In the latest edition of The Hole Story, we sit down with hunter, mentor, and all-around western powerhouse Kristy Titus. A lifelong outdoorswoman, Kristy shares how her move out West has shaped her hunting seasons, the lessons she’s learned from pushing into rugged country, and why passing on knowledge to the next generation matters just as much as filling the freezer.

Where did you grow up, and how did your early experiences shape your love for the outdoors?

I was born in Oregon and grew up packing into the backcountry with my family on our mules. Those trips defined my childhood, camping under the stars, sitting around a campfire roasting marshmallows, catching frogs in mountain ponds, fishing the high lakes and just enjoying time spent together as a family. Life was different then. There were no cell phones, no constant distractions, just us, the wild places we loved to explore and the wildlife that called it home.

I still remember the pure joy and sense of freedom riding atop my mule, trotting and galloping across mountain meadows. In those moments, I was discovering what it felt like to be wild myself. Those days shaped me. They instilled a deep connection to nature and taught me the meaning of truly belonging to something wild. Those memories form the foundation of the love and respect that I carry for the backcountry, for my animals and for the timeless adventures that await.

Today, not much has changed. I can’t imagine living life any other way. I still love riding my mules, and my father remains my hunting partner. Every year, we saddle up and pack into the backcountry, keeping our family tradition alive. Over the years, my mules have carried me through some of my greatest adventures, and I know there are more yet to come.

Do you remember the first animal you hunted and the firearm you used? Who introduced you to hunting?

One Christmas, Santa Claus brought a Ruger 10/22, and my sister and I could hardly wait to try it out. Our first hunt together came over New Year’s, chasing rabbits across the sagebrush desert of eastern Oregon. When I finally had a shot, I was hit with the worst case of buck fever you could imagine, but eventually, I got myself together and harvested my very first rabbit.

My dad introduced me to hunting at a young age, occasionally letting me saddle up and tag along on his hunting trips. My first big game hunt was for cow elk in Eastern Oregon. I remember my dad driving our stock truck loaded up with mules through the snow. I was worried we might get stuck and not make it to camp, but we made it through, saddled up and rode out cross-country until we cut tracks of a herd. Following their trail in the snow on muleback, we finally closed the distance. With my Howa .243, I harvested my first cow elk. It was a hunt that combined everything that I love, my mules, the outdoors and time spent with my dad.

You’re a certified firearms instructor and a competitive long-range shooter so can you tell us what inspired you to pursue that side of your skillset? Can you share your setup, including firearms, optics, ammo and anything else?

I remember being on an elk hunt when I had an opportunity at a cow nearly 400 yards away. My rifle, optic, and ammunition were more than capable of making the shot, but I wasn’t. I didn’t want to guess my holdover for bullet drop, so I chose not to shoot. The next day, I was able to close the distance and fill my tag. That experience was a turning point for me. I realized I needed to invest in myself and my training.

Firearms technology had advanced, rifles capable of incredible accuracy from the factory, optics that allow precise adjustments for windage and elevation, and ammunition manufactured to exacting standards. There was no reason I couldn’t hold myself to the same level of excellence and become a more precise, ethical hunter.

With that in mind, I sought out training with Magpul Core and spent years attending shooting schools, pushing myself to improve. My goal was to develop true, unconscious competence, to know both my own limitations and those of my equipment, and ultimately to make the best decisions in the field about which shots to take and which to pass.

For the past nine years, I’ve been proud to serve as a Ruger Ambassador, representing American-made firearms built with rugged reliability that honor the traditions I hold dear. Atop my rifles sit Nightforce Optics, built in the small town of Orofino, Idaho, by a team that shares my values, they hunt, fish, and live these traditions, all while supporting our men and women in uniform. For ammunition, I proudly rely on Hornady. Also, American-made, Hornady carries the legacy of Joyce Hornady and Bill Ruger, combining heritage and innovation so that with every press of the trigger, hunters and shooting sports enthusiasts alike know they are using the very best in accuracy, reliability, and repeatability, from plinking at home to pursuing the most epic big game adventures.

Hornady’s exacting standards give me complete confidence every time I open a box of their ammunition. I know I’ll get consistent performance with low standard deviations, for accuracy while I’m at the range and terminal performance while in the field. And when I want to reload, Hornady supports me with the finest components available, ensuring the same level of precision and reliability.

You’ve recently moved out west, what are you enjoying most and how has that influenced your hunting lifestyle and routines, if at all?

I first came to Wyoming for the Wyoming Women’s Antelope Hunt, and I was immediately struck by everything, from the landscapes to the state’s conservative leadership and values. Wyoming stands out as a constitutional carry state that also protects the right to hunt and fish, while offering residents incredible opportunities to pursue a wide variety of big game each year. Its wild and rugged country is also the perfect place for backcountry exploration and for hunting with my mules.

