1 00:00:02,880 --> 00:00:06,440 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Wired to Hunt podcast, your home for 2 00:00:06,519 --> 00:00:11,479 Speaker 1: deer hunting news, stories and strategies, and now your host, 3 00:00:11,880 --> 00:00:17,200 Speaker 1: Mark Kenyon. Welcome to the Wired to Hunt podcast. I'm 4 00:00:17,239 --> 00:00:20,279 Speaker 1: your host, Mark Kenyan, and this is episode number twenty three. 5 00:00:20,720 --> 00:00:23,079 Speaker 1: Today the show We're doing something a little bit different. 6 00:00:23,200 --> 00:00:25,640 Speaker 1: Is Dan and I discuss why and how we plan 7 00:00:25,800 --> 00:00:29,160 Speaker 1: our first non white tailed big game hunts out west 8 00:00:29,520 --> 00:00:31,960 Speaker 1: and why you might want to consider a similar adventure. 9 00:00:32,440 --> 00:00:35,000 Speaker 1: This episode is sure to get you dream big, so 10 00:00:35,159 --> 00:00:51,199 Speaker 1: settling and John all right, welcome to the wire to 11 00:00:51,320 --> 00:00:54,600 Speaker 1: Hunt podcast. And with me today on the show is 12 00:00:55,000 --> 00:00:58,960 Speaker 1: just my trusty co host Dan Johnson. Dan, how you doing. 13 00:01:00,280 --> 00:01:02,440 Speaker 1: I'm doing good. But I'm not in front of my 14 00:01:02,520 --> 00:01:05,520 Speaker 1: computer at home. I know it sounds a little different, 15 00:01:05,640 --> 00:01:08,720 Speaker 1: sounds like you are definitely not at work. So that's 16 00:01:08,720 --> 00:01:12,880 Speaker 1: a good thing, right, I am not at work. I 17 00:01:12,959 --> 00:01:17,280 Speaker 1: am sitting on a dirt road right now, in the 18 00:01:17,319 --> 00:01:20,760 Speaker 1: middle of nowhere, just so like I'm close enough to 19 00:01:20,959 --> 00:01:23,319 Speaker 1: the I don't know, I can see I can see 20 00:01:23,319 --> 00:01:26,679 Speaker 1: a cell phone tower in the distance flashing lights, so 21 00:01:28,080 --> 00:01:32,000 Speaker 1: I'm good enough to get reception. But in the least 22 00:01:32,280 --> 00:01:36,400 Speaker 1: populated county in the United States that is awesome. That's 23 00:01:36,400 --> 00:01:39,679 Speaker 1: a pretty pretty cool thing to being. I guess not 24 00:01:39,760 --> 00:01:42,200 Speaker 1: many people have probably ever been somewhere with so few people. 25 00:01:42,200 --> 00:01:47,040 Speaker 1: I bet, um, you know it is isolated. I mean, 26 00:01:47,480 --> 00:01:49,040 Speaker 1: if you want to come, if you want to ever 27 00:01:49,120 --> 00:01:53,000 Speaker 1: be alone, this is the place you come. I guess. So, well, 28 00:01:53,800 --> 00:01:56,040 Speaker 1: that's pretty awesome that you're able to join us for 29 00:01:56,080 --> 00:01:58,480 Speaker 1: the podcast despite the fact that you're out there in 30 00:01:58,520 --> 00:02:01,440 Speaker 1: the middle of nowhere. And it's really cool because what 31 00:02:01,480 --> 00:02:04,280 Speaker 1: we're gonna talk about today is, you know, is exactly 32 00:02:04,320 --> 00:02:07,600 Speaker 1: what you're doing right now. Um, Today, I wanted us 33 00:02:07,600 --> 00:02:12,280 Speaker 1: to talk about white tail hunters going west, or going north, 34 00:02:12,400 --> 00:02:15,520 Speaker 1: or going anywhere except for where they usually go hunting 35 00:02:15,600 --> 00:02:18,960 Speaker 1: white tails. Um, I want to talk about how white 36 00:02:18,960 --> 00:02:21,000 Speaker 1: tail hunters, what it's like for white tail hunter to 37 00:02:21,040 --> 00:02:25,320 Speaker 1: go hunt something different. Maybe it's big game. Maybe you're 38 00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:27,840 Speaker 1: hunting elk out in the Rocky Mountains. Maybe you're doing 39 00:02:27,880 --> 00:02:30,760 Speaker 1: what you're doing, which is hunting mule deer out west. 40 00:02:30,800 --> 00:02:33,160 Speaker 1: Maybe you're going up north chasing moose, whatever it is. 41 00:02:33,480 --> 00:02:35,880 Speaker 1: I kind of want to talk about our own experiences 42 00:02:36,560 --> 00:02:39,280 Speaker 1: about chasing something different than white tails. I know we've 43 00:02:39,320 --> 00:02:42,960 Speaker 1: both been able to try that. Now um, So that's 44 00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:44,640 Speaker 1: kind of what I'm thinking we should kind of focus 45 00:02:44,639 --> 00:02:47,800 Speaker 1: on um tonight, and I want to get things kicked 46 00:02:47,800 --> 00:02:50,400 Speaker 1: off though about hearing how you're doing, because I haven't 47 00:02:50,400 --> 00:02:52,959 Speaker 1: really got any kind of scoop from you yet about 48 00:02:52,960 --> 00:02:55,280 Speaker 1: this hunt. Um. So for the listeners out there, can 49 00:02:55,320 --> 00:02:57,160 Speaker 1: you first fill us in on you know, where the 50 00:02:57,200 --> 00:02:59,560 Speaker 1: heck you are, where this least populated county in the 51 00:02:59,600 --> 00:03:03,440 Speaker 1: country is, and what you're doing out there. I am 52 00:03:03,560 --> 00:03:09,080 Speaker 1: in Arthur County, Nebraska, and let's see, I'm about forty 53 00:03:09,240 --> 00:03:13,920 Speaker 1: or fifty miles I believe from the Colorado border, and 54 00:03:16,600 --> 00:03:20,960 Speaker 1: it is it's grasslands. I mean it's you get to 55 00:03:21,000 --> 00:03:22,880 Speaker 1: the top, you get to the top of the hill 56 00:03:23,440 --> 00:03:28,600 Speaker 1: and all you see is just it just looks like infinity. 57 00:03:28,720 --> 00:03:32,760 Speaker 1: I mean you can see forever, um, just hill after 58 00:03:32,880 --> 00:03:39,480 Speaker 1: hill after hill, mule deer, antelope, white tails. Um, they 59 00:03:39,520 --> 00:03:42,520 Speaker 1: got it all here. I even saw some Merriam turkeys, so, 60 00:03:42,800 --> 00:03:48,600 Speaker 1: which is strange because I think I think it was Miriam's. Yeah, pretty, 61 00:03:48,800 --> 00:03:52,680 Speaker 1: I'm pretty sure it's Miriam's, but there's no trees for 62 00:03:52,760 --> 00:03:55,440 Speaker 1: him to roost in, so I'm just kind of curious 63 00:03:55,480 --> 00:04:00,560 Speaker 1: where they go at night. Anyway, it's, uh, it's gorgeous 64 00:04:00,600 --> 00:04:06,240 Speaker 1: out here. It is. It's it's gorgeous. I bet I 65 00:04:06,240 --> 00:04:10,000 Speaker 1: I've driven through part of somewhere near the area. I think, Um, 66 00:04:10,040 --> 00:04:12,200 Speaker 1: but I just always what I've loved about the West. 67 00:04:12,280 --> 00:04:15,040 Speaker 1: It's just the wide open spaces, you know, and like 68 00:04:15,040 --> 00:04:17,720 Speaker 1: like they called Montana the big Sky Country. Just being 69 00:04:17,720 --> 00:04:21,520 Speaker 1: able to see so far as it's pretty awesome. So 70 00:04:21,520 --> 00:04:26,080 Speaker 1: you're out there, so it's nuts because I feel so 71 00:04:26,279 --> 00:04:31,880 Speaker 1: small out out here. It's it's, I don't know, it's 72 00:04:31,920 --> 00:04:34,160 Speaker 1: just something. It's it's like it was like a rude 73 00:04:34,200 --> 00:04:40,279 Speaker 1: awakening when I woke up. Um that first morning I 74 00:04:40,400 --> 00:04:41,839 Speaker 1: was out here, I stayed, I spend a night in 75 00:04:41,839 --> 00:04:45,000 Speaker 1: a hotel. First morning I came out here and started 76 00:04:45,080 --> 00:04:48,480 Speaker 1: driving around, and as the sun came up, I was like, 77 00:04:49,240 --> 00:04:53,600 Speaker 1: this is a different planet. It's it's it's nuts, just 78 00:04:53,680 --> 00:04:59,320 Speaker 1: goes forever. It's pretty awesome, isn't it. Yeah. Yeah, you 79 00:04:59,360 --> 00:05:02,600 Speaker 1: know there's some then about that that why it open 80 00:05:02,839 --> 00:05:06,960 Speaker 1: and no no people and no buildings and cities and everything. 81 00:05:07,040 --> 00:05:11,440 Speaker 1: Just be able to see out across across the great outdoors. 82 00:05:11,480 --> 00:05:14,800 Speaker 1: That's a pretty cool thing. So yeah, and the thing 83 00:05:14,800 --> 00:05:16,799 Speaker 1: about it, the thing about it is. You know, I'm 84 00:05:16,839 --> 00:05:20,200 Speaker 1: sitting here, I'm trying to, you know, as them out there, 85 00:05:20,240 --> 00:05:23,440 Speaker 1: trying to put what I'm seeing in words, and it's 86 00:05:23,520 --> 00:05:29,040 Speaker 1: very hard to deal because it's just like nature at 87 00:05:29,080 --> 00:05:32,480 Speaker 1: its finest. I don't know, I don't know, it's just 88 00:05:33,160 --> 00:05:37,360 Speaker 1: it's it's it's kind of an emotional thing. I bet. 89 00:05:37,839 --> 00:05:40,400 Speaker 1: I definitely think I can relate to that too as 90 00:05:40,440 --> 00:05:42,720 Speaker 1: some of my trips out west, for sure. But before 91 00:05:42,760 --> 00:05:46,200 Speaker 1: we before we get too much into some of this stuff, 92 00:05:46,200 --> 00:05:47,880 Speaker 1: which I definitely want to talk more about kind of 93 00:05:47,920 --> 00:05:50,360 Speaker 1: the things that have driven me out west and maybe 94 00:05:50,520 --> 00:05:53,120 Speaker 1: what drove you out there too. I'm curious, you know, 95 00:05:54,040 --> 00:05:56,839 Speaker 1: right now, you're, what three or four days in the hunt, 96 00:05:57,400 --> 00:06:01,520 Speaker 1: you're chasing meal there. What's the status report, Dan? What's happening? 97 00:06:02,160 --> 00:06:06,120 Speaker 1: Do you have anything on the ground yet? Man? I 98 00:06:06,240 --> 00:06:10,400 Speaker 1: wish this is not This is not your Midwest hunting 99 00:06:10,640 --> 00:06:16,000 Speaker 1: at all. Um. There's no cover, so they're bedded down 100 00:06:16,040 --> 00:06:20,760 Speaker 1: in the grass, and the grass isn't very high, so 101 00:06:21,960 --> 00:06:26,760 Speaker 1: I mean they're always they see you before, you know. 102 00:06:27,040 --> 00:06:29,880 Speaker 1: The first day I went out and I hopped into 103 00:06:30,480 --> 00:06:35,000 Speaker 1: some some these hills, and so the first thing I 104 00:06:35,000 --> 00:06:41,040 Speaker 1: did was checking my wind and I'm I'm walking up 105 00:06:41,120 --> 00:06:44,640 Speaker 1: busted instantly to two or three rigs over like what 106 00:06:44,680 --> 00:06:47,839 Speaker 1: am I doing wrong? So you know, it's definitely a 107 00:06:47,920 --> 00:06:52,760 Speaker 1: learning process. As I'm getting every day and every stock 108 00:06:52,839 --> 00:06:54,799 Speaker 1: I go on, I'm getting better and then I'm getting 109 00:06:54,839 --> 00:07:00,920 Speaker 1: closer to the game. Um I've had, I've had within 110 00:07:00,960 --> 00:07:06,960 Speaker 1: shooting distance. I've had mule deer does, I've had white 111 00:07:07,000 --> 00:07:11,120 Speaker 1: tailed does and white tailed bucks. Um this more. Actually 112 00:07:11,200 --> 00:07:14,320 Speaker 1: this morning I had a white tailed buck that I 113 00:07:14,400 --> 00:07:17,960 Speaker 1: was stalking and I could just see like part of 114 00:07:17,960 --> 00:07:20,560 Speaker 1: his antlers, so I couldn't really tell how big he was. 115 00:07:21,080 --> 00:07:25,120 Speaker 1: But as I'm as I'm approaching him, Uh, something happened, 116 00:07:25,440 --> 00:07:28,000 Speaker 1: wind swirled or something, and you know, I typically a 117 00:07:28,040 --> 00:07:30,360 Speaker 1: white tail stand up and look at you, you know, 118 00:07:30,400 --> 00:07:35,200 Speaker 1: like an animal stand up, get its bearings. I he 119 00:07:35,320 --> 00:07:38,840 Speaker 1: just took off. So that was the closest at about 120 00:07:38,880 --> 00:07:43,320 Speaker 1: thirty yards have had for a for a buck. I haven't. 121 00:07:43,360 --> 00:07:47,120 Speaker 1: I haven't even seen a mule beer buck yet, but 122 00:07:47,240 --> 00:07:50,280 Speaker 1: I like tonight I just got off of a sword 123 00:07:50,320 --> 00:07:54,000 Speaker 1: in field and I was surrounded. I think I counted 124 00:07:54,040 --> 00:07:59,440 Speaker 1: sixteen mule beer does in their fonts. So an antelope man, 125 00:07:59,680 --> 00:08:03,280 Speaker 1: they are a different route. I mean, they are so 126 00:08:03,360 --> 00:08:09,040 Speaker 1: spooky that I'm probably five yards away through a spotting 127 00:08:09,080 --> 00:08:11,960 Speaker 1: scope just watching them, and I've been watching them for 128 00:08:11,960 --> 00:08:13,840 Speaker 1: about an hour, and then all of a sudden, they 129 00:08:13,880 --> 00:08:17,040 Speaker 1: just take off, and I know it's not me. They're 130 00:08:17,040 --> 00:08:18,760 Speaker 1: looking in the one direction and they just take off. 131 00:08:19,360 --> 00:08:23,960 Speaker 1: So that antelope is going to be a struggle, I think. 132 00:08:25,440 --> 00:08:27,520 Speaker 1: So is your Well, how many more days do you 133 00:08:27,600 --> 00:08:36,320 Speaker 1: have left in let's see today's Tuesday. I got Wednesday, Thursday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, 134 00:08:36,480 --> 00:08:40,000 Speaker 1: and I'm probably gonna leave Saturday. So three more days, 135 00:08:40,760 --> 00:08:43,520 Speaker 1: so what do you do? Or four more days? Yeah? 136 00:08:43,880 --> 00:08:46,000 Speaker 1: What are you targeting at this point? Are you still 137 00:08:46,120 --> 00:08:48,480 Speaker 1: shooting for a amuli buck or are you going to 138 00:08:48,559 --> 00:08:50,160 Speaker 1: take a white tail if you get a shot, a 139 00:08:50,160 --> 00:08:53,120 Speaker 1: shot or an antelope? Or what's your goal at this point? 140 00:08:54,440 --> 00:08:58,280 Speaker 1: My goal has changed from the very first two days. 141 00:08:59,200 --> 00:09:02,040 Speaker 1: It was I'm gonna go out there, I'm gonna glass 142 00:09:02,080 --> 00:09:06,560 Speaker 1: my lass. I'm gonna try to find a you know, 143 00:09:06,920 --> 00:09:12,040 Speaker 1: not not a giant deer, but a buck. I want 144 00:09:12,400 --> 00:09:15,400 Speaker 1: a mule deer buck or a white tail buck, and 145 00:09:15,480 --> 00:09:18,040 Speaker 1: you know, spotting and stocking it would be awesome. I'd 146 00:09:18,040 --> 00:09:22,800 Speaker 1: like to have a buck animal because I bought both tangs. Okay, 147 00:09:23,320 --> 00:09:29,680 Speaker 1: but as I'm realizing this is not easy, I will 148 00:09:29,800 --> 00:09:36,840 Speaker 1: definitely be lowering my standards. Like I passed, I passed 149 00:09:38,040 --> 00:09:41,000 Speaker 1: a couple of mule deer goes at about thirty yards. 150 00:09:41,679 --> 00:09:43,800 Speaker 1: You know, I was coming up over these these uh, 151 00:09:44,760 --> 00:09:48,960 Speaker 1: these little hills, and they're bedded on the um. They're 152 00:09:49,000 --> 00:09:51,120 Speaker 1: bedded on the back side of these hills with the 153 00:09:51,160 --> 00:09:53,480 Speaker 1: wind in their favor, and so you've got to come 154 00:09:53,520 --> 00:09:58,760 Speaker 1: up from the opposite direction and and I don't know, 155 00:09:58,800 --> 00:10:02,280 Speaker 1: it's just I passed a couple of days hoping that 156 00:10:02,360 --> 00:10:05,040 Speaker 1: there's be some some bucks in there. There hasn't been 157 00:10:05,080 --> 00:10:09,280 Speaker 1: a buck yet. So my goal right now, I think 158 00:10:09,320 --> 00:10:14,600 Speaker 1: tomorrow tomorrow will be kind of if it's brown, it's 159 00:10:14,640 --> 00:10:18,920 Speaker 1: down type of thing um, which I've just been thinking. 160 00:10:18,960 --> 00:10:24,080 Speaker 1: It's like, okay, so practice management on on all the 161 00:10:24,120 --> 00:10:27,160 Speaker 1: properties I can hunt in Iowa. So I'm kind of 162 00:10:28,040 --> 00:10:31,400 Speaker 1: have an internal struggle of whether I should practice manage 163 00:10:31,440 --> 00:10:34,720 Speaker 1: me here too. You know what I mean. If I 164 00:10:34,720 --> 00:10:39,080 Speaker 1: shoot a small buck or um something that's not mature 165 00:10:39,440 --> 00:10:42,959 Speaker 1: as opposed to you know, a go, you know, that's fine, 166 00:10:43,160 --> 00:10:45,040 Speaker 1: I'll seet to go in a heartbeat, but you know, 167 00:10:45,080 --> 00:10:49,400 Speaker 1: like an immature an immature buck. I don't know. Yeah, 168 00:10:49,440 --> 00:10:51,480 Speaker 1: it's kind of tough. Called I've struggled kind of the 169 00:10:51,480 --> 00:10:54,559 Speaker 1: same thing too for um. You know, my hunt's going 170 00:10:54,559 --> 00:10:58,240 Speaker 1: out west for elk um. To a degree, it feels weird, 171 00:10:58,400 --> 00:11:01,440 Speaker 1: you know, thinking about shooting a really young deer or 172 00:11:01,520 --> 00:11:04,080 Speaker 1: elk um, given a fact to where we're at as 173 00:11:04,480 --> 00:11:08,199 Speaker 1: deer hunters. But at least where I've gotten, what I've 174 00:11:08,280 --> 00:11:10,360 Speaker 1: kind of set my mind to is the fact that 175 00:11:10,840 --> 00:11:12,800 Speaker 1: when you're starting on a new species, at least in 176 00:11:12,840 --> 00:11:15,600 Speaker 1: my mind, you're kind of starting back at square one, 177 00:11:15,960 --> 00:11:18,800 Speaker 1: and before you can kill a big, mature bull elk, 178 00:11:18,840 --> 00:11:20,560 Speaker 1: I feel like I need to prove to myself and 179 00:11:20,600 --> 00:11:25,880 Speaker 1: experience myself what it's like to kill any elk um. 180 00:11:26,000 --> 00:11:27,880 Speaker 1: So you know, last year I had my first elk 181 00:11:27,920 --> 00:11:30,040 Speaker 1: hunting trip, and my plan was to hold out for 182 00:11:30,080 --> 00:11:32,079 Speaker 1: a bull. I originally thought I was gonna try to 183 00:11:32,120 --> 00:11:34,559 Speaker 1: hold out for a brand Chandler bull um, but pretty 184 00:11:34,640 --> 00:11:37,520 Speaker 1: quickly after half that trip had passed by, I realized, Wow, 185 00:11:38,320 --> 00:11:41,200 Speaker 1: this isn't as easy as I was hoping it might be. Um, 186 00:11:41,280 --> 00:11:43,400 Speaker 1: you know, if I want to kill anything I might 187 00:11:43,440 --> 00:11:46,320 Speaker 1: need to change those standards. So going into it this year, UM, 188 00:11:46,360 --> 00:11:49,080 Speaker 1: I'm gonna be much less selective, at least until I 189 00:11:49,080 --> 00:11:51,160 Speaker 1: get that first experience out of the way and then 190 00:11:51,320 --> 00:11:54,400 Speaker 1: you know, take another step up the ladder. Um. But 191 00:11:54,480 --> 00:11:56,439 Speaker 1: I think there's something to be gained just by having 192 00:11:56,440 --> 00:12:00,000 Speaker 1: that first experience, regardless of it's a big bowl or 193 00:12:00,480 --> 00:12:04,960 Speaker 1: kyle or a dough meal deer or whatever. Um, I 194 00:12:04,960 --> 00:12:07,040 Speaker 1: can't imagine it'll be pretty awesome even if you do 195 00:12:07,160 --> 00:12:09,959 Speaker 1: kill a dough um or a small buck or something 196 00:12:09,960 --> 00:12:12,079 Speaker 1: out there, being able to spot and stock on one 197 00:12:12,120 --> 00:12:13,880 Speaker 1: like that out in the out in the sand hills 198 00:12:13,920 --> 00:12:16,280 Speaker 1: like that, that will be a pretty memorable experience. Regardless 199 00:12:16,280 --> 00:12:19,840 Speaker 1: of how big that deer is, I would think, oh yeah, 200 00:12:19,880 --> 00:12:25,000 Speaker 1: and this is already a memorable experience. I mean, I mean, 201 00:12:25,040 --> 00:12:28,280 Speaker 1: I'm sitting here over Hayfield last night and I got, 202 00:12:29,160 --> 00:12:34,720 Speaker 1: you know, about oh seven or eight antelope in one direction. 203 00:12:35,120 --> 00:12:39,600 Speaker 1: I got, uh, Um, I bumped a couple. I actually 204 00:12:40,040 --> 00:12:45,360 Speaker 1: last night was I had about a one forty now 205 00:12:45,440 --> 00:12:49,280 Speaker 1: maybe a one thirty eight pointer, uh, and then about 206 00:12:49,280 --> 00:12:53,679 Speaker 1: a one one fifty five maybe one sixty class ten 207 00:12:53,920 --> 00:12:59,000 Speaker 1: white tail. So I bumped I bumped them going into spot, 208 00:12:59,720 --> 00:13:03,800 Speaker 1: and um, I was glass in this this hill, and 209 00:13:03,960 --> 00:13:06,880 Speaker 1: I you know, I was glassing and glass and glass, 210 00:13:06,880 --> 00:13:09,040 Speaker 1: and then you know, you take one or two steps 211 00:13:09,040 --> 00:13:11,000 Speaker 1: and you glass some more one or two steps until 212 00:13:11,320 --> 00:13:14,559 Speaker 1: you glass the whole field. Well, I don't know. I 213 00:13:14,640 --> 00:13:17,640 Speaker 1: must have got lazy or thought that the hill I 214 00:13:17,679 --> 00:13:20,720 Speaker 1: had seen the bottom. I take two more steps and 215 00:13:20,760 --> 00:13:24,719 Speaker 1: they blow out of there. So I don't know. This 216 00:13:24,840 --> 00:13:29,000 Speaker 1: is the patience game, man. You just gotta sit. Like 217 00:13:29,120 --> 00:13:31,599 Speaker 1: the first night, I just or the first day, and 218 00:13:31,679 --> 00:13:33,880 Speaker 1: then in the next morning, I just went walking. I 219 00:13:33,960 --> 00:13:36,640 Speaker 1: just would walk and then I'd spot. You have to 220 00:13:36,720 --> 00:13:40,960 Speaker 1: sit down and let thing the area calm down, and 221 00:13:41,080 --> 00:13:43,600 Speaker 1: it's you'd be surprised at what works its way back 222 00:13:43,640 --> 00:13:48,160 Speaker 1: into the area without you even knowing it. Yes, sounds 223 00:13:48,400 --> 00:13:50,400 Speaker 1: I don't know. Kind of went off on a rant there. 224 00:13:50,440 --> 00:13:53,520 Speaker 1: I don't remember what's here is? So question was I 225 00:13:53,520 --> 00:13:55,720 Speaker 1: had asked you what your favorite color was, and somehow 226 00:13:55,760 --> 00:13:58,520 Speaker 1: we ended up on talking about sitting down and letting 227 00:13:58,559 --> 00:14:00,800 Speaker 1: things come to you. So your thing that went on 228 00:14:00,840 --> 00:14:04,959 Speaker 1: the bench, it's a baby. It's it's baby blue baby. 229 00:14:04,960 --> 00:14:07,240 Speaker 1: Who is my favorite card? That sounds just perfect for 230 00:14:07,320 --> 00:14:12,240 Speaker 1: your eyes. So let's let's take a step back. Um. 231 00:14:12,440 --> 00:14:14,920 Speaker 1: I want to talk about, you know, what you've learned, 232 00:14:15,440 --> 00:14:18,160 Speaker 1: you know, on this trip, and you know how hunting 233 00:14:18,200 --> 00:14:19,960 Speaker 1: mule there is different than hunting white tails, and I 234 00:14:19,960 --> 00:14:22,160 Speaker 1: want to share some things about how what I've learned 235 00:14:22,160 --> 00:14:25,240 Speaker 1: from ultrap um. But before that, let's start at the 236 00:14:25,280 --> 00:14:27,720 Speaker 1: beginning for both of us. And that's you know what 237 00:14:28,160 --> 00:14:30,920 Speaker 1: I'm curious to know, what made you want to try 238 00:14:31,000 --> 00:14:33,760 Speaker 1: hunting something different than white tails? What made you want 239 00:14:33,760 --> 00:14:36,800 Speaker 1: to go west and chase something like this? Um, let's 240 00:14:36,840 --> 00:14:38,360 Speaker 1: hear from you, and then I'll kind of share my 241 00:14:38,400 --> 00:14:43,080 Speaker 1: perspective with elk. Well, a lot of it had. I mean, 242 00:14:43,120 --> 00:14:45,600 Speaker 1: there's a couple there's a couple of things that made 243 00:14:45,600 --> 00:14:50,200 Speaker 1: me want to head out one um with my daughter 244 00:14:50,360 --> 00:14:54,600 Speaker 1: at her age and my wife is now pregnant again. Uh, 245 00:14:54,640 --> 00:14:56,520 Speaker 1: it's more of a time thing, you know, as my 246 00:14:56,600 --> 00:15:01,080 Speaker 1: kids start to grow up and as they you know, 247 00:15:01,160 --> 00:15:04,040 Speaker 1: start their school and activities, it's gonna be harder for 248 00:15:04,080 --> 00:15:09,480 Speaker 1: me to get away. Um. The other thing is my 249 00:15:09,600 --> 00:15:13,080 Speaker 1: body just can't you know in ten years, you know, 250 00:15:13,640 --> 00:15:18,200 Speaker 1: ten fifteen years, I'm gonna be you know, in my 251 00:15:18,360 --> 00:15:22,400 Speaker 1: late forties and uh, probably still. You know, I know 252 00:15:22,480 --> 00:15:24,800 Speaker 1: guys should go out and do it, but you know, 253 00:15:24,960 --> 00:15:27,320 Speaker 1: I got terrible means the way it is. So it's 254 00:15:27,360 --> 00:15:33,920 Speaker 1: just like body an age right now. It just seems 255 00:15:34,280 --> 00:15:36,200 Speaker 1: you know the best time to do, you know, get 256 00:15:36,200 --> 00:15:39,040 Speaker 1: some of these things done, you know, and and you know, 257 00:15:39,080 --> 00:15:41,360 Speaker 1: as the family goes, not saying that there's not going 258 00:15:41,400 --> 00:15:44,320 Speaker 1: to be time after they're old enough where I can 259 00:15:44,400 --> 00:15:46,360 Speaker 1: leave the house. You know, they can use the toilets 260 00:15:46,360 --> 00:15:52,920 Speaker 1: by themselves and feed themselves. But but yeah, you know, 261 00:15:52,960 --> 00:15:56,040 Speaker 1: there's there's something inside me that was kind of like 262 00:15:58,000 --> 00:16:01,800 Speaker 1: come West, Come West, Come like feel the dreams. You know, 263 00:16:02,160 --> 00:16:04,640 Speaker 1: it's like if you if you make it, they will come. 264 00:16:04,960 --> 00:16:08,400 Speaker 1: While it was like if you save your money and 265 00:16:08,520 --> 00:16:11,720 Speaker 1: you can go hunt animals out west. I don't know. 266 00:16:12,120 --> 00:16:14,880 Speaker 1: It just it was a little voice in my head. 267 00:16:15,000 --> 00:16:17,800 Speaker 1: I was telling me, you know, you know, do it, 268 00:16:17,960 --> 00:16:21,440 Speaker 1: and do it now. I don't know. And so so 269 00:16:21,480 --> 00:16:25,000 Speaker 1: I did. Have you always wanted to do something like this? 270 00:16:25,040 --> 00:16:29,560 Speaker 1: There's a new found interest. Well you know members that 271 00:16:29,640 --> 00:16:34,520 Speaker 1: podcast we have with Bernie I think his name was Yeah, 272 00:16:34,720 --> 00:16:39,000 Speaker 1: we uh um. It started right then and there about 273 00:16:39,000 --> 00:16:43,120 Speaker 1: the d I Y trips, and it just was like 274 00:16:44,280 --> 00:16:47,200 Speaker 1: thoughts started rolling. What could I do? What could I 275 00:16:47,240 --> 00:16:50,920 Speaker 1: do under a certain budget and the time constraints that 276 00:16:50,960 --> 00:16:53,360 Speaker 1: I had. I had four extra days of vacation that 277 00:16:53,360 --> 00:16:58,000 Speaker 1: I could play around with this year. So um, yeah, 278 00:16:58,120 --> 00:17:03,160 Speaker 1: there is Uh it's kind of hard to describe. I 279 00:17:03,280 --> 00:17:06,119 Speaker 1: just I just did it. I just kind of I 280 00:17:06,160 --> 00:17:08,919 Speaker 1: asked my wife and she said, yeah, cool, we'll go 281 00:17:09,040 --> 00:17:12,520 Speaker 1: for it. And uh, I'm in the middle of nowhere 282 00:17:12,520 --> 00:17:16,520 Speaker 1: talking to you. Yeah. I think I could have related 283 00:17:16,520 --> 00:17:19,760 Speaker 1: to the last stuff you said there too. Um. I 284 00:17:19,760 --> 00:17:22,040 Speaker 1: think I maybe not always, but for a long time 285 00:17:22,160 --> 00:17:25,360 Speaker 1: knew I wanted to go hunt big game in the mountains. 286 00:17:25,600 --> 00:17:28,600 Speaker 1: For me, it was always the mountains though, um just 287 00:17:28,640 --> 00:17:30,639 Speaker 1: in general, I just love the mountains. I mean, my 288 00:17:30,680 --> 00:17:37,600 Speaker 1: biggest hobby and passion other than hunting is camping, hiking, backpacking, 289 00:17:37,720 --> 00:17:40,560 Speaker 1: doing anything out in the mountains. Um, So I always 290 00:17:40,600 --> 00:17:42,440 Speaker 1: knew I wanted to get out there with a gun 291 00:17:42,600 --> 00:17:44,800 Speaker 1: or bow and hunt some of these animals. That was 292 00:17:44,800 --> 00:17:48,439 Speaker 1: always something that I thought would be incredible, combining you know, 293 00:17:48,520 --> 00:17:51,520 Speaker 1: my um my love for the hunt with something I 294 00:17:51,640 --> 00:17:54,720 Speaker 1: like so much, like backpacking and stuff, and so always 295 00:17:54,760 --> 00:17:56,600 Speaker 1: it was always something that I was like someday. I 296 00:17:56,680 --> 00:17:58,400 Speaker 1: was like, someday I'll go do it. Some day I'll 297 00:17:58,400 --> 00:18:02,440 Speaker 1: do it. And for me, the trigger, for whatever reason, 298 00:18:02,560 --> 00:18:04,399 Speaker 1: I knew forever I wanted to do it. But I 299 00:18:04,440 --> 00:18:07,480 Speaker 1: was reading this book called The Scavengers Guide to Hawk 300 00:18:07,560 --> 00:18:11,560 Speaker 1: Cuisine by Stephen Ronnella. It's a really really good book, 301 00:18:11,960 --> 00:18:16,919 Speaker 1: and um, Stephen Ronella was writing or talking about this 302 00:18:17,040 --> 00:18:19,880 Speaker 1: elk hunt he was on and for whatever reason, while 303 00:18:19,920 --> 00:18:22,360 Speaker 1: reading that story, and I read hundreds of other elk 304 00:18:22,400 --> 00:18:25,080 Speaker 1: hunting stories and watch el khunning on TV shows and 305 00:18:25,119 --> 00:18:28,439 Speaker 1: everything like that. But for whatever reason, we'reile reading that 306 00:18:28,520 --> 00:18:31,399 Speaker 1: book and listening to or hearing that reading that story, 307 00:18:31,880 --> 00:18:33,919 Speaker 1: it just the flip switch. And I was like, you 308 00:18:33,920 --> 00:18:36,320 Speaker 1: know what, screw it, I'm just gonna do it. Like 309 00:18:36,359 --> 00:18:39,000 Speaker 1: I keep saying, someday, why not? Why not do it now? 310 00:18:39,160 --> 00:18:42,919 Speaker 1: Why not this year? And I literally texted my buddy 311 00:18:43,280 --> 00:18:45,119 Speaker 1: right then. I put the book down and texted a 312 00:18:45,119 --> 00:18:47,760 Speaker 1: friend of mine who had gone elkhunting a number of times, 313 00:18:47,920 --> 00:18:49,280 Speaker 1: and he had always told me, he's like, yeah, you 314 00:18:49,359 --> 00:18:52,320 Speaker 1: gotta get out there, you gotta experience it. Um, but 315 00:18:52,359 --> 00:18:55,040 Speaker 1: I always said, ah, someday. While I texted him right there, 316 00:18:55,040 --> 00:18:56,880 Speaker 1: I was like, we're going to Elkhunting this year, and 317 00:18:56,920 --> 00:18:58,800 Speaker 1: he texted back and he's like, all right, we're doing it, 318 00:18:59,160 --> 00:19:02,679 Speaker 1: and and so we did. But um, but yeah, it 319 00:19:02,680 --> 00:19:04,679 Speaker 1: was always like you said, there's a little something calling 320 00:19:04,680 --> 00:19:06,879 Speaker 1: in the back of my head that's just been saying, 321 00:19:06,880 --> 00:19:10,600 Speaker 1: you know, you gotta go out there, you gotta try it. Um. 322 00:19:10,640 --> 00:19:14,200 Speaker 1: And I knew, given my experiences out there doing other things, 323 00:19:14,240 --> 00:19:16,480 Speaker 1: that I would love it if for no other reason, 324 00:19:16,760 --> 00:19:18,880 Speaker 1: no other reason, just for the country, just for being 325 00:19:18,920 --> 00:19:24,280 Speaker 1: out there in the um just a huge, vast wilderness. Um. 326 00:19:24,280 --> 00:19:26,800 Speaker 1: So that was alluring in itself. But I just couldn't 327 00:19:26,840 --> 00:19:30,760 Speaker 1: imagine how awesome it could be to combine that with 328 00:19:31,200 --> 00:19:34,440 Speaker 1: with