Wired To Hunt Podcast

Today on the show we're back with our Rut Fresh Radio mini-series in which we get from-the-field updates on deer behavior, activity, and tactics each week from deer hunters across the country.

States covered:

• Michigan
• Montana
• Georgia
• South Dakota
• New Jersey
• Wisconsin

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Today on the show we discuss the trials and tribulations of public land deer hunting and how to deal with these challenges - using the story of our recent Idaho hunt as an example.

Topics discussed:

• How the story of our recent Idaho hunt can serve as an example for future trips and ways to adjust
• The power of the first sit - and the downfall of future sits
• Adjusting to hunting pressure
• Dealing with random adversity on traveling hunts
• How to stay positive in the face of challenges
• Learning new ground on the fly
• When and how to scout public land on a short trip
• Balancing the hard work of a hunt and still trying to have fun
• Sabotage
• Setting standards on a public land hunt
• Taking a punch and getting back up

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Today on the show we're back with our Rut Fresh Radio mini-series in which we get from-the-field updates on deer behavior, activity, and tactics each week from across the country.

States covered:

• Idaho
• South Carolina
• North Dakota
• Kentucky
• Nebraska

Connect with Mark Kenyon and MeatEater

Mark Kenyon on Instagram , Twitter , and Facebook

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Today on the show we discuss ten steps to take and keep in mind this year in pursuit of your best deer hunting season ever AND we discuss our first hunt of the year in Idaho.

Topics discussed:

• The importance of the first sit
• The power of positive thinking and negative preparations
• Ask why
• Not slacking on access and exit
• The game of inches
• Executing on a gameplan
• The importance of scouting more
• Picking your times and striking at the right moments
• How to look at your hunting spots with fresh eyes
• Control what you can, accept what you can't
• A final pep talk for the season

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Today on the show I'm joined by Dan Johnson to break down our goals, hopes, and hitlists for the 2020 deer hunting season.

Topics discussed:

• Setting the stage for the upcoming hunting season
• The return of "Tran"
• My gameplan to hunt for my #1 target buck in Michigan
• Strategic improvements on my local Michigan farm
• The latest Back 40 projects 
• Expectations for the Back 40
• Dan's updated Michigan plan and expectations
• Renewed optimism for my Idaho public land whitetail hunt
• Dan's top target bucks in Iowa
• Areas of improvement for 2020
• How our goals and expectations have changed over the years

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Today on the show I'm joined by Andrae Daquisto to discuss the aggressive scouting and hunting tactics that have made him, in many people’s eyes, one of the very best deer hunters in the country.

Topics discussed:

• Is off-season scouting a waste of time?
• What should we be doing in the late summer leading into hunting season?
• How Andrae identifies his target buck for a given year and why he prefers to make his shoot or don't shoot decisions well ahead of the season
• How Andrae approaches the early season 
• Andrae's unique in-season scouting 
• The sign that prompts Andrae to stop scouting and start hunting
• When to hunt, when to scout
• How to scout without over-pressuring deer
• How trailcams fit into Andrae's strategy today
• How to identify buck beds and what to do when you find one
• The full scoop on the Bump and Dump
• Thoughts on finding and hunting "bulletproof" stand set-ups
• Advanced wind strategies
• Why Andrae hates the rut

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Today on the show I’m joined by Mark Drury to run through a series of hypothetical deer hunting scenarios ranging from small property habitat improvements, to dealing with hunting competition from the neighbors, to patterning specific bucks during the rut.

Topics discussed:

• What would Mark do if he lost of his farms/leases?
• What would the ideal small 40 acre farm look like if Mark Drury had to start all over again?
• How Mark would analyze photos/sightings prior to the season after discovering a new target deer
• What Mark does on the night before the season opener
• Would Mark hunt opening day or wait, if he had bad weather conditions?
• How would Mark hunt a 20 degree temperature drop on October 14th?
• What would Mark do if he spotted an early hot doe in mid-October?
• What would Mark do if he saw a buck move out of range in the same location two out of three days?
• What to do if you get busted by a buck?
• Should you swing for the fences the day before gun season?
• One day and one spot to kill a buck, where would it be?

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Today on the show I'm joined by renowned whitetail bowhunter and founder of The Hunting Beast Dan Infalt to explore how he'd tackle a series of tough hypothetical deer hunting scenarios from the swamps of public land to private land farm ground.

Topics discussed:

• What would Dan do if he glassed up a world class buck in mid-August while driving back roads
• How Dan would attempt to keep tabs on a giant buck without other people noticing
• How would Dan hunt a property different if there were 10 other hunters on it VS just him
• How Dan would go about locating a specific target buck
• How Dan identifies farm land buck beds from the maps
• How to access a property without bedded bucks spotting you
• What Dan would do if he inherited a piece of private land
• What Dan would do if he was busted by a buck while setting up a stand
• How Dan sneaks in and sets up on deer
• Dealing with swirling winds
• Dealing with long tough spells in the woods
• What Dan does when he fills a tag early
• His top stand and date for a sure-fire buck kill

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Today on the show I'm joined by outdoor writer and whitetail consultant Steve Bartylla for his take on a series of hypothetical deer hunting scenarios varying from private land habitat improvements to public land hunting tactics.

Topics discussed:

• What would Steve to a new lease if he only had two weekends in August to improve it?
• What to do if you have to share a great, but small, hunting property with a family member who hunts poorly
• What would you do if your target buck is daylight active leading up to opening day, but the first few days of the season have horrible conditions and wind?
• How to get good trailcam intel if baiting is banned in your state?
• A mid-October cold front hits and you can only hunt the next morning or the evening several day later - which do you pick?
• What to do after missing a buck
• What to do when spotting a cruising buck out of range during the rut
• How to entice a buck onto your property if he beds on the neighbors
• What would you do if you could no longer hunt in November?
• Where would you hunt on Oct 1 VS Nov 25 VS Dec 7?

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Today on the show I'm joined by the legendary DIY Michigan bowhunter John Eberhart to discuss what exactly he would do in some of the deer hunting world’s toughest scenarios.

Topics discussed:

• How John's 2020 whitetail preparations are coming
• What would John do if he gained permission on a new property at the end of August with only one weekend to prep?
• It's October 1 and you have to choose between a dynamite apple tree set or a lone oak, which do you choose?
• What should you do when another hunter comes crashing through your spot?
• What does John Eberhart do when a mature buck busts him?
• What to do when you discover hot sign but there's no good tree to hang from?
• Should you move the next day after seeing a mature buck move out of range?
• What would John do on the very first day of a 5 day public land rut hunt on a brand new property he's never seen?
• How has John's trail camera philosophy evolved in recent years?
• How has the increased know-how of the average hunter impacted John's success and tactics?
• John's top day to hunt and #1 stand location 

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Today on the show I'm joined by John Altman, of the new whitetail show Sea Bucks, to discuss his unique tactics for hunting mature bucks across the islands and big woods of the Northeast.

Topics discussed:

• Why island hunting is a sneaky effective way to hunt mature bucks
• Tips for accessing islands to hunt deer
• How wind and available space impact how you hunt islands
• How John killed a 12+ year old island buck
• Annual patterns for Northeast deer
• Scouting and locating mature bucks in the big woods of the Northeast
• Dissecting stand set-ups for big woods deer
• How do calling and rattling work in the big woods
• Tracking deer on foot

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Today on the show I'm joined by Nick Pinizzotto, Kip Adams, and Lindsay Thomas Jr to discuss one of the most significant changes in the deer conservation world in decades - the merging of the Quality Deer Management Association and the National Deer Alliance into a brand new organization.

Topics discussed:

• Why the QDMA and NDA are merging into a new organization
• The mission of the new organization
• How will this impact deer and deer hunters?
• What to expect for prior QDMA members 
• Will there still be a management and habitat focus in this new organization?
• Thoughts on the legacy of QDMA and the ending of an era
• What the National Deer Alliance leadership learned over its five years of existence
• What NDA can bring to the new org from a policy perspective
• The big wins and wishes that the new org hopes to see come to fruition
• Why we the hunters are the most important part of this new era in deer conservation
• What we need to do in the coming day and years to make a positive difference for deer

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Today on the show I’m joined by Dan Johnson to recap our latest summer whitetail projects and evolving thought processes around summertime deer prep.

Topics discussed:

• Our latest debacles in parenting and the outdoors
• Catching up on Mark and Dan BS
• Hypothetical dream bucks
• The evolution of Mark and Dan's summer trail camera processes
• Scouting new public land
• Why we don't set many tree stands in the spring or summer anymore
• Summertime preparations to hunt a single specific buck
• Dan's new plans for Gnarley Charlie
• Marks latest plans to hunt for Tran
• Concerns around Mark's early September whitetail hunt prospects
• Mark's part-time move
• Our favorite reoccurring segment

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Today on the show I’m joined by DIY bowhunter and Whitetail Addictions team member Heath Cisco to discuss in detail exactly how he locates, studies, and moves in on top tier whitetail bucks.

Topics discussed:

• How Heath and his hunting buddy Justin Hollandsworth handle the sharing of hunting properties
• How to improve your mock scrapes
• Setting high goals for your hunting season
• Seeking out top tier bucks
• Summer scouting for target deer
• Trail camera strategies for specific bucks
• Walking the fine line of scouting VS pressure during the season
• Locating specific buck bedding areas and how to determine if it's a big buck
• What to do when you find a big buck track
• Aggressive hang-and-hunt tactics
• What to do when you visually bump a buck while scouting
• How bucks act differently between farm country and hill country
• How the biggest bucks behave and use wind differently

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Today on the show I’m joined by Justin Hollandsworth of Whitetail Addictions TV to discuss high risk high reward tactics that lead to DIY deer hunting success and much more.

Topics discussed:

• Doing something whitetail related every day
• How Andrae D'acquisto influenced Justin's deer hunting mindset
• Scouting new properties aggressively VS staying out
• The value of hot sign VS year old sign
• Identifying and patterning specific bucks
• The early October morning taboo
• How to hunt "edge winds" and ways to make it work
• When to swing for the fences
• Trailcam positioning 
• Hunting an area VS hunting the tree
• How to quickly and quietly get set-up in a stand during hunting season
• Trim or no trim a new set?
• When's the best time to move stands midday?
• What quality do most great deer hunters have in common?

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Today on the show I’m joined by my friend and DIY whitetail bowhunting extraordinaire Andy May to answer your most pressing and challenging deer hunting questions.

Topics discussed:

• Summer scouting advice
• Our favorite terrain/habitat features for deer hunting success
• How to avoid spooking deer in the fields, while waiting for bucks to come out later
• How we organize our OnX waypoints and other historical information
• What weakness Andy wants to improve on
• The books that influenced our hunting styles the most
• How close should you get to bedding areas with your cameras
• What do great hunters do that average hunters do not
• Hunting small wood lots surrounded by ag
• Why do bucks get old - luck or skill?
• Our first bucks and lessons learned
• How to handle new neighbors

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Today on the show I’m joined by Wisconsin bowhunter and Hunting Beast contributor Joe Rentmeester to discuss his take on the aggressive hunting tactics that have led him to becoming one of the best DIY deer hunters around.

Topics discussed:

• What Joe's early days of hunting looked like
• How he connected with Dan Infalt and started learning from him in-person
• The most important lessons he's learned from Dan Infalt
• How his style differs from Infalt
• Tips for locating and targeting specific bucks
• Ideas for hunting early season mornings
• Predicting buck bedding areas
• How to determine the right spot to set-up VS pushing in farther
• How Joe "won" back to back Public Land Challenges
• One deer hunting "rule" we need to forget
• One deer hunting "rule" we all need to learn
• When to be aggressive, when not

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Today on the show I’m joined by MeatEater wild foods contributing editor Danielle Prewett to discuss everything you need to know to make this your very best summer of wild game cookouts ever.

Topics discussed:

• What was on the menu for Memorial Day weekend
• What kind of wild game comes to Danielle's mind during the summer
• How long is venison good in the freezer?
• Best practices for grilling steaks outside
• To marinade or not? And how to do it best
• The scoop on rubs 
• Summer burger grilling tips
• How to spice up your wild game Taco Tuesdays
• Ideal thickness for your steaks
• Barbecue and sloppy joes
• Tex Mex rubs and cooking techniques
• Other summer wild game favorites
• Ideas for summer camp food

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Today on the show I'm joined by conservation writer and BHA podcast host Hal Herring to explore how to be a conservationist in a post-pandemic world.

Topics discussed:

• When Hal knew he had to tackle conservation and advocacy as his life's work
• Early inspirations
• How to channel anger and frustration with anti-environment/public land acts 
• How to filter all of the information and misinformation when trying to learn about possible threats to wildlife or wild places
• Resources for unvarnished truth related to wildlife and wild places
• How to achieve an informed and relatively unbiased opinion
• How to get politicians to actually listen to hunters and anglers
• Do hunters and anglers still have the stomach to fight for our resources?
• How will COVID-19 impact conservation efforts
• How/when should we begin to push for conservation wins amidst the pandemic
• What to consider leading up to the vote in 2020

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Today on the show Dan Johnson and I are doing some social distance socializing, simply kicking back and catching up - telling hunting, fishing, and foraging stories and maybe even chatting with a surprise special guest. 

Topics discussed:

• Getting in a rut during lockdown
• Dan's turkey hunting efforts this year
• Catch and release turkey hunting and my first real hunt of the year
• My son's first fish
• Dan's mushroom hunting exploits
• Our favorite food to snack on while hanging with buddies
• Plans and preparation for the upcoming season and even 2021
• A surprise guest
• Surprise guest turkey stories

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Today on the show I’m joined by Field & Stream editor-at-large and and author Bill Heavey for a rambling exploration of the relevance of hunting, fishing, and foraging in the year 2020 and beyond.

Topics discussed:

• What Bill's been doing outside during the COVID-19 lockdown
• Has hunting and fishing become more or less important given the current health crisis?
• What Bill still wants to do outdoors before the pandemic or anything else gets to him
• What to make of the renewed urgency to eat/live closer to the land
• How Bill's personal journey to get more of his food from hunting/fishing/forgaging has evolved over the years
• Tips for foraging for wild edibles 
• Eating goose eggs
• The relevance of hunting in the future
• Introducing kids to the outdoors

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Today on the show I'm joined by Lindsay Thomas Jr. of the Quality Deer Management Association for a terrific and varied conversation about whitetail habitat management and how we can all do a little better.

Topics discussed:

• How conservation organizations have been impacted by COVID-19
• What we can do to help support QDMA and other conservation organizations at this time
• How deer habitat management has evolved over the past few decades
• If Lindsay could change one thing about deer habitat managers, it would be ...
• Why plant and tree ID matters
• Does invasive and non-native species management really matter?
• Desirable weeds and tree species to look for
• What a "green" or "low impact" food plot means
• How to plant more environmentally friendly and beneficial food plots
• Safety considerations and environmental impacts of herbicide use
• Erosion, tillage, no-till and other soil considerations

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Today on the show we're back with our final bonus turkey hunting episode and we're here with Andrew Johnson to break down the top six turkey vocalizations hunters need to be able to interpret and replicate. 

Topics discussed:

• How Andrew came to be involved with turkey hunting and turkey hunting media
• Why so many hunters have one-sided conversations with turkeys
• What the most important turkey vocalizations
• Why it's important to understand what different vocalizations mean to turkeys
• Understanding and replicating a yelp
• Understanding and replicating the tree yelp
• Understanding and replicating clucks and putts
• Understanding and replicating cutting
• Understanding and replicating a purr
• Understanding and replicating a gobble
• Most common turkey calling mistakes

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Today on the show I’m joined by MeatEater team member and mushroom hunting aficionado Spencer Neuharth to cover off on everything a deer hunter needs to know to successfully take up mushroom hunting.

Topics discussed:

• Why the hell should deer hunters care about mushroom hunting?
• What mushrooms are worth seeking out
• How to properly identify the top mushrooms
• Top locations for finding mushrooms
• Specific hot spots for morels
• Mushroom myths and wive's tales
• Tips for better seeing mushrooms in the wild
• How to properly pick a mushroom
• Cleaning and storing mushrooms the right way
• Spencer's top ideas for cooking mushrooms

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Today on the show we're back with another bonus turkey hunting episode and we're here with Lake Pickle to discuss his top tactics for hunting southern turkeys, how to call and kill highly pressured birds, taking a turkey's "temperature" and ways to change a gobblers mood

Topics discussed:

• What makes southern turkey hunting unique
• Top times to hunt public land birds
• How to call to heavily pressured turkeys
• Ways to take a turkey's "temperature"
• How to change a gobbler's mood
• How to add realism to your turkey calls
• Top decoy set-ups
• Calling on the limb
• What to do when you spook a gobbler

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Today on the show I’m joined by Arkansas hunter, content creator, and modern mountain man philosopher Clay Newcomb to discuss southern deer hunting, Canadian bucks, and bears.

Topics discussed:

• Who is Clay Newcomb
• How Clay thinks about the sacredness of hunting
• The trials and tribulations of raising children in a hunting family
• Mistakes or regrets raising kids to hunt
• Introducing kids to discomfort
• What inspired Clay to understand our history as hunters
• Southern deer hunting culture
• How to kill deer in Arkansas, depending on habitat type
• Trophy hunting - how to justify?
• What it's like to hunt big Canadian whitetails
• Why deer hunters should give bear hunting a shot
• The ideal first bear hunting experience
• Is bear meat any good?
• Why all hunters should care about bear hunting rights

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Today on the show we're back with another bonus turkey hunting episode and we're here with Tony Peterson to discuss his top tactics for striking up quiet gobblers, how he changes a turkey's mood, and much more.

Topics discussed:

• How to scout for good turkey hunting public land spots
• Mature tom tendencies
• Tips for making decoys more realistic
• Tony's aggressive calling tactics
• Preferred decoy set-ups
• What to do different when bowhunting for turkeys
• Where to aim with a bow
• Broadheads for turkeys
• Can you run-n-gun for turkeys with a bow?
• The craziest turkey tactic Tony employs

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Today on the show I’m joined by Tony Peterson to discuss the most important intangibles for hunting success, mindset changes that can lead to becoming a better hunter, and much more.

Topics discussed:

• Lockdown life updates
• Why the intangible and mental sides of hunting are just as important as any tactic
• Learning to disconnect
• Why pre-season work and scouting is so important 
• What gets Tony out working in the off-season so much
• What areas for improvement Tony sees in himself
• Off-season plans for Tony
• Specific scouting ideas for 2020

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Today on the show we're kicking off a month long series of bonus turkey hunting episodes and we're beginning with Mark Drury here to discuss his top tactics for striking up quiet gobblers, how he changes a turkey's mood, and much more.

Topics discussed:

• Our plan for turkey month!
• How Mark Drury uniquely approaches turkey hunting in different regions
• How he hunts the different subspecies differently
• What to do when the turkeys aren't gobbling
• Mark's top tactics for striking up a bird
• How to change a gobbler's mood
• How to read turkey body language
• Mark's favorite decoy set-ups
• How to kill turkeys at the end of the day

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Today on the show I'm joined by professional archer, bowhunter, and YouTube phenom Chris Bee to discuss competitive archery, mental strength in the moment of truth, and advice for epic hunting road trips.

Topics discussed:

• How Chris Bee got into hunting and competitive archery
• Advice for parents who hope to introduce their kids to archery
• Recommendations for folks wanting to get into tournament archery
• Dealing with mental stress and high pressure situations
• How to clear your mind of negative thoughts during moment of truth
• Tips for better archery practice
• Pulling off a DIY Alaskan caribou hunt
• The ultimate hunting van set-up and other recommended travel gear and food
• Planning hunting road-trips
• Lessons learned from the 2019 season

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Today on the show I’m joined by Dan Johnson to discuss his very exciting, albeit long delayed, decision to finally leave the promised land of Iowa to experience a deer hunt in the great state of Michigan.

Topics discussed:

• How Dan Johnson and his family are handling the COVID-19 impacts
• Tips for working at home with kids
• Why Dan Johnson finally decided to come hunt Michigan
• When the Dan Johnson Michigan deer hunt is happening
• The plan for finding quality public land in Michigan
• Scouting for early season hunts
• Camping/eating ideas for a public land DIY hunt
• Tips for finding unpressured deer
• Buck bedding areas in swampy regions
• Is Michigan a better hunting state than advertised?
• Setting goals and expectations for hunting a new state
• A tip for finding higher quality public hunting spots in high pressure states
• What Dan will have to do to deal with CWD regulations in Michigan

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Today I’m joined by the wise man of southwestern Wisconsin, Doug Duren, to discuss land management philosophies, achieving balance, improving the Back 40, and the impacts of the novel coronavirus on future conservation efforts.

Topics discussed:

• How Doug and I are dealing with the impacts of the Covid-19 crisis
• Weird parallels between the public's reaction to the coronavirus and CWD
• How the pandemic, and resulting economic and attention crises, might impact future conservation efforts
• How Doug Duren came to his current conservation ethic
• How Doug would describe his conservation philosophy
• Balancing wilderness preservation VS land management
• Understanding why managing invasives or non-native species is important
• Why managing for balance in an ecosystem makes sense
• Doug's thoughts on the Back 40
• Ideas for getting more trees on the landscape

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Today on the show I'm joined by Backcountry Hunters & Anglers CEO Land Tawney to discuss one of the most significant conservation and public land victories in decades - the Great American Outdoors Act - and what all this momentum means for the future of hunting, fishing, and public lands.

Topics discussed:

• What is the Great American Outdoors Act
• How significant is this?
• The importance of the Land and Water Conservation Fund for hunters/anglers/outdoors people
• The importance of funding public land maintenance
• Is this a political gambit? And does it matter if it is?
• How to make sure this becomes a reality
• What's the MAPland Act?
• What are hunters/anglers doing well that has led to this kind of conservation win? 
• What do we need to do a better job of?
• Are our public lands still suffering a "death by a thousand cuts?"
• What do we need to turn our attention to next?

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Today on the show I am joined by outdoor writer, TV host, and whitetail expert Greg Miller to discuss his version of an aggressive approach to hunting deer across the country.

Topics discussed:

• More on #TinesAndTrash
• Why there are no absolutes in hunting
• What Greg Miller considers aggressive whitetail hunting
• Spring scouting importance
• Getting aggressive during the October or not?
• Maple leaves for deer
• How technology has impacted and possibly negatively influenced current deer hunters
• Why rub lines are so important to Greg
• How to scout for, use trailcams on, and hunt near rub lines
• Finding deer in the big woods
• Double decoy tactics

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Today on the show I'm joined by Tony Trietch for a fascinating discussion on the merits of the traveling hunter lifestyle and aggressive tactics for hunting big whitetails from the ground.

Topics discussed:

• #TinesAndTrash
• Why Tony takes off for months at a time to hunt
• How he designed his career and life to allow for long-term travel and hunting
• The mental side of solo hunting/travel
• Most crucial camping gear and hacks for hunting trips
• How to eat well on DIY trips
• Why Tony stopped using treestands in 2012
• The allure of open-country whitetail hunting
• Can Tony's ground-hunting tactics work in the Midwest or elsewhere?
• How to find high-quality areas for ground-pounding for whitetails
• Tips for better glassing up big game
• How to scout and locate whitetails
• How to begin planning a stalk on a whitetail
• Rattling and calling whitetails on the ground
• Using a Heads Up Decoy
• Making the shot count from the ground

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Today on the show Dan Johnson and I answer your most pressing hunting related questions covering topics such as off-season scouting, hunting new states, the curious idea of gut pile farts, and recommended beginner deer gear.

Topics discussed:

• Dan's run-in with an international hacker
• Our latest shed hunting exploits 
• A frustrating example of partisan politics mucking up wildlife management
• Is it more important to improve bedding areas or food plots?
• What's the deal with e-bikes?
• Shed season VS turkey season
• When is the right time to take your kids hunting for the first time?
• How to speed the learning curve when hunting a new state
• Is winter scouting worthwhile?
• Good beginner deer hunting gear
• Beginner saddle hunting gear
• Sticks VS steps
• Best week to shed hunt?
• How to help protect the Boundary Waters

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Today on the show I'm joined by QDMA Director of Conservation, Kip Adams, to review the most notable trends and current issues impacting deer and deer hunting in America in 2020.

