Building a Hunting Season After Draws with Hayden Richins & Tyler Bales

The Craft of Backcountry Bowhunting with Adam Foss

This week, Adam Foss joins me to talk about the craft of backcountry bowhunting and the lessons that only come from spending years in the mountains. We get into how modern gear, mapping apps, and satellite communication have made hunters more capable, but also why none of it replaces real experience, sound judgment, and basic backcountry skills. Adam also breaks down the archery gear he carries on long hunts, why he brings a lightweight target into the field, and how shooting his bow during a mountain goat hunt helped him catch a problem before it cost him an opportunity. We talk about target panic, letting down instead of forcing a shot, building confidence under pressure, and the story behind Migrate Gear, a new company focused on solving practical problems for traveling bowhunters. Enjoy this week's episode of the Hunt West Podcast! Watch Adam Stalking a Mountain Goat on Instagram >> [https://www.instagram.com/reels/Cik1J1VJT6T/] Check out Adam's new company migrate-gear.com [https://www.migrate-gear.com/] Adam's Creative Work at Foss Media >> [https://www.foss.media/] Show Links: Use code Huntwest at Lee Hemp Co. for all your recovery needs >> [https://leehemp.com/discount/Huntwest] Check out the Guide Air Fleece at Argalioutdoors.com >> [https://argalioutdoors.com/products/guide-air-fleece] Hunt West Digest Sunday Email >> [https://huntwestplanning.com/hunt-west-digest] Hunt West Planning Services >> [https://huntwestplanning.com/services-guide] Thanks to Bo DePena, a musician, friend, and avid hunter in Colorado, for the intro and outro for the show.

Building a Hunting Season After Draws with Hayden Richins & Tyler Bales

This week's episode is a little different. I sat down with two of the people I spend the most time planning hunts with: my brother Tyler and my good friend Hayden. We pulled back the curtain on exactly what our own fall planning conversations sound like after draw results come out. The tags we expected to draw didn't happen. Backup plans became Plan C, then Plan D, and eventually Plan E. Rather than throwing in the towel, we talk through how we evaluate new opportunities, why over-the-counter hunts still deserve serious consideration, and how flexibility often leads to some of the most memorable adventures you'll ever have. Along the way we dive into Oregon preference points, California blacktails, Wyoming elk, leftover tags, and an incredibly lucky Oregon pronghorn draw that changed our August plans. We also spend plenty of time talking about the old Ford farm truck our grandfather taught us to drive, which we're bringing back to life for this year's antelope hunt. Somehow that pickup became a perfect reminder that the best hunting stories usually have very little to do with inches of antler. If you've ever stared at disappointing draw results, wondered whether to burn your points, or simply enjoy listening to hunters map out an entire season over a conversation, I think you'll enjoy this one.

New Muzzleloaders, Mountain Miles & Taking Chances with Tyler Grethen

This week, Weatherby Marketing Manager Tyler Grethen joins the Hunt West Podcast from Weatherby's headquarters in Sheridan, Wyoming. Tyler shares his journey from growing up in Missouri and working as a commodities trader to building a career in the outdoor industry and eventually landing at one of the most iconic rifle companies in hunting. Along the way, we swap stories from DIY Alaska adventures, dive into lightweight rifle setups and suppressor-ready hunting systems, and discuss how trail running and mountain fitness can completely change the way you approach western hunting. Tyler also shares the story of his unforgettable Wyoming general season bull elk and Colorado muzzleloader mule deer hunts. We also pull back the curtain on Weatherby's new muzzleloader platform and why the company believes it can create more hunting opportunities for western hunters willing to learn a new weapon system. Enjoy this week's episode of the Hunt West Podcast! Follow Tyler at @tygrethen Check out Weatherby's new muzzleloader at Weatherby.com [https://weatherby.com/] Show Links: Use code Huntwest at Lee Hemp Co. for your recovery needs >> [https://leehemp.com/discount/Huntwest] Check out my favorite sharpener/belt at Argalioutdoors.com >> [https://argalioutdoors.com/products/kodiak-belt?_pos=1&_sid=8ddf3f644&_ss=r] Hunt West Digest Sunday Email >> [https://huntwestplanning.com/hunt-west-digest] Hunt West Planning Services >> [https://huntwestplanning.com/services-guide] Thanks to Bo DePena, a musician, friend, and avid hunter in Colorado, for the intro and outro for the show.

