Manufacturer of High Performance Bow Accessories Titanium Archery Products, LLC·
Our vision for pushing the boundaries of performance in archery is what drives the innovation that has made our products successful.
Try them for yourself and FEEL the difference. TAP is NOT ANOTHER CARBON COPY.

That is how Bill came to be sitting in his parents’ front yard one day in 1986 with paper and colored pencils, sketching and coloring the bark of a giant oak tree that grew there. Bill believed that by layering the images of twigs and leaves over a vertical bark background, he could create a three-dimensional appearance that would match a variety of terrain and make his pattern distinct.

Using local mills, Bill navigated the printing process until he finally had a set of camouflage clothing to photograph. Always the promoter, Bill began to photograph the garments on bowhunters in tree stands. Every month for about eight months, he sent the images to hunting clothing buyers across the nation. However, Bill couldn’t send sample garments because the camo was doing too good a job disappearing. “We couldn’t get the pattern to stay on the pants,” he remembers. “It rubbed off. I had only one suit and no additional fabric, so I kept sending photos.” When December rolled around, the buyers were clamoring for garments.

“I didn’t have any garments,” Bill recalls, “but I couldn’t tell them that, so I just sent them some more photos.” The problem would be resolved, but with no time to spare. Bill had begun working with Eastbank Textiles, and they met the printing challenge just one week before the Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show. At last, Bill was on his way home with about 30 yards of the printed fabric to be made into garments for the show, but the airline sent the box of fabric to Columbus, Ohio, instead of Columbus, Georgia.

“I finally got the fabric on Monday, and the show started that Thursday,” says Bill. “I rushed it to the manufacturer and they made the basic garments by Wednesday morning. I had naked mannequins waiting at the SHOT Show, and I was sitting in Columbus waiting to get pants sewn.”

A California based company, we’re devoted to providing women with Women’s Hunts across the US, entertainment, outdoor related discussions, hunting/ fishing tips, stories, and more for women all over the world.

Hen Outdoors has also created a lifestyle apparel brand, allowing women, and young girls, to wear their passions proudly to the gym, to a concert, school, or wherever life may take them.
Hen Outdoors was created not just to celebrate women outdoors, but to revolutionize and change the way the world views women outdoors.

Dead Down Wind –
Dead Down Wind’s focus has always been to produce the safest, most effective products possible by using science as our foundation. We are driven to develop products capable of eliminating the toughest and widest range of odors. Contrary to what a competitor may claim, there isn’t a single product that is effective on EVERY type of odor. From the beginning, Dead Down Wind has led the way, using real science and developing specific products to control the odors that matter.

Scent prevention is a process and a routine. Hunters plan and strategize each and every season on how to go undetected for that opportunity of a lifetime. The goal being to reduce your odor signatures to the lowest possible level.

Dead Down Wind uses enzymes – a natural catalyst for change. They break down odors at a molecular level, a process we call Enzyme ScentPrevent® or ESP. The use of enzymes allows Dead Down Wind products to eliminate a wider range of odors. We call this technology 3D+ Broad Spectrum. While some might have you believe the only thing you need to concern yourself with is bacteria related to perspiration, that is simply not the case. Hunters carry many foreign odors to the field that can alert whitetail or other big game animals. The science behind a big game animal’s nose will tell you it’s looking for any telltale odor that might give them an idea of who or what is in the area. That’s why we specifically formulate a broad range of odor control, not just one type of bacteria.

Dead Down Wind does not offer cover scent. Scent prevention is a discipline and process that requires a complete system that focuses on our three-phase system – Laundry, Hygiene and Field – which actively work together to kill bacteria, not just covering odor but annihilating right at the source.

Tink’s –
Established in 1972, Tink’s® has been the number one brand, and number one performing line in deer scents and lures. Trusted by generations of hunters for nearly 50 years, Tink’s® lures meet the needs of every phase of the hunt along with a broad variety of dispenser options. Tink’s® natural whitetail lures are certified CWD-free, extensively tested for effectiveness, and simple to use. Whether you’re hunting trophy whitetails, black bears, big bull elk, monster moose, pigs or predators, we have a product to help you succeed. Proven Innovation. Proven Results.

Obsession Bows –
Obsession crashed the established bow industry party with designs by engineers obsessed with perfection for those who refuse to settle for yesterday’s technology. Hunters, competitors, and enthusiasts of every caliber have something to gain from an Obsession, from bragging rights in camp, a spot on the medal stand, or winning the backyard bet.

Based in a one-stoplight town in the state of Georgia, our small-town values center on family, friends, and a never-ending commitment to building the very best products for every caliber of archer. We understand bows are a significant investment for our customers and we value the trust you place in us when you purchase an Obsession. Our drive to excel, to “Change Or Get Left Behind,” enables us to continue to defy expectations and be the technological leader of the industry.

Ramcat –
The Ramcat is a wickedly accurate, absolutely devastating broadhead. Much more than a cut-on-contact or chisel-tip broadhead, the tip of every Ramcat is a purpose-driven, technically superior design with a multi-faceted focus:

Concave scoops create an airfoil that eliminate wind planing and forces air to slip over the ferrule and arrow shaft for best-in-class accuracy and impact energy.
On impact, the airfoil creates an outward force on flesh, pushing it away from the shaft for exceptional penetration and a massive wound channel. This performance is achieved with any recurve, compound or crossbow, at any speed. Today’s lineup of Ramcat broadheads are the most advanced, best performing, best value for bowhunters. Hits Like A Ram, Cuts Like A Cat!

Trophy Taker –
For twenty years Trophy Taker has built a reputation for easy-to-install and silent arrow rests that are tough enough for hardcore hunters, with the reliability that sends competitive archers to the medal stand. A never-ending commitment to excellence is the driving force behind Trophy Taker and we back it with a lifetime warranty.

Today, the quality and performance of Trophy Taker has expanded to include more vital accessories for today’s performance archer. Everything we build is designed to perform – it’s just that simple. Perform, don’t fail, so you can achieve. What began in the rugged mountains of Montana is now an attitude shared across the country: don’t settle for compromises, there is a better way. We think our customers agree, You Can Settle, or You Can Be a Trophy Taker!

Past, Present, & Future

Over twenty years ago, the concept of giving something back to mule deer was a dream of Emmett Burroughs. As Emmett traveled around the country hunting and filming mule deer, he realized that many of us take this awesome species for granted.

Think about what the world was like in 1988. Mule deer had been extremely abundant right up until the winters of 1983-84. Across the West, the record snowfall lingered long into spring and early summer. Many mule deer and black-tailed deer perished, mostly starving for lack of food covered by snow and from cold temperatures.

A few years later, Emmett observed that mule deer populations had not rebounded from this die-off. Many factors contributed to mule deer not coming back – loss of habitat, predators, poaching, highways crossing through the middle of transitional ranges, and subdivisions being built on winter ranges. State wildlife agencies were busy trying to grow more elk and dealing with endangered species issues.

On top of that, funding to state wildlife agencies was in decline. Mule deer management, which had been a staple of most fish and wildlife agencies, was taken for granted. It was as if mule deer, which were at one time the premier big game species, were no longer worthy of prominence.

Emmett gathered together a few of his close friends and acquaintances and asked them to think back at how much they had taken mule deer for granted. He challenged them with the famous words, “We must give something back to mule deer and black-tailed deer.”

In July 1988, the Mule Deer Foundation was incorporated as a 501(c)3 wildlife conservation organization. Founded in Redding, California, the original Board of Directors developed the mission statement of MDF, “The mission of the Mule Deer Foundation is to ensure the conservation of mule deer, black-tailed deer and their habitat.” As with many wildlife conservation organizations, MDF started having banquet fundraising events to raise money for projects benefiting mule deer.

TAGNBRAG –

Tag N’ Brag started as a notebook of ideas created by David and Dean Giarrizzo while they were in college at Ohio State University. They wanted to create a place where all hunters and fishermen/women could connect, share experiences, and exploit themselves as outdoorsmen/women.

In the fall throughout their college careers, David and Dean would spend countless hours in the car going to and from school to the hunting grounds. They even scheduled classes on the same days as each other so they would have opposite days off to go hunt. Much of the time spent in the car and some in class was focused on jotting down ideas and creating the vision for Tag N’ Brag.

In December 2011, they launched the first version of www.tag-n-brag.com. In less than two years they have turned the outdoor social network into a brand recognized throughout our industry. www.tag-n-brag.com is going to re-launch a new custom designed website at the end of November. We now have an iOS and Android phone application, our own blog, and our own web show on tag-n-brag.tv. We have great plans of expanding the Tag N’ Brag brand even further and look forward to connecting hunters and fishermen/women worldwide.

Own The Season TV –

Art Helin of Dodgeville, Wisconsin, began hunting over 30 years ago under the instruction of his father and grandmother. What started as small game and deer hunting in his home state grew to an obsession to hunt nearly every big game species across North America. Raised in a hunting and fishing family, Michelle began hunting with Art at the age of sixteen and they married three years later. Art’s hunting success and passion for teaching others has led to his pro/field staffer positions for various manufacturers since 1996. Together with his wife, Michelle, and the staff of Art Helin Outdoors, he promotes these companies and the great outdoors by working trade shows, attending retail store events, and providing in-store training to their employees.

Starting in 1998, Art began giving seminars to small audiences for Primos. Since then, he’s traveled across the country speaking at venues large and small, from local sporting clubs to Bass Pro Shops/Cabela’s, the Iowa Deer Classic, and the Field & Stream/Outdoor Life Deer and Turkey Expos. When speaking with people, Art draws upon his own past experience, successes and failures, as well as the over 150 days per year in the field hunting, guiding, and scouting. Michelle joined the seminar circuit in 2013, speaking on safety, first aid, and CPR for the outdoors.

After having planted food plots, practicing woodland management, and completing timber stand improvement and pond projects on his own 40 acres, leases, and properties of friends and neighbors for eighteen years, Art started habitat consultation services in 2015.

Art and his wife, Michelle, are experienced in videography, having filmed for Archer’s Choice Media Productions and the Double Bull Archery video series starting in 1998. They launched their own show, Own the Season, in 2019.

Field Torq Knives –
1. Multi-functional knife, gut hook, and bone cutting. Carry no additional tools, knives or parts.
2. Safer. Non-stabbing blunt blade tips and no sharp outside edges.
3. Superior patented InsideJob blade design. Safer, holds edge longer, won’t cut the bladder or gut like saws or other knives, utilizes leverage like a bottle opener to easily cut through pelvic and sternum bones.
4. Faster. 5X faster. The right tool for every aspect of field dressing, all-in-one.
5. Smarter. Field dresses ALL big game with just ONE tool. Unlike other knives, the gut hook can be easily resharpened with the included sharpener.
6. Stronger. 1/4″ high carbon stainless steel, end-to-end.
7. The Cut Above Guarantee. Better than any other knife, guaranteed!
8. Everything you need is included. FieldTorq knife, Black 1680 Denier ballistic nylon sheath, Ceramic sharpener, Torq Assist and instructional diagram.

Convergent Hunting Solutions –
Predator Pro is a professional-grade predator hunting toolkit designed to specifically work with the Bullet HP electronic call. Coyote hunters, fox hunters, and anyone hunting predators of any kind will see the effectiveness of predator hunting with the Predator Pro mobile app. Now with 50 free predator calling sounds.

Predator Pro by Convergent Hunting is designed to work in conjunction with the Bullet HP (special purpose Bluetooth controlled speaker/decoy) to help you get professional predator calling results. Together, the Convergent Hunting apps and Convergent Bullet HP combine the latest in technology to provide you with a complete predator calling platform that is unique and versatile all wrapped-up in a high-performance package.

Brian had always used face masks, preferring the convenience of masks to the mess and trouble of paint. However, all of that changed the first time Brian went bowhunting in Kansas, the ultimate whitetail hunting state. As a big buck came into his line of sight, Brian drew back on his bow only to have his facemask catch on his release! There was nothing for him to do except draw down and watch as the buck of a lifetime walk away. Determined to never experience a facemask mishap like this again, Brian purchased every face paint product on the market. No matter what he tried, the paint ended up feeling greasy, messy, and itchy. Some of the products smelled like crayons. As any good bowhunter will tell you, it is imperative to be scent- free on the hunt.

Mariah had never liked face masks as they would constantly ride up on her face and hindered her shooting. However, as someone with sensitive skin, she didn’t have the option of using harsh and irritating face paints. Not only that, Mariah is also a safe cosmetic advocate who lives a wholefood and organic lifestyle, so the toxic and harmful ingredients of face paint were not only impractical for her, but also in conflict with her values.

Brian and Mariah became increasingly frustrated trying to find a camouflage face paint that was not only made with quality ingredients, but was also effective, safe, gentle, and easy to both apply and remove. After exhausting all of the existing options, they decided to take matters into their own hands.

They left no detail unconsidered when creating HARDY FACEPAINT. They thought about what hunting face paint would ideally look, smell, and feel like. They researched ingredients, safety, and effectiveness, as well as ease of application and removal. They essentially dreamed up a hunter’s perfect face paint and engineered HARDY FACEPAINT to be exactly that.

IBO – The International Bowhunting Organization (IBO) was created in 1984 by a dedicated group of bowhunters who shared the desire to ensure that bowhunting and the ideals of wildlife conservation survive, expand and flourish to be shared, enjoyed and passed on to future generations.

By its charter, the International Bowhunting Organization’s purpose is “To promote, encourage, and foster the sport of bowhunting; further bowhunter education; act as a political coordinator and liaison for the protection and advancement of bowhunting; function as a clearinghouse for essential bowhunter information; and adhere to the basic ideal of the unification of bowhunters.”

Soon after its inception, the IBO launched the Triple Crown of Bowhunting, consisting of three national tournaments hosted in separate states. Utilizing identical rules and classes, the Triple Crown culminates with the crowning of national champions of various age, gender, and equipment classes. The series continues to expand each year and has become the undisputed indicator of the best individual performers and equipment in the sport of 3-D archery and bowhunting.

In 1989, the IBO established a series of sanctioned tournaments worldwide in which participants may qualify to compete in an annual finale to be held in a large and accommodating, destination-type venue. Presently, hundreds of local and regional bowhunting clubs host qualifying events for the opportunity to participate in 3D Archery’s largest and most prestigious event, The IBO World Championship.

National Deer Alliance – NDA’s Initiative
The mission of the National Deer Alliance (NDA) is to serve as the guardian of wild deer conservation (white-tailed deer, mule deer, black-tailed deer, Coues deer, and Key deer), and our hunting heritage. Formally incorporated in May 2015, the NDA is driven to assemble and unite a diverse group of stakeholders that includes hunters, managers, and the hunting industry to help create positive outcomes for deer and deer hunting.

A strong board of directors that represents organizations and groups such as the Mule Deer Foundation, Quality Deer Management Association, Whitetails Unlimited, Archery Trade Association, National Shooting Sports Foundation, Wildlife Management Institute, Vista Outdoor, and Bass Pro Shops, leads NDA.

The Need –
Deer are the most commonly pursued and economically important game animal in North America. Despite the fact that 83% of the more than 14,000,000 hunters in the United States identified as deer hunters, there was no national organization geared toward protecting the interests of all deer hunters and the deer hunting industry before the formation of NDA. Amazingly, less than 1% of deer hunters belong to a national conservation organization dedicated to the protection of deer and our deer hunting heritage. This is where NDA comes in. The time has come for deer hunters, managers, and the hunting industry to organize and provide a united front to address current and emerging threats to deer hunting and our heritage.

“The total antlered buck harvest of 2,879,000 in the United States was 2% more than the previous season, and 23 of 36 states increased their buck harvest,” said Kip Adams, QDMA Director of Conservation. “On the contrary, antlerless harvest was down slightly to 2,827,288. One state’s data did not arrive and was not included in this analysis, but it appears the national buck harvest exceeded the antlerless harvest in the 2017-18 season for the first time since 1998.”

Looking at the age structure of the buck harvest, yearlings (1½ years old) remained at record low harvest levels around 35% while harvest of 3½-year-old and older bucks remained high at 34%.

“It’s amazing to realize that one of every three antlered bucks shot in the US is at least 3½ years old when it was one in every five only fifteen years before,” said Adams.

The Habitat Podcast –
The Habitat Podcast is a podcast for land and wildlife habitat managers and for hunters who learn and utilize different types of habitat in their hunting strategy. We interview hunters and habitat managers from across the country, picking their brain to learn their successes and failures. We are different in the fact that we are not the experts. This podcast is for us, and the listeners to learn a thing or two from the experts we analyze.

QDMA –
To produce better deer, hunters need reliable information. This information generally comes from research. QDMA helps design, coordinate, and fund practical research projects that increase hunter knowledge. Since 2005, QDMA has contributed more than $500,000 to support important research projects in over twenty states.

Education
Since its earliest days, QDMA has been a recognized leader in educating hunters and the general public on all aspects of whitetail biology, management, and habitat improvement. However, the types of information desired by these groups as well as the tools available to deliver this information constantly change, and QDMA is keeping pace. QDMA continues with existing educational activities such as seminars, field days, and Quality Whitetails magazine, but delivery methods also include television, DVDs, and w-based opportunities. QDMA’s educational materials include printed books, electronic books, classroom curriculums, posters, DVDs, apps, online courses, internships, and more.

