Welcome And Jersey Outdoors Pride

SPEAKER_00 0:00

This is the Garden State Outdoors and Podcast. Built on early alarms, muddy boots, and stories that only the woods can write. New Jersey is one of the most underappreciated states in the outdoors, and little do they know what it really holds. From hard-earned public land deer to waterfowl, predators, and everything in between. This state produces more than people give it credit for. Now let's dial in with the men and women around the state of New Jersey who live this life every day. In New Jersey, excuses don't survive. Only the grinders do. All right, everyone.

Meet Will And His Backstory

SPEAKER_00 0:40

Welcome back to another episode of the Garden State Outdoors and Podcast. Today we have Will from Timber, Timber and River Outdoors, uh, local New Jersey guy. Um, happy, happy to have you on.

SPEAKER_02 0:55

Yeah, man. I mean, excited to be here. First time doing uh you know outdoors podcast and being a guest. So I'm I'm excited.

SPEAKER_00 1:02

Yeah, no, we're we're really looking forward to uh this conversation. Now, uh, you know, give the the listening out there a little rundown uh and backstory on who you are.

SPEAKER_02 1:12

Yeah, um, my name's Will. Uh grew up in North Jersey, Bergen County. Um, been in North Jersey pretty much my my entire life, recently moved a little west um to the North Jersey side of things. So getting some better hunting out here, but uh really haven't been haven't been hunting that long. I mean, I think I started my hunting career in 2021. Um even like a year after COVID. Um had it, you know, was around it my entire life. My dad does it, um, did it since he's growing up, cousin does it, uncles, both uncles, my grandfather on my dad's side. But uh, I only recently got into it after I got done. You know, I played baseball, played at the JUCO level, went out the education. COVID hit, shut everything down. Then I was like, Wow, I might as well do something with my weekends now. So picked it up and I got the bug, man. I got the bug good.

SPEAKER_00 2:02

Okay, so you so you're one of those guys that family did it, you just basically had no time to do it.

SPEAKER_02 2:08

Yeah, I mean, I was from the time it got warm enough to to get out on the field playing baseball, I was doing that all the way till it was cold enough, and then I was filling my time with workouts in the winter. Um so I mean, it was just never got around to it, I guess. Kind of I was always fishing, right?

SPEAKER_00 2:24

But hundreds of fishing, fishing's one of those things that's it's so much easier to to do. Um you know, you I always tell people, you know, one fishing is definitely way more accepted in our in our cultural and and where we are, and just I think in in the country. I can't say around the world because a lot of countries hunting is huge and and just the way of life, just so is so is fishing as well. Um, but especially like here in America, like yeah, everyone accepts fishing way more. And obviously they there's some people that don't and everything like that, but it's way more it's not frowned upon, and and hunting is is is pretty much frowned upon. But I feel like, yeah, like for us athletes and and everyone who's an athlete, like especially at a very high level, and I talk about it a lot with um, you know, with hockey and everything like that, like you don't have time for everything else. And and hunting takes so much dedication and time and and effort. Like when you when you basically wake up and all you do is is play a sport, and then you know, when you're not playing the sport, yeah, you're basically getting ready to play a sport, or especially when we're younger, you're actually kind of just playing like 24-7 and just running around it and and everything like that. But um, you know, did did you like do you have any of that early childhood memories of of at least dad or or uncle or anyone else going out and hunting and bringing stuff home? Or was it literally the only thing you could focus on was baseball?

SPEAKER_02 3:54

No, no. I mean, he would like there'd be like early fall, you know, he he'd drag me out and be like, Let's go, you're coming with me. You know, I mean, I never got like the license or anything, but I'd I'd gone and been in the woods, and I've gone and like, you know, when I was really young, you know, kind of riding on his hip during like deer drives and stuff like that. So I mean, I got out in the woods and I was in there and watching to bring deer home, but I mean it just it never really clicked for me till like after college, and I was like, I need something to fill my time.

Getting Into Hunting After Baseball

SPEAKER_02 4:20

This looks really fun, and then I just bought in.

SPEAKER_00 4:23

Yeah. Now, during during that covert, that that crazy, crazy time period. Like, yeah, what what do you remember? Like, what so you get your you get your hunting license 2000, you got it in 2021.

SPEAKER_02 4:38

Yeah, so I did I did like the whole hunter safety course, which this was wild to me, by the way. Everything was online. I even did like my field test, was like online. I'm like, I don't know how this really makes sense, but I mean I was like shot and everything, you know, but no, I didn't I didn't see a a season of actual hunting until fall of 21.

SPEAKER_00 4:58

So you so you didn't yeah, because crazy. Like, first of all, even before me, like I remember you had to do all your I think your your class in person, and I think it was like a two a day or two-day course or or whatever. Um, you know, even when I went to go get my bow test, like I did the course online and I I did class, like the class and the you know, the booklet and everything like that online. Took my quiz online, passed that, and was eligible to go do um your your field day. And I remember like getting there, you get there like super early, yeah, but you have a whole walkthrough. Like you they you you did we did a whole walkthrough and and everything like that, which was great. Um, and then you go and sit down and you know, you take your test in person, everything like that. You know, you're in a you're a room full of guys and and girls taking taking your tests, you get to see the instructions. Uh, you know, there's usually a ward in there and everything like that, if if they can obviously make it. And yeah, like I think that is so crucial. Um, and yeah, during COVID, not having any of that, it's like one of those, yeah, it's iffy. It's like, uh, like I don't think this is the smartest thing in the world.

SPEAKER_02 6:15

No, no. I mean, I then I and then even completing the whole course, like I wasn't even able to book like going and doing like the archery or the firearm portion of that test until like spring of 21. So like I kind of just had to like sit on having the course completed until they reopened it up. That sucks. That really sucks. Yeah, it did because I was like, Well, I could go out this season, but I mean I really can't. If they had a if I could have at least got an archery test in, that would have been sweet, I would have been covered.

SPEAKER_00 6:46

And now you look at it like, and I always say this, like obviously, like I worked in the the child, like the medical field, the psych field, so I was constantly working and and stuff like that. But like everything that was implemented, you look back and it's like, wow, that was so stupid. Like, why do we do this? Why did why do we do that? You know, I I it it was a it was a rough time, and like and and it's crazy, like hunting grew during COVID, like it it grew, and you but you look at it and you look at your scenario, and it's like, all right, like it's crazy that it did grow too, because yeah, you had to sit and wait, and a lot of people are impatient, but obviously this was years of people having nothing to do whatever at least I think two, two or three, two full, I think, government shutdown. So, like I I get it, but like you know, it it's one of those things, like, yeah, if you're just sitting and sitting and sitting, it's like I'm surprised people just didn't do the the course and just never go and to take the to do the field test once it was scheduled.

SPEAKER_02 7:52

Yeah, I mean, I mean, like you're saying, I'm surprised people just didn't give up, you know, like, oh well, I got it done. Um well, now it's just taking me forever to do it. I'm not gonna go and do it. Dude, when I showed up, that place was loaded with people just waiting to take their test. I was like, oh, all right.

