Growing up in Missouri, hunting meant walking to the back field during rifle season and shooting a deer. Nothing terribly complicated. Then my father-in-law introduced me to bowhunting and everything changed. It took me three seasons to arrow my first doe and another before I got a buck. The challenge of getting into bow range was incredible. I was hooked.
Now, years later, I’m sitting in my living room looking at 8 of the 10 North American big game species I’ve taken with my bow, with mountain lion and sheep still on the list. I’m almost done with my Super 10 journey.
Building the Foundation with WTA
When I started with WTA, the strategy was simple: build a portfolio of points and stay ready for opportunities. I apply for nearly 30 tags annually through their TAGS program. Most are long-shot draws, but I’m building points everywhere I can. I didn’t draw anything for the first couple of years. Then things started hitting.
Their sweepstakes program has become the second pillar of my planning. The money I spend on entering sweepstakes racks up Bonus Bucks that I can use on future hunts. I’m spreading out the cost of a future hunt and buying into as many as possible. It certainly paid off when I won the Sonora mule deer hunt through WTA’s sweepstakes program, reinforcing my belief that these aren’t gimmicks, but real opportunities.
Cancellation hunts round out my approach. With a flexible schedule and an eye on the deals, I’ve jumped on last-minute opportunities that others couldn’t take. My brown bear hunt came through a spring cancellation at a great price.
The Path to 8
The Super 10 journey hasn’t been linear or easy. My first moose hunt through WTA taught me about persistence. Three consecutive years in Alberta, 19 total days of hunting before finally getting my opportunity. Some hunts tested my physical limits, like the Kodiak Island mountain goat hunt where I broke four bones in my foot on day one but kept hunting for seven days, finally taking a billy at 12 feet on the last evening. Others pushed my skills, like the New Mexico mule deer that green-scored 179 ¾” at 70 yards on opening day.
The brown bear hunt in southeast Alaska might be the wildest story. I found it through a WTA cancellation alert and was there within two weeks. Three hours into day one, I found an 8′-7″ bear that charged as I tried to draw. I finally got a shot through thick brush at 22 yards. My guide said it was one of the most terrifying encounters in his 80+ brown bear hunts. Add in elk from New Mexico, caribou, antelope from Wyoming, bison from South Dakota, and whitetails from my home state of Missouri—each species taught me something that made me better for the next hunt.
Why WTA Works
Working with WTA transformed my hunting from random applications into strategic planning. They handle the complex application process for those 30 annual tags and maximize my odds while I focus on preparation and training. The financial strategy through Bonus Bucks means nothing is wasted. Every sweepstakes entry, every tag application, every opportunity builds toward the next adventure.
When opportunities arise, WTA makes them happen. That Kodiak goat tag came in my first year applying through their system. The brown bear cancellation appeared with two weeks’ notice. The Sonora mule deer sweepstakes win connected me with incredible people and places. Without their systematic approach, I’d still be randomly applying in a few states, hoping to get lucky.
The Final Push
My mountain lion and sheep remain. I’m applying for every sheep tag possible through WTA, building points, and waiting for the right opportunity. I intended to go for mountain lion this winter, but plans changed with a baby on the way, requiring my focus at home. Schedule permitting, that one will be prioritized for next year.
Beyond the Numbers
People ask why I insist on using a bow when a rifle would be easier. On Kodiak, my guide offered his rifle multiple times. I could have filled tags faster, easier, with less risk. But that’s not why I hunt. Having to get close, the additional woodsmanship required, the margin for error makes every success that much sweeter and drives everything I do in the field.
WTA has been the thread that connects these experiences, turning what could have been random hunts into a strategic journey toward a specific goal. Their system works because it’s comprehensive. I’m building points for the future, capitalizing on current opportunities through sweepstakes, and staying ready for last-minute cancellations.
I have two species left for my Super 10. When I complete it, I’ll probably start working on the next challenge, because it’s never been about the number 10. It’s about the pursuit with a bow in hand, the places these animals take you, and the experiences along the way.
Contact WTA to build your own strategic approach to the Super 10. With their TAGS program, sweepstakes opportunities, and cancellation alerts, your next adventure is closer than you think.
