MeatEater's 12 in 26

Janis Putelis kicks off our "12 in 26" series as he takes his bow to Manitoba in search of a giant black bear. To make things even more interesting, he hunts over bait for the first time to see what the fuss is all about. kwhunting

Clay Newcomb saddles up to hunt mountain lions in the rugged canyons and mountains of southern Utah. In MeatEater's latest 12 in 26 film, Clay teams up with veteran lion hunters and houndsmen, Mclain and Hunter Mecham, and mule trainer extraordinaire, Ty Evans.

Clay and Bear Newcomb hunt black bears along the coast of southeast Alaska with friend, David Benitz. Using David's boat, The Sandpiper, as their floating base camp, Clay and Bear stalk numerous giant Alaska bears with bow and rifle.

Janis Putelis and Samong Yang travel to the remote northern Manitoba tundra to hunt caribou with Craig McCarthy's North Mountain Adventures. Samong makes a traditional Hmong dish with his first caribou and Janis tests out the delicacy of caribou tongue.

Steven Rinella and Spencer Neuharth get their hands on a 7-foot, 140-year old punt gun. Capable of bringing down over 100 birds with a single blast, these colossal shotguns pushed some waterfowl species to the brink. Steve and Spencer learn the gun's history, put it to the test, and discover why it was outlawed.

Clay Newcomb opens Arkansas bear season with a camp steeped in tradition. He and his friend Willard Balion cook down sorghum into molasses, using a family recipe that dates back to the early 1800s, then use the sweet skimmins on the bear bait. First-time bear hunter Lake Pickle joins the hunt, and the week wraps with a jar of hard-earned bear fat.

Brent Reaves ditches the cornfields of Arkansas for the Boreal Forests of northern Manitoba to hunt moose with Craig McCarthy. Moose, pike, and northern lights are just a few of the boxes checked off on this dream hunt for Brent.