1 00:00:01,240 --> 00:00:05,120 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Wired to Hunt Foundations podcast, your guide 2 00:00:05,120 --> 00:00:08,879 Speaker 1: to the fundamentals of better deer hunting, presented by first Light, 3 00:00:09,240 --> 00:00:13,560 Speaker 1: creating proven versatile hunting apparel for the stand, saddle or blind. 4 00:00:14,080 --> 00:00:18,600 Speaker 1: First Light, Go Farther, Stay Longer, and now your host 5 00:00:19,000 --> 00:00:19,880 Speaker 1: Tony Peterson. 6 00:00:20,320 --> 00:00:22,840 Speaker 2: Hey everyone, welcome to the Wired to Hunt Foundation's podcast, 7 00:00:22,880 --> 00:00:24,040 Speaker 2: which is brought to you by first Light. 8 00:00:24,079 --> 00:00:25,800 Speaker 3: I'm your host, Tony Peterson. 9 00:00:25,320 --> 00:00:28,120 Speaker 2: And today's episode is all about the lottery game preference 10 00:00:28,160 --> 00:00:30,440 Speaker 2: points and you know what we can guess will be 11 00:00:30,480 --> 00:00:35,320 Speaker 2: the future of getting tags for deer hunting. This is 12 00:00:35,360 --> 00:00:38,360 Speaker 2: an issue that's pretty much always top of mind for me, 13 00:00:38,720 --> 00:00:41,159 Speaker 2: especially as we say goodbye to the garbage month that 14 00:00:41,280 --> 00:00:44,200 Speaker 2: is January and we slide our way into February, which 15 00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:46,040 Speaker 2: also kind of sucks, but at least it's a little 16 00:00:46,080 --> 00:00:49,600 Speaker 2: closer to Turkey season, drawing tags, playing the lottery game 17 00:00:49,640 --> 00:00:50,400 Speaker 2: preference points. 18 00:00:50,640 --> 00:00:52,440 Speaker 3: It's all around us in the hunting space. Now. 19 00:00:52,479 --> 00:00:53,880 Speaker 2: I know what a lot of you are thinking, Well, 20 00:00:53,920 --> 00:00:55,840 Speaker 2: I never leave my home state, so I don't care. 21 00:00:56,120 --> 00:00:58,600 Speaker 2: But hold your horses there, my little buckeroos. If you 22 00:00:58,640 --> 00:01:00,680 Speaker 2: think this issue isn't coming for you your homestate, you're 23 00:01:00,680 --> 00:01:02,880 Speaker 2: probably wrong. It's also just the reality that if you 24 00:01:02,920 --> 00:01:06,039 Speaker 2: want to hunt something extra anywhere, even in your home state, 25 00:01:06,080 --> 00:01:08,160 Speaker 2: you should probably at least be aware of what's going 26 00:01:08,200 --> 00:01:09,840 Speaker 2: on in the hunting license space. 27 00:01:10,120 --> 00:01:11,800 Speaker 3: So that's what this episode is all about. 28 00:01:16,680 --> 00:01:18,880 Speaker 2: As is often the case, when I sit down and 29 00:01:18,959 --> 00:01:22,319 Speaker 2: do these podcasts, I get distracted the instant. The words 30 00:01:22,400 --> 00:01:25,120 Speaker 2: just don't spill from my brain onto the computer. So 31 00:01:25,200 --> 00:01:27,560 Speaker 2: I did what anyone in my position would do, and 32 00:01:27,600 --> 00:01:30,080 Speaker 2: I went and applied for a Kansas non resident spring 33 00:01:30,120 --> 00:01:33,920 Speaker 2: turkey tag. This April, I turned forty five. And while 34 00:01:33,959 --> 00:01:36,320 Speaker 2: I hope I'm in a turkey blind on my birthday 35 00:01:36,319 --> 00:01:39,680 Speaker 2: with my daughters then, which I probably will because I'm 36 00:01:39,680 --> 00:01:42,240 Speaker 2: almost always in a turkey blind on my birthday, I'm 37 00:01:42,360 --> 00:01:46,319 Speaker 2: also just more acutely aware of our lost opportunities as hunters. 38 00:01:46,800 --> 00:01:46,959 Speaker 3: Now. 39 00:01:47,000 --> 00:01:49,520 Speaker 2: My natural inclination here is to go into a rant 40 00:01:49,520 --> 00:01:52,400 Speaker 2: about how quick we are to take away hunting opportunities 41 00:01:52,480 --> 00:01:55,160 Speaker 2: from each other and justify it however. 42 00:01:54,840 --> 00:01:55,320 Speaker 3: We need to. 43 00:01:55,800 --> 00:01:57,880 Speaker 2: But I'm going to spare you that if you listen 44 00:01:57,960 --> 00:02:00,240 Speaker 2: to this podcast with any level of frequency, you know 45 00:02:00,280 --> 00:02:02,320 Speaker 2: how much of a mistake I think that is. 46 00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:05,440 Speaker 3: Instead, I'm feeling a sense. 47 00:02:05,240 --> 00:02:09,079 Speaker 2: Of loss over our hunting opportunities. This comes from many sources. 48 00:02:09,480 --> 00:02:12,600 Speaker 2: The news about states tightening up their non resident allocations 49 00:02:12,639 --> 00:02:15,360 Speaker 2: while following the predictable path of raising prices on the 50 00:02:15,440 --> 00:02:18,520 Speaker 2: license and the preference points and the application fees. That's 51 00:02:18,560 --> 00:02:21,040 Speaker 2: a good reminder, and you don't have to look too 52 00:02:21,080 --> 00:02:23,799 Speaker 2: hard to find those stories. But it's way more than 53 00:02:23,800 --> 00:02:27,120 Speaker 2: that though. I recently went through some of my photos, 54 00:02:27,200 --> 00:02:30,040 Speaker 2: of which I have nearly one hundred thousand, most of 55 00:02:30,080 --> 00:02:32,920 Speaker 2: which are from hunting in some form, although there are 56 00:02:32,919 --> 00:02:34,840 Speaker 2: a hell of a lot of fishing and general wildlife 57 00:02:34,880 --> 00:02:37,480 Speaker 2: images mixed in there. But one picture caught my eye 58 00:02:37,480 --> 00:02:40,120 Speaker 2: recently and it hit me kind of hard. In it, 59 00:02:40,280 --> 00:02:42,399 Speaker 2: one of my best friends can be squatting to one 60 00:02:42,480 --> 00:02:45,040 Speaker 2: side of a dead meal deer which is hanging from 61 00:02:45,040 --> 00:02:47,600 Speaker 2: a tree. On the other side of the deer is 62 00:02:47,680 --> 00:02:50,400 Speaker 2: me in the same pose, holding the small four by 63 00:02:50,480 --> 00:02:52,520 Speaker 2: four rack up so it looks a little better for 64 00:02:52,560 --> 00:02:55,600 Speaker 2: the camera. And I think about that hunt all the time, 65 00:02:56,200 --> 00:02:58,480 Speaker 2: about how we were so clueless then on how to 66 00:02:58,480 --> 00:03:02,160 Speaker 2: spot and stock. The opportunities were many, and our standards 67 00:03:02,200 --> 00:03:05,280 Speaker 2: were super low. Now that little buck wasn't the original 68 00:03:05,280 --> 00:03:07,720 Speaker 2: target of the stock It was this spike buddy that 69 00:03:07,760 --> 00:03:09,960 Speaker 2: I spotted first as we hiked our way out of 70 00:03:09,960 --> 00:03:12,720 Speaker 2: the north to Quota bad Lands while the early September 71 00:03:12,760 --> 00:03:16,560 Speaker 2: sun baked the whole landscape. I hit the dirt instinctively, 72 00:03:16,720 --> 00:03:18,480 Speaker 2: and so did my buddy, who was behind me on 73 00:03:18,480 --> 00:03:21,640 Speaker 2: the trail. The route before us was good enough, and 74 00:03:21,680 --> 00:03:24,600 Speaker 2: I started crawling. It wasn't until I was within about 75 00:03:24,639 --> 00:03:27,040 Speaker 2: fifty yards of that spike that I saw yet a 76 00:03:27,080 --> 00:03:29,600 Speaker 2: bigger buddy with him, who happened to be on a 77 00:03:29,680 --> 00:03:32,120 Speaker 2: course that would bring him even a little closer. It 78 00:03:32,160 --> 00:03:35,080 Speaker 2: was unreal and only got better when my arrow actually 79 00:03:35,160 --> 00:03:37,840 Speaker 2: hit him and we went from being mule deer hunters 80 00:03:37,960 --> 00:03:40,880 Speaker 2: to finally being mule deer killers. It was one of 81 00:03:40,880 --> 00:03:43,400 Speaker 2: those formative moments in hunting that creates a before and 82 00:03:43,480 --> 00:03:45,920 Speaker 2: after feeling. We used to not be able to seal 83 00:03:45,960 --> 00:03:48,480 Speaker 2: the deal. Now we can if you get my drift. 84 00:03:48,840 --> 00:03:51,600 Speaker 2: At that time you had to apply for that tag, 85 00:03:51,640 --> 00:03:53,839 Speaker 2: but it was a sure thing. You could also buy 86 00:03:53,840 --> 00:03:56,640 Speaker 2: an archery antelope tag as a kicker. As you can 87 00:03:56,680 --> 00:04:00,360 Speaker 2: probably guess, things aren't so simple there now. One loope 88 00:04:00,360 --> 00:04:03,000 Speaker 2: tags for non residents are long gone, and the meal 89 00:04:03,040 --> 00:04:06,280 Speaker 2: deer tags are a half decade investment in applications and 90 00:04:06,320 --> 00:04:09,080 Speaker 2: points at least now. To be fair, the whole thing 91 00:04:09,120 --> 00:04:12,120 Speaker 2: went south there largely due to winterkill, which in the 92 00:04:12,160 --> 00:04:15,680 Speaker 2: interest of the resource, makes a tag reduction so much 93 00:04:15,720 --> 00:04:19,320 Speaker 2: easier to swallow. It just makes sense. No one resident 94 00:04:19,440 --> 00:04:22,839 Speaker 2: or not wants to see fragile game populations reduced to 95 00:04:22,880 --> 00:04:25,080 Speaker 2: a point where they can't rebound, simply because we like 96 00:04:25,160 --> 00:04:28,080 Speaker 2: hunting more than we like sitting out from hunting. That 97 00:04:28,120 --> 00:04:31,279 Speaker 2: memory is fresh in my mind from that specific hunt, 98 00:04:31,480 --> 00:04:33,800 Speaker 2: even though anyone born on that day could be taking 99 00:04:33,839 --> 00:04:37,720 Speaker 2: their driver's license test this year. Time is a constant, 100 00:04:37,760 --> 00:04:40,719 Speaker 2: and with it comes change. As you get older, you 101 00:04:40,839 --> 00:04:44,400 Speaker 2: pine for the world that was, while casting a suspicious 102 00:04:44,480 --> 00:04:47,080 Speaker 2: side eye to the world that is. And when it 103 00:04:47,120 --> 00:04:51,239 Speaker 2: comes to hunting, this is an expected reaction. We want 104 00:04:51,279 --> 00:04:53,840 Speaker 2: to protect our opportunities. And if there is one thing 105 00:04:53,880 --> 00:04:57,520 Speaker 2: that makes hunting harder generally, it's change. If there is 106 00:04:57,560 --> 00:04:59,679 Speaker 2: one thing that's coming from most of our hunting though, 107 00:05:00,040 --> 00:05:03,200 Speaker 2: it's also change. But that's really kind of fodder for 108 00:05:03,240 --> 00:05:05,880 Speaker 2: another topic. What I want to focus on today is 109 00:05:05,920 --> 00:05:09,440 Speaker 2: that while things are changing, there are still a lot 110 00:05:09,480 --> 00:05:12,719 Speaker 2: of opportunities out there. Many require us to focus on 111 00:05:12,760 --> 00:05:15,960 Speaker 2: a draw, you know, building a few preference points, or 112 00:05:16,080 --> 00:05:19,599 Speaker 2: just understanding what licenses are available to us. If you 113 00:05:19,680 --> 00:05:21,880 Speaker 2: think you'll be immune to this because you never leave 114 00:05:21,920 --> 00:05:25,760 Speaker 2: your home state to hunt, you're probably wrong. If you say, 115 00:05:25,800 --> 00:05:28,200 Speaker 2: no way, man, I only hunt white tails and we 116 00:05:28,279 --> 00:05:30,320 Speaker 2: get three buck tags a year here, and that's not 117 00:05:30,480 --> 00:05:34,719 Speaker 2: going away to that, I say, sure, maybe, But to 118 00:05:34,760 --> 00:05:37,280 Speaker 2: believe that our deer populations are a constant, and that 119 00:05:37,360 --> 00:05:41,880 Speaker 2: tag allocations, especially relatively generous tag allocations, are a constant, 120 00:05:42,160 --> 00:05:45,640 Speaker 2: it's probably a mistake. The truth, no matter where you live, 121 00:05:46,040 --> 00:05:48,479 Speaker 2: is that we just keep making more people, and those 122 00:05:48,520 --> 00:05:51,919 Speaker 2: people keep taking up more space. So do we That 123 00:05:52,040 --> 00:05:55,400 Speaker 2: space we take up comes from somewhere, and animals are 124 00:05:55,520 --> 00:05:59,080 Speaker 2: rarely the benefactors when we gobble up real estate. Now, 125 00:05:59,200 --> 00:06:01,039 Speaker 2: if a whole shit will do people stop hunting for 126 00:06:01,080 --> 00:06:04,200 Speaker 2: whatever reason, it might all level off with the available 127 00:06:04,279 --> 00:06:06,840 Speaker 2: hunting space per hunter kind of thing. And we are 128 00:06:06,880 --> 00:06:09,600 Speaker 2: losing hunters in some categories, but not at the rate 129 00:06:09,640 --> 00:06:12,040 Speaker 2: world in the gate urban sprawl and the loss of 130 00:06:12,120 --> 00:06:14,960 Speaker 2: hunting ground. And even if that were true, the loss 131 00:06:14,960 --> 00:06:17,919 Speaker 2: of hunters would become an issue on other fronts, not 132 00:06:18,040 --> 00:06:21,120 Speaker 2: the least of which is funding for conservation and a 133 00:06:21,160 --> 00:06:24,000 Speaker 2: collective voice against the folks who would rather we buried 134 00:06:24,040 --> 00:06:26,760 Speaker 2: our heads in the sand and eight animals raised in 135 00:06:26,839 --> 00:06:30,680 Speaker 2: captivity for the purpose of consumption. We will probably all 136 00:06:30,720 --> 00:06:32,560 Speaker 2: have to play the lottery game at some point in 137 00:06:32,560 --> 00:06:36,440 Speaker 2: our hunting careers, and if not us, our kids for sure. 138 00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:39,359 Speaker 2: So what does this mean for you? Well, let me 139 00:06:39,400 --> 00:06:42,400 Speaker 2: start by saying that most hunters won't travel to hunt, 140 00:06:42,680 --> 00:06:45,440 Speaker 2: but every hunter who has the means probably should. Now, 141 00:06:45,480 --> 00:06:47,760 Speaker 2: if you're concerned with being a better hunter, which, if 142 00:06:47,760 --> 00:06:50,240 Speaker 2: you're listening to me ramble on, is somewhat of a 143 00:06:50,240 --> 00:06:52,520 Speaker 2: safe bet, then there isn't much of a better way 144 00:06:52,560 --> 00:06:54,839 Speaker 2: to have a hell of a good time hunting while leveling. 145 00:06:54,560 --> 00:06:57,040 Speaker 3: Up your game. That's just kind of an objective truth. 146 00:06:57,680 --> 00:06:59,760 Speaker 2: Now, it's also true that if you don't take advantage 147 00:06:59,760 --> 00:07:02,160 Speaker 2: of some of the opportunities you have now, then you 148 00:07:02,240 --> 00:07:05,200 Speaker 2: might find yourself remorseful about that at some point in 149 00:07:05,240 --> 00:07:07,479 Speaker 2: the future. The easiest way to look at this is 150 00:07:07,520 --> 00:07:10,680 Speaker 2: with elk. Go find a white tail hunter of the 151 00:07:10,760 --> 00:07:14,200 Speaker 2: age I don't know, say, twelve to fifty five, who 152 00:07:14,240 --> 00:07:17,040 Speaker 2: doesn't dream at least a little bit about hunting elk 153 00:07:17,080 --> 00:07:19,400 Speaker 2: in the mountains. Now, think about how many of them 154 00:07:19,400 --> 00:07:23,000 Speaker 2: never will. Most I'd say, meal deer aren't quite to 155 00:07:23,080 --> 00:07:26,000 Speaker 2: draw elk are, but the path in the situation for 156 00:07:26,040 --> 00:07:29,560 Speaker 2: them is exactly the same. Really, all Western critters are 157 00:07:29,560 --> 00:07:32,760 Speaker 2: following that path, and Western hunters are more than happy 158 00:07:32,760 --> 00:07:35,760 Speaker 2: to keep everyone else out. And while I blame them 159 00:07:35,760 --> 00:07:38,960 Speaker 2: a little for that, I also don't. It's like, in 160 00:07:39,000 --> 00:07:41,280 Speaker 2: the last ten years everyone figured out that living in 161 00:07:41,320 --> 00:07:44,280 Speaker 2: places with mountains and trout streams and clean air is 162 00:07:44,320 --> 00:07:47,280 Speaker 2: actually really nice, and a whole shitload of people with 163 00:07:47,440 --> 00:07:50,440 Speaker 2: urban money decided to go kind of rural. That's a 164 00:07:50,480 --> 00:07:53,240 Speaker 2: threat to a way of life that many many Western 165 00:07:53,280 --> 00:07:56,840 Speaker 2: outdoorsmen and women are living through right now, and there 166 00:07:56,840 --> 00:07:59,400 Speaker 2: doesn't seem to be a real end in sight. So 167 00:07:59,480 --> 00:08:02,240 Speaker 2: maybe the game appeals to you just because it means 168 00:08:02,880 --> 00:08:04,840 Speaker 2: you might get to hunt a critter you know you 169 00:08:04,880 --> 00:08:07,320 Speaker 2: won't get to hunt maybe more than a handful of 170 00:08:07,320 --> 00:08:10,360 Speaker 2: times in your life. And with that critter comes hunting 171 00:08:10,400 --> 00:08:12,800 Speaker 2: in an environment that is pretty damn unique to you 172 00:08:13,200 --> 00:08:15,640 Speaker 2: and pretty damn special. It's hard to argue with that, 173 00:08:16,080 --> 00:08:18,800 Speaker 2: But maybe a thousand dollars elk tag after five years of. 174 00:08:18,720 --> 00:08:21,320 Speaker 3: Waiting is a bridge too far. What can you do 175 00:08:21,360 --> 00:08:24,000 Speaker 3: at home or in a neighboring state plenty? 176 00:08:24,120 --> 00:08:27,080 Speaker 2: Probably where I live in Minnesota, I can get to 177 00:08:27,120 --> 00:08:30,200 Speaker 2: North Dakota and South Dakota, Nebraska, and I have a Missouri, Illinois, 178 00:08:30,240 --> 00:08:33,640 Speaker 2: Wisconsin without putting really too many miles on my truck. 179 00:08:33,960 --> 00:08:36,480 Speaker 2: Every one of those states will sell me some type 180 00:08:36,480 --> 00:08:39,160 Speaker 2: of non resident license for deer, turkeys or ducks, or 181 00:08:39,200 --> 00:08:42,040 Speaker 2: upland game or something. Some I have to build points 182 00:08:42,040 --> 00:08:44,400 Speaker 2: for others I can order up on my phone in 183 00:08:44,440 --> 00:08:47,200 Speaker 2: a matter of a few minutes. All are tickets to 184 00:08:47,280 --> 00:09:00,920 Speaker 2: something I can't do at home. You know what you're thinking, 185 00:09:01,320 --> 00:09:03,520 Speaker 2: why would you go hunt the same turkeys or deer 186 00:09:03,520 --> 00:09:07,160 Speaker 2: in Wisconsin that you could hunt Minnesota. To that, I say, 187 00:09:07,800 --> 00:09:10,320 Speaker 2: they aren't the same animals, or at least it's not 188 00:09:10,400 --> 00:09:14,480 Speaker 2: the same hunt, And that's the point. They live somewhere else, 189 00:09:14,679 --> 00:09:17,560 Speaker 2: often in habitat that might be similar to my home 190 00:09:17,600 --> 00:09:21,480 Speaker 2: ground or nothing like it at all. Sure, one hundred 191 00:09:21,559 --> 00:09:23,920 Speaker 2: inch eight point round a property here in the suburbs 192 00:09:24,320 --> 00:09:26,600 Speaker 2: is built pretty much like one hundred inch eight pointer 193 00:09:26,640 --> 00:09:29,480 Speaker 2: in the big Woods of Wisconsin, but the similarities for 194 00:09:29,520 --> 00:09:32,640 Speaker 2: the hunt are so different What I like about the 195 00:09:32,640 --> 00:09:35,960 Speaker 2: prospect of hunting somewhere else first and foremost is that 196 00:09:36,000 --> 00:09:39,600 Speaker 2: it's exciting to think about doing something different that Kansas 197 00:09:39,679 --> 00:09:42,360 Speaker 2: turkey tag I applied for today. It's going to take 198 00:09:42,400 --> 00:09:44,480 Speaker 2: me to a state I've only hunted once for deer 199 00:09:44,480 --> 00:09:47,600 Speaker 2: and once for turkeys. But better, it's going to take 200 00:09:47,600 --> 00:09:49,720 Speaker 2: me to some public land in an area I've never 201 00:09:49,800 --> 00:09:51,600 Speaker 2: hunted or even driven through. 202 00:09:51,640 --> 00:09:54,040 Speaker 3: I don't think. So what's waiting for me there? 203 00:09:54,520 --> 00:09:56,600 Speaker 2: I don't know, but I hope there are a few 204 00:09:56,600 --> 00:09:59,200 Speaker 2: gobblers around, and if they are tough, I don't care 205 00:09:59,600 --> 00:10:02,280 Speaker 2: all care scout deer and see what I can do 206 00:10:02,320 --> 00:10:05,160 Speaker 2: about bringing home the main ingredients for turkey nuggets, which 207 00:10:05,160 --> 00:10:08,840 Speaker 2: are my daughter's favorite meal. Process for applying for that tag, 208 00:10:09,400 --> 00:10:11,960 Speaker 2: it was so simple I could hardly believe it. I'll 209 00:10:11,960 --> 00:10:15,280 Speaker 2: say this about modern technology. It is on a constant 210 00:10:15,360 --> 00:10:18,160 Speaker 2: march to making things easier and easier for us to 211 00:10:18,200 --> 00:10:20,960 Speaker 2: spend our money in the interest of applying for a 212 00:10:21,000 --> 00:10:24,280 Speaker 2: turkey tag. That's kind of awesome, especially if you're old 213 00:10:24,360 --> 00:10:27,520 Speaker 2: enough to remember walking into some random Walmart somewhere and 214 00:10:27,559 --> 00:10:30,280 Speaker 2: trying to buy a non resident tag from an eighteen 215 00:10:30,360 --> 00:10:33,520 Speaker 2: year old in some random Missouri town who probably couldn't 216 00:10:33,520 --> 00:10:35,840 Speaker 2: spell its first name if you spotted him half the letters. 217 00:10:36,400 --> 00:10:39,719 Speaker 2: Some states could follow suit there, which you figure out 218 00:10:39,720 --> 00:10:41,720 Speaker 2: pretty quickly if you try to apply for a non 219 00:10:41,760 --> 00:10:45,000 Speaker 2: resident license and say I don't know Wyoming as a 220 00:10:45,080 --> 00:10:49,360 Speaker 2: random example. The process varies by state and often by critter, 221 00:10:49,840 --> 00:10:52,800 Speaker 2: but it's something worth researching, even if you think you'll 222 00:10:52,800 --> 00:10:55,600 Speaker 2: never actually go. I don't know how many times I've 223 00:10:55,640 --> 00:10:58,800 Speaker 2: talked to someone roughly my age who has little kids 224 00:10:59,040 --> 00:11:01,439 Speaker 2: and wishes they could take I'm hunting for turkeys and deer, 225 00:11:01,720 --> 00:11:05,280 Speaker 2: but they can't see beyond our own states restrictions. Yet 226 00:11:05,280 --> 00:11:07,800 Speaker 2: there are multiple states within a short drive that will 227 00:11:07,840 --> 00:11:11,920 Speaker 2: sell youth tags dirt cheap and don't have minimum age restrictions. 228 00:11:12,400 --> 00:11:14,360 Speaker 2: The fun part about some of this stuff is just 229 00:11:14,400 --> 00:11:17,559 Speaker 2: forgetting what you think you know about hunting opportunities and 230 00:11:17,640 --> 00:11:20,120 Speaker 2: doing a little research on what is out there and 231 00:11:20,160 --> 00:11:23,000 Speaker 2: available to you. My little girls started hunting deer in 232 00:11:23,040 --> 00:11:26,280 Speaker 2: Wisconsin before they started hunting in Minnesota for this very reason, 233 00:11:26,880 --> 00:11:28,640 Speaker 2: and a hell of a lot of people looked at 234 00:11:28,720 --> 00:11:30,520 Speaker 2: me a little funky when I told them my nine 235 00:11:30,559 --> 00:11:34,160 Speaker 2: year old daughters were successful deer hunters. Maybe the non 236 00:11:34,200 --> 00:11:37,040 Speaker 2: resident tag option is just too much for you in 237 00:11:37,080 --> 00:11:40,440 Speaker 2: whatever state, but maybe there's a youth opportunity there's priced 238 00:11:40,440 --> 00:11:43,600 Speaker 2: for the bargain bin and is definitely worth some research 239 00:11:43,679 --> 00:11:45,959 Speaker 2: during February when you don't have anything else to do. 240 00:11:46,280 --> 00:11:48,160 Speaker 2: And there's another way to look at this, which I 241 00:11:48,160 --> 00:11:52,040 Speaker 2: think is important. Any slight inconvenience to getting a tag 242 00:11:52,559 --> 00:11:55,320 Speaker 2: or buying a preference point can be enough of a 243 00:11:55,400 --> 00:11:57,640 Speaker 2: deterrent to throw your hands in the air and say. 244 00:11:57,480 --> 00:11:58,160 Speaker 3: To hell with it. 245 00:11:58,640 --> 00:12:01,920 Speaker 2: With our lives full of so much bs with work 246 00:12:01,960 --> 00:12:05,679 Speaker 2: and families, it's easy to see anything like filling out 247 00:12:05,720 --> 00:12:07,959 Speaker 2: an app or buying preference points for a few years 248 00:12:08,200 --> 00:12:10,000 Speaker 2: as a good argument to just give it up and 249 00:12:10,040 --> 00:12:12,280 Speaker 2: not do it. I have a couple buddies who are 250 00:12:12,320 --> 00:12:14,600 Speaker 2: like that now, and I can promise you one thing. 251 00:12:15,160 --> 00:12:18,040 Speaker 2: They aren't any happier in the fall for not going 252 00:12:18,080 --> 00:12:21,080 Speaker 2: and traveling to hunt. They know what they're missing, and 253 00:12:21,240 --> 00:12:23,760 Speaker 2: just like not exercising or taking care of yourself some 254 00:12:23,840 --> 00:12:26,880 Speaker 2: other way, you can justify it in your head easy enough, 255 00:12:27,240 --> 00:12:28,960 Speaker 2: but there is a little voice that lets you know 256 00:12:29,000 --> 00:12:32,360 Speaker 2: that maybe you should make some different choices. It's easier 257 00:12:32,360 --> 00:12:34,160 Speaker 2: to give up and I see a lot of that 258 00:12:34,240 --> 00:12:36,280 Speaker 2: right now here in the Upper Midwest, Like with the 259 00:12:36,320 --> 00:12:40,000 Speaker 2: wolf situation, the traditional up north deer camp, you know, 260 00:12:40,160 --> 00:12:43,120 Speaker 2: mostly for rifle hunting, is dying on the vine, and 261 00:12:43,160 --> 00:12:47,319 Speaker 2: the presence of big deer eating canines is certainly accelerating 262 00:12:47,360 --> 00:12:48,120 Speaker 2: that drop off. 263 00:12:48,720 --> 00:12:50,360 Speaker 3: I talk to people every year who. 264 00:12:50,200 --> 00:12:52,360 Speaker 2: Say it's not worth going up to the big woods anymore, 265 00:12:52,679 --> 00:12:55,320 Speaker 2: and maybe they're right, But is that a good enough 266 00:12:55,360 --> 00:12:58,360 Speaker 2: reason to not hunt anywhere, to at least not do 267 00:12:58,400 --> 00:13:01,119 Speaker 2: a little dive into the opportunity that are still available, 268 00:13:01,360 --> 00:13:03,080 Speaker 2: and it might allow you to keep hunting, even if 269 00:13:03,120 --> 00:13:05,600 Speaker 2: it's not the hunt you think you want. Is it 270 00:13:05,640 --> 00:13:09,000 Speaker 2: better to quit altogether because that specific opportunity one a way? 271 00:13:09,360 --> 00:13:12,640 Speaker 2: I don't think so. And also on that point, it's 272 00:13:12,679 --> 00:13:17,240 Speaker 2: worth just some time researching opportunities in your home state. 273 00:13:17,880 --> 00:13:21,720 Speaker 2: We get stuck doing what we generally always do at home, 274 00:13:21,840 --> 00:13:24,960 Speaker 2: on our familiar ground, but we forget that pretty much 275 00:13:25,040 --> 00:13:28,240 Speaker 2: every state opers up more than we engage in in 276 00:13:28,640 --> 00:13:32,960 Speaker 2: any given season or in any given lifetime. Maybe you're 277 00:13:33,040 --> 00:13:35,679 Speaker 2: unaware of some of the ones in a lifetime opportunities 278 00:13:35,720 --> 00:13:37,679 Speaker 2: in your state, or the fact that you can get 279 00:13:37,679 --> 00:13:40,120 Speaker 2: an extra buck tag in some corner of your state 280 00:13:40,160 --> 00:13:43,120 Speaker 2: for some reason, or maybe just go on a dough 281 00:13:43,200 --> 00:13:45,840 Speaker 2: hunt in some other corner of your state when you 282 00:13:45,880 --> 00:13:48,360 Speaker 2: thought the whole season was just over because of where 283 00:13:48,400 --> 00:13:51,480 Speaker 2: you usually hunt. I'm reminded of this often when I 284 00:13:51,520 --> 00:13:55,000 Speaker 2: talk about bear hunting, because people ask me about hunting 285 00:13:55,000 --> 00:13:57,760 Speaker 2: bears in Minnesota a lot, and I've only really done 286 00:13:57,800 --> 00:14:00,520 Speaker 2: it a handful of times in a very specific location. 287 00:14:01,040 --> 00:14:03,280 Speaker 2: I just don't have a lot of information, But I 288 00:14:03,320 --> 00:14:05,280 Speaker 2: know that you can buy a no quota over the 289 00:14:05,320 --> 00:14:07,920 Speaker 2: countertag in some parts of this state and play the 290 00:14:08,000 --> 00:14:08,680 Speaker 2: points game. 291 00:14:08,720 --> 00:14:09,400 Speaker 3: In the others. 292 00:14:09,920 --> 00:14:13,280 Speaker 2: You could literally hunt bears in the suburbs here or 293 00:14:13,360 --> 00:14:16,280 Speaker 2: do a camping trip in the boundary waters in the 294 00:14:16,320 --> 00:14:19,480 Speaker 2: northern part of the state. There are licenses to consider 295 00:14:20,040 --> 00:14:23,760 Speaker 2: tags to try drawing, and there are opportunities out there 296 00:14:23,880 --> 00:14:26,640 Speaker 2: for us, even in our home state. So what does 297 00:14:26,640 --> 00:14:29,480 Speaker 2: this all mean. I guess it's part rally cry and 298 00:14:29,520 --> 00:14:32,760 Speaker 2: part warning for you guys. Things are going to change 299 00:14:32,800 --> 00:14:35,240 Speaker 2: and you're not gonna like it always. You can wait 300 00:14:35,280 --> 00:14:36,960 Speaker 2: for that change to come to you and face the 301 00:14:37,000 --> 00:14:40,520 Speaker 2: existential hunting crisis of maybe giving up or maybe never 302 00:14:40,640 --> 00:14:43,080 Speaker 2: hunting that dream. Bull Elk or whatever, or you can 303 00:14:43,120 --> 00:14:44,480 Speaker 2: try to get ahead of this stuff and be a 304 00:14:44,520 --> 00:14:46,800 Speaker 2: little bit proactive. This is kind of like what my 305 00:14:46,840 --> 00:14:49,680 Speaker 2: wife does with shopping for a big purchase. At first, 306 00:14:49,680 --> 00:14:52,640 Speaker 2: she'll say she's just looking because she likes it or whatever, 307 00:14:53,120 --> 00:14:55,840 Speaker 2: but she's not. She's scouting in her own way, and 308 00:14:55,880 --> 00:14:58,640 Speaker 2: eventually that money will be spent and whatever products she 309 00:14:58,680 --> 00:15:01,840 Speaker 2: had her eye on will end up in Okay, Maybe 310 00:15:01,840 --> 00:15:02,880 Speaker 2: this is nothing like that. 311 00:15:03,360 --> 00:15:05,440 Speaker 3: Instead, it's free to look. 312 00:15:06,000 --> 00:15:08,840 Speaker 2: You can browse hunting opportunities, and an easy way to 313 00:15:08,880 --> 00:15:10,920 Speaker 2: do it is to think what you might have to 314 00:15:10,960 --> 00:15:13,640 Speaker 2: work with in some state or some part of the 315 00:15:13,680 --> 00:15:18,520 Speaker 2: state that isn't your traditional hunt. Isn't your traditional hunting spot? 316 00:15:18,640 --> 00:15:22,320 Speaker 2: Even do you have a relative who has always told 317 00:15:22,360 --> 00:15:24,880 Speaker 2: you that you can hunt their place. It's a real 318 00:15:24,920 --> 00:15:27,440 Speaker 2: good start in the research process. Do you spend some 319 00:15:27,520 --> 00:15:29,840 Speaker 2: time fishing with the family somewhere and notice a hell 320 00:15:29,840 --> 00:15:31,880 Speaker 2: of a lot of public land signage in the area, 321 00:15:32,400 --> 00:15:34,920 Speaker 2: maybe an area that you just really like spending time in. 322 00:15:35,680 --> 00:15:38,320 Speaker 2: Start with that. What's there for you to hunt? And 323 00:15:38,360 --> 00:15:41,240 Speaker 2: how do you go about getting a license? Maybe you 324 00:15:41,280 --> 00:15:43,000 Speaker 2: just feel like your home state and has gotten a 325 00:15:43,000 --> 00:15:46,280 Speaker 2: little stale because you know, if you leave your lease 326 00:15:46,320 --> 00:15:48,800 Speaker 2: alone until Halloween, you'll be able to go in and 327 00:15:48,880 --> 00:15:51,640 Speaker 2: kill a buck. Well, do you want to hunt any 328 00:15:51,720 --> 00:15:53,960 Speaker 2: part of the season other than that or just be 329 00:15:54,000 --> 00:15:58,120 Speaker 2: a super efficient killer? What do you want here to hunt? 330 00:15:58,600 --> 00:16:00,800 Speaker 2: Or to just execute a real life, viable plan and 331 00:16:00,840 --> 00:16:03,320 Speaker 2: fill the one tag you have as quickly as possible. 332 00:16:03,760 --> 00:16:06,400 Speaker 2: This past September, my daughter killed a bear in Wisconsin, 333 00:16:06,680 --> 00:16:09,120 Speaker 2: and the amount of people who we've told that story 334 00:16:09,160 --> 00:16:11,560 Speaker 2: to who have also said they've always wanted to hunt 335 00:16:11,600 --> 00:16:15,240 Speaker 2: bears is pretty incredible, And every time I'm like, uh, 336 00:16:16,000 --> 00:16:19,760 Speaker 2: go hunt them. Yogi is very comfortable on public land, 337 00:16:19,840 --> 00:16:22,000 Speaker 2: and the process of getting a few preference points under 338 00:16:22,080 --> 00:16:25,000 Speaker 2: your belt and planning where to get bait it's pretty 339 00:16:25,000 --> 00:16:28,880 Speaker 2: exciting and it's also not that difficult. But most people 340 00:16:28,880 --> 00:16:32,840 Speaker 2: will never do it because it's easier to not do that. Eventually, though, 341 00:16:33,040 --> 00:16:36,240 Speaker 2: those tags might not be available or the fire might 342 00:16:36,320 --> 00:16:39,840 Speaker 2: just burn out inside of you. Why let that happen 343 00:16:39,840 --> 00:16:42,760 Speaker 2: if you don't have to. Wouldn't you rather find yourself 344 00:16:42,800 --> 00:16:46,120 Speaker 2: about sixteen years down the road, looking fondly at a 345 00:16:46,120 --> 00:16:49,120 Speaker 2: photo of your much younger self and your much younger 346 00:16:49,200 --> 00:16:52,480 Speaker 2: hunting buddy posing with a critter you never thought you'd hunt, 347 00:16:52,640 --> 00:16:56,240 Speaker 2: let alone kill, and think fondly about that, and use 348 00:16:56,280 --> 00:16:58,880 Speaker 2: it as motivation to keep looking, to keep trying to 349 00:16:58,920 --> 00:17:01,480 Speaker 2: find a little adventure, than to just be the guy 350 00:17:01,480 --> 00:17:03,560 Speaker 2: who says I always wanted to do this one thing 351 00:17:04,119 --> 00:17:06,520 Speaker 2: and I just didn't do that one thing for whatever reason, 352 00:17:06,880 --> 00:17:10,240 Speaker 2: and now I can't because eventually the tags will be gone, 353 00:17:10,720 --> 00:17:13,640 Speaker 2: the critters might be gone, or the willingness to make 354 00:17:13,680 --> 00:17:17,560 Speaker 2: it happen will be gone before that, I say go, 355 00:17:18,440 --> 00:17:21,360 Speaker 2: or at least do just a bit of research here 356 00:17:21,359 --> 00:17:24,520 Speaker 2: in the off season on maybe going and see if 357 00:17:24,520 --> 00:17:29,000 Speaker 2: that doesn't convince you to well, go do that and 358 00:17:29,119 --> 00:17:30,960 Speaker 2: come back next week, because I'm going to talk about 359 00:17:31,000 --> 00:17:33,639 Speaker 2: the deer that change us, the ones we kill, the 360 00:17:33,680 --> 00:17:36,919 Speaker 2: ones we don't kill, and the ones that just alter 361 00:17:37,080 --> 00:17:42,320 Speaker 2: our course as hunters. That's it for this week. I'm 362 00:17:42,359 --> 00:17:44,800 Speaker 2: Tony Peterson. This has been the Wire to Hunt Foundation's podcast, 363 00:17:44,840 --> 00:17:46,840 Speaker 2: which is brought to you by First Light. As always, 364 00:17:46,880 --> 00:17:50,000 Speaker 2: thank you so much for your support. We really truly 365 00:17:50,040 --> 00:17:53,040 Speaker 2: appreciate you guys showing up watching our videos over at 366 00:17:53,040 --> 00:17:56,360 Speaker 2: the mediator dot com, reading the articles, you know, listening 367 00:17:56,359 --> 00:17:59,440 Speaker 2: to this podcast. The main Wire to Hunt podcast. Maybe 368 00:17:59,480 --> 00:18:01,560 Speaker 2: you skip on over and listen to Bear Grease or 369 00:18:01,600 --> 00:18:04,920 Speaker 2: This Country Life. Whatever, however, you show up for us, 370 00:18:04,960 --> 00:18:07,800 Speaker 2: we truly appreciate it, so thank you for that. And 371 00:18:07,880 --> 00:18:10,399 Speaker 2: as I kind of mentioned there, if you need more content, 372 00:18:10,440 --> 00:18:12,960 Speaker 2: you know where to find it The medeater dot com. 373 00:18:13,440 --> 00:18:15,440 Speaker 2: Tons of good stuff there, go check it out.