Sportsmen's Empire - Western Big Game Hunting

Western hunts get a lot easier when your gear, sleep setup, and ammo are dialed in before you leave home. Dan Johnson sits down with Wisconsin hunter Nick Brewer to break down the real-world system he uses to chase mule deer and pronghorn in Montana and Wyoming without wasting time, money, or energy.

Nick has spent roughly 15 years hunting out West, and he shares the hard-earned details that only come from doing it over and over: how he chooses between a lightweight rifle and a heavier custom build, why he handloads his own 7mm-08 ammo, and what actually matters when you're choosing optics for late-season hunts. If you travel east to hunt or you're trying to make your first Western trip less expensive and more efficient, this conversation is packed with practical takeaways.

You’ll discover:

How Nick stretches tags and preference points to keep getting back out West

Why a heavy rifle can shoot better, but a lighter rifle can save your hunt when the miles add up

What makes Sierra Game King and Nosler Ballistic Tip bullets his go-to choices

The budget-friendly reloading setup that gets him started for about $250 to $500

Why low-light performance and eye relief matter more than flashy scope specs

How he built a truck sleeping system that keeps him warm without a hotel

The Freedom Camper setup he just added to upgrade his backcountry truck camping

Nick also shares the simple food strategy that keeps him fed on the road, the boot and clothing choices that help him handle cold, mobile hunts, and the one piece of gear he says is a total game changer for staying warm in the truck: an electric blanket powered by a lithium battery and inverter.

This episode is especially useful if you hunt from a vehicle, want to cut down on expensive trip logistics, or are looking for realistic gear advice instead of hype. Dan and Nick keep it practical, honest, and full of ideas you can actually use on your next Western hunt.Perfect for hunters planning a Western trip, gear tinkerers, reloaders, and anyone trying to stay comfortable and effective in tough conditions.

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Antelope and mule deer don’t just test your shooting. They expose every mistake in your glassing, rangefinding, wind reading, patience, and ability to disappear into terrain without blowing the whole stalk.

Dan Johnson and Kurt Belding trade hard-earned stories from the field and break down what actually works when you’re chasing pronghorn and mule deer with a bow. From 80-yard antelope shot windows to the brutal reality of crawling across open country only to watch deer melt into the next drainage, this conversation is packed with the kind of details western hunters usually learn the hard way.

You’ll discover:

Why antelope hunting can be more mentally frustrating than elk hunting

How Kurt decides whether a stalk is even worth starting

Why mule deer success often comes down to patience, glassing, and staying with an animal long enough to make a smart move

The importance of OnX waypoints, accurate rangefinding, and knowing exactly how terrain changes your approach

Why bucks bed the way they do, how other deer ruin stalks, and when freezing in place beats trying to sneak away

Dan and Kurt also compare prairie hunts to mountain hunts, talk water, shade, bedding behavior, and explain why mule deer can seem impossible until everything finally lines up. Kurt shares the mindset that keeps him effective in the bubble, including the value of backing out, relocating, and waiting for the right moment instead of forcing a shot.

If you hunt the West, want to hunt the West, or just love the chess match behind a successful stalk, this one is essential listening. It’s a real-world masterclass in reading animals, reading country, and staying disciplined when the whole hunt is trying to make you panic.

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This episode is all about the reality of trying to balance work, the summer heat, and the hunting season you’ve been looking forward to all year. Sometimes the grind doesn’t just make hunting harder—it takes opportunities completely off the table.

We talk about how work schedules and brutal heat can keep you out of the woods, the frustration that comes with missing opportunities, and why you have to make the most of the time you actually do get.

Then we shift gears to a little dog training. We talk about one of the most important commands you can teach any dog: the recall (“come”) command. Join us every week on Creekside Chronicles and get your weekly dose of hunting with hounds. 

