EP 331 – The Truth About BC Elk Hunting, Injury, and Falling Back in Love With the Process with Kevin Toye

🎁 WIN A KOWA 88 SPOTTING SCOPE: Mindful Munitions is officially open. Every $5 spent at Forged in the Backcountry or Mindful Munitions earns one entry to win a Kowa 88 spotting scope. The giveaway ends October 30 at midnight Pacific Time.

👉 Forged in the Backcountry: https://forgedinthebackcountry.com/👉 Mindful Munitions: https://mindfulmunitions.com/

In this episode, Jay sits down with a longtime buddy for a wide-ranging conversation about elk hunting, parenting, fitness, content creation, guiding, and what it really takes to become consistently successful in the field. They start with early-season hunting updates, family time in the outdoors, and the reality of trying to balance hunting with work, kids, and the rest of life.The conversation gets blunt when it turns to elk hunting. Jay explains why he no longer believes backpacking as deep as possible is an effective elk strategy in many places, why you cannot start hunting elk until you find elk, and why YouTube, podcasts, E-scouting, and fancy gear are not a replacement for actual days in the field. They also talk about aggressive hunting, understanding regional elk behavior, recovering wounded animals, learning not to give up too soon, and why BC may be some of the toughest elk country on the planet.Later, they get into the mental side of injury and fitness, how identity and ego can get tied up in training, the pressure of making hunting content, and why the best content often comes from simply being yourself. Jay also shares why guiding continues to be so meaningful: helping someone experience their first animal and seeing familiar country through the eyes of a hunter who has never been there before.🏔️ THE ALPINE MULE DEER + FLOAT BEAR HUNT: This was one of the best BC adventures Jay has ever put together, and it is now being offered every September as an extended 8–9 day hunt. Email jay@mindfulhunter.com for details. One guided Coues deer spot remains for early February 2027, and 2027 Spring Bear openings are also available.Chapters0:00:00 Catching Up: New Shop, YouTube Grind & Family Hunting Season0:08:39 Early-Season Elk Action, Heat & Hunting Aggressively0:13:18 How to Structure September: Day Hunting vs. Taking a Full Week Off0:18:37 The Biggest Predictor of Hunting Success: Time in the Field0:19:00 Forest Fires, Pivoting a Goat Hunt & Why Pre-Season Scouting Matters0:21:18 You Cannot Podcast Your Way to Dead Critters0:24:59 Recovering a Bear in Rain, Thick Brush & Crocs0:27:00 Perspective, T