Becoming a Bowhunter

In this episode of Becoming a Bowhunter , Matty catches up with two stickbow hunters and top blokes — Benny Fensom and Jack Spinks — for a laugh-filled and brutally honest yarn about traditional archery, wild meat processing, serious health scares, and why red deer still haunt their dreams. From hand-pumping 20 kilos of sausages to dodging disease from deer urine, this one covers all the messy, me...

In this episode of Becoming a Bowhunter, Matty sits down with 21-year-old Logan Hawker — a young bowhunter who’s quickly earning his stripes through persistence, hard-earned lessons, and a deep respect for the hunt. Logan first got into bowhunting thanks to a mad-keen neighbor, and even managed to pull his rifle-hunting dad over to the dark side (aka stick and string). These days, he’s putting in...

In this episode of Becoming a Bowhunter , Matty sits down with Josh Forster, hunter, avid fisherman, YouTuber, and creator of the new outdoor connection platform Hooked Up . From DIY arrows and NT buffalo chases to nearly getting cleaned up by a croc on the boat, Josh’s stories are wild. But this chat goes deeper — into what inspired him to build an app for Aussie hunters, fishos, and outdoor love...

In this episode of Becoming a Bowhunter, Matty sits down with Steve Dimitrakellis—chairman of Trophy Takers Australia—for a yarn that dives deep into traditional gear, bowhunting history, and why community is everything in this game. Steve shares how he got started with a bow as a workaround for not being allowed a rifle, and how that decision sparked a lifelong obsession with bowhunting. From bui...

In this episode of Becoming a Bowhunter, we sit down with Roy Sloan—General Manager of the Fiordland Wapiti Foundation—for a deep dive into one of New Zealand’s most iconic herds and the conservation challenges they face. Roy shares his decades of experience managing the only free-range wapiti (elk) herd outside of North America. From helicopter culling operations and habitat regeneration to the m...

In this full-send episode of Becoming a Bowhunter , Matty returns from one of the most action-packed fallow rut seasons yet—and he's brought a truckload of stories with him. From adrenaline-pumping close calls and wild stalks to busted bows and unexpected dog encounters, this one captures all the highs, lows, and bush-beaten realities of bowhunting in peak 2025 rut. You’ll hear from a solid crew o...

In this milestone episode of Becoming a Bowhunter , we’re flipping the script. Instead of the usual one-on-one chat, this episode features a powerful collection of real rut stories straight from the bowhunting community. Host @MattyAfter put the call out for listeners to share their most memorable moments from the 2025 rut—and after some cat-herding and chasing down voice memos, eight legends step...

In this episode of Becoming a Bowhunter, Matty sits down with Bailey Simmons (@_ bailey_simmons_ ), a New England-based bowhunter who’s been slinging arrows since he was nine. From stalking big reds to chasing Billy goats through the hills, Bailey shares a real-deal look into the highs and lows of his 2024 rut season. We dive into how a tight-knit crew of bowhunters from Armidale pushes each other...

In this episode of Become a Bowhunter , we sit down with George Ryals, a renowned archery coach and the founder of ImproveMyArchery.com . George shares his wealth of knowledge on how to build a solid foundation in archery and bowhunting, emphasizing the importance of precision, practice, and maintaining proper form. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned bowhunter, George provides valuable insigh...

In this episode of Becoming a Bowhunter, we welcome back Harry Watson (@ihuntnfish) to unpack his detailed strategies for hunting red deer during the rut. Known for his incredible ability to get close to animals, Harry shares decades of knowledge and practical insights to help you make the most of this exciting hunting season. We dive deep into: Red Deer Behaviour & Rut Timing : Understanding...

In this episode of Become a Bowhunter , we sit down with Kristian Gerathy—an adventurer, gold prospector, and passionate bowhunter—to discuss his journey from searching for gold in Australian rivers to chasing deer in the bush. Kristian shares his evolution from a casual shooter to a dedicated bowhunter, offering valuable insights into persistence, access challenges, and the mental game needed to...

In this episode of Become A Bowhunter , we sit down with Jim McWilliam. We discuss his transition from hunting with dogs to bowhunting in the rugged Northern Territory. Jim shares insights into hunting the massive boars of Darwin and its surroundings, the challenges of bows and living rurally, hunting in the heat, and much more. With a down-to-earth and humble perspective and a passion for continu...

In this episode we welcome back Graham Cahill, one of 2024’s fan favorites, for an insightful and entertaining conversation about his bowhunting journey and overcoming target panic.  Known for his down-to-earth and highly positive personality, Graham shares the ups and downs of mastering the mental game of archery to overcome a multi-year battle with target panic. We dive into topics such as: The...

In this unique episode of Become A Bowhunter, we explore the fascinating and often overlooked world of camel hunting in Australia with Pete Griffiths.  Known for their resilience and intelligence, Australia’s wild camel population poses distinct challenges for bowhunters. Pete brings his wealth of experience to the table, sharing in-depth knowledge about these animals, their behavior, and how to s...

In this episode of Become Your Bowhunter , we're joined by Ayden Doumtsis for a deep dive into Chital deer hunting strategies both in and out of the rut.  Ayden shares his extensive experience in North Queensland, covering topics from rut behavior to the best hunting approaches in varying conditions.  We discuss key signs of Chital activity during the rut to look for — such as rub trees and the si...

This episode is packed with experiences and lessons learned from a first-time bowhunter, Grant Muir, as he takes on his first-ever hunt.  Joined by host Matty, Grant navigates through equipment setbacks, unexpected challenges, and the intense emotions of the hunt.  From a cracked bow to the powerful moments of stalking animals, they discuss the trials and triumphs that come with the journey. Topic...

This week, Matty is joined by Sean Chick, a dedicated hunter who shares the unique story of gaining access to a property with a struggling deer herd and taking steps to boost its numbers and quality. Sean’s journey highlights the practical challenges and rewarding outcomes of managing deer populations while balancing ethical hunting practices. If you, too, have deer numbers dwindling on your block...

This week Matty is joined by living legend Dr. Ed Ashby. Dr. Ashby was the man who helped to reinstate bowhunting in South Africa. The man documented over 630+ animals that he took with his bow and arrow. Each time trialing different arrows, broadheads and total weight setups to come to a conclusion of best setups for bowhunters which is all documented and shared through “The Ashby Bowhunting Foun...

This week Matty is joined by Joel Turner from Shot IQ. Joel has cracked the code to override the human instinct and safety mechanisms that we have in place can negatively affect your accuracy inside of shooting.  Whether you’re shooting a gun or shooting your bow, this system is an easy-to-implement process that removes target panic and makes a repeatable process every time. Podcast Topics:  - The...

This week is another solo episode in which Matty does his best to bring you a beginners' guide to bowhunting. Inside this episode, Matty takes you through the A-Z of everything you’ll need to know to get started in bowhunting in 2024 and beyond. Think of this episode as an open letter to anyone looking to get into bowhunting, new to bowhunting, or even someone still looking for their first success...

In this episode, Matty is joined by renowned traditional bowhunter Ben Maher.  Ben has been pursuing his passion for traditional archery and bowhunting for decades. But it hasn’t always come easily, which sent Ben on a pursuit of gaining coaching and becoming the best shooter he can be. A lot of great tips and tricks were shared inside this one that helped Ben to overcome his target panic. Ben is...

In this episode, Matty is joined by Jordan De Jong and Adam Barter as they recap the hunt that was on their drive home. This hunt was Jordan’s first-ever experience of bowhunting. Matty and Adam made it their goal to help fast-track Jordy’s hunting abilities and get him his first animal with the bow. They were successful; however, they didn’t come without challenges. This recap gives great insight...

This week, Matty is joined by Poldi, the man behind the YouTube channel Westcoast Adventures. To keep the adventures alive, Poldi set himself the challenge of going stickbow only moving forward and has been trying to master his craft for the past year.  What’s cool to see is with the system Poldi has adopted he has truly become a beast with the recurve, especially when it matters with a live anima...

This week Matty is joined by Christie Pisani. Christie has a background in both paramedics and bowhunting. She now teaches wilderness first aid courses, sharing her knowledge and time in the bush to teach people how to save their lives if things go wrong. Podcast topics:  - Heart Of The Huntress - Why do Bowhunters need to understand first-aid? - Personal location beakers - What’s in a good first-...

This week Matty is joined by Colin Gair from Outlaw Custom Bows. Colin recently created Matty’s daughters two absolutely stunning bows, to help them transition from toys to real bows. Colin has a background in engineering that allows him to tinker and recreate traditional longbows and recurve bows. Through applying basic maths, physics and what he learned through his structural engineering degree...