The Hunt Backcountry Podcast

Outdoors

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

Location:

Genres:

Outdoors

Sports & Recreation Podcasts

Description:

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

Twitter:

@HuntBackcountry

Language:

English

Website:

http://exomountaingear.com/podcast

Email:

podcast@exomountaingear.com

Episodes

519 | Short Barrel Speeds & Effective Range for Big Game Hunting Rifles

4/18/2025

How short is too short when it comes to choosing a barrel length for hunting? Whether you are interested in a shorter barrel for your next hunting rifle because you plan to add a suppressor, because you want to save weight, or simply because you want an easy-handling, easy-packing rifle — the fact is that short barrels are viable with today’s highly efficient bullets, laser rangefinders, and scopes that precisely and reliably dial to accommodate for drop at distance. In this podcast you will learn how to estimate velocity and effective range when considering which barrel length to choose for your next hunting rifle. The short barrel "formula" and additional information: https://exomtngear.com/short-barrel 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

Duration:00:18:38

518 | Backpacking Skills with Andrew Skurka

4/16/2025

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/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

Duration:01:04:24

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

4/14/2025

Steve & Mark answer your listener questions on this Monday Minute episode. They discuss... https://exomtngear.com/logo Links & resources mentioned in this episode... https://exomtngear.com/logohttps://exomtngear.com/blogs/article/backpacking-vs-hunting-packshttps://exomtngear.com/nutritionhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5Uey9pu49whttps://exomtngear.com/blogs/article/how-to-fly-with-a-hunting-riflehttps://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

Duration:00:46:11

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

4/11/2025

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

Duration:01:05:14

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

4/9/2025

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

Duration:01:09:46

MM 259 | Sharing Your Taglines, Answering Your Questions

4/7/2025

Steve & Mark answer your listener questions and share some news and updates on this Monday Minute episode. They discuss... 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

Duration:00:48:42

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

4/4/2025

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/

Duration:01:09:37

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

4/2/2025

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 BoxersMindfulHunter.comMindful Hunter Youtube@mindful_munter on InstagramPart 1Part 2 Jay's Backcountry Breakfast Cereal... 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

Duration:01:39:07

MM 258 | The First Monday — April, 2025

3/31/2025

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... podcast@exomtngear.comhttps://exomtngear.com/newsletterhttps://www.huntinfool.com/resources/draw-deadlineshttps://exomtngear.com/blogs/article/2024-death-hike)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

Duration:00:55:39

513 | Backpack Hunting Basics — How to Get Started

3/26/2025

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

Duration:01:18:36

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

3/24/2025

Steve & Mark answer your listener questions and share some news and updates on this Monday Minute episode. They discuss... Links for this episode... https://exomtngear.com/multicamhttps://exomtngear.com/blogs/podcast/406https://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

Duration:00:39:00

512 | Bowhunter Data on Broadhead Lethality & Shot Distance

3/19/2025

Jeremy Dugger (@muleymojo) is the owner of Xpert Archery. After hearing story after story about bowhunters' experiences with broadhead performance on animals, he decided to start formally collecting data on the type of broadhead used, the distance of the shot, the arrow weight, the bow's draw weight, and the lethality or lack of recovery of the animal. Now, with over 500 responses in his data collection, he joins us to share some of the statistics and the takeaways that we, as bowhunters, should consider. 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

Duration:01:15:11

MM 256 | Midnight Hike, New "Tallboy" Pre-Order, Bivy Follow-Up, Pack Space Efficiency

3/17/2025

Steve & Mark answer your listener questions and share some news and updates on this Monday Minute episode. They discuss... Links for this episode... https://exomtngear.com/tallboyhttps://exomtngear.com/newsletterhttps://www.instagram.com/p/DHJ3_64Sf2g/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhGoT3QqmkMhttps://mountainlaureldesigns.com/product/dcf-loop-superkit/https://zpacks.com/products/stick-on-loop-clear-whitehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8zhiup2pVYhttps://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxCisjM16JQUuY7xWQLdExN_rAHTxEsvv 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

Duration:00:44:22

511 | Backpack Hunting With A Bivy Sack — Your Questions, Misconceptions, & More...

3/12/2025

We have been using a bivy sack on backpack hunts for about a decade now. Often, we'll use our bivy under the stars. At times, we'll add a tarp or minimal shelter. And in extreme cases, we use a bivy sack inside the shell of a Hilleberg tent. On this podcast (and in the article below), you can learn how, why, and when we use bivy sacks. We also answer 10+ listener-submitted questions about the use of a bivy for backpack hunting. BIVY HUNTING ARTICLE — https://exomtngear.com/blogs/article/bivy-sacks-for-backpack-hunting 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

Duration:01:14:05

MM 255 | Broadhead Flight, Backcountry Cell Service, Extra Down Fill

3/10/2025

Steve & Mark answer your listener questions and share some news and updates on this Monday Minute episode. They discuss... Links for this episode... https://exomtngear.com/newsletterhttps://amzn.to/4i04MJJhttps://www.t-mobile.com/news/network/t-mobile-starlink-beta-open-for-all-carriershttps://www.screenzen.co/https://katabaticgear.com/products/alsek-ultralight-quilt 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

Duration:00:42:24

510 | Questions With A Game Enforcement Officer

3/5/2025

While we have spoken with numerous wildlife agencies and employees on the Hunt Backcountry Podcast over the years, those conversations have generally focused on game management, policy and regulations, and hunter opportunity. In this episode, we discuss wildlife law enforcement with Matt — an Exo customer and an employee of Arizona Game & Fish. Matt shares his insights on mistakes that hunters make, the rules they break, how enforcement officers operate in the field, 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

Duration:01:04:46

MM 254 | The First Monday — March, 2025

3/3/2025

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 for this episode... https://exomtngear.com/newsletterpodcast@exomtngear.comhttps://nwhuntexpo.com/https://amzn.to/43eOUyuhttps://amzn.to/41DbijEhttps://sandsarchery.com/products/aziak-ridgeline-tripodhttps://idfg.idaho.gov/hunt/bear-identification 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

Duration:00:42:55

509 | 3-For-3 On Mule Deer Hunt in Montana (A Father & Sons' Listener Story)

2/26/2025

Cody joins us to share the story of the Mule Deer hunt that he shared with his brother and father this past fall. They hunted Montana for the first time and were able to go 3-for-3 on filling their tags. We discuss how they planned this hunt, how they scouted for this out-of-state hunt, how they battled the cold conditions, and how the hunt success happened. 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

Duration:01:07:00

MM 253 | Boot Deals, Experience Project 2.0, Other Podcasts, & Game Bags

2/24/2025

Steve & Mark answer your listener questions and share some news and updates on this Monday Minute episode. They discuss... Links mentioned in this episode... https://www.idahosportsmanshow.com/https://nwhuntexpo.com/https://www.hanwag.com/us/en-us/outlet/https://the-experience-project.com/small-calibers-for-big-game-hunting-part-1/https://the-experience-project.com/small-calibers-for-big-game-hunting-part-2/https://the-experience-project.com/small-calibers-for-big-game-hunting-qa/https://exomtngear.com/blogs/podcast/454https://exomtngear.com/blogs/podcast/452https://exomtngear.com/blogs/article/best-of-2023https://exomtngear.com/blogs/podcast/508 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

Duration:00:35:55

508 | A “Meat Scientist” on Wild Game Care & Preparation

2/19/2025

Sierra Jepsen is a Meat Scientist and owner of Butcher Solutions, LLC. She joins us to discuss how big game hunters can effectively care for and prepare wild game meat. Sierra shares advice for processing big game in the field, caring for big game meat until it is frozen, and preparing big game meat for the best meals possible. Additional Information and Resources... https://butchersolutionsllc.com/https://www.instagram.com/butcher_solutions_llc/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVLjN9CoHzIhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVkI46l4g4w 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

Duration:01:14:37