Welcome back to the Mindful Hunter Podcast! In this episode, Jay is in the basement with returning guest Bo Campbell, fresh off his first-ever bear hunt in British Columbia with Mindful Hunter Outfitting. They debrief the trip, talk through the realities of a 49-day guiding season, and make a big announcement: the launch of Mindful Hunter Outfitting South — guided Coues deer hunts in Mexico.

Jay gets radically honest about the 2026 spring bear season. While the season was a massive success overall (11 bears across 18 clients), he breaks down the frustrating reality of a 55% lethality rate on shot opportunities — and explains why he's implementing mandatory pre-hunt shooting drills and what he expects from clients moving forward. They also get into the fascinating "heart shot phenomenon" where perfectly shot bears take off on a mindless, adrenaline-fueled dead sprint.

In the second half, Jay and Bo officially announce their new guided Mexico Coues deer hunts. Jay explains exactly why the DIY Mexico hunting model is flawed, why it often costs just as much as a guided hunt for a subpar experience, and how they've secured three premier ranches for the 2027 season. If you want to hunt the rut in January/February with incredible food, dialed logistics, and giant deer — this is the hunt for you.

🎁 GIVEAWAY: Every $5 spent at Forged in the Backcountry earns one entry to win an all-expenses-paid custom guided hunt with Mindful Hunter Outfitting (valued at $10,000).

🏕️ 2026 BC OPENINGS: Jay just opened four new spots — Archery Mule Deer, Early Season Alpine Mule Deer, Alpine Black Bear, and a late September Float Bear hunt. Email j@mindfulhunter.com to book.

0:00:00 Intro & Catching Up with Bo Campbell

0:02:28 Bo's First BC Bear Hunt: Expectations vs. Reality

0:05:55 The 49-Day Bear Season Wrap-Up

0:08:44 Why Jay is Implementing Mandatory Pre-Hunt Shooting Drills

0:13:36 Bo's Bear Hunt Story: Spotting from Camp

0:16:43 Sizing Up Bears & The 20-Year-Old Toothless Sow

0:19:52 The Brutal Pack Out & Why Bear Hunting is So Physical

0:26:00 Jay's Client Hunt: The Bear Spotted from the Road

0:28:47 The Heart Shot Phenomenon: Why Dead Bears Sprint

0:32:48 The Brutal Truth About Client Marksmanship & Missed Shots

0:38:23 How to Build a Better Shooting Position Under Pressure

0:44:46 Why You Need to Stay in the Scope After the Shot

0:48:46 The Big Announcement: Mindful Hunter Outfitting South (Mexico)

0:51:09 Why DIY Mexico Hunts Are Overrated & Overpriced

0:54:55 The Details: What a Guided Mexico Coues Hunt Looks Like

0:56:46 The Reality of Glassing for Coues Deer (The Hardest Animal in North America)

1:02:38 Giveaway Details & 2026 BC Hunt Openings

Jay Nichol

jay@mindfulhunter.com

https://www.mindful-reviews.com/

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/

Forged In The Backcountry

https://forgedinthebackcountry.com/

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Newsletter

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Podcast

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast

Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide

Free Training Guide For Mountain Hunting

https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools

Forged Ultimate Guided Hunt Sweepstakes

No purchase required. Contest begins on May 17, 2026, at 12:01 a.m. PST and ends on July 17, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. PST. There is a total of 1 prize available to be won consisting of: (i) A custom guided hunt with Mindful Hunter Outfitting including travel and tip (APR) $$10,000.00 CAD); Skill testing question required. Open only to legal residents of the 50 United States, The District of Columbia, Canada (excluding Quebec), United Kingdom, New Zealand, Finland, France and Switzerland. Odds of winning depend on number of eligible entries received before contest closes. No limit on entries. For full rules and entry details visit: https://forgedinthebackcountry.com/blogs/resources/the-ultimate-custom-guided-hunt-giveaway-open-until-july-17-2026

This is my updated base gear list heading into the 2026 hunting season. In this video, I go through everything I’m running—packs, shelters, optics, insulation, boots, rifles, water filtration, and more. This isn’t sponsored hype—just real-world gear that works.

🎁 THE GIVEAWAY: For every $5 you spend at Forged in the Backcountry you'll receive one entry to win a custom guided hunt from Mindful Hunter Outfitting. I will personally work with the winner to build the hunt of their dreams — Black Bear or Mule Deer in British Columbia, Archery Mule Deer in Alberta, or Coues Deer in the rut in Mexico. This is not a sponsored giveaway. This is me giving directly to you.

📥 Download my full 2026 gear spreadsheet at: https://www.mindfulreviews.com

🎯 Everything here has been tested across multiple seasons. I also cover what’s getting replaced, what gear disappointed, and what I’m still evaluating. If you want the raw truth about what’s worth your money, this video is for you.

