Best Virtual Playground Podcasts (2025)

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#160: APPLE TREES FOR WHITETAILS with Dan Schmidt 39:17

5h ago39:17

39:17

In this episode, Dan Schmidt digs into the benefits of planting and managing apple trees for white-tailed deer. From selecting the right varieties to ideal planting spots and maintenance tips, learn how these fruit-bearing trees can become a powerful draw on your hunting property.

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#159: ARCHERY STRONG with Christian Williams 37:48

7d ago37:48

37:48

Christian Williams created Archery Strong as a way to help people develop the strength to shoot a bow as well as help those with injuries and pain get back into bowhunting. Find out how he helps hunters with his online programs in this podcast.

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#158: REAL-WORLD PROPERTY MANAGEMENT with Steve Bartylla 23:54

14d ago23:54

23:54

Most of us don't have hundreds of acres of hunting land, which can make deer management tricky but still doable. In this podcast, land manager Steve Bartylla describes how you can manage a small property from cull bucks to optimizing deer habitat and more.

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#157: ARCHERY ’TIL THE END with Ralph Cianciarulo 39:19

21d ago39:19

39:19

Ralph Cianciarulo of the long-running show Archer’s Choice and The Choice is on the podcast talking about bowhunting in the good ‘ole days, the first bows he used, the effects of social media on archery, some crazy hunting stories, and more.

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#156: CREATING A TROPHY BUCK PLAYGROUND with Wildlife Research Center 41:19

28d ago41:19

41:19

Our friends at Wildlife Research Center have spent over a decade and tried hundreds of formulas just to make one product. In this podcast, they talk about how they created some of their most popular offerings and how you can use them to create a trophy buck hangout.

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#155: ADVANCED DOE MANAGEMENT with Steve Bartylla 26:15

1M ago26:15

26:15

Expert land manager Steve Bartylla joins the podcast to share his tips on managing does to match the goals for your property.

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#154: ADVANCED FOOD PLOTS with Brad Rucks 40:03

1M ago40:03

40:03

Brad Rucks shares his wisdom from decades of planting food plots and hunting whitetails. Find out where to plant your food plots, how to determine the size of your plots, what to plant and when, and more.

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#153: WOLF MADNESS with Chris Vaughan 36:28

2M ago36:28

36:28

Dan Schmidt and Chris Vaughan of Hunter Nation discuss the barriers to managing wolves and how lawmakers are preparing for a possible delisting of wolves. Apologies if you are watching the video version of this podcast as there are glitches in the first 5 minutes that were unfixable.

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#152: SPRING GOBBLERS with Brad Rucks 31:42

2M ago31:42

31:42

Bonus coverage! Brad Rucks provides his tips and tricks for fooling lovesick toms during the spring turkey season.

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#151: THIS IS THE NEW NRA 37:24

2M ago37:24

37:24

After a multi-year legal battle and weeding out some of the corruption within its ranks, the NRA is on the cusp of a historic comeback for 2nd Amendment advocates and hunters of all walks. Tune in to hear how two volunteers are working overtime to protect hunting rights and our American freedoms.

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#150: THE CWD SCAM with Dr. Deer 42:50

2M ago42:50

42:50

Dr. James Kroll aka Dr. Deer explains why scientific reporting has gone downhill, why DNR credibility is low, and how CWD is being used as a scare tactic.

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#149: TURKEY TIME! with Jason Lupardus 23:01

3M ago23:01

23:01

We interrupt the whitetail overload to bring you some fascinating insights about the future of turkey hunting in America with Jason Lupardus from Turkeys for Tomorrow.

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#148: DOE HUNTING WHERE?!? 53:09

3M ago53:09

53:09

Don't look now, but America's last doe-hunting holdout state is changing its tune. Plus: A look at wasteful spending on deer related initiatives across the country; a list of skyrocketing tag fees; and more news and notes from Dan Schmidt at Deer & Deer Hunting.

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#147: “NATURE WILL FIX CWD!" with Dr. Christopher Seabury 54:44

3M ago54:44

54:44

The nation's leading chronic wasting disease scientist explains how left-wing political scare tactics have gotten in the way of curing the problem.

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#146: RIFLESCOPE TRENDS with Trent Marsh 28:10

3M ago28:10

28:10

Trent Marsh explains how to choose a riflescope, trends in optics, and his thoughts on thermal scopes in this podcast with Dan Schmidt.

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#145: AWESOME ARROWS with Gary Cornum 20:50

4M ago20:50

20:50

Gary Cornum from Easton Archery joins Dan Schmidt at the 2025 ATA Show to discuss the materials that make the most accurate and durable arrows for deer hunting, what’s new for 2025 from Easton, and more.

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#144: BETTER PLANS FOR FOOD PLOTS with Zach Haas 23:07

4M ago23:07

23:07

Zach Haas is on the podcast with tips on how to improve your soil pH as well as getting a head start on your food plots with frost seeding.

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#143: DEER MEAT FOR DINNER with Rob Arrington 45:29

4M ago45:29

45:29

Rob Arrington talks about his experience starting his YouTube channel Deer Meat For Dinner, quickly finding success, some of his wildest and scariest hunting stories, and his favorite way to cook venison.

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#142: READING BUCK BEHAVIOR with Josh Honeycutt 25:47

4M ago25:47

25:47

Josh Honeycutt joins us at the 2025 ATA Show in Indianapolis to talk about how to bag your target buck in the early season including where to place stands, finding bedding areas and transition zones, and the best food sources.

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#141: MAKING SENSE OF SCENTS with Paul Landberg 23:59

4M ago23:59

23:59

Paul Landberg from Wildlife Research Center tells us about the new products for 2025 at this year’s ATA Show, as well as tips on usage, scent control and CWD testing on scents.

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#140: LATE-SEASON HUNTING with Melissa Bachman 17:46

5M ago17:46

17:46

Melissa Bachman joins us at the ATA 2025 Trade Show to share why late-season hunting can be some of the best hunting of the year, and her steps to success during this time.

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#139: 5-STAR VENISON with Bri Coelho 31:53

5M ago31:53

31:53

Dan is joined by professional chef, author and TV host Bri Coelho to discuss how anyone can get the most out of sourcing their own food from the whitetail woods.

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#138: SCHMIDT'S STOCKING STUFFERS with Daniel Schmidt 33:58

5M ago33:58

33:58

Looking for the perfect last-minute stocking stuffers for the deer hunter in your life? Dan Schmidt shares his favorite budget-friendly gift ideas that are sure to bring joy to any whitetail enthusiast this holiday season!

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#137: GAME WARDEN STORIES with Jonathan Kaiser 42:27

6M ago42:27

42:27

Ever wondered what a game warden does on a daily basis? Jonathan Kaiser is on the podcast for a second time telling some of his wildest poaching bust stories, what his job entails, and how conservation wardens respond to tips.

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#136: HOT TAKES ON DEER with Dan Schmidt 40:28

6M ago40:28

40:28

Dan Schmidt answers six hot-topic questions from our listeners in today’s podcast.

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From Studio to Stream: The New Wave of Entertainment Technology 33:49

6M ago33:49

33:49

Guest Erick Opeka, President & Chief Strategy Officer at Cineverse, details the cutting-edge strategies shaping the future of entertainment. Erick breaks down Cineverse’s role as a full-service entertainment studio, their groundbreaking technology platform that’s revolutionizing content management, and the use of AI to optimize business. Tune in fo…

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#135: MODERN MUZZLELOADING with Tom & Alison Hall 39:11

6M ago39:11

39:11

Tom and Alison Hall from Traditions Firearms are on the podcast explaining what can make a huge difference in your muzzleloading accuracy, their favorite bullets, and their revolutionary new offerings for gun hunters.

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#134: DEER SEASON UPDATE with Dale Techel 45:44

6M ago45:44

45:44

Host, Dan Schmidt sits down with creator of the popular Michigan Deer Hunters Facebook page, Dale Techel, and together they examine all topics concerning whitetails int he midwest.

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#133: DEER HABITAT MANAGEMENT with Zach Haas 41:51

7M ago41:51

41:51

Land management specialist Zach Haas is on the podcast sharing why mature bucks are dying from EHD, when to hinge-cut, and more.

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How Anime’s Unique Storytelling Captivates a New Generation 26:32

7M ago26:32

26:32

In a media landscape overflowing with choices, anime shines through with its distinct storytelling style that strongly resonates with audiences—especially Gen Z and Gen Alpha. Guest Gita Rebbapragada, Crunchyroll, and host Vicki Lins explore anime's compelling narratives and uncover why this genre creates such profound emotional connections. Discov…

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#132: HUNTING IN THE HEARTLAND with Lt. Gov. Jon Husted 31:04

7M ago31:04

31:04

Ohio Lt. Governor Jon Husted is on the podcast for a special Election Day episode to talk about his passion for hunting, how he’s used his position to increase opportunities for outdoorsmen and women, and why wildlife management is important for everyone.

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#131: 5 RUT-HUNTING TACTICS with Daniel Schmidt 43:58

7M ago43:58

43:58

Dan Schmidt and David Gilane have a discussion about rut-hunting tactics, such as where to hunt during the rut, how to stop a cruising buck and how rain affects deer movement.

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#130: BOWHUNTING THE RUT with John Eberhart 31:14

7M ago31:14

31:14

John Eberhart, who's harvested 55 record-class bucks, is on the podcast sharing the best days to hunt the rut, how the age structure of does matters, and more.

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#129: ALL-SEASON CLOTHING with Code of Silence 38:37

7M ago38:37

38:37

Our friends at Code of Silence describe how they made an affordable line of merino wool clothing that can be layered to wear all hunting season.

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#128: COAX IN BIG DEER with Tom Lester 37:32

8M ago37:32

37:32

Tom Lester joins the Deer Talk Now Podcast and explains how he discovered an attractant that deer simply cannot resist. He also shares how quality food plot seeds can make or break the difference in overall forage production.

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#127: WHY IOWA HAS BIG DEER with Bill Winke 39:57

8M ago39:57

39:57

Bill Winke describes getting his foot in the door of the outdoor industry, the tough grind to find success, and his knowledge on managing big Iowa whitetails in this Deer Talk Now Podcast.

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#126: BIGGEST BLOOD TRAILING MISTAKES 1:02:57

8M ago1:02:57

1:02:57

Dan Schmidt and David Gilane talk blood trailing, diving into the top five things we do wrong after the shot, identifying where you hit, and their best advice to find your deer.

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#125: GROWING BIG DEER with Dr. Grant Woods 50:38

8M ago50:38

50:38

Dr. Grant Woods of Growing Deer TV shares his knowledge from years of transforming his property into a big buck haven.

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#124: HIGH-TECH ARCHERY with Zak Kurtzhals 45:07

9M ago45:07

45:07

Join host Dan Schmidt on this exciting episode of the Deer Talk Now Podcast as he sits down with Zak Kurtzhals, president of Hoyt Archery. Together, they dive deep into the latest technological advancements shaping the future of archery equipment.

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#123: T-BONE'S TIPS FOR BETTER BOWHUNTING with Travis “T-Bone” Turner 44:17

9M ago44:17

44:17

Travis "T-Bone" Turner of joins our podcast to talk about his early career including becoming a world-champion archer, and gives advice on finding the right bow setup for you.

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#122: CHOOSING THE RIGHT SCOPE with Trent Marsh 45:45

9M ago45:45

45:45

Trent Marsh of Riton Optics explains how to choose a scope not based on your rifle but what you truly need for your hunting scenario.

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#121: BOWHUNTING BIG BUCKS ON PUBLIC LAND with John Eberhart 46:09

9M ago46:09

46:09

John Eberhart has harvested 55 record-class bucks with a bow exclusively on public and heavily pressured land. In this podcast, he tells Dan Schmidt everything he does preseason and during bow season to bag mature bucks.

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#120: THRIVING FOOD PLOTS with Robie Pruitt 36:07

10M ago36:07

36:07

Robie Pruitt has been planting food plots for the last 38 years, using trial and error to figure out the best way to get flourishing food plots. Hear his insights on today's podcast.

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#119: HOW TO SAVE FAWNS with Mark Kayser 47:33

10M ago47:33

47:33

Our friend and contributor Mark Kayser is on the podcast today reminiscing on his scariest treestand stories, giving tips on hunting and trapping coyotes, and providing his thoughts on how states manage their deer populations.

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#118: REBUILDING A BRAND with Gregg Ritz 36:49

10M ago36:49

36:49

Gregg Ritz has rebought and is rebuilding Thompson/Center Arms after it sat dormant under previous ownership during COVID. Listen to his plans for the company in this latest podcast.

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#117: HOW WEATHER AFFECTS FOOD PLOTS 39:24

10M ago39:24

39:24

With record rain and heat this summer, Brad Rucks and Dan Schmidt talk about how this affects planting food plots. They also have some killer bowhunting tips for the fall.

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#116: THE PERFECT HUNTING SPOT with Mark Drury 42:57

11M ago42:57

42:57

Mark Drury is on the podcast today sharing how the idea for Drury Outdoors was born, tips for calling in hung-up gobblers, entry and exit strategies for your bowhunting spots, and why this antler-growing season might be the best he’s had in years on his farms.

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#115: TOP DEER RESEARCH with Dr. Stephen Ditchkoff 42:18

11M ago42:18

42:18

Dr. Stephen Ditchkoff of Auburn University Deer Lab is leading some of the top deer research studies in the nation. In today’s podcast, he answers questions about controlled burns, how to create more (and better) food sources for deer, what makes a good mother doe,

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#114: TRAPPING TOP TIPS with Alan Probst 51:35

11M ago51:35

51:35

Hear from expert trapper Alan Probst the best traps, bait and more to set for predators that will help deer and turkey populations.

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#113: HOOKED ON HUNTING with John Radzwilla 40:28

11M ago40:28

40:28

Hook and Barrel founder John Radzwilla tells Dan Schmidt how he went from working in the fashion industry to getting hooked on the outdoor lifestyle. They also get deep discussing anti-hunting sentiment, why it happens, and how to combat it.

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Virtual Playground Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen