The Mindful Hunter Podcast

Forged In The Backcountry

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Thursday Dec 18, 2025

EP 280 – Coues Deer Hunting Masterclass with Jay Scott

Thursday Dec 18, 2025

I leave in just under a month for a two-week Coues hunting trip that will see me bow hunting in Arizona and rifle hunting in Mexico. That means there was no better time to sit down with the Coues legend himself, Jay Scott.

Jay Scott

http://jayscottoutdoorspodcast.com/

Jay Nichol

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Wednesday Dec 17, 2025

EP 279 - Crisis Is Not Consent: Defending Civil Liberties After Terrorist Attacks in Australia

Wednesday Dec 17, 2025

I have a lot of friends in Australia, and I lived there for two years, so when my good buddy reached out to see if we could do a quick update on how people could fight back against Australia's knee-jerk reaction to stricter gun reform in light of the recent terrorist attack, of course, I agreed. Remember they;re not just coming after our guns they're coming afetr our freedom so even if you are not a gun ownewr it behooves you to help porotect civil libeerty.

This link, cr9pyf61nzf3bsxc (https://filebin.net/cr9pyf61nzf3bsxc), provides an email template/message points to use when contacting state MLCs and MLAs. Also includes the list of emails for every politician, along with step by step guide. Americans, Canadians, Kiwis, and friends, please help us spread this message.

Remember, be polite, dont swear and remove emotion, otherwise you will do more harm than good.

Jay Nichol

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Monday Dec 15, 2025

EP 278 – Bringing the Ram Awards Back to BC with Tanner Dannish of Frontiersmen Gear

Monday Dec 15, 2025

This week I sat down with Tanner from Frontiermen to discuss reinstating the Ram awards at the BC sheep show in 2026. We also had a good chat about several other hunting topics.

Jay Nichol

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https://www.unknownmunitions.com/

Thursday Dec 11, 2025

EP 277 – Inside Unknown Munitions: Building Precision from the Ground Up With Jake Mushaney

Thursday Dec 11, 2025

In this episode, I sit down with Jake from Unknown Munitions for a deep dive into the origins, growth, and ethos of one of the most respected names in precision ammunition. We explore Jake’s unexpected shift from a safe corporate job into launching a reloading empire, what it takes to build a scalable business without selling out, and the real-world implications of trying to balance quality, growth, and authenticity in the hunting and shooting space. We also get into the nuts and bolts of reloading, discuss rifle upgrades, and troubleshoot real-world load development issues. If you’re passionate about rifles, gear, and building something from the ground up—this one’s for you.

Chapters

00:00 – How Unknown Munitions Came to Be

09:00 – Scope Trends, Maven RS.1.2, and Market Gaps

18:30 – Taking the Leap: Leaving the Corporate World

26:00 – Navigating Growth Without Sacrificing Quality

34:30 – Building Custom Ammunition: Customer Lifecycle

41:00 – The Hybrid Hunter and the Rise of DIY Precision

48:00 – How Not to Scale: Lessons from Sitka & First Lite

59:00 – Gear Talk: Barrel Coatings, Bottom Metal & Mags

1:13:00 – Reloading Deep Dive: Load Development and Data

1:31:00 – Cross-Border Gear, Legal Loopholes & Upcoming Events

Jake Mushaney / Unknown Munitions

https://www.instagram.com/unknownmunitions/

Jay Nichol

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Monday Dec 08, 2025

EP 276 - Kite APC 60 ED: World’s First Image Stabilized Spotting Scope – Game Changer or Gimmick?

Monday Dec 08, 2025

Sale on hunts with Mindful Hunter Outfitting. Get up to $750 off per person. Email jay@mindfulhunter.com for details.

Join https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ and get automatically entered to win a Sig Oscar 6 Image-Stabilising Spotting Scope!

In this deep dive, we put the Kite Optics APC 60 through a rigorous field test to see if it lives up to the hype. With built-in image stabilization, compact form factor, and claims of premium optics, this scope targets serious backcountry hunters and wildlife spotters looking for performance without the bulk. But does it deliver?

We break down real-world performance across vibration control, handheld use, optical clarity, and mirage resistance—plus we’ve got TWO gear giveaways including a Swaro ATX and the Sig Sauer Zulu 10 15x binoculars!

📌 Chapters
0:00 – Intro: What is the Kite APC 60 & why it matters
2:10 – Caveats: Honest thoughts before you buy
4:31 – Vibration Test: Does the stabilization actually work?
6:35 – Handheld Test: Can you glass steady without a tripod?
8:02 – Optical Quality Test: Contrast, color, edge-to-edge sharpness
8:58 – Mirage Test: Can the APC 60 cut through atmospheric distortion?
10:58 – Recap: What stood out and what didn’t
12:29 – Swaro ATX Giveaway: How to enter
13:16 – Conclusion & Recommendations: Who is this scope for?
14:59 – Sig Sauer Zulu 10 15x Binocular Giveaway: Second prize details

🔥 Whether you’re hunting high-alpine mule deer or scouting elk from windy ridgelines, this review will help you decide if the APC 60 belongs in your pack—or if you’re better off saving your cash.

