Backcountry Hunting Podcast

Outfitter Tate Bradfield and his crew took 56 American Buffalo with clients in 2024. This episode, we sit down and discuss the cartridges, bullets, and shot placement that kills Bison most effectively and efficiently. Tate tells tall tales (say that three times fast) of Buffalo getting shot with everything from .243 Winchester to .45-70 Gov't—and has some emphatic advice to share with prospective Bison hunters. This one was a ton of fun, folks. ENJOY!    FRIENDS! Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars. VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:  www.browning.com www.barnesbullets.com www.leupold.com www.onxmaps.com www.silencercentral.com https://www.portersfirearms.com/ www.timneytriggers.com www.siembidacustomknives.com https://javelinbipod.com

When killing is crucial, not just convenient... Choose the right tool for the task.  Folks, I resisted addressing this trendy topic of using small calibers on big game for a long time. But I've had so many requests to do so, I can no longer take the easy road. Here's my blunt, fact- and science-based opinion on the practice of using small calibers loaded with target-type bullets on big game.  ENJOY!    FRIENDS! Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars. VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:  www.onxmaps.com www.silencercentral.com https://www.portersfirearms.com/ www.timneytriggers.com www.browning.com www.barnesbullets.com www.leupold.com www.siembidacustomknives.com https://javelinbipod.com

This episode, Weatherby's COO Luke Thorkildsen joins us to talk about backcountry fitness and how the Carnivore diet has revolutionized his backcountry hunting capability. We discuss how to successfully combat middle-age "spare tire" weight gain and increase focus and energy.  Plus, of course, we take a dive into Luke's personal favorite Weatherby cartridges and specific bullets loaded for them, as well as his go-to rifle models from the Weatherby stable. This one was eye-opening and a ton of fun, folks. ENJOY!   FRIENDS! Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars. VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:  www.onxmaps.com www.silencercentral.com https://www.portersfirearms.com/ www.timneytriggers.com www.browning.com www.barnesbullets.com www.leupold.com www.siembidacustomknives.com https://javelinbipod.com

This episode takes us back to Kodiak Island, Alaska, where Austin Brown and several of his friends hunt Sitka Blacktail deer, predators, and sea ducks. It's all DIY, and it's the first time in Alaska for several of these hunters.  Host and transporter is our long-time favorite: Alaska Premier Sportfishing's good boat Venturess and her captain Travis Larson and crew.  I asked Austin to run with an audio-journal type record of their adventures. He did a fine job, and the result is this episode. It's all about discovering new adventures in new places, and how real the struggle is on Kodiak Island! ENJOY!  — JvB   FRIENDS! Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars. VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:  www.onxmaps.com www.silencercentral.com https://www.portersfirearms.com/ www.timneytriggers.com www.browning.com www.barnesbullets.com www.leupold.com www.siembidacustomknives.com https://javelinbipod.com  

This episode we talk through several new suppressor models and the innovative manufacturing techniques that make them special. We also discuss various materials such as Inconel and Titanium, outlining their pros and cons.  And how about the speed of the current e-form process? Suppressor dealers are even seeing same-day approvals in some cases, and even the "long" approvals are only a few weeks. Silencer expert Brandon Maddox provides perspective on how and why that's become possible.  Plus, we talk about the Hearing Protection Act and whether suppressors will ever be delisted and become commonly available.  This was a fun one, folks. ENJOY!   Links to some specific products discussed:  BOGO (Buy one get one free) Inconel Speed K silencer $1,199, 14 oz.  Titanium Speed K silencer $1,399, 8 oz.  Meateater by Banish $1,299, 10.3 oz.    FRIENDS!  Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars.   VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:  www.onxmaps.com www.silencercentral.com https://www.portersfirearms.com/ www.timneytriggers.com www.browning.com www.barnesbullets.com www.leupold.com www.siembidacustomknives.com https://javelinbipod.com

Gnarly questions make us dig deep for good answers... In this episode, we unpack a bunch of awesome questions and stories from listeners, including the following:  .308 Win. vs. 6.5 RPM for elk .475 Turnbull and 9.3x62 for Cape Buffalo 6mm ARC as a deer cartridge Short vs. long barrels on .308 Handloads for 20" 7mm PRC barrels Is .280 Rem. to .280 Ackley conversion worth the squeeze?  Characteristics of Weatherby 307 Alpine CT Do bonded bullets kill faster than monometals?  .338 ARC for moose Precision vs. power: The ethics of hunting big game with small cartridges Thanks for tuning in, folks! A special request: Please get on YouTube and subscribe to our YouTube channel, to help my son William (a.k.a. the Backcountry Apprentice) grow the show. It's his baby; he does nearly all the work there. Here's a link to our YouTube video on the Weatherby 307 Alpine CT.  ENJOY!    FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get to carry on producing it. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars.   VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:  www.onxmaps.com www.silencercentral.com https://www.portersfirearms.com/ www.timneytriggers.com www.browning.com www.barnesbullets.com www.leupold.com www.siembidacustomknives.com https://javelinbipod.com           https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmNpWsWKQ0I

How does putting a suppressor on your hunting rifle affect accuracy? Good? Bad? Ugly? This episode details what normally happens—which is an increase in precision and a decrease in recoil.  We give several real-life examples and explore why accuracy increases. Plus we detail several of our favorite suppressor makes and models that nearly always provide a significant increase accuracy, discussing weight, material, size, and so forth.  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.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars. VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:  www.onxmaps.com www.silencercentral.com https://www.portersfirearms.com/ www.timneytriggers.com www.browning.com www.barnesbullets.com www.leupold.com www.siembidacustomknives.com https://javelinbipod.com

Are hotrod .22 centerfire cartridges adequate for hunting big game? In this episode Seth Swerczek from Hornady joins us to discuss the small-caliber for big-game trend. Recently returned from a safari in the Eastern Cape of South Africa, Seth details what worked—and what didn't—while using the .22 ARC and .22 Creedmoor on African game ranging from warthogs to kudu. The results may surprise you. We also take a deep dive into the usefulness of hotrod .22 centerfires for use on North American big game, and discuss what and where practical limitations lie.  Seth talks through the bullets most useful for hunting with such cartridges, and details the differences between the .22 Creedmoor and the .22 ARC to help hunters make an informed choice.  This was a fun one, folks. 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.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars. VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:  www.onxmaps.com www.silencercentral.com https://www.portersfirearms.com/ www.timneytriggers.com www.browning.com www.barnesbullets.com www.leupold.com www.siembidacustomknives.com https://javelinbipod.com

What's it like to hunt along ancient hedgerows and stone fences older than America? This episode fellow writer Phil Massaro and I share stories about hunting wild, free-range Fallow deer, Roe Deer, and Muntjac through medieval forests in England.  In the UK on assignment with Savage Arms, we had the opportunity to hunt with and share meals with legendary hunter, wild game chef and restaraunteur Mike Robinson, host of Farming The Wild on MOTV, and his exceptional crew. Savage just rolled out a new rifle model, and we put it through it's paces and discuss it's characteristics, along with the 6.5 Creedmooor and 6.5 PRC's performance on Fallow deer.  This was an adventure for the ages, folks! ENJOY!   FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!  Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry  VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:  www.onxmaps.com www.silencercentral.com https://www.portersfirearms.com/ www.timneytriggers.com www.browning.com www.barnesbullets.com www.leupold.com www.siembidacustomknives.com https://javelinbipod.com

This episide we sit down with custom gunsmith Justin Linenbach, of Kinport Peak Rifles. Justin outlines what he consideres the three most important elements to achieving accuracy: Barrel quality Chamber quality Action bedding We take a deep dive into each of those characteristics, and then discuss the cartridges that Justin recommends for three categories of shooters and hunters:  Factory ammo only Handloaders Obsessive handloaders and wildcatters Plus, Justin shares some of this go-to action types, barrel makers, and preferred stocks. This episode was a ton of fun folks—ENJOY!    FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!  Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry     VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:  www.onxmaps.com www.silencercentral.com https://www.portersfirearms.com/ www.timneytriggers.com www.browning.com www.barnesbullets.com www.leupold.com www.siembidacustomknives.com https://javelinbipod.com

Is there a cartridge that will reliably knock a deer or elk or bear over? Not unless it's named Ford, Chevy, or Dodge. Or maybe Freight Train. This episode takes a candid look at the idea of "knock-down power," mythbusting the notion and detailing how to determine a cartridge with real authority.  We define and explore kinetic energy, the TKO formula, momentum, and of course compare the numbers generated by popular cartridges such as the .30-06, 6.5 Creedmoor, and .375 Magnum.  Next we detail common visible impact reactions and explain what they say about the bullet used and the impact location of the shot. True stories of mule deer, elk, caribou, moose, whitetails, and more are told to showcase each situation... Including lung shots, heart shots, gut shots, and spine/nervous system impacts.  There's no such thing as knock-down power, folks. But there's SOMETHING. This episode digs deep into just what it is. ENJOY!      FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!  Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry   VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:  www.browning.com www.barnesbullets.com www.leupold.com www.siembidacustomknives.com https://javelinbipod.com www.onxmaps.com www.silencercentral.com https://www.portersfirearms.com/ www.timneytriggers.com  

How good is the .30-06 for use on elk? This episode takes a deep dive into the grand old cartridge's ballistics, characteristics, and real-world performance on elk. We tell stories of a bunch of bulls killed with various .30-06s, and talk through several excellent .30-06 rifle models that we wholeheartedly recommend, as well as list three top factory ammo types ideal for elk. ENJOY!    FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!  Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry     VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:  www.browning.com www.barnesbullets.com www.leupold.com https://javelinbipod.com www.onxmaps.com www.silencercentral.com https://www.portersfirearms.com/ www.timneytriggers.com www.siembidacustomknives.com  

This episode we take a deep dive into how to properly set up a kid rifle. We address appropriate cartridges, good rifles, and capable scopes, then discuss how to put the setup together so it really works. Some specific points we cover:  Reliability Kid-friendly ergonomics Accuracy Quality trigger Crucial scope features Packable weight Necessary accessories Bare muzzles, muzzle brakes, & suppressors Fundamental skills The importance of setting your youth or beginning hunter friend up for success if vital... Yet so often given little attention. If you want to shape your young'un into your favorite hunting partner, take a listen to this episode. There are pointers here than can make all the difference!  ENJOY!    FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!  Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on www.patreon.com/backcountry   VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:  www.onxmaps.com www.silencercentral.com https://www.portersfirearms.com/ www.timneytriggers.com www.browning.com www.barnesbullets.com www.leupold.com www.siembidacustomknives.com https://javelinbipod.com

This fun episode we dig in and answer a buck of listener's questions... Topics are elk cartridges, bear defense guns, .280 Ackley rifles, best first Western hunts, .270 Win. for moose, best predator rifles, copper bullets for deer, best .308 hunting load, and tons more. 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.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars. VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:  www.browning.com www.barnesbullets.com www.leupold.com www.siembidacustomknives.com www.onxmaps.com www.silencercentral.com https://www.portersfirearms.com/ www.timneytriggers.com https://javelinbipod.com 

You've just shot an elk. Now what?  This episode covers it all, from blood tracking and locating your elk, to navigating cross-canyon recoveries, to taking good photographs, to meat processing, care, and packing. What a terrific conversation, recorded with extremely savvy, experienced elk hunters! ENJOY!    FRIENDS! We're at a crucial time in the growth of the show, and need all the support we can get. Please join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe on www.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars.   VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:  www.onxmaps.com www.silencercentral.com www.timneytriggers.com https://javelinbipod.com https://www.portersfirearms.com/ www.browning.com www.barnesbullets.com www.leupold.com www.siembidacustomknives.com  

What's the best, most practical deer-hunting cartridge of them all? We're joined by our friend Ron Spomer—who is consistently the show's most popular guest—to try our hand at picking one cartridge to rule them all.  Because it's fun, we also take a deep dive into our personal favorite deer-hunting cartridges—practicality thrown out the window—and share just why those particular rounds are so special.  This was tremendous fun, folks. 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.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars.     VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:  www.onxmaps.com www.silencercentral.com https://www.portersfirearms.com/ www.timneytriggers.com www.browning.com www.barnesbullets.com www.leupold.com www.siembidacustomknives.com https://javelinbipod.com

This episode covers the ABC's of flying with guns. From what type of case is best, to how to pack your firearms and ammo, to how to check in with your airline, we detail the process.  We cover domestic flights compared to international travel, discuss the legality of flying with a suppressor, suggest research and prep documentation, and so forth.  Flying with a firearm is quite a simple process, but can seem daunting to first-timers. It doesn't need to be, though! This guide should provide the information you need to fly with confidence. 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.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars. VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:    www.browning.com www.barnesbullets.com www.leupold.com www.onxmaps.com www.silencercentral.com https://www.portersfirearms.com/ www.timneytriggers.com www.siembidacustomknives.com https://javelinbipod.com

Ever wonder which of the new PRC cartridges to pick for your new hunting rifle? The 6.5 PRC, 7mm PRC, and .300 PRC each have their strengths... and few weaknesses. So how do you know which will fit your needs best?  Hornady engineer and cartridge savant Seth Swerczek guest stars on this episode, and we talk through the various characteristics of each cartridge. Of course we regularly get sidetracked and tell hunting stories to support our points. This deep dive into what each Precision Rifle Cartridge is particularly good at should help you make that ultimate choice. 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.patreon.com/backcountry where you'll get access to all our bonus material and can contribute a few dollars. VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:  www.onxmaps.com www.silencercentral.com https://www.portersfirearms.com/ www.timneytriggers.com www.browning.com www.barnesbullets.com www.leupold.com www.siembidacustomknives.com https://javelinbipod.com