SPEAKER_00 8:10

Yeah, it it it uh it it was it was the one good takeaway, and I, you know, we've talked about this from COVID, I guess, as you could take is how much you know the outdoors grew and you know, just I think cleaner lifestyle, and you see a lot more people hunting and fishing and you know, wanting to farm or you know, know more where their where their food came from and everything like that. Um it was it was definitely like a good good good time period. Um, you know what I mean? But um for for you, like after after the wait was done and you had to go to the field test, like you know, what were you finally just like wow, finally, like I'm you're just relieved. Like, were there any jitters or anything like that because it was so like far removed from when you actually took the course?

SPEAKER_02 9:01

No, dude. I mean, I was still like just as jacked up as I think I could have been if I had done it the next day after I completed the course. Like I got I showed up there, I made you know the appointment, quote unquote, to to go and do the shoots. And um, I showed up, everybody's cool, everybody's super nice. Um, and then the guy that kind of was like the teacher or instructor, like certifying me, was super cool, super helpful. So, I mean the whole experience was honestly a really good one.

COVID Era Hunter Safety And Testing

SPEAKER_00 9:30

Yeah. Um, so what what when so you said spring? So, like, was it in time for turkey season or just after like turkey season going into like the summer? I think it was probably like mid-turkey season.

SPEAKER_02 9:45

Like I've I think I remember it being like late April, early May. Okay, yeah, like kind of that time frame. So you're probably it was like warm enough out in the morning where but I was like no, I miss turkey season that year.

SPEAKER_00 10:02

Um were you able to go? Did you get out at all, or you're just like screw it? Like, I'll just get a full like season of deer prep and and everything like that.

SPEAKER_02 10:14

Yeah, I just waited till deer, right? My my dad wasn't a big turkey hunter, honestly. He was just pissed off at New Jersey Turkeys for like 18 weeks, right? Um, but then uh so you like that was never on the top of my mind. My cousin did it, my uncle did it, but then that 2020 season, I kind of just like watched, right? Or spring of 21. I just watched and got ready for deer.

SPEAKER_00 10:36

Yeah, yeah. Okay. What was what what was that like? What was what was your first year like after college? You know, you it's been in it's been in your your family, it's something that you've done, yeah. You know, was it everything that you kind of like expected it to be? Was there anything that you weren't expecting? Obviously, sitting and and watching and hearing stories and everything like that is way different than actually doing it. But like what was what was your experience like that that first year?

SPEAKER_02 11:10

Yeah, a lot of uh a lot more sitting around than they made it sound like, you know, getting up in a tree and just sitting there for hours on end. Because the only times I got into the woods, I was just I was with them and I was just walking around, right? I didn't get up in a tree with them. So first time I go up, I've got my dad's old climber that I will never get in again because that thing is sketchy. But I'm up in there and I'm standing there and I'm standing there, I'm standing there. I'm like, when is something gonna happen? And then my dad's like, dude, it's not like that at all. Like, relax, it'll happen. So, I mean, that was definitely kind of a little bit of a learning curve, starting to get that patience for it. Because, like you're saying, growing up sports-wise, everything's so fast paced, everything's going all the time, and then you get to calm down a little bit.

SPEAKER_00 11:54

Yeah, um, what did you did you start out with the bow? Right?

SPEAKER_02 12:00

Uh, yeah, I was oh, I mean, yes, I I started out with the compound, but unfortunately, the first deer I shot was with the crossbow. Um, I went out. That that's a funny story. Me and my dad were going to Scout and Area, right? And uh I'm like, dude, I'm bringing my bow. Like, I don't want to use your crossbow. And he starts giving me crap. No, we're only bringing one, you don't need it, don't worry about it. And we're walking that dude. And he's like, um, he's like, Man, wouldn't it be great if we just turned this corner and there was some deer standing there? Um, and we had we had done that with the spike, right? And he's like, You see that up there? I'm like, I got me in a tree bump in between the deers. I'm like, dude, I got the crossbow. I'm like, dude, I don't see anything, I have no idea what you're talking about. So he grabs it from me, thing runs off. He's like, How did you not see that? I'm like, I don't know, whatever. So we keep going. We're walking back to the truck, we're maybe 50 yards from the truck, three does standing right there. He shoves the crossbow back into my hands. I go, Okay, how far? He goes, I don't know, 30. So I put it on, pull the trigger, hear that bolt fly peels through her, and then she dies right on the trail. And I was like, Um, all right, that's one time I guess.

SPEAKER_00 13:11

I love it. Yeah, I'll tell you, it would, it's been one of the biggest learning lessons, and it always bites me in the ass is to take a walk into the woods, whether I'm scouting, got to go move stuff without my bow. It is a it is a thing where you at least have to have one. Thank god you guys had one, right? You know what I mean? Um you definitely had a situation to have two. Um, you know what I mean? Uh, but like it that is a not a hunting mode kill where it's like, all right, like we're just gonna go for a walk, like you know, go scout and everything like that. And you know, did you even have time for the adrenaline to to like to hit you? I feel like sometimes when when you least expect it in situations like that, when you're when you're hunting, like you don't even get the full like bow of like adrenaline and nerves and everything like you you would like if you're sitting in the tree or or you know just don't suddenly see some deer like that.

SPEAKER_02 14:16

Dude, the adrenaline dump didn't hit me till I got in the truck. And then my dad got like reject my dude, it hit my dad immediately. He was shaking, he was so excited for me, and I was excited, don't get me wrong. But then I got in the truck and I like I started shaking a little bit, and then my dad gets all excited because he knows it's happening and I'm feeling it. So it took me it took me a little while to get that that first adrenaline dump because I I just don't think I processed what it actually. You know what I mean?

SPEAKER_00 14:44

But that was cool. Where um where where to go for from there for for you with the with the season?

SPEAKER_02 14:52

Um, so that that's first season I hunted. We had shot I shot that dough probably beginning of October. Things got real quiet for me. Um, I think I missed a buck that year with my bow. And then during permit shotgun, probably in January, late January, I got another dough, an older doe. I mean, man, she had no teeth like in her mouth at all. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Um, and then that was it for that season. I got two does my first year. I mean, couldn't couldn't really ask for a better first year unless I put something down with handlers on it, but no need to get greedy first year, you know what I mean?

SPEAKER_00 15:29

Uh I love it. I mean, there's there's so many deer to to be killed in New Jersey. So many. We we we have so many, but um yeah, I I mean it it's one of those years, like I always tell like I don't know, like my belief is like I want people to struggle their first year. Oh, yeah. I mean, and it's because it's all about the grind, like, and uh, and you know, it's something that I I re generally talk about a lot on the show. I actually I don't think we've talked about it in a while. Um, but like, you know, I remember getting like uh same thing with you. Like I started bow hunting um 2013. Um, I think yeah, 2013 um ended up being during the permit season is when I so I missed the whole fall bow. Um but 2013 is when I did mine uh same

First Deer Down And Adrenaline Hits

SPEAKER_00 16:20

thing. And like I had family that that did it uh and grew grew into it and and everything like that. And you know, but that was out in Maine, and I I spent all my time focusing on hockey, hockey, hockey, hockey, camping, and fishing, you know what I mean, and and that's really really about it. But I always wanted to hunt and kind of the same thing, like after you know hockey was done, I was like, I need I need to do something. You spend your whole entire life just doing this, and like you need something to replace it. But you know, I struggled. I I struggled um to kill stuff. I mean, I I was doing things right, I was doing a lot of things wrong. Um, you know, I mean, uh, the first year you're in a the first year was all like spot and stalk and and stuff like that, where I was almost successful on a really nice buck. Um, you know, I mean, and and and things like that, but it it sets you up to be the hunter who you are today. I think when you struggle, I think when things come too easy, first of all, hunting would be boring as shit. You know, and I could see that's why people maybe get are not interested in it, especially if you're doing it from like such a young age and you're just killing and killing and killing and killing a 160, a 170, a 180. Well, where the hell do you go from there? You don't go like you yeah, you you can't go anywhere for from there, so it becomes boring, uh, you know, but also it's like at any point, any good hunter could struggle where things just aren't going right. So if you've already struggled before, it I'd like all right, cool. This this is normal, like you've you've gone through this before and you've gotten through it. You know, if you don't have that struggle, you know, or or that toughness of of getting it done, then like maybe yeah, you just you just that first failure gets you off of hunting.

SPEAKER_02 18:16

No, yeah, that's very valid. I mean, I definitely had a couple where I was leaving the woods with my my head down and you know, tail between my legs going, man, did I screw that one up? Right. Then, you know, it's like you know, I'm a I'm pretty much just a weekend warrior, right? I mean, working two jobs right now and then getting on the weekend. So it's like I got all week to to sulk and get out of my own head, and then Friday night rolls around and I'm ready to get back in the woods Saturday and Sunday.

SPEAKER_00 18:43

Yeah, yeah. Um how is it you know for for you of of being you know um quote unquote weekend warrior warrior? Like what are your expectations you know every season? Like, is it more meat? Is it more like what what are kind of your like your goals? Because honestly, like I'll I'll tell you, like I I don't get too many weekend warriors where I get to really talk to, or at least where I don't know I'm talking, I'm talking to them, you know. I mean, like, um so for for you, like what what are your goals going into the season look like or into a hunt?

SPEAKER_02 19:20

Yeah, I mean, I I definitely think as I've matured a little bit, um, and if gotten a few seasons under my belt now, I'm going into the season, you know, especially with the limited days. If I see a decent dough and I get a shot on it, I'm shooting it every time, right? I want to, at least until I've got the freezer full, fill that up first, right? If I can with some doughs, and then you know, I from here on out, moving forward. I've you know, I've got a buck with a shotgun. I shot my first buck with the the bow this year, which was exciting. Um, but I think from now on, moving forward, I'm gonna start getting piggy with bucks, right? Figure out what's my biggest I got in the area on camera I could find, and then just pursue them after I've got, you know, if I see them first, great, but if I can get a dough down before them, even better and just make sure I got some meat.

SPEAKER_00 20:07

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Now that that that's great. And like, you know, for for for that situation too, like, is it are you a mobile hunter? Are you, you know, do a lot of walking? Is it like pre-hunk stands? Like, kind of also go over through through that process because like I know right now the mobile game's big, saddle game. I mean, the mobile game is bigger than biggest, like everything, you know, saddles and and being able to move. Like, what is it for you? You don't get you're not nearly out in the woods as much, and you don't have the as much time scouting during season and and doing these and making adjustments. So you kind of have to make every hunt count. So, like, what is that? What does that look like for for you with your setups?

SPEAKER_02 20:51

Yeah, so I got I got my hang on lock on, whatever you want to call it. I've got some shitty steps for that. That way, if somebody still wants to have it, yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm not I'm not at anything. I use a bike lock, wrap that thing up if I find a good spot. If I don't find a spot that I want to hang that stand, I just don't hang it. I've got a saddle, I got a trophy line system, so I'm just running that, bringing that in and out. Um, but I mean, I'm doing a lot of e scouting, right? Figuring out what the terrain looks like. Have I been there before? Do I know what this looks like over here? Um, and just kind of game planning, you know, every time. Maybe I'll take uh I'll switch it up every weekend depending on what I see the weekend before. Um, and

Weekend Warrior Strategy And Season Goals

SPEAKER_02 21:30

depending on if it looks good or not, I mean I'll go back to a spot because I've got so much time away from it within you know within the week. If I think it was good the last week, and maybe I saw some dose or maybe I saw a spike or a little buck running through. I know there's deer moving through there. I'll make sure I get back there. But I mean, if it's just like, oh, I saw some deer way off in the distance, just doing deer things moving around. I'm switching up. I'm not going back over there that next weekend.

SPEAKER_00 21:54

Makes sense. No, that that definitely makes sense. Um, were you, you know, you said you have a saddle and everything.

SPEAKER_02 22:00

like that when do you obviously probably not the first year but like kind of like when did you pick up the saddle uh and how has that shaped you for for your hunting uh you know kind of like outlook and and career and also you know the the big difference from you as a hunter from when you know that first year to when you picked up the the saddle yeah so I mean picking up the saddle was was definitely huge for me and I picked that up actually year two because I didn't have a stand my dad had some old stands like I said before I was using his old climber so I was like man this thing is sketchy I gotta like I'm climbing up the tree like oh god please don't fall you know so I'm like what can I do to figure out a better way to get up and feel confident climbing the tree doing all the research then I saw the saddles and I was like all right that's the play like I'm going with that and I I mean I think it's great I mean it keeps me mobile keeps me moving around you know it doesn't give me complacent within the spots that I'm in like and then again you know I could make a move midday or mid-morning or whatever it is to be able to get to where the deer are moving to and you know I feel like that's the most important part because you got to be where the deer are to shoot the deer.

SPEAKER_00 23:10

A hundred percent a hundred percent um you know it it it's yeah I I I I talk about a lot obviously and you know through us you know we're we're partnered up with Bullpath um and everything like that and I love the saddle game I I love it I think it's done tremendous um for for like me personally you know what I mean and and it sounds like you know same thing for you and and a and a lot of hunters too like yeah and I'll never forget the first time you ever jump in you know in the in the tree with it and I I remember getting in the backyard in the practice like yeah it's super sketchy it's it's it's so damn sketchy you know what I mean but then once you for the once you get used to it it's oh it's great money it is it is it is money um you know but um what um how how how the bears for you up where where you where you're hunting I actually had to move spots this year because I had a mom and three cubs coming through like consistently and no deer like there was no benefit to me staying there at all like so um I I I'd went in I'd done some scouting prior this season found a good run acorns little creek I'm like boom golden food water gotta be deer here nope no deer just the mom cubs running the territory I got the stand set up the camera set up um those are the first things I see I get the cubs coming through messing with my camera I'm like oh great so I go in there I pull that out move it I'm doing some other scouting and I had a little bear give me a good scare right I was walking up the trail and all of a sudden I see a black flash and I'm like oh no he runs down the hill I keep going up the trail he comes back up over the hill now he's running to me and I'm like oh no I'm not prepared for this at all and then luckily he's just doing bear things climbing on trees smelling young bear young bear yeah yeah yeah like 100 150 pounds maybe and then he just takes off but other than that I mean besides those little few encounters I mean nothing crazy I I've seen more of them tearing the trash up in my backyard like yeah yeah you're so used to them everyone's so used to being being northern jersey people northern jersey that west jersey where it's it's not even like a really a thought but you know I I I love it um oh have you have you have you gone out of state yet or is it all still in Jersey um all still all still in Jersey I'm building up some points for Kansas right now my dad and I have been talking about maybe doing some maybe New York or PA rifle hunting this year. Oh PA's rifle is

Saddle Hunting Setup And Bear Encounters

SPEAKER_00 26:00

so much fun dude i i've I've heard a lot of people talk about it I've heard you talk about it a few times love it love it like it's it's just gotta be worth the trip you know there there's so much there's just so much land um you know I mean it's just stupid amount of land um and just big woods I mean yeah it's it's an absolute blast I I love it we have a blast every year um that we this will be year three of doing it um and it's like a it's a tradition like I know it's always gonna be something I I do um for the rest of my life it's it's something I always want to do um you know but I'll tell you yet again it's called the Garden Stay Outdoorsman you know and we talk heavily about Jersey and hyping up Jersey I've hunted now multiple different states I will eventually and yet again haven't been to the land of giants out in the Midwest yet or anything like that but you know I I tell people like I I love what we have here we there's so much that we have I mean if we want to hunt whitetails bears you know I mean coyotes we have bobcats can't hunt them yet but we have we have bobcats turkeys geese ducks um just like we we have everything then we're not even talking about the fresh water and salt and the salt water right you know fishing fishing and everything like that and you we can hunt from basically second week of September all the way to February depending on your zone if not October 1st to January 31st um you know most zones are unlimited does if not unlimited it's five per season or five per yeah per season which actually ends up being like I don't know 30 plus deer does if you if you break it down and then hate it seven bucks um you know but it's the opportunity to hunt and we do actually a very good job with our public lands and our county lands and actually how much land we can actually hunt compared to like a lot of states like the more I notice like maybe minus like a few obviously not talking about pa or or main or something like that because the woods are just it's it's all woods it's right completely different game. You know we do very well for ourselves here like you know one of the spots I I hunt um public um up in northwest jersey I think it's uh let me let me take a look how many but it's it's at least I think 4,000 acres I think dude I'm right there with you I mean Northwest I'm hunting the WMAs the state land anything public that I can kind of get my hands on and get into I'm absolutely taking advantage of it. I mean I think there's no reason not to yeah a hundred percent I mean damn onyx did a freaking update and now I can't see how many acres this this land is and you used to be able to do it what the hell why would they take that out seems like a terrible feature to remove yeah right I love seeing how big freaking the pieces and and and properties were what the hell well I don't like that I'm gonna have to I'm gonna have to go and complain. Yeah strongly worded email I think will get the job done Mike yeah because they're they're they're really gonna pay attention to me okay so you can go to uh external link so it's three thousand acres um you know I mean and and that's that's phenomenal you know I mean like that and that's just one piece that's just one you know property um you know you you you have you look at the Delaware water gap and look how big that is you go down to South Jersey and you look at um the pines the pines I think is like a million acres or some something like that you know I mean there we we have a lot of public we have a lot of access um you know we we have a lot of game that we can chase what hurts Jersey is it's a liberal estate it is so expensive to live in New Jersey um you know and yeah I think some of their hunting rules that that they have are just absolutely just ridiculous like you know so um something that I think no matter what people uh everyone who's listening who's been a fan of this show for forever you're gonna hear us talk about it probably almost every episode and bring it up until hopefully one day one day it changes right no absolutely I hear that I mean like you said before with the seven bucks I mean I think that is way too many bucks to be shooting in the year I think maybe two is uh a decent number to land on with I'm I'm nice I I agree with you too but to to to make a lot of the the older generation happy and a lot of the guys who go out for the gun season it I would settle with three you know I mean like that that you know I I think I would settle with three like yes two two is where I would really like it to be yeah but like three would uh dude if somebody's seven bucks good for them you know that's insane though if somebody's actually pulling that off unless they're on target and like have a feeder and have like their population on their property just under control to be able to do that. I just don't know how I mean yeah it's definitely like if there are anyone on here listening that knows of someone who shoots seven bucks a year or five or six bucks a year like I would really like I really want to know um I would like to meet you or I would like you to come on and talk like I'd also like my question is are these all good quality bucks right or are they a lot of spikes or or you know forkhorns or or something like that like I imagine if you're doing on a private property you know I mean they've got to be at least decent bucks you know what I mean yeah um on public though are they all gonna be good bucks I don't I don't think so especially if you look at six day if you look at six day I I definitely don't think so right right right I'm doubting seven real good bucks I'm doubting that yeah I mean hey we could be proven wrong there could be somebody out there that's got seven studs in one season but good on them man yeah real real good on them I mean yeah I I think it's like I would like to say like I don't know if I even want to shoot seven in in one year I think the only way I'd be like hey you know what I'm going to shoot seven in one year is if I scout if I literally go to a different piece of public for each buck and they've all got to be at least good decent bucks you know I mean and um or you know I have multiple like I wouldn't want to shoot seven good bucks or seven bucks on one property I don't even want to shoot freaking five dough I wouldn't even want to shoot five does on one property I mean unless like it is a property absolutely overrun and you know what I mean but like I don't know like I'm always so like uh like I don't I don't think I I don't think I would be able

New Jersey Public Land And Regulations

SPEAKER_00 33:30

to do it.

SPEAKER_02 33:31

No. No I mean like you want to be able to go back to next year and still have decent deer there.

SPEAKER_00 33:35

Right especially on public because it's not only you you know so if you shoot seven there's other guys are gonna be hunting they're gonna be you know I'm at least minimum maybe say you have like at least ten other guys on on that piece of public and say you shoot seven bucks I would say out of those ten at least seven maybe seven bucks are getting shot easy um and you know what that's if every you know that's if those seven guys get it all done like if you which happens you wound a buck you don't find it you don't tag it it still dies but the hunter doesn't tag it so now he goes out and shoots another yeah you know I mean like um the odds of that happening is pretty high. Oh absolutely especially in our state we we were at the we were at the show the um Jamber in yeah yeah yeah we're we were at that and we were talking to a guy we're talking about you know how they have the crossbow thing you know they're making the rules and regulations and they're like yeah like one of the one of the bucks there that was on the wall I think was shot at like a hundred yards with the crossbow. Oh no that's ridiculous. And I and and I was like it's such a tough situation and I don't know if anyone's gonna agree with I mean I imagine there's gonna be some people are going to agree with me um but that's too like I get why they want to change the regulations. I heard it so you can shoot basically where you're not having those 60 70 80 90 100 yard shots um and it is more I think 40 yards and in which I think is which is great. Very reasonable I I just I think just how they're going about it is wrong because then you would lose just so many hunters. Yeah I mean and you know not everyone has the money to go go go out and get a bow that fits the regs and a lot of these companies aren't even making bows that would fit into that that regulation right and I mean that's tough. I mean you want as many hunters as possible to have good woods and bring in good money for the state but you also want people to be smart hunters at the same time it it's more of an ethical thing you know I mean I don't I don't even think that's like a it's not a weapon thing uh it's it's not like I think people just do a really dumb stuff obviously for for deer or for bear or whatever animal they're chasing but shooting a a deer at a hundred yards is just with a crossbow wouldn't even it wouldn't even cross my mind to pull the trigger no I would just have the pinos and just be filming like I and I've I've seen a lot of deer at a hundred yards you know I mean I may I may go shoot a hundred yards at the range just to just to send it I mean I know I'm not I'm not hitting I'm probably not even hitting the target like I like I would want to and everything like that. Like I can I could say I could probably hit at like 60 65 70 yards like I can I could definitely hit a deer right yeah but I would never I don't think even in the ideal situation where the wind is correct like everything is in your favor yeah I don't think I can do it you know mind you I shot a deer at like I don't know 40 something 50 yards this this year um but that was that was still a little different like 75 yards is still much further out of variables and 50 and 50 is in within my like I mean that's probably just like right on that border of where I'm like comfortable um you know and I I don't know if you you saw the the video and and and heard and and everything like that um that that situation everything like that and everything went you know everything went well in that situation except for the deer didn't drop into the shot like I thought he was going to you know I mean that that that's the only thing and yet again that's that's what you would face at 75 yards is right that's even scary at 75 yards dude I I can't even imagine pulling up on something like that and sending it 75 yards you don't know what's gonna happen there can be this little branch yeah you don't see and all of a sudden for you where you hunt you're I I tell people there's a huge difference in in the state of Jersey and where you hunt yeah if you're west like northwest jersey all all up in that west north area of of Jersey yeah you're getting maybe 20 yard shots an end for the most part unless like you're on pri or like there's a field there's a yeah I mean but for the most of it you're in woods yeah you know what I mean like you're you're in swamps and thick nasty shit like you're not getting these 30 yard 40 yard 50 yard shots obviously some people are gonna be like yes I am but and you know yeah maybe maybe every once in a while but like at least where I'm hunting in in you know that area like I like to be in the thick and nasty shit um where you're that's not an option that's where that's where the deer are up here you got to get in there right yeah yeah so um you know um kind of for for you like you know off of that like what is what is the like you're what type of train are you mostly like after um I love me some laurels right hunting the age right um I find it's a lot of hills where I'm at so I find a good flat if I got a lot of acorns there that's what I'm seeing um if I can find some thick cover along the edges like this year where I shot my buck I was all on the side of this hill I found a nice flat with some acorns on it um the laurels all the way through I found a bunch of scrapes in there and they were coming through consistently on me right um then they shut down then I didn't see them and then it was just does and I'm like where did the bucks go?

SPEAKER_02 39:50

So I grabbed I'll I'll admit it right I mean it's on video I grabbed a bag of Buck bourbon I threw it down and I went let's see what comes back and a bunch of does start coming back the little bucks start coming back and then at eight point I shot this year he showed up the night before I shot him and next morning I went in there 815 he's coming walking by 20 minutes of him standing in front of me finally gives me a shot make a good shot and there we are so it's kind of stuff like that mostly at least what I've got so far yeah I mean um yeah that's that's really that's that's really how it is and and everything like that.

SPEAKER_00 40:31

I I I think um you know it's that's what you I mean that's it's so much fun to hunt in in that type of condition you know I mean in that type of you know surrounding and don't mean wrong I love my ag fields now I do love being in these big fields and big bean fields and hunting edges and stuff like that I I a hundred percent do but I love the mountains there is nothing like those beautiful sunsets

Crossbow Ethics And Realistic Shot Distance

SPEAKER_00 41:00

or sunrises and you know those ridges and everything like that. Um you know and I I will say the one thing I don't miss is the laurels. I don't miss all that shit um you know I don't miss getting ripped up and and everything like that. I will I will 100% um admit that it is it is tough and don't get me wrong you know where where I'm hunting down more South Central and everything like that you still have it but it's not big pockets of woods. So it's a little different. Did you have you noticed you know so since 2021 I don't know how much you were you know at that point you were paying attention to these things but all the warm winters you know you you look at the acorns they seem like they're dropping constantly consistently every single year you know with this warm weather you have so much more acorns and it seems like every acorn flat is kind of falling at the same time which makes pinpointing deer or bears or or whatever you're chasing that much more difficult compared to hopefully this year with the winter being so rough and nasty maybe the acorns will not be dropping as consistently together I still hope they they we still get a good acorn crop this year. Now to that for the first three years of my hunting career I was mainly also in central Jersey hunting wise okay okay but that's where I that's like my dad's side of the family is down there they knew the area they're like yo just come out with us we're gonna go out we're gonna have a good time we'll see some deer dude but this year like you're saying I everywhere I went every flat that I found or walked on was just loaded with acorns it was unbelievable I was like I've never seen so many acorns in my life than what I did this year actually hunting up in these big woods where we're finding all these acorns it was unbelievable yeah it's a um it's one of those things where you know you you hear everybody you hear you hear from videos podcasts other hunters are oh yeah you know go find acorns go find acorns well let me tell you we we we we we have them you it's so easy to find but doesn't mean the deer are gonna be there because well that next ridge over maybe they're over there that day because that's where they're dropping you know I mean like yeah and the signs there too don't get me wrong like I've been on top of ridges on an acorn flat that's just raining acorns and yeah there there's gonna be deer poop there there's there's gonna be all that there but literally right over you know that next flat over It's it's maybe they're just right over there at that very moment, right? You know what I mean? And you're not wrong, you're not you didn't do anything wrong. It's not like you still found the hot sign, you know what I mean? Like you you found the sign, they're just literally just one flat over, yeah. And and they can pop up on any flat.

SPEAKER_02 44:22

Dude, they're just picking and choosing which acorn buffet they want to hit that morning or night or whatever, and sometimes they're just at the other buffet on the other ridge and not at yours, you know.

SPEAKER_00 44:33

Yep, that's all it is. It's it's a fast food line, you know. I mean, you're it's like we're going to one McDonald's over the other, you know what I mean? Like it's um it which makes it which makes it frustrating. I I definitely like it, it definitely does make it frustrating, um, you know, and and and things like that. But um real real quick before, you know, we're we're already 45 minutes in. Um

Acorns Scrapes And Mountain Terrain Tactics

SPEAKER_00 45:00

you've been doing a lot of fishing, you know what I mean? Yeah, obviously the obviously the days are also long, so I imagine after work you get to get out and you know, maybe do some fishing, or maybe you're still just doing it really mostly on the weekend, but you've been slaying it on the fishing. Um, you know, have you have you noticed has your fishing gone down at all with with you know hunting where you kind of like prioritize like your time off for hunting or things like that, or is it just somehow you you get to still work it in the schedule where maybe on these longer days in the spring and summer you just get to to do some fishing as well?

SPEAKER_02 45:37

Yeah, dude, I mean focused heavy right now on fishing, like during turkey season, like I missed a lot of trout fishing trying to kill a turkey. And Mike, I've listened to a few of your podcasts already. I know up until this year you've been very frustrated with turkey hunting. And I am in the boat, I hate those things, they've been kicking my butt for three years. But you know, once turkey season wrapped up, I did a little more trout fishing. Now we're getting into bass fishing, fluking's coming up. I went out for stripers, no luck. I only went out once. It was crappy weather, and it was a wash, but and then once like probably mid-July is gonna start rolling around. Like, if I can do both days, like a fishy Saturday, and maybe go walk around the woods on a Sunday, like the season's gonna be here in a blink of an eye. So literally, literally now.

SPEAKER_00 46:30

We're we're honestly now past the halfway part of June, uh, which is crazy. By the time this episode drops, we're probably gonna be midway through, we'll probably be yeah, midway through July. Um, you know what I mean? So it's it's it's right around the corner. Um, you know, so it does and and that's the thing. Like, I always tell like I would love to go fishing more, but I just don't like and I have I I've done more fishing this summer than I have in probably the last four or five years, and it's still not that much. Like, I I do love trout fishing. I just now with turkey season, I love chasing turkeys, and and you know, Jersey trout is also not as good as it used to be, right? Um you know, yeah, it's it uh yeah, the the weather was not I you know the fact that I was able able to get out on opening day this year finally and have normal weather where it wasn't raining the day before and the water level was super high and pushing all the fish down there. That that was great, and I will, you know, I was very happy about that. Um, you know, but um yeah, just not not ideal for for a lot of things, but dude, turkeys real quick. I know we we wanted to talk about fishing, but you brought up the turkeys. It's the sore subject. I'm just kidding. They are being new to turkey hunting, right? And obviously, you are, I am. I feel like all the people I talk to who get into turkey hunting, not everybody, but majority. Like, I know a lot of guys are five years, yeah, finally get their first bird, you know. I mean, like I they are one of the most frustrating animals I've ever chased in my life. Oh um, I I know, yeah, yeah. I know they there's nothing for such a small, like not even small bird, because they're they're still big for birds, but like you compare it to deer and bear and stuff like that. For such a small damn animal, gosh, do I hate them?

SPEAKER_02 48:45

Bird, I'm like, oh my god, come on, man.

SPEAKER_00 48:48

Come on, what am I doing? What what is it about them that is that has been hard for you as a new turkey hunter, dude?

SPEAKER_02 48:58

Honestly, just like just finding them, right? I mean, I feel like the first two years. So this was like this was my third turkey season. I finally got on some birds like right away. First two years, I mean, putting miles in the woods, hunting different woods, trying different spots, and just like no luck, even like finding any sort of Tom Jake. Found some hands that didn't do us any good because there was no page anywhere to be found with them, apparently. But then this year, me and my dad did some scouting. I went out and did some scouting on my own, saw a bird scouting. I went, Oh, thank God, there's turkeys here, and we we were on them. And opening morning that Saturday, we had four birds gobbling, one pitched down towards us, walked by us at about probably 150 yards. We watched it go by. I'm like, Well, I'm not shooting that, and then boom, ducked into the woods and was gone, and that was it. And then week two, nothing. Week three, heard him again in the morning, never saw him after that. I'm like, I don't, I'm at a loss here, you know. I got my dad, plenty of hunting experience turkey-wise. Well, my cousin, plenty of turkey hunting experience. Shot one with the bow this year, right? You got that on video, which is great. Uh he's like, I don't know what we're doing here, you know. I'm like, Well, thanks, appreciate it.

SPEAKER_00 50:18

Uh yeah, it's it's crazy. And I feel like, yeah, West, like, I mean, our buddy Kyle, like up there, he finds him without a problem and kills him. I I think I'm gonna make a return up that way next year. Um, I still plan on being where I was this year and and and killing killing one, but I think the now the next challenge is now moving back to some of those spots. I used to say I was turkey hunting, but really just deer scouting and just walking around aimlessly. So I don't even count it to turkey hunting. Um, you know, so up there, I feel it's it's it's kind of like you're deer hunting, you know what I mean? Like, yeah, it's tough, it's bigger woods, it's thicker, you know, as many fields, like it's you don't see them as easily, obviously, pitched up in it and strutting in a freaking field, right? You know what I mean? Like, um, I just like I've struggled like a lot over there, and that makes turkey hunting boring, and you hate it. Um, you know, as long as you see birds or you're on birds, or you get to watch birds and stuff like that, turkey hunting is fun and hearing them gobble and and all those things, like it is a blast, yeah. But not seeing anything for a year to two years to three, you know, whatever the case is, like it doesn't make you want to continue to do it.

SPEAKER_02 51:49

You know, for right now, right now, my dad's like, I'm done turkey hunting. I'm like, Yeah, sure you are. Wait till next year till I tell you the tags were back out. We can go buy, you know. At the end of the season, I'm like, I can't do this anymore. I hate turkeys, and then we'll be deer hunting, deer hunting the land. I'd be like, Oh man, we got turkeys coming up, but I'll be right back in it because I still want to go and do it, right? I think it comes down to I just gotta give it more time, right? I gotta spend more time in the woods, I gotta do more. Yeah, I mean, it's just like I gotta make it a priority if I actually want to make this happen and not just be like, Oh, I hope there's birds here, you know what I mean?

SPEAKER_00 52:23

Yeah, I I I I think that's the that's the one thing that I've learned from from all my buddies who who do it is you can't hope that birds are there, you gotta go find them. Yeah, you know what I mean, and you gotta scout for them and you know um just keep going and going and going. Um, and that's why I run on gun birds. I mean, that's that that's why I like my style now mimics, like you know, still not I still haven't learned the calling part to it yet. Right, and that and that's the whole other thing of like at least with deer, like you know, you don't really have to rely on calling, you know what I mean? Like there's also what I what I always tell people I could hit a block of woods, and there could be let's just say one shooter buck in there, two or three younger bucks, and let's just say 10-15 does. Yeah, that's a lot, versus maybe you're you only find one or two toms, right? But there's seven other hunters, right? The odds are not in your favor with turkeys like they are with with deer, dude.

SPEAKER_02 53:40

It is unbelievable, and I'll tell you one thing that you know it's just I'm saying this to make me feel good about myself, right? Hunting on Saturdays. I saw there was other guys in the woods, I didn't hear a single shot for all four Saturdays that I was out there. So it's not just me, it's gotta be the turkey's fault that they're not cooperating. It's just you know, that's what it is. Uh a hundred percent.

SPEAKER_00 54:01

It's when in doubt, blame the bird. They're not reading the script the right way or something. There, well, they're you know, from a lot of experienced turkey hunters, is we're we're a couple weeks usually too late. You know, I mean a lot of them have already made it and and things like that. So that's another issue, but that's that's for next year's turkey turkey discussions that that we get into and and everything like that. Um, you know, without a doubt. Now, uh, well, I got a few more questions

Dream Hunts Gear Picks And Quick Hits

SPEAKER_00 54:30

for you before you know uh we we get off. These are our usual our questions I love love asking. Okay, everyone, everyone knows what's happening right now. Our number one most important question: money is not an option. You have two weeks. What is your dream hunt and where?

SPEAKER_02 54:50

Okay, so I've I have two. I'm gonna say both, and then I'm gonna give you I'm gonna give you my number one. I got Colorado for bighorn sheep, and I got New Zealand for red deer. And I think if I had to pick one, I think I'm going New Zealand and Red Deer. Nice big stag. Man, I think those things are so cool. Um, and I mean like elk's great, Moose is great, but like they are somewhat attainable, I guess. Like you could get out and do it, it's not easy, but like going over to New Zealand and shooting the massive red deer, like I'll probably if I get to do that once, I'll be happy.

SPEAKER_00 55:36

Yeah, I mean it it's it's it's a tough. I'll give you elk. Like, that's the easy out of the big game. I think that's the most achievable out of out of them all. That's why I don't really put it as in my dream. Like, I always tell people, like, and that's usually the most popular answer. I'm like, it's not really a dream because it's the most achievable. I'm telling you, you have two weeks, money's not an option. Yeah, I mean, like at the end of the day, like I I think uh, and yet again, you know, people are gonna be like, Oh, what are you talking about? Like, but like, I think it's uh if you're talking about the big game, North America's big game, we're not talking about white-tailed deers, we're not talking about black bears. Yeah, you look at elk, caribou, bighorn sheep, um, what is the other one? Dale, dale sheep or or something like that, those the ones that are uh something like that. Like I know there's a couple sheep species that are yeah almost impossible to do. Um, you know, moose, caribou, grizzly, then you throw in the the yeah, the stag and and stuff, like some of the the animals in like more New Zealand or European countries, um, and then Africa, you know. That's a whole ballgame in itself, man. They're playing at a whole nother stadium with the animals that you gotta. Yeah, I I think you're looking at like what it you're not gonna, yeah. It would it would red's red stag is definitely uh is definitely up there high of like and also you don't hear about too many people like I know some people have done, I know like one or two people have gone over and do it, but like not many people do it, like yeah, Alaska moose is a lot, and I think that is like if you're looking at North America, yeah. I think that between that and like a grizzly is like the uh no, because then we have bighorn sheep and a lot or the uh the sheep in and Alaska, and I heard that's almost impossible to get and do and very expensive, but like basically almost anything in Alaska is very, very difficult, like very, very difficult, um, you know, and expensive. Um I don't know, like uh you know, and and it could be changing now because elk is now starting to like Colorado. Now you have to draw and everything like that. So maybe now this is this is the fact where all right, it's gonna be now harder for everyone to do. So now, yeah, maybe there'll be some people that just are not gonna be able to achieve achieve that, and yeah, prices just do keep going up and up and up and up. So, like, yes, it gets harder and harder and harder. Um, but yeah, I I like that. That that that's pretty cool. Uh, both both those answers are are actually pretty cool. I think I'd love to do a bighorn sheep hunt and um a ram, like right. The rams are the ones, they're the ones that curl, right? Yep, yep. Yeah, I I want one of those.

SPEAKER_02 58:34

No budget, I am giving it hell for two weeks and trying to get it done. I'm hiring the best guide, I'm going to the best zones or units, whatever they're called, and I'm just giving it all. I I died up there trying on them, well, so what? You know, it was worth the effort.

SPEAKER_00 58:52

What's your um what's your favorite cut of meat from a white-tailed deer?

SPEAKER_02 58:58

Obviously, backstrap, those are delicious. But I actually for the first time this year, we actually took the neck meat off. Um, and dude, honestly, that was some really good meat, too. That was nice and tender, seasoned really well. Um, so probably those two. I think those like obviously you got the back hands and everything, you can do a bunch of stuff, but like that neck meat really surprised me with how good it was. I wasn't expecting it to be you know as tender as it was.

SPEAKER_00 59:23

Yeah, if you could well actually fix our mechanical broadhead.

SPEAKER_02 59:29

Oh okay. So this I've I've been a fixed and I switched to mechanical this year. I got the G5 mega meets, and that thing blew the lungs out. The hole was huge. So I think I'm a mechanical guy now. I think I've made the switch. They made the switch.

SPEAKER_00 59:49

Um if you hold on. If you could work with one company, what would it be?

SPEAKER_02 1:00:01

Um I'm gonna go with Badlands. I think they've got compared uh like turbinos. Um they've got I mean pretty much clothing for everything that you would want to do. Yeah, yeah. Um I mean, I think I think you're getting the most out of something like that. Yeah. I'm gonna go Badlands. I'm going Badlands. Fine final answer. I'm locking up.

SPEAKER_00 1:00:25

Final answer. Final answer. Um if um if you could have a piece of property in one state, where would it be?

SPEAKER_02 1:00:36

Piece of property in one state. No rhyme or reason in this answer. Um South Carolina.

SPEAKER_00 1:00:49

All right, all right.

SPEAKER_02 1:00:51

I just I've I've visited, I really like the area. Um, couldn't really care less. I'll figure out the honey when I get there. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. You know, but I mean, I think that's just gonna be a good place to would be a good place to settle in and and kind of figure things out from there.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:08

And also if you if you look at it too, like I know they have, I don't know what the hunting, you know. I know North Carolina, they have some good hunting. I imagine South Carolina has has some good hunting. Um fishing, you know what I mean? There's a lot of fishing there. I think now you're also into the gators, yeah. Big gator, yeah, yeah, yeah. Um and stuff like that. So and you're still not too far from the from the north and and everything like that, um, and and stuff like that. Um, all right. One one more last one. We do have to bring back our game night. That is something I need to really get back on, is is doing our trivia night. I I got I'm gonna try to after this episode, I'm gonna get off and I'm gonna try to think of uh getting on a schedule. I have at least one at least one game night episode this this year. It's been a while, I think at least a year since since we've done it. So I need to get back to that. Um let's see. I I gotta make a uh one of my favorites to ask. If you could hunt with anyone, one person, um, famous, dead or alive, it does not matter. Who would it be?

SPEAKER_02 1:02:18

Um Remy Warren. Oh, dude, I think that guy just goes and gets it, man. That guy goes and gets it done. Dude, you see those videos of him doing it with uh um when he was bite down to pull his uh pull his bow back.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:36

I don't know if I've seen that one. I've seen a bunch of his videos. I don't know if I've seen that one. Um if you if you find it, send it to me.

SPEAKER_02 1:02:44

Yeah, dude, it's so sick. It's unbelievable. I mean, he's just up doing it, going getting after it. I'm like, yeah, that's the type of guy I want to home with.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:53

Yeah, right, right. Uh yeah, no, he he seemed. I mean, there's there's a lot of good guys. Yeah, he's he's up there, and I and I and I think when like when I asked that question, like, yeah, most people don't wouldn't say him, or when I talk about like the industry and stuff like that. Like, I think he's one of those guys, he's great, he's a killer, he he just but I think he also's I don't want to say forgotten, you know what I mean, but maybe more he's under the radar. Under, yeah, there you go. Under he's more of an under the radar guy, yeah, yeah, yeah. Uh for sure. But uh, well, I mean, it's it's been a blast. Any

Wedding Desserts And Final Wrap

SPEAKER_00 1:03:30

any any last words?

SPEAKER_02 1:03:32

Yeah, I do have one question for you, actually. Yes, I'm gonna throw us off the topic of honey a little bit. Um and I've been listening to a few of your podcasts, and I haven't heard anybody ask this. You're saying you're a big sweet sky, right? Oh god, you you're at a wedding, the desserts thrown out, you know. What are you hitting first? Oh man.

SPEAKER_00 1:04:00

That's such a tough that's a good one. That's a good one, and it you it it really is gonna it's gonna dictate on a couple of things here, right? Of course, of course. Gonna dictate on how drunk I am, right? How full I am from cocktail hour and also dinner. Great, great points. I don't know. I've been to some some great weddings with some great, like one of my favorites is I think they had like a how they did their dessert was it was a bunch of stations, and you can just go like to get a waffle maker, ice cream, donuts, cookies. Like I think, like if it was that type of style, a freshly made waffle with like ice cream it and everything like that. But I do love my cake, like I'm a big cake guy. Okay, all right. It also depends on what cake they're having at the wedding. You know what I mean? Like, there's there's two, uh it's hard for me to give you a direct answer. And because I am such a sweets guy, like I don't, I'm not one of those guys, like, oh my god, like I care so much about one specific dessert. I could see all this dessert, and I'm like, all right, I want this, I want that. Like, um, I'm a big donut guy, I'm a big brownie guy, like I love a good pie, love a good like ice cream, and yeah, it like that. I actually like that question. You're you're really getting the the the wheels are spinning right now, and I'm trying to give you like a legit like what I would pick, like above all. I don't know. It's it's tough. Like, I've I I told my fiance, like there's this one where they do like they handmake like donuts or something. Like it's a donut bar. And I was like, I want that. I was like, I want a donut bar. Like, I bear season when bear season comes around, it's one of my Favorite parts is I go I stop at Dunkin' Donuts like almost every single day and I pick up freaking donuts and I'm eating donuts on my way to the tree in the tree, like like everything like that. Like, yeah, dude, I'm I'm such a sweet guy, it's too much of a problem. How much of a uh sweet guy I am.

SPEAKER_02 1:06:18

I Mike, I am right there with you. If you can't tell by the shoulders up, I'm not exactly a twig going on here. So I am right there with you, man.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:26

Sweet yeah, you know, I I am I am I can't say I'm a twig, but I am definitely like on the skinnier. But the belly, my fiance says you have you have the you have the body type of Grinch. Oh no, she goes, the belly just does not, and I I know it, like my belly, and it I'm not I don't have a big bit, like it's not like a huge, you know what I mean? But like I always look at the belly, like I like early. I'm working out, like you know, whatever, everything like that. Like go for a walk, I'll go for a run, like I do all these different stuff, and it's like the belly doesn't go away because I like to drink and I like to freaking eat sweets. Guess the best of both of us, man. It's the best of both right, right? So, what what about you? What what would you pick out at a wedding?

SPEAKER_02 1:07:16

I need to hear this. Yeah, I mean, I've I've gone to a lot of weddings over the last year or two, so I've developed a system for desserts. I grab a cannoli first, and if that and if that cannoli is good, that determines if I if I go around and take a peek at everything else. But I always start with the cannoli because if the cannoli's crap, that I'm not even wasting my time with what that spread is. I I love I love a good cannoli.

SPEAKER_00 1:07:42

How about a creme brulee? I love a good creme brulee. Absolutely, 100%. Love love a good like won't go wrong with creme brulee. See, and and that's why I said like it really like it really depends on the wedding and what they have. I like weddings where they give you a variety. I hate when it's like you know, they do the cake or something like that. Like, it's very like because sometimes the cakes are just not good, right? They're just they're ass. Yeah, and there's times I don't cake. I look at it and I go, no, no, not even worth it. Like, yeah, and anyone listening to this who's who's looking to get married and anything like that, like I think that's your best option is just giving everyone, people want options. My favorite weddings to go to is when there's options, when there's food options too. Like, I I'm not like, yes, your classic wedding, and unless I'm like at a wedding that like the food is going to be really, really good where they you pre-what's the face your meal, and it's like, all right, like I know what I'm getting. I like if I see a you know, but some of the favorite have been like, Oh, yeah, like you can kind of go pick kind of what you like. We were at a wedding not too long ago, and we got to go pick all different types of stuff, and it and the dessert was all different types of stuff, it wasn't just that one thing, and you're you're just in heaven. That's the dude, food, drinking, music need to be on point at a wedding, dude.

SPEAKER_02 1:09:08

Perfect. Because I'm getting married, I'm getting married New Year's Eve this coming year. Oh shit, we've got the walkthrough of the whole thing, cocktail hours. Got like five different food stations, like you're saying, for the main course, you you're selecting what you're having, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Then the desserts a whole big spread again. Yeah, there you go. There you go. People happy here.

SPEAKER_00 1:09:29

There you go. That and that's that's how you make people happy, dude. Absolutely. But um, yeah, man, I I definitely appreciate it. We're we're definitely have to get you on. We'll have to link up and and everything like that at some point in uh in the season and everything like that. Um, you know, we we are so happy to to have you on. We appreciate you coming on. Everyone, we hope you guys enjoy this episode. The link to uh to Will's Instagram will be down in the description below. Make sure you give him a follow. You'll be seeing him again on on the show and and everything like definitely. Um, and you know, we'll we'll see you next time.