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Welcome to Hunter’s Brief, your weekly roundup of hunting and fishing news from across the globe. I'm your host, bringing you the latest updates to keep your boots on the ground and your lines in the water.

• US expands hunting on 87,000+ acres of National Wildlife Refuge and Fish Hatchery land
• Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act under congressional review
• Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) faces potential elimination, concerning conservationists
• AI technology revolutionizing biodiversity conservation through data analysis
• Lesser prairie chicken protections threatened despite significant population decline
• Department of Interior renews Colorado River conservation agreements targeting 321,000 acre-feet water storage
• Amendment proposed to expedite federal public land sales in Utah and Nevada
• Bipartisan Explore Act enhances access to federal public lands
• North Dakota enacts 14 new outdoor-related laws effective August 1st

Don't forget to tune in on Monday for our storytelling episode, where we share tales from the field. Subscribe, leave a review, and share the podcast with your fellow outdoor enthusiasts. If there's a story we missed or something you think we should cover, let us know.

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Ever walked into a hardware store covered in blood, desperately trying to convince the cashier you're not a murderer? That's just one of the hilarious mishaps shared by this week's guest, Brian Dowling.

Brian brings a unique perspective as both a firearms expert with an actual master's degree in guns and a veteran who found healing through hunting. Working at XCAL Shooting in Virginia—a massive 97,000-square-foot facility combining shooting ranges, a gym, and a gun store—he's turned his passion into a career that spans gunsmithing, instruction, and product development.

What makes this episode special is the heartwarming thread running through Brian's hunting stories: his incredibly supportive wife. From helping him drag a freshly harvested doe up a hill in a wheelbarrow while wearing pajamas, to stealing "his" perfect pheasant after missing shots all day (much to his good-natured chagrin), their relationship shines through the narrative. When Brian describes seeing his blood-spattered wife hosing down a deer carcass in their yard without complaint, you can hear the genuine admiration in his voice.

The conversation takes us through the challenges of Eastern whitetail hunting, North Carolina hog hunts in eerie swamps, and the comedy of errors that ensues when a hunter isn't properly prepared to transport his harvest. Brian's self-deprecating humor about showing up at a rural hardware store covered in blood to buy rope and a hatchet—prompting the cashier's skeptical "that's what they all say" response to his innocent explanation—will have you laughing out loud.

Beyond the entertainment, Brian offers valuable insights into how hunting serves as effective PTSD therapy for veterans like himself, creating a deeper understanding of why many former service members find such profound peace in the woods. His technical expertise also shines through when discussing rifle zeroing and equipment selection for different hunting scenarios.

https://xcal.com/

https://mimicfirearms.com/

Instagram,

Xcal

Mimic

Brian

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Christensen Arms makes the best hunting and long-range rifles in the world. Made in the USA.

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The line between determination and recklessness blurs in this captivating episode featuring Brendan Bramford, a hunter whose life story spans continents and carries the weight of generations of hunting tradition. Born in Zimbabwe where his father worked as a professional hunter, Brendan's earliest memories include riding in Land Cruisers on safari before his family fled political violence that claimed their home.

Brendan's storytelling prowess shines as he recounts his first black bear harvest in Washington—a tale that begins with him answering nature's call behind camp and spotting what he thought was a burnt stump until it started moving. With his pants literally down, he managed to make the shot of a lifetime, creating a hunting memory equal parts successful and embarrassing.

The heart of the episode centers on Brendan's remarkable elk hunt where stubborn determination overcame physical limitations. Just three days before a planned five-day backcountry archery hunt, Brendan severely sliced his forearm open, requiring extensive stitches. Against medical advice and common sense, he proceeded with the hunt, hiking eight miles into the wilderness with an 82-pound pack and his arm freshly bandaged. When the moment came to draw on his first bull elk, the searing pain nearly derailed the opportunity—but Brendan persevered through multiple shots and tracking to harvest his first archery elk.

The episode closes with sobering stories of Brendan's family history hunting dangerous game in Africa, including his father being run over by a Cape buffalo and a family friend's recent horrific mauling by a leopard. These tales serve as powerful reminders of nature's raw power and the risks some hunters accept in pursuit of their passion.

Are you ready to make your own hunting stories? Subscribe now and join the community of storytellers sharing their adventures from the field to the podcast.

Brendan's Tiktok

Brendan's Instagram

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Facebook

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Christensen Arms makes the best hunting and long-range rifles in the world. Made in the USA.

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Derrick Murray's journey as a hunter began at just five years old, wielding nothing but sticks and his grandfather's questionable advice about knocking squirrels from trees. Remarkably, that bizarre technique worked—creating one of many unforgettable hunting memories that would shape his life.

Through turkey hunts interrupted by oblivious mountain bikers and a troublesome rifle that morphed into a reluctant single-shot, Derrick shares authentic moments from a lifetime in the woods. His most memorable hunt features pants around his knees, deer running through his sights, and five shots in the fading minutes of deer season—a story that perfectly captures the unexpected nature of hunting success.

What makes Derrick's narrative especially powerful is how hunting became his anchor during recovery from addiction. After achieving sobriety nine years ago, his first turkey hunt represented more than just a successful harvest—it marked a reclamation of identity. Watching his young son's eyes light up at the sight of that turkey created a moment of pure connection that reinforced why hunting matters.

Now planning to introduce his five-year-old to the woods, Derrick exemplifies how hunting traditions pass through generations, creating bonds that transcend the simple act of harvest. His stories highlight the healing power of time spent outdoors and remind us that sometimes our most meaningful hunting moments happen when everything seems to be going wrong.

Whether you're a lifelong hunter or simply appreciate authentic outdoor stories, Derrick's experiences offer both humor and heart. Share your own hunting stories with us—we'd love to feature you on a future episode!

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Christensen Arms makes the best hunting and long-range rifles in the world. Made in the USA.

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Twenty years ago, when Dan Adler told friends and family he was leaving the Air Force to become a hunting guide, they asked what he'd do for "real money." Today, as founder of North America's largest outfitting operation with 61 guides across 42 million acres, Dan has the last laugh—and the best stories.

Dan takes us from his earliest days as a fishing-obsessed kid working on boats at age 13 to becoming a first-generation hunter who built an empire from scratch. With entertaining candor, he shares two unforgettable "bathroom disaster" stories that had me laughing out loud: one involving a negative camper who received some karmic justice via a collapsed toilet seat, and another featuring a confused 10-year-old who misunderstood instructions about his canteen during a youth hunt.

The highlight comes when Dan reveals a technique called "shock bugling" that he reluctantly used with a Navy SEAL client who initially forbade bugling as a calling strategy. When the SEAL finally got his opportunity at a massive bull elk, he experienced what Dan calls "cheese melting"—a phenomenon where even the most disciplined individuals freeze up from pure excitement and physically cannot draw their bow.

Throughout our conversation, Dan offers invaluable perspective for hunters of all experience levels, particularly about trophy expectations. He notes that only 4% of harvested elk exceed 350 inches and less than 1% surpass 360 inches, reminding us that a 300-inch bull is still a remarkable achievement. His advice to hunters feeling the pressure of score expectations is refreshingly simple: enjoy the freedom, the outdoors, and the experience rather than fixating on antler measurements.

Ready to learn more from this hunting entrepreneur? Check out Dan's upcoming book "Suck Less at Hunting" or explore his innovative Zero Outfitter Fees program designed to make guided hunts more accessible. This episode is packed with laughs, wisdom, and the kind of authentic hunting stories that remind us why we love the outdoors.

Websites:

www.DiamondOutfitters.com

www.ZeroOutfitterFees.com

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/DiamondOutfittersZeroOutfitterFees

https://www.facebook.com/zerooutfitterfees

Insta:

@zerooutfitterfees

@diamondoutfitters_zof

@diamonddanadler

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When Weston Homa drove 33 hours from Pennsylvania to Idaho for his meticulously planned solo mule deer hunt, he never imagined wildfires would close nearly his entire hunting unit. Standing at the trailhead with his camp already six miles into the mountains, most hunters would have given up and headed home. Not Weston.

This episode chronicles an extraordinary journey of resilience as Weston transforms potential disaster into the adventure of a lifetime. Refusing to accept defeat, he reaches out to a hunting acquaintance in Colorado and pivots his entire plan - ultimately leading to his first archery elk harvest at 12,000 feet. Listeners will be captivated by his raw determination as he stalks herds of elk through high-country basins and ultimately processes and packs out an entire elk solo over three grueling days.

Beyond the hunting story itself, Weston shares profound insights about the mental fortitude required in western backcountry hunting. His philosophy of embracing challenges instead of surrendering to them resonates throughout the conversation, especially when he discusses how this mindset has transformed other areas of his life - from running ultra-marathons to building meaningful connections with fellow hunters.

The conversation takes a powerful turn when Weston delivers a moving message about pursuing your passions wholeheartedly: "We all get to live once... whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might." His journey reminds us that often our most memorable adventures come from adapting to circumstances beyond our control rather than being defeated by them.

Follow Weston's future hunting adventures on Instagram and YouTube @WestonHoma, and submit your own hunting stories to be featured on a future episode through the link in our show notes.

Weston's Links

Weston's Insta

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Christensen Arms
Christensen Arms makes the best hunting and long-range rifles in the world. Made in the USA.

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Guide Caleb Stillians takes us deep into the Alaskan wilderness where survival demands quick thinking, steely nerves, and sometimes a bit of luck. Having spent five to seven months each year guiding in Alaska's remote backcountry, Caleb has accumulated more hunting experience than most will gather in a lifetime.

Through vivid storytelling, Caleb recounts several heart-stopping encounters with brown bears – the coastal giants that can reach 10 feet in length and outweigh their inland grizzly cousins by hundreds of pounds. We're transported to Kodiak Island, where Caleb and his team battled both COVID and a mother bear with cubs in subzero temperatures, forcing them to make life-or-death decisions while physically miserable.

What makes these stories particularly compelling is Caleb's matter-of-fact delivery about situations most would find utterly terrifying. From a bear charging at full speed just yards away to waking up to find a bear three feet from his face while making morning coffee, his experiences reveal both the majestic beauty and unforgiving reality of Alaska's wilderness.

Beyond the bear encounters, Caleb shares equally terrifying moments at sea during violent storms and navigating through fog-bound mountain passes in small aircraft – situations where he admits feeling truly helpless. His surprising revelation that these scenarios frighten him more than bear encounters offers a fascinating glimpse into the mindset of someone who has repeatedly faced nature's most formidable challenges.

Whether you're a hunter seeking adventure or simply appreciate raw wilderness stories, Caleb's experiences showcase what happens when modern humans venture into truly wild places where nature still reigns supreme. Leave a review if you enjoyed these stories and share this episode with someone who appreciates tales of survival against extraordinary odds.

Outfitter Services

Rise Up with Caleb Stillians

Caleb on Youtube

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Christensen Arms
Christensen Arms makes the best hunting and long-range rifles in the world. Made in the USA.

Support the show

Hunting Stories Instagram

Have a story? Click here!