Field Notes

Essays on modern hunting culture and public land life

Waterfowl Season Prep: Essential Gear for Late Summer
Waterfowl season starts with summer prep. Here's your complete guide to gear, scouting, and training before the first duck and goose seasons open this fall. Read more...
Summer Hunting: Stay Cool in the Field
Summer hunting doesn't have to mean suffering through the heat. Here's how to stay cool, comfortable, and effective in the field when temperatures climb. Read more...
Elk Season Prep: What to Pack for September Bugling
September elk season is the most demanding hunt of the year. Here's your complete packing list for backcountry bugling season, from gear essentials to the mindset that gets you to... Read more...
Turkey Season Prep: Gear Checklist for Spring Gobbler Hunters
Spring gobbler season demands preparation. From scouting roost trees to dialing in your calls and decoys, here's the complete gear checklist to put more birds on the ground this turkey... Read more...
Ohio Bigfoot Sightings: What Hunters See Differently
The Ohio Bigfoot wave is less about a creature and more about how people interpret noise, movement, and fear on public land. Read more...
Western Nonresident Tag Caps Are Reshaping Public Land Access in 2026
In 2026, Western states are capping nonresident tags harder than ever. That shift is changing draw odds, unit pressure, and how serious DIY hunters build their seasons. Read more...
The Best Hunting Lifestyle Brands of 2026: Technical vs. Casual Gear
Compare the best hunting lifestyle brands of 2026. See how technical giants like KUIU and Sitka stack up against Fearless Harbor. Read more...
Public Land Pressure Patterns Every Hunter Needs in 2026
You do not beat pressure, you read it, predict it and hunt the seams it creates. The season is about pattern, timing and grit. Read more...
The Sale of KUIU and What It Signals for Modern Hunting Culture
The sale of KUIU ignited controversy across the hunting community, not over gear, but over public land access and ownership values. This Field Notes piece breaks down what’s known, what’s assumed, and what serious public-land hunters should actually be watching next. Read more...
When “Opportunity” Starts to Feel Like Pressure
A reflection on the weight of opportunity in hunting. When the pressure to perform, capture content, and maximize every moment threatens to steal the joy from the experience itself. Finding balance between ambition and presence in the field. Read more...
Why Quiet Seasons Matter More Than Successful Ones
Most hunters learn more during the seasons that don’t go right than the ones that do. This piece looks at why quiet seasons shape judgment, patience, and confidence in ways success never can. Read more...
What Steven Rinella Gets Right About Hunting Culture
Steven Rinella’s influence in hunting culture comes from how he centers ethics, responsibility, and the everyday public land experience. This essay looks at why his perspective resonates with serious hunters and why it still matters in a media landscape driven by performance and attention. Read more...
Public Land Hunting Culture vs Influencer Hunting Culture
Most public land hunters learn the hard way that effort, patience, and restraint matter more than what looks good online. This piece looks at why those values still define real hunting, even as more of it ends up on camera. Read more...
Why Cam Hanes Resonates With Relentless Hunters
Cam Hanes resonates with hunters who value discipline, consistency, and personal accountability. This essay explores why his mindset connects with relentless public land hunters and how it fits into modern hunting culture. Read more...