Advocacy
Each year there are countless threats to the future of deer hunting and management at the local, state, and national levels. Due to QDMA’s growth and strong support from the professional wildlife community, it is considered the most respected and influential whitetail organization in North America. As a result, QDMA serves as the leading advocate for the wise management of deer and the protection of our deer-hunting heritage. QDMA also maintains strong ties with its members, other conservation organizations, state and federal agencies, and other groups with an interest in deer hunting. Since 2006, QDMA has engaged on nearly 800 state, federal, and provincial management and policy issues impacting wildlife, habitat, and our hunting heritage.

Certification
The Deer Steward program is QDMA’s personal educational experience designed to offer hunters and wildlife professionals an opportunity to gain advanced knowledge of Quality Deer Management directly from the nation’s top experts. Both online and in-person courses allow deer hunters to become experts in a number of areas, from deer biology to habitat management.

In addition, QDMA’s Land Certification Program (LCP) is a multi-level, voluntary process that evaluates and certifies one or more properties against an established list of QDM standards.

Hunting Heritage
Hunting is an essential tool for sound deer management and part of our sporting heritage. However, in many states hunter numbers have declined, and existing hunter recruitment programs are proving only marginally effective. In response, QDMA has developed innovative youth and new hunter recruitment programs.

Tink’s® natural whitetail lures are certified CWD-free, extensively tested for effectiveness, and simple to use. Whether you’re hunting trophy whitetails, black bears, big bull elk, monster moose, pigs or predators, we have a product to help you succeed. Proven innovation. Proven results.

Pradco –
Before the perfect shot, there was Summit to make it possible. Before that, there was Code Blue® and Knight & Hale to bring them in. Even before that, there was Moultrie® to monitor and manage the herd. PRADCO hunting brands are the products hunters rely on to fill their tags.

Our Moultrie game management products feature the feeders and game cameras that are so necessary for a successful season. For retailers, Moultrie brings hunters in during the off-season for year-round sales.The proven technology behind Code Blue means our products will attract sales like no other scent product line can.

Wildlife Research Center – In the late 1950s, two young brothers John and Brian were paid a bounty of $0.10 by their father for every mouse they caught near the outside of their house. The brothers first tried cheese as bait since mice in cartoons always loved cheese. The results from cheese weren’t as good as expected. Then experiments began with different baits on the mouse traps. The goal was not just to find a bait that worked better than cheese, but to find a bait that the mice really went for and would attract every mouse that went near it. From these humble beginnings, the spark was kindled and the earliest foundations were laid for what was later to become America’s Top Brand®.

In the 1960s, the family moved to a more remote location with many animals around. Always eager to improve on their success, the brothers soon began to think about the different scents that different animals reacted to. Whenever they would see anything written about scents attracting animals, they would really dig into it. From there, it was just a short step to conducting experiments in hopes of learning how to improve upon what was available to hunters at the time. After years of hunting trips, hobby experimentations, and lots of trial and error, the brothers, with help from their dad, hit on an irresistible formula that attracted deer like nothing they’d ever seen before – Trail’s End® #307®.

Grand View Outdoors publishes three consumer titles: Bowhunting World, Predator Xtreme, and Whitetail Journal. Archery Business, Shooting Sports Retailer and Tactical Retailer, three leading industry trade publications, are among the most recognized and respected resources for the outdoors industry. Through strategically positioned niche publications and websites, Grand View Outdoors effectively covers virtually every key interest among outdoors enthusiasts.

Shoot Like A Girl –
SLG2, INC. Shoot Like A Girl was established in 2008 and launched in 2019 with a mission to grow the number of women who participate in shooting sports by empowering them with confidence. The first five years focused on archery. The concept was if women could try to shoot a bow, they would love the feeling they get from shooting and join the sport. They developed a process called Test Shots, and in five years, Shoot Like A Girl put bows in the the hands of nearly 3,500 women and grew the number of women archers!

December 2013, Shoot Like a Girl added Firearms Test Shots where women can shoot a 9mm pistol, .223 rifle with the use of a military grade firearms simulation system. They continued their Test Flights program with a live archery range. The trailer highlights the fact that shooting sports is a viable option for people with physical challenges and/or regardless of physical fitness level.

Since 2008, their impact on the shooting sports industry has totaled over $74 million and continues to increase. Well over 18,000 women have participated in the program as of July 31, 2018.

Multus –
Multus is created by Joe Porche. Joe has worked in orthopedics and pain management for twenty years. He believes that many injuries can be prevented, so he has designed the only closed-loop handle with a locking removable peg on the market. It is the most useful and versatile handle for the sportsman. With the Multus Deer Drag, your hunting experiences can be improved.

Arcus Hunting – Arcus Hunting, LLC is an acquisition and organic growth platform seeking to build a strong portfolio of leading brands in the bowhunting and archery consumables and accessories category. Through its subsidiaries, Tink’s, Dead Down Wind, and Obsession Bows, Arcus markets and manufactures a range of leading deer lures, attractants, scent control products, and premium bows.

Grins: I approach everything with optimism and believe it to be a force multiplier. In terms of hunting, if I approach a hunt thinking positively about it rather than negatively it’s a better experience and result.

I am the founder of the Where to Hunt App and host of the Where to Hunt podcast. I am the proud father of a one-year old baby girl and love spending time with my family and in the outdoors, specifically I love hunting whitetails on public land, having adventures and creating indelible memories.
GET AN EDGE ON OTHER HUNTERS, CLAIM YOUR HUNTING SPOT FIRST

RACKOLOGY is an actual scientifically formulated deer supplement/attractant. With a Master’s in Biology and my partner having a Master’s in Agronomy, years of research experience, and extensive deer and wildlife knowledge, we have finally come up with a product that is truly an all-in-one deer supplement and attractant. While we could profit a great deal more by separating these components into numerous products like other companies have done, we are proud to offer a product with an awesome price that will save you time and money. We can even custom-blend on orders to match your location needs depending on your supplemental requirements. It is also available in pellets. No more debating on which attractant to use and which supplement to use. We have it all in one bag – RACKOLOGY!

Formulated with a proprietary blend/specific ratios of chelated vitamins, minerals, protein, and other ingredients that aid in stress relief and aid wild ruminant gut microbes, promote healthy digestive system, decreases bad microbes, and significantly increases absorption of nutrients as well, RACKOLOGY will produce a significant increase in your overall deer herd health. Most products on the market do not contain chelated nutrients, nor do they have them at the correct ratios, and the correct complementary nutrients required to achieve their maximum absorption and effectiveness. In essence, you would have to put out many more times the amount of other products as you would RACKOLOGY. Why choose RACKOLOGY for your deer herd? The question is how can you afford not to? We were tired of sorting through all the different overpriced products on the market trying to find the best attractant, the best mineral, the best vitamins and protein in order to provide us with everything we were looking for. Voila! RACKOLOGY was born! Everything deer need in one bag.

Plano Synergy –
We believe outdoor experiences build character, inspire action, and enrich lives. We believe growth happens when you actively explore opportunities and take on new challenges. We believe discovering and meeting the needs of our consumers, customers, and colleagues is the only way to lead the industry. We believe that fear of failure is the surest way to find it. We believe in a base camp mentality where our best is achieved by encouraging and pushing each other to accomplish our mission.

Ameristep –
Hunting success begins with the element of surprise. That’s what Ameristep® has been giving hunters for over twenty years ground blinds and accessories that cleverly conceal positions from up above and down below. Ameristep is proud to be an innovator in the industry, continually seeking new solutions to help hunters disappear. That disappearing act is only part of the story though. Versatile mobility in all our product designs lets you choose the location that’s right, not the location that’s convenient. Once you’re there, simplified assemblies mean you can set up quickly and capitalize on the moment. Additional key features eliminate elements like scent, noise, and reflection to make sure you stay hidden. You’ll have the element of surprise locked in as long as you’re in an Ameristep blind.

Scent Kapture –
Scent Kapture started as an innocent conversation at our family Christmas. My two brothers and I were telling stories about pheasant hunting trips in below freezing temperatures and fishing trips that we took with our dad. The three of us began brainstorming business ideas revolving around our passion to hunt and fish. I have been working in the “liquids” business with cosmetology products in the professional beauty industry for fifteen years, and I started researching new technology in scent elimination liquids. After extensive research, we found a proprietary blend of ingredients that encapsulates and eliminates odors on contact, and we began testing formulas immediately. After much testing with feedback from other professionals and experienced hunters, we have refined the formulas to be one of the top competing and best working products in the outdoor sports industry. Our formulas were all professionally formulated from scratch – with the hunter in mind.

