KEOTA OUTDOORS

On this episode of Keota Outdoors, Luke sits down in the mancave with Cevin Moore, owner of Relentless Bloodhound Tracking Services. Cevin and his bloodhound, Clyde, provide deer tracking services across North Missouri, and they've seen just about everything the world of deer recovery has to offer.

Luke and Cevin dive into the ins and outs of tracking deer with a bloodhound, sharing successful recoveries, difficult tracks, and some of the stories that stick with you long after the hunt is over. For Cevin, the motivation behind the late nights, long days, and countless miles comes down to one thing: seeing the reaction of a hunter when they finally recover their deer.

The conversation also takes an interesting turn into the growing use of thermal drones for deer recovery. Luke and Cevin compare drones and bloodhounds, discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each method, and talk about when one might be more effective than the other. Cevin also shares his concerns about drone operators overcharging for services that aren't always as effective as a trained bloodhound.

Drones vs. Bloodhounds! Which would you choose?

If you're interested in deer recovery stories, the world of bloodhound tracking, and an honest discussion about the effectiveness of thermal drones versus tracking dogs, this is an episode you won't want to miss! 

Thanks for listening to The Keota Outdoors Podcast

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 For bonus drops and raw in-the-field episodes, look for "The Outdoor Drop" releases.
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Remember, stay aligned with the outdoors.

On this episode of Keota Outdoors, Luke sits down with his longtime friend and hunting partner, Max, to recap their recent elk hunt! For Luke, it was his first elk hunting experience ever, while Max was chasing his first rifle elk tag. The two look back on the ups and downs of the adventure, breaking down each day of the hunt, the challenges they faced, and the lessons they took away along the way.

After battling changing weather, rough terrain, and some hard-to-find elk, Day 3 brought a rewarding finish to the hunt. Max successfully harvested his first bull elk with a rifle, and to top it off, it was the best bull he’s ever taken!

Luke and Max also discuss the gear that helped make the trip a success, from rain tarps to new boots and packs, and share how being prepared made a difference in the field. Luke reflects on his first elk hunting experience, the challenges of learning a new style of hunting, and the valuable lessons that came with it.

If you enjoy elk hunting, gear talk, hiking, and honest hunting stories filled with challenges, lessons, and hard-earned success, be sure to tune in to this episode of Keota Outdoors! 

Thanks for listening to The Keota Outdoors Podcast

Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube 
Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook @KeotaOutdoors  
 For bonus drops and raw in-the-field episodes, look for "The Outdoor Drop" releases.
Questions, guest ideas, or feedback? Email [email protected]  
Remember, stay aligned with the outdoors.

 On this episode of Keota Outdoors, Luke and Max recap their recent Colorado hunting adventure, starting with Luke’s rifle antelope hunt and finishing with a few exciting days chasing mule deer with a bow!

After Luke drew a rifle antelope tag, the two teamed up to make the most of the opportunity. The hunt got exciting quickly when they spotted a shooter antelope shortly after daylight. But just as they prepared to make their move, setting fog rolled in and dropped visibility to less than 100 yards, putting the stalk on hold. Eventually, the conditions cooperated, the hunt came together, and an unexpected visit from a game warden added another twist to the story.

With the antelope hunt behind them, the trip quickly shifted gears to archery mule deer. With both Luke and Max holding tags, they split up and covered plenty of ground in search of a buck they could close the distance on with a bow. Max quickly located a shooter buck, setting up an exciting stalk, while both hunters encountered several other mule deer bucks throughout the next few days.

From a fog-delayed antelope stalk to close-range mule deer encounters, this Colorado trip was packed with excitement, challenges, and plenty of stories worth sharing. Tune in for the full recap on Keota Outdoors! 

Thanks for listening to The Keota Outdoors Podcast

Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube 
Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook @KeotaOutdoors  
 For bonus drops and raw in-the-field episodes, look for "The Outdoor Drop" releases.
Questions, guest ideas, or feedback? Email [email protected]  
Remember, stay aligned with the outdoors.

On this episode of Keota Outdoors, Luke sits down in the mancave to talk about something a lot of hunters can probably relate to: finding enough time to get ready for hunting season.

With work, family, everyday responsibilities, chores, and a little procrastination mixed in, Luke is realizing that his fall hunting preparation is already behind schedule. From getting trail cameras out and completing his deer chores to getting his bow dialed in, it seems like there is always something else that needs to get done. Luke shares his struggle to balance life with the time he wants to spend in the outdoors and challenges listeners to share how they make it all work.

Luke also talks about his latest change in archery gear—a new broadhead. After shooting fixed blades for the past few years and dealing with some issues getting the arrow flight he wanted, Luke decided it was time to give an expandable broadhead another shot. He recently made the switch to the 2.3-inch cut Beast Broadheads mechanical broadhead, with some convincing from his buddies at Creed Archery and plenty of positive feedback from other hunters. He also dives into some of the unexpected—and pretty funny—jokes included in the broadhead packaging.

Finally, with a rifle antelope hunt right around the corner, Luke looks ahead to the upcoming trip. He's hoping to come home with a great hunting story, some good content, and most importantly, memories that will last a lifetime.

From falling behind on hunting prep to trying new gear and getting ready for an antelope hunt, this episode is all about the reality of making time for the outdoors when life doesn't always make it easy.

Thanks for listening to The Keota Outdoors Podcast

Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube 
Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook @KeotaOutdoors  
 For bonus drops and raw in-the-field episodes, look for "The Outdoor Drop" releases.
Questions, guest ideas, or feedback? Email [email protected]  
Remember, stay aligned with the outdoors.

 On this episode of Keota Outdoors, Luke sits down in the mancave with Patrick Tompson of Tompson Land and Whitetail to talk all things upcoming archery season and chasing mature whitetails.

Luke and Patrick start by discussing when the best opportunities to hunt elusive mature bucks occur throughout the season, including the challenges and opportunities that come with the heat of Missouri's early bow season. While early-season conditions can make hunting tough, they also discuss why those early hunts can be extremely successful when the timing and conditions are right.

The conversation then turns to their favorite time of the year: late October. Luke and Patrick agree that the last 10 days of October can be one of the best opportunities to catch up with a mature buck before the chaos of the rut really begins.

From there, they dive into one of the biggest challenges of managing a hunting property: human pressure. How much is too much? Land management, brush hogging, working on stands, planting food plots, checking trail cameras and all the other "deer chores" require time in the woods—but every trip also creates additional pressure.

Luke discusses the challenge of balancing property management with keeping a hunting property feeling secure for mature deer. He compares his approach to neighboring properties where less summer activity can create relatively undisturbed sanctuaries for big bucks. Luke and Patrick go back and forth on the consequences of excessive pressure and discuss ways hunters can minimize their impact while still getting the work done.

Luke finishes the episode with a goal for next season: finding ways to reduce human pressure on his hunting properties.

If you enjoy bowhunting whitetails, hunting mature bucks, and diving deep into whitetail strategy, this episode is for you. 

Thanks for listening to The Keota Outdoors Podcast

Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube 
Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook @KeotaOutdoors  
 For bonus drops and raw in-the-field episodes, look for "The Outdoor Drop" releases.
Questions, guest ideas, or feedback? Email [email protected]  
Remember, stay aligned with the outdoors.

Luke heads into the Mancave for a conversation with Jared Westfall, owner of Creed Archery Supply in Macon, Missouri, to talk about all things archery.

Jared gives Luke the rundown on everything Creed Archery Supply has to offer, including their top-notch pro shop, experienced technicians, indoor archery range, online store, and their traveling pro shop trailer. Jared is also deeply involved in competition archery and shares his passion for growing the sport and getting more people involved in competitive archery across Missouri.

The conversation then turns toward the bowhunter, with Luke and Jared sharing practical archery tips to help you get dialed in and ready for the fast-approaching fall archery season. They talk about what originally got each of them into archery, Luke shares some stories from his college days on the archery team, and the two compare experiences from years spent shooting and hunting with a bow.

And, of course, Luke has to tell the story of a bowhunting adventure that took an unexpected turn when faulty equipment caused some serious problems—20 feet up in a tree!

Whether you're a competitive archer, a weekend bowhunter, or just getting started with a bow, there's something in this episode for you.

Check out Creed Archery Supply in Macon, Missouri, or visit CreedArchery.com to learn more about what they offer.

If you love archery, bowhunting, and talking about all things bows, don't miss this one!

Thanks for listening to The Keota Outdoors Podcast

Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube 
Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook @KeotaOutdoors  
 For bonus drops and raw in-the-field episodes, look for "The Outdoor Drop" releases.
Questions, guest ideas, or feedback? Email [email protected]  
Remember, stay aligned with the outdoors.

Luke is back in the mancave for a special episode celebrating one year of Keota Outdoors! He reflects on the highs, the lows, the lessons learned, the successes, and even the failures that have come with starting and building the podcast over the past year. Most importantly, Luke takes time to thank everyone who has listened, supported the show, shared an episode, or tuned in along the way. He also gives a huge thank-you to all of the guests who have joined him and helped make the first year of Keota Outdoors so memorable. As he looks ahead, Luke shares his excitement for the future of Keota Outdoors and everything still to come.

Then, Luke turns his attention to one of his favorite times of year—fall! Cooler evenings, earlier sunsets, and the start of hunting season are right around the corner. With September 1 marking the opening of dove season here in Missouri, Luke, his buddies, and his Labrador Timber are ready to get after it.

Luke talks about some overlooked places to hunt doves that can produce great hunts without having to rely solely on traditional sunflower or wheat fields. He breaks down the types of areas that can attract doves and where hunters may be able to find accessible opportunities close to home.

But a successful dove hunt isn't always measured by the number of birds in the game bag. Luke talks about what really makes a hunt successful: the memories and laughs shared with hunting buddies, getting valuable shotgun practice, watching a bird dog work and make retrieves, and simply getting outside and enjoying the outdoors.

To wrap things up, Luke shares one of his favorite ways to cook dove: jalapeño dove poppers!

If you're a Keota Outdoors fan and you're ready for the start of fall hunting season, this is an episode you won't want to miss!

Thanks for listening to The Keota Outdoors Podcast

Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube 
Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook @KeotaOutdoors  
 For bonus drops and raw in-the-field episodes, look for "The Outdoor Drop" releases.
Questions, guest ideas, or feedback? Email [email protected]  
Remember, stay aligned with the outdoors.

On this episode of Keota Outdoors, Luke sits down in the mancave with Bailey Small, owner of Small Kennels, to talk all things gun dogs. As one group of dogs graduates from Bailey's four-month Basic Gun Dog Training Program and heads home to their owners, another group is just beginning the journey.

Bailey breaks down exactly what owners can expect from the Basic Program, what skills their dogs will learn, and why building a solid foundation is so important. The conversation then shifts to the Advanced Gun Dog Training Program, where dogs are transformed into dependable hunting companions that are ready for the field. While they may not quite understand English, they're about as close as it gets!

Luke and Bailey also discuss Bailey's recent experience stepping outside his comfort zone by entering hunt tests. As a trainer dedicated to constantly improving his craft, Bailey shares what he learned from the experience and how it helps him continue producing better gun dogs for his clients.

To wrap things up, Bailey shares details about the upcoming Small Kennels Pre-Season Bash, where clients, friends, family, and fellow waterfowl fanatics are invited to enjoy live music, great food, cornhole, and kick off the upcoming waterfowl season together.

Whether you're looking for your first gun dog, considering professional training, or simply love watching good dogs work, this is an episode you won't want to miss. 

Thanks for listening to The Keota Outdoors Podcast

Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube 
Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook @KeotaOutdoors  
 For bonus drops and raw in-the-field episodes, look for "The Outdoor Drop" releases.
Questions, guest ideas, or feedback? Email [email protected]  
Remember, stay aligned with the outdoors.

 On this episode of Keota Outdoors, Luke sits down in the mancave with Patrick Tompson, owner of Tompson Land and Whitetail, to dive deep into one of the most important aspects of whitetail habitat management—food plots.

As summer food plot season reaches its peak, Patrick shares the knowledge he's gained from planting and managing food plots for clients across the Midwest. From clover and soybeans to corn, cereal grains, brassicas, and everything in between, Patrick explains what it takes to grow healthy, productive food plots that keep deer on your property throughout the year.

Luke also brings plenty of questions from his own experiences, discussing the successes and struggles he and his dad have faced while planting food plots on their farm. The conversation begins with one of the most dependable food sources available—clover. Patrick explains why clover remains a favorite among land managers, how to establish it successfully, and why it can thrive even in less-than-ideal soil conditions with proper maintenance.

The conversation then shifts to soybeans and corn, breaking down the role these high-energy food sources play during the late season when deer need them most. Finally, Luke and Patrick discuss the challenges of planting fall food plots in the Midwest, where August and September droughts can make establishing a successful stand difficult. Patrick shares practical strategies for maximizing moisture, improving germination, and increasing your chances of growing a productive fall plot.

Whether you're planting your very first food plot or looking to improve your existing habitat, this episode is packed with practical advice that will help you create better deer habitat and set yourself up for a successful hunting season. 

Thanks for listening to The Keota Outdoors Podcast

Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube 
Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook @KeotaOutdoors  
 For bonus drops and raw in-the-field episodes, look for "The Outdoor Drop" releases.
Questions, guest ideas, or feedback? Email [email protected]  
Remember, stay aligned with the outdoors.

On this episode of Keota Outdoors, Luke sits down in the mancave to talk about what's keeping him busy this summer as deer season inches closer. Trail cameras are hitting the woods, mature bucks are starting to reveal themselves, and it's time to begin building this year's hit list. Luke shares his current trail camera strategy, what he's looking for this time of year, and how he's preparing for the upcoming whitetail season.

The second half of the episode dives into one of the most controversial topics in Missouri hunting today—Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). Luke recently had the opportunity to participate in a CWD discussion hosted by the Missouri Department of Conservation alongside approximately 30 hunters, landowners, business owners, outdoor enthusiasts, and other stakeholders from across the state. The meeting provided an open forum to discuss CWD, MDC's management efforts, and the concerns and opinions of those directly impacted.

Luke recaps what was discussed during the meeting, shares how the conversation changed his perspective on MDC's approach to managing CWD, and breaks down the new Missouri CWD regulations that will take effect beginning in 2026. Whether you agree with the changes or not, this episode aims to provide insight into the reasoning behind them and encourage an informed conversation about the future of deer hunting in Missouri. 

Thanks for listening to The Keota Outdoors Podcast

Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube 
Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook @KeotaOutdoors  
 For bonus drops and raw in-the-field episodes, look for "The Outdoor Drop" releases.
Questions, guest ideas, or feedback? Email [email protected]  
Remember, stay aligned with the outdoors.