HuntStand Podcast

A mature whitetail buck at just THREE YARDS in the middle of a blizzard. It doesn't get much more intense than that! On this episode of THE SETUP, HuntStand's Josh Dahlke and Will Cooper break down Josh's unforgettable late-season whitetail hunt that brought him face-to-face with a giant buck in brutal winter conditions. From the strategy and setup to the decisions that put Josh within arm's reach of a mature whitetail, the guys take a closer look at how this incredible hunt unfolded and what made it all come together. It's a wild late-season hunting story with plenty of lessons for whitetail hunters. Watch BLIZZARD BUCK AT 3 YARDS on THE SETUP, presented by the HuntStand Podcast. Download HuntStand: https://www.huntstand.com #HuntStand #TheSetup #WhitetailHunting #DeerHunting #LateSeasonHunting #HuntingPodcast FOLLOW JOSH & WILL: Josh: https://www.instagram.com/josh.j.dahlke/ Will: https://www.instagram.com/willtcooper/ DOWNLOAD HUNTSTAND https://www.huntstand.com/subscriptions/ HUNTSTAND FIELD NOTES https://www.huntstand.com/fieldnotes/ GET SOCIAL: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/huntstand/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HuntStand TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@huntstandofficial Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Some whitetail hunts seem nearly impossible. This was one of them. On this episode of THE SETUP, Josh Dahlke and Will Cooper sit down with veteran bowhunter Jace Bauserman to break down an unforgettable Western whitetail hunt. From the challenges of chasing mature bucks in rugged country to the strategy, decisions, and determination that made it all come together, Jace takes us behind the scenes. FOLLOW JOSH & WILL: Josh: https://www.instagram.com/josh.j.dahlke/ Will: https://www.instagram.com/willtcooper/ DOWNLOAD HUNTSTAND https://www.huntstand.com/subscriptions/ HUNTSTAND FIELD NOTES https://www.huntstand.com/fieldnotes/ GET SOCIAL: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/huntstand/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HuntStand TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@huntstandofficial Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What looked like a perfect opportunity on an old Texas brush country buck turned into a hunt Will Cooper won't soon forget. On this episode of The Setup, Josh Dahlke and Will break down a late-season, post-rut bowhunt on an MLD property in the famed Golden Triangle of South Texas. After getting a shot at an old, mature whitetail, everything initially pointed toward a successful recovery. But puzzling shot footage and a blood trail that didn't quite add up left more questions than answers. That's when legendary Texas tracking dog handler Roy Hines got the call. For Will, it was his first experience relying on tracking dogs to recover a deer—and one that brought an entirely new perspective to bowhunting, shot evaluation, and the importance of doing everything possible to recover an animal. From the setup and shot opportunity to the recovery and lessons learned, Josh and Will walk through the entire hunt, breaking down the decisions, challenges, and takeaways. Because sometimes the biggest lessons in bowhunting come after the arrow leaves the string. Watch the full breakdown on The Setup, a HuntStand Podcast series. FOLLOW JOSH & WILL: Josh: https://www.instagram.com/josh.j.dahlke/ Will: https://www.instagram.com/willtcooper/ DOWNLOAD HUNTSTAND https://www.huntstand.com/subscriptions/ HUNTSTAND FIELD NOTES https://www.huntstand.com/fieldnotes/ GET SOCIAL: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/huntstand/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HuntStand TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@huntstandofficial Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Some hunts go exactly how you drew them up. Others kick you square in the teeth. On this episode of the HuntStand Podcast, Josh Dahlke and Will Cooper look back at their hunting season from last fall and winter and unpack the moments that defined it. They revisit the highlights, punched tags, close calls, unexpected turns, hard lessons, and the hunts that still sting months later. From the moments you wish you could relive to the ones you'd probably like a do-over on, it's a look back at the reality of a full hunting season. The good. The bad. The gut punches. And the stories that make you ready to do it all over again. FOLLOW JOSH & WILL: Josh: https://www.instagram.com/josh.j.dahlke/ Will: https://www.instagram.com/willtcooper/ DOWNLOAD HUNTSTAND https://www.huntstand.com/subscriptions/ HUNTSTAND FIELD NOTES https://www.huntstand.com/fieldnotes/ GET SOCIAL: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/huntstand/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HuntStand TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@huntstandofficial Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Your first land purchase is a big decision that can carry a lot of stress. Here’s a checklist to consider before you start your search and sign on the dotted line. FOLLOW JOSH & WILL: Josh: https://www.instagram.com/josh.j.dahlke/ Will: https://www.instagram.com/willtcooper/ DOWNLOAD HUNTSTAND https://www.huntstand.com/subscriptions/ HUNTSTAND FIELD NOTES https://www.huntstand.com/fieldnotes/ GET SOCIAL: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/huntstand/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HuntStand TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@huntstandofficial Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Deer have an uncanny ability to determine when human activity is threatening. How much personal use should you subject your hunting property to? Can you acclimate deer to people? Bill Winke has some answers with the experience to back it up. FOLLOW JOSH & WILL: Josh: https://www.instagram.com/josh.j.dahlke/ Will: https://www.instagram.com/willtcooper/ DOWNLOAD HUNTSTAND https://www.huntstand.com/subscriptions/ HUNTSTAND FIELD NOTES https://www.huntstand.com/fieldnotes/ GET SOCIAL: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/huntstand/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HuntStand TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@huntstandofficial Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Taking deer herd inventory with thermal drones is becoming very common. Bill Winke has done it three times on his farm. Is the use of thermal drone to count deer crossing a line or just smart management? Winke discusses how to do it, when to do it, how to use the data, and some ethical considerations. FOLLOW JOSH & WILL: Josh: https://www.instagram.com/josh.j.dahlke/ Will: https://www.instagram.com/willtcooper/ DOWNLOAD HUNTSTAND https://www.huntstand.com/subscriptions/ HUNTSTAND FIELD NOTES https://www.huntstand.com/fieldnotes/ GET SOCIAL: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/huntstand/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HuntStand TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@huntstandofficial Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can hunters actually influence the genetics of a free-ranging whitetail herd? Biologists often say no—but Bill Winke sees it differently. In this episode of Deer Dirt, Bill shares what he’s experienced firsthand and why he believes genetics can be influenced in wild deer. It’s a controversial topic, and we’re diving straight into the debate. FOLLOW JOSH & WILL: Josh: https://www.instagram.com/josh.j.dahlke/ Will: https://www.instagram.com/willtcooper/ DOWNLOAD HUNTSTAND https://www.huntstand.com/subscriptions/ HUNTSTAND FIELD NOTES https://www.huntstand.com/fieldnotes/ GET SOCIAL: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/huntstand/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HuntStand TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@huntstandofficial Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Designing a deer property isn’t just about attracting more deer—it’s about being able to hunt them without blowing the place up. On this episode of Deer Dirt, Bill Winke breaks down how to design your property for low-impact hunting, including smart access, food plot placement, and setups that keep pressure to a minimum while putting you in position when it matters most. FOLLOW JOSH & WILL: Josh: https://www.instagram.com/josh.j.dahlke/ Will: https://www.instagram.com/willtcooper/ DOWNLOAD HUNTSTAND https://www.huntstand.com/subscriptions/ HUNTSTAND FIELD NOTES https://www.huntstand.com/fieldnotes/ GET SOCIAL: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/huntstand/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HuntStand TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@huntstandofficial Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When it comes to food plot strategy, you need to consider whether you’re making the property ideal for the deer or ideal for you. Stressed deer are harder to kill and spreading them out also makes them harder to kill, but is an over abundance of food better for the deer? You might not need as much deer food as biologists suggest.FOLLOW JOSH & WILL: Josh: https://www.instagram.com/josh.j.dahlke/ Will: https://www.instagram.com/willtcooper/ DOWNLOAD HUNTSTAND https://www.huntstand.com/subscriptions/ HUNTSTAND FIELD NOTES https://www.huntstand.com/fieldnotes/ GET SOCIAL: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/huntstand/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HuntStand TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@huntstandofficial Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices