Taking all of North America’s big-game animals with a bow is a lifetime achievement and one that Mathews’ first employee has been working toward for 30 years.
To complete his Super Slam, Mathews veteran Joel Maxfield heads to the Alaskan wilderness in search of a brown bear.
Through his insatiable passion for bowhunting and a career devoted to innovation, Joel Maxfield has helped shape more than just a bow company, but the archery industry as we know it. Many of the brand’s bow and accessory advancements began with Joel’s in-field inspiration.
To those inside the industry, Maxfield has often been the face of Mathews Archery over the last 30 years. A variety of leadership positions at the company has put him in contact with a wide network of hunting professionals. It’s also helped him amass a collection of trophy mounts.
“It was just through a lot of hunting with friends and testing equipment in the field over the years that got me a ways down the road before I ever considered the Super Slam,” he says.
En route to Admiralty Island, Alaska, to hunt his 29th species, Joel reflects on the first days of Mathews Archery inside an old auto shop and the decades of innovation since. In fact, there’s a nice parallel between the number of species and the number of Mathews bows he’s used to bag them.
Of course, Alaskan weather and the elements can be unkind to goals like a Super Slam. But Joel got this far through perseverance (and some financial sacrifices you’ll hear about) to get this far along. See how he pivots to a new destination in search of No. 29.
The last day of the hunt arrives with tensions mounting. But only minutes after they start glassing, a mature bear is spotted downwind on the beach. In a frantic effort to capitalize on what is likely their last opportunity, Joel and his guide race their skiff ahead of the bear, hoping to find a vantage point from which to ambush him as he walks by.
In an instant, all the years of hard work and sacrifice come to a head.
Runtime: 41 minutes
This article is sponsored by Mathews Archery. Find out more about the brand’s bows and accessories online.
