The Hunt Backcountry Podcast
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
Episodes
This episode features a listener of the show, Jordan, who killed an elk with his bow for 8 years straight. We discuss what Jordan has learned over years of do-it-yourself elk hunting, the mistakes he has made (and sees others make), and some of the tactics he learned from guests of our podcast, which helped contribute to his success and consistency.
40+ ELK HUNTING EPISODES: https://exomtngear.com/elk-episodes
Steve & Mark answer your listener-submitted questions about backpacking with kids, hunt plans, best week of September for archery mule deer, stalking tips, flying with a hunting rifle, and more...
LINKS & RESOURCES
- NEW Outdoor Vitals Pre-Sale: https://outdoorvitals.com/pages/mp-line-presale
- Outdoor Vitals Podcast: https://exomtngear.com/blogs/podcast/530
- NEW Airlock Industries Suppressor: https://www.instagram.com/p/DN...
Most sheep hunt stories either include a guide or the hard-earned experience of a die-hard, do-it-yourself sheep nut. But for Erik and his buddy, Evan, there is no guide and no experience. As a resident of Alaska, Erik drew a limited-entry sheep tag for a trophy hunt. In today's podcast, you will hear how Erik and Evan are planning and preparing for this hunt. Later this fall, they will return to the show to share the story of the ...
Steve & Mark answer your listener-submitted questions about bow tuning, even if broadheads are hitting with field points, suggestions on base layers for hot-weather hunts, what to do first when you recover an animal, and more...
LINKS & RESOURCES
- Backpack Hunting Basics — When You Shoot: https://exomtngear.com/blogs/article/what-to-do-when-you-shoot-an-animal
- Backpack Hunting Basics — When You Recover: https://exomtnge...
For four years straight, Rich Froning was considered "the fittest man on earth" as he dominated the CrossFit Games competition. After retiring from individual competition, Rich has pursued many interests, but none rivaled his passion for elk hunting. We speak with Rich about the humility required to grow as an elk hunter, what he has learned from hunting with more experienced hunters, how CrossFit prepared him for the challenges o...
Trent Fisher from Born & Raised Outdoors joins us to discuss elk hunting, his experience getting his kids into hunting, and judging big black bears. Be sure to check out ELK WEEK specials from Born & Raised through August 3rd...
- Elk Week Specials: https://bornandraisedoutdoors.com/
- Hunting Clothing Comparison: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4RWlPgqZLg
- Previous Elk Episodes w/ Trent: Elk Week Podcasts
Steve & Mark answer your listener-submitted questions about backcountry hygiene, the Swarovski ATC compact spotter, tire drags with the K4 Frame, gear tape, custom Crocs, their DIY backcountry bar recipes, Mark's garage workout, and more...
LINKS & RESOURCES
- Lathrop & Sons Giveaway: http://lathropandsons.com/pages/giveaway
- Archery Elk Gear (Exo vs BRO): https://exomtngear.com/blogs/article/5-day-archery-elk-gear-li...
Former archery engineer, competitive shooter, and accomplished hunter, Darin Cooper (@darin_cooper) comes back to The Hunt Backcountry Podcast. We discuss the details of his current bowhunting setup. But more than just a conversation about gear, this is a discussion that goes into the technical aspects of archery and bowhunting. Darin's Previous Podcasts...
Steve & Mark answer your listener-submitted questions about power banks vs solar panels, how to dry and care for water bladders, and things first-time backpack hunters should consider when looking to hunt in remote country with predators. We also discuss the first things to do when you shoot an animal, why we are grateful as F@#K, trusting the process, if Steve can manifest an elk with his mind, and more...
LINKS & RESOURCE...
We launched the very first episode of The Hunt Backcountry podcast exactly 10 years ago, on July 16, 2015. To celebrate 10 years of the podcast, we are offering some great prizes and an exclusive Exo discount. To enter the giveaway and get access to the discount, sign up by email at: https://exomtngear.com/podcast.
This promotion is only running for 10 days, from July 16-25th, 2025.
THANK YOU for s...
Steve & Mark answer your listener-submitted questions about how we sharpen our hunting knives, Mark's lessons from his mountain bike race, why S&S Archery removed their spotting scope comparison video from YouTube, where we carry our water bladders in a K4 Pack, what to avoid when storing a weighted pack for summer training, and more...
LINKS & RESOURCES
- American-Made Gear Giveaway: https://swee.ps/KkZMPBCSH
- Backpa...
A listener of the show, Nick, joins us to discuss his recent experience at an elk hunting bootcamp, how he is preparing for his first trip to Alaska for a Caribou hunt this September, how his previous experience as an outdoor guide has influenced his early days as a hunter, and much more. We will record a post-hunt podcast with Nick later this fall to hear all about his adventure in Alaska.
Steve & Mark answer your listener-submitted questions about using base layer bottoms vs puffy pants, eating game meat from CWD areas, the broadhead they're shooting this year, and more...
Links & Resources
- American Made Gear Giveaway: https://swee.ps/KkZMPBCSH
- Brynje Fishnets: https://www.brynjeusa.com/product-category/wool-thermo/
- Steller Down Pants: https://www.stellarequipment.com/product/m-ultralight-down-pants2-bl...
For the past 2+ years, we have been working on some apparel pieces with the guys at Outdoor Vitals. After extensive testing and refinement of the designs, these clothing items are finally set to be released in the coming months.
In this conversation with Brigham Crane, the Product Design Director at Outdoor Vitals, we discuss the background of this unique project, dive deep into the design details of each of the three pieces (puffy...
Steve & Mark answer your listener-submitted questions about taking follow-up shots when bowhunting, tips for carrying a rifle (stock or folding chassis) on a pack, a new K4 Bag from Shoot2Hunt, budget-friendly spotting scopes from Athlon Optics, using iPhone satellite messaging in place of an InReach, and more...
Links & Resources...
- Exo Newsletter: https://exomtngear.com/newsletter
- Mike Lee's Announcement on Public L...
John Lusk of Lusk Archery Adventures joins us to discuss priorities for broadhead selection, what he has learned from independently testing and ranking dozens of broadheads, and answers your listener-submitted questions about broadhead selection, budget arrow and broadhead setups, differences in blade and ferrule materials, broadhead vs insert/outsert weight, and MUCH more!
LINKS FOR THIS EPISODE...
Steve & Mark answer your listener-submitted questions about food for backpack hunts, bear meat recipes, tripod heads for shooting and glassing, boot care, quilts, and more...
Links & Resources...
- Limited $10 Shirts for Women & Kids: https://exomtngear.com/logo (Order deadline is June 25)
- What we eat on backpack hunts (and how we pack it): https://exomtngear.com/blogs/article/backpack-hunting-basics-the-food-we-eat
- ...
This is a great listener hunt story with Ryan, about his do-it-yourself black bear hunt in Alaska. We discuss how Ryan planned this hunt, the logistics involved, how the hunt went, what he learned from the adventure, 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
Steve & Mark answer your listener-submitted questions and discuss some timely topics. They cover another attempt to sell public lands, what's going on at Exo behind the scenes, new shirts for women and kids coming later this week, how we filter and carry water in the backcountry, if they practice with their bow on multi-day backpack hunts, why Mark was using a suppressor cover on their recent spring bear hunt, and choosing opti...
Nate Simmons joins us for a wide-ranging conversation that includes a deep-dive into advanced archery, stalking strategies on mule deer, the key to his longevity and consistency, and several other listener-submitted questions. This is truly a conversation that you don't want to miss!
The Hunt Backcountry Podcast is brought to you by Exo Mtn Gear: https://exomtngear.com/
Email Sign-up: https://exomtnge...
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