📢 LIKE & SUBSCRIBE for more honest, no-BS reviews of the best optics and gear in the hunting world.

#KiteOptics #APC60 #SpottingScopeReview #BackcountryHunting #ImageStabilizedOptics #HuntingGearReview #LongRangeGlass #SwarovskiATX #SigSauerZulu #OpticsShootout #MindfulHunter

🎯 GIVEAWAY ALERT! Every $5 you spend on merch at https://forgedinthebackcountry.com/ gets you 1 entry to win a Swarovski 85mm Spotting Scope.

0:00 – Intro
2:10 – Caveats
4:31 – Vibration Test
6:35 – Handheld Test
8:02 – Optical Quality Test
8:58 – Mirage Test
10:58 – Recap
12:29 – Swaro ATX Giveaway
13:16 – Conclusion & Recommendations
14:59 – Sig Sauer Zule 10 15x Binocular Giveaway

Jay Nichol
jay@mindfulhunter.com
https://www.mindful-reviews.com/
https://www.mindfulhunter.com/

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No purchase required. Contest begins on February 1, 2025 at 12:01 a.m. PST and ends on April 30, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. PST. There is a total of 1 prize available to be won consisting of: (i) 1 previously owned Swarovski ATX 85mm Spotting Scope (approximate retail value $5,900.00 CAD). Skill testing question required. This Contest is open only to legal residents of the 50 United States, The District of Columbia, Canada (excluding Quebec), United Kingdom, New Zealand, Finland, France and Switzerland, who are legal age of majority in their jurisdiction of residence (19 in AL and NE, 21 in MS, and 18 in all remaining U.S. states, The District of Columbia and Canada, 16 in United Kingdom, 20 in New Zealand, 16 in Finland, 15 in France, and 18 in Switzerland), who are age of majority in their province or territory of residence at time of entry. Odds of winning depend on number of eligible entries received before contest closes. No entry limit. For full rules and entry details visit: https://forgedinthebackcountry.com/blogs/resources/swarovski-atx-85mm-spotting-scope-giveaway💥 Plus, I’m giving away a Swarovski TAX 85mm! Stay tuned for details!

Thursday Dec 04, 2025

EP 275 – Killing Elk And Building Badass Cook Systems with Chris Neville

Thursday Dec 04, 2025

This week, I sit down with Chris Neville, one of the cofounders of Roughridge Stove Co. He is also a stud of an elk hunter.

Chris Neville

https://www.instagram.com/roughridgestove/

https://www.instagram.com/cjneville23/

Jay Nichol

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Thursday Nov 27, 2025

EP 274 – Solocast Q&A

Thursday Nov 27, 2025

Time for another Q&A episode!

Jay Nichol

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Monday Nov 24, 2025

EP 273 - Ultralight iPhone Filmmaking Setup for the Backcountry (Shoots RAW!)

Monday Nov 24, 2025

If you’re looking to film high-quality, cinematic content deep in the backcountry without lugging around a heavy camera rig — this iPhone setup is for you. In this video, I walk through my ultralight iPhone 15 Pro Max filmmaking rig, designed for shooting Apple ProRAW / ProRes, capturing clean wireless audio, and storing footage directly to an external SSD.

This setup is perfect for backcountry hunters, adventure filmmakers, mobile content creators, or anyone trying to travel light without compromising on quality. Let’s break it down!

🎥 Gear I Use:

iPhone 15 Pro Max (or newer)
Samsung T7 SSD (external storage for ProRes/RAW footage)
SmallRig SSD Mount (keeps SSD secure + compact)
Newer Cold Shoe Mount (modular & lightweight)
Rode Magnetic Smartphone Mount (quick attachment on the go)
40Gbps Flexible USB-C Cable (no dropouts, high-speed transfers)
DJI Mic 2 (Bluetooth audio, no receiver needed)

💡 What You’ll Learn:

How to shoot RAW video on iPhone using an SSD
Lightweight audio setup with DJI Mic 2 via Bluetooth
Best gear for filming in remote or rugged locations
Color grading workflow using LUTs in post-production
How to keep your pack light without sacrificing image quality

0:00 – Intro

3:00 – Mindful Hunter Outfitting

3:52 – Gear Required

8:59 – Swarovski ATX 85mm Giveaway

9:58 – Apps Required

12:48 – Digiscoping Mode

14:22 – Storage and Access

Jay Nichol

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Thursday Nov 20, 2025

EP 272 – After-Action Hunt Report: Jay & Ben Debrief Montana Archery Elk

Thursday Nov 20, 2025

In this new series, I am going to focus on walking through a single hunt from this past season with a hunter and breaking down their success, lessons learned, gear failures and much more. On this episode, I sit down with my friend Ben, and we break down our archery elk hunt in Montana this year.

Jay Nichol

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