Sitka Southeast Podcast

North Carolina has a wild pig problem. In Episode 24, we sit down with NC Wildlife Resources Commission District 6 Wildlife Conservation Biologist Greg Queen and NC State graduate student William Mayfield to talk about wild pigs in North Carolina, feral hog hunting, pig behavior, wildlife impacts, current research and how hunters can actually find and hunt them. William is currently studying feral...

North Carolina is getting an elk hunt in 2027. In this episode, we break down the North Carolina elk hunt, NC elk tags, the NC elk population, how the 2027 elk permit process will work, and the future of elk hunting in North Carolina with NC Wildlife Resources Commission biologist Justin McVey and Eric Stroup of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. North Carolina spent decades restoring its elk herd...

Where did all the ducks go? It's a question waterfowl hunters across the Southeast seem to ask every season. In Episode 22, Jay and I sit down with Chuck McDonald, Chairman of the Lee County Ducks Unlimited Chapter, to talk about what is actually happening with waterfowl habitat, duck migration, conservation, and the future of duck hunting. Chuck breaks down how Ducks Unlimited works, why cons...

Most hunters spend a lot of time thinking about what's on their bow, in their pack, or layered on their body—but how much do we actually understand about what's on our feet? In Episode 21, Jake sits down with Mike Ekstrom, Senior Product Line Manager for SITKA Gear's footwear division, to break down how hunting footwear actually works—and some of the things hunters may be getting compl...

Everybody knows the Ranch Fairy for heavy arrows and fixed-blade broadheads—but that's not really what this conversation is about. In Episode 20, Jake sits down with Troy Fowler, aka the Ranch Fairy, to break down what actually makes a hunting arrow perform. And according to Troy, simply adding weight isn't the answer. We dive into arrow flight, bare-shaft tuning, arrow spine, FOC, fletchi...

What can an Olympic archery coach teach a bowhunter? Quite a bit. In Episode 19, Landon and I sit down with Chris Webster, who served as head coach leading into the 2024 Paris Olympics and now works with elite-level U.S. archers. We talk about what separates good shooters from great shooters, why archers constantly try to solve execution problems with new equipment, how elite athletes train for pr...

How much of what bowhunters believe today was built around equipment from 20 or 30 years ago? In Episode 18, Jake is joined by Dale Perry, owner of Evolution Outdoors, and Jeff Corderro, owner of Barefoot Archery, for a deep dive into broadheads, arrow setup, bow technology, tuning, and some of the biggest debates in modern archery. We talk about why mechanical broadheads developed a bad reputatio...

In Episode 17, we're joined by Brian Souza, founder and owner of Bizz Baits, to hear the story behind one of North Carolina's homegrown fishing brands. Bizz Baits didn't begin with investors, a factory, or some master business plan. It started as a college marketing assignment. From making baits in apartments and garages to working other jobs just to keep the dream alive, Brian walks u...

Speed Broadheads entered an industry dominated by the same fixed-blade-versus-mechanical debate—but their founders believe bowhunters are asking the wrong questions. In Episode 16 of the Sitka Southeast Podcast, we sit down with the team behind Speed Broadheads to break down the engineering, testing, and hunting philosophy behind their unique broadhead design. We discuss why some mechanical broadh...

In Episode 15, we're joined by Steven Lucius and Chuck McDonald of Wildrose Carolinas, one of the premier retriever training programs in the country. Whether you're raising your first hunting puppy or have hunted over dogs for years, this episode is packed with practical advice that can help you build a calmer, more confident, and more capable hunting companion. We dive into the Wildrose p...

n Episode 14 of the Sitka Southeast Podcast, we sit down with North Carolina State Deer Biologist April Pope to dive deep into the science behind whitetail deer behavior and how hunters can use it to become more successful throughout the entire season. Topics Covered:• How April Pope became NC's State Deer Biologist• What wildlife biologists actually do• The Triangle Urban Deer Study• A year i...

Whether you're chasing whitetails from a tree stand or climbing thousands of feet after elk, your body can become one of your greatest hunting tools—or your biggest limitation. In Episode 13 of the Sitka Southeast Podcast, Jacob Norris sits down with Preston Meyer of 1st Phorm Outdoors to explore the intersection of hunting and fitness. From strength and endurance to nutrition, recovery, and m...

Every hunter has a different story—and a different gear setup. For episode 12, we spent the day at the annual SITKA Charlotte Garage Sale talking with hunters from all over the Southeast to learn what they're shopping for, where they're headed this season, and the advice they'd give anyone trying to build the right hunting kit. From first-time hunters to seasoned veterans, you'll h...

In Episode 11 of the Sitka Southeast Podcast, we sit down with Jaycey Stone, co-founder of Sisterhood of the Hunt, to discuss why the future of hunting depends on building stronger communities and welcoming more people into the outdoors. Jaycey shares her journey into hunting, the inspiration behind founding Sisterhood of the Hunt, and how the organization is helping women across the country gain...

In Episode 10 of the Sitka North Carolina Podcast, we sit down with mechanical engineer, bowhunter, and Additive Archery founder Thomas Pham to dive into the endless world of archery tinkering. From building custom gear to solve his own problems to launching a business centered around innovation through 3D printing, Thomas shares how small adjustments—not constant upgrades—can make the biggest dif...

Episode 9 of the Sitka Southeast Podcas, Jake and Landon are joined by a very special guest, John Barklow—Senior Product Manager for Hunting at Sitka Gear and the driving force behind SITKA’s whitetail and western big game systems. In this episode, John walks us through his incredible journey from joining the U.S. Navy at 19, to decades of military service training special operations communities i...

In Episode 8 of the SITKA Southeast Podcast, Jacob and Landon sit down with Hunter Purdue, a Master Wildlife Enforcement Officer with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, for one of our most informative conversations yet. We dive deep into what it really means to protect and manage North Carolina’s public lands while uncovering what hunters need to know before stepping into the woods...

In Episode 7 of the Sitka Southeast Podcast, we're joined by North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission District 6 Wildlife Biologist, Rupert Medford. Rupert brings years of experience studying deer behavior and habitat management as he sits down with Jake and Landon to discuss what truly makes prime mature buck habitat and how hunters can learn to recognize it in the field. We dive into effecti...

Jacob, Jay, and Landon sit down with Corey Oakley, Chief of Inland Fisheries for the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, for an in-depth conversation about the science and strategy behind managing North Carolina’s fisheries. In this episode, we dive into bass management (F1 Bass Program and Alabama Bass), the role of aquatic vegetation and plant life beneath Lake Norman, and how habitat...

In this episode, Jacob, Landon, OT, and Jeff Cordero sit down to cover everything from Jeff’s career in NASCAR to balancing a demanding schedule with a passion for hunting. The crew dives into how Jeff makes time for the outdoors, early season archery preparation, practical bow practice tips, and advice on dialing in your archery setup before the season kicks off. Whether you’re looking to sharpen...

The shift to whitetail season is officially underway for the Sitka Charlotte Crew. In Episode 4, Landon, OT, and Jake dive into our full whitetail prep process — from getting our properties ready for the upcoming season to dialing in our early scouting plans on both public and private land. We’re talking trail cameras, moving stand locations, habitat and land prep, and the gear that lives in our t...

Episode 3 is here, and this one is all about fishing. We officially introduce Jay Stevens as our fishing co-host and sit down with special guest Tater Hog — professional fisherman and owner of his own freshwater bait company (Tater Hog Custom Lures).We dive into Tater’s background, how he got started in competitive fishing, and what led him into designing and making his own custom baits. We also b...

In this episode, we break down everything that’s been happening so far this turkey season. The Sitka Charlotte Staff shares real stories from the field—what’s worked, what hasn’t, and the lessons learned along the way. We also take a deep dive into Sitka Turkey Gear, talking through what we’ve been running this season, what stands out, and how we have adapted the gear to fir our hunting styles. Me...

Welcome to Episode 1 of the Sitka Southeast Podcast. Filmed out of our Charlotte, NC Store. In our debut episode, we introduce Jacob, Landon, and OT from the store staff and dive into who they are, their backgrounds, and how they got here. We also talk about turkey hunting season so far, discuss Sitka Gear, share stories from the field, and give you a preview of what’s coming in future episodes. W...