Yeti –
In 2006, YETI Coolers was founded with a simple mission: build the cooler you’d use every day if it existed. Growing up, my brother and I always had a passion for the outdoors. Hunting, fishing, traveling to outdoor industry trade shows with our teacher-turned-entrepreneur-father. We were raised with an appreciation for wild game, unfamiliar territory, and high-quality gear.

But the coolers available at the time just weren’t up to our outdoor adventures – the handles would break, the latches would snap off, and the lids would cave in. Not only was it a hassle to replace our coolers after each season, but also these cheaply built, ordinary ice chests were limiting our good times. That frustration led us to a solution.

Ten’er is one such buck that Marv had on his hit list for a number of years but unfortunately was taken with an ag license last winter.

200″ bucks are the stuff of legends and ten’er was all of that and more.

Burris Optics –
Burris Optics is located in Greeley, CO and since 1971 has been the
leader in optics innovation. Their customer service and legendary forever
warranty is second to none. For the last decade, Burris has been perfecting
their Eliminator laser rangefinding, ballistic-calculating rifle scope and,
most recently, put that technology into the Oracle range-finding, trajectory-calculating, angle-compensating bow sight.

Tree Stand Buddy – The Tree Stand Buddy® was designed to provide for a much safer installation of a tree stand. The hoisting feature allows you to climb your tree without having to worry about carrying your tree stand with you. Enjoy a much safer hunting experience since the bracket system provides greater safety and stability — No More Wobble.

PRADCO Hunting – PRADCO Outdoor Brands is the largest company in the world that manufactures and markets major hunting and fishing brands and products under one parent organization. It is a leader in producing game calls, scents,
attractants, game feeders, game cameras, tree stands and fishing lures.

But Preston Mullens is a doctor of chiropractic medicine in Pennsylvania, but more so than anything he’s just a crazy DIY hunter and he’s just a joy to have on the show and we’re going to have fun in the next 45 minutes or so. So, Preston, welcome to the show.

Deer Hunting – DIY Hunter – Preston Mullens Hey, thanks, I appreciate it. I’m glad we got this technology thing figured out. My schedule sort of jumps around a little bit, but it kind of worked in our favor that I’m a night owl and I’m two hours ahead of you, so it sort of fell into your schedule a little bit better.

Right. And today, you know, was a huge day. I started at 8:00 this morning and now it’s 7:29. So if people think this podcasting stuff is easy, I’m just laughing instead of crying I think. But, anyway, let’s kick this off. You’ve got a couple of nice bucks behind you. And take your phone and put it where that second main beam came off, and it snapped off after you got the trail camera picture of it.

Okay, so…

Tell us the story.

…he has another main beam, I think you can see it right here. And this main beam actually crept out to about this far on the front. And he had it on trail cam pictures and lost it. And in the same year that I took… This is a Pennsylvania buck, he’s just a solid, nice…just a mainframe eight. And in the same year, seven days later, I had this guy with two double-hook brows hard. And he had his brow at 12:30 the day before and I shot at 9:30 the next day and it was gone. So in seven days I managed to lose a brow tine and a third inside beam off two bucks in seven days. So that was tough, but, hey, that’s deer hunting, I guess, right? It was rut, they were probably out busting things up and I guess it cost me. But I have the pictures of them, so it’s better than nothing, I guess, right?

Well, yeah. Now once…the solid eight was in Pennsylvania, and where was the crooked brow tine?

Deer Hunting – Scent & UV Control – Dr. Shawn Tyson Hey, thanks for having me back again, Bruce. It’s fun to be back with you. It’s been a year, and we’ve had a lot of growth over a year, and it’s good to see you.

Yeah, and I’m proud of your growth, and we’ll get into that during the show. And you got some announcements to make, where, you know, some major buck stories have picked you up, and things are going good. But before we do it, you know, I was talking to the people who makes Sno-Seal. What’s the name of that company?

Atsko.

Atsko. And they know UV, and I know you know UV. And so let’s talk about and have a discussion for the next few minutes about UV and the fibers and how deer see a blue hue that’s in the spectrum. You’ve done any work with all folks. You know deer see blue. And let’s deep dive in it. So people understand why you need to neutralize those UV emissions.

Yeah, first, so let’s just…

If I said that right. If I said that right.

Yeah. Yeah, yeah. I mean, I understand you. Let’s start off first with just understanding the deer has a different type of eye than a human. A human has a UV filter built into their eye to block all of the UV rays from the sun. A deer and a lot of other wild game do not have a UV filter in their eye, and that allows them to see better at real low light conditions.

And so I climbed back down out of the tree stand, I went over to this spot about 30 yards away, and I trimmed like a big whole, a big shooting lane in that spot. I thought, you know, I don’t like getting out of the tree stand once I’m in, but I thought I’ve got to have a shooting lane over there. So I went back up in the stand and it was about 4:00, I’m sitting there reading a book and all of a sudden I look up and I just see horns. This buck just came right over the path where we had walked and sure enough he goes right up that path and he’s walking right toward that opening.

So that’s kind of the beginning of “Pro Talk Outdoors” and as we’ve grown and started our show on CarbonTV called “In a Rut,”

Deer Hunting – Pro Talk Outdoors Podcast – Dave Barrettour team has grown dramatically. We’ve got six or seven members now that are out there shooting video for us all the time and I really feel good about using our platform the way we have, to promote conservation and hunter recruitment, and just doing things the right way. I think that too often in today’s day and age you see with social media some negative light shed or some bickering back and forth within the outdoor industry, and that’s, kind of, the thing we want to squash. And we want to make sure that we’re all working together to promote the greater good of the outdoors and our hunting heritage.

And we also, I didn’t mention this earlier, but we have four other companies that we work with. Sigma Outdoors, which is a scent company out of New York, Devin’s [SP] Scope, Deer:30 Mineral, which, by the way, has some of the best mineral I’ve used, and BearHug Ratchet Straps. And we do advertisements as well with them just like any other hunting show on the Outdoor Channel you see. But on the business standpoint, you know, we want people, like I said, like a community of outdoorsmen and conservationists that are wrecking our apparel around the country.

But we also want to have a strong footing here locally. We’re based out of Richmond, Virginia. And there’s a ton of outdoorsmen around here, ton of people that like to hunt. And I think we wanna be known, you know, within the community. I’m talking about, possibly, somewhere down the road maybe we’re gonna start guiding some hunts, duck-hunting-wise. But also, you know, talk about maybe starting some archery shoots at some of the farms that we have. And basically, just making it a whole community thing but having the business side of it as selling apparel and, you know, doing work for other companies advertisement-wise.

So that’s basically where my background came in, and then I got into doing outdoors stuff just naturally. I grew up in the country on a dirt road, I’ve always wanted an ATV. So I finally got a chance to get an ATV and ride in ATVs and just being in the outdoors that led me into learn how to bowhunt. And I ended up learning how to bowhunt, I killed a hog. Then I, you know, went out, harvested a deer, harvest a turkey with bow.

So I just kind of fell in love with it, same thing with duck hunting, as well. Tying it all back to the media side, it’s like, you know, I would start playing around with cameras and stuff recording, you know, just some things with my hunts, recording animals and stuff like that. And I was just like, “Wow, it would be really cool if I could tie all this together into, like, my own…you know, something that kind of I can kind of put my stamp on.”

So I started doing research and looking around and started looking at hunting TV shows and stuff like that. They were really cool, they were really exciting. And some of them, you know, they do tell stories, but they basically tell stories that basically end in, you know, whether or not they got the harvest or whether or not…whether or not they made the harvest.

So I saw a lot of that. And, again, just trying to figure out how I can develop something that I can put my own stamp on. And, you know, I wanted something with my name. Because eventually, you know, I want to be able to pass this down to my kids, you know, especially if they have an interest in broadcasting or storytelling.

So that’s how I came up with Bryant Land. We just started putting stuff together, shooting videos, finding stories. And what I found out in telling stories, that, you know, it’s not always about the harvest. You know, there are people that come to this sport differently, there are people that look at it as a sport, there’s people that it’s a 100% way of life any provide food for their families and stuff. But in the middle of all that, you know, you have, you know, one spectrum where it’s just a sport, and then another spectrum where people, you know, it’s their life. There’s a lot of stuff there in the middle.

So Bryant Land is about finding the stuff in the middle, and finding the interesting stuff in the middle and the funny stuff in the middle and the entertaining stuff in the middle, and then patching it all together and then presenting it to everyone.

PROIS® VISION:
Prois’® vision is to be the best in market for female hunting and field gear. Being the best means providing unsurpassed quality, topnotch customer service, cutting edge technology and a clear vision for future growth so that we do not just create customers…we create fans.

I know, I know…we can’t help but beat the drum for our new 2018 Cumbre layering assortment. It’s that good. And we are that proud.

For 10 years now, I have dreamed longingly (ok, slight exaggeration but I am rolling with it!) of providing lines of accessories to go along with our already fantastic gear. Solid, performance accessories round out ones entire hunting experience and we are proud to start announcing some of these fine additions for 2018.

Matt served three years as a trustee for the Carroll Independent School District in Southlake, Texas and was a member of its budget and finance committee. He previously served as a consultant to startup companies, providing vertical assessments, sales strategies, investment networking, and general advisory input.

Matt is an avid archer, a certified USA Archery judge and Level 2 Instructor. Since joining the ATA, he has also become a frequent bowhunter.

During his time at ATA, he has been engaged on industry-critical issues including: R3, marketing, and intellectual property. “The services we provide members are unmatched,” Matt says. “With each effort, we’re focused on inspiring growth, increasing participation, and preserving these sports we all love.”

Matt has continued his professional development through coursework at Bell Leadership at the University of North Carolina and the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, among many others.

If you were ever wondering who we are and what we do, here is a brief report. CRCS stands for Cuba-Rushford Central School and the outdoor program is an extension of our Fisheries and Wildlife Technology classes. Our motto is making a difference “one young hunter (fisherman or student) at a time. “

In 2011-12, the schools environmental programs were featured in national magazines and television. CRCS Outdoors was featured every Saturday morning on the Pursuit Channel with 26 original shows produced right at CRCS and highlighted graduating film editor Cody Card. However, the programming would not have made it on air without support from our outstanding sponsors KA-BAR Knives, Western & Central New York Chapter of SCI, and the TRI State Chapter of SCI!

As we all know the future of our hunting and fishing heritage rests in the hands of our nation’s youth. If we do not do our part and get them out there early, research says all may be lost. New York State has been slowly doing their part by lowering the hunting age and providing youth seasons. CRCS Outdoors has been making a conscious effort to do our part by providing area youth with opportunities that they may not get elsewhere.

CRCS Outdoors hopes to expand nationally and bring the study of fisheries and wildlife/ hunting and fishing into the mainstream of the nation’s educational platform, and to promote student centered scientific research, studying natural resource conservation, aquatics, wildlife, forestry, land stewardship, biology/ management and conservation, Math/ Science and Technology, GIS, satellite images, remote sensing, radio telemetry, data collection and analysis. Through these opportunities students are also exposed to numerous career development opportunities as well as gaining ownership in what they do through choice in what they learn and gaining responsibility.

CRCS Outdoors has traveled to South Africa to hunt, as well as anual trips to Alaska, New Zealand, Texas, and locally around NYS and PA. Students enrolled at Cuba-Rushford have the first option to participate on trips and opportunities, after that, these projects and trips are open to any student, anywhere!

Awards: National Rural Educator of the Year 2017. NYS Rural Educator of the Year 2017,Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching Washington, DC, Named to USA Today All Teacher Team, National Winner, Named as Educator of the Year, Roger Torey Peterson Institute, Named as Educator of the Year SCI, National Environmental Educator of the Year, Awarded NYS Conservation Educator of the Year, Named to National Board for Fisheries & Wildlife Education in the USA, SUNY Cobleskill Alumni of the Year Award, Cobleskill, National Wild Turkey Federation’s Educator of the Year, Nashville, TN,Toyota Tapestry Winner, National Science Award, Awarded the Feinstone Environmental Educator of The Year

I quit my job as a producer at Swedish Television and are now freelance, film and content in hunting business. But nowadays more of an influencer with sponsors like Sauer and Swarovski Optik. My whole life is on Instagram @swedishvenatrix – I´m a proud hunter and to me a success isn’t always a game with me back home (but I for sure love to pull that trigger)… success can be helping next generation, a nice day by the fire, meeting friends and se new places.

And being mentally strong makes you achieve what others say you can´t do. Makes med wanna try harder and go further. Of course, I want to win and of course I´m gonna give you something extra in that Extreme Huntress-show! I mostly hunt in Sweden, but I have also been to Alaska, England and the Alps in Austria. Love the mountains, love the challenge of hard work before you find the animals.

He worked as a wildlife biologist for the Florida Game and Fish Commission for four years and as the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department’s deer and bear project leader for two years prior to his employment with QDMA in 2002.

Kip writes the Whitetail Wisdom column for Quality Whitetails, has authored chapters in five books, has given over 500 presentations on deer and habitat management, and has provided whitetail content for numerous television shows including Whitetail Properties, Canadian Whitetail, Scentblocker’s Most Wanted, Whitetail Slam and others.

I learned how to read reading the hunter education books and got my license when I was 8. That year I missed the biggest whitetail of my life and will never forget that exact moment. The next year, I was able to successfully harvest my first buck in northern Washington and have not looked back. I have hunted all over the world and competed in the Extreme Huntress competition the last two season. My passion is getting other women and youth involved in the outdoors.

My personal and professional interests surrounding the decline in hunter participation and its impacts on wildlife resources has driven me to spend a significant amount of time working with hunter recruitment, retention, and reactivation (R3) efforts focused on women. I relate to the Extreme Huntress competition goals through recognizing that women play critical roles in their children’s perspective and eventual participation in hunting. It has been said that you cannot plant seeds on sidewalks. To me this means that we can’t continue to pour our limited R3 resources in to youth hunting programs and expect success if we do not recruit the parents. In the end, if the parents are not supportive of their child hunting and do not continue to provide opportunities to develop skills, the youth’s interest will wither and die. As a result, we gain no new hunters to stem the decline. For positive results we should look to the non-hunting parents, especially mom.

Women are the fastest growing demographic in hunting but there are still significant barriers to their recruitment. One of the hurdles of recruiting women in to hunting is breaking the ingrained perspective that hunting is a man’s sport. This is one area that I feel like I can make a difference. One way to overcome this perception is to increase efforts that promote knowledgeable and competent female role models and leaders that hunt in the media and beyond. In addition to my efforts to develop a women’s R3 program I strive to be the best example of a hunter and angler in both my personal and professional life and continue to produce positive images and examples of women in the field in different media outlets.

Deer numbers were sparse, and hunting was tough, but I learned the fundamentals from my Dad, uncles, and cousins in my early years. In the fall of 2013 I began going to school at Winona State University in South Eastern Minnesota. With over 27,00 acres of diverse public land within an hour’s drive, my passion for bowhunting took off. Over my 4-year stint at Winona State, I honed my skills as a whitetail deer hunter through my numerous experiences in the field and people I met along the way.

Thanks, Bruce, I’m glad I’m here, it’s awesome.

Well, let’s just let the listeners know about Sisterhood Outdoors right off the get-go, then we’ll talk about how your husband helped you get into the hunting community, and then a lot of other things. And we’ll just see where it goes, but please tell us about how Sisterhood Outdoors began.

Bush Buck secrets…Hunt where there aren’t any Grizzly Bears, Find intersecting travel corridors leading to bedding or feeding grounds. Stay persistent.

Jeff, welcome back to the show. Jeff was number 160-something a number of years back. So, Jeff, I’m excited to have you here and I’m sure looking forward to spending a few days hunting with you this coming year.

Jeff: I’m looking forward to it and it’s great to be back, Bruce. Listening to your podcast throughout the last couple years has been great. I got several of them bookmarked from Mark Hammer, those podcasts are always really good. And then…Mark puts down a monster…

To honor and promote Minnesota’s deer hunting tradition, please join us for the 16th Annual Minnesota
Governor’s Deer Hunting Opener celebration in Hinckley, Minnesota, from Nov. 1- 4. Together, we can
enjoy the traditions of Minnesota’s hunting heritage, increase awareness of deer hunting’s economic and
conservation contributions to our state, and showcase the Hinckley area as a great hunting and travel
destination.

When we’ve identified these three things, we can plan seasonal access to stand locations that allow a hunter to hunt virtually undetected by deer. The ability to hide from a deers eyes, ears and nose let you hunt virtually invisible.

By identifying the 3 key points listed we can improve the bedding areas, plant food plots, and add social licks and small watering holes to enhance deer activity. Once all this is complete, we can place our stands in precise locations and let the wind dictate the best stand to hunt.

Epic Whitetail Habitat, LLC offers a full line of services to complete the final plan for your property, if you so choose to have us implement the plan.

Hey. Well, thanks for having me, I appreciate the opportunity.

Yeah, we were kidding in the warm-up that you live in Southern Ontario, I fish in Northern Ontario quite a bit. And I call it the suburbs, and you kind of came back to me and said, “Well, it’s not that bad.” And so let’s just tell the people, you know, what you’re hunting, what type of land are you hunting in Southern Ontario?

For the most part, like, there’s a fair bit of hardwoods and stuff around, we got some cedar swamps, but it’s a lot of farmland. There’s a lot of big fields, a lot of farmland. The deer is plentiful, like there’s a lot of crop for them to eat. So it is what it is. Hunting is hunting, I guess, and at the same point you got to have a little luck behind you, too. The deer population is there. In my area where I am right now there’s a lot of guys hunting, so I’ve noticed in the last couple years the deer population has dropped a little bit. But that’s why I do what I do and I try to keep the herd healthy.

Hunting is hunting, I guess, and at the same point you got to have a little luck behind you, too Now when you talk about agriculture, what kind of food are they growing? So do you need to put in your own food plots?

Where I am I haven’t got a whole lot of farms around me. Like there are quite a few in the general area, but a lot of guys are growing beans, corn, a lot of stuff for cattle and that, oats. And they…but I like to put my…get my food plots and try to do what I can for the herd, keep them healthy and just keep them in my area, too. So it’s…

Now you’re running on public…pardon me, private land, how many acres you have access to?

I’ve got, personally myself that I own, I’ve got 300. And, but there’s a good friend of mine right next door that he’s got 400, so I kind of hunt about 700 acres for the most part. But it’s a lot of acreage, but we do all right with it.

Yeah, what are we talking about, what does the DNR say about, you know, deer per acre, or deer per square mile?

To be honest with you, I really haven’t looked into it. Like in our area it’s…you go 10 minutes south, the deer population when you get down closer to where there’s a few more big farms and that, like, you see a big jump in the deer population. And back where I am right now, if I had to guess, I’m going to say five, six, maybe seven deer kind of within 100 acres or so. Like it’s a pretty healthy population.

A lot has happened in 10 years, Bruce. I actually can’t even believe it’s been that long. But, like you said, Norissa, Norissa is my best friend and somewhere along the way I actually ended up marrying her brother, so she’s also now my sister-in-law.

Whoa, wait a minute, that’s another story.

It’s a whole other story.

Yeah.

But, you know, it was not planned. So we basically started along the way. And, you know, just to preface, Norissa would normally be here, we normally do everything together, but she is currently in South Africa hunting with our friend and the marketing for Clarissa. And we are…usually we kind of complement each other on these, but I’m just going to tell you the whole story in my words.

Well, have at it.

Okay, perfect. So basically Norissa and I were doing separate things 10 years ago. I had started my real estate business and it was becoming extremely successful, even in the downturn of the economy. I very much have a business head on my shoulders, Norissa very much has a creative head on her shoulders. She owned an embroidery shop, and she worked at a helicopter company at that time doing their front desk work and dispatch and all those things. So we had two totally separate things going on, but we would always meet together to go boating and wake boarding, snowboarding, hunting, of course, and all of these things in the outdoors, and that was just our friendship.

And it’s gonna be fun talking about, you know, as you coin it, “If I can see it, I can get there,” or, you know, “Hunt hard, go further.” And that’s kind of your motto. Those here two mottoes. And so let’s jump right in right there and talk about Mike Merrill, why when he sees a meal, they’re better down X miles away across a couple of drainage’s, he knows he can get there.

I appreciate it, Bruce. Yeah, I think the key to that mentality is preparation. And, you know, as we’ve talked a little bit prior here, last few years I’ve gotten real serious about my fitness and kind of off-season training, so to speak. And I love the coined phrase, “There is no off-season.” So I do train year-round, shoot my bow year-round. Even, you know, on two feet of snow, I’m up there on the hillside shooting my bow. People look at me cross-eyed and crazy. But, you know, when it comes time for the hunt, there’s absolutely no hesitation whatsoever to pick that bow up and sling arrows where I want to.

Anyway, I got Joe Rogan, he’s from Long Island and he’s created an app called Hunt’n Buddy. Joe, welcome to the show.

Deer Hunting – Hunt’n Buddy App – Joe Rogan Thank you. Thanks for having me.

Hey, what the heck is this all about? You know, we got together and talked on social media and I said, “Man, we should put a show together.” So, hey, let’s talk about the beginning of Hunt’n Buddy, why it exists, and we’ll go from there.

Sounds good. Pretty much after years of hunting and trying to start incorporating new hunters into the field we just wanted to get something going that can teach and help experienced hunters and obviously novice hunters that are brand new to the whole aspect. And that’s…we just…I came up with a few ideas and put it on paper, checked out other apps in market and just tried to come up with something that was simple but yet had any feature that would be necessary for just the everyday hunter to use to get from point A to point B, to log data, to do mapping, and just give an extra set of eyes pretty much in the field where sometimes that’s needed when there’s a lack of communication between other hunters. And it’s just, you know, I felt it was a necessary tool that wasn’t on the market for hunters that… And, you know, we all have our phones with us and that’s just where I kind of founded this whole idea from.

So Hunt’n Buddy, and we’re going to go share the screen now. And we’re going to go to Firefox, and we’re going to go to… What’s the name of it, just Hunt’n Buddy,  http:// www.huntnbuddy.com

Joe: H-U-N-T-N-B-U-D-D-Y-A-P-P, huntnbuddyapp.com.

Zach, welcome to the show.

Wisconsin Lake and Pond Resources Yup. Glad to be here.

Zach and I have been talking about water. What’s so special about water? Well, the Earth is made up of water, human beings are made up of water, and the deer we hunt are made up of water and need water, as we do, to survive. So having said that, Zach is a Senior Aquatic Biologist. He knows his stuff and I’m so glad that John O’Brien from Grandpa Ray Outdoors gave me a shout out. Said, “Hey man, get Zach on because he knows something about water.” Which I don’t. You know, I’ve been fortunate enough to hunt places where there’s plenty of water and it wasn’t an issue. Well, it might be on your property and so that’s why Zach’s here today. Zach, tell us about why water is important for a healthy whitetail herd.

Yup. So I’ll start with the basics and kind of get crazy, and I might nerd out here a little bit on water. So the basics. What does everything living need? It needs food, cover, and water. And water is the most overlooked thing on most property and most properties don’t have water. Especially if you get out of areas like Minnesota-Wisconsin. We have a lot of water. When you start getting in areas like Kansas, Iowa, South Dakota, you start getting into areas that don’t have a lot of fresh water, you’re starting to actually see less successes in that way.

You know, so whenever you get water on properties the goal is to get them that third element that they all need. Right? You know, it’s just a matter of you give them that element, now it’s a matter of making it the right element and the way I bring that up is there’s a lot of bad water out there. Possibly the biggest thing that’s striking most, actually, of the country. You go to the Dakotas, out west, Iowa, we have EHD issues. Now that stems from poor water quality. You know, so obviously the EHD midge loves poor water quality. So our goal is to show land managers, show hunters, show conservationists how do I get the right healthy water. You know, so that’s my goal here. That’s kind of where  out of my work more recently because being a big hunter, it’s been a passion that’s a good combination for me.

“Spanish Mac” Wilbur, welcome to the show and, you know, let’s talk about how you started with Mass Pursuit TV. (https://www.masspursuittv.com/about)

Well, thank you for inviting us. And, of course, I was hoping Jason could come in with us, as well, but he’s on the road driving and he’s out of pocket right now in an isolated area where he can’t get no signal, but maybe during the show he’ll join us. But, yes, sir. You know, having the Mass Pursuit TV show has been something, a long life dream of mine that I’ve had. And it came to reality about six or seven years ago when I started actually filming my hunts and so forth.

And I ventured out and got some good friends here that most people know as “T-Bone” Travis Turner http://tboneoutdoors.com/ and Michael Waddell https://www.bonecollector.com/meet-the-guys/. These guys are from the same area I live at here in Harris County, Georgia. And, you know, they’ve taught me a lot, the ropes on how to get the stuff going here for the show. And my love for the hunt and for the fishing, it will always be there. So what better way of doing what you love to do and putting it on video and sharing it with the folks out there and having something to look back in the years down the road to share with your grandkids and your kids? So that’s pretty much what led me to it, you know? Just the love of the sport and enjoying the outdoors.

Just the love of the sport and enjoying the outdoors. Now how did you connect with Jason?

Right. So it’s Schmavis Outdoors.

: Schmavis Outdoors, so remember that. And you can look him up on social media. But Lyle kind of got reverse engineered, he fell in love, and then his wife got him into hunting. How did that happen?

So, yeah. So, I mean, my dad hunted a little bit [Inaudible 00:00:48], but I just wasn’t that…you know, I was never interested. And then I ended up getting married. We moved to Iowa, I get married and join the Army, move away. Years go by and we come back and my father-in-law and my wife, they’re like, “Hey, you want to go hunting today?” And I was like, “Man, I’ve never hunted anything in my life.” And on top of that he wants to go bowhunting. I’m like, “Well, I’ve never even shot a bow outside of like Boy Scout camp when I was like five,” you know?

So he comes home at lunch, hands me this bow from my little brother-in-law that’s, you know, about three inches draw length too short for me. And he’s like, “Here, I’ll show you how to shoot this.” So about 30 minutes of instruction at lunch, he comes back after work at about 3:30, 4:00 and he’s like, “You ready to go?” I’m like, “I shot for a half hour. Sure, I’m ready to go hunting.” They take me out there on that first hunt, I think I shot every arrow in that quiver and didn’t come within 10 feet of the deer I was shooting at, but, I mean, after that I was hooked. Went the next day, bought my own bow. And you’d be surprised how good you can shoot when you’re shooting a bow that actually fits you compared to shooting one three inches too short.

But, I mean, that’s what really sucked me in from there, was the in-laws and them wanting to go hunting and go out all the time. I mean right now they’re probably the biggest pheasant-hunting family that I know and a whole house full of pheasant and deer heads on the wall. And, you know, they have the land that we hunt whenever I go back home to Iowa [Inaudible 00:02:24]

Now what part of Iowa is it? What part of Iowa is it?

Northeastern Iowa, so it’s Dubuque, Iowa. They actually live in Epworth, Iowa right now, a tiny little speck on the map outside of Dubuque. Right on the Mississippi River kind of, where Wisconsin, Illinois, and Iowa all touch in that little corner right there, that is my hometown of Dubuque, Iowa.

Is that near McGregor at all?

It doesn’t sound familiar, but I haven’t been there.

Okay. McGregor is a little bit north of that. You know, like you said, you know where I went to college at University of Wisconsin–La Crosse, and so I wasn’t that far from it. I never hunted Iowa, I’ve only hunted Iowa for whitetails once, pheasant hunted a little bit. But I’d like to get back there, but it’s a four-year wait. You know, it’s just a four-year wait.

So, Hoss, welcome to the show. And you’ve been an archer for a long time, but, man, you really dig deep and it’s…you know, I think the tag line for the show is, “What I’m using and why.” Let’s talk about…

 “What I’m using and why.” Let’s talk about… Good, good.

Let’s talk about that tag line, because I think it’s perfect.

conversation. Before I start getting into any kind of dissecting their bow or their arrow setup or their broadhead choice, anything like that, I always like to start and say, “What are you using and why?” And you’d be surprised how many people can’t give me a legit answer as to why. They’ll always tell you what they’re using, but they don’t know why.

And a lot of times the real why, when they actually sit and they have a “come to Jesus” moment with themselves and they have to be honest with themselves and they say, “Why am I using this product?,” 9 times out of 10 is, “Because of what I saw on TV,” “So-and-so, big name on TV, is shooting it,” or, “My buddies are shooting it.” There’s no real thought process as to why they’re shooting it. It always has something to do with social, it’s not the ethics, the ethical use of the product based on using it on an animal. That thought process isn’t there, and you’d be surprised how much that happens.

So that’s what I…I mean I like to get into that, get down to the nitty-gritty. And everything that I build, from my bow to my arrow setup, everything, has to do with ethically killing that animal, causing it the least amount of pain, expiring fast, and hopefully expiring within sight so there’s no track job. And I also build things to…I prepare myself for the worst, but I practice for the best, right? If that makes sense.

So we all know exactly where to shoot a deer, we’re always practicing that one spot, but what happens when that deer turns and goes to roll out of the way and you hit shoulder bone? Is your setup going to be able to go through that shoulder bone? Are you going to get adequate penetration to ethically take that animal down, and quickly, and painlessly? If not, then maybe you should re-evaluate what you’re shooting and put a little though process into it. And that’s usually where the conversation starts.

Bruce: Here we go. All right, so it’s a free hunting app in the App Store and Google Play, right? Tell us about it. Tell us…you know, just tell us about it.

Joe: Yeah, so it’s 100% free. We did this on purpose, as well. There’s…we’d like to keep all the features that we offer for everybody to use, everybody to test, everybody to try out. There’s no trial period, there’s no monthly subscription. The app itself is free. We do offer a subscription, yearly subscription, for $29.99 that’s for parcel data. But there is…on the free version you get eight parcel selections per month. Pretty much its main feature is it does mapping, you can post waypoints, you can look up parcel selections, parcel data. There’s trail camera settings, you can take pictures off of your trail cameras and implement them into your phone, drop them on a waypoint. So that will be stored. If you have a trophy buck that you take down and you want to take a picture of it and remember the exact location where it is, you can take that, as well, log it into the app.

One key feature with the mapping is there’s a group hunt feature where if you and I both go out into the field, you go on a property that I own, you’ve never been there before, I don’t have to go through the whole process of, “This is one stand, this is the next trail.” All I have to do is send you a friend request, as long as you have the app you accept, I invite you to a hunt, now we’re both live on our phones on a group hunt. You see every parcel selection that I’ve selected, every waypoint that I’ve put down, and my location, my live location. And I see your live location, as well. So in theory I’m sharing all my data with you, who could have just walked off…never been on my property before and have full access to everything.

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Hope is a women whose heart exceeds the all outdoors.

Casey is the wildfire fighter who loves Hope.

Together they hunt the Midwest and the Rockies.

They bring folks together to all reach common ground.

Special appearance by Whitetail Rendezvous host Bruce Hutcheon on the condition of hunting today in America.

So, Eli, welcome back to the show and let’s just start right where you want to start the show off with Whitetail Underground. Let’s talk about how it began, what it offers, and why people should take a look at it.

Well, it began as me not wanting to ever look back and say, “I wish I would have tried to turn something that I’m passionate into a career.” There’s a couple of things in my life that I kind of look back and say, “What if?,” and, “Why didn’t you try?” And I didn’t want this to be one of those things. In 2015 I almost died of carbon monoxide poisoning and that’s kind of what really fueled the drive to want to try and make this work.

And the name “Whitetail Underground” comes from I feel like what’s represented in hunting media is not normal for everybody and what you can watch nobody really has. So, like, the “underground” part of hunting is what everybody is able to do. We don’t all have big tracts of land, we all can’t hunt highly managed properties. Most of us are on public land and small parcels that we have permission on for free, no big leases. And that’s why I chose that name. I thought that I could put out some material that’s relatable to people, share some stories that I have from home here, and hopefully that people would follow along and I could maybe turn this into something bigger someday.

I feel like what’s represented in hunting media is not normal for everybody and what you can watch nobody really has. So, like, the “underground” part of hunting is what everybody is able to do

So, you know, you roll the dice and hope for the best. But when we, you know, try to manage our deer herds, we shoot X amount of does, and then usually try to shoot that, you know, four-and-a-half-year-old or older. Now, if I have special needs hunters or I have youth hunters, then that’s a whole different ball game. For the ones that are experienced hunters, you know, it’s four-and-a-half and older. Usually we then have a list. You know, we’ve started compiling a list because I’ve got so many trail cameras out that we compile a list from year to year to year so we know how old they are. And as we know how old they are and compile this list, we look at some deer and say, you know, “This deer here”…

Like we’ve got a three-year-old this year that last year he did the same thing, he comes out and he’s got a big eight-point side…or a four-point side on his left, but he’s just got two big spikes sticking straight out of his head on the right. Did the same thing last year. That deer needs to come off the farm. So one of the, you know, handicapped hunters or one of the youth hunters, they just want to go up and shoot a buck and get their first buck. Deer like that are great.

You know, you can come out and we’ve got a lot of those deer that are really goofy or, you know, genetically goofy that we want off the farm. Will you ever take… And this is a big…people are like, “Well, you know, you shoot all these, you’re going to get rid of that genetics.” You’ll never get rid of that genetics in wild deer. It’s pretty much impossible from every study I’ve ever seen to get rid of that. But if you can try to help moving it forward, you know, you do anything you can to try to help move it forward.

So that’s kind of the way that we do it, and we do that, you know, in Kansas and we do that here in Wisconsin. South Dakota on the other hand, that’s a whole different ball game. They have a lot of deer on the property we hunt, so everything goes out the door. And if it’s 130 inches or better, they don’t care, they just want their deer shot. And so if we’re not going to shoot them, they have other guys that come in and shoot them. And so they manage it different out there. It’s their farm, you live by their rules. Just like, you know, you come to my farm, we have certain rules that you’re going to live by. And so it’s their farm, we live by their rules. If they say, “Hey, you know what? If it’s 130 inches or better, I don’t care how old it is, you shoot it. Because if you don’t, I’m going to have another group of friends or people come in right behind you and shoot them anyway because I need to get rid of some of these deer.”

And so it’s management is a different tool. And that kind of brings me into something else that we talked about the other day with hunters and hunters not getting along anymore and social media and all these things that are destroying our hunting heritage. And it’s really…it eats at me a lot and it tears me up because… And I know it does you, too. Because if we keep arguing like this, we’re done. Okay?

As I said, there’s, you know, 10% of people that are truly hunters, 10% are truly anti-hunters, that leaves 80% that could go either way. So of them may even try to hunt once in a while and go, “Eh, it’s not for me.” But, you know, and then some are like, “Yeah, I’m an anti, but I’m not really an anti.” They’re the people that we have to sway to keep on our side. But the more we fight amongst ourselves and the more we look like idiots out there doing stupid things, the more that these people want to switch and fight against us. And that just…that eats at me because this is a sport that I absolutely love. I love the shooting sports, I love the hunting, I love the photography work. What’s going to happen to it if we keep fighting? Where’s it going to go?

And so, you know, I look at it with this management thing. Again, you know, you’ve hunted Wisconsin, you’ve hunted all these places, and you look at management, I don’t know what you do on your farm. You know, do they have a management plan on your farm that you hunt, Bruce?

So in the South mostly the areas that we have a lot of people do catfish farming, cattle, and, you know, just your… Some row-crop farming goes on further south Alabama and some other places.

But got into hunting early and I developed that outdoors passion, I guess, from my dad. Growing up on farm, you got early Saturdays. Even if you come home from the school, if the hay needed to be hauled out to field, I guess you had to get your homework quick, and then we went down to the farm. The farm is…we live in Greensboro, Alabama, born in Greensboro, Alabama. The farm was about 10 minutes from our house. So we weren’t “raised” raised on the farm, it’s where my dad grew up, it was his family land.

And we’d pretty much go down there, we have cattle. And that’s who, I think, is sponsoring my appearance tonight, is the Joe’s Black Angus Farm of Newbern, Alabama. And I’ll put that contact information up later on while we, you know, discuss some other things. But I started the idea of wanting to do something different with our farm once my father retired. He’s an agribusiness teacher of 34 years. And when he retired he said, “Well, I’m going to go down to the farm and I’m going to expand the farm.” And I will grow the farm to where he wants it to be, it’s a passion of his to raise cows, to work the land, to work the soil.

And Fred was one of…was the first one in 2009 to take the super slam, that’s all 29 big game animals, with his recurve. Fred, welcome to the show.

It’s a wonderful, wonderful water body. I mean, our rainbows and brown trouts are Blue Ribbon level. The growth rates are huge. We’ll have a four or five-year-old trout that’s measuring, like, 21 inches. And there’s thousands of them in any stretch of the Bow. If you get a chance to go into my neck of the woods, let me know and I’ll be happy to take you out. It’s just a wonderful, wonderful water body. I’m very lucky to have grown up on it.

Yeah. It’s all that and more. And, CJ, Be A Lion Outdoors, https://bealionoutdoors.wordpress.com/ let’s just…we were just on Facebook Live, folks, and you can go there, you know, it’s May 30th, and so it’s sitting out there in Facebook Live. But we talked about Be A Lion Outdoors. What does that really mean? Let’s start off the show and unpack that a little bit.

Thanks. Thanks for having me.

Yeah. And, you know, you go back and you read the book “Shogun” and you just go back through England and Europe. And longbow archers have been part of, you know, war for a long, long time. I mean, you know, Sun Tzu and all his guys, they had bows. You know, that’s what they…

I don’t know as much about it as you, it sounds like, but yes, I know that, you know, archers were kinda like the go-to guys. I mean, like, they were the guys to have, I think.

Yeah, no, there wasn’t a question about it, because, you know, they had rudimentary cannons and then they had the archers, and they would just shower the sky, I mean, literally hundreds and hundreds of broadhead with flaming or just screaming out. And they would hurt you.

Yeah, yeah.

So, you know, and somebody had to make those bows and make those arrows, and that’s what they…long way to introduce Bob Smith’s Big Stick Archery, because he is a bowyer. And he is a maker of bows, you just can see a couple behind him. And he’s gonna talk to us about why he is building bows. And the other parts of the show is gonna be the adventure of hunting. So, Bob, I’ve talked long enough. Why don’t you jump in and chitchat, and talk to me about being, you know, a builder of recurves and longbows?

Why We Hunt – Melanie Peterson Outdoors And we build these bonds over events like you just described with your bear. Being able to experience that with a person, you’ll forget who the guide was, you’ll never forget who the…where you were camping, you’ll never forget, you know, those looks that you get from animals that are that close.

Marc and Melanie I mean I’m sure Dave remembers his first leopard charge. There isn’t a single one of us professionals that forget that first quick leopard charge, just like you never forget taking your first elephant.

Jake, welcome to the show. And let’s roll up and talk about, you know, just the development of the use of spy cameras. Now, you know, security cameras have been around forever, but all of a sudden motion sensors, whitetail deer, and we got a huge industry, don’t we?

Oh, yeah, it’s everywhere. You can’t be in and around the hunting industry now without seeing trail cameras everywhere.

Now do you know the history of when this whole thing started? You know, who was the first guy to figure out, “Wait a minute, if I can use this in my office, I should hang it on a tree”?

I can’t answer that one for you, but I bet he’s sitting pretty and he’s killed some big deer with it though, that’s for sure.

Yeah, because how long… You know, I’m just trying to think. Trail cameras being used, it’s get to be over 10 years, 10, 15 years, don’t you think?

Oh, easily, yeah. I know I started hunting, it was 1999 is the first season that I really started hunting. And, you know, we had trail cameras then. You know, they were 35-millimeter flash cameras, but we still used trail cameras then. So that’s been, gosh, 20 years now? So it’s well before that, I’m sure.

Here at Archery Maniacs https://www.archerymaniacs.com, we believe that archery isn’t just a hobby – it’s a lifestyle. It’s a lifestyle that engulfs you in the great outdoors. A lifestyle that challenges you both physically and mentally. A lifestyle that you can share with friends and family. And like us, most people living the archery lifestyle are always striving to shoot farther, better, more accurately, and more consistently.

How can you do that? By learning. We at Archery Maniacs aim to provide you with the tools and resources to learn more and improve your archery game. Tips on bow tuning…tactics for your next DIY hunt…honest gear reviews…advice from the pros…and more. Listen to the podcast to hear advice from archers of all backgrounds, or check out the blog to read stories from our pro staff shooters. Every part of Archery Maniacs is designed to help you Live Life at Full Draw.

which I have been too busy lately I haven’t been able to write anything, do to my 11 and 14 y/o boys in sports and life in general.

My wife and I grew up on dairy farms in central MN, where we still live. We have both of our parent’s farm to hunt on, plus a couple other private areas, but recently I have been hunting mostly public land.

For the simple reason of the private land we have is not only hunted by us but other family as well, and I wanted to take pressure off those spots. I then fell in love with the challenge of public, and that I have many, many more option to go now.

We plant food plots, hang stands and many other hunting related things together. I got my wife into hunting shortly after we were married. I started the blog after I had been kicking the idea around about trying to film for 5 or 6 years and I had an ice fishing accident with carbon monoxide that almost killed me.

And some of the things we’re going to talk about you’re going to maybe question or say, “I don’t know if I would do that.” Well, listen to the whole thing on an open mind, with an open wind, because things are changing in the whitetail woods about the ability to do all-day sits, the ability to have kids in stands, the ability to have veterans in stands or people like myself that got some screws in their body. And we’ll share a story about one of my friends at KO Farms that he can’t sit outside below zero, and now he can. So, TJ, welcome to the show.

Thanks, Bruce. Thanks for having us. We appreciate you inviting on the show and we look forward to talking hunting and I hope your guests enjoy it.

Well, I love talking hunting, but I want to stay right where we were. And, you know, I’ve got some pieces in my body that don’t belong there, and my friend Kenny Olson at KO Farms definitely has. And he bought some of your blinds and now he can stay below zero, Wisconsin, gun season, and he can sit out all day in perfect comfort. Why? Because he has a propane tank into a furnace on a thermostat and he keeps it right around 40 degrees. And let’s talk about the ability of your blinds and other companies’ blinds that allow people to have…to be comfortable yet still hunting. Let’s talk about that.

I live in Daniel Wyoming. I’m the mother of 2 adult children. And I’m living the dream.

My story began 50 years ago when my parents married on opening day of hunting season 1965. They spent their honeymoon in deer camp and I was born a short 9 months later.

So one might say…. that I was conceived to be an extreme huntress!

With over 20 years’ experience in habitat management of his own properties and adjoining land, Art Helin uses woodland management, timber stand improvement, food plots and ponds, and is eager to share his expertise so others can also get the bang for their buck.

Art Helin Outdoors takes advantage of the tools and technology available including aerial and topographical maps and trail cameras, so you can be sure to have top-notch assistance in your scouting endeavors!