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 --> 00:00:18,640 Speaker 1: First Light, Go Farther, Stay Longer, and now your host 5 00:00:19,000 --> 00:00:19,919 Speaker 1: Tony Peterson. 6 00:00:20,480 --> 00:00:23,080 Speaker 2: Hey everyone, welcome to the Wired to Hunt Foundation's podcast, 7 00:00:23,120 --> 00:00:24,840 Speaker 2: which is brought to you by First Light. I'm your host, 8 00:00:24,880 --> 00:00:27,479 Speaker 2: Tony Peterson, and today's episode is all about how to 9 00:00:27,520 --> 00:00:33,720 Speaker 2: be efficient and effective with your winter scouting efforts. Look, 10 00:00:33,760 --> 00:00:35,720 Speaker 2: we all know it's some of the most valuable time 11 00:00:35,760 --> 00:00:38,040 Speaker 2: you could spend in the woods, and yet most deer 12 00:00:38,080 --> 00:00:41,360 Speaker 2: hunters don't really care about winter scouting. In some situations, 13 00:00:41,400 --> 00:00:43,760 Speaker 2: they probably feel like they don't need to, or they 14 00:00:43,760 --> 00:00:46,360 Speaker 2: don't understand the actual value that winter scouting can bring. 15 00:00:46,479 --> 00:00:49,479 Speaker 2: But for a lot of us, it's real necessary. To me, 16 00:00:49,920 --> 00:00:52,200 Speaker 2: it's really the scouting that puts me in deer most 17 00:00:52,200 --> 00:00:54,840 Speaker 2: of the time, at least outside of in season scouting. 18 00:00:54,920 --> 00:00:57,520 Speaker 2: And even then, most of my in season scouting is 19 00:00:57,560 --> 00:01:00,480 Speaker 2: at least loosely built off of what I found months 20 00:01:00,480 --> 00:01:02,840 Speaker 2: and months earlier. So I plan to talk about this 21 00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:09,520 Speaker 2: and quite a bit more. Right freaking now you know 22 00:01:09,680 --> 00:01:13,920 Speaker 2: the uh, just do it Nike slogan. Well, my personal 23 00:01:13,959 --> 00:01:17,200 Speaker 2: slogan would probably be just put it off until it 24 00:01:17,280 --> 00:01:20,200 Speaker 2: drives you absolutely nuts, and then wait another two or 25 00:01:20,200 --> 00:01:23,840 Speaker 2: three weeks and then do it. Being an adult kind 26 00:01:23,840 --> 00:01:26,280 Speaker 2: of sucks, mostly because you always have a bunch of 27 00:01:26,319 --> 00:01:29,399 Speaker 2: annoying stuff hanging over your head. You know, you have 28 00:01:29,480 --> 00:01:32,720 Speaker 2: to renew your license tabs and pay the property taxes, 29 00:01:33,040 --> 00:01:35,760 Speaker 2: set up the annual vet appointment for the dogs, drive 30 00:01:35,800 --> 00:01:38,600 Speaker 2: the kids to choir, then to basketball practice, then to 31 00:01:38,640 --> 00:01:41,160 Speaker 2: their other basketball practice, and then you have to help 32 00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:43,480 Speaker 2: your father in law move a giant toolbox because your 33 00:01:43,520 --> 00:01:46,520 Speaker 2: mother in law has to control everything, you know, the 34 00:01:46,680 --> 00:01:49,840 Speaker 2: usual stuff. One of the things that I put off 35 00:01:49,840 --> 00:01:53,800 Speaker 2: every year is emptying my boat out of like all 36 00:01:53,840 --> 00:01:57,640 Speaker 2: of the tackle and rods and just sorting everything out 37 00:01:57,720 --> 00:02:00,360 Speaker 2: so I can start with an organized situation and when 38 00:02:00,360 --> 00:02:03,680 Speaker 2: spring comes around. I know from past experience that when 39 00:02:03,680 --> 00:02:06,400 Speaker 2: I do this, I feel like a total idiot. The 40 00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:08,400 Speaker 2: first time I go fishing and I look at all 41 00:02:08,440 --> 00:02:10,520 Speaker 2: of the tackle I bought over the winter and how 42 00:02:10,560 --> 00:02:12,919 Speaker 2: much of it I didn't really need, Or the first 43 00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:14,840 Speaker 2: time I go to dig out a certain size of 44 00:02:14,919 --> 00:02:17,080 Speaker 2: jerk bait or a swimming jig, and then I realized 45 00:02:17,120 --> 00:02:20,359 Speaker 2: that not once all last summer did I ever put 46 00:02:20,400 --> 00:02:23,280 Speaker 2: anything back in the right spot. Of course, I also 47 00:02:23,320 --> 00:02:25,920 Speaker 2: fish with a bunch of kids, too, so that makes 48 00:02:25,960 --> 00:02:29,080 Speaker 2: the situation about a billion times worse. I know this 49 00:02:29,160 --> 00:02:31,920 Speaker 2: is a first world problem, but my boat reminds me 50 00:02:31,960 --> 00:02:34,040 Speaker 2: of the kind of person I am, and I'm just 51 00:02:34,080 --> 00:02:35,960 Speaker 2: not a huge fan of him most of the time. 52 00:02:36,440 --> 00:02:39,080 Speaker 2: You know, mixing my Senko's up with my frog selection 53 00:02:39,200 --> 00:02:41,640 Speaker 2: or my buzz baits is annoying. But it's not the 54 00:02:41,680 --> 00:02:43,760 Speaker 2: only thing that just weighs on my mind this time 55 00:02:43,800 --> 00:02:45,960 Speaker 2: of year when there isn't a whole hell of a 56 00:02:46,000 --> 00:02:49,080 Speaker 2: lot to do. The deer that got away a last season, 57 00:02:49,280 --> 00:02:51,280 Speaker 2: or the time I spent deer hunting when I just 58 00:02:51,280 --> 00:02:54,200 Speaker 2: didn't feel like I had something going on. They also 59 00:02:54,280 --> 00:02:57,720 Speaker 2: bother me too. There's one trail in particular that I've 60 00:02:57,720 --> 00:02:59,920 Speaker 2: thought about a whole bunch of times, and I can 61 00:03:00,200 --> 00:03:02,720 Speaker 2: get it out of my head. It snakes its way 62 00:03:02,720 --> 00:03:05,720 Speaker 2: along a ridgetop through a clearcut that might be about 63 00:03:05,840 --> 00:03:07,919 Speaker 2: I don't know, six or seven years old at this point. 64 00:03:08,280 --> 00:03:11,280 Speaker 2: That ridge follows a creek bottom more or less and 65 00:03:11,320 --> 00:03:13,760 Speaker 2: it's a total pain in the ass to hunt because 66 00:03:13,800 --> 00:03:17,560 Speaker 2: it's so thick. But you know what, every time I 67 00:03:17,639 --> 00:03:19,960 Speaker 2: hunt around there, I end up with some kind of encounter, 68 00:03:20,360 --> 00:03:23,760 Speaker 2: and it's almost always tied to that ridge, and almost 69 00:03:23,800 --> 00:03:28,040 Speaker 2: always tied to that specific trail. That's not that surprising 70 00:03:28,080 --> 00:03:30,480 Speaker 2: to me because it's on public land, and it's the 71 00:03:30,520 --> 00:03:33,360 Speaker 2: one spot on the whole portion of that property that 72 00:03:33,639 --> 00:03:36,000 Speaker 2: kind of avoids all of the logging roads that the 73 00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:38,720 Speaker 2: locals have turned into many highways for their four wheelers 74 00:03:38,720 --> 00:03:41,760 Speaker 2: and side by sides. Now, nine years ago, I killed 75 00:03:41,760 --> 00:03:44,160 Speaker 2: a buck as he walked that trail, but it was 76 00:03:44,240 --> 00:03:46,920 Speaker 2: mostly because I was sitting on a perpendicular trail that 77 00:03:47,040 --> 00:03:50,280 Speaker 2: bisected the ridge trail. I killed that deer in the morning, 78 00:03:50,480 --> 00:03:53,000 Speaker 2: in the middle of October, and I've seen plenty of 79 00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:55,680 Speaker 2: other deer use it. It's also the only trail I've 80 00:03:55,720 --> 00:03:58,000 Speaker 2: ever seen a bear walk down that was just doing 81 00:03:58,080 --> 00:04:00,600 Speaker 2: his thing and not coming into a pile of dough 82 00:04:00,920 --> 00:04:02,760 Speaker 2: that might not carry much weight with a lot of you, 83 00:04:03,760 --> 00:04:06,120 Speaker 2: but I've spent a ton of time hunting in bear 84 00:04:06,160 --> 00:04:10,280 Speaker 2: country and I've only once seen one just walking on through. 85 00:04:11,080 --> 00:04:12,800 Speaker 2: They don't make a lot of mistakes like that, and 86 00:04:12,840 --> 00:04:15,040 Speaker 2: I really don't know how they do it, but they 87 00:04:15,080 --> 00:04:18,760 Speaker 2: don't show themselves very much. A good sized bear that 88 00:04:18,800 --> 00:04:21,640 Speaker 2: feels safe enough to travel the same trail that's some 89 00:04:21,720 --> 00:04:24,960 Speaker 2: bigger than your average bucks like to use tells you. 90 00:04:25,120 --> 00:04:28,360 Speaker 2: Something tells me that I shouldn't be so lazy, and 91 00:04:28,400 --> 00:04:30,640 Speaker 2: I should go walk that trail out, along with any 92 00:04:30,640 --> 00:04:33,000 Speaker 2: other trails that might peel off of it. So that's 93 00:04:33,000 --> 00:04:35,400 Speaker 2: what I'm gonna do. Now, we are stuck in some 94 00:04:35,440 --> 00:04:38,400 Speaker 2: sort of purgatory constructed around what seems like an infinite 95 00:04:38,400 --> 00:04:42,480 Speaker 2: supply of seventh grade girls basketball tournaments, and these absolutely 96 00:04:42,480 --> 00:04:45,359 Speaker 2: insane suburban moms who embrace that shit like it's the 97 00:04:45,400 --> 00:04:48,560 Speaker 2: hobby they've been waiting for their whole lives, and they 98 00:04:48,560 --> 00:04:50,520 Speaker 2: don't seem to understand that there's other cool stuff to 99 00:04:50,560 --> 00:04:53,200 Speaker 2: do out there. So I have to find a weekend 100 00:04:53,240 --> 00:04:55,919 Speaker 2: when my kids aren't playing in some random city. But 101 00:04:55,960 --> 00:04:57,960 Speaker 2: it's looking like a window has opened up, So I'm 102 00:04:58,000 --> 00:05:00,719 Speaker 2: making a plan. I know, with the the snowcover we 103 00:05:00,800 --> 00:05:03,000 Speaker 2: have now, the scrapes from last year are going to 104 00:05:03,000 --> 00:05:06,240 Speaker 2: be impossible to find unless I get lucky and spot 105 00:05:06,240 --> 00:05:09,120 Speaker 2: a very obvious licking branch in a very obvious type 106 00:05:09,120 --> 00:05:11,520 Speaker 2: of spot for a scrape, but I don't really care 107 00:05:11,560 --> 00:05:14,240 Speaker 2: about scrapes right now. I want to see the trails 108 00:05:14,480 --> 00:05:16,680 Speaker 2: and I want to see rubs. And I know that 109 00:05:16,800 --> 00:05:20,120 Speaker 2: exact trail that I'm interested in that also had a 110 00:05:20,160 --> 00:05:22,359 Speaker 2: really good deer on it last fall when I pulled 111 00:05:22,400 --> 00:05:24,640 Speaker 2: my saddle set up one evening to make the long 112 00:05:24,720 --> 00:05:26,640 Speaker 2: hike out. I know that trail is going to have 113 00:05:26,680 --> 00:05:29,440 Speaker 2: plenty of rubs on it. So my first goal with 114 00:05:29,520 --> 00:05:31,800 Speaker 2: winter scouting this year is to start right by the 115 00:05:31,839 --> 00:05:35,960 Speaker 2: property boundary and work toward the interior along that trail. 116 00:05:36,560 --> 00:05:38,320 Speaker 2: I want to see which way the rubs are facing 117 00:05:38,440 --> 00:05:40,479 Speaker 2: to get an idea of when the bucks were there, 118 00:05:40,880 --> 00:05:42,400 Speaker 2: and I want to see if it leads me to 119 00:05:42,480 --> 00:05:45,800 Speaker 2: some benches or something else that might indicate a nice 120 00:05:45,839 --> 00:05:48,480 Speaker 2: little buck bedding area. Because I assume it's in there, 121 00:05:48,960 --> 00:05:51,520 Speaker 2: I want to walk its entire length, which in a 122 00:05:51,560 --> 00:05:54,440 Speaker 2: property of several thousand acres might take me a while. 123 00:05:55,080 --> 00:05:57,440 Speaker 2: But I know I'm missing a lot out there, and 124 00:05:57,480 --> 00:06:00,440 Speaker 2: while I've had decent success hunting around it, I haven't 125 00:06:00,640 --> 00:06:02,919 Speaker 2: dove into it, you know, to really kind of piece 126 00:06:02,960 --> 00:06:05,760 Speaker 2: it out. And that's the best part about winter scouting, 127 00:06:05,880 --> 00:06:09,000 Speaker 2: and unlike organizing my boat, I'm really looking forward to 128 00:06:09,040 --> 00:06:12,440 Speaker 2: this mission because here's the thing. I don't know how 129 00:06:12,440 --> 00:06:16,120 Speaker 2: to hunt them well on that trail, and scouting is 130 00:06:16,160 --> 00:06:18,400 Speaker 2: an activity that is supposed to inform us on how 131 00:06:18,400 --> 00:06:20,839 Speaker 2: to hunt spots better. I don't know why I feel 132 00:06:20,960 --> 00:06:22,640 Speaker 2: the need to say that, I just kind of do. 133 00:06:23,080 --> 00:06:25,320 Speaker 2: I think it's because we look at scouting this time 134 00:06:25,360 --> 00:06:28,760 Speaker 2: of year like it's mostly just a bonus situation, kind 135 00:06:28,760 --> 00:06:30,799 Speaker 2: of like how it's easier to spend money on Payday 136 00:06:30,839 --> 00:06:32,640 Speaker 2: than two weeks later when you're waiting on that next 137 00:06:32,720 --> 00:06:35,159 Speaker 2: check to hit your account. It feels like we have 138 00:06:35,320 --> 00:06:37,800 Speaker 2: all the time in the world right now, and learning 139 00:06:37,800 --> 00:06:40,480 Speaker 2: what we can in February doesn't really hold a strong 140 00:06:40,560 --> 00:06:43,040 Speaker 2: connection to our fall success, at least for a lot 141 00:06:43,040 --> 00:06:46,320 Speaker 2: of us. But it does. I've said this before, and 142 00:06:46,360 --> 00:06:49,520 Speaker 2: I'm sure i'll say it again, but winter scouting is important, 143 00:06:50,040 --> 00:06:51,960 Speaker 2: if for no other reason, then it's like a free 144 00:06:52,000 --> 00:06:54,320 Speaker 2: play where you can go any damn where you please 145 00:06:54,960 --> 00:06:56,919 Speaker 2: and look at any part of your hunting ground you 146 00:06:56,960 --> 00:06:59,680 Speaker 2: want to look at without any fear of pushing your 147 00:06:59,720 --> 00:07:02,120 Speaker 2: target bucks out to get shot by the neighbor or 148 00:07:02,200 --> 00:07:05,239 Speaker 2: just knocking them off some kind of pattern. There's also 149 00:07:05,279 --> 00:07:08,880 Speaker 2: the benefit of time, but most importantly, this is the 150 00:07:08,960 --> 00:07:11,480 Speaker 2: moment of the year when you can just go, try 151 00:07:11,480 --> 00:07:14,200 Speaker 2: to answer some questions and get a clear picture not 152 00:07:14,240 --> 00:07:16,800 Speaker 2: only of the deer on your ground, but the ground 153 00:07:17,080 --> 00:07:20,200 Speaker 2: on your ground. That ridgetop trail I'm going to figure out. 154 00:07:20,520 --> 00:07:23,360 Speaker 2: I can see it on on X. I know roughly 155 00:07:23,440 --> 00:07:26,480 Speaker 2: how it courses through the landscape. I've shot grouse and 156 00:07:26,520 --> 00:07:29,400 Speaker 2: woodcock around it, so it's not a total question mark 157 00:07:29,440 --> 00:07:31,560 Speaker 2: to me. But when you take a travel route that 158 00:07:31,680 --> 00:07:34,040 Speaker 2: might consist of a third or a half of a 159 00:07:34,120 --> 00:07:37,160 Speaker 2: mile or more, not to mention all of that distance 160 00:07:37,200 --> 00:07:40,600 Speaker 2: can be traveled pretty much in thick cover, it's impossible 161 00:07:40,680 --> 00:07:43,480 Speaker 2: to know how to really hunt it without just diving in. 162 00:07:44,040 --> 00:07:46,000 Speaker 2: What I plan to do is look for spots where 163 00:07:46,040 --> 00:07:48,320 Speaker 2: that trail allows me to get an edge on the bucks, 164 00:07:48,840 --> 00:07:51,320 Speaker 2: which means I have to figure out a crafty approach 165 00:07:51,400 --> 00:07:54,040 Speaker 2: for morning and evening sits, and I have to pay 166 00:07:54,080 --> 00:07:56,760 Speaker 2: close attention to how to hunt various sections of it 167 00:07:56,800 --> 00:08:00,160 Speaker 2: with different winds. This is a big one because I 168 00:08:00,160 --> 00:08:03,440 Speaker 2: know that the trail runs mostly east to west, with 169 00:08:03,560 --> 00:08:06,920 Speaker 2: the uphill side to the north. That means south winds 170 00:08:06,960 --> 00:08:09,360 Speaker 2: are going to be tough, but depending on where I 171 00:08:09,400 --> 00:08:11,280 Speaker 2: have to sit, east or west winds might be a 172 00:08:11,320 --> 00:08:13,880 Speaker 2: no go too. But I also know a trail like 173 00:08:13,920 --> 00:08:17,280 Speaker 2: that doesn't exist in a straight line. It'll weave through 174 00:08:17,320 --> 00:08:19,760 Speaker 2: the cover according to the shape of the land, and 175 00:08:19,840 --> 00:08:22,080 Speaker 2: there will be spots where the bucks will have to 176 00:08:22,120 --> 00:08:25,760 Speaker 2: travel not straight east or west, and those areas are 177 00:08:25,880 --> 00:08:28,800 Speaker 2: interesting to me. I want a spot where he has 178 00:08:28,840 --> 00:08:31,320 Speaker 2: to give up something, even if it's just in a 179 00:08:31,360 --> 00:08:35,439 Speaker 2: small section, because that's an advantage I can use. Now. 180 00:08:35,480 --> 00:08:38,720 Speaker 2: I can't know that stuff just from east gout. Neither 181 00:08:38,720 --> 00:08:53,040 Speaker 2: can you. You can make a guess on ambush sites, 182 00:08:53,200 --> 00:08:55,280 Speaker 2: but until you get in there and put your eyeballs 183 00:08:55,280 --> 00:08:59,040 Speaker 2: on the land, you really just can't know. My guess 184 00:08:59,160 --> 00:09:01,320 Speaker 2: just by knowing how thicket is in there is that 185 00:09:01,360 --> 00:09:03,160 Speaker 2: there won't be a ton of good spots to hunt 186 00:09:03,160 --> 00:09:06,240 Speaker 2: from a tree. There will probably be some, And I 187 00:09:06,280 --> 00:09:08,360 Speaker 2: also just want to know if there are any big 188 00:09:08,400 --> 00:09:11,960 Speaker 2: oak trees standing around in there, possibly left by foresters 189 00:09:11,960 --> 00:09:15,800 Speaker 2: at seed trees. A single tree dropping some hard masks 190 00:09:15,840 --> 00:09:18,240 Speaker 2: in a spot where they feel secure can be the 191 00:09:18,320 --> 00:09:21,560 Speaker 2: ticket to filling a tag. In late September or throughout October. 192 00:09:22,120 --> 00:09:24,600 Speaker 2: Those deer don't have a bunch of dreamy alfalfa and 193 00:09:24,640 --> 00:09:27,360 Speaker 2: cornfields to go to, kind of like a lot of 194 00:09:27,400 --> 00:09:30,080 Speaker 2: deer down in the Deep South that spend their time 195 00:09:30,080 --> 00:09:33,760 Speaker 2: in the swamps and endless seas of timber. It's also 196 00:09:33,840 --> 00:09:36,520 Speaker 2: true that a tree with a good canopy, you know, 197 00:09:36,760 --> 00:09:39,560 Speaker 2: that happens to be located in fairly thick cover, like 198 00:09:39,600 --> 00:09:42,920 Speaker 2: a clear cut. We'll have some open ground beneath it 199 00:09:42,960 --> 00:09:45,400 Speaker 2: compared to the rest of the cover, and that does 200 00:09:45,440 --> 00:09:48,320 Speaker 2: two things. It often gives you a chance to shoot, 201 00:09:48,440 --> 00:09:50,760 Speaker 2: which is important on public land where you can't cut 202 00:09:50,760 --> 00:09:54,680 Speaker 2: shooting lanes. But it also often creates a soft edge 203 00:09:54,720 --> 00:09:58,440 Speaker 2: around the tree. Soft edges are deer magnets, and they 204 00:09:58,440 --> 00:10:00,760 Speaker 2: are something I'll be looking for pretty heavily during my 205 00:10:00,800 --> 00:10:04,000 Speaker 2: winter scouting trips over to Wisconsin this year. Another part 206 00:10:04,040 --> 00:10:06,560 Speaker 2: of my plan, one that I forget about when I 207 00:10:06,600 --> 00:10:09,360 Speaker 2: start hiking, is that I'm going to drop more pins 208 00:10:09,400 --> 00:10:12,320 Speaker 2: and cross reference what I see in person with what 209 00:10:12,400 --> 00:10:15,840 Speaker 2: I see on on X. The thing about this spot 210 00:10:15,920 --> 00:10:18,320 Speaker 2: is that a lot of people use the logging roads, 211 00:10:18,880 --> 00:10:21,040 Speaker 2: you know, They just drive them for fun and they 212 00:10:21,080 --> 00:10:23,880 Speaker 2: try to shoot an easy grouse from one, they just 213 00:10:24,040 --> 00:10:27,240 Speaker 2: offer up a lot of access. What I want to 214 00:10:27,280 --> 00:10:30,040 Speaker 2: know as I follow that ridgetop trail is how it 215 00:10:30,160 --> 00:10:33,959 Speaker 2: allows the deer to avoid those easy access logging roads, 216 00:10:34,320 --> 00:10:36,760 Speaker 2: and how I might be able to use those logging 217 00:10:36,800 --> 00:10:41,040 Speaker 2: roads for access myself, especially on morning hunts where hiking 218 00:10:41,040 --> 00:10:43,640 Speaker 2: the long way through a clear cut is generally an 219 00:10:43,679 --> 00:10:47,200 Speaker 2: exercise in torture. Of course, maybe the greatest thing about 220 00:10:47,240 --> 00:10:49,959 Speaker 2: really making a winter scouting plan isn't that you get 221 00:10:50,000 --> 00:10:52,160 Speaker 2: to answer some of the big deer questions you have, 222 00:10:52,880 --> 00:10:55,280 Speaker 2: but that it gets you to ask a lot more questions. 223 00:10:56,160 --> 00:10:58,120 Speaker 2: I know when I head over there, I'll get distracted 224 00:10:58,160 --> 00:11:01,040 Speaker 2: by sign and trails and folds and the terrain. And 225 00:11:01,080 --> 00:11:03,880 Speaker 2: while my mission is laid out pretty clearly in my head, 226 00:11:04,280 --> 00:11:06,720 Speaker 2: I also understand myself well enough to know that I 227 00:11:06,720 --> 00:11:10,320 Speaker 2: can deviate from a plan real quick. But I don't care, 228 00:11:10,880 --> 00:11:13,160 Speaker 2: because that will help me learn some stuff this winter too. 229 00:11:13,800 --> 00:11:16,080 Speaker 2: Now you might be thinking, well, that's great, dude, you 230 00:11:16,160 --> 00:11:18,280 Speaker 2: go do your thing, But how does that help me 231 00:11:18,480 --> 00:11:21,320 Speaker 2: with my spot, which isn't anything like a chunk of 232 00:11:21,360 --> 00:11:25,240 Speaker 2: big woods and wolf country? Well, what don't you know 233 00:11:25,320 --> 00:11:28,280 Speaker 2: about deer movement? On your place. Are you one of 234 00:11:28,320 --> 00:11:30,440 Speaker 2: those people who has a good lease and a pile 235 00:11:30,480 --> 00:11:32,600 Speaker 2: of hitlisters every year and think you have it all 236 00:11:32,640 --> 00:11:35,320 Speaker 2: figured out? I bet you don't, And I bet there 237 00:11:35,320 --> 00:11:37,640 Speaker 2: are things you think are true which you don't really know. 238 00:11:38,559 --> 00:11:41,640 Speaker 2: Like your deer are always nocturnal in October, which you 239 00:11:41,880 --> 00:11:44,160 Speaker 2: may know is true because you don't see the big 240 00:11:44,160 --> 00:11:48,080 Speaker 2: bucks and your camera's slow down. Okay, maybe that is true. 241 00:11:48,520 --> 00:11:50,720 Speaker 2: Or maybe you don't see them because they aren't traveling 242 00:11:50,720 --> 00:11:53,200 Speaker 2: in the spots you like to hunt, so you put 243 00:11:53,280 --> 00:11:56,600 Speaker 2: less effort in and suddenly your expectations meet the reality 244 00:11:56,640 --> 00:11:59,880 Speaker 2: that you expect kind of manifest your own destiny there. 245 00:12:00,480 --> 00:12:04,160 Speaker 2: Maybe the deer aren't running across the countryside with reckless abandoned, 246 00:12:04,640 --> 00:12:06,720 Speaker 2: but they are laying down tons of sign in some 247 00:12:06,760 --> 00:12:09,560 Speaker 2: tight areas like a few valleys or the creek bottom 248 00:12:09,600 --> 00:12:12,079 Speaker 2: you consider off limits because you just know all the 249 00:12:12,120 --> 00:12:14,559 Speaker 2: big deer bed there. Is there a way to walk 250 00:12:14,600 --> 00:12:17,080 Speaker 2: that now and figure out something to do during the 251 00:12:17,120 --> 00:12:19,520 Speaker 2: times when you think it would be better to not hunt. 252 00:12:20,240 --> 00:12:22,720 Speaker 2: I think the thing that might be most beneficial about 253 00:12:22,720 --> 00:12:26,000 Speaker 2: winter scouting, or at least it's way up there, is 254 00:12:26,040 --> 00:12:29,160 Speaker 2: how often I find like a half acre that has 255 00:12:29,200 --> 00:12:33,240 Speaker 2: just rubbed a shit somewhere. The natural inclination here is 256 00:12:33,280 --> 00:12:35,719 Speaker 2: to assume it's a buck's bedroom and that most of 257 00:12:35,760 --> 00:12:38,840 Speaker 2: the rubs were made, you know, probably around Halloween, but 258 00:12:38,880 --> 00:12:43,160 Speaker 2: that's probably not true. Oftentimes those little spots are staging areas, 259 00:12:43,440 --> 00:12:45,360 Speaker 2: and while more of the rubs might have showed up 260 00:12:45,360 --> 00:12:48,360 Speaker 2: the last week October than the first, it doesn't mean 261 00:12:48,360 --> 00:12:51,040 Speaker 2: that those bucks weren't there at other points of the season. 262 00:12:51,720 --> 00:12:55,320 Speaker 2: Those areas are safety zones, which is why there is 263 00:12:55,400 --> 00:12:58,640 Speaker 2: so much sign there. It's not because they love the 264 00:12:58,720 --> 00:13:01,120 Speaker 2: spot and that prompts them to mark it up. It's 265 00:13:01,160 --> 00:13:03,800 Speaker 2: because it's safe for them to be there in daylight, 266 00:13:04,559 --> 00:13:07,320 Speaker 2: and you know, while they're waiting to run out the clock, 267 00:13:07,920 --> 00:13:11,720 Speaker 2: they leave lots of sign. Finding those areas is often 268 00:13:11,800 --> 00:13:14,920 Speaker 2: the ticket to not having nearly as much downtime in 269 00:13:14,960 --> 00:13:18,040 Speaker 2: the season as you could have, and at the very least, 270 00:13:18,520 --> 00:13:22,360 Speaker 2: they make a compelling argument for some summertime in early 271 00:13:22,440 --> 00:13:25,280 Speaker 2: fall trail camera recon Now, I kind of look at 272 00:13:25,320 --> 00:13:27,520 Speaker 2: winter scouting like I look at elk hunting in and 273 00:13:27,559 --> 00:13:30,760 Speaker 2: over the counter unit in Colorado. I know the bulls 274 00:13:30,760 --> 00:13:33,559 Speaker 2: are there, but they will be where most people don't go, 275 00:13:33,800 --> 00:13:35,880 Speaker 2: and often that's just down the hill from the road 276 00:13:36,320 --> 00:13:38,520 Speaker 2: or in the drainage above the trailhead that is full 277 00:13:38,520 --> 00:13:41,600 Speaker 2: of nasty, dark timber. It doesn't have to be far, 278 00:13:41,760 --> 00:13:45,119 Speaker 2: it just has to be overlooked. Now, even on properties 279 00:13:45,160 --> 00:13:48,319 Speaker 2: where we are the only ones hunting these deer, there 280 00:13:48,360 --> 00:13:52,080 Speaker 2: are usually so many places that we overlook. Hell, I 281 00:13:52,160 --> 00:13:54,079 Speaker 2: find this quite a bit on properties I hunt that 282 00:13:54,120 --> 00:13:57,920 Speaker 2: are small, like twenty five or thirty acres, and it's 283 00:13:57,960 --> 00:14:00,360 Speaker 2: almost a certainty that when you start to get some 284 00:14:00,400 --> 00:14:03,240 Speaker 2: more acreage to work with, you start to find all 285 00:14:03,320 --> 00:14:05,680 Speaker 2: kinds of spots where that you just use them because 286 00:14:05,720 --> 00:14:08,720 Speaker 2: we just don't. Winter scouting is like a cheat code 287 00:14:08,760 --> 00:14:11,720 Speaker 2: for finding those areas. And while it might be beneficial 288 00:14:11,760 --> 00:14:15,200 Speaker 2: to find a good rub line just below the access road, 289 00:14:15,760 --> 00:14:17,880 Speaker 2: what you really need to use winter scouting for is 290 00:14:17,920 --> 00:14:21,320 Speaker 2: to convince yourself that your findings are beneficial. This is 291 00:14:21,360 --> 00:14:24,320 Speaker 2: the hard part about walking your deer ground out in February. 292 00:14:24,960 --> 00:14:27,360 Speaker 2: There's so much time for our discoveries to fade in 293 00:14:27,400 --> 00:14:29,400 Speaker 2: our memories a little bit, and for us to talk 294 00:14:29,440 --> 00:14:32,800 Speaker 2: ourselves into running cameras where we always run cameras, and 295 00:14:32,840 --> 00:14:36,400 Speaker 2: setting stands where we always set stands, but don't do that. 296 00:14:36,960 --> 00:14:40,680 Speaker 2: Go scout this winter with a plan, drop plenty of 297 00:14:40,720 --> 00:14:44,160 Speaker 2: way points, mark your tracks, think about the spots you 298 00:14:44,240 --> 00:14:47,880 Speaker 2: don't go to during the season, ask yourself why they 299 00:14:47,960 --> 00:14:50,400 Speaker 2: use this trail, and then walk it to see what 300 00:14:50,480 --> 00:14:54,000 Speaker 2: you can come up with. Go explore. We often get 301 00:14:54,040 --> 00:14:56,400 Speaker 2: so locked up in the idea of being super conservative 302 00:14:56,440 --> 00:14:58,600 Speaker 2: with our presence in the woods that we hold ourselves 303 00:14:58,640 --> 00:15:01,800 Speaker 2: back under the guise of b being wise old deer hunters. 304 00:15:02,320 --> 00:15:04,160 Speaker 2: Now that may hold some water in the season or 305 00:15:04,160 --> 00:15:07,280 Speaker 2: the immediate preseason. And keep in mind, I said may, 306 00:15:07,760 --> 00:15:10,760 Speaker 2: because I hunt public land all the time, and myself 307 00:15:10,800 --> 00:15:12,800 Speaker 2: and the other hunters out there, of which there are 308 00:15:12,840 --> 00:15:16,840 Speaker 2: often many, don't seem all that concerned with maintaining sanctuaries. 309 00:15:17,040 --> 00:15:18,880 Speaker 2: And on that ground, there are big deer to be 310 00:15:18,920 --> 00:15:22,320 Speaker 2: found and hunted, even where they get bumped around a lot. 311 00:15:22,560 --> 00:15:24,360 Speaker 2: So even if you don't believe that, I don't care, 312 00:15:24,760 --> 00:15:26,960 Speaker 2: because it doesn't matter when it comes to winter scouting. 313 00:15:27,320 --> 00:15:29,640 Speaker 2: You can go deep into every nook and cranny and 314 00:15:29,680 --> 00:15:31,920 Speaker 2: figure out a hell of a lot about what the 315 00:15:31,920 --> 00:15:35,080 Speaker 2: bucks did last fall, and that can inform your summer 316 00:15:35,120 --> 00:15:40,520 Speaker 2: scouting decisions and your fall hunting plans, and it really should. 317 00:15:41,600 --> 00:15:43,480 Speaker 2: So do that and then come back next week because 318 00:15:43,480 --> 00:15:45,840 Speaker 2: I'm going to talk about the changing landscape of drawing 319 00:15:45,920 --> 00:15:48,680 Speaker 2: all kinds of hunting tags from turkeys to deer to 320 00:15:48,720 --> 00:15:51,680 Speaker 2: elk in what that means for you. If you ever 321 00:15:51,760 --> 00:15:56,280 Speaker 2: want to travel to hunt again, that's it. I'm Tony Peterson. 322 00:15:56,320 --> 00:15:58,760 Speaker 2: This has been the Wire to Hunt Foundation's podcast, which 323 00:15:58,800 --> 00:16:01,440 Speaker 2: is brought to you by First. I want to thank 324 00:16:01,520 --> 00:16:04,480 Speaker 2: you for all of your support. We wouldn't be anything 325 00:16:04,520 --> 00:16:07,040 Speaker 2: without you, guys, and you've shown up in a big 326 00:16:07,080 --> 00:16:09,000 Speaker 2: way for us so many times, so I really want 327 00:16:09,000 --> 00:16:11,640 Speaker 2: to thank you for all that support. If you need 328 00:16:11,640 --> 00:16:13,760 Speaker 2: more hunting content, if you need to get a fix 329 00:16:13,840 --> 00:16:16,520 Speaker 2: on a podcast or maybe watch some videos, check out 330 00:16:16,520 --> 00:16:19,880 Speaker 2: a recipe, an article, whatever. The meat eater dot com 331 00:16:19,920 --> 00:16:22,760 Speaker 2: has you covered, tons of good stuff there, go check 332 00:16:22,800 --> 00:16:23,080 Speaker 2: it out.