On this episode of In Pursuit, Rich Froning recaps the first Mayhem Hunt Prep Camp in Colorado.

From a 24-hour mountain bike race in Amarillo straight into 11 days in the mountains, the crew breaks down what it took to build a camp designed around real backcountry preparation. The episode covers mock pack outs, land navigation, reading topo maps, shooting bows and rifles at distance, gear lessons, altitude workouts, glassing, bushwhacking, and the reality of what it takes to get an animal off the mountain.

Rich and the crew also share stories from camp, lessons learned from the athletes who came out, and what they would build into next year’s version, including overnight backcountry work and mock hunts.

Fitness matters, but being ready in the backcountry takes more than being in shape. This episode is all about preparation, toughness, and learning the skills before the stakes are real.

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This week on In Pursuit, Rich and Angelo sit down with Jeff Helm, a Michigan native turned Texas hunter, guide, entrepreneur, and all-around outdoorsman.

Jeff shares how a kid shooting birds out of the backyard bird feeder became a bowhunter who has now taken more than 30 bulls, including four elk in a single season. From DIY backcountry elk hunts to guiding free-range Axis deer in Texas, Jeff breaks down the lessons learned from decades of chasing animals across the country.

The conversation goes far beyond hunting. Jeff opens up about fatherhood, raising his son Jake in the outdoors, the value of shared suffering, and why some of life's most important conversations happen on the drive home from a hunt. They also discuss building community through archery, launching Arrowheads Bowhunting Company, and how hunting has a way of revealing what truly matters.

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On this episode of In Pursuit, Rich is joined by Jeff Dodds and Angelo Dicicco. They sit down for another Spike Camp episode to talk through one of the most overlooked parts of western hunting: pacing yourself.

From training and rucking to e-scouting, nutrition, recovery, and knowing when to push versus when to back off, this episode is packed with practical advice for anyone getting ready for hunt season. They break down what it actually feels like to spend long days in the mountains, how fitness impacts decision making in the field, and why being underprepared can ruin a hunt before it ever really starts. The guys also share stories from past hunts, lessons learned the hard way, thoughts on training with your hunting partners, and why the mental side of hunting can be just as challenging as the physical side.

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