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For the best lights in the business

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Double U Hunting Supply: Get all your hound hunting gear at Double U. Products every hound hunter trusts to keep up with their pack. Double U Hunting Supply.com

We would like to thank those who support this podcast.  Special thanks to Double U Hunting Supply for sponsoring this episode.  

www.dusupply.com

https://www.youtube.com/@DoubleUHuntingSupply/podcasts

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Most elk hunters make one costly mistake: they move too much, call too much, and blow out the very bulls they’re trying to hunt. Kurt from Western Obsession breaks down the smarter, harder way to hunt elk, and why staying put, reading wind, and letting the glass do the work can change everything.

Returning guest Kurt joins Dan Johnson to unpack the exact mindset and field strategy behind successful western elk hunting, from archery season in the rut to late-season rifle hunts. He explains why the best hunters aren’t the loudest ones, why bugle tubes can do more harm than good, and how to turn elk behavior into a plan instead of a gamble.You’ll discover:

How Kurt scouts elk country by focusing on non-motorized access, north-facing bedding slopes, south-facing feed zones, and water

Why mornings and evenings matter most, and when midday "trolling" through timber can actually help locate bulls

The difference between trying to call elk in and simply getting ahead of them for a spot-and-stalk setup

Why late-season elk hunting is a glassing game, not a calling game

The gear that actually keeps you on the mountain longer, including rain gear, boots, merino layers, a zero-degree bag, electrolytes, chapstick, and even a bow hitch

Kurt also shares the mental side of elk hunting that too many people underestimate: frozen boots, soaked gear, brutal elevation, and the pressure of being in the kill bubble when one wrong move can end everything. If you’ve ever wondered why elk hunting feels so humbling, or how to finally stop getting your butt kicked in the mountains, this conversation gives you the framework.

They also get into the evolving debate over bow vs rifle for western species, why archery elk remains the ultimate challenge, and what it really takes to go from "just some idiot walking around the woods with a bow" to feeling truly dangerous in elk country.Perfect for western hunters, DIY elk hunters, and anyone who wants a real-world strategy for hunting elk smarter, staying tougher, and making better decisions when it matters most.

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This week on the podcast, we start with a hunt that manages to hit both a frustrating low and an exciting high in less than 30 minutes. What begins with frustration turns into a breakthrough—and serves as a good reminder that sometimes the best thing you can do in the woods is slow down, pay attention, and be patient.

We also dig into scenting conditions and some of the data I’ve collected over the past two years, looking at temperature, humidity, and how those conditions can influence what’s happening on a track. Rather than simply blaming or praising the dog, the goal is to understand the environment we’re asking them to work in.

We end  by talking about something every hunter eventually has to learn: you’re not hunting the same dog you were last year. Next week opens Pandora's box into how your dog is changing and so are you. Thank you for tuning in to Creekside Chronicles 

IG - heathhyatt147

FB Heath Hyatt

Youtube - Heath Hyatt 

Send your stories or questions to: 

creeksidechroniclespodcast@gmail.com

Follow our Sponsors:

Inukshuk 

Double U Hunting Supply

Muddy River Transport 

Darkenergy

OnX 

Inukshuk:

Inukshukpro.com

Corey.ca

Darkenergy:  best-charging banks on market. Discount code is CODE4

darkenergy.com

Frontline Optics- Duty sunglasses

Polarized

No questions asked replacement

Charitable Donation with every pair

Free shipping

Frontline-Optics.com use promo code - CODE4

https://frontline-optics.com?sca_ref=5672409.03I05MEwyy

Subscribe to: 

Full Cry Magazine

Bear Hunting Magazine

American Bear Foundation

Virginia Bear Hunters Association 

For the best lights in the business

Check out: Cajunlights.com 

Double U Hunting Supply: Get all your hound hunting gear at Double U. Products every hound hunter trusts to keep up with their pack. Double U Hunting Supply.com

We would like to thank those who support this podcast.  Special thanks to Double U Hunting Supply for sponsoring this episode.  

www.dusupply.com

https://www.youtube.com/@DoubleUHuntingSupply/podcasts

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.