Backbone Unlimited Podcast
by Backbone Unlimited
Latest episode
SHOULD YOU FOLLOW FRESH ELK TRACKS IN THE SNOW? | EP. 277
SHOULD YOU FOLLOW FRESH ELK TRACKS IN THE SNOW? | EP. 277
About this podcast
Backbone Unlimited is a western hunting podcast for public-land hunters who want to stop guessing and build a better system for finding elk, mule deer and black bears, beating pressure, reading sign, understanding wind and thermals, and making cleaner decisions in the mountains.
Hosted by Matt Hartsky, Backbone Unlimited combines 34+ years of western big game hunting experience with decades of strength, conditioning, and nutrition coaching to help hunters prepare smarter and hunt more effectively.
Episodes cover elk hunting strategy, mule deer hunting, bear hunting, public land tactics, archery elk hunting, rifle hunting, e-scouting, scouting, glassing, calling, bedding areas, feed, water, transition zones, mountain fitness, hunt planning, field decision-making, meat care, gear, pack-outs, and the mindset it takes to keep improving season after season.
If you’re serious about becoming a more capable western hunter, Backbone Unlimited is built to help you train harder, hunt smarter, and never settle.
Episodes
The newest 20 of 100 episodes
- SHOULD YOU FOLLOW FRESH ELK TRACKS IN THE SNOW? | EP. 277 · 12 min · Episode 277Should you follow fresh elk tracks in the snow? Matt Hartsky draws on 35 years of elk hunting experience to explain how to track late-season elk without pushing them ahead of…
- WHERE DO COW ELK GO DURING THE LATE SEASON? | EP. 276 · 13 min · Episode 276Where do cow elk go during the late season? Matt Hartsky draws on 35 years of elk hunting experience to explain how food, snow, migration, and hunting pressure shape late-season…
- WHERE DO MATURE BULLS GO WHEN THEY LEAVE THE COWS? | EP. 275 · 13 min · Episode 275Where do mature bull elk go after the rut? Matt Hartsky draws on 35 years of elk hunting experience to explain why bulls leave the cows and where to look during October and…
- HOW DO YOU FIND LATE SEASON ELK ON PUBLIC LAND? | EP. 274 · 15 min · Episode 274Struggling to find late-season elk on public land? Matt Hartsky breaks down October and November elk hunting, including food sources, security cover, hunting pressure, fresh…
- DO ELK MOVE LOWER AS SOON AS IT SNOWS? | EP. 273 · 10 min · Episode 273Do elk move lower as soon as it snows? A white mountain doesn’t always mean the elk have left—and heading downhill too soon can take you away from fresh elk activity. In this…
- SHOULD I HUNT NORTH OR SOUTH FACING SLOPES IN OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER? | EP. 272 · 13 min · Episode 272Should you hunt north-facing or south-facing slopes for elk in October and November? The best choice can change with the weather, snow, available feed and hunting pressure. In…
- HOW DO YOU HUNT PRESSURED ELK ON PUBLIC LAND? | EP. 271 · 12 min · Episode 271How do you hunt pressured elk on public land? When the easy spots fill with hunters and elk stop showing themselves, hiking farther isn’t always the answer. In this episode of…
- SHOULD YOU GLASS OR SIT AND WAIT FOR ELK IN OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER? | EP. 270 · 12 min · Episode 270Should you glass, still-hunt, or sit and wait for elk? Choosing the right approach can make the difference between finding elk and spending the day hunting past them. In this…
- HOW DO MATURE BULL ELK BEHAVE AFTER THE RUT? | EP. 269 · 11 min · Episode 269How do mature bull elk behave after the rut? A bull that spent September bugling and chasing cows may go quiet and become hard to find once breeding slows down. In this episode…
- WHAT TERRAIN SHOULD YOU TARGET DURING RIFLE ELK SEASON? | EP. 268 · 11 min · Episode 268What terrain should you target during rifle elk season? A north-facing slope or a big patch of dark timber can look promising on a map, but what makes it worth hunting? In this…
- WHERE DO ELK FEED AND BED DURING RIFLE SEASON? | EP. 267 · 10 min · Episode 267Where do elk feed and bed during rifle season? A meadow full of elk before opening day can look empty once hunting pressure hits—even when the elk haven’t moved far. In this…
- WHAT ELEVATION SHOULD I HUNT ELK AT IN OCTOBER? | EP. 266 · 11 min · Episode 266What elevation should you hunt elk at? It’s easy to spend days searching one elevation band because that’s where someone told you elk should be. In this episode of the Backbone…
- HOW DO YOU FIND ELK AFTER RIFLE PRESSURE HITS? | EP. 265 · 12 min · Episode 265How do you find elk after rifle pressure starts? When camps fill up and shots start going off, the places that held elk before opening day can go quiet fast. In this episode of…
- WHERE SHOULD I HUNT ELK IN OCTOBER AFTER THE RUT? | EP. 264 · 14 min · Episode 264Where do elk go in October after the rut? Finding cows, old wallows and September rut sign doesn’t always put you close to a mature bull. In this episode of the Backbone…
- I'M FINDING TONS OF ELK SIGN BUT I'M NOT FINDING ELK, WHAT AM I DOING WRONG? | EP. 263 · 12 min · Episode 263You’re finding tracks, rubs, wallows, droppings, and heavily used trails—but you still can’t find the elk. What are you missing? In this episode, Matt Hartsky draws from 34 years…
- HOW DO YOU LOCATE ELK WHEN YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHERE THEY ARE? | EP. 262 · 10 min · Episode 262How do you locate elk when you arrive in a new area and have no idea where to begin? In this episode, Matt Hartsky draws from 34 years of elk hunting and guiding experience to…
- HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN IT'S TIME TO LEAVE AN AREA AND FIND NEW ELK? | EP. 261 · 9 min · Episode 261How do you know when it’s time to leave an area and find new elk? In this episode, Matt Hartsky draws from 34 years of elk hunting experience to tackle one of the hardest…
- ARE MORNINGS OR EVENINGS ACTUALLY BETTER FOR KILLING ELK? | EP. 260 · 10 min · Episode 260Are mornings or evenings better for killing elk? In this episode, Matt Hartsky draws from 34 years of elk hunting experience to compare the opportunities and challenges each part…
- YOU FOUND A BEDDED BULL, NOW HERE'S THE GAME PLAN | EP. 259 · 10 min · Episode 259You’ve located a bedded bull elk. What should you do next? In this episode, Matt Hartsky draws from 34 years of elk hunting experience to break down one of the best—and easiest…
- WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN ELK HUNTING AND THE WIND STARTS SWIRLING? | EP. 258 · 11 min · Episode 258What should you do when the wind starts swirling after you’ve already worked close to elk? In this episode, Matt Hartsky draws from 34 years of elk hunting experience to break…
