Backbone Unlimited Podcast

In this episode Matt Hartsky breaks down what spring training should actually look like for backcountry hunters who want to perform better in the mountains come fall. Too many hunters treat spring as a time to rush intensity, chase exhaustion, or copy generic fitness plans that don’t translate to real mountain demands. Matt explains why spring is the most important phase for building long-term durability, not short-term fatigue. The conversation focuses on what it means to build a true base of mountain fitness. Matt explains why aerobic capacity, connective tissue strength, joint resilience, and movement quality matter more in spring than max effort workouts or extreme conditioning. He walks through how the work you do in the spring sets the ceiling for how hard you can safely train later in the year and how well your body holds up during long days, steep climbs, and heavy pack-outs. This episode also covers common spring training mistakes backcountry hunters make, including training too hard too soon, ignoring single-leg strength, and skipping foundational movement patterns that protect knees, hips, and ankles under load. Matt explains how to approach volume, consistency, and progression so fitness actually compounds instead of breaking you down. Built for elk and mule deer hunters who want to show up to the season stronger, more resilient, and better prepared, this episode reframes spring training as the foundation of successful mountain performance. If you hunt hard and train with purpose, this conversation will help you build the kind of fitness that carries you deeper, longer, and safer into the backcountry.

In this episode Matt Hartsky breaks down what really determines success when you’re hunting elk and mule deer alone: your ability to make clear, disciplined decisions without outside confirmation. Solo hunting removes the safety net. There’s no partner to validate your instincts, slow down bad calls, or share the mental load when things go quiet. Every decision — when to stay, when to move, and when to wait — falls entirely on you. Matt walks through seven critical mindset and strategy principles that help solo hunters stay confident instead of reactive. He explains why most solo hunting mistakes aren’t tactical failures, but mental ones driven by doubt, impatience, and the urge to force momentum. The episode reinforces why confidence in solo hunting must come from process, preparation, and terrain-based thinking — not constant feedback or immediate results. The conversation covers how to manage doubt when there’s no one to sanity-check your decisions, how to avoid panic moves when activity disappears, and how to stay committed to good setups even when silence makes you uncomfortable. Matt also explains why quiet days are often the most valuable learning days for solo hunters and how those slow periods sharpen judgment if you know how to use them. This episode is built for Western hunters who spend real time alone in elk and mule deer country and want to hunt with more patience, clarity, and confidence. If you’ve ever questioned good decisions simply because no one was there to confirm them, this conversation will change how you think about solo hunting — and how you hunt when it matters most.

In this episode of Backbone Unlimited, Matt Hartsky breaks down one of the most misunderstood reasons elk hunters struggle year after year—misreading terrain. After more than three decades of hunting Western public land, Matt explains why most elk hunts don’t fail because of bad timing, quiet rut activity, or unpredictable elk behavior, but because hunters focus on movement instead of structure. Elk don’t need to do much to survive. They need secure bedding, efficient travel routes, reliable wind advantage, and ways to avoid pressure—and terrain dictates every one of those decisions. This episode challenges the habit of chasing bugles, fresh tracks, and yesterday’s action, and replaces it with a terrain-first mindset that allows hunters to position ahead of elk instead of reacting behind them. Matt walks through how terrain quietly funnels elk movement, why bedding terrain becomes the anchor during hunting season, and how pressure reshapes elk behavior without changing the landscape itself. He explains the difference between “elk country” and true “kill country,” why micro-terrain consistently outperforms big obvious features, and how understanding funnels, benches, sidehills, and pressure terrain creates predictable opportunities even when the woods feel dead. Matt also breaks down why most hunters overvalue rut events and undervalue the daily survival cycle that never disappears, how pressure changes movement windows, and why reacting to activity usually puts hunters one step too late. This episode will help you slow the hunt down in a productive way, sharpen your decision-making, and start reading the ground itself instead of guessing what elk might do next. If you want to stop wandering through elk country and start intentionally hunting terrain that forces elk decisions, this episode will give you a clear framework to do exactly that—no luck, no hype, just proven understanding built from years of real public-land experience.

In this episode of Backbone Unlimited, Matt Hartsky shares seven hard-earned hunting mistakes he made over 34 years pursuing elk and mule deer—mistakes that didn’t feel wrong at the time because they looked like effort, toughness, and doing things the hard way. These were the quiet habits that kept results inconsistent while confidence and years in the field kept growing. Matt breaks down how chasing noise instead of patterns, relying on gear to cover skill gaps, moving too fast, ignoring recovery, and confusing experience with real progress quietly held him back for decades. This episode is for hunters who care deeply, work hard, and still feel like something isn’t clicking. If you want to shorten the learning curve, hunt with more clarity, and stop repeating the same patterns season after season, this conversation will help you rethink what actually moves the needle.

In this episode of the Backbone Unlimited Podcast, Matt Hartsky breaks down the off-season hunting skills that actually lead to more elk and mule deer on the ground. This conversation is focused on the part of the year when tags feel far away, momentum is low, and many hunters struggle to feel like they’re making real progress. Instead of tactics that only work when conditions are perfect, Matt walks through the foundational skills that quietly separate consistent hunters from frustrated ones. Matt explains why the off-season is where most animals are truly killed, long before opening day ever arrives. He dives into glassing discipline and why missed animals are more common than avoided ones, navigation confidence and how hesitation quietly costs opportunity, and decision speed and why clarity matters more than urgency. He also covers physical durability, showing how fatigue narrows options without hunters realizing it, and shot discipline, where knowing when not to shoot protects confidence and consistency. The episode closes with mental patience, the skill that ties everything together when the woods go quiet and doubt creeps in. Matt shares how these skills can be trained without a tag in your pocket and why they matter more in pressured units, tough conditions, and slow seasons than any single tactic ever could. This episode is built for DIY public land hunters who want to use the off-season with intention, build real skill right now, and arrive at elk and mule deer season calmer, more confident, and ready to capitalize when opportunity finally shows up.

Kapture delivers one of the simplest, strongest digiscoping systems on the market, letting you lock your phone to your bino or spotter in seconds. Their rugged magnetic design gives hunters pro-level photos and video without fumbling with bulky adapters. Kapture Discount: Use code BACKBONE for 10% off: https://kapturegear.com/?bg_ref=gCD000n5fB   In this episode, Matt Hartsky sits down with Eric Christensen, owner and founder of Kapture Gear, to break down one of the most common and frustrating problems Western hunters face with digiscoping: seeing something worth remembering through your optics, only to lose the moment while fighting a slow, shaky, or overly complicated phone-to-scope setup. They dig into why so many digiscoping systems look good on paper but fall apart in real hunting conditions—when the wind is ripping, your tripod is barely stable, and the animal can disappear in a single step. Matt shares his own long history with digiscoping and why years of broken plastic parts, worn friction-fit mounts, and bulky adapters pushed him to look for a faster, more reliable solution that doesn’t interfere with glassing. Eric walks through how Kapture Gear was born out of those same frustrations, how early prototypes failed, and how real-world feedback from hunters and guides shaped a system built around speed, simplicity, and true field durability. Together, they break down what actually matters for successful digiscoping in the West: staying locked on the animal, minimizing movement, and having a setup that works with your optics—not against them. The conversation also gets practical. Matt and Eric cover common digiscoping mistakes, how phone settings and lens choice affect footage quality, why light and glass quality still matter, and simple habits—like landmarking your target—that can keep you from losing animals when conditions shift. They also discuss Kapture Gear’s approach to product refinement, customer service, and what real innovation looks like when gear is designed for hunters who demand performance under pressure. If you care about capturing clean scouting footage, documenting hunts, and getting consistent wildlife video through your optics without the circus, this episode will help you understand what to prioritize and why it matters.

In this episode of the Backbone Unlimited Podcast, Matt Hartsky breaks down how he plans an entire western hunting year—from tag applications and long-range strategy to training phases, scouting windows, in-season execution, recovery, and the post-season review that shapes the next year. This episode is not about quick tips or last-minute preparation. It is a full look at how successful elk and mule deer seasons are built months before opening day. Matt explains why so many hunters feel rushed, scattered, or behind when the season arrives, and how that problem usually starts with poor year-long planning. He walks through how he evaluates application decisions, why he never lets a year depend on a single tag, and how guaranteed time on the mountain matters more than dream scenarios that rely on luck. The episode dives deep into how training phases should shift throughout the year, why durability and recovery matter more than short-term fitness peaks, and how fatigue quietly changes decision making in the field. The conversation also covers scouting in detail, including how to use e-scouting to understand terrain and pressure patterns, how boots-on-the-ground scouting should answer specific questions instead of chasing sign, and how in-season observations become critical data for future years. Matt explains how gear systems, food planning, sleep, and logistics either reduce friction or steal energy, and why simplifying systems is a major advantage during long seasons. This episode is designed for DIY public land hunters who want more consistency, less chaos, and more confidence heading into elk and mule deer seasons. If you want to stop planning hunts in isolation and start planning an entire year with intention, this episode lays out the framework in full.

Elk Camp 2026 is your chance to learn, train, and run real-world scenarios alongside experienced elk hunters, Matt & Saxton Hartsky, in the mountains. Spots are limited—secure yours today and take the next step toward becoming the elk hunter you’ve always wanted to be. LEARN MORE about Elk Camp 2026 or reserve your spot: https://backboneunlimited.com/pages/elk-camp   In this episode of the Backbone Unlimited Podcast, Matt Hartsky tackles one of the most uncomfortable but important truths in western elk hunting: most elk hunters never become consistent. They may kill an elk once, get lucky every few seasons, or have a great hunt that keeps them coming back—but year-over-year consistency remains out of reach. This episode breaks down why that happens and what actually changes when a hunter moves from hoping for outcomes to controlling what they can. Drawing on more than three decades of elk hunting experience, Matt explains why time in the field does not automatically equal improvement, how random success can quietly reinforce bad habits, and why inconsistency is usually self-inflicted without hunters realizing it. This is not an episode about calling techniques, secret spots, or trendy tactics. It is a deep dive into decision making, preparation, mindset, and systems—the things that determine whether success is repeatable or random. Matt walks through the difference between reactive hunting and proactive hunting, how physical durability directly influences strategy on the mountain, and why patience under uncertainty is one of the most overlooked skills in elk hunting. He also explains how consistent hunters evaluate seasons differently, using every hunt—successful or not—as data instead of emotional proof of failure or success. This conversation is especially relevant in the off season, when applications, planning, and training are all that’s happening and motivation can feel low. It focuses on what can be built when nothing feels urgent: better judgment, stronger preparation, and a clearer understanding of how elk hunting actually works over time. If you’re tired of guessing, chasing luck, or feeling like every season resets the learning curve, this episode will help you understand what consistency really looks like and how it’s earned.

HUNT PLANNING with EAST 2 WEST HUNTS: East 2 West Hunts provides premium Western big-game application services with deep expertise in elk, mule deer, and high-country adventure. Alex delivers proven and personalized hunt planning, and professional application guidance to help hunters maximize every opportunity. BOOK A FREE CONSULT with Alex and mention Matt Hartsky sent you for priority attention: https://www.east2westhunts.com/   Elk Camp 2026 is your chance to learn, train, and run real-world scenarios alongside experienced elk hunters, Matt & Saxton Hartsky, in the mountains. Spots are limited—secure yours today and take the next step toward becoming the elk hunter you’ve always wanted to be. LEARN MORE about Elk Camp 2026 or reserve your spot: https://backboneunlimited.com/pages/elk-camp   In this episode of Backbone Unlimited, host Matt Hartsky sits down with Alex Gruin, the owner of East to West Hunts, to break down why so many hunters struggle with Western hunting long before they ever step into the field. From confusing regulations and missed deadlines to wasted preference points and applying without a plan, this conversation gets honest about the real reasons hunters get stuck—and how to fix it. Alex shares his journey from a Midwest hunter trying to break into Western big game hunting to building a system that helps busy hunters create clear, long-term application and hunt strategies. Together, Matt and Alex discuss the dangers of information overload, why effort alone isn’t enough without direction, and how disciplined planning allows hunters to hunt sooner while still building toward long-term goals and dream tags. They also dive into what happens after the draw—why preparation, fitness, execution, and realistic expectations are critical if you actually want to succeed. This episode is for hunters who feel overwhelmed by points systems, applications, and regulations, and for anyone who wants to stop guessing and start approaching Western hunting with intention. If you’re looking to hunt smarter, reduce frustration, and build a plan that actually works, this conversation delivers practical insight rooted in real experience.

In this episode of Backbone Unlimited, Matt Hartsky tackles one of the most common and overwhelming questions new hunters ask: Where do I start with elk hunting? Drawing from more than three decades of western big game hunting experience, Matt strips away the noise, myths, and overcomplication that stop so many people before they ever step into elk country. This episode lays out the true foundation of becoming an elk hunter — defining your why, understanding elk behavior, choosing a state and season, using e-scouting the right way, preparing your body, building a functional gear system, respecting wind and thermals, learning calling discipline, and developing the mental toughness required to stay in the fight. Whether you’re brand new to elk hunting or feel stuck spinning your wheels, this is an honest, experience-driven roadmap designed to help you start the right way, avoid common mistakes, and build confidence in the mountains.

In this episode of Backbone Unlimited, Matt Hartsky breaks down one of the most common and rarely discussed reasons elk seasons implode early: showing up with a summer mindset in a September world. Many hunters enter the season with high confidence and clear expectations based on preseason scouting, trail cam photos, or how elk behaved in August—only to watch everything unravel in the first 24 to 48 hours. This episode explains why that disconnect happens and how September immediately exposes flawed assumptions about pressure, behavior, and predictability. Matt walks through the reality of hunting pressured September elk and why expecting smooth hunts, vocal bulls, and cooperative patterns leads to rushed decisions and emotional hunting. He breaks down the gap between pressure expectations and real-world conditions, explaining how elk tighten movement, reduce vocalization, shift into security cover, and become far more cautious long before most hunters ever arrive. September elk are not summer elk—and treating them that way sabotages hunts fast. This episode also dives into three major mindset traps that destroy consistency: hunting where elk “should be” instead of proving where they are, staying trapped in comfort-zone terrain that pressured bulls avoid, and failing to adapt to the actual mood of the herd. Matt explains why elk don’t owe hunters consistency, why good-looking country often holds nothing, and why the nastiest, hardest terrain is where pressured elk survive. Success comes from adapting instantly, not forcing expectations onto the mountain. If your season fell apart early, if frustration set in fast, or if you felt like elk weren’t acting the way they “should,” this episode connects the dots. It lays out the mindset shift required to hunt September for what it truly is—dynamic, pressured, and unforgiving—and shows how adjusting expectations, slowing down emotionally, and hunting reality instead of hope can completely change how your next season unfolds.

In this episode of Backbone Unlimited, Matt Hartsky breaks down the single biggest root cause behind failed elk seasons: not understanding elk movement. Every year, hunters say the same things—elk vanished, the unit went dead, bulls disappeared overnight. The truth is simpler and harder to accept. Elk don’t teleport, and they don’t leave for no reason. They move with purpose, respond instantly to pressure, adjust to wind and thermals, and shift patterns the moment human presence enters their world. Matt explains why bulls disappear from summer glassing spots, why preseason patterns collapse the moment September arrives, and how food shifts, thermals, cow distribution, and pressure push elk into tighter, darker, more secure terrain. This episode breaks down why elk go nocturnal faster than most hunters realize, how a single blown stalk or repeated morning pressure can change movement timing overnight, and why most hunters miss elk simply because they arrive too late or hunt the wrong windows. The conversation goes deep into pressure-based movement and security cover—where elk actually live when units get busy. You’ll learn why mature bulls abandon open country, how they use benches, sidehill pockets, timbered fingers, and north-facing cover to survive, and why those areas rarely look good on a map. Matt also explains the final mistake that sabotages most seasons: hunting where elk were instead of where elk are. If your season felt like you were always one step behind—finding old sign, chasing yesterday’s bugle, or hunting country that suddenly felt empty—this episode connects the dots. Elk movement isn’t random, and it isn’t mysterious once you understand what drives it. This episode gives you the framework to stop chasing ghosts and start anticipating elk movement in real time, so you can stay with the herd instead of watching them slip away.

In this episode of Backbone Unlimited, Matt Hartsky sits down with Cody Calkins, a New Mexico firefighter and dedicated Western hunter, to break down a full, real-world Western big game hunting season—from planning to execution. This conversation goes far beyond hunt recaps and dives into the mindset, discipline, and preparation required to stop relying on luck and start hunting with control. Cody walks through his season chronologically, covering multiple hunts across Colorado, Utah, and New Mexico, including elk hunting, mule deer hunting, and bear hunting. Together, Matt and Cody unpack what it actually takes to succeed on Western public land and private land alike—handling pressure, passing legal animals, adapting to conditions, and executing when it matters most. This episode focuses heavily on Backbone Unlimited core themes: hunt planning, preparation, decision-making under pressure, patience, and developing standards as a hunter. Cody shares what changed for him when he stopped hoping things would work out and started treating hunting as a process—learning how terrain, weather, pressure, and timing all influence success. They also discuss helping others succeed, mentoring new hunters, and how leadership and restraint often matter more than aggression in the mountains. If you’re interested in Western big game hunting, elk hunting mindset, mule deer strategy, public land hunting pressure, or learning how to plan and execute hunts more effectively, this episode delivers honest, experience-based insight. Cody’s season is a powerful example of how preparation, discipline, and intentional decision-making create consistent success—long before opening day. This is a grounded, no-fluff conversation for hunters who want to improve their process, hunt with confidence, and earn every outcome in the field. TRAIN HARDER. HUNT SMARTER. NEVER SETTLE. – MATT HARTSKY   Contact Cody Calkins: codycalkins218@gmail.com

In this episode of Backbone Unlimited, Matt Hartsky breaks down what he believes is the most unforgiving and season-ending mistake elk hunters make: misreading the wind and thermals. You can have the right bull, the right setup, the right calling sequence, and perfect timing—and still watch the entire opportunity evaporate because of one small wind mistake. Wind is not just a factor in elk hunting. It is the entire game. Matt lays out the single most important law of thermals that almost every September hunter ignores: thermals follow the temperature of the slope. Morning air falls until the sun heats the hillside. Once the slope warms, thermals rise. When shadows return late in the day, thermals fall again. This episode explains why ignoring that rule ruins encounters before they even start—and how structuring your entire hunt around it turns chaos into predictability. The episode dives deep into morning downhill air and why early setups fail, the dangerous thermal switch window during midday, and why drainages act like scent superhighways that destroy stalks. Matt explains how micro-terrain creates swirling, unpredictable wind behavior and why elk intentionally bed in these pockets to create a scent shield. You’ll also learn how pressured elk actively use wind as a defensive weapon—circling setups, hanging up, relocating early, and positioning themselves where predators lose every time. If your season fell apart because elk kept winding you, this episode explains why it wasn’t bad luck or bad elk—it was wind mismanagement. By understanding falling and rising thermals, drainage traps, micro-terrain behavior, and how elk weaponize scent, you stop hunting with hope and start hunting with clarity. This episode lays the foundation for disciplined approaches, smarter setups, and elk encounters that finally make sense.

In this episode of Backbone Unlimited, Matt Hartsky breaks down one of the most emotionally charged and misunderstood parts of elk hunting: when to call, when to stay silent, and how calling actually helps—or destroys—your opportunities. Overcalling and undercalling ruin more elk encounters than bad shooting, bad wind, or poor setups, and it usually happens because hunters try to force elk into a script instead of responding to what the elk are actually doing in the moment. This episode explains why elk calling is completely situational and must match your role as a solo hunter or part of a team, the mood of the bull, herd dynamics, terrain, wind, thermals, distance, and pressure level. Matt breaks down why calling without evaluating the situation leads to blown stalks, educated bulls, and silent exits—and why most calling mistakes come from emotion, excitement, or frustration rather than strategy. You’ll learn why solo hunters need a completely different calling approach, how excessive calling pins your exact location, and why silence is often your most powerful tool. The episode dives deep into understanding real cow talk versus “performative” calling, explaining why authentic cow sounds are subtle, irregular, and boring—and why that realism is exactly what makes elk commit. Matt also clarifies the critical difference between calling that draws elk in and calling that simply gives you away. This episode provides a practical, field-tested framework to fix both overcalling and undercalling, helping you understand when to let a bull work, when to apply pressure, and when to shut up and let terrain, wind, and patience do the work. If you’ve ever blown a setup by calling too much, missed opportunities by calling too little, or felt confused about what elk calling should actually sound like in real hunting situations, this episode brings clarity. It’s about learning to work with elk behavior instead of against it—and turning calling into a strategic advantage instead of a liability.

