1 00:00:01,280 --> 00:00:05,120 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Wired to Hunt Foundations podcast, your guide 2 00:00:05,120 --> 00:00:08,920 Speaker 1: to the fundamentals of better deer hunting, presented by first Light, 3 00:00:09,240 --> 00:00:13,600 Speaker 1: creating proven versatile hunting apparel for the stand, saddle or blind. 4 00:00:14,120 --> 00:00:18,680 Speaker 1: First Light Go Farther, Stay Longer, and now your host 5 00:00:19,040 --> 00:00:19,919 Speaker 1: Tony Peterson. 6 00:00:20,600 --> 00:00:23,280 Speaker 2: Hey everyone, welcome to the Wire to Hunt Foundation's podcast, 7 00:00:23,280 --> 00:00:25,640 Speaker 2: which has brought to you by first Light. I'm your host, 8 00:00:25,640 --> 00:00:28,200 Speaker 2: Tony Peterson, and today's episode is all about how to 9 00:00:28,360 --> 00:00:31,400 Speaker 2: actually make good shots on white tails and not just 10 00:00:31,440 --> 00:00:33,760 Speaker 2: how to be more accurate with your bow, because there's 11 00:00:33,760 --> 00:00:43,880 Speaker 2: a difference. The reason that there are so many folks 12 00:00:43,920 --> 00:00:46,559 Speaker 2: out there making YouTube tutorials on how to be a 13 00:00:46,600 --> 00:00:50,320 Speaker 2: better archer is because they are like definitive answers to 14 00:00:50,360 --> 00:00:54,360 Speaker 2: many of our common problems. Addressing shooting form, using the 15 00:00:54,440 --> 00:00:58,040 Speaker 2: right accessories, tuning your bow, you know, on and on. 16 00:00:58,880 --> 00:01:02,240 Speaker 2: It's good stuff, not knocking it. After all, if you 17 00:01:02,240 --> 00:01:04,120 Speaker 2: can't shoot well on the range, you sure as hell 18 00:01:04,160 --> 00:01:06,880 Speaker 2: won't be able to consistently shoot well on deer. This, 19 00:01:07,240 --> 00:01:10,080 Speaker 2: as you probably know, is pretty important and it just 20 00:01:10,120 --> 00:01:20,679 Speaker 2: so happens to be the topic of this episode. If 21 00:01:20,720 --> 00:01:24,120 Speaker 2: you train retrievers or really any kind of dog, you 22 00:01:24,200 --> 00:01:28,479 Speaker 2: start to understand false positives. Some people think a false 23 00:01:28,520 --> 00:01:31,480 Speaker 2: positive is a dog that looks real birdie only to 24 00:01:31,560 --> 00:01:33,800 Speaker 2: flush I don't know, a rabbit or a skunk or something. 25 00:01:34,560 --> 00:01:38,480 Speaker 2: Pointing dogs are prone to false positives too. Inexperienced pointers 26 00:01:38,480 --> 00:01:41,200 Speaker 2: will lock up in a beautiful tripod point where a 27 00:01:41,280 --> 00:01:44,360 Speaker 2: rooster was I don't know, ten minutes ago, or with 28 00:01:44,400 --> 00:01:46,920 Speaker 2: some other critter in the grass that's definitely not a pheasant, 29 00:01:47,040 --> 00:01:50,280 Speaker 2: a grouse, or whatever you're after. False positives in the 30 00:01:50,280 --> 00:01:52,960 Speaker 2: dog world they come in many forms, and they are 31 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:57,280 Speaker 2: the enemy of the amateur trainer. They convince us that 32 00:01:57,320 --> 00:01:59,200 Speaker 2: we have gotten our dogs to a point where they 33 00:01:59,240 --> 00:02:02,520 Speaker 2: are real good and well. Most of the work's done. 34 00:02:02,840 --> 00:02:05,160 Speaker 2: You can pat yourself on the back, break up your 35 00:02:05,160 --> 00:02:07,120 Speaker 2: hound at the local touny bar, and get ready to 36 00:02:07,200 --> 00:02:09,440 Speaker 2: kill a limit of ring necks or green heads or whatever. 37 00:02:10,760 --> 00:02:13,240 Speaker 2: Putting the cart before the old horse is a no 38 00:02:13,360 --> 00:02:16,600 Speaker 2: bueno situation, though, and it often happens with people who 39 00:02:16,680 --> 00:02:20,080 Speaker 2: train in the same environment over and over. The dog 40 00:02:20,120 --> 00:02:23,560 Speaker 2: that will heal perfectly and sit perfectly still until he 41 00:02:23,720 --> 00:02:26,640 Speaker 2: send him while you're working in the neighborhood soccer field. 