In Pursuit

There's a trend going on right now to film your hunting adventures. From the outside looking in it looks relatively easy, but there are a lot of steps done right that bring your film to life. Dirk chats with good friend and videographer Dusty Rupe about following the best practices for turning film clips into an unforgettable story. Connect with  Dirk  and  Phelps Game Calls Phelps on  Instagram ,...

September is here! Jason sits down with Cory Calkins to talk about what they've seen so far this September. They then dive into Cory's guiding backstory and they talk about the differences in elk in wilderness areas versus private ranches as well as what is required to be successful in both locations. They also touch on the moon phase and the weather changes and how they think it affects how the e...

We’ve often said there are more ways than one to skin a cat when talking about archery elk hunting strategies. This week Dirk Durham sat down with “Alone” Season 8 TV Series winner and long-time traditional bowhunter, Clay Hays, to compare and contrast elk hunting tactics. Being that he is a traditional archer, and Dirk shoots a compound, their approach to bowhunting elk isn't always that differen...

On this week's episode, Jason takes on a bunch of listener questions on elk hunting. He answers questions on what to do when elk shut down, how to determine what your next move should be, and how to deal with the excitement of a big bull getting within bow range amongst others. He then changes the discussion to other ways to hunt elk aside from calling and what the pros and cons of these options a...

On this week's episode, host Dirk Durham talks about pre-season preparation with the host of the podcast "The Western Huntsman", Jim Huntsman. They discuss everything from making sure your bow and arrows are correct for elk hunting, to not letting the idea that you have to be an elite athlete to enjoy chasing bugles in the elk woods, be a barrier. Connect with  Dirk  and  Phelps Game Calls Phelps...

In this episode, Jason sits down with Jeff Roberts of PNWILD to go over everything fall bear. The bulk of the conversation hinges around the food sources that the bears will be on, but they also dive into e-scouting, watching the receding snow lines, feet on the ground, and even using hiking websites to determine where you should be focusing your time in the fall when trying to turn up bears. Othe...

Ever wondered what it's like to archery elk hunt in New Mexico?  Jason  introduces new co-host  Dirk "The Bugler" Durham  on this week's show and the guys talk at length about how quirky the elk rut can really be, even in the famed state of New Mexico. Be sure to follow up and get your eyes on Dirk's  "New Mexico Bulls"  film, which he discusses in this episode. It's out on the  Phelps Game Calls...

Jason sits down with Bill Vanderheyden from Iron Will Outfitters to talk about the sharp end of the stick. They dive into arrows, efficiency, and ethics, discussing single bevel vs. double bevel, the optimum amount of offset and helical, as well as Bill's work on arrow flight with the University of Colorado. Connect with Jason Phelps Phelps on  Instagram ,  Facebook , and  Youtube Shop  Phelps Mer...

Today on the show, Jason  is joined by his buddy Brock for part two of their elk biology conversation. This time, they get deep into every elk hunter's favorite topic -- the rut. They talk on everything from elk estrus cycles to the reasons some elk are call shy and others aren't. Connect with  Jason and  Phelps Game Calls Phelps on  Instagram ,  Facebook , and  Youtube Shop  Phelps Merch     See...

This week on the show, Jason comes to you from the field with biologist Paul Wik to talk elk mortality and recruitment. They discuss the effects of predation and environmental factors in relation to elk recruitment, and what that means for hunting opportunity.  Connect with Jason and  Phelps Phelps on  Instagram ,  Facebook , and  Youtube Shop  Phelps Merch See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy...

Today on the show, Jason is joined by his buddy Brock to talk all things elk biology in part one of this two part series. In this episode they cover everything from moon phase to who really controls the herd -- the herd bull or the lead cow? Connect with Jason and  Phelps Phelps on  Instagram ,  Facebook , and  Youtube Shop  Phelps Merch     See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Once you have found a spot to hunt, what is next? In this episode Jason covers the technical how to of: breaking down an area quickly to determine if elk are present, how to go about locating them, how to move in, what you should be looking for as you setup, and then how to go about calling. Connect with Jason and  Phelps Phelps on  Instagram ,  Facebook , and  Youtube Shop  Phelps Merch See omnys...

This week on the show, Jason's mixed it up and gone solo as he answers your listener questions and discusses planning your elk hunt. From e-scouting and calling to mountain readiness and boot considerations, if you're considering an elk hunt this year, you won't want to miss this!  Connect with Jason and  Phelps Phelps on  Instagram ,  Facebook , and  Youtube Shop  Phelps Merch See omnystudio.com/...

This week on the show, Jason is joined in the field by guest John Weik as they discuss their recent turkey hunt. They discuss separating themselves from other hunters in the area, both in terms of distance and strategy.  Connect with Jason and  Phelps Phelps on  Instagram ,  Facebook , and  Youtube Shop  Phelps Merch See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, I'm joined by MeatEater's own Tony Peterson to talk turkey. On this episode, we answer a couple listener questions, talk pressured birds, and dive into turkey calling strategy. Tony is a certified turkey killer, and if you're a turkey hunter, you're not going to want to miss this.  Connect with Jason and  Phelps Phelps on  Instagram ,  Facebook , and  Youtube Shop  Phelps Merch See omny...

Ryan Lampers has spring bear dialed!!! Year after year he finds success in multiple states and these aren’t just run of the mill bears, Ryan targets mature boars.  In this episode Jason wanted to dig into all of Ryan’s spot and stalk bear hunting experience in hopes you can find something that may help you spring bear hunting this year.  They discuss finding bears, how the weather will affect them...

Jordan Budd grew up as a ranch kid taking advantage of all the great outdoors had to offer. Now, she has her own guiding service and a podcast you might have heard of -- MeatEater's Gear Talk. Today, we're talking turkeys and Jordan's turkey killing gear picks. We cover everything from ground blinds and comfortable seating options to broadheads and red dots. If you're a turkey hunter, you're not g...

Eric Braaten is a great turkey caller, great turkey hunter, and has done a lot for turkeys here in Washington. On today’s episode Jason and Eric take a deep dive into  turkey calls. They discuss the materials used and how they affect the tone and pitch of diaphragms, pot calls and box calls. Their discussion then turns to strategy where they talk about hunting small sections of public land, how to...

Today's guest is part human and part owl. James Harrison has been designing and building calls for 14 years and winning calling contests for just as long. His skills don’t end there though, he is as good as they get out in the woods when it comes to killing turkeys. On this episode Jason and James talk about: why you would locate a turkey without turkey calls and which calls to use, what different...

Samong Yang cut his teeth chasing turkeys in the NE corner of Washington.  These high pressured merriams that call the mountains home, provide turkey hunters with all kinds of additional challenges.  On this episode Jason and Samong touch on how much to call to pressured birds, what to do when they hang up, whether to use a decoy or not in the open country and what calls do they each carry.   Conn...

This week on the show, guest host Dirk Durham chats with champion elk caller Jermaine Hodge about Colorado elk hunting and calling tactics for pressured bulls. They discuss realistic vocalizations, finding a hunting partner, and hunting in and around pressure.  Connect with Jason and  Phelps Phelps on  Instagram ,  Facebook , and  Youtube Shop  Phelps Merch See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy...

This week on the show, Jason continues his conversation with Dr. Bronson Strickland as they discuss the ins and outs of hunting big whitetails, no matter where you're getting after them.  Connect with Jason and  Phelps Phelps on  Instagram ,  Facebook , and  Youtube Shop  Phelps Merch See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on the show, Jason's joined by Dr. Bronson Strickland to discuss the ins and outs of hunting big whitetails, no matter where you're getting after them. This two part podcast series is tailor made for the whitetail geek.  Connect with Jason and  Phelps Phelps on  Instagram ,  Facebook , and  Youtube Shop  Phelps Merch See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on the show, Jason sits down with whitetail legend Don Higgins, as they discuss the major do's and don'ts for success in the whitetail woods.  Connect with Jason and  Phelps Phelps on  Instagram ,  Facebook , and  Youtube Shop  Phelps Merch See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on the show, Jason Phelps is joined by Alex Yerges of Pacific Calls. They dive deep into duck calls, duck call history, and duck hunting strategies. Big game season is all but over, but there's still plenty of time to get after ducks this season. Join Jason and Alex as they discuss the nuances of hunting and calling waterfowl.  Connect with Jason and  Phelps Phelps on  Instagram ,  Faceb...