Backcountry Hunting Podcast

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 prep...

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...

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 m...

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...

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 H...

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 Backc...

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 bett...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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—...

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...

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...

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 backcou...

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                ...

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 mount...

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 t...

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 t...

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 ste...

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 r...

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 bowhu...

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-...

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...