Episode #95 - Live from Guthrie, KY

Published: 2021-12-13
Episode page
Duration: 107 min

In this episode

all-day-sits

What are the pros and cons of all-day sits, and does Don see much midday deer movement during the rut? 93:42

antler-development

Once a buck is an eight-pointer or ten-pointer at two or three years old, will he always stay that point count, or can he add points? 50:50

bedding

For a newly bought 100-acre property, should bedding cover typically be placed on a south-facing slope? 22:34
Is the strategy to watch a buck check the wind near his bedding area, then slip in and wait for him to circle back? 69:49

bowhunting

Don said it wouldn’t bother him if bow season became traditional archery equipment only, saying crossbows and compounds have turned it into an ‘everybody gets a trophy’ pursuit. 91:06

broadheads

Don called mechanical broadheads a sadistic deer-wounding tool that takes an unnecessary chance a hunter doesn’t need. 49:49
If fixed-blade broadheads were outlawed, would Don keep hunting with mechanical broadheads or quit? 90:12

buck-management

If cull bucks and small yearlings are left to breed the does every year, what happens to the doe herd’s quality over time? 25:15

cell-cameras

A friend claims Don only shoots big bucks every year because he watches cell camera footage from his office and rushes out when a booner appears. 67:38

cover

On a 100-acre property, how should acreage be split between cover and food? 98:46

doe-management

With an abundant doe herd, what part of the season is best for taking does? 40:54

dogs

Don said the one thing deer hate most is a dog, and that he will not tolerate any dog on his hunting property. 64:46

ehd

Has Real World explored enhancing its EHD-fighting technology to help herds combat parasites like botflies? 33:51

father

Don recalled that although his father never deer hunted himself, he always used his vacation time to take young Don hunting because that’s what Don wanted to do. 10:47

first-deer

Don shot his very first deer on public land in 1979, on November 16 at 7 AM. 9:14

genetics

Don stated that at least 60% of a buck’s antler genetics comes from the doe rather than the buck. 28:57

health

Don went to the emergency room the morning of the live show after one side of his face went numb, fearing he was having a stroke. 2:45

human-intrusion

Don warned that human intrusion is the single biggest killer of a good deer hunting property. 19:54
Wes reportedly shut down hunting access on a newly bought Indiana farm, and deer piled in from surrounding hunting pressure even before he’d done any habitat work. 21:18
Don said he’s so convinced human intrusion ruins a property that he’d rather hunt two acres alone than share 200 acres with one other hunter. 84:57
Other than isolation and cover, what is the number one thing landowners can do to grow bigger deer? 19:45

land-management

Are farming for agricultural income and managing land for deer hunting opposing goals, or can they work together? 53:49

lesters-feet

On behalf of the Lester’s Feet Foundation board and donors, Terry announced a $10,000 donation to help pay off the medical loan the Amish community took out for young Kevin Yoder. 7:47

livestock

Do deer dislike livestock like cattle, or do they coexist fine as long as humans stay out of it? 62:09

minerals

Can a healthy deer herd get all needed minerals and nutrients from a bag alone, without a food plot program? 95:06

property-line

How do you decide whether it’s okay for a neighbor—or yourself—to hunt right on the shared property line? 77:39

property-selection

What made the farm Don posted about on Facebook one of the best whitetail properties he’d ever seen? 15:10
When buying a hunting property, how much does acreage matter compared to other factors? 43:29

relationships

Don said the best thing deer hunting ever did for him was the relationships it brought, including meeting people like Terry and Brandon, more than the big bucks he’s shot. 12:27

seminar

Don will give a standard (non-podcast) seminar in Michigan the following week. 106:38

sponsorship

Terry said he and Don would rather pay for gear they believe in than take sponsorship money for products they don’t fully trust. 76:46

stand-access

When walking out to a tree stand in the dark, does Don use a light or go without one? 80:03

stand-placement

Don advises hanging a stand for a small, isolated hunting spot well before the season rather than waiting until close to hunting it. 85:23

standing-corn

When deer are living in standing corn, how do you hunt them? 82:26

trail-cameras

Don recommends Reconyx, noting that dividing the cost over the many years they last makes them the cheapest camera long-term. 74:06
Don called trail cameras the number one game changer in his deer hunting career. 88:31
Does Don use TactiCam Reveal cell cameras, and what does he think of them? 72:32
What time of day and weather conditions does Don recommend for checking trail cameras? 104:47

Deer activity

unnamed buck (harvest) 29:51
Mel (history) 30:27
Mel (hunt) 48:54
unnamed buck (hunt) 70:30
Joey Buck (harvest) 86:43
unnamed buck (trail-camera) 101:51

Listener questions

Question: What made the farm Don posted about on Facebook one of the best whitetail properties he’d ever seen? 15:10 — asked by Derek Ford

Answer: Don said the property was isolated—surrounded by open ag ground—so mature bucks weren’t pressured by neighboring hunters shooting little bucks. 16:28

Question: Other than isolation and cover, what is the number one thing landowners can do to grow bigger deer? 19:45

