Episodes
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EP 334 – Dimitri & Jay: Hunting Season Updates and Q&A
🎁 WIN A KOWA 88 SPOTTING SCOPE: Mindful Munitions is officially open. Every $5 spent at Forged in the Backcountry or Mindful Munitions earns one entry to win a Kowa 88 spotting scope. The giveaway ends October 30 at midnight Pacific Time. 👉 Forged in the Backcountry:...
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EP 333 - Hornady 4DOF vs. Applied Ballistics: Which One Is Actually Better?
🎁 WIN A KOWA 88 SPOTTING SCOPE: Mindful Munitions is officially open. Every $5 spent at Forged in the Backcountry or Mindful Munitions earns one entry to win a Kowa 88 spotting scope. The giveaway ends October 30 at midnight Pacific Time. 👉 Forged in the Backcountry:...
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EP 332 - Can a Down Quilt Save Your Life? Extreme Cold Wet Weather Test (Outdoor Vitals 15f Stormloft Review)
🎁 WIN A KOWA 88 SPOTTING SCOPE: Mindful Munitions is officially open. Every $5 spent at Forged in the Backcountry or Mindful Munitions earns one entry to win a Kowa 88 spotting scope. The giveaway ends October 30 at midnight Pacific Time. 👉 Forged in the Backcountry:...
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EP 331 – The Truth About BC Elk Hunting, Injury, and Falling Back in Love With the Process with Kevin Toye
🎁 WIN A KOWA 88 SPOTTING SCOPE: Mindful Munitions is officially open. Every $5 spent at Forged in the Backcountry or Mindful Munitions earns one entry to win a Kowa 88 spotting scope. The giveaway ends October 30 at midnight Pacific Time. 👉 Forged in the Backcountry:...
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EP 330 – A Velvet Mule Deer Buck, a Giant Cinnamon River Bear & Why You Can’t Hack Hunt Prep from Home
🎁 WIN A KOWA 88 SPOTTING SCOPE: Mindful Munitions is officially open. Every $5 spent at Forged in the Backcountry or Mindful Munitions earns one entry to win a Kowa 88 spotting scope. The giveaway ends October 30 at midnight Pacific Time. 👉 Forged in the Backcountry:...
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EP 329 – Why Kifaru’s Meat Shelf Sucks & I Don’t Shoot ELDM Anymore: Q&A
🎁 WIN A KOWA 88 SPOTTING SCOPE: Mindful Munitions is officially open. Every $5 spent at Forged in the Backcountry or Mindful Munitions earns one entry to win a Kowa 88 spotting scope. The giveaway ends October 30 at midnight Pacific Time. 👉 Forged in the Backcountry:...
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EP 328 - Canning, Sausage & Smoking: The Ultimate Wild Game Processing Guide
🎁 WIN A KOWA 88 SPOTTING SCOPE: Mindful Munitions is officially open. Every $5 spent at Forged in the Backcountry or Mindful Munitions earns one entry to win a Kowa 88 spotting scope. The giveaway ends October 30 at midnight Pacific Time. 👉 Forged in the Backcountry:...
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EP 327 – Are You Wasting Your Time E-Scouting? The Truth About Hunting Sows & More: Solocast Q&A
We are back after a month and a half hiatus! In this solo Q&A episode, Jay tackles some of the most controversial and highly requested topics from the Mindful Hunter audience. First up, Jay breaks down the new arrow ballistics study and explains why 90% of hunters are wasting their time agonizing...
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EP 326 - The Truth About Training for Mountain Hunting
DOWNLOAD THE FREE 4-MONTH TRAINING PLAN PDF: 👉 https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools 🎁 THE ULTIMATE GUIDED HUNT GIVEAWAY: Every $5 spent at Forged in the Backcountry (including the new camo Forged Base Boxers) earns one entry to win an all-expenses-paid custom guided hunt with Mindful Hunter...
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EP 325 – 25 Creedmoor, Negative Comb Stocks & The Future of Precision Hunting Rifles with Jaden from West Elk Precision
This week Jay sits down with Jaden from West Elk Precision to nerd out on all things custom rifles, precision shooting, and long-range hunting. Jaden shares his journey from a Colorado kid hunting with a factory Remington 700 to attending gunsmithing school and launching his own custom rifle shop...
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EP 324 - Outdoor Vitals Hybrid Pursuit Fleece vs. Sitka Ambient: Field Tested Review
There is only two weeks left in The Ultimate Custom Guided Hunt giveaway from Forged In The Backcountry. Head on over to https://forgedinthebackcountry.com/ and for every $5 you spend, you will get one entry to win an all-expenses-paid custom guided hunt with Mindful Hunter Outfitting In this…
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EP 323 – The Brutal Reality of Hunter Marksmanship These Days: Bear Guiding Season Wrap-Up with Jay & Dimitri
After seven straight weeks of guiding spring black bears in British Columbia, Jay sits down with Mindful Hunter Outfitting guide Dimitri to wrap up the season. It was a grind of a year — 18 clients, endless rain, and some truly brutal pack-outs — but the final tally tells the story: 11 bears...
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EP 322 - Outdoor Vitals Vantage Alpine vs. Stone Glacier Grumman: Field Tested Review
The Outdoor Vitals Vantage Puffy Jacket steps into the ring against the well-established Stone Glacier Grumman. In this in-depth review, I compare warmth, weight, durability, and overall field performance after over 40 days of real-world use across a full hunting season. Whether you’re building a...
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EP 321 – Is Private Equity Ruining Hunting Brands? Plus: The Truth About Long-Range Hunting with Zack Boughton
Welcome back to the Mindful Hunter Podcast! In this episode, Jay sits down with Zach from Montana Wild — a guy who has been a fixture in hunting media for over a decade and played a massive role in the early creative direction of Stone Glacier. In the first half, Jay and Zach dive deep into the...
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EP 320 - The Truth About Outdoor Vitals Altura Pants (After 40 Days In The Field)
Are the Outdoor Vitals Altura Pants the ultimate lightweight hunting pants — or do they fall short in critical areas? After 40+ days of hunting and guiding in a range of conditions, I put these pants through a brutal real-world test. In this review, I cover fit, durability, field performance, and...
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Ep 320 - Hunting Smarter, Not Harder: 3 Important Lessons Learned My First Year of Outfitting (2025 recap)
In this video, I break down the most important lessons I learned during my first full year as an outfitter across Alberta and British Columbia. From scaling my business to guiding 12 clients across three different territories, this year taught me more than I ever expected—about hunting,...
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EP 319 – Bo’s First Black Bear & Launching Guided Coues Deer Hunts in Mexico at Mindful Hunter Outfitting South
Welcome back to the Mindful Hunter Podcast! In this episode, Jay is in the basement with returning guest Bo Campbell, fresh off his first-ever bear hunt in British Columbia with Mindful Hunter Outfitting. They debrief the trip, talk through the realities of a 49-day guiding season, and make a big...
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EP 318 - Updated Hunting Gear List for 2026 | Field-Tested Choices
This is my updated base gear list heading into the 2026 hunting season. In this video, I go through everything I’m running—packs, shelters, optics, insulation, boots, rifles, water filtration, and more. This isn’t sponsored hype—just real-world gear that works. 🎁 THE GIVEAWAY: For every $5 you...
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EP 317 - 6 Supplements To Improve Performance & Recovery For Hunters
🎯 This is your no-BS guide to supplements that actually improve performance, recovery, and focus for serious hunters. Whether you’re training hard in the offseason or heading deep into the backcountry, these are the only supplements I personally use — with product examples and clinical dosing...
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EP 316 - A Rugged Mountain Boot With One Surprising Ability
Are the Meindl Glockner GTX boots the perfect choice for alpine hunters — or just too much boot for most terrain? After 100+ days in the field, I put these boots through their paces across goat hunts, creek crossings, and even a glacier with fully automatic crampons. This is a real-world, no-BS...
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EP 315 - Hunting Smarter, Not Harder: 3 Important Lessons Learned My First Year of Outfitting
In this video, I break down the most important lessons I learned during my first full year as an outfitter across Alberta and British Columbia. From scaling my business to guiding 12 clients across three different territories, this year taught me more than I ever expected—about hunting,...
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EP 314 - North Arm Lynx: The Most Intuitive Knife I’ve Ever Used
After testing half a dozen knives this season, the North Arm Knives Lynx rose to the top. With its wide sweeping belly, full-size G10 handle, and tough Magnacut blade, this fixed blade knife proved itself in the field during multiple big game breakdowns. In this review, I walk through what makes...
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EP 313 - Wiser Ridge Warden – Finally a Tripod Head That Can Do Both
Is this the ultimate tripod head for hunters? The Wiser Precision Ridge Warden might be the most practical hybrid tripod head on the market — lightweight, strong, and uniquely capable of both glassing and shooting with its pan, tilt, and cant functionality. In this in-depth review, I test it with…
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I Spent a Year Designing a Better Hunting Sock and I am Launching.a Huge Giveaway to Celebrate!
Welcome back to the Mindful Hunter Podcast! In this episode, Jay gives a raw update from the middle of a wild spring bear guiding season — six bears down, two clients still in the field, and some honest reflection on wounding and misses that's worth hearing if you're planning a guided hunt. Then…
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EP 311 - Kimbo Camper 3-Month Field Review | Is It Worth It for Hunters?
Final clearance sale of all lifestyle apparel at https://forgedinthebackcountry.com/ ovber 50% off! Last 2 weeks any of these items will be available. After spending three months hunting out of the Kimbo truck camper, I’ve got strong opinions—not just about the unit itself, but about whether...
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EP 310 – Are You Wasting Time Worrying About Extreme Spread? & The Biggest Mistake New Hunters Make: Solocast Q&A
Welcome back to the Mindful Hunter Podcast! In this episode, Jay wraps up the massive backlog of listener questions from our recent Q&A, covering everything from backcountry bear hunting stories to controversial reloading opinions. We kick things off with a recap of Jay's first guided bear hunt…
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EP 309 - PEAX vs Fenix: One Headlamp Wins by a Landslide
Is the Fenix HM62-T the new king of backcountry headlamps? In this in-depth review, I compare two of the most popular headlamps for hunters and mountain athletes — the Fenix HM62-T and the PEAX Backcountry Duo — across 10 real-world categories: brightness, battery life, red light performance…
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EP 308 – Let’s Go Guided! – A Brand-New Podcast Showcasing Outfitters and Their Stories with Robbie & Lindsay Clunes
Welcome back to the Mindful Hunter Podcast! In this episode, Jay sits down with Robbie and Lindsay Clunes, the husband-and-wife team behind the new platform Let's Go Guided. We dive deep into their personal hunting journeys, from Lindsay’s transition into hunting for self-sustaining meat to their...
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EP 307 - How to Hunt in Freezing Weather Without Freezing Your Ass Off
If you’ve ever frozen your ass off while glassing, hiking, or sitting in a stand — this video is for you. I break down 10 real-world tactics that will help you stay warm while hunting in brutal cold, without relying on overpriced gear. These strategies are based on years of field experience and…
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EP 306 – Is the 7mm Backcountry a Joke? Why I Don’t Use Ice In My Coolers And More: Solo Q&A Episode
Welcome back to the Mindful Hunter Podcast! In this solo Q&A episode, I dive into a massive backlog of listener questions, covering everything from controversial gear opinions to advanced backcountry tactics. We tackle some heated topics right out of the gate: Do you actually learn anything on a...
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EP 305 - Tikka 6.5 PRC Build Version 01
In this video, I walk you through my complete Tikka T3x rifle build — designed not for the range or for show, but for real-world lethality and reliability in the field. Chambered in 6.5 PRC and built with practical upgrades, this rifle hits that sweet spot between cost and performance, coming in...
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EP 304 – Glassing Tactics, Gear Choice Advice and How To Scout for Big Mule Deer with Dioni Amuchastegui
Are you struggling to find animals on your big mountain hunts? In this episode, we dive deep into the world of hunting optics and gear, breaking down the exact strategies you need to maximize your success in the field. We discuss the highly debated topic of spotting scopes versus binoculars, the...
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EP 303 - 5 Secrets to Succeed in the Outdoor Industry (That No One Talks About)
How do you actually build a career around your passion—without selling out or chasing clicks? In this video, I break down the 5 principles that helped me go from business consultant to full-time hunting content creator. Whether your passion is hunting, photography, fitness, or anything else—this…
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EP 302 - Australian Sambar Deer Hunting & Advanced Reloading Techniques with Brady Miller
Join us for an epic adventure in Episode 302 as we dive deep into the rugged mountains of Australia in pursuit of the elusive Sambar deer. Our guest, an experienced hunter and precision rifle enthusiast, shares the highs and lows of his recent Australian hunting trip, including the challenges of...
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EP 301 – Building Grit: Parenting, Archery, and the Pursuit of Excellence with Kevin Toye of Hunt Source
In this episode of the Mindful Hunter podcast, we sit down with Kevin Toy from Hunt Source to dive deep into the realities of hunting, parenting, and building a meaningful community. We kick things off by discussing what it takes to instill grit and determination in the next generation, sharing...
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EP 300 - Sig Kilo8K vs Revic BR4 Review – The Truth After 6 Months Hunting
In this in-depth, no-BS comparison, I break down two of the most powerful ballistic rangefinders on the market: the SIG KILO8K-ABS and the Revic BR4. After 6 months of field use and real hunting conditions, I compare every relevant feature—from ranging speed and ballistic solver accuracy to…
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EP 299 – The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly About Mexico Coues Deer Hunting with Bo Campbell
I finally had a chance to sit down with my buddy Bo and do a debrief of our Mexican Coues hunting adventure. Bo Campbell https://www.instagram.com/boscottcampbell/ Jay Nichol [email protected] https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ https://www.mindfulhunter.com/ Forged In The Backcountry...
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EP 298 - Benchmade Raghorn Review: Exceptional Build Quality, But One Major Flaw
After breaking down 11 animals this year, including two bears and a deer, I’ve spent serious time with the Benchmade Raghorn in the field. In this no-nonsense review, I’ll walk you through what this knife does right — and where it falls short. If you’re wondering whether the carbon fiber...
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EP 297 – The Truth About Guided Hunts, Tag Systems, and What Actually Helps You Kill Animals with Jake Downs
In this episode of the Mindful Hunter Podcast, I sit down with a good friend who spends just as many days in the field as I do. What starts as a conversation about hunting quickly turns into a deeper discussion about parenting, mindset, and the realities of modern hunting. We dive into the...
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EP 296 - Don’t Buy the Wrong Sig Zulu 6 Binoculars: HDX vs. HDX Pro Buyer's Guide
The #1 question I get after reviewing both the HDX and HDX Pro versions of the Sig Sauer Zulu 6 binoculars is: “Which pair should I actually buy?” In this video, I break down all 7 models in the Zulu 6 lineup — both HDX and HDX Pro — and help you decide which model fits your hunting needs. I’ve...
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EP 295 – A True Killer Who Chose To Stay Behind The Camera: Sam Averett
In this episode of the Mindful Hunter Podcast, I sit down with outdoor photographer Sam Averett to talk about hunting, storytelling, and the strange intersection between the two. Sam and I first met on a mountain goat hunt in British Columbia — the kind of hunt that makes you feel like you’re...
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EP 294 - MSR Pocket Rocket vs MSR WindBurner | Ultralight vs Efficiency – Which Stove Wins?
Is an ultralight backpacking stove really lighter when you factor in the extra fuel it burns? In this video, I put the MSR Pocket Rocket 2 head-to-head against the MSR WindBurner to find out. I ran extensive lab tests, measured fuel efficiency, compared total system weights, and looked at...
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EP 293 – The Importance of Storytelling in Modern Hunting with Robby Denning
In this episode, I sit down with Robby Denning for a raw and honest conversation about storytelling, hunting, and what really matters. We dive deep into how hunting stories shaped us growing up — from books and campfire tales to modern films and YouTube. Are we telling better stories today? Or…
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EP 292 - Best Budget Hunting Gear? King’s Camo Elevation Hoodie & Ridge Pant Review
Is King’s Camo the best bang for your buck in hunting apparel right now? In this video, I put the Elevation Quarter Zip Hoodie and Ridge Pants through real backcountry testing—scouting trips, goat hunts, and long training hikes. I break down the fit, function, and feel of each piece, compare them...
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EP 291 – Haters, Hangar Houses & 70-Inch Bulls | Adam Grenda Unfiltered
Adam Grenda is known for killing giant moose and flying Super Cubs into wild places — but that’s only half the story. In this episode, we go deep. We talk about: Calling in a 71” bull moose to 12 yards with a bow The intensity of Alaskan moose hunting (and why it hits different) The reality of...
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EP 290 - MTN Gear Mountain Stick 4.1 Review | The Reason I No Longer Use Trekking Poles
I've got three spots left open for spring black bear hunts in BC and two spots left for archery mule deer in Alberta. For any outfitting info, email me [email protected] I avoided the Mountain Stick 4.1 from MTN Gear for years because I assumed it was just a trekking pole with an ice axe…
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EP 289 - GoHunt Apparel Review Update | After a Season Guiding Black Bear Hunts in BC
Four months ago, I gave my first impressions of the new GoHunt apparel lineup. Now, after a full season of guiding black bear hunts in British Columbia, attending a shooting course, and weeks of scouting, I’ve put these pieces through serious abuse. In this video, I give you my honest…
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EP 288 - Ollin vs. Kapture Digiscoping Adapter Review – Which One Actually Works Best in the Field?
Looking for the best digiscoping adapter for your spotting scope? In this video, I put the Kapture Digiscoping Adapter head-to-head against the industry leader, the Ollin adapter. After six weeks of guiding bear hunts in British Columbia, I tested both products in real hunting conditions to see...
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EP 287 - 2025 Durston X-Mid Tent Review – Brutally Honest Field Test in Harsh Conditions
In this in-depth review of the 2025 Durston X-Mid 2 Solid, I take this ultralight trekking pole shelter into true mountain hunting terrain to find out whether it can handle real-world backcountry abuse. Wind, rain, poor ground conditions—you name it. No sponsor bias, no marketing fluff—just...
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EP 286 - Thermarest NeoAir Xlite NXT vs. Big Agnes Zoom UL – Best Ultralight Sleeping Pad For Big Guys
Are you a bigger guy looking for the best ultralight sleeping pad that won’t bottom out on rocky ground or cold nights? In this in-depth comparison, I put the Thermarest NeoAir Xlite NXT and the Big Agnes Zoom UL head-to-head to find out which one truly delivers for tall and heavy hunters and...
About this show
A deep dive into a mindful perspective on the discipline of hunting.
Hosted by
Jay Nichol
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