About Idaho's Greatest Big Game
Many 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 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 current and upcoming books are an attempt to not only preserve stories, but also to uncover lost ones. Since the printing of the first book, a flood of information has been uncovered. Huge bucks and bulls whose history were unknown at time of printing have now been identified, and a hunter’s name and story reunited with a long forgotten or lost trophy.
Our research is extremely detailed, accurate, and thorough, because we have the utmost respect to those hunters and our hunting heritage.
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! Other things we are looking for are exciting or funny hunting stories, freak-antlered animals, big shed antlers, and other awesome trophies/curiosities.
About the Author
Ryan Hatfield was born in Council, Idaho in 1972. He graduated from Council High School and later from the University of Idaho with a Bachelor of Science degree in Forest Resources.
He hails from a hunting and outdoors family that has roots in western Idaho since the 1870s. He finds great inspiration in Idaho’s limitless beauty, rugged and diverse landscape, and storied history.
From 2004 to 2019, he was in the hunting industry in various roles including Editor of Western Hunter Magazine, Editor of Eastmans’ Hunting and Bowhunting Journals, and Assistant Director for Boone and Crockett Club. In 2015, he and his family moved home to Council, Idaho where he now owns and operates Idaho Forestry, LLC.
When not working, he enjoys spending time with his three children, being active in their sports and the local community, and exploring. He also competes in lumberjack sports, where he has been on the U.S. National team several times, and holds several world records in handsawing.
In 2022, Ryan received the Esto Perpetua Award from the Idaho State Historical Society and the Governor for his efforts in preserving Idaho’s hunting history.