This season opens as a polar vortex sweeps across the nation and plunges America into a brutal early winter. Tom Oar is behind on his winter preparations because he's spending time with family in Florida and facing a possibly life-changing decision. Will he sacrifice leaving the mountain man lifestyle behind to live closer to his family? In the Ruby Valley, a bloody encounter with a mountain lion leaves Rich Lewis's lead hunting dog Brandy in a life or death situation, and could end her career forever. Marty Meierotto takes advantage of a break in the harsh weather to embark on his annual trip to the Great Alaskan Range, but this year instead of leaving his wife, Dominique and their daughter Noah behind he's taking them with him. And in New Mexico's rugged and relentless High Desert, we meet Kyle Bell who is teaching his son Ben the dying ways of the mountain man lifestyle.

As winter tightens its grip on the nation, the mountain men fight the elements to stay alive. In New Mexico's Cimarron Valley, Kyle Bell and his son Ben scramble to save a herd of bison from a fast approaching winter storm. In North Carolina's Blue Ridge Mountains, Eustace Conway and his friend Preston brave the wettest winter in decades to stop a dangerous landslide from washing out a rural road. In Montana, Tom Oar prepares himself for the fight of a lifetime after a run in with a pack of wolves while Rich Lewis braves a blizzard to put meat on his table for the winter. And deep in Alaska's wilderness Marty Meierotto and his family settle into their new remote surroundings.

As the worst winter in decades rages across the nation, the Mountain Men must fight to stay on top of the food chain. In the Yaak Valley, the growing wolf population comes knocking on Tom Oar's door, and quickly turns into a blood feud. In Alaska, Marty Meierotto's traps are coming up empty, causing him and his family to regroup and figure out how they're going to survive the season. In the Ruby Valley of southwest Montana, Rich Lewis bags enough meat to survive the winter, but his battle has only begun as hungry predators catch the scent. In North Carolina, Eustace Conway struggles to bring a 100-year-old sawmill back to life to keep his property in the black. And in New Mexico's Cimarron Valley, Kyle Bell puts his 10-year-old son's mountain man skills to the test on his first hunting trip.

Marty makes a new start in some of Alaska's most unforgiving terrain, but his first solo flight into the Revelation Mountains becomes a dangerous ordeal. In the Cimarron Valley of New Mexico, Kyle Bell helps his son Ben break his first colt, but day one goes terribly wrong. Eustace Conway and his friend Preston set out to build an enormous lumber shed to shelter his newly milled wood from North Carolina's torrential rains, but it quickly proves to be a risky undertaking. And in the Yaak, Tom attempts to preserve a bison hide that can earn him big bucks if his gamble pays off.

Rich runs his hunting dogs through a gauntlet of tests to determine which will become the new leader of the pack. Marty sets out on foot to cut a new trap line and salvage his season. While Tom goes back to his roots to bow hunt a buck with hand-crafted arrows.

In Montana, Rich Lewis must defend his home from a mountain lion that has invaded his turf. In New Mexico, after a failed first attempt, Kyle Bell's son Ben steps up again to break a wild young colt. In the Revelation Mountains, a voracious wolverine threatens to derail Marty Meierotto's season for good, and in North Carolina, Eustace Conway puts his wood burning truck to the ultimate test.

Marty fights back against a wolverine but it takes him on a treacherous journey; Charlie takes a big risk in uncharted wilderness and Tom claims his place on the food chain.

When winter unleashes its full fury Kyle and Ben get caught in its crosshairs. In Alaska, Marty's gamble on new country pays off. The polar assault brings Eustace's progress in North Carolina to a standstill. And far north in Maine, Charlie breaks the ice to finally cash in on some fur.

In the Revelation Mountains of Alaska, Marty is forced to make a dangerous river crossing to return to base camp. In Maine, Charlie battles a coyote to protect his new trapping ground. Tom hunts down a nuisance animal in Montana's Yaak Valley and Eustace races against a storm in North Carolina to bring his horses to shelter.

In the Revelation Mountains of Alaska, Marty faces off with a vicious wolverine. In Montana, Rich tries to protect a young family from a hungry predator while Tom Oar battles the bitter cold to build a primitive teepee. And in Maine, one wrong step has Charlie Tucker fighting for his life.

As the bitter cold pushes predators to the edge, Tom is caught in a close range battle while Rich goes head to head with a pack of wolves.

A visit from Tom's son Chad goes terribly wrong and Marty's flight back from the Revelation Mountains is delayed.

Marty is stranded in the Revelation Mountains with one last chance to get home, while Kyle and Ben launch a nighttime stakeout to stop a predator.

Tom battles a dangerous ice jam. Marty launches a last ditch escape from the Revelations, and a deadly predator returns to the Ruby Valley.

Marty is forced to make a mid-flight detour that costs him precious fuel; Rich faces his worst fear when the dogs run off in pursuit of a deadly predator, and Kyle takes down a beast.