ElkShape

How FIT do you really need to be to hunt elk? And does your broadhead choice matter as much as you think? Today, Dan sits down with Dr. Stephan Mengoni, professor at Gonzaga University, dedicated bowhunter, husband, father, and host of the Kinesio Outdoors Podcast. Stephan brings a unique combination of academic knowledge, physical fitness, and real-world elk hunting experience to the conversation. We dive into the physical demands of chasing elk in rugged country, what it actually takes to prepare your body for the mountains, and the lessons Stephan has learned throughout his elk hunting journey. We also get NERDY on broadhead selection for elk. Fixed blades versus mechanicals, performance, penetration, and the considerations that go into choosing the right broadhead when the moment of truth arrives. Being fit doesn't guarantee success. Neither does having the best gear. But preparation can stack the odds in your favor. This episode is packed with practical insight for bowhunters looking to improve their physical capabilities, sharpen their decision-making, and become more effective in the mountains. Whether you're preparing for your first elk hunt or your twentieth, there's something here to help you level up. #ElkShape #ElkShapePodcast #ElkHunting #Bowhunting #BroadheadTesting #MountainFitness #KinesioOutdoors 💢 Discount Codes 💢 INITIAL ASCENT - 5% OFF CODE: ELKSHAPE PODIUMARCHER.COM 10% OFF CODE: ELKSHAPE https://www.podiumarcher.com/collections/all-products-1 BORN PRIMITIVE OUTDOOR - 10% Off Code: ELKSHAPE - https://get.aspr.app/SH1sot PEAX EQUIP - 10% Off Code: ELKSHAPE - https://www.peaxequipment.com/ CANVAS CUTTER - 10% Off Code: ELKSHAPE - https://canvascutter.com/ WILDERNESS ATHLETE | 20% Off Code: ELKSHAPE - https://wildernessathlete.com/ SHEEPFEET | 10% Off Code: ELKSHAPE - https://bit.ly/SheepFeet onXhunt ELITE Membership | 20% Off Code: ELKSHAPE - https://bit.ly/ONXHUNT OLLIN | 10% Off Code: ELKSHAPE - https://ollin.co/collections/snapshot DARK ENERGY | 10% Off CODE: ELKSHAPE - https://bit.ly/3P5x3BY BLACK RIFLE COFFEE | 20% OFF CODE: ELKSHAPE20 - https://blackriflecoffeecompany.pxf.io/9LnW0E FOUNDATION OURDOORS | 20% OFF CODE: ELKSHAPE - https://www.foundation-outdoors.com/?sca_ref=10392320.yNY8hl6qQLCpq TRICER GEAR | 10% OFF CODE: ELKSHAPE ============================= 📱 Subscribe and Listen to the The ElkShape Podcast HERE: ============================= Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/elkshape/id1315352438 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3EplB7OPWM5HcsT2c0HzEv ============================= This Video was Filmed Using: ============================= AMAZON STORE 👉 https://www.amazon.com/shop/elkshape?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_aipsfshop_X57159T6BSR8HN6Z3T3W A CAM - SONY A1 BODY ➡️ https://amzn.to/3wLZLBW B CAM - SONY A7 IV W/KIT LENS ➡️ https://amzn.to/3InUGST SONY LONG LENS 70-200MM ➡️ https://amzn.to/433SXLW WIRELESS DJI MIC 2 ➡️ https://amzn.to/3uYPku5 STUDIO LENS 24-70MM ➡️ https://amzn.to/3PbhZD8 DJI DRONE ➡️ https://amzn.to/3TqrAZo DJI ACTION 4 ➡️ https://amzn.to/49FDPXA HEADPHONES ➡️ https://amzn.to/4bwRa6c ============================= We are selling hard work! Behind The Scenes: https://www.instagram.com/elkshape/ https://www.instagram.com/elkshapetraining https://elkshape.com/ #elkshape Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Steven and Elena wanted a life built around the outdoors—and they were willing to bet on themselves to create it. Elena is an outdoor and wildlife artist. Steven is a professional outdoor photographer and videographer. Both archery hunt out West, and today they join Dan to share how they met, why they quit their jobs and what it takes to turn their passions into a living. From documenting backpack hunts in northern British Columbia to building their own businesses, we dig into the adventures, uncertainty and work behind the life they’ve chosen. If you’ve ever wanted to work for yourself and make more room for what matters to you, this conversation will hit home. #ElkShape #ElkShapePodcast #Bowhunting #BackpackHunting #WildlifeArt #OutdoorPhotography Steven Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wayupwestoutdoors/ Elena Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_elena_johnson/ 💢 Discount Codes 💢 INITIAL ASCENT - 5% OFF CODE: ELKSHAPE PODIUMARCHER.COM 10% OFF CODE: ELKSHAPE https://www.podiumarcher.com/collections/all-products-1 BORN PRIMITIVE OUTDOOR - 10% Off Code: ELKSHAPE - https://get.aspr.app/SH1sot PEAX EQUIP - 10% Off Code: ELKSHAPE - https://www.peaxequipment.com/ CANVAS CUTTER - 10% Off Code: ELKSHAPE - https://canvascutter.com/ WILDERNESS ATHLETE | 20% Off Code: ELKSHAPE - https://wildernessathlete.com/ SHEEPFEET | 10% Off Code: ELKSHAPE - https://bit.ly/SheepFeet onXhunt ELITE Membership | 20% Off Code: ELKSHAPE - https://bit.ly/ONXHUNT OLLIN | 10% Off Code: ELKSHAPE - https://ollin.co/collections/snapshot DARK ENERGY | 10% Off CODE: ELKSHAPE - https://bit.ly/3P5x3BY BLACK RIFLE COFFEE | 20% OFF CODE: ELKSHAPE20 - https://blackriflecoffeecompany.pxf.io/9LnW0E FOUNDATION OURDOORS | 20% OFF CODE: ELKSHAPE - https://www.foundation-outdoors.com/?sca_ref=10392320.yNY8hl6qQLCpq TRICER GEAR | 10% OFF CODE: ELKSHAPE ============================= 📱 Subscribe and Listen to the The ElkShape Podcast HERE: ============================= Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/elkshape/id1315352438 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3EplB7OPWM5HcsT2c0HzEv ============================= This Video was Filmed Using: ============================= AMAZON STORE 👉 https://www.amazon.com/shop/elkshape?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_aipsfshop_X57159T6BSR8HN6Z3T3W A CAM - SONY A1 BODY ➡️ https://amzn.to/3wLZLBW B CAM - SONY A7 IV W/KIT LENS ➡️ https://amzn.to/3InUGST SONY LONG LENS 70-200MM ➡️ https://amzn.to/433SXLW WIRELESS DJI MIC 2 ➡️ https://amzn.to/3uYPku5 STUDIO LENS 24-70MM ➡️ https://amzn.to/3PbhZD8 DJI DRONE ➡️ https://amzn.to/3TqrAZo DJI ACTION 4 ➡️ https://amzn.to/49FDPXA HEADPHONES ➡️ https://amzn.to/4bwRa6c ============================= We are selling hard work! Behind The Scenes: https://www.instagram.com/elkshape/ https://www.instagram.com/elkshapetraining https://elkshape.com/ #elkshape Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fixed blade or mechanical broadheads for elk hunting? Dan is debating himself on this one. After years of chasing elk with a bow, testing countless broadheads and seeing firsthand what works—and what doesn't—Dan is taking a deep dive into one of bowhunting's most debated topics. FIXED vs. MECHANICAL. Which one is better for elk? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each? When does one make more sense than the other? And how much should your personal setup, shot selection and hunting conditions influence that decision? Dan breaks down the pros, cons, best use cases and his own real-world experiences from the field. No brand loyalty, no sales pitch—just an honest conversation about broadhead performance and the lessons learned from hunting elk year after year. Then we're diving into listener questions covering a variety of topics relevant to the average... DIY, blue-collar public land elk hunter. Real questions, practical advice and plenty of hard-earned lessons. Whether you're a die-hard fixed-blade guy, a mechanical broadhead believer or somewhere in between, this episode should get you thinking about what you're putting on the end of your arrow. The goal isn't to win an argument. It's to become a more effective bowhunter. #ElkShape #ElkHunting #Broadheads #Bowhunting #ArcheryElk #PublicLandElk #DIYElkHunting 💢 Discount Codes 💢 INITIAL ASCENT - 5% OFF CODE: ELKSHAPE PODIUMARCHER.COM 10% OFF CODE: ELKSHAPE https://www.podiumarcher.com/collections/all-products-1 BORN PRIMITIVE OUTDOOR - 10% Off Code: ELKSHAPE - https://get.aspr.app/SH1sot PEAX EQUIP - 10% Off Code: ELKSHAPE - https://www.peaxequipment.com/ CANVAS CUTTER - 10% Off Code: ELKSHAPE - https://canvascutter.com/ WILDERNESS ATHLETE | 20% Off Code: ELKSHAPE - https://wildernessathlete.com/ SHEEPFEET | 10% Off Code: ELKSHAPE - https://bit.ly/SheepFeet onXhunt ELITE Membership | 20% Off Code: ELKSHAPE - https://bit.ly/ONXHUNT OLLIN | 10% Off Code: ELKSHAPE - https://ollin.co/collections/snapshot DARK ENERGY | 10% Off CODE: ELKSHAPE - https://bit.ly/3P5x3BY BLACK RIFLE COFFEE | 20% OFF CODE: ELKSHAPE20 - https://blackriflecoffeecompany.pxf.io/9LnW0E FOUNDATION OURDOORS | 20% OFF CODE: ELKSHAPE - https://www.foundation-outdoors.com/?sca_ref=10392320.yNY8hl6qQLCpq TRICER GEAR | 10% OFF CODE: ELKSHAPE ============================= 📱 Subscribe and Listen to the The ElkShape Podcast HERE: ============================= Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/elkshape/id1315352438 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3EplB7OPWM5HcsT2c0HzEv ============================= This Video was Filmed Using: ============================= AMAZON STORE 👉 https://www.amazon.com/shop/elkshape?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_aipsfshop_X57159T6BSR8HN6Z3T3W A CAM - SONY A1 BODY ➡️ https://amzn.to/3wLZLBW B CAM - SONY A7 IV W/KIT LENS ➡️ https://amzn.to/3InUGST SONY LONG LENS 70-200MM ➡️ https://amzn.to/433SXLW WIRELESS DJI MIC 2 ➡️ https://amzn.to/3uYPku5 STUDIO LENS 24-70MM ➡️ https://amzn.to/3PbhZD8 DJI DRONE ➡️ https://amzn.to/3TqrAZo DJI ACTION 4 ➡️ https://amzn.to/49FDPXA HEADPHONES ➡️ https://amzn.to/4bwRa6c ============================= We are selling hard work! Behind The Scenes: https://www.instagram.com/elkshape/ https://www.instagram.com/elkshapetraining https://elkshape.com/ #elkshape Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan met today's guest in one of the last places he expected. Miles deep in the Montana backcountry, Dan crossed paths with Mary Walker as she casually strolled by with a Mathews LIFT X on her back—67 years old and deep in elk country chasing bulls with a bow. Needless to say, she got his attention. They eventually connected on social media, and Dan invited Mary and her husband, Mark, onto the podcast to hear the rest of the story. Mary might be the fittest 67-year-old archery elk hunter Dan has ever met. We dig into her elk hunting journey, fitness, mindset, longevity and what it takes to continue doing hard things at an age when a lot of people have already decided to slow down. This isn't just an elk hunting conversation. It's a reminder that what you do today matters for what you're capable of doing decades from now. If your goal is to keep hunting elk, climbing mountains and doing hard things for as long as possible, Mary's story should inspire you to get to work. Train for the life you want to live. #ElkShape #ElkHunting #ArcheryElk #Bowhunting #Fitness #Longevity #HuntingFitness 💢 Discount Codes 💢 INITIAL ASCENT - 5% OFF CODE: ELKSHAPE PODIUMARCHER.COM 10% OFF CODE: ELKSHAPE https://www.podiumarcher.com/collections/all-products-1 BORN PRIMITIVE OUTDOOR - 10% Off Code: ELKSHAPE - https://get.aspr.app/SH1sot PEAX EQUIP - 10% Off Code: ELKSHAPE - https://www.peaxequipment.com/ CANVAS CUTTER - 10% Off Code: ELKSHAPE - https://canvascutter.com/ WILDERNESS ATHLETE | 20% Off Code: ELKSHAPE - https://wildernessathlete.com/ SHEEPFEET | 10% Off Code: ELKSHAPE - https://bit.ly/SheepFeet onXhunt ELITE Membership | 20% Off Code: ELKSHAPE - https://bit.ly/ONXHUNT OLLIN | 10% Off Code: ELKSHAPE - https://ollin.co/collections/snapshot DARK ENERGY | 10% Off CODE: ELKSHAPE - https://bit.ly/3P5x3BY BLACK RIFLE COFFEE | 20% OFF CODE: ELKSHAPE20 - https://blackriflecoffeecompany.pxf.io/9LnW0E FOUNDATION OURDOORS | 20% OFF CODE: ELKSHAPE - https://www.foundation-outdoors.com/?sca_ref=10392320.yNY8hl6qQLCpq TRICER GEAR | 10% OFF CODE: ELKSHAPE ============================= 📱 Subscribe and Listen to the The ElkShape Podcast HERE: ============================= Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/elkshape/id1315352438 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3EplB7OPWM5HcsT2c0HzEv ============================= This Video was Filmed Using: ============================= AMAZON STORE 👉 https://www.amazon.com/shop/elkshape?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_aipsfshop_X57159T6BSR8HN6Z3T3W A CAM - SONY A1 BODY ➡️ https://amzn.to/3wLZLBW B CAM - SONY A7 IV W/KIT LENS ➡️ https://amzn.to/3InUGST SONY LONG LENS 70-200MM ➡️ https://amzn.to/433SXLW WIRELESS DJI MIC 2 ➡️ https://amzn.to/3uYPku5 STUDIO LENS 24-70MM ➡️ https://amzn.to/3PbhZD8 DJI DRONE ➡️ https://amzn.to/3TqrAZo DJI ACTION 4 ➡️ https://amzn.to/49FDPXA HEADPHONES ➡️ https://amzn.to/4bwRa6c ============================= We are selling hard work! Behind The Scenes: https://www.instagram.com/elkshape/ https://www.instagram.com/elkshapetraining https://elkshape.com/ #elkshape Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan sits down with his videographer Brycen to recap their public-land archery elk hunts in New Mexico and Montana—and this one comes from two completely different perspectives. Dan has spent years chasing elk. Brycen had never elk hunted a day in his life before picking up a camera and following Dan into the mountains. They break down Brycen hearing his first bugle, learning elk hunting on the fly, and discovering just how hard it is to keep up with an elk hunter while also trying to capture the story through a camera. Long days, steep country, lack of sleep, fatigue, discomfort, close calls, setbacks, and the incredible highs that make you forget how bad your body hurts. This episode is an inside look at what public-land elk hunting out West actually feels like—from the perspective of a seasoned elk hunter and a guy experiencing the madness for the very first time. The highs are high. The lows are low. And somewhere in between, you find out what you're made of. 💢 Discount Codes 💢 INITIAL ASCENT - 5% OFF CODE: ELKSHAPE PODIUMARCHER.COM 10% OFF CODE: ELKSHAPE https://www.podiumarcher.com/collections/all-products-1 BORN PRIMITIVE OUTDOOR - 10% Off Code: ELKSHAPE - https://get.aspr.app/SH1sot PEAX EQUIP - 10% Off Code: ELKSHAPE - https://www.peaxequipment.com/ CANVAS CUTTER - 10% Off Code: ELKSHAPE - https://canvascutter.com/ WILDERNESS ATHLETE | 20% Off Code: ELKSHAPE - https://wildernessathlete.com/ SHEEPFEET | 10% Off Code: ELKSHAPE - https://bit.ly/SheepFeet onXhunt ELITE Membership | 20% Off Code: ELKSHAPE - https://bit.ly/ONXHUNT OLLIN | 10% Off Code: ELKSHAPE - https://ollin.co/collections/snapshot DARK ENERGY | 10% Off CODE: ELKSHAPE - https://bit.ly/3P5x3BY BLACK RIFLE COFFEE | 20% OFF CODE: ELKSHAPE20 - https://blackriflecoffeecompany.pxf.io/9LnW0E FOUNDATION OURDOORS | 20% OFF CODE: ELKSHAPE - https://www.foundation-outdoors.com/?sca_ref=10392320.yNY8hl6qQLCpq TRICER GEAR | 10% OFF CODE: ELKSHAPE ============================= 📱 Subscribe and Listen to the The ElkShape Podcast HERE: ============================= Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/elkshape/id1315352438 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3EplB7OPWM5HcsT2c0HzEv ============================= This Video was Filmed Using: ============================= AMAZON STORE 👉 https://www.amazon.com/shop/elkshape?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_aipsfshop_X57159T6BSR8HN6Z3T3W A CAM - SONY A1 BODY ➡️ https://amzn.to/3wLZLBW B CAM - SONY A7 IV W/KIT LENS ➡️ https://amzn.to/3InUGST SONY LONG LENS 70-200MM ➡️ https://amzn.to/433SXLW WIRELESS DJI MIC 2 ➡️ https://amzn.to/3uYPku5 STUDIO LENS 24-70MM ➡️ https://amzn.to/3PbhZD8 DJI DRONE ➡️ https://amzn.to/3TqrAZo DJI ACTION 4 ➡️ https://amzn.to/49FDPXA HEADPHONES ➡️ https://amzn.to/4bwRa6c ============================= We are selling hard work! Behind The Scenes: https://www.instagram.com/elkshape/ https://www.instagram.com/elkshapetraining https://elkshape.com/ #elkshape Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices