The Hunt Backcountry Podcast

518 | Backpacking Skills with Andrew Skurka

Andrew Skurka is an adventure athlete, guide, and writer. He raised the bar on backpacking as a long-distance thru-hiker, completing (and at times creating) routes that traversed thousands of miles over many months. We interviewed Andrew on our podcast nearly a decade ago, and in the years since then, he has launched a business that provides educational experiences through guided backpacking trips.
We were excited to reconnect with Andrew to discuss backpacking education, how his personal outlook on adventure has changed in recent years, the evolution of backpacking gear, and more...
Connect with Andrew...
https://andrewskurka.com/ 
https://www.instagram.com/andrewskurka/
Our preview podcast with Andrew: https://exomtngear.com/blogs/podcast/053 
The Hunt Backcountry Podcast is brought to you by Exo Mtn Gear: https://exomtngear.com/
Email Sign-up: https://exomtngear.com/newsletter
Contact Us: podcast@exomtngear.com
Leave A Message: https://speakpipe.com/huntbackcountry
Podcast Episode Archive: https://exomtngear.com/podcast

MM 260 | New $10 T-Shirts, Impossible Optics Questions, & Bear Spray vs Lightning Rods

Steve & Mark answer your listener questions on this Monday Minute episode. They discuss...
New $10 T-Shirts from Exo Mtn Gear (https://exomtngear.com/logo)
Logistics on flying and traveling for hunts, including food for the backcountry, luggage and duffel bags for the travel, and getting meat home
Backpack hunting with a non-hunting pack
What hunters "need" a spotting scope (and why the optics market is a mess right now)
What experiences they have with lightning in the backcountry and how they deal with it
Links & resources mentioned in this episode...
New Shirts: https://exomtngear.com/logo
Backpacking Pack vs Hunting Pack: https://exomtngear.com/blogs/article/backpacking-vs-hunting-packs 
Backpack Hunting Nutrition Guide: https://exomtngear.com/nutrition 
How to use an Exo pack as a carry-on for flights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5Uey9pu49w
How to travel with weapons for hunts: https://exomtngear.com/blogs/article/how-to-fly-with-a-hunting-rifle
Duffel bag options to consider: https://amzn.to/3CHWIxW, https://www.cabelas.com/shop/en/cabelas-boundary-waters-duffel-bag 
EXO INSIDER NEWSLETTER — https://exomtngear.com/newsletter
ASK YOUR QUESTION — podcast@exomtngear.com
LEAVE A MESSAGE — https://speakpipe.com/huntbackcountry
VIEW & SEARCH THE PODCAST ARCHIVE: https://exomtngear.com/podcast

517 | Build (or Upgrade) Your Hunting Rifle At Home With A Pre-Fit Barrel

A pre-fit barrel is a ready-to-shoot barrel that can be installed on a rifle action with minimal tools, knowledge, and skills.
In this podcast with Jaden Miller of West Elk Precision, we discuss the pros and cons of pre-fit barrels, different types of pre-fit barrels, how to install a pre-fit barrel at home, and answer your listener-submitted questions about the use of pre-fit rifle barrels.
PRE-FIT INSTALL VIDEO, LINKS, & MORE — https://exomtngear.com/prefit
Connect with Jaden...
West Elk Precision
@west_elk_precision
@jaden_1_2
The Hunt Backcountry Podcast is brought to you by Exo Mtn Gear: https://exomtngear.com/
Email Sign-up: https://exomtngear.com/newsletter
Contact Us: podcast@exomtngear.com
Leave A Message: https://speakpipe.com/huntbackcountry
Podcast Episode Archive: https://exomtngear.com/podcast

516 | Lily's Record Book Billy — A Listener Story

Lily drew a once-in-a-lifetime Mountain Goat tag in her home state of Idaho, then was fortunate enough to kill a record book Billy on that hunt. Lily and her boyfriend, Ben, who previously had the same tag, join us on the podcast to share the hunt story, how they prepared for this hunt, Lily's perspective as a female hunter, and much more.
The Hunt Backcountry Podcast is brought to you by Exo Mtn Gear: https://exomtngear.com/
Email Sign-up: https://exomtngear.com/newsletter
Contact Us: podcast@exomtngear.com
Leave A Message: https://speakpipe.com/huntbackcountry
Podcast Episode Archive: https://exomtngear.com/podcast

MM 259 | Sharing Your Taglines, Answering Your Questions

Steve & Mark answer your listener questions and share some news and updates on this Monday Minute episode. They discuss...
Your suggestions for the Exo tagline
Upcoming Exo events
How we train with a Peloton bike
Potential for an ultralight frame stay option
The importance of simplicity
EXO INSIDER NEWSLETTER — https://exomtngear.com/newsletter
ASK YOUR QUESTION — podcast@exomtngear.com
LEAVE A MESSAGE — https://speakpipe.com/huntbackcountry
VIEW & SEARCH THE PODCAST ARCHIVE: https://exomtngear.com/podcast

515 | Hunting with 6mm Creedmoor — Our Experience & Your Questions Answered

After discussing the theory behind hunting with smaller calibers and then taking a 6mm Creedmoor to Alaska to hunt big-bodied Caribou and Moose, we are recapping our experience and answering your listener-submitted questions.
Resources Mentioned in this Episode: https://exomtngear.com/blogs/article/using-the-6mm-creedmoor-for-big-game-hunting
Exo Insider K4 Pack Giveaway: https://exomtngear.com/newsletter
Contact Us: podcast@exomtngear.com
Leave A Message: https://speakpipe.com/huntbackcountry
Podcast Episode Archive: https://exomtngear.com/podcast
The Hunt Backcountry Podcast is brought to you by Exo Mtn Gear: https://exomtngear.com/

514 | Listener Q&A with Jay Nichol of Mindful Hunter

Jay Nichol of Mindful Hunter joins us to answer your listener-submitted questions. This is a very wide-ranging conversation, as we discuss everything from boxers for the backcountry, how much you should tip a hunting guide, issues with hunting influencers, budget gear recommendations, the best do-it-all spotting scope size, and MUCH more.
The Hunt Backcountry Podcast is brought to you by Exo Mtn Gear: https://exomtngear.com/
Resources & Reviews from Jay...
Forged Backcountry Boxers
MindfulHunter.com
Mindful Hunter Youtube
@mindful_munter on Instagram
Jay's Independent Pack Review: Part 1 | Part 2
Jay's Backcountry Breakfast Cereal...
Combine and Vacuum Seal...
2-scoops Vanilla Whey Isolate
1oz Craisins
2oz Oat Crunch Cheerios
665 Calories
5g Fat
97g Carbs
58g Protein
Exo Insider K4 Pack Giveaway: https://exomtngear.com/newsletter
Contact Us: podcast@exomtngear.com
Leave A Message: https://speakpipe.com/huntbackcountry
Podcast Episode Archive: https://exomtngear.com/podcast

MM 258 | The First Monday — April, 2025

Welcome to The First Monday. In these episodes, Steve & Mark talk through what's going on for them that month in the categories of The Gear, The Hunt, and the Hunter, as well as what's going on with Exo Mtn Gear. If you want an unfiltered, behind-the-scenes look at what we are doing, researching, and learning, or just what we are excited about, this is it.
Links and resources mentioned in this episode...
Submit your Exo Mtn Gear tagline: podcast@exomtngear.com
Exo Email Newsletter: https://exomtngear.com/newsletter 
Huntin' Fool Draw Deadlines: https://www.huntinfool.com/resources/draw-deadlines 
Grand Canyon Death Hike (Last year's recap: https://exomtngear.com/blogs/article/2024-death-hike) 
Determining your effective range with a rifle: https://exomtngear.com/blogs/podcast/498 
ASK YOUR QUESTION — podcast@exomtngear.com
LEAVE A MESSAGE — https://speakpipe.com/huntbackcountry
VIEW & SEARCH THE PODCAST ARCHIVE: https://exomtngear.com/podcast

513 | Backpack Hunting Basics — How to Get Started

If you are new to backpack hunting, you are probably overwhelmed with what you need, where you can go, and how to get started.
In this podcast, we are joined by Josh Kirchner from Dialed-In Hunter to discuss the first steps that beginning backpack hunters need to take to get started backpack hunting.
Free gear lists, training plan, nutrition guide, and more: https://exomtngear.com/blogs/article/backpack-hunting-for-beginners
The Hunt Backcountry Podcast is brought to you by Exo Mtn Gear: https://exomtngear.com/
Email Sign-up: https://exomtngear.com/newsletter
Contact Us: podcast@exomtngear.com
Leave A Message: https://speakpipe.com/huntbackcountry
Podcast Episode Archive: https://exomtngear.com/podcast

MM 257 | K4 in Multicam, Ti vs CF, Dirt Bikes for Hunting, Solo in Alaska, and More...

Steve & Mark answer your listener questions and share some news and updates on this Monday Minute episode. They discuss...
A limited-run of K4 3600s in Multicam
Why Exo switched from Titanium to Carbon Fiber
Using dirt bikes for hunting and packing out meat
Hunting Alaska solo
Using a poncho as rain gear, a tarp, and a groundsheet
Altitude sickness prevention and treatment
Links for this episode...
Multicam K4: https://exomtngear.com/multicam 
Steve's Dirt Bike Elk Hunt Story: https://exomtngear.com/blogs/podcast/406 
Altitude Sickness Podcast: https://exomtngear.com/blogs/podcast/140 
EXO INSIDER NEWSLETTER — https://exomtngear.com/newsletter
ASK YOUR QUESTION — podcast@exomtngear.com
LEAVE A MESSAGE — https://speakpipe.com/huntbackcountry
VIEW & SEARCH THE PODCAST ARCHIVE: https://exomtngear.com/podcast