By Christopher Avena
Known worldwide as the beer-crushing, tough-talking icon of professional wrestling, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin might surprise you with his quieter side. Long before he was stomping through arenas and delivering stunners in front of millions, Austin was learning the value of patience, discipline, and respect—for nature and for life itself—in the wilds of South Texas.
In an exclusive sit-down with American Outdoor News, Austin opened up about the man behind the legend. Not the wrestler. Not the TV host. But the hunter—the outdoorsman who still finds peace in the mountains and fulfillment in the field.
“I started hunting with my dad and my two brothers when I was around eight or nine years old,” Austin recalls. “We’d head out into the brush country of South Texas and chase whitetail. I took my first deer at thirteen, and from then on, I was hooked.”
That early exposure cemented a lifelong passion. Today, Austin resides in Nevada, where he spends much of his time glassing for mule deer and antelope in the rugged, open country. He hunts alongside his brother-in-law, a seasoned guide with over forty years of experience. Their hunts are measured not just in tags filled but in time well spent—long days in a Kawasaki side-by-side, picking apart the terrain with their optics, often going days without seeing an animal.
“It’s totally different from hunting out of a stand in Texas,” Austin said. “In Nevada, it’s spot and stalk. You might glass a buck a couple of miles off and then plan a full stalk through some tough, rugged country. Sometimes you make the shot, sometimes you don’t even get close—but that’s the beauty of it.”
Despite his fame and larger-than-life persona, Austin speaks about hunting with the humility and reverence of a man who’s never lost sight of what it means to earn your time outdoors. “It’s not for everybody,” he admits. “But if it’s in you, it’s deep. It’s not just about killing something. It’s the process—the grind, the wait, the respect.”
Campfire Conversations and Outdoor Brotherhood
For Austin, the moments that matter most often happen after the hunt is over. When the rifles are racked, the boots are off, and the stories begin to flow as freely as the beer around the fire.
“Some of my best memories are sitting around the campfire after a long day,” Austin said with a grin. “We’ll be there with a can of my Broken Skull Beer, trading stories, laughing, just soaking it all in. That’s the heart of it right there.”
While he enjoys the thrill of the chase, the camp experience is where Austin says real bonds are forged. It’s a place where ego gets checked at the door and respect reigns—respect for the hunt, the firearm, and for one another.
“Gun safety is non-negotiable,” he emphasized. “Everyone in camp needs to understand that. You’ve got to respect the firearm, know your gear, and make damn sure your rifle’s zeroed before you ever head into the field. That’s part of being a responsible hunter.”
His hunting camp, tucked away in the Nevada hills, isn’t anything fancy—just a modest 900-square-foot cabin with two bedrooms, a kitchen, and a bathroom. No Wi-Fi. No cell service. Just the basic necessities and the beauty of being unplugged.
“It’s not a five-star lodge. It’s more like a star and a half,” he laughed. “But it’s exactly what I want. We go out there to disconnect from all the noise and reconnect with what matters. There’s a peace that comes from that kind of solitude—it clears your mind.”
When the cabin feels a little too rough, Austin occasionally brings his camper for extra comfort, but the setting is always the same: rugged country, great company, and the quiet calm of a campfire under the stars.
Shooting Straight and Living Full-Throttle
As our conversation shifted to gear and shooting techniques, Austin’s eyes lit up. “I’m a big believer in long-range practice,” he said. “You’ve got to understand your rifle—what it’s capable of, how your ammo performs, what the wind’s doing. You owe it to the animal to be precise and prepared.”
He’s logged plenty of hours behind a rifle, dialing in shots across the wide-open spaces of Nevada. His rifle is normally dialed in at 300 yards but in Nevada, a 700-yard shot is not uncommon. He’s also experimented with various calibers and scopes, always searching for the right setup for each situation. “Every shot should be earned long before you pull the trigger. That’s where the ethics come in.”
While his hunting style is meticulous, Austin is just as passionate about another adrenaline-pumping outdoor pursuit: off-road racing. As a longtime Kawasaki ambassador, he’s spent years pushing himself behind the wheel of side-by-sides—another arena where discipline, timing, and physical coordination are key.
“At first, I didn’t know if I’d call those guys athletes,” Austin admitted. “But once I got into it, I realized just how much skill it takes. It’s not just mashing the gas. You’ve got to control the machine, read the terrain, know when to slow down, when to push, and how to react under pressure.”
The thrill of racing reminds him of his wrestling days—strategic, high-stakes, and intensely physical—but grounded in the same principles he applies to hunting: preparation, focus, and heart.
Looking ahead, Austin says he’s more excited than ever to keep chasing what he loves—whether that’s locking in on a mule deer across a canyon, tearing through the desert in a side-by-side, or sitting quietly with friends under the Nevada sky.
“Hunting keeps me grounded,” he said. “It reminds me of who I am—what really matters. I may not be in the ring anymore, but I’ve still got that fire. These days, I just find it out here in the wild.”
From South Texas to the Silver State, from the squared circle to the high-country, Stone-Cold Steve Austin is living proof that the outdoor lifestyle isn’t just a hobby—it’s a calling. And whether he’s pulling the trigger, gripping the wheel, or raising a glass around the fire, he’s doing it with the same passion that made him a legend.