42 00:02:26,760 --> 00:02:30,359 Speaker 2: That's great, but will you get that same behavior while 43 00:02:30,400 --> 00:02:33,480 Speaker 2: you're hunting. It's kind of like, I don't know, working 44 00:02:33,520 --> 00:02:35,560 Speaker 2: out or walking with a pack on your back when 45 00:02:35,560 --> 00:02:37,880 Speaker 2: you live at eight hundred feet above sea level and 46 00:02:38,000 --> 00:02:40,040 Speaker 2: assuming that's going to be good enough to get you 47 00:02:40,080 --> 00:02:41,880 Speaker 2: into the mountains and hunt an elk like a rock 48 00:02:41,919 --> 00:02:47,840 Speaker 2: star doesn't work very well. Sometimes it's better than nothing. Anyway, 49 00:02:47,880 --> 00:02:50,360 Speaker 2: back to dogs, how about if you're working on a 50 00:02:50,440 --> 00:02:54,200 Speaker 2: hunt dead scenario or a fine the bone antler scenario 51 00:02:54,280 --> 00:02:56,800 Speaker 2: in the knee high grass. If you've been there and 52 00:02:56,840 --> 00:03:00,880 Speaker 2: you've trained dozens of times, it's probably pretty consistent that 53 00:03:00,960 --> 00:03:03,280 Speaker 2: if you point one way or the other, your dog 54 00:03:03,320 --> 00:03:05,560 Speaker 2: will read your hand signals and switch directions till he 55 00:03:05,600 --> 00:03:08,480 Speaker 2: finds the price. Now, take these same dogs in an 56 00:03:08,520 --> 00:03:11,120 Speaker 2: actual hunt, and the wheels will fall off pretty quickly, 57 00:03:11,840 --> 00:03:14,040 Speaker 2: at least a lot of times they do. This is 58 00:03:14,040 --> 00:03:17,560 Speaker 2: why so many folks, mostly men, lose their ever loving 59 00:03:17,680 --> 00:03:19,680 Speaker 2: minds on the first couple of hunts of the season, 60 00:03:20,120 --> 00:03:23,200 Speaker 2: especially if you have a few smirking buddies hunting with them. 61 00:03:23,520 --> 00:03:26,000 Speaker 2: It's embarrassing to break up a dog only to watch 62 00:03:26,040 --> 00:03:31,880 Speaker 2: them totally delaminate in the field. It's also extremely common 63 00:03:32,800 --> 00:03:34,640 Speaker 2: I honestly don't know if there has ever been a 64 00:03:34,680 --> 00:03:37,000 Speaker 2: single bird dog that advanced to a high level of 65 00:03:37,040 --> 00:03:40,240 Speaker 2: training in low key environments that also brought that same 66 00:03:40,320 --> 00:03:42,880 Speaker 2: level of excellence right to the field during a hunt. 67 00:03:43,520 --> 00:03:46,400 Speaker 2: I think it's possible, honestly, at least not right away. 68 00:03:46,920 --> 00:03:49,320 Speaker 2: You know, older seasoned dogs can you know, they can 69 00:03:49,360 --> 00:03:52,360 Speaker 2: get pretty damn close. But the seasoned part is the 70 00:03:52,400 --> 00:03:55,080 Speaker 2: one that's important there. And while plenty of retrievers and 71 00:03:55,120 --> 00:03:57,920 Speaker 2: pointers are likely to get older, not all of them 72 00:03:57,920 --> 00:04:01,880 Speaker 2: get seasoned real well. Takes time in the field hunting 73 00:04:02,200 --> 00:04:04,360 Speaker 2: for a dog to learn what you want out of him. 74 00:04:04,440 --> 00:04:08,680 Speaker 2: While you're out in the field hunting. There's no shortcuts there, 75 00:04:09,480 --> 00:04:12,600 Speaker 2: and you can train and train and even overtrain, but 76 00:04:12,640 --> 00:04:16,960 Speaker 2: there's on the job experience, and that's just that. You 77 00:04:17,000 --> 00:04:21,440 Speaker 2: know what else is like this pickleball? Just kidding, it's golf, 78 00:04:22,040 --> 00:04:25,000 Speaker 2: just kidding, it's bow hunting white tails. You can shoot 79 00:04:25,000 --> 00:04:28,279 Speaker 2: foam until you're an Olympic level shooter, but that's only 80 00:04:28,279 --> 00:04:31,360 Speaker 2: going to take you so far in the field. You 81 00:04:31,480 --> 00:04:33,640 Speaker 2: know a lot of the conventional advice here and have 82 00:04:33,800 --> 00:04:36,280 Speaker 2: probably heard me go on and on about some of it. 83 00:04:37,000 --> 00:04:38,920 Speaker 2: I think you should practice in some ways that will 84 00:04:38,920 --> 00:04:42,040 Speaker 2: help you be a better shot, like using three D targets, 85 00:04:42,560 --> 00:04:44,559 Speaker 2: you know, shooting from your deck or a tree stand 86 00:04:44,560 --> 00:04:47,039 Speaker 2: set up just for that purpose. I think you should 87 00:04:47,080 --> 00:04:49,240 Speaker 2: practice in low light, and that you should shoot at 88 00:04:49,240 --> 00:04:53,120 Speaker 2: odd yardages with limited arrows. You should make every shot 89 00:04:53,160 --> 00:04:56,440 Speaker 2: count and treat every shot like you don't get a mulligan, 90 00:04:57,000 --> 00:05:00,479 Speaker 2: because in the wild you probably won't. And that's a 91 00:05:00,480 --> 00:05:03,640 Speaker 2: good start, But there's more to be done now. I've 92 00:05:03,640 --> 00:05:05,360 Speaker 2: told you guys a few stories about some of my 93 00:05:05,360 --> 00:05:08,560 Speaker 2: most embarrassing misses and the years I struggled with real 94 00:05:08,600 --> 00:05:11,800 Speaker 2: buck fever, But I don't think you can quite understand 95 00:05:11,839 --> 00:05:14,320 Speaker 2: how bad I used to fall apart. It was like 96 00:05:14,400 --> 00:05:17,039 Speaker 2: having a disease that caused me to black out, lose 97 00:05:17,080 --> 00:05:20,760 Speaker 2: my mind, and always or nearly always shoot over the 98 00:05:20,800 --> 00:05:23,800 Speaker 2: back of the deer that I so desperately wanted. It 99 00:05:23,839 --> 00:05:27,479 Speaker 2: got so bad I felt like quitting many many times. 100 00:05:28,000 --> 00:05:29,840 Speaker 2: I didn't know a way out, and I didn't really 101 00:05:29,920 --> 00:05:32,800 Speaker 2: understand the process of getting over my buck fever and 102 00:05:32,880 --> 00:05:35,480 Speaker 2: learning to be a good shot on animals. In fact, 103 00:05:36,160 --> 00:05:39,120 Speaker 2: I still don't know for sure how to do it completely. 104 00:05:39,640 --> 00:05:42,280 Speaker 2: I kind of think you can't, but you can be 105 00:05:42,279 --> 00:05:45,159 Speaker 2: better than a quivering mass of total dipshit who couldn't 106 00:05:45,200 --> 00:05:47,320 Speaker 2: hit a buck in the lungs with twelve quivers full 107 00:05:47,320 --> 00:05:50,800 Speaker 2: of arrows and unlimited time. Now, I think this is 108 00:05:50,839 --> 00:05:52,080 Speaker 2: going to sound kind of dumb, but I want you 109 00:05:52,120 --> 00:05:57,760 Speaker 2: to hear me out. The first step is visualization. I know, 110 00:05:58,000 --> 00:06:01,839 Speaker 2: I know it sounds like some you know, Kenyon's hippie 111 00:06:01,839 --> 00:06:05,880 Speaker 2: dippy mustache laiden bs, but the truth is it works, 112 00:06:06,760 --> 00:06:09,640 Speaker 2: or it can work, and for me it works this way. 113 00:06:10,400 --> 00:06:12,960 Speaker 2: I think about shooting deer a lot. And if you 114 00:06:13,000 --> 00:06:15,799 Speaker 2: don't believe that, talk to my wife when I'm driving 115 00:06:16,040 --> 00:06:18,800 Speaker 2: and she's telling me something that I absolutely am not 116 00:06:19,000 --> 00:06:22,480 Speaker 2: really taking in and definitely won't retain, or you know, 117 00:06:22,520 --> 00:06:25,359 Speaker 2: when strangers talk to me. A lot of times I 118 00:06:25,440 --> 00:06:27,680 Speaker 2: get to daydreaming. You know, maybe it's a touch of 119 00:06:27,680 --> 00:06:31,559 Speaker 2: ADHD or whatever, but I start thinking about shooting deer, 120 00:06:31,839 --> 00:06:33,720 Speaker 2: and I start thinking about shooting them out of very 121 00:06:33,720 --> 00:06:37,840 Speaker 2: specific setups, like when I get into my stand. I 122 00:06:37,960 --> 00:06:41,679 Speaker 2: also always, always always draw my bow a few times 123 00:06:41,720 --> 00:06:45,120 Speaker 2: and aim at stuff. Now, not deer. You know this 124 00:06:45,160 --> 00:06:47,279 Speaker 2: is going to be leaves or whatever, But it's the 125 00:06:47,320 --> 00:06:50,520 Speaker 2: process of thinking through and visualizing your shot. You don't 126 00:06:50,560 --> 00:06:52,520 Speaker 2: have to do this just when your wife's talking to you. 127 00:06:52,520 --> 00:06:54,960 Speaker 2: You should do it in your stands as well. I 128 00:06:55,000 --> 00:06:56,599 Speaker 2: do it when I'm in a groundb line or a 129 00:06:56,600 --> 00:06:59,400 Speaker 2: tree stand or hanging in a saddle. I draw an 130 00:06:59,400 --> 00:07:02,640 Speaker 2: aim at random, I am at whatever, and I think 131 00:07:02,680 --> 00:07:04,719 Speaker 2: about how easy it would be to make a shot 132 00:07:04,760 --> 00:07:08,080 Speaker 2: on a deer if a deer was standing there. If 133 00:07:08,080 --> 00:07:12,160 Speaker 2: you don't do this, start, I'm totally serious. If you 134 00:07:12,200 --> 00:07:14,200 Speaker 2: get into a ground blind and you don't draw your 135 00:07:14,240 --> 00:07:17,040 Speaker 2: bow and aim out the window a few times, you're 136 00:07:17,120 --> 00:07:19,800 Speaker 2: far more likely to screw up a shot. If you 137 00:07:19,840 --> 00:07:22,200 Speaker 2: get saddled up and you don't practice drawing and aiming 138 00:07:22,200 --> 00:07:25,080 Speaker 2: around both sides of the tree or behind you, you're 139 00:07:25,120 --> 00:07:27,680 Speaker 2: setting yourself up to make a mistake. You do not 140 00:07:27,760 --> 00:07:29,960 Speaker 2: want the first time you draw at a weird angle 141 00:07:30,160 --> 00:07:31,880 Speaker 2: to be the time there's one hundred and thirty five 142 00:07:31,880 --> 00:07:35,400 Speaker 2: inch ten pointers standing there. Imagine the buck on that 143 00:07:35,480 --> 00:07:39,680 Speaker 2: trail and watch how your pin floats across that yellow 144 00:07:39,720 --> 00:07:42,880 Speaker 2: leaf you're aiming at, or that bare patch dirt or whatever. 145 00:07:43,400 --> 00:07:46,360 Speaker 2: Do this. If you're hunting an evening, do this as 146 00:07:46,360 --> 00:07:48,960 Speaker 2: soon as you settle in and then maybe once or 147 00:07:48,960 --> 00:07:53,280 Speaker 2: twice more before primetime. If you're hunting mornings, wait until 148 00:07:53,320 --> 00:07:56,080 Speaker 2: first light, do a good perimeter check to make sure 149 00:07:56,120 --> 00:07:58,600 Speaker 2: you don't have any deer closing in. Then do this. 150 00:07:59,240 --> 00:08:01,320 Speaker 2: Do it later in the morning too, when you start 151 00:08:01,360 --> 00:08:03,760 Speaker 2: to get sleepy and you start to think about packing 152 00:08:03,800 --> 00:08:07,080 Speaker 2: the whole thing up. Do this in hot weather and 153 00:08:07,240 --> 00:08:10,880 Speaker 2: cold weather, and even if you've made seventeen perfect double 154 00:08:10,920 --> 00:08:14,120 Speaker 2: lung shots in a row, it's just a good exercise, 155 00:08:14,360 --> 00:08:17,960 Speaker 2: but it serves another purpose. It tells you how shooting 156 00:08:17,960 --> 00:08:20,120 Speaker 2: out of your specific setup is kind of gonna go. 157 00:08:20,960 --> 00:08:23,080 Speaker 2: This is something a lot of us don't appreciate until 158 00:08:23,120 --> 00:08:25,280 Speaker 2: it's too late and we're smack dab in the middle 159 00:08:25,280 --> 00:08:29,680 Speaker 2: of an encounter. Take a groundb line, for example. You 160 00:08:29,720 --> 00:08:31,920 Speaker 2: set up a pop up on the edge of an 161 00:08:31,920 --> 00:08:35,880 Speaker 2: alfalfa field. You arrange the far woodline, and it's forty yards. 162 00:08:36,280 --> 00:08:38,520 Speaker 2: You know there are several trails that lead into the field, 163 00:08:38,559 --> 00:08:40,960 Speaker 2: and you could draw your bow, aim a little and 164 00:08:41,000 --> 00:08:44,040 Speaker 2: you're just gonna be good to go. You start to 165 00:08:44,120 --> 00:08:46,360 Speaker 2: daydream about a big one coming in and you think 166 00:08:46,880 --> 00:08:48,319 Speaker 2: he's going to walk right into the middle of the 167 00:08:48,320 --> 00:08:51,240 Speaker 2: field and pose up at twenty yards, but he doesn't. 168 00:08:51,760 --> 00:08:53,840 Speaker 2: He stays on the far wood edge, at the boundary 169 00:08:53,880 --> 00:08:56,880 Speaker 2: between where you can shoot where you can't because of 170 00:08:56,920 --> 00:08:59,120 Speaker 2: how your chair is positioned and how the shooting port 171 00:08:59,160 --> 00:09:01,959 Speaker 2: is situated. This is the kind of thing that causes 172 00:09:02,040 --> 00:09:04,439 Speaker 2: real panic, and real panic is the kind of thing 173 00:09:04,480 --> 00:09:07,800 Speaker 2: that causes us to make bad shots. Knowing how far 174 00:09:07,920 --> 00:09:09,559 Speaker 2: you can swing your bow one way or the other 175 00:09:09,640 --> 00:09:12,240 Speaker 2: to really shoot and what you'll do if he doesn't 176 00:09:12,240 --> 00:09:16,160 Speaker 2: follow the script is important. It's something you should think 177 00:09:16,200 --> 00:09:18,400 Speaker 2: about when you have the luxury of thinking about it 178 00:09:18,440 --> 00:09:21,520 Speaker 2: on your own time, and not when it's suddenly very 179 00:09:21,559 --> 00:09:25,160 Speaker 2: important because he's walking through the same goes for tree 180 00:09:25,160 --> 00:09:28,360 Speaker 2: stands and saddles. Do you know where you can draw 181 00:09:28,400 --> 00:09:30,320 Speaker 2: and aim and take a shot from the ladder stand 182 00:09:30,320 --> 00:09:33,240 Speaker 2: your dad's set up for you seven years ago, when 183 00:09:33,240 --> 00:09:35,480 Speaker 2: you're hanging and hunting out of a saddle and thinking 184 00:09:35,520 --> 00:09:37,840 Speaker 2: about where you can shoot and what trail he's likely 185 00:09:37,880 --> 00:09:40,800 Speaker 2: to come down? Do you know where your real shooting 186 00:09:40,800 --> 00:09:43,320 Speaker 2: windows are and how easy it'll be for you to 187 00:09:43,360 --> 00:09:47,360 Speaker 2: aim through them. The more you think about this stuff 188 00:09:47,400 --> 00:09:49,920 Speaker 2: without a deer there, the easier it is to make 189 00:09:49,960 --> 00:09:52,800 Speaker 2: a shot work. When a deer is there. I know 190 00:09:52,880 --> 00:09:56,280 Speaker 2: this sounds like overkill, but it's not. You want to 191 00:09:56,320 --> 00:09:59,439 Speaker 2: know how things are going to go before they get going. 192 00:09:59,559 --> 00:10:02,800 Speaker 2: A little dress rehearsal if you will. The same goes 193 00:10:02,840 --> 00:10:05,880 Speaker 2: for shot distance. When you get on stand. Do you 194 00:10:06,000 --> 00:10:08,520 Speaker 2: range several markers so you know how many yards he 195 00:10:08,559 --> 00:10:10,319 Speaker 2: will be if he stops at the yellow patch of 196 00:10:10,360 --> 00:10:13,040 Speaker 2: beans in the field. What if he takes the farther 197 00:10:13,160 --> 00:10:16,840 Speaker 2: trail around your pinch point? Stan? Are you going to 198 00:10:16,880 --> 00:10:19,400 Speaker 2: wait until he's there to range him and then suffer 199 00:10:19,440 --> 00:10:22,240 Speaker 2: the possibility that the extra movement and that extra time 200 00:10:22,640 --> 00:10:25,439 Speaker 2: will cause you to miss out on a shot opportunity. 201 00:10:25,559 --> 00:10:28,680 Speaker 2: If you can do something beneficial before he gets there, 202 00:10:29,400 --> 00:10:43,440 Speaker 2: you should do it. I'd also recommend drawing metaphorical lines 203 00:10:43,440 --> 00:10:45,040 Speaker 2: in the sand when you get into your setup. As 204 00:10:45,040 --> 00:10:48,160 Speaker 2: far as shot distances go. If I'm on a bean field, 205 00:10:48,160 --> 00:10:50,880 Speaker 2: for example, I'll range the rose until I know what's 206 00:10:50,960 --> 00:10:54,120 Speaker 2: forty yards out. That for me is the farthest I'm 207 00:10:54,120 --> 00:10:56,199 Speaker 2: going to shoot at a white tail in perfect conditions. 208 00:10:56,640 --> 00:10:58,800 Speaker 2: And if it's not perfect conditions because the light is 209 00:10:58,800 --> 00:11:01,520 Speaker 2: fading or it's raining or whatever, that range is going 210 00:11:01,559 --> 00:11:04,240 Speaker 2: to get reduced. I figure this out as soon as 211 00:11:04,320 --> 00:11:06,280 Speaker 2: I can, so I don't have to hamm an awe 212 00:11:06,360 --> 00:11:09,520 Speaker 2: during the moment of truth. This stuff helps you make 213 00:11:09,559 --> 00:11:13,880 Speaker 2: better shots on deer, but so will something else. Watching deer, 214 00:11:14,440 --> 00:11:16,360 Speaker 2: and I don't mean just seeing deer and taking a 215 00:11:16,440 --> 00:11:18,320 Speaker 2: video of them walking by so you can post it 216 00:11:18,360 --> 00:11:21,960 Speaker 2: on Instagram. I mean watching them and paying attention to 217 00:11:21,960 --> 00:11:24,760 Speaker 2: what they do and when and how you'd shoot them 218 00:11:24,760 --> 00:11:27,880 Speaker 2: at various times during your encounter. I do this on 219 00:11:27,960 --> 00:11:30,800 Speaker 2: pretty much every deer that gets into range. I don't 220 00:11:30,880 --> 00:11:32,880 Speaker 2: drawn aim at deer. I don't want to shoot, and 221 00:11:32,920 --> 00:11:35,000 Speaker 2: I don't recommend that because if you have a big 222 00:11:35,000 --> 00:11:38,000 Speaker 2: old brain fart trip that trigger, which is a possibility, 223 00:11:38,240 --> 00:11:40,400 Speaker 2: you could have one hell of a oopsie on your hands. 224 00:11:41,080 --> 00:11:43,839 Speaker 2: But watching deer and how they browse and how their 225 00:11:43,880 --> 00:11:46,440 Speaker 2: body positioning can change, just from how they look back 226 00:11:46,480 --> 00:11:49,080 Speaker 2: down the trail, or when they scratch their nose with 227 00:11:49,160 --> 00:11:51,600 Speaker 2: a back hoof, or when they stretch their necks out 228 00:11:51,600 --> 00:11:54,600 Speaker 2: to sniff a certain leaf. That's the stuff that will 229 00:11:54,600 --> 00:11:57,640 Speaker 2: give you more confidence in choosing the right aiming point. 230 00:11:57,960 --> 00:12:00,679 Speaker 2: You can damn near predict the future when you want enough. 231 00:12:01,480 --> 00:12:03,880 Speaker 2: So even when we use three D targets to practice. 232 00:12:04,320 --> 00:12:07,560 Speaker 2: We often think of real white tails kind of as 233 00:12:07,600 --> 00:12:10,960 Speaker 2: a two D thing. We think of them from the broadside, 234 00:12:11,200 --> 00:12:12,880 Speaker 2: and we know where the guts are, and we know 235 00:12:12,880 --> 00:12:14,720 Speaker 2: where the liver is and the heart and the lungs, 236 00:12:15,280 --> 00:12:18,520 Speaker 2: but we almost never shoot it here that's perfectly broadside 237 00:12:18,520 --> 00:12:20,680 Speaker 2: while we were on the ground with them. We almost 238 00:12:20,720 --> 00:12:22,680 Speaker 2: always have to deal with a couple of different angles, 239 00:12:22,960 --> 00:12:25,080 Speaker 2: whether they are quartered to us or a little bit 240 00:12:25,080 --> 00:12:27,520 Speaker 2: away from us, whether we are ten feet above them 241 00:12:27,559 --> 00:12:30,439 Speaker 2: or thirty feet above them. A deer walking down a 242 00:12:30,520 --> 00:12:33,040 Speaker 2: hill by your stand is probably not a shot that 243 00:12:33,080 --> 00:12:37,080 Speaker 2: you ever ever practice at the range. A deer that's 244 00:12:37,120 --> 00:12:40,160 Speaker 2: really close, say four yards in the base of your tree, 245 00:12:40,559 --> 00:12:44,120 Speaker 2: is another shot you probably never practice, maybe shouldn't take. 246 00:12:44,480 --> 00:12:46,960 Speaker 2: But it all depends on so many things. Can you 247 00:12:47,000 --> 00:12:49,640 Speaker 2: get your arrow into both lungs? How likely is it? 248 00:12:50,800 --> 00:12:52,760 Speaker 2: How likely is it that you'll get into both lungs 249 00:12:52,800 --> 00:12:55,679 Speaker 2: on a giant buck like that? If you've never once 250 00:12:55,760 --> 00:12:59,000 Speaker 2: thought about taking that shot, or visualized it, or watched 251 00:12:59,000 --> 00:13:01,480 Speaker 2: a four key do this same thing and actually studied 252 00:13:01,480 --> 00:13:05,079 Speaker 2: his movements and picked out the best aiming points every 253 00:13:05,200 --> 00:13:08,800 Speaker 2: seconds he made his way through, I really think Watching 254 00:13:08,840 --> 00:13:11,400 Speaker 2: deer and learning about their movements is an education that 255 00:13:11,520 --> 00:13:14,280 Speaker 2: is worth so much to all of us hunters. This 256 00:13:14,360 --> 00:13:17,600 Speaker 2: allows us to take better shots, partially because it allows us, 257 00:13:17,679 --> 00:13:20,240 Speaker 2: you know, like I said, to predict the future. Just 258 00:13:20,280 --> 00:13:22,719 Speaker 2: like in dog training, where there are certain behaviors that 259 00:13:22,760 --> 00:13:25,400 Speaker 2: are just going to show at certain times, deer are 260 00:13:25,559 --> 00:13:29,080 Speaker 2: very very likely to do certain things at certain times. 261 00:13:29,600 --> 00:13:32,400 Speaker 2: I'll give you an easy example. If a buck walks 262 00:13:32,400 --> 00:13:35,480 Speaker 2: in and he's totally relaxed, but then he stops to 263 00:13:35,480 --> 00:13:38,280 Speaker 2: focus on something and he stares for like thirty seconds, 264 00:13:38,840 --> 00:13:42,280 Speaker 2: you might think you're in trouble. Would you feel relief 265 00:13:42,320 --> 00:13:44,840 Speaker 2: if you watched him shake his tail a couple times 266 00:13:44,880 --> 00:13:48,640 Speaker 2: real fast? You should, because that means he's probably gonna 267 00:13:48,720 --> 00:13:51,840 Speaker 2: drop his head and start walking, just like every other 268 00:13:51,920 --> 00:13:54,480 Speaker 2: deer who has done the same thing. If you watch 269 00:13:54,559 --> 00:13:56,920 Speaker 2: deer enough, you start to learn those types of behaviors 270 00:13:57,240 --> 00:14:00,640 Speaker 2: and understand when your best shot opportunity is about to happen. 271 00:14:01,240 --> 00:14:03,720 Speaker 2: That's so important to making good shots in the field 272 00:14:03,800 --> 00:14:07,320 Speaker 2: when it counts the most. Think about it this way too. 273 00:14:08,320 --> 00:14:10,640 Speaker 2: Most of the time, when deer come in and they're relaxed, 274 00:14:10,920 --> 00:14:15,079 Speaker 2: they're moving pretty slow. They sniff here they step there, 275 00:14:15,520 --> 00:14:19,280 Speaker 2: They almost forecast their movements, and that gives you a 276 00:14:19,600 --> 00:14:22,480 Speaker 2: really good chance to draw when you need to and 277 00:14:22,640 --> 00:14:27,120 Speaker 2: anticipate right where you should be aiming. All this stuff 278 00:14:28,000 --> 00:14:31,480 Speaker 2: requires patients, and it actually helps you to become more patient, 279 00:14:32,000 --> 00:14:35,000 Speaker 2: which is the antidote to rushing shots, which is the 280 00:14:35,040 --> 00:14:37,480 Speaker 2: one thing that causes us to make bad shots more 281 00:14:37,520 --> 00:14:41,120 Speaker 2: than anything else. Let me give you another example. You 282 00:14:41,120 --> 00:14:42,760 Speaker 2: guys know I like to hunt rivers, I like to 283 00:14:42,840 --> 00:14:46,000 Speaker 2: hunt water. Well. One river I like to hunt is 284 00:14:46,040 --> 00:14:49,480 Speaker 2: in North Dakota and has steep banks. The deer almost 285 00:14:49,520 --> 00:14:51,960 Speaker 2: always approach it at a walk and then they descend 286 00:14:52,080 --> 00:14:55,120 Speaker 2: right down to the water and drink. This usually happens 287 00:14:55,160 --> 00:14:57,640 Speaker 2: without a whole lot of stopping. Then they cross the 288 00:14:57,720 --> 00:15:00,440 Speaker 2: river and they have to ascend the other bank. When 289 00:15:00,440 --> 00:15:05,320 Speaker 2: they do, they almost always always stop to survey their surroundings. 290 00:15:05,880 --> 00:15:08,440 Speaker 2: They've probably dealt with enough coyotes and lions there to 291 00:15:08,440 --> 00:15:10,720 Speaker 2: know that the safe side of the river they just 292 00:15:10,840 --> 00:15:13,200 Speaker 2: left is a memory, and it's time to figure out 293 00:15:13,240 --> 00:15:15,520 Speaker 2: if there is danger waiting for them on the new side. 294 00:15:15,960 --> 00:15:18,720 Speaker 2: It's pretty simple prey behavior. But if you're up in 295 00:15:18,720 --> 00:15:22,040 Speaker 2: a tree there and they pop up, that bank. It 296 00:15:22,120 --> 00:15:24,200 Speaker 2: often seems like they are onto something because they seem 297 00:15:24,320 --> 00:15:26,600 Speaker 2: just a little bit edgy, like maybe they caught just 298 00:15:26,640 --> 00:15:29,600 Speaker 2: a slight whiff of you and they're considering leaving. But 299 00:15:29,600 --> 00:15:32,960 Speaker 2: they mostly didn't and they mostly aren't. But if you 300 00:15:33,040 --> 00:15:35,520 Speaker 2: believe that you know that they might be on their 301 00:15:35,560 --> 00:15:38,200 Speaker 2: way out, you're gonna rush a shot when you could 302 00:15:38,200 --> 00:15:40,880 Speaker 2: have just waited a little bit until they convinced themselves 303 00:15:40,880 --> 00:15:44,080 Speaker 2: that the new bank, the new side, is all good, 304 00:15:44,240 --> 00:15:47,000 Speaker 2: and then they walk right by totally unaware that you're 305 00:15:47,040 --> 00:15:50,800 Speaker 2: about to skewer them. Pay attention to all of the deer, 306 00:15:51,120 --> 00:15:54,720 Speaker 2: study them. It's important. And lastly, I have one more 307 00:15:54,760 --> 00:15:56,200 Speaker 2: thing for you. If you want to be a stone 308 00:15:56,240 --> 00:15:59,120 Speaker 2: cold killer who consistently makes the kind of shots where 309 00:15:59,120 --> 00:16:02,280 Speaker 2: you get to witness the light, it's going out, take 310 00:16:02,320 --> 00:16:05,360 Speaker 2: shots that you know you can make. I know that 311 00:16:05,440 --> 00:16:09,480 Speaker 2: seems dumb, because of course that's what should do, but 312 00:16:09,520 --> 00:16:11,880 Speaker 2: a lot of people don't. Just think about it this way. 313 00:16:12,360 --> 00:16:13,880 Speaker 2: If you put a deer out in front of you 314 00:16:13,920 --> 00:16:17,880 Speaker 2: at fifteen yards a broadside and it's relaxed, how often 315 00:16:17,880 --> 00:16:21,080 Speaker 2: are you going to tank that shot? Not very often, 316 00:16:21,120 --> 00:16:24,080 Speaker 2: I hope. But now put that same deer quartering away 317 00:16:24,120 --> 00:16:28,000 Speaker 2: in a little bit tense at let's say thirty three yards. Sure, 318 00:16:28,680 --> 00:16:31,880 Speaker 2: you can make thirty three yard shots all day, but 319 00:16:31,960 --> 00:16:34,680 Speaker 2: it's not nearly as much of a foregone conclusion as 320 00:16:34,680 --> 00:16:39,640 Speaker 2: that first fifteen yard broadside shot. Knowing your limitations and 321 00:16:39,680 --> 00:16:42,360 Speaker 2: being patient enough to wait for a no brainer shot 322 00:16:42,680 --> 00:16:46,120 Speaker 2: or good things. It's also really tough to learn either 323 00:16:46,160 --> 00:16:48,880 Speaker 2: of those things and implement them in the field. But 324 00:16:48,920 --> 00:16:51,360 Speaker 2: we should all be working to be better at shooting deer. 325 00:16:52,600 --> 00:16:54,640 Speaker 2: I deal with this every year, and it gives me 326 00:16:54,760 --> 00:16:58,960 Speaker 2: so much pride to string together several good shots. You know, 327 00:16:59,000 --> 00:17:01,600 Speaker 2: it doesn't always happen, and I doubt it ever will 328 00:17:02,240 --> 00:17:06,280 Speaker 2: for me or you or you know someone like John Dudley, 329 00:17:06,280 --> 00:17:09,560 Speaker 2: who could probably outshoot most of us if we were 330 00:17:09,560 --> 00:17:11,159 Speaker 2: in broad daylight and he had to shoot in a 331 00:17:11,200 --> 00:17:13,960 Speaker 2: pitch black cave. He probably still screws up some shots, 332 00:17:15,600 --> 00:17:17,560 Speaker 2: you know. So the goal isn't to just become a 333 00:17:17,600 --> 00:17:22,080 Speaker 2: badass paper puncher here. It's to become a reliable, consistently 334 00:17:22,160 --> 00:17:26,320 Speaker 2: good shot on actual animals. That takes a few things 335 00:17:26,359 --> 00:17:30,160 Speaker 2: that you can't just accomplish on the range. Think about 336 00:17:30,200 --> 00:17:33,000 Speaker 2: this as your season opens up here. Think about coming 337 00:17:33,040 --> 00:17:35,280 Speaker 2: back next week, because I'm going to talk about how 338 00:17:35,280 --> 00:17:39,840 Speaker 2: to navigate the quote unquote October lull in real time, 339 00:17:39,920 --> 00:17:41,720 Speaker 2: and I'm going to give you an example for that 340 00:17:42,160 --> 00:17:44,439 Speaker 2: when I open that show that you're probably not going 341 00:17:44,520 --> 00:17:48,960 Speaker 2: to expect. That's it for this week. I'm Tony Peterson. 342 00:17:49,000 --> 00:17:51,480 Speaker 2: This has been the Wired to Hunt Foundation's podcast, which 343 00:17:51,520 --> 00:17:53,439 Speaker 2: is brought to you by First Light. As I always, 344 00:17:53,440 --> 00:17:55,960 Speaker 2: thank you so much for listening and for all your support. 345 00:17:56,520 --> 00:17:58,479 Speaker 2: Truly appreciate it means the world to me and the 346 00:17:58,480 --> 00:18:00,720 Speaker 2: rest of us here at meat Eater. If you want 347 00:18:00,840 --> 00:18:04,040 Speaker 2: some more white tail content, or you want to see 348 00:18:04,040 --> 00:18:06,720 Speaker 2: some videos with Steve or Clay or whoever, listen to 349 00:18:06,760 --> 00:18:10,439 Speaker 2: some podcasts, go to the meaedeater dot com and you 350 00:18:10,480 --> 00:18:14,280 Speaker 2: will find so much content that you will probably get 351 00:18:14,320 --> 00:18:16,040 Speaker 2: fired from work because you'll spend too much time looking 352 00:18:16,080 --> 00:18:19,399 Speaker 2: at it. But that's okay.