turkey legs tender with this Filipino-style adobo braise, ready in about an hour.

A year after a controlled burn, a Tom walks straight into range. See how prescribed fire is restoring Michigan's oak savanna.

Turn tough duck legs into a rich, slow-simmered bolognese that freezes well and makes the most of a soupy-slough duck.

A brutal Idaho storm during an elk hunt sparked the philosophy behind the gear we make. Read the story behind our why.

Braised tender, fried crispy, tossed in a hot-sweet-tart sauce, these duck wings turn scraps into a holiday favorite.

Roasted Hatch green chile and ground venison come together in a queso that's ready in under 40 minutes flat.

Even the best gear takes a hit from the wild. Learn how the SITKA Depot keeps your kit in the field season after season.

Five trips into B.C.'s brutal winter goat country, with a sixth already calling. One hunter on why the misery pulls him back.

Photographer Joe Riis spent 6 years capturing mule deer and elk migrations. See how his images reshaped wildlife policy.

After a decade chasing greenheads in flooded timber, an Arkansas hunter swapped waders for bibs and found snow geese.

Low deer numbers, thick cover, and swirling winds make Appalachia's big woods some of the toughest whitetail country.

A career chef explains how his obsession with nose-to-tail butchery led him from professional kitchens into the backcountry.

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.

A career chef who'd never considered hunting found it reshaped how he sees food, solitude, and his place in the world.

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

Whole catfish stuffed with wild sumac and grilled over coals, topped with a home-garden curry. Get the full recipe.

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

SITKA is fully funding four graduate scholarships in waterfowl habitat management, including hands-on mallard banding.

Foragers camp in British Columbia's burn scars each spring, then turn a hard-won morel harvest into a wood-fired pizza.

A turkey hunter missed his first gobbler point-blank, and was glad it got away. Here's why failure makes you better.

Grind your own turkey sausage, then stack it with chipotle mayo, avocado, and egg for the ultimate camp breakfast sandwich.

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.

Bacon, guac, Swiss and a pound of ground wild turkey, smashed thin on a hot griddle. Get David Halloran's full burger recipe.

Wild turkey poults get 90% of protein from insects that show up after prescribed fire. See how Michigan brings them back.

David Halloran has hand-carved turkey calls since he was 12. See how obsessive attention to wood grain builds a better call.

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.

Red or green? A hunting buddy's Hatch Valley stew recipe settles New Mexico's favorite debate after a day chasing ibex.

Turn sliced elk into a rich West African-style peanut stew with tomato, ginger, and habanero, ready in one pot.

Short on confidence and out of shape, a hunter postholes through deep snow on a late-season Utah elk hunt to prove himself.

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

John Barklow breaks down why a backcountry clothing system needs every layer working in harmony, not piled on at random.

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

A duck hunter breaks down how to use the whole bird, from pan-seared breast to a stock made from roasted bones.

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

Turn cubed venison and roasted beets into a deep purple, dill-forward sausage, smoked, piled on buns, or tossed into pasta.

Five years ago, Jonathan Wilkins, bought an old, southern church in the Arkansas Delta. Initially, it was only to serve as a bunkhouse for personal duck hunting expeditions. He thought a good scrubbing and judicious use of paint would yield a passable waterfowl camp. As he soon learned, he was beyond his depth.

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

A Montana fire chief raises his own livestock and fills his freezer with elk, deer, and waterfowl he hunts himself.

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.

Timo Rova turns deer hide into rainproof coffee bags, a tradition from his family's Finnish Lapland roots. Get his pattern.

Wild pigs have no season and no bag limit. One hunter explains why that makes them worth pursuing.

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

A 1.1-million-acre wilderness with 1,175 lakes and zero roads is under threat from copper mining. Meet its defenders.

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

Tired of sweet oatmeal on sheep hunts, two brothers built a vacuum-sealed breakfast to fuel a day in the mountains.

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

One hunter connects gardening, gumbo, and gear that lasts to the same ancient instinct: to make, endure, and tell stories.

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

Big wave surfer Mark Healey hunts invasive axis deer on Maui and turns the meat into burgers with charred shishito peppers.

Pro surfer Mark Healey treks into Maui's mountains to hunt invasive axis deer, calling it the last punk rock thing left.

Spearfisherman Mark Healey shares his go-to wahoo recipe: pan-seared with butter, lemon, capers, and garlic.

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

A last-day scramble up a boulder field closed out Cam's 20-year quest to bow-hunt all four North American sheep species.

A professional call maker turns snow goose breast into a rich, from-scratch pot pie with carrots, mushrooms, and gravy.

Birds see a color spectrum we can't. See how SITKA used bird vision science to build a more concealing white for snow geese.

Stuck trucks and wet fields pushed one goose crew to ditch the trailer for a lightweight cart built for four hunters.

From grizzly bear GPS collars to salmonflies, see how SITKA-funded MSU grad students tackle Montana's wildlife questions.

A full freezer only means so much until you sit down to share it. SITKA invites hunters to post their family recipes.

World champion duck caller John Stephens collects calls dating to the 1800s and opened a taproom to share that history.

Sandhill cranes are wary and methodical, unlike ducks. A Texas guide shares his blind-placement secret and a crane recipe.

John Dudley calls the tomahawk cut a 'backstrap lollipop.' Watch him break down how to cut and cook this crowd favorite.

Michael Braun has carved decoys since age nine. Learn why he believes hand-carved wood still outperforms plastic.

In a Missouri duck blind painted with a falling mallard, one family cooks pepper jack boudin and calls it heaven.

A SITKA Ecosystem Grant helped protect 160 acres at Middle Cottonwood, land the team can see from their own office windows.

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

A SITKA grant is helping Bozeman's volunteer Trail Crew keep the local trail system rideable and hikeable for everyone.

After losing his grandfather, a hunter walked away from the woods for years. A treestand became where he rebuilt himself.

A Wall Street financier leaves the office, boards the subway, and climbs a treestand overlooking Manhattan for trophy bucks.

A solo hunt through Nevada's high desert becomes a lesson in being part of the ecosystem, not separate from it.

Chronic Wasting Disease has no cure and is spreading through deer herds. A top biologist explains what it means for hunters.

Three friends spend fall days at a cell-service-free Missouri cabin, proving deer camp is about showing up, not the kill.

A Missouri farmer explains why hunting success and a healthy crop come from the same hard work, and the buck that proved it.

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

A veteran dog trainer explains why the man trains the dog, but the dog trains the man right back.

Connor Gabbott stalks Montana antelope on foot through 100-degree heat, crawling open flats to get into range.

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.

Mule deer numbers are down 30% since 1970. SITKA-funded researchers are tracking migration corridors to find out why.

A professional chef turned hunter treks to a remote B.C. island, cooking blacktail and foraged urchin over an open fire.

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

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

SITKA ambassadors share Father's Day lessons that shaped them, from a buck their dad wouldn't shoot to a quiet goose blind.

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.

Outdoor Life once called him the world's best sheep guide. Dustin Roe explains why 134 hunts in, it was never about the ram.

Outdoor writer Bryan Rogala put SITKA's mountain pant and pack through elk season and called them the best gear he owns.

SITKA funds native cypress trees to fight erosion in the Mississippi Delta as a football field vanishes every 100 minutes.

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

A motorcycle jacket sparked SITKA's signature sleeve design. Here's how the brand builds gear around a hunter's movements.

A Montana guide turns shed antlers into salt shakers and sculptures, and says shed hunting is how he learns the land.

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.

Photographer Steven Drake breaks down Lightroom presets, IG export settings, and how to nail a hyperlapse from shot to edit.

A chef and hunter separates bear meat myths from reality, and explains the one cooking rule that keeps it safe to eat.

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 biologist has banded nearly 11,000 mallards in Arkansas' green timber, reshaping how hunters protect duck habitat.

A Utah hunter obsessed with canvasbacks shares his go-to prep: seared duck breast over rice with mushroom gravy.

Charley Perkins says nothing beats watching a kid experience a hunting 'first.' See his family's holiday tradition.

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.

From -47F geese in Montana to -20F whitetails in Alberta, SITKA ambassadors share the coldest hunts they've ever endured.

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

At 16, Ramsey Russell nearly died in a fire. Now he hunts ducks on six continents, calling himself a collector of experience.

Bowhunters return to a BC goat mountain that nearly killed them the first time, chasing the route they never found.

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.

A shoebox of his grandfather's duck calls led John Stephens to take over Rich-N-Tone and start his own call company.

A hunter chases a bull moose on horseback through the BC bush, channeling the Jack London stories that shaped his childhood.

SITKA engineers tested fabric in a subzero chamber to build the quietest whitetail jacket yet, cutting draw noise in half.

A third-generation Missouri rancher raises cattle by day and hunts bucks she's cultivated on her own food plots each fall.

Outfitter Jim Hole Jr. wraps his gear in hockey tape to hunt silently for trophy whitetail in Alberta's toughest zone.

SITKA's mission isn't really about the gear. It's building products so good hunters stop thinking about them and just hunt.

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.

SITKA's CS team answers the top questions on baselayers, insulation, and outerwear so you can dial in your system.

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.

Alligators, hurricanes, chest-deep water: SITKA ambassadors field-test gear chasing Seminole whitetails in the Everglades.

SITKA founder Jonathan Hart breaks down the three-layer system built to solve moisture, temperature, weather, and stealth.

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

Lyle Hebel's fix for gamey antelope: ice the meat fast, then marinate the backstrap in citrus and cilantro before the grill.

A Montana bowhunter who traded rifle for bow at 19 now teaches his kids to stalk antelope, calling it his best lesson yet.

Only 10% of Western elk hunters fill a tag each year. A SEAL-trained coach shares the 30-day challenge that closes the gap.

A bowhunter chases red stags across two regions of Argentina, Andes and pampas, and comes home with more than a trophy.

Archery coach John Dudley's three off-season habits: an early gear check, practice with a goal and real shot follow-through.

Corrupt outfitters and poachers: one bowhunter's account of chasing Marco Polo sheep through Tajikistan's Pamir Mountains.

A land specialist breaks down hinge cutting and timber stand improvement, techniques that turn your land into a buck magnet.

Alex Templeton missed the buck she'd watched grow for three years on camera. A second buck gave her a do-over minutes later.

Five #DIVERGE7 judges break down the settings behind their best shots, including a moose that photobombed a horse trail.

From the packable Kelvin Lite to the expedition-ready Kelvin Down, find the insulated layer that fits your activity level.

Six pieces make up SITKA's women's whitetail system, from baselayer to bib. See how they layer together as one system.

A hunter who once burned 6,000 calories a day on just 2,000 breaks down how to build a nutrition plan that beats the wall.

Dog breeder Barton Ramsey shares what goes into raising and training a truly great hunting dog.

Adam Foss breaks down the sheep-hunting system he's refined over 15 years, piece by piece, and why each one earns its spot.

Cardio alone won't cut it. MTNTOUGH's trainers break down 'The 22s,' a no-equipment workout for elite hunters.

Hunting isn't about needing meat anymore. SITKA's founders see it as a conscious choice for self-sufficiency instead.

SITKA's conservation work goes past writing checks. Its team gets its hands dirty on the ground from the Rockies to Hawaii.

Thousands of hours of research and testing went into every piece of SITKA's women's line. See what 'built for her' means.

SITKA started on a miserable September hunt, when the founders realized gear simply wasn't built for what mountains demand.

SITKA repairs gear worn down by barbed wire, rocks, and hard use, standing behind every product long after the sale.

World champion elk caller Corey Jacobsen bugled in a bull for his 13-year-old son's first archery hunt, camera crew and all.

Gobbling toms and morels on the forest floor mean one thing: turkey cutlets with morels. Get Hank Shaw's full recipe.

Hunting is an exercise in humility. We might be at the top of the food chain, but when it comes to fair chase pursuits of species that evolved over thousands of years to survive relentless predators and the harshest conditions imaginable, we are simply outmatched in the wild...

Two Southern hunters cover 3,319 miles across four states chasing ducks.

20 years of combat left gunshot and shrapnel wounds across his body. A Master Sergeant found an unexpected path to healing.

In 1962, Utah became the first state where Tundra Swans could be legally hunted since the passing of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918. In 1983, due to the significant increase in population, the Pacific Flyway prepared a long-term management plan for the western population of Tundra Swans.

New Zealand's waterfowl barely migrate, making decoy spreads and calling different from what U.S. hunters are used to.

Deer are colorblind to red. See how that discovery led SITKA to build camo based on animal vision, not human eyes.

SITKA's John Barklow put his gear through a worst-case cold-exposure test once used to train soldiers. Watch how it held up.

Clay and Field Hudnall's own hard lessons outdoors are what they now pass down hunting with their kids.

Lifelong Hunter and Philadelphia Eagles Quarterback Carson Wentz Finds Peace in the Pursuit.

A hunter who's killed his two biggest bucks before the rut shares five tips, from summer scouting to skipping the woods.

Watch a nine-time World Champion trade lessons with the elk calling pioneers who taught him to call one.

