1 00:00:02,880 --> 00:00:06,440 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Wire to Hunt podcast, your home for 2 00:00:06,519 --> 00:00:11,520 Speaker 1: deer hunting news, stories and strategies, and now your host, 3 00:00:11,880 --> 00:00:16,720 Speaker 1: Mark Kenyon. Welcome to the Wired to Hunt podcast. I'm 4 00:00:16,760 --> 00:00:19,279 Speaker 1: your host, Mark Kenyan, and this is episode number three 5 00:00:19,360 --> 00:00:22,480 Speaker 1: seventy nine, and today we're back for another fresh radio 6 00:00:22,520 --> 00:00:25,200 Speaker 1: episode in which we are getting reports from across the 7 00:00:25,239 --> 00:00:28,600 Speaker 1: country on the latest deer activity, how current conditions are 8 00:00:28,600 --> 00:00:30,880 Speaker 1: impacting things, and the tactics that are gonna help you 9 00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:33,920 Speaker 1: right now during the middle of October the quote unquote 10 00:00:34,000 --> 00:00:40,080 Speaker 1: dreaded October lull. All right, welcome to the Wire to 11 00:00:40,159 --> 00:00:43,040 Speaker 1: Hunt podcast, brought to you by on X. We're back 12 00:00:43,040 --> 00:00:46,960 Speaker 1: here for another fresh radio episode in which Spencer and 13 00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:50,080 Speaker 1: I are going to be setting us up to hear 14 00:00:50,159 --> 00:00:53,200 Speaker 1: from a handful of different hunters from across the country. 15 00:00:53,360 --> 00:00:57,120 Speaker 1: They're gonna get us the very most recent intel on 16 00:00:57,240 --> 00:00:59,360 Speaker 1: what deer doing right now. So what have they been 17 00:00:59,360 --> 00:01:01,840 Speaker 1: seeing over the last week, What kind of conditions are 18 00:01:01,840 --> 00:01:05,440 Speaker 1: impacting dear behavior, what are the tactics that are working 19 00:01:05,560 --> 00:01:08,160 Speaker 1: right now, and what should we expect over the next 20 00:01:08,200 --> 00:01:10,520 Speaker 1: seven days. Can we predict to a kind of movement 21 00:01:10,560 --> 00:01:14,759 Speaker 1: we're gonna see. Should we be thinking about different tactics, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. 22 00:01:14,920 --> 00:01:18,080 Speaker 1: That's the game plan. Uh, this episode the day it 23 00:01:18,200 --> 00:01:20,160 Speaker 1: comes out. If you're listening to this on the day 24 00:01:20,200 --> 00:01:22,960 Speaker 1: it comes out, it's October fourteenth. We are just about 25 00:01:22,959 --> 00:01:28,360 Speaker 1: in the dead center of October, Spencer. What are your 26 00:01:28,600 --> 00:01:32,080 Speaker 1: thoughts out the gate on that dead center of October 27 00:01:32,120 --> 00:01:36,840 Speaker 1: time period? Well, um, referring to rud Fresh Radio. And 28 00:01:36,880 --> 00:01:40,240 Speaker 1: I say this every year, but these are my favorite 29 00:01:40,280 --> 00:01:44,200 Speaker 1: episodes of the podcast, from like that October tenth to 30 00:01:44,440 --> 00:01:49,320 Speaker 1: that October uh, like early twenties episodes. These are my 31 00:01:49,360 --> 00:01:51,920 Speaker 1: favorite episodes because I think there's so much to learn 32 00:01:52,440 --> 00:01:56,320 Speaker 1: and there's so many different ways that hunters across the country, 33 00:01:56,600 --> 00:02:00,120 Speaker 1: UM kind of approach what we consider to be the 34 00:02:00,120 --> 00:02:03,200 Speaker 1: October law. UM. And you always here in these episodes, 35 00:02:03,240 --> 00:02:06,640 Speaker 1: how you get this like super wide range of numbers 36 00:02:06,680 --> 00:02:09,080 Speaker 1: thrown out? Like we know, Mark, when we get to 37 00:02:09,480 --> 00:02:12,840 Speaker 1: you know, like the November fourth episode, everyone's going to 38 00:02:12,960 --> 00:02:16,520 Speaker 1: say that movement is an eight or nine or ten, um. 39 00:02:16,560 --> 00:02:21,120 Speaker 1: But right now you get this super golf, super wide 40 00:02:21,120 --> 00:02:23,720 Speaker 1: golf of numbers where someone might say a one, uh, 41 00:02:23,760 --> 00:02:27,119 Speaker 1: and someone might say it's an eight. And I think 42 00:02:27,120 --> 00:02:30,919 Speaker 1: that just speaks to how middle October and what most 43 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:34,720 Speaker 1: hunters refer to you as the October law is quite 44 00:02:34,840 --> 00:02:37,360 Speaker 1: an enigma. Um So, while it might not be the 45 00:02:37,360 --> 00:02:39,880 Speaker 1: best hunting right now, these are my favorite episodes of 46 00:02:39,880 --> 00:02:43,079 Speaker 1: the year for that reason. Yeah. You know. Another big 47 00:02:43,120 --> 00:02:45,119 Speaker 1: thing is that whether you rate it as a one 48 00:02:45,200 --> 00:02:49,280 Speaker 1: or an eight might also depend, more so than any 49 00:02:49,320 --> 00:02:52,720 Speaker 1: other time of year, on what kind of hunter you are. 50 00:02:53,480 --> 00:02:55,080 Speaker 1: So are you the kind of hunter that likes to 51 00:02:55,080 --> 00:02:57,160 Speaker 1: play it safe and hunt the edges, or are you 52 00:02:57,280 --> 00:02:59,720 Speaker 1: really aggressive and pushing into core areas and and just 53 00:03:00,040 --> 00:03:04,320 Speaker 1: charity cover. If you're a conservative edge hunter, this is 54 00:03:04,320 --> 00:03:06,400 Speaker 1: a time of year that you're probably gonna think things 55 00:03:06,440 --> 00:03:08,720 Speaker 1: are pretty darn slow in a lot of cases. If 56 00:03:08,720 --> 00:03:11,240 Speaker 1: you're really aggressive and you're pushing the envelope and going 57 00:03:11,280 --> 00:03:14,000 Speaker 1: in deep, you might have some eight out of ten 58 00:03:14,160 --> 00:03:18,120 Speaker 1: nights this time of the year. Um you know, if 59 00:03:18,120 --> 00:03:22,160 Speaker 1: you're looking at a Mark Drewy at this time of year, 60 00:03:22,360 --> 00:03:23,720 Speaker 1: he's going to be telling you as the two or 61 00:03:23,800 --> 00:03:25,720 Speaker 1: three on a food plot edge. If you're talking to 62 00:03:25,880 --> 00:03:29,120 Speaker 1: a you know, Aaron Warburton from the hunting public who's 63 00:03:29,160 --> 00:03:30,880 Speaker 1: pushing into the middle of the buck nest, right now 64 00:03:30,919 --> 00:03:33,200 Speaker 1: he's gonna tell you, man, there's big Bucks. I'm seeing 65 00:03:33,200 --> 00:03:36,840 Speaker 1: big Bucks every day. So this time period, I think has, 66 00:03:36,920 --> 00:03:39,800 Speaker 1: as we've talked about, generically been labeled the October lull. 67 00:03:40,160 --> 00:03:43,200 Speaker 1: I'd like to call it the October shift because it's 68 00:03:43,240 --> 00:03:46,160 Speaker 1: simply a big change, a big change in dear behavior 69 00:03:46,280 --> 00:03:49,720 Speaker 1: and a big change in habitat and conditions, which just 70 00:03:49,840 --> 00:03:54,160 Speaker 1: requires a change in our hunting. And you can make 71 00:03:54,200 --> 00:03:56,360 Speaker 1: that change with them if you're willing to be aggressive. 72 00:03:57,160 --> 00:03:59,240 Speaker 1: If you don't want to be aggressive for certain reasons, 73 00:03:59,320 --> 00:04:01,640 Speaker 1: then then you're just gonna have to live with with 74 00:04:01,800 --> 00:04:05,680 Speaker 1: a slightly slower time period in those conservative stands. Um, 75 00:04:05,720 --> 00:04:07,600 Speaker 1: I guess Spencer, you tell me if you think this 76 00:04:07,640 --> 00:04:09,800 Speaker 1: is necessarily not because we've talked about this year after 77 00:04:09,920 --> 00:04:11,840 Speaker 1: year after years, so there might be people listening who 78 00:04:11,880 --> 00:04:13,400 Speaker 1: know this stuff, but at the same time it could 79 00:04:13,440 --> 00:04:17,440 Speaker 1: be new hunters. Is it worth me walking through the 80 00:04:17,520 --> 00:04:20,279 Speaker 1: high level? This is what the October shift is. This 81 00:04:20,320 --> 00:04:22,960 Speaker 1: is why I think it happens. Here's two things to 82 00:04:23,440 --> 00:04:27,280 Speaker 1: think about. Do you think we should still cover that? Absolutely? Um, 83 00:04:27,360 --> 00:04:30,760 Speaker 1: Because I think there's like two very popular ways of 84 00:04:30,800 --> 00:04:33,559 Speaker 1: thinking about this. One of them is that the lull 85 00:04:33,800 --> 00:04:37,360 Speaker 1: is real and box are nocturnal, um, and they're damn 86 00:04:37,360 --> 00:04:40,440 Speaker 1: near impossible to kill for a few weeks stretch. So 87 00:04:40,480 --> 00:04:41,960 Speaker 1: I think that's one way of think about the other 88 00:04:41,960 --> 00:04:44,600 Speaker 1: way of sort of thinking about is that, like you said, 89 00:04:44,600 --> 00:04:48,640 Speaker 1: there is a shift, but hunters may not look at 90 00:04:48,640 --> 00:04:52,720 Speaker 1: that shift beyond just what the food sources. Um. So 91 00:04:52,839 --> 00:04:57,120 Speaker 1: I think it is like still something that's really relevant 92 00:04:57,120 --> 00:05:00,400 Speaker 1: to cover again this fall. Mark. Yeah, and I'll tell you, 93 00:05:00,560 --> 00:05:03,440 Speaker 1: I'll run us through like the quick. You know, as 94 00:05:03,520 --> 00:05:05,400 Speaker 1: you pointed out the other day when you're hosting the 95 00:05:05,400 --> 00:05:08,240 Speaker 1: show by yourself, you said that here's the cliff notes version, 96 00:05:08,960 --> 00:05:11,839 Speaker 1: which is something Mark says a lot apparently. Um, I'll 97 00:05:11,880 --> 00:05:14,840 Speaker 1: give you the cliff notes version. Um. But you can 98 00:05:14,880 --> 00:05:17,480 Speaker 1: also go And there's actually two articles I wrote on 99 00:05:17,520 --> 00:05:19,640 Speaker 1: this in in quite a bit of detail over on 100 00:05:19,680 --> 00:05:22,479 Speaker 1: the Meat Either website. I wrote one article last year 101 00:05:22,520 --> 00:05:25,400 Speaker 1: called the October law is Real, and then I wrote 102 00:05:25,400 --> 00:05:28,039 Speaker 1: an article this year that I think we simply called 103 00:05:28,200 --> 00:05:30,880 Speaker 1: how to kill a buck in October, And in both 104 00:05:30,920 --> 00:05:35,240 Speaker 1: of these I addressed the October shift. Here's the high 105 00:05:35,320 --> 00:05:39,720 Speaker 1: level bit. At this time of year, many hunters experience 106 00:05:39,920 --> 00:05:44,760 Speaker 1: a decline in visible deer sightings because of these changes. 107 00:05:44,880 --> 00:05:47,960 Speaker 1: Number one, there is a change in food sources across 108 00:05:48,040 --> 00:05:52,440 Speaker 1: most places. Right We're seeing certain crops that are defoliating, 109 00:05:52,480 --> 00:05:55,240 Speaker 1: like soybeans dried down completely by now, and some are 110 00:05:55,240 --> 00:05:58,200 Speaker 1: being harvested. You've got corn that's drying down now, so 111 00:05:58,279 --> 00:06:00,360 Speaker 1: deer that maybe we're feeding on soybeans or shifting to 112 00:06:00,440 --> 00:06:02,320 Speaker 1: corn or whatever the crop is in near area. This 113 00:06:02,520 --> 00:06:05,920 Speaker 1: change is going on, some drying down, some being harvested. 114 00:06:06,080 --> 00:06:09,239 Speaker 1: There's leaves falling down, so the cover is changing across 115 00:06:09,320 --> 00:06:11,719 Speaker 1: most parts of the country. And then you also have 116 00:06:11,800 --> 00:06:15,400 Speaker 1: hunting pressure increasing significantly across the country. So all of 117 00:06:15,440 --> 00:06:18,839 Speaker 1: those things are changing the white tails world. So because 118 00:06:18,839 --> 00:06:21,320 Speaker 1: of that, white tails are going to adjust. So you 119 00:06:21,400 --> 00:06:24,760 Speaker 1: might have seen deer. Let's say you're your hunting season 120 00:06:24,800 --> 00:06:28,440 Speaker 1: didn't open to October one, maybe the week before September, 121 00:06:30,120 --> 00:06:33,280 Speaker 1: you saw a big mature buck out in a soybean 122 00:06:33,320 --> 00:06:35,360 Speaker 1: field that still had a few green leaves here and there, 123 00:06:35,400 --> 00:06:38,080 Speaker 1: and he was out there feeding in daylight. Now that 124 00:06:38,160 --> 00:06:40,440 Speaker 1: buck might not want to do that at all on 125 00:06:40,480 --> 00:06:44,159 Speaker 1: October because the beans are gone. There's been hunters running 126 00:06:44,200 --> 00:06:47,960 Speaker 1: around spooking him, and that little thick grassy area that 127 00:06:48,000 --> 00:06:50,320 Speaker 1: was next to the bean field, UM a couple of 128 00:06:50,320 --> 00:06:53,479 Speaker 1: weeks ago is barren. There's no tree cover. Now, maybe 129 00:06:53,480 --> 00:06:58,479 Speaker 1: we'll say hypothetically, so to over generalize, these deer on 130 00:06:58,560 --> 00:07:01,880 Speaker 1: new food sources. They're readjusting to find spots that are 131 00:07:02,000 --> 00:07:05,760 Speaker 1: better cover wise even without leaf cover, and they're typically 132 00:07:06,040 --> 00:07:10,040 Speaker 1: spending more time in that security cover during daylight because 133 00:07:10,320 --> 00:07:12,080 Speaker 1: they don't want to move as far away from their 134 00:07:12,080 --> 00:07:14,880 Speaker 1: bedrooms with hunters around that they now are aware of. 135 00:07:15,440 --> 00:07:19,760 Speaker 1: So you've got one of two options. I see, and 136 00:07:19,840 --> 00:07:23,640 Speaker 1: this is oversimplified. There's always nuance. Everyone's got a different situation. 137 00:07:23,960 --> 00:07:27,360 Speaker 1: But I would put too general schools of thought to 138 00:07:27,400 --> 00:07:30,360 Speaker 1: consider for how to hunt this time period. If you 139 00:07:31,080 --> 00:07:34,200 Speaker 1: know your property really well, if you're experienced, if you 140 00:07:34,240 --> 00:07:37,040 Speaker 1: know where these bucks live, whether that be through observations 141 00:07:37,200 --> 00:07:39,200 Speaker 1: or trail cameras, or you've hunted here a lot and 142 00:07:39,240 --> 00:07:41,320 Speaker 1: you know, man, there's always a big buck. And these 143 00:07:41,320 --> 00:07:43,880 Speaker 1: couple betting areas in October, if you feel really confident 144 00:07:43,880 --> 00:07:47,760 Speaker 1: in that, or if you have seventeen different scouted out 145 00:07:47,760 --> 00:07:50,400 Speaker 1: public land locations that you're really confident with, and if 146 00:07:50,400 --> 00:07:52,920 Speaker 1: one doesn't work and move on to the next now 147 00:07:53,120 --> 00:07:55,000 Speaker 1: is still a time to get on a nice buck 148 00:07:55,200 --> 00:07:57,720 Speaker 1: if you're willing to be aggressive and pushing close to 149 00:07:57,760 --> 00:08:00,760 Speaker 1: their betting areas. This is the Dan in fault approach 150 00:08:00,840 --> 00:08:04,000 Speaker 1: or DeAndre Dequisto approach, where you push into that thick 151 00:08:04,080 --> 00:08:06,800 Speaker 1: stuff you go get those bucks, no matter what time 152 00:08:06,800 --> 00:08:10,520 Speaker 1: of year is um that would be one approach, and 153 00:08:10,640 --> 00:08:12,880 Speaker 1: it's kind of a swing for the fences approach because 154 00:08:13,120 --> 00:08:14,800 Speaker 1: by doing this at this time of year, there is 155 00:08:14,800 --> 00:08:16,720 Speaker 1: the high risk that you could push in close and 156 00:08:16,720 --> 00:08:19,200 Speaker 1: spook that deer or educate that dear and never even 157 00:08:19,240 --> 00:08:23,880 Speaker 1: see him. So if you only hunt a little tiny property, 158 00:08:24,000 --> 00:08:26,480 Speaker 1: or if you have not done this stuff before and 159 00:08:26,680 --> 00:08:29,200 Speaker 1: you don't know your areas or you're not confident as 160 00:08:29,240 --> 00:08:32,480 Speaker 1: a hunter yet because you're relatively and experienced, that might 161 00:08:32,520 --> 00:08:33,920 Speaker 1: not be the best thing to do at this time 162 00:08:33,960 --> 00:08:38,240 Speaker 1: of year. There's there's better, slightly more conducive to new 163 00:08:38,280 --> 00:08:41,760 Speaker 1: hunter or too small property hunter hunting coming up later. 164 00:08:42,160 --> 00:08:45,120 Speaker 1: So if you play it safe now and wait till 165 00:08:45,160 --> 00:08:48,240 Speaker 1: that better stuff comes in late October or November, you 166 00:08:48,240 --> 00:08:51,840 Speaker 1: could keep these deer uneducated and around for that better stuff. 167 00:08:52,200 --> 00:08:54,839 Speaker 1: So those are the two schools of thought. If if 168 00:08:54,880 --> 00:08:58,760 Speaker 1: you're in the less experienced or less opportunity small property. 169 00:08:58,760 --> 00:09:00,880 Speaker 1: If you're in that camp, now it's a good time 170 00:09:00,920 --> 00:09:04,960 Speaker 1: to you know, hunt some public land so you don't 171 00:09:04,960 --> 00:09:06,640 Speaker 1: mess up your little property. And now it's a good 172 00:09:06,679 --> 00:09:09,959 Speaker 1: time to be conservative and sit, you know, observation stands 173 00:09:09,960 --> 00:09:11,640 Speaker 1: that are on the edges. If you still want to hunt, 174 00:09:11,720 --> 00:09:14,240 Speaker 1: you just watch from afar and learn, but don't go 175 00:09:14,320 --> 00:09:17,520 Speaker 1: pushing into the good stuff. Um. Or this maybe is 176 00:09:17,559 --> 00:09:19,439 Speaker 1: the time to work on your honeydew list and get 177 00:09:19,440 --> 00:09:22,600 Speaker 1: some work done around the house or whatever. Um now 178 00:09:22,679 --> 00:09:25,040 Speaker 1: might be a time to do that. Um. So it 179 00:09:25,120 --> 00:09:27,200 Speaker 1: just depends on where you feel you are based on 180 00:09:27,240 --> 00:09:31,400 Speaker 1: those two sets of circumstances I described. Now there are 181 00:09:31,440 --> 00:09:34,240 Speaker 1: these different varying factors that can change all that, such 182 00:09:34,240 --> 00:09:36,800 Speaker 1: as if you happen to see a mature buck or 183 00:09:36,800 --> 00:09:38,320 Speaker 1: whatever you're after, if you see the kind of deal 184 00:09:38,400 --> 00:09:42,120 Speaker 1: you're after moving in daylight, go get him. If there's 185 00:09:42,160 --> 00:09:45,480 Speaker 1: a front pushing through, that can change things. Um, at 186 00:09:45,520 --> 00:09:47,680 Speaker 1: least I believe so that can change things a little bit. 187 00:09:47,720 --> 00:09:51,000 Speaker 1: So there's some nuance here. But that is my cliff 188 00:09:51,040 --> 00:09:56,400 Speaker 1: notes version of what this time period is all about. Spencer, Um, 189 00:09:56,520 --> 00:09:58,679 Speaker 1: what what are your what am I missing? Is there 190 00:09:58,679 --> 00:10:01,120 Speaker 1: anything important I'm missing there? Or is there anything that 191 00:10:01,160 --> 00:10:03,120 Speaker 1: our guests that you've talked to already, is there anything 192 00:10:03,120 --> 00:10:05,160 Speaker 1: that they brought up that we need to add to 193 00:10:05,200 --> 00:10:08,800 Speaker 1: this as a foundation. Well, it seems like something that 194 00:10:09,000 --> 00:10:11,959 Speaker 1: can you know, reverse the October law. As as we 195 00:10:12,040 --> 00:10:14,760 Speaker 1: talked about a few episodes ago and you just touched 196 00:10:14,800 --> 00:10:16,360 Speaker 1: on there is when you get a front to move through. 197 00:10:17,160 --> 00:10:19,640 Speaker 1: It seems like for most of the country, Um, there 198 00:10:19,720 --> 00:10:23,360 Speaker 1: is a cold front coming through between like Wednesday and 199 00:10:23,920 --> 00:10:27,160 Speaker 1: Saturday of this week, So the fourteen uh and the 200 00:10:27,200 --> 00:10:29,360 Speaker 1: seventeen between there a lot of the country is going 201 00:10:29,400 --> 00:10:31,000 Speaker 1: to have some cold front where you're looking at like 202 00:10:31,000 --> 00:10:34,280 Speaker 1: a forty to fifty degrees swing between the high on 203 00:10:34,280 --> 00:10:37,200 Speaker 1: one day and the low on the next day. Um. 204 00:10:37,280 --> 00:10:40,360 Speaker 1: And as we talked about on the September thirty episode, mark, 205 00:10:40,880 --> 00:10:44,600 Speaker 1: this is kind of like, you know, maybe the last 206 00:10:44,720 --> 00:10:48,520 Speaker 1: catalyst that we get to make dear movement go up 207 00:10:48,559 --> 00:10:52,319 Speaker 1: and get him ature Buck moving when he wouldn't be otherwise, 208 00:10:52,640 --> 00:10:56,560 Speaker 1: um until we get to November. So I think that's relevant, 209 00:10:56,960 --> 00:10:59,400 Speaker 1: and it's it's a reason that all of our guests 210 00:10:59,400 --> 00:11:02,400 Speaker 1: this week are really optimistic and who we talked to 211 00:11:02,440 --> 00:11:05,480 Speaker 1: you is Caleb Combs from Stewart Ranch Out Figures in Oklahoma, 212 00:11:05,960 --> 00:11:10,359 Speaker 1: Bo Mortonic from the East meets West Hunt podcast in Pennsylvania, 213 00:11:10,720 --> 00:11:14,079 Speaker 1: Parker McDonald and Alabama from Southern Ground Hunting, and then 214 00:11:14,120 --> 00:11:18,040 Speaker 1: Alex Gilstrom in Illinois from White Tailed Properties. Nice. It 215 00:11:18,040 --> 00:11:20,160 Speaker 1: sounds like a good slate. I'll tell you on my 216 00:11:20,360 --> 00:11:25,000 Speaker 1: end just to add a little bit of personal a 217 00:11:25,040 --> 00:11:28,040 Speaker 1: personal update off of what I just described as my 218 00:11:28,080 --> 00:11:33,000 Speaker 1: generic October shift perspective. UM, I used to find myself 219 00:11:33,040 --> 00:11:35,040 Speaker 1: in the latter camp, so I used to approach the 220 00:11:35,080 --> 00:11:38,080 Speaker 1: October laws. I was really conservative. I would leave my 221 00:11:38,160 --> 00:11:40,640 Speaker 1: best spots alone completely. I wouldn't even go into the 222 00:11:40,640 --> 00:11:42,960 Speaker 1: property I we usually hunt like October one and second, 223 00:11:43,280 --> 00:11:47,080 Speaker 1: and I wouldn't come back again to the almost November. Um. 224 00:11:47,160 --> 00:11:48,640 Speaker 1: And maybe that was the right thing to do at 225 00:11:48,640 --> 00:11:51,319 Speaker 1: that time. But you know, the more experienced and confident 226 00:11:51,360 --> 00:11:54,120 Speaker 1: I've become with what I'm doing, and the more people 227 00:11:54,160 --> 00:11:56,960 Speaker 1: we talked to, who are you know proving that the 228 00:11:57,000 --> 00:12:01,360 Speaker 1: October law, October shift or whatever to call it, it 229 00:12:01,400 --> 00:12:03,679 Speaker 1: doesn't have to be a bad time to hunt. Um, 230 00:12:03,720 --> 00:12:06,320 Speaker 1: I'm gaining more and more confidence in taking some swings 231 00:12:06,360 --> 00:12:09,160 Speaker 1: at that time. So with this front, this is the 232 00:12:09,240 --> 00:12:11,480 Speaker 1: kind of thing that I think, you know, I'm willing 233 00:12:11,520 --> 00:12:14,440 Speaker 1: to do something that six years ago, seven eight years ago, 234 00:12:14,480 --> 00:12:16,560 Speaker 1: I wouldn't have done. I might take a swing on 235 00:12:16,679 --> 00:12:19,839 Speaker 1: in October five or six hunt because of that, because 236 00:12:19,840 --> 00:12:22,240 Speaker 1: of that temperature, and because you know, check and trail 237 00:12:22,280 --> 00:12:24,320 Speaker 1: cameras some some spots, I'm seeing that I do have 238 00:12:24,400 --> 00:12:27,480 Speaker 1: bucks that are in the area still, that are moving 239 00:12:27,480 --> 00:12:31,000 Speaker 1: on the edge of daylight. I even had my number 240 00:12:31,000 --> 00:12:34,960 Speaker 1: one buck, Spencer tran Um. He was moving in daylight 241 00:12:35,080 --> 00:12:38,720 Speaker 1: after the hunting season opened on this property and I 242 00:12:38,760 --> 00:12:40,680 Speaker 1: was over on the back forty hunting with my dad 243 00:12:40,679 --> 00:12:42,559 Speaker 1: trying to get him a buck, and Tran was walking 244 00:12:42,600 --> 00:12:47,000 Speaker 1: around in daylight on the other farm. So that tells 245 00:12:47,000 --> 00:12:49,199 Speaker 1: me that at least up to that point he hadn't 246 00:12:49,200 --> 00:12:52,800 Speaker 1: been boogered. He was still feeling comfortable and Um, and 247 00:12:52,840 --> 00:12:55,760 Speaker 1: I know the general zone, one of a couple of 248 00:12:55,760 --> 00:12:57,520 Speaker 1: general zones where he spends a lot of time, and 249 00:12:57,559 --> 00:12:59,640 Speaker 1: I think we're beds. So with this front coming in, 250 00:13:00,280 --> 00:13:02,440 Speaker 1: I'm thinking I might take another crack at them. So 251 00:13:03,280 --> 00:13:06,680 Speaker 1: I'm interested to see what everybody else says. But as 252 00:13:06,679 --> 00:13:11,800 Speaker 1: of now I am cautiously excited. Spencer. I dig it 253 00:13:11,880 --> 00:13:14,480 Speaker 1: a dig andd Like you said, so much of your 254 00:13:14,480 --> 00:13:16,360 Speaker 1: outlook on this time of year has to do with 255 00:13:16,400 --> 00:13:19,360 Speaker 1: what properties you have available, what your style of hunting is, 256 00:13:19,440 --> 00:13:21,600 Speaker 1: what kind of time you have available, all those sort 257 00:13:21,640 --> 00:13:25,120 Speaker 1: of factors. And again that's why I love these middle 258 00:13:25,280 --> 00:13:28,199 Speaker 1: of October episodes. Um, but I think that's enough from 259 00:13:28,240 --> 00:13:33,360 Speaker 1: us this week. Let's get to our guests perfect alright, 260 00:13:33,360 --> 00:13:35,880 Speaker 1: and joining us on the line next is Parker McDonald 261 00:13:35,960 --> 00:13:40,040 Speaker 1: in Alabama from the Southern Ground Hunting. Now, Parker in Alabama, 262 00:13:40,080 --> 00:13:42,199 Speaker 1: what would you say the buck activity has been lately 263 00:13:42,240 --> 00:13:45,160 Speaker 1: on a scale of one to ten, Man, I would 264 00:13:45,200 --> 00:13:50,160 Speaker 1: probably say, um, about as low as I've ever seen it. 265 00:13:51,160 --> 00:13:54,440 Speaker 1: I would say probably it's two or three, um, in 266 00:13:54,520 --> 00:13:56,440 Speaker 1: at least in the areas where I'm hunting at right now. 267 00:13:56,720 --> 00:13:59,360 Speaker 1: It's just it kind of seems like, you know, it's 268 00:13:59,360 --> 00:14:02,200 Speaker 1: hard to find it's hard to really even find a 269 00:14:02,240 --> 00:14:05,240 Speaker 1: lot of deer right now because just things are so 270 00:14:05,320 --> 00:14:08,800 Speaker 1: much different than they usually are every other year. Um, 271 00:14:08,880 --> 00:14:12,200 Speaker 1: and especially bucks Man, I'm I'm I'm not seeing even 272 00:14:12,240 --> 00:14:13,960 Speaker 1: a whole lot of tracks and some of the main 273 00:14:14,000 --> 00:14:16,480 Speaker 1: areas that I hunt, um, not even finding a whole 274 00:14:16,520 --> 00:14:18,760 Speaker 1: lot of buck tracks or sign or anything like that. 275 00:14:18,840 --> 00:14:21,720 Speaker 1: And so it's been pretty slow. The only reason I 276 00:14:21,760 --> 00:14:23,560 Speaker 1: give it as high as the three is because there 277 00:14:23,560 --> 00:14:26,040 Speaker 1: have been a couple of a couple of friends that 278 00:14:26,080 --> 00:14:28,800 Speaker 1: I know who have killed bucks um and seeing something. 279 00:14:28,920 --> 00:14:31,360 Speaker 1: But for me, it's been it's been pretty low, about 280 00:14:31,360 --> 00:14:33,320 Speaker 1: as low as I've ever seen it. Now, this is 281 00:14:33,360 --> 00:14:36,560 Speaker 1: one of the earliest openers that Alabama has ever had. 282 00:14:36,680 --> 00:14:38,920 Speaker 1: So what does that meant for haunters in your state 283 00:14:39,160 --> 00:14:43,240 Speaker 1: this year? Well, so the state of Alabama usually is 284 00:14:43,400 --> 00:14:47,880 Speaker 1: about mid October, so sometime around October, and the majority 285 00:14:47,920 --> 00:14:51,760 Speaker 1: of the state is still following that um those season dates. 286 00:14:51,800 --> 00:14:56,160 Speaker 1: But there's actually like three different areas pretty much spread 287 00:14:56,200 --> 00:14:59,880 Speaker 1: across the state this year that opened up on October one, 288 00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:03,200 Speaker 1: And as far as I know, UM, that's the earliest 289 00:15:03,320 --> 00:15:06,240 Speaker 1: anybody has ever been able to legally hunt in Alabama. 290 00:15:06,560 --> 00:15:08,960 Speaker 1: So there's things are a lot of a lot of 291 00:15:08,960 --> 00:15:14,400 Speaker 1: things are just incredibly different um this year versus last year. 292 00:15:14,440 --> 00:15:17,240 Speaker 1: And that is like in in the areas that I hunt, 293 00:15:17,240 --> 00:15:19,520 Speaker 1: a lot of the akrons hadn't even started dropping yet 294 00:15:19,560 --> 00:15:23,320 Speaker 1: when the season opened, um, and so big woods areas 295 00:15:23,360 --> 00:15:28,840 Speaker 1: like I hunt, Um, there's real big woods, very unforgiving terrain, 296 00:15:29,320 --> 00:15:34,000 Speaker 1: hardly any crops, especially on the public that I hunt. Um, 297 00:15:34,440 --> 00:15:37,400 Speaker 1: you just you're not gonna be able to key in 298 00:15:37,480 --> 00:15:43,280 Speaker 1: on like really consistent concentrated food sources. And so the 299 00:15:43,480 --> 00:15:45,480 Speaker 1: what I'm hearing from a ton of people. If you 300 00:15:45,520 --> 00:15:48,920 Speaker 1: can find a hot speed tree, like just one of 301 00:15:48,960 --> 00:15:52,400 Speaker 1: the few oaks that have dropped, if you can find that, 302 00:15:52,480 --> 00:15:55,000 Speaker 1: then you can find deer. But otherwise the deer pretty 303 00:15:55,080 --> 00:15:57,960 Speaker 1: much sticking with just a lot of the natural brows, 304 00:15:58,000 --> 00:16:00,000 Speaker 1: and they're not really coming out of the fixed stuff. 305 00:16:00,600 --> 00:16:03,600 Speaker 1: And that's what I've seen. I've been lucky enough in 306 00:16:03,640 --> 00:16:05,640 Speaker 1: the last two weeks to kill a couple of dose 307 00:16:06,320 --> 00:16:09,240 Speaker 1: um and most of that is because I found a 308 00:16:09,320 --> 00:16:12,440 Speaker 1: tree that was dropping Acron's early. And I think within 309 00:16:12,480 --> 00:16:14,360 Speaker 1: the next you know, a couple of weeks, you're gonna 310 00:16:14,400 --> 00:16:17,320 Speaker 1: start seeing where a lot of the wide oaks have 311 00:16:17,320 --> 00:16:20,200 Speaker 1: have already started dropping, and you're gonna start seeing a 312 00:16:20,240 --> 00:16:24,640 Speaker 1: lot more activity. But for hunters, I'm hearing the same 313 00:16:24,680 --> 00:16:28,360 Speaker 1: thing from most people. Unless you have private, private land 314 00:16:28,400 --> 00:16:31,400 Speaker 1: a hunt where you've got um some type of food 315 00:16:31,440 --> 00:16:34,360 Speaker 1: plot or agg field or something like that, which is 316 00:16:34,800 --> 00:16:37,520 Speaker 1: you know, pretty typical for a lot of people hunting 317 00:16:37,520 --> 00:16:41,000 Speaker 1: early season openers. Um, you key in on those crops 318 00:16:41,000 --> 00:16:43,960 Speaker 1: and those those those food sources like that, and so 319 00:16:44,240 --> 00:16:48,440 Speaker 1: if you don't have that, it's been extremely tough. Besides 320 00:16:48,520 --> 00:16:51,880 Speaker 1: big egg and acorns, are there any other food sources 321 00:16:51,880 --> 00:16:54,680 Speaker 1: that hunters in the big woods in the South can 322 00:16:54,760 --> 00:16:58,160 Speaker 1: focus on for the month of October? Occasionally you can 323 00:16:58,200 --> 00:17:03,760 Speaker 1: find things like per simmons or muscadines or or something 324 00:17:03,840 --> 00:17:07,400 Speaker 1: like that. Uh, you know, a lot of on private land, 325 00:17:07,440 --> 00:17:10,320 Speaker 1: a lot of guys are able to hunt over you know, bait, 326 00:17:10,480 --> 00:17:12,520 Speaker 1: hungover corn and things like that. But as far as 327 00:17:12,640 --> 00:17:17,639 Speaker 1: natural I really struggle to say that there's anything better 328 00:17:18,440 --> 00:17:23,120 Speaker 1: than a hot feed tree. You know, a good um, 329 00:17:23,160 --> 00:17:26,439 Speaker 1: a good area with you know, some some good acorns dropping. 330 00:17:26,560 --> 00:17:29,080 Speaker 1: That's about as good as I've been able to find 331 00:17:29,200 --> 00:17:31,919 Speaker 1: out here. I know you do a lot of haunts 332 00:17:32,119 --> 00:17:35,480 Speaker 1: where you do water access on your kayak. So how 333 00:17:35,520 --> 00:17:38,080 Speaker 1: does that change or how is that different in October 334 00:17:38,520 --> 00:17:41,200 Speaker 1: than it is saying November or December. When you're coming 335 00:17:41,240 --> 00:17:44,479 Speaker 1: into those pieces of public land through water, it's actually 336 00:17:44,480 --> 00:17:48,800 Speaker 1: pretty different, um than normal. So I was I was 337 00:17:48,800 --> 00:17:50,359 Speaker 1: talking to a buddy of mine the other day when 338 00:17:50,359 --> 00:17:52,679 Speaker 1: we were trying to figure out why all of the 339 00:17:52,800 --> 00:17:56,639 Speaker 1: signs that I'm seeing, most of the tracks, most of 340 00:17:56,680 --> 00:18:01,720 Speaker 1: the really heavy crossings that I'm finding, are right up 341 00:18:01,760 --> 00:18:04,480 Speaker 1: against the water. A lot of these deer just hanging 342 00:18:04,480 --> 00:18:08,280 Speaker 1: out right on the water. And the thing that we 343 00:18:08,400 --> 00:18:11,600 Speaker 1: figured out and UM started trying to put the pieces together, 344 00:18:12,200 --> 00:18:15,200 Speaker 1: is that a lot of the area around that water, 345 00:18:15,440 --> 00:18:19,720 Speaker 1: especially the um the slopes kind of that that don't 346 00:18:19,800 --> 00:18:22,520 Speaker 1: really have any trees blocking them because the water is there, 347 00:18:22,880 --> 00:18:25,320 Speaker 1: and so the sunlight is hitting the bottom and you're 348 00:18:25,320 --> 00:18:28,480 Speaker 1: getting a lot of that undergrowth, which also includes a 349 00:18:28,560 --> 00:18:31,520 Speaker 1: lot of natural brows and so a lot of these 350 00:18:31,560 --> 00:18:35,080 Speaker 1: deer because the acorns haven't hadn't dropped yet, UM even 351 00:18:35,119 --> 00:18:36,960 Speaker 1: for simmons and things like that, just a lot of 352 00:18:36,960 --> 00:18:38,760 Speaker 1: the food sources that you tend to key in on 353 00:18:39,000 --> 00:18:43,359 Speaker 1: early season in Alabama because those things haven't become available yet. 354 00:18:43,600 --> 00:18:46,360 Speaker 1: These deer sticking close to the water because a lot 355 00:18:46,400 --> 00:18:48,960 Speaker 1: of that browse is right there close to the water, 356 00:18:49,000 --> 00:18:50,919 Speaker 1: and so it's made things a little more difficult. A 357 00:18:50,920 --> 00:18:53,960 Speaker 1: lot of the areas that I typically would hunt in 358 00:18:54,000 --> 00:18:58,680 Speaker 1: the early season, UM, they just they design has not 359 00:18:58,840 --> 00:19:01,760 Speaker 1: started to open up even like just just not even 360 00:19:01,800 --> 00:19:03,959 Speaker 1: buck sign, but just deer sign in general. I'm not 361 00:19:04,000 --> 00:19:06,520 Speaker 1: seeing it like I normally do. And I think it 362 00:19:06,600 --> 00:19:08,800 Speaker 1: has a lot to do with those deer just sticking 363 00:19:08,960 --> 00:19:11,040 Speaker 1: right there close to the water, which makes things a 364 00:19:11,040 --> 00:19:13,679 Speaker 1: little more difficult on your access. To be honest with you, 365 00:19:13,960 --> 00:19:16,639 Speaker 1: if you're using water access, a lot of the deer 366 00:19:16,880 --> 00:19:18,919 Speaker 1: are really close by right when you get out of 367 00:19:18,920 --> 00:19:21,439 Speaker 1: the boat. So, um, you have to be pretty stealthy. 368 00:19:21,480 --> 00:19:24,760 Speaker 1: You have to be pretty uh, pretty knowledgeable about your area. 369 00:19:25,160 --> 00:19:28,280 Speaker 1: Otherwise you could go in there and potentially ruin a 370 00:19:28,359 --> 00:19:31,440 Speaker 1: good area because you went into early and too aggressive. 371 00:19:32,400 --> 00:19:34,520 Speaker 1: Going forward, Then in the six week or so, what 372 00:19:34,560 --> 00:19:36,440 Speaker 1: do you think that buck activity is going to be 373 00:19:36,520 --> 00:19:39,399 Speaker 1: on a skill of one to ten in Alabama? I 374 00:19:39,400 --> 00:19:42,760 Speaker 1: think this. I think this coming weekend. Obviously it's the 375 00:19:42,800 --> 00:19:47,280 Speaker 1: statewide over the ground. Um. But I killed a doe 376 00:19:47,440 --> 00:19:52,280 Speaker 1: on Sunday. We're recording this right now on a Tuesday, 377 00:19:52,280 --> 00:19:54,280 Speaker 1: And I killed a doe two days ago, and that 378 00:19:54,359 --> 00:19:57,520 Speaker 1: was the first area that I started seeing that acorn 379 00:19:57,560 --> 00:20:00,800 Speaker 1: crop really really start to be be good, I mean, 380 00:20:00,800 --> 00:20:03,280 Speaker 1: and they were munching on them hardcore and there was 381 00:20:03,320 --> 00:20:05,320 Speaker 1: a lot of tracks, a lot. I mean, it just 382 00:20:05,320 --> 00:20:09,040 Speaker 1: looked like turkey scratching. So I think, Um, as as 383 00:20:09,160 --> 00:20:13,879 Speaker 1: the week progresses this week, getting closer to that statewide opener, 384 00:20:13,880 --> 00:20:16,800 Speaker 1: I think you're gonna start seeing a lot more buck activity. 385 00:20:16,920 --> 00:20:21,320 Speaker 1: And also I think to um, you know, pressure really 386 00:20:21,359 --> 00:20:23,840 Speaker 1: does tend to get deer on their feet more, at 387 00:20:23,920 --> 00:20:25,840 Speaker 1: least in the areas that I like. I tend to 388 00:20:25,840 --> 00:20:28,640 Speaker 1: see more deer when there's a little more pressure on them. Um, 389 00:20:28,680 --> 00:20:31,320 Speaker 1: they're not just hanging out, you know, in their bedding 390 00:20:31,359 --> 00:20:33,320 Speaker 1: areas and not moving around a lot. They're having to 391 00:20:33,359 --> 00:20:35,760 Speaker 1: get away from from a lot of the pressure. So 392 00:20:35,800 --> 00:20:37,920 Speaker 1: I think as the pressure increases, you're gonna see a 393 00:20:37,920 --> 00:20:40,160 Speaker 1: lot more deer get on their feet, especially on these 394 00:20:40,160 --> 00:20:43,920 Speaker 1: big public pieces. Um. But when the when the food 395 00:20:44,000 --> 00:20:46,000 Speaker 1: source has become available and a lot of the deer 396 00:20:46,080 --> 00:20:48,240 Speaker 1: are in the areas that you're used to them being in, 397 00:20:48,720 --> 00:20:50,400 Speaker 1: I think that's gonna cause a lot of a lot 398 00:20:50,400 --> 00:20:52,119 Speaker 1: of more a lot more bucks to be seen and 399 00:20:52,200 --> 00:20:54,520 Speaker 1: killed this week. Um. So I would say within the 400 00:20:54,520 --> 00:20:57,440 Speaker 1: next week it's probably gonna go up to about a 401 00:20:57,600 --> 00:21:01,119 Speaker 1: six or seventh I part your great info. I like 402 00:21:01,200 --> 00:21:04,480 Speaker 1: your optimism, good luck, and thanks for joining me. Thanks 403 00:21:04,480 --> 00:21:08,239 Speaker 1: Spencer alright and joining us on the line. Next is 404 00:21:08,280 --> 00:21:12,200 Speaker 1: Alex Gillstrom from white Tail Properties in Illinois. Now Alex 405 00:21:12,240 --> 00:21:14,639 Speaker 1: in Illinois. What would you say the buck activity has 406 00:21:14,680 --> 00:21:17,520 Speaker 1: been lately on the scale of one to ten, I 407 00:21:17,560 --> 00:21:20,760 Speaker 1: would have to give it a I would say probably 408 00:21:20,880 --> 00:21:22,919 Speaker 1: up to this point, to this week, I would probably 409 00:21:22,920 --> 00:21:25,320 Speaker 1: give it about a six, at least in my specific 410 00:21:25,320 --> 00:21:27,800 Speaker 1: region here in western Illinois. Yeah, I think a lot 411 00:21:27,840 --> 00:21:29,119 Speaker 1: of I think a lot of it so far has 412 00:21:29,200 --> 00:21:31,920 Speaker 1: got to do with it's been warm. We've had warm 413 00:21:31,960 --> 00:21:36,800 Speaker 1: temps of varying wind conditions and and a lot a 414 00:21:36,840 --> 00:21:38,919 Speaker 1: lot of it is I think what we'll I'm not 415 00:21:38,960 --> 00:21:41,040 Speaker 1: alone and seeing this is is a lot of the 416 00:21:41,359 --> 00:21:43,679 Speaker 1: has to do with acorn crops. So um. You know, 417 00:21:43,720 --> 00:21:48,920 Speaker 1: I primarily hunt exclusively public land most most of my season, 418 00:21:48,960 --> 00:21:51,720 Speaker 1: if not all my season, so um, you know, variables 419 00:21:51,720 --> 00:21:52,960 Speaker 1: are working against me a little bit. I don't do 420 00:21:53,000 --> 00:21:55,960 Speaker 1: anything with food plots. Uh. You know, it's not anything 421 00:21:56,000 --> 00:21:58,080 Speaker 1: like guys I've I've been talking to, at least in 422 00:21:58,119 --> 00:22:00,800 Speaker 1: this area. A lot of good activity on like you know, 423 00:22:01,320 --> 00:22:04,760 Speaker 1: good clover plots or secluded um food plots that are 424 00:22:04,760 --> 00:22:07,600 Speaker 1: close to like oaks or certain ridges or things like that. Well, 425 00:22:08,160 --> 00:22:11,080 Speaker 1: for me, it's all based around bedding in those oak 426 00:22:11,160 --> 00:22:14,320 Speaker 1: ridges because the food isn't isn't isn't really there, So 427 00:22:14,840 --> 00:22:18,600 Speaker 1: um that that's kind of been the story of the 428 00:22:18,640 --> 00:22:21,200 Speaker 1: season so far. Is is a lot of warm temperatures, 429 00:22:21,240 --> 00:22:24,359 Speaker 1: which is slowed the movement made made. The movement that 430 00:22:24,400 --> 00:22:26,520 Speaker 1: I have seen tend to be like right either last 431 00:22:26,600 --> 00:22:28,720 Speaker 1: light or right at first light a couple of mornings 432 00:22:28,720 --> 00:22:31,399 Speaker 1: that I've hunted, and they seem to be a little 433 00:22:31,480 --> 00:22:34,919 Speaker 1: dispersed right now because at least in my exact area 434 00:22:35,200 --> 00:22:38,200 Speaker 1: for the oaks, it seems to be pretty decent across 435 00:22:38,240 --> 00:22:40,760 Speaker 1: the board, but there's definitely been hot spots where I've 436 00:22:40,800 --> 00:22:44,800 Speaker 1: found concentrations of deer and in certain areas or portions 437 00:22:44,800 --> 00:22:48,440 Speaker 1: of different um portions of public land that I've I've found, 438 00:22:48,480 --> 00:22:50,760 Speaker 1: so it seems to have them a little bit scattered out. 439 00:22:50,920 --> 00:22:52,639 Speaker 1: It always seems like in a good oak dear. It 440 00:22:52,960 --> 00:22:55,800 Speaker 1: just it makes the early season tough because the deer 441 00:22:55,880 --> 00:22:58,320 Speaker 1: just they're they're in the cover, they stay secluded, they're 442 00:22:58,320 --> 00:23:01,800 Speaker 1: not moving as far from betting typically, and they can 443 00:23:01,840 --> 00:23:03,560 Speaker 1: kind of scatter so that seems to at least be 444 00:23:03,600 --> 00:23:07,639 Speaker 1: the case up to this point. How does acorn crop 445 00:23:07,880 --> 00:23:10,880 Speaker 1: compared to recent years in Illinois? There was a better 446 00:23:10,960 --> 00:23:14,520 Speaker 1: crop for acorns definitely this year than last year. I 447 00:23:14,560 --> 00:23:19,600 Speaker 1: would probably say it's pretty close to um and and 448 00:23:19,880 --> 00:23:22,080 Speaker 1: and kind of it's it's it's I guess it's remained 449 00:23:22,119 --> 00:23:25,440 Speaker 1: fairly consistent with that other every other year pattern. Um 450 00:23:25,720 --> 00:23:28,000 Speaker 1: and again it depends so much on the species of 451 00:23:28,000 --> 00:23:30,360 Speaker 1: the oak and and kind of crecifit you know, rainfall 452 00:23:30,400 --> 00:23:32,639 Speaker 1: and moisture levels and things like that in the soil. 453 00:23:32,720 --> 00:23:35,679 Speaker 1: So UM. But I would say, you know, in a nutshell, 454 00:23:35,720 --> 00:23:37,560 Speaker 1: that's kind of how I would stack it up. Is 455 00:23:37,600 --> 00:23:40,679 Speaker 1: it's it's definitely heavier than last year, probably similar it 456 00:23:40,760 --> 00:23:45,399 Speaker 1: wasn't and um and kind of seeing it evolve a 457 00:23:45,440 --> 00:23:49,240 Speaker 1: little bit a little bit further um which it you know, conversely, 458 00:23:49,280 --> 00:23:51,840 Speaker 1: it's it's made sign a little bit tougher to find, 459 00:23:52,080 --> 00:23:53,760 Speaker 1: It's made a deer a little bit tougher to find. 460 00:23:53,840 --> 00:23:56,560 Speaker 1: But um, I think you know, with just in the 461 00:23:56,640 --> 00:24:00,800 Speaker 1: last five and five days or so last week, UM, 462 00:24:00,800 --> 00:24:03,000 Speaker 1: finally starting to see more of that that ground sign 463 00:24:03,080 --> 00:24:05,720 Speaker 1: you know, the scrapes open up and more rubbing activity 464 00:24:05,760 --> 00:24:08,280 Speaker 1: and things like that, but prior to the last week, 465 00:24:08,320 --> 00:24:11,200 Speaker 1: it's been pretty difficult to find even the sign. Um 466 00:24:11,240 --> 00:24:15,000 Speaker 1: to this point, how much does seeing recent sign playing 467 00:24:15,000 --> 00:24:17,600 Speaker 1: into your decision making hunting that public land in the 468 00:24:17,640 --> 00:24:21,760 Speaker 1: Midwest in October? It's everything for me right now, it's 469 00:24:21,840 --> 00:24:25,760 Speaker 1: it's it's especially for for October. Is I really try 470 00:24:25,800 --> 00:24:30,600 Speaker 1: not to rely on historic um experiences now. Of course 471 00:24:30,600 --> 00:24:33,320 Speaker 1: I factor that into the conditions, into the locations and 472 00:24:33,359 --> 00:24:35,720 Speaker 1: things like that, but just because I had a good encounter, 473 00:24:35,800 --> 00:24:39,080 Speaker 1: even had success in a specific area, it's like, I'm 474 00:24:39,119 --> 00:24:41,359 Speaker 1: a firm believer that that you have to you know, scout, 475 00:24:41,359 --> 00:24:43,639 Speaker 1: scout hunt, you've got you've got a scout twice as 476 00:24:43,720 --> 00:24:45,840 Speaker 1: much as you hunt and um and go to the deer. 477 00:24:45,840 --> 00:24:47,119 Speaker 1: I don't wait for the deer to come to me. 478 00:24:47,200 --> 00:24:51,680 Speaker 1: That's that's my personal koun of philosophy and strategy. So um, 479 00:24:51,720 --> 00:24:55,400 Speaker 1: it's been a struggle, but I've really it's really been 480 00:24:55,440 --> 00:24:58,440 Speaker 1: great to see that kind of come to come to fruition, 481 00:24:58,440 --> 00:25:00,600 Speaker 1: to see the sign kind of happening now and really 482 00:25:00,600 --> 00:25:02,560 Speaker 1: starting to pop up a little bit more and and 483 00:25:03,520 --> 00:25:06,399 Speaker 1: as you'd expect in a in a decent acorn crop 484 00:25:06,520 --> 00:25:10,440 Speaker 1: area or year it's it's really happening on those transition 485 00:25:10,480 --> 00:25:13,480 Speaker 1: lines from thick cover into those oak flats, or it's 486 00:25:13,520 --> 00:25:15,560 Speaker 1: actually on the oak flats. Now a lot of it 487 00:25:15,600 --> 00:25:18,399 Speaker 1: seems to be nighttime activity, so it's trying to factor 488 00:25:18,440 --> 00:25:21,159 Speaker 1: in and kind of understand where that that movement is happening, 489 00:25:21,160 --> 00:25:23,640 Speaker 1: when it's happening, how to capitalize on it. But but yeah, 490 00:25:23,680 --> 00:25:26,320 Speaker 1: for me, understanding the sign, seeing where it pops up, 491 00:25:26,600 --> 00:25:30,080 Speaker 1: and trying to factor in how uh to kind of 492 00:25:30,520 --> 00:25:34,080 Speaker 1: set up my game plan around it is huge. Um 493 00:25:34,160 --> 00:25:35,880 Speaker 1: and for me, the weather has affected that a lot, 494 00:25:35,920 --> 00:25:37,639 Speaker 1: so we haven't had a lot of great gold fronts. 495 00:25:37,640 --> 00:25:39,600 Speaker 1: We've had some. There's actually another really good one coming 496 00:25:39,600 --> 00:25:42,359 Speaker 1: at the end of this week. But with this warmer weather, 497 00:25:42,600 --> 00:25:45,040 Speaker 1: it's brought higher winds. So I've tried to use that 498 00:25:45,080 --> 00:25:48,080 Speaker 1: to my advantage too, with these higher wind speeds and 499 00:25:48,119 --> 00:25:50,920 Speaker 1: a little bit warmer weather to push back a little 500 00:25:50,920 --> 00:25:53,640 Speaker 1: bit further than maybe I normally would this time of year. 501 00:25:53,880 --> 00:25:55,640 Speaker 1: But I can do so with it with can kind 502 00:25:55,640 --> 00:25:59,080 Speaker 1: of concealed access. So access is huge, especially when you're 503 00:25:59,080 --> 00:26:01,800 Speaker 1: trying to navigate aroun on these different like isolated oak 504 00:26:01,840 --> 00:26:03,680 Speaker 1: flats and things like that to where the deer kind 505 00:26:03,680 --> 00:26:05,800 Speaker 1: of feeding is is trying to get in and out 506 00:26:05,880 --> 00:26:08,200 Speaker 1: as clean as possible and in the higher wind speeds 507 00:26:08,240 --> 00:26:10,960 Speaker 1: even though it's kind of accompanied by warmer weather. Uh. 508 00:26:11,000 --> 00:26:12,960 Speaker 1: That's I've used that to my advantage to be able 509 00:26:13,000 --> 00:26:16,560 Speaker 1: to kind of time my you know, time my attacks, 510 00:26:16,600 --> 00:26:18,879 Speaker 1: if you will, to get in a little bit tighter 511 00:26:18,880 --> 00:26:21,440 Speaker 1: on these deer to try to get more daylight movement. Um. 512 00:26:21,520 --> 00:26:23,400 Speaker 1: And then the higher wind speeds have been able to 513 00:26:23,400 --> 00:26:26,080 Speaker 1: help me do that going forward. Then in this next 514 00:26:26,119 --> 00:26:28,240 Speaker 1: week or so, what do you think that bucket activity 515 00:26:28,320 --> 00:26:29,960 Speaker 1: is going to be on a scale of one to 516 00:26:30,000 --> 00:26:33,439 Speaker 1: ten in Illinois? You know, I'm hoping for I'm hoping 517 00:26:33,440 --> 00:26:35,919 Speaker 1: for an eight. I'm gonna be optimistic and and and 518 00:26:35,920 --> 00:26:38,199 Speaker 1: and kind of predict an eight. We've got another this 519 00:26:38,320 --> 00:26:42,320 Speaker 1: Thursday and Friday. Here. Um, there's gonna be another really 520 00:26:42,320 --> 00:26:45,080 Speaker 1: good cold front coming in. Um. It doesn't look like 521 00:26:45,160 --> 00:26:50,280 Speaker 1: precipitations accompanying it. Um, but it's gonna be another like 522 00:26:50,359 --> 00:26:53,000 Speaker 1: windy day I think on Wednesday, and then kind of 523 00:26:53,040 --> 00:26:54,960 Speaker 1: transition into bringing those on the back side of that 524 00:26:55,000 --> 00:26:59,000 Speaker 1: front the lower tents. So it should be really good 525 00:26:59,000 --> 00:27:01,560 Speaker 1: Thursday and Friday for some some colder temperatures. I'm hoping 526 00:27:01,560 --> 00:27:04,159 Speaker 1: for earlier movement the evenings, a little bit later movement 527 00:27:04,240 --> 00:27:07,920 Speaker 1: in the the mornings, and my concentration is going to 528 00:27:08,000 --> 00:27:10,919 Speaker 1: be those secluded kind of what I call is like 529 00:27:11,160 --> 00:27:15,280 Speaker 1: primary scrape areas, So the scrapes and the sign that 530 00:27:15,320 --> 00:27:18,680 Speaker 1: we're seeing and I'm seeing back in the cover um 531 00:27:18,720 --> 00:27:22,240 Speaker 1: more like transitional between leaving like really thick betting areas, 532 00:27:22,760 --> 00:27:26,000 Speaker 1: um even on the edges of some uh and and 533 00:27:26,040 --> 00:27:29,920 Speaker 1: really focusing on those areas and trying to see which 534 00:27:29,960 --> 00:27:32,000 Speaker 1: is which are the you know, determined, which are the freshest, 535 00:27:32,000 --> 00:27:34,399 Speaker 1: which are the most active and capitalized, and you do 536 00:27:34,520 --> 00:27:36,879 Speaker 1: you don't you know, doubling up on that as as 537 00:27:36,920 --> 00:27:38,480 Speaker 1: it gets a little bit closer into the pre rut 538 00:27:38,520 --> 00:27:39,840 Speaker 1: at the end, you know, towards the end of the month, 539 00:27:40,320 --> 00:27:42,679 Speaker 1: those becoming more active. The weather helping that with the 540 00:27:42,720 --> 00:27:45,239 Speaker 1: cold front, and so I'm shooting for an eight here 541 00:27:45,240 --> 00:27:47,800 Speaker 1: at the end of the week. Great info, Alex, Good 542 00:27:47,880 --> 00:27:49,240 Speaker 1: luck with the rest of your season, and thanks for 543 00:27:49,320 --> 00:27:53,959 Speaker 1: joining me. Thanks Spencer, as always appreciate it. Man alright, 544 00:27:54,000 --> 00:27:56,600 Speaker 1: and joining us on the line next is Caleb Combs 545 00:27:56,640 --> 00:28:00,600 Speaker 1: from Stewart Ranch Outfitters in Oklahoma, now Caleb in Oklahoma. 546 00:28:00,720 --> 00:28:02,800 Speaker 1: What would you say the buck activity has been lately 547 00:28:02,920 --> 00:28:06,480 Speaker 1: on a scale of one to ten one lately, I'm 548 00:28:06,560 --> 00:28:09,080 Speaker 1: not one to be pessimistic, but it has not been good. 549 00:28:09,160 --> 00:28:13,520 Speaker 1: Temperatures have been unusually high, uh, and sidings are low 550 00:28:13,600 --> 00:28:16,880 Speaker 1: and trail cameras have basically been dead, so it has 551 00:28:16,960 --> 00:28:19,800 Speaker 1: not been good. You mentioned your trail cameras there where 552 00:28:19,840 --> 00:28:22,280 Speaker 1: are you running a lot of your cams in mid 553 00:28:22,480 --> 00:28:26,120 Speaker 1: till late October? In mid October early October, I start 554 00:28:26,200 --> 00:28:29,640 Speaker 1: transitioning towards scrapes. Uh. Those are just my favorite place 555 00:28:29,800 --> 00:28:32,679 Speaker 1: to run cameras, So I run scrapes pretty much all 556 00:28:32,680 --> 00:28:36,200 Speaker 1: a year. I still have some on food sources, uh, 557 00:28:36,240 --> 00:28:39,400 Speaker 1: some on some acorn trees that have been hit really 558 00:28:39,440 --> 00:28:42,320 Speaker 1: good lately, But for the most part, I'm always on scrapes, 559 00:28:42,440 --> 00:28:45,080 Speaker 1: even on the edge of the food plots, scrapes everywhere. 560 00:28:45,360 --> 00:28:47,560 Speaker 1: What food sources are you most keyed in on this 561 00:28:47,640 --> 00:28:50,960 Speaker 1: time of year? Food plots haven't really started going yet, 562 00:28:51,040 --> 00:28:54,360 Speaker 1: so if I'm near agriculture, I'm usually still on that. 563 00:28:54,480 --> 00:28:58,840 Speaker 1: So it's still be beans right now or um alfalfa, 564 00:28:59,080 --> 00:29:01,640 Speaker 1: but a corns a lot of the time as well. 565 00:29:02,080 --> 00:29:03,840 Speaker 1: It doesn't seem like it's gonna Last year was the 566 00:29:03,840 --> 00:29:06,120 Speaker 1: most acorns I've ever seen, and this year seems like 567 00:29:06,160 --> 00:29:09,440 Speaker 1: it came back down to actually huntable mostly red oaks 568 00:29:09,440 --> 00:29:11,840 Speaker 1: where I'm hunting, not a lot of white oaks, so 569 00:29:11,960 --> 00:29:14,440 Speaker 1: I'll be on the creek bottoms, actually the creek edges, 570 00:29:14,560 --> 00:29:17,080 Speaker 1: hunting red oaks. Is there a time of year that 571 00:29:17,120 --> 00:29:19,120 Speaker 1: those food plots are going to get better for you? 572 00:29:19,680 --> 00:29:23,200 Speaker 1: Ideally it's gonna rain. Uh, it hasn't. For the last 573 00:29:23,200 --> 00:29:25,680 Speaker 1: week and a half. They started out good. We usually 574 00:29:25,760 --> 00:29:31,240 Speaker 1: plant ours trying to get our food plots going mid October, 575 00:29:31,400 --> 00:29:35,920 Speaker 1: so we're not shooting for opening. We're shooting for mid 576 00:29:35,960 --> 00:29:38,760 Speaker 1: October for them to really turn around. And everything started 577 00:29:38,800 --> 00:29:43,760 Speaker 1: germanating popping out. So if it rains soon then we'll 578 00:29:44,280 --> 00:29:47,240 Speaker 1: we should be all right. They're they're probably hitting them now. Uh, 579 00:29:48,440 --> 00:29:50,760 Speaker 1: but I won't start hunting food plots real hard tell 580 00:29:51,520 --> 00:29:54,960 Speaker 1: mid October when everybody's seeking. Are you seeing any signmaking 581 00:29:55,040 --> 00:29:59,360 Speaker 1: yet in Oklahoma? Yeah, scrapes have been going. I've been 582 00:29:59,400 --> 00:30:03,560 Speaker 1: getting real good pictures on scrapes since early October. UM. 583 00:30:03,600 --> 00:30:05,720 Speaker 1: But like I said earlier, I run a lot of 584 00:30:05,760 --> 00:30:09,400 Speaker 1: cameras on scrapes, so I'm usually pretty homed in on 585 00:30:09,440 --> 00:30:14,120 Speaker 1: which scrapes are. Um community scrapes are the ones that 586 00:30:14,800 --> 00:30:17,400 Speaker 1: get hit, the looking branches that get hit a lot 587 00:30:17,440 --> 00:30:19,640 Speaker 1: of the season, like the majority of the season. But 588 00:30:19,680 --> 00:30:22,400 Speaker 1: they're making new ones. There are some scrapes that I 589 00:30:22,480 --> 00:30:24,880 Speaker 1: have made that have been going well, but I'm seeing 590 00:30:24,920 --> 00:30:28,520 Speaker 1: scrapes pop up around my scrape so that they're really 591 00:30:28,520 --> 00:30:32,120 Speaker 1: getting going. So when you say that movement has been 592 00:30:32,160 --> 00:30:35,440 Speaker 1: really poorlyly, are you just saying that they're mostly moving 593 00:30:35,480 --> 00:30:37,920 Speaker 1: at night or you're just finding that the deer have 594 00:30:38,080 --> 00:30:41,360 Speaker 1: quite a small range right now. Small range. I'm never 595 00:30:41,400 --> 00:30:44,080 Speaker 1: a big believer that they just move at night, just 596 00:30:44,120 --> 00:30:47,080 Speaker 1: because I mean, I realized they go further. But if 597 00:30:47,120 --> 00:30:48,440 Speaker 1: you're on top of them, if you know where the 598 00:30:48,480 --> 00:30:50,560 Speaker 1: betting area is, if you've done your research, you can 599 00:30:50,680 --> 00:30:53,120 Speaker 1: usually get in there might be the last ten minutes 600 00:30:53,200 --> 00:30:55,719 Speaker 1: or whatever, but you can get close and you can 601 00:30:55,720 --> 00:30:58,160 Speaker 1: get on do your during daylight hours. So it's just 602 00:30:58,240 --> 00:31:00,680 Speaker 1: been dead as far as they aren't moving. They're not 603 00:31:00,760 --> 00:31:02,760 Speaker 1: hitting scrapes because it's been so hot, So even the 604 00:31:02,800 --> 00:31:06,040 Speaker 1: scrapes they had started they quit hitting the last week 605 00:31:06,160 --> 00:31:09,160 Speaker 1: or so, but it'll it'll turn back around Thursday. If 606 00:31:09,160 --> 00:31:11,320 Speaker 1: you've got a cold front in this next week and 607 00:31:11,320 --> 00:31:16,440 Speaker 1: you're feeling optimistic, what would it set up look like? Uh, 608 00:31:16,560 --> 00:31:18,560 Speaker 1: I don't know yet because I'm checked on my trail cameras, 609 00:31:18,560 --> 00:31:20,880 Speaker 1: but I will probably be on scrapes. I don't think 610 00:31:20,960 --> 00:31:23,760 Speaker 1: it's food plot time. If I can find a spot 611 00:31:23,800 --> 00:31:26,360 Speaker 1: that they're hitting the acorns that's close enough to betting, 612 00:31:26,520 --> 00:31:28,960 Speaker 1: it'll all depend on what my cameras tell me, I'll 613 00:31:29,000 --> 00:31:31,640 Speaker 1: pull them this it's about to turn around. The week's 614 00:31:31,680 --> 00:31:35,360 Speaker 1: about to be fantastic, So I would say Thursday Friday 615 00:31:35,520 --> 00:31:38,400 Speaker 1: in Oklahoma, the weekend, and then from what I saw 616 00:31:38,440 --> 00:31:41,320 Speaker 1: on the forecast, everything after that. But it's one of 617 00:31:41,320 --> 00:31:43,920 Speaker 1: my favorite times to go, so acorns and scrapes. If 618 00:31:43,920 --> 00:31:46,400 Speaker 1: you're not running a bunch of cameras, whatever, scraps probably 619 00:31:46,440 --> 00:31:49,040 Speaker 1: will start getting hit again Thursday or Friday. What makes 620 00:31:49,080 --> 00:31:52,320 Speaker 1: mid October one of your favorite times to hunt? I 621 00:31:52,400 --> 00:31:54,160 Speaker 1: have O C D or not like a real bad 622 00:31:54,240 --> 00:31:56,960 Speaker 1: like weird version, but you know, I like things organized, 623 00:31:57,000 --> 00:31:59,600 Speaker 1: I like no one what I'm getting into. I like information, 624 00:32:00,000 --> 00:32:02,480 Speaker 1: So I don't like November. I don't like hardcore rut 625 00:32:02,480 --> 00:32:06,120 Speaker 1: when they're when they're stuck with dose, when they're pulling 626 00:32:06,160 --> 00:32:07,960 Speaker 1: them off and they're just trying to get away from everybody. 627 00:32:08,000 --> 00:32:12,000 Speaker 1: So October December my favorite because you're more predictable. But 628 00:32:12,080 --> 00:32:16,440 Speaker 1: they're moving more during daylight hours. So October fift through 629 00:32:16,520 --> 00:32:20,120 Speaker 1: the thirties I always love because they're starting to seek there, 630 00:32:20,120 --> 00:32:22,560 Speaker 1: not like breaking up there. You can still get them 631 00:32:22,560 --> 00:32:25,120 Speaker 1: in a bachelor group, but they'll push each other around 632 00:32:25,120 --> 00:32:28,920 Speaker 1: a little bit. Things are getting more competitive, they're wandering more, 633 00:32:29,040 --> 00:32:31,760 Speaker 1: but it's not to the point where they've lost their minds. 634 00:32:32,280 --> 00:32:34,480 Speaker 1: Going forward, then a sex week or so, what do 635 00:32:34,520 --> 00:32:36,360 Speaker 1: you think that bulk activity is going to be on 636 00:32:36,400 --> 00:32:39,480 Speaker 1: a scale of one to ten in Oklahoma, I'm going 637 00:32:39,680 --> 00:32:43,360 Speaker 1: straight back to optimistic and I think it's a nine ten. 638 00:32:43,800 --> 00:32:45,840 Speaker 1: I mean, this is what you wait all year for. 639 00:32:47,040 --> 00:32:48,880 Speaker 1: Our opening weekend was good because we had a little 640 00:32:48,920 --> 00:32:50,800 Speaker 1: cold front. But this is it. This is when they 641 00:32:50,840 --> 00:32:54,719 Speaker 1: start going. This is when opportunities will arise. If you're 642 00:32:54,760 --> 00:32:57,760 Speaker 1: in the right spot. I would say put in some 643 00:32:57,800 --> 00:33:00,400 Speaker 1: extra hours at work, you know, make your wife happy, 644 00:33:00,560 --> 00:33:03,240 Speaker 1: because it's about to get serious. Everything i've seen on 645 00:33:03,240 --> 00:33:05,960 Speaker 1: the weather pressures will be good. Moon is supposed to 646 00:33:05,960 --> 00:33:09,280 Speaker 1: be good. October twenty, It's time to go alright, Caleb, 647 00:33:09,320 --> 00:33:11,680 Speaker 1: I'm excited for you. Good luck with the haunts. Thanks 648 00:33:11,720 --> 00:33:15,760 Speaker 1: for joining me. Hey, thanks good luck too, alright and 649 00:33:15,840 --> 00:33:18,160 Speaker 1: joining us on the line. Next is Bow mar Tonic 650 00:33:18,240 --> 00:33:21,920 Speaker 1: from Pennsylvania. From the East meets West Hunt podcast now 651 00:33:21,960 --> 00:33:24,640 Speaker 1: Bow in Pennsylvania. What would you say the buck activity 652 00:33:24,640 --> 00:33:26,520 Speaker 1: has been lately? On a scale of one to ten, 653 00:33:27,560 --> 00:33:30,440 Speaker 1: I would say that the buck activity has been about 654 00:33:30,440 --> 00:33:33,720 Speaker 1: a six, five to six in the last week. And 655 00:33:33,720 --> 00:33:36,560 Speaker 1: and the reason why I would say that is it's 656 00:33:36,720 --> 00:33:39,440 Speaker 1: it was the opening week of deer seasons. There hadn't 657 00:33:39,480 --> 00:33:42,320 Speaker 1: been a ton of pressure yet, and the buck seemed 658 00:33:42,320 --> 00:33:45,440 Speaker 1: to be hitting some of those mass crops and and 659 00:33:45,600 --> 00:33:48,080 Speaker 1: seemed to be some deer hitting the ground. From from 660 00:33:48,080 --> 00:33:51,240 Speaker 1: my own personal experience, I didn't have a ton of luck, 661 00:33:51,320 --> 00:33:53,520 Speaker 1: and of still a lot of nighttime activity and some 662 00:33:53,640 --> 00:33:57,680 Speaker 1: of my locations. But I from from what I've seen, 663 00:33:57,720 --> 00:34:00,520 Speaker 1: I'd say give it about a fire steps As a 664 00:34:00,560 --> 00:34:03,480 Speaker 1: public land hunter in the Big Woods, what sort of 665 00:34:03,480 --> 00:34:05,800 Speaker 1: food sources are you keying in on in mid to 666 00:34:05,920 --> 00:34:09,520 Speaker 1: late October. Uh, there's a couple of different food sources, 667 00:34:09,560 --> 00:34:11,719 Speaker 1: and mostly I'm going to focus on some of the 668 00:34:11,800 --> 00:34:15,239 Speaker 1: mass crops, So looking at some of your the acorns 669 00:34:15,880 --> 00:34:18,080 Speaker 1: um whether that be white or red oak, depending on 670 00:34:18,200 --> 00:34:20,200 Speaker 1: what in what are in the area that I'm in, 671 00:34:21,000 --> 00:34:24,040 Speaker 1: If you can find any apple trees that haven't dropped already, 672 00:34:24,200 --> 00:34:26,800 Speaker 1: the fact that they went through a few different frosts 673 00:34:27,440 --> 00:34:29,680 Speaker 1: seems to almost make them more palatable for the deer. 674 00:34:29,719 --> 00:34:31,479 Speaker 1: They seem to like those ones a little bit better, 675 00:34:31,719 --> 00:34:34,680 Speaker 1: and then the early ones. I don't have a good 676 00:34:34,719 --> 00:34:37,960 Speaker 1: reason for why that is, but it's just my observations. 677 00:34:38,760 --> 00:34:42,040 Speaker 1: And then in addition to that, cherry trees are dropping 678 00:34:42,080 --> 00:34:46,400 Speaker 1: black cherries like rain right now, and they're definitely focusing 679 00:34:46,400 --> 00:34:48,440 Speaker 1: on those. So if you can find an isolated patch 680 00:34:48,560 --> 00:34:52,200 Speaker 1: where they're they're dropping, that can be a very good 681 00:34:52,239 --> 00:34:55,600 Speaker 1: food source. But as we start getting later into October, 682 00:34:56,239 --> 00:34:58,479 Speaker 1: some of that brows and some of as the mass 683 00:34:58,520 --> 00:35:01,840 Speaker 1: drops start to fall, some of that is getting wiped 684 00:35:01,920 --> 00:35:05,440 Speaker 1: up earlier. Looking at some more of the brows features 685 00:35:05,440 --> 00:35:08,480 Speaker 1: that you'll find in some clear cuts and that three 686 00:35:08,520 --> 00:35:10,919 Speaker 1: to eight year old range can be really really good 687 00:35:10,920 --> 00:35:14,920 Speaker 1: food sources when you're doing some in season scouting on 688 00:35:15,000 --> 00:35:17,839 Speaker 1: public land, what are you looking for this time of year? 689 00:35:18,880 --> 00:35:23,080 Speaker 1: Right now, I'm focusing very heavily on scrapes on the 690 00:35:23,239 --> 00:35:26,560 Speaker 1: edge of any sort of bedding cover, in which in 691 00:35:26,600 --> 00:35:28,640 Speaker 1: the big woods, you know a lot of things can 692 00:35:29,080 --> 00:35:31,000 Speaker 1: place into bed but I'm kind of to have the 693 00:35:31,080 --> 00:35:35,080 Speaker 1: highest the highest priority areas areas that look like they're 694 00:35:35,440 --> 00:35:38,279 Speaker 1: in the thicker spots towards the edges of those. If 695 00:35:38,320 --> 00:35:41,200 Speaker 1: I can find any scrapes on the transition, if there 696 00:35:41,320 --> 00:35:44,200 Speaker 1: is a food source of some sort of mass crop 697 00:35:44,680 --> 00:35:48,320 Speaker 1: you know, within reasonable distance of that, that just adds 698 00:35:48,320 --> 00:35:51,319 Speaker 1: to the whole thing. But trying to figure out, you know, 699 00:35:51,520 --> 00:35:55,520 Speaker 1: where where the potential betting areas on scrapes they start 700 00:35:55,520 --> 00:35:58,399 Speaker 1: to really activate up here in uh in this time 701 00:35:58,480 --> 00:36:01,320 Speaker 1: of year. And then also what the hot food sources. 702 00:36:01,360 --> 00:36:02,960 Speaker 1: So those are the things that I'm trying to do. 703 00:36:03,520 --> 00:36:07,200 Speaker 1: UM As far as in in season scouting, you mentioned 704 00:36:07,239 --> 00:36:09,879 Speaker 1: that you're looking for good betting. What does that look 705 00:36:09,960 --> 00:36:13,200 Speaker 1: like in big woods A couple of different things. So 706 00:36:14,160 --> 00:36:16,960 Speaker 1: depending on the steepness of the terrain. If I'm in 707 00:36:16,960 --> 00:36:20,879 Speaker 1: an area that has quite a bit of topography, more 708 00:36:21,000 --> 00:36:24,480 Speaker 1: hill country type stuff, I'm looking for the points of ridges, 709 00:36:24,920 --> 00:36:27,400 Speaker 1: UM where they'll use go around that ridge about a 710 00:36:27,440 --> 00:36:30,720 Speaker 1: hundred eighty degrees and where they might bet they're able 711 00:36:30,760 --> 00:36:33,680 Speaker 1: to use the prevailing wind and the thermal advantage to 712 00:36:33,760 --> 00:36:37,279 Speaker 1: their to their advantage as well as cover so and 713 00:36:37,360 --> 00:36:40,000 Speaker 1: some of the spots that may may not have as 714 00:36:40,080 --> 00:36:43,960 Speaker 1: much terrain um looking for some clear cuts or logging 715 00:36:44,040 --> 00:36:48,000 Speaker 1: cuts that might be anywhere even three years or older. 716 00:36:48,040 --> 00:36:51,480 Speaker 1: But mostly some of those eight fifteen year old cuts 717 00:36:51,600 --> 00:36:55,880 Speaker 1: can be really good betting for the box and does. 718 00:36:56,080 --> 00:36:59,560 Speaker 1: And mostly they're not going to be bedded on the 719 00:36:59,600 --> 00:37:02,239 Speaker 1: interior area of those, although they can be, but most 720 00:37:02,280 --> 00:37:03,839 Speaker 1: of the time they're going to be bedded on the 721 00:37:04,040 --> 00:37:06,600 Speaker 1: edge where they can see out into say the open 722 00:37:06,680 --> 00:37:09,719 Speaker 1: timber or an open field or whatever that might be. 723 00:37:09,800 --> 00:37:11,919 Speaker 1: So those are the couple of things that I'm looking 724 00:37:11,960 --> 00:37:14,560 Speaker 1: for as far as betting. What does a morning set 725 00:37:14,640 --> 00:37:17,400 Speaker 1: up look like for you this time of year? So 726 00:37:17,480 --> 00:37:21,840 Speaker 1: from morning setups, I don't hunt a ton um of 727 00:37:21,960 --> 00:37:25,640 Speaker 1: mornings in in early October, and but I will depending 728 00:37:25,680 --> 00:37:28,600 Speaker 1: on the weather. So if it's if we get a 729 00:37:28,640 --> 00:37:31,640 Speaker 1: cold front like we have coming through here this weekend, 730 00:37:32,080 --> 00:37:34,799 Speaker 1: then I'm definitely gonna be hunting mornings, especially when the 731 00:37:34,840 --> 00:37:37,759 Speaker 1: temperatures are getting down into the thirties. I'm going to 732 00:37:37,800 --> 00:37:41,640 Speaker 1: try to hunt scrapes, and I'm trying to hunt these 733 00:37:41,680 --> 00:37:45,520 Speaker 1: scrapes that are close to bedding and I at this 734 00:37:45,600 --> 00:37:47,520 Speaker 1: time of year, I'm trying to get in very early 735 00:37:47,920 --> 00:37:50,400 Speaker 1: in case you're coming back to that bed, you know, 736 00:37:51,160 --> 00:37:53,600 Speaker 1: ray around first light. But I'm hoping that with the 737 00:37:53,640 --> 00:37:55,520 Speaker 1: cold weather they might stay up on their feet and 738 00:37:55,560 --> 00:37:58,040 Speaker 1: feed a little bit later. Going forward. Then in the 739 00:37:58,080 --> 00:38:00,440 Speaker 1: six week or so, what do you think that BUKTIVT 740 00:38:00,600 --> 00:38:02,360 Speaker 1: is going to be on a scale of one to 741 00:38:02,400 --> 00:38:06,440 Speaker 1: ten in Pennsylvania. I would say that buck activity in 742 00:38:06,480 --> 00:38:09,400 Speaker 1: the next week or so it's going to be possibly 743 00:38:09,440 --> 00:38:11,799 Speaker 1: even up to an eight for the weekend, But I'd 744 00:38:11,840 --> 00:38:13,480 Speaker 1: say for the whole week is still We're not going 745 00:38:13,520 --> 00:38:15,960 Speaker 1: to get much better as far as a round of 746 00:38:16,000 --> 00:38:17,959 Speaker 1: five or six. So if you can hit this cold 747 00:38:18,000 --> 00:38:20,680 Speaker 1: front right, I think some big box are going to 748 00:38:20,800 --> 00:38:23,200 Speaker 1: hit the ground. But other than that, it's supposed to 749 00:38:23,239 --> 00:38:26,480 Speaker 1: warm right back up again, and I think activity will 750 00:38:26,480 --> 00:38:29,239 Speaker 1: be a little bit slower at that point. All right, bo, 751 00:38:29,440 --> 00:38:31,279 Speaker 1: I look forward to your videos and podcast from the 752 00:38:31,360 --> 00:38:33,799 Speaker 1: East meets West. Good luck and thanks for joining me. 753 00:38:34,320 --> 00:38:38,440 Speaker 1: Thanks Spencer and that concludes this week's episode of rut 754 00:38:38,440 --> 00:38:42,360 Speaker 1: Fresh Radio. Thanks to Parker, Alex, Caleb, and Bow for 755 00:38:42,480 --> 00:38:45,480 Speaker 1: joining me, and thank you guys for listening. As always, 756 00:38:45,520 --> 00:38:48,879 Speaker 1: make sure you're following Wired to Hunt on Facebook and Instagram, 757 00:38:49,000 --> 00:38:52,960 Speaker 1: following meat Eater on Facebook and Instagram, and following me 758 00:38:53,160 --> 00:38:56,680 Speaker 1: at Spencer new Hearth on Facebook and Instagram. I hope 759 00:38:56,719 --> 00:39:00,400 Speaker 1: you're subscribed to our newsletter that goes out every single Monday, 760 00:39:00,440 --> 00:39:03,920 Speaker 1: built by me and Mark Kenyon, called Whitetail Weekly. In 761 00:39:04,000 --> 00:39:07,200 Speaker 1: that newsletter, you're gonna find all sorts of relevant information 762 00:39:07,360 --> 00:39:11,959 Speaker 1: from writers like me, Mark, Tony Peterson, Pat Durkin, and more. 763 00:39:12,360 --> 00:39:14,960 Speaker 1: You can subscribe to the newsletter over on our website, 764 00:39:15,160 --> 00:39:17,920 Speaker 1: the meat Eater dot com. I hope you're able to 765 00:39:17,920 --> 00:39:20,560 Speaker 1: beat the October lull and take advantage of the cold 766 00:39:20,600 --> 00:39:24,600 Speaker 1: front that's hitting most of the country today, tomorrow, and Friday. 767 00:39:24,800 --> 00:39:27,359 Speaker 1: I'll talk to you guys next week, but until then, 768 00:39:27,680 --> 00:39:28,760 Speaker 1: stay Wired to Hunt.