chasing an animal. And now that I've done it, 329 00:19:34,520 --> 00:19:37,240 Speaker 1: I can say that it's just as good and maybe 330 00:19:37,280 --> 00:19:41,119 Speaker 1: even better than I was expecting. Um, what do you are? You? 331 00:19:41,600 --> 00:19:43,840 Speaker 1: Has it lived up to your expectations so far? Your 332 00:19:43,920 --> 00:19:47,439 Speaker 1: hunt and what you were dreaming about thinking about? You know, 333 00:19:50,200 --> 00:19:53,440 Speaker 1: just like an everything in life, you know, you watch 334 00:19:53,560 --> 00:19:57,119 Speaker 1: you watch a TV show, or you read an book, 335 00:19:57,600 --> 00:20:00,720 Speaker 1: or you you know, listen to someone talk about it, 336 00:20:01,480 --> 00:20:05,919 Speaker 1: you kind of have this idea of what it's like 337 00:20:06,080 --> 00:20:09,119 Speaker 1: to go come out here. Or in the mountains or 338 00:20:09,400 --> 00:20:12,280 Speaker 1: in the plains like where I'm at. But then you 339 00:20:12,400 --> 00:20:17,240 Speaker 1: don't really get to know what it's all about until 340 00:20:17,320 --> 00:20:20,119 Speaker 1: you actually live it. And I'll have to I'll be 341 00:20:20,160 --> 00:20:23,879 Speaker 1: honest with you. My my expectations, I'm not going to 342 00:20:24,000 --> 00:20:27,359 Speaker 1: say that they were they they're not living up to 343 00:20:27,440 --> 00:20:30,520 Speaker 1: my expectations. It's just different than what I thought it 344 00:20:30,600 --> 00:20:35,879 Speaker 1: was going to be. You know, um it is. It's tough, 345 00:20:36,280 --> 00:20:40,879 Speaker 1: and you gotta work every you know, every step in 346 00:20:41,040 --> 00:20:45,320 Speaker 1: every move you make is you have to. There's no 347 00:20:45,560 --> 00:20:47,400 Speaker 1: there's you know, like when you're sitting in the tree 348 00:20:47,440 --> 00:20:51,040 Speaker 1: stand white tail hunting, you can kind of known out 349 00:20:51,080 --> 00:20:55,640 Speaker 1: for a little bit here. You can't do that. I mean, 350 00:20:55,680 --> 00:21:00,119 Speaker 1: you make one you make one false move and that 351 00:21:00,440 --> 00:21:02,359 Speaker 1: you know, just like with those the bucks that I 352 00:21:02,400 --> 00:21:08,000 Speaker 1: saw yesterday, you see you know, you you shut down. 353 00:21:08,119 --> 00:21:12,280 Speaker 1: You'se known out for one step that one step costs 354 00:21:12,480 --> 00:21:16,160 Speaker 1: cost you. So you've got to be on point the 355 00:21:16,359 --> 00:21:22,119 Speaker 1: entire time. It's crazy because I've started to think, like 356 00:21:24,680 --> 00:21:26,960 Speaker 1: you know today, it really kind of sunk in. I'm 357 00:21:27,000 --> 00:21:31,800 Speaker 1: like I have to. I'm not paying attention just in 358 00:21:31,840 --> 00:21:34,960 Speaker 1: front of me now, I'm paying attention to behind me 359 00:21:35,040 --> 00:21:38,440 Speaker 1: at the same time, because you get skyline, you're done. 360 00:21:38,800 --> 00:21:41,560 Speaker 1: You know, you get you know, you you pop out. 361 00:21:42,440 --> 00:21:44,040 Speaker 1: You know, you may think you have the wind, but 362 00:21:44,080 --> 00:21:48,760 Speaker 1: the terrain changes with every every fifty yards. You you 363 00:21:48,840 --> 00:21:52,800 Speaker 1: think you have, you know, the advantage, you turn around 364 00:21:53,040 --> 00:21:55,879 Speaker 1: and there's a whole another ridge that you didn't even 365 00:21:55,920 --> 00:21:58,240 Speaker 1: see because the ridge you're coming off of block it. 366 00:21:58,920 --> 00:22:03,080 Speaker 1: So it's like you gotta go slow and you got 367 00:22:03,080 --> 00:22:07,040 Speaker 1: to just be aware of absolutely everything and actually think 368 00:22:07,320 --> 00:22:10,120 Speaker 1: like a predator, you know, you think like a coyote 369 00:22:10,240 --> 00:22:13,400 Speaker 1: or a mountain lion. What would they do to tact 370 00:22:13,440 --> 00:22:17,479 Speaker 1: this animal. Yeah, it's it's like you said, it's so 371 00:22:17,600 --> 00:22:21,680 Speaker 1: different doing this kind of spot and stock type hunt. Um. 372 00:22:21,720 --> 00:22:24,280 Speaker 1: Even you know when I was out there chasing elk, 373 00:22:24,359 --> 00:22:28,960 Speaker 1: it's it's a much more active hunt and engaged in that. 374 00:22:29,080 --> 00:22:30,640 Speaker 1: Like you said, I mean, like with with deer hunting 375 00:22:30,680 --> 00:22:32,560 Speaker 1: in a lot of cases, white tail hunting. You know, 376 00:22:33,000 --> 00:22:36,080 Speaker 1: a lot of our actual action is being done in 377 00:22:36,080 --> 00:22:38,520 Speaker 1: the preseason, right when we're going out there and scouting 378 00:22:38,680 --> 00:22:41,239 Speaker 1: something and deciding okay, this is the spot, and then 379 00:22:41,280 --> 00:22:44,399 Speaker 1: trim and lanes, hanging to stand, doing all that stuff. Um, 380 00:22:44,440 --> 00:22:46,720 Speaker 1: But then the actual hunt itself is really get to 381 00:22:46,800 --> 00:22:48,680 Speaker 1: the place where you did the work four months ago 382 00:22:49,040 --> 00:22:53,080 Speaker 1: and sit there a long time until the animal comes by. Um. Yeah, 383 00:22:53,440 --> 00:22:55,280 Speaker 1: but you know, in this kind of situation that you're in, 384 00:22:55,400 --> 00:22:56,600 Speaker 1: or that I'm going to be in in a couple 385 00:22:56,600 --> 00:22:59,880 Speaker 1: of days, it's uh, you know, every like you said, 386 00:23:00,000 --> 00:23:01,920 Speaker 1: re step you take is work. Every step you take 387 00:23:01,960 --> 00:23:04,639 Speaker 1: could make or break your hunt. Um. You constantly have 388 00:23:04,720 --> 00:23:07,119 Speaker 1: to be engaged. You constantly have to be on point, 389 00:23:07,560 --> 00:23:09,720 Speaker 1: constantly have to be ready in thinking about what to 390 00:23:09,760 --> 00:23:12,760 Speaker 1: do next. Um. And as much of a challenge as 391 00:23:12,800 --> 00:23:18,720 Speaker 1: that is, I found it was a huge um attractiveness 392 00:23:18,760 --> 00:23:20,800 Speaker 1: to that, Like it's just so so much fun. It's 393 00:23:20,840 --> 00:23:23,480 Speaker 1: so I don't know, I can't think of a better order. 394 00:23:23,520 --> 00:23:26,080 Speaker 1: Just engaging. It's got your whole brain and body and 395 00:23:26,520 --> 00:23:29,320 Speaker 1: every bit of you. Like you said, you have to 396 00:23:29,400 --> 00:23:32,239 Speaker 1: think like a predator, and you feel more like a 397 00:23:32,240 --> 00:23:35,720 Speaker 1: predator almost. Um, it's very prime, at least for me, 398 00:23:35,760 --> 00:23:38,440 Speaker 1: when you're stepping through the woods or you know, through 399 00:23:38,440 --> 00:23:41,840 Speaker 1: the grasslands or whatever it might be. Every sense is engaged. 400 00:23:41,960 --> 00:23:46,040 Speaker 1: Every I feel like the human body is working. It's 401 00:23:46,160 --> 00:23:48,320 Speaker 1: optimal as we're supposed to be. When you're in a 402 00:23:48,400 --> 00:23:52,920 Speaker 1: situation like that, well, and I couldn't agree with anymore 403 00:23:53,320 --> 00:23:58,600 Speaker 1: because just imagine, you know, the way humans live their 404 00:23:58,640 --> 00:24:02,840 Speaker 1: lives today. It's kind of wake up, you go to work, 405 00:24:03,280 --> 00:24:05,160 Speaker 1: you know, type on the computer for a little bit, 406 00:24:05,320 --> 00:24:07,959 Speaker 1: or if you're a factory looker, you screw your bolts 407 00:24:08,000 --> 00:24:11,600 Speaker 1: in or whatever. Your brain isn't functioning like it's supposed to. 408 00:24:11,880 --> 00:24:16,760 Speaker 1: You know, we only use however many here out here 409 00:24:16,880 --> 00:24:20,120 Speaker 1: or you know, especially when you're going you know, you're 410 00:24:20,119 --> 00:24:22,119 Speaker 1: going up in the mountains, if you make a false 411 00:24:22,240 --> 00:24:25,240 Speaker 1: if you make one false move, not only is the 412 00:24:25,320 --> 00:24:27,120 Speaker 1: animal going to see you, but you could hurt yourself 413 00:24:27,320 --> 00:24:29,920 Speaker 1: falling down the side of a cliff or something. Here. 414 00:24:30,040 --> 00:24:32,800 Speaker 1: You know, I could, you know, roll my ankle and 415 00:24:32,800 --> 00:24:36,359 Speaker 1: it can have you know, a cat cattle rut. But 416 00:24:37,280 --> 00:24:39,760 Speaker 1: you know I'm not I'm not going to fall you know, 417 00:24:40,160 --> 00:24:45,040 Speaker 1: a hundred defeats if I make it wrong without here, Yes, 418 00:24:45,119 --> 00:24:48,720 Speaker 1: definitely just different all the way around from that perspective 419 00:24:48,760 --> 00:24:51,240 Speaker 1: to there's a lot of things that are writing on 420 00:24:51,400 --> 00:24:54,600 Speaker 1: the decisions you make and how prepared you are for 421 00:24:54,640 --> 00:24:57,960 Speaker 1: that hunt. Um, which I think brings me the next thing. 422 00:24:58,440 --> 00:25:00,280 Speaker 1: Let's say there's a guy out there listening right now, 423 00:25:00,280 --> 00:25:03,040 Speaker 1: guys are listening to what we're talking about here, and 424 00:25:03,080 --> 00:25:05,679 Speaker 1: they're thinking themselves, you know what, maybe I need to 425 00:25:05,680 --> 00:25:08,399 Speaker 1: get out there and try something like this. Um. You know, 426 00:25:08,440 --> 00:25:11,640 Speaker 1: how Dan did you go about preparing for this? Um? 427 00:25:11,680 --> 00:25:14,760 Speaker 1: You know, I'm I'm preparing for my second elk cutting 428 00:25:14,800 --> 00:25:16,520 Speaker 1: trip right now and leaving in a couple of days, 429 00:25:16,520 --> 00:25:18,320 Speaker 1: so I can share a few things about what I've 430 00:25:18,400 --> 00:25:21,280 Speaker 1: learned about the preparation. But I'm curious for you, you know, 431 00:25:21,680 --> 00:25:23,960 Speaker 1: deciding on this a couple of months ago. What have 432 00:25:24,040 --> 00:25:25,920 Speaker 1: you done to get ready for this hunt, to plan 433 00:25:26,000 --> 00:25:31,400 Speaker 1: this hunt, and to actually get out there and do it. Oh? Man, 434 00:25:31,760 --> 00:25:35,719 Speaker 1: I can't tell you how many hours I have looked 435 00:25:35,760 --> 00:25:41,880 Speaker 1: at aerial maps of this of this land. UM, talking 436 00:25:41,920 --> 00:25:45,439 Speaker 1: with other people who have done it, you know, you know, 437 00:25:45,520 --> 00:25:50,560 Speaker 1: on Facebook, just hey, who's been out west to Nebraska? 