My hunting began as a 10-year old on the family farm in Wolfe County, Kentucky. It's the same farm my father started hunting at around age 10. It's also where my two daughters started hunting at 10 years old.

GORE OPTIFADE Subalpine blends micro and macro patterns based on how elk and mule deer see, built for stalks inside 50 yards.

Together they bought an old duck shack, and loaded it with all the essentials needed to get them through two months of chasing green in the woods.

Three months before the Arkansas duck opener, Fish and Game put out a new regulation: No boat should pass another on the way to a coveted public land timber hole. That meant the boat racing was officially over.

Chef Eduardo Garcia’s home, east of Bozeman, Montana, sits in a meadow that backs up to Ted Turner’s legendary Flying D Ranch, in the foothills of the Gallatin River Valley. By the time I arrived at lunchtime on a warm day in late May, Eduardo had already been at work in the kitchen for several hours.

Inspired by the memory of good friend Andrew Brose, Aaron Hitchins and Will O'Brien take to the Yukon wilderness in pursuit of Moose, Arctic Grayling, and adventure.

Guides Cole Kramer and Dustin Roe swap roles to hunt Dagestan Tur, a goat found only in Azerbaijan's Caucasus Mountains.

Behind the scenes on the film Tendoys: failed boots, blown stalks, and the 'white rock' that became Tony Larsen's ram.

In his last week hunting Montana, a guide helps his dad and brother take their first mule deer, then closes out his own.

Soaked on a rainy evening sit, a bowhunter rattles in a buck and settles his pin at 17 yards for the shot of the season.

Hunting season lasts a few months. For 'the crazy ones,' shed hunting, scouting and prepping never stops. Sound familiar?

A hunter and his family close a 365-yard shot on a mature mule deer after an 1,800-yard stalk across Utah's high desert.

Amid a bighorn depopulation hunt in Montana's Tendoys, a bowhunter closes a 50-yard shot after two days of near-misses.

"That’s 4 screw ups in 24 hours, on 6 point bulls or bigger, and we don’t even have a blood trail...” But the day didn’t end that way for Athlete Corey Jacobsen.

SITKA introduces Timber, a new waterfowl pattern built for the specific, obsessive world of duck and goose hunters.

Tribe Member Christopher Eyre recounts the grizzly events of September 6, 2015.

A young bowhunter's Alberta mule deer hunt unravels when a doe blows his cover, then comes together with a friend's help.

A world champion elk caller and a veteran duck guide share their most overlooked tricks, from the wheeze to the insult bugle.

There's a certain beauty this time of year known only to the deer hunter. Have you seen it?

From helicopter access to red stag tenderloin, here are seven reasons New Zealand belongs on every hunter's list.

After losing his brother, a hunter carries his old pack on a blacktail hunt and connects with him again through every stalk.

The rut might be over, but the season isn't.

A hunter spends a year building a food-plot lease for his dad, and watches him arrow his first buck at age 50.

Is it just us, or is Cody Skinner crazy for passing on this buck?

Follow Athlete Jeff Simpson's Missouri season full circle in The Short Season's newest film MO15.

Field and Clay Hudnall on fireman boots, world titles, and how far waterfowl gear has come since their first frozen hunt.

Filmed over six seasons and 200 hours, Jason Matzinger's PROJECTELK captures the sound and feel of elk to spark conservation.

As hardwoods burst into fall color, SITKA's Deer Year series returns to track whitetail country heading into the rut.

Dennis Loosier, Dr. Duck, pushes his crew deeper into remote country in relentless pursuit of birds most hunters never reach.

The October Lull

A bowhunter treks solo into Alaska to honor a friend lost on a moose hunt years back, and closes on a bull with a recurve.

On his 100th guided sheep hunt, an outfitter helps a first-timer close a 108-yard shot on a ram spotted through fogged binos.

Ready for the opener? 'Deer Year' chronicles the annual rhythms of whitetail hunting.

See the winning shots from //DIVERGE// 4, the photo contest pushing hunters to capture the sport at its rawest.

Ten years after his first ram, Jason Dennis completes a life goal with a 167-inch desert bighorn from Sonora, Mexico.

A former Navy SEAL instructor explains the icy lake drill he used to prove which cold-weather gear could save your life.

A mountain guide reflects on 70 sheep hunts and the pull of solitude that's kept him climbing since 2005.

In The Short Season's latest film, SITKA Founder Jonathan Hart draws a coveted mule deer tag in Nevada.