If you ask Pat and Nicole what their favorite state in the U.S. to hunt in is, it would be Illinois. Nicole was born and raised in Southern Illinois, and the two of them have had great success in Illinois over the past several years.

Team members, Darren and Sherri Martin own and manage a farm in Schuyler County, that has produced lots of giant bucks over the years. They have put so much time and effort into planning, managing, and strategizing on this ground, and it has really paid off.

With the bow season coming to a close, and gun season right around the corner, Sherri was able to take this management 8 pointer with her Mathews.

Congratulations Sherri! Way to get it done.

Friday, was the opening day of gun season, and Pat and Nicole had their Thompson Center muzzleloaders ready to rock, and headed for Darren and Sherri’s place in Illinois. There is always something special about opening morning of firearm season. Nicole reflected back to growing up and the excitement and anticipation she had every year for opening day.

The sun was up, and it was a couple hours after daylight when a big buck appeared on the ridge behind us. The buck chased a doe out in front of us, and Nicole smoked him! He ran about 30 yards and tipped over!

This old mature 8 pointer was a top deer on the hitlist this year, and Nicole once again got it done in her home state of Illinois.

The next two days, the weather changed drastically. The temperatures plummeted and the ground turned from dry and brown, to wet and white. The snow got the deer on their feet and moving to food sources.

On Sunday evening, Pat and cameraman, Hunter, were sitting over an Evolved Harvest Clover Crush food plot, when the “Droptine 8” showed up. This was another deer that Darren had lots of Eyecon trail camera pictures of and was a top hitlister. After feeding, and pushing some does around the deer actually went in bedded in the corner of the field for almost an hour. When he got up, he headed straight down the woodline towards Pat. He finally cleared the branches at 20 yards, and Pat laid the hammer down on him. He ran 40 yards and  wiped out right in the field!

The Droptine 8 was down! He was a true old warrior. Unfortunately he had busted off his drop tine and also a brow tine, but was a gorgeous deer. Awesome mass, and super cool beading on his antlers.

Baby Cash hamming it up, checking out dad’s big buck!

Illinois proved to be successful for Pat and Nicole once again, and continues to be their favorite destination for whitetails this time of year.

Special thanks to Darren and Sherri Martin for all your hard work and generosity. It is just a joy to be able to spend time in camp and hunt with another couple that shares the same passion for hunting as we do.

Our true passion is chasing whitetails, however, there is nothing like chasing big mule bucks. The last few years we have had great luck with Glenn and Donna Brown at Blue Bronna Outfitters in Alberta, and this year we were hoping to have some of the same!

 

This year was a little different than the previous two years that we have hunted here. We had warmer temperatures, and there was no snow. The lack of snow made it harder to spot the deer, so we had to spend more time glassing and really depend on our Nikons to find these deer.

Our guide, Josh had spotted a big buck in the area a few days before the season, so we had high hopes of finding that deer. On the second morning, we were lucky enough to spot him and the stalk was on. We crested a small hump in the field and there the buck was! He standing there 200 yards away and had us pegged. I got the camera rolling and Nicole settled her crosshairs and drilled him. She had just smoked a giant!

When we walked up on the deer, we were all in awe. This thing was a freak. He had massive chocolate antlers and trash and extras everywhere. Nicole could not even get her hands around the horns.

The buck scored 207″!!

After an insane start to the trip, Pat was up to bat.

The next few days, we hunted hard, put on some miles, and looked at a lot of bucks, but just not one that we wanted to go after. With only a few days left in the hunt, we spotted a big buck bedded way across this giant valley from us, and we knew he was one that we wanted to go after. We had to hurry, because daylight was fading fast and we had a HIKE to get to him. We scaled down the cliff we were on, across the bottom and way up the other side to get above the buck.

Just as we got there, the buck got up with 2 does and came out onto the ridge across from us. Pat was patient and waited for the right shot opportunity and drilled him. Another monster mule on the ground!

Pat’s buck scored 185″ and is the third giant that he has taken at Blue Bronna in the last 3 years that he has hunted there!

Special thanks to Glenn and Donna Brown, and our guide Josh Johnson. This place is not only one of our favorite places to hunt but also is becoming like a second home to us because you guys are like family. A hunting camp is not defined by just the hunt, but more-so the memories that are made and the people that you are fortunate enough to share them with.

Blue Bronna Outfitters

www.bluebronna.com

Glenn and Donna Brown

1-403-443-5718

bluebronna@gmail.com

Every year we are fortunate enough to travel and hunt all over the world, but the truth is that the hunts we look forward to the most are the ones at home in our home state of Minnesota. There is nothing better than being home, and hunting as family and being able to share experiences in the woods all together.

We have a piece of property of our own that we have worked very hard on over the last several years to get set up and manage. Having your own ground to hunt on takes lots of hard work and effort. We have put in multiple water holes, and evolved food plots, hung tons of sets, ran our Eyecon trail cameras and done everything that we can throughout the last couple years to manage this property as best as we could. Last year, Carson and Nicole took great bucks off of it, and this year proved to be even better.

The season started off with a bang! On opening day of the Minnesota archery season, Pat kicked off the first evening by arrowing this giant buck that we called Mr. Palmer!

Pat was able to catch this deer still on his summer pattern coming out and feeding in an alfalfa field. This was the top deer that we had on our hitlist and what a stud he was! The buck scored 175″ as a clean 10 pointer.

The other deer that we had at the top of the hitlist was a deer that we called Skyscraper. He was a super tall 8 pointer that Pat hunted hard last year, but could never close the deal on. In early October, Nicole slipped into the stand over one of the water holes that we had put in, in the timber. Just before dark, two bucks came in to water, and one of them was Skyscraper! She made a perfect shot and he crashed only 30 yards away!

This was a mega giant. He scored 170″ as a main frame 8 pointer with a sticker! This was a deer that lived on that property religiously, and we were able to follow him for the last couple years. All the work that we put in and inventory that we gathered paid off for Nicole as she was able to close the books on the story of Skyscraper.

Now, Pat and Nicole weren’t the only ones laying down big bucks in Minnesota. The kids were hard at it too! Isabel is 10 years old and this was the first year that she was able to deer hunt in MN. She shot her first turkey last spring, and she was ready to get in the woods with a chance to take her first deer. She was in the blind for the Minnesota youth gun season with dad and brother Carson, and they had quite a few deer in front of them. It wasn’t long before a buck came around  the corner, and it was on. She was using Nicole’s favorite pink Thompson Center muzzleloader and made a perfect shot!

Isabel’s first buck! I don’t know who was more excited, her, or Carson and Pat getting to share that experience with her and watch her shoot her first buck. Congratulations Isabel!!!

If you have ever met Carson, you will know that he is a little Pat. That kid is a diehard hunter, and his passion for the sport is unbelievable. On the opening day of firearm season here in Minnesota, Carson was out with his sister Olivia behind the camera. But, Carson was set on shooting one with his bow, so he elected to take his Mission Craze out to the tree instead of a firearm. The rut was on and they had several bucks chasing does around them when the buck appeared. This was a new deer that we didn’t have pictures of and he came into the Evolved food plot. Carson was patient and didn’t want to take a risky shot. Finally the deer came by at 18 yards and Carson let him have it!

Carson sure knows how to get it done! I think I have a good idea where he gets it. Olivia did a great job capturing the hunt on film, making it the second hunt already that these two have captured together. Carson filmed Olivia shoot her first deer with a bow last year in Minnesota.

The Reeve clan has been on fire here in Minnesota, and stay tuned, because Olivia is now in the hot seat and looking to cap off the season with a big buck with her bow!

There is nothing better than getting out hunting and in the outdoors with your kids and your family. These are memories that they will remember forever, and so will we! We are so thankful for our family, and thankful to share what we do with the ones that we love.

Saskatchewan has been absolutely incredible to us over the last 8 years, and this one was no different. Every year the Driven team gets together and all head up to Saskatchewan to do a little hunting in God’s whitetail country. Brandon Schreiber and Dean Kuypers of Buck Country Outfitters have become like family to us over the years and have been working non-stop on their brand new lodge. They still had a few finishing touches to put on it, but the inside was all ready to go, so we were privileged enough to be the first ones to stay in it. Let me tell you, it was immaculate! They really thought everything through when planning this place and it shows. It really has it all.

Along with us on this trip was good friend and our hometown police chief, Tim Schneider. This was Tim’s first ever trip to Saskatchewan and turns out, he was the first to draw blood. On this first morning this old heavy dark horned 8 pointer showed up in front of him and he knocked him down.

Tim was videoing himself and did a great job. Congratulations Tim on a stud of Saskatchewan buck!

Team member Mike Jahnke has been to coming Saskatchewan with us since the start and has had awesome success year after year. No matter what the circumstances, or what he has to overcome, he always finds a way to get it done.

Mike knocked down this gorgeous old dark horned Canadian bruiser with his Mathews. Congrats Mike on yet another great buck!

That seemed to be a lucky day for the Driven team, because that same day Pat put  his brand new Mathews Halon to work for the first time on a beautiful buck.

First time in the woods with the new Mathews Halon, and BBD!

It was now time for Pat to stay back and take care of baby Cashden while Nicole got to get out there and hunt. Nicole hunted hard sitting all day dark to dark. Finally, this big 10 pointer showed up and Nicole made a perfect shot also with her new Mathews Halon. They wasted no time putting their new bows to the test!

It seems like we say it every single year, but Saskatchewan is definitely one of our favorite trips year in and year out. The camaraderie and deer hunting are truly second to none!

Special thanks to Brandon Schreiber, Dean Kuypers and everyone at Buck Country Outfitters! We look forward to coming there every year, and always hate to leave, but we always do so with big bucks and great memories!

Buck Country Outfitters

www. buckcountrycanada.com

306-238-7783

780-870-6510

 

 

This fall we had the opportunity to team up with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and head to legendary Montosa Ranch and hunt with Eric Kern of Eric Kern Outfitting. To start off, we had some great company in camp. We took baby Cash with, so it would be his first time in hunting camp with us…. out of Mom’s belly at least! Hopefully he would bring us some good luck! Also hunting in camp was good friend and President of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, David Allen. Guiding us was long time friend Floyd Sanders and his son Ryan. Pat and Floyd have known each other for a long time and hunted together way back in the day.

The first morning we climbed up on a spotting knob to glass for big bulls and see what the elk were doing below. As it cracked light, we could hear elk bugling everywhere below us. The sunset was one of the most beautiful that I had ever seen and the hair on my neck was standing straight up. This is the true beauty and essence of hunting.

 

After laying eyes on some good bulls, the hunt was on. We headed down the mountain in hopes of getting in tight to a big bull with his cows.  Just a couple hours into the hunt, we got to a point where we could hear a bull just over the hill from us and determined that he must be bedded. Nicole setup and one of our guides, Ryan, stayed back in hopes of calling the bull past us. Sure enough after a short calling sequence, a big tall bull came screaming through the brush. He was on a dead run when he came into an opening at 30 yards. Eric gave him a cow call and he stopped dead in his tracks. Nicole drilled him!

This was Nicole’s biggest elk to date with her Mathews!

We took the bull back to lodge so we could do a little celebrating with Cashton.

Looks like Cash is Driven’s new good luck charm!

David was also having a little luck of his own and took a great bull! Congrats David!

Cashden showing him some love and congratulating him on his bull.

It was a true honor to be able to hunt at the Montosa Ranch, and with David and the other guys in camp. Thanks to the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation for making this all possible!

Special thanks to Eric Kern, the Armstrong’s, Floyd, Ryan, and everybody at the Montosa Ranch, as well as David, Steve Decker, and everybody at the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.

Eric Kern Outfitting

www.kernoutfitters.com

Eric Kern

575-538-1843

eric@kernoutfitters.com

Two years ago, Nicole was able to harvest a huge Alaskan bull moose in the Yukon with Ceaser Lake Outfitters, but this year it was Pat’s turn, and he was determined to do it with his Mathews. As the leaves started to change, we headed up to catch the peak of the rut. Also along on the trip was long-time friend Brooks Rollings, on his first moose hunt.

When we landed on the remote strip out in the middle of nowhere, I immediately realized that we were in one of the most beautiful places in the world. We hopped in the boat and had about a 20 minute ride down river to our camp for the week. We stayed with a man, named Robert Stitt, at his old trapping cabin along the bank of the river. Robert is a true old school traditional trapper. He lives out here 6 months out of the year, and had plenty of stories to keep us entertained while in camp. It is pretty cool to know that we still have people like this in the world. It was a pleasure getting to know Robert and definitely enjoyed his stories and knowledge shared around the table after the hunt. Robert was also going to be Brooks’ guide for the week.

The first morning we woke up to snow falling. It couldn’t have been more beautiful.

Everything was white and snow covered. We loaded up the boat and headed up river.

The first day, we saw 26 different moose! Lots of good bulls, but just not the ones that we were after, and it was only the first day!

As the day was ending, we did have an encounter with a GIANT bull. He was across the river from us. We started to call and here he came! The massive bull crossed the river and climbed the bank to our side. He made it to within 20 yards but it was just too thick to get a shot. All we could do is watch as the bull circled us and finally got down wind and blew out of there. So close! What an unreal start to the hunt! We couldn’t wait to get up the next day and get after them!

On the second day, Brooks and guide Robert spotted a big bull on the bank and got up ahead of him. Robert started to call and here the big guy came. He stopped in the timber at 25 yards and Brooks arrowed him perfect.

Brooks with his first moose! Congratulations Brooks, awesome bull!

We hunted hard the next couple days in hopes of finding that big bull again or maybe another one of that caliber. This time of year, the big bulls are really cruising, covering lots of ground in search of cows in heat so it was just a matter of time.

It was the third evening when we came around the corner, and there stood on the bank, the bull of Pat’s dreams. We immediately went around the corner and climbed up the steep bank into the dark timber. Our guide Josh let out one cow call, and the bull charged towards us. Grunting the whole way, you could just see the epic sway of his antlers coming through the trees. He stopped behind some trees at 20 yards and we had a standoff for what seemed like forever. Finally, the bull turned broadside and walked out into the open at 15 yards….. Pat smoked him! The bull took off, and we couldn’t believe what had just happened. This bull was a monster!

When we walked up to the bull, none of us could believe how awesome this moose actually was. He had points everywhere, a drop tine, and paddles that flared backwards like an airplane. This was the biggest bull that Josh has ever guided.

The huge bull is 60″ wide, and scores 232 SCI and will be number 5 All-Time with a bow!

What an incredible animal!

Outdoor Edge time!

Now that is a backstrap!

With a few days left to hunt, I actually got the chance to get in front of the camera and the opportunity to harvest my first ever moose! What an experience! I cannot explain to you in words the adrenaline rush, and the feeling that you get when you walk up to an animal that is so enormous and so impressive. I was speechless. I can’t thank Pat and Nicole enough for the opportunity of a lifetime! Definitely one that I will remember forever!

Nothing like ending the day under the Northern lights.

This is the sheer beauty and essence of the Yukon. There are very few places in the world like this, and we are so blessed to have the opportunity to experience it.

This week was one of the most memorable weeks of my life. We took 3 MONSTER bulls, and had so many great times sharing stories and making memories. If you want to go on truly a hunt of a lifetime you need to go to the Yukon and hunt with Ceaser Lake Outfitters!

Special Thanks to Joel and Courtney Wilkinson, our guides Josh Johnnson and Robert Stitt, and Terry and Ruth Wilkinson for a hunt of a lifetime!

Ceasar Lake Outfitters

www.ceaserlake.com

Joel Wilkinson

867-335-1211

joelwilkinson@gmail.com

 

To kick off our whitetail season, we headed back down to Wicked Outfitters in Kansas. Carson had the Thompson Center .270 ready to rock and was looking to repeat on another early season Kansas giant. When we arrived Clint and Whitney had tons of pictures of big bucks on their Eyecon trail cameras. The deer were still holding on their summer feeding patterns, so the plan was to sneak into a Muddy blind set on an internal bean field, and catch these bucks coming out to feed in the beans in the evening.

Just before dark, a buck stepped out of the timber and into the field. Carson whispered, “Dad, that is the widest buck I’ve ever seen!” The buck walked out in front of the blind at 150 yards, and Carson put it on him!

Carson does it again! Another velvet giant down in Kansas!

Team member Mike Jahnke was also in camp hunting with his two boys Luke and Trevor. Luke was able to get it done too, and shot his first deer ever!

Congratulations Luke!!

Just a couple short weeks later, the early Muzzleloader season opened up in Kansas. Team member Mike Jahnke was back at Wicked and looking to repeat. Last year he closed the book on a legend, a buck named Brutus, on opening day. Well it was the second day of the season this year, but Mike put the Thompson Center smackdown on another booner in Kansas!

This Wicked giant scored 173 1/8!!

Wicked is a place that we never want to leave. Special thanks to Clint, Whitney, J.P. and everyone at Wicked Outfitters for yet another awesome hunt and great memories.

Wicked Outfitters

www.wickedoutfitters.com

Clint Walker

816-918-4325

wickedoutfitters@yahoo.com

A trip to Canada shed hunting with Cody and Kelsy Robbins has become an annual tradition for us in the spring, but this year we were going to mix it up a bit. The last two years, we have gone when there is still snow on the ground, and shed hunted off of snowmobiles. This year, we waited for all of the snow to melt and headed out solely on foot in search of some big Canadian horns! Joining us was cameraman Bryan Lemke, and good friends Chad Schumacher, and Shane Indrebo.

When we got to Cody’s house, he was like a kid in a candy store. He couldn’t wait to get out there the next morning, but he thought we should make a little wager before the hunt started. We all pitched in and there would be a prize for the most sheds, the biggest shed, and the most unique shed over the 3 days.

Filling up the truck bed!

Chad’s monster 86″ mule shed! This is a buck that Cody calls “Fishtails” and is very familiar with. What a giant! Congrats Chad.

  

We got to visit with the world famous shed hunter Bentley Coben at his house. What a collection of antlers. He is a true legend.

Pat, Cody, and Bentley with the shed of the world record typical Milo Hanson buck.

We picked up 61 sheds total over the 3 days! 3 sheds over 80″, 3 moose sheds, and 1 elk shed.

Cody found won the prize of most sheds with 15. Chad found the biggest shed 86″!! Shane won most unique.

All in all, we had an awesome week. We found a pile of sheds, but more importantly got to spend some time and cut it up with great friends!

Special thanks to Cody and Kelsy for the hospitality and for one heck of a shed hunting trip!

With Spring finally here, we loaded up and headed to Wicked Outfitters in Kansas for the annual World Turkey Hunting Championship. The event consists of two man teams all competing to be named the World Turkey Hunting Champion. The competition is just one small aspect of whole deal. It also benefits an organization called “Hunting for Heroes” or “H4H.” H4H provides recreational therapy and counseling for law enforcement officers severly injured in the line of duty.

We were lucky enough to have the privilege to meet some of the heroes and great people associated with H4H. We did not participate in the actual competition, but instead got to take out a H4H hero, Mark Bradley, on his first turkey hunt.

Mark is an officer from West Virginia that was severely injured in the line of duty when another fellow officer fell asleep behind the wheel and his cruiser crossed the center line and hit Mark’s. He was told that he wouldn’t make it to the hospital, but against all odds, Mark survived, and not only did he just survive, he has battled back and was able to attend the World Turkey Hunting Championship, and try to harvest his first turkey!

It was so refreshing to see the excitement in Mark’s eyes when we met up with him the first morning. The turkeys were a little tight-lipped right off the bat, so we decided to switch up spots. We walked into a new pasture and Pat yelped a few times. A gobbler lit up right away! We scrambled to setup the blind and get the decoys setup. Just as we crawled into the blind, you could see the gobbler’s red head crest the hill. He came pretty much on a dead run and pounded our Avian X decoy! Pat was talking Mark through it the whole time. I don’t know who was more nervous! Mark got his nerves settled and as soon as the gobbler cleared the decoys, Mark drilled him!

 

Mark’s first turkey!

Congratulations Mark on your turkey! It was truly an honor to share this experience with you. Thank you for your service and for teaching all of us to never give up, and never stop fighting. You are truly an inspiration!

For more information on the “Hunting for Heroes” program, go to www.huntingforheroes.com.

Special thanks to Bobby Pinson and everybody at the World Turkey Hunting Championship for putting on such an incredible event, and also  to Clint Walker and Whitney Fouts at Wicked Outfitters for hosting.

World Turkey Hunting Championship

http://nationalturkeyhuntingchampionship.com/wthc.html