Pursuit With Cliff - Cliff Gray

Latest Episodes:

Shooting Skills That Matter in the Mountains – Steve Messer Apr 28, 2025

Show notes

Retired SEAL sniper Steve Messer joins Cliff to drop some marksmanship knowledge for backcountry hunters. From making cold bore shots under pressure to the harsh realities of gear failure and range naivety, this episode is a no-BS guide to shooting better and hunting smarter. They dive into marksmanship fundamentals, mental checklists, field prep, survival gear, and how most hunters are unprepared for the mountains. If you want to shoot better and hunt ethically, there are a bunch of tips and tricks in this one.
Steve Messer
Retired SEAL sniper and survival instructor.

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Caribbean Meat and Madness - Life in Puerto Rico with Jesse Apr 21, 2025

Show notes

Cliff sits down with his Puerto Rico hunting buddy Jesse to talk island survival—spearfishing, wild pigs, ciguatera, and more. A raw, wild episode on living off the land and exploring hunting and fishing opportunities off the beaten path.

Broadheads, Arrow Weight, and Shot Distance – Real Archery Data with Jeremy Dugger Apr 14, 2025

Show notes

Cliff sits down with Jeremy Dugger—owner of Expert Archery in Farmington, NM. Jeremy has collected over 500 real-world data points from bowhunters and breaks down what really matters in your setup. Fixed vs mechanical broadheads, arrow weight, draw weight, and shot distance—all backed by actual outcomes, not marketing hype.
Jeremy Dugger - https://www.instagram.com/muleymojo/

How to Kill Spring Bears: A Mini-Course Apr 09, 2025

Show notes

Spring bear hunting isn’t about luck—it’s about understanding environmental triggers and using the right tactics. I’ve guided 50+ spring bear hunts across North America, and in this video, I break down the 80/20 of what actually matters. From choosing the right elevation and timing green-up to selecting the gear that makes or breaks a hunt, this is the hard-earned blueprint for finding and killing bears consistently.
Whether you're road hunting or backpacking, I cover actionable strategies, glassing tactics, and the exact e-scouting tools I use to make every day count.
Full Spring Bear Course: https://pursuitwithcliff.com/springbear

Crabbing, Hunting, and Telling It Like It Is - With Luke McFadden Apr 07, 2025

Show notes

Luke McFadden went from outsider to full-time crabber and YouTube creator. In this episode, he shares his path, lessons from the sea and the woods, and why understanding your food system matters more than ever.

Luke McFadden – Commercial crabber & YouTuber.
YouTube: @lukemcfadden

Instagram: @luke_mcfad

Colorado Big Game Draw 2025 EXPLAINED with Guide Jimmy Oswald Mar 23, 2025

Show notes

The Colorado hunting draw is changing—big time. In this episode, guide and outfitter Jimmy Oswald breaks down everything you need to know about elk, mule deer, sheep, and moose tags for 2025 and beyond. We dive deep into unit strategies, preference points, and how wolves might impact the herds. If you’re a non-resident, pay attention—some of these changes are going to hit you HARD. Don’t waste your points—watch this before you apply!
Jimmy Oswald – Experienced Colorado guide and outfitter specializing in elk, mule deer, sheep, and goat hunts. https://www.riversbendoutfitting.com/
Key Topics Covered
Colorado’s 2028 Draw Changes – How preference points and bonus draws will work
Non-Resident vs. Resident Tag Allocation – What’s shifting and why
The Reality of Tag Availability – The truth behind CPW’s allocation process
How Wolves Are Impacting Elk & Moose – Long-term effects on Colorado’s herds
Best Units for Sheep & Goat Hunting – Breaking down overlooked opportunities
Why Moose Populations Are at Risk – The impact of predators and changing policies
How to Use Your Points Wisely Before 2028 – Avoiding costly mistakes
New Hunting Units for 2025 – What’s opening up for non-residents

8 Lessons from 1,000+ Elk Hunters – What They Wish They Knew Sooner Mar 19, 2025

Show notes

Solo episode with Cliff. This video breaks down the biggest lessons that have made the biggest difference for the group of 1,200 new and experienced elk hunters I reached out to. From avoiding the sunk-cost fallacy in scouting to mastering quick shot opportunities, these insights will save you years of frustration in the field.

10 Years of Killing Public Land Bulls For a Living - With Evan Koster Mar 17, 2025

Show notes

Rifle elk hunting isn't guesswork—it's strategy. In this episode, top hunting guide Evan Koster walks us through the exact process he uses to find, stalk, and kill elk on public land. Whether you’re struggling to locate elk or unsure about midday hunting tactics, this episode delivers real-world insights that will make you a better hunter.

Evan Koster – Veteran elk hunting guide with deep experience in public land rifle and archery hunts. Find him at FTGuides.com or on Instagram @KosterEvan.

First Elk Hunt, First Bull—How Tim Tagged a 6x6 on a Public Land, Solo, DIY Hunt Mar 10, 2025

Show notes

Tim set out on his first-ever DIY elk hunt on Colorado public land—solo—and came home with a 6x6 bull. In this episode, he breaks down exactly how he made it happen, from e-scouting and choosing the right unit to glassing, hunting strategy, and the brutal solo pack-out. If you’re planning your first elk hunt or want to improve your approach, this episode is packed with real-world takeaways you won’t want to miss.

Key Topics Covered:

How to plan a DIY public land elk hunt from scratch
Picking the right unit for a rifle hunt
Solo hunting vs. going with a group—what works best?
E-scouting: What actually helps vs. what’s just a time sink
Glassing strategies and terrain selection for better odds
How Tim located elk, adjusted his plan, and found success
Packing out a bull solo—what it really takes
Hunting pressure: What to expect and how to work around it
Gear that worked (and what Tim would do differently next time)

Guest Bio
Tim Steinmetz, a Michigan-based hunter, successfully tagged his first 6x6 bull elk on a solo DIY public land hunt in Colorado. He planned every step, from e-scouting to the pack-out, proving that a first-time elk hunt can be a success with the right strategy.

Hunting Buffalo With Atlatls and Other Primitive Badassery With Ryan Gill Mar 03, 2025

Show notes

Ryan Gill of Hunt Primitive joins me to talk about hunting like our ancestors did—no modern gear, just handcrafted bows, arrows, and even atlatls. We discuss the reality of primitive hunting, the skills it takes, and how it can make you a better hunter today.

Key Topics Covered:
Building traditional bows, arrows, and stone points from scratch.
Hunting bison, pigs, and deer with primitive weapons.
Why primitive hunting makes you a better hunter.
Ethical questions around traditional vs. modern hunting.
The skills early hunters had that we’ve lost.
Ryan’s personal journey into traditional hunting.
The atlatl—what it is, how it works, and why it’s still effective.
Why modern hunters might be missing out by ignoring primitive skills.
What ancient hunters actually did (vs. the myths we hear today).
The mental and physical challenge of primitive hunting.
Guest Bio:
Ryan Gill is a primitive hunting expert, bowyer, and founder of Hunt Primitive. He builds and hunts exclusively with handmade, traditional weapons—wood bows, flint-knapped arrowheads, and atlatls. Find his work at HuntPrimitive.com and follow him on YouTube (@HuntPrimitive).
Ryan Gill’s Flintknapping Kit & Primitive Hunting Gear – Available at HuntPrimitive.com

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