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by Backbone Unlimited
Backbone Unlimited is a western hunting podcast for public-land hunters who want to stop guessing and build a better system for finding elk, mule deer and black bears, beating pressure, reading sign, understanding wind and thermals, and making cleaner decisions in the mountains. Hosted by Matt Hartsky, Backbone Unlimited combines 34+ years of western big game hunting experience with decades of strength, conditioning, and nutrition coaching to help hunters prepare smarter and hunt more effectively. Episodes cover elk hunting strategy, mule deer hunting, bear hunting, public land tactics, archery elk hunting, rifle hunting, e-scouting, scouting, glassing, calling, bedding areas, feed, water, transition zones, mountain fitness, hunt planning, field decision-making, meat care, gear, pack-outs, and the mindset it takes to keep improving season after season. If you’re serious about becoming a more capable western hunter, Backbone Unlimited is built to help you train harder, hunt smarter, and never settle.
Latest Episodes
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- Today12 min
NEVER CALL BACK TO A BUGLING BULL - UNTIL YOU'VE DONE THIS | EP. 236
When a bull elk bugles, your first move usually shouldn’t be calling back. In this episode of Backbone Unlimited, Matt Hartsky breaks down the exact elk calling decision tree he uses to turn a bugling bull into a close-range encounter: read the bull, stay silent, close the distance, get inside the 80–120 yard bubble, assess whether he has cows, and only then decide what call to make. Learn when to use cow calls on a solo bull, when to bugle or rake at a herd bull, how to handle a bull that goes quiet, and why calling too early can stop an encounter before it starts. If you want to become a better elk caller and consistently close distance on bugling bulls, start with the sequence—not the call. Ready to build a better elk hunting plan? Explore the complete Elk Hunting E-book Series, join TEAM Backbone for ongoing guidance and accountability, book a personalized Elk Hunt Plan Audit, or prepare physically with Backbone Unlimited Training and Nutrition Plans. Visit BackboneUnlimited.com to get started. Train harder. Hunt smarter. Never settle.
- 2 weeks ago12 min
WHY MOST BOWHUNTERS BLOW THEIR BEST ELK ENCOUNTERS INSIDE 40 YARDS | EP. 238
Getting a bull elk inside 40 yards doesn’t finish the hunt—it starts the hardest part. In this episode of Backbone Unlimited, Matt Hartsky breaks down why bowhunters blow close-range elk encounters and how to execute when a bull is finally in range. Learn how to identify shot lanes before the bull arrives, control movement and noise, choose the right time to draw your bow, avoid holding at full draw too early, stay disciplined under adrenaline, and wait for a high-percentage shot opportunity. If you’re an archery elk hunter struggling to convert close encounters into filled tags, this episode will help you improve your shot execution when the pressure is highest. Ready to build a better elk hunting plan? Explore the complete Elk Hunting E-book Series, join TEAM Backbone for ongoing guidance and accountability, book a personalized Elk Hunt Plan Audit, or prepare physically with Backbone Unlimited Training and Nutrition Plans. Visit BackboneUnlimited.com to get started. Train harder. Hunt smarter. Never settle.
- 2 weeks ago11 min
THE SILENT KILLER - HOW TO HUNT QUIET BULLS | EP. 237
When bull elk stop bugling, most hunters assume the elk are gone. In this episode of Backbone Unlimited, Matt Hartsky explains how to find and hunt quiet bulls when elk aren’t talking, especially on pressured public land. Learn how to connect feeding areas, bedding cover, and the transition routes between them; read fresh tracks, droppings, beds, rubs, and grazing sign; identify saddles, pinch points, funnels, and security cover; and use glassing, wind, and patient observation to predict where a silent bull will move. If you’re hunting elk that have gone quiet because of pressure or changing conditions, this episode gives you a practical system for finding them without relying on bugles. Ready to build a better elk hunting plan? Explore the complete Elk Hunting E-book Series, join TEAM Backbone for ongoing guidance and accountability, book a personalized Elk Hunt Plan Audit, or prepare physically with Backbone Unlimited Training and Nutrition Plans. Visit BackboneUnlimited.com to get started. Train harder. Hunt smarter. Never settle.
- 2 weeks ago15 min
KILL YOUR FIRST ARCHERY BULL WITH THE BACKBONE SYSTEM | EP. 235
Killing your first archery bull elk takes more than calling harder or getting lucky. In this episode of Backbone Unlimited, Matt Hartsky breaks down the Backbone System for archery elk hunting—from physical preparation and locating fresh elk sign to reading a bull’s behavior, closing distance, controlling the wind, choosing when to stay silent or call, and building a setup around a realistic bow range. Learn how to avoid the common mistakes that keep elk hunters stuck just outside shooting distance, make better decisions during a calling encounter, and create higher-percentage shot opportunities on public land. If your goal is to kill your first bull elk with a bow, this episode gives you a repeatable system for finding elk, getting inside the bubble, and executing when the opportunity comes. Ready to build a better elk hunting plan? Explore the complete Elk Hunting E-book Series, join TEAM Backbone for ongoing guidance and accountability, book a personalized Elk Hunt Plan Audit, or prepare physically with Backbone Unlimited Training and Nutrition Plans. Visit BackboneUnlimited.com to get started. Train harder. Hunt smarter. Never settle.
- 2 weeks ago17 min
WHY PRESSURED BULLS ARE ACTUALLY EASIER TO FIND | EP. 234
Hunting pressure doesn’t always make bull elk harder to find—it can make their behavior more predictable. In this episode of Backbone Unlimited, Matt Hartsky explains how public land hunting pressure pushes mature bulls into specific security pockets, and how to use that movement to locate elk other hunters have given up on. Learn how to identify steep terrain, heavy cover, access barriers, escape routes, overlooked travel corridors, and pressure gaps while e-scouting, plus why bugling and aggressive calling can become less effective once bulls have been hunted. If you’re trying to find pressured elk on public land, this episode will help you use hunter pressure, terrain, wind, glassing, and disciplined movement to narrow down where mature bulls are hiding. Ready to build a better elk hunting plan? Explore the complete Elk Hunting E-book Series, join TEAM Backbone for ongoing guidance and accountability, book a personalized Elk Hunt Plan Audit, or prepare physically with Backbone Unlimited Training and Nutrition Plans. Visit BackboneUnlimited.com to get started. Train harder. Hunt smarter. Never settle.
- 3 weeks ago16 min
HOW TO CLOSE DISTANCE ON A BEDDED BULL ELK WITHOUT BLOWING THE ENCOUNTER | EP. 233
Closing the distance on a bedded bull elk is one of the most technical stalks in bowhunting. In this episode of Backbone Unlimited, Matt Hartsky breaks down how to stalk a bedded elk without getting busted, including how to confirm the bull is truly bedded, locate unseen cows, read wind and thermals, choose an approach route, use terrain to stay hidden, and control your movement inside 150 yards. You’ll also learn what to do inside 60 yards, when to wait for the bull to stand, and how a single soft cow call can create a shot opportunity. If you hunt public land elk with a bow, this is a complete strategy for closing distance on a bedded bull and turning a difficult encounter into a high-percentage shot opportunity. Ready to build a better elk hunting plan? Explore the complete Elk Hunting E-book Series, join TEAM Backbone for ongoing guidance and accountability, book a personalized Elk Hunt Plan Audit, or prepare physically with Backbone Unlimited Training and Nutrition Plans. Visit BackboneUnlimited.com to get started. Train harder. Hunt smarter. Never settle.
- 3 weeks ago19 min
HOW TO HUNT ELK THE 4TH WEEK OF SEPTEMBER: PEAK RUT ELK HUNTING TIPS | EP. 242
September 22–30 can be one of the best elk hunting windows of the entire season. Herd bulls are breeding, protecting their cows and becoming increasingly vulnerable—but calling from long range still won’t pull them away from the herd. Part four of this September elk hunting series covers how to close inside a herd bull’s bubble, hunt bedded elk and use trailing bugles, raking and controlled aggression to force a response. Learn how to hunt transition zones, pressured elk and productive midday setups during the final week of September. Find the complete Elk Hunting E-book Series, TEAM Backbone, Hunt Plan Audits, Training Plans and Nutrition Plans at BackboneUnlimited.com. Train harder, hunt smarter, never settle.
- 3 weeks ago18 min
HOW TO HUNT ELK THE 3RD WEEK OF SEPTEMBER: FIND THE BULL, READ THE BULL, CALL THE BULL | EP. 241
September 15–21 is peak rut, but more bugling doesn’t make every bull easier to kill. A herd bull, satellite bull and pressured bull each require a completely different approach. Call the wrong bull the wrong way and the best week of September can disappear fast. Part three of this four-part September elk hunting series covers how to identify which bull you’re dealing with, use transition zones during the rut and choose the right calling strategy before making a sound. Learn when to cow call, when to challenge, when to intercept the herd and when to leave a pressured bull alone. Find the complete Elk Hunting E-book Series, TEAM Backbone, Hunt Plan Audits, Training Plans and Nutrition Plans at BackboneUnlimited.com. Train harder, hunt smarter, never settle.
About Backbone Unlimited Podcast
Backbone Unlimited is a western hunting podcast for public-land hunters who want to stop guessing and build a better system for finding elk, mule deer and black bears, beating pressure, reading sign, understanding wind and thermals, and making cleaner decisions in the mountains. Hosted by Matt Hartsky, Backbone Unlimited combines 34+ years of western big game hunting experience with decades of strength, conditioning, and nutrition coaching to help hunters prepare smarter and hunt more effectively. Episodes cover elk hunting strategy, mule deer hunting, bear hunting, public land tactics, archery elk hunting, rifle hunting, e-scouting, scouting, glassing, calling, bedding areas, feed, water, transition zones, mountain fitness, hunt planning, field decision-making, meat care, gear, pack-outs, and the mindset it takes to keep improving season after season. If you’re serious about becoming a more capable western hunter, Backbone Unlimited is built to help you train harder, hunt smarter, and never settle.
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