The Hunt Backcountry Podcast

As the off-season arrives and hunters turn to shoppers, we answer your latest gear questions on this Monday Minute. Share your question for a future episode by sending us an email to podcast@exomtngear.com

Paul Lewis of FHF Gear joins us to talk about a special Bighorn Sheep tag he drew in Montana. We get the full story on how the hunt went down and what he learned along the way. Before we dive into the hunt details, we also get the backstory on FHF Gear. You'll hear how FHF was born from Paul's side-gig in his garage, doing custom work for mostly law enforcement and military needs, and then how it almost unintentionally became the FHF Gear we know of today. This is an entertaining conversation on Bighorns, the Backcountry, and Business! https://fhfgear.com/ https://exomtngear.com/

Steve Evans (@__steve__evans__) just started hunting big game a couple of years ago, but he has already spent more than 150 days in the field across multiple western states hunting deer, elk, and other species. In this wide-ranging conversation, Mark speaks with Steve about the unique experience he has, being both relatively new to big game hunting, while at the same time having the opportunity to spend so much time hunting and learning in just a couple of years. https://exomtngear.com/podcast

Steve and Mark answer your listener questions about new-for-2021 bows, the pros and cons of long and short axle-length bows, how to shoot your bow effectively with a pack on, whether or not moose is a good species to hunt for a first trip to Alaska, and more. Oh, and they get interrupted with a poopy diaper. #dadlife Share your question for the show: podcast@exomtngear.com

Save 15% on all Exo Mtn Gear items this Friday (11/27). Sign-up to get notified: https://exomtngear.com/newsletter Is ultralight gear overrated? What's the best way to practice with your bow when you can only shoot at a few yards indoors? How was Mark's experience flying the meat home from his recent elk hunt? Share your listener question for the next episode: podcast@exomtngear.com https://exomtngear.com/podcast

Full-time job, wife, kids, no experience, and a worldwide pandemic. Those excuses didn't stop Jared and Eric from a DIY adventure for Sitka Blacktail Deer on Kodiak Island, Alaska. Tune-in to hear how they planned this hunt, what it was like to hunt Alaska on their own, and more. Whether you are looking for specific tips on planning a trip, just wanting to hear a good hunting story, or are open to being challenged about planning your "dream" adventure...there's something in this show for you. https://exomtngear.com/podcast

Will Exo be having a Black Friday sale? YES! And to make sure you don't miss the best pricing of the year, be sure you receive our emails: https://exomtngear.com/newsletter Steve and Mark also discuss the pros and cons of Sil-Nylon vs Dyneema/Cuben Fiber for shelters, what they do with their extra gear they're no longer testing/using, and how they make changes to their sleep systems for variable weather conditions. Share your question for the show: podcast@exomtngear.com https://exomtngear.com/podcast

Steve & Mark discuss their favorite gear of the year in 2020. They also revisit their prior favorite gear from 2018 and 2019, and discuss how that gear is still performing for them today. No matter your budget, there's something in here for you... See the whole list at: https://exomtngear.com/blogs/article/2020-gear-of-the-year Contact us: podcast@exomtngear.com

Steve and Mark answer listener questions about off-season gear care and storage, how they feel about hunting with a bow vs a rifle, tips they have for packaging meat while at camp, and more... Share your question for a future show: podcast@exomtngear.com https://exomtngear.com/podcast

Why you should consider hunting with a muzzleloader...and how to get started. In the episode with John McAdams from the Big Game Hunting Blog, we talk about the knowledge and gear needed to get started hunting with a muzzleloader. If you are like us and want to expand your opportunities to hunt, regardless of what weapon is in your hands, hunting with a muzzleloader can extend your season, open up new opportunities, and you also might find that you simply enjoy the challenge of hunting with a new weapon system. Read — Why You Should Start Hunting With A Muzzleloader: https://exomtngear.com/blogs/article/start-hunting-with-a-muzzleloader Read — How To Start Hunting With A Muzzleloader: https://exomtngear.com/blogs/article/how-to-start-hunting-with-a-muzzleloader John's Big Game Hunting Blog: https://thebiggamehuntingblog.com/ Connect with us: podcast@exomtngear.com

Steve & Mark answer listener questions on the SIG KILO3000 Binoculars, addressing their range-finding and ballistic solving abilities (https://www.sigsauer.com/products/electro-optics/rangefinders/kilo3000/). They also discuss which bivy they use, and answer a listener question about using bivy vs a hammock setup. Finally, they discuss the tools they use to get accurate weather forecasts for backcountry locations, including the "pinpoint" feature at forecast.weather.gov (Example: https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=43.6076&lon=-116.1934). Share your question or topic for a future show: podcast@exomtngear.com

We are in a time of year where many hunting seasons are wrapping-up soon and we head into the holidays, cold and dark winters, days, and often, a time where we let things slip. But it doesn't have to be that way. You don't have to wait for a "new year" or next hunting season to commit yourself. A commitment to challenging yourself — be that physically, mentally, or in some other way. In today's show, we hear from a listener, Curt, and how he challenged himself this year. Hear what he did, what he learned, and what advice he has for you. https://exomtngear.com/podcast

As a follow-up to our recent podcast about our rifle elk hunt, we take the opportunity to answer listener questions about that hunt... - How did the elk behavior change after a few days of pressure from rifle hunters? - Are there any regrets on filling tags early in the hunt? - What boots did we wear? And how did Mark's feet hold up after packing the elk out with soaking-wet boots? - How did Mark get the meat home? Did he fly with it? Share your question for a future show: podcast@exomtngear.com https://exomtngear.com/podcast

Steve & Mark recap their recent rifle elk hunt in Idaho. They detail the play-by-play of how they were able to fill both of their tags by mid-day on the second day of the hunt. Have a question?... podcast@exomtngear.com https://exomtngear.com/podcast

Steve & Mark are joined by their good friends, Lenny & Tyler, to retell some amazing stories from September. Lenny and Tyler backpack-hunted with their 10-year-old sons for the first time, shot some big bulls, and made some lifetime memories. https://exomtngear.com/podcast

Steve & Mark chat through gear, strategy, and tactics for their upcoming rifle elk hunt in Idaho. Being primarily archery elk hunters, they chat through how they are preparing for and planning this rifle hunt. Share your question for the show: podcast@exomtngear.com

Elk hunting is difficult. Especially when you are solo, hunting with a bow, have an over-the-counter tag, are on pressured public land, and live more than a 24-hour drive from your hunting area. But none of the things kept our guest on this episode, Jesse, from doing everything he could to try and fill his first elk tag. And on the opening morning of this past archery season, Jesse did just that. Tune in to hear how this 2nd-year elk hunter found success this year and what he learned from his prior, unsuccessful, elk hunt last year. https://exomtngear.com/podcast

Steve & Mark answer listener questions on pack weight, budget bow setups, "do it all" bullets, and boot comparisons. Share your question for the show: podcast@exomtngear.com https://exomtngear.com/

At 60-years-young our guest on this episode, Dave, is a solo mountain hunter in Alaska. Dave has experience as a Marine, pilot, mountain climber, mountain hunter, and much more. As someone who is still hunting hard in the mountains at his age, Steve and Mark wanted to learn from Dave. With an engineer's mindset and a desire to always learn, Dave has gained a lot of experience and wisdom over the years — and we are excited to have him share some of that information with us today. Have a question for us or a story to share with us?... Email podcast@exomtngear.com

Steve and Mark chat through their September elk hunts in Colorado and Idaho. There was plenty of struggle and success involved. How's your season going so far? Let us know... podcast@exomtngear.com