On this episode of In Pursuit, Rich Froning recaps the first Mayhem Hunt Prep Camp in Colorado.

From a 24-hour mountain bike race in Amarillo straight into 11 days in the mountains, the crew breaks down what it took to build a camp designed around real backcountry preparation. The episode covers mock pack outs, land navigation, reading topo maps, shooting bows and rifles at distance, gear lessons, altitude workouts, glassing, bushwhacking, and the reality of what it takes to get an animal off the mountain.

Rich and the crew also share stories from camp, lessons learned from the athletes who came out, and what they would build into next year’s version, including overnight backcountry work and mock hunts.

Fitness matters, but being ready in the backcountry takes more than being in shape. This episode is all about preparation, toughness, and learning the skills before the stakes are real.

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This week on In Pursuit, Rich and Angelo sit down with Jeff Helm, a Michigan native turned Texas hunter, guide, entrepreneur, and all-around outdoorsman.

Jeff shares how a kid shooting birds out of the backyard bird feeder became a bowhunter who has now taken more than 30 bulls, including four elk in a single season. From DIY backcountry elk hunts to guiding free-range Axis deer in Texas, Jeff breaks down the lessons learned from decades of chasing animals across the country.

The conversation goes far beyond hunting. Jeff opens up about fatherhood, raising his son Jake in the outdoors, the value of shared suffering, and why some of life's most important conversations happen on the drive home from a hunt. They also discuss building community through archery, launching Arrowheads Bowhunting Company, and how hunting has a way of revealing what truly matters.

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On this episode of In Pursuit, Rich is joined by Jeff Dodds and Angelo Dicicco. They sit down for another Spike Camp episode to talk through one of the most overlooked parts of western hunting: pacing yourself.

From training and rucking to e-scouting, nutrition, recovery, and knowing when to push versus when to back off, this episode is packed with practical advice for anyone getting ready for hunt season. They break down what it actually feels like to spend long days in the mountains, how fitness impacts decision making in the field, and why being underprepared can ruin a hunt before it ever really starts. The guys also share stories from past hunts, lessons learned the hard way, thoughts on training with your hunting partners, and why the mental side of hunting can be just as challenging as the physical side.

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This week on In Pursuit with Rich Froning, Rich, Angelo, and Pete Nelson from SISU Sauna get into ultra running, sauna and cold plunge, fasting, faith, youth sports, and the value of having good people around you when things get hard.

Pete shares stories from a 75-mile ultra in Joshua Tree. Rich recaps the Mayhem 50-mile relay and the reality of trying to hold it together through the middle of the night. They talk recovery, discipline, competition, raising kids, and the kind of accountability that only comes from being surrounded by people who won’t let you quit.

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Future Wild is a one-on-one interview podcast pairing host, author, and outdoorsman Mark Kenyon and world-class subject matter experts to explore topics relevant to the future of wildlife and wild places, hunting and fishing, and other outdoor pursuits. Future Wild is here to answer the questions being asked by the deeply curious and passionate in the hunting, angling, and outdoor communities.

Follow now for the first episode, featuring Patagonia's Yvon Chouinard, dropping on Wednesday, May 27th on the Cal of the Wild podcast feed, soon to be called MeatEater Conservation. 

Thanks to our sponsor, Conservation First Bank.

Follow Future Wild on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, iHeart, Pandora, Amazon.

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This week on In Pursuit, Rich Froning and the crew head to Texas chasing free range axis deer with Perennial Outfitters. What starts with a perfect shot turns into a long track, pouring rain, and a reminder that hunting rarely goes according to plan.

The guys talk through the highs, lows, missed opportunities, good laughs, and what keeps them coming back anyway. They get into spot and stalk hunting in Texas, learning from guides, preparing for the mountains, and why time in the field matters.

There is plenty of chaos, cactus, bad luck, redemption, and the kind of stories that only happen when you are hunting with your buddies.

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Christian Huff joins Rich to talk about faith, hunting, fitness, and what it looks like to pursue something with purpose. They get into Christian’s late start in hunting, his growing love for deer season, the humbling side of bowhunting, and why training for something matters.

They also talk about David, discipline, fatherhood, and how the outdoors has a way of pointing you back to what matters most. It’s a fun conversation with plenty of laughs, missed shots, big goals, and a real look at the kind of work that shapes a man.

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Join Rich Froning and the Mayhem Hunt Crew in a new Spike Camp episode, It's a practical conversation on building a body that can handle the demands of the backcountry. Rich sits down with AJ Wilkerson of 931 Performance Therapy to cover ankle stability, stronger knees, low back health, shoulder durability, and how to train for real world hunting demands. They get into rucking, prehab, single leg strength, eccentric loading, and simple ways to build resilience before season starts. This episode is packed with actionable tools to help you prepare better, move better, and hold up when the load gets heavy.

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In this episode, Rich sits down with Tyler Jones to talk whitetail hunting, training through injuries, raising resilient kids, and how adversity often shapes us more than success ever could. They get into the value of fitness for hunters, lessons learned through sport and fatherhood, and why preparation is about a lot more than punching tags.

It’s a conversation about faith, grit, and the long road of becoming who you’re meant to be.

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In this episode of In Pursuit with Rich Froning, the Mayhem hunt team break down what it actually takes to stay ready. Training isn’t just for the gym. It’s for the moments that count. From building real strength and conditioning to having the discipline to show up when it’s hard, this is about doing the work before you need it.

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