Big Game Hunting Podcast - Hunting Africa, North America, & More!

I got the chance to sit down with Aaron Davidson from Gunwerks at the DSC convention in Atlanta and we discussed the ins and outs of bullet selection, external ballistics, and terminal performance. I felt like I was drinking from a firehose talking to Aaron, but he does a fantastic job of breaking down why he uses various bullets for certain situations, why he opts for certain shot placement with certain bullets, how various bullets behave differently with different impact velocities and shot placement, why Gunwerks offers certain bullets but not others in their ammo, what he thinks about the new 7mm Backcountry, and much more! And of course, he shares a couple of great stories to illustrate the points he makes as well.

Learn more about Gunwerks products on their web site, subscribe to their Long Range Pursuit Podcast, and subscribe to their YouTube channel.

Sponsor: Go to BigGameHuntingPodcast.com/Ebook and sign up for my free e-book on the best hunting calibers at to receive the entertaining and informative emails I send out about hunting, firearms, and ballistics every weekday.

I discuss all of the 35 Caliber SAAMI standardized cartridges (plus a couple of other noteworthy rounds) in this episode. As always, I'll talk about their history, design characteristics, performance specs, their strengths and weaknesses, and their recommended uses in detail. Where appropriate, I'll also share some personal anecdotes involving these rounds as well as some observations involving various cartridges by noteworthy gun writers as well.

Cartridges covered: 348 Winchester, 357 Magnum, 35 WSL, 351 WSL, 35 Winchester, 350 Legend, 360 Buckhammer, 35 Remington, 356 Winchester, 358 Winchester, 350 Remington Magnum, 35 Whelen, 358 Norma Magnum, 350 Rigby, 35 Nosler

Sponsor: Go to BigGameHuntingPodcast.com/Ebook and sign up for my free e-book on the best hunting calibers at to receive the entertaining and informative emails I send out about hunting, firearms, and ballistics every weekday.

Join the Big Game Hunting Podcast tribe and get access to all our bonus material at www.patreon.com/biggamehunter

Episode 286: 30 Caliber Cartridges-Your Ultimate Guide – Episode referenced in podcast

Episode 291: 270 Caliber Cartridges-Your Ultimate Guide – Episode referenced in podcast

Episode 297: 9.3mm and 375 Caliber Cartridges-Your Ultimate Guide – Episode referenced in podcast

Episode 300: 40 Caliber Safari Cartridges With Kevin Robertson – Episode referenced in podcast

Episode 328: 25 Caliber Cartridges-Your Ultimate Guide – Episode referenced in podcast

Episode 329: 50, 60, & 70 Caliber Safari Cartridges With Kevin Robertson – Episode referenced in podcast

Episode 338: 338 Caliber Cartridges-Your Ultimate Guide – Episode referenced in podcast

Episode 345: 7mm Cartridges-Your Ultimate Guide – Episode referenced in podcast

Today Buz Mills from the National Rifle Association joins me on the show to talk about the upcoming election for the NRA board of directors. In any case, I'm a life member of the NRA and I'm saddened and disappointed with what has happened with the organization in recent years. Well, Buz Mills is spearheading an effort at reforming the National Rifle Association and bringing the focus of the organization back to its original core values. That's what we discuss in detail in this episode.

Learn more about the "NRA 2.0" slate of endorsed candidates at ElectANewNRA.com

Kevin Robertson is back again today to talk about sable hunting. Just like we've done on the past we dive right into the details of sable: how big they get, where they live, why they're different from other species of plains game, and how to hunt them. As always, we talk about cartridge and bullet selection as well as terminal ballistics. Kevin also shares two stories of extremely close calls he personally has had with sable over the years.

Contact Kevin through his web site drkevinrobertson.com if you're interested in purchasing the original photographs and anatomy diagrams for The Perfect Shot II.

Sponsor: Get in touch with me to make your Africa hunting dreams come true at in South Africa's Limpopo Province where we offer outstanding hunting safaris, simplified hunt logistics, assistance with many of the pain points associated with a hunt, and up front pricing with no extra fees. Visit bestsafarihunt.com or contact me directly at [email protected] to learn more.

Go to BigGameHuntingPodcast.com/Ebook and sign up for my free e-book on the best hunting calibers at to receive the entertaining and informative emails I send out about hunting, firearms, and ballistics every weekday.

I highly recommend purchasing a copy of Kevin Robertson's books It Shouldn't Happen and The Perfect Shot II. You will not be disappointed with either book. Get copies of each one on Amazon here (affiliate link, commissions earned).

Pick up a copy of Death In The Long Grass by Peter Capstick to read the full story of how things turned out with the sable vs two lions I referenced in the episode (affiliate link, commissions earned).

Below are links to Kevin's previous appearances on the show:

Ep 97: Africa Hunting Bullets 101 With Kevin Robertson

Ep 103: Africa Hunting Rifles 101 With Kevin Robertson

Ep 124: Cape Buffalo Hunting 101 With Kevin Robertson

Ep 125: Cape Buffalo Hunting 101 Part 2 With Kevin Robertson

Ep 154: Leopard Hunting 101 With Kevin Robertson

Ep 155: Lion Hunting 101 With Kevin Robertson

Ep 176: Elephant Conservation With Kevin Robertson

Ep 177: Elephant Hunting 101 With Kevin Robertson

Ep 178: Crocodile Hunting 101 With Kevin Robertson

Ep 179: Hippopotamus Hunting 101 With Kevin Robertson

Ep 205: Hunting Africa With A Lever Action Rifle With Kevin Robertson

Ep 206: Classic Africa Hunting Cartridges With Kevin Robertson

Ep 207: Hyena Hunting 101 With Kevin Robertson

Ep 250: Africa Hunting Trackers 101 With Kevin Robertson

Ep 252: How To Become A Professional Hunter With Kevin Robertson

Ep 300: .40 Caliber Safari Cartridges With Kevin Robertson

Ep 329: .50, .60, & .70 Caliber Safari Cartridges With Kevin Robertson

I sat down with one of my South African Professional Hunters, Johan Seyffert, at the Dallas Safari Club convention and recorded a short interview about how he got started in this line of work and some funny and noteworthy experiences he has had over the years, like how he went from serving in the French Foreign Legion to floating in a rowboat surrounded by crocodiles. We also talk about misconceptions people have about hunting Africa, common mistakes visiting hunters make, and how to make the most out of a hunt in Africa.

Subscribe to The Big Game Hunting Podcast on YouTube here

Sponsor: Get in touch with me to make your Africa hunting dreams come true on a hunt with Johan or Kobus in South Africa. We offer outstanding hunting safaris, simplified hunt logistics, assistance with many of the pain points associated with a hunt, and up front pricing with no extra fees. We are full for 2025 and June/July 2026, but still have some openings remaining otherwise next year. Visit bestsafarihunt.com or email me at [email protected] to learn more.

My ongoing Africa hunting mini-series continues this week with another special guest: Hancke Hudson. Hancke is a South African Professional Hunter who has spent the past 30 years hunting in the rainforests of Central Africa for animals like bongo, dwarf buffalo, sitatunga, and the numerous species of small antelope that live there. The rainforest is a special place and these hunts are like nothing anywhere else in the world. While these hunts are not for the faint of heart, those brave enough to take the plunge and hunt the rainforest will be rewarded with a unique adventure few others will ever get to experience.

Subscribe to The Big Game Hunting Podcast on YouTube here

Sponsor: Get in touch with Hancke Hudson to book that bongo hunt you've always dreamed of. He is a top notch Professional Hunter who has access to some of the best bongo hunting ares in all of Africa. Contact him via WhatsApp at +263 77 326 0977 or visit cheletsafaris.com to learn more. Be sure to tell him you heard about him from The Big Game Hunting Podcast and be sure to email me at [email protected] to tell me how your hunt went!

This is the first episode in my winter 2025 Africa hunting mini-series and I have a special guest on the show with me today: Tanya Blake. Depending on how long you've been listening to the show, you may recognize that name because she was Phil Massaro's PH on the leopard hunt he and I discussed in episode 293. Tanya is a Zimbabwe based Professional Hunter who hunts a number of different species, but leopard are her specialty and we'll be talking all about hunting Mr. Spots in this episode.

Subscribe to The Big Game Hunting Podcast on YouTube here

Sponsor: Get in touch with Tanya Blake to book that leopard hunt in Zimbabwe you've always dreamed of. She is a top notch Professional Hunter who has access to some fantastic leopard hunting areas. Email her at [email protected] or call her at +263 77 326 0977 to learn more. Be sure to tell her you heard about her from The Big Game Hunting Podcast and be sure to email me at [email protected] and let me know how your hunt went!

I have Eric Miller on the show with me today to talk about Federal's brand new 7mm Backcountry rifle cartridge. As you'll learn here shortly, the 7 Backcountry utilizes an innovative design that produces some impressive ballistics and it could possibly be a true game changer that kills off my beloved 7mm PRC.

Learn more about the 7mm Backcountry here

Subscribe to The Big Game Hunting Podcast on YouTube here

Sponsor: Get in touch with me to make your Africa hunting dreams come true at in South Africa's Limpopo Province where we offer outstanding hunting safaris, simplified hunt logistics, assistance with many of the pain points associated with a hunt, and up front pricing with no extra fees. We have 2 openings remaining for 2025, plus most of 2026. Visit bestsafarihunt.com to learn more.

It's January 2025 and you know what that means: it's time to start planning hunts for later this year. The Arizona elk and antelope draw is up first and I have Grant McCune from Zona Guides on the show to talk about this in detail. I hear from podcast listeners pretty frequently asking for recommendations on outfitters to hunt species like elk in particular. Well, Grant McCune and Zona Guides are my #1 recommendation for Arizona. I'd go back with him in a heartbeat and I recommend you check out his service if you'd like to hunt Arizona in the future. Grant actually guided me on my 2022 Arizona elk hunt and I was thoroughly impressed with how he did things and still had a great time even though I didn't end up killing an elk on that hunt. Here's why.

Subscribe to The Big Game Hunting Podcast on YouTube here

Sponsor: Get in touch with Grant at Zona Guides to book an elk, antelope, deer, or bear hunt in Arizona. I've hunted with Grant personally and cannot recommend him highly enough: he's trustworthy, hard working, and will work his tail off to ensure you have a quality hunt. I recommend that you contact him before the February 2025 draw deadline to discuss what specific hunts and units you should apply for, but you can also get in touch with him after you pull a tag. Visit his web site, email him at [email protected], or call him at (928) 713-3412 to learn more.

Is the new 22 Creedmoor just the latest fad? Or does it offer significant benefits to hunters compared to more established 22 caliber centerfires like the 22-250 Remington? Today, Derrick Ratliff from Horizon Firearms joins me on the show as we talk about this new hot rod 22 caliber and he shares some insights on why he first started wildcatting the 22 Creedmoor, what uses he thinks the best use cases are for it, what his favorite bullets are for the cartridge, what factory rifle and ammo availability is like right now, and what the future holds for the 22 Creedmoor.

Subscribe to The Big Game Hunting Podcast on YouTube here

Giveaway: Sign up at thebiggamehuntingblog.com/22giveaway/ to be entered in a random drawing for two boxes of 300 Win Mag Nosler Ballistic Tip ammo. Be sure to confirm your email address if you're asked to do so after you sign up. All citizens or legal permanent residents of the USA who are over the age of 21 and who are not otherwise prohibited form possessing a firearm, and who lives in a state I can ship to is eligible to enter.

You have until 11:59pm central time on 1 January 2025 to sign up. I will randomly select one lucky listener from all the submissions to receive both boxes.

Sponsor: Get in touch with me to make your Africa hunting dreams come true at in South Africa's Limpopo Province where we offer outstanding hunting safaris, simplified hunt logistics, assistance with many of the pain points associated with a hunt, and up front pricing with no extra fees. We have 2 openings remaining for October and November 2025, plus most of 2026. Visit bestsafarihunt.com to learn more.

I'm hosting a get together for podcast listeners and past/future clients during the Dallas Safari Club Convention at a conference room in the Hyatt House Atlanta/Downtown 6-10pm on Friday, 10 January 2025. Email me [email protected] if you'll be attending.

Watch the 22 Creedmoor barrel length video part 1 here and part 2 here

Watch my 22 Creedmoor ballistic gel test here

Check out The Horizon Arms web site here

Follow Horizon Firearms on Instagram here