From Bow Hunting to Funded Trader | Why I Started Full Draw Futures (Ep. 1)

When Your Hands Start Shaking

Buck fever and trading psychology have more in common than you think — and in this episode, we prove it. Episode 2 of Full Draw Futures tackles one of the most universal experiences in both bowhunting and futures trading: the moment everything lines up perfectly, and your body betrays you. Heart rate spikes. Breathing goes shallow. Hands tremble. And in that split second, months of preparation either hold or collapse. We cover the biology of pressure — why adrenaline floods your system at exactly the wrong moment, and why that's not a weakness but a signal. We dig into the VWAP trading setup as a direct parallel to shot selection in archery: the discipline of waiting for confirmation before you execute, and the costly mistake of jumping the entry before the setup fully forms. We also go deep on breath work and tactical breathing as a real-time tool for managing nerves in the stand and at the screen, and we talk about the hardest mental shift in both worlds — letting go of the outcome and trusting the process. If you've ever frozen on a setup, rushed a shot, blown a trade you knew was right, or watched a mature buck walk because your body wouldn't cooperate — this one is for you. In this episode: — What buck fever actually is (and why it happens to traders too) — The VWAP confirmation parallel: why patience is an active skill — Tactical breathing and box breathing for high-pressure execution — Process focus vs. outcome focus — and why the difference is everything — How to train your nervous system to hold under real stakes Full Draw Futures is a podcast about the mindset, discipline, and decision-making that connects bowhunting and futures trading. New episodes drop weekly. Follow and leave a review if the show is hitting home — it helps more hunters and traders find it.

From Bow Hunting to Funded Trader | Why I Started Full Draw Futures (Ep. 1)

In this first episode of Full Draw Futures, I share my story—how I went from an outdoorsman with no experience in the stock market to becoming a funded futures trader. I’ve spent most of my life in the outdoors—fishing since I was a kid, and hunting for the last 6 years. After living in Colorado for a decade working as a farrier and fly fishing, my wife and I moved back to Indiana to raise our family. That’s where my passion for hunting really took off—especially bow hunting. For years, I stayed away from the stock market and focused on real estate investing. Outside of a 401k, I had zero experience in stocks. That changed last year. After opening a SoFi account and buying my first stock, my wife suggested I look into day trading. What started as curiosity quickly turned into an obsession—especially with futures trading and the prop firm space. Since then, I’ve passed multiple combines, become funded with multiple firms, and taken payouts from Topstep and Top One Futures. But I’m still new. Still learning. Still in the process. This podcast isn’t about acting like I have it all figured out—it’s about documenting the journey. Along the way, I’ve noticed something I can’t ignore: The same discipline it takes to bow hunt… is the same discipline it takes to trade. Waiting for the setup. Controlling emotions. Executing when it matters. That’s what Full Draw Futures is all about. If you’re working to become more disciplined—not just in trading, but in life—you’re in the right place. Wait for your shot.

Trailer

A bow hunter from Indiana with zero finance background walks into the futures market — and immediately realizes he's done this before. Full Draw Futures explores the powerful overlap between the mindset of an elite hunter and the discipline of a profitable day trader. Trade reviews, mindset crossover episodes, and hunter/trader interviews — built for people who understand that the woods and the markets reward the same thing. Discipline. Patience. Execution.