In this episode I sit down with writer, author, film producer and a man with what I feel has the best handle ever (Herd Bull), Mike Mitten. Mike is a bowhunter who has been bowhunting for over 50 years. 

Mikes shares his passionate bowhunting adventures through his books, his magazine articles, and his YouTube channel. From his 3-week solo trips in Alaska, to hunting big mature whitetail bucks on his home farm in the Midwest. This podcast has everything! and trust me when I say, we only begun to scratch the surface. This is one you don't want to miss. 

Hey everyone! After a long break, I'm back. 

This episode is to get everyone caught back up with the Ryan Furrer Podcast. Where I've been, what's been going on, and the future of the podcast. 

Also, I sit down and chat with my good friend, PA big woods, big whitetail, public land hunter, Tyler Brown. AKA Stretch. 

Stretch goes over all things public land.  Gear choices, long sits, scouting, the sacrifice, the good the bad of public land hunting. 

Please reach out to me, let me know your thoughts, let me know what you may have in mind, I'd like to hear from you. 

Enjoy.

After a long pause- we're back.  And I'm happy to be joined by one of my friends and mentors. Mr. Ben Moyer.
 
Ben is a lifelong outdoorsman, outdoor writer, conservationist who has spent the biggest parts of his life in the woods and streams of-as he coined it, "Northern Appalachia".  As he sees it, Appalachia could be split into 2 different regions culturally. I never really thought about it until Ben, and I sat down to discuss his new book. "Smoke To See By" .   After our discussion, I agree. It's different, and that's one of the things so great about Appalachia.  As Ben writes: A widely traveled visitor's first sight of Greene County PA or much of the Alleghenies' western foothills, might understandably result in such a mundane impression. But that would be a limiting view, informed by screen shots and televised images of "spectacular" places elsewhere- alpine peaks, tempestuous coasts, lust tropic beaches. Through that lens to hail one place as "spectacular" risk missing the remarkable elsewhere.

This book and interview are loaded with great stories as Ben connects the stories with the details about places, they happened in giving the story texture while deepening the meaning.

If you've traveled, hunted, or fished in and around true Appalachia I'm certain you'll find this book, and podcast of true value.

You can buy "Smoke to see by" almost everywhere books are sold.  Go out and get it! 

Enjoy!

Well, if you are into being "politically incorrect" you'll likely enjoy this episode. 
I had the pleasure of sitting down with Matt Rinella. I mean Dr. Matt Rinella. 
Yes, if you think that last name rings a bell, it's because Matt is the brother of Steve Rinella, who founded the now very famous Meateater brand. Not to be outdone as a "founder' of sorts, Matt has founded the now semi-famous (at least on Instagram) 'Hunt Quietly' brand. (Said in my most quiet whisper).

You see. Matt, Steve, and their other brother Dan grew up together hunting, fishing, and trapping in Michigan. Although I don't know for sure, but I assume they formed a tight bond as hunting and fishing has a way of doing that with people.  As they got older, they found themselves moving throughout the country guided by the outdoors. Matt, like Steve now lives in Montana, and their brother Dan lives in Alaska. 

Now. Here's where they differ. Steve obviously started the meateater television series, along with the meateater podcast, social media platform, sales swag, hunting gear, a clothing brand, a bestselling author, promotes hunting, cooking and eating wild game etc, etc. All in the name of conservation. Well. Is it in the name of conservation? See, this is where it gets tricky. 

I'll be the first to say. I watch, listen, and buy from meateater. I like it, I like most of the people involved, and I get it. BUT, I also completely understand where Matt is coming from. He makes very valid points, like (Killing for content) the downside of the R3 movement, the whole public land craze and many more. With social media now the last 10 years, hunting has changed. A lot. Is it for the better? That's the real question. 

With this topic I'm certain there will be strong opinions on both sides. regardless of where you sit, it's worth a listen. 

As always, I hope you enjoy, and please share your thoughts.  
  

"You Ain't No Crabber!" HA! Now this, was some great discussion! We rolled up our sleeves and did some deep divin' (well, not that deep because as we learned in this podcast the water quality of the Bay doesn't lend itself to clarity). Even so, we got into the nitty gritty details of what's going on with the water quality with, 2 guys who spend, let's just say, A LOT of time fishing it.  
Bay fisherman and crabber of 26 years CJ Canby. Capt. of the FV Miss Paula. And fairly young (8 years) Capt. Luke Mcfadden of the FV Southern Girl. Don't let Luke's for lack of better terms "inexperience" fool you. He's been working on boats since about the age of 12 and has amassed millions of followers with billions of downloads on social media with his everyday quick video segments explaining exactly what is happening with "a day in the life of a bay waterman" His social media platform is telling a story with seriousness, humility, and humor. 

If there is a day that these guys aren't fishing the bay in fishing season, then that's only because they're working on their gear.  We cover it all. What got them started, (the old days) the fishing now, vs then.  The water quality and how it effects their lively hood. What's is, or isn't being done about it, and why. 

This one was so good we decided to follow up with maybe a more "lighthearted" vol 2 (Coming soon)

With that, as always let us know what you think. hit the like, and share. 

Enjoy. 

The Ashby Foundation- with Rob Neilson, and Rob Hummel. 

Yep! You guessed it, arrow penetration.  Fixed vs mechanical. Slow and heavy, vs light and fast. If this topic is not thee most argued topic in all of archery hunting, then I don't know what is. I know year in and year out it comes up on social media when you undoubtably will see one side of the industry "professionals" touting the light and fast side while taking what some would consider extremely long shots with archery tackle.

Then there is the other side with very heavy, high FOC (front of center) arrows taking really up close and personal shots. One thing I know for sure, each side is very passionate about what they believe. 

If I'm being honest, I enjoy both arguments.  I think it definitely comes down to situation(s). What you're hunting (animals). Where you're hunting (terrain). And, what you're shooting (type of bow).

If you go back a few episodes I had Tim Gillingham on. To say Tim had a strong opinion of the "light and fast" That would be an understatement. But hey- It's Tim Gillingham, one of the world's best archers and a very accomplished hunter so his opinion counts, right!? 

If you're a data nerd you should check out their website and listen to this podcast, it's packed full of data!

What say you? Light and fast- or slow and heavy. 

As always leave me some feedback, hit the like and share button. 

I hope you enjoy. 

Hey folks!  Another great episode of the Ryan Furrer Podcast.. 

The Pennsylvania rifle season is freshly behind us. If you're like me and you tuned into social media during the 12 days of the gun season, you probably saw a variety of post, ranging from hunters either giving praise while sitting behind a big buck. Or hunters giving criticism to the Saturday opener and not seeing a deer on public land.
Either way, Executive Director Bryan Burhans is fine with it. He likes to hear the praise and criticism. As he puts it- "it's how he gains perspective". 

Bryan, myself and my co-host Rob sat down and went over everything. 

The Saturday vs Monday opener. Hunter numbers. Access. Access in relation to hunter numbers. R3 ( retain, recruit, reactivate). Public land/hunting. You name it, I think we covered it.  It's a doosie! 

Be sure to check out our new up and coming YouTube channel as well. ( Ryan Furrer Podcast)

Again. leave me a comment. Give it a like  and a share. 

Thanks- I hope you enjoy it. 

Hey! Another great episode in the books at RFP.  My good friend and National Deer Association- Director of Conservation. Certified Wildlife Biologist,  the "Deer Nerd"- Matt Ross.

Should we question science!? If you ask me- hell yeah you should. If you didn't question the science, would it actually even be "science"? Science needs questions constantly in order for it to "stand" 

As you'll hear in this podcast, I have no problem asking  questions. Trust me. 

There's a lot of conversations had in the hunting community, in deer camps, or just as bar room banter that are poised from a science or factual type perspective.  But are they really factual? Or are they just stories, or terms that have just been passed along from one "expert" to another, then on to another that somehow end up being the gospel? 

So we're testing the waters. This was some great back and forth between Matt and I that will  make you  laugh, and hopefully even raise your eyebrows.
 Give it a listen, and give me your thoughts.  Is there anything you've heard in hunting circles that make you wonder?

As always give me some feedback- leave a good review, subscribe and share! Please! 
 

 

This one happened fast folks.  And I must say, it was ( I think) a great episode! 

I kid you not when I say it happened fast. I stumbled across Mike on social media about 2 weeks ago, thought wow, that's pretty cool he's finding wounded animals with a drone. Good stuff!
Fast forward those 2 weeks, Mikes been finding deer everyday, some times multiple a day.  His social media following has averaged 1000 new followers a day for the last week! ( That reminds me, if you're reading this and don't follow me, go hit the follow button ha!) I need to get better at that. 

Back to Drone Deer Recovery and this episode. Not only did we talk about the ins- and outs of locating deer with a drone. We covered EVERYTHING! From technology,  (the goods, the bads, and the ugly). The legalities. the statistics, the weather conditions, foliage, morale's, self policing as sportsman, etc. I mean everything- Some great discussion was had! 

Please give this show a listen, leave me some comments, a good review, hit the like and share button!  Go follow Drone Deer Recovery, check out his Youtube channel, leave Mike some feedback.  

Enjoy!

Whoa!!! This is a GOOD one, and I'm not trying to be biased. It's just good.  
 If you're a hunter who likes to "follow" along with the who's, who of the hunting side of social media and Youtube. Then this episode is for you.
So, if you are one of those people, then I'm sure you have heard of Meateater, right? How about "Wired to Hunt"?  Yep. My next guest is none other than the Meateater's own,  Mark Kenyon! 

I probably don't have to tell many podcast listeners who Mark is or what he does. So I wont. But what I will tell you is how this episode came about.
 I've known Mark for 10 years or so. He's one of the guys who in the hunting world that I would say. "has made it" Right!? Like a baseball player coming out of triple A. He's been "called up". His platform is arguably one of the largest in the industry.  He is literally 'livin the dream'. 
Well. At least that's what it looks like to us who follow along on social media. I mean, think about it, his job is to travel the Country chasing White-tailed deer basically from the beginning of the early season all the way up until the last day of the late season. Then, all he has to do is tell us about it via social media, the website, articles and videos on Youtube.  How hard can that be!? Ha!

Well.. That's where this story takes a turn. Not to say Mark doesn't thoroughly love his job, he does. But it became NOT FUN! That's right, I just wrote, Mark was "livin the dream", right? But somehow it managed to make him miserable.  So he had to ask himself so difficult questions. Somehow try to get it all back into perspective. 

And that's what he did. He put it into perspective,  made a new plan.  Then he wrote about it. 

 Back in September Mark penned an article "How to make Deer Hunting, Not Fun". I read the article and it resonated with me. It's very easy to get caught up in what we think is the "dream". Especially in the days of social media.
 It's one big buck picture after another.  Mid October through mid November after about 10 minutes scrolling though Instagram I feel like the worst hunter ever. ha! "What am I doing wrong!?" "Must be something, I better get out there!" "I need a buck picture to post"! Right? Don't lie, we've all been there. 

In this episode we unpacked it all. All the emotions, all the anxiety and more. Have a listen. 

As always feel free to leave your question and comments. I'd love to hear some feedback. 
 I hope you enjoy.