Episode 101 - Mowing Corn, Dead Coyotes, and Working in the Hunting Industry

Published: 2022-01-23
Episode page
Duration: 72 min

In this episode

announcements

• Terry announces a big reveal coming next weekend about preparations for this year’s raffle benefiting the podcast, sponsors, and Lester’s Feet. 71:22

bedding-cover

• Andrew Jones asked whether Don believes in creating small bedding pockets around hardwood ridges lacking thick cover, for does, fawns, and mature bucks. 22:12

consulting

• Don says he has always refused aerial-only consulting requests and turns them down on a weekly basis. 37:19
• Terry says building a personal relationship with consulting clients is vital, something email exchanges or trade-show conversations can’t replace. 38:18
• Josh Quietter asked how accurate someone can be creating a hunting plan from just an aerial photo without visiting the property. 35:55

coyote-hunting

• Justin Raptor, Nate Standifer, and Nathan Fishman hunted coyotes overnight on Don’s property with thermals, taking nine by 9 PM and finishing with fourteen by 1 AM. 5:53
• Don jokingly told the coyote hunters they’d be worthless if they didn’t kill at least eight coyotes on his property that night. 6:23 (light moment)

events

• Terry notes Don shared a flyer for an event being hosted by Alan Robertson of the Duck Dynasty crew. 7:16
• Don clarifies that despite sharing the flyer as a favor, neither he nor Terry will be attending that event this year. 7:54
• Terry announces he’ll be in Huntington, West Virginia the Saturday night of the 29th, where fans can bring a buck for an official certified score. 12:02
• Don announces he’ll also be speaking at the Illinois Deer Classic the first weekend of April. 11:55
• Terry announces a live podcast the night of the 17th in Shipshewana with no extra ticket required, followed by Don’s Friday-night debate with Tony LaPratt on the 18th. 13:23
• Terry announces Don will be with Jimmy Hooks at the Dixie Deer Classic in North Carolina. 14:29

food-plots

• Don reports that a cold snap finally froze the muddy ground solid, letting him get into his NutriCrave corn plot to mow cornstalks before spring no-till soybean planting. 3:26
• Don says mowing left cornstalks on the ground for deer and other wildlife to find more easily, while also helping control an upcoming prescribed burn near the sanctuary. 3:58

habitat-management

• Joel Smith asked why it’s important to avoid summer habitat work if mature bucks aren’t even on the property yet. 50:03

human-intrusion

• Terry argues that no deer, including does and fawns, should ever be spooked because bumping any deer signals the property isn’t a safe zone. 52:52

hunting-industry

• Don recounts refusing to partner with a young marketer after finding videos of him drinking beer and cursing while hunting, unwilling to stake his reputation on that behavior. 64:04
• Don describes cutting ties with another young hunting-industry hopeful whose desperation led him to abandon moral and ethical values chasing any partnership. 65:13
• Terry advises aspiring hunting-industry hopefuls to never sell themselves out just to wear a brand’s logo or get free gear. 61:31
• Tyler Glenn, in his twenties, asked Don and Terry how to properly break into the hunting industry. 53:27

lesters-feet

• Terry says he received a check in the mail after an Amish/Mennonite community in Missouri passed a hat around to donate to Lester’s Feet. 10:32

master-class

• Don announces only the March 24 Thursday master class still has openings, about five spots, with every other master class already full. 71:11

merchandise

• Terry announces a new Chasing Giants T-shirt design available for presale at higginsoutdoors.com. 15:28
• Terry announces new Chasing Giants hats have arrived and will be added to the website soon. 15:59

podcast-recommendation

• Terry says he genuinely enjoys the Unashamed podcast hosted by Al and Phil Robertson. 8:02

prescribed-burn

• Don recalls that the last time they burned that switchgrass field, the fire department showed up. 5:10
• Terry explains they won’t commit to burning the switchgrass field at the master class if the wind direction is wrong, since the house sits close by. 5:16

property-recommendation

• Terry recommends the BuyAFarm.com featured property because its woodlot sits isolated in the middle despite a property line, making it a potentially phenomenal spot depending on neighboring hunting. 35:02

property-sale

• Don has people interested in buying his leftover brick and rocks, but they want to wait until he’s home before coming to look at them. 9:35
• Don hopes the leftover brick and stone gets removed before the master class, or it will significantly cut into available parking. 9:41

restaurant-recommendation

• Don recommends Tut Toots restaurant’s buffet in Bethany, Missouri, saying he tries to stay there whenever he’s in the area just to eat there. 2:07

seminar

• Don says over 600 people packed a small country school for his seminar, drawn mainly by free chili and ice cream rather than by him. 11:07

switchgrass

• Don explains switchgrass requires far more careful site preparation and attention to detail than most other plantings people grow. 45:06
• Terry notes switchgrass can tolerate a little wet ground, but the Bedding in a Bag mix contains other grass varieties that dislike wet feet. 49:08
• Mike Gruber asked whether switchgrass would work in the wetter areas of his property or if there’s a better ground-cover option. 44:23

travel-schedule

• Don says he’s still halfway sick but kept a busy travel schedule rather than stay home, heading back out on the road to Northern Missouri. 1:47
• Don outlines his travel plan of a few days in Kansas, a day home, then on to Ohio. 69:42

Listener questions

Question: Andrew Jones asked whether Don believes in creating small bedding pockets around hardwood ridges lacking thick cover, for does, fawns, and mature bucks. 22:12 — asked by Andrew Jones

• Answer: Don says he prefers cutting entire woods rather than small select bedding pockets, favoring big thick cover over little scattered thickets. 23:10
• Answer: Terry summarizes Don’s philosophy as holding as many deer as possible on the property rather than targeting specific individual deer. 23:47

Question: Josh Quietter asked how accurate someone can be creating a hunting plan from just an aerial photo without visiting the property. 35:55 — asked by Josh Quietter

• Answer: Don says that even after reviewing an aerial beforehand, he must scrap his ideas about 80% of the time once he actually walks the property. 36:51

Question: Mike Gruber asked whether switchgrass would work in the wetter areas of his property or if there’s a better ground-cover option. 44:23 — asked by Mike Gruber

• Answer: Don says Real World Switchgrass tolerates wetter ground reasonably well, depending on how wet the site actually is. 44:44

Question: Joel Smith asked why it’s important to avoid summer habitat work if mature bucks aren’t even on the property yet. 50:03 — asked by Joel Smith

• Answer: Don explains summer work still undermines the year-round sanctuary effect for the whole deer herd, not just absent mature bucks. 50:50

Question: Tyler Glenn, in his twenties, asked Don and Terry how to properly break into the hunting industry. 53:27 — asked by Tyler Glenn

• Answer: Don advises finding a unique angle and staying true to yourself rather than just tagging companies for free gear. 55:53
• Answer: Terry adds that aspiring industry figures should first learn to hunt well to build credibility before seeking sponsorship. 60:59

Don, still recovering from illness, kept traveling to Northern Missouri, plugging Tut Toots restaurant in Bethany along the way. A cold snap froze the mud, letting him mow cornstalks in his NutriCrave plot to feed wildlife and prep for an upcoming prescribed burn near the sanctuary, though Terry noted a past switchgrass burn drew the fire department and this year’s timing depends on wind direction. Overnight, coyote hunters Justin Raptor, Nate Standifer, and Nathan Fishman used thermals on Don’s property, killing nine by 9 PM and fourteen by 1 AM. Listener questions shaped much of the discussion: Don said he favors cutting whole woods over small bedding pockets, admitted aerial-only plans usually get scrapped once he walks a property, called Real World Switchgrass reasonably wet-tolerant, and explained summer work harms the herd’s sanctuary effect broadly. On breaking into the industry, Don and Terry both stressed authenticity and hunting skill over chasing sponsorships, with Don recalling past refusals to partner with hunters showing poor conduct.

Unofficial fan project. AI-synthesized from public episodes; may contain errors.