Trad Hunters Podcast

In this episode of the Trad Hunters Podcast, Bear Archery ambassador Fred Eichler, the first traditional bowhunter to complete the North American Super Slam, breaks down the real tradeoff between calling elk in for the thrill of it and setting up over water or a trail for the highest odds of tagging out. After thirty years of guiding elk hunters, Fred backs up the tradeoff with hard numbers pulled straight from his own operation, not a guess. Fred explains why he customizes every hunt to what the client actually wants rather than defaulting to one method, walks through rattling elk antlers to simulate a fight and pull in hesitant bulls, and talks about how a stretch of unseasonably hot weather is compressing elk movement into narrow windows this season. He makes the case that neither method is wrong, but that a hunter has to be honest about whether encounters or odds matter more before picking a tactic for the season. Fred's guiding career spans backcountry wall tent camps at elevation to private ranches on the eastern plains, and his perspective is shaped by decades of tracking exactly how often each method actually converts. If you're interested in elk hunting tactics, traditional bowhunting, calling versus ambush strategies, or what it takes to guide elk hunters at a high level, there's something here for you. Topics Covered: Calling and rattling elk versus ambush hunting over water or trails Real conversion percentages for each elk hunting method Using elk antler rattling to simulate a bull fight Why Fred customizes every hunt to the client's actual goal How hot weather compresses elk movement and changes strategy Why encounters matter as much as kills for hunter satisfaction Completing the North American Super Slam as a traditional bowhunter Decades of guiding lessons from backcountry camps to private ranches Book A Hunt With Fred: https: fulldrawoutfitters.com Fred Eichlers Signature Series Riser: Bear Archery Our mission at Trad Hunters is to grow traditional bow hunting by sharing the stories, legends, tactics, and adventures that keep this way of life alive. Every copy purchase of our Trad Hunters publication goes right back into that mission. Support The Trad Hunters Mission Here: https://tradhunters.com/collections/magazine Support the show

In this episode of the Trad Hunters Podcast, Matt Zirnsak of The Push Archery breaks down the mental and mechanical side of traditional bowhunting, from controlling shot process under an adrenaline dump to the science behind arrow node alignment and tuning for hunting distances. Matt shares how he went from missing eleven deer in a row to building one of the fastest growing brands in traditional archery, and why competition shooting at events like Lancaster is one of the best ways to bulletproof your form before whitetail season. Matt also walks through his recent bowhunting trip to South Africa, including a high stress impala shot and a chaotic wildebeest hunt interrupted by a territorial giraffe, and explains why he believes more compound archery brands are about to start dipping into traditional tackle. He closes out talking about The Push's gear line, including the accidental discovery that led to the magnetic Delta Pocket Quiver, and where he sees the brand heading next. If you're interested in traditional bowhunting, shot process and mental game, arrow tuning, mobile whitetail tactics, or bowhunting Africa, there's something here for you. Topics Covered: Controlling shot process and the mental game under an adrenaline dump Arrow node alignment and tuning for hunting versus target archery Why competition archery makes you a better bowhunter Aggressive, mobile whitetail hunting tactics and scouting on the fly Teaching kids traditional archery and hunting fundamentals Bowhunting Africa: impala, wildebeest, and the South African game model The story behind The Push's Alpha Pack, Ridge Runner, and Delta Pocket Quiver Where traditional archery and compound archery are headed next Check out The Push's gear and courses at thepusharchery.com. Our mission at Trad Hunters is to grow traditional bow hunting by sharing the stories, legends, tactics, and adventures that keep this way of life alive. Every copy purchase of our Trad Hunters publication goes right back into that mission. Support The Trad Hunters Mission Here: https://tradhunters.com/collections/magazine

In this episode of the Trad Hunters Podcast, Bear Archery ambassador Shane Mowery, known as "The Bone Maniac," breaks down what it really means to hunt traditionally, from running hounds on bear and mountain lion to calling in spring and fall turkeys. Shane shares how reading terrain, understanding animal behavior, and pure woodsmanship matter more than gear, and why "traditional" isn't about the weapon in your hand. It's about going out as a minimalist and doing the work. Shane draws from decades in the field, including hunting elk, bear, wolf, pronghorn, and bison, and speaks candidly about the mistakes, humility, and mindset shifts that come with a lifetime spent in the timber. He also opens up about teaching his kids woodsmanship from the ground up, the story behind acquiring Aerotech Archery and launching Bow Maniac Arrows in honor of his late friend and mentor Robert Eccles, and why he's stepping back from filming hunts to focus on what actually matters to him. Shane's story and hunting experiences were featured in Trad Hunters Magazine Vol. 2 (High Country) , where his collection of hound hunting stories captures the same woodsmanship first approach he shares in this episode. You can read his full story in: Vol. 2 (High Country) If you're interested in traditional bowhunting, hound hunting, turkey calling, wilderness survival mindset, or raising the next generation of hunters, there's something here for you. Topics Covered: What it means to be a traditional hunter (minimalism over gear) Hound hunting for bear, mountain lion, and wolf Spring vs. fall turkey calling tactics Reading terrain and woodsmanship fundamentals for survival Teaching kids to hunt: patience, purpose, and hard earned lessons The story behind Bow Maniac Arrows and Aerotech Archery Mistakes learned from decades of elk, bear, and predator hunting Investing in youth archery and the next generation of hunters Check out Shane's New Turkey Hunter Masterclass from 360 Sportsmen: Turkey Hunting Masterclass Explode Aerotech Archery products at: AerotechArchery.com. Our mission at Trad Hunters is to grow traditional bow hunting by sharing the stories, legends, tactics, and adventures that keep this way of life alive. Every copy purchase of our Trad Hunters publication goes right back into that mission. Support The Trad Hunters Mission Here: https://tradhunters.com/collections/magazine Support the show

In this episode of the Trad Hunters Podcast, Alone Season 11 contestant Timber Cleghorn breaks down real wilderness survival strategy — covering the critical decisions of the first 72 hours in the wild, situational awareness, how to prioritize energy expenditure, rendering and preserving animal fat, teaching survival skills to children, and what life truly looks like when you're living off the land with no outside support. Timber goes far beyond the show. He shares hard-won lessons from wilderness survival, aid missions in conflict zones, hunting Marco Polo sheep and Ibex in Tajikistan, and a lifetime of frontiersman skills rooted in black powder hunting, muzzleloaders, and the kind of woodsmanship most people have never seen. His article on rendering and preserving animal fat appears in Trad Hunters Magazine Volume 2: High Country — a practical field skill as relevant in your kitchen as it is in a survival camp. 👉 Read Timber's survival skills article in Trad Hunters Magazine Vol. 2: High Country — available now: www.tradhunters.com Follow Timber on Instagram: @timbercleghorn 📖 Read Timber's book "Memoirs of a Wild Man" 🏔️ Book a guided Marco Polo sheep or Ibex hunt in Tajikistan: HERE The Trad Hunters Podcast features traditional bowhunters, wilderness survivalists, and backcountry hunters sharing unfiltered stories from the field — no gear reviews, no product placements, no filler. Every episode connects to the stories and skills published in Trad Hunters Magazine — the only traditional hunting publication built entirely on authentic field experience. New episodes every two weeks. Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. 📖 Get Trad Hunters Magazine: tradhunters.com 📸 Instagram: @tradhuntersmagazine 🎙️ All episodes: tradhunters.com/podcast

In this episode of the Trad Hunters Podcast , traditional bowhunter Mark Sasser breaks down high-country mule deer hunting — covering solo mountain hunts, backcountry preparation, the mental side of wilderness bowhunting, and the hard-earned lessons that only decades in the field can teach. 👉 Read Mark's full story in Trad Hunters Magazine Vol. 2: High Country — available now at tradhunters.com Topics Covered: • High-country mule deer hunting tactics • Solo mountain bowhunting with traditional equipment • Traditional archery and real-world woodsmanship • The story behind "Into the Clouds" • Lessons learned from decades of wilderness hunting • Hunting campfire stories and the art of storytelling • Mountain hunting mindset and physical preparation • Why authentic hunting stories are disappearing — and why they matter Follow Mark Via Instagram: instagram.com/california_tradbow_hunter/ Mark Proudly Co-Owns Bwana Bows. Order Yours Here: www.bwanabows.com The Trad Hunters Podcast features traditional bowhunters, wilderness hunters, and backcountry archers sharing real stories from the field — no gear reviews, no product placements, no filler. Every episode connects directly to the stories published in Trad Hunters Magazine. New episodes every two weeks. Subscribe and never miss a hunt. 📖 Get Trad Hunters Magazine: tradhunters.com 📸 Instagram: @tradhuntersmagazine 🎙️ Full episode archive: tradhunters.com/podcast

In this episode of the Trad Hunters Podcast, traditional bowhunter Jim Eeckhout breaks down Alaska black bear hunting on Prince of Wales Island — covering spring vs. fall bear behavior, spot-and-stalk tactics in dense Alaskan terrain, how to read food sources and bear movement, and what it realistically takes to plan a remote Alaska hunt years in advance. Jim draws from real time in the field — not theory — sharing how terrain, timing, and the unpredictability of wild country shape every decision on a Prince of Wales Island bear hunt. This is the kind of knowledge that only comes from experienced hunters who've done it the hard way. 👉 This is the Trad Hunters Podcast — the audio companion to Trad Hunters Magazine. Real hunts, real lessons, no gear reviews, no product placements. Get the magazine at: www.tradhunters.com Topics Covered: • Alaska black bear hunting on Prince of Wales Island • Spring vs. fall black bear behavior and timing • Spot-and-stalk tactics in dense coastal Alaskan terrain • Reading food sources, bear sign, and movement patterns • Planning a remote Alaska bear hunt years in advance • Learning from experienced traditional bowhunters in the field • Tag realities and logistics for Alaska black bear • Wilderness survival mindset and real woodsmanship Follow Jim's Via Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/jim_eeckhout/ The Trad Hunters Podcast features traditional bowhunters, backcountry hunters, and wilderness archers sharing unfiltered stories from the field. Every episode connects to the stories published in Trad Hunters Magazine — the only traditional bowhunting publication built entirely on authentic field experience. New episodes every two weeks. Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. 📖 Get Trad Hunters Magazine: tradhunters.com 📸 Instagram: @tradhuntersmagazine 🎙️ All episodes: tradhunters.com/podcast