Over the last three years, I have slowly become obsessed with late-season whitetail hunting. The one difficulty is staying warm for 10 hour sits in -20 degree weather! I have experimented with multiple different heating strategies and think I have finally found the best one for my hunting style. Last year I ran The IconX Heated Core Long Sleeve and Pant from Pnuma Outdoors and wanted to share a detailed review of my experience. Forged In The Backcountry https://forgedinthebackcountry.com/ Mindfu...
Jul 19, 2024•29 min•Ep. 192
The crew over at Stuck N The Rut have one of the best hunting YouTube channels going right now. I got eh chance to sit down with Tom Schneider and have a great chat. We touched on a bunch of topics including hunting tactics, the history of North Idaho hunting and some of the courses and events that SNTR are offering now for up-and-coming hunters. Tom Schneider https://www.instagram.com/sntrhunter/ https://www.instagram.com/stuckntherut/ https://www.stuckntherut.com/ https://www.youtube.com/chann...
Jul 12, 2024•1 hr 53 min•Ep. 191
To celebrate Cody’s successful hunt all Forged apparel will be 20% off for the next week until July 9th and any purchases made will be entered into the next giveaway! Just use code Cody20 at https://forgedinthebackcountry.com/ When I launched Forged In The Backcountry I gave away a guided bear hunt with Primitive Outfitting. Part of the prize was that I would also buy a hunt and film the winner’s hunt. Cody was the lucky Forged customer that won that hunt. We just spent a week together in Northe...
Jul 03, 2024•1 hr 23 min•Ep. 190
Technically, this is the longest amount of time I have ever spent researching and testing for a review. I got my first pair of Outdoor Research gaiters 23 years ago. Since that time, I have been on the quest to find the perfect pair of gaiters. In this review I compare 4 different options and share why I think I have found my new perfect system. Lifestyle apparel for the backcountry hunter https://forgedinthebackcountry.com/ Join Mindful Reviews to support unbiased nonsponsored gear reviews and ...
Jun 28, 2024•33 min•Ep. 189
We’re back for another episode of Guns & Stuff. This week Colton and I sat down with Matt from AG composite stocks. AG Composite https://www.agcomposites.com/ https://www.instagram.com/agcomposites/ Jay Nichol jay@mindfulhunter.com https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ https://www.mindfulhunter.com/ Forged In The Backcountry https://forgedinthebackcountry.com/ Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/ Pod...
Jun 21, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 188
Get 15% off with code fathersday2024 at https://forgedinthebackcountry.com/ until June 16th. You can also enter for your chance to win a prize pack valued at over $1000 by visiting this Instagram post. https://bit.ly/3VjR7Ty If you’re looking to go deep on orthotics, inserts and assistive devices to improve foot function than this is the podcast for you. Adam Janke is a Canadian board certified Pedorthist and ran a successful business for many years helping people improve the functionality of th...
Jun 14, 2024•1 hr 47 min•Ep. 187
Well, it was time to interview the host. I’ve known Mark Huelsing, the number 2 at Exo and host of the Hunt Backcountry Podcast, for a few years now and we text quite regularly, but I wanted to get him on the podcast to pick his brain about his history and the role hunting plays in his life. They also have a super cool project coming up at Exo this year that we dove into. Mark Huelsing https://www.instagram.com/markthefark/ https://exomtngear.com/ Jay Nichol jay@mindfulhunter.com https://www.min...
Jun 07, 2024•1 hr 50 min•Ep. 186
Jake puts more animals on the ground with a stickbow every year than most guys can with a compound or rifle. On top of that, he runs his own electrical contracting business and has a young family to take care of. Jake and I spent most of our time discussing mindset, discipline and why it’s important to do hard shit every day. Jake Downs https://www.instagram.com/jake_d_downs/ Jay Nichol jay@mindfulhunter.com https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ https://www.mindfulhunter.com/ Forged In The Backcountr...
May 31, 2024•1 hr 30 min•Ep. 185
In less than 3 months Vance and I are headed into the alpine for our early season rifle goat hunt. We sat down to go over the general game plan and our gear lists. Vance’s Gear List https://www.mindfulhunter.com/s/Vances-Goat-Gear-List-2024.jpeg Jay’s Gear List https://www.mindfulhunter.com/s/2024-Early-Season-Goat-Hunt.xlsx Vance Johnson https://www.instagram.com/vance_johnsons_hunting_alberta/ Jay Nichol jay@mindfulhunter.com https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ https://www.mindfulhunter.com/ Forg...
May 24, 2024•1 hr 36 min•Ep. 184
On the most recent episode of Guns & Stuff, Colton and I sat down with Bryan and Eric from Hammer Bullets to discuss their unique approach to bullet design. Hammer Bullets https://hammerbullets.com/ https://www.instagram.com/hammerbulletsco/ Eric Hoover https://www.instagram.com/hooverprecisionrifles/ Colton https://www.instagram.com/papwinkle/ Jay Nichol jay@mindfulhunter.com https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ https://www.mindfulhunter.com/ Forged In The Backcountry https://forgedinthebackcou...
May 17, 2024•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 183
Bryan is not only the founder of Day Six Gear, but he is also a very successful businessman who's driving motivations are his family and faith. I love talking to guys like Bryan because I get the chance to learn from someone who is tackling similar problems to myself but is a little closer to finding the best solutions. We talked a lot about business and archery systems so there is a lot to dig into on this one. Bryan Broderick – Day Six Gear https://www.instagram.com/daysixbb https://www.instag...
May 10, 2024•1 hr 28 min•Ep. 182
Okay we’re gonna kick it old school with the podcast for a new series where I’ll do deep dive q&a’s on gear categories. Up first is Sleep Systems. Let me know what you want to see next! Jay Nichol jay@mindfulhunter.com https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ https://www.mindfulhunter.com/ Forged In The Backcountry https://forgedinthebackcountry.com/ Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/ Podcast https://...
May 03, 2024•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 181
Less than one week left for your chance to enter the BC Guided Bear Hunt Giveaway. Every $5 you spend at https://forgedinthebackcountry.com/ will get you one entry! This week I sat down with my good friend Jeff Lander who owns Primitive Outfitting and guides Mule Deer in Alberta and Moose and Bear in BC. Jeff is also the one who is hosting the giveaway hunt for Forged. We had a great chat about all kinds of different hunting and Jeff may have told the best bear story ever told on this podcast! J...
Apr 12, 2024•1 hr 52 min•Ep. 180
This week on Guns & Stuff, Colton and I sit down with Zac Waterman from Nosler to go deep on their product offerings. We had a bunch of great questions from listeners and I learned a ton on this episode. Less than two weeks left for your chance to enter the BC Guided Bear Hunt Giveaway. Every $5 you spend at https://forgedinthebackcountry.com/ will get you one entry! Nosler https://www.instagram.com/noslerinc/ Colton https://www.instagram.com/papwinkle/ Jay Nichol jay@mindfulhunter.com https...
Apr 05, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 179
It’s been a while since I did an old-fashioned Q&A episode so figured it was time to bang one out. Lots of great questions in this one! Drop me a note if you want to see more of these episodes. Jay Nichol jay@mindfulhunter.com https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ https://www.mindfulhunter.com/ Forged In The Backcountry https://forgedinthebackcountry.com/ Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/ Podcast ...
Mar 29, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 178
EP 169 – Culture, Conservation, and Hunting Rights with Mike Duplan Mike is known for killing big mule deer but more importantly, Mike also has a very strong voice for conservation and hunting rights. Given the climate we are in right now and all the battles we are facing for our hunting rights across North America I wanted to have Mike on to get his thoughts and advice. Mike Duplan https://www.instagram.com/mikeduplan/ Jay Nichol jay@mindfulhunter.com https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ https://ww...
Mar 22, 2024•1 hr 35 min•Ep. 177
Alright folks, it’s rare but it does happen. Every now and then I use a product so bad that I can say with complete confidence you do not need this in your arsenal. This tripod definitely fits into this category. I hope you guys find this useful and I give some other recommendations at the end of the video for products that will perform significantly better for you! Enter the bear hunt giveaway by going to https://forgedinthebackcountry.com/ Every $5 you spend gets you one entry to win a guided,...
Mar 15, 2024•26 min•Ep. 176
Chill episode this week as I sit down with my buddy Leighton who gave me a hand at the booth during the WSSBC Mountain Hunting Expo this year. We go over the show and just have a general catchup about gear and hunting. Leighton is one of those super solid quiet dudes I’ve got to know through hunting and gear reviews and I hope to get him on more episodes. He’s one of the only dudes I know who runs as much different gear as I do. Leighton Garfield https://www.instagram.com/glass_half_full_outdoor...
Mar 12, 2024•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 175
One of the first podcasts I discovered when I was getting into backcountry hunting was Gritty Bowmen. It was a brand-new podcast hosted by Brian Call. It was one of the most impactful shows on both my development as a hunter and the type of hunting I ended up pursuing. Brian played a large role in my fascination with bow-hunting elk in the rut and self-filming. I was not expecting this conversation to get as deep as it did, but I personally took a lot away from it that is very applicable to wher...
Mar 05, 2024•1 hr 38 min•Ep. 174
On this episode of Guns & Stuff, Colton and I sat down with Seth from Hornady to do a deep dive on the different families of bullets offered by Hornady, their 4DOF solution, when you should choose a monolithic, and much more. Seth From Hornady https://www.hornady.com/ https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-hornady-podcast/id1603633739 Jay Nichol jay@mindfulhunter.com https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ https://www.mindfulhunter.com/ Forged In The Backcountry https://forgedinthebackcountry.co...
