1 00:00:01,280 --> 00:00:05,120 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Wired to Hunt Foundations podcast, your guide 2 00:00:05,120 --> 00:00:08,879 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 --> 00:00:18,640 Speaker 1: First Light Go Farther, Stay Longer, and now your host 5 00:00:19,000 --> 00:00:19,919 Speaker 1: Tony Peterson. 6 00:00:20,280 --> 00:00:22,959 Speaker 2: Hey everyone, welcome to the Wired to Hunt Foundation's podcast, 7 00:00:22,960 --> 00:00:24,160 Speaker 2: which is brought to you by first Light. 8 00:00:24,200 --> 00:00:26,680 Speaker 3: I'm your host, Tony Peterson, and this episode. 9 00:00:26,360 --> 00:00:28,319 Speaker 2: Is all about what you should do right now with 10 00:00:28,400 --> 00:00:30,800 Speaker 2: your bow or your crossbow, your gun to get ready 11 00:00:30,840 --> 00:00:34,960 Speaker 2: to be a stone cold killer this fall. 12 00:00:33,159 --> 00:00:35,200 Speaker 3: A look. 13 00:00:35,240 --> 00:00:37,840 Speaker 2: I know we all know what we should do throughout 14 00:00:37,840 --> 00:00:40,839 Speaker 2: the summer practice wise, but I also know what a 15 00:00:40,840 --> 00:00:43,400 Speaker 2: lot of us just don't do. Part of this is 16 00:00:43,400 --> 00:00:46,120 Speaker 2: a function of having really accurate weaponry these days. We 17 00:00:46,200 --> 00:00:48,200 Speaker 2: just don't need to practice as much as we used 18 00:00:48,200 --> 00:00:51,159 Speaker 2: to in order to be pretty good. But pretty good 19 00:00:51,159 --> 00:00:52,720 Speaker 2: on the range and pretty good in the woods are 20 00:00:52,720 --> 00:00:55,480 Speaker 2: different things. That's something a lot of us don't realize 21 00:00:55,520 --> 00:00:57,520 Speaker 2: until we watch a buck run out of our lives 22 00:00:57,560 --> 00:01:00,200 Speaker 2: without an arrow through his lungs, and it's something we 23 00:01:00,240 --> 00:01:02,520 Speaker 2: can work on in the next several weeks. It's also 24 00:01:02,560 --> 00:01:10,200 Speaker 2: what I'm going to talk about right now. One of 25 00:01:10,240 --> 00:01:12,360 Speaker 2: our editors and writers here at Meat Eater is a 26 00:01:12,360 --> 00:01:15,480 Speaker 2: fellow named Adam Moore. He lives and hunts down south 27 00:01:15,600 --> 00:01:17,280 Speaker 2: in the part of the country Mark and I rarely 28 00:01:17,280 --> 00:01:19,160 Speaker 2: talk about for deer hunting because it's a world we 29 00:01:19,200 --> 00:01:22,200 Speaker 2: don't play in very much. Now, Adam recently called me 30 00:01:22,280 --> 00:01:24,759 Speaker 2: up for some quotes for an article he was working 31 00:01:24,760 --> 00:01:28,400 Speaker 2: on about the things that the hunting industry won't tell you, 32 00:01:28,640 --> 00:01:31,920 Speaker 2: things that will help you be successful but aren't necessarily 33 00:01:31,920 --> 00:01:33,800 Speaker 2: going to sell a bunch of deer calls or sense 34 00:01:33,880 --> 00:01:36,720 Speaker 2: or whatever you get to drift. Now, while I talked 35 00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:39,360 Speaker 2: about woodsmanship and figuring out natural movement and a couple 36 00:01:39,440 --> 00:01:42,240 Speaker 2: things I really believe help all deer hunters level up, 37 00:01:42,840 --> 00:01:47,360 Speaker 2: I didn't mention practice or preseason practice specifically. I know 38 00:01:47,440 --> 00:01:50,120 Speaker 2: this is a boring topic, but it's important and it 39 00:01:50,160 --> 00:01:52,680 Speaker 2: is one of the things that we can control in 40 00:01:52,720 --> 00:01:55,760 Speaker 2: a very real way, which are not always that easy 41 00:01:55,800 --> 00:01:58,560 Speaker 2: to find in the deer woods. So to frame this up, 42 00:01:58,640 --> 00:02:00,760 Speaker 2: let me give you a little recap my last season 43 00:02:00,800 --> 00:02:03,520 Speaker 2: in the shots that I took. The first was in 44 00:02:03,560 --> 00:02:06,600 Speaker 2: Minnesota on a mature dough that walked into a pond 45 00:02:06,640 --> 00:02:09,960 Speaker 2: I was sitting over in September. Everything looked like it 46 00:02:10,000 --> 00:02:13,280 Speaker 2: was lining up really nicely, until she just turned and 47 00:02:13,320 --> 00:02:16,400 Speaker 2: walked straight at me, then went under my stand and 48 00:02:16,480 --> 00:02:19,800 Speaker 2: walked straight away before stopping. I started to draw on 49 00:02:19,840 --> 00:02:22,079 Speaker 2: her twice while anticipating her next move, and I got 50 00:02:22,080 --> 00:02:25,200 Speaker 2: it wrong both times. But she finally did turn hard 51 00:02:25,280 --> 00:02:28,280 Speaker 2: enough to give me a quartering shot at maybe ten yards, 52 00:02:28,560 --> 00:02:30,600 Speaker 2: and when I took it, she did not go very far. 53 00:02:31,120 --> 00:02:33,800 Speaker 2: It was a good start to the season. Then I 54 00:02:33,800 --> 00:02:36,079 Speaker 2: went to North Dakota and snort weezed in a really 55 00:02:36,120 --> 00:02:38,720 Speaker 2: big buck and I didn't range him. I thought he 56 00:02:38,760 --> 00:02:41,520 Speaker 2: was walking in at thirty five yards, and just for 57 00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:44,200 Speaker 2: a few seconds, I checked my sight. I checked to 58 00:02:44,200 --> 00:02:46,000 Speaker 2: see if my cameraman was on him. Then I went 59 00:02:46,000 --> 00:02:48,639 Speaker 2: to shoot him. I didn't realize he had walked into 60 00:02:48,720 --> 00:02:52,200 Speaker 2: twenty six and other than a few hairs, I shot 61 00:02:52,200 --> 00:02:54,840 Speaker 2: off his back as a consolation prize. I watched that 62 00:02:54,919 --> 00:02:56,840 Speaker 2: deer run out of my life, and I was very sad. 63 00:02:57,600 --> 00:02:59,440 Speaker 2: Later on in that trip, I shot a dough on 64 00:02:59,480 --> 00:03:01,880 Speaker 2: a water hole at thirty yards while sitting on my 65 00:03:01,960 --> 00:03:04,839 Speaker 2: butt on a rocky hillside that was angled in such 66 00:03:04,840 --> 00:03:07,880 Speaker 2: a way that not only was it uncomfortable as hell, 67 00:03:08,320 --> 00:03:11,560 Speaker 2: but it was also just a very unnatural way to shoot. 68 00:03:12,040 --> 00:03:15,480 Speaker 2: I killed her, it wasn't my best shot. After that, 69 00:03:15,919 --> 00:03:19,280 Speaker 2: headed down to Iowa and I decoyed in a buck 70 00:03:19,320 --> 00:03:21,959 Speaker 2: that did everything you want a buck to do, and 71 00:03:22,040 --> 00:03:25,160 Speaker 2: I still managed to put my decoy off just a 72 00:03:25,200 --> 00:03:28,160 Speaker 2: few yards from my small shooting lane, and that caused 73 00:03:28,160 --> 00:03:30,000 Speaker 2: me to lean out a little farther than I thought 74 00:03:30,040 --> 00:03:32,359 Speaker 2: I was going to have to, and I just clipped 75 00:03:32,400 --> 00:03:34,800 Speaker 2: a willow stem with my broad head on the shot. 76 00:03:35,280 --> 00:03:38,760 Speaker 2: I got him again, but it was not my finest shot. 77 00:03:39,280 --> 00:03:41,600 Speaker 2: So after that stretch of disasters on film, I went 78 00:03:41,600 --> 00:03:44,040 Speaker 2: back to Minnesota to try to redeem myself, and I 79 00:03:44,080 --> 00:03:46,480 Speaker 2: finally had a decent eight pointer flirting with death for 80 00:03:46,560 --> 00:03:50,200 Speaker 2: like fifteen minutes. Drew on him at least twice that 81 00:03:50,240 --> 00:03:52,600 Speaker 2: I can remember, before he kind of worked his way 82 00:03:52,600 --> 00:03:55,600 Speaker 2: around and posed up at maybe twenty yards and I 83 00:03:55,640 --> 00:03:58,000 Speaker 2: shot him right through the heart watched him tip over. 84 00:03:58,560 --> 00:04:00,800 Speaker 2: Some years, I shoot like I was born with a 85 00:04:00,840 --> 00:04:03,760 Speaker 2: bow in my hand. Some years, I shoot like I 86 00:04:03,840 --> 00:04:06,680 Speaker 2: was born with a handful of delicious lead paint chips 87 00:04:06,720 --> 00:04:09,920 Speaker 2: in my hand. I used to only shoot like I 88 00:04:09,960 --> 00:04:12,840 Speaker 2: had tried to lobotomize myself with a screwdriver for fun, 89 00:04:13,320 --> 00:04:15,360 Speaker 2: but after a lot of painful seasons, I got that 90 00:04:15,480 --> 00:04:19,080 Speaker 2: kind of taken care of. Filming is a different story 