Why Some Hunting Properties Work Instantly… And Others Fail - Chasing Giants Podcast #319

Published: 2026-04-05
Episode page
Duration: 71 min

In this episode

announcement

• Terry announced that listeners with a question for Republican governor candidate Darren Bailey can submit it at chasinggiants.com before his upcoming podcast appearance. 16:15
• Don announced Real World decided to print a second run of the land management handbook due to high demand. 40:55

antler-injury

• Gerald asked whether a buck missing part of its skull cap on a shed pedicle would grow abnormal antler tissue that spring or heal back to normal. 33:49

antler-scoring

• Garrett asked whether it’s plausible that a wild-killed 250-plus-inch deer could really be aged at only three and a half years old by tooth analysis. 43:06

business-advice

• Don advised that word-of-mouth is the best advertising in any business, crediting it for the growth of his consulting work. 7:51
• Don urged young business owners to keep customers happy even when it costs money, arguing the reputation built pays off later. 8:09

classes

• Don noted that at a recent event, four people asked whether he would hold another class on his farm. 1:43

consulting

• Don recalled one of the shortest consulting visits he ever did, quickly reading an open property and knowing the plan within minutes. 4:27

cwd

• Don observed that in the Northern Illinois CWD zone, the trend has reversed and the DNR is now having a hard time getting landowner permission for sharpshooting deer. 12:11
• Don plans to ask Republican governor candidate Darren Bailey about Illinois’s CWD sharpshooting program when Bailey appears on the podcast. 12:23
• Don recalled being one of the first in the hunting industry to publicly call the CWD scare overblown and to encourage hunters not to submit deer for testing, drawing criticism at the time. 15:29

elk

• Terry described working an elk habitat consulting project on an old strip mine in Southeast Kentucky, feeling humbled that the landowner trusted Chasing Giants with the work. 3:12

faith

• Terry shared that his church ran an initiative challenging members to change their social-media ‘algorithm’ by replacing consumed content with God-focused material. 53:58

food-plot

• Garrett asked what else he should plant, given he already has three acres of soybeans planned and wheat isn’t an option. 43:57

food-plots

• John asked whether he should section a 460-yard food plot into one-acre segments with Miscanthus strips so deer can’t see the whole plot. 30:55

habitat-improvement

• Jesse Fromm asked whether mature bucks take advantage of habitat improvements or big property changes right away, or if they wait for younger bucks to normalize new areas first. 35:48

hunting-trips

• Terry asked Don, for the Higgins Hot Seat segment, what his favorite non-whitetail hunt was and where it took place. 24:07

march-madness

• Don jokingly predicted the Fighting Illini would beat ‘Yukon’ (UConn) and then face Michigan on their way to the championship. 57:18 (light moment)

miscanthus

• Terry advised listeners wanting Miscanthus to get their order in now since sales are running ahead of the projected harvest. 42:30

mission-field

• Terry relayed that Kevin Miller reported over 900 people attended the visitation and about 750 attended the funeral for the missionary family after the mother’s death on the mission field. 8:50

property-shape

• Tim Henrich asked what property shape Don would consider ideal for an 80-100 acre bow-hunting property. 39:02

real-world-soybeans

• Greg Mills reported that one of his customers combined 137 bushels of Real World soybeans from a six-acre food plot after deer fed on it all winter without pod shatter. 19:22

social-media

• Don recommended blocking negative social-media content rather than engaging with it, and deliberately filling one’s feed with righteous material instead. 56:58

sports

• Terry said he stopped following sports entirely after players began kneeling during the national anthem, replacing that time with other pursuits. 51:01

target-buck

• Garrett asked whether a three-and-a-half-year-old buck scoring 250-plus inches, having added 100 inches from the prior season, would be a target on Don’s farm. 43:25

Deer activity

• unnamed buck (history) 33:29
• unnamed buck (harvest) 34:59
• Mel (management) 46:09

Listener questions

Question: John asked whether he should section a 460-yard food plot into one-acre segments with Miscanthus strips so deer can’t see the whole plot. 30:55 — asked by John from Bolivar, Missouri

• Answer: Don said he isn’t a big fan of sectioning food plots because it’s hard to farm around, though he noted splitting into three one-acre plots made sense here since John wants to trial different seed types. 31:49

Question: Gerald asked whether a buck missing part of its skull cap on a shed pedicle would grow abnormal antler tissue that spring or heal back to normal. 33:49 — asked by Gerald Hunter from Larson, Wisconsin

• Answer: Don said he could almost guarantee that buck would develop abnormal antler growth at the base given the size of the skull chunk lost, and it likely wouldn’t heal normally. 34:04

Question: Jesse Fromm asked whether mature bucks take advantage of habitat improvements or big property changes right away, or if they wait for younger bucks to normalize new areas first. 35:48 — asked by Jesse Fromm from New Berlin, Illinois

