Backcountry Hunting Podcast

Oct 30, 2026 1 hr 21 min

SHOOTOUT! 7mm Backcountry VS .280 Ackley Improved

Episode 396

Show notes

Should you buy a .280 Ackley or a 7mm Backcountry? This is a question we get frequently, so we figured we'd take a deep dive and compare the two. In this episode we explore velocity, accuracy, pressure, barrel life, reloadability, and every other aspect of the two cartridges we can think of. Does one emerge a winner? You'll have to listen to find out. ;) ENJOY!

FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!

Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on https://www.patreon.com/backcountry Recent Patreon-only posts show success photos of our 2026 antelope and elk hunts... short audio-episode topics include Kids Hunting: Success on Elk and Antelope, Preparing to Hunt the Scottish Highlands, and Best Custom Barrels and Muzzle Brakes and "How Exit Wounds Affect Blood Trails," as well as ponderings on .30-06 High-BC Bullet performance. Check 'em out!

Email us podcast-related questions here: backcountryhuntingpodcast@gmail.com

Email hunt inquiries here: info@globalhuntingadventure.com

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Oct 23, 2026 1 hr 7 min

Hunting Red Stags in the Scottish Highlands: 2026 Hunt Recap

Episode 395

Show notes

If you've ever dreamed of stalking roaring red stags across Scotland's cloud-shrouded Highlands, this episode is for you! We've just returned from two full weeks spent hunting out of ancient Victorian hunting lodges in two prime locations in Scotland, and in this episide we sit down and share stories, talk through logistics, and just revel in the pure excellence of the experience.

We also talk through the future of hunting in Scotland, addressing everything from appropriate rifles and cartridges to the overwhelming move to monometal bullets, and share how you can make a red stag hunt in the Scottish Highlands happen. ENJOY!

FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!

Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on https://www.patreon.com/backcountry Recent Patreon-only posts show success photos of our 2026 antelope and elk hunts... short audio-episode topics include .280 Ackley VS. 7mm Backcountry, Preparing to Hunt the Scottish Highlands, and Best Custom Barrels and Muzzle Brakes and "How Exit Wounds Affect Blood Trails," as well as ponderings on .30-06 High-BC Bullet performance. Check 'em out!

Email us podcast-related questions here: backcountryhuntingpodcast@gmail.com

Email hunt inquiries here: info@globalhuntingadventure.com

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Oct 16, 2026 1 hr 23 min

Hunting Elk Mountain-Man Style: Solo, Public Land, with a .50-Caliber Flintlock

Episode 394

Show notes

It's elk season, folks! The leaves have turned crimson and golden, frost is on the air, and bull elk are in the last throes of the rut. Magical. In this episode, WIlliam von Benedikt (a.k.a. the Backcountry Apprentice) and host Joseph von Benedikt sit down to swap stories about hunting public land, DIY and often solo, for big bull elk with traditional muzzleloaders.

One nice bull fell to a well-placed round ball out of a .50-caliber flintlock longrifle this past week, and we dive into that story in detal; the challenges of the equipment, the intensity of the stalk, the shot, and the follow-up; solo processing a big bull when hampered by a shoulder injury and a fading headlamp; packing meat for miles out of roadless wilderness, and more. What a great conversation. ENJOY!

FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!

Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on https://www.patreon.com/backcountry Recent Patreon-only topics include .280 Ackley VS. 7mm Backcountry, Preparing to Hunt the Scottish Highlands, and Best Custom Barrels and Muzzle Brakes and "How Exit Wounds Affect Blood Trails," as well as ponderings on .30-06 High-BC Bullet performance. Check 'em out!

Email us podcast-related questions here: backcountryhuntingpodcast@gmail.com

Email hunt inquiries here: info@globalhuntingadventure.com

VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:

Oct 9, 2026 55 min

Essential Hunting Gear: Backcountry Backpack Hunts

Episode 393

Show notes

What backpacking items are absolutely essential to successful backcountry hunting? When you have to whittle down your gear list to crucial gear only, what do you toss out? In this episode we sit down for an interview conducted by Audrey von Benedikt, who draws on her recent adventures hunting rough country in New Zealand and asks the hard questions: What do you really NEED? Naturally, we also look at top backcountry rifles, cartridges, scopes, and more. ENJOY!

FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!

Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on https://www.patreon.com/backcountry Recent brief Patreon-only topics include .280 Ackley VS. 7mm Backcountry, Preparing to Hunt the Scottish Highlands, and Best Custom Barrels and Muzzle Brakes and "How Exit Wounds Affect Blood Trails," as well as ponderings on .30-06 High-BC Bullet performance. Check 'em out!

Email us podcast-related questions here: backcountryhuntingpodcast@gmail.com

Email hunt inquiries here: info@globalhuntingadventure.com

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Oct 2, 2026 1 hr 26 min

WINNING! With Traditional Muzzleloaders: Prep, Tuning, Shooting, & Scoring.

Episode 392

Show notes

How do you win with a traditional blackpowder longrifle? How do you tune a muzzleloader to kill elk precisely and profoundly? You get good equipment that's properly suited to the task, and then you work it out. Our family has two premium blackpowder elk permits in our pockets, and in this episode we sit down to talk through the fun we've been having getting tuned up to hunt. HINT: It includes shooting at Fort Bridger, Wyoming and winning two superb custom longrifles.

Ever wanted to learn more about shooting, competing, and hunting with classic traditional blackpowder muzzleloaders? This episode may help... ENJOY!

FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!

Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on https://www.patreon.com/backcountry Recent brief Patreon-only topics include .280 Ackley VS. 7mm Backcountry, Preparing to Hunt the Scottish Highlands, and Best Custom Barrels and Muzzle Brakes and "How Exit Wounds Affect Blood Trails," as well as ponderings on .30-06 High-BC Bullet performance. Check 'em out!

Email us podcast-related questions here: backcountryhuntingpodcast@gmail.com

Email hunt inquiries here: info@globalhuntingadventure.com

VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:

Sep 25, 2026 1 hr 2 min

Best Rifle Scopes for Backcountry Hunting: American Made & Tougher Than The Rest!

Episode 391

Show notes

How do you choose a riflescope that won't let you down in the backcountry? Pick from a proven brand, with a track record of performance and reliablity.

In this epside we sit down with a Leupold engineer and discuss what makes a scope tough, clear, reliable, and predictable, as well has how the best optics maximize light gathering and minimize sun refraction and glare. We talk through internal mechanisms and lens coatings and magnification ranges and recoil testing and so much more. What an inspiring conversation! ENJOY!

FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!

Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on https://www.patreon.com/backcountry Recent brief Patreon-only topics include .280 Ackley VS. 7mm Backcountry, Preparing to Hunt the Scottish Highlands, and Best Custom Barrels and Muzzle Brakes and "How Exit Wounds Affect Blood Trails," as well as ponderings on .30-06 High-BC Bullet performance. Check 'em out!

Email us podcast-related questions here: backcountryhuntingpodcast@gmail.com

Email hunt inquiries here: info@globalhuntingadventure.com

VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:

Sep 18, 2026 1 hr 5 min

Hunting Red Stags, Fallow Deer, & Alpine Game in New Zealand: Planning & Prep

Episode 390

Show notes

If you've dreamed of hunting New Zealand for giant Red Stags, Fallow deer, Himalyan Tahr, or Chamois, this episode is for you! We got on the phone with a professional guide and asked questions. Best routes to travel to NZ, how to bring a rifle to NZ, what the best hunting seasons are, free-range vs. estate/private land, how to choose a rifle, cartridge, and bullet for New Zealand big game species, necessary gear, and more.

ALSO! We're about to open our two podcast-hosted hunts with our premier outfitter on the northern tip of the South Island. One week is a traditional lever-action/classic rifle hunt for big red stags in early June, 2027. The other is a learning-type experience in early August, during which we'll teach rifle setup, field shooting, shot placement, and fieldcraft such as reading terrain, glassing, field judging, planning a stalk, playing the wind, blood tracking, field dressing, packing meat, and even how to cut and wrap venison and cook it like a professional chef--plus you'll take those skills to the field and hunt a red stag and a management/meat deer.

Those hunts will open first on https://www.patreon.com/backcountry , which enables our loyal long-time listeners and supporters first chance to book. Join us there if you'd like to share a campfire in one of New Zealand's finest hunting areas!

For more details on these and other hunts through the Backcountry Hunting Podcasts' sister company Global Hunting Adventures, email info@globalhuntingadventures.com and let us know what you dream of hunting. We'll help you turn those dreams into plans, and then into fantastic memories afield!

FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!

Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on https://www.patreon.com/backcountry Recent brief Patreon-only topics include .280 Ackley VS. 7mm Backcountry, Preparing to Hunt the Scottish Highlands, and Best Custom Barrels and Muzzle Brakes and "How Exit Wounds Affect Blood Trails," as well as ponderings on .30-06 High-BC Bullet performance. Check 'em out!

Email us podcast-related questions here: backcountryhuntingpodcast@gmail.com

Email hunt inquiries here: info@globalhuntingadventure.com

VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:

Sep 11, 2026 1 hr 22 min

BEST CARTRIDGE for EVERYTHING, with Ron Spomer

Episode 389

Show notes

We're attacking the old debate, folks: If you had to pick just ONE CARTRIDGE to hunt ANYTHING you want, what would it be? I suspect our choices may surprise many of you. ENJOY!

FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!

Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on https://www.patreon.com/backcountry Recent brief Patreon-only topics include "Preparing to Hunt the Scottish Highlands" and "Best Custom Barrels and Muzzle Brakes" and "How Exit Wounds Affect Blood Trails," as well as brief audio episodes on "6.5 Backcountry" (6.5 Creedmoor +P), and ponderings on ".30-06 High-BC Bullet performance." Check 'em out!

Email us podcast-related questions here: backcountryhuntingpodcast@gmail.com

Email hunt inquiries here: info@globalhuntingadventure.com

VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:

Sep 4, 2026 1 hr 15 min

Are Suppressors Deregulated Now?

Episode 388

Show notes

Can you now just walk into a gun store, buy a suppressor, and walk out with it? Recent legal rulings have upset the NFA's apple cart, leaving a frenzy of good and bad info scattered across cyberspace. In this episode we welcome Brandon Maddox, suppressor mastermind behind Silencer Central, to help clarify what we know, what we don't know, and what to expect in coming months. ENJOY!

FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!

Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on https://www.patreon.com/backcountry Recent brief Patreon-only topics include "Best Custom Barrels and Muzzle Brakes" and "How Exit Wounds Affect Blood Trails," as well as brief audio episodes on "6.5 Backcountry" (6.5 Creedmoor +P), and ponderings on ".30-06 High-BC Bullet performance." Check 'em out!

Email us questions here: backcountryhuntingpodcast@gmail.com

VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:

Aug 28, 2026 1 hr 1 min

Hunting Spanish Roebucks, Vineyards, & Monasteries

Episode 387

Show notes

No European country offers more spectacular hunting than Spain. Four species of ibex, chamois, red deer, roe deer, mouflon, wild boar, fallow deer, and even barbary sheep can be hunted across the rolling terraces and amongst the ancient mountain ruins. Archetecture, food, and history is unparalleled. And it's not expensive! In this episide, we sit down with outfitter Oscar Colomina and take a deep dive into just how special Spain is. And of course, hunting stories occur! ENJOY!

FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!

Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on https://www.patreon.com/backcountry Recent brief Patreon-only topics include "Best Custom Barrels and Muzzle Brakes" and "How Exit Wounds Affect Blood Trails," as well as brief audio episodes on "6.5 Backcountry" (6.5 Creedmoor +P), ponderings on ".30-06 High-BC Bullet performance," a first look at a new heavy-for-caliber 270-grain Solid .35 Whelen load, a "6.8 Western Survival Forecast" and "Gear List for Hunting." Check 'em out!

Email us questions here: backcountryhuntingpodcast@gmail.com

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Aug 21, 2026 51 min

Small Cartridges for Big Game, continued: Does RECOIL Make You A Worse Shooter?

Episode 386

Show notes

The "small cartridges for big game" debate continues. Does stout recoil REALLY prevent you from making accurate shots in the field? If so, what's the reason: Is it rifle dynamics? Shooter technique? Lack of discipline? Or... could large-caliber rifles actually be fundamentally less accurate? In this episode we take a deep dive into whether hunters actually should be better shooters with small cartridges. ENJOY!

FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!

Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on https://www.patreon.com/backcountry Recent brief Patreon-only topics include "Hunting Monster Aoudad in Mexico," "Best Mauser Rifle Ever" and "How Exit Wounds Affect Blood Trails," as well as brief audio episodes on "6.5 Backcountry" (6.5 Creedmoor +P), ponderings on ".30-06 High-BC Bullet performance," a first look at a new heavy-for-caliber 270-grain Solid .35 Whelen load, a "6.8 Western Survival Forecast" and "Gear List for Hunting." Check 'em out!

Email us questions here: backcountryhuntingpodcast@gmail.com

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Aug 14, 2026 1 hr 33 min

Elk Hunters' Best Friend

Episode 385

Show notes

In the backcountry, dog ain't mans best friend. Nope: a good horse is. We take this episode out into the pasture with Audrey von Benedikt (the horsewoman of the family) and talk through how to get the most out of your horse and yourself on an elk hunt. We compare the pros and cons of horses versus ATVs, discuss best ways to carry a rifle on a horse, specific training (for the horse and for you) prior to heading into elk country, and more. Plus, we introduce a new member of the family: a little blue roan filly that just might turn into the ultimate elk-hunting horse. ENJOY!

FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!

Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on https://www.patreon.com/backcountry Recent brief Patreon-only topics include "Best Mauser Rifle Ever" and "How Exit Wounds Affect Blood Trails," as well as brief audio episodes on "6.5 Backcountry" (6.5 Creedmoor +P), ponderings on ".30-06 High-BC Bullet performance," a first look at a new heavy-for-caliber 270-grain Solid .35 Whelen load, a "6.8 Western Survival Forecast" and "Gear List for Hunting." Check 'em out!

Email us questions here: backcountryhuntingpodcast@gmail.com

VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:

Aug 7, 2026 40 min

Best Hunting Cartridges for Mule Deer, with Colton Heward

Episode 384

Show notes

Great cartridges for hunting mule deer tend to be good for most western big game species... But what if you singularly, passionately want one ultimate mule deer cartridge? In this episode, we sit down with Colton Heward, managing editor of Petersen's Hunting magazine, and talk out what makes a perfect cartridge for hunting mule deer. Heward is a big game guide with decades of experience, and loves to hunt big mule deer over all else. He shares his personal favorite cartridges, and tells the story of three incredible bucks he's had the priviledge of hunting. ENJOY!

Check out Colton Heward's work at https://www.petersenshunting.com

FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!

Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on https://www.patreon.com/backcountry Recent brief Patreon-only topics include "How Exit Wounds Affect Blood Trails," as well as brief audio episodes on "6.5 Backcountry" (6.5 Creedmoor +P), ponderings on ".30-06 High-BC Bullet performance," a first look at a new heavy-for-caliber 270-grain Solid .35 Whelen load, a "6.8 Western Survival Forecast" and "Gear List for Hunting." Check 'em out!

Email us questions here: backcountryhuntingpodcast@gmail.com

VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:

Jul 31, 2026 1 hr 14 min

Hunting Kudu, Cats, & Zulu Cattle in Africa

Episode 383

Show notes

What is it about hunting Africa that sinks a hook so deep into your soul that you can never stop dreaming of going back? Smoky orange sunsets, majestic kudu bulls drifting through thornbrush, and the taste of fresh meat over Acacia-wood coals are part of it... In this episode with Austin Brown and Crusader Safari's Shawn Higgs, we swap stories and insights during the final days of a two-week adventure in Africa's Eastern Cape country. Big kudu bulls, cape buffalo, wildcats, and a charge by a wounded bull made for an exciting adventure. ENJOY!

FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!

Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on https://www.patreon.com/backcountry Recent brief Patreon-only topics include "How Exit Wounds Affect Blood Trails," as well as brief audio episodes on "6.5 Backcountry" (6.5 Creedmoor +P), ponderings on ".30-06 High-BC Bullet performance," a first look at a new heavy-for-caliber 270-grain Solid .35 Whelen load, a "6.8 Western Survival Forecast" and "Gear List for Hunting." Check 'em out!

Email us questions here: backcountryhuntingpodcast@gmail.com

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Jul 24, 2026 1 hr 13 min

.35 Whelen in North Idaho's Wild Country

Episode 382

Show notes

How good is the .35 Whelen for western big game hunting? This episode tells five hunting stories, all told by a veteran fighter pilot, that showcase just how wonderful this mild-kicking, wallop-packing medium-bore cartridge is. ENJOY!

FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!

Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on https://www.patreon.com/backcountry Recent brief Patreon-only topics include "How Exit Wounds Affect Blood Trails," as well as brief audio episodes on "6.5 Backcountry" (6.5 Creedmoor +P), ponderings on ".30-06 High-BC Bullet performance," a first look at a new heavy-for-caliber 270-grain Solid .35 Whelen load, a "6.8 Western Survival Forecast" and "Gear List for Hunting." Check 'em out!

Email us questions here: backcountryhuntingpodcast@gmail.com

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Jul 17, 2026 42 min

Best New Hunting Rifles on the Market, with Colton Heward

Episode 381

Show notes

What are the best modern hunting rifles available today? In this episode, we sit down with Colton Heward, managing editor of Petersen's Hunting magazine, and talk through top choices in several price categories ranging from $500 up to $2,500. We compare the pros and cons of detachable box magazines versus hinged floorplates, and explore the advantages and disadvantages of chassis-type stocks compared to traditional stocks.

Naturally, the discussion is generously sprinkled with hunting stories that illustrate these recommended rifles. ENJOY!

FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!

Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on https://www.patreon.com/backcountry Recent brief Patreon-only audio topics include "6.5 Backcountry" (6.5 Creedmoor +P), ponderings on ".30-06 High-BC Bullet performance," a first look at a new heavy-for-caliber 270-grain Solid .35 Whelen load, a "6.8 Western Survival Forecast" and "Gear List for Hunting." Check 'em out!

Email us questions here: backcountryhuntingpodcast@gmail.com

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Jul 10, 2026 1 hr 17 min

SHOT PLACEMENT on Big Game: American vs. African

Episode 380

Show notes

What's the best place to aim on a big game animal? That depends on what you're hunting. Antlered game in America is built differently than most antelope species in Africa—as well as Cape Buffalo (a.k.a. Black Death).

Knowing where to aim makes for faster, more ethical kills and shorter blood trails. And in the case of dangerous game, can prevent a life-threatening situation. In this episode, we break down how the vitals are situation on various popular species, particularly antlered game such as deer, caribou, elk, and moose compared to horned game such as kudu, oryx, and aoudad. ENJOY!

FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!

Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on https://www.patreon.com/backcountry Recent brief Patreon-only audio topics include "6.5 Backcountry" (6.5 Creedmoor +P), ponderings on ".30-06 High-BC Bullet performance," a first look at a new heavy-for-caliber 270-grain Solid .35 Whelen load, a "6.8 Western Survival Forecast" and "Gear List for Hunting." Check 'em out!

Email us questions here: backcountryhuntingpodcast@gmail.com

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Jul 3, 2026 1 hr 1 min

7mm SAW Cartridge: An Improved 7mm-08?

Episode 379

Show notes

This episode takes a close look at the 7mm SAW — a wildcat that just might be the ultimate efficient short-action 7mm. Designed by Clayton Smith, owner of West Texas Ordnance, it's sort of an improved 7mm-08 with a better shoulder angle, faster rifling twist, and greater head height. It just might be the cartridge that the 7mm-08 always wanted to be. ENJOY!

FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!

Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on https://www.patreon.com/backcountry Recent brief Patreon-only audio topics include "6.5 Backcountry" (6.5 Creedmoor +P), ponderings on ".30-06 High-BC Bullet performance," a first look at a new heavy-for-caliber 270-grain Solid .35 Whelen load, a "6.8 Western Survival Forecast" and "Gear List for Hunting." Check 'em out!

Email us questions here: backcountryhuntingpodcast@gmail.com

VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE:

Jun 26, 2026 1 hr 5 min

Is it Good or Bad to be a Long Range Deer Sniper? With Ron Spomer

Episode 378

Show notes

Detractors of modern long-range hunting methods call such hunters "deer snipers." But is long-range shooting at game bad? Or good? We're joined by Ron Spomer in this episode, and we hash out the various facets—virtuous and evil alike—of shooting long on big game. Plus, of course, we regularly get off track and swap great hunting stories and tales of our favorite rifles. ENJOY!

FRIENDS, PLEASE SUPPORT THE PODCAST!

Join the Backcountry Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material on https://www.patreon.com/backcountry Recent brief Patreon-only audio topics include "6.5 Backcountry" (6.5 Creedmoor +P), ponderings on ".30-06 High-BC Bullet performance," a first look at a new heavy-for-caliber 270-grain Solid .35 Whelen load, a "6.8 Western Survival Forecast" and "Gear List for Hunting." Check 'em out!

Email us questions here: backcountryhuntingpodcast@gmail.com

VISIT OUR SPONSORS HERE: