How an X Games Legend Approaches Elk Hunting Like a Competitor
About this episode
Cody Rich interviews Chris Burandt about his unique approach to elk hunting, drawing parallels with his snowmobiling career.
What's up everyone! This week I'm sitting down with Chris Burandt—yeah, THE Chris Burandt. X Games gold medalist, backcountry snowmobile legend, and someone I've looked up to since the original Schooled videos dropped. If you grew up watching extreme snowmobiling, you know exactly who this guy is. But what a lot of people don't know is that Chris is also a serious elk hunter who's been chasing bulls with a bow for over 25 years. This conversation is incredible because we dive deep into what it takes to master a craft—whether that's throwing backflips at X Games or stalking a giant public land bull for 20 straight days. Chris breaks down his journey from hating hunting as a kid (sitting in the cold while his dad napped) to becoming obsessed with bowhunting after reading Cam Hanes' book and having his mind blown on his very first day in the woods. We talk about the parallels between high-level snowmobiling and elk hunting, why both require you to get comfortable being uncomfortable, and how Chris's ability to read terrain from a snowmobile gives him a massive advantage when hunting big country. He also gets brutally honest about the mistakes he's made—including missing a giant bull…
More episodes of Elk Hunt
- The October Advantage: Big Bulls, Empty Mountains, and a 58-Inch Giant, Talking Bulls with Gibson Butler
- The Rookie Season: Taking First-Time Hunters from Zero to Tagged Out
- Chasing Bulls in Colorado: Stories from Bob Terilliger
- Get Close, Stay Close: Jerrod Lile's Simple Elk Hunting Philosophy
- Back-to-Back Premium Tags: Nevada Rifle to Utah Late Archery
- Forgiveness Over Speed: Jared Miller's Archery Philosophy
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