The Western Huntsman Podcast

Aron Snyder of Born Primitive Outdoors returns to the show this week for a great conversation. Aron needs no introduction, he's been a leader in the hunting community for many years and I've always respected his fearless authenticity.   In this episode, we not only touch on topics from gear to developing hunting skills to wilderness survival, we also find out on the internet that Aron supposedly d...

In this Quick Shots episode, we're talking about mountain lions. What do they eat, how many ungulates do they kill, what kills the most, and where fatal attacks take place. Just the facts in this one, good information for all outdoorsmen! jim.huntsman@eastmans.com Show Sponsors! Phelps Game Calls - The game call company of The Western Huntsman!  https://bit.ly/PhelpsGameCalls-Eastmans -Use Promo C...

Jake Anderson and Trevor Anderson are the founders of TouLou Broadheads, an American sourced and made single bevel broadhead that packs a punch.    In this episode, we talk about mechanicals versus fixed, bowhunting elk and deer, the three critical factors that make their broadhead as lethal as it is, and why manufacturing in America is important. I really enjoyed having Jake and Trevor on the sho...

I wanted to share with you guys how I have killed some great whitetail bucks, consistently, many years running. Not only have I done this, but my daughters kill great bucks every year and so do my hunting clients. The reason a whitetail mock scrape is so effective out West is because not many people bother to take the time to do it. However, since you're reading this and listening to the show, you...

Meet Matt Schoeller, a Colorado bowhunter, business owner, Dad, Husband, and Caribou guide in Greenland!   I came across a post of Matt's on Instagram and couldn't figure out how I didn't know him, and knew he would be a great fit on the show. In this episode, Matt talks to us about bowhunting as a lifestyle, getting permission to hunt from landowners, bowhunting antelope, a life altering hunt for...

In Quick Shots with Jim, episode 2, I break down my strategy to utilize the crowds in high pressure units to my advantage. Due to where I guide, if the unit gets overly crowded, I don't have the luxery of taking my hunters to other units where we are not licensed to guide in. We have to work around the crowds, and thats exactly what we do.  Learn how to get away from the vast numbers of weekend wa...

Jordan Breshears returns to The Western Huntsman to talk elk, muleys, and even Pennsylvania whitetail!   Jordan is a staffer at Eastmans and one heck of a bowhunter. He has a unique job in which he is able to travel and hunt all across the lower 48. After a fantastic mule deer hunt in Wyoming, Jordan heads to Pennsylvania for work and gets himself a whitetail tag. We talk about how he went into an...

Welcome to the new Quick Shots with Jim series! These new bonus episodes are in addition to our regular long form interviews. All about hunting, whether tactics or politics, this series will be adding an episode each week that is short and to the point. This week, we kick it off with understanding that what you may have learned as a kid, may not necessarily be true and could even be holding you ba...

Tyler Johnson grew up on the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska. He's no stranger to brown bears and wild places. A little over a year ago, however, on a backcountry black bear hunt with his Dad, they surprised a bedded brown bear and she predictably came at them. In this episode, you're going to hear the full story of survival and ways you can prevent this from happening to you.    I always find these kin...

Stuck N The Rut's Tom Schneider returns to the show this week and as always, it's a solid episode! Tom is a master mule deer, elk, and wolf hunter who always brings his A-Game to any hunt, and every podcast he does with me.    In this episode, Tom and I recap an exceptional hunting season he had. We discuss some wildlife management issues. I hammer the road hunters again and Tom shares some perspe...

Corey Groff is the new host of Eastman Hunting Journal's "Predator Pros" podcast, where they discuss the critical importance of predator management through hunting. Corey shares his extensive background in predator hunting and we discuss his evolved motivation toward conservation, the substantial impact of predation on wildlife, and the importance of hunter involvement in managing predators like w...

This week, I jump on and record a solo episode, a sort of recap on this season since the beginning of September. I haven't spent much time in civilization the last few months so I'm able to share some good stories and lessons learned between hunting and guiding. It's been one heck of a year! Also, I finish the episode with a little gear talk and stuff that really excelled this season for me. Maybe...

Dirk Durham is the Marketing Manager for Phelps Game Calls, Elk Hunting YouTube sensation, and someone I consider a close friend!   Dirk joins me this week to tell the wild story of his Yukon moose hunt with Jason Phelps. We do a little season recaps, elk hunting, bad etiquette on the mountain from other hunters, running into Doug Fluty on in the elk woods, and getting older as we both are. As usu...

This week, meet Jordan Christensen from The Draw. We discuss the complexities of western tag applications, noting the constantly evolving process with year-round deadlines and various state changes, which necessitates services like "the draw" to help manage applications and prevent costly mistakes. Jordan detailed the draw's mission to help people hunt out west as often as they desire by leveragin...

Jason Wilson is a hunter with insane amounts of bowhunting experience for rutting whitetail. He's a business guy, political influencer, and all around big personality, I really liked getting to know him!   In this episode, we dive into rutted whitetail and bowhunting. Jason drops some fantastic hunting tips and shooting techniques to help us all do better in the field. He brings his Georgia whitet...

I just got home from hunting mule deer in Wyoming with Fonzy Haskell of Four Horse Outfitters and Brandon Mason of Eastmans. What a heck of a hunt! We sat down to record a great episode, it's a good one…   In this episode, we discuss Fonzy's appointment to the Wyoming Fish & Game Commission, and what he hopes to achieve. We talk mule deer management. Brandon, as always, brings his A-game and persp...

Kurt Stick and I have been buddies for a while, mostly on the dot coms. I've always known he was a solid hunter, and this year he proved it again with an over 320" solo bull!   In this episode, Kurt tells the story of how he worked his way into archery range on a great bull this season. There are plenty of lessons to be had in this one, Kurt is a one of kind personality and I know you guys are goi...

Return guest, Tyler Oaks from Timber Cruisers Outdoors joins me to share his successful hunt this September on a 300" plus bull!   Tyler shares the calling strategy that worked in this bull on September 3rd, how he moved in closer to get the bull within range, and the final steps to sending his arrow 35 yards into the bull for a lethal shot. We also discuss some rifle elk hunting tips for the upco...

Return guest, Zach Hanson, has a new book out, The Trade Gap. His new book covers a topic that I'm super passionate about, and it's a page turner! In The Trade Gap, Zach stresses the importance of getting people involved in the trades. He learned this lesson well when he lost his white collar job and had to depend on taxidermy and welding to make ends meet. A perfect fallback! Zach is an excellent...

Blake and Justin are with HornScore, an app that estimates scores on antlers from images or video you take in the field.    In this episode, they tell us about the app and how it works. It's a sweet product, I've been taking trail camera images and scoring them in the app. This is not only useful information for me to know, but it's incredibly entertaining! Justin and Blake share the details and t...

Jordan Breshears is a hunter, writer and content creator for Eastmans, and a nuclear electrical wizard of great proportion. He's a fantastic archery elk hunter, and joins me this week to kick us off into the first episode released during season!   Jordan and I discuss some last minute gear and preparation stuff. He brings up some great strategies for locating lone bulls and quiet elk. We discuss s...

In this episode, there is no guest… It's just me bringing in a last minute episode as a bonus for this month. I break down mountain thermals, answer some various gear questions, and share some stories from past hunts that highlight the exact "failure point" that cost me a notched tag. It's my hope that those tough lessons I learned will prevent you from having to learn the same one.    Let me know...

Rod Paschke is a rancher, outfitter, hunter, and conservationist. He owns Sizzlin' S Outfitters in Montana and is part of an advisory group for mule deer management changes.    In this episode, Rod and I discuss the challenges with mule deer management, specifically in Montana. The advisory group has developed some key changes to help improve muley numbers throughout the state. Rod walks us throug...

Return guest, Dan Pickar, joins me for a short but action packed School of September! Dan is a writer, editor, and video producer at Eastmans as well as a co-host of the Life of a Bowhunter Podcast.    In this episode, Dan and I key in on some elk locating tactics, stalking techniques, calling, killing pressured bulls, and tons more. Dan is the perfect guy for the School of September! I always lea...

Josh Caple is a friend, hunter, and member of the Conservation Coalition of Washington. He's also a return guest and we dive into some of the latest happenings of the Washington fish and game commission. We talk about bear hunting, issues facing hunters, challenges with some of the language being used coming into the next legislative sessions, and the attempt to do a nationwide ban on bear baiting...