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What happens when you stop hunting the tree and start hunting the animal? On this episode of the Okayest Hunter Podcast, we sit down with Pat Newcomb and Glen Reich of Newcomb Hunting for a wide-ranging conversation about whitetail hunting from the ground, mobile hunting strategies, fresh deer sign, turkey hunting, entrepreneurship, and finding the right tool for the hunt. Pat shares how his background as a lifelong hunter—and a passion for run-and-gun turkey hunting—eventually led to the development of Newcomb Hunting's unique portable hunting blind. What started as a solution for staying concealed and mobile on the ground has opened up an entirely different way of looking at whitetail habitat. Instead of walking into the woods focused on finding the perfect tree, what happens when you set up where the deer actually want to be? We get into hunting fresh sign instead of yesterday's sign, adapting when the wind changes, hunting areas that don't offer a good tree-stand setup, minimizing your silhouette at eye level with deer, and using ground blinds, saddles and tree stands as different tools rather than committing yourself to a single hunting style. Pat and Glen also share stories from recent hunts, lessons learned from decades in the woods, the origins of Newcomb Hunting, new products they're developing, and what it's really like building a business inside the hunting industry. Whether you're a public-land whitetail hunter, saddle hunter, bowhunter, ground hunter, turkey hunter or simply looking for another way to approach pressured deer, this conversation might change the way you look at your next setup. The biggest takeaway? Don't just hunt where the deer were. Hunt where they're going to be. Topics include:• Whitetail hunting from the ground• Mobile deer hunting strategies• Hunting fresh deer sign• Ground blinds vs. tree stands and saddles• Bowhunting at eye level• Run-and-gun turkey hunting• Adapting to wind and changing conditions• Hunting difficult and overlooked terrain• Newcomb Hunting's origin story• Building products for hunters• Hunting industry entrepreneurship• Deer camp, hunting culture and plenty of Okayest Hunter tangents Featuring Pat Newcomb and Glen Reich of Newcomb Hunting. Don't forget to join our Okayest Hunter Crew: https://www.okayesthunter.com/pages/okayest-hunter-crew Subscribe to our newsletter for weekly hunting tactics, tips, and Okayest Hunter updates: https://www.okayesthunter.com/pages/join-the-okayest-hunter-email-list Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
If I'm being honest, the whole idea for this article came from something that is totally understandable but also kind of annoying. People love to ask me what it's like to hunt with Steve Rinella, and I get it. He's one of the biggest names in the sphere, and he has a wealth of experience. But, I never know if they are asking me what his personality is like, if he's a good hunter, if he tells amazing stories around the campfire every night, if he...
In this episode of Buckmasters Outdoor Podcast, host Jackie Bushman sits down with Dr. Ani from the Alabama Cooperative Extension System to talk whitetail diseases and what hunters need to know. From CWD and EHD to other diseases impacting deer across the country, Dr. Ani breaks down how they spread, what actions can be taken when they appear in your area, and how wildlife agencies are working to protect whitetail herds. ACES: https://www.aces.edu/blog/tag/wildlife/?c=forestry-wildlife&orderby=title
Ike Eastman sits down with Randy Birdsong of Headhunters TV for a genuine conversation on the long game of Midwest whitetail hunting, land management, and predator trapping. A southeast Missouri kid who followed the best whitetail hunting to Southern Illinois University (on what he calls his "Van Wilder program"), Randy got his first break filming for Whitetail Freaks with Don & Kandi Kisky and Lee & Tiffany Lakosky before Jeff Wayne handed him his shot at his own show on Outdoor Channel. The heart of the conversation is the Raven Project — his 1,000-acre Missouri property that six years ago held maybe 15 deer, and today holds over 100 mature deer, along with the story of the 8-year-old buck he took there last fall. Ike and Randy get into food plots, water, cover, doe reduction, being "only as good as your neighbors," and Randy's real passion: trapping. From running a 20-mile trap line before school at age 10 (with grandma tailing on a four-wheeler) to 113 coons in three weeks on his Oklahoma property, he breaks down when to hit coyotes, coons, and possums to protect fawns and turkey nests — and why you can't just trap a property out, because knock a coyote population down and they'll simply throw bigger litters.
Episode Overview & Key Takeaways In this mid-September episode, Larry Weishuhn discusses the seasonal transition of whitetail bucks as they shed their velvet, break out of bachelor groups, and begin early pre-rut sparring. He shares personal updates on transitioning a family property located between Houston and Austin into a dedicated wildlife habitat rather than relying on it for agricultural livelihood. Weishuhn provides insights into the current screwworm situation in Texas, noting that over 100 consecutive days of extreme heat have fortunately forced the screwworm flies into dormancy. Weishuhn highlights the Texas Wildlife Association (TWA), an organization he co-founded in 1985 alongside Murphy Ray and Gary Machen. TWA now heavily influences outdoor education, supporting youth hunting programs that involve 40,000 to 50,000 children, and manages the Texas Big Game Awards. Addressing the recent screwworm cases crossing the border from Mexico, he points listeners to an informational booklet authored by Dr. Andrew Earl, which is available on the TWA website. For an upcoming hunt in Virginia with Samuel Old, Weishuhn is considering using a Taurus Raging Hunter handgun in .454 Casull, paired with Hornady 240-grain XTP custom ammunition. He emphasizes the unmatched durability of older long-eye-relief handgun scopes, specifically recommending vintage Thompson/Center scopes manufactured by Light Optical, as well as classic Burris models. To find these tough, older optics that can withstand heavy recoil, he advises handgun hunters to search local pawn shops and gun shows. Weishuhn is preparing for an upcoming baited black bear hunt at the Choctaw Hunting Lodge in southeastern Oklahoma, where he plans to use a TenPoint crossbow. He shares daily short-form stories on his TikTok account under the handle LW's Whitetails. Fans can continue to find his bonus video episodes and hunting content on his YouTube channel, CarbonTV, and PursuitUP. This episode is brought to you in partnership with DSC (Conservation, Education, and Advocacy) as well as other wonderful sponsors that include Hornady, Taurus, Stealth Vision, Agara Cafe, Destination Hunts, Choctaw Hunting Lodge, and Double Nickel Taxidermy, The Crown Bar in La Grange Texas, Texas Wildlife Association, Habit, and Burnham Brothers Game Calls. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Join the Raised team this week as they have the most successful whitetail hunter with a decoy they know on to talks tips tricks and techniques that will change how you use a decoy!!! Shane Edwards joins the crew as they hash out where, when, and why decoying for whitetail bucks can not only be fun, it can also be extremely successful.. Don't miss this episode it's gonna be a blast!!! -Literally---------------------------------------------------------------------Discount Codes: You guys have been absolutely amazing when it comes to supporting Raised Hunting so we wanted to return the favor! Just for all you loyal RH Podcast listeners we have some discount codes for you! We got you guys a code for 15% all Raised Hunting products!!! We also have a code for Dominant Strands to get new strings of your bow and get 10% off!!!Dominant Stands Discount Code: RAISED10Raised Hunting Discount Code: RHPCREW15----------------------------------------------------------------------links Raised Youtube:https://www.youtube.com/@raisedhunting/featuredShop Raised Hunting Gear Today:https://www.raisedhunting.com/
This week we're taking the show on the road and stepping inside the incredible new Bear River Archery facility in Van Alstyne, Texas for a conversation with owner and operator Justin Cannaday.A lot has changed since our last conversation with Justin. What started just three years ago in a 400-square-foot starter shop has grown into a massive archery destination! Justin walks us through the vision behind what they have created, the overwhelming response to the grand opening, and what it's like watching something you have built from the ground up continue to grow.We also get into the stuff that really matters to hunters — Justin's upcoming Colorado elk hunt, the difference between elk camp and whitetail camp, why elk hunting becomes such a team effort, mountain horses, bow setups, shot placement, and the preparation that goes into chasing an elk with a bow. The conversation eventually turns toward whitetails, hunting with family, the stories behind the taxidermy filling the walls of Bear River, balancing work and hunting, and the reality of turning something you love into your livelihood.And perhaps most importantly, Justin talks about where Bear River goes from here — and why he's willing to put the future of the business in God's hands rather than trying to control every step of the journey. This one is a true shop talk — bows, hunting, business, family, faith, elk, whitetails, and a whole lot of catching up between friends.Welcome back Bear River Archery!Fall Obsession Podcast is sponsored by:Hoot Camo Company (https://hootcamo.com/) - use code "fallobsession15" to save with HootBear River Archery (https://www.bearriverarchery.com/) - use code "fallobsession" when shopping online with Bear RiverTactacam Reveal Cameras (https://www.tactacam.com/)The Outdoor Call Radio App (https://www.theoutdoorcallradio.com/)
The Storm Skiing Journal and Podcast likes it when ski areas are run by people who are good at running ski areas. Please subscribe to the email newsletter to get new posts the moment they're live. Thank you for supporting independent ski journalism.About CamelbackOwned by: EPR Properties, managed by Peregrine Hospitality (formerly KSL Resorts)Located in: Tannersville, PennsylvaniaYear founded: 1963Pass affiliations:* Ikon Pass: 7 days, no blackouts* Ikon Base Pass: 5 days, holiday blackoutsClosest neighboring ski areas: Shawnee Mountain (:24), Jack Frost (:26), Big Boulder (:27), Skytop Lodge (:29), Saw Creek (:37), Blue Mountain (:41), Pocono Ranchlands (:43), Montage (:44), Hideout (:51), Elk Mountain (1:05), Bear Creek (1:09), Ski Big Bear (1:16)Base elevation: 1,252 feetSummit elevation: 2,079 feetVertical drop: 827 feetSkiable Acres: 166Average annual snowfall: 50 inchesTrail count: 45, with three new trails for 2026-27 (not on the map below, but discussed on the podcast)Lift count: 12 (1 high-speed six-pack, 1 high-speed quad, 1 fixed-grip quad, 2 triples, 2 doubles, 5 carpets – view Lift Blog's inventory of Camelback's lift fleet)For reference:The Zoom transcript (click “transcript” above for the Substack transcript, then click on any text block to teleport to the associated point in the video; timestamps below DO NOT MATCH THE VIDEO)00:03:25.000 --> 00:03:37.000Stuart Winchester: Welcome to The Storm! I'm your host, Stuart Winchester. Today is Wednesday, September 16th, 2026, and I've got a really good show for you today.00:03:37.000 --> 00:03:45.000Stuart Winchester: we're going to talk some Pennsylvania skiing. And Pennsylvania skiing is a really interesting thing. As I travel around the country.00:03:45.000 --> 00:03:56.000Stuart Winchester: and ski at all these different places in the Midwest, and out West, and in New England, and in the Mid-Atlantic. Uh, and as I talk to folks who… who don't ski that much, or only ski at the big mountains.00:03:56.000 --> 00:04:05.000Stuart Winchester: I'll often bring up some experience I had at a Pennsylvania ski area. Pennsylvania has quite a few ski areas as 21.00:04:05.000 --> 00:04:20.000Stuart Winchester: public chairlift-served ski areas, and it does 2.6 million skier visits on average per year. That is more than any state except for Colorado, California, Utah, Vermont, and New York.00:04:20.000 --> 00:04:26.000Stuart Winchester: It's more than Washington, it's more than Oregon, it's more than Montana, it's more than New.00:04:26.000 --> 00:04:39.000Stuart Winchester: So, Pennsylvania is a really important ski state, which is probably why Vail Resorts owns 8 ski areas there, because it is really close to a lot of population centers. In western PA, you have Pittsburgh.00:04:39.000 --> 00:04:54.000Stuart Winchester: and Seven Springs, and Laurel, and Hidden Valley, and then you have Philadelphia on the east side, and you can also draw up from Baltimore and D.C. for Round Top and Whitetail. And uh…00:04:54.000 --> 00:04:57.000Stuart Winchester: And Jack Frost's Big Boulder up in the Poconos. So…00:04:58.000 --> 00:05:00.000Stuart Winchester: Vail has a big presence there.00:05:00.000 --> 00:05:15.000Stuart Winchester: Icon has a presence there with Camelback and Blue Mountain. Uh, and then Indy Pass just signed their 8th ski area in Pennsylvania with Spring Mountain, uh, down near Philadelphia. So, so it's, it's a place where a lot of skiers start.00:05:15.000 --> 00:05:19.000Stuart Winchester: And it's a little bit of a funny place to ski, because…00:05:19.000 --> 00:05:29.000Stuart Winchester: it tends to have an outsized number of novice skiers, which is great. They're very good at doing that. Uh, but it can make it a little chaotic.00:05:29.000 --> 00:05:38.000Stuart Winchester: And the lift lines can get a little crazy, and people are all over the hill, and sometimes they're walking down the hill because they're frustrated and they're giving up.00:05:38.000 --> 00:05:40.000Stuart Winchester: Uh, and…00:05:40.000 --> 00:05:44.000Stuart Winchester: You take that as your baseline in Pennsylvania.00:05:44.000 --> 00:05:49.000Stuart Winchester: And you had any sort of complications.00:05:49.000 --> 00:05:54.000Stuart Winchester: And things get out of hand really quickly. And in general.00:05:55.000 --> 00:06:00.000Stuart Winchester: For that reason, the ski areas that have survived in Pennsylvania.00:06:00.000 --> 00:06:07.000Stuart Winchester: are among the best operators in the world, and I would put that up against anyone.00:06:07.000 --> 00:06:14.000Stuart Winchester: It's a very, very challenging environment, not only because you have a high number of novice skiers.00:06:14.000 --> 00:06:17.000Stuart Winchester: Uh, but also because you have…00:06:17.000 --> 00:06:31.000Stuart Winchester: not a ton of snow, sometimes in the west part of the state, where there's higher elevation, they do get a lot of snow, but… but not as a rule, you couldn't count on it for natural snow. Uh, you get a lot of rain, you get a lot of warm-ups.00:06:31.000 --> 00:06:35.000Stuart Winchester: Uh, and… and you, in general, have to rely on…00:06:35.000 --> 00:06:42.000Stuart Winchester: a very short season, generally mid-December-ish to mid-March-ish.00:06:42.000 --> 00:06:45.000Stuart Winchester: And the skiers there…00:06:47.000 --> 00:06:52.000Stuart Winchester: They're they're accustomed to a pretty high standard, so.00:06:52.000 --> 00:06:57.000Stuart Winchester: So when things do get out of control, uh…00:06:57.000 --> 00:07:04.000Stuart Winchester: They really rebelled, and they really noticed. So, a couple years ago, this is what happened at Camelback. So, Camelback…00:07:05.000 --> 00:07:09.000Stuart Winchester: You know, I don't generally do ops stories, uh…00:07:09.000 --> 00:07:10.000Stuart Winchester: You know.00:07:10.000 --> 00:07:19.000Stuart Winchester: ski area didn't groom this run, or they haven't opened this lift, or, uh, you know, they usually let this bump up, but they don't, or, or…00:07:19.000 --> 00:07:27.000Stuart Winchester: you know, they… they are trying to save money, or they're being cheap. I generally don't bother with those, even though I get a lot of messages.00:07:27.000 --> 00:07:32.000Stuart Winchester: Complaining about things like that, because there's almost always a pretty good reason.00:07:32.000 --> 00:07:38.000Stuart Winchester: Uh, and it's almost always temporary, and it's really not worth the effort.00:07:38.000 --> 00:07:48.000Stuart Winchester: to write the story if I'm just writing about, you know, why Stratton or Mount Snow or Magic Mountain didn't open a certain lift on a certain day.00:07:48.000 --> 00:08:04.000Stuart Winchester: Uh, it's, it's a lot to track down and it's a lot of, uh, this person said this and the other person said that. It's just not the kind of thing that I'm want to cover with the storm, right? I want to do bigger stories. I want to do trend stories. I want to look at the culture and evolution of skiing.00:08:04.000 --> 00:08:11.000Stuart Winchester: And the passes, and all the infrastructure, and all the fun stuff. So I don't generally cover the day-to-day stuff, just because…00:08:12.000 --> 00:08:18.000Stuart Winchester: The ski areas that remain in 2026 are, for the most part, run by really good operators.00:08:18.000 --> 00:08:32.000Stuart Winchester: Uh, it… because… and they've survived. Most of the bad ski areas that were either mismanaged or were in the wrong places, they went out of business a long time ago, which is why the number of ski areas has been stable for around 25 years now in America.00:08:32.000 --> 00:08:35.000Stuart Winchester: So I but I started to notice.00:08:35.000 --> 00:08:45.000Stuart Winchester: several years ago that I was getting an outsized number of complaints around one ski area in particular in the Poconos.00:08:45.000 --> 00:08:47.000Stuart Winchester: And it was Camelback.00:08:47.000 --> 00:08:51.000Stuart Winchester: And Camelback had a long history of being an independent.00:08:51.000 --> 00:08:52.000Stuart Winchester: And…00:08:52.000 --> 00:08:54.000Stuart Winchester: Really…00:08:54.000 --> 00:08:59.000Stuart Winchester: the way it's been described to me by… by season pass holders, and I've skied…00:08:59.000 --> 00:09:04.000Stuart Winchester: some at Camelback, but I don't have that depth of knowledge of having grown up there.00:09:04.000 --> 00:09:20.000Stuart Winchester: That Camelback for a long time, for decades, set the standard on snowmaking, on grooming, on just general maintenance of lifts in the ski area in the Poconos. And that was why they had chosen to ski there all those years.00:09:20.000 --> 00:09:30.000Stuart Winchester: But things had started to fall apart when a new owner showed up in 2019. It was at the time KSL Capital, who was.00:09:30.000 --> 00:09:43.000Stuart Winchester: was managing it for EPR Properties, which is the entity that bought it, and they own a bunch of ski areas, EPR Properties, including a bunch owned by Vail, including North Star, and a lot of the old Peak Resorts in Ohio and such.00:09:43.000 --> 00:09:50.000Stuart Winchester: And KSL Resorts was a division of KSL Capital.00:09:50.000 --> 00:09:53.000Stuart Winchester: which is a part owner of Altera.00:09:53.000 --> 00:09:58.000Stuart Winchester: But for some reason, Altera, which is very good at running ski resorts.00:09:58.000 --> 00:10:00.000Stuart Winchester: did not…00:10:00.000 --> 00:10:15.000Stuart Winchester: get assigned as the… as the owner of Camelback. And when KSL Resorts purchased Blue Mountain, not in Ontario, the Blue Mountain in Pennsylvania, that's about 45 minutes from Camelback, two years later, in 2021.00:10:15.000 --> 00:10:26.000Stuart Winchester: That ski area also did not fall under Altera's ownership. And it was an odd choice to make, because Altera's really good at running ski areas, and they run…00:10:26.000 --> 00:10:35.000Stuart Winchester: Mammoth, and Deer Valley, and Steamboat, and Solitude, and Palisades Tahoe, and Stratton, and Sugarbush, and they definitely have.00:10:35.000 --> 00:10:41.000Stuart Winchester: the institutional knowledge and internal firepower to be able to run these ski areas in the Poconos.00:10:41.000 --> 00:10:43.000Stuart Winchester: Uh, Blue Mountain…00:10:43.000 --> 00:10:47.000Stuart Winchester: Had the benefit of a long time tenured management team.00:10:47.000 --> 00:11:02.000Stuart Winchester: That kept the place, by all accounts, running pretty well. Camelback, on the other hand, seemed to be falling apart before our eyes, and before the eyes of the loyalist skiers who loved the place so much. And they were really, really concerned, and I started to…00:11:02.000 --> 00:11:08.000Stuart Winchester: Because they had put, uh, a management team in place, it seemed.00:11:08.000 --> 00:11:10.000Stuart Winchester: that…00:11:11.000 --> 00:11:22.000Stuart Winchester: was not familiar with the… with the inner workings of a ski area. Uh, I… I hosted Dave Makarski, the former general manager of Kalenbach, on this podcast.00:11:22.000 --> 00:11:33.000Stuart Winchester: and very nice guy. We had a great conversation. Uh, he's not a skier. And, and, you know, sometimes you can be not a skier and run a great ski resort. Uh, look at Bill Stritzler up at Smuggler's Notch.00:11:33.000 --> 00:11:43.000Stuart Winchester: Bill hasn't skied in years, and he snowboarded for a little bit, but he's not a daily skier. Look at Shawnee.00:11:43.000 --> 00:11:54.000Stuart Winchester: that where the owner… that's one of the most modern, nice ski areas in the Poconos, uh, and the owner has not skied in decades. So, so it's not always necessary, uh, but…00:11:55.000 --> 00:12:10.000Stuart Winchester: It does help and it's certainly a benefit. So everyone I talked to, I was, I was gathering all this stuff for a story and I was gonna write about Camelback and, and it, it really seemed like it was the worst run ski area anywhere that I could find based on the amount of feedback I was getting.00:12:10.000 --> 00:12:25.000Stuart Winchester: I was gathering all this feedback from all these long-time pass holders, and then they hired a new general manager, and so I scrapped the story, but I still wanted to get it, and by all accounts, Jason Bays, who I'll bring on the podcast in a moment.00:12:25.000 --> 00:12:34.000Stuart Winchester: has really done a nice job of turning CamelBak around. So, so let's go to Jason now.00:14:09.000 --> 00:14:16.000Stuart Winchester: My guest today is the Vice President and General Manager of Camelback Ski Area in Pennsylvania.00:14:16.000 --> 00:14:26.000Stuart Winchester: Camelback runs six chairlifts, or maybe seven. I might have had a typo there. Serving 45 trails on an 827-foot vertical drop.00:14:26.000 --> 00:14:41.000Stuart Winchester: Prior to taking the top job at Camelback, he was general manager for Great Wolf Resorts around the United States. He also spent time as chief operating officer and general manager of Mountain Creek Ski Area in New Jersey and director of operations.00:14:41.000 --> 00:14:54.000Stuart Winchester: for Jay Peak, Vermont. His very first jobs as a teenager were as a lifeguard and ski instructor at Camelback. Jason Bay is my guest. Jason, welcome to the Storm. Awesome to have you. How you doing today?00:14:53.000 --> 00:15:00.000Jason Bays: Thank you, Stuart. Great to be here. I've been a listener from day one, so excited to join you.00:14:59.000 --> 00:15:14.000Stuart Winchester: I love that. I'm so hyped to hear that. I know I started with a little Northeast focus. You know, you're the… you probably know this already, but you're the second straight guest I've had on. There was a Mountain Creek alum, Chris Haggerty, on yesterday. Are you acquainted with Chris?00:15:13.000 --> 00:15:18.000Jason Bays: Yeah, Chris and I worked together, um, back in our days at Mountain Creek, great guy.00:15:17.000 --> 00:15:33.000Stuart Winchester: Yeah, yeah, I'm, uh, I'm not sure, I'm sure you're aware I'm based in New York City and Mountain Creek is one of my go-tos and, and was my home mountain before I started traveling all over the place for the storm. So, so, you know, Jason, I, I think it's awesome that you grew up at Camelback. Tal.00:15:34.000 --> 00:15:41.000Stuart Winchester: your childhood Camelback. What was the kingdom of Camelback like to you, uh, when you were growing up skiing there?00:15:40.000 --> 00:16:03.000Jason Bays: Yeah, look, I, you know, took, I grew up in Pocono Kid, born and raised 10 minutes from the resort. After school ski program was the first, you know, first sort of foray into life at Camelback and was immediately hooked in the summer as a swimming pool and two water slides. I thought that was the most awesome place in the world too.00:15:44.000 --> 00:15:45.000Stuart Winchester: Yeah.00:15:54.000 --> 00:15:55.000Stuart Winchester: Mmhm.00:16:03.000 --> 00:16:04.000Stuart Winchester: Mmhm.00:16:03.000 --> 00:16:21.000Jason Bays: And my parents thought it was a great babysitting service, you know, relative to that. So it was just an awesome, awesome place to grow up and, you know, be part of the small but mighty ski community that is Tannersville, Pennsylvania, in this area, in the Poconos.00:16:21.000 --> 00:16:39.000Jason Bays: um, you know, when it came to get a first job, uh, there's no place I was, uh, gonna consider other than Camelback. It's where all my friends were, it's where we all hung out all the time, and, um, you know, really just got introduced to, uh, to the sport, and, um, had some freedom. It was the first time I had some freedom, and it was to be at Camelback, so that's.00:16:27.000 --> 00:16:29.000Stuart Winchester: Mmhm.00:16:39.000 --> 00:16:56.000Stuart Winchester: So you worked there, and you were part of the machine, so to speak, and I realized you were sort of on the peripheral of the machine, as opposed to in the center of it, as you are now. But, you know, you grew up in the Poconos, and had that experience, and you had this vision of Camelback in your head, right? Then you went off and had a big life, as…00:16:56.000 --> 00:16:57.000Jason Bays: Yes.00:16:56.000 --> 00:17:00.000Stuart Winchester: as people do, and you went and worked at all these places that I just mentioned.00:17:00.000 --> 00:17:03.000Stuart Winchester: And then you came back to Camelback.00:17:03.000 --> 00:17:06.000Stuart Winchester: When you, when you arrived.00:17:06.000 --> 00:17:10.000Stuart Winchester: How had the place changed? And I just want to tee this up. I, you know.00:17:10.000 --> 00:17:19.000Stuart Winchester: before you came on, I was talking about how I don't generally write operations stories, right? Because it… there's usually a good reason for why a trail is closed, a lift's not running.00:17:19.000 --> 00:17:26.000Stuart Winchester: Uh, but a few years ago, I started to get an outsized number of complaints about Camelback.00:17:26.000 --> 00:17:38.000Stuart Winchester: And so I started to write a story about it, and then when you came along, I shelved it, because honestly, everyone immediately was like, oh, this is so much better. So, you know, how had…00:17:38.000 --> 00:17:41.000Stuart Winchester: Camelback changed.00:17:41.000 --> 00:17:42.000Stuart Winchester: when you…00:17:42.000 --> 00:17:44.000Stuart Winchester: Came back to work there.00:17:44.000 --> 00:17:51.000Stuart Winchester: And what were the challenges facing the resort? What did you focus on immediately?00:17:50.000 --> 00:18:08.000Jason Bays: Yeah, I'll just back up to say, you know, just to contextualize, um, from when I was there as a teenager and, um, through college on the ski team, too, I would say that community was a really big word, um, that was used all the time. You, you felt like it was, it was the Camelback community, and there's a really big emphasis on the ski product.00:18:08.000 --> 00:18:28.000Jason Bays: Um, as a ski instructor, like, what we were putting out, how we were doing lessons, how many lessons we could do, and the experience that was surrounding that. And same thing on the water park side. And, you know, I think the, um, you know, some of the observations, um, coming back to Camelback was, um, I think there's a little bit of focus, um, focus direction for, for, like, to focus on the ski product.00:18:28.000 --> 00:18:44.000Jason Bays: and focusing on the water park product, and I sort of look at it as, like, a… as Disney World, right? Whereas we fill out… if we do the ski part well, we do the snow tubing part well, we do the water park well, that puts heads in beds, um, versus trying to put heads in beds.00:18:44.000 --> 00:19:01.000Jason Bays: And then have them do the activities. We're leading with an activity front and centered focus. And that means making the strategic investments in the ski product, in our recreational product, and making that the very best that it can be.00:19:01.000 --> 00:19:23.000Jason Bays: back in 2008 when I was here as a teenager, that was all there was. There was no hotel product, right? So the ski product got outsized attention just naturally because it was a 560-acre resort that identified as a ski area and a water park. And I think some of the context that was missing was that while there's been a great evolution of Camelback as a four-season resort.00:19:15.000 --> 00:19:16.000Stuart Winchester: Mmhm.00:19:23.000 --> 00:19:40.000Jason Bays: It's really important that, to me, that each of those business units gets the time and attention that they would deserve if they were stand-alone units, particularly because a cog… it's a cog in the wheel, and that wheel is… it's a flywheel. It needs to… it all needs to turn at once, and so we lead with.00:19:40.000 --> 00:19:43.000Jason Bays: the recreational offerings first.00:19:43.000 --> 00:19:48.000Stuart Winchester: You know, you mentioned the community, and I wasn't aware…00:19:48.000 --> 00:19:59.000Stuart Winchester: that there was such a strong community around Camelback, and I'm not surprised, because most ski areas have that group of folks who, you know, they're retirees, and they boot up at 8am, and they take runs together.00:19:59.000 --> 00:20:14.000Stuart Winchester: But they were really passionate, and the running theme, Jason, in the emails and messages that I got from Camelback locals was that they loved Camelback. It wasn't that they hated Camelback, they hated to complain about Camelback.00:20:14.000 --> 00:20:18.000Stuart Winchester: They wanted to love it, but they couldn't. There was there was.00:20:18.000 --> 00:20:34.000Stuart Winchester: a lot of things they cited, uh, not making snowmaking when it's cold, understaffed grooming, uh, missed lift inspections. I don't know if this is true. This is what people were… they were reaching, I think, for answers. Uh, put it all together, and there was… it was definitely…00:20:34.000 --> 00:20:47.000Stuart Winchester: seemed as though the ski product was not the focus. So when you came in, what did you focus on right away and say, okay, this is what we gotta change, you know, we have to cover every trail 100% right away, or whatever it was?00:20:47.000 --> 00:21:09.000Jason Bays: Yeah, I think that's, look, I would start, you hit the nail on the head that there's a very passionate skiing community here at Camelback and in the Poconos and it means a lot to people. This is second, third generations that are learning to ski here, bring their families here and be part of this. And to your point, everyone wants to be prideful of Camelback, right?00:21:09.000 --> 00:21:24.000Jason Bays: This was the, this was family run for a really long time and, you know, very focused on sort of the, you know, season pass holders renewing year after year.00:21:24.000 --> 00:21:40.000Jason Bays: You know, a couple of things. One is I think that how we authentically tell our story isn't done in a way that is, you know, is done in a way that's authentic. A, bringing back the Camelback Mountain Facebook page that communicated ski related content.00:21:38.000 --> 00:21:39.000Stuart Winchester: Yeah.00:21:40.000 --> 00:22:06.000Jason Bays: Right? I think that, you know, there's only so many things you can say about a hotel room and how exciting it is. Like, we really lead now first with authentically telling the story. Our snow report got a lot more detailed, gave granular information as to what was going on. So, you know, did we have a perfect winter last winter? By all means, no, but we communicated that authentically. And where we messed up, we took.00:22:06.000 --> 00:22:23.000Jason Bays: the blame for it, and said, hey, we didn't get this right, and where we were working to improve the experience, we communicated that… communicated that story. So, to me, it started from a communication standpoint, that we were authentic, that we were honest, that we were truthful, and that we were communicating on a medium that.00:22:23.000 --> 00:22:31.000Jason Bays: our guests would see, um, and relate to. So I think a big miss was, I think, admittedly, a big miss was removing the, um, Camelback Mountain.00:22:31.000 --> 00:22:53.000Jason Bays: social media pages, um, and bringing those back were really important so that, um, we could tell the story authentically. I think SKUs really appreciate, um, knowing what's going on, and to your point on, hey, there's sort of this rumor flying or that rumor flying, um, you know, we were able to, uh, sort of hone in and, and tell, tell that story. Secondarily, I think from an infrastructure standpoint.00:22:53.000 --> 00:23:09.000Jason Bays: um, we really needed to make sure that we had, um, the right team in place. And we have an amazingly talented team at Camelback, um, but we did not have key positions filled, um, in certain areas. Um, and so, we bolstered up the snowmaking. Snowmaking team went from.00:23:04.000 --> 00:23:05.000Stuart Winchester: Mmhm.00:23:06.000 --> 00:23:08.000Stuart Winchester: Like, what areas?00:23:09.000 --> 00:23:30.000Jason Bays: you know, 3 to 4 to 30, um, this past winter, um, that makes a big difference, right? Our trail rollout was, um, you know, first to open in the East, uh, for Pennsylvania, um, and, uh, um, and, and focus on the core products. Um, same thing with lift operations. We brought in a really experienced lift, uh, maintenance manager.00:23:12.000 --> 00:23:13.000Stuart Winchester: Hey!00:23:13.000 --> 00:23:14.000Stuart Winchester: Wow.00:23:14.000 --> 00:23:16.000Stuart Winchester: Yeah.00:23:20.000 --> 00:23:21.000Stuart Winchester: Yep.00:23:30.000 --> 00:23:46.000Jason Bays: Um, to our team that really helped, um, support our Lyft, um, uh, operation. Um, decisions on when Lyfts ran and what time they ran, uh, you know, our thought was, let's, um, be more… like, you have to run the Terrain Park Lyft every day.00:23:46.000 --> 00:23:47.000Stuart Winchester: Mmhm.00:23:46.000 --> 00:24:06.000Jason Bays: to me, that's a commitment. We make that every day. We say we're running the Glen Lift every day. It services great novice terrain. It services the train park. And so, looking at the operational plan and saying, okay, what are ways that we can give back, you know, and make deposits back to our skiers? And in turn.00:24:06.000 --> 00:24:24.000Jason Bays: that builds momentum, right? People talk, and, like, the ski community is so connected, right? It's like, if you do something, like, people find out about it, because they're really, you know, they hear about it. And so, for us, focus on the core business was, um, you know, from a ski standpoint, was really important, and the infrastructure.00:24:12.000 --> 00:24:13.000Stuart Winchester: Right.00:24:17.000 --> 00:24:19.000Stuart Winchester: Mmhm.00:24:24.000 --> 00:24:41.000Jason Bays: to be able to do it. And I would just, lastly, just say I go back to making sure that our team had the resources to do their job. We're supported, we're empowered, collaborative leadership, you know, we sat around the table and said, this is the operating plan, this is what we're going to do for our guests.00:24:41.000 --> 00:24:46.000Jason Bays: And then go out and execute it to the best we can.00:24:45.000 --> 00:25:03.000Stuart Winchester: You know, Jason, I, I, I think you could have run for governor with one of the first things that you did, which was get rid of paid parking. I, I, I don't think that I've ever, uh, heard people happier about anything. Now, now, and let me, let me qualify this, right? I think in, in some instances, paid parking and parking reservations.00:25:03.000 --> 00:25:05.000Stuart Winchester: make sense.00:25:05.000 --> 00:25:18.000Stuart Winchester: you know, super high volume days. Arapahoe Basin, I think, is a model in Colorado where they only charge for certain days and certain times, and they keep backing off which days as they learn when they really need it. Camelback was charging every day.00:25:18.000 --> 00:25:36.000Stuart Winchester: All day, you know, a Monday with, you know, 10 people on the mountain, they were charging for it. And, you know, acknowledging that sometimes it's appropriate, I think Camelback got pretty out of hand with it, and when I had Mr. Markowski on the podcast, great guy, we had a great conversation, but he was not backing off that. He said, nope, paid parking.00:25:36.000 --> 00:25:51.000Stuart Winchester: we're all in. You said no. So talk about that and how you sold. I'd imagine it was a revenue stream, right? And you had to sell management on that, and I don't know if I'm giving you credit for something someone else did, but talk to us about parking and the evolution there.00:25:51.000 --> 00:26:12.000Jason Bays: Yeah, that was a week one decision from the Camelback team when I got here made from our leadership team at Camelback that everyone was in alignment on our senior leadership team here at the property and myself to remove the paid parking. And I think definitely there's actually you have so many nice pictures behind you.00:26:12.000 --> 00:26:30.000Jason Bays: I have a picture of the old paid parking sign behind me there, if you can see it on the corner, and it actually serves to me as a reminder of the guest experience, because someone's put a sticker on that paid parking sign that you probably can't see there, but it says, Ski Camelback, we're not happy until you're not happy.00:26:15.000 --> 00:26:19.000Stuart Winchester: Yeah.00:26:30.000 --> 00:26:48.000Jason Bays: Um, and it's a reminder to, to me and our team, um, that we're here to have fun, and we're here for the guest experience, and we're here to live, live and breathe fun Camelback style. This is not a, um, you know, we want guests to look forward to, to being here. And I think, you know, yes, there was.00:26:37.000 --> 00:26:38.000Stuart Winchester: Mmhm.00:26:48.000 --> 00:27:05.000Jason Bays: So obviously we ran a financial model. We didn't just, you know, get rid of paid parking and not assume, you know, that there wasn't some revenue to be recaptured elsewhere with a strategy to do it. But I think more importantly, you know, think about it.00:27:05.000 --> 00:27:22.000Jason Bays: a non-busy day, it might even be raining, it's 40 degrees, the last thing you want is someone running around a parking lot telling you, like, hey, I need you to hand over $15, and by the way, then you're gonna schlep your stuff up two different levels of parking, um, you know, that might be even charged higher, and then get to.00:27:18.000 --> 00:27:19.000Stuart Winchester: Mmhm.00:27:22.000 --> 00:27:38.000Jason Bays: uh, the mountain and go to guest services. You know, I have a 3-year-old. If my wife and I went skiing, that would be an incredible amount of friction, um, just to get to, uh, the front of the mountain. And so I think putting ourselves in the guest lens of saying, is that really what we want the guests to experience?00:27:29.000 --> 00:27:30.000Stuart Winchester: Mmhm.00:27:38.000 --> 00:27:53.000Jason Bays: Um, it's not, and, and it was a burden to everyone at this, you know, you think I'm talking about, we talked to frontline associates too, like, the first thing that they had to tell people was that they had to pay for parking. You just imagine, sort of, the cascading effect that, that, that, uh, that that had, and we said, look, is there.00:27:53.000 --> 00:28:09.000Jason Bays: Um, is there a better way? Um, can we run shuttles to these lots and pick people up and bring them to the mountain and make them feel, um, you know, like our valued… like our valued guests? What does that arrival experience look like? Um, you know, that's really what we… what we looked at, and then said, okay.00:28:09.000 --> 00:28:25.000Jason Bays: can we… ultimately, will we drive more volume here? Will more people come because of a better guest experience? And I'll say that I would rather grow the sport, grow the industry. Our team would rather grow the sport and grow the industry than figuring out how to.00:28:25.000 --> 00:28:35.000Jason Bays: You know, sort of, you know, run a secondary ancillary business that's not to our core product and what we want our guests to experience here.00:28:34.000 --> 00:28:48.000Stuart Winchester: You know, it's a little counterintuitive, but sometimes, by removing a revenue stream, you get that less-is-more effect. Another example, your season pass, you know, according to my records.00:28:48.000 --> 00:29:04.000Stuart Winchester: Starting in 2020 to ‘21, the season pass was $599 at its early bird price, and it hovered between that and $649 for the next five years. This year, you put it on sale for $399. It's still at that price for unlimited Camelback.00:29:04.000 --> 00:29:20.000Stuart Winchester: That's a great bargain for, uh, for a season pass on the East Coast, and, you know, for the listeners, you are competing with the Epic Pass, which has Jack Frost, Big Boulder, right down the road, a couple exits down I-80, and their Northeast season pass is pretty affordable, and it's a pretty good deal.00:29:20.000 --> 00:29:33.000Stuart Winchester: So… so talk to us about that decision and… and… and how… how that $399 is worth it. You also wrote back, if you want to talk about, uh, the… the triple pack. I thought that was great, and I don't have the price right in front of me, but… but you've really done a lot to… to…00:29:33.000 --> 00:29:39.000Stuart Winchester: create more of a value experience for that loyal Camelback skier, from my point of view.00:29:39.000 --> 00:29:55.000Jason Bays: Yeah, thank you, and that's definitely the goal. Um, you know, I think our thought process here is let's get more people on Snow, um, and have them have a great experience while they're here. Um, I would love to tell you that there's some master business plan behind this.00:29:50.000 --> 00:29:52.000Stuart Winchester: Mmhm.00:29:55.000 --> 00:30:10.000Jason Bays: But, you know, truly, at the heart of what we do is, let's figure out how to get more people on snow, get them to a spot where they want to come back and learn and be part of it. And guess what I would just share to that is.00:30:10.000 --> 00:30:24.000Jason Bays: you know, we were charging a day ticket in 2025 of $169, um, at its highest point, right? And I would rather have a lifelong… I would rather have one per… I would much rather, I think from business proposition, we would rather have.00:30:16.000 --> 00:30:17.000Stuart Winchester: Mmhm.00:30:24.000 --> 00:30:39.000Jason Bays: one person definitely not come and spend $15 to $40 to park and $169 and say, I'm never coming back, versus $399, now they're like, wow, this place is awesome, I'm getting a great value, I bring my family.00:30:32.000 --> 00:30:33.000Stuart Winchester: Damn.00:30:39.000 --> 00:31:01.000Jason Bays: I want to come enjoy food and beverage. And hey, by the way, we also have this great snow tubing park and this great water park. And would you like to stay at our hotel when you come with your season pass and enjoy Aquatopia? And we're debuting The Curse of Camelback this fall, right? Which is the Halloween, if you haven't heard, it's a Halloween 13 scare zones. Take a chair, lift up to it.00:31:01.000 --> 00:31:03.000Stuart Winchester: Mmhm.00:31:01.000 --> 00:31:24.000Jason Bays: But I say all that to say we've got so many great cross marketing promotional opportunities at Camelback that that really becomes a super compelling business case for us. And I think it's the right thing to do for the sport is grow it, make it more accessible, allow more people to come here and see what we have to offer. I can't tell you how many people I meet, whether it's snow tubing, skiing.00:31:24.000 --> 00:31:41.000Jason Bays: water park, the hotel, whatever they're here for, CBKMA or Adventure Park, they have no idea that the other part exists to, um, the resort. And I'll share that that's been the case even in, like, when I was, uh, at Jay Peak running the water park.00:31:32.000 --> 00:31:34.000Stuart Winchester: Hmm. Okay.00:31:41.000 --> 00:31:43.000Jason Bays: People would come there, and they'd be like.00:31:43.000 --> 00:32:02.000Jason Bays: what is this mountain that is here? And it's Jay Peak, like, one of the most hardcore ski resorts in the world. And there were people that were coming there and were like, I had no idea there was a ski resort here. So, if it's true at Jay Peak, it certainly is true at Camelback, where.00:31:48.000 --> 00:31:49.000Stuart Winchester: Right.00:31:49.000 --> 00:31:52.000Stuart Winchester: Yeah.00:31:52.000 --> 00:31:53.000Stuart Winchester: Yeah, thank you.00:31:59.000 --> 00:32:00.000Stuart Winchester: Mm-hmm.00:32:01.000 --> 00:32:02.000Stuart Winchester: Yeah, okay.00:32:02.000 --> 00:32:19.000Jason Bays: we have all these different offerings that people don't know about, maybe necessarily about all of them, so our fundamental business philosophy is make it accessible, make them lifelong, um, skiers and riders, and introduce them to everything that we have to offer here in the Poconos. And I would just argue, when I say Poconos.00:32:19.000 --> 00:32:41.000Jason Bays: Like go, like experience Shawnee and experience Jack Frost Big Boulder and experience, you know, the other great ski areas in this region and Mountain Creek and wherever else and get a flavor for it. I think that's, we could use more skiers in the industry and to grow the sport. So for us, that's sort of the long-term business model that we're using.00:32:22.000 --> 00:32:23.000Stuart Winchester: Mmhm.00:32:41.000 --> 00:32:58.000Stuart Winchester: So, I just looked at the triple ticket, and it looks like $149, and I think that's no blackouts. $199 includes rentals. That's pretty amazing. So, talk about that product, and then you mentioned the $169 peak day ticket. Have you settled on prices yet for 2020?00:32:58.000 --> 00:33:03.000Stuart Winchester: 6, 27. I should have checked your site in advance, but I didn't. So I don't know if you've.00:33:03.000 --> 00:33:21.000Jason Bays: Yeah, we have not, uh, posted, uh, day ticket prices for this year. Last year, um, we didn't exceed around $110, um, on a day ticket. Uh, so we kept it, I think, pretty reasonable for, for, for a, for a Pocono offering. Um, triple tickets, massive, um, success, uh, for us.00:33:10.000 --> 00:33:12.000Stuart Winchester: Oh, okay.00:33:14.000 --> 00:33:15.000Stuart Winchester: Yeah, yeah.00:33:21.000 --> 00:33:37.000Jason Bays: Um, and when we talk about, like, again, getting more people introduced to the sport, you don't necessarily pick up skiing on the first time. Um, you think about that rental product, which we, um, tremendously… whatever we had on the pro forma for that was, uh, blown by by, like.00:33:28.000 --> 00:33:30.000Stuart Winchester: Mmhm.00:33:37.000 --> 00:33:53.000Jason Bays: 400% on the triple ticket with rentals. And what I really believe in is that, you know, you become a lifelong skier by getting repetition, not by going once a year. It's really hard to sustain as a skier going once a year.00:33:50.000 --> 00:33:52.000Stuart Winchester: Yeah. Okay.00:33:53.000 --> 00:34:11.000Jason Bays: and saying, oh yeah, that was our trip. We're really trying to create a guest for life and get them to return visit. That's in many ways more important to us than, again, trying to get, like, the highest yield on that one day that they picked. Like, come back and visit our resort and, um, you know, again, the business side to this is.00:34:11.000 --> 00:34:28.000Jason Bays: we're cross-marketing across all of our other offerings here that we have on this campus to say, come and visit us again. And again, to us, that's more important than, you know, the highest yield that we can get to. So the triple ticket's really successful. And I think one last thing I would share.00:34:28.000 --> 00:34:46.000Jason Bays: a lot of season passes in the market right now, um, the triple ticket's a great opportunity for people to get a couple of days at Camelback, even if they've committed somewhere else, and particularly, you know, our long season, um, there's plenty of time to use it, um, as well, uh, from the, uh, long season that we established from last year.00:34:46.000 --> 00:34:50.000Stuart Winchester: Jason, I think that's a really smart way to look at it as…00:34:50.000 --> 00:34:57.000Stuart Winchester: a… creating a habit rather than pulling as much yield as possible. And a lot of the larger operators.00:34:57.000 --> 00:35:11.000Stuart Winchester: get frustrated with me and the rest of the ski media because they don't understand why we focus on that peak price, right? Because the peak lift ticket this year at Beaver Creek is $392, set to be. Probably almost no one will pay that price, but…00:35:11.000 --> 00:35:28.000Stuart Winchester: What it does is it acts as a, a billboard for the rest of the ski industry and especially so, so Camelback for, for people who don't know when you're driving on I 80 I mean, you see it, it looms right over the highway. It is one of the major interstates in America, especially at night. The thing is lit up.00:35:28.000 --> 00:35:46.000Stuart Winchester: And so, chances are, if people think about skiing, and they think about where to go, they're gonna think about the most obvious one, and that's Camelback, and that's why, for many years, it was that, or Seven Springs was the busiest ski area in Pennsylvania, traditionally. So I think that's a really smart way to look at it, because if people show up that one time, and.00:35:46.000 --> 00:35:59.000Stuart Winchester: cost them, you know, $500 for 2 people, they're just not gonna come back, and they're not gonna try Shawnee, or… or Blue Mountain, or Jack Frost, or Elk Mountain, or Montage. So, um, I wanna talk about… Jason, I wanna talk about Lyft.00:35:59.000 --> 00:36:16.000Stuart Winchester: And… can you see this trail map? This is an old trail map. I mentioned that I know this, so for those watching on StormSkiing.com or YouTube, you can see this. So there's been a ton of changes, and I want to break all these down with you. The first I want to talk about is, over the past couple years.00:36:16.000 --> 00:36:32.000Stuart Winchester: Mark Antony and Cleopatra, these two lifts right here, an old triple and an old double, have been removed. Can you talk about why you took those lifts out of service, and if you plan to replace them with anything, or what you planned, or what the rationale was behind it?00:36:32.000 --> 00:36:49.000Jason Bays: Yeah, I appreciate that. Uh, that does predate my time here, that they had reached the end of their, um, uh, ability to operate. Um, and so they have, um, both been, um, sort of partially disassembled. Um, there is unfortunately not.00:36:35.000 --> 00:36:37.000Stuart Winchester: Mmhm.00:36:39.000 --> 00:36:41.000Stuart Winchester: Mmhm.00:36:46.000 --> 00:36:47.000Stuart Winchester: Okay.00:36:49.000 --> 00:37:05.000Jason Bays: I, by the way, two of my favorite lifts when I was a ski instructor, because you could get right up and not wait in long lines on the weekends, so absolutely realizing and recognizing the capacity that they brought, but no opportunity for us to.00:37:01.000 --> 00:37:02.000Stuart Winchester: Mmhm.00:37:05.000 --> 00:37:23.000Jason Bays: um, reinstate those lifts as presently, um, as presently, uh, uh, sort of, um, situated, um, and, and not, not, not able to, uh, um, not able to, uh, rerun them. It will require a, um, new, uh, chairlift to, um, to ultimately replace.00:37:23.000 --> 00:37:37.000Jason Bays: those two lifts. It saddens me to share that, but that is, in fact, what has happened there, and I've been very open with our season pass holders about that messaging and the why behind it.00:37:38.000 --> 00:37:41.000Stuart Winchester: So, so in fantasy ski resort world, Jason.00:37:41.000 --> 00:37:46.000Stuart Winchester: Would you put a new lift here, and what would you put, if you could?00:37:45.000 --> 00:38:04.000Jason Bays: Yeah, absolutely. Um, same thing. We've, uh, we've made clear, uh, with no time, no official time frame to share, um, but certainly, uh, we've, we've, um, had, uh, preliminary conversations, um, about a fixed grip, um, quad that would, uh, would be able to take the place of both of those lifts, uh, and create that.00:38:03.000 --> 00:38:04.000Stuart Winchester: Mmhm.00:38:04.000 --> 00:38:10.000Jason Bays: original redundancy that those two lifts brought to the resort when they were in operation.00:38:10.000 --> 00:38:27.000Stuart Winchester: Yeah, that would be really nice. So, so, so these are gone and I, I have a, a current trail map now. So, um, and, and it's not completely current. We'll discuss the new trails in a moment, but this is the most current posted on your website. So, uh, we go over, these are the lifts that remain and see, uh, yeah, I, I miscounted in my intro, so sorry about that.00:38:27.000 --> 00:38:42.000Stuart Winchester: So this one is Stevenson, and Stevenson was, uh, it's a high-speed quad, uh, for the listeners, and it… it was a real junker. It was always stop, stop, stop, and, you know, it was… it was really… seemed to be falling apart and have a lot of issues. Now, uh, in 2020…00:38:42.000 --> 00:38:51.000Stuart Winchester: 5, this year, or 2024, I believe, Camelback, uh, McCarthy, the GM at the time, sent out a letter saying it was due for a…00:38:51.000 --> 00:38:53.000Stuart Winchester: Waltz.00:38:53.000 --> 00:39:02.000Stuart Winchester: Uh, let me see what he said… like, a complete modernization of Stevenson. So, so did that happen? And talk to us about Stevenson, and what kind of shape it's in right now.00:39:01.000 --> 00:39:20.000Jason Bays: Yeah, great, um, yes, that was a, uh, look, an amazing, um, project that was completed by, uh, by Dave and team, um, to modernize that lift. Um, it has, essentially, Doppelmayr came in and put in an entire new, uh, minus the, uh, minus the, uh, uh, the terminals and the.00:39:08.000 --> 00:39:09.000Stuart Winchester: Mmhm.00:39:20.000 --> 00:39:35.000Jason Bays: Um, uh, and the structure itself, um, essentially all new components, all new electrical, um, uh, wiring components to it, a lot of the things that had plagued it. Um, and last year, uh, it operated 138 days.00:39:34.000 --> 00:39:36.000Stuart Winchester: Unbelievable.00:39:35.000 --> 00:39:53.000Jason Bays: Uh, which for Pennsylvania, uh, that's pretty darn good. I think we recognize it's a workhorse, um, it's key to accessing some really, um, fantastic terrain for us, um, and that modernization project with Doppel… in, um, partnership with Doppelmeyer that was done in the summer and fall of 2025.00:39:53.000 --> 00:39:54.000Stuart Winchester: Mmhm.00:39:53.000 --> 00:40:08.000Jason Bays: um, was, uh, very, uh, so it's all immediate impact, um, with, uh, Stevenson Reliability this past year, and we expect that to, uh, you know, knock on wood, to, uh, to continue going forward. We essentially, again, have a brand new lift, minus the, uh.00:40:08.000 --> 00:40:10.000Jason Bays: Uh, minus the physical pieces.00:40:10.000 --> 00:40:26.000Stuart Winchester: That's a really smart way to do it because they are tremendously expensive, these new lifts. And for folks who are watching or listening, this Stevenson is really important because you walk out of this giant hotel that's right here, that's not on the trail map with 400 and some rooms, and that is how you get up the mountain. Otherwise you got to.00:40:26.000 --> 00:40:41.000Stuart Winchester: pull your way over, so when that lift is not running or has problems, it's a real big issue. So, the alternative was, over here, Black Bear 6, uh, you replaced an old high-speed quad that was there, and… and I love this Black Bear 6 lift. It is…00:40:41.000 --> 00:41:01.000Stuart Winchester: Freakin' Ferrari, man. I think the price they gave me was something like $12 million that they spent, or maybe it was $10 to put that in. So that's the alternative, right? If you don't just modernize that current lift, you replace it. So, uh, Black Bear is awesome. I love it. It has bubbles. Is it too much? I mean, I know that KSL Now Peregrine had reasons for.00:41:01.000 --> 00:41:16.000Stuart Winchester: for putting it in, but what have you learned from a couple of years of having BlackBerry around, which is, again, probably the nicest lift in the state of Pennsylvania and one of the nicest in the Northeast, but maybe a little heavier than what you need for CamelBak, but I don't know, you tell me.00:41:17.000 --> 00:41:41.000Jason Bays: Yeah, you know, you know what I would share to that, um, you know, we, we brought it back for scenic chairlift rides this summer, and I mean, it's a massive hit. The summer, summer guests love, uh, the bubbles, they put them down when it's sunny, they put them down, um, probably gets more use in the summer as a bubble lift than the winter, uh, but look, it's, it's nice to, uh, have on the days where, you know, there's some liquid precipitation out here. It certainly happens in the Poconos.00:41:22.000 --> 00:41:24.000Stuart Winchester: Hmm.00:41:34.000 --> 00:41:35.000Stuart Winchester: Okay.00:41:41.000 --> 00:41:58.000Jason Bays: um, and, uh, and, and or, um, uh, you know, other, other weather events, it's, it's, it's a nice to have, um, and it certainly, it gets you up in, you know, a little bit over two minutes. Um, it's a smooth ride, it's a great ride. Um, you are not going to get any complaints from me that we have a, um.00:41:47.000 --> 00:41:48.000Stuart Winchester: Mmhm.00:41:51.000 --> 00:41:52.000Stuart Winchester: Mm-hmm.00:41:58.000 --> 00:42:11.000Jason Bays: bubble, D-line, six-pack, um, in place, uh, and able to operate as our main workhorse lift. Um, and, uh, I think the six-pack versus the quad was absolutely the right, uh, call. Um…00:42:11.000 --> 00:42:27.000Jason Bays: from my experience being here before with the Sullivan Express, um, with the four-seater, the six-seater, just the… the added, uh, ability, uh, there is, uh, is… is well worth it. So, uh, we're happy to have that… happy to have that lift. I… I wouldn't, uh… I wouldn't…00:42:27.000 --> 00:42:31.000Jason Bays: We won't be trading it in at this point. Let's put it that way.00:42:30.000 --> 00:42:38.000Stuart Winchester: It is a gorgeous machine, and I have to tell you, I'm that weird person who, if there's a line on one lift.00:42:38.000 --> 00:42:56.000Stuart Winchester: And no line on the lift next to it. Even if it's a slower lift, I'll take the slower lift, because I just would rather not deal with the hassle of the line. So right here, for those who are watching, is the Bailey Double, and this is an old chair lift. It's an old slow double, it runs almost exactly parallel to Black Bear 6, doesn't land quite as high.00:42:56.000 --> 00:43:16.000Stuart Winchester: on the mountain, but functionally, it does about the same thing for you. So I like Bailey, and I was glad to see that not only did you keep it, and it does run, and that was true even under the previous regime, but you got a new gearbox for it, which is a really big deal for a lift like this in several decades. Also, talk about the work you've done on Bailey, and how you hope to use that lift.00:43:16.000 --> 00:43:18.000Stuart Winchester: this year to complement Black Bear.00:43:18.000 --> 00:43:21.000Jason Bays: Yeah, so, um, Bailey Lift…00:43:21.000 --> 00:43:32.000Jason Bays: full disclosure, Bailey Lift, Meadows Lift, Raceway Lift, and our season pass holders are very aware of this. Um, unfortunately, uh, we're not, um…00:43:32.000 --> 00:43:41.000Jason Bays: ready for day one of last year, um, or even close. And so, uh, we had to do a lot of, um…00:43:34.000 --> 00:43:35.000Stuart Winchester: Mmhm.00:43:41.000 --> 00:43:57.000Jason Bays: normal PM maintenance, um, throughout the, um, end of fall and into winter to have all of them operational. Um, what I share to that is, um, we will run, just level set here really quickly, we will run all the lifts that we have on this trail map.00:43:42.000 --> 00:43:44.000Stuart Winchester: Okay.00:43:57.000 --> 00:44:02.000Jason Bays: Um, and take care of them, maintain them, operate them.00:44:02.000 --> 00:44:18.000Jason Bays: Staff them, everything that you would do to run the extra capacity, we certainly need it. We'd like more capacity, actually. So that being said, Bailey Lift is critical. We got it back online.00:44:08.000 --> 00:44:10.000Stuart Winchester: Yeah. Okay.00:44:18.000 --> 00:44:34.000Jason Bays: End of January, it ran for 2 or 3 weekends, and we had a failed gearbox, um, on it, which is really unfortunate. Um, this off-season, uh, we've replaced the gearbox, we've done a full PM over the course of the summer on it, which is…00:44:34.000 --> 00:44:50.000Jason Bays: the, as you, as everyone knows, the ideal time, uh, to be, um, conducting such work, um, so that it is ready on, uh, day one. Um, it is a critical backup lift. We will run it every weekend.00:44:50.000 --> 00:45:07.000Jason Bays: Um, that we're, you know, in season, I would say in the heart of season, we're gonna run it. Won't be shy to not run it. Um, same thing with the Meadows, same thing with the Glen, same thing with the Raceway, which, um, you know, I know that that was, um, certainly chief among the complaints of.00:45:07.000 --> 00:45:22.000Jason Bays: locals and guests who were visiting from out of town alike was Lyft availability, Lyft reliability. That was something that we focused as fast as we could on last year, but we're setting ourselves up this year to be.00:45:22.000 --> 00:45:39.000Jason Bays: um, very proactive to that, and recognizing the importance of, of each of, uh, uh, you know, each of these. And look, every once in a while, uh, if the, you always want to have, like, Bailey is critical because it's the only other, if there's Black Bear, without Black Bear, it's the only other thing left, right?00:45:36.000 --> 00:45:38.000Stuart Winchester: Yeah.00:45:39.000 --> 00:45:55.000Jason Bays: Um, and so, uh, you know, I think the, you know, back in the, when I was here, like, every Lyft ran on the weekends. It was Camelback. Um, it was busy, right? Like, everything was going. That's, that's essentially our, our, our philosophy, um, will continue to be our philosophy going forward.00:45:46.000 --> 00:45:48.000Stuart Winchester: Mmhm.00:45:55.000 --> 00:46:11.000Stuart Winchester: Yeah, Jason, I'll admit, I didn't come to Camelback last season, so I wasn't able to experience it firsthand. I really wanted to come to your May thing, which I'll talk about, I'll get to in a minute, but I had a shoulder surgery, so I wasn't able to do that. But I wasn't only basing my perceptions of C.00:46:11.000 --> 00:46:19.000Stuart Winchester: on locals' reactions. I had skied there myself in recent years, and the lift line management, I have to say.00:46:19.000 --> 00:46:21.000Stuart Winchester: It was…00:46:21.000 --> 00:46:33.000Stuart Winchester: really frustrating from a skier point of view, when you're waiting for the Stevenson lift, and there's a big line, and every chair is going up with one or two people, and this is not peak COVID or anything else, this is several years later.00:46:33.000 --> 00:46:50.000Stuart Winchester: So, you know, and I had a lot of locals tell me, oh, we walk up Sun Bowl because the lift line is just too chaotic. People come from both sides. No, no, again, that was all before. What's your philosophy of lift line management? How have you tried to tame that? And there's always, it's always going to be a little wild and hard in Pennsylvan.00:46:50.000 --> 00:46:56.000Stuart Winchester: Uh, but they could definitely have been managed better. Is that something that was important to you, that you focused on?00:46:56.000 --> 00:47:15.000Jason Bays: Yeah, we focused on that. We have a new lift operations manager that was hired in November of 2025, who took the bull by the horns. We developed a supervisor team in fairly short order to that as well, to build out a well-rounded team. And then I would just share that our lift attendants.00:47:15.000 --> 00:47:32.000Jason Bays: All hired locally within the community. And I think that we were fully staffed in LiftOps this year, which was a big, very big win. It starts there, right? A, the people, and then B, the right people.00:47:22.000 --> 00:47:23.000Stuart Winchester: Mmhm.00:47:32.000 --> 00:47:49.000Jason Bays: um, on the, uh, on the bus, um, as a catalyst to drive, uh, lift operations forward. Um, and then absolutely, uh, we focused on, uh, line management, queuing, um, we set new, in some cases, new queues. We had, um, uh, supervisors, in many cases, out.00:47:49.000 --> 00:48:04.000Jason Bays: um, putting up chairs, um, and, um, and managing the lift line. We added, once we got that right, and we felt like we were in a good spot, and we, you know, look, I think, admittedly, a couple technology hiccups here and there, it was not a perfect, uh.00:48:04.000 --> 00:48:17.000Jason Bays: we didn't, like, on opening day, it wasn't perfect, but, uh, we improved, it was a big focus for our team, and I think when we talk about fundamental ski operation, um, if we just were a ski area, we would absolutely be focusing on.00:48:06.000 --> 00:48:08.000Stuart Winchester: Yeah.00:48:17.000 --> 00:48:36.000Jason Bays: lift queuing, but we have to do that, like, we have to execute that every day because we are a ski area, um, and that's core to our business, and so that's important. Um, then we added, once we got queuing, uh, uh, correct, we added surprise and delights. Lift, uh, chocolate chip cookies were massively popular.00:48:36.000 --> 00:49:04.000Jason Bays: We handed out over 15,000 chocolate chip cookies this winter at the Stevenson lift line. And so, you know, then it becomes fun, right? Then it's the hospitality side of the business of how do we engage with our guests now that we have full chairs going up for the most part off of the Stevenson and the Black Bear and the Sun Bowl. So we hired extra associates to do that, to surprise and delight, to help our guests.00:48:40.000 --> 00:48:42.000Stuart Winchester: Cool.00:49:04.000 --> 00:49:20.000Jason Bays: The one other thing I would just share is Sunbowl is a great example. How many people get down to the Sunbowl and have never ridden a lift before? And so you need that extra human touch to be able to help. It's not even just putting people in groups of four. It's just helping them with like, here's where you go to load the lift. Here's what you do.00:49:12.000 --> 00:49:14.000Stuart Winchester: Yeah.00:49:20.000 --> 00:49:21.000Stuart Winchester: Yep.00:49:20.000 --> 00:49:33.000Jason Bays: Um, I think that that investment in our people to provide that service to our guests is very well worth it, and it's the difference between someone having a bad experience getting on a lift and never coming back.00:49:33.000 --> 00:49:43.000Jason Bays: or having a great experience, feeling well cared for, and wanting to try again. Um, and so that, that, that was, um, you know, I think that's a core, um, focus for us.00:49:43.000 --> 00:50:02.000Stuart Winchester: So, one of the ways that I can tell the resort is being run by a skier, in addition to all the things you just said, and your passion for the minutiae of things like lift lines, which I share, is that you're cutting 3 new trails in a resort that's 60 years old, and I love that. So, talk us through these trails, Jason. I'll do my best to trace them.00:50:02.000 --> 00:50:08.000Stuart Winchester: on the trail map. I don't have the updated trail map, I don't know if you've created it yet, but talk us through these three trails.00:50:08.000 --> 00:50:25.000Jason Bays: Yeah, so we're really excited. Look, this, you know, came after, you know, the so many guests, new guests that visited us at Camelback this past season. We said, you know what, let's do something fun and exciting. And like, you know, you think about how.00:50:25.000 --> 00:50:43.000Jason Bays: Um, yeah, I just, you know, if someone said, anyone puts in a new trail, uh, the skier in me wants to drive to that resort, no matter how big or small, and be like, alright, like, let's do it. Um, and our team feels, uh, you know, much of the same way. So, um, that being said, uh, we had a lot of natural snowfall this year, so…00:50:32.000 --> 00:50:33.000Stuart Winchester: Yeah.00:50:33.000 --> 00:50:36.000Stuart Winchester: Yeah.00:50:36.000 --> 00:50:37.000Stuart Winchester: Yeah, sure. Yeah.00:50:43.000 --> 00:50:59.000Jason Bays: I was acutely paying attention to where people were skiing when we had natural snowfall, where they wanted to go, and then, you know, maybe following those lines, too, and seeing what the fun was about. So, my point to all of that is, we said, let's create some, and I think for Camelback, too.00:50:46.000 --> 00:50:48.000Stuart Winchester: Mm-hmm.00:50:59.000 --> 00:51:15.000Jason Bays: it's very, um, you know, we wanted to create something that was sort of unique. I didn't want to just put in, like, regular trails that, A, we don't have a lot of space for regular trails, and B, um, we really wanted to create sort of unique experience. So, right underneath Black Bear, um, in between Sullivan and John Bailey there.00:51:07.000 --> 00:51:09.000Stuart Winchester: Mmhm.00:51:15.000 --> 00:51:30.000Jason Bays: um, there's a, um, there's a chute, um, where the old Alpine Slide used to go. Basculus goes back into Rocket, uh, but underneath there is some really fun rolling terrain. Like, it's, it's because the mountain, the, uh, Alpine Slide.00:51:26.000 --> 00:51:28.000Stuart Winchester: Yeah, thank you.00:51:30.000 --> 00:51:54.000Jason Bays: back in the day did had several dips and curves and so we're going to lean into those dips and curves and create something sort of fun that you can get some you know launch some airtime off of if you want or carve a turn over it but it'll have some some really nice terrain variation in a way that most trails at Camelback don't have and they're coming off of an expert trail there so.00:51:54.000 --> 00:52:06.000Jason Bays: um, gives, uh, you know, anyone skiing Asp, Hump, Rocket, um, or Basilisk would be able to reach that trail, um, and, uh, and be able to, uh, just have a little bit more excitement on the way back down.00:52:06.000 --> 00:52:08.000Jason Bays: Um…00:52:08.000 --> 00:52:20.000Jason Bays: Upper Cleopatra there, if you go to the, uh, where the U is, uh, or where Upper is, we're gonna cut a trail through the woods there that's going to end up on the bottom of Big Pocono.00:52:19.000 --> 00:52:21.000Stuart Winchester: Okay.00:52:20.000 --> 00:52:31.000Jason Bays: Um, so it's gonna go down and across. So, um, that… um, and I see where your cursor is. If you go to the… where it says Upper on Upper Cleopatra.00:52:26.000 --> 00:52:29.000Stuart Winchester: So, like, here? Or…00:52:30.000 --> 00:52:32.000Stuart Winchester: Oh, upper…00:52:32.000 --> 00:52:54.000Jason Bays: So, Big Pocono, that's Uncle B. Yeah, right there. Yep, we're going through there. Yeah, so that's gonna be, that's a narrow blue square. So, you know, I think one of the things that's fun for us is we're gonna create a blue square there. That used to be a trail back in the 60s and 70s, fun fact, when Walter Foger was designing Camelback.00:52:34.000 --> 00:52:37.000Stuart Winchester: Upper… oh, this one. Okay, so you're cutting through here?00:52:37.000 --> 00:52:39.000Stuart Winchester: Oh, cool. Okay.00:52:49.000 --> 00:52:51.000Stuart Winchester: Oh, cool.00:52:54.000 --> 00:53:09.000Jason Bays: Um, that being said, um, the… actually, it got filled in with pine trees, so it's gonna be really cool, because there's pine trees on both sides. Um, we made it narrow, so we kept the pine trees, um, and so that's gonna be a really fun, um, sort of narrow… I think about, like, the, um.00:52:58.000 --> 00:52:59.000Stuart Winchester: Mmhm.00:53:01.000 --> 00:53:03.000Stuart Winchester: That's cool. It's pretty.00:53:09.000 --> 00:53:26.000Jason Bays: the ending of Jay Peak with some of the blues at the very bottom there by Interstate. We're trying to sort of have that, obviously in a much smaller zone, have that same effect, though, where you're feeling like you're really in the trees, and you've got some nice twists and turns to it. It's not terribly steep.00:53:12.000 --> 00:53:13.000Stuart Winchester: Yeah, okay.00:53:26.000 --> 00:53:44.000Jason Bays: Um, two things on that trail. One is, it takes traffic off of Honeymoon Lane, which is a main boulevard, it pushes it onto the Sphinx, which has much more trail capacity, which is great, um, comfortable carrying capacity, and secondarily, um, on weekends, we're gonna have a hot chocolate, um, hut that people can ski up to.00:53:31.000 --> 00:53:32.000Stuart Winchester: Mmhm.00:53:44.000 --> 00:53:52.000Jason Bays: Um, and get shots of hot chocolate, um, as well, so we're excited to, um, uh, to offer that to our guests. We think that'll be really fun.00:53:46.000 --> 00:53:47.000Stuart Winchester: That's cool.00:53:51.000 --> 00:53:53.000Stuart Winchester: That was awesome.00:53:53.000 --> 00:54:17.000Jason Bays: And then the Stevenson, it's going to drop on the cliffhanger side and drop down that lift line and go right down into the Faroe there and follow that lift line. Vermont skiing in a very short array but very much Vermont skiing, that's an intimidating drop. Stevenson for those that may not be familiar has a extremely.00:53:53.000 --> 00:53:55.000Stuart Winchester: And it.00:53:58.000 --> 00:53:59.000Stuart Winchester: Okay.00:54:08.000 --> 00:54:09.000Stuart Winchester: Yeah, I think so.00:54:17.000 --> 00:54:34.000Jason Bays: extremely tight, um, and high, uh, crest of the lift, because the mountain crests, um, really steeply. Well, we're gonna ski that, um, and, uh, and make snow on it, and, uh, and, and, uh, and allow our guests to, uh, um, and allow skiers to, uh, to, to, to test, um, you know, a more narrow.00:54:34.000 --> 00:54:44.000Jason Bays: um, uh, trail up there that has a really great expansive view ov
Episode Overview & Updates Larry's friends Greg Simons, Brian Feenhold, and Rick Lambert are currently attending the Lander's One-Shot Antelope Hunt. Fellow hunter John Landgrath is out in the field hunting reindeer and European buffalo, also known as wisent. Larry is gearing up for an October 1st black bear bow hunt at the Choctaw Hunting Lodge. He is practicing with a 10-point crossbow and sever broadheads. His goal is to harvest a large bear for a full-body mount for the lodge. Larry shares a health update, noting he recovered from pericarditis last year. This required the removal of a liter of fluid from his heart sac. A new book collaboration is currently underway with Jim Zumbo, Rick Lambert, and Luke Clayton. Hunters should start rattling as soon as the first serious scrapes appear in the woods. Early rattling in October can successfully draw in bucks, even in regions where the peak breeding season isn't until December. Begin by gently rubbing antlers against trees or bushes to simulate a buck making a scrape. After this initial sequence, hunters should rattle periodically every hour. Hunters must remember that older, mature bucks are highly cautious. These big bucks will consistently approach from downwind. Wraith by Burnham Brothers: Larry highly recommends this spray formula. It is designed to eliminate human odor and mask your thermal imaging in the field. Stealth Vision Red Dot: This 3 MOA dot sight mounts easily on a Picatinny rail. Larry uses it on his Taurus handguns and achieves incredibly tight, one-and-a-half-inch groups at 100 yards. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Send us Fan MailMature bucks do not care about your schedule, but they absolutely respond to comfort, calories, and consistency. We sit down with Scott Robnett, the original Nut Grub and Legacy Feeders, to talk about what changes deer movement before the first cold front and what keeps a herd healthier when the woods run out of groceries. Along the way, we swap real hunting-season stories, from brutal early heat to the small decisions that create big daylight opportunities.We get into the HerdMax Plus line and why the “tick problem” is not just gross, it is a herd health issue. Scott explains how stress from ticks and biting insects can shorten feeding time, push deer to constant scratching, and potentially raise disease risk. We also talk through the nutrition side: performance-level minerals and vitamins, rumen support, and why the off-season feeding window from late fall into spring can be the best time to make measurable gains in body condition, recovery after the rut, and overall consistency on camera.Then we go practical with what hunters actually need: powder vs pellets vs blocks, how peanut flavoring changes preference, and why some bucks will touch Nutgrub when they ignore corn. We also break down Legacy Feeders, including timed feeding, solar power, bear-proof features, anchoring systems, and why building one feeder that can handle multiple feed types can save money and headaches long term.If you like deer management, whitetail nutrition, tick control strategies, and gear that is built to last, you will get a lot out of this one. Subscribe, share it with a hunting buddy, and leave us a review so more people can find the show.GUEST WEBSITE: https://nutgrub.comOUR WEBSITE/OTC MERCH: https://offtheclockwithbscott.comHAVOC GEAR SHOP: https://havocnation.comHAVOC BOATS WEBSITE: https://havocboats.comHAVOC DEALERS: https://havocboats.com/dealers/WREAKIN' HAVOC CREW WEBSITE: https://wreakinhavoccrew.comSOCIAL LINKSTruth Social: https://truthsocial.com/@OffTheClockwithBScottFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Off-The-Clock-With-B-Scott/61557737220814/Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/OTCwithBScottInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/offtheclockwithbscott/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwu6_wWcXDoBzhpHv4YgZGQRumble: https://rumble.com/c/c-5644782Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2g76hRDp9d609LETevSH2U?si=0ba23ae282c94e88&nd=1&dlsi=d9f84d7699b84724Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/off-the-clock-with-b-scott/id1734265760Support the show
In today's video, we sit down with @WhitetailMission to discuss early season hunting in the Midwest. We discuss the lessons they have learned the last 5 seasons hunting Ag country (corn & beans) in Kansas. We talk thought the difficulties of hunting bed to food patterns early season, identifying early season bedding habitat, hunting inside corners, establishing solid access, and hunting aggressive. If you're interested in becoming more effective the first two weeks of season, this is the podcast for you. Please leave us a rating and review if you enjoyed the episode. -- Get Tactacam Cameras for 15% off use code HA152026 - https://www.tactacam.com/- Get 20% Off Pnuma Outdoors Gear here: https://pnumaoutdoors.com/?rfsn=8534842.ba528a- Use code HNTA15 for 15% off Out On A Limb MFG products! https://outonalimbmfg.com/ - Use code HA10 for 10% VPA Broadheads: vparchery.com - Check out Alberta Professional Outfitters Society for Hunting Alberta: https://www.apos.ab.ca/ -Follow our socials: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@huntersadvantage Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hunters_advantage Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Thehuntersadvantage Gmail: thehuntersadvantage@gmail.com
Matt Stoll is eaten up with chasing big whitetail bucks with his bow. His passion for whitetail deer ultimately led him to start creating some insane whitetail art. The self-taught welder and I sat down at the recent Texas Trophy Hunters Extravaganza in Fort Worth to talk big bucks and his awesome steel whitetail european [...]
This week the Jordan Buck was officially supplanted from atop the Boone and Crockett record books. The Aiuppa Buck, a 207 ⅞-inch Illinois typical whitetail with foot-long eye guards, takes its place by 1 6/8 inch. But it didn't dethrone the Jordan Buck overnight. In fact, it might have gone unnoticed if it weren't for an electrician who spotted the buck passing slowly into obscurity 32 years after Sam Aiuppa killed it. After a day of pheasant...
Send us Fan MailPlanning a hunt in northeast Montana this fall? Before you decide where to spend your valuable hunting days, hear directly from the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks wildlife manager responsible for Region 6.In the first episode of our annual Montana Outdoor Podcast's Montana Hunting Preview Series, Downrigger Dale sits down with Region 6 Wildlife Manager Scott Thompson to discuss what hunters can expect for the 2026 season.Topics include:• Mule deer numbers continue improving after several difficult years.• Whitetail deer remain below average following EHD outbreaks.• Pronghorn populations are well above average in many districts.• Elk numbers are mixed, with the Bear Paw Mountains remaining one of the brighter spots.• Upland bird hunting looks fair to good, with encouraging signs for pheasants and Hungarian partridge.• Waterfowl success will depend heavily on migration timing and weather.Best of all Scott gives some great recommendations of where you can find all those critters we just listed above. Scott also discusses public access, Block Management, hunter ethics, chronic wasting disease, and why respecting private landowners is more important than ever. Whether you're a lifelong Montana hunter or planning your first trip, this annual series provides some of the most valuable preseason information available directly from the professionals managing Montana's wildlife. So, what are you waiting for click here to watch or here to listen and get to planning your hunt! Don't forget This is Episode 1 of our seven-part Montana Hunting Preview Series. Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss the remaining six regions over the coming weeks.Links:To learn more about Region 6 click here.Click here to read the Northeast Montana Big Game Forecast.For the Upland Game Bird Forecast click here.Click here for interactive map of Region 6 hunting districts.For info about Block Management access in Region 6 click here.Click here to go to the interactive hunt planner map. For Montana Deer, Elk and Antelope (Pronghorn) Regulations click here.Click here for Montana Upland Game Bird Hunting Regulations.For Montana Migratory Bird Hunting Regulations click here.Click Here to learn about the FWP Protect the Hunt Respect Access Program.To watch the Podcast Rigger did with Greg Lemon about that program, click here.Questions for Region 6 Wildlife Manager Scott Thompson? Click here to send Scott an email.Questions, comments or suggestions for Downrigger Dale? Click here to email him.Support the showRemember to tune in to The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, live every Saturday from 6:00AM to 8:00AM MT. The show airs on 30 radio stations across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.
On this week's episode we are joined by Noah Mehmen, and we are talking about outfitted hunts that are possible for the everyday hunter to afford. From Gator hunting in Florida, Wolf and Bear hunting in Canada, Nilgai Antelope in Texas, or your local Whitetail, Antelope and cow elk hunts. Hunting has gotten expensive over the years, but with a hunt plan and a budget anyone can still go on an incredible once in a lifetime adventure.
Habitat Podcast #401 - In today's episode of The Habitat Podcast, we are back in the studio with Janis Putelis! We discuss: -Janis cut every white pine off 20 acres and released the oaks hiding underneath them. -Why 40 acres is barely enough timber for a logger to justify moving his equipment in. -The US Fish and Wildlife Habitat Partners Program funded his 7-acre oak savanna restoration. -Doing the slash and burn work himself credited against his share instead of costing $7,000. -Ground deer used to walk straight through now has a bed every five minutes you walk. -Sam Tumberg's buckthorn rule: mow it in spring, then spray the regrowth after July 4th. -Buckthorn cut to the ground on May 15th was four to six feet tall by the third week of July. -Roughly fifty trees dropped by hand turned a dead ridge saddle into a big buck's route. -His dad is hunting the September 15th Wisconsin opener from a blind he built by hand. -Deer refuse to travel his one long straight road but hammer every winding trail he cuts. And So Much More! Chapters: 0:00 The Ground Deer Used To Walk Straight Through 1:34 Rain, Seed And Living The Dream 2:42 Janis Just Got Back From Kansas 7:41 Back To The Wisconsin 50 10:24 Did He Cut Enough? The Logger Math On 40 Acres 12:56 Cutting Every White Pine To Release The Oaks 15:23 The Fish And Wildlife Oak Savanna Project 19:25 Regeneration, Bedding And Cutting Trails 25:53 Apple Trees And Bringing Sand To The Beach 27:11 Triclopyr, Glyphosate And Crossbow 30:35 Ten Acres Of Buckthorn And Sam's Mow-Then-Spray Rule 36:53 Fish And Wildlife vs NRCS 41:16 Getting The Next Phase Funded 45:53 Dad, The Neighbors And A Woods Full Of Noise 51:07 The Ridge Saddle He Opened With A Saw 53:16 How Dad Will Hunt The September 15th Opener 58:38 Why Deer Won't Use His One Straight Road 1:02:21 Janis's Plan For This Fall 1:05:37 Mock Scrape Vines Hit The First Night 1:09:17 Nobody Else Around Him Has An Oak Savanna Shop the New Native Seed Collection from Vitalize Seed here: https://vitalizeseed.com/collections/vitalize-native-product-line Use Code HABITAT26 and Get Your Plot Blaster Here: https://plotblaster.com/ PATREON - Patreon - Habitat Podcast Brand new HP Patreon for those who want to support the Habitat Podcast. Good luck this Fall and if you have a question yourself, just email us @ info@habitatpodcast.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Patreon - Habitat Podcast Latitude Outdoors - Saddle Hunting: https://bit.ly/hplatitude Stealth Strips - Stealth Outdoors: Use code Habitat10 at checkout https://bit.ly/stealthstripsHP Midwest Lifestyle Properties - https://bit.ly/3OeFhrm Vitalize Seed Food Plot Seed - https://bit.ly/vitalizeseed Down Burst Seeders - https://bit.ly/downburstseeders 10% code: HP10 Morse Nursery - http://bit.ly/MorseTrees 10% off w/code: HABITAT10 Packer Maxx - http://bit.ly/PACKERMAXX $25 off with code: HPC25 First Lite - https://bit.ly/3EDbG6P LAND PLAN Property Consultations – HP Land Plans: LAND PLANS Leave us a review for a FREE DECAL - https://apple.co/2uhoqOO Morse Nursery Tree Dealer Pricing – info@habitatpodcast.com Habitat Podcast YOUTUBE - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmAUuvU9t25FOSstoFiaNdg Email us: info@habitatpodcast.com habitat management / deer habitat / food plots / hinge cut / food plot Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Deer season is here, and Dan DeWitt is back at the Spotted Dog Podcast table with Nolan, Cory Bahr, and Zach Poole for a deep dive into whitetail hunting.Dan shares decades of hunting experience and breaks down how he uses mock scrapes, scent, trail cameras, terrain, thermals, feeding schedules, and hunting pressure to pattern mature bucks. The guys get into early-season and velvet tactics, why the first big October cold front can be so productive, using topo maps to find saddles and travel corridors, conditioning deer around feeders and cameras, and some unconventional tactics that might make you rethink the way you hunt.They also recap the Idaho spring bear hunt, talk 7mm Backcountry rifles and mountain hunting gear, debate Louisiana deer management and “earn-a-buck” regulations, and hear some incredible stories from Dan's hunts across Africa.From chasing bears in the Idaho mountains to figuring out a mature whitetail in your own backyard, this one is packed with hunting stories, laughs, and tactics you can put to work this season.Plus, Tax Free Weekend is happening September 4–6 at Spotted Dog Sporting Goods in Columbia, Louisiana.https://www.spotteddogsportinggoods.com/
On this episode of our mini series we have Cody Jenkins. If you didn't know Cody killed a public land giant last year don't feel bad he kept it on the down low. He has been playing the public land game for years and was the perfect guest! Thanks for listening!John 3.3WiseEye Tech Trail Camerashttps://wiseeyetech.com/Code: bornagain for 10% off! Premier Outdoorshttps://premieroutdoors.us/Code at the register: Podcast 2025 for 10% off! (exclusions apply)Rogue Bowstringshttps://www.roguebowstrings.comCode: BornAgain20 for 20% off!Latitude Outdoorshttps://www.latitudeoutdoors.comCode: BORNAGAIN for 15% off!
Pre-Season Reality Check Every Whitetail Hunter Needs | 100% Wild Podcast Ep. 478 In this pre-season catch-up episode of the 100% WILD Podcast, Matt Drury and Tim Kjellesvik break down the last-minute bowhunting gear changes, shooting mechanics, and equipment maintenance required before heading into the woods. The hosts dive into relatable archery struggles, including fixing target panic, managing eye dominance issues during low-light practice, and preventing severe field injuries caused by snapped D-loops, failing lighted nocks, and release aid malfunctions. The conversation transitions into tactical land management and whitetail scouting, highlighting the new DeerCast Plot Planner tool designed to calculate exact acreage, seeding rates, fertilizer needs, and regional rainfall metrics. Matt shares his experience setting up trail cameras on his Missouri properties to target wide, mature bucks. Finally, the hosts tackle industry controversies, clearing up online misinformation surrounding public land cellular trail camera bans in Iowa and breaking down the actual regulations behind Missouri's updated Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) management rules. 00:00:00 – Pre-Season Catch-Up & Fall Production Deadlines 00:01:18 – Heavy Arrow Build: Victory Archery VLR Micro-Diameter Specs 00:03:20 – Increasing Draw Weight to 65lbs for String-Dropping Elk 00:05:48 – The Financial Temptation of Buying a New Bow Before Opening Day 00:08:16 – Low-Light Archery Practice: Headlight Glare & Crossed-Eye Dominance 00:11:00 – Shot Sequence Adjustments: Closing the Non-Dominant Eye at Full Draw 00:14:09 – Beating Target Panic: How to Stop Punching the Index Trigger 00:17:05 – Preventing String Slaps, Form Flaws & Arm Guard Debates 00:19:48 – Lighted Nock Wear & Avoiding Backyard Dry-Fire Disasters 00:22:00 – Bowhunting Disasters: Snapped D-Loops & Handheld Release Failures 00:28:12 – DeerCast Plot Planner: Calculating Seed, Fertilizer & Rainfall Rates 00:30:31 – Setting Deer Profiles & Custom Tag Analytics in Command 00:33:20 – Suburban Scouting: Prospecting Mega Bucks in St. Louis Neighborhoods 00:37:32 – Landowner Privacy Concerns & Suburban Trail Cam Etiquette 00:41:15 – Cell Cam Bans: Fact-Checking Iowa Public Land Regulations 00:46:15 – How App Location Services & Digital Data Logs Actually Work 00:49:18 – Missouri CWD Changes: Unpacking the 20-Acre Rule & Tag Limits 00:53:32 – Clickbait Media vs. Fact-Checking Wildlife Agency Regulations Join the Rack Pack Facebook Group :/ n73gskjt7bfb2ngc Get ahead of your Game with DeerCast available on iOS and Android devices App Store: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/deerc... Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/de... Don't forget to stock up for your next hunt! 1st Phorm has you covered! Protein Sticks: https://1stphorm.com/products/protein... Level-1 Bars: https://1stphorm.com/products/level-1... Energy Drinks: https://1stphorm.com/products/1st-pho... Hydration Sticks: https://1stphorm.com/products/hydrati... Send us a voice message on Speakpipe! https://www.speakpipe.com/100PercentW... For exciting updates on what's happening on the field and off, follow us on social Facebook: / @officialdruryoutdoors Instagram: @DruryOutdoors X: @DruryOutdoors Be sure to check out http://www.druryoutdoors.com for more information, hunts, and more! Music provided by Epidemic Sound http://player.epidemicsound.com/ #dodtv
Early season whitetail hunting can mean long walks, heavy packs, high humidity, mosquitoes, and temperatures that feel more like summer than deer season. So what should you actually wear when you're trying to stay cool on the way in without sacrificing concealment and comfort once you're in the tree? In this episode, we're breaking down early season whitetail hunting clothing, layering systems, breathability, sweat management, and how the right gear can make a huge difference during those hot September hunts. Jacob joins the conversation to walk us through his approach to hunting clothing and how he went from piecing together inexpensive hunting clothes to investing in a purpose-built technical hunting system from ASIO Gear. We get into lightweight pants, breathable hoodies, face coverings, camouflage, mobile hunting, and why managing moisture can be just as important as staying warm. One of the biggest lessons? Don't dress for how you're going to feel sitting in the tree—dress for the work it takes to get there. For mobile hunters carrying stands, sticks, saddles, camera equipment, or other gear deep into the woods, overheating on the walk in can leave you soaked before the hunt even begins. Lightweight, breathable layers can help manage that moisture and then transition into base layers as temperatures drop later in the season. We also discuss how a hunting clothing system can evolve throughout the year. The same lightweight pieces used as outer layers during hot early-season hunts can become underlayers as temperatures fall, while midweight and heavyweight pieces are added when conditions demand them. Of course, it wouldn't be an Okayest Hunter conversation without a few detours. Before we get too serious about hunting clothes, we somehow find ourselves talking about trapping pigeons, racing pigeons, training hunting dogs, disappearing family farms, questionable financial opportunities involving birds, and plenty of other nonsense along the way. Whether you're preparing for opening weekend, hunting early-season whitetails in hot weather, building your first real hunting clothing system, or wondering whether expensive technical hunting apparel is actually worth the money, this episode should help you think differently about what you wear into the deer woods. In this episode:• Early season whitetail hunting clothing• Hot-weather deer hunting gear• How to manage sweat on the walk to your stand• Lightweight vs. midweight hunting layers• Breathable hunting hoodies and pants• Building a year-round hunting layering system• Mobile and saddle hunting clothing considerations• Camouflage and concealment• ASIO Gear and technical whitetail clothing• When premium hunting apparel is worth the investment• Staying warm without overheating• Pigeon trapping and hunting dog training• And plenty of classic Okayest Hunter rabbit holes If you're getting ready for early-season bowhunting and wondering what to wear when it's still hot outside, this one's for you. Subscribe for more whitetail hunting conversations, hunting gear discussions, bowhunting tactics, public-land hunting, mobile hunting, and stories from hunters who are still figuring it out just like the rest of us. #WhitetailHunting #DeerHunting #Bowhunting #EarlySeasonHunting #HuntingGear #WhitetailGear #ASIOGear #MobileHunting #SaddleHunting Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Lee Mitchell joins the podcast to share his extensive experience hunting whitetails across public land in all different regions. From reading terrain and topography to locating deer beds and interpreting fresh sign, Lee breaks down how he adapts his hunting tactics based on the specific property and conditions in front of him. They talk hunting strategy, from the Midwest to the Southeast, with a major focus on scouting, understanding deer movement, and letting the terrain tell you where deer want to be. Whether you're hunting public land for the first time or looking to improve your ability to break down unfamiliar ground, this episode is packed with practical whitetail hunting insight. Check out the Mission Whitetail Woodsmanship Course with Bobby Worthington: https://missionwhitetail.teachable.com/ #huntingpodcast #huntingpublicland #publiclandhunt #hunting #deerhunting #publicland #publichunting #whitetaildeer #whitetaildeerhunting
History is being made with Louisiana's BRAND NEW archery early season hunt that that will start this fall! Nolan is joined by LDWF Brad Kennon and Rafter P's own Zach Poole and these boys talk it all out. All the details and what this actually means for the state of Louisiana. Check it out and let us know your thoughts on this new season!https://www.spotteddogsportinggoods.com/
Is the moon actually helping you kill deer, or are hunters putting too much stock into it? Joe and Adam Hays dive into the moon debate and whether lunar phases really make a difference when chasing mature whitetails. They also talk early season prep, targeting Joe's elusive swamp buck, and the challenges that come with hunting deer you've been watching for years. Plus, Adam breaks down a new lighted nock innovation designed to let the hunter track the arrow without giving the deer an obvious flash to react to. Watch the full episode and decide where you stand on the moon debate. Check out Blindside's stealth lighted nocks (use code MG20 for 20% off) : https://blindsidenocks.com/ Now until August 23rd, get 40% off the Deer Hunter's Moon Guide (no code necessary): https://moonguide.com/ #WhitetailHunting #DeerHunting #MoonPhase #MoonDebate #Bowhunting #Archery #Hunting #Whitetail #BigBucks #HuntingGear #HuntingPodcast #MissionWhitetail #WhitetailDeer #WhitetailHunting
Chris Lawrence continues the summer's remarkable pumpkinseed sunfish story, interviewing Robert Glover of Morgantown — the third angler to break the state record in less than a month — who caught a 9.76-inch, three-quarter-pound fish at Cheat Lake using a long-rod drift technique with a nightcrawler. Lawrence notes the record has now changed hands three times before it could even make the full news cycle. The show then shifts to deer season preparation with Chris Ashley of Mineral Wells, a dedicated whitetail hunter who was awarded Buck of the Year by the West Virginia Big Bucks Facebook page for a six-and-a-half-year-old deer harvested during last year's EHD outbreak. Ashley details his year-round approach to habitat management — including clover food plots on more than 500 acres across three properties, invasive removal, and protein supplement tubs that have helped deer populations rebound dramatically in EHD-hit areas of the Mid-Ohio Valley.
In this episode I go over my saga with the Hydra like black locust. I talk about the options I am exploring such as continuted hack n squirt, possible more aggressive herbicides such as Krenite S or Tordon 22K as a possible option, at the end I ask how far are we willing to go to remove an invasive speices that we destroy what we set out to restore?Thank you for listening!Jesse Knox - Base Camp Country https://www.basecampcountry.com/agent-jesse-knox/Email: Jesse.Knox@basecampcountry.comShow inquiries/consultations:JKnox0623@gmail.com
August is when the real work for November begins. In this episode of The Fall Podcast, I'm breaking down everything I'm doing right now to get ready for whitetail season. From deploying Moultrie trail cameras and glassing fields from the truck in the evenings to trying to track down two bucks I'm pretty sure survived last season, August is all about gathering information and getting prepared. I'm also putting in a 2-acre Vitalize food plot, fine-tuning my bow and arrow setup, testing broadheads, and putting plenty of arrows downrange. This is the time of year to find out if your equipment is truly ready—not when a mature buck is standing at 20 yards. We'll also get into the less exciting but equally important preparation: washing and organizing my hunting camo, storing it with earth scent wafers, dialing in my hunting pack, and setting up the Flyer Pack as my self-filming pack for the upcoming season. And there's still plenty of work to do in the woods, including prepping trees, clearing shooting lanes, and setting up ambush locations with November in mind. The season may still be weeks away, but the preparation is already underway. If you want to be ready when opening day finally arrives, August is the time to start putting in the work. In this episode: Moultrie trail camera deployment Evening glassing and summer buck patterns Tracking down two bucks that may have survived last season Preparing a 2-acre Vitalize food plot Fine-tuning your bow and arrow setup Testing broadheads and shooting your hunting setup Washing and organizing hunting camo Storing hunting clothes with earth scent wafers Dialing in your hunting pack Setting up the Flyer Pack for self-filming Preparing trees and ambush locations Getting mentally and physically ready for deer season The season doesn't start on opening day. It starts with the work you put in right now. . . . Promo Codes: Latitude Outdoors: thefall Faceoff Ebikes: TFP Asio Gear: FALL20 Kuhle Archery: FALL25 . . . Partner Websites: Jays Sporting Goods - https://www.jayssportinggoods.com/ Latitude Outdoors - https://www.latitudeoutdoors.com/ Garmin Bow Sights - https://www.garmin.com/en-US/c/outdoor-recreation/sportsman-and-tactical-devices/ Prime Archery - https://www.g5prime.com/ Asio Gear - https://asiogear.com?utm_source=pro&utm_medium=fall Faceoff Hunting Ebikes - https://www.faceoffebikes.com/ Michigan Buckpole - https://mibuckpole.com/ Vitalize Seed Company - https://vitalizeseed.com/ Kuhle Archery - https://kuhlearchery.com/ Everland Outdoors - https://everlandoutdoors.com/ Moonguide - https://moonguide.com/ Moultrie - https://www.moultrie.com/ Raised Scents - https://www.raisedhunting.com/collections/raised-scents-2-0 Don't forget to check out the Fall Podcast Youtube channel for new content. Subscribe to the channel as well. Thank you. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWSCcGJeHHxejFXBZAO83QA For updates from The Fall Podcast: The Fall Podcast on Instagram - The Fall Podcast The Fall Podcast on Facebook - The Fall Podcast Facebook The Fall Podcast Youtube Channel - The Fall Podcast Youtube Channel Subscribe and Rate us on Itunes: Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode of Maximize Your Hunt, host Jon Teater introduces a series focused on food plot seed choices, featuring insights from industry experts. The conversation emphasizes the importance of consulting in hunting property management, the principles behind creating effective seed blends, and the journey of various seed companies in the hunting industry. Listeners gain valuable knowledge on habitat improvement, soil health, and deer attraction strategies. In this conversation, the speakers delve into the principles of creating effective food plots, focusing on seed selection, genetics, and the importance of weatherproofing plots. They discuss the unique methodologies employed by different companies, particularly emphasizing the need for comprehensive coverage and the role of genetics in enhancing forage quality. The conversation also highlights the significance of feedback and testing in developing successful seed blends, showcasing a commitment to quality and effectiveness in wildlife management practices. Takeaways This podcast explores land management and hunting strategies. Consulting leads to greater success in hunting property management. Food plots are essential for designing a hunting property. Seed blends should focus on objectives like nutrient cycling. Diversity in food plots attracts deer effectively. Soil health is crucial for successful food plots. Understanding the home of the animal is key to habitat improvement. Testing and feedback are vital for developing seed blends. The journey of creating a seed company can be fulfilling. Continuous improvement is necessary in food plotting. I look at things differently than most people. We want to have complete coverage. You want to weatherproof your plots as much as you can. Healthy plants, healthy soil, healthy forages, healthy deer. We want to hear everything, the good, the bad and the ugly. The deer have to hit it, then they have to hit it hard. It's not complicated, it's not rocket science. We want as much tonnage as we can per acre. The industry focuses on a lot of fall focus. Ninety-five percent of what we test never makes it. Tags hunting, land management, food plots, seed blends, deer attraction, ecological services, habitat improvement, consulting, whitetail deer, soil health food plots, seed selection, genetics, wildlife management, deer hunting, agricultural practices, sustainable farming, crop management, food plot strategies, land stewardship Social Links https://vitalizeseed.com https://grandparayoutdoors.com/ https://www.realworldwildlifeproducts.com/ https://www.northwoodswhitetails.com/ https://whitetaillandscapes.com/ https://www.facebook.com/whitetaillandscapes/ https://www.instagram.com/whitetail_landscapes/?hl=en Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
What does it take to turn your ground into a productive whitetail habitat? In this episode we are joined by Brett Smith from Whitetail Land Management Services. Brett breaks down the fundamentals of whitetail habitat, from bedding and food sources to access, hunting pressure, timber management, and everything in between. We talk about the biggest mistakes landowners and hunters make, tactics and strategies for hunting mature bucks, and what it actually takes to create habitat that keeps those mature bucks on your ground. Whether you're managing hundreds of acres, hunting a small parcel, or simply trying to make the ground you have better, this conversation is packed with practical information you can put to work. Great deer don't happen by accident—and better hunting starts with a better understanding of habitat.Fall Obsession Podcast is sponsored by:Hoot Camo Company (https://hootcamo.com/) - use code "fallobsession15" to save with HootBear River Archery (https://www.bearriverarchery.com/) - use code "fallobsession" when shopping online with Bear RiverTactacam Reveal Cameras (https://www.tactacam.com/)The Outdoor Call Radio App (https://www.theoutdoorcallradio.com/)
Beau Martonik sits down with Joel Burham of Whitetail Fit, who moved to Iowa, got his residency, turned down an invite to a phenomenal private farm, and hunted public ground and only public ground for the whole season to see what it would teach him. They get into the full self-filming rig Joel runs out of a saddle, the buck he figured at 160 that he had broadside at 20 yards and lost to the camera, the two public land giants he found that will never show up in a video, and what happened when he came to full draw on a three-and-a-half-year-old and let down. Joel also lays out the only test he uses to decide whether a deer is worth his tag, which has nothing to do with a score. Also covered: starting from zero with no hunting family, three miles deep on Kansas public on the last day of a 10-day hunt, hiring his brother as a cameraman and then telling him he'd outgrown the job, and why time is the one thing in hunting you can't shortcut. 00:00:00 — Intro 00:07:09 — Starting with no hunting family 00:12:04 — First deer off a lawn chair 00:15:22 — Where "Whitetail Fit" came from 00:19:57 — Three miles deep on Kansas public 00:22:16 — How fitness changes your access 00:38:13 — What this job really looks like 00:47:49 — The 160 at 20 yards he passed 00:58:28 — Hiring his brother, then letting go 01:11:16 — Self-filming rig for a saddle 01:16:38 — Bodies, lenses, and low light 01:29:56 — Arm height, ISO, shutter speed 01:39:10 — Iowa public land only 01:46:57 — The bucks that never made the film 01:49:56 — Pressure and older deer 01:54:43 — The 190 and a wind switch 02:01:29 — Full draw, then let down 02:10:00 — What makes you grab your bow 02:19:34 — Where to find Whitetail Fit Joel's IG: https://www.instagram.com/whitetail_fit/ Whitetail Fit YT: https://www.youtube.com/@WhitetailFit Instagram: @eastmeetswesthunt @beau.martonik Facebook: East Meets West Outdoors Shop Hunting Gear and Apparel: https://www.eastmeetswesthunt.com/ YouTube: Beau Martonik - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQJon93sYfu9HUMKpCMps3w Partner Discounts and Affiliate Links: https://www.eastmeetswesthunt.com/partners Amazon Influencer Page https://www.amazon.com/shop/beau.martonik Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Send us Fan MailAlex Rutledge and Redbone sit down with Kenny Zuspan of First Class Whitetails to break down soil testing, food plot placement, and pH strategy ahead of deer season. Kenny details his $100,000 Whitetail Challenge, shares stories from professional poker tournaments, and closes with a bonus segment of his favorite deer meat recipes.Chapters (24 added):0:00 Soil Sample Collection 101 · 0:29 Eagle Seed Smorgasbord Food Plot · 1:12 Show Intro & Theme Song · 1:47 Meet Kenny Zuspan of First Class Whitetails · 3:35 Sports Talk: Reds, Cardinals & Red Sox · 6:23 Kenny's Background & $100K Challenge Teaser · 6:46 Ripley County Fair & King of the River · 8:45 Break: Theme Song & Sponsor · 9:48 Kenny's Roots, Coon Hunting & Poker · 11:48 First Class Whitetails Operation Explained · 12:19 Inside the $100,000 Whitetail Challenge · 17:12 Youth & Ladies Teams · 18:13 Break: Theme Song & Sponsors · 19:23 Season Prep & Guiding Experience · 20:09 Soil Testing Deep Dive · 23:00 Army Worm Warning · 26:05 Break: Theme Song · 27:01 Food Plot Placement Strategy · 30:26 Soil pH & Food Plot Diversity · 33:43 12-Point Blinds & Wise Eye Success · 35:44 Closing Thoughts & Theme Song · 36:21 Outro & Sponsor · 37:20 Bonus Segment: Kenny's Deer Recipes · 45:16 Closing Theme SongMissouri Hunting Heritage Federation:https://www.mhhf.us/To follow American Roots Outdoors Podcast:https://www.facebook.com/groups/448812356525413To learn more about American Roots Outdoors:https://americanrootsoutdoors.com/https://www.facebook.com/AmericanRootsOutdoors/To follow Alex Rutledge:https://www.facebook.com/americanrootsalex/To follow Wayne Lach:https://www.facebook.com/wayne.lach.5To follow Mike Crase:https://www.facebook.com/mike.crase
Today on episode 319 we throw it back to one of our best performing episodes of all time! The Process of a WHITETAIL KILLER with Jake Bush. In preparation for his live Q&A at the Mobile Hunters Expo tomorrow, we wanted to give the listeners a sneak peak into the mind of Jake Bush. We hope this conversation peaks your interest and allows you to come up with a few questions to ask him in person tomorrow! Topics in this throwback episode include: Jake's process of finding and killing mature whitetails E-scouting without boundary lines Soil mapping Hub hopping bucks and much much more! Take time to visit our sponsors! Hawke Optics - Click HERE! USE CODE MHP15 AT CHECKOUT FOR A DISCOUNT! Satties LLC - Click HERE! Get your information for the Mobile Hunters Expo HERE! We would love to hear your thoughts on this one as well so feel free to hit us up in the email or send us a message! If you haven't already check out our YouTube page and subscribe! As always if you enjoy listening to the podcast please like, share, and give us 5 stars on any of the major podcast platforms we are found on. Hear something we missed? Let us know what we are doing wrong or doing right, or if you have a question; Email us at richardcates@themobilehuntersexpo.com Happy Hunting and Tight Lines! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode, Tony Van Aston joins the conversation to share his approach to preparing for deer season long before opening day. He discusses the importance of effective scouting, building confidence through finding consistent deer sign, and how that confidence leads to making better decisions in the woods. The discussion explores why mature bucks abandon certain areas, the factors that influence their movement, and how hunters can recognize those changes. Tony also explains his experience of hunting with a trapper's mindset—thinking strategically, anticipating animal behavior, and setting up in the right place at the right time to maximize opportunities. Thank you for listening and hope you enjoy!Stealth Outdoors (BD10) https://www.stealthoutdoors.com
On this episode we reflect back with Chris and Lucas on them both filling buck tags in a spot they have never been before. Both fellas filled their Ohio buck tags as well for a truly Blessed season!Thanks for listening!John 3.3WiseEye Tech Trail Camerashttps://wiseeyetech.com/Code: bornagain for 10% off! Premier Outdoorshttps://premieroutdoors.us/Code at the register: Podcast 2025 for 10% off! (exclusions apply)Rogue Bowstringshttps://www.roguebowstrings.comCode: BornAgain20 for 20% off!Latitude Outdoorshttps://www.latitudeoutdoors.comCode: BORNAGAIN for 15% off!
Texas First Outdoors tips, tricks and news to be in the know. And knowing is half the battle! Stock media provided by Artmuns / Source
In this episode of The Fall Podcast, Arron sits down with Brett for a deep conversation about whitetail hunting strategy, chasing mature bucks, simplifying the hunt, personal growth, and finding more purpose in the outdoors. Brett breaks down his decision to scale back his 2026 hunting season and focus on Ohio whitetail hunting and Illinois whitetail hunting after years of trying to manage multiple states, tags, leases, and opportunities. The guys discuss how the modern hunting culture of chasing more states, more tags, and more success can sometimes take away from the reason we started hunting in the first place. A major topic of the conversation is eliminating friction — removing unnecessary obstacles that keep you from enjoying the process. Arron and Brett discuss how this applies to everything from filming hunts and creating outdoor content to whitetail scouting, deer hunting preparation, and in-season decision making. Brett shares lessons learned from years of chasing deer across different states, including why he believes focusing on fewer properties and putting more intentional effort into each hunt will lead to better experiences and better opportunities at mature bucks. The guys also dive into Brett's career in construction and development management, the frustrations that come with company growth, and the challenge of staying motivated when work becomes more about processes and reporting than solving problems. This episode goes beyond hunting as Arron and Brett talk about taking risks early in life, pursuing passions before responsibilities pile up, and setting the right example for their kids by continuing to challenge themselves. Brett also shares his journey through 75 Hard, a 75-day discipline challenge focused on fitness, mindset, nutrition, and personal development. They discuss building habits, overcoming discomfort, and getting back on track when life feels out of alignment. Topics Covered: 2026 whitetail hunting plans and focusing on Ohio and Illinois Deer hunting strategy and simplifying the process Mature buck hunting and eliminating unnecessary pressure The downside of chasing too many states and too many tags How to reduce friction in hunting and outdoor content creation Whitetail scouting, wind, entry routes, and preparation Balancing hunting, career, family, and personal goals Taking risks before life becomes complicated 75 Hard challenge, fitness, discipline, and personal growth Lessons learned from years of chasing deer across the country If you're a whitetail hunter, deer hunter, bowhunter, public land hunter, or someone looking to improve your hunting mindset, this episode will challenge you to simplify the process and focus on what truly matters. Listen to The Fall Podcast for more conversations about whitetail deer hunting, hunting strategy, outdoor lifestyle, conservation, and the stories behind the pursuit. . . . Promo Codes: Latitude Outdoors: thefall Faceoff Ebikes: TFP Asio Gear: FALL20 Kuhle Archery: FALL25 . . . Partner Websites: Jays Sporting Goods - https://www.jayssportinggoods.com/ Latitude Outdoors - https://www.latitudeoutdoors.com/ Garmin Bow Sights - https://www.garmin.com/en-US/c/outdoor-recreation/sportsman-and-tactical-devices/ Prime Archery - https://www.g5prime.com/ Asio Gear - https://asiogear.com?utm_source=pro&utm_medium=fall Faceoff Hunting Ebikes - https://www.faceoffebikes.com/ Michigan Buckpole - https://mibuckpole.com/ Vitalize Seed Company - https://vitalizeseed.com/ Kuhle Archery - https://kuhlearchery.com/ Everland Outdoors - https://everlandoutdoors.com/ Moonguide - https://moonguide.com/ Moultrie - https://www.moultrie.com/ Don't forget to check out the Fall Podcast Youtube channel for new content. Subscribe to the channel as well. Thank you. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWSCcGJeHHxejFXBZAO83QA For updates from The Fall Podcast: The Fall Podcast on Instagram - The Fall Podcast The Fall Podcast on Facebook - The Fall Podcast Facebook The Fall Podcast Youtube Channel - The Fall Podcast Youtube Channel Subscribe and Rate us on Itunes: SUBSCRIBE to The Fall Podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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In this episode, Jake Bittner and Shae McTighe join the conversation for a discussion on all things whitetail hunting. Through a series of questions, they share their perspectives on hunting strategies, pursuing mature target bucks, adapting to changing conditions, and the decisions that shape success in the woods.The discussion also explores the ethical challenges surrounding modern hunting technology, balancing tradition with innovation, and how today's tools influence the hunting experience. Throughout the episode, Jake and Shae offer their personal insights while emphasizing the camaraderie, respect, and shared passion that make the whitetail community unique. Whether you're a seasoned deer hunter or simply enjoy hearing different viewpoints, this episode delivers an engaging conversation filled with practical knowledge, honest opinions, and a deep appreciation for the pursuit of whitetails. Thank you for listening, and hope you enjoy!Stealth Outdoors (BD10) https://www.stealthoutdoors.com
This week, the boys answer some listener summer questions from Instagram, rant a little, and more! Enjoy! NEW PARTNERSHIP ANNOUNCEMENT! ALP NICOTINE POUCHES CODE WCB: Watch the NEW WCB UNHINGED HUNT SERIES HERE! __________________________________________________________________ Find WCB On Social: FaceBook | Instagram | TikTok For Video podcasts, hunts, Vlogs, and more check out the WCB YouTube by clicking here! ________________________________________________________ THE WCB Podcast is PRESENTED by Grizzly Coolers! Click Here and use Code: WCB to save! The WCB Podcast is supported by these awesome companies: Big Tine - Attract - Develop - Grow Code: WCB2025 Old Barn Taxidermy Latitude Outdoors - saddles & accessories code WCB Huntworth Gear Code: WCB15 Victory Archery Leupold Optics Dialed Archery Free Shipping Code WORKINGCLASS Black Gate Hunting Products Code WCB10 DeerCast - Save on your yearly description by clicking here! Aluma Trailers - Built in the USA, ALL aluminum welded construction! Rack-Hub Code WCB: https://www.rack-hub.com/wcb Hoyt - Code WCB for Hoy Merch & Branded items - see your local dealer for bows! Evolution Outdoors & Broadheads - Code: WCB AAE - Archery Accessories, Code WCB MTN-OPS : CODE: WCB MaxCam7 Bow Mounted Camera! _________________________________________________________________________ **Check Out the other Podcasts on the WCB Podcast Network!** Victory Drive - Our Firearms, tactical, Military Podcast Tackle & Tacos - A fishing podcast! Hunting The Mason Dixon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Whitetail season is getting close, and we're breaking down everything that's changing in our mobile hunting setups for this year. In this episode, we dive into saddle hunting systems, climbing sticks, platforms, mobile hunting packs, bow setup, archery tuning, and the gear we're trusting this fall. We also discuss the latest Latitude equipment, organizing a streamlined hunting pack, reducing weight without sacrificing efficiency, and why simplicity often leads to better hunts. We also talk about preseason preparation, practicing with a new bow, release choices, organizing gear before opening day, and what we're looking forward to at our upcoming live mobile hunting seminar featuring experienced public-land whitetail hunters. Whether you're new to saddle hunting or looking to fine-tune your mobile whitetail system, this episode is packed with practical tips and honest opinions from hunters who spend countless hours chasing mature public-land bucks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Should your whitetail food plots be centralized or spread throughout the property? In this episode of Deer Dirt, Bill Winke breaks down how food plot placement influences deer movement, hunting pressure, access, and overall property strategy. Both centralized and spread-out layouts can work, but each comes with unique tradeoffs. Bill explains how to think through your terrain, bedding areas, entry routes, wind direction, and long-term goals to create a food plot map that fits the way you hunt. Whether you are starting from scratch or refining an existing property, this episode will help you build a smarter, more effective whitetail food plot plan. FOLLOW JOSH & WILL: Josh: https://www.instagram.com/josh.j.dahlke/ Will: https://www.instagram.com/willtcooper/ DOWNLOAD HUNTSTAND https://www.huntstand.com/subscriptions/ HUNTSTAND FIELD NOTES https://www.huntstand.com/fieldnotes/ GET SOCIAL: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/huntstand/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HuntStand TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@huntstandofficial Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Who is Gavin Sodders and what is Whitetail Bloodline? Family Property vs. Public Land and the pros and cons of both Brown Recluse Spider Bites Asio Gear Surrounding yourself with the right people in order to level up What gets Gavin excited when scouting Scrapes/Rubs/Tracks Cohabitation https://www.instagram.com/whitetailbloodline/ https://www.youtube.com/@WhitetailBloodline
Episode Overview In this episode of DSC's Campfires, host Larry Weishuhn ("Mr. Whitetail") catches up with property manager and avid outdoorsman Sam Old. With Sam finally taking his first summer off from cutting hay, he is fully immersed in his true passions: wildlife habitat improvement, monitoring herd health, and simply enjoying the abundance of game on his property. Thanks to abundant rainfall making for a wet and vibrant summer, Sam's property is seeing one of its most prolific years for wildlife reproduction. High Survival Rates: Sam has counted at least 22 whitetail fawns on his trail cameras, alongside a booming population of ducklings, goslings, and bear cubs. Buck-to-Doe Ratio: The property maintains an excellent ratio; historically, Sam notes that 65% to 70% of the late-season fawns they spot turn out to be bucks. Bachelor Herds: The bucks are congregating in distinct age classes. Yearlings and two-year-olds form one group, three- and four-year-olds form another, while the fully mature five- to seven-year-olds stick together in their own exclusive bachelor groups. A major talking point is the science behind what drives exceptional antler growth. Sam is already tracking a massive buck on his property nicknamed "Twisty Two," who is shaping up to be a heavy 13-pointer. Larry and Sam discuss research from Texas A&M that highlights the absolute necessity of micronutrients for antler mass. Sam details his evolution from planting single-crop monocultures to utilizing highly diverse, multi-seed food plots. This advanced strategy feeds the wildlife year-round, regenerates the soil, and takes heavy grazing pressure off native browse like greenbrier (Smilax). "A cow has got a big old square muzzle... but a deer's got a pointed muzzle so that it can reach in and find the most nutritious part of any plant." — Paraphrased concept discussed on selective browsing To cater to the deer's selective browsing habits, Sam's incredibly diverse food plot mix includes: Buckwheat and Sunflowers (often mowed down quickly by the deer) Winter Peas and Forage Peas Rye and Triticale Turnips and Crimson/Balansa Clovers Sam shares updates on Craig's Creek Shady Rest, his property's Airbnb and hunting lodge. The three-bedroom cabin features a full kitchen and offers guests a front-row seat to nature—recently, visitors enjoyed watching 21 deer feeding in the blackberry bushes right outside. Sam notes he is planning to refurbish the upstairs soon to accommodate even more guests. Wrapping up the chat, Sam outlines his upcoming plans, which include hosting a meet-and-greet ticket event at a local Baptist church in early July, and preparing for an exciting traditional bear hunt in the Choctaw region this October. Shed Antlers (Calcium/Phosphorus) Rodents, cattle, and even the deer themselves aggressively chew on shed antlers to reclaim vital minerals, often completely devouring the tines. Sulfur Salt Blocks Sam utilizes these blocks to provide necessary dietary minerals while simultaneously helping the animals ward off ticks and flies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On this Q&A episode of the Mission Whitetail Podcast, Joe tackles a batch of questions sent in from hunters on social media, covering everything from this year's bow setup to a new venison recipe for you to recreate in the kitchen. If you've got a question you want answered on a future episode, drop it in the comments or hit us up on social media! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mission_whitetail/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MissionWhitetail/ Check out the Mission Whitetail Woodsmanship Course w/ Bobby Worthington: https://missionwhitetail.teachable.com/ #hunting #bowhunting #deerhunting #whitetaildeer #whitetail #missionwhitetail #huntingpodcast #podcast #asiogear #joemiles #bigdeer #bigbucks
Lamar Skinner is an honest man. He is unafraid to publicly be vulnerable about his past and is on a mission to help other men. He's also a fantastic Couse deer hunter in Arizona! He started a movement called Rebuild the Man and joins me this week to discuss it. In this episode, Lamar and I discuss deer hunting, specifically the differences between Couse, Whitetail, and Mule deer hunting as well as some of the differences in hunting various terrain features. We dive into the distortion that happens through social media and it's impact on normal hunters versus the stress created by people who only post large animals. It's becoming more about taking trophies for Instagram than the fulfillment and stuffed freezers that most hunters seek. Then, we dive into Lamar's platform, Rebuild the Man, and how he came about to leading this mission and why he wants to help other men get to where he's at. It's a solid discussion and I think people are going to get a lot out of. Tune in anywhere podcasts are found! Lamar on Instagram Show Sponsors! Phelps Game Calls - The game call company of The Western Huntsman! Whether looking for bugle tubes, deer calls, predator calls, reeds, anything, Phelps Game Calls is a one stop shop of quality, American made game calls. Use promo code Huntsman10 for 10% off at checkout. Visit Phelpsgamecalls.com Leupold Optics- Over 100 years of American-made optics such as scopes, binos, spotters, range finders and more. Leupold sets the standard for innovation and quality without selling out. Leupold not only makes excellent products for any hunt, but they work hard for the future of hunting through their incredible support of many different conservation organizations. Support the companies that support you, check out Leupold here: https://bit.ly/Leupold-Eastmans Browning X-Bolt 2 - Browning is perhaps one of the top brands in American hunting. We all know this company, and they've once again moved the bar to a higher standard with the X-Bolt 2 rifle. Available in multiple cartridges, this rifle is designed for maximum, Total Accuracy, right out of the box. The Vari-Tech Stock allows this rifle to fit any person of any size. The DLX Trigger with adjustable weights is smooth as ice, and hunters can take advantage of the Plus Magazine System when maximum rounds are needed. With too many features to list here, this rifle is a no-brainer. Check it out at https://bit.ly/Browning-Eastmans Mystery Ranch Packs- These packs have a long tradition of quality and durability. Their new hunting pack line-up has everything from solid daypacks to backcountry sizes and women's sizes. This is huge! I've never been able to find a good pack for my wife and girls that actually fit them right until I found the women's Sawtooth. Impressive load capacities, great organization, tough, lightweight, and carried on the improved Mysterium frame. Link: https://bit.ly/MysteryRanch-Eastmans Easton Archery- Perhaps the most world renowned arrow manufacturer on the planet, these American-Made products range from hunting to target arrows to a complete accessory lineup. The Western Huntsman is proud to partner with a leader in this industry, especially since we've been a customer of theirs for many years. Feel confident going into the field with the best arrows available, there is no reason to go with lesser products on something as important as your next hunt. https://eastonarchery.com/ Precision Pay- Leave those leftist, woke companies behind and don't worry about being deplatformed or de-banked for your values again! Join the only pay-by-bank payment network that respects and protects your rights as a firearms owner and outdoorsman! Their mission is to provide you with a safe and easy way for you to pursue your passion while safeguarding your privacy. Forget liberal run commie companies like Venmo, replace it with like-minded Americans with Precision Pay! Visit www.myprecisionpay.com/ Eastmans Hunting Journals - What Western Hunter doesn't know Eastmans Hunting Journals?? I've been a fan and subscriber to the magazine since I was a kid, and you should too. Between the magazine, Eastmans TagHub, and the new Mule Deer eCourse, Eastmans has something for everyone and the tools every Western Hunter should have! Hit me up at jim@thewesternhuntsman.com
When it comes to legendary whitetail history, nothing compares to "The General." Believed to be one of the largest and possibly THE largest set of whitetail sheds ever found, these antlers have become the stuff of hunting folklore. In this episode, we sit down with Josh Duncan, the collector who made headlines by purchasing "The General" for an astonishing $1 million, and Cody Idol, who helped locate the antlers and played a key role in making the historic deal happen. Josh and Cody take us behind the scenes of the incredible journey of "The General," sharing the untold story of the deer, the record-breaking acquisition, and what makes these sheds so significant. We also discuss their upcoming documentary, which dives even deeper into the mystery and legacy surrounding this once-in-a-lifetime whitetail. See Documentary here: https://www.originalbygod.com/ "The General" will be on display as our "Special Guest" at the Buckmasters Expo, August 14–16, giving attendees an opportunity to see these world-famous antlers in person. Precision Pay: https://www.myprecisionpay.com Fresh Merch: https://www.buckmasters-store.com Latest Subscription Packages: https://www.buckmasters-store.com Support us by subscribing, liking, and sharing! Follow us on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/buckmasters/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buckmastersnation/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@buckmastersnation Twitter: https://twitter.com/bmnation YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/buckmastersmagazine
Welcome back to the WhitetailDNA Podcast! On today's episode, we sit down with Dylan Lenz to discuss his journey from getting his foot in the door in the hunting industry to becoming Jeff Sturgis' right-hand man. Dylan shares how years of hands-on experience shaped his understanding of land management and helped him grow and represent one of the most respected habitat consultants in the whitetail world. We dive into practical habitat strategies, including how little equipment you actually need to create a successful food plot, the best ways to dial in property access, and how Dylan prioritizes travel corridors and mock scrapes when designing a property. He also breaks down the pros and cons of placing water holes in food plots versus within the timber and explains what he's seeing work best today. As a habitat consultant, Dylan has evaluated countless properties across the Midwest, and he reveals his new favorite area in Wisconsin, one that might surprise a lot of hunters. He also shares what he is searching for in a hunting property, what people often overlook, and everything in between. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the show! *New Episodes Drop Every Wednesday* Connect with WhitetailDNA: Subscribe to the YouTube Channel Follow us on Instagram & Facebook Visit the WhitetailDNA Website Shop WhitetailDNA Merch The WhitetailDNA Podcast is Presented By: Pnuma Outdoors - Save 20% (code: WDNA20) Woodhaven Calls - Save 10% (code: WNDA10) Tactacam Reveal Cameras Custom Archery & Outdoors Hoyt Archery OnX Hunt Plot Blaster Domain Outdoor Vortex Optics HHA Kifaru
When it comes to deer hunting, knowledge matters. It is half the battle after all! For a lot of deer hunters, and even elk huntings, you have been in the woods so long that whitetail terminology is second nature. You know how the land lays and what the features are. You know where your thermal hubs are. Meanwhile there have guys that are just starting out or even been hunting for half their life, and they have zero clue what it all means! Well on this episode of the Raised Hunting Podcast we are going to introduce you guys to the whitetail lingo, so you can be educated and ready for this next hunting season!---------------------------------------------------------------------Discount Codes: You guys have been absolutely amazing when it comes to supporting Raised Hunting so we wanted to return the favor! Just for all you loyal RH Podcast listeners we have some discount codes for you! We got you guys a code for 15% all Raised Hunting products!!! We also have a code for Dominant Strands to get new strings of your bow and get 10% off!!!Dominant Stands Discount Code: RAISED10Raised Hunting Discount Code: RHPCREW15----------------------------------------------------------------------links Raised Youtube:https://www.youtube.com/@raisedhunting/featuredShop Raised Hunting Gear Today:https://www.raisedhunting.com/
Few wildlife threats are as horrifying—or as potentially devastating—as the New World screwworm. Today on Dark Outdoors, we're taking a deep dive into a parasite that eats living flesh—and it's no longer a problem confined to the history books. The New World screwworm is in Texas, it is spreading, and wildlife professionals, ranchers, hunters, and animal health experts are sounding the alarm. Joining me is legendary wildlife biologist Larry Wyzun, known throughout the hunting and conservation world as "Mr. Whitetail." Larry is one of America's most respected deer experts and one of the foremost authorities on whitetail deer biology in the world. What makes Larry's perspective especially important is that he witnessed the original screwworm crisis firsthand. Early in his career, he saw the devastating effects this flesh-eating parasite had on wildlife and livestock before America achieved one of the greatest animal health victories in history by eradicating it from the United States. Now, decades later, screwworm has returned as a growing threat. As it spreads, concerns are mounting about the impact on whitetail deer, endangered species, livestock, pets, and rural communities. The consequences could reach far beyond individual animals, affecting wildlife management, conservation efforts, agriculture, and hunting traditions across America. Many experts view the New World screwworm as the most significant wildlife health threat our nation has faced in the last half-century. Unlike many diseases that weaken animals over time, screwworm larvae consume living tissue, creating horrific wounds that can ultimately lead to death if left untreated. In this episode, "Mr. Whitetail" Larry Weishuhn, a globally renown wildlife biologist shares firsthand memories from the battle against screwworm decades ago, explains why this parasite is so dangerous, and offers his expert insight into what its spread means for the future of America's wildlife. This is Dark Outdoors. I'm Chester Moore, and today we're examining what may be the greatest threat to American wildlife in 50 years—the return of the New World screwworm.
Beau Martonik sits down with Bill Vanderheyden of Iron Will Outfitters — 10 years of engineering broadheads and arrow systems built around what a setup actually needs to do when conditions are not perfect. They open with Bill's Colorado elk hunt — 10 miles back in the wilderness, a 4-hour chase into dark timber, and a frontal shot at 30 yards through a 3-inch window in the pines. From there the conversation gets into the science behind why that shot worked and what most hunters are getting wrong before they ever get to a moment like that. Topics include what actually makes a bow setup forgiving in hunting conditions, why FOC doesn't tell you what most people think, the physics of penetration and the speed vs. heavy arrow debate, why mechanicals on elk are a bigger risk than most realize, steep shot angles, effective range, and how to practice the shots that actually show up in the field. 00:00:00 – Intro 00:04:37 – Colorado Elk Hunt — 10 Miles Back, Frontal Shot Through the Pines 00:21:41 – Pin Setup and Shot Confidence in the Field 00:24:24 – Bighorn Sheep Hunt — Steep Cliffs, No Rangefinder, 55 Yards 00:34:10 – What Actually Makes a Hunting Setup Forgiving 00:44:42 – Penetration Physics — Momentum, Arrow Flight, and Blade Geometry 00:57:13 – Why Mechanicals on Elk Are a Risk Most Hunters Underestimate 01:02:29 – FOC — What the Number Actually Tells You and What It Doesn't 01:10:15 – Whitetail vs. Western Setup — How Much Actually Needs to Change 01:14:20 – Moving Deer and Shot Timing 01:25:05 – Steep Shot Angles — Tree Stand and Mountain Scenarios 01:32:55 – Holding Under Pressure and Practicing Real Scenarios 01:41:21 – Effective Range — How to Actually Define It for Your Setup 01:47:42 – The Iron Will Wide Broadhead on Elk 01:51:36 – Axis Deer Hunt in Hawaii — Setup Considerations 01:54:58 – Closing + Where to Find Iron Will Instagram: @eastmeetswesthunt @beau.martonik Facebook: East Meets West Outdoors Shop Hunting Gear and Apparel: https://www.eastmeetswesthunt.com/ YouTube: Beau Martonik - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQJon93sYfu9HUMKpCMps3w Partner Discounts and Affiliate Links: https://www.eastmeetswesthunt.com/partners Poncho Outdoors - Poncho Outdoors makes tough, sharp-looking, no-BS apparel for hardworking outdoorsmen who put in the time year-round. Go to ponchooutdoors.com/EASTMEETSWEST to save $10 and free shipping Amazon Influencer Page https://www.amazon.com/shop/beau.martonik Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Chad Stewart with the Michigan DNR joins me for this weeks show. We are diving in and breaking down the proposed whitetail regulation changes for 2026 and 2027. Thanks for listening! DEER HUNTER SYNTHETICS INDUSTRY LEADING SCENTS AND LURES LATITUDE OUTDOORS MOBILE HUNTING EQUIPMENT DEER HUNTER GEAR AMERICAN MADE CAMO AND LAYERING SYSTEM DHP ON YOUTUBE DHP ON INSTAGRAM