The Big Buck Registry is a leading platform and community devoted to celebrating the world of deer hunting and the pursuit of trophy whitetails. Founded in 2010, it has grown into one of the most recognized online destinations for hunters, enthusiasts, and conservation-minded outdoorsmen.
The Big Buck Registry Deer Hunt Podcast—widely regarded as one of the original deer-hunting podcasts, with an RSS history tracing back to 2013—provides an extensive library of knowledge. Each episode features successful hunters, expert tips and techniques, compelling stories from the field, and deep discussions on deer behavior, habitat management, and ethical hunting practices.
Through its engaging content and passionate community, the Big Buck Registry continues to inspire and unite hunters across the globe, fostering respect for the whitetail deer and preserving the traditions that define the hunting lifestyle.
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In 2013, Big Buck Registry recorded Episode 27 — a conversation that quietly became one of the most important episodes in the show's history. In it, we interviewed certified wildlife biologist Jeff Makemson of the Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries, exploring a topic most hunters never think about:
Where does conservation funding actually come from?
The answer leads directly to the Pittman–Robertson Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act of 1937 — the law that rebuilt America's wildlife, restored whitetail deer from near extinction, and created the modern system of game management we rely on today.
In this revived evergreen episode, we:
Revisit the original 2013 interview
Clarify a few points that time and research have refined
Update what has changed since then
And deliver a deep-dive monologue explaining the full story behind the Act
If you hunt deer today, this law is part of your story — whether you knew it or not.
What You'll Hear in This Episode
• How close deer and other game species came to disappearing in the early 1900s • Why unregulated market hunting devastated wildlife populations • How sportsmen themselves pushed for federal conservation funding • What the Pittman–Robertson Act actually does • How the firearms and ammunition excise tax funds wildlife restoration • How states receive and use Pittman–Robertson funds • How deer populations rebounded from a few thousand to tens of millions • Why hunters are America's largest conservationists • What has changed in conservation funding since 2013 • Why this system still matters for the future of hunting
Featured Guest (Original Interview)
Jeff Makemson Certified Wildlife Biologist Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries
Jeff shares firsthand insight into:
Managing public wildlife lands
Restoring deer populations
Funding realities inside state agencies
Why most hunters don't realize they fund conservation
How habitat, research, and enforcement are supported
Why This Episode Matters
Without the Pittman–Robertson Act:
Whitetail deer would be rare or nonexistent in many states
Public hunting lands would be minimal
Wildlife agencies would lack scientific staff
Modern hunting culture would not exist
Every rifle, box of ammunition, and bow sold today continues to fund the system that keeps wildlife thriving.
Episode Structure
• New opening introduction and historical context • Summary and clarification of the original 2013 interview • Updated facts and modern funding perspective • Full deep-dive monologue on the Pittman–Robertson Act • Playback of the original 30-minute Episode 27 interview • Closing summary and reflections on hunters as conservationists
If you value hunting, share this episode. Every hunter who understands this story becomes a stronger advocate for conservation.
Deer News Review 2025: The Rules, the Research, and the Reality
Saturday, January 3, 2026 • Duration 01:11:48
In this special year-end Deer News episode, the Big Buck Registry team takes a comprehensive look at the deer hunting stories that shaped 2025 across the United States.
This episode moves state by state through the most consequential changes in deer hunting policy, access, and management—connecting regulation, science, enforcement, and biology into one clear picture of where deer hunting stands today.
The episode begins in the Northeast, where long-running debates finally gave way to major access changes. New York legalized crossbows for deer hunting, New Hampshire expanded legal hunting equipment, and Connecticut widened Sunday hunting opportunities. In Massachusetts, efforts to address deer overpopulation on Martha's Vineyard highlighted conflicts between wildlife management goals and the state's firearm and crossbow laws.
From there, the focus shifts west, where pressure on opportunity continued to build. Montana reaffirmed limits on nonresident deer licenses, reinforcing resident-priority access as demand for Western tags continued to rise.
Chronic Wasting Disease remained one of the most influential forces shaping deer management in 2025. At the federal level, increased funding supported research and state response efforts. Minnesota expanded late-season CWD management hunts, Iowa broadened mandatory testing and reporting requirements, and Missouri reassessed its approach—ultimately rolling back part of its CWD firearms season after evaluating impacts on effectiveness and hunter participation.
The episode also examines how changing rules affected hunters on the ground. Pennsylvania tightened in-season trail camera restrictions, Wisconsin continued to experience hunter fatigue tied to long-term CWD policies, New Jersey reaffirmed Earn-A-Buck as a population control strategy, and Michigan expanded depredation authority allowing deer removal outside traditional seasons.
Beyond policy and regulation, this episode highlights important research and technological developments shaping the future of deer management. New scientific findings raised questions about how early Chronic Wasting Disease infection may occur, including the possibility of transmission from doe to fawn before birth. Emerging technologies also showed promise—from thermal detection systems designed to reduce deer-vehicle collisions, to drone-based surveys improving accuracy in deer population estimates.
Deer News - November 2023
Wednesday, November 1, 2023 • Duration 30:05
In this November Edition of the BBR Deer News, news you might have missed over the last month, we cover several stories from around the country. Here are the stories we cover and felt were news worthy:
Controversial Sharpshooters: Discussion on sharpshooters hired to kill deer from helicopters on Catalina Island, California.
Kentucky Poaching Cases: Coverage of poaching incidents in Kentucky.
Urban Deer Hunting in West Virginia: A story about deer hunting in urban areas of West Virginia.
New Bow and Arrow Hunt in Rhode Island: Introduction of a newly sanctioned bow and arrow hunting method in Rhode Island.
Tree Stand Safety in Wisconsin: Advice on avoiding ash trees for tree stands in Wisconsin.
Chronic Wasting Disease in Minnesota: Examination of a CWD (Chronic Wasting Disease) story in Minnesota.
Spear Hunting in Arkansas: Discussion about the practice of spear hunting in Arkansas.
Potential Record Buck in Texas: Report on a potential new record-setting buck in Texas.
Major Changes in Utah: Discussion of significant changes in deer hunting regulations in Utah.
Deer Population Management Debate in New York: Insights into a debate over managing a growing deer population in Jamestown, New York.
216 BILL VALE - Stay Ahead of the Buck, First Time Stand Magic
Episode 216
Saturday, September 9, 2017 • Duration 01:32:20
Every hunter dreams of shooting a trophy buck—of looking down on a cool, crisp morning and seeing a massive set of antlers walking below his or her tree. Master Bowhunter Bill Vale's landmark book brings into perspective the order of survival. Bill enjoys hunting in areas where the deer are under extreme hunting pressure, like Bill's hunting area of Calhoun County, Michigan, where there are some of the highest numbers of hunters per square mile than any other place in the country. Bill studies how the solar/lunar forces (perigee and apogee), and the light the moon reflects and governs the movement and instincts of big bucks, and the timing of the rut from year to year. Bill shares with us his aggressive secrets, tactics, and field-tested strategies that have been proven successful after 35+ years of hunting for pressured big bucks.
215 CURT GEIER - Working Class Bowhunter and Billy Joe Lunch Bucket
Episode 215
Saturday, September 2, 2017 • Duration 01:20:37
"...for Billy Joe Lunch Bucket, the working man like me an you"- That's the phrase that embodies the cast of the podcast, Working Class Bowhunter. One day Curt Geier turned in his BMX bicycle for a compound bow and the rest is now actively in the podcast history books. Curt heads up the podcast and has created a remarkable brand and cast. Their show is described as unscripted, fun, and casual, and all about the blue collar bow hunter. We've been a fan since day one, and we finally put this interview together with Curt. It's been a long time coming.
The Apple Outdoor Categories Lacking Hunting Podcasts
A Niche, A Hiking Podcast
The Spokesperson of Hunting
A Funny Laid Back Goof-ball, A Focused Hunter
The Joe Rogan Experience, Thrasher Skate Boards
Big Brother Magazine, Too Many Hunting Podcasts
Audio Quality and Consistency
Your Can't Duplicate Personalities, An Uncomfortable Pause
Putting Away the BMX for a Bow
Obsessed with Accuracy, Don't Call Me, It's November
Glasses and the Bow Shot, A New Bow, New Glasses
The Fundamentals of the Shot, A Mental Game
214 ART HELIN - 365 Food Source, Deep H2O Pools, and The Deer Sanctuary
Episode 214
Saturday, August 26, 2017 • Duration 01:56:45
Art Helin spends a lot of time in the deer woods. He is a student. Art says that it's not unusual for him to spend 150 days a year in the field - guiding, scouting, hunting, but most of all learning. You'll often find Art delivering seminars for many different aspects of deer hunting, where he shares stories that he draws from his own experiences, both successes and failures. Art uses lots of today's technology including online topographical and aerial maps and game cameras. He loves a good food plot, timberland management, pond projects, and smart foresters. In turn, Art conducts his own deer habitat consultations and will share his knowledge with any hunter that will listen.
213 MIA ANSTINE - The Horseback Hunt for Colorado Muleys
Episode 213
Saturday, August 19, 2017 • Duration 01:30:15
Mia Anstine recently found herself on the cover of Field and Stream and rightfully so, Mia is an outdoor writer, podcaster, and hunting guide in Colorado. You'll hear Mia's positivity as we discuss the numerous species and hunting opportunities that Colorado has to offer. Mia loves getting in shape both mentally and physically in preparation for her guided horseback mule deer hunts and explains why waiting patiently for the right shot will pay huge dividends. She loves the variety of game found in her home state and enjoys intense temperature and weather swings that often appears during hunting season. Mia shares with us how to prepare for all the fun that comes with hunting the big country.
212 THE KEEFER BROS - Rusted Rooster, Dropped, Hatch, and Clinically Dead
Episode 212
Saturday, August 12, 2017 • Duration 01:42:09
Which came first, the Rooster or the Hatch? Turns out they were created around the same time. Chris and Casey Keefer, the hosts of Dropped, an Outdoor Channel show reminiscent of what might happen if you crossed the Amazing Race and deer hunting into one survivalist package, are behind all of these - Rusted Rooster, a production company, Hatch a marketing company, and Dropped, a creative outdoor hunting television show. With the help of Jason Brown, Chris and Casey have created what is arguably one of the best concepts on hunting television. We discuss with Chris and Casey how they developed the concept for the show, how the highs and lows of hunting is a microcosm of real life, Chris's deathly car crash experience, and wait until you hear what Casey has for breakfast in the 10 Rapid Fire Questions at the end of the show.
211 BRUCE MITCHELL - Meat Hunter, Slick Bucks, Swamp People & Potato Gators
Episode 211
Saturday, August 5, 2017 • Duration 01:33:19
Across Lake Pontchartrain from New Orleans lies the town of Hammond, Louisiana. And tucked within the swamps of Hammond you will find Bruce Mitchell and his humble homestead. Bruce, one of the cast of Swamp People, entertains millions of viewers each year as he shares his nightly dinner preparation and adventures from is outdoor kitchen while sporting overalls and a stars and stripes bandana. Bruce is known as a gator man, but he's hunted everything that roams the swamps of Louisiana, including what Bruce calls "slick swamp bucks". Bruce lives a simple life. His favorite saying is "everybody has got to die, but not everybody gonna live". Bruce lives to live. And he shares his life frequently with the world of social media, despite his incompatibility with computers. Bruce shares with us his life in the bayou, how he scouts deer by boat, how he fills his 4 freezers with game meat, how he prefers scouting by spending time in the stand over cameras, and how winter alligators can be mistaken for floating potatoes.
Meramec State Park Employee Dies after Mysterious Tick Illness
Court Rules Great Lakes Wolves Still Deserve Protection Under the Endangered Species Act
10 Whitetail Deer Facts Most Hunters Don't Know
HERE'S WHAT WE DISCUSSED:
Just Got Through Eatin', A Facebook Live Kind of Guy
I don't Know What a Vlogger Is
A Life without Computers, 1.9 Million Watchers
Hammond, Louisiana - Hanging Hair
A Favorite Kind of Hunting, Learning to Hunt with a Stick
I'm a Meat Hunter, Foraging Off the Land, Grandpa Kept Turtles
Storing Potatoes, Woods, We Never Stopped
210 BRANDON BATES - Breadcrumb, Bluetooth Nocks & PBR, RMEF Team Elk
Episode 210
Saturday, July 29, 2017 • Duration 01:17:05
You most probably have seen the video. You know, the one with the bluetooth trackable nock? The invention featured in this video leaves you saying "Why didn't I think of that"? Brandon Bates, the arena voice of the Professional Bull Riders and host of RMEF Team Elk on the Outdoor Channel, is also co-owner of Breadcrumb, the company behind the bluetooth trackable nock technology. It takes more than a good idea to bring a product to market. It takes money, patience, time and a good plan. Brandon, who says he prefers to stay out of the spotlight, is a television show host, PBR arena announcer, has spent many hours hunting the west with the likes of Cam Hanes, but is also an adventurous entrepreneur, hardcore hunter and die-hard conservationist. Brandon shares his story.
New Law Allows Urban Deer Taking Donations to Food Banks
Fawn Collar is Part of a 5 Year Old Study
HERE'S WHAT WE DISCUSSED:
Technology and the Hunting World
The Professional Bull Riders
A Knack for Being an Announcer
Growing Up in Louisiana, Transfer to Oklahoma
Deer, Duck, and Turkey Hunting
A Family to Help with a Deer Hunt
A Dirt Poor Farmer and Huge Tracks of Land
Starving in OK in the 30s, 40s, 50s
The North American Model of Conservation
The Word But, Conservation in Brazil
Team Elk, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Cam Hanes
One Elk a Year to Fill the Freezer
When the Arrow Flys, It's a Big Ass Deal
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Enforcement remained a critical part of the story in 2025. The episode reviews major poaching cases in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Ohio, including multi-county investigations, organized poaching rings, and one of the stiffest trophy buck restitution penalties on record.
The year closes in Maine, where consecutive harsh winters and the loss of critical deer wintering habitat served as a reminder that biology still sets the ultimate limits—regardless of policy decisions or technological advances.
The episode also includes an update on Big Buck Registry itself. The team discusses the launch of the new website, a return to in-depth interview-style episodes, and the tools built to help hunters better understand conditions and context—including BBR Weather, Deer Move by Weather, and Deer Move by Moon. Listeners will also hear about new ways to engage with BBR, including suggesting guests, submitting deer for social features, and using long-term reference pages designed to keep information accessible beyond a single season.
This episode is a complete snapshot of deer hunting in 2025—where rules changed, science advanced, enforcement drew clear lines, and biology reminded everyone who ultimately sets the boundaries.
Episode Highlights
Major deer hunting law and access changes across the U.S.
Chronic Wasting Disease management strategies and policy reversals
New research on CWD transmission and persistence
Emerging technology in deer safety and population monitoring
High-profile poaching cases and enforcement outcomes
Habitat loss, winter severity, and biological limits on deer populations
Big Buck Registry platform updates, tools, and community features
