While this is written from a woman’s perspective, any person can follow this gear list and substitute the appropriate items. I’ve intentionally made this very specific because I noticed that most lists out there are pretty vague, and gear can really help or hurt your experience. Do not mistake that for “gear will be the reason you’re successful or unsuccessful.” I can’t stand when people blame their gear for everything. Without proper preparation, including your physical ability and a positive mindset, it doesn’t matter what’s included in this list.

While a shotgun isn’t completely foreign to me, I admit that it typically sits under my bed for 12+ months at a time. Then, I pull it out and attempt to remember how to properly shoulder, lead, and follow through a shot. I’d compare it to a newborn giraffe learning how to walk. Ok, maybe not that bad, but it’s not pretty! My love for archery hunting runs deep, so everything else seems to fall behind that.

For 7 years I’ve been chasing bulls with my dad - It’s become a family tradition and it’s the hunt I look forward to more than any other. He started my addiction in 2015 as a wedding gift and I’ve been hooked ever sense. I went from never knowing what a bugle sounded like before my first hunt, to finally connecting on my first solo archery bull this year. It’s been quite the journey, and this is the first year that I’ve felt called to try to accomplish it on my own. After going on guided elk hunts for a few years, we started going on DIY public land hunts as a family and I’ve really enjoyed it. It’s allowed me to challenge myself and learn a lot more about elk in order to be successful. Eating tag soup isn’t easy for me, and while I know that hunting is much more than the kill, punching that tag is the biggest goal for me personally. This year, prior to this trip, I’ve been hunting OTC (over-the-counter) tags in Utah, shooting at 2 spikes already with nothing to show for it. Simply being within range is a rush, so getting a shot is something really special.

I vividly remember when women-specific camo started to hit the market. After years of wearing hand-me-downs, youth clothing, or oversized men’s clothing, including Carhartt bibs for most of those years, I happily bought the pink-it-and-shrink it lines because finally something was made “just for me,” except it was terrible. Slowly but surely, brands noticed the increase in women hunters and therefore the demand for something functional, durable, and comfortable that complimented our build a little more than a boxy cotton shirt with a few pink leaves mixed in.

I have waited for nearly a year to share this incredibly special moment with everyone! When Under Armour asked me what I’m most passionate about and what species consumes my mind, I didn’t hesitate to say elk. I knew that’s what my film needed to be focused on. They’re the only animal that I dream about and they make me work harder in every area of my life, from the gym to reps with my bow, to giving every ounce to my job so I can afford to go chase them every year. If I’m thinking about hunting at all, it’s usually in regards to elk. There’s just nothing like hearing a bull bugle at 20 yards - I’ve been saying that since 2015 when I first experienced it. Then, add the challenge of chasing them with a bow and you’re going to be humbled really quick. I have failed way more than I’ve been successful, but it keeps me hungry for more.

Meat processing was and still is one of the most intimidating parts of being a hunter, in my opinion. I have the desire to try new things all the time, but then I risk ruining the hard earned wild game that I pursue and that’s scary! Thankfully, after 3 batches of summer sausage, I think I’ve got it down (insert flex) and I’m here to share it with you! I’ll mostly be sharing the steps you take AFTER your meat is ground up; if you need to step backwards and get help grinding your meat, please reference this article. Then, instead of packaging the meat, you’ll jump back over to this article!

If you’re no stranger to my writing, then you know I love first time experiences! For years the idea of predator hunting simply didn’t interest me. I see now that it was based on emotion rather than facts, because with the little time I’ve invested in researching these incredible animals, I now see the damage they can do on elk and deer herds. I suppose conservation doesn’t show favoritism and all animals need to be managed as the human population continues to increase. While I’ve hunted multiple predators to-date, I had never hunted one that would stare into your soul. It’s quite eerie actually, thinking about all the days I’ve spent on the mountain without seeing a cougar but knowing they’re there and have 100% seen me.

When I made the decision to take on the role of Marketing & PR Manager at Huntin’ Fool in November 2019, I knew the position would entail a variety of projects. Part of this is due to the fact that it was a new position within the company, but it also came down to the fact that there were multiple areas that needed attention. This sounded challenging to me, which naturally made me want to jump on the offer. While I knew there’d be some adjusting, I couldn’t have predicted the ways that I’d grow in just 12 months, particularly in regards to design. Yes I have a design degree, yes I’ve handled nearly all of the branding for my personal company, but in the 8 years that I’ve been out of school I have done very little design work outside of that. I wanted to document all of the projects I’ve been fortunate enough to be involved in up until this point. In 1 year, these have helped me grow as a creative mind, as a team player, and has significantly increased my confidence in this role. These are untouched or “very little experience” areas for me and I can’t wait to see what’s in store over the next year at Huntin’ Fool!

