1 00:00:01,280 --> 00:00:05,120 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Wired to Hunt Foundations podcast, your guide 2 00:00:05,120 --> 00:00:08,920 Speaker 1: to the fundamentals of better deer hunting, presented by first Light, 3 00:00:09,240 --> 00:00:13,600 Speaker 1: creating proven versatile hunting apparel for the stand, saddle or blind. 4 00:00:14,120 --> 00:00:18,680 Speaker 1: First Light, Go Farther, Stay Longer, and now your host 5 00:00:19,040 --> 00:00:19,959 Speaker 1: Tony Peterson. 6 00:00:20,360 --> 00:00:22,720 Speaker 2: Hey everyone, welcome to the Wired to Hunt Foundation's podcast, 7 00:00:22,720 --> 00:00:24,360 Speaker 2: which is brought to you by first Light. I'm your host, 8 00:00:24,360 --> 00:00:27,440 Speaker 2: Tony Peterson, and today's episode is all about building a 9 00:00:27,480 --> 00:00:29,720 Speaker 2: plan to fill your buck tag in the first few 10 00:00:29,800 --> 00:00:37,520 Speaker 2: days of your season. Maybe I'm just a little biased here, 11 00:00:37,600 --> 00:00:40,440 Speaker 2: but it feels like so much of the white tail 12 00:00:40,479 --> 00:00:43,200 Speaker 2: content out there these days is just centered around rut hunting. 13 00:00:43,800 --> 00:00:45,400 Speaker 2: I feel like I just don't see or hear as 14 00:00:45,479 --> 00:00:47,400 Speaker 2: much about early season hunting as I used to. But 15 00:00:47,440 --> 00:00:50,839 Speaker 2: maybe I'm wrong. I don't think I am, But honestly, 16 00:00:51,400 --> 00:00:53,720 Speaker 2: it doesn't matter. It probably has a lot to do 17 00:00:54,160 --> 00:00:56,560 Speaker 2: with how many more products there are to sell around 18 00:00:56,640 --> 00:00:59,320 Speaker 2: rut hunts than hot September hunts. I don't know. What 19 00:00:59,440 --> 00:01:02,640 Speaker 2: I do know is that there are a few days 20 00:01:02,640 --> 00:01:06,039 Speaker 2: of any given season right at the beginning that are 21 00:01:06,240 --> 00:01:08,000 Speaker 2: my best bet for killing a big one, and they 22 00:01:08,000 --> 00:01:10,240 Speaker 2: could be yours. Too, So buckle up, because that's what 23 00:01:10,280 --> 00:01:16,800 Speaker 2: I'm going to talk about right now. In a past life, 24 00:01:16,880 --> 00:01:19,160 Speaker 2: I worked for a fellow who worked for a fellow 25 00:01:19,480 --> 00:01:21,880 Speaker 2: who was the biggest raging narcissist I've ever met in 26 00:01:21,920 --> 00:01:24,920 Speaker 2: my life. If you've ever heard of the dark triad, 27 00:01:25,240 --> 00:01:30,360 Speaker 2: which is a psychological theory about personality types that are well, 28 00:01:30,800 --> 00:01:32,800 Speaker 2: not a whole lot of fun to be around, this 29 00:01:32,840 --> 00:01:36,360 Speaker 2: guy fit neatly into all three categories. While my interaction 30 00:01:36,440 --> 00:01:39,319 Speaker 2: with him was pretty limited, it never surprised me when 31 00:01:39,319 --> 00:01:41,920 Speaker 2: an email or a text would show up, often at 32 00:01:41,959 --> 00:01:44,399 Speaker 2: like midnight or one in the morning, when he just 33 00:01:44,440 --> 00:01:47,640 Speaker 2: had something shitty to say. Since I was a contractor, 34 00:01:47,760 --> 00:01:49,880 Speaker 2: it didn't bother me too much because I could more 35 00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:51,800 Speaker 2: or less walk away at any given point and tell 36 00:01:51,840 --> 00:01:54,160 Speaker 2: the whole organization to go kick rocks in the street. 37 00:01:54,480 --> 00:01:56,960 Speaker 2: And that's eventually what I did, And that was in 38 00:01:57,000 --> 00:01:58,920 Speaker 2: no small part due to the fact that I didn't 39 00:01:58,920 --> 00:02:01,600 Speaker 2: want to help that guy make money or be associated 40 00:02:01,600 --> 00:02:04,600 Speaker 2: with him in any real way or watch how he 41 00:02:04,680 --> 00:02:08,519 Speaker 2: treated the coworkers I actually really liked and respected. One 42 00:02:08,520 --> 00:02:10,720 Speaker 2: of the things that I'll never forget he liked to say, 43 00:02:11,200 --> 00:02:13,680 Speaker 2: since we were in the hunting industry and creating content 44 00:02:13,760 --> 00:02:17,440 Speaker 2: based around different categories. In the bow world was that 45 00:02:17,480 --> 00:02:20,880 Speaker 2: we had a first amongst equals policy. What he meant 46 00:02:20,880 --> 00:02:24,600 Speaker 2: by that was, for example, if we were covering new bows, 47 00:02:25,120 --> 00:02:28,680 Speaker 2: the biggest advertisers got the top spots, and whoever spent 48 00:02:28,720 --> 00:02:30,880 Speaker 2: the most was going to get the lead image as well. 49 00:02:31,560 --> 00:02:34,200 Speaker 2: Over the years that I worked there, it became pretty 50 00:02:34,200 --> 00:02:38,239 Speaker 2: clear that first amongst equals was some well grade a bullshit, 51 00:02:38,760 --> 00:02:40,440 Speaker 2: And I don't know why we even had to pretend 52 00:02:40,480 --> 00:02:42,640 Speaker 2: it was a thing. It was like we were gaslighting 53 00:02:42,639 --> 00:02:46,560 Speaker 2: ourselves or something. The bow companies, they weren't equal because 54 00:02:46,560 --> 00:02:48,880 Speaker 2: to get top billing you simply had to outspend everyone 55 00:02:48,919 --> 00:02:52,200 Speaker 2: else in your category. And that was that. Now he'd 56 00:02:52,240 --> 00:02:55,799 Speaker 2: label all companies equals, even the ones that spent far 57 00:02:55,880 --> 00:02:58,440 Speaker 2: less than others and some that didn't spend at all. 58 00:02:58,760 --> 00:03:00,440 Speaker 2: But that's not how it shook out, and we all 59 00:03:00,520 --> 00:03:03,520 Speaker 2: knew it. This is a side note here, but I 60 00:03:03,520 --> 00:03:06,440 Speaker 2: think the reason people get so crabby and generally disgusted 61 00:03:06,480 --> 00:03:08,640 Speaker 2: with the world as they settle firmly into middle age 62 00:03:08,680 --> 00:03:10,519 Speaker 2: is because because you see so much of this stuff 63 00:03:10,520 --> 00:03:13,960 Speaker 2: in society. There's so many ways to lie without lying, 64 00:03:14,320 --> 00:03:16,720 Speaker 2: yet everyone knows it's happening, and after a while, you're 65 00:03:16,800 --> 00:03:20,840 Speaker 2: tolerance for that kind of thing wears pretty thin. Anyway, 66 00:03:21,760 --> 00:03:24,760 Speaker 2: First amongst equals isn't a real thing, because it's not true. 67 00:03:25,200 --> 00:03:27,360 Speaker 2: Being considered first in a review is just a matter 68 00:03:27,400 --> 00:03:29,680 Speaker 2: of playing the game with a marketing budget that's bigger 69 00:03:29,720 --> 00:03:33,880 Speaker 2: than your competitors, and being first matters a lot. You 70 00:03:33,960 --> 00:03:36,720 Speaker 2: want that lead image because you get the brand recognition. 71 00:03:37,160 --> 00:03:39,960 Speaker 2: You want your product shown in use in a way 72 00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:43,320 Speaker 2: that stirs something in the audience. It makes them subconsciously 73 00:03:43,360 --> 00:03:45,880 Speaker 2: connect your product to something they hold near and dear 74 00:03:45,920 --> 00:03:49,119 Speaker 2: to their hearts. You want the best write up, too, 75 00:03:49,240 --> 00:03:51,880 Speaker 2: because the people who actually read those things are somewhat 76 00:03:51,880 --> 00:03:54,560 Speaker 2: influenced by the words that come from some place of 77 00:03:54,640 --> 00:03:58,839 Speaker 2: perceived authority. And while I'm kind of being totally negative here, 78 00:03:59,080 --> 00:04:01,360 Speaker 2: I will say there were chances to provide a good 79 00:04:01,400 --> 00:04:03,800 Speaker 2: service to the readers in that role. It wasn't all 80 00:04:03,880 --> 00:04:06,160 Speaker 2: just smoke and mirrors, and it felt good to build 81 00:04:06,200 --> 00:04:08,640 Speaker 2: and test a new bow that you generally believe was 82 00:04:08,680 --> 00:04:11,600 Speaker 2: a good product. Things are, you know, often not so 83 00:04:11,680 --> 00:04:14,680 Speaker 2: black and white. What is, though, is that being first 84 00:04:14,840 --> 00:04:18,080 Speaker 2: is often a very good thing. This is something I 85 00:04:18,200 --> 00:04:21,200 Speaker 2: used to believe about white tails, but really started to 86 00:04:21,240 --> 00:04:23,520 Speaker 2: figure out when I headed out west to hunt river 87 00:04:23,560 --> 00:04:26,480 Speaker 2: bottom deer in public land. What that taught me was 88 00:04:26,520 --> 00:04:28,080 Speaker 2: that if I can get eyes on a book or 89 00:04:28,120 --> 00:04:30,760 Speaker 2: a bachelor group at least for a day or two 90 00:04:30,760 --> 00:04:32,919 Speaker 2: of their travels, and if no one goes in and 91 00:04:32,960 --> 00:04:35,440 Speaker 2: messes with those deer, I could kill them with a 92 00:04:35,480 --> 00:04:38,440 Speaker 2: frequency that doesn't exist in any other part of the season. 