Here's the story of how Mark Wheeler survived a catestrophic bush plane crash in the Northwest, as well as the unique way he met and backed the most interesting man in the world--Rob Gearing--in building the Spartan brand. This was a terrific fireside conversation, recorded in the field. ENJOY! FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars. VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE: www.browning.com www.barnesbullets.com www.timneytriggers.com www.leupold.com www.onxmaps.com www.silencercentral.com https://www.portersfirearms.com/ www.gunwerks.com www.siembidacustomknives.com https://javelinbipod.com

Could the .280 Ackley Improved be the most versatile western hunting cartridge? Long-time .280 Ackley man Ron Spomer joins this episode to explore it's history and capability. This discussion is full of great stories and anecdotes and lots of information on what is certainly one of the greatist hunting cartridges available. Plus, of course, we share details of our favorite .280 Ackley rifles and loads. ENJOY! FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars. VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE: www.browning.com www.barnesbullets.com www.timneytriggers.com www.leupold.com www.onxmaps.com www.silencercentral.com https://www.portersfirearms.com/ www.siembidacustomknives.com https://javelinbipod.com

Are our hunting rights and traditions in danger? If you consider England and Scotland as precursors of what could happen in America, then the answer is yes, potentially. In this episode, we talk about what is happening in various hunting communities around the world, and discuss what we can do to protect and preserve our hunting heritage—wherever we live. We take a deep dive into conservation, wildlife management, being good stewards, and the benefits of hunting as a family and eating clean, wild meat we've brought home ourselves. This one is important, folks. ENJOY! FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars. VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE: www.browning.com www.barnesbullets.com www.timneytriggers.com www.leupold.com www.onxmaps.com www.silencercentral.com https://www.portersfirearms.com/ www.gunwerks.com www.siembidacustomknives.com https://javelinbipod.com

Ever wonder how to pick just the right bullet to hunt with? This episode's for you. We take a deep dive into bullet construction and sectional density, and detail the performance of four different fundamental bullet types: Bullets for deer-size game Bullets for elk- to moose-size game Bullets for dangerous game Bullets for pachyderms and for tracking wounded dangerous game Plus we explain: Sectional density How bullets mushroom (the mechanics) Temporary vs. permanent wound channels Energy as applied to terminal performance How bullets kill: Loss of blood Loss of nervous-system function Compromised vital organs Before concluding, we suggest several different favorite bullet types, and wrap all the technical "bullet nerd" info into a simple, useful formula for picking the right hunting bullet for your task. ENJOY! BIG NEWS! We've just launched a YouTube channel. Our boy William (the ever-popular host of the Backcountry Apprentice segment) will be editing and publishing videos of our episodes. Please jump over to YouTube and give him a quick subscribe! Here's a link to make it easy: https://www.youtube.com/@BackcountryHuntingPodcast ALSO: We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars. VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE: www.onxmaps.com www.barnesbullets.com www.timneytriggers.com https://www.portersfirearms.com/ www.browning.com www.leupold.com www.silencercentral.com https://javelinbipod.com www.gunwerks.com www.siembidacustomknives.com

Is the .375 H&H still the most versatile cartridge in the world? Or is the .375 Ruger now a better choice? On the premise of picking just one cartridge to hunt everything from whitetail deer to elephant, we've chosen the two most likely candidates and pitted them against each other in this cartridge shootout-type episode. We consider: Ballistic performance Inherent accuracy Available factory ammo Potential handloadability Available rifles/options/cost Rifle capacity & cartridge feeding charactistics Worldwide availability Conclusion? You'll have to listen to find out! ENJOY! Also, BIG NEWS! We've just launched a YouTube channel. Our boy William (the ever-popular host of the Backcountry Apprentice segment) will be editing and publishing videos of our episodes. Please jump over to YouTube and give him a quick subscribe! Here's a link to make it easy: https://www.youtube.com/@BackcountryHuntingPodcast ALSO: We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars. VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE: www.browning.com www.leupold.com www.silencercentral.com https://javelinbipod.com www.onxmaps.com www.barnesbullets.com www.timneytriggers.com https://www.portersfirearms.com/ www.gunwerks.com www.siembidacustomknives.com

Survival gear? Elk cartridges? Shooting techniques? Long-range ethics? This episode has it all, thanks to our great reader's questions and comments. Also, BIG NEWS! We're launching a YouTube channel. Our boy William (the ever-popular host of the Backcountry Apprentice segment) will be editing and publishing videos of our episodes. Please jump over to YouTube and give him a quick subscribe! https://www.youtube.com/@BackcountryHuntingPodcast FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars. VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE: www.onxmaps.com www.barnesbullets.com www.timneytriggers.com www.browning.com www.leupold.com www.silencercentral.com https://www.portersfirearms.com/ www.gunwerks.com www.siembidacustomknives.com https://javelinbipod.com

These two new-fangled cartridges are arguably the best all-purpose hunting rounds introduced in the past 20 years. Which is best, 6.8 Western or 7 PRC? In this episode, we take a deep dive into the advantages of each cartridge, including: Best effectiveness on a broad spectrum of non-dangerous game Adaptability for different types of terrain and hunting Which makes for the best mountain rifle Which is most efficient in short barrels for use with a suppressor Which has the least recoil for the performance provided How available factory rifles and ammo are for each How available brass and component bullets are for each In the end, we draw some conclusions and give real-world scenarios showcasing situations in which each comes out superior. This one was fun, folks... ENJOY! FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars. VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE: www.browning.com www.silencercentral.com www.leupold.com www.siembidacustomknives.com www.barnesbullets.com www.timneytriggers.com www.onxmaps.com https://www.portersfirearms.com/ www.gunwerks.com https://javelinbipod.com

Ever struggle to get a sharp edge on your hunting knife? This 20-minute tuturial walks step-by-step through the process of making your blade razor sharp. Plus, we discuss best benchtop sharpening stones and field stones. ENJOY! To watch the video of this episode, please join us on www.patreon.com/backcountry , where you'll get access to all our bonus content.

Recorded at the recent Western Hunting & Conservation Expo in Salt Lake City, this episode digs into titanium as a suppressor material, as well as the cutting-edge new technology enabling manufacturers to make 3-D printed suppressors. Brandon Maddox of Silencer Central also gives us an inside look at the status of the E-Form system, and talks about a new conservation-driven bill that would direct funds from the $200 tax stamp required with every suppressor to benefit conservation. There's some terrific information here, folks. ENJOY! FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars. VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE: www.silencercentral.com https://javelinbipod.com www.browning.com www.barnesbullets.com www.timneytriggers.com www.leupold.com www.onxmaps.com https://www.portersfirearms.com/ www.gunwerks.com www.siembidacustomknives.com

What emergency and survival gear should you have at base camp? Whether your base is a truck at the trailhead, or a big horse camp deep in wilderness country, you should have crucial backup gear and food there. This episode was inspired by a listener, and contains a list of what we consider important, from extra ammo or arrows to medical supplies—along with discussion of why and plenty of real-world stories of challenging experiences. ENJOY! FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars. VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE: https://www.portersfirearms.com/ www.barnesbullets.com www.timneytriggers.com www.onxmaps.com www.browning.com www.silencercentral.com www.gunwerks.com www.leupold.com www.siembidacustomknives.com https://javelinbipod.com

This episode looks at three of the best replaceable-blade, ultralight folding hunting knives on the market: Havalon, Outdoor Edge, and Browning. We believe every serious hunter should have a good traditional fixed-blade hunting knife and be good at sharpening it. However, there is a place for replaceable-blade knives. This discussion addresses what to pick and why. Plus, we share a couple of cautionary true stories—one that could have ended in death—of accidents with scalpel-sharp replaceable-blade knives. ENJOY! To see the knives showcased in the video of this episode, join us on www.patreon.com/backcountry. The $10 tier will get you access to all our member-exclusive videos and bonus content. And a HUGE thanks to those of you allready on board supporting the podcast—we can't thank you enough!

What sort of scope (or sights) will help you shoot most effectively when hunting big timber or brush country? This episode explores the characteristics of an optic that's ideal for fast, effective shooting inside 200 yards, and details several different scope, red dot, and iron sight models that work particularly well. ENJOY! FRIENDS: We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars. VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE: www.browning.com www.leupold.com www.silencercentral.com www.barnesbullets.com www.timneytriggers.com www.onxmaps.com https://www.portersfirearms.com/ www.gunwerks.com www.siembidacustomknives.com https://javelinbipod.com

This episode showcases three terrific lever-action big game rifles. All are classic historic designs that were carried by frontiersmen; all are also still being produced! These three are big-bore versions suitable for hunting anything from deer to grizzlies. We'll follow up soon with an episode on top-notch .30-30 models ideal for deer and hog hunting. In order of appearance, here are links to the specific rifle models showcased here: Winchester Model 1886 Short Rifle in .45-90 Win. Marlin Model 1895 SBL in .45-70 Gov't. Winchester Model 95 in .405 Win. If you'd like to see the rifles, join us on www.patreon.com/backcountry, where you can see the film of this episode plus all our other bonus content. ENJOY!

