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 --> 00:00:13,560 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 00:00:20,200 --> 00:00:22,639 Speaker 2: Hey, everyone, welcome to the Wire to Hunt Foundations podcast, 7 00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:24,439 Speaker 2: which is brought to you by First Light. I'm your host, 8 00:00:24,440 --> 00:00:27,000 Speaker 2: Tony Peterson, and this week I'm giving you your yearly 9 00:00:27,080 --> 00:00:30,360 Speaker 2: reminder that gun hunting, like gun hunters, usually ends in 10 00:00:30,440 --> 00:00:33,479 Speaker 2: unfilled tags and what you should do to not suffer 11 00:00:33,520 --> 00:00:41,800 Speaker 2: the same fate as your orange clad brethren. All right, 12 00:00:42,320 --> 00:00:43,720 Speaker 2: before I jump into this one, I have to let 13 00:00:43,760 --> 00:00:46,240 Speaker 2: you know that meat Eater is running a mega, super 14 00:00:46,320 --> 00:00:49,040 Speaker 2: huge Black Friday sale right now. And I know, I 15 00:00:49,080 --> 00:00:50,920 Speaker 2: know you're sick of hearing about sales, but trust me, 16 00:00:51,479 --> 00:00:51,959 Speaker 2: that's not. 17 00:00:51,920 --> 00:00:52,720 Speaker 3: Going to stop us. 18 00:00:52,960 --> 00:00:55,840 Speaker 2: So you might as well go buy some deeply discounted stuff, 19 00:00:56,360 --> 00:00:58,760 Speaker 2: stuff like the Origin hoodie and pants, which you can 20 00:00:58,800 --> 00:01:02,160 Speaker 2: get at fifty percent, or the Furnace hoodie, which I 21 00:01:02,200 --> 00:01:04,200 Speaker 2: wear a lot because it's one of my favorite pieces, 22 00:01:04,440 --> 00:01:07,360 Speaker 2: at twenty percent off. Our white tail kits are up 23 00:01:07,360 --> 00:01:09,560 Speaker 2: to forty percent off, meat eat or apparel up to 24 00:01:09,560 --> 00:01:12,160 Speaker 2: fifty percent off, and a hell of a lot more 25 00:01:12,200 --> 00:01:15,720 Speaker 2: good stuff like multie cameras up to forty five percent off, 26 00:01:15,800 --> 00:01:19,559 Speaker 2: Krispy boots at twenty percent off, much much more. Head 27 00:01:19,560 --> 00:01:21,520 Speaker 2: to the meat Eater dot com and check it out now. 28 00:01:21,560 --> 00:01:23,679 Speaker 2: If you don't, then Mark won't have the budget to 29 00:01:23,680 --> 00:01:26,479 Speaker 2: go count butterflies for his latest twenty six part series 30 00:01:26,520 --> 00:01:28,920 Speaker 2: on pollinators, and I won't have the budget to go 31 00:01:29,000 --> 00:01:31,759 Speaker 2: hunt public land white tails like a real man. All right, 32 00:01:31,880 --> 00:01:34,800 Speaker 2: Enough of that, It's gun season throughout much of the country, 33 00:01:34,800 --> 00:01:38,640 Speaker 2: and that means that most hunters of any time, any 34 00:01:38,640 --> 00:01:40,040 Speaker 2: given point of the year are going to be in 35 00:01:40,040 --> 00:01:42,880 Speaker 2: the woods right now. The deer gonna be scared shitless, 36 00:01:42,880 --> 00:01:45,399 Speaker 2: and on average, about twenty to thirty percent of hunters will. 37 00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:45,959 Speaker 3: Fill their tags. 38 00:01:46,280 --> 00:01:48,600 Speaker 2: The rest won't, and they'll be sad about it. And 39 00:01:48,640 --> 00:01:50,240 Speaker 2: since I don't want you guys to be sad, it's 40 00:01:50,240 --> 00:01:52,320 Speaker 2: time to talk about how to fill those rifle and 41 00:01:52,320 --> 00:01:56,120 Speaker 2: shotgun tags even when the going gets really, really tough. 42 00:02:02,720 --> 00:02:05,360 Speaker 2: This will probably come as a surprise to almost no 43 00:02:05,440 --> 00:02:08,040 Speaker 2: one who ever listens to this podcast, but I don't 44 00:02:08,080 --> 00:02:11,359 Speaker 2: really love gun hunting. Now, you know what, that's too 45 00:02:11,360 --> 00:02:13,640 Speaker 2: simple of a take on it. I love hunting a 46 00:02:13,639 --> 00:02:16,239 Speaker 2: lot of stuff with guns. I just don't really love 47 00:02:16,360 --> 00:02:20,079 Speaker 2: participating in the general gun deer season. In most places. 