93 00:04:39,480 --> 00:04:42,120 Speaker 2: Of course, that's just me. There might be people listening 94 00:04:42,160 --> 00:04:44,520 Speaker 2: to this who have an unbelievable rot spot or a 95 00:04:44,600 --> 00:04:47,560 Speaker 2: late season food source that's just banging, you know, where 96 00:04:47,600 --> 00:04:50,880 Speaker 2: every other opportunity outshines the opening few days of the season. 97 00:04:51,200 --> 00:04:53,760 Speaker 2: There are a lot of variables involved in white tail hunting. 98 00:04:54,520 --> 00:04:56,960 Speaker 2: But here's the thing, though, no matter where you hunt, 99 00:04:57,400 --> 00:04:59,840 Speaker 2: you probably still have a really good chance of patterning 100 00:04:59,839 --> 00:05:02,640 Speaker 2: it a big deer and shooting him in the first 101 00:05:02,640 --> 00:05:05,360 Speaker 2: few days of the season. If you haven't been paying 102 00:05:05,360 --> 00:05:08,159 Speaker 2: attention to this podcast, let me let you in on 103 00:05:08,200 --> 00:05:10,800 Speaker 2: a little secret that I truly believe. And it's that 104 00:05:11,000 --> 00:05:15,240 Speaker 2: way way way too many hunters think they can phone 105 00:05:15,279 --> 00:05:17,760 Speaker 2: it in until the rut and then they'll be just fine. 106 00:05:18,800 --> 00:05:21,280 Speaker 2: I think if there is a hint of self doubt 107 00:05:21,320 --> 00:05:24,279 Speaker 2: in that idea, or if you just flat out no 108 00:05:25,120 --> 00:05:27,800 Speaker 2: from enough experience that the rut is far from a 109 00:05:27,839 --> 00:05:30,640 Speaker 2: sure thing when it comes to a taxidermy bill, you 110 00:05:30,680 --> 00:05:34,760 Speaker 2: should probably think about early season hunting. Now, there's something 111 00:05:34,760 --> 00:05:36,880 Speaker 2: worth breaking down here before I get into how I 112 00:05:36,960 --> 00:05:41,200 Speaker 2: develop a good pattern. It's opener timing. If you're in 113 00:05:41,240 --> 00:05:43,599 Speaker 2: a state with an early September opener, your odds of 114 00:05:43,680 --> 00:05:47,560 Speaker 2: identifying a pattern and capitalizing on it are just better 115 00:05:47,640 --> 00:05:50,839 Speaker 2: than states with a mid September opener. And those folks 116 00:05:50,920 --> 00:05:53,440 Speaker 2: have it better than anyone waiting until October one or 117 00:05:53,520 --> 00:05:58,400 Speaker 2: later for their opener. What everyone has in common, regardless 118 00:05:58,440 --> 00:06:01,800 Speaker 2: of opening day specific, is that the first few days 119 00:06:01,800 --> 00:06:03,560 Speaker 2: of the season are when you can catch a big 120 00:06:03,600 --> 00:06:06,920 Speaker 2: one slippin'. Even though they might catch on to the 121 00:06:06,960 --> 00:06:09,640 Speaker 2: program pretty quickly when the truck starts showing up in 122 00:06:09,680 --> 00:06:12,599 Speaker 2: the dark before first light, it seems like it takes 123 00:06:12,680 --> 00:06:15,400 Speaker 2: them a couple of days to start layering back into 124 00:06:15,480 --> 00:06:17,480 Speaker 2: the cover and avoiding hunters in a way that they 125 00:06:17,480 --> 00:06:21,000 Speaker 2: are really good at. It's also true that individual hunting 126 00:06:21,040 --> 00:06:24,240 Speaker 2: spots will lend themselves to better opening weekend hunting than others. 127 00:06:25,080 --> 00:06:27,680 Speaker 2: When I'm an egg country, for example, or out west, 128 00:06:27,760 --> 00:06:30,839 Speaker 2: like I mentioned earlier, I feel like finding good dear 129 00:06:30,960 --> 00:06:33,840 Speaker 2: and at least starting to tease out their patterns is 130 00:06:33,880 --> 00:06:36,800 Speaker 2: as easy as it gets out there. I'm sure it's 131 00:06:36,800 --> 00:06:39,359 Speaker 2: easier on premier properties with food plots, but I'm not 132 00:06:39,400 --> 00:06:42,000 Speaker 2: talking to very many of those folks. And whether you're 133 00:06:42,080 --> 00:06:45,440 Speaker 2: on private or public, if you have an opportunity to 134 00:06:45,480 --> 00:06:49,120 Speaker 2: glass food sources, you should do that. It's the easiest 135 00:06:49,120 --> 00:06:51,240 Speaker 2: way to kill a big buck. But it's still not 136 00:06:51,279 --> 00:06:54,080 Speaker 2: that easy. Now. I know you wanted something a little 137 00:06:54,080 --> 00:06:56,600 Speaker 2: sturdier to stand on here, but I can't give you that. 138 00:06:57,160 --> 00:06:59,240 Speaker 2: What I can give you is how I develop an 139 00:06:59,240 --> 00:07:01,479 Speaker 2: early season plan to try to fill tags right away. 140 00:07:02,000 --> 00:07:05,200 Speaker 2: So let me start with a simple one. You may 141 00:07:05,240 --> 00:07:07,560 Speaker 2: have heard me mention that my daughters take after their 142 00:07:07,600 --> 00:07:10,520 Speaker 2: old man and that they really like just shooting deer. 143 00:07:11,120 --> 00:07:13,600 Speaker 2: They aren't trophy hunters yet. They want to get into 144 00:07:13,600 --> 00:07:15,920 Speaker 2: a blind or a stand in September and have something 145 00:07:16,000 --> 00:07:19,640 Speaker 2: walk by within twenty yards and that's about it. So 146 00:07:19,800 --> 00:07:22,600 Speaker 2: for them, I don't need to glass a whole lot. 147 00:07:23,040 --> 00:07:26,160 Speaker 2: I'm not developing a pattern for a specific buck, well 148 00:07:26,360 --> 00:07:28,840 Speaker 2: sort of. When it comes to the consistency of the 149 00:07:28,920 --> 00:07:31,640 Speaker 2: kind of bucks they want to shoot, some trail cameras 150 00:07:31,640 --> 00:07:33,360 Speaker 2: can pretty much tell me what I need to know. 151 00:07:34,120 --> 00:07:37,000 Speaker 2: Young bucks are pretty dumb, and they often move early, 152 00:07:37,200 --> 00:07:39,080 Speaker 2: and when they get on a soybean field or a 153 00:07:39,160 --> 00:07:42,040 Speaker 2: kill plot or a little pond pattern, they tend to 154 00:07:42,080 --> 00:07:45,520 Speaker 2: stay on that pattern. Now, while that sounds easy enough, 155 00:07:45,560 --> 00:07:48,440 Speaker 2: it's just a start. I still need a setup for 156 00:07:48,480 --> 00:07:51,400 Speaker 2: them that will put my daughters within like twenty yards 157 00:07:52,280 --> 00:07:54,880 Speaker 2: of that deer or those deer. And this has to 158 00:07:54,920 --> 00:07:57,080 Speaker 2: have good access, and it has to take into account 159 00:07:57,160 --> 00:08:00,119 Speaker 2: the likely south or west winds we will deal with. 160 00:08:00,920 --> 00:08:02,520 Speaker 2: The Way to get around all of that is to 161 00:08:02,560 --> 00:08:05,560 Speaker 2: find those spots now and set them up without worrying 162 00:08:05,560 --> 00:08:09,080 Speaker 2: too much about gathering mountains of data. I know this 163 00:08:09,160 --> 00:08:11,560 Speaker 2: sounds easy because it kind of is in a lot 164 00:08:11,560 --> 00:08:14,720 Speaker 2: of places. It's also something that often doesn't require cameras, 165 00:08:14,760 --> 00:08:17,040 Speaker 2: although they make it a hell of a lot more enjoyable. 166 00:08:17,920 --> 00:08:20,800 Speaker 2: You know, just tracks alone, or even a concentration of 167 00:08:20,880 --> 00:08:23,360 Speaker 2: droppings can put you in a spot like that for 168 00:08:23,440 --> 00:08:26,920 Speaker 2: opening weekend, as long as the weather doesn't go to haywire. 169 00:08:27,200 --> 00:08:29,000 Speaker 2: This is a pretty good way to go about things. 170 00:08:35,400 --> 00:08:37,360 Speaker 2: It's also how I find a hell of a lot 171 00:08:37,360 --> 00:08:40,040 Speaker 2: of deer on public land, which is not a coincidence, 172 00:08:40,080 --> 00:08:42,559 Speaker 2: because before I can find big ones, I just need 173 00:08:42,600 --> 00:08:45,480 Speaker 2: to find deer. With my daughters, we are pretty much 174 00:08:45,480 --> 00:08:48,600 Speaker 2: just hunting deer. And if that's your mo o, the 175 00:08:48,720 --> 00:08:51,520 Speaker 2: first few days of the season are your best bet 176 00:08:51,559 --> 00:08:54,760 Speaker 2: for success if you put in the requisite groundwork now. 177 00:08:55,920 --> 00:08:57,440 Speaker 2: But what if you don't want to end your season 178 00:08:57,480 --> 00:09:00,160 Speaker 2: on a four ky when it's day one and you 179 00:09:00,200 --> 00:09:02,440 Speaker 2: need to consider all of the ways you can find 180 00:09:02,480 --> 00:09:05,280 Speaker 2: and keep tabs on a buck of the caliber that 181 00:09:05,320 --> 00:09:09,040 Speaker 2: you're looking for. Trail cameras are pretty great for this, 182 00:09:09,160 --> 00:09:11,560 Speaker 2: but honestly, I think the best bet for cameras in 183 00:09:11,600 --> 00:09:14,160 Speaker 2: late summer patterning is to use them to figure out 184 00:09:14,240 --> 00:09:17,480 Speaker 2: travel roads. It's not that hard to figure out where 185 00:09:17,480 --> 00:09:20,439 Speaker 2: they are usually going, although it can be if you 186 00:09:20,480 --> 00:09:22,680 Speaker 2: spend a lot of time in the big woods. Then 187 00:09:22,880 --> 00:09:25,679 Speaker 2: cameras are your primary option if you can use them. 188 00:09:26,040 --> 00:09:28,960 Speaker 2: But cameras are just a reinforcement tool and a tool 189 00:09:29,000 --> 00:09:33,240 Speaker 2: to get you to go hmm, that's interesting. Why is 190 00:09:33,280 --> 00:09:35,920 Speaker 2: that buck on this trail at this time and suddenly 191 00:09:35,920 --> 00:09:38,959 Speaker 2: on this trail at this time. Since there isn't a 192 00:09:39,000 --> 00:09:42,640 Speaker 2: lot of randomness involved in deer movement, trail cameras in 193 00:09:42,679 --> 00:09:44,800 Speaker 2: the mediate weeks leading to the opener can help you 194 00:09:44,840 --> 00:09:47,880 Speaker 2: make much better decisions on where to sit. They can 195 00:09:47,920 --> 00:09:51,480 Speaker 2: also help you put together some options for hunting mornings, 196 00:09:51,480 --> 00:09:53,280 Speaker 2: which is something that almost no one does in the 197 00:09:53,360 --> 00:09:57,240 Speaker 2: early season anymore. I do because the advantage I have 198 00:09:57,360 --> 00:10:00,280 Speaker 2: on deer that haven't been hunted for nine months is 199 00:10:00,320 --> 00:10:03,120 Speaker 2: definitely going to die in the first week of the season, 200 00:10:03,200 --> 00:10:06,360 Speaker 2: whether I hunt only evenings or I hunt every morning 201 00:10:06,400 --> 00:10:09,240 Speaker 2: as well, and I'd rather get out there with a 202 00:10:09,320 --> 00:10:12,120 Speaker 2: chance to hunt mornings than not, even though I mostly 203 00:10:12,160 --> 00:10:15,320 Speaker 2: kill September bucks in the evening. A better bet for 204 00:10:15,360 --> 00:10:19,200 Speaker 2: building an early season pattern than just running trail cameras 205 00:10:19,559 --> 00:10:22,440 Speaker 2: is to glass every chance you can as well. Now 206 00:10:22,480 --> 00:10:24,480 Speaker 2: I know I've talked about this a lot, but I 207 00:10:24,640 --> 00:10:27,000 Speaker 2: firmly believe this is the best way to learn deer. 208 00:10:27,520 --> 00:10:29,559 Speaker 2: Instead of a trail camera image of a buck and 209 00:10:29,640 --> 00:10:33,160 Speaker 2: that beans. A few nights a week, maybe during day 210 00:10:33,160 --> 00:10:36,439 Speaker 2: to light hours, maybe at midnight you're actually watching that 211 00:10:36,480 --> 00:10:40,080 Speaker 2: book or multiple books, enter the field and start feeding. 212 00:10:40,840 --> 00:10:43,480 Speaker 2: Since you're there, you can understand the conditions in which 213 00:10:43,520 --> 00:10:48,119 Speaker 2: the deer did what they did. Bright sunshine, super windy, whatever. 214 00:10:48,679 --> 00:10:52,360 Speaker 2: That information is so valuable. I can't even really describe 215 00:10:52,400 --> 00:10:55,240 Speaker 2: how valuable I think that is. And what makes things 216 00:10:55,320 --> 00:10:58,480 Speaker 2: even more valuable is when you think you're onto consistent 217 00:10:58,520 --> 00:11:02,240 Speaker 2: bachelor group and suddenly they pull a no show. You 218 00:11:02,400 --> 00:11:05,160 Speaker 2: have to figure out what changed and why that mattered 219 00:11:05,160 --> 00:11:08,280 Speaker 2: to them. If it's a big time weather shift, that's 220 00:11:09,320 --> 00:11:12,160 Speaker 2: enough to work with, it's pretty easy. But what if 221 00:11:12,160 --> 00:11:14,199 Speaker 2: the conditions are very similar to the other days when 222 00:11:14,200 --> 00:11:17,280 Speaker 2: the bucks showed up and suddenly they don't. Then maybe 223 00:11:17,280 --> 00:11:19,600 Speaker 2: it's a food source thing, or they got messed up 224 00:11:19,920 --> 00:11:23,200 Speaker 2: by someone going into their bedding areas or something. You 225 00:11:23,240 --> 00:11:26,000 Speaker 2: will never know. The best way to figure this out 226 00:11:26,240 --> 00:11:29,600 Speaker 2: is to keep looking, keep glassing. Maybe wait until there 227 00:11:29,600 --> 00:11:32,480 Speaker 2: are some afternoon storms forecasted, so you can go out 228 00:11:32,520 --> 00:11:34,640 Speaker 2: there before the thunder starts and you can just poke 229 00:11:34,679 --> 00:11:37,600 Speaker 2: around on the field edges or off of the fields 230 00:11:37,600 --> 00:11:40,320 Speaker 2: a little bit where the deer come from. You know, 231 00:11:40,400 --> 00:11:43,800 Speaker 2: maybe there's a soft mass thing going on, or something 232 00:11:43,840 --> 00:11:47,560 Speaker 2: like a tree falling across their most consistent trail. The 233 00:11:47,720 --> 00:11:51,000 Speaker 2: environment in which white tails live is subject to a 234 00:11:51,160 --> 00:11:53,640 Speaker 2: hell of a lot of micro changes throughout the year, 235 00:11:54,120 --> 00:11:57,680 Speaker 2: and one thing you never expect that could alter the 236 00:11:57,679 --> 00:12:01,280 Speaker 2: habits of a bachelor group just enough to seemingly kill 237 00:12:01,320 --> 00:12:03,640 Speaker 2: your pattern can happen in an instant. You might not 238 00:12:03,679 --> 00:12:06,600 Speaker 2: even know about it. Now. If you have other places 239 00:12:06,640 --> 00:12:10,120 Speaker 2: to watch, go watch them. Figure out where those deer went. 240 00:12:10,280 --> 00:12:13,200 Speaker 2: But if you don't, just keep watching your best spot 241 00:12:13,320 --> 00:12:16,440 Speaker 2: or your only spot. But remember the reason they might 242 00:12:16,480 --> 00:12:20,920 Speaker 2: have stopped coming there could be you tread lately. Stay 243 00:12:20,920 --> 00:12:23,840 Speaker 2: as far away as you can. The goal is to 244 00:12:23,920 --> 00:12:27,800 Speaker 2: find a spot where bucks are consistent enough in like August, 245 00:12:29,080 --> 00:12:31,800 Speaker 2: where you have a decent chance to keep tabs on 246 00:12:31,880 --> 00:12:35,440 Speaker 2: them until the first few days of the season. That's 247 00:12:35,440 --> 00:12:38,640 Speaker 2: so simple, I know. But here's where a lot of 248 00:12:38,720 --> 00:12:42,040 Speaker 2: people screw this up. They see their target bucks coming 249 00:12:42,040 --> 00:12:45,320 Speaker 2: into a field, they go, well done and done, I 250 00:12:45,360 --> 00:12:47,800 Speaker 2: got it, got to figure it out. Those big boys 251 00:12:47,880 --> 00:12:49,880 Speaker 2: they enter the corner there and they feed out there 252 00:12:49,880 --> 00:12:51,680 Speaker 2: in the grassy swale for a while. So I'm just 253 00:12:51,679 --> 00:12:52,960 Speaker 2: going to go in there and hang a stand in 254 00:12:52,960 --> 00:12:56,160 Speaker 2: that corner. But when they carry that stand in there, 255 00:12:56,200 --> 00:12:58,720 Speaker 2: they realize that corner that looks small from six hundred 256 00:12:58,800 --> 00:13:02,080 Speaker 2: yards away is much bigger. When they're standing in it, 257 00:13:02,600 --> 00:13:05,320 Speaker 2: they realize that the train folds a little differently than 258 00:13:05,320 --> 00:13:07,960 Speaker 2: it looks from far away. They realize that there are 259 00:13:08,040 --> 00:13:12,040 Speaker 2: several trails to choose from and not too many good trees. 260 00:13:13,080 --> 00:13:16,160 Speaker 2: But they hang a stand call it good then, no 261 00:13:16,240 --> 00:13:20,160 Speaker 2: matter what they hunt it on opening night. This is 262 00:13:20,200 --> 00:13:23,599 Speaker 2: something I've done enough to know how much you shouldn't 263 00:13:23,600 --> 00:13:26,480 Speaker 2: do it. It's not enough to see some deer in 264 00:13:26,520 --> 00:13:30,640 Speaker 2: a field or a fresh clearcut or whatever. You want 265 00:13:30,640 --> 00:13:33,400 Speaker 2: to know what trails they're likely to use, and you 266 00:13:33,520 --> 00:13:36,760 Speaker 2: need to acknowledge the old shot clock that's ticking away, 267 00:13:37,280 --> 00:13:39,320 Speaker 2: because if you don't get in there quick, that pattern 268 00:13:39,360 --> 00:13:42,120 Speaker 2: could very easily die. But if you go in there 269 00:13:42,120 --> 00:13:45,840 Speaker 2: and hunt it wrong, you'll kill it prematurely. What I 270 00:13:45,920 --> 00:13:48,320 Speaker 2: like to do in this situation is to track check 271 00:13:48,440 --> 00:13:51,640 Speaker 2: trails if I can, run cameras if I have to, 272 00:13:52,120 --> 00:13:55,880 Speaker 2: but also figure out a couple of options. Sometimes the 273 00:13:55,920 --> 00:13:57,800 Speaker 2: best way to do this is just to acknowledge that 274 00:13:57,840 --> 00:14:01,520 Speaker 2: you can't figure it out completely with observing from a stand, 275 00:14:02,040 --> 00:14:04,480 Speaker 2: So I'll hang a stand to hunt from. That allows 276 00:14:04,520 --> 00:14:07,520 Speaker 2: me to get in and out pretty safely, but also 277 00:14:07,559 --> 00:14:10,560 Speaker 2: allows me to watch the best spot on opening night. 278 00:14:11,600 --> 00:14:13,880 Speaker 2: I often see something that allows me to go in 279 00:14:13,920 --> 00:14:16,200 Speaker 2: the next day and either hang a new set or 280 00:14:16,240 --> 00:14:19,120 Speaker 2: sit on the ground somehow, which is actually a really 281 00:14:19,120 --> 00:14:22,360 Speaker 2: good early season option because you have so much cover 282 00:14:23,200 --> 00:14:26,400 Speaker 2: and there's so many more ways you can work a spot. 283 00:14:26,520 --> 00:14:29,440 Speaker 2: If you're willing to sit on the ground. The key 284 00:14:29,520 --> 00:14:32,840 Speaker 2: is to strike the very first time you can, but 285 00:14:32,960 --> 00:14:36,920 Speaker 2: in a way where you're not totally like overly reckless. Now, 286 00:14:36,960 --> 00:14:40,800 Speaker 2: I say that I also lean more into controlled recklessness 287 00:14:40,840 --> 00:14:43,040 Speaker 2: than a lot of folks. If I have an early 288 00:14:43,080 --> 00:14:46,360 Speaker 2: season pattern that I believe is dialed, I will go 289 00:14:46,520 --> 00:14:49,040 Speaker 2: after it if the cit is a high odds deal, 290 00:14:49,120 --> 00:14:51,040 Speaker 2: even if that means I'm going to blow the whole 291 00:14:51,040 --> 00:14:54,320 Speaker 2: field out when I leave. There's a very common theme 292 00:14:54,360 --> 00:14:56,920 Speaker 2: in deer hunting now where you have to try to 293 00:14:56,960 --> 00:15:00,480 Speaker 2: be as cautious as possible, but cautious keep a lot 294 00:15:00,480 --> 00:15:04,440 Speaker 2: of people from killing deer, especially on pressured ground when 295 00:15:04,480 --> 00:15:08,480 Speaker 2: someone's gonna mess with them eventually. In that situation, I'd 296 00:15:08,560 --> 00:15:10,720 Speaker 2: rather try to take a controlled risk and go into 297 00:15:10,800 --> 00:15:13,520 Speaker 2: a situation that I feel I have figured out. Just 298 00:15:13,680 --> 00:15:18,160 Speaker 2: roll the dice. Sometimes it works, actually, like quite often 299 00:15:18,240 --> 00:15:21,560 Speaker 2: it does. But it's also heavily dependent on the amount 300 00:15:21,560 --> 00:15:24,880 Speaker 2: of scouting I do. So think about it this way. 301 00:15:25,000 --> 00:15:28,040 Speaker 2: The more you put into getting out there, the more 302 00:15:28,080 --> 00:15:30,960 Speaker 2: you'll be tuned into the subtle changes and the deer behavior, 303 00:15:31,080 --> 00:15:33,760 Speaker 2: or the conditions, or the neighbor's field getting cut for 304 00:15:33,800 --> 00:15:37,800 Speaker 2: silace or whatever. You're keeping tabs on the deer in person, 305 00:15:38,200 --> 00:15:41,720 Speaker 2: and that is something you just can't do any other way. 306 00:15:41,800 --> 00:15:43,680 Speaker 2: It's a lesson in how to be a good hunter 307 00:15:43,840 --> 00:15:50,640 Speaker 2: that you just can't buy except through calculated sweat equity. Now, 308 00:15:50,680 --> 00:15:53,280 Speaker 2: I know what a lot of people will say, and 309 00:15:53,320 --> 00:15:55,640 Speaker 2: that's that they don't want to hunt when it's hot 310 00:15:55,760 --> 00:15:58,360 Speaker 2: or buggy, or when all the small game hunters might 311 00:15:58,400 --> 00:16:01,320 Speaker 2: be out if that season opens the same week as 312 00:16:01,360 --> 00:16:05,280 Speaker 2: your deer season. To that, I say, good, stay home. 313 00:16:05,840 --> 00:16:08,080 Speaker 2: I like it when the opening weekend is hot and 314 00:16:08,120 --> 00:16:11,480 Speaker 2: not full of awesome deer weather because the deer don't care. 315 00:16:12,000 --> 00:16:13,720 Speaker 2: They're just coming out of the hottest part of the 316 00:16:13,800 --> 00:16:16,640 Speaker 2: year and they're pretty used to it. The people care, 317 00:16:17,200 --> 00:16:19,360 Speaker 2: and the fewer people that are out there, the better. 318 00:16:19,840 --> 00:16:22,160 Speaker 2: Plus I said this before and I'll say it again. 319 00:16:22,320 --> 00:16:26,040 Speaker 2: To wrap this whole thing up, you probably won't have 320 00:16:26,080 --> 00:16:28,960 Speaker 2: a better chance to kill a big one. You really won't, 321 00:16:29,160 --> 00:16:31,760 Speaker 2: not even during the rut, not during any other time 322 00:16:31,760 --> 00:16:35,000 Speaker 2: of the season, although that is predicated on your willingness 323 00:16:35,080 --> 00:16:38,520 Speaker 2: to set yourself up for success. And the first week 324 00:16:38,560 --> 00:16:41,720 Speaker 2: of the season isn't the rut. It won't magically deliver 325 00:16:41,800 --> 00:16:45,600 Speaker 2: a buck to your feet. It can, through calculated scouting, 326 00:16:46,240 --> 00:16:49,520 Speaker 2: absolutely allow you the chance to truly understand a situation 327 00:16:49,560 --> 00:16:52,400 Speaker 2: where the odds are, you know, maybe as good as 328 00:16:52,400 --> 00:16:54,920 Speaker 2: they're ever going to be for you to get close 329 00:16:54,960 --> 00:16:58,320 Speaker 2: to a big one, so that I absolutely believe. So. 330 00:16:58,360 --> 00:17:01,080 Speaker 2: If you're sitting here now thinking about November days and 331 00:17:01,120 --> 00:17:03,840 Speaker 2: the toads that should be out looking for ladies, consider 332 00:17:03,920 --> 00:17:06,480 Speaker 2: that those same deer are probably out there right now 333 00:17:06,880 --> 00:17:10,600 Speaker 2: doing pretty much the same thing every day, and they'll 334 00:17:10,680 --> 00:17:14,679 Speaker 2: keep doing mostly that right through onto the bow opener, 335 00:17:15,040 --> 00:17:19,040 Speaker 2: and then suddenly that opportunity will be gone. So do 336 00:17:19,080 --> 00:17:21,800 Speaker 2: yourself a favor if it's an option, and don't let 337 00:17:21,800 --> 00:17:24,879 Speaker 2: that opportunity slip away. Go try to find them now 338 00:17:25,080 --> 00:17:27,320 Speaker 2: and they'll learn about them as much as you can. 339 00:17:28,200 --> 00:17:30,600 Speaker 2: And come back next week because I'm going to talk 340 00:17:30,640 --> 00:17:32,679 Speaker 2: about how you should dare to be different in the 341 00:17:32,680 --> 00:17:35,240 Speaker 2: white tail woods because it's often the key to killing 342 00:17:35,280 --> 00:17:40,199 Speaker 2: big bucks. That's for this week, Tony Peterson has been 343 00:17:40,240 --> 00:17:42,440 Speaker 2: the Wire to Hunt Foundations podcast, which is brought to 344 00:17:42,480 --> 00:17:44,680 Speaker 2: you by First Light. I know you've heard this, but 345 00:17:44,720 --> 00:17:47,440 Speaker 2: I'm gonna say it again. First Light has three new 346 00:17:47,440 --> 00:17:50,800 Speaker 2: white tail systems out there. The Phase, the Core, the Thermic, 347 00:17:51,920 --> 00:17:55,480 Speaker 2: designed for various parts of the season, early season hot hunting, 348 00:17:55,520 --> 00:17:58,400 Speaker 2: the middle of the season, rut hunting, cold weather, late 349 00:17:58,520 --> 00:18:01,960 Speaker 2: Arctic type hunting. You're covered with those three systems. You 350 00:18:02,000 --> 00:18:04,640 Speaker 2: can mix and match, but you should just check them 351 00:18:04,680 --> 00:18:06,600 Speaker 2: out because it's the best stuff that First Light's ever 352 00:18:06,640 --> 00:18:08,760 Speaker 2: put out in the white tail category. I truly believe that. 353 00:18:09,000 --> 00:18:11,280 Speaker 2: Now if you need other white tail hunting content, or 354 00:18:11,359 --> 00:18:13,679 Speaker 2: any content, or maybe you're taking a road trip with 355 00:18:13,720 --> 00:18:16,720 Speaker 2: the family, you need some podcasts to listen to them. 356 00:18:16,760 --> 00:18:21,119 Speaker 2: Meat eater dot Com as you covered so much stuff 357 00:18:21,240 --> 00:18:23,960 Speaker 2: there that exists there now that gets put up new 358 00:18:24,040 --> 00:18:25,240 Speaker 2: every week. Go check it out.