Becoming A Bow Hunter

In this episode of Becoming a Bowhunter, Matty is joined once again by Ben Salleras, one of only a handful of hunters to ever complete the elusive South Pacific Slam. But what even is that? Ben unpacks the  “South Pacific 15,” the challenges of defining a slam in our part of the world, and why the pursuit became such a personal obsession. We dive deep into the last hunt that finished off his South Pacific Slam, the Wapiti from the intense terrain in Fiordland, NZ  Podcast Topics: The South Pacific 15: What species make the list, what gets left out, and why the official slam isn’t quite officialFiordland Realities: Brutal terrain, vertical jungle, and one of the harder hunts Ben has ever doneCatseye Block Breakdown: Choosing the right block and period for wapiti successCompleting the Slam: The planning, prep, and long-range logistics that led to the final tick — the Fiordland wapitiGotta Catch ’Em All: Why collecting species hits the same nerve as childhood card collectingHybrid Bugles & Elk Behavior: W