Michigan Wild - Sportsmen's Empire

On this episode of Michigan Wild, host Nate Rozeveld welcomes Jake Bollinger, a passionate hunter and habitat manager. They discuss the excitement surrounding the upcoming gun season, family traditions related to hunting, and the importance of processing deer personally. The conversation shifts to hunting access, land management strategies, and the significance of creating wildlife-friendly habitats. They also explore deer movement patterns, the use of technology in habitat management, and the value of community knowledge sharing in hunting. The episode continues with a captivating story about Jake's buck from the current season, which was shot in late October after making an aggressive move because the farmer drove by on a UTV.

Jake knew about this buck and was able to put the puzzle pieces together by finding scrapes and understanding how deer like to bed on his property.  After making the shot the recovery was unique and Jake was in uncharted territory after not hitting the buck ideal. He discussed the challenge of tracking and recovering his deer, particularly after a gut shot, and how waiting until the following morning was critical to recovering his deer. 

Overall you can sense the passion Jake has for hunting and improving the landscape. He isn't afraid of some sweat equity and is always learning and attempting new strategies. He is very relatable to the majority of hunters who find themselves hunting the family farm or own their small piece of heaven. Leaving behind the property better than he found it is the driving force and he is already looking forward to starting habitat improvements this upcoming year.

Thank you for listening to the episode! If you would like to support Michigan Wild farther leave a review/ranking anywhere you listen to the podcast! 

Interested in being a guest on Michigan Wild? Send an email to [email protected]or send a message on Instagram @michiganwildpod.

In need of a tracking dog? Reach out to Find It Fred, Tony and his dog are top notch and Tony is passionate about helping fellow hunters.

Looking to add a food plot or change up your food plot strategy check out vitalizeseed.com and the Habitat Podcast.

Check out Wildlife Legends Taxidermy for any of your taxidermy needs.

In this episode of Michigan Wilds, host Nate Rozeveld shares his experiences from the past weeks of hunting, reflecting on the challenges and successes of the season. He discusses his gear changes, strategies for tracking deer, and the importance of adapting to the hunting environment. Throughout the episode Nate highlights the emotional journey of a hunter, including missed opportunities and the anticipation of future hunts. 

Nate has had some great hunts that he breaks down, including the hunt for a notable buck he nicknames B8. A deer he has had multiple encounters with and even came to full draw on. He discusses the strategies he employs, including timing, location, and calling techniques, to enhance his chances of a successful hunt. Rounding out the episode Nate reflects on the importance of patience and the thrill of the chase, while also sharing his goals for the season and future hunting plans this fall.

Thank you for listening to the episode! If you would like to support Michigan Wild farther leave a review/ranking anywhere you listen to the podcast! 

Interested in being a guest on Michigan Wild? Send an email to [email protected]or send a message on Instagram @michiganwildpod.

In need of a tracking dog? Reach out to Find It Fred, Tony and his dog are top notch and Tony is passionate about helping fellow hunters.

Looking to add a food plot or change up your food plot strategy check out vitalizeseed.com and the Habitat Podcast.

Check out Wildlife Legends Taxidermy for any of your taxidermy needs. 

On this episode of Michigan WIld Nate and returning guest Cam Carpenter dive into the success story of Cam's 2024 archery buck. Cam is no stranger to shooting above average bucks in Michigan even at his young age. He has tagged multiple mature deer and enjoys the process and the challenge it offers each year. 

Even though this buck was shot during the October lull, this story starts over the summer. Cam gained access to a new property and had no idea what to expect. While expectations were soon set shortly after deploying cams as multiple bucks showed up and stayed leading up to October 1st.

As the first few weeks of the season progressed Cam had multiple encounters with this deer. He stayed persistent and stuck to his game plan. Every encounter Cam continued to learn more about the buck and how he used the property. All that came together on October 17th when Cam shot his October Lull Buck!

Thank you for listening to the episode! If you would like to support Michigan Wild farther leave a review/ranking anywhere you listen to the podcast! 

Interested in being a guest on Michigan Wild? Send an email to [email protected] or send a message on Instagram @michiganwildpod.

In need of a tracking dog? Reach out to Find It Fred, Tony and his dog are top notch and Tony is passionate about helping fellow hunters.

Looking to add a food plot or change up your food plot strategy check out vitalizeseed.com and the Habitat Podcast.

Check out Wildlife Legends Taxidermy for any of your taxidermy needs. 

On this episode of Michigan WIld, Nate Rozeveld is solo this week. Nate takes the opportunity to do a season update and break down some of his hunts where he saw target deer and discuss the Recurve Debacle. The fall of 2024 has been exciting and challenging for Nate. He has had multiple encounters with target deer every week of October so far. Each encounter has been under different circumstances and yet to reveal a punched tag. 

Facing different crop rotations and an influx of deer density has been part of the challenge and has found Nate hunting multiple October mornings. The morning of the 25th proved to be the start of the Debacle. Nate goes into detail of the hunt and the decisions that lead to the tree he found himself in and what ultimately led to a shot on a buck with his recurve.

The story didn't end with a grip and grin, however Nate still has the desire and confidence to continue hunting with his recurve. October is almost to a close with some good hunts left. Nate will continue to make strategic moves to get in front of a target deer or kill a whitetail with his recurve.

Thank you for listening to the episode! If you would like to support Michigan Wild farther leave a review/ranking anywhere you listen to the podcast! 

Interested in being a guest on Michigan Wild? Send an email to [email protected]or send a message on Instagram @michiganwildpod.

In need of a tracking dog? Reach out to Find It Fred, Tony and his dog are top notch and Tony is passionate about helping fellow hunters.

Looking to add a food plot or change up your food plot strategy check out vitalizeseed.com and the Habitat Podcast.

Check out Wildlife Legends Taxidermy for any of your taxidermy needs.

On this week of The Last 7 Days, Shane Loney joins Nate Rozeveld to recap the 3rd week of Michigan's archery season. Shane's fall started with a hiccup as he had an accident while setting a treestand. After some surgery and having his thumb wrapped and splint he hasn't let that slow him down. Fortunately he is still able to shoot his bow, and has some great friends that have helped him set stands and make strategic moves. 

Up until this point of the season both guys talk about their personal experiences with seeing some great deer and having some solid sits that just haven't had the desirable outcomes. Nate feels he was just too passive on a few sits and it cost him an opportunity at a target buck. Shane has been getting some daylight pictures of his target deer, but hasn't found himself quite there yet either.

However both Nate and Shane are eagerly anticipating the upcoming cold front paired with the later part of October. This is when both guys move into targeting specific transition areas next to bedding and feel it's a great opportunity to catch a mature buck on his feet, either in the morning or evening. 

Thank you for listening to the episode! If you would like to support Michigan Wild farther leave a review/ranking anywhere you listen to the podcast! 

Interested in being a guest on Michigan Wild? Send an email to [email protected] or send a message on Instagram @michiganwildpod.

In need of a tracking dog? Reach out to Find It Fred, Tony and his dog are top notch and Tony is passionate about helping fellow hunters.

Looking to add a food plot or change up your food plot strategy check out vitalizeseed.com and the Habitat Podcast.

Check out Wildlife Legends Taxidermy for any of your taxidermy needs. 

On this episode of Michigan WIld, Nate Rozeveld and his son Henry(HD) sit down and record a great episode recapping HD's buck he got during the youth hunt. HD is 8 years old and really enjoys spending time outside. He has tagged along with Nate at a young age hunting, fishing, food plotting, making mock scrapes, and now hunting himself. Through this episode they talk about everything they accomplished leading up to the hunt, including the food plot prep, sighting in the weapon, all the summer shooting and some expectations. 

Overall a fun episode going over HD's second buck harvest and the journey it took to get there. HD is looking forward to opening day of gun season so he can travel up North with the family and hopefully fill a doe tag or two. Nate and Henry both are so happy it worked out and that a successful hunt took place. They both are looking forward to many more hunts together and now it's dad's turn to fill a buck tag!

Thank you for listening to the episode! If you would like to support Michigan Wild farther leave a review/ranking anywhere you listen to the podcast! 

Interested in being a guest on Michigan Wild? Send an email to [email protected]or send a message on Instagram @michiganwildpod.

In need of a tracking dog? Reach out to Find It Fred, Tony and his dog are top notch and Tony is passionate about helping fellow hunters.

Looking to add a food plot or change up your food plot strategy check out vitalizeseed.com and the Habitat Podcast.

Check out Wildlife Legends Taxidermy for any of your taxidermy needs.

On this episode of Michigan Wild, Nate and Brad Speet kick off The Last 7 Days wk2. Brad found himself wrapping his tag around his first public land archery buck. Brad is a part of the Half Ass Hunting podcast and previously joined Michigan Wild talking about salmon fishing earlier this fall. Not only does Brad get after the fish, he also is torn up with whitetail hunting. Recapping the last 7 days of October found both guys having some great hunts, even leading up into the "October Lull". Nate discusses a few of his hunts that have produced some great up and coming bucks, just not the target deer in bow range. Brad was actually able to shoot his buck October 15th and took advantage of being mobilbe, not relying on trail cams, and hunting the sign, not where he felt he had to be. 

The way Brad hunted this buck down was inspiring and a great story. From watching the deer get out of his bed and proceed to within bow range was the sum of all the hard work, dedication to learning, and not being afraid to try new tactics. The 2nd week of October is behind us and both guys are looking forward to the next week. Nate is still searching for a deer to target and Brad has a solid play on some deer he has history with. Everyday that ticks by leads to some of the best hunting opportunities for the fall. 

Thank you for listening to the episode! If you would like to support Michigan Wild farther leave a review/ranking anywhere you listen to the podcast! 

Interested in being a guest on Michigan Wild? Send an email to [email protected]or send a message on Instagram @michiganwildpod.

In need of a tracking dog? Reach out to Find It Fred, Tony and his dog are top notch and Tony is passionate about helping fellow hunters.

Looking to add a food plot or change up your food plot strategy check out vitalizeseed.com and the Habitat Podcast.

Check out Wildlife Legends Taxidermy for any of your taxidermy needs.

On this episode of Michigan WIld Nate and Gideon Montgomery have a great conversation focused on chasing whitetails on public land. Gideon has a great story. He didn't grow up in a hunting family, so he cut his teeth learning how to hunt whitetails on public land in Michigan. He was fortunate enough to have a few mentors that pointed him in the right direction and he has continued to put in the time and effort to get better every fall. Gideon enjoys filling the freezer every year and admits that he has a hard time passing a good doe. 

Along with starting whitetail hunting he also found himself going out west his second season of hunting. There is a parallel to how Gideon hunts today that reflects the early years of western hunting and his desire to always go on an adventure. Public land has never intimidated him and he knows that effort and desire can lead to more success. Strolling into a piece of public he has never hunted and the adventure that waits is what he seeks each fall. 

Thank you for listening to the episode! If you would like to support Michigan Wild farther leave a review/ranking anywhere you listen to the podcast! 

Interested in being a guest on Michigan Wild? Send an email to [email protected]or send a message on Instagram @michiganwildpod.

In need of a tracking dog? Reach out to Find It Fred, Tony and his dog are top notch and Tony is passionate about helping fellow hunters.

Looking to add a food plot or change up your food plot strategy check out vitalizeseed.com and the Habitat Podcast.

Check out Wildlife Legends Taxidermy for any of your taxidermy needs.

On this episode of Michigan Wild we kicked off the series The Last 7 Days Wk1. Robert McIntyre once again joins Nate and they break down their mindsets and each hunt they have been on. Both guys have had an eventual start to their seasons with releasing arrows, so they jump right into breaking down all the action. 

Nate's first week has been exciting with its ups and downs. He has seen a target buck along with passing some awesome up and comers. The weather patterns and food sources have led to Nate staying mobile and hunting more mornings than he typically does in early October. Robert along with Nate has been on deer and even bloodied 2 arrows on public land deer. His family does a camp every fall and as a camp they harvested 4 deer. Robert breaks down his kills and the enjoyment he finds experiencing a bow camp every year. 

Overall it's been a great start to the season and congrats Robert on your archery kills!

Thank you for listening to the episode! If you would like to support Michigan Wild farther leave a review/ranking anywhere you listen to the podcast! 

Interested in being a guest on Michigan Wild? Send an email to [email protected]or send a message on Instagram @michiganwildpod.

In need of a tracking dog? Reach out to Find It Fred, Tony and his dog are top notch and Tony is passionate about helping fellow hunters.

Looking to add a food plot or change up your food plot strategy check out vitalizeseed.com and the Habitat Podcast.

Check out Wildlife Legends Taxidermy for any of your taxidermy needs. 

On this episode of Michigan Wild, Tyler Bentley joins Nate to discuss the last 10 years of The Rise Hunt, and his unbelievable start to this fall.  Tyler does a fantastic job sharing about his journey as a hunter and content creator, while touching on the evolution of The Rise Hunt. He emphasizes the importance of preparation, adaptability, and storytelling in hunting. Tyler reflects on his experiences filming hunts, the challenges of hunting in different environments, and the significance of enjoying the process rather than just focusing on the end goal. He also highlights the collaborative nature of the hunting community and the entrepreneurial spirit that drives his passion for the outdoors. 

Before October Tyler had already filled two out of state buck tags. One in North Dakota and his second in Missouri.Tyler shares the unexpected opportunities he encountered while bow hunting in each state, which adds to the anticipation and uncertainty bowhunting offers. He discusses the strategies he employed, the emotional highs and lows of the hunt, and the importance of patience and preparation. Overall Tyler is enjoying the whole process of the fall and what it took for them to get here. The Rise Hunt isn't an overnight sensation and Tyler emphasizes the significance of hard work and dedication in achieving a goal, in the woods and day to day life.

Thank you for listening to the episode! If you would like to support Michigan Wild farther leave a review/ranking anywhere you listen to the podcast! 

Interested in being a guest on Michigan Wild? Send an email to [email protected]or send a message on Instagram @michiganwildpod.

In need of a tracking dog? Reach out to Find It Fred, Tony and his dog are top notch and Tony is passionate about helping fellow hunters.

Looking to add a food plot or change up your food plot strategy check out vitalizeseed.com and the Habitat Podcast.

Check out Wildlife Legends Taxidermy for any of your taxidermy needs.