Okayest Hunter ®

We finally got Dillon Deitz on the show, and we spiraled straight into bear season heartbreak, spiritual introspection, and some of the funniest roasts he's done as a practicing comedian. Dillon the brains and banter behind Elk Don’t Exist, a counterculture hunting brand born from missed shots, public land grind, and the realization that pretending to be a badass makes hunting a lot less fun (for...

Welcome Back!!  With whitetail season less than 75 days away, big bucks are filtering back into our dreams and daily thoughts. Season 2 of Dropping Pins is back!! We are excited to talk big bucks and hear from seasoned, mature buck killers on all the things that they are thinking, doing, and planning for this upcoming season, along with some amazing stories from past hunts that helped them elevate...

We sat down with Austin Nicholas, aka Wilderness Father, to talk about raising kids through time outdoors. From hunting and fishing with his daughter to the viral moment that kicked off his content journey, Austin shares what it means to lean into hardship, stay humble, and keep showing up as a dad. We cover everything from deer recovery and parenting screw-ups to why the "garbage time" matters ju...

This week, we’re posted up in Oconomowoc with local hunter and filmmaker Brad Werwinski. We cover everything from hunting in the Dakotas to filming your hunts without overcomplicating it. Brad shares his go-to camera gear, and we get into packing tips, bow case hacks, muzzleloader mishaps, and why thermoses are clutch for late-season sits. We also talk public land etiquette, bear hunting tactics,...

He Quit His Job for Deer Camp Bryce from Wisconsin Weekend Warrior joins the show to talk about quitting a job that wouldn’t give him deer season off, ground hunting with a bow from a lawn chair, and growing up in a multigenerational state forest deer camp. We cover bribing squirrels with honey buns, bucks at six yards, and the slow death of public land hunting camps. A funny, honest convo about w...

Meet Whitney Tram­mel, the strength coach-turned-elk­chaser behind the Wild Strength Podcast, from the Okayest Podcast Network. We kick things off with her move from Texas to Colorado. Whitney breaks down why real backcountry balance isn’t built on a BOSU ball, how a bit of gym grit can keep your heart steady when the buck steps into range, and why she’d rather solo-hunt than rely on guides. Along...

Turkey season is over. Let's talk about deer. This episode is all about summer deer prep. What to prioritize, how to make the best use of your summer, and why trail cams can be more misleading than helpful if you don’t know what you’re doing. Eric and Derek get into summer bedding, aggressive moves, buck beds, rub lines, and the high-stakes game of sneaking into a setup without blowing your whole...

We went to turkey camp, drank way too much KwikTrip coffee, tested some awesome Gerber camping gear, got our butts kicked by gobblers, and had fun fishing for trout in the driftless regions of Wisconsin. It was awesome. But in between all that, we hit on something serious. Congress is quietly trying to push through a bill that would sell off 500,000 acres of public land in Utah and Nevada. Not gre...

We cracked a bottle of bourbon with country rock artist Troy Grove and talked about his rise from viral TikToks to 6 million Spotify streams, sketchy public land hunts in Tennessee, and the fine line between writing a hunting song and scaring off half your audience. From hunter harassment to Maryland deer camp stories, this one's a mix of music, mayhem, and making memories in the stand. Presented...

Why Hunters Are Hanging It Up and Why Some Never Start What causes someone to walk away from something they once loved, or never try it in the first place? This week, we explore the many reasons hunters stop hunting. We cover everything from private land pressure and public land overcrowding to regulation overload, rising gear costs, social stigma, urban sprawl, and the generational shift away fro...

Pat Newcomb isn’t just the guy behind Nukem Hunting Blinds. He’s the kind of dude who’ll bring cookies to the neighbors after a hurricane floods his warehouse. We dig into how a happy accident (shoutout Bob Ross) turned into a game-changing blind design built for real-world hunters who value speed, simplicity, and concealment. Whether the kids are tagging along with you into the turkey woods, hunt...

Turkey hunting, bourbon tasting, and big chicken energy. This episode has it all. We kick things off debating whether bringing a bow to turkey camp is brave or just dumb, then crack open a bottle of Chicken Cock bourbon (yes, really) and spiral into owl trivia, KwikTrip chicken propaganda, and questionable whiskey barrel practices. Matt Streim from Weathered Oaks Game Calls joins us to talk about...

Almost America’s national bird. That’s where this one starts, and it spirals in all the right ways. This episode dives into what makes turkey hunting such a perfect gateway for young hunters. Between barn cats stalking the blind, 4-year-olds dropping longbeards, and kids forming camp friendships over early-morning hunts, it’s clear turkey season is less about trophies and more about tradition. We...

Scout Speer joins the crew for a glass of bourbon, a BS session, and a great conversation about music, hunting, and the wild mix of adrenaline and stillness that ties it all together. From college soccer to a budding music career with Interstate Music, Scout breaks down her path to becoming an artist, what it’s like getting discovered on Music Row, and how duck blinds and heartbreak both end up in...

Doug Duren joins the show and discusses the Sharing the Land initiative, explaining how it connects landowners and conservationists through habitat restoration, wildlife management, and community engagement. He outlines practical approaches to managing chronic wasting disease (CWD) in Wisconsin, navigating policy controversies, and offering solutions like replacement deer tags to encourage respons...

Michael Perry is a Wisconsin-born author, volunteer firefighter, and former nurse who's spent his life mastering the art of storytelling, often about his own hilarious misadventures. Which is a prerequisite for being a guest on our podcast! We dive into deer hunting as a New Year’s ritual, being an outsider in hunting culture, and what it's like hauling a buck out in a rebuilt 1951 International p...

Cliff Gray lives the kind of life that makes most outdoorsmen envious, splitting his time between guiding hunters in the mountains and spearfishing in the waters of Puerto Rico. From the reality of selling his outfitting business and navigating the unpredictability of guiding to the obsession of spearfishing and the logistics of making a life in the Caribbean, this episode dives into the balance o...

Skyler Bradley joins the Okayest Hunter podcast for a conversation that’s equal parts hilarious and wildly relatable. From viral TikTok deer skits to the unpredictability of internet fame, Skyler breaks down how a simple idea, born from a tradesman’s workday gripes and turned into a massive social media following. It’s not just about dressing up in a deer costume and dodging imaginary arrows; Skyl...

Mark Kenyon joins the show for a deep dive into conservation, public lands, and the growing threats to access and wildlife management. He eloquently explains how conservation should be a nonpartisan issue, yet political and economic pressures put some of the country’s most treasured outdoor spaces at risk. Mark shares insights from That Wild Country and his recent work, highlighting the resurgence...

The fellas dive into the ever-elusive mastery of deer hunting this week. Things like how experience builds in layers and how you don’t even hear the right lessons until you’ve suffered through enough mistakes to be ready for them. Buck beds, trail cam traps, wind shifts—every misstep is a lesson, whether you learn it the hard way or just listen to someone else’s. They get into the nuances of publi...

Exploring Iowa’s Public Land: Big Rubs, Shed Hunting, and Scouting for Future Hunts In this episode of Dropping Pins, Derek embarks on his first-ever public land scouting trip in Iowa. With a possible tag draw in two years, he’s putting boots on the ground, marking stand locations, and soaking in everything the terrain has to offer. From massive rubs and historical scrapes to ideal bedding areas a...

Ryan Lonergan steps into the Okayest Hunter studio and right away, it’s clear, this one’s gonna be a good time. He’s the host of the Fragout Podcast, a veteran advocate with 18 years of service work under his belt, and a guy who’s seen more than a few hard truths. The conversation swerves from the absurdity of podcasting tech failures to the real-deal struggles veterans face when transitioning out...

In this episode of Dropping Pins Derek talks to central Wisconsin native Brian Dombrowski. Brian has been a serious big buck killer for a long time and spends a considerable amount of time scouting and learning the public lands of WI, as well as a few other states. Brian has killed and hunted some truly remarkable animals in different states.  We dive right into some great scouting conversations a...

This episode was chaos—just like every hunting season. Bourbon-fueled ramblings, shed hunting plans, and the occasional existential crisis about the meaning of a three-finger pour. But beneath the laughter and whiskey-soaked musings, there's gold: Iowa scouting, antler obsession, and the never-ending pursuit of finding the right place at the right time. Derek recounts his solo mission into Iowa’s...

Ep. 21- Zack Robb aka Stache Squatch In this episode Derek talks with Lone Wolf Custom Gear team member, Zack Robb. Zach is from central Virginia and has transitioned from somewhat agricultural hunting land to more rigorous mountain terrain. This challenging terrain has really inspired Zack to push himself and learn to hunt mountain bucks.  Zack starts with a story about the first buck he was able...