325 episodes

The Big Game Hunting Podcast will teach you to how to prepare for the big game hunting adventures you’ve always dreamed about. Our host, John McAdams, is an experienced sportsman with decades of experience afield who has successfully hunted big game like whitetail deer, mule deer, blacktail deer, pronghorn antelope, black bear, Rocky Mountain elk, feral hogs, javelina, cape buffalo, kudu, wildebeest, and other species of African plains game in over a dozen different states and countries. In addition to hosting The Big Game Hunting Podcast, John has authored countless hunting articles in prominent hunting publications and is also the founder of The Big Game Hunting Blog. He will guide you down the path of improving your skills as a hunter, teach you how to pick the best hunting rifle for your needs, conduct caliber comparisons (like 6.5 Creedmoor vs 300 Win Mag and 30-06 vs 270 Winchester) to show you how to pick the best hunting caliber for a specific hunting situation, guide you into the world of muzzleloader hunting, share the hard earned knowledge he has earned over the years pursuing game all over the world, and conduct interviews with internationally recognized experts in the hunting community on topics like cape buffalo hunting in Africa and elk hunting in North America. Regardless of whether you’re dreaming about going plains game or cape buffalo hunting on an African hunting safari, on an elk hunting trip in the Rocky Mountains, on a pronghorn antelope hunting adventure on the windswept plains of Wyoming, on a feral hog hunting expedition in Texas, or just learning more about deer hunting in general, then you’ve found the perfect hunting podcast to learn about turning those dreams of hunting adventures into a reality!

Big Game Hunting Podcast John McAdams

    • Sports
    • 4.9 • 314 Ratings

The Big Game Hunting Podcast will teach you to how to prepare for the big game hunting adventures you’ve always dreamed about. Our host, John McAdams, is an experienced sportsman with decades of experience afield who has successfully hunted big game like whitetail deer, mule deer, blacktail deer, pronghorn antelope, black bear, Rocky Mountain elk, feral hogs, javelina, cape buffalo, kudu, wildebeest, and other species of African plains game in over a dozen different states and countries. In addition to hosting The Big Game Hunting Podcast, John has authored countless hunting articles in prominent hunting publications and is also the founder of The Big Game Hunting Blog. He will guide you down the path of improving your skills as a hunter, teach you how to pick the best hunting rifle for your needs, conduct caliber comparisons (like 6.5 Creedmoor vs 300 Win Mag and 30-06 vs 270 Winchester) to show you how to pick the best hunting caliber for a specific hunting situation, guide you into the world of muzzleloader hunting, share the hard earned knowledge he has earned over the years pursuing game all over the world, and conduct interviews with internationally recognized experts in the hunting community on topics like cape buffalo hunting in Africa and elk hunting in North America. Regardless of whether you’re dreaming about going plains game or cape buffalo hunting on an African hunting safari, on an elk hunting trip in the Rocky Mountains, on a pronghorn antelope hunting adventure on the windswept plains of Wyoming, on a feral hog hunting expedition in Texas, or just learning more about deer hunting in general, then you’ve found the perfect hunting podcast to learn about turning those dreams of hunting adventures into a reality!

    309: 2024 Updates From Spartan Precision With Rob Gearing

    309: 2024 Updates From Spartan Precision With Rob Gearing

    Rob Gearing is back on the show with me again today to talk about the latest stuff from Spartan Precision. We talk about the new Springbok bipod and quad system, the possibility of a less expensive bipod from Spartan Precision coming soon, and some other new developments in the industry that have occurred since he was last on the show in 2023. 
    I can’t believe I’m saying this, but The Big Game Hunting Podcast is about to celebrate its 5 year anniversary! In honor of crossing that milestone, we’re giving away a hunt in Africa to a deserving military veteran along with a literal pile of other amazing prizes for other podcast listeners.
    Be sure to check out Episode 306 for more details on the giveaway, the prizes we're giving away, who is eligible, and how to enter.
    To enter the random drawing for the Spartan Precision bipods (and everything else other than the grand prize), click here and sign up.
    Email nominations for the grand prize to: john@thebigamehuntingblog.com using subject line “Africa Hunt Giveaway” and tell me why you think that veteran deserves a hunt in Africa.
    Resources Ep 151: Rob Gearing On Spartan Precision Bipods and Tripods – Episode referenced in podcast
    Ep 216: Rob Gearing From Spartan Precision (2022) – Episode referenced in podcast
    Ep 306: 5 Year Podcast Anniversary Giveaway! – Episode referenced in podcast
    Best Hunting Rifle Bipods – Article referenced in podcast

    • 48 min
    308: Hunting With A 300 Blackout: Good or Bad Idea?

    308: Hunting With A 300 Blackout: Good or Bad Idea?

