The Best Stories of 2024

Outdoor Life

One size does not fit all here at OL. Try as we might, an OL story that speaks to one reader might make someone else’s eyes glaze over. So it’s in this spirit that we’re recommending noteworthy stories from 2024 based on what you like to read about. The articles that follow are not necessarily our biggest viral hits of the year, or the most persuasive opinion pieces, or even our best come-along adventures (though it does include some of each). Instead, it’s a curated list of favorites from OL contributors, editors, and readers. In other words, this list is completely and utterly subjective — with a little something for everyone. Enjoy. — Natalie Krebs, executive editor

Click on a recommendation from the list to jump to a story, or scroll through the whole roundup.

Story Recommendations for…

Precision Shooters
Cartridge Debaters
Conspiracy Theorists
Adrenaline Junkies
Fly-Fishing Freaks
Archery Geeks
Mountain Men
Nonresident DIYers
Preference Point Buyers
Deer Hunters
Waterfowlers
Thru-Hikers
Survivalists
Bass-Fishing Fans
Lifelong OL Readers

Precision Shooters: A Better Way to Zero and Sight in Your Rifle

Shooting editor John B. Snow lies behind a rifle — Quit chasing your zero wiIf all you need is minute-of-deer at 100 yards, your zero can be pretty elastic. But if you want to really know where your gun shoots, and how well it shoots, this new protocol is for you. John B. Snow

Shooting editor John B. Snow’s 20-shot method is the antidote to checking your deer rifle 15 minutes before dark on Opening Day Eve. Read the full story here.

Cartridge Debaters: Why Small Cartridges Are So Effective for Big Game

Freel and moose taken with 22 ARC — Freel and a moose taken with the 22 ARC.

Bigger isn’t always better for caliber selection, and shot placement trumps all — no matter what your buddy says. Read the full story from staff writer Tyler Freel here.

Conspiracy Theorists: No, YouTube Hasn’t Banned Firearms Content and Sponsorships, at Least Not Yet

Hickock45 stands holding a coach gun on a steel target range. — Guntuber Hickok45 walks his millions of followers through a coach gun shootout. This summer, he reported that some of the videos in his back catalog were removed. Photo via YouTube

Social media has become an inhospitable place for anyone creating firearms content. That’s why contributor Dave Maccar delves into a new, misunderstood YouTube policy that has created plenty of trepidation among guntubers. Read the full story here.

Adrenaline Junkies: My Hunt for the Man-Eating Lions of Matiyani

A village gathers around four dead maneating lions — The villagers of Mati Yani gathered around the author and the four man-eating lions that had been killed in the night. The remote village of had been terrorized for weeks by this pride, and government officials wanted residents to see the problem had been put to rest. Photo courtesy of Scott Haugen

When a pride of lions kills a woman in a remote South African village, American hunter and OL contributor Scott Haugen joins a government animal-control agent to track down the deadly cats. Read the full story here.

Fly-Fishing Freaks: Diaries from The One Fly, the Strangest Fishing Contest in America

Two fly fishermen choose a fly. — Choosing one fly for the weekend doesn’t just mean selecting one pattern — it means selecting one single fly. If you break off or get careless, you’re out of luck. Photo by Neal Henderson

News editor and former fishing guide Dac Collins managed to talk his way into the legendary Snake River tournament this September. The competition revolves around a simple yet formidable question: What if you only had one fly? Read the full story here.

Archery Geeks: Even for Archery Prodigy Liko Arreola, the Journey to Becoming a Champion Is Full of Highs and Lows

A portrait of archer Liko Arreola shooting her bow at home on Maui. — Liko shoots at home on Maui. Apart from her track record of high-profile wins, one of the most impressive things about Liko is that she’s achieved all this with limited access to major tournaments. Photo by Nani Welch for Outdoor Life

Liko Arreola has defeated adults with decades more experience and professional support in archery’s biggest tournaments. How does Liko, who is still just a kid, deal with all that pressure? Former archery coach and OL executive gear editor Scott Einsmann met up with her to find out. Read the full story.

Mountain Men: Welcome to the New, Uncertain Era of DIY Sheep Hunting

The opportunity to hunt Dall sheep on your own is special, thrilling, and stressful. It’s also at risk of disappearing, according to sheep hunter and staff writer Tyler Freel. Watch the short film and read the story here.

Nonresident DIYers: Are You Stoked for Your DIY Western Big Game Hunt? Here’s What the Hunting Podcasts and Influencers Don’t Tell You

hunting the west — Get ready for lots of hiking, and even more glassing when you head West. Photo by Alex Robinson

DIY hunting on Western public lands isn’t all bugling bulls and slammer bucks. In fact, writes editor-in-chief Alex Robinson, it might be time for nonresident hunters to have a reality check. Read the story here.

Preference Point Buyers: While Battling MS, a Diehard Hunter Draws a Once-in-a-Lifetime Mountain Goat Tag

A mountain goat lays against a rock. — After years of glassing goats and helping other hunters, a Utah resident gets his chance to tag a billy. It wasn’t the hunt he had planned for. Photo courtesy of Justin Christensen

Justin Christensen earned the nickname “Mountain Goat” for his ability to scale the most rugged terrain. But by the time he finally drew a mountain goat tag in Utah, multiple sclerosis had made it difficult for him to even walk. Read the story by staff writer Alice Jones Webb here.

Deer Hunters: Are Chronic Wasting Disease Fears Making People Quit Deer Hunting?

whitetail deer — As CWD spreads in whitetail country, hunters will have to decide what they’ll do with infected meat. Photo byJohn Hafner

Surveys show that when CWD prevalence rates approach 40 percent, hunters start to change their behavior. Will you be one of them? Contributor Christen Peterson digs into how CWD concerns are reshaping how we think about deer hunting. Read the story here.

Waterfowlers: Where Are All the Ducks?

Mallards flushing off a farmpond. — Hunters in some areas are reporting fewer duck sightings, and way more drake mallards than hens. Photograph by Lee Thomas Kjo

Last year waterfowlers across the country commiserated about one of their worst duck seasons ever. Then the USFWS published an annual report that said duck numbers were up — including mallards. So what’s actually going on? Executive editor Natalie Krebs asked a half-dozen researchers, USFWS biologists, and hunters to find out. Read the story here.

Thru-Hikers: Traditional Backpacking Is Dead. Here’s Why Everyone Should Be Ultralight Backpacking

Three hikers using ultralight gear trek through the woods. — Ultralight gear lets you cover more ground more comfortably. Photo by Alex Robinson

Ultralight gear is more comfortable, reliable, and budget-friendly than ever, points out staff writer Laura Lancaster. So why are you still hauling all that around? Read the story here.

Survivalists: I Took an Avalanche Course to Learn How to (Probably) Not Die in the Mountains

UMA instructor demonstrates how a slab of new snow burdening a buried layer of unstable snow can propagate across a slope, causing the kind of avalanches that make the snow under your feet shatter like a pane of glass. — An instructor demonstrates how a slab of new snow on a buried layer of unstable snow can propagate across a slope, causing the kind of avalanches that make the snow under your feet shatter like a pane of glass. Ashley Thess

Taking an avalanche awareness class isn’t just for backcountry skiers and snowboarders. As associate gear editor Ashley Thess learned, the mountains will tell you when you’re welcome and when you’re not. You just have to be knowledgeable, prepared, and humble enough to listen. Read the story here.

Bass-Fishing Fans: The Unwinnable Battle Over Forward-Facing Sonar

There’s no stopping technology, points out fishing editor Joe Cermele. And when it comes to controversial technology like LiveScope, ActiveTarget, and Mega Live, there will never be a true right or wrong, no matter how hard you argue. Read the story here.

Lifelong OL Readers: Remembering Bill McRae, the Godfather of Modern Sporting Optics

Bill McRae holds up a resolution wheel. — McRae holds up a resolution wheel, which he used as a focal target during the low-light test. Photo by Andrew McKean

Outdoor Life’s optics editor emeritus William McRae died this year. He was a leading light in the development of sports optics, writes OL optics editor Andrew McKean, and he contributed to the rigorous optics reviews you read on the site today. Read the story here.

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