ElkShape

It's no surprise why John Barklow has been on multiple podcasts, he's pretty much a complete bad ass. I got him on the ElkShape Podcast to talk next level elk hunting for the blue colloar public land DIY OTC crowd. So if you're stuck in the elk hunting learning curve, or need some insight on backpack elk hunting this one's for you. Here's what we chat about: The Design Process When it Comes to Sitka Gear How John started elk hunting Calling Less can be very fruitful How to read and interpret TOPO maps Backpacking Sleep Systems Backpacking Water Systems Why you should be practicing bacpacking in the off-season Mental Toughness Reps Year Round Fitness Approach The Apex System from Sitka Gear ELKSHAPE PARTNERS: KENETREK EXO HOYT ARCHERY ONXMAPS SITKA GEAR MTN OPS VORTEX OPTICS EASTON ARCHERY ELKSHAPE YOUTUBE EBOOK PHELPS HIITMILLX BOHNING Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's recording is with Tim Connor who lives in Washington State and has one year of elk hunting under his belt. I interviewed him simply to explore what research protocols he followed to put his greenhorn group right into elk opportunities. This is a great listen on escouting, researching, and setting up yourself for success. The elk hunting learning curve is a steep one and Tim's group was able to avoid the pitfalls of 90% failure rate which most noobs experience. I think this is a very important episode for elk hunters who are brand new or haven not experienced consistent success. ELKSHAPE PARTNERS: KENETREK EXO HOYT ARCHERY ONXMAPS SITKA GEAR MTN OPS VORTEX OPTICS EASTON ARCHERY ELKSHAPE YOUTUBE EBOOK PHELPS HIITMILLX BOHNING Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Veryln Savage, the one and only! You need to listen to this entire episode as there are elk nugget bombs dropped throughout. Mr. Savage is a blue collar sheetrocker from Oregron who lives and breathes elk hunting. You can catch him hunting his home state of Oregon on a general tag and over in Idaho. He has harvested back to back in both states on six points for many years in a row. The guy knows how to work hard and get it done. He's also done many elk hunting seminars and this entire episode is like one big tune-up for September, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! ELKSHAPE PARTNERS: KENETREK EXO HOYT ARCHERY ONXMAPS SITKA GEAR MTN OPS VORTEX OPTICS EASTON ARCHERY ELKSHAPE YOUTUBE EBOOK PHELPS HIITMILLX BOHNING Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's not everyday you get to be on someone's fitness based podcast and talk about WHY you hunt to an audience that probably doesn't know much about it. I took the opportunity to sit down with Pete McCall and talk about all the aspects of hunting including why it is extremely important to conservation. I did my best to articulate the need for hunting and why I feel called to head to the mountains each fall and pursue the purest form of protein that I know of. We talk my fitness background, how I got into hunting and what goes into an elk hunt. I appreciated Pete's curiousity and open mindedness towards the idea of securing your own meat from Mother nature's pantry. He is a great guy and after we talked he told me he was very interested in getting into hunting himself for the meat. Take a listen and let me know what you think! You can learn more about Pete and his Podcast HERE ELKSHAPE PARTNERS: KENETREK EXO HOYT ARCHERY ONXMAPS SITKA GEAR MTN OPS VORTEX OPTICS EASTON ARCHERY ELKSHAPE YOUTUBE EBOOK PHELPS HIITMILLX BOHNING Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

REAL and AUTHENTIC Grady Rawls records with us today all the way from New Zealand at the 2am his time. I have known Grady for years and have even shared camp with him. He's a Pacific Northwest dude and he knows how to make magic behind the lens. His talent and work ethic might be unmatched! Grady is a busy guy running his own production company and film school. We dive in head first on an array of topics that are extremely exciting and interesting: Grady's film background SONY versus other DSLR's Hunting Private Land versus Public Is New Zealand just High Fence Hunting His latest project on YouTube Behind the scenes of a hunt from his perspective Business and Passion Leadership and Entrepreneurship The Social Media Fopaux Faith and MUCH MORE! Grady's YOUTUBE Channel Grady's INSTAGRAM Grady's WEBSITE ELKSHAPE PARTNERS: KENETREK EXO HOYT ARCHERY ONXMAPS SITKA GEAR MTN OPS VORTEX OPTICS EASTON ARCHERY ELKSHAPE YOUTUBE EBOOK PHELPS HIITMILLX BOHNING Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

So long Mountain House! Wait, what? Yes, I want all of you to consider just what is in a Mountain House or other freeze dried meals. Usually a ridiculous amount of sodium and preservatives that allow them to not have an expiration date. A lot of the dinners, which is primiarly what I use them for contain upwards of 200 grams of carbohydrates if you eat the whole bag. By the way, who doesn't eat the entire bag? The protein sources amongst other ingredients are not ideal. If we truly are preparing to hunt our best, feel our best, then we might want to consider what put in our bodies during the highly anticipated elk hunt. So I sat down with Heather Kelly of Heather's Choice to pick her brain on their products. They do not sponsor me and I do not have a hidden agenda, but I hope you can listen and think about what you can do to be more intentional on your nutrition while in the field. I want you to recover faster and humps hills harder after elk and I believe improved nutrition can't hurt. We also talk best business practices, Heather's collegiate rowing days and few other fun topics like hunting Alaska. Thanks for listening! ElkShape Partners: KENETREK EXO HOYT ARCHERY ONXMAPS SITKA GEAR MTN OPS VORTEX OPTICS EASTON ARCHERY ELKSHAPE YOUTUBE EBOOK PHELPS HIITMILLX BOHNING Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Talking with Evan Williams, a 34-year old father and husband who has worked in an archery shop for over a decade and now works for Hoyt Archery. We break down the Redding 3D Shoot in California, we talk about his training and balancing motivation. We also chat about DIY opportunities for elk in Colorado. We cover the New Carbon bows from Hoyt and how to tweak your set-up for hunting elk versus hunting mule deer and antelope. Evan is a solid dude who is a former NCAA athlete and total family man! Enjoy! PARTNERS: KENETREK EXO HOYT ARCHERY ONXMAPS SITKA GEAR MTN OPS VORTEX OPTICS EASTON ARCHERY ELKSHAPE YOUTUBE EBOOK PHELPS HIITMILLX BOHNING Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Catching up with an old friend and pressing record is what happened on this episode. We sit down with Drew Steinberger out of Montana and catch up after a decade hiatus. That's right, Drew and I have known each other for over tens years and reconnect on this episode. We share some great elk hunting stories and I belive Drew hits it out of the park with his elk tips on this one. Drew is a family man first, a superb gardner, beekeeper, and quite the public land elk hunter as well. Living in Montana has some great advantages and we explore how to be fiscially sound througout the year so you have a legitimate hunting budget to work with come fall. Drew has a great sense of humor and he breaks down his elk hunting learning curve. You can follow Drew on Instagram Listeners can get a free pair of Kenetrek Gaitors on their next boot purchase by using the code elkshape in checkout! ElkShape Partners: onXmaps Vortex Optics Kenetrek Boots Exo Mountain Gear Hoyt Archery MTN OPS ElkShape Website ElkShape YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ryan Lampers of HUNT*HARVEST*HEALTH joins me today and we basically just catch up. Ryan and I met in the Idaho backcountry on an elk hunt. We ran into each other literally in the elk woods, where I shot a bull that he was calling back and forth with, I slipped in and arrowed this bull not knowing that he was the hunter calling from the ridgeline. We became friends, and then we shared a hunt together in Nevada. Ryan is also from WA and the best hunter I know. Ryan consistently kills extraordinary animals in ordinary hunting units. He's extremely humble and hard working. He's the perfect guy to sit down with and talk shop on DIY hunting. Check out his podcast as well: Ryan's Website ElkShape Partners: onXmaps Vortex Optics Kenetrek Boots Exo Mountain Gear Hoyt Archery ElkShape Website ElkShape YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we bring on my hunting partner and father Rod Staton. We talk shop about how he got his start into elk hunting which is a cool progression from hunting whitetails in Georgia, to mule deer in Idaho, and finally sharing a successful elk hunt with me in Washington that set a new course for both of our lives. We talk about how he likes to hunt public land off of a dirt bike, some tips for guys his age (60's +) and how they can effectively hunt elk on public land. We cover some tips to speed up the elk hunting learning curve. We dive into bear baiting in Idaho, the best practices on running a bait or spot and stalk. There's a lot of great info on here and I selfishly enjoyed sitting down and sharing stories with my dad. Hope you enjoy! LISTENERS: Use code ELKSHAPE at checkout to receive a free pair of gators from Kenetrek Boots! http://www.kenetrek.com/?utm_source=ambassador&utm_medium=ELKSHAPE&utm_campaign=2018 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we talk to Steve Speck about his journey in entrepreneurship. You will definitely appreciate Steve's take on hustling and researching until you get it right. A lot of times there isn't a playbook to follow when it comes to making your ideas come to life. Steve is no stranger to late nights and working hard to get where he wants to go. Steve Speck is a young guy but has a great mindset when it comes to business and making products better. We dive into Steve's background and how he got his start in the hunting industry. Steve has quite the start going from opening his own archery shop out of his garage, to developing his own online archery store called S & S Archery. Then he developed his own broadhead line called Solid Broadheads which he later sold to a big company. Steve has made his own hunting videos with Pure Elevation Productions, and now created his backpack company with his buddy Lenny called Exo Mountain Gear. This guy is unreal! I find people with strong work ethics and determination to be fascinating. Steve is that guy and he drops knowledge on how to become a leader and how to start your own business. Hope you enjoy! EXO Mountain Gear Pure Elevation Productions Solid Broadheads S & S Archery Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Elk Hunting Legends in my book are hard to come by. Today we sit down and chat with a guy from Montana who has archery elk hunted for over 40 seasons. Mike Lowry harvested his first elk in 1975 with archery tackle and it ended up being a Pope & Young six point. This episode is pure gold and we get to learn about Mike's journey and some of his best practices to being a consistent elk killer. You don't want to miss some of the best advice ever recorded in my opinion. Support the ELKSHAPE Podcast LINK My PARTNERS: KENETREK BOOTS ONXMAPS HOYT ARCHERY EASTON ARCHERY VORTEX OPTICS BOHNING ARCHERY MTN OPS GRIM REAPER BROADHEADS SITKA GEAR EXO MOUNTAIN GEAR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today I sit down with a buddy in the hunting industry Isaac Aleman. He works for Easton Archery in sales and has been in the hunting industry for over ten years. Isaac attempts to convince me that mule deer hunting is better than elk hunting but his argument is pretty weak. My favorite part is chatting about old school mule deer huntng DVD's and the hunting era prior to social media. We discuss what influenced us when we started out hunting with archery and relive shooting bowcast at the bird which is now known as the total archery challenge. Show Links: TEAM FMP Video Teaser Project Black Trailer Total Archery Challenge SLC Easton Archery Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we bring on fellow bowhunter and crossfitter out of Coeur D'Alene, Idaho Matt Anderson. Matt is a full time coach and now started a food prep company called Rx Meals. We talk about his elk hunt this fall where he encountered a wolf and it didn't turn out well for the wolf. We hear how he prepares for hunting season and some of his secrets to practicing shooting with a high heart rate. Matt is a hungry elk hunter and has won the Train To Hunt National Championship with his wife. It's a quick listen and hopefully you can gain some insight on how to eat better, train harder, and shoot stronger. Rx Meals Website Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I've been saving up listener questions and answered them all! Here's what we covered: DIY Spring Bear Hunting Spot and Stalk Spring Bears Baiting Spring bears Arrow and Broadhead Set-ups The Quivalizor versus traditional quiver How to effectively hunt elk off