“claws”

In November 2012, Blake Gettys was tending his trap line in Alaska when a grizzly attacked him. Now, the victim and his storyteller examine the event in detail to determine what, if anything, could have gone better.

Thanks to conservation efforts and sometimes over-the-top protective measures, predators are expanding their range across North America. Here’s what to know, what to carry and what to do should you come face to face with fangs and claws.

While it may lack the speed and shapely beauty of modern contenders, this nearly 150-year-old cartridge continues to prove itself in the field. Whoever said nothing lasts forever obviously never met the .45-70 Gov’t.

The rifle was magnificently ugly. So ugly, in fact, that it was beautiful. Here’s how to (and why you should) build your own.

In Alberta, hunters like to hold out for big bears. It’s another thing entirely to hold out for a color-phase bear when coal-black, record-book bruins climb into your lap.

If you’ve ever wondered what draws those audacious few to seek out game that can kill them, the author said it best: Most hunters talk of great days. The dangerous-game hunter speaks of great moments.

The big island is home to an abundance of game including Sitka blacktail, ducks, and fox … and of course, very large brown bears. If you’re looking for adventure, Kodiak is calling. Just be warned: getting there may be the easiest part.

A human footprint preserved inside the track of a giant sloth suggests early hunters stalked the beast in the region of present-day New Mexico.

Every one of us is a trophy hunter, though we look for more than horns and hides. We all collect moments, memories of a hunt, to cherish.