Behind the Bow with Bear Archery’s Ryan Shutts

Ryan Shutts from Bear Archery joins the Okayest Hunter Podcast to pull back the curtain on what actually goes into designing and developing a modern compound bow. With Bear Archery preparing its 2027 lineup, Ryan explains how a new bow goes from customer feedback and an idea to engineering, testing, manufacturing, and eventually the bow shop. We get into why bow manufacturers release new models when they do, how much compound bow technology has changed over the years, and why some of the most important improvements are things the average bowhunter may never even notice. Ryan also breaks down Bear Archery’s return to the target archery market with the new Paramount and Paramount Pro, including the thinking behind creating a more accessible target bow. We talk EKO² cam technology, limb and pocket design, string stops, adjustability, tuning, materials, efficiency, and the tiny engineering changes that can make a compound bow quieter, smoother, and more enjoyable to shoot. The guys also spend some time talking about the Bear Redeem, micro-diameter arrows, quiver problems, 3D archery, youth archery, getting new shooters into the sport, and Bear’s philosophy of keeping archery accessible—a philosophy that goes all the way back to Fred Bear. If you're a bowhunter, archery gear nerd, or you've ever wondered what actually happens behind the scenes before a new compound bow hits the rack at your local pro shop, this episode gives you a look inside the process from someone directly involved in building them. In this episode: Bear Archery’s 2027 compound bow lineup Ryan Shutts and the bow development process How customer feedback influences new bows Bear Paramount & Paramount Pro target bows Bear Redeem compound bow EKO² cam technology and adjustability Compound bow engineering and manufacturing Bow tuning and arrow flight Micro-diameter hunting arrows Target archery and 3D archery Youth archery and growing participation Making quality archery equipment more accessible The legacy of Fred Bear Where Bear Archery is headed next Whether you're shopping for a new hunting bow, obsessed with compound bow technology, or just want to understand why new bows feel and shoot the way they do, there's plenty to nerd out on in this one. Don't forget to check out our Okayest Hunter Crew community: https://www.okayesthunter.com/pages/okayest-hunter-crew Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Finding a place to hunt is becoming one of the biggest challenges hunters face. In this episode, we're joined by Eric Mueller of HLRBO — Hunting Land Rental By Owner — to talk about private hunting land, hunting leases, and how hunters and landowners can connect to create more opportunities to get outside. HLRBO was built around a simple problem: Hunters lose access to property and suddenly have to start the search for hunting ground all over again. The platform works as a hunting lease marketplace designed to connect hunters looking for access with landowners interested in opening their property to hunting. We dig into how hunting leases actually work, what landowners are looking for in hunters, why communication and respect matter when gaining private-land access, and how HLRBO approaches the relationship between hunters and property owners. We also talk about searching for properties, understanding what you're actually getting with a lease, and why securing hunting ground isn't always as simple as hitting a "book now" button. And hunting access doesn't have to mean chasing a trophy whitetail. We get into opportunities for deer, turkey, upland birds, small game, trapping and other uses that can help hunters find overlooked opportunities while giving landowners more options for managing their property. Whether you've lost access to your old hunting spot, you're tired of crowded public land, you're searching for a deer lease, or you're a landowner wondering what leasing hunting rights could look like, this conversation offers a look at another way hunters can find a place to hunt. Plus, before diving into HLRBO, we hear an opening-weekend story involving a giant 12-point buck, a drop tine, a 22-yard opportunity and a serious case of buck fever. Topics include:• Finding private hunting land• How hunting leases work• HLRBO / Hunting Land Rental By Owner• Connecting hunters and landowners• Deer and whitetail hunting leases• Private-land hunting access• Building relationships with landowners• Small-game, upland and trapping opportunities• What hunters should expect from a hunting lease• The future of hunting access If finding a place to hunt has become harder than finding the animals themselves, this one's for you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of dropping pins, Derek sits down to talk with DJ Riley of the method podcast. DJ is an absolute wizard at getting a big mature box in his home state of Michigan and with an even higher success rate on out of state first time in hunts. DJ starts us off with a huge aha moment when he spoke with Todd pregnant at a state show about the importance of keeping moving if you’re not satisfied with the results you’re getting. This single statement became a mindset that forced growth in DJ’s hunting style. He vowed to never hunt from the same tree in a single season and due to that became a finely oiled machine with his mobile hunting rig and became even better at reading, fresh sign, and setting up to intercept moving bucks.  The guys then dive into out of state hunting tactics and how DJ has kind of adopted his out-of-state tactic at even his in-state hunts. We cover the importance of letting the deer show you where they want to be. He talks about using his in-depth knowledge of deer to find areas that likely hold good populations of bucks, but let’s the sign and deer themselves show him where to set up. And this is where the mobile aspect really comes in because DJ discusses in depth how most of his biggest bucks have come from making small 40 yard or less moves from one hunt to the next to capitalize on a movement pattern.   