Days In The Wild - Big game Hunting podcast

Calling and Hunting Stories with Bill Ayer

Calls and Hunting Stories with Bill Ayer
Show Notes:
Bill Ayer is with Slayer Calls. He got started around four or five years ago selling waterfowl calls. About two years ago, Bill started developing products for elk hunting. Bill and I might even try to put together a John Stallone elk call! Last year, they released their first-ever acrylic bugle tube and a couple of others. Slayer also has external calls and reeds. The elk products were well received, and they were able to adapt a lot of the waterfowl technology, giving them an edge.
 
Bill and I talk about our preferences in calls and some of the key features of Slayer’s bugle tubes and more. We also get into weight differences between acrylic and plastic tubes and some differences in what’s offered by competitors. The material of the tube impacts the sound, but it doesn’t necessarily affect performance. Elks all have different tones as well, and so using calls with different tones could even give you an advantage. Slayer also makes some pretty great turkey calls and they come in a bunch of different cuts. Bill has something new up his sleeve that could be a game-changer. He’s not quite ready to share it, but stay tuned.
 
Although he didn’t kill any bulls this year, Bill’s had some close encounters. He shares some stories from hunting in Idaho this past season. They chased some bulls with the Slayer Enchantress, but it was tough to get them to commit and close the distance. Bill tells a great story about what not to do while elk hunting. On one trip, he talks about his experience with higher elevation, which can really knock you out if you’re not used to it. If you’re heading to higher ground, make sure to do your research and plan accordingly.
 
 
What’s Inside:
Details on Slayer’s different calls.
Bill’s hunting stories from the past elk season.
How elevation can impact your hunting trip.
Waterfowl hunting stories.
 
Mentioned in this episode
Phoenix Shooting Bags save 20% with code johnstallone
Howl for Wildlife: https://www.howlforwildlife.org/
GoHunt: https://www.gohunt.com/Slayer Calls
 
Short Description:
Bill Ayer is with Slayer Calls. Last year, they released their first-ever acrylic bugle tube and a couple of others. Slayer also has external calls and reeds. Although he didn’t kill any bulls this year, Bill’s had some close encounters. He shares some stories from hunting in Idaho this past season.
 
Tags:
big game hunting, hunting tips, hunting guide, buck hunting, hunting stories, elk hunting, elk calling, bugling, waterfowl, elevation, geese, turkey hunting, turkey calls, bulls

Javelina Hunting Q&A with Armando Martinez

Javelina Hunting Q&A with Armando Martinez
 
Show Notes:
Armando Martinez, also known as “the Bow Hitch” guy, is back to talk about all things Javelina hunting here in Arizona. We did a raffle for Howl for Wildlife for a fully guided javelina hunt with yours truly, and Armando was the lucky winner. We’re heading out during the upcoming HAM (handgun, archery, and muzzleloader) season, which is a great time of year for javelina. Archery season ends at the end of January and the new season kicks off on the 10th of February which gives the animals a chance to equalize a bit.
 
Armando reached out and wanted to do a bit of a Q&A on javelina hunting for all the listeners. We kick off by going into detail on what a javelina even is. They’re hoofed animals and are actually related to the hippopotamus. People in Arizona call them pigs, and the name “javelina” means “little javelins” and refers to the little tusks they have. We talk about key characteristics, differences between males and females, and what makes a particular javelina a good one to take down. In Arizona, javelina season starts as early as August and I share the best times of year to head out.
 
We chat about vitals and where to aim your shots, with the shoulder being your best bet. Javelinas do charge and go on the offensive, which makes them a great animal to call. I cover Arizona’s point system and why it’s one of the best and a little bit about my outfitting business, including what a typical hunt looks like. We talk about all the gear you need for stalking and glassing, which caliber bow to bring with you, and tips for shooting javelina with a rifle (shooting bags make all the difference). 
What’s Inside:
Javelina habits and characteristics.
What makes a good target javelina.
Best times of year to hunt and how to draw tags.
Vitals and where to aim your shot.
Details about my outfitting business and how to set up a hunt.
Ideal gear for stalking and glassing.
How shooting bags help your rifle.
 
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:
Armando Martinez, also known as “the Bow Hitch” guy, is back to talk about all things javelina. Armando reached out and wanted to do a bit of a Q&A on javelina hunting for all the listeners. We chat about javelina habits and characteristics, what makes a good target javelina, where to aim your shot, and the best time of year to hunt. We also get into details about my outfitting business, ideal gear for stalking and glassing, and the benefits of using a shooting bag.
 
Tags:
big game hunting, hunting tips, hunting guide, buck hunting, hunting stories, javelina, javelina hunting, Arizona, archery hunting, bow hunting, days in the wild, hunting podcast, john stallone, armando martinez

Late Season Elk and South Dakota Mule Deer with John, Anthony, and Joey Stallone

Late Season Elk and South Dakota Mule Deer with John, Anthony, and Joey Stallone
 
Show Notes:
My cousin Anthony and his son Joey (who I call my nephew), just came off a late bull season elk hunt. I purposely waited about a week to hear their stories for the first time until I was ready to do this episode, and I saw them right after they came back. We kick off by talking about elk meat, ways to prepare and process it, and some stories from past elk hunting trips.  It’s pretty easy to make a delicious dish with elk if you’re paying attention to how you’re cooking it. Here, we share some tips on how to prepare meat from your own trips to get the best results.
 
Next, we get into how the actual elk hunt went. Anthony wound up getting sick during the scouting process and the initial scouting trip got pushed. He did a bit of scouting through maps and got some intel from a friend, but when they got there, the roads were really tough to navigate. Joey spotted a couple of mountain lions, but Anthony wound up finding him a buck instead. Then, Joey found two bulls and they decided to try to get them a night later. Anthony’s dad was there that day and his cousin Matthew, who was new to this kind of experience and was super impressed. Eventually, Anthony wound up getting a clear shot at a bull that he had to walk about 30-40 minutes to. 
 
Then I get into a mule deer hunting trip I had with clients in South Dakota. A huge storm hit and my clients couldn’t get through a particular pass until days later, but that meant I got some time to myself. The weather was good and I had some great shots, especially on the fourth day. I was also talking to my friend Charles through the radio and helping him glass. We found a buck that was bedded and then when I set myself up, three does wound up coming by. Then, four more does hopped over a fence along with a younger buck. Two fawns were headed toward Charles and I was giving him a play-by-play the whole time. Eventually, he shot the buck and it hopped the fence to my neighbor’s side. I kept at it to try to get one of my targeted bucks, and I actually wound up getting a mild case of frostbite. I powered through, but after a few more days of bad luck, I went home empty-handed.   
What’s Inside:
How to cook elk meat the right way.
Stories from the late-season elk hunt.
Joey’s lessons learned from the hunt.
Stories from a South Dakota mule deer hunting trip.
 
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:
My cousin Anthony and his son Joey just got back from a late-season elk hunt and here, they recap their stories. We talk about everything from preparing and cooking elk meat to lessons learned from the trip. Then, I get into a mule deer hunting trip in South Dakota, which didn’t turn out as good as I hoped, but it made for some great stories.
 
Tags:
big game hunting, hunting tips, hunting guide, buck hunting, hunting stories, elk hunting, mule deer, mule deer hunting, elk meat, cooking, doe, white tail deer, bow hunting

AZ Draw with GoHunt researcher Dave Barnett

AZ Draw with Dave Barnett from GoHunt
Show Notes:
Dave Barnett is the Research Content Manager at GoHunt, where he deals mostly with their insider platform. He’s been working at GoHunt full-time since 2018 and prior to that, he did freelance writing work for them as far back as 2015. Through his work, Dave’s intimately familiar with how the drawing process works, and here, we talk tag strategy and pick apart Arizona. We go over how the state’s point system works, which happens to be my and Dave’s favorite. Backwards to a lot of other states, 20% of the tags go to the highest point holders while the other 80% goes to a random draw.
 
In the past, there were leftover tags available for deer hunts, but you don’t see that anymore. Dave and I talk about what’s different now, and even though the pressure is climbing, the odds of drawing are still pretty good. Some units are already closed, and we talk about how limited tag numbers create a focusing effect on what’s still available. We also discuss changes in the upcoming elk draw, which there haven’t been too many of in Arizona. However, a lot of the surrounding Western states have changed due to the growing population and demand from residents. 
 
Even a tiny percentage change in a point system can affect your strategy, and Dave gives us his take on Arizona. In general, if you’re a high point holder, it’s fairly predictable. We explain the point system in laymen’s terms and make it super simple to understand. We also talk about late-season hunting, which offers a totally different experience than some other states. Dave explains the different tiers of units and why it’s important to think about what you want to accomplish during your hunting experience. He also shares how you can use the GoHunt platform to decipher what’s best. 
What’s Inside:
Overview of AZ’s tag draw process 
How the current draw process differs from the past
Dave’s take on the Arizona point system
Late-season hunting strategy tips
Unit tiers and how to plan based on what you want to experience
How to use the GoHunt platform to plan your strategy
 
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:
Dave Barnett is the Research Content Manager at GoHunt and here, we talk tag strategy and pick apart Arizona. We go over how the state’s point system works and changes in the upcoming elk draw. Dave explains the different tiers of units and why it’s important to think about what you want to accomplish during your hunting experience. He also shares how you can use the GoHunt platform to decipher what’s best. 
Tags:
big game hunting, hunting tips, hunting guide, buck hunting, hunting stories, elk hunting, mule deer, mule deer hunting, Coues deer, Arizona, tag, draw, archery, bow hunting, late season hunting, GoHunt

Wyoming Elk Draw review and changes

Dave Barnett joins me to discuss the WY draw some upcoming possible changes, how to navigate the Wyoming elk draw, Wyoming elk hunting tag strategies and Wyoming elk hunting opportunities  

In Field tips for Taxidermy prep with Josh Todd

In Field tips for Taxidermy prep with Josh Todd
 
Show Notes:
Josh Todd owns McDowell Mountain Taxidermy, a small custom shop in North Scottsdale. Taxidermy is Josh’s hobby and passion and he’s selective about what he takes in and works on. He also does a ton of refurb work cleaning up and bringing an animal back to life. Here, Josh and I get into in-field care to help your taxidermist give you the best possible product. There’s a lot you can do in the field and the moment you get something down, the clock starts ticking. Hunters often have that mentality when it comes to meat, but the same applies when you want to come back with a proper mount or something life-size. In warm weather, fur can start slipping pretty quickly, so the sooner you get the animal cold, the better. 
 
Josh talks about customizations and mannequins available and why having enough cape and shoulder is important. He also gives us a solid play-by-play from getting a bull down in an elk hunt to taking it to the taxidermist. Even though you’re racing the clock, don’t forget to take those hard-earned pictures – you’ll have time for those. Josh walks through all the right cuts and includes a ton of great details. When you’re packing up, never use trash bags or plastic bags and go with something breathable made for game hunting. And don’t forget to keep everything on ice.
 
One of the biggest issues I have is how to keep a larger animal with a big rack cool enough until it makes it to the taxidermist. Josh shares some tips on how you can get creative and do things right to get the best end result. We talked about his preferred methods for European mounts and whitening techniques and processes. Josh and I wrap up by talking about velvet antlers and how to handle them. Try your best not to touch the antlers because they’re super delicate by the tips. Velvet is developing organic tissue and it’s important to get it cold as fast as possible.
What’s Inside:
What to do in the field to preserve your kills the right way.
A play-by-play of what to do from getting a bull down to taking it to the taxidermy.
How to keep things cool when you have a larger animal/big rack.
What to do with velvet antlers.
 
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:
Josh Todd owns McDowell Mountain Taxidermy, a small custom shop in North Scottsdale. Josh talks about customizations and mannequins available and why having enough cape and shoulder is important. He also gives us a solid play-by-play from getting a bull down in an elk hunt to taking it to the taxidermist. We discussed his preferred methods for European mounts and whitening techniques and processes. Josh and I wrap up by talking about velvet antlers and how to handle them.
 
Tags:
big game hunting, hunting tips, hunting guide, buck hunting, hunting stories, taxidermist, elk hunting, deer hunting, mannequin, velvet, taxidermy tips, days in the wild, john stallone, josh todd, hunting podcast

Over the Counter Hunting Stories with Mike Herne

Over the Counter Elk Hunting Stories with Mike Herne
 
Show Notes:
Mike Herne is here for a little campfire hunting story session. Mike’s an avid hunter and bow hunting is his passion, although he recently picked up a rifle and enjoyed it. The army is Mike’s day job where he works in a professional development academy. In his spare time, he writes hunting and outdoor-related content for Black Rifle Coffee through their publication, Free Range American. Mike shares some of his favorite hunts and elk is hands down his favorite animal to chase with a bow. He grew up on the east coast sitting in tree stands looking for deer and the first time he heard an elk bugle and saw an elk, he was hooked.
 
Most of Mike’s elk hunting experience has been in Colorado. He went on a cool trip last year with Aron Snyder and South Cox from Kifaru International where he called elk for Aron on a pretty awesome tag. Mike loves elk hunting because of the instant gratification you can get with bugling versus sitting and waiting for deer to show up. His first over-the-counter-archery elk hunt was when he was stationed in Fort Carson, Colorado. After a deployment, Mike took a couple weeks off to hunt. It was a tough hunt, and he shares some lessons he had to learn the hard way.
 
The following season, Mike went back out and saw some quick success. The learning curve he experienced during his first hunt helped give him a leg up. He learned a ton about bugling, including when and when not to do it. Mike shares stories about a filmed trip he took with Free Range American that showed the reality of the over-the-counter hunting experience. We also talked about the similarities between calling elk and turkeys, hunting white tail deer, and lessons learned about creating illusions with noise and calls. Mike’s a great example of someone who takes what he learned from previous hunts and elevates his game the next season.
What’s Inside:
Mike’s first elk hunt and the lessons he learned.
How Mike used his experience to find success in hunting.
Elk calling and bugling tips.
 
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:
Mike Herne is an avid bow hunter with some great stories, including a great one from his first time in Colorado. Mike shares some of his favorite hunts and elk is hands down his favorite animal to chase with a bow. He learned a ton of lessons and is a great example of someone who found success from integrating his experiences. 
 
Tags:
big game hunting, hunting tips, hunting guide, buck hunting, hunting stories, elk hunting, bugle, Colorado, bow hunting, archery, over-the-counter hunting, deer hunting

Coues Deer Hunting with Creed Christinat

Coues Deer Hunting with Creed Christinat
 
Show Notes:
Creed Christinat is known for taking some pretty nice bucks and he joins me to talk about Coues deer. He’s 33 years old and lives in a small Arizona town called Elfrida. Creed works at a coal and natural gas power plant and when he’s not at his day job, he’s raising his family along with his wife. He’s also a passionate hunter and Coues deer is his specialty. Coues deer can really get under your skin and those who are in the know are aware they’re unique. Creed hunts them primarily with a bow, which is a next-level challenge, and here, he shares some stories and tips from his trips. 
 
One of the things I love about Coues deer is they’re a white tail that you’re spotting and stalking. They stay in small groups unlike mule deer and for me, they’ve always been a great animal to hunt. I hunt them with a rifle, but Creed has a different perspective on bow hunting. Even though most people hunt Coues in December or January, Creed’s favorite time to hunt them is in August and September. They’re visible then, they haven’t been hunted in months, and there are fewer people to compete with. If you find a deer in late July or early August, chances are they’ll be there for you in the archery season. The only downside is antler development, which changes from year to year. 
 
Creed walks through what he does to locate big bucks, whether he’s hunting in the desert or high pine country. He likes to target places that are less hunted, which sometimes can be deep in the wilderness or places that are completely overlooked. Creed gets into what an ideal buck canyon looks like, including proximity to permanent water. He shares his primary plan of attack, what he looks for when patterning and stalking, and how he knows it’s time to go in for the kill. Creed talks about how his techniques have changed over the years and how he continues to improve. We wrap up by talking about the different seasons, Coues deer behavioral characteristics to pay attention to, and Creed shares a story from a hunting trip he had with his brother.
CHECK OUT CREED'S IG
What’s Inside:
Benefits to hunting Coues deer in the early season.
What Creed does to locate big bucks.
What an ideal big buck canyon looks like.
Creed’s primary plan of attack when patterning and stalking.
Lessons learned from hunting over the years.
Key Coues deer behavioral characteristics.
 
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 Christinat is a passionate hunter from Elfrida, AZ and Coues deer is his specialty. Creed walks through what he does to locate big bucks, whether he’s hunting in the desert or high pine country. We talk about the different Coues deer seasons, top techniques, and lessons learned from hunting throughout the years.
Tags:
big game hunting, hunting tips, hunting guide, buck hunting, hunting stories, Coues deer, bow hunting, Arizona, archery, Coues country

John Huber trigger control

Synchronizing the Senses with John Huber
 
Show Notes:
I love getting technical and talking about muzzle breaks, triggers, and long-range accuracy, but we’re going to be looking at these a bit differently than I have in the past. I’ve had John Huber from Huber Concepts on the podcast about six years ago and he’s back so I can pick his brain. John’s been into physics since he was a kid and eventually got into manufacturing methods. Today, he primarily builds triggers and muzzle breaks and he’s an expert at synchronizing the senses.
 
John and I talk about his trigger design and how he’s changed the design using mathematics to improve accuracy. It’s all about sensing pressure and recognizing moments in time so your senses sync up and you hit a target. It’s all about time and energy management, and John translates all the data he collects into mechanical engineering. We talk about timing when pulling a trigger and how John gets the trigger to break more in sync with natural human impulses.
 
Today’s selection of firearms and poundage in terms of triggers are made so we have to fit into their mold. I use a two-stage trigger and John talks about what that is and how it functions. From a usability standpoint, the two-stage can get you closer to that “trap” moment and cut down delay. We get into muzzle breaks and the math and physics involved to design them more efficiently. The calculations to make these improvements are complicated, but they make all the difference in terms of a great hunting or shooting experience.
 
What’s Inside:
John’s unique trigger design and how he came up with it.
How John uses mathematics to enhance trigger.
What a two-stage trigger is and how it functions.
Muzzle breaks and how they work.
Hunting stories from John.
 
Mentioned in this episode
Phoenix Shooting Bags save 20% with code johnstallone
Howl for Wildlife: https://www.howlforwildlife.org/
GoHunt: https://www.gohunt.com/
Huber Concepts
 
Short Description:. 
John Huber of Huber Concepts is an expert when it comes to building a better trigger. He works his magic by taking math and physics and translating it into mechanics to create an optimal shooting experience. We talk about how John “synchronizes the senses” and he also shares a couple of great hunting stories.
 
Tags:
big game hunting, hunting tips, hunting guide, big buck hunting, hunting stories, trigger, muzzle break, long-range accuracy

Graylight Hunter Marlon Holden into the mind of a Mule deer hunter

Marlon and I discuss mule deer hunting tactics and philosophy 
GRAYLIGHT
#giantbucks  #desertmuledeer #bigbucks #hoytbowhunting #muledeer #bowhunter #graylighthunter #mountainhunter