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Hunting ain't easy, but we love the challenge, the opportunity and the wild places it brings us. Hosted by California hunter Mike Costello, the podcasts digs into California hunting topics with specific focus on public land deer and bear hunting. We believe that habitat improvement, herd management and predator management are topics that need more attention. Look forward to guests who will shed light on what we can do as hunters and conservationists, to put more animals in the woods. Mike is an "adult onset hunter" and the score card going into 2021 seasons is: Deer 0, Bear 1. We're going to follow Mike's misadventures, scouting tactics and success. "Big buck down" is coming in '21!
Episodes
Friday Mar 18, 2022
Ep. 27 What’s wrong with SB 856 ”the wild pig bill” - It’s a TRAP!
Friday Mar 18, 2022
Friday Mar 18, 2022
Charles Whitwam and I jam on the issues, problems and outright threats embedded in SB856. This California legislation has some shiny and attractive bait to attract hunters' attention, but the boring sections of the Senate Bill are NOT GOOD for California hunters, outdoors enthusiasts, farmers and ranchers. OPPOSE SB856.
Links:
Hunting Ain't Easy on Instagram
Calif. F&G Meeting - Guard the Gate and support bear hunting
Tuesday Jan 25, 2022
Tuesday Jan 25, 2022
No matter what the game is you're chasing, your overall fitness is going to limit you or it will power you. Fitness is a year-round pursuit, just like hunting. There's scouting seasons, planning seasons and hunting seasons. Keeping your body in mountain ready condition requires seasons for building strength, seasons for building endurance, and seasons for performing. No matter what season you're in, the fuel you put into your body will affect the outcome. Food, water, nutrients, supplements need to be sync'd to your training plan and your goals.
I got to spend some time with Kyle Alton to chat about hunting, and fueling the body for optimal performance. Kyle is an experienced hunter and personal trainer (10+ years), and he's merging these passions with a food/nutrition/fueling coaching program to help hunters achieve their goals and maintain the edge that good fueling can provide.
Find Kyle on instagram @ Fuel the Hunt
Thanks again for your support, feedback and engagement with the Hunting Ain't Easy Podcast!
mountain fitness / wilderness athlete / hike to hunt / train to hunt / fuel the hunt / food is fuel / muledeer / black bear / elk hunting /
Saturday Jan 15, 2022
EP 25 HOWL for Wildlife, with the creator of HOWL, Charles Whitwam
Saturday Jan 15, 2022
Saturday Jan 15, 2022
Wouldn’t it be great if the hunting community had a single platform where we could voice our support for conservation, wildlife management through hunting, and hunting rights & opportunities? What if there was a place where we could #GuardTheGate?
Heck yes!! Charles Whitwam has created HOWL For Wildlife to do exactly that. Charles is a hunter and guide, a wildlife advocate and conservationist. You may know him as ShadowTrekker Adventures.
I sit down with Charles to learn about HOWL, his inspiration and goals for the site. We talk about our need to energize and transform the communications power of the 15 MILLION hunters in the US. We talk about the outright lies and misrepresentation of facts that anti-hunters use to manipulate people’s emotions and actions.
Friends – go to HOWL and check it out. Take Action, Share the Site with fellow hunters and your non-hunting friends who value balanced wildlife mgmt..
Hit me up at HuntingAintEasy to follow along, comment or ask questions.
#Hunting #Conservation #Wildlife #Muledeer #California #Habitat #Blackbear #BearHunting #HSUS #PETA #HumanSociety #Wilderness #Deer #Whitetail #Elk #Blacktail #AnimalRights #Advocate #Activist #Howl #Ecology #AZGFD #CDFW #FishandGame #Colorado #Arizona #Washington #Oregon #Idaho #Utah #Montana #Wyoming #Regulations
Sunday Dec 26, 2021
EP 24: John Stallone pre-AZ hunt call, post-hunt recap
Sunday Dec 26, 2021
Sunday Dec 26, 2021
As a deer hunter I'm intrigued by opportunities beyond our great state. Neighboring and nearby Western states offer habitat, terrain, tags and wildlife populations that are uniquely different, and enticing, compared to what we have available. I love big mountain back-country hunting, but the reality is that wilderness beauty and backcountry adventure isn't limited to high-alpine basins. The desert offers a starkly different experience - and there are some big bucks cruising the palo verde and cactus. In this episode I get to chat with John Stallone of Days in the Wild for a quick podcast call, and to pick his brain on what to look for when it comes to mule-deer rut, habitat and habits in the Southwest corner of AZ.
If you're heading to AZ or even the southern deserts of California you'll benefit from John's Days in the Wild podcast - he has been sharing stories and experience of coues deer, mule deer, javalina and coyote hunting in AZ for many years!
A trip to hunt AZ in December or January will sharpen your skills and expand your idea of what "mule deer country" really looks like. I encourage you to use our CA off-season to explore the southwest, find desert bucks and get some practice stalking these bucks.
Days in the Wild outfitters - Instagram
Hunting Ain't Easy - Instagram
#Hunting #Conservation #Wildlife #Muledeer #California #Habitat #Blackbear #BearHunting #HSUS #DeerHunting #ElkHunting #Wilderness #Deer #Whitetail #Elk #Blacktail #Advocate #Activist #Howl
Tuesday Dec 07, 2021
EP 23: California hunting regulatory changes you can (and need to) support!!
Tuesday Dec 07, 2021
Tuesday Dec 07, 2021
Listen. Share. Discuss. and Support!!
It's not often the hunting community can get behind hunting regulation changes with enthusiasm, but I bring you this podcast with hope and genuine optimism. For most of the last few decades it seems as though California has not evolved hunting regulations, seasons, administrative practices, tag allocations or wildlife management in a way that supports hunters or hunting opportunity. Other western states are far more creative, proactive and progressive - and both the hunters and wildlife in those states can benefit.
This episode we get into 2 specific items on the 12/15/21 Fish & Game Commission meeting agenda.
Item #13 - is the CDFW proposed regulatory change related to tag returns, point reinstatement and refunds, in response to widespread public lands closures.
Item #15 - features a HUGE petition for regulatory, administrative, tag allocation and season changes or creation which will spur a ton of debate and hopefully be a new beginning for how CDFW approaches problem solving, hunter opportunity.
Listen. Learn. Share. Comment - via email or via the public comments opportunities during the 12/15 meeting.
***Most importantly: we need to support the Item #15 petition being "referred for additional review and consideration" so that CDFW, Dan, biologists and the hunting public can continue working on the ideas presented to craft changes that may go into effect over the next 1-5 years.
If you want the Petition documents sent via email - drop me a DM at www.instagram.com/huntingainteasy and I'll send them your way.
#Hunting #Conservation #Wildlife #Muledeer #California #Habitat #Blackbear #BearHunting #HSUS #DeerHunting #ElkHunting #Wilderness #Deer #Whitetail #Elk #Blacktail #Advocate #Activist #Howl
Sunday Nov 28, 2021
Sunday Nov 28, 2021
Quick recap on the Oct. meeting of the Calif. Fish & Game Commission discussing a proposed regulatory change to provide Elk, Deer, Sheep and Antelope hunters some recourse when public land closures impact their hunts. This is a big move from CDFW and F&G to both acknowledge an issue impacting thousands of hunters, and then to move forward with long-term regulatory changes which impact affected hunters in a positive way.
This is a short episode, but there is a lot of material that you should review - become informed and communicate to F&G what you think about these regulatory changes. Finally - thank Backcountry Hunters, California Deer Association, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and Wild Sheep Foundation for their support of these regulatory changes.
Call to action: read the proposed regulations and let Fish & Game know what you think. If you're in support, they need to know. If you are not in support, they need to know! EMAIL Fish & Game Commission.
Notice of Proposed Changes (11/2/21)
Proposed Changes to Regulations – Tag returns and point & fee refunds
Hunting Ain’t Easy – Instagram
#Hunting #Conservation #Wildlife #Muledeer #California #Habitat #Blackbear #BearHunting #HSUS #DeerHunting #ElkHunting #Wilderness #Deer #Whitetail #Elk #Blacktail #Advocate #Activist #Howl
Sunday Nov 07, 2021
Sunday Nov 07, 2021
Once in many years CA gets the kind of storm that pushes migratory deer out of the high country before the end of the season, and thousands of hunters race to the hills trying to figure out where these bucks will be as they parade down from loft 10k foot basins to their 3500-4500' wintering grounds. Oct. 2021 dealt us one such storm, with "the most precipitation ever recorded in a 24 hour period" for most of the state, followed by 2-3 feet of snow in the high elevations!
So when I headed out to hunt west-slope mule deer (blacktail hybrid deer by some people's standards) I wanted to test some theories as much as I wanted to hunt. Do the old codger bucks stay up high "until they're pushing snow with their chest", or does the entire herd drop elevation and start munching on acorns in the foothills?
This episode recaps my 4 day hunt in CA central Sierra, part high country, part middle-elevation forest... and as always I got some adventurous scouting in that will add layers of fun and new terrain to future hunts. Migration trails, predator tracks and some very fresh buck sign was found.
Check out some of the pics @ www.instagram.com/HuntingAintEasy
The rest of 2021 has more hunting in store though ~ 1 CA bear tag and 1 AZ archery tag in my pocket. The hunts continue.
California hunting, deer hunting, bear hunting, black bear, mule deer, blacktail deer, blackbear, backcountry hunting, habitat management, backpack hunting.
#Hunting #Conservation #Wildlife #Muledeer #California #Habitat #Blackbear #BearHunting #HSUS #DeerHunting #ElkHunting #Wilderness #Deer #Whitetail #Elk #Blacktail #Advocate #Activist #Howl
Saturday Oct 09, 2021
Saturday Oct 09, 2021
Buck down!! I should be on cloud 9, stoked, yeah?
I can no longer say I'm 5 seasons in without a buck down. Many lessons learned this year, especially as I'm finding the difference between "trail cam" scouting and hunt scouting. They're not the same. Trail cams yield good intel and huge amounts of data, fun pictures and a decent idea of what wildlife is in the area. However a number of hunt experiences have shown me that the time it takes to place and retrieve trail cams might be better spent actually scouting for deer with the same techniques you use to hunt. I break some of the intel that went into the successful hunt down, and then I get into some details of the hunt that leave me dissatisfied, even disappointed.
Just goes to show, that even when a great buck walks right in front of you, there's luck, skill and patience that need to come into play - otherwise Hunting Ain't Easy.
More stories and pics online @ www.instagram.com/HuntingAintEasy
Hit me up with your thoughts, questions, comments.
#Hunting #Conservation #Wildlife #Muledeer #California #Habitat #Blackbear #BearHunting #HSUS #DeerHunting #ElkHunting #Wilderness #Deer #Whitetail #Elk #Blacktail #Advocate #Activist #Howl
California hunting, deer hunting, bear hunting, black bear, mule deer, blacktail deer, blackbear, backcountry hunting, habitat management, backpack hunting.
Wednesday Oct 06, 2021
Wednesday Oct 06, 2021
Leading into the California D-zone general season opener I ventured into the backcountry for a day of scouting and then what could have been up to 3 days hunting. Thursday night hike in, a day of scouting, glassing and checking cameras on Friday and then a solid hunt day on Saturday - with several "first time ever" events that made it a uniquely special day.
I'll say this... Hunting (still) Ain't Easy, no matter how much success you're having, public land "OTC" hunts take work, dedication, time and some luck to bring it all together.
Did this hunt go the way it did because of luck, because of accumulated knowledge, skills learned through hard (losses) lessons in the mountains? Probably all of the above.
Check out the pics at IG: www.instagram.com/huntingainteasy
#Hunting #Conservation #Wildlife #Muledeer #California #Habitat #Blackbear #BearHunting #HSUS #DeerHunting #ElkHunting #Wilderness #Deer #Whitetail #Elk #Blacktail #Advocate #Activist #Howl
California hunting, deer hunting, bear hunting, black bear, mule deer, blacktail deer, blackbear, backcountry hunting, habitat management, backpack hunting.
Monday Sep 13, 2021
Ep 18 CA Wildlife Resource Committee meeting ”Prep call - Zoom recording”
Monday Sep 13, 2021
Monday Sep 13, 2021
Ok so I'm hijacking the podcast platform to get a Zoom recording out so that more hunters can get a sense of what the upcoming Wildlife Resource Committee meeting (9/16/21) is all about. I'm hosting these pre-meeting calls to help hunters learn about the rule making process, and how to get involved and informed so that hunters can have a stronger voice, and become the leaders of wildlife mgmt dialogue in CA.
Drop me a DM at Instagram ( www.instagram.com/HuntingAintEasy ) if you want me to send you some of the resources for this 9/16 meeting and to learn about future opportunities to learn and get involved.
The hunting community can become a powerful voice and leader for improved wildlife management, and to protect and enhance our hunting opportunities - but it'll requires each of us being informed, and participating.
#Hunting #Conservation #Wildlife #Muledeer #California #Habitat #Blackbear #BearHunting #HSUS #DeerHunting #ElkHunting #Wilderness #Deer #Whitetail #Elk #Blacktail #Advocate #Activist #Howl
California hunting, deer hunting, bear hunting, black bear, mule deer, blacktail deer, blackbear, backcountry hunting, habitat management, backpack hunting.