Speaker 1: 0:00

Welcome back to the Garden State Outdoors and Podcast presented by Boone.

Speaker 2: 0:03

Ducks Hunting you know, and that's why you're, you're um, you're tagline. Like you know, jcl known perfect.

Speaker 3: 0:09

You don't know what that mountain's gonna bring. You don't know what that mountain's gonna bring. I accidentally drifted my canoe between a sow and a cub and she like charged and like hit like the back of the canoe. His head hit the ground before his ass did. Begging and crying to go with my grandfather, go with my father on these deer drives. You know, the last trip over I shot a great Cape Buffalo with my bow charging through the grass, and then the whooping. And then you hear.

Speaker 3: 0:40

Welcome to the Garden State Outdoors and Podcast. I am your host, Frank Mastica.

Speaker 1: 0:45

I'm your co-host, Mike Neytre. And today we've got Remember.

Speaker 3: 0:49

Zach, that was in the hunt, that's right, oh.

Speaker 1: 0:53

Frank screwed it up.

Speaker 3: 0:57

My bad, Zach, but Zach, hey, you're our newest team member. We're all excited to have you on. You sound perfect.

Speaker 1: 1:07

Perfect, right there. Yeah it's right there Don't move. No, right, I'll tell you, every single time we do a show and we have new team members joining, somehow we always screw up the intro. I will say it's easier for me, so I'm kind of happy where I'm usually not the one screwing it up, right? But you know, it is always and and wait until we get like probably the big update, like right before season starts, when we get literally everybody on, we officially have four new, brand new team members.

Speaker 2: 1:56

That's awesome.

Speaker 1: 1:57

We may have one or two more joining, which we'll just with with timing and everything like that, but we're gonna have anywhere between four to six new new members uh on on this, on this podcast, all at once and we're gonna have to get the uh the intro correct.

Speaker 3: 2:18

We're gonna have to do an intro over an intro. But that's awesome, man, like I, just I just want to take a second and just say, like it's awesome to see how far boondocks hunting has come. You know, mike, you've done an incredible job. You've built an incredible team with everybody. Again, like I appreciate everything you've done for me as well and I'm just like I'm I'm very stoked for this season coming up and I I honestly I think we're going to slay it. This year. We got some some hard, you know, some hard heavy hitters coming on that joined the team and I'm looking forward to it, man yeah, man, same here.

Speaker 2: 2:56

I appreciate the opportunity that you've reached out to me and put me on your podcast and then, more importantly, reached back out and offered me a spot on the team. Man, it's a huge opportunity for myself and it's been a fun ride since we started.

Speaker 1: 3:09

Man, I really appreciate it yeah, no, I mean, I mean I I appreciate you guys coming on and you know, um, we're always and I always tell everyone like we're always looking to grow every single year um, you know, the quality qualifications for for us, really the the most important thing, you know, when we talk to all the guys and everything like that and ladies, um, you know, was really, you know we're really a brotherhood of family and everything like that. So that's like the most important thing for for us when, uh, you know me squatch and uh frank here sat down and you know, talked to all the new uh members and everything like that and same thing moving forward, you know it's something that is going to be, I think, the most important thing for us. And I mean you know I don't want to toot our own horn here too much, but I mean I imagine Zach can tell you like look at how many different group chats you've been thrown in already, like Instagram stuff stuff Like you

Speaker 1: 4:04

know we have. We have our, ladies and gentlemen, we do have our hunting um, our boondocks hunting, archery, uh, tournament coming up and basically you know, if you guys don't know cause we've kind of kept that tight lid for the last two years, um, you know, is we we run, run a a tournament. It goes the whole entire year and each animal has a point system. There's bonuses for for each animal and everything like that and it's unlimited, like it'll start probably september 1st and probably go to february 1st and you, if you hunt in six states, you get to tag as long as it's legal in the state that you're hunting. It is illegal in our, in our competition. So yet again it puts the people at a big advantage of if they travel a lot or they have a state, like New Jersey, that has unlimited does or seven buck tags. Now we haven't had seven bucks killed in the in the tournament or anything like that.

Speaker 1: 5:05

But, um, you know, we've had some guys put some some hammers down frank and, uh, brad from buckeye brothers outdoors they are the defending champs. Brad is the two-time defending champ. He won the first year when we did solos um. So now this year I think we're going to be doing duos again or maybe even doing trios. We'll see how many people join. So if anyone out there is interested in joining, we are, we're, we're looking, we're taking um, we're accepting it. It's 30 buy-in. Um.

Speaker 1: 5:37

The only thing that we do ask, and why I haven't really made it public, is because I trust basically everybody in in that group. So, like, moving forward, we're going to have a 10 point deduction if you wound an animal and you do not find it or you you do not recover an animal. Now I'm not worried about it really because every guy in there is pretty honest and truthful and we kind of already let each other know when we have bad shots or we wound a deer and anything like that. But I and I hope no one takes offenses I can't personally vouch for you know, some random person comes and joins and everything like that. So that's why we really haven't.

