October 20th, 2025
Straight talk from the field — no fluff, no filters, just the hunt and the headlines.
🏆 Giveaway ends Oct 22! Share this newsletter with 3 buddies who subscribe and score bonus entries toward the drawing.
🦌 Record Bull, Idaho Loss & Montana’s Wolf War
The hunt’s highs, lows, and the debates shaking the West — from a new archery world record to a tragic accident and the wolf-quota lawsuit heating up. Plus, new research shows deer scrapes actually glow under UV light.
🎯 Table of Contents
⚠️ Tag Watch — Idaho Tragedy & Wolf Quota Lawsuit
🐺 Predator Watch — Montana Law Battle
🧰 Gear Drop — Christensen Arms Evoke + El Cap Camper
💪 Fit to Hunt — UV Vision & Elk Tactics
📓 Field Notes — Grizzly-Chasing Mules & Zoo Bison Showdown
🏆 Record Bull Confirmed — Casey Brooks’ 478 2/8″ Archery Giant
The Pope & Young Club officially confirmed Casey Brooks’ non-typical bull elk as the new archery world record at 478 2/8 inches, beating the previous mark by more than 28 inches.
Harvested December 31, 2024 in Kittitas County, Washington
Officially scored and verified October 13 by a joint P&Y + Boone & Crockett panel
Taken with archery gear — making it the largest ever recorded of its kind
Brooks’ bull, now known simply as the Brooks Bull, represents the pinnacle of persistence and precision.
👉 READ: GOHUNT Story
⚠️ Tag Watch // Tragedy in Idaho
A hunting accident near Elk River claimed the life of Lt. Nathan Kaas, a Riverside County Sheriff’s Department officer. Idaho State Police and local investigators say the incident occurred during a private hunt; details remain under review.
👉 READ (CBS News): Riverside County Sheriff’s Lt. Killed in Idaho Hunting Accident
In other enforcement news, two elk were shot and not fully salvaged near Bovill. Idaho Fish & Game reminds hunters it’s illegal to leave tenderloins or loins behind.
👉 READ (IDFG): Elk Harvest Violation Near Bovill
🐺 Predator Watch // Montana Lawmakers Sue Over Wolf Quotas
Two Montana lawmakers and the Outdoor Heritage Coalition filed suit against Montana FWP, claiming the 452-wolf quota doesn’t meet the population-reduction targets set by state law.
The plaintiffs argue current limits reduce harvest only ~26%, not the ~30% required.
The case could reshape next season’s wolf rules if judges agree the commission undercut the legislature.
👉 READ: Montana Lawmakers Sue Over Wolf Hunt Limit
🎯 Predator Calling – Max Your Setup
🔊 Seven Tips to Call In More Predators – A tactical breakdown from Born Hunting on dialing up your predator success. Born Hunting
Key takeaways:
Plan your entry & exit path so you’re not silhouetted when you hit your calling site.
Match your prey distress sounds to local critters — deer, turkeys, pronghorn — it boosts response rate.
Invest in a quality e-caller — high fidelity = better attraction, and consider using a suppressor so you can relocate quietly.
Time your set: 71% of predator responses came within 5 minutes of calling; if no response by 10-15 minutes, move.
🧰 Gear Drop // Built for the Backcountry
🎯 Christensen Arms Evoke Rifle
Sub-MOA accuracy under $1,000 with TriggerTech trigger and threaded stainless barrel — a budget rifle built like a custom.
👉 GEAR: Christensen Arms Evoke
🚙 Tribe Trailers El Cap Camper
A 1,600 lb hard-sided truck camper built for serious hunters. Rugged cab-over design, ample storage, and off-road clearance make it ideal for multi-day hunts deep in.
👉 GEAR: Tribe Trailers El Cap
💪 Fit to Hunt // Quick Guides & UV Vision
🔦 Deer Rubs That Glow to Bucks
UGA Deer Lab research shows fresh rubs and scrapes fluoresce in UV light — and deer see it 20× better than humans. Hunters using 365 nm flashlights can spot active sign before daylight and key in on rut-stage bucks.
👉 READ: Outdoor Life Article
🦌 Quick and Dirty Guide to Elk Hunting
IDFG’s field guide covers tag timing, scouting, and packing meat efficiently — a solid refresh for anyone heading out before snow hits.
👉 READ: IDFG Elk Guide
🏋️♂️ Hunt-Ready Fitness Tips
Pack Circuit: 3 rounds – 15 weighted step-ups (use your pack, 40–50 lbs) → 10 push-ups → 30 sec wall-sit → 15 bodyweight squats. Builds leg drive for pack-outs.
Core Under Load: Hold your pack at chest height, walk 50 ft forward + 50 ft backward. Repeat × 3. Strengthens stabilizers for uneven ground.
Mobility Check: Spend 5 minutes nightly on hip flexor and calf stretches; prevents lower-back fatigue during steep climbs.
Cardio Goal: 2 incline hikes or stair climbs per week, 30 min each, wearing half your expected hunt weight.
Mindset Drill: Finish every workout with a 1-minute plank. When it burns, remind yourself—“this is the last 200 yards with a quarter on my back.”
📓 Field Notes // Mules, Grizzlies & Oddities
🐴 Yellowstone Guide’s Mules Chase Grizzly
Kipp Saile of Rockin’ H Outfitters says his pack string once “ganged up” on a young grizzly near camp — another reminder that back-country horses are worth their weight in rifle rounds.
👉 READ: Yellowstone Guide Story
🦬 Elk Beats Bison at Zoo Showdown
A North Carolina bull elk named Tommy flattened a bison during feeding time — biologists say in the wild the tables would turn, but it makes for a wild clip.
👉 READ: Elk vs Bison
What is the best Elk Cartridge available today?
🎁 Giveaway Reminder — Drawing Ends Oct 22
Our fall giveaway wraps up Tuesday, October 22 — make sure you’re in the running.
Want extra entries?
👉 Share this newsletter with 3 buddies who subscribe using your referral link, and you’ll automatically get bonus entries toward the drawing.
(1 friend = +1 entry, 3 friends = +2 entries, 5 friends = +5 entries — no limit.)
Follow link to our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581480652404 for contest information.
🤠 Sign-Off
From record bulls to tough breaks in the field, the season’s reminding us what the hunt’s really about — respect, readiness, and keeping your edge.
Stay dangerous out there.
— The Western Vantage Team