Episodes

Zach Bowhay is a lifelong hunter, husband, father, outdoors writer, and return guest on the School of September! In this installment, we cover some season prep items, common elk calling/hunting mistakes, not blowing your shot when a bull is within bow range, calling strategies, and overall hunting tactics with some great elk stories in there! It’s exactly the kind of content I strive to record for these elk hunting episodes and it’s not one you’ll want to miss. Zach is highly credible and knowle...

Jermaine Hodge is a return guest for School of September and he doesn’t disappoint! In this episode, we discuss calling strategies, season prep items, snacks to pack on the mountain, cow calls versus bugling, physical preparedness, and his upcoming sheep hunt. Jermaine is a lifelong athlete and sponsored Phelps Game Calls hunter and this episode is loaded with gold nuggets every elk hunter will benefit from! Jermaine on Instagram Show Sponsors! Phelps Game Calls - The game call company of The...

Steve Johnson is an old friend and a returning guest… This time for the School of September! In this installment, Steve and I focus on two critical September elk hunting topics; hunting wallows, and calling. Hunting wallows and intuitive calling skills can greatly improve your odds at killing a bull elk this archery season. We talk about the to-do’s and the what not-to-do’s when hunting over wallows. Then, Steve, who just so happens to be one of the most effective elk callers I’ve hunted with, ...

Lamar Skinner is an honest man. He is unafraid to publicly be vulnerable about his past and is on a mission to help other men. He’s also a fantastic Couse deer hunter in Arizona! He started a movement called Rebuild the Man and joins me this week to discuss it. In this episode, Lamar and I discuss deer hunting, specifically the differences between Couse, Whitetail, and Mule deer hunting as well as some of the differences in hunting various terrain features. We dive into the distortion that happ...

This week, Tate Bradfield with Process Based Hunter joins me. I came across Tate on an Instagram reel in which he was explaining why he thinks hunters spend way too much money on wasted gear items, leaving them often without the critical tags to use it. I couldn’t agree more. We discuss this topic in detail. Quit wasting money on gear that you probably don’t need. Experience comes from having tags, time in the field, encounters with animals, and sometimes, hardship from subpar gear while you bu...

The new Hunt & Tag Planner Series with Jordan Christensen is designed to keep listeners up with the latest news, deadlines, and information to increase your odds at drawing a great tag! We always focus on protecting the future of hunting or shortening the learning curve for your next hunt, but why not how to actually get tags?? It’s a component that too many hunters struggle with, but not anymore. Jordan Christensen from The Draw is teaming up with The Western Huntsman and Eastmans to bring you...

Matt Schoeller returns to the show to talk bowhunting! As a return guest, I wanted to get Matt back on to tell us about his recent trip to New Zealand to hunt Tahr and Fallow Deer. We covered a lot about scouting for deer and elk, some key bowhunting strategies, getting within striking distance with a bow, taking your hunting adventure to far away lands, and much more! Matt is an awesome guy the type of bowhunter we can all aspire to be. Check him out on Instagram! Show Sponsors! Phelps Game C...

The legend himself is back! School of September for your June installment features the most requested guest, Dirk Durham, AKA The Bugler! In this episode, we go a little deeper than past episodes with reading terrain features likely to hold elk, calling sequences that work, what to do once a bull responds to you, some cow call strategies, and much more. Dirk is the most seasoned guest on School of September and is someone that consistently kills elk each year. Meaning, you’ll want to make sure ...

Jaden Bales returns to the show, and this time, for a School of September! Jaden always packs a punch when coming on the show, and he brings some fresh ideas for this one. In this episode, Jaden and I discuss an often overlooked topic; how to scout for your upcoming elk season. He breaks down how he approaches his scouting opportunities into a three part process that pays dividends once elk season starts. We discuss scouting some high country, low country, and safety spots, of which all three p...

Kevin Estela returns! It’s always a great time getting Kevin on the show to discuss a wide berth of topics. We talk bear hunting, aoudad hunting, deer hunting, fishing trips, tipping culture, government overreach, and much more. Kevin discusses some pistol and bear defense stuff and his involvement with Jason the Butcher TV. Kevin is a good friend so having him on the show is always a solid, authentic conversation. Don’t miss this one… Kevin on Instagram Show Sponsors! Phelps Game Calls - Th...

Ryan Gascon is the founder of High Timber Dreams, a non-profit organization that helps disabled vets, first responders, and youth hunters realize their elk hunting dreams out of Elgin, Oregon. In this episode, Ryan and I discuss a ton of elk strategies. From early archery season to late November bulls, he offers up some calling tips and shares tons of experiences to help sharpen the iron for any elk hunter! Don’t miss it! Ryan on Instagram Show Sponsors! Phelps Game Calls - The game call com...

In this solo episode, I dig into mountain thermals and everything hunters should know about them. Too many times I’ve seen hunters blow a stalk or bust a herd of elk out unknowingly because of assumptions of what thermals are. Here, I break down what creates thermals, how elk and other animals use them, what to be mindful of, and how to use thermals to your advantage on the mountain! Show Sponsors! Phelps Game Calls - The game call company of The Western Huntsman! Whether looking for bugle tub...

It’s been a while since I’ve had on the show! Michael was a fan favorite in the first couple years of this podcast and the way this episode went, he will be again! We discuss everything from what’s going on at Elk Calling Academy to...

Matt Hartsky is the man behind Backbone Unlimited, an elk hunting platform that provides training and elk education. He’s a hunter, strength and conditioning coach, and nutrition expert and he brings all that value and knowledge to this installment of School of September! In this episode, we really hammer some physical fitness concepts and how they apply to hunting elk in the mountains of the West. Then we switch into talking strategy; locating elk, closing in on elk, and getting a shot. We wra...

Chris Cabral is an outfitter out of St. Maries, ID. He owns Russell Pond Outfitters, it’s a great operation focusing on bear hunting, elk hunting, and lions in the Winter months. Chris joins me for a discussion offering up some bear hunting tips, we get into some elk hunting stuff as usual! Check out Chris’s website below, you’re going to like this one! Russell Pond Outfitters Chris on Instagram Show Sponsors! Phelps Game Calls - The game call company of The Western Huntsman! Whether lookin...

Melinda Anakalea and her husband, Adam, own and operate The Harlow Bison Ranch in Thompson Falls, MT. The Harlow is a special place in which I’ve had the opportunity to spend some time on over the last few years, and getting to know Adam and Melinda has been such a pleasure. Especially because these are people who truly care about the land they manage, the animals that live there, and how it all works in conjunction with nature. Melinda joins me to discuss their ranch operation, the regenerativ...

Quick Shots with Jim this week is my list of twelve things that consistently successful elk hunters have in common, and why they matter to you! jim.huntsman@eastmans.com Show Sponsors! Phelps Game Calls - The game call company of The Western Huntsman! Whether looking for bugle tubes, deer calls, predator calls, reeds, anything, Phelps Game Calls is a one stop shop of quality, American made game calls. Use promo code Huntsman10 for 10% off at checkout. Visit Phelpsgamecalls.com Leupold Optics-...

Dan Pickar is back and brings the thunder again! In this episode, we discuss the ludicrous IP 28 proposal that came out of Oregon, we talk about how animal activists are the symptom, but liberalism is the disease. We go back and forth on the decay that is eating our American society and offer up some insights and ideas as to how we rectify the broken path we are on. Listeners beware, soft feelings won’t jive well with this episode. Dan doesn’t scare easy when it comes to sharing his thoughts, s...

Return guest Steve Johnson joins me this week for a wild conversation. Steve is one of the top elk callers and bear hunters that I know of, and as usual, he doesn’t disappoint with his authentic and fearless honesty. In this episode, we go deep into bear baiting, scent control, elk calls, and even some culture stuff that’s always fun to cover on the show. We talk about how technology has this tipping point when it comes to fair chase hunting, and the conundrum of who decides what that tipping p...

It’s that time of year!!! The official School of September has launched for 2026 and we couldn’t be more excited. In this episode, I start us out with some basic behavior and fundamental gear stuff to get us rolling as we inch closer to archery elk season. We have some fantastic guests lined up for this years SOS, the top names and some people you haven’t heard of… Don’t discount them! Submit your School of September questions to jim.huntsman@eastmans.com Show Sponsors! Phelps Game Calls - T...

Dakota Johnson is a hunter, contractor, and family man in North Idaho. In this episode, Dakota and I discuss what connections exist between hunting media and crowded hunt units. We also get into hunting technology and how it affects the fair chase doctrine. It’s a great conversation and I really enjoyed having Dakota on the show! Follow the show on Instagram Email: jim.huntsman@eastmans.com Show Sponsors! Phelps Game Calls - The game call company of The Western Huntsman! Whether looking for ...

Timber Cleghorn is a survivalist, family man, hunter, Christian, humanitarian aid worker, and the runner up contestant on the hit television series Alone, season 11. In this episode, Timber shares the process of being selected for the show, he talks about his childhood and what motivated him to apply. We discuss the hardships of his time spent alone in the Arctic Circle, what he did to survive for 83 days, and some of the behind the scenes details that typical viewership never gets to hear. I’m...

If you love calling elk, don't miss this episode. I share the four unique calling techniques I use when traditional calling isn't working. We've all been there, the standard bugle or cow calls are just not working that day. Maybe it's the weather or whatever various factor has changed, but the elk that were bugling here yesterday are not bugling today. Try these calls, they have all worked for me in some way either for myself or while guiding. Practice these techniques before season so they are...

In this episode, I break down the difference between etiquette and ethics and why they're equally as important as each other. jim.huntsman@eastmans.com Show Sponsors! Phelps Game Calls - The game call company of The Western Huntsman! https://bit.ly/PhelpsGameCalls-Eastmans -Use Promo Code “Huntsman10” for 10% off! Leupold Optics- Over 100 years of American-made optics such as scopes, binos, spotters, range finders and more. Leupold sets the standard for innovation and quality without selling ...