Backcountry Hunting Podcast

Backcountry Hunting Podcast focuses on inspiring and teaching about deep-country hunting, with emphasis on DIY techniques, gear, prep and how-to. Lifelong wilderness hunter Joseph von Benedikt shares stories and tips for success.

Hunting Mountain Lions 01/22/2021

Hunting Mountain Lions This episode dives into mountain lion hunting in the American West, detailing population trends, taxonomy, hunting methods, DIY versus outfitted hunts, firearms and archery gear appropriate for cougars, shot angles and kill zones, whether mountain lions are good to eat, and taxidermy prep and options. /episode/index/show/backcountryhunting/id/17635022

Browning's New 6.8 Western & .280 Ackley 01/15/2021

Browning's New 6.8 Western & .280 Ackley Meet Browning's awesome new .270-caliber short action magnum: The 6.8 Western. This is the cartridge that Joseph von Benedikt used during his 2020 Alaska solo drop-camp caribou hunt. It's got a fast 1:7.5 rifling twist rate, enabling it to shoot a new breed of heavy-for-caliber, high-BC .270 bullets of up to 175 grains. /episode/index/show/backcountryhunting/id/17554910

Monster Deer & Minimizing Gear 01/04/2021

Monster Deer & Minimizing Gear Welcome to the 101st episode! This fun discussion covers two topics: big mule deer bucks and minimizing your backcountry gear. Monster-buck glory days are relived, statistics of harvesting a big buck are crunched, and methods to contribute to mule deer recovery are suggested. /episode/index/show/backcountryhunting/id/17421806

Kids Hunting: How To Start Them Right 12/22/2020

Kids Hunting: How To Start Them Right Welcome to our 100th episode! We talk about something of critical importance: our kids, and passing along our love of hunting and the outdoors. How to generate interest, pick a first gun, learn safety, choose binoculars & scopes, make good shots & clean kills, take good pictures, & how to field dress game. Also involving kids in aging meat, & processing it at home. Respect, stewardship, and storytelling are important too; this episode details teaching these concepts & making them resonate. /episode/index/show/backcountryhunting/id/17300504

DIY Customizing Your Backcountry Rifle 12/15/2020

DIY Customizing Your Backcountry Rifle This how-to episode discusses two topics: How to most effectively carry a bear-protection sidearm in the backcountry; and how to customize your hunting rifle for best performance. Prompted by a listener, the second section goes into deep detail, including selecting a pre-fit, pre-chambered match-grade barrel for a Tikka T3x rifle, a match-grade trigger, muzzle brake pros and cons, selecting a replacement stock, and properly bedding the action. The result? Custom-rifle performance on a DIY budget. /episode/index/show/backcountryhunting/id/17205191

Public-Land Ibex in New Mexico with Landon Michaels 12/07/2020

Public-Land Ibex in New Mexico with Landon Michaels This fun episode with Gunwerks' Landon Michaels details his recent public-land hunt for free-range Ibex in New Mexico. Landon explains the process of applying for the draw-type tag, researching Ibex hunting, preparing physically, gear choices, and hunt methods and then tells the full story of his extraordinary hunt. /episode/index/show/backcountryhunting/id/17098166

Idaho Hunt Changes 11/30/2020

Idaho Hunt Changes Idaho: Best Hunt Destination In the West. Big changes are coming to non-resident hunter opportunity in Idaho, starting Dec. 1, 2020. This episode spotlights critical information for hunters that aspire to hunt Idaho, including tag allotments, OTC opportunities, timing-critical info for purchasing desirable elk and deer tags, and more. /episode/index/show/backcountryhunting/id/17004341

Are 6.5mm Cartridges Good For Elk? 11/17/2020

Are 6.5mm Cartridges Good For Elk? Grab hold and hang on! This episode challenges the trendy 6.5mm status quo and digs deep and candidly into the caliber's capability for hunting elk. Technical details, statistics, and real-life stories build wisdom and debunk myths. Why are outfitters outlawing various 6.5s for use on elk? Why are other hunters killing cow elk at 800 yards with a 6.5 Creedmoor? Host Joseph von Benedikt explores these questions and details which 6.5mm cartridges and bullets work best on elk. /episode/index/show/backcountryhunting/id/16845626

DIY Solo Backcountry Mistakes 11/09/2020

DIY Solo Backcountry Mistakes Recorded in the remote backcountry, this sobering episode explores several backcountry mistakes made by host JvB during his recent DIY, solo fly-in caribou hunt in Alaska, and details ways to anticipate and prevent such mistakes. Gear notes and potential failures, planning for extreme weather, and the mental game are discussed. /episode/index/show/backcountryhunting/id/16741520

Backcountry Toughness with Hard Men Podcast's Eric Conn 11/03/2020

Backcountry Toughness with Hard Men Podcast's Eric Conn This episode is all about toughness, resilience, attitude, and hardening yourself to succeed in the backcountry. I'm joined by Eric Conn, who hosts the Hard Men podcast. A serious gun guy and solo backcountry hunter, Conn is a Christian Pastor as well and is beautifully versed in philosophy, male psychology and physiology, and weaves Biblical toughness into a no-compromise approach to manliness. This is good stuff... ENJOY! /episode/index/show/backcountryhunting/id/16675019

Backcountry Big-Bores: .338-06, .35 Whelen, & 9.3x62 10/27/2020

Backcountry Big-Bores: .338-06, .35 Whelen, & 9.3x62 This fun episode delves into heavy-hitting cartridges appropriate for backcountry hunting. In response to several listener's requests, we discuss and compare the .338-06, the .35 Whelen, and the 9.3x62. Additionally, situations and scenarios in which such cartridges are an advantage are detailed. Factory ammo offerings and handloading potential is explored. Production and custom rifle availability is listed. /episode/index/show/backcountryhunting/id/16567784

Listeners Questions, Feedback, & Success Stories 10/19/2020

Listeners Questions, Feedback, & Success Stories This fun episode spotlights the fun of being with a kid for their first deer hunt, and dives into listener's questions, feedback, and success stories. Host Joseph von Benedikt digs deep on tough bullets for Nilgai, favorite .280 Ackley bullets and loads, rangefinding binoculars, velocity with monometal bullets vs. lead-core bullets, the SIG Cross as a backcountry rifle, Marlin's .45-70 Trapper for brush-and-bear country, and more. /episode/index/show/backcountryhunting/id/16467119

Know Your Hunt Area 10/09/2020

Know Your Hunt Area This episode emphasizes the importance of knowing your hunt area, and sticking with it year after year. A recent 24-hour, solo backcountry hunt for Utah mule deer showcases the advantage of intimate knowledge of how to hunt an area. Step-by-step methods of researching, exploring, scouting, and hunting an area are detailed, as well as the year-in, year-out benefits of loyalty to one good area. /episode/index/show/backcountryhunting/id/16343138

Solo Alaska Caribou, Part 2 10/05/2020

Solo Alaska Caribou, Part 2 As Part 2, this audio-journal type episode details the second—and hardest—half of the host's DIY, public-land 2020 solo caribou hunt in Alaska. Water, rain, gale-force wind, solitude, equipment failure, and overcoming logistical challenges are all addressed. /episode/index/show/backcountryhunting/id/16280387

Solo Alaska Caribou, Part 1 09/28/2020

Solo Alaska Caribou, Part 1 This journal-entry type audio diary tells the story of host Joseph von Benedikt's recent solo, DIY backcountry caribou hunt in Alaska. It was a drop-camp hunt with Tok Air Service in extremely rugged country. Bad weather and tough conditions kept things interesting. Part 1 details the hunt and aftermath up through the successful conclusion of packing meat to the airstrip. After that, things got rough. Be sure and tune in for Part 2, which will air soon. /episode/index/show/backcountryhunting/id/16189442

Calling Pressured Elk with Top Guide Randsom Owens 09/18/2020

Calling Pressured Elk with Top Guide Randsom Owens When educated by too many hunters, bulls get wise, and become extremely skeptical of human-made calls. This episode dives deep into the art of calling pressured elk. Guest Randsom Owens is a top wildlife artist, passionate elk guide, and masterful caller. Here, he shares many of the unorthodox techniques that have helped him call old, savvy, monster bulls into bow range. He details how to read a herd, how and when to set up, elk vocalizations vs. raking and other sounds, and much more. /episode/index/show/backcountryhunting/id/16069037

Drop-Camp Ethics & Pilot Protocol with Zack Knaebel of Tok Air Service 09/11/2020

Drop-Camp Ethics & Pilot Protocol with Zack Knaebel of Tok Air Service This informative episode was recorded live on a remote staging strip in Alaska, while standing beneath the wing of a Super Cub and swatting mosquitoes. Guest Zack Knaebel, crack bush pilot and owner of Tok Air Service, provides insights on DIY, drop-camp prep, on the ethics of meat care and the responsibility for knowing the regs, and for preparing in case you get "weathered in." Also importantly, Zack discusses pilot protocol and things to avoid, such as pressuring the pilot or begging to come out early. /episode/index/show/backcountryhunting/id/15969971

Backcountry Bullets & Rifling Twist Rates 09/04/2020

Backcountry Bullets & Rifling Twist Rates This fun on-the-run episode was recorded while driving between Fairbanks and Tok, Alaska on the way to fly in for a solo DIY caribou hunt. In response to several listeners questions, it addresses rifling twist rates and the requirements of today's modern, high-BC bullets and monometal bullets. Affect of altitude and temperature is also detailed. /episode/index/show/backcountryhunting/id/15849728

6.5 PRC vs. 6.5 Creedmoor (and all the other 6.5mms) for Backcountry Hunting 08/28/2020

6.5 PRC vs. 6.5 Creedmoor (and all the other 6.5mms) for Backcountry Hunting This episode details the performance and capability differences between the 6.5 PRC and 6.5 Creedmoor, and discusses strategies for betting the best performance out of each. Bullet choices for deer, elk, bear, moose, and long-range shooting are explored. A candid look is taken at weaknesses. Other popular and capable 6.5mm hunting cartridges are each briefly detailed as well, including the 6.5 Grendel, .260 Rem., 6.5x55 Swede, 6.5-284 Norma, .264 Win. Mag., 6.5 WBY RMP, 26 Nosler, and 6.5-300 WBY. /episode/index/show/backcountryhunting/id/15794231

Backpacks for Backcountry Hunting 08/22/2020

Backpacks for Backcountry Hunting This episode dives into the world of serious hunting backpacks. Host Joseph von Benedikt details lessons learned from backpack-related disasters, recommends types to avoid, and details the pros and cons of external frame packs, internal frame packs, and hybrid/modular packs. Several excellent models are recommended, along with specs listed for each. /episode/index/show/backcountryhunting/id/15711191

Pioneering New Hunt Areas with Colton Heward 08/14/2020

Pioneering New Hunt Areas with Colton Heward Recorded outdoors in the wind and the bugs, this cool episode with Scouting & Navigating expert Colton Heward details the process of learning to hunt brand new country and species. Plus we discuss his father's very special Desert Bighorn Sheep 2020 draw tag, the challenges he faces with his knee operation/complications, his never-say-die attitude to getting it done this upcoming season, and the process they've used to already locate big rams. ENJOY! /episode/index/show/backcountryhunting/id/15606899

Learning Long-Range Skill with Gunwerks' Landon Michaels 08/07/2020

Learning Long-Range Skill with Gunwerks' Landon Michaels This episode dives into the realm of long-range hunting. In response to a listener's question about how to develop extended-range lethality, Gunwerks' Landon Michaels details appropriate gear, mindset, methodology, and a practical approach to learning and earning long-range shooting competence. We intentionally focus on the technical details, and leave the ethics of the debate for another time. This episode is for every hunter that wants to shoot accurately and kill cleanly—whether close or far. /episode/index/show/backcountryhunting/id/15526922

.308 vs. .30-06 for Backcountry Hunting 07/31/2020

.308 vs. .30-06 for Backcountry Hunting Is the .308 a capable cartridge for hunting wide-open Rocky Mountain country? This episode explores advantages and limitations of the .308 and compares the classic all-around champion .30-06. Technical .308 cartridge case design and capacity limitations, projectile limitations, velocity and energy comparisons, and more are explored. Best-in-class bullets for the .308 and .30-06 are detailed and compared to common cup-and-core budget-grade hunting ammo. Maximum ethical range limits are generated. /episode/index/show/backcountryhunting/id/15420125

Upgrading Backcountry ATV Performance with Tyler Freel 07/24/2020

Upgrading Backcountry ATV Performance with Tyler Freel Alaskan expert sheep and bear hunter Tyler Freel joins this episode to discuss what makes a four-wheeler capable in the backcountry. He does primarily walk-in sheep hunts, getting as deep as possible on his ATV, then hiking in the remaining distance. Total travel: often 2.5 to three days just to access sheep country. We talk about the vital necessity of winches, high-performance tires, and other add-ons. Hairy stories highlight each point. Also check out Tyler's excellent podcast Tundra Talk. /episode/index/show/backcountryhunting/id/15340895

Hunting Knife Design with Evan Siembida 07/17/2020

Hunting Knife Design with Evan Siembida This episode welcomes back custom knife making savant Evan Siembida. We talk upcoming hunt plans, elk calling, and knife design. In a particularly fun turn of events, we conceptualize and configure a special limited edition knife as a collaboration between the Backcountry Hunting Podcast and Siembida Custom Knives. Potentially the ultimate backcountry hunting blade, it will be light, ergonomic, capable and made of the best components available. /episode/index/show/backcountryhunting/id/15238757

Dial or Hold: Shooting Fast & Accurately in the Backcountry 07/06/2020

Dial or Hold: Shooting Fast & Accurately in the Backcountry Prompted by a veteran mule deer hunter's comments on how critical it is to be able to compensate fast for long shots, this episode explores holdover reticles vs. dial-up turrets for shooting long range. How to get the best out of either system is addressed, along with details on various holdover reticle types and what makes a really capable dial-up turret. Stories of magnificent bucks and lost opportunities drive home vital points. Enjoy! /episode/index/show/backcountryhunting/id/15106112

Top Backcountry Rifles, Part 5: Proof Research Glacier Ti 06/28/2020

Top Backcountry Rifles, Part 5: Proof Research Glacier Ti This episode dives into details of the extraordinary Proof Research Glacier Ti mountain rifle. Here's an inside look at why the company's carbon-fiber-wrapped barrels are renown for superlative performance and precision, as well as how the company has created stocks that enhance field-shooting accuracy and minimize felt recoil of big cartridges such as the author's .300 PRC. Actions, finishes, available cartridges, setting up for mountain-hunting work, and more. /episode/index/show/backcountryhunting/id/14991935

Transporting Rifles Damage Free 06/19/2020

Transporting Rifles Damage Free Traveling into the backcountry and abroad can be hard on rifles and scopes. This episode details suitable hard cases for long-distance travel, and how to pack your rifle to best protect it. Host Joseph von Benedikt also answers listener's questions about the .280 Rem vs. .280 Ackley, the 7mm-08 and it's place as a backcountry hunting cartridge, deep-penetrating .30-06 bullets for use on elk, and more. /episode/index/show/backcountryhunting/id/14881805

Transporting Rifles Damage Free 06/19/2020

.375 H&H: All-Around Cartridge Champ 06/12/2020

.375 H&H: All-Around Cartridge Champ This episode discusses the great .375 H&H cartridge. Known world-wide as arguably the best one-gun cartridge for hunting everything, it's powerful, accurate, potent, yet controllable. It's capable of cleanly killing everything from elephant down to roebuck. Here's how to pick the right rifle, how to select the right bullet for the game you're hunting, and how to set up your system to get the best out of your .375. /episode/index/show/backcountryhunting/id/14802392

Backcountry Hunting Podcast

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