Answer: Don said staying out of the property—minimizing human intrusion—is the single biggest factor in growing big deer. 19:54

Question: For a newly bought 100-acre property, should bedding cover typically be placed on a south-facing slope? 22:34

Answer: Don said a south-facing slope is generally the best bedding location since it’s warmest in winter, though every property is different. 23:02

Question: If cull bucks and small yearlings are left to breed the does every year, what happens to the doe herd’s quality over time? 25:15

Answer: Don explained that on a managed property you can dictate which bucks in each age class survive to the next age class, unlike the wild herd overall. 26:56

Question: Has Real World explored enhancing its EHD-fighting technology to help herds combat parasites like botflies? 33:51

Answer: Don said the Expect Healthy Deer technology works partly through an all-natural insect repellent that helps deter biting insects generally. 34:03

Question: With an abundant doe herd, what part of the season is best for taking does? 40:54

Answer: Don said the more important question is where to shoot does—away from the core property—rather than when. 41:11

Question: When buying a hunting property, how much does acreage matter compared to other factors? 43:29

Answer: Don said the number one thing to evaluate isn’t the property itself but everything surrounding it, since what’s on it can be changed. 43:55

Question: Once a buck is an eight-pointer or ten-pointer at two or three years old, will he always stay that point count, or can he add points? 50:50 — asked by John Petershaw

Answer: Don said it’s not true that an eight-pointer always stays an eight or a ten always stays a ten; bucks can add more points as they age. 51:50

Question: Are farming for agricultural income and managing land for deer hunting opposing goals, or can they work together? 53:49

Answer: Don said the two goals can be opposing, and often are, especially when the landowner’s primary interest is agricultural income rather than deer. 54:05

Question: Do deer dislike livestock like cattle, or do they coexist fine as long as humans stay out of it? 62:09

Answer: Don said deer generally don’t particularly like cattle and would avoid them if they had the choice, though a big buck will still use cattle pasture cover to escape humans. 63:19

Question: A friend claims Don only shoots big bucks every year because he watches cell camera footage from his office and rushes out when a booner appears. 67:38 — asked by Richard Beachy

Answer: Don pushed back, saying if it were that easy everyone would have a wall full of booners, and people always find excuses for others’ success. 67:59

Question: Is the strategy to watch a buck check the wind near his bedding area, then slip in and wait for him to circle back? 69:49

Answer: Don joked that the skeptical friend should show up to Don’s Monday morning coffee meetup to learn how it actually works. 70:02

Question: Does Don use TactiCam Reveal cell cameras, and what does he think of them? 72:32

Answer: Don said he’s never used TactiCam Reveal and has little faith in cheaper cameras, since you get what you pay for. 72:55

Question: How do you decide whether it’s okay for a neighbor—or yourself—to hunt right on the shared property line? 77:39

Answer: Don said it comes down to treating each neighbor the way you’d want to be treated, worked out individually with each one. 79:44

Question: When walking out to a tree stand in the dark, does Don use a light or go without one? 80:03

Answer: Don said he almost never uses a light walking in or out in the dark. 80:11

Question: When deer are living in standing corn, how do you hunt them? 82:26

Answer: Don said standing corn offers less human intrusion than woods, and mature bucks still use the edges even though it’s harder to hunt. 82:44

Question: If fixed-blade broadheads were outlawed, would Don keep hunting with mechanical broadheads or quit? 90:12

Answer: Don said he’d probably have to quit hunting rather than use mechanical broadheads. 90:41

Question: What are the pros and cons of all-day sits, and does Don see much midday deer movement during the rut? 93:42

Answer: Don said trail cameras show mature bucks do have some midday movement, but not nearly as much as people are led to believe. 94:22

Question: Can a healthy deer herd get all needed minerals and nutrients from a bag alone, without a food plot program? 95:06

Answer: Don said feed-only supplementation is better than nothing, but the real key is diversity of food sources, not just food plots. 95:48

Question: On a 100-acre property, how should acreage be split between cover and food? 98:46 — asked by Gerald

Answer: Don said if forced to choose, cover wins every time because he wants the buck bedded on his property above all else. 99:54

Question: What time of day and weather conditions does Don recommend for checking trail cameras? 104:47

Answer: Don said he checks cameras in the middle of the day, ideally on windy days for extra noise cover. 104:55

Don recounted going to the emergency room the morning of the live show after his face went numb, then joined the show anyway. Terry announced a $10,000 donation from the Lester’s Feet Foundation board and donors toward the medical loan the Amish community took out for young Kevin Yoder. Most of the episode covered Don’s land management philosophy: human intrusion as the biggest threat to a good deer property, isolation as the key trait of great farms, cover taking priority over food on limited acreage, and staying out of a property more than any other single factor for growing bigger deer. He discussed trail cameras as transformative to his hunting, favored Reconyx over cheaper options, and said he’d rather quit hunting than use mechanical broadheads. He also reflected on his first deer, taken on public land in 1979, and on relationships built through hunting mattering more than trophies. Mel, a three-year-old buck with a 216-inch rack, and the Joey Buck were both recalled.

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