Check out our short film submitted to the Backcountry Hunters and Anglers filmfest this year! We shot this over two elk hunting trips, bow and rifle, in Montana.
We’re proud to have shot this all on public land and could not have done it without them.
American citizens own and have access to 640+ million acres of land to recreate on. It is more important now than ever to fight for these lands. We’re the land’s greatest advocate – let’s use our voices to save what’s ours.
Check out our latest blog post! The team heads to Montana for the opener of the elk archery season. Grueling temperatures, wildfire smoke, and silent elk made for a challenging hunt. Chasing the Wapiti is not easy – as they seem to disappear and reappear in the alpine forest in the blink of an eye.
Hunting elk in the mountains of Montana is by far one top of the bucketlist hunts in North American Continent. Steep terrain, thick timber, and sweeping views offer many hardcore hunters exactly what they’re looking for – high risk for high reward.
Chasing the Wapiti is not easy – as they seem to disappear and reappear in the alpine forest in the blink of an eye. Despite their large size, with some bulls weighing close to 1000 pounds, these ungulates are ghost of the forest.
One’s first expectation for an animal so large is that they’re easy to find. For the most part, this can be true during the rut and later part of the fall, where the elk migrate and gather in large herds. However, getting one up close and within shooting range of your bow – is a completely different story. Many hunters will find (and learn) quickly that they may see elk in one location one day and by the time they hike out to the last known location – they’re gone.
This is the cat and mouse game of elk hunting – this is the addiction.
One can come out of the elk woods empty-handed, as we did this past weekend, but you will never come out without an experience of a lifetime.
Rest assured, we will be back.
Be sure to check out our team’s contributors Seth Morris and Rick Hutton’s work on Instagram!
Check out Drake’s new short film “How Do You Hunt?” highlighting the product testing and development by Drake’s Guardian Elite Team – these professional guides, dog trainers, outfitters, and hunters push product testing to new heights. Be sure to go over to Drake and check out the Guardian Elite Series, as well as their revamped site, before the season comes – that’s when you’ll need it!
Check out Drake’s new short film “How Do You Hunt?” highlighting the product testing and development by Drake’s Guardian Elite Team – these professional guides, dog trainers, outfitters, and hunters push product testing to new heights. Be sure to go over to Drake and check out the Guardian Elite Series, as well as their revamped site, before the season comes – that’s when you’ll need it!
Many of hunters that we find afield today have been hunting since they were toddlers. Toting a Daisy BB in the old forest or trying their hand at traditional archery.Usually, these activities are introduced and ingrained under the supervision of their elders. An aging grandparent with years of wisdom or a loving father or mother nearby to nurture the lessons of sportsmanship.
However, there are the few hunters who were less fortunate and got into hunting much later in life.
Many of hunters that we find afield today have been hunting since they were toddlers. Toting a Daisy BB in the old forest or trying their hand at traditional archery.Usually, these activities are introduced and ingrained under the supervision of their elders. An aging grandparent with years of wisdom or a loving father or mother nearby to nurture the lessons of sportsmanship.
However, there are the few hunters who were less fortunate and got into hunting much later in life.
It seems that an increasing amount of outdoor folk have been taking the field eager to learn the ropes and immerse themselves in this world. So what are these men and women supposed to do without the direct guidance of a relative or mentor? How does one get started in this rather intimidating world of guns, rods, reels, and sporting dog jargon? What are the etiquettes? or the “Do” and “Don’t do” things that one is supposed to learn?
I remember my first day afield as an early twenties bow hunter, fresh out of college with a degree and education that would do absolutely nothing for me in the woods. I had gotten my hands on a brand spanking’ new PSE compound bow and found myself on an old deer stand in the middle of a suburban neighborhood in Maryland dotted with McMansions.
I had gone out on my first hunting experience on opening day of Whitetail deer in Montgomery County, Maryland. Armed with my new bow, cheap arrows, and a drab green mil-pack full of useless items like a giant bowie knife, two gallons of water, and if I can remember correctly – some awesome new mixed and matched camo from Bass Pro Shops. I was sure to “catch” a deer! I shot and harvested my first 6 point buck that morning and I’ve been hooked ever since. A lot of Youtube videos later and a bloody shed – we had our first freezer full of venison. Looking back on it, I realized I made a lot of mistakes that day, but I also learned tremendously within those first few hours.
Needless to say, here are a few things I’ve learned to do and not to do since that embarrassing day thanks to individuals that were willing to take me under their wing and teach me their ways.
There are many things that could be added to this list, but then again – these things can be completely up to your personal opinions. Regardless, I feel that every hunter that takes the field should have, up to a certain extent, high regard for life and the environment in which he or she steps foot on.
What do you think? What do you wish you would have learned earlier in your hunting career? Any advice you’d like to impart on others?
Let us know by emailing us at info@muddyshuttermedia.com!
For many, the state of Maryland is known for it’s Chesapeake Bay, delicious blue crabs (don’t forget the crab cakes…) , and according to the movie Wedding Crashers – football.
However, to hunters and avid bird hunters, Maryland brings one word to mind – Waterfowl.
Situated in the Atlantic Flyway, Maryland is steeped with decades of waterfowling tradition. From hunting out in the Susquehanna Flats to the famed Blackwater National Refuge, this place does not disappoint.
This past season, we had the opportunity to work with a group of gentlemen out of Chestertown, MD. This is our photo essay dedicated to them, our fellow waterfowlers, and of course – Maryland.
Muddy Shutter Media 