EP285 Five Lies About Sub Zero Hunting

There are a lot of myths and misconceptions when it comes to cold weather hunting, especially subzero hunting. The word alone invokes powerful images of punishing cold and impossibilities. But the truth is, you can hunt lots of game very effectively when it’s cold, from deer to goose. On this episode I get into debunking some of the lies surrounding late season cold. 

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Hunting below 0 degrees Fahrenheit comes with numerous challenges and obstacles to overcome. Some are technical, some are physical, and some are simply made up. For some reason mystical qualities are applied to cold weather hunting. The simple truth is that there are people in different parts of the world who live, work, and hunt at temperatures below zero for weeks if not months out of the year. Many people see zero as warmer than usual.

But for those who live in warmer climates, this number is seen as some very important threshold and many myths have crept up around it. But the reality is that nothing magical happens at 0 degrees. The animals keep moving, equipment keeps working, and hunting is very possible. But cold weather hunting is more difficult and requires some special strategies for dealing with the cold across all levels.

You need to make sure your gear is fully operational and winterized. You have to be dressed for the cold, and that means more than just wearing super expensive brands. You also need to be sure you are in proper physical condition or take steps to mitigate your shortcomings, so you are not hindered by the difficulties that come with cold weather hunts.

There are some pros to late season artic weather as well. It simplifies hunting some. Where animals go becomes more focused and predictable. There are fewer options on how and where you can hunt. And while it does become harder, some of it becomes simpler as well. Deer patterns change, goose patterns become more predictable, and small game is easier to spot much of the time.

What you wear matters a lot, but it is more about finding the right types of layers than the right brands. Different materials and garments serve different roles and as long as you have those roles covered, you can hunt very effectively even in cold weather, snow, and powerful wind chills.

In this podcast episode I dive into examine five lies about subzero hunting and how you can overcome all of the legitimate challenges to be successful in the woods.

EP284 Is It Worth Hunting Ducks In The Late Season?

When the winter sets in, is it really worth the time and effort to go waterfowl hunting? Can you really be successful? The answer to those questions may surprise you, however there is not a blanket one-size-fits-all answer either. But there are principles I provide in this episode that can help you answer that question no matter where you are or where you hunt. 

There is a very important and often overlooked truth when it comes to late season duck hunting, and it is this. In most places, not all of the ducks leave for the winter. Now in Alaska, yes, the ducks are gone. But in New York and Pennsylvania and Indiana, and many other northern states, there are birds there year-round. If you can’t find any ducks that does not mean there aren’t any ducks.

The single biggest indicator of ducks is open water. If you can find water that has not frozen, be it lakes, streams, creeks, or rivers, you will find ducks. Or rather ducks can and do live there year-round. Some people have their best hunting in the winter because it concentrates where the ducks are and can hang out.

Another very often overlooked element is the concept of a fluid migration. Ducks do not just fly dead south until they hit the Gulf of Mexico and perch on the shore all winter. Many fly south until they find more comfortable weather, and when there are warm weeks they will drift back north some. They may be pushed further south again by a cold front, but birds move a lot. A duck may fly 100 miles for breakfast. They are very capable and mobile creatures. If you do not see birds in your area in the late season, just wait. Cold or warm weather could bring birds in from different directions.

The biggest consideration of late season hunting is safety. Falling in a stream when its 70 degrees outside is inconvenient. If it’s 20 degrees, that can be life threatening. You need very safe strategies to set up decoys and recover birds if you are hunting around water. Having gear that is up to the task is also important. You need to be able to stay warm and dry even in harsh weather conditions. High wind is much more common this time of year as well. But I think this can be a very effective time of year for most hunters. 

Late season hunting can be very good hunting, some of the best of the year, but it takes a little different approach.

Listen to the full podcast episode to hear all of the details. 

 

EP283 Is It Worth Hunting Deer In The Late Season?

Is it really even worth your time and energy to hunt deer in the late season? The most direct answer I can give is, sometimes. But it depends more on your willingness to learn and adapt than any particular hunting skill. On this episode I talk about the differences of late season hunting and how you need to change your strategy in order to find consistent success. Anyone can do it, if you have the drive to do it right. 

The biggest problem with hunting in the late season is people have less drive and motivation to put in the effort needed to hunt successfully. They don’t realize the late season is different than the early season or the rut. They don’t realize the deer behave differently, use the land differently, and move to different locations.

If you want to be successful in the late season you need to scout for the late season, prepare for it, and establish hunting spots for it. You almost need to treat it like a unique game/season altogether.  The same spots, tactics, and timing of the early season rarely works here. And the only time you can effectively scout for the late season is during the late season. So very few people have the best hunt they can have at this time of year because do not go to the ends needed to make it work well. But you absolutely can.

People tend to get busier with holidays, family, and work. Also, the excitement of early season and rut hunting wears off, so it becomes doubly hard to muster the motivation to scout and prepare. Weather and gear become an obstacle too. But you can extend the capabilities of your gear with a few tricks and tips I mention in this episode. 

The biggest thing hunters must have is the will to hunt this season. If you can muster that, you can be very successful. There also some significant advantages to hunting in the late season as well. In fact, you can accomplish a lot with minimal time hunting, if you put in all the work needed up front.

The single best piece of advice I can give you is to scout the late season on years when you are not hunting it. When you learn how deer use the land one year, they will very likely use it in similar ways the following years. So scouting when your tags are full is a great way to help you prepare for hunting next year. Time invested now can pay off in future seasons.

Listen to this whole podcast episode to hear all the details strategies about late season deer hunting. 

 

EP282 10 Secrets Of Waterfowl Hunting Ammo

Are there really waterfowl hunting ammunition secrets? Unfortunately, yes, and a lot of them. But I spent two years and a lot of money doing ballistics and pattern testing to learn a lot of the big ones, so you don’t have to. This episode draws from my research and data to help you navigate the cluttered marketing and myths of duck hunting ammo. Tetra Hearing Free 2-Year Service Plan. Just add this Service Plan to your cart and use this code at checkout: NEWHUNTERSGUIDE

Up until 1991, waterfowl hunting was simpler and cheaper. Lead ammo worked well, could be very inexpensively bought in bulk, and there was no ammo hysteria like we have today. With the advent of non-toxic shot, companies began to complete over everything they possibly could to gain market share and one-up each other. Then materials like bismuth and tungsten began to make their way onto the scene and multiplied the level of complexity in the duck hunting ammo isle at the store.

Is high velocity waterfowl ammo better? Is higher payload better? Is one wad better than another? WHAT IS A WAD? Why does some steel ammo cost twice as much as others and is it really twice as good? Why is bismuth way more than some steel but the same price as other steel? Is TSS ammo really worth what is costs and why? Is all steel ammo created equal? What does spending more money really get you? I found myself facing all kinds of questions like these.

I couldn’t take it anymore, so I felt compelled to begin a journey to find out what really worked and what didn’t. I begin doing ballistics gel, pattern, and recoil testing. I began talking to ammo manufacturers, choke tube manufacturers, and others in the industry to get insight and context to help interpret my data and research.

What I learned began to debunk a lot of the marketing and myths being thrown around as truth. It also began to explain a lot of the things I was seeing in the field. The simple truth is, companies have been focusing on things of minor importance to try and make their products look superior while ignoring things that are of greater importance because they aren’t popular with hunters, mainly because hunters do not understand the facts. Because of this, untruths continue to be propagated and less than optimal ammo continues to be made, sold, and used. It a self-fulfilling prophecy.

But the truth is not that hard to understand, and if you apply the principles I share in this podcast, you will have a tremendous advantage in picking the best ammo for the money and hunting situation you find yourself in. That is the other side of the coin no one talks about. The way you hunt has a lot to do with what ammo choices are ideal for you. There is no one size fits all approach. You MUST learn the principles so you can be able to make the right choices for you. Copying someone else’s gear and setup likely will not give you what is truly best for you.

Listen to this whole podcast episode to learn these secrets to waterfowl hunting ammunition.

EP281 My 10 Tips For Hunting Ducks On The Water

Are you looking for ways to be more effective sneaking up on ducks? Jump hunting is more challenging than using traditional decoys and spreads, however it has numerous benefits. On this episode I cover numerous tips and strategies to make you more effective hunting waterfowl on foot. Tetra Hearing Free 2-Year Service Plan. Just add this Service Plan to your cart and use this code at checkout: NEWHUNTERSGUIDE

Jump hunting is a very fun and very ethical activity if done thoughtfully and safely. This is not the same thing as the proverbial “sitting duck”. These are not the ducks at the park that may eat bread out of your hand. In the wild, they are cautious, anxious birds that have keen senses and can instantly take off like a cruise missile and disappear forever. If you can sneak up on ducks in their native habitat and get a shot at them, you have done an impressive thing. 

It is one the easier ways to get started waterfowl hunting and requires a minimal amount of gear. All you really need is a shotgun, camo, and a way to retrieve the birds. Oh, and strategy, lots and lots of strategy.

The basic principles are simple, sneak up on birds that are on the water or on the shore and shoot them before they fly out of range. Sounds easy. Unfortunately, it can be really hard. The biggest tip you can employ is to use terrain to your advantage. Put land and dirt between you and the water. Do not break the plain of sight with the birds until you are as close as possible and be aware that the moment you do, stealth becomes extremely critical. 

Raised banks and hills can keep ducks and geese form seeing or hearing you. You must still be quiet and use caution, but you should be much more able to move around if you can position some terrain between you and the birds. Once you begin to make your approach to the water, you have to try to get to within 40 yards of the birds. The best way to do this is to move under cover, and only when the wind blows.

The wind does multiple things to help the sneaking hunter. It creates noise that helps cover the sounds of your approach. And maybe more importantly, the wind creates motion in the woods. Your movement blends into the shifting branches, blowing leaves, swaying grasses, weeds, and so on. The wind can be your biggest ally when trying to hunt birds on the water. 

Listen to this whole podcast episode to hear all 10 tips for jump hunting ducks on the water.

EP280 Busting 5 Deer Hunting Myths & How To Do Better

Are deer hunting myths holding you back and you don’t even know it? On this episode I help you identify and fix some things that can help you be more successful in the woods and help you save time and money. Also, get your free 14-day trial of Aura, the sponsor of this episode: www.Aura.com/NHG

Almost every deer hunter starts off believing some myths. You just do not have the real-world experience, research, or training to be able to sort fact from fiction. It does not help that many experienced hunters staunchly believe and propagate some of the myths as well. But the good news is that for every myth you can identify and purge from your strategies and tactics, you will steer yourself to more success in the deer woods.

One of the biggest whitetail deer hunting myths is that more time in the woods equates to more deer taken out of the woods. And while it is true that you must hunt to take deer, hunting more does not produce more results than hunting smarter. In fact you can over hunt an area and spook out all the deer you would like to take.

Deer can sense your presence in many ways from the scent of your breathing to the scent you leave behind just walking through or sitting in an area. This means you need to put time and ideally distance between hunts. Let good spots rest and only hunt them when the weather conditions, time of day, and time of season are ideal. You will save a lot of time and energy this way and have much better results.

My goal for you is to have a 50% success rate when in the woods. That means 50% of the time you hunt, you have the opportunity to shoot a legal deer. All of the strategies, tips, and tactics I have published over years of podcast episodes push you towards that goal. If you want to be picky, that is up to you, but my strategies intend to help you put yourself in hunting scenarios that you can have opportunities to take a legal deer on half or more of your hunts. Myths hurts that, which is why we need to get rid of everyone possible.

I shot 4 bucks out of my last 5 hunts when I had a buck tag to fill. Those results come after several years of applying these principles and learning and working the land, but you should be able to get to the 50% success rate.

Listen to the entire podcast episode to learn about all 5 myths and how to do better.

 

 

EP279 Electric Heated Gear For Deer Hunting | Fad or Future?

Is battery powered hunting gear the natural evolution in keeping you warm in the deer woods? Is it just a passing crazy? Or is it somewhere in between? On this episode I dive deep into the world of battery powered hunting gear to give some perspective and recommendations. Also, get your free 14-day trial of Aura, the sponsor of this episode: www.Aura.com/NHG

Heated gear is all the rage today, and many companies are beginning to produce it. However, battery powered gear is not automatically a game changer. There certainly are benefits, but there are cons too. First and foremost, not all heated gear is good. The quality of many things on the market is questionable. The quality of the garment and the quality of the heating system must both be considered. And with new brands popping up overnight trying to get on the bandwagon, this can be hard to judge.

You need to understand what makes good, heated gear and what are the traits of poor-quality gear. The most important thing is the garment construction. You want the gear to be warm, comfortable, and effective when it is off. Too often people are compromising their gear setup for a particular hunt in order to find a way to make their new fancy piece of heated gear work. But if you use the wrong layers just because they are heated, you will not end up further ahead than wearing proper normal gear.

Another big issue with heated gear is the battery life and heat output. Every brand gives you a range of times, temperatures, and power levels. Most of the time it is just marketing nonsense. The most important number is the amount of power the batteries hold. That power directly translates into the amount of warmth the gear is capable of generating. The more powerful the battery, the more capable the gear. Do not settle for tiny little batteries on a piece of brand x gear that promises you the moon.

I have used a heated jacket, vest, socks, and gloves, and had the opportunity to use more still. I would say each of these pieces of gear has a place when they are helpful. But often, if I am being honest, regular gear performs better. Heated gear works best in certain niche situations and in very specific conditions. For most hunters and most new hunters, it is not a priority to get some. But once you establish a complete set of gear, it is worth augmenting that gear with some powered pieces that fit your situation and location well.

Listen to the whole podcast episode to hear it all.

As a note, Heated Hunter and DewBu sent me gear to test which helped me do this show. Thanks to them for their support.

EP278 BOSS Warchief Buffered Bismuth Shotshell Review

If you are looking for what may be the biggest innovation in waterfowl hunting ammunition this year, you’ve come to the right place. On this episode I am reviewing and diving into the nitty gritty with the BOSS Warchief bismuth shotshell. Ther performance and cost to benefit ratio of this ammo may be the best of any waterfowl hunting shell on the market. 

Check out my full comprehensive written review on the BOSS Warchief.

Disclaimer: This review and podcast are not sponsored by BOSS.

In this detailed review, I talk all things Warchief from the specifics of the buffering material to the newly engineered wad, to the special agents added to the plastic shot cup to make it biodegradable. I go in depth discussing pattern density, ballistic gel penetration, recoil, pattern efficiency, shell cost, and comparisons to other types of ammo.

The BOSS warchief is an improved version of their Legacy copper plated bismuth load designed to provide extended range capabilities with potential pattern performance that is off the charts. This ammo works so well at holding tight patterns at range that it may enable hunter with the right setup to be able to reach out knock down ducks and geese as far as 60 yards away.

One of the big issues with long range hunting however is the skill of the shooter. Most hunters are not practiced well enough to hit birds at these ranges consistently. However, if you are up for it, this ammo will certainly do its part of the job. Where this ammo shines is with jump hunters, looking for ways to extend their range on stationary targets sitting on a pond or the shore.

The Warcheif is capable of pattern efficiency as high as 100% at 40 yards in a 30″ circle with the right setup. This is practically unheard of in the world of waterfowl hunting ammunition. But I have had patterns that good with this ammo. Check out some of my test videos using this ammo as well.

Very surprisingly the Warchief not only provides improved pattern performance, but it also provides more ballistics gel penetration. For the details you will have to listen to the episode. But I think this is one of the most impressive improvements in an ammo I’ve seen.  The Warchief seems to improve on the BOSS legacy loads in just about every area.

If you are looking for the best balance of cost and performance, I think the BOSS Warchief is it. 

Listen to this entire podcast episode to hear all of the details about this new ammo option for waterfowl hunters. As a note, BOSS provided me with some of the shells used in my testing, thanks for their support.

EP277 Five Minimalist Duck Hunting Setups

Are you tired of hauling a lot of heavy gear into the woods? There is a false perception that you need a ton of gear to hunt waterfowl successfully. In this podcast episode I am going to cover five minimalist duck hunting setup that are low cost and light on equipment.

Waterfowl hunting is one of, if not the most equipment intensive types of hunting. There are so many things to buy and use that you can spend your life building out the perfect set of gear. For new hunters especially that just isn’t practical, but diverging from the norm is not welcomed by the establishment. People with decades worth of gear accumulated don’t love the idea of new people heading out into the woods with minimal gear and being successful. So other ways of hunting are often suppressed by the culture. But that’s crazy and there are lots of great ways to hunt ducks and geese with minimal gear.

When I say minimal, I think looking at it from both the standpoint of hauling that gear in and reducing the needed investment to successfully hunt waterfowl. If you are able to get a handful of items and still take ducks, that is a big win for a new hunter, and it is very possible. In fact, there are many ways to do it.

An obvious approach is the conventional hunting strategy with minimal gear. A set of waders, a half dozen decoys, a call, and a shotgun can be all that you need to be effective and bring home birds. Sure, 6 dozen decoys may work better, but one person can easily carry 6 singles into the woods with a pair of waders, improvise a blind and get shots at ducks. 

Jump hunting is another great way to hunt, as long as you are not in an area that is overrun with other hunters. You do not want to be walking around and messing up other people’s hunts. But provided you can get away from most other hunters, you can have a great time sneaking through the woods trying to get to the edge of streams, creeks, lakes, ponds, and puddles looking for unsuspecting birds. All you need to do this is a gun and a way to retrieve the birds from the water, typically a backpack with breathable waders stuffed inside works great.

Listen to this full podcast episode to hear all the five minimalist duck hunting strategies and which are a good fit for you and your hunting style.

EP276 How To Take More Deer In Less Time

How do you maximize your time spent in the woods? The answer depends on your goals, but if your goal is to take the most deer per hour hunting then this episode is for you. I am going to cover five strategies to help maximize every minute you spend in the woods. Also, get your free 14-day trial of Aura, the sponsor of this episode: www.Aura.com/NHG

Everyone has limitations for hunting, some are limited by time, some by opportunity and others by desire. If you don’t have the time to hunt dozens of days waiting for the largest buck in the area, you shouldn’t use the same tactics as the big buck hunter either. You need to stack the deck in your favor to maximize the chances of hitting your personal goals.

If your goal is to take a grown deer on as many hunts as possible then you need to create a strategy focused on that. In this podcast episode I give five strategies to help you accomplish that goal. First and foremost, you need to hunt the best times of day for each part of the season. People often hunt the time of day they prefer to hunt. And while that isn’t necessarily bad, it may hinder your ability to get more opportunities on the average white tail.

Generally speaking, deer tend to move more in the evening most of the season. If you love hunting the mornings, you need to weigh your enjoyment of the morning vs. your enjoyment of taking more deer to figure out what is the best fit for you. I personally used to be a morning hunter for years, until I realized I was about twice as successful on evening hunts. Now I hunt the evenings almost exclusively and I have actually grown to appreciate the benefits of evening hunting and I prefer it.

You should also hunt the best weather days for deer movement if your time is limited. Not all days are equal by any means. Days that have a significant relatively temperature drop compared to previous days are likely to prompt deer to move more during daylight because the lower temperatures refresh the deer and make it easier for them to be comfortable while moving during the warmer daylight hours. If you focus on the best weather days and the best time of day for that part of the season it will go a long way towards improving your chances for success.

Listen to the full podcast episode to hear the other strategies to help you take more deer in less time.

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