The Bowhunter Podcast

More and more state are banning the use of trail cameras on public land, with Kansas and Delaware the two latest examples. What does this mean for public-land bowhunters, and will more states follow suit as trail-cam technology continues to advance?

Stuart Schrag and Jason Deal of Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, Rob Hossler of Delaware Department of Natural Resources and avid public-land bowhunter Jace Bauserman join us to discuss this complex and controversial issue.

One of the best ways to enjoy bowhunting success is sharing fresh venison with friends and family. In this episode, we discuss ways to share the success with an even wider circle through venison donation programs around the country. Matt Simcox of Tennessee Wildlife Federation's Hunters for the Hungry and Randy K. Ferguson of Pennsylvania's Hunters Sharing the Harvest explain how you can do good in the field and in the community by sharing your deer harvest with families in need.

The size and health of your local deer herd is largely a function of the quality of your soil and the plants that grow in it. Whitetails columnist Jason Snavely, owner of Drop-Tine Seed Co. and Drop-Tine Wildlife Consulting, joins us for a fascinating discussion of soil biology, food plotting and how the management choices you make on your deer dirt can impact the future of your habitat and your hunting.

Opening day of deer season is just around the corner, and if you haven't already gotten your trail cameras out into the field, now is the time! Lancaster Archery's PJ Reilly joins us to discuss how, where and why to use your trail cameras and how to interpret the things the cameras do - and DON'T - reveal about the deer in your hunting area.

At the tender age of 14, Aleah Wozniak has killed more trophy whitetails than most bowhunters will in two lifetimes! Wozniak, who has taken 10 bucks with archery gear — including nine that scored more than 140 inches — is also an excellent shot, regularly hitting the bull's-eye from 100 yards or more with her Hoyt bow. Aleah and her father, David, join us to discuss her incredible run of bowhunting success and the dedication required to be among the top teenage bowhunters in America.

Pennsylvania bowhunter Brandon Austin is a broadhead junkie. Austin, who has worked at the Lancaster Archery Supply pro shop for more than 20 years, has tested hundreds of broadhead designs over the years and hunted with more than 100 different models. In this episode, he joins us to discuss the features he looks for in a broadhead, the most effective design features and some his favorite models — past and present — that he trusts to get the job done on big game.

Field Editor Bill Winke is one of America's most respected whitetail hunters. In this episode, Bill and Editor Christian Berg discuss some deer-hunting fundamentals and Bill's plans for his new farm in Iowa. They also reflect on some of worst gimmick products ever sold to deer hunters and discuss some crazy, off-beat hunting strategies that just might work for anyone brave enough to try them!

When you have a once-in-lifetime buck running around in your area, but no real reason for it to visit your property, you need a game plan to get your shot. That's exactly what Kansas resident Darin Williams did in 2022, creating an oasis at his five-acre woodlot surrounded by acres upon acres of wide-open farmland. The end result was a close — and we mean close — encounter with a 230-plus-inch buck called Megatron. Don't miss this amazing story!

Planning a far-flung bowhunting adventure — from Western elk or Alaska moose to African plains game or New Zealand tahr — is no easy task, and it certainly helps to have an expert on your side. Ryan Martin with Rolling Bones Outdoors explains how a good booking agent can help with everything from submitting license applications and choosing a reputable outfitter to booking travel and purchasing the right gear for your hunt.

Since its start in Kentucky two decades ago, the National Archery in the Schools (NASP) Program has grown rapidly, now reaching more than a million middle and high school students every year. NASP President Tommy Floyd and Easton Archery Sales Manager Carri Garrett join Associate Editor Mark Demko to discuss the numerous benefits of NASP, including how it teaches kids important life skills, inspires them to excel in the classroom and serves as a stepping stone to the world of bowhunting.