If you want to be a better deer hunter, fixing a few bad habits may be the fastest way to improve your level of success in the woods. On this episode I talk about 10 bad habits deer hunters develop and how to fix them.

Deer hunters, like anyone, can easily fall into a pattern that becomes a rut. If you keep doing the same things and do not get the results you want, there is an obvious issue. But because you only do it a few times a year, there may not be enough awareness or drive to really evaluate things and make a change.

Realizing you have a bad habit is sometimes all you need to do to fix it the next time around. You may become a better hunter just by listening to this episode. You may also learn some things that require proactive effort to put into practice. In either event, you should be equipped to do even better!

Listen to the episode to hear about the 10 bad habits! 

Getting your spots ready for the next deer hunting season should be fun and enjoyable instead of rushed and stressful. On this podcast episode I talk about strategies and timing to help you get everything checked off your list and ready for the next deer season.

Whether you hunt public land or private land, there are things you can and should be doing far in advance of the hunting season to give you the highest chances of success. Get your check list ready.

  1. Pick a spot – This is maybe the hardest to do and requires scouting, planning, strategy, factoring in future winds and much more. Listen to previous episodes to learn more.
  2. Food maintenance – Whether you are planting food, maintaining food, or finding food sources, the work needs done months in advance of the hunting season.
  3. Select your tree or spot – Once you have determined the right areas and how deer will relate to food, you need to pick the right tree or blind location that you will hunt from. DO NOT expect to just walk into the woods in the dark and find a good tree.
  4. Setup your stand or blind – Think safety first, second, and third. Use extra rachet straps, double the safety measures, and get it done well in advance.
  5. Mock scrape – Every good hunting spot should be paired with mock scrape to give you the best possible chance at focusing deer movement.
  6. Trail camera – Every stand and mock scrape should have a trail camera if financially feasible. This is how you learn where, when, and how to hunt each spot and if it is a dud without wasting your whole season sitting there.
  7. Removing or relocating debris – Cleaning up your area can be a good idea, but do not just get rid of every downed tree and branch, use them to your advantage!
  8. Creating cover – Deer need cover, and you may want to add some when you are able. Consider all available options such as downing trees to open up canopy, hinge cuts, switch grass, and more.
  9. Trail maintenance for deer – You want to keep certain trails clear to encourage and focus movement. Likewise, you may want to add obstacles in key places to limit movement options in order to try and get them closer or at better angles. 
  10. Access maintenance for people – Getting to your hunting spot quietly and while leaving minimal scent is crucial. Decide long in advance the best way to access your hunting spot and make sure you find or create a clear approach. 

Listen to the episode to for the details! 

Clover is one of the best plantings for a new hunter when it comes to deer and turkey hunting. It is easy, fast, inexpensive, does not require big equipment, and grows back every year. On this episode I talk about the benefits and easiest ways new hunters can plant clover as a food plot.

Take Aways

  • Whitetail Institute Imperial Clover is the gold standard that all clover is measured against. You can get started with a microplot for about $20.
  • There are way cheaper clover options though. If you go to your local AG store you can often get white clover by the pound for half the price.
  • I have used both and gotten good results with both. But I would still lean towards the Whitetail Institute Imperial Clover if cost and scale were not major factors.
  • The clover is a great food source for deer year-round, I have watched them visit it daily in the middle of January and February and paw through several inches of snow to nibble on whatever is left.
  • Turkeys also find clover patches very appealing, especially in the early spring. They eat the clover as well as the bugs that live on and around it.
  • To prepare the ground there are two easy routes, you can whack the vegetation down to the dirt with a weed eater or do a few sprayings of Round Up with a cheap hand sprayer.
  • Normally you will want to put down some pelletized lime when you plant to help the PH. $20 worth is plenty for most micro plots.
  • You can add fertilizer in the spring or fall if you want. Ideally you want something like a 0-20-20. Clover doesn’t need nitrogen, it creates its own and it only feeds the weeds when you use it. My local AG store has 10-20-20, and I use that. 
  • To plant clover you need very minimal tools if you can see bare dirt, just a cheap hand spreader.
  • Upkeep is minimal, just re-seed in late winter/early spring wherever you see bare spots and you should be good to go.
  • You can mow or weed whack the clover in the summer if you are getting competition with weeds, typically the clover will grow back faster than the weeds and take back over.
  • There are some special herbicides that will kill grasses and weeds without hurting the clover if your clover gets overrun, but most people won’t need them.
  • Listen to the episodes for all the details.

If you want to have more deer and more mature bucks on your property, then creating a deer sanctuary is key. And while the sky is the limit on what this can cost, if you understand the principles, you can get much of the benefit for free. On this episode I talk about what a deer sanctuary is and the strategy that goes into developing one.

Take Aways

  • A deer sanctuary is as a much a strategy as it is a physical place. You, the hunter, make an area a sanctuary by virtue of what you do or do not do. Sure, modifying the habitat can help, but it cannot serve as a substitute for how you manage and hunt the land.
  • It is amazing how cheaply you can create a sanctuary when you understand the concept and what makes an area ideal habitat.
  • Remember that mature bucks need to almost be treated like a different animal from does and young bucks. They are much more wary, strategic, and mindful. This is why they are prized to hunt, because they are the hardest member of the heard to take.
  • Even if you spend a fortune on habitat improvements, you undo it all if you are not mindful of your access points, walking areas, and stand locations. Hunting smart will always yield more results than spending money.
  • Listen to the episode to learn about what a deer sanctuary is and how to build one.

Should you hunt elk solo or pay for a guide or an outfitter? That is an easy question to ask but the answer depends greatly on the many variables that are unique to your situation and goals. On this episode I provide some insight which can help you make the best decision for you.

Take Aways

  • Guides are people you pay who know the land and the game and are able to help put you in an advantageous hunting situation.
  • Outfitters are companies that make your hunting accommodations, often including ground transportation, lodging, meals, guides, butchering, and transporting your meat back home.
  • Guides usually have a day rate.
  • Outfitters usually have a trip rate that varies based on the number of days.
  • A guided elk hunt is not someone taking you to an elk ranch where you pick your elk, shoot it, and have your antlers sent back home. That isn’t even hunting.
  • A guide is someone who shares their experience, knowledge of the land, and insight into the game to help you locate and get close to elk. They don’t hunt for you; they mentor you through the hunt.
  • The best time to use a guide or an outfitter is when you are investing a lot of time and money into travel and want to position yourself for the most enjoyable experience and best chance of success.
  • The best time to go solo is when your investment or risk is limited. If you can drive to the area to hunt, and make regular weekend excursions, you can easily and cheaply work at it until you learn.
  • Since so many people travel great distances and invest so much to hunt elk, guides become a very important part of the process
  • Always do your homework, research a guide or outfitter, look for reviews, talk to past customers if possible, make sure they are legit and that people enjoyed their experience.
  • Listen to the episode for all of the info.

Elk hunting requires a specialized approach, but the guns and gear used are not uncommon. You may need to buy a little gear, but chances are you already own a capable rifle for the job. On this episode I talk about the equipment you need to hunt elk.

Take Aways

  • A magnum rifle is certainly fine for the job, but many hunters shoot worse with a bigger gun.
  • Do not just go out and buy a heavy caliber for elk hunting, you need to train with big calibers for years, mastering how to use them effectively. Else you are better off with less gun.
  • The most common range for taking a shot at an elk for most hunters is 100-200 yards. You should train for that.
  • Practice shooting off hand, after hiking or climbing, and in various positions and circumstances.
  • A 308, 30-06, and 270 are very common calibers that are all ideal choices for elk with the right bullets.
  • Use high quality bullets rated for game of this size, a Nosler Partition is a great place to start.
  • When it comes to gear, boots make all the difference. YOU MUST have good boots, and two pairs of them. You must break the boots in well in advance, hiking miles and tens of miles in them regularly.
  • Base layers are the next very important piece, you need something that doesn’t itch, that will keep you warm when wet, doesn’t stink and wicks moisture and evaporates it quickly. Merino wool is the best option. I recommend the First Lite 150 wick or 250 kiln base layers.
  • Good socks also make a world of difference, again merino wool is the best. I recommend Darn Tough socks because of their lifetime guarantee.
  • You should bring 4 pairs of hunting socks. One to wear into the field, one to change into at mid-day, and two for the next day. So you can rotate and your socks will always have a day to dry, just like your boots.
  • Beyond that, you need some pants, nothing fancy, just something ripstop that can take walking through brush.
  • Coat wise, you will want something windproof, because it will be windy, but it doesn’t have to be too fancy.
  • Then it is just a matter of layers, adding them and taking them off throughout the day. Keep extra room in your pack for when you take layers off.
  • Depending on the weather, a good pair of gators can help keep your feet and pants try and free of debris, snow, and wear.
  • Have multiple hat options so you can adjust over the course of the day. And of course you’ll need some gloves, binoculars, a knife, food, water, etc.
  • The biggest thing you should do is ask your guide, outfitter, or local friends what to expect weather wise and what gear you should bring.
  • Do not go based on the forecast of the closest major city, in the country and at higher elevations, the conditions can be very different.
  • Listen to the episode for more info!

There are different ways to hunt elk based on the terrain, habitat, and what your opportunities are. In this episode I talk about how to hunt less than ideal areas, unconventional tactics, and the most common way elk are pursued

Elk are most often hunted on foot, hiking, covering ground, glassing big areas, and pushing through rough terrain. But that is not the only way to hunt them, it is just usually the best way.

Elk are sometimes ambush hunted. If you have limited property or access points, you can scout for the freshest sign in pinch points, travel corridors or near food, study the wind, and settle in to an ambush point.

Believe it or not, elk are sometimes hunted from fixed position tree stands or hunting blinds. This typically works best in more wooded or rural areas where there is less migration and big heard movement and the elk have become more accustomed to living around people. I would say this is less than 5% of all elk hunts though. In big spaces, this doesn’t work.

There are many more strategies but they are often tailored to your specific area. Search those out, study them, and get ready.

Listen to the episode to learn more.

Elk hunting is a slippery slope because it can become all-consuming for those who develop a passion for it. On this episode I talk about the basics of elk hunting and how to get started planning and preparing for your first hunt.

Beginners Checklist:

  • Determine where you want to or are able to hunt and what the seasons are in that area.
  • Figure out how much it costs to get a tag to hunt there and if you can readily purchase one or have to enter a drawing.
  • Create a strategy for scouting that area, be it through a guide, preliminary trip, or coming in early for the hunt.
  • Study the tactics that are most effective to hunt in that area, I share some in the episode.
  • Have an exit strategy to get you and the meat out of the woods. Elk are big animals; they can be upwards of 700 pounds.
  • Start a regimented and growing fitness routine to get you ready for the rigors of all day hikes, carrying gear, and hunting in high elevation as needed.
  • Prepare yourself physically, health wise, and mentally for the challenges you may face. I cannot overstate how hard it can be to hunt elk in high elevations no matter how good of shape you think you are in.
  • Decide if you will hunt DIY, with a guide, or using an outfitter. There are benefits to each. But it is very hard to hunt elk in an unfamiliar state without someone who knows the land and the heard.
  • Begin to assemble your gear based on the season you plan to hunt in.
  • Elk are masters of the wind, far beyond whitetail deer. They can smell you a mile away, literally, and disappear before you knew they were there. You must plan for the wind.
  • Do not waste your time, money, or energy on elk calls if you are new to the sport. You will likely cause yourself more problems than anything else. Leave calls to those who are experienced.
  • The average first or second elk hunt is usually planned a year or two in advance. That much time is needed to nail down everything on this list.
  • Do not expect to just show up with a gun and expect to take home a great elk. It doesn’t work like that unless you are hunting a farm.
  • The best guide and outfitter does not do the work for you, they simply make it possible for you to put in the hard work and have a chance at finding an elk.
  • Listen to the episode for all the information. 

Perhaps no other single person in history has done more to advance firearms technology than John Moses Browning. His innovations laid the groundwork for almost all hunting firearms in use today, and many military firearms as well. On this episode I talk about his patriotic contribution to the world of hunting.

Before there were semi-auto rifles and shotguns, before there were pump actions, lever actions, and so on, John Moses Browning invented the comprehensive mechanism breech loading single shot rifle. No one had seen anything like it, it earned him a visit from the top brass at Winchester who came to buy the patent rights for an astronomical sum of money in those days and started a long and fruitful relationship.

Not only did John invent a masterful way to operate a single shot rifle, but he also pioneered the repeating rifle, invented the pump action shotgun, went on to invent the automatic shotgun, created the automatic pistol from thin air, and would go on to invent the machine gun.

Almost every hunter does or has carried a gun into the field that John Moses Browning invented or influenced, even though almost none of his firearms were sold under his name. He invented guns like Winchester Model 94 in 30-30, the Browning Auto-5, the Colt 1911, the BAR, the M1 and M2 Machine guns, so much more. Some 120 patents were credited to his name, many of which were built into innovative firearms that changed the course of hunting, and the world.

Listen to the episode to hear more.

To learn more, this book is an excellent read:

Every time I hear someone laboring to try and make wild turkey meat palatable, it blows a fuse in mind. While turkey is delicious! On this episode I share secrets, that shouldn’t be secrets, for how to make wild turkey taste great.

Take Always

  • Here is the meat thermometer I mentioned in the episode.
  • Unfortunately, most hunters are not great cooks and most people’s approach to cooking game lacks some basic principles for preparing it well. 
  • Just because someone else says they like it and it tastes good does not mean they have any idea how to cook well. But that also doesn’t mean the meat cannot be cooked well.
  • Wild turkey is not chicken, don’t try to cook it like chicken!
  • Wild turkey is not store-bought turkey, don’t try to cook them the same!
  • Most people have no experience whatsoever cooking any turkey outside of thanksgiving style. There is a big knowledge gap!
  • Wild turkeys are lean well exercised birds. They MUST NOT be overcooked and dry out quickly.
  • Listen to the episode to hear the wild turkey cooking secrets.