The Hunt Backcountry Podcast

Backcountry hunters talking backcountry hunting. No advertisers or sponsors, no fluff, no BS. We discuss tactics, strategies, gear, hunt stories, and more — featuring a wide variety of guests, from industry experts to everyday listeners of the show. Your hosts, Steve & Mark, have decades of experience hunting the mountains for elk, deer, bear, antelope, sheep, mountain goats, moose, caribou, and more. While this podcast is 100% independent and free from advertising or sponsorship, it is brought to you by Exo Mtn Gear, which we own and operate. Exo’s mission is to build the best backcountry hunting pack systems available, provide the best service possible, and do it all right here in the USA. Learn more at: https://exomtngear.com/ Contact us at any time with your questions or feedback by emailing us: podcast@exomtngear.com. Or visit the searchable archive of all podcast episodes we have published over the past decade at: https://exomtngear.com/podcast. Thanks for listening! —Steve & Mark

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Episodes

Wednesday Feb 28, 2024

We continue the "Before & After the Hunt" podcast series with people just like YOU... listeners of the podcast. Throughout this series, we will be speaking with everyday hunters as they plan and prepare for a specific hunt, and then we will have a follow-up episode after their hunt to hear how the hunt unfolded, the lessons they learned, and more.
Today, we are speaking Zak, who completed a guided elk hunt in Montana, which was a family trip with his father and uncle. As an adult-onset hunter from the east coast, this was Zak's first western hunt — it was a fulfilling experience where he learned a lot and found success. We discuss the story, the lessons, and the takeaways.
Zak's "Before the Hunt" Episode: https://exomtngear.com/blogs/podcast/419
Contact Us: podcast@exomtngear.com
Leave A Message: https://speakpipe.com/huntbackcountry
Podcast Episode Archive: https://exomtngear.com/podcast

Monday Feb 26, 2024

In this Monday Minute episode, Steve & Mark answer listener questions about choosing to prioritize your hunting focus on specific species (in this case, elk vs deer) versus trying to 'do it all' at once. They also answer a listener's question about using the 6.5 Creedmoor for elk hunting. Additionally, they chat about changes to the podcast, updates on this year's Death Hike, and some new things coming from Exo Mtn Gear.
Links mentioned in this episode:
- Backwards Thinking & Ballistics: https://exomtngear.com/blogs/podcast/393
- Exo Mtn Gear on YouTube: https://youtube.com/exomountaingear
- Email Newsletter: https://exomtngear.com/newsletter
SHARE PODCAST QUESTION — podcast@exomtngear.com or https://speakpipe.com/huntbackcountry
View & Search the Podcast Archive: exomtngear.com/podcast

Friday Feb 23, 2024

Jay Nichol of Mindful Hunter returns to the podcast to discuss his 2023 season, and the lessons he has learned about confidence, consistency, and choices in gear. We also discuss his expanded hunting gear review platform, his new apparel company, and a whole lot more.
- Jay's Prior Podcast Appearance: https://exomtngear.com/blogs/podcast/349
- Independent Pack Review, Part 1: https://youtu.be/FdkN_rAeSx0
- Independent Pack Review, Part 2: https://youtu.be/ZuTKzIr8kS0
- Mindful Hunter: https://www.mindfulhunter.com/
- Mindful Reviews: https://www.mindful-reviews.com/
- Forged In The Backcountry: https://forgedinthebackcountry.com/
- Jay's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/
Contact Us: podcast@exomtngear.com
Leave A Message: https://speakpipe.com/huntbackcountry
Podcast Episode Archive: https://exomtngear.com/podcast

Wednesday Feb 21, 2024

After drawing a once-in-a-lifetime Bighorn Sheep tag in Idaho, and having an amazing experience on the hunt, Jason joins us on the podcast to tell the whole story, the lessons learned, and what this experience meant to him. When you combine a place as epic as the Frank Church Wilderness with an animal as majestic as sheep, and get to experience both of those things with the closest people in your life, you have a recipe for an amazing adventure.
Hunt Photos & Video — https://exomtngear.com/blogs/article/frank-church-big-horn-sheep-hunt
Contact Us: podcast@exomtngear.com
Leave A Message: https://speakpipe.com/huntbackcountry
Podcast Episode Archive: https://exomtngear.com/podcast

Tuesday Feb 20, 2024

We are back from Hunt Expo and are answering your listener questions, including questions about what we experienced at Hunt Expo, the best new products we saw there, our thoughts on bow length and stability, and more...
Links mentioned in this episode:
- Wiser Precision Bino Clamp: https://www.wiserprecision.com/products/ba-7-sparrow-bino-adapter
- Wiser Precision Ball Head (Sneak Peek): https://www.instagram.com/p/C3a_owRPpVA/
- Rokstok Rifle Stock: https://www.unknownmunitions.com/product-category/rifle-parts/stock-chassis/rokstok/
- Handheld Archery Release Holster: https://ivoryholsters.com/product/robin-hood-release-holster/
- Forged In The Backcountry Apparel: https://forgedinthebackcountry.com/
- First Hunt Foundation: https://firsthuntfoundation.org/
SHARE PODCAST QUESTION — podcast@exomtngear.com or https://speakpipe.com/huntbackcountry
View & Search the Podcast Archive: https://exomtngear.com/podcast

Wednesday Feb 14, 2024

This is a great conversation on the realities of hunting late-season elk, how dealing with variable weather can change the course of a hunt, the importance of logistics and details, how trophy opportunity can change the pressure of a hunt, and a whole lot more.
Rob joins us to tell the story of his 2023 late-season Montana elk hunt. While the hunt ended with a beautiful 350+ bull, it took a lot more work and persistence than Rob imagined it would.
Contact Us: podcast@exomtngear.com
Leave A Message: https://speakpipe.com/huntbackcountry
Podcast Episode Archive: https://exomtngear.com/podcast

Monday Feb 12, 2024

Steve & Mark answer your listener questions on this Monday Minute podcast episode. They discuss how to get started hunting, how to choose a sleep bag or quilt (especially for big guys), and why you can convert an Exo Lid into a fanny pack, but they don't recommend it.
Sleeping Bag vs Quilt Podcast — https://exomtngear.com/blogs/podcast/130
Come see us at Hunt Expo — https://huntexpo.com/
Get a special show discount at the Pacific Northwest Sportsmen's Show when you visit the Born & Raised Outdoors or PNWild booth — https://thesportshows.com/shows/pacific-northwest/show-information/
SHARE PODCAST QUESTION — podcast@exomtngear.com or https://speakpipe.com/huntbackcountry
View & Search the Podcast Archive: https://exomtngear.com/podcast

Friday Feb 09, 2024

Today we are releasing a bonus episode, which we originally recorded with our friend, Kyle Kamp, for his show, the Valley to Peak Nutrition Podcast. Kyle interviewed Mark & Steve about some of the lessons they have learned doing Death Hikes over the years.
This whole conversation was conceived because of a recent comment that Steve made on a Monday Minute episode, when he mentioned something along the lines of...
"I am not sure that we can make a truly hard Death Hike again, because we have learned so many lessons on how to manage mistakes, which makes even hard hikes easier."
Kyle heard that comment and wanted to hear more about what those mistakes and lessons are. And that is what we discuss in this episode.
Links from this episode:
- Life-Changing Lessons from the Exo Death Hike: https://exomtngear.com/blogs/article/life-changing-lessons-from-the-exo-death-hike
- Mark's 2022 Death Hike Gear & Food List: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ktD2BI58oecrtndyijw0J2B1-fMDhTEzvqbzNDuJQ24/edit#gid=448741633
- Kyle's 2022 Death Hike Gear & Food List: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1WInsPcXXnJfflLVaJfTj0qtW_Cp493FWRi0epeRWe_8/edit#gid=448741633
Connect with Kyle:
- Website: https://www.v2pnutrition.com
- Podcast: https://www.v2pnutrition.com/podcast
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/v2pnutrition
- Email Sign-up: https://www.v2pnutrition.com/prepandrecovery
Contact Us: podcast@exomtngear.com
Leave A Message: https://speakpipe.com/huntbackcountry
Podcast Episode Archive: https://exomtngear.com/podcast

Wednesday Feb 07, 2024

If you are interested in hunting big game in Montana in 2024, or beyond, this episode is for you. We speak with Greg and Emily from Montana Fish, Parks & Wildlife, to get an update on the status of deer, elk, and grizzly bears in Montana. The state's "It's Up To Us" hunter ethics campaign. The differences between Montana's bonus points and preference points for their hunting applications, and much more.
Resources for this episode...
- https://fwp.mt.gov/hunt
- https://fwp.mt.gov/ItsUpToUs
- https://fwp.mt.gov/buyandapply/hunting-licenses
- https://fwp.mt.gov/binaries/content/assets/fwp/conservation/elk/elk-management-plan/region-3-elk-plan.pdf
Contact Us: podcast@exomtngear.com
Leave A Message: https://speakpipe.com/huntbackcountry
Podcast Episode Archive: https://exomtngear.com/podcast

Monday Feb 05, 2024

Steve & Mark answer your listener questions on this Monday Minute podcast episode. They discuss the real advantages of a custom rifle, compared to a factory rifle. How to choose a sleep system based on the location, conditions, and logistics of a hunt. Why they don't make the K4 Lid into a fanny pack. And more...
Exo Golf Tournament — July 12, 2024. More info to come!
Come see us at Hunt Expo — https://huntexpo.com/
Get a special show discount at the Pacific Northwest Sportsmen's Show when you visit the Born & Raised Outdoors or PNWild booth — https://www.thesportshows.com/shows/pacific-northwest/show-information/
Custom rifle review, Tikka upgrades, and more... See all of the links at — https://exomtngear.com/perfect-rifle
SHARE PODCAST QUESTION — podcast@exomtngear.com or https://speakpipe.com/huntbackcountry
View & Search the Podcast Archive: https://exomtngear.com/podcast

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