Backbone Unlimited Podcast

Rutting bulls aren’t random—they’re anchored to cows, and cows are anchored to food. If you’ve ever chased fading bugles or watched a hot basin go silent overnight, this episode connects the dots. I break down why nutrition drives September movement, how cow groups “lock” bulls into predictable patterns, and the exact places to find reliable feed when pressure and weather shift the game.

What you’ll learn:

The truth about rutting bulls (and the myths that waste your time)

How food dictates daily travel: night feed → dawn transition → bedding → evening feed

Where to find September groceries: alpine meadows, riparian pockets, north-facing benches, fresh burns

How pressure pushes cows into hidden “living-room sized” feed and how to set up on those seams

Morning intercepts, evening ambushes, and when calling helps vs. hurts around food

Perfect for DIY public-land hunters who want a repeatable plan—no more chasing echoes, just hunting where elk actually live.

Mental toughness—not gear, not fitness—is the ultimate deciding factor in Western hunting success. In this episode of Backbone Unlimited, Matt Hartsky dives deep into how grit separates hunters who fill tags from those who head home empty.

You’ll learn how to train your mind before season, push through fatigue and setbacks in the mountains, and stay sharp when elk and mule deer hunts test every ounce of determination. From breaking mental walls to building daily reset routines, this is your guide to mastering the mental side of backcountry hunting.

If you want to hunt harder, last longer, and finish strong when others quit, this episode will show you how to build the toughness it takes.

Public land hunting isn’t forgiving—and the truth is, most hunters fail because of small mistakes that add up to big failures. In this episode of Backbone Unlimited, Matt Hartsky breaks down the 5 biggest mistakes Western hunters make on public land and how to avoid them. From ignoring hunting pressure, sticking to dead zones too long, and underestimating backcountry fitness—to sloppy access routes and waiting for “perfect” conditions—you’ll learn how to hunt elk and mule deer smarter, adapt faster, and increase your success this season.

Whether you’re bowhunting elk in September or glassing mule deer basins in November, this episode delivers real-world public land hunting tips to help you fill more tags and avoid season-ending errors.

Archery elk season will humble you—no matter how much gear you buy or how many bugling videos you watch. In this episode of Backbone Unlimited, Matt Hartsky shares 30+ years of uncut bowhunting elk experience: how to build the mental toughness elk hunting demands, create real shot opportunities (not just encounters), call with purpose, and set up for success when bulls finally close the distance.

Whether you’re a new bowhunter or a seasoned DIY public land grinder, this episode breaks down the tactics and mindset shifts that actually kill bulls with a bow—mindset, movement, thermals, calling strategies, and closing the deal in those final 10 seconds.

If you’re chasing elk this September, listen before you hit the mountains.

In this Backbone Unlimited episode, Matt Hartsky shares five hard-earned mule deer hunting lessons from 30+ seasons on Western public land. These aren’t generic tips—you’ll learn the real strategies that separate close calls from filled tags. From hunting where mule deer actually live, mastering patience on stalks, understanding wind and thermals, becoming a disciplined glasser, to being ready when kill windows open—these lessons will sharpen your game whether you’re chasing bucks with a bow or rifle.

If you’re serious about mule deer hunting success in the high country, sagebrush, or badlands, this episode will help you avoid costly mistakes and find more mature bucks.

What’s the difference between mule deer hunting vs elk hunting? In this episode of Backbone Unlimited, Matt Hartsky breaks down the five key differences every serious Western hunter needs to know—behavior, terrain, pressure response, interaction, and mindset. Drawing from over 30 years of boots-on-the-ground experience, Matt shares real-world insights on how elk move as social herd animals versus how mature mule deer bucks live and bed in solitude, why terrain and elevation shape your tactics, how each species responds to hunting pressure, and why elk hunting is tactical while mule deer hunting is surgical.

If you’re a Western hunter transitioning between species—or just want to sharpen your edge for public land elk and mule deer hunts—this episode will help you avoid costly mistakes and become a more versatile, effective hunter.

In this episode of Backbone Unlimited, Matt Hartsky breaks down the hard lessons learned from 33+ years of bowhunting elk. From blown stalks to missed opportunities, he shares the five biggest mistakes that cost him elk—and the lessons that turned failure into success.

You’ll learn why silence kills more bulls than bugles, how to read bugles before you chase them, why your ears matter more than your eyes in tight timber, how to use calling as a tool (not a crutch), and how to master the art of closing the distance without getting busted.

If you’re serious about archery elk hunting, this episode will help you shorten the learning curve, avoid years of frustration, and start turning close calls into punched tags.

September elk hunting is where dreams are made—or crushed. In this episode of Backbone Unlimited, Matt Hartsky breaks down how to consistently find rutting bulls during one of the most exciting—and frustrating—months in Western hunting. From Colorado to Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana, Matt explains the three phases of September elk behavior, how to adjust your tactics through the month, and why understanding the rut timeline separates successful hunters from the rest. Learn where bulls bed, how cows dictate movement, how pressure changes everything, and the best morning, evening, and midday strategies to put yourself in bow range. If you’re tired of chasing bugles and want a proven game plan for September elk hunting success, this episode is for you.

Hunting elk in thick timber is one of the toughest challenges in Western hunting—and one of the most rewarding. In this episode of Backbone Unlimited, Matt Hartsky breaks down how to consistently kill elk in dark, close-quarters timber where bulls move like ghosts and every step matters. Learn how to read elk sign in the thick stuff, move without getting busted, set up and call in tight cover, and make ethical shots when your window is just a few feet wide. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed hunting pressured elk in timber, this episode gives you the strategies, mindset, and proven tactics to turn chaos into opportunity.

Are you really ready for elk season—or just hoping you are? In this Backbone Unlimited episode, Matt Hartsky breaks down the difference between showing up with a tag and gear versus being truly prepared for the grind of backcountry elk hunting. From training for brutal pack outs, mastering wind and thermals, dialing calling strategy, and building mental toughness, to shooting clean under pressure—this episode gives you the framework to evaluate your true elk hunting readiness. If you’re serious about elk hunting success in the West, this one will expose the gaps and show you how to close them.