Exo Journal

If you asked 1,500 hunters which gear failures most often derailed their hunts, which items do you think would top the list? We asked those hunters, and we have those answers. As part of The Experience Challenge, we had 1,500+ hunters complete a detailed Hunt Reflection. Their answers inspired this new series, The Backcountry Blueprint. In each installment, we distill key takeaways from 1,500+ hunters to help you master the backcountry. Today, we’re looking at the 5 most common gear or equipment issues that negatively impacted the outcome of a backcountry hunt. What are the items that prevent a hunter...

The spring bear hunting season is such a great time to get into the mountains. Each year, we look forward to backpacking in the Idaho mountains in search of bears. Having just returned from a successful hunt, Mark, Steve & Justin share the hunt story, some bear hunting tactics and strategies, and notable gear notes from their experience. You can hear all of that in Episode 579 of the Hunt Backcountry Podcast, along with more photos, links, and resources below... Spotify | Apple Podcasts HUNTING TACTICS & STRATEGIES For some general advice on hunting spring bears, check out the recent...

Easy & Efficient Mountain Living (The Backcountry Blueprint, Part 3) As part of The Experience Challenge, we had 1,500+ hunters complete a detailed Hunt Reflection. Their answers inspired this series, The Backcountry Blueprint. We asked those hunters: In what specific areas do you need to improve your backpacking skills and knowledge? Using the answers of those 1,500 hunters, this article looks beyond the "how-to" of hunting and focuses on the "how-to" of surviving and thriving in the backcountry. Here are the 5 common areas that hunters need to improve in their backpacking skills and knowledge… Spotify | Apple Podcasts Reducing...

Justin Nelson has been hunting spring bears in Idaho for 15 years. While he loves the challenge of backpack-style, spot-and-stalk hunts, he also runs bait sites most years. It is always difficult for die-hard mountain hunters to pick a favorite season or species, but for Justin, spring bear is a top contender. It is a hunt he always looks forward to and one where he has found incredible success. As the "bear guy" on the Exo staff, we asked Justin to answer questions that were submitted from the Exo community... It’s my first year bear hunting in Idaho. Any advice?...