Deer Velvet Shedding & Fall Buck Shifts: Don Higgins Responds to Rumors | Chasing Giants Ep. 289

Published: 2025-09-07
Episode page
Duration: 81 min

In this episode

antler-scoring

• Terry noted it’s difficult for an eight-point buck to score over 160-165 inches without exceptional mass, tine length, spread, and beams. 57:44

buck-management

• Don recommended the listener consider shooting his five-and-a-half-year-old buck to make room for an up-and-coming younger buck. 58:07

business-dispute

• Don said his former business partners were never forced out and made the decision to leave and set their own sale price entirely on their own. 26:49
• Don noted that both former business partners criticizing him for shooting deer have themselves shot bucks on his farm from some of the same stands. 31:31

chris-brackett

• Don said that when he learned Chris Brackett had a problem with him, he went to Brackett directly one-on-one, following biblical conflict guidance. 30:26

closing-remarks

• Don apologized to listeners for the drama discussed earlier in the episode regarding the business dispute rumors. 68:09

deer-fences

• Rob Byler asked Don to share real-world situations when erecting a deer fence makes sense for property management. 47:05

deer-personality

• Terry asked whether individual deer have distinct personalities affecting how aggressively they compete and wander. 7:52

drought

• Don reported his area had not received rain since July, with only one-tenth of an inch falling that week amid ongoing drought. 13:55

emerson-day

• Terry shared that Christian artist Emerson Day wrote the song ‘Middle of a Miracle’ about families dealing with tragedy and trusting God’s purpose in it. 66:47

faith

• Terry noted that everyone affiliated with Chasing Giants TV posted about Matt McPherson of Mathews spending tens of millions of dollars to create a new movie advancing the Christian message. 32:44

fall-shift

• Don advised hunters without a target buck yet that new bucks are likely to show up on many properties in the coming weeks as ranges shift. 1:22

family-business

• Terry joked that none of his kids want to take over the family business, so he may never be able to retire. 46:05 (light moment)

food-plots

• Terry planted his fall Deadly Dozen food plot later than ever before, after early September rain softened the ground. 10:44
• Terry recommended flooding late fall food plots with Mike’s Mighty Micros once germinated to accelerate growth and deliver nutrients quickly. 11:34

harvest-decision

• Thomas Stein asked Don to walk through his decision-making process for choosing when to kill a buck on his farm. 53:30

home-range

• Terry asked whether a buck’s home range keeps shrinking as he ages, becoming more dialed-in over time. 7:00

hunter-podcast

• Don pointed listeners to episode 267 of the Hunter podcast, where he addressed the rumors in full detail. 23:07
• Terry praised the Hunter podcast hosts for handling Don’s episode respectfully without steering or baiting drama, despite his own initial skepticism. 28:10

hunting-origins

• Terry said his own hunting interest started with his grandfather since his father didn’t hunt, and he shot his first deer at 18. 45:02
• Edward Miller asked what got Don and Terry started hunting, and why listeners never hear about Don’s brother hunting. 41:13

lesters-feet

• Don teased that Terry has a fantastic idea for a Lester’s Feet fundraiser that hasn’t been shared publicly yet but is expected to be exciting. 63:17
• Terry revealed that Emerson connected a struggling family with the podcast’s nonprofit foundation, which is now helping that family this week. 67:38

mathews

• Don shared that Mathews quietly supports missionaries worldwide, funding water wells in third-world countries and stationing missionaries there to minister to locals. 36:58

matt-mcpherson

• Terry explained Matt McPherson’s foundation produced a two-dimensional animated movie about salvation currently showing in theaters. 35:22

mens-retreat

• Terry announced the upcoming men’s retreat happening in Sullivan, Illinois, with time still available for people to attend. 17:09
• Don announced Terry Peer will be the guest speaker at the men’s retreat on Friday evening, with numerous door prizes. 17:28
• Don announced Saturday morning at the retreat will feature a live Chasing Giants podcast recording with audience Q&A. 17:58
• Terry provided a contact number, (217) 254-1409, for Curtis to RSVP for the men’s retreat since attendance numbers are needed for food planning. 18:40

mentorship

• Terry said Don’s encouragement and challenge pushed him into podcasting and land consulting despite initial reluctance, becoming a huge blessing for his family. 62:53

mikes-mighty-micros

• Don specified the Mike’s Mighty Micros application rate for fall food plots as one quart per acre. 12:25
• Terry noted Mike’s Mighty Micros’ agriculture spray guide allows up to two quarts per acre across 25-30 gallons of water for food plots. 12:55

opening-day

• Joe Miles posted on social media that he was already in his tree stand hunting on opening evening. 0:38

overseeding

• Don plans to have his drone operator overseed corn and soybean fields on Saturday, along with drilling in clover. 13:36
• Patrick was out broadcasting seed across his soybeans in the evening using a modified leaf blower ahead of expected overnight rain. 14:20
• Don expressed doubt about overseeding his soybeans this fall due to residual pre-emergent herbicide applied in spring, though he is trying it anyway. 15:01

prayer-request

• Terry shared that their good friend Brent Henderson underwent open heart surgery this week and is recovering, though his hunting season will be scrapped. 64:56
• Don asked listeners to also pray for Jason Beachy of JB’s Feed in Ohio, who is dealing with serious health issues. 65:59

real-world-summit

• Don announced he and Terry are planning a Real World Whitetail Land Management Summit this winter, held alongside their Real World Dealer event. 60:58

rumors

• Don said listeners had heard false rumors that he releases captive deer inside a high-fenced farm through a small opening in order to shoot them. 20:11
• Don said persistent rumors about him releasing captive deer trace back to a couple of former business partners who have spread them for seven years. 20:27
• Don estimated that over 90% of listeners of both podcasts had already heard the rumors about him, and said it was time to put the matter to rest. 34:13

season-opener

• The episode airs on September 7, opening weekend of Kentucky, with several other states also opening around that time. 0:30

separation-agreement

• Terry stated there was a clear separation agreement governing what former business partners could say, and Don is the only party who has honored it. 26:08

sponsorship

• Terry credited Brian Kraft’s company, Midwest Land Group, as a supportive sponsor that funds the podcast’s listener-question segment. 38:41
• Don highlighted sponsor Novix, noting owner Jeff Clump is a veteran and a good Christian man. 39:29
• Don named Brenton USA, their Kubota dealer led by Brandon Ricketts in Covington, Indiana, as another aligned sponsor. 39:57

sponsorship-criteria

• Terry said the criteria for Chasing Giants sponsors is wanting God’s kingdom to succeed more than personal success, or it is not a good fit. 39:49

sunday-night-prayer

• Terry announced Devin Hurley, minister at Antioch Church of Christ in Grant County, Kentucky, would lead that week’s Sunday night prayer time. 67:56

switchgrass

• Ben Sweeney asked how many consulted farms have true stands of switchgrass for deer bedding, versus scattered CRP too thin for big bucks. 51:42

trail-cameras

• Terry plans to move trail cameras on his drive back to Kentucky after the Saturday retreat session. 18:52

velvet-shed

• Don estimated roughly 25% of local bucks had shed velvet already, with 75% still in velvet but shedding daily. 1:02
• How long does it take for a buck’s velvet to fully shed once it starts, or is it a gradual, individual process? 2:12

whitetail-consulting

• Ralph Hartman asked Don’s thoughts on the growing number of new whitetail consultants entering the industry. 59:10

young-bucks

• Terry asked what young bucks do when they break from the bachelor group — do they wander to find a new home range? 4:45

Deer activity

• unnamed buck (history) 6:17
• unnamed buck (management) 54:37

Listener questions

Question: How long does it take for a buck’s velvet to fully shed once it starts, or is it a gradual, individual process? 2:12

• Answer: Don explained velvet shedding varies by individual buck but generally spreads over roughly a three-week period. 2:34
• Answer: Don added that many bucks continue shifting range through mid-October, generally finishing by November 1, though timing varies by individual buck. 3:00

Question: Terry asked what young bucks do when they break from the bachelor group — do they wander to find a new home range? 4:45

• Answer: Don explained young bucks are kicked off by their mother around their first birthday, then wander randomly searching for a new home range through fall. 5:11

Question: Terry asked whether a buck’s home range keeps shrinking as he ages, becoming more dialed-in over time. 7:00

• Answer: Don agreed a buck’s home range shrinks with age, being largest around a year and a half old and shrinking each successive year. 7:17

Question: Terry asked whether individual deer have distinct personalities affecting how aggressively they compete and wander. 7:52

• Answer: Don agreed individual deer likely have distinct personalities influencing their aggression and wandering behavior. 8:16

Question: Edward Miller asked what got Don and Terry started hunting, and why listeners never hear about Don’s brother hunting. 41:13 — asked by Edward Miller

• Answer: Don said his interest in the outdoors began at a very young age, likely starting on his grandfather’s farm. 41:34
• Answer: Don noted hunting never came naturally to his brother, who had totally different interests, unlike Don himself. 43:35

Question: Rob Byler asked Don to share real-world situations when erecting a deer fence makes sense for property management. 47:05 — asked by Rob Byler

• Answer: Don warned a fence on a property line can funnel deer onto a neighbor’s land, so landowners must be careful where fences end. 48:35
• Answer: Don argued fences will keep growing in popularity as long as state agencies refuse to manage deer herds for quality and balanced age structure. 49:16

Question: Ben Sweeney asked how many consulted farms have true stands of switchgrass for deer bedding, versus scattered CRP too thin for big bucks. 51:42 — asked by Ben Sweeney

• Answer: Don said he has never consulted on a property that already had a good, established stand of switchgrass for bedding. 52:04
• Answer: Don added he’d rather have 40 acres of switchgrass than five, believing more bedding cover is always better if room allows. 52:54

Question: Thomas Stein asked Don to walk through his decision-making process for choosing when to kill a buck on his farm. 53:30 — asked by Thomas Stein

• Answer: Don explained he manages his farm so the best bucks in each older age class remain, culling lesser bucks to make room for younger ones. 55:54
• Answer: Don predicted the listener’s five-and-a-half-year-old eight-point buck likely would not repeat his 15-inch antler jump next year. 57:29

Question: Ralph Hartman asked Don’s thoughts on the growing number of new whitetail consultants entering the industry. 59:10 — asked by Ralph Hartman

• Answer: Don said he encourages people to chase their dreams, including becoming whitetail consultants. 59:32
• Answer: Don added that new consultants entering the field doesn’t hurt his own business since his team stays booked solid every year. 60:45

Prayer Time

Scripture: 1 Timothy
Theme: contentment-over-wealth
Devin Hurley taught from 1 Timothy 6 and Matthew on the danger of desiring riches, urging believers to pursue godliness with contentment rather than wealth, and closed praying for contentment and a Christ-focused life over material pursuits. 70:39

Sponsors this episode

• ASIO Gear

The episode opened on Kentucky’s opening weekend, with Don noting most local bucks still in velvet and shedding daily, and predicting new bucks would show up on properties as ranges shifted. Terry planted his fall food plot late after rain, and both discussed using Mike’s Mighty Micros to boost growth, with Don citing a one-quart-per-acre rate. Don addressed longstanding rumors, spread by former business partners, that he releases captive deer through a fence opening to shoot them, denying the claims and citing a separation agreement and his direct conversation with Chris Brackett. They promoted an upcoming men’s retreat with guest speaker Terry Peer and a live podcast recording. Listener questions covered velvet shedding timelines, young bucks dispersing from bachelor groups, shrinking home ranges with age, switchgrass bedding scarcity, and Don’s culling philosophy. Devin Hurley led a prayer on contentment over wealth, and the group prayed for Brent Henderson’s recovery and Jason Beachy’s health.

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