The series is based on Elmore Leonard's stories about the character Raylan Givens, particularly "Fire in the Hole", which serves as the basis for the episode.
The series revolves around the inhabitants and culture in the Appalachian Mountains area of eastern Kentucky, specifically Harlan County where many of the main characters grew up.
According to Nielsen Media Research, the episode was seen by an estimated 1.73 million household viewers and gained a 0.5 ratings share among adults aged 18–49.
While authorities search for Walker (Garret Dillahunt), Raylan (Timothy Olyphant) asks Rachel (Erica Tazel) for time off to work on something.
Seabass (Scott Grimes) sets out to go help him but Avery pays him with a stack of cash to burn Walker for his actions, buying his loyalty.
With the information that Limehouse provided him, Boyd (Walton Goggins) tells Ava (Joelle Carter) that he wants them to go to his family cabin in the mountains at that exact moment.
Raylan holds his daughter for the first time but is told by Winona that Willa has a grade 4 heart murmur, and they need to work on the custody arrangements.
He then pays a pair of frat boys on their way to Orlando to deliver his vest to 1212 Main Street for him, and apparently sends out his credit cards as other decoys.
Ava then states he left her no choice, having abandoned her in prison, she reveals her knowledge of the planned deal he had with Raylan for a "clean slate" for himself.
In February 2015, it was reported that the seventh episode of the sixth season would be titled "The Hunt", and was to be directed by John Dahl and written by executive producer Taylor Elmore and Keith Schreier.
In its original American broadcast, "The Hunt" was seen by an estimated 1.73 million household viewers and gained a 0.5 ratings share among adults aged 18–49, according to Nielsen Media Research.
"[7] Kevin Fitzpatrick of Screen Crush wrote, "'The Hunt' offered a few other scenes to enjoy, like Art getting a chance to size up Avery Markham at the police station, or Rachel coming into her own as Interim Chief, but it seemed for the most part like tonight was treading water until Boyd and Ava could put cards on the table.
"[8] Alan Sepinwall of HitFix wrote, "'The Hunt' focuses primarily on the once and potentially future love interests of our main hero and villain, and returns to familiar settings for discussion what happened, what's to come, and how much one partner in each relationship has to accept the true nature of the other.
"[9] Jeff Stone of IndieWire gave the episode a "B" grade and wrote, "To say Ava and Boyd Crowder have a complicated relationship would be understating things quite a bit.
Television has no shortage of cops who love their jobs more than their families, who have no problem taking control in their work environments but just make a mess of their personal lives.
"[11] Matt Zoller Seitz of Vulture gave the episode a perfect 5 star rating out of 5 and wrote, "'The Hunt' ends with a maybe-reconciliation between Raylan and Winona, and the possibility that Boyd might murder his beloved Ava after deviously getting confirmation that she was ratting him out to the U.S.
The site wrote, "Justified viewers dreaded Boyd inevitably learning that Ava's a snitch, primarily because there was no telling how he'd react.