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Written by the Pros

Western Hunt Gear: What You Actually Need vs. What You Think You Need — Let's Go West, Part VI

The ultralight-everything approach isn't the only way to hunt out West. Heath cuts through the gear noise and talks about what your pack actually needs — and what you can leave at home.

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Physical and Mental Prep for Your First Western Hunt — Let's Go West, Part VII

Gear lists and tag draws get most of the planning attention. The part that gets people in trouble is showing up physically and mentally unprepared for what the mountain asks of you. Heath covers both.

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How to Scout for Western Deer and Elk Before You Go — Let's Go West, Part V

Most first-timers focus on maps and gear and skip the scouting work that actually puts them in position. Heath covers what pre-season scouting looks like when you can't walk the ground beforehand.

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What Does a Successful Western Hunt Actually Look Like? — Let's Go West, Part IV

Before you set foot in the field, you need to decide what counts as a win. Heath talks through how to define success before you go — because how you answer that shapes every other decision.

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How to Get a Western Big Game Tag — Let's Go West, Part III

OTC tags, draw tags, preference points — western license systems are their own language. Heath breaks down how tags work in the West so you're not applying blind or missing the window.

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Your First Western Elk or Mule Deer Hunt Starts Here — Let's Go West, Part I

Every western hunting trip starts with a question nobody answers straight: where do I even begin? Heath breaks down what first-timers actually need to know before they ever pull a tag or buy a boot.

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Gift Ideas for Hunters, Anglers, and Outdoor Adventurers — 2025 RuckList Gift Guide

Gear worth giving — sourced through SCHEELS and picked for the hunter, angler, or backcountry traveler who actually uses what they carry.

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Archery Whitetail in Oklahoma: Hunting in the Heat

Early-season archery whitetail in OKC with temperatures that make most hunters stay home. Lane Walter on what it takes to sit a stand when the conditions are working against you.

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What to Wear for Fall and Winter River Fishing

Cold water, colder mornings, and browns staging before the spawn. Brian Trainor on the clothing that keeps you on the river when other anglers have already called the season.

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Five Pieces of Hunting Gear Under $100 That Pull Their Weight

Not every piece of gear worth having costs what the top-shelf stuff does. Heath Hansen picks five items that earn their spot in the pack without the price tag that usually comes with field-proven gear.

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A September Elk Hunt in Colorado: What Drew Mathern Packed, Hunted, and Learned

You get a fixed number of days in the woods. Drew's September bull elk hunt is a field report on how he used his — what worked in his pack, what he'd change, and what the mountain gave him.

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How to Use Sled Training to Build Strength for Backcountry Hunting

Resisted sled work builds the kind of leg and posterior chain strength that keeps you moving at elevation when other hunters are sitting down. Adrian Guyer from Ridgeline Athlete breaks down how to program it.

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How Better Decision-Making in the Field Leads to Better Hunts

Good hunters aren't just better shots — they make better calls under pressure, when tired, when the conditions change. Heath Hansen on how to build that skill before you need it.

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Taking Kids to Elk Camp for the First Time

Brian has hunted this same stretch of wilderness for 13 years. This fall, his kids came with him. What that trip looked like — the gear, the miles, and what it means to hand something like this down.

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How Many Hunting Seasons Do You Have Left? Understanding Your Hunting Health Span

Most hunters plan their trips. Few plan their physical capacity to keep taking them. Adrian Guyer from Ridgeline Athlete on what your hunting health span actually is and how to extend it.

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The Hunt That Hooked Me

It was 2018. I had just come off active duty from the Army, stepping into what should’ve been a smooth transition. A good job, steady income, and structure; everything on paper said I was fine. But something in my gut told me otherwise.

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Tis the Season

All the preparation, packing, physical fitness…it’s over.  The 2025 hunting season is here and the anticipation around the RuckList office is high.

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Backpack Ready: Pre-Season Training with ANCORE

Let's be real - preparing for a backcountry trip feels like running a small military operation. You're checking your gear, planning routes, calculating pack weight, securing permits, and meal prepping like you're feeding a small army. The last thing you need is a complicated training plan that requires hauling yourself to a crowded gym or filling your gear room with bulky exercise equipment.

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How RuckList Started: The Shared Spoon That Became an App

RuckList started on a mountain, with a shared spoon, and a conversation that went: "You know what we need, man?" Heath Hansen on how that trip became the product.

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Public Land Elk Hunting in Colorado: When the Hunt Is More Than the Tag

In the winter of 2023, Colin Johnson took a crew of men spanning decades in age and experience into Colorado public land for elk. What happened in that country is harder to explain than the miles they covered.

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