10 ELK HUNTING MISTAKES MOST HUNTERS KEEP MAKING (HERE'S WHAT TO DO INSTEAD) | 🎙️ EP. 208

Most public land elk hunters don’t go home empty-handed because there weren’t enough elk, the unit was bad, or the weather ruined their hunt. They go home without a bull because of a series of small, preventable decisions that slowly cost them opportunities. In this episode of the Backbone Unlimited Podcast, Matt Hartsky breaks down the 10 elk hunting mistakes that consistently send hunters home with an empty pack. Drawing from more than 34 years of hunting and guiding western big game, Matt explains why elk hunters get beaten by shifting wind and thermals, hunt too close to roads and trailheads, arrive without enough preseason scouting, overcall from stationary positions, bugle too aggressively, choose poor setups, and fail to adjust when elk behavior changes. You’ll also learn how physical conditioning affects elk hunting decisions, why pressured elk often shift instead of leaving an area completely, how to improve bowhunting shot selection, and how to build a daily assessment process that helps you adapt throughout a multi-day hunt. This episode covers: • Wind management, mountain thermals, terrain and scent control • Finding pressured elk on western public land • E-scouting, preseason scouting and identifying elk habitat • Realistic elk calling strategies for educated bulls • Choosing better archery elk hunting setups • Mountain fitness, weighted hiking and pack-out preparation • Staying patient after bumping elk • Ethical shot selection and field-distance limits • Adjusting your elk hunting strategy as pressure, weather and rut activity change Every mistake in this episode is fixable. You don’t necessarily need a better elk unit or more cooperative bulls. You need better preparation, stronger systems and more disciplined decisions when the hunt gets difficult. Explore the complete Elk Hunting E-Book Series, TEAM Backbone, Elk Hunt Plan Audits, mountain hunting training programs and nutrition plans at BackboneUnlimited.com. Train harder. Hunt smarter. Never settle.