1 00:00:01,320 --> 00:00:05,160 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Wired to Hunt Foundations podcast, your guide 2 00:00:05,160 --> 00:00:08,959 Speaker 1: to the fundamentals of better deer hunting, presented by first Light, 3 00:00:09,280 --> 00:00:13,640 Speaker 1: creating proven versatile hunting apparel for the stand, saddle or blind. 4 00:00:14,160 --> 00:00:18,720 Speaker 1: First Light, Go Farther, Stay Longer, and now your host 5 00:00:19,040 --> 00:00:19,960 Speaker 1: Tony Peterson. 6 00:00:20,480 --> 00:00:23,440 Speaker 2: Hey everyone, welcome to the Wired to Hunt Foundation's podcast, 7 00:00:23,480 --> 00:00:25,759 Speaker 2: which is brought to you by first Light. I'm your host, 8 00:00:25,840 --> 00:00:29,480 Speaker 2: Tony Peterson, and today's episode is all about why curiosity 9 00:00:29,680 --> 00:00:32,440 Speaker 2: and a willingness to learn might just be your best 10 00:00:32,440 --> 00:00:41,519 Speaker 2: friends in the outdoors. Man, I've had the good fortune 11 00:00:41,560 --> 00:00:43,480 Speaker 2: to get to know a few people who are pretty 12 00:00:43,520 --> 00:00:45,960 Speaker 2: successful in life that they all happen to be tied 13 00:00:46,000 --> 00:00:48,400 Speaker 2: to the outdoor industry is neither here nor there, because 14 00:00:48,400 --> 00:00:50,640 Speaker 2: these folks probably would have been successful no matter what. 15 00:00:51,040 --> 00:00:53,560 Speaker 2: They just happened to have some shared interest with folks 16 00:00:53,640 --> 00:00:55,440 Speaker 2: like me and you, and they figured out how to 17 00:00:55,520 --> 00:00:57,560 Speaker 2: do something in the outdoor space that just hadn't been 18 00:00:57,560 --> 00:01:02,000 Speaker 2: done before. Mister Ranella the most obvious example. And you know, 19 00:01:02,040 --> 00:01:03,840 Speaker 2: if you follow the dog side of things, I would 20 00:01:03,840 --> 00:01:06,839 Speaker 2: put Tom dockin right there. I'm fortunate to know several 21 00:01:06,880 --> 00:01:09,120 Speaker 2: people like those guys, and you want to know what 22 00:01:09,200 --> 00:01:13,759 Speaker 2: I think is their secrets to success curiosity. They're interested 23 00:01:13,800 --> 00:01:16,800 Speaker 2: in learning, and I think that's a powerful thing in life, 24 00:01:17,160 --> 00:01:19,800 Speaker 2: so powerful that I think we should all consider pushing 25 00:01:19,800 --> 00:01:23,399 Speaker 2: ourselves to stay curious and to learn new things, which 26 00:01:23,440 --> 00:01:29,080 Speaker 2: is what this whole episode is about. Listen. I'm not 27 00:01:29,160 --> 00:01:31,920 Speaker 2: saying this is the best reason to have kids, but 28 00:01:32,000 --> 00:01:34,600 Speaker 2: the truth is, if you want to answer a lot 29 00:01:34,600 --> 00:01:38,120 Speaker 2: of questions, have some kids. My daughters are at the 30 00:01:38,120 --> 00:01:40,880 Speaker 2: age where they ask a lot of questions, and it's 31 00:01:40,880 --> 00:01:45,679 Speaker 2: both pretty awesome and somewhat maddening. We recently watched a 32 00:01:45,720 --> 00:01:49,160 Speaker 2: movie called sixty five, which is a Hollywood thriller type 33 00:01:49,160 --> 00:01:51,480 Speaker 2: of sci fi movie that is built on a pretty 34 00:01:51,520 --> 00:01:54,080 Speaker 2: wild premise. I'm not going to spoil it for you, 35 00:01:55,040 --> 00:01:57,840 Speaker 2: but the plot is, you know, it's constructed upon an 36 00:01:57,880 --> 00:02:01,480 Speaker 2: idea that is very hard for eleven year old girls 37 00:02:01,480 --> 00:02:05,000 Speaker 2: to grasp. As an adult, you just kind of recognize 38 00:02:05,040 --> 00:02:07,160 Speaker 2: these plot points as a reason to put some characters 39 00:02:07,160 --> 00:02:10,720 Speaker 2: in a challenging environment. But for youngsters it's different. They 40 00:02:10,720 --> 00:02:13,720 Speaker 2: take things more literally, and this movie takes you right 41 00:02:13,760 --> 00:02:16,080 Speaker 2: to the age of dinosaurs, and that brings up a 42 00:02:16,120 --> 00:02:19,800 Speaker 2: lot of questions. So many in fact that I was 43 00:02:19,800 --> 00:02:22,120 Speaker 2: about ready to not watch the movie after a while 44 00:02:22,440 --> 00:02:24,600 Speaker 2: because I didn't write it, I didn't have any more 45 00:02:24,600 --> 00:02:27,920 Speaker 2: background information than anyone else, and I recognized it for 46 00:02:27,960 --> 00:02:32,280 Speaker 2: what it really was, just entertainment. But the idea around 47 00:02:32,320 --> 00:02:35,280 Speaker 2: the movie is big, and that fosters questions from kids 48 00:02:35,360 --> 00:02:38,799 Speaker 2: because they are curious, and like I said, I love that, 49 00:02:39,520 --> 00:02:42,679 Speaker 2: even though sometimes I get annoyed by it. We recently 50 00:02:42,720 --> 00:02:45,120 Speaker 2: spent some time in northern Wisconsin looking for bears and 51 00:02:45,160 --> 00:02:47,360 Speaker 2: bucks and frogs and snakes and catching a few trout. 52 00:02:47,800 --> 00:02:50,080 Speaker 2: So I got to answer a bunch of questions there 53 00:02:50,320 --> 00:02:52,760 Speaker 2: and ask a few of my own. And one of 54 00:02:52,840 --> 00:02:55,000 Speaker 2: the things we like to do when we go over 55 00:02:55,040 --> 00:02:57,560 Speaker 2: there is to fish for brook trout, and since they 56 00:02:57,560 --> 00:02:58,920 Speaker 2: are one of the few kinds of fish that I 57 00:02:58,919 --> 00:03:03,040 Speaker 2: can eat without immediately dying, we actually tried to keep 58 00:03:03,040 --> 00:03:05,880 Speaker 2: a few of them on this trip. We ended up 59 00:03:05,919 --> 00:03:08,400 Speaker 2: with five keepers, which was about right to throw on 60 00:03:08,440 --> 00:03:10,480 Speaker 2: the grill for the girls and I. And as I 61 00:03:10,520 --> 00:03:13,360 Speaker 2: cleaned those fish, we looked at their organs and what 62 00:03:13,520 --> 00:03:16,080 Speaker 2: was in their stomach, because the girls were curious and 63 00:03:16,120 --> 00:03:18,840 Speaker 2: so was I. You know, the water was low, the 64 00:03:18,880 --> 00:03:21,040 Speaker 2: bugs didn't seem to be hatching much, so I wanted 65 00:03:21,040 --> 00:03:22,880 Speaker 2: to know what those little brook trout were munching on. 66 00:03:23,440 --> 00:03:26,359 Speaker 2: Turns out they were eating some bugs and some tiny minnows, 67 00:03:27,040 --> 00:03:30,000 Speaker 2: which is, I don't know, kind of always interesting to 68 00:03:30,040 --> 00:03:33,080 Speaker 2: see when you slice open their innards. That was a 69 00:03:33,120 --> 00:03:35,800 Speaker 2: good curiosity. It was more fun than dealing with that movie, 70 00:03:36,680 --> 00:03:39,360 Speaker 2: although I can't really say why that matters much more 71 00:03:39,400 --> 00:03:42,400 Speaker 2: to me than I don't know questions based in the 72 00:03:42,480 --> 00:03:45,880 Speaker 2: Mesozoic era around a bunch of giant lizards held about 73 00:03:45,960 --> 00:03:49,920 Speaker 2: on eating some actors I don't know. Anyway, When we 74 00:03:49,920 --> 00:03:52,560 Speaker 2: weren't trout fishing, we were in the woods. And if 75 00:03:52,600 --> 00:03:55,480 Speaker 2: there is an environment more ripe for curiosity from six 76 00:03:55,560 --> 00:03:59,040 Speaker 2: gray girls or forty three year old boys, I haven't 77 00:03:59,040 --> 00:04:02,760 Speaker 2: seen it yet. We managed to find a garter snake hotspot, 78 00:04:03,040 --> 00:04:05,200 Speaker 2: which consists of two rock piles on a property I 79 00:04:05,280 --> 00:04:09,520 Speaker 2: own that harbors a high population of those very common serpents. 80 00:04:10,360 --> 00:04:13,360 Speaker 2: It also, much to one of my daughter's delight, had 81 00:04:13,440 --> 00:04:16,160 Speaker 2: quite a few shed snake skins strewn about in the rocks. 82 00:04:16,720 --> 00:04:19,560 Speaker 2: So we learned about snakes why they outgrow their skins. 83 00:04:20,240 --> 00:04:23,400 Speaker 2: Then we saw something that made me curious. There's a 84 00:04:23,440 --> 00:04:26,800 Speaker 2: property we drive by over there that always has deer 85 00:04:26,839 --> 00:04:30,080 Speaker 2: in it, and I mean always. I don't know what's 86 00:04:30,080 --> 00:04:32,960 Speaker 2: so special about it, but it is an overgrown pasture 87 00:04:33,000 --> 00:04:36,000 Speaker 2: with some apple trees and a nice pond, and just 88 00:04:36,120 --> 00:04:38,160 Speaker 2: kind of different habitat than most of the big wood 89 00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:40,719 Speaker 2: stuff around there. So in a way, I guess I 90 00:04:40,760 --> 00:04:44,160 Speaker 2: just answered my own question about what's different about it. Anyway, 91 00:04:44,560 --> 00:04:47,400 Speaker 2: while coming back from that stream on one of those 92 00:04:47,480 --> 00:04:49,840 Speaker 2: days when we went trout fishing, we all turned our 93 00:04:49,880 --> 00:04:54,120 Speaker 2: attention to that property and we saw, not surprisingly, a 94 00:04:54,160 --> 00:04:56,560 Speaker 2: mature dough standing there in the early afternoon with her 95 00:04:56,560 --> 00:04:59,640 Speaker 2: face buried in some shrubbery. When I pulled up my camera, 96 00:04:59,680 --> 00:05:02,400 Speaker 2: which was fitted with a five hundred milimeter lens, I 97 00:05:02,440 --> 00:05:07,200 Speaker 2: saw that she was greedily eating ripe raspberries, and I 98 00:05:07,279 --> 00:05:11,400 Speaker 2: mean that old girl was mowing down. And as we 99 00:05:11,440 --> 00:05:15,080 Speaker 2: watched this, I realized something. I've never seen a deer 100 00:05:15,160 --> 00:05:18,360 Speaker 2: eat raspberries. If you had asked me if they do, 101 00:05:19,120 --> 00:05:22,039 Speaker 2: I would have probably said that seems pretty likely, but 102 00:05:22,080 --> 00:05:25,440 Speaker 2: I didn't actually know that. And what was even cooler 103 00:05:25,480 --> 00:05:28,560 Speaker 2: than that, however, was that while we were watching the 104 00:05:28,600 --> 00:05:31,680 Speaker 2: dough eat some raspberries, we noticed more movement in the brush. 105 00:05:32,160 --> 00:05:34,800 Speaker 2: That's when we saw three tom turkeys pecking away at 106 00:05:34,800 --> 00:05:39,000 Speaker 2: the backside of the same raspberry bush. Again, if you 107 00:05:39,080 --> 00:05:41,320 Speaker 2: had asked me if wild turkeys eat raspberries, I just 108 00:05:41,320 --> 00:05:44,039 Speaker 2: said I don't know. Probably they probably do, but I'd 109 00:05:44,040 --> 00:05:46,960 Speaker 2: never seen it before. I've seen turkeys nom away on 110 00:05:47,000 --> 00:05:49,799 Speaker 2: a lot of stuff, including crab apples, but never berries. 111 00:05:50,320 --> 00:05:52,040 Speaker 2: In fact, I shot a hen in the fall one 112 00:05:52,040 --> 00:05:54,640 Speaker 2: time years ago after busting up a flock in southeastern 113 00:05:54,720 --> 00:05:58,680 Speaker 2: Minnesota that was just chock full of crab apples. She 114 00:05:58,760 --> 00:06:01,320 Speaker 2: even smelled like apples when I cleaned her, kind of 115 00:06:01,360 --> 00:06:02,880 Speaker 2: like when you shoot an antelope and you butcher it 116 00:06:02,960 --> 00:06:05,400 Speaker 2: and realize that the meat smells just like sage brus. 117 00:06:06,040 --> 00:06:09,040 Speaker 2: I don't know why I like that, but I do know. 118 00:06:09,200 --> 00:06:12,440 Speaker 2: These discoveries with trout and deer and turkeys, you know, 119 00:06:12,480 --> 00:06:14,839 Speaker 2: they might prove to be actionable at some time in 120 00:06:14,880 --> 00:06:18,400 Speaker 2: the future. And that's kind of how hunting content is 121 00:06:18,400 --> 00:06:23,440 Speaker 2: supposed to work. I, in my divine wisdom, figure something 122 00:06:23,480 --> 00:06:25,599 Speaker 2: out that not many people know, and then I tell 123 00:06:25,640 --> 00:06:27,880 Speaker 2: them and they all love me for it. On paper, 124 00:06:27,960 --> 00:06:30,599 Speaker 2: it goes like that, I guess, But the truth is 125 00:06:31,279 --> 00:06:34,120 Speaker 2: learning something new is good for all of us on 126 00:06:34,200 --> 00:06:38,240 Speaker 2: a few different levels. The first is that sure, knowing 127 00:06:38,320 --> 00:06:40,320 Speaker 2: deeri eat raspberries, it might lead you to some kind 128 00:06:40,320 --> 00:06:42,880 Speaker 2: of food source that you've never thought of before, and 129 00:06:42,960 --> 00:06:46,839 Speaker 2: maybe that works out pretty well on a hunt. That's 130 00:06:46,839 --> 00:06:51,120 Speaker 2: a good thing, and it's like almost transactional. But it's 131 00:06:51,120 --> 00:06:53,719 Speaker 2: also good to just learn new stuff for the sake 132 00:06:53,760 --> 00:06:56,560 Speaker 2: of doing it. It's good for the brain to pack 133 