Ep. 485: Old-School Turkey Hunting, Storytelling, and Why It Still Matters with Brent Reaves // Meat Eater

East Meets West Hunt

Beau Martonik

Sports, Wilderness

4.9 • 796 Ratings

🗓️ 7 April 2026

⏱️ 73 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Brent Reaves of MeatEater joins Beau Martonik to talk turkey hunting, storytelling, and why the best parts of hunting have nothing to do with pulling the trigger. From chasing gobblers across the South to lessons learned over decades in the woods, Brent shares stories, hard-earned wisdom, and why patience, tradition, and community still matter today. They dive into turkey hunting tactics, how hunting styles have changed over time, and why sometimes the best move is simply sitting still and letting the woods work. This episode blends old-school perspective, humor, and real-world experience from a lifetime outdoors. Topics: 00:00:00 — Intro 00:04:27 – Intro at NWTF and meeting Brent Reaves 00:10:53 – Brent’s background and transition to MeatEater 00:15:35 – The art of storytelling and why it matters 00:20:40 – Why people connect to hunting stories 00:28:35 – Hunting community and bringing people together 00:30:53 – Why turkey hunting stands above everything else 00:36:41 – Lessons from long turkey hunts and failures 00:47:23 – How turkey hunting has changed over time 00:49:09 – Patience vs. run-and-gun hunting styles 00:54:02 – Calling strategies and reading turkey behavior 00:58:40 – Gear, knives, and hunting traditions Resources: Brent's IG This Country Life Podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@eastmeetswesthunt⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@beau.martonik⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠East Meets West Outdoors⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Shop Hunting Gear and Apparel: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.eastmeetswesthunt.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube: Beau Martonik - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQJon93sYfu9HUMKpCMps3w⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Partner Discounts and Affiliate Links: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.eastmeetswesthunt.com/partners⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Poncho Outdoors - Poncho Outdoors makes tough, sharp-looking, no-BS apparel for hardworking outdoorsmen who put in the time year-round. Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ponchooutdoors.com/EASTMEETSWEST⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to save $10 and free shipping Amazon Influencer Page ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.amazon.com/shop/beau.martonik⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	My grandpa said that, you know, turkeys can hear you thinking and see you change your mind.
0:05.5	I get asked all the time, Bo people will come up and say, what's your favorite thing to hunt?
0:10.0	It always comes back to turkeys every time.
0:12.0	You know, if I'm hunting something solo, or if I'm hunting with a friend or my brother or I'm taking a kid,
0:17.9	turkeys is the thing.
0:19.6	It's hard and it's special.
0:22.3	There's nothing easy about it, but everything about it is good.
0:26.0	Just hearing one.
0:27.3	Turkey's only, they only do it for a short period of time, you know.
0:30.5	So hearing one of them things is a blessing.
0:34.2	If they could smell like a deer, you would never see one. Because, I mean, they're gone.
0:39.4	My grandpa said that, you know, turkeys can hear you thinking and see you change your mind.
0:45.5	I was like, well, if I throw a mic on, then I can help others in the way that these people, that will help me.
0:51.1	Born in the heart of the Pennsylvania Deer Camp.
0:55.0	With the help of experts, friends, and local legends,
0:59.0	we bring you valuable knowledge and powerful stories
1:03.0	for your hunting adventures.
1:06.0	Welcome to the East Meets West Hunt podcast
1:10.0	with your host, Bo Martonic.
1:17.6	If you're serious about mobile and saddle hunting,
1:25.2	Timber Ninja Outdoors make some of the most proven gear in the woods.
1:29.1	Their saddles, carbon fiber climbing sticks, and the Kunai hybrid platform are designed for hunters
	...

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