Episode 303 – Late-Season Deer Movement, Winter Food Strategy & The Future of Big Bucks

Published: 2025-12-14
Episode page
Duration: 78 min

In this episode

buck-activity

• Don believes the main reason does dispersed from his property was increased buck traffic during the rut, not cover crops elsewhere. 2:21

buck-condition

• Don reports that nearly every buck left on his farm has busted antlers, broken tines, or broken main beams from fighting this season. 2:30

business-announcement

• Terry announces that Real World’s ownership team has acquired Green Prairie Seed, giving them access to all products for customers through either company or local dealers. 9:04

chasing-assurance

• Terry announces the upcoming Chasing Assurance podcast topic will be how to deal with a prodigal child. 64:58

chasing-giants-tv

• Terry announces Ty Miller’s Christmas Day video release about a buck he killed in Northern Indiana, produced with Josh Anderson. 65:57

chick-fil-a

• Don asserts that Chick-fil-A has strong pulling power because it is a blessed business that closes on Sundays and is honored by God. 17:34

christmas-gifts

• Terry announces that next week Don must present five Christmas gift ideas for a deer hunter across three price tiers. 63:31

consulting

• Don says he has noticed more and more enclosed hunting blinds appearing in fields as he drives, wondering if Chasing Giants influenced some buyers. 24:43
• Terry asks Don for takeaways from his consulting visits so far this season beyond meeting great people. 23:48

deer-decline

• Don asserts that the introduction of crossbows was the last nail in the coffin for Illinois’s mature buck population. 45:01

deer-feeding-behavior

• Terry asks whether Don’s deer favor clover or Deadly Dozen plots more in warmer weather versus grain in cold weather. 3:12

deer-management

• Luke Yoder asks which state has the greatest potential for producing big bucks but is dropping the ball, especially regarding Michigan. 39:26

deer-movement

• Don recounts checking his own trail camera photos and confirming the deer a listener shot was the same buck he had mentioned, which had covered significant territory. 38:15

deer-population

• Lance Fisher asks whether a mature six-point buck could be a dominant bully buck keeping other bucks away, and about bully buck trends generally. 44:13

deer-regulations

• Brad Hunt suggests Oklahoma could move toward a one-buck limit starting with nonresident hunters and public land, and asks Don and Terry’s opinion. 50:03

doe-management

• Don explains that properties leased short-term by nonresident hunters who only shoot bucks become de facto doe sanctuaries for most of the year. 54:19

faith

• Don states that when Chasing Giants can partner with an organization sharing the same faith-based goals, that is exactly what they want to do. 32:07

family

• Terry shares that his daughter’s business case-study team made the cut to present directly to the owner of the company. 27:06

food-plots

• Don observes that whenever deer have access to a good food source, they will be present, as shown by does returning to his property after warm weather. 1:26
• Don recommends consulting clients establish a diverse food plot program sufficient to feed their deer herd through the entire winter. 11:07
• Don says a core principle he preaches to consulting clients is that big food sources have big pulling power for deer. 14:43
• Terry asks whether Don has noticed any difference from overseeding his soybeans this year with a new product. 4:02

giveaway

• Terry announces Chasing Giants is giving away an all-inclusive South Texas whitetail hunt with Joe Miles and possibly a special guest. 20:44

hairy-vetch

• Terry asks what size the hairy vetch seed is compared to clover or brassica seed. 8:19

hunting-technology

• Don warns that continuing to support all this hunting technology only decreases the number of bucks that reach maturity. 48:21

late-season-hunting

• Terry asks how cold Don is willing to sit in a treestand at this point in his life for a target buck versus using a heated blind. 32:57
• Russell Morris asks Don why he hangs his propane tank on the blind’s platform rather than leaving it on the ground, and whether scent near the tank is a concern. 56:52

lease-prices

• Terry argues that nonresident hunter demand inflates lease prices, forcing hunters to split leases and turning deer hunting access into a rich man’s sport. 52:33

midwest-sportsmans-classic

• Terry announces Chasing Giants will debut a new unannounced product and the Doubting Thomas hunt video at the Midwest Sportsman’s Classic. 20:16

ministry

• Terry announces Chasing Giants is partnering with Boom Brothers to help spread their ministry’s message. 31:04
• Terry states the Boone Brothers ministry feeds roughly 2,500 kids a week with donated deer jerky. 30:01

ohio

• Don states Ohio is only one or two regulation changes away from being the top whitetail destination, mainly needing to eliminate cornpiles. 40:59

stand-placement

• Tyler Glenn asks what winter projects Don would recommend starting as hunting season ends. 60:58

standing-crop

• Don relays that a hunter named Lee in Iowa leaves 500 acres of standing crop that gets harvested each spring so deer have food all winter. 13:58

target-buck

• Don recounts passing up a clear 30-yard shot at his target buck last Saturday evening during late season, choosing not to shoot him. 34:28

timber-management

• Cody Steutzman asks Don’s thoughts on logging a property and how long to wait afterward before starting a deer management plan. 58:16

Deer activity

• turning point (hunt) 34:24
• Doubting Thomas (harvest) 35:43
• six point buck (harvest) 37:42

Listener questions

Question: Terry asks whether Don’s deer favor clover or Deadly Dozen plots more in warmer weather versus grain in cold weather. 3:12

• Answer: Don explains deer favor grain when temperatures run below normal and favor green food plots when temperatures run above normal, hammering grain as it gets colder. 3:39

Question: Terry asks whether Don has noticed any difference from overseeding his soybeans this year with a new product. 4:02

• Answer: Don reports his overseeded hairy vetch performed excellently in his soybeans, noting deer love it and it delivers high protein and nutrient density. 5:03

Question: Terry asks what size the hairy vetch seed is compared to clover or brassica seed. 8:19

• Answer: Don compares the hairy vetch seed size to something between clover and a soybean, roughly comparable to grain sorghum. 8:26

Question: Terry asks Don for takeaways from his consulting visits so far this season beyond meeting great people. 23:48

• Answer: Don shares that a key takeaway from his early consulting visits is that clients clearly listen to the podcast, referencing things he’s said on air. 24:04

Question: Terry asks how cold Don is willing to sit in a treestand at this point in his life for a target buck versus using a heated blind. 32:57

• Answer: Don says with a buddy heater and propane cylinder outside a blind, he doesn’t care how cold it gets and will sit there, though he wouldn’t tolerate the same cold in an open treestand anymore. 33:43

Question: Luke Yoder asks which state has the greatest potential for producing big bucks but is dropping the ball, especially regarding Michigan. 39:26 — asked by Luke Yoder

• Answer: Don says Illinois has the greatest potential of any state but has dropped the ball, since it was once the best whitetail state in the country. 39:51

Question: Lance Fisher asks whether a mature six-point buck could be a dominant bully buck keeping other bucks away, and about bully buck trends generally. 44:13 — asked by Lance Fisher

• Answer: Don says Illinois’s deer herd has been declining, noting he runs cameras on 26-plus properties and has tracked this for decades. 44:49

Question: Brad Hunt suggests Oklahoma could move toward a one-buck limit starting with nonresident hunters and public land, and asks Don and Terry’s opinion. 50:03 — asked by Brad Hunt

• Answer: Don agrees that any regulation change is undermined without limiting nonresident hunters, since improving a state’s deer only draws more outside hunting pressure. 50:49

Question: Russell Morris asks Don why he hangs his propane tank on the blind’s platform rather than leaving it on the ground, and whether scent near the tank is a concern. 56:52 — asked by Russell Morris

• Answer: Don explains he hangs the propane tank at platform height by the ladder so he can turn it on and off easily while climbing up, minimizing extra movement and noise near the blind. 57:15

Question: Cody Steutzman asks Don’s thoughts on logging a property and how long to wait afterward before starting a deer management plan. 58:16 — asked by Cody Steutzman

• Answer: Don advises that landowners doing a timber harvest for deer management often shouldn’t cut the entire property at once, but stagger sections over years to maintain quality habitat. 58:46

Question: Tyler Glenn asks what winter projects Don would recommend starting as hunting season ends. 60:58 — asked by Tyler Glenn

• Answer: Don recommends winter as the ideal time to review every stand location and note improvements, like adding fruit trees or clearing trees to redirect deer movement. 62:18

Prayer Time

Scripture: Romans
Theme: suffering produces hope through God’s love
Ty reflects on being inspired to reread Romans 5, especially verses 3-5 on suffering producing endurance, character, and hope, and shares the story of an usher who helped seat Billy Graham and Grady Wilson, urging listeners to quietly serve as God’s instruments for others. 67:48

Terry and Don covered food plot strategy, consulting takeaways, and season wrap-up topics. Don explained deer favor grain in cold weather and green plots when warmer, and reported his overseeded hairy vetch performed excellently in soybeans. He described propane heater setups for cold-weather blind sits and shared consulting visit takeaways, noting clients reference the podcast. Listener questions addressed regulation debates: Don argued Illinois had the greatest potential of any state but had declined, partly due to crossbows, and agreed nonresident hunter limits matter for any state regulation change to work. He also advised staggering timber harvests across years rather than logging a whole property at once. Terry announced a Green Prairie Seed acquisition, a South Texas hunt giveaway, and a partnership with Boom Brothers’ jerky-donation ministry. Ty led a prayer reflecting on Romans 5 and quiet service, and Don recounted shooting the Doubting Thomas buck.

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