Summer’s here, which means the itch for fall has also arrived. Quench your autumnal desires by listening to the following podcasts, which educate, entertain, and illuminate all things hunting.
With a saturated hunting podcast market, it can take awhile to get to the meat of any podcast. One episode doesn’t fit your particular interests while another meanders on without the kind of energy that holds your attention.
Some episodes, however, take on a life of their own. They provide hunting insight, education, and a new take on old stories. Some dive off into psychedelic tangents, sure to entertain to the highest degree. If you’re gearing up for a long drive, a long day at work, or just want new listening material, get after these go-to episodes — listed in no particular order.
The MeatEater Podcast
With a few years under their belt, the MeatEater crew consistently dishes out a podcast that combines storytelling with education. It’s easy to get sucked into the campfire nature of the conversation. Familiar guests lend a fun and hilarious hand to ongoing hunting stories, arguments, and themes.
When Steven Rinella gets hold of an expert on the show, you should prepare yourself for in-depth questions that lead to big, honest answers about the state of our wildlife, American history, and conservation.
Must Listen
Episodes 86 & 87: The Meat Tree Parts 1 & 2. Ok, so this is two episodes, but the storytelling here is the top-notch, fingernail-biting, hold-your-breath kind that pulls you in for the entirety of both episodes. That’s all I have to say about it. A must-listen.
Episode 70: Chronic Wasting Disease. Chronic wasting disease is one of the most widely talked about yet misunderstood issues facing deer hunters nationwide. The crew at MeatEater addresses the issue with expert Bryan Richards, a CWD Project Team Leader for the USGS. Richards answers questions, tells the story of CWD, and gives his best information on how the hunting community can protect our deer populations from the disease’s devastation.
BHA Podcast & Blast
Backcountry Hunters & Anglers had the foresight to bring on the talented outdoorsman and writer Hal Herring to host its podcast. And the payoff makes it well worth adding to your subscription list.
Herring’s journalist mindset and independent take on issues supply a thoughtful nature to a podcast about conservation. He’s hosted living legends like ethicist Jim Posewitz and Patagonia’s Yvon Chouinard among a swath of talented writers and conservationists working hard for public lands.
Must Listen
Episode 05: Hal Herring interviews Jim Posewitz. There are few living conservationists that have done as much for public lands as Jim Posewitz. A relatively unknown name in the broad hunting community, Posewitz is an outdoorsman, conservationist, ethicist, and author who has spent a lifetime dedicated to ensuring Fair Chase ethics are a part of our hunting language. In this podcast, renowned outdoors writer Hal Herring speaks with Posewitz about the history of our public lands and so much more.
Hunt Talk Radio, Randy Newberg Unfiltered
Randy Newberg’s hardcore bend toward public lands advocacy and genuine interest in hunting instruction yields a podcast that no other host embodies. He does this because he loves it, and he brings an old-school sensibility to a new-school media game.
Must Listen
Episode 77: Shane Mahoney. Randy Newberg’s years of advocacy and dedication to conservation make him perfect for holding court with Shane Mahoney, a lifelong conservationist with a poetic understanding of how humans fit into wild spaces. These two tackle some of the biggest questions in the industry: trophy hunting, public outrage, motives, media, and more.
Wired To Hunt
Mark Kenyon is the classic specialist, and his Midwestern roots wrap him in the world of whitetails. His long-term success can be attributed to his consistent, storied, and genuine conversations with real-world whitetail hunters. With his recent addition to the MeatEater production umbrella, there’s a lot to be excited about for Kenyon’s place in the outdoors storytelling landscape.
Must Listen
Episode 216: Beginner’s Guide to Deer Hunting. Mark Kenyon and his co-host Dan Johnson walk a new hunter through the how-tos of killing a deer for the first time. With adults coming to hunting in droves and not having many places to turn, this podcast is a great start to help the beginner hunter get out in the field with fewer surprises.
The Rich Outdoors
Through and through, host Cody Rich is a die-hard, antlers-to-the-wall hunter who’s willing to dig into any and every aspect of hunting. Rich hosts guests from all over the hunting landscape and is truly stoked to get in-depth with their methodology to better himself and his listeners in their hunting practice. There’s an obsessive nature to his podcast. You can’t help but appreciate his ballsy and funny take on hunting as a lifestyle — which, for him, it surely is.
Must Listen
Episode 240: How to E-Scout Like a Pro with Mark Livesay. Livesay lays out his e-scouting plan with host Cody Rich in an honest and straightforward way that would leave most hunters wide-eyed and tight-lipped. The digital landscape of hunting has changed in ways that can’t be overstated. The two men cover this landscape in a two-hour educational piece that is a must-have for the modern hunter.
Beyond the Kill
Adam Janke, of the Journal of Mountain Hunting, has made a name for himself by creating thoughtful conversation within the industry. His approach to the podcast echoes that of the journal itself. He brings on smart guests to talk the big questions like agrologist Mark Hall, hunter and storyteller Adam Foss, and Wild Sheep Foundation’s Gray Thornton.
Must Listen
Episode 86: Is Hunting Conservation? Janke’s conservation discourse with agrologist and retired forester Mark Hall raises some poignant questions about the state of conservation and hunting. Agree or disagree, Hall’s scientific take on the matter is one to consider for yourself.
Shoot’n The Bull
If you haven’t listened to Ty Stubblefield and Josh Keller talk out stories with their guests, you’re missing out on a lot of laughs. Between Stubblefield’s burly and intense need to constantly be on the hunt and Keller’s goofy and hilarious interjections, these two make for a fun podcast that still manages to get to the heart of the outdoors. This is your laugh-a-lot and learn-a-ton show to beat the afternoon doldrums.
Must Listen
Episode 49: Chris Parrish on Raptors, Lead Ammunition and Falconry. This podcast, in particular, stands out. The ancient art of falconry is one that has been quieted with modern hunting. Parrish is passionate about raptors and well-versed in the research. All hunters should take a moment to consider the points he brings up throughout the podcast, especially when deciding what to shoot and why. Dig into Parrish’s thoughts and then formulate your own on the matter.
Joe Rogan Experience
Although not a hunting-themed podcast, Rogan often digs into his passion for hunting. He enjoys bowhunting in particular, with sportsmen Cameron Hanes, Steven Rinella, Adam Greentree, Donnie Vincent, and more. His connection to the MeatEater crew is long-term and reflected in the number of times he’s hunted with Rinella on the show itself. Rogan’s typical conversation style can go anywhere from comedic to philosophical to downright weird.
Must Listen
Episode 1060: Remi Warren. Warren is not only one of the most badass guys on the mountain, he’s one of the funniest and most down to earth. He’s appeared on the Joe Rogan Experience on multiple occasions, and each is an episode worth listening to. The latest recaps Warren’s experience getting attacked by a grizzly with the MeatEater crew. And the attack itself isn’t even the whole story.
The Hunting Collective
Ben O’Brien is best known for his role in managing the hunting side of the YETI brand. He recently branched out into the world of podcasts. O’Brien’s vast network within the hunting industry has led to a varied lineup that’s beginning to reach beyond the echo chamber found within hunting podcasts.
My favorite part of O’Brien’s style is how he gets out of his guests’ way: Interjection comes only when necessary. It will be interesting to see what names he pulls in as he continues his journey in conversation.
Must Listen
Episode 7: Charles Post. Charles Post’s background as an ecologist puts an interconnective lens on his experience as a hunter. Post is currently bridging the flannel-fleece divide with his role in redefining what hunting is for himself and other outliers. O’Brien and Post talk on what it means to know a place, how hunting fits into ecology, and more.
