The 2026 Hunt Planning Love/Hate Episode (And Why Honey Holes Die)

This week, Jaden breaks down his Western Hunting Love/Hate List—a stolen model from the Fantasy Football world that provides an honest take at which states actually match some common hunter archetypes heading into 2026. Whether you're a burnt-points elk guy trying to stay in the game, a grey-ghost fanatic obsessed with big mule deer, or a brand-new hunter stepping into the arena for the first time, this episode maps out where you should be looking—and where you might want to stay away from. He also tackles one of the biggest problems in Western hunting today: relying on "honey holes." Jaden lays out why nothing in the West stays the same—wildfire, winterkill, pressure spikes, road changes, predators, development, drought—and why the only thing that actually works is a system you can repeat anywhere, any year. If you want a clearer, smarter way to plan your hunts (without chasing rumor mills or getting smoked by tag systems), this episode is for you. Hunt West Resources:  Sign up for the Wyoming Nonresident Elk Webinar >>  Hunt planning services & booking for 2026 >> Learn about the Argali Clothing Project at Argalioutdoors.com >> Thanks to Bo DePena, a musician, friend, and avid hunter in Colorado, for the intro and outro for the show.