On this episode of The Wisconsin Sportsman, Pierce sits down with Josh Krstic from the Whitetail Addictions Team to talk about Josh's journey as a hunter, overcoming target panic & buck fever, scouting in-season, what early-season sign he keys in on, how to hunt low, brushing in your stand, hunting on highly pressured ground, and staying in the right mindset all season long.

If you're looking for a well-rounded hunting episode, you've definitely come to the right place! From starting his bowhunting journey trading a bow for a tattoo, to joining the Whitetail Addictions team chasing giant deer, Wisconsin-native, Josh Krstic has had one of the most unique hunting journeys that we've heard on this show. A life-long fisherman and outdoorsman, Josh shares his story of heading to the UP on his first archery hunt, how he conquered target panic and buck fever, and eventually became the stone cold killer he is today.

Josh shares how he breaks down sign both post-season and in-season to understand how target bucks are using an area, what types of sign he keys in on early in the year, adapting to hunting pressure of all kinds, hunting low and how to do it right, interacting with other hunters, and being willing to push where others won't. All that and more in this week's episode!

Follow along with Josh's season on social media @thehuntingprivate and be sure to check out his episode on the Whitetail Addictions YouTube channel!

On this episode of The Wisconsin Sportsman, Pierce is joined by host of the Huntavore Podcast: Nick Otto, to talk all about caring for your venison, ways avoid field dressing mistakes, how to overcome any mishaps, how much cleaning you should do to your venison, keeping the meat cool in warm temperatures, ways to prevent bacteria growth, cleaning equipment that may have contacted CWD prions, and how to care for your meat when waiting for CWD test results.

Archery season is finally here and it's time to start thinking about filling the freezer! Nick Otto is a Michigander, host of The Huntavore Podcast, and one heck of a wild game butcher and cook. Now that deer season is finally here, taking care of the meat we work so hard to harvest is crucial. The start of a new season always means a few silly mistakes and knocking the rust off on that first hunt or harvest of the year, and in this week's episode Nick shares his thoughts on how to avoid some of these mishaps, and take great care of your venison.

The guys also talk about dealing with venison in areas with high CWD numbers, and how to deactivate any CWD prions that may come in contact with your butchering surfaces. Nick mentions an episode of his show that takes an in-depth look at CWD in venison which can be found here for those interested: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-huntavore-sportsmens-nation/id1403496684?i=1000455202347

Follow along with Nick and learn more about butchering and cooking wild game on social media @huntavore and by checking out The Huntavore Podcast on the Sportsmen's Empire Podcast Network

Huge thanks to our fantastic partners:

onX Hunt: www.onxmaps.com

XOP Gear: www.xopoutdoors.com

Huntworth: www.huntworthgear.com

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On this episode of The Wisconsin Sportsman, Pierce is joined by Sam Bilhorn of Whitetail Partners to discuss what last-minute projects, tasks, and chores folks need to be thinking about to get their hunting properties ready before the archery opener. The guys discuss the importance of early-season strategy, planning and cleaning up access routes, how to think about accessing and hunting draws, bottoms, and inside corners, making sure that deer trails are cleared of any fallen trees, pre-season scouting, food plots and how to minimize pressure on your property when completing all of these tasks. The clock is ticking!

Huge thanks to Sam for returning to the show. If you'd like to follow along with all of the awesome work that he and his team are doing over at Whitetail Partners, or are interested in hiring them to work on your property, you can find everything over at www.whitetailpartners.com/and follow along with Sam @sam_whitetail_partners

Lastly, the guys talk about the DNR LiDAR maps in this episode as well, which can be accessed via this link:

https://data-wi-dnr.opendata.arcgis.com/maps/f2e49a42f5e14dd5845536408279da9d/explore

Check 'em out and get on some big bucks!

Huge thanks to our fantastic partners:

onX Hunt: www.onxmaps.com

XOP Gear: www.xopoutdoors.com

Huntworth: www.huntworthgear.com

Be sure to check us out on social media too!

Instagram

Facebook

YouTube

On this episode of The Wisconsin Sportsman, Pierce sits down with the lone wolf himself; Andrae D'Acquisto to talk all about the keys to consistently killing trophy bucks, hunting fresh sign, tactically pressuring deer, staying mobile, high-level thermal concepts, and above all else: hunting like a wolf

If there's any name out there that's practically synonymous with big deer, it's Andrae D'Acquisto, and for folks who haven't heard of him, he's the mind behind today's modern mobile hunting equipment and tactics. A Milwaukee-native, Andrae started building his own mobile treestands in his garage back in 1984 when he realized there was nothing else on the market that did what he needed it to do. Fast forward 40 years to today, and Lone Wolf Custom Gear is the leading name in mobile hunting.

Pierce and Andrae discuss Andrae's unique mentality when it comes to hunting giant deer, and contrary to what a lot of hunters will tell you, Andrae isn't afraid to shove a big buck around if he needs to in order to stack the deck in his favor. The guys talk about how crucial it is to stay mobile so that you're always in a "virgin spot" where deer have never encountered human presence before. After that, they dive into two thermal concepts you don't often hear about: thermal overflow and thermal creep, and after hearing Andrae's breakdown of each, you'll understand why that big one busted you last season. Lastly, the guys tease an upcoming episode all about the art of the Bump & Dump which will come out in part 2 of this conversation in a few weeks. All that and more in this week's episode!

Big thanks to Andrae for joining us this week! Follow along with Lone Wolf Custom Gear at www.lonewolfcustomgear.comor @lonewolfcustomgear and @whitetailaddictions on social media

Huge thanks to our fantastic partners:

onX Hunt: www.onxmaps.com

XOP Gear: www.xopoutdoors.com

Huntworth: www.huntworthgear.com

Be sure to check us out on social media too!

Instagram

Facebook

YouTube

On this episode of The Wisconsin Sportsman, Pierce sits down with the Wisconsin Deer Program Specialist, Jeff Pritzl to discuss all major deer hunting updates, how dynamic of a state Wisconsin is to manage deer in, how the Department of Natural Resources really operates, how public input is crucial to getting things done, why not everyone's hunting situation may be a reflection of DNR data, and how you as an individual can become an amateur biologist to accurately assess the health of your deer herd, hunting situation, and hunting expectations.

After a career in the field of biology, Jeff Pritzl now sits at the Deer Program Specialist for the Wisconsin DNR. Jeff's job is anything but easy as he looks at the wide range of struggles and experiences that deer and deer hunters deal with across a state with an extremely diverse landscape. In the Southern Farmland Region where deer can exceed 70 per square mile, to the Northern Forest Region where populations are a fraction of what they once were, there is no 'one size fits all' approach to addressing the issue of deer management in our great state.

Jeff also dives into the nuances of not only helping the DNR to manage deer populations across the state, but also the people hunting them and the challenges that come with that. People may look at data that claims there to be so many or so few deer in an area, but on a 40 acre piece, it certainly may not seem that way during the 9-day season depending on a wide range of variables. If that sounds like you, it's up to you to let the DNR know, attend you CDAC meetings, and take advantage of public input opportunities.

The guys also discuss how you can go about assessing your own deer herd and hunting situation, and how you can not only understand the sphere of influence you may have on your herd, but how you can assess the trends you're seeing over time in your area.

This is a great conversation that covers a wide range of topics, all of which should leave you thinking about how you hunt this fall. Enjoy!

On this episode of The Wisconsin Sportsman, Pierce sits down with BHA Boardmember Alec Bekkers, and NDA Field to Fork Coordinator, Brock Rosenkranz to recap their experience at the Beast Mode Archery Challenge, talk about everything that goes into coordinating Learn to Hunt events, lessons learned by both mentors & mentees, and some of the biggest hurdles, motivators, and rewarding experiences for both all parties involved.

If you're not already excited for this fall's deer season, this conversation will get you there! The guys break down all of the upcoming events that new outdoorsmen can attend to learn how to hunt varios game, as well as the opportunities for experienced outdoorsmen to help the next generation on their way. Brock & Alec share some stories about past mentored hunts, as well as some insight about how their personal outdoor experiences have been shaped since getting involved with BHA & NDA.

For folks interested in being a mentee or a mentor on a hunt this fall, be sure to check out the GoWild Wisconsin website, go to the Hunter Education tab, and select "Learn to Hunt", or follow the link right here: https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/Education/OutdoorSkills/lth

Huge thanks to our fantastic partners:

onX Hunt: www.onxmaps.com

XOP Gear: www.xopoutdoors.com

Huntworth: www.huntworthgear.com

Be sure to check us out on social media too!

Instagram

Facebook

YouTube

In this week's episode, Pierce talks with Aaron Warbritton from The Hunting Public to learn all about the importance of summer scouting, how to do it right, predicting shifts in deer movement, and setting yourself up for success all season long.

If you haven't heard of Aaron Warbritton, we might have some bigger questions to be asking you. If you have heard of him, you know darn well that he's a wealth of knowledge in the woods whether he's chasing after whitetails or turkeys. This week, the guys unpack the different types of bedding, and why finding those areas now will lead you to success later this fall. Aaron breaks down primary and secondary bedding areas, how to identify them, and how you can build a strategy to set up an ambush on a big buck on his way back to bed.

We talk through the "Bump & Dump" style of deer hunting, how you should expect bucks to use terrain features depending on the time of year. It's full of gold nuggets so be prepared to listen to this one more than once!

Huge thanks to our fantastic partners:

onX Hunt: www.onxmaps.com

XOP Gear: www.xopoutdoors.com

Huntworth: www.huntworthgear.com

Be sure to check us out on social media too!

Instagram

Facebook

YouTube

High school is a developmental time, you make some of your closest friends, you try new things, you learn a lot, and hopefully, you get to spend plenty of time fishing outside of school. But what if fishing could actually be part of school? Well thanks to the Wisconsin Interscholastic Fishing Association, that can be true!

This week we're talking all about the WIFA with Appleton North Coach, Josh Beaman, and Neenah Coach & WIFA Board Member, Bradley Gumtow. The guys kick things off hearing about how they got involved with WIFA, how tournaments work, the experiences that kids are able to have, the number of high schoolers who have achieved Master Angler Status, and of course, how you or your student can get involved by joining their school's club or starting one of their own! If this doesn't make you want to get out on the water, we're not sure what else will!

Also, you'll hear in the episode that after a terrible accident, one of the WIFA students, Brett Jedwabny has wound up in critical condition and is fighting for his life at the Milwaukee Children's Hospital. To raise money to support Brett and his family during this difficult time, the WIFA has organized the, "A Cast for Hope" fishing tournament that is open to anyone to participate through the Fish Donkey App. It's $25 to enter and 100% of the proceeds go to Brett & his family.

You can also support Brett by donating to the GoFundMe set up in Brett's name by following this link: https://gofund.me/6f07b407

Wishing you a strong and speedy recovery, Brett!