The HuntLeague Podcast

This is the final story in the 2025 Outdoorsman of the Year Finalist Series.
Joshua Dishman isn’t just passionate about hunting — he’s passionate about sharing it.
For Josh, the most meaningful hunts of the year aren’t always his own. Each season he donates a five-day blacktail hunt to a veteran or first responder, mentors youth hunters, and introduces new people to the outdoors whenever he can.
In this episode of the HuntLeague Podcast, Josh sits down to share the story behind his 2025 season and what led to his selection as a finalist for Outdoorsman of the Year, the highest honor within the HuntLeague community.
This season included:
• A long-awaited backcountry hunt in Colorado• Months of physical preparation and ruck training• A successful muzzleloader elk hunt• Mentoring youth hunters and first-time outdoorsmen• Guiding a Marine Corps veteran on his first hunt• And keeping a 37 year blacktail streak alive
But what defines Josh’s season isn’t just success in the field.
It’s his belief that hunting is about community, mentorship, and sharing the outdoors with others.
Josh works for a school district and regularly talks with students about hunting, conservation, and the value of time spent outside. He also serves as a committee member for the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, helping support conservation and habitat work that protects hunting opportunities for future generations.
Inside the HuntLeague app, competitors log their hunts and scouting trips throughout the year, sharing their journey with the community. But the Outdoorsman of the Year title is not determined by the leaderboard or points alone.
A panel of respected industry partners helps select the hunter who best represents the values of the outdoors.
Judging partners include:
Vortex OpticsSeekins PrecisionHUXWRXAziak EquipmentMountain Tough
Four hunters rose to the top in 2025.
This is Joshua Dishman’s story.
If you believe hunting is about more than just the harvest — you’ll enjoy this conversation.
Learn more about the HuntLeague community:https://huntleague.com
#hunting #outdoorsman #mentorship #elkseason #conservation #blacktail

Episode 3 of 4 in the 2025 Outdoorsman of the Year Finalist Series.
Cody Paratore’s story: Husband. Father of two (almost three). Self-taught big game hunter. Student of the woods.
In 2025, Cody made a decision that changed everything — he committed to putting family first in the field. That meant scouting with toddlers. Packing blinds with snacks. Turning out-of-state hunts into family road trips. And accepting that success might take a back seat to exposure and experience. Instead, everything came together.
• His biggest bull elk
• His biggest mule deer
• His biggest pronghorn
• Three states hunted
• 12 species pursued
• Four animals harvested with his kids by his side
 
But this season wasn’t defined by punched tags.
It was defined by:
– A turkey hunt with his 4-year-old son
– A blacktail hunt with his daughter in a Spider-Man costume climbing on his back
– Guiding his dad to his biggest buck
– Helping his sister punch her elk tag
– Mentoring new hunters into their first success
– Grinding through an ankle injury that nearly derailed the season
 
The Outdoorsman of the Year award inside the HuntLeague app recognizes more than harvest photos. It celebrates dedication, discipline, conservation, mentorship, and living the values of the hunting community.
Throughout the year, competitors log their hunts and scouting days inside the HuntLeague mobile app. While their journey is visible on the leaderboard, the winner is selected by a panel of respected industry partners and judges — not by points alone.
Judging partners include: Vortex Optics, Seekins Precision, HUXWRX, Aziak Equipment, Mountain Tough
 
Four hunters have risen to the top in 2025. This is Cody’s story.
If you believe hunting is about more than inches of antler — you’re in the right place.
Learn more about the HuntLeague mobile app and community:
https://huntleague.com
 
#hunting #outdoorsman #elkseason #familyhunting #mentorship

This is Cody Manzi’s story.
Every hunting season has defining moments — success, failure, doubt, perseverance, and lessons learned the hard way. This conversation dives into Manzi's many "firsts" he experienced in the 2025 season and what earned him a place as a finalist for Outdoorsman of the Year, the highest honor in the HuntLeague community.
The Outdoorsman of the Year award isn’t about inches of antler or size of harvest. It recognizes hunters who represent what the outdoors truly stands for:
-Dedication
-Discipline
-Conservation
-Mentorship
-Ethical hunting
-And unforgettable stories from the field
 
Throughout the year, hunters competing in the Outdoorsman of the Year league inside the HuntLeague mobile app log their experiences, share their stories, and build a season-long journey visible on the community leaderboard. But the leaderboard alone doesn’t decide the winner.
Each year, industry leaders and partners help select the Outdoorsman of the Year — someone who truly represents the hunting community.
Special thanks to our judging partners: Vortex Optics Seekins Precision HUXWRX Aziak Equipment Mountain Tough
 
Four hunters have risen to the top this year. This is one of their stories.
 
If you believe hunting is about more than the harvest, you’re in the right place. Learn more about HuntLeague: https://huntleague.com

This is Josiah Gawin’s story.
Every hunting season has defining moments — success, failure, doubt, perseverance, and lessons learned the hard way. This 55-minute conversation dives into the real story behind Josiah’s 2025 season and what earned him a place as a finalist for Outdoorsman of the Year, the highest honor in the HuntLeague community.
The Outdoorsman of the Year award isn’t about inches of antler or size of harvest. It recognizes hunters who represent what the outdoors truly stands for:
-Dedication
-Discipline
-Conservation
-Mentorship
-Ethical hunting
-And unforgettable stories from the field
 
Throughout the year, hunters competing in the Outdoorsman of the Year league inside the HuntLeague mobile app log their experiences, share their stories, and build a season-long journey visible on the community leaderboard. But the leaderboard alone doesn’t decide the winner.
Each year, industry leaders and partners help select the Outdoorsman of the Year — someone who truly represents the hunting community.
Special thanks to our judging partners: Vortex Optics Seekins Precision HUXWRX Aziak Equipment Mountain Tough
 
Four hunters have risen to the top this year. This is one of their stories.
 
If you believe hunting is about more than the harvest, you’re in the right place. Learn more about HuntLeague: https://huntleague.com

In Episode 5 of the HuntLeague Champions League Hunt, the crew faces their toughest stretch — two days packed with highs, heartbreak, and hard lessons.
Day 4 begins with everyone returning to the spot where Josh had spotted two bulls the day before. After the morning hunt, the team decides to break camp and relocate, giving Wally a chance to head home to process his mule deer from opening day. But the mountain had other plans.
Before Wally could leave, Jared and Brandon climbed 2,000 feet up to a remote plateau, and within minutes, Brandon dropped a beautiful bull elk — or so it seemed. As they hiked toward it, the unthinkable happened: the bull was back on its feet and vanished into the trees. With light fading, the guys made the tough call to back out and return at first light.
Day 5 brings an exhausting search to recover the bull, joined by Wally and Josh. The day unfolds with a mix of emotions — from hope to frustration — and a few unexpected interactions, including a friendly visit from Colorado Parks & Wildlife and an odd encounter with a local outfitter.
This episode is about resilience and the reality that even the best hunters face days that test everything — physically, mentally, and emotionally.
🎧 Episode Highlights:
The 2,000-foot climb and Brandon’s shot
The bull that got back up and disappeared
Why the crew chose to let it sit overnight
Perseverance & Changing Plans....again
These were the hardest days of the hunt — and the ones that reveal what it truly means to be a champion.
#HuntLeague #ElkHunting #WesternHunting #ColoradoHunting #RifleSeason #HuntingPodcast #ChampionsLeagueHunt #PublicLandHunting #BaseCampChronicles

In Episode 4 of the Champions League Hunt, the crew splits up and the day turns into one filled with lessons, long hikes, and last minute shot opportunity.
Josh and Jared start their morning looking back towards the road where Josh spots two legal bulls. Instead of hunting toward them, Jared decides to chase new country — a 7.5-mile detour that ends with sore legs and a valuable reminder: never leave bulls to find bulls.
Meanwhile, Brandon and Wally head out in search of the big bull from the day before. The morning comes up empty, but a mid-day text changes everything — the same bulls Josh spotted earlier are back on their feet. With just minutes of daylight left, they glass the bulls sparring in a small timber opening. The wind is swirling hard, and patience becomes the game.
When the gusts finally settle, Brandon squeezes off a shot — but misses the mark. The day closes with a mix of disappointment, exhaustion, and gratitude for another wild day in the mountains.
🎧 Episode Highlights:
Josh spots bulls near the road — and the decision that sent him hiking 7.5 miles instead
Lessons learned about following your instincts
Brandon and Wally’s tense final-light encounter with the bulls
Wind, fatigue, and the heartbreak of a missed opportunity
Reflections on teamwork, communication, and staying positive after setbacks
This episode is all about trusting your gut, learning from every decision, and pushing through the grind that defines western hunting.
#HuntLeague #ElkHunting #WesternHunting #MuleDeerHunting #HuntingPodcast #ChampionsLeagueHunt #RifleSeason #ColoradoHunting #BaseCampChronicles

In Episode 3 of the Champions League Hunt, Day 2 delivers both adrenaline and heartbreak.
The crew starts the morning glassing a herd of roughly 30 elk before Brandon locks onto a Colorado giant — a bull in the mid-300s that instantly changes the tone of the day. Mistakes were made but with hearts still racing, the team commits to an evening ambush, hoping for another glimpse of the bull.
As light fades, the plan shifts — instead of the big bull, Jared spots a bear across the canyon and takes a 960yd shot using Brandon’s rifle, adding a new twist to an already eventful day.
Exhaustion from the previous day’s canyon hike sets in, and small communication breakdowns in the moment may have cost the crew a chance at Brandon’s once-in-a-lifetime bull. This episode captures the raw side of hunting — the fatigue, the teamwork, and the lessons that only long days in the field can teach.
🎧 Episode Highlights:
Spotting a mid-300s Colorado bull elk
The decision to stay on the bull through evening light
Jared’s bear encounter across the canyon
Physical fatigue meets mental pressure
Communication breakdowns and reflection at camp
This one’s about the highs and lows of a true backcountry pursuit — where every choice, every call, and every moment matters.
#HuntLeague #ElkHunting #BearHunting #ColoradoHunting #WesternHunting #HuntingPodcast #ChampionsLeagueHunt #RifleSeason #BaseCampChronicles

In Episode 2 of the Champions League Hunt, the crew wraps up their final day of scouting and dives into a bold plan — dropping more than 2,000 vertical feet into a steep Colorado canyon after spotting several promising bulls and a trio of big muley bucks.
With high hopes for opening morning, the team pushes deep into the backcountry, but soon faces the sobering reality of hunting pressure, brutal terrain, and the sheer logistics of packing an animal out of that canyon.
After a long climb back to the truck, the day takes an unexpected turn — a quick stop on the way back to camp turns into a moment of success as Wally King fills his mule deer tag on opening day.
🎧 Episode Highlights:
The 3.5-hour descent into the canyon
Why the team chose to pull out after opening morning
The mental and physical grind of extreme terrain
How pressure from other hunters changed the plan
Wally’s opportunistic mule deer harvest
Reflections on adapting, teamwork, and gratitude in the field
This episode captures the true spirit of the hunt — tough choices, teamwork, and finding success when you least expect it.
#HuntLeague #HuntingPodcast #MuleDeerHunting #ColoradoHunting #ElkHunting #RifleSeason #WesternHunting #BaseCampChronicles #ChampionsLeagueHunt