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, to hear their stories, takeaways, and life-changing lessons learn...
May 07, 2025•2 hr 57 min•Ep. 35
Steve & Mark tackle your listener-submitted questions on this Monday Minute episode. They discuss Death Hike pack weight, velocity gain from rifle suppressors, having a wolf tag while bowhunting for elk, choosing a digiscoping adapter, how to get started with a muzzleloader for big game hunting, and more... Links & Resources OBI Link System: https://oldballsinc.com/pages/obi-link-system La Sportiva Aequilibrium Hike: https://www.lasportivausa.com/aequilibrium-hike-gtx.html Short Barrel R...
May 05, 2025•37 min•Ep. 34
Alaska hunting guide, Hunter Stier, joins us to discuss his experience becoming a hunting guide, guiding vs hunting, expectations vs reality on big hunts, mindset for mountain hunting, sheep vs mountain goat hunts, and the story of guiding a record book ram last season. Connect with Hunter: https://www.instagram.com/hunterstier/ Connect with Limitless Alaska Guiding: https://www.instagram.com/limitlessalaskaguiding/ The Hunt Backcountry Podcast is brought to you by Exo Mtn Gear: https://exomtnge...
Apr 30, 2025•1 hr 23 min•Ep. 33
Steve & Mark are back from their Death Hike in the Grand Canyon and answer your listener questions on this Monday Minute episode. They share a little bit about the hike, give an update on the apparel they helped design and test with Outdoor Vitals, share their backcountry bar recipes, and more... Links & Resources mentioned in this episode... Rokslide Thread on Outdoor Vitals Apparel: https://rokslide.com/forums/threads/new-developments-coming-this-summer.403389/ DIY Backcountry Bar Reci...
Apr 28, 2025•30 min•Ep. 32
Jeff Cayley joins us to share his experience completing America's Toughest Race — a multi-sport adventure race that covered 300+ miles of hiking, mountain biking, climbing, packrafting, and wayfinding. We discuss Jeff's training, lessons learned, and how his experience applies to us, as backpack hunters. Connect with Jeff... https://www.instagram.com/jeffcayley/ https://worldwidecyclery.com/ https://ketlmtn.com/ https://trailone.bike/ The Hunt Backcountry Podcast is brought to you by Exo Mtn Gea...
Apr 23, 2025•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 31
Steve & Mark answer your listener questions on this Monday Minute episode. They discuss targets for shooting practice in the mountains, bug-proof base layers for spring bear hunts, electrolyte supplements for hikes and hunts, compatibility of rifle barrels and stocks/chassis, and more... Links & Resources mentioned in this episode... At-cost Exo Logo Gear: https://exomtngear.com/logo Salt Pills: https://amzn.to/4iGhXzb & https://amzn.to/4iGhXzb Sitka Equinox: https://www.sitkagear.co...
Apr 21, 2025•30 min•Ep. 30
How short is too short when it comes to choosing a barrel length for hunting? Whether you are interested in a shorter barrel for your next hunting rifle because you plan to add a suppressor, because you want to save weight, or simply because you want an easy-handling, easy-packing rifle — the fact is that short barrels are viable with today’s highly efficient bullets, laser rangefinders, and scopes that precisely and reliably dial to accommodate for drop at distance. In this podcast you will lea...
Apr 18, 2025•19 min•Ep. 29
Andrew Skurka is an adventure athlete, guide, and writer. He raised the bar on backpacking as a long-distance thru-hiker, completing (and at times creating) routes that traversed thousands of miles over many months. We interviewed Andrew on our podcast nearly a decade ago, and in the years since then, he has launched a business that provides educational experiences through guided backpacking trips. We were excited to reconnect with Andrew to discuss backpacking education, how his personal outloo...
Apr 16, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 28
Steve & Mark answer your listener questions on this Monday Minute episode. They discuss... New $10 T-Shirts from Exo Mtn Gear ( https://exomtngear.com/logo ) Logistics on flying and traveling for hunts, including food for the backcountry, luggage and duffel bags for the travel, and getting meat home Backpack hunting with a non-hunting pack What hunters "need" a spotting scope (and why the optics market is a mess right now) What experiences they have with lightning in the backcountry and how ...
Apr 14, 2025•46 min•Ep. 27
A pre-fit barrel is a ready-to-shoot barrel that can be installed on a rifle action with minimal tools, knowledge, and skills. In this podcast with Jaden Miller of West Elk Precision, we discuss the pros and cons of pre-fit barrels, different types of pre-fit barrels, how to install a pre-fit barrel at home, and answer your listener-submitted questions about the use of pre-fit rifle barrels. PRE-FIT INSTALL VIDEO, LINKS, & MORE — https://exomtngear.com/prefit Connect with Jaden... West Elk P...
Apr 11, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 26
Lily drew a once-in-a-lifetime Mountain Goat tag in her home state of Idaho, then was fortunate enough to kill a record book Billy on that hunt. Lily and her boyfriend, Ben, who previously had the same tag, join us on the podcast to share the hunt story, how they prepared for this hunt, Lily's perspective as a female hunter, 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@e...
Apr 09, 2025•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 25
Steve & Mark answer your listener questions and share some news and updates on this Monday Minute episode. They discuss... Your suggestions for the Exo tagline Upcoming Exo events How we train with a Peloton bike Potential for an ultralight frame stay option The importance of simplicity EXO INSIDER NEWSLETTER — https://exomtngear.com/newsletter ASK YOUR QUESTION — podcast@exomtngear.com LEAVE A MESSAGE — https://speakpipe.com/huntbackcountry VIEW & SEARCH THE PODCAST ARCHIVE: https://exo...
Apr 07, 2025•49 min•Ep. 24
After discussing the theory behind hunting with smaller calibers and then taking a 6mm Creedmoor to Alaska to hunt big-bodied Caribou and Moose, we are recapping our experience and answering your listener-submitted questions. Resources Mentioned in this Episode: https://exomtngear.com/blogs/article/using-the-6mm-creedmoor-for-big-game-hunting Exo Insider K4 Pack Giveaway: https://exomtngear.com/newsletter Contact Us: podcast@exomtngear.com Leave A Message: https://speakpipe.com/huntbackcountry P...
Apr 04, 2025•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 23
Jay Nichol of Mindful Hunter joins us to answer your listener-submitted questions. This is a very wide-ranging conversation, as we discuss everything from boxers for the backcountry, how much you should tip a hunting guide, issues with hunting influencers, budget gear recommendations, the best do-it-all spotting scope size, and MUCH more. The Hunt Backcountry Podcast is brought to you by Exo Mtn Gear: https://exomtngear.com/ Resources & Reviews from Jay... Forged Backcountry Boxers MindfulHu...
Apr 02, 2025•1 hr 39 min•Ep. 22
Welcome to The First Monday. In these episodes, Steve & Mark talk through what's going on for them that month in the categories of The Gear, The Hunt, and the Hunter, as well as what's going on with Exo Mtn Gear. If you want an unfiltered, behind-the-scenes look at what we are doing, researching, and learning, or just what we are excited about, this is it. Links and resources mentioned in this episode... Submit your Exo Mtn Gear tagline: podcast@exomtngear.com Exo Email Newsletter: https://e...
Mar 31, 2025•56 min•Ep. 21
If you are new to backpack hunting, you are probably overwhelmed with what you need, where you can go, and how to get started. In this podcast, we are joined by Josh Kirchner from Dialed-In Hunter to discuss the first steps that beginning backpack hunters need to take to get started backpack hunting. Free gear lists, training plan, nutrition guide, and more: https://exomtngear.com/blogs/article/backpack-hunting-for-beginners The Hunt Backcountry Podcast is brought to you by Exo Mtn Gear: https:/...
Mar 26, 2025•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 20
Steve & Mark answer your listener questions and share some news and updates on this Monday Minute episode. They discuss... A limited-run of K4 3600s in Multicam Why Exo switched from Titanium to Carbon Fiber Using dirt bikes for hunting and packing out meat Hunting Alaska solo Using a poncho as rain gear, a tarp, and a groundsheet Altitude sickness prevention and treatment Links for this episode... Multicam K4: https://exomtngear.com/multicam Steve's Dirt Bike Elk Hunt Story: https://exomtng...
Mar 24, 2025•39 min•Ep. 19
Jeremy Dugger ( @muleymojo ) is the owner of Xpert Archery. After hearing story after story about bowhunters' experiences with broadhead performance on animals, he decided to start formally collecting data on the type of broadhead used, the distance of the shot, the arrow weight, the bow's draw weight, and the lethality or lack of recovery of the animal. Now, with over 500 responses in his data collection, he joins us to share some of the statistics and the takeaways that we, as bowhunters, shou...
Mar 19, 2025•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 18
Steve & Mark answer your listener questions and share some news and updates on this Monday Minute episode. They discuss... The new "Tallboy" K4 Nalgene Holder Exo on Joe Rogan Mark's Midnight "Death Hike" Follow-up Bivy Questions Gear Confirmation Bias Using Pack Space Efficiently Links for this episode... Pre-Order the "Tallboy" K4 Nalgene Holder: https://exomtngear.com/tallboy Exo Email & Pack Giveaway: https://exomtngear.com/newsletter Exo on Joe Rogan: https://www.instagram.com/p/DHJ...
Mar 17, 2025•44 min•Ep. 17
We have been using a bivy sack on backpack hunts for about a decade now. Often, we'll use our bivy under the stars. At times, we'll add a tarp or minimal shelter. And in extreme cases, we use a bivy sack inside the shell of a Hilleberg tent. On this podcast (and in the article below), you can learn how, why, and when we use bivy sacks. We also answer 10+ listener-submitted questions about the use of a bivy for backpack hunting. BIVY HUNTING ARTICLE — https://exomtngear.com/blogs/article/bivy-sac...
Mar 12, 2025•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 16
Steve & Mark answer your listener questions and share some news and updates on this Monday Minute episode. They discuss... Steve's adjustable box for step-up workouts Flight characteristics and ethical aspects of mechanical vs fixed broadheads (with more to come!) Better cell service in the backcountry Overuse of technology Adding extra down fill to a quilt (or sleeping bag) Links for this episode... Exo Email & Pack Giveaway: https://exomtngear.com/newsletter Steve's Step-Up Box: https:...
Mar 10, 2025•42 min•Ep. 15
While we have spoken with numerous wildlife agencies and employees on the Hunt Backcountry Podcast over the years, those conversations have generally focused on game management, policy and regulations, and hunter opportunity. In this episode, we discuss wildlife law enforcement with Matt — an Exo customer and an employee of Arizona Game & Fish. Matt shares his insights on mistakes that hunters make, the rules they break, how enforcement officers operate in the field, and much more. The Hunt ...
Mar 05, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 14
Welcome to The First Monday. In these episodes, Steve & Mark talk through what's going on for them that month in the categories of The Gear, The Hunt, and the Hunter, as well as what's going on with Exo Mtn Gear. If you want an unfiltered, behind-the-scenes look at what we are doing, researching, and learning, or just what we are excited about, this is it. Links for this episode... Exo Email Notifications: https://exomtngear.com/newsletter Pre-Fit Barrel Questions (and/or general Podcast Qs)...
Mar 03, 2025•43 min•Ep. 13
Cody joins us to share the story of the Mule Deer hunt that he shared with his brother and father this past fall. They hunted Montana for the first time and were able to go 3-for-3 on filling their tags. We discuss how they planned this hunt, how they scouted for this out-of-state hunt, how they battled the cold conditions, and how the hunt success happened. The Hunt Backcountry Podcast is brought to you by Exo Mtn Gear: https://exomtngear.com/ Email Sign-up: https://exomtngear.com/newsletter Co...
Feb 26, 2025•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 12
Steve & Mark answer your listener questions and share some news and updates on this Monday Minute episode. They discuss... Takeaways from Hunt Expo and the PNW Sportsmen's Show Future plans for The Experience Project Big discounts on Hanwag Boots The 5 most-downloaded podcast episodes in 2024 What hunting podcasts and shows Steve & Mark follow What they look for in game bags and how they keep blood out of their packs Links mentioned in this episode... The Idaho Sportsman Show, Feb 27 - M...
Feb 24, 2025•36 min•Ep. 11
Sierra Jepsen is a Meat Scientist and owner of Butcher Solutions, LLC. She joins us to discuss how big game hunters can effectively care for and prepare wild game meat. Sierra shares advice for processing big game in the field, caring for big game meat until it is frozen, and preparing big game meat for the best meals possible. Additional Information and Resources... Sierra's Website — https://butchersolutionsllc.com/ Sierra's Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/butcher_solutions_llc/ Video: "...
Feb 19, 2025•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 10
Colt and his 10-year-old daughter, Cedar, join us to share the story of their backpack mule deer hunt from this past fall. This was Cedar's first backpack hunt and it was a joy to hear her share her experience, what she enjoyed about the hunt, what she learned, and more. After the hunt story, Colt shares some of what he has learned about getting Cedar comfortable shooting and how they prepared for her first backpack hunt. Connect with Colt: https://triplecprecision.com/ The Hunt Backcountry Podc...
Feb 12, 2025•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 9
Before hitting the road for Hunt Expo, Steve & Mark answer your listener questions (and go on a couple of rants) on this Monday Minute episode. A warning to the sensitive ears... Yes, there are a few F-words dropped in this one! They answer... Where can you see Exo at events? (This week AND next month!) What does the "K" in K4 stand for? Compared to a traditional pack frame, how does the K4 frame handle moose quarters? Why have Mark & Steve contradicted themselves by using all-copper Ham...
Feb 10, 2025•54 min
Any elk hunter would love to spend dozens of days on the mountain throughout the fall. In this episode, a new elk hunter, Luke, tells us what he learned as he spent 20+ days pursuing elk in the mountains just outside his home. We discuss what he observed before the season, how elk behavior changed during the season, what he noticed about elk vocalization throughout September, and how his experience hunting elk in later rifle seasons compared to archery season. The Hunt Backcountry Podcast is bro...
Feb 05, 2025•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 8
Welcome to The First Monday. In these episodes, Steve & Mark talk through what's going on for them that month in the categories of The Gear, The Hunt, and the Hunter, as well as what's going on with Exo Mtn Gear. If you want an unfiltered, behind-the-scenes look at what we are doing, researching, and learning, or just what we are excited about, this is it. In addition to that, we also answer listener questions about a new pack from Exo in 2025, how to choose a temperature rating for your sle...
Feb 03, 2025•46 min•Ep. 7
