Backcountry Hunting Podcast

SHOW NOTES • Scenario: You've got hunts ranging from coues deer to mountain grizzly and moose—and have to use just one rifle. What cartridge do you pick? • What trends show most folks pick • SHOT Show trends and hot cartridges • Comparison between the legendary .300 Win Mag and the trendy new .300 PRC • Candid discussion about podcast survivability • .300 Win Mag: America's all-around champ's Pros & Cons • .300 PRC: Touted as the best fast .30 ever designed, Pros & Cons CONCLUSION: Which is best? RESOURCES: Support the Backcountry Hunting Podcast at https://www.patreon.com/backcountry

SHOW NOTES NEW "BACKCOUNTRY APPRENTICE" SEGMENT! Listen for this 2-minute skills and how-to section presented by the host's favorite hunting partner (age 9). • Interview with Spartan Precision's founder Rob Gearing • Spartan 5-oz. bipods and why they work so well • Mountaineering tripods, trekking poles, and ultralight tents • Construction: Machined aluminum & carbon fiber • Made in the U.K. • Bow stabilizers and backcountry tool kits • Longbows & the tremendous ability of Great Britain's yeomen • Why we hunt the backcountry RESOURCES Spartan Precision Equipment Javelin Lite bipod Javelin Pro Hunt bipod Sentinel Tripod system Davros Tripod Head Spartan bipod/tripod rifle mount adaptors Spartan Carbonlite $650 tent Spartan Green Genie $350 tent

SHOW NOTES • Hunting Utah: Guest Colton Heward, big game guide Challenges of drawing a Utah tag "Point creep" —is it unresolvable? Youth and future opportunities: Can today's kids ever draw a good Utah tag? Opportunities in Wyoming, Idaho and other surrounding states A draw hunt in Idaho—tough conditions, few deer, many hunters, and the persistence and techniques that resulted in a professional guide's biggest buck ever. Stalking close and shooting long How to make the most of Utah's opportunities Extended Archery areas Desert Bighorn Sheep and a grandfather's dream Resources: Timney Triggers

SHOW NOTES • Squeezing the trigger: the final act in pursuing an animal • The critical importance of having a good trigger in a backcountry hunting rifle • Introducing Chris Ellis, owner of Ellis Communications, who reps Timney Triggers • Pronghorns in the fog: hunting tales and great triggers • Defining trigger performance: Crisp (like an icicle breaking) Creep-free Light Consistant Overtravel (what's that?) • Replacing factory production triggers: Fairly easy to do Cost spectrum? Timney's classic, legendary model Timney's cutting-edge flagship model • Tuning a Timney to perfection • Timney's outstanding lifetime warrantee and customer service • Heavy triggers and lost opportunities at elk • Listen to the end for exiting news—and a discount code to get 15 percent off any one Timney trigger! RESOURCES: Timney Triggers

SHOW NOTES Review time! Savage's Axis II budget rifle in .280 Ackley Improved • Listener lever-action questions & comments • Mid-bore cartridges such as the .338-06 and .35 Whelen for backcountry hunting • A six-pound, six-ounce, sub-$400 mountain rifle • Discussing the Axis II action • Barrel length, rifling twist rate, and type • Axis II stock: Well-designed but flexible • Mounting a bipod: Do or don't? • Accuracy: Will the Axis II .280 Ackley shoot sub-MOA? • Reliability and feeding smoothness • Ergonomics: Feel, balance, and responsiveness • Picking the right scope for the Axis II RESOURCES: Email the host [email protected] Follow/submit questions on Instagram @backcountryhuntingpodcast Follow on Facebook: BackcountryHuntingPodcast Savage Axis II site Hornady .280 Ackley ammo Nosler .280 Ackley ammo Leupold VX-3i riflescopes

SHOW NOTES This episode addresses several interesting questions and comments submitted by listeners. • Browning BLR correction • Takedown rifles and scope mounting • Swedish hunters and the Backcountry Hunting Podcast • Single-loading lever guns in dangerous situations • Sierra bullets for hunting • Dogs and deer hunting • Lever-action Turnbull for bear in the Pacific Northwest • Browning A-Bolt Ti • .280 Ackley Improved vs. 7mm Rem Mag. • 7mm STW for backcountry hunting • Barnes TTSX bullets and AR-15 accuracy

SHOW NOTES • Why hunt the backcountry with a lever action rifle? • Advantages & disadvantages of lever actions • Types of lever actions • Characteristics of lever actions Browning BLR: Modern, capable powerhouse Savage 99: Vintage but capable Winchester 95: Vintage powerhouse Winchester 86: Classic western big bore Winchester 94: Classic western deer rifle Marlin 1895: All-around classic/capable champ Marlin 336: Accurate, versatile .30-30 • Lever-action takeaway notes RESOURCES Browning BLR Savage 99 Winchester 95 Winchester 86 Winchester 94 Marlin 1895 Marlin 336

SHOW NOTES • Scenario: Running game vs. long shot? • Intro: Long-Range Hunting—an exploration of all the elements • Listener questions & comments • Defining long-range hunting • The Ethical Argument against long-range hunting • A skill-based argument for long-range hunting • Potential issues with long-range hunting Potential for poor hits Insufficient projectile performance Difficulty recovering game Too many hunters don't practice • Potential advantages of long-range skill More precise shots at common distances Making the most of backcountry opportunities Experience success more frequently Harvest bigger animals, more often • ABC's of becoming a long-range hunter • JvB's personal creed: Be the best hunter possible so long shots are rarely necessary; be the best rifleman possible so as to ethically make long shots when required.

SHOW NOTES: • 50th Episode gear giveaway results, LIVE! • Adam Weatherby, and the superb new sub-5 pound Backcountry rifle • How Wyoming has influenced Weatherby rifle design • How Weatherby achieves sub-MOA accuracy in an ultralight rifle • Action features and strength • Barrel construction and quality • Stock design and action bedding • Weatherby's new 6.5 WBY RPM cartridge • Tips to shooting an ultralight rifle accurately • Where the Backcountry rifle line is headed • The "Hunt Your Own State" dilemma RESOURCES Weatherby home page Backcountry Ti rifle Backcountry rifle Email the Backcountry Hunting Podcast here

SHOW NOTES • New podcast email: [email protected] • Toby Boudreau: Biologist extraordinary of Alaska & Idaho • Opportunities in the great state of Idaho • Mule deer: Population health Where to find the biggest bucks Tag types and available opportunities Idaho's marvelous OTC permit • Elk: Best OTC elk opportunity in Idaho Populations and trophy potential OTC Tag availability Season types and multiple-opportunity tags • Once in a Lifetime hunts (bighorns, moose, Mtn. goats) How and when to apply Cost of license and applying Where to find draw odds • Wolves Current population impacts How to buy multiple cheap non-resident wolf tags Ongoing management research studies • Human population growth Fastest-growing Western state Future affect and opportunities • Bonus material: Mr. Boudreau's top backcountry hunting cartridge RESOURCES Idaho Fish & Game website Idaho Hunt Planner

SHOW NOTES • The Critical parts of a capable backcountry riflescope Quality (optical & construction) A balanced magnification range A good dial-up turret with zero stop type mechanism Sub 20-ounce weight • Dialing vs. holding over: How to get the best out of both methods—plus a couple of hunting horror stories that spotlight weaknesses. • How to set up a dial-up turret • How to calibrate your ammo/bullet system to a holdover reticle • Bonus material: How to use a simple duplex reticle for extended ranges TOP ALL-AROUND HUNTING SCOPES, REVIEWED: Leupold 3-15x44 VX-5HD and 3-18x44 VX-6HD SWAROVSKI Z5 3.5-18X44 BT with 4W reticle Nightforce NSX 2.5-10x42 Leupold VX-3i 2.5-8x36 with Boone & Crockett reticle • Mounting a scope for trouble-free function • Great bases & rings for backcountry rifles

SHOW NOTES • Lex Webernick, America's master mountain-rifle builder • Listener's questions and comments • Customizing Remington 700 & Winchester M70 actions • Sculpture-quality skeletonizing for ultralight action weight • Premium barrels • Recoil-taming, quiet(ish) muzzle brakes • Building a 13-ounce composite stock • Ultralight, ultra strong scope rings • Commissioning a custom from Rifle's Inc. • Accuracy of the author's .270 Win. and .375 H&H • Upcoming mountain-rifle reviews: A sub-$400, mountain-weight .280 Ackley America's top precision mountain rifle Weatherby's innovative new Backcountry Ti RESOURCES Rifle's Inc

SHOW NOTES • .30-06 & .270 at crunch time • Revisiting the old argument: Which is better? • More to the point, how do you get the best out of each? Cartridge comparison: .30-06 is more versatile--and here's why .270 is more forgiving in some ways--and here's why Downsides of the .30-06 Downsides of the .270 How to get the best out of the .30-06 History: America's Warhorse Bullet choice Handloading for ultimate performance Matching hunting bullets to intended species Bringing the .30-06 up to modern performance How to get the best out of the .270 Win. History: O'Conner's favorite Find high-BC bullets Tune for accuracy Pick tough bullets for tough game Set your rifle up for ultimate performance Excellent modern rifles chambered in .30-06 & .270 Browning X-Bolt Hells Canyon Speed Kimber Montana Weatherby Backcountry Ti Spec OPS Brand Accu-Pack Spartan Precision Bipods

SHOW NOTES Wild game meat should be incredibly good—not dry, gamey, and tough to eat. Field care for clean-tasting meat "Ice Aging" meat for tenderness and mild flavor Pre-cooking prep for roasts and steaks Grilling techniques for the perfect steak or roast Professional meat processors: A good way to get your wild game meat ruined Even old, rut-worn bulls are tender and great-tasting if aged properly, prepped correctly, and grilled skillfully. Searing in Olive oil: a magic recipe for juicy, tender meat Steak seasoning Steps to aging perfectly Proper pre-grilling prep Grilling and resting Cardinal Sin: Overcooking wild game meat A challenge for listeners

SHOW NOTES Challenges of late-season elk hunting Bulls are solitary and hard to find Antlers are often broken Extreme cold can be a major factor Elk are pressured and spooky Wintering grounds often present public/private land conflicts Shooting in extreme cold is always difficult Techniques that work: Glassing. How to find the best vantage points, how to choose optics Hunting elk mentally. Think like a wise, exhausted old bull. Tracking in snow. Methods for big herds vs. solitary old bulls Ambushing. Patterning, setting up, and moving on late-season elk

SHOW NOTES • Work Sharp Tools: the Genesis • Edge technology and what makes "sharp" • Most common sharpening mistakes, and how to correct them • Edge angle: What's best for a hunting knife? And how do you control it? • Under the microscope: What creates sharpness • Different knife steels, and how to address them • Keeping a razor edge, almost effortlessly • Ultralight Work Sharp tools for backcountry hunting RESOURCES Work Sharp Tools Guided Field Sharpener Micro Sharpener & Knife Tool Pocket Knife Sharpener Victorinox Swiss Paring Knife (a taxidermist's favorite) Buck Knives Siembida Custom Knives (on instagram)

SHOW NOTES Why reload: Pick your bullet Tune your accuracy Create premium ammo for budget-ammo cost Getting started: Instruction sections in reloading manuals ABC's of assembling a cartridge The Three "B's" of accuracy Choosing cartridge cases Prepping cases for accuracy Choosing a gunpowder Working up a propellant charge Choosing a projectile (toughness, aerodynamics, accuracy) Tuning seating depth for accuracy Reasonable accuracy expectations Rifle quality Shooter skill Handload quality Testing handloads for reliable chambering prior to hunting Wrap: A question for listeners... check it out, and let me know! Lapua cartridge cases Nosler brass Federal Gold Medal Match primers Alliant gunpowders Hodgdon gunpowders

SHOW NOTES Host introduction: Evan Siembida of Siembida Custom Knives Hunting knife design evolution and performance characteristics Handle materials and practical advantages How size, blade shape, and edge geometry affects use Bushcraft and fire starting "Spa Treatment" knife restoration service Micarta handle material: linen, canvas, paper, and boutique burlap Sharpen-ability and edge-holding characteristics of stainless steel vs. non-stainless Specific types of steel optimum for knives Carbides and the microscopic edge Different degrees of "stainlessness," i.e. rust resistance SHARPENING Sharpening correctly—and using a Strop Recommended sharpening stones The drawbacks of "V" type pull-through sharpeners Choosing and using the right blade for backcountry hunting RESOURCES • Siembida Custom Knives Instagram • [email protected] • Gator sharpening stones • EZE-LAP pocket diamond stone • EZE-LAP diamond shop stone • Leather strops for sale

SHOW NOTES • Follow-up on episode No. 40's discussion on worst elk wounders • Characteristics that make ideal elk cartridges AUTHORITY Bullet weight Frontal diameter Bullet construction Velocity REACH Velocity Aerodynamic bullet • List of great elk cartridges • LIst of great elk bullets RESOURCES: Web link to stock pack detailed in episode No. 40: SPEC-OPS BRAND Accu-Pack

SHOW NOTES Making The Shot intro: After all your planning, prep, and hard hunting, everything comes down to one moment where you've got to succeed or fail in taking your quarry. • Two real-life scenarios with heartbreaking consequences, and how they could have been avoided • Correcting the mistakes before they occur: Pre-hunt shooting prep and in-the-moment decision-making • Pre-hunt shooting prep: 5 practice steps to success • In-the-moment decision-making: This one is harder. You can't practice, you can only conceptualize. Moving animals Shooting in desperation Fleeting opportunities at whopper bucks, bulls & rams BONUS MATERIAL • 6.5 PRC: Is it an elk cartridge? Exit holes, blood trails, the "knock-down power" myth, and slowing big-bodied, tough bulls down.

