Okayest Hunter ®

Winter Scouting

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, and trusting the people actually doing the biology work. Along the way, we talk kids in the woods, adversity, mistakes, stolen trail cams, frozen fingers, missed opportunities, and the value of asking better questions instead of pretending you already know the answers. If you’re the kind of hunter who’s still thinking about last season, already poking around for next season, and trying to get a little better without getting louder or more arrogant about it, we've got you. Presented by Nosler Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An Okayest Year

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 Nosler. Shoot straight. Keep it tight. And try not to lose your boots in the marsh. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Hunting Ethics Collapse

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

The Hunting Family

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 “home” to the woods with you. If you’re a hunter who loves your family as much as you love the rut—and a spouse who’s ever felt like a hunting widow—this one’s for you. Don’t forget to follow, rate, and review on the new Okayest Podcast Network feed so more okayest hunters (and their better halves) can find the show. Presented by Nosler: CODE OHP for 20% OFF Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wisconsin Deer Camp

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, our wives who hold the fort down, and the deer that make all of this possible. Grab a bowl of chili, hug your people, and enjoy the deer camp recap. Enter our November Sweepstakes here: https://www.okayesthunter.com/pages/okayest-hunter-fred-bear-sweet-november-sweepstakes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices