2 days ago

The Backcountry Blueprint (Part 6) — Essential Skills of a Mountain Hunter

What does it take to find consistent success in the backcountry? In episode six of our Backcountry Blueprint series, we dive deep into survey data collected from over 1,500 backcountry hunters to pinpoint the exact skills and knowledge gaps hunters want to improve.

Steve and Mark break down the data and share their tactics and personal hunting experiences across six critical categories:

Glassing & Locating Animals: Training your mind's eye, building patience, and utilizing field-of-view and stability over high magnification.
Calling Proficiency: Mastering the timing, technique, and confidence needed for real-world archery elk encounters.
Animal Behavior & Patterns: Understanding local habitat, environmental factors, and navigating hunter pressure.
Stalking & Closing the Distance: Knowing when to move fast, when to slow down to a crawl, and how to execute the "red zone" approach.
Wind & Thermal Management: Predicting morning and evening air currents, managing swirling winds, and avoiding thermal paralysis.
Preparation & Planning: Advanced e-scouting with apps like OnX and calculating the logistics of moving from Plan A to Plan B.

Whether you are a seasoned mountain hunter or preparing for your very first Western tag, this episode is packed with actionable insights to help you eliminate variables and elevate your experience in the field.

To access the resources mentioned in this discussion, along with all other episodes in this series, visit...