For me, Wyoming truly is a dream come true. I’ve been able to build an incredible rifle, rimfire, and pistol ranges, while my mules thrive at my home. It’s a place that embodies everything I love as a shooting sports enthusiast and hunter.

As host of Pursue the Wild and Wild and Uncut, you wear a lot of hats. How do your media projects complement your work as a hunter and conservationist?

When most people think of gun owners, hunters, and anglers, they don’t always recognize them for what they truly are, conservationists and some of the greatest stewards of our land and wildlife. Yet there’s a deeper story, one that often goes untold. It’s a story of people, wildlife, and the wild places we all cherish.

Every time someone laces up their boots and hits the trail, casts a fly into a mountain lake, or stops to watch wildlife, they’re experiencing the rewards of conservation, efforts made possible in large part by hunters, anglers, and gun owners.

With platforms that span networks in both the U.S. and Canada, as well as global digital streaming, I’m privileged to share this message: from license and tag sales, to Pittman-Robertson funds generated through the legal purchase of firearms and ammunition, like Hornady, to the hands-on work of non-profits and volunteers, this community drives conservation forward. We are, without question, the greatest and most effective conservationists in the history of the earth. It is my honor and privilege to bring that story to the world.

You’ve hunted across North America and beyond, can you share a hunt that stands out for its challenge, emotion, or meaning?

I feel truly blessed to live a life filled with unforgettable adventures. Still, I never imagined I would have the chance to be a sheep hunter myself. I wanted it so badly that I volunteered to pack and tag along on friends’ hunts, living vicariously through their experiences. Along the way, I met incredible people, and through those connections, I’ve been fortunate to harvest not one, but two sheep so far, a stunning Dall and, most recently, a beautiful Fannin ram.

To be a sheep hunter is something few can truly understand until they’ve lived it. The days of travel into some of the most remote places on earth, the weight of a heavy pack carried over countless miles, the raw beauty of untouched landscapes, all of it connects you to the wild in a way that is both humbling and unforgettable. You are bound together with your hunting partners in the grind of the journey, tested by the mountains, and rewarded with moments unlike anything else in the world.

For my second sheep hunt, I realized that my dream of being a sheep hunter would never fade, but the time to make it a reality is in fact finite. With that in mind, I began saving five years ago, living intentionally, and making sacrifices to ensure I could return to the mountains. That commitment brought my dream to reality.

Through every adventure, Hornady has been with me. Whether it’s practicing at the range or in competition with ELD match ammo or afield with Precision Hunter, Outfitter or DGS, I know that when I press the trigger, Hornady will always live up to its reputation as accurate, deadly, and dependable.

What’s currently in your Hornady lineup? Any favorite calibers or loads you rely on for different species?

When Hornady introduced the 6.5 Creedmoor, it truly transformed the firearms industry and for good reason. From precision shooting to hunting at normal to moderate ranges, the 6.5 Creedmoor quickly became my tried-and-true cartridge. Its excellent performance and light recoil make it incredibly fun to shoot. I’ve successfully taken everything from coyotes to wild boar, antelope, deer, Dall sheep, mountain goat and even elk with the 6.5 Creedmoor using Hornady’s 120-grain Outfitter ammo and 143-grain ELD-X Precision Hunter. Beyond hunting, I’ve also competed in both PRS and NRL using the 140 and 147 grain ELD Match rounds. For me, the 6.5 Creedmoor is a cartridge that makes shooting sports and hunting extremely enjoyable.

Then came the 6.5 PRC, the “supercharged” version. Still short-action, but with more powder capacity, delivering faster velocities than the Creedmoor, more retained energy at long distances, and a flatter trajectory. What’s not to love, especially when facing the Wyoming wind? The 6.5 PRC quickly became a favorite in my lineup, and I’ve successfully harvested deer, elk and mountain caribou using Hornady’s 143-grain ELD-X Precision Hunter.

When the 7mm PRC was released, it instantly caught my attention. The combination of higher velocity, more energy, a heavier bullet, and incredibly flat shooting made it ideal for Wyoming’s wind and rugged terrain, especially for those longer shots. My go-to is the 175-grain ELD-X Precision Hunter. While the 7mm PRC does produce more recoil than the 6.5 Creedmoor and the 6.5 PRC, the performance in big Western landscapes, in my opinion, makes it negligible. With the 7mm PRC, I’ve taken everything from coyotes at long range to deer, antelope, Fannin sheep, black bear, and elk.

What’s still on your hunting bucket list? Are there any dream hunts on the horizon this season or next?

Living in Wyoming gives me the privilege of pursuing dream hunts year after year, whether it’s antelope, mule deer, whitetail, or elk. It truly is a hunter’s paradise. Looking ahead, I hope to one day complete my Grand Slam of sheep and chase the challenge of brown bear and pursue dangerous game like Cape Buffalo as well. I’ve got to get to saving!