• Answer: Don said deer generally take advantage of new habitat changes right away, though maybe not within the very first week. 36:25
• Answer: Don gave an example of a five-acre woodlot he had timbered and TSI’d, where he had never found a shed before but found eight shed antlers there within about a year. 38:06

Question: Tim Henrich asked what property shape Don would consider ideal for an 80-100 acre bow-hunting property. 39:02 — asked by Tim Henrich from Sioux Center, Iowa

• Answer: Don said without a doubt he’d recommend a long, narrow property. 39:12
• Answer: Don added that the key factor is isolation, wanting cover on the property to be separated from neighboring cover rather than connected to it. 40:06

Question: Garrett asked whether it’s plausible that a wild-killed 250-plus-inch deer could really be aged at only three and a half years old by tooth analysis. 43:06 — asked by Garrett Stoops from Ashland, Ohio

• Answer: Don confirmed it is possible for a deer to reach 250-plus inches by age three, but stressed it is extremely rare. 45:56

Question: Garrett asked whether a three-and-a-half-year-old buck scoring 250-plus inches, having added 100 inches from the prior season, would be a target on Don’s farm. 43:25 — asked by Garrett Stoops from Ashland, Ohio

• Answer: Don said he would likely pass on shooting such a buck on his farm to give him a chance to spread his genes. 47:34

Question: Garrett asked what else he should plant, given he already has three acres of soybeans planned and wheat isn’t an option. 43:57 — asked by Garrett Stoops from Ashland, Ohio

• Answer: Don recommended planting soybeans as Garrett already planned, but at a much larger acreage. 44:30

Question: Terry asked Don, for the Higgins Hot Seat segment, what his favorite non-whitetail hunt was and where it took place. 24:07

• Answer: Don said his favorite hunt was probably a mid-1980s Montana trip with close childhood friends through an outfit called Private Ranches of Montana. 25:28

Prayer Time

Scripture: Romans
Theme: sin-and-death
The speaker explained from Romans 3 and 5 that all people die because all have sinned, and the wages of sin is death, tracing this to humanity’s fallen nature. 59:48

Scripture: Revelation
Theme: second-death
The speaker described the Bible’s concept of a ‘second death’ distinct from physical death, referenced most often in Revelation, as eternal separation from God. 61:29

Scripture: Revelation
Theme: judgment
The speaker quoted Revelation 21’s description of those destined for the lake of fire as the ‘second death,’ noting all people fall under that judgment apart from Christ. 61:46

Scripture: 1 John
Theme: atonement
Citing 1 John 2, the speaker explained that Christ serves as our advocate before the Father and as the propitiation for sin, extending to the whole world. 63:43

Scripture: Isaiah
Theme: suffering-servant
The speaker read from Isaiah 53 how the prophet foretold Christ’s wounding and bruising for our sins centuries before the crucifixion, noting that by his stripes we are healed. 64:41

Theme: resurrection-victory
The speaker emphasized that though Christ died to save sinners, he also rose from the grave three days later, proving death does not have the final word. 66:15

Scripture: 1 Corinthians
Theme: resurrection
Reading 1 Corinthians 15:20-26, the speaker declared Christ has risen as the firstfruits, guaranteeing the future resurrection of all who are in him. 66:42

Scripture: 1 Corinthians
Theme: victory-over-death
Quoting 1 Corinthians 15:55, the speaker proclaimed death’s sting is removed and thanked God for victory over death through Jesus Christ. 68:25

Theme: steadfastness
The speaker closed the sermon quoting Paul’s exhortation to be steadfast and abounding in the Lord’s work, knowing labor for the Lord is never in vain. 68:46

Theme: gospel-invitation
The speaker prayed for any listener hearing the gospel for the first time through the podcast, asking God to work in their heart toward saving faith in Jesus Christ. 71:21

Don and Terry covered listener questions on food plots, sheds, and property design. John asked about splitting a 460-yard plot with Miscanthus strips; Don generally dislikes sectioning plots but agreed three one-acre plots made sense for John’s seed trial. Gerald asked about a buck with a damaged skull cap on its pedicle, and Don said abnormal antler growth was almost certain. Jesse asked if mature bucks adapt quickly to habitat changes; Don said usually yes, citing a timbered woodlot where he later found eight sheds. Tim asked about ideal shape for an 80-100 acre bow property; Don favored long, narrow ground with cover isolated from neighbors. Garrett asked about a three-and-a-half-year-old buck scoring over 250 inches; Don called it rare but possible, and said he’d likely pass on shooting it to let it spread genes. Don also discussed Illinois’s CWD sharpshooting struggles and reflected on a favorite 1980s Montana hunt with childhood friends.

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