48 00:02:20,760 --> 00:02:22,800 Speaker 2: This is due to a lot of reasons, but the 49 00:02:22,800 --> 00:02:24,640 Speaker 2: one that probably sits at the top of the list 50 00:02:24,639 --> 00:02:26,720 Speaker 2: most often is that I don't like to cross my 51 00:02:26,760 --> 00:02:29,480 Speaker 2: fingers and hope a deer comes by. The thing I 52 00:02:29,520 --> 00:02:31,520 Speaker 2: love about deer hunting is figuring out where they like 53 00:02:31,560 --> 00:02:33,560 Speaker 2: to walk and then sneaking in there to see if 54 00:02:33,560 --> 00:02:36,480 Speaker 2: I'm right. I'm often not right, but when I am, 55 00:02:36,600 --> 00:02:38,720 Speaker 2: it's a feeling that is worth chasing from season to 56 00:02:38,760 --> 00:02:42,520 Speaker 2: season and state to state. With general gun seasons, the 57 00:02:42,600 --> 00:02:46,160 Speaker 2: natural movement goes largely out the window. Now, sure, if 58 00:02:46,200 --> 00:02:48,400 Speaker 2: you have a badass spot with little to no pressure 59 00:02:48,680 --> 00:02:51,480 Speaker 2: and it's big enough, you can certainly witness plenty of 60 00:02:51,480 --> 00:02:54,200 Speaker 2: normal day to day deer stuff. If you don't, you won't, 61 00:02:54,639 --> 00:02:56,760 Speaker 2: at least not quite in the way most of us 62 00:02:56,760 --> 00:02:59,280 Speaker 2: would like. I say all of that, and now I'm 63 00:02:59,280 --> 00:03:02,880 Speaker 2: going to say this. The general firearms season is also 64 00:03:02,919 --> 00:03:05,960 Speaker 2: an interesting opportunity to learn about deer and to try 65 00:03:06,040 --> 00:03:08,600 Speaker 2: to play the game of figuring out where they will go. 66 00:03:09,400 --> 00:03:12,000 Speaker 2: The times that I've killed bucks with a rifle or hell, 67 00:03:12,040 --> 00:03:15,280 Speaker 2: even a muzzloader have almost always felt like the bucks 68 00:03:15,280 --> 00:03:18,960 Speaker 2: that I've killed with a bow on public land, and 69 00:03:19,240 --> 00:03:22,080 Speaker 2: like those bow hunts for pressure deer. You know where 70 00:03:22,080 --> 00:03:24,640 Speaker 2: this gets super duper hard is that not only do 71 00:03:24,680 --> 00:03:26,799 Speaker 2: you have to go take a flyer on some sits, 72 00:03:27,240 --> 00:03:29,840 Speaker 2: you have to employ the other rock solid but sucks 73 00:03:29,840 --> 00:03:32,880 Speaker 2: a lot tactic of putting in tons of hours watching 74 00:03:32,919 --> 00:03:35,400 Speaker 2: squirrels and praying to the deer gods to show you 75 00:03:35,560 --> 00:03:38,320 Speaker 2: just one. This is generally too much to ask for 76 00:03:38,360 --> 00:03:41,600 Speaker 2: most hunters, so they won't do it. But if you 77 00:03:41,600 --> 00:03:44,320 Speaker 2: want to kill good bucks somewhat consistently and you're not 78 00:03:44,360 --> 00:03:47,680 Speaker 2: secretly one of Elon Musk's forty seven kids, you have 79 00:03:47,760 --> 00:03:50,000 Speaker 2: to do the work. There's just no way around this 80 00:03:50,200 --> 00:03:53,600 Speaker 2: without lots of money and time. Now, I've talked a 81 00:03:53,600 --> 00:03:56,320 Speaker 2: lot about how I think most firearms hunters would benefit 82 00:03:56,360 --> 00:03:59,880 Speaker 2: greatly from just doubling their hunting locations from one to two. 83 00:04:00,840 --> 00:04:02,880 Speaker 2: I don't mean whole parcels of land. I just mean 84 00:04:02,920 --> 00:04:05,360 Speaker 2: going from you know, one ladder stand to two ladder stands. 85 00:04:05,800 --> 00:04:07,320 Speaker 2: This is a good way to get your fixed with 86 00:04:07,360 --> 00:04:09,560 Speaker 2: an old stand by where you can see a lot 87 00:04:09,760 --> 00:04:11,760 Speaker 2: and you know some years you're gonna shoot one from it. 88 00:04:12,000 --> 00:04:13,760 Speaker 2: But when the movement dies down to a trickle on 89 00:04:13,800 --> 00:04:16,040 Speaker 2: that big view stand that's easy to get to goes 90 00:04:16,080 --> 00:04:16,800 Speaker 2: totally cold. 91 00:04:17,000 --> 00:04:20,280 Speaker 3: Having another one is just a great option. You know. 92 00:04:20,320 --> 00:04:22,480 Speaker 2: This is the thick stuff standard blind, and it's the 93 00:04:22,560 --> 00:04:24,760 Speaker 2: kind of location that drives a lot of hunters knots 94 00:04:24,760 --> 00:04:27,000 Speaker 2: because they can't see very much, but if they do 95 00:04:27,080 --> 00:04:29,960 Speaker 2: see one, they're probably gonna kill it. Most people won't 96 00:04:30,040 --> 00:04:32,599 Speaker 2: do this, and most people won't even really consider a 97 00:04:32,600 --> 00:04:34,680 Speaker 2: switch up. A lot of the gun hunters I know 98 00:04:34,760 --> 00:04:37,480 Speaker 2: seem to resign themselves to sort of a lottery player 99 00:04:37,600 --> 00:04:40,640 Speaker 2: status where they're like, well maybe this year my numbers 100 00:04:40,680 --> 00:04:43,440 Speaker 2: will get drawn, and they play the same numbers every year. 101 00:04:43,800 --> 00:04:45,679 Speaker 2: I have a buddy like this who has a handful 102 00:04:45,720 --> 00:04:48,600 Speaker 2: of rifle stands in a swamp he owns in Wisconsin. 103 00:04:49,600 --> 00:04:52,760 Speaker 2: He and his dad used to somewhat frequently shoot good bucks, 104 00:04:52,800 --> 00:04:54,680 Speaker 2: but that has dried up the last several years. But 105 00:04:54,720 --> 00:04:57,920 Speaker 2: they still push that program even though it rarely works. 106 00:04:58,520 --> 00:05:00,719 Speaker 2: Now this year I hunted his and I killed a 107 00:05:00,760 --> 00:05:02,719 Speaker 2: really nice buck with a bow in a spot that, 108 00:05:02,760 --> 00:05:05,279 Speaker 2: as far as I can tell, was full of bucks 109 00:05:05,279 --> 00:05:08,360 Speaker 2: because of the presence of more wolves than usual. I'll 110 00:05:08,400 --> 00:05:11,080 Speaker 2: tell the full story on here someday, but suffice it 111 00:05:11,080 --> 00:05:13,360 Speaker 2: to say I hung a stand after almost four full 112 00:05:13,480 --> 00:05:16,039 Speaker 2: days of blanking, and then I saw three bucks and 113 00:05:16,120 --> 00:05:18,320 Speaker 2: killed my biggest big woods buck in a hunt that 114 00:05:18,320 --> 00:05:20,839 Speaker 2: would have been pretty sweet for Iowa, let alone a 115 00:05:20,839 --> 00:05:24,119 Speaker 2: place with like eight deer per square mile. The deer 116 00:05:24,279 --> 00:05:27,520 Speaker 2: just went where the wolves wouldn't normally go, and then, 117 00:05:27,720 --> 00:05:31,279 Speaker 2: once there and somewhat concentrated, the old rut carried on 118 00:05:31,440 --> 00:05:34,000 Speaker 2: and provided me with one hell of a sit. The 119 00:05:34,080 --> 00:05:37,320 Speaker 2: deer where you rifle hunt will respond in a similar fashion, 120 00:05:37,600 --> 00:05:40,240 Speaker 2: although they'll mostly button up their movements and stay in 121 00:05:40,279 --> 00:05:44,120 Speaker 2: a place that, for whatever reason, you won't go. We 122 00:05:44,200 --> 00:05:46,320 Speaker 2: all kind of know this, but we do a couple 123 00:05:46,360 --> 00:05:48,400 Speaker 2: of things to try to get around it. The first 124 00:05:48,520 --> 00:05:50,400 Speaker 2: is that we hope that someone in our group or 125 00:05:50,440 --> 00:05:52,680 Speaker 2: maybe the neighbors, when they do their annual deer drive 126 00:05:52,720 --> 00:05:55,239 Speaker 2: at noon on day two of the season, will bump 127 00:05:55,279 --> 00:05:59,520 Speaker 2: a deer past us. Does this work, Yes, someone eventually 128 00:05:59,560 --> 00:06:02,080 Speaker 2: wins the but it's probably not going to be you. 129 00:06:02,960 --> 00:06:05,279 Speaker 2: The other thing we do is to try to justify 130 00:06:05,320 --> 00:06:07,920 Speaker 2: doing what we want to do, which is not sit 131 00:06:07,960 --> 00:06:10,360 Speaker 2: where we have no confidence, but instead to go sneak 132 00:06:10,400 --> 00:06:13,840 Speaker 2: around and try to shoot one. Look, this comes from 133 00:06:13,839 --> 00:06:16,560 Speaker 2: a place of heavy bias, but a good way to 134 00:06:16,600 --> 00:06:18,520 Speaker 2: look at the deer thing is to always try to 135 00:06:18,520 --> 00:06:22,480 Speaker 2: bowhunt them, no matter what weapon you're carrying, or in 136 00:06:22,560 --> 00:06:25,720 Speaker 2: other words, if it wouldn't likely work very well if 137 00:06:25,720 --> 00:06:28,839 Speaker 2: you were carrying a vertical bow, then it probably won't 138 00:06:28,839 --> 00:06:31,320 Speaker 2: work super well if you're carrying a crossbow or a 139 00:06:31,440 --> 00:06:34,040 Speaker 2: rifle or a shotgun fitted with the latest and greatest 140 00:06:34,040 --> 00:06:37,080 Speaker 2: slug barrel. This is the move of a lot of people, 141 00:06:37,320 --> 00:06:40,799 Speaker 2: and it's entirely an attempt to make something happen, because 142 00:06:40,839 --> 00:06:43,440 Speaker 2: sitting and waiting for something to happen is too much 143 00:06:43,480 --> 00:06:47,000 Speaker 2: to ask for a good percentage of hunters, especially after 144 00:06:47,120 --> 00:06:51,400 Speaker 2: opening day comes and goes. But imagine this. You're a 145 00:06:51,480 --> 00:06:53,920 Speaker 2: deer and in the week leading up to the gun season, 146 00:06:54,000 --> 00:06:56,039 Speaker 2: a hell of a lot of two legged predators start 147 00:06:56,080 --> 00:06:58,440 Speaker 2: to show up and poke around in your world. They 148 00:06:58,520 --> 00:07:00,839 Speaker 2: make a lot of noise, they leave a lot of scent. 149 00:07:01,320 --> 00:07:03,560 Speaker 2: They drive four wheelers into the clear cut, and they 150 00:07:03,640 --> 00:07:09,160 Speaker 2: check their ladder stands, their presence becomes quickly known than 151 00:07:09,200 --> 00:07:12,280 Speaker 2: the day before the opener, and certainly the hours before 152 00:07:12,320 --> 00:07:13,400 Speaker 2: first light on the opener. 153 00:07:13,880 --> 00:07:15,160 Speaker 3: There are hunters everywhere. 154 00:07:15,600 --> 00:07:19,440 Speaker 2: Every cabin is bustling with activity, Trails that see light 155 00:07:19,560 --> 00:07:21,600 Speaker 2: to know usage for about ninety percent of the year 156 00:07:21,640 --> 00:07:24,720 Speaker 2: suddenly have ATVs and side by sides and hunters just walking. 157 00:07:25,160 --> 00:07:27,520 Speaker 2: And it doesn't take a rocket scientist of a deer 158 00:07:27,560 --> 00:07:30,119 Speaker 2: to figure out that the shit is about to go down. 159 00:07:30,640 --> 00:07:32,800 Speaker 2: And when the first whisper of shooting light breaches at 160 00:07:32,800 --> 00:07:35,840 Speaker 2: the horizon, at least in some places I've hunted, the 161 00:07:35,920 --> 00:07:39,280 Speaker 2: guns start going off even before it's legal shooting light. 162 00:07:39,640 --> 00:07:42,680 Speaker 2: The deer will hear plenty of shots. The whole thing 163 00:07:42,760 --> 00:07:46,440 Speaker 2: is just known, there's really no other way to put it, 164 00:07:46,800 --> 00:07:49,040 Speaker 2: and the deer do what the deer do, which is 165 00:07:49,120 --> 00:07:53,200 Speaker 2: react to that known pressure. And as the weekend progresses 166 00:07:53,280 --> 00:07:55,520 Speaker 2: and more activity ripples its way through the woods and 167 00:07:55,560 --> 00:07:58,880 Speaker 2: deer drives start to happen, the whole thing just gels 168 00:07:58,920 --> 00:08:02,760 Speaker 2: into place. In my experience, this literally might take a 169 00:08:02,760 --> 00:08:05,160 Speaker 2: few hours or a day or two, but the deer 170 00:08:05,240 --> 00:08:08,080 Speaker 2: tend to just figure it out as you would if 171 00:08:08,120 --> 00:08:11,080 Speaker 2: your world was suddenly inundated with something that was only 172 00:08:11,160 --> 00:08:13,120 Speaker 2: there to try to kill you, or a whole bunch 173 00:08:13,160 --> 00:08:26,760 Speaker 2: of somethings. Now lucky for the deer. Most people are 174 00:08:26,840 --> 00:08:29,880 Speaker 2: highly predictable, and they can play the odds and avoid them. 175 00:08:30,360 --> 00:08:32,240 Speaker 3: Your job is to be less predictable. 176 00:08:32,800 --> 00:08:35,120 Speaker 2: That's a hard thing to do, so let me offer 177 00:08:35,200 --> 00:08:37,760 Speaker 2: up a solution, or a few solutions, or I guess 178 00:08:37,800 --> 00:08:42,959 Speaker 2: at least suggestions. The value of seeing a deer, whether 179 00:08:43,000 --> 00:08:46,280 Speaker 2: it goes by natural or you bump it while sneaking 180 00:08:46,320 --> 00:08:48,400 Speaker 2: along the ridge because a wander lust got the best 181 00:08:48,400 --> 00:08:51,920 Speaker 2: of you, cannot be overstated. Just like when you're hunting 182 00:08:51,920 --> 00:08:55,520 Speaker 2: a low density area, any glimpse of any deer is 183 00:08:55,559 --> 00:08:59,480 Speaker 2: a huge clue. You now know where they were, so 184 00:08:59,559 --> 00:09:02,200 Speaker 2: they have to ask yourself, why why are they there? 185 00:09:03,160 --> 00:09:05,719 Speaker 2: I'm talking dos fawns for kis and two hundred inch 186 00:09:05,760 --> 00:09:09,440 Speaker 2: mega giants. Why were they where they were when you 187 00:09:09,520 --> 00:09:12,480 Speaker 2: saw them or bump them? What does their presence tell you? 188 00:09:13,480 --> 00:09:16,880 Speaker 2: I firmly believe deer choose their spots wisely, and when 189 00:09:16,920 --> 00:09:18,760 Speaker 2: you stumble into one of those spots when they are 190 00:09:18,840 --> 00:09:21,000 Speaker 2: under more pressure than they will be at any other 191 00:09:21,000 --> 00:09:24,400 Speaker 2: time of the season, they've just told you a lot. 192 00:09:24,760 --> 00:09:26,960 Speaker 2: Is this a location that you should post up at 193 00:09:27,000 --> 00:09:29,520 Speaker 2: and wait them out for a day or two, or 194 00:09:29,559 --> 00:09:31,400 Speaker 2: is it a location you know, kind of like when 195 00:09:31,440 --> 00:09:33,880 Speaker 2: you catch a really big smallmouth on a drop off 196 00:09:34,400 --> 00:09:37,040 Speaker 2: next to an island, which gives you a chance to 197 00:09:37,120 --> 00:09:39,200 Speaker 2: run a pattern and see if it's not just that 198 00:09:39,200 --> 00:09:42,559 Speaker 2: that specific location is good, but a set of variables 199 00:09:42,600 --> 00:09:45,520 Speaker 2: have come together in multiple locations to create the right 200 00:09:45,559 --> 00:09:48,720 Speaker 2: spots all over the place. This stuff matters, just like 201 00:09:48,800 --> 00:09:51,240 Speaker 2: it matters if one person in your group is covered 202 00:09:51,240 --> 00:09:54,000 Speaker 2: in deer and everyone else is not seeing anything. Why 203 00:09:54,040 --> 00:09:56,640 Speaker 2: is that person a lucky one? Is there a hot 204 00:09:56,679 --> 00:09:58,880 Speaker 2: dough in there? Or are they in the stick of 205 00:09:58,920 --> 00:10:01,679 Speaker 2: stuff on the farm? Or is the wind really good 206 00:10:01,679 --> 00:10:03,560 Speaker 2: for their setup and not so much for anyone else. 207 00:10:04,160 --> 00:10:06,120 Speaker 2: Try to figure that stuff out because it can help 208 00:10:06,160 --> 00:10:09,679 Speaker 2: you make better decisions. And on that front, I shouldn't 209 00:10:09,720 --> 00:10:11,920 Speaker 2: need to say this, but I'm going to anyway. You're 210 00:10:11,960 --> 00:10:14,480 Speaker 2: hunting the hardest to kill deer of the season. If 211 00:10:14,520 --> 00:10:17,000 Speaker 2: you don't put in a good effort, you'll fail. My 212 00:10:17,120 --> 00:10:19,600 Speaker 2: buddy I mentioned earlier, who will not sit the stand 213 00:10:19,679 --> 00:10:22,120 Speaker 2: I just killed out of, even though I left it 214 00:10:22,160 --> 00:10:24,240 Speaker 2: for him, but will go into a couple of ladder 215 00:10:24,280 --> 00:10:26,240 Speaker 2: stands that have been up for a long long time. 216 00:10:26,720 --> 00:10:28,960 Speaker 2: He's not a bad deer hunter. He kills a lot 217 00:10:28,960 --> 00:10:31,520 Speaker 2: of good bucks and so do his sons. But he 218 00:10:31,880 --> 00:10:34,400 Speaker 2: might make a decision to sit a stand weeks before 219 00:10:34,440 --> 00:10:37,680 Speaker 2: it's actually time, which means that the decision is made 220 00:10:37,720 --> 00:10:41,439 Speaker 2: without factoring in the wind and the general weather conditions. 221 00:10:41,880 --> 00:10:44,840 Speaker 2: That's a huge issue. I don't know too many bow 222 00:10:44,880 --> 00:10:47,600 Speaker 2: hunters who ignore the wind completely unless they are lying 223 00:10:47,679 --> 00:10:49,760 Speaker 2: because they have a sponsor contract for some kind of 224 00:10:49,800 --> 00:10:52,840 Speaker 2: senn eliminated spray or some other wonder product. You can't 225 00:10:52,840 --> 00:10:55,559 Speaker 2: ignore the wind with white tails and it kill them 226 00:10:55,640 --> 00:10:59,079 Speaker 2: very often. Anyway, this goes beyond just factoring in predicted 227 00:10:59,120 --> 00:11:02,480 Speaker 2: wind direction. How let's say your usual ladder standard box 228 00:11:02,480 --> 00:11:05,160 Speaker 2: B lind setup just doesn't produce and you decide you're 229 00:11:05,160 --> 00:11:07,440 Speaker 2: going to go find the deer and hunt them where 230 00:11:07,440 --> 00:11:07,880 Speaker 2: they are. 231 00:11:08,400 --> 00:11:11,240 Speaker 3: That's great. How are you going to hunt them? 232 00:11:11,600 --> 00:11:13,920 Speaker 2: I can promise you one thing, because these companies talk 233 00:11:13,960 --> 00:11:15,840 Speaker 2: to me a lot about it. But there aren't a 234 00:11:15,880 --> 00:11:18,520 Speaker 2: ton of saddles or six pound hang ons being sold 235 00:11:18,559 --> 00:11:21,600 Speaker 2: to the gun hunting crowd. Bow hunters who gun hunter 236 00:11:21,600 --> 00:11:23,920 Speaker 2: are a different story. But for some reason, we look 237 00:11:23,960 --> 00:11:27,400 Speaker 2: at gun hunting as a largely not mobile scenario, unless 238 00:11:27,440 --> 00:11:30,440 Speaker 2: the mobile style we bring to the table is walking around. 239 00:11:30,800 --> 00:11:33,800 Speaker 2: If you have a thick ass creek bottom you think 240 00:11:33,840 --> 00:11:35,960 Speaker 2: the deer will hole up in, or some other cottontail 241 00:11:35,960 --> 00:11:39,199 Speaker 2: friendly rabbit location, you're not likely to hunt it right 242 00:11:39,240 --> 00:11:41,440 Speaker 2: if you walk up into it and sit on the ground, 243 00:11:42,120 --> 00:11:44,560 Speaker 2: or you just try to still hunt through it. We 244 00:11:44,640 --> 00:11:47,080 Speaker 2: keep trying to reinvent how to kill white tails, but 245 00:11:47,080 --> 00:11:49,120 Speaker 2: we just aren't likely to get past the reality of 246 00:11:49,160 --> 00:11:51,680 Speaker 2: a really good ambush set up in some good old 247 00:11:51,679 --> 00:11:55,360 Speaker 2: fashioned patience. We all know the saying about how your 248 00:11:55,400 --> 00:11:57,360 Speaker 2: first sit on a stand is the best hit, because 249 00:11:57,360 --> 00:12:00,760 Speaker 2: it's generally true. I killed three pretty good bucks this year, 250 00:12:00,920 --> 00:12:04,120 Speaker 2: and all three were on first sit stands. Two I 251 00:12:04,160 --> 00:12:05,880 Speaker 2: had hung ahead of time, and one I hung for 252 