The First Gen Hunter Podcast

Ep. 50 Turkey Tactics with Heath Rayfield

Sheds are nearly buried again in the green new carpet of spring, morels aren't quite ready and the gobbles of a tom turkey disturb the quietness of the cool morning air... ahh it's spring in the turkey woods. And there is no one better to talk about how to fill turkey tags than Mr. Heath Rayfield of Buckventures The Woodsmen. Heath is a family man, avid hunter, and hunting guide in the Carolinas, and hunting turkeys is his bread and butter. He was kind enough to come back on the show and explain to us how he finds so much success hunting these birds- year after year. 
 
Follow Heath on Instagram & Facebook: @heathrayfield
 
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Ep. 49 Off-season Archery with Jeff Reid

Spring has officially arrived and that means the end of shed season, the start of turkey season and a giant to-do list to complete before the archery deer opener this coming fall. Bow tuning, practice shooting and new accessory purchases dominate the list of “chores” that need to be addressed, but as a budding archer, putting together an effective plan for tackling the list can be tough to figure out. That’s why archery enthusiast Jeff Reid is here tell us how he gets ready during this valuable time leading up to hunting season. From competition shooting to making smart purchases Jeff walks us through a pathway to better hunting with the ol’ bow and arrow.
 
Follow Jeff on Instagram: @jeffreid
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Ep. 48 Hunting Delmarva Sika Deer with Laura Upham

There are a lot of critters I hope to get the chance to hunt. Of course many of them are on everyone else’s dream hunt list, but near the top is this nonnative species of deer- the sika deer. With the rutting behavior similar to a midwestern whitetail, the body size of a southwestern Coues deer, the vocals of a miniature bull elk, and the habitat preferences of waterfowl- these deer are fascinating to say the least. As small as their range is in North America, Brandon and I had to get connected with a local who knows these animals well, and Laura Upham was the perfect person to talk to. Laura is a state forester, avid outdoors person, and a first gen hunter. We talk about everything she loves to do in the outdoors and then get an education on how sika deer live, and how to hunt them.
 
Follow on Facebook: Delmarva Tracking Hounds
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Ep. 47 Squirrels: Old Time Game For New Age Hunters

Squirrel hunting has served as the first date for many hunters through the decades, and yet many fall away from it as they move on to bigger game like deer, elk, turkeys and waterfowl. Guest Marcus Gray is a wildlife biologist who has endured the test of time and with his own line of Mountain Feist squirrel dogs he is chasing squirrels with more passion than he had on his first ever hunt. These acrobats of the forest are well worth their weight in stew, and Marcus fills us in on how to bag a limit more often than we don’t. Marcus also takes us through the importance of conserving pollinator habitat, his dogs and a lot more.
 
Check out Marcus’ website: http://www.graysmountainfeist.com/
Follow on Facebook: Gray’s Mountain Feist
 
 
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Ep. 46 Tuition and Tree Stands- An Interview With Dorm Room Outdoors

Term papers, all nighters, midnight coffee brewing, changing majors and… running a hunting YouTube channel on the side? It’s not the typical college experience, but the team members of Dorm Room Outdoors make it happen. In this episode they discuss how they balance classwork and sports with hunting, as well as a recap on their 2020 hunting seasons and what they hope the hunting world looks like in the future.
Follow DRO on Instagram: @dormroomoutdoors
Subscribe to DRO on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVIveRmj_treKjMsNO9aKEA
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Ep. 45 Big Bucks In The Smallest State

“I’ll take surprising hunting facts for $800…” Surprising as it may be, Rhode Island- The Ocean State, is a tremendous whitetail location with plenty of public hunting access, quality bucks, and incredible shed hunting opportunities. But don’t take my word for it because I’ve never been there. That’s why Ryan and Dan from Rhode Island Whitetails joined the show to fill you and me in on how to hunt deer in this beautiful whitetail state.
Follow Rhode Island Whitetails on Instagram: @rhodeisland_whitetails
Subscribe to their YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtX7q3LmRG0tOWDY3xlcqYg
 
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Ep. 44 "Must Be Nice" - Tagging a 195" Buck with Cole Young

Tagging big, mature deer on a regular basis is the culmination of a lifetime spent perfecting the finer details of hunting. Cole Young has done that. Cole gained access to a dynamite farm, custom fit the habitat to maximize its potential, got a monster whitetail on trail camera and then wrapped a tag around his antlers within two attempts at hunting him. There is so much to learn in this one, and if you are wanting to the the next step with improving your hunting success- this one is for you. 
 
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Ep. 43 Rabbit Hunting and Beagles with Team Lone Oak

For many hunters small game is where they got started. Whether it was circling trees for squirrels, or stomping on brush piles for rabbits, the hunting was simple and the payoff was often a few delicious critters ready for the oven when the hunt ended. That’s exactly what this episode is about- how to hunt rabbits more effectively. Brad and Todd from Lone Oak Outdoors spend a month or two each year running behind a team of Beagles trained to sniff out speedy cottontails in Virginia. They fill us in on the dogs, the strategy and the gear needed to become a full time bunny buster.
Follow: @teamloneoak on Instagram
Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbZG13tl8HobhdNHoUVXltg
 
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Ep. 42 The Author of Shed Hunting- An Interview with Joe Shead

Shed hunting is one of the best ways to shake off the post hunting season blues and work off a few holiday pounds. Of course, in the midwest whitetail antlers are what most folks are looking for. But as you will hear in this episode, author Joe Shead, who literally wrote the book on shed hunting was kind enough to share his wealth of knowledge on how to find antlers for not only whitetails, but elk, moose, mule deer and caribou as well. 
Visit Joe's Website: https://goshedhunting.com/
Subscribe to Joe's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOzva_xtmYpJpuiEB3zf8Ow
 
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Ep. 41 Airfare and Hunting Gear with Alex Gruin

I believe one of the biggest factors that keeps hunters from expanding their experiences to other states is the mountain of questions and concerns about all of the details required for hunting far away from home. How do you bring your deer rifle, or you bow? What about the knives for field dressing? How about bringing the meat home if you are successful? These are some major questions that need to be answered before people can enjoy all the hunting opportunities that our country has to offer, and Alex Gruin is the guy to help. 
 
Follow Alex: @alexg.hunt, @east2westhunts
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