HeyJaredBackbone Unlimited Podcast
Host Matt Hartsky shares real-world hunting tactics, backcountry elk hunting tips, shed hunting, gear reviews, wildlife adventures, and hard-earned lessons on grit, discipline, and mental toughness.
- Indexed episodes, last 90 days
- 39
- Latest publication
- Sep 4, 2026
- Audience
- Checking…
- Earliest in this view
- Jul 3, 2026
Latest episodes
WHY MOST BOWHUNTERS BLOW THEIR BEST ELK ENCOUNTERS INSIDE 40 YARDS | EP. 238 (opens the original)
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Getting a bull elk inside 40 yards doesn’t finish the hunt—it starts the hardest part. In this episode of Backbone Unlimited, Matt Hartsky breaks down why bowhunters blow close-range elk encounters and how to execute when a bull is finally in range. Learn how to identify shot lanes before the bull arrives, control movement and noise, choose the right time to draw your bow, avoid holding at full draw too early, stay disciplined under adrenaline, and wait for a high-percentage shot opportunity. If
THE SILENT KILLER - HOW TO HUNT QUIET BULLS | EP. 237 (opens the original)
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When bull elk stop bugling, most hunters assume the elk are gone. In this episode of Backbone Unlimited, Matt Hartsky explains how to find and hunt quiet bulls when elk aren’t talking, especially on pressured public land. Learn how to connect feeding areas, bedding cover, and the transition routes between them; read fresh tracks, droppings, beds, rubs, and grazing sign; identify saddles, pinch points, funnels, and security cover; and use glassing, wind, and patient observation to predict where a
KILL YOUR FIRST ARCHERY BULL WITH THE BACKBONE SYSTEM | EP. 235 (opens the original)
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Killing your first archery bull elk takes more than calling harder or getting lucky. In this episode of Backbone Unlimited, Matt Hartsky breaks down the Backbone System for archery elk hunting—from physical preparation and locating fresh elk sign to reading a bull’s behavior, closing distance, controlling the wind, choosing when to stay silent or call, and building a setup around a realistic bow range. Learn how to avoid the common mistakes that keep elk hunters stuck just outside shooting dista
WHY PRESSURED BULLS ARE ACTUALLY EASIER TO FIND | EP. 234 (opens the original)
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Hunting pressure doesn’t always make bull elk harder to find—it can make their behavior more predictable. In this episode of Backbone Unlimited, Matt Hartsky explains how public land hunting pressure pushes mature bulls into specific security pockets, and how to use that movement to locate elk other hunters have given up on. Learn how to identify steep terrain, heavy cover, access barriers, escape routes, overlooked travel corridors, and pressure gaps while e-scouting, plus why bugling and aggre
HOW TO CLOSE DISTANCE ON A BEDDED BULL ELK WITHOUT BLOWING THE ENCOUNTER | EP. 233 (opens the original)
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Closing the distance on a bedded bull elk is one of the most technical stalks in bowhunting. In this episode of Backbone Unlimited, Matt Hartsky breaks down how to stalk a bedded elk without getting busted, including how to confirm the bull is truly bedded, locate unseen cows, read wind and thermals, choose an approach route, use terrain to stay hidden, and control your movement inside 150 yards. You’ll also learn what to do inside 60 yards, when to wait for the bull to stand, and how a single s
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