Backbone Unlimited Podcast

How do you locate elk when you arrive in a new area and have no idea where to begin?

In this episode, Matt Hartsky draws from 34 years of elk hunting and guiding experience to explain how he approaches unfamiliar public land. He covers the mistakes that waste time, the information that helps narrow a large unit, and how to avoid hiking mile after mile without getting any closer to elk.

If you’re hunting a new unit, facing mil...

How do you know when it’s time to leave an area and find new elk?

In this episode, Matt Hartsky draws from 34 years of elk hunting experience to tackle one of the hardest decisions on a public-land hunt. Leave too soon and you may abandon good elk country. Stay too long and you can waste valuable days hunting elk that are no longer there.

Matt covers silent elk, fresh versus old sign, changing hunting pressure, blown setups, ...

Are mornings or evenings better for killing elk?

In this episode, Matt Hartsky draws from 34 years of elk hunting experience to compare the opportunities and challenges each part of the day creates. He covers September elk movement, changing mountain thermals, feed-to-bed transitions, time pressure, and why morning and evening hunts require different strategies.

If you’re deciding when to hunt your best area, trying to plan a...

You’ve located a bedded bull elk. What should you do next?

In this episode, Matt Hartsky draws from 34 years of elk hunting experience to break down one of the best—and easiest to ruin—opportunities in archery elk hunting. He covers the decisions that matter when a bull is bedded, the risks of moving too quickly, and how calling, wind, terrain, and position can change the entire setup.

If you’ve ever found a...

What should you do when the wind starts swirling after you’ve already worked close to elk?

In this episode, Matt Hartsky draws from 34 years of elk hunting experience to break down one of the most dangerous situations in close-range bowhunting. He explains how unstable mountain wind and changing thermals can ruin an otherwise perfect setup—and why being close to a bull can lead hunters into rushed decisions.

If swirling...

Where do elk go in October after the rut winds down and the bulls seem to disappear?

In this episode, Matt Hartsky draws from 34 years of elk hunting and guiding experience to explain how elk behavior changes after September. He covers the transition into the post-rut, the factors that move mature bulls, and why productive rutting areas may suddenly stop holding the elk you’re trying to find.

If you’re planning an Octob...

Where do elk go when rifle pressure hits and the places that held them before the season suddenly go quiet?

In this episode, Matt Hartsky draws from 34 years of elk hunting and guiding experience to explain how hunting pressure changes elk movement, behavior, and daily patterns. He covers what hunters should pay attention to after roads get busy, camps appear, and the first shots of the season start moving elk.

If you hunt pressure...

What elevation should you hunt elk at in October?

In this episode, Matt Hartsky draws from 34 years of elk hunting and guiding experience to explain why finding October elk isn’t as simple as choosing one elevation on a map. He examines the conditions that influence where elk live after September and how those conditions can change throughout a rifle hunt.

If you’re trying to decide whether to hunt high, move downhill a...

Do elk still bugle in October, or does the mountain go quiet when September ends?

In this episode, Matt Hartsky draws from 34 years of elk hunting and guiding experience to explain what hunters should expect from bull elk after the peak rut. He examines October bugling, late-rut behavior, hunting pressure, calling, and how to respond when a bull gives you only one clue to his location.

If you’re planning an October rifle elk ...

Where do elk feed and bed once rifle season begins and hunting pressure changes their normal routine?

In this episode, Matt Hartsky draws from 34 years of elk hunting and guiding experience to explain how rifle-season elk choose feeding areas, bedding cover, and the routes between them. He also examines why elk may remain in the same general area while becoming much harder for hunters to find during daylight.

If you’re planni...

Does snow automatically push elk downhill, or could they remain in the same area after the storm?

In this episode, Matt Hartsky draws from 34 years of elk hunting and guiding experience to explain how snow can change elk location and behavior. He covers the factors that determine whether elk stay put, make a small adjustment, or leave an area completely.

If you’re planning a late-season rifle elk hunt, tracking elk after fres...

What happens to mature bull elk after the September rut winds down?

In this episode, Matt Hartsky draws from 34 years of elk hunting and guiding experience to explain how mature bull behavior changes after the breeding season. He covers the transition from September into October, why proven rut tactics can suddenly stop producing, and what post-rut hunters need to understand before choosing where and how to hunt.

If you’re pl...

What terrain should you target when rifle hunting elk on public land?

In this episode, Matt Hartsky draws from 34+ years of elk hunting and guiding experience to explain how he evaluates rifle-season elk country. He looks beyond simple rules about elevation, slope direction, and dark timber to examine what pressured elk need and how those needs affect where they live.

If you’re planning an October elk hunt, studying maps, or ...

How do you find elk in thick timber when you can’t sit behind binoculars and glass miles of country?

In this episode, Matt Hartsky draws from 34 years of elk hunting and guiding experience to explain how he approaches dark-timber elk hunting. He covers the challenges of locating elk when visibility is limited, bugling is inconsistent, and one careless move can send unseen elk out of the area.

If you hunt timbered public land,...

What should you do from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. when the elk are bedded and the mountain goes quiet?

In this episode, Matt Hartsky draws from 34 years of elk hunting and guiding experience to break down how he uses the middle of the day during a September archery elk hunt. He covers the decisions that can protect a good morning, save an evening opportunity, or help turn a slow day into a productive one.

If you’re unsure whether to ...

What should you do when the elk stop bugling and the mountain goes completely quiet?

In this episode, Matt Hartsky draws from 34 years of elk hunting experience to explain how he hunts silent elk during September. He breaks down the difference between quiet elk and empty country, the mistakes hunters make when they aren’t hearing bugles, and how to keep gathering the information needed to make your next move.

If you hunt pres...

If you could choose only one week in September to bowhunt elk, which week would give you the best opportunity?

In this episode, Matt Hartsky draws from 34 years of elk hunting and guiding experience to explain which part of September he would choose and why. He looks at changing rut activity, herd bull behavior, cow groups, hunting pressure, weather, and the opportunities each stage of the month can create.

Whether you’re pla...

Should you keep bowhunting elk when the rain starts, or head back to camp and wait it out?

In this episode, Matt Hartsky draws from 34 years of elk hunting experience to break down how wet weather changes an archery elk hunt. He covers elk movement, calling, close-range encounters, wind, shot opportunities, and recovering an elk when rain becomes a factor.

Rain can create problems, but it can also open opportunities for hunters who...

A herd bull is bugling, answering every call, and sounds ready to fight—but he refuses to leave his cows. What do you do next?

In this episode, Matt Hartsky draws from 34 years of elk hunting and guiding experience to break down one of the toughest situations in September elk hunting. He covers herd bull behavior, calling strategy, positioning, and the mistakes that can send a bull and his cows in the opposite direction.

If y...