The HUNTXP Podcast

Jonny and JD catch up on the tags they’ve punched so far. Jonny tells the story of the Bully Buck, a deer he’d followed since last season and watched push another buck around in early October. JD recounts his Minnesota rifle opener, from the first crunch of footsteps to the neighbors who offered to help and the FaceTime call that brought Jonny along for the recovery.

In this episode

• Why Jonny passed the Bully Buck early and changed his mind by October 25

• What the buck’s behavior made us wonder about dominance and trail camera activity

• JD’s first DIY European mount and the moment he nearly decided to pay somebody

• The first-light rifle jam, the opening-day texts, and the FaceTime recovery

• What we look for when a familiar buck drops off camera during the rut

• The Wisconsin ground encounter that brought two eight-pointers within about 20 yards

Got a deer story or a photo from this season? DM HUNTXP and tell us how it went.

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What happens when you’ve experienced every hunt you dreamed about—and still find yourself asking, “Now what?”

Billy Molls of Modern Day Mountain Man joins HUNTXP live at Huntstock for a conversation about hunting, faith, and finding purpose beyond the next trophy.

Billy shares what Alaska exposed in him, what he learned around campfires with hunters, and the moment he surrendered his life to Jesus while thousands of miles from his wife as she gave birth to their daughter.

We talk about chasing bigger bucks and bigger goals, the pull of pride and money, and the shift from pursuing your own dreams to serving others.

More from Billy:
https://billymollsadventures.com/

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Would Tom Tiffany be a good governor for Wisconsin hunters? With the November 3, 2026 election less than two weeks away, Wisconsin’s Republican candidate for governor joins HUNTXP for a quick conversation recorded at Huntstock.

Tiffany shares his positions on gray wolf management, a possible Wisconsin sandhill crane hunting season, and expanding opportunities for hunters, anglers, and trappers.

Then JD and Jonny widen the conversation: What should hunters ask ANY politician before casting a ballot?

Supporting hunters means answering some practical questions. Will we have places to hunt? Healthy wildlife populations? A meaningful voice in management decisions? And a DNR with both accountability and the funding to do its work?

In this episode:
• Tom Tiffany’s priorities for Wisconsin hunters
• Gray wolf delisting and the limits of a governor’s authority
• A possible sandhill crane hunting season
• Protecting public hunting land and expanding access
• Habitat, land use, and the future of deer hunting
• Chronic wasting disease and deer herd health
• DNR accountability, funding, and hunters’ input
• How to evaluate candidates through their votes, budgets, and specific commitments

Whether you hunt Wisconsin’s Northwoods, rely on public land, or want your kids to have hunting opportunities, these are questions worth asking before Election Day—and following up on afterward.

What hunting issue do you want Wisconsin’s next governor to address? Tell us in the comments.

Wisconsin Election Day: Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
Find your ballot, polling place, and official voting information: https://myvote.wi.gov/

#TomTiffany #WisconsinGovernor #HUNTXP

The buck you’re after isn’t living like the deer you see on TV.John Eberhart returns to the HUNTXP Podcast for a live conversation at Huntstock about hunting mature whitetails on public land and private ground accessed through free permission. John doesn’t pull any punches about hunting pressure, scent control, or why tactics from heavily managed properties can fall apart where the rest of us hunt.We get into the security cover he looks for, why he hunts inside bedding areas during the rut, and the window he’d choose if he only had 10 days to hunt. He also shares a surprising breakdown of his midday success—and why sitting through those quiet hours might deserve another look.In this episode:• Why John prioritizes security cover over open timber and field edges• Hunting bedding areas during the rut• His preferred pre-rut window and approach to scrape setups• Why he targets post-rut bucks on certain out-of-state trips• The scent-control process he follows and the details he thinks hunters miss• How mapping apps and growing participation have changed public-land hunting• His saddle-hunting beginnings and adapting his bow setup as he gets olderPlus, the story of a public-land hunter walking through his shooting lane—and the 150-inch buck that showed up afterward.If you hunt pressured ground, there’s plenty here to think through before your next sit.Find John’s books and more:https://deer-john.netFollow HUNTXP for more hunting stories, practical conversations, and more and better experiences in the outdoors.

When should you wait on a buck—and when does hesitation cost you the opportunity?

Chancy Walters from Whitetail Adrenaline joins HUNTXP live at Huntstock for a conversation about hunting whitetails on the ground, reading deer behavior, and making your move when the window opens.

Chancy shares why he prefers finding a buck before committing to a hunt, how he reads a buck’s reactions to other bucks before using a decoy, and how being just ten seconds late can change the outcome of an hours-long stalk.

We also talk about the raw filming behind Whitetail Adrenaline, learning from failed hunts, our own experiences getting out of the tree, and why Chancy loves hunting out of a minivan.

Originally recorded during our Huntstock coverage, this interview returns as an official HUNTXP episode with a new introduction and post-interview discussion.

If you’ve ever considered hunting whitetails from the ground—or second-guessed when to make your move—this conversation gives you plenty to think about.

Explore Whitetail Adrenaline: https://whitetailadrenaline.com/
More from HUNTXP: https://www.huntxp.com/

Have you tried ground hunting for whitetails? Share your experience in the comments, and send this episode to a hunting buddy.

Traveled 1,250 miles from the Midwest to the Idaho high country—and somehow ended up just 25 yards from the biggest mule deer we saw all week.

In Episode 59 of the HUNTXP Podcast, JD breaks down his first high-country mule deer hunt and what he learned when months of preparation finally met the reality of hunting the mountains.

This wasn’t a punched-tag story. It was a learning-how-to-get-close story.

After hiking deep into the backcountry, JD and his brother Cody found bachelor groups of velvet mule deer, learned to play mountain thermals, crawled through loose rock, ditched boots to stalk in socks, and twice worked inside roughly 25 yards of mature bucks. One of those encounters put JD incredibly close to the biggest buck they saw all week—with no ethical shot opportunity before it disappeared.

The biggest lesson? Getting within bow range and actually creating a shot are two very different skills.

We break down what worked, what JD would do differently, the mistakes that cost opportunities, why patience matters once you're inside a buck's bubble, and why the “short game” may be one of the most overlooked skills in western bowhunting.

We also get into Jonny's Wisconsin season, Wes punching his buck tag, Moose's blood-trailing debut, and a wild encounter with a pack of wolves.

🎁 EPISODE 59 GIVEAWAY: Listen for the giveaway word during the episode, then send it to us by DM, email, or in the comments for a chance to win a HUNTXP hat.

🛒 SHOP HUNTXP: huntxp.com/store

If you're a Midwestern hunter dreaming about heading west for the first time, this one's for you.

Level Up Your Hunt.

What’s the most lethal arrow setup for whitetails—and where do Ranch Fairy and Derrek Dixon agree?

We’re bringing back a conversation from Huntstock that puts Troy “Ranch Fairy” and Derrek Dixon of Whitetail Research at the same table. Troy brings his experience testing arrow performance. Derrek brings what he’s seen finding wounded deer with thermal drones. Together, they dig into heavy arrows, broadheads, tuning, shot placement, and what happens when a setup meets something tougher than a foam target.

These two get rolling, and JD and Jonny mostly get to sit back and enjoy the questions, stories, and laughs.

Before the Huntstock conversation, Jonny shares the story of his son Jude’s opening-weekend Wisconsin buck, what he learned about coaching a young hunter through shot placement, and why they backed out before attempting the recovery.

In this episode:
• Arrow weight, FOC, and why straight arrow flight matters
• Broadhead sharpness, durability, and penetration
• What wounded-deer recoveries reveal about shots and setups
• Crossbow range, deer reactions, and shot decisions
• Early-season opportunities for young hunters
• Derrek’s surprising observations of mature bucks bedding near coyotes

🎁 LISTEN FOR THE GIVEAWAY WORD
We share a giveaway word during the episode. Listen for it, then send us a DM or leave a comment with the word for a chance to win a HUNTXP hat!

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🎙️ ADD YOUR VOICE
Have a different take on arrow setups, a recovery story, or a question for us? Send a short voice memo or video—30 seconds to two minutes—to [email protected]. We may feature it and respond on a future episode.

Find Jonny’s 2024 buck hunts and Jude’s opening-weekend hunt on our channel, and subscribe for more hunting stories and conversations.

What does it really take to prepare for your first backcountry hunt?

With an Idaho mule deer hunt just days away, JD sits down with Jonny to talk through the gear, preparation, and mindset needed to trade Midwest whitetail woods for steep mountain country. Drawing on a decade of Western hunting experience, Jonny shares lessons from overloaded packs, long hikes, tough pack-outs, and an unsettling encounter with cougar tracks.

The guys cover:
• What to pack—and what to leave behind
• Pack comfort, good boots, and “celebration socks”
• Hydration, elevation, and physical preparation
• Playing the wind and navigating after dark
• Processing an animal in the field and planning the pack-out
• Staying mentally in the hunt when the days get tough

Whether you’re planning your first Western hunt or dreaming about the next one, join JD and Jonny for an honest conversation about the work—and the adventure—waiting beyond the truck.

Have a backcountry lesson of your own? Drop it in the comments, and subscribe for more hunting stories, practical tips, and shenanigans.

Explore HUNTXP: huntxp.com
More episodes: huntxp.com/podcast
Follow us on Instagram: @HuntXPteam

#HUNTXP #HUNTXPPodcast #WesternHunting #BackcountryHunting #MuleDeerHunting #ElkHunting #HuntingPrep #HuntingGear #HuntingPodcast

Nearly four years after joining The Hunting Public as an intern, Nick Andrews sits down with JD and Jonny to reflect on how life with the THP crew has changed the way he hunts.

Nick shares the habits he has left behind, the value of hunting midday, lessons learned while filming elk, and why adapting to the conditions matters more than hunting the same stand the same way. The conversation also explores public-land pressure, the work viewers don’t see behind THP’s success, becoming a father, and why Nick now views his camera as a way to preserve hunting memories for his family.

Plus, Nick previews the upcoming deer tour and explains why he considers himself a connoisseur of spikes.

🎁 WEEKLY HAT GIVEAWAY

Listen closely for the giveaway word hidden somewhere in this episode. When you hear it, find this episode on the HUNTXP YouTube channel and comment the word. We’ll pick one lucky winner each week and send them a HUNTXP hat!

🛒 Shop HUNTXP hats, apparel and gear:
https://www.huntxp.com/store

Are you new to deer hunting—or still trying to become more consistent in the woods? Start here.

Gabe Denzine and Ben Resnick, founders of Post Hunt Clarity, join the HuntXP Podcast to explain how new and intermediate hunters can build real hunting skills, avoid expensive gear mistakes, and gain the confidence to fill more tags.

Post Hunt Clarity was created to lower the barrier to entry for hunters who didn’t grow up with a parent or grandparent showing them the ropes. Their step-by-step deer hunting education covers the lessons many hunters are forced to learn through years of trial and error: finding places to hunt, choosing the gear that actually matters, scouting, reading deer sign, understanding wind and thermals, making ethical shots, tracking and recovering deer, and handling what comes after the shot.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why modern hunting content can leave beginners unprepared
• The gear new hunters need—and what they can skip
• How to stop wasting money on unnecessary hunting products
• Building woodsmanship, confidence, and ethical hunting habits
• Finding hunting access and getting landowner permission
• Why success should begin with filling a tag, not chasing a “booner”
• The hardest parts of learning to hunt without a mentor
• Post Hunt Clarity’s hunting courses, community, bonus resources, and partner discounts
• Gabe and Ben’s hunting backgrounds, friendship, and decision to build PHC

Whether you’re preparing for your first deer season, trying to harvest your first whitetail, or looking to understand why your current hunting strategy isn’t working, this conversation will help you hunt with more clarity.

Learn more about Post Hunt Clarity:
https://www.posthuntclarity.com/

Follow HuntXP and subscribe for honest conversations about hunting, outdoor life, and the experiences that shape us.

#DeerHunting #HuntingPodcast #NewHunter #WhitetailHunting #HuntingTips #Bowhunting #PostHuntClarity #HuntXP