Pursuit With Cliff - Cliff Gray

Cliff Gray
  • 5.0 (4)
  • WILDERNESS
  • UPDATED SEMIWEEKLY

Hunt. Fish. Spear. Get Better at It. Interviews with those that have done it.

  1. 6D AGO

    Consistently Finding Elk with Wildman Dan Vinson

    This episode breaks down how elk actually respond to hunting pressure and why most hunters misunderstand where mature bulls survive once seasons open. Cliff talks with a self-taught elk hunter, Dan Vinson, who learned the hard way, without mentors or shortcuts. The conversation centers on pressure, access, and human behavior, not elevation gain or how far someone is willing to hike. Elk do not disappear when pressure increases. They compress into small, unattractive pockets where hunters walk through but never slow down enough to hunt. The episode also covers bivy hunting, decision-making under uncertainty, and the cost of overcommitting to camps or rigid plans. A detailed solo bull encounter highlights how quickly things unravel after the shot, why blood trails are not guaranteed, and how emotional load compounds when hunting alone. This is a realistic look at elk hunting as it actually happens for most do-it-yourself hunters. Resources from Dan Vinson Wild Gym | All Things Rucking: https://www.wildgym.com/ Dan's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/wilddanvinson 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 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/Cliffgry/ Facebook - https://facebook.com/PursuitWithCliff 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 https://pursuitwithcliff.com/shop/ SUBSCRIBE TO CLIFF'S NEWSLETTER: https://PursuitWithCliff.com/#Newsletter

    1h 11m

  2. FEB 3

    Scope Drop Testing and Which Pack Animal (Mules, Llamas or Goats?) with Ryan Avery

    In this episode, Ryan and Cliff go deep into the real-world realities of pack animals — goats, llamas, horses, and mules — and why experience, animal behavior, stress, and decision-making matter far more than gear specs or romantic ideas of “backcountry horsepower.” Ryan and Cliff also discuss the drop testing of optics and the myth that most modern rifle scopes hold zero. Ryan's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/avery_adventures Rokslide: https://www.rokslide.com/ 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 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/Cliffgry/ Facebook - https://facebook.com/PursuitWithCliff 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 https://pursuitwithcliff.com/shop/ SUBSCRIBE TO CLIFF'S NEWSLETTER: https://PursuitWithCliff.com/#Newsletter

    1h 47m

  3. FEB 2

    Killing Elk with a .223 and Training to Be a Better Hunter with Ryan Avery

    Real-world discussion on hunting bullets, suppressor design, long-range ethics, thermal optics, and how modern technology is changing effective range, shot selection, and fair-chase decisions in Western big game hunting. Ryan's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/avery_adventures/ Rokslide Forum: https://www.rokslide.com/ 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 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/Cliffgry/ Facebook - https://facebook.com/PursuitWithCliff 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 https://pursuitwithcliff.com/shop/ SUBSCRIBE TO CLIFF'S NEWSLETTER: https://PursuitWithCliff.com/#Newsletter

    2h 26m

  4. JAN 26

    Why Longer Range Shots Are Better, Glassing Gear and Finding Good Outfitters with Jay Scott

