I am heartened by this year’s entries. In addition to fabulous photographs, almost all of you delivered exceptional narratives of your hunts. We used your very words wherever possible because it’s an honor to see you all rise to such an occasion as sharing a special moment with your fellow hunters. You now know a little bit about what drives an outdoor writer. —J. Scott Olmsted, Editor in Chief
Scott Wolland, Suffolk, Va.
NRA Life member Scott used a Sako S20 .300 Win. Mag. to take a tough old bull musk ox last spring. Hunting north of the Arctic Circle near the Greenland icecap’s Russell Glacier, Scott closed the distance on a good herd of musk ox after multiple chases and stalks earlier in the day over rough terrain. His success on his hunt-of-a-lifetime kept him plenty warm in the sub-zero temperatures that followed.
Vance Squires, Chester, W.Va.
Vance booked his lion hunt at the 2024 NRA Great American Outdoor Show in Harrisburg, Pa., then journeyed to Montana last December. “The first day we ran an old track but had no luck. Day two we found a fresh track. The dogs took it down the mountain, across a small river then up another mountain. Once the dogs treed, we were able to get closer, then hike 150 yards almost straight down. It was a grueling descent, slipping and sliding on the steep, snowy slope. The guys tied the dogs back and had me sit down to make the shot. The male cat was in a small pine about 40 feet up. I missed the first shot when my glove caught my hammer. I made the second shot count, and the cat fell to the ground and ran about 40 yards downhill. I carried a scoped Ruger Blackhawk Bisley .44 Mag., using 300-grain XTP handloads. At 68, I was truly blessed.”
Jane Will, Newberg, Ore.
“It was a foggy October morning in the Coast Range of Oregon. I was with my daughter, Jane, days before she turned 14,” writes Dad, Nate. “We had hunted together for about six years, but getting a blacktail is tough. We hiked in about 1½ miles and took up a position on a closed logging road overlooking an old clear-cut. That is when we saw a deer silhouette in the fog below us. I got a range for her: 370 yards, much farther than Jane had ever shot before, but there was no way to get closer. I showed her where to aim with the Burris Fullfield IV riflescope and C4 reticle, then prayed and waited for the shot. Boom! Jane’s .243 Bergara B-14 Stoke barked, but the deer stood there. I told her, “Shoot again!” Boom! Nothing. This deer had obviously been in combat before because it was not shaken. Boom! This time I heard the familiar thwack of a bullet hitting flesh and the deer lifted its back leg, but still just stood there. Boom! Thwack! That Core-Lokt dropped the deer like a ton of bricks! She did it! She even dressed it out. To say I am proud of her would be a profound understatement!”
Greg Battaglia, Dayton, Nev.
The day was warm, as it always is in August on the high desert of northern Nevada. Greg stepped out of his truck to hunt on foot as the previous evening’s monsoon rain made road travel difficult. Cheatgrass and sparsely scattered rocks the size of footballs stretched for miles—this was definitely antelope country. He’d scouted the area a month or so prior, glassing distant ridges and wide basins, trying to locate and learn the habits of any antelope that might be in the area, and this morning, his previous efforts, luck and patience finally aligned. Through his binocular Greg caught sight of a buck grazing on a ridge about a half-mile away. With the light wind blowing steadily in his face, Greg dropped low and began a slow and deliberate stalk, using every dip before him for cover. The pronghorn, being a curious creature, started walking directly toward him, and at 260 yards Greg kneeled into position and took a shot with his Ruger Hawkeye in .300 Win. Mag. The buck dropped and the hunt was over, leaving Greg filled with gratitude for the animal, the land and the challenge that made this hunt memorable.
Paul Sturm, Cortland, Ohio
“Having numerous encounters with bears over the course of the 2025 Pennsylvania deer/bear archery season,” writes Paul, “I had high hopes I might have a good chance at finally harvesting a Pennsylvania bear on the first day of gun season. Early on Nov. 22, I posted about 100 yards inside the woods from the cornfield in which I had been seeing bears come and go all archery season. As dawn broke, I watched a group of orange-clad hunters set up along the edge of the cornfield. As the drivers made their way through the cornfield, all I could think was, I hope my bear hunt doesn’t end before it even starts. Hearing no shots, I turned to watch the hunting crew walk up the edge of the cornfield around 7:15 a.m., planning another drive toward a thicket above my location. Around 7:30, off to my left, a bear came running downhill, heading toward a hemlock thicket. As it hit a clearing, I fired my Winchester Model 70 .30-06 using 180-grain Winchester Power-Points, and as it came into another opening I fired again, finishing off the bear, a 250-pound boar.”
Gregory Conn, Pinehurst, N.C.
A mule deer was always on Gregory’s bucket list, and when he told his wife this would be his “last big hunt,” she didn’t believe him. This one took place in Alberta during October last year. Gregory brought his trusted Weatherby Vanguard .30-06 that he’s had for more than 50 years. Andre, Gregory’s guide from Willowcreek Outfitters, had seen an old buck in the area they were glassing and eventually spotted the buck bedded amongst some other bucks high on a hillside. “His hide was dark and antlers massive,” writes Gregory. “We needed to get to a stand of willows for a 200-yard shot and were fortunate to have an entourage of horses follow us to the willows and keep us hidden. We arrived undetected. Only five minutes after setting up, the big buck stood up and I took the shot. He went only a short distance and went down. When we walked up to him, I could not believe what a beautiful animal he was. He was truly the old monarch of these mountains. He grossed 187 inches. I was truly blessed to end my career this way.”
Carl Solberg, New Hudson, Mich.