of a dirt bike CrossFt programming and WHY to include backpack conditioning Beginner Elk Hunting mistakes to avoid LINKS to my PARTNERS Bohnng Archery Caribou Game Bags Hoyt Archery MTN OPS Vortex Optics Exo Mountain Gear Easton Archery Kenetrek Boots onXmaps YouTube Channel Train To Hunt eBook Phelps Game Calls Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Finally got to chat with Elk 101's Corey Jacobsen. He's a world elk calling champion many times over, blue collar, and extremely passionate about elk hunting. Corey is the quarterback when it comes to play calling and making moves on September Bulls. You don't want to miss this episode. We did the interview through the Internet because Corey lives in the mountains so the connection wasn't the greatest, but the content is pure GOLD. We discuss: Advanced Elk Calling Scenarios Wolves in Idaho Facing your Fears and Staying Diligent in the Off-Season And So much more... Elk101 Website Elk101 YouTube Elk101 University Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We sit down with marketing director of Kenetrek Boots Wyatt Nielson. Wyatt lives in Big Sky country and is a true outdoorsmen. We chat about his amazing journey losing over 50lbs off the scale in the last year through diet and exercise. We touch on Intermittent Fasting and the principles behind that dietary approach. We discuss Wyatt's main goal of arrowing his first six point bull with a bow on public land. Kenetrek Boots Instagram LINK Wyatt Instagram LINK Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dave Brinker is a fellow elk hunter from Bozeman, Montana. He does work for Sitka Gear and he just recorded his first album in Nashville, Tennesse. We talked about: Some of the challenges with hunting public land mature bulls Rookie mistakes made when coming out West to elk hunt How to overcome fear and put yourself out there when it comes to your dreams The best way to put your life on hold for elk hunting season How David went for his dream of becoming a country music star Dave Brinker iTunes LINK Dave Brinker Spotify LINK Sitka Gear LINK Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Finally got my wife Alicia aka Mrs. ElkShape on the show! This show was recorded while we were on vacation in Maui. I had a handful of questions that I wanted her to tackle such as: What's the best and worst part of being married to an elk hunter? Why do you think I am so passionate about elk hunting? What can hunters do to better explain their WHY when it comes to hunting? We also talk about some personal financial manners, why we employ discipline in our finances and how we integrate Dave Ramsey principles in our lifestyle. We go into detail on how we budget and how we save so we can pay cash for vacations, vehicles, and save for things before they come up. ELKSHAPE PARTNERS: Hoyt Archery Vortex Optics MTN OPS Exo Mountain Gear Easton Archery Bohning Archery Grip Reaper Broadheads Kenetrek Boots Sitka Gear Caribou Game Bags Phelps Game Calls onXhunt Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you're anything like me, you pride yourself on hunting public lands without a guide. One of the absolute most critical components to researching and navigating on hunting grounds is knowing boundaries and the topography of the landscape. I switched from a GPS to just my iPhone this season and utilized the onXmaps ELITE membership. I have all 50 states on my phone and I download maps where I am headed and use my phone on airplane mode. I can track my miles covered, look at Google Earth overlay and topo maps of my hunting areas. Plus, I can put in filters like Boone and Crockett entries, recent wildfires, and wilderness areas. Today I sit down with onXmaps Team members Zach Sandu and Matt Siedel and go over elk hunting tactics, common mistakes made, discipline and of course fitness. Enjoy. onXmaps ELKSHAPE Partners Bohning Archery Big Game Bags Hoyt Archery MTN OPS Vortex Optics EXO Mountain Gear Easton Archery Sitka Gear Kenetrek Boots onXmaps Phelps Game Calls ElkShape STORE ElkShape YOUTUBE Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's episode we sit-down with Mark Boardman with Vortex Optics, recorded at the 2018 SHOT SHOW in Las Vegas, Nevada. Mark was born and raised in Washington State, Mark grew up in a family where hunting and fishing were a way of life. He cut his teeth chasing blacktail deer and Roosevelt’s Elk. Soon, whitetail deer, mule deer, rocky mountain elk, bears, turkeys, waterfowl, upland birds and varmints became staples of his outdoor pursuits as well. Professionally, Mark has found a home with Vortex Optics. Family owned and operated, Vortex prides itself on providing high-end optics and unmatched customer service to hunters and shooters. I enjoy Mark's company, he's so unique in the hunting space as he is completely down to earth, hard working, and a family man. I hope you enjoy the show. Vortex Optics Mark's Instagram Mark's Podcast with Gritty Bowmen ElkShape Partners Bohnng Archery Caribou Game Bags Hoyt Archery MTN OPS Vortex Optics Exo Mountain Gear Easton Archery Kenetrek Boots onXmaps YouTube Channel Train To Hunt eBook Phelps Game Calls Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's episode we sit-down with blue collar hunter Sonny Cloninger from Washington state. Sonny is in his sixties and has elk hunted the Selway Bitterroot Wilderness for over 40 years. We learn about his early days of backcountry DIY hunting and some of his wild stories from the 1970's and 1080's. Sonny hunts one of the last places on earth where you can hunt for elk in September with a rifle. His hunting area has faced adversity of the last ten years with wildfire and wolf introduction. We chat about the good old days and what its like packing in with stock in the backcountry and what it takes to be a tough backcountry hunter regardless of age. Sonny is a breath a fresh air, not too often do you get to chat with someone who has elk hunted longer than you have been alive. We talk about the wolf problem and how conservation and hunting is at a tipping point. This is a great discussion and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Selway Elk Zone LINK One of the rules we talked about in the episode about using your elk tag for a predator harvest... Idaho Fish and Game Regulations 2017-2018: "Nonresident Deer or Elk Tag for Black Bear, Mountain Lion or Gray Wolf Nonresident deer and elk tags, excluding Nonresident Junior Mentored/DAV deer or elk tags, are valid to take a black bear, mountain lion or gray wolf, if a general season is open for that species, instead of a deer or elk where and when the deer or elk tag is valid, and there is an open deer or elk season in that same unit. Hunters may buy other bear, lion or wolf tags, but after the deer or elk tag is used to harvest a deer, elk, black bear, mountain lion, or gray wolf, a second deer or elk tag may not be purchased – except by buying a leftover nonresident general season deer or elk tag when available." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to Episode 6, 100% listener question and answer. Topics covered: How to interpret Google Earth for "escouting" elk and where to find elk Dan's upcoming workout program, "21 Days to ElkShape" How to quickly cape an elk out in the backcountry when it is hot The difference between Mtn Ops Mangum and Ammo The best way to start your own business while keeping your day job Spring Bear Hunting out West for the DIY Bodybuilding versus Functional Fitness ElkShape Partners Bohning Archery Caribou Game Bags Hoyt Archery MTN OPS Vortex Optics EXO Mountain Gear Easton Archery Sitka Gear Kenetrek Boots OnXMaps Phelps Game Calls ElkShape YouTube Train To Hunt Ebook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode we have a blue collar elk hunter from Washington state who gets it done year after year in the public land backcountry. This guy puts down big herd bulls year after year and he's got a ton of great knowledge on elk hunting. Joe Rotter is a fly fishing outfitter at Red's Fly Shop specializing in fly fishing instruction, rod sales, and hosted world wide fly fishing adventures. He's a busy father of 3, husband, and simply loves being in God's country as much as possible. Growing up on the western foothills of the Cascade Mountains catapulted him into lifelong passion for elk hunting and all things wild. Getting wet, cold, beat up, and exhausted are all part of the adventure for Joe. His preparation includes lots of trail running, pull ups, as much scouting as possible, back pack cardio, and working his trail horses with his daughter Faith as much as possible. 