91 00:04:19,120 --> 00:04:21,000 Speaker 2: for me. If there is a moment when I'll go 92 00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:22,919 Speaker 2: back to my old ways, it's when there's a camera 93 00:04:22,960 --> 00:04:25,520 Speaker 2: over my shoulder and the reality that a whole hell 94 00:04:25,560 --> 00:04:27,120 Speaker 2: of a lot of people are about to watch me 95 00:04:27,200 --> 00:04:31,800 Speaker 2: shit my camel undies metaphorically, speaking of course, now my 96 00:04:31,920 --> 00:04:35,279 Speaker 2: flaws aside. You know what all of those real world 97 00:04:35,279 --> 00:04:37,800 Speaker 2: shots at white Tails I took last year have in common. 98 00:04:38,400 --> 00:04:40,760 Speaker 2: Not a single one involved me standing flat footed in 99 00:04:40,800 --> 00:04:43,039 Speaker 2: a mode yard while having all the time in the 100 00:04:43,040 --> 00:04:46,320 Speaker 2: world to make a perfectly known, distant shot. So let's 101 00:04:46,320 --> 00:04:48,919 Speaker 2: break that down for a second. When we shoot in 102 00:04:48,960 --> 00:04:51,200 Speaker 2: our yards, is there any pressure to make a great shot? 103 00:04:51,920 --> 00:04:52,000 Speaker 3: Not? 104 00:04:52,160 --> 00:04:56,200 Speaker 2: Usually not really. If we shank one, we just shoot 105 00:04:56,240 --> 00:04:59,719 Speaker 2: another one. You can add some pressure to your sessions, 106 00:05:00,160 --> 00:05:02,520 Speaker 2: have you know, maybe the chance to go to a 107 00:05:02,560 --> 00:05:04,720 Speaker 2: three D shoot, or you invite a couple of buddies 108 00:05:04,760 --> 00:05:07,760 Speaker 2: over for a session that doesn't hurt And I think 109 00:05:07,880 --> 00:05:10,200 Speaker 2: any way that you can vary up your preseason practice 110 00:05:10,240 --> 00:05:12,120 Speaker 2: to challenge. What you have going on between the ears 111 00:05:12,240 --> 00:05:14,480 Speaker 2: is a good thing. I guess I'll put a finer 112 00:05:14,520 --> 00:05:16,520 Speaker 2: point on this by saying that I've shot at a 113 00:05:16,560 --> 00:05:19,800 Speaker 2: lot of whitetails in my life, like a lot, and 114 00:05:19,880 --> 00:05:22,080 Speaker 2: I don't recall too many where I was relaxed and 115 00:05:22,120 --> 00:05:23,159 Speaker 2: feeling no pressure. 116 00:05:23,560 --> 00:05:25,160 Speaker 3: It doesn't really work that way. 117 00:05:25,920 --> 00:05:28,640 Speaker 2: Now, look at the mechanical side of the The reason 118 00:05:28,640 --> 00:05:30,600 Speaker 2: that we shoot the way we do in ninety nine 119 00:05:30,640 --> 00:05:33,120 Speaker 2: percent of our practice sessions is because it's the easiest 120 00:05:33,120 --> 00:05:35,400 Speaker 2: way to send some arrows downrange while being as accurate 121 00:05:35,400 --> 00:05:38,120 Speaker 2: as we can. This type of practice has its place, 122 00:05:38,600 --> 00:05:40,080 Speaker 2: but it would kind of be like doing a bunch 123 00:05:40,120 --> 00:05:43,480 Speaker 2: of cardio before your big MMA debut and the octagon, 124 00:05:43,520 --> 00:05:46,680 Speaker 2: but never sparring or grappling. When I think about the 125 00:05:46,680 --> 00:05:49,479 Speaker 2: shots I took last season, they all had some type 126 00:05:49,520 --> 00:05:53,039 Speaker 2: of mechanical or maybe technical type of variable that made 127 00:05:53,080 --> 00:05:56,039 Speaker 2: them more challenging than any shot taking while standing flat 128 00:05:56,040 --> 00:05:59,120 Speaker 2: footed on the same level as my target. A ten 129 00:05:59,200 --> 00:06:01,599 Speaker 2: yard shot on a d j oh that's eighteen feet 130 00:06:01,640 --> 00:06:04,760 Speaker 2: below you and quartered away and in about three steps 131 00:06:04,760 --> 00:06:07,760 Speaker 2: from being totally safe. It's just not something we usually 132 00:06:07,760 --> 00:06:11,000 Speaker 2: practice for that kind of situation might put your ideal 133 00:06:11,040 --> 00:06:13,560 Speaker 2: point of impact five inches higher than you'd aim at 134 00:06:13,560 --> 00:06:17,039 Speaker 2: a foam target and back maybe another four or five inches. 