Mar 01, 2024•1 hr 26 min•Ep. 173
I have wanted to sit down with Steve since I started this podcast. His app was one of the main sources of information that helped me kill my first solo blacktail in the mountains. We covered a ton of ground on this one and Steve held nothing back. It was a privilege and an honour and I know you will find some value in this episode. Steve Isdahl https://www.howtohunt.com/ https://www.instagram.com/proguide66/ Jay Nichol jay@mindfulhunter.com https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ https://www.mindfulhun...
Feb 28, 2024•2 hr 5 min•Ep. 172
Steve is someone I have followed on IG for a while not only because he’s a badass mule deer hunter but because he buys and tests a lot of his own gear. We had a great chat about deer hunting and some of the standout pieces of hear he ran this last year and also some duds he came across. Steve Evans https://www.instagram.com/__steve__evans__/ Jay Nichol jay@mindfulhunter.com https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ https://www.mindfulhunter.com/ Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop Newsletter https:/...
Feb 23, 2024•1 hr 53 min•Ep. 171
Travis Bader is a local entrepreneur who founded Silvercore Outdoors and hosts the Silvercore Podcast. I’ve been social media acquaintances with Travis, but this is the first chance I had to sit down with him for a good chat. Travis is one of those salt-of-the-earth guys who puts family first and is strongly dedicated to being a contributing member of his community. Travis Bader https://www.instagram.com/bader.trav/ https://www.instagram.com/silvercoreoutdoors/ https://www.silvercore.ca/ Jay Nic...
Feb 20, 2024•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 170
After months of work behind the scenes I am proud to announce that Forged In The Backcountry - A Lifestyle Apparel Brand For Backcountry Hunters is now live! In this video, I go over the story of how I came up with the brand, the design aesthetic, and all the products included in the initial launch. To celebrate the launch I am giving away a guided black bear hunt in BC! https://forgedinthebackcountry.com/
Feb 15, 2024•37 min•Ep. 169
There have been some great strides of innovation in the ultralight tripod industry over the last few years and Aziak and Tricer are two of the best examples of this. Both these companies have taken different approaches to solving the problem of creating the lightest weight backcountry tripod while still offering a stable platform for glassing. I’ve been running these tripods for the last 6 months and in this video I break down the pros and cons of each and give my recommendation as to which one ...
Feb 13, 2024•29 min•Ep. 168
I have been asked many times to do a range-finding binocular review so when I was finally able to do one, I wanted to do it right. In this review, I compare the Vortex Fury 500AB, Sig Kilo 3K, Leica Geovid 3200.com, Revic Acura, Sig Kilo 10K ABS, and Zeiss Victory RF. This was hands down the most complicated review I have ever done, and I have been working on it for the last two months. If you have any additional questions please drop them in the comments section below. I am raffling off a brand...
Feb 09, 2024•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 167
I’d like to welcome you to a new series on the podcast. I’ve teamed up with Pap Van Winkle to bring you a regular podcast focused on hunting gun-related topics. I think one of the reasons for my success over the years has been the self-awareness to stay in my own lane. I am not a gun expert and a lot of you out there have a ton of gun-related questions, so I teamed up with one of the only other unbiased non-sponsored guys I know of who also happens to be an absolute genius when it comes to hunti...
Feb 06, 2024•2 hr 1 min•Ep. 166
I have looked up to James for quite some time. I heard him talk about a dual broadhead setup he was running years ago on another podcast and the depth of analysis and preparation he displayed really resonated with me. In addition to that James is one of the most legit killers out there today when it comes to bid mature mule deer. James Yates https://www.instagram.com/yates_in_the_backcountry/ Jay Nichol jay@mindfulhunter.com https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ https://www.mindfulhunter.com/ Merch h...
Feb 02, 2024•2 hr 26 min•Ep. 165
Jill is a dedicated BC hunter who grew up in a hunting family and has come back to finding her peace in the mountains. I think she is a great example for all hunters and especially young women coming up in the discipline. She has integrity, hunts for the right reasons and loves to push herself in the mountains. We dove into her background growing up hunting in BC and then she told the story of how she took her best deer yet which she also did while solo. Jill https://www.instagram.com/nomadlifeb...
Jan 30, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 164
Mark has been hunting in the backcountry a long time and originally made a name for himself with his obsessive approach towards escouting. Mark has also long been a proponent of making your own meals for the backcountry. First with a dehydrator and now with a freeze drier. We had a great chat about out application strategies this year given all the changes that the western states have gone through and some healthy strategies for nutrition in the backcountry. Mark Livesay https://www.instagram.co...
Jan 26, 2024•1 hr 41 min•Ep. 163
