In this episode of Backbone Unlimited, Matt Hartsky breaks down one of the most overlooked reasons elk seasons fall apart for Western hunters: not having a repeatable hunting system. Not a calling system. Not a gear system. Not a shooting system. A complete, disciplined hunting system that gives structure, direction, and purpose to every hour on the mountain. Most hunters don’t fail because they don’t work hard—they fail because they hunt randomly, react emotionally, and make decisions without a plan. This episode lays out a clear, repeatable elk hunting system built around six core pillars: a disciplined morning routine, a structured way to check basins, intentional wind and thermal planning, layered backup plans, clear evening objectives, and a daily reset process that prevents burnout and bad decisions. Matt explains how successful hunters eliminate guesswork by understanding when and where elk should be moving, how wind and thermals actually behave throughout the day, and how to stay productive even when Plan A falls apart. You’ll learn why mornings set the tone for the entire hunt, how to evaluate basins without wasting days, how to plan for wind instead of reacting to it, and why backup plans are the difference between confidence and panic. The episode also dives into why most hunters waste evenings, how to use late light to gather critical information, and why a daily mental and strategic reset is essential for multi-day hunts. If your elk season has ever felt rushed, scattered, confusing, or reactive—this episode explains exactly why. It shows how structure replaces chaos, discipline replaces emotion, and systems create consistent encounters. This is a blueprint for hunters who want to stop hoping for elk and start hunting them with intent, clarity, and confidence.

In this 8-part Backbone Unlimited compilation, Matt Hartsky breaks down the most common—and most costly—reasons elk seasons fall apart for Western hunters. This series pulls together eight full-length episodes that expose the real problems behind failed elk hunts, from mindset mistakes and poor movement interpretation to wind misreads, calling errors, bad e-scouting, unrealistic time expectations, physical fatigue, and mental burnout. These aren’t surface-level tips. This is a full systems breakdown of why hunters struggle in September and how to fix it. Across the compilation, Matt explains why elk don’t disappear—they adapt. You’ll learn how pressure reshapes elk movement, why bulls slide into security cover, how wind and thermals quietly kill opportunities, and why most hunters spend too much time hunting where elk were instead of where they are. The episodes dig deep into terrain selection, elevation shifts, pressure pockets, calling discipline, and how small mistakes compound over multi-day hunts. This series also tackles the mental and physical side of elk hunting that most content ignores. Unrealistic timelines, rushing decisions, lack of preseason preparation, and accumulated fatigue all show up hard by day four or five—and they destroy discipline when it matters most. Matt breaks down why slowing down, managing energy, and staying mentally sharp are often the difference between tagging a bull and walking out empty-handed. If your elk season felt chaotic, rushed, frustrating, or inconsistent—or if you’ve ever wondered why elk seemed to vanish just when you felt close—this compilation provides the clarity most hunters never get. It’s designed to help you stop hunting on emotion and expectation and start hunting with structure, adaptability, and intent. This is the blueprint for fixing your next elk season before it even starts.

In this episode of Backbone Unlimited, Matt Hartsky breaks down one of the most important skills in Western hunting: understanding terrain, wind, thermals, and e-scouting at a functional level. Most hunters think e-scouting is dropping pins and circling basins. The hunters who consistently find elk and mule deer see something deeper. They can look at a map and immediately understand how animals move, where they bed, how wind and thermals behave, and why certain terrain consistently holds game while other areas stay empty. This episode delivers the full Backbone Unlimited Terrain and E-Scouting Glossary, covering 101 essential terrain features, wind behaviors, thermal patterns, and movement concepts that dictate where elk and mule deer live, feed, bed, and travel on Western public land. From ridges, benches, saddles, basins, and drainages to thermals, wind funnels, leeward bedding, transition zones, escape routes, and pressure-driven movement, every concept is explained through the lens of how animals actually use the landscape. Matt walks through how elk and mule deer select bedding based on wind and visibility, how feeding and transition routes change with time of day, weather, and pressure, and how subtle terrain features like micro-benches, shadow pockets, and sidehill travel routes are often the difference between finding animals and walking past them. This episode ties together terrain reading, wind strategy, and movement prediction so hunters can stop guessing and start understanding what the mountain is telling them. If you’ve ever felt like good-looking country wasn’t producing animals, or that elk and mule deer seemed to disappear the moment the season started, this episode explains why. It lays the foundation for smarter e-scouting, better in-field decisions, and more consistent encounters by teaching you how to see the terrain the same way elk and mule deer do.

In this episode of Backbone Unlimited, Matt Hartsky breaks down 101 mule deer facts every Western hunter should know, not as trivia, but as a complete behavioral blueprint for consistently finding and hunting mature bucks. Mule deer are one of the most misunderstood big game animals in the West, and most hunters struggle because they hunt fast, reactive, and scattered—while mule deer survive on consistency, memory, habit, and instinct. This episode explains how mule deer actually think, feed, move, bed, and avoid pressure, and why understanding those patterns is the difference between seeing deer and killing mature bucks. Matt dives deep into how mule deer use terrain, wind, thermals, bedding slopes, edges, and travel corridors to stay alive in rugged country. You’ll learn why mature bucks live in miserable terrain, how they bed with wind and visibility advantages, how pressure immediately reshapes their routines, and why most stalks fail long before the hunter realizes it. From feeding behavior and seasonal movement to rut dynamics and late-season survival, every fact ties directly back to practical hunting decisions. This is a long-form, educational episode designed to change how you see mule deer and how you hunt them. When you understand the patterns behind these 101 facts, mule deer behavior becomes predictable, glassing becomes more effective, and hunting stops feeling random. If you want to stop chasing deer and start hunting them with intent, discipline, and confidence, this episode lays the foundation.

In this episode of Backbone Unlimited, Matt Hartsky breaks down 101 elk facts every Western hunter needs to understand, not as trivia, but as a complete behavioral framework for consistently finding, stalking, and killing elk on public land. Elk are one of the most misunderstood animals in the West, and most hunters struggle because they chase randomness instead of recognizing patterns. This episode explains how elk survive by following repeatable systems built around terrain, wind, thermals, herd dynamics, pressure avoidance, feeding cycles, and vocal communication. When you understand these systems, elk behavior stops feeling unpredictable and starts making sense on the mountain.  Matt dives deep into how elk use bedding areas, benches, ridgelines, travel corridors, and edges to stay alive, and why mature bulls live in the steepest, thickest, most pressure-resistant terrain available. The episode covers wind and thermal behavior, why setups fail even when hunters think the wind is right, how elk react to human pressure, and how calling behavior changes based on herd structure, competition, and predator presence. These insights explain why some bulls get killed year after year while others reach full maturity and seem impossible to pin down. This is a long-form, educational episode designed to change how you see elk and how you hunt them. By the end, you’ll understand why elk bed where they do, how and when they move, what silence actually means in the woods, and how to stop hunting with hope and start hunting with intent. This episode lays the foundation for smarter decision-making in every season, from early archery to late rifle hunts, and shows how reading elk behavior correctly turns random encounters into repeatable success.

In this episode of the Backbone Unlimited Podcast, Matt Hartsky sits down for a long-awaited and deeply personal conversation with his son, Saxton Hartsky, founder of Wildborn Outdoors. This episode is not about highlight reels or chasing validation through kills. It’s a raw, experience-driven breakdown of what disciplined, intentional western hunting actually looks like when patience, preparation, and respect for the animal guide every decision. Matt and Saxton unpack how hunting became Saxton’s identity, how relentless effort and miles in the field shaped his instincts, and why some hunters consistently separate themselves from the rest over time. The conversation dives deep into Saxton’s 2025 season, including taking two mature trophy bull elk with a bow, executing a spot-and-stalk pronghorn antelope bow hunt for the second year in a row, passing multiple high-quality mule deer despite clean shot opportunities, and collecting over 350 elk and mule deer sheds in a single offseason. They also explore how wildlife photography has fundamentally changed Saxton’s patience, selectivity, and understanding of animal behavior, making him a more complete hunter. Along the way, they break down decision-making under pressure, passing animals that most hunters would shoot, long spot-and-stalk elk encounters, balancing patience with aggression, and the reality behind success that most people never see. This episode delivers hard-earned lessons for bowhunters, western hunters, and anyone who believes success is built through discipline, repetition, and respect for the process rather than shortcuts or hype.

In this episode, Matt Hartsky breaks down why snow is one of the biggest advantages a western mule deer hunter can get. Most hunters see snow as a burden — cold, wet, and miserable — but snow is actually a gift. It wipes the mountain clean and turns mule deer behavior into a readable map. Fresh snow reveals exactly where bucks fed, where they moved, how recently they passed, and which pockets they’re holding. It shrinks their world, tightens their patterns, and gives you timing you’ll never get in bare-ground conditions. Matt explains how to read tracks, pellets, beds, feed loops, and travel lines in a way that lets you know whether a buck is still in the pocket right now or long gone. Snow removes the guesswork and replaces it with real-time information. Matt also dives into how winter conditions reshape movement and behavior — from energy-conserving feed cycles to tight bedding rotations to predictable travel corridors created by snow depth, crust conditions, and terrain. He breaks down how snow impacts visibility, why contrast works in your favor, how to glass effectively when the mountain is covered in white, and how storms create reset buttons that expose fresh patterns instantly. You’ll learn how to flank tracks instead of chase them, when to sit tight, when to intercept movement, and when to bail out and move to the next basin. Matt also covers how snow type affects stalk timing, how cold air changes wind and thermals, and how to position yourself above travel channels to stay undetected. This episode gives you a complete winter framework for finding and killing mature mule deer consistently.

In this episode, Matt Hartsky breaks down the biggest late-season mule deer hunting mistakes that cost hunters mature bucks every single December. When the snow piles up, the days shrink, and deer tighten into their smallest home ranges of the year, the entire hunt changes. Bucks aren’t cruising, chasing, or wasting energy. They’re conserving calories, bedding tight, and only moving when light, thermals, or weather tell them to. Most hunters fail because they show up with a September mindset, move too fast, glass the obvious, rush stalks, and hunt where deer were instead of where deer are right now. Matt explains why late season is a thinking man’s game built on patience, timing, and discipline, not miles or speed. Matt walks through the most common errors that blow opportunities on big deer, including moving too quickly while bucks barely move at all, hunting old sign instead of reading fresh conditions, misunderstanding south-facing behavior, quitting early when the best afternoon window is just beginning, and ignoring the micro-bedding pockets where mature bucks actually spend their days. He breaks down late-season thermals, shadow progression, storm timing, contour travel, and how a buck’s world shrinks into a tight bubble that hunters constantly overlook. You’ll learn why the nastiest pockets hold the biggest deer, how to glass the dark stuff instead of the easy stuff, and how patience kills more late-season bucks than any tactic on the mountain. Matt also explains why the best late-season stalks happen by anticipating deer movement instead of reacting to it. He shows how winter bucks follow predictable feed–bed–stage patterns, how to build intercept positions based on shade and thermal timing, and why rushing a stalk almost always blows the opportunity. This episode gives you the framework to slow down, hunt smarter, and finally understand how to kill mature mule deer when winter locks up the hills. If you want to turn December into one of your most productive seasons, it starts by avoiding the mistakes that keep most hunters empty-handed.

In this episode, Matt Hartsky breaks down one of the hardest and most rewarding ways to kill a mature mule deer: still-hunting bucks in the timber. These are the deer that refuse to live in the open, vanish into shadows, and survive by slipping through cover most hunters never take the time to understand. Matt explains why older bucks choose dark timber over open country, how they use shade, structure, thermals, and micro-terrain to stay alive, and why the first two layers of trees often hold the biggest deer on the mountain. This episode takes you deep into the buck’s world and shows you how to hunt them on their terms — slow, methodical, and with complete discipline. Matt walks through how to identify the subtle habitat pockets inside the canopy that consistently hold mature deer, including benches, sidehill pockets, strip timber, edge structure, deadfall clusters, and the micro-features that create predictable bedding. He breaks down the mindset required to hunt without visual confirmation, how to move with true still-hunting rhythm, how to glass tight timber effectively, and how to spot deer by recognizing parts instead of whole animals. He also dives into the small-angle glassing techniques, shot-window planning, and wind behavior unique to timbered country — including how canopy, shade, micro-draws, and delayed thermals change the entire scent equation. Matt explains when timber hunting is most productive, why post-rut recovery cycles create perfect timing, and how warm spells, snow, pressure shifts, and midday movement open small windows most hunters never capitalize on. He also covers how to build shot opportunities in tight cover, how to stay mentally calm when a buck materializes at 40 yards, and why most shot chances happen in seconds, not minutes. This episode shows why timber hunting is all about patience, belief, and discipline — not miles, not speed, and not luck. For hunters who want to kill big deer in thick cover, this episode teaches the process that makes it possible. Still-hunting in the timber is slow, honest, and unforgiving, but when it all comes together, it becomes one of the most rewarding ways to hunt mule deer. Matt walks you through the full system so you can start seeing bucks that most hunters walk right past.

In this episode, Matt Hartsky steps away from tactics and dives into the deeper reasons hunters keep showing up year after year. This isn’t a gear breakdown or a strategy session. It’s a raw look at the purpose behind hunting and why the lifestyle carries so much weight for anyone who lives it with intention. Matt walks through why food sits at the foundation of everything he does in the mountains, why providing clean, earned meat matters, and how taking responsibility for every part of the process connects you back to something most people never experience anymore. He talks about what it means to take a life honestly, to honor the animal through work and respect, and why pulling meat from the freezer months later brings back the entire story behind it. Matt also explains how hunting ties directly into true conservation and why hunters remain the backbone of wildlife management across the West. He breaks down why tag revenue, habitat work, and ethical decision-making matter more than slogans, and why real stewardship comes from people who spend time in the field, understand wildlife, and care about the land they use. You’ll hear how the North American Model survives because hunters participate, pay, and protect what they’re part of—and why that responsibility continues to grow as public land and wildlife face new pressure. Matt closes the episode by exploring the connection, grit, and legacy that hunting builds over a lifetime. He lays out how the mountains strip away distractions, how failure builds resilience, and why the process—not the kill—shapes hunters into more grounded, capable, and intentional people. He talks about passing this lifestyle on to kids, teaching them to work hard, respect wildlife, and step into uncomfortable places with confidence. This episode is a reminder that hunting isn’t just a season or a hobby. It’s a calling, a responsibility, and a way of living that shapes who we become.

In this episode, Matt Hartsky breaks down how to hunt low-elevation mule deer when winter pushes them out of the high country and into the foothills, sage flats, creek bottoms, and broken terrain near the valley floor. A lot of hunters struggle in this country because it looks too open, too close to the road, or too chaotic to make sense of. Deer seem scattered, does pile into the obvious feed, and mature bucks appear to vanish. But once you understand how mule deer transition into winter range — and how older bucks carve out small, overlooked pockets down low — the entire landscape becomes predictable. Matt walks through why snow depth, food density, pressure, and migration instinct force deer into specific elevation bands, and how those bands shrink as winter intensifies. You’ll learn how to identify the upper transition band, the mid-range concentration band, and the bottom-stack refuge band, and how each one holds deer differently depending on conditions. Matt explains where mature bucks actually live inside these zones — creek-bottom benches, rimrock edges, isolated brush clusters, mahogany pockets, side draws, transition benches, and tiny folds most hunters glass right past. You’ll also hear how roads, human pressure, and private-land edges shape buck movement, and why the biggest deer often live just a few hundred yards off heavy pressure rather than miles away. Matt breaks down the food sources that anchor wintering deer — bitterbrush, sage, mahogany, ag leftovers — and how daily movement patterns compress into tight, predictable loops. This episode covers how to glass the low country correctly, how to re-glass pockets as light changes, how to sort mature bucks from the big doe herds, and how to catch the small midday and pre-storm windows when bucks move. Finally, Matt lays out the ground tactics that consistently kill big mule deer down low: slow, deliberate still-hunting, micro-angle adjustments, wind discipline in broken terrain, and knowing when to stalk and when to sit tight and let the buck make the mistake. Winter range looks simple until you start hunting it. This episode shows you how to read the structure hidden inside it — and how to find the old deer living right under your nose.

In this episode, Matt Hartsky breaks down one of the most critical but misunderstood phases in mule deer hunting: what happens when mature bucks leave the does at the end of the rut — and how to adjust your tactics to find and kill them. Through November, bucks run themselves ragged. They chase, fight, cover country, and glue themselves to doe groups with zero regard for energy or security. But when breeding tapers off, that entire behavior pattern collapses almost overnight. Bucks slip away from the chaos, retreat into micro-habitats, and fall back into survival mode. If you’ve ever glassed a hillside full of does in late November or early December and wondered where the big bucks went, this episode explains exactly what happened. Matt walks you through the biological drivers behind the shift — energy deficit, security, and reduced need to shadow does — and how these priorities pull bucks into small, overlooked pockets just off winter range. You’ll hear where bucks actually go after the rut, how far they travel, and why they settle into shaded north-facing cover, broken benches, tight timber pockets, and the backside terrain most hunters never look at. Matt breaks down the timing of this transition, from the late-November separation phase to the consistent post-rut patterns that set in by mid-December, and how snow, storms, temperature swings, and crust events accelerate or delay the move. You’ll also learn how to read fresh post-rut sign — big solo tracks, tight travel loops, warm beds, shaded feeding edges, and subtle snow disturbance — so you stop hunting where bucks used to be and start hunting where they are right now. Matt explains how to e-scout for micro-pockets, how to glass slowly and deliberately for deer that only expose an antler tip or ear flick, how to relocate during midday adjustment windows, and how pressure, thermals, and storm cycles shape every bit of post-rut movement. Finally, Matt breaks down the still-hunting and setup strategies that consistently kill mature deer this time of year. You’ll hear how to slip into tight buck pockets without blowing the basin, how to hunt the seams between open feed and cover, how to capitalize on predictable bed-to-feed micro-loops, and the biggest mistakes hunters make when they try to force rut tactics into a post-rut world. This is a full, experience-based system for finding and killing big mule deer when the rut is over and the mountains are quiet.

In this episode, Matt Hartsky breaks down exactly how to glass mule deer efficiently when daylight is limited — a challenge every late-season hunter faces. Once December arrives, the sun hangs low, mornings brighten slowly, evenings disappear fast, and the usable windows where mature bucks actually move get brutally short. If you’re not in position before gray light hits, you lose the highest-value minutes of the entire day. And when bucks are conserving energy, bedding tight, and feeding in surgical little windows, missing those early minutes can cost you the only mature deer you might see. Matt walks you through why short days completely change the glassing game, how to prioritize the morning versus evening windows, and how thermals, light angles, and compressed movement patterns shape everything you see — or fail to see — on a slope. You’ll learn how to choose the right vantage before daylight, how to triage a basin fast at first glow, how to grid a hillside with discipline, when to re-glass pockets as light shifts, and how to read tracks, disturbed snow, benches, cuts, and bedding signatures even when deer aren’t visible. He also breaks down mid-day micro-movement, weather-driven visibility changes, storm-cycle opportunities, and how to know when to sit tight or relocate — all in the context of short winter days where every minute matters. This is a complete system for late-season mule deer glassing, built around discipline, patience, and knowing exactly where to spend your time.

In this episode, Matt Hartsky breaks down why south-facing slopes are absolute gold for December mule deer, especially if your goal is finding mature bucks after the rut. Once November ends and bucks peel away from the does, everything in their world becomes about conserving and rebuilding energy. The mountains get colder, snow piles up, and winter forces mule deer into terrain that keeps them alive with the least amount of effort. No slope type delivers more consistent food, warmth, and predictable thermals in early winter than a good south face. Matt explains how sunlight transforms these slopes into reliable late-season deer habitat. South exposure keeps snow shallower, melts crust faster, exposes bitterbrush and sage earlier, and stabilizes thermals throughout the day—giving bucks a safer, more predictable place to bed and feed. You’ll learn why bucks shift into tight survival patterns in December, how they use benches, timber edges, contour lines, rock pockets, and micro-shadows, and how to identify the exact pockets where older age-class deer bed and feed with minimal movement. Matt also breaks down how snow cycles, storms, crust events, and temperature swings reshape daily use on these faces, and why timing your hunt around weather patterns dramatically increases your odds. You’ll hear how to glass these slopes correctly, how to approach without blowing the basin, and the most common mistakes hunters make when they step into this terrain. If you want a clear system for consistently finding late-season mule deer, south slopes are the blueprint—and this episode shows you exactly how to hunt them.

In this episode, Matt Hartsky breaks down one of the most misunderstood but consistently productive windows in all of Western mule deer hunting: how to hunt migrating mule deer bucks along the elevation corridors they’ve used for generations. Migration is nothing like rut hunting or early-season patterning. These deer aren’t wandering—they’re following predictable terrain structure as they drop from high-country summer range to low-elevation winter habitat. When snow, weather, feed, and timing line up, the mountains come alive with downhill movement, and if you can identify the corridors correctly, you can intercept mature bucks with remarkable consistency. Matt explains why migration routes matter so much, how these generational “highways” form, and why bucks position slightly above or beside the main doe flow during descent. He walks you through how storms, snow depth, crust, and temperature trigger movement and how to forecast the primary migration wave before it happens. You’ll learn how to identify saddles, benches, timber seams, sidehill contours, and choke points that naturally funnel deer into narrow travel lanes. Matt also covers the staging pockets where bucks pause, the holding zones that collect deer mid-descent, and how to use tracks, sign, and snow patterns to confirm active movement instead of hunting behind the wave. You’ll hear how to glass migration country efficiently, how to position for predictable contour-line travel, and how to anchor an ambush in places where bucks must pass. Matt lays out how weather drives pacing, how pressure shifts travel lines, and how to adjust elevation throughout the season so you’re always inside the flow instead of searching empty country. If you’ve ever wanted a clear, experience-based system for finding mature mule deer bucks in November and December, this episode is the blueprint.

In this episode, Matt Hartsky breaks down one of the most explosive windows in Western big-game hunting—finding rutting mule deer in November. If you’ve spent years grinding for mature bucks without connecting the dots, this conversation will change the way you hunt the rut. November is when everything shifts. Bucks that hid in dark timber all fall suddenly travel in daylight, check doe groups, make mistakes, and expose themselves in ways they simply don’t earlier in the season. But predictable rut movement doesn’t mean easy hunting. You need to understand does, terrain, weather, elevation, and timing if you want to consistently find mature bucks. Matt dives deep into how the November rut actually works, why does anchor the entire system, where to look as deer transition toward winter range, how storms influence movement, and how to read subtle terrain features that funnel bucks through specific pockets. You’ll learn how to glass with intention, how to stay patient around doe groups, and how to recognize patterns that repeat year after year. Matt also breaks down still-hunting and ambush tactics for tight cover, how to move with discipline, how to manage wind and thermals, and how to capitalize when bucks slip through bedding edges and transition lines. This episode also covers how shot discipline becomes critical during the rut, how to navigate steep angles and fast scenarios, and why calm, deliberate decision-making leads to far more recovered bucks than rushed shots ever will. Matt wraps the episode with a complete November system—locate does, glass all day, stay mobile until you find life, then slow down and hunt with intention. If you want clear, experience-based guidance on how to hunt rutting mule deer the right way, this is the episode you need.

In this episode Matt Hartsky walks you through exactly how the 2026 Arizona Big Game Draw works for non-residents who are applying for elk, mule deer, and pronghorn. Whether you’ve been waiting years to draw a tag or you’re new to the draw game, Matt simplifies the process so you know what to expect before you hit “submit.” He explains how Arizona’s point system works, the timing of applications, how to allocate preference points, and how to optimize your odds when competing with thousands of other hunters. Matt breaks down key mistakes to avoid — from misreading deadlines to misunderstanding point-value trade-offs — and shows how small decisions now can make or break your draw success. If you want to hunt big game in Arizona and you don’t live in the state, this is the episode you need. It’s a clear, honest, step-by-step guide to navigating one of the toughest draws in the West — no fluff, no guesswork, just straight information and practical advice.

In this episode, Matt Hartsky steps away from tactics and gear talk and dives into the real reasons hunters keep showing up year after year. Thanksgiving week slows life down just enough for you to look back and realize how much this lifestyle actually gives you. Not the tags. Not the antlers. Not the grip-and-grins. The deeper stuff—the things that shape you long after the season ends. Matt breaks down why opportunity on public land is something hunters should never take for granted, and why the freedom to chase elk, mule deer, antelope, or bear across millions of acres is a privilege most people in the world will never know. He talks about the encounters that stay with you—the close calls, the bugles in the timber, the deer that materialize out of the brush—moments that remind you what it feels like to be fully present in the wild. You’ll hear why failure becomes one of the greatest teachers in hunting, how discipline is built through the grind of early mornings and long climbs, and why the mountains have a way of keeping you humble, honest, and grounded. Matt also shares why passing this lifestyle forward to kids and new hunters matters more than ever, and how the lessons learned in the backcountry spill into everyday life—confidence, purpose, focus, and resilience. If you’re looking for a Thanksgiving-timed message that hits deeper than strategy, this episode delivers. It’s a reminder of why hunting gives far more than it takes—and why gratitude is woven into every ridge, every season, and every step we take into wild country.

Utah is one of the most structured and strategic big-game draw systems in the West, and if you’re a non-resident looking to hunt bull elk, mule deer, or pronghorn here, you need to understand how the point systems, timelines, and permit allocations actually work. In this episode, Matt Hartsky breaks down the Utah application process step-by-step so you can build a smart long-term plan with clear expectations. Utah relies on both bonus points and preference points, and while the terminology often sounds similar, each system plays a very different role for non-residents. If you’ve ever stared at Utah’s online application portal and felt unsure where to start, this is the guide that explains what matters, what doesn’t, and how to approach Utah without wasting time or money. Matt starts with the basics: the requirement for every non-resident to hold a valid hunting or combo license before applying. Unlike other states, Utah’s license is valid for an entire year, which means smart hunters time their purchase to span two application periods. He walks through the March–April application window, the June points-only period, and the July first-come, first-served sale for remaining elk permits. Understanding these windows is critical because missing one season means losing a year of point building, and since Utah rewards persistence, staying consistent is the key to long-term success. From there, Matt explains Utah’s two-track structure — limited-entry hunts versus general-season buck deer. Limited-entry permits for bull elk and buck pronghorn use Utah’s bonus-point system, where your points are squared to determine how many entries you hold in the draw. Half of the permits in every hunt go to the max-point pool, and the other half go through a weighted random system, which means even first-year applicants have a chance. It’s a system that keeps Utah exciting: no one is locked out forever, but staying in the game every year significantly increases your odds. General-season buck deer draws use preference points — a true line-up system where the hunters with the most points draw first until all tags are gone. Because Utah rarely awards tags past first choices, your first selection is almost always the only one that matters. Matt explains how most non-residents combine both systems by applying for limited-entry elk or pronghorn while either building preference points or occasionally hunting general-season buck deer to maintain regular time in the field. Next, Matt covers something most hunters miss: the Utah draw order. Limited-entry deer is processed first, followed by limited-entry elk, then limited-entry pronghorn, and lastly general-season buck deer. This order matters because drawing any limited-entry permit removes you from all subsequent draws that same year. When you apply, you need to rank your priorities — decide which species matters most — because once you pull a permit, you’re done. Understanding that sequence prevents you from accidentally knocking yourself out of the hunt you wanted most. He then digs into non-resident tag availability. Utah generally allocates around ten percent of limited-entry permits to non-residents, but those tags don’t always appear for every hunt. Small quota hunts sometimes offer just one or two non-resident tags, and occasionally none at all. Before you burn time or points, you need to confirm that a hunt actually offers non-resident permits. Matt explains how bonus-point allocation and the random pool split apply even at tiny quotas and why staying organized year-to-year matters far more than chasing trends. Group applications also get attention. Utah allows groups of up to four to apply together for general-season deer and limited-entry hunts. Residents and non-residents can even apply in the same group. But group points are averaged and rounded down, and if there aren’t enough tags to cover everyone, the group is skipped. Matt explains how group math works, when group strategy makes

