The best resources for Texans wanting to get into western hunting: podcast edition

There are a lot of resources out there if you are interested in heading west to chase big game. Texas has some amazing hunting experiences, but there is no replacement for the romance of heading to Colorado for screaming elk or Idaho for giant muleys.

So maybe you go every year or you’re planning your first western excursion to hunt outside the great state of Texas, but if you want to hunt out west, here are five of the best podcasts that will help shorten your learning curve.

Big Hunt Guys

The Big Hunt Guys podcast is put on by the guys at GoHunt. This podcast focuses on personal stories with gear and tactics mixed in. Big Hunt Guys is based out of Nevada and they hunt all over the western states every year. You can count on them to really dive deep into gear reviews and hunting strategies while reminiscing on their last hunting trip. They have expert gear guests on from time to time to talk optics, boots and other essential western style hunting needs. And let’s be honest, they are hilarious. When they share their personal hunting stories you get an authentic look into friends talking about hunting trips. But don’t be fooled by the casual joking and storytelling, there is some amazing strategy and logistics in there as well.

Favorite Episode: Ep. 42 Brady’s Mule Deer Sabbatical

Gritty Podcast

Brian Call may be the O.G. of western hunting podcasts. Listening to Brian breaking down a hunt is like hearing Nick Saban and Bill Belichick go over game film. If you like the tactical details of hunting then this is your lane. Brian and his guest do an amazing job of dissecting strategy and tactics to be successful in western backcountry hunting. Brian also does a great job of talking about the physical fitness someone needs to hunt and how that impacts a person’s hunt. Brian dives into the nutrition and fitness side of chasing big game across the wilderness. There is so much information that Brian has put out through his podcast it’s difficult to narrow down the best aspects of it. He literally talks about everything.

Favorite Episode: Ep. 723 Pedro Ampuero

Live Wild

The man, the myth, the legend; Remi Warren. Remi Warren hosts the Live Wild podcast and it’s one of the most helpful information-rich, western hunting podcasts out there. Remi really dives down deep into strategy and tactics when it comes to chasing game out west. Remi uses an age-old teaching medium where he tells a story then breaks down the tactics and strategy after. There are episodes about E-scouting, rifle hunting, bow hunting, logistics, gear, peak rut, post rut and on and on. Not only will you get strategic hunting advice, but Remi really understands the mental side of hunting. Remi’s insights into the mental side of hunting out west are priceless. Another great thing about this podcast is the audience engagement. Remi answers listener questions a lot and even has listeners call in to ask their questions.

Favorite Episode: Ep. 39 Essential Gear and Hunting Favorites

The Hunt Backcountry Podcast

In my opinion, if you want to hunt western states, you need to be listening to this podcast. Mark and Steve, who run the backpack company EXO MTN Gear, host The Hunt Backcountry Podcast. They started this podcast in 2015 specifically with a focus on western hunting. If you are a gear junkie then this is the podcast for you. This podcast really focuses on backpack-style hunting in the mountains. If its capable of helping with your backcountry hunt then they have talked about it. This podcast has two shows with one being a full-length podcast focusing on hunting strategy, gear, hunting stories, and expert guest and the other, called the Monday Minute, is a brief episode weekly that involves listener questions. Mark’s advice for someone looking to to start hunting out west, “Simplify the process. Enjoy the process. Don’t worry about making mistakes; instead, know that you get out there and learn some leassons. Use each trip to build upon your knowledge and skills.”

Favorite Episode: Ep. 299 Expert Roundtable: Game-Changing Gear

The Hunters Quest Podcast

Hunter McWaters hosts the Hunters Quest and by the way he lives in Virginia. This podcast gives a very unique point of view of western hunting from someone who doesn’t live there.  Hunter started this podcast after being invited to go on a DIY caribou hunt in Alaska. The best thing about this podcast, apart from the special guest experts he interviews, is the relatability that we have with Hunter. Hunter understands that there are things that don’t come naturally to people who don’t live in the western states and he addresses this area in his podcast. This podcast has on some of the best guests possible, for instance, Brad Brooks, Adam Weatherby and Ryan Lampers to learn from about western hunting. Another unique point about this podcast is that Hunter exposes the spiritual connection in hunting. Hunter said if you want to start hunting out west look into getting an antelope tag as a great entry point. The motivation that Hunter gives in his podcast to those of us looking to hunt out west can be summed up in a phrase that he says on nearly every podcast, “If I can do it, you can do it.”

Favorite Episode: Ep. 12 Blazing Trails with Adam Weatherby

These are just a few of the podcasts that I have found helpful and there are others out there that can be beneficial that aren’t on this list. There’s a lot of helpful information out there for us Texans that long to head west for a hunting trip, but we have to remember these words from Mark at EXO MTN Gear, “Speaking of trips — don't wait.”