In this episode of the DIY Sportsman podcast, Garrett discusses what has become his favorite shotgun setup for specifically hunting turkeys. This is a gun he originally purchased for his wife, but after setting it up and making a couple of customizations, Garrett has been using it for all of his hunts as well. In the episode, Garrett breaks down the actual make and model of the gun, the choke setup, after market stock, pistol grips versus standard sporter style grips, sling mounts, and red dots compared to the standard bead sight. He also mentions a couple drawbacks of the concept that could be noteworthy depending on your preference. Check out the Sportsmen's Empire Podcast Network for more relevant outdoor content!

In this episode of the DIY Sportsman podcast, Garrett discusses what has become his favorite shotgun setup for specifically hunting turkeys. This is a gun he originally purchased for his wife, but after setting it up and making a couple of customizations, Garrett has been using it for all of his hunts as well. In the episode, Garrett breaks down the actual make and model of the gun, the choke setup, after market stock, pistol grips versus standard sporter style grips, sling mounts, and red dots compared to the standard bead sight. He also mentions a couple drawbacks of the concept that could be noteworthy depending on your preference. Check out the <a href="https://sportsmensempire.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sportsmen's Empire Podcast Network</a> for more relevant outdoor content!

Mini Shotgun Setup for Turkey

Mike Funderburk

On today's episode of the DIY Sportsman podcast, Garrett sits down with Mike Funderburk out of South Carolina to talk about the Hunt Better platform. This new content platform puts a focus on teaching and preserving woodsmanship skills through livestreams, detailed video hunt breakdowns, and long format video conversations. Mike explains what initiated the idea, what people can expect, and where things are headed. In addition to talking about the Hunt Better platform, Garrett and Mike talk about hunting in the South and how it differs from the Midwest, what types of deer habitat features that seem to be common across the country, technology, challenge hunts, and how experience can often be one of the best guides for learning skills first hand. Check out the Sportsmen's Empire Podcast Network for more relevant outdoor content!

On today's episode of the DIY Sportsman podcast, Garrett sits down with Mike Funderburk out of South Carolina to talk about the Hunt Better platform. This new content platform puts a focus on teaching and preserving woodsmanship skills through livestreams, detailed video hunt breakdowns, and long format video conversations. Mike explains what initiated the idea, what people can expect, and where things are headed. In addition to talking about the Hunt Better platform, Garrett and Mike talk about hunting in the South and how it differs from the Midwest, what types of deer habitat features that seem to be common across the country, technology, challenge hunts, and how experience can often be one of the best guides for learning skills first hand. Check out the <a href="https://sportsmensempire.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sportsmen's Empire Podcast Network</a> for more relevant outdoor content!

Mike Funderburk and Hunt Better

In today's episode of the DIY Sportsman podcast, Garrett lays out a short and sweet planning method to help you scout efficiently as we get closer to early spring and prime-time for most post season scouting. It's key to remember what the main focus is for post-season scouting, what you can learn, but also what you can't. Then use the amount of available time combined with goals to methodically pre-plan routes and loops and adjust as necessary. It's an easier method to ensure you gather the most amount of good intel in the time you have available.Check out the Sportsmen's Empire Podcast Network for more relevant outdoor content!

In today's episode of the DIY Sportsman podcast, Garrett lays out a short and sweet planning method to help you scout efficiently as we get closer to early spring and prime-time for most post season scouting. It's key to remember what the main focus is for post-season scouting, what you can learn, but also what you can't. Then use the amount of available time combined with goals to methodically pre-plan routes and loops and adjust as necessary. It's an easier method to ensure you gather the most amount of good intel in the time you have available.Check out the <a href="https://sportsmensempire.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sportsmen's Empire Podcast Network</a> for more relevant outdoor content!

Planning Efficiency for Post-Season Scouting

Rendell Erik

On today's podcast Garrett speaks with guest Rendell Erik. He's been on the podcast now a few times to talk about scouting and hunt recaps. Based in Iowa, much of his focus is on finding and targeting the biggest and oldest bucks that he can find across a variety of public land pieces that he keeps tabs on. Today's episode is a little different. It's more about calling audibles, dealing with challenges, trying to make the best decisions on the fly as possible when plans A, B, and C blow up. Often Rendell Erik fills his tag earlier in the season before the rut kicks into full gear. This year, after sacrificing some of his season to scout and hunt with a good mutual friend of ours who had drawn a non-resident tag, he had to dig deep and hunt throughout the rut and even into the later gun seasons. He also saw more pressure this year than in years past, and had dry conditions and crop rotations that made early season patterns less repeatable than normal. This is an insightful episode because because it looks at how you can take a good mental approach and take the right actions when things aren't going your way. 

On today's podcast Garrett speaks with guest Rendell Erik. He's been on the podcast now a few times to talk about scouting and hunt recaps. Based in Iowa, much of his focus is on finding and targeting the biggest and oldest bucks that he can find across a variety of public land pieces that he keeps tabs on. Today's episode is a little different. It's more about calling audibles, dealing with challenges, trying to make the best decisions on the fly as possible when plans A, B, and C blow up. Often Rendell Erik fills his tag earlier in the season before the rut kicks into full gear. This year, after sacrificing some of his season to scout and hunt with a good mutual friend of ours who had drawn a non-resident tag, he had to dig deep and hunt throughout the rut and even into the later gun seasons. He also saw more pressure this year than in years past, and had dry conditions and crop rotations that made early season patterns less repeatable than normal. This is an insightful episode because because it looks at how you can take a good mental approach and take the right actions when things aren't going your way.

Calling In-Season Audibles with Rendell Erik

In this episode of the DIY Sportsman podcast, Garrett recaps his recent trip down to Alabama for the second annual Veteran's Hunt put together by Spartan Forge. This event helped raise money for two organizations supporting vets as well as provide a fun hunt atmosphere for everyone involved. Prior to the actual hunt starting, Garrett had driven down from Minnesota to do a day of scouting and still hunting a vast area of public land, which ended up yielding deer sightings at close range and confidence for any potential future trips going back. Once the hunt started, Garrett paired up with a marine corps vet to hunt with. They ended up killing deer on back-to-back-to-back evenings, and Garrett describes some of the hunts in more detail which were a combination of pre-sets, hang-and-hunts, and still hunting in the rain. Camp camaraderie, stories, jokes, and food were top notch. Check out the Sportsmen's Empire Podcast Network for more relevant outdoor content!

In this episode of the DIY Sportsman podcast, Garrett recaps his recent trip down to Alabama for the second annual Veteran's Hunt put together by Spartan Forge. This event helped raise money for two organizations supporting vets as well as provide a fun hunt atmosphere for everyone involved. Prior to the actual hunt starting, Garrett had driven down from Minnesota to do a day of scouting and still hunting a vast area of public land, which ended up yielding deer sightings at close range and confidence for any potential future trips going back. Once the hunt started, Garrett paired up with a marine corps vet to hunt with. They ended up killing deer on back-to-back-to-back evenings, and Garrett describes some of the hunts in more detail which were a combination of pre-sets, hang-and-hunts, and still hunting in the rain. Camp camaraderie, stories, jokes, and food were top notch. Check out the <a href="https://sportsmensempire.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sportsmen's Empire Podcast Network</a> for more relevant outdoor content!

Alabama Veteran's Hunt Recap

Today on the DIY Sportsman podcast, Garrett discusses five of the best things you could be doing right now related to hunting. Seasons have ended in most midwestern states, and if you're towards the northern edge of that you've still got 1 to 2 feet of snow on the ground. Seems like ice fishing could be your best bet. But there are some pretty valuable activities that you can still do during the winter months. Some of the items include analyzing certain details of the 2022 hunting season, some are more forward thinking, and others are just a bunch of fun. Check out the Sportsmen's Empire Podcast Network for more awesome content!

Today on the DIY Sportsman podcast, Garrett discusses five of the best things you could be doing right now related to hunting. Seasons have ended in most midwestern states, and if you're towards the northern edge of that you've still got 1 to 2 feet of snow on the ground. Seems like ice fishing could be your best bet. But there are some pretty valuable activities that you can still do during the winter months. Some of the items include analyzing certain details of the 2022 hunting season, some are more forward thinking, and others are just a bunch of fun. Check out the <a href="https://sportsmensempire.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sportsmen's Empire Podcast Network</a> for more awesome content!

Top 5 Things You Can Be Doing Right Now as a Deer Hunter

On today's episode of the DIY Sportsman podcast, Garrett does a strategy review and analysis as a baseline for how to improve next year. He doesn't review any of the specific hunt details because those already have their own hunt breakdown episodes. This exercise is one that Garrett does each year with to help review and analyze what did or didn't work to try and improve for the following season. That action is something which can help anyone, and it's a useful tool even outside of deer hunting.Garrett will plan on doing much of the same weapon type hunting next year, using a combination of traditional and compound hunting across a handful of tags. But there might be a change to the location of the earliest velvet hunt, and there will certainly be a change in the location of any firearms hunting. Garrett also talked about an additional strategy he'd need to employ to help be better prepared to tackle his pre-rut hunts next year.Check out the Sportsmen's Empire Podcast Network for more awesome content!

On today's episode of the DIY Sportsman podcast, Garrett does a strategy review and analysis as a baseline for how to improve next year. He doesn't review any of the specific hunt details because those already have their own hunt breakdown episodes. This exercise is one that Garrett does each year with to help review and analyze what did or didn't work to try and improve for the following season. That action is something which can help anyone, and it's a useful tool even outside of deer hunting.Garrett will plan on doing much of the same weapon type hunting next year, using a combination of traditional and compound hunting across a handful of tags. But there might be a change to the location of the earliest velvet hunt, and there will certainly be a change in the location of any firearms hunting. Garrett also talked about an additional strategy he'd need to employ to help be better prepared to tackle his pre-rut hunts next year.Check out the <a href="https://sportsmensempire.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sportsmen's Empire Podcast Network</a> for more awesome content!

Deer Season Strategy Review

Darrel Barnette

On today's episode of the DIY Sportsman podcast, Garrett sits down with Troy Fowler (aka the Ranch Fairy) and Darrel Barnette, who some of you may have also seen on either the Ranch Fairy channel or watching the Hunting Public. Garrett put together a string jump timeframe dataset corresponding to arrow speed and time of flight for discussion. The data was derived entirely on video footage Garrett had from deer shot at inside of 30 yards, but mostly inside of 20. Much of the string jumping debate seems to revolve around longer shots and whether or not speed is irrelevant compared to how fast deer can react. But rarely do you hear people talk about the relationship for close range shots. The group discusses that topic and also some of the longer range unknowns. There's not really any agenda pushing in this episode. It's just open dialogue discussing a data set, how it might apply to your own decision making, what limitations are there, and what type of additional questions we still have and data we'd like to collect and analyze to continue to learn. Check out the Sportsmen's Empire Podcast Network for more awesome content!

On today's episode of the DIY Sportsman podcast, Garrett sits down with Troy Fowler (aka the Ranch Fairy) and Darrel Barnette, who some of you may have also seen on either the Ranch Fairy channel or watching the Hunting Public. Garrett put together a string jump timeframe dataset corresponding to arrow speed and time of flight for discussion. The data was derived entirely on video footage Garrett had from deer shot at inside of 30 yards, but mostly inside of 20. Much of the string jumping debate seems to revolve around longer shots and whether or not speed is irrelevant compared to how fast deer can react. But rarely do you hear people talk about the relationship for close range shots. The group discusses that topic and also some of the longer range unknowns. There's not really any agenda pushing in this episode. It's just open dialogue discussing a data set, how it might apply to your own decision making, what limitations are there, and what type of additional questions we still have and data we'd like to collect and analyze to continue to learn. Check out the <a href="https://sportsmensempire.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sportsmen's Empire Podcast Network</a> for more awesome content!

String Jumping and Arrow speed, Ranch Fairy and Darrel Barnette

On this episode of the DIY Sportsman podcast, Garrett breaks down his archery hunt success out of state. This hunt was during a firearms season as well. That pressure did play a role in strategy, but so did timing in proximity to the peak breeding timeframe of the rut. Garrett describes the thought process and strategy going in, how that changed over the first several hours in the woods, what type of sign he found to trigger setting up in a tree right away, and the play-by-play of the hunt. In addition, some of the details related to the frontal shot were broken down in this episode. Check out the Sportsmen's Empire Podcast Network for more awesome content!

On this episode of the DIY Sportsman podcast, Garrett breaks down his archery hunt success out of state. This hunt was during a firearms season as well. That pressure did play a role in strategy, but so did timing in proximity to the peak breeding timeframe of the rut. Garrett describes the thought process and strategy going in, how that changed over the first several hours in the woods, what type of sign he found to trigger setting up in a tree right away, and the play-by-play of the hunt. In addition, some of the details related to the frontal shot were broken down in this episode. Check out the <a href="https://sportsmensempire.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sportsmen's Empire Podcast Network</a> for more awesome content!

Gun Season BowHunt Success

In this episode of the DIY Sportsman podcast, Garrett reviews the hunt strategy and breakdown of his Wisconsin buck. In addition to discussing terrain features, setup relationship to bedding, and the actual hunt unfolding, he discussed some unforeseen challenges through late October that required a change of plans, strategy, and goals heading into the rut. This was also the first deer in a long time Garrett had shot using a lighter arrow and big mechanical, so he gives his performance observations there. 

In this episode of the DIY Sportsman podcast, Garrett reviews the hunt strategy and breakdown of his Wisconsin buck. In addition to discussing terrain features, setup relationship to bedding, and the actual hunt unfolding, he discussed some unforeseen challenges through late October that required a change of plans, strategy, and goals heading into the rut. This was also the first deer in a long time Garrett had shot using a lighter arrow and big mechanical, so he gives his performance observations there.

Rut Hunt Success Breakdown

The DIY Sportsman Podcast focuses on covering hunting and gear-specific topics for the do-it-yourselfer. Hosts Garrett Prahl and Bobby (Boudreaux) Boswell draw from their backgrounds in engineering and wildlife biology, respectively, to provide a unique perspective which compliments their real-world experience hunting whitetails, turkeys, hogs, and western big game with everything from homemade bows to firearms. This podcast is brought to you by the Sportsmen's Nation - Outdoor Podcast Network.

No ego, not fake. Just reliable and entertaining info.

One of the best.

Great guests and lots of great info every listen!

Great podcast

DIY Sportsman - Sportsmen's Empire

Bobby and Garrett have certainly spent time discussing various climbing methods in past podcasts; however, this time Garrett goes more in depth, reflecting on various methods used now that the bulk of this year's season is now over. While many mobile hunters are totally satisfied with 4 climbing sticks as their end-all-be-all method for climbing trees, there are plenty of guys who push the envelope. Some climb with a single stick. Some climb with nothing but rope and arborist techniques. Others climb with spikes or gaffs. Each could potentially have an argument made in favor of it. This year in particular, new climbing aider methods to use in conjunction with Wild Edge steps really started to make waves throughout the mobile hunting community. With the ability to bounce ideas off of one another on forums and social media, mobile hunters came up with a couple very unique ways to climb upwards of 20 feet with as few as three steps, equaling close to three pounds. These methods look really good on paper, but are they as good in reality? Garrett tried a multistep aider in conjunction with steps throughout most of late October into November. In addition, he used his trusty climbing sticks early in the year and again in late season. Reflecting on the season allowed him to make some honest insights about the pros and cons of each style of system, and when one might be better than the other for speed, safety, ease of use, and portability.

Bobby and Garrett have certainly spent time discussing various climbing methods in past podcasts; however, this time Garrett goes more in depth, reflecting on various methods used now that the bulk of this year's season is now over. While many mobile hunters are totally satisfied with 4 climbing sticks as their end-all-be-all method for climbing trees, there are plenty of guys who push the envelope. Some climb with a single stick. Some climb with nothing but rope and arborist techniques. Others climb with spikes or gaffs. Each could potentially have an argument made in favor of it. This year in particular, new climbing aider methods to use in conjunction with Wild Edge steps really started to make waves throughout the mobile hunting community. With the ability to bounce ideas off of one another on forums and social media, mobile hunters came up with a couple very unique ways to climb upwards of 20 feet with as few as three steps, equaling close to three pounds. These methods look really good on paper, but are they as good in reality? Garrett tried a multistep aider in conjunction with steps throughout most of late October into November. In addition, he used his trusty climbing sticks early in the year and again in late season. Reflecting on the season allowed him to make some honest insights about the pros and cons of each style of system, and when one might be better than the other for speed, safety, ease of use, and portability.

DIY Sportsman | Climbing Methods Update - Thoughts after the Season

This podcast is sort of a campfire style discussion about archery setups between Garrett and Bobby. It starts with equipment and styles that they're using, especially with the upcoming turkey season. They discuss shooting with opposite handed bows, using Quivalizer style setups, peep eliminator systems, vanes and feathers, broadheads, limbs, tabs, targets, and other miscellaneous items that are either new or noteworthy. The discussion also turns into a debate of archery theory. Is is better to follow a strict shot process from the moment you nock an arrow, or mentally hit the reset button as soon as you're at full draw? Does high FOC benefit a compound bow shooter? Are arrow spine calculators actually accurate? Are two blade broadheads always superior? Is it better to adjust your arrow weight to your eye's "natural" trajectory or choose a setup based on ideal numbers and make it work?

This podcast is sort of a campfire style discussion about archery setups between Garrett and Bobby. It starts with equipment and styles that they're using, especially with the upcoming turkey season. They discuss shooting with opposite handed bows, using Quivalizer style setups, peep eliminator systems, vanes and feathers, broadheads, limbs, tabs, targets, and other miscellaneous items that are either new or noteworthy. The discussion also turns into a debate of archery theory. Is is better to follow a strict shot process from the moment you nock an arrow, or mentally hit the reset button as soon as you're at full draw? Does high FOC benefit a compound bow shooter? Are arrow spine calculators actually accurate? Are two blade broadheads always superior? Is it better to adjust your arrow weight to your eye's "natural" trajectory or choose a setup based on ideal numbers and make it work?

DIY Sportsman | All Things Archery

The subject of this podcast is bow hunting through the transitions of October. Deer aren't on their summer patterns, and they aren't moving like they will during the rut. That doesn't mean that they aren't huntable or even killable this time of year. Just take a look at social media. While there aren't as many success photos as you'll see during the rut, there are still an awful lot of deer dropping... even nice bucks. There are plenty of hunters who even prefer early season over the rut when they are after a specific deer. Food sources are one thing that is undergoing changes. Depending on what location of the country you're in, acorns might still be a key factor. In the upper midwest, the best of the acorn crop is starting to wind down, but that might not be the case further south. In any case, change in food sources is a key aspect of movement to be aware of, because it can be a huge reason as to why deer seen a few weeks ago seem to have disappeared. Weather over the course of October can vary intensely. In the upper Midwest, you could have temperatures that are either above 70 or below freezing with snow. Weather is hotly debated in deer hunting, especially that "first big cold front of October". Countless hunters wait for that big event before they really start hitting the woods. But what does the science have to say about it? GPS studies have been gathering data that contradicts what hunters have always preached about weather conditions and deer movement. Most hunters use October as a precursor month with which they use to get some reps in the woods before the real action heats up in the rut. But there's much more to it than that for those who are willing to read the sign and stay on top of transitioning deer patterns.

The subject of this podcast is bow hunting through the transitions of October. Deer aren't on their summer patterns, and they aren't moving like they will during the rut. That doesn't mean that they aren't huntable or even killable this time of year. Just take a look at social media. While there aren't as many success photos as you'll see during the rut, there are still an awful lot of deer dropping... even nice bucks. There are plenty of hunters who even prefer early season over the rut when they are after a specific deer. Food sources are one thing that is undergoing changes. Depending on what location of the country you're in, acorns might still be a key factor. In the upper midwest, the best of the acorn crop is starting to wind down, but that might not be the case further south. In any case, change in food sources is a key aspect of movement to be aware of, because it can be a huge reason as to why deer seen a few weeks ago seem to have disappeared. Weather over the course of October can vary intensely. In the upper Midwest, you could have temperatures that are either above 70 or below freezing with snow. Weather is hotly debated in deer hunting, especially that "first big cold front of October". Countless hunters wait for that big event before they really start hitting the woods. But what does the science have to say about it? GPS studies have been gathering data that contradicts what hunters have always preached about weather conditions and deer movement. Most hunters use October as a precursor month with which they use to get some reps in the woods before the real action heats up in the rut. But there's much more to it than that for those who are willing to read the sign and stay on top of transitioning deer patterns.

DIY Sportsman | Bow Hunting In October

John Lusk

On today's episode, we have special guest John Lusk, the man behind the Lusk Archery Adventures YouTube channel. John has hunted a variety of game in the US and Africa and is a total broadhead junkie. He's shot and tested most of the broadheads on the market, both in controlled tests and through animals. He's also not afraid to talk about what he likes and doesn't like. We discuss cheap knock-off heads, premium machined broadheads, 2 vs 3 vs 4 blade, single vs. double bevel, mechanical vs. fixed, broadhead concepts that have never been brought to market, steel choices, and selecting broadheads based on species and terrain.

On today's episode, we have special guest John Lusk, the man behind the Lusk Archery Adventures YouTube channel. John has hunted a variety of game in the US and Africa and is a total broadhead junkie. He's shot and tested most of the broadheads on the market, both in controlled tests and through animals. He's also not afraid to talk about what he likes and doesn't like. We discuss cheap knock-off heads, premium machined broadheads, 2 vs 3 vs 4 blade, single vs. double bevel, mechanical vs. fixed, broadhead concepts that have never been brought to market, steel choices, and selecting broadheads based on species and terrain.

DIY Sportsman | In-Depth Broadhead Discussion with John Lusk

In this podcast, I recap my hunts from this year along with specific gear highlights. First, there were certain pieces or gear or systems that really stood out and made a positive enough impact that they will surely continue to be a part of my system going forward into next year. Next, I discuss gear that I used where I had overall positive experiences with, along with some downsides or quirks that left some room for improvement. To finish the discussion, I talk about gear that didn't play much of a role in my 2019 setup but I'm really excited about for 2020. It ranges from climbing methods to camera systems. And finally, I give some initial thoughts on what I'd be really interested to see out of ATA this year.  DIY Sportsman is Powered by Simplecast

In this podcast, I recap my hunts from this year along with specific gear highlights. First, there were certain pieces or gear or systems that really stood out and made a positive enough impact that they will surely continue to be a part of my system going forward into next year. Next, I discuss gear that I used where I had overall positive experiences with, along with some downsides or quirks that left some room for improvement. To finish the discussion, I talk about gear that didn't play much of a role in my 2019 setup but I'm really excited about for 2020. It ranges from climbing methods to camera systems. And finally, I give some initial thoughts on what I'd be really interested to see out of ATA this year.  DIY Sportsman is Powered by <a href="https://simplecast.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Simplecast</a>

Favorite Gear of 2019

Aaron Lasco

On this episode of the DIY Sportsman podcast, Garrett and Bobby announce the winner of the Aero Hunter saddle giveaway, but also have a discussion with the inventor of the EZ V sight, Aaron Lasco. The sight concept was born out of necessity for Aaron, but it looks radically different than any other pin sight on the market. The shape of the V inserts allow the hunter to frame up an animal to judge its range. Ranging devices such as this one have been used in the military for over 100 years, but they have never made it into the archery world. Some archery sights in the past have offered ranging claims by using the height of the animal, which we know can vary widely. Aaron claims that his sight works because it works on the width of the animals vitals, which varies very little within a species as that animal grows old. There are plenty of questions that pop up when people first see the sight or hear its claims. We made sure to ask Aaron as many questions as we could to both satisfy our own curiosity and provide accurate information for those who might be interested in the concept or thinking about getting one for themselves.

On this episode of the DIY Sportsman podcast, Garrett and Bobby announce the winner of the Aero Hunter saddle giveaway, but also have a discussion with the inventor of the EZ V sight, Aaron Lasco. The sight concept was born out of necessity for Aaron, but it looks radically different than any other pin sight on the market. The shape of the V inserts allow the hunter to frame up an animal to judge its range. Ranging devices such as this one have been used in the military for over 100 years, but they have never made it into the archery world. Some archery sights in the past have offered ranging claims by using the height of the animal, which we know can vary widely. Aaron claims that his sight works because it works on the width of the animals vitals, which varies very little within a species as that animal grows old. There are plenty of questions that pop up when people first see the sight or hear its claims. We made sure to ask Aaron as many questions as we could to both satisfy our own curiosity and provide accurate information for those who might be interested in the concept or thinking about getting one for themselves.

DIY Sportsman | EZ V Bow Sight with Aaron Lasco

For western hunters, ounce counting is fairly common, and it has been for a while. The drive to become ultralight has typically lagged behind for whitetail hunters as a whole. However, for the mobile, run-and-gun hunter, weight is a bigger concern. Accessories that used to be made from steel are now offered in aluminum or composite. People buy smaller tree stands or switch to saddles. Manufactures are now used to listing weights for their products. Some modern whitetail hunters go to the ounce counting extremes of drilling holes, cutting fabric, and swapping components in their store bought equipment. In this podcast, Garrett and Bobby have a discussion about the whole "ultralight" mentality when it comes to Whitetail hunting specifically. Some items it makes total sense to shave weight on. Trimming some items can have safety impacts. But overall, there are usually certain trade-offs that come into play which need to be carefully balanced for each individual.

For western hunters, ounce counting is fairly common, and it has been for a while. The drive to become ultralight has typically lagged behind for whitetail hunters as a whole. However, for the mobile, run-and-gun hunter, weight is a bigger concern. Accessories that used to be made from steel are now offered in aluminum or composite. People buy smaller tree stands or switch to saddles. Manufactures are now used to listing weights for their products. Some modern whitetail hunters go to the ounce counting extremes of drilling holes, cutting fabric, and swapping components in their store bought equipment. In this podcast, Garrett and Bobby have a discussion about the whole "ultralight" mentality when it comes to Whitetail hunting specifically. Some items it makes total sense to shave weight on. Trimming some items can have safety impacts. But overall, there are usually certain trade-offs that come into play which need to be carefully balanced for each individual.

DIY Sportsman | Ultralight Mindset for Whitetail Hunting

Garrett tested a bunch of different arrow weights from under 400 grains to over 1100 grains and then analyzed the speed, kinetic energy, and momentum. Often there’s a fair amount of debate for which metrics are most important when it comes to choosing a hunting arrow. In this podcast, Garrett and Bobby discuss why they think momentum is the more important metric than kinetic energy when it comes to penetration (although kinetic energy certainly isn’t worthless) and they discuss the results of the testing. Spoiler alert, momentum increased with higher weights… a lot. And it showed no signs of slowing down. It’s important to remember that momentum is just one factor to look at when choosing a setup for hunting. Speed (trajectory), arrow flight, shot placement, broadhead style, and the animal you’re shooting at, all play into the equation. This podcast does get pretty technical, but it does have some no-nonsense takeaways for even the typical whitetail hunter.

Garrett tested a bunch of different arrow weights from under 400 grains to over 1100 grains and then analyzed the speed, kinetic energy, and momentum. Often there’s a fair amount of debate for which metrics are most important when it comes to choosing a hunting arrow. In this podcast, Garrett and Bobby discuss why they think momentum is the more important metric than kinetic energy when it comes to penetration (although kinetic energy certainly isn’t worthless) and they discuss the results of the testing. Spoiler alert, momentum increased with higher weights… a lot. And it showed no signs of slowing down. It’s important to remember that momentum is just one factor to look at when choosing a setup for hunting. Speed (trajectory), arrow flight, shot placement, broadhead style, and the animal you’re shooting at, all play into the equation. This podcast does get pretty technical, but it does have some no-nonsense takeaways for even the typical whitetail hunter.

Arrow Weight Testing

In this episode of the DIY Sportsman podcast, Garrett and Bobby discuss money and hunting gear. The fact is, not everybody has a ton of disposable income. The hunting industry and social media at times makes it seem as if you need the latest and greatest to be successful. In fact, many of the big name guys started out from much more humble beginnings. Often, it's the hunter, more-so than the gear, which makes the difference. That being said, there are plenty of opportunities for people to get good or even great gear for much less than retail price at various locations and at varying times of the year. DIY solutions can also be a good way to save a few bucks when applicable. These are the types of things discussed on this week's episode.

In this episode of the DIY Sportsman podcast, Garrett and Bobby discuss money and hunting gear. The fact is, not everybody has a ton of disposable income. The hunting industry and social media at times makes it seem as if you need the latest and greatest to be successful. In fact, many of the big name guys started out from much more humble beginnings. Often, it's the hunter, more-so than the gear, which makes the difference. That being said, there are plenty of opportunities for people to get good or even great gear for much less than retail price at various locations and at varying times of the year. DIY solutions can also be a good way to save a few bucks when applicable. These are the types of things discussed on this week's episode.

DIY Sportsman | Hunting Gear on a Budget

Aero Hunter Kestrel

Aero Hunter is releasing a new saddle to their lineup. The Kestrel Flex offers minor, but significant changes to the popular Kestrel saddle that really put them on the map in the bow hunting community. After tweaking multiple designs since the release of the Kestrel, tested and modified by people like Bobby and others, Aero Hunter finally got to a design they were happy to release. This podcast goes over the key attributes of the Kestrel Flex and answers some of the main questions a consumer might have. For instance, what are the main differences between the Kestrel and the Flex? Will the Kestrel be discontinued? What will the price point and order delivery times be like? Is there a difference in comfort. In addition to answering those questions, Bobby gives additional background to help explain the thought process and reasoning behind bringing the Flex to the market.

Aero Hunter is releasing a new saddle to their lineup. The Kestrel Flex offers minor, but significant changes to the popular Kestrel saddle that really put them on the map in the bow hunting community. After tweaking multiple designs since the release of the Kestrel, tested and modified by people like Bobby and others, Aero Hunter finally got to a design they were happy to release. This podcast goes over the key attributes of the Kestrel Flex and answers some of the main questions a consumer might have. For instance, what are the main differences between the Kestrel and the Flex? Will the Kestrel be discontinued? What will the price point and order delivery times be like? Is there a difference in comfort. In addition to answering those questions, Bobby gives additional background to help explain the thought process and reasoning behind bringing the Flex to the market.

Aero Hunter Kestrel Flex

Today's episode is a special one. We've brought on our first guest, Shawn Chadwick, to discuss ozone with. He has a PhD and works as a chemical engineer, so if anyone understands what's actually going on with ozone scent elimination, it's him. In addition, he's also a hardcore whitetail hunter and understands how we need to address these things in a real world sense. None of us have any affiliation with any scent control products, so what you'll hear is truly our unbiased thoughts. Just a fair warning, the beginning of the podcast is pretty technical. We go over the background of ozone, what it is, what's it's used for in industries outside of hunting, how it's used in industries outside of hunting, and the mechanism by which it attacks scent. After that though, we transition into the real meat and potatoes of the podcast, which deals with real world application of ozone for both in-the-tree generators and generators designed to go in totes or closets.

Today's episode is a special one. We've brought on our first guest, Shawn Chadwick, to discuss ozone with. He has a PhD and works as a chemical engineer, so if anyone understands what's actually going on with ozone scent elimination, it's him. In addition, he's also a hardcore whitetail hunter and understands how we need to address these things in a real world sense. None of us have any affiliation with any scent control products, so what you'll hear is truly our unbiased thoughts. Just a fair warning, the beginning of the podcast is pretty technical. We go over the background of ozone, what it is, what's it's used for in industries outside of hunting, how it's used in industries outside of hunting, and the mechanism by which it attacks scent. After that though, we transition into the real meat and potatoes of the podcast, which deals with real world application of ozone for both in-the-tree generators and generators designed to go in totes or closets.

DIY Sportsman | The Truth About Ozone

Through observation and study of other successful hunters, there are certainly common themes that keep showing up. In an effort to try and summarize those themes, I believe we can lump many of the key techniques or thought processes into one of three key areas of skill-sets: Analyzing big picture research, performing boots-on-the-ground activities, and general woodsmanship or knowledge of the animals we're pursuing. Some people will emphasize certain skills or techniques as being the key to their success, but often a deeper inspection shows a blend of scouting techniques combined with an underlying level of woodsmanship that is difficult to teach or express into words. In this podcast I separate these skill-sets to identify certain tasks or methods that can improve your intimate knowledge with an area (boots-on-the-ground), ability to take a step back and gather larger scale intel from maps or observation (big picture), and why a huge stepping stone for a lot of people (woodsmanship) tends to be the lesser talked about gap for people to really tie everything together.  

Through observation and study of other successful hunters, there are certainly common themes that keep showing up. In an effort to try and summarize those themes, I believe we can lump many of the key techniques or thought processes into one of three key areas of skill-sets: Analyzing big picture research, performing boots-on-the-ground activities, and general woodsmanship or knowledge of the animals we're pursuing. Some people will emphasize certain skills or techniques as being the key to their success, but often a deeper inspection shows a blend of scouting techniques combined with an underlying level of woodsmanship that is difficult to teach or express into words. In this podcast I separate these skill-sets to identify certain tasks or methods that can improve your intimate knowledge with an area (boots-on-the-ground), ability to take a step back and gather larger scale intel from maps or observation (big picture), and why a huge stepping stone for a lot of people (woodsmanship) tends to be the lesser talked about gap for people to really tie everything together.

Three Key Skill-sets for Whitetail Hunting

Ted Bright

In this episode I interview Ted Bright from Missouri. He's knocked down two nice bucks this year and has historically done very well in the rolling hill country public land of Missouri. Ted and I talk about his hunting background as well as the stories of his success this year. Ted gives insight on his scouting style, climbing method for run and gun hunting, and experiences with a recent change to an arrow setup built for better penetration.  DIY Sportsman is Powered by Simplecast

In this episode I interview Ted Bright from Missouri. He's knocked down two nice bucks this year and has historically done very well in the rolling hill country public land of Missouri. Ted and I talk about his hunting background as well as the stories of his success this year. Ted gives insight on his scouting style, climbing method for run and gun hunting, and experiences with a recent change to an arrow setup built for better penetration.  DIY Sportsman is Powered by <a href="https://simplecast.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Simplecast</a>

Bowhunter Breakdown with Ted Bright

Sean McVeigh

Garrett went on a scouting trip with Sean McVeigh from Sean's Outdoor Adventures YouTube channel. The two have been trying to plan a group hunt for the past couple years and should finally be able to make it happen this year. The location chosen was an area of "big woods" habitat in Central Wisconsin that neither person has been to before. The idea is to have a March scouting trip, and August follow-up scouting trip, and finally a weekend hunt in early October, before the rut. Sean and Garrett primarily chose different areas within the forest to focus their time on. So much of the discussion in the podcast goes in depth on why certain terrain features or strategies were focused on. Sean's strategy focused largely on the combination of oak trees and topographical funnels. Garrett's strategy also focused on oak trees, but mainly those located near bedding in swampy areas.

Garrett went on a scouting trip with Sean McVeigh from Sean's Outdoor Adventures YouTube channel. The two have been trying to plan a group hunt for the past couple years and should finally be able to make it happen this year. The location chosen was an area of "big woods" habitat in Central Wisconsin that neither person has been to before. The idea is to have a March scouting trip, and August follow-up scouting trip, and finally a weekend hunt in early October, before the rut. Sean and Garrett primarily chose different areas within the forest to focus their time on. So much of the discussion in the podcast goes in depth on why certain terrain features or strategies were focused on. Sean's strategy focused largely on the combination of oak trees and topographical funnels. Garrett's strategy also focused on oak trees, but mainly those located near bedding in swampy areas.

Whitetail Scouting Trip with Sean McVeigh

Harmon Carson

This week's guest is Harmon Carson, located in the state of Louisiana, a state not known for good deer hunting. Hunting pressure is high, the firearms season is extremely long, the woods are dense, and hunters are able to use dogs. Despite all of this, Harmon has had consistent success, and he gets it done with a traditional bow. Much of this podcast focuses on Harmon's strategy for hunting deer in these dense Louisiana landscapes. He heavily relies on trail cameras due to the lack of agriculture, and he puts a ton of time in the woods with boots on the ground. We also talked to him about some of his hunts out west, about traditional archery, self filming, and saddle hunting.

This week's guest is Harmon Carson, located in the state of Louisiana, a state not known for good deer hunting. Hunting pressure is high, the firearms season is extremely long, the woods are dense, and hunters are able to use dogs. Despite all of this, Harmon has had consistent success, and he gets it done with a traditional bow. Much of this podcast focuses on Harmon's strategy for hunting deer in these dense Louisiana landscapes. He heavily relies on trail cameras due to the lack of agriculture, and he puts a ton of time in the woods with boots on the ground. We also talked to him about some of his hunts out west, about traditional archery, self filming, and saddle hunting.

Bayou Bowhunter with Harmon Carson

Ricky Kohler

Ricky isn't a well known guy on the hunting scene, but that's mostly because he likes to fly under the radar. He has a ton of hunting experience on both public and private and has a man cave full of mature bucks to show for it. Part of his strategy is to target multiple states and have a multi-year plan in place. This allows him to increase opportunity while not spreading himself too thin. The primary states he focuses on are Minnesota, which he can hunt every year, North Dakota and Iowa. Each of those states has a very different range of habitat types and hunter pressure. Ricky tries to get on a good buck in Minnesota as early as possible so he can focus valuable rut time for one of his other states. Ricky is very calculated in his methods and strategies, but also has an open enough mind to work with whatever situation is presented. He hunts out of a tree stand, saddle, or on the ground. One of his detailed North Dakota hunts takes place in a tree in below zero temperatures. The next has him in a ghillie suit sneaking into 30 yards of a 170" buck. We talk about his thoughts on weather, moon phase, clothing, boots, scent control regimen, landowner permission strategy, and scouting strategy. This is definitely a podcast where you can pick up tidbits to apply to your own hunting methods.

Ricky isn't a well known guy on the hunting scene, but that's mostly because he likes to fly under the radar. He has a ton of hunting experience on both public and private and has a man cave full of mature bucks to show for it. Part of his strategy is to target multiple states and have a multi-year plan in place. This allows him to increase opportunity while not spreading himself too thin. The primary states he focuses on are Minnesota, which he can hunt every year, North Dakota and Iowa. Each of those states has a very different range of habitat types and hunter pressure. Ricky tries to get on a good buck in Minnesota as early as possible so he can focus valuable rut time for one of his other states. Ricky is very calculated in his methods and strategies, but also has an open enough mind to work with whatever situation is presented. He hunts out of a tree stand, saddle, or on the ground. One of his detailed North Dakota hunts takes place in a tree in below zero temperatures. The next has him in a ghillie suit sneaking into 30 yards of a 170" buck. We talk about his thoughts on weather, moon phase, clothing, boots, scent control regimen, landowner permission strategy, and scouting strategy. This is definitely a podcast where you can pick up tidbits to apply to your own hunting methods.

Hunting Strategy with Ricky Kohler

In this podcast I discuss an alternative to the usual layering advice given to and by whitetail hunters for tree stand use. Nearly everyone is familiar with using the big, bulky insulated parkas and jackets, whether they're inexpensive or from top shelf brands. Those garments are usually well thought out and useful in the tree. The downside is that for mobile hunters in particular, the amount of bulk and weight carried in just for layering gets fairly extreme in cold weather. Western hunters are familiar with packable insulation, but often those options are noisy and don't have good windproofing or pocket layout. The compromise here is a system in which you layer a functional whitetail specific shell garment overtop of a packable insulation layer. Base layers can be worn while walking in, and the shell can provide additional wind blocking if needed while the insulation takes up minimal pack space. You ultimately have to weigh out which type of system makes more sense. One is easier in terms of purchasing and sizing. The other offers benefits for long treks to the tree.  DIY Sportsman is Powered by Simplecast

In this podcast I discuss an alternative to the usual layering advice given to and by whitetail hunters for tree stand use. Nearly everyone is familiar with using the big, bulky insulated parkas and jackets, whether they're inexpensive or from top shelf brands. Those garments are usually well thought out and useful in the tree. The downside is that for mobile hunters in particular, the amount of bulk and weight carried in just for layering gets fairly extreme in cold weather. Western hunters are familiar with packable insulation, but often those options are noisy and don't have good windproofing or pocket layout. The compromise here is a system in which you layer a functional whitetail specific shell garment overtop of a packable insulation layer. Base layers can be worn while walking in, and the shell can provide additional wind blocking if needed while the insulation takes up minimal pack space. You ultimately have to weigh out which type of system makes more sense. One is easier in terms of purchasing and sizing. The other offers benefits for long treks to the tree.  DIY Sportsman is Powered by <a href="https://simplecast.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Simplecast</a>

Cold Weather Layering Philosophy

In this week's episode we're answering listener questions. There were actually enough that we needed to split the podcast up into two separate parts, so we really do appreciate you guys being so involved. The topics are all across the board but generally geared towards mobile whitetail hunting. In both segments, there are lots of questions pertaining to tree stands, saddles, and climbing methods. In the first part, we also answer questions about what specific locations we hunt, choosing a camera set up for self filming, planning a DIY bear hunt in the Boundary Waters, arrow fletching, and handheld GPS. And we are doing a GIVEAWAY. Details are in the podcast.

In this week's episode we're answering listener questions. There were actually enough that we needed to split the podcast up into two separate parts, so we really do appreciate you guys being so involved. The topics are all across the board but generally geared towards mobile whitetail hunting. In both segments, there are lots of questions pertaining to tree stands, saddles, and climbing methods. In the first part, we also answer questions about what specific locations we hunt, choosing a camera set up for self filming, planning a DIY bear hunt in the Boundary Waters, arrow fletching, and handheld GPS. And we are doing a GIVEAWAY. Details are in the podcast.

DIY Sportsman | Listener Q&A: Part 1

Conner Wakefield

Conner Wakefield hasn't been hunting for all that many years, but his experience gained during that short time is definitely above average. In addition to hunting his home state of Iowa, he also travels to hunt out of state, generally sleeping in a tent and self filming the trips for his Whitetail Drifter channel on YouTube and social media pages. In this podcast, Conner talks about the decisions made during a recent successful hunt on public land in Wisconsin. We also talk about lessons learned, adapting to sign, gear, and filming hunts.  DIY Sportsman is Powered by Simplecast

Conner Wakefield hasn't been hunting for all that many years, but his experience gained during that short time is definitely above average. In addition to hunting his home state of Iowa, he also travels to hunt out of state, generally sleeping in a tent and self filming the trips for his Whitetail Drifter channel on YouTube and social media pages. In this podcast, Conner talks about the decisions made during a recent successful hunt on public land in Wisconsin. We also talk about lessons learned, adapting to sign, gear, and filming hunts.  DIY Sportsman is Powered by <a href="https://simplecast.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Simplecast</a>

The Whitetail Drifter with Conner Wakefield

In this podcast Garrett does a quick review of all of the boots he has used for whitetail hunting over the past several years. Some boots have served as great all around options for scouting, turkey hunting, and western hunting in addition to whitetails, while others are very specific use. The boots reviewed in this podcast share a similarity. None of them are rubber. That isn't to say that rubber boots are inferior - certainly they have their place. That being said, there are lace up options that many whitetail hunters overlook because of reasons such as scent control that can really be great options due to their support, weight, and breathability. One important characteristic of boots for the later whitetail systems is insulation and warmth. While Garrett has packed in heavy pack boots to change into at the tree, he also believes there can be better options to have insulated feet without dealing with moisture from sweat on the walk in.

In this podcast Garrett does a quick review of all of the boots he has used for whitetail hunting over the past several years. Some boots have served as great all around options for scouting, turkey hunting, and western hunting in addition to whitetails, while others are very specific use. The boots reviewed in this podcast share a similarity. None of them are rubber. That isn't to say that rubber boots are inferior - certainly they have their place. That being said, there are lace up options that many whitetail hunters overlook because of reasons such as scent control that can really be great options due to their support, weight, and breathability. One important characteristic of boots for the later whitetail systems is insulation and warmth. While Garrett has packed in heavy pack boots to change into at the tree, he also believes there can be better options to have insulated feet without dealing with moisture from sweat on the walk in.

Whitetail Hunting Boot Review

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