1 00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:05,720 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Wired to Hunt Foundations podcast, your guide 2 00:00:05,760 --> 00:00:10,799 Speaker 1: to the fundamentals of better dear hunting, and now your host, 3 00:00:11,119 --> 00:00:15,280 Speaker 1: Tony Peterson. Welcome to the Wire to Hunt Foundations podcast, 4 00:00:15,280 --> 00:00:17,880 Speaker 1: which is brought to you by First Light. Today's show 5 00:00:18,239 --> 00:00:22,439 Speaker 1: is all about filling your buck hit. Today's show is 6 00:00:22,440 --> 00:00:24,880 Speaker 1: all about filling your buck tag in the opening days 7 00:00:24,920 --> 00:00:41,080 Speaker 1: of bow season. I guess I have a reputation for 8 00:00:41,120 --> 00:00:45,159 Speaker 1: a few things. Being a hunting mentor and probably a 9 00:00:45,200 --> 00:00:48,240 Speaker 1: hero to Mark Kenyan is definitely one of them. Hunting 10 00:00:48,280 --> 00:00:51,520 Speaker 1: over water is another one, and of course killing bucks 11 00:00:51,520 --> 00:00:54,120 Speaker 1: in September. This might seem like I've got some crazy 12 00:00:54,160 --> 00:00:57,040 Speaker 1: strategy to make it happen right away, but really it's 13 00:00:57,080 --> 00:00:59,960 Speaker 1: mostly for my own sanity, being a born and raised 14 00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:02,880 Speaker 1: Minnesota hunter. I'll get to that in this podcast. But 15 00:01:02,960 --> 00:01:05,199 Speaker 1: the reality is that in a state where you've got 16 00:01:05,680 --> 00:01:08,440 Speaker 1: a mid September ish opener, you've got a hell of 17 00:01:08,480 --> 00:01:11,000 Speaker 1: a chance to kill a good buck right away. In fact, 18 00:01:11,080 --> 00:01:13,039 Speaker 1: it might be the easiest time to kill a big 19 00:01:13,040 --> 00:01:16,120 Speaker 1: one until it suddenly isn't. And this this advice in 20 00:01:16,160 --> 00:01:18,160 Speaker 1: this podcast, it doesn't just apply to the folks who 21 00:01:18,200 --> 00:01:21,000 Speaker 1: live in states that have a mid September opener. This 22 00:01:21,080 --> 00:01:37,600 Speaker 1: applies to opening week just about anywhere you hunt. For 23 00:01:37,680 --> 00:01:41,080 Speaker 1: a lot of us, it's finally here. The bow opener. 24 00:01:41,720 --> 00:01:45,480 Speaker 1: Mid September is the official kickoff for a pile of 25 00:01:45,520 --> 00:01:48,200 Speaker 1: white tail states in the Midwest in the East, and 26 00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:51,080 Speaker 1: that means it's time to get out there. After all, 27 00:01:51,360 --> 00:01:53,640 Speaker 1: you've put in a pile of work this summer, and 28 00:01:53,680 --> 00:01:55,400 Speaker 1: now you might as well go enjoy the fruits of 29 00:01:55,440 --> 00:01:59,440 Speaker 1: your labor. This, in my opinion, is probably a better 30 00:01:59,520 --> 00:02:01,360 Speaker 1: time to k of a buck for most of us 31 00:02:01,520 --> 00:02:04,560 Speaker 1: than any other time of the season, including the Rut. 32 00:02:05,080 --> 00:02:08,160 Speaker 1: Now I know that comes with a whole shipload of qualifiers, 33 00:02:08,200 --> 00:02:11,160 Speaker 1: of course, but I'll get to them right now. Let 34 00:02:11,160 --> 00:02:14,359 Speaker 1: me explain how I've come to this conclusion. I've mentioned 35 00:02:14,560 --> 00:02:16,560 Speaker 1: in the intro here that I'm a born and raised 36 00:02:16,560 --> 00:02:19,320 Speaker 1: Minnesota and what we've got here is a lot of 37 00:02:19,360 --> 00:02:22,959 Speaker 1: great fishing and some okay deer hunting. We've also got 38 00:02:22,960 --> 00:02:25,720 Speaker 1: one of the earliest gun seasons in the country, which 39 00:02:25,760 --> 00:02:27,360 Speaker 1: means that if you want to bow hunt the rut, 40 00:02:27,760 --> 00:02:29,960 Speaker 1: you might be out of luck. As someone who has 41 00:02:29,960 --> 00:02:32,840 Speaker 1: pretty much always bow hunted either public land or private 42 00:02:32,919 --> 00:02:36,520 Speaker 1: land through permission, the gun season has always represented a 43 00:02:36,560 --> 00:02:40,560 Speaker 1: big old pause button to my season. Almost worse than 44 00:02:40,639 --> 00:02:42,679 Speaker 1: having half of a million gun hunters out there on 45 00:02:42,720 --> 00:02:45,760 Speaker 1: the first weekend in November is that the influx of 46 00:02:45,840 --> 00:02:47,720 Speaker 1: guys getting the itch to hang stands and get into 47 00:02:47,760 --> 00:02:50,960 Speaker 1: the woods to mess around starts a few weeks earlier. 48 00:02:51,680 --> 00:02:53,840 Speaker 1: This reality has conditioned me to try to kill a 49 00:02:53,880 --> 00:02:56,480 Speaker 1: buck in September and then move on to other states 50 00:02:56,520 --> 00:03:00,560 Speaker 1: with more enjoyable season structures, and it's worked well most years. 51 00:03:00,800 --> 00:03:03,720 Speaker 1: In fact, if I think back along the last seven seasons, 52 00:03:03,760 --> 00:03:07,120 Speaker 1: I've killed homestate bucks during opening week five times. A 53 00:03:07,120 --> 00:03:09,440 Speaker 1: couple of them were on opening Day. Now, that might 54 00:03:09,440 --> 00:03:11,720 Speaker 1: not be appealing to someone who has a whole season 55 00:03:11,720 --> 00:03:13,640 Speaker 1: to hunt and a good place to do it on, 56 00:03:14,200 --> 00:03:16,520 Speaker 1: But if you're out there on pressure ground, wrapping up 57 00:03:16,520 --> 00:03:19,639 Speaker 1: the whole thing early isn't a bad thing. But before 58 00:03:19,639 --> 00:03:22,280 Speaker 1: we consider the factors working against you on this, let's 59 00:03:22,280 --> 00:03:26,160 Speaker 1: talk about the good news for starters. The deer haven't 60 00:03:26,160 --> 00:03:30,280 Speaker 1: been hunted by humans for like nine months. That matters 61 00:03:30,320 --> 00:03:32,320 Speaker 1: on a lot of ground. It seems like by the 62 00:03:32,400 --> 00:03:34,800 Speaker 1: end of the first week you're going to be back 63 00:03:34,840 --> 00:03:37,480 Speaker 1: to deer that know exactly what is going on. But 64 00:03:37,680 --> 00:03:41,360 Speaker 1: during that first week, or at least opening weekend, I 65 00:03:41,400 --> 00:03:43,520 Speaker 1: can have you dealing with deer that aren't exactly on 66 00:03:43,560 --> 00:03:46,160 Speaker 1: their A game yet. If you need all the help 67 00:03:46,200 --> 00:03:48,720 Speaker 1: you can get, like I often do, take that as 68 00:03:48,800 --> 00:03:51,720 Speaker 1: a blessing. You've also got the hope of a buck 69 00:03:51,800 --> 00:03:55,680 Speaker 1: sticking to his summer pattern. This is a huge maybe 70 00:03:55,960 --> 00:04:00,040 Speaker 1: in my experience. For example, in twenty nineteen, I it 71 00:04:00,160 --> 00:04:02,560 Speaker 1: up on an opening night over now Falfa field that 72 00:04:02,720 --> 00:04:05,640 Speaker 1: was a hot destination for several bucks. I knew from 73 00:04:05,680 --> 00:04:07,720 Speaker 1: summer scouting that I had the chance to run into 74 00:04:07,800 --> 00:04:10,400 Speaker 1: quite a few of them, and figured that my odds 75 00:04:10,400 --> 00:04:12,840 Speaker 1: of killing one were as good as they'd be all season. 76 00:04:13,440 --> 00:04:15,480 Speaker 1: Not only did I see a really solid buck this 77 00:04:15,560 --> 00:04:17,440 Speaker 1: day out of range, but I had a familiar eight 78 00:04:17,440 --> 00:04:19,960 Speaker 1: point step out of twenty yards to feed that eight 79 00:04:19,960 --> 00:04:24,960 Speaker 1: point one, and he was a victim of predictability. It 80 00:04:25,080 --> 00:04:27,200 Speaker 1: was also just a gift that none of the other 81 00:04:27,279 --> 00:04:29,000 Speaker 1: hunters on the farm went in and messed up his 82 00:04:29,080 --> 00:04:32,359 Speaker 1: pattern before opening night. Now, if there's one thing I 83 00:04:32,400 --> 00:04:35,320 Speaker 1: know about pressure ground, it's that you don't get lucky 84 00:04:35,400 --> 00:04:37,880 Speaker 1: twice in a row doing the same thing. I tried 85 00:04:37,880 --> 00:04:40,719 Speaker 1: it anyway, because the trail camera images on the trail 86 00:04:40,800 --> 00:04:44,160 Speaker 1: that Big Eight took were so encouraging the following season, 87 00:04:44,960 --> 00:04:48,720 Speaker 1: several bucks used it right up until the season went, 88 00:04:48,920 --> 00:04:51,280 Speaker 1: right right before it was just about to open. That's 89 00:04:51,279 --> 00:04:53,159 Speaker 1: when I got a video of another hunter and his 90 00:04:53,279 --> 00:04:56,760 Speaker 1: daughter walking in with Motley Crue blasting on his phone 91 00:04:56,839 --> 00:04:59,920 Speaker 1: shout at the devil if you're curious. She pointed out 92 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:02,640 Speaker 1: a camera and they were just starting to talk about 93 00:05:02,640 --> 00:05:06,000 Speaker 1: who's it might be when the clip ended. He hung 94 00:05:06,000 --> 00:05:09,239 Speaker 1: a camera there anyway, and he put those deer totally down. 95 00:05:09,520 --> 00:05:11,279 Speaker 1: He even went so far as to sit my stands 96 00:05:11,279 --> 00:05:13,839 Speaker 1: without asking me, which is always a nice surprise to 97 00:05:13,839 --> 00:05:17,560 Speaker 1: figure out later in the season. Anyway, that summer pattern 98 00:05:17,600 --> 00:05:20,400 Speaker 1: died before the season even opened up, and I have 99 00:05:20,560 --> 00:05:24,080 Speaker 1: to guess it was mostly due to the immediate preseason 100 00:05:24,160 --> 00:05:27,480 Speaker 1: pressure from that hair metal fan, probably some other people too. 101 00:05:28,120 --> 00:05:31,719 Speaker 1: You just can't count on a summer pattern lasting until 102 00:05:31,760 --> 00:05:35,200 Speaker 1: mid September, but you should try. You should try it. 103 00:05:35,240 --> 00:05:37,440 Speaker 1: If you live in a state like Illinois or Iowa 104 00:05:37,480 --> 00:05:39,400 Speaker 1: or somewhere else where you might have an October open. 105 00:05:39,520 --> 00:05:42,440 Speaker 1: You should try that bean field stand you hung in 106 00:05:42,480 --> 00:05:45,799 Speaker 1: the summer. You might catch your target buck munching away 107 00:05:45,839 --> 00:05:48,520 Speaker 1: opening night before he gets clued into the season. But 108 00:05:48,600 --> 00:05:51,080 Speaker 1: what you got to be careful with here is hunting 109 00:05:51,080 --> 00:05:54,120 Speaker 1: a spot you've been fantasizing about for months when the 110 00:05:54,200 --> 00:05:58,039 Speaker 1: conditions aren't right. This is a lesson in discipline, and 111 00:05:58,080 --> 00:06:01,440 Speaker 1: it's not easy. If you think the bachelor group now 112 00:06:01,440 --> 00:06:03,800 Speaker 1: hard antlered, is going to pop out in that back 113 00:06:03,800 --> 00:06:06,440 Speaker 1: corner of the field, it is so difficult not to 114 00:06:06,520 --> 00:06:09,359 Speaker 1: go there on opening night, But going to your number 115 00:06:09,400 --> 00:06:11,880 Speaker 1: one spot when the wind is wrong is a bad idea. 116 00:06:12,400 --> 00:06:15,680 Speaker 1: It's also a lesson. Every deer hunter learns the hard way, 117 00:06:15,800 --> 00:06:18,919 Speaker 1: at least once in a while. When this is the 118 00:06:18,960 --> 00:06:22,239 Speaker 1: case in my world, I sometimes play defense and stay 119 00:06:22,279 --> 00:06:24,520 Speaker 1: back to glass, or I just go to Plan B 120 00:06:24,640 --> 00:06:26,839 Speaker 1: or see or D or whatever. I think one of 121 00:06:26,839 --> 00:06:28,920 Speaker 1: the main problems a lot of hunters have is they 122 00:06:28,920 --> 00:06:31,640 Speaker 1: can't say no to the easy setup or the setup 123 00:06:31,680 --> 00:06:34,200 Speaker 1: that they really want to sit. But messing up a 124 00:06:34,240 --> 00:06:38,279 Speaker 1: great spot with impatience is always a disaster. It's also 125 00:06:38,560 --> 00:06:41,000 Speaker 1: really easy to talk to yourself into doing just that. 126 00:06:41,640 --> 00:06:44,479 Speaker 1: So let's say you're a public land hunter. Your reasoning 127 00:06:44,480 --> 00:06:46,200 Speaker 1: will be that someone is going to go in there 128 00:06:46,200 --> 00:06:48,479 Speaker 1: and book the deer anyway, So why not have it 129 00:06:48,520 --> 00:06:52,240 Speaker 1: be you? Well, maybe because that's not a guarantee. But 130 00:06:52,320 --> 00:06:54,800 Speaker 1: what is is that if you hunt the spot the 131 00:06:54,839 --> 00:06:58,200 Speaker 1: wrong way or at the wrong time, you'll definitely negatively 132 00:06:58,279 --> 00:07:01,479 Speaker 1: impact it. This is I In the earlier episodes of 133 00:07:01,520 --> 00:07:04,880 Speaker 1: this podcast, I preached about having multiple good options. That 134 00:07:04,920 --> 00:07:08,000 Speaker 1: Big Minnesota bucka aired in tw he was in a 135 00:07:08,040 --> 00:07:11,800 Speaker 1: spot that was my last choice for opening night. Other hunters, 136 00:07:11,840 --> 00:07:15,040 Speaker 1: both small game and deer hunters, along with a straight 137 00:07:15,080 --> 00:07:18,400 Speaker 1: south wind had me running low on spots, but I 138 00:07:18,520 --> 00:07:21,960 Speaker 1: wasn't out of good spots, which is important. Had one 139 00:07:22,040 --> 00:07:24,040 Speaker 1: place to go that was set up specifically for a 140 00:07:24,080 --> 00:07:27,480 Speaker 1: south wind, and I thought from the truck's park where 141 00:07:27,520 --> 00:07:30,120 Speaker 1: they were and the other hunter activity that no one 142 00:07:30,160 --> 00:07:32,720 Speaker 1: had probably messed with those deer in the Alfalfa corner. 143 00:07:33,080 --> 00:07:35,480 Speaker 1: They hadn't, and it worked out. But if I had 144 00:07:35,480 --> 00:07:38,280 Speaker 1: had fewer options, I would have either decided to go 145 00:07:38,400 --> 00:07:40,880 Speaker 1: mobile or I would have settled for a spot that 146 00:07:40,960 --> 00:07:45,080 Speaker 1: I probably shouldn't have hunted. According to Dead Too Soon 147 00:07:45,200 --> 00:07:48,800 Speaker 1: musician Tom Petty, the waiting is the hardest part for 148 00:07:48,880 --> 00:07:52,000 Speaker 1: deer hunters. That's true, waiting for a spot to be 149 00:07:52,120 --> 00:07:54,520 Speaker 1: right is important, and it can feel like a lost 150 00:07:54,600 --> 00:07:57,360 Speaker 1: cause when you think you're the only responsible hunter in 151 00:07:57,360 --> 00:08:00,080 Speaker 1: the woods, but you don't really have much choice in 152 00:08:00,120 --> 00:08:03,679 Speaker 1: the matter. It's also important to trust your spidy senses 153 00:08:03,720 --> 00:08:06,680 Speaker 1: on opening weekend. This is where things get tricky because 154 00:08:06,720 --> 00:08:09,600 Speaker 1: you've been running cameras and you've been glassing. This means 155 00:08:09,600 --> 00:08:12,240 Speaker 1: you've got weeks or months of intel showing you where 156 00:08:12,240 --> 00:08:14,400 Speaker 1: the bucks are. But what if you're walking out to 157 00:08:14,400 --> 00:08:16,600 Speaker 1: your go to stand and you cross a pounded trail, 158 00:08:17,120 --> 00:08:19,880 Speaker 1: or you find an oak tree dropping nutty goodness by 159 00:08:19,920 --> 00:08:23,320 Speaker 1: the ton, which is a real possibility this year, or 160 00:08:23,360 --> 00:08:26,200 Speaker 1: an apple tree, or you just hit a saturation point 161 00:08:26,200 --> 00:08:29,040 Speaker 1: with a sign that you cannot ignore, like a spot 162 00:08:29,080 --> 00:08:32,520 Speaker 1: that boasts several visible fresh rubs or maybe a few 163 00:08:32,559 --> 00:08:36,520 Speaker 1: September scrapes, all concentrated in one little area. Hunt there 164 00:08:37,120 --> 00:08:40,320 Speaker 1: forget about that spot that had all the deer somewhat 165 00:08:40,360 --> 00:08:44,360 Speaker 1: consistent throughout the summer. Fall is a time of transition 166 00:08:44,400 --> 00:08:47,400 Speaker 1: in the woods, and there is nothing better than sign 167 00:08:47,440 --> 00:08:50,320 Speaker 1: that shows you where the bucks are right now. This 168 00:08:50,360 --> 00:08:53,800 Speaker 1: happened to me after I drove from Nebraska to southeastern 169 00:08:53,840 --> 00:08:58,000 Speaker 1: Minnesota for Opening Day. Nebraska had kicked my ass and 170 00:08:58,080 --> 00:09:00,760 Speaker 1: nearly melted me in my blast for an tent, and 171 00:09:00,800 --> 00:09:03,440 Speaker 1: when I got to Minnesota the weather was just as 172 00:09:03,480 --> 00:09:06,440 Speaker 1: hot and miserable. I figured a stand I had on 173 00:09:06,480 --> 00:09:08,880 Speaker 1: a soybean edge was going to be the ticket, but 174 00:09:08,960 --> 00:09:11,480 Speaker 1: on the way there I noticed how browsed down some 175 00:09:11,520 --> 00:09:15,040 Speaker 1: of the alfalfa was. It was also littered with deer droppings. 176 00:09:15,480 --> 00:09:17,880 Speaker 1: I had to stand there as well, but I hated 177 00:09:17,920 --> 00:09:20,400 Speaker 1: it because it's only like two fifty yards from a road. 178 00:09:20,920 --> 00:09:22,719 Speaker 1: I don't like when traffic can see the deer I 179 00:09:22,760 --> 00:09:25,199 Speaker 1: am hunting, and I don't like sitting there watching people 180 00:09:25,240 --> 00:09:27,920 Speaker 1: creeping down the road in their pickup trucks. So I 181 00:09:27,960 --> 00:09:30,679 Speaker 1: tried to talk myself into walking on. But I had 182 00:09:30,760 --> 00:09:33,840 Speaker 1: hung that stand for a reason and I couldn't shake it. 183 00:09:33,880 --> 00:09:36,280 Speaker 1: And after what probably looked like a crazy man acting 184 00:09:36,280 --> 00:09:39,280 Speaker 1: out a courtroom scene where I deliberated the pros and 185 00:09:39,360 --> 00:09:42,040 Speaker 1: cons of abandoning a good plan over the sign I 186 00:09:42,120 --> 00:09:44,959 Speaker 1: was on, I climbed into that stand and decided to 187 00:09:44,960 --> 00:09:47,480 Speaker 1: give it a shot. The wind was right and the 188 00:09:47,520 --> 00:09:50,520 Speaker 1: deer were clearly on that green field, which is often 189 00:09:50,559 --> 00:09:54,120 Speaker 1: a solid choice when it's really hot and long before 190 00:09:54,200 --> 00:09:57,000 Speaker 1: first light, two bucks stepped out with the bigger, a 191 00:09:57,080 --> 00:09:59,839 Speaker 1: solid eight pointer with a cool dropper over his right. 192 00:10:00,040 --> 00:10:03,079 Speaker 1: I I had him photographed and back to the truck 193 00:10:03,120 --> 00:10:05,680 Speaker 1: before full darkness set in and the hordes of mosquito 194 00:10:05,720 --> 00:10:08,680 Speaker 1: was washed over the land. Now understand that all of 195 00:10:08,720 --> 00:10:11,480 Speaker 1: this summer scouting and work you've put in might have 196 00:10:11,600 --> 00:10:14,760 Speaker 1: to be pushed aside in respect a fresh intel. This 197 00:10:14,840 --> 00:10:17,240 Speaker 1: is the key to a lot of hunters white tail 198 00:10:17,320 --> 00:10:20,320 Speaker 1: success because they know how to quickly change gears when 199 00:10:20,320 --> 00:10:23,720 Speaker 1: new data becomes available. In fact, this might be just 200 00:10:23,760 --> 00:10:26,520 Speaker 1: a single rub in September, which, by the way, it 201 00:10:26,640 --> 00:10:30,360 Speaker 1: means a lot to yours truly. I like rubs all season, 202 00:10:30,679 --> 00:10:32,640 Speaker 1: but the first ones I find always tell me that 203 00:10:32,679 --> 00:10:35,720 Speaker 1: bucks are close. If I find one opening weekend or 204 00:10:35,760 --> 00:10:38,400 Speaker 1: on opening week I tend to give its location some 205 00:10:38,480 --> 00:10:41,560 Speaker 1: serious consideration. A buck that makes a rub on a 206 00:10:41,600 --> 00:10:45,040 Speaker 1: field edge on September four is probably living close by, 207 00:10:45,080 --> 00:10:46,880 Speaker 1: And if he makes a rub in the woods at 208 00:10:46,880 --> 00:10:49,080 Speaker 1: that time, then I know I really want to hunt 209 00:10:49,080 --> 00:10:52,400 Speaker 1: there now. For you later, opener hunters, this might not 210 00:10:52,480 --> 00:10:55,359 Speaker 1: be as as important if you can't start till October. 211 00:10:55,720 --> 00:10:57,840 Speaker 1: There's probably going to be more sign out there, so 212 00:10:57,880 --> 00:11:01,200 Speaker 1: your standard for a good concentration enough sign might be 213 00:11:01,240 --> 00:11:04,080 Speaker 1: a little bit different than mid September. And you guys 214 00:11:04,160 --> 00:11:06,319 Speaker 1: might also be thinking, why the hell did you tell 215 00:11:06,360 --> 00:11:08,880 Speaker 1: me to do so much scouting and stand prep work 216 00:11:08,960 --> 00:11:10,880 Speaker 1: all summer long if you were just going to go 217 00:11:11,080 --> 00:11:13,120 Speaker 1: full a d H D on me and just start 218 00:11:13,200 --> 00:11:16,280 Speaker 1: hunting fresh sign the moment the bow season kicks in. Well, 219 00:11:16,320 --> 00:11:19,880 Speaker 1: that's a fair question, my friends. All of that work 220 00:11:19,920 --> 00:11:22,280 Speaker 1: that you did, it was the best you could do 221 00:11:22,320 --> 00:11:24,959 Speaker 1: in the off season, and it might put you right 222 00:11:25,000 --> 00:11:27,080 Speaker 1: on top of a buck that is on a summertime 223 00:11:27,120 --> 00:11:29,760 Speaker 1: pattern right now, or it might put you on a 224 00:11:29,800 --> 00:11:32,480 Speaker 1: buck that is already staging in the timber and moving 225 00:11:32,480 --> 00:11:35,360 Speaker 1: his way toward being more nocturnal due to the added 226 00:11:35,360 --> 00:11:38,480 Speaker 1: presence of people in the woods. That happens, and it's 227 00:11:38,520 --> 00:11:41,160 Speaker 1: an important thing to set up for, but it doesn't 228 00:11:41,160 --> 00:11:42,960 Speaker 1: negate the fact that no matter how much work you 229 00:11:43,000 --> 00:11:45,560 Speaker 1: put in, there might be something going on that you 230 00:11:45,559 --> 00:11:48,720 Speaker 1: didn't plan for. Or maybe you couldn't hang stands before 231 00:11:48,760 --> 00:11:50,760 Speaker 1: the season because you don't own any, or you're a 232 00:11:50,800 --> 00:11:53,720 Speaker 1: public land hunter who can't get them up before the season, 233 00:11:54,240 --> 00:11:57,400 Speaker 1: or maybe I'm just trying to condition you to think 234 00:11:57,400 --> 00:11:59,959 Speaker 1: about how mobile you might need to be no matter 235 00:12:00,080 --> 00:12:03,920 Speaker 1: or what type of situation you hunt. Take that gimme 236 00:12:04,080 --> 00:12:06,280 Speaker 1: field edge, Dan, you've been thinking about for two months. 237 00:12:06,960 --> 00:12:08,760 Speaker 1: What if you go in to hunt that target buck 238 00:12:08,800 --> 00:12:11,360 Speaker 1: you've given some cute nickname too, and he doesn't show 239 00:12:11,440 --> 00:12:14,720 Speaker 1: up where he's supposed to, but instead down the woodline, 240 00:12:14,840 --> 00:12:17,440 Speaker 1: a new buck pops out, and while he's not your guy, 241 00:12:17,679 --> 00:12:20,440 Speaker 1: he's good enough. Do you come back and ride out 242 00:12:20,440 --> 00:12:22,960 Speaker 1: the target buck program or do you go in the 243 00:12:23,000 --> 00:12:25,800 Speaker 1: next night, conditions permitting, and set up where the new 244 00:12:25,800 --> 00:12:28,280 Speaker 1: buck was. That's up to you, of course, But I 245 00:12:28,280 --> 00:12:30,959 Speaker 1: know what I do. I go to that buck because 246 00:12:30,960 --> 00:12:34,360 Speaker 1: he's there and he's huntable. Now he's shown you recent 247 00:12:34,480 --> 00:12:37,840 Speaker 1: movement and giving you something to work with those bachelor 248 00:12:37,840 --> 00:12:40,000 Speaker 1: groups from the summer. Some of those bucks might be 249 00:12:40,080 --> 00:12:43,280 Speaker 1: three miles away now. Others might just be hard, antler 250 00:12:43,360 --> 00:12:45,840 Speaker 1: and shy and not willing to go fill their bellies 251 00:12:45,840 --> 00:12:48,839 Speaker 1: in broad daylight. Any deer that is good enough for you, 252 00:12:49,120 --> 00:12:51,160 Speaker 1: that does show you a willingness to put himself in 253 00:12:51,280 --> 00:12:54,080 Speaker 1: danger is the one you should be hunting for right now. 254 00:12:55,080 --> 00:12:57,920 Speaker 1: You should also be thinking about mornings and one of 255 00:12:57,960 --> 00:13:00,680 Speaker 1: our past episodes, I begged you to think about early 256 00:13:00,679 --> 00:13:03,400 Speaker 1: season mornings and setting up for them if at all possible. 257 00:13:04,120 --> 00:13:06,640 Speaker 1: That new buck that catches your eye, where did he 258 00:13:06,720 --> 00:13:09,520 Speaker 1: enter the field, where did he go to when he did, 259 00:13:10,080 --> 00:13:12,640 Speaker 1: Where did he likely come from? Is there a way 260 00:13:12,679 --> 00:13:15,760 Speaker 1: to get on him going back in the morning. The 261 00:13:15,840 --> 00:13:18,040 Speaker 1: key to most of this stuff is to think about 262 00:13:18,040 --> 00:13:21,160 Speaker 1: what's going to happen next. That buck might come out 263 00:13:21,200 --> 00:13:23,240 Speaker 1: again tomorrow night in the field, or he might not. 264 00:13:23,960 --> 00:13:27,400 Speaker 1: If he doesn't, why not, what happened and how do 265 00:13:27,440 --> 00:13:30,720 Speaker 1: you reset on him. While a lot of good hunters 266 00:13:30,760 --> 00:13:33,360 Speaker 1: disagree with me on this, I think a pretty aggressive 267 00:13:33,400 --> 00:13:36,480 Speaker 1: strategy for early season white tails is generally the right call. 268 00:13:37,200 --> 00:13:39,320 Speaker 1: It might not be necessary for the hunter who has 269 00:13:39,320 --> 00:13:41,679 Speaker 1: a private spot and three weeks to hunt during the rut, 270 00:13:42,080 --> 00:13:44,520 Speaker 1: but for a lot of us, getting on the deer 271 00:13:44,520 --> 00:13:47,440 Speaker 1: that will work with us right now is important. Waiting 272 00:13:47,440 --> 00:13:49,559 Speaker 1: for the rut can be an option, but it's also 273 00:13:49,559 --> 00:13:52,480 Speaker 1: the strategy that most folks rely on. If you're a 274 00:13:52,520 --> 00:13:56,000 Speaker 1: public land hunter, remember that because it could come back 275 00:13:56,040 --> 00:13:59,360 Speaker 1: to bite you right on your camo covered ass. Work 276 00:13:59,400 --> 00:14:02,079 Speaker 1: with what you've got now, think about the food that 277 00:14:02,160 --> 00:14:03,920 Speaker 1: might put a buck in front of you, but also 278 00:14:04,000 --> 00:14:06,800 Speaker 1: the travel routes they'll take to get to the food 279 00:14:07,000 --> 00:14:10,040 Speaker 1: and back to bed from it. If you see something 280 00:14:10,120 --> 00:14:13,760 Speaker 1: actionable from one of your preset stands, use that. If not, 281 00:14:14,240 --> 00:14:17,640 Speaker 1: keep hunting, keep looking. Now this can seem overwhelming, but 282 00:14:17,679 --> 00:14:20,160 Speaker 1: I look at it this way. The deer out there, 283 00:14:20,440 --> 00:14:24,520 Speaker 1: they're betting, they're moving around, they're eating every day. Where 284 00:14:24,560 --> 00:14:26,720 Speaker 1: they do those things is up to you to discover 285 00:14:26,920 --> 00:14:30,200 Speaker 1: and then fine tune. It's not easy, but there are 286 00:14:30,240 --> 00:14:33,840 Speaker 1: some early season factors working in your favor. Oftentimes, you 287 00:14:33,880 --> 00:14:35,960 Speaker 1: get some rain to work with, which is a gift. 288 00:14:36,440 --> 00:14:39,120 Speaker 1: Deer moving the rain a lot. Hunters don't like hunting 289 00:14:39,120 --> 00:14:41,600 Speaker 1: in the rain a lot. See where this is going. 290 00:14:42,880 --> 00:14:44,680 Speaker 1: You also have a ton of cover to work with. 291 00:14:45,160 --> 00:14:48,200 Speaker 1: Standing corn can be your ticket to accessing stand sites 292 00:14:48,600 --> 00:14:51,080 Speaker 1: that will totally leave you exposed later in the season. 293 00:14:51,440 --> 00:14:53,400 Speaker 1: In fact, a few years ago I used the strategy 294 00:14:53,400 --> 00:14:55,320 Speaker 1: to arrow a nine pointer the second morning of the 295 00:14:55,320 --> 00:14:58,280 Speaker 1: Minnesota season. I knew the field the bucks were feeding 296 00:14:58,280 --> 00:15:01,040 Speaker 1: in and the potential route they take to get back 297 00:15:01,080 --> 00:15:04,000 Speaker 1: to bed. I also knew it would be a long, hot, 298 00:15:04,200 --> 00:15:06,720 Speaker 1: miserable walk through standing corn to get there. In the dark, 299 00:15:07,080 --> 00:15:10,400 Speaker 1: and it was, but I also saw several dos and 300 00:15:10,400 --> 00:15:12,640 Speaker 1: then narrowed a solid deer at ten in the morning 301 00:15:12,680 --> 00:15:15,280 Speaker 1: as he worked his way back to bed in mid September. 302 00:15:16,040 --> 00:15:18,480 Speaker 1: When it comes to opening week, whether that starts on 303 00:15:18,560 --> 00:15:21,640 Speaker 1: September one or sometime in October, for your given state, 304 00:15:22,600 --> 00:15:25,160 Speaker 1: use what you can to your advantage instead of focusing 305 00:15:25,200 --> 00:15:27,480 Speaker 1: on the negatives. We hear so much about, focus on 306 00:15:27,520 --> 00:15:30,320 Speaker 1: the positives. So what if your target buck moved on, 307 00:15:30,960 --> 00:15:33,920 Speaker 1: someone knew will take his place. You can't hunt mornings 308 00:15:33,960 --> 00:15:37,000 Speaker 1: because you're not supposed to prove those folks wrong by 309 00:15:37,000 --> 00:15:39,800 Speaker 1: out working them and out thinking the deer. And even 310 00:15:39,840 --> 00:15:42,520 Speaker 1: if you hunt pressured deer, they couldn't have possibly been 311 00:15:42,560 --> 00:15:45,720 Speaker 1: pressured too much in the last nine months. So what 312 00:15:45,920 --> 00:15:48,560 Speaker 1: rain has forecasted. It's transition time and you've got a 313 00:15:48,640 --> 00:15:52,000 Speaker 1: good chance as any right now to make it happen. 314 00:15:52,840 --> 00:15:55,000 Speaker 1: So get out there and make it happen. And if 315 00:15:55,000 --> 00:15:57,480 Speaker 1: you don't, that's okay. You'll find out why in the 316 00:15:57,520 --> 00:16:01,880 Speaker 1: next episodes. But as for now, really think about executing 317 00:16:01,880 --> 00:16:05,880 Speaker 1: your opening week plan. Stick to it unless the deer 318 00:16:06,200 --> 00:16:08,400 Speaker 1: or the sign shows you something that demands and in 319 00:16:08,440 --> 00:16:11,280 Speaker 1: the moment pivot. This is what you've been working for, 320 00:16:11,440 --> 00:16:14,840 Speaker 1: and it's a great opportunity if you blend that discipline 321 00:16:15,240 --> 00:16:20,680 Speaker 1: with a little freelance hunting. That's it for this week, 322 00:16:20,720 --> 00:16:23,320 Speaker 1: my white tail loving friends. I'm Tony Peterson and this 323 00:16:23,360 --> 00:16:26,280 Speaker 1: has been the Wired to Hunt Foundations podcast, which is 324 00:16:26,320 --> 00:16:28,920 Speaker 1: brought to you by First Light. Be sure to check 325 00:16:28,920 --> 00:16:31,520 Speaker 1: out our Wired to Hunt YouTube channel and visit the 326 00:16:31,560 --> 00:16:35,640 Speaker 1: meat Eator dot com wired for more deer hunting tips, tricks, tactics, 327 00:16:35,720 --> 00:16:36,560 Speaker 1: and strategies.