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 --> 00:00:10,799 Speaker 1: to the fundamentals of better deer hunting, and now your host, 3 00:00:11,119 --> 00:00:14,800 Speaker 1: Tony Peterson. Hey everyone, welcome to the Wire to Hunt 4 00:00:14,840 --> 00:00:17,760 Speaker 1: Foundations podcast, which is brought to you by First Light. 5 00:00:18,200 --> 00:00:20,880 Speaker 1: This week's episode is dedicated to understanding one of the 6 00:00:21,000 --> 00:00:25,080 Speaker 1: key factors that dictates nearly every day of a buck's life, hunger. 7 00:00:37,880 --> 00:00:39,640 Speaker 1: One of the things I've noticed is I get deeper 8 00:00:39,640 --> 00:00:41,760 Speaker 1: and deeper into my white tailed career is that I 9 00:00:41,800 --> 00:00:44,680 Speaker 1: find myself thinking about dear food more and more. This 10 00:00:44,720 --> 00:00:46,760 Speaker 1: is probably because I usually don't wait for the rut 11 00:00:46,800 --> 00:00:49,920 Speaker 1: to solve my unfilled tag problems, which means most of 12 00:00:49,920 --> 00:00:52,479 Speaker 1: what I've concerned with deer wise is what are they 13 00:00:52,520 --> 00:00:54,480 Speaker 1: going to eat on a daily basis and where are 14 00:00:54,480 --> 00:00:56,680 Speaker 1: they going to do it in a way that keeps 15 00:00:56,720 --> 00:00:59,600 Speaker 1: them safe. That's what this week's show is all about, 16 00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:02,280 Speaker 1: and I think it's a good one because no matter 17 00:01:02,320 --> 00:01:05,119 Speaker 1: where you hunt them, understanding what's on a buck's menu 18 00:01:05,319 --> 00:01:08,240 Speaker 1: throughout the season is usually the key to staying in 19 00:01:08,280 --> 00:01:25,800 Speaker 1: the game and having more encounters. Hey, everybody, Welcome to 20 00:01:25,840 --> 00:01:28,240 Speaker 1: the Wire to Hunt Foundations podcast, brought to you by 21 00:01:28,319 --> 00:01:31,880 Speaker 1: First Light. I'm your host, Tony Peterson. Today's show is 22 00:01:31,959 --> 00:01:34,360 Speaker 1: all about the groceries. We're right in the middle of 23 00:01:34,400 --> 00:01:36,479 Speaker 1: the summer when there is more dear food out there 24 00:01:36,520 --> 00:01:38,400 Speaker 1: than there will be at any time of the year. 25 00:01:38,920 --> 00:01:40,880 Speaker 1: This is a prime time to take a good look 26 00:01:40,920 --> 00:01:42,880 Speaker 1: around to see what the deer in your neighborhood should 27 00:01:42,920 --> 00:01:45,759 Speaker 1: be mowing down on during various parts of the hunting season. 28 00:01:46,400 --> 00:01:50,000 Speaker 1: These groceries will play into your scouting plans, your hunting plans, 29 00:01:50,200 --> 00:01:53,559 Speaker 1: and just about every decision you make dear wise. It's 30 00:01:53,600 --> 00:01:56,840 Speaker 1: also intel that you can build off of in future years. 31 00:01:57,680 --> 00:02:00,440 Speaker 1: If you know or suspect a banging ache on crop 32 00:02:00,520 --> 00:02:03,640 Speaker 1: this season, for example, you've been there and done that 33 00:02:03,640 --> 00:02:07,120 Speaker 1: in the year's past, and ever evolving understanding of current 34 00:02:07,160 --> 00:02:10,920 Speaker 1: deer food, along with past experiences and how deer used 35 00:02:10,919 --> 00:02:14,359 Speaker 1: available calorie sources, will really help you round out a 36 00:02:14,440 --> 00:02:17,919 Speaker 1: higher level hunting game. This is because bucks live by 37 00:02:17,960 --> 00:02:21,360 Speaker 1: their stomach for like forty nine weeks each year, while 38 00:02:21,360 --> 00:02:23,560 Speaker 1: the will to live and they drive to pass on 39 00:02:23,560 --> 00:02:26,519 Speaker 1: their genes can override their immediate needs for some calories. 40 00:02:27,040 --> 00:02:30,000 Speaker 1: Nothing is as constant in a deer's life as food. 41 00:02:30,480 --> 00:02:32,760 Speaker 1: He might alter the time of day he eats due 42 00:02:32,800 --> 00:02:35,799 Speaker 1: to hunting pressure, but he's going to eat. The only 43 00:02:35,800 --> 00:02:37,959 Speaker 1: time he might go really hungry for a few days 44 00:02:38,080 --> 00:02:40,200 Speaker 1: or longer is during the heart of the rut, But 45 00:02:40,280 --> 00:02:42,760 Speaker 1: for most of the hunting season, you've got to understand 46 00:02:42,760 --> 00:02:45,680 Speaker 1: the food sources you're dealing with, and even during the rut, 47 00:02:45,919 --> 00:02:48,080 Speaker 1: the does aren't going to step out of the buffet line, 48 00:02:48,400 --> 00:02:50,959 Speaker 1: which means you know where the bucks will often concentrate 49 00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:55,000 Speaker 1: some of their searching. Concentrate some of their searching because 50 00:02:55,000 --> 00:02:57,720 Speaker 1: it's gonna be around food sources, even if their motivation 51 00:02:57,760 --> 00:02:59,919 Speaker 1: isn't about getting a belly full of clover or corn. 52 00:03:00,560 --> 00:03:02,800 Speaker 1: To start with this process, it's a good idea to 53 00:03:02,800 --> 00:03:08,360 Speaker 1: break down food sources into two meaningful categories, destination and seasonal, 54 00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:12,520 Speaker 1: or you could say primary and secondary. I guess destination 55 00:03:12,560 --> 00:03:15,600 Speaker 1: food sources are the easiest to understand, especially if you 56 00:03:15,680 --> 00:03:18,680 Speaker 1: hunt anywhere near agriculture, but it's not as simple as 57 00:03:18,760 --> 00:03:20,760 Speaker 1: driving along the edge of your chosen hunting grounds and 58 00:03:20,800 --> 00:03:24,600 Speaker 1: eyeballing a nearby soybean field or a corn field. You've 59 00:03:24,600 --> 00:03:27,960 Speaker 1: got to consider all the big food options available and 60 00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:30,760 Speaker 1: then factor that into what it means later on. For 61 00:03:30,880 --> 00:03:34,760 Speaker 1: actual hunting. This is going to very depending on the 62 00:03:34,760 --> 00:03:37,720 Speaker 1: region that you hunt. We all know the typical egg 63 00:03:37,840 --> 00:03:40,240 Speaker 1: offerings in the Midwest and much of the East, but 64 00:03:40,280 --> 00:03:43,040 Speaker 1: what about western white tails. This might be a giant 65 00:03:43,080 --> 00:03:45,760 Speaker 1: irrigated alfalfa field, or maybe just a hay field that's 66 00:03:45,800 --> 00:03:48,040 Speaker 1: cut a few times a year for horses. Maybe you've 67 00:03:48,040 --> 00:03:50,760 Speaker 1: got access to a mile o field or sorghum. Maybe 68 00:03:50,800 --> 00:03:53,760 Speaker 1: sunflowers will factor into your hunt. What if you're down south, 69 00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:57,280 Speaker 1: maybe peanuts will factor into your hunt. Understanding what you 70 00:03:57,320 --> 00:03:59,280 Speaker 1: have to work with at home and when you head 71 00:03:59,280 --> 00:04:01,960 Speaker 1: out on the road matters a lot when it comes 72 00:04:01,960 --> 00:04:05,680 Speaker 1: to hunting white tails. For example, there's nothing I love 73 00:04:05,800 --> 00:04:10,080 Speaker 1: personally more than green soybeans in early to mid September. 74 00:04:10,560 --> 00:04:13,200 Speaker 1: I honestly don't think there's a better draw for bucks, 75 00:04:13,240 --> 00:04:16,240 Speaker 1: and nothing sets you up for an opening weekend kill better. 76 00:04:16,680 --> 00:04:19,080 Speaker 1: If you've got access to a soybean field, then you 77 00:04:19,160 --> 00:04:21,520 Speaker 1: know that in the early season it is highly likely 78 00:04:21,560 --> 00:04:23,520 Speaker 1: that the bucks will end up there throughout the night. 79 00:04:24,279 --> 00:04:27,080 Speaker 1: But what if the neighbor has a nice, lush alfalfa field, 80 00:04:27,760 --> 00:04:29,680 Speaker 1: And what if you've planned a food plot that's full 81 00:04:29,680 --> 00:04:33,000 Speaker 1: of white clover or some other deer munchies. Then it's 82 00:04:33,040 --> 00:04:35,200 Speaker 1: all about the effort it takes to get to various 83 00:04:35,240 --> 00:04:38,800 Speaker 1: food sources and how much pressure will be concentrated on them. 84 00:04:39,000 --> 00:04:42,039 Speaker 1: Deer are browsers, which means they eat a lot of 85 00:04:42,040 --> 00:04:44,800 Speaker 1: different stuff and they seem to like options in their diet, 86 00:04:44,960 --> 00:04:48,159 Speaker 1: just like us. This means that with that soybean field, 87 00:04:48,520 --> 00:04:51,560 Speaker 1: if there are other quality early season food sources around, 88 00:04:52,040 --> 00:04:54,279 Speaker 1: that field might go from like a ten to a seven, 89 00:04:54,279 --> 00:04:56,760 Speaker 1: which is still pretty good. You know that it's very 90 00:04:56,800 --> 00:04:58,320 Speaker 1: likely the bucks on your farm are going to end 91 00:04:58,400 --> 00:05:00,880 Speaker 1: up there at some point and probably a from there 92 00:05:00,920 --> 00:05:03,200 Speaker 1: in the morning. That's a good thing to know. But 93 00:05:03,240 --> 00:05:06,080 Speaker 1: if that soybean field is the only field within three miles, 94 00:05:06,200 --> 00:05:08,839 Speaker 1: that's a different story. Now you can turn it up 95 00:05:08,839 --> 00:05:10,760 Speaker 1: to eleven. You might as well get ready to call 96 00:05:10,800 --> 00:05:12,880 Speaker 1: your tax it or missing prepay for a shoulder mount. 97 00:05:13,240 --> 00:05:16,720 Speaker 1: But that dynamite opening weekend field will yellow up, and 98 00:05:16,720 --> 00:05:19,360 Speaker 1: I don't care what anybody says, a yellow field is 99 00:05:19,480 --> 00:05:21,919 Speaker 1: less of a draw. You can often find low spots 100 00:05:22,000 --> 00:05:24,480 Speaker 1: or shady areas in the field that will stay green longer. 101 00:05:25,160 --> 00:05:27,359 Speaker 1: It's this is a short window situation, though, and it 102 00:05:27,360 --> 00:05:31,360 Speaker 1: can be unbelievable for concentrating bucks. But either way they 103 00:05:31,400 --> 00:05:33,560 Speaker 1: will feed in the yellow soybeans, but just not the 104 00:05:33,640 --> 00:05:36,599 Speaker 1: same level of intensity as if they were green. But 105 00:05:36,680 --> 00:05:39,800 Speaker 1: again this is affected by availability of other food sources. 106 00:05:40,240 --> 00:05:42,640 Speaker 1: The good news is that yellow stage dies pretty quickly 107 00:05:42,680 --> 00:05:45,880 Speaker 1: and they turn brown and dry up. Brown beans are good, 108 00:05:45,960 --> 00:05:47,680 Speaker 1: and they only get better if you've got a nice 109 00:05:47,760 --> 00:05:50,400 Speaker 1: drizzle to hunt them in. Deer really seem to like 110 00:05:50,520 --> 00:05:53,720 Speaker 1: their brown soybeans soggy, which sounds weird, I know, but 111 00:05:53,800 --> 00:05:56,680 Speaker 1: trust me on this. And of course, the whole time 112 00:05:57,080 --> 00:06:01,479 Speaker 1: that hypothetical soybean field is matureing, the season is moving 113 00:06:01,560 --> 00:06:05,200 Speaker 1: right along. This is an important consideration because rock solid 114 00:06:05,240 --> 00:06:08,520 Speaker 1: destination food source can go downhill and then spring back up, 115 00:06:09,360 --> 00:06:12,520 Speaker 1: or it can completely be abandoned for a secondary food 116 00:06:12,560 --> 00:06:14,839 Speaker 1: source that is either coming on strong do the timing, 117 00:06:15,440 --> 00:06:19,039 Speaker 1: or showing up in the form of master browse. One 118 00:06:19,080 --> 00:06:21,880 Speaker 1: source that varies wildly and seems to come and go 119 00:06:22,080 --> 00:06:25,160 Speaker 1: is corn. When corn is in its milky stage, often 120 00:06:25,160 --> 00:06:27,479 Speaker 1: in the late summer, the deer will walk along and 121 00:06:27,560 --> 00:06:29,600 Speaker 1: rip the stocks off, eating a bite here or there 122 00:06:29,920 --> 00:06:33,440 Speaker 1: and generally driving farmers nuts with this behavior. You see 123 00:06:33,480 --> 00:06:35,880 Speaker 1: this a lot when you're glassing row crops in the summer. 124 00:06:36,160 --> 00:06:38,160 Speaker 1: You might also see black bears doing this if you're 125 00:06:38,160 --> 00:06:41,920 Speaker 1: anywhere near them, because they really really love the milky 126 00:06:41,960 --> 00:06:44,120 Speaker 1: stage of corn, and they are a special kind of 127 00:06:44,160 --> 00:06:49,320 Speaker 1: destructive during this stage. By the time the bow season opens, 128 00:06:49,480 --> 00:06:52,840 Speaker 1: that milky corn stage is often gone, and the deer 129 00:06:52,880 --> 00:06:54,960 Speaker 1: will still eat corn, especially if it's the best choice 130 00:06:55,000 --> 00:06:57,400 Speaker 1: they've got, but that depends a lot on how mature 131 00:06:57,400 --> 00:07:00,400 Speaker 1: the crop is. Sometimes corn remains a huge draw throughout 132 00:07:00,400 --> 00:07:03,600 Speaker 1: the season. Other times it tends to ramp up in attractiveness, 133 00:07:03,680 --> 00:07:06,479 Speaker 1: with the peaks occurring as soon as it's combined, and 134 00:07:06,520 --> 00:07:09,400 Speaker 1: then throughout the later season when the temperatures drop. The 135 00:07:09,440 --> 00:07:11,480 Speaker 1: good news about this, just like with a food plot 136 00:07:11,480 --> 00:07:14,720 Speaker 1: you plant yourself, is this is easy stuff to see 137 00:07:14,840 --> 00:07:18,040 Speaker 1: and to file away for later. Use. One good walk 138 00:07:18,200 --> 00:07:20,040 Speaker 1: right now out there on your hunting grounds can tell 139 00:07:20,080 --> 00:07:22,560 Speaker 1: you everything you need to know about the agriculture you're 140 00:07:22,560 --> 00:07:25,680 Speaker 1: dealing with. Take note of the fields and the properties 141 00:07:25,720 --> 00:07:28,440 Speaker 1: you can hunt, and any you can see on places 142 00:07:28,480 --> 00:07:32,680 Speaker 1: you can't hunt. This base level destination food source knowledge 143 00:07:32,680 --> 00:07:39,360 Speaker 1: will factor into your stand locations all season long. But 144 00:07:39,440 --> 00:07:41,280 Speaker 1: what do you do if you aren't anywhere near a 145 00:07:41,320 --> 00:07:43,880 Speaker 1: big soybean field or a cornfield. What if you hunt 146 00:07:43,920 --> 00:07:46,160 Speaker 1: up in wolf country by Canada or some of the 147 00:07:46,200 --> 00:07:48,800 Speaker 1: giant chunks of timber down south, then you've got your 148 00:07:48,800 --> 00:07:51,360 Speaker 1: work cut out for you. But that's okay. Nothing is 149 00:07:51,400 --> 00:07:53,840 Speaker 1: more rewarding than taking a big woods buck that you 150 00:07:53,920 --> 00:07:56,800 Speaker 1: patterned yourself while competing against a litany of two and 151 00:07:56,880 --> 00:08:00,560 Speaker 1: four legged predators. Food sources in those read gents tend 152 00:08:00,560 --> 00:08:04,160 Speaker 1: to fall into the brows category, and brows is a 153 00:08:04,280 --> 00:08:08,080 Speaker 1: moving target. It's also the kind of secondary food source 154 00:08:08,120 --> 00:08:10,400 Speaker 1: that you need to be aware of. The big ease. 155 00:08:10,520 --> 00:08:13,360 Speaker 1: Those destination food sources that we already talked about, they're 156 00:08:13,360 --> 00:08:17,400 Speaker 1: the easy ones. The secondary food sources this here today 157 00:08:17,480 --> 00:08:21,080 Speaker 1: gone to moral food sources. They're different, and knowledge of 158 00:08:21,120 --> 00:08:24,800 Speaker 1: them really separates the deer killers from the squirrel watchers. 159 00:08:25,440 --> 00:08:28,600 Speaker 1: Where I hunt in northern Wisconsin, for example, I've come 160 00:08:28,640 --> 00:08:31,080 Speaker 1: to realize that it's not as important for me to 161 00:08:31,120 --> 00:08:34,200 Speaker 1: know exactly what plants the deer keying on as much 162 00:08:34,240 --> 00:08:37,200 Speaker 1: as it is to know where they'll be keying on. Brows. 163 00:08:37,600 --> 00:08:40,600 Speaker 1: Soft edges and clear cuts are huge for this. Just 164 00:08:40,679 --> 00:08:43,560 Speaker 1: about any spot where two types of cover meat. Typically 165 00:08:43,600 --> 00:08:46,480 Speaker 1: new growth and old growth will feature a brows line 166 00:08:46,480 --> 00:08:49,920 Speaker 1: of some sort. These are also just natural travel routes 167 00:08:49,960 --> 00:08:52,959 Speaker 1: and often used as betting areas as well. They are 168 00:08:53,000 --> 00:08:56,960 Speaker 1: also often visible on satellite imagery, but it's always worth 169 00:08:56,960 --> 00:08:59,800 Speaker 1: getting in to see them in person. The same goes 170 00:08:59,840 --> 00:09:03,360 Speaker 1: for areas with slight elevation changes. Low swampy ground that 171 00:09:03,400 --> 00:09:06,000 Speaker 1: buts up to the higher woods will usually feature a 172 00:09:06,000 --> 00:09:08,520 Speaker 1: brows line, or at least have the potential to become 173 00:09:08,559 --> 00:09:11,400 Speaker 1: a browsing area at some point in the fall. Satellite 174 00:09:11,400 --> 00:09:14,640 Speaker 1: imagery is huge for identifying these spots, but you gotta 175 00:09:14,679 --> 00:09:17,679 Speaker 1: get in, you gotta walk them again. This isn't necessarily 176 00:09:17,720 --> 00:09:20,959 Speaker 1: about identifying the perfect to die for food source that 177 00:09:21,000 --> 00:09:23,320 Speaker 1: comes in on October five and disappears a week later. 178 00:09:23,880 --> 00:09:26,600 Speaker 1: It's about identifying the places bucks are most likely to 179 00:09:26,600 --> 00:09:29,760 Speaker 1: spend time during daylight in a quest to quite the 180 00:09:29,800 --> 00:09:32,960 Speaker 1: rumble in their bellies and not become a food source themselves. 181 00:09:33,280 --> 00:09:36,559 Speaker 1: I personally think deers that live off of mostly brows 182 00:09:36,600 --> 00:09:38,960 Speaker 1: are the toughest to kill because they tend to be 183 00:09:39,120 --> 00:09:43,200 Speaker 1: low density, low visibility critters that don't have a lot 184 00:09:43,240 --> 00:09:45,600 Speaker 1: of predictability to them. But when you hunt areas where 185 00:09:45,600 --> 00:09:49,079 Speaker 1: the primary food sources, whatever is blooming or appealing this week. 186 00:09:49,800 --> 00:09:52,640 Speaker 1: Then you really learn to focus on areas that deer 187 00:09:52,720 --> 00:09:56,120 Speaker 1: generally like to be. Eventually you find those spots that 188 00:09:56,160 --> 00:09:59,080 Speaker 1: are also the places where big bucks prefer. And that's 189 00:09:59,120 --> 00:10:01,640 Speaker 1: the foundation of developing a big woods pattern. A lot 190 00:10:01,679 --> 00:10:05,440 Speaker 1: of times that's based around the groceries. And you're probably thinking, Okay, 191 00:10:05,480 --> 00:10:08,240 Speaker 1: but what about mass Can I just find a few 192 00:10:08,240 --> 00:10:10,559 Speaker 1: oak trees and wait for them to rain nutty goodness down? 193 00:10:11,800 --> 00:10:14,920 Speaker 1: H Yes and no. You should scout for oak trees 194 00:10:14,920 --> 00:10:17,360 Speaker 1: if they're available or in your area. You absolutely should. 195 00:10:17,679 --> 00:10:20,319 Speaker 1: You should know how to identify white oaks with their rounded, 196 00:10:20,400 --> 00:10:23,120 Speaker 1: low beleaves versus red oaks with their pointed leaves. And 197 00:10:23,120 --> 00:10:25,760 Speaker 1: you should understand why white oaks could be on fire 198 00:10:25,800 --> 00:10:28,880 Speaker 1: in October while the red oak acorns with their increased 199 00:10:28,880 --> 00:10:32,040 Speaker 1: tannin levels might not factor in until December when it's 200 00:10:32,080 --> 00:10:35,560 Speaker 1: time to munch on the table scraps. Understand that specific 201 00:10:35,600 --> 00:10:38,679 Speaker 1: trees don't drop every single season. This means that throughout 202 00:10:38,720 --> 00:10:40,800 Speaker 1: your summer scouting, you should pay close attention to which 203 00:10:40,800 --> 00:10:43,280 Speaker 1: oak trees are actually filling up with acorns versus the 204 00:10:43,280 --> 00:10:48,120 Speaker 1: ones that aren't masked. Investigation is something you can do 205 00:10:48,280 --> 00:10:51,600 Speaker 1: right now, and you can file away that data for later, 206 00:10:52,240 --> 00:10:54,240 Speaker 1: like early October when you're wondering where the hell the 207 00:10:54,240 --> 00:10:59,040 Speaker 1: bucks have gone. Mast can be unbelievable, especially on public 208 00:10:59,120 --> 00:11:01,920 Speaker 1: land where destination food sources either don't exist, or if 209 00:11:01,960 --> 00:11:05,720 Speaker 1: they do exist, they get hunted so hard no self 210 00:11:05,720 --> 00:11:08,040 Speaker 1: respecting deer bigger than a button buck would step out 211 00:11:08,040 --> 00:11:10,280 Speaker 1: on it in the daylight. I think for the hunter 212 00:11:10,320 --> 00:11:12,360 Speaker 1: who shares the woods with a lot of other hunters, 213 00:11:12,880 --> 00:11:15,400 Speaker 1: keeping your finger on the pulse of mass, both hard 214 00:11:15,440 --> 00:11:18,679 Speaker 1: and soft mass is the best bet for having good 215 00:11:18,800 --> 00:11:22,800 Speaker 1: productive sits all season long row crops and typical agriculture 216 00:11:23,040 --> 00:11:26,520 Speaker 1: those are low hanging fruit pun intended. Anyone with a 217 00:11:26,559 --> 00:11:28,600 Speaker 1: common sense God gave a toad knows that deer will 218 00:11:28,600 --> 00:11:31,320 Speaker 1: come to a bean field to eat that oak ridge 219 00:11:31,400 --> 00:11:33,840 Speaker 1: that draws in deer only for a short time frame. 220 00:11:34,280 --> 00:11:36,600 Speaker 1: Or maybe the pattern where maple leaves fall after a 221 00:11:36,640 --> 00:11:38,640 Speaker 1: hard frost and they get gobbled up by the deer. 222 00:11:39,080 --> 00:11:42,439 Speaker 1: That's a different story. You've got to know when and 223 00:11:42,480 --> 00:11:45,120 Speaker 1: where that is likely to happen, and then take advantage 224 00:11:45,160 --> 00:11:47,160 Speaker 1: of it in the moment, Just like the deer do. 225 00:11:48,040 --> 00:11:51,360 Speaker 1: This is the kind of woodsmanship that does really separate 226 00:11:51,400 --> 00:11:53,760 Speaker 1: the folks who can fill tags from the folks who 227 00:11:53,800 --> 00:11:56,960 Speaker 1: want to. It's also the best evidence in the strong 228 00:11:57,080 --> 00:12:00,000 Speaker 1: argument that paying attention while you're on stand and glass 229 00:12:00,040 --> 00:12:02,440 Speaker 1: thing a lot is a better way to spend your 230 00:12:02,480 --> 00:12:05,400 Speaker 1: time than sliding into some strangers instagram d ms like 231 00:12:05,440 --> 00:12:08,240 Speaker 1: a creeper. The hard part about all of this is 232 00:12:08,320 --> 00:12:11,080 Speaker 1: looking at the woods in August, looking at it right now, 233 00:12:11,600 --> 00:12:13,880 Speaker 1: and then shining up the old crystal ball to decide 234 00:12:13,880 --> 00:12:15,960 Speaker 1: when some oaks or apple trees will be the ticket, 235 00:12:16,520 --> 00:12:18,760 Speaker 1: or when the persimmon situation is going to be on fire, 236 00:12:18,880 --> 00:12:20,640 Speaker 1: or maybe the grapes or the elder berries or some 237 00:12:20,679 --> 00:12:24,160 Speaker 1: other soft mast right now. You probably can't know that. 238 00:12:24,520 --> 00:12:26,920 Speaker 1: You can know where those spots are, which is a 239 00:12:26,920 --> 00:12:30,439 Speaker 1: good start. You can also head your bets on seasonality 240 00:12:30,480 --> 00:12:33,840 Speaker 1: of some of the masked food sources acorns, for example, 241 00:12:34,400 --> 00:12:36,400 Speaker 1: and at least much of the white tail range will 242 00:12:36,440 --> 00:12:39,880 Speaker 1: be a September October option. Maple leaves will come into 243 00:12:39,880 --> 00:12:42,280 Speaker 1: play much closer to the rut when the hard frost 244 00:12:42,640 --> 00:12:46,040 Speaker 1: really start to get consistent. And aside to all of this, 245 00:12:46,200 --> 00:12:49,960 Speaker 1: mass talk is something that I'm just absolutely convinced of 246 00:12:50,720 --> 00:12:54,839 Speaker 1: is that both hard and soft masked options often contribute 247 00:12:54,840 --> 00:12:58,400 Speaker 1: to that feeling that the October lull is real. There 248 00:12:58,400 --> 00:13:01,160 Speaker 1: are other factors going on there, of course, But when 249 00:13:01,160 --> 00:13:03,720 Speaker 1: the fields have been hunted hard, the leaves are falling in, 250 00:13:03,720 --> 00:13:07,120 Speaker 1: the woods are becoming more open by the day, and 251 00:13:07,440 --> 00:13:10,080 Speaker 1: there is a bounty of here today gone tomorrow food 252 00:13:10,120 --> 00:13:13,560 Speaker 1: back in the security cover, it only makes sense that 253 00:13:13,600 --> 00:13:16,880 Speaker 1: the deer would eat where they feel safest. Just like 254 00:13:16,920 --> 00:13:19,680 Speaker 1: with water sources, food sources that allow the bucks to 255 00:13:19,679 --> 00:13:22,840 Speaker 1: stay in their comfort zone are always better ambush sites. 256 00:13:23,360 --> 00:13:25,360 Speaker 1: The goal with all of this is to plug in 257 00:13:25,600 --> 00:13:28,280 Speaker 1: various pieces that could come into play with natural deer 258 00:13:28,280 --> 00:13:32,800 Speaker 1: movement come fall. Understand the biggias like destination food sources 259 00:13:32,800 --> 00:13:36,120 Speaker 1: and when they should be the biggest attractions for the deer. 260 00:13:37,200 --> 00:13:39,200 Speaker 1: That'll tell you where the deer are going to end 261 00:13:39,280 --> 00:13:41,880 Speaker 1: up at night and start from in the morning. Sometimes 262 00:13:41,960 --> 00:13:43,560 Speaker 1: that's all you need to know to fill a tag, 263 00:13:43,920 --> 00:13:46,040 Speaker 1: but that's also just a starting point for a lot 264 00:13:46,080 --> 00:13:49,640 Speaker 1: of us. The secondary seasonal food sources are the ones 265 00:13:49,760 --> 00:13:53,280 Speaker 1: that really allow you to pin down season long ambush sites. 266 00:13:53,960 --> 00:13:55,959 Speaker 1: These are the ones that you should be looking at 267 00:13:56,600 --> 00:13:59,280 Speaker 1: right now that you can really wrap your head around 268 00:13:59,320 --> 00:14:01,720 Speaker 1: those areas are most likely to hunt when the hunting 269 00:14:01,720 --> 00:14:04,960 Speaker 1: gets tough, and and even if they aren't season long, 270 00:14:05,040 --> 00:14:07,560 Speaker 1: like a good funnel or a pinch point, if you 271 00:14:07,679 --> 00:14:10,160 Speaker 1: have a series of them, or you have enough of them, 272 00:14:10,520 --> 00:14:13,480 Speaker 1: you can fill up an entire season. Even though this 273 00:14:13,520 --> 00:14:15,880 Speaker 1: one food source will will be hot this week and 274 00:14:15,920 --> 00:14:18,120 Speaker 1: not next week, you have something to move on to 275 00:14:18,320 --> 00:14:21,480 Speaker 1: throughout that entire season. And as you're out there right 276 00:14:21,480 --> 00:14:25,880 Speaker 1: now and you're wandering around looking for these spots, take notes. 277 00:14:26,280 --> 00:14:28,480 Speaker 1: Not only have the primary food sources out there, but 278 00:14:28,680 --> 00:14:33,320 Speaker 1: especially of the potential secondary food sources. Drop some way points, 279 00:14:33,520 --> 00:14:36,240 Speaker 1: give yourself a chance, give yourself a picture of what 280 00:14:36,320 --> 00:14:39,120 Speaker 1: it's likely to be available to the deer throughout the season, 281 00:14:39,400 --> 00:14:42,800 Speaker 1: so you can call up in the moment strategy, or 282 00:14:42,880 --> 00:14:46,240 Speaker 1: at least have enough information to go do a little 283 00:14:46,280 --> 00:14:49,360 Speaker 1: in season scouting to see if your food source hunches 284 00:14:49,400 --> 00:14:52,080 Speaker 1: were spot on or not. This gives you the chance 285 00:14:52,120 --> 00:14:54,720 Speaker 1: to make better decisions throughout the season based on what 286 00:14:54,800 --> 00:14:57,960 Speaker 1: could be drawing in the bucks this very week or 287 00:14:58,040 --> 00:15:00,880 Speaker 1: that very week. This is a crew shul strategy for 288 00:15:00,920 --> 00:15:04,560 Speaker 1: public land hunters as well. As anyone who hunts private 289 00:15:04,600 --> 00:15:08,120 Speaker 1: ground with plenty of competition. But it's also something worth 290 00:15:08,160 --> 00:15:10,520 Speaker 1: considering even if you own your own piece of dirt 291 00:15:10,720 --> 00:15:13,600 Speaker 1: or have exclusive access to some ground through a lease 292 00:15:13,720 --> 00:15:17,600 Speaker 1: or through permission. In fact, these two scenarios right there, 293 00:15:18,360 --> 00:15:20,640 Speaker 1: they're the ones that often give us license to be 294 00:15:20,680 --> 00:15:23,080 Speaker 1: a little lazy because we think that we only need 295 00:15:23,120 --> 00:15:24,840 Speaker 1: to wait for the deer to come to the destination 296 00:15:24,880 --> 00:15:27,800 Speaker 1: food and then it's over. Anyone who has hunted mature 297 00:15:27,840 --> 00:15:30,080 Speaker 1: bucks for a few years knows that's far from a 298 00:15:30,160 --> 00:15:33,800 Speaker 1: sure thing. Even on really good deer ground, those private 299 00:15:33,880 --> 00:15:36,720 Speaker 1: land bucks will sit back and they'll eat white acorns 300 00:15:36,760 --> 00:15:38,880 Speaker 1: just as much as a public land deer would. And 301 00:15:38,920 --> 00:15:41,120 Speaker 1: you can bet if there's one little patch of right 302 00:15:41,200 --> 00:15:43,800 Speaker 1: per Simmons, they're going to know about it. They'll know 303 00:15:43,880 --> 00:15:46,120 Speaker 1: about the apple tree that's dropping, and they'll get in 304 00:15:46,160 --> 00:15:48,840 Speaker 1: there after a front blows through and the gusty winds 305 00:15:48,840 --> 00:15:52,520 Speaker 1: shake a bunch of granny smiths free. This is their world, 306 00:15:52,680 --> 00:15:54,400 Speaker 1: even if we have the key to the gate, and 307 00:15:54,440 --> 00:15:57,120 Speaker 1: knowing how they fill their bellies by the day, it's 308 00:15:57,400 --> 00:16:00,480 Speaker 1: real important. So get out there now and start making 309 00:16:00,520 --> 00:16:03,280 Speaker 1: a grocery list and keep listening to this podcast, because 310 00:16:03,360 --> 00:16:06,080 Speaker 1: next week is all about trail camera recon and what 311 00:16:06,240 --> 00:16:08,280 Speaker 1: to do with all of those images and videos you've 312 00:16:08,280 --> 00:16:13,600 Speaker 1: been capturing all summer long. That's all I got for 313 00:16:13,600 --> 00:16:16,120 Speaker 1: you this week, my white tail loving friends. Be sure 314 00:16:16,160 --> 00:16:19,080 Speaker 1: to tune in next week as we move from dear 315 00:16:19,120 --> 00:16:22,120 Speaker 1: groceries back into the world of trail cameras to decide 316 00:16:22,120 --> 00:16:24,560 Speaker 1: how to use all of the images and videos we're getting. 317 00:16:25,000 --> 00:16:27,360 Speaker 1: I'm Tony Peterson and this has been wired to Hunt 318 00:16:27,440 --> 00:16:31,400 Speaker 1: Foundations podcast. As always, Thank you so much for listening, 319 00:16:31,480 --> 00:16:33,480 Speaker 1: and we will see you right here next week.