He Beat Cancer… Then Tagged a 203 4/8" Illinois Giant | 100% Wild Podcast ep.440

He Beat Cancer… Then Tagged a 203 4/8" Illinois Giant | 100% Wild Podcast ep.440 Adam Lock joins Matt and Tim from the "Land of Lincoln" with a raw story that starts in a doctor's office and ends with a 203 4/8" Illinois buck on the ground. Adam walks through the pain that led to a testicular cancer diagnosis, surgery, recovery, and how faith, family, and deer season pulled him forward. He breaks down the hunt—late-October conditions, access, wind, doe groups, and how he stayed in the game a month and a half after surgery. The guys also kick around how modern tech changes hunter efficiency, swap Cardinal baseball memories (spot the Bottomland Cards hat), shout out the Rat Pack, and flag a limited deal on the Stealth Cam Spectre 4K. Matt closes with an F3 men's group plug about getting stronger together. Solid perspective, actionable whitetail takeaways, and a reminder to make every season count. Timestamps 00:00 – Cold open & welcome back to Ep. 440 00:24 – Guest intro: Illinois' Adam Lock (big buck + big bass guy) 02:52 – Why Adam reached out after the Drake White episode 05:05 – The first signs: pain, tests, and a tough diagnosis 08:46 – Testicular cancer reality, surgery, and recovery window 12:02 – Long-term unknowns (T levels, HRT questions, life adjustments) 13:19 – The mental load: providing, fatherhood, and finding outlets 16:08 – Season setup: property, timing, and rut expectations 19:41 – Hunting post-surgery: stitches, limits, and smarter sits 20:17 – Date & conditions: late-October/Oct 31 set taking shape 24:28 – Why this stand, why this wind, and what the does were doing 28:03 – "He's locked": the moment it turns real 29:49 – Reading the whole picture: body language & surrounding deer 31:00 – Shot sequence, angle realities, and recovery 32:04 – Is this the biggest buck of his life? Processing the scale 33:28 – The crash of adrenaline and keeping it together 34:03 – Wife's "engineer" advice and accountability (don't overdo it) 35:18 – Morning-after perspective and gratitude 36:11 – Distances, numbers, and what nearly went wrong 37:15 – Faith, prayer, and counting seasons differently 38:30 – Seeing the small signs again—sanctuary and perspective 39:42 – What's next: goals for the coming season 41:04 – Why a 200+ doesn't end the passion—on to the next fall 41:20 – Adam's take: tech = more efficient hunters & younger bucks taken 43:10 – Counterpoint: how big-buck intel can also spare young deer 44:16 – Food plots, drought windows, and timing pains 46:23 – Well-wishes, ringing the bell, and keeping identity bigger than illness 47:02 – Rat Pack invite & new member roll call 48:16 – Bass Pro appearance shoutout & longtime listener love 49:02 – Gear note: Stealth Cam Spectre 4K sale and Live View capability 50:12 – Matt's F3 men's group experience (free, nationwide, accountability) 51:18 – Sign-off Join the Rack Pack Facebook Group : https://www.facebook.com/share/g/n73gskJT7BfB2Ngc/ Get ahead of your Game with DeerCast available on iOS and Android devices App Store: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/deercast/id1425879996 Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.druryoutdoors.deercast.app Don't forget to stock up for your next hunt! 1st Phorm has you covered! Protein Sticks: https://1stphorm.com/products/protein-sticks-15ct?a_aid=DruryOutdoors Level-1 Bars: https://1stphorm.com/products/level-1-bar-15ct?a_aid=DruryOutdoors Energy Drinks: https://1stphorm.com/products/1st-phorm-energy?a_aid=DruryOutdoors Hydration Sticks: https://1stphorm.com/products/hydration-sticks?a_aid=DruryOutdoors Send us a voice message on Speakpipe! https://www.speakpipe.com/100PercentWild?fbclid=IwY2xjawHG5cpleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHS-OqetdhlMV6LGrV5KfUBO7fjYcduyut_LzgxrQnEgBbe_vPXGCMgF1Sw_aem_ZmFrZWR1bW15MTZieXRlcw For exciting updates on what's happening on the field and off, follow us on social Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OfficialDruryOutdoors Instagram: @DruryOutdoors Twitter: @DruryOutdoors Be sure to check out http://www.druryoutdoors.com for more information, hunts, and more! Music provided by Epidemic Sound http://player.epidemicsound.com/