Blue Hen Outdoors Podcast
Hunting,travel,outdoors,comedy
Blue Hen Outdoors Podcast
Episode 78: Boondocks is back
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This episode we are joined again by Mike Nyitray of Boondocks hunting, we go over how his turkey season went, what prep he has done for summer to start getting ready for the fall, as well as always with Mike we talk some bear hunting and how Boondocks hunting has grown and keeps growing.
Also we introduced the first sponsors of the show
Grit and Game Co use code HunterC for money off your order
Dirty Duck coffee co use code Bluehen for money off your order
Welcome to the Blue Hat Outdoors Podcast. This intro is gonna be a little long tonight, but um, we're gonna do something new. We are introducing some sponsors, as you can see by my shirt. Um, Grit and Game Co is one of the sponsors tonight. Um Grit and Game is a outdoor clothing brand, makes very comfy clothes, awesome hats, as you can see by the one I'm wearing. Go check them out. Use code HUNTERC at checkout for money off your order. And another new sponsor of the show is Dirty Duck Coffee Company. Dirty Duck Coffee is a very quality, high-quality coffee brand. Um, my personal favorite is the Cemetery flavor. They have all kinds of fun, unique names and flavors for you to try, uh, all revolving around duck hunting. So use code blue hen at checkout for money off your order. Now, without further ado, let's get rolling into the episode. All right, what's up, guys? We are back with another episode of the Blue Hen Outdoors Podcast. I am pleased to have back my good buddy Mike Nitre from New Jersey. How you doing tonight, brother?
SPEAKER_01What's up, brother? It's great, it's great to be back.
SPEAKER_00Oh, yeah, great to get you back, man. I appreciate you coming on tonight.
SPEAKER_01Of course. Any anytime, love, love sitting down and not having to run a podcast. I I love being a uh a guest, that's that's for sure.
SPEAKER_00Oh yeah, I know that feeling. So uh how's your summer been, man? How's how's things been going for you?
SPEAKER_01I don't know. It's kind of weird, it's a weird summer for me. I'll definitely say it's not my like normal, typical like summer. Um you know, I'm I'm doing a bunch of different things and and everything like that. Um, so yeah, I don't I don't know. I feel like it's not it's not a typical summer. Um, you know, usually I'm so much more dialed into to getting ready for season and and everything like that. Um usually I've been shooting my bow for at least a month or two now, and I really haven't done that or or or anything like that. So I don't know, just a very weird summer. I don't know if it's because I I'm just we're just getting older and older and older. Like it's I don't know. It's a weird one. Yeah, it's a really weird one. The weather's been weird too. So like I don't know. It's it's it's strange.
SPEAKER_00Oh, yeah, it's either hotter than the devil's nutsack outside, or it's uh raining half the day and sunny for half the day.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah, it's it's it's bizarre. It it it definitely is.
SPEAKER_00I will say it's been good for my garden, though. My garden's doing pretty good.
SPEAKER_01It's great for gardens, and it's great for all the food source for the animals that we will be hunting in the next month to two months.
SPEAKER_00Oh, yeah, for sure, for sure. And that that that's a big help.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, definitely, definitely.
SPEAKER_00Well, let's kick it back a little bit farther. How was your spring? Did you do any turkey hunting this year?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah, did uh did a lot of turkey hunting. Um, so this was year three in my quest for turkeys. Um turkeys have kicked my ass in the past uh seasons. And I want to say that they I was on them. I I was on them every basically almost every single day. Um opening day was the day where, of course, everybody and their mother wants to be out into the turkey woods. You expect it, you know what I mean? So I I kind of had to change up my plan and also not um get as aggressive and and run and gun style like I've been doing for the last couple years, and kind of what I've been been taught by uh a couple of the other hunters um that I'm really close with who are just absolute diehard turkey hunters. So um, and it was freezing. Like the first week, especially those first three days. I mean, definitely below free. Like it was it was crazy. I I'm I think the second day of the season was the worst where there's just frost everywhere, you're sitting on the ground, like you're after just a little bit, you're just so cold. But yeah, man, I I was on I was on Tom's the whole entire time, and um so I I killed my first turkey. I killed my first turkey this year on the first week, um, the back half of the week. Um, like I said, got aggressive. We're having these birds, I think four at three to four fly down, um, work in the same field. I had one across another river, and then I had there was another one like in a in a different spot. Um, but I could hear them all, you know, all day. They flew or all morning, they flew down. And basically, kind of what I did was I I was the days before I set up in different spots, and I just had to keep adjusting. And I adjusted where I thought perfectly where these birds were gonna come, you know what I mean? And they they followed the hens, and they broke off, so the hens kind of broke into like two groups and they kept doing that, and just the birds were just never following the group of hens that I needed them to follow. I don't know if they already made it with them or like whatever the case was, but it that was getting frustrating, and I knew that day I was the only person on on this property. Um, so when they went into when the toms went into the woods, I was like, no, like I'm getting aggressive, dove right after them into the woods, and I came out to this bend, and there was a tom, probably like 35 yards, so I just dropped to the ground. I ranged them, I was able to glass them, then range them, and I had a belly crawl like five yards to get like a good shot off. So when I popped up, there was still only one bird there, so I shot that bird. Um right when I shot, one bird flopped, one bird went flying, just flying off. I actually ended up shooting a a Jake. Um, you know what I mean? I had no idea that there were two birds even there. I guess when I saw them originally, the one bird had its head down, the other bird had its head up, and then every time I would glass or do something, you know what I mean, there was I would only see one bird. Uh, but I was I was happy as hell. Like it was a great feeling to finally get one down. Um and then the next week, B week, same thing, like on birds, the the gobbler that I that I wanted. I I was on him, just couldn't get it, like I said, couldn't get it done. He was running me all over, going between different fields and and everything like that. Um, following the wrong hens that I don't need him to follow. Like there are so many close opportunities, like um, just it's a game of interest. You know, we all know what hunting's like. And then finally, C week, it was gonna be my last week. I wanted to get back to like doing some other stuff and everything like that, because I basically spent the whole three weeks just turkey hunting for basically almost every single day. Um, and you know, it was it was the last hunt, and I set up in a completely different spot in on a different field and everything like that, uh, where I saw birds the other day, and I walk in, and I'll never forget, like I walk in, I'm like, all right, like I'm gonna sit right in this spot, and all of a sudden a bird just flies right out of the roost that was right above me. So of course I'm like, oh, like this is my luck. Like, I I just screwed myself. I tried calling one of my other, like uh my buddy Justin. He didn't answer, he overslept that day, and then I texted Kyle, uh, who is those two are like the turkey gurus. I I kid you not, but um, and Kyle's like, listen, stay put. He didn't make really a sound, he just flew off. You probably didn't know what you were, and he just flew off. Like, don't worry, you'll be okay. Probably like shooting light, probably like 50, it took 15 minutes, and then a couple hundred yards away, just the woods just started, they just started gobbling, and I knew like they were getting closer and closer and closer. Finally, some heads came in, and then the two toms came in right after, and probably about a 30-yard shot. Um absolutely smoked my first uh my first long beard. Uh 20, I think 21 pounds, um 96. 7 inch beard, I believe, and then uh Spurs, I think, were inch, inch and a half or two inch, something like that. Um, and that was no, and that was the bird I was after since probably opening day. Um he was giving me the runaround. I just differ, a whole different emotions, way different emotions than deer hunting. Um, you know, this is something that has been super tough for me. Um, is getting into turkeys and and turkey hunting. I think there's a lot more that goes into learning about turkeys than it than it do deer, it does deer. Like, one, you have so many more opportunities to hunt deer and and everything like that versus turkeys. But yeah, I I it was incredible, a big weight lifted off the shoulders of finally you know getting one down, especially after seeing a lot of guys like, oh yeah, it took me five years to get my turkey and stuff like that. Like, I thought I was never gonna get one, honestly. Never, never in a million years did I think I was gonna get one, and you know what? Now um I see what the hype's about. It's not better than deer hunting, but I definitely do see what the hype is.
SPEAKER_00I was just gonna say, did you get bit by the bug after getting these two this year?
SPEAKER_01Um I wanna say, yeah, there's definitely a bug, but not like enough. Like if you gave me one or the other, like okay, so you give me my like all my favorite things to hunt, you know, for anyone who's listening who knows me, like deer hunting, bear hunting, waterfowl. Um, and then I'd probably put turkeys after that. Um, not to say like I plan on turkey hunting every single year, like it was definitely a blast. Um, I wouldn't mind traveling to different states to to turkey hunt. That is something I would be willing to do. Um, but it's not something I would sacrifice like like I do with deer season. You know what I mean? Like uh it's just a different ball game, uh, you know what I mean? So um, I don't know. It's it's fun to do. It's that nice like you deer season ends, and then you get that little like break, and then you get bored, and then turkey season hits, and it's that nice filler between deer season ending and deer season uh beginning.
SPEAKER_00Oh yeah, for sure, for sure. Well, your turkey season went a lot better than mine. Quickly run through mine. Um D Delaware, the properties that I usually hunt on my buddy's place that I've mentioned on your show before at uh I've Deer Hunted before and Waterfowl Hunted uh was surprisingly scarce this year for turkeys.
SPEAKER_01That's really weird. That's really surprising.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, it was a very weird year down here, at least to my knowledge and from my experience down here in Delaware. Um didn't hear too many turkeys gobbling. I went my my neighborhood backs up to uh public lands, so I went back there to see if I could hear any, just like be like, I'm I'm I'm not going I'm not going crazy, right? And I didn't really hear too many back there. Um even when I went down to my private property in Pokemon, right there by uh Pokemok State Forest in uh Lower Maryland, Upper Eastern Shore, I didn't hear nothing down there till like the la last week.
SPEAKER_01Do you think they bred already? You you think that's part of it?
SPEAKER_00I maybe, and also maybe like you were saying the weather was kind of hit and miss this year and the spring was like colder some days and then warmer some other days, so it was like they they were I feel like they were kind of confused.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah, makes sense.
SPEAKER_00But yeah, that's kind of how that went.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I mean, Delaware is uh it it's crazy to to think about Delaware because I think you guys do such a great um you know management with turkeys. Like we we always see killer amount of turkeys while we're down there deer hunting. And one of our team guys, he actually went down there this year. He he drew a public tag and killed one. Um, yeah, I want to say that he said something too. I I want to believe he said something too. Like the gobbles weren't like it wasn't anything crazy. Um, you know what I mean? I I I do know from everybody I'm t I talk to, you know, when it comes to turkeys that like the big problem is those usually they've already done a lot of their mating and and everything like that. Um by the time a lot of our seasons kick off, because I think you guys kick off I think a week before us or a week after. Oh, I want to say a week, like a week before.
SPEAKER_00I think it's a week before, yeah. So yeah, it's like a week before then you guys kick off, and then I know Maryland was like two weeks after us this year.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah, yeah. Something like that.
SPEAKER_00But in the previous year's just been ear it's been earlier than that, and it's like usually the weekend before Easter or that first weekend of April, it kicks off. And they kicked it back to like the second or just about halfway through April. That's weird.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, so I mean that could be easily that big that whole week, week and a half difference could just be a huge difference for for you guys, um, especially this year with with conditions and and everything like that.
SPEAKER_00Oh, yeah, for sure, for sure. Well, on to your favorite thing, the deer. How how's the uh deer prep been? If if if any at all has started.
SPEAKER_01Deer kind of is always on my mind. Um I you know it's nice, and a lot of like for me, I do so much scouting and so much hunting. Um, a lot of majority of like the areas I hunt. Like I Jersey, you know, for me, like we're kind of I live, I kind of live in the middle of like a southern spot and a western spot and everything like that. It's within like 30, 45 minutes max, usually driving. I got a bunch of spots all all over. And like I've been hunting, like the one I've been hunting since 2013. So like I don't really have to do much prep there. And I don't, um and the other, like my more southern Jersey spot is now like I don't it's just different. It's a whole different, it's more like Delaware, where you know I mean, where it's a lot more ag, smaller pockets of woods and everything like that, versus West Jersey, which is big, big uh timber, you know, with so many different acorn flats and ridges and and everything like that. So like the scouting there definitely takes longer. So, like, and I also get the glass, like I I'm now taking my time of kind of like I've only have like four cameras out. Um, and those are kind of ones that have all like preset spots that I just leave all 365. Um, I've done some scouting here and there. Um, I'm really probably gonna start kicking off, especially my southern is glassing. You know what I mean? Like, there's no for me, there's no reason. Like, I've been in the woods, I've done a little work I've needed to do, but like I know between almost all my pieces, what is going on, what I need to do, and and things like that. Now we're gonna be hunting a new spot this year. Um, me and one of our buddies, one of my buddies, he's from further south, closer to closer to Delaware. He's about an hour away from you. Um, he's the one, he's the one that I go to Delaware all the time, and he's been hunting Delaware, I think, for like the last seven, eight, eight years or something like that. Um, so we got a spot that's like kind of in between the both of us, which is the same like distance and everything like that. So that is where we're really looking forward to get down there to do some scouting, and it's probably gonna be more glassing and stuff like that. There's a bunch of fields. Um, but I don't know. Like it's deer prep hit. It's it's yet again why I said earlier, it's a weird summer because normally people would ask me, I'm like, all right, yeah, I've already been shooting my bow for this long, and I I have this camera out and I know this buck. Like, I did see a giant what looked to be he was gonna be a giant buck. So he might be on he's probably at the top of my list. Um, I saw him like a couple weeks ago when it was out raining. I was just doing some scouting, walking around and and stuff like that, glassing, and I glass exactly where he was bedded, he came out of out of that bedding, just happened right when I was walking, walking by like a couple hundred yards, and I saw him, him and another buck, so like that's really exciting. Um, and then also like soon our our bear prep is gonna start too, like um, start prepping for bears.
SPEAKER_00Oh, yeah, that's my next question. Uh, when's the bear prep start? Because I'm definitely gonna try. I know I've said it before, and I kind of fumbled the bag last year, but um definitely gonna try to make it up this year. Oh, that's one of my goals this year. Get up and get a black bear from New Jersey and show everybody that it's the prime black bear state.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah. It's um it's already started, but not in the capacity of some of the other guys who are just like, we're diehard black bear hunters, but like we don't we don't really bait that much. Like, I we are gonna set up some baits and everything like that, but like like I know guys that have already been baiting or getting their baits of thousands and thousands and thousands of pounds. I can't afford that much now. If I was getting paid, you know I mean, and like we had paid hunters coming out, like yeah, then then I'd be able to do it. But right now, I I don't the wife would kill me if I was like, yeah, I'm gonna go drop, let's just say five to ten thousand dollars on on freaking bait, you know what I mean. Um, no, so kind of how we've done it, like I have, I do have you, you're in the I mean, obviously you're you're now part of the the crew, so you get to see everything and everything like that. I posted that uh that one of those bears, he's probably my number three or number four shooter um that I have. Um I've been keeping a close eye on him. Um and then there's a couple others, but we like to hang and hunt bears and and you know, run and gun, that run and gun style. Um, so I've been looking at all the the cornfields up here and getting ready to see what we got for it for corn and everything like that, because those play a crucial role into kind of what we do. Um I would say probably in the next sometime, probably in August, probably later August, um, we will start really like bear prepping. Um we want to get out and glass. There is, I don't want to give away two, I mean, there's a big, there's two, at least two or three big, big, big bears um that I'm trying to get eyes on and glass in a couple of cornfields and in a couple of spots that I know of. Um, I'm trying to get eyes on them. And then depending on who is coming to bear camp this year, um, I think Connor is. I mean, if you come to like I do want to set up some baits for from for some people and everything like that, just so we can get the bears just coming in. I mean, on a more regular basis. If I got guys traveling out from out of state, I'd want to give them the the best opportunity that they can, that they can get it a bear. Like running gunning is great. You know, we've been very successful at it. We've killed since the season back opened up, we're averaging one bear a season, you know what I mean? And you look at last year, we we killed a bear, and you know, we all had really good bearing bear encounters. Like it could have easily been five bears that that we shot, you know what I mean? Um, it that's just the way it works. Like one of these years, we are gonna shoot a whole bunch of bears, probably all at once, and just have the week of we're just dragging out constantly and constantly and constantly, you know what I mean? So um bear hunting, yeah, is it's so much fun. So yeah, we still have some prep to do for both deer and bear, but it's really like we kind of have the game plan and kind of know from just experience of kind of what what we're looking at. And you know, I have even gotten down, I'm heading down to Delaware probably, I think, in the next week or two to go do some glassing and everything like that down there too, because that's that's the season that comes first. So I gotta be most prepped for for Delaware before I'm really prep ready for for New Jersey and everything like that.
SPEAKER_00Oh yeah, for sure, for sure. And I will say this hopefully when I do, if I do, but I'm I'm gonna say when be positive, I do come up for bear camp, you know. Yeah, I I'd be happy with a 200-pound bear, you know what I mean. I mean, I know that's kind of like on the smaller on the smaller end of the spectrum for what you know you guys can see up there.
SPEAKER_01It it's crazy that you know it it's so we we sh Peyton has shot a 220, uh two well walking around weight. I think both of his bears have been at three around the three hundreds. I think Frank's bear. Shot he shot a I think two something at as well. I shot it I shot a small bear, so I can't even say, but yeah, like when you when you look at bears, especially a state like New Jersey, um, versus compared to like a bear bear state, like and when I mean a bear bear state people, like I mean like Maine, where they're known for for bears where you can also bait too. But the difference is our bears don't really hibernate. That's what I always tell people. Like maybe like this year they hibernated for like a month and a half because maybe two months at most because we actually had a normal winter, you know, with a lot of snow on the ground. We had a month like a month and a half of of snow just on the ground, right? That causes them to hibernate. But years in the past, like maybe a week, maybe two, we really we've had mild winters, so that allows our bears to keep growing and growing and growing. Then, yes, if you're in certain areas, they're they're eating garbage and everything like that. But you look at the places that we hunt, it's just unlimited food source. They just literally have an unlimited food source, so they just eat and eat and eat. So now you're looking at like a main where big bears are 200, maybe you know, 300, but yeah, you'll probably get those fours and fives eventually, you know what I mean? But it's probably much harder because they hibernate. Food is not what it is, like over here, versus here. I would say you can average a three to four hundred pound bear. I would say it's probably like a really good average, and then you're you start getting into those fives and sixes, um, and then obviously, you know, one of the biggest bears taken was 770 and then walking around rate close to a thousand. I think it was nine something, you know what I mean? So like I don't know, it it's like a two 220, I'd I'd love to shoot a 220. Man, I the bear that I got, you know, the one of the bears, he's gotta be at least 350 plus. Um, I I did tell the wife that like if I shoot anything probably 400 and up, we're doing a full a full mount. A full oh yeah, full a full standing mount. So when when you come through the front door, that's the first thing you see.
SPEAKER_00Oh, that'd be awesome. But yeah, if I get one, I'll probably do something like what you got behind you, your little paint.
SPEAKER_01I love it, like a little I love this thing. It's so soft.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, and just like how it's like pin it out on the wall or throw it as like a rug or something, or have it hang like you do.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, it it's bear hunting, is I love it. There's so many different emotions, I think, to bear hunting. Um, you know, one they do look so cute and cuddly, don't get me wrong. Like I tell people, I think I talk about it all the time on podcasts, like our shows, like if I could jump out and just give it a big hug, like I would. They just look like and after you do shoot it, like it does look like a big dog. Like that's like the the tough part for me. Like, I love bears, I I do. I love all animals. I it's there is always a sadness and everything like that, but the positives outweigh like your negatives, you know what I mean? Like, I um the meat is delicious. Like, I we s a lot all of us swear and die by that. Like the the meat is so good, like you you have the fur, like it's soft. Um and then yeah, you're a lot of conservation, you know. We everyone saw that video that was circulating of that that was in New Jersey of that bear snatching up that fawn, and then the the mama dough comes flying after, but at that point it's it's way too done. That that was a that was a decent that was a that was like probably like a 180 200 pound bear that just came in, just got that fawn up, and yeah, nothing, nothing you can do about that.
SPEAKER_00Oh, yeah, for sure. And it's kind of like I don't I mean, I know there's still somewhat of a problem up there.
SPEAKER_01No, they are very much right.
SPEAKER_00Because of all the um closing the season and all that stuff, we're not gonna get into that too much, but it's almost kind of like the whole big cat thing out in like California and uh out west. Like if if you're not gonna do the proper conservation for them, you're gonna have those kind of issues.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, um, and I think we'll I me personally, I think we'll always have these these issues. Um I you you look at like we only have six days of hunt, and that's depend and when I mean hunt, people because they're like, you know, all the Jersey people like, oh well, we have um B week, which is in December, right? But you look at it, the miss the most bears are taken during that October. That's when every single bear is still out in the woods. That is when they're still trying to gain so much weight where they're constantly eating, right? Um, but in those six days, you have like this year, Sunday was a torrential downpour, so the the day before. Um Monday was a was basically a rain out for all the hunters that weren't your die hard typical hunters. Like I was out, our guys were out, um, timber timber life guys, they were out, they shot that uh diamond bear, which I think was like a 600-pound bear. Um, you know, you did see guys get it done, but like your your everyday you know hunter or bear hunter, they're they're not gonna do it. They're gonna be like, oh, I'd much rather go to work and save, you know, like a vacation day or something like that for like a nice day. Um, so weather can place a huge effect on it. Um and then you only have a certain amount of days, and then there's a lot of people I think that don't know what to do with with bears. I mean, our tag is cheap as dirt, but the whole process after is expensive. You know what I mean? I've I've heard guys say, yeah, you know, they don't really do it. It's because, you know, to butcher it is expensive. The taxidermy is expensive, you know. I mean, like, what do you do with it after you shoot it? You know, I mean, there's just so many different questions. Um, that so I don't think we'll ever I don't know. I don't think and I don't think we'll ever get a gain for the pop a gain on the population, which I also don't mind at all. I love that we have so many bears in in New Jersey. Um and then you look at the B week, the winter week, it it's yeah, bears get shot, but they always have to extend it. Why extend it in the B week instead of listen, you could probably fill your quota in those first two weeks of October, and you could probably get to your bear quota where you don't really need to do it during the gun season. That's my opinion. I know a lot of people, like the the die hard gun hunters, are gonna be like, oh well, you know, also in A week, the second half you can use a muzzle loader. So what are you complaining about? If you don't have, you know, go get a muzzle loader, you know what I mean, or or something like that. So I don't know. I I think yeah, I don't I don't think uh I think we have such an issue now. They're you know, they're gonna eventually move to South Jersey and and and stuff like that. Much harder for them to survive for for woods, you know. I mean, there's not nearly as many woods, way more ag. But like I got a picture from my buddy the other day down on more of a southern Jersey piece of a of a bear and everything like that.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, they're probably working their way down.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah, they they definitely are. Um I don't know.
SPEAKER_00They'll adapt. They'll adapt, they'll they'll they'll adapt uh to be not being in the woods, and plus the ag I mean. It's just pretty much food galore for them at that point.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, they they have so much food down there for for ags, for ag. Um, you know, if it if there is gonna be a population down in South Jersey or something like that, obviously not talking about the pine barons. Uh the pine barons are different. I've heard that there is definitely probably a population down, a very small population, but bears do need a lot of woods. Um you just wouldn't be able to have like a population anywhere close to what we have.
