Avsnitt
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Deer season is almost here, and now is the time to turn months of scouting into a solid hunting plan. In this episode of the Okayest Hunter Podcast, we dive into the final weeks before opening day and discuss what serious whitetail hunters should be doing right now to increase their odds of tagging a mature buck.
We cover trail camera placement, identifying fresh rubs and deer sign, accessing hunting spots without alerting deer, scouting your way into a stand, managing scent, and knowing when to stop scouting and start hunting. We also break down how to identify early-season hotspots, organize properties for different phases of the season, and make better decisions before the first arrow ever flies.
Whether you hunt public land, private land, or small properties, these whitetail hunting strategies will help you approach opening day with more confidence.
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Most hunters dream about owning hundreds of acres. What if you only needed 2.8?
In this episode of the Okayest Hunter Podcast, we're joined by Jimie Deegan to discuss one of the most overlooked strategies in whitetail hunting—targeting tiny parcels that everyone else drives past. From killing mature bucks on properties smaller than most backyards to finding overlooked permission ground, Jimie Deegan explains why big deer don't always need big properties.
We also dive into the traditions of deer camp, cooking at camp, how hunting has changed over the years, and why the shared experience keeps us coming back every fall.
Whether you're hunting public land, knocking on doors, or trying to maximize a small piece of private ground, this episode will change how you look at the map.
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Saknas det avsnitt?
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What if the biggest mistake in deer hunting isn't your setup, your gear, or your scent... but simply refusing to leave a spot that isn't producing?
This week, Eric sits down with Anthony Heller of Deer Vane to talk public land whitetails, mobile hunting, mock scrapes, cell camera strategy, and why comfort zones keep hunters from finding better deer. Anthony shares the unbelievable story of a 171" Wisconsin buck, how a single midday trail camera photo changed his entire approach, and why sometimes the best move is abandoning tradition and hunting where the deer actually are.
The conversation also dives into leased land, HLRBO, spot-and-stalk whitetail encounters, hunting pressure, entrepreneurial lessons, and why success in both business and hunting is usually years of work that nobody sees.
If you've ever caught yourself saying, "This is just where we hunt," this episode might change the way you look at every property you step onto.
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Summer scouting kinda sucks. It's hot, buggy, full of ticks, and half the time you're wondering if you're learning anything at all. So this week we're breaking down what we're actually looking for when we're out there suffering through thick cover, creek crossings, and mosquito swarms.
We dig into buck beds, water access, rub lines, trail crossings, trail cameras, and how to gather useful intel without feeling like you're wasting your time. More importantly, we talk through how average hunters can stop overcomplicating scouting and start putting together small pieces of the puzzle.
Whether you're chasing early season bucks, trying to understand a new property, or just wondering if summer scouting is worth it, this episode is for you.
Because sometimes getting 5% more information is the difference between guessing and having a plan.
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How much practice does saddle hunting actually require? More than most of us want to admit.
This week, we sit down with Martin Ringeisen with the Mobile Hunters Expo team to talk saddle hunting, putting in the reps, one sticking, gear organization, avoiding common mistakes, and why practicing in your backyard might matter more than buying new gear.
We cover:
• Saddle hunting mistakes we’ve all made
• Why most hunters don’t practice enough
• One sticking, platforms, and mobile setups
• Tree selection and shot positioning
• What happens when your sticks fall out of the tree
• Mobile Hunters Expo and trying gear before buying
If you've ever felt like a walking wind chime climbing into a tree, you're one of us, and there's hope for you!
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What happens when hunting becomes more than a hobby?
In this episode, Eric sits down with Eddie Boyer of Rags to Ridges for an incredibly honest and vulnerable conversation. Eddie shares his journey from prison life to discovering purpose through hunting, public land, faith, photography, and the outdoors.
What started with hunting magazines behind bars eventually turned into a complete life shift centered around self-reflection, personal growth, conservation, and chasing adventure in the Pacific Northwest.
This episode dives into:
Finding hunting later in life
Prison, redemption, and second chances
Public land conservation
Stoicism and personal growth
Faith and spirituality in the outdoors
Blacktail deer, mule deer, and western hunting
Mental health and solitude in nature
Why hunting can genuinely change lives
This is one of those conversations that goes way beyond deer hunting.
Follow Eddie / Rags to Ridges: Instagram: @ragstoridges
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Mike Cascini joins the Okayest Hunter Podcast to break down the side of archery and bowhunting most people completely overlook: the mental game. From target panic and self-doubt to elite-level performance psychology, this episode dives into how mindset impacts everything from shooting tournaments to punching tags.
We also get into deer camp stories, New Jersey hunting culture, performance under pressure, ego in hunting, and why some of the best hunters and archers are usually the quietest people in the room.
If you’ve ever struggled with confidence behind the bow, overthinking shots, comparing yourself to others, or simply trying to become more consistent as a hunter, this one’s worth the listen.
We hit on the following topics:
Archery performance psychology
Target panic
Bowhunting mindset
Mental coaching in archery
Confidence and consistency
Hunting culture and ego
Deer camp stories
Tournament archery pressure
The overlap between life, business, and hunting
Shout out to our partners:
Latitude Outdoors: Mobile hunting gear built for hunters who’d rather keep moving than sit in the same spot wondering if the wind betrayed them again.
Rack Hub: Simple, smart gear storage that helps organize the growing pile of hunting equipment we all swear we actually need.
Gerber Gear: Knives, tools, and gear built to actually get used instead of just photographed on tailgates.
ASIO Gear: Technical hunting apparel designed for serious pursuit without taking yourself too seriously.
HLRBO: Access to private land opportunities without the headache of knocking on doors or chasing down permission slips.
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Brad Zima joins the podcast for a long-form conversation about deer camp traditions, fatherhood, hunting culture, public land, stoicism, and why hunting feels like it’s about a whole lot more than antlers. We talk about ego in hunting, raising kids outdoors, respecting wild game, the loneliness creeping into modern life, and why community still matters now more than ever.
From Wisconsin deer camps to mountain hunts in Alaska, this one goes well beyond gear talk and big bucks.
Big thanks to the partners:
Latitude Outdoors: Mobile hunting gear built for hunters who’d rather keep moving than sit in the same spot wondering if the wind betrayed them again.
Rack Hub: Simple, smart gear storage that helps organize the growing pile of hunting equipment we all swear we actually need.
Gerber Gear: Knives, tools, and gear built to actually get used instead of just photographed on tailgates.
ASIO Gear: Technical hunting apparel designed for serious pursuit without taking yourself too seriously.
HLRBO: Access to private land opportunities without the headache of knocking on doors or chasing down permission slips.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Levi Kary from the Western Territory podcast (from the Okayest Podcast Network) jumps in to talk spring bear hunting in Wyoming, what it looks like hunting bears, and why hunting out West isn’t always what you think.
We get into baiting setups, close encounters, tag strategy, and the reality of hunting in grizzly country.
Check out the Western Territory Podcast here: https://open.spotify.com/show/46AmQrA5hoS5E75I05lco8?si=eeb2463367304950
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Jordan Leitsch isn’t coming at hunting from some polished highlight reel. He’s lived some real stuff.
We get into his background, losing a leg, clawing his way back, and still choosing to get out there.
We talk about what actually matters in hunting, why most gear is solving problems you probably don’t have, and how your mindset either helps you or ruins your season.
There’s also a good chunk on first aid and being prepared in the field, which is one of those things you don’t think about until you really wish you had.
If you’ve ever overthought a hunt, second-guessed everything, or felt like you’re chasing some version of hunting that doesn’t even feel like yours anymore, you’ll relate.
Check out https://prepemwild.com/
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Most hunters spend way too much time trying to prove they’re right… and not enough time asking what they’re missing.
This one turns into a solid conversation about staying curious in the deer woods. We get into the idea that the moment you think you’ve got it figured out is usually when things start going sideways.
From hunting pressure and thermals to scouting, trail cams, and even turkey hunting, it all comes back to one thing… You don’t know as much as you think you do.
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Turkey hunting has a way of pulling people in deeper than they ever expected.
This week we’re joined by Paul Campbell to talk about how that obsession starts, the strange beauty of the wild turkey, and why the bird carries so much history and meaning for hunters who take the time to understand it.
We get into youth hunts, early season stories, the heritage behind turkey hunting culture, and Paul’s work preserving some of that history for the next generation.
Check out Paul's endeavors:
https://www.wildturkeyarchives.com/
https://open.spotify.com/show/7yQ8IJU4gzxAsGq7wG8brU
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This week we sat down with Sam Jonas and Randy Johnson from the Wisconsin DNR to talk about the stuff most hunters don’t think about until it affects them.
We get into what conservation actually means, why hunter numbers matter more than most people realize, and how wildlife management decisions really get made. From wolves and predator management to the funding model that keeps conservation running, there’s a lot happening behind the scenes.
We also talk about the future of hunting, why curiosity beats judgment, and how everyday hunters can meaningfully contribute to conservation in addition to buying a license.
Also, Keagan Keddell stops by for a cameo and a few stories along the way.
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Ben Wellens with Midwest MTN drove down from the Appleton area with food in hand and a brain full of archery knowledge. What followed was a deep dive into bow tinkering, tuning setups, and why some hunters just can’t leave their gear alone.
Ben shares how a mechanical engineer from northeast Wisconsin ended up restoring bows, building tuning rigs in his garage, and helping friends get dialed before season. We talk about the rabbit hole of archery setups, the difference between tinkering and overthinking, and why learning by breaking things sometimes works best.
From there the conversation drifts west, into elk country. Ben walks through his first elk hunt, drawing a rare tag, and the chaos of a 15-yard encounter that ended with a bull on the ground and a three-mile pack-out. We also get into planning western hunts with friends, the point system game, gear refinement over time, and why sometimes the best part is just hearing a bull bugle for the first time.
Somewhere along the way we also cover raccoons, grizzlies, archery leagues, backpack setups, and the eternal truth that hunters will absolutely overthink their equipment.
If you like archery, elk hunting, gear tinkering, or the kind of conversations that only happen around a campfire or workbench, this one’s for you.
Enter our Strut Season Sweepstakes: https://www.okayesthunter.com/pages/okayest-hunter-x-gerber-gear-strut-season-sweepstakes
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Trail cams, drones, crossbows… and the line nobody can quite draw. This one turns into a real-time gut check on hunting ethics—where tech helps, where it crosses the line, and why most of it lives in the gray. Callers jump in, perspectives clash, and somehow it all comes back to one thing: hunt your hunt, but know where you stand.
Enter the Strut Season Sweepstakes for a chance to win over $5K in turkey hunting gear: https://www.okayesthunter.com/pages/okayest-hunter-x-gerber-gear-strut-season-sweepstakes
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Shaun Ridderbush (Host of Camp Okayest) joins the show to share the wild story of the day his truck rolled into the river during a kayak tournament, and how walking away from it changed everything.
We talk hunting, creativity, burnout, family, and why time in the woods has a way of resetting your priorities. A conversation about getting 1% better, finding stillness, and remembering what actually matters.
Enter our Strut Season Sweepstakes for a chance to win over $5K in turkey gear: https://www.okayesthunter.com/pages/okayest-hunter-x-gerber-gear-strut-season-sweepstakes
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If you hunt, fish, hike, bike, or take your kids to a local park in Wisconsin, there’s a good chance the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program helped make it possible.
This week, we sit down with Charles Carlin of Gathering Waters and Team Knowles-Nelson to break down what the program actually does, why it’s wildly popular with voters, and why it’s on the verge of being completely defunded.
We talk about matching grants, public access, trout streams, the Ice Age Trail, legislative gridlock, and what happens if funding hits zero on June 30.
This is not abstract politics; moreover, it’s about access, habitat, and whether the next generation inherits more opportunity... or less.
Take action here: https://action.knowlesnelson.org
Learn more: https://knowlesnelson.org
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This week on the pod, we sit down with Milwaukee radio host Elizabeth Kay for a conversation that’s less about inches of antler and more about everlasting memories.
Elizabeth didn’t grow up hunting. No g💥ns or deer camp, but instead, city life, Bay View roots, and visits to the locker in Richland Center. Fast forward 13 years, a husband who “was practically born with a gun in his hand,” a German Shorthaired Pointer, and one unforgettable bear hunt that changed everything.
We talk about what it’s like to marry into hunting culture, the intimidation factor of picking up a shotgun for the first time, why missing birds might matter more than hitting them, and the moment she looked at her son’s mounted bear and finally said, “Now I get it.”
This one goes deep into storytelling, relationships, ego, imposter syndrome in the woods, and why hunting is often less about the kill and more about connection. It’s about supporting your partner’s passion, building traditions, raising kids in the outdoors, and realizing the mount on the wall might outlive all of us, but the memory is what really lasts.
There’s pheasant poppers, vocal cord warmups, roadkill rack debates, and a whole lot of heart.
If you’ve ever wondered how someone goes from “I’d never pick up a gun” to “Thank you, bird,” we think you'll enjoy this one!
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This one’s a little different.
No guest this week. Just a candid, behind-the-scenes conversation about how the Okayest Hunter went from a half-serious idea, a couple bad logos, and some pretty average deer… into a community, a media company, and something that we believe means a great deal to a lot of people.
We talk about the early days. The first deer that didn’t score big but meant everything. Why humor mattered. Why ego didn’t. How deer shaming became the line in the sand we didn’t even realize we were drawing at first. And how stories (not antlers) ended up being the point.
This episode digs into the evolution of the brand, the podcast, the network, and the mindset behind it all: hunting as a grounding force, not a scoreboard. A space where kindness beats clout, where your tag is your tag, and where a “small” deer can still carry a big story.
We also get honest about the business side. The risks. The mistakes. The merch boxes stacked in home offices. The trade shows that barely broke even. The realization that we’re a media company first, and why that actually matters if you care about hunting culture long term.
If you’re new here, this is the origin story.
If you’ve been around a while, this is the reminder. Either way, thanks for being part of it. We don’t take that lightly.
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Moving states is one thing. Moving your family, your career, and your entire hunting identity is something else entirely.
In this episode, we sit down with Justin Synan to talk through the real story behind his move from Virginia to Kentucky and ultimately to Iowa. We dig into what actually drives those decisions: family, faith, frustration, opportunity, and the reality of chasing big whitetails without losing yourself along the way.
We talk about the culture shock of new states, the realities of hunting pressure and baiting laws, why you can’t just “trip into” a big deer, and how expectations can quietly ruin the experience if you’re not careful. Justin opens up about what worked, what didn’t, and how perspective changes when kids, marriage, and long-term goals start weighing more than inches of antler.
It’s a candid conversation about risk, patience, and figuring out what “success” actually looks like, both in the woods and at home.
If you’ve ever daydreamed about moving to a whitetail mecca, felt stuck where you’re at, or wondered whether the grind is worth it, this episode is a great example of what it could look like to make the move.
Presented by: Nosler
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