East Meets West Hunt
by Beau Martonik
The East Meets West Hunt Podcast is your resource for all things adventure hunting. This podcast is for the hunter that loves planning and preparing for the hunt, just as much as the hunt. Whether it's deer hunting for big woods mountain bucks, chasing elk in the Rocky Mountains, and anything in between, we will talk to successful hunters from all over to provide the EMW community with useful knowledge and motivation to continue to live their life through a series of adventures.
Episodes
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Ep. 517: Day 3, No Deer: How I Decide to Stay or Move During the Rut (Live at Huntstock)
Solo episode. This is Beau Martonik’s bowhunting seminar from Huntstock, recorded live, and it’s built around one of the questions he gets most at shows and in his inbox: should I stay in this spot, or should I move? Beau walks through the framework he uses in the tree to take the emotion out of...
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Ep. 516: Performance Coach on Staying Sharp Through All Day Rut Sits w/ Todd Bumgardner
Bonus episode. Beau Martonik sits down with Todd Bumgardner of Packmule Training Co., a performance coach who’s trained NFL linebackers, special operators, and a lot of hunters. Todd wrote an article for the East Meets West journal last October on managing your body and mindset through the...
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Ep. 515: Why the Best Funnels for Mature Bucks Have No Sign w/ Jeremy Ballantine
Beau Martonik sits down with Jeremy Ballantine at Huntstock. Jeremy grew up in southern Vermont tracking big bucks on snow, has guided moose hunters for over 25 years, and hunts Vermont, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts. Years of following mature bucks through the mountains showed him they don’t...
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Ep. 514: The Real Cost of Killing Giant Bucks w/ Dan Infalt & Johnny Stewart
Beau Martonik sits down with Dan Infalt of The Hunting Beast at Huntstock, with Johnny Stewart as co-host. Dan has been asked about bedding areas on every podcast there is, so this one skips the tactics and goes after the story behind them. Dan learned to hunt alone in southern Wisconsin, chasing...
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Ep. 513: 10 Days of Archery Elk in Wyoming (Big Bull Down) w/ Tyler Martonik & Derek Testerman
Bonus episode from Wyoming elk camp. Beau Martonik sits down with his cousin Tyler Martonik and cameraman Derek Testerman at the end of a 10 day archery elk hunt on general tags. The plan for day one was to take it easy and acclimate. By 4:30 that afternoon, a cow walked to within five yards of...
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Ep. 512: Why Deer Follow His Tracks Right to the Stand (233 Bow Kills) w/ Jim Gallagher
Beau Martonik sits down with Jim Gallagher at Huntstock. Jim is in his 50th year of hunting, has been bow-only for close to 40 years, and has killed 233 deer with a bow, almost all of them in the swamps and thickets of the Northeast. His system runs the opposite direction from most. Instead of...
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Ep. 511: What Deer DNA Reveals About Which Bucks Breed w/ Dr. Steve Ditchkoff
Beau Martonik sits down with Dr. Steve Ditchkoff at Auburn University, where he has run the deer lab for about 25 years and has been studying deer for roughly 35. He did not grow up hunting deer. His father quit about the time he was born, so he grew up fishing outside Detroit, found a fisheries...
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Ep. 510: He Won’t Scout Before Opening Day, and He Kills Bucks in Week One w/ Lucas Benoit
Beau Martonik sits down with Lucas Benoit, a bear houndsman and guide out of central New Hampshire, with Johnny Stewart in the co-host chair. Recorded live at Huntstock. Lucas got into hounds around fourteen with two accident-litter beagles, bought his first two finished bear dogs off a guy who…
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Ep. 509: Lee Ellis on the Blizzard Buck, Self Filming at Negative 18, and the Tree He Didn’t Want (Part 2)
Beau Martonik sits back down with Lee Ellis of Seek One for the second half of their conversation, which is one long story. Lee saw a buck with heavy brow tines one time in the summer, across a rolling bean field, and then didn’t lay eyes on him again until the first week of November. He spent…
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Ep. 508: How Hunting Less Put Them on More Good Bucks w/ Jameson Curtis and Kelly McGraw
Beau Martonik sits down with Jameson Curtis and Kelly McGraw of Wild at Heart Outdoors, the two guys behind Pursuing the Allegheny. It’s their first time on the show in eight years. They walked away from making hunting films, and Jameson walked away from hunting almost entirely for a couple of...
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Ep. 507: Why Your Camo Pattern Matters Less Than What It’s Reflecting w/ Dr. Karl Miller (Part 2)
Beau Martonik sits back down with Dr. Karl Miller for the second half of their conversation, and this half is entirely about what a deer sees. Karl was part of the original work that got inside a whitetail’s eye to determine whether deer perceive color at all, and he later worked with Sitka on a...
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Ep. 506: Deer Biologist Explains Why Scrapes Peak Two Weeks Before the Rut w/ Dr. Karl Miller (Part 1)
Beau Martonik sits down with Dr. Karl Miller of the University of Georgia, where he spent 40 years leading deer research and mentoring close to 100 graduate students. Karl grew up hunting the Pennsylvania big woods before he went south for his PhD, and much of what hunters take for granted about...
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Ep. 505: Lee Ellis Kills a Giant Every Year in a Different State. Here’s the Pattern. (Part 1)
Beau Martonik sits down with Lee Ellis of Seek One, who has been at this since 2015 and says roughly 90 percent of the deer on his wall are deer he had more than a year of history with before he killed them. Lee is upfront that it’s very rare for him to kill a deer he hasn’t been following, and...
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Ep. 504: Building Grit, Breaking Hard Hunts Into Small Pieces, and a Kodiak Goat in a Whiteout w/ Adam Foss
Beau Martonik sits down with Adam Foss, the youngest bowhunter to complete the North American sheep slam and a photographer and filmmaker. Adam grew up west of Calgary in an archery only zone, killed his first ram at 18, and says his main focus right now is backpack hunting stone sheep with a bow...
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Ep. 503: A Full Season on Iowa Public Land, Self-Filming, and Knowing When to Pass w/ Joel Burham // Whitetail Fit
Beau Martonik sits down with Joel Burham of Whitetail Fit, who moved to Iowa, got his residency, turned down an invite to a phenomenal private farm, and hunted public ground and only public ground for the whole season to see what it would teach him. They get into the full self-filming rig Joel…
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Ep. 502: What GPS Collar Data Reveals About Buck Bedding | Mountain Buck Scouting Series
Every time a mature buck shows up on your trail camera, GPS collar research says he's probably been in that area six or seven times. That one stat changes how you think about cameras, bedding, and whether you're actually hunting the right spots. This is from the Mountain Bucks Scouting Camp where...
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Ep. 501: Treat Trail Camera Data Like a Scientist, Not Just for Real-Time Data w/ Gregg Farrell
Beau Martonik sits down with Gregg Farrell of Tactacam, who's spent almost 15 years in the outdoor industry, a decade of it at First Lite before landing at Tactacam. Gregg walks through why he treats trail camera data almost like a science experiment before he ever locks in on one specific buck,...
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Ep. 500: 50 Years of Big Woods Hunting Lessons w/ My Dad, Joe Martonik
Beau Martonik sits down with his dad, Joe Martonik, for episode 500, a milestone, listener-requested conversation that’s been a long time coming. Joe’s been hunting Pennsylvania whitetails for almost 50 years, watched deer densities crash and slowly rebuild, and built a lifetime of lessons most...
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Ep. 499: The Hardest Deer We've Ever Tried to Bowhunt w/ Collin Heaps
Beau Martonik sits down with Collin Heaps of MTN OPS to recap a bowhunt for axis deer in Hawaii. Collin has hunted this ground before; Beau hadn't, and figured his whitetail and mule deer experience would carry over. It did, but mostly didn't. They cover what makes axis deer so much harder to...
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Ep. 498: What Deer See at Scrapes That You Never Will (New Research)
Beau Martonik breaks down a peer-reviewed study from the UGA Deer Lab published in December 2025 that found whitetail rubs and scrapes emit measurable UV photoluminescence that deer can detect and humans can't. Beau covers the core finding, what's causing the glow in rubs vs. scrapes (more…
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Ep. 497: Giant Bucks in Mountain Laurel Nobody Else Will Hunt w/ Pat Burns
Beau Martonik sits down with Pat Burns, a big woods hunter from the Northeast who has been hunting mountain laurel thickets for years, killing giant bucks in cover most hunters won’t go near. Pat breaks down how he finds openings and funnels inside a sea of laurel using leaf-off maps, why he...
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Ep. 496: Summer Scouting Mountain Bucks — Trail Cameras, Cuts vs. Mature Timber, and Why Deer Disappear on Opener w/ Johnny Stewart
Beau Martonik sits down with Johnny Stewart -- a PA-based DIY public land hunter with 30+ years of big woods experience across Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, West Virginia, Ohio, and North Dakota. This one is all about summer scouting. Johnny breaks down how he runs trail cameras from April through...
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Ep. 495: Wild Game Cooking Deep Dive — Bear Fat, Venison Burgers, and Freezer Turkey w/ Allie D'Andrea & Nick Berger
Beau Martonik sits down with Allie D'Andrea (Outdoors Allie) and Nick Berger for the first time in four years. A big chunk of this one is wild game cooking. Allie ran a head-to-head venison burger experiment comparing pure venison, pork shoulder, bacon, butter, mayo, and egg. Pork shoulder at…
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Ep. 494: What 6 Years of PA Public Land Hunting Taught Me About Mature Bucks w/ Ryan Leary
Beau Martonik sits down with Ryan Leary, a PA hunter who has been grinding big woods public land for six years and put together back-to-back mature buck kills including a 7.5 year old eight point in 2025. Ryan breaks down both hunts — the 2025 buck he killed at 10 yards after trusting his gut on...
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Ep. 493: Arrow Flight, Forgiveness, and Penetration Science w/ Bill Vanderheyden // Iron Will Outfitters
Beau Martonik sits down with Bill Vanderheyden of Iron Will Outfitters — 10 years of engineering broadheads and arrow systems built around what a setup actually needs to do when conditions are not perfect. They open with Bill's Colorado elk hunt — 10 miles back in the wilderness, a 4-hour chase...
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Ep. 492: 2026 Pennsylvania Elk Hunting — New Seasons, New Rules w/ PGC Elk Biologist Jeremy Banfield
Beau Martonik sits down with Pennsylvania Game Commission elk biologist Jeremy Banfield to break down the biggest changes to Pennsylvania's elk hunting program in years. They cover the new October season that overlaps the rut, once-in-a-lifetime bull tags, the non-resident cap and higher...
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Ep. 491: We Killed a Turkey Mid-Podcast — Truck Talk w/ Josh Ilderton and Mason Holz // The Untamed
Beau Martonik sits down with Josh Ilderton and Mason Holz of The Untamed, recorded from the truck on the last morning of a West Virginia turkey hunting trip. They recap the week — tough conditions, birds that gobbled all day but wouldn't commit, the grind of hunting hard while balancing real…
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Ep. 490: Turkey Camp Recap and New Timber Ninja Gear w/ Jason Redd
Beau Martonik sits down with Jason Redd of Timber Ninja Outdoors, recorded off the tailgate on the last day of a turkey camp trip in West Virginia. They recap three days of hunting — birds that gobbled all day on day one, a tom that put on a show for 90 minutes and never committed, roosted birds...
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Ep. 489: How to Find and Kill Giant Mule Deer on Public Land w/ Dioni Amuchastegui
Beau Martonik sits down with Dioni Amuchastegui, one of the most respected public land mule deer hunters in the country, to break down what it actually takes to consistently find and kill giant bucks in the West. They cover how Dioni approaches scouting from the macro level down, why most hunters...
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Ep. 488: Everything You Need to Know About Muzzleloaders w/ Brad Watts // CVA
Beau Martonik sits down with Brad Watts, a 15-year muzzleloading hunter and precision rifle competitor who works at CVA, recorded live at the NWTF show. They break down everything a hunter needs to know about muzzleloaders — how to choose the right one for your hunting situation, the difference...
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Ep. 487: The Funnel System That's Killed Giants for 60 Years w/ Bobby Worthington
Beau Martonik sits down with Bobby Worthington — 21-time national and 8-time world archery champion, author of Final Quest, and one of the most respected whitetail hunters alive — to break down the funnel system he's used to kill mature bucks for 60 years. Bobby explains why most hunters...
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Ep. 486: How We Scout Big Woods with No Habitat Diversity (Real Hunt Breakdown) w/ Just Hunt Club
Beau Martonik sits down with Jon Lewis, Eli McArthur, and Justin Mueller from the Just Hunt Club crew after a full day of scouting together in the PA big woods. The conversation focuses on hunting remote terrain that has plenty of topographic diversity but almost no vegetation diversity — steep...
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Ep. 485: Old-School Turkey Hunting, Storytelling, and Why It Still Matters with Brent Reaves // Meat Eater
Brent Reaves of MeatEater joins Beau Martonik to talk turkey hunting, storytelling, and why the best parts of hunting have nothing to do with pulling the trigger. From chasing gobblers across the South to lessons learned over decades in the woods, Brent shares stories, hard-earned wisdom, and why...
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Ep. 484: The Mindset Shift That Led to Two of His Biggest NC Bucks w/ Jacob Lishen
Beau Martonik sits down with Jacob Lishen to talk about the mindset shift that helped him kill two of his best North Carolina bucks to date. They discuss hunting pressure, confidence, community, learning from mistakes, and why mature bucks are so tied to security cover and sanctuary. This episode...
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Ep. 483: Deer Habitat, Turkey Hunting & Woodsmanship w/ Catman (Jonathan Boehme)
In this episode, Beau Martonik sits down with Jonathan “Catman” Boehme at the NWTF show in Nashville. They talk through Catman’s background, how he got into hunting, and what learning the hard way taught him over time. The conversation covers turkey hunting in hill country, adapting to pressure,...
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Ep. 482: What Every Hunter Should Know About Lyme Disease w/ Adam Kristan
Beau Martonik talks with Adam Kristan about his experience battling Lyme disease and why hunters need to take tick-borne illnesses seriously. Adam shares how his symptoms started, the challenges of being misdiagnosed, and what finally led him to the right treatment. They also discuss early…
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Ep. 481: The Mindset of a DIY Hunter Who Can Get It Done Anywhere w/ Andy May, Johnny Stewart & Joe Miles
Beau Martonik sits down with Andy May, Johnny Stewart, and Joe Miles to break down the mindset behind becoming a versatile and efficient DIY hunter. Andy shares how hunting pressured whitetails and challenging terrain across different regions has built the confidence and adaptability that allows...
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Ep. 480: Build Wealth, Buy Back Time & Hunt More w/ Jeff Bynum
Beau Martonik sits down with Jeff Bynum, founder of Financial Outfitters Group, to talk about becoming fiscally fit and building financial structure that creates more freedom to hunt and live on your terms. After the 2008 financial crisis shifted Jeff’s career from construction to finance, he…
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Ep. 479: Are We Losing the Right to Hunt? Private Land, Public Ground & the Future of Access w/ Mark Kenyon
In this episode of the East Meets West Hunt podcast, Beau sits down with Mark Kenyon (Wired to Hunt / MeatEater) for an in-depth conversation about the current state of hunting, public lands, and conservation in America. They dive into how becoming a father changes your perspective on the future,...
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Ep. 478: Micro Terrain Features Big Woods Bucks Use Repeatedly (Pt.2) w/ Josh Stewart
In this episode of the East Meets West Hunt Podcast, Beau Martonik and Josh Stewart continue their conversation in part two. Josh shares the full story of a hunt that started with heartbreak. Missing his target buck at five yards and ended with one of the most intense and rewarding bucks of his...
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Ep. 477: Bowhunting Black Bears in the Appalachian Mountains w/ Josh Stewart
In this episode of the East Meets West Podcast, Beau Martonik talks with Josh Stewart. Where Josh shares the full story of his recent archery black bear harvest, including intense close-range encounters, navigating rugged laurel-choked terrain, and the tactics on how to hunt bear in big woods.…
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Ep. 476: No Time to Train? Building Consistency for Busy Hunters w/ Todd Bumgardner // Pack Mule Training Co.
Beau Martonik talks with Todd Bumgardner of Pack Mule Training Co. about staying consistent with training when time is limited. They discuss realistic fitness for busy hunters, how to adapt workouts to fit your life, and why consistency matters more than intensity. Todd shares practical advice…
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Ep. 475: Train Slow to Hunt Until You’re 80: Zone 1 & 2 Conditioning with Todd Bumgardner
Beau Martonik teams up with Todd Bumgardner from Pack Mule Training Co. for a winter ruck as they discuss effective training methods for hunting. Todd has been a strength and conditioning coach for the last 19 years and spent 8 years as a human performance coach for a Tier 1 tactical unit. They...
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Ep. 474: Rifles in the Rut? Why PA Hunters Need to Act Before This Becomes Law
The Pennsylvania Game Commission has proposed major changes to the 2026–27 hunting seasons — and this is the window where hunter feedback matters. In this bonus episode, Beau Martonik breaks down the proposed changes and explains why he believes moving regular firearms deer season one week…
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Ep. 473: Limited Time, Big Results: Zack Robb’s Two Giant Virginia Mountain Bucks
Beau Martonik, Zack Robb, and Johnny Stewart connect at the ATA show to talk about Zack’s successful season in the Virginia mountains. Zack had limited time to hunt this past year, yet still found success on two giant Virginia mountain bucks. The conversation covers scouting tactics, the…
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Ep. 472: 2026 Mountain Bucks Scouting Camp is HERE!
Beau Martonik outlines the 2026 Mountain Buck Scouting Camp, a two-day event for hunting enthusiasts focused on improving big woods scouting skills. Registration opens January 16th, and the camp combines classroom instruction with hands-on outdoor activities in Pennsylvania's mountains. Attendees...
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Ep. 471: 30+ Years of Learning WHY Mature Bucks Do What They Do — Johnny Stewart’s Best Season Ever
Beau Martonik reconnects with Johnny Stewart, a seasoned public land hunter who shares his insights on pursuing whitetail deer across multiple states. Reflecting on one of his best seasons ever, where he harvested five bucks. Johnny candidly reflects on his learning journey, acknowledging his...
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Ep. 470: Make 2026 Your BEST Year Ever! Self-Reflection and Goal Planning
Beau Martonik reflects on the past hunting year while setting measurable goals for 2026. He analyzes his successes and challenges, emphasizing the importance of staying focused and maintaining a clear plan. Beau shares highlights from his moose and deer hunts, candidly addressing missed...
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Ep. 469: Late-Season Decisions That Killed My Ohio Buck - Hunt Recap
Beau Martonik recaps his 2025 Ohio gun season, which led to shooting a great buck with his muzzleloader. Beau shares his history with Ohio hunting, a pivotal scouting experience prompted by a fellow hunter, and his strategies for tracking deer movement in the late season. After an intense hunt…
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Ep. 468: Tracking, Still-Hunting, and Following Buck Sign in the Snow w/ Connor Schellong
Beau Martonik chats with Connor Schellong, a hunter from New Hampshire, about the intricacies of tracking, still-hunting, and pursuing whitetail deer in the northeastern U.S. He shares his experiences from the rifle season in Pennsylvania, the excitement of successfully hunting a mature buck, and...
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About this show
The East Meets West Hunt Podcast is your resource for all things adventure hunting. This podcast is for the hunter that loves planning and preparing for the hunt, just as much as the hunt. Whether it's deer hunting for big woods mountain bucks, chasing elk in the Rocky Mountains, and anything in between, we will talk to successful hunters from all over to provide the EMW community with useful knowledge and motivation to continue to live their life through a series of adventures.
Hosted by
Beau Martonik
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