1 00:00:01,280 --> 00:00:05,120 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Wired to Hunt Foundations podcast, your guide 2 00:00:05,160 --> 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 00:00:20,320 --> 00:00:23,000 Speaker 2: Hey, everyone, welcome to the Wire to Hunt Foundation's podcast, 7 00:00:23,000 --> 00:00:24,800 Speaker 2: which is brought to you by first Light. I'm your host, 8 00:00:24,880 --> 00:00:29,320 Speaker 2: Tony Peterson, and today is all about understanding your home 9 00:00:29,360 --> 00:00:31,800 Speaker 2: field advantage and how you can use it to have 10 00:00:31,880 --> 00:00:43,559 Speaker 2: a better deer season. One of the things that sucks 11 00:00:43,640 --> 00:00:48,360 Speaker 2: the most about modern society is how prevalent victim mentality is. 12 00:00:48,440 --> 00:00:51,560 Speaker 2: Now we all have a reason to blame someone else 13 00:00:51,600 --> 00:00:54,120 Speaker 2: for our problems, and the more we are exposed to 14 00:00:54,200 --> 00:00:57,120 Speaker 2: that kind of thinking, the more we normalize it. 15 00:00:57,600 --> 00:00:57,800 Speaker 3: Now. 16 00:00:58,080 --> 00:00:59,840 Speaker 2: Of course, there are plenty of people who are actually 17 00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:03,000 Speaker 2: real victims of many bad things, but there's also the 18 00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:04,920 Speaker 2: reality that a lot of us just wanted an excuse 19 00:01:04,959 --> 00:01:08,120 Speaker 2: for not doing something that we should. This happens in 20 00:01:08,160 --> 00:01:11,039 Speaker 2: all facets of life, and of course it happens in 21 00:01:11,080 --> 00:01:14,600 Speaker 2: deer hunting, but it doesn't have to and that's kind 22 00:01:14,600 --> 00:01:29,280 Speaker 2: of what this show is all about. A couple of 23 00:01:29,280 --> 00:01:31,200 Speaker 2: weeks back in the middle of June, I caught a 24 00:01:31,240 --> 00:01:33,959 Speaker 2: flight out of MSP to Bozeman, where the meat Eater 25 00:01:34,040 --> 00:01:37,560 Speaker 2: headquarters is. The main reason for my western travel was 26 00:01:37,600 --> 00:01:39,840 Speaker 2: so I could film a show where I explained how 27 00:01:39,880 --> 00:01:42,080 Speaker 2: hard it is to teach Steve Vanella how to white 28 00:01:42,080 --> 00:01:45,199 Speaker 2: tail hunt. I wish that was a joke, but you'll 29 00:01:45,200 --> 00:01:48,280 Speaker 2: see anyway, if you were to ask me about that 30 00:01:48,320 --> 00:01:51,120 Speaker 2: part of Montana versus the part of Minnesota I currently 31 00:01:51,120 --> 00:01:53,640 Speaker 2: live in, I'd pretty much vote to move out there 32 00:01:53,640 --> 00:01:56,400 Speaker 2: in a heartbeat. When you land in Bozeman, you can 33 00:01:56,440 --> 00:01:58,280 Speaker 2: see a couple of mountain ranges that look like they 34 00:01:58,280 --> 00:02:01,320 Speaker 2: are straight out of a Bob Ross painting, complete with 35 00:02:01,360 --> 00:02:04,000 Speaker 2: a hell of a lot of happy little trees. The 36 00:02:04,080 --> 00:02:06,960 Speaker 2: opportunities to hunt a variety of critters there are a 37 00:02:07,040 --> 00:02:09,240 Speaker 2: hell of a lot different than what I have at home, 38 00:02:09,639 --> 00:02:11,440 Speaker 2: and I'm kind of a I don't know. 39 00:02:11,360 --> 00:02:13,040 Speaker 3: A variety kind of fella. I guess. 40 00:02:14,280 --> 00:02:17,080 Speaker 2: The air is crisp and clean, and there's just a 41 00:02:17,200 --> 00:02:20,440 Speaker 2: vibe to those mountain towns that I love. People are 42 00:02:20,480 --> 00:02:23,440 Speaker 2: generally pretty dang healthy because they can get outside and 43 00:02:23,480 --> 00:02:26,720 Speaker 2: do stuff, and there's a nice mix of modern convenience, 44 00:02:26,880 --> 00:02:30,440 Speaker 2: old school cool. In fact, I think about moving out 45 00:02:30,480 --> 00:02:34,919 Speaker 2: to the mountains a lot, partially because I only think 46 00:02:34,919 --> 00:02:38,040 Speaker 2: about the good stuff. I don't have to actually try 47 00:02:38,080 --> 00:02:40,639 Speaker 2: to buy a house while competing against a horde of 48 00:02:40,720 --> 00:02:43,960 Speaker 2: trust funders whose vacation homes are worth three times what 49 00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:46,800 Speaker 2: my normal home is worth. I don't have to drive 50 00:02:46,840 --> 00:02:49,320 Speaker 2: a big truck on streets built for horse and buggies 51 00:02:49,320 --> 00:02:52,119 Speaker 2: back in the eighteen hundreds. I can think about how 52 00:02:52,160 --> 00:02:54,840 Speaker 2: awesome it is to shoot an elk while not thinking 53 00:02:54,840 --> 00:02:57,720 Speaker 2: about busy trailheads and competing against a pile of outdoor 54 00:02:57,760 --> 00:03:02,000 Speaker 2: recreation enthusiasts for space on the trail. Hell, when I 55 00:03:02,120 --> 00:03:06,560 Speaker 2: was there in mid June, it snowed, not up in 56 00:03:06,560 --> 00:03:08,920 Speaker 2: the mountains, well, I guess up in the mountains, but 57 00:03:09,040 --> 00:03:12,280 Speaker 2: right in town too. It was a true blizzard in 58 00:03:12,760 --> 00:03:16,079 Speaker 2: mid June. Top that off with the fact that many 59 00:03:16,120 --> 00:03:18,480 Speaker 2: of the best rivers out there were seriously blown out, 60 00:03:18,720 --> 00:03:21,640 Speaker 2: and the reality of living there becomes something more balanced 61 00:03:21,680 --> 00:03:25,280 Speaker 2: between well, I don't know, amazing and a heaping. 62 00:03:25,000 --> 00:03:26,080 Speaker 3: Pile of horseshit. 63 00:03:27,000 --> 00:03:30,720 Speaker 2: Reality often sucks, Like say you get a job with 64 00:03:30,760 --> 00:03:32,680 Speaker 2: your dream company and you're like, I'm going to make 65 00:03:32,720 --> 00:03:35,720 Speaker 2: so much cool content. But then suddenly you find yourself 66 00:03:35,760 --> 00:03:38,440 Speaker 2: in some swamp in Michigan with some coworker who won't 67 00:03:38,440 --> 00:03:41,240 Speaker 2: shut up about what kind of pollinators are his favorite, 68 00:03:41,360 --> 00:03:44,160 Speaker 2: while you're filming something related to deer hunting and you 69 00:03:44,200 --> 00:03:47,960 Speaker 2: should be turkey hunting, and you realize, dang, actually got 70 00:03:47,960 --> 00:03:52,720 Speaker 2: myself a real job. Anyway, here's a thing. It's a 71 00:03:52,760 --> 00:03:56,120 Speaker 2: good idea to acknowledge reality and how to deal with it. 72 00:03:56,600 --> 00:03:58,800 Speaker 2: This is something I think we should all do. And 73 00:03:58,840 --> 00:04:00,680 Speaker 2: I got to remind you of this recently, when a 74 00:04:00,760 --> 00:04:04,400 Speaker 2: Kentucky whitetail hunter emailed Old cal with a question about 75 00:04:04,640 --> 00:04:07,200 Speaker 2: how he should look at the increased pressure on public 76 00:04:07,280 --> 00:04:11,240 Speaker 2: land in the Bluegrass state. This guy, who put more 77 00:04:11,280 --> 00:04:13,800 Speaker 2: thought into this problem than a lot of folks, admitted 78 00:04:13,880 --> 00:04:17,080 Speaker 2: he just wasn't stoked about how many non residents there 79 00:04:17,120 --> 00:04:21,400 Speaker 2: are chasing the same whitetails he's after. Ugh, this is 80 00:04:21,480 --> 00:04:26,359 Speaker 2: a common problem. What was uncommon is that he admitted 81 00:04:26,440 --> 00:04:31,360 Speaker 2: being uneasy about advocating to take away hunting opportunities from someone, anyone, 82 00:04:31,880 --> 00:04:35,359 Speaker 2: even folks who live across the state lines from him. Now, 83 00:04:35,400 --> 00:04:38,360 Speaker 2: I got to tell you it warmed my heart to 84 00:04:38,360 --> 00:04:40,800 Speaker 2: read that he was truly concerned with the issue of 85 00:04:40,880 --> 00:04:44,360 Speaker 2: hunters taking hunter opportunities away. As I was thinking about 86 00:04:44,360 --> 00:04:47,080 Speaker 2: how to respond to him, I realized how often I 87 00:04:47,160 --> 00:04:50,760 Speaker 2: hear residents of some state say that non residents are 88 00:04:50,760 --> 00:04:55,120 Speaker 2: taking away their chances, but they have home field advantage 89 00:04:55,200 --> 00:04:58,040 Speaker 2: and should use it. It's not all doom and gloom. 90 00:04:58,839 --> 00:05:01,840 Speaker 2: The reality for all of us who don't own or 91 00:05:01,960 --> 00:05:04,400 Speaker 2: lease land is that it just seems like there's more 92 00:05:04,400 --> 00:05:06,680 Speaker 2: pressure out there pretty much everywhere. 93 00:05:07,560 --> 00:05:09,279 Speaker 3: You know. I don't know if that's true, but at 94 00:05:09,360 --> 00:05:11,520 Speaker 3: least it sure feels that way. Now. 95 00:05:11,520 --> 00:05:13,520 Speaker 2: While I'm going to get into some other things, I 96 00:05:13,520 --> 00:05:17,040 Speaker 2: want to address this first. Pretty much, any hunter who 97 00:05:17,120 --> 00:05:20,080 Speaker 2: has to drive into your state to hunt is at 98 00:05:20,080 --> 00:05:23,440 Speaker 2: a disadvantage compared to you. We should all be thinking 99 00:05:23,480 --> 00:05:28,480 Speaker 2: about how to use that. For example, it's July. Do 100 00:05:28,560 --> 00:05:31,480 Speaker 2: you know what that means. Most of us have one 101 00:05:31,520 --> 00:05:34,760 Speaker 2: hell of an opportunity to do some real scouting right now. 102 00:05:35,360 --> 00:05:37,800 Speaker 2: We can run trail cameras, we can glass, and we 103 00:05:37,839 --> 00:05:39,799 Speaker 2: can get out there and take a good look around. 104 00:05:40,360 --> 00:05:43,239 Speaker 2: If you live, say, twenty minutes from where you hunt, 105 00:05:43,960 --> 00:05:47,800 Speaker 2: you have a huge advantage over someone who lives five 106 00:05:47,880 --> 00:05:51,640 Speaker 2: hours away. Why not use it? You know the pressure 107 00:05:51,720 --> 00:05:53,360 Speaker 2: is going to be there in the fall, so the 108 00:05:53,400 --> 00:05:55,680 Speaker 2: best you can do is use your home field advantage 109 00:05:55,720 --> 00:05:58,520 Speaker 2: to find places where the pressure might not be that bad. 110 00:05:58,960 --> 00:06:00,560 Speaker 3: The best part about this. 111 00:06:00,520 --> 00:06:02,120 Speaker 2: Is that you'll be looking to get away from the 112 00:06:02,160 --> 00:06:05,800 Speaker 2: other hunters, just like the deer. That's a two birds, 113 00:06:05,839 --> 00:06:10,080 Speaker 2: one stone situation, maybe two bucks one arrow. I know 114 00:06:10,200 --> 00:06:13,720 Speaker 2: that sounds like generic throwaway advice, so let's dive into 115 00:06:13,800 --> 00:06:16,680 Speaker 2: something a little deeper. Do you do any long distance 116 00:06:16,680 --> 00:06:21,159 Speaker 2: scouting before trail cameras became so common, this was the 117 00:06:21,320 --> 00:06:24,360 Speaker 2: move in the summer. It's probably my favorite thing to 118 00:06:24,360 --> 00:06:27,960 Speaker 2: do with white tails, besides actually hunting them. The surface 119 00:06:28,080 --> 00:06:31,120 Speaker 2: level approach to long range glassing is to find a 120 00:06:31,160 --> 00:06:34,359 Speaker 2: bachelor group with some hitlisters and call that good enough. 121 00:06:34,960 --> 00:06:37,320 Speaker 2: But it's not. If you have a way to get 122 00:06:37,320 --> 00:06:40,080 Speaker 2: in and watch often, you should. 123 00:06:40,480 --> 00:06:42,120 Speaker 3: It's the easiest way to get. 124 00:06:41,960 --> 00:06:45,440 Speaker 2: On in an early season pattern, and honestly the easiest 125 00:06:45,440 --> 00:06:48,119 Speaker 2: way I've ever found to kill a big one, even 126 00:06:48,160 --> 00:06:50,800 Speaker 2: on public land. Now we all think the rut is 127 00:06:50,839 --> 00:06:53,839 Speaker 2: the best bet, but for pressure ground it's often not. 128 00:06:54,920 --> 00:06:58,080 Speaker 2: When you go out in glass you can see many, 129 00:06:58,120 --> 00:07:01,400 Speaker 2: many things just beyond the obvious stuff like I don't 130 00:07:01,400 --> 00:07:03,600 Speaker 2: know bucks like to feed in the soybeans in July. 131 00:07:04,560 --> 00:07:07,760 Speaker 2: You can see where they feed in the afternoon when 132 00:07:07,760 --> 00:07:10,000 Speaker 2: it's super hot and the sun is shining, they're going 133 00:07:10,080 --> 00:07:11,080 Speaker 2: to stay in the shade. 134 00:07:11,360 --> 00:07:12,560 Speaker 3: It's going to tell you a lot. 135 00:07:12,920 --> 00:07:14,840 Speaker 2: You can see what trails they take to get to 136 00:07:14,920 --> 00:07:18,120 Speaker 2: the food, and when they take them. Often you see 137 00:07:18,160 --> 00:07:20,760 Speaker 2: them crossfields in such a way that just doesn't appear 138 00:07:20,800 --> 00:07:23,240 Speaker 2: to make much sense. But when you watch enough and 139 00:07:23,280 --> 00:07:26,280 Speaker 2: see enough deer do something, it doesn't really matter if 140 00:07:26,280 --> 00:07:29,080 Speaker 2: you know why. It's good enough to know that they 141 00:07:29,160 --> 00:07:33,200 Speaker 2: just often do that something. Maybe you notice that one 142 00:07:33,200 --> 00:07:36,000 Speaker 2: corner often has dozen vonds, but another tends to have 143 00:07:36,040 --> 00:07:39,160 Speaker 2: more bucks. That's pretty good intel that's not going to 144 00:07:39,240 --> 00:07:42,520 Speaker 2: come from a single glassing session. Now, imagine if you 145 00:07:42,600 --> 00:07:45,920 Speaker 2: do some glass and often enough to start learning this 146 00:07:46,000 --> 00:07:47,960 Speaker 2: kind of stuff, and then you throw up a couple 147 00:07:48,000 --> 00:07:50,520 Speaker 2: of trail cameras in the woods on various trails leading 148 00:07:50,520 --> 00:07:53,280 Speaker 2: out to that food source. What are you doing? Then 149 00:07:54,280 --> 00:07:57,200 Speaker 2: you're putting together some real knowledge. Because what if a 150 00:07:57,200 --> 00:07:59,440 Speaker 2: bunch of those loser non residents come in the night 151 00:07:59,440 --> 00:08:01,720 Speaker 2: before the sea and walk those field edges and hang 152 00:08:01,800 --> 00:08:05,760 Speaker 2: some stands. Well, you know what trails the bucks usually 153 00:08:05,760 --> 00:08:07,720 Speaker 2: take to get to the fields and what conditions they 154 00:08:07,760 --> 00:08:12,200 Speaker 2: take them during, so you have a huge advantage. No 155 00:08:12,280 --> 00:08:14,080 Speaker 2: one who is just showing up is going to have 156 00:08:14,120 --> 00:08:17,200 Speaker 2: that piece together as well as you. Even if you 157 00:08:17,400 --> 00:08:19,600 Speaker 2: never had to compete with a single out of state 158 00:08:19,680 --> 00:08:22,480 Speaker 2: or for a spot, that strategy would put you ahead 159 00:08:22,520 --> 00:08:25,240 Speaker 2: of most of your local competition too. And do you 160 00:08:25,280 --> 00:08:29,000 Speaker 2: know why, because most people don't even understand how to 161 00:08:29,040 --> 00:08:31,560 Speaker 2: give themselves a real advantage over the deer and the 162 00:08:31,600 --> 00:08:35,520 Speaker 2: other hunters, and even if they do, they probably won't 163 00:08:35,559 --> 00:08:49,000 Speaker 2: put in the effort. Think about it this way, if 164 00:08:49,000 --> 00:08:52,120 Speaker 2: you're frustrated with how hard hunting on public land has become, 165 00:08:52,320 --> 00:08:55,280 Speaker 2: for example, you might look at it as almost an 166 00:08:55,360 --> 00:08:59,719 Speaker 2: impossible task. A lot of Colorado residents feel that way 167 00:08:59,720 --> 00:09:02,839 Speaker 2: about out their elk situation. In fact, a lot of 168 00:09:02,920 --> 00:09:05,920 Speaker 2: hunters will say that, but it's not true, and the 169 00:09:06,000 --> 00:09:07,760 Speaker 2: proof is in the folks who go out and fill 170 00:09:07,800 --> 00:09:10,920 Speaker 2: their tags in places that other hunters think is impossible. 171 00:09:12,440 --> 00:09:15,920 Speaker 2: Some folks are content to allow themselves to be victims 172 00:09:15,960 --> 00:09:18,960 Speaker 2: of too much pressure, while other folks just show up 173 00:09:18,960 --> 00:09:21,319 Speaker 2: and try to get the job done. There's not much 174 00:09:21,320 --> 00:09:23,960 Speaker 2: more to be said on that front, actually, but let's 175 00:09:23,960 --> 00:09:26,520 Speaker 2: take it a step further. Anyway, If you're dealing with 176 00:09:26,559 --> 00:09:28,840 Speaker 2: a lot of pressure and you just can't connect with 177 00:09:28,880 --> 00:09:31,839 Speaker 2: a deer, take a look at the old calendar. Are 178 00:09:31,840 --> 00:09:34,720 Speaker 2: you hunting only weekends? Are you hunting opening weekend and 179 00:09:34,760 --> 00:09:37,280 Speaker 2: then sporadically through the season, and then pinning your hopes 180 00:09:37,280 --> 00:09:40,319 Speaker 2: on the rut. If so, guess what, you're gonna have 181 00:09:40,360 --> 00:09:42,960 Speaker 2: a lot of company. I know it sucks to see 182 00:09:43,000 --> 00:09:45,520 Speaker 2: a ton of trucks in the parking areas on opening weekend, 183 00:09:45,880 --> 00:09:49,360 Speaker 2: but it doesn't suck seeing almost no trucks on October tenth, 184 00:09:49,760 --> 00:09:52,440 Speaker 2: especially if you're slipping into an oak flat where you 185 00:09:52,480 --> 00:09:55,040 Speaker 2: know there's going to be some hard mask, or maybe 186 00:09:55,040 --> 00:09:57,120 Speaker 2: you're down south somewhere in the per simmons are just 187 00:09:57,160 --> 00:10:00,160 Speaker 2: starting to ripen up. You can set yourself up for 188 00:10:00,200 --> 00:10:02,920 Speaker 2: this stuff, especially if you live close to where you hunt. 189 00:10:03,520 --> 00:10:05,880 Speaker 2: Let me give you another example of how to recognize 190 00:10:05,880 --> 00:10:08,840 Speaker 2: your deer privilege. Last year, when I drove up to 191 00:10:08,840 --> 00:10:11,400 Speaker 2: North Dakota to try to film big prairie buck hitting 192 00:10:11,440 --> 00:10:13,839 Speaker 2: the dirt, I ended up on a section of land 193 00:10:13,960 --> 00:10:17,520 Speaker 2: that was littered with trail cameras. Now, there aren't very 194 00:10:17,520 --> 00:10:19,559 Speaker 2: many trees in that part of the state to begin with, 195 00:10:20,000 --> 00:10:22,360 Speaker 2: but it felt like about half of them had cameras 196 00:10:22,360 --> 00:10:27,000 Speaker 2: on them. It was pretty discouraging, but the deer sign wasn't. 197 00:10:27,840 --> 00:10:31,120 Speaker 2: It was especially not discouraging under a few huge oaks 198 00:10:31,120 --> 00:10:33,880 Speaker 2: that were scattered throughout the property. Now, I'm not the 199 00:10:33,920 --> 00:10:36,320 Speaker 2: smartest pup in the old litter, but I know that 200 00:10:36,360 --> 00:10:38,360 Speaker 2: when I see a ton of fresh sign that I 201 00:10:38,360 --> 00:10:40,880 Speaker 2: should hunt. That's what I did, and it was a 202 00:10:40,920 --> 00:10:43,439 Speaker 2: short hunt that ended up with a short blood trail 203 00:10:43,480 --> 00:10:47,520 Speaker 2: and a long drag through the night. The hunters who 204 00:10:47,640 --> 00:10:51,839 Speaker 2: lived there, without doubt having an advantage over an odda 205 00:10:51,920 --> 00:10:54,760 Speaker 2: stater who drove in with zero intel and walked out 206 00:10:54,800 --> 00:10:58,920 Speaker 2: to figure something out, they thought. And I'm filling in 207 00:10:58,920 --> 00:11:00,600 Speaker 2: the blanks here, but I believe it to be true 208 00:11:01,120 --> 00:11:05,120 Speaker 2: that running cameras was good enough. But it wouldn't clue 209 00:11:05,160 --> 00:11:09,240 Speaker 2: anyone into that mast pattern. Most likely it just wouldn't. 210 00:11:09,400 --> 00:11:13,280 Speaker 2: But some fresh late October snow and an hour walk 211 00:11:13,640 --> 00:11:16,760 Speaker 2: would do. You see where I'm going with this. It's 212 00:11:16,800 --> 00:11:19,080 Speaker 2: easy to pin our failures on someone else, and in 213 00:11:19,120 --> 00:11:23,079 Speaker 2: some cases that's okay, because it's definitely going to be true, 214 00:11:23,240 --> 00:11:25,720 Speaker 2: but it's usually not when we start pointing our fingers 215 00:11:25,720 --> 00:11:28,640 Speaker 2: at some faceless enemy who has sabotaged all of our 216 00:11:28,679 --> 00:11:32,640 Speaker 2: deer hunting effort. Like most things in life, it's just 217 00:11:32,760 --> 00:11:36,080 Speaker 2: pretty much on us. We have agency over ourselves, and 218 00:11:36,080 --> 00:11:36,880 Speaker 2: that's about it. 219 00:11:37,679 --> 00:11:37,839 Speaker 3: Now. 220 00:11:37,880 --> 00:11:39,800 Speaker 2: This is where I'm not going to veer off into 221 00:11:39,880 --> 00:11:41,920 Speaker 2: the kind of lalla land that a lot of hunting 222 00:11:41,960 --> 00:11:45,360 Speaker 2: personalities like to pretend it is real. I could say 223 00:11:45,400 --> 00:11:48,080 Speaker 2: that you have to be a scouting machine. You have 224 00:11:48,120 --> 00:11:50,560 Speaker 2: to risk divorce to be out there every day that 225 00:11:50,600 --> 00:11:52,880 Speaker 2: you can. You have to scout so much that your 226 00:11:52,960 --> 00:11:54,720 Speaker 2: kids look at you a little funny at first when 227 00:11:54,760 --> 00:11:57,400 Speaker 2: you come home, because they rarely ever see you. You 228 00:11:57,400 --> 00:11:59,920 Speaker 2: don't have to go that far, but you have to 229 00:12:00,280 --> 00:12:04,520 Speaker 2: do more than your competition, sometimes quite a bit more 230 00:12:04,679 --> 00:12:08,239 Speaker 2: if you do really haunt a high pressure area. Oftentimes 231 00:12:08,280 --> 00:12:10,800 Speaker 2: though it's not as much work as we'd like to think, 232 00:12:11,320 --> 00:12:13,920 Speaker 2: but it is more work, there's no way around it. 233 00:12:14,040 --> 00:12:16,760 Speaker 2: Kind Of like you can't out exercise a horrible diet, 234 00:12:17,280 --> 00:12:21,160 Speaker 2: you can't out haunt a lazy off season. This isn't 235 00:12:21,200 --> 00:12:24,160 Speaker 2: elk hunting where any moment one could bugle and you 236 00:12:24,200 --> 00:12:27,880 Speaker 2: could be in the game. It's white tails and you know, 237 00:12:27,920 --> 00:12:29,760 Speaker 2: I mean, I guess a buck could show up at 238 00:12:29,760 --> 00:12:32,920 Speaker 2: any time, but they usually just require some effort when 239 00:12:32,960 --> 00:12:35,600 Speaker 2: we'd all rather be fishing for big smallies or playing 240 00:12:35,640 --> 00:12:39,480 Speaker 2: rec league softball or whatever. Now, another way you might 241 00:12:39,520 --> 00:12:43,280 Speaker 2: acknowledge a real advantage is just proximity to your hunting grounds. 242 00:12:43,679 --> 00:12:46,280 Speaker 2: Can you snack a little on scouting here and there, 243 00:12:46,920 --> 00:12:49,280 Speaker 2: maybe an hour after work to walk into a spot 244 00:12:49,360 --> 00:12:51,400 Speaker 2: you think might have some water you can hunt in 245 00:12:51,440 --> 00:12:54,120 Speaker 2: the early season. You don't need to spend dark to 246 00:12:54,200 --> 00:12:56,880 Speaker 2: dark out there. If you don't have to an hour 247 00:12:57,040 --> 00:12:59,600 Speaker 2: here and there adds up, especially if you go in 248 00:12:59,640 --> 00:13:03,000 Speaker 2: with a This is easy to do once you get 249 00:13:03,000 --> 00:13:06,720 Speaker 2: into the groove of it, and it's beneficial. I can't 250 00:13:06,720 --> 00:13:08,679 Speaker 2: tell you how many times I've gone into a spot 251 00:13:08,720 --> 00:13:11,079 Speaker 2: to glass in the summer, or just look at an 252 00:13:11,120 --> 00:13:14,079 Speaker 2: area that I never ever go in where I've found 253 00:13:14,080 --> 00:13:18,240 Speaker 2: something that has led me to some good deer. A 254 00:13:18,280 --> 00:13:20,640 Speaker 2: great way to think about this stuff is to try 255 00:13:20,679 --> 00:13:23,600 Speaker 2: and remember your last few seasons. Do you feel like 256 00:13:23,640 --> 00:13:26,600 Speaker 2: you settled a lot by sitting a couple of your 257 00:13:26,640 --> 00:13:27,760 Speaker 2: go to spots too? 258 00:13:27,840 --> 00:13:29,559 Speaker 3: Much did you try. 259 00:13:29,400 --> 00:13:31,840 Speaker 2: To make a hunt happen where you wanted it to happen, 260 00:13:31,920 --> 00:13:34,400 Speaker 2: despite the deer telling you that that wasn't a good idea, 261 00:13:35,000 --> 00:13:37,440 Speaker 2: or maybe the other hunters telling you that they thought 262 00:13:37,440 --> 00:13:39,320 Speaker 2: it was a great idea because they were all hunting 263 00:13:39,360 --> 00:13:42,240 Speaker 2: there too. You've heard me say this a lot, but 264 00:13:42,240 --> 00:13:44,880 Speaker 2: it's worth repeating, especially at this time of the year. 265 00:13:45,520 --> 00:13:48,200 Speaker 2: If you have options, you're in the game. That's it. 266 00:13:48,640 --> 00:13:51,000 Speaker 2: If you don't have very many options, you'll be out 267 00:13:51,000 --> 00:13:54,080 Speaker 2: of the game. The more you scout, the more you 268 00:13:54,120 --> 00:13:56,400 Speaker 2: go into check areas that you can either add to 269 00:13:56,440 --> 00:13:58,839 Speaker 2: your list or scratch off of it, the less