SPEAKER_00Oh, yeah, for sure. Do you guys um take the fat off the bears and render it down much? Yeah. That's kind of a question I had.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. You get, you know, um you we usually render the fat down like a lot of the most of the guys that I know that bear hunt usually render it down. Um use it as cooking oil. Um, yeah, I don't know if I have it right now, but one of my buddies, it's somewhere around here, he makes candles out of them. Um so like I got some guys that they just do all different types of stuff with with the bear fat and everything like that. Like, that's also one of those things that like I'm super like love having bear for because like I love it's it's cooking oil. It's it like it it is I love using it with um pairing it with my deer meat and everything like that, and you know, using that as as my oil and everything like that instead of going to the store or or or stuff like that. So um, yeah, rendering it down and you could do so much, you could do so so much, like lip balm, all all different things, all different types of things.
SPEAKER_00Oh, yeah. That's another thing I'm excited about if I get up there and get a bear too. It's like I want to use the fat for coconut oil, want to have my nice little bear for have have have the bear meat. And like I keep telling all my fan members, I'm like, yeah, if I ever go up and get a bear in Jersey, we're having bear ham for Christmas.
SPEAKER_01Yes, yes, yes. Um one of my favorites is is the bear ham. Like people always ask, like, especially like my bear, that bear was eating a lot of donuts, so he tasted tasted and smelled sugary. Like it was a very sweet, and I'm a big sweet guy. Like, I I love like sweet, and I even when I cook, I try to use like berries and everything like that. But the ham, the one ham that I got, it was just it was so good. I mean, like it's and the cool thing about bear tooth, because they they have so much fat, and yet again, like I'm paranoid about trigon trigonosis. Like, I a hundred percent am. That is my one like concern about bears, but I cook the hell out of it, and I overcook it, but there isn't really an overcook when it because it's so moist, because you just see like literally, I'll never forget my uh my wife, she was cooking uh bear um meatballs, and I remember like looking into the into the the oven and it was just like sweating, just fat just was just dripping out of it. It's like yeah, like I'm not worried about that overcooking because it's a versus a deer, you know, obviously versus deer or anything else that we eat, like it's medium rare, like you know, and and that's the best, even rare. Like, I you know, you can't go wrong. Um, I do know the outdoors in I don't know if you follow him, the outdoors in color. He what it he soufated or soufa whatever the hell however the hell you say it, where he's like slow cooked it in in water or something like that, and was able to do like a medium rare bear. Yeah, yeah, yeah. There you go. That's that's how you say it. Um and so he's done it medium rare, but in that form where you just slow cooked it in water.
SPEAKER_00Oh yeah. So on to the fun part, what's literally with boondocks hunting? A lot of your uh podcast.
SPEAKER_01Okay, a lot, a lot, a lot, a lot. Um so one right now we're literally going through the process of announcing all our new field staff, which yours guys truly um is part of boondocks hunting. Uh, we're we're super happy to to have you.
SPEAKER_00Um of course, happy to be a part of it.
SPEAKER_01We had so we we set out a post probably what like a month and a half ago, like beginning of summer, it might not even be summer yet. And I would we were generally like, okay, like you know, we'll set this out. Like, I got a couple last year. This is the year two of doing our field staff. And you know, last year I think we got three or four, right? So I was like, okay, like three or four. That's that's not if we get that again, like maybe five the most, that's not bad. I think we ended up getting like close to 15 applications, at least like 15 to 20 people DM'd us. I think we sent out 15 applications, and we accepted 12, 11 or 12. I can't remember off the top of the top of my head. We were gonna accept one more, uh, but the the person actually ended up being under the age of 18, and I think not even close to like six, I think they were 13. Um, and uh we literally like listen, we you know, because of your age and because of the chat, like I we were way more nervous about like our group chat, because our group chat gets wild at at some point, you know what I mean? Like it it it's it's a bunch of guys and and and girls just bullshitting it and everything like that, and you know, talking to oh, we talk shit to each other, but you know, it's it's also you know, we do a lot more, you know. As you can see, like it's nonstop talking about hunting and everything like that, and and running different ideas and everything like that. But I've worked with kids, I don't want to be liable for a kid, you know, I mean, for my company, you know what I mean? Gosh forbid, you know what I mean. So like we we told the kid, like, listen, we you know, we we thank you. Um, you know, maybe when you get older, if we're still doing this, like we would love to have you, you know, if you do want to collab on some stuff or and stuff like that. We we have no issues with that, but I can't sign you to the to the team when you're I think he I think he was like 13. Um I was like that that's a bit too young, but we we do thank you. Um so yeah, we're we're going through that process right now. Super excited about that. Um and you know, we we had a lot, we had a really busy um off season um of working with a bunch of companies. So we signed to Kool-Aid Arrows. Um we are signed to Sever Broadheads, which was huge. Um we um I'm I know I'm definitely forgetting stuff. We signed to a a saddle company slash mobile hunting company, bull bullpath gear. We're really, really, really excited about that because that's more of that newer up and coming thing uh that we're kind of basically there for the stepping stones going through like Kool-Aid, it's a little older, um, you know, still not that like not like oh my god, like Eastern or anything like that, but still newer. And then obviously Sever is a fully established company. So like that's you know, that's we're not helping with the the stepping stones at all with with that and everything like that. And then a couple other things, um, with 4B outfitters and and everything like that. Like we're we're really um looking forward forward to that. We're look really looking forward to the season, um, you know, and and getting those done and and the content for those and killing a bunch of you know big animals and and stuff like that with that. And then yeah, the the podcast is doing great. I we took a little uh break for the last couple weeks. We'll be back, I think, in the next like week or so. We get we're running three shows right now, um, all on one one platform. So we changed it. So we're the one was obviously the Garden See Outdoors on podcast. Um, we have the Chase the Unknown podcast, and then we have Echoes of the Hunt behind the hunt. Um, brought to you by our our boy Zach. Uh and we moved it all on to one thing, so it's just called the Boondocks Hunting Podcast Family, um, on Instagram or on on Apple and everything like that. And that's worked really, really well. Um very happy where where that has gone. Um and yeah, things are things are booming. Like I it's things are things are booming. It is a lot of work. Um, you know what I mean? Like sometimes I get just like I don't want to be on social media anymore, I don't want to be on the computer anymore. I'm tired of editing. Um you know what I mean?
SPEAKER_00Like it's but it's good that it's booming, it's good.
SPEAKER_01It it is. It it it is good it good that it's booming. Um, you know, and we're having fun. And that's that's the big point part of it, is is having fun. And I know you know, the one thing we're gonna be busy with shows next year. Um, I think we're about to lock up another show. Um so the shows are good. Um, our game dinner is good. I hope you can make our game dinner. I think you got sick last year or something like that.
SPEAKER_00Um I'll definitely be up for that.
SPEAKER_01You know, we're we're we're look looking forward to our fourth annual wild game dinner. Um, you know, and yeah, so like boondogs hunting, the the company, everything like that, doing great. Um couldn't ask for a better team. Like all the guys, even like even the new all you new guys, um, you guys have only been a part for the last couple weeks, and I mean it's it's been great. Um, and really looking forward to what you guys do um and contribute and and everything like that to to the team. Really, really looking forward to it. I'm look looking forward also for you, like it's been a while since we've had a water a waterfowl guy, you know. I mean, like all of us are like deer hunters, like now we have a bunch of like we have turkey hunters, you know what I mean. But we've been missing like I love to waterfowl hunt, but like we haven't had a waterfowl guy, you're a waterfowl guy first, and then you do like all the all the other stuff. So like we're I'm really, really excited for for that. I think that's like the one thing that was that was definitely that that we're missing. Um, you know, and also great to have that Delaware connection because now we love Delaware and have you even thought about um moving to to Delaware is is is high up on our list. Um I listen, I know. I I very much know. I we've we've done a lot of the research. It was funny, we were we were down there last year, we're scouting. Um, I'm not gonna say okay where we were, but um we drove by a for sale site on a house, beautiful house, and I looked it up and I think it was only two hundred thousand dollars. One acre, brand new, I think two brand new bathrooms, like everything was already redone. It was only like two hundred thousand dollars, um maybe maybe three hundred between two hundred and three hundred thousand dollars. That's really about it. And I was like, fuck. I was like, that is that's cheap, right? And we we get back to camp, and there's some people there from Delaware, and I was talking about their like, well, what would that cost you around like where you live? I was like, maybe 1.5 million, maybe I was like, I was like, it's like just everything down there is like it's great. Like we we definitely love it. Great deer hunting, great, you know, turkey hunting. Um, you know, I've from the the couple years I've been down there, obviously spent limited time, and it's also not too far away from Jersey, like where we still come up and and hunt Jersey, and we can do all the things in in Jersey, you know, and families in Jersey and everything like that. So it is on the list. It's either between Stay and Jersey, PA, or or Delaware. Um is our is our list and everything like that. But yeah, um, like I said, happy, happy to have you a a Delaware and um Delaware guy, and yeah, it's looking really looking forward to it.
SPEAKER_00Oh yeah, for sure. Happy to be a part of the team, and hopefully I can bring a little more than waterfowl stuff to the um catalog, if you will, of course.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah, of course.
SPEAKER_00Um, I mean, I know I've talked to you before. Wow, I don't I don't know if I have talked to you about it before, but I think I mentioned it in the uh application or whatever I did, but um picking up fly fishing and deer fishing down here. Not that I haven't done too much of that this summer, been kind of busy with a bunch of other things. You and me both. But uh I mean hopefully fall I can get out and get down to the beach, maybe catch a stripe of run a little bit if it's too hot to deer hunt.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Or um I I've been trying to plan with a couple guys I've had on the show. Uh either go to like Florida or uh down to like uh Virginia Beach area for fishing.
SPEAKER_01I I I think like uh a lot and a lot of people ask this. Someone's like, oh, like do you take fishing content? Like, we do, like I and it's something that I've lacked on big time too. Like, I'm always gonna be like, oh, I'm getting back into fishing. Like, I want to get back into fishing, and I just never do. And I always like I always tell people like on the team, like, yeah, I got no issues with like, yeah, if you want to put in fishing content, like please do like we we don't do that anymore. Like, I think it's so tough because every you look at the whole team, everybody is 100% dialed into to hunting. Where and this is what I tell people like hunting season's. My time, but outside of the off season, like it's the wife's time, it's family time. Like, so like it gets hard sometimes going like we much rather like we go we go to see a movie every every week, like there there's just things or like if you know you're you're done working, and honestly, like being out sometimes in the hot humid weather just sucks. So we just we just haven't done it. And I think a lot of people are in the same boat where they just much rather, if you're a die hard hunter, you much rather take your time off hunting and in the off season, you know, it it's I don't know, it I kind of see it as that. Like, you know, same thing with you know, you look at you, like, you know, there's days where when water, especially for waterfowl, like you guys are so set on such a limited schedule. You know, I mean, like, I think you know, you have your early season that's like a week long or something like that. At least it is here in Jersey, like it's it's like a week or something, then it closes, then it opens back up, closes. Like, you know, you're you're you're limited on what you can do. So like the those days that you have it, you need to, especially, you know, if you're a family man, work and everything like that. So it makes it very difficult to do it. So I think fishing usually takes a takes a little bit of back seat, but yeah, like we would I would love uh some fishing content from you and and spear fishing and and everything like that. That'd be sick.
SPEAKER_00Oh yeah, if I can make it happen, I'll definitely put some out for you uh and uh tag you guys and stuff. But no, I'm right there with you, man. Like I got I got my young son work. It's tough. Doubling the schedule when I get him is is tough.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, no, I and I can I can only imagine. Like that's that's why I like the the certain things I'm doing is so I can set it up where I have way more flexibility, you know, when that when that time comes and everything like that, because at the end of the day, like it has to hunting and fishing and everything, no matter who you are, has to take, you know, you can't even say second place, you gotta say third place. You know what I mean? Like it's there there's there's just it's just different, you know what I mean. So I you know kudos to to all you guys that are that are able to do it.
SPEAKER_00Oh yeah, for sure. Oh, and I will say I meant I forgot to mention when you were talking about the podcast, I I've uh I finally just subscribed to the Patreon. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Just just to just to start hearing and seeing more episodes. Because it could because I've already seen put having some familiar faces that I know and haven't had on the show.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, that that is and I appreciate you for doing that. And uh, we've gotten a decent amount like that keeps growing and growing. So, like, for for all you guys who doing that, because we've been trying to get like ideas of like, all right, what can we offer more to for for the people that are on there? So I within the next couple days, all the on all the unreleased shows that we have, those are all gonna be dropping on our Patreon account before they drop on the audio. You know how and you know how like I mass record episodes, so like we have a huge catalog of stuff that hasn't even dropped yet. I'm gonna go over the next couple days of just getting everything done and onto the um onto the the Patreon account. So that's one a benefit for for anyone who subscribes, like they get the early releases, and then like we're even thinking about doing another tier where it would be like I don't like um I don't know, like our freaking hats and stuff like that, where you know it's whatever, say just say ten dollars a month, like at start every time we get new like merch and everything like that, you automatically will get it sent to your house or something. We're we're coming up with ideas, you know what I mean? Like I've even thought about doing some food stuff on there, so like that is going to grow um big time. I might even do a segment where you get to add, like, you know, I asked you guys, hey, we're having this person on, what are your guys' questions and everything like that? So we're we're trying to come up with different things for for the Patreon account and and everything like that. But um, yeah, appreciate you subscribing. And it's something that um we're pretty happy because yet again, everyone's like, oh, well, do you put on YouTube? We were, but for what? Four for view four views where we don't get any anything out of it, you know what I mean? Like, you know, if I'm gonna get four views or five views, I'd much rather it be on Patreon where we're getting where we're getting something out of it.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. No, it was funny because I've seen you post a couple people that like I've said it before had on the had on my show a couple times before. I was like, oh, let me go on Apple and Spotify, see if I can see the episodes or hear them. That was it was like it was like nope, nope, nope. I'm like, like, gosh dang it, Mike. I'm like, well, get to subscribe to the Patreon.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah. Um, yeah, it it's it's just one of those things, like um and I and I know Buzz at least Buzz Sprout now offers to do video as well. Um I just no, I'm gonna keep it. I like the Patreon account. It's it's definitely fun, but um, yeah, look looking forward to which uh which guys uh which which guys were it.
SPEAKER_00Oh, have I had on?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00Uh Trey, the dreaded archery, yeah.
SPEAKER_01That was a good that was a good one.
SPEAKER_00Um Laurel I've had on a few times.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00I've been trying to get uh the the Get Sauce New Jersey guy on. Okay.
SPEAKER_01He's he was that was a good one. That was a really fun one.
SPEAKER_00Oh yeah, that was a really good one. That was a really good one. And I think there's I'll have to look, but I think there's like one or two more people I've had on.
SPEAKER_01I just can't remember the top of my head. Between you, Marsh Boys, a couple other shows that like I'm really close with, it's so funny. Like I always feel like, oh, like they got somebody before I got them, or like they got like you, you get, or like they get after you, or something like that. It's always funny how how it works, like when you know, there's so many people out there, and you know, we everyone like every like say five, ten episodes, it's always somebody different where I'm like, wow, I don't even think about like getting that person on, but now like they I they make my list and everything like that to to ask, and then it's like, oh wow, they had them on, like why we had them on. Like, I I think there's one time you dropped an episode, and I literally just like the day before just like got done recording with with that person. You know, I I've had shows where I had plans of dropping an episode. I forget, I can't remember, it was last year, and it was a big episode. Like, I think it was their like their when they came on our show, it was their first time doing a podcast, and it was a it was a big episode. But you yet again, you know how I do it, like I mass record, so like they they were just weren't up next. And when I went to go drop their episode, somebody dropped right like the day before. So I was like, up, like, never mind, like I guess I'm gonna push this one back like a week and like drop just drop a different episode. Like, um, you know, it's it's funny how it works and how like as big as a you know how many people that do it, it's always funny when it comes across like everyone tells like the same same people.
SPEAKER_00Oh yeah, for sure. It's funny you say that because it's like I I can remember vividly, I think it was like last summer. Yeah, last summer. I was talking with my buddy uh Ryan. Shout out Ryan who does the Trap Wrenler podcast. Um I was talking to him and I was like, Yeah, dude, I'm about to get uh Travis Luther on, the guy who does the yeti bags, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. He's like, Oh dude, I gotta get him on and da da da da da whatever. And don't you know, like the week or two before I had him on the show, he drops the episode with him.
SPEAKER_01I'm like, you mother. That's how that's how it that's how it goes. Like it's especially now, like I always you know, I I tell people like every like so many people do podcasts now, like so many. A lot of people start podcasts and then they don't finish it, like you know, or they'll they'll start it and realize like how tough it is and then they they won't do it and everything like that. Like I'm constantly like I'm happy, like you look at like a lot of like say just look at the core that that we talk to, like between us, me, you, uh Marsh Boys, and like a couple of other crews, like those are all shows that have now been together for a while and are doing like a lot of episodes, you know what I mean? And and obviously there's so many different like we're just talking about our small like little area, you know what I mean? But you know, I'm very grateful for for everything and you know, happy that you know we started when we did, you know what I mean? Like I very happy when we we started when we did. Um that's a big one, and I don't want to do kind of what everyone else is is doing. You know, I'm I'm happy that um we kind of started it when yeah, wasn't wasn't the like thing to do.
SPEAKER_00Oh yeah, for sure. That's kind of like what I kind of still do to try to diversify, like have myself stand out is I have just such a broad spectrum of who I have on. You name it, it's it's been on as long as it somehow revolves back to the outdoors.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, and it and it and it works. And I I think everyone, I think you gotta come up with what you do well and in your niche. And too many people want to copy other people. And I and I kind of and I hate that. Like, I when we have our meeting, and you'll see when when we have our meetings and and everything like that, like I always say, like, well, what can we do differently? You know what I mean? Like, yeah, like I I look at the podcast, like I started the podcast now, what, six, yeah, around year six, I think. Um, you know, I started the podcast when we did thank God um the wild game dinners, and I'll I'll tell people are like, oh, well, you know, wild game dinners have been a thing, yes, but like it wasn't a thing to the people I like hunt with, you know what I mean, and and stuff like that. Like, yes, people go to game dinners, but like no one was really doing game dinners, you know what I mean? Like, obviously, big organizations like people that have like the buttons, like, no, so I was like, you know, let's let's do this, like let's do an archery shoot. Like, and again, people do archery, but like I wanted to be more like family-oriented, like as you see with with Boondocks hunting, like everything that we do is kind of like our family and and everything like that, and all of us have fun and enjoy ourselves, and you get to meet you know, other hunters that you've been talking to probably for years, like shit. I'll I'll never forget. Like, I met Kyle, me and Kyle have been talking for probably like at least eight years, and the first time we met was a couple years ago at at one of my you know, one of my events, and now like we we talk probably every single day. Like, I've gone to his house and you know, had drinks at his house, and you know, he he works in in in my town, so we we see him like quite often and everything like that. So um the connections and and everything like that, and you know, coming up with different things, you know, one thing I gotta bring back is freaking the round table segment for for their uh the podcast and also the game uh game night. It's just been it's just things get so busy and it's like, oh my god, like but those are two things I gotta bring back. Um you know it'd be fun.
SPEAKER_00Now that you brought that up, what happened to the game show, man? We were finished with uh me and the market.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah. I can't I can't remember what happened. We had to push it back, and then after, like I'm gonna I'm gonna I'm gonna after this, I'm gonna tomorrow, because I'm gonna be sitting at the desk for a while doing a lot of work. I got a lot of work to do tomorrow. Um, so I'm gonna I'm gonna hit you guys up. I would like to get one game dinner or game dinner, geez, game night before season starts at least, and do it as a thing, like every once in a while. And I and I think a big part of it, it the problem is is, and it's easier now that I have like more of you guys in the team, like, but I was spreading myself out way too thin of trying to do everything. Um, you know what I mean? Is running two podcast shows, you know, I'm doing all the the editing behind it, all the artwork behind it, running the Instagram page, editing videos, things like that. Um, where you know, shout out to Zach, Echoes of the Hunt, like he's been huge at and helping me, um, and and has done a lot of work behind the scenes and and bringing like more of you guys in where like we have a lot, like we have a lot of positions like available for like our pro staff and to do like actual stuff. Like we have a um we have our film guy. Like we we literally have our own film guy now, you know what I mean, who does great stuff and everything like that. Like, so it it's able to to get me to not have to do as much so I can get back to doing, you know what I mean, the the game, the game night, and you know, the these types of things and segments because I'm not so spread out with with Boondock. So yeah, no, one thing we're we're we're gonna get that set up. I would like to get that set up with you guys big time.
SPEAKER_00Oh yeah, for sure, man. Well, Mike, we're at the end of the show. Do you have any final thoughts, statements, shout-outs you want to give before we head out?
SPEAKER_01I well one, I appreciate you for having having me on. I I definitely want to shout out, I mean, all yet again, all of our team guys, um, you know, can't, you know, like I said, can't can't say enough about you guys. Um, you know, and you know, all the all the hunters out there, like enjoy what you have. You know, I I got um we actually have two we have two team guys. Um one team guy and one our our film guy. And they're they're younger and they're busy and they're they work constantly, which is not bad. You know what I mean? But I was like, guess guys, also enjoy yourselves. I'm gonna tell you, because the minute you guys have family and all these things, or you have your obligation where you really have like you're gonna be like, damn, I wish I took a little more time and got out into the outdoors and and and did some stuff. Like one of our guys, he'd I don't know how many hunts he he was able to get out, but he was always working, and I was like, dude, I get it. Right, but you also you also like have to mental health, men's mental health, or just mental health in general. Like, you do need some of that alone time, whether it's once a week or once a month or whatever. I'm not saying to devout, you don't have to devout your whole entire time to to hunting and fishing or being up outdoors, but like you have to find like a balance for your for your mental health of like, all right, like maybe when I really, really need it, it's like, all right, listen, I'm gonna I'm gonna go out into the woods, I'm gonna go for a walk, I'm gonna do something like that. Like, that's extremely important. Um, and something that um all of us should really focus on if you can.
SPEAKER_00Oh, yeah, for sure. All work, no plays, no fun.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, right. I I couldn't imagine. I I people are like, yeah, I work in I could see this. If I go under my roof, I can see New York City. Uh, we're probably like 45 minutes from from New York City, and a lot of people in my town work in New York City. I and they make a lot of money. Don't get me wrong, a lot, a lot of money. I wouldn't trade that in at all. I would not want to go do that. Like, I I generally who wants to freaking just work, work, work, work, work and be miserable all fucking their life and hate their life and everything like that. Like, I love doing what what we do and being in the outdoors, and you know, uh yeah, maybe if I'm if I'm not making as much money, I mean that sucks. But you know what? It's a it's a pretty good trade-off in in in my opinion.
SPEAKER_00Oh yeah, for sure. I I definitely concur with that opinion.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, so um definitely, definitely. But yeah, like I said, appreciate it, appreciate everyone, appreciate all your listeners and everyone listening. Um, and if you you know, if you love what we're what we're doing, make sure you guys go give uh Boondocks hunting a follow. Um, and yeah, we'll uh we're we're looking forward to it and can't wait to see what the season uh brings all of us.
SPEAKER_00Oh yeah, for sure, man. Hopefully, uh either we can get together deer season and bear season, or if not both one of them.
SPEAKER_01Well, hopefully soon we get to every time I mean yet again, I you're a busy man every time I go to Delaware, but hopefully I I think not this Monday, upcoming Monday, the next Monday, as long as what's today's we'll we'll be down in in Delaware and everything like that doing some glassing. So we should hopefully meet up sometime, sometime soon, and and meet up and and get some stuff done.
SPEAKER_00Oh, yeah, for sure. For sure, man. Well, thank you again for coming on tonight. I appreciate it. And as always, thank you all for listening to another episode of the Blue Head Outdoors Podcast.