Okayest Hunter ®

This episode starts off a little unexpectedly as Derek and Tony are just chit chatting before hit the record button, but things escalate quickly as they often do with good hunting stories, and Derek hits record after Tony dives into a great story about one of his first travel public land hunts. This hunt takes place before the public land DIY hunting craze hit and many of Tony’s fellow outdoor ind...

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,...

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 hun...

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 buildin...

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 an...

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, yo...

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 h...

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...

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 an...

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 t...

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 o...

This week, Scot, from Feathers and Antlers Outdoors, joins the OHP crew for a laid-back chat about his archery shop in Commerce, Georgia. For the past nine years, Scot and his family have been running the shop, offering a wide range of bows, arrows, broadheads, and outdoor gear. The shop’s all about making sure customers feel welcome and have plenty of space to browse without feeling cramped. The...

Logan is a Union Lineman who lives in West Virginia. He has hunted since he could walk but has really started to chase mature deer the past three years. He hunts mainly on weekends and has really dived deep into learning and understanding big bucks and their habits.  Logan tells a great story about his first and biggest mature buck he killed in 2022 and how that hunt helped him realize how thermal...

In this episode of the Okayest Hunter Podcast, the guys are joined by Bill Thompson from Spartan Forge. They chat about hunting ethics, technology, and business values. Bill shares his journey of developing Spartan Forge, emphasizing the importance of creating tools that enhance hunter autonomy while maintaining transparency and integrity in the business. He also touches on the future of Spartan F...

Steve starts off by talking about his massive trail camera studies he has done over the past 5-6 years which now has 120+ cameras collecting data in the big woods of northern Pennsylvania. Steve has found that across multiple different types of locations such as bedding areas, scrapes, feeding areas, and transitions one thing has been consistent- big bucks move in daylight when weather conditions...

On this episode of the Okayest Hunter podcast, the crew welcomes Matt Morris, an amateur boyer and avid traditional bow hunter. They start by introducing Matt and his unique hobby of making traditional bows, known as bowery, and delve into his background. Matt shares his journey from hunting with a compound bow to embracing traditional archery. He describes the appeal of crafting his own bows, say...

Former Marine Sniper Tony Van Asten joins the podcast to talk about setting up a leased property to attack a specific buck and the lessons learned along the way. Overlooked buck bedding, wind swirls, and knowing when to shoot before big bucks get your scent. Tony also talks about tactics in hill country and how to use thermals and entry times to increase your odds. Tony shares a story about jumpin...

In this episode, Jonathan McCormick AKA Red Beard Outdoors shares his inspiration and his focus on outdoor activities. He introduces "Red Beard Outdoors," his podcast that began as an Instagram page to document his adventures with his kids in Utah's incredible public lands. Jonathan loves sharing outdoor experiences and gear reviews, and he's all about having great conversations and staying consis...

Brian joins Derek with an awesome story that draws multiple learning opportunities and links into 3-4 other stories about the same location but affords new and different insights and experiences that tie together very nicely.  Along the way, we discuss subtleties of mature buck movements, bedding areas, how bucks use the wind and thermals to travel through areas, and how Brian has taken advantage...

This week, Beau Below with Ghost Bucks joins us in the studio as we talk about whitetails, whitetail fever, and random stories. We're getting excited about the upcoming season! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Derek talks to two fellow WI hunters who have been in a group chat about deer hunting together for 5+ years. We start with some initial stories about learning moments in which Cory shares his mock scrape tactics for locating and hunting mature bucks on public land bordering private and a few lessons learned from chasing a true giant.   Tim shares a story about cutting his teeth hunting Northwoods...

In this episode, Derek introduces Dropping Pins, where the idea was born and what we hope to provide our listeners.  Derek dives into his first story which outlines a very special location in the Northwoods of WI. This location was found by Derek’s father but quickly stolen and told was off limits to everyone except the week of WI gun season. This sanctuary technique paid off huge for 5 seasons an...

Our good buddy, Brian Douglas with Good Sit Mobile, comes back on the show to shoot the breeze as we all deal with Whitetail Fever rushing over us now that the Fourth of July has come and gone. This week's episode is full of some good laughs and shitty stories, with a few learning moments and solid takeaways if you're willing to tune into the full episode. Presented by: www.nosler.com Check out: h...

Setting trails cams for the "Whitetail Shift" towards the end of August happens now. Tune in this week as we chat trail cam tactics and strategies as the Okayest Hunter crew strategies for the upcoming season. Presented by: https://www.nosler.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Madi Woodward with Nosler, Inc. joins the show this week to talk about all things ammo and, specifically, Nosler ammo. We cover some basics around ammunition terminology, caller and listener questions, big game hunting, whitetail hunting and some Okayest moments afield. If you're looking to learn more about rifle ammo, this is a great episode for beginners and more seasoned rifle hunters alike. Pr...