Don Higgins

Role: host
Founder of Real World Wildlife Products (seed/nutrition) and Higgins Outdoors; habitat consultant farming in central Illinois. Famous for his small farm with a strict never-enter “sanctuary” he calls the engine of the whole place, and for chasing one named target buck at a time. On live Q&A episodes he answers most habitat/strategy questions, and also poses questions to featured experts.
Appears in 286 episodes

Don Higgins is a host of the show, appearing on mic across many episodes to run habitat and food-plot consulting, answer live Q&A, and interview guests. He discusses food plots, switchgrass and Miscanthus establishment, fruit trees, trail-camera use, rut timing, EHD, CWD (including advising against reporting sick deer for testing), captive-deer experience, and Real World Wildlife Products lines like NutriCrave corn and soybeans. He also promotes Master Class events and the Lester’s Feet charity, and discusses his own farm’s sanctuary-based deer management.

Appearances

What they said

Showing 160 of 5447 claims across the 20 most-discussed of 1794 topics. The complete record is on the episode pages above.

captive-deer (8 of 29)

• Don recalled that when he had captive deer, he once acquired seven sets of twin buck fawns to run a mineral-supplementation antler growth experiment. 45:01 — #330 - Can Supplemental Feeding Add 15”+ to a Buck? Don Higgins Answers
• Don Higgins noted that captive deer needed to be wormed three consecutive days because their digestion is much faster than a cow’s, which only needs one dose. 10:07 — Snow, Sheds & Sorghum: Late-Season Deer Survival | Chasing Giants #311
• Don said he knows for certain that at least two big names in the whitetail industry have shot some of their deer inside a fenced pen. 50:08 — #288 2025 Buck Forecast: EHD Devastation, Trail Cam Insights & Hard Truths About Trophy Bucks
• Don said he doesn’t regret having had captive deer, and would likely do it again given what he learned. 43:18 — #288 2025 Buck Forecast: EHD Devastation, Trail Cam Insights & Hard Truths About Trophy Bucks
• About thirty years ago Don visited Wilderness Whitetails, a big captive deer breeder owned by the Fleace family near Wisconsin Dells, which had some of the biggest captive deer in North America. 40:55 — Episode #278 - Are Deer Getting Smaller?
• Don claims people who raise captive deer are, on average, far more knowledgeable about deer than the average deer hunter. 33:09 — Episode #269 - Genetics, Nutrition, or Age (which is more important)
• Don recalls captive deer reacting calmly to a coyote near their pen but flipping out and bouncing off fences when a dog appeared instead. 50:23 — Episode #259 Apple Tree Spacing in Deer Plots
• Don recalled that during roughly 25 years of keeping captive deer, only one doe ever came into heat in October, and never in September. 14:40 — Episode #242 - Stop Hunting October Mornings

consulting (8 of 114)

• Don’s 2025 consulting properties ranged as far east as Maryland, west to Central Kansas, and south to Kentucky. 20:12 — Don Higgins Breaks Down His Favorite Properties of 2026 - Chasing Giants #320
• Don’s two favorite 2025 properties, in Illinois and Ohio, were small (40 and about 62 acres) but bordered huge no-hunting sanctuaries offering food potential. 20:57 — Don Higgins Breaks Down His Favorite Properties of 2026 - Chasing Giants #320
• The largest property Don consulted on this year was over 1,400 acres. 27:03 — Don Higgins Breaks Down His Favorite Properties of 2026 - Chasing Giants #320
• Don recalled one of the shortest consulting visits he ever did, quickly reading an open property and knowing the plan within minutes. 4:27 — Why Some Hunting Properties Work Instantly… And Others Fail - Chasing Giants Podcast #319
• Don is over halfway through a 10-property Wisconsin consulting swing and expects to be finished by the time the episode releases. 2:12 — INSANE Bedding Cover + 22 Bears on Camera?! | Chasing Giants #318
• On one property visit, the landowner sent a friend who knew his wishes instead of attending himself—the first time that has happened to Don across hundreds of properties, and he liked the approach. 2:27 — INSANE Bedding Cover + 22 Bears on Camera?! | Chasing Giants #318
• Don consulted for two brothers, nicknamed the Yates brothers, one of whom he met at the Shipshewana show. 5:55 — INSANE Bedding Cover + 22 Bears on Camera?! | Chasing Giants #318
• Don’s consulting work has taken him from Southern Georgia to Maryland to Kansas this winter, and he’s struck by how plant species differ across regions. 9:19 — INSANE Bedding Cover + 22 Bears on Camera?! | Chasing Giants #318

cwd (8 of 35)

• Don noted that Illinois backed away from its CWD sharpshooter program, reportedly because it was having no effect. 41:02 — Don Shares Personal News + The #1 Mistake Hunters Make | Chasing Giants Podcast 322
• 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 — Why Some Hunting Properties Work Instantly… And Others Fail - Chasing Giants Podcast #319
• Don plans to ask Republican governor candidate Darren Bailey about Illinois’s CWD sharpshooting program when Bailey appears on the podcast. 12:23 — Why Some Hunting Properties Work Instantly… And Others Fail - Chasing Giants Podcast #319
• 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 — Why Some Hunting Properties Work Instantly… And Others Fail - Chasing Giants Podcast #319
• Don said he told people early on not to report sick deer to the DNR because doing so would ruin their hunting property for a decade or more. 38:31 — #288 2025 Buck Forecast: EHD Devastation, Trail Cam Insights & Hard Truths About Trophy Bucks
• Don said more deer die from cars and EHD than from CWD, agreeing with what he said Ted Nugent stated on Rogan’s show. 37:45 — #288 2025 Buck Forecast: EHD Devastation, Trail Cam Insights & Hard Truths About Trophy Bucks
• Don said he began encouraging hunters not to turn in their deer for CWD testing due to how agencies handled positive cases. 20:11 — EP #286 - Preparing for Hunting Season: Plots, Cameras & CWD Truth
• Don believes letting nature take its course over time, rather than mass culling, would allow deer herds to self-correct for CWD resistance. 21:33 — EP #286 - Preparing for Hunting Season: Plots, Cameras & CWD Truth

deer-management (8 of 41)

• Don recommends adding diverse food sources like pumpkins to make a farm stand out to deer, helping hold them and keep them from wandering off and getting shot elsewhere. 17:04 — Don Shares Personal News + The #1 Mistake Hunters Make | Chasing Giants Podcast 322
• Don says hunters need to start looking out for the deer resource instead of their trophy walls. 43:34 — EPISODE 300! Don Changes His Mind on the Rut + Drone Debate Heats Up!
• Don explains a mature buck’s odds of being killed are only about 10% if bedded on a neighbor’s property instead of yours. 45:27 — EPISODE 300! Don Changes His Mind on the Rut + Drone Debate Heats Up!
• Don credited wildlife scientist Bronson Strickland’s book for validating the culling-based deer management approach he had already begun. 12:46 — The Magic of Late October | Cold Fronts, Big Bucks & Character in the Woods | Chasing Giants #295
• Don argues state DNRs’ refusal to manage deer herds for quality — not landowners or fence-builders — is the real cause of fewer mature bucks. 40:32 — Episode #257 - Too Early to Shed Hunt - Show some compassion!
• Don predicts his farm will produce big bucks almost every season if the current management program continues. 5:00 — Episode #250 - Prepare for Late Season Big Buck Hunting
• Don said he has created a sanctuary, protects his deer, and feeds them through winter. 29:58 — Episode #244 - October Lull? Don and Terry See Bucks Moving in Mid October
• Don Higgins says Wes has fully grasped his deer-management system and is now setting his sights on one specific individual buck. 16:26 — Episode 232 - We are starting a TV Show!

ehd (8 of 44)

• Don suspects muddy, ground-dug water holes may attract the midge that carries the EHD virus. 35:35 — #292 - Public Land Busts, Big Timber Dreams, & Target Bucks
• Don said this year’s EHD outbreak started a full month to six weeks earlier than typical. 23:50 — #288 2025 Buck Forecast: EHD Devastation, Trail Cam Insights & Hard Truths About Trophy Bucks
• Don’s advice for hunters hit by EHD is to stick with the plan and do the right thing regardless of what the state game agency does. 31:47 — #288 2025 Buck Forecast: EHD Devastation, Trail Cam Insights & Hard Truths About Trophy Bucks
• Don believes deer that survived his farm’s 2012 EHD outbreak carried stronger genes, which he credits for his bucks getting noticeably bigger afterward. 39:39 — EP #286 - Preparing for Hunting Season: Plots, Cameras & CWD Truth
• Don noted Mark Drury has also observed that bucks tend to get bigger after a deer herd bounces back from an EHD outbreak. 40:09 — EP #286 - Preparing for Hunting Season: Plots, Cameras & CWD Truth
• Don thinks habitat or water-source modification could reduce EHD risk to some degree, but would have minimal impact in many situations. 37:26 — EP #286 - Preparing for Hunting Season: Plots, Cameras & CWD Truth
• Don said he has never found a dead EHD deer on his farm, even though many died there during the 2012 outbreak. 41:47 — EP #286 - Preparing for Hunting Season: Plots, Cameras & CWD Truth
• Don theorizes the shrinking buck head sizes could be linked to EHD killing off northern deer and more resistant southern deer moving farther north. 17:56 — Episode #278 - Are Deer Getting Smaller?

faith (8 of 64)

• Don encouraged listeners to dream big because God’s reality is bigger than anything they can imagine. 16:39 — #330 - Can Supplemental Feeding Add 15”+ to a Buck? Don Higgins Answers
• Don states that nature’s intricate design is further proof to him that there is a God, not random chance. 34:09 — #329 | Why Don Higgins Gets More Excited About July Than Opening Day
• Don’s grandfather was the one who introduced him to Jesus years ago. 2:00 — Doubting Thomas, Dealer Event & BIG Scrape Magnet News | Chasing Giants Podcast 314
• Don credits Jesus with taking care of his personal faults. 47:41 — Doubting Thomas, Dealer Event & BIG Scrape Magnet News | Chasing Giants Podcast 314
• Don recalls Wes talking him off the ledge more than once during a tough personal situation, calling him a positive influence. 47:38 — LIVE at 360 Blinds: No Script, No Filters — Just Real Questions | Chasing Giants 308
• Don says he and Terry were taught that to whom much is given, much is expected, and they want to use their podcast platform as a blessing to help others. 2:09 — Kill More Deer. Feed Hungry Kids. | Boone Brothers | Chasing Giants 306
• Don reiterates the podcast’s longtime saying that if you want to be blessed, you should be a blessing to others. 71:11 — Kill More Deer. Feed Hungry Kids. | Boone Brothers | Chasing Giants 306
• Don states that when Chasing Giants can partner with an organization sharing the same faith-based goals, that is exactly what they want to do. 32:07 — Episode 303 – Late-Season Deer Movement, Winter Food Strategy & The Future of Big Bucks

family (8 of 41)

• Don is skipping the Wensel documentary premiere to attend his grandson Bowen’s second birthday party. 7:27 — #287 “Predators, Food Plots & Cracker Barrel Woke?
• Don shares that his daughter is doing well on cancer medicine intended to prevent recurrence, despite unpleasant side effects. 50:52 — #287 “Predators, Food Plots & Cracker Barrel Woke?
• Don’s youngest daughter passed her Indiana nurse practitioner licensing exam and starts her new career the following Monday. 29:48 — Episode #262 - The Controlled Burn on Switchgrass GONE BAD!
• Reflecting on his daughter’s milestone, Don wishes he had spent more time with her as a little girl instead of at work and deer hunting. 31:17 — Episode #262 - The Controlled Burn on Switchgrass GONE BAD!
• Don shares that his father, a minister, is personally conducting the funeral service for his own mother, Don’s grandmother. 2:58 — Episode #254 - Don Improving Cell Cameral Locations, No-Till Food Plots, and Winter Habitat Projects
• Don recalls learning about a month before deer season that his oldest daughter Andrea had cancer, which reordered his priorities. 17:08 — Episode #229 - Final Thoughts on the Buck Named Babe and Cameras are Out!
• Don’s youngest daughter Alicia and grandson Bowen visited him for the holiday weekend. 65:09 — Episode #229 - Final Thoughts on the Buck Named Babe and Cameras are Out!
• Don took his grandson on his first four-wheeler ride while looking for deer. 65:26 — Episode #229 - Final Thoughts on the Buck Named Babe and Cameras are Out!

food-plots (8 of 118)

• Don sprayed clethodim to kill grass in his plots once it dried out enough. 4:40 — #329 | Why Don Higgins Gets More Excited About July Than Opening Day
• Don finished planting all of his food plots for the spring. 18:30 — Why Mature Bucks Go Nocturnal | Chasing Giants Podcast 326
• Don planted pumpkin seeds in about eight spots in the middle of his corn plot, protecting them with cardboard before spraying herbicide. 15:35 — Don Shares Personal News + The #1 Mistake Hunters Make | Chasing Giants Podcast 322
• Don recommends putting a large corn and soybean plot along one edge of a big tillable field, saying it’s impossible to have too big a food plot. 44:27 — Don Shares Personal News + The #1 Mistake Hunters Make | Chasing Giants Podcast 322
• Don recommends the landowner put all the farm’s ample ag fields into food plots to support the deer herd, since food is the property’s weakest link. 4:37 — INSANE Bedding Cover + 22 Bears on Camera?! | Chasing Giants #318
• Scott has roughly 1,500 acres of food plots lined up to plant this spring, all with Real World seed. 23:39 — INSANE Bedding Cover + 22 Bears on Camera?! | Chasing Giants #318
• Don recommends spraying Resicore, a pre-emergent herbicide, over bare dirt right after planting corn to prevent weeds. 53:53 — Permission Properties, Scrape Magnet Explained, and Our Health Journeys | Chasing Giants Ep. 315
• Don strongly recommends doing a soil sample before starting any food-plot planting project. 56:48 — Permission Properties, Scrape Magnet Explained, and Our Health Journeys | Chasing Giants Ep. 315

fruit-trees (8 of 28)

• Jay’s apple trees were selected for late bloom and late drop, avoiding frost damage and timing fruit drop to hunting season. 17:21 — Don Higgins Breaks Down His Favorite Properties of 2026 - Chasing Giants #320
• Don advises not spraying fruit trees with Mike’s Mighty Micros until after the buds and blooms have set. 46:04 — Permission Properties, Scrape Magnet Explained, and Our Health Journeys | Chasing Giants Ep. 315
• Don told Corey that deer cleaned up every pear that dropped from a planted pear tree, showing how quickly wildlife use planted fruit trees. 46:36 — Barometer Secrets & Rut Forecast for Early November! | Chasing Giants 297
• Don says a crabapple tree he grew from seed still grows barely an inch a year even after roughly ten years on his farm. 42:59 — Chasing Giants Ep. 291 | Don’s Public Land Quest & the “Turning Point” Buck Story
• Don recommends watching the Andy Andreas apple presentation because those disease-resistant tree varieties are cutting edge for wildlife plantings. 8:15 — Episode #269 - Genetics, Nutrition, or Age (which is more important)
• Because his apple trees hadn’t bloomed yet, a 26-degree freeze that would have destroyed a blooming crop caused no damage this year. 8:56 — Episode #269 - Genetics, Nutrition, or Age (which is more important)
• Don says he lost his pear crop last year because his pear trees bloom slightly earlier than his apple trees. 9:09 — Episode #269 - Genetics, Nutrition, or Age (which is more important)
• At 61, Don says he still plants fruit trees every spring for future benefit. 30:44 — Episode #267 - Spring Whitetail Habitat Projects - Is it Go Time?

habitat-management (8 of 28)