Topics discussed:

• What is the QDMA Whitetail Report?
• How would Kip grade the most recent deer hunting season data?
• The most notable trends in the deer hunting world
• The latest on buck harvest numbers
• Why are doe harvest numbers declining?
• How age structure has changed in our national deer harvest over the years
• Updates on EHD and CWD across the country
• Anything new on dealing with CWD?
• Legislation that hunters can help push to the finishline
• More on hunter recruitment 

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Today on the show we are talking all things shed hunting, including when the best time to shed hunt is, how to become a more efficient shed hunter, and shed hunting tactics from several of the most experienced antler hunters around. 

Topics discussed:

• My big news
• Why we love shed hunting
• Furter's favorite shed hunting memories
• Why it's important not to shed hunt too early
• The importance of not shed hunting too late
• Determing just the right time to shed hunt
• How to apply the 80/20 rule to shed hunting
• Becoming a more efficient shed hunter
• Where Dan Perez focuses his shed hunting efforts
• How ponds can factor into your shed hunting strategy
• Joe Shead's top shed locations
• Tips for better spotting antlers
• Top conditions for shed hunting

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Today on the show I’m joined by Garrett Prahl of DIY Sportsman to examine his ultralight mobile hunting style and the fascinating approach he takes to testing and modifying his gear to perfectly fit his hunts.

Topics discussed:

• Who is Garrett Prahl
• The story of possibly my most exciting, and unexpected, shed hunting find of all time
• How the DIY Sportsman came to be
• How Garrett describes his hunting style
• When to hunt fresh sign VS when to continue towards a planned location
• Tricks for hunting on the ground on the fly
• Tips for choosing the right climbing sticks
• Using a climbing aider
• Modification ideas for climbing sticks, linemans belts, tree stands, and platforms
• How to be more efficient getting set-up for run-n-gun hunts
• Tips for making your system more lightweight

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Today on the show I'm joined by wildlife biologist Jason Snavely to discuss the exciting new concept of regenerative wildlife agriculture and how these concepts can be applied on your hunting property.

Topics discussed:

• Who is Jason Snavely
• What is regenerative wildlife agriculture
• Why RWA matters for deer hunters
• How RWA can lead to a higher target environment and healthier wildlife
• What I got right on the Back 40
• What I got wrong on the Back 40
• The importance of soil
• The principals of healthy soil 
• Trials and tribulations with no-till drills
• Can you start and manage food plots without herbicide?
• Terminating crops with a crimper and without
• Thoughts on rotating crops and planting diversity
• How deer determine nutritional content and benefit from higher quality plants and soil

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Today on the show I'm joined by Jeff Sturgis, of Whitetail Habitat Solutions, to get his first impressions on our Back 40 property and his tactical recommendations for improving it for deer and deer hunting.

Topics discussed:

• Sturgis' first impression of the Back 40 after walking it during late August 2019
• The importance of sanctuary and the perceived security of deer
• Factoring hunting and access routes into the locations of your habitat improvements
• Why Jeff recommends linear food plots and how he chooses their paths
• Where Sturgis recommends we place food plots on the Back 40 and what we should plant
• How Jeff believes we could incorporate switch grass and pollinator pockets to transform our old fields
• The importance of screening cover
• Jeff's recommendations on specific hunting locations on the Back 40 

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Today on the show Spencer Neuharth and I are breaking down the top trends, environmental factors, and observations from the past hunting season that might help us all as we move into the new year.

Topics discussed:

• How Spencer and I rate our 2019 hunting seasons
• Top trends from the past hunting season
• Impact of rainy spring and fall
• Flooding 
• Hunting when standing corn is present
• The timing of cold fronts and how it can impact hunting
• Did the moon make a difference this year?
• Timing of the rut
• The importance of knowing the quality of food sources in any given year
• Lack of late season weather

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Today on the show I’m joined by renowned conservation writer Hal Herring to discuss public land history and advocacy, wilderness, and an in-depth look at my book That Wild Country.

Topics discussed:

• Why I'm the guest on this episode and not the host
• Why you should join Backcountry Hunters & Anglers
• The early adventures that formed the foundation for my public land passion
• The frustrations of public lands becoming political
• Theodore Roosevelt and his focus on the next generation
• What the writing process for That Wild Country was like
• Writers who influenced my work and advocacy
• The importance of working with diverse stakeholders to protect wild places
• Why a basic understanding of public land history is so important
• The beauty and curse of multiple-use management
• Action is the cure for depression
• Having hope 

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Today on the show I'm joined by Joe Gizdic and Shawn Kelley to dive deep into the story of how we found and purchased our MeatEater Back 40 farm and advice for finding your own special piece of hunting ground.

Topics discussed:

• Intro to Joe, Shawn and Whitetail Properties
• Most important criteria to look for when searching for a hunting property
• What I was looking for during the Back 40 purchase process
• The properties I looked at that didn't make the cut
• How to properly assess the value of land
• Identifying a good "neighborhood"
• Advice for finding prospective properties
• What I liked about the Back 40 farm and Shawn's thoughts
• Details to get right when offering and closing on a property
• Common mistakes when trying to purchase a recreational property
• Other advice for finding and buying land

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Today on the show I’m joined by Danielle Prewett, creator of Wild and Whole, to discuss techniques, concepts, and recipes for cooking better wild game and taking your venison to the next level.

Topics discussed:

• Feeding a family of 5 with wild game with only one deer?
• My late-season close call with "Tran"
• Our favorite simple wild game holiday recipes
• Who Danielle Prewett is and how she became a wild game cooking educator
• How to properly value wild game
• Cooking/tenderizing tough cuts of meat
• The importance of salting meat at the right time
• Cooking a venison backstrap properly
• Making homemade wild game stock
• Importance of letting meat sit at room temperature AND letting meat rest
• The best oil to cook wild game in
• "Gamey" meat and how to avoid it
• The right way to brown ground venison
• Alcohol pairings for wild game

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This week on the podcast we're here for our last Rut Fresh Radio episode of the year, in which we hear from hunters all across the country about current deer activity, conditions, and the tactics that are working right now.

States/guests featured:

Phillip Vanderpool | The Virtue TV | Arkansas

Grant Oldenburg | Triple Threat Retrievers | Illinois

Taylor Chamberlain | The Urban Bowman | Virginia

Nate Krick | Identical Draw | Kansas

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Today on the show we’re joined by Brett Joy to discuss late season tactics, tracking bucks in the snow, and the story of an epic four year New Hampshire hunt that ended this December.

Topics discussed:

• Locating mature bucks in big woods habitats
• The challenges of late season hunting
• Hunting bucks for multiple years and identifying annual patterns
• Identifying terrain features that influence deer movement in hilly areas
• How to identify top late season food sources
• Tracking deer in the snow
• Late season tactics for ag-country
• Knowing when to strike
• The mental side of late season hunting

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This week on the podcast we're back with our Rut Fresh Radio mini-series in which we hear from hunters all across the country about current deer activity, conditions, and the tactics that are working right now.

States/guests featured:

Ohio | Byron Horton | Whitetail Experience

Oklahoma | Caleb Combs | Stuart Ranch Outfitters

New Hampshire | Brett Joy | Realtree Sea Bucks

Iowa | Josh Sparks | Midwest Whitetail

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This week on the podcast we're back with our Rut Fresh Radio mini-series in which we hear from hunters all across the country about current deer activity, conditions, and the tactics that are working right now.

States/guests featured:

Joe Kahl | Minnesota Rackstars | Minnesota

Andrew Maxwell | The Southern Outdoorsmen Podcast | Alabama

Beau Martonik | East Meets West Hunt Podcast | Pennsylvania

Colby Bailey | Commit Outdoors | Missouri

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Today on the show we’re tackling listener questions on topics ranging from how to kill late season deer, how to identify top whitetail food sources, recovering from a missed deer, public land and much more.

Topics discussed:

• The official launch of That Wild Country
• How to move on from a missed deer
• Staying motivated in the midst of a long tough deer hunting season
• Tactics for killing a buck during late season
• Keeping your feet warm in cold weather
• Determining the top food sources at different points of the year - greens VS grains
• Will does blow at bucks?
• How my transition to a back tension release has gone
• Should you take a head-on shot at a deer with a bow?
• Getting bucks shoulder mounted VS euro mounted
• Latest update on the hunt for "Tran"

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