Best of the West Hunter

Welcome to the 2026 Best of the West Hunter.

We’re excited to host another fun and memorable event for hunters and marksmen alike! This year’s match is designed for enjoyment, skill-building, and friendly competition.

RULES & SAFETY

All safety procedures will follow the official NRL Hunter Rules for the 2026 season, with one important addition:

Chamber flags must be used at all times and may only be removed at the direction of the Range Officer, moments before your shooting time begins.

MATCH DESIGN

This event is skills-shooter friendly. (Limit of 20 skills shooters, each will be parred with a Pro for effective match training, Skills shooters WILL NOT be lumped into a group).

Eastern course of fire, will be highly visible target arrays to help with morning (a.m.) acquisition.

EXPECT

Manageable distances and realistic target sizes.

Stages designed for plenty of hits and low stress.

A few challenging targets to separate top competitors.

You’ll encounter life-sized AR500 steel animal targets, including wolf, bighorn sheep, moose, black bear, whitetail deer, feral pig, coyote, mountain lion, bobcat, turkey, elk, antelope, mule deer, otter, raccoon, rock chuck, squirrel, crow, prairie dog, and jackrabbit — each placed in realistic environments.

Average target distance: 400 yards (ranging approximately from 200 to 1,000 yards).
Terrain: Rolling, rocky tall-grass hills, wooded draws, open valleys, and creek bottoms.

ATV/UTV are not necessary for this match.

WEATHER

The average high temperature for Bartlesville, Oklahoma, around March 7th is approximately 61−63∘F, with average lows around 36−39∘F. This is part of the transition to spring, with increasing daily temperatures and a higher chance of wind and rain during the month. Please come prepared for everything Mother Nature could through at us.

REFUND POLICY

No refunds will be available. If you can’t attend and need to sell your slot, please let us know so we can coordinate the adjustment.

PROMOTIONS

Young Guns compete at no charge with a paid regular priced guardian, please email MD at bruce@bestofthewestoutfitters.com to register. I will email you a Comp Registration link to complete your Young Guns entry.

Best of the West Outfitters will once again make a 100% donation of a Wyoming Big or Trophy game hunt. Every competitor will be entered into a drawing for the chance to win this hunt.

RANGE OFFICERS

We’re grateful for our Range Officers and want to reward their efforts. Qualified individuals will receive a complimentary match slot and the chance to:

Complete all stages in a 1-day time frame (RO Shoot Day).
Earn points and prize eligibility just like regular competitors.
The RO shoot will take place on Competitor Check-in Day.

If you’d like to volunteer:
👉 Submit your RO Application to the link above. (space is limited). Those not selected will still have the option to purchase a competitor slot.

SQUADING

Individual competitors: We will allow 8 per squad.

Team competitors: We will allow 1 Team per squad (You will be moved otherwise).

Skills competitors: We will allow 1 Skill per squad (You will be moved otherwise).

Young Gun competitors: Will compete in the same squad as their guardian.

This is to help the flow of the match and allow us to complete the course of fire in a more timely fashion.

Any competitor that has not chosen a squad prior (5 days) to the match will be placed in a squad by the MD.

TRAVEL

Tulsa International airport.

CAMPING

Onsite camping available (no RV hookups or clean-outs).

LODGING

Ample opportunity within the Bartlesville area.

Osage Hills State Park cabins.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Share your adventure and tag us!

Use hashtags:

#NRLH #NRLHunter #EveryEthicalEdge #BestoftheWestHunter #BestoftheWestOutfitters

Follow us for updates on:

Facebook:

Best of the West Hunter

Instagram:

@BestoftheWestHunter

SCHEDULE

Water provided at stages.

FRIDAY, MARCH 6TH

RO SHOOT DAY

• 7:00 AM – RO Hunter Safety Briefing
• 7:30 AM – RO’s shoot for points & prizes amongst all hunters and are eligible for prizes (all stages)

Lunch Provided by: Smokey Joe’s BBQ
• 4:00 PM – Weigh-in and velocity check at check-in table immediately after completion

HUNTER CHECK-IN DAY

• 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM – Check-in, weigh-in, and velocity check
• 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM – 100-yard zero and truing targets available if needed
• 6:00 PM – Mandatory Shooter Meeting
• 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM – Informal gathering:

HIDEAWAY PIZZA

100 SW Frank Phillips Blvd, Bartlesville, OK

SATURDAY, MARCH 7TH

• 8:00 AM – Hunters report to assigned stages
• 8:30 AM – Intended time to begin hunting steel (12 stages)

Lunch Provided by: Smokey Joe’s BBQ
• 3:00 PM – Intended completion time for Day 1 (subject to variation)
• 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM – Informal gathering:

PAINTED HORSE BAR & GRILLE

110 SW Frank Phillips Blvd, Bartlesville, OK

SUNDAY, MARCH 8TH

• 8:00 AM – Hunter arrival; proceed directly to assigned stage
• 8:30 AM – Intended time to begin hunting steel (8 stages)
• 1:30 PM – 2:00 PM – Estimated completion of match
• 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM – Estimated awards and dinner
• Awards Location:

BARTLESVILLE COMMUNITY CENTER

300 SE Adams Blvd, Bartlesville, OK

Catered by: Melody’s Creative Cuisine

• 5:00 PM – Event completed