1 00:00:01,240 --> 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 --> 00:00:13,560 Speaker 1: creating proven versatile hunting apparel for the stand, saddle or blind. 4 00:00:14,080 --> 00:00:18,680 Speaker 1: First Light Go Farther, Stay Longer, and now your host 5 00:00:19,000 --> 00:00:19,880 Speaker 1: Tony Peterson. 6 00:00:20,239 --> 00:00:23,040 Speaker 2: Hey everyone, welcome to the Wired to Hunt Foundation's podcast, 7 00:00:23,040 --> 00:00:24,240 Speaker 2: which is brought to you by first Light. 8 00:00:24,280 --> 00:00:25,400 Speaker 3: I'm your host, Tony Peterson. 9 00:00:25,400 --> 00:00:27,840 Speaker 2: In today's episode is all about our impact on the 10 00:00:27,880 --> 00:00:30,320 Speaker 2: woods and why when you start to be mindful of it, 11 00:00:30,360 --> 00:00:35,760 Speaker 2: you become a way, way better deer hunter. All right, everyone, 12 00:00:35,960 --> 00:00:37,360 Speaker 2: I have an assignment for you. 13 00:00:37,960 --> 00:00:39,000 Speaker 3: Trust me on this. 14 00:00:39,479 --> 00:00:42,280 Speaker 2: If you go do what I say, then you come 15 00:00:42,280 --> 00:00:44,600 Speaker 2: back and listen to this episode. You will think about 16 00:00:44,600 --> 00:00:47,279 Speaker 2: your hunting in a different light. And I promise you 17 00:00:47,320 --> 00:00:49,400 Speaker 2: it will help you kill more big bucks. And I 18 00:00:49,400 --> 00:00:51,080 Speaker 2: don't ever really promise that, but I am. 19 00:00:51,159 --> 00:00:51,360 Speaker 3: Now. 20 00:00:52,040 --> 00:00:55,920 Speaker 2: Go listen to the Mediater podcast episode number eight thirty 21 00:00:55,960 --> 00:01:00,720 Speaker 2: eight called how to Translate Animal Language with George. Listen 22 00:01:00,760 --> 00:01:02,800 Speaker 2: to every word he says, and then come back and 23 00:01:02,800 --> 00:01:05,280 Speaker 2: listen to this episode because I'm going to take his 24 00:01:05,440 --> 00:01:07,720 Speaker 2: lessons and apply them to the world of deer hunting. 25 00:01:07,959 --> 00:01:10,880 Speaker 2: Now believe me when I say this, that episode might 26 00:01:10,959 --> 00:01:14,120 Speaker 2: have more real, actionable hunting advice in it than anything 27 00:01:14,160 --> 00:01:16,959 Speaker 2: I've ever produced, or at the very least, anything I've 28 00:01:17,040 --> 00:01:19,759 Speaker 2: encountered in a piece of content in a long, long 29 00:01:20,040 --> 00:01:23,160 Speaker 2: long time. Do that, and then come back here and 30 00:01:23,200 --> 00:01:24,200 Speaker 2: finish this episode. 31 00:01:24,360 --> 00:01:24,760 Speaker 3: For real. 32 00:01:29,480 --> 00:01:33,000 Speaker 2: Let me describe a common whitetail scenario for you that 33 00:01:33,040 --> 00:01:34,880 Speaker 2: I kind of want to use as the basis for 34 00:01:34,920 --> 00:01:37,760 Speaker 2: this podcast, or at least as a jumping off point. 35 00:01:38,120 --> 00:01:40,240 Speaker 3: You follow all of the best. 36 00:01:39,920 --> 00:01:42,320 Speaker 2: Advice in the white tail space as it applies to 37 00:01:42,400 --> 00:01:43,319 Speaker 2: your type of hunting. 38 00:01:43,600 --> 00:01:45,440 Speaker 3: You winter scout as you should. 39 00:01:45,800 --> 00:01:47,720 Speaker 2: You get out and burn some boot leather to find 40 00:01:47,720 --> 00:01:51,680 Speaker 2: antlers as you should. As midsummer hits, you spray on 41 00:01:51,760 --> 00:01:54,440 Speaker 2: some bug spray, buy some double A batteries, and you 42 00:01:54,480 --> 00:01:56,480 Speaker 2: head out into the woods to drop some cameras off. 43 00:01:56,720 --> 00:01:59,200 Speaker 2: Some go on field edges, some in the woods on 44 00:01:59,280 --> 00:02:02,640 Speaker 2: travel roads, likely on some kind of funnel or pinch point. 45 00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:06,400 Speaker 2: The summer ends, fall progresses, and your field edge cameras 46 00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:09,720 Speaker 2: show plenty of action, while your pinch point cameras show 47 00:02:10,000 --> 00:02:13,080 Speaker 2: some Now you hunt those early field edges you know, 48 00:02:13,560 --> 00:02:16,280 Speaker 2: and it just doesn't happen. The field edges start to 49 00:02:16,280 --> 00:02:19,120 Speaker 2: go a little dead, except for at night. But occasionally 50 00:02:19,160 --> 00:02:21,560 Speaker 2: you get that delicious dopamine hit of an image or 51 00:02:21,560 --> 00:02:24,639 Speaker 2: a video showing up on your in the woods cameras. Now, 52 00:02:24,680 --> 00:02:27,840 Speaker 2: as October slips away, one of your cameras just starts 53 00:02:27,960 --> 00:02:30,880 Speaker 2: going off. The bucks are feeling it, and not just 54 00:02:30,960 --> 00:02:34,000 Speaker 2: any bucks, but it seems like bucks of all age classes. 55 00:02:34,480 --> 00:02:37,240 Speaker 2: As the end of October looms closer, you make your 56 00:02:37,280 --> 00:02:40,160 Speaker 2: first attempt to hunt where that hot camera is. You 57 00:02:40,240 --> 00:02:43,640 Speaker 2: slip into a pre hung stand. The wind is perfect, 58 00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:47,840 Speaker 2: the seasonal timing is getting real good, and then you blink, 59 00:02:48,360 --> 00:02:50,600 Speaker 2: or maybe you have a Dona font come through, maybe 60 00:02:50,600 --> 00:02:54,799 Speaker 2: a four ky. You reason it's just not quite time yet. 61 00:02:55,000 --> 00:02:57,280 Speaker 2: You need a few more days, So you wait a 62 00:02:57,280 --> 00:03:00,360 Speaker 2: few days. Your camera starts to get active again, and 63 00:03:00,400 --> 00:03:04,440 Speaker 2: the season is just getting better. You repeat the process 64 00:03:04,480 --> 00:03:07,400 Speaker 2: and have the same results. Now, since the camera shows 65 00:03:07,440 --> 00:03:09,840 Speaker 2: plenty of action, you just assume it's bad luck that 66 00:03:09,840 --> 00:03:12,120 Speaker 2: the bucks haven't shown up. You have a choice to 67 00:03:12,160 --> 00:03:15,720 Speaker 2: make now, keep trusting the camera and the spot, or 68 00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:18,320 Speaker 2: hunt somewhere else. A lot of folks will just go 69 00:03:18,440 --> 00:03:21,160 Speaker 2: right out back to that field edge with their rattling antlers, 70 00:03:21,200 --> 00:03:24,160 Speaker 2: and a whole heart full of hopes and dreams. Some 71 00:03:24,240 --> 00:03:27,080 Speaker 2: will ride it out on that pinch point, some will kill, 72 00:03:27,639 --> 00:03:31,400 Speaker 2: most won't. But what went wrong for those who didn't? 73 00:03:32,040 --> 00:03:35,520 Speaker 2: By anyone who has gone through this is probably has 74 00:03:35,560 --> 00:03:39,200 Speaker 2: a pretty good answer, and they probably aren't wrong. There 75 00:03:39,240 --> 00:03:42,280 Speaker 2: is always anxiety and excitement rolled up into going into 76 00:03:42,360 --> 00:03:45,040 Speaker 2: a spot where you have an active camera because the 77 00:03:45,120 --> 00:03:48,560 Speaker 2: wild card is always us being there, and why wouldn't 78 00:03:48,600 --> 00:03:51,600 Speaker 2: it be. We are the apex predator out there, and 79 00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:54,560 Speaker 2: don't kid yourself that you're not viewed that way. In 80 00:03:54,600 --> 00:03:57,040 Speaker 2: my neck of the woods, wolves are the big bad 81 00:03:57,400 --> 00:04:00,960 Speaker 2: oh wolves. But the truth is are impact is super 82 00:04:00,960 --> 00:04:04,400 Speaker 2: negative on the woods as well. Sure, wild canines don't 83 00:04:04,400 --> 00:04:06,520 Speaker 2: follow game laws and will kill a deer at midnight 84 00:04:06,600 --> 00:04:08,800 Speaker 2: just as much as they will during legal shooting hours, 85 00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:11,600 Speaker 2: But when we take to the woods, we have an 86 00:04:11,640 --> 00:04:15,240 Speaker 2: outsized impact on the animals in the woods. Are scent, 87 00:04:15,520 --> 00:04:19,159 Speaker 2: our movements, our presence, It's felt, and that would be 88 00:04:19,279 --> 00:04:21,599 Speaker 2: enough to keep a lot of deer from going where 89 00:04:21,600 --> 00:04:24,159 Speaker 2: we need them to go. But if you followed my 90 00:04:24,320 --> 00:04:27,200 Speaker 2: advice from the intro to this podcast and went back 91 00:04:27,200 --> 00:04:30,119 Speaker 2: and listened to the mediater podcast with George Buhman called 92 00:04:30,360 --> 00:04:34,360 Speaker 2: How to Translate Animal Language. You know there is probably 93 00:04:34,400 --> 00:04:37,120 Speaker 2: more to it. In fact, I think most of us 94 00:04:37,160 --> 00:04:39,880 Speaker 2: intuitively know there is more to our presence than. 95 00:04:39,839 --> 00:04:41,400 Speaker 3: Just us and the deer. 96 00:04:42,200 --> 00:04:44,920 Speaker 2: If you've ever been reprimanded by a squirrel in the woods, 97 00:04:45,240 --> 00:04:47,560 Speaker 2: you know there is more to it. Or maybe you 98 00:04:47,680 --> 00:04:50,200 Speaker 2: flush a covey of quail while sneaking into your stand 99 00:04:50,680 --> 00:04:53,680 Speaker 2: out west doc and meal deer, elk and sometimes antelope. 100 00:04:54,080 --> 00:04:56,640 Speaker 2: You bump cattle grazing away on public land, and you 101 00:04:56,680 --> 00:04:59,159 Speaker 2: might as well lit off a Roman candle and started 102 00:04:59,200 --> 00:05:03,120 Speaker 2: firing it into criminately into the sky. When you sneak 103 00:05:03,160 --> 00:05:06,359 Speaker 2: into that spot with that hot camera, you're not really 104 00:05:06,440 --> 00:05:08,560 Speaker 2: fooling a hell of a lot of the critters out 105 00:05:08,600 --> 00:05:12,400 Speaker 2: there that we don't pay any mind to. Sure, a 106 00:05:12,480 --> 00:05:16,000 Speaker 2: squirrel barking at a sucks, but squirrels bark at lots 107 00:05:16,000 --> 00:05:19,400 Speaker 2: of stuff. But you know what, everything is scared of us, 108 00:05:19,680 --> 00:05:22,240 Speaker 2: especially when we are hiding and signaling that we are 109 00:05:22,279 --> 00:05:26,359 Speaker 2: in predator mode. The crazy thing about that is most 110 00:05:26,360 --> 00:05:30,760 Speaker 2: of what we aren't hunting is very, very afraid of us. 111 00:05:31,320 --> 00:05:33,880 Speaker 2: I think about this when I walk into my backyard 112 00:05:33,920 --> 00:05:36,520 Speaker 2: in the late spring, as the evening sets in the 113 00:05:36,600 --> 00:05:39,640 Speaker 2: amount of frogs we have here with our pond, which 114 00:05:39,680 --> 00:05:41,440 Speaker 2: is really just a swamp that they couldn't build a 115 00:05:41,480 --> 00:05:45,440 Speaker 2: dollar general in is bananas. If I step outside to 116 00:05:45,440 --> 00:05:48,640 Speaker 2: shoot a few rounds of arrows, the calling of amphibians 117 00:05:48,680 --> 00:05:51,680 Speaker 2: is pretty unreal until I walk up to my targets, 118 00:05:51,720 --> 00:05:53,920 Speaker 2: which are right on the edge of the pond. Then 119 00:05:53,960 --> 00:05:57,160 Speaker 2: it's like someone flips a series of switches as all 120 00:05:57,200 --> 00:06:00,200 Speaker 2: of the frogs shut up in waves across the pond. 121 00:06:00,760 --> 00:06:03,880 Speaker 2: I'm not hunting them, In fact, I love frogs, but 122 00:06:03,960 --> 00:06:07,320 Speaker 2: they don't know that. And you know what, I notice 123 00:06:07,360 --> 00:06:09,720 Speaker 2: that a lot when I hunt ponds in the early season. 124 00:06:10,240 --> 00:06:13,680 Speaker 2: When I walk in, things go silent, and I can 125 00:06:13,800 --> 00:06:19,400 Speaker 2: promise you a buck bedded within earshot notices that too. 126 00:06:19,600 --> 00:06:22,400 Speaker 2: Since they are frogs, they don't wait forever to start 127 00:06:22,480 --> 00:06:24,800 Speaker 2: up again. But there is a time period where the 128 00:06:24,880 --> 00:06:28,120 Speaker 2: silence spreads a credible rumor through the animal kingdom that 129 00:06:28,240 --> 00:06:31,920 Speaker 2: something scary is there, and the animals listen to that stuff. 130 00:06:32,760 --> 00:06:35,400 Speaker 2: I'm convinced this is a reason we are gravitating toward 131 00:06:35,440 --> 00:06:38,120 Speaker 2: blinds more and more in the white tail space. Now 132 00:06:38,160 --> 00:06:39,800 Speaker 2: I know what it seems like on the surface, you 133 00:06:39,800 --> 00:06:42,720 Speaker 2: don't seem simple. Get in there and you can move 134 00:06:42,760 --> 00:06:45,480 Speaker 2: around and not get spotted by the deer. This goes 135 00:06:45,520 --> 00:06:48,520 Speaker 2: for pop up blinds and box blinds, and you have 136 00:06:48,600 --> 00:06:51,159 Speaker 2: the added benefit of a little noise suppression and some 137 00:06:51,360 --> 00:06:54,600 Speaker 2: sense suppression, but you also have the benefit of not 138 00:06:55,000 --> 00:06:57,280 Speaker 2: having nearly as big of an impact on all of 139 00:06:57,279 --> 00:07:01,760 Speaker 2: the songbirds and squirrels and turk and whoever else might 140 00:07:01,800 --> 00:07:05,360 Speaker 2: be going through that isn't on your hit list. Think 141 00:07:05,400 --> 00:07:08,760 Speaker 2: about it this way. The dominant style of hunting for 142 00:07:08,920 --> 00:07:11,480 Speaker 2: most people who have been filming for a long time 143 00:07:12,080 --> 00:07:14,520 Speaker 2: is to get into a box blind on a food plot. 144 00:07:15,320 --> 00:07:18,520 Speaker 2: This is no accident. It's the easiest way to keep 145 00:07:18,600 --> 00:07:22,080 Speaker 2: your felt presence down to a bare minimum, which makes 146 00:07:22,160 --> 00:07:23,080 Speaker 2: hunting easier. 147 00:07:23,520 --> 00:07:23,680 Speaker 3: Now. 148 00:07:23,680 --> 00:07:26,240 Speaker 2: Anyone who has filmed a hang and bang public land 149 00:07:26,320 --> 00:07:29,160 Speaker 2: hunt with a cameraman knows exactly why a lot of 150 00:07:29,200 --> 00:07:32,960 Speaker 2: TV shows are filmed out of box blinds. This style 151 00:07:33,200 --> 00:07:36,200 Speaker 2: has added benefits when it comes to comfort and spot burnout, 152 00:07:36,240 --> 00:07:39,640 Speaker 2: of course, but there's no denying that if you walk 153 00:07:39,640 --> 00:07:42,000 Speaker 2: out to your elevated redneck blind in the middle of 154 00:07:42,040 --> 00:07:46,160 Speaker 2: an acre of clover, you're definitely keeping your negative presence 155 00:07:46,600 --> 00:07:49,320 Speaker 2: out of the areas where all of the forest critters 156 00:07:49,360 --> 00:07:53,720 Speaker 2: might subtly announce your presence to anyone listening, and trust me, 157 00:07:54,280 --> 00:07:55,240 Speaker 2: everyone's listening. 158 00:07:55,920 --> 00:07:56,880 Speaker 3: Think about it this way. 159 00:07:57,520 --> 00:08:00,200 Speaker 2: If you were in Africa sitting on a bank above 160 00:08:00,240 --> 00:08:02,600 Speaker 2: a muddy river, and you watched a herd of blue 161 00:08:02,640 --> 00:08:04,720 Speaker 2: wildebeest walk down to the edge of the river to 162 00:08:04,720 --> 00:08:06,960 Speaker 2: grab a drink, and one of them ended up with 163 00:08:07,000 --> 00:08:10,080 Speaker 2: its nose in between the teeth of a crocodile, you 164 00:08:10,080 --> 00:08:12,400 Speaker 2: wouldn't just walk down there to splash around and cool 165 00:08:12,440 --> 00:08:14,640 Speaker 2: off under the rationale that you're not a wildebeest, so 166 00:08:14,720 --> 00:08:18,400 Speaker 2: you're probably not on the menu. The things that eat 167 00:08:18,520 --> 00:08:23,160 Speaker 2: deer eat rabbits and squirrels and songbirds and whatever they 168 00:08:23,160 --> 00:08:26,800 Speaker 2: can get their teeth on. There is a risk reward 169 00:08:26,920 --> 00:08:30,680 Speaker 2: metric for prey animals who ignore the warning calls of 170 00:08:30,840 --> 00:08:33,800 Speaker 2: other prey animals, and I'd guess that the ones that 171 00:08:33,880 --> 00:08:37,080 Speaker 2: pass on their jeans with some regularity are the ones 172 00:08:37,160 --> 00:08:50,520 Speaker 2: who heed that call relatively equally. When I listen to 173 00:08:50,520 --> 00:08:52,880 Speaker 2: that Meat Eater podcast, I realized that a lot of 174 00:08:52,920 --> 00:08:55,800 Speaker 2: my hunting style has been in a response to this reality. 