FEATURE FILMS

The moment a hobby turns into real responsibility, everything changes. We’re joined by Hawaii outdoorsman Danny Bolton, a guy who can go from pigs and goats on volcanic rock to blue-water spearfishing with sharks, then hop a flight to chase elk and black bear on the mainland. Danny breaks down how he didn’t even buy his first bow until 2014, and why hunting clicked when it became about feeding his family, not collecting highlights. We dig into Hawaii hunting across the island chain, why year-round seasons create smarter animals, and why Danny’s world is almost entirely spot-and-stalk. He also shares what it felt like to take his first animals from a tree stand in Oregon, how often he shoots to keep archery from slipping, and why skill with any projectile weapon still comes back to patience and a repeatable shot process. Then we go full gear and field reality: arrow weight, broadhead choices, shooting broadheads before you hunt, and the underrated tool Danny won’t leave home without, a rangefinder. On top of that, Danny tells the story behind the PSE film “The Process,” including encounters with oceanic whitetip sharks and why complacency in the water can get you hurt. We close with the “Boarman” mindset, balancing the wild side with being a steady dad, husband, and friend.

Taxidermy is one of those topics hunters argue about until they see a truly lifelike mount up close and realize it is not “just a shoulder mount,” it is skilled wildlife art. We’re joined by Jacksonville, North Carolina taxidermist and wildlife artist Ali Zeiselmeier to talk about what separates a mount that looks dead on the wall from one that looks like it could blink. We get into the details most people miss, from eye set and anatomy to scars, color phases, and the small “personality” traits that make your deer feel like your deer. We also go practical and honest about what hunters should do the moment they tag an animal. Ali walks through field dressing, caping basics, what not to cut, and why “too much cape” is better than not enough. We cover the heat problem in the Southeast, how to roll and freeze a cape, why keeping it dry matters, and what to do when you’re traveling, shipping, or bringing animals back across state lines. If you’ve ever wondered about CWD rules, paperwork, or what a taxidermist needs from you at intake, we break it down in plain language. Finally, we tackle the big question: why taxidermy takes so long. From tanning and drying time to finish work and the reality of shop backlogs, you’ll hear what the process actually looks like and how to choose a taxidermist based on quality, not just price. If this helped you, subscribe, share it with your hunting buddies, and leave a review. What’s the biggest taxidermy win or horror story you’ve seen?

Heat that won’t quit. Mosquitoes that stay undefeated. Winds that swirl through green, wet timber like they have a mind of their own. Early season whitetail hunting in the Southeast can make good hunters feel lost, and that’s exactly why we brought Ryan Dole back on American Bow Hunter. Ryan consistently finds and kills mature deer in one of the toughest regions to bowhunt, and he shares the decisions that keep him in the game when everyone else is burning spots out.

Two weeks before bow season, the same problem walks through the door on repeat: panic, mystery accuracy issues, and a sudden “I need strings right now.” We sit down with archery tech J.R. Gettler to talk about what preseason actually looks like behind the counter, why strings and cables create the biggest bottleneck, and how a small issue turns into a full-blown scramble when everyone waits until September to get a compound bow checked.

Saddle hunting might be the biggest shift in whitetail tactics in years, or it might just be another trend that looks better on social media than it feels at 20 feet. We sit down with Brian Gay to settle the argument the only way that matters: by getting specific about what works, what fails, and what you actually need to hunt effectively from a tree saddle.

350 feet per second is a number people throw around online, but Casey Christman is actually seeing it with a hunting-weight arrow and a bow that still tunes. We talk through his PSE Sicario 33 setup pushing 86+ pounds, why the FDS cam system feels smoother than you’d expect, and what happens when “flat shooting” isn’t just a slogan. If you’ve ever wondered how a single-pin slider, sight tape, and good shot execution come together at serious distance, this one gets specific fast.

Your broadhead isn’t the problem nearly as often as your setup is, and sometimes the deer isn’t reacting to your bow at all. We sit down with Kevin Dooling to get real about building a whitetail arrow system that’s accurate, durable, and quiet where it matters. From Total Archery Challenge practice to opening day sits, Kevin shares why he keeps one consistent arrow build across states, how that consistency builds confidence, and what he actually looks for when the season is close.

A brand-new tournament is offering bowhunters something the archery world almost never delivers: huge prize money without forcing you into a full target rig. We’re talking about the Bow Hunter Games, a four-day archery festival in Clarksville, Tennessee at Pine Ridge Farm, with a money class paying $60,000 to the men’s winner and $40,000 to the women’s winner. That payout is pulling in elite names and everyday shooters, and it raises a bigger question: can a bowhunter-focused 3D event become the next “must-win” title in competitive archery?

The fastest way to waste money on archery gear is to chase “perfect” parts while ignoring what the arrow is actually doing in flight. We’re joined by Cody Griffin from Easton, and we walk through what the independent arrow ballistics study reveals when a shooting machine removes human inconsistency and the results are backed by data, not opinions. If you’ve ever wondered why two “identical” arrows group differently, or why your broadheads will not behave like your field points, this conversation will tighten up how you think about your entire hunting arrow setup.

A lot of archery advice sounds confident until you ask one question: “Where’s the data?” We sat down with James Yates, a consulting engineer and backcountry hunter, to walk through the Aeroballistic Study, a massive, time-heavy project that uses Precision Cut Archery’s modeling, Easton’s ultra-consistent shooting machine, and a disciplined test design to measure what actually changes arrow flight. If you care about broadhead accuracy, building a forgiving hunting arrow, and making cleaner, more repeatable shots, this one is packed with practical takeaways.

A bow can look perfect on a spec sheet, but the real question is whether it stays predictable when the target has teeth, the wind won’t hold steady, and the light is fading. We’re joined by North Carolina bowhunter Dane Milligan, a blue collar guy with a serious gear obsession and an even bigger appetite for hard hunts, to talk about the PSE Sicario 35 and why he believes simplicity, fit, and repeatability beat hype every time.

Most hunting content fails for the same reason: it skips the part that actually makes you feel something. We sit down with Steven Laughter, a hunter-turned full-time outdoor photographer and filmmaker, to talk about what it takes to capture bowhunting in a way that stays honest, cinematic, and human. From his military background in reconnaissance photography to the realities of filming in harsh weather and high-pressure moments, Steven breaks down how real stories are built shot by shot.

Your bow doesn’t fail you when the moment gets big. Your process does. That’s the line we keep coming back to with Cooper French, and it’s why we’re making the case that target archery is one of the fastest ways for bowhunters to become steadier, calmer, and more lethal when a real animal is in front of them.