Pennsylvania Woodsman

On this week's episode of the Pennsylvania Woodsman, Mitch is joined by Mike Tussey from Nomad Outdoors.  Mike shares his journey from being a middle school PE teacher to becoming a prominent figure in the hunting industry. He discusses the dynamics of the hunting business during the offseason, the importance of managing turkey populations, and the unique challenges faced as a hunting guide. Mike...

In this episode of the Pennsylvania Woodsman, Mitch is joined by Al Tomechko to discuss the intricacies of establishing successful food plots for deer hunting. They explore various topics including the challenges of planting, the importance of setting clear goals, and the techniques for effective food plot management. The discussion also covers the significance of soil health, seeding rates, and t...

On this episode of the Pennsylvania Woodsman, Mitch is joined by Rob McCanna, CEO of Dallas Safari Club.  Rob shares his journey from humble beginnings in Pennsylvania to leading a prominent organization focused on wildlife conservation and hunting heritage. He discusses the importance of engaging the next generation, the challenges facing hunters and conservationists, and the need for unity withi...

On this episode of the Pennsylvania Woodsman, Mitch is joined by Dakota Gray who shares his journey of being a passionate hunter and his treestand accident that led him to become a paraplegic. He reflects on his early experiences in hunting, the life-changing fall from a deer stand, and the miracles that surrounded his recovery. Dakota discusses the importance of faith, family support, and mental...

This week on the Pennsylvania Woodsman, Mitch is joined by some family for a bear hunting conversation.  The family guests are his younger cousins Jacob, Josh, and Isaac Mengel, who've recently begun a journey of starting their own bear hunt tradition at their cabin in northern PA.  Previously their camp did not have a consistent tradition of hosting a bear hunt, and the times it did turned into s...

This week on the Pennsylvania Woodsman, Mitch is joined by friends Clayton Good and John Kolb of Suffering Outdoors YouTube channel to discuss a unique outdoor experience.  Clayton and John are both avid fly fisherman and are trying their best to capitalize a narrow window of casting an uncommon dry fly: a cicada.  As this week's episode is rolling, cicadas are buzzing throughout the keystone stat...

On this episode of the Pennsylvania Woodsman, Mitch is joined by friend Clayton Good to discuss Clayton's remarkable hunting season, where he achieved the coveted triple trophy. They delve into the challenges faced during the season, the importance of scouting and understanding food sources, and the emotional highs and lows of hunting. The discussion also covers strategies for success in bear hunt...

In this episode of the Pennsylvania Woodsman Mitch is joined by Chris Romano, host of the Wing and Tail Outdoors podcast.  Chris shares his experiences in archery, including his recent participation in the TAC event. The discussion delves into the importance of mental preparation, the balance between equipment and shooter skills, and the intricacies of arrow mechanics.  The archery industry has do...

In this episode of the Pennsylvania Woodsman Podcast, Mitch reflects on the challenges faced during the turkey hunting season and transitions into discussing the complexities of food plot management. He emphasizes the importance of patience, the impact of weather on planting conditions, and the balance between tillage and no-till practices. Additionally, he shares his plans for transforming unused...

In this episode of the Pennsylvania Woodsman, Mitch and Bryan Hale explore various  complexities of elk hunting regulations in Pennsylvania, discussing recent changes aimed at managing crop damage caused by elk and the implications of new tag regulations. The discussion highlights community feedback on these changes and the evolving landscape of hunting in the state. In this conversation, Bryan an...

In this episode of the Pennsylvania Woodsman Mitch is joined by Kevin Creeley of the Mid Atlantic Outdoorsman Podcast.  In this conversation the guys delve into the intricacies of turkey hunting, discussing the seasonal variations across different states, the impact of weather and barometric pressure on turkey behavior, and the challenges hunters face due to hunting pressure. They share personal e...

In this episode of the Pennsylvania Woodsman Mitch is joined by Dan Johnson to explore the multifaceted world of podcasting, hunting, and fatherhood. They discuss the evolution of podcasting, the challenges of information overload, and the deeper meanings behind hunting as an outlet. Dan shares personal stories about how fatherhood has transformed his perspective on life, emphasizing the importanc...

On this episode of the Pennsylvania Woodsman, Mitch and Paul Campbell delve into the world of turkey hunting, exploring the resurgence of camouflage styles, the mastery of mouth calls, and the insights gained from legendary turkey hunters. They discuss the importance of patience and understanding turkey behavior, as well as the impact of hunting pressure on turkey populations. The dialogue emphasi...

On this week's episode of the Pennsylvania Woodsman, Mitch is riding solo sharing some turkey hunting experiences.  Most turkey hunters would agree that chasing gobbling turkeys and calling aggressive to a red hot gobbler is hard to beat.  However, the amount of times throughout a season that happens can be on the low end.  In reality, turkeys are creatures of habit that are seeking refuge from pr...

In this episode of the Pennsylvania Woodsman, Mitch is joined by Al Temechko of Vitalize Seed.  The two discuss the busy spring planting season, emphasizing the importance of soil health, plant physiology, and the role of diversity in food plots. They explore the debate between monoculture and diverse blends, highlighting the benefits of balanced planting for attracting deer and ensuring successfu...

This week's episode of the Pennsylvania Woodsman is quite a bit different than normal.  Mitch had the opportunity to join Nick Otto (Huntavore podcast), Nate Rozeveld (Michigan Wild podcast), Andrew Muntz and John Hudspeth in Oklahoma at the end of March for a three day hog hunting experience.  John was gracious enough to invite some of us down for what has turned into an annual event to shoot wil...

In this week's episode of the Pennsylvania Woodsman, Mitch is joined by Nathan Taylor of Higher Calling Custom Turkey Calls.  Nathan shares his journey from a young turkey hunter in West Virginia to a passionate call maker. He discusses the evolution of his skills, the art of building turkey calls, and the relationship between competition calling and real-life hunting. Nathan emphasizes the import...

In this special 200th episode of the Pennsylvania Woodsman, host Mitchell Shirk reflects on his journey through podcasting, sharing insights from the past episodes, the challenges faced, and the relationships built along the way. He discusses the unexpected beginnings of the podcast, the joy of connecting with guests, and the lessons learned about hunting and personal growth. The episode also cove...

On this episode of the Pennsylvania Woodsman Mitch is joined by Steve Chilcote to discuss various aspects of forest management, funding opportunities for landowners, and the challenges faced in property renovation. They delve into the importance of forest management plans, the role of NRCS and EQIP in providing funding, and the significance of addressing invasive species. The discussion also highl...

This week on the Pennsylvania Woodsman Mitch catches up with Kurt Kissinger.  Kurt is a friend from the past that Mitch has recently connected with through their careers in agriculture.  Between farming and hunting, there are always lots of things to catch up on.  Kurt is a licensed drone operator and has his own company Pinnacle Agridrone.  Kurt specializes in applying nutrients and pesticides to...

This week's episode of the Pennsylvania Woodsman, we are talking turkey.  Jason Miller of JMiller Custom Calls is back to discuss some details about mouth calls.  The types of cuts used, pressure and stretch of reeds, and material used all influence the sounds and volume of each call.  Jason discusses in more depth how you may want to influence your decisions in call choice based on these componen...

On this week's episode of the Pennsylvania Woodsman Mitch is hashing out a plan in his mind to improve one of his small hunting properties.  As usual, it starts with a vision and leads to lots of work.  After finding some success in the past on a 2 acre archery hunting property, new ideas have come into mind to make it better.  While hunting the property over the years, the deer have taught Mitch...

In this episode of the Pennsylvania Woodsman, Mitch is joined by Nate Rozeveld from the Michigan Wild podcast to discuss their experiences in the hunting community, the evolution of hunting popularity, and the impact of technology on hunting practices. They explore the joys of small game hunting, the ethics surrounding the use of technology, and personal moral dilemmas faced by hunters. The discus...

On this week's episode of the Pennsylvania Woodsman, Mitch is back in his element consulting on crops.  This week's crop is a hot topic in the wildlife habitat and management world - switchgrass.  Switchgrass use has grown in popularity for habitat improvement as well as food plot screening.  While it's extremely effective when established, it's slightly more difficult to get started when compared...

In this episode of the Pennsylvania Woodsman, Mitch is joined by Rich Yoder who shares his extensive experience in hunting, particularly focusing on predator hunting. He discusses the transition from traditional hunting to predator hunting, the impact of coyotes on deer populations, and the ethical considerations surrounding predator hunting. Rich emphasizes the importance of understanding animal...