Becoming a Bowhunter

In this episode of Becoming a Bowhunter, Matty is joined by Brad Murphy and Ben Atherton for a deep dive into Australia’s most elusive and challenging deer species: Sambar.

Brad shares his decades of experience as a bowhunting coach, explaining how to pattern sambar behaviour, know where to find them and how to best set your expectations for hunting them. 

Ben has hunted Sambar deer his whole life… It’s only within the past ...

In this episode of Becoming a Bowhunter, Matty sits down with a true icon in the world of archery, Fred Eichler. Known for being the first person to complete the North American Super Slam with a recurve, Fred is absolutely full of life and an amazing storyteller, but he’s also a hunter, outfitter, and steward of the bowhunting tradition.

In this episode, Fred recaps some of his favorite hunts of various species from the Super...

In this episode of Becoming a Bowhunter, Matty sits down with Troy Fowler, better known as Ranch Fairy, to dive deep into the science, ethics, and gear setups behind repeatable bowhunting.

Troy’s known for testing gear, sharing data, and helping bowhunters take clean, lethal shots on animals. He works closely with the Ashby Foundation, and everything they do aims to use physics and numbers to speak for the results.

Whethe...

In this episode, Matty is joined by Kip Adams (@kipadams_nda), the Chief Conservation Officer for the National Deer Association (@deerassociation), to talk about all things whitetail, conservation, and the evolving role of hunters.

Kip brings over two decades of experience in wildlife biology and land management. In this conversation, we dig into deer behavior, nutrition, and management strategies, and how hunters can make be...

In this episode of Becoming a Bowhunter, Matty is joined by Jamie Macintosh and Hayden Rylewski.

These two recently conducted a sound test on arrows, and what they found is pretty incredible.

Inside this episode, we go into all of the elements they tested and break down exactly what makes your arrows loud or quiet while they’re soaring through the air.

The boys then help to draw the lines between their data and what that me...

In this episode of Becoming a Bowhunter, Matty sits down with Tom Clum Sr., a lifelong bowhunter and founder of RMS Gear, to talk all things traditional archery, effective shot execution, and making clean kills with a trad bow.

Tom has coached hundreds of archers through form issues, target panic, and inconsistent results. This episode cuts through the noise and gets straight to the stuff that actually makes you a better arch...

In this episode of Becoming a Bowhunter, Matty is joined by Brian Johnson, also known as The Anatomy Hunter, for a deep dive into why understanding the anatomy of your target species can make or break your hunt.

Brian’s mission is simple: to help bowhunters take more ethical, effective shots by knowing exactly where to aim. From deer to elk, pigs to predators, we unpack how a little anatomical knowledge can dramatically impro...

In this episode of Becoming a Bowhunter, Matty sits down with Alesha Tomasi — a passionate hunter, cook, and content creator — to talk all things meat, mindset, and meaningful connection to the land.

From harvesting her first goat to launching a female-led hunting community, Alesha shares how she went from tagging along on hunts to being an advocate for sustainable meat, mental health, and women in the outdoors. This episode ...

In this episode of Becoming a Bowhunter, Matty is joined once again by Ben Salleras, one of only a handful of hunters to ever complete the elusive South Pacific Slam. But what even is that? Ben unpacks the “South Pacific 15,” the challenges of defining a slam in our part of the world, and why the pursuit became such a personal obsession.

We dive deep into the last hunt that finished off his South Pacific Slam, the Wapiti from...

In this episode of Becoming a Bowhunter, Matty catches up with two stickbow hunters and top blokes — Benny Fensom and Jack Spinks — for a laugh-filled and brutally honest yarn about traditional archery, wild meat processing, serious health scares, and why red deer still haunt their dreams.

From hand-pumping 20 kilos of sausages to dodging disease from deer urine, this one covers all the messy, meaty, and memorable moments tha...

In this episode of Becoming a Bowhunter, Matty sits down with 21-year-old Logan Hawker — a young bowhunter who’s quickly earning his stripes through persistence, hard-earned lessons, and a deep respect for the hunt.

Logan first got into bowhunting thanks to a mad-keen neighbor, and even managed to pull his rifle-hunting dad over to the dark side (aka stick and string). These days, he’s putting in 20–30 km days chasing boars i...

In this episode of Becoming a Bowhunter, Matty sits down with Josh Forster, hunter, avid fisherman, YouTuber, and creator of the new outdoor connection platform Hooked Up.

From DIY arrows and NT buffalo chases to nearly getting cleaned up by a croc on the boat, Josh’s stories are wild. But this chat goes deeper — into what inspired him to build an app for Aussie hunters, fishos, and outdoor lovers who want real-world connecti...

In this episode of Becoming a Bowhunter, Matty sits down with Steve Dimitrakellis—chairman of Trophy Takers Australia—for a yarn that dives deep into traditional gear, bowhunting history, and why community is everything in this game.

Steve shares how he got started with a bow as a workaround for not being allowed a rifle, and how that decision sparked a lifelong obsession with bowhunting. From building wood arrows and tunin...

In this episode of Becoming a Bowhunter, we sit down with Roy Sloan—General Manager of the Fiordland Wapiti Foundation—for a deep dive into one of New Zealand’s most iconic herds and the conservation challenges they face.

Roy shares his decades of experience managing the only free-range wapiti (elk) herd outside of North America. From helicopter culling operations and habitat regeneration to the myth of the Fiordland moose, t...

In this full-send episode of Becoming a Bowhunter, Matty returns from one of the most action-packed fallow rut seasons yet—and he's brought a truckload of stories with him.

From adrenaline-pumping close calls and wild stalks to busted bows and unexpected dog encounters, this one captures all the highs, lows, and bush-beaten realities of bowhunting in peak 2025 rut. You’ll hear from a solid crew of legends as they break down t...

In this milestone episode of Becoming a Bowhunter, we’re flipping the script. Instead of the usual one-on-one chat, this episode features a powerful collection of real rut stories straight from the bowhunting community.

Host @MattyAfter put the call out for listeners to share their most memorable moments from the 2025 rut—and after some cat-herding and chasing down voice memos, eight legends stepped up to the plate. From mist...

In this episode of Becoming a Bowhunter, Matty sits down with Bailey Simmons (@_bailey_simmons_), a New England-based bowhunter who’s been slinging arrows since he was nine. From stalking big reds to chasing Billy goats through the hills, Bailey shares a real-deal look into the highs and lows of his 2024 rut season.

We dive into how a tight-knit crew of bowhunters from Armidale pushes each other forward, the lessons learned f...

In this episode of Become a Bowhunter, we sit down with George Ryals, a renowned archery coach and the founder of ImproveMyArchery.com. George shares his wealth of knowledge on how to build a solid foundation in archery and bowhunting, emphasizing the importance of precision, practice, and maintaining proper form. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned bowhunter, George provides valuable insights into improving your shooting ...

In this episode of Becoming a Bowhunter, we welcome back Harry Watson (@ihuntnfish) to unpack his detailed strategies for hunting red deer during the rut. Known for his incredible ability to get close to animals, Harry shares decades of knowledge and practical insights to help you make the most of this exciting hunting season.

We dive deep into:

• Red Deer Behaviour & Rut Timing: Understanding the full cycle of red dee...