Days In The Wild - Big game Hunting podcast

Frontal Shots with Joel Turner

The Controversial Frontal Shot with Joel Turner
Check out the article I wrote on frontal shots that goes along with this podcast
Also if you want to learn how to be in control of your shot check out Joel's program 

Buck Hunting Adventures with Stieg Phillips

Buck Hunting Adventures and the Canati Tripod with Stieg Phillips
Show Notes:
 
I’m picking Stieg Phillips’ brain a bit about some hunting adventures. We also talk about some of the products he’s developed, one of which I use. Stieg is based out of southern Nevada, and we start our conversation about past Nevada hunts. He likes to hunt out in Ely, where I’ve been before and had a pretty poor performance there a while ago. I like unique-looking animals with interesting racks and we get into how character trumps size and score in a lot of cases. Stieg went out with some friends from northern Utah and shares a story about getting some decent-sized mule deer.
 
Stieg and I also talk about misjudging buck size and getting surprised after shooting and walking closer. Sometimes it works out in your favor, especially when you can focus properly. You’re less likely to wound the animal and it’s a win-win. Next, we talk about the Canati tripod, which Stieg helped develop. He always wanted a nice tripod, but they were always really expensive. Stieg found a way to make a high-quality tripod at an affordable price. I’ve owned expensive tripods and the Canati is my favorite by far. 
 
The Pro Backpacker tripod is an inch or two shorter than the standard one, collapses down to 18 inches, and weighs three pounds, perfect if you’re moving around a lot. We talk about how I like to use the Canati tripod and some adjustments I’ve made to customize the experience.  If you’re not comfortable while you’re glassing, you’re not going to spot anything or want to spend the time it takes. Stieg walks through some of the Canati tripod’s features to help people get the most out of their hunts. He also shares some of the newer gear he’s come out with.
What’s Inside:
 
Hunting stories from Nevada and Utah
Misjudging buck size
All about the Canati tripod
How the Canati stacks up against other tripods
Info on new gear
 
Mentioned in this episode
Phoenix Shooting Bags save 20% with code johnstallone
Howl for Wildlife: https://www.howlforwildlife.org/
Canati Tripods – Muley Maniacs
 
Short Description:
Stieg Phillips developed the Canati tripod and here, I pick his brain about some hunting adventures and the gear he’s developed.  We talk about how I like to use the Canati tripod and some adjustments I’ve made to customize the experience. Stieg walks through some of the tripod’s features to help people get the most out of their hunts. He also shares some of the newer gear he’s come out with.
Tags
big game hunting, hunting tips, hunting guide, buck hunting, hunting stories, mule deer, Nevada, archery, buck size, score, tripod, Canati tripod, Muley Maniacs

Catching Up with Jordan Budd at Hunt Expo

Catching Up with Jordan Budd at Hunt Expo
Show Notes:
 
I’m live at the Hunt Expo in Utah and I’m catching up with Jordan Budd. Jordan’s originally from northwest Nebraska and grew up on a cattle ranch where she hunted deer and elk. She later got into videography and started working for a TV show doing production and editing. Jordan also did some writing for Rokslide. She now has an outfit in Nebraska called Running Water Hunting where she does hunts throughout November and December. Today, she co-hosts the Gear Talk Podcast on MeatEater and is also working with her own sponsors and partners.
 
So many people want to be famous in the hunting world, and Jordan’s a great example of someone who’s dedicated and seeing great success. Here, we recap Jordan’s hunting season, and we start with her experience in Idaho, where she’s currently living. She dove into archery and found a buck that someone else wound up getting. She eventually found another buck before the rifle opener and ended up shooting him opening afternoon. From there, Jordan went to Wyoming where she had a pretty rough hunt and we talk about unit-specific tags there.
 
Jordan’s going to dive more into elk this year. We chat about hunting deer in the desert, late archery tags, and the challenges that come up. Jordan also shares her most memorable hunt as well as experiences that changed the way she hunts today.
What’s Inside:
 
Jordan’s backstory and how she built her hunting career.
A recap of Jordan’s current hunting season.
Jordan’s most memorable hunting stories.
 
Mentioned in this episode
Phoenix Shooting Bags save 20% with code johnstallone
Howl for Wildlife: https://www.howlforwildlife.org/
Jordan Budd on Instagram
Running Water Hunting
MeatEater Gear Talk Podcast
 
Short Description:
I’m catching up with Jordan Budd at the Hunt Expo in Utah. Here, we recap Jordan’s current hunting season, starting with her experience in Idaho, where she’s currently living. Jordan also shares her most memorable hunt as well as experiences that changed the way she hunts today.
 
Tags
big game hunting, hunting tips, hunting guide, buck hunting, hunting stories, elk hunting, deer hunting, sheep hunting, Wyoming, archery, bow hunting

Talking Turkey with Jace Bauserman

 Talking Turkey with Jace Bauserman
Show Notes:
 
I’m talking turkey with Jace Bauserman. What drew me to Jace was a clip I saw where he used a predator decoy on his bow. He’s got a bit of a different approach and turkey season is right around the corner. I was never excited about turkey, but I got excited about it a few years ago and look forward to it. I learned how to call better, and I started viewing it the same way as elk hunting. Jace has hunted turkey in over 20 states and he’s going back to Florida in March. He’s taken four of the major subspecies and Springtime is his favorite time of the year. 
 
Jace and I talk about the differences in the birds and how they react between different habitats and species. We start with one of the most common types Jace sees out west: the Merriam. The Merriam subspecies is popular with hunters, and they have white-tipped tails. They’re found as high as 10,000 feet in mountain areas. Jace says they’re nomadic and very callable birds and are used to traveling long distances to find a hen. The Eastern wild turkey is Jace’s favorite because of the gobble. They’re more reluctant to come into decoys, so you have to be on your A-game with calling. 
 
Jace talks about the importance of knowing the subspecies of turkeys you’re hunting and being aware of how they move in their surroundings. He also gives tips on how to locate birds and where to start hunting. We walk through a typical morning of a Merriam bird hunt on public land and Jace shares his wisdom of how to make it a success. We also talk about how close you want to get to a bird, how to use a bow-mounted decoy, and the most important turkey sounds to master. 
What’s Inside:
The subspecies of turkey and their characteristics.
How to locate birds in a new area.
Walkthrough of a typical Merriam turkey hunt.
How to use a bow-mounted decoy.
The most important turkey sounds to master.
 
Mentioned in this episode
Phoenix Shooting Bags save 20% with code johnstallone
Howl for Wildlife: https://www.howlforwildlife.org/
GoHunt: https://www.gohunt.com/
 
Short Description:
I’m talking turkey with Jace Bauserman. Jace and I talk about the differences in the birds and how they react between different habitats and species. We walk through a typical morning of a Merriam bird hunt on public land and Jace shares his wisdom on how to make it a success. We also talk about how close you want to get to a bird, how to use a bow-mounted decoy, and more.
 
Tags:
big game hunting, hunting tips, hunting guide, buck hunting, hunting stories, turkey, turkey hunting, bow hunting, decoy, turkey calls

Wolf Management in Colorado with Aron Snyder

 Wolf Management in Colorado with Aron Snyder
Show Notes:
 
In about a year, Howl for Wildlife grew to over 20,000 members and we’re helping hunters have a voice. Almost every action we’ve been involved in has either progressed forward or was a win for hunting. It’s a powerful tool to connect hunters with decision-makers and it’s really had a positive impact. Aron Snyder is the president of Kifaru International, a company that makes some of the best hiking and hunting gear available. Here, we talk about something that’s near and dear to Aron’s heart: the wolf issue in Colorado. 
 
Back in 2020, proposition 114 was on the ballot for Colorado to reintroduce wolves. 50.9% of the votes were in favor of the decision, meaning we lost by just a little. Hunters don’t often want to get involved in things that don’t directly impact them, but if everyone took a stand, we’d get a lot more done in our favor. There are over 16 million hunters in the US and in the age of social media and the internet, we’re more in the know than ever. Colorado alone has over a million hunters and if they all stood up against the proposition, we’d likely be in a much different situation than we are today.
 
Proposition 114 states that 250 wolves will be transplanted by the end of 2023. The Colorado parks and wildlife commission has to create and carry out plans to reintroduce and manage the wolves. We need the commission to know which parts of the plan we support and get it in place before they potentially get non-hunters on the board. Aron and I talk about the details of the plan and how hunters can get involved. The easiest thing to do is head to the Howl for Wildlife website. Click on the Action Center and enter your name and email in the wolf management plan action and hit send. We also talk about other hot topics in the hunting world, which you can also check out on HowlforWildlife.org.
What’s Inside:
Issues with wolf management in Colorado
Why it’s important for hunters to get involved
Hot hunting topics to review and take action on
What hunters can do to help
 
Mentioned in this episode
Phoenix Shooting Bags save 20% with code johnstallone
Howl for Wildlife: https://www.howlforwildlife.org/
GoHunt: https://www.gohunt.com/
 
Short Description:
Aron Snyder is the president at Kifaru International and we’re discussing the wolf management issue in Colorado. It’s more important than ever for hunters to get involved, and the easiest way to do that is through the action center on the Howl for Wildlife website. Aron and I talk in-depth about the wolf issues as well as other hot issues in the hunting world.
Tags
big game hunting, hunting tips, hunting guide, buck hunting, hunting stories, wolf management, gray wolves, Colorado, hunting advocacy, pro-hunting, howl for wildlife

How anti-hunters abuse the system with Gabriella Hoffman

Conservation in 2023 with Gabriella Hoffman
Show Notes:
Gabriella Hoffman is the host of the District of Conservation podcast. She’s also a media strategist, consultant, and award-winning outdoor writer based in the Washington D.C. metro area. Since 2016, Gabriella has been a consultant to various non-profit organizations, political campaigns, small businesses and start-ups, and veteran-owned companies. She’s worked on all kinds of media projects, ranging from radio and public relations to op-ed writing.
 
As it relates to conservation, Gabriella’s one of the few journalists in D.C who actively hunts and fishes. She’s been fishing for most of her life and started hunting about five years ago. Gabriella shares some great insights as to what’s trending and we kick off by talking about the long game anti-hunting groups, or “preservationists” seem to be playing. Hunters aren’t always painted in the best light, and preservationists have won the narrative. However, there’s been a renewed interest in hunting lately and opinions are starting to change.
 
Gabriella also shares information about the Equal Access to Justice Act and how it has empowered environmentalists to sue to stop hunting activities and true conservation. We talk about how conservationists can fight back, even though it’s a bit of an uphill climb. Gabriella and I discuss wildlife management issues, how hunters can use their social media platforms to bring awareness to issues, and how anti-hunting organizations make money from lawsuits to raise funds. 
 
What’s Inside:
How preservationists shape the anti-hunting narrative and how opinions are shifting.
How environmentalists use the Equal Access to Justice Act to raise funds.
How hunters can use their platforms to bring awareness to issues.
 
Mentioned in this episode
Phoenix Shooting Bags save 20% with code johnstallone
Howl for Wildlife: https://www.howlforwildlife.org/
GoHunt: https://www.gohunt.com/District of Conservation Podcast
GabriellaHoffman.com
 
Short Description:
Gabriella Hoffman is the host of the District of Conservation podcast. She’s also a media strategist, consultant, and award-winning outdoor writer based in the Washington D.C. metro area. Gabriella and I discuss wildlife management issues, how hunters can use their social media platforms to bring awareness to issues, and how anti-hunting organizations make money from lawsuits to raise funds.
 
Tags:
big game hunting, hunting tips, hunting guide, buck hunting, hunting stories, conservation, preservation, wildlife management, journalism, fishing, Equal Access to Justice Act, environmentalists, politics

Creed and Stallone AZ OTC Deer

I’m done for January and I’m here with Creed to chat about deer hunting. The time between the holidays and hunting goes by so fast. I didn’t get anything in December, but I made up for it in January with a big buck I call Megatron. He looked exactly like the offspring of a buck I chased around in 2017 and was in the same area. I stalked him twice last year but wound up getting Covid and my whole plan was shot. All this past December, I kept looking for him but every time I went to glass, some other guys would beat me to it. I wound up shooting him in the neck because he was quartering to me. 
 
Creed got an amazing Coues buck this January and it was a buck he had some history with. He found the buck last year and was living in a place where there were very few deer. He almost killed him last year and got to about 90 yards, but he miscalculated the distance between him and the ravine he was bedded in. This buck was the easiest for Creed to see and lived close to his house. Things took way longer than anticipated because he had to go slow to avoid making too much noise. He started stalking at 11:30 and got him at 2:00.
 
We also talk about the buck Creed got last year. He shot a Coues deer in January with a bow and before that he got another one with a rifle in November. The buck he shot last January was similar in size to the one he recently shot, and he got to hunt with his brother and cousin. Creed’s brother shot his first archery Coues deer on that trip and later that day they went in to look for another deer his brother had seen. Fortunately, he was right where he was supposed to be, and a doe led him in. Creed and I also talk about frontal shots and share our opinions.
What’s Inside:
How I finally got a buck I was tracking, Megatron.
How Creed got his recent Coues buck.
Stories from Creed’s hunting trip from last January.
Thoughts on frontal shots.
 
Mentioned in this episode
Phoenix Shooting Bags save 20% with code johnstallone
Howl for Wildlife: https://www.howlforwildlife.org/
GoHunt: https://www.gohunt.com/
 
Short Description:
Creed is back on the show and we’re recapping our deer hunts from January. I share my story on how I got Megatron and Creed talks about how he got his amazing Coues buck. Creed also shares stories from his hunting trip from last January with his brother and cousin and we share our thoughts on frontal shots.
 
Tags:
big game hunting, hunting tips, hunting guide, buck hunting, hunting stories, deer hunting, mule deer, Coues deer, javelina hunting, bow hunting, archery

AZ OTC Deer Recap with Charles Whitwam

AZ OTC Deer Recap with Charles Whitwam
Show Notes:
 
Charles Whitwam and I are recapping an epic deer hunting trip with a ton of awesome stories. The last time he came out, it was a bit of a drought and neither one of us got a deer. We’re going through our trip day by day, and things kicked off on a Thursday. About an hour in, Charles was already on a stalk on a deer we named Limp Bizkit. He got in super close to a buck, but he had no shot. I then made a stalk where I was trying to cheat the wind. I moved to a spot where I tried to get a shot, and then a big buck we called Megatron came into view, but there was a doe right in front of him. Charles then found my number two buck, Heavy D, and dropped in after him and we chat about how things turned out.
 
Every morning of the trip, one of us had some great opportunities. Charles had the chance to shoot a big Javelina boar, but it was starting to get hot during the afternoon which was frustrating. We picked up some mule deer bucks, but we had to go out pretty far to get the wind right. We also were looking at a bunch of Coues deer who were in a decent position, but the doe wound up deciding for us and we passed on the buck that time. One evening, we decided to switch units, which didn’t turn out too great, so we packed up and tried somewhere else the next morning. 
 
Towards the end of the trip, Charles was within yards of a buck. I had to leave, but Anthony was with us, and he decided to take over. Charles snuck up closer to where the buck was within the flats and waited for a bit. Eventually, the deer caught his wind, and they took off. He moved in on another good buck, but the smaller lead buck got off to his right too much, and they both took off as well. Charles then sat up on some peaks and picked the bucks back up. The story continues through some more twists and turns but ends on a high note.
 
 
What’s Inside:
Recap and stories from an OTC deer hunt with Charles.
 
Mentioned in this episode
Phoenix Shooting Bags save 20% with code johnstallone
Howl for Wildlife: https://www.howlforwildlife.org/
GoHunt: https://www.gohunt.com/
 
Short Description:
 
Charles Whitwam and I are recapping an epic deer hunting trip with a ton of awesome stories. The last time he came out, it was a bit of a drought and neither one of us got a deer. We’re going through our trip day by day. Although the trip had a lot of twists and turns, it ultimately wound up great for Charles.
 
Tags:
big game hunting, hunting tips, hunting guide, buck hunting, hunting stories, Arizona, deer hunting, OTC, doe, buck, mule deer, Coues deer

Hunters always the Villain Never the Hero Before Howl was Howl throwback

Hunters always the Villain Never the Hero 10.28
The Problem:
There was a time when hunters were revered as providers, adventures and even heroes. A societal shift has transformed the perception of the hunter/provider into an un-educated, reckless, blood thirsty animal hater. As a result hunters and hunting became recluse and stepped into the background, not because we were ashamed but because we did not want to offend the non-hunting public” the middle ground”. I remember when I took hunter safety back in the early 80’s one of the things we were told was never to flaunt our harvest because we do not what to offend anyone. This mentality of keeping to ourselves and sticking to the background was a sound practice back then. But it came with consequences: 1) We never took main stream credit for the good that we do, we never informed the main stream public that the majority of conservation was made possible due directly to the efforts and dollars of the hunter. So the middle ground was left to believe whatever they were influenced to believe. 2) While we were in the background our opposition was doing the opposite and taking a very public very “in your face” approach to pushing their agenda, infiltrating main stream media, using big name public figures, funding for movies and planting seeds in the minds of our young.  3) We no longer live in an age where we can shield the middle ground from our harvests. Social media and the internet allows information good and bad to travel at the speed of light and a picture that is intended for our friends and family to see may get placed in the eyes of a non-hunter. The anti-hunting public has exploited this and uses it to paint the picture and direct the narrative to make us look like we are evil.
Our silent work in the background approach has left us at a disadvantage, Anti-hunting have been building mountains of propaganda designed to discredit our efforts in conservation.  Moreover, they have become masterful at directing the narrative and using our own content against us. It’s so important now more so than ever that we become unified and start “marching” to the same drum, that we continue to recruit and cultivate new hunter conservationists, that we educate the non-hunting public about the truth about conservation and the role we play in it.       
Our Mission:
1)      To help the hunting industry unite and become a community: Through Social media efforts and our panel of industry influencers we aim to unite our industry into a community. We all don’t hunt the same or for the same reasons but we all love hunting.
2)      Help educate hunters the importance of portraying ourselves in a manner that shows our true drive and passion not just the trophy : Our Goal is to establish a  standard of conduct that will minimize the ability for the anti-hunting groups to use our own content against us.  
3)      Educate non-hunters in the good that we do as a community and the importance of hunting within the north American conservation model: One goal is to have a curriculum introduced in 5th -6th grade social studies that would teach children the North American conservation model. Another goal is to produce and distribute “Hug a Hunter” media to help bring awareness to the non-hunting public where funding comes from for wildlife management and restoration. Also, to produce and distribute articles based in fact that will shine a light on the truth in main stream media.    
4)      Recruit and cultivate new hunters: We will promote a grassroots movement to get our community to introduce new hunters to the lifestyle of hunting

The Controversial Frontal Shot with Joel Turner throwback thursday

The Controversial Frontal Shot with Joel Turner
Check out the article I wrote on frontal shots that goes along with this podcast
Also if you want to learn how to be in control of your shot check out Joel's program