
Free Daily Podcast Summary
by Jaden Bales
The Hunt West Podcast is for hunters who'd rather wear out a pair of boots than a YouTube playlist.Most hunting podcasts give you campfire stories, gear hype, or endless tag talk. Hunt West is different. This is applied hunting wisdom — the stuff that actually helps you find critters and fill tags in the wild country west of the 100th meridian.Hosted by Jaden Bales — hunt consultant, mule deer junkie, and professional tag nerd — the show mixes solo riffs, guest conversations, and hard-earned lessons from real hunts. You'll get strategies for e-scouting, application hacks, mindset shifts, and the kind of woodsmanship that still matters when the Wi-Fi goes dark.If you're the kind of hunter who loves general seasons, sharp steel, glassing knobs, and planning three tags ahead — welcome home.
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What's the price of admission for a successful mule deer hunt? This week, I'm sharing two very different Montana mule deer hunts. First, my buddy James and I headed into the prairie, where we looked over roughly 100 bucks, learned a ton about hunting coulee country, and got James his first mule deer. Then I headed into the snowy mountains alone, where an early alarm, a steep climb, and some lessons from summer scouting and September hunting scouting helped me take home my first November buck. Two successful hunts. Two completely different approaches. We talk about hunting rutting bucks, glassing bedded deer, choosing between access and physical effort, and why the work behind a successful hunt often goes unseen. Plus, some November deer and elk hunting observations for the coming week and a look ahead to 2027 hunt planning. Choose your hard on your next hunt. Otherwise, it'll choose you. Show Links: Email Jaden at Jaden@huntwest.net 2027 Complete Hunt Plans: Reserve your spot >> Sign Up for the Hunt West Digest Email >>
November is here, and mule deer hunting is about to get interesting! After spending two weeks chasing mule deer in October, Jaden shares what he's seeing as bachelor groups break up, younger bucks start checking does, and mature bucks begin showing up around doe groups. He recounts a hunt where a big mule deer buck appeared near a group of does at first light, slipped into cover, and eventually disappeared despite a carefully planned stalk. We also dig into how hunting pressure changes where you should look for mature bucks, why secure doe groups are worth finding, and what to expect as the November rut progresses. Plus, congratulations to some successful Hunt West hunters, upcoming 2027 Complete Hunt Plans, the November 24 Idaho webinar, and the 2028 Argentina red stag hunt. Learn more at huntwestplanning.com. Show Links: Email Jaden at Jaden@huntwest.net 2027 Complete Hunt Plans: Reserve your spot >> Upcoming state-specific hunting webinars >> Sign Up for the Hunt West Digest Email >>
We're covering a little bit of everything on this week's Hunt West Podcast! First, I'm checking in from the middle of Wyoming hunting season with some great success stories from Hunt West hunters, an opening-day elk hunt that ended with a mature bull at just 36 yards, and some thoughts on why we need to pay more attention to tracks. Plus, we're talking about how to adjust your mule deer tactics as mature bucks start transitioning toward the rut. Then Ryan Burnett of Pattern Pros joins me to talk about finding the right ammunition for sighting in your rifle, building confidence behind the trigger, and making shooting and hunting something the whole family can enjoy. We also get into some pretty entertaining hunting stories involving ducks, turkeys, and a particularly angry beaver. It's a little bit of everything this week, but there's plenty here to help you become a better hunter. Show Links: Find Ryan and Pattern Pros at patternprosusa.com 2027 Complete Hunt Plans: Reserve your spot >> Upcoming state-specific hunting webinars >> Sign Up for the Hunt West Digest Email >>
Late-season rifle elk hunting is a grind. The bulls have been pressured, the weather can be brutal, and you might only get one good opportunity all week. Montana horseback hunting guide Drew Crain joins me to talk about finding and killing elk in late October and November on public land. We cover where elk move after opening day, hunting thick timber and small feeding areas, deciding when to glass versus cover ground, and why fresh snow can change your entire hunt. Drew also shares stories from guiding wilderness elk and mule deer hunters, including a hard lesson about passing up a bull and the story of his own successful backcountry rifle elk hunt. Plus, we get into staying warm, keeping your rifle ready, and the mindset it takes to keep hunting when things get tough. If you've got a late-season rifle tag, this one's for you. Show Links: Follow Drew on Instagram @Drewcrain 2027 Complete Hunt Plans: Reserve your spot >> Upcoming state-specific hunting webinars >> Sign Up for the Hunt West Digest Email >>
Opening day of rifle elk season can be your best opportunity to kill a bull. But once the shooting starts, things can fall apart in a hurry. This week, I'm recapping a five-day guided rifle elk hunt in Wyoming with my hunter, Chance. We had plenty of opportunities, watched hunting pressure completely change elk behavior, and spent four days grinding before finally putting a great six-point bull on the ground on the last morning. Along the way, I'm sharing some lessons on adapting to hunting pressure, making smart decisions around private land boundaries, and knowing when to switch from trying to kill an elk RIGHT NOW to setting yourself up for success later in the hunt. Plus, I'll explain why, despite our success, this isn't the type of elk hunt I'd personally spend my preference points on, and why matching your hunting style to the right unit matters more than you might think. Links: 2027 Complete Hunt Plans: Reserve your spot >> Upcoming state-specific hunting webinars >> Sign Up for the Hunt West Digest Email >>
Jaden finally filled his Oregon Premium Pronghorn tag, but it definitely didn't happen the way he expected. On the drive back to the airport, Jaden sits down with his brother Tyler to recap the hunt, including how different this low-density Oregon pronghorn hunt was from chasing antelope in Wyoming or Montana, why local knowledge mattered so much, and how timing completely changed where the antelope were living. Then they get into the part that every rifle hunter should hear before season. Jaden borrowed Tyler's rifle, got an opportunity at a good buck, and proceeded to shoot over him multiple times before finally getting the job done at much closer range. That leads into a conversation about knowing your rifle, getting an accurate range, understanding your rangefinder, practicing with the actual system you'll hunt with, and knowing when you need to move fast versus when you absolutely need to slow down. They also talk about why a "premium" tag doesn't necessarily mean a premium hunt, how expectations can make or break an experience, and why this particular hunt ended up being valuable for reasons that had very little to do with antelope score. If you've got a rifle deer or elk hunt coming this fall, consider this your reminder: Go shoot your rifle. Show links: Reserve 2027 Complete Hunt Plans >> Hunt West Application Webinars >> Get the Hunt West Digest Sunday Email Learn About the Hunt West Argentina Red Stag Trip Need help with a last-minute hunting problem? Email Jaden at jaden@huntwest.net Thanks to Bo DePena, a musician, friend and avid hunter in Colorado, for the intro and outro music for the show.
Everybody wants a honey hole, but how big is one? A single wallow, a particular hillside, or an entire drainage? And can you really pass one along to another hunter? On a quick Montana elk hunt with my buddy Drew, I test out a "honey hole" that was passed along to me. We checked out a proven elk spot, found bulls in some nasty country, and learned a few lessons about finding elk and making the most of your opportunities with a short amount of time. I also talk about testing an old pronghorn honey hole in Oregon and what October mule deer hunters can learn from all of this talk of "honey holes." Sure, honey holes might exist, but they come and go. Timing, hunting pressure, and changing conditions can make yesterday's killer spot a complete bust. The real trick is learning why animals use certain places and how to adjust when they don't. And that's what we talk about while telling some good old hunting stories in this week's episode of the Hunt West Podcast. Hope you enjoy! Show Notes: Reserve 2027 Complete Hunt Plans >> Hunt West Application Webinars >> Get the Hunt West Digest Sunday Email Learn About the Hunt West Argentina Red Stag Trip Need help with a last-minute hunting problem? Email Jaden at jaden@huntwest.net Thanks to Bo DePena, a musician, friend and avid hunter in Colorado, for the intro and outro music for the show.
We're into the final stretch of September, and this episode comes straight from a Wyoming archery elk hunt full of silent bulls, changing elk movement and rut activity, close calls, and one satellite six-point that followed our cow calls into 24 yards. We also break down the recovery after the shot, including why we started a timer, backed out overnight, and brought in a tracking dog before recovering the bull 15 hours later. Then we look ahead at late-September elk tactics, including why satellite bulls may come in silently, why herd bulls can be tough to pull off cows, and how we're approaching the final push of archery season. Enjoy this episode of the Hunt West Podcast! Show Notes: Reserve 2027 Complete Hunt Plans >> Hunt West Application Webinars >> Get the Hunt West Digest Sunday Email Learn About the Hunt West Argentina Red Stag Trip Need help with a last-minute hunting problem? Email Jaden at jaden@huntwest.net Thanks to Bo DePena, a musician, friend and avid hunter in Colorado, for the intro and outro music for the show.
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The Hunt West Podcast is for hunters who'd rather wear out a pair of boots than a YouTube playlist.Most hunting podcasts give you campfire stories, gear hype, or endless tag talk. Hunt West is different. This is applied hunting wisdom — the stuff that actually helps you find critters and fill tags in the wild country west of the 100th meridian.Hosted by Jaden Bales — hunt consultant, mule deer junkie, and professional tag nerd — the show mixes solo riffs, guest conversations, and hard-earned lessons from real hunts. You'll get strategies for e-scouting, application hacks, mindset shifts, and the kind of woodsmanship that still matters when the Wi-Fi goes dark.If you're the kind of hunter who loves general seasons, sharp steel, glassing knobs, and planning three tags ahead — welcome home.
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