    Is the 300 Blackout good for hog hunting? The story I share in this episode does a great job of illustrating the pros and cons of hunting with the 300 Blackout as well as some best practices for getting the most out of this cartridge.
    The Big Game Hunting Podcast is about to celebrate its 5 year anniversary! In honor of crossing that milestone, we’re giving away a hunt in Africa to a deserving military veteran along with a literal pile of other amazing prizes for other podcast listeners.
    Be sure to check out Episode 306 for more details on the giveaway, the prizes we're giving away, who is eligible, how to enter, and how to improve your odds of winning.
    To enter the random drawing for the prizes I'm giving away (everything but the hunt in Africa), click here and sign up.
    Follow me on Instagram, comment with a guess on the weight of that hog, and tag a friend for additional entries in the podcast anniversary giveaway.
    See my video of the hunt and photos showing the terminal performance of those bullets in my latest Patreon post. 
    Email nominations for the grand prize to: john@thebigamehuntingblog.com using subject line “Africa Hunt Giveaway” and tell me why you think that veteran deserves a hunt in Africa.
    Resources Best 300 Blackout Hunting Ammo
    300 Blackout vs 6.5 Grendel
    7.62x39 vs 300 Blackout
    223/5.56 vs 300 Blackout vs 308 Winchester

    • 30 min
    307: 2024 Silencer Updates With Brandon Maddox

    307: 2024 Silencer Updates With Brandon Maddox

    Brandon Maddox is back on the show with me again today to talk about the latest stuff from Silencer Central. We talk about the new Buck 30 by Banish, their new Speed K suppressor, and some other new developments in the industry that have occurred since he was last on the show in 2023. 
    I can’t believe I’m saying this, but The Big Game Hunting Podcast is about to celebrate its 5 year anniversary! In honor of crossing that milestone, we’re giving away a hunt in Africa to a deserving military veteran along with a literal pile of other amazing prizes for other podcast listeners.
    Be sure to check out Episode 306 for more details on the giveaway, the prizes we're giving away, who is eligible, and how to enter.
    To enter the random drawing for the Banish 30 (and everything else other than the grand prize), click here and sign up.
    Email nominations for the grand prize to: john@thebigamehuntingblog.com using subject line “Africa Hunt Giveaway” and tell me why you think that veteran deserves a hunt in Africa.
    Go to TheBigGameHuntingBlog.com/suppressor and get the ball rolling on your very own suppressor with Silencer Central where they’ll help you with all the paperwork, set you up with a free NFA gun trust, and then ship your new suppressor directly to your door once they receive ATF approval.
    Resources Ep 182: Suppressors 101 With Brandon Maddox – Episode referenced in podcast
    Ep 249: Silencer Central Update 2023 With Brandon Maddox – Episode referenced in podcast
    Ep 306: 5 Year Podcast Anniversary Giveaway! – Episode referenced in podcast
    Silencer Central Banish 30 Review – Article referenced in podcast
    Silencer Central Banish Backcountry Review – Article referenced in podcast
    Silencer Central Banish 46 Review – Article referenced in podcast

    • 41 min
    306: 5 Year Podcast Anniversary Giveaway!

    306: 5 Year Podcast Anniversary Giveaway!

    I can't believe I'm saying this, but we're coming up on the 5 year anniversary for the Big Game Hunting Podcast! To celebrate, I've organized an enormous giveaway of amazing prizes for listeners.
    First, my good friends and partners at Kok & Seyffert Big Game Hunting and I are giving a 7 day African safari for away FOR FREE to one lucky podcast listener.
    This is not your run of the mill giveaway though. While everyone is eligible to win all of the other prizes (details below), we are giving the Africa hunt away to a military veteran.
    I want to give this hunt to an especially deserving veteran who has made meaningful sacrifices on behalf of others and who has NOT already been on a hunt in Africa. All currently serving, retired, and honorably discharged members of any branch of the United States military are eligible.
    Email nominations for the grand prize to: john@thebigamehuntingblog.com using subject line "Africa Hunt Giveaway" and tell me why you think that veteran deserves a hunt in Africa.
    Submit nominations no later than 11:59pm Central time on 9 May 2024
    Though only veterans are eligible for the grand prize, all listeners have a chance at winning the other prizes we're giving away in celebration through a random draw: a set of AXIL XCOR ear buds, a Mossberg Patriot rifle in 6.5 Creedmoor, 100 rounds of Nosler Trophy Grade ammunition in 6.5 Creedmoor loaded with 140gr Partition bullets, an autographed copy of Kevin' Robertson's book The Perfect Shot II, a Meadowlark hunting knife from Siembida Custom Knives, a Banish 30 suppressor from Silencer Central, and one of five Javelin Lite Bipods from Spartan Precision.
    To enter the random drawing for everything besides the grand prize, click here and sign up.
    For additional entries in the random draw, make sure you’re subscribed to The Big Game Hunting Podcast on whatever app you listen to the show on and leave a rating and/or a review for the show there as well.
    Email screenshots showing you are subscribed to the podcast and have left a rating and/or a review to john@thebiggamehuntingblog.com (use subject line “Podcast Giveaway”) to receive additional entries in the giveaway.
    If you subscribed or left me a rating/review months or years ago, just email me a screenshot of your old review and showing you’re subscribed and I’ll give you an additional entry.
    Next, please follow my Instagram account, then comment and tag a friend in each of the upcoming posts I’ll be sharing over the next month promoting the items my generous sponsors have donated to the giveaway. You’ll receive additional entries for each friend you tag in a comment.
    You can also support me on Patreon as a free or a paying member for an additional entry in the giveaway (no purchase required). Paying members will also receive all the bonus material I’ve published in Patreon like members only videos and episodes, access to occasional question and answer sessions, etc.
    The deadline to enter the giveaway is 11:59pm Central time on 9 May 2024

    • 16 min
    305: 22-250 vs 223 Remington: Which is the best coyote caliber?

    305: 22-250 vs 223 Remington: Which is the best coyote caliber?

    I have another cartridge comparison for you today where we compare two very popular 22 caliber rounds that both bear the Remington name: the 223 Remington and the 22-250 Remington. That's not surprising and those two cartridges can be incredibly effective on coyotes (and other predators and varmints) and both have accounted for literally truckloads of coyotes over the years. While the 223 and 22-250 are both very popular coyote cartridges, and while there is a good amount of overlap in their performance and ideal use cases, there are some significant differences between the 22-250 vs 223 Remington. With those things in mind, I investigate the 22-250 vs 223 Remington in detail in this episode in order to provide some insight into which rifle cartridge is ideally suited for your specific hunting situation.
    Please hit that “SUBSCRIBE” or “FOLLOW” button in your podcast app to receive future episodes automatically!
    Sponsor: Go to HuntingGuns101.com and Sign up for my free e-book on the best hunting calibers at to receive the entertaining and informative emails I send out about hunting, firearms, and ballistics every weekday (along with my weekly ammo supply updates).
    Make sure you protect your hearing during hunting season by wearing ear protection while you’re afield. Visit thebiggamehuntingblog.com/earbuds to purchase a set of the new AXIL XCOR earbuds that are comfortable to wear, offer great ear protection, provide excellent hearing enhancement, and also have bluetooth connectivity. Plus, you’ll also get the best pricing on them in the process through that link.
    Resources 22-250 vs 223: Which Is Best For Coyote Hunting? – Blog article referenced in podcast
    Best 223 Remington Ammo For Hunting - 223 Remington hunting ammo recommendations
    Best Hunting Rifles Under $500 - Budget hunting rifle recommendations
    Best Hunting Ear Protection For Sportsmen – Ear protection recommendations
    Best Rifle Scopes For Hunting - Rifle scope recommendations
    Best Hunting Rifle Slings - Rifle sling recommendations
    Show notes: https://thebiggamehuntingblog.com/podcast/22-250-vs-223-remington/

    • 51 min
    304: The highs and lows of elk hunting out west

    304: The highs and lows of elk hunting out west

    Justin Townsend and Casey Nordine from the Harvesting Nature crew joined me on this episode to talk about some of the highs and lows of elk hunting out west. Both had very different hunting experiences, but there were also some important similarities in their hunts as well. Both guys hunted elk in 2023 in some areas where tags weren’t especially difficult to obtain. And both guys actually got into elk while they were out there too. And both guys dealt with adversity of varying kinds out there afield.
    Please hit that “SUBSCRIBE” or “FOLLOW” button in your podcast app to receive future episodes automatically!
    Sponsor: Go to HuntingGuns101.com and Sign up for my free e-book on the best hunting calibers at to receive the entertaining and informative emails I send out about hunting, firearms, and ballistics every weekday (along with my weekly ammo supply updates).
    Go to goHunt.com, sign up for an INSIDER membership and use it to start planning your future hunts. Use promo code BIGGAMEHUNTER when you do to get $50 in store credit at their gear shop.
    Purchase the Hunting Guns 101 online training and you’ll learn the essentials of practical ballistics and what firearms, sighting systems, cartridges, and ammunition you should be using on your future hunts to improve your odds of success afield. Plus, you'll also receive access to my special member's only podcast episode where I share some more detailed recommendations on the specific states I recommend checking out for the best combination of good hunting and good drawing odds for deer, elk, and antelope. Go to huntingguns101.com/form and submit the order form to receive instant access or go to huntingguns101.com/order to learn more about the training.
    Resources Follow Justin, Casey, and the Harvesting Nature Instagram accounts.
    Learn more about the Harvesting Nature here and subscribe to the Wild Fish & Game podcast here.

    • 1 hr 8 min

Customer Reviews

4.9 out of 5
314 Ratings

314 Ratings

KY Duck ,

Amazing Hunting Podcast

I started listening to John after I booked my first South African hunting safari. These podcasts are so informative and very personal and professional. I enjoy listening to non-SA shows also. Highly recommend!

CO John ,

The Podcast I Do Not Miss!

There is a lot going on in my busy life, but I always take time to listen to John & his guests. Entertaining & funny, but mostly I appreciate his down to earth, practical advice. John’s content actually helps me be a more confident rifleman & hunter.

john derre ,

Help

This podcast is so help when it come i’m learning more about calibers! When I find a new caliber I want to learn more about I always come here! Learn so much from this podcast

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