Legends of the Wild, Episode 14: "Public Ground, Pressured Deer, and Why Access Still Matters"

Guest: Tony Peterson (Meateater)
Host: Sam Soholt (Field & Stream)
Date: December 17, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, host Sam Soholt sits down with his longtime friend and noted outdoorsman Tony Peterson, who's now with Meateater, for a deep-dive conversation about hunting on public ground, dealing with hunting pressure, evolving perspectives in the outdoor community, and how access to land continues to shape the future of hunting in North America. The discussion covers not just practical hunting strategies, but also the cultural and personal shifts both have experienced after years in the industry. This candid session is loaded with hard-earned lessons, honest confessions, and a shared appreciation for both the challenge and magic of time spent outdoors.

Key Discussion Points

1. Personal Journeys in Hunting and Connection to the Landscape

• Both Sam and Tony discuss their evolving motivations for hunting, moving away from a trophy-centric focus and towards simply being present in wild places.
  • Tony (03:22): "Put me someplace I want to be...If they stop selling me tags for deer, I'll go hunt sharpies, because I just want to be there, you know?"
• The deep personal attachment to landscapes like the North Dakota Badlands, and how these places anchor their outdoor experience.
  • Sam (03:22): "Every time I drive away from that landscape...I'm just mad that that's in my rearview mirror now."
• Discussion about rapid population growth and how it has changed access and the feeling of "untouched" wildness.
• Tony contrasts the enduring mystery of certain wild places with the alteration of old hunting grounds:
  • Tony (04:01): "You go back to certain places, it's often like you're chasing a memory. It’s not the same place anymore."

2. Social Dynamics and Hunting Culture

• The impact of social media, neighborly competition, and the ups and downs of sharing experiences and successes online.
  • Sam (09:08): "...Social media has more or less disincentivized posting anything about hunting...part of me misses...sharing the experiences."
• Growing sense of wanting to hold experiences closer, rather than broadcasting them.
  • Tony (08:23): "You realize you're like, man, I don't want to share trail camera photos or talk to the neighbor anymore. It's a weird place, man."
• Tony talks about the shift in hunting narratives—how the industry's focus on deer "success" has led to alienation and unrealistic expectations for most hunters, especially regarding trophy hunting.
  • Tony (10:16): "We have sort of sowed a narrative around how to be as a hunter, and now we're reaping what we've sown..."

3. Mistakes and Humility: The Realities of Hunting

• Both guests acknowledge that most days afield are filled with failure and mistake-making.
  • Tony (14:22): "I literally feel like a mistake-making machine almost every time I go into the outdoors."
• Importance of keeping the sense of wonder, humility, and fun—both share stories of being immediately humbled after feeling proficient.
  • Tony (16:50): "I think I just made the best pheasant shot of my life... turned around, missed [another bird] at 20ft with both barrels. This just levels off so fast."
  • Sam (18:08): "You continually try to get better, it always seems like it should be easier the next year. Then you go out there and, boy, do I not [have it figured out]."
• Long waits and "grinding": Tony explains the reality of hunting thick, low-density areas and how it took him 17 years to shoot a Pope & Young buck in northern Wisconsin.
  • Tony (24:19): "...I sat for 21 days over there before I saw a doe man. That's actual grinding."

4. Getting Better: Strategy, Flexibility, and Experience

• Critique of "industry rules" vs. real-world adaptability. "Don't let a trail camera dictate your plans—learn from being wrong, let the animals 'show you'."
  • Tony (26:23): "I constantly remind myself now...they'll show you, right? I think only carries me a little ways...Then what?"
  • Tony (30:09): "There's like a flow state to hunting...I'm okay getting this wrong...we have, like, created a lot of excuses and a lot of rules that we don't need to follow."
• The difference between seeking in-season sign vs. sticking rigidly to a predetermined plan.
• Simplification and returning to basics when hunting new places—putting aside overthinking in favor of time-tested fundamentals.
  • Sam (34:14): "Sometimes I have to take a big step back and just be like, okay, what do deer need typically...and then work it backwards from there."
• Importance of identifying what's "limited" for deer: food, water, cover, or, most often on pressured public land, "places people don't go".
  • Tony (35:54): "Survival is the most important. The most important thing for them is to not get killed."

5. Tony Peterson’s Path in the Outdoor Industry

• Tony recounts wanting to be a writer since growing up in small-town Minnesota, how going the "contrarian" path ended up helping him fit at MeatEater, and surviving corporate layoffs by hustling in every possible way.
  • Tony (43:02): "At one point I was freelance writing, selling fishing gear at Cabela's, selling wine...whatever I can do to get paid and keep this thing going."
• His philosophy of "making cool shit and hunt and talk about it and showcase my style...I feel just very lucky." (45:39)

6. The Value of Authentic, Challenging Outdoor Content

• On TV and digital representation of hunting—why filming truly challenging hunts (even when unsuccessful) matters for inspiration and education.
  • Tony (46:43): "I don't think the world needs more, you know, 180s walking out on food plots with names... But the downside is, you look like you don't know what you're doing, because it's very difficult."
• Importance of showing “real” hunts where success isn’t guaranteed, rather than only “highlight reel” moments.

7. Escapes and Life Beyond Hunting

• Both share how fishing—especially for smallmouth, muskies, or just being on water—becomes an escape and reset away from the industry grind or social media.
  • Tony (51:21): “All fishing is for me...sort of this immersive activity. When I'm casting for bass, I'm not looking at my phone...my focus is there.”
• The joy of chasing new species and the therapeutic value of just being out there.

8. Conservation, Access, and the Future of Hunting

• frank discussion of trends toward reduced nonresident tags and the dangers of gatekeeping, with both emphasizing the need to expand, rather than restrict, access for future generations.
  • Tony (58:31): "You're just taking away opportunities for kind of a short-term gain unless it's a real resource thing, but I want all of us to have more opportunities."
  • Tony warns about trends that would ultimately exclude all but the most affluent hunters.
• Support for walk-in/public-private cooperation programs (like Walk-In, PLOTS, Block Management) and calls for more transparent funding mechanisms that benefit all users.
  • Sam (64:15): "If we could have it as an opt-out...they'd raise more money. If that extra $50 opened up two more acres of public land—I’d do it."
• Closing concerns about the "race to exclude" and the need for collaborative solutions, not just raising prices to reduce competition.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Time | Quote & Attribution | |---------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 03:22 | "Put me someplace I want to be...I'll find the reason to go there." — Tony Peterson | | 10:16 | "We have sort of sowed a narrative...around how to be as a hunter, and now we're reaping what we've sown." — Tony Peterson | | 14:22 | "I literally feel like a mistake-making machine almost every time I go into the outdoors." — Tony Peterson | | 16:50 | "[On hunting humility] I shot that bird...one of the best pheasant shots of my life...then missed one at 20 ft with both barrels. This just levels off..." — Tony Peterson | | 24:19 | "I sat for 21 days over there before I saw a doe, man. That's actual grinding." — Tony Peterson | | 26:23 | "They'll show you, right?...you see what you're missing, or realize there's just something I'm missing." — Tony Peterson | | 30:09 | "There’s like a flow state to hunting...I'm okay getting this wrong." — Tony Peterson | | 35:54 | "Survival is the most important...the most important thing for them is to not get killed." — Tony Peterson | | 43:02 | "At one point, I was...freelance writing, selling fishing gear at Cabela's...selling wine. I was just like, whatever I can do to get paid..." — Tony Peterson| | 46:43 | "I don't think the world needs more...180s on food plots with names...the downside is, you could look like you don't know what you're doing [on hard hunts]." — Tony Peterson| | 51:21 | "All fishing is for me…I want a fish that...will hit topwater...it's such a nice way to unplug and not have the business aspect [weigh in]." — Tony Peterson| | 58:31 | "You're just taking away opportunities for kind of a short-term gain unless it's a real resource thing." — Tony Peterson | | 61:31 | "Every time that we lose a hunting opportunity, it generally doesn't come back." — Tony Peterson | | 64:15 | "If that extra $50 opened up two more acres of public land—I’d do it." — Sam Soholt |

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 01:02–08:23 – Personal histories, changing motivations, feeling at home in wild places, the downsides of population growth and development
• 08:23–14:22 – Social media's effect on sharing, secrecy, trophy culture, and shifting attitudes in hunting
• 14:22–18:08 – Mistakes, humility, and finding the fun in hunting despite (and because of) constant failures
• 18:08–26:23 – Digging into the value of time, learning from experience, and the limits of "industry rules"
• 26:23–39:26 – Strategic advice: in-season scouting, adapting to what deer are doing now—not what they "should" be doing—plus lessons from travel hunting
• 39:26–45:39 – Tony's unconventional path to his role at Meateater, lessons from surviving industry ups and downs
• 45:39–48:16 – The value of authenticity and showing tough, real hunting on camera
• 51:21–57:15 – The restorative nature of fishing and non-work outdoor pursuits
• 57:15–66:36 – Conservation policy, threats to access, nonresident hunting debates, and creative solutions for the future of opportunity
• 66:36–70:39 – Ways to outsmart pressure, when/where to hunt, adaptability
• 68:04–70:39 – Closing project teasers and where to find Tony's latest work

Where to Find More

• Tony Peterson hosts "Foundations" (Wired to Hunt) and "Houndations" (Cal of the Wild) on the MeatEater Podcast network.
• Regular contributor at Meateater.com.
• Connect via Meateater socials and website for more content, articles, and upcoming shows.

Takeaway

This episode captures not just actionable hunting insight, but also the heart and ethos of the modern American outdoorsman: rolling with change, celebrating the challenge, and working to keep wild places wild and accessible—for everyone. Whether you’re grinding through a tough season or questioning industry trends, Sam and Tony’s perspectives offer both honest guidance and hope for the future.