818 - The Early Season Blueprint for Killing Mature Bucks | Ben Davis

Archery seasons are opening soon across the country, and early-season success comes down to one thing: acorns. Ben Davis of central Alabama joins us to break down his complete early-season feed tree blueprint — how to find the oaks that are actually hot, the overlooked sign that tells you a tree is about to fire before the deer even pattern it, and how to hunt it without blowing it out. It's a wide-open early-season how-to for every deer hunter, then a deep, technical dive into traditional bow hunting for those who want to take it all the way.

In this episode:

• How deer feeding on green acorns tells you a tree is 1–2 weeks from getting hot
• The oak-drop calendar — chestnut/mountain oaks, then white oaks, then red and water oaks late season
• Reading feed sign — busted hulls, fresh droppings, and ground disturbance under a hot tree
• Why your first sit on a fresh tree is almost always your best one
• Scouting before rain to erase your intrusion and get a free pass
• Late-morning feed tree kills — and why wind gets deer on their feet
• Creek crossings, entry and exit, and the water-scent problem that wrecks slam-dunk setups
• Isolated oaks vs. stands of oaks, and getting tight to bedding cover
• Getting into traditional archery without getting over-bowed — form and instinctive shooting
• Bare-shaft tuning, arrow spine, weight-forward setups, and picking a broadhead
• Sharpening fixed-blade heads and getting a true burr
• The story of a mature Alabama buck taken with a recurve — and the recovery that almost didn't happen
• Plus mentors, hard-earned lessons, and why he'd rather hunt sign than stare at a trail camera

Check out Ben's latest video here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRl90uaCoo0

Looking for land in Alabama's Black Belt region? Contact Ben here - https://www.whitetailproperties.com/agents/ben-davis-1

Join our Circle Community here - ⁠https://linkly.link/2o0Sn

Grab some Southern Outdoorsmen merch here - https://l.linklyhq.com/l/1u4aK

Join Woodsman Wire - https://l.linklyhq.com/l/1u4aR

Use code “SOUTHERN” for a discount on Whitetail Hill food plot seed & trees - https://linkly.link/2myBP

Use the promo code “southern” for a discount on your OnX Hunt membership here - https://l.linklyhq.com/l/1tyfm

Check out Latitude Outdoors for your mobile hunting gear - https://2ly.link/1zVDI

Use code TSOP15 for a discount on Mossy Oak - https://linkly.link/2ERb8

Use code SOUTHERN20 for a discount on all Vortex apparel, including eyewear

Have you tagged a deer using something you heard on the show? Submit your listener success story here - Share Your Story Here

NOTE: Not all advertisements run on this show are endorsed by The Southern Outdoorsmen Podcast unless an ad is read by one of the hosts. 

Our Sponsors:
* Check out MyBookie and use my code SOUTHERNOUTDOORSMEN for a great deal: https://www.mybookie.ag
* Check out Omaha Steaks and use our code BEEF for a great deal: https://www.omahasteaks.com
* Check out TruDiagnostic and use our code SOUTHERNOUTDOORSMEN for a great deal: https://www.trudiagnostic.com


Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy