Petersen's Bowhunting Radio

2026 marks the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks that changed our nation forever. For New Jersey bowhunter Will Jimeno — a former New York Port Authority police officer and one of fewer than 20 people to be rescued from the World Trade Center rubble — it is an opportunity to honor of the memory of fellow officers who didn't make it out alive and reflect on the important role his love of bowhunting played in his physical, mental and emotional recovery from those 13 horrifying hours he spent trapped below 30 feet of concrete and steel. Jimeno, a longtime friend of Bowhunter and one of the inspirations for the film World Trade Center, retells his harrowing story and his never-ending mission to honor the legacy of those who lost their lives that day.

Spring is here, and that means one thing—shed hunting and turkey season are in full swing. In this episode of the Bowhunter Podcast, host Christian Berg is joined by Jace Bauserman and Clint Casper to break down the strategies, timing, and tactics that can make or break your success in the woods. From the Midwest to the Rockies, the guys dive deep into when bucks actually drop their antlers, how weather impacts timing, and why late March through early April can be prime time—depending on where you hunt. They also explain how using trail cameras can give you a major edge when targeting specific bucks and locating shed zones. But this isn't just about picking up antlers… You'll learn how shed hunting directly translates into fall success, from identifying bedding areas to understanding movement patterns. The conversation also shifts into spring turkey hunting, covering everything from scouting strategies to reading sign, locating strut zones, and understanding daily bird behavior. And if you're tired of sitting

Speed is back in vogue among bowhunters, and Easton's 2026 arrow lineup includes a pair of new offerings designed to help archers achieve maximum velocity. Easton Marketing Director Gary Cornum joins us to discuss the new 5.0 and FMJ Max arrows and how they can help bowhunters customize their arrow builds for peak performance in the field.

Many bowhunters will tell you they never feel more free than when they are afield with a bow in hand. But for guests at Camp Freedom, that is true on many levels. Matt Guedes, Camp Freedom's executive director, joins us to discuss how the nonprofit organization uses archery and bowhunting to aid the healing process of thousands of military veterans, first responders and their families.  For more information, visit https://campfreedompa.org

Spot-Hogg is an iconic name in the archery world, and it's all about accuracy. In fact, the company got its name after its founding father was accused of "hogging the spot" on a tournament target. Two decades later, Spot-Hogg continues to produce some of the most advanced, precise and durable bow accessories on the market. Co-owner Josh Johnson joins us to discuss the new ROTI Modular Sight System and much more.

Bowtech and Excalibur recently launched their 2026 lineups, led by the new Bowtech Alliance and Excalibur RevX TD. Brand Manager Todd Snader joined us at the 2026 SHOT Show in Las Vegas to talk about the new models and explain the many high-tech innovations that boost accuracy and help you be more successful in the field.

You could say that Bowhunter TV co-host Danny Farris is lucky. But the truth is, persistence is the real key to his success. After a quarter century of applying for bighorn sheep tag in his home state of Colorado, Farris finally drew the once-in-a-lifetime license in 2025, taking a massive, trophy-class ram during his December hunt. Farris recounts a quarter century of patient waiting, followed by an intense four days in the mountains that culminated with a perfect shot at a range of just 25 yards.

The 2026 Archery Trade Show is just around the corner, and we're expecting a host of new saddles, climbing sticks and related gear to debut in early January. Saddle-hunting authority Greg Staggs, host of the popular Staggs in the Wild YouTube channel, joins us to recap his successful fall whitetail hunts and offer his predictions about what the New Year has in store when it comes to equipment trends for the mobile bowhunter.

January has always been a big month for the bowhunting community, and in 2026 it's going to be bigger than ever thanks to the inaugural Archery and Bowhunting Super Show, a two-day consumer event being held on the heels of the annual Archery Trade Show in Indianapolis. ATA Chief Executive Officer Jeff Poole joins us to discuss this exciting new event, which will give bowhunters an opportunity to attend the archery industry's largest annual gathering to see all the new-for-2026 bows and bowhunting gear up close and personal. Add in the NFAA's Rushmore Rumble and S3DA Indoor Open tournaments happening in tandem with the show and you have the perfect recipe for an all-out stick and string celebration in Indy!

As November winds down and the holidays loom, the rut is waning across the northern two thirds of the whitetail range. Bowhunter Editor Christian Berg, Digital Editor Drew Pellman and Social Media  Manager Tony Jenniges recap their recent hunts, share observations and insights gleaned along the way and look ahead to late-season hunting and upcoming coverage of the 2026 Archery Trade Show in January.

With archery deer seasons now underway, what's the best way to make your trail cameras work for you. Moultrie's Mark Olis joins us to discuss how in-season trail-cam placement differs from pre-season placement and how you can make the most out of your trail-cam data to be a more efficient bowhunter this fall.

Derrick Dixon, founder of Whitetail Research, has been setting the deer-hunting world on fire of late, thanks to the amazing insights he has gathered on mature buck movement and behavior. Armed with a high-tech, infrared drone, the Missouri resident has literally been following mature bucks on the daily, recording their travels and interactions to piece together patterns and glean new understanding about arguably the greatest mystery in all of bowhunting – why mature bucks do what they do. Dixon joins us to discuss his amazing, ongoing research projects and how what he's learning can, and can't, benefit us as hunters. For more information, visit https://whitetailresearch.net

If you bowhunt long enough, it's going to happen. You hit an animal, and the shot placement is not ideal. The decisions you make after the shot are critical to maximize your odds of recovery. Noted Colorado bowhunter Jace Bauserman recounts his recent elk hunt and the multi-day, 30-mile effort to recover his bull.

Believe it or not, peak rut dates across the whitetail's range stretch all the way from July to February — an incredible span of eight months. But when is the peak of the rut where YOU hunt? Big-game biologists Brian Murphy and Jim Heffelfinger from HuntStand join us to discuss how they compiled breeding data from across North America to map peak whitetail breeding dates across more than 5,000 counties and parishes, along with peak breeding dates for mule deer, blacktail deer and elk.

The EHD virus is ravaging the whitetail herd in Southeast Ohio, where landowners are reporting hundreds of dead and dying deer across multiple counties. We discuss the current situation and the outlook for the upcoming archery season with noted Ohio deer hunter Emily Konkler and Zach Haas, an aquatic biologist and inventor of EHD-fense, a new tool in the fight against the virus.

After decades of effort, Pennsylvania has finally repealed its centuries-old ban on Sunday hunting. Travis Lau of the Pennsylvania Game Commission and Nick Pinozzotto of the National Deer Association join us to discuss this historic change, what it means for bowhunters and the future of deer management in the Keystone State.

Mock scrapes are a fantastic tool — not only for hunting but for taking an inventory of your local deer herd and patterning buck movements in advance of the season. This week, the crew from BuckStik joins us with tips on how to create, monitor and hunt mock scrapes, and how incorporating their innovative products into your scrape setups can attract more deer and keep them coming back to your scrape sites! For more information, visit https://www.litfoutdoors.com https://www.buckstik.com  

 In 1959, legendary bowhunter Harv Ebers used one of his self-made, left-handed, recurve bows to take down the world-record caribou in Alaska. Today, at age 90, Ebers is the last living original Pope and Young Club member — and he's still inspiring fellow bowhunters such as fellow lefty Tom Vanasche, who last year used the same bow to take a Wyoming whitetail, 65 years after its maiden hunt. Ebers and Vanasche discuss their special friendship and the ways traditional bowhunting transcends time.

Maribeth Kulynycz, the newly elected president of the Maryland Bowhunters Society, may be the first woman ever to lead a statewide bowhunting organization. But that's just the latest accomplishment for Kulynycz, who has been blazing trails in archery for years and working tirelessly to promote and protect Maryland's bowhunting heritage.

Public land is getting more crowded all the time, and permission to hunt private land is getting harder to secure every year. Buying hunting land of your own may not be financially feasible, but a long-term hunting lease can provide many of the benefits of land ownership at a fraction of the cost. Aaron Sutton and Mac Christian from National Land Realty join us to discuss the ins and outs of leasing and how a lease can provide you with a high-quality hunting experience.