He Beat Cancer… Then Tagged a 203 4/8" Illinois Giant | 100% Wild Podcast ep.440

Adam Lock joins Matt and Tim from the “Land of Lincoln” with a raw story that starts in a doctor’s office and ends with a 203 4/8" Illinois buck on the ground. Adam walks through the pain that led to a testicular cancer diagnosis, surgery, recovery, and how faith, family, and deer season pulled him forward. He breaks down the hunt—late-October conditions, access, wind, doe groups, and how he stayed in the game a month and a half after surgery. The guys also kick around how modern tech changes hunter efficiency, swap Cardinal baseball memories (spot the Bottomland Cards hat), shout out the Rat Pack, and flag a limited deal on the Stealth Cam Spectre 4K. Matt closes with an F3 men’s group plug about getting stronger together. Solid perspective, actionable whitetail takeaways, and a reminder to make every season count.

Timestamps

00:00 – Cold open & welcome back to Ep. 440

00:24 – Guest intro: Illinois’ Adam Lock (big buck + big bass guy)

02:52 – Why Adam reached out after the Drake White episode

05:05 – The first signs: pain, tests, and a tough diagnosis

08:46 – Testicular cancer reality, surgery, and recovery window

12:02 – Long-term unknowns (T levels, HRT questions, life adjustments)

13:19 – The mental load: providing, fatherhood, and finding outlets

16:08 – Season setup: property, timing, and rut expectations

19:41 – Hunting post-surgery: stitches, limits, and smarter sits

20:17 – Date & conditions: late-October/Oct 31 set taking shape

24:28 – Why this stand, why this wind, and what the does were doing

28:03 – “He’s locked”: the moment it turns real

29:49 – Reading the whole picture: body language & surrounding deer

31:00 – Shot sequence, angle realities, and recovery

32:04 – Is this the biggest buck of his life? Processing the scale

33:28 – The crash of adrenaline and keeping it together

34:03 – Wife’s “engineer” advice and accountability (don’t overdo it)

35:18 – Morning-after perspective and gratitude

36:11 – Distances, numbers, and what nearly went wrong

37:15 – Faith, prayer, and counting seasons differently

38:30 – Seeing the small signs again—sanctuary and perspective

39:42 – What’s next: goals for the coming season

41:04 – Why a 200+ doesn’t end the passion—on to the next fall

41:20 – Adam’s take: tech = more efficient hunters & younger bucks taken

43:10 – Counterpoint: how big-buck intel can also spare young deer

44:16 – Food plots, drought windows, and timing pains

46:23 – Well-wishes, ringing the bell, and keeping identity bigger than illness

47:02 – Rat Pack invite & new member roll call

48:16 – Bass Pro appearance shoutout & longtime listener love

49:02 – Gear note: Stealth Cam Spectre 4K sale and Live View capability

50:12 – Matt’s F3 men’s group experience (free, nationwide, accountability)

51:18 – Sign-off

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