What makes a capable rifle/cartridge/bullet setup for close-range hunting? This episode takes a deep dive into the best of the type, including lever-actions, pump-actions, bolt-actions, semiautos, and even single shots, along with ideal cartridges and top-performing bullet types. We address whether brush-busting bullets are actually a thing, and the visible on-impact effect of blunt-nose bullets up close versus pointed bullets. From shot angles to blood trails to fast follow-up shots, this episode has it all... ENJOY! FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars. VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE: https://www.portersfirearms.com/ www.barnesbullets.com www.timneytriggers.com https://javelinbipod.com www.leupold.com www.browning.com www.onxmaps.com www.silencercentral.com www.gunwerks.com www.siembidacustomknives.com

After four decades of U.S. sniper history Leupold's legendary Mark 4 scope has been completely overhauled. The new Mark 4HD has state-of-the-art glass and cutting-edge features, and is undoubtedly the best crossover precision/tactical/hunting scope now on the market. Weight is reasonable, as is cost: $999 to $1,599. This episode takes a deep dive into the new Mark 4HD line with optical experts John Snodgrass and Shawn Skipper. ENJOY! FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars. VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE: www.browning.com www.barnesbullets.com www.timneytriggers.com www.leupold.com www.onxmaps.com www.silencercentral.com https://www.portersfirearms.com/ www.gunwerks.com www.siembidacustomknives.com https://javelinbipod.com

This episode I sat down with Ron Spomer and Colton Heward and swapped stories and opinions on the flood of innovative new shooting and hunting products introduced at SHOT Show 2024. We talk about awesome new rifle designs, from Winchester's new $400 .22 rimfire lever gun to Beretta's startling new straight-pull bolt-action hunting rifle. New riflescopes and rangefinding binoculars and premium optics of every sort abound. New cartridge introductions are few but new loads for trendy cartridges are everywhere—there are no less than seven new 7mm PRC loads from Federal, Remington, and Fusion alone. We're also planning a meet-and-greet at the Western Hunting & Conservation Expo in Salt Lake City on Friday, February 16th at around 2pm. Hope to see you there! FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars. VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE: www.browning.com www.barnesbullets.com www.timneytriggers.com www.leupold.com www.onxmaps.com www.silencercentral.com https://www.portersfirearms.com/ www.gunwerks.com www.siembidacustomknives.com https://javelinbipod.com

Is there a predator-hunting cartridge that outperforms all others? There is, and it's called the 22 Creedmoor. It's designed for maximum performance with modern, high-BC .22-caliber centerfire bullets, and as a result is much more effective than classic favorites such as the .22-250. Skeptical? I admit I sure was. Research showed me that the 22 Creedmoor doesn't just outperform the .22-250 and other popular predator rounds, it eclipses them. Want some numbers? The 22 Creedmoor is more effective at 800 yards than the .22-250 is at 500 yards. It has less than half the wind drift. It impacts with more than double the energy and a whole lot more velocity downrange. Wildcatted and promoted by serious coyote competition callers in Texas, the 22 Creedmoor has just been legitimized by Hornady and is now a proper factory-loaded cartridge. Horizon Firearms has exclusive marketing priveledges for Hornady ammo, and makes the finest 22 Creedmoor factory-ready rifles I've seen anywhere—for half the cost you'd expect. This was a unique project with a result that really surprised me. Candidly, I had no idea just how good the 22 Creedmoor would prove to be. ENJOY! FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars. VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE: www.browning.com www.leupold.com www.onxmaps.com www.silencercentral.com www.siembidacustomknives.com www.barnesbullets.com www.timneytriggers.com https://www.portersfirearms.com/ www.gunwerks.com https://javelinbipod.com

This episode takes us to Old Mexico in pursuit of coues deer, the Gray Ghost of the Southwest. These tiny desert mountain-dwellering whitetails are incredibly challenging—and fun—to hunt. Guides and hunters with 40 years of experience talk us through how, where and when to hunt coues deer. We take a deep dive into rifles, cartridges, and bullets for coues deer, and discuss the vital importance of a good binocular and high-powered, tripod-mounted binocular. The second half of the podcast is story time. Fellow writer Jeff Johnston tells the tale of his near-Boone & Crockett buck, and I share the story of my massive-antlered, battle-scarred old buck. This was a fun one, folks, recorded in the field hunkered around a cast-iron wood stove on a historic ranch once frequented by Pancho Villa. ENJOY! FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need your support to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars. VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE: www.browning.com www.barnesbullets.com www.timneytriggers.com www.leupold.com www.onxmaps.com www.silencercentral.com https://www.portersfirearms.com/ www.gunwerks.com www.siembidacustomknives.com https://javelinbipod.com

Custom scope dials are the fastest, simplest way to make precise shots inside 600 yards. Just range, dial, hold center and shoot. However, ordering a dial with the correct parameters and setting it up on your rifle can feel intimidating. It shouldn't be. The process is a detailed one, but isn't hard. This episode outlines several steps on how to get it right, and then how to use your custom dial most effectively. Common questions and misconceptions about custom dials are answered and mythbusted, too. ENJOY! FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars. VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE: www.silencercentral.com https://www.portersfirearms.com/ www.barnesbullets.com www.timneytriggers.com www.browning.com www.leupold.com www.onxmaps.com www.gunwerks.com www.siembidacustomknives.com https://javelinbipod.com

Few great hunting films exist... But the great ones are really spectacular. This brief episode details three of the best ever made. ENJOY!