Many, if not most, of Idaho’s best hunting memories and biggest game animals were products of the Golden Era (1955-1975). Many of the people who were fortunate enough to have hunted in that era witnessed things that today’s hunters can only dream of.
Growing up as a native Idahoan in a small town, Ryan Hatfield was enamored with all of the history and heritage of hunting in Idaho. Ryan founded Idaho’s Greatest Big Game as a way to help preserve and share many of those stories that are at risk of being lost forever. As the people who hunted Idaho’s Golden Era begin to pass on, many of Idaho’s best stories are disappearing. It is our hope and intention to preserve as many of these stories and photos as possible, before they, too, are nothing more than a passing thought or forgotten memory.
Our ongoing series of current and upcoming books is an attempt to not only preserve stories, but also to uncover lost ones. Several bucks in our first two books that were unknown at time of printing have now been identified, and a hunter’s name and story has been reunited with a long forgotten or lost trophy.
We would like to encourage our readers to come forward with information on trophies we have been unable to locate and information on unknown trophies. Don’t be shy!
Most importantly, if you have any good old-time Idaho hunting photos, journals, stories, or tips on all-time class big game animals, by all means contact us!
Ryan Hatfield was born in Council, Idaho in 1972. He attended Council High School and has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Forest Resources from University of Idaho.