Episode #47 - Hunting Ethics, Annual Cycle Of Whitetail, Should we leave Social Media?

Published: 2021-01-17
Episode page
Duration: 65 min

In this episode

amish-community

• Don Higgins estimated the Northeast Ohio Sportsman Show crowd was about 75% Amish attendees. 3:34
• Terry Peer said what he respects most about the Amish is how self-sustaining they are, running businesses for nearly every need. 4:51
• Don Higgins said the Amish community represents what America used to be, being respectful and family oriented. 5:43

captive-herd-research

• Don Higgins observed that individual does in his captive herd entered estrus on almost the exact same calendar day every year. 39:07
• Don Higgins noted certain individual captive bucks consistently shed velvet earlier or later than others every year. 40:14

chasing-giants-hats

• Terry Peer announced the first batch of preordered Chasing Giants hats would ship to Don this coming week. 46:15

consulting-travel

• After filming with Steve Shields, Don Higgins planned to travel to Wisconsin for the rest of the week for consulting work. 2:35

deer-herd-quality

• Don Higgins said Iowa currently has the nation’s best deer herd in terms of buck quality due to its age structure management. 21:46

deer-nutrition

• Don Higgins said big antlers come down to age, nutrition, and genetics, with nutrition being the factor hunters can most control. 52:53

faith

• Terry Peer encouraged listeners facing online criticism to stand firm in their faith, citing Matthew 5:11’s promise of reward for the persecuted. 62:42

fetal-programming

• Terry Peer said mineral licks alone aren’t enough during fetal programming windows; feed itself delivers valuable minerals does need. 51:49

hunting-ethics

• Don Higgins said he opposes mechanical broadheads because hunters owe animals a clean, ethical kill rather than risking wounding and lost game. 30:05
• Don’s mentor Alan Foster refused to use doe-in-heat scent, believing it took unfair advantage of a buck’s nose-based defenses. 31:09
• Don Higgins argued a true deer hunter is a conservationist first, concerned with the herd’s well-being as well as the individual animal. 32:26
• A seminar attendee, possibly tied to a trail camera company, asked Don what he thinks of cell cameras. 28:58

hunting-over-bait

• Terry Peer said he has no ethical issue shooting a mature target buck over corn, but has the discipline not to shoot a young buck there, unlike many hunters. 24:37

illinois

• Don Higgins noted Illinois was once the number one state for giant whitetails before regulations hurt its herd quality. 27:02

listener-support

• A listener named Chad Smith from Enlow Fork Mine drove all the way from Pennsylvania to meet Don and Terry at the show. 6:47

mature-buck-hunting

• Rather than force a shot at Mel’s scrape, Don Higgins chose not to add pressure to the property, hoping the buck would eventually make a mistake. 16:12

mature-buck-patterns

• Don Higgins wrote the 2003 article Same Time, Same Place, detailing how mature bucks return to the same range area at the same time each year. 41:23
• Don Higgins warned that busting a buck pinned on an annual pattern blows that pattern, though it holds as long as the animal isn’t disturbed. 43:12

mel-the-buck

• Terry asked Don to explain to listeners how the mature buck Mel reacted to small amounts of human intrusion in two seminar-discussed incidents. 10:27

merchandise

• Terry Peer told listeners wanting a Chasing Giants hat to preorder through the Higgins Outdoors website. 46:50

ohio-hunting-regulations

• A seminar attendee asked Don what regulation change Ohio could make to improve its deer hunting. 20:22

podcast-community

• Terry Peer said meeting new people and talking deer hunting at the Ohio show was personally needed after a difficult COVID year. 3:13

podcast-distribution

• The podcast was made available to Amish listeners through Emtek phone services, letting them call a number to listen. 3:40

social-media

• Friends Patrick Simpson and Steve Shields removed themselves from social media entirely this week. 60:25
• Listener David Least asked how Don and Terry justify using social media platforms whose companies oppose many of their values. 53:22

supplemental-feeding

• Listener Brian Prior asked Don’s opinion on supplemental feeding, whether he practices it, and his recommended feed type and duration. 49:07

youtube-content

• Don Higgins had Steve Shields coming the next day to film new YouTube video content after a busy consulting week. 2:16

Deer activity

• Mel (hunt) 11:22
• Mel (sighting) 13:07
• Mel (trail-camera) 17:16
• Mel (harvest) 17:34

Listener questions

Question: Terry asked Don to explain to listeners how the mature buck Mel reacted to small amounts of human intrusion in two seminar-discussed incidents. 10:27

• Answer: At age three and a half, Mel caught Don moving while filming from a blind, tensed up, and calmly walked away without bolting. 11:22
• Answer: After noticing a trail camera on his scrape, Mel grew visibly nervous and never again worked that scrape in daylight. 17:16

Question: A seminar attendee asked Don what regulation change Ohio could make to improve its deer hunting. 20:22

• Answer: Don said outlawing bait piles is the one regulation change that would make Ohio the nation’s best deer herd within three years. 23:23

Question: A seminar attendee, possibly tied to a trail camera company, asked Don what he thinks of cell cameras. 28:58

• Answer: Don framed hunting ethics as personal choices hunters make that go beyond what the law requires. 29:23
• Answer: Don said he owns one cell camera but struggles with cameras that let hunters instantly react and rush in to kill an animal. 35:15

Question: Listener Brian Prior asked Don’s opinion on supplemental feeding, whether he practices it, and his recommended feed type and duration. 49:07 — asked by Brian Prior

• Answer: Don can’t supplementally feed on his Illinois farm by law, but does so on his Ohio property and is a big fan of it. 49:35
• Answer: Don recommends the highest quality, nutrient-balanced feed, citing Real World’s Maximizer Complete Feed as an example. 50:20
• Answer: Don keeps three feeders running year-round on his Ohio farm rather than feeding for a limited duration. 50:48

Question: Listener David Least asked how Don and Terry justify using social media platforms whose companies oppose many of their values. 53:22 — asked by David Least

• Answer: Don said social media is mainly a free way to advertise his business, despite disliking the companies behind it. 54:48
• Answer: Terry said he’ll keep using social media personally to make a positive difference in others’ lives until he’s shut down. 57:45

Sponsors this episode

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

Don Higgins and Terry Peer opened discussing the Northeast Ohio Sportsman Show, where Higgins estimated the crowd was about 75% Amish, and both praised the community’s self-sufficiency and family values; the show connected them with listener Chad Smith, who drove from Pennsylvania. Higgins detailed his history with the mature buck Mel, describing two incidents where minor human intrusion changed the buck’s behavior before it was eventually killed. Seminar questions covered Ohio regulation changes, cell cameras, and hunting ethics, with Higgins favoring a bait-pile ban and expressing discomfort with instant-reaction technology. Listener Brian Prior asked about supplemental feeding; Higgins explained he feeds year-round on his Ohio property using high-quality feed, citing Real World’s Maximizer Complete Feed. David Least questioned using social media platforms whose companies oppose their values, prompting differing justifications from each host. Higgins also discussed captive-herd observations on estrus timing and velvet shedding, plus his views on nutrition, genetics, and broadhead ethics.

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