
Beau Martonik is joined by Donnie Drake, of Elk 101, to talk about Donnie’s journey in elk hunting. They discuss the importance of personal struggles they’ve faced, wind, and the significance of practice and perseverance. Donnie shares insights on elk behavior, calling techniques, and the physical challenges of hunting in steep terrains. They also touch on Donnie’s passion for his custom-built 1950 Willys Jeepster. Key takeaways for aspiring elk hunters include mastering the wind and maintaining a resilient mindset. This episode is filled with inspiration and practical tips for hunters of all levels that have worked for decades.
Topics:
00:00:00 - Introduction
00:04:30 - Donnie’s Journey to Elk Hunting
00:22:09 - The Struggles of Hunting Different Regions
00:25:35 - How Donnie and Corey Jacobson Met
00:28:52 - Starting Elk 101
00:35:13 - Learning From Your Mistakes
00:40:49 - Destination Elk Challenge - Elk Hunting WITHOUT FOOD
00:51:52 - Elk Hunting Tactics
01:04:04 - Elk Calling Strategies
01:10:04 - Learning How To Estimate Distance
01:12:40 - Comparing Sights and Sight Tips
01:23:46 - Gaining Experience
01:25:13 - Know The Wind and Thermals
01:29:13 - Comparing Whitetail Hunting and Elk Hunting
01:30:25 - The Jeepster
01:38:44 - Wrapping Up
Resources:
Instagram:
@eastmeetswesthunt
@beau.martonik
@eatsleephuntelk
Facebook:
East Meets West Outdoors
Website/Apparel/Deals/Gear:
https://www.eastmeetswesthunt.com/
YouTube:
Beau Martonik - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQJon93sYfu9HUMKpCMps3w
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Jun 3
1 hr 40 min

Beau Martonik is joined by Steve Smith, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Game Commission. They talk about his hunting journey and the evolution of wildlife management in Pennsylvania. They cover topics from deer population trends, upcoming changes for the 2025 hunting seasons, and initiatives like the Deer Management Assistance Program. Steve also addresses hunter concerns regarding regulations such as no hunting on Sundays, highlights efforts to improve access to public land, how decisions are made, and what the overall future of hunting in Pennsylvania looks like for years to come.
Topics:
00:00:00 - Introduction
00:06:33 - Steve's First Hunt
00:08:10 - Past and Present Pennsylvania Deer Population
00:11:59 - Steve’s Position As Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Game Commission
00:14:44 - Relationship Between Game Commission and Hunters
00:17:16 - Pennsylvania Hunting Quality Improvement
00:22:26 - Trends in Hunting License Numbers
00:27:18 - Will Pennsylvania Ever Allow Sunday Hunting?
00:34:52 - Access to Hunting Lands
00:50:09 - The DMAP Program Explained
00:56:29 - Balancing Wildlife Populations
00:59:09 - DMAP Extended Season
01:15:34 - Decisions Made Based on Data
01:28:20 - 2025 Regulation Changes
01:39:14 - Closing Thoughts and Feedback
Resources:
Instagram:
@eastmeetswesthunt
@beau.martonik
@pagamecomm
Facebook:
East Meets West Outdoors
Website/Apparel/Deals/Gear:
https://www.eastmeetswesthunt.com/
YouTube:
Beau Martonik - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQJon93sYfu9HUMKpCMps3w
Partner Discounts and Affiliate Links:
https://www.eastmeetswesthunt.com/partners
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May 27
1 hr 42 min

Beau Martonik is joined by Joe Miles, who has over 30+ years of bowhunting whitetails throughout North America. Joe transitioned from youth hunting experiences to professional pursuits, including guiding in Africa and establishing Sporting Adventures International. They discuss what it’s like hunting in South Carolina, hunting a specific buck that beds in many places, finding deer funnels, rut hunting strategies for a specific deer, the difference between hunting high-pressure areas vs. areas with little pressure, the moon guide, and much more!
Topics:
00:00:00 - Introduction
00:05:32 - Working in the Hunting Industry
00:05:53 - Joe’s Background and Early Hunting Experiences
00:09:53 - The Passion and Challenges of Whitetail Hunting
00:13:39 - What It’s Like To Hunt South Carolina
00:14:49 - South Carolina Hunting Traditions
00:16:12 - The Hunt Camp Experience
00:20:15 - What It’s Like To Hunt Where Everything is Thick
00:29:45 - Finding Deer Funnels
00:36:32 - Rut Hunting Strategies
00:41:12 - Analyzing Deer Movement Data
00:46:41 - The Effects Of Pressure in Hunting
00:57:05 - All In For One Buck
01:02:22 - Experience New Places
01:04:51 - Different Styles Of Hunting
01:10:07 - Being Part of The Moon Guide
01:14:35 - Does the Moon Play a Big Role in the Best Times to Hunt?
01:21:03 - Upcoming Whitetail Plans
01:25:11 - Closing Remarks
Resources:
Instagram:
@eastmeetswesthunt
@beau.martonik
@mission_whitetail
Facebook:
East Meets West Outdoors
Website/Apparel/Deals/Gear:
https://www.eastmeetswesthunt.com/
YouTube:
Beau Martonik - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQJon93sYfu9HUMKpCMps3w
Partner Discounts and Affiliate Links:
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May 20
1 hr 28 min

Most hunters want to know, "When should I take off work to hunt the rut?" Well, paying attention to fawns right now and historical doe data can help you predict the best dates in YOUR area! This is a bonus episode from the 2025 Mountain Bucks Scouting Camp.
Resources:
Instagram:
@eastmeetswesthunt
@beau.martonik
Facebook:
East Meets West Outdoors
Website/Apparel/Deals:
https://www.eastmeetswesthunt.com/
YouTube:
Beau Martonik - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQJon93sYfu9HUMKpCMps3w
Partner Discounts and Affiliate Links:
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May 16
16 min

Beau Martonik is joined by Josh Ilderton and Mack Mella of The Untamed, who talk about their recent hunting experiences in the rugged mountains of West Virginia. They share their thoughts on the unique challenges of turkey hunting this season with quiet gobblers. Topics include turkey camp, the unusually weird turkey season, how to successfully call in the mountains, finding a turkey when they’re not gobbling much, trying to understand turkey behavior, Beau’s success, and much more!
Topics:
00:00:00 - Introduction
00:04:59 - Getting To Know Mack
00:06:42 - Turkey Camp with The Untamed, The Hunting Public, and Just Hunt Club
00:08:40 - The Challenges Of Turkey Season
00:11:26 - Swing and A Miss
00:15:21 - It’s been a weird season
00:26:50 - Navigating Gobbles In The Mountains
00:34:56 - Finding A Turkey When They’re Not Gobbling Much
00:37:27 - Beau’s 2025 West Virginia Gobbler
00:42:10 - Aging A Turkey
00:47:00 - Hunting Together As Cameraman and Hunter
00:50:24 - Trying To Understand Turkeys
00:53:46 - Balancing Life, Work, and Hunting
00:59:44 - Insight On Production In The Hunting Industry
01:07:53 - Internships and Opportunities
01:10:50 - Parting Thoughts
Instagram:
@eastmeetswesthunt
@beau.martonik
@theuntamed
Facebook:
East Meets West Outdoors
Website/Apparel/Deals:
https://www.eastmeetswesthunt.com/
YouTube:
Beau Martonik - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQJon93sYfu9HUMKpCMps3w
Partner Discounts and Affiliate Links:
https://www.eastmeetswesthunt.com/partners
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May 13
1 hr 14 min

Beau Martonik is joined by Mike Zusman on an incredible journey as he trades in his keyboard for a rifle, going from a tech hacker to an Adirondack buck hunter! They discuss Mike’s journey of getting into hunting, building a successful tech hacking business, outdoor writing, seeking out a life of adventure, long-term vision, a 4-year journey in the Adirondacks to shoot a buck, the art of conversation, and much more!
Topics:
00:00:00 - Intro
00:00:00 - Introduction and Technical Challenges
00:02:57 - Hunting Equipment Insights
00:06:00 - Personal Hunting Experiences
00:09:01 - Background and Career Journey
00:11:50 - Writing and ADHD
00:15:09 - Transitioning to Business and Consulting
00:18:11 - Hacking and Hunting Parallels
00:21:00 - Vision and Leadership in Business
00:23:55 - Life Goals and Adventure
00:27:13 - Maximizing Life and Enjoyment
00:30:24 - Balancing Time and Money in Hunting
00:32:31 - The Importance of Long-Term Vision
00:34:30 - Patience and Delayed Gratification
00:37:05 - Learning from Mistakes and Target Fixation
00:42:06 - Adirondack Adventures: A Hunter's Journey
00:54:23 - The Emotional Journey of Hunting Success
01:03:25 - The Journey of Hunting and Friendship
01:06:03 - Dining Alone: A Personal Story
01:10:01 - The Art of Conversation and Connection
01:13:04 - Storytelling in Hunting Culture
01:19:55 - The Adventure of Local Hunting
01:23:11 - Future Aspirations in Hunting and Consulting
Resources:
Instagram:
@eastmeetswesthunt
@beau.martonik
@mikezwrites
Facebook:
East Meets West Outdoors
Website/Apparel/Deals:
https://www.eastmeetswesthunt.com/
YouTube:
Beau Martonik - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQJon93sYfu9HUMKpCMps3w
Partner Discounts and Affiliate Links:
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May 6
1 hr 41 min

Beau Martonik is joined by Rendell Erik. Rendell is an Iowa resident who has successfully put his tag on multiple booner bucks on public land in agricultural areas. On a recent scouting trip, Beau met up with Rendell to scout some areas with the expectation of Beau drawing a coveted non-resident Iowa archery deer tag this fall. They discuss what types of public land areas produce the best bucks in the Midwest, rut hunting funnels, best time of year to plan an Iowa deer hunt, long-lining big bucks, buck bedding, key food sources, hunting the corn inside-out, and much more!
Topics:
00:00:00 - Intro
00:03:56 - Letting the deer teach you
00:14:41 - What type of public land areas in the Midwest produce the best bucks
00:18:16 - Rut hunting funnels
00:23:04 - Best time of year to plan an Iowa deer hunt
00:26:19 - Long Lining Big Bucks
00:33:42 - Field judging deer and reading sign
00:39:48 - Micro points - the terrain feature mature bucks like to bed on
00:43:11 - Honey locust trees - when/why deer love to eat them
00:46:41 - Scouting the food ahead of time
00:54:36 - Hunting the corn fields “inside out”
01:00:09 - Advice for hunting Iowa as a non-resident
Resources:
Instagram:
@eastmeetswesthunt
@beau.martonik
@rendell_erik
Facebook:
East Meets West Outdoors
Website/Apparel/Deals:
https://www.eastmeetswesthunt.com/
YouTube:
Beau Martonik - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQJon93sYfu9HUMKpCMps3w
Partner Discounts and Affiliate Links:
https://www.eastmeetswesthunt.com/partners
Amazon Influencer Page
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Apr 29
1 hr 7 min

Beau Martonik is joined by West Virginia native Luke Humphreys. Luke has sent in multiple Mountain Buck Monday submissions of big mountain bucks, including an absolute giant that he shot with his grandpa’s old sidelock muzzleloader from this past January during the West Virginia heritage season. They discuss practicing turkey hunting in the mountains, family hunting traditions, finding old hunting stands, key terrain features, wind and thermals in the mountains, finding the perfect tree, the four-year quest for “Bobby Fischer”, lessons learned from chasing a buck for years, and much more!
Topics:
00:00:00 - Intro
00:06:30 - Background and Early Hunting Experiences
00:09:31 - Challenges of Access and Land Ownership
00:12:35 - Learning the Ropes of Turkey Hunting
00:15:43 - Patience and Strategy in Turkey Hunting
00:18:33 - Scouting and Multi-Tasking in the Spring
00:21:42 - Diverse Terrain and Hunting Experiences
00:24:41 - Nostalgia and Family Traditions in Hunting
00:32:06 - Old Hunting Stands and Their Stories
00:34:45 - The Journey to the Perfect Spot
00:55:22 - Chasing the Monarch: A Four-Year Quest
01:04:26 - The Challenges of Small Property Hunting
01:10:30 - Navigating the Terrain: Understanding Wind and Deer Movement
01:13:17 - Conservative Hunting Strategies: The Importance of Patience
01:15:11 - The Challenge of Muzzleloading: Precision and Preparation
01:17:16 - Tracking and Stalking: The Art of Deer Hunting
01:22:32 - The Thrill of the Chase: A Successful Hunt for Bobby Fischer
01:30:23 - Lessons Learned: Growth as a Hunter
01:40:57 - The Journey of Learning: Mastering New Hunting Grounds
Resources:
Instagram:
@eastmeetswesthunt
@beau.martonik
@thelukeduke
Facebook:
East Meets West Outdoors
Website/Apparel/Deals:
https://www.eastmeetswesthunt.com/
YouTube:
Beau Martonik - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQJon93sYfu9HUMKpCMps3w
Partner Discounts and Affiliate Links:
https://www.eastmeetswesthunt.com/partners
Amazon Influencer Page
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Apr 22
1 hr 49 min

Beau Martonik is joined by Lee Lakosky. Lee Lakosky is a well-known figure in hunting and whitetail deer management. He's best known from the popular TV show "Crush with Lee & Tiffany," which he co-hosts with his wife, Tiffany Lakosky. They discuss his upbringing hunting the big woods of Northern Minnesota, how he bought his first farm, the journey to success with The Crush, setting high goals and achieving them, conquering buck fever, chasing the challenge, EHD vs. CWD, a lot of hunting tips, stories, and much more!
Topics:
00:00:00 - Intro
00:10:49 - Lee’s favorite animals to hunt
00:14:54 - The allure of hunting Iowa
00:16:04 - Hunting the big woods of northern Minnesota
00:21:54 - Must be nice
00:29:34 - How Lee bought his first farm
00:36:44 - Dream big and work your ass off
00:47:54 - Learning new things and delayed gratification
00:57:29 - What it takes to be a great hunter
01:01:59 - How Lee conquers buck fever
01:07:23 - Summer archery practice that translates to success
01:19:08 - How much pressure will a buck take before leaving his bedding area
01:23:44 - Spot and stalk
01:26:44 - “You’re just a horn hunter”
01:36:14 - Is EHD the biggest threat to deer hunting?
01:40:59 - Getting his kids into hunting - balancing making it tough, but enjoyable
01:46:19 - The weather condition that produces the BEST deer hunting
01:50:29 - How long do bucks lock down with does in an area?
01:54:28 - The best time to rattle in BIG BUCKS
02:03:28 - Rebirth of Outdoor Television?
02:12:44 - CWD vs. EHD - Where Should the Money Go?
02:31:14 - Iowa Public Land and what makes Iowa great
Resources:
Instagram:
@eastmeetswesthunt
@beau.martonik
@thecrushtv
Facebook:
East Meets West Outdoors
Website/Apparel/Deals:
https://www.eastmeetswesthunt.com/
YouTube:
Beau Martonik - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQJon93sYfu9HUMKpCMps3w
Partner Discounts and Affiliate Links:
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Apr 15
2 hr 45 min

Beau Martonik is joined by John Lewis and Cody McIntyre of Just Hunt Club to share their passion for turkey hunting, strategies for public land, humorous encounters, and insights on challenges and opportunities in New England. In addition, they discuss hunting turkeys out-of-state, their favorite habitat types to find turkeys, the craziest places they’ve discovered turkeys, encountering venomous snakes, and a few big buck stories from last season.
Topics:
00:00:00 - Intro
00:03:55 - How Just Hunt Club got started
00:17:25 - Getting into turkey hunting
00:23:55 - Out-of-state turkey hunting and different experiences
00:28:25 - Habitat types to find turkeys
00:35:25 - The craziest spots where turkeys lived
00:43:25 - Rattlesnakes, spiders, bears, and other scary things
00:56:45 - Black squirrel paradise
01:02:45 - Turkey hunting in the northeast
01:11:50 - Benefits of turkey hunting in steep terrain
01:18:15 - Finding adventure on the east coast
01:21:57 - New Hampshire Giant Buck
01:29:09 - Jon’s New York Early season buck over an apple tree
Resources:
Instagram:
@eastmeetswesthunt
@beau.martonik
@justhuntclub
Facebook:
East Meets West Outdoors
Website/Apparel/Deals:
https://www.eastmeetswesthunt.com/
YouTube:
Beau Martonik - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQJon93sYfu9HUMKpCMps3w
Partner Discounts and Affiliate Links:
https://www.eastmeetswesthunt.com/partners
Amazon Influencer Page
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Apr 8
1 hr 46 min
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