The Fall Podcast

Most people know Jay's Sporting Goods as the giant Michigan sporting goods store… but very few know how it actually started. In today’s episode, I sit down with Arlene Yost, Jeff Poet and JJ Poet to hear the real story behind the empire. What started in the trunk of Jay Poet’s car in the 1960s eventually turned into the largest privately owned sporting goods store in the country. Before the massive stores, packed aisles, and loyal customers… there was a one-car garage, a dream, and a family willing to bet everything on it. This episode dives into the history, sacrifices, risks, and moments that built Jay’s into what it is today. Some of the stories in this one honestly sound too crazy to be real. If you love hunting, the outdoors, business, or just hearing how something legendary was built from absolutely nothing, you’re going to want to hear this one all the way through. This was a special episode for me to record, and I’m incredibly thankful the Poet family sat down to share it. Enjoy.

I'm not sure if anyone will like this but its something new I'm trying. Enjoy.

This week’s episode is for the guys who want to level up their self filming game in the whitetail woods. I sat down with JJ Dukart from The Deer Society to talk all things self filming deer hunts. JJ breaks down the camera gear and equipment he trusts in the field, how he efficiently films hunts completely by himself, and the little details that can turn average footage into a hunt film that actually tells a story. We also get into the B-roll shots every self filmer should be capturing, mistakes guys make when filming their own hunts, and ways to make your footage look more cinematic without overcomplicating it. On top of all that, JJ takes us down memory lane and shares one of his all-time favorite self filmed hunts. If you’ve ever thought about filming your own hunts, are struggling to make your footage better, or just love good whitetail stories, this episode is packed with useful information and plenty of BS along the way.

This week on The Fall Podcast, I sit down with my good buddy Lee Herr out of Iowa, a guy who’s built a reputation for doing one of the hardest things in the whitetail world, picking one specific buck and dedicating entire seasons to chasing that deer until the job gets done. No bouncing between shooters. No settling. Just patience, discipline, and an obsession with figuring out one mature whitetail. What makes this story even crazier is that Lee started hunting this buck with almost zero information. The only proof this deer even existed was a single shed antler he found the year before. No trail camera history. No daylight photos. No years of scouting intel. Just one giant shed and the belief that a world class buck was living somewhere nearby. This season, all of that work paid off in a massive way when Lee wrapped his tag around an absolutely stud 254-inch non-typical giant that ranks number 6 in the state of Iowa all time with his bow on a small piece of property. But what makes this story even better is the man behind it. Lee is as humble and down to earth as they come, and this conversation dives way deeper than just antler score. We break down the years of history with this buck, the mental grind of passing other deer, hunting pressured ground, the strategy behind targeting one animal, and what it really takes to consistently hunt at a high level. If you’re passionate about mature whitetails and the chess match that comes with hunting them, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

This week’s episode features Joe Davis, a newcomer to the world of filming and producing hunts who is already all-in on learning the craft the right way. Last fall, Joe made a decision most hunters would struggle with he put down his bow and gun for the entire season and dedicated himself fully to filming his buddies in the field. We dive into what it really takes to step away from your own trigger time and focus on capturing moments for others, and how difficult that sacrifice actually was once the season got rolling. Joe opens up about the mental grind, the discipline it took to stay committed, and what he learned about hunting, storytelling, and himself through the process. One year later, we break down the progress he’s made, the skills he’s developed behind the camera, and how that decision has shaped his path moving forward in the hunting and content world. If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to transition from hunter to storyteller or how much growth can happen in a single season this one’s for you.