135 00:06:17,800 --> 00:06:20,440 Speaker 2: Do you ever set a stand to practice from or 136 00:06:20,480 --> 00:06:23,400 Speaker 2: shoot from your deck to condition yourself for a shot 137 00:06:23,440 --> 00:06:26,480 Speaker 2: like that, because at some point a wild live year 138 00:06:26,560 --> 00:06:28,640 Speaker 2: is going to offer himself up that way, and then 139 00:06:28,680 --> 00:06:31,320 Speaker 2: it's on you to envision that wound channel and where 140 00:06:31,360 --> 00:06:32,599 Speaker 2: you have to put the right pin. 141 00:06:33,240 --> 00:06:33,680 Speaker 3: If you have. 142 00:06:33,720 --> 00:06:36,880 Speaker 2: Gallons of adrenaline flooding your veins in that moment, the 143 00:06:36,880 --> 00:06:39,680 Speaker 2: odds of getting it right drop like a rock. Do 144 00:06:39,760 --> 00:06:43,080 Speaker 2: we need to practice for every scenario out there? Well, no, 145 00:06:43,839 --> 00:06:46,680 Speaker 2: we couldn't even if we wanted to. But it's usually 146 00:06:46,720 --> 00:06:48,360 Speaker 2: a pretty good idea to practice more than we think 147 00:06:48,400 --> 00:06:50,280 Speaker 2: we need to, and to try to shake up our 148 00:06:50,320 --> 00:06:52,720 Speaker 2: practice sessions with new wrinkles whenever we can. 149 00:06:53,720 --> 00:06:54,640 Speaker 3: It's also a good. 150 00:06:54,520 --> 00:06:56,320 Speaker 2: Idea to remember that your ability to shoot well on 151 00:06:56,400 --> 00:06:58,440 Speaker 2: the range and out there in the forest is a 152 00:06:58,520 --> 00:07:01,800 Speaker 2: personal journey. There are a lot of folks out there 153 00:07:01,839 --> 00:07:04,920 Speaker 2: who talk a big game about how they personally shoot 154 00:07:05,160 --> 00:07:09,479 Speaker 2: or how other people shoot. That sucks, But those people 155 00:07:09,480 --> 00:07:13,400 Speaker 2: are usually one of two things so new that they 156 00:07:13,440 --> 00:07:17,960 Speaker 2: don't have the experience, you know, to understand what mistakes 157 00:07:18,680 --> 00:07:22,600 Speaker 2: everyone inevitably will make, or the other thing, which is 158 00:07:22,680 --> 00:07:26,280 Speaker 2: they are likely just totally full of shit. Hunting deer 159 00:07:26,320 --> 00:07:29,160 Speaker 2: and shooting at them is a game of infinite variables, 160 00:07:29,400 --> 00:07:32,880 Speaker 2: and getting it right once can be easy. How about 161 00:07:32,880 --> 00:07:35,560 Speaker 2: getting it right five shots in a row, though, that's 162 00:07:35,600 --> 00:07:38,960 Speaker 2: a different story, or ten shots in a row. Send 163 00:07:39,040 --> 00:07:42,440 Speaker 2: enough arrows or bullets at animals and you're going to 164 00:07:42,440 --> 00:07:44,920 Speaker 2: screw up, and when you do, it might be a 165 00:07:44,920 --> 00:07:48,640 Speaker 2: little more likely that you'll screw up again. Because bow 166 00:07:48,760 --> 00:07:51,920 Speaker 2: hunting is a sport that produces good and bad streaks. 167 00:07:53,040 --> 00:07:53,960 Speaker 3: I don't know why. 168 00:07:54,200 --> 00:07:56,280 Speaker 2: I just know that it does, and I know the 169 00:07:56,320 --> 00:07:58,120 Speaker 2: best way to smooth out the ebbs and flows of 170 00:07:58,160 --> 00:08:00,560 Speaker 2: the whole thing is to practice more in as many 171 00:08:00,560 --> 00:08:02,880 Speaker 2: ways as you can. And I also know that those 172 00:08:02,880 --> 00:08:05,160 Speaker 2: gun hunters out there aren't immune to this issue either. 173 00:08:05,920 --> 00:08:08,880 Speaker 2: One of the problems with most modern firearms, and honestly, 174 00:08:08,920 --> 00:08:11,800 Speaker 2: I'll throw crossbows in here as well, is that they 175 00:08:11,800 --> 00:08:16,240 Speaker 2: are stupid accurate. If you site in either with a 176 00:08:16,240 --> 00:08:18,240 Speaker 2: good bench or a good rest, and you take your 177 00:08:18,240 --> 00:08:21,560 Speaker 2: time to really dial them in, well, then you're really 178 00:08:21,600 --> 00:08:25,400 Speaker 2: dialed in. But are you well your gun is or 179 00:08:25,440 --> 00:08:29,160 Speaker 2: your crossbow is, but are you dialed in as the shooter? 180 00:08:29,800 --> 00:08:33,839 Speaker 2: Probably not. This is a concept that's easy to understand 181 00:08:33,880 --> 00:08:36,920 Speaker 2: with vertical bows because we, as the shooters, have a 182 00:08:37,000 --> 00:08:39,960 Speaker 2: lot of influence on how the shot goes. If we 183 00:08:40,040 --> 00:08:42,480 Speaker 2: do everything right, the arrow will go exactly where we 184 00:08:42,559 --> 00:08:46,120 Speaker 2: point it. If we don't, it won't. And that's about it. 185 00:08:46,840 --> 00:08:50,080 Speaker 2: Since we all inherently know that, we also understand why 186 00:08:50,120 --> 00:08:52,760 Speaker 2: that type of weapon requires a healthy amount of practice. 187 00:08:53,440 --> 00:08:56,240 Speaker 2: You have to get good with shot execution, and that 188 00:08:56,280 --> 00:09:09,679 Speaker 2: comes from reps with a rifle or a crossbow or 189 00:09:09,720 --> 00:09:11,920 Speaker 2: a hell a muzzloader. We can sit at the range 190 00:09:11,920 --> 00:09:15,240 Speaker 2: and shoot tight groups and call it good enough. I mean, 191 00:09:15,280 --> 00:09:17,400 Speaker 2: my daughters can shoot their crossbows in such a way 192 00:09:17,400 --> 00:09:20,600 Speaker 2: that they'll ruin bolts if they don't intentionally try to 193 00:09:20,600 --> 00:09:22,760 Speaker 2: shoot around the ones that are already in the target. 194 00:09:23,600 --> 00:09:26,800 Speaker 2: But that doesn't make them super good shots in the field. 195 00:09:27,679 --> 00:09:30,120 Speaker 2: Just because your rifle can put five rounds in the 196 00:09:30,160 --> 00:09:32,120 Speaker 2: same hole at three hundred yards off the bench on 197 00:09:32,160 --> 00:09:34,960 Speaker 2: a column day doesn't mean you can put one round 198 00:09:35,040 --> 00:09:36,720 Speaker 2: right where it needs to be at two hundred and 199 00:09:36,720 --> 00:09:39,640 Speaker 2: fifty seven yards during a blizzard at the end of 200 00:09:39,640 --> 00:09:42,120 Speaker 2: a four hour sit where the wind is just hucking 201 00:09:42,760 --> 00:09:45,920 Speaker 2: out of the north at twenty miles per hour. Sure 202 00:09:46,040 --> 00:09:50,080 Speaker 2: your rifle can make that shot, but can you. We 203 00:09:50,160 --> 00:09:52,600 Speaker 2: tend to think of target practice as a means for 204 00:09:52,720 --> 00:09:56,840 Speaker 2: us to become more accurate, which is a component. For sure, 205 00:09:57,760 --> 00:10:00,360 Speaker 2: you wouldn't punch paper or foam if it asn't a 206 00:10:00,400 --> 00:10:02,680 Speaker 2: direct route to being a better shot, because that would 207 00:10:02,679 --> 00:10:05,959 Speaker 2: be bonkers. But it's more than that. It's also about 208 00:10:05,960 --> 00:10:09,320 Speaker 2: becoming extremely comfortable with your weapon. I've talked about this 209 00:10:09,360 --> 00:10:10,920 Speaker 2: a lot, but if you put a rifle or a 210 00:10:10,920 --> 00:10:13,800 Speaker 2: crossbow in my hands, it's just awkward to me. 211 00:10:14,280 --> 00:10:14,959 Speaker 3: I don't have the. 212 00:10:14,880 --> 00:10:17,480 Speaker 2: Reps necessary with either to pick one up and just 213 00:10:17,520 --> 00:10:20,640 Speaker 2: be super comfortable with it. A vertical bowl or a 214 00:10:20,679 --> 00:10:23,559 Speaker 2: shotgun is a different story, because those are weapons I've 215 00:10:23,559 --> 00:10:26,679 Speaker 2: handled my entire life, very natural to me, and the 216 00:10:26,760 --> 00:10:30,160 Speaker 2: muscle memory is real, the comfort level is very real. 217 00:10:30,679 --> 00:10:33,360 Speaker 2: But not so with a rifle or a crossbow. And 218 00:10:33,400 --> 00:10:36,160 Speaker 2: here's the thing about that stuff. Let's say you are 219 00:10:36,320 --> 00:10:39,240 Speaker 2: new to crossbow hunting, or this is your first year 220 00:10:39,320 --> 00:10:41,920 Speaker 2: rifle hunting, since your brand new in laws invited you 221 00:10:42,000 --> 00:10:44,880 Speaker 2: up to deer camp. You have a weapon that is 222 00:10:45,000 --> 00:10:48,560 Speaker 2: accurate as hell, which you've proven at the range, But 223 00:10:48,640 --> 00:10:50,560 Speaker 2: then you get into a double ladder stand and watch 224 00:10:50,600 --> 00:10:54,160 Speaker 2: the sunrise. Your setup is designed around an old logging 225 00:10:54,280 --> 00:10:57,320 Speaker 2: road that passes by at forty yards a chip shot 226 00:10:57,360 --> 00:10:59,640 Speaker 2: with a rifle and what should be a chip shot 227 00:10:59,640 --> 00:11:02,840 Speaker 2: with a cross hospo. But then a good buck bigger 228 00:11:02,880 --> 00:11:06,240 Speaker 2: than you expected to see, snaps a stick behind your tree. 229 00:11:06,679 --> 00:11:07,319 Speaker 3: You turn around. 230 00:11:07,400 --> 00:11:10,320 Speaker 2: There he is at forty six yards, and he's pointed 231 00:11:10,360 --> 00:11:12,320 Speaker 2: in a direction that means you have to spin the 232 00:11:12,360 --> 00:11:15,360 Speaker 2: opposite way and get ready to shoot before he takes 233 00:11:15,400 --> 00:11:18,400 Speaker 2: more than about ten or twelve steps. You get turned 234 00:11:18,440 --> 00:11:21,240 Speaker 2: around and pick him up as he clears your tree, 235 00:11:21,679 --> 00:11:24,079 Speaker 2: but he's taken a few steps farther away and turned 236 00:11:24,120 --> 00:11:26,920 Speaker 2: harder than you expected. You have to factor all of 237 00:11:26,960 --> 00:11:29,960 Speaker 2: that in, and while the range might not matter with 238 00:11:30,040 --> 00:11:33,800 Speaker 2: either weapon, the shot angle does. Then you go to 239 00:11:33,840 --> 00:11:36,040 Speaker 2: take the safety off, and you can't quite remember where 240 00:11:36,040 --> 00:11:38,160 Speaker 2: it is because your brain is slowly melting like a 241 00:11:38,200 --> 00:11:41,439 Speaker 2: grape slushie in the sun. Now you've taken your mind 242 00:11:41,480 --> 00:11:43,800 Speaker 2: off of the task to do something for a split 243 00:11:43,840 --> 00:11:46,080 Speaker 2: second that would be totally natural to someone who has 244 00:11:46,160 --> 00:11:49,600 Speaker 2: practiced more, and now you get that safety off, and 245 00:11:49,679 --> 00:11:51,880 Speaker 2: you have to reel your mind back into the moment 246 00:11:52,080 --> 00:11:55,960 Speaker 2: and stop him and execute the shot while a shot 247 00:11:56,000 --> 00:11:58,640 Speaker 2: clock goes off in your head. It should be easy 248 00:11:58,679 --> 00:12:01,040 Speaker 2: because with a target at that you'd make a good 249 00:12:01,160 --> 00:12:03,800 Speaker 2: enough shot with either weapon ten out of ten times. 250 00:12:04,520 --> 00:12:09,000 Speaker 2: But we all know that your odds, Sorry, it should torry. 251 00:12:09,679 --> 00:12:13,480 Speaker 2: It should be easy because with a target like that 252 00:12:13,840 --> 00:12:16,960 Speaker 2: at the range the shooting range I mean, by the way, 253 00:12:17,400 --> 00:12:19,600 Speaker 2: you'd make a good enough shot with either weapon ten 254 00:12:19,640 --> 00:12:22,120 Speaker 2: out of ten times. But we also know that your 255 00:12:22,160 --> 00:12:24,800 Speaker 2: odds of killing that book cleanly are not one hundred percent, 256 00:12:24,840 --> 00:12:27,560 Speaker 2: and they never will be. But they can be better 257 00:12:27,600 --> 00:12:30,080 Speaker 2: this year than last, and they can be better in 258 00:12:30,160 --> 00:12:32,240 Speaker 2: six weeks than they would be if you didn't practice 259 00:12:32,280 --> 00:12:35,720 Speaker 2: a whole lot. I also have come to believe something 260 00:12:35,760 --> 00:12:38,400 Speaker 2: else about preseason practice that sort of flies in the 261 00:12:38,400 --> 00:12:41,240 Speaker 2: face of a lot of modern advice. There is a 262 00:12:41,320 --> 00:12:45,280 Speaker 2: lot of emphasis on long range shooting these days. It's 263 00:12:45,320 --> 00:12:47,080 Speaker 2: not all that uncommon to see a video of some 264 00:12:47,160 --> 00:12:49,680 Speaker 2: dude shooting an arrow at a mule deer a football 265 00:12:49,720 --> 00:12:52,320 Speaker 2: field away, or some other dude shooting an elk in 266 00:12:52,320 --> 00:12:55,280 Speaker 2: the mountains that's half a mile away. I'll leave the 267 00:12:55,320 --> 00:12:57,720 Speaker 2: ethics of that up to the individual, but will say 268 00:12:57,720 --> 00:13:01,360 Speaker 2: that I do love long distance practice. It feels really 269 00:13:01,400 --> 00:13:02,960 Speaker 2: good to be able to string together a group of 270 00:13:03,040 --> 00:13:06,679 Speaker 2: arrows at eighty yards. That wouldn't be too shabby at thirty. 271 00:13:06,840 --> 00:13:08,920 Speaker 2: You know, to dial in your form and your execution. 272 00:13:09,160 --> 00:13:13,080 Speaker 2: Long range practice is a great strategy. But I've found 273 00:13:13,120 --> 00:13:14,719 Speaker 2: in the last several years that I really want to 274 00:13:14,760 --> 00:13:17,040 Speaker 2: kill deer at about twenty yards. And while I do 275 00:13:17,120 --> 00:13:20,000 Speaker 2: still shoot some longer stuff, I'm more interested in trying 276 00:13:20,040 --> 00:13:21,600 Speaker 2: to be the best I can be at sub forty 277 00:13:21,640 --> 00:13:24,720 Speaker 2: yard shots. I just want to know that, no matter what, 278 00:13:25,240 --> 00:13:27,640 Speaker 2: if a deer poses up at thirty like they often do, 279 00:13:28,200 --> 00:13:31,160 Speaker 2: that I couldn't be more confident at that range if 280 00:13:31,200 --> 00:13:34,160 Speaker 2: I tried. The same goes for my rifle hunts, and 281 00:13:34,200 --> 00:13:37,240 Speaker 2: the rifle hunting i'm preparing my daughters for. I want 282 00:13:37,240 --> 00:13:38,960 Speaker 2: them to shoot at two hundred just to see what 283 00:13:39,000 --> 00:13:41,680 Speaker 2: they can do about it. But I want them really 284 00:13:41,720 --> 00:13:44,160 Speaker 2: comfortable at like fifty to one hundred yards, because that's 285 00:13:44,200 --> 00:13:46,840 Speaker 2: the distance range they'll actually shoot when we're in the woods. 286 00:13:47,760 --> 00:13:50,800 Speaker 2: I know that seems pretty simple because it is, but 287 00:13:50,880 --> 00:13:53,319 Speaker 2: we get caught up, you know, in trends and a 288 00:13:53,360 --> 00:13:55,920 Speaker 2: lot of other stuff. There's something to be said about 289 00:13:55,920 --> 00:13:58,080 Speaker 2: trying to get really good with your weapon at the 290 00:13:58,120 --> 00:14:01,400 Speaker 2: distances you're most likely to actually shoot at. This is 291 00:14:01,440 --> 00:14:03,800 Speaker 2: also a great way to enforce a little more patience 292 00:14:03,800 --> 00:14:08,600 Speaker 2: on ourselves. Effective range, whatever that is for you can 293 00:14:08,720 --> 00:14:12,120 Speaker 2: be variable depending on situations. But we can also talk 294 00:14:12,160 --> 00:14:14,520 Speaker 2: ourselves into shooting at a deer because we know our 295 00:14:14,559 --> 00:14:18,000 Speaker 2: weapon can do it, but can we That's the rub, 296 00:14:18,520 --> 00:14:21,840 Speaker 2: and I know that personally. I've really started to try 297 00:14:21,840 --> 00:14:24,280 Speaker 2: to set up for easy close shots because of it. 298 00:14:25,040 --> 00:14:27,240 Speaker 2: I know what can go wrong, and I know what 299 00:14:27,280 --> 00:14:30,880 Speaker 2: can happen between my ears. So I want a twenty 300 00:14:30,960 --> 00:14:33,400 Speaker 2: yard shot way more than I want a forty yard shot, 301 00:14:33,440 --> 00:14:36,200 Speaker 2: even though when I'm on a range, forty isn't all 302 00:14:36,200 --> 00:14:38,440 Speaker 2: that much different from twenty. By the time the season 303 00:14:38,480 --> 00:14:41,680 Speaker 2: is about to open up in the woods, it is, though, 304 00:14:41,760 --> 00:14:44,280 Speaker 2: and that's something we all learn the heart way over time. 305 00:14:45,200 --> 00:14:47,360 Speaker 2: So ask yourself what your plan is for the next 306 00:14:47,400 --> 00:14:50,200 Speaker 2: few weeks. If you haven't started shooting your bow, you 307 00:14:50,240 --> 00:14:52,840 Speaker 2: better get out there. If you're a crossbow hunter and 308 00:14:52,880 --> 00:14:54,920 Speaker 2: think you don't really need to practice, I'd say you 309 00:14:54,960 --> 00:14:57,920 Speaker 2: probably should, even if that is just to work on 310 00:14:57,960 --> 00:15:00,920 Speaker 2: some elevated practice off the deck or maybe some low 311 00:15:01,040 --> 00:15:03,480 Speaker 2: light stuff when the sun starts to dip below the trees. 312 00:15:04,200 --> 00:15:06,400 Speaker 2: And the same goes for rifle hunters. Although most folks 313 00:15:06,440 --> 00:15:08,400 Speaker 2: aren't going to spend too much time prepping for the 314 00:15:08,520 --> 00:15:12,560 Speaker 2: rifle season now, we are though in my family because 315 00:15:12,600 --> 00:15:14,920 Speaker 2: I want my daughters to have really good first hunts, 316 00:15:15,320 --> 00:15:17,240 Speaker 2: and one of the variables I can control to some 317 00:15:17,360 --> 00:15:20,520 Speaker 2: extent here is how comfortable they are with their weapon. 318 00:15:21,320 --> 00:15:24,000 Speaker 2: It's also a great excuse for me to facilitate more 319 00:15:24,000 --> 00:15:26,840 Speaker 2: practice shooting, too, because the Peterson girls aren't the only 320 00:15:26,880 --> 00:15:28,880 Speaker 2: ones who need to get more comfortable with the rifles. 321 00:15:29,640 --> 00:15:31,400 Speaker 2: I guess all that is to say that it is 322 00:15:31,560 --> 00:15:34,560 Speaker 2: time to shoot for all of us, trad bow hunters, 323 00:15:34,600 --> 00:15:38,720 Speaker 2: compound hunters, crossbow hunters, gun hunters, whatever you hunt with. 324 00:15:39,520 --> 00:15:42,479 Speaker 2: There really isn't a downside to this aspect of the preseason, 325 00:15:42,640 --> 00:15:44,800 Speaker 2: and while it might not make you go ten out 326 00:15:44,800 --> 00:15:47,040 Speaker 2: of ten in the next three seasons, it's going to 327 00:15:47,040 --> 00:15:49,320 Speaker 2: help you shoot better than you would if you didn't practice, 328 00:15:49,800 --> 00:15:52,680 Speaker 2: which is where I'll leave this one for now. So 329 00:15:52,800 --> 00:15:55,800 Speaker 2: hit the range, shake up your sessions, get comfortable with 330 00:15:55,840 --> 00:15:58,160 Speaker 2: your weaponry, and come back next week because I'm going 331 00:15:58,160 --> 00:16:01,320 Speaker 2: to talk about how the social aspect of deer hunting 332 00:16:01,760 --> 00:16:04,000 Speaker 2: affects all of us and how some of us would 333 00:16:04,000 --> 00:16:06,440 Speaker 2: be better off planning a little more solo time in 334 00:16:06,440 --> 00:16:09,840 Speaker 2: the woods. This ball, that's it. I'm Tony Peterson. This 335 00:16:09,840 --> 00:16:12,360 Speaker 2: has been the Wire to Hunt Foundation's podcast, which is 336 00:16:12,360 --> 00:16:15,880 Speaker 2: brought to you by First Light. As always, I can't 337 00:16:15,880 --> 00:16:18,440 Speaker 2: tell you how much I appreciate you guys showing up 338 00:16:18,680 --> 00:16:20,000 Speaker 2: for everything. 339 00:16:19,600 --> 00:16:21,280 Speaker 3: That we have going on here at meat Eater. 340 00:16:21,320 --> 00:16:23,400 Speaker 2: You know, I know we drop a ton of content, 341 00:16:23,520 --> 00:16:27,840 Speaker 2: new content every day, probably from the film's podcast articles, 342 00:16:28,200 --> 00:16:29,600 Speaker 2: but I also know that you have a lot of 343 00:16:29,600 --> 00:16:32,520 Speaker 2: places to go to get hunting content. So we really 344 00:16:32,600 --> 00:16:35,560 Speaker 2: appreciate it that you support us, that you're loyal to us. 345 00:16:35,600 --> 00:16:38,440 Speaker 2: Like without without you, guys, we're nothing, So thank you 346 00:16:38,480 --> 00:16:40,120 Speaker 2: for that. Now, if you want to check out that 347 00:16:40,200 --> 00:16:42,960 Speaker 2: other content that I'm talking about, the easiest way to 348 00:16:42,960 --> 00:16:44,600 Speaker 2: do it is the head over to the medeater dot 349 00:16:44,600 --> 00:16:48,240 Speaker 2: com and you will have more than enough stuff to 350 00:16:48,320 --> 00:16:51,800 Speaker 2: do there, to read, to watch, to listen to, to 351 00:16:51,920 --> 00:16:54,280 Speaker 2: fill up your time and maybe help you level up 352 00:16:54,320 --> 00:16:56,960 Speaker 2: a little bit, maybe just be entertaining for a road trip. Whatever, 353 00:16:57,040 --> 00:16:59,080 Speaker 2: go check it out at the medeater dot com.