The Story of Angry and the 90:10 Project

As we look back at what made the 2021-2022 deer season great, we’d be amiss to not mention Aaron Sligh’s 240 4/8-inch non-typical from Iowa. Yes, this is an impressive scoring buck with the type of character most only dream about, but the story of “Angry” is more than just another North American Whitetail feature. The story is fantastic. The hunters involved in the quest for the majestic buck are passionate, committed, and great narrators. They made NAW’s job of reporting on the deer easy.

No other hunter that we covered in 2021-2022 delivered the same amount of high-resolution photography, well-edited video and comprehensive hunting content. Brad Bever and Aaron Sligh went above and beyond what it takes to tell a successful deer hunting story, which left the NAW staff wanting to know more about the duo’s 90:10 project.

So, while Sligh’s Iowa giant might be what caught the attention of many this past fall, the story of Angry is just the beginning of something much larger: a captivating cinematographic video series just for whitetail fanatics.

“The more and more I hunt, the more and more I enjoy the 90,” says Sligh. “It’s the part where I get my wife and my kids, my brothers, my nephews, my nieces into the anticipation for hunting season. It’s food plots; it’s shed hunting; it’s getting cameras, fixing up the property, getting the architecture set for that coming year. That’s what we’re going to be showing you guys, how we do that 90 percent to get to that ultimate goal, which is that 10 percent... the kill.”

Sligh is a dedicated land manager; he’s been helping others with their deer hunting properties for almost 20 years. So, when Sligh and Bever crossed paths and began spending time together, it was only a matter of time before something special would be underway. Luckily, and not without hard work and a plan, the way in which they told the story of Angry has now kickstarted their larger project, a project focused on explaining the hard work that accounts for the 90 percent.

NAW Editor in Chief Haynes Shelton shared his praises of the 90:10 project, noting it’s the kind of video work whitetail diehards can’t get enough of. “The 90:10 project is a must-watch for all who love the entire process of improving whitetail land, growing mature bucks and playing the endless chess match of figuring them out,” notes Shelton. “When your life revolves around those tasks, you care about each part equally; it’s never just the kill.”

As we head into the spring and summer months, be sure to follow along with the 90:10 Project on YouTube. The 90:10 Project has already planned over 10 impressive videos surrounding the topic of land management for whitetail deer hunting. Short-form social content will be thrown into that mix as well, but expect to see more cinematic and well-edited video content like you’ve seen in the story of Angry.

“The 90:10 Project was born from a need to educate hunters and showcase how we build the best whitetail farms possible. Filmed and produced in a way that’s not boring, fun to watch, and also educational. I already do the 90 percent as a hunter, so connecting that with my ability to tell a story was a no-brainer.” – Brad Bever

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