Drawn West

In this GOHUNT Bonus Episode of the Drawn West Podcast, Brian breaks down Idaho’s big move for 2026 as one of the last “over-the-counter” western states shifts non-resident general deer and elk tags to a full draw system. He walks through what’s actually changing, key deadlines (applications due December 15 at 11:59 p.m. MT), the new five-choice application rules, and how group applications work so your whole crew can still hunt together.

Brian also explains why this isn’t the end of the world for traveling hunters, why Idaho’s early-January results are still clutch for multi-state strategies, and how to think about your first and second choices under a random draw with no points. Then he dives into GoHunt’s Insider tools — Filtering 2.0, unit profiles, and trophy/harvest stats — and shows how to sort Idaho elk and mule deer units by success rate, public land, and trophy potential so you’re swinging for the fences smartly.

If you’re eyeing Idaho for 2026, this episode is your blueprint — plus a reminder that code DRAWNWEST gets you $50 in gear credit and 10% off most full-price gear in the GOHUNT Gear Shop when you join Insider.

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Abbey and I are recording this one straight from Colorado deer camp at the end of day one, and it already feels like we’ve been here a week. We walk through the whole road trip out from home, grabbing a Cruise America camper in Denver, rolling into camp at 11 p.m., then scouting all day Friday and hunting hard today.

We break down what we’re seeing so far: ridiculous deer numbers, a crazy buck-to-doe ratio, and more 4x4s and “shooter” bucks than I’ve seen on all my other mule deer hunts combined—just not quite on the public line… yet. We talk through the game plan for hunting public on the edge of big ag, waiting for the rut to really crack open and pull those giants up into the hills.

There’s plenty of campfire story stuff too: Abbey almost getting “eaten” by a fox she never saw, punching a tarantula-sized spider off her hand on a steep ridge, and why renting a cheap little camper might be the ultimate mid-November deer camp hack.

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Is the new Mathews ARC actually a game-changer, or just another flagship with fresh paint? In this episode of the Drawn West Podcast, I sit down with Daniel Parker from Mathews to dig into what’s really different about the ARC 30 and ARC 34. We break down the new limb geometry, the updated SWX2 cam with that perimeter-weight “flywheel” feel, and why this bow stays faster and quieter once you bolt real hunting gear to the string. Daniel brings the behind-the-scenes engineering insight, and I bring the “600-grain elk arrow that once welded itself into a steel plate” perspective. We also nerd out on hinge and resistance releases, target-archery lessons you can steal for hunting season, Kodiak Brown vs Green Ambush, and how to actually choose between the 30" and 34" ARC based on how and where you hunt.

Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and follow @getdrawnwest on Instagram. If you enjoyed this, leave a 5-star rating and share the show with a friend.

Check out the all new Mathews ARChttps://mathewsinc.com/pages/arc

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In this episode of the Drawn West podcast, I’m joined by Kurt Belding of Western Obsessions TV — and we dive into a story that honestly feels too wild to be real. Kurt just got back from a spring grizzly hunt deep in Alaska’s Chugach Range, and the trip had everything you’d expect from interior bear country: endless daylight, brutal weather swings, days and days behind the glass, bush planes, moose paddles, and country so vast it makes Colorado feel like a county park.

But the part that’ll stick with you long after this episode?

Kurt and his team get charged by not one, but TWO interior grizzlies at the same time.

Not a bluff. Not a slow trot.

A full-on brush-breaking sprint from 30 yards that comes down to 17 chaotic, heart-stopping seconds.

We break down the whole sequence — from spotting bears after 70+ hours of glassing, to the debate over bow vs. rifle, to the exact moment his guide handed Kurt the .338 because the bow setup had gotten way too dangerous. Kurt walks through the shots, the confusion, the adrenaline, and the moment he locked eyes with the sow at 15 yards while she decided whether to kill them or keep running.

We also go deep on mental toughness, the Misogi mindset, how to prepare for true backcountry suffering, and what Alaska teaches you about yourself the moment your comfort zone disappears.

Plus:

• how shed hunting for moose paddles became the “victory lap” after the shot

• how guides actually think about bears in coastal vs interior country

• why most lower-48 hunters have no idea how big, wild, or remote Alaska truly is

• what it takes to afford bucket-list hunts without being wealthy

• and why your first Western hunt probably shouldn't be a 14-day solo OTC elk mission from YouTube University

This is easily one of the most intense and entertaining conversations we’ve had on Drawn West, and it’s packed with wisdom for anyone dreaming of Alaska or trying to level up their Western hunts.

If you want to actually see the moment those two grizzlies break through the brush and come straight at Kurt’s crew, go watch the full film on Kurt’s channel, Western Obsessions TV. The footage is raw, real, and absolutely insane — and hearing the story here is one thing, but seeing the chaos unfold on camera is on a different level.

In this episode, we switch gears from tags to tackle and break down my Drawn West Christmas List for Fishermen—with a heavy emphasis on ice fishing. I walk through stocking stuffers, dice-game / white elephant picks, medium gifts, big upgrades, and a few “treat yourself” splurges. We cover proven gear like ice lures (Clam Rattlin’ PT Spoon, Tikka Flash, Pinhead Pro), safety must-haves (ice picks, Yaktrax, Cold Snap auger guards), smart upgrades (inline reels, bait feeders, Vexilar glow rings), and bigger-ticket items like Striker Predator bibs, Otter sonar sleds, Vexilar FLX series, and forward-facing sonar setups.

Also, GoHunt just dropped their biggest sale of the year, and it’s a huge win if you’re planning any Western hunts next season. For Thanksgiving / Black Friday week only, when you sign up for GoHunt Insider with code DRAWNWEST, you’ll get $100 in Gear Shop credit instead of the usual $50. Insider gives you 3D maps, Filtering 2.0, application strategy articles, unit breakdowns, and the most accurate draw odds in the game—all for $150 a year, plus a hundred bucks back in gear!

All the gear I mention in the episode is linked below so you can build your own list or just send this to your family and say, “Here you go.”

Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and follow @getdrawnwest on Instagram. If you enjoyed this, leave a 5-star rating and share the show with a friend.

GoHunt Black Friday / Cyber Monday Deals