Most hunters train hard. Very few train right. In this episode, Cliff sits down with Scott Johnston, co-author of Training for the Uphill Athlete and founder of Evoke Endurance, to break down why high-intensity training actually works against mountain hunters.

They unpack the biggest misconception in hunting fitness: trying to train exhaustion instead of capacity. Scott explains, in plain language, why endurance is a metabolic problem, not a grit problem, and why zone-2 aerobic development is the foundation for moving better, recovering faster, and shooting more accurately under fatigue.

They connect the dots between mountain hunting, special operations selection, and endurance sports, showing why aerobic capacity directly impacts decision-making, fine motor skills, recovery between stalks, and multi-day performance. Cliff ties it back to real guiding experiences with elk, goat, and sheep hunters who simply could not recover once they went anaerobic.

This is not about suffering more. It’s about building a system that actually works when it matters.

Evoke Endurance Backcountry Hunting Program: https://evokeendurance.com/training-plans/backcountry-hunting-training-plan/

TrainingPeaks Marketplace: https://www.trainingpeaks.com/training-plans/other/tp-611567/backcountry-hunting-training-plan

00:00:56 The fitness problem in hunting
00:02:00 Who Scott Johnston is
00:07:00 Why training transfers across sports
00:10:20 Fitness as the only controllable
00:18:30 Aerobic vs anaerobic systems
00:31:30 Aerobic deficiency explained
00:37:30 Time commitment realities
00:45:15 Why hill sprints fail hunters
00:52:00 Recovery and multi day hunts
01:11:00 Fitness impact on shooting accuracy

Resources from Scott and Evoke Endurance:
Evoke Endurance: https://evokeendurance.com/
Training For the Uphill Athlete: https://amzn.to/4qgQ1WQ

The Fastest Way to Get Good at Elk Hunting. Period. Cliff's In-Person Elk Masterclass - https://pursuitwithcliff.com/ElkCourse

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Pursuit With Cliff Podcast
https://pursuitwithcliff.com/interviews-and-podcasts/

Cliff's Hunt Planning and Strategy Membership
https://pursuitwithcliff.com/membership/

Hunt. Fish. Spear. (Experiences, Courses and Seminars)
https://pursuitwithcliff.com/Experiences

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Most animals aren’t lost because of bad tracking — they’re lost because of bad decisions made in the first few minutes after the shot. In this podcast, Bob Terwilliger and Cliff Gray break down real-world animal recovery, blood trailing, and the ethics of finishing what you start.

The Fastest Way to Get Good at Elk Hunting. Period. Cliff's In-Person Elk Masterclass - https://pursuitwithcliff.com/ElkCourse

---
FOLLOW CLIFF
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Pursuit With Cliff Podcast
https://pursuitwithcliff.com/interviews-and-podcasts/

Cliff's Hunt Planning and Strategy Membership
https://pursuitwithcliff.com/membership/

Hunt. Fish. Spear. (Experiences, Courses and Seminars)
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https://pursuitwithcliff.com/shop/

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In this episode, I sit down with Eric Wilson to break down one of the most common questions I get within the context of his recent successful hunt. DIY vs guided elk hunting.

Eric runs the podcast Do Not Go Quietly - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/do-not-go-quietly-w-eric-wilson/id1675558101

Eric did a full DIY public land elk hunt last year. This season, he went guided. Same hunter, same mindset, completely different experience.

His first hunt was debriefed in this interview - https://youtu.be/SKwO7beqytI

We talk honestly about what changed. The learning curve. Shot opportunities. Elk behavior during the rut. Patience versus forcing moves. Why calling herd bulls is usually overrated. And how having a constant feedback loop with an experienced guide can accelerate your understanding of elk hunting in ways that years of solo hunts often can’t.

This is not a sales pitch for guided hunts. It’s a real conversation about expectations, decision making, ego, social pressure, and how hunters actually get better over time.

If you’re trying to decide whether to stay DIY, go guided, or mix both into your hunting life, this conversation will help you think clearly about what you want out of a hunt and how to get there faster.

The Fastest Way to Get Good at Elk Hunting. Period.

Cliff's In-Person Elk Masterclass - https://pursuitwithcliff.com/ElkCourse

---
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Pursuit With Cliff Podcast
https://pursuitwithcliff.com/interviews-and-podcasts/

Cliff's Hunt Planning and Strategy Membership
https://pursuitwithcliff.com/membership/

Hunt. Fish. Spear. (Experiences, Courses and Seminars)
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Looking for Christmas gifts for the hunter or outdoorsman in your life, or just want an excuse to buy yourself more gear you’ll actually use? In this video I walk through my annual hunting gift list built from a full season of guiding and personal hunts. This is stuff that has been beat up in the field and earned its place.

The Fastest Way to Get Good at Elk Hunting. Period.

Cliff's In-Person Elk Masterclass - https://pursuitwithcliff.com/ElkCourse

---
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Pursuit With Cliff Podcast
https://pursuitwithcliff.com/interviews-and-podcasts/

Cliff's Hunt Planning and Strategy Membership
https://pursuitwithcliff.com/membership/

Hunt. Fish. Spear. (Experiences, Courses and Seminars)
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Most hunters stay white belts forever. In this conversation I break down a simple framework I stole from jiu-jitsu and applied to hunting.

The full interview is available from Chad Lubinski here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gd2L3PdsGi0

We talk about why “time in the game” is overrated, how to compress your learning with tight reps, and why some hunters with 30 seasons under their belt are still stuck at white belt. Then I walk through what blue, purple, brown, and black belt hunting actually look like in the real world. Clear thinking about the wind, topography, elk behavior, and your own style.

I also share a real elk hunt story where years of pattern recognition turned a blown setup into a legit shot opportunity.

The Fastest Way to Get Good at Elk Hunting. Period.

Cliff's In-Person Elk Masterclass - https://pursuitwithcliff.com/ElkCourse

---
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Pursuit With Cliff Podcast
https://pursuitwithcliff.com/interviews-and-podcasts/

Cliff's Hunt Planning and Strategy Membership
https://pursuitwithcliff.com/membership/

Hunt. Fish. Spear. (Experiences, Courses and Seminars)
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Grinding elk on Colorado’s Flat Tops is expert mode. I sit down with guide Cade Cole to break down exactly why this country punishes hesitation and rewards decisive shooting. We hit pressure dynamics, why elk “live” outside shooting hours, stand-hunt vs still-hunt on plateaus, when to take a marginal window, and the ethics of passing smaller bulls.

We also get real on training that actually kills elk here: snapshooting, offhand reps, backpack or tree support, and separating when to use bipods or tripods. If you hunt public land under heavy pressure, this will sharpen your edge.

Cade Cole — backcountry elk guide and survivalist. https://www.instagram.com/collincadecole on Instagram.

The Fastest Way to Get Good at Elk Hunting. Period.

Cliff's In-Person Elk Masterclass - https://pursuitwithcliff.com/ElkCourse

---
FOLLOW CLIFF
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/CliffGray
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Pursuit With Cliff Podcast
https://pursuitwithcliff.com/interviews-and-podcasts/

Cliff's Hunt Planning and Strategy Membership
https://pursuitwithcliff.com/membership/

Hunt. Fish. Spear. (Experiences, Courses and Seminars)
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Greg Jones has killed over 200 wolves across Idaho and the West. In this episode, he reveals what most people don’t understand about wolves—how they hunt, how they impact elk and livestock, and what’s about to happen in Colorado. From ranch conflicts to wildlife collapse, this is the unfiltered truth about wolf management from a man who lived it.

Greg Jones – Retired trapper and aerial gunner with over 200 wolf kills across Idaho and the West. Expert in predator management and livestock conflict resolution.

The Fastest Way to Get Good at Elk Hunting. Period.

Cliff's In-Person Elk Masterclass - https://pursuitwithcliff.com/ElkCourse

---
FOLLOW CLIFF
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Pursuit With Cliff Podcast
https://pursuitwithcliff.com/interviews-and-podcasts/

Cliff's Hunt Planning and Strategy Membership
https://pursuitwithcliff.com/membership/

Hunt. Fish. Spear. (Experiences, Courses and Seminars)
https://pursuitwithcliff.com/Experiences

Merch
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In this episode, I sit down in person with James Nash, veteran elk guide and host of the 6 Ranch Podcast. We go deep into elk behavior, calling strategy, and tracking wounded bulls — including what 100 miles of real-world blood trails have taught him. We also talk about gear, generational elk knowledge, and how to adapt your calling to changing elk behavior.
If you hunt elk, this one’s worth every minute.

James Nash — veteran elk guide, lifelong outdoorsman, and host of the Six Ranch Podcast. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/6-ranch-podcast/id1510254570
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/6ranchoutfitters/

The Fastest Way to Get Good at Elk Hunting. Period.

Cliff's In-Person Elk Masterclass - https://pursuitwithcliff.com/ElkCourse

---
FOLLOW CLIFF
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Pursuit With Cliff Podcast
https://pursuitwithcliff.com/interviews-and-podcasts/

Cliff's Hunt Planning and Strategy Membership
https://pursuitwithcliff.com/membership/

Hunt. Fish. Spear. (Experiences, Courses and Seminars)
https://pursuitwithcliff.com/Experiences

Merch
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