438 00:25:50,800 --> 00:25:54,040 Speaker 1: You know, and in someone I will answer you. UM. 439 00:25:54,119 --> 00:25:56,760 Speaker 1: You know, I've done some reading, watched you know, watch 440 00:25:56,840 --> 00:25:59,960 Speaker 1: some shows, watching videos, talk to other hunters who have 441 00:26:00,040 --> 00:26:02,760 Speaker 1: been out here and you have done it. Um, you know, 442 00:26:02,920 --> 00:26:05,879 Speaker 1: talk to the people who live in this area, and 443 00:26:06,400 --> 00:26:09,720 Speaker 1: just you know, try to be a sponge of information 444 00:26:10,000 --> 00:26:14,040 Speaker 1: in that and save money. And you know, this isn't 445 00:26:14,080 --> 00:26:20,240 Speaker 1: like this isn't like Iowa where I can go park 446 00:26:20,320 --> 00:26:24,400 Speaker 1: my truck for you know, four hours. While I said 447 00:26:24,400 --> 00:26:27,760 Speaker 1: a tree stand, there's a lot of driving. And that's 448 00:26:27,800 --> 00:26:29,840 Speaker 1: one thing that I to be honest with you, I 449 00:26:29,920 --> 00:26:32,680 Speaker 1: underestimated the amount of driving in the gas money that 450 00:26:32,720 --> 00:26:35,000 Speaker 1: I would need for this trip. So that's a learning 451 00:26:35,080 --> 00:26:40,400 Speaker 1: that's definitely a learning experience. So I mean I'm driving, 452 00:26:41,640 --> 00:26:44,280 Speaker 1: I'm driving a lot of miles too to get to 453 00:26:44,320 --> 00:26:48,679 Speaker 1: these locations, and I'm using flour wheel drive that's sucking 454 00:26:48,800 --> 00:26:51,440 Speaker 1: the gas up. So you know, just a little bit 455 00:26:51,480 --> 00:26:57,600 Speaker 1: un underprepared that way. But everything else just I don't know. 456 00:26:58,119 --> 00:27:01,400 Speaker 1: I bought extra stocks. I bought a new pair of boots. 457 00:27:01,760 --> 00:27:05,840 Speaker 1: I you know, I bought it's some extra underwear. Um. 458 00:27:06,160 --> 00:27:08,600 Speaker 1: I went to the grocery store and bought you know, 459 00:27:08,640 --> 00:27:10,800 Speaker 1: I try to do the grocery store thing as cheap 460 00:27:10,840 --> 00:27:16,800 Speaker 1: as possible. Um. You know, water, gatorade, bread, and hamwoaf. 461 00:27:16,800 --> 00:27:19,080 Speaker 1: You don't know what if you don't know what hamwoaf is, 462 00:27:19,160 --> 00:27:24,320 Speaker 1: it's the cheapest ham mixed with cheese, calorie stuffed type 463 00:27:24,320 --> 00:27:27,280 Speaker 1: of meat you can find. Only only the best for 464 00:27:27,359 --> 00:27:33,000 Speaker 1: Dallas Fort Worth. That's correct, that's correct. Oh man, So 465 00:27:33,480 --> 00:27:36,480 Speaker 1: what were you what were you looking for for? Yeah, 466 00:27:36,560 --> 00:27:38,920 Speaker 1: maybe for a guy that's thinking about hunting mule deer, 467 00:27:39,240 --> 00:27:40,920 Speaker 1: what should they be looking for when they're taking a 468 00:27:40,920 --> 00:27:42,800 Speaker 1: look at these aerial maps and stuff when they're trying 469 00:27:42,800 --> 00:27:44,560 Speaker 1: to plan their hunt. It sounds like you learned a 470 00:27:44,560 --> 00:27:47,040 Speaker 1: few things from different people, from some different resources you 471 00:27:47,119 --> 00:27:49,600 Speaker 1: tapped into. What was it that you were looking into? 472 00:27:50,119 --> 00:27:56,359 Speaker 1: Um while looking at those maps, man, you know, I 473 00:27:56,440 --> 00:27:59,760 Speaker 1: was just trying to get feel, get away the lay 474 00:27:59,760 --> 00:28:05,560 Speaker 1: of the land. But one thing that I was kind 475 00:28:05,560 --> 00:28:08,200 Speaker 1: of taken surprise by surprise is that the aerial maps 476 00:28:08,240 --> 00:28:14,840 Speaker 1: don't show you is the difference in elevation um and 477 00:28:14,880 --> 00:28:19,720 Speaker 1: how actually big these hills are and how wide these 478 00:28:19,800 --> 00:28:25,320 Speaker 1: valleys are out here. Um. Just it's one of those 479 00:28:25,320 --> 00:28:27,959 Speaker 1: things where you can do all the preparation in the world, 480 00:28:28,640 --> 00:28:33,400 Speaker 1: but until you get out here and and do it. 481 00:28:34,040 --> 00:28:37,159 Speaker 1: You know, it's like it's one of those things like 482 00:28:37,240 --> 00:28:39,880 Speaker 1: you can be book smart or you can have you know, 483 00:28:39,920 --> 00:28:44,160 Speaker 1: the street smarts. Coming out here is definitely a street 484 00:28:44,200 --> 00:28:47,760 Speaker 1: smart education because you can be prepared and know everything 485 00:28:47,800 --> 00:28:52,240 Speaker 1: there is to know about you know, Wally's and uh Nebraska, 486 00:28:52,960 --> 00:28:56,480 Speaker 1: you know, prairie hunting and an animal open, all that stuff. 487 00:28:56,520 --> 00:28:59,160 Speaker 1: But until you actually do it and fail and sail 488 00:28:59,240 --> 00:29:03,000 Speaker 1: or fail again, and that's that's where you're real preparation 489 00:29:03,120 --> 00:29:06,400 Speaker 1: for your next trip kind of comes into play. I mean, 490 00:29:06,920 --> 00:29:08,760 Speaker 1: a guy can, a guy can work out and being 491 00:29:08,800 --> 00:29:11,280 Speaker 1: in great shape, and I'm sure you found miss out. 492 00:29:11,640 --> 00:29:14,840 Speaker 1: But until you and then in the rockies you get 493 00:29:14,880 --> 00:29:21,240 Speaker 1: that elevation, it's a different story. Oh yeah, like you said, 494 00:29:21,280 --> 00:29:24,520 Speaker 1: I think everything you just said they're so true. It's Um, 495 00:29:24,560 --> 00:29:27,760 Speaker 1: I think planning and thinking about a hunt while sitting 496 00:29:27,760 --> 00:29:31,040 Speaker 1: in a computer is just light years different from what 497 00:29:31,160 --> 00:29:34,720 Speaker 1: it actually is like on the ground. Um. And you yeah, 498 00:29:34,800 --> 00:29:36,440 Speaker 1: you have to do as much as you possibly can 499 00:29:36,440 --> 00:29:39,200 Speaker 1: to prepare beforehand, but still go into it. You know, 500 00:29:39,360 --> 00:29:41,000 Speaker 1: you need to know that, Hey, it's gonna be a 501 00:29:41,000 --> 00:29:44,280 Speaker 1: whole another experience once you get out there. Um. Like 502 00:29:44,320 --> 00:29:46,920 Speaker 1: you said. One thing, Like you said, Um, you know, 503 00:29:46,960 --> 00:29:49,400 Speaker 1: I do tons of studying of aerial maps and Google 504 00:29:49,440 --> 00:29:51,400 Speaker 1: Earth and everything. You think you've got an idea of 505 00:29:51,440 --> 00:29:53,320 Speaker 1: the lay of the land and the terrain and everything, 506 00:29:53,880 --> 00:29:56,200 Speaker 1: But like you said, when you're looking at Google Earth, 507 00:29:56,240 --> 00:29:58,480 Speaker 1: even on something like that that shows you the terrain 508 00:29:58,600 --> 00:30:01,440 Speaker 1: and the mountains and everything. What looks like a foothill 509 00:30:01,600 --> 00:30:04,480 Speaker 1: on a map, when you're actually on the ground out there, 510 00:30:04,480 --> 00:30:08,200 Speaker 1: it looks like some real serious work. It's a lot 511 00:30:08,240 --> 00:30:11,880 Speaker 1: different when you're actually out there. And another thing you 512 00:30:11,960 --> 00:30:16,360 Speaker 1: talked about was preparing you know, physically, UM, I don't 513 00:30:16,400 --> 00:30:17,920 Speaker 1: know about for you. I'd be curious to hear if 514 00:30:17,960 --> 00:30:19,520 Speaker 1: you felt like you needed or if you had to 515 00:30:19,520 --> 00:30:21,520 Speaker 1: do anything to prepare for this hunt. But when it 516 00:30:21,560 --> 00:30:25,000 Speaker 1: comes to hunting elk um, at least in the places 517 00:30:25,040 --> 00:30:26,880 Speaker 1: where I'm at and where most people are hunting elk 518 00:30:26,960 --> 00:30:30,120 Speaker 1: up in the high country, it's just a totally different 519 00:30:30,120 --> 00:30:33,720 Speaker 1: experience than chasing white tails. You just really need to 520 00:30:33,800 --> 00:30:37,400 Speaker 1: prepare for that and over prepare, um, because I think 521 00:30:37,440 --> 00:30:40,040 Speaker 1: lots of times people think, well, you know, I'll do 522 00:30:40,080 --> 00:30:42,200 Speaker 1: a couple of runs here and there and just be 523 00:30:42,280 --> 00:30:46,959 Speaker 1: in basic decent shape. But when you're out there with 524 00:30:47,000 --> 00:30:49,560 Speaker 1: a big pack on your back, whether you're day hiking 525 00:30:49,640 --> 00:30:52,840 Speaker 1: in or if your backpack hunting out in the back country, UM, 526 00:30:53,480 --> 00:30:57,000 Speaker 1: you don't want to be not enjoying your hunt because 527 00:30:57,040 --> 00:30:59,560 Speaker 1: you're not physically able to, or if you're you're in 528 00:30:59,600 --> 00:31:03,720 Speaker 1: pain because you've overworked yourself. So for me, you know, luckily, 529 00:31:03,760 --> 00:31:05,360 Speaker 1: I do a lot of trips out west, just like 530 00:31:05,400 --> 00:31:07,920 Speaker 1: I said, to do different backpacking, hiking type things. So 531 00:31:07,920 --> 00:31:10,440 Speaker 1: I've got a decent amount of experience. I know what 532 00:31:10,480 --> 00:31:13,680 Speaker 1: I need to do to get ready for that. But um, 533 00:31:13,800 --> 00:31:17,720 Speaker 1: it's definitely something I wouldn't undersell. It's it's important. Have 534 00:31:17,840 --> 00:31:20,640 Speaker 1: you did you do anything to work physically leading up 535 00:31:20,640 --> 00:31:21,960 Speaker 1: to your trip, Dan, or do you wish you did 536 00:31:22,080 --> 00:31:26,000 Speaker 1: or how you feeling on that front? Well, I'll tell you, Um, 537 00:31:26,040 --> 00:31:28,280 Speaker 1: you know, everybody can always do a little bit more 538 00:31:28,360 --> 00:31:33,719 Speaker 1: cardio work out, But for me, I knew that there 539 00:31:33,760 --> 00:31:35,560 Speaker 1: was going to be a lot of leg works involved. 540 00:31:35,720 --> 00:31:38,239 Speaker 1: So when I found out that I was just going 541 00:31:38,280 --> 00:31:42,400 Speaker 1: to be coming out here, man I did I squatted 542 00:31:42,680 --> 00:31:46,120 Speaker 1: and I squatted and squatted and squatted and did the 543 00:31:46,200 --> 00:31:50,120 Speaker 1: lake press machine at my gym and just and and 544 00:31:50,160 --> 00:31:53,680 Speaker 1: did calf raises and just build my legs up as 545 00:31:54,280 --> 00:31:57,920 Speaker 1: as much as I could, I guess, without hurting myself 546 00:31:58,280 --> 00:32:02,200 Speaker 1: and and I believe it kind of helps. Um, But 547 00:32:02,880 --> 00:32:06,040 Speaker 1: you know, walking up the street, you know, a really 548 00:32:06,080 --> 00:32:10,760 Speaker 1: big hill out here. I'm still wounded, but you know, 549 00:32:10,920 --> 00:32:15,080 Speaker 1: after after the first day and the very first morning 550 00:32:15,160 --> 00:32:19,440 Speaker 1: hike in where your heart gets pumping, real, real hard, um, 551 00:32:19,520 --> 00:32:22,560 Speaker 1: and then you're able to what I call get the 552 00:32:22,560 --> 00:32:26,600 Speaker 1: shed hunting ladder. You know, you're you start sweating, you 553 00:32:26,640 --> 00:32:29,240 Speaker 1: get that ladder, You're you're all your joints, your greef 554 00:32:29,240 --> 00:32:30,760 Speaker 1: s up, and you get the girl from for the 555 00:32:30,800 --> 00:32:36,120 Speaker 1: rest of the day. Yeah, it's a good place to be. Yeah. 556 00:32:36,480 --> 00:32:40,240 Speaker 1: What about gear? Um, Are you're packing any different things 557 00:32:40,240 --> 00:32:42,880 Speaker 1: other than what you usually take when you're white tail hunting? Um? 558 00:32:43,040 --> 00:32:44,960 Speaker 1: Is there anything else that someone doing a hunt like 559 00:32:45,000 --> 00:32:49,080 Speaker 1: this should think about. Uh, I'll be completely honest with you. 560 00:32:49,520 --> 00:32:53,960 Speaker 1: The most important thing I have with me, aside from 561 00:32:54,040 --> 00:32:57,560 Speaker 1: you know, aside from the hunt, actual hunting, bow and 562 00:32:57,640 --> 00:33:01,800 Speaker 1: arrow stuff, is a water bladder that I purchased and 563 00:33:01,840 --> 00:33:07,040 Speaker 1: put in my pack. That thing has saved my life 564 00:33:07,600 --> 00:33:14,880 Speaker 1: just because yesterday I peed one time. That's that's still 565 00:33:14,880 --> 00:33:18,360 Speaker 1: a little bit of dehydration. Well yesterday, yesterday it was 566 00:33:18,440 --> 00:33:24,160 Speaker 1: also um ninety degrees out here, so it's it's hot, 567 00:33:24,200 --> 00:33:27,480 Speaker 1: and I was doing a lot of sweating. Um. So, 568 00:33:28,520 --> 00:33:34,040 Speaker 1: but that that thing kept me. You know, you know, 569 00:33:34,120 --> 00:33:37,080 Speaker 1: you can only carry so much stuff with you. And 570 00:33:37,520 --> 00:33:42,600 Speaker 1: that little water bladder that I had, um, you know, 571 00:33:42,800 --> 00:33:46,720 Speaker 1: it pretty much kept me hydrated enough for that for 572 00:33:47,280 --> 00:33:48,720 Speaker 1: just so far the rest of day. Just put a 573 00:33:48,760 --> 00:33:51,240 Speaker 1: little bit more water in it when you go out 574 00:33:51,280 --> 00:33:55,480 Speaker 1: the next morning, and you pretty much set for a day. Yeah, 575 00:33:55,600 --> 00:33:59,200 Speaker 1: that's awesome. For whatever reason, I haven't went to the 576 00:33:59,240 --> 00:34:01,400 Speaker 1: water bladder route. I'm just kind of old school and 577 00:34:01,440 --> 00:34:04,959 Speaker 1: I've always used my water bottles for all my backpacking 578 00:34:05,000 --> 00:34:07,080 Speaker 1: and trips, hiking trips like that. But I kind of 579 00:34:07,440 --> 00:34:08,920 Speaker 1: I feel like I should just man up and get 580 00:34:08,960 --> 00:34:10,520 Speaker 1: one of those, because it seems pretty nice to be 581 00:34:10,560 --> 00:34:12,920 Speaker 1: able to not need to worry about stopping and grabbing 582 00:34:12,920 --> 00:34:15,440 Speaker 1: a bottle. You can just take that hose and drink 583 00:34:15,440 --> 00:34:19,799 Speaker 1: while you go. Oh yeah, that's that's what I've done 584 00:34:19,840 --> 00:34:24,680 Speaker 1: this entire entire week so far. That and you know, 585 00:34:26,120 --> 00:34:29,920 Speaker 1: a good pair of boots, you know, those are breaking 586 00:34:29,960 --> 00:34:33,080 Speaker 1: it all down. There's those are the two the two 587 00:34:33,080 --> 00:34:37,120 Speaker 1: most important things. Yeah, I was gonna say the same thing. Yeah, 588 00:34:37,239 --> 00:34:40,120 Speaker 1: for for any trip, whether it be stock and yield, 589 00:34:40,120 --> 00:34:42,280 Speaker 1: deer or elk, or in the mountains or the plains, 590 00:34:42,760 --> 00:34:45,840 Speaker 1: I think boots are just so important. And you know, 591 00:34:45,920 --> 00:34:48,240 Speaker 1: for deer hunting. It's important to you want warm boots, 592 00:34:48,239 --> 00:34:50,080 Speaker 1: and you want some boots that are gonna keep you 593 00:34:50,160 --> 00:34:53,640 Speaker 1: dry and relatively sent free. But I think for for 594 00:34:53,680 --> 00:34:55,359 Speaker 1: a hunt where you're on your feet the whole time 595 00:34:55,360 --> 00:34:59,279 Speaker 1: and hiking around, it's just so much more important. Um 596 00:34:59,320 --> 00:35:02,279 Speaker 1: And I think it's some horton not to not to 597 00:35:02,400 --> 00:35:06,320 Speaker 1: buy a pair of hiking boots that you haven't tried yet, 598 00:35:06,640 --> 00:35:10,359 Speaker 1: or if you're gonna buy some online, playing on getting them, 599 00:35:10,360 --> 00:35:13,759 Speaker 1: trying them on, and you know, possibly needing to return them, 600 00:35:13,800 --> 00:35:16,920 Speaker 1: because there really is a lot of difference between different 601 00:35:16,920 --> 00:35:19,839 Speaker 1: brands and different styles and how that's gonna fit your 602 00:35:19,880 --> 00:35:22,080 Speaker 1: foot and how that's going to support you for whatever 603 00:35:22,080 --> 00:35:24,799 Speaker 1: type of hunt you're gonna do. There's nothing worse than 604 00:35:25,239 --> 00:35:27,839 Speaker 1: buying a pair of boots and you know, your first 605 00:35:27,880 --> 00:35:30,480 Speaker 1: day having horrible blisters and being you know, in serious 606 00:35:30,480 --> 00:35:35,359 Speaker 1: pain the whole rest of your hunt. Right. Well, the thing, 607 00:35:35,480 --> 00:35:38,759 Speaker 1: the thing that I found out is, you know, I 608 00:35:38,760 --> 00:35:41,320 Speaker 1: I would I when I first bought these boots earlier 609 00:35:41,360 --> 00:35:44,200 Speaker 1: in the summer, I would mow my yard in him, 610 00:35:44,640 --> 00:35:47,400 Speaker 1: and how I was even walking on the treadmill in 611 00:35:47,440 --> 00:35:51,799 Speaker 1: my basement with him on. But you you can't. You 612 00:35:51,880 --> 00:35:59,479 Speaker 1: can't oh emulate you know, big cliffs or a huge 613 00:35:59,560 --> 00:36:02,520 Speaker 1: drop off at walking sideways on a on a hill 614 00:36:03,160 --> 00:36:06,920 Speaker 1: or um. You can't emulate that. And it's one of 615 00:36:06,920 --> 00:36:10,200 Speaker 1: those things where you really won't know until it's probably 616 00:36:10,200 --> 00:36:15,040 Speaker 1: too late. Yeah, there's some truth to that, Um. And 617 00:36:15,080 --> 00:36:17,239 Speaker 1: so what I always do for my trips is I'm 618 00:36:17,280 --> 00:36:21,640 Speaker 1: always packing a blister repair kit, and there's different things 619 00:36:21,640 --> 00:36:23,239 Speaker 1: like that. I don't know if you've used anything like this, 620 00:36:23,400 --> 00:36:26,120 Speaker 1: dan Um, but there's like stuff called mole skin, which 621 00:36:26,120 --> 00:36:27,960 Speaker 1: is a little padding you got put over a blister 622 00:36:28,080 --> 00:36:30,200 Speaker 1: and cover it up so it's not inside your boots. 623 00:36:30,200 --> 00:36:32,600 Speaker 1: But kind of my hillbilly blister kip. It's just a 624 00:36:32,680 --> 00:36:34,600 Speaker 1: roll of duct tape. I'll just bring a little bit 625 00:36:34,600 --> 00:36:36,120 Speaker 1: of duct tape with me on any trip I ever 626 00:36:36,160 --> 00:36:38,400 Speaker 1: take out West. We're gonna be hiking a lot, and 627 00:36:38,440 --> 00:36:40,439 Speaker 1: if I get a blister coming up, I'll just stick 628 00:36:40,480 --> 00:36:42,520 Speaker 1: a little bit of duct tape on it and it 629 00:36:42,680 --> 00:36:44,719 Speaker 1: just slides real nice in my boot the rest of 630 00:36:44,719 --> 00:36:46,560 Speaker 1: the time, and I don't have any issues with it. 631 00:36:46,760 --> 00:36:50,040 Speaker 1: So if you don't have any of the real stuff, 632 00:36:50,120 --> 00:36:54,240 Speaker 1: a little bit of duct tape will usually fix the problem. 633 00:36:54,360 --> 00:36:56,360 Speaker 1: That's something that applies to most things in life. Right, 634 00:36:57,520 --> 00:37:01,920 Speaker 1: That's right, that's right. Now. Uh, what about let's go 635 00:37:02,000 --> 00:37:05,719 Speaker 1: back to actually being in the hunt now, UM, do 636 00:37:05,800 --> 00:37:08,560 Speaker 1: you have any other tips for someone going on a 637 00:37:08,640 --> 00:37:10,920 Speaker 1: mule there hunt from an actual hunting perspective? I mean, 638 00:37:10,960 --> 00:37:13,080 Speaker 1: so far I think I've taken from you, take it slow, 639 00:37:13,719 --> 00:37:18,640 Speaker 1: always be paying attention. Um what what else are they? 640 00:37:18,640 --> 00:37:20,960 Speaker 1: Any other key key lessons that you've learned about the 641 00:37:21,000 --> 00:37:23,800 Speaker 1: actual tactical piece of hunting mule there in a situation 642 00:37:23,800 --> 00:37:29,680 Speaker 1: like you're in. Yeah, I mean there, if the winds come, 643 00:37:29,960 --> 00:37:31,799 Speaker 1: you know, you got to pay attention to the wind. 644 00:37:31,800 --> 00:37:33,719 Speaker 1: If the winds coming over top of the hill, they're 645 00:37:33,719 --> 00:37:36,279 Speaker 1: gonna be if they're bedded on that hill, but they're 646 00:37:36,280 --> 00:37:38,400 Speaker 1: gonna be on the opposite side, so the wind is 647 00:37:38,400 --> 00:37:41,120 Speaker 1: blowing over top of them the hill, Um, so they 648 00:37:41,160 --> 00:37:45,600 Speaker 1: can catch the scent. I've noticed tonight. I noticed that, Um, 649 00:37:45,640 --> 00:37:48,680 Speaker 1: I hunted over top of a green field and I 650 00:37:48,719 --> 00:37:51,600 Speaker 1: watched all these uh, all these mule beer come off 651 00:37:51,600 --> 00:37:55,600 Speaker 1: the hills and they it was almost like a staging 652 00:37:55,640 --> 00:38:00,319 Speaker 1: area they had. They kind of just they would they 653 00:38:00,360 --> 00:38:04,399 Speaker 1: crest the ridge or side twice because they never skyline themselves. 