Matt Schimberg, Author at Guide Outdoors

Hunt The West’s Best

The West is alive and well with opportunity awaiting the serious trophy hunter. Multiple Western states hold exceptional quality deer, elk, and antelope. The problem with most of them is acquiring a tag. The bulk of the top units across the West are on a limited lottery draw, and the very best usually have draw odds that are akin to beating Michael Jordan in a free throw shooting contest. This does not mean that you shouldn’t play the game, however. Here are some tips on increasing your chances to get a tag to hunt the West.

Hunters: Spot, Stalk, Succeed!

I watched the mountain lion for more than an hour before he finally exited my view. He was doing exactly what I was doing
that morning. He was trying to locate game before game located him, and he was using elevated vantage points and patience to do it. Locating unaware game is the first prerequisite for spot and stalk bowhunting. Here’s how to do it.

Aggressive Western Scouting: Part 1

As an Arizona guide and outfitter, I have been fortunate to be able to spend the bulk of every year in the woods either scouting for, or hunting deer. I routinely show up in entirely new country and immediately go about trying to find the best bucks that reside there. Arriving in big, new country can be very intimidating. Here are some tips to make it easier for you to zero in on deer.

Aggressive Western Scouting: Part 3

In the first and second installment of this article, we discussed a general
plan of attack for tackling new country under normal circumstances. This finale
will cover a few new tricks for your bag.

Aggressive Western Scouting: Part 1

Hunters: Spot, Stalk, Succeed!

Aggressive Western Scouting: Part 2

In the first installment of this three part series we covered the homework
needed for aggressive western scouting. Now you have a plan on paper, so
to speak. Here’s how to put that plan into action.

Extreme Bow Practice

Western bowhunting can offer challenges like nowhere else. The steep and broken terrain that encompasses much of the Western countryside will place the hunter in tricky shot scenarios more often than not. Precise practice in unlevel terrain is a must for making confident shots, and confidence breeds success.

Whitetails — Western Style

As I pulled my truck and camper on to the ice-crusted highway, my mind wandered to the upcoming adventure, a Kansas bow hunt! This was not only my first Kansas tag, but my first Eastern whitetail tag ever! In fact, I held a coveted "Any Deer" tag, allowing the harvest of either a whitetail OR a mule deer. Being a lifelong resident of Arizona has not yielded much Eastern whitetail treestand experience, in fact, it has yielded none!