DJ is an absolute killer with a wealth of knowledge and a fantastic storyteller which make this episode a really great listen, so sit back and enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mosquitoes suck. Ticks might suck even more. This week on the Okayest Hunter Podcast, we sit down with Travis from Sawyer to talk about something almost every hunter has dealt with but probably doesn't think enough about: protecting yourself from ticks, mosquitoes, and other biting insects while you're in the field. We dive deep into Sawyer Permethrin, how it works on clothing and hunting gear, and why it has become such a valuable tool for hunters spending time in tick country. We also break down the differences between permethrin, picaridin, and DEET—and discuss how hunters can build a better system for insect protection without covering themselves and their gear in traditional bug spray. Travis takes us through Sawyer's history, including the company's beginnings in 1984 and the development of products used by everyone from hunters and backpackers to members of the military. We talk about treating your own hunting clothes versus buying pre-treated clothing, how long treatments can remain effective, and some surprising applications for permethrin around camp, hunting gear, and even dogs. The guys also swap real-world hunting stories, including an African hunt where treated clothing made a very noticeable difference while everyone else in camp was dealing with ticks. Then we get into another side of Sawyer that some hunters may know even better than its insect repellents: water filtration. Travis explains the technology behind Sawyer's hollow-fiber membrane filters, how the company got into water filtration, and how the same lightweight technology used by hunters and backpackers has helped provide clean drinking water to millions of people around the world. If you spend your fall chasing whitetails, spring chasing turkeys, hiking into the backcountry, camping, scouting, hanging trail cameras, or simply spending a lot of time outdoors, this episode is packed with information you can actually put to use. We cover:• Sawyer Permethrin and how it works• Tick and mosquito protection for hunters• Permethrin-treated hunting clothing and gear• Picaridin vs. DEET• Scent concerns while hunting• Protecting yourself during early-season hunts• Turkey hunting and tick prevention• Unexpected uses for permethrin• Sawyer's history and military applications• Sawyer water filtration technology• Backcountry water filtration• Real-world hunting stories and plenty of Okayest Hunter banter Sawyer's picaridin discussion is especially relevant for hunters because Travis explains that it doesn't damage gear the way DEET can and is odorless after drying—making the combination of treated clothing plus topical protection an interesting system for hunters dealing with heavy mosquito and tick pressure. Whether you're preparing for an early-season whitetail sit, crawling through tick-infested turkey woods, scouting in the summer heat, or heading deep into the backcountry, this one might change the way you prepare your hunting clothes before leaving home. Subscribe to the Okayest Hunter Podcast for more hunting stories, gear discussions, whitetail hunting tactics, outdoor education, and conversations made for regular hunters who don't take themselves too seriously. You hunt how you want, and don't forget you can join the Okayest Hunter Crew! https://www.okayesthunter.com/pages/okayest-hunter-crew Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Dropping Pins, Derek sits down with our good friend Jacob Sklenar of the Wild Calling YouTube channel. Jacob is an accomplished big-buck hunter on the heavily pressured public lands of southeastern Wisconsin. He has documented his hunts through some impressive self-filmed content and shared his knowledge across several platforms and podcasts, including hosting a podcast for the Mobile Hunters Expo. Jacob breaks down what he believes is the most important factor in consistently getting on mature deer: approaching every hunt with a mindset built around learning. He talks about remaining open to failure, reflecting honestly, and growing from every experience in the deer woods. Drawing from his past as a collegiate wrestler and his current career as an engineer, Jacob explains how hard work, relentless drive, and the steady collection of information can ultimately point a hunter in the right direction. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Early season whitetail hunting can mean long walks, heavy packs, high humidity, mosquitoes, and temperatures that feel more like summer than deer season. So what should you actually wear when you're trying to stay cool on the way in without sacrificing concealment and comfort once you're in the tree? In this episode, we're breaking down early season whitetail hunting clothing, layering systems, breathability, sweat management, and how the right gear can make a huge difference during those hot September hunts. Jacob joins the conversation to walk us through his approach to hunting clothing and how he went from piecing together inexpensive hunting clothes to investing in a purpose-built technical hunting system from ASIO Gear. We get into lightweight pants, breathable hoodies, face coverings, camouflage, mobile hunting, and why managing moisture can be just as important as staying warm. One of the biggest lessons? Don't dress for how you're going to feel sitting in the tree—dress for the work it takes to get there. For mobile hunters carrying stands, sticks, saddles, camera equipment, or other gear deep into the woods, overheating on the walk in can leave you soaked before the hunt even begins. Lightweight, breathable layers can help manage that moisture and then transition into base layers as temperatures drop later in the season. We also discuss how a hunting clothing system can evolve throughout the year. The same lightweight pieces used as outer layers during hot early-season hunts can become underlayers as temperatures fall, while midweight and heavyweight pieces are added when conditions demand them. Of course, it wouldn't be an Okayest Hunter conversation without a few detours. Before we get too serious about hunting clothes, we somehow find ourselves talking about trapping pigeons, racing pigeons, training hunting dogs, disappearing family farms, questionable financial opportunities involving birds, and plenty of other nonsense along the way. Whether you're preparing for opening weekend, hunting early-season whitetails in hot weather, building your first real hunting clothing system, or wondering whether expensive technical hunting apparel is actually worth the money, this episode should help you think differently about what you wear into the deer woods. In this episode:• Early season whitetail hunting clothing• Hot-weather deer hunting gear• How to manage sweat on the walk to your stand• Lightweight vs. midweight hunting layers• Breathable hunting hoodies and pants• Building a year-round hunting layering system• Mobile and saddle hunting clothing considerations• Camouflage and concealment• ASIO Gear and technical whitetail clothing• When premium hunting apparel is worth the investment• Staying warm without overheating• Pigeon trapping and hunting dog training• And plenty of classic Okayest Hunter rabbit holes If you're getting ready for early-season bowhunting and wondering what to wear when it's still hot outside, this one's for you. Subscribe for more whitetail hunting conversations, hunting gear discussions, bowhunting tactics, public-land hunting, mobile hunting, and stories from hunters who are still figuring it out just like the rest of us. #WhitetailHunting #DeerHunting #Bowhunting #EarlySeasonHunting #HuntingGear #WhitetailGear #ASIOGear #MobileHunting #SaddleHunting Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan Infalt joins the podcast for a deep dive into mature whitetail hunting, buck bedding, scouting, trail cameras, hunting pressure, first-sit success, and finding the overlooked places where giant bucks survive. Dan has spent decades studying mature whitetails, and in this conversation he explains why some of his oldest bucks have come from places other hunters overlook. Rather than repeatedly hunting traditional funnels and proven stands, Dan describes searching for the small “niche” that allows a mature buck to survive year after year. One of the biggest takeaways is the importance of the first sit. Dan breaks down his past hunts and explains that many of his oldest bucks were killed the first time he hunted a location. That leads into a fascinating discussion about trail cameras and whether placing a camera near a mature buck's bedding area may actually burn your best opportunity before hunting season even begins. The conversation also dives into reading buck bedding areas, human scent, hunting pressure, spring scouting, interpreting old rubs and tracks, and understanding when deer are actually using a particular piece of cover. Dan explains how fall food sources and cover continually change, causing mature bucks to shift bedding locations throughout the season. But this episode goes well beyond tactics. Dan reflects on decades of hunting, sharing what he's learned about balancing hunting with family and how his definition of success has changed over time. After years of chasing giant bucks, the process, challenge, and opportunity to help other hunters have become increasingly important. As the guys discuss near the end of the episode, success isn't simply about recovering another giant buck—the chase itself is a huge part of what keeps Dan coming back. Plus, Dan talks Minnesota bear hunting and baiting, giant bears, scent control around bait sites, scouting, cameras, hunting heavily pressured properties, and plenty of hunting stories along the way. Whether you're hunting pressured public land, marshes, farm country, hill country, or small overlooked parcels, this conversation with Dan Infalt offers a different way to think about mature buck behavior and how much information you're giving a deer before you ever climb into the tree. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There's a ton of deer hunting content telling you how to find mature bucks, hunt bedding areas, understand thermals, perfect your archery setup, and become a better whitetail hunter—but what if you're still trying to figure out where the hell to start? In this episode of the Okayest Hunter Podcast, we're going back to Hunting 101 and answering the deer hunting and bow hunting questions people are sometimes too embarrassed to ask. There's a real gap between advanced whitetail content and the foundational information new hunters actually need. You don't necessarily need a masterclass in killing mature bucks when you're still learning how to hang a stand, what gear you need, how wind affects a hunt, or what you're supposed to do once you're actually in the woods. That's exactly the gap we're digging into this week. We tackle listener questions and break down the basics from the perspective of regular hunters who don't pretend to have everything figured out. That includes deer behavior, wind and thermals, bow hunting, practicing with your bow, scent and some of the weird little questions hunters rarely want to admit they don't know the answer to. And sometimes the answer is simply that there isn't one perfect way to hunt. The guys also recap Foamfest and the incredible response from kids getting behind a bow, talk about the hunting community, deal with a tornado warning in the middle of recording, field another completely unpredictable caller, and eventually touch on the concerning EHD outbreak affecting deer in southeastern Wisconsin. One of the biggest takeaways from the episode is simple: you don't need to know everything before you start hunting. There will always be another rabbit hole to go down. You can learn about advanced whitetail strategy later. Build the foundation, shoot your bow, learn from your mistakes, ask questions—even the ones you think are stupid—and get into the woods. As the guys point out, if you don't keep shooting your bow, you're not going to stay proficient with it. Whether you're preparing for your first deer season, getting started in bow hunting, trying to become a better whitetail hunter, or you've hunted for years but still have questions you don't want to ask out loud, this episode is for you. Topics include: deer hunting for beginners, bow hunting basics, whitetail hunting, wind and thermals, deer behavior, archery practice, hunting myths, beginner hunting questions, Foamfest, getting kids into archery, EHD in Wisconsin, and why sometimes the best hunting advice is simply to go do it. Never Pass on Shooter Bucks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Caleb Frostman makes a trip to the Okayest Hunter podcast studio for an in-person discussion on his journey in hunting. Caleb discusses his vast experience in just about every type of terrain WI has to offer, along with MN.  Caleb cut his teeth as a rifle hunter in the Northwoods of the National Forest and later got the opportunity to hunt a large tract of private property in the Driftless Region of SW WI. There he was able to hone his skills at killing deer, and some big bucks, while observing how deer move through the hill country terrain.  Around 2019, Caleb got the OnX mapping application, which helped him find some public land to turkey hunt on, and after walking some public land and coming across some buck sign, the light bulb went off, and he decided to explore public land for deer hunting. Caleb discussed a great honey hope spot he found right off the get go and how he killed two bucks from the spot in his first two years.  Caleb has killed the majority of his archery deer from the ground, which we discussed heavily. Caleb talks about a few other properties he has scouted and what he looks for when scouting for archery and why a limited hunting schedule shapes his view of scouting for a timeframe as opposed to all season sign.  We wrap up the discussion with a dive into how he turned a late start morning in November into an incredible memory of a beautiful 8 point buck. We end with Caleb’s upcoming season goals, and his selfless disposition shines through with his willingness and desire to take 3 different first time hunters into the deer woods this season. That is exactly what our hunting community needs! Thanks for being an excellent exemplar, Caleb! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are we taking hunting too seriously? In this episode, we dig into a question that more hunters may need to ask themselves: Have we gotten so good at hunting—or at least so obsessed with becoming better at it—that we've gotten worse at actually enjoying it? Modern whitetail hunting comes with more information, technology, gear, trail cameras, mapping tools, tactics and access to hunting content than ever before. Add social media to the mix, and every time you open your phone it can look like everyone else is killing giant bucks while you're sitting in a tree wondering what you're doing wrong. But is that reality, or are we comparing our entire hunting season to everyone else's highlight reel? We talk about the pressure hunters put on themselves to kill bigger bucks, own the latest gear, run more cameras, scout harder and constantly optimize every part of deer season. We also discuss how social media can magnify the relatively small number of hunters finding immediate success and create the feeling that you're somehow falling behind. The conversation goes beyond whitetails, too. Have our obsession with deer hunting and trophy bucks pushed small-game hunting, trapping, grouse hunting, waterfowl hunting and simply wandering around the woods with our kids to the side? Some of the best opportunities to create new hunters and lifelong memories may have nothing to do with sitting over a giant buck. Callers join the conversation to share their own experiences with hunting pressure, social media, expensive gear, public-land competition and changing expectations of what makes a successful season. At some point, every hunter has to decide what success actually means. Is it killing the biggest buck? Filling the freezer? Becoming a better hunter? Spending time with your kids? Making memories with friends? Or sometimes… is it enough to simply go hunting? This episode is a conversation about modern hunting culture, whitetail hunting, bowhunting, social media, hunting technology, trophy buck expectations, public-land pressure, small-game hunting and remembering why we started hunting in the first place. If hunting has ever started feeling more like a competition or a job than something you genuinely enjoy, this conversation is for you. Subscribe for more honest conversations about whitetail hunting, bowhunting, deer hunting, hunting culture, outdoor life and everything that happens along the way. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices