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Bear card Nightfall trouble card Hunts Wild card game cover Compass fortune card Mountain Lion wild card

The Hunts Wild™

A Frontier Hunting Card Game

Be the first to complete the hunt of all 5 animal species during the game.

Hunts Wild is a strategy card game for 2-4 players, ages 8 and up. Players race to collect five hunting trophies, Grouse, Rabbit, Deer, Elk, and Bear, while overcoming wilderness hazards and sabotaging rival hunters.

How It Plays

Draw a card. Play a trophy, fortune, safe, or trouble card. Block rivals, shout “Giddyup!”, and race from Grouse to Bear.

1

Draw a card from the pile

2

Play Daylight, License, and Small Bullets to prepare your hunt

3

Lay down trophy cards to reach each target count

4

Throw Trouble at rivals to halt their progress

5

Play Safe cards and shout “Giddyup!” to bounce attacks back

6

First player to hunt Grouse through Bear wins

Play a Free Round

Why Players Love It

Fast turns. Strategy. Trouble cards. Comebacks. One perfectly timed “Giddyup!” can change the whole game.

Quick & Competitive

Games take 20–40 minutes. Every turn matters. Draw, play, and watch your rivals squirm.

Easy to Learn

Deal six cards and start playing. Kids pick it up in one round, adults get hooked by the second.

Delicious Sabotage

Play Trouble cards to halt a rival, steal trophies with the Mountain Lion, and shout “Giddyup!” to bounce attacks right back.

Perfect Anywhere

One compact deck. No board, no batteries, no WiFi. Built for kitchen tables, campfires, cabins, and game night.

Race through all five trophies, from Grouse to Bear, while dodging Trouble, blocking attacks, and shouting “Giddyup!” at just the right moment.

The Cards

Every card drawn from the Colorado high country, rendered in the tradition of frontier engravings.

The Trophies

Hunt all five in order, from Grouse to Bear. Collect the required number of each before you advance.

Grouse
Rabbit
Deer
Elk
Bear

Grouse • Rabbit • Deer • Elk • Bear

Trouble

These red-bordered hazards halt a rival’s progress until overcome.

Nightfall
Bad Weather
I'm Lost
Out of Bullets
Lose License

Nightfall • Bad Weather • I'm Lost • Out of Bullets • Lose License

Good Fortune

Overcome Trouble, gear up, and keep the game alive.

Daylight
Good Weather
Compass
Small Bullets
Big Bullets
License

Daylight • Good Weather • Compass • Small Bullets • Big Bullets • License

Safe

Blue-bordered wards of protection. Play them to block Trouble, or shout “Giddyup!” to turn a rival’s Trouble right back on them.

Shelter
Ammo Pack
Guide

Shelter • Ammo Pack • Guide

The Wild

The Mountain Lion lets you steal any animal card from another player's hunt, or take the top card from the discard pile if it's an animal.

Mountain Lion

Mountain Lion

Instructions

Learn the rules and start playing.

How It Plays in One Minute

  1. Collect trophies in order: Grouse → Rabbit → Deer → Elk → Bear.
  2. You need Daylight, License, and the right Small Bullets before you can hunt.
  3. Rivals play Trouble cards to stop you.
  4. Fortune and Safe cards get you moving again.
  5. The Mountain Lion can steal a rival’s trophy.
  6. First player to finish Bear wins.

Object of the Game

Be the first to complete the hunt of all 5 animal species during the game. Each trophy has a target count that must be reached before you advance to the next. The game unfolds season by season. Every time the draw pile runs out and is reshuffled, a new season begins. Play continues until a player completes all five trophies or the table agrees on a stalemate.

2-4 Players • Ages 8+

About the Cards

Trophy Cards: The Trophies

Five species, hunted in order from lowest to highest. Small Game requires Small Bullets; Big Game requires Big Bullets (or Ammo Pack for either).

#TrophyCategoryRequired
1GrouseSmall Game4
2RabbitSmall Game3
3DeerBig Game2
4ElkBig Game1
5BearBig Game1

Trouble Cards (Red Border)

Play these against another player to halt their progress. Only one Trouble card may affect a player at a time. The targeted player must overcome the Trouble with the matching Good Fortune or Safe card before continuing.

TroubleEffect
NightfallDarkness falls. You can no longer hunt.
Bad WeatherA storm rolls in. Hunting is impossible.
I'm LostYou've lost your way in the wilderness.
Out of BulletsYour ammunition is spent.
Lose LicenseYour hunting license has been revoked.

Good Fortune Cards

  • Daylight: The sun rises. You may begin hunting. Also overcomes Nightfall.
  • Good Weather: The skies clear. Overcomes Bad Weather.
  • Compass: You find your bearings. Overcomes I'm Lost.
  • Small Bullets: Ammunition for small game (Grouse, Rabbit). Required to hunt small game. Also overcomes Out of Bullets.
  • Big Bullets: Ammunition for big game (Deer, Elk, Bear). Required to hunt big game. Also overcomes Out of Bullets.
  • License: Your hunting license, required to hunt. Also overcomes Lose License.

Safe Cards (Blue Border)

Safe cards protect against specific Trouble. They may be played proactively (before Trouble arrives) or reactively. If a Safe card is already face-up and the matching Trouble is played against you, the Trouble has no effect. If the matching Safe card is still in your hand when Trouble is played, you may immediately call “Giddyup!” and play the Safe card. The Trouble card is then turned back on the player who played it.

  • Shelter: Permanent protection from Bad Weather. If an opponent plays Bad Weather against you and you hold Shelter in your hand, call 'Giddyup!' to reflect it back.
  • Ammo Pack: Permanent ammunition supply that works for both small and big game. Protects against Out of Bullets and reflects it back with 'Giddyup!'
  • Guide: Your expert guide protects against both I'm Lost and Lose License, and also serves as your License when played face-up. Call 'Giddyup!' to reflect either trouble back on the attacker.

Mountain Lion (Gold Border)

The Mountain Lion lets you steal any animal card from another player's hunt, or take the top card from the discard pile if it's an animal. The Wild card may never be drawn from the face-up discard pile, but it is reshuffled into the draw pile at the start of each new season.

Help Cards (Reference Only)

The Help cards are not used during play. Remove them from the deck before dealing. Players may keep a Help card nearby for quick reference.

Game Play

Setup

  1. Remove all Help cards from the deck and choose a dealer.
  2. Adjust the deck for your player count (see table below). For 4 players, use the full deck. For 2 or 3 players, remove the listed cards and set them aside. All Trouble, Safe, and Wild cards always remain in play.
  3. Shuffle the remaining cards thoroughly.
  4. Deal six cards face-down, one at a time, starting with the player to the dealer’s left.
  5. Place the remaining cards face-down in the center as the draw pile.
  6. Turn the top card of the draw pile face-up beside it to start the discard pile.

Deck Scaling by Player Count

For fewer than 4 players, remove the following cards before dealing:

Card3 Players
Remove
2 Players
Remove
Grouse510
Rabbit48
Deer36
Elk24
Bear24
Daylight24
Good Weather12
Compass12
Small Bullets24
Big Bullets24
License24
Total removed2652
Deck size8862

On Your Turn

  1. Draw one card from either the draw pile or the top of the discard pile. (Exception: the Wild card may never be drawn from the face-up discard pile.)
  2. Play one card face-up into your hunt area, or play a Trouble card against another player.
  3. If you cannot or choose not to play, you must discard one card face-up to the discard pile.

Core Rules

  • Before playing any trophy card, you must have Daylight, License, and the correct Small Bullets face-up in your hunt area with no unresolved Trouble.
  • Small Bullets may only be played while targeting Small Game. Big Bullets may only be played while targeting Big Game. Ammo Pack works for either.
  • Trophies must be collected in order: Grouse → Rabbit → Deer → Elk → Bear. Reach each target count before advancing.
  • Only one Trouble card may affect a player at a time.
  • Play passes to the left after each turn.

Seasons

When the draw pile is exhausted, shuffle the entire discard pile (including the Wild card) and place it face-down to form a new draw pile. A new season has begun. The game continues across as many seasons as needed.

Victory

The first player to complete all five trophies, Grouse through Bear, wins the game! If play becomes hopelessly locked, the table may agree to call a stalemate.

Quick Reference

Setup and Gameplay reference card Trouble and Remedies reference card Species Order reference card

Try It Free. No Download, No Signup

Play the full game free in your browser. Take on AI opponents, learn the rules fast, and see if you can hunt all five trophies first.

Play Free Online

Order Your Deck

The perfect gift for Father's Day, birthdays, or a stocking stuffer for the hunter who has everything.

The First Print Run Sold Out

The next batch is being planned now. Join the Hunt List below to get first access before decks are released publicly.

Single Deck
$25

One complete deck

  • All animal, trouble, fortune, safe & wild cards
  • 3 reference help cards
  • Instructions card with QR code
Reserve Your Spot →
Double Pack
$45
$22.50 each — Save 10%

Two complete decks

  • Perfect for gifting one & keeping one
  • Everything in the single deck x 2
Reserve Your Spot →

Join the Hunt List

Be first to know when the next print run drops. Early subscribers get first access to new decks, Gift Sets, and bundle releases.

No spam, ever. Just hunt updates and early access.

Free shipping within the United States. All orders ship from Colorado. One compact deck. Perfect for hunting camp, the cabin, camping trips, or screen-free family game night.

About

A family tradition, nearly two decades in the making.

Hunts Wild was born around a kitchen table in the mountains of Colorado, where the Wolcott family spent years refining a simple idea: a card game that captures the spirit of the American frontier hunt.

Inspired by the strategy of classic card games and the rugged beauty of the Rocky Mountain wilderness, each card is an original engraving in the tradition of 1900s frontier art. From the patience of tracking Grouse through the aspens to the thrill of encountering a Bear in the high country.

What started as a family pastime in 2007 has grown into a labor of love spanning nearly twenty years of play-testing, refining, and perfecting. Every rule has been shaped by countless rounds at kitchen tables, around campfires, and in mountain cabins across the Colorado high country.

This is a proudly American made product. Designed, developed, and shipped from the heart of the Rocky Mountains. No corporate middlemen, no overseas manufacturing. Just a real family, a real mountain town, and a game built the old-fashioned way.

A family-built card game from the Colorado high country. Frontier art, fast strategy, and just enough mischief to ruin your rival's hunt. Learn more about our American heritage →

Hunts Wild, Jasper, Colorado

Jasper, Colorado - est. population: a few good souls and plenty of grouse, rabbits, deer, elk and bears.

Tried, Tested & Loved

Play-tested by Colorado families since 2007

Sold through our first print run

Great for family game night, cabins, hunters, campers, and card-game fans

“We brought it to elk camp and didn't put it down all weekend. The guys loved the Trouble cards.”

Early playtester, Gunnison CO

“My kids learned it in five minutes. Now they ask to play every family game night.”

Parent playtester, Colorado

“It's like Mille Bornes but way more fun. The hunting theme and the Giddyup mechanic make it something special.”

Card game enthusiast

Frequently Asked Questions

How many players can play?

2-4 players, ages 8 and up. The deck scales automatically. For 2 or 3 players, you remove a set number of cards before dealing. A typical game takes 20-40 minutes.

Is this a good gift for hunters?

It's the perfect gift for anyone who loves to hunt. Great for Father's Day, birthdays, stocking stuffers, or hunting camp send-offs. Every card features original frontier engraving artwork.

How is it similar to Mille Bornes?

Hunts Wild uses a race-and-hazard mechanic inspired by the classic French card game. Instead of racing to drive 1,000 miles, players race to collect five hunting trophies. Trouble cards function like hazards, and Safe cards have a Giddyup! mechanic similar to the coup-fourre.

When will the next print run be available?

We're planning the next print run now. Join the Hunt List to be first in line when new decks are ready to ship.

Can I play it online for free?

Yes! You can play the full game free in your browser against AI opponents. No download, no signup required.

Where is the game made?

Hunts Wild is proudly made in the USA. It was born in Jasper, Colorado, a small mountain community in the heart of the Rocky Mountains. A Wolcott family tradition since 2007.

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