The Outdoor Life Podcast

This week we sit down with staff writer and PCT veteran Laura Lancaster to explain our recent ultralight backpack test, why hunters might be interested in this new gear, and why traditional backpacking is on the way out. You can read more on ultralight backpacking gear at outdoorlife.com/ultralight Edited by Mike Pedersen / Eighty Five Audio. Hosted by editor in chief Alex Robinson. Produced by ex...

This week we sit down with our optics editor, Andrew McKean, to discuss the armloads of new optics he's been testing for weeks, including binoculars, riflescopes, and thermals. Here are the highlights from the test, including his advice for anyone looking to buy new glass this summer. You can read the first of McKean's articles from the test — his binocular reviews — at outdoorlife.com/optics24 Ed...

Anti-hunters have a playbook that's extremely effective at persuading the public to change wildlife management. This week on the podcast, Alex interviews Brian Lynn of the Sportsmen’s Alliance to learn how these anti-hunting organizations operate, and the strategic advantages they enjoy over hunters. Edited by Mike Pedersen / Eighty Five Audio. Hosted by editor in chief Alex Robinson. Produced by...

There's a lot to love about new trail cameras as their features get more sophisticated and easier to use. There are also a few concerns with all that powerful new tech. Here's editor-in-chief Alex Robinson's take on all the new trail cameras he's been testing lately, and what it all means for deer hunters. Edited by Mike Pedersen / Eighty Five Audio. Hosted by editor in chief Alex Robinson. Produc...

This week on the podcast we're introducing you to Outdoor Life's newest podcast: Quick Strike with Joe Cermele. In this first episode of the show, OL's fishing editor sits down with down with Chris Bohlman of the Retro Bassin’ YouTube channel to shine a light on old, underrated, and affordable bass baits. You can follow the show by searching "Quick Strike with Joe Cermele" wherever you get your po...

To be a Fudd, you simply have to hold onto an old idea no matter how much new and better information contradicts it. This mindset has always been a part of hunting culture, and everyone is probably guilty of being a Fudd from time to time. Here are the most common examples that we all need to move on from. Read the full story here: https://www.outdoorlife.com/fudd Edited by Mike Pedersen / Eighty...

Animal-rights activists have gained permanent ground in Australia in the fight to shut down recreational duck hunting. Much of what’s happening in Australia can absolutely happen in the U.S. Some of it already has. Read the full story here: https://www.outdoorlife.com/australia Reporting and editing by executive editor Natalie Krebs. Mixed and mastered by Mike Pedersen / Eighty Five Audio. Learn m...

P.J. Reilly has been reviewing bows for Lancaster Archery Supply since 2016 and that historical context makes him one of the most knowledgeable bow reviewers in the game. He just conducted a test of six budget bows that shot impressively well. Here’s what you should know if you’re trying to find a nice bow (including used compounds) without breaking the bank. Read the full story here: https://www....

Most people walk away from the range with a “near-o” rather than a zero, as one of shooting editor John B. Snow's precision rifle buddies aptly puts it. And often that’s good enough. If all you need is minute-of-deer at 100 yards, your zero can be pretty elastic. But if you want to really know where your gun shoots, and how well it shoots, listen up to these simple steps. Read the full story here:...

Highly-coveted statewide big-game hunting tags have traditionally been auctioned to the highest bidders. But the idea that opportunities to pursue public wildlife are being sold to wealthy hunters and highest bidders conflicts with an expectation that wildlife is available to all. That's why more states are considering raffles, which have their own pros and cons. Read the full story here: https://...

Over the years Scott Haugen has hunted plenty of dangerous game animals, including man-eating lions and crocodiles in Africa and a man-eating tiger in Sumatra. In 1990, he tracked down and killed a man-eating polar bear in Alaska’s high Arctic. Hunting big predators is a passion. Hunting cougars close to home is a treat. Edited by Mike Pedersen / Eighty Five Audio. Hosted by editor-in-chief Alex R...

Why is it so hard for deer hunters to believe that deer love mushrooms? We asked deer hunting and mushroom food plot evangelist Matt Williams about this, and how to grow a mushroom food plot. You can read the full story, and see videos, here: https://outdoorlife.com/hunting/mushroom-food-plots You can reach Matt at https://myco-habitat.com/ Edited by Mike Pedersen / Eighty Five Audio. Hosted by ed...

The forever chemicals known as PFAS are in everything from takeout containers to your favorite breathable, waterproof rain gear. They're also getting banned in California and New York starting in 2025. This week we talked to staff writer Laura Lancaster about why PFAS are a problem, why they're so useful in your favorite waterproof gear, and why you're going to have to start taking better care of...

If there’s anything redeeming about the February incident in which a wild wolf was run over by a snowmobiler, then muzzled and paraded around a Wyoming bar before it was killed, it’s as an opportunity for hunters to define ourselves against a rising narrative that equates the wolf abuser with restrained and purposeful hunting. Read McKean's full story at outdoorlife.com/wyomingwolf Read McKean's Q...

The 2024 Outdoor Life Gun Test introduced us to sweet-shooting rimfires, a pile of impressive centerfires and handguns, and what might be the best bolt-action hunting rifle ever made. This episode is brought to you by Brownells. You can read the Sako 90 Adventure review at outdoorlife.com/sako90 Edited by Mike Pedersen / Eighty Five Audio. Hosted by editor-in-chief Alex Robinson. Guests are shooti...

The 2024 Outdoor Life gun test showed us just how relevant the lever gun still is, and that some gun makers are devoting the time and attention to crafting the highest quality production lever-action specimens we’ve ever seen. These guns are made better, incorporate more user-friendly features, and are more versatile than ever.  This episode is brought to you by Brownells. Read the full story here...

In hopes of shedding some light on this very dense, wildly expensive, and unnecessarily controversial pellet material, I sat down with Adam Moser, the director of product engineering for shotshells at Federal Premium. Federal, after all, was the first major ammo company to offer TSS loads to the mass market. I also caught up with my fanatical turkey hunting buddy Josh Dahlke, the VP of content for...

Turkey hunting at its very best is a close-range game. Few people know this better than Mike Hunsucker of Heartland Bowhunter, who hunts spring gobblers almost exclusively with a bow. Here, Hunsucker shares some tips and lessons about getting gobblers in close. This episode is brought to you by Alabama’s Beaches. Edited by Mike Pedersen / Eighty Five Audio. Hosted by editor-in-chief Alex Robinson....

The OL bow test is the most rigorous in the industry. We shoot all the flagship bows and crossbows for accuracy over the course of three days at Lancaster Archery. This year the most accurate bow was a true marvel, and it turns everything we thought we knew about bow design on its head. This episode is brought to you by Alabama's Beaches. Read the full story here: https://www.outdoorlife.com/gear/...

Thermal devices have gotten more capable and less expensive as technology has fueled what an access evolution. Suddenly, thermals are more affordable and ubiquitous, and American hunters are hungry for additional ways to use them. This episode is brought to you by Alabama's Beaches. Read the full story here: https://www.outdoorlife.com/gear/will-thermals-change-the-way-we-hunt/ Edited by Mike Pede...

The 22 ARC blends new bullet technology with Modern Cartridge Design to get .22-250 Remington performance from MSRs. That's cool ... but do we need it? This episode is brought to you by Alabama's Beaches. Read the full story here: https://www.outdoorlife.com/guns/22-arc-review/ Edited by Mike Pedersen / Eighty Five Audio. Hosted by editor-in-chief Alex Robinson. Reporting by shooting editor John B...

Some onX users wonder where all their data is stored, if we’re being tracked in the most remote spaces in the country, and if our waypoints could one day be sold. This episode is brought to you by Alabama's Beaches. Read the full story here: https://www.outdoorlife.com/conservation/the-onx-effect/ Edited by Mike Pedersen / Eighty Five Audio. Hosted by editor-in-chief Alex Robinson. Reporting by Ch...

It's peak rut and all your carefully planning isn't panning out. Maybe you missed a buck. Maybe your neighbor shot him. Maybe you're just getting a little too serious. This week, we talked to Lindsay Thomas of the National Deer Association about how to set that stuff aside and focus on what deer hunting is supposed to be: fun. This episode is brought to you by Moultrie Mobile Edge Pro. Learn more...

Should you be hunting cold fronts? Does wind direction matter less than wind speed? Who's still paying attention to the moon phase? Researcher and dedicated deer hunter Dr. Grant Woods addresses all these common weather-related questions in this week's episode. This episode is brought to you by Moultrie Mobile Edge Pro. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Craig Harper has published more than 200 peer-reviewed journal articles, extension publications, books, and manuals. But here's the important thing: He's also a serious deer hunter and he understands better than most how deer relate to habitat during the rut. This episode is brought to you by Moultrie Mobile Edge Pro. Read the full story on outdoorlife.com here. Learn more about your ad choice...