1 00:00:01,280 --> 00:00:05,120 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Wired to Hunt Foundations podcast, your guide 2 00:00:05,120 --> 00:00:08,920 Speaker 1: to the fundamentals of better deer hunting, presented by first Light, 3 00:00:09,240 --> 00:00:13,600 Speaker 1: creating proven versatile hunting apparel for the stand, saddle or blind. 4 00:00:14,120 --> 00:00:18,680 Speaker 1: First Light, Go Farther, Stay Longer, and now your host 5 00:00:19,040 --> 00:00:19,919 Speaker 1: Tony Peterson. 6 00:00:20,840 --> 00:00:23,439 Speaker 2: Hey, everyone, welcome to the Wire to Hunt Foundation's podcast, 7 00:00:23,480 --> 00:00:25,360 Speaker 2: which is brought to you by first Light. I'm your host, 8 00:00:25,360 --> 00:00:28,600 Speaker 2: Tony Peterson, and today's episode is all about how to 9 00:00:28,640 --> 00:00:41,360 Speaker 2: make a high pressure shot. If you're in the cliches, 10 00:00:42,159 --> 00:00:46,440 Speaker 2: pay attention to hunting media right now. With us Northerners 11 00:00:46,479 --> 00:00:48,240 Speaker 2: knocking on the door of the rut, it's time to 12 00:00:48,280 --> 00:00:50,680 Speaker 2: hear them all about you know, like how it's the 13 00:00:50,720 --> 00:00:53,440 Speaker 2: most wonderful time of the year. You know how I 14 00:00:53,479 --> 00:00:55,520 Speaker 2: feel about that. So I'm not going to sugarcoat it 15 00:00:55,720 --> 00:00:58,000 Speaker 2: as much as those folks who hunt primo ground in 16 00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:00,840 Speaker 2: southern Iowa, and you know they'll be sorted through boomers 17 00:01:01,120 --> 00:01:05,480 Speaker 2: looking for just the right one, unlike us. The truth is, 18 00:01:06,120 --> 00:01:09,040 Speaker 2: you know, the rut is tougher than we let on often, 19 00:01:09,480 --> 00:01:11,640 Speaker 2: which is something I've talked about plenty. But one thing 20 00:01:11,680 --> 00:01:15,160 Speaker 2: I haven't talked about, and that's real important is that 21 00:01:15,240 --> 00:01:18,520 Speaker 2: shots during the rut are often the most difficult you'll 22 00:01:18,520 --> 00:01:22,120 Speaker 2: take all season. So buckle up, buttercups, because it's time 23 00:01:22,160 --> 00:01:31,600 Speaker 2: to dive into this episode. I'm sick of driving, you know. 24 00:01:31,240 --> 00:01:35,240 Speaker 2: I don't envy the general European lifestyle a whole lot, 25 00:01:35,560 --> 00:01:37,240 Speaker 2: but the thought of living in a place where I 26 00:01:37,280 --> 00:01:40,080 Speaker 2: could bike just about everywhere kind of has a little 27 00:01:40,080 --> 00:01:43,160 Speaker 2: bit of an appeal, mostly probably because I don't actually 28 00:01:43,240 --> 00:01:45,000 Speaker 2: live there and don't actually have to bike to get 29 00:01:45,040 --> 00:01:48,680 Speaker 2: my groceries or whatever. Here in good old America, we 30 00:01:48,760 --> 00:01:51,760 Speaker 2: drive a lot. We live in a big country, and 31 00:01:51,840 --> 00:01:54,800 Speaker 2: things are far apart. We also have a culture of 32 00:01:54,880 --> 00:01:59,160 Speaker 2: car ownership and often don't emphasize public transportation outside of 33 00:01:59,200 --> 00:02:04,080 Speaker 2: metro areas. I can't prove this about driving, but I 34 00:02:04,080 --> 00:02:07,639 Speaker 2: think it stands to reason that it's a numbers game 35 00:02:08,120 --> 00:02:11,320 Speaker 2: as far as something going wrong. I've been in a 36 00:02:11,320 --> 00:02:15,800 Speaker 2: couple accidents in my life. The first was entirely my fault, 37 00:02:15,880 --> 00:02:18,480 Speaker 2: and if I'm being totally honest, I was eating pieces 38 00:02:18,480 --> 00:02:20,320 Speaker 2: of a muffin off of my shirt and I was 39 00:02:20,360 --> 00:02:23,040 Speaker 2: also super hungover, and I rear ended a car at 40 00:02:23,040 --> 00:02:25,880 Speaker 2: a stoplight while I was going about seven miles per 41 00:02:25,880 --> 00:02:29,160 Speaker 2: hour and she was going about three. It was probably 42 00:02:29,200 --> 00:02:32,440 Speaker 2: the slowest car accident since people were driving Model T's around. 43 00:02:33,480 --> 00:02:35,680 Speaker 2: Other than a slight crack on her fender, that was 44 00:02:35,680 --> 00:02:38,120 Speaker 2: about it. The cop who wrote up the report gave 45 00:02:38,160 --> 00:02:40,360 Speaker 2: me a general speeding ticket because mostly he kind of 46 00:02:40,400 --> 00:02:43,320 Speaker 2: just wanted to punish me for ruining her morning. Fair enough, 47 00:02:43,360 --> 00:02:46,480 Speaker 2: I guess. Another time, a couple buddies and I ended 48 00:02:46,520 --> 00:02:48,520 Speaker 2: up upside down in a ditch, which is a story 49 00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:51,000 Speaker 2: that I'm not going to tell two thousands of strangers. 50 00:02:51,520 --> 00:02:54,200 Speaker 2: And the last accident was during rush hour in the Cities, 51 00:02:54,280 --> 00:02:57,160 Speaker 2: while my boss at the time was driving and someone 52 00:02:57,320 --> 00:02:59,240 Speaker 2: in front of us made a really stupid decision that 53 00:02:59,280 --> 00:03:02,359 Speaker 2: resulted in a reaction to cars hitting cars, with us 54 00:03:02,400 --> 00:03:04,760 Speaker 2: taking a minivan on at about fifty miles an hour. 55 00:03:06,040 --> 00:03:07,920 Speaker 2: I guess, in the span of nearly thirty years of 56 00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:11,200 Speaker 2: driving and a lifetime of riding in vehicles, that's not 57 00:03:11,280 --> 00:03:13,280 Speaker 2: too bad could have been a hell of a lot 58 00:03:13,320 --> 00:03:16,760 Speaker 2: worse multiple times. That's part of the reason I'm sick 59 00:03:16,800 --> 00:03:20,440 Speaker 2: of driving. In perfect conditions, when you're wide awake in 60 00:03:20,440 --> 00:03:24,600 Speaker 2: the traffic is light to nonexistent, driving is pretty safe, 61 00:03:24,639 --> 00:03:27,600 Speaker 2: you know, I'll probably as safe as walking anywhere. Add 62 00:03:27,639 --> 00:03:30,880 Speaker 2: in some kind of confounding factor, though, like a blizzard 63 00:03:31,080 --> 00:03:33,160 Speaker 2: or rush hour, or the fact that you haven't slept 64 00:03:33,160 --> 00:03:35,200 Speaker 2: a whole lot in days because you've been hunting elk, 65 00:03:35,880 --> 00:03:38,840 Speaker 2: and the odds of something going wrong just increase. The 66 00:03:38,880 --> 00:03:42,040 Speaker 2: odds are making a mistake go up. I feel acutely 67 00:03:42,080 --> 00:03:44,600 Speaker 2: aware of this as I get home from one hunt 68 00:03:44,600 --> 00:03:46,800 Speaker 2: and head out on the next, especially if I'm driving 69 00:03:46,840 --> 00:03:50,600 Speaker 2: my kids somewhere. The odds of something going wrong are 70 00:03:50,640 --> 00:03:53,200 Speaker 2: just a little higher, and it pays to be aware that. 71 00:03:53,800 --> 00:03:55,920 Speaker 2: It keeps you paying attention a little more, which is 72 00:03:55,960 --> 00:03:58,480 Speaker 2: a good thing when you're in heavy hunk of plastic 73 00:03:58,480 --> 00:04:02,760 Speaker 2: and metal that is powered by the refined remnants of dinosaurs. Focus. 74 00:04:03,480 --> 00:04:06,480 Speaker 2: Being mindful of the conditions and being honest with yourself 75 00:04:06,520 --> 00:04:09,480 Speaker 2: about what's going on, I'll keep you from making dumb 76 00:04:09,520 --> 00:04:13,360 Speaker 2: decisions on the road, or at least mitigate the chances 77 00:04:13,400 --> 00:04:15,760 Speaker 2: of making a dumb decision. You know, you can't always 78 00:04:15,760 --> 00:04:19,880 Speaker 2: protect yourself against other drivers. And speaking of that, any 79 00:04:19,880 --> 00:04:22,400 Speaker 2: of you folks out there that drive during rush hour somewhere, 80 00:04:22,640 --> 00:04:25,520 Speaker 2: have you noticed the dudes, and yes, it's always dudes 81 00:04:25,839 --> 00:04:28,960 Speaker 2: who drive like they're in a NASCAR race. They're the 82 00:04:29,000 --> 00:04:31,760 Speaker 2: ones going twice the speed of the general traffic who 83 00:04:31,839 --> 00:04:33,719 Speaker 2: weave in and out of lanes and treat the whole 84 00:04:33,720 --> 00:04:36,200 Speaker 2: thing like a sport. Don't you just want to murder 85 00:04:36,240 --> 00:04:39,760 Speaker 2: those pricks? I do when I see them, and where 86 00:04:39,760 --> 00:04:42,599 Speaker 2: I live, I see them a fair amount. I dive 87 00:04:42,720 --> 00:04:45,840 Speaker 2: pretty deep into elaborate fantasies about torture. I also think 88 00:04:45,880 --> 00:04:47,760 Speaker 2: about what it would be like to have a Fulliatto 89 00:04:47,760 --> 00:04:50,120 Speaker 2: fifty col mounted to the top of my truck and 90 00:04:50,279 --> 00:04:53,960 Speaker 2: immunity from spraying random bullets into the inner state to 91 00:04:53,960 --> 00:04:59,320 Speaker 2: take those guys out. They're the worst anyway, rant over, 92 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:02,000 Speaker 2: I better tie this whole thing to hunting before everyone 93 00:05:02,000 --> 00:05:05,640 Speaker 2: starts to fall asleep. That's Sunday drive when the conditions 94 00:05:05,680 --> 00:05:09,120 Speaker 2: are perfect. That's like taking a shot at a relaxed 95 00:05:09,160 --> 00:05:11,280 Speaker 2: buck that're just feeding in the beans or your food 96 00:05:11,279 --> 00:05:13,960 Speaker 2: plot in the early season. You know that buck that 97 00:05:14,000 --> 00:05:16,479 Speaker 2: doesn't have anywhere to be. He isn't all keyed up, 98 00:05:16,839 --> 00:05:18,760 Speaker 2: and the shot is likely to be just a lower 99 00:05:18,920 --> 00:05:23,440 Speaker 2: pressure affair. You know what's not a low pressure affair 100 00:05:24,320 --> 00:05:26,200 Speaker 2: Shooting at the biggest buck of your life as he 101 00:05:26,320 --> 00:05:28,920 Speaker 2: chases a dough around your stand while grunting his head off. 102 00:05:29,279 --> 00:05:31,960 Speaker 2: That's the opposite, and you know what that means. A 103 00:05:32,000 --> 00:05:35,640 Speaker 2: lot of bad shots happened during the rut, and I'm 104 00:05:35,640 --> 00:05:38,520 Speaker 2: not picking on anyone here. I recently had a very 105 00:05:38,520 --> 00:05:41,760 Speaker 2: embarrassing miss while filming a Mediater episode, so trust me 106 00:05:41,800 --> 00:05:43,920 Speaker 2: when I say that I get it that things can 107 00:05:43,960 --> 00:05:47,480 Speaker 2: go wrong in that situation. Mister Ronella and I were 108 00:05:47,520 --> 00:05:51,920 Speaker 2: hunting any deer in Oklahoma on some public land. Well 109 00:05:51,960 --> 00:05:54,880 Speaker 2: the first morning any deer happened to show up, and 110 00:05:54,920 --> 00:05:58,120 Speaker 2: while I thought I was pretty calm when that spike 111 00:05:58,240 --> 00:06:01,400 Speaker 2: came in, I had something happened that threw the whole 112 00:06:01,560 --> 00:06:05,960 Speaker 2: encounter off the buck. And I'm talking a scrapper. Little 113 00:06:06,040 --> 00:06:10,400 Speaker 2: tiny spike was sixteen yards away, happily nosing the ground 114 00:06:10,440 --> 00:06:12,960 Speaker 2: for some per simmons when I drew and murped him. 115 00:06:13,720 --> 00:06:16,719 Speaker 2: What he did, instead of stopping and looking around like 116 00:06:16,760 --> 00:06:19,640 Speaker 2: a normal buck should, is that he jumped about six 117 00:06:19,680 --> 00:06:22,760 Speaker 2: feet forward. So I just leaned a little farther out 118 00:06:22,760 --> 00:06:25,640 Speaker 2: of my tree, put my pin on him, and shot. 119 00:06:25,920 --> 00:06:28,240 Speaker 2: And what I didn't realize was that my window wasn't 120 00:06:28,240 --> 00:06:30,920 Speaker 2: as open as I assumed, and my arrow deflected off 121 00:06:31,000 --> 00:06:34,400 Speaker 2: some brush and missed him completely. All it took was 122 00:06:34,440 --> 00:06:37,360 Speaker 2: that little deer reacting differently to my attempt to stop him, 123 00:06:37,680 --> 00:06:39,840 Speaker 2: and I went from what I'm pretty sure was a 124 00:06:39,960 --> 00:06:43,840 Speaker 2: sure thing to a total whiff. As cagy as he was, 125 00:06:44,240 --> 00:06:45,880 Speaker 2: he made a huge mistake when he let me get 126 00:06:45,880 --> 00:06:48,600 Speaker 2: a redemption shot on him. But the lesson still stands. 127 00:06:49,600 --> 00:06:51,760 Speaker 2: Even in scenarios where we should be able to make 128 00:06:51,800 --> 00:06:55,080 Speaker 2: the shot a thousand times out of a thousand, we 129 00:06:55,160 --> 00:06:59,120 Speaker 2: often don't. This happens on public land spikes, and it 130 00:06:59,160 --> 00:07:01,919 Speaker 2: happens on private land one hundred and eighty inches. It 131 00:07:01,960 --> 00:07:05,200 Speaker 2: happens all season long, but it happens the most during 132 00:07:05,240 --> 00:07:08,279 Speaker 2: the rut. This is the reality that no one really 133 00:07:08,320 --> 00:07:10,960 Speaker 2: talks about. But I'm confident in saying that, well, my 134 00:07:11,000 --> 00:07:13,200 Speaker 2: odds of getting a shot at a buck might be 135 00:07:13,360 --> 00:07:17,040 Speaker 2: highest during the rut. Outside of at least some specific 136 00:07:17,120 --> 00:07:20,520 Speaker 2: early season situations, my odds of getting a high pressure 137 00:07:20,520 --> 00:07:23,960 Speaker 2: shot during the rut are highest. There's no other time 138 00:07:24,000 --> 00:07:26,320 Speaker 2: of the season where it's almost a guarantee that things 139 00:07:26,360 --> 00:07:29,120 Speaker 2: are going to unfold pretty quickly and often in ways 140 00:07:29,120 --> 00:07:34,000 Speaker 2: I don't anticipate. Does that sound familiar if not just 141 00:07:34,080 --> 00:07:35,960 Speaker 2: keep hunting during the pre rut and the chase phase. 142 00:07:36,000 --> 00:07:39,080 Speaker 2: In the lockdown period, you'll see that while your encounters 143 00:07:39,120 --> 00:07:42,040 Speaker 2: with good deer might increase with the seasonal timing, that 144 00:07:42,120 --> 00:07:44,320 Speaker 2: your chance of putting an arrow right where it needs 145 00:07:44,360 --> 00:07:47,720 Speaker 2: to be starts to decline a little bit. The first 146 00:07:47,800 --> 00:07:50,920 Speaker 2: thing to acknowledge about this is that it's mostly in 147 00:07:50,960 --> 00:07:55,200 Speaker 2: your head. The pressure of most shot opportunities is largely 148 00:07:55,240 --> 00:08:00,160 Speaker 2: a self made deal, and it's dumb. It's also nearly inevitable. 149 00:08:01,200 --> 00:08:03,800 Speaker 2: This begins with the fact that we have high expectations 150 00:08:03,800 --> 00:08:06,560 Speaker 2: for this time of year. We have real high hopes. 151 00:08:06,560 --> 00:08:11,320 Speaker 2: You know. With all that unfettered optimism comes heightened senses, 152 00:08:11,760 --> 00:08:15,080 Speaker 2: increased anticipation. We know that we can go from sitting 153 00:08:15,120 --> 00:08:17,440 Speaker 2: in a dead woods for six hours to suddenly having 154 00:08:17,480 --> 00:08:20,200 Speaker 2: the buck of a lifetime in our laps. We expect 155 00:08:20,200 --> 00:08:23,360 Speaker 2: that to happen, but when it does, we are rarely 156 00:08:23,480 --> 00:08:27,400 Speaker 2: ready because how would you get ready for that? There 157 00:08:27,480 --> 00:08:30,440 Speaker 2: really isn't a way to target practice that allows you 158 00:08:30,480 --> 00:08:34,520 Speaker 2: to simulate that situation. For most of us, we might 159 00:08:34,559 --> 00:08:37,080 Speaker 2: have a couple of good encounters during the entire rut, 160 00:08:37,240 --> 00:08:40,760 Speaker 2: or hell, the entire season. This adds to the problem. 161 00:08:41,240 --> 00:08:42,920 Speaker 2: I know this won't do you much good until you 162 00:08:42,920 --> 00:08:45,480 Speaker 2: screw it all up, So let me say this. You 163 00:08:45,720 --> 00:08:49,640 Speaker 2: probably have more time than you think, but every second 164 00:08:49,679 --> 00:08:52,480 Speaker 2: of warning or lead time you can get is also 165 00:08:52,600 --> 00:08:55,760 Speaker 2: a big benefit. Seeing a buck one hundred yards out 166 00:08:56,000 --> 00:08:57,840 Speaker 2: is a hell of a lot better than suddenly noticing 167 00:08:57,880 --> 00:09:01,199 Speaker 2: him when he's thirty. In cruising, it's hard to pay 168 00:09:01,200 --> 00:09:04,080 Speaker 2: attention the whole time, though, but you gotta try. Get 169 00:09:04,080 --> 00:09:06,680 Speaker 2: into the rhythm of looking up from your phone a lot, 170 00:09:07,040 --> 00:09:09,520 Speaker 2: or better yet, shutting it down and putting it in 171 00:09:09,559 --> 00:09:13,920 Speaker 2: your pocket for blocks of time. Look everywhere glass often. 172 00:09:14,480 --> 00:09:19,120 Speaker 2: Remember no believe that a buck could show up at 173 00:09:19,160 --> 00:09:23,160 Speaker 2: any moment from anywhere, because it's true. Work on your mindset, 174 00:09:23,559 --> 00:09:28,240 Speaker 2: and remember you probably have time. It takes most of 175 00:09:28,360 --> 00:09:31,360 Speaker 2: us like three to seven seconds to execute a shot. 176 00:09:32,080 --> 00:09:35,040 Speaker 2: That's not that much time. Even a cruiser who is 177 00:09:35,080 --> 00:09:36,840 Speaker 2: going to arc into and out of your life in 178 00:09:36,880 --> 00:09:39,200 Speaker 2: a matter of twenty seconds is going to give you 179 00:09:39,280 --> 00:09:41,480 Speaker 2: everything you need to work with to make that shot. 180 00:09:42,000 --> 00:09:45,000 Speaker 2: And the key to making any shot, especially a high 181 00:09:45,000 --> 00:09:48,000 Speaker 2: pressure one, is to do your best job possible to 182 00:09:48,120 --> 00:09:52,080 Speaker 2: tamp down the panic. This starts with lead time Like 183 00:09:52,160 --> 00:09:54,920 Speaker 2: I mentioned, it also helps when you acknowledge that you 184 00:09:54,960 --> 00:09:57,400 Speaker 2: just need to pick a shooting lane or window and 185 00:09:57,480 --> 00:09:59,920 Speaker 2: make sure your pin gets to where it needs to be. 186 00:10:00,800 --> 00:10:03,000 Speaker 2: The moment you start to rush it is the moment 187 00:10:03,040 --> 00:10:16,400 Speaker 2: you've lost control. It's kind of like when you're driving 188 00:10:16,400 --> 00:10:18,280 Speaker 2: down an icy road and suddenly the ass end of 189 00:10:18,320 --> 00:10:21,800 Speaker 2: your truck stops going forward and starts going sideways. Now 190 00:10:21,840 --> 00:10:23,720 Speaker 2: you need to steer into the fishtail or accept your 191 00:10:23,720 --> 00:10:27,200 Speaker 2: fate with white tails. There isn't a great way to 192 00:10:27,240 --> 00:10:30,199 Speaker 2: correct your steering, so to speak, So the best bet 193 00:10:30,200 --> 00:10:31,720 Speaker 2: is to not let the whole thing start to spin 194 00:10:31,760 --> 00:10:35,400 Speaker 2: out in the first place. Tell yourself that he's there, 195 00:10:35,720 --> 00:10:38,400 Speaker 2: his vitals are big, and you know exactly where to 196 00:10:38,400 --> 00:10:41,080 Speaker 2: shoot him because you do. If he follows the script 197 00:10:41,120 --> 00:10:44,840 Speaker 2: and you stop him, the hard part's over. Just settle 198 00:10:44,840 --> 00:10:47,600 Speaker 2: that pin and shoot. You have enough time, trust me. 199 00:10:48,120 --> 00:10:50,680 Speaker 2: If he doesn't follow the script, this is when it 200 00:10:50,679 --> 00:10:53,520 Speaker 2: gets dicey. I don't know how many big bucks I've 201 00:10:53,520 --> 00:10:55,880 Speaker 2: whiffed on during the rut that I had dead to rights, 202 00:10:56,280 --> 00:10:59,800 Speaker 2: but then suddenly something I didn't expect happened. But I 203 00:10:59,840 --> 00:11:03,160 Speaker 2: know what's happened enough, and every time that it did, 204 00:11:03,520 --> 00:11:08,080 Speaker 2: the odds of me filling a tag plummeted. Here's the thing. 205 00:11:09,040 --> 00:11:11,200 Speaker 2: It's better to not rush a shot and watch a 206 00:11:11,240 --> 00:11:13,840 Speaker 2: buck walk away than it is to rush a shot 207 00:11:13,960 --> 00:11:16,640 Speaker 2: and watch him run away. This might be one of 208 00:11:16,640 --> 00:11:19,040 Speaker 2: the hardest things to do, and it might be one 209 00:11:19,080 --> 00:11:22,079 Speaker 2: of the most advanced skills a deer hunter can develop. 210 00:11:23,080 --> 00:11:25,120 Speaker 2: Knowing when to pump the brakes and not make a 211 00:11:25,160 --> 00:11:28,280 Speaker 2: potential mistake that could result in a lot of unnecessary 212 00:11:28,360 --> 00:11:31,840 Speaker 2: suffering on your part, and certainly the deers is huge. 213 00:11:32,800 --> 00:11:35,320 Speaker 2: This is why I'm such an advocate for giving yourself 214 00:11:35,360 --> 00:11:38,240 Speaker 2: as much time as possible to hunt. If you know 215 00:11:38,360 --> 00:11:40,720 Speaker 2: you'll only get one afternoon a week and that ruddy 216 00:11:40,720 --> 00:11:43,240 Speaker 2: buck comes in on a tear, the odds of not 217 00:11:43,400 --> 00:11:47,840 Speaker 2: panicking pretty low. After all, when will you get another chance. 218 00:11:48,760 --> 00:11:51,920 Speaker 2: I get that we all live different lives, have different priorities, 219 00:11:52,000 --> 00:11:54,360 Speaker 2: so this doesn't work for everyone. But the more time 220 00:11:54,360 --> 00:11:56,520 Speaker 2: you have to sit in a place you're confident in, 221 00:11:56,679 --> 00:11:58,960 Speaker 2: the better off you'll be. When a shot presents itself, 222 00:11:59,280 --> 00:12:02,400 Speaker 2: you'll panic that and you'll make better decisions more. It's 223 00:12:02,440 --> 00:12:05,520 Speaker 2: not easy, trust me. It's also important to pay real 224 00:12:05,600 --> 00:12:08,640 Speaker 2: close attention when you do release an arrow not only 225 00:12:08,640 --> 00:12:11,280 Speaker 2: to whether you deflated his lungs or instead tested your 226 00:12:11,280 --> 00:12:13,840 Speaker 2: broad head on some leaves and dirt, but also to 227 00:12:13,920 --> 00:12:18,320 Speaker 2: the entire encounter. Did he run off or just simply 228 00:12:18,320 --> 00:12:21,439 Speaker 2: trot through a few better shooting lanes. Did you aim 229 00:12:21,840 --> 00:12:23,280 Speaker 2: or just kind of close your eyes and pray to 230 00:12:23,320 --> 00:12:26,200 Speaker 2: the deer gods? What did you do right? What did 231 00:12:26,240 --> 00:12:29,400 Speaker 2: you do wrong? Was he on your weak side when 232 00:12:29,400 --> 00:12:31,920 Speaker 2: you saddled up, making it more difficult to draw and shoot? 233 00:12:32,200 --> 00:12:35,280 Speaker 2: Or did he come through just like you planned? What 234 00:12:35,360 --> 00:12:37,520 Speaker 2: could you have done different with your setup to make 235 00:12:37,559 --> 00:12:41,040 Speaker 2: it easier? How about the timing of your draw. Did 236 00:12:41,040 --> 00:12:43,120 Speaker 2: you feel confident in your shot when you took it, 237 00:12:43,720 --> 00:12:47,320 Speaker 2: or did your initial instincts tell you that you were 238 00:12:47,360 --> 00:12:49,040 Speaker 2: kind of taking one of those things where you're like, 239 00:12:49,080 --> 00:12:52,160 Speaker 2: I'm going to cross my fingers and pray those are bad. 240 00:12:52,880 --> 00:12:56,240 Speaker 2: Confident shots are obviously better, or I don't know. Did 241 00:12:56,320 --> 00:12:57,719 Speaker 2: you get caught looking at your phone when he was 242 00:12:57,760 --> 00:13:00,680 Speaker 2: closing in? There's a pretty good lesson there. Did you 243 00:13:00,720 --> 00:13:03,720 Speaker 2: take a marginal shot that came your way when you 244 00:13:03,800 --> 00:13:07,439 Speaker 2: knew he'd probably stick around. Did you murp him before 245 00:13:07,480 --> 00:13:09,959 Speaker 2: you even had a chance to draw? Because you were 246 00:13:09,960 --> 00:13:15,080 Speaker 2: totally melting down. What happened, What happened? What happened? And 247 00:13:15,160 --> 00:13:18,199 Speaker 2: be honest, even if he did everything right and he 248 00:13:18,280 --> 00:13:21,080 Speaker 2: ran seventy five yards and piled up, there are things 249 00:13:21,160 --> 00:13:24,920 Speaker 2: to learn from that encounter about the next encounter. And 250 00:13:25,000 --> 00:13:28,160 Speaker 2: if he didn't, there's a lot to learn. Those adrenaline 251 00:13:28,200 --> 00:13:31,920 Speaker 2: fueled shots teach us a lot about not only dear behavior, 252 00:13:32,000 --> 00:13:35,040 Speaker 2: but our behavior. They tell us whether our setup was 253 00:13:35,080 --> 00:13:38,239 Speaker 2: solid or maybe not. They tell us that the confidence 254 00:13:38,679 --> 00:13:41,480 Speaker 2: we got on the range flinging arrows with no pressure 255 00:13:42,120 --> 00:13:44,840 Speaker 2: didn't really prepare us for a once per season meet 256 00:13:44,920 --> 00:13:46,600 Speaker 2: up with a four and a half year old buck. 257 00:13:47,800 --> 00:13:49,720 Speaker 2: They tell us that if we don't do our job 258 00:13:49,760 --> 00:13:53,160 Speaker 2: of anchoring correctly and executing the way we absolutely know 259 00:13:53,200 --> 00:13:55,840 Speaker 2: how to, that all kinds of things can go wrong. 260 00:13:57,080 --> 00:13:59,120 Speaker 2: They tell us that we should have been paying attention, 261 00:13:59,240 --> 00:14:03,040 Speaker 2: but we weren't, and how much of a disadvantage that 262 00:14:03,080 --> 00:14:06,680 Speaker 2: puts us at is real. It happens a lot, learn 263 00:14:06,720 --> 00:14:10,280 Speaker 2: from it. Don't make any excuses. This is important stuff, 264 00:14:10,320 --> 00:14:12,680 Speaker 2: my friends, because we think our job is to learn 265 00:14:12,720 --> 00:14:16,280 Speaker 2: about deer, and sure that's crucial. If you can't pick 266 00:14:16,320 --> 00:14:18,839 Speaker 2: the right funnel for the rut, you probably aren't going 267 00:14:18,880 --> 00:14:20,800 Speaker 2: to have to worry about shooting at too many deer. 268 00:14:21,320 --> 00:14:23,520 Speaker 2: But the truth of it all is that learning deer 269 00:14:23,960 --> 00:14:26,360 Speaker 2: isn't really as tough as it sounds. They kind of 270 00:14:26,400 --> 00:14:28,440 Speaker 2: just do what deer do, and you can figure that 271 00:14:28,520 --> 00:14:32,320 Speaker 2: out really well over time. Learning about ourselves is a 272 00:14:32,320 --> 00:14:35,080 Speaker 2: different story, and this is no more obvious than when 273 00:14:35,120 --> 00:14:37,560 Speaker 2: you finally get a shot opportunity at a big deer. 274 00:14:38,120 --> 00:14:40,640 Speaker 2: This is when you learn what your adrenaline situation is 275 00:14:40,720 --> 00:14:44,080 Speaker 2: really like, when you get to see that you actually 276 00:14:44,200 --> 00:14:46,840 Speaker 2: do get buck fever despite what you tell yourself and 277 00:14:46,840 --> 00:14:50,160 Speaker 2: your hunting parties when you're not hunting. This is when 278 00:14:50,200 --> 00:14:52,600 Speaker 2: you learn whether you can keep your act together enough 279 00:14:52,600 --> 00:14:55,640 Speaker 2: to do your most important job as a hunter, or 280 00:14:55,680 --> 00:14:58,480 Speaker 2: what little details need to suddenly change to take you 281 00:14:58,560 --> 00:15:02,600 Speaker 2: right out of the zone. I know personally I have 282 00:15:02,640 --> 00:15:05,520 Speaker 2: a high level of confidence in making most white tail shots. 283 00:15:05,800 --> 00:15:09,320 Speaker 2: Too much. Probably, Then I go out and a spike 284 00:15:09,440 --> 00:15:11,800 Speaker 2: buck flips the script a little, and I miss like 285 00:15:11,840 --> 00:15:14,680 Speaker 2: I'm twelve again and desperately want any deer to die 286 00:15:14,720 --> 00:15:18,320 Speaker 2: in front of me. This stuff is humbling and it's hard, 287 00:15:19,000 --> 00:15:21,000 Speaker 2: but it gets a hell of a lot more humbling 288 00:15:21,160 --> 00:15:23,640 Speaker 2: and a hell of a lot harder if we don't 289 00:15:23,720 --> 00:15:27,760 Speaker 2: work to get better at making good shots. This is 290 00:15:28,480 --> 00:15:32,800 Speaker 2: a really good all season goal, but is most obvious 291 00:15:32,880 --> 00:15:35,320 Speaker 2: during the rut. That's when you get to test yourself 292 00:15:35,360 --> 00:15:37,920 Speaker 2: against the high pressure situation, and that's when you learn 293 00:15:37,960 --> 00:15:41,640 Speaker 2: if you're calm, cold blooded assassin or more likely a 294 00:15:41,720 --> 00:15:45,760 Speaker 2: not so calm, warm blooded, mass quivering idiocy who can 295 00:15:45,800 --> 00:15:48,120 Speaker 2: miss a whole deer at ranges you could probably somewhat 296 00:15:48,160 --> 00:15:52,040 Speaker 2: accurately throw a spear at it's rough. But you can 297 00:15:52,120 --> 00:15:56,000 Speaker 2: help yourself. Tell yourself this rut, you're gonna pay attention 298 00:15:56,080 --> 00:15:58,640 Speaker 2: to more. You're gonna glass your surroundings more, and just 299 00:15:58,680 --> 00:16:00,640 Speaker 2: tune into the frequency of the woods a little more 300 00:16:01,000 --> 00:16:03,880 Speaker 2: then you tune into the frequency of your iPhone, for example, 301 00:16:04,840 --> 00:16:08,760 Speaker 2: envision those shots. Learn your shooting lanes and windows while 302 00:16:08,760 --> 00:16:11,600 Speaker 2: you're up there in the downtime, draw your bow aim 303 00:16:11,720 --> 00:16:14,440 Speaker 2: through them, even if you're on an old favorite stand 304 00:16:14,440 --> 00:16:17,280 Speaker 2: that you've sat dozens of times, or especially if you're 305 00:16:17,320 --> 00:16:19,800 Speaker 2: saddled up in a new area going for the element 306 00:16:19,840 --> 00:16:23,640 Speaker 2: of surprise on a public land cruiser, Remind yourself when 307 00:16:23,680 --> 00:16:26,840 Speaker 2: he's not running in and certainly when he is that 308 00:16:26,960 --> 00:16:30,640 Speaker 2: you have time. If you can get him stopped, you 309 00:16:30,760 --> 00:16:33,640 Speaker 2: have time. He'll give you the few seconds you need. 310 00:16:34,280 --> 00:16:36,840 Speaker 2: Just do your job then, and if he doesn't stop 311 00:16:37,160 --> 00:16:39,800 Speaker 2: or he does something that you don't expect, learn to 312 00:16:39,880 --> 00:16:43,680 Speaker 2: let it go instead of trying to force something. This 313 00:16:43,720 --> 00:16:46,640 Speaker 2: is so hard, but sometimes when you make that call 314 00:16:46,680 --> 00:16:48,720 Speaker 2: and it threatens to eat your soul alive while you 315 00:16:48,800 --> 00:16:51,640 Speaker 2: watch him work away from you, the dear gods take 316 00:16:51,680 --> 00:16:54,600 Speaker 2: pity and they deliver another opportunity to you. This happens 317 00:16:54,640 --> 00:16:57,120 Speaker 2: a lot during the rut, So give yourself as much 318 00:16:57,160 --> 00:16:59,480 Speaker 2: time as you can and get ready. My friends, a 319 00:16:59,520 --> 00:17:02,600 Speaker 2: shot up oportunity is probably heading your way and it's 320 00:17:02,680 --> 00:17:05,159 Speaker 2: destined to be a wild one. But you can do this. 321 00:17:05,600 --> 00:17:08,280 Speaker 2: You truly need to believe that. And you should also 322 00:17:08,359 --> 00:17:10,159 Speaker 2: listen next week because I'm going to break down my 323 00:17:10,240 --> 00:17:13,240 Speaker 2: rut hunting strategy to hopefully give you some ideas on 324 00:17:13,280 --> 00:17:15,680 Speaker 2: how to keep up on the deer movement even when 325 00:17:15,720 --> 00:17:18,160 Speaker 2: it seems like you're the only one who's not experiencing 326 00:17:18,200 --> 00:17:22,760 Speaker 2: a chase fester on your stand. That's it for this week. 327 00:17:22,800 --> 00:17:24,600 Speaker 2: I'm Tony Peterson. This has been the Wire to Hunt 328 00:17:24,640 --> 00:17:27,200 Speaker 2: Foundation's podcast, which is brought to you by First Light. 329 00:17:27,840 --> 00:17:29,720 Speaker 2: As always, I want to thank you so much for 330 00:17:29,800 --> 00:17:33,399 Speaker 2: your support for tuning in and really all the sport 331 00:17:33,480 --> 00:17:37,240 Speaker 2: for our Meat Eater content and our brands. We truly 332 00:17:37,280 --> 00:17:40,400 Speaker 2: appreciate it. If you want to check out maybe some 333 00:17:40,440 --> 00:17:44,439 Speaker 2: more podcasts, maybe some videos, a ton of articles on 334 00:17:44,480 --> 00:17:47,960 Speaker 2: all kinds of hunting topics, go to the meat Eater 335 00:17:48,080 --> 00:17:51,560 Speaker 2: dot com and you will see more than you probably 336 00:17:51,600 --> 00:17:53,320 Speaker 2: ever need to. You're going to be busy for a 337 00:17:53,359 --> 00:17:54,480 Speaker 2: long time, so check it out.