Hunting Gear Podcast

Most deer hunters are sitting on years of trail camera intel and never using it. Deer ID turns those scattered photos into buck-specific patterns, weather trends, and hunt-day predictions so you can stop guessing and start hunting with purpose.
Nate Crick breaks down how Deer ID was built from a simple but powerful idea: the deer you chase are often showing up on repeat cycles, and the clues are already in your camera roll. From Half Rack daylighting on the same dates year after year to Tommy and Tyson revealing their own seasonal patterns, Nate explains how historical sightings can uncover what a single trail cam photo never will.
You'll discover:
How Deer ID builds a separate profile for every buck
Why uploading old trail cam photos can make your intel dramatically more accurate
How the app reads location, time, wind, pressure, moon phase, and cloud cover from photos automatically
Why the hunting calendar gives a day-by-day score instead of just a generic weather forecast
How notifications can alert you when a buck's historical pattern lines up with current conditions

Nate also explains what Deer ID deliberately leaves out, like mapping and heavy location automation, because the goal is to improve woodsmanship, not replace it. The app is designed to help hunters stay sharp, not turn deer hunting into a cheat code. That philosophy sets it apart from the rest of the market and makes it especially useful for hunters who want better information without losing the challenge.
Dan J. digs into the details on how the app works, how data gets batch uploaded, and how public-land hunters can even use location-based scrape history to spot annual trends. The conversation also covers why the app can still help hunters who only have a season or two of data, and why more years of history make the predictions lock in harder.
If you keep trail camera photos, hunt specific bucks, or only get limited days in the woods, this episode shows you how to turn the data you already own into a real edge. Essential listening for serious whitetail hunters who want to be a little more dialed in this fall.

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On this episode of the Hunting Gear Podcast, Dan re-joins Jacob Coons for a candid look at "Made in the USA" hunting gear. Does where your gear is manufactured actually drive your purchasing decisions, or does it all come down to price tag and performance?
The guys unpack price points across major gear categories, test the durability argument, and confront common manufacturing stereotypes head-on. Plus, Dan and Jacob share their own personal philosophies on gear selection and discuss whether domestic production still carries real weight in their setups.
Highlights:
Does origin matter when you’re at the checkout line?
Breaking down price points and durability across gear categories
Overcoming manufacturing stereotypes: Myths vs. realities
How Dan and Jacob evaluate gear for their own hunts

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What actually stays in your pack when it’s time to hunt whitetails? On this episode of the Hunting Gear Podcast, Dan and Bob do a complete gear dump for the fall season. From grunt tubes and scent control to bow ropes and screw-in steps, if it takes up space in their packs, it’s getting talked about.
Join the conversation on the Sportsmen's Empire Facebook and Instagram pages, or connect with Nine Finger Chronicles and Hybrid Outdoors. Let us know what gear never leaves your pack!

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The best mobile hunting systems do one thing - they disappear into the hunt. Nested Tree Stand Systems is built around that idea, and Gabe Denzine explains why this brand was designed from the ground up for hunters who pack in, climb once, and want every piece of gear to work together.
Gabe and Dan unpack how Nested grew out of a real problem: the clunky, cobbled-together setup so many hunters have been forced to live with. Instead of making another generic add-on to an existing line, the team built a true system - rails, stand, and pack engineered to nest together, carry weight better, and speed up setup in the field.
You'll discover why Nested uses rails instead of traditional climbing sticks, how the dual-rail design helps prevent kick-out and improves foot placement, and why the pack-and-stand combo is modeled after a Western frame pack to move weight to your hips instead of your shoulders. Gabe also breaks down the 8.6-pound cast aluminum hang-on, the patented Z-shaped profile, the one-strap cam-over design, and the difference between the 15-liter and 35-liter packs.
We also get into the practical details that matter when you're in the dark and under pressure - from rope attachments versus cam straps, to how many rails most hunters really need, to why the system is especially appealing for guys hunting big hill country or anyone trying to cut down on trips up and down the tree. If you've ever wished your mobile setup felt lighter, safer, and more intuitive, this conversation hits all the right notes.
Gabe Denzine is the brand manager behind Nested Tree Stand Systems at Artisam, and he brings a hunter's perspective to product design, with firsthand experience using and refining the system in the field. Dan Johnson keeps the conversation focused on the real-world problems mobile hunters face and whether Nested actually solves them.
Essential listening if you run a mobile tree stand setup, hunt public land, or want a more streamlined way to carry and hang your gear without the usual frustration. Learn more at nestedtreestands.com.

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Western hunts get a lot easier when your gear, sleep setup, and ammo are dialed in before you leave home. Dan Johnson sits down with Wisconsin hunter Nick Brewer to break down the real-world system he uses to chase mule deer and pronghorn in Montana and Wyoming without wasting time, money, or energy.
Nick has spent roughly 15 years hunting out West, and he shares the hard-earned details that only come from doing it over and over: how he chooses between a lightweight rifle and a heavier custom build, why he handloads his own 7mm-08 ammo, and what actually matters when you're choosing optics for late-season hunts. If you travel east to hunt or you're trying to make your first Western trip less expensive and more efficient, this conversation is packed with practical takeaways.
You’ll discover:
How Nick stretches tags and preference points to keep getting back out West
Why a heavy rifle can shoot better, but a lighter rifle can save your hunt when the miles add up
What makes Sierra Game King and Nosler Ballistic Tip bullets his go-to choices
The budget-friendly reloading setup that gets him started for about $250 to $500
Why low-light performance and eye relief matter more than flashy scope specs
How he built a truck sleeping system that keeps him warm without a hotel
The Freedom Camper setup he just added to upgrade his backcountry truck camping

Nick also shares the simple food strategy that keeps him fed on the road, the boot and clothing choices that help him handle cold, mobile hunts, and the one piece of gear he says is a total game changer for staying warm in the truck: an electric blanket powered by a lithium battery and inverter.
This episode is especially useful if you hunt from a vehicle, want to cut down on expensive trip logistics, or are looking for realistic gear advice instead of hype. Dan and Nick keep it practical, honest, and full of ideas you can actually use on your next Western hunt.Perfect for hunters planning a Western trip, gear tinkerers, reloaders, and anyone trying to stay comfortable and effective in tough conditions.

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