Explore every episode of the podcast Pursuit With Cliff - Cliff Gray
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Life's Adventures and 631 ARCHERY KILLS with Dr. Ashby
08 Oct 2026
02:05:35
Dr. Ed Ashby has records on 631 big game animals he's taken across 26 years, and only four were never recovered. He explains why most wounded game is hit too far back, why lack of penetration was the number one reason a hit wasn't lethal, and why hunters need to quit being afraid of the shoulder.
We get into his Natal Parks Board arrow research at Mkuzi Game Reserve, bowhunting rhino with a 115 lb longbow and 1,286 grain arrows, and why it took 650 grains to reliably break heavy bone. From there the conversation runs into double rifles and barrel regulation, the battery he carried in Africa, a PH who survived a leopard mauling, and the one hunt he'd still go back for.
In this episode:
Why four lost deer in 1980 started 40+ years of arrow research 154 animals in 30 days: what failed and what penetrated Why hunters perceive quartering animals as broadside Never mount another animal: Ed's one regret Double rifle regulation, loads, and why most guys shoot them poorly The guns, handguns, and shotgun he carried for leopard follow-ups
Access decides more elk hunts than gear, calling, or strategy combined. Private land, resident tags, draw odds, generations of local knowledge. That one variable is why comparing yourself to other hunters is mostly useless, and why the only real measure is for you to calculate
Coffee with Cliff, mostly unedited. Assessing your own progress is a harder, but more useful way to judge whether you're actually getting better, plus why the hunting content world keeps getting people in legal trouble chasing the same scoreboard.
Double RIFLE 101: Cost, Calibers, Why Own One - Chris Sells
28 Sep 2026
01:36:19
Double rifles are the least understood firearms in hunting. They cost more than most trucks, the two barrels are regulated by hand one pair at a time, and most guys buy one for a charge that is never going to happen. I brought in Chris from Heym USA to explain the whole thing from the ground up. Why they cost what they cost. What barrel regulation actually is and why lasers cannot shortcut it. Why 50% of the weight has to sit between your hands. Why a 26 inch barreled double carries shorter than the 22 inch bolt gun in your truck.
Then we get into the part that applies to anybody shooting a big bore. Why the 450/400 Nitro Express is the first double rifle cartridge he tells guys to buy. Why the professional hunter's rifle and the client's rifle are two completely different tools. Why the honest answer on recoil is the one nobody wants to hear. We finish on red dots, grizzly handguns, one hole versus two on a Cape buffalo, and my great great grandfather's Damascus barreled Francotte 12 gauge.
In this episode: - Why barrel regulation makes a double rifle expensive, explained without the mystique - The 450/400 Nitro Express, 400 grains at 2100 fps, at roughly 375 H&H recoil - Weight between the hands, five frame sizes, and why barrel length is about balance, not velocity - Kinetic energy versus shot placement, and what a 700 Nitro Express actually did to an elephant skull - PH rifle versus client rifle, and the aspirational marketing that sells you recoil you will never practice with - Soft point in the right barrel, solid in the left, and why two holes beat one
Most elk hunters don't lose animals because they don't know enough. They lose them because they bugle in the middle of a meadow, creep at 800 yards, sprint at 200, and talk themselves out of the stalk halfway up the mountain. Cliff sits down with outfitter Cade Cole and Eric to break down what actually went wrong, and right, for the guys who came through the in-person Elk Hunting Masterclass in Wyoming this season.
This is the unfiltered debrief: pacing, careless vocalization, wind discipline, onX habits, and the trailhead bubble that leaves miles of glassable elk country untouched every September. Not theory. Every scenario in the course came from a hunt one of us blew.
The elk class discussed - https://pursuitwithcliff.com/elk-hunting-master-class/
Eric Wilson's Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/do-not-go-quietly-w-eric-wilson
In this episode:
Why the biggest barrier to the course isn't experience, it's ego
How five days of scenarios stack more reps than five years of hunting
The pacing inversion: too slow at 800 yards, too fast inside 200
Why guys bail halfway through a well-planned stalk, and the football parallel that explains it
The trailhead bubble and the outfitter bubble, and the unhunted elk between them
Why the overnight spike stalk works far more often than hunters believe
What a Level 2 course would look like: spike camps and long stalks with no onX
Tim Sundles is back on to talk about the Africa trip we did together, the near-charge that convinced him to stop pushing into thick brush, and what he thinks about internet experts who have never killed the animal they're arguing about.
We also get into the part of African hunting nobody advertises: taxidermy commissions, booking kickbacks, and the difference between disclosing what you make and hiding it.
In this episode:
Why first-time Africa hunters come home changed, and why film can't capture it Three bachelor bulls at 15 feet in brush too thick to walk through Why an undisturbed buffalo dies fast and an alerted one turns bulletproof The case for a double rifle, and the real disadvantage nobody mentions Taxidermy and travel commissions that go undisclosed on most safaris Put-and-take stocking versus genuine genetic management on a game reserve Why six of Jim Shockey's bear guides would all pick a .30-06 over a 7mm Rem Mag Bullet diameter, bullet construction, and matching the bullet to impact velocity
The Africa film: https://youtu.be/7OUa1L606s4
Tim's new YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TimSundles-BuffaloBoreAmmuniti
Wounded Bulls, Reflections and Lessons - Guiding The First Week of Archery
15 Sep 2026
00:39:24
I guided an archery elk hunt last week and it had everything. A shooter bull at 25 yards on the first night that didn't work out. Slow days where bulls ignored every call. A last-night shot under 20 yards on a bull that was found three days later, 1,300 yards away, with a bear on top of him.
This is an uncut coffee with Cliff recap. We get into early rut bull behavior in the first half of September, why you need to practice shooting from the edges of your setup radius, and how one blown opportunity can wreck the rest of a hunt if you let it. Then the hard part: how my own brain convinced me I was looking at fletchings when it was the broadhead on the exit, tracking a single lung bull in flat country, and why rutting bulls push wounded bulls farther than you'd expect.
In this episode:
Early rut behavior: spikes acting like herd bulls, big bulls roaming solo Why your hunter couldn't draw on a bull at 25 yards (and the fix) Resetting after a blown opportunity so it doesn't plague your hunt Why guides are hesitant to celebrate any archery hit Losing blood in flat terrain, and when to back out overnight How angles and bone shrink elk vitals
Most guys don't quit a backcountry hunt because the area sucked. They quit because they're in a calorie deficit, they haven't slept, and they blew their anaerobic tank on day one. After decades of guiding, outfitting, and packing hunters into wilderness areas, this is the physiology behind the urge to quit and the three prescriptions that fix it.
In this episode:
Why the first two to three days are learning days, and why quitting at 50% means giving up 80–90% of your real opportunity
The 72-hour wall: how appetite decline at altitude drives muscle glycogen and cerebral glucose down at the same time
The daily calorie bag system. 3,500–4,000 calories, and the discipline mechanism that makes you actually eat them
How sleep loss collapses your dopamine receptors and kills your motivation to hunt
Why an ultralight sleep system on a non-ultralight hunt is a mistake, plus hydration timing and the pee bottle
Aerobic vs. anaerobic pace, and why I'd take five hours on a stalk I could do in forty-five minutes
Why I LEFT MY ELK CALLS in the Truck — Spot and Stalk with Brian Barney
26 Aug 2026
01:01:35
Brian Barney has been hunting elk on Montana public land for 25 years. He's called in over 100 bulls. Yet, years ago he left his elk calls in the truck and never looked back.
This conversation is about the spot and stalk system Brian has built that kills a quality six-point bull nearly every season on OTC public land. We cover how he made the transition from calling to full commitment to spot and stalk, what he calls "coyoting the herd" or shadowing, staying 100 to 300 yards back, taking what the elk give you, and looking for the chink in the armor. We get into cutting elk off rather than chasing them, why he hunts elk almost exclusively on their feet, the swirly wind problem, and how to see elk before they see you. We close on mental toughness... what it actually looks like when your brain starts justifying quitting, how Brian recognizes it, and why he says his most fun moments are when he's the most beat down.
In this episode:
Why Brian left his elk calls in the truck and why committing fully changed everything Shadowing the herd. 100 to 300 yards back, finding the chink in the armor Cutting elk off: getting in front of the herd instead of chasing the back of it Why he hunts elk on their feet and leaves bedded bulls alone until evening Swirling wind, the pocket that kept busting him and how he finally outsmarted it Seeing elk before they see you. The underappreciated skill that makes or breaks a stalk The mental toughness section: how your brain justifies quitting without you realizing it
Guest: Brian Barney Podcasts: Eastman's Elevated (11 years, weekly) and Eastman's Life of a Bow Hunter. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brian__barney
The EASIEST Way to Call Elk — No Diaphragm Required
25 Aug 2026
00:05:58
Most elk hunters are either struggling with their diaphragm or over-relying on it. Cliff and Jim break down three non-vocal sounds that are easy to make, highly realistic, and will set you apart from every other caller in the woods.
The three sounds: raking (the easiest elk call anyone can learn in five minutes), huffing (what close-range bulls do constantly that almost no one imitates), and glunking (the weird one that most hunters don't even know elk make). Jim and Cliff demonstrate each one and break down exactly how to produce it in the field.
In this video:
Raking — how to do it, what to rake on, and why it's deadly early season when bulls aren't vocalizing Huffing — breathing hard through your tube, what it sounds like, and when to use it Glunking — why rhythm matters more than tone, and the hand technique that adds resonance Why these sounds work on high-pressure public land where bugles call in hunters.
The TRUTH After 26 Years Guiding Archery Elk Hunters - James Nash
17 Aug 2026
01:00:12
James Nash is back, and this one is all elk. We get into why calling is the most overused tool in the elk woods, why your setup is doing 99% of the work, and how to think about wind, scent, and terrain from the bull's side of the equation instead of your own.
00:00 The patience game 00:52 Africa film and honest footage 04:52 99 peanuts on setup 06:49 Calling is just a nudge 11:42 Wind before everything else 15:59 The downwind myth 24:23 What's in it for the bull 28:18 Buttonhook and straggler bulls 34:52 Building the archery setup 42:30 The deaf hunter's advantage 47:21 The $100 calling budget
Guest: James Nash — 6 Ranch Outfitters. https://www.instagram.com/6ranchoutfitters/
Three of us sat down after four days in the field. Cade, Cliff and Ryan (a student who just came off the elk class) and got into the small stuff that actually separates hunters who kill from hunters who don't. Not tactics you can read in an article. The judgment calls. When to move fast, when to sit down and wait, how much country you're actually willing to cross, and how much of your own hunting style you should be fighting versus leaning into.
Ryan's primarily an archer with real backcountry experience and that's most of what makes this one worth listening to. Two guys who've spent careers guiding, one guy who hunts the way most of you hunt, working through the same problems from three different angles.
Schedule for next year's classes: https://pursuitwithcliff.com/elk-hunting-master-class/
In this episode:
Why roughly 70% of the elk I kill guiding come from long, ugly stalks not from camp
The outfitter bubble, the trailhead bubble, and the huge unhunted country in between
How archers wreck their own odds by tunnel-visioning on bugling instead of glassing
Spot-and-stalking a bedded bull, and why almost nobody has it in their toolkit
Why nearly every student skips ranging and marking the animal before the stalk
Style-based hunting: why we don't tell a fast hunter to slow down
The honest math. You can do everything right and still be wrong a third of the time
Over the last two months I put 40 hunters through live elk training in the field. Not lectures. Real stalks, real glassing, real archery setups that run two or three hours. The same three failures showed up over and over, and every one of them traces back to the flood of content hunters are drowning in right now.
This isn't an anti-content rant. There are hundreds of skill videos on this channel and you need that baseline. The problem is what happens when guys try to apply every framework at once: analysis paralysis, decision fatigue. I break down handicapping your options instead of hunting a flowchart, why inaction is almost always the worst probability you can pick, how to actually mark an animal with OnX, landmarks, and terrain reading before you commit to a stalk, and why proximity (not calling sequences) is the dominant factor in archery elk.
Should I Feel BAD About Shooting an ELEPHANT? - With Corey Knowlton
29 Jul 2026
01:59:14
I sit down with Corey Knowlton, one of the most experienced international hunters alive, to talk elephant hunting, North American hunting and double rifles. From there we dig into the Jim Shockey era of hunting TV, why North American trophy hunting opportunity is never coming back, and why a $30,000 archery elk hunt makes almost no sense when you look at what that money buys in Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, or Tanzania.
In this episode: Why it's easy to win the elephant argument logically — and impossible emotionally The Jim Shockey years: how those shows actually got made Elephant overpopulation and why management has to happen How to plan an elephant hunt: heat, full moons, tracks, and judging old bulls Double rifles vs. bolt actions — and why the front trigger comes first Why hunters will end hunting themselves, not anti-hunters
OVER A TWO DECADES Guiding Flat Tops ELK — Lessons Most Hunters Miss - Evan Koster
20 Jul 2026
01:30:29
Evan Koster has guided archery elk hunts in Colorado's Flat Tops for over a decade. This conversation covers everything that actually matters going into an archery elk season — and plenty of what hunters think matters that doesn't.
Colorado is in a historic drought, and Evan breaks down what that means for where elk will be in September — it's not about elevation, it's about feed quality, and aspens are the answer. From there we get into how to search unknown country efficiently, why elevation and trailhead distance are myths that kill more hunts than help them, and Evan's counterintuitive wind rule: he doesn't think about it until he's within 500 yards. We dig into the stalk psychology mistake most hunters make, how to locate elk with a bugle using line-of-sight, how to read a bull's commitment level, and the one-sentence answer Evan would give any archer who wanted to kill more elk: take chances. We close on the honest reality of horseback elk hunting.
In this episode: Colorado drought 2027 — what it means for elk distribution in September Feed quality over elevation — why aspens are the concentration zone in a dry year How to search unknown country vs. country you know The elevation myth and the trailhead distance myth — both cost hunters elk Wind: the 500-yard rule and why most hunters have the psychology completely backwards Bugling as a two-way radio — why line-of-sight matters for locating elk When to move on from a spot and when to go back in close The one thing Evan would change about any archer to make them more successful Horseback elk reality — "don't, unless you're already into horses" Booking 2027 hunts with LKS Outfitters now
Why 90% of Hunters Pick The WRONG SUPPRESSOR - Cliff Brewer
13 Jul 2026
01:32:41
We explain suppressors for the hunting use cases, from basic concepts to advanced.
Most hunters obsess over decibels and a do-it-all can they move between rifles. This conversation makes the case that they've got it backwards — that length is the real king of a hunting suppressor, that the published sound numbers are mostly unreliable, and that a suppressor belongs to one rifle. We get into the engineering, the failure modes, and where this fast-moving market is actually headed.
Shooting and Glassing Rests Explained With Ex Army Scout Sniper Mike Herne
06 Jul 2026
01:02:03
You almost always have a rock-solid rear rest on your body — and most hunters never use it. Cliff sits down with Mike from Tricer to break it down.
This one gets into the weeds on glassing tripods vs. shooting tripods, stabilized binos vs. tripod-mounted glass, reading bullet trace, and the simple rear-rest tricks (a puffy jacket, your pack, even your bino harness) that turn a wobbly hold into a locked-in shot.
In this episode: Why a tripod forces systematic glassing — and why stabilized binos may cost you animals Filming every shot: recovering wounded game and solving "misses" that were actually hits How to read bullet trace through a spotter Matching your tripod to the hunts you actually do The rear-rest position that gives you two points of contact with the ground What NRL Hunter teaches hunters about building positions under time pressure
Mike Herne - https://www.instagram.com/mike_herne Tricer - https://tricer.com/ (CLIFFG for 10% off)
HIGH FENCE vs. FREE RANGE - The Texas Experience IS CHANGING - Brian Gilroy
29 Jun 2026
01:21:33
Brian Gilroy runs Wildlife Partners, the largest exotic animal breeding operation in North America and a Cape buffalo herd that didn't exist in private hands a decade ago. He's also hunted Dall sheep in remote Alaska, muskox on Nunivak Island, and elk in New Mexico. This episode is a reality check on how the hunting industry actually works and why the free-range vs. high-fence moral war is mostly mythology from Brian's perspective.
Texas is now on South Africa's radar as a direct competitor. Same animals, same large high-fence model, no 13-hour flight, five-star lodges, and populations of kudu, Cape buffalo, sable, and ibex growing every year. Brian explains the economics of exotic breeding as a tax strategy (why a self-reproducing kudu cow beats a tractor), why CWD has made native cervid breeding almost impossible, why put-and-take hunting is a dead model, and what a Wyoming or New Mexico application really costs over a lifetime. The episode closes with Brian's Alaska sheep story... the outfitter who knew every animal, flew him to the sheep, and pointed him at it. The honest question: why is that different from hunting 15,000 acres in Texas?
Texas vs. South Africa — why SA should be genuinely worried Cape buffalo in Texas Kudu, sable, red deer: population growth and what hunts will cost in five years Why CWD killed native cervid breeding and exotics filled the gap Exotic breeding as a business — 100% depreciation on an animal that reproduces itself The real cost of a sheep draw, a BC Dall sheep, or a New Mexico application The Alaska sheep story and why free range is less pure than most hunters believe
Guest: Brian Gilroy — CEO, Wildlife Partners. Exotic breeder and hunter. Boerne, TX. wildlifepartners.com
36 Years Guiding Elk Hunters and Colorado's New Draw - Scott Limmer
22 Jun 2026
01:10:22
A 36-season Colorado wilderness outfitter, Scott Limmer, doesn't sugarcoat it: the new 50%-random draw is about to blow up point inflation and gut the predictability that made Colorado elk hunting plannable. We get into that, the big-bull reality most hunters won't admit, and a stack of Africa stories you won't hear anywhere else.
In this episode: Why the 2028 draw overhaul tripled the exact point inflation it was meant to fix The hard truth about how giant public-land bulls actually get killed Glassing a burn, calling pressure, and why elk go nocturnal Getting ambushed by the LRA on a bongo hunt in the Central African Republic How Gaddafi's loose weapons fueled Africa's elephant-poaching wave The wolf "crap show" and where Colorado's right-to-hunt fight stands
Scott Limmer - https://www.instagram.com/elimminator/ Scott's Outfitting Business - https://comanchewildernessoutfitters.com/
Real Leather, Hides With Crazy Backgrounds and Real American Made - AG Gregoroff
18 Jun 2026
01:48:20
AG makes the most expensive and strongest flip-flops on earth. Sounds insane, but I like his business. This is a conversation about authentic materials, the economics of making something real, why almost everything in your life is fake, and what happens when an environmental group comes after you with a campaign.
AG is the founder of Toehold, a Las Vegas-based company that sources elephant, hippo, crocodile, shark, and zebra hides — old-world vegetable-tanned leather, made in America, by hand. We get into the murder hides specifically: a bull elephant called the Red Ghost, a man-eating croc, and hippos that have trampled people. From there the conversation expands into why real leather smells the way it does, why your car seat isn't what you think it is.
We finish the conversation with a discussion about spearfishing and freediving.
Backcountry Elk Hunting with Horses and Mules - Truths NOBODY Tells YOU
15 Jun 2026
01:46:32
A decade-plus of guiding off horses and mules, distilled into a Q&A with Vince who is going on his first horseback elk hunt. Cliff doesn't sugarcoat it: horses are always a cost, sometimes a massive advantage, and never the shortcut people think they are.
In this episode:
Why packing horses is something you do after you have horse experience — not how you get into it
Buying and culling stock: why disposition beats conformation every time
The "herd effect" — using seasoned animals to settle green ones in the mountains
Hobbles, picketing, hot fence, and why you never leave halters on turned-out shod horses
Sawbuck vs. Decker, crupper, cinches, blankets, and loading meat solo
Trail etiquette, saddle soreness, knife carry, tying up, and trucks/trailers on ice
What An Ex Scout Sniper TEACHES HUNTERS — Brian Poor, Gunwerks
12 Jun 2026
01:16:33
Brian Poor, a former Marine scout sniper and SWAT instructor who now teaches Western hunters through Gunwerks sat down with me to break down what actually matters when an animal gives you an opportunity at distance.
In this episode:
Why truing your ballistics is the #1 thing most long-range hunters skip — and why a half-minute error means you miss half the time at 800 yards
Why prone is overrated in the field
Loading the bipod, cant vs. pan, and the rear-rest mistake that sends 4 of 5 shots high
Buck fever decoded: why "timing" the trigger through the vitals is the worst thing you can do
The kneeling, reverse-slope tripod setup that keeps you concealed
Reading mountain wind, setting your real limit, and why a tricky day can cut 300 yards off your max
The four stock-design features Brian won't shoot without
Mastering YOUR Rifle and Archery SHOT PROCESS - Joel Turner
08 Jun 2026
01:47:34
Joel Turner spent 11 years as a SWAT sniper instructor before becoming one of the most well known instructors in the hunting world. His take on why hunters miss is unlike anything you've heard — and it applies equally to archery and rifle.
We start with how bullets actually kill. From there we get into the pre-ignition flinch... why there's no such thing as a subconscious override of the central nervous system, what open loop vs. closed loop trigger press actually means, and why the fix isn't mechanics. The fix is speech. Joel's core argument: the skill is not in the shooting, it's in what you say in your head while you shoot.
In this episode: Hydrostatic shock, the 2,200 fps threshold, and why a .22 Creedmoor can kill elk Pre-ignition flinch — open vs. closed loop trigger press explained Why talking yourself through the shot is the actual skill The 2014 blacktail story — how Joel figured it all out in a rainy tree stand Commentary shooting from police driver training and why it works for archery Free diving and breath holds — why that culture already knows this Hinge releases: when they're a fix for a mental problem vs. a legitimate choice Elk calling — distress calf vs. bull calling cows bugle, and the textbook bull setup The yo stop: why a bull whirling at 10 yards is a controlled shot, not a panic shot
Guest: Joel Turner — ShotIQ founder, former SWAT sniper team instructor, competitive barebow archer. Joel's elk calling app: https://www.mtnwispr.com/ Shot IQ: https://shotiq.com/ Instagram: @joelturner_actual
Chapters 00:00 How Bullets Actually Kill 04:44 The Flinch Mechanism 34:17 The 2014 Breakthrough 45:48 Commentary Shooting 51:44 Snap Shots & Mental Game 01:14:02 Listener Questions 01:20:33 Free Diving Parallel 01:41:22 Elk Calling System
How We STOP BALLOT BOX BIOLOGY - Colorado's Constitutional Right to Hunt Explained
01 Jun 2026
01:04:47
Colorado's Parks and Wildlife Commission now has zero experienced big game hunters on it. The chair is a former Humane Society attorney who spent his career suing game agencies. Six of ten commissioners voted to impose a commercial fur ban that their own agency and director recommended against — in writing — with five expert witnesses and a hundred years of combined expertise. Dan Gates was in every one of those meetings.
Dan Gates runs Coloradans for Responsible Wildlife Management and has been on the front lines of every major Colorado hunting fight for eight years — Proposition 127, Ordinance 308, wolf reintroduction, and now Initiative 302: a constitutional amendment to enshrine the right to hunt and fish in the Colorado State Constitution. We dig into what that right actually does, why 24 other states already have it, and how the Polis administration has strategically stacked the commission. We also cover two upcoming raffles — a Hill Ranch elk hunt and an Alaska salmon/halibut trip — that benefit CRWM's ground game on this fight.
In this episode: What Initiative 302 actually says — and what it doesn't do Why Colorado hunters don't currently have a constitutional right to hunt How Governor Polis stacks anti-hunting commissioners The March commission meeting — agency scientists overruled by commissioners who said "our values differ from your science" Two commissioners forced to resign during Senate confirmation — what that means Why 24 other states already have this right The Hill Ranch elk raffle — 34 preference points required to draw, better odds in this raffle than the state draw Alaska salmon/halibut fishing raffle — Sitka, two people, Reel Charters
Guest: Dan Gates — Executive Director, Coloradans for Responsible Wildlife Management. savethehuntcolorado.com Raffle tickets: scicolorado.org — deadline June 12th, drawing June 15th. $50/ticket, 3 for $100. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/c.r.w.m/
New Zealand PUBLIC LAND Hunting - What NOBODY Tells You - Evan Koster
25 May 2026
01:13:00
Evan Koster just got back from seven days of public land hunting in New Zealand — no helicopter, no lodge, no estate stags. He hunted tahr in a glacial valley and red stag in the Canterbury High Country with guide Jurgen, carrying everything on his back and doing 5,000 vertical feet of gain literally the day he got off the plane. This conversation is the honest version of New Zealand hunting.
We cover what the terrain actually looks like, why the tussock country and scrub edge are the game zone, how red stag compare to elk (less gregarious, more vocal, harder to call across open country), why Evan passed on stags he could have shot and ended up empty-handed on deer, and what New Zealand's hunting culture looks like when you get off the estate. We also get into the invasive species debate - tahr, red deer, and chamois are valued by hunters and locals but under real threat from eradication programs - and how New Zealand's model of wildlife conservation compares to ours. At the end, Evan and Cliff break down the hosted hunt partnership with Jurgen that LKS Outfitters is building - a public land backpack experience unlike anything being offered commercially right now.
In this episode: 5,000 vertical feet daily — what the terrain actually demands Tahr country: navigating stream beds, impenetrable bush, and glacial basins How red stag compare to elk — roar, rut, callability, and body size Why a 12-point stag on public land is equivalent to a 340-inch bull in the Flat Tops No seasons, no bag limits — and why hunters self-regulate anyway The invasive species debate: eradication programs vs. a hunting culture fighting back What Jurgen's New Zealand public land hunts actually look like LKS Outfitters hosted hunts with Jurgen — what's coming and how to book
Guest: Evan Koster — Lead guide, LKS Outfitters / Flat Tops Wilderness Guides. Instagram: @lks_outfitters | flatTopswildernessguides.com Jurgen's hosted hunts: Coming soon via LKS Outfitters website under Hunt categories. Inquire directly through Evan.
00:00 Chapter 1 - Harder Than Colorado? 09:52 Chapter 2 - Why No Helicopter 14:20 Chapter 3 - Hunting Culture & Invasive Species 26:03 Chapter 4 - Game Density Comparison 31:44 Chapter 5 - Red Stag vs. Elk 37:35 Chapter 6 - The Tahr Hunt 44:44 Chapter 7 - The Stag Hunt 01:02:29 Chapter 8 - Jurgen & The Hosted Hunts
What POACHING in AFRICA Actually Looks Like - Craig Doria
18 May 2026
02:07:34
Craig Doria spent 30 years in Africa as a professional hunter in addition to running two anti-poaching operations in Zambia and Tanzania. He's also just written Bateleur, a suspense thriller built on all of it.
We cover what poaching actually looks like from the inside: the subsistence guy with a muzzleloader trying to feed his kids, the 150-snare line bisecting the wildebeest migration corridor, the zebra hide operation running skins through a cattle tannery and across borders, and the ivory networks.
From there we get into buffalo hunting (Craig's pick for the best hunting still available — hundreds of hunts, multiple close calls), elephant hunting and the weight it carries, two helicopter crashes during anti-poaching operations, and a closing conversation about what happiness really looks like when you've spent your life tracking wounded buffalo through thick bush — and what you give up to get it.
Craig Doria — Professional hunter (Zambia, Tanzania, Zimbabwe), anti-poaching operator, Author of Bateleur (Whistling Thorn Press). Available on Amazon (hardcover and Kindle) https://amzn.to/3RMGGcY Signed copies direct: craig.doria@gmail.com | craigdoriasafaris.com
ELK CALIBERS, Golf Sucks, and Bear FAT — UNFILTERED Q&A with Cliff
06 May 2026
01:43:37
Cliff sits down for a live Q&A and answers two hours of questions from the audience and membership group — recoil and cartridge selection for elk, the case for a "two-rifle" system (a low-recoil trainer and a hunting rifle), why most North American hunters under-rate predator hunting, how to scout migration corridors in May and June for fall success, the realities of bow hunting in Africa, moon phase myths, and a long, honest answer on why he hunts at all.
In this episode:
The two-rifle system: when to shoot a 6 Creedmoor and when to shoot a 7 PRC
How to scout fall migration corridors RIGHT NOW (May–June)
First rifle Colorado elk: tarp, rain gear, or both
Bow hunting Africa — what most outfitters won't tell you
Why wolves and non-traditional lion hunts build the best hunters
Bear meat: spring vs. fall, and why bear fat is the real prize
The one question Cliff almost couldn't answer: why do I hunt?
Cliff's membership group - https://pursuitwithcliff.com/membership/ Cliff's Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/PursuitWithCliff/
Most hunters think wolves can be managed like any other predator. The data says otherwise. In this episode, I sit down with Justin Webb, founder of the Foundation for Wildlife Management (F4WM), to dig into the unfiltered reality of wolf control in the West... what works, what doesn't, and why the "predator-prey balance" we all learned as kids isn't how this actually plays out on the landscape.
In this episode:
Why hunter success rate on wolves is under 0.25% — and what that means for "managing" them
The story of a pack that dug every trap out of the ground after smelling wax sand on a caught wolf
How F4WM removes wolves at $1,100 vs. $9,000 per wolf for state Wildlife Services
Suitable habitat, livestock depredation, and why Colorado's wolf situation was predicted years ago
How sportsmen can actually plug into wolf management instead of just complaining about it
In this episode, Jurgen Schwanecke and Cliff break down how hunting in New Zealand actually works, from public land access to species like tahr and chamois, and what makes it so different from hunting in the U.S. We also get into the realities—terrain, weather, physical demands, and why success isn’t guaranteed just because opportunity exists.
Jurgen also talks about culling work and the skills that come from shooting a high volume of animals in real-world conditions.
00:00 — Why New Zealand Might Be the Best Hunting Country 01:24 — How New Zealand Got Its Game Animals (1850s Origins) 11:30 — Jurgen's Background Guiding the Flat Tops in Colorado 13:25 — Conservation Culture Clash: Anti-Hunters in NZ vs. the US 16:37 — How New Zealand's Hunting System Actually Works (Tags, Seasons, Land) 21:05 — Bringing Firearms In: NZ Gun Laws After the 2019 Shooting 23:56 — DIY in NZ vs. Over-the-Counter Elk in Colorado: Which Is Harder? 27:25 — Fitness, Terrain, and Why NZ Rewards Going Deep 30:03 — If You Only Hunt Once: Why Tahr Should Be the Trip 32:35 — Red Stag vs. Elk: Calls, Behavior, and Tactics 34:17 — Bowhunting Culture in New Zealand 36:14 — Using NZ as an Off-Season Practice Ground for American Hunters 39:43 — Bringing Trophies and Meat Home 41:03 — Cultural Norms Americans Should Know Before Hunting NZ 47:25 — Jurgen's Culling Work: Goats, Deer, and Night Shooting 50:29 — Lessons From Killing Thousands: Shooting Positions and Setups 55:25 — The .223 as a Serious Hunting Cartridge 58:26 — Terminal Performance: .223 vs .308 vs .270 1:01:31 — Shoulder vs. Crease: The Big American/Kiwi Shot Placement Debate 1:10:18 — Why Jurgen Hunts With a .270 Winchester 1:12:05 — Gear Differences: What Kiwis Carry vs. What Americans Pack 1:15:44 — Jurgen's Guiding Operation: Public Land Wilderness Hunts 1:18:34 — Planning Your NZ Trip: Trip Length and Helicopter Access 1:22:42 — Where to Find Jurgen Online & Sign-Off
Jurgen Schwanecke’s youtube and instagram https://www.youtube.com/@strider_media https://www.instagram.com/strider_media/
Designs For REAL HUNTING - Reticles and Cold Weather Gear - THLR Thomas
13 Apr 2026
01:48:12
Most reticles are built for perfect conditions… but hunting rarely gives you that.
In this episode, I sit down with Thomas to break down what actually matters when it’s time to shoot. We get into reticle design, wind brackets, and why simplicity often beats complexity when things happen fast.
We talk about real-world scenarios—multiple animals, movement, communication breakdowns, and the kind of pressure that forces you to make decisions in seconds. That’s where most systems fall apart.
We also get into shooting moving animals, and even cold weather hunting—where your gear, your body, and your decision-making all get tested.
Follow Thomas on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@UCmKvQfvjqbUakUotekAyxew
1,000+ Big Game Animals Later - Bullet Construction and Placement Realities - Dr. Ashby
06 Apr 2026
02:01:51
Most hunters think they understand shot placement and bullet performance—but the reality is very different.
In this episode, we break down what actually kills animals, from bullet construction to impact velocity to shot placement. This isn’t theory—it’s based on thousands of animals, real-world testing, and hard lessons learned in the field with Dr. Ashby.
Chapter 1 – Bullet Myths vs Reality (00:00) Chapter 2 – Why Faster Bullets Don’t Penetrate (12:00) Chapter 3 – Real-World Bullet Testing Results (25:00) Chapter 4 – What Actually Kills Animals (30:00) Chapter 5 – Bullet Construction vs Caliber (49:00) Chapter 6 – The Shot Placement Problem (1:39:30) Chapter 7 – Why Hunters Aim Too Far Back (1:40:00) Chapter 8 – Training vs Reality (Why Guys Miss It) (1:48:00)
The Magic of Cape Buffalo Hunting - Cliff, Tim Sundles, and Chris Jonker Get Into It
25 Mar 2026
01:06:55
Cape Buffalo hunting is nothing like elk or deer hunting—In this episode, we break down a real hunt where we tracked multiple Cape Buffalo through thick bush, lost them, picked them back up, and ended up surrounded.
We also cover gear setups, shot placement, what happens when a buffalo decides to charge, and the reality of planning an African hunt—from rifles to cost to what to expect.
If you’ve ever thought about hunting Africa, this is the unfiltered version of what it’s actually like.
Hunting Colorado in 2026 - Draw Details and Current Winter Conditions
20 Mar 2026
01:47:14
Colorado’s draw system is changing, point creep is accelerating, and hunters need to rethink their strategy for elk, sheep, goat, and moose in the coming years.
In this episode, Cliff sits down with Jimmy Oswald to break down the current outlook for Colorado hunting ahead of the upcoming draw. They start by discussing Colorado’s unusually dry winter and what historically low snowpack could mean for wildlife, habitat conditions, and the upcoming hunting season. While winter conditions matter, they explain why summer moisture and fire season will ultimately have a bigger impact on elk behavior and hunting success.
The conversation then shifts to major changes coming to Colorado’s draw system. Beginning in 2028, half of the available tags will move from a pure preference point system to a weighted lottery. Jimmy explains why this change is already affecting hunter behavior and why point creep could spike in the next few draws as high-point holders rush to use their points.
Toward the end of the episode, Jimmy shares insights on sheep, goat, and moose draw strategy, including which units he currently likes and how herd dynamics and tag allocations affect trophy potential.
Why Tikkas are SO Reliable In The Backcountry - EXPLAINED
28 Feb 2026
01:25:22
Why do Tikka rifles keep working when others choke in snow, dirt, and real hunting conditions?
In this episode, I sit down with Jared Smethurst from Beretta to break down the mechanical and manufacturing reasons behind Tikka and Sako reliability. We cover action design, bolt tolerances, primary extraction, magazine systems, safety design, cold hammer forged barrels, and why some modern cartridges—especially PRCs—can introduce feeding issues.
Get Good at Elk Hunting Colorado Wilderness FAST - Briggs Pittman
16 Feb 2026
02:03:26
This conversation with Briggs Pittman breaks down what actually kills elk on hard, public land hunts. Not theory, not gear hype, but decision-making, preparation, and execution.
Briggs and Cliff cover why smelling elk is a non-negotiable stop, how elite hunters manage time in the woods, why mindset mathematically affects success, and how rifle hunters should think more like bow hunters. They dive deep into rifle setup, bipod selection, shooting positions, dry fire training, backpack weight discipline, food strategy, and why most hunters quietly sabotage themselves long before they miss a shot.
Briggs on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/briggs_pittman/
This episode breaks down how elk actually respond to hunting pressure and why most hunters misunderstand where mature bulls survive once seasons open.
Cliff talks with a self-taught elk hunter, Dan Vinson, who learned the hard way, without mentors or shortcuts. The conversation centers on pressure, access, and human behavior, not elevation gain or how far someone is willing to hike. Elk do not disappear when pressure increases. They compress into small, unattractive pockets where hunters walk through but never slow down enough to hunt.
The episode also covers bivy hunting, decision-making under uncertainty, and the cost of overcommitting to camps or rigid plans. A detailed solo bull encounter highlights how quickly things unravel after the shot, why blood trails are not guaranteed, and how emotional load compounds when hunting alone.
This is a realistic look at elk hunting as it actually happens for most do-it-yourself hunters.
Resources from Dan Vinson Wild Gym | All Things Rucking: https://www.wildgym.com/ Dan's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/wilddanvinson
Scope Drop Testing and Which Pack Animal (Mules, Llamas or Goats?) with Ryan Avery
03 Feb 2026
01:46:14
In this episode, Ryan and Cliff go deep into the real-world realities of pack animals — goats, llamas, horses, and mules — and why experience, animal behavior, stress, and decision-making matter far more than gear specs or romantic ideas of “backcountry horsepower.”
Ryan and Cliff also discuss the drop testing of optics and the myth that most modern rifle scopes hold zero.
Killing Elk with a .223 and Training to Be a Better Hunter with Ryan Avery
02 Feb 2026
02:26:00
Real-world discussion on hunting bullets, suppressor design, long-range ethics, thermal optics, and how modern technology is changing effective range, shot selection, and fair-chase decisions in Western big game hunting.
Why Longer Range Shots Are Better, Glassing Gear and Finding Good Outfitters with Jay Scott
26 Jan 2026
01:27:50
What actually separates a professional guide from a good hunter? Cliff and Jay Scott break down how real experience changes judgment. Calm under pressure, controlling variables, and why most missed shots are process failures. Not shooter failures.
The Tricer micro-panning device we discuss at the end of the video, Use CLIFFG for 10% off: https://tricer.com/products/tricer-360
From there, the discussion moves into distance, animal awareness, and the concept of the “bubble.” Cliff and Jay explain why getting closer is not always better, especially for wary species like Coues deer. Staying outside an animal’s awareness buys time, reduces mistakes, and creates higher-probability shots. This is not about extreme distance. It is about efficiency and control.
The back half of the episode shifts into gear and optics. They break down real use cases for image-stabilized binoculars and spotting scopes, where they help, where they don’t, and why tripods are not going anywhere. The conversation stays grounded in actual field application, not marketing claims.
The episode closes on perspective. Experience, restraint, and patience are skills built over decades, not seasons.
00:02:00 – Guiding Experience and Perspective 00:06:20 – Booking Hunts and Downside Protection 00:09:20 – What Makes a Professional Guide 00:17:20 – Staying Outside the Animal's Bubble 00:38:10 – Managing Age Class Over Antlers 00:40:55 – Harvest Limits and Real Results 00:49:40 – Tag Filling and Modern Pressure 00:52:00 – Social Media and Validation 00:59:20 – Judging Animals With Confidence 01:04:20 – Underrated Hunts and Value 01:07:40 – Image Stabilized Optics Use Cases 01:14:30 – Tripods, Glassing, and Field Judgment
Resources from Jay Scott Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jayscottoutdoors/?hl=en Website: http://jayscottoutdoorspodcast.com/ Scoring App: https://hornscore.com/
Tim Sundles Q&A and the Story of Tracking A Giant Bull in The Timber
21 Jan 2026
00:36:25
Tim Sundles and I rip through member-submitted questions, then go deep when it matters. The back half turns into a dark-timber masterclass: tracking old bulls in snow, reading intent from tracks, avoiding back-trail traps, and making a high-percentage shot in tight timber.
Tim and Kim Sundles run a great YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@buffaloboreammo
Big Bullets, Bad Angles, and Brutal Truths with Tim Sundles
19 Jan 2026
01:47:25
In this episode, I sit down with Tim Sundles of Buffalo Bore for a wide-ranging, no-filter conversation that goes where most hunting podcasts won’t.
We start with elk cartridges and shot placement. Real-world experience killing elk in dark timber, at bad angles, under pressure. We dig into why larger cartridges matter, how bullet construction and penetration actually work, and why “perfect broadside shots” are often a fantasy for serious elk hunters.
From there, the conversation expands into wolves, wildlife management, and what Tim has personally witnessed over decades living and hunting in Idaho and the Frank Church. We talk wolf reintroduction, elk and moose population collapse, government agencies, the Forest Service, and how public land management has drifted far from actual land stewardship.
Tim and Kim Sundles run a great YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@buffaloboreammo
Getting Schooled on Mountain Hunting Fitness with Scott Johnston
12 Jan 2026
01:47:15
Most hunters train hard. Very few train right. In this episode, Cliff sits down with Scott Johnston, co-author of Training for the Uphill Athlete and founder of Evoke Endurance, to break down why high-intensity training actually works against mountain hunters.
They unpack the biggest misconception in hunting fitness: trying to train exhaustion instead of capacity. Scott explains, in plain language, why endurance is a metabolic problem, not a grit problem, and why zone-2 aerobic development is the foundation for moving better, recovering faster, and shooting more accurately under fatigue.
They connect the dots between mountain hunting, special operations selection, and endurance sports, showing why aerobic capacity directly impacts decision-making, fine motor skills, recovery between stalks, and multi-day performance. Cliff ties it back to real guiding experiences with elk, goat, and sheep hunters who simply could not recover once they went anaerobic.
This is not about suffering more. It’s about building a system that actually works when it matters.
00:00:56 The fitness problem in hunting 00:02:00 Who Scott Johnston is 00:07:00 Why training transfers across sports 00:10:20 Fitness as the only controllable 00:18:30 Aerobic vs anaerobic systems 00:31:30 Aerobic deficiency explained 00:37:30 Time commitment realities 00:45:15 Why hill sprints fail hunters 00:52:00 Recovery and multi day hunts 01:11:00 Fitness impact on shooting accuracy
Resources from Scott and Evoke Endurance: Evoke Endurance: https://evokeendurance.com/ Training For the Uphill Athlete: https://amzn.to/4qgQ1WQ
Blood Trailing and Tracking - A Guides Take With Bob Terwilliger
05 Jan 2026
01:03:34
Most animals aren’t lost because of bad tracking — they’re lost because of bad decisions made in the first few minutes after the shot. In this podcast, Bob Terwilliger and Cliff Gray break down real-world animal recovery, blood trailing, and the ethics of finishing what you start.
Eric's First Bull, DIY vs Guided, and The Elk Hunting Learning Curve
15 Dec 2025
01:18:32
In this episode, I sit down with Eric Wilson to break down one of the most common questions I get within the context of his recent successful hunt. DIY vs guided elk hunting.
Eric runs the podcast Do Not Go Quietly - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/do-not-go-quietly-w-eric-wilson/id1675558101
Eric did a full DIY public land elk hunt last year. This season, he went guided. Same hunter, same mindset, completely different experience.
His first hunt was debriefed in this interview - https://youtu.be/SKwO7beqytI
We talk honestly about what changed. The learning curve. Shot opportunities. Elk behavior during the rut. Patience versus forcing moves. Why calling herd bulls is usually overrated. And how having a constant feedback loop with an experienced guide can accelerate your understanding of elk hunting in ways that years of solo hunts often can’t.
This is not a sales pitch for guided hunts. It’s a real conversation about expectations, decision making, ego, social pressure, and how hunters actually get better over time.
If you’re trying to decide whether to stay DIY, go guided, or mix both into your hunting life, this conversation will help you think clearly about what you want out of a hunt and how to get there faster.
Gifts for Hunters - Proven Gear From My 2025 Guiding Season
06 Dec 2025
00:22:10
Looking for Christmas gifts for the hunter or outdoorsman in your life, or just want an excuse to buy yourself more gear you’ll actually use? In this video I walk through my annual hunting gift list built from a full season of guiding and personal hunts. This is stuff that has been beat up in the field and earned its place.
White Belt to Black Belt — How to Think About Becoming a Better Hunter.
19 Nov 2025
00:18:58
Most hunters stay white belts forever. In this conversation I break down a simple framework I stole from jiu-jitsu and applied to hunting.
The full interview is available from Chad Lubinski here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gd2L3PdsGi0
We talk about why “time in the game” is overrated, how to compress your learning with tight reps, and why some hunters with 30 seasons under their belt are still stuck at white belt. Then I walk through what blue, purple, brown, and black belt hunting actually look like in the real world. Clear thinking about the wind, topography, elk behavior, and your own style.
I also share a real elk hunt story where years of pattern recognition turned a blown setup into a legit shot opportunity.
Hunting The HARDEST ELK TO KILL - Lessons from the Flat Tops
29 Oct 2025
00:34:40
Grinding elk on Colorado’s Flat Tops is expert mode. I sit down with guide Cade Cole to break down exactly why this country punishes hesitation and rewards decisive shooting. We hit pressure dynamics, why elk “live” outside shooting hours, stand-hunt vs still-hunt on plateaus, when to take a marginal window, and the ethics of passing smaller bulls.
We also get real on training that actually kills elk here: snapshooting, offhand reps, backpack or tree support, and separating when to use bipods or tripods. If you hunt public land under heavy pressure, this will sharpen your edge.
Cade Cole — backcountry elk guide and survivalist. https://www.instagram.com/collincadecole on Instagram.
Lessons From Hunting 200+ Conflict Wolves with Greg Jones, Aerial Gunner
13 Oct 2025
01:17:14
Greg Jones has killed over 200 wolves across Idaho and the West. In this episode, he reveals what most people don’t understand about wolves—how they hunt, how they impact elk and livestock, and what’s about to happen in Colorado. From ranch conflicts to wildlife collapse, this is the unfiltered truth about wolf management from a man who lived it.
Greg Jones – Retired trapper and aerial gunner with over 200 wolf kills across Idaho and the West. Expert in predator management and livestock conflict resolution.
How to Track, Call, Shoot and Kill More Elk — Field Lessons from Guide James Nash
06 Oct 2025
01:08:26
In this episode, I sit down in person with James Nash, veteran elk guide and host of the 6 Ranch Podcast. We go deep into elk behavior, calling strategy, and tracking wounded bulls — including what 100 miles of real-world blood trails have taught him. We also talk about gear, generational elk knowledge, and how to adapt your calling to changing elk behavior. If you hunt elk, this one’s worth every minute.
James Nash — veteran elk guide, lifelong outdoorsman, and host of the Six Ranch Podcast. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/6-ranch-podcast/id1510254570 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/6ranchoutfitters/
Hunting to Rebuild Your Mental Health – Dr. Ben Peery
01 Oct 2025
01:07:26
Hunting can be life-changing. In this episode, Cliff Gray sits down with Dr. Ben Peery – ER physician and Chief Medical Officer of INVI Mind Health – to dive deep into mental health, resilience, and why hunting affects people so profoundly. They discuss HRV (heart rate variability) as a measurable way to track stress, how the backcountry accelerates personal growth, and why camaraderie in hunting camps creates unmatched bonds.