Inside the Life of a Wyoming Game Warden with Scott Werbelow

Few people have spent more time around hunters, wildlife, and the wild places of Wyoming than retired game warden Scott Werbelow. Scott spent 33 years with the Wyoming Game & Fish Department, working everywhere from elk feedgrounds in the Pinedale country to supervising game wardens across northwest Wyoming. Along the way, he investigated poaching cases, responded to grizzly bear conflicts, checked hunters from sheep country to sagebrush flats, and accumulated enough stories to fill five books. In this conversation, Scott shares how growing up on a sheep ranch, trapping as a kid, and spending time around both ethical hunters and poachers shaped his path into wildlife law enforcement. We dive into the changes he's witnessed in hunting culture, the role of ethics in modern hunting, lessons learned from decades of interacting with sportsmen, and what today's hunters can learn from the old-school generation. Whether you're interested in hunting, conservation, wildlife law enforcement, or just good stories from the mountains, this episode is packed with hard-earned wisdom and good stories from someone who's led an awesome life outdoors. We hope you enjoy it! Check out Scott's "Son of a Poacher" series at Scottwerbelow.com [https://www.scottwerbelow.com/] LINKS: Argali Trekking Poles & More >> [https://argalioutdoors.com/collections/trekking-poles] Lee Hemp's Magic Pain Relief Cream >> [https://leehemp.com/collections/cbd-creams/products/max-cbd-pain-relief] Support the Wyoming Wild Sheep Foundation Raffles >> [https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/organizations/wyoming-wild-sheep-foundation] Hunt West Digest Sunday Email >> [https://huntwestplanning.com/hunt-west-digest] Hunt West Planning Services >> [https://huntwestplanning.com/services-guide] Thanks to Bo DePena, a musician, friend, and avid hunter in Colorado, for the intro and outro for the show.

Jim Zumbo: Lessons from a Western Hunting Legend

Jim Zumbo has spent more than six decades chasing adventure across the American West. From writing thousands of hunting articles and more than 20 books to following in the footsteps of Jack O'Connor at Outdoor Life, few people have witnessed the evolution of western hunting quite like Jim. In this episode, Jim shares stories from the golden age of mule deer hunting, horseback elk camps, and some unforgettable sheep hunts, including a desert bighorn hunt that featured a grizzly attack story assignment, a truck burned to the ground, and a ram that got away. Along the way, we dive into what hunting was like before GPS, rangefinders, trail cameras, and social media changed the landscape. We also discuss the challenges facing modern hunters, the value of traditional skills like still-hunting and tracking, how technology has changed the way we hunt, and why planning and realistic expectations are still some of the most important tools a western hunter can carry. Whether you're dreaming about your first western hunt or looking back on decades in the mountains, this episode is packed with stories, wisdom, and perspective from one of hunting's most recognizable storytellers. We hope you enjoy it half as much as we enjoyed bringing it to you. You can learn more about Jim Zumbo's collection of books at JimZumbo.com [https://www.jimzumbo.com/] Show Links: Additional Links: Gear Geek: Argali Clothing and Gear >> [https://argalioutdoors.com/products/vesper-pant?srsltid=AfmBOopwqPCfJwdSYnR9K_GlNfLrrbAeRXc-RxM-UbySP0VaCIREvK1D] Lee Hemp CBD Lotions & More >> [https://leehemp.com/collections/cbd-creams/products/max-cbd-pain-relief] Hunt West Digest Sunday Email >> [https://huntwestplanning.com/hunt-west-digest] Hunt West Planning Services >> [https://huntwestplanning.com/services-guide] Thanks to Bo DePena, a musician, friend, and avid hunter in Colorado, for the intro and outro for the show.