Backcountry Hunting Podcast: Recent Episodes
Joseph von Benedikt
Backcountry Hunting Podcast focuses on inspiring and teaching about deep-country hunting, with emphasis on DIY techniques, gear, prep and how-to. Lifelong wilderness hunter Joseph von Benedikt shares stories and tips for success.
In the backcountry, dog ain't mans best friend. Nope: a good horse is. We take this episode out into the pasture with Audrey von Benedikt (the horsewoman of the family) and talk through how to get the most out of your horse and yourself on an elk hunt. We compare the pros and cons of horses versus ATVs, discuss best ways to carry a rifle on a horse, specific training (for the horse and for you) prior to heading into elk country, and more. Plus, we introduce a new member of the family: a little blue roan filly that just might turn into the ultimate elk-hunting horse. ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry Recent brief Patreon-only topics include "Best Mauser Rifle Ever" and "How Exit Wounds Affect Blood Trails," as well as brief audio episodes on "6.5 Backcountry" (6.5 Creedmoor +P), ponderings on ".30-06 High-BC Bullet performance," a first look at a new heavy-for-caliber 270-grain Solid .35 Whelen load, a "6.8 Western Survival Forecast" and "Gear List for Hunting." Check 'em out!
Email us questions here: backcountryhuntingpodcast@gmail.com
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
https://javelinbipod.com
www.swiftbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
Great cartridges for hunting mule deer tend to be good for most western big game species... But what if you singularly, passionately want one ultimate mule deer cartridge? In this episode, we sit down with Colton Heward, managing editor of Petersen's Hunting magazine, and talk out what makes a perfect cartridge for hunting mule deer. Heward is a big game guide with decades of experience, and loves to hunt big mule deer over all else. He shares his personal favorite cartridges, and tells the story of three incredible bucks he's had the priviledge of hunting. ENJOY!
Check out Colton Heward's work at www.petersenshunting.com
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry Recent brief Patreon-only topics include "How Exit Wounds Affect Blood Trails," as well as brief audio episodes on "6.5 Backcountry" (6.5 Creedmoor +P), ponderings on ".30-06 High-BC Bullet performance," a first look at a new heavy-for-caliber 270-grain Solid .35 Whelen load, a "6.8 Western Survival Forecast" and "Gear List for Hunting." Check 'em out!
Email us questions here: backcountryhuntingpodcast@gmail.com
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
https://javelinbipod.com
www.swiftbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
What is it about hunting Africa that sinks a hook so deep into your soul that you can never stop dreaming of going back? Smoky orange sunsets, majestic kudu bulls drifting through thornbrush, and the taste of fresh meat over Acacia-wood coals are part of it... In this episode with Austin Brown and Crusader Safari's Shawn Higgs, we swap stories and insights during the final days of a two-week adventure in Africa's Eastern Cape country. Big kudu bulls, cape buffalo, wildcats, and a charge by a wounded bull made for an exciting adventure. ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry Recent brief Patreon-only topics include "How Exit Wounds Affect Blood Trails," as well as brief audio episodes on "6.5 Backcountry" (6.5 Creedmoor +P), ponderings on ".30-06 High-BC Bullet performance," a first look at a new heavy-for-caliber 270-grain Solid .35 Whelen load, a "6.8 Western Survival Forecast" and "Gear List for Hunting." Check 'em out!
Email us questions here: backcountryhuntingpodcast@gmail.com
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
https://javelinbipod.com
www.swiftbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
How good is the .35 Whelen for western big game hunting? This episode tells five hunting stories, all told by a veteran fighter pilot, that showcase just how wonderful this mild-kicking, wallop-packing medium-bore cartridge is. ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry Recent brief Patreon-only topics include "How Exit Wounds Affect Blood Trails," as well as brief audio episodes on "6.5 Backcountry" (6.5 Creedmoor +P), ponderings on ".30-06 High-BC Bullet performance," a first look at a new heavy-for-caliber 270-grain Solid .35 Whelen load, a "6.8 Western Survival Forecast" and "Gear List for Hunting." Check 'em out!
Email us questions here: backcountryhuntingpodcast@gmail.com
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
https://javelinbipod.com
www.swiftbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
What are the best modern hunting rifles available today? In this episode, we sit down with Colton Heward, managing editor of Petersen's Hunting magazine, and talk through top choices in several price categories ranging from $500 up to $2,500. We compare the pros and cons of detachable box magazines versus hinged floorplates, and explore the advantages and disadvantages of chassis-type stocks compared to traditional stocks.
Naturally, the discussion is generously sprinkled with hunting stories that illustrate these recommended rifles. ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry Recent brief Patreon-only audio topics include "6.5 Backcountry" (6.5 Creedmoor +P), ponderings on ".30-06 High-BC Bullet performance," a first look at a new heavy-for-caliber 270-grain Solid .35 Whelen load, a "6.8 Western Survival Forecast" and "Gear List for Hunting." Check 'em out!
Email us questions here: backcountryhuntingpodcast@gmail.com
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
https://javelinbipod.com
www.swiftbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
What's the best place to aim on a big game animal? That depends on what you're hunting. Antlered game in America is built differently than most antelope species in Africa—as well as Cape Buffalo (a.k.a. Black Death).
Knowing where to aim makes for faster, more ethical kills and shorter blood trails. And in the case of dangerous game, can prevent a life-threatening situation. In this episode, we break down how the vitals are situation on various popular species, particularly antlered game such as deer, caribou, elk, and moose compared to horned game such as kudu, oryx, and aoudad. ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry Recent brief Patreon-only audio topics include "6.5 Backcountry" (6.5 Creedmoor +P), ponderings on ".30-06 High-BC Bullet performance," a first look at a new heavy-for-caliber 270-grain Solid .35 Whelen load, a "6.8 Western Survival Forecast" and "Gear List for Hunting." Check 'em out!
Email us questions here: backcountryhuntingpodcast@gmail.com
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
https://javelinbipod.com
www.swiftbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
This episode takes a close look at the 7mm SAW — a wildcat that just might be the ultimate efficient short-action 7mm. Designed by Clayton Smith, owner of West Texas Ordnance, it's sort of an improved 7mm-08 with a better shoulder angle, faster rifling twist, and greater head height. It just might be the cartridge that the 7mm-08 always wanted to be. ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry Recent brief Patreon-only audio topics include "6.5 Backcountry" (6.5 Creedmoor +P), ponderings on ".30-06 High-BC Bullet performance," a first look at a new heavy-for-caliber 270-grain Solid .35 Whelen load, a "6.8 Western Survival Forecast" and "Gear List for Hunting." Check 'em out!
Email us questions here: backcountryhuntingpodcast@gmail.com
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
https://javelinbipod.com
www.swiftbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
Detractors of modern long-range hunting methods call such hunters "deer snipers." But is long-range shooting at game bad? Or good? We're joined by Ron Spomer in this episode, and we hash out the various facets—virtuous and evil alike—of shooting long on big game. Plus, of course, we regularly get off track and swap great hunting stories and tales of our favorite rifles. ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry Recent brief Patreon-only audio topics include "6.5 Backcountry" (6.5 Creedmoor +P), ponderings on ".30-06 High-BC Bullet performance," a first look at a new heavy-for-caliber 270-grain Solid .35 Whelen load, a "6.8 Western Survival Forecast" and "Gear List for Hunting." Check 'em out!
Email us questions here: backcountryhuntingpodcast@gmail.com
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
https://javelinbipod.com
www.swiftbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
This episode follows host Joseph von Benedikt on a wild roebuck hunt across ancient terraces in Spain, to remote mountains in Transylvania, to deep forests of Serbia, and into the spectacular alpine mountains of Macedonia. We talk cartridges (we used seven different rifles chambered in seven different cartridges) and bullets (used Berger VLD Hunting, Sierra Tipped GameKing, Federal Fusion, Sellior & Bellot, and Hornady SSTs and unpack other aspects ranging from travel, to safety, to wildlife management abroad.
Some very interesting trends emerged, particularly with the .308. This was an incredible experience and super fun to record and re-live... ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry Recent brief Patreon-only audio topics include "6.5 Backcountry" (6.5 Creedmoor +P), ponderings on ".30-06 High-BC Bullet performance," a first look at a new heavy-for-caliber 270-grain Solid .35 Whelen load, a "6.8 Western Survival Forecast" and "Gear List for Hunting." Check 'em out!
Email us questions here: backcountryhuntingpodcast@gmail.com
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
https://javelinbipod.com
www.swiftbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
BIG NEWS! Federal has just announced the new "6.5 BACKCOUNTRY" cartridge... or put more correctly, the 6.5 Creedmoor with "+ PEAK" alloy technology. We tested the inagural 130-grain Terminal Ascent load in three different rifles with barrels of 24, 20, and 17 inches to see if the new load deserves the hype. Listen in—this is a very cool new development! ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry Recent brief Patreon-only audio topics include "Bullet Peformance Across Europe," ponderings on ".30-06 High-BC Bullet performance," a first look at a new heavy-for-caliber 270-grain Solid .35 Whelen load, a "6.8 Western Survival Forecast" and "Gear List for Hunting." Check 'em out!
Email us questions here: backcountryhuntingpodcast@gmail.com
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
https://javelinbipod.com
www.swiftbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
Scenario: You can choose between .280 Ackley, 7mm PRC, .300 Win Mag, and .300 PRC to hunt everything on the North American continent for the rest of you life. What's it going to be?
Folks, this brief episode will be followed in a few hours by a major new-product announcement (embargoed until 9am Mountain Time, June 6th). Check it out! It's really, really big news.
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry Recent brief Patreon-only audio topics include "Bullet Peformance Across Europe," ponderings on ".30-06 High-BC Bullet performance," a "First Kill Shots with the New Swift Zephyr," video, a "6.8 Western Survival Forecast" and "Gear List for Hunting." Check 'em out!
Email us questions here: backcountryhuntingpodcast@gmail.com
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
https://javelinbipod.com
www.swiftbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
Join us TONIGHT for a LIVE Q&A with our friends in New Zealand. We'll talk all things hunting NZ. A Zoom link will be provided on the free page at www.patreon.com/backcountry so come click in and talk with us!
Also, news from Swift: The new Zephyr bullet is up on the website and Swift is taking orders! Super cool intel: Estimated arrival date of .277-diameter (6.8 Western) Zephyr bullet.
Last but not least, a HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT coming Friday morning in the standard podcast, which will drop at 9am Mountain Time. Tune in—it's a darned cool development.
www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
https://javelinbipod.com
www.swiftbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
Do you really need a new rifle to hunt elk? Probably not! Although cutting-edge is helpful, you just might be better off spending your extra money on practice ammo and honing your skills with Grandpa's old rifle.
In this episode, we sit down with professional elk guide Tate Bradfield and talk about the gear that's NECESSARY for successfully hunting and shooting elk. The results might surprise you... ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry Recent brief Patreon-only audio topics include "Bullet Peformance Across Europe," ponderings on ".30-06 High-BC Bullet performance," a "First Kill Shots with the New Swift Zephyr," video, a "6.8 Western Survival Forecast" and "Gear List for Hunting." Check 'em out!
Email us questions here: backcountryhuntingpodcast@gmail.com
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
https://javelinbipod.com
www.swiftbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
This episode brings you the late-night and early morning audio-journal recordings from our recent hunt in New Zealand. Audrey and I re-cap our hunts for my massive red stag, our bowhunts for red stag and arapawa ram, Audrey's fallow deer, and her exceptional Himalayan Tahr. Plus we detail the rifles, optics, ammo, and archery gear we used. This was an incredible safari to the Land of the Long White Cloud... we hope you enjoy it!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry Recent brief Patreon-only audio topics include ".30-06 High-BC Bullet performance," a "First Kill Shots with the New Swift Zephyr," video, a "6.8 Western Survival Forecast" and "Gear List for Hunting." Check 'em out!
Email us questions here: backcountryhuntingpodcast@gmail.com
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
https://javelinbipod.com
www.swiftbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
We've ignored the legendary All-American .30-caliber cartridges for too long! This episode, we sit down with Ron Spomer and swap stories about our favorite .30-caliber cartridges. We propose which are the most proven, the best designed, the most popular, and the most likely to survive. And yes, of course we discuss and recommend the one .30-caliber "Best All-Around" cartridge! Listen in and we'll tell you what it is. ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry Recent brief Patreon-only audio topics include "Bow vs. Rifle," a "6.8 Western Survival Forecast" and "Gear List for Hunting." Check 'em out!
Email us questions here: backcountryhuntingpodcast@gmail.com
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
https://javelinbipod.com
www.swiftbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
Recorded live in the field—audio-journal style—this episode takes us into Spain's rugged Pyranese Mountains, where our great pal Austin Brown and his buddy Grant Gingerich hunt wily mountain-dwelling roedeer and cagy old mouflon rams. All free range, earned the right way by putting in the hard yards in very steep, rough country. Austin puts his beloved .280 Ackley to work, and Grant carried his 6.5 Creedmoor. Some great insight on the comparative performance of those two rounds coming in a future episode!
From the terrain, to the food, to this ancient historic archetecture, to the outstanding hunting, this trip to Spain was incredible. Ping us on Patreon or through our backcountryhuntingpodcast@gmail.com account, or via the Global Hunting Adventures website and we'll email you info on the outfitters we used.
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry Recent brief Patreon-only audio topics include "Bow vs. Rifle," a "6.8 Western Survival Forecast" and "Gear List for Hunting." Check 'em out!
Email us questions here: backcountryhuntingpodcast@gmail.com
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
https://javelinbipod.com
www.swiftbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
Which is better: 6.5 Creedmoor or 6.5x55 "Swede?" Ever since it was first introduced, savvy shooters have been commenting that the 6.5 Creedmoor doesn't do anything better than their classic 6.5x55. Is this true? Could the 6.5x55 even be (GASP!) better than the 6.5 Creedmoor? Or do the modern characteristics of the 6.5 Creedmoor provide additional performance that's launched the 6.5mm cartridge to stardom?
In this episode, we take a candid look at both cartridges, and consider the pros and cons of each within it's respective performance zone. Take a listen, and then YOU decide which is better. ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry Recent brief Patreon-only audio topics include "Bow vs. Rifle," a "6.8 Western Survival Forecast" and "Gear List for Hunting." Check 'em out!
Email us questions here: backcountryhuntingpodcast@gmail.com
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
https://javelinbipod.com
www.swiftbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
This episode, we're joined by legendary British hunter and mountaineer Rob Gearing. Nicknamed "Lord G" by none other than Craig Boddington, Gearing designed the Javelin bipod, which I believe is the finest bipod for backcountry hunting that's ever been made. We talk through Spartan's various shooting rests, and tell plenty of stories that examplify just how crucial it is to have the right gear. ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry Recent brief Patreon-only audio topics include "6.8 Western Survival Forecast" and "Gear List for Hunting Africa." Check 'em out!
Email us questions here: backcountryhuntingpodcast@gmail.com
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
https://javelinbipod.com
www.swiftbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
This episode comes at you raw, recorded beside a late-night fire in New Zealand's incredible mountain country.
New Zealand is known for red stags of prehistoric size, mountain game that are incredibly unique, and the spectacular country that Lord Of The Rings was filmed in. In a hunters world, NZ is mostly special for the red stags. Here, we talk about why, and outfitter Darren Clifford and his staff share insight into the back story that goes into creating a place and an operation that consistently produces challenging, rewarding hunts and world-class animals. Plus, several hunters around the campfire share the stories of their hunts.
Naturally, the gear-head in us comes out and we talk through the rifles, cartridges, bullets, and optics we're all using and a few lessons learned along the way. ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry Recent brief Patreon-only audio topics include "6.8 Western Survival Forecast" and "Gear List for Hunting Africa." Check 'em out!
Email us questions here: backcountryhuntingpodcast@gmail.com
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.swiftbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
https://javelinbipod.com
Good gear is important, but dollars don't always buy success or survival. With a little old-fashioned ingenuity you can fix gear, make gear, or buy used gear that'll serve just fine. In this episode, we sit down with Ron Spomer, a great hunter with more than a half-century of experience around the world, and he shares some of his favorite gear and hacks for success. Ron is a serious backcountry and solo, DIY hunter, and offers wisdom born of years in the school of hard knocks. ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry Recent brief Patreon-only audio topics include "6.8 Western Survival Forecast" and "Gear List for Hunting Africa." Check 'em out!
Email us questions here: backcountryhuntingpodcast@gmail.com
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.swiftbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
https://javelinbipod.com
We frequently get asked "What gear do I need to take on my hunt in Africa?" In this episode we hash out what's really crucial and what you can (and should) leave home. Optics, clothing, boots, packs, emergency gear, cartridge carriers, shooting sticks, and more are all detailed... and supported by entertaining experiences that happened while on safari in the wilds of Africa. Austin Brown joins as an African-hunting subject-matter expert, and savvy U.S. backcountry hunter Landon Michaels joins to ask the questions that every first-time safari planner wants to know. ENJOY!
NOTE: We will publish an itemized version of this gear list on www.patreon.com/backcountry and the transcript of the episode as well. If you're not already a member, please join to access this and all our other bonus material!
Email us questions here: backcountryhuntingpodcast@gmail.com
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.swiftbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
https://javelinbipod.com
We love wild sheep hunting... but we can only afford to hunt Aoudad; aka Barbary Sheep; aka the "poor man's Desert Bighorn." This awesome episode was recorded raw and live in the field deep in the mountains of Mexico, and gives a blow-by-blow account of three experienced aoudad hunters all taking the biggest, oldest rams of their life. ENJOY!
Contact Process Based Hunter to sign up for Tate Bradfield's hunting courses and mentored hunts.
Watch future issues of Petersen's Hunting magazine and Shooting Times magazine for articles on the hunt and equipment.
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry Recent brief Patreon-only audio topics include "How To Make Your Ruger More Reliable" and "Best Cartridge for Moose & Woodland Bison." Check 'em out!
Email us questions here: backcountryhuntingpodcast@gmail.com
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.swiftbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
https://javelinbipod.com
After a successful hunt to Africa, New Zealand, or Europe, is it hard to bring your animals home? It doesn't have to be. In this episode Wyatt Fetner of Safari Specialty Importers talks through the process of bringing horns, antlers, skulls, and hides back to the states.
Wyatt is a fellow gun nut, and in addition to discussing how to import animal parts, he tells the fascinating story of an extraordinary vintage double-barreled dangerous-game rifle he found in England. ENJOY!
https://safarispecialtyimporters.com
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry Recent brief Patreon-only audio topics include "How to Set Up A 7mm PRC for Sucess" and "Best Cartridge for Moose & Woodland Bison." Check 'em out!
Email us questions here: backcountryhuntingpodcast@gmail.com
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.swiftbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
https://javelinbipod.com
What makes a terrific mountain rifle? In this episode, we interview hunting legend Ron Spomer about his favorite wild sheep hunting rifles (which are excellent for elk and alpine mule deer and black bear as well).
Ron takes us through the rifle characteristics and features he considers crucial to a capable backcountry hunting rifle. Naturally, his opinions are liberally laced with true tale tales of wild hunting in wild places. This one was a ton of fun, folks! ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry Recent brief Patreon-only audio topics include "How to Set Up A 7mm PRC for Sucess" and "Best Cartridge for Moose & Woodland Bison." Check 'em out!
Email us questions here: backcountryhuntingpodcast@gmail.com
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.swiftbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
https://javelinbipod.com
In this episode we get the inside scoop on Leupold's brand-new BX-6 Range HD binocular, which has optical quality that competes with the big Germanic brands, a 6,000-yard rangefinder, on-board atmospheric sensors, and the most capable ballistic brain on the market. Oh—and it pairs with onX Maps and several other popular GPS mapping apps and projects waypoints way out there... up to a couple of miles!
Many thanks to Leupold's Tim Lesser, who sat down with us and shared the inside story on this incredibly capable new optic... plus great insight on the new VX-4HD line of hunting scopes. ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Email us questions here: backcountryhuntingpodcast@gmail.com
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.swiftbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
https://javelinbipod.com
Trying to decide between Hornady's new .25 Creedmoor and Weatherby's new .25 RPM cartridge? Or are you unconvinced that they are any better than your reliable old .25-06 or .257 Weatherby Magnum? We're here to help! Or rather, we've got professional help... We're joined this episode by Colton Heward; professional big game guide and Managing Editor of Peterson's Hunting. He's a quarter-bore savant from way back, and has already hunted New Zealand and Old Mexico with these new .25-caliber hot-rods.
We talk through the various characteristics and strengths of each, and Colton supports his opinions with awesome stories about hunting Himalyan Tahr in giant mountains, Red Stags in hell-holes, and Coues Deer in vast deserts... ENJOY!
Northern Shrike Drop Warning! Contact Siembida Custom Knives: (740) 270-9057
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Email us questions here: backcountryhuntingpodcast@gmail.com
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
https://javelinbipod.com
www.swiftbullets.com
Achieving top-notch accuracy with your hunting rifle requires attention to the smallest details. Here, we're joined by Ray Saft, owner of Saft Custom Gunsmithing in Anchorage, Alaska, to discuss the hidden but essential elements of putting together a precision hunting rifle. We talk best actions, barrels, stocks, and of course, cartridges. Tune in—you'll want to hear Ray's opinion on the .300 Win Mag and the 6.8 Western! ENJOY!
Contact Ray Saft Custom Gunsmithing: (907) 830-8874
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Email us questions here: backcountryhuntingpodcast@gmail.com
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
https://javelinbipod.com
www.swiftbullets.com
It's been six years since the Northern Shrike custom hunting knife was conceived. Incredibly, there's no corner of the (legally huntable) world remaining where it hasn't been carried by intrepid hunters. This episode takes a look at why it's so extraordinary, and gives a sneak peek at what our Spring 2026 "Blue Collar" edition is going to be like. ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Email us questions here: backcountryhuntingpodcast@gmail.com
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
https://javelinbipod.com
www.swiftbullets.com
Friends, I'll be at the Dallas Safari Club in early February. We'll be holding meet-and-greet visits at booth 3216 Friday and Saturday 10-to-noon, and 3-5pm. Use code JOSEPH26 to get 25% off your entry tickets, and come swap hunting dreams and make plans with us!
We'll also have Rob Gearing, owner of Spartan Precision Equipment, and Neal Lane, proprietor of Lane Firearms & Appraisals, visiting and answering questions with us.
See you all there!
What is the best cartridge for a kid or beginning hunter to start with? In this episode William (a.k.a. the Backcountry Apprentice) and host Joseph von Benedikt sit down and debate the merits of 14 different cartridge candidates for the title of "Best Kid Cartridge." By process of elimination, we boil it down to just one. Our top pick may surprise you... This episode was great fun, folks. ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Email us questions here: backcountryhuntingpodcast@gmail.com
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
https://javelinbipod.com
www.swiftbullets.com
SHOT Show 2026 is drawing to a close, and a ton of great new rifles, shotguns, handguns, scopes, binoculars, cartridges, bullets, and other gear has just been introduced. In this episode, we sit down with gunwriting and YouTube legend Ron Spomer and talk about the coolest new products we saw at the show. There some great stuff coming down the pipeline. ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Email us questions here: backcountryhuntingpodcast@gmail.com
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
https://javelinbipod.com
www.swiftbullets.com
WHICH IS BEST: .270 Winchester or .30-06 Springfield? In this episode I sit down with the William vB—the "Backcountry Apprentice" himself, and we hash out the pros and cons of each cartridge, discussing:
- Cartridge versatility
- Bullet weight ranges
- Modern bullets available
- Best factory loads
- Best bullets for handloading
- Which is more optimal for whitetails and other deer-size game
- Which is better for elk and for hunting Africa
This one was a ton of fun, folks... We hope you enjoy listening as much as we enjoyed making it!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Email us questions here: backcountryhuntingpodcast@gmail.com
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
https://javelinbipod.com
www.swiftbullets.com
Q&A: Best Bullets for Vintage Rifles, Best Moose Cartridge, First Guns for Kids, Barrel Cleaning, Kill Kit Contents, and More!
In this episode we answer great questions on a variety of topics, including:
- Best bullets for classic (vintage) rifles
- NAS3 high-pressure cartridge cases
- Velocity expansion thresholds for monometal bullets
- Best boots for stalking in Africa
- Ultimate moose rifle and cartridge
- Best first rifle for kids
- Barrel cleaning and accuracy degradation
- Kill Kit contents: most crucial gear
- Best carbon-fiber rifle stocks
- Affordable Cape Buffalo hunts
- Hosted Hunts with the podcast
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Email us questions here: backcountryhuntingpodcast@gmail.com
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
https://javelinbipod.com
www.swiftbullets.com
Rigby of London is debatably the most famous maker of fine double-barrel rifles and (bolt-action) magazine rifles in history. Jim Corbett used a .275 Rigby to hunt many of the maneating tigers and leopards he killed. Harry Selby carried a .416 Rigby while guiding Robert Ruark. The Rigby Rising Bite double rifle is considered by many savants to be the finest of its type ever made. And so forth.
In this extraordinary episode, we're joined by Rigby of London CEO Marc Newton, who walks us through the company's 250-year history, the design and manufacturing ethos behind Rigby's outstanding bolt-action and double rifles, and the future of the company. We talk about top cartridge choices for everything from red stag to elephant, and Marc shares the stories of his favorite hunts. This episode is special, folks. ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
https://javelinbipod.com
www.swiftbullets.com
"When you don't have a pack raft, a river or body of water is a barrier. When you do have a raft, that water becomes a highway."
This episode we're joined with Alpacka Raft founder Thor Tingey. Thor grew up in Alaska, adventure-rafting, hunting, and fishing across most of the state. Alpacka packable rafts are the culmination of decades worth of experience and wisdom. Incredible though it sounds, a moose-capable raft weighs just 15 pounds and rolls up as small as a backpacking tent. These boats are game-changers, folks. Listen in and learn just how effective they are and in how many creative ways they can be used. ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
https://javelinbipod.com
www.swiftbullets.com
Lots of hunters and shooters complain about new cartridges. "My .270 will do anything that stupid new (insert cartridge name here) can do!"
Is that a fact.
In this episode, we explore whether cutting-edge new cartridges actually have an advantage over proven classic cartridges. To showcase the concept, we pit the legendary .270 Winchester against the racy new 6.5 WBY RPM, but we include a ton of other classic and new cartridges in the discussion too. This was a fun one and is sure to ruffle some feathers and turn the crank on a lot of hunters and shooters. ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
https://javelinbipod.com
www.swiftbullets.com
If you had to face a charging cape buffalo, elephant, or grizzly bear, would you want a big-bore bolt-action or a double rifle?
This episode was recorded in Mozambique, where we had the opportunity to sit down with two dangerous-game professional hunters and guides who have opposing views: one prefers a double rifle; the other likes a bolt action. We swapped stories and debated the virtues and weaknesses of each rifle type. This one was a ton of fun folks. ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Check out our new "recommended outfitters" hunt booking agency! We're super excited about this venture that allows us to share our favorite destinations around the world with our loyal listeners. We'll also be doing hosted hunts each year, which will be available first to our loyal listeners on Patreon.
VISIT ALL OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
https://javelinbipod.com
www.swiftbullets.com
We're live in the tropical forests of Mozambique, in one of the most remote safari camps in the world. This episode was recorded right after hunting two magnificent old dagga boy cape buffalo bulls in the floodplains of the Zambeze River delta, while the experience was still fresh and raw.
One buffalo was taken with a 125-year-old Westley Richards double rifle in .450/400 Nitro; the other with a Winchester Model 70 .375 H&H. Early November heat combined with unseasonal rains combined to make it both humid and torrid... a proper tropical experience. We waded waist-deep through crocodile-infested swamps, bled on the head-high sawgrass, and walked miles across broken, crusted mud flats. It was an experience we'll remember for a lifetime, and here we share the stories. ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Check out our new "recommended outfitters" hunt booking agency! We're super excited about this venture that allows us to share our favorite destinations around the world with our loyal listeners. We'll also be doing hosted hunts each year, which will be available first to our loyal listeners on Patreon.
VISIT ALL OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
https://javelinbipod.com
www.swiftbullets.com
Shooting skill can be crucial at the moment of truth, especially on elk. Good opportunities are often hard-earned, particularly when hunting DIY, on public land, with an over-the-counter tag.
This episode details two very special hunts, when my sons each shot their first bull. Both were in challenging scenarios, and both boys did everything right. There are a lot of proud father moments in this episode! Analyzing the rapidly evolving situations these boys encountered as well as the marksmanship demands on them as hunters reveals a lot about how to effectively kill elk—even when the odds are stacked against you. ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Check out our new "recommended outfitters" hunt booking agency! We're super excited about this venture that allows us to share our favorite destinations around the world with our loyal listeners. We'll also be doing hosted hunts each year, which will be available first to our loyal listeners on Patreon.
We have a new advertising partner! Check out Swift Bullets, known and trusted as the best of the best by most African Dangerous Game specialists.
VISIT ALL OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
https://javelinbipod.com
www.swiftbullets.com
Hunting season is in full swing, and the stories, questions, and reports are pouring in! This episode we dive deep into concerns and questions from our loyal listeners, addressing everything from how to set up a guide rifle for grizzlies to picking a whitetail cartridge to choosing a bullet for Africa. ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Check out our new "recommended outfitters" hunt booking agency! We're super excited about this venture that allows us to share our favorite destinations around the world with our loyal listeners. We'll also be doing hosted hunts each year, which will be available first to our loyal listeners on Patreon.
We have a new advertising partner! Check out Swift Bullets, known and trusted as the best of the best by most African Dangerous Game specialists.
VISIT ALL OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
https://javelinbipod.com
www.swiftbullets.com
This just might be the coolest new rifle introduction of the year! Lipsey's and Ruger have teamed up to create this quick-handling, hard-hitting bush rifle chambered in two of history's coolest powerhouse cartridges. These rifles are available now, through your Lipsey's-associated local dealer. Links are below. ENJOY!
Ruger M77 Alaskan Bush Rifle in .35 Whelen
Ruger M77 Alaskan Bush Rifle in 9.3x62
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Check out our new "recommended outfitters" hunt booking agency! We're super excited about this venture that allows us to share our favorite destinations around the world with our loyal listeners. We'll also be doing hosted hunts each year, which will be available first to our loyal listeners on Patreon.
We have a new advertising partner! Check out Swift Bullets, known and trusted as the best of the best by most African Dangerous Game specialists.
VISIT ALL OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
https://javelinbipod.com
www.swiftbullets.com
Want to shoot, process, and pack out 5 mature bull moose in 3.5 days? Me neither, but that's what professional elk guide Tate Bradfield and his group did last month. This episode, Tate tells us about the rifles, cartridges, and bullets the five hunters choose for their special trip (which included the taking of a Boone & Crockett bull!) and shares his observations on the various results. He also has some sage advice about shooting moose in thigh-deep water, as well as useful suggestions on how to pack moose quarters on the bone. ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Visit Tate Bradfield's guiding, learning, and tag application services.
Check out our new "recommended outfitters" hunt booking agency! We're super excited about this venture that allows us to share our favorite destinations around the world with our loyal listeners. We'll also be doing hosted hunts each year, which will be available first to our loyal listeners on Patreon.
We have a new advertising partner! Check out Swift Bullets, known and trusted as the best of the best by most African Dangerous Game specialists.
VISIT ALL OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
https://javelinbipod.com
www.swiftbullets.com
If you had to own and use just one hunting knife for the rest of your life, what would it be? This episode we go over blade characteristics, types of steel, handle shapes and material, edge geometry, field sharpening, and more. Custom knifemaker Evan Siembida lends his expertise and walks through the process of designing and building a truely capable hunting knife. ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Check out our new "recommended outfitters" hunt booking agency! We're super excited about this venture that allows us to share our favorite destinations around the world with our loyal listeners. We'll also be doing hosted hunts each year, which will be available first to our loyal listeners on Patreon.
We have a new advertising partner! Check out Swift Bullets, known and trusted as the best of the best by most African Dangerous Game specialists.
VISIT ALL OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
https://javelinbipod.com
www.swiftbullets.com
By a crackling fireplace in a 200-year-old Victorian hunting lodge in Scotland, we sit down and record a hunt recap. Red stag, sika stag, and salmon fishing are on the topic list, and we hash out crucial gear, hunt methods, stalking and shooting expectations, and more as we tell great success stories. ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Check out our new "recommended outfitters" hunt booking agency! We're super excited about this venture that allows us to share our favorite destinations around the world with our loyal listeners. We'll also be doing hosted hunts each year, which will be available first to our loyal listeners on Patreon.
We have a new advertising partner! Check out Swift Bullets, known and trusted as the best of the best by most African Dangerous Game specialists.
VISIT ALL OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
https://javelinbipod.com
www.swiftbullets.com
This episode was recorded in the field while hunting rut-crazed big bull elk in New Mexico's high country with the 7mm Backcountry cartridge and a super-accurate ultralight hunting rifle. The hunt was a struggle, but several big gnarly bulls hit the ground and filled our freezers. We add gear notes, seasonal tips, and what did and didn't work... ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Check out our new "recommended outfitters" hunt booking agency! We're super excited about this venture that allows us to share our favorite destinations around the world with our loyal listeners. We'll also be doing hosted hunts each year, which will be available first to our loyal listeners on Patreon.
We have a new advertising partner! Check out Swift Bullets, known and trusted as the best of the best by most African Dangerous Game specialists.
VISIT ALL OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
https://javelinbipod.com
www.swiftbullets.com
Have you ever dreamed of hunting a huge Red Stag in New Zealand? So have we... so we got a couple of experts on the phone and unpacked just how to get it done, along with chasing big fallow deer, himalayan tahr, chamois, and even Roosevelt elk on the tip of the South Island. This was one of the coolest and most informative episodes we've done in a long time. ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Check out our new "recommended outfitters" hunt booking agency! We're super excited about this venture that allows us to share our favorite destinations around the world with our loyal listeners. We'll also be doing hosted hunts each year, which will be available first to our loyal listeners on Patreon.
We have a new advertising partner! Check out Swift Bullets, known and trusted as the best of the best by most African Dangerous Game specialists.
It's Porter's Firearms' 30-year anniversary this month! They're offering some incredible deals specifically to podcast listeners. Call Shane Porter at 870-701-0504 for details.
VISIT ALL OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
https://javelinbipod.com
www.swiftbullets.com
Hunting season is upon us, friends! It's time to refine our gear and our methods, and get afield to make the magic. This fun Q&A session address myriad pertinent topics submitted by our loyal listeners. ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Check out our new "recommended outfitters" hunt booking agency! We're super excited about this venture that allows us to share our favorite destinations around the world with our loyal listeners. We'll also be doing hosted hunts each year, which will be available first to our loyal listeners on Patreon.
We have a new advertising partner! Check out Swift Bullets, known and trusted as the best of the best by most African Dangerous Game specialists.
It's Porter's Firearms' 30-year anniversary this month! They're offering some incredible deals specifically to podcast listeners. Call Shane Porter at 870-701-0504 for details.
VISIT ALL OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
https://javelinbipod.com
www.swiftbullets.com
If you had to pick just one type of lead-core bullet to hunt with for the rest of your days, for all big game species around the world, what would it be? Folks, in this episode we talk through what we consider the best bonded-core bullets made. Whether you're after big alpine-country mule deer, grizzly bear in Alaska, or kudu or cape buffalo in Africa, this line of bullets will serve you reliably, accurately, and with absolutely lethal terminal performance.
What's the bullet? You'll have to listen to find out! ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus content on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Check out our new "recommended outfitters" hunt booking agency! We're super excited about this venture that allows us to share our favorite destinations around the world with our loyal listeners. We'll also be doing hosted hunts each year, which will be available first to our loyal listeners on Patreon.
We have a new advertising partner! Check out Swift Bullets, known and trusted as the best of the best by most African Dangerous Game specialists.
It's Porter's Firearms' 30-year anniversary! They're offering some incredible deals specifically to podcast listeners. Call Shane Porter at 870-701-0504 for details.
VISIT ALL OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
https://javelinbipod.com
www.swiftbullets.com
This episode brings you debatably the coolest pronghorn antelope hunt I've ever done... recorded in the field, while hunting solo on public land. I don't like the word "primitive" so I'll use the term "traditional" to describe my equipment: My rifle was a 1780s-style flintlock muzzleloader charged with blackpowder and a patched round ball.
The stars lined up and I was blessed with a 106-yard opportunity on a great buck. Candidly, I'd planned to take any ethical shot opportunity on any mature buck. Instead, I had a shot at the second biggest antelope I've ever hunted. Sitting deep in the sagebrush, my rifle supported by Spartan Precision Equipment's marvelous quad shooting sticks, I squeezed the double-set trigger. The flash of priming powder and the report of the rifle were nearly simultaneous, and through the cloud of blackpowder smoke I saw that .50-caliber, 170-grain round ball literally flatten the buck.
I love antelope meat, I love solo hunting on public land, I love God's country and cherish the privilege of hunting... and right now I really love my flintlock rifle!
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus content on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Check out our new "recommended outfitters" hunt booking agency! We're super excited about this venture that allows us to share our favorite destinations around the world with our loyal listeners. We'll also be doing hosted hunts each year, which will be available first to our loyal listeners on Patreon.
We have a new advertising partner! Check out Swift Bullets, known and trusted as the best of the best by most African Dangerous Game specialists.
It's Porter's Firearms' 30-year anniversary! They're offering some incredible deals specifically to podcast listeners. Call Shane Porter at 870-701-0504 for details.
VISIT ALL OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
https://javelinbipod.com
www.swiftbullets.com
Could the grand old .280 Ackley Improved cartridge still be one of the best all-purpose big game cartridges ever designed? We think so, and this podcast is dedicated to explaining why.
We address:
- Broad-spectrum capablity from pronghorn to bisonMild recoil and easy accuracy
- Competitive modern ballistics
- Available rifles and ammo
- Favorite big game bullets for the .280 AI
- Top rifle models chambered in .280 AI
- Recommended custom .280 AI build components
Plus .280 Ackley hunting stories are generously sprinkled throughout. ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus content on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Check out our new "recommended outfitters" hunt booking agency! We're super excited about this venture that allows us to share our favorite destinations around the world with our loyal listeners. We'll also be doing hosted hunts each year, which will be available first to our loyal listeners on Patreon.
We have a new advertising partner! Check out Swift Bullets, known and trusted as the best of the best by most African Dangerous Game specialists.
It's Porter's Firearms' 30-year anniversary! They're offering some incredible deals specifically to podcast listeners. Call Shane Porter at 870-701-0504 for details.
VISIT ALL OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
https://javelinbipod.com
www.swiftbullets.com
Safari hunting, conservation, and family hunting traditions from squirrels to elk are key topics of this wonderful interview with Dallas Safari Club CEO Rob McCanna. We recorded this live at the recent inaugural summer DSC convention, and it was one of the most enjoyable conversations I've ever had with a top-end industry leader. Rob is a down-to-earth guy that hunts hard and appreciates time afield as much or more than most—and is dedicating years to preserving, protecting, and promoting our way of life. ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Check out our new "recommended outfitters" hunt booking agency! We're super excited about this venture that allows us to share our favorite destinations around the world with our loyal listeners. We'll also be doing hosted hunts each year, which will be available first to our loyal listeners on Patreon.
We have a new advertising partner! Check out Swift Bullets, known and trusted as the best of the best by most African Dangerous Game specialists.
It's Porter's Firearms' 30-year anniversary this month! They're offering some incredible deals specifically to podcast listeners. Call Shane Porter at 870-701-0504 for details.
VISIT ALL OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
https://javelinbipod.com
www.swiftbullets.com
Spot-and-stalk hunting—the lifeblood of open-country hunters around the world—may have it's roots in a very special place in the Scottish Highlands. This episode, we visit with Sam Thompson, Head Game Keeper of Kildermorie Estate, during a red stag hunt. Sam shares the story of Great Britain's movement from coursing big game with hounds to spotting and stalking, DIY, putting in the hard yards to earn one's success. We also dig deep into the cartridges and bullets best-suited for hunting red stag. ENJOY!
Check out our new "recommended outfitters" hunt booking agency! We're super excited about this venture that allows us to share our favorite destinations around the world with our loyal listeners. We'll also be doing hosted hunts each year, which will be available first to our loyal listeners on Patreon.
We have a new advertising partner! Check out Swift Bullets, known and trusted as the best of the best by most African Dangerous Game specialists.
It's Porter's Firearms' 30-year anniversary this month! They're offering some incredible deals specifically to podcast listeners. Call Shane Porter at 870-701-0504 for details.
VISIT ALL OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.swiftbullets.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
https://javelinbipod.com
Buckle up, folks! Our guest on this episode is not one to mince words—he has strong opinions forged from decades of experience building custom rifles and using them on hunts around the world. Meet Matt Bettersworth, co-owner of Hill Country Rifles.
Matt breaks down what he believes it takes to cleanly kill a big game animal out at 1,000 yards, gets real in his opinion about using small cartridges on big game animals, and shares a ton of experience-based insight on Federal's new 7mm Backcountry cartridge. Is it accurate? Is it safe? Will it survive? Will it kill the .280 Ackley? Listen in, folks! This was a terrific conversation. ENJOY!
Check out our new "recommended outfitters" hunt booking agency! We're super excited about this venture that allows us to share our favorite destinations around the world with our loyal listeners. We'll also be doing hosted hunts each year, which will be available first to our loyal listeners on Patreon.
We have a new advertising partner! Check out Swift Bullets, known and trusted as the best of the best by most African Dangerous Game specialists.
It's Porter's Firearms' 30-year anniversary this month! They're offering some incredible deals specifically to podcast listeners. Call Shane Porter at 870-701-0504 for details.
VISIT ALL OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.swiftbullets.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
https://javelinbipod.com
If you got to pick just one ultimate cartridge for hunting deer, what would it be? Would it be the same for whitetails versus mule deer? Or would you choose a specialized cartridge for each?
This episode we're joined by Colton Heward, managing editor of Petersen's Hunting magazine, and Scott Ergas, digital editor of Petersen's Hunting and RifleShooter magazines. And although some might say "You can kill a deer with anything," we don't take that cop-out route. We dig deep and discuss what makes a truly great deer cartridge. ENJOY!
Check out our new "recommended outfitters" hunt booking agency! We're super excited about this venture that allows us to share our favorite destinations around the world with our loyal listeners. We'll also be doing hosted hunts each year, which will be available first to our loyal listeners on Patreon.
We have a new advertising partner! Check out Swift Bullets, known and trusted as the best of the best by most African Dangerous Game specialists.
It's Porter's Firearms' 30-year anniversary this month! They're offering some incredible deals specifically to podcast listeners. Call Shane Porter at 870-701-0504 for details.
VISIT ALL OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
https://javelinbipod.com
www.swiftbullets.com
You've dreamed the dream and made the plan. Now, you're about to depart for a big game safari in Africa! How do you prepare properly?
This episode, we sit down with Tate Bradfield, who is about to leave for his first-ever safari—and he's after Cape Buffalo... the legendary Black Death. We talk through his choice of cartridge and rifle, how to shoot well and reload fast and sure under stress, and much more. ENJOY!
Check out our new "recommended outfitters" hunt booking agency! We're super excited about this venture that allows us to share our favorite destinations around the world with our loyal listeners. We'll also be doing hosted hunts each year, which will be available first to our loyal listeners on Patreon.
We have a new advertising partner! Check out Swift Bullets, known and trusted as the best of the best by most African Dangerous Game specialists.
It's Porter's Firearms' 30-year anniversary this month! Listen in for some incredible deals they're offering specifically to podcast listeners, or call Shane Porter at 870-701-0504.
VISIT ALL OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
www.swiftbullets.com
Africa's Cape Buffalo, known by those that hunt them as "Black Death," are the most achievable and at the same time most compelling of all dangerous game to pursue.
Hunting Black Death must be done properly, with a good rifle, chambered for a potent cartridge, that's loaded with a premium bullet.
This epside we sit down with Mark Haldane, owner and operator of Zambeze Delta Safaris, who likely has more experience hunting Cape Buffalo than any other PH alive. Mark discusses adequate buffalo cartridges, good buffalo cartridges, and great buffalo cartridges. Perhaps more importantly, Mark states unequivocally what is the best bullet for hunting Cape Buffalo.
Shot placement is crucial on Cape Buffalo, and Mark details exactly where to aim on broadside, quartering, and facing-on bulls, as well as how to follow up your shots... whether it's just an insurance shot as your bull staggers away or facing a charge and maximizing your chances of stopping that bull before he gets to you. Folks, this was one of my all-time favorite conversations. ENJOY!
FRIENDS! We're doing short bonus audio episodes two or three times a week now for our Patreon page. Please join our little Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry, where you'll get access to all our bonus material and—if you wish—can contribute a few dollars.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.swiftbullets.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Why did the Hearing Protection Act fail? Will it ever go through? Was the abolition of the $200 tax stamp on silencers a win for gun owners? Should potential buyers wait until the sunset of the NFA $200 tax occurs at the end of 2025? We answer all these questions and more on this episode of the Backcountry Hunting Podcast. ENJOY!
FRIENDS! Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and—if you like—can contribute a few dollars to help the podcast survive and thrive.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
This awesome episode gets below the veneer that is luxurious Africa... Deep into the gritty stories that expose the warm, friendly, but sometimes violent heart of the Dark Continent. We talk favorite areas and species to hunt in Africa, best tools for the task (rifles, cartridges, and bullets), and how to bring an attitude geared for success on safari. Plus, Andy shares his story of an incredible charge by a wounded leopard, which he killed literally as it sprung on him. ENJOY!
FRIENDS! Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry, where you'll get access to all our bonus material and—if you wish—can contribute a few dollars to help us keep the podcast rolling.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
https://javelinbipod.com
Can the rifle you choose for western hunting make or break your hunting success? In this episode, we sit down for a fire-side chat with professional outfitter Tate Bradfield to get his take on top choices for western hunting rifles. We talk through several price tiers, including the $600 to $1,200 range; the $1,200 to $1,800 range; the $1,800 to $2,400 range, and finally, top-tier rifles without cost restraints.
As a bonus, we get Tate's opinion on best bows for archery hunting the West, along with his favorite broadhead models. ENJOY!
FRIENDS! We're publishing short bonus episodes multiple times weekly now on Patreon. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and—if you like—can contribute a few dollars.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
This episode was recorded live and raw in Alaska, DIY hunting big black bears in southeast Alaska off the good boat Venturess. Long days, tons of fishing, and tracking wounded bears into thick, treacherous terrain made for an unforgettable adventure! ENJOY!
We're publishing brief Q&A audio episodes twice weekly on www.patreon.com/backcountry now! Join to get access, and if you'd be so kind, please contribute a few dollars to help the podcast stay alive and thrive. Much appreciated! —JvB
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
This episode takes a deep dive into the crucial gear you should have on a DIY elk hunt. Host Joseph and guest (outfitter Tate Bradfield) detail why each item is important, along with how to pick the right brand and model for your specific needs.
This was recorded outside by an early morning campfire, so the audio isn't as good as our usually studio sound, and there are occasional wind noises. We apologize for that... but hopefully the quality of the discussion makes up for it. ENJOY!
FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material, and if you wish and can contribute a few dollars. Thanks to all those already on board!
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
From scope to scabbard, here's how to set up a rifle that's ideal for western hunting. This episode takes a deep dive into vital accessories and parts including:
- Scope quality, features, and types
- Scope mounting systems
- Bipod types, construction, and crucial characteristics
- Anti-cant scope levels
- RIfle slings and what doesn't work
- Ammo carriers and their vital necessity
- Optimal suppressors—light, compact, and crucial
- Bonus: Iron sights, and whether your rifle should have them.
Not only do we discuss what accessories a good western hunting rifle should have, we talk through why. Naturally, we wander off into hunting stories that support the points we're making. ENJOY!
FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and—if you like—can contribute a few dollars.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
https://javelinbipod.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.siembidacustomknives.com
This episode takes a deep dive into how to select just the right hunting rifle. A tool that is ideal for your type of hunting, and is reliable, accurate, durable, and ergonomic. We talk through various action types, barrel types, stock types, and the crucial characteristics of each. And last but not least, we discuss the importance of finding a rifle that is trustworthy... one you can become ultimately confident with. ENJOY!
FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and—if you feel inspired to—can contribute a few dollars.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.onxmaps.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://javelinbipod.com
These five cartridges are proven around the world. They're known and used everywhere hunters gather. Several of them have taken every big game species on earth. Each is historically significant yet currently relevant. And all five are available in a wide selection of rifles and ammunition.
In this episode, my son William—AKA the "Backcountry Apprentice" —and I sat down and shared perspectives on several cartridges that we believe deserve legendary status. ENJOY!
Friends, I buried my father today. He passed away unexpectedly Tuesday morning. Today as the morning light he loved fell across the desert, we laid him to rest. Forgive me for not having a full episode for you this week... I just didn't have it in me to create one. We'll have a good one ready to go next Friday!
— Joseph
Ever wondered what the best elk cartridge is? This episode we're joined by Colton Heward, long-time professional elk guide and now Managing Editor of Petersen's Hunting magazine. Colton shares the characteristics he considers crucial in an elk cartridge, and details the three cartridges he considers most capable and practical for hunting elk. Plus, Colton tells us about his three personal favorite cartridges for hunting elk—regardless of whether they're "practical" or not. Just one cartridge from each category crossed over, and it just might be the all-time best elk cartridge ever designed. ENJOY!
FRIENDS! If you'd like more content... please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry .
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Ever had equipment failure ruin a hunt? These folks have. This episode, we share the gnarliest stories submitted by listeners for our Timney Trigger giveaway. William (the Backcountry Apprentice) and host Joseph read and address each story, and there's a lot of great inspiration within and lessons to be learned as well. This one was a ton of fun, folks. ENJOY!
FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material, and if you like, can contribute a few dollars.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Mid-bore cartridges kill nearly as profoundly as true big-bores, but recoil little more than common magnums. Of the mild big-bores, the .35 Whelen and 9.3x62 Mauser dominate. But which is best? In this episode John McAdams, host of the Big Game Hunting Podcast and a lifelong fan of the 9x3x62, joins me to discuss and debate the merits of the two. We dig deep into tech specs, tell personal buffalo and elephant hunting stories, debate best bullets for each cartridge, and generaly have a ton of fun. ENJOY!
FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join our Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material, and if you wish can contribute a few dollars.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Big news, folks! Hornady just officially launched the .25 Creedmoor cartridge. And there's a good chance that the Quarter-Bore Creedmoor is the best Creedmoor of them all.
This episode takes a deep dive into the tech specs of the .25 Creedmoor and how the cartridge was designed, and details new factory loads on the market. We discuss what long-range bullets are best in it, and what rifles makers are already spun up and making .25 Creedmoor guns.
We compare the .25 Creedmoor to the 6.5 Creedmoor, discuss what attributes may make the .25 Creedmoor superior, and draw ballistic comparisons between the .25 and the 6.5 Creedmoor cartridges.
Then, to contrast what the .25 Creedmoor is really capable of, we compare it to the .25-06. The ballistic differences may shock you—and to our surprise profoundly favor one over the other. You'll have to listen to find out which.
ENJOY!
FRIENDS! Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry, where you'll get access to all our bonus material and—if you like—can contribute a few dollars.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Blood-trailing wounded bears, follow-up shots on bears, stopping charging bears, skinning bears properly, and eating bears... this awesome episode with Alaska Arms' veteran solo bear hunter Morris Melani covers it all! What a cool conversation we had... ENJOY!
FRIENDS! Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and fresh discount codes for Timney Triggers!
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Ever wanted to hunt New Zealand? Better yet, hunt New Zealand DIY, on public land? It's an easy and affordable hunt to do. If Kiwi country calls to you, it's time to plan and make that hunt happen!
This episode, we sit down with Spartan's Rob Gearing, one of the most experienced worldwide adventurers I know. Rob is extremely experienced at hunting New Zealand, and has some invaluable advice and some great, inspiring stories. ENJOY!
FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can—if you like—contribute a few dollars.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
This episode we sit down with Dylan Dowson, western specialist with onX Hunt, and talk application strategies, solo black bear hunting, and DIY caribou adventures in Alaska. This one was a ton of fun to record and has some wonderful insights and information. ENJOY!
FRIENDS! Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars if you like.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
This episode digs deep into a comparison between the 6.8 Western and the 7mm PRC, focusing on three fundamental performance metrics:
- Which is the best designed cartridge?
- Which cartridge best lives up to its hype?
- Which cartridge is the most successful?
We've used both cartridges, we love both, we own and will always own both... but if you had to pick just one... Which would it be?
Hopefully this episode can help answer that. ENJOY!
FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and communicate with the hosts, as well as contribute a few dollars to help us keep the show rolling!
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Hunting Africa's Cape Buffalo—known by hunters as "Black Death"—is one of the last great adventures readily available to hunters. Buffalo being legitimate dangerous game, it's crucial to have good gear, well sorted out, and to be prepared mentally and physically.
This episode, we sit down with Mark Haldane of Zambeze Delta Safaris and ask questions about an upcoming dangerous-game safari we'll be taking with Mark later this year. We talk rifles, cartridges, appropriate bullets, best type of scopes, what to expect during a typical day of hunting, malaria prevention, how to plan best travel arrangements, and so forth. This conversation was raw and real and incredibly helpful. ENJOY!
FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to our bonus material, and can contribute a few dollars if you like.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
What's your favorite predator and varmint cartridge? Do you use one for both? Or specialize with a favorite predator rifle and a different one for varmints?
In this episode, I sit down with two professional guides to discuss great predator and varminting cartridges. We talk through the differences between the two, and address the various challenges and demands placed on cartridges, such as those ideal for minimal fur damage; those for maximum authority for competition calling, and those cartridges required to cover all tasks including crossing over into deer hunting.
Becuase we can't help it, this episode is filled with funny stories, tangents on parallel topics such as wolf depredation, hunting raccoons at night with thermal optics, and so on. ENJOY!
Check out our upcoming Elk Hunting Boot Camp here.
FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material, and if you like, can contribute a few dollars.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Ever wanted a great trigger in your lever-action rifle? This episode we're joined by Chris Ellis, who has hunted from the mountains of West Virginia to the plains of South Africa with a lever-action rifle. Chris is a trigger man, and we talk through the crucial advantage that a crisp, reasonably light trigger provides in the field, along with the blessing that Timney's new lever-gun triggers are to hunters. We swap cape buffalo and American buffalo-hunting lever-action stories, and share favorite models and cartridges and bullets.
Plus we discuss the new drop-in trigger models Timney recently introduced for Browning X-Bolts and Ruger American Gen II rifles, along with installation ease and processes. This episode was a ton of fun, folks, just yarning and sharing opinions and useful hacks with a good old boy from West Virginia. ENJOY!
FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material, and if you like, can contribute a few dollars. Thank you!
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
What does "Use Enough Gun" mean? Especially when hunting elk, moose, and bison or tough game such as Tahr or feral cattle in New Zealand and Sambar Stag in Australia?
A phrase originally quoined by legendary author and hunter Robert Ruark, "Use Enough Gun" means what it says. This episode, we're joined by terminal ballistics specialist Nathan Foster, who has dedicated his life to the study of how bullets kill and what cartridges and bullets are most effective for various tasks. We examine the "small-bore for big-game" trend, and Foster explains where it began and why it's so misleading, and addresses the grim reality behind using inadequate caliber and bullet weight.
Foster's company Terminal Ballistics Research specializes in hunting applications and the cartridges and bullets best suited, but has often been tasked with performing the forensics and analysis that lead to informed decisions by special military and law enforcement branches in multiple nations. You might say he knows his stuff, and has the decades worth of research and data readily available to back up the wisdom he imparts.
FRIENDS! Please join our Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to our bonus material, and can contribute a few dollars if you wish.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.timneytriggers.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
What is the ultimate all-around bear gun? Is there a gun and cartridge that will handle all bears, in all situations? Whether hunting cross-canyon blacks in Montana or baited bruisers in Alberta, or coastal brown bears or interior grizzlies in Alaska? How about personal protection while hiking or fishing in bear-infested country?
We think there is such a rifle, and it's even sorta affordable. Ruger's M77 Guide Gun has all the features a savvy bear hunter wants: controlled-feed action, compact size, powerful chamberings, backup sights, stainless construction, and so on.
M77 Guide Guns are decent right from the box. With just a few upgraded parts and DIY tuning, they become outstanding.
Alaska Arms owner and proprieter Morris Melani—who is a bear-hunting fanatic and custom gunsmith—joins us this episode to discuss how to set up and DIY-tune the ultimate all-purpose bear gun. This was a wonderful conversation, sprinkled with plenty of hair-raising real-life bear stories. ENJOY!
FRIENDS! Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars if you wish.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Ever wanted to plan and execute a DIY mule deer hunt on public land? Here's how to do it folks, as showcased by Hunter McWaters. Hunter is the host of The Hunter's Quest TV show, podcast, and YouTube channel.
Hunter talks us through getting a tag, the e-scouting process, creating hunt plans A, B, and C, planning and arranging gear, and finally putting boots on the ground and your hunting plans in action.
We also discuss the importance of being ready to shift gears and roll with the unexpected; of preparing to chart and navigage long stalks in big country, and being able to make precise shots at distances most eastern hunters have never encountered.
Naturally, we go over Hunter's choice of rifle, scope, cartridge, and bullet, as well as tent, boots, and more. This one turned into a great hunting story interwoven with fantastic hunting tips and techniques. ENJOY!
FRIENDS! Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute if you like. Cheers to all our supporters—we couldn't do it without you!
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Inspired by all the interest in Federal's ground-breaking new 7mm Backcountry cartridge, we recently held a live Q&A with our Patreon members. Here are the great questions we fielded and discussed:
- Is the 7mm Backcountry, with it's 80,000 PSI chamber pressure, safe in traditional bolt-action designs?
- I wanted a .280 Ackley. Should I switch and get a 7mm Backcountry instead?
- Are 7mm Backcountry steel alloy cases reloadable? If so, how hard is that going to be?
- How does the cartridge's 80,000 psi pressure affect barrel life?
- Supposedly the 7mm Backcountry kicks a lot less than other 7mm magnums. How can that be?
- Is it safe to fire the 80,000 psi 7mm Backcountry through my suppressor?
- Will this cartridge be affected by the powder shortage? Should we expect to see a lack of 7mm Backcountry ammo on store shelves?
- What's the accuracy potentail of the 7mm Backcountry cartridge?
- What 7mm Backcountry rifle should I buy?
- Can an existing rifle be rebarreled to 7mm Backcountry?
- Are 7mm Backcountry steel cases coated? Or will they rust if exposed to moisture?
- What's the best rifling twist rate for a custom 7mm Backcountry?
- What are the characteristics of the various bullets being factory-loaded in 7mm Backcountry ammo?
- Will we see Federal's steel Peak Alloy case technology bleed over into classic cartridges, enabling high-pressure/high-performance ammo? For example, could a .308 be made to shoot like a traditional .300 Win. Mag. load?
Hopefully this candid episode will help address concerns and clear up some myths about the 7mm Backcountry cartridge. We sure had fun talking about it. ENJOY!
FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
This episode takes us far out into the Aleutian Islands off the west coast of Alaska's mainland, to hunt wild bison. Recorded audio-journal style, we're bringing it to you raw and unedited.
Hunting by invitation with Jack Jaeger, who is designated to hunt buffalo for the tribal elders, we circumnavigate the island on a small fishing boat, landing in a skiff and hunting up from the coast when buffalo are sighted.
With a big cow taken and the quarters packed out and hung to age, we weather howling winds and slashing rain, and then ascend into the Island's high peaks in an attempt to find a big bull.
Thwarted by fog, fierce winds, and relentless rain, we had to pull out and get dry and warm. Then, for days, we hunkered down and waited while the airline canceled flights day after day.
This was type 2 fun at its finest, folks! If you're interested in trying a similar adventure yourself, contact Jack Jaeger. His info is in the show notes below.
ENJOY!
Contact Jack Jaeger on Facebook
Call or text Jack: (808) 854-1127
Email Jack: jaegerjohn15@gmail.com
Leupold just launched a new flagship hunting scope, called the VX-6HD Gen 2.
Friends, I didn't think the first-generation VX-6HD could get any better. But by golly, Leupold has successfully improved my favorite riflescope. The new Gen 2 version has an improved, tool-less turret, a built-in throw lever on the power ring, and most importantly, it's now got the same internal guts and gears as Leupold's legendary Mark 5 line of precision/tactical scopes.
In this episode, I sit down with Tim Lesser, Vice President of product development and marketing and get an awesome backstage look at the new VX-6HD Gen 2 riflescope. This was an awesome episode to record... ENJOY!
FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
In this episide, Alaskan custom gunsmith Ray Saft and I dig deep into the various characteristics of actions, stocks, barrels, cartridges, and special chambers appropriate for a backcountry rifle build.
To showcase the process of discussing and commissioning a custom rifle, we use a pair of in-process 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser mountain rifles, one with a titanium action and carbon-fiber barrel; the other with a skeletonized steel action and traditional steel barrel.
This is part one of a three-part series we're doing. When completed, we'll discuss the rifles and upcoming test protocols in Part 2. Then in Part 3, we'll share the results and--with some luck, discuss putting the rifles successfully to work in the field. ENJOY!
FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Really good iron sights are surprisingly capable—and according to Utah's new restricted unit regulations, are required. Five historically great mule deer units are now iron-sights only, even for centerfire hunting rifles.
So: What's the best iron-sight setup for hunting Western open country?
In this episode, we're joined by legendary hunter, writer, and YouTube host Ron Spomer to discuss what type of iron sights really work for serious hunting. We talk through appropriate rifles, suitable cartridges, and how to choose and set up the most capable types of iron sights—all liberally sprinkled with hunting stories.
We also touch on the ethical responsibilities of hunting with iron sights, as well as methods of practicing and maximizing your lethal capability.
This was a fun one, friends. ENJOY!
FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Ever wonder why you get unexplained fliers when shooting otherwise tiny groups with your ammo? You may be shocked at the common culprit discussed in this episide—as well as how easy it is to prevent.
This episode we're joined by Chris Hoffstetter of Nosler, and we talk through the crucial aspects of ammo that provide accuracy and clean-killing effectiveness. ENJOY!
FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Outfitter Tate Bradfield and his crew took 56 American Buffalo with clients in 2024. This episode, we sit down and discuss the cartridges, bullets, and shot placement that kills Bison most effectively and efficiently. Tate tells tall tales (say that three times fast) of Buffalo getting shot with everything from .243 Winchester to .45-70 Gov't—and has some emphatic advice to share with prospective Bison hunters. This one was a ton of fun, folks. ENJOY!
FRIENDS! Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
When killing is crucial, not just convenient... Choose the right tool for the task.
Folks, I resisted addressing this trendy topic of using small calibers on big game for a long time. But I've had so many requests to do so, I can no longer take the easy road. Here's my blunt, fact- and science-based opinion on the practice of using small calibers loaded with target-type bullets on big game.
ENJOY!
FRIENDS! Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
This episode, Weatherby's COO Luke Thorkildsen joins us to talk about backcountry fitness and how the Carnivore diet has revolutionized his backcountry hunting capability. We discuss how to successfully combat middle-age "spare tire" weight gain and increase focus and energy.
Plus, of course, we take a dive into Luke's personal favorite Weatherby cartridges and specific bullets loaded for them, as well as his go-to rifle models from the Weatherby stable. This one was eye-opening and a ton of fun, folks. ENJOY!
FRIENDS! Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
This episode takes us back to Kodiak Island, Alaska, where Austin Brown and several of his friends hunt Sitka Blacktail deer, predators, and sea ducks. It's all DIY, and it's the first time in Alaska for several of these hunters.
Host and transporter is our long-time favorite: Alaska Premier Sportfishing's good boat Venturess and her captain Travis Larson and crew.
I asked Austin to run with an audio-journal type record of their adventures. He did a fine job, and the result is this episode. It's all about discovering new adventures in new places, and how real the struggle is on Kodiak Island! ENJOY!
— JvB
FRIENDS! Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
This episode we talk through several new suppressor models and the innovative manufacturing techniques that make them special. We also discuss various materials such as Inconel and Titanium, outlining their pros and cons.
And how about the speed of the current e-form process? Suppressor dealers are even seeing same-day approvals in some cases, and even the "long" approvals are only a few weeks. Silencer expert Brandon Maddox provides perspective on how and why that's become possible.
Plus, we talk about the Hearing Protection Act and whether suppressors will ever be delisted and become commonly available.
This was a fun one, folks. ENJOY!
Links to some specific products discussed:
BOGO (Buy one get one free)
Inconel Speed K silencer $1,199, 14 oz.
Titanium Speed K silencer $1,399, 8 oz.
Meateater by Banish $1,299, 10.3 oz.
FRIENDS! Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Gnarly questions make us dig deep for good answers... In this episode, we unpack a bunch of awesome questions and stories from listeners, including the following:
- .308 Win. vs. 6.5 RPM for elk
- .475 Turnbull and 9.3x62 for Cape Buffalo
- 6mm ARC as a deer cartridge
- Short vs. long barrels on .308
- Handloads for 20" 7mm PRC barrels
- Is .280 Rem. to .280 Ackley conversion worth the squeeze?
- Characteristics of Weatherby 307 Alpine CT
- Do bonded bullets kill faster than monometals?
- .338 ARC for moose
- Precision vs. power: The ethics of hunting big game with small cartridges
Thanks for tuning in, folks! A special request: Please get on YouTube and subscribe to our YouTube channel, to help my son William (a.k.a. the Backcountry Apprentice) grow the show. It's his baby; he does nearly all the work there.
Here's a link to our YouTube video on the Weatherby 307 Alpine CT.
ENJOY!
FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to carry on producing it. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmNpWsWKQ0I
How does putting a suppressor on your hunting rifle affect accuracy? Good? Bad? Ugly? This episode details what normally happens—which is an increase in precision and a decrease in recoil.
We give several real-life examples and explore why accuracy increases. Plus we detail several of our favorite suppressor makes and models that nearly always provide a significant increase accuracy, discussing weight, material, size, and so forth.
ENJOY!
FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Are hotrod .22 centerfire cartridges adequate for hunting big game? In this episode Seth Swerczek from Hornady joins us to discuss the small-caliber for big-game trend. Recently returned from a safari in the Eastern Cape of South Africa, Seth details what worked—and what didn't—while using the .22 ARC and .22 Creedmoor on African game ranging from warthogs to kudu. The results may surprise you.
We also take a deep dive into the usefulness of hotrod .22 centerfires for use on North American big game, and discuss what and where practical limitations lie.
Seth talks through the bullets most useful for hunting with such cartridges, and details the differences between the .22 Creedmoor and the .22 ARC to help hunters make an informed choice.
This was a fun one, folks. ENJOY!
FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
What's it like to hunt along ancient hedgerows and stone fences older than America? This episode fellow writer Phil Massaro and I share stories about hunting wild, free-range Fallow deer, Roe Deer, and Muntjac through medieval forests in England.
In the UK on assignment with Savage Arms, we had the opportunity to hunt with and share meals with legendary hunter, wild game chef and restaraunteur Mike Robinson, host of Farming The Wild on MOTV, and his exceptional crew. Savage just rolled out a new rifle model, and we put it through it's paces and discuss it's characteristics, along with the 6.5 Creedmooor and 6.5 PRC's performance on Fallow deer.
This was an adventure for the ages, folks! ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
This episide we sit down with custom gunsmith Justin Linenbach, of Kinport Peak Rifles. Justin outlines what he consideres the three most important elements to achieving accuracy:
- Barrel quality
- Chamber quality
- Action bedding
We take a deep dive into each of those characteristics, and then discuss the cartridges that Justin recommends for three categories of shooters and hunters:
- Factory ammo only
- Handloaders
- Obsessive handloaders and wildcatters
Plus, Justin shares some of this go-to action types, barrel makers, and preferred stocks. This episode was a ton of fun folks—ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Is there a cartridge that will reliably knock a deer or elk or bear over? Not unless it's named Ford, Chevy, or Dodge. Or maybe Freight Train. This episode takes a candid look at the idea of "knock-down power," mythbusting the notion and detailing how to determine a cartridge with real authority.
We define and explore kinetic energy, the TKO formula, momentum, and of course compare the numbers generated by popular cartridges such as the .30-06, 6.5 Creedmoor, and .375 Magnum.
Next we detail common visible impact reactions and explain what they say about the bullet used and the impact location of the shot. True stories of mule deer, elk, caribou, moose, whitetails, and more are told to showcase each situation... Including lung shots, heart shots, gut shots, and spine/nervous system impacts.
There's no such thing as knock-down power, folks. But there's SOMETHING. This episode digs deep into just what it is. ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.timneytriggers.com
How good is the .30-06 for use on elk? This episode takes a deep dive into the grand old cartridge's ballistics, characteristics, and real-world performance on elk. We tell stories of a bunch of bulls killed with various .30-06s, and talk through several excellent .30-06 rifle models that we wholeheartedly recommend, as well as list three top factory ammo types ideal for elk. ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.leupold.com
https://javelinbipod.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
This episode we take a deep dive into how to properly set up a kid rifle. We address appropriate cartridges, good rifles, and capable scopes, then discuss how to put the setup together so it really works. Some specific points we cover:
- Reliability
- Kid-friendly ergonomics
- Accuracy
- Quality trigger
- Crucial scope features
- Packable weight
- Necessary accessories
- Bare muzzles, muzzle brakes, & suppressors
- Fundamental skills
The importance of setting your youth or beginning hunter friend up for success if vital... Yet so often given little attention. If you want to shape your young'un into your favorite hunting partner, take a listen to this episode. There are pointers here than can make all the difference!
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
This fun episode we dig in and answer a buck of listener's questions... Topics are elk cartridges, bear defense guns, .280 Ackley rifles, best first Western hunts, .270 Win. for moose, best predator rifles, copper bullets for deer, best .308 hunting load, and tons more. ENJOY!
FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.timneytriggers.com
https://javelinbipod.com
You've just shot an elk. Now what?
This episode covers it all, from blood tracking and locating your elk, to navigating cross-canyon recoveries, to taking good photographs, to meat processing, care, and packing. What a terrific conversation, recorded with extremely savvy, experienced elk hunters! ENJOY!
FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
https://javelinbipod.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
What's the best, most practical deer-hunting cartridge of them all? We're joined by our friend Ron Spomer—who is consistently the show's most popular guest—to try our hand at picking one cartridge to rule them all.
Because it's fun, we also take a deep dive into our personal favorite deer-hunting cartridges—practicality thrown out the window—and share just why those particular rounds are so special.
This was tremendous fun, folks. ENJOY!
FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
This episode covers the ABC's of flying with guns. From what type of case is best, to how to pack your firearms and ammo, to how to check in with your airline, we detail the process.
We cover domestic flights compared to international travel, discuss the legality of flying with a suppressor, suggest research and prep documentation, and so forth.
Flying with a firearm is quite a simple process, but can seem daunting to first-timers. It doesn't need to be, though! This guide should provide the information you need to fly with confidence. ENJOY!
FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Ever wonder which of the new PRC cartridges to pick for your new hunting rifle? The 6.5 PRC, 7mm PRC, and .300 PRC each have their strengths... and few weaknesses. So how do you know which will fit your needs best?
Hornady engineer and cartridge savant Seth Swerczek guest stars on this episode, and we talk through the various characteristics of each cartridge. Of course we regularly get sidetracked and tell hunting stories to support our points. This deep dive into what each Precision Rifle Cartridge is particularly good at should help you make that ultimate choice. ENJOY!
FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Remember that old saying, "One Shot, One Kill?" How about eight shots, eight kills! This episode we're joined by Shaundi Campbell, senior marketing manager at Browning, who recently took her bucket-list animal in Africa (and seven others) with a single shot each using her favorite 6.8 Western.
Shaundi tells a little of the 6.8 Western's back story, shares her significant hunting successes using it on western deer and elk, and tells her African safari stories in this episode. Naturally, we get off in the weeds a bit talking 6.8 Western bullet options, ballistic performance, and terminal results. Plus Shaundi shares a peek behind the curtain of the 6.8 Western's future. ENJOY!
FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
This episode explains how knowing fundamental ballistics help us make clean, ethical kills in the field. Jayden Quinlan (ballistic mastermind at Hornady) shines the light on how to compensate for steep angles, for wind, and for bullet drop in various air density and temperatures. We talk hunting bullets and the evolution of projectiles and how to choose the right modern hunting bullet for your hunting tasks.
What a terrific, informative, entertaining discussion... Hope you all enjoy this as much as I did!
FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.timneytriggers.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.leupold.com
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
What's the BEST elk cartridge? Or should we ask, what's your FAVORITE elk cartridge? This fun episode with Ron Spomer and Tate Bradfield takes a humorous and deep dive into most practical elk cartridges and favorite elk cartridges—and how they're rarely the same!
Plus, we talk one-shot drops on elk, marginal cartridges versus marginal shots, how to master heavy recoil, and more. ENJOY!
FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.timneytriggers.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Few men know whether they'll have the courage to stand their ground and fight an attacking Kodiak brown bear—or whether their defense gun will be adequate.
Passionate backcountry hunter Tyce Erickson knows the answer to both, having recently proven himself when a wounded bear he was tracking attacked at close quarters in thick alder brush.
In this episode, Tyce joins the podcast to tell his story. He gives a candid account of what went wrong, of the pressured last-minute decisions that led to the situation, and the solid decisions and actions that allowed him and his guide to both survive. And for the gear junkies amongst us, Tyce details his hunting and fighting tools. ENJOY!
FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.timneytriggers.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
In one of the most exciting product announcements of the year, Springfield recently brought out a long-action version of it's superb Model 2020 Waypoint precision hunting rifle.
Previously only available in short-action cartridges, it's now available in 7mm PRC, 7mm Rem Mag, .300 Win Mag, .300 PRC, .270 Win, and .30-06! What a star-studded lineup of long-action cartridges. Now, if I can just convince Springfield to add the .280 Ackley Improved...
This brief episode details the rifle: concept, components, ergonomics, accuracy probability and guarantee, and so forth. If you want to put eyeballs on it as we examine and review it, we'll have a YouTube video up shortly. ENJOY!
https://www.youtube.com/@BackcountryHuntingPodcast
Cape Kudu are slightly smaller, more colorful, and "better dressed" than their Southern Greater cousins—and are enchanting and addictive to hunt.
This episode, we sit down by a midnight acacia-wood fire in the Eastern Cape area of South Africa with PH Ed Everton of Rosedale Safaris, to share hunting stories and discuss the incredible Cape Kudu.
We talk through Cape Kudu characteristics, hunting methods, habits and habitat, and proper tools (rifle, cartridge, & bullet) for hunting them. This is an awesome episode, recorded in the field and published raw and unedited. ENJOY!
FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Is your rifle fully set up and ready for hunting season? That's a question all too many hunters don't ask until it's nearly go-time. This episide addresses rifle choice and scope selection, how to mount your scope for best performance, crucial accessories like an anti-cant scope level, rifle sling, and bipod, and how to set the complete system up properly. ENJOY!
FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
What causes some cold-bore shots to go astray? And can a good rifleman eliminate them? This episode discusses bore condition, barrel quality, clean-bore shots, and the human element, debunking myths and providing practical solutions to overcome unexplained first-shot misses. ENJOY!
FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.leupold.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.browning.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Folks, I've fielded a lot of questions about this rifle—so here's a 15-minute bonus rifle review for you. This is the build project I did last year to create my ultimate .280 Ackley Improved custom mountain rifle. It was built by my old friend Steve Pratt of Elk Meadow Performance, using the following components:
- Defiance Anti-X action
- Proof Research 22" 1:8-twist Sendero profile carbon-fiber barrel
- Timney Elite Hunter trigger
- Hawkins Precision "Hunter" bottom metal
- Proof Mountain Hunter stock
- Leupold VX-6HD 3-18x44 scope
It turned out wonderfully... Weighs right around 7.5 pounds ready to go up the moutain!
Recorded raw in the field off coastal Alaska, this episode takes place hunting from the Venturess, a fishing/hunting boat operated by Alaska Premier Sportfishing. Even though we experienced constant rain, wind, and cold, our group of 7 hunters managed to take 4 great bears, plus our limit of halibut, rockfish, king salmon, and several yelloweye.
My daughter Sophie turned 12 on the boat, right after taking the biggest bear anyone in our family has ever shot! She dropped it with a perfect 251-yard shot after stalking up the Alaska coastline. Color me proud.
This is a long episode full of great stories and details of planning, gear selection, hunt methods, unexpected challenges, and of course rifle, cartridge, bullet, and optic selections. ENJOY!
FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
How do you pick the right hunting mentor? And how do you distil what gear you really down to a practical setup? This episode is all about being a practical hunter with solid (but not expensive) gear, and about learning from real-deal hunters rather than popular, trendy influencers. Guest is Tate Bradfield, owner of Process Based Hunter. He's a young but savvy hunter with a world of experience. ENJOY!
Sign up for the 3-day Elk Hunting Boot Camp, co-hosted by Joseph von Benedikt on-site in southeastern Idaho.
FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.siembidacustomknives.com
RIFLE REVIEW! For the first time ever, Weatherby's excellent new Model 307 action is available with a carbon-fiber stock and a carbon-fiber-wrapped barrel. It's called the Alpine CT, and is a wonderful lightweight hunting rifle.
I took one chambered in 7mm PRC to New Zealand this spring, and was real impressed. It's reliable, accurate, ergonomic, and has all the features I like in a backcountry hunting rifle. And for what you get (custom-level action & trigger; high-end carbon-fiber stock; carbon-wrapped barrel) it just might be the best value on the market. ENJOY!
How good are modern monometal hunting bullets? All-copper and copper-alloy designs have undergone a lot of evolution in the past couple decades, and are becoming more and more popular. This episode takes a deep dive into the primary performance characteristics of the type, focusing on:
- Killing effectiveness
- Accuracy potential
- Different expansion mechanisms
- Long-range capability
- Barrel fouling and how to manage it
- How to choose the right bullet for your specific hunts
We talk through the specific performance features of bullets by Barnes, Hornady, Hammer, Nosler, Federal and others, and detail what each is particularly good for.
ENJOY!
FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Are the .308 and .30-06 similar in performance? Or are they actually quite different? This episode takes a deep dive into the performance and characteristics of each cartridge, in an effort to determine which is the better hunting cartridge. ENJOY!
FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.timneytriggers.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://javelinbipod.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.leupold.com
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
Browning's new X-Bolt 2 Speed SR may be the best hunting rifle on the market in it's price bracket. This video takes a deep dive into just why that is. Showcased is a 6.8 Western version, along with the factory ammo it shoots best. ENJOY!
FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute to help keep the podcast living!
This episode covers the gear we take for spring bear hunting on Alaska's rugged coastlines, and details exactly why each specific item is chosen. From game bags to rifles, we cover it all!
We filmed as we discussed each item in the pile of gear, so if you want to put eyeballs on them, head on over to our new Backcountry Hunting Podcast YouTube channel and give us a like and subscribe!
ENJOY!
FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Recorded LIVE with our loyal listeners on Patreon! This Q&A is full of great info... Rifle setup, cartridge selection, pre-hunt shooting practice, how to build a stable field position, best bullets for elk, NRL Hunter competitions as a training tool, thermal scopes and how to use them, and a whole bunch more! ENJOY!
Join the next Live Q&A by becoming a member on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Here's the second half of our recent adventure in New Zealand... DIY on public land, in pursuit of chamois in the Southern Alps. Steep country, incessant rain, and low visiblity all were against us but hard hunting paid off and we each brought home a great chamois buck.
Recorded on a small portable mic, hunkered in or beside a tent in alpine country, this episode is about as raw and real as they come... We tell our hunt stories, talk about what gear did and didn't work, and about the backcountry hunting skills and techniques learned hunting public land in America's West that helped us succeed. Plus, of course, our Weatherby cartridges, bullets, tents, boots, raingear and optics of choice.
ENJOY!
FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Leupold's new RX-5000 rangefinder ranges to FIVE THOUSAND yards (or even a tad more!) and has the ability to project waypoints to onX Maps! This interview with Leupold's Eric Overstreet details the features and characteristics of this awesome new optic. ENJOY!
For those of you that would like to see the new rangefinder in hand, check out the video of this episode on YouTube. Here's a link: https://youtu.be/1QWYeVQCqfg
Please subscribe on YouTube!
Kiwi Country! This episode we're in the field in New Zealand, hunting with Adam and Brenda Weatherby and their cameraman Koby Owens. Outfitter is Same Caley, who specializes in authentic, free-range hunts. Halfway through our hunt we paused to dry out, do laundry, and record a podcast about the two bull Tahr and Fallow deer we'd taken so far.
Plus, our group experienced a mountain-hunting accident that should have resulted in death or at least catestrophic injury. We relate that story in this episode, and you can still hear the shock in the voices of those involved.
We wrap up with a discussion of logistics: How to plan travel, rifle importation, physical training, and so forth for a free-range hunt in beautiful New Zealand. ENJOY!
FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Ever wonder how to put together a great hunt for aoudad, aka the "poor man's Desert Bighorn" aka Barbary Sheep? This episode has awesome intel, planning, and hunt strategy from seasoned guide Colton Heward and from onX Hunt top gun Dylan Dowson. We cover everything from logistics to rifles and cartridges to pre-hunt practicing—all generously supported with great hunting stories. ENJOY!
FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.gunwerks.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Here's the story of how Mark Wheeler survived a catestrophic bush plane crash in the Northwest, as well as the unique way he met and backed the most interesting man in the world--Rob Gearing--in building the Spartan brand. This was a terrific fireside conversation, recorded in the field. ENJOY!
FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.gunwerks.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Could the .280 Ackley Improved be the most versatile western hunting cartridge? Long-time .280 Ackley man Ron Spomer joins this episode to explore it's history and capability. This discussion is full of great stories and anecdotes and lots of information on what is certainly one of the greatist hunting cartridges available. Plus, of course, we share details of our favorite .280 Ackley rifles and loads. ENJOY!
FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Are our hunting rights and traditions in danger? If you consider England and Scotland as precursors of what could happen in America, then the answer is yes, potentially.
In this episode, we talk about what is happening in various hunting communities around the world, and discuss what we can do to protect and preserve our hunting heritage—wherever we live. We take a deep dive into conservation, wildlife management, being good stewards, and the benefits of hunting as a family and eating clean, wild meat we've brought home ourselves. This one is important, folks.
ENJOY!
FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.gunwerks.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Ever wonder how to pick just the right bullet to hunt with? This episode's for you. We take a deep dive into bullet construction and sectional density, and detail the performance of four different fundamental bullet types:
- Bullets for deer-size game
- Bullets for elk- to moose-size game
- Bullets for dangerous game
- Bullets for pachyderms and for tracking wounded dangerous game
Plus we explain:
- Sectional density
- How bullets mushroom (the mechanics)
- Temporary vs. permanent wound channels
- Energy as applied to terminal performance
- How bullets kill:
- Loss of blood
- Loss of nervous-system function
- Compromised vital organs
Before concluding, we suggest several different favorite bullet types, and wrap all the technical "bullet nerd" info into a simple, useful formula for picking the right hunting bullet for your task. ENJOY!
BIG NEWS! We've just launched a YouTube channel. Our boy William (the ever-popular host of the Backcountry Apprentice segment) will be editing and publishing videos of our episodes. Please jump over to YouTube and give him a quick subscribe! Here's a link to make it easy:
https://www.youtube.com/@BackcountryHuntingPodcast
ALSO: We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.onxmaps.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://javelinbipod.com
www.gunwerks.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
Is the .375 H&H still the most versatile cartridge in the world? Or is the .375 Ruger now a better choice?
On the premise of picking just one cartridge to hunt everything from whitetail deer to elephant, we've chosen the two most likely candidates and pitted them against each other in this cartridge shootout-type episode. We consider:
- Ballistic performance
- Inherent accuracy
- Available factory ammo
- Potential handloadability
- Available rifles/options/cost
- Rifle capacity & cartridge feeding charactistics
- Worldwide availability
Conclusion? You'll have to listen to find out! ENJOY!
Also, BIG NEWS! We've just launched a YouTube channel. Our boy William (the ever-popular host of the Backcountry Apprentice segment) will be editing and publishing videos of our episodes. Please jump over to YouTube and give him a quick subscribe! Here's a link to make it easy:
https://www.youtube.com/@BackcountryHuntingPodcast
ALSO: We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://javelinbipod.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.gunwerks.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
Survival gear? Elk cartridges? Shooting techniques? Long-range ethics? This episode has it all, thanks to our great reader's questions and comments.
Also, BIG NEWS! We're launching a YouTube channel. Our boy William (the ever-popular host of the Backcountry Apprentice segment) will be editing and publishing videos of our episodes. Please jump over to YouTube and give him a quick subscribe!
https://www.youtube.com/@BackcountryHuntingPodcast
FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.onxmaps.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.gunwerks.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
These two new-fangled cartridges are arguably the best all-purpose hunting rounds introduced in the past 20 years. Which is best, 6.8 Western or 7 PRC?
In this episode, we take a deep dive into the advantages of each cartridge, including:
- Best effectiveness on a broad spectrum of non-dangerous game
- Adaptability for different types of terrain and hunting
- Which makes for the best mountain rifle
- Which is most efficient in short barrels for use with a suppressor
- Which has the least recoil for the performance provided
- How available factory rifles and ammo are for each
- How available brass and component bullets are for each
In the end, we draw some conclusions and give real-world scenarios showcasing situations in which each comes out superior. This one was fun, folks... ENJOY!
FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.onxmaps.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.gunwerks.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Ever struggle to get a sharp edge on your hunting knife? This 20-minute tuturial walks step-by-step through the process of making your blade razor sharp. Plus, we discuss best benchtop sharpening stones and field stones. ENJOY!
To watch the video of this episode, please join us on www.patreon.com/backcountry , where you'll get access to all our bonus content.
Recorded at the recent Western Hunting & Conservation Expo in Salt Lake City, this episode digs into titanium as a suppressor material, as well as the cutting-edge new technology enabling manufacturers to make 3-D printed suppressors. Brandon Maddox of Silencer Central also gives us an inside look at the status of the E-Form system, and talks about a new conservation-driven bill that would direct funds from the $200 tax stamp required with every suppressor to benefit conservation. There's some terrific information here, folks. ENJOY!
FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.silencercentral.com
https://javelinbipod.com
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.gunwerks.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
What emergency and survival gear should you have at base camp? Whether your base is a truck at the trailhead, or a big horse camp deep in wilderness country, you should have crucial backup gear and food there.
This episode was inspired by a listener, and contains a list of what we consider important, from extra ammo or arrows to medical supplies—along with discussion of why and plenty of real-world stories of challenging experiences. ENJOY!
FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.browning.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.gunwerks.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
This episode looks at three of the best replaceable-blade, ultralight folding hunting knives on the market: Havalon, Outdoor Edge, and Browning. We believe every serious hunter should have a good traditional fixed-blade hunting knife and be good at sharpening it. However, there is a place for replaceable-blade knives. This discussion addresses what to pick and why. Plus, we share a couple of cautionary true stories—one that could have ended in death—of accidents with scalpel-sharp replaceable-blade knives. ENJOY! To see the knives showcased in the video of this episode, join us on www.patreon.com/backcountry. The $10 tier will get you access to all our member-exclusive videos and bonus content. And a HUGE thanks to those of you allready on board supporting the podcast—we can't thank you enough!
What sort of scope (or sights) will help you shoot most effectively when hunting big timber or brush country?
This episode explores the characteristics of an optic that's ideal for fast, effective shooting inside 200 yards, and details several different scope, red dot, and iron sight models that work particularly well.
ENJOY!
FRIENDS: We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.onxmaps.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.gunwerks.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
This episode showcases three terrific lever-action big game rifles. All are classic historic designs that were carried by frontiersmen; all are also still being produced!
These three are big-bore versions suitable for hunting anything from deer to grizzlies. We'll follow up soon with an episode on top-notch .30-30 models ideal for deer and hog hunting.
In order of appearance, here are links to the specific rifle models showcased here:
Winchester Model 1886 Short Rifle in .45-90 Win. Marlin Model 1895 SBL in .45-70 Gov't. Winchester Model 95 in .405 Win. If you'd like to see the rifles, join us on www.patreon.com/backcountry, where you can see the film of this episode plus all our other bonus content. ENJOY!
What makes a capable rifle/cartridge/bullet setup for close-range hunting? This episode takes a deep dive into the best of the type, including lever-actions, pump-actions, bolt-actions, semiautos, and even single shots, along with ideal cartridges and top-performing bullet types.
We address whether brush-busting bullets are actually a thing, and the visible on-impact effect of blunt-nose bullets up close versus pointed bullets.
From shot angles to blood trails to fast follow-up shots, this episode has it all... ENJOY!
FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
https://javelinbipod.com
www.leupold.com
www.browning.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.gunwerks.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
After four decades of U.S. sniper history Leupold's legendary Mark 4 scope has been completely overhauled. The new Mark 4HD has state-of-the-art glass and cutting-edge features, and is undoubtedly the best crossover precision/tactical/hunting scope now on the market. Weight is reasonable, as is cost: $999 to $1,599.
This episode takes a deep dive into the new Mark 4HD line with optical experts John Snodgrass and Shawn Skipper. ENJOY!
FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.gunwerks.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
This episode I sat down with Ron Spomer and Colton Heward and swapped stories and opinions on the flood of innovative new shooting and hunting products introduced at SHOT Show 2024.
We talk about awesome new rifle designs, from Winchester's new $400 .22 rimfire lever gun to Beretta's startling new straight-pull bolt-action hunting rifle.
New riflescopes and rangefinding binoculars and premium optics of every sort abound. New cartridge introductions are few but new loads for trendy cartridges are everywhere—there are no less than seven new 7mm PRC loads from Federal, Remington, and Fusion alone.
We're also planning a meet-and-greet at the Western Hunting & Conservation Expo in Salt Lake City on Friday, February 16th at around 2pm. Hope to see you there!
FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.gunwerks.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Is there a predator-hunting cartridge that outperforms all others? There is, and it's called the 22 Creedmoor. It's designed for maximum performance with modern, high-BC .22-caliber centerfire bullets, and as a result is much more effective than classic favorites such as the .22-250.
Skeptical? I admit I sure was. Research showed me that the 22 Creedmoor doesn't just outperform the .22-250 and other popular predator rounds, it eclipses them. Want some numbers? The 22 Creedmoor is more effective at 800 yards than the .22-250 is at 500 yards. It has less than half the wind drift. It impacts with more than double the energy and a whole lot more velocity downrange.
Wildcatted and promoted by serious coyote competition callers in Texas, the 22 Creedmoor has just been legitimized by Hornady and is now a proper factory-loaded cartridge. Horizon Firearms has exclusive marketing priveledges for Hornady ammo, and makes the finest 22 Creedmoor factory-ready rifles I've seen anywhere—for half the cost you'd expect.
This was a unique project with a result that really surprised me. Candidly, I had no idea just how good the 22 Creedmoor would prove to be.
ENJOY!
FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.gunwerks.com
https://javelinbipod.com
This episode takes us to Old Mexico in pursuit of coues deer, the Gray Ghost of the Southwest. These tiny desert mountain-dwellering whitetails are incredibly challenging—and fun—to hunt.
Guides and hunters with 40 years of experience talk us through how, where and when to hunt coues deer. We take a deep dive into rifles, cartridges, and bullets for coues deer, and discuss the vital importance of a good binocular and high-powered, tripod-mounted binocular.
The second half of the podcast is story time. Fellow writer Jeff Johnston tells the tale of his near-Boone & Crockett buck, and I share the story of my massive-antlered, battle-scarred old buck. This was a fun one, folks, recorded in the field hunkered around a cast-iron wood stove on a historic ranch once frequented by Pancho Villa. ENJOY!
FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need your support to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.gunwerks.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Custom scope dials are the fastest, simplest way to make precise shots inside 600 yards. Just range, dial, hold center and shoot. However, ordering a dial with the correct parameters and setting it up on your rifle can feel intimidating. It shouldn't be.
The process is a detailed one, but isn't hard. This episode outlines several steps on how to get it right, and then how to use your custom dial most effectively. Common questions and misconceptions about custom dials are answered and mythbusted, too. ENJOY!
FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.gunwerks.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Few great hunting films exist... But the great ones are really spectacular. This brief episode details three of the best ever made. ENJOY!
In this episode we pit the legendary .300 Win. Mag. against the trendy 7mm PRC. One is the magnum by which all others are measured; the other is the fastest-growing magnum in the industry. Which one is best?
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.leupold.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.onxmaps.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.gunwerks.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
When you need a new hunting rifle, should you first pick a cartridge, and then find a rifle you like that's chambered for it? Or should you first choose a rifle type and model, and then shop for one chambered for a cartridge that suits your needs?
This brief bonus episode explores a couple of examples showcasing the advantages of each approach... ENJOY!
Shopping for a serious backpack for backcountry hunting? This rapid-fire 5-minute bonus episode details three top picks. These packs are versitile, capable, comfortable, and of premium quality. Compressed, they'll serve as a daypack ready to morph into a meat-hauling machine. Weight ratings are all north of 150 pounds, and capacity is plenty for expedition-level hunts.
ENJOY!
Effective scouting, mapping, and navigating backcountry areas is crucial to hunting success. The onX Hunt app is an incredible tool and resource for doing so—so much so that it's become indespensible.
This episode, onX's Dylan Dowson joins us to walk listeners through several of the newest, coolest features included with the onX app, and shares the story of his giant 2023 public-land, solo DIY archery bull elk. ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.onxmaps.com
www.browning.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.gunwerks.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Folks, I think we often miss the mark when we talk about guns for defense against trouble bears. It's crucial to keep in mind that although a handgun or a deer rifle is far better than nothing and is sometimes the only option, they're still a distant second-best to powerful big-bore guns. This 5-minute episode details three top choices for actually STOPPING a charging bear. Not just killing it, but preventing it from killing you. We're filming these brief bonus episodes, so if you'd like to put eyes on the rifles showcased in this episode, please join us on www.patreon.com/backcountry . ENJOY!
In the world of light, zippy cartridges that serve double duty on deer and varmints, what's best? Two of our most popular crossover cartridges are the classic .243 Winchester, and the cutting-edge6mm Creedmoor.
This episode takes a deep dive into the pros and cons of each, pitting the two against each other in terminal performance, inherrent accuracy, ballistics, barrel life, practical versatility, and more. Take a listen to hear which emerges the winner. ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
https://javelinbipod.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.gunwerks.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
"Do you think the 6.8 Western is here to stay?" We field a lot of this type of question. Survival rate of modern cartridges is a valid concern, especially for hunters that don't handload. So we've featured three really new cutting-edge rifle cartridges that we're pretty sure are here for the long haul. My criteria was that each had to be from a different designer, each had to be introduced very recently, and each had to be a capable, versatile cartridge for western big game.
This is one of a new weekly podcast element: fast-paced, fact-filled five-minute episodes showcasing three top backcountry hunting tools, tricks or techniques.
We're filming these brief episodes and posting them on Patreon, so if you'd like to put eyes on the products and methods showcased, please sign up at www.patreon.com/backcountry for a membership!
Also soon to come: Boots, packs, knives, elk calls, multitools, tents, bear guns, movies, and more! These "Top 3 In 5" minute episodes will drop as frequently as we have time during this busy hunting season, and by Christmas will be a weekly Tuesday-morning addition to the podcast's regular schedule.
ENJOY!
Few things are worse than an equipment failure when you're about to take a shot at a buck, bull, ram, or boar of a lifetime. One of the least suspected but frequent culprits of shots going astray in the field are inconsistent riflestocks. This episode with accuracy nut Austin Brown digs deep on how to maximize the accuracy potential and consistency of your rifle's stock—and is generously supported with hunting stories to make our points. Ok, ok: This episode is mostly hunting stories with a few good pointers. ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.gunwerks.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
What handgun cartridge should you carry in bear country? That depends on the local species and your personal shooting ability. Spotlighted here are three of the most practical options available.
This is the eighth of a new podcast element: fast-paced, fact-filled five-minute episodes showcasing three top backcountry hunting tools, tricks or techniques.
We're filming these brief episodes and posting them on Patreon, so if you'd like to put eyes on the products and methods showcased, please sign up at www.patreon.com/backcountry for a membership!
Also soon to come: Boots, packs, knives, elk calls, multitools, tents, bear guns, movies, and more! These "Top 3 In 5" minute episodes will drop as frequently as we have time during this busy hunting season, and by Christmas will be a weekly Tuesday-morning addition to the podcast's regular schedule.
ENJOY!
Want a quick-handling, hard-hitting lever-action hunting rifle? Here's an in-depth look at the three primary types, with notes on cartridges and configurations.
Traditional lever actions:
- Winchester and Marlin models for vintage cartridges
- Cartridges: .44 Magnum, .30-30, .45-70, and so forth
- Characteristics: Classic, historic, best at close range
Advanced traditional lever actions:
- Savage 99, Winchester 95
- Cartridges: .300 Savage, .30-06, .405 Win, and so forth
- Characteristics: More powerful, still historic, best at close to medium range
Modern lever actions:
- Browning BLR, Henry Long Ranger
- Cartridges: .243, 6.5 Creedmoor, .308, .30-06, .300 Win Mag and more
- Characteristics: Most powerful, most effective at extended range
Here's a look at the historic developement of each type, the uses each is best suited for, and how to pick one that fits a shooters desire for his or her individual desire for lever-action performance combined with historic lever-gun panache. ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.gunwerks.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
What fire starting aids should you carry in dangerous country? Spotlighted here are three of the best: Products proven to work in harsh conditions.
This is the seventh of a new podcast element: fast-paced, fact-filled five-minute episodes showcasing three top backcountry hunting tools, tricks or techniques.
We're filming these brief episodes and posting them on Patreon, so if you'd like to put eyes on the products and methods showcased, please sign up at www.patreon.com/backcountry for a membership!
Also soon to come: Boots, packs, knives, elk calls, multitools, tents, bear guns, movies, and more! These "Top 3 In 5" minute episodes will drop as frequently as we have time during this busy hunting season, and by Christmas will be a weekly Tuesday-morning addition to the podcast's regular schedule.
ENJOY!
Back to the Dark Continent... This episode is raw and unedited, just as we recorded it beside a campfire along the Okavango river late one night, with lions roaring and elephants trumpeting in the background.
On the second half of our fall 2023 safari with Kowas Adventure Safaris in Namibia, my daughter Audrey shot a wonderful old kudu bull and a gnarly-horned impala. Then Austin Brown and I broke out the big-bore dangerous game rifles to hunt cape buffalo. We tracked old bachelor bull groups through the days in heat up to 102 degrees Fahrenheit, in ankle-deep sand, and shot three massive old bulls. This episode is all about the stories, folks!
The episode wraps up with a discussion of African conservation challenges and the future, including a hard, honest look at the cow elephant herds moving into the historic Caprivi Strip region and decimating the habitat.
Experiences like this only happen once in a lifetime, and we hope you enjoy the stories...
If you're interested in following in our tracks and going on safari with a truely exceptional operator in Namibia—family owned, operated, and oriented—check out Kowas Adventure Safaris.
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.gunwerks.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
What cartridge should you take on an African plains game safari? Spotlighted here are three outstanding, versatile cartridges, recommended by our guest Jacques Strauss, my favorite African PH.
This is the sixth of a new podcast element: fast-paced, fact-filled five-minute episodes showcasing three top backcountry hunting tools, tricks or techniques.
We're filming these brief episodes and posting them on Patreon, so if you'd like to put eyes on the products and methods showcased, please sign up at www.patreon.com/backcountry for a membership!
Also soon to come: Boots, packs, knives, elk calls, multitools, tents, bear guns, movies, and more! These "Top 3 In 5" minute episodes will drop as frequently as we have time during this busy hunting season, and by Christmas will be a weekly Tuesday-morning addition to the podcast's regular schedule.
ENJOY!
Recorded live and raw in the field, this episode takes us to Africa. In addition to lots of great hunting stories, we address safari research, logistics, planning, and prep with the help of my long-time hunting partner and world traveler Austin Brown.
Plus, Namibian Professional Hunter Jacques Strauss of Kowas Hunting Safaris talks us through pre-hunt practice and skills crucial to success in the African bush.
My kids Audrey (age 15) and William (age 13, our very own Backcountry Apprentice) get to experience the Dark Continent and hunt plains game for the first time. Plus my hunting pardner Austin Brown and I hunt leopard and for an elusive giant kudu bull.
This is an account of the first half of our safari... including a once-in-many-lifetimes close daylight encounter with a big male leopard.
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.gunwerks.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
How do we overcome our human (read "weak") eyesight? With good optics! Spotlighted here are the three primary glassing tools every backcountry hunter should have, along with tips and tricks on how to pick the right one and how to use it.
This is the fifth of a new podcast element: fast-paced, fact-filled five-minute episodes showcasing three top backcountry hunting tools, tricks or techniques.
We're filming these brief episodes and posting them on Patreon, so if you'd like to put eyes on the products and methods showcased, please sign up at www.patreon.com/backcountry for a membership!
Also soon to come: Boots, packs, knives, elk calls, multitools, tents, bear guns, movies, and more! These "Top 3 In 5" minute episodes will drop as frequently as we have time during this busy hunting season, and by Christmas will be a weekly Tuesday-morning addition to the podcast's regular schedule.
ENJOY!
Your hunting rifle can be a truckbox tool, or a refined instrument. Either way, you should trust it completely, and it should provide characteristics that help you—the soft tissue behind the system—close the deal at the moment of truth.
This episode discusses essential features of a great hunting rifle:
- Accuracy
- Reliablity
- Ergonomics
- Action type, feel, & function
- Trigger
- Scope features
- Backup sighting systems
Life is too short to hunt with ugly rifles, folks! (Or innaccurate, unreliable, awkward rifles...) This discussion was inspired by several failures and near-failures in the field, and we tell those stories to support our points.
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.timneytriggers.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.leupold.com
www.gunwerks.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Interested in a sleek, lightweight rangefinding binocular? Spotlighted here are the only three available. Thankfully, they're all great. Each provides excellent optical quality, a powerful, reliable laser ranging engine, and cutting-edge technology.
This is the fourth of a new podcast element: fast-paced, fact-filled five-minute episodes showcasing three top backcountry hunting tools, tricks or techniques.
We're filming these brief episodes and posting them on Patreon, so if you'd like to put eyes on the products and methods showcased, please sign up at www.patreon.com/backcountry for a membership!
Also soon to come: Boots, packs, knives, elk calls, multitools, tents, bear guns, movies, and more! These "Top 3 In 5" minute episodes will drop as frequently as we have time during this busy hunting season, and by Christmas will be a weekly Tuesday-morning addition to the podcast's regular schedule.
ENJOY!
After a wildly successful evening of hunting mule deer with Audrey and Sophie von Benedikt, we sit down with friend Rob Gearing, who is a certain contender for Most Interesting Man in the World.
We talk through the girls' hunt, detail the cutting-edge family of shooting support systems at Spartan Precision Equipment, and get Rob's perspective on how mountain climbing and some near-death survival adventures influence his design ethos.
The second half of the podcast our conversation gets pithy and very real, as we discuss the primal drive to hunt and eat wild meat and the psychological and health benefits of doing so. We even discuss the need to maintain our heritage and hunting rights and manage to avoid getting political!
This was a tremendous discussion, folks. ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.gunwerks.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Success! You've just shot a buck or bull. But should the fun really stop there? Not really. You'll shift gears, sure, but the process of getting great photos in the field, then field processing and breaking down your animal and packing it out can be very rewarding.
This episode, we take an in-depth look at three steps:
PHOTOGRAPHY
- Positioning your animal
- Using the light
- Positioning the hunter
- Setting up the camera
- Framing the photo
- LOOKING and SEEING what's in the viewfinder
- Snapping the shot
Field Dressing & the Gutless Method
- Traditional gutting: Pros, Cons, & How-to
- Gutless Method: skinning, quartering, & lifting off backstraps
- Removing bones
Packing Out
- Cooling meat
- Meat sacks & flies
- Loading your backpack
- Working without injury
- Aging meat on ice
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.timneytriggers.com
https://javelinbipod.com
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.gunwerks.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
This is the third of a new podcast element: fast-paced, fact-filled five-minute episodes showcasing three top backcountry hunting tools, tricks or techniques. We're calling them the "Top 3 In 5" bonus episodes.
Spotlighted here are three of our all-time favorite classic elk cartridges. They all provide adequate bullet weight, muzzle velocity, and frontal diameter and are proven, authoritative killers on even big-bodied, mature bulls.
We're filming these brief episodes and posting them on Patreon, so if you'd like to put eyes on the products and methods showcased, please sign up at www.patreon.com/backcountry for a membership!
Also soon to come: Boots, packs, knives, elk cartridges, elk calls, multitools, tents, bear guns, movies, and more! These "Top 3 In 5" minute episodes will drop as frequently as we have time during this busy hunting season, and by Christmas will be a weekly Tuesday-morning addition to the podcast's regular schedule.
ENJOY!
A good rangefinder is a crucial tool for hunting big country... Leupold's expert Eric Overstreet takes us on a deep dive into how they work, and what makes a really effective rangefinder—Laser shapes and divergence, pulse rate, display types, ballistic calculators and ranging speed and more.
On a very practical note, we talk through the pros and cons of rangefinding binoculars vs. monocular rangefinders, how quickly technology goes out of date, and how to plan for best-possible performance.
This one's a can't miss, folks... ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.gunwerks.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
This is the second of a new podcast element: fast-paced, fact-filled five-minute episodes showcasing three top backcountry hunting tools, tricks or techniques. We're calling them the "Top 3 In 5" bonus episodes.
Spotlighted here are three of our all-time favorite lightweight hunting scopes. They span a price range of $500 to $1,650, and all are light enough to pack up mountains, are feature-filled so they'll hunt as hard and as far as you can, and are of premium quality, so they provide great durability, light transmission, image clarity, color purity, and so on.
Also soon to come: Boots, packs, knives, elk cartridges, elk calls, multitools, tents, bear guns, movies, and more! These "Top 3 In 5" minute episodes will drop as frequently as we have time during this busy hunting season, and by Christmas will be a weekly Tuesday-morning addition to the podcast's regular schedule. ENJOY!
www.patreon.com/backcountry
When you hunt a wide spectrum of big game—ranging from little deer to big elk—with just one type of bullet, your average whitetail bullet may not cut the mustard. You need a premium bullet that will capable kill anything you shoot it at—and from less than ideal shot angles.
This episode details five of top choices for crossover work on big game from whitetails to elk. First we set the stage by defining the desirable characteristics of a capable big game bullet, then we discuss the specific characteristics of several premium options, including favorite calibers and weights.
- Barnes LRX
- Federal Terminal Ascent
- Hornady CX
- Nosler AccuBond
- Swift Scirocco II
- Honorable mention: Swift A-Frame and Nosler Partition
Finally, we wrap up with a quick list of great cartridges for shooting these bullets. This was a fun one, folks. ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.timneytriggers.com
www.onxmaps.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.leupold.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.gunwerks.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
This is the first of a new podcast element: fast-paced, fact-filled five-minute episodes showcasing three top backcountry hunting tools, tricks or techniques. We're calling them the "Top 3 In 5" bonus episodes.
Spotlighted here are three of our all-time favorite backcountry hunting rifles. These are top-end production rifles; we'll do similar episodes on entry-level rifles and full custom rifles soon.
Also soon to come: Boots, packs, knives, elk cartridges, elk calls, multitools, tents, bear guns, movies, and more! These "Top 3 In 5" minute episodes will drop as frequently as we have time during this busy hunting season, and by Christmas will be a weekly Tuesday-morning addition to the podcast's regular schedule. ENJOY!
www.patreon.com/backcountry
If you dream about big bull moose drifting through the alders, this episode is for you. Guest Adam Grenda, Alaska bush pilot and co-host of Stuck N The Rut on YouTube, hunter extraordinaire of giant moose, tells his story. How the passion to hunt was instilled in him at the ripe old age of three, how he found a bride with a drive to hunt and fish that equals his own, and how they moved to Alaska and found a home there.
Adam and Tana's daughter Julia (age 15) just shot her first moose—a whopping 254-inch monster bull with antlers that weighed 103 pounds and stretch the tape 73 inches wide. This podcast tells her hunt story, and Adam digs deep into the gear that has proven crucial for moose-hunting success. Boots, packs, rifles, cartridges, and more. Folks, this was one of my all-time favorite conversations recorded for the podcast. ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.gunwerks.com
https://javelinbipod.com
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
Alaska, solo, on a drop-camp caribou hunt in wild country. Scott Hamby recently returned from Alaska, where he adapted and overcame issues with wildfire, fog, and most of all, plans that fell through one after another.
Plan C came together, and Scott came home with a mature caribou bull. This episode tells his story, with deep dives into his planning and logistics; his packing, camping, and hunting gear; rifle, cartridge, ammo, optics, and hunting knives, and more. Alone in the Arctic, Scott had a great hunt and closed the deal with a single perfectly placed bullet at the moment of truth. ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.gunwerks.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://javelinbipod.com
True backcountry hunting can be dangerous and challenging. Packing the right gear optimizes success, and may ensure survival. Choose wisely.
This list is a comprehensive selection of gear that will cover nearly any backcountry hunting adventure, compiled after 35 years of experience in the West and the far North's wilderness.
But gear lists are boring, right? Not this time. We don't just itemize, we explain why—and that's where the fun begins.
The entire list can be found in document form on our Backcountry membership site: www.patreon.com/backcountry . Please join use there to support the podcast and to access all our exclusive content!
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.gunwerks.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Ever dreamed about hunting Red Stags? One of the most coveted, magical, historic Red Stag destinations in the world is the highlands of Scotland. This episode was recorded in the field, in a stone hunting lodge built during the Victorian era, and we tell the story of our good fortune and successful hunt for a big, old royal stag.
Head gamekeeper Sam Thompson and Spartan Precision's Rob Gearing sit down with host Joseph von Benedikt and share insights on how to plan and book such a hunt, detail the surprisingly affordable costs, discuss appropriate gear and travel, and most of all, dig deep into hunting methods and stories. Folks, this one was a ton of fun. ENJOY!
Contact @realsamthompson on Instagram.
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.onxmaps.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.leupold.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.gunwerks.com
Ever wonder how to fine-tune your scope for best results? This episode addresses the ABC's of sighting in, as well as advanced tuning, field shooting positions for maximum consistency, trajectory validation, and practice techniques to master long shots in the West's wide-open country.
Plus, we myth-bust the old maximum-point-blank-range concept, discuss minimizing complexity when shooting extended distances, and outline how to increase your personal ethical maximum range. ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.timneytriggers.com
www.onxmaps.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.leupold.com
www.gunwerks.com
https://javelinbipod.com
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
Recorded live in the field from an ancient hunting lodge in Scotland's far northern Highlands, this episode brings listeners a look into the grand tradition of stalking red stags in The Olde Countrie--as well as current opportunities.
If you're a serious elk hunter, you've likely dreamed of hunting red stags. New Zealand, Argentina, and the European continent all have allure, but the most exciting and historic of all red stag hunting is in Scotland, where Victorian nobles built castle-like stone lodges and climbed the gnarly highland mountains in pursuit of old stags.
Spartan's Rob Gearing, host Joseph von Benedikt, and estate manager Sam Thompson sit down by the crackling fireplace and talk through modern-day stag stalking in the highlands. What to expect, appropriate rifles and cartridges, conservation and estate management, and actual shooting and stalking scenarios. Plus, we bring you the first word of a terrific new flexible bipod—the Spartan Springbuck. It's arguably the most versitile all-purpose shooting rest for lowland and mild backcountry hunting made.
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
https://javelinbipod.com
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.gunwerks.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
Dog trainer and breeder extraordinair and passionate backcountry hunter Tyce Erickson joins us to discuss dog breeds that excel in the backcountry. We talk through the advantages of companionship, protection, blood trailing, shed antler hunting, packing, and more... Tyce defines the various charateristics of several breeds, including retrievers and pointers, and offers guidance on how to pick one that best fits your needs, personality, and capabilities. Plus, Tyce liberally sprinkles the conversation with training tips.
We also get to hear the stories of Tyce's big spot-and-stalk, DIY, public-land spring bear, and the big public-land DIY mule deer buck that he arrowed after a long and painstaking stalk last fall. Tyce is a top-notch shooter and fellow gearhead, and walks us through the rifle, cartridge and bullet used on the bear, and his new state-of-the-art bow, arrow, and broadhead setup he shot the buck with. Spoiler alert: He doesn't like new-fangled bow sights.
This was a terrific conversation... ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.leupold.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.gunwerks.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.timneytriggers.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
When hunting something that can kill you, what's the ultimate rifle? And cartridge? Veteran dangerous-game hunter Ron Spomer and host Joseph von Benedikt continue our discussion of bolt-actions vs. double rifles and ideal cartridges. Plus, we throw lever-actions and single-shots into the mix, along with top-performing cartridges for those.
Ron shares his mixed results using the .375 H&H—lots of hair-raising hunt stories here, folks—and explains why it still ranks number 1 most versatile in his book. We swap upcoming hunt plans, and mull over African vs. Alaskan rifle and cartridge needs. What a tremendous conversation... ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.timneytriggers.com
www.onxmaps.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.leupold.com
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.gunwerks.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Having the right tools to pursue dangerous game can literally mean the difference between living and dying. This episode, I'm joined by friend, mentor, and veteran dangerous game hunter Ron Spomer, of Ron Spomer Outdoors. We explore just what dangerous game is, the difference between a dangerous game hunting cartridge and a stopping cartridge, and various types of dangerous game rifles.
Plus, of course, there's a copious amount of story-swapping and tale-telling. Cape buffalo, hippo, lion, leopard, rhinos, and elephants... This was a really fun one, folks. ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.leupold.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.onxmaps.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.timneytriggers.com
www.gunwerks.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Archery and bowhunting holds a mistique unmatched by any other predatorial pursuit we humans take part in. The arching flight of a well-made arrow toward the center of a distant target is a joy known to all who draw a bowstring... this episode is all about how to choose and set up exactly the right arrow and broadhead.
We're joined by 30-year Easton veteran and head marketing director Gary Cornum, who shares his experience and insights on the evolution of arrow shafts, fletching, broadheads, and more.
Gary leads us through the concepts of small-diameter arrows, the FOC (forward-of-center) weight trend, arrow spine strength and how it's measured, and the always-controversial topic of fixed-blade vs. mechanical broadheads.
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.gunwerks.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Is America's trendiest, most controversial cartridge adequate for hunting America's most dangerous game? Most would say no. Tyler Freel, an Alaskan wild man who's taken many grizzlies with recurve bows, blackpowder rifles, and even stone arrowheads, recently killed a big griz with a 6.5 Creedmoor.
This episode details his story.
Freel, an accomplished backcountry hunter and Outdoor Life field editor, tells why he shot the bear with a 6.5 Creedmoor, goes into the specific rifle, ammo, and shot conditions, and shares his views on why it worked. He also outlines grizzly hunting situations in which he'd NOT want to be equipped with a 6.5 Creedmoor.
This is a practical look at what can be done with the cartridge, free of any hype, paranoia, or verbal lather. To Freel, the 6.5 Creedmoor is just a cartridge that pushes a 140-grain bullet at 2,700 fps, not the "6.5 Needmoor," not the "6.5 Wasting Disease," and not history's greatest gift to hunters.
In fact, Freel has the audacity to compare the 6.5 Creedmoor to the legendary .30-06. This was a fun one, folks. ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.onxmaps.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.leupold.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.gunwerks.com
https://javelinbipod.com
This campfire episode we're in west central Idaho, in bear camp. Mike Painter and host Joseph von Benedikt headed afield with Barnes's new Pioneer line of lever-action and revolver ammo. Mike's rifle is a yet-to-be-announced new model in .44 Magnum, and Joseph's is Marlin's terrific new Model 1895 Guide Gun in .45-70.
Both, as it turned out, are particularly good at taking bears.
There are many methods of hunting black bears—spot and stalk, over bait, calling with predator calls, and hunting with hounds. Most of this incredible adventure we spent hunting behind Table Mountain Outfitter's outstanding bear dogs. The bond between a hound man and his dogs is an unanticipated, beautiful thing to most folks, and should be experienced by anyone that loves dogs.
We discuss the pros and cons of hunting with hounds, and address the ethics and the many misconceptions centered on the activity.
Before wrapping up, outfitters Scott and Angie Denny touch on recommended bear guns and cartridges, and offer advice for first-time bear hunters and first-time western hunters. This, my friends, was an awesome discussion. ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.barnesbullets.com
https://javelinbipod.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.browning.com
www.gunwerks.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
Your rifle's stock is your primary contact point with the launch platform that kills your quarry. Choose wisely. Here's how.
- Wood & Laminate wood stocks
- Proven, aesthetic, easy to work with & accurize
- Susceptible to changes in moisture
- Injection-molded composites
- Cheap plastic
- Better quality "glass-filled nylon"
- Overly flexible
- Hard to glass bed & accurize
- Susceptible to extremes in temperature
- High-end carbon-fiber stocks
- Carbon fiber lightest & most rigid
- Easy to glass bed & accurize
- Extremely strong
- Lightest material available
- Impervious to both moisture and temperature shifts
- Expensive
- Chassis-type stocks
- Ultimately configurable
- Many can be folded for easy packing
- Heavy, cold to the touch
- Snaggy in brush
- Noisy when bumped
- Best for hunting are new magnesium/carbon fiber
- Keep screws tight
- Expensive
PLUS:
- Stock shapes for ergonomics & performance
- How to get the best from your stock in real-world use
- How to pick a replacement stock for a production rifle
- How to select a stock for a custom rifle build
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.leupold.com
www.gunwerks.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
www.timneytriggers.com
Want a career in the hunting and shooting industry? It's tough to break into, but if you've got the desire, the passion, the knowledge, and the stubborness, it's possible.
Here, von Benedikt goes through the skills, talents, and experience vital to being a successful writer, outlines how to get started, and tells his back story to highlight one path to success.
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.timneytriggers.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.gunwerks.com
https://javelinbipod.com
"Only accurate rifles are interesting." Said the legendary Col. Townsend Whelen. In the realm of backcountry hunting rifles, he's right.
It takes an accurate barrel to make an accurate rifle. This episode, we take a deep dive into the characteristics of great barrels—both production and custom—and how to choose just the right one for your tasks.
- Manufacturing methods
- Rifling techniques
- Types of steel
- Carbon fiber wrapping
- Profiles and weights
- The affect of barrel length on velocity
- Rifling twist rates
- Great production rifle barrels
- Top custom barrel makers
- Picking the right barrel
- Preserving barrel life
- Optimizing barrel performance
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.gunwerks.com
https://javelinbipod.com
This episode, I'm back on the line with Brandon Maddox, the world's smartest suppressor man, to swap hunting stories. Brandon recently returned from Africa, where an unprovoked dagga bull Cape buffalo mauled three of Brandon's friends—on two consecutive days! Needless to say, in the end the bull lost.
Brandon relates that story, plus we tell tales about hunting wildcats at night, stalking the secretive bushbuck, stopping buffalo charges with lever guns, and of course nerd out on gear. Before closing out we get Brandon's take on selecting and setting up a suppressor for success.
Spoiler alert: Brandon used a .338 Lapua on his Cape buffalo (not the one that charged). Naturally, we discuss Cape buffalo minimum cartridges and talk through how the .338 worked.
Folks, this was one fun conversation. ENJOY!
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.timneytriggers.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
https://javelinbipod.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.gunwerks.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
Controversial, capable, unpredictable... The 6.5 Creedmoor is one of those cartridges that generates a lot of love and hate. Even though we usually recommend bigger cartridges for elk, there are times and situations where the 6.5 Creedmoor is the best choice.
In this episode, we take a candid look at the 6.5 Creedmoor's capability, consider ballistic data, and compare it to legendary cartridges such as the .270 Win. and .30-06 Springfield, and establish where we believe the "Creed's" comfort zone is for use on elk.
As bullet choice is more crucial than cartridge choice, we also detail optimal 6.5 projectiles for use on elk, and discuss shot distance, shot angle, and shot placement.
Anchoring the discussion, we detail several different solid reasons to choose the 6.5 Creedmoor for hunting elk.
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material at www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.gunwerks.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Ever had your hunting rifle malfunction at the moment of truth? It's a confidence-shaking thing, and can lose you an opportunity at a buck or bull of a lifetime. On dangerous game? Possibly your life.
This episode digs into the pros and cons of various types of bolt-action designs. We dissect the mechanics of push-feed actions compared to controlled-feed actions, and evaluate their various advantages for mountain rifles, dangerous game rifles, super accurate rifles, and so on.
Just as importantly, we discuss which action types are easiest to malfunction, and which actions tend to reduce our human ability to screw them up.
Naturally, the discussion is sprinkled with real-life hunting stories and experiences that support the various points--and of course add some adventure and fun to the topic.
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.gunwerks.com
https://javelinbipod.com
This episode details the second half of an incredible hunt in Spain. von Benedikt and hunting partner Austin Brown drive halfway across the country, visiting castle ruins and ancient churches and cathedrals and staying in half-millennium-old inns, to hunt giant roebucks.
From botched shots and success on a world-class roebuck, to exploring 2,000-year-old Roman aqueducts and Moorish architecture and gold-encrusted Royal armor, this was an adventure.
Wrapping up, we talk through the process of booking and planning a hunt to Spain, including scheduling travel, sorting out paperwork, and getting your Spanish hunting license and firearm permit. On a worldwide spectrum, Spain is surprisingly easy and very accommodating.
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.gunwerks.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Raw from the field, this episode details the first half of a hunting adventure high in Spain's remote, extremely rugged Pyrenees Mountains. My long-time hunting partner Austin Brown was intent on taking an indigenous, free-range chamois the hard way—by climbing above timberline, glassing up an old male, and climbing within range.
In a surprise bonus, we got to visit a 1,000-year-old church unfathomably deep in the mountains, where an 11th-century Crusader's skeleton is buried—but visible beneath glass.
Guide Juan Pedro "Juan-P" and cigarette-rolling, chain-smoking, mountain-scaling game keeper Oscar took us high above timberline, where we found bands of chamois feeding beneath the snowline. Big old males tend to be loners, but we eventually found just the right one.
This is his story, and Austin's. And it's a must-listen for anyone that's ever dreamed about hunting Europe's high country. After this experience, it's impossible to recommend it highly enough.
Enjoy!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.gunwerks.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.leupold.com
Leupold's long-awaited ranging bino is about to hit your local dealers! It's an awesome optic called the BX-4HD Range, and is initially available in 10x42 for $1,600.
In this episode, I'm joined by friends and hunting partners Skipper and Colton, who both have experience with the new BX-4HD Range, and we hash out the advantages of a combined binocular and rangefinder. Why deal with 2 items, extra weight, extra movement, and the more time needed when using separate optics?
Skipper gives us the tech skinny on the BX-4HD Range, plus a look at the new hunting-appropriate, highly advanced 2-10x Leupold Mark 5 riflescope.
We also talk through spotting scope selection; using a spotter with a reticle to calculate antler width on moose in Alaska when a bull must be 50 inches wider to be legal; adequate magnification for long-range shooting, and more. This is just an awesome discussion on all things optical.
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.leupold.com
https://javelinbipod.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.gunwerks.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.timneytriggers.com
In this episode, we pit the legendary .30-06 against the cutting-edge new 7mm PRC. This may seem like an odd pairing, but considering the fact that one is the all-American standard by which all others are measured, and the other is the hunting world's most popular up-and-comer, it makes good sense.
Plus, there's a surprising amount of give and take in advantages. Even just outlining this episode was a ton of fun. We address:
- History
- Practicality
- Authority
- Long-range capability
- Inherent accuracy
- Firepower
- Recoil level
- Versatility
- Availability
And a whole bunch more. ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.timneytriggers.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.gunwerks.com
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Extraordinary elk hunts provide extraordinary memories—and provide valuable lessons. In this episode, Joseph von Benedikt tells the stories of his 5 top elk hunts, and unpacks the seasonal conditions, hunt methods, gear (rifle, optic, cartridge, & bullet), and other dynamics that led to success.
Deep analysis after each tale provides insight into make-or-break tactics and techniques, as well as gear adaptability, hunter/shooter skills, weather influences, and more. We talk the importance of local knowledge, a well-tuned shooting setup, persistence and stubbornness, the ability to glass effectively, stalking skills, big-timber woodsman ship, and how to hold it together at the moment of truth.
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.gunwerks.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Tipi-type shelters are both ancient and modern; traditional and trendy. In this episode, we take a deep dive into the pros and cons of flourless, tipi-type modern tents for backcountry hunting.
Ryan Sapena of Seek Outside details how they're superior in high winds, lighter and faster to set up, and offer stove-compatibility and all the benefits that accompany that. (Dry your clothes, stay warm, cook without canister fuels, etc.) Naturally, we talk about bug and moisture control, venomous critters, and "embracing the dirt."
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
https://javelinbipod.com
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.gunwerks.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
This episode takes a deep dive into the mechanics of various types of hunting bullets. We define:
- On-impact performance characteristics
- Shot angles, and what it takes to successfully destroy vitals
- Broadside
- Quartering to
- Quartering away
- Facing straight on
- "Texas heart shots" (facing away)
- Bullet types
- Cup-and-lead-core
- Bonded-lead core, partition, and hybrid
- Monometal
- Big game sizes and bullet requirements:
- Deer & pronghorn
- Mid-size game such as caribou and elk
- Big-bodied game such as moose and bison
- African game
- Types of wound channels, and which most bullets most effectively create:
- Hydrodynamic affect
- Temporary wound cavities
- Permanent wound channels
- Frontal diameter and cavitation
- Weight retention and penetration
- How to pick the most versatile bullet type for your purposes
- Game size considerations
- Caliber and acceptable shot angles
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, SUPPORT THE PODCAST AND GAIN ACCESS TO OUR BONUS CONTENT!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.gunwerks.com
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Straight from the experts... Mark and Steve of EXO MTN Gear detail how to pick, fit, and load a backpack. Whether you're a fast-and-light overnight solo hunter or heading out on an expedition-level hunt, these tips will make your pack in and load out easier.
Also, we get a first look at EXO's terrific new K4 pack system. I used a final-stage prototype on my DIY, drop-camp Alaska moose hunt last fall and was super impressed.
Because we can, we also talk mountain rifles and cartridges, scope failures and solutions, and how to comfortably and protectively strap your rifle to your pack or carry it in your hands.
We also touch on archery, and how to properly strap a compound bow to a backpack. This episode's got a bit of something awesome for everybody.
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.gunwerks.com
https://javelinbipod.com
www.timneytriggers.com
This episode I'm joined by engineer Mike Ballard and long-time hunting partner Chris Ellis to talk Timney Triggers, and how to pick the right trigger and get the best out of it.
We discuss:
- Trigger terminology
- How triggers are designed
- Choosing the right trigger
- Single-stage vs. two-stage triggers
- Trigger pull weights appropriate for hunting
- The refined aspects: Trigger shoe shape & width, competition weights & designs vs. hunting, etc.
- Trigger reliability
- The future of triggers
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.gunwerks.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.leupold.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Some of the most adventurous DIY backcountry hunts out West are spring bear hunts. This episode digs deep into planning and executing a fun, safe, successful hunt for black bears in big public-land country.
We discuss:
- Destination States
- Necessary gear
- E-Scouting and actual scouting
- Hunting methods
- How to recognize a bear hotspot
- Bear rifles, cartridges, and bullets
- How to shoot and kill a bear cleanly
- How to field dress, break down, and pack out a bear
- Safety considerations
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.leupold.com
https://javelinbipod.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.gunwerks.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
This episode we're joined by Stone Glacier founder and lead product designer Kurt Racicot, who's a passionate backcountry hunter. A past Alaska resident for a dozen years, Kurt hunted and shot several mountain goats and dall sheep on solo adventures, as well as moose and bear and caribou, before moving home to Montana and launching Stone Glacier.
Here, Kurt shares stories and lessons learned during his gnarliest hunts, and gives us an inside look at Stone Glacier, a company that's become synonymous with ultra-light, mountaineering-quality hunting packs, sleeping bags, tents, and apparel.
A fellow eccentric cartridge enthusiast, Kurt also tells us about his two go-to cartridges and the rifle setups he currently uses for backcountry sheep and goat hunting and for Montana elk.
We also talk through functional optics, glassing techniques, and how to cover country with boots and optics.
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.timneytriggers.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.leupold.com
www.gunwerks.com
What's all the froth and fervor over modern cartridges? Should we really discard the old tried-and-true classics? Sometimes, perhaps. Often, absolutely not.
This episode takes a deep dive into the pros & cons of modern, cutting-edge cartridges versus classic, proven cartridges.
We discuss:
- Cutting-edge bullets
- Ammo availability
- Proven terminal performance vs. prototype projectiles
- What happens if the airline loses your ammo
- Modern chamber & cartridge case design
- Ballistic advantages
- Efficiency & accuracy
- Recoil, barrel life, & downrange authority
- Wide-open country vs. big timber hunting
- Rifle availability & selection
- Survivor mentality & appropriate cartridges
- Handloading components & resources
- Turn-key solutions to cutting-edge performance
This was a fun one... ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.gunwerks.com
https://www.youtube.com/user/Gunwerks
www.leupold.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Ever hunted in negative 25 degree (C) temps, on 11-foot cross-country skis? Rob Gearing, founder of Spartan Precision Equipment has, and in this episode he shares his most recent adventures. Frostbitten fingertips were the least of the damage; Rob actually experienced frostbite in his shooting eye. Several times he had to personally re-insert a troublesome hernia that popped out while straining to recover and get back upright after a crash in deep, deep powder snow. Yes, Rob's an animal and thrives on type-2 fun.
In this episode, Rob shares survival tips, cold-weather hunting methods, advice for staying mentally focused and having fun even against astronomical odds, and more.
Before closing, we discuss Spartan's new partnership with Primos, and Spartan's new line of precision-shooting products ideal for NRL Hunter competition and front-country hunting, which live under the new Spartan Defense branch of the company.
One other cool thing about this episode: I'm tremendously excited to introduce—in partnership with John Zombro, aka "The Lifetime Athlete" —a brand-new segment titled Backcountry Fitness & Nutrition. Check it out.
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.leupold.com
https://javelinbipod.com
www.gunwerks.com
This episode dives into the often-daunting task of preparing to hunt Out West. For folks coming from low-elevation flatland, here's a guide on the whole shootin' match:
- Mental prep
- Physical prep
- Handling high altitudes
- Differences from hunting whitetails
- How to handle hunter pressure
- How to find and hunt wary, pressured game
- How to hunt overwhelmingly big country
- How to stay safe in dangerous terrain
- Are bears, mountain lions, and wolves a concern?
- Crossing rivers and climbing mountains
- The importance of staying hydrated
- Staying focused when against challenging odds
- Packing meat
- Gear selection: Camping gear, hunting gear, and killing gear
- How to become a minimalist (mountain hunter)
- Binocular, rangefinder, and spotting scope selection
- Crucial characteristics of a western hunting rifle
- Selecting ammo
- Choosing and buying a backpack
- How to dress for (backcountry hunting) success
- Species to start with, and states to hunt
- Maximizing e-scouting
- Western DIY hunting is a campaign, not a battle
This was a fun one... ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.gunwerks.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
This episode dives into the cutting-edge 7mm PRC and the legendary .280 Ackley Improved. We compare accuracy potential, long-range capability, recoil levels, efficiency and barrel life, versatility with various bullets, downrange potency, appropriate rifle actions, magazine capacity and follow-up shots, ammunition and rifle availability, and more.
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.leupold.com
www.gunwerks.com
https://javelinbipod.com
What does it take to cleanly kill an elk? This episode, we sit down with professional western guide Colton Heward, who has seen hundreds of elk shot. Colton shares his opinion on the useful minimum energy required to kill big bulls quickly, and details the cartridges and bullets that work best.
We also swap stories about hunting anomalies; experiences that just shouldn't happen—but did. Antelope that shrug off perfect shots, giant bull elk that drop stone dead when shot with tiny bullets, and other true but disconcerting tales.
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.gunwerks.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Browning knocked my socks off with two surprise introductions at SHOT 2023!
First is an X-Bolt chambered in .270 Winchester—with a fast rifling twist rate in the barrel! You can shoot all traditional .270 ammo in it, plus handloaders can use all the modern, heavy-for-caliber, high-BC bullets. It's terrific.
Second is a whole line of X-Bolt rifles chambered in 7mm PRC. I thought Browning wouldn't come to market with a 7mm PRC until 2024. I was wrong—and how! Long barrels, medium barrels, short suppressor-ready barrels, various stocks and finishes... pick your poison.
This 5-minute episode with Rifle Product Manager Aaron Cummins details the new lines. Check it out!
This brief new-product segment is a first look at Remington's new Premier Long Range ammo. This ammo is loaded with heavy-for-caliber, high-BC bullets, built by Speer, using the same molecular plating/bonding construction used in Federal's excellent Fusion bullets.
As a result, it's a tough, deep-penetrating bullet that will open reliably at distance, and if it's anything like the Fusion bullet, will be very accurate. A composite "Slip-stream" tip and boat tail help aerodynamics.
Please excuse the background noise and the hum of energy... It's the electrifying hum of a SHOT Show in full swing!
Enjoy.
Thanks to a listener's request, we're bringing the grand old .270 Winchester some love. This episode dives into how to get the best ballistic and terminal performance out of the cartridge.
We talk rifle accuracy, factory load options and selection, handloading the .270, and some bullets that have provided top-tier performance over the years.
This is a BONUS episode, and it's also the 2023 SHOT Show kickoff! We'll have new-product introductions and reviews in upcoming episodes—and are going to be posting short "first look" segments on www.patreon.com/backcountry. Sign up for access to that bonus content, and to join our community there.
ENJOY!
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.gunwerks.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
This episode we're joined by Brandon Maddox, head man at Silencer Central and the suppressor world's leading genius. We talk rough-country hunting, and unpack the all-new 7.8-oz. titanium Banish Backcountry suppressor.
Next, Brandon gives us a "state of the ATF" address outlining the current status of the eForm system and what purchasers can expect.
For first-time buyers, we lay out how to keep it simple when buying your first suppressor, and then dig into the (relatively simple) process of traveling internationally with your suppressor.
Naturally, the entire conversation is liberally dosed with hunting stories and experiences.
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.gunwerks.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Ethical hunters try very hard to never wound and fail to recover a game animal. However, no scenario in life is entirely controllable, and occasionally, game is wounded and either lost or recovered with extreme difficulty.
This episode relates several such experiences, and digs deep and honestly into what went wrong and what should have been done differently. It's a candid look at what can happen, what to avoid, and how to overcome and adapt and do your best to bring a hunt that's gone sideways to an ethical end.
These are the tales that no one wants to share. They're sometimes embarrassing, and expose raw emotions of failure and regret and lay us open to critique by fellow hunters. We're sharing these stories, and the lessons learned, in hopes that doing so will help others avoid making the same mistakes.
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
https://javelinbipod.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.leupold.com
www.gunwerks.com
In 2021 John Zombro—a hard-core Montana backcountry hunter and orthopedic physical therapist—blew his shooting-side shoulder joint up like a grenade.
Unwilling to give up his lifelong passion for hunting, John researched and put together a special rifle/cartridge system that enabled him to take mule deer, elk, and antelope the season following his shoulder reconstruction.
John hosts The Lifetime Athlete podcast, gives a great interview, and was kind enough to come on the show and tell his story. He's a wealth of information on overcoming hunt-crippling injuries, and shares some tremendous insights.
John is also a gear-head and rifle nut of the first order, and in this episode he outlines his research into just what shooting system would help him effectively take big, old bull elk yet wouldn't damage his reconstructed shoulder.
It's a fascinating story, folks. ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.gunwerks.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
This episode discusses the types of bullets best for use on western big game inside 400 yards.
Terminal performance challenges of various shot angles are explored, bullets that "dump all their energy inside" are myth-busted, controlled-expansion vs. rapid-expansion projectiles are discussed.
Philosophy and ethics of close-range vs. long-range hunting and shooting skills are brought under scrutiny, and used to help determine appropriate bullets. The importance of skill-building practice is emphasized, whether a hunter wants to stalk close with a longbow or shoot far with a modern precision rifle.
Plus, this episode has a sneak peak at a southern border-country desert mule deer hunt...
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.gunwerks.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
This episode we're joined by Gunwerks founder and owner Aaron Davidson, one of the world's most knowledgeable experts in the realm of long-range precision hunting.
Primary topic is the use of target-type bullets such as Berger's VLD's and Hornady's ELD Match for hunting big game. Aaron defines when such bullets are ideal, the various types most suitable, and characteristics unique to each type.
Terminal performance behavior is a primary focus, and Aaron leads listeners through what to expect from various types of target bullets, and how to translate that into making the right choice for your needs.
We discuss shot placement, velocity windows that provide useful terminal performance, and how target-type bullets rupture or mushroom and kill.
For hunters limited to "non-toxic" bullets, Aaron covers the upsides and downsides of monometal bullets, particularly in terms of accuracy, wind drift, terminal affect, and influence on maximum shot distances.
Finally, Aaron wraps up with a backstage look at what's shaking at Gunwerks: an update on the Nexus rifle, new rangefinding binos and scopes coming in the Revic Optics line, and more.
This is a good one... ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.leupold.com
https://javelinbipod.com
In every serious hunters' life, there have been one or more mentors that inspired and educated. This episode is dedicated to all the great ambassadors of hunting out there, and contains a dozen of our top nominations for the 200th episode rifle setup giveaway.
The nominations show an awesome cross-section of the type of folks that we all ought to be—and include life stories heartwarming and heart-wrenching; rousing and extraordinary.
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.siembidacustomknives.com
Nothing like a good cartridge discussion to make the 200th episode great! Host Joseph von Benedikt details his favorite cartridge for across-the-spectrum big game hunting in the Lower 48, digging deep on the cartridge's history and development, as well as the performance characteristics that make it so capable. What exactly is it? You'll have to listen to find out.
We also detail our celebratory giveaway:
- How to give back to the folks that have mentored you and fueled your passion for hunting and blessed your lives.
- How to nominate such individuals for our "give back" complete hunting rifle prize.
- How we'll evaluate and determine a winner for the complete rifle/scope/bipod/sling/ammo western hunting setup.
- How to submit personal entries for the pile of other giveaways, including the Banish Backcountry suppressor, Siembida custom hunting knife, Leupold binos, Barnes case of ammo, onX Maps Elite memberships, Red Kettle M19 slings, and more.
- BONUS: Check out the awesome limited-time 20% off code BackcountryHunting200 for Red Kettle M19 rifle slings. To order use this link: Red Kettle Sling
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Ever feel like your rifle is holding you back? Or watch a friend fail to connect on a buck or bull because their rifle setup has limitations?
This episode is all about setting your shooting' iron up for success. We dive into deep detail on the following:
- Choosing a Rifle
- Choosing a Cartridge
- Choosing a Scope
- Maximizing distance capability
- Accessories crucial to success:
- Sling
- Bipod
- Anti-cant bubble level
- Rifle maintenance gear:
- Bore snake
- CLP
- Electrical tape
- Suppressors—everyone should have one
- Putting it all together
- Initiating practice
Final thought: It's not what you have, it's how you use it... OR IS IT?
ENJOY!
Special limited-time deal: Get 20% off Red Kettle M19 rifle slings by clicking this Red Kettle link and using code BackcountryHunting200.
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
CELEBRATION TIME!
We're about to hit a huge milestone, folks! It's our 200th episode. To celebrate, we're doing a massive gear giveaway.
This isn't an ordinary drawing, though. It's a give-back effort to those that have inspired, mentored, and guided us in our passion for hunting and for living in general. You can't actually enter for our "grand prize" yourself. Please submit the name of someone that you feel needs and deserves this:
It's a new Browning X-Bolt Speed rifle complete with Leupold VX-5HD scope, Spartan Pro Hunt bipod, Red Kettle M19 sling, and 100 rounds of 6.8 Western ammo. Turn-key, equipped just as I'd set up my own personal rifle, ready to walk out the door and into elk country with.
Email your entry to joseph@backcountrypodcast.com.
But enter yourself for all the other great giveaway items! We have a Silencer Central all-titanium Banish Backcountry suppressor, a one-of-a-kind Northern Shrike backcountry hunting blade by Siembida Custom Knives, a winners-choice Timney Trigger, a Leupold 10x40 BX-4 Pro Guide HD binocular, several Red Kettle bino cases and M19 rifle slings, and more. To enter, tag a friend when each item pops up on Instagram. A share gets another entry. And if you're not on IG, no worries—just email me your name.
Supporters on www.patreon.com/backcountry automatically get entered in every giveaway! Would love to have you join the Backcountry Hunting community we've created there. Signing up unlocks all our bonus material—weekly gear tips, how-to, and short audio episodes.
A SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS that made this 200th-episode celebratory giveaway possible!
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.javelinbipod.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.portersfirearms.com
https://www.redkettle.co/en-us
www.onxmaps.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.browningammo.com
In this awesome episode we're joined by Shaundi, Kali, and Tess to hear the stories of their 2022 fall caribou hunt. (Check out episode 185 on their hunt planning and prep.) The three ladies headed to northern Alaska on their own, and found, shot, processed, and packed out three good caribou bulls. Their tales are remarkable, and the insight they share invaluable. Even the part where they describe the Northern Lights as something like magic mushrooms...
Listeners, I think you'll enjoy this episode. I sure did!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
This episode compares the hot new 7mm PRC with the tried-and-true 7mm Rem Mag, and to a lesser extent the 28 Nosler.
We discuss whether the 7mm PRC provides a practical advantage, and consider the type of shooter and hunter that will benefit from the 7mm PRC vs. the 7mm Rem Mag.
Ballistic performance, suitable bullets, custom rifles vs. off-the-shelf rifles, factory ammo vs. tuned handloads... all are considered.
About 30 minutes in, the topic turns to terminal bullet performance, with an emphasis on the advantages of super-accurate match-type bullets vs. tough, deep-penetrating bullets for hunting.
Scenarios where both can prove to be the deciding factor at the moment of truth are outlined. The duplex load concept, which provides hunters maximum capability both up close and far away is detailed. Finally, do-all bullets that span the spectrum of potential needs are discussed.
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Recorded live and raw in Idaho's rough elk country, this episode takes a deep dive into three key methods of late-season elk hunting:
- Glassing big wide-open country
- Finding and hunting tiny pockets of rich feed and cover
- Tracking in snow
Host Joseph von Benedikt provides tips and tricks for each method, and discusses end results for which each method is most effective. Real-world stories of failure and success spotlight each strategy. ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Recorded live and raw in Idaho's rough elk country, this episode takes a deep dive into three key methods of late-season elk hunting:
- Glassing big wide-open country
- Finding and hunting tiny pockets of rich feed and cover
- Tracking in snow
Host Joseph von Benedikt provides tips and tricks for each method, and discusses end results for which each method is most effective. Real-world stories of failure and success spotlight each strategy. ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Is the new 7mm PRC necessary? If so, why? Does it accomplish much that current 7mm's can't?
The answer is yes, profoundly. However, the devil is in the details. The 7mm PRC offers a series of small advantages that add up to a massive overall superiority. In short, it's potentially the best 7mm magnum cartridge ever designed.
This episode starts from a skeptical standpoint and explores the 7mm PRC's characteristics, and in the end outlines just why it's so profoundly good.
Characteristics:
- Balanced performance (easy accuracy)
- Fast-twist rifling (compatible with modern long-range bullets)
- Best in class ballistic performance at extreme range
- Optimal case design for maximum consistency
- Better barrel life than competitors
- Chamber and throat dimensions modeled after 6.5 Creedmoor for top-shelf accuracy with factory ammo
- Easy to reload
- Tons of rifle companies already on board
The result is a turn-key solution for shooters that want best-possible extreme-range capability without having a custom, fast-twist rifle built with extended magazine box and tuned handloads.
Potentially, the 7mm PRC is THE 7mm cartridge of the future. This episode details why.
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.timneytriggers.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.leupold.com
Folks, here's a quick 5-minute bonus episode on the brand-new 7mm PRC cartridge. ENJOY!
www.patreon.com/backcountry
This episode takes a deep dive into the world of current monometal bullets. We explore driving trends, performance characteristics, and differences between monometal and lead-core bullets.
Next, we dig into specific bullet designs by the great makers:
- Barnes TSX, TTSX, and LRX
- Hornady CX & MonoFlex
- Nosler E-Tip
- Federal Trophy Copper
- Winchester Copper Extreme
- Badlands Bulldozer II
- Hammer Hunter
- Cutting Edge ER Raptor
We discuss minimum impact velocity thresholds, expansion mechanisms, mushrooming characteristics, accuracy reputations, and of course elusive ballistic coefficients. Finally, we wrap up with thoughts on the future of hunting bullets.
(Also, check out the Poseidon Pro, our featured product of this episode.)
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Sometimes things don't go as anticipated when shooting at a big buck or bull. This is when the moment of truth becomes The Moment Of Truth, and the ability to make clean, fast follow-up shots and bring the hunt to a rapid, ethical finish is of vital importance.
This episode digs deep into the fundamentals and the finer points of making fast, accurate follow-up shots in the field. We address:
- Shooting positions
- Scopes and magnifications
- Controlling recoil
- Follow-through
- Spotting your own impact
- Staying in the scope
- Working the bolt fast and smooth—while staying in the scope
- Training practices and mantras
- Action and Cartridge characteristics favorable for fast follow-up shots
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.leupold.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Recorded live in deep backcountry Alaska, this episode is the second half and the wrap on our DIY, public-land, drop-camp Alaska moose hunt for 2022.
Hunting partner Joe Kennedy and host Joseph von Benedikt continue to hunt without contact with the pilot or family for days, due to a communications/emergency device failure. Caribou herds move into the area. Big grayling fish hit dry flies hard. Rain, wind, weather, eagles and wolves are part of this second week, plus we continue to discuss stand-out gear and the logistics of getting a lot of meat home to Idaho. ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
I'm joined this episode by Camp Chef's Brooks Hansen, a northern Utah local who's spent much of his life hunting the backcountry and grilling, Barbequing, and smoking the wild game he brings home.
We talk about the rewards of introducing friends and family to wild game meat, the evolution of charcoal and gas and pellet grills, and the genesis and foundation of Camp Chef as an outdoor company.
Brooks details the latest and greatest in smokers and grills, including the just-launched Woodwind Pro, and talks through the versatile Camp Chef Apex, which serves as a pellet grill, gas grill, and flat-top grill all in one plus has an accessory pizza oven and is compatible with dutch ovens. Plus, he details the various types of smoker pellets Camp Chef makes, and discloses his personal favorites.
Not least, Brooks goes over the secrets to success when smoking lean, wild-game rib racks.
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.onxmaps.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.leupold.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Recorded audio-journal style in the field, this episode is brought to you raw and unedited and contains the account of a great bull moose hunt. Pals Joseph von Benedikt and Joe Kennedy are dropped via bush plane in the vast Alaska interior, and hunt DIY for 12 days for moose, caribou, black bear, and wolf. Against the odds of hot weather, no rutting action, and a moose population made sparse by severe winter kill, they find and take a fantastic bull during this first half of the hunt. ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Recorded live on the road across Alaska, this episode is a raw, unedited discussion as my hunting partner Joe and I head for our DIY, drop-camp moose hunt (with caribou, black bear, and wolf tags in our pockets too). Prep, gear, planning, expectations and hopes are all part of this fun on-the-fly conversation as we embark on an adventure that's been three years in the planning.
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
This episode is all about keeping your backcountry hunting rifle running through adverse conditions. Whether you're in shocking cold and the oil on your firing pin assembly gels, or you jam the muzzle into a mud bank and have to clear an obstruction, or it rains so much that rust prevention is challenging, there are tips and tricks that help you stay in the game and keep hunting effectively. ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Here's the nitty-gritty on all JvB's gear assembled for an upcoming DIY, drop-camp hunt in Alaska for moose, caribou, black bear, and wolf. Hunt gear, sleep systems, shelters, fire-starting tools, optics, medical prep, everything. We detail each item, including why it's necessary and why we chose that specific version, and provide weight when applicable. Food type, quantity, and prep is also outlined. Full list below.
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
GEAR LIST
Alaska 2022 Moose Hunt
- License, locking tags, & harvest tickets
- Browning X-Bolt Speed SR, w/scope, bipod, suppressor, cover: 10.25 lbs
- Leupold VX-6HD scope, 2-12x40 with WindPlex reticle and CDS ZL turret
- Spartan Precision Equipment Javelin Pro Hunt Tac bipod
- Silencer Central Banish 30 suppressor in 7-inch configuration
- Red Kettle M19 sling
- See-through bikini-type scope cover
- Neoprene protective scope cover
- Browning thin rifle cover
- Browning raingear .75 lbs
- Federal ammo w/180-grain Barnes TSX bullets, 30 rounds 1.5 lbs
- .44 Magnum S&W M69 Combat Magnum 2.5 lbs
- .44 Magnum ammo, 11 rounds 2.5 lbs
- Hunting knives, Siembida Custom Shrike & Kestrel, .75 lbs
- Gransfors Bruk hatchet 1.5 lbs
- Swarovski EL Range 10x42 Binocular 3.25 lbs
- Swarovski ATS 65HD Spotting scope 3.25 lbs
- Spartan Ascent tripod 3.25 lbs
- Water filter, Katadyn Pro .75 lbs
- Filter bottle by Sawyer .5 lbs
- Life Straw water filter .12 lbs
- Kenetrek Mountain Extreme 400 boots 5.25 lbs
- Stone Glacier gaiters .75 lbs
- Browning clothing, Ovix line 5.0 lbs
- Argali Kodiak Belt N/A
- Big Agnes Tent, Copper Spur UL3 5.5 lbs
- Pitchable A-Frame tarp by SaphiRose 2.5 lbs
- ExPed Synmat UL 7 M sleeping pad 1 lb
- Stone Glacier Chilcoot 0 sleeping bag 2.75 lbs
- Stone Glacier packable down Grumman puffy pants .75 lbs
- Stone Glacier packable down Grumman Puffy coat .75 lbs
- Stone Glacier packable down Grumman Puffy vest .5 lbs
- Extra Long Johns, socks, neck gaiter, gloves, etc: 2.0 lbs
- Game bags by Caribou Gear 2.25 lbs
- Battery banks 1.75 lbs
- Folding solar panel, Big Blue 28 W 1.5 lbs
- Backpack, EXO MTN Gear expedition-grade 6.5 lbs
- EXO meat webbing mesh .25 lbs
- EXO internal drybag .25 lbs
- Pack cover .25 lbs
- Meals: 36, Mountain House & Peak Refuel, plus snacks 15 lbs
- Ultralight mountaineering stove, 1 lb
- Fishing rod: Redington 7’6” 3-weight Classic Trout .12 lbs
- Fishing reel: Lamson Liquid 3-4
- Fishing kit: flies in box, spare leader, 5x tippet 1.0 lb
- Crocs, All Terrain w/4-wheel-drive 1.0 lb
- Hat: Stetson Cross Creek N/A
- Cap: Browning mesh-back ball cap N/A
Bag No. 1:
- Scent Killer field wipes
- 100 feet of 550 paracord
- Two contractor-grade trash bags
- Spare glasses
- Spare lifestraw
- Bug repellant
- Scent-free deodorant
Bag No. 2: Health and sick care
- Cold medicine
- Ibuprofen and vitamins
- Advil PM
- Rolaids or Tums
- Emergency water tablets
- Leuko tape
- MTN OPS ignite and enduro packets
- Montreal Steak seasoning
- Head net
- Latex gloves
- Leaf tea
- Titanium spork
- Spare lithium batteries
Bag No. 3: Gun care
- Bore snake
- Gun oil
- Birchwood Casey rust-preventive wipes
- Silver, metallic, permanent Sharpie marker
- Scope adjustment tool
- Compact sharpening stone
Bag No. 4:
- Three lighters
- Stormproof matches
- Pyro Putty, winter blend
- Two headlamps
- Havalon knife
Here's the nitty-gritty on all JvB's gear assembled for an upcoming DIY, drop-camp hunt in Alaska for moose, caribou, black bear, and wolf. Hunt gear, sleep systems, shelters, fire-starting tools, optics, medical prep, everything. We detail each item, including why it's necessary and why we chose that specific version, and provide weight when applicable. Food type, quantity, and prep is also outlined. Full list below.
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
GEAR LIST
Alaska 2022 Moose Hunt
- License, locking tags, & harvest tickets
- Browning X-Bolt Speed SR, w/scope, bipod, suppressor, cover: 10.25 lbs
- Leupold VX-6HD scope, 2-12x40 with WindPlex reticle and CDS ZL turret
- Spartan Precision Equipment Javelin Pro Hunt Tac bipod
- Silencer Central Banish 30 suppressor in 7-inch configuration
- Red Kettle M19 sling
- See-through bikini-type scope cover
- Neoprene protective scope cover
- Browning thin rifle cover
- Browning raingear .75 lbs
- Federal ammo w/180-grain Barnes TSX bullets, 30 rounds 1.5 lbs
- .44 Magnum S&W M69 Combat Magnum 2.5 lbs
- .44 Magnum ammo, 11 rounds 2.5 lbs
- Hunting knives, Siembida Custom Shrike & Kestrel, .75 lbs
- Gransfors Bruk hatchet 1.5 lbs
- Swarovski EL Range 10x42 Binocular 3.25 lbs
- Swarovski ATS 65HD Spotting scope 3.25 lbs
- Spartan Ascent tripod 3.25 lbs
- Water filter, Katadyn Pro .75 lbs
- Filter bottle by Sawyer .5 lbs
- Life Straw water filter .12 lbs
- Kenetrek Mountain Extreme 400 boots 5.25 lbs
- Stone Glacier gaiters .75 lbs
- Browning clothing, Ovix line 5.0 lbs
- Argali Kodiak Belt N/A
- Big Agnes Tent, Copper Spur UL3 5.5 lbs
- Pitchable A-Frame tarp by SaphiRose 2.5 lbs
- ExPed Synmat UL 7 M sleeping pad 1 lb
- Stone Glacier Chilcoot 0 sleeping bag 2.75 lbs
- Stone Glacier packable down Grumman puffy pants .75 lbs
- Stone Glacier packable down Grumman Puffy coat .75 lbs
- Stone Glacier packable down Grumman Puffy vest .5 lbs
- Extra Long Johns, socks, neck gaiter, gloves, etc: 2.0 lbs
- Game bags by Caribou Gear 2.25 lbs
- Battery banks 1.75 lbs
- Folding solar panel, Big Blue 28 W 1.5 lbs
- Backpack, EXO MTN Gear expedition-grade 6.5 lbs
- EXO meat webbing mesh .25 lbs
- EXO internal drybag .25 lbs
- Pack cover .25 lbs
- Meals: 36, Mountain House & Peak Refuel, plus snacks 15 lbs
- Ultralight mountaineering stove, 1 lb
- Fishing rod: Redington 7’6” 3-weight Classic Trout .12 lbs
- Fishing reel: Lamson Liquid 3-4
- Fishing kit: flies in box, spare leader, 5x tippet 1.0 lb
- Crocs, All Terrain w/4-wheel-drive 1.0 lb
- Hat: Stetson Cross Creek N/A
- Cap: Browning mesh-back ball cap N/A
Bag No. 1:
- Scent Killer field wipes
- 100 feet of 550 paracord
- Two contractor-grade trash bags
- Spare glasses
- Spare lifestraw
- Bug repellant
- Scent-free deodorant
Bag No. 2: Health and sick care
- Cold medicine
- Ibuprofen and vitamins
- Advil PM
- Rolaids or Tums
- Emergency water tablets
- Leuko tape
- MTN OPS ignite and enduro packets
- Montreal Steak seasoning
- Head net
- Latex gloves
- Leaf tea
- Titanium spork
- Spare lithium batteries
Bag No. 3: Gun care
- Bore snake
- Gun oil
- Birchwood Casey rust-preventive wipes
- Silver, metallic, permanent Sharpie marker
- Scope adjustment tool
- Compact sharpening stone
Bag No. 4:
- Three lighters
- Stormproof matches
- Pyro Putty, winter blend
- Two headlamps
- Havalon knife
This episode is about keeping sharp in the backcountry... literally. Special segments cover nutrition, endurance, the mental game, sleep habits, and more, but the primary topic is how to properly sharpen a hunting knife.
We discuss types of steel, types of sharpening stone, edge angles and retention, sharpening processes, and edge and blade maintenance.
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.barnesbullets.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.browning.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
This episode is about keeping sharp in the backcountry... literally. Special segments cover nutrition, endurance, the mental game, sleep habits, and more, but the primary topic is how to properly sharpen a hunting knife.
We discuss types of steel, types of sharpening stone, edge angles and retention, sharpening processes, and edge and blade maintenance.
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.barnesbullets.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.browning.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
This episode we're joined by a group of hard-hunting ladies about to head to the far north for a DIY, drop-camp caribou hunt. Shaundi Campbell is Browning's senior marketing manager and a western hunter from childhood. Kali Parmley is editor-in-chief of Backcountry Hunter magazine.
We talk through planning and hunt prep; rifles, optics, cartridges and other gear; expectations and fears; traveling in via bush plane; terrain challenges, and much more.
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.portersfirearms.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Inspired by a listener's question, this episode is all about the fundamentals of extended-range shooting in the field.
We start with gear, particularly addressing vital scope features and setup for long-range success. Dial-up turrets, custom dials, parallax focus, reticle types, zero distance, anti-cant levels, and so forth are detailed and discussed.
Next we dive into concepts. Angled shots, effect of altitude and temperature on trajectory, out-of-plumb crosshairs and erratic hits, how aerodynamic bullets minimize error, training the puppy in the back of the brain to drive when we experience a high-speed come-apart, and more.
Finally, appropriate cartridges and effective bullets are addressed and detailed. Suitable bore diameters, efficient magnums, and critical bullet characteristics such as accuracy, aerodynamics, and terminal performance are all dissected.
Finally, the most important of all characteristics needed for effective, ethical killing capability at extended distances is hashed out.
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.barnesbullets.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Are classic cartridge suitable for backcountry hunting? You bet they are—and some are particularly good at it. This episode takes a detailed look at several of the best. We list top bullet choices and favorite rifles, and discuss what each cartridge is really good at.
Criteria for inclusion:
- Must be old (youngest cartridge discussed is 97 years old)
- Must be capable on deer-size game and up
- Must be dominantly popular in at least one significant region (such as the far north or Scandinavia)
- Must be useful for backcountry hunting in mountain country
Cartridges included:
- 6.5-55
- .270 Winchester
- 7x57 Mauser
- .30-06 Springfield
- .300 H&H
- .375 H&H
- Bonus: One world-class dangerous-game stopping cartridge
Downsides of classic cartridges
- Low-performance factory loads
- Out-of-date reloading data
- Tolerances in vintage rifles
- Few high-performance modern hunting projectiles
- Have to be careful hunting with valuable vintage firearms
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.silencercentral.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
www.timneytriggers.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Want to stay backcountry-fit into your older years? Or just shake off the cobwebs and get mountain-hunting shape? We recorded this episode with John Zombro, a professional trainer and physical therapist who specializes in hunt-prep training. A passionate backcountry hunter with more than 50 years in the field, Zombro lives in southwestern Montana and hosts The Lifetime Athlete podcast.
John is a down-to-earth, relatable guy with great real-life hunting stories that have shaped his approach to life and fitness. In this episode, he shares tips and tricks for building the right training program, sticking with it, being mentally strong, and taking the confidence and lessons learned while training into the field to help close the deal at the moment of truth. ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.onxmaps.com
https://www.instagram.com/siembida_custom_knives/
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Why does America love .30-caliber cartridges so much? BECAUSE THEY WORK! Here's a little history on when the great .30's won our hearts, and a deep dive into how to get the best out of your .30-caliber cartridge.
We touch on most of the popular .30-caliber rounds, but focus primarily on bullet types, intended uses, rifling twist rates, cartridge case capacity, and so forth.
The discussion spans the spectrum of great cartridges from the .300 Savage, .30-30, and .308 up to the .300 WSM, .300 Win Mag, .300 RUM, .300 PRC, and most everything in-between.
Characteristics of great hunting bullets for large game up through the biggest moose, bison, and bears are outlined, and favorites are recommended. Plus we address .30-caliber bullets ideal for deer-size game from southern whitetails to wild hogs.
Long-range ballistics, bullet construction, terminal performance, and accuracy are dissected and discussed, along with rifle weight and it's affect on recoil.
This was a fun one... ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.onXmaps.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
This episode takes a deep dive into the realm of brush-country rifles, cartridges, and bullets.
Inspired by a listeners question, we explore the concept of a "bush gun," and define rifle characteristics that fit. Rifle responsiveness, balance, fast function, accuracy, reach, and authority, along with appropriate scopes are addressed.
Next, species and habitat types likely to fit the deep-thicket hunting scene are detailed. Alaska and Canada's alder thickets, Northeastern and Northwestern big woods country, and Rocky Mountain dark timber and oak thickets. Deer, elk, bear, moose, and more.
Hard-hitting cartridges and bullets that fit the classic "brush-busting" mold come next, along with a discussion of whether any bullet can actually shrug off contact with twigs and leaves and other brush and still impact where you want.
Lastly, 10 of von Benedikt's favorite bush rifle models and cartridges are listed, wrapping up with a recommendation of just two that tick all the boxes.
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.onxmaps.com
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
This episode we're joined by Shane Porter, Gunwerks' No. 1 dealer and owner of Porter's Pawn in Arkansas. Shane shares what makes his business tick, why he loves and specializes in high-end backcountry hunting rifles, and what drives his own passion for hunting remote areas.
Plus of course we swap hunting stories, and Shane tells about his spring 2022 brown bear hunt on the Alaska Peninsula with Alaskan gunsmith and guide Steve Hallenbeck of Double Broomed Mountain Rifles. And how about a three-day trek from base camp in pursuit of a 43-inch dall sheep!
Be sure and check out this link for the complete listing of fine high-end backcountry hunting rifles currently in inventory at Porter's Firearms. ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
This around-the-campfire episode details three proper backcountry hunts for big Kudu bulls, and two nail-biting hunts in Namibia's historic Caprivi region along the Okavango River for massive, ancient Cape buffalo bulls.
Adam Weatherby, Rob Gearing, Austin Brown, host Joseph von Benedikt, and PH Jacques Strauss dig deep into what worked, what didn't, and how to re-group and sort out a problem when it occurs. And of course we tell the stories of each of the tremendous animals taken, from the butt-puckering stalks on buffalo to the challenge of glassing and getting on a mountain-country Kudu bull.
African conservation success stories and meat-providing processes are part and parcel of the discussion, and in truth provide some of the most passionate elements. Eating the "Poop Chute" and Buffalo balls as a pre-dinner delicacy come into play, too.
And of course, there's plenty of rifle, optic, cartridge, and bullet performance discussion, too.
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Deep in the heart of Africa, Rob Gearing, Adam Weatherby, and Austin Brown join Joseph von Benedikt for a proper safari in Namibia. Hunting more than 400,000 acres of free-range thornbush country on the edge of the Kalahari, we pursue giant kudu bulls, oryx, springbuck, zebra, and more.
For the gearheads amongst us, we're using some very cool cutting-edge rifles from Weatherby, Gunwerks, and Dakota, chambered in .338 WBY RPM, 6.5-300 WBY, .416 WBY, and the classic, legendary .375 H&H, all topped with Leupold scopes.
Plus, Adam Weatherby tells the story of a catastrophic rifle disaster involving a fall and a spectacular exhibition-grade walnut stock on his "light" rifle for plains game, as well as the innovative way we solved the issue to get him back in the field.
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Getting down and dirty with handloading, von Benedikt details the exact process he uses for building an awesome hunting handload.
- How to choose the right bullet for the task
- Gunpowder, and why it's not all equal
- Cartridge cases and case prep
- Primers, and the best of the best
- Charge weights, and where to start
- Seating depth for various bullet types
- Testing handload batches
- Using ladder tests to refine handloads
- Trajectory validation and why we do it
- The confidence and satisfaction of hunting with your own handloads
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Spomer is back! My good friend Ron shares solo-hunting experiences, tips for pre-hunt fitness and conditioning, and how to build your mental toughness so you don't give up when tested by harsh country and conditions.
Additionally, we dig deep into:
- Hydration (and debilitation when lacking)
- Lightweight rifles & gear
- Going just one ridge farther to achieve success
- Being prepared to sleep anywhere
- Bivy gear & lightweight sleep systems that work
- DIY sheep hunting
- Solo hunting & the test of solitude
- Drawing tags—or not, and hunting OTC instead
Follow Ron at https://www.ronspomeroutdoors.com
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
By popular demand, here's a deep dive into the new Nexus rifle by Gunwerks. It's a switch-barrel design with an aluminum action, a built-in ARCA rail under the forend, a fast-moving 3-lug bolt, and a superb carbon fiber stock that really minimizes felt recoil.
Features of the Nexus are unpacked and detailed, and practical, tested, field performance to 1,400 yards is discussed. Cartridge options (initially 6.5 PRC and .300 PRC) and barrel lengths (20" and 24") are explored.
Real-world use in the field? Naturally! Audrey von Benedikt (age 14) hammered a 5.5-foot cinnamon-colored black bear boar from 301 yards, and we discuss that story, along with accuracy and reliability testing.
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Recorded in the backcountry, this episode is the story of an epic bear hunt. Custom knife maker Evan Siembida came West to hunt Idaho's vast remote country with host Joseph von Benedikt, and after a series of setbacks and challenges, took a magnificent color-phase boar with his new Browning X-Bolt in 6.8 Western.
We discuss black bear baiting, glassing, rifles, optics, cartridges, bullets, shot placement, and hunting techniques in general, woven into the blow-by-blow tale of Evan's hunt.
Plus, when you've got a top-notch custom knife man on the air, you just gotta talk knife steel, design, and handle materials. Evan shares his new favorite type of steel and a scale (handle) material that might just be the best thing going.
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Featuring guest Tim Lesser of Leupold, this episode takes us backstage with America's favorite riflescope company. Tim guides us through the fascinating origin story of Leupold, reveals the driving passion behind the R&D team, and details the rigorous testing the engineering team puts every new optic through.
Ever wonder exactly what's inside a scope? Tim provides the clearest description of the various parts and functions of a modern hunting optic I've ever heard. We talk through the marvels of lens coatings, discuss anti-fogging processes, and go over the incredible recoil and shock testing Leupold scopes go through.
Next, Tim reveals his recommendation for the two best backcountry hunting scopes in Leupold's lineup. That alone is worth the listen!
Before closing, Tim details his go-to hunting rifles. Here's a clue: Big-bore enthusiasts will love his setups.
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
This episode takes a deep dive into how to learn and practice shooting skills that will make you a backcountry deal-closer at the moment of truth.
With the objective defined as the ability to place a bullet precisely into the vitals under challenging conditions, we address:
- Reading the lay of the land as you set up to shoot
- Building a stable shooting position
- Mastering your breathing
- Achieving a correct sight picture
- Executing a clean trigger squeeze
- Controlling recoil
- Following through
- Spotting impacts
- Following up
Transitioning from critical shooting skills, we detail practice methods for the range and for the field:
- Confirming zero
- Validating ballistics
- Testing capability from field positions
- Going afield and practicing
- Dry-firing
- Reading the situation (wind, angle, animal position)
- Rocks, bushes, and other targets of opportunity
- Letting missed shots haunt you—for the future good
Wrap & final thought: Don't be the weak link in the chain
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
This episode, we're joined by gunwriting legend Ron Spomer. A mountain-country hunter by choice, Ron shares his favorite shooting equipment for hunting gnarly, steep backcountry settings. We talk ultralight rifles, cartridges that suit them, and bullets that are versatile across a spectrum of western big game. Ron hosts a very successful YouTube channel, Ron Spomer Outdoors, and has a podcast as well. Be sure and check them out! Links are below.
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Here's Ron's website: https://www.ronspomeroutdoors.com
Tired of freeze-dried food after a week in the backcountry? This episode addresses how to go full hunter-gatherer while hunting. With a little forethought, it's easy to take advantage of wild streams full of fish and random encounters with grouse, ptarmigan, or wild turkeys (where take is legal of course).
It goes without saying that savvy backcountry hunters pack seasonings and eat big game, once harvested: Moose ribs over alder-wood coals... Elk kabobs charred over a quick pine fire... or bear meat boiled in it's own fresh-rendered oil.
How about wild blueberries, raspberries, and huckleberries? Not only do these provide much-need healthy carbs while hunting hard in the backcountry, they are effortless to prepare. (Grasp berry, lift arm, insert into mouth.) Plus they can bring a whole new level of palatability to freeze-dried granola-type breakfasts.
This episode address big game meat, game birds, fish, and berries. How to hunt, and how to cook. ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Is it better to hunt with a sledgehammer? Or a scalpel? This episode explores two vastly different approaches to picking a hunting cartridge.
- Precision. In this approach, shot placement matters above all else. Accuracy and high ballistic coefficient are bullet priorities. Terminal performance is secondary. A low-recoiling cartridge is considered key.
- Authority. In this approach, a powerful cartridge with a hard-hitting bullet is paramount. Bullet frontal diameter, weight, velocity, expansion, and penetration are key. Accuracy and aerodynamics are important, but bullet performance on impact is more so.
Ideal cartridges, bullets, and scenarios are proposed and discussed for both approaches.
On the other hand... How 'bout the concept of one rifle and cartridge for everything?
- How to mate authority and precision
- Boost your cartridge, lower your authority, meet in the middle
- 6.8 Western, 7mm SAUM, .280 Ackley, 7mm Rem Mag
- Bullets that do it all:
- Barnes LRX
- Nosler AccuBond
- Federal Terminal Ascent
Wrap: One man's idea of the ultimate all-around rifle
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
https://www.portersfirearms.com/
Last year, deep in Alaska's Chugach Mountains, guide Jordan Voigt experienced a catastrophic boot failure that left his feet unusable for weeks. This episode, we dig deep into injury recovery and maintaining fitness as we age.
"Old man yoga," daily miles, packing weight, and knowing your own body are critical ingredients to maintaining a backcountry-capable level of fitness into your 60's and 70's. Voigt tells his story, and walks us through the process he used to come back.
Need a teaser? Wearing Crocs and riding horses while hunting played a big part. Passionate hunter that he is, Voigt refused to lay on the couch during hunting season, instead finding alternate ways to hunt and achieve great success in rugged country.
Mental toughness, humility, and patience also play a huge part in successfully hunting the backcountry through middle age and into your later years. Horses—and perhaps even more, Llamas—can be come important assets.
Before wrapping up, we talk sheep and brown bear rifles and cartridges, just because we can.
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Spring is here, and bear season is right around the corner. Alaskan bear-killing expert Tyler Freel joins us to talk about how to properly shoot and cleanly kill bears. Freel details bear anatomy, vitals location and shot placement, tracking and recovering bears, cartridges and bullets for bears, arrows and broadheads for bears, and much more.
Freel hosts the Tundra Talk podcast and is a staff writer for Outdoor Life. An outdoorsman of vast and varied interests, he's shot grizzlies with longbows and recurve bows and stone points—one at just 6 yards. Blackpowder and patched round balls, too. He's guided and hunted much of Alaska, from the Peninsula to the Arctic circle, and has taken many grizzlies and stacks of black bears.
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
7mm-caliber cartridges are capable of taking any hooved, non-dangerous game in the world—as long as they're paired with the right bullet. This episode takes a deep dive into the 7mm world, from the historic 7x57 Mauser that started it all up through the cutting-edge modern "sevens."
Focus is on how to get the best-possible performance out of your 7mm cartridge, whatever it might be. We use the following criteria:
- Intended use (game type and anticipated shot distance)
- Big game. Elk up through moose & bison
- Deer-size game
- Short shots in timber (tough, deep penetrators)
- Long shots (accurate, highly aerodynamic projectiles)
- Cartridge capacity (propellant, which equals velocity)
- Three categories of cartridge
- 28 Nosler
- 7mm Rem Mag
- .280 Ackley
- 7mm SAUM
- 7x57 Mauser
- 7mm-08 Rem
- Rifling twist rate
- 1:9.5, 1:9, and the oh-so-useful 1:8/1:8.5s
- Barrel length
- For maximum velocity
- For use with a suppressor
- Accuracy in short vs. long barrels
- Rifle weight
- Pros & cons of rifle weight
- Shooter recoil sensitivity
- Maximizing rifle shootability
Final thought: Hunt the world with a 7mm. Confidently.
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
This episode we welcome back Chris Ellis, trigger savant and self-styled hillbilly bullet tester. We discuss what really makes a great trigger, and why Timney Triggers achieve what the do. Chris walks us through a bit of the history and inspiration behind Timney, details manufacturing processes and dedication to quality, and talks about the vast variety of Timney triggers available for everything from cutting-edge bolt-action hunting rifles to Glocks to Remington 870s.
Chris is a student of bullet performance from way back, so we transition to talking about particularly capable bullets for whitetail deer. Naturally, that leads to bear bullets, elk bullets, and even bullets for American bison.
We wrap up with a discussion of industry trends and Timney's focus on providing the best triggers available for shooters and hunters. ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
This episode explores what characteristics are paramount in a versatile self-defense firearm for survival situations. Based on a worst-case, apocalyptic scenario, it discusses rifles, shotguns, handguns, cartridges, and appropriate ammunition.
SHOW NOTES:
Characteristics of a great survival gun
- Reliability
- Portable and handy
- Firepower
- Accuracy
- Long-range capability
- Cartridge authority
- Appropriate bullets
- Specific recommended cartridges
- Crossover hunting tools
- Recommended firearm types and models
- Optimism... "Let not your heart be troubled"
- Preparedness is peace of mind
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Survival guns! What could be more fun to talk about. This episode focuses on hardware, situations, and skills. It's not a prophecy. Outdoor people all have a little Boy Scout in them (motto: Be Prepared). We like to be ready for anything, and that's what this discussion is all about.
First, let's throw out that one word that suggests extreme survival: Apocalypse. All the really gnarly stuff. Super volcano. Solar flare. Gigantic earthquakes. Nuclear war. Foreign invasion. Runaway asteroid. Truly deadly disease.
Whatever your favorite fear is, it ain't a bad idea to prepare for it so you can sleep well at night.
Characteristics of a good survival/hunting gun:
- Reliable and easy to fix
- Well suited for locally available game
- Versatile for a broad spectrum of uses
- Capable of making challenging shots
Is just one gun enough?
Popular survival-gun types and models:
- Ruger 10/22
- Pump-action shotgun
-
Bolt-action rifle chambered in either:
- .30-06
- 6.5 Creedmoor
- (Here's why)
- Lever-action rifle in .30-30
- Combination gun such as Savage's O/U shotgun/rifle
NEXT WEEK's TOPIC: Survival Guns, Part 2: For Fighting
Enjoy!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.leupold.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
This episode we're joined by Adam Weatherby to discuss the new .338 Weatherby RPM cartridge, the Gen 2 version of the sub-5-pound Mark V Backcountry 2.0 rifle, and more including:
- Never before revealed ballistics and info on the .338 WBY RPM
- Ammo shortages, supplies, and availability forecast
- New lightest-ever Peak 44 carbon fiber stocks on Weatherby rifles
- Backcountry 2.0 features, design, and variations including the awesome Titanium, carbon-barrel rifle
- Bear and moose hunt stories with the .338 RPM
- New sponsor! Spartan Precision Equipment joins the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe. Check out Spartan's lightest-in-the-world mountaineering quality bipods here.
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
https://javelinbipod.com
Silencers, suppressors, and the new E-Form application process have the shooting world on point. Brandon Maddox, founder and owner of Silencer Central, joins us as a special guest.
His insider perspective clears up misconceptions, provides solid, data-backed info on processes and wait times and what purchasers should expect, and generally throws a ton of light on the subject of purchasing a suppressor.
Additionally, we talk through current trends in suppressors and the growing contingent of hunters using them. Mr. Maddox gives us an inside look at Silencer Central's new products, including the exceptionally compact, highly effective 338 Banish, and the versatile, modular 46 Banish.
For our Backcountry Bounty segment, we announce a new limited-edition run of custom Northern Shrike backcountry hunting knives by Siembida Custom Knives.
Wrap: No time like the present to start your suppressor application.
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and access weekly bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
When it comes to gear for deep backcountry hunting, failure is not an option. Warrantees do you no good if a critical piece of kit breaks when you're several days away from any resources. This episode we're joined by Rob Gearing: rock climber, mountaineer, fly-fishing addict, and the genius behind Spartan Precision Equipment. We talk about multi-purpose tripods and ultralight bipods for hard use in unforgiving country, swap hunting stories, and get Rob's take on the ultimate fly-fishing rig for backcountry waters. ENJOY!
Links:
- Spartan Precision Equipment
- Javelin bipods
- Valhalla bipod
- Sentinel tripod
- Ascent tripod
- Loop Tackle fly rods
- Winston fly rods
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to weekly bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.leupold.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
The .30-06 still stands as one of the best choices for all-around use on big game—particularly with modern projectiles and propellants.
From close up to 400 yards, it's superb. From little southern whitetails and pronghorn antelope to Alaska/Yukon moose, it's outstanding.
This episode takes a deep look into how to get the best performance your .30-06 is capable of.
- Why the .30-06 became so popular in the first place
- What traditional cup-and-core bullets do so well out of the .30-06
- How it is still relevant today
- How it kills with so much authority
- Where it's at it's best (out to 400 yards) and why
- Capability, shootability and recoil
- Factory ammo: broad-spectrum use
- Barrel life
- Picking modern loads with modern bullets
- Handloading tips for the .30-06
- Classic bullets for use inside 300 yards
- Modern bullets for maximizing capability past 300 yards
- Best bullets for use on big elk, moose, and bear
- Rifle actions, barrel lengths, stock types, and scopes for use with .30-06
Final thought: It's not just about what you use, it's how you use it.
ENJOY!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to our exclusive weekly bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
Hornady technician, ballastician, and communications guru Seth Swerczek joins us this episode, for an in-depth look at the new CX monometal bullet.
We discuss Hornady's old GMX bullet, and what makes the new CX different. Top terminal performance, increased aerodynamics, and a high accuracy standard set the CX apart.
Initial cartridge offerings and component bullets are detailed, along with tips for handloading the CX for best accuracy.
Additionally, we examine the meteoric rise of the recently introduced 6.5 PRC and the .300 PRC, discussing what it is about those cartridges that resonates with hunters.
Finally, Seth talks through Hornady's flagship ELD-X hunting bullet as well as traditional classics such as the Interlock and SST, defining what each is particularly good for.
Bonus: Check out The Hornady Podcast, just launched!
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE BACKCOUNTRY HUNTING PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Contribute via PayPal using joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
Contribute via VENMO: @Joseph-vonBenedikt
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
Backcountry Q&A
This fun episode responds to a dozen fascinating questions from listeners, including: • Bear deterrent • 6.8 Western vs. .280 Ackley vs. .30-06 cartridge comparison • Rifling twist rates • Traditional bows & muzzleloaders • Wild Bison success • Precision scopes for .22s • Upcoming live Podcast Q&A on Zoom • Troubling memories of unrecovered game • One-shot drops & escapes • Backcountry hunter's "essential book list" • More DIY Alaska tips & tricks • "Popper" loads for .35 Whelen •
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, WE'RE PLANNING LIVE Q&A SESSIONS ON www.patreon.com/backcountry! Please sign up to support the show, and unlock all the bonus material on Patreon and join us on Zoom.
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
Contribute via PayPal using joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
Contribute via VENMO: @Joseph-vonBenedikt
SHOW NOTES
Main topic: New and intriguing gear and trends.
SHOT Show 2022 had an interesting vibe and dynamic. Joseph and Colton discuss subtle trends in rifles, optics, ammo, and other gear, as well as manufacturing challenges and processes. Most interesting new products include GA Precision's new ultra-small backcountry-appropriate suppressor, Leica's new compact rangefinding binocular, Browning's new X-Bolt Speed SR (suppressor ready), and some smaller items.
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Contribute via PayPal using joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
Contribute via VENMO: @Joseph-vonBenedikt
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
SHOW NOTES
Main topic: Planning and building the ultimate all-purpose rifle for hunting Alaska
WINNER Announced: 150th episode custom knife winner revealed
Q&A:
- Starter .22s for left-handed kids
- Aoudad hunting (heat, humidity, and big rams)
- Utah's bonus point-creep dilemma
- Best .270 bullets for elk
Ultimate Alaska Rifle
- CRITERIA
- Capable of cleanly killing anything you want to hunt
- Capable of reaching way out
- Capable of not just killing a grizzly, but stopping a charging bear
- Absolute reliability
- Familiar, intuitive function
Ultimate Scope for the Ultimate Alaska Rifle
- CRITERIA
- Wide magnification range, starting low (2x)
- Superb quality to handle heavy recoil and adverse weather
- Good dial-up turret with zero stop and zero lock
- Ideally, parallax adjustment
Ultimate Gunsmith to build the Ultimate Alaska Rifle
- Expert with chosen action
- Legendary for building reliable, accurate rifles
- Great human with a character as big as Alaska
- Lex Webernick of Rifle's Inc.
The Final Build & Accessories
- Rifle—you'll have to listen to get details!
- Bipod: Spartan Precision Javelin Pro Hunt
- Sling: Red Kettle M19
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Contribute via PayPal using joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
Contribute via VENMO: @Joseph-vonBenedikt
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
SHOW NOTES
Intro: If you want the ultimate backcountry DIY challenge, hunt moose in Alaska.
Up Front Q&A section:
- To Buy or Not To Buy: high-tech clothing and pack vs. a new backcountry hunting rifle
Patreon update. Things to come, including live Zoom Q&A sessions for Patreon members, as well as a Backcountry Hunting companion book for the podcast.
Primary Topic: Planning A DIY Alaska Moose Hunt
- Research, planning, and booking a transporter
- Air Taxis vs. Outfitters
- Travel to Alaska, and within Alaska
- Gear. Everything from packs and boots and raingear to rifles, cartridges, and bullets for moose
- Freeze-dried food, and excruciatingly low max weight allowances
- Traversing challenging terrain
- Safety in Alaska's backcountry
- How to hunt, shoot, field dress, and pack a moose
- What about bears?
- Picking a hunting partner
- The importance of mental toughness
- Logistics of getting meat and antlers home
Final thoughts: There's no time like the present, and you're not getting any younger. Plan it now.
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Contribute via PayPal using joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
Contribute via VENMO: @Joseph-vonBenedikt
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
SHOW NOTES
Main Topic: Predator Cartridges & Bullets
"Up Front" Q&A section:
- Undergunned for Aoudad
- "Recoil" is Right
Characteristics of a great coyote cartridge:
- Fast & Flat
- Accurate
- Tiny grenade-like terminal performance
- If fur collecting, minimal bullet hole damage
- If competition calling, coyote-walloping authority
Spectrum of suitable cartridges:
- What is too big? (deer cartridges?)
- What is too small? (.22 LR for coyotes?)
- Ideal rounds from .17 Rem. and .204 Ruger to .243 Win. and 6mm Creedmoor
- Top pick for a fur-collecting cartridge
- Favorite predator-thumping cartridge
- .22 Creedmoor: Unique, with potential
- Most practical all-around predator cartridge
- Favorite predator cartridge
Best bullets for predators:
- Polymer-tipped, boat-tailed designs
- Nosler's Ballistic Tip: Most proven
- Sierra Tipped MatchKing: Great for reaching out
- FMJs & controlled-expansion bullets need not apply.
Winter clothing vs. heated blinds
Bipods, tripods, & shooting sticks
Ranging & shooting
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Contribute via PayPal using joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
Contribute via VENMO: @Joseph-vonBenedikt
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
SHOW NOTES
Intro: Second half of 2021 Kodiak Alaska audio journal.
Hunters: Colton & Gary Heward, Austin Brown, Shawn Skipper, Andrew Smith, Brent Neidig, and Joseph von Benedikt.
Transporter: Travis Larson, Captain of the Venturess, and crew Susan, JJ, and Garrett of Alaska Premier Sportfishing.
Audio Journal entries:
- Day three: Four big bucks down, and a late-night packout in fierce wind.
- Day four: 100-mph winds, a bucking boat, and life on the edge. Some duck hunting and an "angry Irish fish."
- Day five: A never-to-be-forgotten hunt. Seven mature bucks for seven hunters. Long, one-shot kills in high winds in steep country. Close, spur-of-the-moment shots in sheltered pockets. And a great big velvet "stag" buck.
- Interview with Travis & Susan Larson: How to prepare for Kodiak Island. What a transporter does. The difference a warm boat, comfortable bunk, and gourmet-quality food makes when hunting hard in gnarly conditions and terrain. Local knowledge, savvy, and experience. Make-it-or-break-it gear. Mental toughness and adaptability.
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Contribute via PayPal using joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
Contribute via VENMO: @Joseph-vonBenedikt
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
SHOW NOTES
Main Topic: Recoil. How and why to master it and shoot authoritative cartridges accurately.
150th Episode Giveaway!
- Custom Northern Shrike hunting knife
- To enter, post your favorite episode on Instagram or Facebook, and tag the Backcountry Hunting Podcast.
Q&A:
- Barrel break-in, average velocities, and custom turrets
- Gransfors Bruks Hunters Axe
- A very short (18-inch) suppressed .30-06
Main topic:
- Bad side-effects of recoil:
- Flinching
- FIX: Man up, practice, mental toughness, discipline, fundamental instruction, & dry-fire practice. Dummy rounds and taking control.
- Fear (causing poor cartridge selection)
- Examples: 6.5 & .243 for elk. .243 for mule deer.
- FIX: Recoil is a small price to pay to send a bigger hammer downrange.
- Fear (causing use of muzzle brakes)
- Breaks good for: Spotting own impacts
- Breaks bad for: Hearing, and all companion
- Best FIX of all: Suppressors
- Second-best FIX: Pick tough, controlled-expansion bullets that punch above their weight/diameter/energy class.
- Flinching
- Wrap: Final thought.
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Contribute via PayPal using joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
Contribute via VENMO: @Joseph-vonBenedikt
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
Intro: On the boat, under way around Kodiak Island
- Participants: Colton & Gary Heward, Brent Neidig, Shawn Skipper, Austin Brown, Andrew Smith, Travis, Susan, & JJ Larson, and Garrett Lambert.
- Plans: Hunt sitka blacktail deer & sea ducks, fish
- Forecast: Troubled. Cold, wind, & snow
- A lot of firsts: First bucks, first Alaskan hunts
- Gear time: Rifles, optics, & ammo picked for the hunt
- First three days: Hunt stories & adventures
- Under way again: South Kodiak & big deer ahead
- Teaser: Big deer, big winds, and big danger ahead in Part 2!
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Contribute via PayPal using joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
Contribute via VENMO: @Joseph-vonBenedikt
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
SHOW NOTES
Intro: For all you hunters sniffing around the 6.8 Western, here's an in-depth look at the cartridge with A Man Who Knows: Browning's own Rafe Nielson.
6.8 Western cartridge discussion:
- Genesis of the 6.8 Western
- Significant differences from the .270 WSM
- Short shots & long shots with the 6.8 Western
- Hunt stories: Caribou, whitetails, and Roosevelt elk
- Cartridge comparisons: 6.8 Western vs. 7mm Rem. Mag., 6.5 PRC, and .280 Ackley Improved
- High-performance 6.8 Western loads in detail:
- 175-grain Long Range Pro bullet
- 165-grain AccuBond Long Range bullet
- 162-grain Copper Impact bullet
- Rifles chambered in 6.8 Western
- Browning's standard-line X-Bolt versions
- Browning's Pro series X-Bolts
- Browning's base model X-Bolts
- Winchester's Model 70
- Winchester's XPR
- Here to stay: Current sales and future promise of the 6.8 Western
Wrap: Is the 6.8 Western a candidate for an ultimate Western rifle for the one-gun hunter?
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and access all our patron-only bonus episodes, gear tips, and gear reviews on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Contribute via PayPal using joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
Contribute via VENMO: @Joseph-vonBenedikt
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
SHOW NOTES
Intro: Conservation and the challenges hunters face
Guests: DSC's Corey Mason & Brandon Boyles
Main topic: Conservation locally, nationally, and internationally. How hunters can help (with time, and by standing our ground politically).
- Current state of affairs across America
- Local challenges and potential solutions
- Western mule deer populations and recovery potential
- Habitat encroachment
- Areas with many hunters and few resources
- Areas losing hunters (and votes)
- Standing our ground and fighting for what we love
- DSC convention info
- DSC chapters and what they do
- Getting involved
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Contribute via PayPal using joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
Contribute via VENMO: @Joseph-vonBenedikt
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
SHOW NOTES
Intro: On the road for Western Whitetails!
Main Topic: Are there cases when rapid-expansion, shallow-penetrating bullets are best?
- The "Dump all the energy in the deer" theory
- Slab-sided big game such as Mountain Goats
- Extended-range shooting and low-velocity impacts
- Coyotes, wolves, bullets, and fur damage
Wrap: Tailor your bullet to your game, and you'll average better success.
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry for access to all our patron-only bonus mini-episodes, gear tips, and how-to tips.
Contribute via PayPal using joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
Contribute via VENMO: @Joseph-vonBenedikt
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
SHOW NOTES
Topic: Making steep-angle shots
Talking points:
- Why do steeply angled shots impact high?
- How steep is "steep?"
- What's the traditional, non-calculator based method of compensating for steep angles?
- What are the issues with "horizontal distance" compensations for angle?
- Zero Range vs. Zero Angle ballistic calculations
- Advanced ballistic calculators and rangefinders
- Gunwerks' Revic Ops app and BR4 Rangefinder
- How to gear up and game plan for steep-angled shots
- Learning resources
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Contribute via PayPal using joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
Contribute via VENMO: @Joseph-vonBenedikt
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
SHOW NOTES
Intro: Magnificently awful hunting mistakes
Q&A Section:
- .338 Win Mag barrel length
- .338 RUM vs. .338 EDGE
- Short-barrel .338 accuracy
Regret No. 1: An old non-typical mule deer that haunts dreams
Regret No. 2: "Just" a five-by-five bull elk.
High Country Hardware segment: Do suppressors increase muzzle velocity?
Backcountry Bounty: A winning recipe for tough shank meat.
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Contribute via PayPal using joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
Contribute via VENMO: @Joseph-vonBenedikt
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
SHOW NOTES
Main topic: The onX Hunt smart-phone and GPS app
- Inspiration and origin story of onX
- Who onX benefits most
- How to sign up and get started with onX
- Most-used features of the onX app
- Little-known features hunters should know about
- How to get the most out of your onX subscription
- Where onX is going in the future
- The hard questions: What are the down-sides? What sort of adverse feedback does onX receive?
- How onX can increase your personal, DIY success
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Contribute via PayPal using joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
Contribute via VENMO: @Joseph-vonBenedikt
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
SHOW NOTES
Recorded mid-hunting-season, this episode addresses several interesting listener's questions:
- Which short-barreled .300 Win Mag?
- Monometal bullet performance on mule deer
- Journaling to document your hunt
- Real-life 6.5 Creedmoor elk kills
- Scopes for ultralight backcountry rifles
- Rebarreling Remington 700s
- Moving west
- Chassis-type stocks for backcountry hunting
- Moose in the far north
As legendary writer Andrew McKean recently wrote: “September has its urgency, November its finality. But give me October for it’s clarity.” Friends, make the most of these glorious mid-autumn days.
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Contribute via PayPal using joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
Contribute via VENMO: @Joseph-vonBenedikt
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
SHOW NOTES
Intro: (Cartridge) Trouble in Paradise
Main topic: How cartridge shape affects reliable performance
Cartridge types:
- Standard action: (example, .30-06)
- Short action: (example, .308)
- Standard magnum: (example, .300 Win Mag)
- Short magnum: (example, .300 Short Mag)
- Long magnum: (example, .300 PRC)
Advantages & disadvantages of each type
- Efficiency
- Magazine capacity
- Suppressor compatibility
- Most importantly: Feeding & Reliability
Cartridges & Rifles noteworthy for maximum performance with minimum trouble.
ENJOY! (and subscribe!)
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Contribute via PayPal using joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
Contribute via VENMO: @Joseph-vonBenedikt
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
SHOW NOTES
Intro: A simple solution to compensating for wind
Q&A:
- DIY Black Bear success
- .300 WSM vs. .300 Win Mag
WIND: The joker in the long-range deck
Gunwerks instructor Brian Poor's wind-compensating technique
- Simple
- Easy without a ballistic calculator
- Effective in field conditions
Send questions, comments, and feedback to joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Contribute via PayPal using joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
Contribute via VENMO: @Joseph-vonBenedikt
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
SHOW NOTES
Intro: .308 and 6.5 Creedmoor: Loved, hated, revered or despised... These two own their respective realms.
Q&A:
- Lightweight scopes
- Brush-busting 6.5 Creedmoor bullets
- Powerbelt ELR bullets for elk?
Main Topic:
.308 strengths & weaknesses
-
- It's NOT just a shorter .30-06!
- Efficiency
- Mild recoil
- Long barrel life
- Inherently accurate
- Nearly inadequate propellant capacity
- Inefficient with heavy, high-BC bullets
- Low penetrating capability
- Low wind-bucking capability
- Lack of on-impact "wallop" especially at long range
6.5 Creedmoor strengths & weaknesses
- Wonderfully accurate
- Super easy to shoot well
- Very mild recoil
- Excellent barrel life
- Great hot-barrel accuracy
- Easy to handload well
- Good wind-bucking ability
- Excellent for deer-size game
- Lack of impact authority
- Installs false sense of confidence
- Lots of documented "shot but lost" bull elk
- Outfitters not allowing it's use on elk
.308 Win. vs. 6.5 Creedmoor: Which is better for backcountry Hunting?
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Contribute via PayPal using joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
Contribute via VENMO: @Joseph-vonBenedikt
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
SHOW NOTES
Intro: Something Different
This episode is derived from a fascinating series of correspondence with a backcountry-hunting Kiwi in New Zealand, whom we'll call James.
James addresses:
- Conservation-driven harvest and take
- Local attitude toward sustainability and respect of resources
- Hunting methods and the "hard yards" earned when hunting New Zealand's Southern Alps the right way
- Suitable rifles, cartridges, & bullets
- Bonus: Life in the Bush, and 600 possums
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Contribute via PayPal using joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
Contribute via VENMO: @Joseph-vonBenedikt
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
SHOW NOTES
Topic: AllTerra Arms and its unprecedented, unbeatable performance guarantee:
- 0.5-MOA accuracy with factory ammo
- 0.25-MOA accuracy with AllTerra's custom ammo
- Absolute 100-percent reliability in all field conditions
- 90-day money-back satisfaction guarantee
- All this in ultralight precision hunting rifles
Sitting down with the owner, president, and marketing "emperor," we dig into the concept, genesis, and creation of the AllTerra performance creed, and unpack—in detail—how the company's extraordinary rifles are able to meet such an incredible guarantee.
- In-house manufacturing for ultimate quality control
- Action innovations and patents
- Barrel choice and creation
- Stock design and manufacturing processes
- Action-to-stock bedding
- Reliability-enhancing bolt geometry
- Firing pin and bolt assembly enhancements
- Metal and stock finishes
- Accuracy and handload tuning
- Scope mounting hardware
- Ergonomics and shootability
- Shooter satisfaction guarantee
- Turnaround time
- Prices
Backcountry Bounty: Siembida Custom Knives on Instagram, EZE-LAP diamond pocket stones and bench stones
Making The Shot: Brought to you by Timney Triggers, get 15% off with code BACKCOUNTRY
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Contribute via PayPal using joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
Contribute via VENMO: @Joseph-vonBenedikt
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
SHOW NOTES
Topic: Glassing gear, challenges, and strategies
Up Front: Enter Timney's 75th-anniversary trigger giveaway here!
GEAR: Buying quality optics:
- Where does "good" start, pricewise?
- Should you stretch your wallet?
- Eye strain and quality glass
- Where to spend: rifle or bino?
- A good $$$ bino starting point
- A good $$$ spotting scope starting point
THE COMPLETE COMPLIMENT OF OPTICS
- Versatile binocular
- 8x vs. 10x vs. 12x
- Capable spotting scope
- High-magnification optional bino
- Useful and versatile tripods
HOW-TO: Putting your optics to work in the field
- Adjusting fit and diopter
- To grid or not to grid
- Know your species
- habitat
- bedding areas
- feeding areas
- travel routes
- Glass with the sun
- Glass supported
- Prioritize high-potential areas
- Learn the country
- When to carry a spotting scope
- When to carry a high-magnification binocular
Submit questions via email joseph@backcountrypodcast.com or on Instagram @backcountryhuntingpodcast
Final thought: Get the good stuff and go to work!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Contribute via PayPal using joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
Contribute via VENMO: @Joseph-vonBenedikt
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
SHOW NOTES
Hot, dusty, and glorious, early-season elk is upon us!
Up Front: Q&A, brought to you by Siembida Custom Knives
- Muzzle Brakes
- Tikka vs. Browning
- Do-all cartridges
- Practice tips & tricks
FINDING EARLY SEASON ELK
- E-scouting
- Water and dark timber on north-facing slopes
- Boots on the ground
- Sign new and old (rubs, wallows)
- Moving bulls and the transitional phase
- Listening for bugles (when bugles are rare)
HUNTING EARLY SEASON ELK
- Be aggressive early and late in the day
- Be patient through the quiet, hot hours
- "Don'ts" of early season elk hunting
- Best mouth calls
- Finding big, old bulls
- Bulls that come silently
FIELD CARE & PACKING
- Breaking down and cooling meat
- Packing against the clock
- Aging on ice (refer to episode 46)
Final thoughts.
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Contribute via PayPal using joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
Contribute via VENMO: @Joseph-vonBenedikt
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
SHOW NOTES
Scenario: A last-day opportunity on a shockingly big bull elk. With moments left of legal shooting light and every possible challenge aligned against you, can you hold it together and kill the bull?
Guest: Duane "Buck" Buckner. A veteran of vast and extreme experience, Buck has spent decades studying the human psyche and its response to dramatic stress—as well as how to function effectively through it.
-
What happens inside your brain (at the moment of truth)
- Hormone dump
- Pre-programmed fight or flight responses
- Auditory exclusion
- Focused processing
- Tunnel vision
- Motor skills
-
How to overcome the crippling effects
- Pre-event recognition of what happens mentally
- Observation and awareness
- Breathing
- Training
-
Dangerous Game: Worse than combat?
- Parallels between combat and tracking wounded dangerous game
- Simplifying equipment to maximize success
- Red dots and recticles
WRAP: Understanding the wires that come loose inside your brain when you get buck fever helps you keep it together at the moment of truth.
Duane "Buck" Buckner on Instagram
Contact Buck via email: buck.buckner@aimpoint.com
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Contribute via PayPal using joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
Contribute via VENMO: @Joseph-vonBenedikt
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
SHOW NOTES
Intro: Great Elk Bullets: characteristics, types, makes, models, and more.
ALERT: with this episode, the 3rd Limited Edition Northern Shrike backcountry hunting knife goes live.
Q&A: .30-30 for bear, re-barreling to 6.8 Western, and more.
Characteristics of a great elk bullet:
- Expansion design
- Weight retention and penetration
- Accuracy
- Ballistic coefficient
Shot angles and the challenge of cleanly killing a big, old bull
- Big, big bone
- Dense, heavy muscle
- Close impacts and far
- Quartering angles
Calibers and Cartridges
- "Wallop"
- Stepping up to kill cleanly with small cartridges
- 6.5's and .270's for elk
Bullet makes and models
- Barnes
- Federal
- Hornady
- Nosler
- Swift
Final thoughts: Closing the deal at the moment of truth
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and receive patron-only bonus material and episodes on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Contribute via PayPal using joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
Contribute via VENMO: @Joseph-vonBenedikt
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
SHOW NOTES
Recorded in the field
Real-time updates and candid conversations throughout the hunt
Disappointment, challenges, renewed focus, and success on a great buck that will make the Longhunter Society record book!
Analysis of what worked (and initially didn't)
Lessons learned and rewards earned
BONUS SEGMENT: Is a 3rd Edition Northern Shrike backcountry hunting knife in the works?
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Contribute via PayPal using joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
Contribute via VENMO: @Joseph-vonBenedikt
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
SHOW NOTES
Intro: Opportunities in wide-open backcountry are often hard-earned. Set your rifle up to maximize your success.
Q&A Section
Characteristics of an ultimate open-country hunting rifle:
- Must be accurate
- Must be easy for the hunter to shoot well
- Must be chambered for an authoritative cartridge
- Must be set up properly
Final thoughts: You Can't Buy Skill. You've got to earn it the hard way.
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Contribute via PayPal using joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
Contribute via VENMO: @Joseph-vonBenedikt
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
SHOW NOTES
Intro: If you appreciate the classics, shouldn't you consider a single-shot rifle?
Up-front Q&A:
- Cartridges for a mixed-game hunt in Canada
- Pants (and gall medication) for aoudad hunting
Topic: Single-Shot Rifles for Backcountry Hunting
- Pros & Cons
- Skills and Limitations
- Best models to consider
- Ruger No. 1
- T/C Encore
- Winchester Model 1885 High Wall
- Sharps Model 1874
- Dakota Model 10
- Best cartridges for single-shots and backcountry use
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Contribute via PayPal using joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
Contribute via VENMO: @Joseph-vonBenedikt
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
SHOW NOTES
Intro: Pack animals can make or break a backcountry hunt
Guest: Tyce Ericson, owner of Utah Bird Dog Training and long-time backcountry hunter and Llama packer.
Advantages of Llamas:
- Calm, don't spook easily like horses and mules
- Stronger than pack goats
- Easy for beginners to handle and pack
- Sure footed
- Can forage on nearly anything
- Rarely drink, being from the camelid family
- Easy to haul
Getting started with Llamas
- Appropriate breeds
- Cost of trained adults vs. young Llamas
- Training to lead and pack
- Tack and gear for Llama packing
- Sources for Llamas and pack gear
- Llama rentals
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Contribute via PayPal using joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
Contribute via VENMO: @Joseph-vonBenedikt
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
SHOW NOTES
Hunting scenario: What barrel length will you pick?
Short barrels in the Backcountry: How much performance do you give up?
Pros and Cons of hunting the Backcountry with a suppressor.
Best deer and elk cartridges for use in short barrels with suppressors.
Calculating velocity expansion windows.
Wind drift and the effect of reduced velocity.
A useful short-barrel average for popular, proven cartridges.
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Contribute via PayPal using joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
Contribute via VENMO: @Joseph-vonBenedikt
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
SHOW NOTES
Topic: How to make one-day hunts successful
-
Q&A section:
- 7mm-08 & 7x57 as the light rifle in a two-gun combo
- Switch-barrel rifle compared to a two-gun approach
- Sitka Blacktail seasons and hunt duration
-
THE ALL-DAY, ONE-DAY HUNT
- Go early and go focused
- Be adaptable
- Eat well
- Stay hydrated
- Hunt smart
- Have realistic goals
- Nap during mid-day
- Stay until full dark
- Be careful on your way out
- Have a meat-packing plan
-
THE 24-HOUR OVERNIGHT HUNT
- Similar hunting techniques
- Both easier and harder
- Carry your camp
- Go in slow
- Don't sleep in!
- Stay late
- Stay awake on the drive home
- Don't be an ogre
Practice makes perfect. Backcountry Banzai is a one-day effort, but go every time you can spare a day. Success will benefit, and your satisfaction will be off the charts.
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Contribute via PayPal using joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
Contribute via VENMO: @Joseph-vonBenedikt
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
SHOW NOTES
Topic: Two Rifles To Rule The Backcountry
A one-gun hunter is to be respected, but a two-gun battery makes any hunter more versatile and capable.
Q&A: Bear bullets for the .350 Rem. Mag.
Picking a two-rifle battery:
- Keeping both rifles the same model and configuration
- Tuning triggers and picking scopes
- Cartridges: The BIG Question
- One light-recoiling, efficient, accurate deer cartridge
- One powerful, accurate heavy-hitter without limitations
- Picking the ultimate choices from the plethora available
- Tuning bullets and velocities to be similar
- Training with the light rifle
- Favorite deer bullets and tough bullets for bigger game
WRAP: A well-conceived two-gun battery is arguably the best possible way to become as effective as you can be in the field.
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and receive exclusive additional content at www.patreon.com/backcountry
Contribute via PayPal using joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
Contribute via VENMO: @Joseph-vonBenedikt
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
SHOW NOTES
Topic: Compact Rifles for Beginners and Small-Framed Hunters
Up-front Q&A:
- Barrel cleaning procedures and products
- Re-chambering a burned-out barrel
- Youth rifle cartridges
BROWNING'S X-BOLT MICRO COMPOSITE
Compact, ergonomic, accurate, and reliable, this outstanding small rifle is not just a beginner's tool—it's a quality hunting rifle that will last a lifetime.
- Action specs and function
- Stock type and configuration
- Barrel type, length, and configuration
- Trigger type and adjustment
- Smooth-functioning bolt
- Cartridge choices for kids and western big game
- Setting up for maximum capablity
- Picking the right optic
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Contribute via PayPal using joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
Contribute via VENMO: @Joseph-vonBenedikt
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
SHOW NOTES
Topic: Hunting bullet failures and anomalies
Up Front Q&A section:
- How can I find ammo for this fall's hunts?
- FFP scope reticles vs. SFP reticles
- Travel gun cases vs. truck gun cases
DISCLAIMER: The following bullet "failures" are anomalies, and are in no way condemnation of the bullet types discussed.
Barnes TSX: Texas whitetail, Colorado elk, and rogue beef
Berger VLD: Mule deer, elk, and more mule deer
Hornady: Elk and Axis deer
Nosler: Ballistic tip on coyote
Remington CLUB: Oryx in Africa
Browning BXC: Too far on Texas Aoudad
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Contribute via PayPal using joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
Contribute via VENMO: @Joseph-vonBenedikt
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
SHOW NOTES
Topic: Question & Answer session prompted by listeners responding to the "Ultimate Deer Rifle" and "Backcountry Rifle Accessories" episodes.
- Bullets for deer and elk
- Ballistic trajectories and close shots
- Barrels custom builds
- .30-06 Ackley Improved
- Custom Riflemakers
- Lightweight suppressors
- Barnes TSX vs. Sierra GameKing for elk
- 6.5 WBY RPM vs. 6.5 PRC
- Scope covers and flip caps
- Budget rifle cases worth having
- Cartridge/ammo holders
- Oiled bores and POI shifts
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Contribute via PayPal using joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
Contribute via VENMO: @Joseph-vonBenedikt
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
SHOW NOTES
Topic: Accessorizing the ultimate backcountry hunting rifle
Pre-show: Q&A on suitable factory production rifles
- Browning's X-Bolt Pro
- Kimber's 84L Montana
- Nosler's 48 Mountain Carbon
Digging in:
- Riflescopes
- Bases & rings
- Slings
- Cartridge carriers
- Stock packs (cheek rests)
- Compact cleaning kits
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Contribute via PayPal using joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
Contribute via VENMO: @Joseph-vonBenedikt
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
SHOW NOTES
Characteristics of an ideal western deer rifle
- Packable (if you can’t get to the game, you’ll never get a shot)
- Ergonomic (so when you get to a shooting position, heaving for air and trembly with exertion, the rifle helps you pull off the shot at the moment of truth)
- Accuracy (so you can make any reasonable shot offered)
- Authority (enough to cleanly kill from any ethical shot presentation)
- Reliability (no amount of performance matters if you can’t count on it)
- Cartridges & bullets for western deer hunting
Configuring the ideal western deer rifle
- Action options
- Bottom metal
- Trigger
- Barrel
- Stock
Our pick for the ultimate western deer cartridge
- Sorry, you gotta listen for this one, plus in-depth details on the two runner-ups.
COMING SOON: Part two of configuring the ultimate western deer rifle. Here we'll add awesome scope mounts, a capable riflescope, a bipod, a sling, and more.
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Contribute via PayPal using joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
Contribute via VENMO: @Joseph-vonBenedikt
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
SHOW NOTES
Topic: The importance of having the right pack
Case-in-point example: A brown bear hunt on the Alaska Peninsula, and the pack that nearly broke me.
Guest: Mark Huelsing of EXO MTN GEAR
- Genesis of EXO MTN GEAR
- Inspiration behind EXO's packs
- Design and adaptability
- Colors and camo
- Frame material: The advantages of Titanium
- Bag sizes, materials, and purposes
- Versatility with one pack system
- Meat hauling, cargo nets, and game bags
- Dry bags and pack covers
- A spot of (hunter orange) color
- Where and how to purchase a pack
WRAP: Your pack can make or break your hunt. Get the right one.
EXO MTN GEAR K3 Frame
EXO MTN GEAR K3 4800 Pack system
EXO MTN GEAR K3 6400 Pack system
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Contribute via PayPal using joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
Contribute via VENMO: @Joseph-vonBenedikt
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
SHOW NOTES:
Aoudad hunting:
- Cost
- Methods
- Areas
- Rifles, Cartridges, & Bullets
- Shot placement and distances
- Fitness preparation
- Realistic expectations
- Finding a good outfitter and guide
- When to go (NOW!)
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Contribute via PayPal using joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
Contribute via VENMO: @Joseph-vonBenedikt
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
SHOW NOTES
Story: An old mule deer, a big bullet, and a perplexing kill.
Big game physiology: deer, antelope, elk, bear, moose, and more
Terminal performance, and how bullets handle various impact challenges
- Low-resistance impacts
- deer-size game
- broadside
- lungs only
- no ribs
- High-resistance impacts
- Elk-size game
- Quartering angles
- Heavy shoulder bone
- Massive shoulder muscle
- Ribs
- Dense internal organs
Types of bullet
- Soft, rapid expansion
- Soft lead core
- Thin jacket
- Tough, controlled expansion
- Monometal or bonded construction
- Expansion-inhibiting mechanisms
Launching platforms: Big vs. Little Cartridges
- Visible impact reactions
- Pure ethical killing ability
- Recoil sensitivity
- Mental recoil sensitivity
- Physical recoil sensitivity
Example cartridges:
- 6.5 PRC
- .300 Win. Mag.
Favorite bullets detailed
—
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Contribute via PayPal using joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
Contribute via VENMO: @Joseph-vonBenedikt
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
SHOW NOTES
Topic: Sleeping bag temp ratings and insulation characteristics
Guest-in-absence: an email from firefighter "Ben" details the nitty-gritty tech-specs of sleeping bags and test protocols.
- How temp ratings are generated
- Differences between men and women
- Comfort vs. survival ratings
- Reading between the lines to get a bag that will keep you warm
- Pads and pad systems that work
- Synthetic insulation, and why it doesn't last like down
Short and sweet, this episode reveals a tremendous amount about sleeping bags. ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Contribute via PayPal using joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
Contribute via VENMO: @Joseph-vonBenedikt
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
SHOW NOTES
Topic: Backcountry Hunting Gear that can make the difference between surviving or becoming a statistic.
Guest: podcast "Scouting & Navigating" contributor Colton Heward.
Upcoming adventures that prompted Colton to perform a serious gear examination:
- Packing for a dall sheep outfitter
- Hunting arctic grizzly & caribou
- Hunting Kodiak Island for Sitka Blacktail & sea ducks
Big-Ticket items: Why the new gear?
- Upgrade performance
- Reduce weight
New gear priorities:
- Backpack
- Sleeping bag
- Sleeping pad
- Other smaller items
Bonus topic: Fitness & training goals
Follow Colton on Instagram @muleycrazy89
Submit questions and feedback to joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Contribute via PayPal using joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
Contribute via VENMO: @Joseph-vonBenedikt
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
SHOW NOTES
DIY JAVELINA HUNTING
Guest: John McAdams, host of the Big Game Hunting Podcast
Javelina as a species:
- Taxonomy
- Habits and habitat
- States where you can hunt javelina
- Scouting and hunting methods
- Field dressing and cooking javelina
- Appropriate rifles and muzzleloaders
- High wind and hunting stories
ENJOY!
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Contribute via PayPal using joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
Contribute via VENMO: @Joseph-vonBenedikt
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
SHOW NOTES
Listener's request: Dream Big, and Create The Ultimate Elk Rifle
Pre-show: Another listener's favorite book list: Recommended reading for all backcountry hunters.
Picking apart the characteristics of an ultimate elk rifle
- Authoritative
- Accurate
- Reliable
- Corrosion resistant metal
- Tough, rigid, stable stock
- A scope good for close up to far shots
- Ideal scope mounts
- Fine-tuning details
Specific hardware to build with:
- Action
- Bottom metal
- Trigger
- Barrel
- Stock
- Scope
- Scope mounts
- Bipod
Cartridge considerations:
- Caliber
- Bullet types
- Smooth-feeding attributes
Tuning and practicing
- Barrel break-in
- Load selection and testing
- Zero distance
- Custom turrets
- Trajectory validation
- Serious practice
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Contribute via PayPal using joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
Contribute via VENMO: @Joseph-vonBenedikt
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
SHOW NOTES
Intro: Unique connecting elements of a hunter and his game
- Rifle, optic, and cartridge: the launching pad
- The trigger: what controls the launch sequence.
- Timney Triggers' 75th Anniversary
TIMNEY TRIGGER GIVAWAY! Winner picks any Timney trigger of their choice. Enter to win at www.timneytriggers.com/backcountry
THE BACKCOUNTRY APPRENTICE'S FIRST DEER
Host William Von Benedikt (age 10) tells his story
- His big game rifle
- Early disappointment
- Playing the long game
- A challenging shot opportunity
- Communication mistakes, yet a very dead buck anyway
- Dark, and a potentially deadly four-wheeler rollover
- Lessons learned
- Favorite knives for field dressing and processing western big game: Siembida Custom Knives
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Contribute via PayPal using joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
Contribute via VENMO: @Joseph-vonBenedikt
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
SHOW NOTES
Listener's question: Are Vortex and Burris scopes as good as Leupold?
Optic failures: Even the best can go south. Stories and examples.
Setting The Bar: Leupold's awesome backcountry hunting scopes
Vortex's excellent 3-15x 42mm Razor HD LHT
Burris's innovative 3-12x 44mm Eliminator III
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Contribute via PayPal using joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
Contribute via VENMO: @Joseph-vonBenedikt
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
SHOW NOTES
Topic: Bear Baiting from A to Z
Guest: Tyler Freel, bear specialist and host of Tundra Talk podcast.
(Notably, Tyler Freel is probably the only man alive that's taken black bear AND GRIZZLY with a stone arrowhead and hand-made arrows!)
Bear baiting step-by-step:
- Selecting a bait site
- Setting up a ground blind or treestand
- Advantages of bear hunting over bait
- Jumpstarting your bait
- Maintaining your bait
- Using trail cameras to monitor your bait
- Shot angles and opportunities over bait
- Tracking and recovering bears shot over bait
Wrap: Freel's favorite ways to eat bear
Tyler Freel's Tundra Talk Podcast
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Contribute via PayPal using joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
Contribute via VENMO: @Joseph-vonBenedikt
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
SHOW NOTES
Episode topic: Rifle barrel break-in: How to do it, and does it help?
Up Front Q&A
- A European perspective on rifle cost
- Taping muzzles during bad weather, and the long-range effect
- Sharpening knives in a survival situation
- Straight-wall cartridges comparison: .350 Legend vs. .450 Bushmaster
- Researching & choosing outfitters
- Binocular magnification: 8x, 10x, 12x, 15x, or a combination?
- .280 Ackley X-Bolt vs. Model 70 .280 Ackley re-barrel project
- When to hunt with a cartridge in the chamber
- Budget rifles and a story about rust prevention
BARREL BREAK-IN:
Barrel fouling and accuracy degradation
What is barrel break-in, and what are the benefits?
Which barrels benefit, and which ones don't?
How to perform barrel break-in
FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry
Contribute via PayPal using joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
Contribute via VENMO: @Joseph-vonBenedikt
VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:
www.browning.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
SHOW NOTES
Announcing the Northern Shrike 2nd Edition!
Siembida Custom Knives is making 25 of Edition 2. We go over the type of steel chosen, handle material and creation, new scabbards, and more. One is shown in the cover photo for this episode.
If you want one of these superb ultralight backcountry hunting knives, call Evan Siembida at (740) 270-9057. They'll go fast--we've had listeners asking for them ever since the first edition of one dozen sold out nearly immediately.
Siembida Custom Knives on Instagram and Facebook
PLUS: Four more premium backcountry hunting rifles
- Weatherby
- Nosler
- Springfield Armory
- Seekins Precision
SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Join the Backcountry Hunting Tribe: www.patreon.com/backcountry
Or support via PayPal: joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
or VENMO: @Joseph-vonBenedikt
BACKCOUNTRY HUNTING PODCAST SPONSORS
www.browning.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.silencercentral.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
SHOW NOTES
So you want a suppressor? Here's the most pain-free method to get one.
Guest: Silencer Central's CEO and owner Brandon Maddox.
One-stop shopping: In addition to manufacturing one of the best backcountry hunting suppressors available (the all-titanium 10-ounce, 7 inch Banish 30), Silencer Central takes care of all paperwork, fingerprints and photographs, and transfer processes remotely. Your new suppressor is even delivered directly to your door.
HOME SWEET HOME DELIVERY, Silencer Central's catchy tagline.
The company even provides a free trust when you purchase through them.
In addition to digging deep into the purchasing process, we talk about hunting-specific silencers, the advantages of hunting with a silencer, getting the muzzle of your favorite hunting rifle threaded, point of impact shift, the benefits of direct-thread versus QD attachments, and more.
www.silencercentral.com
SHOW NOTES
Topic: High-quality production rifles for Backcountry Hunting
Characteristics of high-end production-grade hunting rifles
Individual models
- Browning
- Christensen Arms
- Kimber
- Ruger
- Remington
- Sako
- Savage
- Tikka
- Winchester
SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Subscribe at www.patreon.com/backcountry
VENMO: @Joseph-vonBenedikt
PayPal: joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
SHOW NOTES
Intro: Trusting your equipment at crunch time
Topic: Rifles that work great but cost little
Characteristics of "Budget Rifles"
Featured rifle models:
- Browning AB3
- Mossberg Patriot
- Ruger American
- Savage Axis II
- Thompson/Center Compass II
- Winchester XPR
Concluding thought: In the final analysis, how well your rifle performs in the field depends on you, the hunter.
JOIN the BACKCOUNTRY HUNTING TRIBE and SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
www.patreon.com/backcountry
Venmo: @Joseph-vonBenedikt
PayPal: joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
RESOURCES:
www.browning.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
SHOW NOTES
Of all the species in North America, wild sheep are the most exclusive and coveted—and opportunities are uncommon.
Guests: Gary & Colton Heward (Colton hosts our Scouting & Navigating segment)
Gary's application strategies
Best-laid plans: Fitness, scouting, and crippling injuries
Planning and building the ultimate light-weight precision sheep rifle, cartridge, and handloads
Hunt time! Two big rams, a week to scout, and a day to hunt.
Aoudad (Barbary Sheep) ... The affordable alternative—and a gateway drug to hunting wild sheep!
PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST! Join on Patreon, or contribute via PayPal or VENMO:
www.patreon.com/backcountry
PayPal: joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
VENMO: @Joseph-vonBenedikt
RESOURCES:
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.proofresearch.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
www.backcountryhuntingpodcast.net
SHOW NOTES
Sometimes, hunting with a bow and arrows is simply the most effective way to go. And sometimes, it's absolutely the most enjoyable.
Guest: Logan White, passionate bowhunter and Mathews Top 20 dealer for 10 years running.
Subjects:
- Trends and recent evolution among bowhunters
- Arrows and increased capability
- Broadheads for whitetails and the West
- Bow types, trends, and capability
- 2021's top new bow models
- Best bow for the buck (pun intended)
- COVID, sales, and supply and demand
- Hunting the West: Just do it!
Guest contact info:
http://thearcheryden.com
https://www.theonepercentmedia.com
SUPPORT THE PODCAST! Contribute at www.patreon.com/backcountry
On VENMO: @Joseph-vonBenedikt
Or PayPal: joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
SPONSORS:
www.browning.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.siembidacustomknives.com
SHOW NOTES
Do your part to minimize predation on the West's suffering mule deer population—and have a great adventure—by hunting mountain lions.
This episode is all about cougars, and how to hunt them.
First, an answer to multiple listener questions after the recent episode on Browning's addition of the 6.8 Western and .280 Ackley to the X-Bolt line of rifles: "Which should I pick?"
Advantages of the 6.8 Western
Advantages of the .280 Ackley Improved
HUNTING MOUNTAIN LIONS
- Populations and trends
- Hunting methods
- Hounds
- Incidental
- Spot & stalk
- Where to hunt
- DIY or Outfitted?
- Guns & Bows
- Shot angles and kill zones
- Skinning a cat
- Can you eat a mountain lion?
- Taxidermy options
SIGN UP TO SUPPORT THE SHOW!
Become a subscriber/patron at www.patreon.com/backcountry
Offer a one-time contribution via PayPal using joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
Or via VENMO using @Joseph-vonBenedikt
SPONSOR RESOURCES:
www.siembidacustomknives.com
Phone Evan Siembida at (740) 270-9057 and view his work on Instagram
www.browning.com
www.timneytriggers.com
SHOW NOTES
Meet the 6.8 Western: Browning's new high-performance, high-efficiency .270 magnum.
- This is the cartridge that host JvB used for a solo, drop-camp Alaska caribou hunt during September 2020.
- 1:7.5 rifling twist rate
- Engineered for efficiency and consistency
- True short-action magnum cartridge
- Optimized for heavy, high-BC bullets (165- & 175-grain factory loads from Browning & Winchester)
ALSO: Browning adds the .280 Ackley Improved cartridge to the X-Bolt rifle line.
- 1:8 rifling twist rate
- Throated for long, high-BC bullets
Gear spotlight: Browning's new "Recoil Hawg" muzzle brake.
Scouting & Navigating segment: Shed hunting & reading the winter range. Sponsored by www.browning.com
Backcountry Bounty segment: Supplementing your Western big game hunt with dove shoots. Sponsored by www.siembidacustomknives.com
Backcountry Apprentice: Field-stripping and problem-solving your rifle in the backcountry. Sponsored by www.timneytriggers.com
SUPPORT THE SHOW!
Become a Patron of the Backcountry Hunting Podcast at www.patreon.com/backcountry
Contribute via VENMO @Joseph-vonBenedikt
Contribute via PayPal: joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
SHOW NOTES
WELCOME to the 101st Episode!
As the title suggests, this fun discussion addresses two topics; big deer & compact gear.
Must-read book: Ryan Hatfield's "Idaho's Greatest Mule Deer."
Glory Day Story: Doyle Mooseman and the 48," 8x8 buck.
Big buck statistics: An entertaining (and eye-opening) look at your chances of shooting a monster mule deer (and how you can maximize your opportunities).
Mule deer's current condition (as a whole), and how you can help:
- Bad winters, high predation, loss of winter range, ever-increasing hunter effectiveness (long-range gear), and other factors.
- Contribute by aggressively hunting coyotes. And if you've never hunted mountain lions, now is the time!
Gear list discussion:
- Rifle, scope, & ammo
- Binocular/rangefinder
- Boots
- Pack
- Clothing
- Raingear
- Hunting knife
- Head lamp
- Fire-starting gear
- Maps/GPS/On-X Hunt app
- Sleeping bag
- Sleeping pad
- Tent
- Emergency communication device.
- LifeStraw & water filter pump
- Mountaineering stove
- Battery packs and/or solar charger
- Bipod
- Spotting scope & tripod/trekking poles
Podcast sponsors:
www.browning.com
www.timneytriggers.com
Siembida Custom Knives on Instagram
SHOW NOTES
Intro: 100 episodes!
Topic: How to get kids started right in the wonderful world of hunting.
Notes on past episode: Tikka considerations
KIDS, HUNTING, and TEACHING a PASSION FOR THE SPORT
- Generating interest
- First guns
- Field prep
- Gear quality (for kids)
- Binoculars & scopes
- Early experiences (designed to grow the passion)
- Introducing significant challenges
- Firearm handling & safety
- Accuracy training
- Shot placement for big game
- Field photos
- Gutting & field dressing
- Aging meat & cutting & wrapping
- Respectful storytelling
www.browning.com
www.timneytriggers.com
Siembida Custom Knives on Instagram
SHOW NOTES
Intro scenario: What not to do during a bear charge.
Topics: How-to episode on:
- How best to carry a bear-protection sidearm in the backcountry.
- How to DIY customize your hunting rifle to make it shoot like a custom rifle.
Bear-gun carry methods:
- Packs and interference
- Holsters and positions
- Bino harnesses and chest holsters
- Badlands Bino Carrier
- Galco Gunleather's Phoenix holster
DIY Customizing your backcountry hunting rifle
- Concept: Turning your standard hunting gun into a superb backcountry rifle.
- Actions: start with what you already own, or purchase a new action?
- Barrels: Pre-fit, pre-chambered options you can install yourself.
- Triggers: Match-grade aftermarket options
- Stocks: How to select the right stock, and bed it properly.
- Final setup: scope bases, rings, and capable scopes.
- Launching your own DIY rifle customizing project.
SUPPORT THE PODCAST
www.patreon.com/backcountry
VENMO @Joseph-vonBenedikt
PayPal: joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
RESOURCES
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
www.proofresearch.com
www.mcmillanusa.com
Siembida Custom Knives on Facebook and Instagram
SHOW NOTES
Intro: Ibex hunting in New Mexico
Guest: Landon Michaels of Gunwerks
The lure of Ibex & mountain country
New Mexico's free-range, public-land ibex hunts
- Hunt types (rifle, muzzleloader, archery)
- Applying, dates, draw odds
- Prep: Physical, mental, research, scouting
- Technical mountain terrain
- Equipment
- Hunt narrative
- Application service & outfitter
PODCAST SPONSORS
www.browning.com
www.timneytriggers.com
Siembida Custom Knives on Facebook and Instagram
RESOURCES
New Mexico fish & game
Gunwerks website
3G Outfitters
Worldwide Trophy Adventures application service
Support the podcast! www.patreon.com/backcountry
Donate on VENMO: @Joseph-vonBenedikt
Donate on PayPal: joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
SHOW NOTES:
Intro: Big changes coming to non-resident Idaho hunters
Brief summary of how the changes effect Idaho residents
Public service announcement: Outdoor show and conventions schedules and cancellations
IDAHO HUNT CHANGES
Idaho's website operating system: All new and hugely capable
Elk zones & non-resident restrictions
- Tags on sale at 10am MST, Dec. 1
- The "Waiting Room" purchase system for OTC tags
- Elk A and B tag reductions
- Elk capped tags
- Elk controlled hunts
- Non-resident price increases
Non-resident deer hunting changes
- Tags on sale at 10am MST, Dec. 1
- Non-residents must choose one unit to hunt, and will purchase a tag specific to that unit
- All units are restricted to 10 or 15 percent non-resident tag allotments, depending on historic hunter participation
- Deer tags may still be used on wolf, black bear, or cougar
Reasons for changes/restrictions to non-resident Idaho hunt opportunities
Idaho and the future: Will these changes benefit hunt quality?
SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
www.patreon.com/backcountry
PayPal: joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
VENMO: @Joseph-vonBenedikt
Idaho website info: https://idfg.idaho.gov/press/fg-commission-approves-changes-nonresident-participation-general-season-deer-and-elk-hunts
SHOW NOTES
Intro: This episode may ruffle some feathers.
- Physiology of a big bull elk
- 6.5mm related elements
- The Great 6.5mm Deception
- Various classes of 6.5mm cartridges, and which are suitable for elk
- "It's the bullets fault." In this case, there's something to this claim
- Getting the best elk-killing capability out of your 6.5mm cartridge
- Exorcising the one-example "deadly killer" claims
- Myth-busting the Scandinavian Moose example
- Outfitters Outlawing the 6.5s for elk: Here's why
- The broad spectrum of 6.5mm cartridges
- Staying inside the 6.5s killing comfort zone
Podcast sponsors:
www.browning.com
www.timneytriggers.com
Siembida Custom Knives on Instagram & Facebook
SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE!
www.patreon.com/backcountry
VENMO: @Joseph-vonBenedikt
PayPal: joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
SHOW NOTES
- Gear notes & failure potential
- Tents for solo hunting
- Sleeping bags for wet, dangerous country
- Emergency communication devices
- Devices, power, & entertainment
- Planning for extreme weather
- Backup camp spots
- Emergency communication
- Walking out
- The Mental Game
- Unexpected challenges of hunting solo
- Staying occupied while waiting for a bush pilot
- Books, movies, & campfires
- Don't go in blind & overconfident
PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
www.patreon.com/backcountry
VENMO: @Joseph-vonBenedikt
PayPal: joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
Podcast sponsor links:
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
Siembida Custom Knives Instagram
SHOW NOTES
Intro: Backcountry Hunting is the territory of tough humans. Or, to use a classic term, Hard Men.
Guest: Eric Conn, host of the Hard Men Podcast
- Fellow writer
- Serious gun guy
- Christian pastor
- Says it like it is
Backcountry hunters are arguably the toughest hunters
Manly hobbies, and why they're important
Developing manliness
Going West: What to expect, and how to harden oneself in preparation
The uncomfortable truth about soft hunters—and how to not be one
Family and the benefits of backcountry hunting
Self honesty, and the importance of truth
Manly men, and the ability to adapt and overcome
Eric Conn and the Hard Men Podcast
www.ericconn.com, Instagram, Facebook
SUPPORT THE BACKCOUNTRY HUNTING PODCAST!
VENMO: @Joseph-vonBenedikt
PayPal: joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
Patreon: www.patreon.com/backcountry
Podcast Partner RESOURCES:
www.browning.com
www.timneytriggers.com
Siembida Custom Knives on Instagram, Facebook, phone number: 740-270-9057
SHOW NOTES
Intro: Bear-country scenario
Listener's requests: An episode on big-bores for backcountry hunting.
In particular:
- .338-06
- .35 Whelen
- 9.3x62
Why would a backcountry hunter want such a cartridge?
- More ammo in magazine
- Less recoil, faster follow-up shots
- Less expensive to reload
- Easy conversions of typical standard-size actions
- Controlled-feed vs. push-feed
CARTRIDGE SPECIFICS
- .338-06
- Easy to created cases for
- Scarce factory ammo
- Huge selection of bullets for handloading
- Most efficient aerodynamics
- Flattest trajectory
- Rifles not common
- .35 Whelen
- Classic, has a cult-like following
- Biggest selection of factory ammo in USA
- Properly headstamped cases readily available
- Fair selection of bullets for handloading
- Underestimated ballistics
- Rifles relatively available
- 9.3x62
- Oldes, most proven
- African favorite
- Plentiful factory ammo available internationally
- Bullets dangerous-game capable
- Lots of various rifles available
Closing thoughts...
SUPPORT THE PODCAST!
Contribute at:
Paypal via joseph@backcountrypodcast.net
VENMO via @Joseph-vonBenedikt
www.patreon.com/backcountry
Podcast sponsor links:
www.browning.com
www.timneytriggers.com
@Siembida_Custom_Knives on Instagram and Facebook
SHOW NOTES
Intro: The excitement of taking a first buck!
Sporadic podcast scheduling, and the hunts to blame. ;)
Questions, Answers, & Success Stories:
- Tough bullets for tough Nilgai
- A matched pair of Weatherby Backcountry Ti's in .280 Ackley
- Favorite .280 Ackley Improved bullets & loads
- Hunting the Backcountry: An encounter with the sacred
- Lightweight .22 pistols to supplement the backcountry menu
- Resting the barrel on a hard surface, & resulting thrown shots
- Herd bulls and .300 WSMs
- Zeroing at 100 yards, and why 200 yards is better
- Swarovski EL Range binos, and "the lumps beneath"
- Velocity: Can you handload monometal bullets to be as fast as lead-core projectiles?
- SIG Cross as a backcountry hunting rifle (Good or Bad?)
- .257 Weatherby Magnum for backcountry hunting
- Marlin's .45-70 Trapper for brushy grizzly country
- Best all-purpose .45-70 loads
- Contributing to the podcast: Now via PayPal and VENMO, in addition to Patreon.
Podcast sponsors:
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
Siembida Custom Knives
SHOW NOTES
Intro: A day to hunt, & a big muzzleloader buck
Topic: The critical importance of intimate familiarity with your hunting area
A tale of 24 hours, a faithful old hunting area, & a Utah mule deer tag
Juxtaposition: Old areas vs. new
What to research & learn:
- Habitat
- Game populations
- Summer vs. autumn ranges
- Migration routes & times
- E-Scouting
- Scouting with your boots on the ground
- Mental notes & hunting journals
- Hunt every opportunity
Loyalty to your spot, & the advantages
- Knowing preferred habitat
- Knowing travel & escape routes
- Knowing ambush sites
- Knowing bedding areas
- Knowing feeding routes
Old age & the wisdom gained by loyalty to your spot
Links to the Backcountry Hunting Podcast social sites and sponsor pages:
www.backcountryhuntingpodcast.net
Backcountry Hunting Podcast on Facebook
On Instagram
www.browning.com
www.timneytriggers.com
Siembida Custom Knives on Instagram
SHOW NOTES
Intro: Potable water challenges
Rain, rain, & more rain
Gale-force winds
Unsuitable equipment: Down sleeping bag & 3-season tent
Equipment failures: Expect the unexpected
The solo mental game: Staying productive
Extraction & weather windows
Post-hunt logistics: Prepping & flying with meat & antlers
www.browning.com
www.timneytriggers.com
Siembida Custom Knives on Instagram
Backcountry Hunting Podcast on Instagram
Backcountry Hunting Podcast on Facebook
SUPPORT THE PODCAST AT www.patreon.com/backcountry
SHOW NOTES
Intro: Solo in Alaska
- Packing for the flight
- Down safe, camp setup
- Grizzly bears a'plenty!
- Caribou few and far away
- One lone big bull
- Hunting, photographing, and field butchering
- Packing meat
- Near hypothermia
- Hunkered down, waiting out the rain
- An accuracy tech topic for future study
To be continued... Tune in for Part 2, when things begin to get rough.
Thanks to sponsors of the Backcountry Hunting Podcast. Be sure and check out Browning, Timney Triggers, and Siembida Custom Knives.
Air taxi services by Tok Air Service
Support the Backcountry Hunting Podcast at Patreon.com
SHOW NOTES
When elk get wise, savvy hunters employ unorthodox techniques.
Guest Randsom Owens: Wildlife Artist extraordinaire, practical rifleman, top guide, & passionate hunter
Calling Elk: From fundamentals to advanced techniques
- Reading the situation
- Knowing when to call
- Setting up to call—and optimize shot opportunities
- Knowing how much to call
- Elk vocalizations & call types
- Other sounds better than elk talk
- Triggering the "come" response by leaving
- Raking, stomping, scraping, huffing, and shaking trees
- Age class bulls & the calls they respond to
- Adolescent vs. old-bull bugles
- Tales of the hunt: Randsom's most momorable
- Broadhead for old bulls
- Randsom's favorite cartridge for elk
Support the Backcountry Hunting Podcast here
View Randsom Owens's artwork here
Randsom Owens on Facebook
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
@siembida_custom_knives
SHOW NOTES
Intro: Live from the field, recorded standing under the wing of a Super Cub on a staging strip in Alaska.
Topics:
- Drop-Camp, DIY hunter prep & planning
- Lightweight gear
- Planning for good meat care
- Ethics & responsibilities of meat care
- Knowing the Regs
- Pilot protocol
- Don't bring too much weight
- Don't pressure or try to manipulate the pilot
- Don't expect to control the weather
- Don't beg to come out early
- Getting weathered in (temporarily stuck) happens. Plan & be prepared.
Tok Air Service
www.browning.com
www.timneytriggers.com
@siembida_custom_knives
SHOW NOTES
Intro: Field recording heading into a solo DIY caribou hunt in Alaska.
Topic: Rifling twist rate & modern bullets
- Rifling twists for long, sleek high-BC bullets
- Rifling twists for monometal bullets
- Altitude, temperature, and spin stability
The modern trend: Faster, ever faster
Benefits of a custom barrel (with whatever twist rate you want)
An ultimate all-around twist rate for 6.5s to .30 calibers
Solo in Alaska: notes to come
SHOW NOTES
Intro: 6.5 outlawed for elk?
Best 6.5mm cartridge: 6.5 Creedmoor vs. 6.5 PRC
Technical discussion:
- Advantages & disadvantages of the 6.5mm bore diameter
- Cartridge case capacities
- Appropriate bullet designs & weights for various game
- Limitations of the 6.5mm's
Mythbusting: Scandinavian moose & and the legacy of the 6.5x55
What the 6.5mm's are really good at:
- Extreme inherent accuracy
- Downrange ballistics (and limits)
- Mild recoil
Effectiveness on Western big game:
- Authority, & channeling what the 6.5mm's have
- What does "adequate" mean?
- Shot opportunities & picking your angles
- The 6.5mm long-range temptation
How to get the best out of your 6.5mm cartridge
- Pick your bullet
- Construction
- Weight
- Aerodynamics
- Tune for accuracy
A list of favorite, recommended 6.5mm hunting bullets:
- Barnes 127-grain LRX
- Hornady 129-grain InterBond
- Swift 130-grain Scirocco II
- Berger 140-grain VLD Hunting
- Nosler 140-grain Partition
- Swift 140-grain A-Frame
- Hornady 143-grain ELD-X
- Hornady 147-grain ELD Match
- Berger 156-grain EOL Hunter
6.5mm cartridges discussed & compared:
- 6.5 Grendel
- 6.5 Creedmoor (primary)
- .260 Remington
- 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser
- 6.5-284 Norma
- 6.5 PRC (primary)
- .264 Win. Mag.
- 6.5 WBY RPM
- 26 Nosler
- 6.5-300 WBY
WRAP: Hunters tend to shoot well on game when carrying a 6.5mm cartridge.
Please sign up to support the Backcountry Hunting Podcast on www.patreon.com/backcountry
www.backcountryhuntingpodcast.net
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
Siembida Custom Knives on Instagram
SHOW NOTES
Intro: An epic backpack failure deep in elk country
Tried and true designs that won't let you down
The three types of backpack:
- External Frame
- Internal Frame
- Hybrid/modular
Pros & Cons of each type
Recommended models in each type
Sizing & fitting
Packing extreme weight
RESOURCES:
www.timneytriggers.com
www.sitkagear.com
www.mysteryranch.com
www.barneyssports.com
SHOW NOTES
Scenario: You've got a desert bighorn tag that's taken you 20 years to draw, but your knee replacement just went south. It's three months until opening day. What do you do?
Episode topic: Learning to hunt brand-new country and species
- Prioritize species
- Study that species
- Where can you get a tag each year?
- Species taxonomy
- Habits & habitat
- Preferred forage
- Bedding & cover
- Migration routes, if applicable
- Rut periods
- Are they callable?
- Call biologists and isolate areas where populations exist
- Study maps
- E-scouting
- Topographical maps
- Final prep:
- Boots on the ground
- Glassing skill
- Patience
- Hunting for success
- The critical necessity of patience
RESOURCES
www.browning.com
www.timneytriggers.com
@siembida_custom_knives
www.proofresearch.com
SHOW NOTES
This episode is a response to a listener's question: How do you develop extended-range lethality?
Guest: Gunwerks marketing guru and precision shooter Landon Michaels
Quarter-mile capability: must-accomplish accuracy for backcountry hunters
600 yards is the new 400 yards. Here's why.
Beyond 600 yards: A whole different realm
The mentality of ethical long-range shooting
Equipment that—literally—goes the distance
- Rifles
- Optics
- Cartridges
- Bullets
Skill-based requirements:
- Learning resources and approaches
- Using ballistic calculators
- Understanding atmospheric conditions
- Confidence, and how to earn it
- Positions for long shots
- Practicing and practical skills
RESOURCES
www.gunwerks.com
www.youtube.com/gunwerks
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
SHOW NOTES
- Is the .308 suitable for backcountry hunting?
- .30-06 vs. .308: Very different cartridges
- Advantages of the .308
- Advantages of the .30-06
- .308 Case capacity and heavy-bullet limitations
- .308 velocity and extended-range bullet expansion
- .308 impact authority downrange
- Best-in-class .308 hunting bullets
- How do budget .308 hunting loads stand up?
- 500-yard velocity, energy, wind drift, and time of flight comparisons
- How to pick the best .308 ammo for the job
- Hunting stories that make a point
Follow on Instagram
Follow on Facebook
www.browning.com
www.timneytriggers.com
Siembida Custom Knives
www.hornady.com
www.barnes.com
www.nosler.com
SHOW NOTES
Intro: A monster Alberta black bear & a Honda four-wheeler
Guest: Alaskan wild man Tyler Freel, sheep & bear hunter extraordinaire, and host of the Tundra Talk podcast.
ATVs & their place in backcountry hunting
Remote country & the challenges to ATVs
UPGRADES and ADD-ONS
- Winch
- Vital: Prioritize this
- Get quality
- Rope, not metal cable
- High-performance tires
- Necessary to get full potential from your machine
- Incredible difference, especially in mud, bogs, & tundra
- Heated handles
- Not just for wimps
- Helps you keep going in wet, cold temperatures
- Tool kits
- Repairing your machine in the field
- Fuses—carry spares
- Compact jump-start kits
- Tire repair in the field
- Plugs, glue, & tools
- Re-setting a bead
- Inflating
- Covers, theft, & bears eating tires
Stories of trial & tribulation
WELCOME OUR NEW SPONSOR: SIEMBIDA CUSTOM KNIVES!
• Instagram page
• facebook page
www.gunwerks.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
Honda's Foreman Rubicon
SHOW NOTES
• Intro: Summer is in full swing... which means fall is just around the corner!
• Welcoming Evan Siembida, a new sponsor of the podcast, thanks to an anonymous benefactor.
• Tradbows and elk hunting
• Estrous cow elk calls: an indispensable tool
• Siembida Custom Knives's superb ultralight Meadowlark knife
• Collaborating on a limited edition Backcountry Hunting Podcast custom backcountry hunting knife.
- Concept
- Steel type
- Grip material and colors
- Edge geometry
- Point profile
- Configuration
- Lanyard holes
- To Name a Knife: Meet the Northern Shrike
- Sheaths are personal
- Cost of a custom, limited-edition knife
- Delivery timeline
https://www.instagram.com/siembida_custom_knives/
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
https://www.instagram.com/backcountryhuntingpodcast/
Facebook podcast page
SHOW NOTES
Intro: Opportunities lost
— A correction on Stetson crushable wool Cross Creek hats
• HOLDING OVER FOR LONG DISTANCE USING A RETICLE
- Advantages
- Disadvantages
- Complications
- Speed in the backcountry
Making The Shot: Anti-Cant devices
• DIALING FOR DISTANCES USING THE ELEVATION TURRET
- Advantages
- Disadvantages
- Complexity and simplicity
- Speed in the backcountry
Backcountry Apprentice: Fish, too.
RESOURCES:
Backcountry Hunting Podcast Facebook Page
Backcountry Hunting Podcast Instagram Page
Support the podcast at Patreon.com/backcountry
www.timneytriggers.com
www.browning.com
SHOW NOTES:
Intro: It's rifle buying time!
Tons of questions incoming about high-end rifles. Here's one of the best of the best. This episode reviews Proof Research's extraordinary Glacier Ti mountain rifle.
- Listener's questions & answers
- Upcoming reviews:
- Browning X-Bolt Hell's Canyon Speed in 28 Nosler
- Leupold's Burnt Bronze VX-3i 4.5-14x40 CDS-ZL
- Gunwerks ClymR in 7mm SAUM
What makes a mountain rifle different from an all-around backcountry rifle.
• Proof Research barrels: Why they stand apart
• Proof Research stocks: Traditional styling, modern performance
• Glacier Ti actions & finishes
• Components & construction
• Proof's half-MOA accuracy guarantee
• Practical accuracy testing: The challenging protocol of firing three consecutive three-shot groups without allowing the barrel to cool, in order to test group size consistency and point of impact shift.
• Cost, and why it's justifiable
• Spring is over, summer's here. Time to get out and practice!
RESOURCES:
Proof Research Glacier Ti
www.browning.com
www.timneytriggers.com
www.gunwerks.com
www.hornady.com
SHOW NOTES
How to transport a rifle without damage
How to improvise and correct damage to scopes and rifles
Q&A and listener's comments
- .280 Rem vs. .280 Ackley
- 7mm-08 as a backcountry cartridge
- Deep-penetrating elk bullets for the .30-06
Appropriate hard cases for transporting firearms
How to pack a rifle properly
How to prevent damage from impacts
How to prevent damage from abrasion
Protecting the bore in rusty or dusty environments
www.backcountryhuntingpodcast.net
https://www.instagram.com/backcountryhuntingpodcast/
https://www.instagram.com/josephvonbenedikt/
Backcountry Hunting Podcast on Facebook
www.browning.com
www.timneytriggers.com
SHOW NOTES
How to transport a rifle without damage
How to improvise and correct damage to scopes and rifles
Q&A and listener's comments
- .280 Rem vs. .280 Ackley
- 7mm-08 as a backcountry cartridge
- Deep-penetrating elk bullets for the .30-06
Appropriate hard cases for transporting firearms
How to pack a rifle properly
How to prevent damage from impacts
How to prevent damage from abrasion
Protecting the bore in rusty or dusty environments
www.backcountryhuntingpodcast.net
https://www.instagram.com/backcountryhuntingpodcast/
https://www.instagram.com/josephvonbenedikt/
Backcountry Hunting Podcast on Facebook
www.browning.com
www.timneytriggers.com
SHOW NOTES
• World's All-Around Hunting Cartridge Champ: .375 H&H
• .375 H&H vs. .375 Ruger
- Cartridge Characteristics
- Adequate for anything
- Inherently accurate
- Mellow recoil
- Readily available rifles & ammo
- Bullet choices
- For Pachyderms
- For Cape buffalo and big bears
- For Moose & Bison down to deer
- Rifle options
- Controlled feed vs. push feed actions
- Wood vs. composite stocks
- Stainless vs. blued steel
- Backup sights
- Recoil characteristics & control
- Known for "slow" kick
- Don't fear the .375
- How to get the best out of your .375
- Pick a tough-ish, high-BC bullet
- Choose a versatile scope
- Zero it for 200 yards and work it out to 500
SUPPORT THE PODCAST! https://www.patreon.com/backcountry
https://www.instagram.com/josephvonbenedikt/
https://www.instagram.com/backcountryhuntingpodcast/
BHP Facebook
SHOW NOTES
INTRO: A girl, a minimal cartridge, a perfect shot, and a lost bear
MAIN TOPIC: It's all about shot placement: Fact or Fiction?
LISTENER'S QUESTION: Barnes's .30-cal. 212-gr. LRX
• Difference between kinetic energy, momentum, and TKO
• On-impact visible authority, or "wallop"
CRITICAL FACTORS OF BULLET CHOICE:
- Diameter
- Construction
- Weight
CRITICAL FACTORS OF CARTRIDGE CHOICE
- Adequate reach (defined by velocity & BC)
- Adequate launch platform for appropriate bullets
Tales of success & failure, and the lessons learned
SUPPORT THE PODCAST AT:
https://www.patreon.com/backcountry
www.backcountryhuntingpodcast.net
https://www.instagram.com/backcountryhuntingpodcast/
https://www.instagram.com/josephvonbenedikt/
Backcountry Hunting Podcast Facebook page
www.browning.com
www.timneytriggers.com
SHOW NOTES
• Migration to Idaho
• Draw tags and lucky hunters
• Q&A on a vast spectrum of backcountry hunting topics:
- .375 H&H for black bears
- Terminal Ascent vs. ELD-X bullets
- Best barrel mfgs for custom rifle builds
- Configurable stocks for backcountry rifles
- Stetson's crushable Crosstrail hat
- Bullet questions from Australia
- Kid rifles
- Straight-line bullet penetration
- Packing a pistol while bowhunting
- What barrel length & twist rate for .280 Ackley?
- Wool apparel: what company makes good stuff?
- Moose bullets for the .338 Win. Mag.
SHOW NOTES
- Late November, extreme cold, a foot and a half of snow, and pitch dark in Montana's Bitterroot is a bad time to be lost...
- Observation, experience, and a sense of direction
- Paper topographical maps and compass
- GPS and backcountry communication devices
- Smartphones and map programs
- Strengths and weaknesses of each system
For the ultimate in backcountry navigating ability, combine cutting-edge tech with traditional know-how.
SHOW NOTES
Guest: Robby Denning, mule deer hunting savant
Book: Hunting Big Mule Deer: How to take the biggest buck of your life
• Why mule deer hunting is so compelling that Denning abandoned all other game in order to focus on mule deer
• Ultimate Challenge: DIY, public-land mule deer
• The behavioral differences between old mule deer bucks--and all the other mule deer
• Mule deer management and the future of the hunting the species
• Common mistakes to avoid
• Tracking: A critical art and science for hunting mule deer
• Denning's rifle, cartridge, and bullet preferences
• wescout4u.com scouting service
SHOW NOTES
Intro: The Hunter's Cloak of Invisibility
- When—if ever—is camo NOT appropriate?
- When camo is a critical asset
- Color-capable game
- When hunter discretion is important
- Blending with habitat and terrain
- Contrast, color & patterns
- Camo brands and brand loyalty
- Mixing & matching
- Type of clothing (for example cold-weather vs. technical)
- Clothing quality
- Suitability of patterns
- Personal favorites and go-to clothing
- Camo
- Non-camo
The Backcountry Hunting Podcast is moving! More elbow room, more game, less hunter pressure, OTC tags, and generous seasons. Listen to learn where.
RESOURCES
Browning Hells Canyon Speed
Sitka Subalpine
Timney Triggers
SUPPORT THE PODCAST at www.Patreon.com/backcountry
SHOW NOTES
What type of bullets allow you to "eat right up to the hole?"
Listeners questions and comments
MEAT DAMAGE: TWO SOURCES
- Extreme impact velocity
- Hydraulic shock
- High-velocity cartridges
- Light-for-caliber bullets, pushed extremely fast
- Extreme-BC bullets, pushed fast
- Animal matter's effect on bullets
- Low-velocity impact dynamics
- Extreme-expansion bullets
- What stresses a bullet during impact
- Fragmenting on impact increases shock transfer
- "Soft" bullets rupture and fragment. Maximum meat damage results
- Tough, controlled-expansion bullets hold together and penetrate. Less meat damage results
- Bullet placement for minimal meat damage
- The behind-the-shoulder shot
- The on-the-shoulder shot
- Species-dependent preferences
- How to field-dress and process around bloodshot meat
- Is bullet-related meat damage ok?
- When it results in a faster, more humane kill
- When the bullet that causes it makes you a more capable hunter
ENJOY! (AND PLEASE SUBSCRIBE!)
SHOW NOTES
- Why the .338?
- As listener @Alaskanexile1 said, "If I'm carrying my .338, I never have the 'wrong' rifle."
- Inherently superior ballistic coefficient to the 8mm's, .35's, and .375's.
- Excellent sectional density (a measure of penetrating ability)
- Heavy but controllable recoil
- A lot more terminal performance than the .30 calibers
- The significance of the .338's frontal diameter
- How does it compare to the .375's for big bears?
SPECIFIC .338 CARTRIDGES
- .338-06
- .338 Win. Mag.
- 33 Nosler
- .340 Weatherby
- .338 Rem. Ultra Mag
- .338 Lapua
- .338-378 Weatherby
Which one's right for you?
RESOURCES
Winchester Rifles
RIfle's Inc. (custom gunsmith)
SHOW NOTES
Books: How to cultivate the patience necessary to weather those numbing periods of inactivity between explosions of hunting action.
PLEASE SUPPORT THE SHOW AT www.patreon.com/backcountry
Ways to "consume" books, and the pros & cons of each:
- Traditional paper
- Tablets
- Audiobooks
Types of books:
- How-to resources
- Factual and fictional
- Pure knowledge, & pure entertainment
No. 1: Bear Hunting in Alaska, by Tony Russ
No. 2: Sheep Hunting in Alaska, by Tony Russ
No. 3: Haunted Mesa, by Louis L'Amour
No. 4: Alaska Yukon Trophies Won And Lost, by G.O. Young
No. 5: Death in the Long Grass, by Peter Hathaway Capstick
No. 6: The Last Stand of Fox Company, by Bob Drury & Tom Clavin
No. 7: Man-Eaters of Kumaon, by Jim Corbett (Oxford Omnibus)
No. 8: The Shooting of Dan McGrew & Other Poems, by Robert Service
No. 9: Where the Lion Feeds, by Wilbur Smith
No. 10: Horn of the Hunter, by Robert Ruark
COMING UP: .338-caliber cartridges, ranging from the .338-06 to the magnum powerhouses.
Enjoy!
SHOW NOTES
Intro: The longest shot on a coyote
- AR-type rifles: Do they serve adequately for backcountry hunting?
- Semiautos and accuracy: The AR's advantage
- Current social and economic conditions and skyrocketing sales
- Personal Protection crossover
AR's FOR BACKCOUNTRY HUNTING
- Pros & Cons
- Receiver sizes
- Applicable, capable cartridges (and how to choose)
- Keeping it light
- Making it accurate
- Choosing an optic
- Choosing ammo
- Setting up for maximum effectiveness
- Working it out (KNOW YOUR RIFLE!)
WRAP: Trust in the Lord, but Keep Your Powder Dry!
Timney Triggers
Browning Firearms
2A Armament
Galco Gunleather
Hornady Ammunition
Black Hills Ammunition
SIG TANGO6T scope
Leupold VX-5HD 1-5x scope
SHOW NOTES:
Intro: Western hunting and shooting situations vary widely. Consider these scenarios... (listen)
It behooves hunters to have a rifle and cartridge suitable for any task. These cartridges are two of the best for all-around work on the broad spectrum of Western big game.
.280 Ackley Improved vs. 7mm Remington Magnum
HISTORY
- 7mm Rem Mag
- .280 Ackley Improved
WHY IS THE 7MM/.284 CALIBER SO SIGNIFICANT?
- Best in class ballistics at acceptable recoil levels
- Just inside the cusp of what is really capable for almost all North American big game, including elk, moose, and the biggest black bears
-
- Adequate projectile weight
- Adequate frontal diameter
- Outstanding aerodynamics
- Popular 7mm's range from 7mm-08 to 28 Nosler
PROS & CONS of the .280 Ackley vs. the "Seven-Mag"
7MM REMINGTON MAGNUM
- Advantages
- Disadvantages
.280 ACKLEY IMPROVED
- Advantages
- Disadvantages
Segment: MAKING THE SHOT, brought to you by Browning
SO, WHICH CARTRIDGE IS BETTER?
SUPPORT THE PODCAST AT WWW.PATREON.COM/BACKCOUNTRY
Contact and follow Backcountry Hunting Podcast on Instagram
Follow host Joseph von Benedikt on Instagram
Contact us via email
SHOW NOTES
Walnut & Blued Steel rifles: Can they provide top performance in the backcountry?
Follow-up on episode 61 and wound treatment: Quick-Clot Gauze better than Quick-Clot powder
• Ruger's M77 Hawkeye African: A top backcountry hunting rifle
- Ultimate, classic configuration
- Lipsey's Special
- Stock configuration
- Iron sights
- Controlled-feed Mauser-type action
- Cool cartridges (6.5x55, .275 Rigby, .300 Win. Mag.)
• Working the rifle into fighting condition
- Accuracy testing
- Honing and polishing the action
- Trigger work and glass bedding
- Working up a Hornady 129-grain InterBond handload
- A half-MOA walnut & blued steel backcountry rifle
- Hunting with the Ruger M77 Hawkeye African
• Backcountry Scouting & Navigating: Glass from a tripod
• Leupold's new best-in-class mountain-hunting scopes
- Best-anywhere dial-up CDZ-ZL turrets
- Ultra light weight
- Superb glass
- Useful magnifications: 13-oz. 3.5-10x 40mm and 15.6-oz. 4.5-14x 40mm
• Backcountry Apprentice: Be better hydrated to be a better hunter—carry a LifeStraw
Teaser: Federal's new Terminal Ascent bullets
PLEASE SUPPORT THE BACKCOUNTRY HUNTING PODCAST at www.patreon.com/backcountry
SHOW NOTES
Garett Wales: Entrepreneur, Beer-brewer, Organic fast-food guru, and passionate backcountry hunter.
- Nosler man
- Kryptek pro staffer
- Life & Time restaraunteur
- Wild Game chef
Roots of the clean-living, clean-eating passion
Motivation and fueling obsessions
Desert bighorn sheep hunting
Creating organic, free-range, chemical-free fast food
NEW SEGMENT: Making The Shot
Garrett's hunting addition, and where it started
Culinary tips:
- Favorite season salts & steak rubs
- Prepping and seasoning cast iron
- Wild game cooking vs. beef
- Favorite backcountry foods and fuels
Top game animal and favorite hunting experiences
Can't-hunt-without gear items
Kids—the most exciting hunting partners of all
RESOURCES:
Reload season salt
Gunpowder steak rub
Camp Chef
Lodge cast iron
Nosler
Kryptek
Browning
SHOW NOTES
Intro: The host's never-before-told personal story of an accidental shooting involving him and his 13-year-old twin.
• Firearm safety in the backcountry
- Handling practices and muzzle control
- Hunting with a loaded chamber
- Safeties and mechanical failures
- Picking your hunting partners
- Hair-raising experiences
- How to communicate with unsafe shooters & hunters
- How to respond to an accidental shooting in the backcountry
Submit questions to joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
Support the podcast at www.patreon.com/backcountry
Enjoy! (And please subscribe, rate, and review!)
Backcountry Apprentice segment brought to you by www.timneytriggers.com
Backcountry Scouting & Glassing segment brought to you by www.browning.com
SHOW NOTES
• Issues with your feet and/or boots can ruin a hunt
• How to choose ideal boots for your foot type & terrain
• Foot health maintenance & pain management
• Injury prevention & treatment
• NEW SEGMENT: Backcountry Scouting & Navigating
• Questions & Answers:
- Bear guns & bullets
- Eyewear for hunting
- Mild-recoiling classic cartridges for deer
- More
• How to order Backcountry Hunting Podcast Tee Shirts
• Support the Backcountry Hunting Podcast on Patreon
SHOW NOTES
• Scenario: You've got hunts ranging from coues deer to mountain grizzly and moose—and have to use just one rifle. What cartridge do you pick?
• What trends show most folks pick
• SHOT Show trends and hot cartridges
• Comparison between the legendary .300 Win Mag and the trendy new .300 PRC
• Candid discussion about podcast survivability
• .300 Win Mag: America's all-around champ's Pros & Cons
• .300 PRC: Touted as the best fast .30 ever designed, Pros & Cons
CONCLUSION: Which is best?
RESOURCES:
Support the Backcountry Hunting Podcast at https://www.patreon.com/backcountry
SHOW NOTES
NEW "BACKCOUNTRY APPRENTICE" SEGMENT! Listen for this 2-minute skills and how-to section presented by the host's favorite hunting partner (age 9).
• Interview with Spartan Precision's founder Rob Gearing
• Spartan 5-oz. bipods and why they work so well
• Mountaineering tripods, trekking poles, and ultralight tents
• Construction: Machined aluminum & carbon fiber
• Made in the U.K.
• Bow stabilizers and backcountry tool kits
• Longbows & the tremendous ability of Great Britain's yeomen
• Why we hunt the backcountry
RESOURCES
Spartan Precision Equipment
Javelin Lite bipod
Javelin Pro Hunt bipod
Sentinel Tripod system
Davros Tripod Head
Spartan bipod/tripod rifle mount adaptors
Spartan Carbonlite $650 tent
Spartan Green Genie $350 tent
SHOW NOTES
• Hunting Utah:
- Guest Colton Heward, big game guide
- Challenges of drawing a Utah tag
- "Point creep" —is it unresolvable?
- Youth and future opportunities: Can today's kids ever draw a good Utah tag?
- Opportunities in Wyoming, Idaho and other surrounding states
- A draw hunt in Idaho—tough conditions, few deer, many hunters, and the persistence and techniques that resulted in a professional guide's biggest buck ever.
- Stalking close and shooting long
- How to make the most of Utah's opportunities
- Extended Archery areas
- Desert Bighorn Sheep and a grandfather's dream
Resources:
Timney Triggers
SHOW NOTES
• Squeezing the trigger: the final act in pursuing an animal
• The critical importance of having a good trigger in a backcountry hunting rifle
• Introducing Chris Ellis, owner of Ellis Communications, who reps Timney Triggers
• Pronghorns in the fog: hunting tales and great triggers
• Defining trigger performance:
- Crisp (like an icicle breaking)
- Creep-free
- Light
- Consistant
- Overtravel (what's that?)
• Replacing factory production triggers:
- Fairly easy to do
- Cost spectrum?
- Timney's classic, legendary model
- Timney's cutting-edge flagship model
• Tuning a Timney to perfection
• Timney's outstanding lifetime warrantee and customer service
• Heavy triggers and lost opportunities at elk
• Listen to the end for exiting news—and a discount code to get 15 percent off any one Timney trigger!
RESOURCES:
Timney Triggers
SHOW NOTES
Review time! Savage's Axis II budget rifle in .280 Ackley Improved
• Listener lever-action questions & comments
• Mid-bore cartridges such as the .338-06 and .35 Whelen for backcountry hunting
• A six-pound, six-ounce, sub-$400 mountain rifle
• Discussing the Axis II action
• Barrel length, rifling twist rate, and type
• Axis II stock: Well-designed but flexible
• Mounting a bipod: Do or don't?
• Accuracy: Will the Axis II .280 Ackley shoot sub-MOA?
• Reliability and feeding smoothness
• Ergonomics: Feel, balance, and responsiveness
• Picking the right scope for the Axis II
RESOURCES:
Email the host joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
Follow/submit questions on Instagram @backcountryhuntingpodcast
Follow on Facebook: BackcountryHuntingPodcast
Savage Axis II site
Hornady .280 Ackley ammo
Nosler .280 Ackley ammo
Leupold VX-3i riflescopes
SHOW NOTES
This episode addresses several interesting questions and comments submitted by listeners.
• Browning BLR correction
• Takedown rifles and scope mounting
• Swedish hunters and the Backcountry Hunting Podcast
• Single-loading lever guns in dangerous situations
• Sierra bullets for hunting
• Dogs and deer hunting
• Lever-action Turnbull for bear in the Pacific Northwest
• Browning A-Bolt Ti
• .280 Ackley Improved vs. 7mm Rem Mag.
• 7mm STW for backcountry hunting
• Barnes TTSX bullets and AR-15 accuracy
SHOW NOTES
• Why hunt the backcountry with a lever action rifle?
• Advantages & disadvantages of lever actions
• Types of lever actions
• Characteristics of lever actions
- Browning BLR: Modern, capable powerhouse
- Savage 99: Vintage but capable
- Winchester 95: Vintage powerhouse
- Winchester 86: Classic western big bore
- Winchester 94: Classic western deer rifle
- Marlin 1895: All-around classic/capable champ
- Marlin 336: Accurate, versatile .30-30
• Lever-action takeaway notes
RESOURCES
Browning BLR
Savage 99
Winchester 95
Winchester 86
Winchester 94
Marlin 1895
Marlin 336
SHOW NOTES
• Scenario: Running game vs. long shot?
• Intro: Long-Range Hunting—an exploration of all the elements
• Listener questions & comments
• Defining long-range hunting
• The Ethical Argument against long-range hunting
• A skill-based argument for long-range hunting
• Potential issues with long-range hunting
- Potential for poor hits
- Insufficient projectile performance
- Difficulty recovering game
- Too many hunters don't practice
• Potential advantages of long-range skill
- More precise shots at common distances
- Making the most of backcountry opportunities
- Experience success more frequently
- Harvest bigger animals, more often
• ABC's of becoming a long-range hunter
• JvB's personal creed: Be the best hunter possible so long shots are rarely necessary; be the best rifleman possible so as to ethically make long shots when required.
SHOW NOTES:
• 50th Episode gear giveaway results, LIVE!
• Adam Weatherby, and the superb new sub-5 pound Backcountry rifle
• How Wyoming has influenced Weatherby rifle design
• How Weatherby achieves sub-MOA accuracy in an ultralight rifle
• Action features and strength
• Barrel construction and quality
• Stock design and action bedding
• Weatherby's new 6.5 WBY RPM cartridge
• Tips to shooting an ultralight rifle accurately
• Where the Backcountry rifle line is headed
• The "Hunt Your Own State" dilemma
RESOURCES
Weatherby home page
Backcountry Ti rifle
Backcountry rifle
Email the Backcountry Hunting Podcast here
SHOW NOTES
• New podcast email: joseph@backcountrypodcast.com
• Toby Boudreau: Biologist extraordinary of Alaska & Idaho
• Opportunities in the great state of Idaho
• Mule deer:
- Population health
- Where to find the biggest bucks
- Tag types and available opportunities
- Idaho's marvelous OTC permit
• Elk:
- Best OTC elk opportunity in Idaho
- Populations and trophy potential
- OTC Tag availability
- Season types and multiple-opportunity tags
• Once in a Lifetime hunts (bighorns, moose, Mtn. goats)
- How and when to apply
- Cost of license and applying
- Where to find draw odds
• Wolves
- Current population impacts
- How to buy multiple cheap non-resident wolf tags
- Ongoing management research studies
• Human population growth
- Fastest-growing Western state
- Future affect and opportunities
• Bonus material: Mr. Boudreau's top backcountry hunting cartridge
RESOURCES
Idaho Fish & Game website
Idaho Hunt Planner
SHOW NOTES
• The Critical parts of a capable backcountry riflescope
- Quality (optical & construction)
- A balanced magnification range
- A good dial-up turret with zero stop type mechanism
- Sub 20-ounce weight
• Dialing vs. holding over: How to get the best out of both methods—plus a couple of hunting horror stories that spotlight weaknesses.
• How to set up a dial-up turret
• How to calibrate your ammo/bullet system to a holdover reticle
• Bonus material: How to use a simple duplex reticle for extended ranges
TOP ALL-AROUND HUNTING SCOPES, REVIEWED:
- Leupold 3-15x44 VX-5HD and 3-18x44 VX-6HD
- SWAROVSKI Z5 3.5-18X44 BT with 4W reticle
- Nightforce NSX 2.5-10x42
- Leupold VX-3i 2.5-8x36 with Boone & Crockett reticle
• Mounting a scope for trouble-free function
• Great bases & rings for backcountry rifles
SHOW NOTES
• Lex Webernick, America's master mountain-rifle builder
• Listener's questions and comments
• Customizing Remington 700 & Winchester M70 actions
• Sculpture-quality skeletonizing for ultralight action weight
• Premium barrels
• Recoil-taming, quiet(ish) muzzle brakes
• Building a 13-ounce composite stock
• Ultralight, ultra strong scope rings
• Commissioning a custom from Rifle's Inc.
• Accuracy of the author's .270 Win. and .375 H&H
• Upcoming mountain-rifle reviews:
- A sub-$400, mountain-weight .280 Ackley
- America's top precision mountain rifle
- Weatherby's innovative new Backcountry Ti
RESOURCES
Rifle's Inc
SHOW NOTES
• .30-06 & .270 at crunch time
• Revisiting the old argument: Which is better?
• More to the point, how do you get the best out of each?
Cartridge comparison:
- .30-06 is more versatile--and here's why
- .270 is more forgiving in some ways--and here's why
- Downsides of the .30-06
- Downsides of the .270
How to get the best out of the .30-06
- History: America's Warhorse
- Bullet choice
- Handloading for ultimate performance
- Matching hunting bullets to intended species
- Bringing the .30-06 up to modern performance
How to get the best out of the .270 Win.
- History: O'Conner's favorite
- Find high-BC bullets
- Tune for accuracy
- Pick tough bullets for tough game
- Set your rifle up for ultimate performance
Excellent modern rifles chambered in .30-06 & .270
Browning X-Bolt Hells Canyon Speed
Kimber Montana
Weatherby Backcountry Ti
Spec OPS Brand Accu-Pack
Spartan Precision Bipods
SHOW NOTES
Wild game meat should be incredibly good—not dry, gamey, and tough to eat.
- Field care for clean-tasting meat
- "Ice Aging" meat for tenderness and mild flavor
- Pre-cooking prep for roasts and steaks
- Grilling techniques for the perfect steak or roast
Professional meat processors: A good way to get your wild game meat ruined
Even old, rut-worn bulls are tender and great-tasting if aged properly, prepped correctly, and grilled skillfully.
Searing in Olive oil: a magic recipe for juicy, tender meat
Steak seasoning
Steps to aging perfectly
Proper pre-grilling prep
Grilling and resting
Cardinal Sin: Overcooking wild game meat
A challenge for listeners
SHOW NOTES
Challenges of late-season elk hunting
- Bulls are solitary and hard to find
- Antlers are often broken
- Extreme cold can be a major factor
- Elk are pressured and spooky
- Wintering grounds often present public/private land conflicts
- Shooting in extreme cold is always difficult
Techniques that work:
- Glassing. How to find the best vantage points, how to choose optics
- Hunting elk mentally. Think like a wise, exhausted old bull.
- Tracking in snow. Methods for big herds vs. solitary old bulls
- Ambushing. Patterning, setting up, and moving on late-season elk
SHOW NOTES
• Work Sharp Tools: the Genesis
• Edge technology and what makes "sharp"
• Most common sharpening mistakes, and how to correct them
• Edge angle: What's best for a hunting knife? And how do you control it?
• Under the microscope: What creates sharpness
• Different knife steels, and how to address them
• Keeping a razor edge, almost effortlessly
• Ultralight Work Sharp tools for backcountry hunting
RESOURCES
Work Sharp Tools
Guided Field Sharpener
Micro Sharpener & Knife Tool
Pocket Knife Sharpener
Victorinox Swiss Paring Knife (a taxidermist's favorite)
Buck Knives
Siembida Custom Knives (on instagram)
SHOW NOTES
Why reload:
- Pick your bullet
- Tune your accuracy
- Create premium ammo for budget-ammo cost
Getting started:
- Instruction sections in reloading manuals
- ABC's of assembling a cartridge
- The Three "B's" of accuracy
- Choosing cartridge cases
- Prepping cases for accuracy
- Choosing a gunpowder
- Working up a propellant charge
- Choosing a projectile (toughness, aerodynamics, accuracy)
- Tuning seating depth for accuracy
Reasonable accuracy expectations
- Rifle quality
- Shooter skill
- Handload quality
Testing handloads for reliable chambering prior to hunting
Wrap: A question for listeners... check it out, and let me know!
Lapua cartridge cases
Nosler brass
Federal Gold Medal Match primers
Alliant gunpowders
Hodgdon gunpowders
SHOW NOTES
-
Host introduction: Evan Siembida of Siembida Custom Knives
-
Hunting knife design evolution and performance characteristics
-
Handle materials and practical advantages
-
How size, blade shape, and edge geometry affects use
-
Bushcraft and fire starting
-
“Spa Treatment” knife restoration service
-
Micarta handle material: linen, canvas, paper, and boutique burlap
-
Sharpen-ability and edge-holding characteristics of stainless steel vs. non-stainless
-
Specific types of steel optimum for knives
-
Carbides and the microscopic edge
-
Different degrees of “stainlessness,” i.e. rust resistance
SHARPENING
-
Sharpening correctly—and using a Strop
-
Recommended sharpening stones
-
The drawbacks of “V” type pull-through sharpeners
-
Choosing and using the right blade for backcountry hunting
RESOURCES
• Siembida Custom Knives Instagram
• SiembidaCustomKnives@gmail.com
• Gator sharpening stones
• EZE-LAP pocket diamond stone
• EZE-LAP diamond shop stone
• Leather strops for sale
SHOW NOTES
• Follow-up on episode No. 40's discussion on worst elk wounders
• Characteristics that make ideal elk cartridges
AUTHORITY
- Bullet weight
- Frontal diameter
- Bullet construction
- Velocity
REACH
- Velocity
- Aerodynamic bullet
• List of great elk cartridges
• LIst of great elk bullets
RESOURCES:
Web link to stock pack detailed in episode No. 40: SPEC-OPS BRAND Accu-Pack
SHOW NOTES
Making The Shot intro: After all your planning, prep, and hard hunting, everything comes down to one moment where you’ve got to succeed or fail in taking your quarry.
• Two real-life scenarios with heartbreaking consequences, and how they could have been avoided
• Correcting the mistakes before they occur: Pre-hunt shooting prep and in-the-moment decision-making
• Pre-hunt shooting prep: 5 practice steps to success
• In-the-moment decision-making: This one is harder. You can't practice, you can only conceptualize.
- Moving animals
- Shooting in desperation
- Fleeting opportunities at whopper bucks, bulls & rams
BONUS MATERIAL
• 6.5 PRC: Is it an elk cartridge? Exit holes, blood trails, the “knock-down power” myth, and slowing big-bodied, tough bulls down.
SHOW NOTES
Backcountry Gear Challenge: fit 10 days worth of gear into 55 pounds
Top-of-the-list item: Tag/Hunting license!
• Sleep systems: Sleeping bag, pad, & tent
• Backpacks: Types and recommendations
• Raingear: Jackets & pants, pack covers, drybags for camera & electronics
• Clothing & footwear: From skin to shell. Underwear, base layer, pants, shirts, the annoyance of layering, puffy coats & pants, neck gaiters and warm hats, appropriate boots, Crocs and manliness, crampons, and more.
• Cooking systems: backpacking stoves, fire starters, water filters, water containers, and the critical Life Straw
• Optics: Rangefinding binoculars, Badlands bino harnesses, spotting scopes,
• Communication: inReach Mini, Midland handheld radios, lithium batteries, solar chargers, battery reservoirs, smartphone headphones, headlamps, and compasses.
• Camera: Smart phone vs. compact lightweight DSLR, plus Phone Skope
• Tripod favorites: Outdoorsman Medium and Spartan Precision Sentinel
• Rifle, Ammo, & Accessories: sling, Galco ammo carrier, Spartan bipod, Otis cleaning cable, electrical tape (yellow!), ballistic chart, wind checker, and handgun if applicable
• Knives & Accessories: Leatherman Tool, fixed-blade hunting knife by Browning, Arno Bernard, or Siembida Custom Knives; Outdoor Edge or Havalon, compact EZE-Lapp diamond stone, Outdoor Edge folding saw, Gransfors Bruks Hunter's Axe, Kuiu or Caribou Gear game bags, contractor-grade garbage bags
• Health & Hygiene: compact deodorant, hand soap, toothbrush & paste, floss, Airborne tablets, Zip Fizz, MTN OPS, Ibuprophen, Mucinex D, NyQuil, Blister kit, sunscreen, chapstick, vaseline, sunglasses, wipes, bug spray, bug net, knee braces, TETRA ear pro, notebook
• Food: Mountain House and other freeze-dried brands, snacks, gum, hard candy, energy supplements, Montreal Stake Seasoning, coffee or tea
RESOURCES:
Mountain Hardwear sleeping bags
Stone Glacier sleeping bags
Kuiu sleeping bags
Wiebad Mini Tac Pad (pillow)
Thermarest sleeping pads
Klymit sleeping pads
Big Agnes sleeping pads
ExPed sleeping mats
Big Agnes tents
Mountain Hardwear tents
Spartan Precision Carbonlite Tent
Kifaru tents
Barney's Sports Chalet "freighter pack"
Sitka Mountain Hauler 6200 pack
Mystery Ranch packs
Sitka Gear Stormfront raingear
Kuiu rain gear
https://kryptek.com/catalog/category/rain-gear/
Grundens rain gear
Helly Hanson rain gear
JetBoil backpacking stoves
Katadyn water filters
LifeStraw portable water filters
Swarovski EL Range
Leica Geovid rangefinding binos
Zeiss Victory RF rangefinding binos
Badlands bino cases
Swarovski ATS 65 spotting scope
Leupold 12-40 x 60mm Gold Ring spotting scope
Garmin inReach Mini
Midland handheld radios
Leica V-Lux camera
Phone Skope
Outdoorsman's Medium Tripod
Outdoorsman's Tripod Pan Head
Spartan Precision Sentinel Tripod
Spartan Precision Javelin Bipod
Galco Gunleather "Stalker" ammo carrier
Otis cleaning kits with flexible cable
Leatherman tools
Arno Bernard Dagga Boy drop point knife
Siembida Custom Knives Instagram page
Outdoor Edge Razorlite exchangeable blade knife
Havalon exchangeable blade knife
Outdoor Edge folding saw
Gransfors Bruks Hunter's Axe
Kuiu game bags
Caribou Gear game bags
Mountain OPS energy suppliments
TETRA hearing enhancement/protection
Rite in the Rain notebooks
Mountain House freeze-dried meals
SHOW NOTES:
• Intro: Remington's M700, episode recording, guest Carlos Martinez,
• Listener questions & comments
• Remington's Custom Shop (also covers Marlin & Dakota)
• Why the Model 700 has such accuracy potential
• How the Custom Shop maximizes performance
• How you can order any configuration you want
• Dakota Arms: The ultimate in controlled-feed rifles
• Marlin Custom-Shop lever-actions: Best value on the market
RESOURCES:
Remington Custom Shop
Dakota Arms
Marlin Custom Shop
PLEASE SUBSCRIBE!
SHOW NOTES:
• Hearing protection: Loss-incurring damage never heals. Protecting hearing is paramount.
• The dangerous game conundrum (gotta be able to hear) and TETRA Hunt's superb solution
• TETRA's tuned-frequency hearing enhancement/protection, and dedicated profiles for elk, turkey, geese, waterfowl, and the new Dangerous Game profile
• How the ear gathers sound
• How we pinpoint direction
• How TETRA not only maintains directional hearing, it enhances it
• Cost: Can you afford NOT to protect your ears?
• Hearing loss as an indicator of potential early onset Dementia and Alzheimers
• Why hearing loss accelerates Dementia and Alzheimers, and how to reverse it
RESOURCES:
TETRA Hunt
Test your hearing here
SHOW NOTES:
• New Zealand: The Shangri La of modern backcountry hunting
• Bag limits? What bag limits?
• Gnarly, steep, challenging, beautiful country
• What island to hunt, and how to find and access a good spot
• Game types, habitat, and taxonomy, and how to hunt them
• Logistics of traveling to New Zealand and accessing the backcountry
• Importing a hunting rifle and ammo to New Zealand
• Critical gear & planning time
• Recommended rifles, optics, and ammo
• Do it now: Laws will never be better, and you'll never be younger
ENJOY! Please subscribe, rate, and review!
SHOW NOTES:
• From Tradition to Technology: Picking a muzzleloader for backcountry hunting
• Exploding boundaries
• From the beginning: Traditional muzzleloaders, common inline muzzleloaders, and uncommonly accurate long-range muzzleloaders
• Traditional muzzleloaders: Why to hunt with them, and how to get the best out of them. What they shoot (blackpowder and patched round balls), caliber restrictions, barrel length, sight-in and effective range determination.
• World record flintlock elk: a first-hand account of the hunt
• Common inline muzzleloaders: Why to hunt with them, and how to get the best out of them. Hunting history. What they shoot (blackpowder substitutes and saboted or belted conical bullets), configurations, and how to work up a great load. Determining maximum lethal range. Cleaning and maintaining.
• Long-range precision muzzleloaders: a burgeoning trend. Why to hunt with them, and how they are different. What they shoot (Blackhorn 209 blackpowder substitute, Parker bullets), how to set up a rifle, pick a long-range-capable scope, and maximize effectiveness with Remington's M700 Ultimate Muzzleloader. Ethics of shooting long: wind, time of flight, terminal performance, and more. How to determine maximum effective fully-lethal range.
• First-hand account of a big New Mexico bull elk taken at 407 yards.
• Attacking the ethical question: What's right, what's conditionally right, and how to deal with hunters that do things we oppose. Recognizing and accepting personal choices, and learning from other hunters.
• An old man, an alpine buck, and a clean, one-shot 631-yard kill.
• Questions, comments, & opinions: Please share on Instagram on the @backcountryhuntingpodcast profile--but be clean and respectful.
RESOURCES:
Fine custom traditional longrifles: Tennessee Valley Manufacturing
Inline muzzleloaders by Traditions
Inline muzzleloaders by Thompson Center
Inline muzzleloaders by CVA
Long-range Remington 700 Ultimate Muzzleloader
Long-range Gunwerks Muzzleloader
Goex Blackpowder
Blackhorn 209 blackpowder substitute
Parker long-range muzzleloader bullets
SHOW NOTES
• Prep, planning, and gear
• Tyce Erickson: master dog trainer and high-country big-game hunting genius
• Hot off the BBQ: Shiras moose, elk, musk ox, black bear, deer, and more
• September bulls: Tactics for finding, calling, and stalking rutting elk
• Holding it together under pressure: Stories of jubilance and heartbreak on monster bulls
• Alpine mule deer: Locating, patterning, stalking, and arrowing big early-season bucks
• After the shot: What to expect in the high country
• Erickson's favorite broadhead
• BONUS MATERIAL: Best dog breed for everything from packing and hunting big game to upland and waterfowl hunting
RESOURCES
Utah Bird Dog Training
Utah Pointing Labs
Field Bred Golden Retrievers
Follow Tyce on Instagram: @lichenoutdoors, @utahbirddogtraining
SHOW NOTES:
• Guest Cork Graham: International best-selling author, Discovery Channel personality, combat veteran, PTSD counselor, and Alaskan subsistence hunter.
• How hunting rebuilds those suffering with PTSD
• Graham's personal experience recognizing and recovering from PTSD
• Steps to recovery (that resulted in 89 percent success in Graham's patients)
• Hunter, Warrior, Healer: the three vital characteristics that enable humankind to provide, protect, and heal.
BONUS MATERIAL: the .338-06 Graham believes may be the ultimate cartridge for all-around use in Alaska.
Resources:
International bestseller The Bamboo Chest: An Adventure in Healing the Trauma of War
Cork Graham's website
SHOW NOTES:
• The older you get, the less you like to carry—yet the more you appreciate remote backcountry.
— Condors & lead bullet correlation update: The science behind it. Please listen to Randy Newberg's Episode No. 87 of Hunt Talk Radio. Here's a link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzBbxm2cFhw
BACKPACKS vs. PACK ANIMALS
- Backpacking favors daily adaptability. Live out of your pack. Hunt extreme terrain where horses can’t go.
- Pack animals favor major shifts in location, and eliminates restrictions on how deep you can hunt for big-bodied game.
- Both methods have advantages and limitations
Limitations:
• How deep can you hunt? How much food and gear can you carry in? How much meat can you carry out?
• Heat and distance: meat's primary enemies when backpacking
• Maintaining and caring for pack animals while hunting
• Weight and distance are limited when backpacking, particularly when hunting big-bodied animals such as elk.
• On-the-fly adaptability is limited when horse packing.
Advantages:
• Backpacking enables extreme simplicity & flexibility.
• Pack animals enable you to transport meat much more easily.
• Pack animals allow a more comfortable camp, better food, and longer stays in the backcountry.
Types of backpack:
• External frame packs and their pros & cons
• Internal frame packs and their pros & cons
• Hybrid crossover packs--and why they're a bad idea
Types of pack animal and the advantages and disadvantages of each:
• Horses: Strong, friendly, capable. The quintessential pack animal. Need lots of care. Expensive. Potentially dangerous.
• Mules: Just like horses, but different.
• Burros: There's a reason prospectors and expectant mothers love them.
• Llamas: Sinister-looking but oh so capable.
• Goats: Yes, really.
SHOW NOTES:
• Are monometal bullets as good a traditional lead-core bullets?
• Rights & Freedoms, Laws & Regulations
• Top manufacturers of non-toxic monometal bullets
• Monometal vs. Lead-core bullets: THE DIFFERENCES
-
Behavior in the bore
-
Behavior in flight
-
Behavior on impact
-
Trauma & terminal performance
-
Exit wounds & blood trails
-
Non-ideal shot angles
-
Bullet failures & anomalies
-
How to pick a monometal bullet
• Accuracy, Design, & Weight
• Factory ammo and various loads
RESOURCES
Barnes Bullets
Hornady Bullets
Nosler Bullets
Federal Bullets
Black Hills Ammunition
SHOW NOTES
• The backcountry is hard on optics
• All brands and types of optic can and occasionally will fail
• User-induced failures
• Properly mounting riflescopes for ultimate toughness
• How scopes get knocked off, and how to re-zero them
• Protecting lenses against grit, grime, water, and ice
• Sideways impacts to scopes, and related weaknesses
• When you fall on your scope
• Something you need in the backcountry: Enough ammo to re-zero a scope
• Iron sights can save a hunt
• Fogged lenses, and how to avoid them
• Snow clogs and snap shots
• Scope covers, and how to pick one
• When binoculars go south
• Cleaning lenses without causing damage
• BONUS MATERIAL: Ammunition corrosion and reliability issues
SHOW NOTES:
• Backcountry in Africa
• On the menu: Cape buffalo, hippo, and plains game--particularly big kudu bulls
• Prep and packing
• Shooting practice for success in Africa's bush country
• Buffalo charge stopped at 4 yards
• Big kudu bulls
• Stalking a monster hippo through other aggressive hippos, past Cape buffalo, and amongst crocodiles
• New and veteran hunters: What we'd do different next time
• Staying flexible and rolling with logistical challenges
• Advice from a PH: How to avoid most common mistakes made by American hunters
• Filming your hunt: How to plan for great results
RESOURCES
Kowas Hunting Safaris
Reinhardt Bronner Productions (pro cameraman & film producer)
Federal Ammunition
Turnbull Restoration
Kimber Firearms
Browning Firearms
Winchester Firearms
Facebook: Kowas Hunting Safaris
Instagram: Kowas Hunting Safaris
Instagram: Turnbull Restoration
Instagram: Reinhardt Bronner Productions
SHOW NOTES
• Your rifle or bow is the one tool you can't be successful without--so prep it properly for backcountry work, and know how to perform emergency fixes.
• Barrel break-in
• Action tuning
• Stabilizing sighting systems and accuracy
• Gun oil in your barrel: Best friend and worst enemy
• Non-oil moisture barriers for barrels and actions
• Barrel blockages and catastrophic failures
• Compact kits and improvised tools to remove barrel blockages
• Hunting through the worst weather mother nature can throw at you
RESOURCES
Sharp Shoot'r solvent
Hoppe's Bore Snakes
Otis compact cleaning kits
Fix-It Stix
SHOW NOTES
• Mule deer addiction & the wonderful wives that deal with it
• What makes mule deer different?
• Critical hunting methods & tools
• Field scoring: The flash glance
• Field scoring: when time is on your side
• Realistic public-land, DIY expectations
• Colton's favorite mule deer cartridge
• Top tricks for success
RESOURCES
Instagram handle: @muleycrazy89
SHOW NOTES
• AlpenFuel founder talks inspiration
• Planning for various types of terrain and conditions
• Energy supplements
• Charting your body's needs over the hunts' duration
• Performance food
• Recovery food
• Indigestion, and how to avoid it
• Minimalist stoves and dehydrated meals
• COFFEE! Convenience meets great taste
• Overpacking, and how to avoid it
RESOURCES
Best Backpacking Food of 2019 blog article
Mountain Tough Fitness calculator/program/app
AlpenFuel website
FBomb (fat bomb) foods
Peak Refuel freeze-dried meals
Greenbelly meals
Dark Timber Coffee Company
Tioga Rise Coffee
Heather's Choice
PROMO CODE: Use BACKCOUNTRY for 10% off at AlpenFuel!
SHOW NOTES:
• Black bear hunt in northwest Montana's deep backcountry
• Special guest: Adam Weatherby
• Special gear: Prototype Weatherby rifle & cartridge
This hunt turned out to be aggressive, eventful, adventurous, and a fantastic success in every possible way. We covered 32 miles in four days, climbed over 8,000 vertical feet, stalked past a sow grizzly and her cub, and proved Weatherby's new yet-to-be-announced rifle and cartridge against particularly challenging conditions.
www.weatherby.com
Limitless Outdoorz youtube channel
SHOW NOTES
• Introduction: Pros and cons of hunting with match bullets
• Listener's questions: Tok Air Service, DIY drop-camp moose hunt costs, .257 WBY cartridge for deer, vintage controlled-feed rifles for backcountry work, hunting as PTSD therapy, downsides of carbon fiber barrels, and more.
• History of hunting with match bullets
• Data on Sierra MatchKings and humane killing ability
• Berger's VLD: King of match-grade hunting bullets. Upset process, fragmentation and overpenetration potential, handloading tips and tricks, personal experience, Classic Hunter and Elite Hunter bullets, and a few horror stories.
• Hornady's ELD Match: Trendy but not company-advised. Good for hunting or not?
RESOURCES
Berger hunting bullets
Hornady ELD Match bullets
Sierra bullets
Barnes bullets
Nosler bullets
Federal EDGE TLR bullets
SHOW NOTES:
• O'Conner and mountain rifles
• What makes a true mountain rifle?
• Weight, Accuracy, & Reliability
• Review-type episode: Kimber's Mountain Ascent in .280 Ackley Improved
• Swarovski's Z5 3.5-18x 44mm BT riflescope
• Less than 7 pounds with scope, sling, and ammo aboard
• Sub-MOA accuracy guaranteed
• Controlled-feed action and the resulting robust reliability
• .280 Ackley Improved cartridge performance: Why it's a cut above
• Personal experience with the test rifle
RESOURCES
https://www.kimberamerica.com/mountain-ascent-subalpine-281
https://www.swarovskioptik.com/hunting/z5-3p5-18x44-p-c20050301/z5-3p5-18x44-p-l-brx-p5006187
https://www.talleymanufacturing.com/product-category/lightweight-alloy-scope-mounts/
https://www.nosler.com/nosler-custom-ammunition/
https://www.hornady.com/ammunition/rifle/280-ackley-162-gr-eld-x-precision-hunter#!/
SHOW NOTES:
• Intro: Near-death experience while spring bear hunting
• NW Montana with Adam Weatherby, Kevin Wilkerson, and Justin and Shane of Limitless Outdoorz
• Trekking Poles: Not just sissy sticks
• Advantages of trekking poles, and types to look for
• Crampons: What they are and the spider skills they offer
• Advantages of crampons, and types to look for
• Life-saving devices: why & how
• Notes on epic hunt detailed in upcoming episode
ENJOY!
Please subscribe, rate & review!
SHOW NOTES
• Gear list by item & weight:
TAG & License!!!
Leica camera & batteries 35 oz.
Handheld Midland radios 12 oz.
Lithium batteries 6 oz.
Podcast recorder 15 oz.
Swarovski spotting scope 51 oz.
Swarovski EL Range bino in Badlands harness 57 oz.
Spartan Javelin bipod 5 oz.
Spartan tripod & spotting scope head 48 oz.
Spartan tent 20 oz.
Cabela’s Boundary Waters sleeping bag 58 oz.
Exped SYNMAT UL 7 M pad 17 oz.
Wiebad bag/pillow 12 oz.
Base Tarp 15 oz.
Gun oil, electrical tape, Fix-It Stix, Bore snake 12 oz.
Ammo carrier, Galco Leather 6 oz.
Rifle sling, rubberized 6 oz.
S&W M69 .44 Magnum handgun, holster & ammo 60 oz.
Leatherman Skeltool 5 oz.
Arno Bernard knife 9 oz.
Havalon knife 4 oz.
Outdoor Edge Razor Pro 9 oz.
Paracord 2 oz.
Pyro Putty, waterproof matches, lighter 4 oz.
Wind checker, Silva Expedition 4 compass, predator mouth call 4 oz.
Bug repellant, net, sunscreen 4 oz.
Sunglasses 3 oz.
Ibuprophen, vitamins, NyQuil, Mucinex D, energy powders, blister treatment, compact deodorant, soap, rubber gloves 12 oz.
Scent-free wipes 3 oz.
Crampons 14 oz.
Contractor-grade garbage bags x2 10 oz.
Kuiu meat sacks 32 oz.
InReach Mini 4 oz.
Anker solar charger, cords, and Phone Skope power reservoir 21 oz.
Phone Skope for Swarovski 2 oz.
Sitka gear (all) 128 oz.
Beanie hat 3 oz.
Sitka Mountain Hauler pack 96 oz.
Pack cover 4 oz.
MSR Dromedary water bladder 6 oz.
Smart Water bottles, full 72 oz.
Katadyn water filter 14 oz.
Iodine tablets 3 oz.
Wool socks & blister socks 11 oz.
Danner boots N/A
ThermaCell Backpacker 7 oz.
SHOW NOTES:
• Wild Yukon with Greg McHale: Canada's new award-winning hunting TV show.
• Building the team: How the unique three members of Wild Yukon came together and began producing arguably the most compelling footage currently on hunting TV.
• Yukon Territory: Hunting opportunities and game species
• Sheep hunting: the point of the sword
• Greg McHale: adventure racing and the fitness lifestyle
• Tech gear: Packs, clothing, packable rafts, and rifles
• Heaviest pack ever carried
• McHale's recipe for success
• Bush planes--and the difference they can make
• Bear protection where sidearms are illegal
• White clothing for stalking dall sheep
• Overcoming the human tendency to quit
• YouTube channel: Greg McHale's Wild Yukon
• Instagram account: @gregmchaleswildyukon
• Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/thewildyukon/
RESOURCES:
https://www.kuiu.com
https://www.gunwerks.com
https://vortexoptics.com
https://www.swiftbullets.com
https://www.aire.com (Aire Tomcat kayaks)
https://www.alpackaraft.com/rafting/ (lightweight packable inflatable rafts)
https://www.scarpa.com
https://lathropandsons.com/lathrop-and-sons-mountain-hunter.html
SHOW NOTES:
• Skinning: where to make those cuts for the perfect rug or taxidermy
• Pulling paws: Finesse and a sharp knife, not brute strength
• Caping: Tips and tricks for a clean job
• Turning ears, noses, and such for the perfect face
• Fleshing: Ulu knives, improvised fleshing beams, and more
• Salting: Do or don't?
• Tyler Freel's favorite bear-meat recipe
RESOURCES:
Tyler Freel's Tundra Talk Podcast: https://tundratalkak.com
Points North web page: https://www.facebook.com/OLPointsNorth/
Instagram: @thetylerfreel
SHOW NOTES:
• Common backcountry shooting challenges
• Game types and differing requirements
• Accuracy needs
• One rifle suitable for anything
• Action types
• Stock types
• Corrosion-resistant finishes
Enjoy!
SHOW NOTES:
• Three different needs: Hunting, Guiding, & Defense
• Two primary species: Black bear & Grizzly/brown bear
• Firearms, cartridges, & bullets for each need & each species
• Black bears & the "deer cartridge myth"
• Bears & age: size, tenacity, physiology, and mentality
• Tony Russ's 16 points for shooting bears (quoted)
• Backup guns for guides: When stopping, not just killing, is necessary
• Self Defense against bears: rifles, shotguns, & handguns
• The Big-Bore Revolver vs. 10mm Semiauto Pistol debate
• Bear attack & survival true stories & lessons learned
RESOURCES:
Bryce Towsley speed-shooting big-bore revolver video: https://www.americanhunter.org/.../video-the-454-casull.../
.45-70 Lever-action Trapper: https://www.marlinfirearms.com/lever-action/model-1895-big-bore/model-1895-trapper
.416 Ruger Guide Rifle: https://www.ruger.com/products/guideGun/models.html
.480 Ruger Super Blackhawk Bisley: https://www.ruger.com/products/newModelSuperBlackhawkBisley/models.html
Kimber 10mm 1911: https://www.kimberamerica.com/custom-tle-rl-ii-tfs
Glock 10mm G20: https://us.glock.com/en/pistols/g20-gen4
Springfield 10mm XD(m): https://www.springfield-armory.com/products/xdm-4-5-10mm/
SHOW NOTES:
Company focus: Spartan Precision Equipment
Topic: Mountaineering-quality bipods & tripods
Products: Javelin bipod, Spartan 300 bipod, Sentinel tripod, accessories
Driving influences: Mountain-climbing, ultralight backpacking, deep-country hunting, and a need for gear that never fails
People: Behind the scenes at Spartan Precision, and the affect of 30,000 field testers
RESOURCES:
www.javelinbipod.com
www.instagram.com/spartanprecision
@spartanprecision
#spartansunite
YouTube: Which bipod is right for you?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oxacp6-s24#action=share
YouTube: the Sentinel tripod system:
https://youtu.be/IU7AjK8P7yg
SHOW NOTES:
• Listener questions
• Why hunt with a suppressor? Pros & Cons
• Where is hunting with a suppressor legal?
• Dangerous Game with a suppressor: Yes or No?
• Appropriate types of suppressor for backcountry hunting
• How to get the best accuracy and performance out of a hunting suppressor
• How to pick a suppressor appropriate for hunting
• Navigating the purchase
• When is the best time to take the plunge and purchase a suppressor?
RESOURCES:
www.silencerco.com
www.gunwerks.com
www.amtacsuppressors.com
www.gemtech.com
www.sigsauer.com
EPISODE NOTES: Interview with Team Bad Decision author Travis Greenwood his hunting partner Scott Daniels. Focuses on the inspiration that launched their backcountry hunting efforts years ago and shares wisdom they wish they'd had when starting.
This podcast touches strongly on spot-and-stalk bear hunting. Guests share techniques for picking areas, finding bears, and successful stalking.
Travis and Scott outline favorite gear items and share tips for mental toughness and success.
Book Team Bad Decision is available in E-Book form from Amazon and all the big retailers, and in paperback form from the website: www.teambaddecision.com
Social media:
• facebook.com/teambaddecisionbook
• @st_teambaddecision
GEAR RESOURCES:
www.hellscanyonarmory.com
www.tikka.fi
www.athlonoptics.com
www.mcmillanusa.com
www.scarpa.com
www.exped.com
www.enlightenedequipment.com
www.kifaru.net
www.stoneglacier.com
www.ruggedstitch.com
SHOW NOTES: Great bullets for elk are listed. Host Joseph von Benedikt goes into certain brands and types that work particularly well.
The broad spectrum of cartridges ranging from the various 6.5mms up through the .338s are addressed, each with one or more bullets recommended for elk.
Heavy-for-caliber rapid-expansion bullets are addressed, and their virtues and shortcomings compared to premium, controlled-expansion bullets for elk.
How muzzle velocity and/or bore diameter provide guidance when choosing a certain bullet for your elk hunt. Examples and recommendations given.
Bonus cartridge: .45-70 and great bullets for elk.
Bullet company websites:
www.barnesbullets.com
www.federalpremium.com
www.hornady.com
www.nosler.com
www.swiftbullets.com
Show notes:
Browning Rifle Product Manager Aaron Cummins tells the back story of the X-Bolt rifle line, including the secrets behind its outstanding accuracy.
Best X-Bolts for mountain hunting.
Browning's top-selling cartridges, and Aaron's personal suggestions for all-around backcountry use on a variety of game.
Hunting opportunities and how to practice to make the most of them.
www.browning.com
Show notes: Interview episode with media/industry expert and hunting photographer Justin Moore, owner of www.dangersoup.com. Justin has hunted with and photographed numerous celebrities and outdoor writers, and has a rich history working with notable companies such as Leupold, Nosler, Weatherby, Kryptek, Danner, and others.
His from-the-inside-out perspective on the backcountry hunting scene offers tremendous insights, and his personal experience hunting the backcountry enables him to distill tips and knowledge into solid, easily absorbed information.
Here's a link to the story about one of his favorite personal backcountry adventures, a hunt that used commercial plane, train, bush plane, horses, and boots to successfully take a magnificent dall sheep ram in Alaska: http://www.dangersoup.com/blog/2016/8/14/hunting-alaskas-most-elusive-big-game
And here's a video created by the Eastmans, using footage from the hunt: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azKA8nIO_wo
Please subscribe, rate, and review the show!
Prompted by a question from Alaska listener @michaelaanavi, this episode dives into combating the affects of middle-age loss of fitness, as well as injury management and prevention. Simple but effective exercise regimens and specific types of relevant strength training are discussed, as well as dieting and mental toughness.
Please scroll to the bottom of the podcast home page, rate, and review!
Host Joseph von Benedikt and guest Joe Kennedy discuss top gear choices for rigorous backcountry hunts in challenging terrain and weather conditions. Boots, raingear, sleeping bags, knives, and more.
An interview with Courtney Denham (CEO) and Mark Denham (GM) of Outdoorsman Tripods & Hunting Packs and Wilderness Athlete. We discuss supplements, health, and training for backcountry work, then take a close look at the Outdoorsman brand of bar-setting tripods and packs for backpack/backcountry hunting.
This episode goes deep into the realm of how bullets kill, how they respond to impact with muscle, bone, and vitals, and the various theories of optimum terminal bullet performance. The "shot placement is everything" mantra is debunked. Big game bullets that offer outstanding performance are detailed.
Don't forget to subscribe!
This episode with Hornady's PR guru Neal Emery re-lives our gruelingly hard, gloriously successful drop-camp, DIY Alaska moose hunt. We discuss planning and hunting strategies, bush pilots, rifle and ammo choices, and packs. Plus we touch on whittling gear down to the 55-pound weight allowance that fits into a Super Cub bush plane. But mostly, we just weave the tale of two big bulls.
This is possibly the most compelling interview I've ever done, with arguably the most experienced builder of precision hunting rifles in America. Gunwerks founder & owner Aaron Davidson talks accurate rifles, recoil management, cartridges & bullets with reach, optics systems for success, and how to learn long-range skills.
How dehydration, horses, and cold can turn a good hunt south, and a look at some of the gear, the prep, and the attitude adjustments that can keep you alive when you should be dead. Backcountry hunter Joe Kennedy and host Joseph von Benedikt share near-death experiences and candid talk about surviving and thriving.
This episode details the special capabilities and features that set a good backcountry hunting rifle apart, discusses how to set one up for best performance, and delves into training with your rifle to ensure success no matter how challenging the shot opportunity.
In this launch episode hard-core backcountry hunter Adam Weatherby and host Joseph von Benedikt visit about the lure of wild country, challenge versus reward, what drives hunters to remote areas, and gear that cuts the mustard.