SHOW NOTES Backcountry Gear Challenge: fit 10 days worth of gear into 55 pounds Top-of-the-list item: Tag/Hunting license! • Sleep systems: Sleeping bag, pad, & tent • Backpacks: Types and recommendations • Raingear: Jackets & pants, pack covers, drybags for camera & electronics • Clothing & footwear: From skin to shell. Underwear, base layer, pants, shirts, the annoyance of layering, puffy coats & pants, neck gaiters and warm hats, appropriate boots, Crocs and manliness, crampons, and more. • Cooking systems: backpacking stoves, fire starters, water filters, water containers, and the critical Life Straw • Optics: Rangefinding binoculars, Badlands bino harnesses, spotting scopes, • Communication: inReach Mini, Midland handheld radios, lithium batteries, solar chargers, battery reservoirs, smartphone headphones, headlamps, and compasses. • Camera: Smart phone vs. compact lightweight DSLR, plus Phone Skope • Tripod favorites: Outdoorsman Medium and Spartan Precision Sentinel • Rifle, Ammo, & Accessories: sling, Galco ammo carrier, Spartan bipod, Otis cleaning cable, electrical tape (yellow!), ballistic chart, wind checker, and handgun if applicable • Knives & Accessories: Leatherman Tool, fixed-blade hunting knife by Browning, Arno Bernard, or Siembida Custom Knives; Outdoor Edge or Havalon, compact EZE-Lapp diamond stone, Outdoor Edge folding saw, Gransfors Bruks Hunter's Axe, Kuiu or Caribou Gear game bags, contractor-grade garbage bags • Health & Hygiene: compact deodorant, hand soap, toothbrush & paste, floss, Airborne tablets, Zip Fizz, MTN OPS, Ibuprophen, Mucinex D, NyQuil, Blister kit, sunscreen, chapstick, vaseline, sunglasses, wipes, bug spray, bug net, knee braces, TETRA ear pro, notebook • Food: Mountain House and other freeze-dried brands, snacks, gum, hard candy, energy supplements, Montreal Stake Seasoning, coffee or tea RESOURCES: Mountain Hardwear sleeping bags Stone Glacier sleeping bags Kuiu sleeping bags Wiebad Mini Tac Pad (pillow) Thermarest sleeping pads Klymit sleeping pads Big Agnes sleeping pads ExPed sleeping mats Big Agnes tents Mountain Hardwear tents Spartan Precision Carbonlite Tent Kifaru tents Barney's Sports Chalet "freighter pack" Sitka Mountain Hauler 6200 pack Mystery Ranch packs Sitka Gear Stormfront raingear Kuiu rain gear https://kryptek.com/catalog/category/rain-gear/ Grundens rain gear Helly Hanson rain gear JetBoil backpacking stoves Katadyn water filters LifeStraw portable water filters Swarovski EL Range Leica Geovid rangefinding binos Zeiss Victory RF rangefinding binos Badlands bino cases Swarovski ATS 65 spotting scope Leupold 12-40 x 60mm Gold Ring spotting scope Garmin inReach Mini Midland handheld radios Leica V-Lux camera Phone Skope Outdoorsman's Medium Tripod Outdoorsman's Tripod Pan Head Spartan Precision Sentinel Tripod Spartan Precision Javelin Bipod Galco Gunleather "Stalker" ammo carrier Otis cleaning kits with flexible cable Leatherman tools Arno Bernard Dagga Boy drop point knife Siembida Custom Knives Instagram page Outdoor Edge Razorlite exchangeable blade knife Havalon exchangeable blade knife Outdoor Edge folding saw Gransfors Bruks Hunter's Axe Kuiu game bags Caribou Gear game bags Mountain OPS energy suppliments TETRA hearing enhancement/protection Rite in the Rain notebooks Mountain House freeze-dried meals

SHOW NOTES: • Intro: Remington's M700, episode recording, guest Carlos Martinez, • Listener questions & comments • Remington's Custom Shop (also covers Marlin & Dakota) • Why the Model 700 has such accuracy potential • How the Custom Shop maximizes performance • How you can order any configuration you want • Dakota Arms: The ultimate in controlled-feed rifles • Marlin Custom-Shop lever-actions: Best value on the market RESOURCES: Remington Custom Shop Dakota Arms Marlin Custom Shop PLEASE SUBSCRIBE!

SHOW NOTES: • Hearing protection: Loss-incurring damage never heals. Protecting hearing is paramount. • The dangerous game conundrum (gotta be able to hear) and TETRA Hunt's superb solution • TETRA's tuned-frequency hearing enhancement/protection, and dedicated profiles for elk, turkey, geese, waterfowl, and the new Dangerous Game profile • How the ear gathers sound • How we pinpoint direction • How TETRA not only maintains directional hearing, it enhances it • Cost: Can you afford NOT to protect your ears? • Hearing loss as an indicator of potential early onset Dementia and Alzheimers • Why hearing loss accelerates Dementia and Alzheimers, and how to reverse it RESOURCES: TETRA Hunt Test your hearing here

SHOW NOTES: • New Zealand: The Shangri La of modern backcountry hunting • Bag limits? What bag limits? • Gnarly, steep, challenging, beautiful country • What island to hunt, and how to find and access a good spot • Game types, habitat, and taxonomy, and how to hunt them • Logistics of traveling to New Zealand and accessing the backcountry • Importing a hunting rifle and ammo to New Zealand • Critical gear & planning time • Recommended rifles, optics, and ammo • Do it now: Laws will never be better, and you'll never be younger ENJOY! Please subscribe, rate, and review!

SHOW NOTES: • From Tradition to Technology: Picking a muzzleloader for backcountry hunting • Exploding boundaries • From the beginning: Traditional muzzleloaders, common inline muzzleloaders, and uncommonly accurate long-range muzzleloaders • Traditional muzzleloaders: Why to hunt with them, and how to get the best out of them. What they shoot (blackpowder and patched round balls), caliber restrictions, barrel length, sight-in and effective range determination. • World record flintlock elk: a first-hand account of the hunt • Common inline muzzleloaders: Why to hunt with them, and how to get the best out of them. Hunting history. What they shoot (blackpowder substitutes and saboted or belted conical bullets), configurations, and how to work up a great load. Determining maximum lethal range. Cleaning and maintaining. • Long-range precision muzzleloaders: a burgeoning trend. Why to hunt with them, and how they are different. What they shoot (Blackhorn 209 blackpowder substitute, Parker bullets), how to set up a rifle, pick a long-range-capable scope, and maximize effectiveness with Remington's M700 Ultimate Muzzleloader. Ethics of shooting long: wind, time of flight, terminal performance, and more. How to determine maximum effective fully-lethal range. • First-hand account of a big New Mexico bull elk taken at 407 yards. • Attacking the ethical question: What's right, what's conditionally right, and how to deal with hunters that do things we oppose. Recognizing and accepting personal choices, and learning from other hunters. • An old man, an alpine buck, and a clean, one-shot 631-yard kill. • Questions, comments, & opinions: Please share on Instagram on the @backcountryhuntingpodcast profile--but be clean and respectful. RESOURCES: Fine custom traditional longrifles: Tennessee Valley Manufacturing Inline muzzleloaders by Traditions Inline muzzleloaders by Thompson Center Inline muzzleloaders by CVA Long-range Remington 700 Ultimate Muzzleloader Long-range Gunwerks Muzzleloader Goex Blackpowder Blackhorn 209 blackpowder substitute Parker long-range muzzleloader bullets

SHOW NOTES • Prep, planning, and gear • Tyce Erickson: master dog trainer and high-country big-game hunting genius • Hot off the BBQ: Shiras moose, elk, musk ox, black bear, deer, and more • September bulls: Tactics for finding, calling, and stalking rutting elk • Holding it together under pressure: Stories of jubilance and heartbreak on monster bulls • Alpine mule deer: Locating, patterning, stalking, and arrowing big early-season bucks • After the shot: What to expect in the high country • Erickson's favorite broadhead • BONUS MATERIAL: Best dog breed for everything from packing and hunting big game to upland and waterfowl hunting RESOURCES Utah Bird Dog Training Utah Pointing Labs Field Bred Golden Retrievers Follow Tyce on Instagram: @lichenoutdoors, @utahbirddogtraining

SHOW NOTES: • Guest Cork Graham: International best-selling author, Discovery Channel personality, combat veteran, PTSD counselor, and Alaskan subsistence hunter. • How hunting rebuilds those suffering with PTSD • Graham's personal experience recognizing and recovering from PTSD • Steps to recovery (that resulted in 89 percent success in Graham's patients) • Hunter, Warrior, Healer: the three vital characteristics that enable humankind to provide, protect, and heal. BONUS MATERIAL: the .338-06 Graham believes may be the ultimate cartridge for all-around use in Alaska. Resources: International bestseller The Bamboo Chest: An Adventure in Healing the Trauma of War Cork Graham's website

SHOW NOTES: • The older you get, the less you like to carry—yet the more you appreciate remote backcountry. — Condors & lead bullet correlation update: The science behind it. Please listen to Randy Newberg's Episode No. 87 of Hunt Talk Radio. Here's a link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzBbxm2cFhw BACKPACKS vs. PACK ANIMALS Backpacking favors daily adaptability. Live out of your pack. Hunt extreme terrain where horses can't go. Pack animals favor major shifts in location, and eliminates restrictions on how deep you can hunt for big-bodied game. Both methods have advantages and limitations Limitations: • How deep can you hunt? How much food and gear can you carry in? How much meat can you carry out? • Heat and distance: meat's primary enemies when backpacking • Maintaining and caring for pack animals while hunting • Weight and distance are limited when backpacking, particularly when hunting big-bodied animals such as elk. • On-the-fly adaptability is limited when horse packing. Advantages: • Backpacking enables extreme simplicity & flexibility. • Pack animals enable you to transport meat much more easily. • Pack animals allow a more comfortable camp, better food, and longer stays in the backcountry. Types of backpack: • External frame packs and their pros & cons • Internal frame packs and their pros & cons • Hybrid crossover packs--and why they're a bad idea Types of pack animal and the advantages and disadvantages of each: • Horses: Strong, friendly, capable. The quintessential pack animal. Need lots of care. Expensive. Potentially dangerous. • Mules: Just like horses, but different. • Burros: There's a reason prospectors and expectant mothers love them. • Llamas: Sinister-looking but oh so capable. • Goats: Yes, really.

SHOW NOTES: • Are monometal bullets as good a traditional lead-core bullets? • Rights & Freedoms, Laws & Regulations • Top manufacturers of non-toxic monometal bullets • Monometal vs. Lead-core bullets: THE DIFFERENCES 1. Behavior in the bore 2. Behavior in flight 3. Behavior on impact 4. Trauma & terminal performance 5. Exit wounds & blood trails 6. Non-ideal shot angles 7. Bullet failures & anomalies 8. How to pick a monometal bullet • Accuracy, Design, & Weight • Factory ammo and various loads RESOURCES Barnes Bullets Hornady Bullets Nosler Bullets Federal Bullets Black Hills Ammunition

SHOW NOTES • The backcountry is hard on optics • All brands and types of optic can and occasionally will fail • User-induced failures • Properly mounting riflescopes for ultimate toughness • How scopes get knocked off, and how to re-zero them • Protecting lenses against grit, grime, water, and ice • Sideways impacts to scopes, and related weaknesses • When you fall on your scope • Something you need in the backcountry: Enough ammo to re-zero a scope • Iron sights can save a hunt • Fogged lenses, and how to avoid them • Snow clogs and snap shots • Scope covers, and how to pick one • When binoculars go south • Cleaning lenses without causing damage • BONUS MATERIAL: Ammunition corrosion and reliability issues

SHOW NOTES: • Backcountry in Africa • On the menu: Cape buffalo, hippo, and plains game--particularly big kudu bulls • Prep and packing • Shooting practice for success in Africa's bush country • Buffalo charge stopped at 4 yards • Big kudu bulls • Stalking a monster hippo through other aggressive hippos, past Cape buffalo, and amongst crocodiles • New and veteran hunters: What we'd do different next time • Staying flexible and rolling with logistical challenges • Advice from a PH: How to avoid most common mistakes made by American hunters • Filming your hunt: How to plan for great results RESOURCES Kowas Hunting Safaris Reinhardt Bronner Productions (pro cameraman & film producer) Federal Ammunition Turnbull Restoration Kimber Firearms Browning Firearms Winchester Firearms Facebook: Kowas Hunting Safaris Instagram: Kowas Hunting Safaris Instagram: Turnbull Restoration Instagram: Reinhardt Bronner Productions

SHOW NOTES • Your rifle or bow is the one tool you can't be successful without--so prep it properly for backcountry work, and know how to perform emergency fixes. • Barrel break-in • Action tuning • Stabilizing sighting systems and accuracy • Gun oil in your barrel: Best friend and worst enemy • Non-oil moisture barriers for barrels and actions • Barrel blockages and catastrophic failures • Compact kits and improvised tools to remove barrel blockages • Hunting through the worst weather mother nature can throw at you RESOURCES Sharp Shoot'r solvent Hoppe's Bore Snakes Otis compact cleaning kits Fix-It Stix

SHOW NOTES • Mule deer addiction & the wonderful wives that deal with it • What makes mule deer different? • Critical hunting methods & tools • Field scoring: The flash glance • Field scoring: when time is on your side • Realistic public-land, DIY expectations • Colton's favorite mule deer cartridge • Top tricks for success RESOURCES Instagram handle: @muleycrazy89

SHOW NOTES • AlpenFuel founder talks inspiration • Planning for various types of terrain and conditions • Energy supplements • Charting your body's needs over the hunts' duration • Performance food • Recovery food • Indigestion, and how to avoid it • Minimalist stoves and dehydrated meals • COFFEE! Convenience meets great taste • Overpacking, and how to avoid it RESOURCES Best Backpacking Food of 2019 blog article Mountain Tough Fitness calculator/program/app AlpenFuel website FBomb (fat bomb) foods Peak Refuel freeze-dried meals Greenbelly meals Dark Timber Coffee Company Tioga Rise Coffee Heather's Choice PROMO CODE: Use BACKCOUNTRY for 10% off at AlpenFuel!

SHOW NOTES: • Black bear hunt in northwest Montana's deep backcountry • Special guest: Adam Weatherby • Special gear: Prototype Weatherby rifle & cartridge This hunt turned out to be aggressive, eventful, adventurous, and a fantastic success in every possible way. We covered 32 miles in four days, climbed over 8,000 vertical feet, stalked past a sow grizzly and her cub, and proved Weatherby's new yet-to-be-announced rifle and cartridge against particularly challenging conditions. www.weatherby.com Limitless Outdoorz youtube channel

SHOW NOTES • Introduction: Pros and cons of hunting with match bullets • Listener's questions: Tok Air Service, DIY drop-camp moose hunt costs, .257 WBY cartridge for deer, vintage controlled-feed rifles for backcountry work, hunting as PTSD therapy, downsides of carbon fiber barrels, and more. • History of hunting with match bullets • Data on Sierra MatchKings and humane killing ability • Berger's VLD: King of match-grade hunting bullets. Upset process, fragmentation and overpenetration potential, handloading tips and tricks, personal experience, Classic Hunter and Elite Hunter bullets, and a few horror stories. • Hornady's ELD Match: Trendy but not company-advised. Good for hunting or not? RESOURCES Berger hunting bullets Hornady ELD Match bullets Sierra bullets Barnes bullets Nosler bullets Federal EDGE TLR bullets

SHOW NOTES: • O'Conner and mountain rifles • What makes a true mountain rifle? • Weight, Accuracy, & Reliability • Review-type episode: Kimber's Mountain Ascent in .280 Ackley Improved • Swarovski's Z5 3.5-18x 44mm BT riflescope • Less than 7 pounds with scope, sling, and ammo aboard • Sub-MOA accuracy guaranteed • Controlled-feed action and the resulting robust reliability • .280 Ackley Improved cartridge performance: Why it's a cut above • Personal experience with the test rifle RESOURCES https://www.kimberamerica.com/mountain-ascent-subalpine-281 https://www.swarovskioptik.com/hunting/z5-3p5-18x44-p-c20050301/z5-3p5-18x44-p-l-brx-p5006187 https://www.talleymanufacturing.com/product-category/lightweight-alloy-scope-mounts/ https://www.nosler.com/nosler-custom-ammunition/ https://www.hornady.com/ammunition/rifle/280-ackley-162-gr-eld-x-precision-hunter#!/

SHOW NOTES: • Intro: Near-death experience while spring bear hunting • NW Montana with Adam Weatherby, Kevin Wilkerson, and Justin and Shane of Limitless Outdoorz • Trekking Poles: Not just sissy sticks • Advantages of trekking poles, and types to look for • Crampons: What they are and the spider skills they offer • Advantages of crampons, and types to look for • Life-saving devices: why & how • Notes on epic hunt detailed in upcoming episode ENJOY! Please subscribe, rate & review!