Speaker 1: 6:16

But, um, as we grow and everything like that. And this is another fun, exciting thing for us to do and I eventually like it's eventually going to be like a war award show, like so the game dinner. I want. I eventually like it's eventually going to be like a war award show, like so the game dinner. I want to eventually make it like everyone who participated they're going to come and you know we'll introduce the person with the biggest buck or you know, and do all these cool things just to help build, uh, the community more and more and more. So we're really looking forward to uh forward with that and if anyone wants to join, like I said, yeah, you know, you're more than welcome.

Speaker 3: 6:46

Yeah, no, definitely. And you know the one thing, cause last year was my first year joining, so I didn't really know what to expect. But I mean all the people in there that we have right now and actually it's it's growing. As we actually speak, the phones are probably blowing up, more people want to join, but it's definitely like it's growing. As we actually speak, the phones are probably blowing up more people on the join. But um, it's definitely like it's fun, it's a friendly competition and you know, this year, you know, like I said, whether we do teams again or or trios, like it's, it's just a blast, it's all about just going out there having fun. Like you know, I did make a bad shot on one last year, but I'm, you know, hoping not to repeat that this year. So you know, we'll just see what happens and you know, like I said, it's just best of luck to everybody and I'm looking forward to it.

Speaker 2: 7:35

Yeah, and as a newcomer for this year, it's such a unique opportunity to actually be able to network with everybody here and just get to know everybody on a personal level and I think that's the most important thing and then actually just building that brotherhood, like you were saying, mike, and it's just something that I think a lot of people that are kind of skeptical when it comes to things like this honestly, I just jumped right into it and said, yeah, I'm down, I'm doing it and you know what, in the past 24 hours, I've met so many cool people and the opportunities out there to just network. It's just a blessing.

Speaker 1: 8:06

So I encourage you guys to join, like far out and I think you know a lot of the the people's big worries, and even my way I remember the first year like I was so in my head and everything like that. But you know, yes, it does put a little bit of a pressure, especially when we did the team, when it was single, like no one really I don't think felt the pressure, but when we did the teams because, like you, see your teammate doing well, but then also that for me that is a motivation and that pushes you to just be better and you know, to go out there and give it your all. But everyone's very welcoming, everyone, especially once the season kicks off, once the first picture comes in then it's, it's literally, it is game on

Speaker 1: 8:51

but everyone is so happy for each other and it really doesn't matter, you know what you shoot, or anything like that.

Speaker 1: 8:57

Like it doesn't matter if it's a small doe or anything like that, a small buck, like listen, everyone just congratulations, congrats, like hell. Yeah, like you know what I mean, and it it also just helps build, like if you're somebody who's not confident or and stuff like that like it does help build confidence because everyone is pretty like vocal of just being like there's no really bashing in and I won't, and I won't even allow it. This is something that I have full control over, you know, I mean, I mean I'm not. You know we're not really going to allow bashing, because how many times do we say, like you know, on our shows, like, hey, this is we want, like, yeah, a hundred percent, let me, let me repost it, let me, you know, do this. And you know we're going to celebrate the fact that you got a deer down. It doesn't matter the size, or anything like that. So, um, it's a pretty good group of guys. We're really looking excited.

Speaker 1: 9:56

We're really excited for year three. Um, it's, it's. It's definitely going to be fun. It's, it's. It makes for a good time and it makes hunting season also a little little better because, like, who doesn't have a little friendly competition? And you know it's we. We got to beat brad. Brad can't win three times you know, that that can't happen.

Speaker 1: 10:15

So, um, you know, and for anyone who's wondering, it's not only deer, so it is bear, it is coyotes, it's um, it is turkey. Um, I know, new jersey, here we lost our fall, our fall um, turkey, but it is bear, it is coyotes, it is turkey. I know, in New Jersey, here we lost our fall turkey, but it is elk, and it is moose too as well. I am thinking about adding, like, maybe boar or something like that, just in case if we get anybody or any other animals. As we go on, we're probably going to add, you know, animals and stuff like that.

Speaker 1: 10:43

But and everything, like I said, has a bonus. So I think, once you like from there, for instance, I think once you get to 100, 100 pounds, which is whatever, every 50 pounds is an extra point, you know, and so like, and and every, yeah, so, like we've we've had some big bears shot and everything like that, and it's given some people a pretty big, you know, point spread. We also do have like the 200 pound club for deer. So I think that's even an extra five or 10 points if you shoot, and I think we've had so far one buck be killed and that gave somebody a lot of points, and also for deer too, they have the antler point. So it's five points for a deer, and if it's a buck you get that five points for deer, and then you get how many antler points, and then if you hit a certain weight you get another bonus somebody even with one deer can get a huge bonus, and you know same thing with bear and everything like that.

Speaker 1: 11:42

So it's just pretty fun. You know, I'm really, really looking forward to it. But boys, why don't we? It's summertime, it is, we are not that far away.

Speaker 3: 11:53

And.

Speaker 1: 11:54

I'm sorry that I'm taking over.

Speaker 3: 11:55

No, no, go for it, brother, go for it.

Speaker 1: 11:57

This one. You know I'm just. I can't believe it's already what, july 17th yeah. This season is really not that far away.

Speaker 2: 12:09

It's crazy. I, a lot of people, only have like a month and a half to get going, and that's how it is down here in the border of North Carolina and Virginia. It's like like today I was out there in the woods I saw three doge's take off. I was like it's so close. I'm just like, oh, so close.

Speaker 3: 12:24

I'm just like, oh, it got me amped, like I just can't wait yeah, I mean I just put out like my first set of cameras, I think like a week, week and a half ago, like mike's like hey man, you gotta get out there. Mccall shit.

Speaker 2: 12:35

I know I was like dude, fucking july already, like it just flew by, like I can't believe it, man yeah, I had one of those seasons last year where I was able to get eight and like if I could repeat that every year, to where I just put food on the table. Oh my gosh.

Speaker 1: 12:49

Like yeah, I'll be ecstatic it's um, it's, uh, it's uh. And I I do it every year. I'm like, all right, by july I'm gonna get all my hunting majority of my hunting chores done cameras out, minerals out like everything.

Speaker 1: 13:07

I'm so I can coast in july, enjoy vacation and not have to worry um. Now I'm like, all right, can I get everything done by the end of july, so maybe august. All I have to do is glass deer and not be in the woods like and and the weather. You know, zach, I don't know what it's like really for. For you, I imagine it's probably kind of typically the same, but it's very hot this summer. But it's very know what it's like really for you, I imagine it's probably kind of typically the same, but it's very hot this summer, it's very humid and it's very wet.

Speaker 1: 13:31

We're getting all these big nasty storms. I do want to take a second and want our thoughts and prayers are out there for, first of all, I want everyone affected by the floods and everything like that down in Texas and all the other states and New Jersey as well, but also for the the bow, the archers down in, I think, south Jersey that were struck by lightning and and everything like that. So I know that was. That happened yesterday, july 16th. So I thought in.

Speaker 1: 14:02

Prayers are with you guys, but it's, it's one of those things that I was thought and prayers are with you guys, but it's, it's one of those things that I was. My bow got messed up. So, everybody, yeah, I'm random my hoist, my baby, my main bow. I opened up the the case. I don't know, somehow it got loose in the truck and was rolling around or whatever in my boat case, but my strings were completely like in one spot, just like it looked like a mouse did eat it, like it definitely does. I didn't find any poop. I don't even know how that would even be possible. Um, so I'm about to get my hoit bow restrung. Um, thank god, I do have the backup bow, the brand new matthews that I that I won from the pursuit live crew that's actually sitting right over there. Um, I'm gonna get that all set up. So I'll be carrying two bows this year.

Speaker 1: 14:56

But yesterday, after that debacle, I was like, all right, let me head to the woods, let me. One of my cell cameras hasn't sent me a picture. I don't know if the storm moved, um, move something, or you know what I mean, or tree fell, or you know what I mean. So I wanted to go out there and I'm walking out and just the cloud just got black and I was like, yeah, no I was like let me turn around right right now.

Speaker 1: 15:20

And I booked it right back to the truck and I was like I'm going home I'm you are not winning.

Speaker 2: 15:25

You are not winning.

Speaker 3: 15:26

No no, not at all, Anybody who knows Mike. One thing he does not do is thunderstorms, lightning, anything. No, he's done.

Speaker 1: 15:37

I will literally hunt or do anything in any condition. I have no issues Like I've hunted in blizzards and all these things like torrential downpour, like I've hunted in blizzards and all these things like torrential downpour. The minute I hear or see lightning or thunder, I am gone.

Speaker 3: 15:54

There's nothing but paranoia on me.

Speaker 1: 16:03

I'll be in the tree constantly refreshing my phone to see if there's a lightning alert because, like I, just I don't mess with it and it's not like it's just the one thing that if I would say I was scared of, like anything besides the deep dark ocean.

Speaker 2: 16:12

um, it is definitely, definitely lightning is is my number one thing and, and really for good, for good reason, honestly yeah, no, absolutely yeah, especially after what happened yesterday, like it makes total sense because a freak accident can happen, especially like in texas with that flooding you just never know. And yeah for hunters that do hunt in the wadis and something like. That's where a lot of bucks go cruising through, like sometimes, man, if it's just too dry you just gotta get out of there, and it just makes sense. You know it's not worth it yeah, so zach.

Speaker 1: 16:44

One thing I want to touch on, because yet again, we don't get to experience that much I think frank may be able to, because I think in west jersey we do have a little more of a copperhead and timber rattlesnake problem, but you actually encountered a rattlesnake today. So like what, what's that? Like because you're more south than us, like how crazy is that?

Speaker 2: 17:05

or honestly, so it's not that crazy to like run across them. So here in um virginia there's cane breaks and they're they're beautiful snakes. Um, I just just happened to go check one of my cameras because the same thing. I haven't been getting anything on it in the last couple days and they'll like randomly send me something. I just had to go switch out the batteries and I thought that was the trick. I got back to my truck still nothing, so I'm just gonna go back out there tomorrow to deal with it.

Speaker 2: 17:28

But I went to go put the uh rat getters out and all of a sudden I just see this long, straight stick and it's fat, and I see the head and I just see the tail. I'm like, oh, that's a, that's a huge snake, and I just backed up a little bit and I looked at it and it curled up. I just pulled out my phone and took a video of it, as you can see like it was like just going nuts. But yeah, I think what the worst part was. About five minutes later I'm walking right back in that path and I know where he was because I leaned a stick on the tree and he was gone.

Speaker 2: 17:57

I'm like, well, at least he has, at least he has at least he has a rattle to tell me if I'm close by. So yeah, um, but usually the copperheads are the, the bigger, biggest culprit around here, like, but the good news is about copperheads they buy you. It's just gonna be very, very painful, but a rattlesnake man it's you gotta go get lacerations and up and down your wherever you get bit and it's just painful.

Speaker 2: 18:18

So yeah but yeah I would have been out of there bro well, it's all I usually would take like a pistol with me or a shotgun, but me hunting out a military installation. It's such a good time I usually would take like a pistol with me or a shotgun, but me hunting out of military installations, like I can't just be walking around with a pistol. I mean, who's this guy? It's just you know, don't worry about me, I'm just just hunting, no big deal.

Speaker 1: 18:36

But yeah, so that was one of those things. One of the things do you wear snake boots or or stuff like that? Like I know how? Like, because I know you said, you know you do come across and yet again, you know that virginia, north north carolina area too, where you're going to be hunting, and everything like that, like by the time hunting season comes along, is it? Is it that common as the temperature, I know, as the temperature goes down and everything I know? Summer is one thing, but are you somebody who who wears the boots, or by that time, usually it's, it's kind of good honestly, I never wear snake boots.

Speaker 2: 19:11

Uh, that's just my, my thing. I guess I'm not not too worried about it. Um, there's a lot of guys that do wear them. It just helps keep like triggers and ticks off of their legs and stuff. But yeah, for me, I just, I don't know like, I just I'm not very fearful of snakes. If I see them I'm an adult I'm just gonna go around them. I'm not like my son who likes to grab snakes and it's just like I'll put it down. But it's just, god, I don't know. Yeah, it's a, it's a handful, but yeah, that's just, I don't know, that's just my, not me. I'm not a big fan of like wearing boots all the way up to my knees, pretty much so I just rock my Columbia's and yeah.

Speaker 2: 19:48

I'll wear my Columbia's. I am getting the Osseo one soon and I'm looking forward to that, so see how those go yeah.

Speaker 3: 19:54

Oh, nice yeah All right, how, how else?

Speaker 1: 19:57

you know what. What's the? You know some of the preseason, you know stuff you got the racket are out and everything like that. Uh, how long has the mineral sites been out? Have you noticed yet the holes? Dude, I have some giant holes yeah from.

Speaker 3: 20:12

The bag.

Speaker 1: 20:13

It is insane, yeah I.

Speaker 2: 20:15

So I just put out the drip my first drip bag today, because I wanted to. I wanted to catch the lay of the land, um, where I'm hunting that, and just see if I could catch traffic. Saw a little bit of traffic and then it just died down because the heat here is just so unbearable. So I just said screw it and went to go put a drip bag out today. But I used some Maniac Outdoors seeds and stuff like that, put that down and some salt lick out and they have just been getting smashed, especially near a water source too. So that's been hooking me up a lot, but no target buck yet. So it's kind of like I don't know if they're just cruising, if they're not in that area right now, which is fine, um, but it's just like darn like I'm really looking forward to find a target buck this year and just nothing yet. Usually I have one or two by now.

