#287 “Predators, Food Plots & Cracker Barrel Woke?

Published: 2025-08-24
Episode page
Duration: 61 min

In this episode

brassicas

Don recommends adding brassicas like turnips and radishes to plots for their deep taproots that pull nutrients to the soil surface, even if deer hit them less hard. 45:28

cracker-barrel

Don says he and his wife decided they are done with Cracker Barrel over its perceived embrace of woke culture. 28:08
Don observes that a vast majority of Cracker Barrel’s after-church customers were clearly dressed for church. 28:53
Terry says people go to Cracker Barrel for country cooking, and it baffles him that the chain is alienating that base. 29:19
Don says companies like Cracker Barrel are catering to a group that doesn’t even support them while alienating the customers who do. 29:58

culling

Don says he almost never advocates culling yearling or two-year-old bucks. 46:22
Don advises shooting the worst two of four three-year-old bucks on a property to help mother nature narrow down which bucks remain. 48:56
Dennis Isaacs asks whether to cull a fork-horn or eight-point two-year-old in a one-buck state. 46:02

documentary

Terry mentions a new documentary about the Wensel brothers is coming out. 6:45

ehd

Terry says that during his heaviest EHD outbreaks, fawns were the only deer that survived. 1:29
Terry jokingly wishes Randall’s Ohio farm gets hit with EHD. 43:21 (light moment)

fall-planting

Don prefers planting fall food plots a week late rather than a week early, since overly mature plants lose palatability. 3:44
Terry recommends mixing 10-20 pounds per acre of leftover soybeans into fall food plots regardless of variety. 4:34
Terry says now is when cheap leftover soybeans work fine for fall plots since they will die at first frost anyway. 6:08
Don does not advocate planting a straight soybean plot in fall because it will be lost as soon as it frosts. 6:15

family

Don is skipping the Wensel documentary premiere to attend his grandson Bowen’s second birthday party. 7:27
Don shares that his daughter is doing well on cancer medicine intended to prevent recurrence, despite unpleasant side effects. 50:52

farm-progress-show

Terry announces Real World Wildlife Products and Green Prairie will have a conservation-tent booth at next week’s Farm Progress Show. 12:00
Terry says he will not be able to attend the Farm Progress Show due to family obligations. 12:09
Don will be at the Farm Progress Show with Angela working the Green Prairie booth and James Hyden at the Real World booth. 13:14
Eric Weber told Terry the traffic at this Farm Progress Show is like nothing else. 13:46
Don jokes that the traffic jam in the country at the Farm Progress Show is unlike anything you’ve seen. 14:04 (light moment)
Don says he hopes to meet listeners over the three-day Farm Progress Show. 53:32

fawn-predation

Don explains that fawns are vulnerable because does leave them hidden in weeds or brush rather than standing guard, returning only a couple times a day to nurse. 24:03

fawn-recruitment

Terry asks Don about his social media post saying fawn recruitment was extremely low this year due to predators. 18:55

food-plots

As it relates to fall food plots, are we right in the window to get plots in around rain? 2:00
Michael Gruber asks how Don times drone overseeding of greens into his standing corn and beans. 43:54

friendship

Don recalls Gene Wensel once mailing him a piece of petrified antler out of the blue as a token of friendship. 10:13

gene-and-barry

Terry jokes that keeping Gene and Barry on topic during interviews is like telling your grandpa to quit talking. 11:20 (light moment)

habitat-change

Don marvels that his grandpa never dreamed there would be bobcats on the family farm. 21:06
Don marvels at how a gray squirrel could have traveled miles across open cornfields to reach his previously squirrel-free farm. 22:16

hunt-videos

Terry announces hunt videos are starting this week, including a draft of Joe Bosing’s early season hunt airing in a few days. 25:56
Terry says Don’s grandson’s hunt will be featured in the fall video lineup in September. 26:38

hunting-history

Terry says the Wensel-generation pioneers figured out how big bucks moved and how to kill them, unlike later entertainment-driven hunters. 8:24

king-david-hunt

Don suggests saving the King David hunt video for their usual Thanksgiving Day release. 26:17

mens-retreat

Don describes the Solid Rock Chapel men’s retreat as a two-day event starting with a Friday steak supper and Terry’s speech. 14:39
Don says the men’s retreat costs $35 and attendees can camp right at the site. 16:07
Terry jokes that Al Foster will bring a map of the lake and share his secret fishing spots with out-of-state retreat guests. 16:32 (light moment)

podcast

Terry says his dad’s podcast, Chasing Assurance, is getting good feedback from Christian churches. 25:38

podcast-intro

Terry jokes that unhappy listeners get a 100% refund, then admits he is only kidding. 0:40 (light moment)

prayer-time

Terry announces Sunday Night Prayer Time with Tate Hale follows the closing. 53:57

role-models

Don says Gene and Barry Wensel are men of the highest character among hunting-industry role models. 9:12

sanctuary

Don relays that his friend Phil Lincoln’s wife refused to leave 70 acres of their farm unused, so Phil set aside Don’s sanctuary-focused plan. 34:51
Don says deer eat hundreds of plant species, so keeping a wooded sanctuary totally free of food is impossible. 36:36
Edward Miller asks why Don would plant mast-producing oaks in his sanctuary if he separates food from cover. 30:57
Drew Harmon asks whether food plots should be treated like a sanctuary except when planting. 49:57

Don says his recent social media experience shows there are plenty of people with their hand out. 0:44

soybeans

Don says deer hammer young leftover soybean plants in the two-leaf stage because they are tender, palatable, and high in protein. 5:35

switchgrass

Don says the bigger the patch of switchgrass, the more likely deer are to relate to it and bed there. 38:43
Terry recounts an Iowa land-consulting visit where deer weren’t using a switchgrass field because the switchgrass was only knee high. 41:06
Terry says there’s debate that switchgrass works better in open ag areas with little cover than in areas with lots of natural woods cover. 41:58
Randall Barr asks Don to clarify why Jack Houston’s thermal surveys reportedly seldom find deer in switchgrass. 37:48

Deer activity

Joey Buck (harvest) 16:53
King David (hunt) 26:05
unnamed buck (harvest) 46:36
Smokey (hunt) 47:24
unnamed buck (trail-camera) 47:47

Listener questions

Question: As it relates to fall food plots, are we right in the window to get plots in around rain? 2:00

Answer: Don says if rain were forecast he’d plant fall plots now, but the area badly needs rain. 2:09

Question: Terry asks Don about his social media post saying fawn recruitment was extremely low this year due to predators. 18:55

Answer: Don attributes the poor fawn recruitment to predators, citing several coyote trail-camera pictures this summer. 20:37

Question: Edward Miller asks why Don would plant mast-producing oaks in his sanctuary if he separates food from cover. 30:57 — asked by Edward Miller

Answer: Don explains he wants oaks mainly for winter cover, since leaf-holding oaks beat conifers and their mast isn’t the point. 32:20

Question: Randall Barr asks Don to clarify why Jack Houston’s thermal surveys reportedly seldom find deer in switchgrass. 37:48 — asked by Randall Barr

Answer: Don says every time Jack has visited his farm there have been deer bedded in the switchgrass. 38:01

Question: Michael Gruber asks how Don times drone overseeding of greens into his standing corn and beans. 43:54 — asked by Michael Gruber

Answer: Don plans to watch the weather after September 1 and time the drone seeding right ahead of a forecast rain. 44:16

Question: Dennis Isaacs asks whether to cull a fork-horn or eight-point two-year-old in a one-buck state. 46:02 — asked by Dennis Isaacs

Answer: Don says he does not advocate culling yearlings or two-year-olds. 46:22
Answer: Don advises shooting the worst two of the three-year-old bucks and letting the best two live. 48:56
Answer: Don notes shooting the worst two gives the hunter some influence over which bucks remain. 49:26

Question: Drew Harmon asks whether food plots should be treated like a sanctuary except when planting. 49:57 — asked by Drew Harmon

Answer: Don says you don’t want to spook deer anywhere on the property, whether food plots or sanctuary. 51:20
Answer: Don minimizes pressure by doing his food plot work in the middle of the day when deer are less likely present. 51:29

Prayer Time

Scripture: 2 Corinthians
Theme: God’s grace sufficient in weakness
Tate Hale introduces himself, describes his degenerative condition and amputations, and reads 2 Corinthians 12:7-9, applying Paul’s thorn in the flesh to show God’s grace and strength are perfected in weakness and suffering can become meaningful sacrifice. 56:17

Don and Terry covered fall food plot timing, debating planting soybeans or leftover soybeans for young, tender growth versus waiting for rain, and discussed brassicas like turnips and radishes for soil nutrients. They addressed listener questions on culling strategy, with Don advising against removing yearling or two-year-old bucks and instead shooting the weaker of a group of three-year-olds. Don explained his low fawn recruitment this year, attributing it to predators evidenced by trail-camera coyote photos, and discussed switchgrass bedding cover, sanctuary food separation, and oak mast versus winter cover. They previewed the Wensel brothers documentary, praised Gene and Barry Wensel’s character, and announced the Farm Progress Show booth and Solid Rock Chapel men’s retreat. Don shared that his daughter was doing well on cancer medication despite side effects. The episode closed with Tate Hale’s prayer on finding strength through weakness, drawn from 2 Corinthians.

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