After 8 years of shooting Hoyt, it’s no surprise that both of my bow setups for the 2020 season were also Hoyt! Many people have requested a breakdown of each setup. They’re extremely similar in terms of accessories and they have the same speed, but they’re 2 very different bows. Let’s dive into an overview of my RX-4 Alpha and the all-new women’s Eclipse!

Other than one other attempt to hunt mule deer up in Alberta, I admit that I have zero experience or knowledge of the species. Growing up in the South meant we focused on whitetail, and it certainly wasn’t spot-and-stalk method. Each time I’ve been out West, the focus is elk, but after moving our life to Southern Utah less than a year ago and working at the oldest “hub” for Western hunting information, you could say I’ve been exposed to mule deer MUCH more. Whether I’m hiking a trail, glassing, or simply conversing in the office with the Huntin’ Fool hunt advisors, mule deer has been the new whitetail for me.

To all of you that have outdoor dads in your life, that seem to struggle every year with what to get your favorite men, and who don’t have the budget to go buy a new bow or gun for someone, this blog is for YOU! I’ve never been much of a gift giver (my gift is my time because I’m always running and gunning), but after spending so much time outdoors I feel like I’ve got a grip on affordable gifts for your favorite outdoorsman!

There are two things that I struggle with every time I go on a hunt: staying warm and staying full. I can bring the highest calorie snacks and meals on every adventure, but I can eat more than some grown men. I’ve got a handful of 215+ pound male references at my fingertips to back that statement!

While it’s true that I travel a little bit of everywhere chasing first time experiences, I do find it odd that I’ve hunted all these years and never put much time into whitetail outside of Texas. Part of that is because the deer hunting in Texas is really good, and part of that is because I simply don’t need more whitetail meat. I have permission all over my home state to tag a handful of deer, so going out of state to chase them wasn’t a priority. I must admit though, after my Kentucky experience, I can no longer say this. I pray I have the opportunity to go back every year.

Even though September has come and gone for the 2019 season, I seem to be getting a flood of questions regarding my gear choices for spot and stalk archery elk hunting. I’ve been elk hunting for 5 years, spending anywhere from 7-21 consecutive days in the field each time. I typically layer up with a mix of the following pieces!

I started installing wraps on my arrows for a few reasons, but mostly just to make them look different while simultaneously advertise my brand. I love them aesthetically, but they have been the biggest pain in the butt too. I don’t like that every time I hit another vane while practicing or do an average job fletching in the first place, I have to peel the arrow wrap off and waste all of that material, as opposed to simply replacing the single fletching. This probably isn’t the best thing to write about when I literally sell my own arrow wraps online (see here), but I want to be honest about it too. Maybe one day I’ll try them again, but I’m really annoyed with them right now and I’ve gone back to the old ways.

No matter how much you research, watch videos, or talk to fellow hunters about their experiences, you are bound to find something that you’d do differently the next time you get out. The cool thing is that it changes depending on the species, method of choice, time of year, terrain, and amount of time you have. I took little notes when I was on my recent archery antelope hunt - things that I’d want someone else to know before attempting to spot and stalk a speedgoat. A few of these I knew prior to the hunt from talking to friends, while others I learned by actually chasing them myself.

It was my first time ever hunting antelope and also my first time to hunt Wyoming. I connected with a family through social media that had several girls that hunted, including a 3 year old named Lilly that completely stole my heart. Wall tent camp on public land with a new group of avid bowhunters sounded so fun and I couldn’t wait to get there. I’d been practicing every day and feeling so confident with my setup. I honestly went into it thinking it was going to be fairly easy because I always heard there were so many antelope everywhere you looked.

Learning to make my own snacks for my hunts, especially jerky of any kind, has been the most gratifying thing to add to my skill set. Obviously it saves money because it’s no secret that buying it from the store is crazy expensive, but just seeing your work as a hunter taken a step further is really special! I cringe at the amount of money I’ve spent in the past on (beef) jerky, and I highly doubt I’ll be dropping my wild game off to be processed in the future after learning to simply grind my own meat. There’s so much you can do with ground meat, which is what brings me to this step-by-step for making one of my favorite snacks in the field! If you’re reading this and still don’t know how to grind your meat in order to make the tastiest meat sticks ever, start here then come back to this article!

I’m a rookie when it comes to handling wild game after the hunt. Yes, I am shamelessly admitting that I’ve been dropping it off to be processed for 90% of my hunts for all these years! We typically have a lot of meat when season wraps up, and the thought of processing it myself was daunting. Last year I decided I wanted to process everything myself, then in true Jessica fashion, I avoided it like the plague. I’ve had 5 or so deer sitting in my freezer this entire time. At least I deboned it before putting it in there!!

It was 2015 when i finally left the state of Texas to experience western hunting for the first time. More specifically, I went on my first elk hunt and came home with a trophy bull. Before I left for that hunt, I specifically asked my archery shop what I needed to change about my arrow setup, and I only did that because my cousin had researched this topic on multiple hunting forums, and every one of them insisted on taking a heavy arrow. I had been shooting a lighter arrow up until that point (Ted Nugent pink/zebra arrows to be exact). After getting a full passthrough, not once but TWICE on my bull (with only a 25.5” draw length and 50 lb draw weight), I started to understand the importance of switching up that setup. Back home I rarely had passthroughs on deer with the lighter setup, which still worked well, but I was extremely impressed with the performance of my 400+ grain arrow on my elk. He didn’t even know what hit him on the first shot.

I think this is one of the most challenging articles I’ve ever written. Is it normal to start a blog post by saying that? Ha!

I feel that there are so many stories, perspectives, and lessons to be learned that are wrapped up into this one experience. I can’t help but want to tell every single angle of it: a father/daughter relationship, the adrenaline we feel as hunters, the innocence of a first time hunter, the difference a single hunter can make in regards to conservation, learning to cope with all the emotions that surface after the shot, the peacefulness of a wall tent camp under the Northern Lights, and the undeniable results of a hard-working, faith driven family and outfit. I truly hope to depict an accurate reflection of the energy on this hunt, between the video and some added detail within this article. I can’t help but highlight what resonates with me the most: a story of a father and his teenage daughter going on her very first hunt. This certainly hits home for me, and it was really neat getting to see their relationship.

Shopping for a tripod is overwhelming to say the least. There are hundreds of options, which is great if you’re a professional photographer or videographer that knows exactly what they want, but what about the all around outdoorsmen? The ones that enjoy filming and creating content, but also need something that holds up in any terrain to glass up that dream buck? I have quite the tripod collection, but I want to simplify things by sharing my top 4 in hopes that it aligns with your needs as well; I’m going to focus on how it fits into my personal life, rather than rambling off all the features. I use the following tripods ALL THE TIME, and you’ll see those specific uses under each product.

It was really cool having a dad that took me rifle hunting and bass fishing as a kid, then meeting someone as an adult that could expand my knowledge to different methods and/or species. My husband introduced me to so much just shortly after we met, with the main focus being archery. However, crappie fishing is probably one of my favorite things he brought into my life, and while we’ve been chasing them on the lakes around us for over 6 years now, I continue to pick up on new things each time I go. That inspired me to write up some fun facts for those of you that may have never been crappie fishing before!

I have chased birds from Alabama to Texas and barely heard a gobble the whole time. In fact, I saw one hen, heard a handful of gobbles, and struggled to find fresh tracks and/or poop. I thought for sure I’d be eating tag soup for my 2019 turkey season, until my sweet friend invited me down to Mellon Creek Outfitters in Refugio, Texas to chase gobblers one last time. I didn’t hesitate for a second to jump on the road, making the 3.5 hour drive to some of the best hunting country I’ve ever seen - 110,000 acres of free range bliss.

Originally I was planning to make this blog ALL of my favorite clothing items for hunting year round, then realized how overwhelming that’d be. It’d make a lot more sense to break it up by season, so with turkey season almost in full swing, I’ll focus on a few of my must haves for chasing those beautiful birds! I really tried to keep cost in mind because it’s easy to want EVERYTHING (trust me, I know), rather than think about needs. While the product links often offer the items in multiple camo patterns, I’d suggest getting everything in RidgeReaper Forest. It’s their greener pattern and works incredible for spring and early season fall hunts.

READ BLOG FOR DETAILS.

This post was sponsored by Academy Sports + Outdoors.

Once Thanksgiving hits, it seems like we have 2 days to buy gifts between work, school, holiday events (if you’re not planning to attend an ugly Christmas sweater party, get to work because they’re so fun), and preparing to host a meal for more people than the previous year. Oh, and let’s not forget the detailed house cleaning that’ll occur to cover up how you actually live day to day - 4 loads of laundry, sink full of dishes, dog hair all over, and what’s mopping anyway? Hopefully it’s not that extreme but the point is that life gets busy and it’s about to get busier between the two biggest holidays of the year. Are you shopping for a hunter, outdoorsman or woman, or even want to get yourself something special this Christmas? Let me help! Head to your nearest Academy Sports + Outdoors to check off your gift list. After all, they make it easier for everyone to enjoy more sports and outdoors at low prices. Here are a few of my personal picks, which you’ll notice revolve around comfort, convenience, and warmth - all the things we love during the holidays!