Drawn West

Long Range Muzzleloaders

Dogs running deer, a 200-yard muzzleloader shot, a misfire on the follow up, and an 8-point that somehow stood there forever… this one was chaos in the best (and worst) way.Brian kicks off with two quick updates: the 2025 Colorado mule deer full film is live on YouTube, and a listener question from Joe that turns into a solid breakdown on picking your anchor elk state as a solo hunter. He talks rifle vs archery realities, why repetition matters more than “perfect” tags, and how he’d rotate Montana/Colorado (and maybe Idaho) to stack reps without waiting 10–15 years.Then we get into Minnesota muzzleloader season: a herd gets pushed by two pet dogs, a big buck pauses at 200, the shot breaks, and the follow-up turns into click… click… click. Next morning: blood, pines, and a fast recovery—plus what this long-range muzzleloader setup has changed for his CRP farm hunts.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.Watch the full Colorado Mule Deer Film:https://youtu.be/sIqJk35O7Bs FREE Gear Checklist:https://www.getdrawnwest.com/gearFREE Drawn West Application Calendarwww.getdrawnwest.com/freeproducts Connect with Brian Krebshttps://linktr.ee/getdrawnwest Have Questions or Comments? Send an email to Brian@getdrawnwest.com!Sponsorsand Discounts:GOHUNTInsider - $50 Gear Shop Credit with code DRAWNWEST https://alnk.to/g3aa8L4GOHUNT GearShop – 10% off most items with code DRAWNWEST https://alnk.to/e75Pm4uSave10% onMaverick Hunting Blinds & Accessories with code DRAWNWEST https://maverickhunting.com/?ref=getdrawnwestRTIC Coolers– Keep Your Meat Cold!https://bit.ly/RTICCoolersOkuma Fishing– Rods and Reels for Serious Anglers!https://alnk.to/31sVDzFFirst MonthFREE at MTNTOUGH Fitness with code ROOKIE https://bit.ly/MTNTOUGH_ROOKIESave $150 onSteelhead Outdoors Gun Safes with code WESTERNROOKIE https://tr.ee/fbNvbFXX6QSave 10% onOllin Digiscoping Adapters with code TWOBUCKS https://tr.ee/ZE1XcQ-fbb00:00 Colorado mule deer full filmannouncement02:08 Listener question: solo elkstruggles + point situation04:35 What makes an “anchor elk state”06:00 Rifle vs archery elk when you huntsolo08:04 Why Wyoming general isn’t a truecornerstone state10:24 Colorado as a cornerstone (pressure+ future changes)12:43 Montana general strategy and the“point weirdness”14:30 A practical rotation plan for elkhunting more often16:49 Minnesota muzzleloader: whylong-range matters23:08 Dogs push deer + the 200-yard shot+ misfire chaos34:17 Blood trail, fast recovery, andseason wrap

11-Day Montana Ice Fishing Trip

An 11-day winter road trip, four Airbnbs, overloaded trucks, and some of the most remote ice fishing in the Lower 48.In this episode of the Drawn West Podcast, Brian sits down with Matt Waldron to break down an 11-day western ice fishing road trip across Montana and Wyoming—what went right, what went sideways, and why destination ice fishing deserves way more attention from hunters and anglers alike.Matt walks through the logistics of hauling machines, gear overload, rotating Airbnbs, and filming a full multi-episode series for Crappie Chronicles. They dig into the mental shift between hunting and fishing trips, why ice fishing feels more relaxed, and how preparation, flexibility, and experience keep trips like this from falling apart.The conversation covers everything from remote lake trout fishing on Fort Peck Reservoir, destination walleye fisheries like Devils Lake, and why western fisheries offer a completely different experience than pressured Midwest lakes. Along the way, they get into gear systems, truck builds, safety in remote country, filming realities, and why nothing ever goes exactly as planned on long trips.This episode is part trip recap, part strategy session, and part encouragement to think bigger—whether that’s ice fishing out west, planning destination trips, or simply getting more intentional about how you travel and prepare.Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, leave a 5-star rating, and share the show on social media to help Drawn West keep growing.FREE Gear Checklist:https://www.getdrawnwest.com/gearFREE Drawn West Application Calendarwww.getdrawnwest.com/freeproducts Connect with Brian Krebshttps://linktr.ee/getdrawnwest HaveQuestions or Comments? Send an email to Brian@getdrawnwest.com!Sponsorsand Discounts:GOHUNTInsider - $50 Gear Shop Credit with code DRAWNWEST https://alnk.to/g3aa8L4GOHUNTGear Shop – 10% off most items with code DRAWNWEST https://alnk.to/e75Pm4uSave10%on Maverick Hunting Blinds & Accessories with code DRAWNWEST https://maverickhunting.com/?ref=getdrawnwestRTICCoolers – Keep Your Meat Cold!https://bit.ly/RTICCoolersOkumaFishing – Rods and Reels for Serious Anglers!https://alnk.to/31sVDzFFirstMonth FREE at MTNTOUGH Fitness with code ROOKIE https://bit.ly/MTNTOUGH_ROOKIESave$150 on Steelhead Outdoors Gun Safes with code WESTERNROOKIE https://tr.ee/fbNvbFXX6QSave10% on Ollin Digiscoping Adapters with code TWOBUCKS https://tr.ee/ZE1XcQ-fbb

Colorado Mule Deer Camp Part 3

Brian and Abby are rolling home from Colorado (in the truck, somewhere around Iowa) wrapping Part 3 of their Colorado mule deer trip—and how the last stretch of the hunt actually played out. They break down a “mid-hunt sanity hack” (a rec center day pass for a legit shower), why they stayed committed to the same productive spot instead of gambling on new ground, and the one mistake that made the day feel way harder than it needed to be: forgetting the bino harness with all the critical little stuff in it.The back half is the real meat—spotting two shooter bucks transitioning near private, making a 400-yard play on a solid public-land 3x3, and what happened after the first miss: follow-up shots, closing distance, and making sure the finish was quick and ethical. They wrap with pack-out lessons, why good packs matter, and the bigger takeaway: sometimes whitetail patience is the best mule deer strategy when deer are filtering off private.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.FREE Gear Checklist:https://www.getdrawnwest.com/gearFREE Drawn West Application Calendarwww.getdrawnwest.com/freeproducts Connect with Brian Krebshttps://linktr.ee/getdrawnwest Have Questions or Comments? Send an email to Brian@getdrawnwest.com!Sponsorsand Discounts:GOHUNTInsider - $50 Gear Shop Credit with code DRAWNWEST https://alnk.to/g3aa8L4GOHUNT GearShop – 10% off most items with code DRAWNWEST https://alnk.to/e75Pm4uSave10% onMaverick Hunting Blinds & Accessories with code DRAWNWEST https://maverickhunting.com/?ref=getdrawnwestRTIC Coolers– Keep Your Meat Cold!https://bit.ly/RTICCoolersOkuma Fishing– Rods and Reels for Serious Anglers!https://alnk.to/31sVDzFFirst MonthFREE at MTNTOUGH Fitness with code ROOKIE https://bit.ly/MTNTOUGH_ROOKIESave $150 onSteelhead Outdoors Gun Safes with code WESTERNROOKIE https://tr.ee/fbNvbFXX6QSave 10% onOllin Digiscoping Adapters with code TWOBUCKS https://tr.ee/ZE1XcQ-fbb00:00 Drawn West intro + headed home00:41 Part 3 context + Minnesota season overlap01:50 Day 5 reset + the rec center shower hack03:12 Staying with the same spot vs gambling new ground|04:38 Forgot bino harness + why it mattered08:21 Spotting shooters + the public-land 3x3 appears12:04 Decision time: shoot now or wait for bigger13:23 Shot sequence, follow-ups, and ethics19:26 Pack-out realities + why good packs matter23:55 Biggest takeaways: whitetail patience + tripod shift33:22 Final wrap: heading home + “stay drawn”

