1 00:00:01,280 --> 00:00:05,040 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Wired to Hunt Foundation's podcast, your guide 2 00:00:05,040 --> 00:00:08,520 Speaker 1: to the fundamentals better dear hunting. Present it by First Light, 3 00:00:08,720 --> 00:00:12,760 Speaker 1: creating proven versatile hunting apparel for the stand, saddle or blind. 4 00:00:13,080 --> 00:00:17,120 Speaker 1: First Light, Go Farther, Stay Longer, and now your host 5 00:00:17,320 --> 00:00:18,239 Speaker 1: Tony Peterson. 6 00:00:18,440 --> 00:00:21,280 Speaker 2: Hey, everyone, welcome to the Wire to Hunt Foundation's podcast, 7 00:00:21,280 --> 00:00:23,160 Speaker 2: which is brought to you by First Light. I'm your 8 00:00:23,160 --> 00:00:26,080 Speaker 2: host Tony Peterson, and today's episode is all about how 9 00:00:26,079 --> 00:00:28,800 Speaker 2: to work on becoming a better hunter during the off sit. 10 00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:44,680 Speaker 2: Do you know why the rud is considered the easiest 11 00:00:44,720 --> 00:00:48,080 Speaker 2: time to whitetail hunt? Of course you do. It's because 12 00:00:48,080 --> 00:00:50,280 Speaker 2: the whole thing gets dumbed down by all those bucks 13 00:00:50,320 --> 00:00:52,960 Speaker 2: out there looking to pass on their jeans. But it's 14 00:00:52,960 --> 00:00:56,400 Speaker 2: more than that. It allowed us as hunters to take 15 00:00:56,400 --> 00:00:59,800 Speaker 2: the easy route to set the obvious spots. It brings 16 00:00:59,840 --> 00:01:03,360 Speaker 2: the burned out stand sites back into play, and it 17 00:01:03,480 --> 00:01:06,800 Speaker 2: offers even the dimmest stump sitters in our hunting camps 18 00:01:06,840 --> 00:01:11,000 Speaker 2: a fighting chance at a good encounter. That's great, But 19 00:01:11,000 --> 00:01:13,959 Speaker 2: if you'd rather not just be a finger crossing type 20 00:01:13,959 --> 00:01:16,680 Speaker 2: of hunter who is hoping for a little divine intervention 21 00:01:16,760 --> 00:01:19,280 Speaker 2: in the deer woods. There are some things you can 22 00:01:19,319 --> 00:01:23,720 Speaker 2: do now to make yourself a little bit better this season. 23 00:01:24,160 --> 00:01:25,920 Speaker 2: And this goes for your rut hunts, this goes for 24 00:01:25,959 --> 00:01:28,039 Speaker 2: your early season hunts, and it goes for you as 25 00:01:28,040 --> 00:01:42,480 Speaker 2: a person. Here's how you do it. Have you ever 26 00:01:42,520 --> 00:01:46,280 Speaker 2: listened to a podcast with that fellow David Goggins or 27 00:01:46,680 --> 00:01:49,760 Speaker 2: seen some of his social media posts. He's the shredded 28 00:01:49,840 --> 00:01:52,440 Speaker 2: Navy seal dude who is always swearing at the camera 29 00:01:52,480 --> 00:01:54,320 Speaker 2: and yelling at the voices in his head about how 30 00:01:54,360 --> 00:01:57,960 Speaker 2: no one can hurt him. Or maybe you've heard Jocko Willing, 31 00:01:58,560 --> 00:02:02,320 Speaker 2: another shredded Navy dude who preaches the message that suffering 32 00:02:02,360 --> 00:02:04,280 Speaker 2: is good for you and that you better get your 33 00:02:04,320 --> 00:02:06,200 Speaker 2: ass out of bed at o dark thirty to be 34 00:02:06,240 --> 00:02:10,560 Speaker 2: a productive person. A lot of the retired Special Forces 35 00:02:10,560 --> 00:02:14,120 Speaker 2: folks go on to become motivational speakers. They go on 36 00:02:14,200 --> 00:02:18,839 Speaker 2: to start businesses and run mountain marathons and generally make 37 00:02:18,880 --> 00:02:21,000 Speaker 2: most of us look like the kind of lazy losers 38 00:02:21,800 --> 00:02:25,200 Speaker 2: who are basically just skin sacks stuff with lumpy pudding, 39 00:02:25,520 --> 00:02:27,200 Speaker 2: and who should probably hide away in caves so we 40 00:02:27,200 --> 00:02:31,280 Speaker 2: don't bring the whole human race down with our dumpy frumpiness. Now, 41 00:02:31,360 --> 00:02:34,799 Speaker 2: maybe that's too harsh, but there is a unique phenomenon 42 00:02:34,840 --> 00:02:37,280 Speaker 2: in modern culture where we are just absolutely drawn to 43 00:02:37,320 --> 00:02:40,760 Speaker 2: individuals who have done really hard things like earning their 44 00:02:40,800 --> 00:02:44,120 Speaker 2: tried in after hell week, or I don't know, free 45 00:02:44,160 --> 00:02:47,440 Speaker 2: soloing outcap or surfing waves that are so tall they 46 00:02:47,520 --> 00:02:50,799 Speaker 2: dwarf a pretty good sized building. We are in awe 47 00:02:50,840 --> 00:02:53,920 Speaker 2: of people who do difficult stuff, and you can't help 48 00:02:54,120 --> 00:02:57,440 Speaker 2: notice that the people who do stuff like that, aside 49 00:02:57,440 --> 00:03:01,080 Speaker 2: from the adrenaline junkie factory, what happened to accomplish a 50 00:03:01,120 --> 00:03:04,919 Speaker 2: lot of difficult things in just their daily lives. They 51 00:03:04,919 --> 00:03:08,080 Speaker 2: seek out challenges and you might think it's purely in 52 00:03:08,200 --> 00:03:12,040 Speaker 2: their hardwiring, but I don't believe that a lot of 53 00:03:12,040 --> 00:03:15,720 Speaker 2: them have a rough start and some event, often traumatic, 54 00:03:16,080 --> 00:03:20,480 Speaker 2: pushes them to change and to do things differently. Sometimes 55 00:03:21,040 --> 00:03:25,960 Speaker 2: something hard and over time challenges their motivator and they 56 00:03:26,040 --> 00:03:28,960 Speaker 2: lean into it into those hard things. Look at it 57 00:03:28,960 --> 00:03:31,359 Speaker 2: this way. If you have the discipline to run I 58 00:03:31,400 --> 00:03:33,440 Speaker 2: don't know, one hundred miles in the mountains in a 59 00:03:33,480 --> 00:03:36,680 Speaker 2: twenty four hour time period, how hard can it be 60 00:03:36,720 --> 00:03:40,000 Speaker 2: to start your own business? Or I don't know, do 61 00:03:40,160 --> 00:03:43,000 Speaker 2: enough deadlifts where you look like an underwear model after 62 00:03:43,040 --> 00:03:48,040 Speaker 2: a while. Now think about yourself. What challenges have you 63 00:03:48,200 --> 00:03:51,280 Speaker 2: had in life? The answer to that will vary a 64 00:03:51,280 --> 00:03:54,840 Speaker 2: lot by the person. We've all had our own challenges, 65 00:03:55,280 --> 00:03:58,360 Speaker 2: but how many did we choose? This is where things 66 00:03:58,360 --> 00:04:01,480 Speaker 2: get a little squirrely. Life can throw a real shit 67 00:04:01,560 --> 00:04:04,400 Speaker 2: sandwich rite down your gullet at any point, and that 68 00:04:04,440 --> 00:04:07,320 Speaker 2: can be totally unrelated to any choices you've made in 69 00:04:07,320 --> 00:04:10,640 Speaker 2: your life. Maybe you had a child born with some 70 00:04:10,720 --> 00:04:13,640 Speaker 2: serious issue. Maybe you got laid off from a job 71 00:04:13,680 --> 00:04:16,000 Speaker 2: you really needed and you found yourself on the verge 72 00:04:16,040 --> 00:04:20,400 Speaker 2: of absolute poverty. Maybe someone in your support network, a 73 00:04:20,440 --> 00:04:23,839 Speaker 2: family or friend, died suddenly. All of those and a 74 00:04:23,960 --> 00:04:26,960 Speaker 2: million more examples from everyday life can prove how challenging 75 00:04:27,040 --> 00:04:30,240 Speaker 2: things can be. And I don't mean to be depressing here, 76 00:04:30,320 --> 00:04:34,200 Speaker 2: so stick with me, because you might think all of 77 00:04:34,240 --> 00:04:37,479 Speaker 2: those things can happen, or something like that did happen 78 00:04:37,520 --> 00:04:40,880 Speaker 2: to me, and it sucks. You might also think, since 79 00:04:40,920 --> 00:04:44,080 Speaker 2: all of those things can happen, or one of those 80 00:04:44,120 --> 00:04:47,159 Speaker 2: things did happen to me, I'm sure as hell not 81 00:04:47,240 --> 00:04:51,000 Speaker 2: going to seek out more difficult things to do in life. Instead. 82 00:04:51,080 --> 00:04:53,440 Speaker 2: You'd like two scoops of the easy route, poor fevour. 83 00:04:54,960 --> 00:04:58,479 Speaker 2: And yet despite all you have been through and all 84 00:04:58,520 --> 00:05:02,240 Speaker 2: that you might go through, you still choose to hunt. 85 00:05:03,600 --> 00:05:07,160 Speaker 2: And probably if you're listening to this, bowhunt, and probably 86 00:05:07,240 --> 00:05:10,400 Speaker 2: yet bowhunt mature deer or good enough elk or some 87 00:05:10,520 --> 00:05:12,760 Speaker 2: other standard of animal that's just not that easy to 88 00:05:12,800 --> 00:05:17,120 Speaker 2: come by. In fact, for most of us, hunting is 89 00:05:17,160 --> 00:05:19,280 Speaker 2: one of the most challenging activities we can think of. 90 00:05:20,440 --> 00:05:22,719 Speaker 2: This is why the hunting industry is chock full of 91 00:05:22,760 --> 00:05:27,359 Speaker 2: products that promise you easier success, and it's absolutely jam 92 00:05:27,440 --> 00:05:29,280 Speaker 2: packed with folks who love to tell you how to 93 00:05:29,360 --> 00:05:32,839 Speaker 2: do it while hawking these products in their personal brands. 94 00:05:34,520 --> 00:05:37,479 Speaker 2: The truth is, there is a disconnect between what we 95 00:05:37,560 --> 00:05:41,680 Speaker 2: think hunting is and what it actually is. We think 96 00:05:41,720 --> 00:05:44,760 Speaker 2: it's just this relaxing thing that rewards us just by 97 00:05:44,800 --> 00:05:49,520 Speaker 2: delivering a little disconnect from our daily lives. It is 98 00:05:49,600 --> 00:05:54,480 Speaker 2: that thing, but it's also really hard, too hard for 99 00:05:54,520 --> 00:05:57,039 Speaker 2: most of us to actually be successful in any given year. 100 00:05:57,480 --> 00:06:01,360 Speaker 2: Think about that, most of us who don't have Navy 101 00:06:01,360 --> 00:06:05,279 Speaker 2: seal pedigrees choose to do this one thing for fun 102 00:06:05,560 --> 00:06:07,960 Speaker 2: that is mostly going to show us how bad we 103 00:06:08,000 --> 00:06:11,840 Speaker 2: are at it. It's weird, but something to think about 104 00:06:12,400 --> 00:06:18,359 Speaker 2: is this, Why why do we choose to engage in 105 00:06:18,400 --> 00:06:20,400 Speaker 2: a hobby or passion or whatever you want to call 106 00:06:20,480 --> 00:06:24,360 Speaker 2: it that is so difficult? Failure is the most likely 107 00:06:24,400 --> 00:06:29,760 Speaker 2: outcome because the reward is so damn sweet, and there 108 00:06:29,800 --> 00:06:33,719 Speaker 2: are many layers of rewards. Killing a big buck or 109 00:06:33,760 --> 00:06:37,640 Speaker 2: bull those are obvious ones, But seeing a big buck 110 00:06:37,800 --> 00:06:42,279 Speaker 2: or bull it's pretty rewarding too. Just spending a badass 111 00:06:42,320 --> 00:06:44,440 Speaker 2: morning watching the woods and all that happens there it 112 00:06:44,440 --> 00:06:48,000 Speaker 2: can be pretty rewarding too. And the truth is we 113 00:06:48,080 --> 00:06:50,760 Speaker 2: do this hard thing for many reasons, and all of 114 00:06:50,800 --> 00:06:54,440 Speaker 2: them are good. It's also true that for many of us, 115 00:06:55,080 --> 00:06:57,680 Speaker 2: this is one of the few things we choose to 116 00:06:57,680 --> 00:07:01,599 Speaker 2: do with our free time that is real challenging In 117 00:07:01,680 --> 00:07:04,800 Speaker 2: this way and a whole bunch of others. We are 118 00:07:05,200 --> 00:07:08,920 Speaker 2: not like retired Navy seals. We can get a little 119 00:07:08,960 --> 00:07:12,520 Speaker 2: closer to our mentality, however, which will help us accomplish 120 00:07:12,520 --> 00:07:15,800 Speaker 2: more things in life, things like, oh, I don't know, 121 00:07:16,320 --> 00:07:18,360 Speaker 2: being one of the few hunters to cross the Colorado 122 00:07:18,440 --> 00:07:20,680 Speaker 2: state line and shoot a public land elk when most 123 00:07:20,720 --> 00:07:24,600 Speaker 2: people just won't, or maybe arrow a solid buck in 124 00:07:24,640 --> 00:07:27,840 Speaker 2: the swamps of the southern United States when oh, I 125 00:07:27,840 --> 00:07:32,640 Speaker 2: don't know, most hunters won't. We are wired for challenge, 126 00:07:33,080 --> 00:07:35,720 Speaker 2: but also to try to make life as easy as possible. 127 00:07:36,400 --> 00:07:38,920 Speaker 2: This is a rough dichotomy in our heads and in 128 00:07:38,960 --> 00:07:42,200 Speaker 2: our bodies. It's the urge to stay inside in the 129 00:07:42,200 --> 00:07:45,600 Speaker 2: air conditioning and eat a calorie dense snack the moment 130 00:07:45,680 --> 00:07:48,640 Speaker 2: hunger strikes. We are fighting a hell of a lot 131 00:07:48,640 --> 00:07:51,120 Speaker 2: of years of human struggles, and it's easy to give 132 00:07:51,160 --> 00:07:54,480 Speaker 2: in when the living is good. But if you're a hunter, 133 00:07:55,200 --> 00:07:57,160 Speaker 2: and you are, because otherwise you wouldn't be listening to 134 00:07:57,160 --> 00:08:00,440 Speaker 2: me ramble on. You've chosen one really difficult thing to do, 135 00:08:01,200 --> 00:08:03,360 Speaker 2: and you know how to get better at that difficult thing, 136 00:08:04,640 --> 00:08:09,040 Speaker 2: don't you? Yeah, do something else difficult. Yeah, you didn't 137 00:08:09,040 --> 00:08:11,840 Speaker 2: see that coming to jo. You don't have to start 138 00:08:11,880 --> 00:08:14,080 Speaker 2: a business or run one hundred miles in the mountains 139 00:08:14,080 --> 00:08:18,040 Speaker 2: in one shot. You can start small. Maybe you don't 140 00:08:18,040 --> 00:08:22,800 Speaker 2: work out at all, fine, Maybe you hate running. Fine? Walk? 141 00:08:23,560 --> 00:08:26,040 Speaker 2: What's your step count like on a daily basis? Can 142 00:08:26,080 --> 00:08:29,520 Speaker 2: you beat that next week? Can you hit twenty thousand 143 00:08:29,520 --> 00:08:33,560 Speaker 2: steps a day for a month. It's not the one 144 00:08:33,600 --> 00:08:37,120 Speaker 2: off success. You're shooting for one day at twenty thousand 145 00:08:37,120 --> 00:08:39,840 Speaker 2: steps is great, but it doesn't really mean a thing 146 00:08:39,880 --> 00:08:43,400 Speaker 2: to your life. Doing that for days on end or 147 00:08:43,400 --> 00:08:46,400 Speaker 2: a certain amount of days per month. That's what you want. 148 00:08:47,400 --> 00:08:50,840 Speaker 2: You want to set a difficult goal that forces accountability 149 00:08:50,960 --> 00:08:54,079 Speaker 2: every day, or at least every week, maybe most days. 150 00:08:54,559 --> 00:08:57,400 Speaker 2: That's the key. Maybe you run a little and you 151 00:08:57,440 --> 00:09:01,000 Speaker 2: want to do a half marathon, great, sign up for one. 152 00:09:01,600 --> 00:09:04,560 Speaker 2: Then make a plan for how you'll get there. It's 153 00:09:04,600 --> 00:09:08,600 Speaker 2: not easy, but that's the point. You'll be working toward 154 00:09:08,640 --> 00:09:11,600 Speaker 2: a goal you can feel damn proud of, and that 155 00:09:11,640 --> 00:09:14,600 Speaker 2: will help you become a better hunter, because guess what, 156 00:09:15,640 --> 00:09:18,160 Speaker 2: when you hunt, you're working toward a goal you can 157 00:09:18,200 --> 00:09:21,560 Speaker 2: feel damn proud of. And if you have to go 158 00:09:21,800 --> 00:09:24,040 Speaker 2: for a run five times a week for months to 159 00:09:24,120 --> 00:09:27,480 Speaker 2: run a half marathon, you can also scout once a 160 00:09:27,520 --> 00:09:29,760 Speaker 2: week in the summer to have better hunts this fall. 161 00:09:31,200 --> 00:09:34,000 Speaker 2: If you're like man, I'm pretty sick of hearing all 162 00:09:34,080 --> 00:09:36,840 Speaker 2: these slimy influencers preach about getting in shape when I 163 00:09:36,880 --> 00:09:39,240 Speaker 2: have a really demanding job and seven young kids at 164 00:09:39,240 --> 00:09:42,840 Speaker 2: home and just don't have the bandwidth or the time. Great, 165 00:09:43,880 --> 00:09:48,160 Speaker 2: what else could you do? How about something like expanding 166 00:09:48,200 --> 00:09:50,719 Speaker 2: your effective range with your bow or whatever weapon you 167 00:09:50,800 --> 00:09:53,880 Speaker 2: choose to hunt with. If you're a bow hunter, let's 168 00:09:53,880 --> 00:09:56,760 Speaker 2: say you're a forty yards an undershooter. Can you set 169 00:09:56,760 --> 00:09:59,680 Speaker 2: a goal to get really good at fifty or sixty 170 00:10:00,080 --> 00:10:01,800 Speaker 2: Because if you get really good at ranges you think 171 00:10:01,840 --> 00:10:05,400 Speaker 2: are too far to shoot, then you're onto something. You're 172 00:10:05,440 --> 00:10:09,800 Speaker 2: taking something challenging that will make another challenging task a 173 00:10:09,840 --> 00:10:13,559 Speaker 2: little bit easier. And I'm not talking about how being 174 00:10:13,600 --> 00:10:15,920 Speaker 2: able to shoot accurately at sixty yards mean you should 175 00:10:15,920 --> 00:10:18,640 Speaker 2: be flinging away at sixty yards in the woods. I'm 176 00:10:18,679 --> 00:10:20,800 Speaker 2: talking about the work it takes to become a really 177 00:10:20,840 --> 00:10:24,080 Speaker 2: competent longer range shooter and how that will give you 178 00:10:24,160 --> 00:10:27,240 Speaker 2: confidence on shorter shots. It'll make you realize that if 179 00:10:27,240 --> 00:10:29,320 Speaker 2: you can hit a little spot at sixty, a hole 180 00:10:29,360 --> 00:10:33,240 Speaker 2: deer's vitals at twenty is pretty easy. So maybe the 181 00:10:33,280 --> 00:10:34,920 Speaker 2: goal should be to get to a point where you 182 00:10:34,960 --> 00:10:37,120 Speaker 2: can step outside and shoot a four errow group into 183 00:10:37,160 --> 00:10:39,840 Speaker 2: the vitals of a three D target at ranges that 184 00:10:39,880 --> 00:10:43,040 Speaker 2: are double what you're comfortable shooting an actual animal at. 185 00:10:43,960 --> 00:10:47,959 Speaker 2: Do you know what That'll take? More range time and 186 00:10:48,040 --> 00:10:51,400 Speaker 2: a keen sense of your shooting form. It'll take daily 187 00:10:52,000 --> 00:10:56,120 Speaker 2: or at the very least weekly commitment. It will require 188 00:10:56,160 --> 00:10:59,079 Speaker 2: a process of ramping up the shot distance in small increments, 189 00:10:59,440 --> 00:11:03,520 Speaker 2: and that you're building on something because you are. What 190 00:11:03,600 --> 00:11:05,680 Speaker 2: if you're like man, I can shoot the wings off 191 00:11:05,679 --> 00:11:07,840 Speaker 2: of a gnat at eighty yards in low light while 192 00:11:07,880 --> 00:11:10,559 Speaker 2: someone blasts German death metal in my ear and someone 193 00:11:10,600 --> 00:11:12,360 Speaker 2: else tries to hit me square in the knackers with 194 00:11:12,400 --> 00:11:14,840 Speaker 2: a Roman candle, like you see on social media posts 195 00:11:14,840 --> 00:11:19,559 Speaker 2: sometimes of those young people, usually men who probably aren't 196 00:11:19,640 --> 00:11:21,680 Speaker 2: likely to reach middle age with all their fingers or 197 00:11:21,679 --> 00:11:24,600 Speaker 2: both their eyes in working order. What if you can 198 00:11:24,600 --> 00:11:27,839 Speaker 2: shoot like that and you can run marathons without breaking 199 00:11:27,880 --> 00:11:31,680 Speaker 2: a sweat. Are you good for the season? What else 200 00:11:31,679 --> 00:11:35,720 Speaker 2: could you do? How about this? Add in a few 201 00:11:35,760 --> 00:11:41,600 Speaker 2: really good spots to hunt, Not properties, not properties, but spots, 202 00:11:41,760 --> 00:11:45,040 Speaker 2: stand sites, blind sites. I've preached this message a lot, 203 00:11:45,080 --> 00:11:48,240 Speaker 2: but I think the off season hunt for good spots 204 00:11:48,360 --> 00:11:51,319 Speaker 2: is as important as the in season hunt for big bucks. 205 00:11:52,000 --> 00:11:54,839 Speaker 2: In fact, it's probably way more important, but we can 206 00:11:54,880 --> 00:11:57,160 Speaker 2: give it equal weight if that makes you feel more comfortable. 207 00:11:58,120 --> 00:12:01,000 Speaker 2: The best hunters out there don't settle, and that's a 208 00:12:01,080 --> 00:12:04,280 Speaker 2: lesson that matters a lot. They are always looking for 209 00:12:04,360 --> 00:12:07,960 Speaker 2: new spots, new stand sites, new places to sit, no 210 00:12:08,040 --> 00:12:10,640 Speaker 2: matter what time of the season it is. This is 211 00:12:10,679 --> 00:12:13,480 Speaker 2: a challenge in and of itself, and it takes you 212 00:12:13,520 --> 00:12:15,720 Speaker 2: from being a typical hunter who scouts a little bit 213 00:12:15,720 --> 00:12:18,880 Speaker 2: in the summer but mostly realizes on cameras to someone 214 00:12:18,920 --> 00:12:22,319 Speaker 2: who is actively working to find places to actually kill 215 00:12:22,320 --> 00:12:25,440 Speaker 2: bucks in September or December or whenever the season is open. 216 00:12:27,360 --> 00:12:31,000 Speaker 2: This sounds obvious, but how many people actually do this? 217 00:12:31,800 --> 00:12:34,680 Speaker 2: Not that many in my experience. Think about it this way. 218 00:12:35,200 --> 00:12:37,679 Speaker 2: What if you make a goal to scout a certain 219 00:12:37,720 --> 00:12:40,640 Speaker 2: amount of time each week and then ground truth your 220 00:12:40,679 --> 00:12:43,560 Speaker 2: findings at some point on the weekends. Now, I'm not 221 00:12:43,640 --> 00:12:46,360 Speaker 2: talking about dropping seventy five way points and then death 222 00:12:46,440 --> 00:12:48,959 Speaker 2: marching into them for a quick scan around before heading 223 00:12:49,000 --> 00:12:54,040 Speaker 2: to the next one. I'm talking about building a plan up, 224 00:12:54,559 --> 00:12:57,440 Speaker 2: just a hit list of potential spots, and then going 225 00:12:57,480 --> 00:13:00,720 Speaker 2: in to actually figure them out, to figure out if 226 00:13:00,760 --> 00:13:04,360 Speaker 2: they are worth hunting, and if they are, how you'd 227 00:13:04,440 --> 00:13:08,520 Speaker 2: actually hunt them, and when you'd actually hunt them. If 228 00:13:08,520 --> 00:13:12,040 Speaker 2: that's a weekli er monthly thing, your benefit during the 229 00:13:12,120 --> 00:13:16,000 Speaker 2: season is going to be very real. It's also work 230 00:13:16,320 --> 00:13:19,400 Speaker 2: and not that much fun. But that's the case with 231 00:13:19,600 --> 00:13:22,120 Speaker 2: most of the stuff we have to do to accomplish 232 00:13:22,160 --> 00:13:26,320 Speaker 2: difficult things. There are little rewards along the way and 233 00:13:26,440 --> 00:13:32,000 Speaker 2: eventually some big ones, and it never ever ends. And 234 00:13:32,080 --> 00:13:35,680 Speaker 2: that's a good thing. Actually, it's a great thing. To 235 00:13:35,760 --> 00:13:38,360 Speaker 2: keep challenging yourself throughout life is one of the few 236 00:13:38,400 --> 00:13:41,080 Speaker 2: ways to ensure you'll live some form of good life 237 00:13:41,800 --> 00:13:44,320 Speaker 2: no matter what happens that is out of your control 238 00:13:44,960 --> 00:13:49,559 Speaker 2: or hell in your control. Now, I've used some examples 239 00:13:49,559 --> 00:13:52,520 Speaker 2: that are relevant to me, but the overall sentiment here 240 00:13:52,600 --> 00:13:54,360 Speaker 2: is that if you want to be a better hunter 241 00:13:54,480 --> 00:13:56,600 Speaker 2: who enjoys his or her time in the field more, 242 00:13:57,200 --> 00:14:01,240 Speaker 2: you have to condition yourself to challenge and then condition 243 00:14:01,360 --> 00:14:06,560 Speaker 2: yourself to accomplishing things, finishing things, getting the freaking job done. 244 00:14:06,600 --> 00:14:10,120 Speaker 2: My friends, think about some of the unfinished stuff in 245 00:14:10,160 --> 00:14:13,960 Speaker 2: your life that gives you anxiety. Maybe you're rebuilding an 246 00:14:14,000 --> 00:14:16,320 Speaker 2: engine in your garage and it has been three years 247 00:14:16,360 --> 00:14:18,640 Speaker 2: and your wife reminds you twenty seven times a day 248 00:14:18,640 --> 00:14:22,160 Speaker 2: about it. Maybe you're embarrassed by the landscaping in your yard, 249 00:14:22,160 --> 00:14:24,240 Speaker 2: and you know a dayre two some weekend with some 250 00:14:24,280 --> 00:14:26,520 Speaker 2: sweat equity would get it to a place where you 251 00:14:26,520 --> 00:14:28,760 Speaker 2: wouldn't want to blindfold your house guests when they come 252 00:14:28,800 --> 00:14:30,640 Speaker 2: over so they don't see the mess you've allowed at 253 00:14:30,680 --> 00:14:34,360 Speaker 2: your house. Getting things done is good for the soul. 254 00:14:35,440 --> 00:14:40,560 Speaker 2: Accomplishing challenges is good for the soul. Working towards something rewarding. 255 00:14:40,800 --> 00:14:44,720 Speaker 2: It's good for the soul embracing this stuff, whether it 256 00:14:44,840 --> 00:14:48,160 Speaker 2: is directly related to hunting, you know, like scouting or 257 00:14:48,200 --> 00:14:51,480 Speaker 2: shooting really well, or if it has nothing to do 258 00:14:51,560 --> 00:14:55,040 Speaker 2: with actually hunting is a good thing if you condition 259 00:14:55,200 --> 00:14:59,040 Speaker 2: yourself to see it through. This is the real key here, 260 00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:02,880 Speaker 2: not enough to recognize the holes in your life and 261 00:15:02,960 --> 00:15:06,160 Speaker 2: hunting game, but to actually work to shore some of 262 00:15:06,200 --> 00:15:09,760 Speaker 2: them up. You won't do this by buying a product 263 00:15:09,920 --> 00:15:12,560 Speaker 2: anymore than you'll do this by putting in three hours 264 00:15:12,560 --> 00:15:15,840 Speaker 2: of effort on some random Saturday in July. It's just 265 00:15:15,920 --> 00:15:19,480 Speaker 2: not that easy, and I am sorry for that. You know, 266 00:15:19,520 --> 00:15:22,080 Speaker 2: maybe in the future, when Elon gets ZAC together, you'll 267 00:15:22,120 --> 00:15:24,240 Speaker 2: be able to program your Tesla robot to go out 268 00:15:24,240 --> 00:15:26,520 Speaker 2: in the woods and scout for you and hang your sets. 269 00:15:27,160 --> 00:15:30,440 Speaker 2: But until then, you're mostly responsible for your success and 270 00:15:30,440 --> 00:15:33,960 Speaker 2: your enjoyment in the woods. Maybe someday on X will 271 00:15:33,960 --> 00:15:36,920 Speaker 2: add in a layer that uses decommissioned military satellites to 272 00:15:36,960 --> 00:15:39,280 Speaker 2: beam the exact locations of all the deer in the 273 00:15:39,320 --> 00:15:42,920 Speaker 2: woods to your phone right now, But we're not there yet. 274 00:15:43,760 --> 00:15:47,800 Speaker 2: Hunting is still difficult, and it should be, But you 275 00:15:47,800 --> 00:15:50,480 Speaker 2: can make it less difficult by working on making yourself 276 00:15:50,560 --> 00:15:53,800 Speaker 2: the kind of person who leans into challenges. That's the 277 00:15:53,920 --> 00:15:57,160 Speaker 2: secret sauce to making life better and to making hunting 278 00:15:57,240 --> 00:15:59,560 Speaker 2: something that is more than just some time in the woods, 279 00:16:00,080 --> 00:16:02,440 Speaker 2: more than just a finger crossing attempt at being in 280 00:16:02,480 --> 00:16:05,960 Speaker 2: a spot where a deer might walk by. It becomes 281 00:16:06,000 --> 00:16:09,320 Speaker 2: something else. And the more you do difficult things, the 282 00:16:09,320 --> 00:16:12,760 Speaker 2: more you want to do difficult things. If you figure 283 00:16:12,800 --> 00:16:15,040 Speaker 2: out how to shoot better through a long game, somewhat 284 00:16:15,040 --> 00:16:18,600 Speaker 2: disciplined approach, you might find yourself itching to go hunt 285 00:16:18,760 --> 00:16:22,120 Speaker 2: antelope just once. If you hold your nose and scout 286 00:16:22,200 --> 00:16:23,960 Speaker 2: the public land down the road so you can add 287 00:16:24,000 --> 00:16:27,240 Speaker 2: one new spot to your roster, you might realize that 288 00:16:27,320 --> 00:16:30,320 Speaker 2: what you thought public land was and what it is 289 00:16:30,600 --> 00:16:33,840 Speaker 2: can be vastly different. That might be all you need 290 00:16:33,880 --> 00:16:36,120 Speaker 2: to buy that non resident tag somewhere else and go 291 00:16:36,160 --> 00:16:38,880 Speaker 2: take that first trip with your buddies, which is another 292 00:16:38,920 --> 00:16:41,320 Speaker 2: decision that means you're probably not taking the easy way 293 00:16:41,360 --> 00:16:44,280 Speaker 2: out and you'd better put in some work to enjoy it. 294 00:16:45,080 --> 00:16:48,000 Speaker 2: There's a snowball effect to this stuff, and it feeds 295 00:16:48,040 --> 00:16:51,720 Speaker 2: into so many aspects of life. It doesn't have to 296 00:16:51,760 --> 00:16:54,560 Speaker 2: be couched in this overwhelming message that you're a lazy 297 00:16:54,560 --> 00:16:56,960 Speaker 2: pos who doesn't deserve to breathe the same air as 298 00:16:56,960 --> 00:17:00,160 Speaker 2: some super athlete or some other individual who is on 299 00:17:00,240 --> 00:17:03,720 Speaker 2: things most humans don't think are possible. It can be 300 00:17:04,080 --> 00:17:06,840 Speaker 2: much simpler than that. It can just be something that 301 00:17:06,880 --> 00:17:09,040 Speaker 2: you know you have trouble with, so you're going to 302 00:17:09,040 --> 00:17:11,919 Speaker 2: make a concerted effort to get better at it. It 303 00:17:11,960 --> 00:17:15,400 Speaker 2: can be as simple as finishing some projects you procrastinated on. 304 00:17:15,800 --> 00:17:17,720 Speaker 2: It could be a matter of getting to one really 305 00:17:17,760 --> 00:17:20,159 Speaker 2: good group of arrows, or getting to the end of 306 00:17:20,160 --> 00:17:22,800 Speaker 2: a five k without throwing up, or taking an accidental 307 00:17:22,840 --> 00:17:25,080 Speaker 2: dump right in your workout shorts. It can be a 308 00:17:25,080 --> 00:17:28,040 Speaker 2: lot of things, all of which will help you be 309 00:17:28,119 --> 00:17:31,080 Speaker 2: more successful in the woods. And the best part is 310 00:17:31,520 --> 00:17:35,000 Speaker 2: you can start right now in the off season. You 311 00:17:35,040 --> 00:17:37,119 Speaker 2: can also come back next week, and I hope you do, 312 00:17:37,520 --> 00:17:39,239 Speaker 2: because I'm going to talk about how to set your 313 00:17:39,320 --> 00:17:41,520 Speaker 2: hunting standards in a way that is actually going to 314 00:17:41,600 --> 00:17:46,440 Speaker 2: make you happy. That's it for this week. I'm Tony Peterson. 315 00:17:46,480 --> 00:17:48,640 Speaker 2: This has been the Wired to Hunt Foundation's podcast, which 316 00:17:48,680 --> 00:17:51,160 Speaker 2: is brought to you by First Light. As always, thank 317 00:17:51,160 --> 00:17:53,480 Speaker 2: you so much for listening and for all your support 318 00:17:53,520 --> 00:17:55,600 Speaker 2: here with the Wired to Hunt and all the meat 319 00:17:55,600 --> 00:17:59,000 Speaker 2: eat or stuff that we're doing. Truly truly appreciate it. 320 00:17:59,320 --> 00:18:00,960 Speaker 2: If you haven't you at your fix, or you just 321 00:18:01,000 --> 00:18:02,600 Speaker 2: want to see some more of the stuff that the 322 00:18:02,640 --> 00:18:05,520 Speaker 2: team here is creating, head on over to the meaedeater 323 00:18:05,640 --> 00:18:09,640 Speaker 2: dot com and you will see all kinds of series. 324 00:18:09,720 --> 00:18:13,200 Speaker 2: You'll see all kinds of articles, how to YouTube videos, 325 00:18:13,240 --> 00:18:15,160 Speaker 2: all kinds of stuff. Go over there, check it out.