Jon Draper

1 week ago | americanhunter.org | Jon Draper

They say that ignorance is bliss, and it is, until that bliss is snatched away by the cold, icy hand of reality. In this case, that hand was wielded by a fellow hunter sitting shotgun in an approaching pickup truck. Her smile was as wide as the rack of the giant red stag protruding from the bed behind her, and for a few more wonderful minutes, my smile and the bliss coursing through my body—having two of my own beautiful animals dead on the ground by my feet—was just as prominent.

2 months ago | americanhunter.org | Jon Draper

Picture this: You just won the Super Bowl. It’s been televised to a national audience, so you know there are millions watching from home along with the thousands in the stands, and the sound of screaming fans is deafening. The falling confetti is so thick, you can’t see the other side of the arena. The field is a living carpet of celebration, and the reporters are swarming, each looking to capture the moment, looking to prod a statement out of you that can sum up the occasion.

Jan 8, 2025 | americanhunter.org | Jon Draper

We’d been here before. That much I knew, but only once we’d reached the top did I actually recognize this particular knob. The heavy fog that had blanketed the valley for days prior made it near impossible to learn the terrain, and the well-used ATV trails that crisscrossed this lush coastal conifer woodland seemed to all look the same via my clouded sight picture from the rear seat of the side-by-side.

Sep 2, 2024 | americanhunter.org | Jon Draper

Sometimes I come across a firearm that exceeds expectation. Allow me to qualify that statement by making it clear that over the last five to 10 years, due to modern design, manufacturing techniques and materials, the bar has been set pretty high. No doubt we are blessed to live in a time full of exceptional rifles.

Jul 19, 2024 | americanhunter.org | Jon Draper

A recent report from the NRA Hunters Leadership Forum sheds light on a potential cat problem in Colorado; that is, it’s a problem if you’re a hunter who enjoys and wishes to continue chasing mountain lions and bobcats, or you simply agree that wildlife management should continue to be based on science.