“I shot my target buck, ‘Goliath,’ on Nov. 7, 2025, in Saline County, Mo. I’d been hunting this buck for two seasons. I never had daylight pictures of him. I looked back at past pictures and documented days, times, temperatures, wind, which way he was going, etc. I figured out his main travel patterns, and he started showing up pretty regularly from Oct. 22 through early November. I had two pictures of him from Nov. 2 and again on Nov. 4. I packed my bags and drove more than 10 hours from New Hudson, Mich., to our hunting lease on Nov. 6. I did not hunt the morning of the 7th. Later, I snuck out to the area where he had been traveling, set up my Novix Echo Hunt Ready treestand and climbed up in the stand around 12:30 p.m. At about 4:15 I spotted a doe crossing the dry riverbed; about 30 yards behind her there he was. I waited until he crossed the river then drew back. I shot him at about 25 yards, quartering to me a little bit. My shot was a little back, so I got down and went back to the cabin. After a very sleepless night. I got out to where I shot him and started tracking—good blood trail all the way to where he took his last breath. The broadhead definitely got the job done. I green-scored him at 1921/8 inches. He dressed out at 211 pounds. Goliath is definitely a buck-of-a-lifetime, and I couldn’t be happier for having that opportunity.”
Brantley Stack, Marine, Ill.
On the opening day of gun season in Illinois, 9-year-old Brantley Stack and his dad, Jake, sat a buddy stand in Midway, just north of Edwardsville. “Brantley was anxious to use his new Ruger 350 Legend shooting a Hornady 170-grain American Whitetail round,” writes Dad. “After sitting there for a bit, we saw a deer pass through a clearing to the south between two trees, and it disappeared. Close to the end of shooting time, the buck walked straight towards us. He was about 50 yards to the east of us when he started sniffing the air. I had already been standing on the ladder part of the stand facing the clearing where we’d seen him cut through earlier. So as the deer was sniffing the air and no doubt about to bust us, Brantley threw up his gun, using my outstretched arm for a rest, and fired just as the deer was turning to head the other way. As the deer took off, we listened and were fairly certain we heard him fall. We waited a little bit to get down to track it. Brantley tracked it to a nearby creek bed and there lay a nice 8-point buck, his first deer ever.”
Steven Tracy, Buena Vista, Tenn.
“I retired to rural west Tennessee with enough property that I could hunt my own land for the first time in my life. When spring turkey season arrived last year, I heard a tom gobbling in my fields behind my woods as I sat outside eating breakfast. The next morning I loaded my grandfather’s 1955 Browning Double Automatic with a pair of 23/4-inch turkey shells and headed out. Several hens came down from the woods and out into the field. Then the toms gobbled loudly. Their gobbles echoed among the trees bordering the open field. My adrenaline shot up when the big gobbler stepped out into the front sight of the Velvet Gray 12-gauge. I pressed the trigger at 29 yards, and the turkey dropped right there. The 70-year-old shotgun that my grandpa, my dad, I and my daughter had shot trap with for four generations provided dinner and my first ever turkey. Duck, pheasant and dove had already been taken by this Browning in my hands, and I’m sure Grandpa and Dad would be proud that it’s still being used in the fields today.”
Eric here makes us look bad. You see, the following words are all his, and a splendid example of third-person storytelling.
Eric Reeck, Columbus, Ind.
“After 22 years of applying, Eric and his father finally drew a coveted Utah limited-entry elk tag. With guidance from Huntin’ Fool advisor Matt White, they booked Mossback Outfitters for a mid-season rifle hunt in the Wasatch Mountains near Lehi, Utah. Eric drove 2,000 miles from Columbus, Ind., picking up his father in Minnesota for what they hoped would be the hunt of a lifetime. The first two days brought challenging weather and minimal elk activity, but on day three everything changed. At sunrise, a massive bull appeared just 50 yards away on the trail Eric had walked in on. Using his Browning A-Bolt .270 loaded with 150-grain Nosler AccuBond Long Range, Eric fired three well-placed shots, dropping a stunning 6x6 bull—the culmination of decades of anticipation. Later, his father harvested another impressive 6x6 at more than 400 yards, marking an unforgettable finale to a Western hunting adventure. The Mossback team helped with photos, quartering and packing out both elk, creating lasting memories against breathtaking fall scenery. Two trophy bulls, shared with family and friends, made this long-awaited hunt truly a dream come true.”
Jevin Selsor, Festus, Mo.
“I had just received my first deer rifle, a Browning X-Bolt chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor. The caliber of choice is for good reason. I come from a large family that loves to hunt whitetails. For practical reasons, my parents gifted me and my two older brothers with 6.5 Creedmoors on our 11th birthdays. This is a tradition after passing our Missouri hunter safety course. My father likes the idea of all of us using the same round, mainly for safety and efficiency. We enjoy reloading our own ammunition during the winter. All of us using the same caliber makes bulk reloading practical and efficient. We love the 120-grain Speer Gold Dots. I couldn’t wait to hunt with my new rifle and our shiny handloads. That day finally came last November on our family farm.
“My grandfather escorted me to one of our most productive stands. This is a great place for catching cruising bucks during our Missouri rut. And that is just what happened on Nov. 17. At around 4:20 p.m., I did a series of grunt calls. I then got sidetracked as I needed to relieve myself. I no more than got my zipper down when I spotted a buck cruising right towards me. This wasn’t just any buck. This buck was special, a local legend, the monster 6. My grandfather described seeing a huge 6-pointer in seasons past. And that’s what decided to come in to my grant calls. The big 6 put on a show. He came in mad and took his anger out on a tree at 50 yards, making a scrape. This was my moment to put my new rifle to work! I settled my crosshairs right on his heart. I squeezed my shot off just like I had rehearsed so many times. As my shot rang out the buck buckled in his tracks. My new rifle and our 120-grain Gold Dots performed perfectly. And it was at this moment I realized I didn’t even have time to zip up my zipper!”
Tony Muller, Littlerock, Wash.
Regarding his 2025 South Africa hunt, Tony writes: “The two animals I wanted the most on my April 2025 safari to South Africa, my outfitter did not have in Limpopo where his ranch is. So, we went two hours south of Johannesburg to another ranch. The first morning we drove for 1.5 hours before we spotted a band of red lechwe at about 500 yards. We decided to stalk down a fence line and a ditch, taking advantage of the tall grass. We stopped at 109 yards, and I got in the sticks and waited for the one we wanted to clear. Then one shot from my Browning .375 H&H Mag. with Barnes 235-grain TSX solids is all it took to put him down. Back at the ranch after lunch, the ranch foreman said that aoudad came from the backside of the mountain to graze and drink at a pond just before sundown. So, two hours before dark we set up an ambush with our backs on some rocks, in the shade. I was on the sticks for an hour and a half when we saw a ram at about 400 yards coming down from the brushy, rocky hillside. He cleared the brush line at 200 yards, and finally stopped broadside at 104 yards. Again, one shot from my .375 broke both shoulders and put him down. I ended a perfect day in South Africa with two beautiful trophies.”
Rich Sopko, Nescopeck, Pa.
“Our 2025 Africa hunt was going great,” writes Rick Sopko, “My friend Rex had shot several nice heads of plains game, and I had already taken a nice black impala and black wildebeest. Rex was hunting with a .300 Win. Mag., and I was using my tried-and-true Remington 700 BDL in .270 Win. The next animal on my list was an nyala. At the shot, the nyala dropped where it stood, and I breathed a sigh of relief, happy to see the faith I had placed in the .270 and handloads using 150-grain Nosler Ballistic Tips was justified. Next up was a golden wildebeest, which is huge, but I now had renewed confidence that I had enough gun for the task. Turns out I was right."
Chuck Johns, Macomb Township, Mich.
“The completion of a nearly lifelong dream began to take shape in mid-2024 when my brother asked if I and a couple friends were interested in joining him on his second trip to South Africa with Bushmans Quiver Safaris. The game on the absolute top of my wish list to pursue was the majestic sable antelope, which I’d admired and dreamt of since I was 8 years old. Mid-way through the trip, we were driving up a draw when we spotted a sable bull far up the hillside. My professional hunter and tracker were already glassing him when I got him in my binocular. My immediate thought was, Boy he looks big! My PH calmly told me to get my rifle. We stalked the bull within 240 yards where I put him down with a single shot from my Remington Model 700 BDL in 7mm Mag. with a 175-grain Hornady ELD-X handload. When I put my hands on the sable, I could hardly believe what I was holding—a lifelong dream fulfilled. The bull was more majestic than I had ever imagined, and I was overjoyed to share the moment with family and friends,” writes Chuck.
Christian Fink, Fuquay-Varina, N.C.
Christian and his father have hunted together almost every year since Christian was 10 years old. Last year, they drew tags for a late October Colorado hunt and met their guide, Jason Dirscherl of Comanche Wilderness Outfitters, near Yuma, Ariz., where they stayed at a ranch house. The first four days were slow, but on the fifth morning they spotted a massive deer moving toward the hills. They tried to get ahead of the buck but had no success. Jason advised that they back out to avoid scaring him. That evening, the hunters split up to improve their chances. About two hours after they split, Jason caught back up to Christian with a report of the big buck about 600 yards away. Moving uphill to get a better vantage along the edge of a cornfield, they spotted the buck again at 227 yards. Christian made the shot count using his Gunwerks 7mm Mag. loaded with 150-grain ELD-X handloads. The buck was green-scored at 238 B&C points—a true hunt of a lifetime.
Jay Debono, Grand Isle, Vt.
Jay has dreamt about hunting mule deer in the West since he was a very young hunter, and in 2025, after applying for two years, he finally drew a tag. Enlisting the services of Doonan Gulch Outfitters, Jay and his guide, Victoria, spotted some does moving through a draw on the first day of the hunt, and after watching for some time they saw a set of antlers moving through. “After what seemed like an eternity,” writes Jay, “he moved into a spot where I could finally get a good shot.” Jay was able to complete his dream hunt with this beautiful buck that green-scored 1736/8 inches. He was hunting with his Browning X-Bolt in 6.5 Creedmoor, loaded with Hornady’s Precision Hunter 143-grain ELD-X and topped with a Leupold VX-5. “From the first step until the last, Victoria was extremely helpful in getting me through the process.”
The Hines Family, York Springs, Pa.
Corby Hines writes: “I grew up in south-central Pennsylvania. I hunted public mountain ground with my grandfather, uncle, dad and brother. I was blessed to hunt with several generations. After I got married my family started to grow. My wife and I have five children, and each one started deer hunting at 10 years old. They always joke about who’s deer is bigger, and if it’s not bigger than it’s who’s shot was better. In 2024, all five kids shot a buck. I never thought it would happen. In 2025, all five kids and Dad shot a buck. Blessed. All six of us are Life members.”
Bradley & Carol Dodd, Jersey Shore, Pa.
The couple’s third trek to Alaska for Sitka blacktail deer on a self-guided boat hunt with Serenity Adventures was a charm for husband and wife Bradley and Carol Dodd. Greeted with 2-4 inches of crunchy snow, the pair would need to call and glass to find success, and they found it, taking a total of three great deer! The first was a mature buck that came running to Bradley’s doe bleat. A quick, 20-yard shot from his Browning X-Bolt .270 WSM put it down. Calling on day two, a stout buck came into range on their third set of the day, and this time Carol was up to bat. A perfect shot from her Remington Mountain Rifle in .260 Rem. stoked with a handloaded Hornady 123-grain SST downed their second beautiful buck. Day three was just as productive, when on their fourth set of the day Carol spied a buck moving through the trees. Off Carol’s arched back as a rest, Bradley settled the crosshairs and touched off a shot. Buck No. 3 was down at 94 yards. “These deer are stunningly gorgeous,” writes Bradley, “and we were once again astounded by our good fortune. Three trophies and priceless memories.”
Ross & Dana Reamy, Corsicana, Texas
“My wife, Dana, and I got bit by the ‘Argentina bug’ in 2017, and now return to the wonderful country as often as possible,” writes Ross. “The hunting there is simply incredible, but the people, the food and the wine are just as extraordinary. Last June we joined six of our closest friends there to enjoy three days of duck hunting outside Buenos Aires and three days of dove shooting near Tucuman.
“The attached pictures were taken after an exceptional morning duck hunt; a strong wind at our backs and a sky full of rosy-billed pochards made for a truly epic hunt. The Browning Silver Hunter 12-gauge and Fiocchi No. 5 lead (legal there) was a deadly combination. The attention to detail by our hosts, Pointer Outfitters, was second to none—you want for nothing.”
Dan, Branden & Hunter Bowie, Bonney Lake, Wash.
Washington state, 2025 spring turkey season: The goal was to get Dan’s 8-year-old grandson, Hunter Bowie, his first gobbler. The crew, consisting of Dan, Hunter and Hunter’s dad, Branden, went to one of Dan’s “go-to” spots and promptly located three toms on the roost. Dan called enough to keep them interested. Branden and Hunter set up on the bottom of a little incline, while Dan stayed above them and called. When the time was right, the birds flew down to about 20 yards in front of the setup. One of the toms, a big one with a 9-inch beard, strutted into about 15 yards, and Hunter let loose with his Mossberg Model 510 in .410-bore with a load of No. 9 shot. That bird hit the ground, flopped once and was done. “I’ve got to say, I was impressed with that little gun, and I got to watch the whole thing from above them,” writes Dan. “Hunter was shaking and smiling from ear to ear.”
Michael Mercurio, Arlington, Texas
“I became fascinated with mule deer hunting back as a kid reading Jim Zumbo and Craig Boddington. I started my journey to harvest a mature mule deer buck at 55 years old, way too late. After five years of hard work, passing on bucks that either weren’t old enough or weren’t what I was looking for, I harvested my first mature mule deer buck on Nov. 1, 2025. Hunting a public unit with two great guides, Josh Cochran and Ty Goar, we glassed this buck and got it done. He was aged 9 years or more, measured 30 inches wide, and was just an old monarch buck in this unit. This hunt took place in the dunes of New Mexico. I am more than thrilled with this buck and can’t wait to get him on the wall. He fell to a 7mm PRC 160-grain Hornady CX Outfitter load from a Ruger American Wild Camo rifle with Zeiss optic.”
Bruce Blanchard, Ottsville, Pa.
Bruce had an interest in African big-game hunting ever since reading the stories of Capstick and others in his youth. When Bruce’s friend Keith suggested they should do it before age made the adventure impossible, Bruce made plans. Last June, the pair stepped off the plane in South Africa with a list of desired plains game and headed north to the Limpopo province for a hunt with Somerby’s Safaris. Bruce stuck to his list until the third day of his hunt—the day he took sight of his first sable. From that moment on, the black antelope owned the top slot. Failing to close the deal on his first and second attempts at a stalk, Bruce and his PH, Johann, were finally able to get a 100-yard opportunity at a mature bull. With only seconds to react, Bruce raised his .300 Win. Mag. and pulled the trigger, dropping this beautiful sable in its tracks.
Lily Schelkopf, Sycamore, Ill.
Sounds like Lily had the time of her life last year in Putnam County. Says Dad, Chris: “Our 9-year-old daughter, Lily, took her first deer ever at our farm during the Illinois youth season in October. She has accompanied me on several hunts over the years but this was her first time having a tag and being the hunter. She made a perfect, 90-yard shot with her 350 Legend. We couldn’t be more proud of our daughter and her accomplishment. Sharing this moment with her was one of the most memorable hunts of my life.”
Michael Moddrell, Lawrence, Kan.
“After several safaris in Botswana and Namibia, in September 2025 I finally booked a Cape buffalo hunt in Namibia’s Caprivi Strip; old Africa, no fences and massive free-ranging herds across the savannah. I hunted with PH David Muller of Daggaboy Safaris and PH Koos Pienaar from Hunt Africa Namibia, each of whom have hunted the area for 40 years. Cape buffalo: The old, nasty bulls are called daggaboys. The goal is to stalk the herd, provoking the territorial bulls and driving them to break away from the center. They are dangerous, demented animals, and every year come the tales of hunters getting gored, tossed, crushed or even disemboweled. You need experience on your side, and even then ... . The rifle was a Remington Model 700 Safari chambered in .416 Rem. Mag. and topped with a Swarovski 2.5–4X scope. The ammunition was handloaded with 140 grains of powder, a Remington No. 91/2 Magnum primer, and a 450-grain Woodleigh Bullet RN Well-Core, BC .338. My binocular was a Steiner 6x30. We hunted hard across the Caprivi for eight days and saw multiple herds, some herds up to 400 head, but still no daggaboy. On day nine a herd of 85 moved in, and there he was in the middle of it. We stalked him, maneuvering through termite mounds and thorn brush, maddening this 1,800-pound bull until he stood alone in the open savannah at 105 yards. Using shooting sticks, I placed a frontal shot, and the 450-grain Woodleigh penetrated perfectly, ending the hunt with a single round.”
Ken Wallach, Prescott, Ariz.
“South Dakota has trophy bison hunts that qualify for the B&C record book, and after applying for many years I finally drew a tag for one. This bull was shot on Nov. 18, 2025, with a .340 Weatherby Magnum. He weighed about 2,200 pounds on the hoof and should easily beat the B&C minimum of 115 inches. South Dakota requires its bison hunts to be guided, so hunters harvest the right animal for which they drew a tag. My hunt was guided by Ranger Chad Kremer. We spotted several eligible bulls the first day. By day two of the hunt, Chad got me within range of a huge bull spotted late the day before. He was in a group of bulls that had left the herd after the breeding season, and were up in the hills.”
Russ Breslford, Milan, Pa.
Russ thought he was going to go on his first Africa safari about 10 years ago, but that hunt fell through, making this hunt in South Africa in April of last year his first adventure. Joining the hunt via an invite from a long-time hunting buddy, Russ had a list of plains game he wanted to take, with kudu taking the lead. Well, he got his chance, and on the first day of the hunt, no less. Stalking along with his PH within shooting range of this big bull, Russ leveled his .300 Weatherby on the shooting sticks and waited for a shot opportunity, while 10 years of anticipation and excitement coursed through his body. Finally, the magnificent bull stepped into an opening, and Russ’s 180-grain Nosler AccuBond found its mark. A decade of waiting finally came to a close. By the end of his trip, Russ had taken all five of his desired animals, plus one more for good measure.
Bob Wray, Chesterfield, Va.
