Speaker 1: 0:00

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Speaker 1: 1:11

going on, guys, thank you for having me no problem, I mean a lot of, especially if you're you're bow hunting new jersey. I mean, I remember following, starting to follow along, um with the jersey outdoors uh, instagram that you guys had created over there. You guys got yourselves a pretty good team. Now you also have your your own personal hunting page. It looks, looks like maddie butts outdoors, um, you know. But give, give the people out there a quick backstory uh, all right.

Speaker 2: 1:39

So, honestly, you know, as I was growing up, you would see stuff on TV and social media. Back then it really wasn't a big social media, but you would see stuff on TV and YouTube and these guys hunting out west. There was never anything in Jersey to like, in a way, teach you and show you. You know what's going on. So, as I was younger and coming up hunting and fishing and everything, and I said, wow, you know what's going on. So, as I was younger and coming up hunting and fishing and everything, and I said, wow, you know, one day I would love to, to have something to show people in jersey like there is good deer here, like we're not illinois hunting, but we are jersey hunting and there is there's awesome deer here and there's awesome hunting here so yeah, no, I, I agree, you go ahead that's I was gonna say that's where that's where it kind of started.

Speaker 2: 2:28

You know, jersey outdoors and and it was honestly um, you know a group of us, just good friends, who all love the same thing and just would, like you know, go out and fish and and fish hard and hunt hard and and spend time in the woods and doing everything like that that we just love and we just wanted to to show people like, hey, listen, you know this, whether it's hunting or fishing, like you can do this stuff in jersey, because it was never like a big thing, you know I think um jersey's still and it's all I think it's always still going to be a looked over state.

Speaker 1: 3:06

But, uh, you know, that's one of the things that you know big part of why we created this podcast and to give um new jersey hunters and fishermen on a platform to speak. And you know it's grown into, you know going everywhere and you know giving everyone else the opportunity to speak. But you're right, like when you first I mean what I think started following the page in 2013, because that's when I created this account and it was just you guys, obviously, gerard, but that's really like I'm trying to think that's really about it. I mean, obviously, social media is not where it is, like you said, not where it is today and everything like that, but you never saw that. Still to this day, I still think you just don't see the way down to North and South Carolina. And if you want to keep going, you know, even further, there's just so much vast opportunities for fishing and hunting. I mean Jersey alone. You know we have, I say we have big deer, we have big bears, we have coyotes. You know waterfowl hunting. You know turkeys.

Speaker 2: 4:24

And then you know, know we're not even talking about fishing right, and there's the array of hunting here is is so you know why? Because you you do have everything. You have upland small game. There's so much hunting here and it's it is looked over a lot and that's where that whole jersey outdoors came from yeah, so you know what?

Speaker 1: 4:43

when did you guys start? When'd you guys originally start that page?

Speaker 2: 4:47

I want to say that was like 2012. Okay, it wasn't at the time, it wasn't this big. I'm not even saying like it's a it's a big thing, but like you know it's, it was just not like an instagram just to show people like, hey, you know, we're fishing, we're hunting and and we're doing this here in jersey. And it wasn't like, um, you know, I think at fishing we're hunting and we're doing this here in Jersey, and it wasn't like you know. I think at the time when it first started, it was like next to nothing followers, and then it just kind of just kept going and growing and then we got more people involved in it and our team that's you know. I mean, you could see our team puts in a ton of work to get the success that we've been getting ton of work to get the success that we've been getting.

Speaker 1: 5:29

Yeah, no, I mean it's. It's just looking at that page alone and anyone who looks at it, it's like it's quite amazing to not only see the work but, you know, the quality, the quantity. I I want to. You know, really it's not always about the biggest deer, but you guys shoot a lot of deer. I mean, you look at some of your posts and one of them that I think uh always comes to mind when dom shot that, uh, that doe on on the deer drive, um, yes, I, that that one is always.

Speaker 1: 5:56

I remember first seeing that and that was that was absolutely insane. And I feel like you know doing what you guys do, you guys have fun and that's like the most important thing. It's about fun, family, tradition, friendship, it it's all. This is what hunting really is, you know, and it's so in a, a state that we're so such a liberal state and it's looked so down upon and people think the worst of us. But this really shows the best of us and why we hunt. And you know, it's not all about killing, but it's the family, it's the friendship, it's the long-term memories.

Speaker 2: 6:34

Absolutely. And I mean, you know, kind of going off of what you just said was you know, a lot of people started hunting and doing this thing because it's like the new cool thing to do, like we've been doing this. You know, like we we've been doing this and and it's not even like it's for, um, you know, I guess like clout or fame, whatever you want to call it, like publicity, like it's not even before that. It started way before that, like before these tiktoks and and things like that were made, like we've been doing it. You know, so we're not like new to this and just we're not doing it for like a rise and followers and this that like we're doing because this is our passion and this is what we love to do yeah, no, I, I 100 there with you.

Speaker 1: 7:22

I mean, it all started it was all you know, just to show, and that's always tell people like, well, why'd you do it? I go, I didn't mean to do this, this was not in like. You know, I didn't think of that. You know I was going to be doing this 10 years ago. You know, when I first Originally started the page, it was to show people. You know just my passion for hunting and fishing in the outdoors, camping every avenue that you know everyday people on my personal page don't really want to see. You know, and I created this specifically for, you know, hunters, fishermen, and just to engage. And then it's just grown into something completely else.

Speaker 1: 8:03

But you know, I think doing it for I think Instagram tick tock has been a negative effect. I mean, there's a lot of positive things too, but there's a lot of people doing it for the wrong reasons, you know. First of all, I will tell you I hate despise tick took with them with an absolute passion. I think they are the biggest joke social media platform out there. I mean, almost all my videos get first of all taken down, but if I was a woman showing my boobs and ass and everything like that.

Speaker 1: 8:42

It would be completely fine on Tik TOK and you know all just these other things, but it's like man, I'm I'm not even showing killing, like me shooting an animal and I'm getting stuff taken down. I'm like what, what do you want me to do? I mean, I just want to show you know what what we're all about and grow you know the outdoors as best as I can. But TikTok has really made that um impossible, but also has grown a platform for, I think, the uh and I don't want to disrespect anyone out here, but the, the wannabes, that's, that's what I'll say like more of the wannabes and just do it for show and just not really hunt, um, you know, put it, put more of a I guess, a bad name on on what we really are.

Speaker 2: 9:23

Absolutely, and you know what. It's funny, I deleted TikTok, you know. I know like what you said is you're not trying to offend these people, but listen, if this is what it is, we're going to offend some people because on there who are doing things and you're just like you know, I don't know All these new trends and things like that when it comes to hunting and fishing, and it's just like I remember. You know, like the best pro hats, right, nobody ever wore bass pro hat. And then all of a sudden you see all these kids in the gym and and out and on streets wearing the best pro hat and then what a bass is. You know, like they never even stepped foot in the store until they saw it became like a popular thing right.

Speaker 1: 10:05

I mean it's crazy like I've been to some places too and it's like I'll be at a bar and like someone's like decked out and like camo, I'm like, oh, like cool, like you hunt everything, like no, I just, you know, makes me, it makes me be like it's like the cool thing to be the country boy, but it's like you don't do anything country yeah, no you know, and it's funny because, like some certain people, they'll, they'll wear that and they'd be like yeah, well, well, you're black, so you're not.

Speaker 1: 10:30

I go. What are you talking about? I go. First of all, let me tell you something. I am more country than you ever will be right. I hunt, I fish, I camp, I drive a big truck. I like to be dirty, I like to get my hands dirty and everything like that. Listen, I'll be a, I'll love to be a farm boy, like that's my dream. To get my own farm, to farm all goddamn day to you know, hunt, fish and just live off the farm. I'm like. But what do you do? You work what? In new york city, on wall street, you listen to some country music.

Speaker 2: 11:00

That that's makes you country and if you listen to the new lu Bryan man, you're country, let me tell you.

Speaker 1: 11:08

Some people definitely are getting offended right now.

Speaker 2: 11:10

Oh, sure For sure. But listen, I'm going to tell you what that's us, that's me, and if you don't like it, I'll rip you. If you don't like it, turn the channel off.

Speaker 1: 11:19

I don't know I love it, I love it, I love it, but 100 percent right. So when did it all start for you? You know, you grew up in the outdoors. What was your first memory of you know, hunting, fishing, doing, doing whatever in the outdoors?

Speaker 2: 11:33

So I've been fishing in the woods since I'm young Like I'm talking, you know, probably four or five years old, fishing and even even a little, probably a little bit younger. I mean, there's pictures of me sitting there in my living room like fishing and not catching on anything. Obviously I'm in my living room but just casting my rod and filling it in and learning how to do stuff, um, but the hunting came a little bit later. You know, my, my father didn't hunt, so I didn't really have a, uh, you know a father figure to show me like had a hunt, but one of my best friends hunted, so I would go with him and we would just go scout deer and and that's what I picked up on and learning like what a rub was, what a scrape was, and um, you know things like that.

Speaker 2: 12:14

And it just interested me and and I grew this passion for it and I said like, wow, I saw something that a lot of people don't see every day. You know, most people do their nine to five, come home and go on computer, whatever they do, and they don't even know there's this whole other world out there. Yeah, you know, and um, so it started like that and it just snowballed and, uh, you know, I started realizing how to, how to really like, how to do things, and taught myself. And then I linked up with, with friends who are my best friends today and and we all started sharing ideas and teaching each other and yeah, I mean our.

Speaker 2: 12:58

You know, we got where we are.

Speaker 1: 13:01

Yeah, no, and I love, I love how that said like fishing, fishing. It started with fishing and then it's just grown into something. Just yet again you look back at it, what 20 years ago? And it's like man, I I never thought I would have been where I am.

Speaker 1: 13:16

You know, you, you grow up fishing and of course I feel like that might be the the most common thing, especially if you're you know you don't have a father figure to show you the hunting who never hunted. You know, usually if you're not in that hunting family, it's very it's a tough sport to get into, you know. But once you're into it the switch just turns and then all of a sudden it's like man, I wish I was doing this from, yeah, five years old. Like you know, I love fishing, don't get me wrong, I do, but to me it just doesn't compare to hunting. I haven't, I haven't been able to really fish properly since, like I've gotten so swept up in and hunting. And now it's gone from, you know, turkey season to constantly scouting, to all the prep work with with that, and you know, then deer hunting, bear hunting, now I'm I'm absolute fiend for bear hunting, now waterfowl hunting and everything.

Speaker 2: 14:13

so it's it's just non-stop, like where it doesn't stop ever you know, and that's awesome, though, because a lot of people may come into this um very prejudiced and just be like, listen, I, I just want to deer hunt. And then next thing you know, they're out there pheasant hunting. Like me, I was never a big pheasant hunter. And one of my buddies said, dude, come pheasant hunting, come pheasant hunting. And I'm like, ah no, it's not me.

Speaker 1: 14:48

And I went and I absolutely fell in love with it, to the point where I tried to get a dog and we go all the time. You know, I love that, that, that's, that's. That's a dream. I think pheasant hunting is the next thing that I've done it before. It's the next thing I need to get hooked up on. You know it's, it's tough doing it without a dog and that's that's what I. You know that's the tough thing, um, you know, but everything else like it. Just, I never thought I was going to get hooked on waterfowl hunting and then now you know, I'm planning on getting my own decoys, doing all these things.

Speaker 2: 15:08

It's like, well, there goes more money that I don't have and you know, if we're going to get into it, we're going to get into it, but the what I'm oh, all right, it's getting it's getting my blood boiling now, you know it's harder and harder to hunt nowadays because, you know, I grew up in Monmouth County and watching Monmouth County from from growth to where it is now, and it's just apartment buildings, strip malls, the farms that I saw like growing up are just you know, retirement homes and it's like these people growing up are just you know retirement homes and it's like these people just keep coming, you know, and building and it's ruining hunting and it's ruining like, in my opinion, it's ruining everything no, I, I agree, and like it's not, like you said, it's ruining everything.

Speaker 1: 16:00

You know you're, you're not just looking at, at hunting, you're just looking at the over. First of all, our world, our country is just fucked right now. You know, and I think a big part is that our world is so used to having trees everywhere and now it's slowly just gone almost nowhere. I mean I, I just got home from from england on vacation and I mean being out there was just like, especially in the north, it's just like you don't see. I'd be like, wow, we're taking a train. It's like these stay farmlands. You know that they don't want the retirement home there, the shopping mall there, the center there, like they they didn't have, like we have. Of course there's, there's pockets of it, but it seems like everywhere now you go here in america, you know that block of woods is now new housing, new apartments, new, a new strip where it's like why the hell do they just put a whole new strip? I don't need another taco bell there, I really don't or a wawa right or a wawa, wawa, quick check 7-eleven a gas it.

Speaker 1: 17:11

To me it's the most frustrating thing and I'm it's very scary to think about what it's going to be when our kids get older. And that's like that's the scary part, because if you talk to the old timers, I imagine they were feeling the same way. You know, and look where, look where they're at now.

Speaker 2: 17:29

I feel like an old timer, like I remember, you know, when I was younger my parents would be like, oh, when we bought this house, those were all apple orchards over there. And now I'm like those are new developments, you know. And like when I was younger, right across from our school was all horse farms, and now it's all developments. And I feel like that old timer saying like, wow, that that piece of words right there is where I shot my first deer, and now it's all townhouses, you know, and it's sad to say, and it's like my kids are not going to be able to experience what I've experienced and be able to do the things, because there's not going to be anywhere for them to do it.

Speaker 1: 18:05

I think I had a nightmare like a month ago and I remember it because it was my hunting spot literally turned into a like they're doing construction or something on it, and I was so pissed in the dream Cause I'm like my camera's there, my, like this is where, like this, I've been hunting this spot for like 10 years. I was I was fuming in my dream and I woke up and I was actually like it was a cold sweat. It was a nightmare like I was like I'm starting to get paranoid about like you just never know at this point what is going to be developed, what's next, and it's you know where. And then you, you have these people that are complaining about animals oh the deer in my garden, the deer doing this. Oh the bear here, yada, yada, yada. Well, what the hell do you expect to happen?

Speaker 1: 18:50

I was a 911 dispatcher for a little bit. In between doing what I'm doing now, I took a break and I wanted to go do that for a little bit. And you know we got a call one day a little bit. And you know we got a call one day and I'll never forget it was some guy called. He goes yeah, um, we, I have rabbits in my, in my yard. Can I shoot them? And I was like no, we there's, we don't have, there's no discharge. Like you, you live in a town where you cannot do that. He goes, so you're telling me I can't shoot them. I go yes, I am telling you you can't shoot them. If you shoot them, we are going to send the police over there and they're going to arrest you. He goes well, what do I do with them? I go, leave them alone. They're in their natural. You moved into their, into their habitat. Just leave them alone. They're rabbits. What? Who cares?

Speaker 1: 19:43

nothing, you know they don't do anything they're. They're rabbits. They're gonna eat some grass, and that's about it. Maybe a fox will kill it, maybe a cat will kill it. You know what?

Speaker 2: 19:52

let let evolution play out the way it needs to play out, and and that's about it right, yeah, and you know, with, with that being said, like so, so I remember it's funny, like you bring up your dispatcher. I remember being, you know, younger and this was maybe this had to be like maybe six, seven years ago. And there's this retention basin in this neighborhood and I went there because it was a good little fishing spot and I'm sitting there fishing and all the cops roll up on me and I'm like what's going on? And they on and they're like, yeah, you know, somebody in this neighborhood called. They don't want you fishing here. I said, okay, I, you know, I understand that, you know, but it's not like I'm sitting here wrecking the place, I'm not playing loud music, all I'm doing is fishing.

Speaker 2: 20:38

Now, respectfully, I wasn't going to cause an issue to the cops. Um, you know I left, but I I was like you know these people, they move here from new york and they're trying to make this new york and like, listen, I don't understand where. It's like what? There's nothing wrong with a kid fishing. There's. There's nothing wrong if the kid was out there creating, you know, disturbance and this and that, okay, call the cops. But the kid is fishing. Maybe walk out and say hey, how's it going. We live in this house. You know it's nice to see a kid fishing the kids that you can see he's doing drugs, he's not. You know what I'm saying. Like get in trouble.

Speaker 1: 21:16

I don't know, it's a shame. It really is a shame, you know. And then that's a big turnoff for for someone who maybe that person doesn't want to go fishing anymore. You know, maybe that person doesn't. It turns people off from doing what we're being able, what we should be able to do, because no one wants to be, you know, annoyed. No one wants to be bothered by something where it's like all right, this may be my hour to two hours. I get a chance to go go fish at a pond real quick. The last thing I want to do is be bothered. Maybe my my at home life I get bothered. Maybe at work I'm. I'm being bothered like you're dealing with people constantly. Cool thing about hunting and fishing for the most part you get to, you get to be you out in nature and just breathe and relax and kind of decompress, and you know from your your stressful life. But now you're getting bothered by some asshole who's who called the cops for you doing you know what you love to do. That's, that's tough.

Speaker 2: 22:17

It's not the cops, because they're doing their job Right.

Speaker 1: 22:19

Exactly.

Speaker 2: 22:20

Cops at all. It's, um, you know it's. It's like I said, it's people who moved here from new york. Is this, this particular spot? It used to be a farm pond and this was built like these houses were built on a farm. And then they here, and it's all people from from new york which, hey, listen, you know what, I get it. People move for whatever reason. So I'm not blaming that, but I don't know exactly. You know what I get it. People move for whatever reason. So I'm not blaming that, but I don't know exactly. You know for you.

Speaker 2: 22:45

But within since COVID happened, I don't know man, a lot of people moved out here from New York and they're just taking over everything. And then you get these guys who, who are from New York, that don't really have the same ethics and moral code as someone who you know grew up in this town and knows this guy, and says, listen, man, we don't do that here, you know, like we don't just trespass on somebody's property to go hunt, you know. And you get these people who just come down here and just do whatever they want.

Speaker 1: 23:14

Yeah, unfortunately, I live in summit so I'm right by, I'm not far away. I could see the city from my roof. So we get all those New Yorkers who they all live in. You know a lot of the guys who work in New York. They live in my town, right, very high end town. I only know I hunt. And then I know my buddies they go by Uncle Larry's Outdoors on Instagram. They're, you know, they're from my town.

Speaker 1: 23:41

We all grew up like together and we all went to school together and like that. And it was funny because when we started doing the podcast they had started their you know their fishing page, you know, and I was like yo, you want to, you want to jump on, and they're like dude, I had no idea this whole entire time that we've basically went to elementary school and everything like that all around. We just we never knew that we were into the outdoors Like they fished, I fished, you know, I hunted, um, and I think I know maybe, like maybe one or two more people that hunt, maybe, but then, yet again, you get those those fake country boys that that wear the camo, that wear the you know the all all that and you know, try to be what they're really not. Um, you know the all, all that and you know, try to be what they're really not. Um, you know, but that's that's kind of my town.

Speaker 1: 24:24

You know, I'm trying to move to one of those places where I can do that, but yet again, everyone from New York city since COVID has moved out here and now they can, they can outbid the shit out of me Like I'm. I'm may never get a freaking house with with property and farmland, because it costs an arm and a leg. And some rich asshole from New York City and it's already happened already where you know there's been things that we wanted to do and you know you just get some rich, rich person from New York or something like that they beat you to it and they can offer X amount of cash and it's like, well, can't beat that. So you know I'm kind of shit out of luck.

Speaker 2: 25:03

Dude, that's a whole other topic we could get into. Trust me, monmouth County is blooming. You got Marlboro and everything and it's a lot of people from Staten Island and New York and it's like, you know, there's a couple Restaurants you can go to and On a Thursday, friday night it's like All mobsters and you're like man, what happened? This is never liked this. You know, we used to hang out in this parking lot and drink beers and now this is a strip mall. You know.

Speaker 1: 25:34

Oh man, but um. So when um, you know when you started to get into hunting and everything like that, what was your first hunting year? Can you remember the details? Were you one of those people First of all? Were you bow hunting? Was it with the gun? What were you doing at that time?

Speaker 2: 25:52

All right. So I've always bow hunted and I'm going to tell you a story Definitely embarrassing, and I'm definitely going to gonna. You know, I should probably just keep my mouth shut, but it's, it's a good story and I'm happy it happened because it honestly gets a lot of laughs. So I'm younger, I'm hunting, um, you know, I've hunted when I was younger. I never really got anything, you know, I really didn't know, um, but I I got the experience right and I'm a little older, I was, you know, I was able to harvest those and I never really harvest like a mature rack buck, um, so as I got older and started hunting more, you know, I basically self-taught, right.

Speaker 2: 26:38

So I go out hunting one night on private property that I have permission to be on. It was my stepfather's property, and how it goes is there's a field, it's five acres, there's field with woods, and then it goes to the neighbor's property, which is all field which I also have on, and uh, so it's just getting dark out and I'm up in the stand and, and you know, I'm like you know what, I'll climb down because you got that gray light. You know, you still got some time out in the field before you, you know, before it gets completely dark and um and like I said, man, this is maybe I never really shot a big buck and I get that out of my stand and there's all tall grass, like all high you know high grass and weeds and stuff. And I look and it's right around the rut. And I'll never forget, man, I see this buck standing there and I see his tail moving and I'm like, holy shit, you know, my heart starts pounding. I'm like I'm going to shoot this deer.

Speaker 2: 27:43

So I start, like army, crawling through this tall grass and I got like 40 yards from it, 35, 40 yards and I'm like you know what, I kneel up, I pull my bow back and and I put my sight on it, I'm like, all right, ready, one, two, three shoot. I shoot and I see a spark. I'm like what the fuck was that? And all of a sudden I hear this dude scream from up in a tree what are you doing? I'm like, and I was so confused, I'm like what's going on? And he calls like you shot my decoy. Oh no, I'm like what do you mean, your decoy? He's like that's my decoy. I'm like, man, I definitely just smoked your decoy, so I walked my arrow out of it. It was when rages like just became popular and I put a like what I tell you. I put like a two inch hole in this dude's decoy and I'm like, listen, man, you know I didn't know anybody was hunting here.

Speaker 1: 28:35

I was under the impression.

Speaker 2: 28:36

I'm the only one that hunts here. I said I saw the tail moving, but what he did was he stuck um, he sprayed paper towel with with like dominant bug spray and and he stuck it on the tail. So me smart I'm thinking it's a deer like dude when I tell you I this is like my first time really out hunting by myself, so it's as embarrassing as it is, it is funny.

Speaker 1: 29:02

I offered those are the stories I love. I love stories like that. First of all, quick question was it a lethal shot?

Speaker 2: 29:09

dude it was. It was totally lethal, like I could still see. It was totally lethal, I could still see, and I was. I had permission to be right where I was and, oh my god, it just, it just so happens that this guy had also gotten permission to hunt, but the the owner never told me that, hey, I'm allowing this gentleman to hunt. Yeah, so when I when I um, you know, when I saw this deer and it was a buck, it was a rat man, and I was like, dude, I'm gonna shoot this buck, it's gonna be my first book. And uh, sure as shit, man it was, it was some dude's decoy oh my god, that's insane.

Speaker 1: 29:47

I mean, yeah, is it? I don't hear it often, but, like I'm always so surprised that it doesn't happen more often. I saw a video um on instagram during turkey season nobody talks about it because of how embarrassing it is listen, I, I see I would talk, I would so talk about it.

Speaker 1: 30:04

Like you know, shit happens. Like you know, yeah, it's embarrassing. Listen, I've had some embarrassing things happen too. You know, um, you know it's the woods, especially when you're out there early in the morning. Listen when that belly's rumbling. You, when you gotta go, you gotta go, you know. So there's sometimes I'll if, especially if you leave your eye.

Speaker 1: 30:24

Now, one of the most important things that was told to me this is my buddy Kyle is always have, like toilet paper or you know, a dude wipe or something like that. Right, forgot it in my bag one day. I had nothing else, went in with socks, went out without socks and then there you go, like you know, when you got to go, you got to go. I actually, three years ago I was, you know, for anyone who's listening, who's already heard the story, you'll remember this and anyone knew I got up opening day, I think, like three years ago, went out full moon, everything was great, perfect, mid walking in I don't know if just the, the morning activity in my body just wasn't rumbling I was like oh, like, oh, no, I'm like okay, maybe I can make it mid, like literally mid-step like, nope, I had to rip all my stuff, basically all drop everything, just took a huge shit right and I was like, all right, like finally feel better, got into the stand. 30 minutes later, you know, the the sun started to rise, smoked a deer maybe five minutes into just shooting hours.

Speaker 1: 31:37

My hunt was done within 30 30 minutes of hunting season. I was like, oh okay, good, maybe that's a, maybe that's a good sign. I was like, all right, maybe, you know, maybe that's the thing I gotta do from now on. But you know, it was one of those things. It's like, hey, dude, when you gotta go, you gotta go. There's always, I'm always tripping and falling. I swear, if anyone had a camera, um, I should carry it, like I do record my hunts. But I need to carry like, I need someone to come out with me and see how much I fall in the woods A bow will go flying. You know everything, it's it. That's embarrassing, especially, you know, if somebody is sitting there watching like, and you never know who's watching you look, look, what happened to you? You didn't think anyone was even anywhere close to there. And boom, next thing, you know, you shoot a?

Speaker 2: 32:20

um, a decoy and there's a guy up in the tree probably watch the whole, probably watch you sneak all the way in. Well, that's what I thought about after I'm like you know, this guy watched me sneak all the way, like like army crawl, and he couldn't stop me. He waited for it. So it's partially his fault, right a?

Speaker 1: 32:40

hundred percent. Yeah, a hundred percent definitely is like that's what I'm thinking. I'm, and he could have stopped me. He waited for, so it's partially his fault, right? 100? Yeah, 100 definitely is like that's what I'm thinking. I'm like why wouldn't you stop the guy? Like well, why, why wouldn't you say hey, bud, like I wonder if he just thought he's like he's not gonna do it, he's not gonna do it.

Speaker 2: 32:57

Yeah, no, come on, I definitely did it. I definitely I definitely got that dude's decoy and I still talk to that guy like to this day really yeah yeah, we've, uh, we had a good relationship and we always, always call me like hey, look at this deer, I got you know, he'll call me how you been making out, you know, and he's out great way from shooting decoys to shooting you know right, right, yeah, no, so where where'd you go after?

Speaker 2: 33:26

so, after that happened, you know what what the rest of your season looked like oh, dude, I mean at that time I I told at that point I wasn't like this, this and I'm not trying to say I'm like a big hunter, but like I wasn't into hunting as much as I am now, because I was like just getting my feet wet right and then like after that I was like man, I never want to feel like that again, I'm never shooting somebody's decoy again and I I really just like started learning and I'll be honest with you. You know I I watch a lot of stuff on like social media and and you and on YouTube and things like that and people that follow the moon guides and stuff like that. It definitely works. However, I don't really I'm like old school man, I don't really follow that and I'll hang stands and people will be like you've killed a deer out of this stand, like how, I'm just like listen, I don't know, I really oh man out like I.

Speaker 1: 34:21

You know, I'm just like listen, you know I don't know, I really.

Speaker 2: 34:24

But oh man, sometimes when you do too much it goes. It takes away from actually hunting, like you. If you're doing too much of like, you know I got these tactics and this and that and I'm gonna go 40 feet in the tree as opposed to 20 feet, or you know x, y and z, like I got this camo. I think people do too much nowadays, you know, and it definitely takes away from, uh, you know, like, like hunking.

Speaker 1: 34:53

It takes away from I'll, you know, I'll, I'll second that too. It's I've noticed. I think I had not saying I don't have fun and you know anyone let's don't miss. You know, interpret what I'm going to say, cause I still love what I do and I still have tons of fun. But I think everything's more calculated now.

Speaker 1: 35:11

I think when I was, when you're younger, you have no idea what the hell you're, you're, you're kind of doing so you just go out like you belly crawl to that deer, like at the end of the day, like I miss those moments where you know I would go out and I would, you know, just stalk deer and I'd fail, fail, fail, fail, because it's difficult. You know you're, you're belly crawling, you're this, you know you're doing all these things, but it's the purest form. It's so much fun, like your, your adrenaline's pumping, you're getting a good workout in. You know you have no idea if you're going to be able to even close that distance. You know sometimes you're closing a pretty big difference distance of a couple hundred yards. You know, and I think now it's, it's into. You know, and I pay attention to that moon, I know exactly what you're talking about. They have that app. I've tried it. I know it does work.

Speaker 1: 36:09

But I always tell people nothing's the end, all be all. You know it is going to help you but it also doesn't mean it is going to be the most perfect thing. The best thing you can do is just go, get your ass out there, get into the woods and hunt. I don't care what you do, you know, as long as you're going after it. That's the best way you know, I think, is to learning, you know, and that's what I like to do.

Speaker 1: 36:33

But a lot of things are just calculated right now. Right now, and I think you know I gotta take a step back for from that and kind of get back into my, to my older habits and just, you know, not over analyze everything, because that's I'm a big analyzer. I mean I'm cut, I'm from the video, so the trail camera to everything's documented like I. I've come into a complete maniac with it. I think you know. I think my fiancee think there's something wrong with me, the amount of time I I spend thinking about deer, but you know yeah, I think my wife could say the same um, but you know what is your like yeah, just piggyback off of what you're saying.

Speaker 2: 37:15

You know, I wish I had my bow here right now so I could show you. My setup is so basic like.

Speaker 2: 37:22

I'm pretty for the site that I have. Like the level in there is definitely busted. The site that I have is is like one of those. I probably got it like Dick's Sporting Goods back in like 2013 when it was like Trophy Ridges, and last year I took it off because all my buddies make fun of me. They throw that piece of shit out. Get a like get a good site, dude, for as much as you hunt, get a good site. And I'm like you know what you're right and I go and do that and I put a nice site on there. I spent some money on it. I'm like all right, this is is new equipment, cool? And I shot it and I was like I tuned it all.

Speaker 2: 38:03

Man, I go out hunting and the buck this is last season, the buck that I'm after comes in at 20 yards and I draw back and that sight fucked me all up. I shot right over this deer's back Like clean as day and I'm like no way. I went right home and took that piece of shit off and put my old in my eyes, my, my great sight back on my bow and it was like nothing ever changed. I'm shooting the target at at 40 50 yards and putting in groups like this, like it's. I'm like why did I listen to these people? Because everyone wants to have that new, that new optic or that new sight, and it's like that's great and it may work for some people, but I'm simple. I've had the same bow since 2000 and when did I get that? 2013?.

Speaker 2: 38:52

Yeah 2012 or 13. I've had the same bow and everyone says, dude, why don't you get a new bow? Because it works, it works.

Speaker 1: 39:00

It's cool it works.

Speaker 2: 39:03

I don't need to go spend 15 to 2 grand on a new bow. What I have works. I'm simple.

Speaker 1: 39:06

You know that's how I like it I I think, like for one, I'm very superstitious when it comes to from when I was young age playing hockey, I grew my whole career superstitious same, not the same but same brand. Like I wouldn't go, I wouldn't switch. You know, I'd rock the same skates, bauer, and I'd only get bauer to only do this, I'd only do that. And it's definitely gone into hunting where I think when the minute you change up something, it can throw you off and just like for me, like the minute I would change something up too um, too much in in in hockey, it would put me off the game. And bow hunting is that like mentally you have to be in it, everything has to be 100. So I notice when I'm bow hunting and I start second guessing things, that's where my shot is off if there's no confidence you need.

Speaker 1: 40:00

You need confidence in bow hunting. It is out of everything that you do when it comes to hunting, confidence is key. It's the most important thing when it comes to bow hunting and I'm one of those guys where I am a equipment junkie. I just not. I like new bows, you know not, because I just like trying different things. You know, I like trying different sites. Like I'm actually about to go get a new site because I want to try a single pin.

Speaker 1: 40:30

You know, a big part of the podcast and the platform is I want to be able to give my recommendations and not be as biased because I'm pretty damn biased because of my superstitions I'm like, oh no, you have to shoot. Like you know, I can't be that way. You know, sometimes I got to be like, hey, you know what, there's other things out there. I would like to be able to try everything. So I really then know you know what? This is exactly why I'm picking what I'm picking because you know what. At the end of the day, I've tried it also. Plus, like, I agree, you also don't need to do that and that's going to anyone out there look at, you know, go, his instagram page is going to be right. In the in the description in this you know podcast link, check out the deer that he shot and all the you know the deer that these guys have shot and you know he's telling well, when did you say the last time you bought a new bow?

Speaker 2: 41:26

2000, it was either 2013 and it was actually a christmas gift to me okay, so to 2013.

Speaker 1: 41:33

You don't need as long as you get new strings, basically, and keep it. It is going. It is a tool that's going to keep on working and working, and working. Um, I know another buddy, uh, dave. He's been using his same PSC forever. Like you don't need to do that to be the best hunter, you don't? You know, I think it really, like I said, it's way more. It's much more into the confidence than than everything, than anything you know there's nothing wrong with that.

Speaker 2: 42:00

There's nothing wrong with somebody who wants a new bow or like, likes the newest, newest stuff. There's nothing wrong with it. However, me personally, I just I'm simple and and I, you know again, I said it before I just feel like when you're trying to keep up and buy all the new stuff, it takes away from actually enjoying why you got into it and it's like you know, I don't need a, a brand new bow to go out and hunt when I have a bow that works and and and I'm I'm persistent with it I'm harvesting mature bucks, you know, and I don't know. You know, that's just me. That's just me, and there's nothing wrong with with with anybody who likes new stuff. There's nothing, you know. I'm also cheap.

Speaker 1: 42:40

I don't like to spend money like that I'm cheap on my, I'm cheap on everything else, but my hunting stuff, like I am just like any type of way I could save money and spend money. I will not like now I won't do it, but when it comes to hunting like this is what you know. I did a podcast earlier this morning. Uh, you know, I said I'm the type of person though you know, if I'm going to buy something, I'm going to. I'm going to buy something and I'm going to I'm going to buy something and I'm going to spend the extra money because I know that's that equipment's not going to fail me. Now I know for a fact I don't need a new bow. I know my bow get new strings every I shoot so much. Get new strings every year. Guess what, I take care of that piece of equipment that can last me 20 years. You know I could pass that down to my kids when they're when they're ready to, you know, to hunt and everything like that. And boom, there, there's a bow. You know I've kept all my old bows there. I still have them all. You know they go from a backup bow to just. You know, whatever I'm, I'm superstitious, I just I just like that.

Speaker 1: 43:41

But you know I I agree with you. I think there's nothing wrong with whichever you do. I just don't want people going out there and buying stuff because they think they have to or it's going to make them a better hunter. No, it doesn't. You know, I know a couple people who are new to hunting and they bought brand new the brand new matthews and brand new hoy and I'm like, well, why you don't even know if you like hunting. Yet you know hunting is a, as a, at the end day, a very tough sport. What happens if you injure that deer? That is probably the hardest thing that a hunter really has mentally, that a hunter has to go through. It's to me it's it's the worst feeling you're you're ever going to have is when you injure a deer and you know that it's it's gun wrenching. What if that happens and you don't like it?

Speaker 2: 44:28

you don't like it you can't deal with it, putting a bad shot on a deer that got away and you're like, wow, you know, like it's definitely happened to me, like my friends will definitely, you know, attest to it. I've I've missed big bucks, I've missed those and and you know what it it happens, um, you know, and I'm definitely putting a bad shot on a buck like a solid, solid deer, and and I just you know it sits with you and you're like, damn, either, you know, I don't know, maybe I should have shot. There's a million things that go through, but I get what you're saying with it and if anybody is is going to take any advice from me, from this whole thing, if you're new to hunting, you do not have to spend a ton of money. You do not need all these new things. If you're getting into it, see if you actually enjoy it and see if it is something that you want to continue.

Speaker 1: 45:22

Yeah, I agree, listen, and if there's anyone out there, always say it, hit me up. I have so much stuff like I'm willing to donate or you know, let you use, or anything like that, like man I, I actually I'm I'm getting one of my buddies into it and he's going to be using my old crossbow. I'm going to go get that restrung up and everything for that for him. And here you go, everything I'm going to give is going to be my old stuff. If he likes it after this year and wants to to continue, that's going to be on him and you know now he knows where he can go and stuff like that. But that's another thing I have a problem with too.

Speaker 1: 45:55

Um, about the hunting community is just how expensive everything has gone. Um, it is no longer becoming a. It's already such a difficult sport to get into, but now with all everything, how much everything costs. I mean you're kind of really making it a. A person with money can, can do. You know it's even after you shoot the animal if you don't have the ability to butcher it yourself. You're spending quite a amount of money to go into the butcher and everything like that, and I still think it's a hundred percent worth it. It is going to save you so much money in groceries and you actually know where your meat's coming from and everything like that, but still it there's certain people that you know. They just don't. It's it's tough to sacrifice the you know the money and time and it's you know it's definitely gotten difficult right?

Speaker 2: 46:47

no, it's, it's. I mean it's, besides hunting, everything in in today's just keeps going up. You know, I mean it's crazy to see where it's gonna go, you know, um, especially as far as hunting, like, if you even look at it like corn, if you're buying corn and baiting, you know it's. I don't know about you, but like down here it's ten dollars a bag. When I first buying corn I was younger to put out it was six dollars a bag.

Speaker 2: 47:18

I was it was like. I was like all right, that's not terrible. But you know, and I think it's.

Speaker 1: 47:24

I think it's 1050 up here 1050. Yeah, I think that's the exact at least one of the place I go to. I know I've seen it for more in other places.

Speaker 2: 47:38

Yeah, it's, and I get it, but it's not as you know, it's not really the farmer's fault either. The price is now and wear and tear and everything. So I get it, everybody's got to make money. But it is getting to a point where it's just you know one deer and if it's a buck that you'd like to mount, you know that deer is costing you at the end of it maybe, maybe, twenty five hundred dollars for the butchering.

Speaker 1: 48:15

You know the time you spend out there back and forth with gas, the bait, things like that. You know it's, it is expensive. Yeah, no, I agree. Um, so you know, let's, let's get into some of these bucks that you've harvested now. We might as well start with. You know the, the one that you this year, the one that you had missed with the one site, and then you switched back to good old faithful and got down. Tell us about that. Tell us about the backstory to that deer and everything like that.

Speaker 2: 48:35

That's going to be a quick story. So, honestly, I had this deer two years in a row on camera and last year I believe he was or was, I'm sorry, two years ago I think he was at his prime, or I believe he was at his prime then and um, then this past season I noticed he was going down and I do believe somebody in the area shot him and just put a bad shot, did mess with him, um, but yeah, no, so I'm hunting, and I have it on video, man, and and I'm videoing from a ground, blind, and I'm hunting deer and he comes across the field and then I'm hunting and you know again, I just I shot and it went right over his back and he only ran like 10 feet and stayed there and then he just walked off and was still in the field but just was too far out of range.

Speaker 2: 49:23

I only bow hunt for deer, you know, pheasants and and waterfowl. I'm gun hunting but I only bow hunt and I only use a compound bow. I don't, I don't cross bow hunt or anything like that. I know a lot of people crossbow hunt, you know. So I'm just clarifying. Um, but actually that deer, you know, during the rut he went out and I never saw him again.

Speaker 1: 49:46

Wow, really yeah.

Speaker 2: 49:48

So whether he's alive or somebody got him or a car, you know, I'm not sure. Hopefully he is alive, hopefully he you know he was a mature buck, if I had to guess. He's probably about four and a half in that area, so he knows how to survive, especially the place the property I'm hunting is pretty big, so it's, it's possible.

Speaker 1: 50:10

He's there, just you know, yeah, doing his own thing right now um, hopefully, hopefully, he is alive and you can get another, another crack at crack at him. Uh, you know, next year going into next year. But um, so the first of all, I I remember, when you shot this deer, uh, that 14 pointer that you had, uh, lee right and I believe you named him lee. What a absolutely just beautiful, beautiful buck. I mean just hands down, just beauty. But his rack was so unique. When did you first encounter that deer?

Speaker 2: 50:50

so that's a that's a really good story. Um, so that was. I believe I shot that deer in 2018, I think it was, and the year before I actually saw that deer, I had him on camera and I was going to shoot him and I had him at 10 yards when I was hunting and I saw him and I'm like you know what? This deer is beautiful. I'm going to pass him up. I'm like he's everything and he wasn't as big. I had pictures of him the year before he broke his brow time. He was tight, he had the kickers and stuff, but he was real tight, like not as big, if I had to guess. He was probably about 120 to 130 inches and I had him dead to rights at 10 yards and I let him go and you know I took a chance to let him go. I know there's people who hunt that area and I know that's a deer in New Jersey that most people wouldn't pass up. So I took the chance and I made the decision. I'm going to let him go.

Speaker 2: 51:54

The following year I have my camera up and the first week I have it running. I don't get anything. I have just those and a couple small bucks and I'm like man. Did he get shot? He's not here. And the second week I'm on the phone with my friend and this is like before cell cam. So I was using the little wild game and I'm sitting there on my phone swiping and I see him and I'm like dude Lee is on my camera. I stopped and I'm like dude Lee is on my camera. I stopped and I'm like dude, this deer blew up and he's like no way. So I sent him a picture and he's like holy shit, matt, like that, you need to hunt that deer. And so then, obviously that was summertime and going into September, you know I'm all for this deer. Like I don't.

Speaker 2: 52:49

My method is this I run cameras and when I find a mature buck, I stop all the other cameras. Maybe that's not what a lot of people do. They want to keep their options open. You know I tend to. If I see something that's unique for me or something I really like, or a mature buck that I'm going to hunt, I go for that deer. I don't even look at it, I don't entertain anything else. So I focus my time and effort into that deer.

Speaker 2: 53:10

You know, I hung a stand and this is what I'm saying, like you know this, when I said before, my friends were like, how did you kill a deer? And I'm saying this is actually like one of the stands I'm talking about I was so anxious and ready to get in there and hunt this deer that I hung this stand. And it's still hung to this day, like I still hunt out of it and, um, the tree actually comes up and it kind of leans like this. So the stand is there and it's kind of slowed down so and I just never fixed it and I was like you know what a little good luck spot and um, so long story short, like I, I and I had the whole video too, um, you know, of me shooting that deer.

Speaker 2: 53:55

I put so much corn out, thinking, man, I need to get this deer here and he needs to stay here. I put corn, I put like a buffet of stuff out for this deer, thinking like I need to keep this deer in this area because no one else is passing this deer up. So I, uh, you know I'm hunting and I have this, this 10 pointer come in and he's a beautiful deer too and and he's on camera. He's sitting there eating and I'm like, all right, normally leaves with that deer and um, I have a couple does come in and everyone's sitting there eating and munching and I'm like damn, no, lee. And all of a sudden I see the 10 pointer and he, like, he like looks back through the meadow and, um, his hair actually stood up and this and this is early, this is this is like I want to say. It's september or maybe the beginning. I forget which month it was, I believe it was september and um, his hair actually on the back, on his back, actually like stood up, almost like when a dog gets spooked, and started hitting his horns on like a sapling, trying to show like dominance. And I'm like what? What is he doing? You know, I've never seen something like that. And all of a sudden I see it. I see like legs coming through the middle and all of a sudden I see antlers and as he's walking, his, his head is like bobbing down. You know, like and I'm like holy shit, that's lee. And I have it all on video Like, first of all, I'm filming on this camera that looks like ET, like the front is all busted, like I've never really filmed the hunt before, so I had it on my right side so I could see the screen to make sure I'm getting everything in the video.

Speaker 2: 55:41

And I, you know, I have it all on video, I'm videotaping. And he comes across the creek and comes right up and starts eating and I'm like, at this point I'm ready to fall out of the tree stand because I'm like, holy shit, this is the first time I've had him under me like as a stud Right. So I'm like my heart's racing, I'm shaking the worst buck fever I've ever had. Like my heart's racing, I'm shaking the worst buck fever I've ever had. And I'm like, oh, my God, I need to make this happen and calm down. And I'm videotaping, trying to get everything right.

Speaker 2: 56:18

And I go to draw back and my elbow starts hitting the camera. So I'm like, no, no way, I'm not going to be able to get a shot. So, mind you, the tree stand is lean down. I draw it back and now I'm leaning like this to get around the camera and I couldn't stand up at that point. So I'm sitting and I'm aiming like this and I'm like, man, this is all jacked up him and uh, and I let it fly and I, when I shot him, I saw the shot and it looked a little high.

Speaker 2: 56:51

But I saw a blood splatter and I'm like no way. And I watched him run and he stopped and I saw his tail, you know, flickering real quick. And then I saw him go down and I'm like, holy shit, I just shot the biggest buck of my life, yeah. And and I got my phone and I called up my, my buddies. I'm like dude, I just shot lee. And they're like what? And I got down there like wait, wait, don't get down, just wait for us. I'm like fuck you, I'm getting down. I saw him go down, so I go down and I don't know. I actually posted the picture on my story right now it's up there um of me laying on him and holding him and like that picture was actually me, like I believe that was from a video because I was screaming like I got him and uh, you know just the excitement I got from that.

Speaker 2: 57:39

And then finding out, I remember that night we, we called, like everybody to see this deer who was, who was there, and everybody came and helped me drag him out. And then when we taped him and found out that he tapes like 158 and change, and I was like holy shit, dude, like my first, literally like my first buck. All right, I'm sorry, that was my second, my second or no, my third? I, I'm sorry, my third buck. I shot a 160. Yeah, and I'm like you know it was like 158 and change 159. So 159, I guess I didn't break the 160, but it was like 159. And you know, I I don't even know, it's still to this day Like I, I could have probably just hung my bow up after that because I was like yeah like shoot the deer.

Speaker 2: 58:32

The character that that deer had and has is just unmatched with anything else that I've got so far seen absolutely yeah.

Speaker 1: 58:42

No, I mean, first of all, what a what a story. I mean just pure just. I even got my heart pumping a little bit like it it's, it's got me fired up for deer season. I I will definitely say like that, but that's what it's all about right there. You know those memories are gonna. You're gonna remember that for the for the rest of your life and you're gonna be able to tell your kids and everything like that. You know, and just I mean you can, I mean I'd count that as a one 60 without a doubt. I mean you know, just a beautiful like. I'm kind of like speechless just because I'm looking at him right now and I mean it's, it's. I couldn't even imagine how you feel because it's it's. I couldn't even imagine how you feel because you know I'm kind of lost for words with not even know what to say, and you know I wasn't even there. But for your friends and family and everyone to to witness that, I mean it's, it's got to be real special for sure yeah.

Speaker 2: 59:36

So what's funny is, um, you know, some somebody said to me like dude, that's a deer of a lifetime. And I was like, yeah, all right, all right, I know, no, really like that is a deer of a lifetime. And I was like, yeah, all right, all right, and I know really like that is a deer of a lifetime. And I was like, you know, I guess I didn't understand it because I was still, you know, I'd never shot a something like that, you know. And I was like, ah, yeah, okay, I'll, you know, I'll find another one that's going to be just as big or whatever. And then it kind of stuck with me like that be just as big or whatever. And then it kind of stuck with me like that this is like a once in a lifetime deer, like this is a deer of a lifetime.

Speaker 2: 1:00:10

And then when northeast big bucks I believe it is, um, you know they- reached out to me was like hey, we want to do like an article if you can, can submit like an article and and a picture for that deer and we want to put it in the magazine and I was like absolutely that was cool.

Speaker 2: 1:00:25

Yeah, I'll try it, you know and and I was like, absolutely, that was cool. Yeah, I'll try it, you know. And so that was pretty cool. They did that. Now, being that, it was a non-typical, the I'm trying to remember I don't remember off the top of my head, but it didn't go into like Boone and Crockett or anything, because it's non-typical, you need it to be, to be like 180 or something like that. Okay, all right, with all the deductions for score wise it just it didn't make it, um, but and then, truthfully, that's also where I learned like I hate this whole scoring system yeah, it makes no sense to me you know what, and I look at it like I kind of just stopped caring about all that and it's just like you know what that's.

Speaker 2: 1:01:06

Look at it like I kind of just stopped caring about all that and it's just like you know what? That's a beautiful deer, it's a mature buck. Like I don't really care about what the deer scores, you know. Yeah, it's nice. Yeah, hey, you know I shot either a 150 or a 140 or 130, whatever. It's nice to say that and like you know other excuse me who can appreciate and know, like, what a 140 is. You know. So when somebody says I shot a 140, I go well, that's a solid deer.

Speaker 1: 1:01:33

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 1:01:33

And then you know it's funny, like the follow up question to that deer and this jersey. That's a jersey buck.

Speaker 1: 1:01:40

Of course, of course.

Speaker 2: 1:01:42

Yeah.

Speaker 1: 1:01:42

Oh yeah, that's always. The people never believe it. And now you know your your next buck. Uh, was that peaky?

Speaker 2: 1:01:51

oh, yes, so I had history with that deer. I had a lot of history with that deer, that actually that wasn't the next buck, but that was, um, that is, uh, that is one that I shot, and I do have a lot of history with that deer, um, so, what year, what year?

Speaker 1: 1:02:07

what year did you shoot? Uh, that one at which one peaky that was two years ago okay, so that one was two years ago and then last year was I didn't shoot a buck last year, okay, you didn't shoot a buck last year, okay, so then our guy. So this was the buck that I saw two years, okay. So all right, I know where we're at yep.

Speaker 2: 1:02:29

So, um, actually I just want to backtrack real quick. So, in in the story I was telling you with lee, with the 10 pointer that was, you know, his hair stood up and everything. Um, you know, I, that 10 pointer was a solid deer and I'm like man, that's a beautiful deer and I wasn't going to hunt him. I was not going to hunt that deer, I had shot. And lee, I'm like I'm good on not shooting another buck for the year and and I'm someone who believes, um, you know, I'm good with one buck a year. If I can harvest one mature buck a year, I'm totally fine with that.

Speaker 2: 1:03:00

I don't need to go out there and shoot three or four bucks. That's just not. I don't need that. You know. Number one taxidermy is expensive. Two, my wife will kill me if I bring home another deer head. She doesn't know that piki's getting done. You know they'll be done soon actually. So, um, you know, I, I, so I wind up. I wasn't gonna hunt that 10 pointer and it just so happens that things worked. I don't, I don't even remember the whole story with it, but somebody was telling me dude, go out, hunt that deer. And I went out, the same stand, the same spot that I shot lee out of. I went back in and I wound up killing that 10 for permit. Bow, okay, I shot lee.

Speaker 1: 1:03:46

So that was my one year.

Speaker 2: 1:03:48

Yeah, I killed that 10 pointer and lee in the same year and then I was done, I'm like, I'm totally, I'm not, I'm done, you know, and um, so that was that year. And then following year shot, I shot the eight with all the velvet on it and then I think I shot after that. The next year was the one with that kicker I think it's a seven or an eight with that kicker. Um, and then peaky, so peaky. I I had history with this deer and I got to be honest with you. This story is really great and I think about this deer all the time because I call it like the chase of Peaky you know finding Peaky and we actually call him like Sneaky Peaky, like everyone that knows everything and the story with it. We call him Sneaky Peaky because this deer started off as just a, a basket eight and I had him on camera and I said, man, that deer has potential and I let him go. And then the following year he blew up and, um, I'm hunting and I was like my buddy told me my buddy, rich, was like go sit in the ground blind and see if you see him and see what he looks like, because I had pictures of him. I see what he looks like Because I had pictures of him. I'm like he looks like a decent deer to shoot and he's like, well, why don't you go sit? And if he comes in you'll jump. You could tell right there, you know, judge, if you want to shoot him. So I was like you know what, rich, you're right.

Speaker 2: 1:05:18

And I remember this day I was going hunting and I, out of uh of ground, blind, in this particular spot, and I I get in there and it's, it's early, I think it was like two o'clock maybe, yeah, two o'clock in the afternoon. It remembers, hot as balls out, I'm getting attacked by mosquitoes. I'm like this sucks man. And um, where I'm hunting there's a pretty busy highway up to the right, like up a hill, and I hunt a private property and um three o'clock in the afternoon, this deer comes across the highway and right down and I heard something to the right and I look and it's peaky coming down the hill and I'm like, are you kidding me? At three o'clock in the afternoon this deer just crossed a major highway, like that, and he comes in and, um, he started eating and I'm watching. I'm like you know what? This is a pretty good deer and I drew my bow back and I shot and I hit him high and he took off running and I'm like no way. And I go over there's blood and I follow the blood and everything and, um, the blood trail stopped and I was like how is that possible? And it made me sick. And this is like what you were saying before, like, oh, you know, know your equipment, practice with your equipment and you know I I was confident with my stuff and when I shot that deer I just hit him a little high. It was was a bad shot and I'm happy it happened. I'm not happy, you know, it was a bad shot. I'm happy that he survived.

Speaker 2: 1:06:50

And you know, a couple weeks later, my buddy lives down the road and he's like, man, you should see this buck that came in my backyard. He's like a big eight. And I was like, really, I'm like you care if I put out a camera and hunt back there behind your house? He's got woods back there. And he's like, yeah, I don't care. So I put out the camera and sure as shit, it's peaky. And I was so relieved Like, oh, my God, this deer's alive. Thank you. I hunted him back there for a little bit. I never got the opportunity to get a shot at him.

Speaker 2: 1:07:21

Then it comes to the following year, and that it comes to the following year and that was the year I shot him was. So now I I had the camera out in the original spot that I that I shot him, which he he actually changed up but he wasn't coming in as much would show up late, like not huntable, right. And uh, you know, I have the camera out and he shows up in velvet and i'm'm like holy shit, like this deer lived and he like just bloomed, you know, yeah, and so I hunted him hard and he disappeared, would show up on camera. And next thing, you know, I'm like months into months into like a couple months into hunting season, I'm like dude, I can't hunt it like this deer is just not not showing up.

Speaker 2: 1:08:15

So I go down the road and uh, I see a house with some woods behind it and I knock on the door and I start talking to the guy and I ask him for permission. He says, yeah, you know what you can hunt here. He's like I never really had anybody ask me to hunt, but yeah, you can hunt here. I was like awesome, and I I go into the woods just to like take a peek, and I step like four feet to the woods and peaky jumps up and takes off. Are you kidding me? So I put my trail camera up on the tree and the one trail cam pictures I always post to him. Where he's just sitting there looking at the camera, like he came back to that spot where I jumped him from and was just walking around in there and I got a bunch of trail cam pictures and I'm like, are you fucking kidding me? Like he's, he's been here this whole time. He's just, you know, not hitting the corn pile, not showing up, and um, so then it you know he, he disappears again and I'm thinking somebody shot him. I'm thinking like this deer either got hit by a car or you know, it's starting to get to be October. I'm like he's, somebody got him. I haven't seen him in weeks. This deer is dead. And again, my buddies, you know, dom, rich, davey, rich, davy, they're like dude, he's not dead. That that deer was dead. You would have heard about it, like you would have heard that deer if he was. And um, you know.

Speaker 2: 1:09:34

So I go into walmart one night. I'm by the hunting section and some guy comes up and he asked me a question about one of the hunting things. He's like what do you think about this? And we start bullshitting and he's like yeah, he's like, you know, I just started hunting. But he's like um my, my buddy lives in this house and there's this beautiful buck standing in his backyard and he's like we got a picture of him on our cell phone while we're just standing there and he, he tells me like where he's hunting and it's maybe like three miles away.

Speaker 2: 1:10:12

And he, he shows me the picture and it's Peaky. And I'm like dude, like that's the deer I've been hunting. And he was like really, I'm like, yeah, I'm like like look here's pictures of him. And he was like holy shit, that is the same deer and he's very you could tell it's him. The reason we call him Peaky, he's got one blind eye that he got. He must have been fighting and he got stuck in his eye and his eye is blind in his eye. So I call him Peaky, for like Peaky Blinders that's how I came up with that name yeah.

Speaker 1: 1:10:38

Dope.

Speaker 2: 1:10:41

And this guy is showing me a picture of it and I'm like, dude, like you just ruined my whole night. I mean it's good because I know he's alive, but you just ruined my whole night. Now you're telling me you're going to hunt him and he's laughing and I'm like you know, good luck, good luck. This guy is just starting out hunting If he can harvest that buck for his first buck, of course. And I told him, said, you know, good luck, you know, I hope if you get him here's my number please I'd love to at least see him, you know. So I uh, going into November, dom, he already shot a buck and so he's kind of the same age with me, like he shoots one, you know, if you could shoot a decent one. He's kind of holds off. So he's like, dude, you gotta, we gotta put cameras out, we gotta make some some mock scrapes and stuff. And I'm like, dude, that deer is dead, like he hasn't showed up. He's kind of holds off. So he's like, dude, you gotta, we gotta put cameras out, we gotta make some some mock scrapes and stuff. And I'm like dude, that deer is dead, like he hasn't showed up, he's like he's not dead, just let's go. So he drags me out there and we're putting cameras all in this piece just to kind of pinpoint where he may be and like we're going probably in like a I don't even know like two mile radius around and and putting cameras out and trying to pinpoint where this deer may be. And, um, you know, dom Dom came in. He's like dude, let's make a scrape right here and share a shit. We made the scrape and peak peaky could that night came in and hit it and we have it on video of him coming in and hitting him, like hitting the scrape, and starts hitting his horns on the on the trees and I'm like dude, like peaky's here, man.

Speaker 2: 1:12:14

So I remember being it was warm out there that following that week and I wasn't even gonna hunt and um, you know, my cousin's like dude, get, get out and go get the stand, like go hunt. And I'm like I don't feel like it. And he's like no, go hunt, like it's perfect, like it's a nice night, go hunt. And I was like all right. So I went out and and you know, I sat there and I literally had pictures of me in the stand that day and I got deer getting chased all around me and um, oh, um, oh, that was the other. That was the other thing I want to just touch on.

Speaker 2: 1:12:46

You know, I, dom, is very smart when it comes to stuff. And he said, listen, he's not coming into the corn pile where you shot him. Leave your ground blind there, leave the corn pile there, but let's move a setup, like, let's set up somewhere down over here and see if you know he's either walking around the corn pile or just avoiding it. So I said, okay, so that's when we set that up. And, um, you know, it just all worked out that night and I was able to get a shot on him and I and I obviously it was a good shot that time and I shot him and I I heard him run and I heard the crash and I'm like, bro, I, I, I smoked peaky, I like I, the story of peaky is done and I would, I would ride around with my wife and when we I'd be like, listen, we got to go drive around in the area and see if we see him, and I would drag her out and I would drag my friends and I would go for rides at night and you know, maybe he's walking through a neighborhood or, and I would go in there and look for him all the time and it was like you know this, where's pete?

Speaker 2: 1:13:52

There's sneaky, peeky, because he's he's smart man. He was laying there the whole time. He was in that spot jesus grace.

Speaker 1: 1:14:00

What a, what a story, what a deer, what a. And that's that the, the chess game I like to call it hunting mature deer. It is a chess game and who's going to make the first mistake? You know, that's really and it's it comes down to it. You know you, you both made mistakes, you know, and then you were able to capitalize on. You know your, your unfortunate, you know hunt, and then you know, first of all, three miles and it's, I shouldn't.

Speaker 1: 1:14:30

No one should really be surprised by that, because deer travel, especially during, you know, the rut, and throughout the year they, they travel very far. But it's kind of like just hearing about it, it's like, oh my god, that's, that's crazy. Because like, honestly, we'll put cameras out and, yeah, deer disappears, and you're just first instinct goes off, that deer's dead. That deer's dead I haven't seen in so long. So how many deer, really mature deer, are showing up and you'll be hunting them and then they disappear, not because they're dead, but just because they're a couple miles away. You know, their home range could be just so big and you know, that's just how it goes. But it's like always going to be in your mind that, okay, I don't see him after seeing him every day, or I have this pattern on him he's just a dead deer.

Speaker 1: 1:15:19

Someone else killed him, got hit by a car. You know there's so many different things but you know to to have those that many encounters or that many you know times. You you've seen them and going out into a new property and you step right in. Then you you uh, bump them and you know. Then you know you got some random guy in a damn store that is. You know that's even wilder, how much of a small world it really is that you were able to run into somebody just randomly. You know, especially a new hunter too. I mean, I agree with you If you would have killed that buck man a first-time buck, you know it's. I don't even know.

Speaker 2: 1:16:03

I just want to see it. You know, if you get a good buck, I'm happy for you. If you do get him, like I, I just want to see it. If you get a good buck, I'm happy for you. If you do get them, I would just love to see them. Like I said, I have history with this deer now for three or four years I've watched him grow into this and I actually shot him. It's crazy how it works out when they say hard work pays off. It really does, because I put so much work into that and I must have had probably close to like 20, probably close to 20 cameras out for this deer and just how it gets. I love it. I miss the chase, I really do. I miss, I think about it all the time and and people are like, dude, you, you got the deer. I'm like, yeah, but the chase is over. So it's like now what you know, like I feel like I had a relationship with this deer, like we.

Speaker 1: 1:16:52

He was a boy to me.

Speaker 2: 1:16:53

We were playing cat and mouse, you know.

Speaker 1: 1:16:54

Yeah, yeah, no, and and that's the, that's the addicting part and I go into every, every season, not really trying to focus on one deer, not really trying to focus on one deer. I like to have four to five different bucks that I'm after, but it always turns into one deer. Like once, especially once you get that like good encounter or you know the history with that deer, it just turns into like I don't care about any other deer because I love the chase so much. And people like, oh well, you know you, you didn't harvest a buck this year or you know why did you pass on that year? I go, well, it's not really about that.

Speaker 1: 1:17:32

Like the chase to me is what drives me. Like I shoot does for for my meat I 100, that's what does are for especially, we're blessed to be in a state where we we have the opportunity to shoot as many does as we can. So, like, why do I need to just go out and shoot any buck? Like I want to have that thrilling chase where it's frustrating and it's just full of emotions. I mean, I had a buck this year that just him and I. Same thing cat and mouse game, we played chess and you and I made a few. I was nine steps correct. I just couldn't get to that one step. And you know what he was there. You know what it's. It's like a drug kind of you know you, you, you, you're chasing a high when it. When it comes to that it becomes personal.

Speaker 2: 1:18:25

I I believe, because you know, like you're you're here, I am chasing these deer. I got pictures of them and I have not that I have history with every single deer I hunt Right, like it's not that, it's just that there there has been a couple of deer that I, like you know I'll let these deer go and that's, and that's the other thing. I always get like people like oh, how do you shoot big deer every year? Like, oh, you gotta be poaching or this, and that it's like listen, I have different spots. First of all, all my spots are private. I get permission. All my spots are legitimate a hundred percent, and anybody that that knows me that hunts will tell you that that I only hunt.

Speaker 2: 1:18:57

Like my bucks that I've shot are all legitimate. Like you know, I don't trust pass for them. I don't do anything. Like I have permission where I'm at Right and, um, you know, I just I put a lot of time in and I pass these deer up like and there's nothing that I'm not knocking any hunter. I'm not knocking any hunter Right, knocking any hunter right if somebody wants to shoot a?

Speaker 2: 1:19:23

um, you know, like, let's say, a 80 inch, a pointer, that's. That's like, again, I'm not knocking that right. I just know what I want to shoot, like, I know what I want and I'm not going to shoot 130 inch deer because I know if that deer makes it like Lee, like Peaky, they're going to blow up and they're going to do something that I want to shoot. So, yes, there is like, and I have spots where I don't shoot bucks and, like you know, I'm like hey, listen, I'm just going to keep this spot and hopefully these deer here will turn into like 140, 150 inch deer. That's what I want to shoot and I get it.

Speaker 2: 1:20:05

Everybody's not the same. Everybody doesn't have that same. You know mentality, and that's fine. That's what makes people like you know, that's what makes the world go round. Everybody's different. But for me, that's something and everyone asks me like, how do you continuously shoot these big bucks? Like there's no way, like you're doing something illegal or like you're not really hunting in new jersey? And it's like listen, man, first of all I have videos of me shooting these deer, so you could see, not poaching them. You could see, you know, daylight, this and that, um, you know you get some salty people, that that start of course, of course with anything and it's.

Speaker 2: 1:20:46

It's just not true and I wish these people would, would would actually come to me like hey, you know, like how did you shoot that? And I'll tell them like, listen, I'm all for helping somebody, I'm all for some. You know, if somebody needs and I don't know everything I told you I'm very like basic, I don't know everything. So if you ask me about like the newest um bow site, that could tell you your job and tell you dude, I don't know anything about it, you know, but I'm gonna tell you, listen, this is how I hunt, this is what's worked for me. I've been successful on killing mature bucks and this is what I do. You know, this is my steps of and this is what works for me yeah, now I and perfectly said I mean it is.

Speaker 1: 1:21:31

it is one of the things that you know hard work out of everything is going to pay off. You know when there's always going to be haters, there's always going to be doubters, there's always going to be, especially, there's always going to be doubters, there's always going to be, especially now, the way like we were talking about in the beginning, that's social media. Listen people, a lot of keyboard warriors nowadays, you know and that's. But you know what that to me, you're doing something right. You know, if you, if you got somebody talking about you, To sound like this at all.

Speaker 2: 1:22:02

But you know, I know I'm doing something right. I know people see these deer because there's been times where I've been like, like I've been to there's a place in homedell called pnc bank art center. I don't know if you've ever heard of it. Um, I've been at a concert before. Like I'm walking through the crowd, somebody greets me like yo, you're maddie buzz. Like you shoot really nice deer. I'm like like hey, thanks, man, I appreciate it. Like you know, thanks, you know, it's cool, it's kind of cool. Like you know, I'm not famous, I'm not like a famous hunter, I'm not anything like that, and I'm not you know, but it's cool.

Speaker 1: 1:22:42

Like people see the deer. You our classic questions on the show. I mean there's there's still so much more to dive into. I would definitely. You know we definitely got to get you back on for for another episode. You know one of our biggest questions we always ask the new guys what would your dream hunt be If it could be anywhere in the world? Two weeks money is not a. It doesn't matter what animal and where would it be?

Speaker 2: 1:23:13

All right, you know what I've I've been saying since I'm younger I would love to do an. I'm younger, I would love to do an elk trip. I would love to do an elk hunt. Um, you know, it's pulling tags and and the cost of it is crazy. So that's why I never went. But, um, I, I don't, you know, I don't really have a set place on where I want to hunt. Um, you know, I just I think I would. I'd really enjoy doing an elk trip.

Speaker 1: 1:23:46

Oh, got it. You a snacker in the woods, do you? Do you like to snack in the woods?

Speaker 2: 1:23:53

no, honestly no, I I don't, you know, and there's times I'll go sit all day and maybe I'll bring like one of those wawa pretzels, you know, and just chew on. But uh, but I'm there, man, I'm I. It's gonna sound corny but I like I have a job to do, man, like I'm there for a particular deer and and I know what I'm there for, and like it's just pay attention, like I, you know, and plus I'm, I'm clumsy, I'll drop stuff all the time, like I've dropped my arrows out of the tree and had to climb down and get them.

Speaker 1: 1:24:23

Yeah, been there. You've shot both so typical or non-typical.

Speaker 2: 1:24:31

I'm sorry, what was that?

Speaker 1: 1:24:33

You've shot both, so are you a typical or not? Would you pick a typical or a non-typical deer?

Speaker 2: 1:24:39

Non-typical, non-typical and just my feeling on it is I like the character. You know, I like, yeah, if you look at some of the deer I've shot, like you know, my first, my first buck, it was a like a basket eight pointer, but he's got a drop time and he's got kickers going on behind his head, like on his right side, and he's at an 11 pointer actually. Um, you know, but I saw that I was like dude, my first year I'm gonna shoot a drop time. If it all works out and it also just like you know, you could look at a wall and it would be a pointer and I a pointer, 10 pointer, six, six pointers, whatever you know typical deer. And um, then you see one that just stands out because he's got all this junk and different stuff going on and you're like that's awesome you know, I, I guess, to answer your question, I would pick a non-typical.

Speaker 1: 1:25:33

Non-typical yeah I, I um, if you can only hunt one week out of the year, what week would you be picking?

Speaker 2: 1:25:51

I hate the rut. I'm going to be honest with you. Everyone loves like, oh man, the rust coming. I fucking hate the rut.

Speaker 1: 1:25:57

I like the pre-rut. I'm not the best hunter in the world.

Speaker 2: 1:26:01

I'm going to be honest with you. If you look at my record of deer hunting, most of the bucks I get within the first two to three weeks of deer season because they're still on their. I call it a summer pattern. I would probably pick that maybe the second week of deer season, depending on because you've to shoot a doe and then if you get time to hunt, if you're not working, whatever. So, yeah, probably the second week good week, good week, um.

Speaker 1: 1:26:31

If you could buy a hunting property in any state, I would say jersey I would.

Speaker 2: 1:26:47

I know a lot of people are like why? Why would you, you know, go out west? And it's like because I've seen what I could do here and and there's probably way bigger deer out west. Granted, you know food source and and things like that, and it is a different type of hunting. But I love Jersey hunting, I love, you know. Like I said, man, I just I don't know. It's a different type of hunting here.

Speaker 1: 1:27:10

I love it, Love it. And then last one if you could, if you could hunt with anyone now, we could do it. We could do one family member and then one person. I usually ask them we can do anyone who's alive, anyone who's dead, whether they're famous back in the day, whatever the case is, who would it be?

Speaker 2: 1:27:36

Shit. If I could help with anybody. So all right, I'm going to give you two answers real quick. If I could hunt with anybody. So all right, I'm going to give you two answers real quick. Short answer one of my best friends, his father, passed away and you know I learned a lot from him and he was just a really good person to be around and he hunted and I looked up to him as he was like my own father, father. You know I spent a lot of time with him and stuff and I I would love to hunt with him.

Speaker 1: 1:28:08

You know one one time um, and then is he the one that that taught you a lot uh, yes, yes, okay, all right, so I all right I know who you're talking about.

Speaker 2: 1:28:19

Yep and um, you know, and I guess if I had to pick a celebrity to go hunting with, uh, I guess, uh, I don't know, maybe I would pick, like uh, jason Aldean or someone, just cause they got some. It seemed like they got some good spots and a lot of property I could hunt yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, he's a good one.

Speaker 1: 1:28:49

Um, you know, they have that show, or had that show. What buck, buck, commander, I think yeah, yeah I I always tell people I don't think I, I would not want to hunt with luke bryan. You would know he's a shit out of me. Yeah, he gets amped up. I love it though.

Speaker 2: 1:29:06

You know a lot of people hate on him for it. You know I get amped up, but you know I don't know. Actually, if I change my mind, I'll tell you what I'll go hunting with Laney Wilson or someone like that.

Speaker 1: 1:29:23

But it ain't really't for deer, you know, oh man. Well, matt any any last words.

Speaker 2: 1:29:30

No man, I think we covered a lot. I'd love to get back on with you guys again. I appreciate you guys having me and it's been it's we had some good conversation yeah. I hope everybody listening and watching. I hope you guys enjoyed it.

Speaker 1: 1:29:44

I hope if anybody has any questions?

Speaker 2: 1:29:47

or anything. Everyone wants to ask me whatever. Shoot me a message on Instagram If I can help you in any way, I absolutely will, and the guys that I hunt with from Jersey Outdoors everybody is knowledgeable with stuff and any of us would be willing to help you out if you ever had any questions or anything no, I mean uh perfectly said uh there.

Speaker 1: 1:30:07

The link is going to be in the description below, so go check them out. You know his uh hunting page is going to be in there. The jersey outdoors uh page is going to be out there. Oh, one more thing I wanted to touch on, and this is off off topic. I follow your, your, your personal, and every Halloween you and your wife have the best Halloween. I, my, my fiance and I love Halloween, like it's our favorite time of the year. You guys do an absolute bang job. You know we want to get to that type of level at some point, because it looks like you guys have. And then I think you guys do. The elf in the in the shelf too, I think you guys do as well.

Speaker 2: 1:30:49

He kills it, she, she burns me with it. Like she comes up with stuff and I'm just like how, like man, I can't, I don't know she's good with that. Halloween, real quick. Halloween, that is our favorite holiday. We, um, you know, we kind of pick a costume and we start like working for it, like we make all our own costumes. You know everything we do. That's sick, yeah, um, very, very seldom do we buy anything from the store. It's like a ready-made costume. We, you know, we'll go to thrift shops and make our costumes and stuff, but we uh, it's gonna be sad to say we go to like a competition every year and we'll get in, entered into the competitions, but we never win and I'm so upset about it.

Speaker 2: 1:31:28

I keep telling like we're, we're going every year till we win at least one time oh my god, that's sick.

Speaker 1: 1:31:33

That that's pretty cool. Listen, I hope you guys, you guys deserve to definitely win. I mean the costumes have. Every year I look forward to like, oh, look at this shit right here. I mean it is absolutely like amazing halloween. I agree with you. From, I think, honestly from september, we start our halloween movie.

Speaker 2: 1:31:52

Like we start getting ready, like it's halloween time, the movies start coming out, all the decorations start coming, it is it is by far it's a great time of year with, with everything, obviously, the cooler weather, deer hunting season, um, you know, you get to do all the full activities and, like I said, I mean halloween has always been one of my favorite things, so it's, you know, it's just an extra thing into it yeah, definitely agree.

Speaker 1: 1:32:17

Well, um everyone, I hope you guys enjoyed this episode. The link is going to be down in the description below. You know, and we'll see you guys next time.