Vulnerable Podcast

Cory Arbogast
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Sports
  • Updated Weekly

Vulnerable Podcast is for serious deer hunters who want real conversations, proven strategies, and hard-earned lessons on chasing mature whitetails. Hosted by Cory Arbogast and Joel Snow, owner of 5 Star Outfitters, the show covers deer behavior, scouting, habitat, pressure, wind, gear, and hunting culture. Over 25 years, Joel and his clients have taken 7 deer over 200 inches and too many Boone & Crockett bucks to count, while guiding 45+ hunters each year.

  1. 2d ago

    Vulnerable EP 39: Opening Week Bucks, Early Rut Signs & a Midnight Recovery

    In Episode 39 of Vulnerable, Cory and Joel break down the first week of hunting camp and everything that went into chasing mature Ohio whitetails during the early season. Joel takes us through Charles and Nathan’s week in camp — changing winds, green soybean fields, acorn flats, bachelor bucks disappearing and returning, last-minute hanging hunts, and the first real test of using e-bikes to get hunters in and out with less pressure. The guys also dive into some surprisingly early rut behavior, bucks already following does, scrape activity picking up, how the moon may be affecting movement, and a mature buck eating at a feeder for 35 minutes in broad daylight. Then the week gets real when an arrow is released on a good buck. With almost no blood, rain coming, and warm temperatures working against them, they make the decision to wait — eventually recovering the deer during a midnight tracking job. They also talk giant Ohio bucks already hitting the ground, doe management, deer donation programs, hunting pressure, entry and exit strategy, winter wheat, food plots, and what they expect as October starts heating up. This is deer camp in real time — adapting, making moves, learning from the deer, and trying to stay one step ahead.

  2. Oct 1

    Vulnerable EP 38: Rain, Mosquitoes, Bachelor Bucks & Deer Season Prep

    In Episode 38 of Vulnerable, Cory and Joel get into the chaos of late-summer hunting prep after a record amount of rain, flooding, mosquitoes, and changing deer movement. The guys talk bachelor buck groups, spotting scopes, phone adapters, Thermacells, food plots, acorn production, velvet bucks, rub out, e-bike access routes, stand prep, and what it takes to get ready for deer season when everything is wet, buggy, and changing fast. transcript(20261001-170024) They also dive into piebald deer, CWD, baiting rules, doe management, deer donation programs, trail cameras, and the bigger issues hunters keep talking about every season. This episode is straight hunting-camp conversation — deer strategy, season prep, wildlife talk, and honest opinions from the Vulnerable crew.

  3. Sep 10

    Vulnerable EP 37: Beavers, Bobcats, Bears & Early Season Buck Strategy

    In Episode 37 of Vulnerable, Cory and Joel cover a little bit of everything happening in the outdoor world right now. The guys talk Indian Lake beaver trapping, mink and otter talk, heavy rain and flooding, bobcat sightings, bear sightings moving through Ohio, and how much the wildlife landscape seems to be changing. They also dive into the Columbus poaching YouTubers, the King Buck debate, trail camera strategy, moving off mineral sites, mock scrapes, food plots, acorns, opener strategy, and why some big deer are “one and done” on camera. This episode is hunting camp conversation at its best — trapping, deer strategy, wildlife management, big buck talk, and honest opinions from the Vulnerable crew.

  4. Aug 20

    Vulnerable EP 36: Is Technology Ruining Deer Hunting? | CWD, Trapping & Big Bucks

    Has modern technology made deer hunting too easy? In Vulnerable Outdoors EP 36, Cory, Joel, and Garrett get into a wide-ranging conversation about where hunting is headed—and whether we’ve gone too far. We recap our trip to the National Trappers Association Convention, meeting legends like Tom Miranda and Joe Goodman, buying a pile of new traps, and hearing the incredible story of a trapper who spent THREE YEARS trying to catch one educated beaver. That story leads straight into whitetails: How much do mature deer actually remember? Can one bad encounter ruin a stand for the entire season? Do deer recognize your access routes, routines, cameras, vehicles, and hunting pressure? Then things get controversial. 🔥 North Carolina's special August buck hunt and CWD 🔥 Killing velvet bucks before normal hunting pressure begins 🔥 Why mature deer remember more than hunters think 🔥 Why Joel refuses to shoot does from certain buck setups 🔥 E-bikes, scent, access routes & hunting pressure 🔥 Trail cameras and whether technology has gone too far 🔥 Would hunting actually be BETTER if we went back 30 years? 🔥 Iowa, multiple buck tags & the reputation of big-buck states 🔥 Standing corn and how it changes the rut 🔥 Trapping tips learned from some of the best in the country Joel answers one of the biggest questions of the episode: Would you rather hunt today—or go back 30 years and remove all the technology? His answer: 30 years ago. Do you agree? 👇 DROP YOUR OPINION IN THE COMMENTS: Has technology made us better hunters—or just made hunting easier? Subscribe to Vulnerable Outdoors for real hunting conversations without the filter.

  5. Jul 31

    Vulnerable EP 35: Are States Making CWD Worse? Big Bucks, Food Plots & Earn-a-Buck

    Are states fighting CWD the wrong way? In Episode 35 of Vulnerable, Cory, Joel, and Chris debate early CWD hunting seasons, aggressive bag limits, resistant deer genetics, and whether current management strategies could actually be working against healthy deer herds. Joel also shares what he is seeing firsthand across his trail-camera network—including mature bucks hammering freshly worked mineral sites, how rechargeable lithium AA batteries are performing, and the effect extreme summer heat has on camera batteries. The crew also covers: • When to plant fall food plots during extreme heat and drought • Why oats may be one of the easiest late-season food sources • New York’s Earn-a-Buck program and Michigan’s upcoming pilot • Summer scouting and early preparation for deer season • Country Concert stories and behind-the-scenes chaos • Cooling vests, public-land concerns, and plenty of honest hunting-camp conversation The big question: Should states harvest more deer in CWD zones—or protect more of the herd and allow resistant genetics to spread? Drop your opinion in the comments. This is a debate every deer hunter should be paying attention to. Subscribe to Vulnerable Podcast for real hunting stories, honest debates, practical experience, and conversations that other hunting shows are afraid to have.

  6. Jul 24

    Vulnerable EP 34: Trail Cam Bans, AI Buck Tracking & a One-Eyed Giant

    In Episode 34, Cory, Joel, and Chris debate how quickly hunting is changing—from public-land trail-camera restrictions and fair-chase concerns to AI-powered cameras that can identify individual bucks and predict their future movements. Joel also reveals why he may get back in the tree stand to pursue a nine-and-a-half-year-old, one-eyed buck that has survived nearly a decade without ever being seen on the hoof. The guys also discuss: • Whether trail-camera bans punish the average public-land hunter• How mature bucks change after reaching four years old• Data privacy and who can access your trail-camera locations• Colorado’s push to protect hunting as a constitutional right• New rifle and buck regulations in Michigan• Ohio’s fall turkey rules and statewide harvest numbers• Why dumping huge corn piles during summer can hurt more than help• Cory’s new-dad life, Buc-ee’s, and the usual off-the-rails conversations Where should hunting draw the line with technology? Would you trust an AI trail camera with your pictures, buck patterns, and exact hunting location? Let us know in the comments. Subscribe to Vulnerable for honest hunting conversations, whitetail strategy, outdoor news, and plenty of unfiltered opinions.

  7. Jul 2

    Vulnerable EP 33: Has Technology Ruined Deer Hunting? | Cell Camera Bans, Big Bucks & Becoming a Dad

    The guys are back after a few weeks away, and there's a lot to catch up on. Cory shares how becoming a father has completely changed his life, while the conversation shifts into one of the biggest debates in modern hunting: Has technology made deer hunting better... or has it taken away what made it special? From cellular trail camera bans and hunting pressure to mature buck strategy, food plots, mineral sites, public land adventures, and the growing influence of social media, this episode dives deep into how hunting has evolved over the last 20 years. We also discuss: Becoming a new dad and balancing family with huntingWhy some states are banning cellular trail camerasAre trail cameras hurting mature buck age structure?The pressure of chasing one specific giant buckPublic land vs. managed private landFood plots, mineral sites & summer scoutingTactacam Defend security camerasSoil testing for better food plotsUpcoming hunts, concerts, and what's next for Vulnerable OutdoorsWhether you're chasing your first buck or your biggest buck, this episode is a reminder that sometimes the best part of hunting is simply being in the woods. New episodes every week. 🎙️ Follow, subscribe, and join the Vulnerable Outdoors community.

  8. May 29

    Vulnerable EP 32: Underwater Welding, EHD, and Giant Ohio Buck Stories with Mike Barry

    In Vulnerable EP 31, Cory and Joel sit down with longtime hunter Mike Barry for one of the most wide-open deer camp conversations yet. Mike has been hunting with Joel Snow and 5 Star Outfitters since around 2007 or 2008, and he brings years of stories from chasing mature Ohio bucks, shed hunting, southern Ohio deer hunting, and some giant buck encounters that almost came together. This episode also dives into the serious EHD outbreak in southern Ohio, how it impacted deer numbers, what hunters were seeing, and how it changed the season in certain areas. But this one is not just hunting. Mike also shares stories from his career with the Army Corps of Engineers, including underwater welding, lock and dam work, zero-visibility diving, scary underwater moments, NASA training, and disaster cleanup work in Maui after the wildfires. We talk about: Ohio whitetail hunting Southern Ohio EHD Mature buck movement Rut timing and weather Shed hunting giant deer 180-inch eight-point encounters Late-season deer hunting Underwater welding Army Corps diving Hunting with Joel Snow and 5 Star Outfitters This episode is a true deer camp conversation — hunting stories, work stories, laughs, close calls, and real talk. Subscribe to the Vulnerable Podcast for more whitetail stories, hunting strategy, outfitter conversations, and deer camp talk. Spotify Title: Vulnerable EP 31: Underwater Welding, EHD, and Giant Ohio Buck Stories with Mike Barry Spotify Description: In Vulnerable EP 31, Cory and Joel sit down with longtime hunter Mike Barry. Mike has been hunting with Joel Snow and 5 Star Outfitters since around 2007 or 2008, and he shares stories from years of chasing mature Ohio bucks, shed hunting, late-season hunting, and southern Ohio deer hunting. The crew also talks about the EHD outbreak in southern Ohio, how it impacted deer numbers, rut timing, weather, giant buck encounters, and what makes hunting with Joel different. Mike also brings a completely different side to the conversation with stories from his career with the Army Corps of Engineers, including underwater welding, lock and dam work, zero-visibility diving, NASA training, and disaster cleanup work in Maui. This one is part hunting podcast, part deer camp, part wild work stories — and packed with real conversation.

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About

Vulnerable Podcast is for serious deer hunters who want real conversations, proven strategies, and hard-earned lessons on chasing mature whitetails. Hosted by Cory Arbogast and Joel Snow, owner of 5 Star Outfitters, the show covers deer behavior, scouting, habitat, pressure, wind, gear, and hunting culture. Over 25 years, Joel and his clients have taken 7 deer over 200 inches and too many Boone & Crockett bucks to count, while guiding 45+ hunters each year.

Information

  • Creator
    Cory Arbogast
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    40
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Cory Arbogast
  • Show Website
    Vulnerable Podcast

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