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
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...
Steve & Mark answer your listener-submitted questions about footwear for training vs hunting, the best way to load weight for rucking, what they carry in their first aid kits on backcountry hunts, and more...
Links & Resources
- Exo Open House & Garage Sale (RSVP!): https://exomtngear.com/pages/exo-garage-sale
- Outdoor Vitals Clothing & Discount: https://outdoorvitals.com/pages/alpine-line-optin-western-hunt-expo...
Jeremy Dugger (@muleymojo) returns to answer your questions after he recently joined us to discuss the data he has collected from 500+ bowhunters on broadhead performance, shot distance, arrow weight, and lethality.
The listener-submitted questions that we discuss in this episode include:
- What additional data points does Jeremy wish he had collected in his samples?
- How does Jeremy think about the physical vs mental aspects of ...
Steve & Mark answer your listener-submitted questions about packing sleep systems, shelter choice for backpacking and hunting with kids, training for a mountain goat hunt, how many rifle rounds to pack on a backcountry hunt, and also share some new things coming this summer (and in the extended future)...
Links & Resources
- Exo Open House & Garage Sale (RSVP!): https://exomtngear.com/pages/exo-garage-sale
- Shoot2Hun...
How you load your pack matters. The way you load your gear can help or hinder the pack's performance, and it can also make you a more efficient hunter. In this podcast, Steve & Mark discuss the best ways to load a pack for multi-day backpack hunts. This conversation is a deeper dive into a pack loading video that we just published...
Pack Loading Video: https://exomtngear.com/packloading
Backpacking Gear Lists: https://exomtnge...
Steve & Mark answer your listener-submitted questions about updates on our footwear choices, if gear noise scares animals away, our gear list for the R3 Death Hike, packout discomfort, and more...
Links & Resources
- GoFundMe for Rob's Battle with Cancer: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-rob-mcconnell-fight-throat-cancer
- K4 Multicam Pre-Order: https://exomtngear.com/multicam
- Exo Garage Sale (RSVP): https://exomtngear.com...
Steve, Mark, & Justin of Exo Mtn Gear recount their recent backpack bear hunt in Idaho. They share the story, discuss tactics and tips for spring bear (and backpack hunting in general), and touch a bit on gear.
Resources mentioned in this episode...
- Mark's Spring Bear Gear List: https://exomtngear.com/blogs/article/backpack-bear-hunting-gear-list-and-tactics
- How to Load a Bear on the K4 Frame: https://www.youtube.com/watc...
Steve & Mark go unscripted and answer your listener-submitted questions (without any preparation), covering topics that include: mindset and confidence for low-odds hunts, AI enhancements to hunting and implications on ethics and conservation, if Hornady's new 25 Creedmoor cartridge is worth buying, using the K4 2200 for a backpacking trip, meat care on extended hunts in warmer weather, choosing between a rifle stock or chassis...
From the outside, a rifle suppressor seems simple enough. But what is going on inside? Are there notable differences in suppressors that have similar specs of length, diameter, and weight?
With so many suppressors on the market, a significant investment of time and money to purchase one, and such limited availability to "try before you buy", what should hunters look for when selecting a suppressor?
We dive into these questions, and...
Each year, we put together a group of guys and embark upon a hike to challenge our limits. Typically, the hike's location, length, and format change each year. But this year we had redemption in our sights, as we returned to the Grand Canyon for the second year in a row. The goal, at least for most, was to complete a Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim traverse TWICE.
In this podcast, we have segments with several of the participants from the hike, ...
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