1 00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:05,760 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Wired to Hunt Foundations podcast, your guide 2 00:00:05,760 --> 00:00:10,360 Speaker 1: to the fundamentals of better deer hunting, and now your 3 00:00:10,440 --> 00:00:14,440 Speaker 1: host Tony Peterson. Hey everyone, welcome to the Wire to 4 00:00:14,520 --> 00:00:17,040 Speaker 1: Hunt Foundations podcast, just brought to you by First Leg. 5 00:00:17,400 --> 00:00:20,240 Speaker 1: I'm your host, Tony Peterson, and today's episode is all 6 00:00:20,280 --> 00:00:22,680 Speaker 1: about covering all of the things you can cover. Now. 7 00:00:23,400 --> 00:00:26,079 Speaker 1: If you decided this is your year to travel for 8 00:00:26,079 --> 00:00:42,680 Speaker 1: white tails, maybe you said I'm doing it. I'm going 9 00:00:42,720 --> 00:00:45,200 Speaker 1: to some state somewhere and I'm going to experience deer 10 00:00:45,280 --> 00:00:48,159 Speaker 1: hunting in a different environment. Maybe you're still on the 11 00:00:48,200 --> 00:00:51,080 Speaker 1: fence with one leg straddled on the stay home forever 12 00:00:51,159 --> 00:00:55,400 Speaker 1: side the one hanging over there in unfamiliar territory. Which 13 00:00:55,400 --> 00:00:57,639 Speaker 1: way are you going to jump? That's up to you. 14 00:00:58,160 --> 00:01:00,200 Speaker 1: But I try to make a good case last week 15 00:01:00,360 --> 00:01:03,560 Speaker 1: that if you've got the itch, scratch it. This week 16 00:01:03,600 --> 00:01:06,880 Speaker 1: I'll build on that, but mostly push the perspective that 17 00:01:06,920 --> 00:01:09,080 Speaker 1: the decision has been made and now it's time to 18 00:01:09,120 --> 00:01:24,440 Speaker 1: figure out how to just make that trip happen. I 19 00:01:24,480 --> 00:01:27,160 Speaker 1: know everyone is doing it, and that makes it kind 20 00:01:27,200 --> 00:01:30,640 Speaker 1: of uncool. At least it does if you're a contrarian 21 00:01:30,680 --> 00:01:33,679 Speaker 1: at heart, like I am, but some things are just 22 00:01:33,760 --> 00:01:36,720 Speaker 1: worth it, even if it seems like everybody feels the 23 00:01:36,760 --> 00:01:39,560 Speaker 1: same way. I mean, I don't know. You wouldn't stop 24 00:01:39,560 --> 00:01:41,960 Speaker 1: listening to Led Zeppelin or Pink Floyd just because they've 25 00:01:41,959 --> 00:01:45,200 Speaker 1: been popular for like fifty years, right, And no one 26 00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:47,560 Speaker 1: stops eating ice cream because we all think ice cream 27 00:01:47,640 --> 00:01:51,559 Speaker 1: is freaking delicious because it is. People shouldn't stop bringing 28 00:01:51,560 --> 00:01:55,000 Speaker 1: home adorable Labrador Retriever pups just because they are the 29 00:01:55,000 --> 00:01:57,960 Speaker 1: most popular sporting breed. You also shouldn't skip out on 30 00:01:58,000 --> 00:02:00,480 Speaker 1: the over the road hunting craze right now just because 31 00:02:00,520 --> 00:02:03,680 Speaker 1: every flat Brimmer with fifty seven YouTube subscribers is doing it. 32 00:02:04,280 --> 00:02:06,680 Speaker 1: That's the real case I laid out for you last week. 33 00:02:07,480 --> 00:02:10,200 Speaker 1: So let's just assume you're on board with the idea. 34 00:02:10,440 --> 00:02:13,320 Speaker 1: You don't have to commit fully yet, but you certainly could, 35 00:02:13,800 --> 00:02:16,880 Speaker 1: and in some ways you really should. Now. I know 36 00:02:16,919 --> 00:02:20,840 Speaker 1: I'm being super evasive here, so let me explain. We 37 00:02:20,919 --> 00:02:22,960 Speaker 1: all know that some states will sell you over the 38 00:02:22,960 --> 00:02:26,760 Speaker 1: counter licenses. That phrase, coincidentally comes from a time when 39 00:02:26,760 --> 00:02:28,640 Speaker 1: we actually did have to go into the local wally 40 00:02:28,639 --> 00:02:31,680 Speaker 1: World and buy our licenses at the counter in the 41 00:02:31,680 --> 00:02:36,160 Speaker 1: sporting goods section. Now, in most states that's been replaced 42 00:02:36,200 --> 00:02:39,600 Speaker 1: by your phones and the good old Internet. But some 43 00:02:39,720 --> 00:02:43,239 Speaker 1: states don't sell those over the counter licenses, so to speak. 44 00:02:43,800 --> 00:02:48,639 Speaker 1: Some make you apply. Others will word their nonresident restrictions 45 00:02:48,760 --> 00:02:51,720 Speaker 1: like you have to apply, and that implies that you 46 00:02:51,800 --> 00:02:54,840 Speaker 1: might not draw, but it's essentially a guarantee. And still 47 00:02:54,880 --> 00:02:58,920 Speaker 1: other states, you'll learn through a little research they're not 48 00:02:58,960 --> 00:03:01,560 Speaker 1: just going to sell you at HAG. Just like it 49 00:03:01,600 --> 00:03:04,680 Speaker 1: is with Western critters and high priority animals like sheep 50 00:03:04,680 --> 00:03:07,520 Speaker 1: and mountain goats and now elk, you'll have to play 51 00:03:07,520 --> 00:03:10,120 Speaker 1: the points game. I know this sounds like a lot, 52 00:03:10,120 --> 00:03:14,080 Speaker 1: and it sounds intimidating, but it's really not. The first 53 00:03:14,080 --> 00:03:17,560 Speaker 1: step is to just make a plan and decide on 54 00:03:17,560 --> 00:03:22,040 Speaker 1: your priorities. Now, last week I asked you to decide 55 00:03:22,040 --> 00:03:25,520 Speaker 1: on what's important to you out of a hunt. Fun 56 00:03:25,720 --> 00:03:30,440 Speaker 1: maybe a big deer. Maybe usually it's somewhere in between 57 00:03:30,440 --> 00:03:34,960 Speaker 1: the two. That's very likely. Now hopefully you've parsed that 58 00:03:35,120 --> 00:03:38,080 Speaker 1: out a bit for yourself, But also caution you with 59 00:03:38,160 --> 00:03:40,880 Speaker 1: something I've learned after visiting a lot of different states 60 00:03:40,880 --> 00:03:44,640 Speaker 1: for white tails, try to lean toward the experience, not 61 00:03:44,760 --> 00:03:47,400 Speaker 1: the big, antler thing. The odds are really good. You're 62 00:03:47,400 --> 00:03:49,160 Speaker 1: not going to kill a monster book out of state 63 00:03:49,200 --> 00:03:53,520 Speaker 1: on your first trip. Just remember that the odds are 64 00:03:54,040 --> 00:03:57,839 Speaker 1: you could lower your standards and have more fun. It's 65 00:03:57,840 --> 00:04:00,440 Speaker 1: just something to think about, because as awesome as traveling 66 00:04:00,440 --> 00:04:03,240 Speaker 1: to hunt is, it's a lot of work and there 67 00:04:03,240 --> 00:04:06,280 Speaker 1: are a lot of parts that aren't any fun. To 68 00:04:06,360 --> 00:04:08,640 Speaker 1: illustrate this, let me pull out I don't know two 69 00:04:08,800 --> 00:04:11,720 Speaker 1: random names out of a hat. The first I draw 70 00:04:11,960 --> 00:04:16,360 Speaker 1: will call him Marcus, and he wants big bucks number 71 00:04:16,360 --> 00:04:18,280 Speaker 1: one on his list of priorities, and he's going to 72 00:04:18,320 --> 00:04:22,040 Speaker 1: build a plan around that right away. Barring an awesome 73 00:04:22,080 --> 00:04:24,640 Speaker 1: relative who owns tons of good land in a premier state, 74 00:04:25,279 --> 00:04:28,200 Speaker 1: it's mostly going to be about developing a long game 75 00:04:28,279 --> 00:04:31,599 Speaker 1: plan and possibly for him sitting out I don't know, 76 00:04:31,640 --> 00:04:34,760 Speaker 1: a year or two or more. Marcus is definitely going 77 00:04:34,800 --> 00:04:37,039 Speaker 1: to buy an Iowa point every year while researching the 78 00:04:37,040 --> 00:04:39,560 Speaker 1: best units in the state and trying to estimate how 79 00:04:39,600 --> 00:04:42,520 Speaker 1: many points or years it's going to take him to 80 00:04:42,600 --> 00:04:45,599 Speaker 1: draw the premier unit that he wants. And he might 81 00:04:45,640 --> 00:04:48,279 Speaker 1: say I'd love to hunt southern Iowa Bucks, but I 82 00:04:48,279 --> 00:04:51,240 Speaker 1: think it's going to take five years to draw. He 83 00:04:51,320 --> 00:04:53,680 Speaker 1: looks at his calendar and he says, well, I guess 84 00:04:53,720 --> 00:04:57,600 Speaker 1: I'll book that for then. There's a lot of time 85 00:04:57,640 --> 00:05:00,880 Speaker 1: between here and there. So he starts re searching Kansas 86 00:05:00,880 --> 00:05:03,960 Speaker 1: and Illinois to other big buck states. Now he finds 87 00:05:03,960 --> 00:05:06,920 Speaker 1: something to work in an easier to draw a sense, 88 00:05:07,960 --> 00:05:10,560 Speaker 1: so he can start picking units in Kansas and he 89 00:05:10,600 --> 00:05:12,880 Speaker 1: can work toward them and then fill in with hunts 90 00:05:12,880 --> 00:05:16,800 Speaker 1: in Illinois or maybe certain parts of Ohio. Every year 91 00:05:16,800 --> 00:05:18,960 Speaker 1: he can hunt a state that very well could serve 92 00:05:19,040 --> 00:05:21,480 Speaker 1: him up a booner. And while those states might be 93 00:05:21,520 --> 00:05:25,960 Speaker 1: a little more expensive than others, the opportunity is absolutely 94 00:05:26,000 --> 00:05:28,280 Speaker 1: worth it to him. Not only does he get to 95 00:05:28,360 --> 00:05:31,599 Speaker 1: hunt every year, he gets to plan for some really 96 00:05:31,640 --> 00:05:34,400 Speaker 1: good states and really good parts of really good states 97 00:05:35,000 --> 00:05:39,120 Speaker 1: throughout his next five or ten year plan. There's nothing 98 00:05:39,160 --> 00:05:41,600 Speaker 1: wrong with that. It's a good way to go about it. 99 00:05:42,680 --> 00:05:46,080 Speaker 1: But let's take this other guy. We'll call him I 100 00:05:46,080 --> 00:05:50,640 Speaker 1: don't know Antonio. Now, this dude he likes big bucks, 101 00:05:50,839 --> 00:05:53,320 Speaker 1: but he doesn't care about them as much, and he 102 00:05:53,440 --> 00:05:56,920 Speaker 1: really just wants to enjoy every second of his time 103 00:05:56,920 --> 00:05:59,560 Speaker 1: in the woods. He just wants a good chance to 104 00:05:59,600 --> 00:06:02,240 Speaker 1: see a lot out of deer fill his coolers and 105 00:06:02,320 --> 00:06:05,880 Speaker 1: camp with his buddies. Now, this totally made up guy 106 00:06:06,040 --> 00:06:08,159 Speaker 1: who loves the band tool and bird dogs and anything 107 00:06:08,200 --> 00:06:11,799 Speaker 1: that's filled with sugar, he might look at Iowa and say, well, 108 00:06:12,200 --> 00:06:14,919 Speaker 1: I could wait several years and spend elk tag type 109 00:06:14,920 --> 00:06:17,520 Speaker 1: money to hunt when I draw, or I could hunt 110 00:06:17,600 --> 00:06:20,640 Speaker 1: two states every year for the same price. So he 111 00:06:20,680 --> 00:06:23,479 Speaker 1: looks to Nebraska because they'll sell him a tag every year, 112 00:06:24,440 --> 00:06:26,800 Speaker 1: because he loves that so much and can do an 113 00:06:26,800 --> 00:06:29,800 Speaker 1: early season hunt there. He also makes a plan to 114 00:06:29,839 --> 00:06:32,719 Speaker 1: hunt Oklahoma during the rut because they'll sell him a 115 00:06:32,920 --> 00:06:35,640 Speaker 1: bunch of tags and they have a high deer density 116 00:06:35,640 --> 00:06:37,800 Speaker 1: and much of the state and as a bonus, he 117 00:06:37,839 --> 00:06:39,760 Speaker 1: might run into a pig down there in public land 118 00:06:39,800 --> 00:06:43,880 Speaker 1: as well. Now, the following year, Antonio, he says, you 119 00:06:43,920 --> 00:06:47,120 Speaker 1: know that early season Nebraska hunt was really crowded. I 120 00:06:47,120 --> 00:06:49,960 Speaker 1: think I'm gonna try in North Dakota this year. He says, 121 00:06:50,120 --> 00:06:55,120 Speaker 1: I liked Oklahoma, but the spiders were disgusting and competing 122 00:06:55,120 --> 00:06:57,760 Speaker 1: with the automatic deer feeders and private land around the 123 00:06:57,800 --> 00:07:01,400 Speaker 1: public wasn't that much fun. So he looks and he says, hell, 124 00:07:01,560 --> 00:07:05,520 Speaker 1: I'm gonna go east or south to Kentucky. He has options, 125 00:07:05,640 --> 00:07:08,760 Speaker 1: so it really doesn't matter, and you have options too. 126 00:07:09,800 --> 00:07:11,600 Speaker 1: The sooner you figure them out and lay them down 127 00:07:11,600 --> 00:07:14,000 Speaker 1: in a plan, the sooner you can get to the 128 00:07:14,040 --> 00:07:17,520 Speaker 1: good stuff like east scouting. We got a ways to 129 00:07:17,600 --> 00:07:20,680 Speaker 1: go before that happens. You've still got to decide on 130 00:07:20,760 --> 00:07:24,600 Speaker 1: your state and the likely timing of your hunt. Now, 131 00:07:24,640 --> 00:07:27,720 Speaker 1: I generally encourage first timers to hunt closer to home. 132 00:07:27,760 --> 00:07:31,160 Speaker 1: If that's an option. That might mean not driving twenty 133 00:07:31,160 --> 00:07:33,760 Speaker 1: hours to a premier state, but it will need more 134 00:07:33,760 --> 00:07:36,160 Speaker 1: time to hunt, and getting the first one out of 135 00:07:36,160 --> 00:07:39,640 Speaker 1: the way is pretty important. When you start to really 136 00:07:39,720 --> 00:07:43,920 Speaker 1: narrow down your state, remember this, don't fall in love 137 00:07:43,960 --> 00:07:47,880 Speaker 1: too quickly. Take some time to really research the season 138 00:07:47,960 --> 00:07:51,640 Speaker 1: dates in that state. Take enough time to dive fully 139 00:07:51,760 --> 00:07:55,600 Speaker 1: into the rules and regulations. Maybe the week you choose 140 00:07:55,760 --> 00:07:57,840 Speaker 1: because it lines up so well with your favorite time 141 00:07:57,880 --> 00:08:00,560 Speaker 1: sound at home, maybe that's the week of the general 142 00:08:00,600 --> 00:08:03,600 Speaker 1: firearms opener in your destination state. Now, if you're plan 143 00:08:03,720 --> 00:08:06,760 Speaker 1: to go gun hunting, carry on. But if you want 144 00:08:06,760 --> 00:08:09,600 Speaker 1: a bow hunt, that could be a huge conflict, a 145 00:08:09,680 --> 00:08:13,600 Speaker 1: huge problem. Now, maybe there isn't a general firearm season 146 00:08:13,600 --> 00:08:15,520 Speaker 1: going on during the dates when you want to hunt there, 147 00:08:15,880 --> 00:08:18,800 Speaker 1: but there is a youth gun season or maybe a 148 00:08:18,840 --> 00:08:21,120 Speaker 1: pheasant opener. And even though you don't think that's a 149 00:08:21,160 --> 00:08:23,840 Speaker 1: big deal because your state has like seven wild pheasants 150 00:08:23,880 --> 00:08:26,800 Speaker 1: in total left, the state you're going to is a 151 00:08:26,880 --> 00:08:29,760 Speaker 1: huge destination for upland hunters. That's going to kill your 152 00:08:29,760 --> 00:08:31,720 Speaker 1: public land dear movement and change the game in a 153 00:08:31,800 --> 00:08:34,719 Speaker 1: negative way. If you're competing for the same acreage as 154 00:08:34,760 --> 00:08:38,679 Speaker 1: those rooster junkies. Maybe the state that you want to 155 00:08:38,720 --> 00:08:40,760 Speaker 1: hunt doesn't allow you to leave stands up on public 156 00:08:40,880 --> 00:08:44,640 Speaker 1: land or use trail cameras. This might be a deal 157 00:08:44,679 --> 00:08:47,960 Speaker 1: breaker depending on your style of hunting. It's not just 158 00:08:48,040 --> 00:08:50,160 Speaker 1: about figuring out what you want out of a state, 159 00:08:51,160 --> 00:08:53,319 Speaker 1: like an example would be, I don't know an awesome 160 00:08:53,400 --> 00:08:56,960 Speaker 1: hunt in a big buck. It's also about what you 161 00:08:57,080 --> 00:09:00,800 Speaker 1: bring to the table. This is just choosing a new 162 00:09:00,880 --> 00:09:04,400 Speaker 1: hunting dog breed. We often say stuff like, man, I 163 00:09:04,480 --> 00:09:07,240 Speaker 1: love the looks of those German wire hairs, or I've 164 00:09:07,280 --> 00:09:09,880 Speaker 1: always wanted to own a Chesapeake Bay Retriever because it's 165 00:09:09,880 --> 00:09:14,360 Speaker 1: got that badass sea duck pedigree. That's great, but do 166 00:09:14,400 --> 00:09:17,440 Speaker 1: you know how to train a breed like that? And 167 00:09:17,480 --> 00:09:19,480 Speaker 1: do you know if they're really a good fit for 168 00:09:19,520 --> 00:09:22,720 Speaker 1: your family, your work schedule, you're hunting style, and your 169 00:09:22,800 --> 00:09:26,360 Speaker 1: hunting environment. When it comes to traveling for white tails, 170 00:09:26,720 --> 00:09:30,320 Speaker 1: ask yourself what are you willing to do for work 171 00:09:30,440 --> 00:09:32,880 Speaker 1: and for fun? Are you willing to camp for a 172 00:09:32,920 --> 00:09:35,800 Speaker 1: week or are you more of anita hot shower every 173 00:09:35,880 --> 00:09:39,080 Speaker 1: night kind of guy or gal? Are you willing to 174 00:09:39,120 --> 00:09:41,880 Speaker 1: saddle up every day morning and evening for a week 175 00:09:41,920 --> 00:09:44,880 Speaker 1: to go truly mobile and find a book or would 176 00:09:44,880 --> 00:09:47,440 Speaker 1: you be happier carrying in a heavier hang on and 177 00:09:47,559 --> 00:09:49,800 Speaker 1: riding out one or two spots for the same amount 178 00:09:49,800 --> 00:09:53,880 Speaker 1: of time. If you've only ever ambushed white tails, are 179 00:09:53,880 --> 00:09:55,720 Speaker 1: you prepared to go spot in stock them in the 180 00:09:55,760 --> 00:09:59,520 Speaker 1: plane somewhere? Have you ever dodged a rattlesnake or pulled 181 00:09:59,600 --> 00:10:01,839 Speaker 1: cactus finds from your ass while you're hunting? Buddies died 182 00:10:01,880 --> 00:10:06,360 Speaker 1: of laughter? Again, my friends, ask yourself what you're willing 183 00:10:06,400 --> 00:10:09,360 Speaker 1: to bring to the table, and be really honest about it, 184 00:10:10,040 --> 00:10:12,600 Speaker 1: because all of this should influence your decision of where 185 00:10:12,679 --> 00:10:15,880 Speaker 1: you'll travel to and when you'll do it. I know 186 00:10:15,960 --> 00:10:18,160 Speaker 1: I sound kind of like a nagging spouse here, but 187 00:10:18,280 --> 00:10:21,040 Speaker 1: the truth is I want you to have a good hunt, 188 00:10:21,720 --> 00:10:24,559 Speaker 1: and I have experienced a million different ways to screw 189 00:10:24,640 --> 00:10:27,640 Speaker 1: this process up. A good way to not screw this 190 00:10:27,760 --> 00:10:30,480 Speaker 1: up is to decide on a state that is close 191 00:10:30,600 --> 00:10:33,640 Speaker 1: enough to allow you to take a scouting trip. This 192 00:10:33,720 --> 00:10:35,400 Speaker 1: is something I'll get into more of this spring as 193 00:10:35,440 --> 00:10:37,840 Speaker 1: we get closer to Turkey season, so I'm gonna gloss 194 00:10:37,880 --> 00:10:39,960 Speaker 1: over it a little bit now. But it's also one 195 00:10:39,960 --> 00:10:41,920 Speaker 1: of the reasons I try to encourage people to consider 196 00:10:42,000 --> 00:10:44,600 Speaker 1: hunting a closer state for their first go at this stuff. 197 00:10:45,440 --> 00:10:47,960 Speaker 1: But this can also be a double edged sword, my friends. 198 00:10:48,600 --> 00:10:52,120 Speaker 1: On one side, you've got the very obvious benefit of 199 00:10:52,200 --> 00:10:55,600 Speaker 1: boots on the ground now e scouting is freaking awesome, 200 00:10:56,240 --> 00:10:59,120 Speaker 1: but it only takes you so far. Seeing ground in 201 00:10:59,200 --> 00:11:02,200 Speaker 1: person is huge. As you've probably heard me say a 202 00:11:02,280 --> 00:11:04,920 Speaker 1: whole bunch of times last summer in this podcast when 203 00:11:04,960 --> 00:11:09,080 Speaker 1: I was talking about scouting scouting, scouting scouting. This is 204 00:11:09,200 --> 00:11:13,040 Speaker 1: no small thing, and it's also a great way to 205 00:11:13,160 --> 00:11:16,800 Speaker 1: familiarize yourself with the logistics of a trip. How far 206 00:11:16,960 --> 00:11:20,360 Speaker 1: is it really, how will the camping actually go in 207 00:11:20,400 --> 00:11:23,320 Speaker 1: your chosen spot, or how far away from the motel 208 00:11:23,559 --> 00:11:26,400 Speaker 1: is it from where you plan to hunt, What does 209 00:11:26,440 --> 00:11:30,640 Speaker 1: the habitat actually look like? What's the dear population really 210 00:11:30,760 --> 00:11:33,880 Speaker 1: like in your chosen spot? All of these things can 211 00:11:33,920 --> 00:11:36,920 Speaker 1: be learned, at least to some extent, by just a 212 00:11:36,920 --> 00:11:40,400 Speaker 1: long weekend of scouting. Now, the other side of the sword, 213 00:11:40,600 --> 00:11:43,199 Speaker 1: the one that will cut you deep, is the one 214 00:11:43,280 --> 00:11:47,920 Speaker 1: that allows the self doubt to creep in. What if 215 00:11:47,920 --> 00:11:51,120 Speaker 1: the properties you found through eat scouting aren't all that great. 216 00:11:52,000 --> 00:11:54,040 Speaker 1: What if the camping area you had picked out is 217 00:11:54,120 --> 00:11:56,480 Speaker 1: closed and now you need to drive forty five minutes 218 00:11:56,480 --> 00:11:59,360 Speaker 1: to get to the woods. What if the deer sign 219 00:11:59,440 --> 00:12:02,600 Speaker 1: isn't really you there, but the people sign is. What 220 00:12:02,679 --> 00:12:05,520 Speaker 1: if you find yourself looking for the escape hatch partially 221 00:12:05,559 --> 00:12:07,960 Speaker 1: because you ask yourself that, if a scouting trip is 222 00:12:08,000 --> 00:12:09,840 Speaker 1: this much of a pain in the ass, what's it 223 00:12:09,880 --> 00:12:13,080 Speaker 1: going to be like to try to hunt here? That's 224 00:12:13,080 --> 00:12:17,240 Speaker 1: a fine line to tow. I've driven to a lot 225 00:12:17,320 --> 00:12:20,160 Speaker 1: of places over the years to scout, and I never 226 00:12:20,240 --> 00:12:22,040 Speaker 1: drove to a single one of them thinking it was 227 00:12:22,080 --> 00:12:25,800 Speaker 1: gonna suck, But a lot of them have. I've driven 228 00:12:25,800 --> 00:12:28,840 Speaker 1: to places I fully thought would be amazing for white tails, 229 00:12:29,000 --> 00:12:32,319 Speaker 1: only to walk them for hours and days and come 230 00:12:32,360 --> 00:12:35,240 Speaker 1: away convinced that I wasn't really going to enjoy hunting 231 00:12:35,240 --> 00:12:38,400 Speaker 1: there for one reason or another. This has happened to 232 00:12:38,400 --> 00:12:40,839 Speaker 1: me a lot in Missouri. It's happened to me in 233 00:12:40,880 --> 00:12:44,880 Speaker 1: the Dakotas. It's happened to me in Oklahoma, in Wisconsin, 234 00:12:45,440 --> 00:12:48,320 Speaker 1: It's happened to me dozens and dozens of times. In 235 00:12:48,360 --> 00:12:53,520 Speaker 1: my home state of Minnesota. It's inevitable but also somewhat 236 00:12:53,559 --> 00:12:57,040 Speaker 1: of a false reality. Now. How I know this is 237 00:12:57,040 --> 00:12:59,000 Speaker 1: because I've committed to hunts in a bunch of different 238 00:12:59,000 --> 00:13:03,120 Speaker 1: places site seen. I've shown up to those places and 239 00:13:03,160 --> 00:13:07,359 Speaker 1: have been absolutely stoked by my first impression or absolutely 240 00:13:07,520 --> 00:13:11,240 Speaker 1: bummed by my first impression. But I've also only given 241 00:13:11,360 --> 00:13:15,679 Speaker 1: up on maybe three or four spots in my entire 242 00:13:15,760 --> 00:13:19,120 Speaker 1: lifetime of traveling to hunt because they just sucked so much. 243 00:13:19,640 --> 00:13:23,160 Speaker 1: Most of the time, even when my initial reaction is 244 00:13:23,200 --> 00:13:26,040 Speaker 1: not so great, the deer show just enough of their 245 00:13:26,080 --> 00:13:29,240 Speaker 1: hand to keep me in the game and playing. And 246 00:13:29,280 --> 00:13:33,079 Speaker 1: what I do, I find myself having fun and forgetting 247 00:13:33,120 --> 00:13:35,480 Speaker 1: that I was about ready to hit the eject button. 248 00:13:36,120 --> 00:13:38,760 Speaker 1: I've said this a lot, but the things that hold 249 00:13:38,880 --> 00:13:41,959 Speaker 1: us back mostly live in the space between our ears. 250 00:13:42,440 --> 00:13:44,440 Speaker 1: If we decide to hunt is not going to be good. 251 00:13:44,440 --> 00:13:47,800 Speaker 1: Based on initial impressions, it probably won't be any good. 252 00:13:48,720 --> 00:13:52,400 Speaker 1: We won't put in the effort necessary, our attitude will suffer, 253 00:13:53,360 --> 00:13:55,600 Speaker 1: and what do you know, the hunt we expected to 254 00:13:55,600 --> 00:13:59,920 Speaker 1: be shitty ends up being shitty. Deer hunters are massed 255 00:14:00,000 --> 00:14:02,920 Speaker 1: tears of this. I encounter it often here in my 256 00:14:03,000 --> 00:14:05,640 Speaker 1: home state, where we have more wolves than any other 257 00:14:05,640 --> 00:14:09,439 Speaker 1: state except Alaska. I challenge you to talk to anyone 258 00:14:09,559 --> 00:14:12,920 Speaker 1: who hunts the northern third of Wisconsin and just time 259 00:14:13,080 --> 00:14:15,360 Speaker 1: how long it takes for the topic of wolves to 260 00:14:15,480 --> 00:14:20,000 Speaker 1: come up once you're in a deer hunting conversation. Usually 261 00:14:20,000 --> 00:14:22,720 Speaker 1: it's not more than a few seconds. And I get it, 262 00:14:22,800 --> 00:14:25,760 Speaker 1: at least to some extent. I've hunted around wolves a lot. 263 00:14:26,120 --> 00:14:30,400 Speaker 1: They are my favorite competition. Other hunters aren't either, but 264 00:14:30,440 --> 00:14:32,920 Speaker 1: we aren't likely to get a season on them. The 265 00:14:33,000 --> 00:14:35,120 Speaker 1: thing is, the wolves are just a part of it. 266 00:14:35,160 --> 00:14:37,720 Speaker 1: And even if that sucks, it doesn't mean there aren't 267 00:14:37,760 --> 00:14:41,160 Speaker 1: deer anywhere out there. You just might not be able 268 00:14:41,200 --> 00:14:43,440 Speaker 1: to sit the same wooden stand that your grandpa shot 269 00:14:43,440 --> 00:14:45,680 Speaker 1: is first buck in. You might have to go, I 270 00:14:45,680 --> 00:14:49,080 Speaker 1: don't know, find where the deer are now some of 271 00:14:49,080 --> 00:14:51,720 Speaker 1: them know where to hide, so the wolves don't eat them. 272 00:14:51,880 --> 00:14:55,560 Speaker 1: Where is that? It's out there somewhere, and it's probably 273 00:14:55,640 --> 00:14:58,080 Speaker 1: changing from year to year, But no matter what, you're 274 00:14:58,080 --> 00:14:59,720 Speaker 1: going to leave you some sign there and give you 275 00:14:59,760 --> 00:15:02,280 Speaker 1: a little bit of a clue. But the worst part 276 00:15:02,320 --> 00:15:05,120 Speaker 1: about this, aside from the fact that the wolves definitely 277 00:15:05,120 --> 00:15:09,120 Speaker 1: don't make deer hunting easier, is that their existence gives 278 00:15:09,240 --> 00:15:13,480 Speaker 1: so many hunters an excuse to phone it in. After all, 279 00:15:14,040 --> 00:15:15,560 Speaker 1: why would you work hard if you're not going to 280 00:15:15,640 --> 00:15:19,120 Speaker 1: see any deer? To that, I say, I don't know. 281 00:15:19,200 --> 00:15:21,920 Speaker 1: Could you see some deer if you work harder? Most likely? 282 00:15:22,560 --> 00:15:24,840 Speaker 1: So why not try that? And if it doesn't work out, 283 00:15:25,320 --> 00:15:27,600 Speaker 1: that sucks, But it's a hell of a lot better 284 00:15:27,640 --> 00:15:29,840 Speaker 1: than not trying and giving up before you really know 285 00:15:29,880 --> 00:15:33,040 Speaker 1: what you're capable of. The same rules apply to out 286 00:15:33,040 --> 00:15:35,880 Speaker 1: of state trips, especially when you've just returned from a 287 00:15:35,960 --> 00:15:39,080 Speaker 1: so so scouting trip. The good news here is that 288 00:15:39,120 --> 00:15:43,200 Speaker 1: you just got some things wrong. We make mostly the 289 00:15:43,280 --> 00:15:46,400 Speaker 1: wrong decisions when we hunt, and if we didn't, there 290 00:15:46,400 --> 00:15:49,000 Speaker 1: wouldn't be very many deer left out there. But there are, 291 00:15:49,480 --> 00:15:52,080 Speaker 1: and it's partially because we make a lot of mistakes, 292 00:15:52,560 --> 00:15:56,280 Speaker 1: we make a lot of poor hunting decisions. The best 293 00:15:56,320 --> 00:15:58,680 Speaker 1: way to address this in your own life, if you 294 00:15:58,720 --> 00:16:00,880 Speaker 1: have a so so scouting trip, or even if your 295 00:16:00,920 --> 00:16:03,960 Speaker 1: hunt planning isn't going all that well, is to understand 296 00:16:03,960 --> 00:16:07,200 Speaker 1: that it really doesn't matter. You should still go. Maybe 297 00:16:07,200 --> 00:16:09,400 Speaker 1: not to that first spot you picked, maybe not to 298 00:16:09,440 --> 00:16:11,040 Speaker 1: that first state you kind of fell in love with, 299 00:16:11,520 --> 00:16:15,000 Speaker 1: but you should go. You should just stuff some cash 300 00:16:15,040 --> 00:16:17,360 Speaker 1: in your underwear drawer every week from now until the 301 00:16:17,400 --> 00:16:20,360 Speaker 1: fall and just go now. If you keep things simple, 302 00:16:20,560 --> 00:16:22,880 Speaker 1: a white tail trip can be very cheap, and if 303 00:16:22,880 --> 00:16:25,040 Speaker 1: you plan a hunt based around your preferred hunting strategy 304 00:16:25,080 --> 00:16:27,320 Speaker 1: and goals, you can have a hell of a lot 305 00:16:27,320 --> 00:16:31,200 Speaker 1: of fun. In fact, unlike elk hunting trips and on 306 00:16:31,360 --> 00:16:34,480 Speaker 1: a state, white tailed trip will almost always lead to 307 00:16:34,520 --> 00:16:37,520 Speaker 1: another one. Elk trips, at least for probably half of 308 00:16:37,520 --> 00:16:40,200 Speaker 1: the first timers out there end up being the only 309 00:16:40,240 --> 00:16:43,800 Speaker 1: elk trip those people take a lot of Folks underestimate 310 00:16:43,800 --> 00:16:46,800 Speaker 1: the mountains and the difficulty of most elk hunts while 311 00:16:46,840 --> 00:16:50,680 Speaker 1: they overestimate their own abilities with white tails. All those 312 00:16:50,720 --> 00:16:55,040 Speaker 1: sharp edges are dulled, white tails aren't nearly as difficult 313 00:16:55,080 --> 00:16:59,440 Speaker 1: to hunt. His OLK, the numbers are higher, the populations better, 314 00:17:00,040 --> 00:17:01,960 Speaker 1: and if you're willing to do the requisite amount of 315 00:17:02,040 --> 00:17:05,320 Speaker 1: pre hunt planning, you can usually get away from people. 316 00:17:05,720 --> 00:17:08,960 Speaker 1: Even if you hunt public land WITHOLK, all of those 317 00:17:09,000 --> 00:17:11,520 Speaker 1: things are harder to come by. Now, of course, we 318 00:17:11,520 --> 00:17:13,600 Speaker 1: aren't finished with this topic. I do plan to take 319 00:17:13,600 --> 00:17:15,919 Speaker 1: a little break in the next couple of weeks to 320 00:17:15,960 --> 00:17:18,440 Speaker 1: get into shed antlers when you're scouting an offseason gear. 321 00:17:19,160 --> 00:17:23,159 Speaker 1: But for now, plan that hunt, do the research. You 322 00:17:23,200 --> 00:17:27,440 Speaker 1: won't regret it. Next week we'll take a hard turn 323 00:17:27,720 --> 00:17:29,879 Speaker 1: into the science of shed antlers and the reality of 324 00:17:29,920 --> 00:17:34,760 Speaker 1: being a mediocre shed hunter. That's it for this show, 325 00:17:34,840 --> 00:17:37,440 Speaker 1: my white tail loving brothers and sisters. I'm Tony Peterson 326 00:17:37,480 --> 00:17:39,640 Speaker 1: and this has been the Wired to Hunt Foundations podcast, 327 00:17:39,720 --> 00:17:42,720 Speaker 1: which is brought to you by First Light. As always, 328 00:17:42,760 --> 00:17:44,840 Speaker 1: thank you so much for listening, and if you want 329 00:17:44,840 --> 00:17:47,000 Speaker 1: more white til advice, head on over to the mediator 330 00:17:47,160 --> 00:17:50,119 Speaker 1: dot com slash wired and check out our Wired to 331 00:17:50,200 --> 00:17:51,680 Speaker 1: Hunt YouTube channel as well.