The Mindful Hunter Podcast

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https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-143-sitka-ascent-pants-vs-stone-glacier-de-havilland-lite-%e2%80%93-field-tested-review/

Mon, 30 Oct 2023 17:05:00 -0700

EP 142 - 65mm Spotting Scope Review 2023

After multiple requests, I decided it was time for a 65mm spotting scope review. 65mm spotting scopes are arguably the most versatile size of spotter available. They are big enough to reach out a fair distance while still being light enough for most people's backcountry kit. In this review, I looked at the Maven CS.1A, Swarovski ATS, Leica Televid, Kowa Prominar, and Tract Toric. I analyzed all 5 spotting scopes across 25 different categories to do my best to derive a quantifiable winner based on as much evidence and as little opinion as possible. As always, this review is not sponsored and is as unbiased as possible. If you want to support this style of review please consider joining Mindful Reviews.

The raffle is live. Please go to https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ for all the details.

0:00 – Intro

3:38 – Price

4:46 – Weight

7:06 – Length

7:57 – Angled & Straight

9:36 – Origin

10:30 – Descriptive Totals

10:56 – Warranty

12:58 – Hardware

14:49 – Build Quality

15:47 – Weather Resistance

17:55 – Frame Material

18:51 – Internal Purging

20:29 – Construction Totals

20:55 – Magnification

22:33 – Field of View at 1000 yards

25:20 – Glass Quality

29:44 – Glass Coatings

31:55 – Eye Relief

34:03 – Optics Totals

34:41 – Performance Class

36:25 – Operation Class

43:05 – Final Results

45:15 – Raffle Details

46:33 – Final Thoughts & Recommendations

Links

85mm – 2:11

Good reel – 33:11

Jay Nichol

Merch

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Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-142-65mm-spotting-scope-review-2023/

Thu, 26 Oct 2023 17:05:00 -0700

EP 141 – Hot Ones Wild Game Edition with Danny From Backcountry Carnivores

I love the YouTube show Hot Ones. There is just something magical about watching people destroy themselves with progressively hotter hot wings. For years I have wanted to do a wild game version for the podcast. My buddy Danny came on the podcast and told his sheep-hunting story from this year while we ate Elk covered in all 10 official hot sauces.

Danny Gazzola

https://www.instagram.com/dk_super88/

https://www.instagram.com/backcountry.carnivores/

Jay Nichol

Merch

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Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-141-%e2%80%93-hot-ones-wild-game-edition-with-danny-from-backcountry-carnivores/

Sat, 21 Oct 2023 09:22:17 -0700

EP 140 - Stone Glacier Cirque Lite vs. Sitka Ambient - Field Tested Review

This review marks the second of four videos in my Sitka vs. Stone Glacier apparel series. Both the Sitka Ambient Hoody and the Stone Glacier Cirque Lite Jacket are great products that provide excellent dynamic insulation. However, while they both do a good job they do so in different ways. During this field-tested review, I do my best to highlight what those differences are and share what circumstances I think each of these pieces would thrive in.

Part 1 – Core Lightweight vs Avro Synthetic https://youtu.be/VRmLGj4WR9Y

Raffle is still live: Please go to the link below to enter.

0:00 – Intro

1:12 – Raffle Details

2:51 – Dynamic Insulation

4:17 – Review Categories

5:23 – Pricing

5:55 – Weight

8:13 – Materials

11:37 – Warmth

12:59 – Breathability

13:57 – Durability

15:49 – Fit

18:41 – Construction

20:16 – Features

23:00 – Options

23:21 – Packability

24:29 – Odor Resistance

25:08 – Final Results & Recommendations

Jay Nichol

Merch

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Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/140-stone-glacier-cirque-lite-vs-sitka-ambient-field-tested-review/

Mon, 16 Oct 2023 17:05:00 -0700

EP 139 – How To Take the Best Buck of Your Life with Robby Denning

Robby Denning is an absolute legend in the hunting world for his tenacity and focus when it comes to hunting big, mature, mule deer bucks. On top of that, Robby is probably one of the nicest guys you are ever going to meet. His values are grounded in his faith and his family, and it shows in his character. We had a great conversation and he was extremely generous with his knowledge and wisdom.

Robby Denning

https://www.instagram.com/robbydenning/

https://www.rokslide.com/

Join The Mule Deer Foundation

https://muledeer.org/

Jay Nichol

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Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-138-%e2%80%93-how-to-take-the-best-buck-of-your-life-with-robby-denning/

Thu, 12 Oct 2023 17:05:00 -0700

EP 138 - Sitka Core Lightweight vs. Stone Glacier Avro – Field Tested Review

This review kicks off the first of four videos in my Sitka vs. Stone Glacier apparel series. Both the Sitka Core Lightweight Hoody and the Stone Glacier Avro Hoody are great products that try to solve the issues your next-to-skin top base layer needs to solve. However, while they both do a good job delivering solutions to those problems they do so in different ways. During this field-tested review, I do my best to highlight what those differences are and share what circumstances I think each of these pieces would thrive in.

In addition, I am raffling off a complete 4-piece apparel kit from eight Sitka or Stone Glacier.

Raffle is still live: Please go to the link below to enter.

0:00 – Intro

1:13 – 4 part series

2:03 – Raffle Details

5:02 – Disclaimer

6:23 – Review Categories

8:58 – Price

9:40 – Weight

10:16 – Materials

12:25 – Warmth

12:57 – Breathability

14:06 - Durability

15:34 – Fit & Feel

25:11 – Construction

28:40 - Features

29:15 – Options

32:25 – Packability

32:58 – Odor

34:19 – Final Results

34:43 – Final Thoughts

Jay Nichol

Merch

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Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-138-sitka-core-lightweight-vs-stone-glacier-avro-%e2%80%93-field-tested-review/

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 17:05:00 -0700

EP 137 – Archery Elk Hunt Wrap-Up Q&A

Alright folks, I threw up a Q&A on IG during the drive home and got a ton of great questions about my successful archery elk hunt. I finally had some time to sit down and answer them all. I hope you enjoy!

Apparel Raffle Details

https://youtu.be/r_Vokkil748

UNBROKEN - Becoming A Consistent Archery Elk Hunter (2023 archery elk hunting film)

Jay Nichol

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Thu, 05 Oct 2023 17:05:00 -0700

EP 136 – How to Become a Consistently Successful Hunter (101 to 201) with Cody Rich

When I first started hunting all I wanted was to be able to kill a decent animal occasionally. Now that I have been doing it for a while the real goal is consistent and reliable success. Cody has done a ton of work looking into how to transition from a 101 hunter into a 201 hunter. Another way to say this is he’s looked at how to develop systems so that you can reliably kill stuff year after year and stop relying on luck alone. This may be one of my favourite conversations I’ve had on the podcast yet.

Cody Rich

https://www.instagram.com/therichoutdoors

https://backcountryfuelbox.com/

https://community.richideaslab.com/

Jay Nichol

Merch

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Thu, 28 Sep 2023 17:57:12 -0700

EP 135 - 2023 Updates to My Backcountry Meal Prep System

I figured it was time to upload a video sharing the updates I have made to my backcountry meal prep system for 2023. Nutrition and prep for the backcountry does not have to be complicated and I give example meal plans and share some simple hacks to increase the caloric density of your meals without unduly increasing the weight in your pack.

0:00 – Intro 0:24 – Mindful Reviews raffle updates 2:23 – Macro math 6:56 – 2023 Meal Plan 9:58 – Breakfast 12:12 – Lunch 13:05 – Dinner 16:01 – Snack 1 18:48 – Snack 2 20:15 – Snack 3 21:26 – Snack 4 22:03 – Added fats 26:10 – Wrap-up

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools

Jay Nichol jay@mindfulhunter.com https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ https://www.mindfulhunter.com/

Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop

Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/

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https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-135-2023-updates-to-my-backcountry-meal-prep-system/

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 17:05:00 -0700

EP 134 – Truck/Bivy Elk Hunt Gear List

Most of my gear lists are focused on backcountry hunts so this one was a change of pace. This year for elk I am staying as mobile as possible and will be sleeping in the back of my truck most nights. I also had to bring bivy gear just in case. This results in two mini gear lists. This is exactly the style of hunting I bought my truck and quad for. Let me know if you have any questions.

Jay Nichol

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https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-134-%e2%80%93-truckbivy-elk-hunt-gear-list/

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 17:05:00 -0700

EP 133 – Student of The Elk Woods with John Barklow

Typically I have John on to do deep dives on gear setup and discuss backcountry mission planning. This week, however, we went in hard on the elk talk. John is a very blue-collar elk hunter and sometimes I think those are the best guys to learn from. Tons of useful info in this week’s episode.

John Barklow

https://knowledgefromstorms.com/

https://www.instagram.com/jbarklow/

Jay Nichol

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https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-133-%e2%80%93-student-of-the-elk-woods-with-john-barklow/

Thu, 07 Sep 2023 17:08:01 -0700

EP 132 – Instinctive Elk Calling with Joel Turner

Joel has been a good friend ever since I took his Shot IQ controlled process online program 4-5 years ago. I have always been intrigued by Joel’s somewhat unconventional approach to elk calling and finally sat down with him to pick his brain about it. As a previous world champion caller and absolute killer in the elk woods, Jeol brought a ton of experience and unique opinions on strategy to this conversation.

Joel Turner

https://www.shotiq.com/home

https://www.instagram.com/joelturner_shotiq/

Jay Nichol

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Thu, 31 Aug 2023 17:05:00 -0700

EP 131 – Elk Hunting Strategies with Dirk Durham

This week I got the chance to sit down with a guy I have admired for many years. Dirk Durham aka The Bigler has made a name for himself not only as a competitive elk caller but also as one hell of an elk hunter. We got into his upbringing as a hunter and then spent a lot of time on various tactics and specifically covered some useful techniques for the thick brush and low elk densities found in the Pacific Northwest

Dirk Durham

https://www.instagram.com/thebugler/

https://www.youtube.com/@THEBUGLERBRAND

https://www.phelpsgamecalls.com/

Jay Nichol

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https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-131-%e2%80%93-elk-hunting-strategies-with-dirk-durham/

Thu, 24 Aug 2023 19:10:03 -0700

EP 130 – Post-Hunt Gear Breakdown Archery Stone’s Sheep

This week I go back over my gear list from my recent sheep hunt and get into all the details about what worked and didn’t work for me.

Jay Nichol

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https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-130-%e2%80%93-post-hunt-gear-breakdown-archery-stone-s-sheep/

Thu, 17 Aug 2023 17:05:00 -0700

EP 129 - Is The Peax Backcountry Duo Just a Rebranded Cheap Overseas Headlamp?

When I posted my headlamp battle 3 months ago and ended up recommending the Peax Backcountry Duo I was immediately flooded with DM’s that there was some controversy indication the Peax was really just a rebranded cheap overseas headlamp. I felt obligated to buy the other headlamp immediately and find a way to see if there was a significant difference between the two. Here are my results.

Original Headlamp video - https://youtu.be/xYAa2icqCvY

The spreadsheet showing all my data and testing results is available to download for Mindful Reviews members.

Peax Backcountry Duo

https://www.peaxequipment.com/products/backcountry-duo

Sofirn D25LR

https://www.sofirnlight.com/products/d25lr-rechargeable-headlamp-with-white-and-dr-660-nm-red-led

Jay Nichol

Merch

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https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-129-is-the-peax-backcountry-duo-just-a-rebranded-cheap-overseas-headlamp/

0:00 – Intro

0:25 – Mindful Reviews

1:25 – Background

4:06 – Testing Protocol

9:47 – Categories Assessed

10:11 – Price

10:32 – Weight

10:58 – Size

11:07 – Durability

11:34 – Comfort

11:38 – User Interface

13:17 – Weather Resistance

16:41 – Battery Life

18:59 – Recharge Time

21:11 – Temperature

24:56 – Brightness

30:01 – Conclusion

Thu, 27 Jul 2023 17:05:00 -0700

EP 128 – Solocast Q&A

This week’s podcast is a Q&A with questions from the Mindful Reviews platform and Instagram. I answer questions such as: Why don’t hunters use heavier, more accurate rifles? Best way to dry out a water bladder, my preferred broadhead, and many more.

Jay Nichol

Merch

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Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-128-%e2%80%93-solocast-qa/

Thu, 20 Jul 2023 17:05:00 -0700

EP 127 - First Aid Kit for Solo Hunting

With sheep season quickly approaching I thought it would be a great time to go over what is in my first aid kit for solo hunts. Please jump in the comments section below if you’ve got any tips to add!

Jay Nichol jay@mindfulhunter.com https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ https://www.mindfulhunter.com/

Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools

Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/

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https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-127-first-aid-kit-for-solo-hunting/

Thu, 13 Jul 2023 17:05:00 -0700

EP. 126 - Binocular Review 2023

In this updated binocular review for 2023 I compare 6 different 10x42 binoculars; Swarovski NL Pure, Leica Noctivid, Leica Trinovid, Zeiss Conquest, Tract Toric and Athlon Cronus G2. I analyzed and tested 21 different categories across 5 classes: Descriptive, Construction, Optics, Performance & Operation. At the conclusion of the review, I give 3 recommendations for binoculars within premium, mid-range and low-range budget constraints.

I am raffling off the winning pair of binoculars. Please go to https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ for all the details. Once you are a member you will have access to the link to purchase tickets. Once the raffle is sold out I will update this section to indicate tickets are no longer available.

0:00 – Intro

0:55 – Raffle Info

1:19 – Structure of Review

2:36 – Why I Chose These 6 Binos

3:12 – The Maven Story

6:42 – The Tract Story

10:41 – Emotional Marketing Disclaimer

11:40 – Scoring System

12:55 – Price

14:46 – Weight

16:19 – Length

17:32 – Origin

19:27 – Descriptive Totals

20:32 – Warranty

23:53 – Durability

25:26 – Weather Resistance

29:21 – Frame Material

30:08 – Gas Purging

31:49 – Construction Totals

32:07 – Prism Type

35:22 – Field of View

42:02 – Glass Quality

47:16 – Glass Coatings

49:24 – Eye Relief

51:32 – Close Focus Distance

52:03 – Light Transmission

55:11 – Interpupillary Distance

57:02 – Optics Totals

57:47 – Performance & Operation (Field Testing)

1:00:00 – Aziak Bino Clamp Giveaway

1:01:00 – Performance Testing Scores

1:03:29 – Operation Testing Scores

1:06:29 – Field Notes From Testing

1:13:56 – Final Scores and Ranking

1:14:39 – My recommendations and Caveats

1:19:23 – The Binos That Are Getting Raffled Off

Jay Nichol

Merch

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https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-126-binocular-review-2023/

Thu, 06 Jul 2023 17:05:00 -0700

EP 125 – E-scouting, Route Planning and More with Mason from Top Notch Navigator

This week’s podcast is a deep dive into a mapping application called Top Notch Navigator with founder Mason. More than that though it is a super thorough discussion on how to better utilize mapping apps to help us plan and execute more successful hunts.

As a thank you to the audience Mason gave us the code MINDFULHUNTER for 20% off which is good until July 31st, 2023. To be clear I get no kickback from this Mason just wanted to show his appreciation.

Top Notch Navigator

https://www.topnotchnav.com/

https://www.instagram.com/topnotchnav/

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

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https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-125-%e2%80%93-e-scouting-route-planning-and-more-with-mason-from-top-notch-navigator/

Thu, 29 Jun 2023 17:05:00 -0700

EP 124 – Sharing the Stories of Hunting the Right way with Steven Drake

This week’s guest needs no introduction. You have seen his photos and videos for years. I sat down with Steven Drake, and we discussed his early exposure to hunting, a pivotal moment that changed the way he saw hunting, his approach to content creation and much more.

Steven Drake

https://www.youtube.com/user/stevendrakemt

https://www.instagram.com/stevendrakephoto

Jay Nichol

Merch

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https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-124-%e2%80%93-sharing-the-stories-of-hunting-the-right-way-with-steven-drake/

Thu, 22 Jun 2023 17:05:00 -0700

EP 123 – Solocast Q&A

Coming back with another Q&A episode. Tons of great questions this week such as my favourite piece of gear under $100, is upper body strength necessary, or should we just focus on legs and cardio, my archery setup this year, and much much more.

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

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Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-123-%e2%80%93-solocast-qa/

Thu, 15 Jun 2023 17:05:00 -0700

EP 122 – How to Identify Your Unique Competitive Advantage and Navigate Successful Transitions in Life

I decided to take a bit of a left turn with the podcast this week. Competing in the Toronto Pro Qualifier bodybuilding competition last weekend left me with a ton of insights that I felt the need to share. This episode is truly a blend of my business and hunting backgrounds. I dove into Michael Porter’s definition of competitive advantage and share a couple of frameworks from Jim Collins that can be helpful when trying to plan new ventures.

Jay Nichol

Merch

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https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-122-%e2%80%93-how-to-identify-your-unique-competitive-advantage-and-navigate-successful-transitions-in-life/

Thu, 08 Jun 2023 17:05:00 -0700

EP 121 - Headlamp Review 2023: Fenix vs. Peax vs. Nitecore

Well folks this one took a hard left turn. I have been running these headlamps since September of last year. I put the Fenix HM65R-T, Peax Backcountry Duo and Nitecore HC68 through the wringer in a major way. After testing and collecting data for 9 months I never foresaw the actual outcome that occurred. You need to watch this one to find out.

0:00 – Intro

0:14 – Mindful Reviews

1:50 – Nitecore HC68 (chop a reel from this part)

10:40 – Fenix HM65RT

12:55 – Peax Backcountry Duo

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

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Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-121-headlamp-review-2023-fenix-vs-peax-vs-nitecore/

Thu, 01 Jun 2023 17:05:00 -0700

EP 120 – The Founders Series: Jim Graham of Marsupial Gear

For the next installment of The Founders Series, I sat down with Jim Graham of Marsupial Gear. It is incredibly impressive what Jim has been able to build since 2015 and what is even more helpful is Jim’s level of awareness about the challenges he faced and the tactics he used to overcome them. I learned a ton from this conversation, and I am sure you will too!

Marsupial Gear

https://www.instagram.com/marsupialgear/

https://www.marsupialgear.com/

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

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Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-120-%e2%80%93-the-founders-series-jim-graham-of-marsupial-gear/

Thu, 25 May 2023 17:05:00 -0700

EP 119 – Sheep Hunt Gear List and Q&A

This week I share my gear list for my upcoming sheep hunt and dive into gear related listener questions.

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

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Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-119-%e2%80%93-sheep-hunt-gear-list-and-qa/

Thu, 18 May 2023 17:05:00 -0700

EP 118 - FIXED UPLOAD 5 Reasons Quilts Are Better Than Sleeping Bags & My Deep Winter Sleep System

After years of testing, I firmly believe that quilts are a superior choice for backcountry hunting over sleeping bags. In this video, I give my top 5 reasons why and I also detail my entire deep winter and 3-season sleep systems.

Deep winter setup:

Exped Ultra 7R Long Wide

Enlightened Equipment Enigma Synthetic 20* Quilt

Sea to Summit Thermolite Reactor Sleeping Bag Liner

Puffy Layers

3-Season setup

Big Agnes Q-Core SLX

Enlightened Equipment Enigma Synthetic 20* Quilt

Enlightened Equipment Enigma Down 20* Quilt

0:00 – Intro

0:41 – Mindful Reviews

1:28 – Tent Raffle

2:03 – Origin of Quilts

3:22 – Quilt Physics

4:47 – 5 Reasons Quilts are Superior

4:58 – Weight & Size

6:23 – Price

6:53 – Temperature Management

7:48 – Versatility

9:08 – Comfort

12:18 – My Deep Winter Sleep System

17:51 – Weight of Winter Sleep System

19:56 – My 3-Season Sleep System

23:05 – Weight of 3-Season System

25:01 – How I Set Up My Quilt

32:15 – Wrap Up

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

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Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-118-fixed-upload-5-reasons-quilts-are-better-than-sleeping-bags-my-deep-winter-sleep-system/

Fri, 12 May 2023 06:25:39 -0700

EP 117 - Stone Glacier Solus vs. Hilleberg Soulo Review & Raffle

To enter the raffle join https://www.mindful-reviews.com/

This review has been over 2 years in the making. I have put these two 4 season shelters from Hilleberg and Stone Glacier through the wringer spending more than 20 nights in each of them in temps down to -25c, -10f with upwards of 12”-16” snowfall on some nights. Both the Sky Solus and the Soulo are premium tents but they also both have their flaws. Watch this video to learn what worked for me and what didn’t with these two tents.

0:00 – Intro

0:55 – Raffle details

2:03 – A note on specialized shelters

4:20 – My personal experience with both tents

5:36 – Categories of comparison

7:45 – In the field footage

15:11 – Sleeping pad size comparisons

27:36 – Price

27:59 – Advertised dimensions

32:57 – Practical vestibule space

33:05 – Practical space inside the tent

34:15 – Tent fabrics

36:30 – Doors

37:23 – Weight & Weight honesty

40:59 – Tent pegs

41:17 – Ease of setup

42:11 – Build quality

42:35 – Pole quality

44:26 – Weather resistance

45:10 – Breathability/Condensation

46:10 – Heat retention

47:05 – Personal X factor

52:53 – Instagram Q&A

56:44 – Final scores

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

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Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-117-stone-glacier-solus-vs-hilleberg-soulo-review-raffle/

Fri, 05 May 2023 09:02:06 -0700

EP 116 – Solocast Q&A

This was the biggest Q&A I’ve ever had on the channel. I want to thank every single person that submitted a question. I did my best to answer them as thoroughly as possible.

Jay Nichol

Merch

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https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-116-%e2%80%93-solocast-qa/

Thu, 27 Apr 2023 17:05:00 -0700

EP 115 – Comas, Overdoses, Car Crashes And Now 15 years Sober

Well ladies and gentlemen this is either the podcast you’ve been waiting for or the one you’re gonna want to skip. If you’ve ever wondered why I am the way I am and how I do the things I do this podcast will give you those answers. I did my best to share my story through addiction and recovery as honestly and transparently as I could. Please keep an open mind.

Jay Nichol

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https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-115-%e2%80%93-comas-overdoses-car-crashes-and-now-15-years-sober/

Thu, 20 Apr 2023 17:05:00 -0700

EP 114 -FIXED UPLOAD: Battery Banks For Backpacking Review

Well folks apparently last week, when I thought I posted this review I actually double-posted the first review. So here's a bonus episode to fix my screwup. Regularly scheduled new episode tomorrow as always.

Battery Banks For Backpacking Review

I picked up 5 battery banks that are marketed at people who spend time in the backcountry and tried my best to figure out which one was best across a number of different categories.

5 banks tested are the Goal Zero Venture 75, Anker 525, Anker 325, Nitecore Carbo 2000, and Biolite 80 PD

My apologies for constantly referring to the Nitecore as Nightforce.

Also here’s another video I did explaining my entire backcountry power setup.

Complete Battery System For The Back Country https://youtu.be/Wl4GKTNJp_M

0:00 – Intro 3:13 – Mindful Reviews 4:09 – Objectivity 4:40 – There is no “best” 5:14 – Categories assessed 5:49 – Notes about power packs 9:03 – Price 10:42 – Weight 11:08 – Size 12:41 – Ports 16:25 – Cables 17:16 – Weather resistance 23:33 – Charging capacity 38:53 – Final scores

Mindful Reviews https://www.mindful-reviews.com/

Jay Nichol jay@mindfulhunter.com https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ https://www.mindfulhunter.com/

Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools

Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/

Podcast https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-114-fixed-upload-battery-banks-for-backpacking-review/

Wed, 19 Apr 2023 12:36:42 -0700

EP 113 - Double Header Review: Sitka Ambient vs. Heavyweight Hoody & Best Power Pack for the Backcountry

I'm down in AZ with the fam for some R&R so I am throwing up some recent reviews by request. Hope you enjoy and we'll be back to regularly scheduled programming next week.

Sitka Ambient vs. Heavyweight Hoody – Field-Tested Review

After running both the Sitka Ambient Hoody and the Core Heavyweight Hoody back to back for the last year I put my final thoughts together in this field-tested review. Let me know if you have any additional questions.

0:00 – Intro 0:40 – Mindful Reviews 2:06 – Objectivity in reviews 3:20 – Purpose of this layer 8:04 – Categories for this review 8:49 – Price 10:07 – Weight 10:38 – Fabrics 11:06 – Overview 20:29 – How they fit on me at 6’1” 240lbs 27:16 – Final thoughts

Battery Banks For Backpacking Review

I picked up 5 battery banks that are marketed at people who spend time in the backcountry and tried my best to figure out which one was best across a number of different categories.

5 banks tested are the Goal Zero Venture 75, Anker 525, Anker 325, Nitecore Carbo 2000, and Biolite 80 PD

My apologies for constantly referring to the Nitecore as Nightforce.

Also here’s another video I did explaining my entire backcountry power setup.

Complete Battery System For The Back Country https://youtu.be/Wl4GKTNJp_M

Mindful Reviews https://www.mindful-reviews.com/

Jay Nichol jay@mindfulhunter.com https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ https://www.mindfulhunter.com/

Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools

Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/

Podcast https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-113-double-header-review-sitka-ambient-vs-heavyweight-hoody-best-power-pack-for-the-backcountry/

Thu, 13 Apr 2023 17:05:00 -0700

EP 112 – Rifle Hunting Deep Dive with Pap Van Winkle

Pap has been one of my most requested guests and we finally got the chance to sit down and chat. First, we dove into Pap’s background growing up as a guide in AZ and then moved on to a Q&A. I apologize in advance if we did not get to your question, we crushed a two-hour podcast and just ran out of time. Pap has promised to come back on though and catch us up on his hunting adventures and answer another round of questions in the near future.

Pap on IG

https://www.instagram.com/papwinkle/

Mindful Reviews

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-112-%e2%80%93-rifle-hunting-deep-dive-with-pap-van-winkle/

Thu, 06 Apr 2023 17:05:00 -0700

EP 111 – Sportfishing Captain and DIY Hunting Beast Ryan Block

Ryan is one of my best internet friends and I’ve been meaning to get him on the podcast for a while. He’s got a super cool job as the captain of a sportfishing boat off the coast of southern California. He also gets after it and smokes good deer every year mostly in CA and AZ but branched out to ID this year. I really enjoyed this chat.

Mindful Reviews

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-111-%e2%80%93-sportfishing-captain-and-diy-hunting-beast-ryan-block/

Thu, 30 Mar 2023 17:05:00 -0700

EP 110 – Solocast Q&A

Dove into some listener questions this week answering things like, the best early-season hiking boots, what bow release I use, book recommendations for entrepreneurs, and much more.

Mindful Reviews

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-110-%e2%80%93-solocast-qa/

Thu, 23 Mar 2023 17:05:00 -0700

EP 109 - Tripod Pan Head Review – Tricer LP vs. Wiser PH-170 Nighthawk

Before we dive into this week’s episode I want to mention that the Frontiersmen Gear film Through Our Eyes is premiering on March 18th at 6 pm PDT on YouTube. There will be a giveaway live during the premiere. Go follow Tanner on IG for more details.

https://www.instagram.com/frontiersmengear/

In this review I compare the two ultralight tripod pan heads; Tricer LP and Wiser PH-170 Nighthawk. While at first glance these pan heads seem incredibly similar there are definitely some important differences to note and depending on what your individual priorities are as a hunter one of these is going to be clearly better for you.

0:00 – Intro

0:40 – Lightweight vs Ultralight pan heads

10:18 – Price

10:47 - Weight

11:56 – Warranty

13:53 – Origin

15:38 – Mounting Options

18:16 – Manufacturing quality and hand feel

21:49 – Accessories

25:32 – Additional observations

28:01 – Wrap-up conclusions

Mindful Reviews

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-109-tripod-pan-head-review-%e2%80%93-tricer-lp-vs-wiser-ph-170-nighthawk/

Thu, 16 Mar 2023 12:25:00 -0700

EP 108 - Comprehensive 85mm Spotting Scope Review

Welcome to my most ambitious review yet. I compare 6 popular 85mm spotting scopes: Swarovski ATX 85mm, Kowa TSN Prominar 88, Zeiss Conquest Gavia 85mm, Maven S.1A 80mm, and Zeiss Victory Harpia 85mm to give you a better understanding about what makes them different, and which one may be best for you. 100% unbiased, highly technical, and overly detailed, as always!

The raffle for the winning spotting scope is now live. You can join and buy tickets at https://www.mindful-reviews.com/

Original YouTube Video

https://youtu.be/4fBi-ucLTpM

0:00 – Intro

1:47 – Mindful Reviews and the spotting scope raffle

3:36 – Tribalism and psychological marketing

5:04 – Objectivity and financial incentives

7:59 – No such thing as a “perfect” spotter

9:07 – Review methodology and categories

13:20 – Scoring system

18:27 – Pricing

21:53 – Weight & Weight Honesty

26:25 – Length

27:57 – Angled & Straight options

29:33 – Origin of manufacture

35:44 – Descriptive Class Rankings

36:26 – Warranty

44:12 – Durability

49:16 – Hardware

53:19 – Build Quality

53:57 – Weather Resistance

58:24 – Frame Material

1:00:11 – Internal Gas Purged

1:02:49 – Construction Class Rankings

1:05:16 - Magnification

1:06:54 – Objective Lens Size

1:07:13 – Field of View

1:10:37 – Glass Quality

1:20:24 – Glass Coatings

1:22:53 – Eye Relief

1:24:52 – Close Focus Distance

1:26:30 – Optics Class Ranking

1:28:28 – Performance Class

1:35:51 – Final Rankings

Mindful Reviews

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-108-comprehensive-85mm-spotting-scope-review/

Fri, 10 Mar 2023 17:06:56 -0800

EP 107 – 0 for 3 But Best Goat Hunt Yet!

I’m back from my third winter goat hunt and while I did not kill a Billy I had a phenomenal hunt.

0:00 – Intro

2:16 – The hunt

7:50 – The difference between -10 and -20

13:40 – Limits of cannister stoves in very cold temps

16:30 – My daily routine

18:07 – My updated strategy

19:55 – Insulated booties

21:40 – Glassing strategies

26:10 – First goat of the trip

29:10 – Three Billy’s

34:40 – The little things that help

42:00 – The day 4 “Billy”

50:18 – Decisions

Mindful Reviews

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-107-%e2%80%93-0-for-3-but-best-goat-hunt-yet/

Fri, 03 Mar 2023 10:07:34 -0800

EP 106 - Field Tested Tent Review: Sea To Summit Telos TR2

Seeing as I am heading back in for another goat hunt I figured I'd post another review instead of skipping a week so here you go!

After doing my initial 2-person 3-season category review of 9 tents I took my number one choice the Sea To Summit Telos TR2 on a sheep hunt. Unfortunately, I was met with unexpected and considerable water in the tent. Well, it has taken 6 months and a new tent being shipped out but after extensive testing, I can finally share my findings.

Original Review: https://youtu.be/lCijxES4wmw

Jay Nichol jay@mindfulhunter.com https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ https://www.mindfulhunter.com/

Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools

Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/

Podcast https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-106-field-tested-tent-review-sea-to-summit-telos-tr2/

Thu, 23 Feb 2023 16:05:00 -0800

EP 105 – Danny and Cole From Backcountry Carnivores

This week I sat down with Danny and Cole who started the hunting group Backcountry Carnivores. Both these guys come from very different backgrounds but are down-to-earth solid guys who love to hunt, make content, and mentor new hunters.

0:00 – Intro

1:20 – Cole's background as a hunter

4:14 – Danny’s background

9:42 – How the lads got into content creation

14:16 – Action bias in hunting, should we just sit still?

18:15 – Stuck truck

33:31 – Scouting plans

39:00 – Content creation & Sponsorship

1:05:00 – Plans for 2023

1:13:00 – Danny’s top 10 gear list

Danny & Cole aka Backcountry Carnivores

https://www.instagram.com/backcountry.carnivores/

Mindful Reviews

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-105-%e2%80%93-danny-and-cole-from-backcountry-carnivores/

Thu, 16 Feb 2023 16:05:00 -0800

EP 104 – Q&A From My Solo Winter Mountain Goat Hunt

This week I do my best to answer all the questions I received regarding my solo winter mountain goat hunt.

0:00 – Intro

1:02 – Sea To Summit Telos TR2 Review

1:50 – Mindful Review updates

3:00 – Rokslide updates

4:15 – Influencer Economics 101

16:38 – Snowshoes vs. Skis

19:26 – Atlas vs MSR Snowshoes

22:55 – How would you escout differently in the future?

26:18 – Will you apply for the same LEH? 26:30 – Extra clothing?

32:31 – MSR Warranty

33:42 – Hot Tent

38:42 – Opinion on Exo K4

42:18 – Campsite selection in winter

44:18 – ATV use

46:18 – Boot Selection

47:00 – Drying your gear

48:36 – Crampon selection

49:19 – More drying tips

50:54 – How I picked my unit

53:28 – Temps

53:32 – Avalanche training and gear

54:25 – Plans for the rest of the season

Mindful Reviews

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-104-%e2%80%93-qa-from-my-solo-winter-mountain-goat-hunt/

Thu, 09 Feb 2023 16:05:00 -0800

EP 103 – Two Conservation Officers Showed Up at My House

Well, the title kind of says it all, if you want to hear the story check out the podcast. I also go through a bunch of house cleaning and had a few rants on various topics lol.

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-103-%e2%80%93-two-conservation-officers-showed-up-at-my-house/

Thu, 02 Feb 2023 18:27:21 -0800

EP 102 – Gear Debrief from My Solo Winter Mountain Goat Hunt

Alright folks I failed to kill a goat, but I successfully made it back in one piece. In this week’s episode, I walk through every piece of gear I brought and discuss how it performed!

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-102-%e2%80%93-gear-debrief-from-my-solo-winter-mountain-goat-hunt/

Thu, 19 Jan 2023 16:05:00 -0800

EP 101 – Field Tested Reviews of Fierce CT Rival and Seek Outside 12-Man Tipi

I’m still out of town goat hunting so I put the audio of two of my YouTube reviews from December up as an interim episode. See links below for YouTube videos.

FINAL REVIEW: Fierce CT Rival 300 PRC Leupold VX-5HD 3-15x44

https://youtu.be/ahHCjx5uFY0

Seek Outside 12 Man Tipi with XL Stove Review

https://youtu.be/v3zJNeq-lVw

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-101-%e2%80%93-field-tested-reviews-of-fierce-ct-rival-and-seek-outside-12-man-tipi/

Thu, 12 Jan 2023 17:04:35 -0800

EP 100 - Best Binocular Harness for YOUR Hunting Style | Alaska Guide Creations vs. Marsupial

I’ve put both these binocular harnesses through the paces on multiple hunts over the last two years. I rank each one across 21 different categories and break down exactly why I prefer one of these for my particular hunting style.

0:00 – Intro 6:02 – 21 Categories 6:34 – Scoring System 7:14 – AGC Kodiak Cub Max 10:08 – Marsupial Bino Harness 11:34 – Price 12:03 – Colour Options 12:41 – Sizes 13:05 – Weight 14:23 – Purchase Experience 17:00 – American Bonus 18:25 – Canadian Bonus 19:36 – Capacity 25:10 – Materials 27:33 – Construction 28:41 – Harness Systems 30:23 – Fitting 31:43 – Accessories 33:10 – Noise 34:32 – Lid Functionality 36:10 – Optic Fit 46:25 – Durability 48:08 – Impact Protection 49:22 – Water Resistance 51:15 – Hardware 52:07 – Archery 53:19 – Final Ranking 55:31 – How To Win The Marsupial Harness

Jay Nichol jay@mindfulhunter.com https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ https://www.mindfulhunter.com/

Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools

Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/

Podcast https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-100-best-binocular-harness-for-your-hunting-style-alaska-guide-creations-vs-marsupial/

Thu, 05 Jan 2023 16:05:00 -0800

EP 99 – Love the Process with Kevin Toye of The Focus Hunting Podcast

Kevin is the co-host of The Focus Hunting Podcast and has been a good friend for a while and someone I look up to for his hunting skill and the way he conducts his life both on and offline. I wanted to get Kevin on over the holidays to catch up and see how his year went and what his plans are for 2023. Kevin is the type of hunter we should all try to be a little more like and I thoroughly enjoyed this conversation with him.

Kevin Toye

https://www.instagram.com/kevin__toye/

https://www.instagram.com/focus_hunting/

https://focushunting.ca/podcast

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-99-%e2%80%93-love-the-process-with-kevin-toye-of-the-focus-hunting-podcast/

Thu, 29 Dec 2022 16:05:00 -0800

EP 98 – The Founders Series with Bradley Brooks of Argali

Bradley Brooks is the founder and CEO of Argali Outdoors, a company that specializes in the design and manufacturing of ultralight hunting gear. Brad was also kind enough to give us an exclusive insight into their new trekking poles that are launching on Jan 5th. As always, with the founder’s series, I am trying to uncover the challenges entrepreneurs faced while growing their companies in the outdoors space. I was incredibly impressed with Brad’s thoughtful approach to design and business growth. In addition, he is a badass hunter and climber himself with lots of cool stories to share.

Argali

https://argalioutdoors.com/

https://www.instagram.com/argali_official/

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-98-%e2%80%93-the-founders-series-with-bradley-brooks-of-argali/

Thu, 22 Dec 2022 16:05:00 -0800

EP 97 – Ultralight for The Mountains with Alaskan Hunter Ben Reynolds

Ben and I have been Instagram friends for quite a while, and I finally had the chance to get him on the podcast. Ben is one of the guys I rely on for feedback and advice on my gear choices. He is insanely analytical and has run more gear than most of us will get a chance to see in our lives. We barely scratched the surface in this one, so we are already planning part 2 for when I am back from my goat hunt.

Ben Reynolds

https://www.instagram.com/b_reynolds_ak/

Down Synthetic Layering Podcast

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/backpacking-light-podcast/id1363370570?i=1000586310696

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-97-%e2%80%93-ultralight-for-the-mountains-with-alaskan-hunter-ben-reynolds/

Thu, 15 Dec 2022 16:05:00 -0800

EP 96 – Solo Winter Goat Hunt Gear List and Q&A

Well, folks in 3 weeks I will be trudging up the side of some god-awful mountain trying to kill a big old billy so might as well go over the gear list. Also, tons of great questions in the second half this week.

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-96-%e2%80%93-solo-winter-goat-hunt-gear-list-and-qa/

Thu, 08 Dec 2022 16:05:00 -0800

EP 95 – The Founders Series with Kurt Racicot of Stone Glacier

Kurt Racicot is the next guest in The Founders Series. Through these podcasts, I will explore the roots of some of the most popular outdoor brands and how their founders built them. Kurt is the founder and lead designer for Stone Glacier. We dove into his history as a hunter, where his entrepreneurial drive came from, some of the challenges he faced founding both these companies, and much much more.

Kurt Racicot

https://www.stoneglacier.com/

https://www.instagram.com/stoneglacier

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-95-%e2%80%93-the-founders-series-with-kurt-racicot-of-stone-glacier/

Thu, 01 Dec 2022 16:05:00 -0800

EP 94 – The Founders Series with Steve Speck of Exo Mtn Gear and S&S Archery

Steve Speck is the first guest in The Founders Series. Through these podcasts, I will explore the roots of some of the most popular outdoor brands and how their founders built them. Steve is the owner of Exo Mtn Gear and S&S Archery. We dove into his history as a hunter, where his entrepreneurial drive came from, some of the challenges he faced founding both these companies, and much much more.

Steve Speck

https://www.instagram.com/steve.j.speck/

https://www.instagram.com/huntbackcountry/

https://www.instagram.com/sandsarchery/

https://exomtngear.com/

https://sandsarchery.com/

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-94-%e2%80%93-the-founders-series-with-steve-speck-of-exo-mtn-gear-and-ss-archery/

Thu, 24 Nov 2022 16:05:00 -0800

EP 93 – Solocast Q&A

Tried to answer as many questions as I could from IG this week. I got into things like is TRT worth it, Dealing with knee pain, best base layers and many more.

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-93-%e2%80%93-solocast-qa/

Sat, 19 Nov 2022 08:03:00 -0800

EP 92 – Late-Season Whitetail Hunt Recap and Gear Breakdown

I recorded this podcast while driving home from Northern Alberta. I spent a week sitting in treestands at -20c trying to kill a buck with my bow. I wasn’t successful but I learned a ton and I go over my takeaways from the hunt and my thoughts about all the gear I used.

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-92-%e2%80%93-late-season-whitetail-hunt-recap-and-gear-breakdown/

Thu, 10 Nov 2022 16:05:00 -0800

EP 91 - Ultralight Hunting Backpack Review – Stone Glacier Terminus vs. Seek Outside Goshawk

The battle of the ultralight backpack titans! Here is my analysis of the Seek Outside Goshawk 6300 vs the Stone Glacier Terminus 7000. If you want to enter to win either of these bags head over to Mindful Reviews. Comparing these two ultralight packs was a blast. These backpacks both go about trying to solve the same problems in very unique ways.

0:00 – Intro

1:23 – Mindful Reviews community launch

5:44 – Tribalism in marketing

6:51 – Premium gear

7:39 – Individual pack preference

8:35 – 24 elements reviewed

9:49 – Scoring system

10:18 – Ultra vs. Cordura

16:29 – Marketing copy for Terminus

18:26 – Marketing copy for Goshawk

23:50 – Price

25:12 – Weight honesty

29:16 – Volume/weight

30:45 – Purchase experience

36:23 – Local bonus

40:28 – Lids

43:13 – Compression

53:31 – Fitting

1:04:15 – Construction

1:14:45 – Lumbar pads

1:15:18 – Load lifter angle

1:16:10 – Meat shelf

1:20:50 – Day pack mode

1:22:35 – Accessories

1:28:40 – Training mode

1:29:40 – Durability

1:31:48 – Water resistance

1:40:09 – Functional volume

1:42:01 – Hardware

1:42:23 – Load ratings

1:52:09 – Conclusion

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-91-ultralight-hunting-backpack-review-%e2%80%93-stone-glacier-terminus-vs-seek-outside-goshawk/

Tue, 01 Nov 2022 05:29:05 -0700

EP 90 – Student Of The Game John Barklow @jbarklow

I had a great chat with John Barklow who is not only the Big Game Product Manager for Sitka but is a very accomplished bowhunter and has a fantastic newsletter full of insights and tactics for hunters of all experience levels.

John Barklow

https://www.instagram.com/jbarklow/

https://knowledgefromstorms.com/

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-90-%e2%80%93-student-of-the-game-john-barklow-jbarklow/

Thu, 27 Oct 2022 17:05:00 -0700

EP 89 – My 2022 Archery Setup and Q&A

This week I broke down my entire archery setup including bow, arrow build, broadhead, speed, everything. After that, I dove into an archery-focused Q&A.

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-89-%e2%80%93-my-2022-archery-setup-and-qa/

Thu, 20 Oct 2022 17:05:00 -0700

EP 88 – My 7-Year Long Quest to Kill a Bull Elk in B.C.

Well my friends I was finally able to break the curse. In this podcast, I go over my history with elk in B.C. and then break down my latest hunt where I was lucky enough to arrow a great bull while hunting solo.

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-88-%e2%80%93-my-7-year-long-quest-to-kill-a-bull-elk-in-bc/

Thu, 13 Oct 2022 17:05:00 -0700

EP 87 – Gear Dump and Lessons Learned from Family Elk Hunt

I just spent 9 days hunting elk with my old man and brother in northern BC. While we didn’t kill an elk it was our first hunt all together and it was great to spend time together. I thought I’d do a gear breakdown and share some of my takeaways from the hunt. Also, I’m headed back out solo for elk on Sunday and dove into my plan for that as well.

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-87-%e2%80%93-gear-dump-and-lessons-learned-from-family-elk-hunt/

Thu, 29 Sep 2022 17:05:00 -0700

EP 86 – Cajun Chef and Host of Duck Camp Dinners on MeatEater Jean-Peal Bourgeois

Chef Jean-Paul Bourgeois is a MeatEater culinary contributor, an expert on all things Cajun, and an all-around badass with an infectious love of cooking, the outdoors, and intense pride in his home state of Louisiana. He just debuted season 2 of his feature cooking and hunting show Duck Camp Dinners last week on the MeatEater YouTube channel. I thoroughly enjoyed sitting down with Jean-Paul and was part history lesson, part cooking lesson, and part waterfowl hunting lesson.

Chef Jean-Paul Bourgeois

https://www.instagram.com/chefjean_paul/

https://chef-jean-paul.myshopify.com/

Duck Camp Dinners

https://youtu.be/JI41RNYDix0

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-86-%e2%80%93-cajun-chef-and-host-of-duck-camp-dinners-on-meateater-jean-peal-bourgeois/

Thu, 08 Sep 2022 17:05:00 -0700

EP 85 – Sheep Hunt / Film / Gear Q&A

To wrap up the three-podcast series on my sheep hunt I did a massive Q & A covering the hunt itself, the filming process, and the gear I used. I answered things like the best and worst piece of gear I brought, my e-scouting process, how the new tent held up, and much more.

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-85-%e2%80%93-sheep-hunt-film-gear-qa/

Thu, 01 Sep 2022 17:05:00 -0700

EP 84 – Behind the Scenes Look Into my 2022 Solo Sheep Hunt – What the Hell Happened?!?

I felt as though there was some value in digging a little deeper into my decision-making process during this hunt and going over some of my mistakes might be useful to some people. It also gave me a chance to reflect on the journey and see where I could improve next year.

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-84-%e2%80%93-behind-the-scenes-look-into-my-2022-solo-sheep-hunt-%e2%80%93-what-the-hell-happened/

Fri, 26 Aug 2022 07:43:42 -0700

EP 83 – Complete Gear Breakdown and Review From My Sheep Hunt

Okay, I’m back from my sheep hunt. I didn’t kill a sheep, but I certainly got to put some gear through its paces and learned lots that I’ve got to share. Let me know if you have any follow-up questions.

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-82-%e2%80%93-complete-gear-breakdown-and-review-from-my-sheep-hunt/

Thu, 18 Aug 2022 17:05:00 -0700

EP 82 - The Ultimate Ultralight 2 Person 3 Season Tent Review 2022

Up next in the Mindful Review series is a comparative analysis of 9, 2-person 3-season tents including the Big Agnes Copper Spur, Sea To Summit Telos, Hilleberg Niak, MSR Hubba Hubba, Nemo Dragonfly, Stone Glacier Skyscraper 2P, Kuiu Mountain Star, Hilleberg Helags, and the Slingfin Portal. I looked at 30 different elements including price, build quality, practical space, pole construction, and many more.

I am also raffling off 4 of the tents and if you head to the link below you can buy tickets if they are still available.

Please let me know which category of hunting gear you would like to see reviewed next? Rain Gear? Electronics?

YouTube Version

https://youtu.be/lCijxES4wmw

Raffle Tickets

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-82-the-ultimate-ultralight-2-person-3-season-tent-review-2022/

0:00 – Intro

0:26 – List of Tents

2:18 – The Raffle

6:36 – Consumer Psychology

8:41 – Personal Opinion

11:15 – 30 categories tested and 20 scored

13:31 – Practical Space

13:52 – In-tent Height and Length Footage

29:33 – 2-pad Test

33:14 – Price

34:42 – Weight & Weight Honesty

37:24 – Tent Pegs

39:32 – Ease of Setup

44:09 – Build Quality

47:58 – Pole Quality

51:23 – Rain Test

58:10 – Practical Vestibule Space

1:00:00 – Breathability vs Warmth and the Effect on Condensation

1:02:18 – Zippers

1:02:37 – Practical Fabric Quality

1:03:24 – Fabric Specs

1:11:11 – Freestanding

1:11:21 – Number of Doors

1:11:38 – Ease of Getting In and Out

1:12:35 – Final Rankings

Tue, 26 Jul 2022 09:50:00 -0700

EP 81 – Applying the Lessons Learned from My First Bodybuilding Contest to Becoming a More Successful Hunter

Going through the process of prepping for a bodybuilding contest is one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, and I’ve been lucky enough to do some pretty hard things in my life. I learned a lot about who I am and what it takes to be successful. I thought it would be interesting to see how I could apply those lessons to becoming a better hunter. Here’s what I came up with.

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-81-%e2%80%93-applying-the-lessons-learned-from-my-first-bodybuilding-contest-to-becoming-a-more-successful-hunter/

Thu, 14 Jul 2022 17:03:00 -0700

EP 80 - Complete Back Country Sheep Hunt Food Guide 2022 – Wilderness Athlete Giveaway

Okay, folks so I have put together my nutritional plan for my 2022 solo sheep hunt. I have included macros, micros, electrolytes, and all my supplements. In addition to that, I am reposting my Backcountry Meal Planning Guide for free (link below) and have also teamed up with Wilderness Athlete to give away over $200 worth of supplements.

Giveaway Instructions:

Go to my Instagram page and look for the latest post with the photo of the supplements being given away

https://www.instagram.com/wilderness_athlete/

Make sure you are following me and Wilderness Athlete.

Every person you tag will get you one entry.

Share the post to your story for 5 bonus entries

Leave a rating and review on my podcast for 5 bonus entries

The giveaway is open for 1 week until July 15th

https://wildernessathlete.com/

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Jay Nichol

Merch

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-80-complete-back-country-sheep-hunt-food-guide-2022-%e2%80%93-wilderness-athlete-giveaway/

Thu, 07 Jul 2022 22:40:58 -0700

EP 79 – The Psychology and Gear of Solo Hunting with Trail Kreitzer

This week I had the opportunity to sit down with someone I have looked up to for a long time. Trail Kreitzer is a legitimate backcountry hunter in the truest sense of the words. Not only is he insanely dedicated he is also extremely analytical about his process and his gear. The pack dump videos he does for GoHunt are some of the finest on YouTube. We talked about all kinds of things from the psychology of mentally breaking in the mountains to a deep dive on all sorts of cool gear topics. This may be my favourite episode I’ve recorded to date.

Trail Kreitzer

https://www.instagram.com/trailk11/

https://www.gohunt.com/author/trail-kreitzer

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-79-%e2%80%93-the-psychology-and-gear-of-solo-hunting-with-trail-kreitzer/

Thu, 30 Jun 2022 17:03:00 -0700

EP 78 – Backpacking Camera Gear for Hunting

This week I break down my backpacking camera gear for hunting. I dive into it from both a photography and videography perspective and cover cameras, lenses, power management etc. I also give three different gear lists for three different budgets. Let me know your thoughts.

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-78-%e2%80%93-backpacking-camera-gear-for-hunting/

Fri, 24 Jun 2022 08:56:10 -0700

EP 77 – Fitness For Hunting In The Backcountry Q&A

Time for another solo Q&A episode. This week I answered questions about how to get fit for hunting in the backcountry. I personally believe this is a lot simpler than most people make it out. I discussed everything from training splits to injury recovery and a whole lot in-between. Let me know your thoughts!

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-77-%e2%80%93-fitness-for-hunting-in-the-backcountry-qa/

Thu, 16 Jun 2022 17:03:00 -0700

EP 76 – Living a Life Doing What You Love with Professional Bodybuilder Big Ron Partlow @rep300

This week I sat down with my good friend Big Ron Partlow. Ron owns West Coast Iron, the gym I train at, hosts the podcast It’s Just Bodybuilding, is sponsored by the supplement company Mutant, and is a retired IFBB professional bodybuilder. We had a great conversation and covered things like how Ron started training, bodybuilding in the 90’sand how to build a life doing what you love.

Ron Partlow

https://www.instagram.com/rep300/

It’s Just Bodybuilding Podcast

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/think-big-bodybuilding/id1561623662

https://open.spotify.com/show/0RZgpBPeXPcRLmhG5rDr2X?si=61f14b2ba1484697

West Coast Iron

https://www.westcoastirononline.com/

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-76-%e2%80%93-living-a-life-doing-what-you-love-with-professional-bodybuilder-big-ron-partlow-rep300/

Thu, 09 Jun 2022 17:05:00 -0700

EP 75 - Final Results of The Most Comprehensive Expedition Hunting Pack Review Ever Done

Here are the final results for the most ambitious review I’ve ever attempted. In addition to multiple smaller elements, I looked at load shelf capability and tested 80lbs and 120lbs loads. The results surprised even me. I’d love to hear your comments and feedback and requests for future comparative reviews you’d like to see. I hope you enjoy it.

I reviewed the

Kifaru Fulcrum with Duplex Lite Frame

Stone Glacier Sky Guide 7900 with X-Curve Frame

Mystery Ranch Marshall

Exo K3 6400

Kuiu 7800 Pro

0:16 – Introduction

5:46 – Exo YouTube marketing clarification

6:42 – Kifaru shipping weight clarification

9:48 – Phase 2 testing results

10:35 – Load shelves

18:52 – Colour options

20:42 – Accessories/Customizability

24:50 – Training conversion

27:03 – Warranty

30:04 – Durability

33:05 – Water retention

34:31 – IG Feedback

35:30 – Functional volume

37:41 – Hardware

39:40 – 80lbs comfort rating

44:31 – 120lbs comfort rating

48:09 – Final thoughts

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-75-final-results-of-the-most-comprehensive-expedition-hunting-pack-review-ever-done/

Thu, 02 Jun 2022 17:19:16 -0700

EP 74 – Solocast Q&A

This week I sat down and answered questions off IG. I covered things like tips for new bowhunters, my favourite kind of bear hunting, the software I use to edit videos, how I prefer to butcher meat, and a whole lot more.

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-74-%e2%80%93-solocast-qa/

Thu, 26 May 2022 17:05:00 -0700

The MH Podcast EP 73: Part 1 Of The Most Comprehensive Expedition Hunting Backpack Review Ever Done

Well, here it is! Part 1 of my attempt at the most comprehensive 10-day + hunting backpack review ever done. In this first part, I do an overview of each bag, test out 40lbs loads and look at 14 different individual characteristics of the bags. In part 2 I will continue to add more elements and run 80lbs and 120lbs tests. The results surprised even me. I’d love to hear your comments and feedback and requests for other elements you’d like to see in part 2. I hope you enjoy it.

I reviewed the

Kifaru Fulcrum with Duplex Lite Frame

Stone Glacier Sky Guide 7900 with X-Curve Frame

Mystery Ranch Marshall

Exo K3 6400

Kuiu 7800 Pro

0:00 – Intro

1:45 – Tribalism and marketing

5:15 – Different tools for different jobs

8:05 – Methodology and 5 bags we’re testing

11:05 – Overview of the bags

15:05 – Kuiu Pro 7800

24:42 – Stone Glacier Sky Guide 7900

29:03 – Exo K3 6400

32:15 – Mystery Ranch Marshall

35:36 – Kifaru Fulcrum

38:33 – Price

39:44 – Weight

41:10 – Weight Honesty

45:15 – Volume per pound capacity

46:09 – Shipping Speed

46:55 – Purchase Experience

47:53 – Canadian Bonus

48:47 – Lids

49:58 – Fitting

51:20 – 40lbs Comfort Rating

54:54 – Lateral Stability

56:41 – Vertical Stability

57:40 – Lumbar Pads

1:01:09 – Load Lifter Angle

1:01:38 – The Final Rankings for Part 1

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/the-mh-podcast-ep-73-part-1-of-the-most-comprehensive-expedition-hunting-backpack-review-ever-done/

Thu, 19 May 2022 17:05:00 -0700

EP 72 – Creating Content In The Backcountry with Nick Marchiando

Nick Marchiando is one of my favourite backcountry filmmakers right now. I wanted to sit down with him and pick his brain and hear his story. Nick has a very unique perspective on production and storytelling and we had a great chat.

Nick Marchiando

https://www.instagram.com/nmarchiando/

https://www.instagram.com/backcountrybcandbeyond/

https://www.nickmarchiando.com/

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-72-%e2%80%93-creating-content-in-the-backcountry-with-nick-marchiando/

Thu, 12 May 2022 17:05:00 -0700

EP 71 – How to Best Prepare Your Trophies for the Taxidermist with Ray Wiens

Ray is one of the best Taxidermists I know. I have been taking him my bears for the last 5 years. After getting a ton of questions on how to properly prepare trophies in the field for taxidermy I thought I should just have him on so he could share some of his knowledge and wisdom. I hope we all get a chance this season to utilize some of the techniques Ray shared in this episode. If you like looking at beautiful mounts, I highly recommend following Ray on IG.

Ray Wiens Taxidermy

https://rwtaxidermy.com/

https://www.instagram.com/ray_wiens/

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-71-%e2%80%93-how-to-best-prepare-your-trophies-for-the-taxidermist-with-ray-wiens/

Thu, 05 May 2022 17:04:00 -0700

EP 70 – Back to My Roots: 2022 Solo Sheep Hunt Gear List

I’ve recently re-prioritized what I want to do with the podcast and what type of content I want to create. One of the things that I have always loved and drove the creation of the podcast in the first place was nerding out on gear. With that in mind here’s my gear list for my 2022 solo Stone’s Sheep hunt. You can download it at the link below.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/elijr79tko7krcx/2022%20Sheep%20Hunt_Upload.xlsx?dl=0

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-70-%e2%80%93-back-to-my-roots-2022-solo-sheep-hunt-gear-list/

Thu, 28 Apr 2022 17:05:00 -0700

EP 69 – Documentary Filmmakers Jesse Bone and Tash Baycroft Discuss New Film; Transmission

I had the boys behind Filter Studios over to discuss the release of a very important documentary titled Transmission. There is a pandemic happening amongst wild sheep. The infectious bacteria known as mycoplasma ovipneumoniae (movi) is a deadly bacteria that is passed from domestic sheep to wild sheep. Enter Dr. Helen Schwantje, the lead wildlife veterinarian for the Government of BC and a sheep farmer. Helen is at the forefront of the battle against Movi. Working with a handful of other passionate scientists and volunteers they’re doing what they can to try and stop the spread of this killer. There is no shortage of struggles though… a lack of resources, a lack of public awareness, a lack of proven science, and the biggest foe of all… a lack of time.

http://www.movifree.org/

https://www.instagram.com/movifree/

Main Funding Provided by

Wild Sheep Society of BC

Habitat Conservation Trust Fund

Additional Funding Provided by

Wild Sheep Foundation

Wild Sheep Foundation - Midwest

Wild Sheep Foundation - Alberta

Wild Sheep Foundation - Yukon

Jurassic Classic / Abbotsford Fish and Game Club

Cabelas’ Canada Outdoor Fund Grant

Filter Studios

https://filterstudios.ca/

https://www.instagram.com/filterstudios/

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-69-%e2%80%93-documentary-filmmakers-jesse-bone-and-tash-baycroft-discuss-new-film-transmission/

Thu, 14 Apr 2022 17:05:00 -0700

Monday Night Live Q&A EP 10 with Simon Friesen @backcountrybloodline

Simon and I shoot the shit and answer some questions on this week’s live stream.

Simon Friesen

https://www.instagram.com/backcountrybloodline/

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/monday-night-live-qa-ep-10-with-simon-friesen-backcountrybloodline/

Tue, 12 Apr 2022 06:30:46 -0700

EP 68 – Podcast from The Bow Rack with Kellen from @inside_out_precision

I was lucky enough to drive down to The Bow Rack this week to buy myself a new bow and before I headed down, I hit up Kellen from @inside_out_precision to see if he’d be down for a podcast. We talked about his background in hunting, his history in competitive and scholastic archery and then we nerded out on archery in general. This is a great podcast for anyone looking to dive a little deeper into this sport we love.

Kellen

https://www.instagram.com/inside_out_precision/

https://www.youtube.com/c/InsideOutPrecision

https://insideoutprecision.com/

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-68-%e2%80%93-podcast-from-the-bow-rack-with-kellen-from-inside_out_precision/

Thu, 07 Apr 2022 17:05:00 -0700

Monday Night Live Q&A EP 09 with Greg Johnston @johnston_outdoors

Greg and I shoot the shit and answer some questions on this week’s live stream.

Greg Johnston

https://www.instagram.com/johnston_outdoors/

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/monday-night-live-qa-ep-09-with-greg-johnston-johnston_outdoors/

Tue, 05 Apr 2022 06:22:45 -0700

EP 67 – Hunting and Entrepreneurship with Cody Rich @therichoutdoors

Cody Rich started one of the original hunting podcasts @therichoutdoors 7 years ago. Since then, the podcast has grown and evolved, and he also started up a second outdoors-based business – @backcountryfuelbox I wanted to talk with Cody to see what his original motivations were with entrepreneurship and how he was able to craft a lifestyle that let him hunt as much as possible. The conversation did not disappoint. Cody has now started a new project – The Rich Ideas Lab, to help other outdoors enthusiasts start their own entrepreneurial journeys and you can find out more at the links below.

Cody Rich

https://www.instagram.com/therichoutdoors/

https://backcountryfuelbox.com/

https://community.richideaslab.com/

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-67-%e2%80%93-hunting-and-entrepreneurship-with-cody-rich-therichoutdoors/

Thu, 31 Mar 2022 17:01:00 -0700

Virtual Route Planning Webinar - Google Earth, Fat Maps, ONX etc. The MH Podcast MNL Ep 08

I spend some time sharing how I use various applications to plan backcountry routes when there are no trails available. This episode is best viewed on YouTube https://youtu.be/sxmKrW5LGW0

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/virtual-route-planning-webinar-google-earth-fat-maps-onx-etc-the-mh-podcast-mnl-ep-08/

Tue, 29 Mar 2022 06:29:03 -0700

EP 66 – Family First with Greg Rensmaag @grensmaag

This week I had the opportunity to sit down with Greg Rensmaag. Greg is a true BC hunter in the best way possible. He grew up hunting with his dad and now spends most of his time in the outdoors raising his kids the same way. In the age of social media and technology, it was refreshing to talk with a man whose primary motivations when hunting are stronger connections with his family.

Greg Rensmaag

https://www.instagram.com/grensmaag/?hl=en

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-65-%e2%80%93-family-first-with-greg-rensmaag-grensmaag/

Thu, 24 Mar 2022 20:02:55 -0700

Monday Night Live Q&A EP 07

I’m solo for this week’s live stream so I hit up a bunch of Q&A.

Wild Sheep Society Act Now!

https://www.wildsheepsociety.com/actnow/

Howl Campaign

https://www.howlforwildlife.org/bcpeace

BC Gov’t Site

https://apps.nrs.gov.bc.ca/ahte/content/close-peace-caribou-hunts-and-reduce-peace-moose-hunts-region-wide

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/monday-night-live-qa-ep-07/

Tue, 22 Mar 2022 11:08:25 -0700

EP 65 – The SuperCast: BC podcasters against proposed Region 7B changes, Beyond the Kill, Come Out Heavy, Silvercore, Talk is Sheep, Eat Wild, Focus Hunting, Wilderness Locals, Hunt Hard Talk Free

Due to our opposition of the proposed changes to regulations in region 7B we all decided to get together and do one massive podcast. It was my first time meeting some of these guys. It was great to get together with like-minded individuals and discuss things that matter to us all. See the links below to take action!

Wild Sheep Society Act Now!

https://www.wildsheepsociety.com/actnow/

Howl Campaign

https://www.howlforwildlife.org/bcpeace

BC Gov’t Site

https://apps.nrs.gov.bc.ca/ahte/content/close-peace-caribou-hunts-and-reduce-peace-moose-hunts-region-wide

Google the podcast names below for further info about each of them.

Beyond The Kill

Come Out Heavy

Silvercore

Talk is Sheep

Eat Wild

Focus Hunting

Wilderness Locals

Hunt Hard Talk Free

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-65%e2%80%93-the-supercast-bcpodcasters-againstproposed-region7b-changes-beyondthe-killcomeout-heavysilvercore-talk-issheep-eat-wild-focus-huntin/

Thu, 17 Mar 2022 17:01:00 -0700

Monday Night Live Q&A EP 06 with Dylan Drego @dylan.drego

On this week’s live podcast, I sat down with my buddy Dylan and we had a great chat. Got a little philosophical on this one.

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/monday-night-live-qa-ep-06-with-dylan-drego-dylandrego/

Tue, 15 Mar 2022 10:13:23 -0700

EP 64 – Alaskan Moose, Axis Bucks and Aoudad with Sean Curran @missions_hawaii

Sean lives on Maui but makes travelling on adventure hunts a priority. I’ve been wanting to have this conversation for a while. I love following along on Sean’s IG stories when he goes on hunts. We had a great chat where we covered some technical archery info and Sean told a couple badass hunting stories as well.

Sean Curran

https://www.instagram.com/missions_hawaii/

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-64-%e2%80%93-alaskan-moose-axis-bucks-and-aoudad-with-sean-curran-missions_hawaii/

Thu, 10 Mar 2022 16:05:00 -0800

Monday Night Live Q&A EP 05

On this week’s live podcast, I discussed a warranty issue I’m going through with Zeiss, my thoughts on the latest goat hunting film from Kifaru, an update detailing progress towards my bodybuilding show, quilts vs. sleeping bags, and a whole lot more! Tune into YouTube every Monday at 8:30 pm PST for the live show.

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/monday-night-live-qa-ep-05/

Tue, 08 Mar 2022 09:39:53 -0800

EP 63 – Black Bear Masterclass with Jeff Lander @primitive

Jeff is one of my best friends and likely the most impactful mentor I have had during my hunting journey. It all started with my first archery hunt for black bear up at his camp. So, I could not think of a better topic to invite Jeff on to talk about than how to kill big, mature boars. He certainly did not disappoint.

Jeff Lander

http://www.primitive-outfitting.com/

https://www.instagram.com/primitve/

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-63-%e2%80%93-black-bear-masterclass-with-jeff-lander-primitive/

Thu, 03 Mar 2022 17:45:37 -0800

Monday Night Live Q&A EP 04

A weekly hunting-focused live stream where I answer listener questions. This week we're joined by Greg Johnston @johnston_outdoors

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/monday-night-live-qa-ep-04/

Tue, 01 Mar 2022 06:29:23 -0800

EP 62 Achieving Your Potential with Dan Staton @elkshape

This week Dan Staton aka @elkshape joins us on the podcast. Dan is someone I have followed for a long time and one of the things that I respect about him is the consistency of his message. He has been saying the same things for years and with good reason. They’re true. I also admire that Dan doesn’t offer to sell a quick fix. In his own words – Dan sells hard work. We had a great chat covering things like exercise physiology, the mental challenges of solo hunting, and how to have a long career in the mountains.

Dan Staton

https://elkshape.com/

https://www.instagram.com/elkshape/

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-62-achieving-your-potential-with-dan-staton-elkshape/

Thu, 24 Feb 2022 16:05:00 -0800

Monday Night Live Q&A EP 03

On this week’s live podcast, I give some updates about changes in my diet and the results you can get when you’re extremely disciplined. After that, I dove straight into the Q&A addressing the following questions. Why did I enter a bodybuilding show? What to do when you’re hunting in Grizzly bear country? Do I use zip-off base layers? How should I stalk Black Bears? Do I wear ear pro when hunting with my rifle? What battery packs am I going to use on my sheep hunt? Tune into YouTube every Monday at 8:30 pm PST for the live show.

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/monday-night-live-qa-ep-03/

Tue, 22 Feb 2022 06:27:42 -0800

EP 61 – Simon’s First Archery Buck @backcountrybloodline

Simon joins us for his second appearance on the podcast. We get into the story of how Simon shot his first archery buck this fall. In addition to that, we cover a variety of topics including why we love the backcountry, is a nose button worth it and what Simon’s archery practice regime is.

Simon

https://www.instagram.com/backcountrybloodline/

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-61-%e2%80%93-simon-s-first-archery-buck-backcountrybloodline/

Thu, 17 Feb 2022 16:05:00 -0800

Monday Night Live Q&A EP 02

On this week’s live podcast, I cover the potentially controversial changes to the moose and caribou regulations in the northeast. I also answer some listener questions including, best beginner bow, tips on archery practice, which scope I’m putting on my 300 PRC, and some bino and shelter recommendations. Tune into YouTube every Monday at 8:30 pm PST for the live show.

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/monday-night-live-qa-ep-02/

Tue, 15 Feb 2022 05:57:11 -0800

EP 60 – A Life of Adventure with Greg McHale @gregmchaleswildyukon

Greg is well known for both his illustrious career in adventure racing and his popular hunting show Greg McHale’s Wild Yukon. Greg has a wealth of experience in the backcountry and has really dedicated himself to achieving excellence for not only himself but for everyone around him. I really enjoyed this conversation and found Greg to be a smart, self-aware, and humble guy.

Greg McHale

https://www.instagram.com/gregmchaleswildyukon/

https://www.gregmchaleswildyukon.com/

Greg’s DIY Sncaks

https://www.kuiu.com/blogs/hunting-tips/nutrition-for-mountain-hunting-eating-on-the-go

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-60-%e2%80%93-a-life-of-adventure-with-greg-mchale-gregmchaleswildyukon/

Thu, 10 Feb 2022 16:05:00 -0800

Monday Night Live Q&A EP 01

Weekly Q&A focused on hunting, fitness, videography, cooking, and a variety of other topics.

Jay Nichol jay@mindfulhunter.com https://www.mindfulhunter.com/

Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools

Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/

Podcast https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/monday-night-live-qa-ep-01/

Tue, 08 Feb 2022 05:58:19 -0800

EP 59 – Deep Timber Mule Deer with Jordan from @bcbackcountry

The last time Jordan was on we focused the discussion solely on elk. This time we flipped the focus to mule deer. Jordan has taken some very impressive bucks out of some very challenging country, and he shared a wealth of his experience and favourite tactics. If you are even remotely interested in hunting mule deer then I highly recommend you give this episode a listen.

Jordan

https://www.instagram.com/bcbackcountry

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-59-%e2%80%93-deep-timber-mule-deer-with-jordan-from-bcbackcountry/

Thu, 03 Feb 2022 16:05:00 -0800

EP 58 – Deep Dive on Sharpening with Hap from @nanohone

This week I sat down with Hap from Nano Hone to really nerd out on sharpening and the science of abrasive surfaces. Hap is deeply passionate about his work and has built a business specializing in innovative abrasive surfaces used to sharpen various types of steel. Not only was Hap full of knowledge but he was able to communicate it in a very digestible way. I highly recommend taking a look at some of his products the next time you’re in need of some sharpening tools.

Hap Stanley

https://www.instagram.com/nanohone/

https://nanohone.com/

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-58-%e2%80%93-deep-dive-on-sharpening-with-hap-from-nanohone/

Thu, 27 Jan 2022 16:05:00 -0800

EP 57 – Bladesmith And Entrepreneur Tanner Dannish @frontiersmangear

This week I sat down with Tanner Dannish, the founder of Frontiersman gear which is a local BC custom knife and leather goods shop. Tanner is not only a skilled craftsman but an accomplished hunter as well. His unique take on custom knives was quite refreshing to hear in an era when we are surrounded by disposable products. We covered a variety of topics including blade selection, aspects of different metals, sharpening techniques, and much more.

Tanner Dannish

https://www.instagram.com/frontiersmengear/

https://frontiersmengear.ca/

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-57-%e2%80%93-bladesmith-and-entrepreneur-tanner-dannish-frontiersmangear/

Thu, 20 Jan 2022 16:05:00 -0800

EP 56 – Live from Sheep Week with Rachel Ahtila @rachelahtila

I had the opportunity to sit down with Rachel Ahtila this week. Rachel has been guiding mountain hunting for over 10 years and has a wealth of experience across all areas of hunting. She has recently taken joint management of a fantastic bear area in Saskatchewan and was down in Reno when we spoke to help support conservation efforts and set up a booth for Bear Pro Safaris. It was a pleasure to talk with Rachel, I highly recommend giving her a follow if you don’t already and if a giant Saskatchewan bear is on your hit list shoot her a message.

Rachel Ahtila

https://www.instagram.com/rachelahtila/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC67yOXGIYLLK2xtUvohSA6A

Bear Pro Safaris

https://www.instagram.com/bearprosafaris/

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-56-%e2%80%93-live-from-sheep-week-with-rachel-ahtila-rachelahtila/

Thu, 13 Jan 2022 16:05:00 -0800

EP 55 – Solocast: My Hunt Plans for 2022 And Why I am Cancelling My Goat Hunt

Well, it’s that time of year again to layout the calendar and start booking some time off work. In this podcast, I go over my hunt plans for 2022 and get into why I decided to cancel my goat hunt for this winter.

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-55-%e2%80%93-solocast-my-hunt-plans-for-2022-and-why-i-am-cancelling-my-goat-hunt/

Thu, 06 Jan 2022 16:05:00 -0800

EP 54 – Hunting, Guiding and Life with Nolan Osborne @nmo

I’ve been wanting to have Nolan on the podcast for a while and the conversation we had didn’t disappoint. Nolan was the first guy I called when I first started planning my winter goat hunt and considering we had never met he was extremely generous with his time and experience. Nolan is also the co-host of the Beyond The Kill podcast and is a sound voice for hunters across BC. I’m grateful for the insights he shared on this episode and I think there is something in here for everyone.

Nolan Osborne

https://www.instagram.com/nmo/

Journal of Mountain Hunting & Beyond The Kill Podcast

https://journalofmountainhunting.com/category/podcast/

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-54-%e2%80%93-hunting-guiding-and-life-with-nolan-osborne-nmo/

Thu, 30 Dec 2021 16:16:59 -0800

EP 53 – Solocast From Mexico: My First Whitetail Hunt

I’m down in Mexico with the family on vacation so I snuck away for an hour and recorded a solocast breaking down my recent whitetail hunt. I go over the gear I used, the lessons I learned, and the outcome of the hunt. I hope everyone is having a great holiday season.

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-53-%e2%80%93-solocast-from-mexico-my-first-whitetail-hunt/

Thu, 23 Dec 2021 16:39:04 -0800

EP 52 – First Backcountry Adventures and Big Whitetails with Bob Stecher @hankmoody5

I just got back from my late-season archery whitetail hunt and while I was in camp I had the good fortune to sit down with my buddy Bob Stecher. Bob is a hockey coach who dove back into hunting about 5 years ago and is about as obsessed as I am. We had a great chat and Bob shared an awesome story about recently getting his first whitetail.

Bob Stecher

https://www.instagram.com/hankmoody5

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-52-%e2%80%93-first-backcountry-adventures-and-big-whitetails-with-bob-stecher-hankmoody5/

Thu, 16 Dec 2021 16:05:00 -0800

EP 51 – The Backcountry And The Digital Frontier with Jeff Agostinho @jeffagostinho

This week I had the opportunity to sit down with Jeff Agostinho. Jeff has made a name for himself in B.C. for being not only a legitimate backcountry hunter but also a stalwart conservationist. We got into Jeff’s background, some gear recommendations, and a deep dive on social media and the role it plays in our hunting culture. Jeff is an intelligent guy with some very interesting perspectives, if you don’t follow him already I highly recommend it.

Jeff Agostinho

https://www.instagram.com/jeffagostinho/

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-51-%e2%80%93-the-backcountry-and-the-digital-frontier-with-jeff-agostinho-jeffagostinho/

Thu, 09 Dec 2021 16:05:00 -0800

EP 50 – Traeger Guru Garth Tolmie @garthsoutdoors

Cooking was a big reason why I started Mindful Hunter. I love cooking for my friends and family and there’s no better way to expose people to wild game than a phenomenally cooked creative dish. My friend Garth epitomizes this value and is an absolute master with the Traeger pellet grill. Even if you don’t consider yourself a serious cook, you’re going to get something from this episode. Go give Garth a follow, he’s always posting great ideas and recipes.

Black Friday sale is on. Use code BLACK20 for 20% off all merch

Garth Tolmie

https://www.instagram.com/garthsoutdoors

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-50-%e2%80%93-traeger-guru-garth-tolmie-garthsoutdoors/

Thu, 02 Dec 2021 16:05:00 -0800

EP 49 – Solocast: Sleep Systems 101, sleeping bags, pads, treated down, synthetic etc.

I’m back with another solocast this week. This one was a quickie but a goodie. I give my thoughts on sleep systems and what choices I’d make under a variety of different conditions.

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-49-%e2%80%93-solocast-sleep-systems-101-sleeping-bags-pads-treated-down-synthetic-etc/

Thu, 25 Nov 2021 16:01:00 -0800

EP 48 – Solocast: Shelters 101 Tarps, Tipis, Tents, Stoves, Hammocks and Bivy’s

I’m back with another solocast this week. As always, I touch on diet, training, and some cool gear info but the big topic this week is shelters. I get into all the details about what types of factors affect which shelter you should use and give you some recommendations around which shelters I would start with and then how I approach adding to the collection.

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-48-%e2%80%93-solocast-shelters-101-tarps-tipis-tents-stoves-hammocks-and-bivy-s/

Thu, 18 Nov 2021 15:52:27 -0800

EP 47 – Risk Mitigation and Winter Goat Hunting with John Barklow @jbarklow

This week I got to sit down with John Barklow. John is well known in the hunting industry for his vast knowledge of technical apparel, alpinism, and the time he spent in the Navy at the Special Warfare Center teaching Navy Seals how to survive in the cold. While the two main topics we dove into were risk mitigation and winter mountain goat hunting the conversation diverged across several interesting subjects. You might need to listen to this one twice to catch all the info. If you don’t already follow John on IG I highly recommend you start immediately as the quality of information he puts out for free on a regular basis is impressive. Also, John’s new website, Knowledge From Storms is a great place to find a wealth of backcountry guidance for free.

John Barklow

https://www.instagram.com/jbarklow/

Website

https://knowledgefromstorms.com/

Apparel

https://www.sitkagear.com/

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-47-%e2%80%93-risk-mitigation-and-winter-goat-hunting-with-john-barklow-jbarklow/

Thu, 11 Nov 2021 17:00:00 -0800

EP 46 – An Epic Northern BC Goat Hunt with @tannisrae

This week I got to sit down with Tannis and discuss her successful 2021 BC Goat hunt. We also discussed how she hiked in 50kms with her husband for her ram and how having brothers focused on hockey she was able to nudge her Dad to first get her into hunting. Tannis is a great example of a thoughtful, driven hunter and I had a great time talking with her.

Tannis

https://www.instagram.com/tannisrae

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-46-%e2%80%93-an-epic-northern-bc-goat-hunt-with-tannisrae/

Thu, 04 Nov 2021 17:00:00 -0700

EP 45 – Spencer’s Back! Sheep Hunting, Wrangling and Heading Out on A Mule Deer Hunt

Spencer is back from wrangling for the season, and I got him down to the studio for a catch-up. We go over our last sheep hunt, his experiences up north this year, and the mule deer hunt that we’re heading out on.

Spencer Miller

https://www.instagram.com/spencergordonmiller

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-45-%e2%80%93-spencer-s-back-sheep-hunting-wrangling-and-heading-out-on-a-mule-deer-hunt/

Thu, 28 Oct 2021 17:01:00 -0700

EP 44 – Solocast: Late Season Alpine Mule Deer Gear List Deep-Dive

I’m heading out on Sunday morning with Spencer to chase Mule Deer for a week in the alpine. It’s a new area for both of us and the weather is looking terrible. The perfect recipe for a great hunt. In this episode, I go through my entire gear list and get into the rationale for most of my decisions. I’m going to be trying out the new Aerolite sleep system from Sitka on this hunt along with some other new gear so it should make for some good reviews when I get back.

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-44-%e2%80%93-solocast-late-season-alpine-mule-deer-gear-list-deep-dive/

Thu, 21 Oct 2021 17:00:00 -0700

EP 43 – Preparedness And A Warrior Mindset For Hunters With Mike Glover @mike.a.glover

Mike Glover is the founder and CEO of Fieldcraft Survival. He spent 18 years in the military and served as a SGM in the special forces and worked for an OGA. I have wanted to get Mike on since I started this podcast as I believe his philosophies on mindset and preparedness can be extremely useful for hunters. It was a pleasure and an honour to have this conversation.

Mike Glover

https://www.instagram.com/mike.a.glover/

https://www.instagram.com/fieldcraftsurvival/

https://fieldcraftsurvival.com/

Timestamps:

0:00 - Intros

1:15 – Mike’s recent mule deer hunt

7:49 – The journey of creating Fieldcraft Survival

18:12 – Acclimating to the real world after combat

20:14 – Learning resources and mentors

23:25 – The business of building community

34:45 – Maintaining commitment in the face of adversity

42:10 – Lessons in discipline from the tomb of the unknowns

47:07 – Self-awareness during fight, flight or freeze

1:02:00 – Where to start with preparedness

1:07:08 – How to bring the family into preparedness

1:11:36 – Mike’s reading list

1:14:46 – Bare essential med kit for hunting

1:16:55 – Strategic planning for hunters

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-43-%e2%80%93-preparedness-and-a-warrior-mindset-for-hunters-with-mike-glover-mikeaglover/

Thu, 14 Oct 2021 17:00:00 -0700

EP 42 – Solocast: WTF Does Crypto Have to Do with Hunting?

Well, I decided to take a hard left turn this week and discuss crypto currencies. If you’re curious how I tie this back into hunting then have a listen.

Jay Nichol

Merch

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Newsletter

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact

Podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-42-%e2%80%93-solocast-wtf-does-crypto-have-to-do-with-hunting/

Thu, 07 Oct 2021 17:00:00 -0700

EP 41 – Guiding, Ego Awareness and How to Kill the Right Sheep with Nathan French @nathanfrench7

I had the pleasure to sit down with Nathan and really dig into his background, how his outlook on hunting has changed over the years, his deep technical knowledge of aging sheep and a variety of other topics. Nathan has a great ability to be objective about his own development over the years and I learned a lot from this conversation.

Nathan French

https://www.instagram.com/nathanfrench7/

Jay Nichol

jay@mindfulhunter.com

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/

Merch

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools

https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/

Podcast

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-41-%e2%80%93-guiding-ego-awareness-and-how-to-kill-the-right-sheep-with-nathan-french-nathanfrench7/

Thu, 30 Sep 2021 17:00:00 -0700

EP 40 – Everything You Need to Know about Steroids, TRT and Human Growth Hormone

This has been one of the most widely requested topics to date. I get into a deep dive focused primarily on TRT but also giving some context by discussing other compounds in the steroid family tree and the role HGH plays in longevity and physical performance. I am not a doctor, and this is not medical advice. I am not giving recommendations of any kind and I am only sharing my own experience and research. Always consult a medical doctor before considering any of the therapies discussed on this podcast.

Timestamps:

0:00 – Intro

2:10 – Training and diet update

5:45 – weBoost Drive Reach signal booster review

7:32 – Disclaimer

9:11 – Ancillary supplementation

11:25 – TRT Overview

26:45 – Aromatase Inhibitors

32:00 – UGL vs. Pharma

36:32 – The Steroid Family Tree

47:32 – Growth Hormone

57:20 – Recap

Jay Nichol

jay@mindfulhunter.com

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/

Merch

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools

https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/

Podcast

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-40-%e2%80%93-everything-you-need-to-know-about-steroids-trt-and-human-growth-hormone/

Thu, 23 Sep 2021 17:00:00 -0700

EP 39 - How to Consistently Kill Elk in BC with Jordan and Ryan from @bcbackcountry

This was one of my favourite podcasts to date. I’ve been wanting to chat with these guys ever since I started following them on IG over 5 years ago. To me, Jordan and Ryan epitomize what it means to be a true BC hunter. They go into some of the toughest spots in BC and regularly come out with respectable elk. That is one of my own goals that I have yet to achieve so I was personally very interested in this conversation. If you ever have plans of elk hunting in BC then this podcast is a must listen.

Timestamps:

0:00 – Intro

2:08 – Jordan and Ryan’s background

12:28 – Applying traditional strategies to BC terrain and dense undergrowth

19:06 – Challenges with the 6-point limit

25:25 – Ideal scope magnification

27:38 – Underage sheep and how to approach killing the right animals

35:56 – Camping and hiking strategies

50:30 – Calling strategies

1:04:40 – The strategy for the @bcbackcountry IG page

1:11:11 – Jordon’s opinion on trophy hunting

1:13:00 – Who’s the better hunter? 😊

1:14:40 – Identifying new hunt areas

1:16:51 – Bino recommendations

Jordan and Ryan on IG

@bcbackcountry

Jay Nichol

jay@mindfulhunter.com

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/

Merch

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools

https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/

Podcast

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-39-how-to-consistently-kill-elk-in-bc-with-jordan-and-ryan-from-bcbackcountry/

Thu, 16 Sep 2021 17:00:00 -0700

EP 38 – Solocast: Q&A

Back with another bi-weekly solocast. This week I dive into the difference between Myofibrillar and Sarcoplasmic Hypertrophy and get into a handful of listener questions.

Timestamps:

0:00 – Intro

0:22 – Sheep Hunt film update

3:06 – Myofibrillar vs Sarcoplasmic Hypertrophy

11:07 – My current training split

19:32 – My current diet

21:25 – New gear highlight: MSR Dromlite 6L

23:25 – Cost of a sheep hunt

30:28 – My thoughts on trail cameras

35:02 – Vitamin suggestions

42:25 – Biggest challenge when hunting solo

45:17 – Limited to bodyweight training

48:49 – Kelvin active jacket vs Kelvin active hoody

52:02 – Best way to hunt cougars without dogs

53:26 – Pack weight for a 5 day late season alpine mule deer hunt

Jay Nichol

jay@mindfulhunter.com

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/

Merch

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools

https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/

Podcast

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-38-%e2%80%93-solocast-qa/

Thu, 09 Sep 2021 17:00:00 -0700

EP 37 – The Founder of the Journal of Mountain Hunting and Beyond the Kill Adam Janke @journal_mtn_hunting

This week I got to sit down with my good friend Adam Janke. Adam is not only a dedicated life-long hunter, but he also founded the Journal of Mountain Hunting online magazine and the Beyond the Kill podcast. Both of which are staples of the BC hunting community. We had a great chat about how he got both those projects off the ground, some of the challenges he faced, and we even dove into his most recent sheep hunt. If you don’t follow the Journal or BTK already I highly recommend both.

Timestamps:

0:00 – Intros

5:42 – Adam’s hunting background

16:25 – The founding of the Journal

46:25 – The founding of the BTK podcast

54:30 – Sheep hunt updates

Adam Janke

https://journalofmountainhunting.com/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/journal_mtn_hunting

Jay Nichol

jay@mindfulhunter.com

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/

Merch

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools

https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/

Podcast

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-37-%e2%80%93-the-founder-of-the-journal-of-mountain-hunting-and-beyond-the-kill-adam-janke-journal_mtn_hunting/

Thu, 02 Sep 2021 13:00:00 -0700

EP 36 – The return of the solocast: Sheep Hunt debrief and plans for the channel

It’s time to get back to my roots. Just me, a mic, and you folks. After the sheep hunt, I wanted to take the time to share my plans for the channel and where I see things going from here. I also get into my own fitness and nutrition plans and give a high-level breakdown of how the sheep hunt went.

Jay Nichol

jay@mindfulhunter.com

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/

Merch

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools

https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/

Podcast

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-36-%e2%80%93-the-return-of-the-solocast-sheep-hunt-debrief-and-plans-for-the-channel/

Thu, 26 Aug 2021 17:00:00 -0700

EP 35 – Q&A with the Sheep Hunting Crew Tristan & Spencer

In this episode, I sit down with my sheep hunting partners Tristan and Spencer. With only 48 hours until we leave on our Stone’s hunt in the Northern Rockies, we thought it would be fun to answer some questions and talk about our final preparations. Podcast will be taking a two-week break following this episode while I’m in the mountains.

Tristan Bucchiotti

@tristan_bucchiotti

Spencer Miller

@spencergordonmiller

Jay Nichol

@mindful_hunter

jay@mindfulhunter.com

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-35-%e2%80%93-qa-with-the-sheep-hunting-crew-tristan-spencer/

Thu, 05 Aug 2021 17:05:00 -0700

EP 34 – The Vegetarian Wife of a Hunter with Noa Nichol @vitadaily.ca

In this episode, I sit down with my vegetarian wife Noa, @vitadaily.ca Over the years I’ve been asked what it’s like to be a hunter who is married to a vegetarian. I figured it would be more interesting to ask the vegetarian what it’s like to be married to a hunter. My wife is a very intelligent, thoughtful woman and we had a great conversation.

Noa Nichol

@vitadaily.ca

Jay Nichol

@mindful_hunter

jay@mindfulhunter.com

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-34-%e2%80%93-the-vegetarian-wife-of-a-hunter-with-noa-nichol-vitadailyca/

0:00 – Intro

1:30 – How we met

7:00 – When and why Noa became a vegetarian

9:00 – Noa’s opinion on hunting before we met

11:10 – Noa’s reaction when I started hunting

23:29 – Our kid eating meat

26:07 – Our kid and hunting

27:45 – How we negotiate time away and finances

32:50 – Being present before and after hunts

38:00 – Restarting Mindful Hunter

43:09 – Making space for each other

45:10 – Has meat hunting changed the perspective of hunting?

49:25 – How can a vegetarian be married to a hunter?

51:10 – How do you manage cooking in your household?

55:48 – Taxidermy in the house

Thu, 29 Jul 2021 16:45:00 -0700

EP 33 – Rebuilding Arcadia with Ben Stourac @arcadiaoutfitting

In this episode, I sit down with the owner of Arcadia Outfitting Ben Stourac. Ben’s entire base camo was recently destroyed in the McKay fire that swept through a large section of country north of Lillooet. We had a great chat about Ben’s history, what it took to build Arcadia in the first place and what Ben’s plans are to rebuild after the devastation of the fire. If you’d like to support you can go to Arcadia’s IG page and hit the GoFundMe link in the bio.

Ben Stourac

@arcadiaoutfitting

Jay Nichol

@mindful_hunter

jay@mindfulhunter.com

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-33-%e2%80%93-rebuilding-arcadia-with-ben-stourac-arcadiaoutfitting/

0:00 – Intro

2:45 – Impact of Covid on Outfitters

8:00 – The devastating force of a forest fire

11:46 – Ben’s background

15:38 – How much is an outfitting concession worth?

20:54 – Movi, covid and fire

24:30 – The species that Arcadia hunts

26:45 – The impact of Movi on sheep populations

33:15 – Ben’s personal hunting intersts

44:09 – Ben’s tips for sheep hunters

54:00 – Insuring a remote camp

59:20 – Challenges with relocating and rebuilding Arcadia

1:20:00 – Ben’s closing thoughts

Thu, 22 Jul 2021 16:43:00 -0700

EP 32 – Faith, Family and Hunting with Dylan Drego @dylan.drego

In this episode, I sit down with my good buddy Dylan Drego. We’ve known each other for a few years now and have been fortunate to chase some elk together. We got into a great chat about what hunting means to us and even share a couple good stories.

Dylan Drego

@dylan.drego

@mindful_hunter

jay@mindfulhunter.com

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-32-%e2%80%93-faith-family-and-hunting-with-dylan-drego-dylandrego/

2:00 – Intro

2:53 – Common connection – Joel Turner

9:13 – Dylan’s hunting history

15:40 – Practical steps to start hunting

22:47 – New game cam laws in AZ

30:25 – More practical insights

51:14 – The role hunting plays in Dylan’s life now

1:03:49 – Our elk hunt together

1:26:11 – Dylan’s hunt plans this year

Thu, 15 Jul 2021 16:45:00 -0700

EP 31 – Texan Hunter Lyndsey Kotrla @lyndseykotrla

In this episode, I sit down with Lyndsey Kotrla. I have followed Lyndsey on social media for quite a while and I have always been impressed with her work ethic and the way she carries herself as a woman in the hunting space. We get into her family’s background in farming and hunting, her views on women and hunting on social media, and a variety of other interesting topics. If you do not already follow her, I highly recommend it.

Lyndsey Kotrla

@lyndseykotrla

@mindful_hunter

jay@mindfulhunter.com

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-31-%e2%80%93-texan-hunter-lyndsey-kotrla-lyndseykotrla/

0:00 – Intro

0:42 – Jay's Texas story

6:20 – Lyndsey’s background and the importance of work ethic

14:34 – History of hunting in the Kotrla family

25:10 – Whitetail and yearly hunting plans

32:00 – Hunting on Molokai

41:45 – Discussing women in hunting

Thu, 08 Jul 2021 16:45:00 -0700

EP 30 – Semi-Live Spring Bear Hunt Doubleheader

Welcome back to another semi-live hunt podcast. For those unfamiliar with this style of podcast, I bring an audio recorder with me on my hunt and do my best to break it out a few times a day and tell the story of the hunt in audio format as things unfold in real-time. On this particular episode I find myself up north in the Prince George region hunting bears and I can say I definitely saw my fair share of action.

@mindful_hunter

jay@mindfulhunter.com

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-30-%e2%80%93-semi-live-spring-bear-hunt-doubleheader/

0:00 – Intro day 1

2:28 – I love the drive

6:31 – The impact of language in hunting

28:40 – Wrap up of day 1

37:20 – Day 2

42:28 – Thoughts on logging roads

48:07 – Wrap up of day 2

59:30 – Day 3

1:03:50 – Wrap up day 3

1:09:06 – Day 4

1:15:01 – Day 5 telling the story of the doubleheader

1:26:26 – Thoughts on the drive home

Thu, 01 Jul 2021 16:45:00 -0700

EP 29 – The Woman who Brought Hilleberg Tents to North America with Petra Hilleberg

In this episode, I sat down with Petra Hilleberg, the CEO and daughter of the founders of Hilleberg Tents. We had a great discussion covering topics like what it was like to grow up a Hilleberg, how Petra brought Hilleberg tents to North America and the technical differences between their product offerings. Petra is an incredibly intelligent and thoughtful leader, and it was a pleasure to talk with her.

@mindful_hunter

jay@mindfulhunter.com

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-28-%e2%80%93-the-woman-who-brought-hilleberg-tents-to-north-america-with-petra-hilleberg/

@hilleberg_hunting

https://hilleberg.com/

0:00 – Intro

2:14 – What it was like growing up a Hilleberg

5:15 – Petra’s passion for the outdoors

7:18 – The growth of Hilleberg

9:00 – The importance of quality

14:50 – Petra’s career path

16:25 – Bringing Hilleberg to North America

21:45 – Problems with Canadian distribution

25:00 – Petra’s transition to CEO and thoughts on leadership

28:30 – Goals for the next 10 years

31:20 – Covid’s impact on the outdoors industry

34:20 – Hilleberg supporting hunting

37:20 – The 4 different tent labels: Blue, Black, Red, Yellow

49:20 – Pick a tent game

56:00 – Repair times

58:43 – Surprises

Thu, 24 Jun 2021 16:45:00 -0700

EP 28 – Sheep Hunt Gear Chat with Hunting Partners Tristan and Spencer

In this episode, I sat down with my hunting partners for my upcoming sheep hunt Tristan and Spencer. We did a deep dive into our gear lists and figured out what we’re still missing and what we may leave behind.

@mindful_hunter

jay@mindfulhunter.com

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-28-%e2%80%93-sheep-hunt-gear-chat-with-hunting-partners-tristan-and-spencer/

0:00 – Intro

2:50 – Packs

8:57 – Camp and sleeping gear

13:30 – Worn clothing and gear

23:16 – Packed clothing and gear

31:50 – Optics

39:10 – Weapon and camera gear

45:42 – Miscellaneous gear

53:37 – Cook kit

58:26 – Safety gear

1:03:00 – Food

1:15:00 – Training updates

Thu, 17 Jun 2021 16:45:00 -0700

EP 27 – Backcountry Nutrition and Supplementation with Kevin Guillen from Wilderness Athlete

In this episode, I sat down with Kevin Guillen from Wilderness Athlete, and we had a great conversation about nutrition and supplementation for the hunting athlete. Regardless of what products you choose to use there are tons of nuggets in this podcast highlighting ways you can increase your performance and recovery for both training and backcountry hunting.

Kevin Guillen

@wildathlete

@wildernessathlete

www.wildernessathlete.com

@mindful_hunter

jay@mindfulhunter.com

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-27-%e2%80%93-backcountry-nutrition-and-supplementation-with-kevin-guillen-from-wilderness-athlete/

0:00 – Intro

1:54 – Kevin’s introduction to the outdoors

4:50 – The evolution of Wilderness Athlete

7:11 – WA’s approach to marketing and brand identity

17:10 – The importance of the non-hunting outdoor enthusiast

27:56 – Training protocols

35:20 – Training supplementation

43:10 – The importance of hydration

51:50 – Backcountry supplementation

1:03:05 – New products and nootropics

Thu, 10 Jun 2021 16:45:00 -0700

EP 26 – Staying Focused on What Really Matters with Nick Trehearne @nicktrehearne

In this episode, I sat down with Nick Trehearne. Nick is a very intelligent guy with some unique perspectives on hunting and photography. I was really impressed with his focus and clarity of vision for what he creates and how he builds relationships. If you don’t already follow Nick his info is listed down below.

Nick Trehearne

@nicktrehearne

www.nicktrehearne.com

@mindful_hunter

jay@mindfulhunter.com

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-26-%e2%80%93-staying-focused-on-what-really-matters-with-nick-trehearne-nicktrehearne/

0:00 – Intro

3:00 – Nick’s background

9:58 – The resources to follow your passion

12:50 – Nick’s start in photography

15:45 – Nick’s philosophy on photography

19:30 – Nick’s camera setup

20:30 – Advice on gear for a beginner

23:50 – Why Nick shoots Nikon

27:20 – Nick’s workflow

31:20 – Recommendations on how to build a reputation

39:04 – Gear chat

46:35 – IG Q&A

Sun, 06 Jun 2021 16:45:00 -0700

EP 25 – Drive and discipline with Aron Snyder @aron_snyder

In this episode, I sat down with Aron Snyder from Kifaru International. In addition to being an absolute killer, Aron does a lot for the hunting community through his Q&A’s, the Kifarucast, and general availability and engagement. We covered a wide range of topics including Aron’s upbringing and how that shaped him into the man he is today, a deep dive into some sheep hunting gear and a sneak peek at some products Kifaru will be releasing shortly.

Aron Snyder

@aron_snyder

www.kifaru.net

@mindful_hunter

jay@mindfulhunter.com

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-25-%e2%80%93-drive-and-discipline-with-aron-snyder-aron_snyder/

0:00 – Intro

0:48 – New Kifaru dealer in Canada

4:15 – Aron’s upbringing and how it molded him

8:42 – How Aron become confident

15:02 – It’s important to be a dick sometimes

17:19 – Mental toughness

19:13 – Aron’s unintentional path to where he is now

21:57 – Why Kifaru felt right

24:10 – Aron’s insane availability as a marketing tool

29:21 – Reasonable expectations of customer service

37:00 – Goals for Aron and Kifaru

39:26 – Feedback on some sheep gear

53:00 – Zoleo review

55:49 – Hiking in the dark

58:15 – How quick bears show up at kill sites

59:00 – Favourite animal to hunt in BC

59:20 – Favourite game meat

1:02:15 – 2021 hunt plans

Thu, 27 May 2021 16:59:18 -0700

EP 24 – A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words with Adam Foss @fossman8

In this episode, I sat down with renowned outdoors photographer and bowhunter Adam Foss. I have wanted to chat with Adam for some time because he embodies the intriguing combination of a hardcore back hunter and the sensitive aesthetic of an artist. This is one of my favourite chats I’ve had the opportunity to have on this podcast. We got a little deep and talked philosophy, gave some technical gear tips, and lots in between. If you do not already, go give Adam a follow.

Adam Foss

@fossman8

@mindful_hunter

jay@mindfulhunter.com

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-24-%e2%80%93-a-picture-is-worth-a-thousand-words-with-adam-foss-fossman8/

0:00 – Intro

2:00 – How Adam grew up hunting

7:40 – Where Adam’s drive and discipline came from

11:17 – Reflections in the mountains

14:31 – How Adam thinks about photography

22:06 – Approach to storytelling on different hunts

26:07 – Adam’s current photography setup

34:32 – Adam’s preferred lenses

42:33 – Principles of gear prep

52:03 – Testing the Sitka Dewpoint rain system

Thu, 20 May 2021 18:07:59 -0700

EP 23 – AZ bucks and AK rams with Tim Winslow aka @aztrophyoutfitters_dch

In this episode, I sat down with my buddy Tim Winslow who is an Alaskan hunting guide and outfitter. He is also the owner of Arizona Trophy Outfitters where they specialize in archery Mule Deer and Coues hunting in Southern AZ. We had a great chat covering topics from OTC deer opportunities in AZ to a deep dive on gear selection for sheep hunting in AK.

Tim Winslow

@aztrophyoutfitters_dch

@mindful_hunter

jay@mindfulhunter.com

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-23-%e2%80%93-az-bucks-and-ak-rams-with-tim-winslow-aka-aztrophyoutfitters_dch/

0:00 – Intro

3:40 – Guiding system in AZ

5:25 – How I met Tim and what an ATO hunt camp is like

14:51 – OTC opportunities in AZ

21:45 – Drop camp hunting service

23:20 – Guiding in Alaska

26:34 – Tim’s advice for Jay’s sheep hunt

33:28 – Gear discussion

42:35 – Sheep behaviour and the daily routine

46:00 – Glassing techniques

47:53 – Common mistakes

50”15 – Training advice

52:00 – Footcare and moisture management

57:30 – Unexpected gear tips

1:05:45 – Ageing tips

1:11:45 – How to find Tim

Thu, 13 May 2021 16:00:00 -0700

EP 22 – Homegrown & Humble BC Hunter Adam aka @4pointoutdoors

In this episode, I sat down with my buddy Adam who is a great representation of a skilled, humble BC hunter. We talked about our backgrounds, told a couple of good hunting stories, and even got into some gear and LEH tips. Great listen. You can follow Ada on IG at the link below.

Adam

@4pointoutdoors

@mindful_hunter

jay@mindfulhunter.com

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-22-%e2%80%93-homegrown-humble-bc-hunter-adam-aka-4pointoutdoors/

0:00 – Intro

2:10 – Adam’s background

8:34 – Adam’s first sheep

19:23 – Blacktail chat

28:40 – Processing tips

32:44 – Gear discussion

51:05 – Goat chat and LEH discussion

Thu, 06 May 2021 15:01:57 -0700

EP 21 – How to Identify Mature Rams with Clay Lancaster

In this episode, Jay sits down with Clay Lancaster. Clay is one of the most widely regarded sheep outfitters in North America and is considered to be an expert in field ageing mature rams. Although the purpose of the podcast was to focus on field ageing Clay and Jay dive into several different aspects of sheep hunting. You can find out more about Clay and book a hunt with him at the links below.

Clay Lancaster

IG: claylancaster_300

Outfitting

https://lancasterfamilyhunting.com/

@mindful_hunter

jay@mindfulhunter.com

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-21-%e2%80%93-how-to-identify-mature-rams-with-clay-lancaster/

0:00 – Intro

3:27 – Call with Clay

8:18 – Going after the right sheep

11:23 – The willingness to walk away

14:36 – 90% of the sheep are killed by 10% of the hunters

15:53 – Crown method of aging

19:35 – Decipher false annuli

23:05 – Importance of a Roman nose

25:07 – Benefits of phone scoping

27:43 – Behavioural indicators of mature rams

31:34 – Full curl complications

33:27 – Double checking broomed rams

40:02 – Ideal optics setup

42:33 – Lowering your pack weight on the way in

45:14 – If solo be prepared to pack 125lbs on the way out

48:40 – Tent condensation

49:56 – Fire tips for winter hunts

50:43 – Three most important pieces of gear for a sheep hunt

55:40 – Outfitting plans this year

58:20 – Clay’s closing thoughts

Thu, 29 Apr 2021 15:40:00 -0700

EP 20 – My First Sheep Hunt

In this episode, Jay shares his thoughts about getting prepared for his first sheep hunt. He also discusses a recent minor tear in his calf and his thoughts on IIFYM.

@mindful_hunter

jay@mindfulhunter.com

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-20-%e2%80%93-my-first-sheep-hunt/

0:00 – Intro

7:00 – Torn calf

15:46 – If It Fits Your Macros (IIFYM) revelations: science vs results

24:36 – Thoughts on my upcoming sheep hunt

Thu, 22 Apr 2021 16:41:22 -0700

EP 19 – Q&A #02

In this episode, Jay spends the entire episode digging into audience questions. We’re going to make this a regular occurrence so feel free to email questions for future episodes anytime.

@mindful_hunter

jay@mindfulhunter.com

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-19-%e2%80%93-qa-02/

Thu, 15 Apr 2021 14:26:28 -0700

EP 18 – Spring Bear Hunting with Simon aka @backcountrybloodline

In this episode, Jay hangs out with Simon aka @backcountrybloodline and they talk about Simon’s background then get into some great bear hunting stories.

@backcountrybloodline

@mindful_hunter

jay@mindfulhunter.com

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-18-%e2%80%93-spring-bear-hunting-with-simon-aka-backcountrybloodline/

0:00 – Intro

3:23 – Simon’s background

6:17 – Archery community in BC

10:55 – Simon’s first bear hunt

22:54 – Hunting with your kids

26:40 – Simon’s second bear hunt

36:18 – Simon’s third bear: shit gets western

49:06 – Spring bear hunting tips

Thu, 01 Apr 2021 18:38:44 -0700

EP 17 – Post-Hunt Gear Breakdown: Goat Hunt Part 2

In this episode, Jay dives into the second half of his thorough post-hunt review of the gear he used on his recent solo mountain goat hunt in northern B.C.

Gear Covered:

Sitka Blizzard GTX Gloves

Sitka Stormfront GTX Gloves

Zeiss Optics

AGC Bino Harness

La Sportiva Nepal GTX Boots

WHOOP

Black Diamond Trail Ergo Cork Trekking Poles

Kifaru Gunbearer

Thermarest z-lite foam pad

MSR Reactor

Black Diamond Revolt and New Revolt 350

Dyneema Cord

MSR Lightning Ascent Snowshoes

@mindful_hunter

jay@mindfulhunter.com

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-17-%e2%80%93-post-hunt-gear-breakdown-goat-hunt-part-2/

01:26 – Training and diet update: discussion on periodization

11:08 – Sitka down clarification

12:08 – Sitka Blizzard GTX and Stormfront GTX

19:04 – Optics and AGC Bino Harness

23:10 – La Sportiva Nepal GTX Boots

24:39 – WHOOP

26:28 – Black Diamond Trail Ergo Cork Trekking Poles

28:46 – Kifaru Gunbearer

30:27 – Thermarest z-lite foam pad

34:00 – MSR Reactor

35:23 – Black Diamond Revolt and New Revolt 350

37:37 – Dyneema Cord

40:20 – MSR Lightning Ascent Snowshoes

43:37 - Food

Thu, 25 Mar 2021 15:45:00 -0700

EP 16 – Post-Hunt Gear Breakdown: Goat Hunt Part 1

In this episode, Jay dives into a thorough post-hunt review of the gear he used on his recent solo mountain goat hunt in northern B.C. In part 1 Jay goes over his pack, shelter, sleep system and all the clothes he took.

@mindful_hunter

jay@mindfulhunter.com

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-16-%e2%80%93-post-hunt-gear-breakdown-goat-hunt-part-1/

08:20 – Training and diet update

16:43 – Content creator of the week Connor Gabbot – IG: taluscreative

20:00 – Kifaru Fulcrum

22:51 – Rain cover

24:00 – Shelter and sleep system

41:06 – Clothing system

Thu, 18 Mar 2021 15:45:00 -0700

EP 15 – Semi-Live Solo Winter Backcountry Goat Hunt

In this episode, Jay experiments with a new kind of podcast. He took a field recorder with him on his latest adventure and tried to record a live hunt podcast as best he could. Tune in to hear the results.

Whoop code https://join.whoop.com/#/2B3CD1

https://ogfoods.ca/ code Mindful15

@mindful_hunter

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-15-%e2%80%93-semi-live-solo-winter-backcountry-goat-hunt/

www.mindfulhunter.com

Thu, 04 Mar 2021 15:40:00 -0800

EP 14 – Best rifle under $1000

In this episode, Jay shares his opinion on what the best rifle for under $1000 is. He also dives into his strategy for prepping the last week before the hunt and gives some tips on how to load a backpack for an extended backcountry trip.

Whoop code https://join.whoop.com/#/2B3CD1

https://ogfoods.ca/ code Mindful15

@mindful_hunter

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-14-%e2%80%93-best-rifle-under-1000/

www.mindfulhunter.com

0:00 – Intro

1:09 – Training & diet

5:02 – Gear corner: Blue kitchen sponge

7:03 – Prep tips the last week before a hunt

17:18 – Backpack loading tips

22:31 – Best rifle under $1000

Thu, 18 Feb 2021 16:01:00 -0800

EP 13 – Solo hunting safety tactics

In this episode, Jay discusses the importance of safety while solo hunting. Some of the topics covered include bear safety, water purification, land nav, and communication tips.

Creator of the week

IG: @stevendrakephoto

Whoop code https://join.whoop.com/#/2B3CD1

https://ogfoods.ca/ code Mindful15

@mindful_hunter

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-13-%e2%80%93-solo-hunting-safety-tactics/

www.mindfulhunter.com

0:00 – Intro

1:03 – Training & diet – send in your goals!

2:39 – Gear corner: Cotton carrier camera mount

5:48 – Meateater purchases yet another company

10:15 – Creator of the week: Steven Drake

12:33 – Safety while solo hunting

12:56 – Why would anyone go hunting by themselves?

15:48 – Bear safety

26:38 – Sow and cubs story

33:53 – First-aid kits

37:25 – Communication

39:14 – Apps to have on your phone

44:45 – Mapping and land nav

47:10 – Walking in the woods

52:26 – Clothes and gear

56:06 – Water purification

57:01 – Planning your first trip and safety plans

1:05:06 – Game processing solo

1:07:48 – Sleeping solo in the mountains

1:09:10 – The solo hunting mindset

Thu, 11 Feb 2021 18:21:38 -0800

EP 12 – It’s the little things that matter the most: Possibles pouch deep-dive

In this episode, Jay discusses why the little things matter too. Most pack dump videos focus on the big-ticket items; shelters, clothing, boots etc. Jay wanted to take some time and discuss all the little things you take on a hunt as well. In addition, he covers his camera accessory bag and few other items of note.

@mindful_hunter

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-12-%e2%80%93-it-s-the-little-things-that-matter-the-most-possibles-pouch-deep-dive/

www.mindfulhunter.com

0:00 – Intro

1:37 – Update on the last podcast

9:38 – Training and diet update

15:57 – Possibles and accessories discussion

18:45 – OR insulated Nalgene holster

21:05 – Backpack rain fly

23:04 – Kill kit

29:27 – Camera accessories

42:24 – Possibles pouch

Thu, 04 Feb 2021 14:18:00 -0800

EP 11 – Gear Shootout: Schnee's Beartooth vs. Lathrop & Sons Mountain Hunter

In this episode, Jay dives into a boot review comparing the Schnee's Baertooh versus the Lathrop & Sons Mountain Hunter. Having logged well over 200 miles in each of these boots across several different mountain hunts Jay is able to dig into the details that separate these two footwear options.

In addition, this week Jay discusses how he has adapted his diet and training protocols now that the goat hunt is less than a month away. In this week's gear corner Jay gives his thoughts on an innovative new lav mic from Tentacle, the Track E.

@mindful_hunter

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-11-%e2%80%93-gear-shootout-schnees-beartooth-vs-lathrop-sons-mountain-hunter/

www.mindfulhunter.com

0:00 – Intro

1:08 – New training protocol for the goat hunt

3:21 – Supplements and diet update

10:46 – Diet and training recap

12:17 – Gear Corner: Tentacle Track E Lav Mic

18:51 – My history with boots

21:27 – Morton’s Neuroma

25:50 – Boot sizing

29:53 – Boots I’ve owned

30:48 – Why I prefer leather boots

33:31 – Boots 101

42:45 – After market insoles

44:31 – Waterproofing leather boots

45:35 – Lathrop & Sons Mountain Hunter

55:26 – Schnee’s Beartooth 0g’s

Fri, 29 Jan 2021 05:37:10 -0800

EP 10 – Gear Shootout: Hilleberg Akto vs Soulo

In this episode, Jay compares the Hilleberg Akto and Soulto tents. In less than 4 weeks Jay leaves on a solo backcountry hung and both these tents provide a different value proposition. While the akto is lighter the soulo has more headroom. After countless hours reading online reviews Jay decided the only sensible option was to buy both, set them up, and decide for himself.

@mindful_hunter

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-10-%e2%80%93-gear-shootout-hilleberg-akto-vs-soulo/

www.mindfulhunter.com

0:00 – Intro

6:29 – Thoughts after setting up both tents

10:29 – Inside the akto

15:37 – Inside the soulo

21:23 – Final decision

Fri, 22 Jan 2021 11:26:19 -0800

EP 09 – Arrow building 101, pinched nerve and BPC-157, Draw strategy for AZ, WY, and MT

In this episode, Jay discusses how to successfully design and build your own custom arrows. He lists all the necessary tools and equipment and also lays out a clear design strategy followed up with simple construction instructions.

Jay also dives into his use of the peptide BPC-157 to try and solve a nagging pinched nerve issue and gives a brief update on his draw application strategy for AZ, WY, and MT

@mindful_hunter

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-09-%e2%80%93-arrow-building-101-pinched-nerve-and-bpc-157-draw-strategy-for-az-wy-and-mt/

www.mindfulhunter.com

0:00 – Intro

1:11 – Pinched nerve and the use of BPC-157

10:03 – Diet update and carb manipulation for mass gain

13:06 – New A-CPAP purchase

19:10 – Draw application updates for AZ, WY and MT

23:18 – Arrow building 101

24:15 – Best archery supply store

27:43 – Tools and equipment required

42:29 – Custom arrow design

49:08 – Building your arrow

58:28 – Q&A

Thu, 14 Jan 2021 16:56:35 -0800

EP 08 – Q&A #1

In this episode, Jay spends the entire episode digging into audience questions. We’re going to make this a regular occurrence and likely every 8th episode will be Q&A. Feel free to email questions for future episodes anytime.

@mindful_hunter

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-08-%e2%80%93-qa-1/

www.mindfulhunter.com

0:00 – Intro

2:10 – Budget rain gear or premium jacket and save for pants

3:00 – How to wash technical gear

4:00 – Quietest rain gear

6:00 – Clothing layering strategy when wearing rain gear

9:21 – Most waterproof jacket

10:31 – Realistic poncho option – Hilleberg Bivanorak

12:41 – Tactics for different species

28:57 – Can Americans hunt DIY in Canada

30:35 – Arrow setup, spine, weight, components

41:31 – E-scouting

47:00 – Bodybuilding and hiking

50:04 – Choosing an elk hunting area in BC

54:10 – If you could only bring one lens for your camera what would it be

55:44 – Workout supplements

60:00 – Stalking tips

62:03 – Wall tents

63:24 – Meat care while solo hunting

68:44 – Premium unit mule deer hunting

Thu, 07 Jan 2021 17:02:05 -0800

EP 07 – The rain gear episode

In this episode, Jay does his best to present a technical dissection of rain gear. Instead of just making brand related recommendations, Jay tries to break down the actual elements of construction in various pieces with the goal of educating the audience so they are more capable of making appropriate gear selection decisions.

As usual, Jay digs into some training and diet tips and goes over his new purchase of a whoop and how he plans to use it on an upcoming hunt.

@mindful_hunter

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-07-%e2%80%93-the-rain-gear-episode/

www.mindfulhunter.com

0:00 – Intro

0:55 – Deloading and recovery

8:08 – Diet and new weight PR’s

13:05 – Gear update: Whoop

19:18 – Early sheep draw

20:20 – Thoughts on the Olympia

22:08 – Rain gear

24:44 – Limitations of rain gear

28:11 – Technical construction details

37:41 – Styles of garments currently available

43:14 – The three different rain situations

Thu, 31 Dec 2020 17:58:36 -0800

EP 06 – Gear breakdown: Solo backcountry goat hunt February 2021

In this episode, Jay gives a complete breakdown of all the gear he is taking with him on his late-season solo backcountry goat hunt in February 2021.

@mindful_hunter

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-06-%e2%80%93-gear-breakdown-solo-backcountry-goat-hunt-february-2021/

www.mindfulhunter.com

0:00 – Intro

2:34 – Training mindset

8:12 – Diet over the holidays

9:53 – The Tim Tam (percussive massagers)

11:34 – Solo hunting mindset

20:48 – Gear list start

23:27 – Kifaru fulcrum with tactical frame

27:19 – Sleep system

36:14 – Clothing worn

42:00 – Clothing packed

46:05 – Snowshoes

47:00 – Crampons

47:50 – Booties

49:12 – Optics

52:56 – Weapon

56:00 – Camera gear

57:56 – Misc gear

61:01 – Cook kit

64:00 – Food

70:47 – Q&A

Thu, 24 Dec 2020 22:46:19 -0800

EP 05 – A deep dive into optics: Swarovski, Zeiss, Outdoorsmans

In this episode, Jay explores the complicated topic of optics. After giving a breakdown of what he has owned, sold, and continues to use. Jay then provides several recommendations for a variety of budgets.

@mindful_hunter

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-05-%e2%80%93-a-deep-dive-into-optics-swarovski-zeiss-outdoorsmans/

www.mindfulhunter.com

0:00 – Intro

3:17 – High volume for legs

9:06 – Why I need a coach

14:01 – MSR Reactor

18:41 – Optics

22:41 – What I have owned, sold, and still use

24:13 – Alaska Guide Creations bino harness

26:03 – Cost vs. Quality

27:54 – Edge to edge clarity

31:57 – Chromatic aberration

33:51 – Light transmission

36:50 – Tripods

38:11 - Outdoorsmans system

43:15 – Different recommendations for different budgets

55:24 – 42mm vs. 50mm objective

57:21 - Cost vs. Quality

58:09 – Do you need a spotting scope

59:18 – 65mm vs. 85mm spotting scope

59:47 – Rifle scope questions

62:03 – Key features to look for when buying optics

63:36 – Budget-friendly spotting scope

Thu, 17 Dec 2020 20:56:16 -0800

EP 04 – How to build points and hunt in the US for Canadians: Part 2

In this episode, Jay completes a multi-part series diving into the complexities of building points for big game hunting in the western United States.

Topics covered in this episode include the individual differences between the states as well as comprehensive overall application strategies.

@mindful_hunter

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep-04-%e2%80%93-how-to-build-points-and-hunt-in-the-us-for-canadians-part-2/

www.mindfulhunter.com

0:00 – Intro

1:30 – Why I no longer publish on the Beyond The Kill Podcast stream

5:49 – Spartan precision javelin pro hunt bipod

10:50 – The myth of the perfect piece of gear

12:26 – Buy super high quality gear

13:16 – How to build points and hung in the US for Canadians: part 2

16:00 – Premium units vs. shit units

18:12 – Wyoming

36:16 – Montana

44:45 – Utah

50:03 – Arizona

57:46 – Nevada

62:27 – Honourable mentions: Colorado, Idaho, Texas, Hawaii and New Mexico

67:03 – Overall application strategies

Fri, 11 Dec 2020 05:39:28 -0800

EP03 – How to build points and hunt in the US for Canadians: Part 1

In this episode, Jay begins a multi-part series diving into the complexities of building points for big game hunting in the western United States.

Topics covered in this episode include how to get your gun over the border, the differences between how each state handles bonus points, and an overall approach to developing a successful application strategy.

Next week, Jay will do a detailed breakdown state by state and species by species, highlighting recommended opportunities and application strategies that have been successful for him in the past.

@mindful_hunter

https://mindfulhunter.podbean.com/e/ep03-%e2%80%93-how-to-build-points-and-hunt-in-the-us-for-canadians-part-1/

www.mindfulhunter.com

0:00 – Intro

2:30 – What to do when you bump a buck

4:44 – Bear hunting story

13:25 – Training around injuries

16:45 – Why bodybuilders eat the same foods every day

18:48 – Outdoor research crocodile gaiters

20:50 – How small is too small?

23:05 – What does trophy hunting mean to you?

26:08 – How to build points and hunt in the US for Canadians

28:02 – My experience hunting in the US

30:09 – The states where I build points

32:14 – Definition of a non-resident

33:42 – How to get your rifle into the states ATF 6NIA

39:26 – How to get your meat home

40:12 – Important info about skulls and antlers

42:09 – What about your bow?

42:20 – Why I fly after I cross the border

43:31 – gohunt and onx

45:40 – State details and overall plan

57:51 – Tag management consultants

Mon, 07 Dec 2020 06:04:05 -0800

Ep 02 - First Lite Obsidian vs. Sitka Apex Review and 2021 Hunt Plans

In this episode, Jay does a deep dive into the training principles of progressive overload and time under tension and how these principles can be applied to make you a more effective hunter.

This week we feature a new section called the Gear Shootout Series. This series will pit two pieces of similar gear head to head in an in-depth field-tested review. Up first we compare the First Lite Obsidian pants against Sitka’s Apex pants.

Closing out, Jay gets into his hunt plans for 2021 and shares some tips on how you can get away for more hunts and spend more time in the outdoors pursuing your passion.

@mindful_hunter