In this episode of Backbone Unlimited, Matt Hartsky breaks down one of the most common—and most painful—reasons elk hunters burn days without ever getting into elk: poor e-scouting and hunting terrain that simply does not hold elk when you’re there. Too many hunters walk into September convinced there are “no elk in my unit,” when the reality is that the elk have already shifted out of the terrain being hunted. Maps show what terrain could hold elk, but they don’t show pressure, security, wind stability, or how elk actually respond to human presence. Matt explains why maps often lie to hunters, how relying too heavily on satellite imagery leads people into dead zones, and why textbook-looking elk country is often completely empty once pressure arrives. This episode dives into where mature timber bulls really live, why they choose steep, dark, nasty terrain most hunters avoid, and how those security pockets rarely stand out on a map. You’ll learn how elk prioritize wind stability, thermals, escape routes, and sound dampening over “pretty” terrain. The conversation also breaks down how elevation bands shift throughout September, why hunting August elk patterns in a September world leads to failure, and how pressure pockets form when a unit turns into a zoo. Matt identifies the specific terrain types hunters waste the most time in, why elk abandon them early, and how holding onto dead zones burns tags year after year. If your season felt like endless hiking through good-looking country with zero elk encounters, this episode explains exactly why. It shows how to stop hunting what looks good on a map and start hunting what elk actually use on the ground—by adjusting elevation, finding pressure relief terrain, and abandoning dead zones early. This is a foundational episode for anyone who wants to turn e-scouting from guesswork into a real advantage and stop wasting days in empty elk country.

In this episode of Backbone Unlimited, Matt Hartsky breaks down one of the most painful and overlooked reasons elk seasons fall apart: unrealistic time expectations. Too many hunters head into September believing a three-, four-, or five-day hunt is enough, only to walk out frustrated, confused, and convinced the elk weren’t talking or weren’t in the unit. In reality, the real problem is time—or more accurately, the lack of it and how it’s misused. Matt explains why short elk hunts almost always function as scouting trips, not true hunts, and why it takes multiple days just to begin understanding bedding areas, feeding zones, transition routes, wind behavior, and pressure responses. This episode breaks down why you must establish both a morning and evening pattern before abandoning an area, why hunters bail from fresh sign far too early, and why silence does not mean absence when it comes to pressured elk. The conversation also dives into how unrealistic time pressure causes hunters to rush, hunt too fast, blow thermals, abandon good terrain, and burn opportunities they never even knew they had. Elk move on their own schedule, in tight windows and slow rotations, and hunters who try to force results quickly almost always fail. This episode reframes elk hunting as a long-game pursuit where patience, repetition, and pattern recognition matter far more than urgency. If you’ve ever walked off the mountain feeling like you “ran out of time,” felt constantly rushed, or questioned every decision because the clock was ticking, this episode will hit home. It explains why time is the greatest advantage in elk hunting—and how slowing down and giving the mountain space to reveal its patterns is what finally turns frustration into consistent opportunity.

In this episode of Backbone Unlimited, Matt Hartsky tackles one of the most overlooked reasons elk seasons fall apart: fatigue, discipline, and burnout. Gear, calling, wind, e-scouting, and strategy all matter—but the moment you get tired, sloppy, impatient, or mentally worn down, none of it works anymore. Elk hunting has a way of exposing how prepared you really are, not just physically, but mentally and emotionally, especially deep into September. Matt breaks down why slowing down actually improves your odds, how mental fatigue quietly destroys stalks and setups, and why lack of preseason training always shows up around day four or five. This episode explains how physical fatigue feeds mental mistakes, why discipline erodes late in the hunt, and how small lapses in focus turn into blown opportunities when it matters most. You’ll learn why excitement fades, doubt creeps in, and why so many hunters make decisions late in the week that they never would have made on day one. The conversation goes deeper than physical endurance and into the psychological side of elk hunting. September becomes psychological warfare—against uncertainty, pressure, silence, frustration, and self-doubt. The hunters who consistently kill elk aren’t the fastest or the strongest; they’re the ones who don’t break mentally when the mountain is at its worst. They slow down, stay disciplined, trust their systems, and keep making good decisions when others fall apart. If your season has ever unraveled late in the hunt, if you’ve felt mentally defeated more than physically exhausted, or if fatigue has caused you to rush, force mistakes, or abandon good patterns too early, this episode explains exactly why. It’s a deep, honest breakdown of what really separates hunters who last through September from those who fade when it matters most.

In this episode of Backbone Unlimited, Matt Hartsky breaks down one of the most overlooked reasons elk seasons fall apart for Western hunters: not having a repeatable hunting system. Not a calling system. Not a gear system. Not a shooting system. A complete, disciplined hunting system that gives structure, direction, and purpose to every hour on the mountain. Most hunters don’t fail because they don’t work hard—they fail because they hunt randomly, react emotionally, and make decisions without a plan. This episode lays out a clear, repeatable elk hunting system built around six core pillars: a disciplined morning routine, a structured way to check basins, intentional wind and thermal planning, layered backup plans, clear evening objectives, and a daily reset process that prevents burnout and bad decisions. Matt explains how successful hunters eliminate guesswork by understanding when and where elk should be moving, how wind and thermals actually behave throughout the day, and how to stay productive even when Plan A falls apart. You’ll learn why mornings set the tone for the entire hunt, how to evaluate basins without wasting days, how to plan for wind instead of reacting to it, and why backup plans are the difference between confidence and panic. The episode also dives into why most hunters waste evenings, how to use late light to gather critical information, and why a daily mental and strategic reset is essential for multi-day hunts. If your elk season has ever felt rushed, scattered, confusing, or reactive—this episode explains exactly why. It shows how structure replaces chaos, discipline replaces emotion, and systems create consistent encounters. This is a blueprint for hunters who want to stop hoping for elk and start hunting them with intent, clarity, and confidence.

In this 8-part Backbone Unlimited compilation, Matt Hartsky breaks down the most common—and most costly—reasons elk seasons fall apart for Western hunters. This series pulls together eight full-length episodes that expose the real problems behind failed elk hunts, from mindset mistakes and poor movement interpretation to wind misreads, calling errors, bad e-scouting, unrealistic time expectations, physical fatigue, and mental burnout. These aren’t surface-level tips. This is a full systems breakdown of why hunters struggle in September and how to fix it. Across the compilation, Matt explains why elk don’t disappear—they adapt. You’ll learn how pressure reshapes elk movement, why bulls slide into security cover, how wind and thermals quietly kill opportunities, and why most hunters spend too much time hunting where elk were instead of where they are. The episodes dig deep into terrain selection, elevation shifts, pressure pockets, calling discipline, and how small mistakes compound over multi-day hunts. This series also tackles the mental and physical side of elk hunting that most content ignores. Unrealistic timelines, rushing decisions, lack of preseason preparation, and accumulated fatigue all show up hard by day four or five—and they destroy discipline when it matters most. Matt breaks down why slowing down, managing energy, and staying mentally sharp are often the difference between tagging a bull and walking out empty-handed. If your elk season felt chaotic, rushed, frustrating, or inconsistent—or if you’ve ever wondered why elk seemed to vanish just when you felt close—this compilation provides the clarity most hunters never get. It’s designed to help you stop hunting on emotion and expectation and start hunting with structure, adaptability, and intent. This is the blueprint for fixing your next elk season before it even starts.