Launch One w/ Mason Springer

Jim Bath is a true pioneer of whitetail bowhunting and one of the most interesting people I’ve ever had on Launch One. Jim is an Archery Hall of Famer, 2003 Vegas Senior Champion, and one of the original speed-focused bowhunters. He was shooting bows over 350 FPS long before fast bows became common. He was also heavily involved with Carter releases and other major names in the archery industry. Ji...

On this episode of Launch One w/ Mason Springer, I sit down with my friend Jerry Payne, a retired West Virginia wildlife officer with 39 years of experience in the field. Jerry shares stories from his career, including "undercover" operations, poaching cases, and the realities of enforcing hunting laws. We also discuss his passion for bowhunting, deer and bear hunting in West Virginia, elk reintro...

In this episode of Launch One w/ Mason Springer, I sit down with father-son duo  Tom and William Alterson  to talk competitive archery, bowhunting, equipment, and life in the outdoors. Tom and William have taken their passion for archery far beyond the average father-son hobby. From competing at major archery events like Vegas and Lancaster to hunting elk, mule deer, whitetails, black bear and mor...

In this episode of Launch One, I sit down with Eric Newman of PNL Testers to talk about the science and physics behind archery equipment. Eric has spent years testing bows, arrows, strings, broadheads and other equipment using custom-built testing equipment and real-world data. We talk about bow efficiency, arrow spine and straightness, arrow weight, fletching, broadheads, arrow flight, and how mu...

In this episode of  Launch One w/ Mason Springer , Mason sits down with competitive archer  Rendyn Brooks  to talk about 3D archery, tournament strategy, equipment, and preparing for the first-ever Bowhunter Games. Rendyn and Mason break down how to get  target-bow performance out of a hunting setup , including bow setup, stabilizers, sight setup, rangefinders, and shooting at long distances. They...

Most archers spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars chasing better equipment—but what if the biggest improvement isn't in your bow at all? In this episode of  Launch One w/ Mason Springer , I sit down with  Christian Williams , founder of  Archery Strong , to discuss one of the most overlooked topics in archery: physical performance. We break down why archery truly is a sport, how strength an...

In this episode of  Launch One w/ Mason Springer , I sit down with  Jacob Benschjöld , one of Sweden's top compound archers and an international World Archery field competitor, to break down the technical side of field archery. Jacob shares how Europe's club-based archery system develops elite shooters, why field archery is so much bigger overseas than it is in the United States, and the judging s...

In this episode of  Launch One w/ Mason Springer , I'm joined by two of my biggest competitors and good friends,  Leo Ryals  and  Brody Wonch . We've spent years competing against each other at national tournaments, so this conversation goes beyond a typical interview. We break down what it's really like competing at the highest level of compound target archery, from tournament preparation and the...

What makes the  Axcel Driver  one of the most advanced slider sights on the market? In this Bow Equipment Breakdown, I sit down with  Brandon Reyes of TRU Ball Axcel  to go behind the design of the Driver sight and the engineering that sets it apart. We cover the different mounting options, scope configurations, sight light compatibility, micro-adjust features, weight savings, and why many of the...

Tristan Litke is the founder of Precision Cut Archery and a key contributor to the Arrow Ballistics Study. In this episode of Launch One, we dive deep into arrow flight, bowhunting ballistics, sight tape accuracy, penetration myths, broadhead selection, and the science behind modern archery equipment. We discuss how Precision Cut Archery is changing the way archers build sight tapes, what the Arro...

In this episode of Launch One, I sit down with professional archer Roland Deason to talk about the details that can make or break a target archery setup. We dive into everything from stabilizer configurations and nock height to group tuning, bare shaft tuning, arrow selection, and why some of the best setups don't always look perfect on paper. Roland shares his approach to building forgiving bows,...

How much do the small details really matter in competitive archery? In this episode of  Launch One , I sit down with Colton Green to dive deep into the fine-tuning side of the sport. We cover stabilizer setups, torque tuning, lens quality, sight lights, peep height, and why getting your draw stops to hit square can completely change how a bow feels and performs. Colton shares the mindset of a true...

In this episode of  Launch One , I sat down with pro archer Ace Coleman and got into the details that actually matter. We start with equipment—arrow setups, point weight, aluminum vs carbon, and how small changes affect forgiveness and shot execution. Then we get into tournament talk, Vegas, and how Ace got started in Archery. There’s a lot in here on building a better shot, tuning your setup, and...

In this episode of  Launch One , I sat down with pro archer Gracen Fletcher after the Vegas Shoot to break down what it takes to compete at the highest level of archery. We get into her approach to shooting under pressure, shot execution, and what it really feels like when everything is working. We also talk through bow setup, release tension, and how small adjustments can impact performance acros...

In this episode of  Launch One , I sit down with Carl Kossuth, one of the founders and lead designers behind the hunting saddles at Tethrd. Carl talks about how his background in law enforcement, gear design, and sewing shelters eventually led him into the early saddle hunting movement and helped shape one of the most influential saddle companies in the industry. We get into the evolution of saddl...

In this episode of  Launch One , I sit down with Annabell Moore to talk how she got into archery and competing at a high level. We go through her current setup — bow specs, draw length and holding weight, stabilizer balance, sight and peep configuration, and arrow selection — along with how she approaches tuning and diagnosing problems when groups open up. We also talk tournament experience, pract...

In this episode of  Launch One , I sit down with Chuck Durnil, a competitor I met at The Lancaster Archery Classic, who went from picking up a pawn shop bow during a hard season of life to becoming a high-level tournament shooter and pro shop owner. We talk about how archery gave him structure, focus, and a path forward — and how that foundation turned into a career in the sport. We also break dow...

In this episode of  Launch One , I sit down with Will Alterson to talk bowhunting across the country, target archery at a high level, and how the two worlds feed into each other. We cover Will’s season chasing turkeys, whitetails, bears, mule deer, and elk, plus how growing up hunting big woods in New York shaped his approach to wind, terrain, and patience. Will breaks down his transition into com...

In this episode of  Launch One , I sit down with Ethan Conway to talk high-level target archery, bowhunting, and the mental game that connects both. Ethan is a 2x Lancaster Archery Classic champion, 2x IBO Worlds Champ, and dedicated whitetail bowhunter from Pennsylvania. We break down the pressure difference between shooting on the Lancaster stage and drawing on a mature buck, how he trains for l...

In this episode of  Launch One , I sit down with Tony Sangialosi of Drawn Archery to talk bowhunting, business, and solving real problems in the woods. Tony breaks down how Drawn Archery started, why rebranding changed everything, and how years of hunting pressure led to the creation of  The WND —a simple milkweed system designed to read wind and thermals with minimal movement. We get into saddle...

In this Buck Breakdown , I sit down with Casey VanDerGraaf from Prime Archery to break down the full story of his Iowa public-land buck. Casey walks through how he located this deer on overlooked ground, three years of history, and what finally made the pattern click. We get into access strategy, saddle/stand hybrid setups, thermals, October scrape behavior, hunting low, and why he relies less on...

In this episode of  Launch One , I sit down with Casey Vandergraaf from Prime Archery to break down the full 2026 Prime Divide lineup. We cover Prime’s AST carbon–aluminum hybrid riser, the Divide’s axle-to-axle and brace height options, center-grip balance, draw-length-specific mods, and the Nano Grip built to stay warm in any hunting conditions. Casey explains how the Divide series is engineered...

In this episode of  Launch One , I sit down with Daniel Parker from Mathews for a full ~20 minute buck breakdown on his Wisconsin giant, “Tangle.” Daniel walks through three years of history with this deer, how he patterned him in bluff country, and the way wind, thermals, and terrain controlled every move he made. We get into early-season strategy, Red Moon timing, calling decisions, and the mome...

On this episode of  Launch One , I sit down with Daniel Parker from Mathews for a fast, clean breakdown of the brand-new Mathews ARC lineup. We run through everything shooters need to know about the ARC 30 and ARC 34 — from draw-length range, SWX2 cams, new limb angles, and riser updates to the integrated mounts, stabilizer system, and that Kodiak Brown finish everybody’s talking about. Daniel exp...

This week on  Launch One , I sit down with Ethan Featheroff from Feathernet Outdoors. Ethan’s a die-hard early-season hunter, drone tracker, and educator who’s seen more deer behavior firsthand than just about anyone. We talk rut patterns, scent control, thermal strategy, and how overthinking the wind might be costing hunters more than they realize. If you’re trying to decide when to take your day...