Still Relying on Luck? How Successful Western Hunters Control and Execute Their Hunts

Описание: Chapters:
0:00 Cody Caulkins – the shift from luck to intentional success
1:51 Why we’re re-recording + setting the stage
2:44 Cody’s hunting background (private land, filling tags, “getting lucky”)
5:08 The turning point: getting called out + leaving the comfort zone
8:56 Colorado Bear Hunt story (12K feet, passing a shot, composure after a miss)
20:53 Utah Deer Hunt reality check (pressure, crowds, humbling lessons)
24:28 Colorado Mule Deer Hunt (standards, passing deer, first muley)
28:55 Colorado Elk Assist (helping his buddy kill his first bull)
33:20 Fiancé hunts: NM deer + NM cow elk, plus Cody’s bull (control + execution)
54:22 Season takeaways (mindset, success definition, preparation) + closing contact/outro

In this episode Matt Hartsky sits down with Cody Calkins, a New Mexico firefighter and Backbone Unlimited subscriber, for an in-depth conversation focused on Western big game hunting mindset, preparation, and execution. This episode is built for hunters who want to move beyond relying on luck and start hunting with confidence, control, and intention on public and private land alike.

Cody shares how years of hunting private land left him filling tags but never fully understanding why things worked. That changed when he committed to becoming a better hunter by learning how to plan hunts, read terrain, understand animal behavior, and execute under pressure. This season, Cody drew and hunted multiple tags across Colorado, Utah, and New Mexico, including elk hunting, mule deer hunting, and bear hunting, and experienced firsthand what it takes to succeed when conditions are difficult and mistakes are costly.

Matt and Cody break down key Backbone Unlimited topics that serious Western hunters care about: hunt planning, mindset, discipline, patience, and passing animals. They discuss how to handle hunting pressure on public land, how to stay mentally composed when opportunities don’t come easily, and why learning to pass legal animals is often the hardest and most important skill a hunter can develop. Cody explains how focusing on process instead of outcome allowed him to make better decisions in the field and ultimately led to his most meaningful season to date.

This conversation also dives into hunting ethics, conservation, and responsibility. Cody talks about helping friends and family succeed, guiding his fiancé through her first big game hunts, and donating meat to others. The episode highlights how hunting becomes more rewarding when it’s grounded in preparation, respect for the animal, and a clear sense of purpose rather than ego or shortcuts.

If you’re interested in elk hunting tips, mule deer hunting strategy, Western hunting mindset, public land hunting pressure, or learning how to hunt with confidence and discipline, this episode delivers real-world insight from a hunter who earned every lesson the hard way. Cody’s story is proof that successful hunting is built through preparation, patience, and execution—not luck.

#elkhunting #muledeerhunting #backboneunlimited

Contact Cody Calkins: [email protected]