“I made it back out West in October 2025 for my mule deer hunt in Colorado. I was hunting with Sangre de Cristo Outfitters on a ranch west of Canon City. My guide was Tom Schulze, and his wife, Pat, kept us well fed. We saw some bucks on the first day, but no shooters presented a shot. We were looking for a solid, mature buck. On the second morning we found a good buck worth looking at, but as we were glassing him Tom saw several more bucks in a creek bottom. After looking them over, he decided the buck at the far-left end was the best one in the bunch. The group started to get nervous, so I quickly got him in my crosshairs and squeezed the trigger on my Remington 7mm Mag., dropping him at 128 yards. That gun, loaded with 160-grain Nosler Partitions, has been my go-to for over 20 years, doing the job on elk, moose, sheep and mountain goat.”
Greg & Callie Koch, Washington, Iowa
We’ll let 10-year-old Callie tell this one: “My dad and I went to my grandparents’ farm to hunt. I had been hunting on my youth tag all season. I wounded one but we never could find it early in the season. On New Year’s Day, I was hunting with the muzzleloader, and we saw six deer as we were sneaking into the stand, but then nothing until the golden hour when at least 20 deer, all does, showed up. Then a nice buck showed up 110 yards to my right, but I just didn’t have a clear shot. Then a 4x4 buck came out at 120 yards to my left. Finally, I shot. After the smoke cleared, we went to look for him, and he was laying just inside the woods! He only went 30 yards! The best part is it was the same deer that I nicked early in the season! I am very excited to get my first deer!” Callie’s dad, Greg, adds that she was shooting a .50-caliber CVA Optima “smoke pole.”
Ursula Schultz, Vancouver, Wash.
Ursula, 69, drew her first ever tag for the Idaho blackpowder deer season. It would be her first hunting trip carrying a rifle. The morning of Nov. 13, 2025, her third day out, she was accompanied by her husband, Howard. She was headed to a certain hunt area, but she spotted a buck on a ridge so she changed course and headed after it. After sneaking ahead of the buck, using trees to cover her approach, she got to within 40 yards as he continued to move up the ridge. She waited for him to move from a brushy patch into a small opening. After perhaps 10 minutes, as she held her .50-caliber CVA Accura steady, the buck stepped into the open and she took her shot. Lining up the buck’s vitals with her Williams Western Precision sights, she made the shot, hitting the buck in the vitals, with 80 grains of Hodgdon 777 pushing a 285-grain PowerBelt, which she has kept after finding the mushroomed bullet when gutting the buck. What a great first buck!
Greg Zimmerman, Kingsland, Texas
Greg was a new member on a low-fence deer lease located near Pearsall, Texas, when this buck showed up on his first hunt of the season. The buck walked in just after daylight and milled around a little before turning broadside at 140 yards. Greg immediately decided the buck was a shooter, and used his trusty 45-year-old Remington 700 in .270 Win. to put a 130-grain Hornady bullet through his heart. The 17-point buck officially scored 1981/8 inches, which happened to be the highest-scoring buck ever killed on the lease in more than 20 years! The 15 other lease members were congratulatory and genuinely happy for Greg, though Greg feels a little guilty about taking the lease’s No. 1 all-time-scoring buck in his first year on the lease.
Tom & Arizona Bartlett, Collins, N.Y.
Is there a better way to turn 12 than by sitting in a goose blind? Arizona Bartlett didn’t think so. On Sept. 3, 2025, she was up before sunrise to join her dad, Tom, for her first hunt as a hunter. Around 7:30 a.m., a pair of geese started their approach to the pond and dropped altitude as they circled. It looked to be a picture-perfect set, but the geese had other plans and landed on the ground beyond the reach of “Betty,” Arizona’s 20-gauge Remington 870. Tom didn’t give up, and after some soft calling the birds entered the water and swam into range. Arizona was ready, and when the shot was called she popped up and raised her shotgun. As the birds took flight, she unloaded three volleys of Winchester Xpert No. 2’s and was able to dump both birds into the pond. Arizona and Tom didn’t stop there. The deadly duo added 10 more birds to their pile before calling it a day. Twelve birds on your 12th birthday sounds like a great day of hunting!
Mike Weber, Scenery Hill, Pa.
“The first day of my Newfoundland moose hunt, Sept. 22, was my birthday. That morning, a bull was called in, and my friend Bob Ament of Bradford, Pa., made a 20-yard kill shot with his bow. Very cool! That afternoon I spotted a cow and a good bull 800 yards away. Guide Dion and I quickly made a stalk plan and went to work, playing the wind and getting ahead of their travel course. Twenty minutes later, we had just reached the planned spot when the cow came into view with the bull in tow. I worked the bolt on my Savage .300 Win. Mag. and its 165-grain Sierra GameKing. ‘Two hundred yards,’ whispered Dion. Steadying on a spruce limb, I settled the crosshairs of the 6.5x20mm Leupold behind the bull’s shoulder. At the recoil, I watched the bull crumple into the spruce brush. Walking up to the massive animal was a surreal moment. What a lucky kid I am to enjoy my 55th birthday this way!”
Butch Meilinger, Wind Gap, Pa.
“This was my first hunt on the European continent. I met Javier Pizzaro from Spanish Safaris at the NRA Great American Outdoor Show in Harrisburg, Pa. This would be the fifth continent that I have been fortunate to hunt. I was very interested in the Becetie ibex, and I booked the hunt at the 2024 show for the spring of 2025. I would be hunting in the Terule province of the Cantabrian Mountains. After a nice stalk, I had a 292-yard shot that resulted in a great mature ibex. With several days left in the hunt, Javier talked me into a seven-hour ride to the Badajoz province in the Sierra de Badaya’s thick Mediterranean forest. We were going to hunt for the Iberian mouflon sheep. At 79 years old I wasn’t quite sure I would be able to handle this. The terrain was thick, rocky and steep, and a bit difficult for me. On the second day, while working our way down the mountain, Javier says, ‘Get ready, I hear them running.’ Below us at 102 yards, seven sheep came running across a very small opening, single-file and about five seconds apart. The last one was a great ram. Somehow, I found him in the scope and got a round off in the three-second opportunity that was afforded to me. Javier says to me, ‘I heard the hit, but I don’t know where it was.’ We went down and searched the area and found him about 35 yards away in the thick vegetation. I was using Javier’s Blaser R-8 in .270 WSM with a Hornady 140-grain bullet, as I’m comfortable with the platform and it can be a bit difficult bringing guns into Spain. The magnificent Iberian sheep scored well and was ranked No. 5 in the Safari Club International record book. My sincere thanks to Javier for being patient with me and providing me with such a fantastic experience.” Sounds like the trip of a lifetime!
