In this compelling true story, charismatic Ward Allen (Jim Caviezel) turns his back on his plantation upbringing to make his living off the land. With his close companion, freed slave Christmas Moultrie (Chiwetel Ejiofor), he hunts on the rivers of Georgia, continuously challenging the law. Back on dry land, he navigates the legal system with ease, effecting important changes in hunting legislation. When he catches the eye of a beautiful society woman (Jaimie Alexander), he discovers a whole new challenge.