👇 CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Intro & Spotting Scope Giveaway 00:13 - Backpacks (XO K4, Initial Ascent, Kifaru) 00:58 - Rain Covers & Pack Rain Strategy 01:30 - Shelter Options (X-Dome, TP, Zpacks) 02:23 - Sleeping Pads (Big Agnes Zoom vs Therm-a-Rest Xlite NXT) 03:45 - Sleeping Bags & Quilts (EE Enigma, Outdoor Vitals) 05:02 - Ground Sheets, Pillow, Base Layers 06:20 - Hunting Pants Overview (Stone Glacier, Outdoor Vitals) 08:13 - Boots (Hanwag, Meindl, Scarpa) 09:21 - Hat, Socks (new project announcement) 10:01 - Trekking Poles, Gaiters, Watch (Bridger Rec) 11:01 - Knife (Benchmade Mini TaggedOut) 11:16 - Active & Static Insulation (Outdoor Vitals, Stone Glacier) 12:31 - Rain Gear (Sitka Dew Point) 12:55 - Puffy Pants, Gloves, Beanie 14:35 - Crocs 14:44 - Spotting Scopes (Kowa TSN-88A, Maven S.1.2) 15:36 - Binoculars & Harness (SIG Zulu, Maven B.5, Stone Glacier Sentinel) 17:13 - Rangefinders (SIG Kilo, Gen 2 pending) 17:24 - Tripods & Pan Heads (Asiack, Wiser Nighthawk) 18:11 - Digiscoping (Mountain Mag vs All-In) 18:40 - Rifle System (Tikka 6.5 PRC + Upcoming Core Ax Rifle) 20:04 - Sling, Shooting Bags, Tracer Bipod 21:00 - Water Purification Systems (BeFree, SteriPen, Pump Filters) 22:11 - One-Offs: Glassing Pads, Knives, Game Bags, Messenger, Batteries 24:52 - Cooking Stove Update (Rough Ridge) 27:04 - Headlamps (Fenix, Petzl, Peaks) 27:51 - Final Thoughts + How to Win the SIG Oscar6 🧠 Get More Reviews & Deep Dives: Subscribe to the channel and explore gear, mindset, and performance from a critical, mindful perspective. Jay Nichol jay@mindfulhunter.com https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ https://www.mindfulhunter.com/

Forged In The Backcountry https://forgedinthebackcountry.com/ Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/ Podcast https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools

No purchase required. Contest begins on May 17, 2026, at 12:01 a.m. PST and ends on July 17, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. PST. There is a total of 1 prize available to be won consisting of: (i) A custom guided hunt with Mindful Hunter Outfitting including travel and tip (APR) $$10,000.00 CAD); Skill testing question required. Open only to legal residents of the 50 United States, The District of Columbia, Canada (excluding Quebec), United Kingdom, New Zealand, Finland, France and Switzerland. Odds of winning depend on number of eligible entries received before contest closes. No limit on entries. For full rules and entry details visit: https://forgedinthebackcountry.com/blogs/resources/the-ultimate-custom-guided-hunt-giveaway-open-until-july-17-2026

🎯 This is your no-BS guide to supplements that actually improve performance, recovery, and focus for serious hunters. Whether you’re training hard in the offseason or heading deep into the backcountry, these are the only supplements I personally use — with product examples and clinical dosing recommendations.

👊 Focused on real-world benefits like strength, hydration, joint support, and endurance — no fluff, no marketing hype.

📦 Supplements Covered: • Whey Protein Isolate • Creatine Monohydrate • Electrolytes • Fish Oil (Omega-3s) • EAAs (Essential Amino Acids) • Pre-Workout (Optional)

🎯 All backed by research and years of personal experience in training, backpack hunting, and bodybuilding.

🎁 THE GIVEAWAY: For every $5 you spend at Forged in the Backcountry you'll receive one entry to win a custom guided hunt from Mindful Hunter Outfitting. I will personally work with the winner to build the hunt of their dreams — Black Bear or Mule Deer in British Columbia, Archery Mule Deer in Alberta, or Coues Deer in the rut in Mexico. This is not a sponsored giveaway. This is me giving directly to you.

👉 Shop the Forged Base Series Socks: https://forgedinthebackcountry.com/collections/forged-base-series

🕒 Chapters (Timestamps) 0:00 - Intro & why I don’t do BS supplement reviews 1:06 - The criteria for this list (what actually works) 2:04 - Why protein is #1 for hunters 5:38 - Why creatine is tied for #1 9:19 - Electrolytes: the most underrated supplement 12:44 - Fish oil: joint support + inflammation 15:09 - EAAs vs BCAAs — why BCAAs are trash 20:00 - Optional: Pre-workouts (and what to look for) 22:51 - Final thoughts + giveaway info 🎁 GEAR GIVEAWAY + OUTFITTING DISCOUNT 👉 Join https://www.mindful-reviews.com and you will be automatically entered to win a Sig Sauer Oscar6 Spotting Scope.

For the month of December all Mindful Hunter Outfitting bear and deer hunts are discounted by $500 and an additional $250 if two people book together. Email jay@mindfulhunter.com for more info. 🧠 Get More Reviews & Deep Dives: Subscribe to the channel and explore gear, mindset, and performance from a critical, mindful perspective. #SupplementsForHunters #HuntingFitness #BackcountryHunting #ProteinForHunters #Creatine #Electrolytes #FishOil #EAAvsBCAA #MindfulHunter

Jay Nichol jay@mindfulhunter.com https://www.mindful-reviews.com/ https://www.mindfulhunter.com/

Forged In The Backcountry https://forgedinthebackcountry.com/ Merch https://www.mindfulhunter.com/shop Newsletter https://www.mindfulhunter.com/contact IG https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunter/ Podcast https://www.mindfulhunter.com/podcast Free Backcountry Nutrition Guide https://www.mindfulhunter.com/tools

Forged Ultimate Guided Hunt Sweepstakes No purchase required. Contest begins on May 17, 2026, at 12:01 a.m. PST and ends on July 17, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. PST. There is a total of 1 prize available to be won consisting of: (i) A custom guided hunt with Mindful Hunter Outfitting including travel and tip (APR) $$10,000.00 CAD); Skill testing question required. Open only to legal residents of the 50 United States, The District of Columbia, Canada (excluding Quebec), United Kingdom, New Zealand, Finland, France and Switzerland. Odds of winning depend on number of eligible entries received before contest closes. No limit on entries. For full rules and entry details visit: https://forgedinthebackcountry.com/blogs/resources/the-ultimate-custom-guided-hunt-giveaway-open-until-july-17-2026