Sportsmen's Empire - Whitetail Hunting

On this episode, Pierce sits down with Eili Haight to dive into the unique world of operating a chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers on a college campus! Eli is a senior Wildlife Ecology & Management major, and the President of the UW Stevens Point chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers. In this conversation, Eli shares some of the things that make a BHA chapter on campus special, including learn to hunt events, opportunities for students to try new pursuits, residence hall wild game kitchens, a well-equipped gear library, research in Alaska, and tons more!Huge thanks...

In this episode, I sit down with Pastor Josh Franklin from Solid Rock Church for a real and honest conversation about faith, purpose, and the outdoors.We dive into what it truly means to have a relationship with Jesus—not just knowing about Him, but walking with Him daily. Pastor Josh shares his personal journey of growing in faith, the challenges he’s faced, and how staying rooted in Christ has shaped his life and leadership.We also talk about how faith and the outdoors connect in a powerful way. There’s something about being in the...

In this episode, Jon Teater discusses how to improve food plot design and support better crops. The discussion leads to a better understanding on why deer don’t eat brassica. Deer often walk right past corn and brassica, and there are tricks that can produce better crops, create more attraction, and get deer right where you want the. Jon discusses bigger habitat design models for food plot and why we often need to think ahead, and what practices will overall benefit our soils. TakeawaysFood plot design and layoutFoliar sprays for turnips, rape, radishHealthy pla...

In this solo episode of the We Do This Too Outdoors Podcast, I get real about what it means to stop hunting just for the deer and start hunting for the moment. The sunrise. The quiet woods. The sound of leaves moving. The time spent sitting in a tree. The memories made with family and friends. The lessons God teaches us when we're willing to slow down and listen.We put a lot of pressure on ourselves to fill tags, chase bigger bucks, and make every hunt successful. But what if success in the outdoors isn't always...

A raw 9/11 conversation turns into something bigger: perspective, grit, and the uncomfortable question of what we owe our kids, our country, and each other. Dan Johnson and Kyle start with family, wrestling, and the pressure of young athletes proving themselves, then pivot into a powerful reflection on how tragedy changes the way we see failure, sacrifice, and what really matters.Dan shares what it means to prepare his daughter for a brutal wrestle-off, not just physically, but emotionally—including how to lose with grace when the outcome matters most. Kyle adds the therapist’s lens, the athlete’s mind...

What actually stays in your pack when it’s time to hunt whitetails? On this episode of the Hunting Gear Podcast, Dan and Bob do a complete gear dump for the fall season. From grunt tubes and scent control to bow ropes and screw-in steps, if it takes up space in their packs, it’s getting talked about.Join the conversation on the Sportsmen's Empire Facebook and Instagram pages, or connect with Nine Finger Chronicles and Hybrid Outdoors. Let us know what gear never leaves your pack!Head to www.mybookie.ag, use...

EPISODE DESCRIPTION - Ready to publishColorado just changed the elk hunting game—and the next round of regulations could reshape how residents and non-residents chase tags, points, and opportunity. If you hunt the West, this is the kind of episode that can save you years of confusion and help you make smarter decisions before the 2028 changes take effect.Dan Johnson sits down with Colorado hunter Adam Parr to break down what is really happening with the state’s draw system, why archery tags went from over-the-counter to draw for non-residents, and how point creep has exploded in some...

Big deer hunting success comes down to two things most hunters get wrong: trigger control and finding the micro pocket that deer actually use. Dan Johnson breaks down how to resist shooting the first decent buck that walks by, why that discipline is the difference between filling a tag and chasing a true target buck, and how access routes, bedding edges, and staging areas can completely change your odds.He also shares the real-world thinking behind hunting pressure, trail camera strategy, and why the smallest overlooked pocket in thick cover often holds the oldest deer on the...

This episode centers on Johnny Bauman and his company, Tagged and Bagged, a hunting accessory brand built to help hunters transport birds properly to the taxidermist. The idea was born from a painful personal experience: losing a dog’s last retrieve to freezer burn. That moment inspired Johnny to create a higher-quality solution that protects birds and preserves the memories connected to them. The hosts relate to that purpose because they understand how much care goes into turning a hunt into a lasting keepsake.The conversation explains how Tagged and Bagged works and why it matters. The pr...

Connor Little welcomes Brandon Smith back to the podcast to celebrate the return of hunting season in Texas. They begin by recapping their opening-weekend dove hunts, discussing dry conditions, extreme heat, bird numbers, and the different experiences of hunting in North and South Texas. Connor also shares the story of his long drive south, a memorable breakfast-taco stop, and the advantages of using a 28-gauge shotgun for morning dove.The conversation expands into gear and strategy, including the differences between 28-, 20-, and 12-gauge shotguns, hunting ducks on large lakes, and the frustration of birds landing outside...

Every houndsman remembers his first.Your first dog.The first time you heard a hound open on a track.The first time you followed that voice through the dark.The first time you walked up to a tree with the game in it.The first dog that really meant something to you.But some of the best firsts come later.The first time your son or daughter hears a hound open.The first time they grab the lead.The first time...

Ten years changes the hunter, but maybe not in the way you think. Ryan Mead sits down with Dan Johnson to compare notes on a decade of bowhunting, deer behavior, and the hard truth that experience eventually changes how much you care about doing everything “perfect.”Ryan opens up about what has shifted most since his last appearance on Nine Finger Chronicles - from being overly cautious with trail cameras and stand access to prioritizing time, family, and high-percentage hunts over obsessive preseason perfection. Dan and Ryan break down how that mindset affects when to move cameras, when...

In this episode of the Pennsylvania Woodsman, Mitchell is joined by Ryan Burnett of Pattern Pros to talk about one of the most overlooked pieces of hunting preparation—actually knowing how your gun and ammunition perform together. Ryan explains how Pattern Pros grew from a frustrating day of shotgun patterning into a way for hunters to test multiple loads without buying full boxes of ammunition that may not work well in their gun. The guys walk through the process of properly patterning a shotgun at different distances, understanding point of aim versus point of impact, evaluating pattern density, and de...

On this episode of The Wisconsin Sportsman, Pierce is joined by Kent Boucher & Nicolas Lirio from Hoksey Native Seeds to discuss the benefits of prairie, and steps to take towards healthier land! In this conversation, the guys discuss Kent's unfortunate lifestyle choice of being a Chicago Bears fan, Nicolas' journey at Hoksey, drastic changes in Midwest ecology, small steps we can all take to make more conservation-minded decisions, how Hoksey's team can help you implement prairie successfully on your property, and tons more! Visit www.hokseynativeseeds.com to learn more and get in touch w...

In this episode, we sit down with Joe Miles of ASIO Gear to break down proven strategies for targeting mature bucks. From understanding pressure and movement patterns to dialing in your setup, Joe shares insights that can make the difference when it counts. We also dive into some of the newest ASIO Gear products and how they’re designed to give hunters an edge in the field. If you’re serious about chasing mature whitetails, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.Podcast brought to you by:Sportsmen’s empire <...

Vitalize Seed, Grandpa Ray Outdoors, Northwoods Whitetail, Real World Wildlife ProductsIn this episode, experts discuss the intricacies of land management, habitat design, and hunting strategies to optimize deer hunting success. They share insights on food plot design, deer behavior, and habitat enhancement to help hunters and land managers make informed decisions. The guests detail the perfect food plot acre, and all the factors that have gone into their perfect design.TakeawaysFood plot design and layoutDeer behavior and risk perceptionHabitat enhancement and edge featheringDeer movement and sanctuary creationRotation and diversity in food plotsImpact...

September deer hunting is changing fast, and the hunters who keep using August tactics are about to get left behind. Dan Johnson and Jason Thibodeau break down the second half of September, when drying beans, dropping acorns, shifting deer movement, and early crop harvests start rewriting the map right under your feet.If you need to figure out where deer are moving now - and how to stay ahead of them before the October opener - this conversation gives you the playbook. Dan and Jason get into what the landscape is telling you, why trail cameras are...

Y’all are always asking me and Trey how we got started in podcasting, what the early days looked like, what we struggled with, and how we went from just having an idea to actually building something people listen to.Well… we already had that conversation. So instead of making another episode telling the same story, I’m bringing THIS one back.In this episode, Trey Reed and I sit down and get real about our journeys as podcasters—from the early days of recording with limited gear, figuring out what the hell we were d...

A child murder case, a psychotic break, and a question nobody wants to answer: when does a broken mind become a crime that can never be forgiven?Dan and Kyle get into the Lindsay Clancy trial and the uncomfortable line between mental illness, accountability, and public outrage. What starts as a conversation about a headline-grabbing case quickly turns into something bigger - postpartum depression, psychosis, medication, the limits of the justice system, and how far a person can fall before anyone notices.You'll hear Dan and Kyle unpack the details of the case, the role...

Western Kansas Deer Hunting: Decoys, Glassing, and Mature Buck StrategyWestern Kansas hunting gets brutally honest here: when deer numbers fall, CWD spreads, and the wind never quits, how do you still find mature bucks? Travis Glassman breaks down the exact strategies he uses to stay on deer in one of the toughest crossover zones in the Midwest, where whitetails and mule deer live in the same country but behave like completely different animals.Dan Johnson catches up with Travis after years away from the show, and what unfolds is a practical, boots-on-the-ground conversation about hunting pressure, changing...