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The Game Trail is Trail Kreitzer’s biweekly deep dive into gear, hunting, and whatever else comes to his mind. Trail has over two decades of western big game hunting experience and is a professed gear junkie and constant tinkerer. Join him and a variety of experienced guests as they discuss everything from boots to backpacks, bows to baselayers, tents, tripods, tuning, tactics and everything in between.
37 Episodes
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On this episode of The Game Trail Podcast, Trail dives into backcountry fuel—what he actually packs for food on a backpack elk hunt. From daily calories to pack weight and cost per day, he breaks down his system meal by meal. Whether you’re planning your first multi-day hunt or fine-tuning your own food kit, this episode will give you real-world insight into the food he takes, weight, and budget in the elk woods.
You think you’re ready, but you’re not, and neither is Trail. On this week's episode, Trail breaks down the most common ways hunters show up unprepared and what you can do right now to fix it. From overlooked gear checks and mental readiness, this is your no-BS guide to making sure your next hunt doesn’t end in regret. Don't get blindsided by reality—gear failures, poor physical prep, or just plain lack of time in your boots. Whether you’re chasing elk in September or deer in November, you’ve still got time—if you start today.
In this episode of The Game Trail, Trail is talking archery antelope. He breaks down ground blind setups on waterholes, spot-and-stalk plays, decoying techniques, and shares hard-earned lessons from the field. Whether you're gearing up for your first antelope hunt or looking to sharpen your edge for the next tag, this episode is packed with insight to help you close the distance and make the shot count.
We all want confidence in our pins, especially when the shot matters most. Tristan from Precision Cut Archery jumps on The Game Trail podcast to walk us through their smart, easy-to-use online sight tape builder. No more guessing or swapping tape after tape—this tool helps bowhunters cut straight to the best match for their setup. Tristan and Trail also talk wind drift, shot angle compensation, kinetic energy, and why factory sight tapes are likely an inferior option if you want the most accurate sight tape. Listen to learn how it works and why it’s becoming a must-have.
In this episode of The Game Trail Podcast, Trail sits down with Earl Stroh from Cutter Stabilizers to dive into the topic of bow stabilization. Cutter stabilizers are hand built in Colorado from materials sourced and machined in the USA. Earl discussed set-up strategy, stabilizer lengths for hunting, weight distribution, and how stabilizers can improve your hold. He also talks about using a backbar for hunting and why he thinks every bowhunter would benefit from using one. This is a technical conversation with practical takeaways for every western bowhunter.
In this episode of The Game Trail, Trail walks through his personal process for tuning a compound bow—from bare bow to hunt-ready. He breaks down how he sets up his rest, camp timing, how he paper tunes, the importance of d-loop location, arrow spine, and why broadhead tuning can’t be skipped. Whether you're building out a brand-new setup, replacing strings for the upcoming season or just trying to get the most out of your current rig, Trail shares the real-world steps he takes to make sure his bow is dialed in.
On this episode of The Game Trail, Kenneth Thrall joins the podcast. Kenneth works for Kifaru, but when he isn’t in the office, he is pounding the hills, scouting and hunting for mule deer, bears, elk, and antelope. The guys dive into the topic of mule deer hunting before getting to the meat and potatoes of the episode, Kifaru packs. Kenneth outlines what he’s looking for in a hunting pack before sharing tips on getting your pack to fit and ride comfortably. He also talks about his favorite packs and accessories and shares ideas on the size of pack you might choose for any given style of hunt. Kenneth is a die-hard hunter, loves the outdoors and adventure, and always has a positive outlook. This is a great episode if you are gearing up for the season!
Trail is joined by his friend and hunting partner, Chris Neville, to recap their experience at the 2025 Vegas Indoor Archery Shoot. They discuss equipment, practice and preparation, expectations, as well as what went well and what didn’t. They talk about identifying holes in their archery game, and how they will approach it in the future. The guys also discuss how the pressure and anxiety of competition archery relates to bowhunting and what lessons they learned that will translate to hunts later this fall.
On this week’s episode, KC Davies from Sevr broadheads joins Trail to talk broadheads and bowhunting. KC talks about his experiences working in an archery pro shop before diving into the details of Sevr's mechanical broadhead design, materials, and function. The guys talk about accuracy and penetration and whether one is more important or if you can have both. They also discuss arrow builds, including weights, spine, and FOC.
On this week’s episode, Trail’s older brother, Tyler Kreitzer, joins the podcast. They talk about their roots growing up in rural southern Utah. They discuss the role that hunting and the outdoors played in their upbringing. They dive into the topic of hunting in grizzly country and how Tyler deals with the intimidation and fear that some feel when hunting big bear country. The guys also talk about antelope and bear hunting, two of Tyler’s favorites. They wrap up talking about meat care, and they recount a story of an archery elk hunt they shared.
On this week’s episode of The Game Trail podcast, Trail spends time diving into his archery goals for this year and some tips and tricks that are making a difference. He talks about grip, tuning, setting your peep height, and several other tips and tricks. He wraps up the episode with an overview of new gear you may want to look into from the recent Archery Trade Association show.
On this week’s episode of The Game Trail, Trail chats with Weston McArthur. Weston has a unique story, leaving his full-time job to pursue his passion for the outdoors and build the Rise and Shed brand. Rise and Shed focuses on content creation and merchandise, with a desire to inspire and encourage people to get outdoors and discover nature. Weston talks about his love of shed antler hunting and later recaps his 2024 archery elk and mule deer season.
Dan Staton joins Trail in this week’s Game Trail episode. Dan is a die-hard bowhunter who brings a blend of physical and mental motivation to the archery hunting community. He’s also a technical gear tinkerer when it comes to tuning and selecting his setup each year. Dan talks with Trail about his background in physical fitness and bowhunting and offers insight into his own personal diet and exercise routine. He also discusses mental focus and the process of picking and making a shot in the field. The guys conclude with a discussion on arrows and broadheads. Dan is a hardworking, disciplined guy worth listening to and emulating if you want to improve your own success each fall.
On this episode of The Game Trail podcast, Trail talks with Colorado Bowhunters Association chairman Henry Ferguson. They discuss the recent conversion of all nonresident elk units in Colorado to a draw system and what it might mean for both residents and nonresidents. The conversation then moves to Henry’s true passion, spot and stalk mule deer. Henry offers tips and tricks for stalking mule deer and how he maintains his composure in the heat of the moment. They talk about archery practice, shot execution, bow selection, and the keys to becoming a better shot with your bow.
Per request, on this episode of the Game Trail, Trail breaks down the draw options for moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goat, and bison tags in the west. The odds of drawing these tags are tough, but for many applicants, the dream is to one day draw one of these highly coveted tags. Trail talks through each state draw and offers input on which state and species make the most sense.
Trail is back with a Game Trail Podcast! This week he sits down for a solo episode to talk about his thoughts on the outcome of Prop 127. He also discusses the recent film, “One Good Chance.” Specifically, what it’s like to hit and lose an animal and what he is working on to try to eliminate those misses in the future. He concludes the podcast talking about some of his favorite gear pieces from this year.
It’s been a while since Trail was at the mic, but he’s back with a postseason Game Trail podcast. This week, he focuses on answering your questions, including several that focus on obtaining permits for next year and, where you should be applying, and buying points. He talks about buying OTC tags in Idaho and what the nonresident OTC archery elk change to draw hunts in Colorado might mean for 2025. He also answers questions about pack recommendations, glassing from a tripod vs the Sig ZULU6 binoculars, and he also talks about the new Dialed Pruf sight and UV 1K arrows.
On this week’s episode, Trail catches up with Chris Neville, where Chris recaps the wild hunting story for a giant Iowa whitetail. They also talk about their summer preparation for the upcoming mule deer and elk season and offer archery insights on form, shot execution, and equipment in their quest to become more confident and accurate when the moment matters most.
This week I go down the rabbit hole of sleep systems for hunting. I discuss sleeping pads, sleeping bags, and shelters and offer ideas on why picking the right gear is important for your success. I discuss the pros and cons of down and synthetic bags, what does Power Fill rating really mean, and why the fit of your sleeping bag matters. I also talk about selecting the right air mattress in regards to comfort, insulation, durability and weight. I round out the podcast comparing traditional freestanding shelters, and floorless shelters. Along the way I offer my thoughts on several brands and sleep system pieces.
Jason Wittwer is a Nevada born and raised firefighter, bowhunter, and guide who continually has success across the west on great bucks and bulls. On this weeks episode Jason joins me to talk tips and tactics for scouting, stalking mule deer, archery practice and what it takes to make the shot when it counts. He also shares some hunting stories and lessons he has learned that we can learn from and apply to our own efforts in the field this year. We wrap up talking about what it's like being a hunting guide and shares some ideas on what a client can do when going into a guided hunt to help them find success. This is a great preseason preparation episode for the bowhunters out there that are planning on getting out this fall. Bowhunts across the west will be kicking off in short order!Follow along:Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/gohunt/GOHUNTFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/GOHUNTofficial/GOHUNTYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GOHUNTGOHUNTTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gohuntofficialGOHUNTWebsite: https://www.gohunt.com/More resources: Sign up for Insider today and use promo code PODCAST to receive $50 to the GOHUNT Gear Shop: https://join.gohunt.com/try/insider
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Are you using bare shafts for the cut & tune method?