Big Stag for the Little Lady By Larry Hatter As featured in October 2015 edition of Hunting Worldwide Magazine..... Perhaps the most extraordinary aspect of life is that a single, seemingly insignificant, event can change its course in the blink of an eye. One chance meeting can send you down a path you never dreamed you’d follow. By some strange twist of fate, today was the culmination of one such occurrence for me. As I stepped off the Spirit of Queenstown, a … [Read more...]
Alaska Wilderness Hunting Article
August 11, 2015
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Secrets of a Camp Fire By Larry Hatter Dusk had crept silently into my midst as I plodded doggedly along the meandering creek bottom. The mountains that stretched dauntingly to the west, an impenetrable fortress of snow, shale and sheer bluffs, had long since claimed the blazing arctic sun for their own. A failed stalk on a lumbering grizzly, once promising, had in reality been long on promise and short on time. Leaving me with precious few minutes to reach my makeshift shelter … [Read more...]
Idaho Mule Deer Hunting Article
August 11, 2015
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Autumn Affair Dusk had struck an eerie quietness upon the craggy landscape which sprawled out before me. The steep, winding canyon, once alive with the gentle glow of the afternoon sun, was now gray and lifeless. A persistent breeze, which carried the faintest odor of wood smoke curling up from the trapper’s cabin in the valley below, once a nuisance, was now downright uncomfortable. I was reminded that, although the sun’s rays had been calm and soothing, old man winter would be … [Read more...]
Idaho mule deer hunt continued….
August 9, 2015
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Miles and I briefly discussed our options. With the prevailing wind squarely in our faces and reasonable cover between us and our quarry, it was an easy decision to make a play on this buck. We left the nonessentials on the rock, bringing only one pair of binoculars and my tried and true rolling block rifle. Although extremely accurate, I still like to gain a position of at least one hundred fifty yards or less from any potential target. A four hundred grain ball carries a lot of knockdown … [Read more...]
Scouting photos preparing for September Archery Mule deer Hunt
July 27, 2015
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Here are a few more pictures from last night's scouting session on the ranch. One nice little group of bucks that will be big one day. The second is of the largest mule deer I've seen this year, unfortunately it's a bad picture. He's to the right of the one antlered buck, you can just make out the outline of his antlers in the wheat stubble. He is a 30 inch 4x4 with a 4 inch kicker on one side. He will push 190 when it's all said and done. Really hopeful we knock down a few of these big … [Read more...]
Mountain Lion Spotted While Scouting Mule Deer and Whitetail on the Idaho Ranch
July 19, 2015
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While doing a routine scouting trip on the ranch last evening we were in for a bit of a treat. This mountain lion was out doing a little hunting of his own! Very rarely do you get to see cougars out hunting or doing anything for that matter. They are so elusive that usually the only way you can see them is by following a well trained pack of hounds to the tree. This cat, however, was out in broad daylight hunting the edge of a wheat field. We were very fortunate to get to watch him for a … [Read more...]
Idaho Mule Deer Hunt In The Rut
June 30, 2015
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The minutes creaked by. An eternity would have passed before sunrise if not for the arrival of my brother, owner of Miles High Outfitters, whom I’d enlisted to help glass today. He pulled up in his battle-scarred pickup right on time. A large grin greeted me, masked only slightly by the scraggly red beard that adorned his face. At first glance he looked more like a candidate to raise a barn, but his eagle eyes were what would come in handy this morning. Once we’d reached my favorite … [Read more...]
Idaho Mule Deer Outfitter Story Continued…..
June 18, 2015
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That evening was more of the same. A lot of small bucks and does lounging around on their fat rumps and flicking their ears inattentively. Apparently they had no inclination that the seasons were changing. Soon utter chaos would break loose on this mountain with the impending rut and then winter shortly thereafter. A summer of lethargy and calorie accumulation would all be but a distant memory. The harsh months for the mule deer were coming. Most of this year’s fawns would not see the next … [Read more...]
Color Phase Spring Bear Hunt
June 4, 2015
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Well the spring bear hunt is over and what an excellent one it was here in Idaho. We are pleased to report that all bears taken, but one, were a color phase other than black! Holy mackerel that's incredible! Not sure where else you can go and expect to see that many cinnamon, chocolate and blonde bears..... Some excellent boars were taken as well with one big red bruin stretching the tape out passed 7 feet squared! We 're also very fortunate in the fact that we got to meet some great … [Read more...]
Idaho mule deer guide story continued……
May 23, 2015
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Continuing on with the story by Idaho mule deer guide Larry Hatter, published in 2015 issue of Horns and Hooks magazine....... Once I’d acquired my position overlooking the canyon it didn’t take me long to find my first subjects. Down a steep grassy slope, some three hundred yards distant, a group of six does filed uniformly out of a brush choked gully and began to feed. Soon followed three gangly fork-horned bucks, most likely last season’s fawns. … [Read more...]
