We are in the middle of hunting season. By the time you get this issue, most of us at Huntin’ Fool are going to be out chasing mule deer in Colorado. We spend most of the year planning, researching, applying, and scheming on how we can get a tag. All that work that goes into getting the tag can be enjoyable for some and not enjoyable for others. Huntin’ Fool was created to help our members with that process and assist them with going on more and better hunts. I started working for Huntin’ Fool in 2012, and I have seen almost every state make big changes to the application systems and over-the-counter tags systems. It blows my mind when I think about how it used to be. Everything changes, and if you don’t keep up with those changes, you are going to miss out.
To make sure Huntin’ Fool does not miss anything, we have more than doubled the staff since I started working here. Back in the day, we all helped in every department. Today, we have people who specialize in every department. We now have Huntin’ Fool Adventures, which is a great booking agency where those guys specialize in finding hunts for our members. We also opened our Gear Fool store and hired great people who are gear freaks that want to make sure our members are set up for whatever hunt they have. We have also added to our License Application department and the Hunt Advisor department, where I work. I am proud to say that Huntin’ Fool is staying on top of everything so our membership can have the best information and resources available.
By using the Huntin’ Fool information and resources, my family ended up drawing several good tags in 2023. With all three of my boys being busy in high school, I knew it was going to be a chaotic year. With so much going on, I decided not to guide caribou hunters in Alaska so I could focus on the family’s hunts. I really missed Alaska this year but am looking forward to getting back up there in 2024.
Our first hunt was for an Oregon mountain goat. Caleb, my middle boy, beat the odds and pulled a Hat Point goat tag. We went over early looking for a special goat. We finally had our target billy feed into an area that we could recover him. One shot later, Caleb took his first Boone and Crockett animal.
Once Caleb’s hunt was over, I went all in on my Montana unlimited sheep hunt. This is one of my favorite places on earth, and I look forward to this hunt every year. On my tenth day on the unit, I watched my good friend, Lance, harvest a great ram. It was a special moment, and I could not have been happier for Lance as he worked so hard for that ram. The unlimited bighorn sheep areas are special place, and I even ran into a couple of great guys that were Huntin’ Fool members. I will have a full report of Lance’s hunt in the Unlimited Sheep article in April, but until then, here is a teaser photo of his Montana unlimited ram.
Speaking of pictures, we love seeing all the successful pictures from the Huntin’ Fool community. If you have not submitted yours, get them in. We are always looking for cover photos as well as pictures throughout the magazine. If you would like to write a story, give it a shot. Do not be nervous about submitting a story as we have the best editor around. Vanessa does a great job and is a huge asset to all of us here at Huntin’ Fool. To submit a story and/or photos, go to www.huntinfool.com/ stories-contest/submit.