Darrell York, Colchester, Conn.
“I hope everyone is lucky enough to hunt with a friend they have known since their freshman year in high school. We met on the rifle team. We hunted together with our fathers. He isn’t just a hunting buddy, we have had each other’s backs through marriages, divorces, children, career changes and the loss of parents. Last year Jorge had to temporarily relocate to Michigan, so our deer hunting opportunities together were very limited. Jorge had a day when he was coming home, and we decided to spend the entire day hunting together. One of the few good things about cell phones is that although you aren’t on stand together you can still communicate. We both had passed some does and joked about the stocking truck showing up. Then, with three minutes of shooting light left, a giant buck appeared out of the mountain laurel. It was obvious he was a giant deer by Connecticut standards, and I didn’t have much time to make a shot. I made the shot with the .270 Mauser I built with my dad when I was 10. The deer fell in sight, and I texted Jorge ‘BBD.’ It was an incredible deer with an extra main beam and 12 scorable points. It is a gift from God and possibly a deer of a lifetime, made even more special by the circumstances, and the person I shared it with.”
Ron Lloyd & Paige Renshaw, Cadillac, Mich.
Paige wrote to us about a hunt with her grandpa, Ron, last year on her family’s centennial farm, where he was born and raised. “A couple of hours before dusk on opening day of rifle season, my-80-year-old grandpa and I settled into the same blind we’ve shared every opener for as long as I can remember. At 4:15 p.m., I took my doe. We barely had time to breathe before realizing something unusual—none of the deer ran. We spent the next hour watching the remaining deer and enjoying each other’s company. Just before last light, a heavy-bodied brown figure stepped into view. At 5:15, Grandpa got his scope on the old 8-point and took his shot. We sat there grinning like kids, the woods dimming around us, another opening day written into our shared history. After losing his arms in a farming accident at the age of 14, nothing about hunting has ever been easy for him. Yet year after year, he finds a way back into the woods. Watching him take that buck wasn’t just about success, it was about perseverance, grit and a lifelong bond with the land. Sitting beside him on that ground, rich with memory, tradition and time, made the day feel bigger than a successful hunt. It was a reminder that some traditions aren’t just passed down; they’re lived, year after year, in the same quiet woods.”
Herb Wollerman, Eagle, Idaho
Last October, after a lifetime as a non-hunter and after a heart-attack in July, Herb managed to clear his schedule for the first day of the season. His son-in-law and grandson joined him and his rifle, a CVA Cascade chambered in 6.5 PRC, firing a 143-grain Hornady ELD-X.
“We hunted just north of Horseshoe Bend, Idaho. We drove out at about 5:30 a.m., and prayed for safety and success when we got there. We set up below a large ridgetop boulder, and at sunrise I glassed just to see if anything was visible. I panned from left to right. When I got to the hill straight in front of me I couldn’t believe my eyes: I was staring at a bedded buck 130 yards away about 50 feet lower in elevation. But it was hard to tell; I asked my son-in-law if he could see antlers on it. So I took deep breaths three times then pulled the trigger. I killed my first mule deer in the first 10 minutes of the first day of rifle season. He was so beautiful my wife insisted on having him mounted.”
Emily Powell, Norwalk, Wis.
“Six years ago, my grandpa and I started building points for a mule deer hunt in Colorado. When we finally drew our public-land buck tags it felt like winning the lottery. We loaded our horses, wall tent, and a week’s worth of gear and headed west. We both carried .270s to honor the legendary cartridge’s 100th anniversary. Scouting turned up small bucks and does, but no giants. On day two, Grandpa harvested a solid 4x4. The pressure shifted to me. Day three was slow. Day four brought a snowstorm that shut down movement. When it cleared I pushed out, determined to fill my tag. A 3x3 appeared at 400 yards, but I couldn’t close the gap. Defeated, we headed back toward camp, but then everything changed. We spotted a herd of deer feeding. I slipped into fallen timber and set up on a downed log. As I searched for the most mature buck, a heavy 5x5 crested the ridge at 75 yards. I waited for a clear lane, squeezed the trigger on my single-shot Ruger No. 1 and sent a 150-grain Winchester Super X at him. He dropped. My first mule deer—a 174⅝-inch trophy—was an unforgettable hunt.”
William Dye, Georgetown, Texas
After 11 years of public-hunt applications and against near impossible odds, William was fortunate enough to be selected for the December 2025 TPWD Guided Desert Mule Deer hunt at the Yoakum Dunes WMA in the lower Texas Panhandle. The hunt was quite possibly the best experience he’s ever had in his 50 years of hunting. The area state biologist/guide, being cognizant of the fact that many hunters apply for years to be fortunate enough to draw a hunt of this nature, displayed extraordinary effort to help him locate a trophy mule deer amongst the shinnery oaks and sand dunes of West Texas. Despite unseasonably warm and dry weather conditions that are not always conducive to deer hunting, William was able to connect with a beautiful desert mule deer that had an inside spread of just under 30 inches! With literally 10 minutes to go before the hunt ended, his .270 Ruger M77 Mark II LH rifle, topped with a Leupold VX-III 2.5-8x scope, did not fail to produce, and the Hornady Custom 130-grain Interlock bullets ensured a clean, ethical kill. After a successful recovery, the feeling of appreciation was almost overwhelming. “This was my first ever mule deer harvest,” writes William, “and I will be forever humbled to have had the experience. With many thanks and a grateful heart.”
Bobby Lowe, Idaho Falls, Idaho
NRA Life member Bobby Lowe traveled to the hot Savannah of northern Cameroon in mid-January of 2025. Daytime temperatures were up to 109 degrees while hunting for the elusive Lord Derby’s eland. “We drove the dusty two-track roads looking for sign of eland herds crossing from one hunting block to another. When we found tracks made by a large old bull, my PH, two trackers and I started following the herd. We followed the tracks for several miles until the tracker spotted a flicking ear, then a swish of an eland tail holding up out of the heat in a shady grove of trees. We glassed for several minutes before we spotted the bull keeping tabs on his harem. Some of the eland cows started to move single-file out of the grove. Eland don’t stay in one place very long. They have excellent senses, are constantly moving and checking the wind for threats. The bull followed near the end of the line of cows. He nudged a couple of the other animals with his large spiral horns to get them moving. My PH set up the tripod shooting sticks so I could get a solid rest for my shot. My rifle is a custom-made 1909 Mauser in .375 Ruger with a Swarovski scope. When an opportunity came for a clear shot, my crosshairs settled on the large animal’s shoulder. At the shot, he lurched into the air then charged through the trees. We followed the trail of blood, finding the bull dead. Lord Derby’s eland are special animals. They are a trophy highly desired by sportsmen. I also bagged a western roan, hyena, kob, reedbuck, hartebeest, Nile perch and tiger fish on this adventure. It was a special trip with lifelong memories.”
Ed Pfannkoch, Chatfield, Minn.
“‘I never win anything at these banquets,’ I said to my gun club members at the Friends of NRA banquet 30 years ago. The ‘fates’ made a liar of me that day, as my ticket stubs were drawn from two of the raffle buckets and also for the premier prize, an S&W stainless 629 .44 Magnum revolver. One day, I hoped to hunt deer with it.
“This year, after harvesting a doe on the last morning of the firearm season, I decided to try a rarely hunted afternoon stand just to see what might be walking around. I brought my .44 Magnum ‘just in case.’ After an hour, a doe wandered by, glancing behind her. Minutes later, a small 6-point followed her trail, made a scrape 20 yards directly in front of me and then continued along her trail. Thirty minutes later, through the brush, I immediately recognized the antlers I had seen on a few trail-camera pictures. The mature buck stopped at the new scrape, offering a perfect broadside shot where my 240-grain Hornady XTP ended his travels. What started 30-plus years ago culminated in taking my biggest whitetail to date, a beautiful 188-pound 12-point.”
John Hudson, Bennington, Okla.
“On Dec. 1, 2025, my wife and I were returning from our weekly trip to town. The weather was overcast, and it was drizzling rain. We live 2 miles down a dirt road, and boy were the deer moving. I told my wife that I was getting in the blind as soon as we got home. I’m fortunate enough to hunt my own place with a five-minute SxS drive to my blind. I was in the blind by 2 p.m. with many does and small bucks passing by. My box blind is on a 6-foot platform with a creek behind it. At about 3:30 I noticed movement to my left, right next to the blind. It was a nice 10-point. He came out of the creek and was standing right next to the blind. I couldn’t move a muscle or I’d be busted. I stayed composed, and when the buck cleared the blind I took an easy, 30-yard shot. It was the perfect ending to a beautiful fall deer hunt. I’m very thankful and blessed for this opportunity. Other than archery, I’ve never harvested a deer this close. I was using a Weatherby Vanguard chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor shooting Nosler 140-grain ammo. We’ve owned this ranch for four years now. Our deer management with feeders, food plots and minerals is beginning to pay off. Thanks to my lovely wife for the great picture.”
Randall Knowles, Great Falls, Mont.
Randall and his wife, Sheryl, both have had cancer. Knowing the stress the disease can place on people, the couple makes it a point to support a local free housing center for out-of-town patients. When the center auctioned a two-day cow elk hunt, Randall walked away the winner. Hunting alongside Montana FWP biologist Cory as his guide, it didn’t take long to get into the elk. Spotting a herd of roughly 400 animals, the hunters set up and waited, hoping to catch them as they crossed a ranch road in search of alfalfa. The first of the elk crossed out of range, but then three more were spotted much closer. Cory ranged them at 285 yards. Shorting his hiking pole, Randall kneeled, leveled his .30-378 Weatherby rifle topped with a Zeiss Victory V8 scope, and when the lead cow stopped broadside he sent a 220-grain pill on a mission for meat. The cow fell. Moving on to the second cow, Randall’s first shot was just out front, but he was able to connect with a quick follow-up. The meat was boned and loaded into coolers by 11 a.m. In true Knowles fashion, Randall and Sheryl donated plenty of elk burger to their local food bank. Randall concluded his entry with this quote: “You ultimately judge the civility of a society not by how it treats the rich, the powerful, the protected, and the highly esteemed; but by how it treats the poor, the disfavored, and the disadvantaged.”—Author and lawyer Bryan Stevenson
Brett Miller, South Jordan, Utah
After 37 years of application attempts, last fall Brett finally got the chance of a lifetime to go after desert bighorn sheep in Arizona. He traveled from Utah to Arizona twice to scout for sheep with his guide, Jason Marsalla, who was able to relocate Brett’s target ram again a day before this hunt in late November. “Opening day,” wrote Brett, “after hiking in the dark for three hours, my son, Nevada, Jason, Cole and I arrived at our glassing point near where the ram was the day before. The big ram ended up giving us the slip. He was spotted again way north of our location, and for the next three days we patiently waited, keeping on the big ram and his ewes from a distance. He was in locations where we were unable to get close to him. On the fourth day, we were able to get to about 350 yards of the ram. After fighting the angle of the sun, I was finally able to get him in the scope of my .270. He was facing us head-on. One shot later the ram was down. Hugs and a huge sigh of relief, I finally had my Arizona desert bighorn.”
Gordon Eiland, Fort Worth, Texas
Gordon’s grip-and-grin photo with his Sitka blacktail doe screams success, but that is only a small part of his week-long experience on Kodiak Island. All told, the hunt for that particular doe lasted almost nine hours: two-and-a-half hours up the mountain: an hour-and-a-half glassing and stalking; two hours resting and breaking down the doe he shot and a buck his buddy Joe shot for the pack out; and three hours to get them and the meat down the mountain again. “In the process, I think I employed every form of unassisted human locomotion over terra firma—walking upright, crawling on hands and knees, crawling on my belly and scooting on my butt,” writes Gordon. As he explains it, he tore a calf muscle on the way down the mountain, and if that wasn’t enough, he dealt with torrential rains and 60 mph winds that collapsed his tent during the night. That and a bear stealing half the camp’s meat stash! Of course, none of that stopped Gordon and Joe from adding a few more deer to their haul before the float plane arrived to take them back. “I am glad I did it, but I think my Alaska hunting days are over,” he says. Never say never, Gordon. Alaska has a way of pulling hunters back!
Scott Pickford, Sterling, Ill.
Last year, Scott carried a Uberti Courteney Stalking Rifle in .45-70 wearing a Leupold VX-3HD and firing Hornady LeverEvolution 325-grain bullets.
“In a treestand on a cold, 20-degree morning in northern Illinois, shooting time had arrived. Not 10 minutes into the hunt, a very nice buck appeared about 30 yards away. I had the rifle in hand and slowly raised it up to sight through the new scope. As I tried to get the X on the spot, I couldn’t see anything. That new scope had fogged up. With slow movements, I raised my right hand off the trigger to rub the front glass of the scope to clean away the fog. Looking to put the X on the spot for the second time, I still could not see. Again, with slow movements my hand was used to clean the rear glass. Looking to shoot the third time, I still could not see through the scope. By this time the deer had moved on through the shooting lane. I sat in that tree and fumed about the money I had spent on that scope and how it fogged up and ruined the shot. Then I noticed that I still couldn’t see. It took me all that time to realize it was not the scope but my eyeglasses that had fogged up. After a good laugh I stayed in the tree, put my eyeglasses in my pocket and, as luck would have it, an hour and a half later five does wandered by along with that same buck that was with them. At about 90 yards the rifle and the scope worked great.”
Charlie Newell, Newnan, Ga.
“I crawled through the pale grass and cactus outside Douglas, Wyo. The sky silver with clouds. My guide slid in beside me. As we crested the hill, a mature antelope sprang to his feet. My heart hammered as we set up the tripod and mounted my 6.5 Creedmoor Ruger American Predator rifle. The buck huffed. I had seconds. I found him in the crosshairs, heartbeat pounding in my ears. I breathed, steadied and fired, sending a Hornady ELD-X out to greet him. He ran hard down the far side, blood spilling from his flank. We circled another knoll and found him bedded. A coal train rolled in behind us, and the ground shook. The antelope stood again and hobbled off. This time, I steadied the rifle on my pack. He quartered perfectly, and I squeezed the trigger. He dropped. The next day, my brother-in-law and father-in-law each shot their antelope. Afterward, I stood on a bluff eating a sandwich, watching an ocean of grass ripple in the wind while our guide skinned the buck. I said out loud, ‘I love being a man.’ Everyone turned. They looked at me. They nodded. It was a day I’d dreamed about for years. I still dream about it!”
Don Patterson, Corvallis, Mont.
“The 2025 elk season in Montana’s Missouri River Breaks began with a sky painted in rose-colored hues, illuminating the rugged coulees. Hiking along the transition line where the gray sagebrush yields to the dark timber of ponderosa pines, the morning air was crisp, but the anticipation was electric. When the bull stepped out across the canyon, the rangefinder confirmed the challenge: 595 yards. I went prone, digging the legs of the bipod into the soil for a solid foundation. My rifle, chambered in 7mm PRC and tipped with a short suppressor to tame the muzzle blast, sat perfectly still. Trusting the high ballistic coefficient of the 175-grain ELD-X bullet, I sent the round downrange. The suppressed report was a dull thump rather than a crack, followed almost instantly by the sound of a solid impact. Upon reaching the downed elk, the real work began. Using the gutless method, I efficiently broke down the bull, keeping the meat clean and cooling it quickly on the canyon floor. With heavy quarters strapped to my pack frame, the hike back to the truck was physically grueling, yet every step carried the weight of a memory made in the wildest country left in the West.”
Donald Kay, Wind Gap, Pa.
Donald says, “The quest for this ‘trophy’ began three seasons ago; I wanted to kill a buck over a decoy. At 83 years of age and now hunting alone, tree hunting is no longer an option. Three seasons ago I became intrigued with decoys but was not convinced that they worked, so I sent one to my friend Lucian, who had a spot where one might prevail; it did, and he killed a buck. The following season I had a decoy that brought in a large buck; however, it was too dark for a shot. The following year a mature buck was headed for the decoy, but he must have seen movement through the mesh of the tent and he bolted. This past season I was in a tower blind, and this ‘trophy’ approached the decoy with purpose. He provided a double-lung shot at 10 yards; the Raven crossbow, Death Grip Bog Pod, Flambeau Scrapper Buck decoy with the antlers removed and some doe estrus applied to the tail, and a Ram Cat broadhead sealed the deal, and he expired quickly 70 yards out. I consider this buck a ‘trophy’ because of all the time spent planning and hours of anticipating over the decoy. In 69 years of hunting, I have had the pleasures and thrills of hunting woodcock, ruffed grouse, pheasants, bobwhite quail, waterfowl, turkeys and whitetail deer.”
Mike Post, Earlton, N.Y.
“Swamps and clear-cuts, 8-10 miles a day—did I say I’m 75 years old? Got a tag to hunt moose with Mike Watson and his son, Tyler, in New Brunswick, Canada. Four days I walked, directly behind Mike, concentrating on each ankle-twisting step. Last day, in the dark, we parked 11/2 miles from our hunt location. Three men; no talking; no lights; only moonlight; walking with intention. We arrived at a clear-cut a couple of minutes before legal light. In the dark we could hear cows and bulls calling. We crept up the hill another 100 yards. Tyler started scanning with his bino just as the clear sky started to lighten. ‘There’s the bull!’ he whispered. It was silhouetted 270 yards on the crest. Mike set up my shooting sticks. As I put the crosshairs on his huge chest, I flipped off the safety on my Remington 700 BDL and breathed in, long and slow. He’s broadside, looking directly at us. Through my Leupold 3x9 I see a 10-point whitetail buck standing 10 yards behind him.
“Boom! I sent a 180-grain Core-Lokt RN his way. Bull’s head drops, he heaves one wobbly step, I hear Mike and Tyler whisper simultaneously, ‘He’s hit!’ Head comes up slowly as it’s turning away … he falls on his side. Mine. Mike and Tyler both scream, ‘He’s down!’ Lots of hugs and—I’m not ashamed to say—tears. An amazing dream come true!”
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