Jason and Dirk sit down to discuss trophy hunting. The conversation starts with the two struggling even to define what it is. They then make a strong case for what people consider trophy hunting. They discuss the value that hunting brings to the animals, they talk about the selective management taking place because of self-imposed maturity, as well as the amount of meat you "put in the freezer" because of harvesting more mature animals. The two also made sure to talk about where they feel trophy hunting may be hurting the genetics and age structure of the herd as well.

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Dirk takes you on a walk down "memory lane" this week as he shares his journey of whitetail deer hunting in his home state of Idaho. Not hunting from a tree is the go-to tactic for Dirk and many other hunters in that region. Listen in on his take of Idaho whitetail deer hunting.

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The crew is back in Kansas hunting whitetails during the peak of the rut. Jason sits down with Randy and Brock to recap the hunt and talk about the state of whitetails in the midwest. They dive into topics like "the first good moisture year after the drought", the unseasonably warm weather, and south winds as well as setting and hunting stands specific to the rut.

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Dirk and Derek Miller from Eastern Oregon Outfitters recap Dirk's Mt. Emily hunt. Dirk quizzes Derek about being an outfitter with Pendleton Whisky's Q&A.

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Jason sits down with Luke Horak, the owner of Arrowhead Rifles. They discuss the recent advancements in muzzleloaders and what’s required to get them to shoot and perform. They go over everything from ignition systems, bullet selection, powders, performance and what one should expect from their modern day muzzleloader.

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Finding mature mule deer can be a huge challenge to say the least. This week Dirk picks mule deer hunting expert Tom Schneider from "Stuck N The Rut" on finding and hunting big mule deer.

Check out Tom's Mule Deer Masterclass here: https://www.stuckntherutmuledeermasterclass.com/md

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With September being a not-so-distant memory, Jason and Dirk talk about how their hunts finished up, Washington State hoof rot elk, and October rifle season plans. They also take "Pendleton Whisky Q&A" calls and answer them. 

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If you came face-to-face with a grizzly bear, how would you react? With the ever-growing presence of grizzly bears in Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming, folks in the outdoors are having more encounters each fall. Dirk catches up longtime friend Ron Niziolek and talks elk hunting with grizzlies in Wyoming's backcountry. 

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This week, we're coming to you live from Elk Camp in New Mexico's Gila Forrest with none other than country artist Luke Combs, Jeremy Romero, and Tyler Carlson. We break down the hunt so far with one day to go. This episode is available to watch on YouTube and, be on the lookout for this hunt film on MeatEater in 2025!

Get 20% off using code COMBS through October 20th at phelpsgamecalls.com

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It's Whitetail Week! Who better to have on the show than North Idaho resident and accomplished whitetail hunter, Troy Pottenger. Jason and Troy dive into some listener questions and then discuss the importance of licking branches and scrapes to scouting, finding, and hunting mountain bucks. They also touch on being mobile versus having some annual stands, giving the bucks almost too much wind, as well as how his strategies stay the same and differ as the rut is on.

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