175 00:08:56,160 --> 00:08:59,680 Speaker 2: Even though I didn't fully understand it. Over the last 176 00:08:59,679 --> 00:09:02,800 Speaker 2: several seasons, I've started sitting way later in the mornings 177 00:09:03,200 --> 00:09:06,160 Speaker 2: and going out way earlier in the evenings, and then 178 00:09:06,240 --> 00:09:09,320 Speaker 2: sitting all day whenever I can. I figured it was 179 00:09:09,360 --> 00:09:11,680 Speaker 2: just good business to be out there for more hours, 180 00:09:11,760 --> 00:09:14,920 Speaker 2: and in fact I still believe that. But I also 181 00:09:15,000 --> 00:09:19,280 Speaker 2: think there's way more to it. I think that subconsciously, 182 00:09:19,360 --> 00:09:21,280 Speaker 2: I knew that I was making a big impact on 183 00:09:21,320 --> 00:09:23,880 Speaker 2: the places I wanted to hunt, especially when I was 184 00:09:23,920 --> 00:09:26,280 Speaker 2: sitting over a little water hole or hunting a patch 185 00:09:26,320 --> 00:09:30,040 Speaker 2: of small cover somewhere. For as long as I've been 186 00:09:30,080 --> 00:09:33,520 Speaker 2: consuming hunting content, which started as magazines when I was 187 00:09:33,559 --> 00:09:37,120 Speaker 2: a kid, people have been talking about letting the woods 188 00:09:37,240 --> 00:09:40,800 Speaker 2: settle down, that you have to give it time to 189 00:09:40,880 --> 00:09:44,560 Speaker 2: return to normal, and they aren't wrong. We view that 190 00:09:44,640 --> 00:09:47,600 Speaker 2: as a deer centric thing, but it's not. It's a 191 00:09:47,800 --> 00:09:50,880 Speaker 2: nature thing. The worst thing to happen to most of 192 00:09:50,920 --> 00:09:54,400 Speaker 2: those animals just walked into their world and climbed into 193 00:09:54,440 --> 00:09:56,840 Speaker 2: a tree or put his back to a tree, or got. 194 00:09:56,800 --> 00:09:57,520 Speaker 3: Into a blind. 195 00:09:58,320 --> 00:10:04,080 Speaker 2: That's no small thing, and something, some songbird, some insects, 196 00:10:04,120 --> 00:10:08,600 Speaker 2: some roadent, something is going to express its displeasure at 197 00:10:08,600 --> 00:10:12,880 Speaker 2: that big, bad man's presence. Now, if you lived out 198 00:10:12,880 --> 00:10:16,000 Speaker 2: there and were hunted daily or at least often enough 199 00:10:16,040 --> 00:10:19,120 Speaker 2: to realize that you're definitely in danger, you'd listen to 200 00:10:19,160 --> 00:10:23,120 Speaker 2: those alarms and react accordingly. Now you might be thinking, well, 201 00:10:23,200 --> 00:10:25,199 Speaker 2: sometimes I walk in and shoot a buck two minutes 202 00:10:25,240 --> 00:10:29,000 Speaker 2: after I get there. Right, me too, But mostly no. 203 00:10:30,040 --> 00:10:31,840 Speaker 2: This is one of the big reasons we love the rut, 204 00:10:32,800 --> 00:10:34,560 Speaker 2: because the deer we want to kill the most are 205 00:10:34,679 --> 00:10:38,680 Speaker 2: likely to ignore danger that they normally wouldn't. Mostly we 206 00:10:38,720 --> 00:10:40,920 Speaker 2: should pay attention to this stuff because given the amount 207 00:10:40,920 --> 00:10:42,360 Speaker 2: of time we have to hunt and how little of 208 00:10:42,400 --> 00:10:46,040 Speaker 2: that actually is, the rut means this is pretty important stuff. 209 00:10:46,920 --> 00:10:49,760 Speaker 2: I think it goes deeper than this too. I was 210 00:10:49,840 --> 00:10:52,840 Speaker 2: texting back and forth with the CEO of Tethered recently, 211 00:10:52,880 --> 00:10:54,920 Speaker 2: and he was showing me a really good buck that 212 00:10:55,040 --> 00:10:57,960 Speaker 2: he was after last season. He mentioned that he tried 213 00:10:57,960 --> 00:11:00,559 Speaker 2: to call him in but the buck just wasn't having it. 214 00:11:01,240 --> 00:11:03,200 Speaker 2: I asked him if he snort weezed, and he said 215 00:11:03,240 --> 00:11:05,360 Speaker 2: he did, but that he didn't think that buck was 216 00:11:05,440 --> 00:11:08,240 Speaker 2: much of a fighter, by the way he responded, Now, 217 00:11:08,280 --> 00:11:10,960 Speaker 2: I thought about that, and he might be right, But 218 00:11:11,040 --> 00:11:11,960 Speaker 2: I'm not so sure. 219 00:11:12,679 --> 00:11:14,280 Speaker 3: I think that all the deer fight. 220 00:11:14,480 --> 00:11:17,000 Speaker 2: Because they all live in a hierarchy, and I just 221 00:11:17,000 --> 00:11:19,320 Speaker 2: don't think the snort wheeze call always ends up in 222 00:11:19,360 --> 00:11:21,960 Speaker 2: a fight, because a lot of nature is just posturing 223 00:11:22,040 --> 00:11:25,880 Speaker 2: for dominance, since an actual fight is a high stakes action. 224 00:11:26,600 --> 00:11:28,880 Speaker 2: But then it occurred to me that I've had dozens 225 00:11:28,920 --> 00:11:31,160 Speaker 2: and dozens of deer and turkeys that I've called to 226 00:11:31,200 --> 00:11:34,719 Speaker 2: react negatively or neutrally, and quite a few of them 227 00:11:34,760 --> 00:11:40,000 Speaker 2: that have responded positively have done so until they suddenly didn't. 228 00:11:40,760 --> 00:11:41,679 Speaker 3: Now, think about this. 229 00:11:42,400 --> 00:11:44,680 Speaker 2: When you're sitting out there trying not to move too much, 230 00:11:44,720 --> 00:11:47,280 Speaker 2: and you spot that buck in the woods or that 231 00:11:47,360 --> 00:11:49,640 Speaker 2: gobbler out in the field, and you decide to make 232 00:11:49,679 --> 00:11:53,280 Speaker 2: a call, what do you do well? With deer, You 233 00:11:53,360 --> 00:11:55,760 Speaker 2: usually have to reach for a grunt tube or a 234 00:11:55,800 --> 00:11:58,559 Speaker 2: set of antlers, and often you stand up to get 235 00:11:58,600 --> 00:12:02,800 Speaker 2: ready to shoot. That's big movement stuff. Now, if your 236 00:12:02,840 --> 00:12:04,800 Speaker 2: back is to a tree and your turkey hunting, you 237 00:12:04,880 --> 00:12:06,640 Speaker 2: might have to reach on the ground for your box 238 00:12:06,720 --> 00:12:09,360 Speaker 2: call or a slate call, maybe grab a mouth call 239 00:12:09,440 --> 00:12:11,560 Speaker 2: and pop it back in quick while getting your shotgun 240 00:12:11,600 --> 00:12:14,800 Speaker 2: up on your knees. Big movements. You do both in 241 00:12:14,800 --> 00:12:17,360 Speaker 2: a way that you know that the buck or longbeard 242 00:12:17,360 --> 00:12:19,800 Speaker 2: can't see you. But what about the songbirds and the 243 00:12:19,840 --> 00:12:22,360 Speaker 2: trees with you? What about the stuff you aren't paying 244 00:12:22,400 --> 00:12:25,199 Speaker 2: attention to at all because they don't matter in the moment. 245 00:12:26,320 --> 00:12:28,800 Speaker 2: I'm not saying this is how it always goes, or 246 00:12:28,840 --> 00:12:31,840 Speaker 2: that this is the primary reason a calling sequence doesn't work, 247 00:12:32,400 --> 00:12:35,800 Speaker 2: But imagine this. You're a buck and you hear a 248 00:12:35,840 --> 00:12:38,640 Speaker 2: grunt call. You look and you don't see anything, but 249 00:12:38,720 --> 00:12:41,719 Speaker 2: you also hear the alarm call of some songbird I 250 00:12:41,720 --> 00:12:45,280 Speaker 2: don't know, say a robin. That's two strikes. It's not 251 00:12:45,360 --> 00:12:47,760 Speaker 2: the same thing as spotting some cameo clad do in 252 00:12:47,800 --> 00:12:50,840 Speaker 2: a tree and busting him flat out, but it's something, 253 00:12:51,320 --> 00:12:53,280 Speaker 2: and it might be just enough to get you to 254 00:12:53,360 --> 00:12:56,640 Speaker 2: question the intelligence of heading over there when you really 255 00:12:56,679 --> 00:13:01,200 Speaker 2: don't need to. Their curiosity just often isn't enough. Take 256 00:13:01,240 --> 00:13:04,439 Speaker 2: the long beard think about it. He sees your decoys, 257 00:13:04,840 --> 00:13:07,800 Speaker 2: he hears your calls, but watches a whole bunch of 258 00:13:07,840 --> 00:13:10,720 Speaker 2: songbirds sort of listens to a chipmunk freak out or 259 00:13:10,760 --> 00:13:15,640 Speaker 2: whatever make their alarm calls. And he's not that curious 260 00:13:15,720 --> 00:13:19,480 Speaker 2: about anything. Because turkeys just don't have that. He probably 261 00:13:19,480 --> 00:13:23,480 Speaker 2: doesn't even actively acknowledge what is going on, but something 262 00:13:23,600 --> 00:13:27,400 Speaker 2: trips a tiny little alarm in his brain that says, eh, 263 00:13:27,520 --> 00:13:30,400 Speaker 2: I'm close enough, I'm going to strut here and see 264 00:13:30,400 --> 00:13:33,600 Speaker 2: if the hen comes over to me. That might be 265 00:13:33,640 --> 00:13:36,560 Speaker 2: all it takes. I think that kind of thing happens 266 00:13:36,559 --> 00:13:39,600 Speaker 2: to us a lot. In fact, there's a stupid stand 267 00:13:39,600 --> 00:13:42,160 Speaker 2: on my property in Wisconsin I've been talking about for 268 00:13:42,240 --> 00:13:44,760 Speaker 2: two stupid seasons now where I can't get a frickin' 269 00:13:44,840 --> 00:13:47,400 Speaker 2: deer to walk by it, even though the camera I 270 00:13:47,480 --> 00:13:50,120 Speaker 2: have there is my most active camera in that whole 271 00:13:50,160 --> 00:13:53,640 Speaker 2: stupid county. It has really bothered me that out of 272 00:13:53,880 --> 00:13:57,720 Speaker 2: multiple all day sits over two seasons, I've seen exactly 273 00:13:57,840 --> 00:14:01,000 Speaker 2: one deer, a button buck, and that deer came through 274 00:14:01,000 --> 00:14:03,160 Speaker 2: within like two minutes of the shooting light. The very 275 00:14:03,240 --> 00:14:06,320 Speaker 2: first time I sat there, I just didn't believe that 276 00:14:06,360 --> 00:14:08,760 Speaker 2: the deer were winding me, and I know they aren't 277 00:14:08,840 --> 00:14:11,959 Speaker 2: seeing me because it's pretty thick. But last year, as 278 00:14:11,960 --> 00:14:14,960 Speaker 2: I sat there for three dark to dark sits during 279 00:14:15,000 --> 00:14:19,200 Speaker 2: the rut, I realized that I almost constantly have pine 280 00:14:19,240 --> 00:14:22,240 Speaker 2: squirrels bitching me out. There are also a lot of 281 00:14:22,240 --> 00:14:24,400 Speaker 2: blue jays in there for some reason, and they aren't 282 00:14:24,440 --> 00:14:28,280 Speaker 2: shy about making alarm calls. I don't know if this 283 00:14:28,360 --> 00:14:31,000 Speaker 2: is the reason or not, but it got me wondering. 284 00:14:31,920 --> 00:14:34,880 Speaker 2: In fact, this year, I'm not going to do anything 285 00:14:34,920 --> 00:14:37,080 Speaker 2: different other than brush in a blind there in the 286 00:14:37,160 --> 00:14:40,480 Speaker 2: late summer and let it soak inuntil the rut. I'm 287 00:14:40,520 --> 00:14:43,120 Speaker 2: going to slip in well before first light to hunt 288 00:14:43,120 --> 00:14:45,520 Speaker 2: that spot and see if being contained in a blind 289 00:14:45,880 --> 00:14:47,920 Speaker 2: instead of up in a pine tree with a local 290 00:14:47,960 --> 00:14:51,960 Speaker 2: squirrel population affects my success there at all. And I 291 00:14:52,040 --> 00:14:54,360 Speaker 2: kind of believe it will, but I might be wrong 292 00:14:55,000 --> 00:14:58,000 Speaker 2: either way. I'm going to find out. I'm also convinced 293 00:14:58,000 --> 00:15:00,160 Speaker 2: that this is something that is a real factor for 294 00:15:00,240 --> 00:15:03,840 Speaker 2: success when you hunt where the hunting is really tough. Now, 295 00:15:03,880 --> 00:15:05,720 Speaker 2: if you have a high deer density or you just 296 00:15:05,760 --> 00:15:08,480 Speaker 2: hunt lightly pressure deer, I don't think they take their 297 00:15:08,520 --> 00:15:12,280 Speaker 2: survival as seriously as deer that live you know, where 298 00:15:12,280 --> 00:15:14,160 Speaker 2: there are very few of them and where they get 299 00:15:14,240 --> 00:15:17,480 Speaker 2: hunted really hard. I know that might sound crazy, but 300 00:15:17,520 --> 00:15:19,520 Speaker 2: the best way to kill giant bucks, we've found a 301 00:15:19,640 --> 00:15:22,760 Speaker 2: date is to convince them they aren't in any danger. 302 00:15:22,800 --> 00:15:25,480 Speaker 2: For five years of their life by putting no pressure 303 00:15:25,520 --> 00:15:28,520 Speaker 2: on them. I also know that I'm going to try 304 00:15:28,560 --> 00:15:30,480 Speaker 2: hard to think about this stuff this fall when I'm 305 00:15:30,480 --> 00:15:33,920 Speaker 2: out hunting by myself or with my daughters. I don't 306 00:15:33,920 --> 00:15:37,920 Speaker 2: know exactly what that means for me, other than I'm 307 00:15:37,960 --> 00:15:41,720 Speaker 2: going to try my best to keep my presence down, 308 00:15:41,840 --> 00:15:45,320 Speaker 2: my negative presence not felt as much as possible, and 309 00:15:45,360 --> 00:15:47,520 Speaker 2: to get out there for as many hours as i 310 00:15:47,640 --> 00:15:51,280 Speaker 2: can on each sit. I don't really love the idea 311 00:15:51,360 --> 00:15:53,200 Speaker 2: of getting into more blinds, so I'm not going to 312 00:15:53,280 --> 00:15:56,480 Speaker 2: lean too hard into that direction, even though that is 313 00:15:56,520 --> 00:15:59,320 Speaker 2: an easy move for at least part of the issue. 314 00:15:59,600 --> 00:16:02,360 Speaker 2: But this isn't about just being a better big buck 315 00:16:02,440 --> 00:16:06,240 Speaker 2: killer either. The idea of learning what the birds say 316 00:16:06,280 --> 00:16:09,160 Speaker 2: to each other, not only when I walk through, but 317 00:16:09,240 --> 00:16:12,080 Speaker 2: when a coyote or a bobcat is around, or what 318 00:16:12,120 --> 00:16:14,000 Speaker 2: the crows have to say at the bait site, when 319 00:16:14,040 --> 00:16:16,280 Speaker 2: my daughters are trying to arrow a bear, or just 320 00:16:16,320 --> 00:16:18,560 Speaker 2: about any of the sounds nature wants to offer up 321 00:16:18,560 --> 00:16:21,480 Speaker 2: to teach me a thing or two. They're just interesting, 322 00:16:22,360 --> 00:16:26,000 Speaker 2: something worth paying attention to, and that should interest you too, 323 00:16:26,400 --> 00:16:30,160 Speaker 2: Because woodsmanship actually kills big deer, but developing it is 324 00:16:30,240 --> 00:16:33,360 Speaker 2: also a cheat code to enjoying time in the woods more, 325 00:16:33,640 --> 00:16:37,040 Speaker 2: which is something we can all probably use. Think about 326 00:16:37,040 --> 00:16:39,440 Speaker 2: that and think about coming back next week because it's 327 00:16:39,440 --> 00:16:42,960 Speaker 2: time to talk turkeys, calling decoys, blind setups, and a 328 00:16:43,000 --> 00:16:47,280 Speaker 2: whole bunch of other good gobbler stuff. That's it for 329 00:16:47,320 --> 00:16:51,320 Speaker 2: this episode. I am Tony Peterson. This is the Wired 330 00:16:51,320 --> 00:16:54,240 Speaker 2: to Hunt Foundations podcast, which is brought to you by 331 00:16:54,320 --> 00:16:57,800 Speaker 2: First Light. Thank you so much for your support showing 332 00:16:57,880 --> 00:16:58,920 Speaker 2: up every week for us. 333 00:16:58,960 --> 00:17:00,440 Speaker 3: We really really appreciateciate it. 334 00:17:00,800 --> 00:17:03,280 Speaker 2: If you want some more content, and we know you do, 335 00:17:03,880 --> 00:17:07,080 Speaker 2: we drop new stuff damn near every day at the 336 00:17:07,119 --> 00:17:13,639 Speaker 2: mediator dot com. New podcasts, new articles, new recipes, new films, 337 00:17:13,680 --> 00:17:15,600 Speaker 2: all kinds of good stuff. Go check it out at 338 00:17:15,640 --> 00:17:17,720 Speaker 2: the mediator dot com and thank you once again for 339 00:17:17,760 --> 00:17:18,399 Speaker 2: all your support.