1 00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:05,760 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 --> 00:00:16,599 Speaker 1: Tony Peterson. Today's episode of Foundations, which is brought to 4 00:00:16,600 --> 00:00:19,799 Speaker 1: you by First Light, is all about staging areas and 5 00:00:19,840 --> 00:00:23,119 Speaker 1: the places bucks go to after the opening week pressure 6 00:00:23,200 --> 00:00:40,680 Speaker 1: gets to them. Now, a lot of you find folks 7 00:00:40,680 --> 00:00:42,960 Speaker 1: out there might be thinking that this is a terrible 8 00:00:43,000 --> 00:00:45,280 Speaker 1: time in the season to be focused on killing a buck. 9 00:00:45,880 --> 00:00:49,040 Speaker 1: After all, it's the beginning of October, the lull is hit, 10 00:00:49,400 --> 00:00:51,800 Speaker 1: and the rut is close enough, we're waiting just a 11 00:00:51,840 --> 00:00:55,320 Speaker 1: few weeks. Seems like a solid plan. Now, Look, we 12 00:00:55,360 --> 00:00:57,280 Speaker 1: aren't married, so I don't want to get into a 13 00:00:57,280 --> 00:01:00,160 Speaker 1: pointless argument with you, but I'll just say this. There 14 00:01:00,240 --> 00:01:02,760 Speaker 1: are plenty of reasons to hunt right now. This is 15 00:01:02,800 --> 00:01:06,120 Speaker 1: true for all white tail hunters, but especially true for 16 00:01:06,200 --> 00:01:24,720 Speaker 1: those of us who specialize in pressure deer. The very 17 00:01:24,800 --> 00:01:28,160 Speaker 1: day of this episode's drop, October five, is a special 18 00:01:28,200 --> 00:01:33,160 Speaker 1: one for me. Way back as a college freshman, I 19 00:01:33,240 --> 00:01:36,000 Speaker 1: was chatting with a childhood friend of mine. It was 20 00:01:36,040 --> 00:01:39,000 Speaker 1: a Monday, and the Vikings were playing a game that evening. 21 00:01:39,360 --> 00:01:41,280 Speaker 1: He wanted to go home to watch it. With his dad, 22 00:01:41,600 --> 00:01:43,600 Speaker 1: so I bummed a ride from him, knowing that instead 23 00:01:43,600 --> 00:01:45,720 Speaker 1: of watching football, I could head out to the woods 24 00:01:45,720 --> 00:01:49,200 Speaker 1: and sit a side note. This strategy of not caring 25 00:01:49,200 --> 00:01:52,240 Speaker 1: about football but caring a lot about deer hunting has 26 00:01:52,240 --> 00:01:56,800 Speaker 1: treated me really well, particularly across the river in Wisconsin 27 00:01:56,880 --> 00:01:59,920 Speaker 1: when the Packers play. If you want public land to yourself, 28 00:02:00,560 --> 00:02:04,760 Speaker 1: that scenario will get you there, I promise. Anyway, my 29 00:02:04,760 --> 00:02:07,400 Speaker 1: buddy Nolan dropped me off and then drove away to 30 00:02:07,400 --> 00:02:09,680 Speaker 1: go cheer on the Purple People Eaters with his old man. 31 00:02:10,040 --> 00:02:12,519 Speaker 1: I suited up to go sit a stand tucked into 32 00:02:12,560 --> 00:02:15,720 Speaker 1: the bottom of a ravine where the draws splay out 33 00:02:16,120 --> 00:02:18,720 Speaker 1: into kind of a wooded flat. It's just a natural 34 00:02:18,800 --> 00:02:22,360 Speaker 1: hub spot. It's almost always good for a deer encounter 35 00:02:22,480 --> 00:02:25,760 Speaker 1: or two mornings evenings anytime in the season. That made 36 00:02:25,760 --> 00:02:28,840 Speaker 1: it a good choice for an early October sit. Now, 37 00:02:28,960 --> 00:02:32,280 Speaker 1: up to that moment, I had exactly two button bucks 38 00:02:32,320 --> 00:02:34,760 Speaker 1: to my credit in six years of bow hunting. So 39 00:02:34,800 --> 00:02:37,120 Speaker 1: when I saw a mutant five point headed my way, 40 00:02:37,320 --> 00:02:41,240 Speaker 1: it was all systems. Go the buck with a tenant 41 00:02:41,320 --> 00:02:43,480 Speaker 1: spike on one side and a turkey cloth type of 42 00:02:43,520 --> 00:02:46,280 Speaker 1: aniler on the other side, walked by at twenty yards 43 00:02:46,360 --> 00:02:48,840 Speaker 1: and he caught an old aluminum eastern in his spine. 44 00:02:49,400 --> 00:02:51,799 Speaker 1: When he dropped, I panicked and I shot him in 45 00:02:51,840 --> 00:02:54,359 Speaker 1: the hip. The third shot actually went where it was 46 00:02:54,360 --> 00:02:57,960 Speaker 1: supposed to, and I had my first antler buck. It 47 00:02:58,000 --> 00:03:01,960 Speaker 1: was an ugly performance on my It sucked, taught me 48 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:05,119 Speaker 1: a lot, but it also solidified something that already existed 49 00:03:05,160 --> 00:03:08,600 Speaker 1: pretty deep inside of me. There is no bad time 50 00:03:08,639 --> 00:03:11,440 Speaker 1: to sit in the woods, As is so often the 51 00:03:11,480 --> 00:03:14,720 Speaker 1: case with bow hunting milestones. That little buck opened up 52 00:03:14,760 --> 00:03:17,160 Speaker 1: a world to me where the size eventually ramped up 53 00:03:17,200 --> 00:03:19,040 Speaker 1: to deer that I would occasionally put on the wall. 54 00:03:19,800 --> 00:03:22,720 Speaker 1: Several of those earlier decent deer all died in late 55 00:03:22,800 --> 00:03:26,040 Speaker 1: September or early October. Instead of backing off to wait 56 00:03:26,080 --> 00:03:28,480 Speaker 1: for the rut, I hunted it as hard then as 57 00:03:28,520 --> 00:03:31,000 Speaker 1: I did on opening week. I didn't know any better 58 00:03:31,400 --> 00:03:34,880 Speaker 1: and wasn't much for believing general dear advice anyway. Chalk 59 00:03:34,960 --> 00:03:37,280 Speaker 1: it up to my age or whatever, but I didn't 60 00:03:37,320 --> 00:03:40,800 Speaker 1: just I just didn't care. I wanted to hunt, and 61 00:03:40,840 --> 00:03:45,240 Speaker 1: I was seeing and killing deer when you're not supposed to. Today, 62 00:03:45,480 --> 00:03:48,440 Speaker 1: as primarily a public land bow hunter, I leaned into 63 00:03:48,480 --> 00:03:51,560 Speaker 1: that even harder, but with a lot more strategy. I 64 00:03:51,560 --> 00:03:53,480 Speaker 1: didn't know it at the time, but that spot where 65 00:03:53,480 --> 00:03:55,600 Speaker 1: I arrowed my first buck and quite a few after, 66 00:03:56,240 --> 00:03:59,520 Speaker 1: it's just an amazing staging area. It's a spot covered 67 00:03:59,560 --> 00:04:03,240 Speaker 1: in cover that allows deer to use the wind and 68 00:04:03,280 --> 00:04:06,400 Speaker 1: the terrain to their advantage. While they are usually headed 69 00:04:06,480 --> 00:04:08,840 Speaker 1: through it, they tend to stop there to pick up 70 00:04:08,880 --> 00:04:11,360 Speaker 1: a few acorns, make a rub, or just browse and 71 00:04:11,480 --> 00:04:14,360 Speaker 1: kill time. They don't have to poke their noses out 72 00:04:14,400 --> 00:04:17,640 Speaker 1: into the open, but they can be up moving around 73 00:04:17,760 --> 00:04:20,040 Speaker 1: during shooting hours, which is what they do in that 74 00:04:20,120 --> 00:04:23,680 Speaker 1: spott a lot over the years. I don't know how 75 00:04:23,680 --> 00:04:25,240 Speaker 1: many deer my dad and I killed there, but it 76 00:04:25,279 --> 00:04:28,360 Speaker 1: was a lot. He killed his personal best buck there 77 00:04:28,360 --> 00:04:31,599 Speaker 1: on Halloween and I killed a great ten pointer there 78 00:04:31,600 --> 00:04:36,280 Speaker 1: in That's a pretty big spread in years and conditions 79 00:04:36,560 --> 00:04:39,000 Speaker 1: and hunting pressure on that farm. But the thing that 80 00:04:39,040 --> 00:04:42,520 Speaker 1: it stayed consistent is that the deer like the stage there. Now. 81 00:04:42,560 --> 00:04:46,600 Speaker 1: Staging areas really are the key to October bucks. They 82 00:04:46,640 --> 00:04:49,560 Speaker 1: tend to involve a lot of scouting. If you think 83 00:04:49,560 --> 00:04:52,520 Speaker 1: back to like the first twelve episodes of This Foundation's podcast, 84 00:04:52,800 --> 00:04:55,800 Speaker 1: I talked a lot about scouting too much, according to 85 00:04:55,839 --> 00:04:57,760 Speaker 1: some listeners, who probably couldn't kill a fork if he 86 00:04:57,839 --> 00:05:00,920 Speaker 1: staked it down and gave him a dozen shots. Anyway, 87 00:05:01,320 --> 00:05:03,960 Speaker 1: a lot of that scouting that you should have done 88 00:05:04,480 --> 00:05:07,440 Speaker 1: probably cluded you into staging areas, or at least where 89 00:05:07,440 --> 00:05:12,320 Speaker 1: staging areas should or could be. Simply put, staging areas 90 00:05:12,400 --> 00:05:16,560 Speaker 1: often exist between food and bedding. That's it. This is 91 00:05:16,560 --> 00:05:19,240 Speaker 1: pretty easy to nail down and egg heavy regions with 92 00:05:19,400 --> 00:05:22,440 Speaker 1: limited wood lots, but a lot tougher not to crack 93 00:05:22,480 --> 00:05:24,840 Speaker 1: in the big woods, where your average piece of timber 94 00:05:24,960 --> 00:05:28,640 Speaker 1: might encompass thousands of acres. If you want to shortcut 95 00:05:28,680 --> 00:05:31,840 Speaker 1: to identifying staging areas no matter where you hunt, I'm 96 00:05:31,839 --> 00:05:36,000 Speaker 1: gonna give you two. The first I've talked and written 97 00:05:36,000 --> 00:05:38,640 Speaker 1: about a million times, but here it goes. I call 98 00:05:38,720 --> 00:05:42,279 Speaker 1: them cluster rubs. Look for rubs that don't really relate 99 00:05:42,360 --> 00:05:45,279 Speaker 1: to an edge of some sort. It's fun to find 100 00:05:45,360 --> 00:05:48,160 Speaker 1: rubs on field edges or on logging roads, but the 101 00:05:48,200 --> 00:05:51,320 Speaker 1: ones that will really benefit the october hunters they're on 102 00:05:51,440 --> 00:05:54,760 Speaker 1: ridge tops overlooking food sources, or in a ravine bottom 103 00:05:54,800 --> 00:05:57,960 Speaker 1: surrounded by benchy bluffs. In the big woods, they might 104 00:05:58,000 --> 00:06:00,679 Speaker 1: relate to a soft edge, but they won't just consists 105 00:06:00,720 --> 00:06:05,479 Speaker 1: of a rubbed line. They'll be random ish looking. What 106 00:06:05,520 --> 00:06:08,840 Speaker 1: I mean by that is rubs here, rubs there. Some 107 00:06:09,000 --> 00:06:12,080 Speaker 1: alder's absolutely shredded in a half circle. I think a 108 00:06:12,160 --> 00:06:15,359 Speaker 1: lot of people find these spots and they assume they 109 00:06:15,440 --> 00:06:18,480 Speaker 1: might be standing in a Bucks betting area. Now that's possible, 110 00:06:18,520 --> 00:06:20,600 Speaker 1: because Bucks will get up they'll make some rubs around 111 00:06:20,600 --> 00:06:23,040 Speaker 1: their betting area. But it's also possible that they are 112 00:06:23,080 --> 00:06:26,000 Speaker 1: just in a staging area. Now, the other way to 113 00:06:26,040 --> 00:06:28,960 Speaker 1: really identify a staging area is to watch deer do 114 00:06:29,400 --> 00:06:32,560 Speaker 1: what deer do. Any of the season bow hunters out 115 00:06:32,640 --> 00:06:36,839 Speaker 1: there have probably experienced a very specific kind of encounter 116 00:06:37,080 --> 00:06:39,680 Speaker 1: with lots of deer. It's the one where you look 117 00:06:39,760 --> 00:06:42,760 Speaker 1: up and see some deer dose or bucks, doesn't matter, 118 00:06:43,320 --> 00:06:46,520 Speaker 1: walking or browsing through. They get out of sight and 119 00:06:46,560 --> 00:06:48,800 Speaker 1: you think, well, that was cool, at least I saw something. 120 00:06:49,240 --> 00:06:52,400 Speaker 1: Then forty five minutes later you see movement and you 121 00:06:52,520 --> 00:06:55,599 Speaker 1: realize those deer never really left your vicinity. They've been 122 00:06:55,640 --> 00:06:58,920 Speaker 1: there the whole time. Then at last light they all 123 00:06:59,000 --> 00:07:02,359 Speaker 1: kind of drift off in same general direction, oftentimes with 124 00:07:02,480 --> 00:07:05,520 Speaker 1: new deer following suit right at last light. Now, there 125 00:07:05,560 --> 00:07:08,359 Speaker 1: might be some other reasons besides staging, like a killer 126 00:07:08,400 --> 00:07:10,880 Speaker 1: acorn drop or some type of soft mass coming on 127 00:07:11,520 --> 00:07:13,840 Speaker 1: at that point. I don't really care what's bringing them there, 128 00:07:14,120 --> 00:07:16,480 Speaker 1: as long as I know they are there and spending 129 00:07:16,520 --> 00:07:18,760 Speaker 1: a lot of time in the area during shooting hours. 130 00:07:19,280 --> 00:07:22,880 Speaker 1: And I know we've always focused on mature bucks. But 131 00:07:22,920 --> 00:07:24,800 Speaker 1: if there's one lesson I hope you can take away 132 00:07:24,840 --> 00:07:28,320 Speaker 1: from this, it's at the movement of every deer. All 133 00:07:28,400 --> 00:07:31,880 Speaker 1: the deer in the herd can teach you something. Writing 134 00:07:31,920 --> 00:07:36,320 Speaker 1: off the travel habits, staging habits of a forkey or 135 00:07:36,360 --> 00:07:39,880 Speaker 1: a family group of does it's shortsighted what deer like 136 00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:43,000 Speaker 1: to do, other deer will like to do. Count on 137 00:07:43,080 --> 00:07:46,800 Speaker 1: that now. Just like with betting areas and feeding areas, 138 00:07:47,160 --> 00:07:50,440 Speaker 1: staging areas aren't set in stone. Sometimes they are close 139 00:07:50,760 --> 00:07:53,560 Speaker 1: because of limited cover, but in an awful lot of places, 140 00:07:53,600 --> 00:07:56,840 Speaker 1: they'll change by the season according to destination, food sources, 141 00:07:56,840 --> 00:08:00,400 Speaker 1: and hunting pressure. I watched the most consistent big staging 142 00:08:00,440 --> 00:08:04,000 Speaker 1: area I've ever found evaporate from one year to the next. 143 00:08:04,160 --> 00:08:08,520 Speaker 1: Do I think solely to hunting pressure. There might have 144 00:08:08,520 --> 00:08:10,760 Speaker 1: been some wolves or something else that contributed to it, 145 00:08:11,200 --> 00:08:14,680 Speaker 1: but it was fast and noticeable and accompanied by a 146 00:08:14,720 --> 00:08:17,280 Speaker 1: whole bunch of new tree stands in that area. In 147 00:08:17,320 --> 00:08:20,520 Speaker 1: other situations, one field going from corn to beans in 148 00:08:20,560 --> 00:08:23,320 Speaker 1: a year could change how dear stage. But the best 149 00:08:23,400 --> 00:08:27,000 Speaker 1: you can do is work on preseason scouting intel and 150 00:08:27,040 --> 00:08:30,320 Speaker 1: what you're in season scouting and observations offer. You combine 151 00:08:30,400 --> 00:08:32,400 Speaker 1: those two, and it doesn't do you any good to 152 00:08:32,400 --> 00:08:34,600 Speaker 1: assume a staging area that was hot last year will 153 00:08:34,600 --> 00:08:37,320 Speaker 1: suddenly cool off this season, because it very well might not. 154 00:08:37,960 --> 00:08:40,800 Speaker 1: If it does, it's time to relocate, but not before 155 00:08:40,840 --> 00:08:44,120 Speaker 1: you try to figure out why. Ask yourself, is there 156 00:08:44,160 --> 00:08:46,680 Speaker 1: an obvious change in food sources or is there a 157 00:08:46,720 --> 00:08:49,400 Speaker 1: bunch more hunting pressure than there was last year? Are 158 00:08:49,400 --> 00:08:52,040 Speaker 1: you hunting a staging area with a questionable wind. That's 159 00:08:52,080 --> 00:08:55,560 Speaker 1: a big one, and it's an action killer. Deer, especially 160 00:08:55,600 --> 00:08:58,360 Speaker 1: mature books, stage in places where they have a huge 161 00:08:58,480 --> 00:09:01,720 Speaker 1: visual and olfactory. At manage, they often set up in 162 00:09:01,760 --> 00:09:05,080 Speaker 1: places where they can smell their final destination. See quite 163 00:09:05,080 --> 00:09:08,000 Speaker 1: a bit and probably hear other deer snorting and alarm 164 00:09:08,040 --> 00:09:10,000 Speaker 1: at the hunters who are still sitting on the field 165 00:09:10,080 --> 00:09:13,400 Speaker 1: edges right now, If you slip into a rubbed up 166 00:09:13,480 --> 00:09:16,839 Speaker 1: chunk of cover. There's position between a suspective betting area 167 00:09:16,960 --> 00:09:19,720 Speaker 1: and a known destination food source, and the wind is 168 00:09:19,720 --> 00:09:23,719 Speaker 1: blowing the wrong way. It's over my friends. Instead on 169 00:09:23,960 --> 00:09:26,560 Speaker 1: somewhere else, or stay way back to observe from a 170 00:09:26,600 --> 00:09:30,640 Speaker 1: safer location. Now I realized I still haven't really said 171 00:09:30,679 --> 00:09:33,920 Speaker 1: how to hunt a staging area. So here that goes. 172 00:09:34,640 --> 00:09:36,679 Speaker 1: When you find a spot where the deer are staging, 173 00:09:37,080 --> 00:09:40,080 Speaker 1: look to the terrain first. If you've got up and 174 00:09:40,120 --> 00:09:43,120 Speaker 1: down to your hunting spots, you've got a huge advantage. 175 00:09:43,520 --> 00:09:46,880 Speaker 1: As I said, bucks love staging on ridges, on knobs 176 00:09:47,000 --> 00:09:49,280 Speaker 1: and other places where you can use a drop in 177 00:09:49,440 --> 00:09:52,960 Speaker 1: terrain to your advantage. Windwise, you can usually get in 178 00:09:53,040 --> 00:09:55,520 Speaker 1: pretty tight here and kind of play it like you 179 00:09:55,520 --> 00:09:57,560 Speaker 1: would during the rut where you're looking at it going. 180 00:09:58,200 --> 00:10:01,360 Speaker 1: They're going to approach from that direction dobably and believe 181 00:10:01,440 --> 00:10:03,480 Speaker 1: the wind is in their favor. But if you've got 182 00:10:03,480 --> 00:10:06,679 Speaker 1: some kind of nice drop off behind you, you can 183 00:10:06,720 --> 00:10:10,600 Speaker 1: play that wind close enough where they're confident, but you 184 00:10:10,640 --> 00:10:12,720 Speaker 1: can get away with it. This is this is so 185 00:10:12,880 --> 00:10:16,839 Speaker 1: important to hunting deer. Anywhere where you've got some terrain. 186 00:10:17,400 --> 00:10:19,720 Speaker 1: Now when it comes to flatter ground, the whole thing 187 00:10:19,760 --> 00:10:22,720 Speaker 1: gets a lot tougher. Take note where you saw a 188 00:10:22,720 --> 00:10:26,120 Speaker 1: deer come from where they went, and then start factoring 189 00:10:26,120 --> 00:10:28,920 Speaker 1: in the wind. In this situation, I tend to use 190 00:10:28,960 --> 00:10:32,079 Speaker 1: a creep closer approach if I have the time, and 191 00:10:32,160 --> 00:10:35,240 Speaker 1: this is one that involves an observation and maybe a move, 192 00:10:35,400 --> 00:10:38,280 Speaker 1: and then an observation and maybe a move type of strategy. 193 00:10:38,960 --> 00:10:40,839 Speaker 1: Same thing I do on public land in a lot 194 00:10:40,880 --> 00:10:43,400 Speaker 1: of places just to get on deer In general, if 195 00:10:43,400 --> 00:10:46,440 Speaker 1: I don't have the time, I just play the wind, 196 00:10:46,720 --> 00:10:49,280 Speaker 1: cross my fingers, and move in as tight as I 197 00:10:49,320 --> 00:10:53,400 Speaker 1: think I can get away with. The problem we often 198 00:10:53,480 --> 00:10:56,840 Speaker 1: make as bow hunters while using sign or sightings is 199 00:10:56,880 --> 00:10:59,040 Speaker 1: that we do get in a little too close to 200 00:10:59,120 --> 00:11:02,600 Speaker 1: the deer. Even a difference of being fifty yards away 201 00:11:02,720 --> 00:11:06,640 Speaker 1: versus fifteen matters. This often allows you to fine tune 202 00:11:06,679 --> 00:11:08,960 Speaker 1: your setups, and because of the nature of browsing and 203 00:11:09,040 --> 00:11:11,800 Speaker 1: hanging out in staging areas, often puts deer in a 204 00:11:11,840 --> 00:11:14,480 Speaker 1: really good position for you to shoot them. This isn't 205 00:11:14,480 --> 00:11:17,600 Speaker 1: an exact science, but the more you keep hunting and watching, 206 00:11:18,000 --> 00:11:20,600 Speaker 1: the more you'll see how to play each specific spot. 207 00:11:21,120 --> 00:11:24,120 Speaker 1: I should also say, since hunting deer on staging areas 208 00:11:24,160 --> 00:11:28,280 Speaker 1: is an inexact science, that oftentimes I get close and 209 00:11:28,320 --> 00:11:30,560 Speaker 1: I just rye to stand out if I if I'm 210 00:11:30,600 --> 00:11:32,440 Speaker 1: a little cagy about the wind and I think I've 211 00:11:32,480 --> 00:11:35,360 Speaker 1: got something that's working that lets me see dear, I'm 212 00:11:35,360 --> 00:11:38,760 Speaker 1: not always looking to move into the spot on the spot, 213 00:11:38,800 --> 00:11:42,120 Speaker 1: because sometimes that doesn't exist. Oak flats are often a 214 00:11:42,120 --> 00:11:45,160 Speaker 1: great example of this. If you've got several trees dropping 215 00:11:45,160 --> 00:11:47,839 Speaker 1: on one ridge, there might not be one exact spot 216 00:11:47,880 --> 00:11:50,480 Speaker 1: to sit where all the deer moved through. I've seen 217 00:11:50,480 --> 00:11:52,400 Speaker 1: this in clear cuts in the big woods as well. 218 00:11:52,720 --> 00:11:56,199 Speaker 1: The movement sometimes isn't super concentrated to a tight spot 219 00:11:56,720 --> 00:11:58,920 Speaker 1: and doesn't seem to follow any sort of point a 220 00:11:59,080 --> 00:12:02,520 Speaker 1: to be pattern. In those situations, get near the edge, 221 00:12:02,920 --> 00:12:06,960 Speaker 1: play the wind, wait and watch. It's amazing how many 222 00:12:06,960 --> 00:12:08,880 Speaker 1: different deer you can see in a few days when 223 00:12:08,920 --> 00:12:11,040 Speaker 1: you find a spot like that and you don't blow 224 00:12:11,080 --> 00:12:15,240 Speaker 1: it out. Now, if you're still not convinced you shouldn't 225 00:12:15,280 --> 00:12:17,600 Speaker 1: hang up your saddle for a few weeks, consider this. 226 00:12:18,280 --> 00:12:20,480 Speaker 1: If you're a public land hunter, or at least a 227 00:12:20,520 --> 00:12:24,160 Speaker 1: pressured ground hunter, speculate on what your competition is doing 228 00:12:24,240 --> 00:12:28,000 Speaker 1: right now. They aren't hunting probably, or they aren't hunting 229 00:12:28,080 --> 00:12:31,200 Speaker 1: very hard. Do the opposite of your competition, and you'll 230 00:12:31,200 --> 00:12:34,160 Speaker 1: succeed on public land. I promise now. If you think 231 00:12:34,160 --> 00:12:36,800 Speaker 1: the deer don't notice the decrease in pressure and react 232 00:12:36,840 --> 00:12:39,920 Speaker 1: to it, they do. This is one of my favorite 233 00:12:39,920 --> 00:12:42,400 Speaker 1: times to be a public land hunter because I know 234 00:12:42,480 --> 00:12:45,400 Speaker 1: that now, more than almost any other time of the season, 235 00:12:45,880 --> 00:12:49,160 Speaker 1: I'll be left alone to simply beat the deer. That's 236 00:12:49,160 --> 00:12:51,959 Speaker 1: no small thing, my friends, and can get even better. 237 00:12:52,559 --> 00:12:55,200 Speaker 1: If you hunt somewhere where baiting is legal, like I 238 00:12:55,320 --> 00:12:58,520 Speaker 1: sometimes do, then you'll see a decrease in baiting this 239 00:12:58,600 --> 00:13:00,959 Speaker 1: time of the season. I notice this where I hunt 240 00:13:00,960 --> 00:13:03,800 Speaker 1: in Wisconsin, and I freaking love it. I don't want 241 00:13:03,800 --> 00:13:06,720 Speaker 1: a bait because it's just doesn't do anything for me, 242 00:13:07,040 --> 00:13:10,000 Speaker 1: but I also hate having to contend with others bait sites. 243 00:13:10,720 --> 00:13:13,280 Speaker 1: I know on opening week there'll be tons of corn 244 00:13:13,320 --> 00:13:16,000 Speaker 1: and apples dumped into the woods, but that will ebb 245 00:13:16,040 --> 00:13:19,400 Speaker 1: as the season progresses. As the rut approaches and the 246 00:13:19,400 --> 00:13:21,880 Speaker 1: gun hunters start getting a jump on their bait piles, 247 00:13:21,920 --> 00:13:24,240 Speaker 1: the whole thing ramps up and it reeks, havoc on 248 00:13:24,280 --> 00:13:26,760 Speaker 1: the natural movement that I like to hunt, But the 249 00:13:26,800 --> 00:13:30,360 Speaker 1: sweet spot is right between. Right when the outdoor TV 250 00:13:30,480 --> 00:13:32,640 Speaker 1: experts who have never hunted a challenging deer in their 251 00:13:32,679 --> 00:13:35,360 Speaker 1: lives will tell you that you're better off going golfing 252 00:13:35,360 --> 00:13:37,319 Speaker 1: than sitting in a stand because the big bucks will 253 00:13:37,360 --> 00:13:41,040 Speaker 1: all be nocturnal. That's bullshit, my friends, And the easiest 254 00:13:41,040 --> 00:13:43,160 Speaker 1: way to see if that's true is to go out 255 00:13:43,200 --> 00:13:46,160 Speaker 1: and keep hunting, but don't sit your field edge stands anymore. 256 00:13:46,600 --> 00:13:49,920 Speaker 1: Get deeper into the cover where the bucks feel safe. Actually, 257 00:13:50,000 --> 00:13:52,760 Speaker 1: I take that back. Sit field edges if you want 258 00:13:52,760 --> 00:13:55,600 Speaker 1: to shoot a doll or just happy to kill any buck. 259 00:13:55,720 --> 00:13:58,160 Speaker 1: There are real opportunities there and it can work out 260 00:13:58,160 --> 00:14:01,320 Speaker 1: great for you. Early October, while it gives you chances 261 00:14:01,360 --> 00:14:03,440 Speaker 1: that big bucks if you work hard enough, is also 262 00:14:03,480 --> 00:14:05,880 Speaker 1: a great time to just go hunt deer. While a 263 00:14:05,880 --> 00:14:07,480 Speaker 1: lot of hunters will say the best time to shoot 264 00:14:07,480 --> 00:14:10,640 Speaker 1: antler lists deer and fill the freezer's late season, that's 265 00:14:10,640 --> 00:14:13,200 Speaker 1: a terrible option for most public land hunters. I know 266 00:14:13,280 --> 00:14:16,280 Speaker 1: it is for me, but early October is a great 267 00:14:16,320 --> 00:14:19,680 Speaker 1: time to encounter dos and younger bucks in some gimme spots, 268 00:14:19,880 --> 00:14:22,400 Speaker 1: it's also a really pleasant time to be sitting on 269 00:14:22,520 --> 00:14:25,280 Speaker 1: stand and if you should get so lucky, have a 270 00:14:25,320 --> 00:14:27,880 Speaker 1: dead deer to work with. Now, some folks will say 271 00:14:27,920 --> 00:14:30,240 Speaker 1: you shouldn't kill your doughs before the rut, because that's 272 00:14:30,240 --> 00:14:32,880 Speaker 1: what the bucks will key on, But I say, saving 273 00:14:32,920 --> 00:14:35,520 Speaker 1: deer when you're on pressure ground is largely a lost cause. 274 00:14:35,840 --> 00:14:38,840 Speaker 1: It's also not always about killing big bucks and doing 275 00:14:38,840 --> 00:14:42,080 Speaker 1: everything possible to make that happen. When I hear hunting 276 00:14:42,200 --> 00:14:47,080 Speaker 1: stories from strangers, which happens a lot, so much of 277 00:14:47,080 --> 00:14:50,880 Speaker 1: the mistakes, so many of them that they mentioned that 278 00:14:51,040 --> 00:14:55,360 Speaker 1: cost them dear come from inexperience. Folks with no dear 279 00:14:55,680 --> 00:14:57,720 Speaker 1: or only a few deer under their belt are going 280 00:14:57,760 --> 00:15:01,560 Speaker 1: to screw up a lot. It takes real world experience 281 00:15:01,560 --> 00:15:04,000 Speaker 1: to be able to execute a shot well on a living, 282 00:15:04,280 --> 00:15:07,960 Speaker 1: breathing deer. This might not seem like much, but to 283 00:15:08,000 --> 00:15:11,120 Speaker 1: think about your chosen state in the season structure. Let's 284 00:15:11,120 --> 00:15:13,160 Speaker 1: say you get six weeks of bow season to hunt 285 00:15:13,280 --> 00:15:16,440 Speaker 1: before gun season comes in. Half of that or more 286 00:15:16,880 --> 00:15:19,120 Speaker 1: will likely be in the dead zone where you're not 287 00:15:19,160 --> 00:15:21,320 Speaker 1: supposed to hunt and won't be able to kill a 288 00:15:21,360 --> 00:15:25,000 Speaker 1: big buck. If you take that time off or most 289 00:15:25,000 --> 00:15:27,520 Speaker 1: of that time off. You're missing out on a huge 290 00:15:27,560 --> 00:15:30,760 Speaker 1: portion of the season. Do that for years and you've 291 00:15:30,800 --> 00:15:34,240 Speaker 1: given up half of your best huntable time and not 292 00:15:34,400 --> 00:15:37,520 Speaker 1: racked up any real experience. Do you think the best, 293 00:15:37,600 --> 00:15:40,040 Speaker 1: most well known public land big buck killers do that. 294 00:15:40,400 --> 00:15:44,800 Speaker 1: They don't. You shouldn't either. It's also just fun to 295 00:15:44,920 --> 00:15:48,040 Speaker 1: hunt knowing the goal is to sit in the pleasant 296 00:15:48,040 --> 00:15:50,920 Speaker 1: October woods with the standards of procuring some venison and 297 00:15:50,960 --> 00:15:53,800 Speaker 1: just figuring out some dear stuff. The value of a 298 00:15:53,800 --> 00:15:56,520 Speaker 1: low standards hunt doesn't come up much in the hunting media, 299 00:15:56,800 --> 00:15:59,480 Speaker 1: but it should because it's freaking fun. I know I 300 00:15:59,520 --> 00:16:02,160 Speaker 1: mentioned it last week, but it's still important right now. 301 00:16:03,120 --> 00:16:06,760 Speaker 1: Ditching the constant trophy hunting mentality to just be a 302 00:16:06,800 --> 00:16:09,680 Speaker 1: plain old deer hunter is like waking up one day 303 00:16:09,680 --> 00:16:12,000 Speaker 1: to realize that you finally kick the flu and you 304 00:16:12,040 --> 00:16:14,600 Speaker 1: feel safe to eat without the potential of destroying your 305 00:16:14,600 --> 00:16:18,000 Speaker 1: boxers or horking out your recently nomed on pop tarts. 306 00:16:18,720 --> 00:16:21,440 Speaker 1: All I'm saying is that this is the time of year. 307 00:16:21,720 --> 00:16:24,560 Speaker 1: It's a bad rap, but it really shouldn't if you 308 00:16:24,640 --> 00:16:27,960 Speaker 1: give early October a chance. By focusing on staging areas 309 00:16:28,000 --> 00:16:31,760 Speaker 1: and hunting when others won't. You'll probably see that, surprise, surprise, 310 00:16:32,200 --> 00:16:35,080 Speaker 1: the deer are still out there doing their thing. They're 311 00:16:35,120 --> 00:16:38,040 Speaker 1: going to eat, they're going to drink, they're gonna walk around, 312 00:16:38,040 --> 00:16:42,080 Speaker 1: they're gonna leave some sign and, quite frankly, eventually they're 313 00:16:42,080 --> 00:16:44,440 Speaker 1: going to offer up the hard working bow hunter a 314 00:16:44,520 --> 00:16:47,200 Speaker 1: chance to put an arrow through their lungs. Why not 315 00:16:47,320 --> 00:16:51,360 Speaker 1: let that hunter be you? Plus, as an added bonus 316 00:16:51,360 --> 00:16:53,640 Speaker 1: to hunting right now, you'll be the first to key 317 00:16:53,680 --> 00:16:56,840 Speaker 1: in on scrapes in the time period where they really matter, 318 00:16:57,200 --> 00:17:01,720 Speaker 1: which is the topic of next week's show. Yeah, that's 319 00:17:01,760 --> 00:17:04,520 Speaker 1: it for this week, my white tail obsessed brothers and sisters. 320 00:17:04,920 --> 00:17:07,480 Speaker 1: As I always, thank you so much for listening. I'm 321 00:17:07,520 --> 00:17:09,720 Speaker 1: Tony Peterson and this has been the Wired to Hunt 322 00:17:09,760 --> 00:17:14,320 Speaker 1: Foundations podcast. If you want more deer hunting information, visit 323 00:17:14,480 --> 00:17:18,080 Speaker 1: them eatater dot com slash wired to check out my articles, 324 00:17:18,119 --> 00:17:20,640 Speaker 1: marked articles, and a whole bunch of other good articles, 325 00:17:21,080 --> 00:17:24,119 Speaker 1: or head on over to our Wired Hunt YouTube channel 326 00:17:24,359 --> 00:17:26,360 Speaker 1: and check out all of our how to videos.