9x9 Kelty Noah's Tarp - it's ultralight, compact. That other one is something else I haven't seen. https://www.backcountry.com/kelty-noahs-tarp I squeeze 4 days worth of gear into this pack, the frame is flexible and is great for accuracy.http://wildernesspacks.com/ LINKS http://www.elknut.com/ http://redsflyshop.com/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYCS7rft1xY6wvONblIpYdA http://elkshape.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 4 is straight to the point motivation, goal setting, and preparation. I break down how to set goals for 2018 and be able to redirect your pathway towards more success. I spend some time answering some listener questions and even talk about how my wife and I utilize the Dave Ramsey envelope system. Fitness. Motivation. Discipline. I want you to be the best version of yourself! Thanks for listening! LINKS: ElkShape Website SMART GOAL WORKSHEET Dave Ramsey Envelope System CrossOver Symmetry Elk Shape Partners www.bohning.com/products/vanes/ www.biggamebags.com/ www.hoyt.com/ www.mtnops.com/ www.vortexoptics.com/category/rangefinders exomountaingear.com/shop/ eastonhunting.com/hunting/ www.sitkagear.com/shop/ www.kenetrek.com/Kenetrek-Mountain-Boots/products/12/ www.huntinggpsmaps.com/ www.youtube.com/elkshape/ www.blurb.com/b/3676509-train-to-hunt-increasing-physical-mental-toughness/ phelpsgamecalls.com/products/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to episode 3, this episode is a product of happenstance. Jed Conklin is a buddy of mine who hunts for elk in southern Idaho and lives in the same town as me. Jed and I got together for a late archery season elk hunt out of my cabin in Idaho, so naturally we pressed the record button and had a BS session. Jed is probably one of the most successful professional photographers I know, and he's traveled the world snapping powerful images for numerous big name companies. He's fairly young, works his ass off and has had a lot of success in the elk woods in just 10 short seasons of elk hunting. He's hunted in numerous states out West and has been bowhunting his entire life. He's married, has a new baby and dabbles in commercial real estate. He's an outdoorsman, entrepreneur and family man. He hunts over the counter elk each fall and as long as I have known him, he always has an elk or two in the freezer. Topics we cover: Jed's background Advice to Rookie Elk Hunters Advice to Intermediate Elk Hunters Jed's approach to fitness Jed's entrepreneur lifestyle that enables him more time to elk hunt Jed's Photograph Website Jed's Facebook Jed's Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to episode number two, we sit down with my good buddy Ryan Alltus of Ceour D'Alene, Idaho. Ryan fits the mold of who we want to interview on this podcast, he's blue collar, he hunts general tags and kills big bulls year after year. He's probably the most consistent herd bull killer I've met. Here are some of the topics we cover: Ryan's background, work, and how he got his start bowhunting elk. We get into some unsolicited advice on choosing the right woman to marry, especially when it comes to supporting your elk hunting addiction. We talk about hunting solo tactics and most importantly how to locate elk in a unit new to you. We get into some of his recent success in Wyoming, where who killed a bull at the 370 mark, plus last year's recording breaking year of killing 3 bulls with his dad's bow and totalling over a thousand inches of bone. We discuss how to deal with the loss of a loved one, especially one that is your father and number one hunting partner. Of course, we talk about discipline, approach to training year round, nutrition and some of the happenings in the hunting industry. I hope you enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to the ELKSHAPE podcast where we break down fitness for elk hunting, elk hunting tactics, and we even get into professional development. The aim of this project is to be real, authentic, and inspire folks to be the best version of themselves. We will dedicate time to answer your hunting and fitness questions, bring on real down to earth elk hunters who are passionate about helping others. We will educate, entertain and inspire. Episode 1 Notes: Vision for the Podcast Dan's Background in Fitness & Hunting Q & A Chit chat about Discipline and briefly touch on Jocko Willink's new book Close out the show Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices