Where To Hunt Wisconsin Podcast

If you hunt, fish, hike, bike, or take your kids to a local park in Wisconsin, there’s a good chance the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program helped make it possible. This week, we sit down with Charles Carlin of Gathering Waters and Team Knowles-Nelson to break down what the program actually does, why it’s wildly popular with voters, and why it’s on the verge of being completely defunded. We talk about matching grants, public access, trout streams, the Ice Age Trail, legislative gridlock, and what happens if funding hits zero on June 30. This is not abstract politics; moreover, it’s about access, habitat, and whether the next generation inherits more opportunity... or less. Take action here: https://action.knowlesnelson.org Learn more: https://knowlesnelson.org Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on the pod, we sit down with Milwaukee radio host Elizabeth Kay for a conversation that’s less about inches of antler and more about everlasting memories. Elizabeth didn’t grow up hunting. No g

This one’s a little different. No guest this week. Just a candid, behind-the-scenes conversation about how the Okayest Hunter went from a half-serious idea, a couple bad logos, and some pretty average deer… into a community, a media company, and something that we believe means a great deal to a lot of people. We talk about the early days. The first deer that didn’t score big but meant everything. Why humor mattered. Why ego didn’t. How deer shaming became the line in the sand we didn’t even realize we were drawing at first. And how stories (not antlers) ended up being the point. This episode digs into the evolution of the brand, the podcast, the network, and the mindset behind it all: hunting as a grounding force, not a scoreboard. A space where kindness beats clout, where your tag is your tag, and where a “small” deer can still carry a big story. We also get honest about the business side. The risks. The mistakes. The merch boxes stacked in home offices. The trade shows that barely broke even. The realiz

Moving states is one thing. Moving your family, your career, and your entire hunting identity is something else entirely. In this episode, we sit down with Justin Synan to talk through the real story behind his move from Virginia to Kentucky and ultimately to Iowa. We dig into what actually drives those decisions: family, faith, frustration, opportunity, and the reality of chasing big whitetails without losing yourself along the way. We talk about the culture shock of new states, the realities of hunting pressure and baiting laws, why you can’t just “trip into” a big deer, and how expectations can quietly ruin the experience if you’re not careful. Justin opens up about what worked, what didn’t, and how perspective changes when kids, marriage, and long-term goals start weighing more than inches of antler. It’s a candid conversation about risk, patience, and figuring out what “success” actually looks like, both in the woods and at home. If you’ve ever daydreamed about moving to a whitetail mecca, felt stuck

Laryngitis turns into an unexpected advantage as the conversation slows down and gets more thoughtful than usual. What starts as trade show chatter quickly becomes a grounded discussion about bows built for real hunting situations, not just spec sheets. Ryan Shutts from Bear Archery joins to walk through the thinking behind their 2026 lineup of bows like the Redeem, Alaskan Pro, Resilient, Adapt HP, and more. The focus stays on adjustability, forgiveness, and why confidence and comfort matter more than chasing maximum numbers. There is plenty of talk about short draw lengths, aging shoulders, youth shooters, and bows that can grow with someone or be passed down instead of replaced. Along the way, there are side tangents on trade show chaos, overengineering, minivans, and why Bear continues to be a first love for so many bowhunters and a brand people return to later in life. A practical, honest look at archery gear through the lens of actually hunting deer and enjoying the process. Presented by Nosler Lea

In this episode, Derek recaps the scouting, access, and short-lived hunt for his 2025 WI public land buck.  Derek dives into the scouting process to find the location, the reasons he didn’t hunt this spot for 3 years, and the way he positioned and used timely intel from a camera to know it was time to get into the bedding area and make an aggressive move.  Although the access was less than ideal and led to Derek dripping water from his perch high in a tree, swinging in his Latitude saddle, he stayed warm long enough to arrow a buck sneaking back into the bedding pocket. We examine a few maps of an example location similar to the one where Derek harvested his buck and discuss the access route and choice of stand location.  Hopefully, you enjoy the story and can pick up a thing or two from the process he used to tag a bruiser of a SE WI buck. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

So, this week we kicked this one off by wondering where you’re actually listening to us (dog walk? treadmill? treestand?… hopefully not on the can...). Then we bounce from ATA into “staying hunt ready” the only way we know how; half gear talk, half real-life chaos, and a little bit of “don’t pee into the wind” wisdom that absolutely belongs in a hunting handbook. We recap the feel of ATA this year (more reunion than rave), catch up on seeing partners and buddies in-person, and talk through what actually matters about new gear—specs aside. Latitude’s new whitetail-focused packs (Praxis + Flyer) get broken down in plain English: why you’d care, what problems they solve, and which type of hunter they seem built for (from “all-day grind” to “two-hour grab-and-go”). From there we get into the real “hunt ready” stuff: dialing in a quiet and efficient mobile system, small upgrades that make a big difference, shooting through the offseason, and why archery leagues might be the most underrated confidence-builder y

New year. Same woods. Slightly better questions. This episode starts exactly how most seasons do for us: Drinks in hand, gear scattered, kids distracting us, and our brains still half-stuck in last season. From there, it turns into a wide-ranging, boots-on-the-ground conversation about what actually matters once the tags are filled and the pressure is off. We dig into postseason scouting, reading why deer use certain spots instead of just where, and how historical sign, fresh sign, terrain, and transitions all start telling a bigger story when you slow down enough to pay attention to the details. There’s talk of interior edges, overlooked pockets, daylight movement, camera intel, and when aggression helps versus when it hurts. But it’s not just tactics. We also unpack the tension between “hunt your own hunt” and herd health, the responsibility hunters carry whether they like it or not, and why sound wildlife management doesn’t live in comment sections or hot takes. It lives in nuance, regional context,

We hit record, crack jokes, and somehow end up doing a full 2025 deer season year-in-review with the crew—public land chaos, private land chirping, a perfectly-orchestrated deer drive, and the universal truth that the freezer doesn’t fill itself (unfortunately). You’ll hear: Tyler’s first real taste of public land deer hunting (and the humbling that comes with it) The Thanksgiving-ish deer drive that turned into a full-blown tradition Matt’s “dumb luck” story that includes a 47-yard double-lung from the ground… after ditching the camera (as is tradition) Derek’s heater of a season across Wisconsin + Illinois, capped by the best kind of win: his son taking his first deer A few real talk moments on what Okayest Hunter actually stands for—kindness isn’t weakness, community matters, and the loudest negativity doesn’t get to define the mission It’s funny, it’s rowdy, it’s heartfelt in the least convenient way… and it’s the perfect sendoff into almost 2026. Brought to you by Nosl

This week, we dig into one of the wildest public-land stories you’ll ever hear: the real-life unraveling of an albino deer poaching case, caught on camera and traced step-by-step across a marsh in Wisconsin. We break down the ethics, the law, the selfishness debate, and the tension between technology, responsibility, and what it really means to hunt with integrity. From cell cams to drones to deer camp dynamics, this one pulls apart the whole mess with honesty, humor, and a hard look at what hunters owe each other. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Walking out the door to the deer woods feels a lot different when there’s a spouse at home, kids melting down, and a to-do list a mile long. Hunting fills your cup, but sometimes it drains everyone else’s. On this episode of the Okayest Hunter Podcast, Eric and Derek tackle the “taboo” topic almost no hunting shows touch: what deer season really does to marriages, families, and modern dads. We talk honestly about guilt, selfishness, “hunting season survivor” spouses, and how easy it is to overdraft your family’s emotional bank account chasing a few precious sits in November. We also share the story behind our Sweet November Sweepstakes, why we had to nuke our old Apple Podcasts feed (and all the reviews with it), and how the Okayest community rallied to rebuild ratings from scratch. There’s a live winner draw, plenty of laughs about tech issues and vertical video chaos, and some surprisingly heavy moments about generational deer camp, getting kids involved, and raising a family that still wants to come “h

Deer hearts on the cutting board, chili on the stove, and kids shaking in their boots at first light, this one’s pure deer camp. We break down Derek's son Gus dropping his first gun-season doe with the .350 Legend, from the shaky hands and cold toes to calling grandma and grandpa with the news and dragging her out as three generations share the moment. We swap deer camp hunting stories with the .300 Win Mag, Damien’s swamp donkey drag from hell, and Derek's buddy Mike finally tagging a big, wide 7-pointer after nearly three decades of grinding it out on tough ground. Of course, we talk about the viral Clayton gag video, soft-handed internet haters, buck shaming, tattoos for deer camp, and why we’re still fighting for a hunting culture where any legal deer is worth celebrating. There’s some gear talk and housekeeping too: Nosler’s Black Friday deals, Latitude, Gerber, Rack Hub, a Moultrie Edge Solar cam giveaway, and our loaded November sweepstakes. We wrap it all in gratitude—for our kids, our buddies,

Deer Camp week is finally here, and Eric's deer camp buddies show up in full force. Clayton’s rocking the rut-stache, Colton makes his podcast debut, Joel’s ready to hunt the thick stuff, Mike’s on Celsius all caffeinated up, and Eric’s just trying to keep the cords plugged in and the bourbon upright. Calls come in, stories fly, and somehow we cover everything from crossbows to childhood trauma, dolphin tattoos, chili debates, Mallort curses, cabin chaos, Kwik Trip addictions, dads getting stuck in trucks, and the annual reminder that nobody gags harder during a gut job than Clayton. Shane calls in to share he's heading to Adams County, Wisconsin. Colton learns what he definitely doesn’t want to grow into. And the crew tries (and fails) to stay on a single topic for more than 11 seconds. It’s the most unhinged, authentic, big-buck-dreaming, belly-laughing Deer Camp episode we’ve ever recorded. Sorry, kinda. Good luck this weekend. Stay safe, shoot straight, and may your Mallort shot not curse your seaso

The rut is in full swing across Wisconsin! Eric, Greg, and the Okayest Hunter crew swap stories about missed shots, grunting bucks, and the kind of chaos only November can bring. From public land heartbreaks to private land success, this episode dives deep into the madness of the whitetail rut, listener call-ins, and real talk about what keeps us chasing deer season after season. Presented by ⁠Nosler Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The boys are back in the studio, and this episode captures everything we love about November deer season: chaos, laughter, and a little bit of rut-crazed magic. Eric, Derek, and the Okayest Hunter podcast listeners trade stories about lost gear, hernias, and arm-wrestling gone wrong before diving into real hunting talk—rifle sight-ins, saddle setups, and the eternal struggle between safety and convenience in the tree. As calls roll in from listeners across the country, we get live rut reports from Wisconsin, New York, and beyond—bucks chasing, wolves appearing out of nowhere, and the kind of adrenaline-filled encounters that remind you why November is sacred. There’s even a few surprise guests, from moms dropping big deer to first-timers filling tags the Okayest way. If you’re looking for deer camp energy and a reminder that we’re all just big kids building tree forts with bows, this one’s for you. Brought to you by: Nosler, Latitude Outdoors, Gerber Gear, Rack-Hub, and your favorite deer camp traditio

Dylan Keith joins the crew to share one of the wildest public land hunting stories we’ve heard yet... from overcoming fear and hunting alone, to dropping a big Wisconsin buck… and earning himself a double hernia in the process. It’s a story about grit, growth, and why you never leave before last light. Presented by: Nosler Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we’re joined by Kevin Vistisen from the Deer Hunter Podcast for an honest and entertaining deer camp chat. We cover everything from the science of deer vision and UV light, to why camo patterns might be more for people than deer, and how ego, gear, and gratitude shape the modern hunter. It’s equal parts science, storytelling, and Okayest Hunter banter, and brutally honest takes about hunting culture today. Presented by Nosler Shoutout to our partners, Latitude Outdoors, Gerber Gear, and Rack Hub. Hunt your own hunt. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Two bucks down, plenty of laughs, and a whole lot of chaos. The crew sits down to swap stories from an unforgettable week in the deer woods, where years of friendship, scouting, and sheer grit finally pay off. From youth hunts to public land redemption, this one’s packed with lessons on patience, pressure, and what it really means to hunt your own hunt. It's story time in the Okayest Hunter studio. Presented by: Nosler Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We sat down with Before the Echo’s Josh Teulker to talk about how priorities shift in hunting, and life, as we get older. From a guy who’s got 20 mounts collecting dust, Josh shares how chasing inches slowly gave way to chasing memories. We get into what happens in that ten-second window before the shot, why ego and antlers are often confused for value, and how hunting with friends (or your kids) changes everything. It’s equal parts campfire talk and reality check, with plenty of laughs about crow calls, EHD, and how no one ever talked trash at the old deer check stations. Presented by Nosler: Use Code OHP for 20% Off Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does it really mean to be a deer hunter? In this episode of the Okayest Hunter Podcast, we sit down to talk with John Stellflue about the stages of a hunter’s journey: shooting, limiting out, chasing trophies, and finally finding meaning in memories, camaraderie, and time afield. From big buck fever and scoring disappointment to lessons learned as fathers, mentors, and friends, this conversation digs into the culture of deer hunting, ego, and why camp matters more than inches of antler. Presented by: https://www.nosler.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices