The Western Rookie - Hunting Podcast

On this episode of GOHUNT’s  Western Rookie Podcast, Brian talks with Madi Woodward about hunting with a spouse and how to pick the right rifle! Madi and her husband Clark live in Oregon and have a deep passion for the outdoors – whether it is ranching or hunting! Madi is also on the marketing team for Nosler – a high quality American ammunition manufacturer in Oregon. Madi shares how her and Clar...

On this episode of GOHUNT’s  Western Rookie Podcast, Brian talks with guest Rusty Smith about targeting giant elk, big deer, and Alaskan caribou. Rusty is an avid hunter and has travelled all across North America chasing big game. Brian and Rusty talk about hunting big bodied Alberta Whitetails and what goes into hunting as a non-resident in Canada and also doing DIY drop camp hunts in Alaska for...

On this bonus episode of The Western Rookie Podcast, Brian covers the upcoming Idaho General Elk and Deer Tag release date on December 1st.    Application Deadline: December 1st at 10:00 AM Mountain Time   Application Style : Over-The-Counter with random number based turn system   Application Cost: Hunting License - $185 (Must have to check out, can buy ahead of time – but no refunds) Deer - $351....

On this episode of The Western Rookie Podcast, Brian talks with good friend Will Van Vleck about his latest elk hunt in the same unit Brian and Will met in! Will is a Montana resident and die-hard bowhunter. Brian and Will met on the mountain in 2022 while Brian and his Brother were on an archery elk hunt. Will shares some of his hunting strategy – whether it’s solo hunting bulls with a bow or hun...

On this episode of The Western Rookie Podcast, Brian talks with Justus Nielsen and Caleb Latteier about hunting America’s last frontier! Justus and Caleb have been friends and hunting partners since middle school and have racked up a lot of adventures together. From hunting mule deer in their current home of Utah to chase big game in Alaska and everything in between. Caleb moved to Alaska for five...

On this episode of The Western Rookie Podcast, Brian talks with Tyler Jensen about all kinds of Montana Big Game hunts and being engaged to a die hard hunter! Tyler Jensen is a Montana Resident that gets some serious hours logged in mountains each fall – especially since his fiancé Savanah loves to hunt just as much as him! Tyler and Savanah hunt together as much as they can, and the proof is in t...

On this episode of The Western Rookie Podcast, Brian talks with guest Steven Lines about hunting big Coues Deer and avoiding rattlesnakes! Steven is an Arizona resident and avid Coues Deer hunter. Steven has tagged some giant bucks with both a gun and a rifle and spends a majority of his season in the mountains looking for these hard to find deer! Brian and Steven talk tactics, rattlesnakes, and e...

On this episode of The Western Rookie Podcast, Brian talks with experienced western hunter Mike Kaup about elk, mule deer, and filling freezers! Mike is a long time western hunter and very successful over the years. Mike has notched tags on multiple great bulls and bucks over the years, and loves to help members of his family notch their tags too – he was bringing his niece out for her Mule Deer h...

On this episode of The Western Rookie Podcast, Brian talks with Aaron Hepler about living and traveling from flat eastern states to go elk hunting! Aaron is experiences outdoorsman, writer, and deer hunter from the eastern United States, and recently tagged out on his first archery elk – a dandy 6x6 bull! Aaron and Brian talk about some of the challenges of hunting elk in high elevations when you...

On this episode of The Western Rookie Podcast, Brian walks through the annual Archery Elk Hunt and shares stories form the trip! Brian has been going on the archery elk hunt with a group of friends and family nearly every year since college, and this the year the group went to south western Colorado for the annual archery hunt. Brian shares how the hunt went down and some of the highlights of the...

On this episode of The Western Rookie Podcast, Brian talks with Jaime Teigen about what happens after the hunt in the kitchen!   Jaime is a master chef who specialized in wild game. Jaime is the host of her very own Outdoor Class series about cooking western game. Brian and Jaime talk about field care for wild game, weather considerations, and how to get your meat cooled down as fast as possible b...

On this episode of The Western Rookie Podcast, Brian has Jason Phelps on to talk about tips and strategies to calling elk during the rut! Jason is the founder and operator of Phelps Game Calls, a hunting call company that makes some of the highest quality elk calls on the market. Jason is an avid western hunter and spends a majority of his time in the fall out in the wild. Jason and Brian talk abo...

On this episode of The Western Rookie Podcast, Brian chats with “Big Merch Guy” Chris Neville about hunting general and over-the-counter units! Chris is a die hard western hunter and contributor for GoHunt. Chris gave many people, including Brian his mule deer partner, false hope of shooting giant mule deer on a general south east Montana tag on an episode of “Fresh Tracks”. Brian and Chris talk a...

On this episode of The Western Rookie Podcast, Brian talks with Cody Brockhouse about archery antelope and best first hunts for a new western hunter! Cody is an avid western hunter and archer who chases all kinds of game each season with his family. Cody hunts both big game and waterfowl, but in this episode dives deep into spot and stalk archery antelope. Brian and Cody discuss how antelope is th...

On this episode of The Western Rookie Podcast, Brian Talks with Jeff Cordero about the fast paced life of being a NASCAR Pit Crew and Elk Hunter. Jeff is a full time NASCAR Tire Changer for the #24 car pit crew and also an avid elk hunter. Brian and Jeff talk about the intense training it takes to do both, and how being a NASCAR pit crew member only allows for a few days in the mountains at a time...

On this episode of The Western Rookie Podcast, Brian talks with Derek Abrahamson about Big Game from Washington to Africa and everything in between! Derek is a wildlife biologist for his local Tribe in Washington State and helps manage the Reservation’s natural resources and wildlife. Derek is an avid hunter and has been on some amazing hunts from limited-entry elk on his reservation to an African...

On this episode of The Western Rookie Podcast, Brian and guest Kade Cleverly chat about archery hunting and getting fired up for elk season in a few weeks! Kade is a diehard hunter and you can tell by all the pictures in his Instagram that he spends most of his freetime out on the mountains! Brian and Kade both love archery elk hunting the most and talk about the up coming season. The guys cover e...

On this episode of The Western Rookie Podcast, Brian talks with Eric Bethune about a lifetime of incredible bowhunts for some of the most unique species! Eric has seemingly done it all – from trad bow polar bear hunts, to mountain goats and giant bull elk! Brian and Eric talk about what it takes to go on these “adventure” bow hunts, and also how to tag out consistently on some of these incredible...

On this episode of The Western Rookie Podcast, Brian talks with Kevin Estela about bushcraft, outdoor skills, and lifelong learning. Kevin is the director of training and bushcrafter for Field Craft Survival – a source for all your outdoor bushcrafting education needs! Kevin has built a life of gathering knowledge, experiences, and information about different climates and now uses that knowledge t...

On this episode of The Western Rookie Podcast, Brian talks with guest Kate Small about hunting some of North America’s Apex Predators, Kate is a backcountry hunter and outdoorswoman from Idaho who loves chasing predators each year. Kate has developed a passion for wolf hunting and the challenges it brings to finding and harvesting one of North America’s most elusive animals. Brian and Kate discuss...

On this episode of The Western Rookie Podcast, Brian has guest Dan Pickar on to talk about some of the craziest adventures Dan’s career has brought him. Dan is a writer, editor, and producer for both Eastmans Hunting Journey and Beyond the Grid TV. Dan also hosts his own podcast under the Beyond the Grid brand. Throughout his career, Dan has had the opportunity to go on some of the wildest hunts a...

On this episode of The Western Rookie Podcast, Brian catches up with prior host Dan Mathews on land, western fishing, and life. Dan Mathews was the previous host of the Western Rookie podcast. Brian and Dan met through podcasting and became friends immediately. Brian and Dan used to co-host the Western Rookie podcast, and since the New Mexico Shed Hunt when Dan stepped back, the two have had a lot...

On this episode of The Western Rookie Podcast, Brian breaks down his gear setup for an archery elk hunt, from boots to bow. Summer is well underway and so is planning for another season of archery elk hunting! Brian does a deep dive into archery elk hunting gear, from the lessons learned on old gear to the pros and cons of new gear. Whether you are starting from the beginning or just looking to up...

On this episode of The Western Rookie Podcast, Brian talks with good buddy Tyler Schmidt about hunting western North Dakota Mule Deer Tyler and Brian met in Fargo at different networking and investing groups and quickly became good friends due to a shared passion for hunting. Tyler is an avid big game hunter and chases whitetail bucks on the eastern side of the state and mule deer on the west side...

On this episode of The Western Rookie Podcast, Brian talks with Weston Paul about preparing for fall and another season of mountain hunting. Weston Paul is part of the Mtn Tough – a Bozeman based coaching company that helps build fitness plans for outdoorsmen and women, guides, LEOs, and anyone that is interested in living healthy and getting the most out of their body. Brian and Weston talk about...