How an X Games Legend Approaches Elk Hunting Like a Competitor
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 at 46 yards after spending an entire season prepping for that exact moment, and what he learned from it.
One of the most fascinating parts of this episode is Chris talking about spending 20 days hunting ONE bull on public land in Colorado without making a single call until the moment he shot. We break down the chess match, the patience required, and whether he should've been more aggressive. This is a masterclass in strategic hunting, mental preparation, and the sacrifice required to be a true 10-percenter.
If you want to hear from someone who's mastered pressure situations at the highest level and is now applying that same intensity to archery elk hunting, this episode is for you. Chris is real, humble, and just getting started in this game—and that makes his perspective incredibly valuable.
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Timestamps
00:00 - Intro: Meeting a childhood hero
04:15 - Why Chris kept elk hunting separate from his snowmobile career
08:30 - Growing up hating rifle hunting with his dad
12:20 - Reading Cam's book and the first day bowhunting (running at a bull)
18:45 - The path from beginner to deadly: Steps 1-5
24:10 - Signing up for Mountain Tough and learning you have to train
28:50 - Giving up three hunting seasons to guide for experience
33:20 - Why 10% of hunters kill 90% of the elk
37:40 - Reading terrain like a snowmobile rider vs. a hunter
42:15 - Hunting one mountain vs. bouncing around
46:30 - The 2023 hunt: Drawing a dream tag and going all in
51:00 - Missing the giant bull at 46 yards and what he learned
55:20 - The mental difference between X Games pressure and elk hunting
59:45 - 20 days hunting one bull without calling
1:03:30 - Should he have been more aggressive? Tactics breakdown
1:06:15 - Advice for new bowhunters and closing thoughts
Three Key Takeaways
- Guiding for Experience is Underrated - Chris gave up three of his own hunting seasons to guide on private land, not for the money, but for the reps. Being around elk every single day, getting multiple "at bats" in a season instead of hoping for one opportunity on public land, accelerated his learning curve by years. If you want to get better fast, find ways to be around elk as much as possible—even if it means helping friends on their hunts or volunteering to pack out.
- Control the Controllables, Then Trust the Process - Chris went all-in preparing for his 2023 dream tag—quit drinking, worked out every day, scouted relentlessly, dialed his gear—but he neglected shooting practice. He had a 46-yard shot on a giant bull and missed because he split the wrong pins. His lesson: You can do 99% of it right and still fail if you don't master the fundamentals. Shooting your bow consistently, year-round, is non-negotiable if you want to capitalize when the moment comes.
- Reading Terrain Like a Snowmobiler Gives You a Massive Edge - Chris's ability to see mountains on a macro level (from snowmobiling hundreds of miles and connecting drainages) gives him a huge advantage over hunters who think micro. Most hunters pick a trailhead and hunt one drainage. Elite hunters understand how the entire mountain system works—where elk can move between basins, what routes they'll take, and how to cut them off. If you want to be a 10-percenter, stop thinking small and start hunting the whole mountain.
