1 00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:05,720 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 00:00:10,400 --> 00:00:14,159 Speaker 1: host Tony Peterson. Hey everyone, welcome to the Wire to 4 00:00:14,240 --> 00:00:16,680 Speaker 1: Hunt Foundations podcast, which has brought to you by First Life. 5 00:00:17,120 --> 00:00:19,959 Speaker 1: I'm your host, Tony Peterson, and this week's episode is 6 00:00:20,000 --> 00:00:23,800 Speaker 1: all about hunting something other than white tails and why 7 00:00:23,880 --> 00:00:26,239 Speaker 1: that's a good thing for all you deer hunters out there. 8 00:00:35,360 --> 00:00:38,920 Speaker 1: I know, I know, it's too expensive, it's too far, 9 00:00:39,120 --> 00:00:41,760 Speaker 1: you don't have the time, the PTO, you don't have 10 00:00:41,800 --> 00:00:43,760 Speaker 1: any good buddies, we'll make a drive with you, and 11 00:00:43,880 --> 00:00:47,280 Speaker 1: on and on. That's not for everyone to travel to 12 00:00:47,320 --> 00:00:50,319 Speaker 1: the west and hunt. But the good thing is, that's 13 00:00:50,360 --> 00:00:53,280 Speaker 1: not what this episode is about. It's just about hunting 14 00:00:53,280 --> 00:00:57,520 Speaker 1: other stuff, period, not just the glamour critters that demand 15 00:00:57,600 --> 00:01:00,280 Speaker 1: kind of a big commitment. There's a word hold of 16 00:01:00,360 --> 00:01:04,320 Speaker 1: hunting opportunities out there, and you should take advantage of them. 17 00:01:04,319 --> 00:01:06,680 Speaker 1: You know, they're fun in their own right and just 18 00:01:06,760 --> 00:01:09,960 Speaker 1: about everyone will probably make you a little bit better 19 00:01:09,959 --> 00:01:11,560 Speaker 1: of a deer hunter, which is what I'm going to 20 00:01:11,600 --> 00:01:25,200 Speaker 1: tell you about right now. Last summer I dropped a 21 00:01:25,280 --> 00:01:28,240 Speaker 1: whole bunch of these Foundations episodes that were all based 22 00:01:28,280 --> 00:01:31,600 Speaker 1: on scouting, from the scouting to trail cameras to boots 23 00:01:31,600 --> 00:01:34,119 Speaker 1: on the ground, I covered it all. I know you're 24 00:01:34,160 --> 00:01:36,800 Speaker 1: already thinking about getting back into the deer scouting thing, 25 00:01:37,000 --> 00:01:39,600 Speaker 1: and you should be, but let me lay out a 26 00:01:39,720 --> 00:01:43,479 Speaker 1: case for you on that front. Now, Dedicated dear time 27 00:01:43,640 --> 00:01:46,640 Speaker 1: is important. There's there's really no substitute for it. It It 28 00:01:46,720 --> 00:01:51,760 Speaker 1: really isn't. But dedicated dear time takes well dedication and 29 00:01:51,840 --> 00:01:55,680 Speaker 1: I don't know time. Not everyone has tons of both, 30 00:01:56,200 --> 00:01:58,320 Speaker 1: and not everyone wants to put in what it takes 31 00:01:58,400 --> 00:02:04,040 Speaker 1: to nearly nearly guarantee success. And that's okay. There's a 32 00:02:04,080 --> 00:02:06,440 Speaker 1: sneaky way to put in some deer time and level 33 00:02:06,520 --> 00:02:10,200 Speaker 1: up your game and honestly just make your time outdoors 34 00:02:10,240 --> 00:02:16,520 Speaker 1: more fun. Gotta hunt something else now. Earlier this spring, 35 00:02:16,520 --> 00:02:19,640 Speaker 1: I dropped a couple of episodes on how turkey hunting 36 00:02:19,680 --> 00:02:22,400 Speaker 1: can make you a better deer hunter, and I firmly 37 00:02:22,480 --> 00:02:25,320 Speaker 1: believe that. But I also firmly believe that you can 38 00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:27,400 Speaker 1: become a better deer hunter by spending time in a 39 00:02:27,480 --> 00:02:30,960 Speaker 1: duck blind or hunting squirrels with a seventeen or two, 40 00:02:31,639 --> 00:02:35,120 Speaker 1: or by going bear hunting, or yes, taking that trip 41 00:02:35,160 --> 00:02:38,040 Speaker 1: out west to finally chase screaming bowls through the mountains 42 00:02:38,200 --> 00:02:42,000 Speaker 1: while honking NonStop on a hoochie Mama call. This is 43 00:02:42,040 --> 00:02:43,959 Speaker 1: going to seem like a stretch to a lot of people, 44 00:02:44,200 --> 00:02:46,240 Speaker 1: but let me give you a few examples about how 45 00:02:46,320 --> 00:02:49,320 Speaker 1: hunting other critters can help you actually become a better 46 00:02:49,360 --> 00:02:53,119 Speaker 1: deer hunter. But before that, let me say this, deer 47 00:02:53,200 --> 00:02:55,760 Speaker 1: hunting success doesn't come from where a lot of people 48 00:02:55,840 --> 00:02:59,080 Speaker 1: think it does. Sure, it comes from a good spot 49 00:02:59,120 --> 00:03:01,560 Speaker 1: if you're lucky enough to have that advantage, and at 50 00:03:01,560 --> 00:03:04,400 Speaker 1: any given moment throughout the season, it could come from 51 00:03:04,440 --> 00:03:08,160 Speaker 1: something you bought, a call, a decoy, a bottle of dopez. 52 00:03:08,880 --> 00:03:11,239 Speaker 1: At any moment, any one of those things could put 53 00:03:11,240 --> 00:03:14,000 Speaker 1: a buck in your lap, even if mostly they won't. 54 00:03:14,919 --> 00:03:17,840 Speaker 1: And any good encounter teaches you a lot, So I'm 55 00:03:17,840 --> 00:03:20,800 Speaker 1: not minimizing that stuff. Use it, I don't really care. 56 00:03:21,520 --> 00:03:24,160 Speaker 1: But to be better overall, you've got to learn to 57 00:03:24,160 --> 00:03:27,640 Speaker 1: think about why a deer would or wouldn't do something. 58 00:03:28,480 --> 00:03:30,600 Speaker 1: Why is that buck on your kill plot only once 59 00:03:30,600 --> 00:03:33,760 Speaker 1: every three days? Why do you always see does and 60 00:03:33,760 --> 00:03:37,440 Speaker 1: scrappers on some trails but never mature bucks? Why on 61 00:03:37,480 --> 00:03:39,800 Speaker 1: October sixteenth, during a heat wave, did you see the 62 00:03:39,800 --> 00:03:41,960 Speaker 1: biggest buck of the season in a spot where you 63 00:03:41,960 --> 00:03:44,640 Speaker 1: would have been real happy to just see a dope. 64 00:03:45,360 --> 00:03:49,200 Speaker 1: The answer to those questions and many more might be discoverable, 65 00:03:49,720 --> 00:03:52,440 Speaker 1: or they might not. But the more you start to 66 00:03:52,480 --> 00:03:55,920 Speaker 1: ask yourself why, the more you can start narrowing down 67 00:03:55,960 --> 00:03:59,839 Speaker 1: your potential answers. This is a super valuable skill. That's 68 00:03:59,840 --> 00:04:02,520 Speaker 1: some of the best public landbow hunters work real hard 69 00:04:02,560 --> 00:04:06,520 Speaker 1: to sharpen. They do this through whitetail activities, of course, 70 00:04:07,160 --> 00:04:10,520 Speaker 1: but also through experience hunting all the other critters that 71 00:04:10,560 --> 00:04:14,280 Speaker 1: are available in One of these moments smacked me real 72 00:04:14,360 --> 00:04:16,720 Speaker 1: hard in the face. A few years ago, as I 73 00:04:16,760 --> 00:04:18,760 Speaker 1: was scouting out a spot in the mountains for the 74 00:04:18,800 --> 00:04:22,480 Speaker 1: Colorado elk opener. Like it is in many mountain ranges, 75 00:04:22,640 --> 00:04:25,840 Speaker 1: there were stairstep meadows in the lower valleys surrounded by 76 00:04:25,920 --> 00:04:29,839 Speaker 1: benched out black timber. As I walked those meadow edges 77 00:04:29,920 --> 00:04:32,400 Speaker 1: trying to figure out what sign was left by cattle 78 00:04:32,440 --> 00:04:35,400 Speaker 1: and what was left by elk I started noticing rubs 79 00:04:35,400 --> 00:04:38,400 Speaker 1: on the edges of some of the meadows. They were 80 00:04:38,440 --> 00:04:42,120 Speaker 1: facing towards the meadow, which I assume meant that the 81 00:04:42,160 --> 00:04:44,359 Speaker 1: elk were feeding in the lush grass all night and 82 00:04:44,400 --> 00:04:46,960 Speaker 1: then working their way up the mountains in the morning. 83 00:04:47,800 --> 00:04:50,640 Speaker 1: That's pretty simple elk behavior, and became even clear when 84 00:04:50,640 --> 00:04:53,880 Speaker 1: I started walking a rough elk rub line that brought 85 00:04:53,880 --> 00:04:56,160 Speaker 1: me right to a dreamy bench up there in that 86 00:04:56,200 --> 00:05:00,359 Speaker 1: black timber, big ovals of matted vegetation s that some 87 00:05:00,520 --> 00:05:03,760 Speaker 1: bowls have been using the bench for betting. Does that 88 00:05:03,839 --> 00:05:06,600 Speaker 1: sound familiar to all you Bluff country white tail hunters 89 00:05:07,240 --> 00:05:09,320 Speaker 1: or maybe some of you mountain hunters out east in 90 00:05:09,400 --> 00:05:13,280 Speaker 1: southeast somewhere. My question of why are the rubs on 91 00:05:13,320 --> 00:05:16,240 Speaker 1: the edge of the meadow or what does that really mean? 92 00:05:17,040 --> 00:05:19,680 Speaker 1: Ended with a pretty clear picture of a food to 93 00:05:19,760 --> 00:05:23,800 Speaker 1: bed bed to food pattern. If I hadn't lost my 94 00:05:23,839 --> 00:05:25,840 Speaker 1: ship on that trip and shot poorly, it would have 95 00:05:25,880 --> 00:05:28,480 Speaker 1: also ended with me taking grip and grins on opening night. 96 00:05:29,040 --> 00:05:32,560 Speaker 1: That's a different story. Let me give you another example. 97 00:05:33,160 --> 00:05:35,440 Speaker 1: In two thousand and ten, when I was just starting 98 00:05:35,440 --> 00:05:38,120 Speaker 1: to focus super hard on killing public land white tails, 99 00:05:38,520 --> 00:05:41,000 Speaker 1: I had an any deer North Dakota tag in my pocket, 100 00:05:41,040 --> 00:05:43,719 Speaker 1: which was good for meal deer or white tails. Now 101 00:05:43,800 --> 00:05:46,839 Speaker 1: I had some big white tails patterned pretty well, but 102 00:05:46,880 --> 00:05:48,880 Speaker 1: I also had a half a day to kill before 103 00:05:48,880 --> 00:05:50,960 Speaker 1: they'd be in play. So I went looking for meal deer, 104 00:05:51,600 --> 00:05:54,640 Speaker 1: and the one I found, a beautiful velvet hundred and 105 00:05:54,680 --> 00:05:58,160 Speaker 1: fifty class type buck, did what I see very few 106 00:05:58,320 --> 00:06:01,599 Speaker 1: meal deer do in the bad ends. He betted in 107 00:06:01,640 --> 00:06:05,200 Speaker 1: a real stalkable spot. So I took the long way 108 00:06:05,200 --> 00:06:07,400 Speaker 1: around to keep the wind in my favor, and I 109 00:06:07,480 --> 00:06:10,039 Speaker 1: hiked towards a series of pine trees I'd marked so 110 00:06:10,080 --> 00:06:13,240 Speaker 1: I could refined him. Now, if you've never spotted and 111 00:06:13,320 --> 00:06:16,120 Speaker 1: stocked any critters, I suggest you give it a shot 112 00:06:16,160 --> 00:06:19,520 Speaker 1: for this simple reason. That moment when you see them 113 00:06:19,560 --> 00:06:23,200 Speaker 1: and you make your plan, it's almost always followed by 114 00:06:23,240 --> 00:06:27,320 Speaker 1: the execution, which almost always takes your target animal out 115 00:06:27,320 --> 00:06:31,480 Speaker 1: of your visibility. There's such an intense kind of anxious 116 00:06:31,520 --> 00:06:34,160 Speaker 1: feeling that comes with that because you simply don't know 117 00:06:34,480 --> 00:06:36,400 Speaker 1: what he's gonna do as you try to work your 118 00:06:36,400 --> 00:06:39,919 Speaker 1: way in. Well, I had that feeling, that kind of 119 00:06:39,960 --> 00:06:42,320 Speaker 1: nervous feeling as I side held my way across the 120 00:06:42,360 --> 00:06:47,400 Speaker 1: arid landscape as the lunchtime sun really started bacon And 121 00:06:47,440 --> 00:06:49,560 Speaker 1: when I got to my landmark, I took off my 122 00:06:49,600 --> 00:06:53,400 Speaker 1: boots and I started crawling. When peeking over that ridge, 123 00:06:53,440 --> 00:06:57,320 Speaker 1: I saw the velvet tips of his antlers. He was oblivious, 124 00:06:57,600 --> 00:07:01,440 Speaker 1: well within my range and position for a very nice 125 00:07:01,440 --> 00:07:04,360 Speaker 1: shot angle. I had all the time in the world 126 00:07:04,400 --> 00:07:06,120 Speaker 1: to make that shot, and you know what I did. 127 00:07:07,160 --> 00:07:10,320 Speaker 1: I freaking rushed it like a total moron, and I 128 00:07:10,360 --> 00:07:13,480 Speaker 1: shot some hair off his back. I mean, I don't know. 129 00:07:13,520 --> 00:07:15,880 Speaker 1: I probably had hours to take that shot, and I 130 00:07:15,960 --> 00:07:18,040 Speaker 1: rushed it so fast that as I watched that big 131 00:07:18,080 --> 00:07:22,240 Speaker 1: five by five bound off, my first thought was to 132 00:07:22,360 --> 00:07:26,240 Speaker 1: just swan dive off the nearest cliff. Later that evening, 133 00:07:26,640 --> 00:07:28,320 Speaker 1: I had switched to white tails, and I watched as 134 00:07:28,320 --> 00:07:30,760 Speaker 1: a hundred forty and jade point across the river toward me. 135 00:07:31,280 --> 00:07:33,880 Speaker 1: The thought that was going through my mind was, don't 136 00:07:34,120 --> 00:07:38,440 Speaker 1: rush it. Don't rush it, Do not rush it, Antoine, 137 00:07:38,720 --> 00:07:41,800 Speaker 1: let him get here, Please, let him get here. I'm 138 00:07:41,800 --> 00:07:43,240 Speaker 1: not going to tell you I made a perfect shot 139 00:07:43,240 --> 00:07:45,280 Speaker 1: on that buck, because I didn't. It was a much 140 00:07:45,320 --> 00:07:46,920 Speaker 1: better shot than I made on the mule deer, and 141 00:07:46,960 --> 00:07:48,840 Speaker 1: my follow up shot to just end it all was 142 00:07:48,880 --> 00:07:52,040 Speaker 1: one of the best I've ever made my life. Now, 143 00:07:52,040 --> 00:07:54,320 Speaker 1: you don't think of mule deer as great teachers for 144 00:07:54,360 --> 00:07:57,280 Speaker 1: white tail hunting, but there are so many things we 145 00:07:57,320 --> 00:08:00,080 Speaker 1: do on other hunts that do teach us how to 146 00:08:00,080 --> 00:08:02,440 Speaker 1: be better on white tails, because they teach us how 147 00:08:02,480 --> 00:08:07,920 Speaker 1: to be better hunters period. There's more, though, there's a 148 00:08:07,960 --> 00:08:10,560 Speaker 1: little moments too that help you fill up the white 149 00:08:10,560 --> 00:08:13,640 Speaker 1: tailed knowledge box. Maybe four or five years ago, I 150 00:08:13,680 --> 00:08:16,760 Speaker 1: was following my lab around in October in north central Wisconsin. 151 00:08:17,320 --> 00:08:18,920 Speaker 1: We were on the hunt for a few grouse for 152 00:08:19,000 --> 00:08:21,239 Speaker 1: woodcock on a piece of public land, and I'm quite 153 00:08:21,280 --> 00:08:24,200 Speaker 1: fond of for bird hunting. I honestly don't remember if 154 00:08:24,240 --> 00:08:26,800 Speaker 1: we found any birds, even though we probably did, But 155 00:08:26,880 --> 00:08:29,400 Speaker 1: what I do remember is finding a patch of really 156 00:08:29,440 --> 00:08:31,840 Speaker 1: thick brush on a hillside and a ridge top that 157 00:08:31,920 --> 00:08:35,240 Speaker 1: was covered in rubs, and I mean covered in rubs. 158 00:08:35,840 --> 00:08:38,000 Speaker 1: Two weeks later, I came back with a mobile set 159 00:08:38,040 --> 00:08:40,400 Speaker 1: up and started bow hunting around that concentration of rubs. 160 00:08:40,920 --> 00:08:43,199 Speaker 1: The deer didn't make it easy, but I did manage 161 00:08:43,200 --> 00:08:45,720 Speaker 1: to see some little box chasing and I arrowed one 162 00:08:45,760 --> 00:08:47,600 Speaker 1: of the cagius does I've ever put in the freezer. 163 00:08:48,360 --> 00:08:51,040 Speaker 1: It was honestly a pretty great hunt, especially for public land, 164 00:08:51,600 --> 00:08:53,800 Speaker 1: and the genesis for most of it was just a 165 00:08:53,920 --> 00:08:58,800 Speaker 1: chance encounter while looking for some woodcock. Uh, last one 166 00:08:58,840 --> 00:09:00,600 Speaker 1: before I move on. I got tell you one more. 167 00:09:00,920 --> 00:09:03,520 Speaker 1: When I was in college, I was far enough away 168 00:09:03,520 --> 00:09:05,520 Speaker 1: from the ground I usually white tail hunted that I 169 00:09:05,559 --> 00:09:08,720 Speaker 1: focused on public land and just knocking on doors. I 170 00:09:08,800 --> 00:09:11,720 Speaker 1: also trout fished so much it took me an extra 171 00:09:11,800 --> 00:09:15,199 Speaker 1: year to get enough credits to graduate. Well that's my excuse. Anyway, 172 00:09:15,480 --> 00:09:17,040 Speaker 1: there were a lot of other reasons I didn't fly 173 00:09:17,120 --> 00:09:21,000 Speaker 1: through higher education in a normal time frame. Uh. Anyway, 174 00:09:21,679 --> 00:09:23,520 Speaker 1: on one of the streams I fished a lot, I'd 175 00:09:23,520 --> 00:09:26,480 Speaker 1: always take note of all of the crossings in that 176 00:09:26,520 --> 00:09:29,880 Speaker 1: bluff country, the terrain and the water they often conspired 177 00:09:29,920 --> 00:09:33,360 Speaker 1: to create perfect pinch points, and that property was no exception. 178 00:09:34,160 --> 00:09:36,080 Speaker 1: It finally got to me, so I just knocked on 179 00:09:36,160 --> 00:09:38,760 Speaker 1: the door one day after fishing and asked if they 180 00:09:38,840 --> 00:09:41,400 Speaker 1: mind if i'd hunt their place a little bit. And 181 00:09:41,400 --> 00:09:44,200 Speaker 1: the woman who answered the door could not have been nicer, 182 00:09:44,360 --> 00:09:47,120 Speaker 1: and she said yes. So I scrambled back to my place, 183 00:09:47,280 --> 00:09:50,120 Speaker 1: swapped my fishing clothes for camel, and brought a standout 184 00:09:50,120 --> 00:09:52,600 Speaker 1: with me. I hung it over the best looking crossing, 185 00:09:52,600 --> 00:09:55,080 Speaker 1: and I settled in and when a Doe came down 186 00:09:55,080 --> 00:09:57,720 Speaker 1: to drink later that night, I Drew settled in and 187 00:09:57,760 --> 00:10:01,160 Speaker 1: I made a good shot and it was revelatory on 188 00:10:01,280 --> 00:10:04,640 Speaker 1: a few levels at that At that time in my life, 189 00:10:05,200 --> 00:10:08,400 Speaker 1: arrowing any deer was a big, big deal, let alone 190 00:10:08,440 --> 00:10:11,400 Speaker 1: making a really good shot on one. And I eventually 191 00:10:11,440 --> 00:10:13,680 Speaker 1: killed a few deer on that property. That had a 192 00:10:13,679 --> 00:10:15,640 Speaker 1: hell of a lot of fun hunting it, and it 193 00:10:15,800 --> 00:10:18,480 Speaker 1: mostly resulted from trout fishing trips that took me to 194 00:10:18,520 --> 00:10:21,839 Speaker 1: the places where deer also like to live. That stuff 195 00:10:21,880 --> 00:10:24,000 Speaker 1: happens to me a lot because I like hunting a 196 00:10:24,040 --> 00:10:26,760 Speaker 1: lot of different critters, and I like fishing in cool places. 197 00:10:27,600 --> 00:10:31,440 Speaker 1: The question I have now is do you are you 198 00:10:31,520 --> 00:10:33,480 Speaker 1: a ride or die white tail hunter or more of 199 00:10:33,520 --> 00:10:36,760 Speaker 1: an outdoor generalist. I don't really care if you answer 200 00:10:36,840 --> 00:10:38,840 Speaker 1: yes to either of those questions, because it doesn't matter 201 00:10:39,440 --> 00:10:41,760 Speaker 1: whether you only live in breeze white tails or are 202 00:10:41,800 --> 00:10:44,439 Speaker 1: happy to be out chasing whatever is available. You might 203 00:10:44,480 --> 00:10:47,120 Speaker 1: want to think about all the opportunities that are actually 204 00:10:47,120 --> 00:10:50,040 Speaker 1: available to you or not only what they offer in 205 00:10:50,080 --> 00:10:52,760 Speaker 1: and of themselves, but how they can help you become 206 00:10:52,760 --> 00:10:56,280 Speaker 1: a better deer hunter. Let's take that big Western trip 207 00:10:56,320 --> 00:11:02,800 Speaker 1: for example, the scouting, the planning gear, organizing, anticipating all 208 00:11:02,880 --> 00:11:05,280 Speaker 1: the things that can go wrong, and dreaming about the 209 00:11:05,320 --> 00:11:07,800 Speaker 1: things that will go right. It's all going to make 210 00:11:07,840 --> 00:11:10,280 Speaker 1: you a better white tail hunter. It's gonna make you 211 00:11:10,320 --> 00:11:13,320 Speaker 1: want to travel more for your dear adventures too, which 212 00:11:13,360 --> 00:11:15,840 Speaker 1: is a sure fire way to have some fun and 213 00:11:15,960 --> 00:11:19,880 Speaker 1: just force yourself to improve it this stuff. Maybe, like 214 00:11:19,920 --> 00:11:22,320 Speaker 1: I said earlier, you don't have the means to make 215 00:11:22,360 --> 00:11:26,520 Speaker 1: a western trip happen. Fair enough, it's not available for everyone. 216 00:11:26,720 --> 00:11:29,319 Speaker 1: I get that we've got to look closer to home. 217 00:11:29,360 --> 00:11:31,640 Speaker 1: Then what could you do this fall that you used 218 00:11:31,679 --> 00:11:34,360 Speaker 1: to do or are just curious about? Is that sitting 219 00:11:34,360 --> 00:11:36,240 Speaker 1: on the edge of a small beaver pond, waiting on 220 00:11:36,280 --> 00:11:39,600 Speaker 1: a few wood ducks or tealed a swing through. Maybe 221 00:11:39,600 --> 00:11:42,200 Speaker 1: it's just a simple rabbit or squirrel hunt. Maybe it's 222 00:11:42,240 --> 00:11:44,880 Speaker 1: a fall turkey hunt to fill the midday hours in 223 00:11:44,920 --> 00:11:50,559 Speaker 1: between stand time. It honestly doesn't matter that small water 224 00:11:50,720 --> 00:11:53,880 Speaker 1: duck hunt. You're gonna have to scout for it. Most 225 00:11:53,960 --> 00:11:56,840 Speaker 1: likely you might find that you want to sit on 226 00:11:56,880 --> 00:11:59,600 Speaker 1: a little cattail point. But for whatever reason, the birds 227 00:11:59,600 --> 00:12:01,480 Speaker 1: seem to want to swoop in low and landing in 228 00:12:01,520 --> 00:12:04,040 Speaker 1: the other corner of the pond. Is it because they 229 00:12:04,120 --> 00:12:06,360 Speaker 1: just do that or because of the wind direction? Is 230 00:12:06,360 --> 00:12:08,400 Speaker 1: it because the bottom contour is more gradual and there 231 00:12:08,440 --> 00:12:11,160 Speaker 1: are a bunch of saggy acorns in that corner. It's 232 00:12:11,200 --> 00:12:13,200 Speaker 1: time to ask why and then see what you can 233 00:12:13,240 --> 00:12:18,000 Speaker 1: do about finding the answer. The squirrels, are they concentrated 234 00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:21,640 Speaker 1: on hard mass? If so, you know who else probably is? 235 00:12:22,760 --> 00:12:24,680 Speaker 1: Or I don't know. The bunny is living in that 236 00:12:24,720 --> 00:12:27,840 Speaker 1: old homestead that has overgrown and supernarly and full of thorns? 237 00:12:28,559 --> 00:12:31,960 Speaker 1: Do they share that security cover with anyone else? Get 238 00:12:32,000 --> 00:12:35,199 Speaker 1: in there and find out. Now, this might be weird 239 00:12:35,240 --> 00:12:38,559 Speaker 1: timing for this, you know, given the fact that it's 240 00:12:38,640 --> 00:12:40,360 Speaker 1: early summer and all of our hunting is at least 241 00:12:40,360 --> 00:12:42,920 Speaker 1: a couple of months off, But the time to plan 242 00:12:43,080 --> 00:12:46,240 Speaker 1: is now. The time to scout, even for non deer 243 00:12:46,280 --> 00:12:50,959 Speaker 1: related hunts starting right now. Hell, you might just need 244 00:12:51,000 --> 00:12:53,640 Speaker 1: those months to source out a couple of I don't 245 00:12:53,679 --> 00:12:55,400 Speaker 1: know boxes the ammos so you don't have to throw 246 00:12:55,520 --> 00:12:58,480 Speaker 1: rocks at rabbits or grouse this fall. And that's a 247 00:12:58,600 --> 00:13:01,520 Speaker 1: joke sort of. Obviously, If you have the option to 248 00:13:01,559 --> 00:13:04,240 Speaker 1: go west or travel for white tails, you should also 249 00:13:04,280 --> 00:13:07,680 Speaker 1: be planning that right now, and if so, good for you. 250 00:13:07,360 --> 00:13:09,559 Speaker 1: You're gonna have fun, You're gonna get better at hunting. 251 00:13:09,800 --> 00:13:12,840 Speaker 1: Too worthy outcomes any trip. If you're not sitting on 252 00:13:12,840 --> 00:13:14,840 Speaker 1: an elk tag or researching how to get it over 253 00:13:14,840 --> 00:13:18,880 Speaker 1: the counter meldeer tag or antelope tag, don't fret. Most 254 00:13:18,960 --> 00:13:22,000 Speaker 1: hunters aren't. But most white tail hunters aren't also going 255 00:13:22,040 --> 00:13:24,280 Speaker 1: out to hunt a bunch of other critters. Most white 256 00:13:24,320 --> 00:13:29,360 Speaker 1: tail hunters, also, not entirely, not coincidentally, never get a 257 00:13:29,400 --> 00:13:32,040 Speaker 1: whole lot better at this stuff. They do the same 258 00:13:32,080 --> 00:13:34,240 Speaker 1: things from year to year to year to year, and 259 00:13:34,280 --> 00:13:38,920 Speaker 1: they experience not surprisingly very similar year to year results 260 00:13:39,960 --> 00:13:41,600 Speaker 1: for a lot of people. That's good enough, and I'm 261 00:13:41,600 --> 00:13:44,560 Speaker 1: not shipping on that. I'm really not. I don't care 262 00:13:44,600 --> 00:13:46,480 Speaker 1: if people want to put in zero work to fill 263 00:13:46,559 --> 00:13:49,240 Speaker 1: their tags, or if they obsess over it every day 264 00:13:49,240 --> 00:13:52,280 Speaker 1: and devote tons of time and resources to it. I 265 00:13:52,320 --> 00:13:54,880 Speaker 1: do care that the people listening to this podcast and 266 00:13:54,960 --> 00:13:57,880 Speaker 1: reading our articles and watching our videos figure out how 267 00:13:57,880 --> 00:14:00,160 Speaker 1: to have fun out there in the woods and find 268 00:14:00,200 --> 00:14:02,559 Speaker 1: as much meaning and enjoyment out of this white tailed 269 00:14:02,600 --> 00:14:04,880 Speaker 1: challenge as they can. And there are a lot of 270 00:14:04,880 --> 00:14:07,400 Speaker 1: ways to achieve that, and one of them is to 271 00:14:07,440 --> 00:14:10,000 Speaker 1: open up your aperture so you can see a few 272 00:14:10,000 --> 00:14:13,360 Speaker 1: more opportunities. And this is also a great way to 273 00:14:13,360 --> 00:14:15,800 Speaker 1: get yourself to look at more ground, which might be 274 00:14:15,840 --> 00:14:18,880 Speaker 1: the best thing a deer hunter can do. We really 275 00:14:18,960 --> 00:14:22,200 Speaker 1: limit ourselves to spots, and I get it. It's easy, 276 00:14:22,400 --> 00:14:26,280 Speaker 1: it's familiar, just kind of in our nature. And you 277 00:14:26,320 --> 00:14:28,360 Speaker 1: probably don't want to burn through your favorite deer ground 278 00:14:28,360 --> 00:14:32,040 Speaker 1: in late September trying to flush some woodcock, which makes 279 00:14:32,080 --> 00:14:34,920 Speaker 1: a lot of sense in the hierarchy of importance. White 280 00:14:34,920 --> 00:14:37,720 Speaker 1: tails usually hold the top spot, and some little worm 281 00:14:37,720 --> 00:14:40,240 Speaker 1: eating migrators tend to fall pretty low on the list, 282 00:14:41,040 --> 00:14:43,080 Speaker 1: but they also land on public dirt to poke their 283 00:14:43,080 --> 00:14:45,000 Speaker 1: long beaks into the soil and attempts to find some 284 00:14:45,080 --> 00:14:48,640 Speaker 1: slimy breakfast. Maybe you don't have to burn your best 285 00:14:48,640 --> 00:14:50,720 Speaker 1: dear spots to have a little fun wing shooting with 286 00:14:50,760 --> 00:14:53,400 Speaker 1: your pup, or you know, trying to shoot a couple 287 00:14:53,440 --> 00:14:57,920 Speaker 1: of squirrels. Try out one of Steve's recipes. Maybe getting 288 00:14:57,960 --> 00:15:00,120 Speaker 1: away from the ground you've set up for white tail 289 00:15:00,600 --> 00:15:03,400 Speaker 1: and what you think you know so well to wander 290 00:15:03,440 --> 00:15:06,520 Speaker 1: some unfamiliar properties is just what you need. To start 291 00:15:06,560 --> 00:15:08,680 Speaker 1: answering some of the questions you have about the white 292 00:15:08,680 --> 00:15:11,880 Speaker 1: tails that you do think you know so well. Maybe 293 00:15:11,880 --> 00:15:14,120 Speaker 1: on your dear spot, you never go into the swamp, 294 00:15:14,440 --> 00:15:17,360 Speaker 1: because why would you. It's wet, full of mosquitoes and 295 00:15:17,360 --> 00:15:19,760 Speaker 1: there's no way to set a stand in there. But 296 00:15:19,880 --> 00:15:21,840 Speaker 1: the swamp edge on the public land down the road 297 00:15:21,960 --> 00:15:26,280 Speaker 1: might be perfect to find a few woodcocker grouse. And 298 00:15:26,280 --> 00:15:28,440 Speaker 1: when you go there and you walk around without caring 299 00:15:28,440 --> 00:15:30,880 Speaker 1: if you spook any deer, you might learn a thing 300 00:15:30,920 --> 00:15:33,920 Speaker 1: or two about dear. And I can promise you I 301 00:15:34,000 --> 00:15:35,960 Speaker 1: go into a lot of swamps and slews looking for 302 00:15:35,960 --> 00:15:40,240 Speaker 1: critters that are not dear, and I almost inevitably learned 303 00:15:40,320 --> 00:15:45,000 Speaker 1: something about dear. So really that's you know, that's kind 304 00:15:45,000 --> 00:15:48,640 Speaker 1: of my case for this hunt. Some other stuff, my friends, 305 00:15:48,880 --> 00:15:51,360 Speaker 1: big stuff, little stuff. Stuff you gotta travel for stuff 306 00:15:51,400 --> 00:15:54,440 Speaker 1: that's available close to home. Have some fun out there 307 00:15:54,440 --> 00:15:58,720 Speaker 1: in the woods doing non deer hunting hunts, see some 308 00:15:58,840 --> 00:16:02,440 Speaker 1: new ground, do something different. If you do and you 309 00:16:02,640 --> 00:16:06,560 Speaker 1: pay attention, I almost guarantee that you'll find something that 310 00:16:06,640 --> 00:16:08,720 Speaker 1: makes you a little better at figuring out white tails. 311 00:16:09,400 --> 00:16:11,360 Speaker 1: And if not, I don't know. You can always buy 312 00:16:11,360 --> 00:16:13,640 Speaker 1: a new call or a new decoy or I don't know, 313 00:16:14,240 --> 00:16:16,240 Speaker 1: new bottle of the freshest dope on the market and 314 00:16:16,280 --> 00:16:20,400 Speaker 1: see what happens. That's it for this week, my friends, 315 00:16:20,560 --> 00:16:23,080 Speaker 1: thank you so much for listening. I'm Tony Peterson and 316 00:16:23,080 --> 00:16:25,240 Speaker 1: this has been the Wired to Hunt Foundations podcast, which 317 00:16:25,280 --> 00:16:27,480 Speaker 1: is brought to you by First Light. I know you 318 00:16:27,520 --> 00:16:29,680 Speaker 1: want more white tailed content, so feel free to head 319 00:16:29,680 --> 00:16:31,440 Speaker 1: on over to our YouTube channel to check out our 320 00:16:31,480 --> 00:16:36,560 Speaker 1: latest videos and visit the meat eater dot com slash 321 00:16:36,600 --> 00:16:39,680 Speaker 1: wired again. That's the meat eater dot com slash wired 322 00:16:40,040 --> 00:16:41,440 Speaker 1: to read our latest articles.