EP 619: Saving Money and Finding Elk with Kevin Toye

It's easy to get swept up in the latest and greatest piece of kit, but what really makes a difference in the field?  Kev Toye is an experienced BC-based hunter who has spent most of his life chasing critters in BC, Alberta and more recently Manitoba. Now a dedicated bowhunter, he's been around long enough to know when it's worth spending money on gear and when good enough is good enough.   As a total elk nut, Kev also shares his thoughts on what works and what doesn't and how to figure out the most appropriate strategies and tactics for where you'll be chasing bulls come September.  Check out Kev's Focus Hunting Podcast available on all the podcast player platforms.  @kevinltoye  ---------------------------  TRUSTED PARTNERS:  For over 100 years Leica has set the standard for premium optics. From spotting scopes to binoculars, rifle scopes and the new CRF MAX rangefinders, Leica is the choice for those who accept no compromises.  onX Hunt is the most powerful 3D mapping solution for hunters. Get your FREE trial today. If you're already a member, check out the exclusive offers and perks available when you upgrade to an Elite Member.   Spartan Precision Equipment is built for the mountains. Ultra-lightweight, packable, and versatile across shooting platforms. Be sure to check out their new Springbok line of products and the Ascent and Javelin series.  If you're interested in becoming a truly competent, confident and capable rifleman the Modern Say Sniper platform and Modern Day Rifleman community need to be on your radar. Digital courses, podcasts, videos, and in-person instruction taught by one of the best in the industry.  Tired of gut rotting instant coffee? Check out This Is Coffee and get yourself some great instant coffee for when you're in the backcountry or on the road.  ---------------------------  CONSERVATION ORGS TO SUPPORT:  Go to Wild Sheep Foundation to find a membership option that suits your budget and commitment to wild sheep.  Go to Wild Sheep Society of BC to become a member, enter raffles, buy merch and support BC's wild sheep populations.  Go to Rocky Mountain Goat Alliance to find a membership option that suits your budget and commitment to conserving mountain goats and their habitat.  

Regardless of the weapon you carry afield, there's something for you in this episode. Grit. Courage. Adventures earned the hard way. It's all covered.   Ron is the founder of Trad Hunters Magazine, a publication he runs alongside his wife out of a small town in rural Ontario. If you're someone that spends most of your days dreaming about being in wild places and having wild adventures, you're going to want to check out Trad Hunters, even if you're not a bowhunter or a traditional bowhunter.  Ron shares the real inspiration behind this one-of a-kind publication, the incredible images that grace the cover of each issue and why he refuses to let the modern world sanitize and whitewash the way of life many of us are still called to pursue.  Order Trad Hunters Print Issues  @tradhuntersmagazine  ---------------------------  TRUSTED PARTNERS:  For over 100 years Leica has set the standard for premium optics. From spotting scopes to binoculars, rifle scopes and the new CRF MAX rangefinders, Leica is the choice for those who accept no compromises.  onX Hunt is the most powerful 3D mapping solution for hunters. Get your FREE trial today. If you're already a member, check out the exclusive offers and perks available when you upgrade to an Elite Member.   Spartan Precision Equipment is built for the mountains. Ultra-lightweight, packable, and versatile across shooting platforms. Be sure to check out their new Springbok line of products and the Ascent and Javelin series.  If you're interested in becoming a truly competent, confident and capable rifleman the Modern Say Sniper platform and Modern Day Rifleman community need to be on your radar. Digital courses, podcasts, videos, and in-person instruction taught by one of the best in the industry.  Tired of gut rotting instant coffee? Check out This Is Coffee and get yourself some great instant coffee for when you're in the backcountry or on the road.  ---------------------------  CONSERVATION ORGS TO SUPPORT:  Go to Wild Sheep Foundation to find a membership option that suits your budget and commitment to wild sheep.  Go to Wild Sheep Society of BC to become a member, enter raffles, buy merch and support BC's wild sheep populations.  Go to Rocky Mountain Goat Alliance to find a membership option that suits your budget and commitment to conserving mountain goats and their habitat.   

Rob Wilson is a human performance coach, educator and author with significant experience training professional fighters and all branches of the military, but especially those within the special operations community.   He brings a very practical, grounded perspective to what an appropriately designed training program looks like, how to think about recovery (what some might call self-care), and how easily practiced breathing techniques could make the difference between a missed opportunity and achieving your goals this season.   Rob's Check Engine Light Book  @thecheckenginelight  ---------------------------  TRUSTED PARTNERS:  For over 100 years Leica has set the standard for premium optics. From spotting scopes to binoculars, rifle scopes and the new CRF MAX rangefinders, Leica is the choice for those who accept no compromises.  onX Hunt is the most powerful 3D mapping solution for hunters. Get your FREE trial today. If you're already a member, check out the exclusive offers and perks available when you upgrade to an Elite Member.   Spartan Precision Equipment is built for the mountains. Ultra-lightweight, packable, and versatile across shooting platforms. Be sure to check out their new Springbok line of products and the Ascent and Javelin series.  If you're interested in becoming a truly competent, confident and capable rifleman the Modern Say Sniper platform and Modern Day Rifleman community need to be on your radar. Digital courses, podcasts, videos, and in-person instruction taught by one of the best in the industry.  Tired of gut rotting instant coffee? Check out This Is Coffee and get yourself some great instant coffee for when you're in the backcountry or on the road.  ---------------------------  CONSERVATION ORGS TO SUPPORT:  Go to Wild Sheep Foundation to find a membership option that suits your budget and commitment to wild sheep.  Go to Wild Sheep Society of BC to become a member, enter raffles, buy merch and support BC's wild sheep populations.  Go to Rocky Mountain Goat Alliance to find a membership option that suits your budget and commitment to conserving mountain goats and their habitat.   

The ever practical and ever salty NMO is back for his annual pre-guiding season episode. We get the story from his recent bear hunt and then dig into his thoughts on some of the hot topics in cartridges, calibers and ballistics within the hunting community.     @nmo  ---------------------------  TRUSTED PARTNERS:  For over 100 years Leica has set the standard for premium optics. From spotting scopes to binoculars, rifle scopes and the new CRF MAX rangefinders, Leica is the choice for those who accept no compromises.  onX Hunt is the most powerful 3D mapping solution for hunters. Get your FREE trial today. If you're already a member, check out the exclusive offers and perks available when you upgrade to an Elite Member.   Spartan Precision Equipment is built for the mountains. Ultra-lightweight, packable, and versatile across shooting platforms. Be sure to check out their new Springbok line of products and the Ascent and Javelin series.  If you're interested in becoming a truly competent, confident and capable rifleman the Modern Say Sniper platform and Modern Day Rifleman community need to be on your radar. Digital courses, podcasts, videos, and in-person instruction taught by one of the best in the industry.  Tired of gut rotting instant coffee? Check out This Is Coffee and get yourself some great instant coffee for when you're in the backcountry or on the road.  ---------------------------  CONSERVATION ORGS TO SUPPORT:  Go to Wild Sheep Foundation to find a membership option that suits your budget and commitment to wild sheep.  Go to Wild Sheep Society of BC to become a member, enter raffles, buy merch and support BC's wild sheep populations.  Go to Rocky Mountain Goat Alliance to find a membership option that suits your budget and commitment to conserving mountain goats and their habitat.   

Are we living through an era where the ability to market a product has overtaken the importance of that product's ability to perform in the field? We are constantly being sold new, better, and more technologically advanced tools. But do they perform when it matters? Do they live up to the hype? Do they actually make you a better or more competent hunter or shooter? Or are they just incredibly well marketed?  As the founder of Spartan Precision Equipment, Mr. G has spent the last number of years growing Spartan from an upstart with a single product to a meaningful player within the industry. Not through a giant marketing budget. Not by leveraging the influencer of the month or year. But by staying focused on delivering the best products possible for the end-user.  @spartan_mrg  @spartanprecision  @spartan_operations  ---------------------------  TRUSTED PARTNERS:  For over 100 years Leica has set the standard for premium optics. From spotting scopes to binoculars, rifle scopes and the new CRF MAX rangefinders, Leica is the choice for those who accept no compromises.  onX Hunt is the most powerful 3D mapping solution for hunters. Get your FREE trial today. If you're already a member, check out the exclusive offers and perks available when you upgrade to an Elite Member.   Spartan Precision Equipment is built for the mountains. Ultra-lightweight, packable, and versatile across shooting platforms. Be sure to check out their new Springbok line of products and the Ascent and Javelin series.  If you're interested in becoming a truly competent, confident and capable rifleman the Modern Say Sniper platform and Modern Day Rifleman community need to be on your radar. Digital courses, podcasts, videos, and in-person instruction taught by one of the best in the industry.  Tired of gut rotting instant coffee? Check out This Is Coffee and get yourself some great instant coffee for when you're in the backcountry or on the road.  ---------------------------  CONSERVATION ORGS TO SUPPORT:  Go to Wild Sheep Foundation to find a membership option that suits your budget and commitment to wild sheep.  Go to Wild Sheep Society of BC to become a member, enter raffles, buy merch and support BC's wild sheep populations.  Go to Rocky Mountain Goat Alliance to find a membership option that suits your budget and commitment to conserving mountain goats and their habitat.   

Trail Kreitzer brings a different kind of energy to the game.     No posturing, no fluff, no hyperbole. Just measured, field-based experience and advice from years and years of Western big game hunting. As a consistently successful bowhunter season after season, he's the embodiment of commitment to his craft.   On this episode, Trail shares his thoughts on the intricacies of modern archery equipment, finding reliable sources of information online, understanding where and what you should put your time and energy into in terms of hunting prep, how he approaches gear selection and gear development, and the importance of being adaptable with your hunting techniques.   @trailk11   ---------------------------  TRUSTED PARTNERS:  For over 100 years Leica has set the standard for premium optics. From spotting scopes to binoculars, rifle scopes and the new CRF MAX rangefinders, Leica is the choice for those who accept no compromises.  onX Hunt is the most powerful 3D mapping solution for hunters. Get your FREE trial today. If you're already a member, check out the exclusive offers and perks available when you upgrade to an Elite Member.   Spartan Precision Equipment is built for the mountains. Ultra-lightweight, packable, and versatile across shooting platforms. Be sure to check out their new Springbok line of products and the Ascent and Javelin series.  Tired of gut rotting instant coffee? Check out This Is Coffee and get yourself some great instant coffee for when you're in the backcountry or on the road.  ---------------------------  CONSERVATION ORGS TO SUPPORT:  Go to Wild Sheep Foundation to find a membership option that suits your budget and commitment to wild sheep.  Go to Wild Sheep Society of BC to become a member, enter raffles, buy merch and support BC's wild sheep populations.  Go to Rocky Mountain Goat Alliance to find a membership option that suits your budget and commitment to conserving mountain goats and their habitat.   

We are utterly drowning in content, opinions, posts, and products. It's becoming increasingly difficult to wade through the noise and find those with the kind of experience we can actually trust. Barklow is one of those people.  On this episode, John strips everything down to the basics. The fundamentals that never go out of style. The skills and philosophies that help you learn, test and evolve as a hunter and outdoorsman or woman. At the end of the day, there is simply no replacement for experience.  @jbarklow  KNOWLEDGE FROM STORMS BOOK  OUTDOOR CLASS  ---------------------------  TRUSTED PARTNERS:  For over 100 years Leica has set the standard for premium optics. From spotting scopes to binoculars, rifle scopes and the new CRF MAX rangefinders, Leica is the choice for those who accept no compromises.  onX Hunt is the most powerful 3D mapping solution for hunters. Get your FREE trial today. If you're already a member, check out the exclusive offers and perks available when you upgrade to an Elite Member.   Tired of gut rotting instant coffee? Check out This Is Coffee and get yourself some great instant coffee for when you're in the backcountry or on the road.  ---------------------------  CONSERVATION ORGS TO SUPPORT:  Go to Wild Sheep Foundation to find a membership option that suits your budget and commitment to wild sheep.  Go to Wild Sheep Society of BC to become a member, enter raffles, buy merch and support BC's wild sheep populations.  Go to Rocky Mountain Goat Alliance to find a membership option that suits your budget and commitment to conserving mountain goats and their habitat.   

Is failure such a dirty word? Is delayed gratification so hard to stomach?  On this episode, Zack Boughton of Montana Wild returns to recount his longstanding search for a mature mountain mule deer buck in his home state of Montana.   Zack's story behind this hard to achieve goal, his self-imposed standards, and the process driven approach he applies to hold himself accountable are worth your time if you're someone that believes some goals, as hard as they may be, are worth pursuing.  @montanawild  ---------------------------  TRUSTED PARTNERS:  For over 100 years Leica has set the standard for premium optics. From spotting scopes to binoculars, rifle scopes and the new CRF MAX rangefinders, Leica is the choice for those who accept no compromises.  onX Hunt is the most powerful 3D mapping solution for hunters. Get your FREE trial today. If you're already a member, check out the exclusive offers and perks available when you upgrade to an Elite Member.   Tired of gut rotting instant coffee? Check out This Is Coffee and get yourself some great instant coffee for when you're in the backcountry or on the road.  ---------------------------  CONSERVATION ORGS TO SUPPORT:  Go to Wild Sheep Foundation to find a membership option that suits your budget and commitment to wild sheep.  Go to Wild Sheep Society of BC to become a member, enter raffles, buy merch and support BC's wild sheep populations.  Go to Rocky Mountain Goat Alliance to find a membership option that suits your budget and commitment to conserving mountain goats and their habitat.   

On this episode, Adam is joined by Robbie Clunes, one of the founders of Let's Go Guided, a new and unique podcast and community-based platform focused on giving you the chance to really get to know the people behind a guide/outfitting operation.  With an emphasis on stories and the truth behind the scenes of how the featured operations really run their guided hunts, this is the closest you can get to sitting around a campfire, bar or trade show booth getting to know the people you're trusting with your hard earned money and time.   Featuring outfitters from across North America and around the globe, this is an invaluable resource for anyone considering a guided hunt.  @letsgoguided_   ---------------------------  TRUSTED PARTNERS:  For over 100 years Leica has set the standard for premium optics. From spotting scopes to binoculars, rifle scopes and the new CRF MAX rangefinders, Leica is the choice for those who accept no compromises.  onX Hunt is the most powerful 3D mapping solution for hunters. Get your FREE trial today. If you're already a member, check out the exclusive offers and perks available when you upgrade to an Elite Member.   Tired of gut rotting instant coffee? Check out This Is Coffee and get yourself some great instant coffee for when you're in the backcountry or on the road.  ---------------------------  CONSERVATION ORGS TO SUPPORT:  Go to Wild Sheep Foundation to find a membership option that suits your budget and commitment to wild sheep.  Go to Wild Sheep Society of BC to become a member, enter raffles, buy merch and support BC's wild sheep populations.  Go to Rocky Mountain Goat Alliance to find a membership option that suits your budget and commitment to conserving mountain goats and their habitat.   

On this episode, Adam rolls solo and shares his lessons, mistakes, observations, and thoughts on how to sift through what's really necessary when it comes to physical preparation and training for backcountry hunting pursuits. No gym needed.  After more than 10 years of training almost exclusively at home using a very basic equipment setup, Adam's thoughts are especially applicable to those balancing busy lives and those looking to save time, money and stay consistent. ---------------------------  TRUSTED PARTNERS:  For over 100 years Leica has set the standard for premium optics. From spotting scopes to binoculars, rifle scopes and the new CRF MAX rangefinders, Leica is the choice for those who accept no compromises.  onX Hunt is the most powerful 3D mapping solution for hunters. Get your FREE trial today. If you're already a member, check out the exclusive offers and perks available when you upgrade to an Elite Member.   Tired of gut rotting instant coffee? Check out This Is Coffee and get yourself some great instant coffee for when you're in the backcountry or on the road.  ---------------------------  CONSERVATION ORGS TO SUPPORT:  Go to Wild Sheep Foundation to find a membership option that suits your budget and commitment to wild sheep.  Go to Wild Sheep Society of BC to become a member, enter raffles, buy merch and support BC's wild sheep populations.  Go to Rocky Mountain Goat Alliance to find a membership option that suits your budget and commitment to conserving mountain goats and their habitat.