00:06:56,600 --> 00:06:59,960 Speaker 2: in some new interesting information. I think is a speed 134 00:07:00,120 --> 00:07:02,599 Speaker 2: She's we're kind of at a crossroads with curiosity and 135 00:07:02,640 --> 00:07:06,280 Speaker 2: new information. We really don't need to learn very much 136 00:07:06,480 --> 00:07:09,240 Speaker 2: because we have all the intellectual wealth of our entire 137 00:07:09,279 --> 00:07:13,440 Speaker 2: existence packed right into our phones. We don't really need 138 00:07:13,480 --> 00:07:17,120 Speaker 2: to know how I don't know radiocarbon dating works anymore 139 00:07:17,160 --> 00:07:19,840 Speaker 2: than we need to know how to do algebra, because 140 00:07:19,880 --> 00:07:23,240 Speaker 2: we have a device that can, at any moment do 141 00:07:23,320 --> 00:07:27,600 Speaker 2: all that intellectual heavy lifting for us. But that's also 142 00:07:27,720 --> 00:07:30,400 Speaker 2: a detriment to our existence, because if you want to 143 00:07:30,440 --> 00:07:33,360 Speaker 2: do something challenging like kill a bull elk or arrow 144 00:07:33,400 --> 00:07:36,160 Speaker 2: a mature white tailed buck, or learn to play guitar 145 00:07:36,320 --> 00:07:38,400 Speaker 2: or run a ten k in under forty eight minutes, 146 00:07:39,200 --> 00:07:43,800 Speaker 2: you can learn all about those tasks and pursuits. But 147 00:07:43,880 --> 00:07:46,600 Speaker 2: Apple hasn't made a product yet that will actually get 148 00:07:46,600 --> 00:07:50,320 Speaker 2: you to the goal. That's on you, my friends. And 149 00:07:50,400 --> 00:07:53,480 Speaker 2: it's not the big goals and the big wins and 150 00:07:53,520 --> 00:07:58,440 Speaker 2: the really paradigm shifting things you learn that matter. Well, 151 00:07:58,480 --> 00:08:01,160 Speaker 2: they could, but they don't. Usually it's the little stuff 152 00:08:01,160 --> 00:08:03,680 Speaker 2: that we do that we get better at, that we 153 00:08:03,800 --> 00:08:08,080 Speaker 2: challenge ourselves with, that makes the whole thing better. Let 154 00:08:08,120 --> 00:08:12,160 Speaker 2: me give you an example. I'm weirdly obsessed with calling 155 00:08:12,200 --> 00:08:17,120 Speaker 2: in turkeys. I love the conversation so much that I 156 00:08:17,200 --> 00:08:20,080 Speaker 2: have zero interest in killing them any other way than 157 00:08:20,240 --> 00:08:23,280 Speaker 2: talking them in. And I know you can bushwhack them. 158 00:08:23,560 --> 00:08:25,280 Speaker 2: I know you can scout them out and put some 159 00:08:25,320 --> 00:08:29,240 Speaker 2: good decoys and not make a sound and birds will 160 00:08:29,280 --> 00:08:32,880 Speaker 2: still come in. That doesn't do anything for me anymore. 161 00:08:33,360 --> 00:08:35,560 Speaker 2: I want to call them. And to call them, you 162 00:08:35,600 --> 00:08:38,439 Speaker 2: have to learn to speak like them. But you don't 163 00:08:38,480 --> 00:08:41,560 Speaker 2: just pick up a new mouth call and suddenly have 164 00:08:41,760 --> 00:08:46,080 Speaker 2: meaningful conversations with wild turkeys in a bunch of different situations. 165 00:08:46,840 --> 00:08:49,880 Speaker 2: You have to learn to yelp about seven thousand different ways, 166 00:08:50,320 --> 00:08:53,600 Speaker 2: and cut and purr and bubble, cluck and gobble and 167 00:08:53,679 --> 00:08:57,240 Speaker 2: say everything a turkey might say, but you're not done there. 168 00:08:58,040 --> 00:09:00,760 Speaker 2: You still have to learn not only how to say 169 00:09:00,800 --> 00:09:05,240 Speaker 2: those things really well anytime it's necessary, but also understand 170 00:09:05,240 --> 00:09:08,080 Speaker 2: when the time is right to say one thing and 171 00:09:08,160 --> 00:09:12,800 Speaker 2: not another. It's a never ending pursuit, and it involves 172 00:09:12,840 --> 00:09:15,520 Speaker 2: not only messing with a bunch of different turkey calls, 173 00:09:16,160 --> 00:09:18,959 Speaker 2: but getting in a position to listen to and talk 174 00:09:19,000 --> 00:09:23,000 Speaker 2: to wild birds. It's a skill I personally love to 175 00:09:23,040 --> 00:09:25,040 Speaker 2: work on, and I think it's helped me when I 176 00:09:25,080 --> 00:09:28,000 Speaker 2: elkon of course, but also when I try to call deer, 177 00:09:28,520 --> 00:09:30,320 Speaker 2: and I honestly think it's helped me become a better 178 00:09:30,400 --> 00:09:33,760 Speaker 2: dog trainer, as crazy as that sounds. And it all 179 00:09:33,800 --> 00:09:38,000 Speaker 2: starts with a little goal of, say, kind of learning 180 00:09:38,040 --> 00:09:40,679 Speaker 2: how to purr and cluck on command with a mouth 181 00:09:40,720 --> 00:09:44,480 Speaker 2: call or maybe a slate call. It's simple, right, but 182 00:09:44,520 --> 00:09:47,800 Speaker 2: it's really not, and it's not just to get a 183 00:09:47,840 --> 00:09:51,360 Speaker 2: few more beards and fans in the old trophy room. 184 00:09:51,400 --> 00:09:54,880 Speaker 2: Being curious about new stuff in the outdoors is your 185 00:09:54,920 --> 00:09:59,600 Speaker 2: gateway to two things, enjoying it more and getting better 186 00:09:59,760 --> 00:10:03,080 Speaker 2: and leave me. Those two go hand in hand. This 187 00:10:03,240 --> 00:10:06,079 Speaker 2: is the driver behind some of the best deer hunters 188 00:10:06,400 --> 00:10:10,800 Speaker 2: who all have names. You folks know, we think that 189 00:10:10,920 --> 00:10:13,720 Speaker 2: a rock solid work ethic is the key to scouting 190 00:10:13,720 --> 00:10:17,440 Speaker 2: a lot and listen. It's definitely a component, but it's 191 00:10:17,480 --> 00:10:21,280 Speaker 2: also just wondering what's going on on a certain ridge 192 00:10:22,000 --> 00:10:25,160 Speaker 2: or the edge of a certain swamp, or where a 193 00:10:25,200 --> 00:10:27,920 Speaker 2: specific buck who happened to show himself in the field 194 00:10:28,000 --> 00:10:30,720 Speaker 2: last night spends the middle of his day when the 195 00:10:30,760 --> 00:10:33,680 Speaker 2: sun is overhead. And what he does on the nights 196 00:10:33,720 --> 00:10:36,240 Speaker 2: when he doesn't pop into the beans at last light 197 00:10:36,320 --> 00:10:39,480 Speaker 2: with a few of his velvet antler buddies. What does 198 00:10:39,520 --> 00:10:43,319 Speaker 2: he do in his day? Where does he live? Does 199 00:10:43,360 --> 00:10:46,600 Speaker 2: he eat raspberries at some point? Probably if they are 200 00:10:46,640 --> 00:10:50,360 Speaker 2: available in your neck of the woods. Asking questions is 201 00:10:50,400 --> 00:10:53,920 Speaker 2: a start, but it's mostly just a jumping off point 202 00:10:54,080 --> 00:10:57,240 Speaker 2: to really learning, And the more you learn, the better 203 00:10:57,280 --> 00:11:13,079 Speaker 2: things get. What do you not know that you're curious about? 204 00:11:13,840 --> 00:11:16,640 Speaker 2: What skill do you wish you had that you just don't. 205 00:11:17,520 --> 00:11:20,200 Speaker 2: If you're listening to a guy like me talk about hunting, 206 00:11:20,880 --> 00:11:22,199 Speaker 2: I'm just gonna go on a limb and say, you 207 00:11:22,240 --> 00:11:25,400 Speaker 2: probably have a few holes in your game. What are they? 208 00:11:26,800 --> 00:11:28,839 Speaker 2: One of the biggest holes in my game that I've 209 00:11:28,840 --> 00:11:31,800 Speaker 2: talked about quite a bit. Is buck betting. I know 210 00:11:31,840 --> 00:11:35,080 Speaker 2: I've brought this up a bunch, partially because it bothers me. 211 00:11:36,040 --> 00:11:39,040 Speaker 2: I need to learn to think about betting differently and 212 00:11:39,160 --> 00:11:42,720 Speaker 2: infuse that in my scouting efforts. You know, sometimes I 213 00:11:42,760 --> 00:11:45,440 Speaker 2: stumble across beds while I'm scouting, and I plug that 214 00:11:45,480 --> 00:11:49,080 Speaker 2: into my strategies, but it's usually a happy accident and 215 00:11:49,120 --> 00:11:52,480 Speaker 2: there's not a lot of intention behind that. I need 216 00:11:52,480 --> 00:11:54,640 Speaker 2: to try to get better at figuring out where to 217 00:11:54,720 --> 00:11:57,080 Speaker 2: your bed, and that's something that I'm not likely to 218 00:11:57,200 --> 00:12:01,719 Speaker 2: master anytime soon. Popp into my head quite often when 219 00:12:01,720 --> 00:12:04,559 Speaker 2: I'm in the woods, and I like that. I like 220 00:12:04,600 --> 00:12:06,920 Speaker 2: that when we were trout fishing in Wisconsin and we 221 00:12:06,960 --> 00:12:09,439 Speaker 2: went into