The Okayest Hunter Podcast

This week Derek and Eric chat with Ryan Shutts, the Product Manager behind Bear Archery’s compound and youth bow lines. Ryan shares insights on Bear’s deep-rooted tradition in archery and how they're keeping Fred Bear's blue-collar, accessible ethos alive in a world where prices keep going up.

We chat about the resurgence of traditional archery, the smooth draw of single-cam bows like the Adapt 2, and why balance is something to strive for in a bow in contrast to shaving pounds. Ryan also shares tips for getting your kids into archery and the importance of finding the right bow to match your hunting style. He also answers a bunch of listener questions!

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Today Derek talks to Devin Duncan of Virginia. Devin grew up hunting the vast public land mountains of western Virginia and learned the ropes from his father. Devin talks about how his dad had used mules for years to pack into remote steep terrain and also for packing out the harvest. 

Devin talks about the woods of his area and how the deer survive in pockets of terrain. We discuss an awesome hunting story from Devin’s largest buck, takes a couple seasons ago. Devin goes into detail about how and why he chose the area he did and how he chose to approach his spot. All the decision making he put into setting and making a move later in the day paid off HUGE with a chance at a monster mature buck followed by a strange bear sighting. 

Devin shares some ideas about backpack style hunting, tree stands, saddles, and still hunting. 

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In this episode of the Okayest Hunter Podcast, Jace Martinetto shares his journey from being a landscaper to becoming the producer and videographer for outdoor hunting shows, including Okayest Hunter and Jake Break Hollow. Jace discusses how his passion for videography led him to take big risks, invest in his craft, and eventually transition from his media business to focusing full-time on building Jake Break Hollow—a unique hunting show inspired by camaraderie and the "good life" of the outdoors. Jace also opens up about the challenges and excitement of moving across the country to pursue this venture.

Check out Jake Brake Hallow: https://www.jakebrakehollow.com/

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In this episode, Derek sits down to talk with another big buck killer from the North East. Rodney Elmer of Mountain Deer Taxidermy is a generational hunter from Vermont who chases big buck tracks through New England when the snow flies.  He has been a hunter safety educator, taxidermist, and seminar speaker and most recently created a successful YouTube channel focused on having fun with family and friends in the deer woods.

Rodney and Derek start by chatting about the terrain and territory that Rodney hunts in the NE. This big woods terrain is not only challenging on hunters but also the deer population.  They discuss deer habits and behaviors and how that relates to time of year and the landscape they live in. 

Rodney gets into an awesome tracking story from his younger years in which tracking a small buck led him to a much larger buck, which decided to teach Rodney a few lessons that day. Rodney does a masterful job explaining and laying out his thought process on what he did and why, as well as how the buck used a variety of evasive maneuvers to distance himself from danger. 

Rodney’s story led to a conversation about the overall mentality and immense challenge that is hunting mature bucks. Rodney gives the listener plenty to think about as he deviates from tactics and talks about mindset, positivity, karma, and doing what we do for the right reasons. 

This was such an honest and refreshing discussion about hunting, and hopefully, it helps us all keep our minds in the right headspace this season.

Check out his YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwHNQN7oV2bO6nHZ1WU0Stg

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Greg Tubbs is back in studio! We dive right into the chaos of Foam Fest 2024, where apparently, three bows met their unfortunate demise! From near-misses to unexpected bow mishaps, we recount the highlights and memories from the event. We’re not out here trying to break bows, but hey, it’s better to work out the kinks at Foam Fest than from a treestand! With Eric, Derek, and Greg in the studio, you know it’s going to be a wild ride. We talk about the event’s great turnout, awesome giveaways, and, of course, some classic hunt camp banter. Tune in for a dose of Midwest camaraderie, okay jokes, and the usual shenanigans as we chop it up with Tyler Webster from the Birds, Booze, and Buds podcast.

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Today we talk to Jeff Doyle, a renowned buck tracker from the Northeast. Jeff has an awesome YouTube channel and tracking series called “Tracking 200” that focuses on using snow and a hunter’s wits and knowledge to follow bucks and kill them in an intense moment.

Jeff talks about his upbringing in hunting with his dad and how he really began to sprawl out and learn as he moved from his beginning hunting areas.

We discuss some tracking stories and how sometimes getting caught up on the “hot area” can be a bit silly and good bucks can live anywhere.

Jeff dives into some great stories in which calling and pretending to be another buck have helped him get the big bucks standing in the tracks to come a little closer.

Jeff highlights an awesome story from this past season with his father in which intuition and past experiences helped put in the perfect spot at the perfect time and get it all on video in “The Perfect Tracking Day” which will hit YouTube later this fall.

📺 https://www.youtube.com/@jeff_doyle

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Well, this episode was a bit of a wildcard. Eric was flying solo and decided to just wing it on a random Monday night. With the phone lines open and no real game plan, he wasn't sure how things would go—honestly, there was a good chance it would suck. But he made it happen. Eric chatted about everything from mock scrapes and prep work for hunting season to the upcoming Foam Fest, which is shaping up to be a good time with lots of gear, giveaways, and good company.

He also touched on a new initiative Okayest Hunter is launching called "Fulfill Your Tag," aimed at raising money for conservation through small donations when you buy your hunting tags. It’s all about doing more than just filling a tag—it's about giving back and ensuring we give more than we take.

There was one caller, Noah, who saved Eric from rambling alone for too long. They talked about the importance of community at events like Foam Fest, shared tips on mock scrapes, and discussed the unpredictable nature of hunting and the excitement that comes with it.

If you’re into unscripted, off-the-cuff hunting talk, this episode is definitely that.

See you at Foam Fest or catch you on the next episode.

Register for Foam Fest here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/foam-fest-2024-tickets-903396221417

If you like Deer Stuff, you'll love this hoodie: https://www.okayesthunter.com/products/deer-stuff-hoodie

Presented by: https://www.nosler.com/

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Gary has a long history of being a woodsman here in WI. He grew up hunting and spent many years trapping and running a series of huge traplines with at times over 300 traps. Gary’s interest has since turned in the direction of bowhunting mature bucks both here in WI and trips around the Midwest. 

Gary has filmed for The Hunting Beast, Public Land Whitetails, and Behind the Echo YouTube channels and has been featured on many podcasts. 

Today we talk about a few of his ah ha moments through his re-invigorated desire to hunt big bucks. Gary has spent a lot of his time in the vast marshes of WI but has since taken on learning hill country areas of Indiana and Illinois, finding great success in both new states. His stories lead us through multiple different learning experiences. 

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In this episode of the Okayest Hunter podcast, Eric Clark is flying solo in the studio but brings on a guest, Kevin Vistisen, to discuss the latest in hunting and gear. Eric starts by acknowledging that his usual co-hosts, Derek and Greg, are busy with other commitments, but he keeps the energy high with plenty of updates on their upcoming events, like Foam Fest and partnerships. Eric dives into the nitty-gritty of hunting life, from dealing with technical mishaps to managing personal life interruptions, all while keeping a laid-back, relatable tone.

The episode highlights the excitement surrounding Foam Fest, their 3D archery event happening in Wisconsin, with details on the impressive giveaways from their sponsors, like Latitude, Spartan Forge, and Nosler. Eric also touches on the ongoing struggle hunters face with mosquitoes during early season hunts, sharing tips on how to mitigate the annoyance, including a recommendation for Cedar oil-based products like Cedarside.

The conversation takes a casual turn as Eric and Kevin exchange stories and tips about gear, including the latest from brands, and the challenges of balancing hunting with life’s other demands. Whether you're a seasoned hunter or new to the scene, this episode is packed with practical advice and a good dose of humor.

Check out: https://dhthree.com/

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Ep. 7- Dave Bechtel

We start the conversation with diving into a few things that Dave does to make sure he is dialed with his archery setup with consistent realistic practice. Dave talks about the importance of keeping up with practice through season. 

Dave tells a story about hunting with his Aunt Karen and how he made a bold opening day decision in 90 degree heat to hang and hunt in an area no one else ever went on a piece of private property. The target buck came by and Dave made short work it. 

We discuss how this mindset has helped Dave put himself into bucks on other properties, like a group of bucks he hunted and eventually killed last season. 

We talk a little about what to look for on new properties and things he has learned while traveling to IL to hunt public land. 

We end the episode with the one that got away from Wi gun season last year. 

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