Moving states is one thing. Moving your family, your career, and your entire hunting identity is something else entirely.

In this episode, we sit down with Justin Synan to talk through the real story behind his move from Virginia to Kentucky and ultimately to Iowa. We dig into what actually drives those decisions: family, faith, frustration, opportunity, and the reality of chasing big whitetails without losing yourself along the way.

We talk about the culture shock of new states, the realities of hunting pressure and baiting laws, why you can’t just “trip into” a big deer, and how expectations can quietly ruin the experience if you’re not careful. Justin opens up about what worked, what didn’t, and how perspective changes when kids, marriage, and long-term goals start weighing more than inches of antler.

It’s a candid conversation about risk, patience, and figuring out what “success” actually looks like, both in the woods and at home.

If you’ve ever daydreamed about moving to a whitetail mecca, felt stuck where you’re at, or wondered whether the grind is worth it, this episode is a great example of what it could look like to make the move.

Presented by: Nosler

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Laryngitis turns into an unexpected advantage as the conversation slows down and gets more thoughtful than usual. What starts as trade show chatter quickly becomes a grounded discussion about bows built for real hunting situations, not just spec sheets.

Ryan Shutts from Bear Archery joins to walk through the thinking behind their 2026 lineup of bows like the Redeem, Alaskan Pro, Resilient, Adapt HP, and more. The focus stays on adjustability, forgiveness, and why confidence and comfort matter more than chasing maximum numbers. There is plenty of talk about short draw lengths, aging shoulders, youth shooters, and bows that can grow with someone or be passed down instead of replaced.

Along the way, there are side tangents on trade show chaos, overengineering, minivans, and why Bear continues to be a first love for so many bowhunters and a brand people return to later in life.

A practical, honest look at archery gear through the lens of actually hunting deer and enjoying the process.

Presented by Nosler

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In this episode, Derek recaps the scouting, access, and short-lived hunt for his 2025 WI public land buck.  Derek dives into the scouting process to find the location, the reasons he didn’t hunt this spot for 3 years, and the way he positioned and used timely intel from a camera to know it was time to get into the bedding area and make an aggressive move.  Although the access was less than ideal and led to Derek dripping water from his perch high in a tree, swinging in his Latitude saddle, he stayed warm long enough to arrow a buck sneaking back into the bedding pocket.

We examine a few maps of an example location similar to the one where Derek harvested his buck and discuss the access route and choice of stand location.  Hopefully, you enjoy the story and can pick up a thing or two from the process he used to tag a bruiser of a SE WI buck.

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So, this week we kicked this one off by wondering where you’re actually listening to us (dog walk? treadmill? treestand?… hopefully not on the can...).

Then we bounce from ATA into “staying hunt ready” the only way we know how; half gear talk, half real-life chaos, and a little bit of “don’t pee into the wind” wisdom that absolutely belongs in a hunting handbook.

We recap the feel of ATA this year (more reunion than rave), catch up on seeing partners and buddies in-person, and talk through what actually matters about new gear—specs aside. Latitude’s new whitetail-focused packs (Praxis + Flyer) get broken down in plain English: why you’d care, what problems they solve, and which type of hunter they seem built for (from “all-day grind” to “two-hour grab-and-go”).

From there we get into the real “hunt ready” stuff: dialing in a quiet and efficient mobile system, small upgrades that make a big difference, shooting through the offseason, and why archery leagues might be the most underrated confidence-builder you can do before fall.

And because we can’t help ourselves, we go down the broadhead rabbit hole... fixed vs expandable, penetration vs blood trail, and the universal truth: I want my cake and I want to eat it too… and I’d also like to find the deer without needing a drone, a dog, and therapy.

We also take a live call from a long-time listener, Noah, talk late-season realities, and end with what we’re most excited about next: scouting missions with friends, more in-person guests, and building our own circle—without chasing celebrity hunters or controversy for clicks.

Bonus: There’s no episode next week (Vegas/SHOT), so enjoy this one while you’re shoveling the driveway… or sitting on the can… or pretending you’re “working.”

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New year. Same woods. Slightly better questions.

This episode starts exactly how most seasons do for us: Drinks in hand, gear scattered, kids distracting us, and our brains still half-stuck in last season.

From there, it turns into a wide-ranging, boots-on-the-ground conversation about what actually matters once the tags are filled and the pressure is off.

We dig into postseason scouting, reading why deer use certain spots instead of just where, and how historical sign, fresh sign, terrain, and transitions all start telling a bigger story when you slow down enough to pay attention to the details. There’s talk of interior edges, overlooked pockets, daylight movement, camera intel, and when aggression helps versus when it hurts.

But it’s not just tactics.

We also unpack the tension between “hunt your own hunt” and herd health, the responsibility hunters carry whether they like it or not, and why sound wildlife management doesn’t live in comment sections or hot takes. It lives in nuance, regional context, and trusting the people actually doing the biology work.

Along the way, we talk kids in the woods, adversity, mistakes, stolen trail cams, frozen fingers, missed opportunities, and the value of asking better questions instead of pretending you already know the answers.

If you’re the kind of hunter who’s still thinking about last season, already poking around for next season, and trying to get a little better without getting louder or more arrogant about it, we've got you.

Presented by Nosler

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We hit record, crack jokes, and somehow end up doing a full 2025 deer season year-in-review with the crew—public land chaos, private land chirping, a perfectly-orchestrated deer drive, and the universal truth that the freezer doesn’t fill itself (unfortunately).

You’ll hear:

Tyler’s first real taste of public land deer hunting (and the humbling that comes with it)

The Thanksgiving-ish deer drive that turned into a full-blown tradition

Matt’s “dumb luck” story that includes a 47-yard double-lung from the ground… after ditching the camera (as is tradition)

Derek’s heater of a season across Wisconsin + Illinois, capped by the best kind of win: his son taking his first deer

A few real talk moments on what Okayest Hunter actually stands for—kindness isn’t weakness, community matters, and the loudest negativity doesn’t get to define the mission

It’s funny, it’s rowdy, it’s heartfelt in the least convenient way… and it’s the perfect sendoff into almost 2026.

Brought to you by Nosler. Shoot straight. Keep it tight. And try not to lose your boots in the marsh.

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This week, we dig into one of the wildest public-land stories you’ll ever hear: the real-life unraveling of an albino deer poaching case, caught on camera and traced step-by-step across a marsh in Wisconsin. We break down the ethics, the law, the selfishness debate, and the tension between technology, responsibility, and what it really means to hunt with integrity.

From cell cams to drones to deer camp dynamics, this one pulls apart the whole mess with honesty, humor, and a hard look at what hunters owe each other.

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Walking out the door to the deer woods feels a lot different when there’s a spouse at home, kids melting down, and a to-do list a mile long. Hunting fills your cup, but sometimes it drains everyone else’s.

On this episode of the Okayest Hunter Podcast, Eric and Derek tackle the “taboo” topic almost no hunting shows touch: what deer season really does to marriages, families, and modern dads.

We talk honestly about guilt, selfishness, “hunting season survivor” spouses, and how easy it is to overdraft your family’s emotional bank account chasing a few precious sits in November.

We also share the story behind our Sweet November Sweepstakes, why we had to nuke our old Apple Podcasts feed (and all the reviews with it), and how the Okayest community rallied to rebuild ratings from scratch. There’s a live winner draw, plenty of laughs about tech issues and vertical video chaos, and some surprisingly heavy moments about generational deer camp, getting kids involved, and raising a family that still wants to come “home” to the woods with you.

If you’re a hunter who loves your family as much as you love the rut—and a spouse who’s ever felt like a hunting widow—this one’s for you. Don’t forget to follow, rate, and review on the new Okayest Podcast Network feed so more okayest hunters (and their better halves) can find the show.

Presented by Nosler: CODE OHP for 20% OFF

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Deer hearts on the cutting board, chili on the stove, and kids shaking in their boots at first light, this one’s pure deer camp.

We break down Derek's son Gus dropping his first gun-season doe with the .350 Legend, from the shaky hands and cold toes to calling grandma and grandpa with the news and dragging her out as three generations share the moment.

We swap deer camp hunting stories with the .300 Win Mag, Damien’s swamp donkey drag from hell, and Derek's buddy Mike finally tagging a big, wide 7-pointer after nearly three decades of grinding it out on tough ground.

Of course, we talk about the viral Clayton gag video, soft-handed internet haters, buck shaming, tattoos for deer camp, and why we’re still fighting for a hunting culture where any legal deer is worth celebrating.

There’s some gear talk and housekeeping too: Nosler’s Black Friday deals, Latitude, Gerber, Rack Hub, a Moultrie Edge Solar cam giveaway, and our loaded November sweepstakes. We wrap it all in gratitude—for our kids, our buddies, our wives who hold the fort down, and the deer that make all of this possible.

Grab a bowl of chili, hug your people, and enjoy the deer camp recap.

Enter our November Sweepstakes here: https://www.okayesthunter.com/pages/okayest-hunter-fred-bear-sweet-november-sweepstakes

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Deer Camp week is finally here, and Eric's deer camp buddies show up in full force.

Clayton’s rocking the rut-stache, Colton makes his podcast debut, Joel’s ready to hunt the thick stuff, Mike’s on Celsius all caffeinated up, and Eric’s just trying to keep the cords plugged in and the bourbon upright.

Calls come in, stories fly, and somehow we cover everything from crossbows to childhood trauma, dolphin tattoos, chili debates, Mallort curses, cabin chaos, Kwik Trip addictions, dads getting stuck in trucks, and the annual reminder that nobody gags harder during a gut job than Clayton.

Shane calls in to share he's heading to Adams County, Wisconsin. Colton learns what he definitely doesn’t want to grow into. And the crew tries (and fails) to stay on a single topic for more than 11 seconds.

It’s the most unhinged, authentic, big-buck-dreaming, belly-laughing Deer Camp episode we’ve ever recorded. Sorry, kinda.

Good luck this weekend. Stay safe, shoot straight, and may your Mallort shot not curse your season.

Presented by Nosler

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