Backcountry Hunting Podcast

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, PLEA...

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 doe...

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...

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 compatibilit...

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! ...

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...

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 Su...

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 th...

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...

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 (wh...

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 ef...

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...

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?...

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...

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...

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 Ea...

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...

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...

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...

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 a...

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: Mu...

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 Budg...

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....

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 presentati...

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 syst...