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 00:00:20,160 --> 00:00:23,080 Speaker 2: Hey, everyone, welcome to the Wired to Hunt Foundation's podcast, 7 00:00:23,079 --> 00:00:24,840 Speaker 2: which is brought to you by First Light. I'm herrist 8 00:00:24,840 --> 00:00:27,400 Speaker 2: Tony Peterson. In today's episode is a reality check on 9 00:00:27,440 --> 00:00:29,960 Speaker 2: a hunting property and how when we get complacent about 10 00:00:29,960 --> 00:00:32,320 Speaker 2: our spots, we sometimes end up having no place to 11 00:00:32,360 --> 00:00:36,560 Speaker 2: go about. As I walk through a chunk of woods 12 00:00:36,600 --> 00:00:38,640 Speaker 2: that literally shape me as a deer hunter. When I 13 00:00:38,640 --> 00:00:41,000 Speaker 2: was younger and I watched my daughters just take in 14 00:00:41,080 --> 00:00:43,760 Speaker 2: the whole scene, I realized how lucky I have been 15 00:00:43,800 --> 00:00:47,240 Speaker 2: to maintain permission on that same farm for over thirty years. 16 00:00:47,800 --> 00:00:49,920 Speaker 2: That doesn't happen very often, and it is a good 17 00:00:49,920 --> 00:00:52,640 Speaker 2: reminder to me to appreciate every place I can hunt, 18 00:00:52,960 --> 00:00:56,160 Speaker 2: but also not take it for granted. That's what this 19 00:00:56,240 --> 00:00:58,360 Speaker 2: episode is about. And even if you think you have 20 00:00:58,400 --> 00:01:00,560 Speaker 2: everything locked down and will never have to knock on 21 00:01:00,600 --> 00:01:03,560 Speaker 2: another door again or look up for another lease, or 22 00:01:03,680 --> 00:01:07,440 Speaker 2: you know, maybe hunt public land. You should listen. The 23 00:01:07,520 --> 00:01:10,040 Speaker 2: odds are that you might be wrong, and you also 24 00:01:10,200 --> 00:01:12,800 Speaker 2: might not need to do any of these things right now, 25 00:01:12,840 --> 00:01:22,520 Speaker 2: but you might find yourself wanting to anyway. If you 26 00:01:22,640 --> 00:01:25,280 Speaker 2: want to see a goofy looking trooper, look up a 27 00:01:25,280 --> 00:01:29,120 Speaker 2: fella named Bertolt Brecht, which is actually a shortened version 28 00:01:29,160 --> 00:01:31,160 Speaker 2: of his full name, which is a lot of German 29 00:01:31,280 --> 00:01:33,920 Speaker 2: names strung together that this fella with a bit too 30 00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:36,240 Speaker 2: much Finlander blood in him, is not going to try 31 00:01:36,280 --> 00:01:39,840 Speaker 2: to pronounce for you. Breckt was a German playwright who 32 00:01:39,880 --> 00:01:42,440 Speaker 2: was born in eighteen ninety eight and who I know 33 00:01:42,600 --> 00:01:44,560 Speaker 2: for a fact that none of you care about or 34 00:01:44,800 --> 00:01:48,400 Speaker 2: interested in, and to be fair, I'm not either. But 35 00:01:48,520 --> 00:01:51,720 Speaker 2: he said some interesting things. And one of his quotes 36 00:01:51,760 --> 00:01:53,480 Speaker 2: that I heard a long time ago and thought would 37 00:01:53,520 --> 00:01:55,200 Speaker 2: be one hell of a poignant thing to say to 38 00:01:55,200 --> 00:01:59,680 Speaker 2: set this podcast up, goes like this, because things are 39 00:01:59,720 --> 00:02:03,120 Speaker 2: the way they are, things will not stay the way 40 00:02:03,160 --> 00:02:07,000 Speaker 2: they are now. You could take an ambiguous quote like 41 00:02:07,080 --> 00:02:09,840 Speaker 2: that and apply it to anything. In this case, I'm 42 00:02:09,880 --> 00:02:12,959 Speaker 2: applying it to our hunting spots. I'm going to talk 43 00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:15,720 Speaker 2: about finding new spots later and how that has gone 44 00:02:15,720 --> 00:02:17,400 Speaker 2: for me in the last year. But I want to 45 00:02:17,440 --> 00:02:20,880 Speaker 2: point something out before I get there. If you have 46 00:02:21,120 --> 00:02:25,040 Speaker 2: your spot, maybe you own land, maybe you have family land, 47 00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:28,480 Speaker 2: whatever that may be, and you are very confident that 48 00:02:28,520 --> 00:02:31,000 Speaker 2: you will have access to that land for a long time, 49 00:02:31,560 --> 00:02:35,480 Speaker 2: that is great. But that doesn't mean the neighbor's land 50 00:02:35,520 --> 00:02:38,440 Speaker 2: will stay the same. That doesn't mean that you won't 51 00:02:38,440 --> 00:02:41,519 Speaker 2: have someone by the property that borders yours and decide 52 00:02:41,520 --> 00:02:44,760 Speaker 2: they want to shoot every deer they can. Maybe they 53 00:02:44,800 --> 00:02:46,800 Speaker 2: take out the best cover on their place because they 54 00:02:46,919 --> 00:02:49,240 Speaker 2: like the woods to look like they are groomed. And 55 00:02:49,280 --> 00:02:51,480 Speaker 2: so your deer that I always betted in that spot 56 00:02:51,520 --> 00:02:53,079 Speaker 2: and come to your food blot when they get the 57 00:02:53,120 --> 00:02:57,359 Speaker 2: munchies don't anymore. Maybe you own land out of state 58 00:02:57,720 --> 00:03:01,000 Speaker 2: like I do, and the state decides, you know, one year, 59 00:03:01,040 --> 00:03:03,480 Speaker 2: that you just can't get deer tags anymore, which hasn't 60 00:03:03,480 --> 00:03:05,400 Speaker 2: happened to me yet. But I live in low grade 61 00:03:05,400 --> 00:03:10,760 Speaker 2: fear of every single year things happen, land titles change hands. 62 00:03:11,080 --> 00:03:13,480 Speaker 2: Because things are the way they are, things will not 63 00:03:13,639 --> 00:03:16,240 Speaker 2: stay the way they are if you aren't at least 64 00:03:16,320 --> 00:03:19,400 Speaker 2: passively keeping an eye out for some extra ground rome 65 00:03:19,919 --> 00:03:22,560 Speaker 2: that might catch up with you, and if you've been 66 00:03:22,600 --> 00:03:25,080 Speaker 2: living the good life for a long time, deer wise, 67 00:03:25,520 --> 00:03:27,960 Speaker 2: it might not treat you very well to suddenly realize 68 00:03:27,960 --> 00:03:29,720 Speaker 2: that you have to figure things out again in a 69 00:03:29,760 --> 00:03:32,799 Speaker 2: new spot. I have a buddy who is going through 70 00:03:32,840 --> 00:03:34,920 Speaker 2: that right now, and he's not having a great time. 71 00:03:35,560 --> 00:03:38,440 Speaker 2: His family had owned a beautiful chunk of land think 72 00:03:38,560 --> 00:03:41,240 Speaker 2: just to shade, over four hundred acres here since the 73 00:03:41,320 --> 00:03:44,840 Speaker 2: nineteen thirties, but his parents were getting old and facing 74 00:03:44,880 --> 00:03:47,960 Speaker 2: long term care. His siblings didn't view the land the 75 00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:50,880 Speaker 2: way he does, and his sister got power of attorney 76 00:03:50,880 --> 00:03:55,120 Speaker 2: over their parents' finances and affairs. Guess who came calling 77 00:03:55,240 --> 00:04:00,400 Speaker 2: pretty quick after that. Developers That property dwindled down to 78 00:04:00,440 --> 00:04:02,760 Speaker 2: eighty acres in a matter of a few years. And 79 00:04:02,840 --> 00:04:05,120 Speaker 2: while he still has some deer and turkeys to hunt, 80 00:04:05,480 --> 00:04:08,440 Speaker 2: almost all of them spend their days on bird feeders 81 00:04:08,480 --> 00:04:12,160 Speaker 2: in the backyards of million dollar homes. For forty some 82 00:04:12,360 --> 00:04:16,880 Speaker 2: years of his life he had amazing hunting. Now he 83 00:04:16,920 --> 00:04:20,279 Speaker 2: has something else, and that eighty acres isn't exactly sat 84 00:04:20,320 --> 00:04:23,560 Speaker 2: in stone anymore. Now the development has slowed down some, 85 00:04:24,080 --> 00:04:26,800 Speaker 2: but that chunk will be sold and he knows it. 86 00:04:27,360 --> 00:04:30,080 Speaker 2: He also doesn't really know what he's going to hunt, 87 00:04:30,440 --> 00:04:32,680 Speaker 2: and he's not exactly ready to go saddle up on 88 00:04:32,760 --> 00:04:35,080 Speaker 2: public land and compete against the rest of the hunters 89 00:04:35,080 --> 00:04:38,719 Speaker 2: out there. You see, looking for new places to hunt 90 00:04:38,760 --> 00:04:41,520 Speaker 2: isn't just something that is good for the obvious reasons. 91 00:04:42,560 --> 00:04:45,239 Speaker 2: It conditions you to think about the prospect of change 92 00:04:45,600 --> 00:04:48,799 Speaker 2: and what you would do to manage it. You probably 93 00:04:48,839 --> 00:04:50,680 Speaker 2: won't be able to see into the future and know 94 00:04:50,720 --> 00:04:53,599 Speaker 2: exactly how things would change, but you can bet that 95 00:04:53,640 --> 00:04:57,919 Speaker 2: they probably will think about it another way. Maybe this 96 00:04:58,040 --> 00:05:00,479 Speaker 2: is just biased thinking, but it often it feels like 97 00:05:00,600 --> 00:05:03,480 Speaker 2: change doesn't go in a positive direction with this kind 98 00:05:03,480 --> 00:05:06,520 Speaker 2: of stuff. Take that farm I mentioned in the intro. 99 00:05:07,120 --> 00:05:09,960 Speaker 2: When I lose that, which is possible every year as 100 00:05:09,960 --> 00:05:14,040 Speaker 2: the landowner gets older, I'm just not likely to replace it. 101 00:05:14,040 --> 00:05:16,279 Speaker 2: It's a thing of the past to have a huge 102 00:05:16,360 --> 00:05:19,520 Speaker 2: dairy farm to hunt simply from a phone call every March. 103 00:05:20,640 --> 00:05:24,120 Speaker 2: The flow will go to smaller properties, probably with more 104 00:05:24,200 --> 00:05:27,000 Speaker 2: hunting pressure. Although I'm far from the only one on 105 00:05:27,080 --> 00:05:29,479 Speaker 2: that farm already, and I've always had to share it 106 00:05:29,520 --> 00:05:31,840 Speaker 2: with plenty of bow hunters and lots of gun hunters. 107 00:05:32,360 --> 00:05:34,680 Speaker 2: But it's big and I can work with that to 108 00:05:34,720 --> 00:05:36,840 Speaker 2: get away from the weekend warriors and the folks who 109 00:05:36,880 --> 00:05:39,719 Speaker 2: mostly post up on the field edges. That's not the 110 00:05:39,760 --> 00:05:42,200 Speaker 2: case on every property, and it's just how it goes. 111 00:05:42,720 --> 00:05:46,000 Speaker 2: Having more places to hunt is a good idea. When 112 00:05:46,040 --> 00:05:48,559 Speaker 2: I talk about my hunting in northern Wisconsin to certain 113 00:05:48,600 --> 00:05:51,720 Speaker 2: types of white tail hunters, they assume that I only 114 00:05:51,760 --> 00:05:54,039 Speaker 2: ever hunt the private land that I have access to, 115 00:05:54,480 --> 00:05:56,880 Speaker 2: but I mostly hunt the public up there because it 116 00:05:56,960 --> 00:05:59,320 Speaker 2: just allows me to hunt every wind and every type 117 00:05:59,320 --> 00:06:02,159 Speaker 2: of condition all season long, and it gives me the 118 00:06:02,240 --> 00:06:05,040 Speaker 2: options that I feel like I need. And don't get 119 00:06:05,080 --> 00:06:07,720 Speaker 2: me wrong, the private is great, and I feel real 120 00:06:07,839 --> 00:06:10,480 Speaker 2: lucky to have what I have, But I honestly wouldn't 121 00:06:10,520 --> 00:06:13,200 Speaker 2: want to be limited to just that. And that's the 122 00:06:13,240 --> 00:06:16,160 Speaker 2: mindset that gets us into trouble because most hunters think 123 00:06:16,200 --> 00:06:19,800 Speaker 2: about hunting ground just like that, I hunt this farm, 124 00:06:20,160 --> 00:06:22,680 Speaker 2: this is my lease, or this chunk of public land 125 00:06:22,720 --> 00:06:27,040 Speaker 2: is where I hunt, Yes, But what else? When you 126 00:06:27,080 --> 00:06:30,279 Speaker 2: are always in a state of activity looking for more ground, 127 00:06:30,680 --> 00:06:32,840 Speaker 2: which is not easy to do when you don't need it, 128 00:06:33,279 --> 00:06:36,520 Speaker 2: you are always thinking about your white tail life rafts 129 00:06:37,040 --> 00:06:40,440 Speaker 2: your main boat sinks, and that sucks, But you have 130 00:06:40,560 --> 00:06:44,120 Speaker 2: other options, but most folks don't seem to think that way, 131 00:06:44,400 --> 00:06:46,680 Speaker 2: and once the old hull gets breached and the water 132 00:06:46,760 --> 00:06:49,880 Speaker 2: starts rushing in, they have to piece something together that 133 00:06:49,960 --> 00:06:53,120 Speaker 2: generally won't be as good, and by good, I mean 134 00:06:53,240 --> 00:06:57,440 Speaker 2: as easy as their original place. I think about this 135 00:06:57,520 --> 00:06:59,960 Speaker 2: a lot with traditional rifle camps here in the Upper 136 00:07:00,080 --> 00:07:03,039 Speaker 2: or Midwest. A lot of those folks hunt public land, 137 00:07:03,320 --> 00:07:04,760 Speaker 2: and a lot of them are fed up with a 138 00:07:04,800 --> 00:07:08,279 Speaker 2: wolf situation and either stop going or go up for 139 00:07:08,360 --> 00:07:11,040 Speaker 2: opening weekend and mostly play poker and throw down some 140 00:07:11,040 --> 00:07:14,640 Speaker 2: bush lattes. Look nothing wrong with that if that's your jam. 141 00:07:15,040 --> 00:07:17,760 Speaker 2: But I also hear a lot of bitching about the 142 00:07:17,800 --> 00:07:21,480 Speaker 2: deer situation. Then I think here in Minnesota, you have 143 00:07:21,560 --> 00:07:23,680 Speaker 2: to drive by an awful lot of public land with 144 00:07:23,720 --> 00:07:25,280 Speaker 2: plenty of deer on it to get to the true 145 00:07:25,320 --> 00:07:28,840 Speaker 2: North country, and that doesn't take into account heading west 146 00:07:28,840 --> 00:07:31,640 Speaker 2: in our state or down south where the deer numbers 147 00:07:31,640 --> 00:07:35,360 Speaker 2: are really good. It sucks to have to compete with wolves, 148 00:07:35,600 --> 00:07:37,880 Speaker 2: but it's not like it's the only option on where 149 00:07:37,880 --> 00:07:41,360 Speaker 2: to hunt. Most people don't really like going out of 150 00:07:41,400 --> 00:07:43,640 Speaker 2: their way in trying to find new areas to go 151 00:07:43,720 --> 00:07:47,160 Speaker 2: to and most hunters won't even consider it when what 152 00:07:47,240 --> 00:07:49,960 Speaker 2: they are comfortable with goes away. A lot of them 153 00:07:50,080 --> 00:07:52,680 Speaker 2: just go away, and we are seeing that reflected in 154 00:07:52,760 --> 00:07:57,080 Speaker 2: firearms license sales in several states. That's a shame in 155 00:07:57,080 --> 00:07:59,960 Speaker 2: my opinion, and not really necessary. If you open yourself 156 00:08:00,080 --> 00:08:02,760 Speaker 2: up to the reality this stuff is fluid, and even 157 00:08:02,800 --> 00:08:05,320 Speaker 2: though you have to figure out some new stuff, you 158 00:08:05,400 --> 00:08:08,600 Speaker 2: might actually end up in a better spot, or at 159 00:08:08,640 --> 00:08:11,400 Speaker 2: the very least, you won't have to give up hunting 160 00:08:11,440 --> 00:08:24,960 Speaker 2: because an old, reliable area suddenly becomes a deer desert. 161 00:08:26,520 --> 00:08:29,040 Speaker 2: So what do you do. Well, you look at your 162 00:08:29,040 --> 00:08:31,840 Speaker 2: life realistically, and then you factor in your time, your 163 00:08:31,880 --> 00:08:35,239 Speaker 2: willingness to go outside of your comfort zone, your money situation, 164 00:08:35,640 --> 00:08:38,680 Speaker 2: and basically anything that might play into it. If you 165 00:08:38,760 --> 00:08:41,680 Speaker 2: happen to be a software engineer that hasn't been booted 166 00:08:41,679 --> 00:08:43,960 Speaker 2: out by AI yet and you make half a million 167 00:08:43,960 --> 00:08:47,320 Speaker 2: bucks a year, you have lots of options. The doors 168 00:08:47,360 --> 00:08:49,320 Speaker 2: will open for you at some point because you can 169 00:08:49,400 --> 00:08:52,040 Speaker 2: pay to open them. For a lot of folks, it's 170 00:08:52,080 --> 00:08:55,600 Speaker 2: not that simple. Buying land is an option, but not 171 00:08:55,640 --> 00:08:57,920 Speaker 2: for a hell of a lot of people. I will 172 00:08:57,960 --> 00:09:02,119 Speaker 2: say this about it. I bought three properties small properties 173 00:09:02,280 --> 00:09:05,600 Speaker 2: from twenty eleven to twenty fifteen, when I wasn't exactly 174 00:09:05,679 --> 00:09:08,400 Speaker 2: rolling in the dough and it was penny pitching time, 175 00:09:08,720 --> 00:09:11,120 Speaker 2: but the market was a buyer's market due to the 176 00:09:11,120 --> 00:09:14,800 Speaker 2: housing market crash in the aftermath. And boy, I'm really 177 00:09:14,880 --> 00:09:18,160 Speaker 2: happy that I did that. None of them good deer 178 00:09:18,200 --> 00:09:21,319 Speaker 2: properties in any real way, but they are all worth 179 00:09:21,360 --> 00:09:23,679 Speaker 2: hunting and provided me with a hell of a lot 180 00:09:23,720 --> 00:09:26,640 Speaker 2: of mental health benefits. Just knowing that you have some 181 00:09:26,920 --> 00:09:29,719 Speaker 2: place to go, even if it's not likely you'll ever 182 00:09:29,760 --> 00:09:31,680 Speaker 2: see a big one on it, let alone kill one 183 00:09:32,080 --> 00:09:35,480 Speaker 2: matters a whole lot. Now the only parcel I have 184 00:09:35,640 --> 00:09:38,120 Speaker 2: left is thirty acres, and I can tell you I 185 00:09:38,200 --> 00:09:41,360 Speaker 2: love that chunk of ground. I'd have to get real desperate, 186 00:09:41,760 --> 00:09:45,240 Speaker 2: which is you know, possible, before i'd sell it. But 187 00:09:45,440 --> 00:09:48,040 Speaker 2: knowing at the very least as long as I can 188 00:09:48,080 --> 00:09:51,640 Speaker 2: make my property tax payments every January, that I can 189 00:09:51,720 --> 00:09:54,160 Speaker 2: hunt with my daughters and at least have a little 190 00:09:54,200 --> 00:09:57,280 Speaker 2: chunk of timber to disappear into when I need it 191 00:09:57,320 --> 00:10:00,280 Speaker 2: is something that makes me very happy. I also know 192 00:10:00,280 --> 00:10:02,600 Speaker 2: what I paid for it eleven years ago and what 193 00:10:02,679 --> 00:10:04,920 Speaker 2: i'd have to pay now, and it's kind of hard 194 00:10:04,920 --> 00:10:08,960 Speaker 2: to wrap your head around land, like every single thing 195 00:10:09,080 --> 00:10:12,560 Speaker 2: we want or need in life has not gotten cheaper, 196 00:10:12,600 --> 00:10:15,520 Speaker 2: and it won't the best deal you're likely to get 197 00:10:15,520 --> 00:10:17,920 Speaker 2: on that forty acres in a soso area that you'd 198 00:10:18,000 --> 00:10:20,560 Speaker 2: hunt if you absolutely have to, will look like an 199 00:10:20,640 --> 00:10:24,080 Speaker 2: absolute steal a decade from now. That's one of the 200 00:10:24,080 --> 00:10:27,960 Speaker 2: big problems people have with thinking about buying land. They 201 00:10:28,000 --> 00:10:31,320 Speaker 2: want ideal, but they can't afford it. I don't know 202 00:10:31,320 --> 00:10:33,040 Speaker 2: how many people in my life have said they were 203 00:10:33,040 --> 00:10:35,720 Speaker 2: in the market for land that they just never ever 204 00:10:35,800 --> 00:10:39,040 Speaker 2: bought anything. But it's a lot getting your hands on 205 00:10:39,080 --> 00:10:41,840 Speaker 2: some acreage, even if it's mostly swamp or just not 206 00:10:41,920 --> 00:10:44,880 Speaker 2: that dreamy Southern I with deciduous forest and agg mix 207 00:10:45,520 --> 00:10:49,040 Speaker 2: is worth it. But again I understand that's not for everyone, 208 00:10:49,400 --> 00:10:51,920 Speaker 2: and with how much everything costs these days, it's not 209 00:10:52,000 --> 00:10:55,280 Speaker 2: for most of us. Leases, you know, they might be 210 00:10:55,280 --> 00:10:57,880 Speaker 2: a different story, and I don't think that's a bad move, 211 00:10:58,120 --> 00:11:00,680 Speaker 2: but run the numbers. You might end up having to 212 00:11:00,679 --> 00:11:03,079 Speaker 2: pay the equivalent per year for a lease that you 213 00:11:03,120 --> 00:11:06,920 Speaker 2: would pay actually buying something outright, although the time commitment 214 00:11:07,000 --> 00:11:09,640 Speaker 2: to what you're paying will be vastly different. Paying to 215 00:11:09,679 --> 00:11:11,559 Speaker 2: play is a real viable way to get your hands 216 00:11:11,559 --> 00:11:13,560 Speaker 2: on some deer ground, and there are a pile of 217 00:11:13,600 --> 00:11:16,640 Speaker 2: services out there like base camp leasing and others that 218 00:11:16,720 --> 00:11:18,760 Speaker 2: can cut out most of the due diligence on the 219 00:11:18,760 --> 00:11:21,600 Speaker 2: front end of the process. The key to leasing is 220 00:11:21,600 --> 00:11:24,360 Speaker 2: to really understand what you're getting into. Are you going 221 00:11:24,400 --> 00:11:26,760 Speaker 2: in solo or are you going to round up some buddies. 222 00:11:27,440 --> 00:11:29,800 Speaker 2: How will that play out if onebody wants to still 223 00:11:29,880 --> 00:11:31,840 Speaker 2: hunt and shoot eighty five inchers when the rest of 224 00:11:31,840 --> 00:11:34,200 Speaker 2: you want to go hunt, stands and hold out for 225 00:11:34,280 --> 00:11:37,840 Speaker 2: one forties, even if you're all interested in letting them 226 00:11:37,880 --> 00:11:40,280 Speaker 2: go so they can grow. What if someone works from 227 00:11:40,280 --> 00:11:43,040 Speaker 2: home and can hunt three times as much as everyone else, 228 00:11:43,800 --> 00:11:47,920 Speaker 2: be honest about where any bad blood could come from. Again, 229 00:11:48,600 --> 00:11:51,040 Speaker 2: this is just my nature, but I look at stuff 230 00:11:51,040 --> 00:11:53,400 Speaker 2: like this like I'd rather have forty acres a lease 231 00:11:53,480 --> 00:11:56,480 Speaker 2: ground to myself than two hundred that might result in 232 00:11:56,600 --> 00:12:00,320 Speaker 2: lost friendships. Of course, there are more considerations than that. 233 00:12:00,960 --> 00:12:04,040 Speaker 2: The landowner sets the rules and you better follow them. 234 00:12:04,120 --> 00:12:07,199 Speaker 2: You know, generally, when you can hunt, what you can hunt, 235 00:12:07,240 --> 00:12:09,280 Speaker 2: how you can hunt, and who you can hunt with 236 00:12:09,480 --> 00:12:12,120 Speaker 2: are all going to come up before the agreement is signed. 237 00:12:12,600 --> 00:12:14,680 Speaker 2: It's the name of the game. But it is a 238 00:12:14,800 --> 00:12:17,320 Speaker 2: viable way to have some quality ground to hunt, and 239 00:12:17,400 --> 00:12:20,280 Speaker 2: it's a good way for landowners to extract some money 240 00:12:20,760 --> 00:12:24,560 Speaker 2: from one of their assets. Buying and leasing are great 241 00:12:24,600 --> 00:12:26,920 Speaker 2: for folks who have the money and the desire, but 242 00:12:27,000 --> 00:12:29,920 Speaker 2: a lot of hunters don't, and that leaves permission based 243 00:12:29,960 --> 00:12:34,440 Speaker 2: options in public land, the former being much more desired 244 00:12:34,480 --> 00:12:37,880 Speaker 2: by almost everyone. It is very common to hear hunters 245 00:12:37,920 --> 00:12:39,960 Speaker 2: gripe that you can't get permission to hunt by a 246 00:12:40,000 --> 00:12:43,839 Speaker 2: door knock now, and while cold calling landowners by walking 247 00:12:43,920 --> 00:12:45,960 Speaker 2: up to their front door isn't as fruitful as it 248 00:12:46,040 --> 00:12:49,560 Speaker 2: was thirty years ago, it is still possible. I have 249 00:12:49,640 --> 00:12:52,240 Speaker 2: a co worker here at Meat Eater who is definitely 250 00:12:52,280 --> 00:12:54,960 Speaker 2: not afraid to knock on doors, and he gets permission 251 00:12:55,040 --> 00:12:58,760 Speaker 2: in places you just wouldn't expect that's an option. But 252 00:12:58,920 --> 00:13:01,480 Speaker 2: most of the hunting ground I've gained access to in 253 00:13:01,480 --> 00:13:04,640 Speaker 2: the last ten years has come from just somehow getting 254 00:13:04,640 --> 00:13:07,760 Speaker 2: on the topic of it was someone in my life. 255 00:13:07,840 --> 00:13:10,280 Speaker 2: The spot I killed my last two Minnesota bucks is 256 00:13:10,320 --> 00:13:12,160 Speaker 2: a twenty five acre piece owned by one of my 257 00:13:12,240 --> 00:13:15,880 Speaker 2: daughter's friend's dads. He killed his first buck ever out 258 00:13:15,920 --> 00:13:18,760 Speaker 2: of one of my stands this year, and overall, that 259 00:13:18,800 --> 00:13:21,520 Speaker 2: little property has been a low key life saver for me. 260 00:13:22,160 --> 00:13:24,560 Speaker 2: Now I supply all the stands and the scouting and 261 00:13:24,600 --> 00:13:27,080 Speaker 2: the general direction of the hunts, but he owns the 262 00:13:27,080 --> 00:13:30,680 Speaker 2: place and that's a real important part. There are rules 263 00:13:30,679 --> 00:13:33,160 Speaker 2: to follow there, but the truth is it was just 264 00:13:33,200 --> 00:13:36,120 Speaker 2: a networking thing that worked out for both of us. 265 00:13:36,760 --> 00:13:39,240 Speaker 2: You'd be surprised who might let you hunt their place, 266 00:13:39,640 --> 00:13:42,640 Speaker 2: but it's usually something that you have to approach softly. 267 00:13:43,280 --> 00:13:45,679 Speaker 2: If you find out someone in your circle has land 268 00:13:45,760 --> 00:13:48,040 Speaker 2: and you immediately asked, like all you want to do 269 00:13:48,080 --> 00:13:50,480 Speaker 2: is kill one seventies out of box b Linds, you're 270 00:13:50,520 --> 00:13:53,679 Speaker 2: going to get shut down. Most people who aren't a 271 00:13:53,880 --> 00:13:56,640 Speaker 2: hard no right out of the gate want you to 272 00:13:56,720 --> 00:14:00,600 Speaker 2: earn their trust. Most of the time. For me, that 273 00:14:00,720 --> 00:14:03,320 Speaker 2: starts with turkey hunting or maybe a little shed hunting. 274 00:14:03,840 --> 00:14:06,480 Speaker 2: Then it morphs into maybe taking my kids deer hunting, 275 00:14:06,480 --> 00:14:09,640 Speaker 2: and eventually permission for me. But I still have places 276 00:14:09,640 --> 00:14:12,000 Speaker 2: where I can't shoot bucks, but the dos and the 277 00:14:12,040 --> 00:14:15,439 Speaker 2: turkeys are open season. That's how it goes. But one 278 00:14:15,480 --> 00:14:18,320 Speaker 2: of the landowners who won't let me shoot bucks gave 279 00:14:18,360 --> 00:14:21,480 Speaker 2: my daughters the green light to shoot bucks this past season, 280 00:14:21,960 --> 00:14:25,600 Speaker 2: and in one three day stretch last October, they killed 281 00:14:25,600 --> 00:14:27,400 Speaker 2: a four ky and a two year old eight pointer. 282 00:14:27,800 --> 00:14:30,640 Speaker 2: And I can tell you we talk about those hunts 283 00:14:30,800 --> 00:14:33,960 Speaker 2: a lot. They mean a lot to my daughters, and 284 00:14:33,960 --> 00:14:36,560 Speaker 2: they were made possible by a friendly landowner who I 285 00:14:36,600 --> 00:14:39,680 Speaker 2: took turkey hunting a decade ago, back when he wouldn't 286 00:14:39,760 --> 00:14:42,480 Speaker 2: let me to hunt there at all. Pay attention to 287 00:14:42,560 --> 00:14:46,160 Speaker 2: your network, to conversations, and you might turn something up. 288 00:14:46,600 --> 00:14:49,120 Speaker 2: But of course y'all also have public as an option. 289 00:14:49,280 --> 00:14:51,440 Speaker 2: And I promise you that if you're scared of hunting 290 00:14:51,440 --> 00:14:53,800 Speaker 2: public land or believe it won't be any good, you're 291 00:14:53,840 --> 00:14:57,320 Speaker 2: probably wrong. It won't be easy, but it can give 292 00:14:57,360 --> 00:15:01,560 Speaker 2: you something meaningful deer wise, and honestly, hunting isn't supposed 293 00:15:01,560 --> 00:15:04,200 Speaker 2: to be easy, not always and not in every way. 294 00:15:05,000 --> 00:15:08,680 Speaker 2: And honestly, if you think that public land isn't worth it, 295 00:15:09,280 --> 00:15:12,240 Speaker 2: ask yourself what you know about the public land that 296 00:15:12,400 --> 00:15:14,920 Speaker 2: is in a part of your state that you don't 297 00:15:15,000 --> 00:15:19,120 Speaker 2: hunt or frequent where I live with four million people 298 00:15:19,160 --> 00:15:22,800 Speaker 2: in my backyard, I just say that public is generally 299 00:15:22,800 --> 00:15:25,720 Speaker 2: pretty tough. But when I drive a couple hours to 300 00:15:25,760 --> 00:15:28,280 Speaker 2: the western part of my state. The public land is 301 00:15:28,320 --> 00:15:32,000 Speaker 2: full of deer. Even though it's still not easy. What 302 00:15:32,080 --> 00:15:35,880 Speaker 2: we think we know about everywhere, we often only know 303 00:15:36,000 --> 00:15:39,920 Speaker 2: about a small region, and even then we're probably wrong. 304 00:15:40,760 --> 00:15:44,840 Speaker 2: The key is don't get apathetic with your hunting spots. 305 00:15:45,320 --> 00:15:47,800 Speaker 2: You don't know what the future will hold, but it'll 306 00:15:47,840 --> 00:15:50,080 Speaker 2: hold some type of change, and that change is just 307 00:15:50,160 --> 00:15:53,360 Speaker 2: as likely to be a negative as it is a positive. Now. 308 00:15:53,360 --> 00:15:56,000 Speaker 2: While you might not need a life raft spot right 309 00:15:56,080 --> 00:15:59,360 Speaker 2: now or even in the next five years, if you 310 00:15:59,440 --> 00:16:02,360 Speaker 2: do ever know and you haven't done anything to facilitate it, 311 00:16:02,720 --> 00:16:05,480 Speaker 2: you're in trouble. This is a hard thing to convince 312 00:16:05,520 --> 00:16:08,440 Speaker 2: people of until it's too late. Now. I don't want 313 00:16:08,440 --> 00:16:11,160 Speaker 2: to fear monger too much, but I believe that to 314 00:16:11,200 --> 00:16:13,920 Speaker 2: be true, just as I believe the process of looking 315 00:16:13,920 --> 00:16:16,640 Speaker 2: for new ground and then learning something about new ground 316 00:16:16,920 --> 00:16:20,320 Speaker 2: will make you better at hunting your old ground. There 317 00:16:20,360 --> 00:16:23,040 Speaker 2: really isn't a downside to trying to find a few 318 00:16:23,080 --> 00:16:26,360 Speaker 2: backup spots, and there isn't a better time of year 319 00:16:26,800 --> 00:16:30,200 Speaker 2: to do this than right now. So do that and 320 00:16:30,240 --> 00:16:32,160 Speaker 2: then come back next week, where I'm going to talk 321 00:16:32,200 --> 00:16:35,200 Speaker 2: about something that I honestly think is the most overlooked 322 00:16:35,200 --> 00:16:39,680 Speaker 2: and valuable thing a white tail hunter can do. That's 323 00:16:39,720 --> 00:16:43,080 Speaker 2: it for this episode. I'm Tony Peterson and this has 324 00:16:43,120 --> 00:16:46,160 Speaker 2: been the Wire to Hunt Foundation's podcast, which is brought 325 00:16:46,160 --> 00:16:48,800 Speaker 2: to you by a First Light. We're still stuck in 326 00:16:48,800 --> 00:16:51,400 Speaker 2: this stupid ass month of March where there isn't a 327 00:16:51,440 --> 00:16:53,920 Speaker 2: whole lot going on for a lot of us. So 328 00:16:54,120 --> 00:16:56,880 Speaker 2: maybe you need something to do. Go to the meat 329 00:16:56,920 --> 00:17:00,280 Speaker 2: eater dot com. Check out all of the new content 330 00:17:00,360 --> 00:17:04,879 Speaker 2: we drop. We're dropping new films, we are dropping tons 331 00:17:04,960 --> 00:17:10,400 Speaker 2: of articles, lots of news out there in the outdoor space, podcasts, 332 00:17:10,520 --> 00:17:14,960 Speaker 2: you name it. Tons of content there, education, entertainment, a 333 00:17:15,000 --> 00:17:16,960 Speaker 2: great mix of both. Go check it out at the 334 00:17:17,000 --> 00:17:19,520 Speaker 2: mediator dot com and thank you for your support.