    What actually separates a professional guide from a good hunter? Cliff and Jay Scott break down how real experience changes judgment. Calm under pressure, controlling variables, and why most missed shots are process failures. Not shooter failures. The Tricer micro-panning device we discuss at the end of the video, Use CLIFFG for 10% off: https://tricer.com/products/tricer-360 From there, the discussion moves into distance, animal awareness, and the concept of the “bubble.” Cliff and Jay explain why getting closer is not always better, especially for wary species like Coues deer. Staying outside an animal’s awareness buys time, reduces mistakes, and creates higher-probability shots. This is not about extreme distance. It is about efficiency and control. The back half of the episode shifts into gear and optics. They break down real use cases for image-stabilized binoculars and spotting scopes, where they help, where they don’t, and why tripods are not going anywhere. The conversation stays grounded in actual field application, not marketing claims. The episode closes on perspective. Experience, restraint, and patience are skills built over decades, not seasons. 00:02:00 – Guiding Experience and Perspective 00:06:20 – Booking Hunts and Downside Protection 00:09:20 – What Makes a Professional Guide 00:17:20 – Staying Outside the Animal's Bubble 00:38:10 – Managing Age Class Over Antlers 00:40:55 – Harvest Limits and Real Results  00:49:40 – Tag Filling and Modern Pressure 00:52:00 – Social Media and Validation 00:59:20 – Judging Animals With Confidence 01:04:20 – Underrated Hunts and Value 01:07:40 – Image Stabilized Optics Use Cases 01:14:30 – Tripods, Glassing, and Field Judgment Resources from Jay Scott Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jayscottoutdoors/?hl=en Website: http://jayscottoutdoorspodcast.com/ Scoring App: https://hornscore.com/ 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 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/Cliffgry/ Facebook - https://facebook.com/PursuitWithCliff 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 https://pursuitwithcliff.com/shop/ SUBSCRIBE TO CLIFF'S NEWSLETTER: https://PursuitWithCliff.com/#Newsletter

    1h 28m

  5. JAN 25

    Real Trends and Gear FOR HUNTERS - SHOT Show 2026

    Trends and gear relevant to hunters from SHOT Show 2026. 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 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/Cliffgry/ Facebook - https://facebook.com/PursuitWithCliff 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 https://pursuitwithcliff.com/shop/ SUBSCRIBE TO CLIFF'S NEWSLETTER: https://PursuitWithCliff.com/#Newsletter

    36 min

  6. JAN 21

    Tim Sundles Q&A and the Story of Tracking A Giant Bull in The Timber

    Tim Sundles and I rip through member-submitted questions, then go deep when it matters. The back half turns into a dark-timber masterclass: tracking old bulls in snow, reading intent from tracks, avoiding back-trail traps, and making a high-percentage shot in tight timber. Tim and Kim Sundles run a great YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@buffaloboreammo 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 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/Cliffgry/ Facebook - https://facebook.com/PursuitWithCliff 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 https://pursuitwithcliff.com/shop/ SUBSCRIBE TO CLIFF'S NEWSLETTER: https://PursuitWithCliff.com/#Newsletter

    37 min

  7. JAN 19

    Big Bullets, Bad Angles, and Brutal Truths with Tim Sundles

    In this episode, I sit down with Tim Sundles of Buffalo Bore for a wide-ranging, no-filter conversation that goes where most hunting podcasts won’t. We start with elk cartridges and shot placement. Real-world experience killing elk in dark timber, at bad angles, under pressure. We dig into why larger cartridges matter, how bullet construction and penetration actually work, and why “perfect broadside shots” are often a fantasy for serious elk hunters. From there, the conversation expands into wolves, wildlife management, and what Tim has personally witnessed over decades living and hunting in Idaho and the Frank Church. We talk wolf reintroduction, elk and moose population collapse, government agencies, the Forest Service, and how public land management has drifted far from actual land stewardship. Tim and Kim Sundles run a great YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@buffaloboreammo 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 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/Cliffgry/ Facebook - https://facebook.com/PursuitWithCliff 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 https://pursuitwithcliff.com/shop/ SUBSCRIBE TO CLIFF'S NEWSLETTER: https://PursuitWithCliff.com/#Newsletter

    1h 48m

  8. JAN 12

    Getting Schooled on Mountain Hunting Fitness with Scott Johnston

    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 --- FOLLOW CLIFF YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/CliffGray Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/Cliffgry/ Facebook - https://facebook.com/PursuitWithCliff 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 https://pursuitwithcliff.com/shop/ SUBSCRIBE TO CLIFF'S NEWSLETTER: https://PursuitWithCliff.com/#Newsletter

    1h 48m
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Hunt. Fish. Spear. Get Better at It. Interviews with those that have done it.

Information

  • Creator
    Cliff Gray
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    95
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Pursuit With Cliff - Cliff Gray
  • Show Website
    Pursuit With Cliff - Cliff Gray

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