Dan Johnson - Ep 334

In this weeks episode of the Missouri Woods & Water Podcast, Nate Thomas sits down with Dan Johnson, host of the Nine Finger Chronicles Podcast and owner of the Sportsman's Empire Podcast Network, for a wide-ranging conversation about where hunting access is headed. The episode centers on the growing pay-to-play model in deer hunting, why permission is disappearing, and what that means for the next generation. They also talk through Dan’s knee replacement recovery, getting older, and how life changes when hunting, family, and health all start colliding.  Thanks for listening!Key TopicsDan talks candidly about his knee replacement surgery, the pain, the recovery timeline, physical therapy, and how it has affected his mobility and hunting plansThey compare how aging changes hunting, recovery, and family responsibilities, especially when kids are in sports and life gets busierNate brings up Dan’s comments from a recent roundtable discussion about hunting legacy and the pay-to-play modelDan explains how land access has shifted from simple permission to leases, land purchases, and short-term paid accessThey discuss how out-of-state hunters, lease companies, and high demand for big deer can make access harder for local huntersNate shares his own experience losing permission farms, getting priced out of leases, and realizing his sons may have fewer opportunities than he didThe conversation turns to whether hunters, landowners, and states are prioritizing big antlers over broad access and opportunityDan argues that future hunting access may depend on landowners choosing to share, hunters accepting smaller bucks, and families valuing opportunity over antler sizeThey close by stressing that the future of deer hunting depends on people being less selfish and more willing to pass access on to the next generation Check out the MWW Website for store, partner discounts, and more!!!Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel!!!  HUXWRX Athlon Optics OnX:  Use code MWW20 for 20% offHuntworth Gear:  Use code MWW15 for 15% offMorrell Targets:  Use code MISSOURIWOODS20 for 20% off on Morrell Center Punch V36Arrow Dynamics Whitetail Hill Stealth Cam