John Frieh from Evoke Endurance joins us to discuss a new 20-week training plan, developed in collaboration with Scott Johnston, specifically designed for the unique demands of backcountry hunting. The conversation explores the physiological foundations of endurance, the importance of structured programming, and how hunters can transition from being "strong" to being "aerobically fit" for the mountains.

Why Fitness is a Specific Task

• Definition: Fitness is defined as the specific ability to perform a chosen task; being fit for one activity often means being "unfit" for another if the training is too specialized.
• Safety: In mountain hunting, fitness acts as a safety buffer that determines your ability to handle multi-day efforts and return home safely.
• The Hunting Demand: Unlike many mountain sports where loads decrease over time, hunting is unique because the physical demand often peaks at the end when packing out an animal.

The Power of the Aerobic "Gas Tank"

• Mitochondria: Endurance is powered by mitochondria, the "powerhouses" of the cells that produce energy (ATP) from fat.
• Efficiency: Proper aerobic training increases mitochondrial density, which John compares to upgrading a truck's fuel economy—allowing you to go longer and faster without running out of "gas."
• The Deficiency: Most hunters are already strong but "aerobically deficient," meaning they lack the efficiency to move all day without getting "cranky" or hitting a wall.

Structured Training Phases

A successful program follows a linear progression to give the body clear, "un-muddled" messages for adaptation:

• Aerobic Base: The foundation of the program involves low-intensity work (Zone 2) to build mitochondria. This phase often feels "boring" or "slow" but is mandatory for long-term success.
• Max Strength: This phase focuses on the "motor." It uses high weights and low repetitions to improve the neurological connection between the brain and muscles without adding unnecessary bulk.
• Muscular Endurance: The final phase pulls the "tank" and "motor" together using sport-specific training, such as hiking with heavy packs (starting around 40 lbs), to prepare for the actual hunt.

Training Logistics and Common Mistakes

• Avoid the "Shortcut": There is no 6-week shortcut to elite endurance; aerobic systems can take up to seven years to fully maximize.
• Heart Rate Discipline: Monitoring heart rate is the only way to ensure you are training the correct energy system. If you cannot breathe through your nose or hold a conversation, you are likely going too hard and missing the aerobic benefit.
• Strength Bias: Many athletes fall into the trap of only training what they are already good at (usually strength for hunters), rather than performing a "ruthless self-assessment" to find their weak links.
• Equipment: While a full gym is helpful, the absolute minimum requirements for this type of training are a heart rate strap and a backpack with weight.

THE TRAINING PLANS...

• Use code EXO before 04/30/26 to save on the training plans...
• 20 Week Training Plan: https://evokeendurance.com/training-plans/backcountry-hunting-20-week-training-plan/
• 28 Week Training Plan: https://evokeendurance.com/training-plans/backcountry-hunting-training-plan/

LINKS FOR THIS EPISODE...

• Episode 475 | "Proven Training Methods for the Mountain Hunter": https://the-experience-project.com/proven-training-for-mountain-hunting/
• Scott's Books: https://amzn.to/3zAQH42
• Evoke Endurance: https://evokeendurance.com/
• Your Heart Rate Zones: https://evokeendurance.com/resources/setting-your-hear-rate-zones/
• Understanding Muscular Endurance: https://evokeendurance.com/resources/muscular-endurance-all-you-need-to-know/
• Additional Free Resources from Evoke: https://evokeendurance.com/resources/

The Hunt Backcountry Podcast is brought to you by Exo Mtn Gear: https://exomtngear.com/

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Steve & Mark discuss some of their takeaways from the recent, must-listen episode with Andy Galpin. They also answer listener questions about using hot tents and stoves for backpack hunting, what tripod and head they would buy with a $300 budget (for each item), and more...

• The Experience Challenge — https://exomtngear.com/challenge
• Andy Galpin Episode — https://exomtngear.com/blogs/podcast/573
• Kyle Kamp / V2P Nutrition — https://v2pnutrition.com/
• Tripod & Heads from S&S Archery — https://sandsarchery.com/collections/lightweight-tripods

The Hunt Backcountry Podcast is brought to you by Exo Mtn Gear: https://exomtngear.com/

EXO INSIDER NEWSLETTER — https://exomtngear.com/newsletter

ASK YOUR QUESTION — [email protected]

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VIEW & SEARCH THE PODCAST ARCHIVE: https://exomtngear.com/podcast

Andy Galpin returns to the show to discuss everyday habits that can help or hinder your performance as a hunter. Topics covered include physical training and injury prevention, the power of sleep, what does and doesn't matter in nutrition, mental skills for high performance, and more...

Physical Preparation & Injury Prevention

• Identify Your "Performance Anchors": Prioritize training based on your specific weaknesses—whether it is ankle stability, back strength, or nutritional deficiencies—that are most likely to cause failure during a long hunt.
• Develop Tissue Tolerance: The goal is to prepare your body (specifically low back, knees, and ankles) to handle the repetitive stress of a multi-day hunt so you don't "break" on day three.
• Use Your Actual Gear: Do not wait until the hunt to wear your boots or pack. Wear them during daily activities or training to let your body adapt to the specific stress loads of that equipment.

The Power of Sleep

• The Number One Risk Factor: Poor sleep is a primary driver of injury risk and negatively impacts everything from cognitive focus to food cravings.
• Consistency Over Duration: It is better to sleep the same six hours every night than to fluctuate between four and nine hours. Your body optimizes sleep better when it recognizes a consistent pattern.
• Perception Matters: A person's perception of how they slept often dictates their performance more than the actual hours of sleep they received.

Nutrition & "Major in the Majors"

• Focus on Quality: Avoid getting lost in "minor" details like seed oils if you are still eating inconsistent meals or highly processed gas station food.
• The Micronutrient Factor: While calories and macros determine body composition, micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, fiber) determine how you actually feel and perform.
• Protein Intentionality: Many people eat less protein than they realize. Reaching high targets (e.g., 1g per pound of body weight) requires specific planning rather than just "eating meat".

Mental Performance Skills

• Talk to Yourself, Don't Listen: To build grit, use your own name (or a nickname) when encouraging yourself. This creates a psychological detachment that allows you to view a problem as a "coach" rather than being embedded in the suffering.
• Physical Grounding: Use a "reset button," such as touching a specific wristband or looking at a meaningful acronym, to regain focus when you feel overwhelmed or lost.

LINKS FOR THIS EPISODE...

• The Experience Challenge: https://exomtngear.com/challenge
• Vitality Blueprint: https://www.vitalityblueprint.com/exo — Save 10% with code EXO10 through 04/30/26
• Andy's Website: https://www.andygalpin.com/
• Andy's Podcast: https://performpodcast.com/
• Andy's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drandygalpin/
• Episode 454 | Hunting & Human Performance: https://exomtngear.com/blogs/podcast/454
• Episode 542 | Resilience, Joint Health, & Sleep: https://exomtngear.com/blogs/podcast/542

The Hunt Backcountry Podcast is brought to you by Exo Mtn Gear: https://exomtngear.com/

Email Sign-up: https://exomtngear.com/newsletter

Contact Us: [email protected]

Leave A Message: https://speakpipe.com/huntbackcountry

Podcast Episode Archive: https://exomtngear.com/podcast

Steve & Mark answer listener questions about hunting spring bear after a mild winter, nuances of selecting a type of bivy, determining how much shooting practice is enough (or too much), and more...

• The Experience Challenge — https://exomtngear.com/challenge
• Backpack Hunting With A Bivy Sack — https://exomtngear.com/bivy
• How to Hunt Mule Deer Podcast Series — https://exomtngear.com/search?q=how+to+hunt+mule+deer

The Hunt Backcountry Podcast is brought to you by Exo Mtn Gear: https://exomtngear.com/

EXO INSIDER NEWSLETTER — https://exomtngear.com/newsletter

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In this episode, we talk about hunting Dall Sheep in the Brooks Range of Alaska. Our guest, Joey Klutsch, is an Alaska Master Guide and Owner of Katmai/Aniakchak Guide Service.

He will be taking the winner of The Experience Challenge on a Dall Sheep hunt this August. We discuss the logistics of the hunt, what makes clients quit on difficult hunts, why mindset is more important than good gear and fitness, what gear is and isn't required, and much more. 

LINKS FOR THIS EPISODE...

• The Experience Challenge: https://exomtngear.com/challenge
• Joey's Website: https://katmaiguideservice.com/
• Joey's Instagram: https://instagram.com/aniakchakguideservice
• Alaska Wildlife Notebook on Dall Sheep: https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/static/education/wns/dall_sheep.pdf
• Alaska Guide to Judging Dall Sheep: https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/static/hunting/dallsheephunting/pdfs/dall_sheep_guide_to_judging_sheep_horns_under_full_curl_regulation.pdf

The Hunt Backcountry Podcast is brought to you by Exo Mtn Gear: https://exomtngear.com/

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Podcast Episode Archive: https://exomtngear.com/podcast

Marks goes solo to answer listener questions about hunting elk off-trail and making noise, why we haven't recommended spotting scopes from Leupold, what we should do about a proposed hunting ban in Oregon, and more.

Links mentioned in this episode...

• The Experience Challenge — https://exomtngear.com/challenge
• Exo Newsletter — https://exomtngear.com/newsletter
• "Roosevelt vs Rocky Mountain Elk, And How to Hunt Both" — https://exomtngear.com/blogs/podcast/142
• "Changes & Challenges to Hunting & Wildlife with John Stallone" — https://exomtngear.com/blogs/podcast/491
• "Finding & Protecting Alaska with Bjorn Dihle" — https://exomtngear.com/blogs/podcast/563
• Howl for Wildlife — https://www.howlforwildlife.org/
• Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership — https://trcp.org

The Hunt Backcountry Podcast is brought to you by Exo Mtn Gear: https://exomtngear.com/

EXO INSIDER NEWSLETTER — https://exomtngear.com/newsletter

ASK YOUR QUESTION — [email protected]

LEAVE A MESSAGE — https://speakpipe.com/huntbackcountry

VIEW & SEARCH THE PODCAST ARCHIVE: https://exomtngear.com/podcast

Return guest, Josh Kuntz, joins us to discuss his recent hip replacement and his late-season elk hunting in Arizona. We explore the mindset needed to push through setbacks, the value of an active lifestyle, elk hunting in Arizona, and more.

• "Better Basecamp, Better Hunting" — http://exomtngear.com/blogs/podcast/329
• "Shared Success on Backcountry Bulls" — https://exomtngear.com/blogs/podcast/390
• Josh's Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/josh.kuntz/

The Hunt Backcountry Podcast is brought to you by Exo Mtn Gear: https://exomtngear.com/

Email Sign-up: https://exomtngear.com/newsletter

Contact Us: [email protected]

Leave A Message: https://speakpipe.com/huntbackcountry

Podcast Episode Archive: https://exomtngear.com/podcast

Steve & Mark discuss the purpose of The Experience Challenge, and how you can join this week. Registration is only open through this Sunday (March 15th)...

https://exomtngear.com/challenge

The Hunt Backcountry Podcast is brought to you by Exo Mtn Gear: https://exomtngear.com/

EXO INSIDER NEWSLETTER — https://exomtngear.com/newsletter

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VIEW & SEARCH THE PODCAST ARCHIVE: https://exomtngear.com/podcast

"Live" from the road, again, Steve kinda-sorta hosts this podcast. We discuss the pre-Challenge for everyone who wants to win the Sheep hunt as part of The Experience Challenge, we recap our time in BC for the Mountain Hunting Expo, and we dive into listener-submitted questions about hunting elk in fresh burns, archery gear upgrades, and more.

https://exomtngear.com/challenge

CHAPTERS...

00:00 — Road Trip Reflections
02:59 — Insights from the Wild Sheep Society Expo
06:13 — The Importance of Mental Toughness
08:52 — Preparing for the Experience Challenge
11:57 — Time Commitment for Hunting Challenges
14:55 — Hunting After Wildfires
18:00 — Safety in Burned Areas
21:05 — Archery Gear Recommendations
23:57 — Building Confidence in Archery
26:55 — Experiencing the Thrill of the Hunt
30:01 — Closing Thoughts and Future Plans

The Hunt Backcountry Podcast is brought to you by Exo Mtn Gear: https://exomtngear.com/

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Podcast Episode Archive: https://exomtngear.com/podcast

"Live" from the road, Steve takes over to host the podcast with Mark and Justin along. You'll hear about Steve's surprise emergency room visit (last night), their plans for the Mountain Hunting Expo in BC this weekend, what's to come with The Experience Challenge, and more.

https://exomtngear.com/challenge

CHAPTERS...

00:00 — Introduction
03:00 — Emergency Room Experience
05:59 — Kidney Stone Insights
08:56 — Planning for the Mountain Hunting Expo
12:00 — Experience Challenge Overview
14:59 — Shooting and Hunting Preparation
17:57 — Alaska Hunting Plans
20:56 — Reflections on Past Hunts
24:02 — Community and Engagement
27:00 — Final Thoughts and Wrap-Up

The Hunt Backcountry Podcast is brought to you by Exo Mtn Gear: https://exomtngear.com/

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Podcast Episode Archive: https://exomtngear.com/podcast

Travis from Silvercore Outdoors joins us for a wide-ranging conversation that covers hunting, firearms training, entrepreneurship, and the importance of disconnecting from technology. We explore the relationship between mindset, instincts, and the art of hunting; the importance of community and collaboration in the hunting world; the value of sharing experiences, and more.

• Silvercore Outdoors: http://silvercore.ca/
• Silvercore Podcast: https://www.silvercore.ca/podcast
• Silvercore Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/silvercoreoutdoors/
• Travis' Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bader.trav/

CHAPTERS...

00:02:09 — The Journey of Entrepreneurship and Mindset
00:08:36 — Understanding Firearm Safety and Training in Canada
00:14:01 — The Passion for Hunting and Connection with Nature
00:18:48 — Experiences at SHOT Show and the Firearm Industry
00:22:30 — Disconnecting from Technology and Finding Balance
00:37:11 — Shifts in Training Demographics and Motivations
00:40:03 — The Impact of Media on Perception and Fear
00:45:11 — Reading Human and Animal Behavior
00:46:50 — Heuristics in Reading Animals and People
00:49:46 — Trusting Your Instincts in Hunting
00:50:51 — The Two-Way Process of Reading
00:53:23 — Mindset and Energy in Hunting
00:55:32 — The Podcast Journey and Conversations
01:01:01 — Success and Mindset in Hunting
01:09:32 — Community and Collaboration in Hunting
01:12:11 — Navigating Information Overload
01:14:09 — Reflections on Hunting Seasons
01:20:06 — Sharing Experiences in Hunting
01:22:55 — Defining Success Beyond Material Gains

The Hunt Backcountry Podcast is brought to you by Exo Mtn Gear: https://exomtngear.com/

Email Sign-up: https://exomtngear.com/newsletter

Contact Us: [email protected]

Leave A Message: https://speakpipe.com/huntbackcountry

Podcast Episode Archive: https://exomtngear.com/podcast