Episode Details

Nick opens with a personal update on the shift from summer chaos into early fall hunting season, then moves into two connected stories about wild game, generosity, and community. He reflects on being gifted Great Lakes salmon and lake trout, turning part of it into smoked jerky, and how that exchange strengthened a friendship. He also previews an upcoming New Jersey black bear hunt and a new venison donation project that uses hunters’ harvests to help feed others.

Key Topics

• Balancing school, work, family, and hunting preparation as fall approaches
• Why Nick is keeping his current archery setup unchanged
• Repacking his kill kit and bringing a paperback book into the tree stand
• Preparing for an October black bear hunt in New Jersey with Mitchell Shirk
• Processing and preserving gifted Great Lakes salmon and lake trout
• Making smoked fish jerky using a brown sugar and salt cure
• Smoking fish with charcoal and black cherry wood
• The practical process of trimming fillets and removing pin bones
• How gifting wild game can create friendships and strengthen community
• Using salmon as part of a practical meal-prep routine
• The Doe Dash venison donation concept
• Turning donated venison into food for local food banks
• Using recipes to help families enjoy venison beyond burgers and chili
• Nick’s quick 30-minute meatballs and his wife’s grandfather’s gyoza recipe
• The role hunters can play in providing high-quality protein to people in need

Episode Summary

Preparing for Fall Hunting SeasonNick begins by describing the transition into September in Michigan. With school back in session, a nine-to-five job, children, and personal projects all competing for attention, he is learning to manage his time more intentionally.Fall is also the season when outdoor pursuits begin to accelerate. Nick talks about preparing for Michigan’s archery opener and getting his bow back out to start practicing. His equipment has been working well, so he is taking a simple approach: if something is not broken, there is no reason to fix it.One small change he is considering is bringing a paperback book into the tree stand. Rather than spending downtime scrolling on his phone, he wants to use that time to read and gain a different perspective while remaining immersed in the outdoors.

A New Jersey Black Bear HuntNick shares exciting news about an upcoming trip to New Jersey to hunt black bear with Mitchell Shirk of the Pennsylvania Woodsman.The trip is already moving forward, with flights and lodging arranged. Mitchell has been handling much of the scouting, baiting, and stand preparation, while Nick plans to bring his saddle because it allows him to sit comfortably for longer periods.The hunt will be a completely new experience for Nick. In addition to pursuing a new species in unfamiliar country, he will also have to think through the logistics of processing, transporting, and preserving a bear while traveling by plane. He hopes to bring the hide home for a rug and expects to rely heavily on Mitchell’s knowledge of local processors and taxidermists.

The Gift of Great Lakes FishThe central story begins with several fillets of Great Lakes king salmon and lake trout sitting in Nick’s freezer.The important part is not simply the fish. It is how the fish came to him.

Nick received the fish from Jason and Britley, friends he met through their sons’ soccer team. Jason is an avid outdoorsman who spends much of his time waterfowl hunting and fishing on the Great Lakes. After Jason and his fishing team won a tournament, he found himself with more fish than his household could use because Britley has a serious fish allergy.

Jason reached out to Nick, knowing that Nick enjoys both cooking and processing wild game. Nick offered to take some of the fish, prepare it, and turn part of it into jerky so Jason could