Episode #46 Dual Bolt Crossbow Opinions and New Products from Real World

Published: 2021-01-11
Episode page
Duration: 68 min

In this episode

antler-growth

• Why did Don’s buck only grow four inches between years — weather related, nutrition related, or did other area bucks also not grow much? 47:36

chasing-giants-hats

• Don is running a presale for Chasing Giants hats on his website, shipping around the beginning of February. 66:31

crossbow

• Now that Don’s killed a 200-inch buck from a barn and a tree stand, is it time to try a love swing and mechanical broadhead crossbow? 59:19

crossbow-technology

• Don calls the new double-cocked-bolt crossbow an absolutely ridiculous product he wants nothing to do with. 10:10

customer-support

• Don recounts receiving 454 emails to his Real World account in under 24 hours during an unprecedented surge of customer contact. 2:28

dnr-advocacy

• Terry urges hunters who care about archery season integrity and herd health to contact their state DNRs about banning double-cocked-bolt crossbow devices. 12:23

enlist-soybean

• Don says Real World developed the Enlist soybean because resistant weeds like waterhemp and marestail were no longer controlled by glyphosate. 22:23
• Terry explains the Enlist soybean pilot product is priced higher than Gen-two beans due to licensing royalties, not extra profit. 25:44

late-season

• Since Don’s first book released in 2006, has he changed his views on hunting mature bucks after another decade and a half of experience? 56:56

nutricrave-corn

• Don’s lab testing found NutriCrave corn at 11.2% protein compared to 6.8% in regular field corn from his neighbor’s field. 29:40
• NutriCrave corn provides 225% higher calories than the same amount of regular field corn, per Don’s testing. 30:25
• Terry advises beginner food plotters that NutriCrave corn might not be the right product for them due to its exacting spacing and care requirements. 32:47
• What effect does the new higher-protein NutriCrave corn have on deer herd health compared to soybeans? 52:29

pilot-program

• Don explains the pilot program is a limited product release used to gather wider customer feedback before a product becomes a permanent offering. 17:21
• Real World is capping NutriCrave corn and Enlist soybean pilot purchases at two acres per person and tracking distribution. 37:13

podcast-promotion

• Terry asks listeners to help the show by leaving a review on their podcast platform or subscribing and sharing the Chasing Giants YouTube channel. 67:40

product-development

• Don says Real World’s product decisions are driven by trying to be the best land managers, offering the best nutrition, cover, and habitat for deer. 14:37

product-release

• Real World released two new 2021 pilot program products for spring food plots: an Enlist soybean blend and NutriCrave corn. 21:38

real-world

• Terry reports Real World took over 400 orders in a single 24-hour period in December, unprecedented since their busy season usually doesn’t start until spring. 2:55

rut

• Don’s research herd shows bucks lose roughly 20% or more body weight during the rut and do not regain it until spring, contrary to popular belief. 39:24

shed-hunting

• Don’s friend Steve Blackmire has a 40-acre sanctuary tract on his farm that he never enters, not even to shed hunt. 64:14
• Does Don still maintain his sanctuaries during shed season, or is that the one time of year he’s okay with human intrusion? 60:25

small-business

• Terry reveals the Chasing Giants hats are embroidered by a small local business owned by a woman who has long helped Real World, supporting her growing venture instead of outsourcing. 67:05

sportsman-show

• Don will speak and staff a booth at the Northeast Ohio Sportsman Show at Mount Hope, Ohio for three days. 4:53

trade-show

• The live podcast trade show event was postponed from mid-February to April after show organizers faced pressure over mask requirements. 6:39

travel-plans

• Don plans to travel to Ohio to look at properties Tuesday and Wednesday before his weekend show commitments. 4:47

video-content

• Terry notes that since 2006 the ability to document concepts through video and 3D graphics has made it easier to communicate the same core hunting lessons. 58:36

winter-deer-behavior

• Don observes that during warm winter days the entire deer herd eats very little, nearly entering a dormant state compared to fall feeding levels. 40:00
• Don says severe cold weather drives deer to eat far more, congregating heavily in soybean plots on those days. 40:58

Deer activity

• unnamed buck (harvest) 48:13
• Mel (history) 48:36
• Joey (harvest) 49:13
• unnamed buck (history) 63:36

Listener questions

Question: Why did Don’s buck only grow four inches between years — weather related, nutrition related, or did other area bucks also not grow much? 47:36 — asked by Kurt Myers

• Answer: Don says many bucks that reach a certain antler size tend to plateau there for several years rather than jumping much. 48:03
• Answer: Don adds it wasn’t due to nutrition or weather in this buck’s case, since the deer wintered on his property with plenty of food available. 49:03

Question: What effect does the new higher-protein NutriCrave corn have on deer herd health compared to soybeans? 52:29

• Answer: Don explains NutriCrave corn provides far more nutrients than regular corn, similar to how cattle must be eased onto corn to avoid founder, though it won’t match soybean protein levels. 54:14
• Answer: Terry adds NutriCrave corn adds food plot diversity, since deer sometimes prefer corn, giving hunters a better on-property option than a neighbor’s field corn. 55:42

Question: Since Don’s first book released in 2006, has he changed his views on hunting mature bucks after another decade and a half of experience? 56:56

• Answer: Don says the one thing he’s revised since his 2006 book is his view on late-season success — he now credits quality food sources over just having prime property. 57:57

Question: Now that Don’s killed a 200-inch buck from a barn and a tree stand, is it time to try a love swing and mechanical broadhead crossbow? 59:19

• Answer: Don jokingly replies he will never hunt from a love swing or use a mechanical broadhead, though he can’t fully rule out a crossbow. 59:39

Question: Does Don still maintain his sanctuaries during shed season, or is that the one time of year he’s okay with human intrusion? 60:25 — asked by Bryson Duffy

• Answer: Don says he does enter his sanctuary for shed antlers but limits trips, trying to go in only once each season. 60:44
• Answer: Terry adds he leaves trail cameras out longer and waits until deer visibly drop their antlers before shed hunting. 61:32
• Answer: Don adds that when entering the sanctuary he deliberately pushes deer in a positive direction rather than toward heavy hunting pressure. 62:43

Sponsors this episode

• BuyAFarm.com
• Mathews Archery
• Lone Wolf Treestands
• Vortex Optics
• Real World Wildlife Products
• 360 Hunting Blinds
• QuietKat

Don and Terry opened discussing an unprecedented order surge, with 454 emails in under 24 hours and Real World taking over 400 orders in a single December day, well ahead of normal spring busy season. Don criticized the new double-cocked-bolt crossbow as a product he wanted nothing to do with, and Terry urged listeners to contact their state DNRs about banning the devices for archery season integrity and herd health. They introduced two 2021 pilot program products, an Enlist soybean bred to resist weeds no longer controlled by glyphosate and NutriCrave corn, which Don’s lab testing showed at 11.2% protein versus 6.8% in regular field corn, with purchases capped at two acres per person. Don shared research on bucks losing significant body weight during the rut and herd feeding patterns shifting with weather. Listener questions covered antler plateauing, revised views since his 2006 book favoring food sources late season, and limited sanctuary intrusion during shed season.

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