a stream that winds its way through thousands 222 00:12:09,440 --> 00:12:12,240 Speaker 2: of acres of National forest, that I got to see 223 00:12:12,280 --> 00:12:14,839 Speaker 2: a deer stand up out of a bed and run away. 224 00:12:15,920 --> 00:12:18,360 Speaker 2: And that's not the first year I've seen there, and 225 00:12:18,400 --> 00:12:22,480 Speaker 2: it's not a place I ever considered hunting before. But 226 00:12:22,679 --> 00:12:25,000 Speaker 2: I'm trying to learn more about betting, and I think 227 00:12:25,040 --> 00:12:28,840 Speaker 2: that spot has unbelievable access for a morning hunt. See 228 00:12:28,840 --> 00:12:31,480 Speaker 2: how that's starting to come together. I also think that 229 00:12:31,559 --> 00:12:33,839 Speaker 2: just about every hunter in the county drives right past 230 00:12:33,880 --> 00:12:38,079 Speaker 2: that area to get to better quote unquote better hunting grounds. 231 00:12:39,160 --> 00:12:41,520 Speaker 2: There's a lot to be curious about out there, and 232 00:12:41,559 --> 00:12:45,560 Speaker 2: there's a lot to learn. I'm also curious about decoying 233 00:12:45,640 --> 00:12:48,480 Speaker 2: deer in the early season two. I'm sure a lot 234 00:12:48,520 --> 00:12:51,560 Speaker 2: of you probably heard, but mediatter recently bought Dave Smith decoys. 235 00:12:52,240 --> 00:12:55,160 Speaker 2: I've used their turkey decoys for a long time, and honestly, 236 00:12:55,960 --> 00:12:58,920 Speaker 2: without question, I believe they are the best on the market. 237 00:13:00,120 --> 00:13:03,640 Speaker 2: Even explain that in detail to my wife when I 238 00:13:03,720 --> 00:13:05,920 Speaker 2: bought a flock of them right after the girls were 239 00:13:05,920 --> 00:13:10,240 Speaker 2: born and she saw what they cost. And while they 240 00:13:10,280 --> 00:13:13,000 Speaker 2: are known for their turkey and goose decoys, the boys 241 00:13:13,000 --> 00:13:15,679 Speaker 2: at DST also happen to have a couple of deer decoys. 242 00:13:16,280 --> 00:13:18,719 Speaker 2: One is a buck and one is a dough. Now, 243 00:13:18,760 --> 00:13:20,560 Speaker 2: the buck looks bigger than most of the books I 244 00:13:20,559 --> 00:13:23,000 Speaker 2: tend to shoot in any given year, but the dough 245 00:13:23,120 --> 00:13:28,120 Speaker 2: is a small, perfectly crafted replica. I'm curious and I 246 00:13:28,200 --> 00:13:31,040 Speaker 2: intend to find out if I can use that decoy 247 00:13:31,320 --> 00:13:34,520 Speaker 2: in a food source in mid September to help me 248 00:13:34,559 --> 00:13:37,600 Speaker 2: either call in a buck or just shoot a curious 249 00:13:37,640 --> 00:13:40,720 Speaker 2: dough that might come down to it. Now, I know 250 00:13:40,920 --> 00:13:43,640 Speaker 2: you're not supposed to use decoys outside of the rut 251 00:13:43,760 --> 00:13:46,679 Speaker 2: or the pre rut, but I'm curious about it. I'm 252 00:13:46,720 --> 00:13:49,439 Speaker 2: curious if that's actually true or not. I want to 253 00:13:49,520 --> 00:13:52,040 Speaker 2: learn if there is an application for running an ultra 254 00:13:52,120 --> 00:13:55,880 Speaker 2: realistic dough decoy when it's not late October or sometime 255 00:13:55,920 --> 00:13:59,360 Speaker 2: in November. And I might be wrong, I might be right. 256 00:14:00,080 --> 00:14:02,280 Speaker 2: I intend to learn one way or the other, because 257 00:14:02,280 --> 00:14:05,600 Speaker 2: if it works out, I'll have just another tool in 258 00:14:05,640 --> 00:14:11,080 Speaker 2: the old kit. So what are you curious about? Maybe 259 00:14:11,120 --> 00:14:13,760 Speaker 2: it's as simple as learning more about I don't know 260 00:14:13,920 --> 00:14:18,760 Speaker 2: tree identification. I'm not a big tree guy. I like 261 00:14:18,840 --> 00:14:21,720 Speaker 2: the woods for the animals and the experience. But I 262 00:14:21,760 --> 00:14:24,480 Speaker 2: also realize that knowing the difference between a red oak 263 00:14:24,560 --> 00:14:27,720 Speaker 2: and a white oak is a pretty straightforward way to 264 00:14:27,800 --> 00:14:30,520 Speaker 2: have a little better strategy throughout much of the season. 265 00:14:32,080 --> 00:14:34,280 Speaker 2: Are you in a spot we're learning a little more 266 00:14:34,320 --> 00:14:37,600 Speaker 2: about the trees in your area on your deer ground 267 00:14:37,760 --> 00:14:41,400 Speaker 2: might benefit you as a hunter. Or maybe you're curious 268 00:14:41,400 --> 00:14:43,440 Speaker 2: about a little water hole somewhere and you need to 269 00:14:43,520 --> 00:14:46,440 Speaker 2: drop a camera there to answer some questions. Maybe you 270 00:14:46,480 --> 00:14:48,560 Speaker 2: want a grunt in an early season buck as their 271 00:14:48,600 --> 00:14:52,080 Speaker 2: bachelor groups start to break up. Are you confident with 272 00:14:52,120 --> 00:14:55,480 Speaker 2: a grunt two? Are you curious how you can make 273 00:14:55,600 --> 00:15:00,400 Speaker 2: that happen. Maybe you're a lifelong ladder stand hunter and 274 00:15:00,440 --> 00:15:03,680 Speaker 2: you're curious about the mobile hunting craze. There's only one 275 00:15:03,720 --> 00:15:06,720 Speaker 2: way to find out if it's the right move for you. 276 00:15:06,720 --> 00:15:08,840 Speaker 2: You know, learn how to quickly set up some sticks 277 00:15:08,880 --> 00:15:11,680 Speaker 2: and a lightweight stand or a saddle. Maybe that's a 278 00:15:11,720 --> 00:15:15,120 Speaker 2: skill you should develop if you're curious about it. It 279 00:15:15,200 --> 00:15:18,520 Speaker 2: definitely won't hinder your chances of killing deer from here 280 00:15:18,600 --> 00:15:20,760 Speaker 2: until you're in a nursing home. I'll tell you that much. 281 00:15:22,200 --> 00:15:24,720 Speaker 2: What is something you're curious about? What do you want 282 00:15:24,760 --> 00:15:28,600 Speaker 2: to learn? I think forcing yourself to stay curious is 283 00:15:28,840 --> 00:15:32,040 Speaker 2: much better than filling in the blanks, which we humans 284 00:15:32,120 --> 00:15:36,040 Speaker 2: do all the time. We've done it since we started 285 00:15:36,120 --> 00:15:39,800 Speaker 2: keeping records, probably way before that, and it's just not 286 00:15:39,880 --> 00:15:44,640 Speaker 2: a great way to advance ourselves. It's comfortable, it's easy, 287 00:15:45,440 --> 00:15:48,120 Speaker 2: but it's the folks who question lots of stuff and 288 00:15:48,200 --> 00:15:51,640 Speaker 2: who are curious why I don't know. And apple falls 289 00:15:51,640 --> 00:15:53,080 Speaker 2: out of a tree and hits them on the head 290 00:15:53,160 --> 00:15:56,680 Speaker 2: versus floating up into the clouds that really moves us 291 00:15:56,800 --> 00:16:01,360 Speaker 2: as a species and as individuals into a more knowledgeable space. 292 00:16:02,880 --> 00:16:06,040 Speaker 2: There has to be something this summer, as we wind 293 00:16:06,080 --> 00:16:09,960 Speaker 2: our way to another fall on another hunting season, that 294 00:16:10,040 --> 00:16:13,400 Speaker 2: you want to learn or start learning. It might be 295 00:16:13,440 --> 00:16:16,680 Speaker 2: as simple as a part of a property that you've 296 00:16:16,760 --> 00:16:19,000 Speaker 2: hunted for a long time that you just don't quite 297 00:16:19,080 --> 00:16:23,360 Speaker 2: utilize or quite understand. Or maybe it's getting really used 298 00:16:23,400 --> 00:16:26,760 Speaker 2: to a saddle, or learning how to shoot your bow 299 00:16:26,840 --> 00:16:30,600 Speaker 2: in low light at random distances, or I don't know. 300 00:16:30,640 --> 00:16:33,200 Speaker 2: Instead of blazing through the woods looking for big picture 301 00:16:33,280 --> 00:16:37,000 Speaker 2: deer sign, you want to learn to slow down and 302 00:16:37,080 --> 00:16:40,680 Speaker 2: notice the nipped off tops of certain kinds of plants. Well, 303 00:16:40,720 --> 00:16:43,360 Speaker 2: what kind of plants are they? Why are the deer 304 00:16:43,400 --> 00:16:47,440 Speaker 2: eating them now? And when do they eat it? Where 305 00:16:47,440 --> 00:16:50,840 Speaker 2: do they come from, how do they leave? Where do 306 00:16:50,920 --> 00:16:54,920 Speaker 2: they go next? Don't think of this as something that 307 00:16:55,040 --> 00:16:58,960 Speaker 2: comes from me, or a scouting style from somebody like 308 00:16:59,080 --> 00:17:01,680 Speaker 2: Andy May that you can emulate. Think of it as 309 00:17:01,800 --> 00:17:05,880 Speaker 2: you fostering your own curiosity in life and taking that 310 00:17:05,920 --> 00:17:08,919 Speaker 2: with you into the woods. Like when you read one 311 00:17:08,960 --> 00:17:12,520 Speaker 2: of Cormack McCarthy's novels and I think you should google 312 00:17:12,600 --> 00:17:15,119 Speaker 2: half the words that you read to see what they mean, 313 00:17:15,160 --> 00:17:17,920 Speaker 2: because you've probably never heard them before. When you talk 314 00:17:17,960 --> 00:17:20,520 Speaker 2: about something that we take for granted, like the sun 315 00:17:20,640 --> 00:17:24,240 Speaker 2: is ninety three million is miles away from earth, do 316 00:17:24,320 --> 00:17:27,639 Speaker 2: yourself a favor. Ask yourself, how the hell do we 317 00:17:27,760 --> 00:17:30,920 Speaker 2: know that? How do we figure something like that out 318 00:17:31,040 --> 00:17:34,560 Speaker 2: so long long ago? What methods did those people use? 319 00:17:35,800 --> 00:17:38,919 Speaker 2: The more you ask why, the more you're likely to 320 00:17:39,000 --> 00:17:41,840 Speaker 2: try to find an answer. And the more you do that, 321 00:17:42,240 --> 00:17:45,399 Speaker 2: the more you realize that curiosity is a gift and 322 00:17:45,440 --> 00:17:49,119 Speaker 2: it often leads to the development of more skills. Instead 323 00:17:49,119 --> 00:17:53,320 Speaker 2: of googling everything and not learning much, you're learning much 324 00:17:53,400 --> 00:17:56,720 Speaker 2: and not googling everything that's important in life, and it'll 325 00:17:56,720 --> 00:18:00,200 Speaker 2: make you better in the outdoors. It'll make you better 326 00:18:00,240 --> 00:18:03,359 Speaker 2: at woodsmanship, and that's a huge benefit if you place 327 00:18:03,359 --> 00:18:06,200 Speaker 2: some value on walking into the woods without fresh venison 328 00:18:06,520 --> 00:18:10,640 Speaker 2: and leaving with a whole lot of it. So stay curious, 329 00:18:10,680 --> 00:18:13,560 Speaker 2: my friends, Take a look at your hunting life and 330 00:18:13,640 --> 00:18:16,440 Speaker 2: your life in general, and figure out a few things 331 00:18:16,440 --> 00:18:18,960 Speaker 2: you should learn or a few skills you can develop. 332 00:18:19,320 --> 00:18:22,480 Speaker 2: Then work on that stuff, work on getting better in 333 00:18:22,520 --> 00:18:26,720 Speaker 2: your own way, figure it out, figure out how to 334 00:18:26,800 --> 00:18:31,480 Speaker 2: get better and listen in the next week because I'm 335 00:18:31,520 --> 00:18:33,760 Speaker 2: going to keep dumping out the contents of my brain 336 00:18:33,800 --> 00:18:35,840 Speaker 2: and the hopes that you and I together can have 337 00:18:35,960 --> 00:18:41,119 Speaker 2: our best season. Ever, how's that sound. That's it for 338 00:18:41,160 --> 00:18:43,199 Speaker 2: this week, my friends. I'm Tony Peterson. This has been 339 00:18:43,200 --> 00:18:45,480 Speaker 2: the Wired to Hunt Foundation's podcast, which has brought to 340 00:18:45,520 --> 00:18:47,800 Speaker 2: you by First Light. As always, I want to thank 341 00:18:47,840 --> 00:18:50,200 Speaker 2: you so much for listening and for all of your support. 342 00:18:50,960 --> 00:18:53,840 Speaker 2: I really appreciate it. Mark really appreciates it. Everybody here 343 00:18:53,880 --> 00:18:57,040 Speaker 2: at me eater really appreciates that. You guys, you know 344 00:18:57,080 --> 00:18:59,240 Speaker 2: you come and support us in a variety of different ways. 345 00:18:59,240 --> 00:19:00,920 Speaker 2: It means so much much to us, So thank you 346 00:19:01,000 --> 00:19:03,679 Speaker 2: for that. If you want some more white tail content, 347 00:19:03,760 --> 00:19:05,720 Speaker 2: or you want some more general hunting content, or you 348 00:19:05,720 --> 00:19:07,960 Speaker 2: want to figure out how to garden or whatever, you 349 00:19:07,960 --> 00:19:11,639 Speaker 2: can head to the meeteater dot com and see so 350 00:19:11,760 --> 00:19:18,400 Speaker 2: many different articles, so many different video series, podcasts, tons 351 00:19:18,440 --> 00:19:21,240 Speaker 2: of content. No matter what kind of outdoors pursuit your 352 00:19:21,240 --> 00:19:24,680 Speaker 2: interest in. Go over there the meeteater dot com. Check 353 00:19:24,720 --> 00:19:24,960 Speaker 2: it out.