Speaker 3: 21:02

So I think it's just, yeah, I'm, I'm in the same boat. I mean I had mine out for probably, I think, like two weeks, three weeks and, like mike was saying, like some of the spots I have, because right now I got three racket or drip bags out and the one just is hammer. I mean the hole is ridiculous. The other two, I mean they've been touched a little bit but nothing crazy, because the one I put on the opposite side of this farm that I've been hunting because I wanted to actually get to know that side and get to know it a little better. But I mean it's mostly, you know the bear's been on top of them. I mean Mike's been seeing the pictures, I've been the cubs.

Speaker 3: 21:45

Now I got mama with two cubs. I got, you know, a pretty decent, nice-sized bear in there. Then there's another group of two of them, but I mean it's just but barely any target bucks this year, which kind of took me by surprise. But I'm not, you know, I'm not nervous just yet. I've been getting, you know, a lot of does, but every now and then I'll get like a buck just cruising by. That's, that's pretty decent. There's one in there that's pretty wide. He's well past his ears already.

Speaker 2: 22:15

His brow tines are pretty high already, so I mean, we'll just see what happens yeah, that's kind of like how I'm trying to figure everything out right now, like this time last year, I had two or three. Never saw them in the season, they just disappeared.

Speaker 1: 22:29

So it's just I guess there's a time right now where they're just not around yeah, I, I think definitely the humidity has and the heat is something, because last year was hot but it wasn't like we had that one week really right before I went to england and scotland. But besides that, like, I don't think last year was anything crazy and it definitely wasn't this way.

Speaker 1: 22:54

I was not much too, and you know, what I noticed is, man, some of the spots the beans and the corn already are so high that one you might not even see them. And I think, a lot of bucks, you know. For me, personally speaking, like I just think I have a lot of bucks that are bedding cotton. They're just going to be in there right now they're going to be in the corn. I had one nice, real nice shooter, but I haven't seen him now in maybe like two weeks. But I think part of it is like the waters have gotten high. He's probably gone out into one of the fields just to, you know, be by the beans and everything like that.

Speaker 1: 23:33

I think once we get closer to season and those especially, once the beans dry and burnt, you know they're done and everything like that, and they start to die, he'll be back. You know they'll be back where they, where they're going to need to be. But we still. We don't have much time, but we still have plenty of. Yeah, I mean it's. It's just this weird thing, I think, to find bucks anybody out there, like if you still haven't found one, we have plenty of time for that.

Speaker 1: 23:58

We may not have plenty of time for chores but we definitely have plenty of time to to still find, um, you know, some shooter bucks and everything like that. But it's a real different year and I think it's going to be. Last year we went with the drought.

Speaker 1: 24:15

This year there's going to be a lot of rain, I think there's going to be a bit more deer killed earlier and bigger deer killed earlier. I think a lot of people last year struggled with the fact they didn't have natural uh water sources and weren't able to put in water sources, so it felt really slow last year. I think this year it's going to be for almost everyone.

Speaker 2: 24:38

It's going to be a lot quicker and everything like that, just because of there's, there's, there's rain, then there's plenty of rain and vegetation I think, with all the rain that's coming in, uh, just definitely going to keep the vegetation green longer, and that's where they're going to get a lot of their water from as well. So that's that's good. But it's just also kind of like man that that takes away from one of my creeks that I usually hunt at, and it's just like they're probably going to be in the bean fields or they're probably gonna be in the cornfields. So it's like I haven't put a lot of tender loving care into that area just because I know they're not really around there. Um, but I'm just looking forward to the season. I just wanted to start already. My buddy Rodney's got some property down about 20 minutes from here, so we're going to hunt his property. We're looking forward to that. So that's in North Carolina and we're going to have a lot going on there, so looking forward to that, oh yeah, I mean I can, we can go.

Speaker 1: 25:35

It feels like tomorrow the season's going to start.

Speaker 3: 25:40

Honestly, I wish it was already. I'm ready to go.

Speaker 1: 25:44

You get like I don't't know, like at this point, like I'm over the heat, I'm just so yeah, going outside and dying, like usually, like I'm big on working outside and I don't I don't mind doing it after work, but right now, with the humidity, I don't mind the humidity, right now it's like I don't want to go for a run. Right, I literally don't like. I'm like I don't want to go for a run. I don literally don't like. I'm like I don't I don't want to go.

Speaker 1: 26:07

I don't really want to be outside. Um you know I'm looking forward to that that cooler fall weather.

Speaker 2: 26:15

Um so yeah, here we don't really get that really nice cool weather. It's like, for some reason this year it was like all right, it's spring, it's not hot, not hot, there's no in between, and it's just boom, instantly hot. Like there was no acclimation for us here so it kind of sucked. And then when the fall hits it's like hot, hot, hot, hot, instantly cold. So it's kind of like man, but I don't know that was. This is like my second or my third year hunting in virginia, so last year it was kind of nice. This year I'm really hoping it's gonna be one of those seasons where it's like it stays cool and it's just like oh man, I just wear flannel and that's about it.

Speaker 3: 26:53

But that'd be great yeah, yeah, right you know it go, I'm like go ahead. No, no I was gonna say, I think for us, like, since our season starts here in september, you know, I mean again, it's not that far away um, I think we're gonna get hammered by mosquitoes this year, yeah, like last year.

Speaker 3: 27:16

I mean, it wasn't that bad but, I know, like this year, like I don't know about you, mike, but like where I've been scouting, I mean all of a sudden like I'm dying and I have my thermos, so I have everything. I mean it's you know it, you know how it is. It just I'm just like damn, and the ticks forget about it.

Speaker 2: 27:35

Oh my god, they're so bad this year yeah, they are, it's unbearable. Yeah, I went turkey hunting this year and I was just on my hands and knees trying to crawl through this like little ditch to get to this turkey and I pop up and I am just covered in ticks. I'm like what is going?

Speaker 1: 27:49

on Yep. I took a Bianca and I went out glassing a brand-new piece a couple weeks ago before we went on vacation. Great, saw some no like shooters, maybe, like, maybe one. But I took one step out and I just wanted to get a little. We're in the truck and I was like, all right, let me just. I'm gonna run like 50 yards up this, you know a little. Even the grass wasn't too high or anything like that, and I'm in my shorts and sandals with socks on them.

Speaker 1: 28:20

You know, that's, that's how I rock it um and all of a sudden I get back to the truck. I think I had probably like 15 ticks on me from a quick like 50 yard walk with not even in like high grass or or anything like that, just all on my feet and everything like that. Um, they're, yeah, they're, they're brutal. Um, the mosquitoes are going to be bad and for me, it's going to depend on where I'm hunting.

Speaker 1: 28:44

Yeah, west in the swamp. Yeah, it's going to be brutal. I think I'm going to be able to get away with it. Um, you know more south on those, you know on all those ag fields and everything like that yeah but I do have a lot of water also in the area and it does.

Speaker 1: 29:02

The river does overflow, so it does flood a lot. So that is something that is going to be new for me. To challenge of last year yet again, I hunted that piece for the first time and saw it in a drought. What are we going to look like this year with now much more pockets of water? They're complete ponds and everything like that. They were just so dried up that deer were using it like crazy. Now what are they going to do now to navigate? I don't know how deep it gets or anything like that. So what are they going to do to navigate around that? What? How is it going to change? You know their, their hunting um, their lanes and their, their travel corridors and everything like that. So I'm really looking forward to that. You know, I hope the rain definitely maybe dies down a little bit in august like especially like the second half of august.

Speaker 1: 29:52

I don't want it to to rain nearly as much. We still need a little bit of rain, but nothing like what we've been getting. This and everything like that is just it's too much it really is especially down too.

Speaker 2: 30:05

It seemed like it was just like a week of rain and then like two days of sun and then another week of rain, and you're like, can we just catch a little bit of a break? My garden is just going bananas with how much water it's getting, Like the cucumbers are just getting kind of like woody and it's just like ah, but we have just so much vegetables coming in because of the rain, which is great.

Speaker 3: 30:28

But pump the brakes a little bit, come on no, I, I agree like I think I think this year because, um, basically where I hunt it's mostly open woods, but there's a, there's a few spots that are like it drops down, it gets kind of swampy and then there's like a nice actually the deer usually bed on like this side hill and it drops down into like a little like it's almost like a little marshy spot, so like I always see them down there. So I was like hey, like all right, well, like when I was out scouting the other day, I'm like you know what I want to check in there? Wrong move to go check that out. I did not think that out, I took, I took one step and I was like, yep, I knew it, I almost went down. I like I literally almost went down to like my knee in mud.

Speaker 2: 31:13

I was like, yeah, no, I'm like I'm done yeah, I've had a buddy lose a boot one time. There's no getting it out and he's like you know what? I'm just chucking this up for loss. What sucked even more was he bought that muck boot two days before we went out and he's like I'm already down a boot. I gotta go get some more ones.

Speaker 1: 31:28

Like that's just unfortunate yeah, so it's, it's a uh, it's something that I've, I think I don't know. I would tell you, frank, the story. I know, zach, I don't think you you've definitely not heard it. I don't know if I've told on the podcast, but I was out scouting last year gun season I think I did and it was six day and you know, I was just walking around and there was this like this little runoff that it went. There are two fields and the water just ran off right into this like little pocket. But it didn't look like. It looked kind of like you could walk on it.

Speaker 1: 32:07

So I'm like all right, cool, like took a giant step and I just sunk right in boot line. Now I'm trying to get my like my foot out and I take another step and now I'm like really stuck, both feet are stuck and I'm I'm by myself and I'm like, oh, my god. I'm like this is you can't, this can't be happening. And I'm like now I'm thinking like, oh shit, like I'm just gonna keep sinking and sinking and sinking, like this is not good, like, and I finally, like eventually, I had to take my feet out of the boots, grab them with my hand, pull up with my weight to get back out. I was drenched mud just everywhere and I go, okay, yeah, this is it, I'm just, I'm just, you know, I, I, just, I, I want to go, like I'm, I'm done, that's it. And you know, I walked home or walked back to the truck and and and drove back and yeah, it's just the mud and everything like that could be a huge pain in the butt.

Speaker 2: 33:13

I remember a few years ago I was watching this. I was in a blind and I see this guy. He's coming down in his climber and he gets out and I can just see his orange hat moving around and I'm like, what are you doing? Like I thought he got his climber down already. I, his orange hat moving around and I'm like, what are you doing? Like I thought he got his climber down already. I thought he's ready to go. Apparently he was getting attacked by bees. And I'm just sitting there laughing at this guy and I had no idea. I afterwards, like I talked to him at the game shack and he's like swelled up. I was like, what were you doing out there, man? He looks ridiculous. He's like I got attacked by bees and he's like all swollen up. I'm like, oh no, so they had to. He had to go to the hospital for like I think it was like 15 bee stings or something like that. I was like, gosh, that's that sucks. But wow, it was funny until I knew the story.

Speaker 2: 33:54

I was like oh ah, that sucks yeah, that is crazy.

Speaker 1: 33:59

So one of one of the most popular stories and one of my favorites from the garden state is pre, I think, season one, when we're when we you know, obviously in the beginning at connecticut, uh, paul, where he got up in his his stand and got attacked by bees and he sent me the picture of what his face looked like. And it was. It was so jacked up like I'll never, never, like forget that, like it was, it was absolutely just, it was horrifying, it legit was like horrifying and that is like a another scary thing. You don't worry about it too much, but if it does happen, yeah, it could be very deadly, especially if you're up in a tree and god forbid, you know you fall out so you're not hooked up, or even if you are hooked up, and you fall and then you're just dangling with bees or watts, whatever, just stinging you like it it's.

Speaker 1: 34:58

It's a really brutal situation.

Speaker 3: 35:00

It is yeah yeah, no, that I believe or not. Last last year that happened to me with my bass boat. I was getting ready, I went and got it, hooked it up, put it in the truck. Everything was fine, like nothing, right. I got. I put all my fishing poles in the truck, drove to the spot.

Speaker 3: 35:18

I go to take actually I go to bring the bass boat down to the water, because over there there's kind of like a little like like rock ledge and then it drops into the water as soon as I move the boat. They they must have been underneath the seat. I don't know how they didn't move the first time. But all of a sudden I've seen about like, like, probably a hundred of them at least it seemed like a hundred just fly up. I jump in the truck and I leave the bass boat. I could see it, obviously, but I drove all the way down and I'm just watching them and I'm just like I remember thinking to myself holy shit, like I'm glad I wasn't on the water, or like sitting down in the water when they decided to fucking come out because I would have been screwed yeah, that's scary, yep so I was like yep, I'm done.

Speaker 3: 36:12

So I ended up taking care of that situation. I was like you know what, maybe that was a sign for today.

Speaker 2: 36:17

I'm done that's why every time I go to georgia we hunt and stands and stuff like box stands there's always some wasp spray on the inside and on the outside. So it's like I always like with my flashlight I look around my all right, cool. But but for the evening I'm just like I'll throw like a pine cone at it just to see if something moves. It's like okay, we're good. But the second I see a wasp there I'm like nope, I'm, I'm done, I can't. I've been stung one too many times by a wasp and I can't take it anymore me too.

Speaker 3: 36:47

I turn into I'm not kidding.

Speaker 2: 36:49

I turn into the biggest wimp when it comes to bees and and wasp. Like no, I can do snakes, but a freaking bee like seriously of all things, like I turn into the biggest wimp it's always the little things right it is yeah that's that's it and it's, it's man they do.

Speaker 1: 37:08

They do suck like I'll never I don't know what like usually if I'm, if I'm like usually cool. There's this one time I'm at work and I a wash I don't know if it's a wash or b flew right by me normally I don't really react, but I don't know what it was this moment I screamed like a little girl and I started running and like it was crazy, like it and it's.

Speaker 1: 37:34

I was like what the hell? Like what is wrong with me? And like I did it another time. I was we're out, uh, putting on some stands, and I don't know if I just walked through high grass and there was a bee on something, but it got stuck in my shirt. It stung me, so I didn't know what the hell I'm like. So I'm screaming, running through the woods, like running a million miles per hour, because I think something is, like they're flying at me. So like I'm just running, going like this. Meanwhile it's stuck in my damn shirt, just stinging the hell out of me. I finally stop. I think I'm good, I'm like all right, like no problem, like all right, yeah, yeah. All of a sudden, boom, I get stung again and I'm like. So I started ripping off my clothes.

Speaker 1: 38:24

Like it was rough. It really was.

Speaker 2: 38:27

That's like early early in the season when you're walking through the woods and you just run into a spider web and you just have to do the dance. Yeah, like every time, you're just like oh, you just gotta start ripping out your, your clothing. You're just like god, what the okay? So I walk again. You run in the next one, like I remember taking my son last year for his first hunting trip and he had his little bear bow little apprentice. And we're just walking through and I know this guy's in his blind and like I don't feel bad because it's you know, it's youth day. So I'm walking with him. We're walking through the corn and I see this spider web. I don't say anything. I want to see what his reaction will be. He hits it and he's just like hi, and just reads at that, just has like the mean mug face where he's like. He's just like this is stupid dead. Like it was just so funny. I laughed. The guy turned and looked at me.

Speaker 1: 39:14

I was like I'm sorry, like I know I ruined your hunt, but come on, man, it was funny for me so one of the worst things about early season and it's gotta be way worse for you, but when you're walking in the middle of night and you get- all those spider webs and everything like that.

Speaker 1: 39:30

You look, I imagine if you didn't have, if you didn't know somebody that was watching you and they're just watching you just start freaking out and it's like people are like what the hell is wrong with that person? He needs, he needs a psyche bow. That's what he needs.

Speaker 2: 39:46

Yeah, you hear me out of nowhere. Be like yeah, I saw that he's like oh sure, that'd be great. I love those moments.

Speaker 1: 39:57

Boys. I mean I think we'll go there. I think that was a great mid-season wrap-up. The next time everyone hears us.

Speaker 1: 40:05

it will definitely. I think we're going to have everyone where we'll go over our bows arrow setups, broadheads which everyone knows what Frank and I are running for the most part with broadheads Saddle setup and the states that we're going to be hunting and everything like that. Hopefully, we'll have an idea of the big bucks that we are going to be to be chasing and everything like that, but I'm really looking forward to that. We're we're not too far away, frank. Yet again, thank you for letting me steal tonight's hosting of the Garden State Outdoorsman.

Speaker 3: 40:39

I mean it's yours anyway, kind of.

Speaker 1: 40:43

It felt good being back to hosting everyone. I just want to. I missed my first ever episode in five years. I went 200 and I think 30 by the time that one drops of not missing a single episode, obviously of the state outdoorsman, because I hosted 95 of them, but it was um, it was tough, like I was like, oh man, like it felt weird knowing that frank and scotch were on recording and I was like, uh, but you know what?

Speaker 1: 41:18

frank did a great job thanks real happy, um, you know, with frank and what he's doing. He's definitely come out of of his shell and every episode he gets better and better and better. Zach, we are like we said earlier. We're pumped to have you. If you guys are not following him or following either of these two, make sure you guys go check them out. You know, zach, echoes of the Hunt has some great stories. If you got any animals bucks, deer, whatever it it is send it to them. We'll have a story out for you, kind of like that old school um magazines that you, that you back in the day. If anyone who's young, who's listening to that. You may not know what that is, but go ask your family members and

Speaker 1: 42:01

you know they, they will tell you the good old stories about, about reading the magazines and things like that. But everyone, like I said, we have the hunting competition. We are 90% sure that we'll be doing our bow shoot this year. I know we're a little behind. Things have just been absolutely wild and also, with this weather it's very unpredictable. But we are going to try to to do something here late in august. Um, you know, and besides that, your season's right around the corner. Make sure you guys all get out there and you know, get your work in and get those hunting chores and don't wait for the last second like some of us here. And you know, we'll, we'll, we'll, see you guys next time. Boys, any any last words zach you got anything.

Speaker 2: 42:46

No, man, just once again, I appreciate the opportunity that y'all are y'all threw at me earlier this year and looking forward to everything that we're gonna, you know, go through, and just looking forward to it yeah, no, I mean same here.

Speaker 3: 42:58

Like like mike was saying you know season's coming, I'm pumped. I actually hit over a thousand followers, so that was a big achievement for broadside ambush account.

Speaker 2: 43:07

So I appreciate everybody.

Speaker 3: 43:09

Thank you, I appreciate everybody who's following me and keeping up with my journey. I um, I'll actually be tomorrow. I'll be shooting out of my saddle with the bow. I haven't done that yet, so I have the day off. So I figured I'd take advantage of it and get out in the yard and take a few shots and, you know, get ready for bow season coming up. Boys, I'm ready.

Speaker 1: 43:33

Heck, yeah, yeah, hell, yeah, all right guys, we'll see you guys next time.

Speaker 3: 43:38

All right, we'll see you guys next time, hope you guys enjoyed this episode.