It Started on a Pool Table in Tucson in November 2021

People ask me how I got sponsored. The honest answer is that I had no plan. I didn’t even know who Dennis was when I met him.

Back in November 2021, I was in Tucson, Arizona playing pool with some friends. Dennis was downstairs at the same restaurant after speaking at a conference. We got paired up on the same team, ran the table all night, and didn’t stop until about 3 a.m. People kept coming up to me saying, “Do you know who that is? You need to Google him.” I told them, we’re playing pool right now, that’s irrelevant. At one point I just asked him, “Who are you?” He said, “I’m Dennis. Who are you?” I said, “I’m Kirt.” And we kept playing.

That’s it. That’s the origin story. No pitch deck, no DM, no ask. Four years later he’s flown me to Vegas, we’ve done cocoon oxygen baths, he’s come to San Antonio to eat breakfast and lunch with me at our local Mexican spot, and now we’ve filmed a full podcast episode in the living room.

“In the world of AI where there’s AI this and AI that, there’s nothing better than doing things for real — in person.”

Dennis Yu, on the episode

How I Actually Got the Victory Archery Deal

Here’s the part people don’t want to hear: my Instagram didn’t get me signed. My TikTok didn’t get me signed. I’m not even sure Victory cared that I have 8,500 subscribers on American Country Outdoors. It was human interaction. Straight up.

I met a guy named Chris who works for Victory. I’d see him every year at the same archery competition. He found out I knew another guy — EJ — and I wasn’t using EJ’s name for clout. Chris asked me directly, and I told him the truth: yeah, we shoot together sometimes, we’ve been on hunts at the same location. Chris knew EJ was already on Victory arrows. He looked at me shooting a competitor’s brand and said, “Why are you shooting that? I want you to come shoot this brand.”

Three guys — Chris, EJ, and another friend Jeff — and the pieces fell into the right hands. That’s how one of the biggest brands in archery ended up on my arrows. No application. No media kit. Just relationships that were already there because I actually hunt with these people.

The 5 Million View Short I Never Expected

Dennis brought up the Short. I’ve got one that hit 5 million views, which is wild because I probably made a few hundred videos before one of mine cracked 10 or 20,000.

The funny part is I wasn’t even trying to blow up. I was helping another YouTuber who was pushing for 1,000 subscribers. He was using a product of his, I said, “Hey, let me grab a 30-second clip of that. I’ll post it on my channel and tag you.” That was the one that hit 5 million. I truly believe it’s because I was trying to help someone else. The stars aligned on the video I cared about the least — because it wasn’t about me.

That’s a theme in my content. If you look through my channel, you’ll see I’m rarely a solo hunter. I’m at Total Archery Challenge, I’m filming with my buddy John, I’m on the ground with friends. Because I’ve built inside that community, the community shares it back. Brands see that. Sponsors see that.

The Brands That Already Trust Me

As of today, the sponsors on my back are:

• Victory Archery — arrows (just signed)
• Moultrie Mobile — trail cameras (see my 4-month trail cam field review from Junction and the solar panel + mount unboxing)
• Black Flag Nootropics — focus and energy
• Bow Crew Apparel — (the apparel I actually wear in the stand)

I’ve also put rounds through equipment from Thorn Broadheads, Rage Hypodermic, Tooth of the Arrow, Mystery Ranch, Marsupial Gear, and Trophy Ridge. Every one of those reviews is on my site. None of them are paid placements written by an agency. I shot the product, I used the product, I killed with the product — and then I wrote about it.

What I Told Dennis on the Show

If you’re a young adult who hunts, shoots, fishes, wrenches, cooks, builds — whatever your thing is — and you want sponsors, Dennis asked me on camera what advice I’d give. Here’s what came out of my mouth, unfiltered:

“Just do it. Pull the trigger. Don’t dip your toes. I was worried about not having the nicest equipment. You don’t need it. We’re recording this on an iPhone mounted on a stick sitting on a waffle maker. Just get out there and start.”

The other piece of advice — and this one came from Dennis and I’m stealing it because it’s true: start a podcast and interview the people you admire. You honor them, they share it, and you borrow their audience. Dennis had me list eight names in the archery world I’d love to interview — Dan from Elkshape, John Dudley, Chris Bee, Nate Grace and a few others. Before this episode I’d have told you zero of them would say yes. After talking to Dennis I think all six will. I’ll be testing that theory at Total Archery Challenge in San Antonio in April, and in Idaho this fall when I head up for my elk tag.

Why I Do This

Dennis asked me at the end what question I wish people asked me. It’s this: Why do you love what you do?

I love meat. I love meetings with friends where we actually sit down together. Rifles felt too easy, so I picked up a bow to make it harder on myself — and then I fell in love with archery. The long seasons, the people I’ve met, the gear, the math on feet-per-second and arrow weight and everything that goes into a clean pass-through. When you’ve hiked 13 miles yesterday, 12 today, you’re sleeping on the ground, your back hurts, and you pack 150 pounds of meat back to camp and cut a piece up on a campfire under the stars in Idaho — nothing tastes better than that.

That’s the thing brands can’t fake. That’s the thing AI can’t generate. That’s why I’m out here.

Connect With Me

If you got value out of this, do Dennis and me a favor:

• Subscribe to American Country Outdoors on YouTube
• Follow @kirtbox on Instagram
• Watch the Coach Yu Show for more episodes like this one
• Read the BlitzMetrics companion piece: How Kirt Box Landed a Victory Archery Sponsorship

And if you shoot, hunt, film, or work in the outdoor industry — reach out. It’s really me answering. Not an AI, not a VA. I might take a few days but I always respond, because I actually want to see you win.

— Kirt

I finally tagged a blackbuck at 72 yards on free-range land — and it was one wild ride to get there.

The Early Morning Stalk

Friday morning, John and I had a plan: it was his birthday, and we were going to glass for bucks from the hillside. We weren’t two minutes into our approach when we heard bucks fighting down in the draw — about 200 yards away. We closed the distance to 80 yards and I decided to take a shot.

The light wasn’t ideal. We thought the shot was just a shade too low, catching him right under the belly instead of where I wanted. I’ve been practicing out to 111 yards, so 80 isn’t normally a problem. But sometimes brighter conditions make all the difference when you’re reading the sight pin. We regrouped and kept moving, but the opportunity slipped away.

Finding the Right Buck

We didn’t dwell on the miss. Instead, we kept glassing and found another blackbuck — this one a really solid animal. We set up and John took a shot first. When it didn’t connect, I nocked an arrow. This time, I was ready. The yardage was 72, the conditions were better, and I drew back smooth.

“Sometimes you get a second chance on the same hunt, and you have to make it count.”

The shot felt clean. I knew the moment it left the string that I’d done my part — good form, right aim, committed to the execution. The blackbuck dropped, and we wrapped our tag on a really nice animal.

Putting Meat on the Ground

This hunt proved something I believe in deeply: free-range exotic hunting on raw land rewards patience and hard work. You’re not sitting in a blind waiting for something to walk past. You’re actively hunting — glassing, stalking, reading wind, adjusting. And when your planning and practice come together, you get moments like this.

My axis and blackbuck pursuit from Episode 2 showed how unpredictable free-range hunts can be, and this finale proved that persistence pays off. Whether it’s stalking axis at Baker3 Ranch or chasing exotics on open land, the foundation is the same: know your bow, know your limits, and execute when the moment comes.

That’s the heart of American Country Outdoors — real hunts, real lessons, and meat in the freezer.

Episode 2 was pure chaos — roaring axis, fighting blackbucks, multiple animals, and the kind of fast-paced hunting that keeps you sharp.

Roaring Axis and Fighting Blackbucks

John was behind the camera because the night before I’d tagged a doe. We didn’t have much time to pursue it once the rut kicked in. We heard some serious roaring from what sounded like an axis buck, so we pivoted and headed that direction. By last light, we found two blackbucks fighting through a fence — wild to witness and tough to film with a handheld camera in low light.

The action started early the next morning. Lots of roaring already. Lots of water movement. The exotics were in full rut mode, and that meant opportunities — if we could stay flexible and aggressive.

Multiple Encounters

We spotted axis bucks roaring across the landscape, blackbucks in aggressive postures, and from one vantage point we could glass a whiteTail up on a hill. I even spotted a pig. Stalking free-range exotics means you’re never hunting just one animal. You’re hunting a landscape where multiple species are moving, vocalizing, and giving away their positions.

“There’s a lot of roaring already this morning, so we decided to come over here.”

This episode proved that free-range exotic hunting rewards aggression and adaptability. You can’t stick to a plan when the rut is on and animals are broadcasting their location every few minutes. You have to hunt what you hear and see right now.

If you’re curious how this style compares to blind hunting, check out my land setup video or my successful blackbuck hunt at 72 yards where all this scouting came together. Free-range hunting builds a different skill set — and Episode 2 showed exactly why I love it.

American Country Outdoors documents the real learning curve of exotic hunting, and these moments are where the education happens.

After years with my old setup, I upgraded my binocular harness — and it’s a decision that paid off the moment I hit the field.

From 10×42 to 15×56

I ran a Louis Vuitton Cascade 10×42 for a while with a Marsupial foliage pouch. That combo worked. But when I went to Idaho for the elk hunt, I realized I needed more magnification. The landscape was huge, the distances were long, and I needed to see detail further out. I upgraded to Vultures Vortex 15×56 binoculars — and that meant I needed a new harness.

The 15x56s are bigger, heavier, and they demand a harness that can carry them stable and accessible. That’s where the upgraded Marsupial pouch came in.

What I Like About This Harness

The magnetic closure is quiet and stealthy. Opens smooth, closes secure, and it stays open when you need it to — unlike some harnesses where the design works against you. There’s no fumbling, no clicking, no mechanical noise that spooks animals when you’re glassing at dawn.

“Usually pretty quiet, very stealthy. It stays open, and it doesn’t close on you by accident.”

The real difference with a quality binocular harness is stability. When you’re glassing from a hillside or across a valley, you need your binos sitting right where you left them. The Marsupial design keeps them accessible and balanced, so you can move, pivot, and deploy without fumbling.

This is the kind of gear that bridges the gap between field reality and comfort. If you’re serious about hunting, your optics matter — and the harness that carries them matters just as much. It’s not as flashy as a new bow or a broadhead, but it’s the kind of upgrade that changes how you hunt.

American Country Outdoors is about good gear, good land work, and honest reviews. When something makes a real difference, that’s worth sharing.

John and I pulled up to Baker 3 Ranch and I knew this hunt was different from anything I’d done before. His church runs an annual hunt there, and it’s not about putting heads on walls—it’s about depth, challenge, and real bowhunting.

My first year was 2023. John brought me into it, and the second I got there, I understood why he talks about this place with so much respect. The ranch sits in rocky country, the animals are wild axis and blackbuck, and the hunt itself is a multi-day commitment with real challenge built into every stalk.

Scouting and Setting Up

Episode one was about getting oriented and laying the groundwork for the hunts to come. John and I spent the first day hiking the washes, placing Moultrie trail cameras at water holes and key spots, and looking for signs—rubs, tracks, water holes where axis come in to drink.

We heard axis roaring in the distance. That’s not a sound you hear from whitetail or elk. It’s unique, sharp, and wild. We moved toward the sound, trying to locate where the bucks were bedding. The terrain is all rock and creosote, so noise discipline matters. Every footfall on the rocks is a potential give-away.

We found a good water hole, set up a camera, and moved into some shade to gllass and listen. The afternoon wore on and we heard more roars. We knew the animals were in the area.

There’s just something special about this hunt that is way more in depth than killing a giant bull on a side of a mountain.

As light started getting thin, I spotted a buck across a clearing—about 100 yards away. I made my move, repositioned toward some better trees to close distance. But in moving to get a better position, I stood up and there he was—a good axis buck right across the water. I drew back and sent an arrow. Clean miss. That’s the hunt right there. Not the story I wanted to start with, but that’s what happens when you hunt wild animals with a bow.

What Baker 3 Really Is

This hunt isn’t about guaranteed success or trophy guarantees. It’s about being in rugged terrain, making long stalks on wary wild animals, and learning to hunt without a net. We’ve got more episodes coming. Animals will hit the ground. Decisions will be made. The hunt will unfold like it really does in the field, not like a highlight reel.

If you want to see what commitment to archery and wild country looks like, Episode 2 shows where this led. And if you’re hunting javelina in similar terrain, Texas hunts teach the same lessons about stalking and pressure.

I pulled a September Idaho elk tag this year, so I’m getting my feet wet in the elk world. At the Total Archery Challenge in San Antonio, I met some cool folks from Eagle Cap Outdoors and they showed me their new bugle tube—the Intimidator.

Why It Works

It’s slim, which matters more than people think. Most bugle tubes take up room in your pack, but this one fits clean. When you’re hiking backcountry chasing bugling bulls, every bit of space counts.

The 3-in-1 design does real work. You’ve got your glunking—the aggressive calls that bring a bull in closer. You’ve also got your raking function, so you can use the tube as a rake without setting it down and hunting for a stick. For a camera guy like me running the camera in one hand, this means I can hold the tube in the other and keep steady while I’m filming and calling simultaneously.

The tube doesn’t mess with optics much either, which is important if you’re glassing while you call. It does what it’s built for without complication.

Heading to Idaho

This is going to be part of my setup come September. Use code ACO15 for 15% off at Eagle Cap if you’re interested. Heading into the elk woods with solid gear like this gives you one less thing to worry about and one more advantage when it counts.

Follow along with my Idaho elk hunt and other bowhunting adventures on the channel.

I just got my hands on Moultrie’s new lineup, and I want to walk you through what’s coming. These aren’t tiny upgrades—they’re solid improvements in image quality and features that actually matter when you’re hunting.

The Lineup

The original Edge is still solid at 33 megapixels and 720p video for about $80. But if you want to step up, the Edge 2 brings 36 megapixels and 1080p for $100. That’s the sweet spot for a lot of folks.

Then there’s the Edge 2 Pro—and this is where Moultrie got serious. Forty megapixels, 1440p video, upgraded night vision, and no-glow flash so the animals don’t spook at the infrared. The AI smart capture is real useful too: you can tell it to ignore cows or other non-game animals, so you’re not wasting storage on pictures you don’t need.

What Sold Me

The instant control feature lets you point your phone app at the camera while you’re setting it up and see exactly where it’s aiming. GPS location tracking and tamper detection mean you’ll know if someone moves your camera. At $139, the Pro is a must-have if you’re serious about scouting big bucks.

Head over to Moultrie to check out the full specs. This is the kind of gear that wins hunts.

See my other trail camera posts and scouting footage for more on what the cameras catch.

A Moultrie Mobile delivery arrived at exactly the right moment — just as I was heading to the lease to put out corn and fresh gear.

The Package

I got a shipment from Alabama, and I knew exactly what it was going to be: Moultrie Mobile trail camera gear. My archery room was under construction at the time (tools and bows everywhere), so I opened it on the ground and started pulling out the goods.

First item: a solar panel. I’ve already done research on these and I’m familiar with the product. We were about to head to the lease in an hour to set up new feeders and fresh camera stations, so the timing was perfect.

Camera and Mount System

Second item: the Outdoor Edge attachment system. That’s the interface that lets you mount your camera quickly and move it if you need to. The whole setup is designed so you can install cameras on the fly without wrestling with brackets or modifications.

“This package could not have come in a better time. I’m about to go to the lease and put out a bunch of corn and feed.”

Trail camera systems are only as good as their deployment. A camera sitting in a box does nothing. But a camera mounted solidly, powered by a solar panel, positioned where animal traffic happens — that’s intel. That’s the foundation of understanding your land.

Moultrie Mobile is a sponsor of American Country Outdoors because we believe in the product and we use it consistently. When you combine good trail camera gear with disciplined scouting (like my 4-month Junction review), you’re building a real hunting advantage.

Real gear, real results, real hunting — that’s what we’re about.

I came to Rock N Roll Redneck Ranch the day before rifle season opened because Mark was kind enough to let me bow hunt first. What I got was a lesson in adaptation and honest hunting that I carry with me every season.

It was November 4th, 2022, and my buddy and I were heading out to rattle in some deer and maybe take a shot with the bow before the rifle opener. We were grateful just to be on good ground. We’d been worried about getting to hunt at all that year, and Mark gave us permission to be there. That was enough.

The Opener Doesn’t Cooperate

November 5th came in cold—37 degrees—and crisp. Opening day in Texas. We sat the blind expecting to see does, maybe a small buck. Nothing came. Not a single sighting all morning. We heard a couple distant gunshots, but nothing on the property. The hogs that were supposed to be everywhere? Nowhere to be found.

Here’s the thing about opening day: it’s not always what you dream about the night before. Sometimes it’s slow. Sometimes it’s cold and quiet and the animals are somewhere else, doing whatever they want while you’re sitting in a blind wondering if you made the right call.

I know you wanted to eat, I wanted to eat too—I sent one through the PMP house later baby.

We had two sits to work with and we needed meat for the freezer. Simple as that. So we made the call: we grabbed the AR-15 and started still-hunting the back side of Mark’s property. No dramatics, no trophy hunting. Just two bowhunters who became rifle hunters because the situation demanded it.

Walking the back, we heard gunshots—closer this time. Maybe Mark connected. Maybe John and his son got something. We headed back toward the blind to see what the morning had turned into. We didn’t know if there was meat on the ground or just more hunting ahead.

Real Hunts Teach Real Lessons

Mark was generous with his ground, and I was grateful. I’ve been hunting long enough to know that the hardest days often teach more than the easy ones. This was an honest hunt from start to finish. No gimmicks, no script. Just a November morning and two guys trying to put meat in the freezer before dark.

The rifle season opening taught me something important: hunting isn’t always about perfect conditions and trophy moments. Sometimes it’s about showing up, adapting when the plan changes, and doing what needs to be done. When your season opens slow like this, having the right attractants in your pack and the patience to work through tough mornings matter more than luck. Come back tomorrow. Keep grinding.

When Kurt pulled an Idaho elk tag, I knew we needed serious packs — the kind that can haul gear and game in rough terrain.

From Boy Scouts to Elk Hunt

My experience with backpacking was mostly limited to Boy Scout trips — hauling a small pack to base camp, nothing too serious. But an elk hunt in Idaho is a different animal. We needed packs that could actually work, that wouldn’t betray us on the mountain, and that felt right on the body.

I met the Mystery Ranch crew at the Total Archery Challenge booth in San Antonio. They showed us some gear, let us try a few on. The Metcalf 75 felt right the moment I put it on, so I ordered one through Lancaster during a good discount period.

Pack Features and First Impressions

The Metcalf 75 is built for serious work. It’s sized to haul what you need on a multi-day hunt without being so large it becomes its own problem. The suspension is clean, the load distribution feels balanced, and the pockets are logical.

“We were able to meet up with the guys over at the Mystery Ranch booth and try some on — felt really great.”

I also ordered the Grav 18 pack, which is supposed to be integrable to the Metcalf. The idea is flexibility: a smaller pack for scouting runs and a larger pack for the full expedition. That’s the kind of thoughtful system design that makes a difference when you’re living out of your gear.

This pack will get real testing during the elk hunt. That’s when you learn if your gear is solid or if it’s all hype. American Country Outdoors documents those real-world tests so you know what actually works when it matters.

Check out my binocular harness review for another honest gear assessment. Good gear, good planning, good hunts — that’s the formula.