John McAdams shares insights on the 25 Creedmoor vs 6.5 Creedmoor informed by real world data on obtained at the range, afield, and in ballistic gel in this podcast episode. John discusses the design characteristics, performance specifications, and pros and cons of each cartridge. Plus, he also shares some details on how different 6.5 Creedmoor and 25 Creedmoor factory loads have performed on game afield.

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.

North Fork’s 120gr and 140gr Semi-Spitzer bullets are outstanding choices for the 25 Creedmoor and 6.5 Creedmoor respectively that facilitate the best possible terminal performance for both cartridges. Both projectiles are absolutely outstanding on all manner of game at ranges inside 300 yards. You can purchase both bullets directly from the North Fork web site, from MidwayUSA, or from our network of other distributors all over the world.

In this episode of The Big Game Hunting Podcast, host John McAdams discusses the 6.5 Creedmoor vs 25 Creedmoor.

John conducts a deep dive on both cartridges, tackles complaints about poor terminal performance some have reported with the 6.5 Creedmoor on game, and compares how both rounds perform in several ballistic gel tests. John also shares a few hunting stories illustrating the terminal performance of various 25 Creedmoor and 6.5 Creedmoor factory loads.

John’s takeaway? The 25 Creedmoor offers some benefits over the 6..5 Creedmoor, but he’s not sure if it is a big enough improvement to really make a difference in the long run.

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Resources

Ep 203: 6.5 Creedmoor vs 6.8 Western vs 270 WSM – Episode referenced regarding my last 6.5 Creedmoor cartridge comparison

Ep 286: 30 Caliber Cartridges-The Complete Guide – Episode referenced about all the various 30 caliber cartridges (to include the 30 T/C)

Ep 328: 25 Caliber Cartridges-The Complete Guide – Episode referenced about all the other 25 caliber SAAMI standardized rounds.

Ep 388: Richard Mann on the 25 Creedmoor – Episode referenced where Richard Mann discusses the origins of the 25 Creedmoor in detail

308 Winchester vs 6.5 Creedmoor – Episode referenced regarding how the 6.5 Creedmoor stacks up against the 308 Winchester

Caleb Giddings, the marketing general manager for Taurus holdings, joins me on the show to talk about Taurus and Rossi firearms. We discuss the history of Taurus and Rossi, the details on some of the hunting handguns and rifles they each offer, and a few hunting stories involving those guns afield hunting in Africa.

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.

In this episode of The Big Game Hunting Podcast, host John McAdams sits down with Taurus holdings marketing general manager Caleb Giddings to discuss Taurus & Rossi firearms in detail.

They dive deep into the various handgun and rifle models each company makes for hunters, the best use cases for each model, what makes their firearms unique, and discuss a few stories involving hunting with several of their products.

Their takeaway? Taurus & Rossi offer a number of unique handguns, rifles, and shotguns for hunters. This is especially true for those who enjoy hunting with a handgun.

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Check out the Taurus & Rossi web sites.

Give Caleb a follow on Instagram: @Radicaleb

Ep 321: Handgun Hunting With Ryan Hoover – Episode referenced in podcast

Ep 387: Best Cartridge For Hunting Darn Near Anything With Larry Weishun – Episode referenced in podcast

Field & Stream shooting editor Richard Mann joins me in this podcast episode to discuss the new, SAAMI standardized 25 Creedmoor. Richard discusses the origins of the 25 Creedmoor, some of his experiences shooting and hunting with it back when it was a wildcat cartridge, why he thinks it's the perfect "Triple Threat" cartridge for varmint hunting, big game hunting, and competition shooting, and what the cartridge offers compared to rest of the Creedmoor family as well as other 25 caliber cartridges.

Sponsor: Make sure you’re signed up for my email list by going to Biggamehuntingpodcast.com/ebook. You’ll get my free E-BOOK when you do so and you’ll also receive the emails I send out every weekday. If you like The Big Game Hunting Podcast you’ll love those emails. 

Please hit that “SUBSCRIBE” or “FOLLOW” button in your podcast app to receive future episodes automatically!

Resources

Is Hornady's 25 Creedmoor The Best Creed Yet?-By Richard Mann

25 Creedmoor: A Huge Niche-By Richard Mann

25 Creedmoor Gel Test: Hornady 25 Creedmoor Ammo Test

Larry Weishuhn (aka Mr. Whitetail) is back on the show and we discuss a subject I know you’ll enjoy: our favorite cartridges for hunting virtually any species of big game. We’re play little game where Larry and I each list our favorite cartridge and bullet for hunting specific species of game ranging from coues whitetail all the way up to thick skinned species of African game like cape buffalo and elephant and almost everything in between like mule deer, elk, black bear, etc. The catch is we cannot reuse a cartridge for multiple species. Even so, our discussion provides an interesting glimpse into the thought process he and I each use for selecting cartridges and bullets for hunting different species of game.

Sponsor: Make sure you’re signed up for my email list by going to Biggamehuntingpodcast.com/ebook. You’ll get my free E-BOOK when you do so and you’ll also receive the emails I send out every weekday. If you like The Big Game Hunting Podcast you’ll love those emails. 

In this episode of The Big Game Hunting Podcast, host John McAdams sits down with returning guest Larry Weishuhn.

They discuss Larry's favorite cartridges and bullets for hunting the whole spectrum of big game ranging from whitetail deer up to and including thick-skinned dangerous game like Cape buffalo and elephant. As always, Larry and John share plenty of interesting stories involving various cartridges and animals along the way.

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Resources

Learn more about Larry and what he's up to by visiting his web site: LarryWeishuhn.net

Ep 372: Best Caliber For Hunting Darn Near Anything With WHO_TEE_WHO – Episode referenced in interview

Ep 350: Whitetail Hunting Secrets With Larry Weishuhn – Episode referenced in interview

Ep 336: Best Caliber For Hunting Darn Near Anything With Ron Spomer – Episode referenced in interview

Ep 315: Best Caliber For Hunting Darn Near Anything With Joseph von Benedikt – Episode referenced in interview

Ron Spomer is back on the show to discuss his adventures hunting brown and grizzly bear on the Kamchatka Peninsula in far eastern Russia as well as in Alaska. Ron shares the stories of those hunts (a couple of which are pretty wild) along with a discussion on the rifles, cartridges, and bullets he used.

Sponsor: Make sure you’re signed up for my email list by going to Biggamehuntingpodcast.com/ebook. You’ll get my free E-BOOK when you do so and you’ll also receive the emails I send out every weekday. If you like The Big Game Hunting Podcast you’ll love those emails. 

In this episode of The Big Game Hunting Podcast, host John McAdams sits down with returning guest Ron Spomer.

They discuss Ron's bear hunts in Russia and Alaska, to include his recent trip in the spring of 2025. As always, Ron shares plenty of stories regarding each hunt, to include some of the interesting experiences he had a long the way.

Their takeaway? Those can be some wild hunts with lots of adventure and are not for the faint of heart. However, they can also deliver some experiences the hunter will remember for decades afterwards.

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Resources

Pick up a copy of Ron’s 7mm Cartridges From Around The World book here

Check Out Ron Spomer’s Podcast (on Apple or Spotify), Web Site, & YouTube Channel

Ep 320: Master Alaska Guide Phil Shoemaker Talks Brown Bear Hunting – Phil Shoemaker interview referenced in podcast

Ep 336: Best Cartridge For Hunting Darn Near Anything With Ron Spomer– Previous appearance by Ron on the podcast

Ep 201: Bighorn Sheep Hunting With Ron Spomer – Previous appearance by Ron on the podcast

Ep 145: Moose Hunting 101 With Ron Spomer – Previous appearance by Ron on the podcast

North Fork bullets have a stellar reputation for hunting in Africa and are considered by some to be among the best projectiles available for hunting the continent. To that end, North Fork Bullets’ technical support specialist and fellow investor Jay Parnell joins John on the podcast today to discusses the whole lineup of North Fork Bullets products, how they’re different from the competition, which specific tasks each bullet model is best suited for, and a few stories involving North Fork Bullets that illustrate how they perform when the chips are down.

Sponsor: You can purchase North Fork Bullets directly from the North Fork web site, from MidwayUSA, or from our network of other distributors all over the world.

In this episode of The Big Game Hunting Podcast, host John McAdams sits down with one of his new business partners, Jay Parnell of North Fork Bullets.

They dive deep into the various North Fork bullet models, the best use cases for each model, what terminal performance is like with them, how they’re different from other bullets like the Trophy Bonded Bear Claw, available calibers and bullets weights, where North Fork bullets are sold, and discuss a few stories involving hunting with North Fork bullets.

Their takeaway? North Fork offers a wide range of outstanding bullets ideally suited for the situations most commonly encountered in Africa. Furthermore, there are some new products coming soon that improve upon the lower BC characteristics of North Fork’s legacy products that will make them even better suited to hunting situations elsewhere in the world.

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As promised, I have a more comprehensive recap of my 2025 African safari hunt with several podcast listeners for you today. I’ll talk about that hunt in more detail today and provide some reflections on the results of the hunt, what the Free State was like, and how my equipment (especially my new rifles in 25 Creedmoor and 7mm PRC) performed.

Subscribe to my YouTube channel here to ensure you don't miss out on the podcast hunt video when I release it next week.

Email me at  [email protected] and let me know what you'd potentially like to hunt if you're interested in joining me on a hunt in Africa or joining me on the deer/pronghorn hunt out west I teased in the future.

Sponsor: Get in touch with me to make your Africa hunting dreams come true on a hunt 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 have space remaining for hunts in March, May, September, October, and November 2026. Visit bestsafarihunt.com or email me at [email protected] to learn more. Make sure to state that you’re a podcast listener and I’ll give you a special bonus!

In this episode of The Big Game Hunting Podcast, host John McAdams provides a detailed recap of the recent 2025 Big Game Hunting Podcast African safari with three podcast listeners.

John provides an overview of the entire hunt, shares some of the most memorable moments of this safari, some insights into how everyone's rifles and ammunition performed, and a few lessons they all learned along the way.

Please hit that “SUBSCRIBE” or “FOLLOW” button in your podcast app to receive future episodes automatically!

Resources

Ep 382: Live from South Africa (2025) – Episode referenced in podcast

Ep 261: Live from South Africa (2023) – Episode referenced in podcast

Though I’ve interviewed plenty of great Professional Hunters over the years, you don’t hear from many trackers in podcast interviews for various reasons. That changes in this episode where I sit down with Pheilemon Mathoko, one of our trackers in South Africa. He is one of the best, if not the best trackers I’ve ever had the privilege to work with. He and I discuss how to tell whether a track is old or now, how he can identify a particular bull out of a herd containing dozens of animals, how he can learn more about the wound an animal has suffered just from looking at their tracks, and much more.

Sponsor: Get in touch with me to make your Africa hunting dreams come true on a hunt 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 almost full for 2026, but still have space remaining for a couple hunts next year. Visit bestsafarihunt.com or email me at [email protected] to learn more. Make sure to state that you’re a podcast listener and I’ll give you a special bonus!

In this episode of The Big Game Hunting Podcast, host John McAdams sits down with Pheilemon Mathoko, one of our trackers in South Africa.

They discuss how to tell how old a track is, how he can identify a particular bull track out of a herd of dozens of other animals, how different animals behave at different times of day and how he can pick up clues to what they’re doing and thinking from their tracks, and of course, some of the finer points on tracking wounded animals and how he can learn more about the wounds an animal has suffered from looking at their tracks, how that information informs his decisions on how to proceed on the track, and much more. 

Their takeaway? A skilled tracker like Philemon can read the bush or tracks on the ground like a book and is a vital part of any safari camp.

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Resources

Ep 377: Charging Cape Buffalo & Hunting Kudu In The Snow – Interview with Kobus Kok (one of my South African PHs) referenced in episode.

Ep 356: PH Interview-French Foreign Legion to surrounded by crocs in a rowboat – Interview with Johan Seyffert (one of my South African PHs) referenced in episode.

Join me, the three podcast listeners I just hunted with in Africa, and our entire crew of PHs for an informal “campfire style” discussion of the highlights of our July 2025 safari in South Africa’s Free State & Limpopo Provinces!

Sponsor: Get in touch with me to make your Africa hunting dreams come true on a hunt 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 have space remaining for hunts in March, April, May, September, October, and November 2026. Visit bestsafarihunt.com or email me at [email protected] to learn more. Make sure to state that you’re a podcast listener and I’ll give you a special bonus!

In this episode of The Big Game Hunting Podcast, host John McAdams sits down with three podcast listeners, their PHs, our lead tracker Philemon, and our video guy Izaak to discuss some of the highlights of their recent hunt in South Africa.

They discuss some of the most memorable moments of this hunt, a few lessons they all learned along the way, and their advice for other hunters dreaming of a hunt like this.

Their takeaway? This hunt was the fulfillment of years of dreaming that exceeded expectations in every way and this safari turned into an experience they'll all treasure forever.

Please hit that “SUBSCRIBE” or “FOLLOW” button in your podcast app to receive future episodes automatically!

Resources

Ep 261: Live from South Africa (2023) – Episode referenced in podcast

Ep 294: First Africa Hunting Safari With Scott Spanton – Episode referenced in podcast

Ep 381: A Cape Buffalo Hunt 30 Years In the Making – Episode referenced in podcast

Jimmy Epperson dreamed about hunting Cape buffalo for over 30 years before Big Game Hunting Adventures helped turn that wish into a reality for him in 2023. Jimmy also just returned from another hunt with us in early 2025 for some of the species he didn't get on his first trip. Like Scott Spanton, Jimmy has a unique perspective on what it’s like hunting very early in the hunting season vs very late in the hunting season. Plus, Jimmy has also hunted game from across the size and weight spectrum ranging from jackal and impala on the lighter end up to buffalo, eland, and giraffe on the heavier side of things and can share some personal experiences on how things are different hunting those gigantic animals.

Sponsor: Get in touch with me to make your Africa hunting dreams come true on a hunt 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 have space remaining for a hunt in October 2025 and as well as March, April, May, September, October, and November 2026. Visit bestsafarihunt.com or email me at [email protected] to learn more. Make sure to state that you’re a podcast listener and I’ll give you a special bonus!

In this episode of The Big Game Hunting Podcast, host John McAdams sits down with Jimmy Epperson, who has hunted twice with Big Game Hunting Adventures for buffalo and many species of antelope.

They discuss Jimmy's two hunts in South Africa during 2023 and 2025 and how the bush was different hunting early vs late in the season, how it felt to make his dream of hunting buffalo come true, and why he chose the cartridges and bullets he used on each hunt.

Their takeaway? That buffalo hunt was the fulfillment of three decades worth of dreaming and it turned into an experience he'll treasure forever.

Please hit that “SUBSCRIBE” or “FOLLOW” button in your podcast app to receive future episodes automatically!

Resources

Ep 294: First Africa Hunting Safari With Scott Spanton – Episode referenced in podcast