{"podcast":{"title":"Backbone Unlimited Podcast","slug":"backbone-unlimited-podcast-7365967","podcast_index_feed_id":7365967,"rss_url":"https://feed.podbean.com/backboneunlimited/feed.xml","website_url":"https://backboneunlimited.podbean.com","image_url":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/20847414/BACKBONE_UNLIMITED_PODCASTas0nb.png","author":"Backbone Unlimited","episode_count":100,"summary":"Backbone Unlimited is a western hunting podcast for public-land hunters who want to stop guessing and build a better system for finding elk, mule deer and black bears, beating pressure, reading sign, understanding wind and thermals, and making cleaner decisions in the mountains. Hosted by Matt Hartsky, Backbone Unlimited combines 34+ years of western big game hunting experience with decades of strength, conditioning, and nutrition coaching to help hunters prepare smarter and hunt more effectively. Episodes cover elk hunting strategy, mule deer hunting, bear hunting, public land tactics, archery elk hunting, rifle hunting, e-scouting, scouting, glassing, calling, bedding areas, feed, water, transition zones, mountain fitness, hunt planning, field decision-making, meat care, gear, pack-outs, and the mindset it takes to keep improving season after season. If you’re serious about becoming a more capable western hunter, Backbone Unlimited is built to help you train harder, hunt smarter, and never settle.","last_synced_at":"2026-07-16T22:20:31.830924+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/backbone-unlimited-podcast-7365967"},"episode":{"title":"MULE DEER HUNTING BENCHES - THE TERRAIN FEATURE THAT PUTS YOU ON MATURE BUCKS | 🎙️ EP. 193","slug":"mule-deer-hunting-benches-the-terrain-feature-that-puts-you-on-mature-bucks-ep-193","published_at":"2026-06-12T18:30:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/backbone-unlimited-podcast-7365967/mule-deer-hunting-benches-the-terrain-feature-that-puts-you-on-mature-bucks-ep-193","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/backbone-unlimited-podcast-7365967","url":"https://backboneunlimited.podbean.com/e/mule-deer-hunting-benches-the-terrain-feature-that-puts-you-on-mature-bucks-%f0%9f%8e%99%ef%b8%8f-ep-193/","audio_url":"https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/6c7cmczq3w6gpzu4/Mule_Deer_Hunting_Benches_-_The_Terrain_Feature_That_Puts_You_on_Mature_Bucks77ch6.mp3","summary":"Mule Deer Hunting e-Books 👉 https://backboneunlimited.com/collections/mule-deer-hunting-e-book-series In this episode of Backbone Unlimited, Matt Hartsky breaks down why mule deer bucks love benches and how serious Western deer hunters can use this misunderstood terrain feature to find more mature bucks. A bench is not valuable just because it is flat ground on a mountain. It matters when it gives a buck security, wind advantage, visibility, shade, escape routes, energy conservation, efficient travel, and access to feed. After 34 years of Western big game hunting and guiding, Matt explains how mature mule deer use benches as bedding zones, travel routes, staging areas, and survival systems that help them detect danger before danger detects them. You’ll learn what separates a productive buck bench from a dead one, how wind and thermals affect bench bedding, why broken cover and shade matter, how benches change by season, and how to glass these subtle terrain features without blowing deer out. If you hunt public land mule deer and want to read terrain better, locate mature bucks more consistently, and stop wasting time on benches that only look good on a map, this episode will help you understand why old bucks choose the terrain they do.","meta_description":"Mule Deer Hunting e-Books 👉 https://backboneunlimited.com/collections/mule-deer-hunting-e-book-series In this episode of Backbone Unlimited, Matt Hartsky…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":1117,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/backbone-unlimited-podcast-7365967/episodes/mule-deer-hunting-benches-the-terrain-feature-that-puts-you-on-mature-bucks-ep-193/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/backbone-unlimited-podcast-7365967/mule-deer-hunting-benches-the-terrain-feature-that-puts-you-on-mature-bucks-ep-193.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}