EP 260 – The Full Circle Story: My Hunting Partner Bailed, and I Got Charged By A Grizzly

In this episode of the Mindful Hunter Podcast, I break down the full story behind “Full Circle” — my year-long mountain goat saga filmed over six separate hunts in British Columbia. I share the raw behind-the-scenes truth of the final hunt: when my hunting partner bailed mid-trip and a grizzly charged me as I tried to recover my goat. From the emotional highs of the Full Circle premiere to the reality of solo backcountry hunting, this is one of the most intense stories I have ever told.

🎥 Watch the film: https://youtu.be/WoDa9wpmQgc

👕 Limited Edition Shirt Drop + Poster Giveaway: https://forgedinthebackcountry.com/products/full-circle-limited-edition-heavyweight-tee

🕒 Chapter Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction & “Full Circle” film premiere

02:00 – Limited edition t-shirt, posters & 10% off code

05:00 – The five-year mountain goat saga begins

08:00 – Six hunts in 13 months across British Columbia

09:30 – Partner bails early on the first hunt

13:00 – Lessons in partnership, quitting, and persistence

20:00 – Back to the mountains – scouting, planning, and preparation

25:00 – Opening day: the massive Billy and a perfect shot

27:00 – Partner bails again — Jay goes solo

34:00 – Fog, grizzlies, and a stolen goat carcass

41:00 – The grizzly charge

48:00 – Calling the CO & realizing the hunt is over

52:00 – What the whole Full Circle journey meant

56:00 – Lessons learned, gratitude, and next year’s goal

 

Jay Nichol

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