Today, I’ve got Mr. Bryson Ziegler on the podcast. Bryson hails from the great state of Oklahoma, where he spends his time chasing bucks and long beards. On this pod, I sit Bryson down to talk whitetails, but mainly one in particular, a buck named Dash. Dash is a buck that had some serious age class on him and that Bryson spent 3 years pursuing before he finally connected with him. From rowdy neighbors, to rifle season, and multiple close calls; Bryson was put through the ringer trying to make it happen on this one buck. This is a story and a podcast you guys will not want to miss. 

I hope you guys enjoyed listening as much as we enjoyed recording.

To see more of Bryson be sure to check out his social links below:

@bryson_ziegler on Instagram

To keep up with The Non-Typical Project:

Check us out @thenontypicalproject on Instagram

Check me out @dean_hunts on Instagram

My friends over at Seventh Arrow Apparel are doing some pretty cool stuff if you'd like to support them and the show!

Thank you guys for listening, and I'll catch ya next Friday!

Today we're improvising! I have had some equipment malfunctions that caused audio to go in and out torch some quality. We also have had some scheduling difficulty, but nonetheless, I want to make sure we get a pod out every week! So I sat back and ranted about some of my hunting Hot-Takes! Hopefully by next week we will be back on track with some regular styles, but in the meantime I hope you guys enjoy!

To keep up with The Non-Typical Project:

Check us out @thenontypicalproject on Instagram

Check me out @dean_hunts on Instagram

My friends over at Seventh Arrow Apparel are doing some pretty cool stuff if you'd like to support them and the show!

Thank you guys for listening, and I'll catch ya next Friday!

ep.003 - Kirk Washington - Albinos, 200" Bucks, and Grandpa's Knife

On today's episode we have the pleasure of talking to Kirk Washington. Kirk is a husband, a father, a professional archer, and one heck of bowhunter. Kirk has taken the first albino whitetail on film which will be published shortly after this podcast's release!

Kirk also had an incredible archery season this year, having taken a Montana mule deer, a Kansas giant, and Missouri buck as well.

We talk about all of that and more in today's podcast, you won't want to miss it!

To see more of Kirk and The Ultimate Hunters the links are below:

Kirk Washington on Facebook

@_kirk_lee on Instagram

The Ultimate Hunters Website

The Ultimate Hunters Youtube

To keep up with The Non-Typical Project:

Check us out @thenontypicalproject on Instagram

Check me out @dean_hunts on Instagram

My friends over at Seventh Arrow Apparel are doing some pretty cool stuff if you'd like to support them and the show!

ep.002 of The Non-Typical Project.

Today's guest is Jeff Raney. Jeff is a professional archer and one heck of a bowhunter hailing from the great state of Kansas. This podcast was a blast, I got the pleasure of talking with Jeff about mature bucks, how AI is gonna start killing public land giants, target archery, and everything in between. Jeff is extremely knowledgeable and a true professional with some great insight. From whitetails to muleys and foam to paper, we talked about it!

To see more Jeff and keep up with him his social links are below:

@jeffraney on Instagram

Jeff Raney on Facebook

To keep up with The Non-Typical Project:

Check us out @thenontypicalproject on Instagram

Check me out @dean_hunts on Instagram

My friends over at Seventh Arrow Apparel are doing some pretty cool stuff if you'd like to support them and the show!

ep.001 of The Non-Typical Project.

Today's guest is none other than Hunter Hogan. Hunter is an extremely accomplished public land bowhunter out of Missouri and just so happens to be one of my best friends. I take an interview style approach in this podcast to get Hunter talking about a little bit of everything that makes him the bowhunter he is. Non-Typical is definitely one way to put it, but no matter how you describe him, you've gotta use the word "killer" from at home strategy to out of state planning, Hunter knows big bucks and balances thoroughness with aggression to get it done.

To see more of Hunter be sure to check out his social links below:

Hunter Hogan Productions on YouTube

@bowlife_hogan on Instagram

To keep up with The Non-Typical Project:

Check us out @thenontypicalproject on Instagram

Check me out @dean_hunts on Instagram

My friends over at Seventh Arrow Apparel are doing some pretty cool stuff if you'd like to support them and the show!

Welcome to the Non-Typical Project.

I'm Dean Besic, your host, and we're just getting started.

In this intro, I just want to let you all know what The Non-Typical Project is, what I'm trying to do, who I am, and where I want this all to go.

Hunters, and especially bowhunters, are some of the most interesting people that are out there, and even in this subsection of unique individuals there are still those that separate themselves from the pack even further. Those are my kind of people, the ones who hunt their own way, pursue archery in their own way, and are totally non-typical.

From interviews, to just shooting the breeze about our favorite stories, The Non-Typical Project is all about having a good time, keeping things honest and raw, and being Non-Typical.

Thanks for listening to this quick intro episode, and I can't wait to show you guys what's to come!

-Dean

Instagram: @thenontypicalproject and @dean_hunts

Checkout some cool stuff my friends are doing:

Seventh Arrow Apparel

On today's episode, my good friend and big buck killer Hunter Hogan comes back on to talk buck bedding. Hunter is a father, professional archer, big buck expert and one hell of a bowhunter. Hunter has a wealth of knowledge of big buck behavior, their individualistic personalities and traits. I pry at that a bit while also breaking down his habit of killing these world class deer on public land right in their bed. From buck bedding, to hanging sets 30, 40, and even 50 feet high in a tree, we cover a bunch of whitetail tactics.

I hope you guys learn something new and enjoy listening as much as we enjoyed recording.

To see more of Hunter be sure to check out his social links below:

Hunter Hogan Productions on YouTube

@hunterhoganproductions on Instagram

To keep up with The Non-Typical Project:

Check us out @thenontypicalproject on Instagram

Check me out @dean_hunts on Instagram

My friends over at Seventh Arrow Apparel are doing some pretty cool stuff if you'd like to support them and the show!

Thank you guys for listening, and I'll catch ya next Friday! 

We've got a bit of a different one today! On today's episode you get to follow along with Kirk Washington and myself as we shoot and assess our performances (or lack thereof) day by day at the 2026 ASA Pro/AM in Foley, Alabama!

Kirk is a guest who needs no introduction! You guys have seen him before on episode 3 when we covered his albino buck and his KS giant!

We cover the fun, the tournament, the highs, the lows, and everything in between. This is definitely a different kind of episode and we were recording on the move so audio was a little iffy. Nonetheless, I hope you guys enjoy following along and hearing about our time spent at the shoot!

To see more of Kirk:

Kirk Washington on Facebook

@_kirk_lee on Instagram

To keep up with The Non-Typical Project:

Check us out @thenontypicalproject on Instagram

Check me out @dean_hunts on Instagram

My friends over at Seventh Arrow Apparel are doing some pretty cool stuff if you'd like to support them and the show!

Thank you guys for listening, and I'll catch ya next Friday! 

ep.009 - Alex O'Brien - Making the Hunt Unforgettable

So stoked to bring one of my good friends on today's episode: Mr. Alex O'Brien. Alex is the life of the party at the party, and in camp. Hailing out of my home state of Missouri, Alex is a father, a self-employed Realtor, the KING of permission pieces and of course... one hell of a hunter.

Alex and I talk bowhunting, permission pieces and how he gets so many of them, the funniest whitetail hunting story I've ever heard, getting his daughter and special guest Stella into hunting, and so much more.

This episode was belly laughs and great stories and you guys will seriously not want to miss this one!

To see more of Alex:

Alex O'Brien on Facebook

@alex_obrien_94 on Instagram

To keep up with The Non-Typical Project:

Check us out @thenontypicalproject on Instagram

Check me out @dean_hunts on Instagram

My friends over at Seventh Arrow Apparel are doing some pretty cool stuff if you'd like to support them and the show!

Thank you guys for listening, and I'll catch ya next Friday! 

Realizing I forgot to book someone this week, I decided there was no other option than to go live, and absolutely aimlessly ramble about the "off-season" or lack thereof. From how I structure my off season, to staying sharp, scouting year 'round, and gear maintenance. I dive into a little bit of it all. If you guys bear with me on this one, it might just help ya out or give you a new perspective on something... or not. Hope you guys enjoyed this solo pod and I'll catch you next Friday!

Thank you all so much for the support!

To keep up with The Non-Typical Project:

Check us out @thenontypicalproject on Instagram

Check me out @dean_hunts on Instagram

My friends over at Seventh Arrow Apparel are doing some pretty cool stuff if you'd like to support them and the show!

Thank you guys for listening, and I'll catch ya next Friday!

ep.007 - DJ Riley - Family First, Efficient Hunting, & Lucky Notes

Today's episode guest needs no introduction but here it. goes... The great David Riley Jr. (DJ Riley) joins me for epsiode 7 of The Non-Typical Project. DJ is the host of Latitude Outdoor's 'The Method' Podcast. Hailing from the state of Michigan, DJ is a husband, a father, and of course... one hell of a bowhunter.

DJ and I talk family, travel hunting, hunting efficiently, tactics, trail cameras, big bucks on small properties, and doing it for yourself!

This episode was a joy to record, and an honor. As we'll get into in this podcast, The Non-Typical Project was in no small way pushed into reality with the influence of DJ inviting me onto 'The Method' for episode 46.

So once again, thank you DJ, and I hope you guys enjoy this one as much as I did!

To see more of DJ:

You can find him @drileyjr on Instagram

You can keep up with The Method @methodpodcast on Instagram

Listen to The Method Podcast on Spotify

Listen to The Method Podcast on Apple Podcasts

To keep up with The Non-Typical Project:

Check us out @thenontypicalproject on Instagram

Check me out @dean_hunts on Instagram

My friends over at Seventh Arrow Apparel are doing some pretty cool stuff if you'd like to support them and the show!

Thank you guys for listening, and I'll catch ya next Friday! 

ep.006 - Paige Pearce - Shooting Under Pressure on the Line and in the Field

Today's episode is a big one guys: we have the one and only Paige Pearce as our special guest. Paige is a multi-time World Champion Archer, a member of Team USA Archery and an extremely accomplished bowhunter.

Paige talks to us about the ATA show, competition archery, her new Insight Mental Programming, and of course, we hit on some of her hunting season and future plans.

You absolutely will not want to miss this episode, it's full of laughs and some of the most valuable archery info you can pick up on!

Huge thanks to Paige again for coming on and making time for us!

To see more of Paige Pearce:

You can find her @paigepearce_in_sight on Instagram

Paige Pearce on Facebook

You can look into the Insight Mental Programming at this Link

To keep up with The Non-Typical Project:

Check us out @thenontypicalproject on Instagram

Check me out @dean_hunts on Instagram

My friends over at Seventh Arrow Apparel are doing some pretty cool stuff if you'd like to support them and the show!

Thank you guys for listening, and I'll catch ya next Friday!

Hey guys, solo episode for y'all this Friday! I run through my 2025 archery season recap, what I learned, what I did well, and what I did wrong. My biggest public land buck to date, and my biggest pitfalls this season. I also take some time to run through some of the new gear I have been using and my thoughts on it so far.

I know this isn't a "special guest" episode, but I hope you guys still enjoyed it!

To keep up with The Non-Typical Project:

Check us out @thenontypicalproject on Instagram

Check me out @dean_hunts on Instagram

My friends over at Seventh Arrow Apparel are doing some pretty cool stuff if you'd like to support them and the show!

Thank you guys for listening, and I'll catch ya next Friday!

ep.004 - Austin Culbertson - Family, The Experience, and Bucks Down

On today's episode we have none other than Austin Culbertson! Austin is a husband, father, USMC Veteran, pro-bass fisherman, and a public land buck slayer. Quite the resume!

Austin and I talk about bucks vs. bass, balancing being a new father with time in the woods, his impressive hunting season this year, and more!

I had a bunch of fun with this one and hope you all enjoy it too!

To see more of Austin his links are below:

Austin Culbertson on Facebook

@austin_culbertson22 on Instagram

To keep up with The Non-Typical Project:

Check us out @thenontypicalproject on Instagram

Check me out @dean_hunts on Instagram

My friends over at Seventh Arrow Apparel are doing some pretty cool stuff if you'd like to support them and the show!

ep.023 - Colton Gilman - By Any Means Necessary

Today's guest is Colton Gilman. If you don't know of him, you should. Colton is one hardcore guy, a trad bowhunter who has taken game all over the world with his stick-bow. Must be nice to get to do all of that huh? Well, let Colton tell you about it in this episode, from spam sandwiches to quitting jobs to keep up with hunting season, putting bills on the back burner, and being a "stick-bum" in order to hunt, you'll find out just how nice it all is.

If you needed motivation this week, inspiration on chasing your dreams, or a reality check to find out how not-hardcore you are, this is the podcast for you.

To see more of our special guest: 

@stick_bum on Instagram

Colton Gilman on Facebook

To keep up with The Non-Typical Project:

Check us out @thenontypicalproject on Instagram

Check me out @dean_hunts on Instagram

Sponsors and Friends of the Show:

Be sure to swing in and check out Denny Dennis Sporting Goods if you’re ever in or around the Saint Louis, Missouri area! 

@dennydennissg on Instagram

@ddtackle on Instagram

You can see their Website Here

My friends over at Seventh Arrow Apparel are doing some pretty cool stuff if you'd like to support them and the show!

Thank you guys for listening, and I'll catch ya next week! 

ep.022 - Aron Snyder - Just Go Hunting

The one and only Aron Snyder is our guest this week on The Non-Typical Project! Aron is a legend of the industry and one of those guys that has just 'done it all'. An expert in all things taking to the field, and punching tags, Aron answers my flurry of questions as I pick his brain on travel hunting and trad archery. You most definitely will not want to miss this episode, from belly laughs and Snyderisms, to story telling and advice, we get into it all with Aron.

To see more of our special guest: 

@aron_snyder on Instagram

Aron Snyder on Facebook

To keep up with The Non-Typical Project:

Check us out @thenontypicalproject on Instagram

Check me out @dean_hunts on Instagram

Sponsors and Friends of the Show:

Be sure to swing in and check out Denny Dennis Sporting Goods if you’re ever in or around the Saint Louis, Missouri area! 

@dennydennissg on Instagram

@ddtackle on Instagram

You can see their Website Here

My friends over at Seventh Arrow Apparel are doing some pretty cool stuff if you'd like to support them and the show!

Thank you guys for listening, and I'll catch ya next week! 

Hunting is Hard #1. Today is a solo pod and we're trying something new. I tend to struggle with solo podcasts and feeling like I'm rambling. So instead, I decided to take a dive into the absurd, crazy stories, insane game laws, and hunting and wildlife tales that will make your head spin.

From hunting Bigfoot in Texas, to corn piles that can be seen from space, welcome to Hunting is Hard #1

I hope you guys enjoy this one!

To keep up with The Non-Typical Project:

Check us out @thenontypicalproject on Instagram

Check me out @dean_hunts on Instagram

Sponsors and Friends of the Show:

Be sure to swing in and check out Denny Dennis Sporting Goods if you’re ever in or around the Saint Louis, Missouri area! 

@dennydennissg on Instagram

@ddtackle on Instagram

You can see their Website Here

My friends over at Seventh Arrow Apparel are doing some pretty cool stuff if you'd like to support them and the show!

Thank you guys for listening, and I'll catch ya next week! 

ep.020 - Josh Trolinger - Research Junky: All Things Whitetail

Today, we've got Josh Trolinger on the podcast. Josh is a husband, a father, one heck of a bowhunter, and some would even call him a "research junky". If Josh had a super power it would be depth of knowledge. New products on the market, how to fix a bow tuning issue, what the heck to cook next with your venison, and changing regulations; Josh is your guy. In this episode we talk about it all and go in depth on the why, it's just what he does.

I hope you guys enjoy listening as much as we enjoyed recording, and maybe you'll learn something new like I did.

To see more of our special guest: 

@joshuastrolinger on Instagram

Joshua Trolinger on Facebook

To keep up with The Non-Typical Project:

Check us out @thenontypicalproject on Instagram

Check me out @dean_hunts on Instagram

Sponsors and Friends of the Show:

Be sure to swing in and check out Denny Dennis Sporting Goods if you’re ever in or around the Saint Louis, Missouri area! 

@dennydennissg on Instagram

@ddtackle on Instagram

You can see their Website Here

My friends over at Seventh Arrow Apparel are doing some pretty cool stuff if you'd like to support them and the show!

Thank you guys for listening, and I'll catch ya next week! 

On today’s episode we’ve got Steve Oberkrom. Steve is a father, competition archer, bowhunter, and an archery technician at Denny Dennis Sporting Goods. Steve and I cover one of my favorite topics today, archery gear selection, advances in equipment, and when your pre-season prep should really start. We talk about strings, bows, mobile hunting gear, and using your local pro-shop to be in tip-top shape before season without getting caught in the “rush”. From trends in the hunting world, to the age old debate on broadheads we covered a little bit of everything and had a great time doing it. 

I hope you guys enjoyed listening as much as we enjoyed recording.

To see more of our special guest: 

@smo_087 on Instagram

Steve Michael on Facebook

To keep up with The Non-Typical Project:

Check us out @thenontypicalproject on Instagram

Check me out @dean_hunts on Instagram

Sponsors and Friends of the Show:

Be sure to swing in and check out Denny Dennis Sporting Goods if you’re ever in or around the Saint Louis, Missouri area! 

@dennydennissg on Instagram

@ddtackle on Instagram

You can see their Website Here

My friends over at Seventh Arrow Apparel are doing some pretty cool stuff if you'd like to support them and the show!

Thank you guys for listening, and I'll catch ya next week!

Today's guest is Mr. Kevin Tod. Kevin is a husband, archery manager of Denny Dennis, and one heck of a trad archery hunter. Kevin has taken trophy class bucks consistently with traditional archery equipment for a number of years and I get to sit down and pick his brain on it. From where to start to the story of the biggest buck of his life at 7 yards with a stick bow, we hear great stories, great advice, and have a great time doing it.

We hope you guys enjoy listening as much as we enjoyed recording.

To see more of our special guest: 

@trad_the_impaler on Instagram

Kevin Tod on Facebook

To keep up with The Non-Typical Project:

Check us out @thenontypicalproject on Instagram

Check me out @dean_hunts on Instagram

Sponsors and Friends of the Show:

Be sure to swing in and check out Denny Dennis Sporting Goods if you’re ever in or around the Saint Louis, Missouri area! 

@dennydennissg on Instagram

@ddtackle on Instagram

You can see their Website Here

My friends over at Seventh Arrow Apparel are doing some pretty cool stuff if you'd like to support them and the show!

Thank you guys for listening, and I'll catch ya next week!

Today, one of my good friends joined me for a long overdue episode! Sam Smith of Sam Bows Archery comes on to talk about it all. Sam is a husband, archery shop owner, professional archer, and… you guessed it, one heck of a bowhunter. Sam and I talk about life owning an archery shop, growing up with big dreams of hunting and archery, professional archery, setting the future bowhunters up for success, and the incredible story behind his November buck last season. 

Sam is truly one of those “gem” human beings and someone I think everyone can learn a little something from. I know I say it a lot, but you really don’t want to miss this episode. 

I hope you guys enjoyed listening as much as we enjoyed recording.

To see more of our special guest: 

@_samsmith330_ on Instagram

@sambowsarchery_ on Instagram

SamBows Archery on Facebook

To keep up with The Non-Typical Project:

Check us out @thenontypicalproject on Instagram

Check me out @dean_hunts on Instagram

Sponsors and Friends of the Show:

Be sure to swing in and check out Denny Dennis Sporting Goods if you’re ever in or around the Saint Louis, Missouri area! 

@dennydennissg on Instagram

@ddtackle on Instagram

You can see their Website Here

My friends over at Seventh Arrow Apparel are doing some pretty cool stuff if you'd like to support them and the show!

Thank you guys for listening, and I'll catch ya next week! 

Today we've got a solo pod. I had to record this one and get it out to you guys ASAP because it's tick season. They're out and about and in higher numbers than ever. One fun fact about me is: I have had Alpha Gal and I lived with it for about 6 years. Ticks are no joke and as hunters, fisherman, and outdoorsman they are one of the biggest and most common risks to our health every year.

In this pod I break down my experience living with Alpha Gal, what Alpha Gal really is, Tick Prevention, Tick Identification, how to treat bites, and some advice for dealing with and monitoring symptoms.

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, medical professional, or a biologist, what I share and what tips I give are solely based off of my knowledge and my experiences.

I hope you guys get some truly valuable information out of this podcast and something that you can apply or that helps you.

To keep up with The Non-Typical Project:

Check us out @thenontypicalproject on Instagram

Check me out @dean_hunts on Instagram

My friends over at Seventh Arrow Apparel are doing some pretty cool stuff if you'd like to support them and the show!

Thank you guys for listening, and I'll catch ya next Friday! 

On today's episode, Chase Tompkins of Latitude Outdoors.

Chase joins me on the podcast to discuss self-filming hunts, filming for other hunters, working in the hunting industry, and of course, all things Latitude Outdoors.

Chase is a shining example of following your passions and chasing your dreams to work and make a life out of what you love, his insight and advice will surely be valuable to anyone looking to get involved with the hunting industry.

I hope you all enjoy listening to this one as much as we enjoyed filming it.

To see more of Chase:

@chase_tompkins25 on Instagram

@thewhitetailman_ on Instagram

Chase Tompkins on Facebook

To see more of Latitude:

LatitudeOutdoors.com

Grit Series Youtube

To keep up with The Non-Typical Project:

Check us out @thenontypicalproject on Instagram

Check me out @dean_hunts on Instagram

My friends over at Seventh Arrow Apparel are doing some pretty cool stuff if you'd like to support them and the show!

Thank you guys for listening, and I'll catch ya next Friday! 

Boy do we have a guest today, some know him as Mr. Steal Your Gold, the 12 Ring King, or just Mr. Kyle Douglas. Kyle hails out of the great state of Utah where he owns and operates Douglas Archery. Kyle is a husband, a professional archer, and one heck of a bowhunter. I sit down with Kyle in this episode to talk competition archery, his mental game, an absolutely killer winning streak and of course; some bowhunting. We get into it all in this one and have a good time doing time doing it! I hope you all enjoy listening as much as we enjoy talking about this stuff!

To see more of Kyle:

Douglas Archery - douglasarchery.com

@kyle.douglas1 on Instagram

To keep up with The Non-Typical Project:

Check us out @thenontypicalproject on Instagram

Check me out @dean_hunts on Instagram

My friends over at Seventh Arrow Apparel are doing some pretty cool stuff if you'd like to support them and the show!

Thank you guys for listening, and I'll catch ya next Friday!