you're 270 00:13:58,840 --> 00:14:02,160 Speaker 2: going to be forced to. I honestly think this is 271 00:14:02,480 --> 00:14:04,600 Speaker 2: one of the reasons that some good hunters will kill 272 00:14:04,640 --> 00:14:07,200 Speaker 2: on land three states away that the locals struggle with. 273 00:14:07,960 --> 00:14:10,360 Speaker 2: When you show up, you don't have any choice but 274 00:14:10,440 --> 00:14:12,480 Speaker 2: to work your butt off to find something to work 275 00:14:12,520 --> 00:14:16,440 Speaker 2: with right now. When you live close by, it's easier 276 00:14:16,440 --> 00:14:18,440 Speaker 2: to think the time you spend hunting will make up 277 00:14:18,480 --> 00:14:21,120 Speaker 2: for the lack of scouting or stand prep, but it 278 00:14:21,200 --> 00:14:23,800 Speaker 2: mostly won't. It's kind of like how a lot of 279 00:14:23,840 --> 00:14:26,240 Speaker 2: folks you know, they think the only way to have 280 00:14:26,320 --> 00:14:29,440 Speaker 2: a truly good bird dog is by taking it to 281 00:14:29,520 --> 00:14:33,600 Speaker 2: a professional trainer. While trainers are a dang good thing 282 00:14:33,680 --> 00:14:36,240 Speaker 2: for getting results out of dogs, they can only do 283 00:14:36,320 --> 00:14:38,920 Speaker 2: so much in eight or twelve weeks. Do you know 284 00:14:38,920 --> 00:14:41,200 Speaker 2: who has a better chance of making your own dog 285 00:14:41,560 --> 00:14:42,800 Speaker 2: a really great dog? 286 00:14:43,480 --> 00:14:44,320 Speaker 3: You? 287 00:14:44,320 --> 00:14:46,800 Speaker 2: You're with that dog every day, every little moment you 288 00:14:46,800 --> 00:14:49,040 Speaker 2: take the train as a win, and no one is 289 00:14:49,080 --> 00:14:51,680 Speaker 2: going to be more in tune or have more opportunities 290 00:14:51,720 --> 00:14:55,600 Speaker 2: to do good by that dog than you. Sure, it's 291 00:14:55,720 --> 00:14:58,680 Speaker 2: nice to offshore that stuff, but it's also not the 292 00:14:58,720 --> 00:15:02,520 Speaker 2: only pas to what you want. And better yet, you 293 00:15:02,520 --> 00:15:04,800 Speaker 2: have the best opportunity out of anyone to get what 294 00:15:04,840 --> 00:15:08,240 Speaker 2: you want out of the situation. Let me try to 295 00:15:08,280 --> 00:15:10,200 Speaker 2: offer up a few more reasons before I wrap a 296 00:15:10,200 --> 00:15:13,760 Speaker 2: boat around this whole thing. Just think about the really 297 00:15:13,800 --> 00:15:18,520 Speaker 2: little stuff, like knowing where every parking area is on 298 00:15:18,560 --> 00:15:21,800 Speaker 2: the land you hunt. You know you can know each 299 00:15:21,840 --> 00:15:24,280 Speaker 2: of those spots well and when you should use one 300 00:15:24,360 --> 00:15:28,280 Speaker 2: versus the other. Think about property boundaries. You can learn 301 00:15:28,320 --> 00:15:30,960 Speaker 2: those in the off season, like get a real feel 302 00:15:31,120 --> 00:15:33,160 Speaker 2: for them. You can get a real feel for what 303 00:15:33,200 --> 00:15:36,640 Speaker 2: the neighboring properties might have on them. If you go 304 00:15:36,720 --> 00:15:39,480 Speaker 2: scout enough, you'll be in tuned to where the cattle 305 00:15:39,520 --> 00:15:42,760 Speaker 2: are being pastured this week, where the corn gets cut 306 00:15:42,800 --> 00:15:44,920 Speaker 2: for silage, when you should be counting on it for 307 00:15:45,000 --> 00:15:47,680 Speaker 2: much later in the season. You can check the river 308 00:15:47,760 --> 00:15:49,840 Speaker 2: after a fresh rain and see how high it gets 309 00:15:50,120 --> 00:15:53,240 Speaker 2: and whether it would still be waitable or not if 310 00:15:53,280 --> 00:15:56,440 Speaker 2: the same amount of rain falls, say in October, you 311 00:15:56,440 --> 00:15:58,720 Speaker 2: know the night before you want to go hunt that property. 312 00:16:00,080 --> 00:16:02,600 Speaker 3: The more you scout now, the more you learn. This 313 00:16:02,720 --> 00:16:03,080 Speaker 3: kind of. 314 00:16:03,040 --> 00:16:05,560 Speaker 2: Stuff that we never really think about when it comes 315 00:16:05,560 --> 00:16:09,240 Speaker 2: to killing big bucks. But the truth is having a 316 00:16:09,280 --> 00:16:12,360 Speaker 2: lot of relevant, up to date information about the ground 317 00:16:12,360 --> 00:16:15,480 Speaker 2: you like to hunt is far more important than buying 318 00:16:15,480 --> 00:16:18,760 Speaker 2: the latest and greatest bottle of deer p Instead of 319 00:16:18,760 --> 00:16:20,760 Speaker 2: getting to the river edge in the dark and realizing 320 00:16:20,800 --> 00:16:22,680 Speaker 2: you might be going for a dangerous swim if you 321 00:16:22,720 --> 00:16:25,000 Speaker 2: step in, so you got to hike out and go 322 00:16:25,080 --> 00:16:27,640 Speaker 2: back to bed, you can use that knowledge to start 323 00:16:27,640 --> 00:16:29,720 Speaker 2: the morning out on one of your spots that doesn't 324 00:16:29,760 --> 00:16:32,880 Speaker 2: require you to cross that river. And hell, you can 325 00:16:32,880 --> 00:16:35,000 Speaker 2: even factor in that the deer might not want to 326 00:16:35,000 --> 00:16:38,280 Speaker 2: cross it either, which could make certain spots better appoint 327 00:16:38,320 --> 00:16:40,320 Speaker 2: you in the right direction for catching a buck in 328 00:16:40,360 --> 00:16:43,160 Speaker 2: the morning, trying to get back to his bedding area. 329 00:16:43,680 --> 00:16:45,520 Speaker 2: All I'm saying is that it's a good idea to 330 00:16:45,600 --> 00:16:48,840 Speaker 2: take stock in your privilege, embrace it, use it to 331 00:16:48,920 --> 00:16:53,120 Speaker 2: your advantage. Start now if you haven't already, and you'll 332 00:16:53,160 --> 00:16:57,280 Speaker 2: be real happy with your decisions, you know, by about September, 333 00:16:57,640 --> 00:17:00,160 Speaker 2: and even happier when you're on stand and hunting like 334 00:17:00,200 --> 00:17:03,200 Speaker 2: you should be. While a lot of your competition either 335 00:17:03,360 --> 00:17:07,320 Speaker 2: isn't hunting or scrambling to put together some kind of plan. 336 00:17:08,240 --> 00:17:11,520 Speaker 2: Think about that. Think about coming back next week because 337 00:17:11,560 --> 00:17:14,160 Speaker 2: I'm going to talk about scouting again, but how scouting 338 00:17:14,160 --> 00:17:16,840 Speaker 2: can be used sort of as a deer hunting dress rehearsal, 339 00:17:17,320 --> 00:17:20,040 Speaker 2: and why it's such an important thing to get into 340 00:17:20,080 --> 00:17:23,359 Speaker 2: the groove of doing because it will make you a 341 00:17:23,680 --> 00:17:26,840 Speaker 2: much more efficient and effective deer hunter. I promise you 342 00:17:26,880 --> 00:17:31,000 Speaker 2: that that's it for this week. I'm Tony Peterson. This 343 00:17:31,040 --> 00:17:33,399 Speaker 2: has been the Wire to Hunt Foundation's podcast, which is 344 00:17:33,440 --> 00:17:36,240 Speaker 2: brought to you by First Light. As always, thank you 345 00:17:36,320 --> 00:17:38,359 Speaker 2: so much for listening and for all your support. I 346 00:17:38,400 --> 00:17:40,280 Speaker 2: can't tell you how much that means to us. Just 347 00:17:40,280 --> 00:17:42,960 Speaker 2: trust me on this. We love it, we appreciate it. 348 00:17:43,040 --> 00:17:46,280 Speaker 2: Thank you. Also, if you're like man, I'm getting the 349 00:17:46,320 --> 00:17:50,040 Speaker 2: itch and it's time to start thinking about some extra 350 00:17:50,160 --> 00:17:53,520 Speaker 2: deer hunting information or just diving real deep into the game, 351 00:17:53,600 --> 00:17:55,480 Speaker 2: you can head over to the meat eater dot com 352 00:17:56,000 --> 00:17:59,119 Speaker 2: and there is going to be a pile of different 353 00:17:59,160 --> 00:18:00,399 Speaker 2: content waiting for you. 354 00:18:01,160 --> 00:18:02,360 Speaker 3: Various podcasts. 355 00:18:02,440 --> 00:18:04,200 Speaker 2: You can check out the Element guys and what they're 356 00:18:04,240 --> 00:18:06,919 Speaker 2: doing for their white Tail prep of the season. You 357 00:18:06,960 --> 00:18:11,199 Speaker 2: can see all kinds of different video series, and of 358 00:18:11,240 --> 00:18:14,280 Speaker 2: course there's articles there, recipes, and a whole lot more. 359 00:18:14,359 --> 00:18:23,040 Speaker 2: Go check it out at the meat eater dot com.