00:12:05,920 --> 00:12:08,840 Speaker 2: that particular evening. The last one is the most relevant 253 00:12:08,840 --> 00:12:11,120 Speaker 2: to this rant because that's what a lot of folks 254 00:12:11,160 --> 00:12:13,400 Speaker 2: need to do to salvage a gun season when it's 255 00:12:13,440 --> 00:12:16,600 Speaker 2: at least twenty four hours old. So if you do 256 00:12:16,679 --> 00:12:19,480 Speaker 2: follow this advice, and I hope you do, make a 257 00:12:19,559 --> 00:12:23,079 Speaker 2: plan to actually truly hunt when you have a suspicion 258 00:12:23,120 --> 00:12:26,000 Speaker 2: about where the deer have moved off to. If you 259 00:12:26,120 --> 00:12:29,319 Speaker 2: need to scratch the itch and still hunter whatever, that's fine. 260 00:12:29,760 --> 00:12:31,640 Speaker 2: Pay attention to the deer you bump in the fresh 261 00:12:31,720 --> 00:12:35,520 Speaker 2: sign you find, which will usually be just tracks and droppings, 262 00:12:35,920 --> 00:12:37,800 Speaker 2: But then make a plan to go mobile if you 263 00:12:37,880 --> 00:12:41,560 Speaker 2: can't play the wind. Try to be really stealthy, and 264 00:12:41,640 --> 00:12:46,040 Speaker 2: remember that you'll probably mostly get it wrong when deer 265 00:12:46,080 --> 00:12:48,520 Speaker 2: have hunkered down. The whole thing is a close quarters 266 00:12:48,559 --> 00:12:52,160 Speaker 2: game with a small margin for error. Barring that unicorn 267 00:12:52,200 --> 00:12:55,160 Speaker 2: hot dough situation, they're just not going to move that much. 268 00:12:55,600 --> 00:12:56,680 Speaker 3: But I do know one thing. 269 00:12:56,880 --> 00:12:58,920 Speaker 2: A few times in my life when I've devoted serious 270 00:12:58,920 --> 00:13:01,520 Speaker 2: time to hunting during the general gun season, I've killed 271 00:13:01,559 --> 00:13:04,440 Speaker 2: good bucks that acted like bucks are supposed to. But 272 00:13:04,520 --> 00:13:06,199 Speaker 2: they all did it in the thick cover. 273 00:13:06,920 --> 00:13:07,160 Speaker 3: You know. 274 00:13:07,320 --> 00:13:12,040 Speaker 2: Cattail slews swampy woods, overgrown home seats, places that are 275 00:13:12,040 --> 00:13:15,240 Speaker 2: not only uninviting to us, but also allow them to 276 00:13:15,320 --> 00:13:17,720 Speaker 2: know when we come into the cover with them. 277 00:13:18,000 --> 00:13:19,360 Speaker 3: That's a huge key to. 278 00:13:19,320 --> 00:13:21,679 Speaker 2: This, and figuring out how to not crash your way 279 00:13:21,720 --> 00:13:25,160 Speaker 2: through while effectively hunting the edge and looking in is 280 00:13:25,200 --> 00:13:27,920 Speaker 2: probably the best way to either shoot one or spot 281 00:13:27,960 --> 00:13:31,199 Speaker 2: one that you can shoot with a revised plan. Now 282 00:13:31,200 --> 00:13:33,160 Speaker 2: I have to say this, even though I want you 283 00:13:33,200 --> 00:13:35,040 Speaker 2: guys to buy lots of hunting products so I don't 284 00:13:35,080 --> 00:13:38,040 Speaker 2: have to go lay aside. But the mentality of a 285 00:13:38,080 --> 00:13:40,560 Speaker 2: lot of struggling gun hunters isn't to go look for 286 00:13:40,600 --> 00:13:43,120 Speaker 2: the deer, but to double down on a spot and 287 00:13:43,160 --> 00:13:45,959 Speaker 2: try to get them to come to them. This almost 288 00:13:46,040 --> 00:13:49,000 Speaker 2: never works, but banging rattling antlers together or putting out 289 00:13:49,040 --> 00:13:51,720 Speaker 2: a bunch of scent wix soaked with dopey is a 290 00:13:51,760 --> 00:13:54,040 Speaker 2: lot easier than going to look for where the deer 291 00:13:54,120 --> 00:13:58,200 Speaker 2: are Right now, Nearly all those products really only work 292 00:13:58,240 --> 00:14:01,720 Speaker 2: when you put yourself in close PROCs to the right bucks, 293 00:14:02,320 --> 00:14:04,760 Speaker 2: and then you just let them give you the last 294 00:14:04,800 --> 00:14:07,160 Speaker 2: ten percent after you've done like ninety percent of the 295 00:14:07,160 --> 00:14:10,240 Speaker 2: heavy lifting. The efficacy of those products on deer that 296 00:14:10,280 --> 00:14:13,400 Speaker 2: are truly scared for their lives and are very unlikely 297 00:14:13,480 --> 00:14:15,640 Speaker 2: to travel any distance to check out a fight or 298 00:14:15,760 --> 00:14:19,280 Speaker 2: the scent of a potential mate is very low. If 299 00:14:19,280 --> 00:14:21,440 Speaker 2: there is one thing that I truly believe about filling 300 00:14:21,440 --> 00:14:23,880 Speaker 2: gun tags when the going gets tough, it's that the 301 00:14:23,920 --> 00:14:25,520 Speaker 2: best bet is to try to figure out how to 302 00:14:25,520 --> 00:14:28,760 Speaker 2: get close to them while staying as undetected as possible, 303 00:14:29,240 --> 00:14:32,080 Speaker 2: and then just putting in enough quiet time in those 304 00:14:32,120 --> 00:14:35,080 Speaker 2: spots to see if you're right. I know it's not 305 00:14:35,160 --> 00:14:37,600 Speaker 2: as fun as calling one in, but calling and calling 306 00:14:37,640 --> 00:14:40,560 Speaker 2: without any response is a great way to not only 307 00:14:40,680 --> 00:14:43,360 Speaker 2: never call them in, but to further burn out a 308 00:14:43,400 --> 00:14:46,760 Speaker 2: standard is probably burned out already. So I'll bring this 309 00:14:46,760 --> 00:14:49,320 Speaker 2: thing full circle. Think about what you and your hunting 310 00:14:49,320 --> 00:14:51,320 Speaker 2: party are likely to do this season, and how much 311 00:14:51,400 --> 00:14:53,520 Speaker 2: of those sits in drives and still hunts are the 312 00:14:53,520 --> 00:14:56,560 Speaker 2: same ones that you always do. Ask yourself how often 313 00:14:56,560 --> 00:14:59,120 Speaker 2: they work and whether they should work given the weather, 314 00:14:59,360 --> 00:15:01,200 Speaker 2: and as much as you know about the presence of 315 00:15:01,200 --> 00:15:04,760 Speaker 2: deer and your hunting ground. If you're not brimming with confidence, 316 00:15:05,200 --> 00:15:07,040 Speaker 2: or you were and now a day later you're not, 317 00:15:08,080 --> 00:15:10,200 Speaker 2: the season isn't over, even though a lot of your 318 00:15:10,240 --> 00:15:11,800 Speaker 2: competition will mostly give up. 319 00:15:12,200 --> 00:15:13,000 Speaker 3: Don't be like them. 320 00:15:13,120 --> 00:15:15,040 Speaker 2: Go find the deer and then hunt the deer like 321 00:15:15,080 --> 00:15:17,320 Speaker 2: you truly believe you can kill one at any moment, 322 00:15:17,760 --> 00:15:21,200 Speaker 2: because you can't. Good luck out there, my friends. Stay 323 00:15:21,240 --> 00:15:23,320 Speaker 2: safe and come back next week, because I'm going to 324 00:15:23,320 --> 00:15:25,440 Speaker 2: talk about what I consider to be the most frustrating 325 00:15:25,480 --> 00:15:28,680 Speaker 2: thing in modern hunting, which is the amount of money 326 00:15:28,720 --> 00:15:32,040 Speaker 2: involved in how it has shaped us in a negative way. 327 00:15:33,760 --> 00:15:34,120 Speaker 3: That's it. 328 00:15:34,160 --> 00:15:35,920 Speaker 2: I'm Tony Peterson. This has been the Wire to Hunt 329 00:15:35,960 --> 00:15:38,720 Speaker 2: Foundation's podcast as always, Thank you so much for listening 330 00:15:38,760 --> 00:15:39,680 Speaker 2: and for all your support. 331 00:15:39,920 --> 00:15:40,800 Speaker 3: If you want some more. 332 00:15:40,760 --> 00:15:43,600 Speaker 2: Hunting content, maybe some more podcasts, maybe a video or two. 333 00:15:44,000 --> 00:15:46,160 Speaker 2: Maybe you need a new recipe, you know, cook up 334 00:15:46,200 --> 00:15:49,560 Speaker 2: some backstraps on that deer you just killed. Whatever, go 335 00:15:49,600 --> 00:15:53,080 Speaker 2: to the medeater dot com check it out.