Colorado Mule Deer Camp Part 2

Abbey's Tagged Out!This episode picks up on Day 2 of our Colorado mule deer trip, where the pressure ramps up fast. We roll into our “close to private” ridge in the dark and find trucks, four-wheelers, and guys stacked on every knob. Instead of joining the circus, we bail back to our opening-morning spot, watch a solid three-by-three feed at 325–250 yards, and talk through why Abby decides to pass and keep building confidence.Sunday turns into a bonus scouting day on the far side of the unit, where we find almost no people, a pile of deer sign, and even glass a mega three-by-three in somebody’s backyard—then decide to ride or die on our original ridge. By Day 4 the nerves are real, a buck walks past at 20 yards, Abby’s rifle misfires, and we have to troubleshoot sand in the bolt before the next chance.When a big fork steps out on the pipeline at 325 yards, Abby settles in, holds high, and absolutely drills her biggest buck yet, followed by her first real pack-out.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.FREE Gear Checklist:https://www.getdrawnwest.com/gearFREE Drawn West Application Calendarwww.getdrawnwest.com/freeproducts Connect with Brian Krebshttps://linktr.ee/getdrawnwest Have Questions or Comments? Send an email to Brian@getdrawnwest.com!Sponsorsand Discounts:GOHUNTInsider - $50 Gear Shop Credit with code DRAWNWEST https://alnk.to/g3aa8L4GOHUNT GearShop – 10% off most items with code DRAWNWEST https://alnk.to/e75Pm4uSave10% onMaverick Hunting Blinds & Accessories with code DRAWNWEST https://maverickhunting.com/?ref=getdrawnwestRTIC Coolers– Keep Your Meat Cold!https://bit.ly/RTICCoolersOkuma Fishing– Rods and Reels for Serious Anglers!https://alnk.to/31sVDzFFirst MonthFREE at MTNTOUGH Fitness with code ROOKIE https://bit.ly/MTNTOUGH_ROOKIESave $150 onSteelhead Outdoors Gun Safes with code WESTERNROOKIE https://tr.ee/fbNvbFXX6QSave 10% onOllin Digiscoping Adapters with code TWOBUCKS https://tr.ee/ZE1XcQ-fbb 0:00– One Tag, One Week: Part Two Setup0:42 – Day 2: Weekend Pressure and a Crowded Ridge2:16 – Passing the First Real 3x3 Buck at 325 Yards5:05 – Saddles, Private Fields, and Realizing He Was Bigger7:10 – Sunday Scouting: New Country and a Backyard Giant9:30 – Ride-or-Die on the Favorite Spot for Day 311:50 – Camp Routine, Hiking Faster, and Meeting Jake from Arizona14:40 – Day 4 Mindset: “Any Buck I Can Make Happen”16:20 – Misfire at 20 Yards and Fixing the Rifle18:50 – Pipeline Fork at 325 Yards: Abby’s Shot25:20 – Heart Shot, Photos, and Abby’s First Pack-Out28:35 – Abby Tagged Out, Weather Worries, and Brian’s Turn

Idaho’s New Deer & Elk Draw

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.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 Insider - $50 Gear Shop Credit with code DRAWNWESThttps://alnk.to/g3aa8L4FREE Gear Checklist:https://www.getdrawnwest.com/gearFREE Drawn West Application Calendarwww.getdrawnwest.com/freeproducts Connect with Brian Krebshttps://linktr.ee/getdrawnwest Have Questions or Comments? Send an email to Brian@getdrawnwest.com!Sponsorsand Discounts:GOHUNTInsider - $50 Gear Shop Credit with code DRAWNWEST https://alnk.to/g3aa8L4GOHUNT GearShop – 10% off most items with code DRAWNWEST https://alnk.to/e75Pm4uSave10% onMaverick Hunting Blinds & Accessories with code DRAWNWEST https://maverickhunting.com/?ref=getdrawnwestRTIC Coolers– Keep Your Meat Cold!https://bit.ly/RTICCoolersOkuma Fishing– Rods and Reels for Serious Anglers!https://alnk.to/31sVDzFFirst MonthFREE at MTNTOUGH Fitness with code ROOKIE https://bit.ly/MTNTOUGH_ROOKIESave $150 onSteelhead Outdoors Gun Safes with code WESTERNROOKIE https://tr.ee/fbNvbFXX6QSave 10% onOllin Digiscoping Adapters with code TWOBUCKS https://tr.ee/ZE1XcQ-fbb0:00 – Idaho Apps Season Kickoff with GOHUNT1:05 – Idaho OTC “Over the Counter” Myth3:10 – 2026 Change: General Deer & Elk Goto Draw5:20 – Deadlines, Time Zones, and LicenseRequirements7:10 – Why Early January Results Matter forMulti-State Plans9:30 – Non-Resident Caps, Quotas, andResident Priority12:00 – Group Applications: Keeping YourHunting Crew Together15:30 – How the Random Draw & FiveChoices Really Work19:30 – Building Your Idaho Strategy: DreamUnits vs Realistic Picks23:50 – Using GOHUNT Insider & Filtering2.0 for Idaho Elk27:10 – Idaho Mule Deer Potential and SuccessRates30:30 – Tag Prices, Travel Reality, and WhereIdaho Fits in Your Season33:30 – Final Thoughts: Swing Big, Do theResearch, Stay Drawn