Show Notes
In this episode of the Antler Up Podcast, I sit down for a laid-back BS session with Jim D’Agostino, covering everything from hunting traditions to the latest gear for archery hunters. We kick things off by talking about the Great American Outdoor Show, how saddle hunting continues to grow in popularity, and why some of the most successful hunters stay off social media, focusing purely on their craft. Jim and I reflect on the true essence of hunting—the experience, camaraderie, and lessons learned—rather than just the kills. We also dive into the importance of understanding the land, and property enhancements to increase hunting success on our camp property.
Beyond hunting tactics, we chat about archery setups, personal fitness for the outdoors, and the constant evolution of hunting gear. Jim and I discuss the dream built for our hunting camp, how archery tournaments kick off soon, and the ongoing balance between family, podcasting, and work—because let’s be real, this podcast doesn’t pay the bills! We also touch on the importance of community engagement, local shooting venues, and listener feedback for future topics. If you’re looking for a fun, no-filter conversation about hunting and life, you won’t want to miss this one!
So, grab your gear, sit back, and join us on this episode as we Antler Up with Jim! Stay tuned, stay safe, and Antler Up!
Show Transcript
Antler Up Podcast (00:25.897)
hat's up, everybody? Welcome back to the Antlerub podcast. We're took a week off. I was under the weather. I was sick. I was from meeting all those wonderful people at the Great American Outdoor Show and hanging out with with Jim, who is on the other line right now and all the good buddies from Tether, which was awesome. First time meeting some some people there.
got a chance to have Wade Childs on the podcast twice. He and I interacted a crap ton over the last two years and stuff and finally had a chance to meet him and his two buddies. And it was a really sweet opportunity to meet other people too at the show, man. So Swolebird, I appreciate you coming out lending out a hand for the day as well.
Jim (01:15.946)
For sure. I had a blast. always do. That's my favorite show of the year. it's just awesome to get this, put people in saddles and talk hunting with hundreds if not thousands of people that love to do what we do.
Antler Up Podcast (01:28.203)
I know. It's crazy. So many, it's so neat that there's an opportunity where people could come and obviously try things. I mean, we don't have enough time, I guess, to walk around. I know there is a lot to see. It's also cool to know and it's, I don't think a lot has changed in a sense. If we didn't go 10 years ago, other than some of the new companies and stuff like that, you know.
I'm sure in a couple of five years from now, it be the exact same other than companies that either rebranded or coming out. But it's still cool to see some people and we missed Tim and Tom and our buddy Travis didn't get a chance to see them because they went during the week. But, you know, they just said it was still packed during the week, which is just crazy that it's nine days and every day is usually still pretty, pretty full.
Jim (02:21.008)
Yeah, I was nonstop that whole first Saturday. mean, I felt like I, well, I know I didn't, I didn't sit down. I mean, it was, it's awesome. It just one person after another, after another getting on the tree and trying some, some product out and just talking, hunting and different strategies. And it was, it's neat to, watch people's faces that never been in one before. And to also like give them different tips on like positioning and different things you could do to make some adjustments quickly on the fly that, you know, some people that
Antler Up Podcast (02:31.563)
Yeah
Jim (02:51.02)
have had saddles for a while and have been hunting out of them, I was able to put into a saddle and teach them a few things and that's always fun.
Antler Up Podcast (02:58.704)
Yeah, that's what I always like enjoy and it's cool to tell people it's you know, there's a million different ways to skin that cat and it's cool to see that and the light bulbs go off and first time people that get in a saddle and like damn this is actually a lot more comfortable than I was anticipating that type of stuff and you know see how they might envision themselves using it and
Jim (03:14.564)
Mm-hmm.
Antler Up Podcast (03:20.391)
It's a really cool thing. And I know it's been beaten over like a dead horse over the last five years of the saddle hunting game. But, you know, it's a passion and all that type of stuff. But dude, we are beginning. shouldn't say beginning. We're almost to the middle of February. This weather absolutely is dog shit. You and I were talking over that weekend, like, man, I can't wait till we could get back up to camp, scout around.
Jim (03:40.368)
Mm-hmm.
Antler Up Podcast (03:47.799)
where are you at, man? Because we did that last hunt with, together at your place, we recorded a podcast and we kind of recapped our year a little bit. where are you at? Like, I know it was only a month ago basically, but I'm just thinking ahead of what I want to accomplish a little bit, here in the next couple of weeks. And it was nice to kind of just spend time with the family and not really think about hunting that much the last couple of weeks, you know, where, where are you at with that type of stuff?
Jim (04:16.785)
Yeah, man, it's nice to kind of take a breather. This is the time of year where I'm just enjoying quality time. mean, the weather's you can't be outside to do much right now. So it would also plays in our favor because it forces us to be inside and spend time with the family. And I love that part of it. And for the short term, where I'm at is I got another bow on the way. I got to get set up and tuned inside it in debating if I'm going to.
Antler Up Podcast (04:28.991)
Yeah.
Jim (04:45.35)
shoot that attack and some local 3D events or not. have my current setup waiting for some new strings to show up. I'll be setting that up as well. I think that's going be my primary 3D hybrid backup hunting bow type setup. But I'm excited for the two bows and for what's to come as far as, you know, I didn't, I haven't registered myself for anything just yet, but typically end of February, beginning of March is when I'll, I'll sign up for a few of the local IBOs.
Antler Up Podcast (04:58.44)
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
Jim (05:15.738)
that are down here in my area. And there's a few ASAs that you and I were talking about that I think we're gonna get signed up and do together just to see what we're made of, try to stay sharp, try to shoot with some of the best and have some fun.
Antler Up Podcast (05:29.227)
with some of the best and have some fun. Yeah, that's the main thing is having fun, just shooting your bow. Like I made that post the other day, you know, this weather's depressing and I was, like I said, recovering from being sick, all that shit. it's like, man, you look back at some of those photos of the summer or whatever, and we're out shooting, having a good time and do that day. Those pictures were from like early on in the day because it's like what shot four we're.
Jim (05:46.321)
you
Antler Up Podcast (05:56.563)
completely friggin drenched in sweat because down there big truck farms it was like a hundred degrees which is that dude that was cool hopefully they have that again I wouldn't mind making that trip again or something like that that was a cool cool day where we were able to get together and do that type of stuff so you know I know they have something like all the time like you could just go on a random weekend and you could shoot and do that stuff but I know like that was
Jim (06:01.062)
Yeah.
Antler Up Podcast (06:23.563)
specifically like an event for I think backcountry hunters and anglers and that type of stuff. But you know, we'll have to keep an eye out if they do that again, because that was, that was pretty cool.
Jim (06:33.447)
solid venue. mean, they got a full blown brewery slash restaurant there. There's some food trucks that come in and bring varieties of different things to keep people fed. You know, that's that's the whole thing's private property. So they have the course set up the way that they want it, which is challenging, but yet friendly as far as navigating it. And yeah, I enjoyed myself a lot. Like you said, the weather was well, it was definitely hot, but that adds to the challenge. Right. And
Antler Up Podcast (06:42.719)
Yeah.
Antler Up Podcast (06:50.207)
Mm-hmm.
Antler Up Podcast (07:02.591)
Yeah. Yeah, stung by bees, all that fun stuff.
Jim (07:03.315)
They did put on some pretty cool challenges early on with, you know, there's like the CrossFit type style slash, you know, and mixing in some archery where you had to carry some sandbags and shoot some targets all like on a timed event to try to get your heart rate up and still try to make a controlled shot and different point systems that, you know, correlated with that. it was, yeah, it's a lot of fun.
Jim (07:30.083)
yeah, I forgot about that. Yeah, the far end, the 60 yard target there, there was a bee's nest there in that one tree. No one knew it. Everyone kept launching arrows at it. Were they ground bees? okay, I thought they were coming out of that tree. But every time we would launch a bunch of arrows down there and we'd go down to pull and we'd be getting stung, we were like, man, what was that? know, like, yeah, it was crazy.
Antler Up Podcast (07:38.655)
I think there were ground bees. Yeah, there was like ground bees. Yeah.
Antler Up Podcast (07:50.507)
Dude, let me let me ask you this because I've I came across an individual that just through my dad actually, and he shared he shared something with me. And this this woman and that he works with him. This woman that he works with and the guy her husband, dude.
He was sending me pictures of the deer they killed and that they've been killing. Dude, freaking like just straight up killers, man. Like killing big mature bucks in where you and I grew up hunting. And it got me thinking, and I know it's a topic that's been done before of like how many people that we don't know about that are just straight up assassins.
Jim (08:34.388)
Thank
Antler Up Podcast (08:46.441)
You know what saying? Like just straight up just kill constantly big deer, that type of stuff. It just amazes me how like how small this little network of hunting is that we see only on social media. We only see from what you know, I guess what you want to see. And you could get blinded by that, I guess. But man, it's so neat and fascinating to see just how many
Jim (09:07.037)
Mm-hmm.
Antler Up Podcast (09:14.731)
people are out there. Like I even think of my brother's fiance, you know, his fiance, like her dad, like where he's at and the monster bucks that he's killed and showing me pictures and invited me to go do some shed hunts with him. And it's just so cool to know that there's just people out there that no one knows. And those people don't give a fuck that, you know, like it's crazy.
Jim (09:29.118)
Mm-hmm.
Jim (09:36.661)
The best hunters and the most successful big buck killers I know aren't even on social media. Like nobody knows about them. You go to their house and it's like walking into Cabela's. know, it's like, you know, even up all the way up to the guys up in New York, a lot of those guys aren't on social media. know, Dallas, his brother, Brian, Sean, who actually stopped by the booth at the tether booth at the show.
Antler Up Podcast (09:46.645)
Yeah.
Antler Up Podcast (09:51.423)
Mm-hmm.
Jim (10:05.011)
Those guys aren't on social media and they are killing absolute monsters every year. They're doing DIY elk hunts and killing bulls. It just goes to show you that you don't need the recognition. You don't need to be posting. It's really just what you make of it. Those guys pour all their time and energy into hunting and not into the social media side of things.
Antler Up Podcast (10:09.514)
Hmm
Jim (10:34.294)
You can't do anything but tip your cap and respect that, you know. Jesse's another one I failed to mention. There's a ton of guys that I failed to mention. But like, you know, those guys, their resumes are just insane.
Antler Up Podcast (10:35.691)
Yeah.
Antler Up Podcast (10:45.026)
Yeah, yeah, it's just fascinating to see I mean I got to send you those pictures because man the buck that she's killed this past year rifle during rifle season and then the buck she killed last year during archery are just I was like whoa and I messaged a buddy of mine that also works with my dad and Trav and he was like you should see what her husband does he's like do they do that shit year after year and it's like
Jim (11:08.918)
Anybody that's good bucks in the places that you and I hunt, want to know. And it's not just for like knowing, like, you know, I'm not trying to get having them drop me pins and stuff. I want to just, I know how hard that terrain is. And it's impressive to me when people are pulling quality deer out of there because I know how hard we work to do that, just that. So.
Antler Up Podcast (11:21.159)
where they are. Yeah.
Antler Up Podcast (11:33.099)
Mm-hmm.
Yeah, no, dude, it's sweet. I don't know. It's cool. But man, I'll tell you what, though, I'm I'm really intrigued in wanting to do. And I know we mentioned it briefly from that podcast like a month ago, but I'm really intrigued to get going on our camp. Like, I really want to put some time and effort and, you know, like we mentioned to that time where we were saying it's only it's halfway between the two of us as far as distance goes. Right. Like, it's only, you know, about two hours for me.
Jim (11:51.689)
Mm-hmm.
Antler Up Podcast (12:05.279)
But what two hours for you.
Jim (12:06.774)
No, it's less. It's like an hour and 10 minutes.
Antler Up Podcast (12:08.947)
Yeah. Yeah. So like, it's obviously less for you, but like from my house, it's about to maybe just shy of it or whatever like that. But still, it's quick, it's easy to get there and everything like that. just, man, I can't wait, wait to get some time up there and really walk around. Like, you got to figure the time that we were up there, we only spend time hunting.
Jim (12:14.614)
Mm-hmm.
Antler Up Podcast (12:36.649)
you know what I mean? Like there really wasn't a time other than during rifle where we kind of ho hummed, you know, maybe did maybe did a little bit of pre scouting before we would set up and all that type of stuff. But like to really get like the lay of the land and you know, I've been thinking about it like a couple times driving over home, like to work and from home from work and like where I'm at for next year and
Jim (12:42.175)
Yeah.
Antler Up Podcast (13:03.947)
I know this past year I didn't scout that much just because of the baby and everything like that. And I'm hoping I have more time to do it, but I'm like, you know what, like the time, like where I'm going to put my time and effort, it's going to be in, in camp and it's going to be at home with dad. and then if I have the chance to go out to Ohio with, with Albert, do something like that, like a time just to go know, know that place a little bit better as well. So it's like, I'm going to, I can't wait to go retrieve my
my cameras here on public, hopefully, hopefully I'll retrieve them that they're actually still there. but the other side of things would maybe just walk around in the woods, get some exercise, but like, man, I'm, I'm really not going to go put a lot of eggs in the baskets on the public here. just because of having those other spots and spending my time where I want. And I don't know, like I could, I, I,
trying to use the right words because I don't really know but like I really don't give a shit about the public here. There's a lot of good public land I just I'm not putting a lot of energy into it basically.
Jim (14:12.832)
Yeah, I mean, we're fortunate now to have a handful of spots where we could just go and hunt at our leisure and not see a whole lot more pressure than the the handful of guys that we know are hunting it. So definitely willing to take advantage of that. I guess my primary focus in regards to just archery is I do the same thing I do every year. I'm going to spend a lot of my archery time in New York state, that being a two buck state. You know, I like to just.
get out there and have my public land adventure that way, try to get one. And then when I get back home to PA, I primarily put my time into hunting with friends, both in the gang hunt that we do with the guys from New York and then collaboration with our guys down in our camp now. Like I told you not long ago that I think I'm going to take that whole first week off in the gun season this year instead of just a couple of days just because
Antler Up Podcast (14:44.309)
Mm-hmm.
Antler Up Podcast (14:51.711)
Right.
Antler Up Podcast (14:58.417)
Yeah.
Jim (15:11.569)
I want hunting with your buddies is the, is the best. mean, yeah, I'm going to not focus. I hunted a lot in archery season in PA this year. because I was really after, you know, my, my one 40 plus number that I've been, I've been after with the bow for awhile in PA, but, yeah, I I'm kind of past that. I want to just hunt more with my friends. I want to just, I just have fun and that's, that's where the fun's at. mean,
Antler Up Podcast (15:15.576)
Mm-hmm
Antler Up Podcast (15:38.719)
Yeah, so much fun
Jim (15:41.431)
The hunt that we had this past year, the three of us collecting on the same day was just killer. mean, that stuff that you you just can't replicate. And yeah, so much fun. So so, yeah, like I said, I'm to get my adventure done in archery season with with the bow and with the guys up north. And then come back here and I'll probably just hunt primarily weekends with the bow here on some of the private pieces that I've got permission to and then up at our camp and then for most of the time into the group hunts that towards the end of the year.
Antler Up Podcast (16:11.385)
Yeah. You mentioned earlier about getting that new bow and everything like that. little time to be tinkering around with. What are you going to be messing with you think?
Jim (16:22.105)
Right now I'm shooting the elite ethos Love that bow that things not leaving the shop anytime soon. That's gonna be my primary 3d slash hybrid tack And backup hunting bow I hunted with that bow and shot 3d with it this past year Was it was I was able to take some deer with it including a buck on upstate New York And shot some decent 3d with it. But now I got that the new elite art artists coming in
Antler Up Podcast (16:33.643)
Mm-hmm.
Jim (16:50.714)
Super excited about that bow because that one's a little bit shorter axle to axle. It's a shade faster It still has a six and six point seven eight brace side, I believe so it's like super forgiving for this for its being a shorter bow But it's going to be short light fast everything you'd want for a New York, Pennsylvania bow hunter I'll be a little more maneuverable on the ground. I'll be a little more maneuverable up in a tree stand
Antler Up Podcast (17:13.515)
Mm-hmm.
Jim (17:19.173)
That's really the whole thing is just kind of shed weight and just make that a compact platform. Super excited about that. I got a bunch of parts sitting on the bench right now. My whole the full stabilizer hunter stabilizer kit from Elite. I got the new Elite QAD, the quiver. Everything's going to match and it's going to be sweet. I'm excited. I haven't had shot a camo bow in a long time, so I'm super pumped about that. So, yeah, I'm.
I'm excited. I'm definitely going to take it out and practice with it like I always do anything else. But I am this is mainly like this is like my bow hunting tool. Like this one here, I'm building it with the full thought process of this thing just hitting the woods and being a killer, you know. 75 pounds, yep. I've shot 80 pounds in the past and I don't have it. Yeah, I don't seem to any I don't have any problem with that. It's not.
Antler Up Podcast (18:01.821)
Yeah, you what 75 pounds on it
Antler Up Podcast (18:09.063)
Hoorah! Kam Haines who?
Jim (18:16.707)
It's not I mean, it's kind of it's it's not so much about being a he man. It's just if you're able to do it efficiently, like why not? You're just giving yourself some more power, right? So, yeah, I'm pumped about that. This thing's going to be awesome. I'm going to go with one six six diameter micro arrows this year for super penetration. So between the speed, the the extra poundage and then the little micro arrows, I'm going to have a pretty sweet killer, I'm thinking.
Antler Up Podcast (18:22.933)
Yeah.
Antler Up Podcast (18:34.293)
Hmm.
Antler Up Podcast (18:45.811)
I think so. let me ask you this. Are you still because the PSC that the last PSC that you shot and everything like that. I remember you tinkered around with it and the elites have have that nub little silencer out front too. Are you still running that stable like your main front bar stabilizer on that bottom or are you still going in that that middle?
Jim (19:04.795)
Mm-hmm.
Antler Up Podcast (19:13.675)
Like where do you see like that feel? I know it's all about feel. want to, cause I'm going to tinker I think with that a little bit more.
Jim (19:17.955)
Yeah.
It depends on like the length of the bar. So if I'm running a short bar, I'm going to run it low because it's going to actually gain a few inches on the bottom because that lower mount is actually further. You know, the way the riser is like kind of been designed where, yeah, the riser kind of pushes away from the shooter just a few inches and that. So you'll gain that distance with that short bar, which will essentially give you a similar feel to
Antler Up Podcast (19:40.085)
comes out.
Jim (19:50.772)
longer bar at the standard position. So I'm running mine on the standard position right now and I have that little nub with some extra weights added to that lower one just to give me that more weight down low. just feels like it stabilizes the bow a little bit better in my hand. I don't mind a heavy bow. I think to me a heavy bow is a steady bow when it comes, specifically when it comes to like you know 3D and stuff but for bow hunting I like it to be like a little more nimble so I'll probably end up running my shorter bar lower.
Antler Up Podcast (19:53.008)
Mm
Antler Up Podcast (20:14.698)
Right.
Jim (20:20.732)
to give me that same feel without having the extra weight.
Antler Up Podcast (20:23.879)
Yeah, wait. Yeah, I'm trying to tinker around with that, like what you said about for 3D and everything like that, just because like what you and I were saying, like, dude, I'm pumped. I'm hoping that we could get me, you and Josh and whoever else wants to go with us, maybe go back up to outdoor insiders, do their indoor. Now that was like, that was that first weekend that they opened up the outdoor.
Jim (20:26.512)
Yeah
Antler Up Podcast (20:52.511)
3D course too. was a little breezy, I mean, we still had fun because because like once we got around that backside, when we got out of the wind, it actually wasn't terrible. But when we were shooting up top, like right up front on that hill, that was it was kind of that was kind of crazy.
Jim (20:55.066)
I don't know.
Jim (21:00.956)
Mm-hmm.
Jim (21:08.71)
Yeah, depending on the weather, I don't know if I'm gonna shoot outside, yeah, we're definitely going up there again. I would shoot. I'll shoot the indoor course twice or something if we want to go up that place. That place rocks. Anybody that hasn't been there in the the PA area, man, they need to get to that that shop. mean, that top notch bow technicians in there. Super friendly. They got all kinds of the top equipment from turkey hunting all the way through, you know, white tails and some Western hunting. It's not just bows in there. They got guns in there for sale, too.
Antler Up Podcast (21:15.997)
Right. Yeah, I'm down for that.
Jim (21:36.944)
as like a whole like, you know, gun shop in the back. Yeah, everything, everything. And, you know, they have the setup where you could basically, not basically, you can, you can have a Bose built and set up for you, tuned, and then go right out to a 3D course and freaking sign it in. It's awesome.
Antler Up Podcast (21:36.989)
Mm-hmm. Can't, like, yeah, gear. Like all kinds of gear.
Antler Up Podcast (21:53.065)
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Dude, that's like a dream.
Jim (21:55.869)
Mm-hmm without doubt. Yeah, their 3d course is uh, is the way it's set up. pretty neat They have it like two floors so that way they're able to compact like 25 targets into one like smaller warehouse type setup And it's pretty neat shooting from an elevated spot to you know gives you some good practice
Antler Up Podcast (22:04.915)
Mm-hmm.
Antler Up Podcast (22:12.095)
Yeah. And then they have that we didn't even go in to check it out, but they have a, another detached building that has the full indoor facility as well, where they're, obviously that's the stuff that's going on now. Dude, but you know, but at time this one airs this weekend, it will be fully, you know, that first national ASA event, which like blows my mind. Like they're going to be down in Alabama doing that shit. And it's like, what, like, you know, the other, yeah.
Jim (22:30.586)
Yeah, I know. Goes fast.
Jim (22:35.57)
We're still licking our wounds from hunting season and kind of collecting our equipment again and reorganizing and then boom, it's like, tournaments are starting up. Yeah, they already had the Lancaster. There's been some big ones already.
Antler Up Podcast (22:43.819)
Yeah. Yeah. It's snow. It's like, uh, I'm going to have, yeah. Yeah. Yeah, dude. I don't know, man. I, I'm, uh, you know, I, I still need to do the, and that's the other piece, like with all my crap and like you have a nice, like you have, you have your garage attached to your house. Your main stuff is downstairs. Like you, you're, got the heater down there. All my stuff's out of my detached garage. So
man, I got to go outside. It's freezing. I don't have heat in there. I got to get everything all kind of makes your pack squared away. Cause before you know it, I'm going to be getting it out and going for turkey. It's like, my God, man, it goes, it just goes so fast and there's always something to do. I know like earlier, I'm going to contradict myself and say, it's been nice to not, you know, necessarily worry about something regarding hunting and that, and that general idea. But what I mean by that was like, you know, we're not planning to go
Jim (23:14.045)
Yeah.
Jim (23:22.01)
No doubt.
Antler Up Podcast (23:41.067)
somewhere for the weekend or whatever like that. Like you said, we're gaining back those Brownie points and spending time with, the family. And yeah, dude, I don't know, man. We've had some, some conversations and you know, you know, I don't know. I don't know if it's a conversation here right now to have or whatever like that, but it's just, uh, you know, it's been, been five years doing this podcast and I don't know how many more I got in me. keep telling people, I still love doing it and I still enjoy doing it. Um, but
You know.
Jim (24:11.379)
people gotta realize that the podcast doesn't pay the bills. You know what I mean? And you have a family, you have two little girls now, and not to mention you need time for yourself and for hunting and doing the things that you love to do. It's been a hell of a journey, dude. You've crushed it. You've met a lot of cool people. You're gonna continue to meet people through the people that you've already met and just the connections you've made.
Antler Up Podcast (24:15.465)
Yeah.
Antler Up Podcast (24:26.347)
Right.
Antler Up Podcast (24:31.359)
Yeah, dude, it's, yeah.
Antler Up Podcast (24:38.665)
Mm-hmm.
Jim (24:39.812)
If you were to just close it right now, it's still massive success, you know, but
Antler Up Podcast (24:43.723)
Yeah, dude, I don't know. We'll see. Like I said, I would love to, I don't know, kicked around the idea of like, do I do like one episode a month? I go, you know, every other week, I just keep doing what I'm doing? And hopefully, you know, my main thing was always to try to do things impactful, like have a impact of a purpose, a meaningful episode, a good conversation.
Jim (24:55.454)
Mm-hmm.
Jim (25:11.038)
Mm-hmm.
Antler Up Podcast (25:11.797)
You know, there's just so many out there anymore. And, you know, I mean, dude, I, I couldn't tell you the last time, honestly, I've really listened to, another podcast. I just don't have the time. and you know, unless it's like a certain topic or hell, it might even be about sports. It might be, you know, and I, and I enjoy doing like more of like, don't know, creative outlet type stuff, you know, like pictures and the videos and,
Jim (25:23.677)
Mm-hmm.
Jim (25:31.185)
Mm-hmm. Sure.
Antler Up Podcast (25:40.873)
still loving the gear type of stuff. like, I don't know, like maybe I'll spend a little bit more time doing that. So I don't know. So if there's obviously different topics and things like that, that people really want to hear or whatever, mean, I'm always down, down for that type of stuff. But I mean, sometimes, man, I'm just like, what the hell am I going to talk about or who? And, know, it's just, sometimes it's tough.
Jim (26:02.977)
I think I think it'd be cool to hear what the listeners have to say hopefully some people listen to this and shoot you some messages and So yeah, keep it rolling like we love it or you know or or give you some more ideas or if they're like Yeah, man, it's been a good run but like hunting podcasts are just kind of like filter perk You know the flames kind of died out and that's that's good feedback to have too. You know, I mean Yeah, the the video videography side of things and the photos you've always done that you're
Antler Up Podcast (26:08.341)
Yeah.
Antler Up Podcast (26:22.229)
Yeah. Yeah.
Jim (26:32.39)
awesome at that and we have a lot of fun collaborating doing that stuff together too and that that'll always be there. The podcast part of it is has been a blast as well. It's awesome been part of it. It's awesome to be on here. But like you said, like I go through stints myself where I'm just like, I want to I've done enough hunting myself throughout the year and thinking about hunting all year long and like constantly always like sharpening that knife that like
Antler Up Podcast (26:38.175)
Yeah.
Antler Up Podcast (26:54.251)
Yeah.
Jim (27:00.308)
I'm listening to podcasts about things that I already know and I've already heard a thousand times over. You know what mean? So I'm always kind of giving that break. And I think a lot of people feel that same way. And it's nothing against the podcasts that are out there. It's just, it's just what it is, you know?
Antler Up Podcast (27:09.555)
Right. right. Right. Yeah. Dude, how about what's what's like a personal goal non other than non like non hunting? What do you got? you trying to continue to be all swole?
Jim (27:24.007)
Still, I'm still working out hard. I feel like I'm at a point now where like this is the strongest I've probably ever been in my life, but I'd like to just keep pushing those limits. And not that I want to be like some big power lifter guy, but like I'd like to just stay strong, stay healthy. I mean, it was a tremendous difference this year in the mountains. I I felt like I was just motoring, you know, and I felt like I had an endless tank. was, it was awesome.
Antler Up Podcast (27:50.603)
Dude, I can't believe I sent you that picture of like of yourself, like from that PA tack from years ago. And you're like, dude, sick picture, but look how like, you know what I mean? Like it's just, dude, dude, it's amazing. The transformation that you've made, dude, it's pretty awesome.
Jim (27:59.904)
Yeah.
Jim (28:03.727)
god, that was disgusting.
Jim (28:09.666)
Yeah, thank you. A lot of hard work. I'm just gonna keep pushing that. That's kind of my big thing. I'm gonna be 36 in April. I'd like to, by the time I reach, even this year, but by the time I reach 40, wanna be able to say at 40 years old, I'm in the best shape of my life ever. You know what I mean? And we're definitely tracking that way. And it translates into the hunting world and to the shooting world.
Even just down here, I was ripping some shots in the basement just to stay loose. I usually try to shoot my bow a handful of times every day whenever I can and just I feel stable. I feel stronger. I feel like I could pull through that back wall like way better than I could before. so I encourage anybody that's in the hunting space to just, know, not that you want to try to be like a fanboy, like, you know, like Cam Haynes or whatever, but like, you know, there's a lot of truth and proof in the pudding to like the stuff that
those guys say. I definitely encourage people to just take walks every day, get out, just stay active and don't be afraid to lift some weights.
Antler Up Podcast (29:16.651)
Yeah, that's the main thing dude is like keep your bones healthy keep that heart healthy, you know what I mean? The best best you can cuz shit man. It's You hear too many too many tragic stories and all that type of stuff of for people and man. I like you said nothing is Shittier when you know, you could have done something a little bit better worked a little bit harder
And you're sucking wind doing something that you love. mean, it doesn't matter. It could be hunting. could be something non hunting. cause when you know, you're like, shit, I should have just spent a little bit more time doing it. you know, that's the, that's the kicker. That's where.
Jim (29:47.2)
Mm-hmm.
Jim (29:57.154)
We wanna show our kids that we're savages, dude. We get out there, we kill big bucks, we pack them out, and we can do so with a smile on our face, you know what I mean? That's my thing, that's my driving force too, is like I wanna show my son what level of a hunter and athlete that I could be. And I want him to strive to wanna be that too.
Antler Up Podcast (30:17.675)
Yeah. You, want your son to go into school one day and say, dad could shoot bigger bucks, but also kick your dad's ass. Oh shit, man. No, dude. I know. know. Well, we'll, we'll have to for sure start mapping out the things though, for sure about camp just because, man, we want to check out that postseason scout and stuff and get, get more of lay of the land and how the deer use it and how, how we can improve it. Uh, and
Jim (30:22.882)
Yeah, that'd be awesome.
Antler Up Podcast (30:46.731)
Man, I think like what we've, we're all discussing between myself, you and Josh and Tim was saying about too, like down there on the bottom, like by the house, like throwing up a little 3d mini course, you know I mean? Just having fun and going up and barbecuing for a day and you know, spend a night, do some other stuff around that we could get done. And then guess what? We could wake up the next morning, have a cup of coffee and head home. You know I mean? Like that's
Jim (30:59.701)
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Jim (31:12.739)
It's pretty cool that we're building the hunting camp that every one of us grew up in. Now we have our own camp to finally say, yep, this is ours. And we'll be able to do what we want both to the house but to the hunting side of the property. Working on some food plots, clearing some trails, setting up stands, chase some turkeys. Yeah, I'm thinking probably.
Antler Up Podcast (31:18.411)
Yeah.
Antler Up Podcast (31:30.271)
Yep.
Antler Up Podcast (31:33.951)
Go chase some turkeys, man. Like, I'm pumped.
Jim (31:40.335)
sometime in March, March and April, we'll be out there while the woods is still quote unquote dead so we can kind of see things like from the hunting lens in a way, before all the foliage comes in and do some more scouting that way. we've done a, dude, we crushed it this year with both like our hunting trips were essentially scouting trips in combination. And we used a lot of, we did a lot of e-scouting and we did what we know we could do.
Antler Up Podcast (31:50.127)
Mm hmm. Yep. Yeah.
combination.
Yeah, would like to do a almost like an episode maybe with with somebody that is really good at Mike.
Jim (32:09.336)
laid the terrain and paid attention to the maps and the wind and got in there had some encounters killed some deer. I'd say it's pretty successful year for the first time ever on that property and it's only gonna get better.
Antler Up Podcast (32:30.325)
property enhancement or you know things that we could do just knowing like what we have you know I mean like so just show somebody visually our map and be like what do think we could do type of ordeal and like where would you maybe where would you think about putting something and all that type of stuff just because I mean it is a unique piece of property you know what I'm saying like it you know just like how just what the terrain offers and the habitat and
Jim (32:35.46)
Mm-hmm.
Jim (32:43.8)
Mm-hmm.
Jim (32:49.795)
Mm-hmm.
Antler Up Podcast (32:59.763)
that type of stuff. It is it's in what the neighboring properties have and do and not do or whatever like that. So yeah, man, like for me personally, though, like for the rest of this month, it's going to be just hopefully I could get that my exalt like fully finally set up with like a site tape, I would love to finally get outside if there's some sort of break in weather that I could go get an official site tape on it. running
I put on that access like target CBE site on there. So like with that, you could still set it up like a normal CBE, you know, you get your 30 yard on and then you get your 16 and there's like a little tool that lines up with the corresponding letter for the metal tape. So you could put that on there. So I definitely want to want to do that. And dude, I
Jim (33:32.58)
Mm-hmm.
Antler Up Podcast (33:55.499)
I know I said it last year and I know you bust my chops about it. Like my four yard groups were shooting in the house or outside in the garage, but it's, fascinating to see like even right now that Colby Hanley to do with ultra view, like he's doing a bunch of blank bailing, uh, trying to do, do the road back to 300 and or 30 X's or I think what I'm one of the two is what he's trying to do. Um, and uh, what he's calling or whatever. And, uh, you know, he was talking about
Jim (34:14.36)
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Antler Up Podcast (34:23.059)
He loves to shoot those blank bales and it's not about where you're hitting, right? You're, it's about getting this, your form and as many reps with your form in and dude, that's helped me tremendously. Like you helped me what three and a half years ago now, like four years ago or whatever it was and slowly build. And man, I made my biggest strides these last two seasons of like now, like just standing close and just working through things and
Jim (34:37.295)
Mm-hmm.
Jim (34:45.882)
Mm-hmm.
Antler Up Podcast (34:51.689)
You know, what I need to do is like during sessions, continuing to do that. I know it kind of doesn't, for some, may not make sense, but for me it does. And I find it helped be extremely helpful.
Jim (35:04.575)
Mm-hmm. Yeah for sure. Yeah, there's a there's a lot of positives out of blank bailing and shooting close Like you said, you're not focused on where you're hitting or where the pin setting you're focused on your shot process and Follow through pulling through the back wall all the things that you need to do in order to make an accurate shot Yeah, awesome. I've got I've definitely seen massive jumps in your game both in the hunting woods, but on the 3d course as well and
Antler Up Podcast (35:13.263)
Yep
Jim (35:33.101)
Yeah, for sure. I might be moving closer downstairs in the basement. I might be starting to shoot four yard groups so I can keep pace.
Antler Up Podcast (35:42.699)
Go three yard No, man. Yeah, dude. I don't know. What else is there? I mean, there's not a whole lot coming up right now. That's the that's the weird
Jim (35:51.47)
Ahem.
Antler Up Podcast (35:53.035)
Weird time. I know a lot of people are already still going out scouting, doing the best they can with all that stuff and like what their endeavor, what they're going after and finding sheds a little bit here and there. Man, it's, I still look at it. Like they're, you know, we'll get there. It's not the woods aren't, aren't going to go anywhere. You know what I mean?
Jim (36:12.838)
It still amazes me that how much we look forward to it all year and all the planning and prepping both with equipment but boots on the ground and then the season comes and it just like it's like a blink. It's like four months long but it's like an absolute blink and we I sit here I'm looking out of my equipment that's just still spewed across that I need to go through and reorganize and clean up and figure out what I need to replace or fix or clean and
Antler Up Podcast (36:25.215)
Yeah. Yeah.
Jim (36:41.446)
Yeah, it's just, it's unbelievable. And then here we are talking about getting ready for 3D season, setting up new bows and dude, before you know it, we're going to be, you know, prepping to go up to camp and like, you know, we'll be sitting there the night before opening day.
Antler Up Podcast (36:41.643)
Yeah, it's it's unbelievable that here we are talking about getting ready to meet people that we both knew before you know it. We're going to be, know, prepping to go off to campus. You know, we'll be sitting there the night before. No, no. Speaking of which, to kind of bring it back home about the outdoor show, you had a chance to see some new gear from Tethered. You got a chance. Well, I had that frame on that hunt that we did together, but also
Jim (37:05.062)
Mm-hmm.
Antler Up Podcast (37:11.241)
You've got a chance to see, I don't know. was my first time seeing the saber saw as well. Two cool brand new products coming from tethered that I'm pumped about the, know, I think we mentioned it. I think we did mention it briefly on that previous podcast about the frame and, coming in at two 49. mean, dude, a hell of a deal for people that are just, white tail hunters that are thinking about packing out an animal. And, if you already have the fast pack and
Jim (37:15.537)
Mm-hmm.
Antler Up Podcast (37:40.425)
really could work with any, any pack that has, you know, Molly loop and has that capability of being attached to that frame, but cool, cool little package that you get, get with that, with that frame.
Jim (37:53.063)
No doubt. Yeah, that frames badass. Anybody that has a fast pack should that should be like a no brainer. But even if you don't just that frame alone, I plan on running that thing all the way up through even in the gun season. I'm already I'm already thinking about specific hunts that I go on where that's going to be awesome. I don't need to carry a lot of food and water, things like that. We're doing some maybe some drives and and I'm going to be fully capable of packing out a full whitetail on that thing. No problem.
Antler Up Podcast (38:15.303)
Mm-hmm.
Antler Up Podcast (38:21.343)
Yeah, to bone, no doubt.
Jim (38:21.661)
you know, from pictures and stuff online and just some of the, you know, some of the videos that they put out just kind of showing the product. It looks cool. It doesn't, I'll be honest, my first impressions were that it doesn't seem like it'd be capable of what they're claiming. And being a guy that's packed out many deer, and that's the primary way that I, you know, take deer out of the woods, I was a little skeptical, but as soon as I got that thing in my hand and felt the rigidity, felt the quality of the materials.
Antler Up Podcast (38:33.675)
Yeah.
Jim (38:49.864)
put it through some paces when you had brought it down here for our hunt. I mean, that thing is solid. So super jacked about that piece. The saber saw is badass. That thing sells itself. I mean, you watch two videos of that and you're like, that thing needs to be in the bag all the time.
Antler Up Podcast (39:01.475)
Yeah, dude, that's cool. And I know that I know there was like one from made years ago that's very similar to it, but the different type of the material of the saw, like I watched the guys I don't know if you were there at the house when they bent it like way it was in way it was crazy.
Jim (39:17.512)
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Super, super durable saw. But the way that that thing locks on any branch, it's it was amazing to me how rock steady that it was. I've had saws that do similar things in the past and like this thing is like light years ahead of it. I'm super jacked. I'm going to get to right off the gate soon as they drop.
Antler Up Podcast (39:30.059)
Yeah. Yeah.
Jim (39:45.448)
Yeah, because I mean how many times I mean everybody that's ever bow hunted ever in their life has got up into a stand even stands that they've hunted for years and then like there's that one branch that I wish I could just take out, you know, and yeah, and now you have that capability, you know, you could cut yourself a little branch or or a 20 foot whatever size branch you want and reach out and get clearly shooting lanes, you know, around your stand. I mean, that's going to be a total game changer.
Antler Up Podcast (39:46.047)
Yeah.
Antler Up Podcast (40:13.019)
Yeah, game changer, speaking of which, I just it's not in here. I'm showing it on the the screen right now to you, but the elite bipod for putting it underneath the on the limb pocket, how they have that little rack system on the on the new elites. Pretty sweet, pretty cool little accessory package thing that they got going on. I just got the bipod in
Jim (40:15.145)
the
Jim (40:28.285)
Yep.
Antler Up Podcast (40:36.565)
threw it on the exalt. it's a cool little cool little piece that that it connects to that little system in the pocket of the limbs, which is, you know, really cool little inventive thing that they did. Yeah.
Jim (40:48.345)
without a doubt. They got that piece that connects to the the picatinny on the top of the limb that has like that button and there that's like a spring loaded type of string system like a paracord type system. That pull-up rope is awesome. I love that design. I got a pretty cool setup that I'm going to have for that. I didn't I want it's what's one that I've used in the past before. It's actually one that I've used on like some of my ARs.
Antler Up Podcast (40:53.7)
Yep. Yeah, like pull or probe.
Antler Up Podcast (41:10.283)
didn't I want it's what's one that I've used in the past before is actually the one that I've used on like some of my ARs.
Jim (41:17.339)
Actually, hold on one second.
Jim (41:25.163)
So this little bracket right here, okay? This right here will bolt onto any picatinny, right? So if you could picture that, like if this is the two limbs, it'll bolt onto that bracket just like this, And then it comes with this right here, which is a quick disconnect, okay? You just push the button and it goes right in there. And then you could attach your cord to this. So as soon as you get up to the stand, you push that button.
Antler Up Podcast (41:27.563)
Right yeah
Jim (41:53.963)
and disconnect your bow from the string from the bow and then this stays on and it weighs nothing. It's just a piece of aluminum just like any other brackets. And you could take that on and off, which I think is super awesome. Just for a quick disconnect. And that thing's rock-steady. I this is meant to, this is what the military uses for, you know, their gunslings on their ARs. So that's a cheap little $10 Amazon
Antler Up Podcast (42:01.968)
Yeah. Yeah. Hold. Right. Nice. There you go. There's your.
Jim (42:23.711)
Set up right there.
Antler Up Podcast (42:24.687)
Yeah, yeah, dude, sweet man. Well, dude, I we could wrap this one up. I just be quick little episode kind of where we're at right now in the month of February. We just gotta wait for some bows and make some arrows and the weather breaks. Maybe get a weekend trip to camp to go have some fun and have some food and scout around a little bit and shoot our bows. So that's where we're at, man. And like we mentioned earlier a couple minutes ago,
Jim (42:48.715)
Thank you.
Antler Up Podcast (42:52.331)
If you have any ideas or anything along those lines about the podcast, any episodes, topics, guests, if it's you that's listening to this, you want to come on, shoot me message and see what we got going on. But thanks again, everybody for tuning in and as always for the continued support. It means a lot to us and we'll see you next week, everybody. Antler up.
