Today's guest may be best known for being the first to take all 29 North American big game animals with a recurve bow and complete the Super Slam, but today we are interested in his knowledge of and experience with calling black bears. We discuss the short attention spans of bears and how long to give a setup, Fred’s go to calls and sequences, some precautions to use while calling in grizzly country, and much more.

Connect with Jason and Phelps

Phelps on Instagram, Facebook, and Youtube

Shop Phelps Merch

Today's guest may be best known for being the first to take all 29 North American big game animals with a recurve bow and complete the Super Slam, but today we are interested in his knowledge of and experience with calling black bears. We discuss the short attention spans of bears and how long to give a setup, Fred&rsquo;s go to calls and sequences, some precautions to use while calling in grizzly country, and much more.
Connect with&nbsp;Jason and&nbsp;<a href="https://phelpsgamecalls.com/">Phelps</a>
Phelps on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/phelpsgamecalls/">Instagram</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/Phelpsgamecalls/">Facebook</a>,&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbS-yIrtBH_yBW7b5MCuxBg">Youtube</a>
Shop&nbsp;<a href="https://store.themeateater.com/collections/turkey-calls">Phelps Merch</a>

In Pursuit is your definitive guide to fitness and performance in the wild. Hosted by Rich Froning, four-time CrossFit Games champion and founder of CrossFit Mayhem. This show goes beyond the hunt, diving into what drives us to test our limits in the backcountry and beyond. Each episode features raw, wide-ranging conversations with athletes, hunters, doctors, and thought leaders, from the gym to the lab to the wilderness, connecting the grit of mountain hunting to the pursuit of something deeper: purpose, resilience, and human potential in the wild.

In Pursuit is your definitive guide to fitness and performance in the wild. Hosted by <a href="https://www.themeateater.com/people/rich-froning">Rich Froning,</a> four-time CrossFit Games champion and founder of CrossFit Mayhem. This show goes beyond the hunt, diving into what drives us to test our limits in the backcountry and beyond. Each episode features raw, wide-ranging conversations with athletes, hunters, doctors, and thought leaders, from the gym to the lab to the wilderness, connecting the grit of mountain hunting to the pursuit of something deeper: purpose, resilience, and human potential in the wild.

In Pursuit

Ep. 9: More On Calling Black Bears with Fred Eichler

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/5b21583f-6b2b-409c-bb21-aea701808fd0/transcript

Join Rich Froning and the Mayhem hunt team as they dive into all things happening at Mayhem Hunt. From a brewing 5K grudge match and Ironman training to a 24-hour trail relay, fitness is front and center as always. The crew recaps their whirlwind trip through the NWTF Convention and Western Hunt Expo, where new connections were made and new hunts potentially landed on the calendar. They tease an exciting fall lineup that includes archery antelope, elk, mule deer, and a backcountry spring bear hunt that's equal parts exciting and uncertain.


The big news? Hunt Camp is coming. Rich and the team break down their vision for an intimate beginner-to-intermediate Western hunting experience set in the Colorado mountains. Think full bow setups, glassing breakouts, pack skills, rucking, and plenty of campfire time. Whether you've never been out West or just want to tighten up your game, this episode gives you a first look at what to expect.

Connect with Rich Froning

MeatEater on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Youtube Clips

Subscribe to The MeatEater Podcast Network on YouTube

Join Rich Froning and the Mayhem hunt team as they dive into all things happening at Mayhem Hunt. From a brewing 5K grudge match and Ironman training to a 24-hour trail relay, fitness is front and center as always. The crew recaps their whirlwind trip through the NWTF Convention and Western Hunt Expo, where new connections were made and new hunts potentially landed on the calendar. They tease an exciting fall lineup that includes archery antelope, elk, mule deer, and a backcountry spring bear hunt that's equal parts exciting and uncertain.
 The big news? Hunt Camp is coming. Rich and the team break down their vision for an intimate beginner-to-intermediate Western hunting experience set in the Colorado mountains. Think full bow setups, glassing breakouts, pack skills, rucking, and plenty of campfire time. Whether you've never been out West or just want to tighten up your game, this episode gives you a first look at what to expect.
Connect with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.themeateater.com/people/rich-froning">Rich Froning</a>
MeatEater on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/meateater">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/StevenRinellaMeatEater/">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/MeatEaterTV?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAaa0mleeU128Ad5iM1RFIg">Youtube</a>, and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@MeatEaterClips">Youtube Clips</a>
Subscribe to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@MeatEaterPodcastNetwork">The MeatEater Podcast Network on YouTube</a>

Ep. 28: Spike Camp - You Can Never Be Too Prepared For The Mountains

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/81cc21a7-c7ec-4216-9df0-b3f5011af95c/transcript

On this episode of In Pursuit with Rich Froning, we’ve got the guys from High Ground Beef Chips in the studio, Dillon Larson and Josh McCandless. It started with a problem that kicked it all off: finding real, lightweight nutrition on the move between deployments, long days, and no patience for filler ingredients. Dillon breaks down why they built High Ground as a meat chip: simple label, big protein, whole-food fuel that actually works in the backcountry.

From there, the conversation goes into why hunting/training with the boys can be a reset when life gets loud. We also get the meaning behind the name High Ground and their bigger goal: supporting Gold Star families and telling the stories that shouldn’t get forgotten.

Connect with Rich Froning

MeatEater on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Youtube Clips

Subscribe to The MeatEater Podcast Network on YouTube

On this episode of In Pursuit with Rich Froning, we&rsquo;ve got the guys from High Ground Beef Chips in the studio, Dillon Larson and Josh McCandless. It started with a problem that kicked it all off: finding real, lightweight nutrition on the move between deployments, long days, and no patience for filler ingredients. Dillon breaks down why they built High Ground as a meat chip: simple label, big protein, whole-food fuel that actually works in the backcountry.
From there, the conversation goes into why hunting/training with the boys can be a reset when life gets loud. We also get the meaning behind the name High Ground and their bigger goal: supporting Gold Star families and telling the stories that shouldn&rsquo;t get forgotten.
Connect with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.themeateater.com/people/rich-froning">Rich Froning</a>
MeatEater on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/meateater">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/StevenRinellaMeatEater/">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/MeatEaterTV?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAaa0mleeU128Ad5iM1RFIg">Youtube</a>, and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@MeatEaterClips">Youtube Clips</a>
Subscribe to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@MeatEaterPodcastNetwork">The MeatEater Podcast Network on YouTube</a>

Ep. 27: High Ground Beef Chips - Always Take the High Ground

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/0616706a-d6e4-4731-8c01-b3ee013d1a61/transcript

In this episode of Cutting the Distance, Jason and Dirk sit down with Bruce Pettet, CEO of Leupold, and Tim Lesser, VP of Product & Marketing, for an in-depth conversation around Leupold’s new BX-6 rangefinding binocular. They dig into what makes the BX-6 stand out, from elite optical quality to the power of the 4DOF and PCA ballistic solutions, pinning features, and real-world shooting applications. The discussion also pulls back the curtain on Leupold’s broader product philosophy and gives listeners a glimpse at what’s coming next down the pipeline. If precision, confidence behind the glass, and the future of range-finding optics matter to you, this episode delivers.

Connect with Jason, Dirk, and Phelps Game Calls

MeatEater on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Youtube Clips

Subscribe to The MeatEater Podcast Network on YouTube

Shop Phelps Merch

In this episode of Cutting the Distance, Jason and Dirk sit down with Bruce Pettet, CEO of Leupold, and Tim Lesser, VP of Product &amp; Marketing, for an in-depth conversation around Leupold&rsquo;s new BX-6 rangefinding binocular. They dig into what makes the BX-6 stand out, from elite optical quality to the power of the 4DOF and PCA ballistic solutions, pinning features, and real-world shooting applications. The discussion also pulls back the curtain on Leupold&rsquo;s broader product philosophy and gives listeners a glimpse at what&rsquo;s coming next down the pipeline. If precision, confidence behind the glass, and the future of range-finding optics matter to you, this episode delivers.
Connect with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.themeateater.com/people/jason-phelps">Jason</a>, <a href="https://www.themeateater.com/people/dirk-durham">Dirk</a>,<a href="https://www.themeateater.com/people/dirk-durham"></a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://phelpsgamecalls.com/">Phelps Game Calls</a>
MeatEater on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/meateater">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/StevenRinellaMeatEater/">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/MeatEaterTV?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAaa0mleeU128Ad5iM1RFIg">Youtube</a>, and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@MeatEaterClips">Youtube Clips</a>
Subscribe to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@MeatEaterPodcastNetwork">The MeatEater Podcast Network on YouTube</a>
Shop&nbsp;<a href="https://store.themeateater.com/collections/turkey-calls">Phelps Merch</a>

Ep. 151: Cutting the Distance - Leupold Optics BX-6 and More

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/78c7a6b2-ad68-4d0f-a00f-b3ee0008eb90/transcript

Ep. 9: More On Calling Black Bears with Fred Eichler

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