The Hunt Backcountry Podcast

What does it take to find consistent success in the backcountry? In episode six of our Backcountry Blueprint series, we dive deep into survey data collected from over 1,500 backcountry hunters to pinpoint the exact skills and knowledge gaps hunters want to improve.

Steve and Mark break down the data and share their tactics and personal hunting experiences across six critical categories:

Glassing & Locating Animals: Training your mind's eye, building patience, and utilizing field-of-view and stability over high magnification.

Calling Proficiency: Mastering the timing, technique, and confidence needed for real-world archery elk encounters.

Animal Behavior & Patterns: Understanding local habitat, environmental factors, and navigating hunter pressure.

Stalking & Closing the Distance: Knowing when to move fast, when to slow down to a crawl, and how to execute the "red zone" approach.

Wind & Thermal Management: Predicting morning and evening air currents, managing swirling winds, and avoiding thermal paralysis.

Preparation & Planning: Advanced e-scouting with apps like OnX and calculating the logistics of moving from Plan A to Plan B.

Whether you are a seasoned mountain hunter or preparing for your very first Western tag, this episode is packed with actionable insights to help you eliminate variables and elevate your experience in the field. 

To access the resources mentioned in this discussion, along with all other episodes in this series, visit...

The Backcountry Blueprint: https://exomtngear.com/blueprint

Contact Us: podcast@exomtngear.com

Email Sign-up: https://exomtngear.com/newsletter

Podcast Episode Archive: https://exomtngear.com/podcast

In this episode, we are joined by Chris and Kevin from Wilderness Athlete. Family-owned and operated for over 15 years, WA operates differently from many modern supplement companies, which are fueled by massive venture capital and rely on "white-labeling" pre-made formulas. Chris and Kevin explain why they have always prioritized proprietary, peer-reviewed science and rigorous product testing.

Key Topics & Takeaways:

The White-Labeling Reality: Discover how the largely unregulated supplement industry operates, where many brands simply slap their own label on generic formulas instead of doing actual research.

High Performance Demands Foundational Health: Why Wilderness Athlete’s top-selling products focus on everyday foundational health—like multivitamins, fish oil, and gut health—rather than just "high-octane" in-the-field formulas.

Modern Food vs. Nutritional Deficiency: How modern agricultural practices grow food faster but leave fruits, vegetables, and even meats nutritionally deficient compared to decades ago, making smart supplementation more relevant.

The Creatine Boom: A deep dive into the massive wave of recent creatine research. Learn about its surprising cognitive benefits, insights on timing and loading phases, and how adding HMB can help prevent muscle wasting.

Sleep, Recovery, and Aging: Practical tips for the "middle-aged athlete" trying to optimize testosterone production, manage inflammation, and fix sleep issues both at home and in the backcountry.

What’s Next for Wilderness Athlete: Sneak peeks into new product developments, including their rigorous process for creating bioavailable creatine gummies and a true, nutrient-dense backcountry meal replacement shake.

Take Agency for Your Own Health: There is no magic pill or one-size-fits-all approach. Chris and Kevin urge listeners to look past internet hype, test things for themselves, use blood work to find real deficiencies, and become their own primary health researchers.

Connect with Wilderness Athlete...

Website: https://wildernessathlete.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqWSE8LCxa6ZMGZOXnSFDQg

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wilderness_athlete/

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

In part five of The Backcountry Blueprint series, host Mark from Exo Mtn Gear dives into the essential physical foundation required for backcountry hunting. Drawing from a comprehensive survey of roughly 1,500 hunters, this episode distills real-world experiences, physical shortcomings, and past hunt failures into the five core physical pillars every mountain athlete needs to master.

To access the resources mentioned in this discussion, along with all other episodes in this series, visit...

The Backcountry Blueprint: https://exomtngear.com/blueprint

Contact Us: podcast@exomtngear.com

Email Sign-up: https://exomtngear.com/newsletter

Podcast Episode Archive: https://exomtngear.com/podcast

"Form" returns to the podcast to answer your questions on a variety of topics, including optimal rifle weight, 22 vs 25 vs 6mm Creedmoor, the best support for various field shooting positions, the downsides of shooting from a tripod, recommendations for "building" a budget-conscious hunting rifle, answers for small caliber skeptics, and much more.

Additional Podcasts & Resources:

The Original Small Caliber Podcast Series...

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/

Previous Q&A with Form: https://exomtngear.com/blogs/podcast/mm-239

"Form" Discusses How Far YOU Should Be Shooting at Big Game: https://exomtngear.com/blogs/podcast/498

"The 223 Thread" on Rokslide: https://rokslide.com/forums/threads/223-for-bear-mountain-goat-deer-elk-and-moose.130488/

"The 6mm Thread" on Rosklide: https://rokslide.com/forums/threads/6mm-243-hunting-success-on-big-game.284525/

Ballistic Comparisons: https://the-experience-project.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Ballistic-Gelatin-Comparisons.pdf

ELD Standardized Gel Tests: https://the-experience-project.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Hornady-ELD-Match-147-Gel-Barrier-Testing.pdf

ELD Whitepaper: https://the-experience-project.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ELD-X_ELD-Match_Technical_Details.pdf

Rifle Kraft on Sniper's Hide: https://www.snipershide.com/shooting/threads/kraft-data-driven-training-try-this.7046408/

WEZ Impact Probability Calculator: https://appliedballisticsllc.com/weapon-employment-zone-wez/

How To Shoot With Your Pack & Trekking Poles: https://exomtngear.com/blogs/article/rifle-shooting-with-hunting-pack

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

Dr. John Deloney is a mental health expert, bestselling author, comedian — and, yes, passionate backcountry hunter. In this conversation, we explore the intersection of mental health and hunting. This conversation is unlike any other we have had over the 10+ years of The Hunt Backcountry Podcast. We explore...

Escaping vs. Reconnecting: The fine line between using hunting to avoid real-life responsibilities and using it as an intentional tool to find beauty, slow down, and return home as a better husband and father.

Bonds Formed In The Backcountry: How modern culture has left us digitally "connected" without authentic human connections, and why hunting serves as a rare forge for authentic adult friendships.

Dangers of a Hunting Identity: How easily men can get trapped in living for a "dance monkey dance" lifestyle of achievements, and how to tether your identity to something bigger than a trophy scorecard or an Instagram photo.

Connect with John...

Website: https://johndelony.com/

Podcast: The Dr. John Deloney Show

Instagram: @johndelony

Books: https://amzn.to/4wFig5a

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