654 00:38:04,520 --> 00:38:06,960 Speaker 1: They kind of come around there and then they bed 655 00:38:07,000 --> 00:38:12,719 Speaker 1: down again and they just observed that area. Um, so 656 00:38:13,320 --> 00:38:17,440 Speaker 1: you know it's it's I'm still learning myself. You know, 657 00:38:17,520 --> 00:38:19,920 Speaker 1: this is only gay three for me. So it's like 658 00:38:20,320 --> 00:38:25,759 Speaker 1: me wanting to give someone advice, is I don't know 659 00:38:25,800 --> 00:38:28,080 Speaker 1: what I'm doing yet, right, So I don't. I don't. 660 00:38:28,160 --> 00:38:32,120 Speaker 1: I don't really have any advice except for, um, just 661 00:38:32,239 --> 00:38:39,040 Speaker 1: be as observant as humanly possible. That's probably the buzz 662 00:38:39,080 --> 00:38:40,680 Speaker 1: good advice you can give. I guess, like you said, 663 00:38:40,680 --> 00:38:42,560 Speaker 1: you don't want to do too much blind leading the 664 00:38:42,600 --> 00:38:47,279 Speaker 1: blind exactly. I'm kind of a similar boat too. I 665 00:38:47,320 --> 00:38:49,799 Speaker 1: mean I hunted Elk last week or Latin that last 666 00:38:49,840 --> 00:38:52,799 Speaker 1: week last year for a week, my first time out 667 00:38:52,800 --> 00:38:56,759 Speaker 1: there in Idaho, and learned a lot um. But the 668 00:38:56,800 --> 00:38:59,840 Speaker 1: probably biggest thing I learned is I still don't know 669 00:39:00,239 --> 00:39:03,360 Speaker 1: so much. There's just there's so much to learn. And 670 00:39:03,360 --> 00:39:05,160 Speaker 1: I guess we take that for granted. I think Dan 671 00:39:05,320 --> 00:39:07,319 Speaker 1: with white tails, right, we've been hunting white tails our 672 00:39:07,320 --> 00:39:10,440 Speaker 1: whole lives. We've been studying them in detail, you know, 673 00:39:10,520 --> 00:39:13,719 Speaker 1: for a really long time, and have so much experience 674 00:39:13,760 --> 00:39:15,960 Speaker 1: with it. But going to a totally new place with 675 00:39:16,080 --> 00:39:19,719 Speaker 1: a totally new animal. It's just a different game. It's 676 00:39:19,760 --> 00:39:23,160 Speaker 1: totally different. So I'm still trying to figure out, Okay, 677 00:39:23,480 --> 00:39:25,920 Speaker 1: where the heck do these things bed and when and 678 00:39:25,960 --> 00:39:27,640 Speaker 1: where are they going to feed? And how are they 679 00:39:27,640 --> 00:39:31,080 Speaker 1: traveling and all these different things. And for me, just 680 00:39:31,120 --> 00:39:32,600 Speaker 1: like you said, there's not a whole lot of advice 681 00:39:32,600 --> 00:39:34,600 Speaker 1: I can give to an elk hunter except for prepare 682 00:39:34,640 --> 00:39:38,319 Speaker 1: as much as you can physically learn the land and 683 00:39:38,320 --> 00:39:41,279 Speaker 1: then get away from pressure out here um, out in 684 00:39:41,280 --> 00:39:44,880 Speaker 1: Idaho and Colorado and in most places where there's decent 685 00:39:44,880 --> 00:39:48,040 Speaker 1: elk populations, if you're hunting public land, it's going to 686 00:39:48,080 --> 00:39:51,160 Speaker 1: be you're gonna be usually gonna be competing with other people. 687 00:39:51,680 --> 00:39:54,080 Speaker 1: And from everything I've heard and seen, the farther you 688 00:39:54,080 --> 00:39:57,200 Speaker 1: can get away from access points and roads and other 689 00:39:57,280 --> 00:39:59,719 Speaker 1: campsites or anything like that, you know, the better chance 690 00:39:59,719 --> 00:40:02,480 Speaker 1: you're in have a finding a bowl. Um. And so 691 00:40:02,520 --> 00:40:05,520 Speaker 1: that's something I'm trying to do. And just we're backpacking 692 00:40:05,560 --> 00:40:07,840 Speaker 1: in so we're just hiking in their deep with everything 693 00:40:07,880 --> 00:40:10,279 Speaker 1: on our backs, and uh, just trying to get far 694 00:40:10,320 --> 00:40:13,400 Speaker 1: away from everything and hopefully hopefully find some secluded it 695 00:40:13,480 --> 00:40:17,440 Speaker 1: Herds of elk and then uh again, kind of like 696 00:40:17,480 --> 00:40:21,680 Speaker 1: with white tails. In heavily pressured areas, calling and really 697 00:40:21,680 --> 00:40:24,359 Speaker 1: aggressive techniques don't typically work with white tails. Like here 698 00:40:24,360 --> 00:40:26,120 Speaker 1: in Michigan. I'm not going to do a whole bunch 699 00:40:26,160 --> 00:40:28,600 Speaker 1: of rattling or snort wheezing or something, or put a 700 00:40:28,600 --> 00:40:30,480 Speaker 1: decoy in front of the deer because they've seen it 701 00:40:30,560 --> 00:40:34,239 Speaker 1: from twenty other guys over the last two days. Um. Similarly, 702 00:40:35,000 --> 00:40:36,920 Speaker 1: what I've learned is in a lot of these higher 703 00:40:36,960 --> 00:40:40,640 Speaker 1: pressure public lands for elk, same deal. Everyone wants to 704 00:40:40,640 --> 00:40:42,879 Speaker 1: go out there with a bugle and make all sorts 705 00:40:42,880 --> 00:40:44,400 Speaker 1: of noise and think that they're going to call on 706 00:40:44,520 --> 00:40:47,359 Speaker 1: the great bear herd bowl. But from what I saw 707 00:40:47,440 --> 00:40:49,680 Speaker 1: and from what I've heard from other more experienced hunters, 708 00:40:49,719 --> 00:40:53,000 Speaker 1: that's just not the case. Um, they are. You know, 709 00:40:53,400 --> 00:40:55,840 Speaker 1: they've heard a whole lot of idiot hunters bugling and 710 00:40:55,880 --> 00:40:59,600 Speaker 1: making them sounds like idiots, and they react to that negatively. 711 00:41:00,080 --> 00:41:01,920 Speaker 1: And so I think last year I was pushing a 712 00:41:01,920 --> 00:41:04,200 Speaker 1: lot of elk away because I was trying to call 713 00:41:04,320 --> 00:41:07,040 Speaker 1: too much. So this year I'm gonna I'm gonna do 714 00:41:07,120 --> 00:41:10,680 Speaker 1: a lot more listening and following versus trying to make 715 00:41:10,719 --> 00:41:14,360 Speaker 1: a whole bunch of noise myself, So I don't know. 716 00:41:14,400 --> 00:41:17,000 Speaker 1: Hopefully we'll we'll have a lot more to talk about 717 00:41:17,040 --> 00:41:19,080 Speaker 1: after my hunt. I'm leaving in a couple of days 718 00:41:19,120 --> 00:41:22,359 Speaker 1: here and driving out there to eastern Idaho, and we're 719 00:41:22,360 --> 00:41:26,080 Speaker 1: gonna give it a give the old college try. So 720 00:41:28,400 --> 00:41:30,960 Speaker 1: I think if nothing else, yeah, that's all you can do. 721 00:41:31,040 --> 00:41:34,560 Speaker 1: And if nothing else, for me, I'm thinking it's probably 722 00:41:34,600 --> 00:41:37,320 Speaker 1: the same with you with these first hunts for a 723 00:41:37,360 --> 00:41:39,960 Speaker 1: new animal like this, the new, the new experience. It 724 00:41:40,000 --> 00:41:44,000 Speaker 1: really is about the experience. I'm definitely not the point 725 00:41:44,000 --> 00:41:46,360 Speaker 1: now where I'm not the point yet with el Conny 726 00:41:46,360 --> 00:41:49,000 Speaker 1: where I'm trying to, you know, get a trophy or 727 00:41:49,000 --> 00:41:51,440 Speaker 1: shoot a shoot a big mature bull or anything. And 728 00:41:51,480 --> 00:41:53,279 Speaker 1: I'm not gonna be disappointed if I don't. For me, 729 00:41:53,360 --> 00:41:56,960 Speaker 1: it's being out there seeing something new, learning something new, 730 00:41:57,640 --> 00:42:02,760 Speaker 1: um and challenging myself in different ways. Yeah, for sure, 731 00:42:02,960 --> 00:42:06,160 Speaker 1: same here. Yeah. So what do you think, Dan, if 732 00:42:06,160 --> 00:42:09,319 Speaker 1: there's if there was someone out there on the fence 733 00:42:09,360 --> 00:42:12,840 Speaker 1: about trying something new, would you would you recommend to 734 00:42:12,880 --> 00:42:15,439 Speaker 1: someone right now it's a hardcore white to hunter, would 735 00:42:15,440 --> 00:42:17,239 Speaker 1: you recommend they go out west or go up north 736 00:42:17,320 --> 00:42:19,960 Speaker 1: or go somewhere different and hunt some other big game. Um. 737 00:42:19,960 --> 00:42:26,680 Speaker 1: And if so, why, Man? You only live once and 738 00:42:28,239 --> 00:42:31,200 Speaker 1: I've you know, I try to live my life with 739 00:42:31,239 --> 00:42:34,000 Speaker 1: no regrets, you know, saying oh I should have done this, 740 00:42:34,080 --> 00:42:38,000 Speaker 1: I should have done that. Um. And that's kind of 741 00:42:38,040 --> 00:42:44,319 Speaker 1: what made me decided to do this trip. UM. So yes, 742 00:42:44,920 --> 00:42:48,880 Speaker 1: do something different, go outside of your comfort zone. And 743 00:42:49,200 --> 00:42:53,240 Speaker 1: I you know, I was scared, I shouldn't say scared, 744 00:42:53,360 --> 00:42:57,080 Speaker 1: but a little nervous, you know, driving out here. What 745 00:42:57,120 --> 00:43:01,240 Speaker 1: am I doing? What? You know? What's this all about? 746 00:43:01,320 --> 00:43:03,799 Speaker 1: You get out here, you learn it. It's a new experience. 747 00:43:04,080 --> 00:43:08,080 Speaker 1: The cool thing is as watching how animal move. Animals 748 00:43:08,160 --> 00:43:12,239 Speaker 1: move with no trees and watching how they use the 749 00:43:12,280 --> 00:43:14,759 Speaker 1: way of the land is something that I'm going to 750 00:43:14,880 --> 00:43:18,960 Speaker 1: be able to take back to Iowa to hunt because 751 00:43:19,640 --> 00:43:22,880 Speaker 1: watching watching a deer moved through the woods, it's like 752 00:43:22,920 --> 00:43:25,000 Speaker 1: one of those things you can't see the forest because 753 00:43:25,000 --> 00:43:29,680 Speaker 1: of the trees. Here's here, there's no forest, so you 754 00:43:29,800 --> 00:43:34,000 Speaker 1: get to watch their movements, you know, how they use 755 00:43:34,080 --> 00:43:37,040 Speaker 1: the wind to their advantage with no trees. And I'm 756 00:43:37,080 --> 00:43:38,880 Speaker 1: going to be able to take that back to Iowa. 757 00:43:39,320 --> 00:43:41,759 Speaker 1: And I already have a couple of spots picked out 758 00:43:42,280 --> 00:43:44,400 Speaker 1: where I think I need to move my tree stands 759 00:43:44,400 --> 00:43:48,080 Speaker 1: to a different location, you know, because I'm I'm thinking 760 00:43:48,320 --> 00:43:53,320 Speaker 1: like that. So so to answer your question, yes, everybody 761 00:43:53,320 --> 00:43:57,680 Speaker 1: should try something different, whether it's you know, going to 762 00:43:57,760 --> 00:44:01,400 Speaker 1: hunt help neel, deer, moose, hunting white kills in a 763 00:44:01,440 --> 00:44:06,239 Speaker 1: different state, it's just it's it's a different experience that 764 00:44:06,360 --> 00:44:10,080 Speaker 1: will make you a better hunter. Yeah, I'm right there 765 00:44:10,080 --> 00:44:13,600 Speaker 1: with you. I think it's it's one of those things 766 00:44:13,600 --> 00:44:15,520 Speaker 1: where I think a lot of people just get set 767 00:44:15,800 --> 00:44:18,400 Speaker 1: in their ways and their comfort zone and they know 768 00:44:18,440 --> 00:44:20,239 Speaker 1: what they do and they know they like it. And 769 00:44:20,280 --> 00:44:21,840 Speaker 1: there's a lot of guys who say, I love hunting 770 00:44:21,840 --> 00:44:24,640 Speaker 1: white tails, I love this doing this thing every fall. 771 00:44:25,040 --> 00:44:29,040 Speaker 1: Why would I do anything different? And I think in 772 00:44:29,080 --> 00:44:31,120 Speaker 1: a lot of cases, you just don't know what you're 773 00:44:31,120 --> 00:44:34,719 Speaker 1: missing until you experience it, and you I feel like, 774 00:44:34,719 --> 00:44:38,400 Speaker 1: like we've talked about, I feel like going out west 775 00:44:38,440 --> 00:44:41,200 Speaker 1: and doing this different type of hunting, hunting elk opened 776 00:44:41,320 --> 00:44:44,239 Speaker 1: up a whole different part of the hunt for me. 777 00:44:44,960 --> 00:44:47,720 Speaker 1: It's a whole another like a box in the hunting 778 00:44:47,719 --> 00:44:49,600 Speaker 1: world that I had never looked into before, and I 779 00:44:49,640 --> 00:44:51,400 Speaker 1: opened it up and It opened up this whole different 780 00:44:51,400 --> 00:44:53,279 Speaker 1: piece of what it means to be a hunter and 781 00:44:53,320 --> 00:44:55,440 Speaker 1: what hunting means, and what I need to do to 782 00:44:55,520 --> 00:44:58,319 Speaker 1: be a to be a successful hunter. Um it just 783 00:44:58,960 --> 00:45:02,560 Speaker 1: opened up all these differ possibilities and it engaged me. 784 00:45:02,640 --> 00:45:04,720 Speaker 1: Like I said before, it engages you as a hunter 785 00:45:05,200 --> 00:45:10,440 Speaker 1: in ways that's really really I guess I don't I 786 00:45:10,440 --> 00:45:12,520 Speaker 1: don't really know the words. Words aren't coming. But special. 787 00:45:12,680 --> 00:45:16,120 Speaker 1: It's something really unique, and it's special and it's worth experiencing. 788 00:45:16,600 --> 00:45:20,120 Speaker 1: And for me, now that I have experienced it, I 789 00:45:20,120 --> 00:45:24,919 Speaker 1: don't see myself ever not coming out here as as 790 00:45:24,920 --> 00:45:27,240 Speaker 1: often as I can, as as often as time allows 791 00:45:27,280 --> 00:45:29,520 Speaker 1: and I can afford it. I'll be coming out here 792 00:45:29,520 --> 00:45:31,799 Speaker 1: at least every year, hopefully to chase some kind of 793 00:45:32,239 --> 00:45:34,719 Speaker 1: big game manual out west or up in Alaska or 794 00:45:34,840 --> 00:45:36,719 Speaker 1: Canada or whatever it is, whatever I can manage to 795 00:45:36,760 --> 00:45:39,439 Speaker 1: pull off. This is the type of hunting that UM 796 00:45:39,480 --> 00:45:41,600 Speaker 1: I would like to continue to do because it's an 797 00:45:41,600 --> 00:45:46,600 Speaker 1: awesome experience. It's an incredible challenge, and UM, I think 798 00:45:46,600 --> 00:45:48,680 Speaker 1: for a lot of people that live east of the Mississippi, 799 00:45:48,680 --> 00:45:51,920 Speaker 1: which the large majority of deer hunters do, but there's 800 00:45:51,960 --> 00:45:54,120 Speaker 1: a lot of beautiful country on the eastern part of 801 00:45:54,120 --> 00:45:57,520 Speaker 1: the country, and in the Midwest and the south, awesome country. 802 00:45:57,560 --> 00:46:00,000 Speaker 1: But there, at least for me personally, there's just something 803 00:46:00,040 --> 00:46:03,320 Speaker 1: and special about going out west. It's why I don't en. 804 00:46:03,640 --> 00:46:06,600 Speaker 1: There's not as many people, and it's just gorgeous country. 805 00:46:06,600 --> 00:46:09,759 Speaker 1: From the grasslands and Nebraska and the Colorado, you hit 806 00:46:09,800 --> 00:46:13,680 Speaker 1: the mountain ranges and it is just it is it 807 00:46:13,800 --> 00:46:16,440 Speaker 1: just it hits me somewhere deep down, and I just 808 00:46:16,520 --> 00:46:18,839 Speaker 1: feel like there's something out there that calls to me, 809 00:46:19,520 --> 00:46:22,399 Speaker 1: and I when the mountains call, I have to go. 810 00:46:22,920 --> 00:46:25,600 Speaker 1: And so that's, uh, that's what I'll be doing, probably 811 00:46:25,600 --> 00:46:30,640 Speaker 1: for the rest of my life. Yeah, it's good stuff, 812 00:46:30,880 --> 00:46:33,640 Speaker 1: that's for sure. So I don't know. I think we 813 00:46:33,760 --> 00:46:37,000 Speaker 1: made ourselves pitched everyone out there. I think, uh, we've 814 00:46:37,040 --> 00:46:39,239 Speaker 1: now done it. We've both now gone out west and 815 00:46:39,280 --> 00:46:41,479 Speaker 1: tried some different kind of hunting. Of course, we still 816 00:46:41,520 --> 00:46:44,320 Speaker 1: love hunting white tails a ton, and that's what we 817 00:46:44,400 --> 00:46:46,680 Speaker 1: do the most of the time. So I think for 818 00:46:46,680 --> 00:46:48,279 Speaker 1: everyone out there listening, don't feel like you need to 819 00:46:48,320 --> 00:46:49,880 Speaker 1: give up on white tails or give up on your 820 00:46:49,880 --> 00:46:53,360 Speaker 1: passion or anything, but try something different. Ever, once in 821 00:46:53,400 --> 00:46:56,000 Speaker 1: a while, I think it'll make you enjoy hunting even 822 00:46:56,000 --> 00:46:58,600 Speaker 1: more and appreciate certain things about white tails too, I 823 00:46:58,640 --> 00:47:02,480 Speaker 1: think to a degree. So what do you think, Dan, 824 00:47:02,560 --> 00:47:04,920 Speaker 1: what's the plan for tomorrow for the hunt tomorrow? Are 825 00:47:04,960 --> 00:47:08,680 Speaker 1: you gonna make it happen? I'm gonna I'm gonna go 826 00:47:08,800 --> 00:47:13,160 Speaker 1: way down to do state record in Nebraska. You gear, 827 00:47:13,600 --> 00:47:18,319 Speaker 1: all right, is this the state state record spike? I'm 828 00:47:18,320 --> 00:47:22,160 Speaker 1: gonna probably shoot a dell. Okay, that'd be pretty sweet. 829 00:47:22,200 --> 00:47:23,600 Speaker 1: If you can pull off a spot and stock on 830 00:47:23,600 --> 00:47:26,239 Speaker 1: a doll, That's that's an awesome accomplishment for your first time. 831 00:47:26,280 --> 00:47:32,640 Speaker 1: I think, Oh yeah, I'm I'm gonna be tomorrow packing 832 00:47:32,680 --> 00:47:36,080 Speaker 1: up my bags and uh loaning things up, seeing how 833 00:47:36,160 --> 00:47:38,799 Speaker 1: light I can get my pack. I'm hoping to have 834 00:47:38,840 --> 00:47:41,839 Speaker 1: a relatively light backpack to take into the mountains, because 835 00:47:41,840 --> 00:47:44,080 Speaker 1: I don't want to be carrying the whole kitchen sink 836 00:47:44,239 --> 00:47:46,319 Speaker 1: five miles or ten miles into the wilderness. So I'm 837 00:47:46,320 --> 00:47:50,000 Speaker 1: gonna working on that tomorrow, and then early the next 838 00:47:50,080 --> 00:47:53,880 Speaker 1: day we'll be piling in a minivan. We've we've convert 839 00:47:53,920 --> 00:47:57,799 Speaker 1: a minivan into the elkmobile for us, and we're gonna 840 00:47:57,800 --> 00:48:02,480 Speaker 1: be driving twenty four hours into Idaho. So I'm I'm 841 00:48:02,520 --> 00:48:07,160 Speaker 1: pretty stoked for that. Sounds good. Well, good luck Mark, 842 00:48:07,239 --> 00:48:09,680 Speaker 1: I hope you uh, I hope you shoot a slab. 843 00:48:10,480 --> 00:48:12,799 Speaker 1: I appreciate buddy, and good luck to you too, And 844 00:48:13,000 --> 00:48:16,080 Speaker 1: probably by the next podcast episode, we'll have some updates 845 00:48:16,080 --> 00:48:18,239 Speaker 1: on both of our hunts for the Wired Hunt Nation. 846 00:48:18,440 --> 00:48:22,120 Speaker 1: So I'll let you go, Dan and uh, let's talk soon, 847 00:48:23,320 --> 00:48:26,720 Speaker 1: all right, we'll talk when you get back. Sounds good, buddy, 848 00:48:26,800 --> 00:48:33,040 Speaker 1: shoot a big one. Yeah. Well, I know this episode 849 00:48:33,040 --> 00:48:35,480 Speaker 1: was different than usual, but I hope you were maybe 850 00:48:35,520 --> 00:48:37,960 Speaker 1: just a little bit inspired to try something new yourself. 851 00:48:38,280 --> 00:48:40,960 Speaker 1: And as I record this, I am literally just minutes 852 00:48:41,040 --> 00:48:43,840 Speaker 1: away from leaving from my own Idaho outcome and adventure. 853 00:48:44,160 --> 00:48:46,719 Speaker 1: So hopefully Dave and I will both have some good 854 00:48:46,719 --> 00:48:48,719 Speaker 1: stories for you soon, and then before we know it, 855 00:48:49,040 --> 00:48:52,680 Speaker 1: white Tail season will be here too. That said, as always, 856 00:48:52,760 --> 00:48:55,440 Speaker 1: if you've been enjoying the podcast, we would greatly appreciate 857 00:48:55,480 --> 00:48:57,360 Speaker 1: it if you could leave us a rating or review 858 00:48:57,480 --> 00:48:59,840 Speaker 1: on iTunes. It takes it a few seconds and it 859 00:49:00,040 --> 00:49:02,959 Speaker 1: really helps our cause. Big thanks to the sixties seven 860 00:49:02,960 --> 00:49:05,799 Speaker 1: of you that have already done that. Speaking of appreciation, 861 00:49:05,840 --> 00:49:07,799 Speaker 1: we'd like to thank our partners who helped make this 862 00:49:07,840 --> 00:49:11,560 Speaker 1: show possible. Big thanks to Sick of Gear, Redkneck Blinds, 863 00:49:11,719 --> 00:49:16,680 Speaker 1: Trophy Ridge Bear Archery, Carbon Express Arrows, Hunt Soft Lacrosse Boots, 864 00:49:16,840 --> 00:49:19,840 Speaker 1: Big and J Longrange Attractings, and the White Tailed Institute 865 00:49:19,840 --> 00:49:22,880 Speaker 1: of North America. Finally, be sure to visit Wired and 866 00:49:22,960 --> 00:49:26,040 Speaker 1: Hunt dot com slash episode three to view the show 867 00:49:26,080 --> 00:49:29,160 Speaker 1: notes and links from today's episode that said, thank you 868 00:49:29,239 --> 00:49:32,080 Speaker 1: so much for being here with us today. Until next week, 869 00:49:32,440 --> 00:49:33,479 Speaker 1: Let's stay Wired to Hunt