1 00:00:01,280 --> 00:00:05,040 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Wired to Hunt Foundations podcast, your guide 2 00:00:05,040 --> 00:00:08,000 Speaker 1: to the fundamentals of better deer hunting. Present it by 3 00:00:08,039 --> 00:00:11,760 Speaker 1: first Light, creating proven versatile hunting apparel for the stand, 4 00:00:11,880 --> 00:00:15,880 Speaker 1: saddle or blind. First Light, Go Farther, Stay Longer, and 5 00:00:16,000 --> 00:00:18,239 Speaker 1: now your host, Tony Peterson. 6 00:00:19,120 --> 00:00:21,440 Speaker 2: Hey, everybody, welcome to the wire to Hunt Foundations podcast, 7 00:00:21,480 --> 00:00:23,320 Speaker 2: which is brought to you by first Light. Today, I'm 8 00:00:23,320 --> 00:00:26,279 Speaker 2: going to talk about trail cameras and why time is 9 00:00:26,280 --> 00:00:28,760 Speaker 2: your best friend when it comes to actually figuring out 10 00:00:28,920 --> 00:00:44,120 Speaker 2: deer patterns. Now, I know it probably seems like a 11 00:00:44,159 --> 00:00:46,440 Speaker 2: little bit too early for this, but I'm going to 12 00:00:46,479 --> 00:00:49,080 Speaker 2: make a pretty strong case that it's not. We're kind 13 00:00:49,080 --> 00:00:51,200 Speaker 2: of leaving behind the turkey season right now. We're thinking 14 00:00:51,200 --> 00:00:54,160 Speaker 2: about fishing, maybe I don't know, shooting our bows a 15 00:00:54,200 --> 00:00:56,480 Speaker 2: little bit. But we're not too serious about white tails 16 00:00:56,520 --> 00:00:59,279 Speaker 2: right now. And that's okay. There's still quite a bit 17 00:00:59,320 --> 00:01:02,520 Speaker 2: of time between here and the deer Opener, but there 18 00:01:02,520 --> 00:01:06,639 Speaker 2: also isn't that much time. And time is the pretty 19 00:01:06,680 --> 00:01:09,840 Speaker 2: much the whole damn point of this particular podcast, or 20 00:01:09,880 --> 00:01:13,080 Speaker 2: more specifically, why you should use your time wisely this 21 00:01:13,120 --> 00:01:16,240 Speaker 2: summer in relation to your trail camera strategies and your 22 00:01:16,280 --> 00:01:31,720 Speaker 2: overall scouting style. Way way back in nineteen sixty four, 23 00:01:31,880 --> 00:01:35,080 Speaker 2: the Rolling Stones recorded two versions of the song time 24 00:01:35,160 --> 00:01:37,880 Speaker 2: Is on My Side. If you don't know that song, 25 00:01:38,319 --> 00:01:41,280 Speaker 2: you're probably pretty young. If you do, you know that 26 00:01:41,360 --> 00:01:45,319 Speaker 2: Mick Jagger sings quite a few times that time is 27 00:01:45,400 --> 00:01:48,400 Speaker 2: on his side. Yes, it is now. I'd argue that 28 00:01:48,480 --> 00:01:52,240 Speaker 2: it probably was nearly fifty years ago, but maybe isn't now, 29 00:01:52,320 --> 00:01:54,160 Speaker 2: at least in his case, because he's getting up there 30 00:01:54,200 --> 00:01:58,240 Speaker 2: in years. Most of us view this time of year 31 00:01:58,280 --> 00:02:00,920 Speaker 2: in relation to white Tails, like there's sort of an 32 00:02:00,920 --> 00:02:06,040 Speaker 2: incontrovertible fact that the time quite literally is on our side, 33 00:02:06,120 --> 00:02:07,920 Speaker 2: since we have a few months to work with before 34 00:02:07,920 --> 00:02:11,160 Speaker 2: even getting serious about deer. But I disagree, and I'm 35 00:02:11,160 --> 00:02:13,880 Speaker 2: going to tell you why. But first I want to 36 00:02:13,919 --> 00:02:17,120 Speaker 2: just kind of talk about how weird time really is. Like, 37 00:02:17,160 --> 00:02:19,600 Speaker 2: for example, did you know that a day on Earth 38 00:02:19,680 --> 00:02:21,120 Speaker 2: used to be a hell of a lot shorter than 39 00:02:21,160 --> 00:02:24,760 Speaker 2: it is now, like six hours shorter because the Earth 40 00:02:24,840 --> 00:02:27,880 Speaker 2: used to spin faster than it does now, And eventually 41 00:02:27,960 --> 00:02:30,520 Speaker 2: the days will be even longer than they are right now. 42 00:02:31,160 --> 00:02:33,359 Speaker 2: Although it's pretty likely that by the time there is 43 00:02:33,400 --> 00:02:36,560 Speaker 2: any real appreciable change in the length of the day, 44 00:02:36,720 --> 00:02:39,560 Speaker 2: we will have nuked ourselves right into non existence, or 45 00:02:39,560 --> 00:02:42,800 Speaker 2: maybe gotten hit by a big old asteroid that clears 46 00:02:42,840 --> 00:02:44,960 Speaker 2: out the space humans take up and leaves it for 47 00:02:45,000 --> 00:02:48,520 Speaker 2: some other creatures to reign supreme for a couple million years. 48 00:02:49,919 --> 00:02:54,799 Speaker 2: Time is also a matter of perception. We are living 49 00:02:54,800 --> 00:02:59,320 Speaker 2: in the past ever so slightly. It's impossible for us 50 00:02:59,320 --> 00:03:02,280 Speaker 2: to perceive events that happen at exactly the same time 51 00:03:02,320 --> 00:03:05,960 Speaker 2: they happen, so we are actually about eighty milliseconds behind 52 00:03:06,160 --> 00:03:09,680 Speaker 2: no matter what we're doing or experiencing. This means that, 53 00:03:09,720 --> 00:03:13,440 Speaker 2: in the strictest sense, there really is no now. We 54 00:03:13,520 --> 00:03:18,000 Speaker 2: also experience time differently as individuals. Your brain, when it's 55 00:03:18,040 --> 00:03:21,520 Speaker 2: fully immersed in a project, just has less horsepower to 56 00:03:21,520 --> 00:03:25,160 Speaker 2: pay attention to time's passage, so time seems to move 57 00:03:25,280 --> 00:03:28,640 Speaker 2: very quickly. Then, Yet if you happen to do something like, 58 00:03:28,919 --> 00:03:31,600 Speaker 2: I don't know, bowhunt turkeys from a blind from sunrise 59 00:03:31,639 --> 00:03:35,040 Speaker 2: to sunset, you might find there are certain parts of 60 00:03:35,040 --> 00:03:38,480 Speaker 2: that day where you are painfully aware of every ticking second. 61 00:03:39,280 --> 00:03:41,760 Speaker 2: Or better yet, go for a long run when you 62 00:03:41,800 --> 00:03:45,360 Speaker 2: don't want to, you'll realize that time can move awful slowly, 63 00:03:45,800 --> 00:03:48,440 Speaker 2: even though it's technically moving the same speed as when 64 00:03:48,480 --> 00:03:50,760 Speaker 2: you're driving a go cart, or jumping on a trampoline, 65 00:03:50,840 --> 00:03:53,200 Speaker 2: or catching a ton of fish, or doing anything more 66 00:03:53,200 --> 00:03:56,920 Speaker 2: fun than a lot of the bs in life. Another 67 00:03:57,320 --> 00:04:01,040 Speaker 2: wild thing about time that I'm far too dumb to 68 00:04:01,080 --> 00:04:08,120 Speaker 2: really explain is astronomical time versus atomic time. Astronomical time 69 00:04:08,280 --> 00:04:10,640 Speaker 2: is the one we are most familiar with, where one 70 00:04:10,760 --> 00:04:14,680 Speaker 2: second equals one to sixtieth of a minute. This is 71 00:04:14,720 --> 00:04:16,880 Speaker 2: also tied to how long it takes Earth to rotate 72 00:04:16,960 --> 00:04:20,360 Speaker 2: fully on its axis. But then there is atomic time, 73 00:04:20,880 --> 00:04:26,719 Speaker 2: where one second equals six hundred and thirty seven and 74 00:04:26,720 --> 00:04:31,479 Speaker 2: seventy oscillations of a ccum one thirty three element. This 75 00:04:31,640 --> 00:04:33,640 Speaker 2: is the most accurate way to track time, if you 76 00:04:33,680 --> 00:04:35,480 Speaker 2: can figure out a way to use it without cracking 77 00:04:35,480 --> 00:04:40,520 Speaker 2: your eggshell brain. Time is also relative, which we can 78 00:04:40,560 --> 00:04:43,960 Speaker 2: thank Einstein for figuring out. This means the faster you're moving, 79 00:04:44,279 --> 00:04:48,560 Speaker 2: the slower time moves. This is why astronauts Scott and 80 00:04:48,560 --> 00:04:51,400 Speaker 2: Mark Kelly, who are twin brothers that were born several 81 00:04:51,400 --> 00:04:55,320 Speaker 2: minutes apart, have actually become way closer in age, if 82 00:04:55,320 --> 00:04:57,920 Speaker 2: that makes any sense at all. This is because Mark 83 00:04:58,000 --> 00:04:59,919 Speaker 2: spent three hundred and forty days in space on the 84 00:05:00,040 --> 00:05:04,080 Speaker 2: International Space Station, so when he returned he had gained 85 00:05:04,160 --> 00:05:06,120 Speaker 2: enough on his big brother to actually be only about 86 00:05:06,160 --> 00:05:10,080 Speaker 2: five milliseconds apart. Because the International Space Station is really 87 00:05:10,120 --> 00:05:12,600 Speaker 2: cooking up there to the tune of like seventeen thousand 88 00:05:12,600 --> 00:05:17,160 Speaker 2: miles per hour. Time is complicated, which you can experience 89 00:05:17,200 --> 00:05:20,240 Speaker 2: if you work with people from multiple time zones in 90 00:05:20,279 --> 00:05:22,960 Speaker 2: the US and Canada, for example, this is just a 91 00:05:23,000 --> 00:05:26,760 Speaker 2: way of life. In China, which is a giant country, 92 00:05:26,960 --> 00:05:29,600 Speaker 2: they don't have time zones. Everyone is on the same 93 00:05:29,680 --> 00:05:32,080 Speaker 2: time zone, so people in certain parts of the country 94 00:05:32,120 --> 00:05:35,440 Speaker 2: will experience sunrise hours before people in other parts of 95 00:05:35,440 --> 00:05:38,520 Speaker 2: the country do, yet they're all operating off the same time. 96 00:05:40,160 --> 00:05:41,840 Speaker 2: Time is a lot of things, and it's going to 97 00:05:41,920 --> 00:05:44,600 Speaker 2: keep marching right along, at least until we figure out 98 00:05:44,640 --> 00:05:47,640 Speaker 2: how to travel at the speed of light. That if 99 00:05:47,680 --> 00:05:50,000 Speaker 2: you know anything about space travel, is pretty far off 100 00:05:50,040 --> 00:05:53,080 Speaker 2: in the realm of possibilities. So we are mostly stuck 101 00:05:53,120 --> 00:05:55,880 Speaker 2: with our twenty four hour ish days and are roughly 102 00:05:55,880 --> 00:05:59,640 Speaker 2: three hundred and sixty five days a year. We are 103 00:05:59,680 --> 00:06:03,400 Speaker 2: also facing a unique opportunity as whitetail hunters right now, 104 00:06:03,720 --> 00:06:06,920 Speaker 2: because we can use the time between today and our 105 00:06:06,960 --> 00:06:10,680 Speaker 2: season opener to learn an awful lot about what bucks do. 106 00:06:11,560 --> 00:06:15,800 Speaker 2: And this is where trail cameras really shine. Before I 107 00:06:15,839 --> 00:06:18,160 Speaker 2: get into the nitty gritty of that, I do want 108 00:06:18,200 --> 00:06:21,240 Speaker 2: to talk about why I think this is valuable. I 109 00:06:21,279 --> 00:06:23,800 Speaker 2: think we assume a traditional trail camera or a cell 110 00:06:23,839 --> 00:06:27,480 Speaker 2: camera is going to give us enough intel necessary to 111 00:06:27,560 --> 00:06:31,360 Speaker 2: decide where and when we should hunt. Of course they might, 112 00:06:31,800 --> 00:06:34,520 Speaker 2: but they also might not. This all depends on the 113 00:06:34,560 --> 00:06:37,880 Speaker 2: data we collect. And just like when you're making any 114 00:06:37,920 --> 00:06:41,240 Speaker 2: informed decision, the more data you have, the better you 115 00:06:41,279 --> 00:06:44,560 Speaker 2: generally are. Think about it this way. What if you 116 00:06:44,600 --> 00:06:46,880 Speaker 2: want to buy a new boat. A lot of people, 117 00:06:47,200 --> 00:06:49,640 Speaker 2: and these are people who find themselves in financial trouble 118 00:06:49,640 --> 00:06:53,039 Speaker 2: throughout their lives. Go, I do want a new boat, 119 00:06:53,200 --> 00:06:56,240 Speaker 2: and I want it on the lowest payment plan possible. 120 00:06:56,360 --> 00:06:59,200 Speaker 2: I want the smallest payments I can get. Now, as 121 00:06:59,240 --> 00:07:01,600 Speaker 2: someone who re simply bought a new boat, I can 122 00:07:01,640 --> 00:07:03,520 Speaker 2: tell you that at least some places will allow you 123 00:07:03,560 --> 00:07:07,120 Speaker 2: to finance a boat for fifteen years. You heard me right, 124 00:07:07,839 --> 00:07:11,560 Speaker 2: So if you want low payments, you can certainly get them, 125 00:07:11,880 --> 00:07:14,400 Speaker 2: but you're also going to pay a boat load, get 126 00:07:14,440 --> 00:07:17,920 Speaker 2: it of interest in a loan on that lenk on 127 00:07:18,000 --> 00:07:22,800 Speaker 2: an asset that is very, very unlikely to appreciate. If 128 00:07:22,840 --> 00:07:25,280 Speaker 2: the only info you want is how can I get 129 00:07:25,320 --> 00:07:28,240 Speaker 2: low payments, then you're likely to make a bad decision. 130 00:07:29,040 --> 00:07:31,280 Speaker 2: If instead, you figure out what you can scrape together 131 00:07:31,320 --> 00:07:33,720 Speaker 2: for a down payment, then figure out what you're comfortable 132 00:07:33,800 --> 00:07:36,200 Speaker 2: with for an overall price, and what you're comfortable with 133 00:07:36,200 --> 00:07:40,440 Speaker 2: for monthly payments, you have the framework to make a 134 00:07:40,520 --> 00:07:43,200 Speaker 2: good decision. After that, you might want to get pre 135 00:07:43,240 --> 00:07:45,040 Speaker 2: approved for a loan at your bank and then shop 136 00:07:45,080 --> 00:07:47,200 Speaker 2: around for better rates on your loan at other banks. 137 00:07:47,920 --> 00:07:51,160 Speaker 2: The more information you have, the more details you can 138 00:07:51,240 --> 00:07:54,280 Speaker 2: squeeze out of all parties involved, the better off you'll 139 00:07:54,320 --> 00:07:56,880 Speaker 2: be when you do pull a trigger. When it comes 140 00:07:56,920 --> 00:07:59,280 Speaker 2: to deer hunting, the same rules kind of generally apply. 141 00:08:00,120 --> 00:08:03,160 Speaker 2: You want information, a lot of information, so you can 142 00:08:03,200 --> 00:08:07,160 Speaker 2: make good decisions. This is why this time of year 143 00:08:07,240 --> 00:08:09,680 Speaker 2: is a great time to start putting trail cameras out. 144 00:08:10,520 --> 00:08:13,680 Speaker 2: This is the time when they shine, when they can 145 00:08:13,720 --> 00:08:15,840 Speaker 2: do the heavy lifting for you when you're out doing 146 00:08:15,880 --> 00:08:17,640 Speaker 2: your thing in your new boat or whatever you do 147 00:08:17,720 --> 00:08:21,400 Speaker 2: this summer. The reasons for this are many, but let's 148 00:08:21,400 --> 00:08:25,120 Speaker 2: start with the basics. The crops are coming up, the 149 00:08:25,160 --> 00:08:28,080 Speaker 2: woods are all greened up, and the summertime patterns are 150 00:08:28,200 --> 00:08:32,400 Speaker 2: absolutely falling into place. This matters because even a month 151 00:08:32,520 --> 00:08:35,240 Speaker 2: and certainly two months ago, the patterns on the deer 152 00:08:35,240 --> 00:08:37,800 Speaker 2: in your region might not have been anything like they 153 00:08:37,840 --> 00:08:40,480 Speaker 2: are now. They probably weren't. But where we are now 154 00:08:40,520 --> 00:08:43,400 Speaker 2: deer wise, is where we will largely be for the 155 00:08:43,400 --> 00:08:46,560 Speaker 2: next few months, and for most folks, it's where we'll 156 00:08:46,640 --> 00:08:49,640 Speaker 2: largely be when we slide right into the actual deer season. 157 00:08:50,160 --> 00:08:52,360 Speaker 2: This is about as early as you can get in 158 00:08:52,400 --> 00:08:55,319 Speaker 2: and start learning stuff that will directly benefit you when 159 00:08:55,320 --> 00:09:00,600 Speaker 2: the season opens, So acknowledge that because it matters. Having 160 00:09:00,640 --> 00:09:03,280 Speaker 2: this much time allows you to start locating bachelor groups 161 00:09:03,360 --> 00:09:05,320 Speaker 2: even if they aren't showing much in the way aheadgear 162 00:09:05,400 --> 00:09:08,000 Speaker 2: yet it allows you to start dialing them in on 163 00:09:08,040 --> 00:09:12,000 Speaker 2: specific food and water sources, and that's important. But it 164 00:09:12,040 --> 00:09:15,440 Speaker 2: also allows you time to make mistakes. I can't stress 165 00:09:15,440 --> 00:09:18,199 Speaker 2: how much this matters to a good trail camera strategy, 166 00:09:18,640 --> 00:09:20,679 Speaker 2: and maybe calling them mistakes is like a little bit 167 00:09:20,679 --> 00:09:24,240 Speaker 2: too harsh, But the truth is, you might march on 168 00:09:24,320 --> 00:09:26,200 Speaker 2: out to a bean field that is just starting to 169 00:09:26,240 --> 00:09:28,240 Speaker 2: sprout and hang your camera up in a corner of 170 00:09:28,240 --> 00:09:31,400 Speaker 2: that field and think, well, you got them now. It's 171 00:09:31,440 --> 00:09:33,320 Speaker 2: all over except for a short blood trail in a 172 00:09:33,320 --> 00:09:37,080 Speaker 2: couple of months. Yet you might not get the pictures 173 00:09:37,080 --> 00:09:40,280 Speaker 2: you want or expect to get. You might, and this 174 00:09:40,360 --> 00:09:44,720 Speaker 2: is very very common, get like a tenth or a 175 00:09:44,800 --> 00:09:47,840 Speaker 2: fifth of the pictures you expect to get. What if 176 00:09:47,880 --> 00:09:49,760 Speaker 2: you put out a camera now and that's how it 177 00:09:49,800 --> 00:09:53,240 Speaker 2: goes for you? Big deal? Right? You have time to 178 00:09:53,280 --> 00:09:55,760 Speaker 2: move it and time to fine tune your scouting to 179 00:09:55,760 --> 00:09:57,880 Speaker 2: figure out where the deer are more consistent than your 180 00:09:57,920 --> 00:10:01,920 Speaker 2: original spot. You can leave that camera up and put 181 00:10:01,920 --> 00:10:03,520 Speaker 2: out a few more to figure out what the camera 182 00:10:03,600 --> 00:10:06,360 Speaker 2: is missing. This is a good strategy if you can 183 00:10:06,400 --> 00:10:08,560 Speaker 2: swing it, because there's a big difference a lot of 184 00:10:08,600 --> 00:10:11,640 Speaker 2: times on whether bucks come from one trail or another, 185 00:10:12,120 --> 00:10:15,160 Speaker 2: and whether they feed right on the field edge or 186 00:10:15,160 --> 00:10:17,400 Speaker 2: they're twenty rows deep, and your camera might miss them. 187 00:10:18,920 --> 00:10:21,400 Speaker 2: In the wind and rain and sun and randomness of 188 00:10:21,400 --> 00:10:23,600 Speaker 2: weather and bugs all affect who comes out and when 189 00:10:23,679 --> 00:10:26,679 Speaker 2: and where. So one camera for a few weeks might 190 00:10:26,720 --> 00:10:29,319 Speaker 2: not get you the information you need. But that's okay 191 00:10:29,360 --> 00:10:33,280 Speaker 2: if you have time. You wouldn't. If you put out 192 00:10:33,280 --> 00:10:35,400 Speaker 2: a camera in the end to August and your opener 193 00:10:35,440 --> 00:10:38,199 Speaker 2: is in mid September, for example, you're going to get 194 00:10:38,320 --> 00:10:41,240 Speaker 2: limited intel and then have to make your hunting decisions 195 00:10:41,280 --> 00:10:44,679 Speaker 2: based off of that limited data. This is where hunters 196 00:10:44,720 --> 00:10:47,360 Speaker 2: get into trouble because in that scenario, one picture of 197 00:10:47,400 --> 00:10:49,720 Speaker 2: a buck in daylight might be enough to convince them 198 00:10:49,760 --> 00:10:52,160 Speaker 2: to hunt a spot, mostly because they don't have a 199 00:10:52,200 --> 00:10:55,440 Speaker 2: lot else to work with. This is dangerous ground and 200 00:10:55,480 --> 00:10:59,240 Speaker 2: it saves a lot of bucks every year. It's way 201 00:10:59,360 --> 00:11:02,160 Speaker 2: better to have three months of intel to sift through 202 00:11:02,520 --> 00:11:05,920 Speaker 2: from a couple cameras in strategic spots. When you have that, 203 00:11:06,320 --> 00:11:09,600 Speaker 2: you can start to see real patterns merge, and identifying 204 00:11:09,600 --> 00:11:11,920 Speaker 2: a real pattern is the key to killing big bucks 205 00:11:11,920 --> 00:11:14,959 Speaker 2: in the early season. But their patterns aren't as simple 206 00:11:14,960 --> 00:11:18,400 Speaker 2: as we like to think. I mean, sure, sometimes you 207 00:11:18,440 --> 00:11:21,920 Speaker 2: get on a bachelor group that's just like clockwork. They 208 00:11:21,960 --> 00:11:24,840 Speaker 2: show up every night and they are reliable right up 209 00:11:24,840 --> 00:11:28,199 Speaker 2: to the opener. Sometimes they use the same trail pretty 210 00:11:28,240 --> 00:11:32,720 Speaker 2: much every day, but mostly they don't. Often, even what 211 00:11:32,840 --> 00:11:35,120 Speaker 2: feels like a pretty tight pattern since they end up 212 00:11:35,120 --> 00:11:38,959 Speaker 2: in the same spot, isn't and when it's not as 213 00:11:38,960 --> 00:11:41,640 Speaker 2: tight of a pattern as we hope, we make mistakes 214 00:11:41,679 --> 00:11:43,960 Speaker 2: like sitting on the wrong side of the field or 215 00:11:44,040 --> 00:11:47,160 Speaker 2: hunting during the wrong wind or whatever. A better bed 216 00:11:47,240 --> 00:11:49,000 Speaker 2: is to start now so that you have as much 217 00:11:49,040 --> 00:11:51,840 Speaker 2: information as possible to work with, so you don't hunt 218 00:11:51,840 --> 00:11:53,559 Speaker 2: on the wrong side of the field, or you don't 219 00:11:53,559 --> 00:11:57,520 Speaker 2: convince yourself to hunt when the wind is wrong. And 220 00:11:57,559 --> 00:11:59,760 Speaker 2: this isn't just a field edge or a food plot 221 00:11:59,760 --> 00:12:02,720 Speaker 2: thing either. If you want to figure out how to 222 00:12:02,760 --> 00:12:05,600 Speaker 2: kill bucks, figure out how to scout where they like 223 00:12:05,640 --> 00:12:07,480 Speaker 2: to walk in the cover. You've heard me say that 224 00:12:07,520 --> 00:12:10,080 Speaker 2: a lot, and it's because I believe it. Like a 225 00:12:10,120 --> 00:12:12,520 Speaker 2: buck that beds on a specific ridge today to stay 226 00:12:12,559 --> 00:12:14,600 Speaker 2: in the shade and catch a nice breeze it'll keep 227 00:12:14,600 --> 00:12:18,160 Speaker 2: the mosquitoes down, is a buck that will probably bed 228 00:12:18,200 --> 00:12:20,840 Speaker 2: there in early fall to stay comfortable while avoiding the 229 00:12:20,840 --> 00:12:23,600 Speaker 2: gnats and deer flies. And when a buck does that, 230 00:12:24,320 --> 00:12:26,719 Speaker 2: he is very likely to walk certain trails to get 231 00:12:26,720 --> 00:12:30,360 Speaker 2: to certain spots to that betting from that betting. And 232 00:12:30,400 --> 00:12:32,600 Speaker 2: if you know what those trails are in addition to 233 00:12:32,640 --> 00:12:35,840 Speaker 2: those certain spots, and then you know how frequently he 234 00:12:35,920 --> 00:12:38,720 Speaker 2: seems to do certain things. Then you're really getting onto 235 00:12:38,760 --> 00:12:42,120 Speaker 2: a pattern. The time you have now allows you to 236 00:12:42,160 --> 00:12:46,080 Speaker 2: run trail cameras on trails, and you should. The same 237 00:12:46,120 --> 00:12:49,880 Speaker 2: goes for water sources and fence crossings, terrain traps in 238 00:12:49,920 --> 00:12:53,280 Speaker 2: the big woods, and anywhere that might concentrate buck movement 239 00:12:53,280 --> 00:12:55,240 Speaker 2: and give you a real advantage when it comes to 240 00:12:55,280 --> 00:12:59,080 Speaker 2: sussing out travel patterns. In fact, I rank all of 241 00:12:59,120 --> 00:13:02,400 Speaker 2: these spots in more as far more important than running 242 00:13:02,400 --> 00:13:05,319 Speaker 2: cameras on the edge of a field, provided I can 243 00:13:05,360 --> 00:13:08,480 Speaker 2: glass that field. I'd much rather watch deer where I 244 00:13:08,480 --> 00:13:11,280 Speaker 2: can watch them and monitor them with trail cameras where 245 00:13:11,280 --> 00:13:15,160 Speaker 2: I can't, And when you start getting pictures, try to 246 00:13:15,240 --> 00:13:17,840 Speaker 2: keep track of them. There are different apps for this, 247 00:13:17,920 --> 00:13:19,640 Speaker 2: but you can do it in a variety of different ways. 248 00:13:19,800 --> 00:13:23,200 Speaker 2: What I like to do is just instantly delete every 249 00:13:23,240 --> 00:13:26,520 Speaker 2: picture that really doesn't do me much good. This varies 250 00:13:26,559 --> 00:13:29,200 Speaker 2: on where I hunt, so I'm gonna explain this the 251 00:13:29,240 --> 00:13:33,280 Speaker 2: best I can. So let's say I'm heading to southeastern Minnesota. 252 00:13:34,080 --> 00:13:35,719 Speaker 2: I know down there my goal is going to be 253 00:13:35,800 --> 00:13:38,600 Speaker 2: to try to kill a decent buck, So then anything 254 00:13:38,600 --> 00:13:41,960 Speaker 2: that isn't a decent buck isn't that important to me? 255 00:13:42,040 --> 00:13:43,840 Speaker 2: As far as trail camera intel, so it's going to 256 00:13:43,840 --> 00:13:46,920 Speaker 2: get deleted. I want a paired down look at all 257 00:13:46,920 --> 00:13:49,600 Speaker 2: the images that matter to me in that pursuit. So 258 00:13:49,679 --> 00:13:51,199 Speaker 2: the more I can get it whittled down to just 259 00:13:51,280 --> 00:13:53,719 Speaker 2: bucks I'm interested in, the better it is for me 260 00:13:53,800 --> 00:13:57,400 Speaker 2: to figure out how consistent they are and just sort 261 00:13:57,400 --> 00:14:02,000 Speaker 2: of visualize those patterns better. Now, if I'm hunting northern 262 00:14:02,000 --> 00:14:06,040 Speaker 2: Wisconsin with my daughters, my standards are vastly different. I 263 00:14:06,080 --> 00:14:10,960 Speaker 2: want every deer picture because we're hunting all deer, the does, 264 00:14:11,160 --> 00:14:14,240 Speaker 2: the fawns, the scrappers, the big bucks. They're all important 265 00:14:14,240 --> 00:14:16,120 Speaker 2: to us there, so I want to know when the 266 00:14:16,120 --> 00:14:18,160 Speaker 2: dough groups come through just as much as I care 267 00:14:18,200 --> 00:14:21,760 Speaker 2: about any decent bucks. In fact, with them, I tend 268 00:14:21,760 --> 00:14:24,640 Speaker 2: to really focus on the scrapper bucks because they are 269 00:14:24,680 --> 00:14:27,120 Speaker 2: some of the most patternable deer and us Peterson's like 270 00:14:27,160 --> 00:14:31,200 Speaker 2: to shoot spikes and four kis. Your mileage might vary, 271 00:14:31,720 --> 00:14:34,360 Speaker 2: but the same rules apply. Figure out how to make 272 00:14:34,360 --> 00:14:37,080 Speaker 2: your images work for you so that you can start 273 00:14:37,120 --> 00:14:39,960 Speaker 2: to divine out of the many the patterns of the few. 274 00:14:40,840 --> 00:14:43,240 Speaker 2: This takes time, which reminds me of one more thing 275 00:14:43,280 --> 00:14:45,800 Speaker 2: I want to mention on this topic, how long to 276 00:14:45,840 --> 00:14:49,600 Speaker 2: soka camera in a specific spot. This kind of all 277 00:14:49,600 --> 00:14:52,680 Speaker 2: depends on how well the camera is performing. If I 278 00:14:52,720 --> 00:14:54,560 Speaker 2: have a camera on a trail that is getting consistent 279 00:14:54,600 --> 00:14:57,160 Speaker 2: images every day, it's a winner and I don't really 280 00:14:57,200 --> 00:14:59,400 Speaker 2: see a whole lot of reasons to move it. But 281 00:14:59,440 --> 00:15:02,440 Speaker 2: if the image are sporadic and inconsistent, at least over 282 00:15:02,560 --> 00:15:05,240 Speaker 2: enough weeks, then I feel like it's time to move it. 283 00:15:05,920 --> 00:15:09,320 Speaker 2: But that's why I like starting this process now. If 284 00:15:09,320 --> 00:15:11,920 Speaker 2: I start in August, I can't give a potential dud 285 00:15:11,960 --> 00:15:13,800 Speaker 2: a whole month because that might be a lot of 286 00:15:13,840 --> 00:15:17,880 Speaker 2: wasted effort. But now I can, and I think a 287 00:15:17,960 --> 00:15:21,760 Speaker 2: month is a really good timeframe to leave cameras out now. 288 00:15:21,760 --> 00:15:24,320 Speaker 2: This is a little different when you're running cell cameras 289 00:15:24,320 --> 00:15:27,040 Speaker 2: because they send pictures right to you. But with traditional cameras, 290 00:15:27,080 --> 00:15:29,920 Speaker 2: if you start now, you'll have at least three one 291 00:15:30,000 --> 00:15:34,400 Speaker 2: month windows to work with on your spots. With cell cameras, 292 00:15:34,440 --> 00:15:36,240 Speaker 2: I tend to get a little impatient because I can 293 00:15:36,280 --> 00:15:39,480 Speaker 2: see more or less in real time whether I'm getting 294 00:15:39,480 --> 00:15:42,000 Speaker 2: any images. This is kind of a trap, though, and 295 00:15:42,000 --> 00:15:44,640 Speaker 2: you got to be careful. You just try to avoid 296 00:15:44,720 --> 00:15:47,080 Speaker 2: this because It's easy to believe that a spot is 297 00:15:47,120 --> 00:15:50,480 Speaker 2: amazing or really shitty when you get pick sent to you, 298 00:15:50,800 --> 00:15:52,160 Speaker 2: but you have to look at it the same way 299 00:15:52,160 --> 00:15:54,480 Speaker 2: you look at a card pull on a traditional camera. 300 00:15:55,320 --> 00:15:57,760 Speaker 2: What does the whole month tell you when you look 301 00:15:57,800 --> 00:16:01,840 Speaker 2: at it objectively. This is kind of like what so 302 00:16:01,880 --> 00:16:05,360 Speaker 2: many people get wrong about investing in for retirement. They 303 00:16:05,440 --> 00:16:07,640 Speaker 2: pay attention to the daily ups and downs of the 304 00:16:07,680 --> 00:16:10,240 Speaker 2: market and the good and bad news that floods their 305 00:16:10,240 --> 00:16:13,320 Speaker 2: lives every day. But the best bet is to invest 306 00:16:13,680 --> 00:16:16,440 Speaker 2: to just your risk tolerance and then stop paying attention, 307 00:16:16,920 --> 00:16:19,760 Speaker 2: so you can cut out that daily emotion from seeing 308 00:16:19,760 --> 00:16:22,680 Speaker 2: the ups and downs. Sure, you should check in every 309 00:16:22,720 --> 00:16:24,480 Speaker 2: once in a while, maybe if you feel there's a 310 00:16:24,480 --> 00:16:27,920 Speaker 2: good need to rebalance, but mostly you'll just take your 311 00:16:27,920 --> 00:16:30,800 Speaker 2: emotion out of the thing and you can just trust 312 00:16:30,800 --> 00:16:34,560 Speaker 2: the process so much better. The same kind of applies 313 00:16:34,560 --> 00:16:37,280 Speaker 2: to trail cameras, so be careful with those cell cameras, 314 00:16:37,560 --> 00:16:41,200 Speaker 2: but also don't be lazy. It's easy to believe we're 315 00:16:41,240 --> 00:16:44,640 Speaker 2: going to get the whole thing right right away, or 316 00:16:44,680 --> 00:16:46,360 Speaker 2: that we don't really need to do anything other than 317 00:16:46,400 --> 00:16:48,280 Speaker 2: put up a camera on the edge of the Alfalfa 318 00:16:48,320 --> 00:16:50,360 Speaker 2: and then wait for the big velvet bucks to walk by. 319 00:16:51,560 --> 00:16:54,480 Speaker 2: But what we believe about ourselves is bad ass hunters 320 00:16:54,520 --> 00:16:57,720 Speaker 2: often isn't reality. What we believe is a simple thing 321 00:16:58,120 --> 00:17:01,640 Speaker 2: like monitoring a food source often isn't that simple, and 322 00:17:01,680 --> 00:17:04,480 Speaker 2: it often doesn't give us a good enough look into 323 00:17:04,480 --> 00:17:07,240 Speaker 2: a true dear pattern, and that brings us right back 324 00:17:07,280 --> 00:17:10,800 Speaker 2: to making poor decisions based off of incomplete information. So 325 00:17:10,880 --> 00:17:13,520 Speaker 2: don't do that to yourself. Get out there now and 326 00:17:13,560 --> 00:17:16,800 Speaker 2: start collecting valuable intel while you still have lots of time, 327 00:17:17,560 --> 00:17:19,560 Speaker 2: and then come back next week because I'm going to 328 00:17:19,600 --> 00:17:22,320 Speaker 2: talk about some of the trends in hunting gear that 329 00:17:22,359 --> 00:17:25,200 Speaker 2: are probably causing us more harm than good and how 330 00:17:25,240 --> 00:17:27,959 Speaker 2: not to fall into those traps and instead outfit yourself 331 00:17:27,960 --> 00:17:31,040 Speaker 2: to hunt the way you need to, which you guessed 332 00:17:31,040 --> 00:17:35,280 Speaker 2: it will help you kill more dear. That's it, my friends. 333 00:17:35,280 --> 00:17:37,200 Speaker 2: I'm Tony Peterson. This has been the Wired to Hunt 334 00:17:37,240 --> 00:17:39,680 Speaker 2: Foundation's podcast, which is brought to you by First Light. 335 00:17:40,000 --> 00:17:42,080 Speaker 2: As always, thank you so much for listening and for 336 00:17:42,160 --> 00:17:44,920 Speaker 2: your support. Really appreciate it. If you want some more 337 00:17:44,920 --> 00:17:46,840 Speaker 2: whitetail content, you know you can head on over to 338 00:17:47,000 --> 00:17:50,760 Speaker 2: them mediater dot com, slash wired read articles you Know 339 00:17:50,800 --> 00:17:54,920 Speaker 2: by Myself, Mark Kenyon, Alex Gilstrombo, Martonic, Dylan Tramp, whole 340 00:17:54,920 --> 00:17:57,399 Speaker 2: bunch of white tail killers. You can also head on 341 00:17:57,440 --> 00:18:00,000 Speaker 2: over to the meat Eator YouTube channel and check out 342 00:18:00,080 --> 00:18:03,120 Speaker 2: our latest white tail series that Casey and Tyler over 343 00:18:03,160 --> 00:18:05,600 Speaker 2: at the Element dropped called The Buck Truck. And you 344 00:18:05,680 --> 00:18:08,720 Speaker 2: might even see you know your favorite meat Eater guys 345 00:18:08,800 --> 00:18:11,080 Speaker 2: like Mark or Clay or myself on one of the shows, 346 00:18:11,080 --> 00:18:11,880 Speaker 2: So go check it out.