Ever wonder how to put together a great hunt for aoudad, aka the "poor man's Desert Bighorn" aka Barbary Sheep? This episode has awesome intel, planning, and hunt strategy from seasoned guide Colton Heward and from onX Hunt top gun Dylan Dowson. We cover everything from logistics to rifles and cartridges to pre-hunt practicing—all generously supported with great hunting stories. ENJOY!    FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patre ..read more

Could the .280 Ackley Improved be the most versatile western hunting cartridge? Long-time .280 Ackley man Ron Spomer joins this episode to explore it's history and capability. This discussion is full of great stories and anecdotes and lots of information on what is certainly one of the greatist hunting cartridges available. Plus, of course, we share details of our favorite .280 Ackley rifles and loads. ENJOY!    FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast ..read more

Are our hunting rights and traditions in danger? If you consider England and Scotland as precursors of what could happen in America, then the answer is yes, potentially.  In this episode, we talk about what is happening in various hunting communities around the world, and discuss what we can do to protect and preserve our hunting heritage—wherever we live. We take a deep dive into conservation, wildlife management, being good stewards, and the benefits of hunting as a family and eating clean, wild meat we've brought home ourselves. This one is important, folks.  ENJOY!    F ..read more

Ever wonder how to pick just the right bullet to hunt with? This episode's for you. We take a deep dive into bullet construction and sectional density, and detail the performance of four different fundamental bullet types:  Bullets for deer-size game Bullets for elk- to moose-size game Bullets for dangerous game Bullets for pachyderms and for tracking wounded dangerous game Plus we explain:  Sectional density How bullets mushroom (the mechanics) Temporary vs. permanent wound channels Energy as applied to terminal performance How bullets kill:  Loss of blood Loss of nervous-s ..read more

Is the .375 H&H still the most versatile cartridge in the world? Or is the .375 Ruger now a better choice?  On the premise of picking just one cartridge to hunt everything from whitetail deer to elephant, we've chosen the two most likely candidates and pitted them against each other in this cartridge shootout-type episode. We consider:  Ballistic performance Inherent accuracy Available factory ammo Potential handloadability Available rifles/options/cost Rifle capacity & cartridge feeding charactistics Worldwide availability Conclusion? You'll have to listen to find out! ENJ ..read more

Survival gear? Elk cartridges? Shooting techniques? Long-range ethics? This episode has it all, thanks to our great reader's questions and comments.  Also, BIG NEWS! We're launching a YouTube channel. Our boy William (the ever-popular host of the Backcountry Apprentice segment) will be editing and publishing videos of our episodes. Please jump over to YouTube and give him a quick subscribe!  https://www.youtube.com/@BackcountryHuntingPodcast   FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. P ..read more

These two new-fangled cartridges are arguably the best all-purpose hunting rounds introduced in the past 20 years. Which is best, 6.8 Western or 7 PRC?  In this episode, we take a deep dive into the advantages of each cartridge, including:  Best effectiveness on a broad spectrum of non-dangerous game Adaptability for different types of terrain and hunting Which makes for the best mountain rifle Which is most efficient in short barrels for use with a suppressor Which has the least recoil for the performance provided How available factory rifles and ammo are for each How available bra ..read more

Ever struggle to get a sharp edge on your hunting knife? This 20-minute tuturial walks step-by-step through the process of making your blade razor sharp. Plus, we discuss best benchtop sharpening stones and field stones. ENJOY!  To watch the video of this episode, please join us on www.patreon.com/backcountry , where you'll get access to all our bonus content.  ..read more

What emergency and survival gear should you have at base camp? Whether your base is a truck at the trailhead, or a big horse camp deep in wilderness country, you should have crucial backup gear and food there.  This episode was inspired by a listener, and contains a list of what we consider important, from extra ammo or arrows to medical supplies—along with discussion of why and plenty of real-world stories of challenging experiences. ENJOY!    FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to take it to the next level. Pleas ..read more

This episode looks at three of the best replaceable-blade, ultralight folding hunting knives on the market: Havalon, Outdoor Edge, and Browning.    We believe every serious hunter should have a good traditional fixed-blade hunting knife and be good at sharpening it. However, there is a place for replaceable-blade knives. This discussion addresses what to pick and why. Plus, we share a couple of cautionary true stories—one that could have ended in death—of accidents with scalpel-sharp replaceable-blade knives.    ENJOY!    To see the knives showcased in the video o ..read more