Hunts On Outfitting Podcast

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We thought we were headed for a classic DIY archery elk hunt in Idaho with a solid plan and a comfortable drop camp. Then the plan blew up 48 hours before we left, one of our tags was not where it was supposed to be, and we found ourselves rolling into elk country with a rental Wagoneer packed to the ceiling and a stack of $30 Walmart tents as our new “luxury camp.”

From there, it turns into a real backcountry elk hunting story: steep burn zones, deadfall that never ends, cliffy dirt roads, frozen mornings, sideways rain, and wolves that light up every time we even think about cow calling. We share the moments that hurt, the ones that made us laugh, and the ones that genuinely got sketchy, including our infamous “shortcut” loop and a close calling setup where something big is moving in the timber but never shows itself. Along the way, we talk practical elk hunting gear lessons we learned the hard way, from gaiters and Jet Boil meals to hydration, calories, and why cheap tents can work if you plan for failure.

The trip wraps with a problem every DIY hunter dreads: a dead battery deep in the woods. We get help from a wolf trapper and a crew of seasoned Oregon hunters who not only get us rolling, but also give us the kind of on-the-ground insight you cannot find in a brochure, especially about wolf pressure and quiet elk. If you’re planning an Idaho elk hunt, researching Lolo Pass hunting, or just want an honest elk hunting podcast recap that keeps it real, this one is for you. Subscribe, share it with a hunting buddy, and leave a review with your own worst backcountry curveball.

Check us out on Facebook  Hunts On Outfitting, or myself Ken Marr. Reach out and  Tell your hunting buddies about the podcast if you like it, Thanks!

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Eight yards is not a “moose hunting story” distance. It’s a “make one perfect decision after another” distance. Stephen Smith joins us fresh off New Brunswick moose season to break down a rut hunt that started with calm planning and ended with a fired-up bull coming in through thick alders like a dozer. We talk about what he heard, what he did, what he wishes he’d done sooner, and why pushing in on a raking bull is always a gamble you need to respect.

We also get into Stephen’s big news: his real human moose calls are now on the COCALL system. He walks us through how the opportunity happened, why the COCALL app and Bluetooth setup can sound shockingly real, and how electronic moose calls can fit into a smart calling plan without replacing woodsmanship. If you’ve ever wondered where those sounds come from, what “good” audio really means, or how to position a speaker so the moose locks onto the sound instead of you, you’ll get clear, field-tested answers.

On the scent side, Stephen shares how Pro Expedition approaches moose hunting scents, lures, and mineral sites, plus why minerals matter most over the long haul, especially for spring recovery and consistent animal patterns. We wrap with practical guidance on buck fever, shot placement coaching, fast meat care, and how sharing knowledge keeps moose calling traditions alive.

If you enjoy real hunting stories with real takeaways, subscribe, share this with a hunting buddy, and leave a review so more people can find the show. What’s the closest a bull has ever come to you while calling?

Check us out on Facebook  Hunts On Outfitting, or myself Ken Marr. Reach out and  Tell your hunting buddies about the podcast if you like it, Thanks!

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A woodcock can sit so tight it feels impossible until you watch a dog lock up with the bird practically under its nose. That moment is the doorway into upland bird hunting, and it is exactly where our chat with Donald Henderson begins. Donald is an avid upland hunter, a field trialer, and the president of the Maritime Bird Dog Club, and he explains how a first Brittany turned into a full-on bird dog life built around training, hunting, and keeping the tradition moving forward.

We get specific about pointing dog field trials and what they actually test: two dogs run as a brace, judges evaluate race, drive, style, and bird work, and a single mistake on point can end your day. Donald compares wild bird trials on woodcock and ruffed grouse with released-bird events, and he explains why modern trialing still leans on old-school tools like bells even when most of us hunt with GPS collars. We also talk training strategy, including why wild birds are the best teachers, how homing pigeons and remote launchers help start young dogs, and why woodcock are often easier for early lessons while grouse demand experience.

