CULLING BUCKS: Why Shooting 3½-Year-Old 8-Points Actually Works | Chasing Giants #310

Published: 2026-02-01
Episode page
Duration: 62 min

In this episode

antler-growth

• David from Des Moines, Iowa asks whether bucks shedding early means a longer antler growing season and bigger antlers, or the same finish with no extra growth. 47:33

chasing-assurance

• Terry reports the “Chasing Assurance” disciple/apostle sermon series is nearing 4,000 views a week and is used for small groups and Bible studies. 58:34

cold-weather

• Terry saw reports on Facebook that many high-fence exotic ranches in Texas had animals dying because the species weren’t adapted to survive the extreme cold temperatures. 2:23
• Black buck antelope and axis deer were among the exotic species that died in the cold in Texas during the storm. 2:37
• Terry asks whether exotic deer go into shock and die in the cold because they lack the muscle mass or fat buildup to withstand cold. 2:45

congratulating-hunters

• Vince Peterson from Seymour, Nebraska asks whether Don congratulates hunters who kill bucks he was targeting, and whether it discourages him. 42:04

crp-management

• Jason Bane from Shelbyville, Illinois asks how to manage woody vegetation like cottonwoods in his CRP switchgrass field before his contract expires. 53:36

culling

• Don states his farm has produced three 200-inch class bucks in recent years: Smoky at 206 inches, Male at 221 inches, and Doubting Thomas at 203 inches. 33:05
• Don predicts that if his son-in-law and grandsons continue managing his farm as he has, they will keep producing 200-inch bucks after he is gone. 37:00
• Don asserts his buck-culling management has had a bigger impact on producing giant bucks than his maxed-out nutrition, habitat, or sanctuary programs. 37:36
• Terry asks Don to explain his culling philosophy of letting the best bucks in each age class live while removing eight-pointers first. 25:30

deer-feed

• Don explains cottonseed feed is called “triple 20” because it contains roughly 20% protein, 20% fiber, and 20% fat. 9:22
• Don explains cottonseed is cost-prohibitive to ship to his area, since shipping costs erode its usual cheapness as a byproduct feed. 10:03

deer-movement

• Don notes several new bucks have shown up on his property in recent weeks, likely drawn by food, adding further pressure to his food sources. 6:34

food-plots

• Don observed 24 deer feeding together in his backyard food plot on corn before dark during the cold snap. 4:53
• Don plans to plant more food plot acres this year because unusually high numbers of deer are staying on his property. 6:08
• Don observed deer trails entering a Missouri client’s soybean patch radiating out like spokes on a wheel, with beans stripped near entry points but plentiful farther out. 7:43
• Terry asks Don whether his food plots are still holding up on corn and soybeans or if deer have depleted them enough to notice. 4:33

habitat-management

• Don recommends anyone working on a habitat project for deer not miss the Shipshewana session showing behind-the-scenes footage of his and Terry’s habitat project. 18:45

illinois-politics

• Don calls Illinois Democratic candidate Jay G. Pritzker “basically a communist” and criticizes his DNR leadership, saying voters would get nothing but more taxes. 51:03
• Carl Compton from Findlay, Illinois asks whether Darren Bailey, if elected governor, could make Illinois a good deer hunting state again. 49:26

land-ownership

• Eric Sackett from Beaver Dam, Wisconsin asks what one thing on or around their farms or leases Don and Terry wish they could change but can’t. 57:05

lesters-feet

• Terry announces preliminary details on a raffle hunt with Joe Miles and Don Higgins to benefit the Lester’s Feet fundraiser will be shared at the Shipshewana show. 21:38
• Terry announces Christian music artist Emerson Day has confirmed she will join the hunting camp and perform private campfire concerts each night. 21:55
• Don shares plans to auction off last year’s winning art-contest drawing as an additional fundraiser to benefit the Lester’s Feet family. 22:53

listener-questions

• Terry announces Illinois residents can submit questions at chasinggiants.com to potentially be discussed on an upcoming episode featuring Darren Bailey. 52:46

live-event

• Don announces he will be in Vermontville, Michigan on February 17 with Mike Mitchell of Mike’s Mighty Micros for a Real World dealer event. 12:49
• Don announces he and Terry will be at the Midwest Sportsman’s Classic in Shipshewana, Indiana February 19-21. 13:25
• Don announces the Whitetail Management Conference and Real World Dealer event will be held February 25-26 in Arthur, Illinois, requiring RSVP. 13:41
• Don announces he will speak at Shelbina Christian Church in Shelbina, Missouri on March 19 for a sermon/seminar event. 14:17
• Terry announces Don’s four 200-inch class bucks will be on public display at the Chasing Giants booth in Shipshewana for the first time. 15:44
• Terry announces a live Chasing Giants podcast Thursday night at the Midwest Sportsman’s Classic featuring prizes and gifts from sponsors for attendees. 16:27
• Terry announces the Doubting Thomas hunt video, still in final post-production, will debut Friday night at the Midwest Sportsman’s Classic. 17:11
• Terry announces “Friday Night Bites,” a late-night fishing event at the show featuring fishing personalities Mark Zona and Kevin Van Dam. 17:44

public-land

• Don recounts a hunter who sabotaged his hunt for a public-land buck, including stealing his tree stand, before shooting the deer himself. 43:53
• Don recalls driving nine hours out of state to hunt public land last fall but immediately recognizing it would be a waste of time upon arrival. 46:10
• Don states one of his goals has been to kill a giant buck on public land, though finding a giant on public land is the toughest part. 46:27
• Don states Lee Mitchell has been a successful public-land Whitetail hunter in Georgia, manages a ranch in Texas, and has hunted in Kansas, Iowa, and Illinois. 47:06

supplemental-feeding

• Don thinks it’s ridiculous that states like Illinois ban supplemental feeding outside of hunting season during severe winter conditions. 8:25

texas-deer-feeding

• Terry describes Texas ranchers feeding deer from super sacks set in the field with the tops cut open, letting deer eat straight from the exposed feed. 10:34

trail-camera-contest

• Terry announces Chasing Giants is sponsoring a trail camera photo contest with multiple categories, a $5 ASIO prize pack as grand prize, and WiseEye cameras for other winners. 19:24

utility-workers

• Terry urges listeners to be kind to linemen and utility workers who are risking their lives working overtime to restore power after the storm. 58:15

voting

• Don urges hunters to vote, noting roughly 80% of hunters don’t, and argues they can’t demand political change for deer management without turning out to vote. 51:45

weather

• Don experienced a 24-degree temperature swing while traveling north during the winter storm, finding far less snow the farther north he went into Missouri and Iowa. 1:24

winter-forecast

• Don predicts the deer herd still faces at least six more weeks of tough winter conditions since it’s only February 1. 9:01

winter-severity

• Terry observes that this year’s heavy snow has shown how essential corn and soybean food plots are, beyond what a typical cold winter with accessible ground browse requires. 6:58

winter-storm

• Terry asks listeners to say a prayer for people in Louisiana and Mississippi who have gone five or six days without power after the storm. 57:54

winter-stress

• Don explains that late winter is the peak period of nutritional stress for deer, when quality food sources are in short supply. 5:37

Deer activity

• piebald doe (sighting) 6:18
• unnamed buck (harvest) 29:51
• Smoky (history) 33:07
• Male (history) 33:12
• Doubting Thomas (history) 33:15
• King David (harvest) 34:51
• turning point buck (history) 48:25

Listener questions

Question: Terry asks whether exotic deer go into shock and die in the cold because they lack the muscle mass or fat buildup to withstand cold. 2:45

• Answer: Don explains exotic deer species are adapted to specific climates and are simply not equipped to survive extreme cold weather events like the recent storm. 3:29

Question: Terry asks Don whether his food plots are still holding up on corn and soybeans or if deer have depleted them enough to notice. 4:33

• Answer: Don reports deer have heavily pounded his food plots, with corn nearly gone in his backyard plot, though he still has plenty of soybeans left. 4:40

Question: Terry asks Don to explain his culling philosophy of letting the best bucks in each age class live while removing eight-pointers first. 25:30

• Answer: Don explains he began culling roughly twenty years ago, removing the worst bucks in each age class and letting the best ones live, which stopped him losing his top bucks over time. 28:05

Question: Vince Peterson from Seymour, Nebraska asks whether Don congratulates hunters who kill bucks he was targeting, and whether it discourages him. 42:04 — asked by Vince Peterson

• Answer: Don says he typically does congratulate hunters who kill bucks he was after, regardless of who is involved, and always tries to acknowledge them. 42:35

Question: David from Des Moines, Iowa asks whether bucks shedding early means a longer antler growing season and bigger antlers, or the same finish with no extra growth. 47:33 — asked by David

• Answer: Don explains regrowth timing depends mainly on spring weather; warm early-spring days kick-start the antler growth cycle sooner, giving more time to add inches. 48:05

Question: Carl Compton from Findlay, Illinois asks whether Darren Bailey, if elected governor, could make Illinois a good deer hunting state again. 49:26 — asked by Carl Compton

• Answer: Don believes having Darren Bailey in hunters’ corner would be a huge piece toward improving Illinois deer hunting, though real change also needs legislative support. 50:52

Question: Jason Bane from Shelbyville, Illinois asks how to manage woody vegetation like cottonwoods in his CRP switchgrass field before his contract expires. 53:36 — asked by Jason Bane

• Answer: Don explains fire frequency matters: burning a CRP or switchgrass field roughly every three years typically gets hot enough to kill young cottonwood trees before they establish. 54:54

Question: Eric Sackett from Beaver Dam, Wisconsin asks what one thing on or around their farms or leases Don and Terry wish they could change but can’t. 57:05 — asked by Eric Sackett

• Answer: Don says he wishes he could own more land around him, but he can’t afford it. 57:18
• Answer: Terry’s one-word answer is ‘neighbors,’ reflecting the same wish for more control over surrounding land. 57:28

Prayer Time

Theme: gratitude and salvation through Christ’s sacrifice
Aaron Gaines leads a prayer thanking God for blessings and for sending Jesus to die on the cross for humanity’s sins, acknowledging human weakness and slow spiritual growth, and asking that those who haven’t accepted Christ as savior would do so, while believers grow closer to God. 61:30

The episode centered on the extreme winter storm’s toll on deer, with reports of exotic ranch animals like black buck antelope and axis deer dying in Texas from cold they weren’t adapted to survive, while Don’s own food plots showed heavy pressure from deer bunching up, corn nearly gone though soybeans held. Don and Terry discussed late-winter nutritional stress, Illinois’s ban on supplemental feeding, and Texas ranchers feeding from super sacks. Don detailed his culling philosophy, begun about twenty years ago, of removing lesser bucks while letting top performers live, crediting it as the biggest driver behind his farm’s three 200-inch bucks: Smoky, Male, and Doubting Thomas. Listener questions covered congratulating hunters who take targeted bucks, antler regrowth timing, managing cottonwoods in CRP fields, and wishes for more land control. Don also urged hunters to vote and criticized Illinois gubernatorial candidate Jay Pritzker. Aaron Gaines led a closing prayer, and Terry asked listeners to pray for storm-affected Louisiana and Mississippi residents.

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