East Meets West Hunt

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 Partner Discounts and Affiliate Links: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.eastmeetswesthunt.com/partners⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Amazon Influencer Page ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.amazon.com/shop/beau.martonik⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Amazon Influencer Page ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.amazon.com/shop/beau.martonik⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.eastmeetswesthunt.com/partners⁠⁠⁠ Amazon Influencer Page ⁠⁠⁠https://www.amazon.com/shop/beau.martonik⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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: ⁠⁠https://www.eastmeetswesthunt.com/partners⁠⁠ Amazon Influencer Page ⁠⁠https://www.amazon.com/shop/beau.martonik⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Amazon Influencer Page ⁠⁠https://www.amazon.com/shop/beau.martonik⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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: ⁠https://www.eastmeetswesthunt.com/partners⁠ Amazon Influencer Page ⁠https://www.amazon.com/shop/beau.martonik⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 https://www.amazon.com/shop/beau.martonik Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 https://www.amazon.com/shop/beau.martonik Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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: https://www.eastmeetswesthunt.com/partners Amazon Influencer Page https://www.amazon.com/shop/beau.martonik Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 https://www.amazon.com/shop/beau.martonik Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices