Welcome back to the WhitetailDNA Podcast! Today, we sit down with our good buddy Brandon Sobczak. Brandon is one heck of a shed hunter and bowhunter. He has an impressive track record of finding big antlers in the Spring and putting the pieces together for the Fall. The guys talk about everything you need to know about shed hunting—from mindset and timing to terrain and tactics. We dive into what truly makes a successful shed hunter, and why patience, persistence, and understanding terrain are critical. Brandon covers how to approach both private and public land, what time of year to focus on, and how cloudy-rainy days are some of the best days to be in the woods to find antlers. Whether you're new to shed hunting or looking to sharpen your strategy, this episode is packed with practical insight to help you find more sheds this season. Enjoy the show!

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Welcome back to the WhitetailDNA Podcast! On today's episode, we are joined by Jaden Bales of HuntWest. Jaden is the owner and operator of HuntWest, a hunt-planning company that helps prepare for a western big-game hunt. Jaden shares his roots growing up on a farm in Oregon, hunting at every opportunity he could before heading to Wyoming for college, and how those experiences shaped his approach to western hunting. We dive into the story behind the giant 226" buck he killed in 2025, break down what HuntWest offers Midwest and East Coast hunters looking to head west, and how hunts are planned and tailored for every type of hunter and desired experience. Jaden covers his first Midwest whitetail hunt in Michigan, and what he learned from the experience. Enjoy the show!

*New Episodes Drop Every Wednesday*

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Kifaru

Welcome back to another episode of the WhitetailDNA Podcast! Today, we are joined by Matt Payne to dig into his story that goes beyond hunting. Matt opens up about his battle with alcohol and how hunting became the catalyst for completely saving his life—dropping over 100 pounds and finding a new purpose. Matt chats about growing up chasing whitetails on the East Coast, then fast-forward to his wild 2025 season out West, from a brutal hamstring blowout before a mule deer hunt to grinding it out and arrowing a velvet mule deer buck in the high country and a bull elk days later. He also shares what it meant to get the call to join the Lone Wolf Custom Gear team, why he believes hunting low to the ground is beneficial, and how he approaches runnin' and gunnin' hill-country bucks. Lastly, the guys look ahead to his hunting plans for 2026 and what's next on his journey—both in life and in the field. This is a great story of resilience and how to answer adversity when you are faced with the unexpected. Enjoy the show!

*New Episodes Drop Every Wednesday*

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Kifaru

Welcome to this weeks podcast episode! Today on the show, we sit down and chat with Aaron Olsen from Next Step Outdoors to recap his 2025 deer season where we talk all things public land hunting, a little about small permission pieces, a thermal drone recovery and what to do scouting this time of year! It was a great chat with Aaron!

*New Episodes Drop Every Wednesday*

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Kifaru

Welcome back to the WhitetailDNA Podcast! On today's episode, we recap year one on the River Farm that Jeremy purchased in June of 2025. It was a full sprint to get the property ready for the 2025 hunting season. From improving access and dialing in travel corridors to building water holes, planting food plots, installing stands and blinds, and setting up mock scrapes, an incredible amount of work was packed into a very short window. The guys talk over reality when it comes to your first hunting season on a new property, and what expectations should be like. Looking ahead, Jeremy explains what worked, what failed, and what is planned for 2026 on the River Farm. This is a great episode of transparency and reflection when it comes to buying and owning a farm. Enjoy the show!

*New Episodes Drop Every Wednesday*

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Kifaru

Welcome back to the WhitetailDNA Podcast! This week, we sit down and dive into off-season work that builds better hunts long before opening day ever arrives. We break the year down by season and walk through the chores, decisions, and strategies that shape successful whitetail seasons. We cover the winter months of January, February, and March with topics like shed hunting, scouting, and tag applications. As Spring rolls in during April and May, the focus shifts to turkey hunting, door knocking, scouting, and more shed hunting. Throughout the summer months of June, July, and August, we go over trail camera strategies, farm preparation, last-minute summer scouting, 3D archery, and fine-tuning setups before opening day. From habitat management to hunting strategy and under the radar preperation tips, this is a great episode to get ready for 2026. Enjoy the show!

*New Episodes Drop Every Wednesday*

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The WhitetailDNA Podcast is Presented By:

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Kifaru

Welcome back to the WhitetailDNA Podcast! On today's episode, we are joined by Jared Mills. When it comes to consistently killing big bucks, Jared is one of the first names that comes to mind. He breaks down what it really takes to bowhunt and consistently chase mature whitetails. Jared dives into his background in bowhunting from Midwest Whitetail to doing his own solo content. He covers the camera gear he uses to self-film his hunts and how difficult it can be to capitalize on both the camera and the shot. Jared discusses his new farm acquired last year and what the priorities have been since acquiring it, and what the end of the late season is shaping up to look like. This episode is packed with valuable information from one of the best to do it. Enjoy the show!

*New Episodes Drop Every Wednesday*

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The WhitetailDNA Podcast is Presented By:

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Kifaru

Welcome back to the WhitetailDNA Podcast! On today's episode, we are joined by Todd Bumgardner of Pack Mule Training to break down what we should be doing in and out of the gym to boost our performance in the woods. Todd shares his extensive background and education in strength and conditioning, and what shaped Pack Mule's training approach to building hunters who can perform year-round when it matters most. We dig into common red flags in the hunting industry, how to spot fluff vs function, and why credibility and real-world experience are critical when choosing a coach. Todd also walks through the different levels of training offered by Pack Mule Training and what the average hunter should be doing to maximize results. Whether you're chasing whitetails close to home or grinding it out on an out-of-state hunt, this episode is packed with actionable insight to help you hunt harder. Enjoy the show!

New episodes drop every Wednesday at 6AM CST

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The WhitetailDNA Podcast is presented by:

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Kifaru

Welcome back to another episode of the WhitetailDNA Podcast! On today's episode, we sit down with Nathan Nelson of Still Water Outdoors to talk about the art and grind of tracking bucks in the snow on public land. Nathan shares how his passion for tracking first began, how that obsession eventually grew into filming and starting Stillwater Outdoors, and the unique challenges that come with tracking down big woods bucks in the harsh conditions of northern Wisconsin. We dive into how he identifies big buck tracks from the rest, and how to tell fresh tracks from old tracks. Nathan explains the ideal snow and weather conditions for successful tracking and how to approach each track. He also recounts memorable encounters from this past season that highlight both the highs and lows of hunting on the ground. Lastly, the guys dive into hunting over bait and why it isn't nearly as effective as many people might think. If you're curious about woodsmanship, late-season strategy, and learning deer behavior, this is an episode you won't want to miss. Enjoy the show!

New episodes drop every Wednesday at 6AM CST

LINKS:

Subscribe to the YouTube Channel

Follow along on Instagram and Facebook

Check out the Website

Shop WDNA Merch

The WhitetailDNA Podcast is presented by:

Dark Energy | 10% OFF (code: wdna10)

Rack Hub | 10% OFF (code: whitetaildna)

Pnuma Outdoors | 20% OFF (code: wdna20)

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Kifaru

Welcome back to another episode of the WhitetailDNA Podcast! On today's episode, we go over some of our favorite hunting gear that would make great gifts for the hunter in your family. We cover everything from clothing systems, trail cameras, stands and sticks, backpacks, and much more. Whether you're shopping for a seasoned bowhunter, a hardcore rifle hunter, or just someone who loves to be outside, this episode will help you fill those last-minute Christmas lists that every hunter will appreciate. Enjoy the show!

New episodes drop every Wednesday at 6AM CST

LINKS:

Subscribe to the YouTube Channel

Follow along on Instagram and Facebook

Check out the Website

Shop WDNA Merch

The WhitetailDNA Podcast is presented by:

Dark Energy | 10% OFF (code: wdna10)

Rack Hub | 10% OFF (code: whitetaildna)

Pnuma Outdoors | 20% OFF (code: wdna20)

Tactacam Reveal Cameras

Tactacam Reveal Accessories

Custom Archery & Outdoors

Kifaru