Montana is one of the most opportunity-rich Western big game states, but for non-residents, understanding how to apply can feel like wading through a maze. In this episode, Matt Hartsky breaks down the Montana draw system step-by-step so you can approach your 2026 elk, mule deer, and pronghorn plan with confidence. Montana’s system looks complicated on paper because it uses multiple license types, preference points, bonus points, general tags, and limited-entry permits. But once you understand how these layers interact, the process becomes one of the most strategic ways to hunt consistently in the West. Matt begins with the foundation of all non-resident hunting in Montana — the combination license. Big Game, Elk, and Deer combos open the door to both general-season opportunity and the ability to pursue limited-entry hunts. Understanding the distinctions between the three options is critical because these licenses determine where you can hunt, what species you can pursue, and whether you can apply for special permits. He explains how preference points apply only to these combo tags, how they are awarded, and why staying consistent year after year keeps you from falling behind. He also covers how the Alternate List works, why it exists, and how some hunters quietly turn it into an annual shortcut into the state. From there, the discussion shifts to the second half of Montana’s dual system — bonus points. These apply only to limited-entry permits for elk, deer, and pronghorn. Unlike preference points, bonus points are squared, which dramatically increases your chances the longer you stay in the system. Matt explains how this mathematical model rewards persistence without shutting out newer applicants, and he walks through smart strategies for building points while still hunting the state regularly. Whether you’re dreaming of the Breaks or simply want a realistic chance at a quality hunt every few years, understanding how to stack and manage bonus points is the heart of Montana strategy. Matt also breaks down application timing and fees. The main application window occurs in early March and closes around April 1 each year. Miss that deadline and you’re waiting another full season. Because Montana requires applicants to pay license fees upfront, he explains how to avoid costly mistakes with payment processing and why expired cards derail applications every spring. He also walks through the summer point-purchase windows, when preference and bonus points can be purchased if you didn’t apply in the main draw, so you never lose your place in line. He notes that skipping two consecutive years wipes your preference-point history, a detail many hunters overlook. Next, Matt walks through the actual application process on the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks website, showing how to select your license type, apply for limited-entry permits, manage points, and finalize payment. He shares how to evaluate units using the Hunt Planner tool, interpret district boundaries, and avoid locking yourself into a permit with limited access. He also explains the importance of annual regulation updates, especially when winterkill or drought affects quotas and access. Once the mechanics are covered, Matt turns to strategy. He talks about the importance of building realistic multi-year plans based on your goals — whether you want high-odds general opportunity, a realistic mid-tier tag, or want to commit long term to a trophy unit. He explains point-creep, how to track trend lines instead of single-year results, and why hunters who stay flexible and organized draw more tags over time. He also highlights the value of general elk and mule deer hunting in Montana, noting that many hunters overlook high-quality public land opportunities while waiting for a permit. Finally, Matt outlines the most common errors non-residents make when applying, from missing the April deadline to misunderstanding the difference between combo and permit draws. He expla