Backcountry Hunting Podcast

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 favori...

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 impa...

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...

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 Hunt...

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...

A short message on courage, humanity, and optimism. 

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 S...

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 Rigb...

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 addi...

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...

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 Pr...

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.  • B...

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...

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...

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 o...

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...

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...

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...

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 a...

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 ty...

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 amm...

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. ...

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 Handloadi...

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 prop...

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...