SHOW NOTES • Gear list by item & weight: TAG & License!!! Leica camera & batteries 35 oz. Handheld Midland radios 12 oz. Lithium batteries 6 oz. Podcast recorder 15 oz. Swarovski spotting scope 51 oz. Swarovski EL Range bino in Badlands harness 57 oz. Spartan Javelin bipod 5 oz. Spartan tripod & spotting scope head 48 oz. Spartan tent 20 oz. Cabela's Boundary Waters sleeping bag 58 oz. Exped SYNMAT UL 7 M pad 17 oz. Wiebad bag/pillow 12 oz. Base Tarp 15 oz. Gun oil, electrical tape, Fix-It Stix, Bore snake 12 oz. Ammo carrier, Galco Leather 6 oz. Rifle sling, rubberized 6 oz. S&W M69 .44 Magnum handgun, holster & ammo 60 oz. Leatherman Skeltool 5 oz. Arno Bernard knife 9 oz. Havalon knife 4 oz. Outdoor Edge Razor Pro 9 oz. Paracord 2 oz. Pyro Putty, waterproof matches, lighter 4 oz. Wind checker, Silva Expedition 4 compass, predator mouth call 4 oz. Bug repellant, net, sunscreen 4 oz. Sunglasses 3 oz. Ibuprophen, vitamins, NyQuil, Mucinex D, energy powders, blister treatment, compact deodorant, soap, rubber gloves 12 oz. Scent-free wipes 3 oz. Crampons 14 oz. Contractor-grade garbage bags x2 10 oz. Kuiu meat sacks 32 oz. InReach Mini 4 oz. Anker solar charger, cords, and Phone Skope power reservoir 21 oz. Phone Skope for Swarovski 2 oz. Sitka gear (all) 128 oz. Beanie hat 3 oz. Sitka Mountain Hauler pack 96 oz. Pack cover 4 oz. MSR Dromedary water bladder 6 oz. Smart Water bottles, full 72 oz. Katadyn water filter 14 oz. Iodine tablets 3 oz. Wool socks & blister socks 11 oz. Danner boots N/A ThermaCell Backpacker 7 oz.

SHOW NOTES: • Wild Yukon with Greg McHale: Canada's new award-winning hunting TV show. • Building the team: How the unique three members of Wild Yukon came together and began producing arguably the most compelling footage currently on hunting TV. • Yukon Territory: Hunting opportunities and game species • Sheep hunting: the point of the sword • Greg McHale: adventure racing and the fitness lifestyle • Tech gear: Packs, clothing, packable rafts, and rifles • Heaviest pack ever carried • McHale's recipe for success • Bush planes--and the difference they can make • Bear protection where sidearms are illegal • White clothing for stalking dall sheep • Overcoming the human tendency to quit • YouTube channel: Greg McHale's Wild Yukon • Instagram account: @gregmchaleswildyukon • Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/thewildyukon/ RESOURCES: https://www.kuiu.com https://www.gunwerks.com https://vortexoptics.com https://www.swiftbullets.com https://www.aire.com (Aire Tomcat kayaks) https://www.alpackaraft.com/rafting/ (lightweight packable inflatable rafts) https://www.scarpa.com https://lathropandsons.com/lathrop-and-sons-mountain-hunter.html

SHOW NOTES: • Skinning: where to make those cuts for the perfect rug or taxidermy • Pulling paws: Finesse and a sharp knife, not brute strength • Caping: Tips and tricks for a clean job • Turning ears, noses, and such for the perfect face • Fleshing: Ulu knives, improvised fleshing beams, and more • Salting: Do or don't? • Tyler Freel's favorite bear-meat recipe RESOURCES: Tyler Freel's Tundra Talk Podcast: https://tundratalkak.com Points North web page: https://www.facebook.com/OLPointsNorth/ Instagram: @thetylerfreel

SHOW NOTES: • Common backcountry shooting challenges • Game types and differing requirements • Accuracy needs • One rifle suitable for anything • Action types • Stock types • Corrosion-resistant finishes Enjoy!

SHOW NOTES: • Three different needs: Hunting, Guiding, & Defense • Two primary species: Black bear & Grizzly/brown bear • Firearms, cartridges, & bullets for each need & each species • Black bears & the "deer cartridge myth" • Bears & age: size, tenacity, physiology, and mentality • Tony Russ's 16 points for shooting bears (quoted) • Backup guns for guides: When stopping, not just killing, is necessary • Self Defense against bears: rifles, shotguns, & handguns • The Big-Bore Revolver vs. 10mm Semiauto Pistol debate • Bear attack & survival true stories & lessons learned RESOURCES: Bryce Towsley speed-shooting big-bore revolver video: https://www.americanhunter.org/.../video-the-454-casull.../ .45-70 Lever-action Trapper: https://www.marlinfirearms.com/lever-action/model-1895-big-bore/model-1895-trapper .416 Ruger Guide Rifle: https://www.ruger.com/products/guideGun/models.html .480 Ruger Super Blackhawk Bisley: https://www.ruger.com/products/newModelSuperBlackhawkBisley/models.html Kimber 10mm 1911: https://www.kimberamerica.com/custom-tle-rl-ii-tfs Glock 10mm G20: https://us.glock.com/en/pistols/g20-gen4 Springfield 10mm XD(m): https://www.springfield-armory.com/products/xdm-4-5-10mm/

SHOW NOTES: Company focus: Spartan Precision Equipment Topic: Mountaineering-quality bipods & tripods Products: Javelin bipod, Spartan 300 bipod, Sentinel tripod, accessories Driving influences: Mountain-climbing, ultralight backpacking, deep-country hunting, and a need for gear that never fails People: Behind the scenes at Spartan Precision, and the affect of 30,000 field testers RESOURCES: www.javelinbipod.com www.instagram.com/spartanprecision @spartanprecision #spartansunite YouTube: Which bipod is right for you? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oxacp6-s24#action=share YouTube: the Sentinel tripod system: https://youtu.be/IU7AjK8P7yg

SHOW NOTES: • Listener questions • Why hunt with a suppressor? Pros & Cons • Where is hunting with a suppressor legal? • Dangerous Game with a suppressor: Yes or No? • Appropriate types of suppressor for backcountry hunting • How to get the best accuracy and performance out of a hunting suppressor • How to pick a suppressor appropriate for hunting • Navigating the purchase • When is the best time to take the plunge and purchase a suppressor? RESOURCES: www.silencerco.com www.gunwerks.com www.amtacsuppressors.com www.gemtech.com www.sigsauer.com

EPISODE NOTES: Interview with Team Bad Decision author Travis Greenwood his hunting partner Scott Daniels. Focuses on the inspiration that launched their backcountry hunting efforts years ago and shares wisdom they wish they'd had when starting. This podcast touches strongly on spot-and-stalk bear hunting. Guests share techniques for picking areas, finding bears, and successful stalking. Travis and Scott outline favorite gear items and share tips for mental toughness and success. Book Team Bad Decision is available in E-Book form from Amazon and all the big retailers, and in paperback form from the website: www.teambaddecision.com Social media: • facebook.com/teambaddecisionbook • @st_teambaddecision GEAR RESOURCES: www.hellscanyonarmory.com www.tikka.fi www.athlonoptics.com www.mcmillanusa.com www.scarpa.com www.exped.com www.enlightenedequipment.com www.kifaru.net www.stoneglacier.com www.ruggedstitch.com

SHOW NOTES: Great bullets for elk are listed. Host Joseph von Benedikt goes into certain brands and types that work particularly well. The broad spectrum of cartridges ranging from the various 6.5mms up through the .338s are addressed, each with one or more bullets recommended for elk. Heavy-for-caliber rapid-expansion bullets are addressed, and their virtues and shortcomings compared to premium, controlled-expansion bullets for elk. How muzzle velocity and/or bore diameter provide guidance when choosing a certain bullet for your elk hunt. Examples and recommendations given. Bonus cartridge: .45-70 and great bullets for elk. Bullet company websites: www.barnesbullets.com www.federalpremium.com www.hornady.com www.nosler.com www.swiftbullets.com

Show notes: Browning Rifle Product Manager Aaron Cummins tells the back story of the X-Bolt rifle line, including the secrets behind its outstanding accuracy. Best X-Bolts for mountain hunting. Browning's top-selling cartridges, and Aaron's personal suggestions for all-around backcountry use on a variety of game. Hunting opportunities and how to practice to make the most of them. www.browning.com

Show notes: Interview episode with media/industry expert and hunting photographer Justin Moore, owner of www.dangersoup.com. Justin has hunted with and photographed numerous celebrities and outdoor writers, and has a rich history working with notable companies such as Leupold, Nosler, Weatherby, Kryptek, Danner, and others. His from-the-inside-out perspective on the backcountry hunting scene offers tremendous insights, and his personal experience hunting the backcountry enables him to distill tips and knowledge into solid, easily absorbed information. Here's a link to the story about one of his favorite personal backcountry adventures, a hunt that used commercial plane, train, bush plane, horses, and boots to successfully take a magnificent dall sheep ram in Alaska: http://www.dangersoup.com/blog/2016/8/14/hunting-alaskas-most-elusive-big-game And here's a video created by the Eastmans, using footage from the hunt: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azKA8nIO_wo Please subscribe, rate, and review the show!

Prompted by a question from Alaska listener @michaelaanavi, this episode dives into combating the affects of middle-age loss of fitness, as well as injury management and prevention. Simple but effective exercise regimens and specific types of relevant strength training are discussed, as well as dieting and mental toughness. Please scroll to the bottom of the podcast home page, rate, and review!