Then we zoom out to the bigger issue: clubs and trials only exist if new people show up. Donald shares the history behind the Maritime Bird Dog Club and the North American Woodcock Championship, plus practical ways to come watch, ask questions, and get involved without feeling out of place. If you’re curious about New Brunswick woodcock hunting, ruffed grouse dog work, pointing dog training, or how field trials shape the future of bird dog breeding, this one is for you.

Subscribe, share this with a hunting buddy, and leave a review if you want more conversations like this. What’s the bigger draw for you, the birds or watching a good dog work?

Check us out on Facebook  Hunts On Outfitting, or myself Ken Marr. Reach out and  Tell your hunting buddies about the podcast if you like it, Thanks!

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Two brothers can grow a hunting YouTube channel from scratch, hit nearly 200,000 subscribers as teenagers, and still keep it about the woods, not the clout. That’s what makes my conversation with Elijah and William Lomax from Squirrel Pursuit Outdoors so interesting. They grew up in a hunting family, started filming squirrel hunts  for fun, and slowly learned how to turn real outdoor days into content people actually want to watch.

We get into the details creators don’t always say out loud: how YouTube Shorts gave them their first real spike, why the algorithm feels unpredictable, and what “consistency” looks like when hunting seasons are limited. They share how they brainstorm ideas from comments, how they study what’s working in the outdoor niche without copying, and why switching editors changed their long-form performance. If you’ve ever wondered what camera gear you need, how to film a hunt without blowing the moment, or how to keep a video engaging when the action happens in the last 10 seconds, you’ll get practical answers here.

We also talk hunting plans and big goals, including spear hunting bears and deer, moose camp, and the pressure of coming from a family with serious track-records in New Brunswick. It’s equal parts YouTube growth strategy, hunting storytelling, and a reality check on what it takes to build an outdoor brand while still being kids.

If you enjoy this one, subscribe, share it with a buddy who films hunts, and leave a review so more hunters and outdoorsmen can find the show.

Check us out on Facebook  Hunts On Outfitting, or myself Ken Marr. Reach out and  Tell your hunting buddies about the podcast if you like it, Thanks!

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Moose hunting can be dead quiet one second, then feel like a bulldozer is coming through the timber the next. We’re swapping moose camp stories with Brad, Denver, Lane, Dalton, and Darren, and it turns into a surprisingly practical breakdown of what actually matters on a moose hunt: patience, preparation, and making smart choices when things happen fast. 

We talk about moose tags and draw odds, the five-day season pressure, and why you can’t count on “next year.” Then we get honest about bowhunting moose where most people still reach for a rifle. What’s a realistic archery range in thick country? How picky should you be on day one versus day five? And what do you do when a bull changes demeanor the moment you start raking and grunting? Along the way, we dig into moose calling tactics like starting with soft cow calls, matching a bull’s energy, and learning how cows, calves, and competing bulls can blow up a setup. 

We also spend time on the part nobody posts online: recovery and meat care. Rope, winches, roll-up game sleds, stump problems, warm afternoons, flies, ice bottles, and the simple rule that you need an extraction plan before you ever shoot. If you like hunting stories with real lessons, this one hits. Subscribe, share it with your hunting buddy, and leave a review, then tell us what moose hunting mistake taught you the biggest lesson.

Check us out on Facebook  Hunts On Outfitting, or myself Ken Marr. Reach out and  Tell your hunting buddies about the podcast if you like it, Thanks!

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Five guys from New Brunswick are about to find out what “DIY archery elk hunt” really means. We’re headed west for a drop camp elk trip in Idaho, and we’re putting our assumptions on the table before the mountains correct us. Caleb Jones has the tag, I’m Ken Marr, and we’re joined by Peter Jones, Logan Elliott, and Jonathan Crowley as we talk nerves, excitement, and the kind of confidence that only exists before you’ve climbed your first ridge at elevation.

We get into how this hunt came together, why we chose a drop camp instead of a fully guided elk hunt, and what we’re hoping for if the odds don’t go our way. We talk elk calling basics with bugles, diaphragms, and cow calls, plus what we think “peak rut” might look and sound like when we finally hear those first bugles in the dark. We also compare elk tactics to what we know from moose and turkey hunting, and we admit where we’re guessing so you can learn right alongside us.

Then we hit the practical stuff that makes or breaks a backcountry hunt: boots, gaiters, rain gear, optics, broadheads, and the painful but real “buy once, cry once” gear math. We lay out the travel plan flying Bangor to Chicago to Missoula, renting a Yukon Denali, and pushing into remote country near the Lolo Motorway. We also talk safety, low cell service, carrying a Garmin inReach, and the wildlife we might run into, from black bears to the possibility of wolves.

Stick around for the surprise hunt “commemoration” that turns into the funniest gear item of the whole trip. If you’ve ever considered Idaho elk hunting, a DIY drop camp, or an archery elk adventure, hit play, subscribe, and share this with the friend who always says they’re “in shape enough.” What’s your single best elk tip for first-timers?

Check us out on Facebook  Hunts On Outfitting, or myself Ken Marr. Reach out and  Tell your hunting buddies about the podcast if you like it, Thanks!

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A rutting bull moose can make a grown hunter forget how to breathe. That’s why we wanted Stephen Smith on the show: he’s been calling moose since he was a kid, he guides in New Brunswick, and he still has to turn around and talk himself down when a bull comes in “hard.” Caleb Jones jumps in too, and the three of us get practical fast about what actually works when moose season is close and the pressure is high.

We break down moose calling tactics you can use immediately, starting with why Stephen opens with soft cow calls, when he waits, and when he switches to raking brush to trigger a response. We also dig into the stuff that separates consistent hunters from lucky ones: how far bulls can travel during the rut, why road traffic and too much calling can push moose back, and why he refuses to call the night before opener in his main spots. If you’ve ever had a bull answer one day and vanish the next, this conversation puts language to that pattern.

Then we get into mineral sites, salt licks, and trail camera strategy from a long-term lens. Stephen explains what minerals can help with (overall health, cows, calves, body condition) and what they can’t (instant antler inches). We talk about setting “safe zones,” keeping minerals accessible for calves, and how warm weather changes daily movement, including why quiet night listening can be more effective than nonstop calling. We wrap with guiding fundamentals like gun safety, calming nerves, shot placement behind the shoulder, caliber and ammo considerations, and the recovery plan most people forget until it’s too late.

If you hunt moose, want to hunt moose, or just love the stories that only moose country can produce, hit play and take notes. Subscribe, share this with your hunting partner, and leave a review with your go-to moose calling move so we can feature listener tactics in a future show.

Check us out on Facebook  Hunts On Outfitting, or myself Ken Marr. Reach out and  Tell your hunting buddies about the podcast if you like it, Thanks!

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Something big is at stake when fewer kids learn to hunt, and Ron from Moose Maine Kids says it plainly: without new hunters, we risk losing a major pillar of conservation funding, hands-on habitat work, and a core piece of Maine outdoor heritage. We start with his own story, getting dragged into cold deer mornings as a kid because the family needed food, then growing into the kind of outdoorsman who understands hunting as more than recreation. 

From there, we get into the practical craft of youth hunting mentorship. Ron explains why “interest” is fragile but “success” is sticky, and how Moose Maine Kids designs mentored youth hunts to give beginners a real chance while keeping gun safety at the center of everything. Their Maine youth turkey hunt program stands out because it is active, engaging, and structured so kids can focus on the woods waking up, the first gobble, and the thrill of doing something hard the right way. We also talk about what it takes to scale this work statewide, from equipment to logistics to the volunteer network that makes dozens of hunts possible. 

Then the conversation shifts to the Dream Adventures program, offering hunts and fishing trips for kids with critical illnesses, including the fight to make sure “dream adventure moose permits” actually serve Maine kids. Ron shares the emotional side of guiding families through unforgettable days outdoors, even when the animals do not cooperate, and why the messages that come afterward from kids and parents are the real measure of impact. If this story moves you, subscribe, share the episode with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find Moose Maine Kids and support the mission.

Check us out on Facebook  Hunts On Outfitting, or myself Ken Marr. Reach out and  Tell your hunting buddies about the podcast if you like it, Thanks!

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Five days sounds like a long time until you’re staring at a New Brunswick moose tag and realizing the clock is already running. I’m Ken Marr, and I’m joined by my buddies Denver Lewis and Dalton P-Dog Patterson for a full breakdown of Dalton’s first-ever moose hunt, done in a brand-new northern zone where the animals are plentiful, the roads are confusing, and the rut can flip the script overnight. We talk about the real work before the hunt: figuring out access on timber company land, scouting with limited time, and why trail cameras can show “moose all summer” then deliver nothing once bulls start roaming. 

Then we get into the fun part: the sounds and decisions that make moose hunting addictive. You’ll hear how a cow call can spark an instant response, what tree knocking actually sounds like in person, and why moose move through thick cover like a “truck without an engine.” We also share the little moments that shape a trip, including an opening-morning stealth mission that goes sideways fast, plus an encounter with other hunters who try to put the guys on a truly big bull. 

The payoff comes on day three when a simple plan works exactly as drawn up the night before. Dalton settles in, makes a solid 300-yard shot with a 270 WSM, and we walk through what happens next: confirming the hit, approaching safely, field dressing, and pulling a massive animal out efficiently. If you care about meat care, this one is packed with practical tips like using a big game sled for recovery and the frozen water-bottle method to keep quarters cold on the drive to the butcher. 

If you’re getting ready for moose season, love hunting stories, or just want field-tested tactics for calling, gear checks, and staying calm under pressure, you’ll get something from this conversation. Subscribe for more moose stories this season, share the episode with a hunting buddy, and leave a review so more folks can find the show.

Check us out on Facebook  Hunts On Outfitting, or myself Ken Marr. Reach out and  Tell your hunting buddies about the podcast if you like it, Thanks!

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Something about a river at dark makes real life fade out fast, the bills, the noise, the racing thoughts, all of it. We sit down in Denver’s garage right after a quick fishing night and talk through why fly fishing has turned into our go-to reset. I’m still green as grass, so you’ll hear the rookie side of it too: learning how to cast in tight spots, why the roll cast matters, and the simple goal that changes everything, getting the fly to land flat with a clean presentation.

Denver Lewis breaks down the everyday realities that make you better fast, like going often, switching flies constantly, and not overthinking gear. We get into wet flies vs dry flies, how different patterns cast differently, why barbless hooks change how you fight a fish, and the kind of practical advice that saves you from losing trout. Denver also shares a great hack for carrying flies without overheating in summer: an old bino harness instead of a vest.

Then the conversation takes a turn into the stuff you don’t expect. We talk lamprey eels in New Brunswick, how big they can get, what they do to fish, and the myths people repeat about lightning strikes. Jared Lewis brings the guide perspective, from teaching brand-new anglers to building an experience that’s fun even on slow days. He also shares the work he does with Heroes Mending On The Fly, taking veterans, RCMP, and first responders on guided trips and tying nights, and how fly fishing can help people living with PTSD finally breathe and open up.

We finish with river culture and big-fish dreaming: “take a fly, leave a fly” boxes along the water, sturgeon that can outlive you, and why those river dinosaurs sometimes launch out of the water beside the boat. If you’ve ever wondered whether fly fishing is “for you,” this one will make it feel a lot more reachable. Subscribe, share this with a fishing buddy, and leave a review if you want more river stories and practical outdoors talk.

Check us out on Facebook  Hunts On Outfitting, or myself Ken Marr. Reach out and  Tell your hunting buddies about the podcast if you like it, Thanks!