• Don’s controlled burn got out of control when the wind shifted and jumped a fire break, burning up a couple of trees. 3:56 — Permission Properties, Scrape Magnet Explained, and Our Health Journeys | Chasing Giants Ep. 315
• Don had Corey and Andrea helping with a controlled burn, with Andrea using a powerful backpack leaf blower to keep the fire under control before the wind shifted. 4:09 — Permission Properties, Scrape Magnet Explained, and Our Health Journeys | Chasing Giants Ep. 315
• Don plans to plant trees this year in the half of the field bordering his wooded sanctuary that he left unburned. 4:38 — Permission Properties, Scrape Magnet Explained, and Our Health Journeys | Chasing Giants Ep. 315
• Don is shifting his food plot from beside the wooded sanctuary to the middle of the switchgrass field to also serve as a fire break. 5:27 — Permission Properties, Scrape Magnet Explained, and Our Health Journeys | Chasing Giants Ep. 315
• Don recommended mowing thick, impenetrable pasture regrowth with an FAE mulcher instead of burning it, to reset growth without killing beneficial cool-season grasses. 9:38 — CWD, One-Buck Limits & The Truth About NDA | Chasing Giants 312
• Don recommends anyone working on a habitat project for deer not miss the Shipshewana session showing behind-the-scenes footage of his and Terry’s habitat project. 18:45 — CULLING BUCKS: Why Shooting 3½-Year-Old 8-Points Actually Works | Chasing Giants #310
• Don plans to extend his sanctuary thicket by roughly seven to ten acres to the southwest with spruce and oak plantings to redirect deer travel and add thermal cover. 6:29 — Texas Hunt, Brutal Cold, Late Rut Behavior & Winter Habitat Decisions | Chasing Giants Podcast #309
• Don recalls planting white pine seedlings years ago when few deer were on his farm; today they would be eaten to the ground within a week. 50:18 — LIVE at 360 Blinds: No Script, No Filters — Just Real Questions | Chasing Giants 308

lesters-feet (8 of 38)

• Don stated that every penny donated to Lester’s Feet has gone directly to families in need. 26:48 — #330 - Can Supplemental Feeding Add 15”+ to a Buck? Don Higgins Answers
• Don shared that Lester’s Feet, overseen by Terry, has distributed over $2,000,000 to families in need so far. 27:01 — #330 - Can Supplemental Feeding Add 15”+ to a Buck? Don Higgins Answers
• Don shares plans to auction off last year’s winning art-contest drawing as an additional fundraiser to benefit the Lester’s Feet family. 22:53 — CULLING BUCKS: Why Shooting 3½-Year-Old 8-Points Actually Works | Chasing Giants #310
• 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 — Deer Velvet Shedding & Fall Buck Shifts: Don Higgins Responds to Rumors | Chasing Giants Ep. 289
• The Mount Hope event will include a donation meal with proceeds going to Lester’s Feet. 19:22 — Episode #256 - Hard Winter and Early Buck Shed? Illinois CWD Announcement
• All proceeds from the Shipshewana auction will go to Lester’s Feet. 59:34 — Episode #256 - Hard Winter and Early Buck Shed? Illinois CWD Announcement
• Don emphasized that 100% of money donated to Lester’s Feet goes to its intended recipients, with no administrative costs since the board is all-volunteer. 17:22 — Episode #249 - Another Big Archery Buck! Terry Peer and Don Higgins Discuss
• Don announced he’ll donate two of his books to be auctioned during a live podcast at the Shipshewana Show, with proceeds going to Lester’s Feet. 31:29 — Episode #249 - Another Big Archery Buck! Terry Peer and Don Higgins Discuss

master-class (8 of 47)

• Don confirms the new master class format is something nobody has done before, calling it a new spin on the concept. 19:41 — Don Higgins Breaks Down His Favorite Properties of 2026 - Chasing Giants #320
• Don is teaching two remote master classes this spring: March 23 in Spencerville, Indiana, and April 6 in New Richmond, Wisconsin. 13:07 — Episode#203 - Post Season Scouting and Project Advice
• Don is holding a remote Whitetail Master Class-style event on March 23 in Spencerville, Indiana, near Fort Wayne. 15:17 — Episode 199 - Dewormer in Deer Feed, Tractors, Screens, and Windmills
• Don’s second remote master class event is April 6 in New Richmond, Wisconsin. 15:33 — Episode 199 - Dewormer in Deer Feed, Tractors, Screens, and Windmills
• The two remote master classes cost $950 per person including a property tour and catered lunch, requiring a $250 per-person deposit. 15:44 — Episode 199 - Dewormer in Deer Feed, Tractors, Screens, and Windmills
• Don announced Master Class dates of March 9th, 11th, 16th, and 18th, alternating Thursday and Saturday sessions. 4:22 — Episode 159 - Captive Deer Breeding… Why Don Got Out
• Don announces Master Class dates of March 9, 11, 16, and 18, with the Saturday sessions full but a few Thursday openings remaining. 58:53 — Episode #158 - Is Hunting Contests Hurting the Hunting Industry?
• Don plans to stop hosting Master Classes on his own farm next year while he redoes parts of the property. 59:11 — Episode #158 - Is Hunting Contests Hurting the Hunting Industry?

miscanthus (8 of 47)

• Don recommends planting Miscanthus about four inches deep, and tree seedlings as deep as possible. 27:13 — Doubting Thomas, Dealer Event & BIG Scrape Magnet News | Chasing Giants Podcast 314
• Don explains the Miscanthus variety they sell is patent-protected, so while they and buyers are licensed to sell and plant it, no one is licensed to propagate it. 47:52 — #279 - Live Hot Seat! Don Higgins Faces Tough Questions from Dealers | 2025 RWWP Summit
• Don shares that his Miscanthus planting took five to seven years to fully establish despite the typical three-year guideline. 7:10 — #274 - Soil Health: The Foundation of Successful Food Plotting
• Don advises customers not to wait until the last minute to order Miscanthus because supply is running tight. 4:02 — Episode #267 - Spring Whitetail Habitat Projects - Is it Go Time?
• Don explains Miscanthus can be dug as much as needed until it breaks dormancy, which closes the digging window. 6:05 — Episode #267 - Spring Whitetail Habitat Projects - Is it Go Time?
• Don said whenever they post about Miscanthus, people falsely call it invasive. 12:57 — Episode #244 - October Lull? Don and Terry See Bucks Moving in Mid October
• Don found only about 5% of the Miscanthus rhizomes he planted this year have emerged from the ground so far. 62:06 — Episode #229 - Final Thoughts on the Buck Named Babe and Cameras are Out!
• Despite poor early emergence, Don is confident his Miscanthus planting will form a solid wall within two years, based on past experience. 62:40 — Episode #229 - Final Thoughts on the Buck Named Babe and Cameras are Out!

nutricrave-corn (8 of 32)

• Don plans to film a Chasing Giants TV video showing off his NutriCrave corn plots. 7:06 — Thermal Drones, Trail Cameras & Big Buck Strategies | Chasing Giants Podcast #282
• Don says NutriCrave corn provides more than double the calories of typical ag corn for deer on his farm. 35:50 — #274 - Soil Health: The Foundation of Successful Food Plotting
• Don noted that NutriCrave Corn is a seed example of farming for nutrients, offering higher protein, fat, and calcium than typical corn. 2:58 — Episode #272 - Farming for Nutrients - Better Food Plots
• Don highlights that NutriCrave corn has more than double—about 2.2 times—the calories of regular ag corn, helping deer through winter. 20:59 — Episode #253 - Do Not Overcomplicate Habitat Projects!
• Don states NutriCrave Corn cannot be bought elsewhere since Real World owns exclusive rights to it from the breeder who created it. 55:56 — Episode #210 - What to do with Bush Honeysuckle
• Don says Real World grew NutriCrave seed corn in Mexico this winter to gain an extra generation of genetic improvement. 56:18 — Episode #210 - What to do with Bush Honeysuckle
• Don announces a significant share of this year’s NutriCrave Corn sales will go to livestock feed rather than deer food plots. 58:39 — Episode #210 - What to do with Bush Honeysuckle
• Don states Real World holds exclusive rights to NutriCrave corn from their breeder, and no one else legitimately sells authentic NutriCrave corn. 71:03 — Episode#203 - Post Season Scouting and Project Advice

rut-timing (8 of 29)

• Don said this fall’s rut activity started unusually early, right around November 1st instead of the usual mid-to-late November timing. 16:46 — When Managing Deer Means Saying NO to Giants | Chasing Giants Podcast #304
• Don says he now believes November 7-8 aren’t actually his favorite rut days, leaning instead toward the middle of the month. 4:11 — EPISODE 300! Don Changes His Mind on the Rut + Drone Debate Heats Up!
• Don’s trail cameras showed more daylight buck activity on November 18th and 19th than any other dates this season. 7:10 — EPISODE 300! Don Changes His Mind on the Rut + Drone Debate Heats Up!
• Don recalls that gun hunters historically got the best deer movement weekend every year, always later in November. 4:37 — EPISODE 300! Don Changes His Mind on the Rut + Drone Debate Heats Up!
• Al Foster wrote articles called ‘Nature’s Rhythms’ for Whitetail Life Magazine. 9:08 — EPISODE 300! Don Changes His Mind on the Rut + Drone Debate Heats Up!
• Don believes deer movement peaks when multiple factors like barometer, wind, temperature and moon phase align, not any single factor alone. 9:54 — EPISODE 300! Don Changes His Mind on the Rut + Drone Debate Heats Up!
• Don says decades of working with Al Foster confirmed gun season consistently produced the best deer movement, always later in the month. 11:25 — EPISODE 300! Don Changes His Mind on the Rut + Drone Debate Heats Up!
• Don noted this rut felt unusually early, with a lot of bucks already locked down with does in the first days of October or November. 1:43 — The Weirdest Rut Ever: Warm Temps, Barometers, and Big Bucks | Chasing Giants Ep #298

soybeans (8 of 38)

• Don announced Real World Wildlife Products is developing a new soybean-related product to cut browse pressure, planned for heavy testing next year. 9:41 — #330 - Can Supplemental Feeding Add 15”+ to a Buck? Don Higgins Answers
• Duane Hopkins’ research indicates soybean fields yield about the same once plant populations reach roughly 80,000 or more per acre, regardless of higher counts. 27:35 — Why Mature Bucks Go Nocturnal | Chasing Giants Podcast 326
• Duane Hopkins advised that if a soybean field still has 80,000 or more plants per acre after losses, replanting probably isn’t worth it. 28:26 — Why Mature Bucks Go Nocturnal | Chasing Giants Podcast 326
• Don had his first year in 18 years of selling Real World soybeans where deer did not devour every bean, due to weather conditions. 6:36 — Don Higgins Breaks Down His Favorite Properties of 2026 - Chasing Giants #320
• An Iowa customer shared video of deer hammering an Ag soybean plot while ignoring an adjacent Real World plot they weren’t touching. 10:56 — Don Higgins Breaks Down His Favorite Properties of 2026 - Chasing Giants #320
• Don notes Real World soybean sales have grown every year for 18 years, which wouldn’t happen if the beans themselves had a problem. 11:41 — Don Higgins Breaks Down His Favorite Properties of 2026 - Chasing Giants #320
• Don discovered the late-season pulling power of soybeans years ago through his friend Todd Hewing, noting deer prefer soybeans over anything else, even corn, this time of year. 11:09 — Late Season EXPLOSION! Why Giants Are Falling Everywhere | Chasing Giants #302
• Don says deer hammer young leftover soybean plants in the two-leaf stage because they are tender, palatable, and high in protein. 5:35 — #287 “Predators, Food Plots & Cracker Barrel Woke?

switchgrass (8 of 56)

• Don stresses that switchgrass and Miscanthus sites must be fully prepped and totally weed-free ahead of time because there is no shortcut. 10:53 — Why BIG BUCK Areas Often FAIL Deer Hunters | Chasing Giants 327
• Don noted the two biggest bucks he saw hunting that week both emerged from switchgrass bedding in the evening. 32:10 — #294 From Old School to High Tech: Don Higgins Reflects on 40 Years in the Deer Woods
• Don says the bigger the patch of switchgrass, the more likely deer are to relate to it and bed there. 38:43 — #287 “Predators, Food Plots & Cracker Barrel Woke?
• Don announces new switchgrass techniques he’s developed will be discussed at length during the June consultants meeting. 57:10 — Episode #271 - Cool Wet Spring Concerns for Antler Growth and Nutrition
• Don rejects as nonsense the online claim that deer avoid a monoculture of straight switchgrass. 26:54 — Episode #268 - Thermal Drone Tells the Truth on Don’s Farm
• Thermal drone imagery of a switchgrass patch on Don’s farm shows deer trails crisscrossing it like veins. 27:05 — Episode #268 - Thermal Drone Tells the Truth on Don’s Farm
• Don has personally observed deer bedding in his switchgrass, calling claims that deer don’t bed there absolute nonsense. 27:40 — Episode #268 - Thermal Drone Tells the Truth on Don’s Farm
• Don’s experience shows bigger switchgrass patches consistently see more deer activity than smaller ones. 44:03 — Episode #268 - Thermal Drone Tells the Truth on Don’s Farm

trail-camera (8 of 36)

• Don observed on trail camera that a younger buck was already forking its G3 tines while an older buck with large bases had barely started brow tines. 21:26 — Why Mature Bucks Go Nocturnal | Chasing Giants Podcast 326
• A client on Don’s northern-most property this trip had captured 22 different bears on a single trail camera. 3:45 — INSANE Bedding Cover + 22 Bears on Camera?! | Chasing Giants #318
• Don keeps a handful of trail cameras running year-round on his farm mainly to watch for trespassers and monitor dogs. 38:09 — INSANE Bedding Cover + 22 Bears on Camera?! | Chasing Giants #318
• Don recommended the WiseEye trail camera, saying it has proven itself as a Reconyx-comparable option this year. 31:10 — When Managing Deer Means Saying NO to Giants | Chasing Giants Podcast #304
• Don reports his trail cameras are now getting more than double the pictures they were getting during the rut. 26:32 — Late Season EXPLOSION! Why Giants Are Falling Everywhere | Chasing Giants #302
• Don’s trail cameras captured fewer overnight deer photos on the unusually warm night than any night in at least two weeks. 4:01 — The Weirdest Rut Ever: Warm Temps, Barometers, and Big Bucks | Chasing Giants Ep #298
• During the hot spell Don’s trail cameras captured only about 80-90 photos overnight, roughly 20% of what a normal night produces. 6:31 — The Magic of Late October | Cold Fronts, Big Bucks & Character in the Woods | Chasing Giants #295
• Don said trail camera photos showed a group of young coyotes chasing deer, which explained why deer he saw were spooked and running. 9:21 — Episode #244 - October Lull? Don and Terry See Bucks Moving in Mid October

trail-cameras (8 of 119)

• Don explains they promote July 1 for trail cameras because bucks put out earlier aren’t developed enough to judge accurately. 1:05 — Making Good Tree Stands GREAT | Don Higgins’ Best Habitat Tricks + Doubting Thomas Premiere
• Don notes mature bucks often avoid cameras once they detect them, so he only gets one photo before they stop returning. 1:59 — Making Good Tree Stands GREAT | Don Higgins’ Best Habitat Tricks + Doubting Thomas Premiere
• Don notes July 1 is the traditional date he and Terry have always promoted for getting trail cameras out. 8:45 — #329 | Why Don Higgins Gets More Excited About July Than Opening Day
• Don runs 55 trail cameras, 22 of them cellular, monitoring numerous properties every day to track deer activity. 7:16 — Barometer Secrets & Rut Forecast for Early November! | Chasing Giants 297
• Don checked several trail cameras on Labor Day weekend before recording to confirm predictions he’d already formed about the season. 0:51 — #288 2025 Buck Forecast: EHD Devastation, Trail Cam Insights & Hard Truths About Trophy Bucks
• Don said he has 55 trail cameras deployed and plans to move about a dozen of them in the next few days. 10:52 — #288 2025 Buck Forecast: EHD Devastation, Trail Cam Insights & Hard Truths About Trophy Bucks
• Don noted that this season is his forty-eighth using trail cameras, which he has run continuously since they first came out. 6:36 — Episode #281 - How Don Tracks Giant Bucks Years in Advance
• Don reported deploying about 31 of his planned trail cameras during the first five days of July, with roughly 25 more left to place. 2:56 — Episode #281 - How Don Tracks Giant Bucks Years in Advance

weather (8 of 42)

• Don reports roughly nine and a half inches of rain fell on his property over the past two weeks. 3:05 — Making Good Tree Stands GREAT | Don Higgins’ Best Habitat Tricks + Doubting Thomas Premiere
• Don forecasts temperatures in the nineties for the entire week starting Monday after the podcast releases. 3:36 — Making Good Tree Stands GREAT | Don Higgins’ Best Habitat Tricks + Doubting Thomas Premiere
• Don reports getting five inches of rain since the last recording, ending a dry stretch on his food plots. 1:01 — #329 | Why Don Higgins Gets More Excited About July Than Opening Day
• Don totals his week’s rainfall at 4.8 inches across three separate rain events. 2:37 — #329 | Why Don Higgins Gets More Excited About July Than Opening Day
• In Don’s area, heavy early-season rain gave soybeans a fast start, but rain stopped from mid-July until early November, hurting pod development. 7:17 — Don Higgins Breaks Down His Favorite Properties of 2026 - Chasing Giants #320
• Don experienced a 24-degree temperature swing while traveling north during the winter storm, finding far less snow the farther north he went into Missouri and Iowa. 1:24 — CULLING BUCKS: Why Shooting 3½-Year-Old 8-Points Actually Works | Chasing Giants #310
• Don attributes an unusually warm fall with green leaves lingering into November, followed by early snowfall in Illinois, to conditions that can cause deer pneumonia. 54:02 — Kill More Deer. Feed Hungry Kids. | Boone Brothers | Chasing Giants 306
• Don noted the average first frost date for his area is October 24, and as of recording they had not yet had a first frost this year. 20:44 — The Weirdest Rut Ever: Warm Temps, Barometers, and Big Bucks | Chasing Giants Ep #298

Questions they asked (40 of 1252, most recent first)

• Rod Mordhorst asks whether adding ivermectin to deer feed would make wild deer dependent on it the way domesticated animals become dependent on dewormers. 35:07 — Making Good Tree Stands GREAT | Don Higgins’ Best Habitat Tricks + Doubting Thomas Premiere
• An anonymous listener from Nashville asks whether a certain big-name hunter who consistently kills giant urban bucks is using a thermal drone to find them. 45:58 — Making Good Tree Stands GREAT | Don Higgins’ Best Habitat Tricks + Doubting Thomas Premiere
• Land and Martin from Claypool, Indiana ask what to plant on a wet 10-acre weedy patch instead of grass to create better winter bedding cover. 53:52 — Making Good Tree Stands GREAT | Don Higgins’ Best Habitat Tricks + Doubting Thomas Premiere
• Andy Hendrix from Anderson, South Carolina asks whether, lacking a local dealer, he should replant his half-acre plot in clover or trees instead of Dixie Dozen. 56:39 — Making Good Tree Stands GREAT | Don Higgins’ Best Habitat Tricks + Doubting Thomas Premiere
• Jerry Sinclair from Chester, Vermont asks how other hunters react when Don hunts a new area given his reputation for killing big bucks. 59:57 — Making Good Tree Stands GREAT | Don Higgins’ Best Habitat Tricks + Doubting Thomas Premiere
• Danny Sanders asked if perfect habitat alone could match a buck fed high-quality supplemental feed, expecting 10-15 inches more antler growth by year five. 38:38 — #330 - Can Supplemental Feeding Add 15”+ to a Buck? Don Higgins Answers
• Edward Miller asked whether habitat projects or low fencing around sanctuaries could discourage coyotes from living on or traveling through a property. 53:44 — #330 - Can Supplemental Feeding Add 15”+ to a Buck? Don Higgins Answers
• Drew Harmon asked how long soybean plots need before dropping the fence to let deer in, especially timing before hunting season. 56:10 — #330 - Can Supplemental Feeding Add 15”+ to a Buck? Don Higgins Answers
• Ben Byler asked Don and Terry to recommend books for young or starting hunters looking to sharpen their skills for bigger bucks. 59:13 — #330 - Can Supplemental Feeding Add 15”+ to a Buck? Don Higgins Answers
• Ben Byler asked whether Real World sells any products they don’t personally think are the best, just due to customer demand. 59:26 — #330 - Can Supplemental Feeding Add 15”+ to a Buck? Don Higgins Answers
• Neil Compton asked whether bucks shift summer ranges or avoid areas used by does with newborn fawns, since bachelor groups vanished from his cameras after fawns dropped. 62:21 — #330 - Can Supplemental Feeding Add 15”+ to a Buck? Don Higgins Answers
• An anonymous La Crosse, Wisconsin listener asks what cover crop to plant with soybeans to fight emerging waterhemp. 39:07 — #329 | Why Don Higgins Gets More Excited About July Than Opening Day
• A listener asks how to reclaim a south-facing 40-acre cedar thicket that deer have begun avoiding as a sanctuary. 45:20 — #329 | Why Don Higgins Gets More Excited About July Than Opening Day
• Carl Compton from Findlay, Illinois asks whether hairy vetch seeds, known to poison cats, dogs, and horses, are also dangerous to deer. 50:37 — #329 | Why Don Higgins Gets More Excited About July Than Opening Day
• Eli Doyle from Lewistown, Illinois asks whether Don has tested the nutrient content of Nutri-Crave Corn as roughage or silage, not just the kernel. 54:34 — #329 | Why Don Higgins Gets More Excited About July Than Opening Day
• Hunter O’Leary from Rosso, Minnesota asks whether to soak an old weathering rope before hanging Scrape Magnet and how to keep it active. 56:07 — #329 | Why Don Higgins Gets More Excited About July Than Opening Day
• Kobe Curtis from Zealand, Michigan asked whether Don or Terry had tried dragging tree tops into switchgrass fields for added structure. 19:40 — The Biggest Mistake Food Plotters Make in June | Chasing Giants #328
• The anonymous listener asked whether Don has planted legumes like brassicas, hairy vetch, or clovers the year after growing Resicore-treated corn. 22:52 — The Biggest Mistake Food Plotters Make in June | Chasing Giants #328
• Alex Wingard from Millersburg, Ohio asked for advice on planning food plots without using any herbicides. 25:54 — The Biggest Mistake Food Plotters Make in June | Chasing Giants #328
• Jeff Sanil from Breeze, Illinois asked for a deer repellent recommendation to avoid putting up a fence. 28:36 — The Biggest Mistake Food Plotters Make in June | Chasing Giants #328
• Lance Fisher from Kirbyville, Missouri asked whether deer unfamiliar with soybeans eat them the first year planted or take time. 32:54 — The Biggest Mistake Food Plotters Make in June | Chasing Giants #328
• Ryan Miller asks what key things Don looks for that most people overlook when targeting mature bucks on public land or permission pieces. 28:34 — Why BIG BUCK Areas Often FAIL Deer Hunters | Chasing Giants 327
• Lance Fisher asks whether Don values a property’s past record of producing big bucks more than its overall physical layout when buying land. 33:33 — Why BIG BUCK Areas Often FAIL Deer Hunters | Chasing Giants 327
• Dan Schultz asks why Real World’s clover seed now includes a seed coating that lowers pure seed content, and what changed around the Green Prairie acquisition. 45:15 — Why BIG BUCK Areas Often FAIL Deer Hunters | Chasing Giants 327
• Matt Bornflutch asks what he can plant this late in the season for food and whether it’s too late for beans or sorghum. 52:53 — Why BIG BUCK Areas Often FAIL Deer Hunters | Chasing Giants 327
• Nathan Kaufman asks if a chemical exists that can be used pre- or post-emergent on a blended sorghum and sunflower planting. 57:01 — Why BIG BUCK Areas Often FAIL Deer Hunters | Chasing Giants 327
• Dalton asked whether Don would place a feeder in his food plot for supplemental feeding, and how he’d approach feeding deer if Illinois permitted it. 38:03 — Why Mature Bucks Go Nocturnal | Chasing Giants Podcast 326
• Dylan asked how Michigan becoming a one-buck state in the Lower Peninsula would change deer hunting and whether it could become a top big-buck competitor. 43:13 — Why Mature Bucks Go Nocturnal | Chasing Giants Podcast 326
• Doug asked for Don’s opinion on fertilizing clover plots with granular versus foliar fertilizer, whether it’s worth doing, and how often to apply each. 46:13 — Why Mature Bucks Go Nocturnal | Chasing Giants Podcast 326
• Matt asked why a mature buck would remain nocturnal in an area with good habitat and low hunting pressure despite little real danger. 49:53 — Why Mature Bucks Go Nocturnal | Chasing Giants Podcast 326
• Brandon asked whether walking into and around sanctuary areas more often during fawning season could improve fawn survival by deterring predators like coyotes. 54:25 — Why Mature Bucks Go Nocturnal | Chasing Giants Podcast 326
• How do young hunters get a solid habitat plan without the budget to hire a real consultant, and how do they avoid scam advice? 21:43 — Prayers, Peace & Planting Strategy | Spring Food Plot Advice | Chasing Giants 323
• A listener asked what to do about weeds in an orchard overseeded with Real World Clover and Chicory, and whether clethodim is safe to use. 32:21 — Prayers, Peace & Planting Strategy | Spring Food Plot Advice | Chasing Giants 323
• A listener asked whether a late frost that browned newly emerged switchgrass and Miscanthus after a warm spell was normal and would recover. 35:48 — Prayers, Peace & Planting Strategy | Spring Food Plot Advice | Chasing Giants 323
• A listener asked whether Real World would release its own hairy vetch seed variety after seeing it used as a soybean cover crop. 40:54 — Prayers, Peace & Planting Strategy | Spring Food Plot Advice | Chasing Giants 323
• A Northern Wisconsin listener asked what else could make his state’s hunting worse, and whether Don would hesitate to invest heavily in a property there. 44:33 — Prayers, Peace & Planting Strategy | Spring Food Plot Advice | Chasing Giants 323
• A listener asks whether Don prunes the lower branches off his apple trees and how high off the ground the first branch is left. 33:07 — Don Shares Personal News + The #1 Mistake Hunters Make | Chasing Giants Podcast 322
• A listener asks whether it’s true that pouring deer mineral directly on the ground or stumps exposes deer to disease. 38:15 — Don Shares Personal News + The #1 Mistake Hunters Make | Chasing Giants Podcast 322
• A listener asks how big is too big for a clover food plot. 42:26 — Don Shares Personal News + The #1 Mistake Hunters Make | Chasing Giants Podcast 322
• A listener asks whether shed-hunting videos showing hunters quickly finding lots of sheds on camera are staged for content. 45:01 — Don Shares Personal News + The #1 Mistake Hunters Make | Chasing Giants Podcast 322

Questions they answered (40 of 2699, most recent first)

• Rod Mordhorst asks whether adding ivermectin to deer feed would make wild deer dependent on it the way domesticated animals become dependent on dewormers.
  Don says wild deer won’t become dependent on chemical wormers like ivermectin to survive, unlike domesticated animals raised in dense, repeatedly-parasitized conditions. 39:20 — Making Good Tree Stands GREAT | Don Higgins’ Best Habitat Tricks + Doubting Thomas Premiere
• Rod Mordhorst asks whether adding ivermectin to deer feed would make wild deer dependent on it the way domesticated animals become dependent on dewormers.
  Don believes natural selection likely causes deer weakest to parasites to die off over time, similar to disease-resistant cattle breeding, strengthening herd resistance. 37:41 — Making Good Tree Stands GREAT | Don Higgins’ Best Habitat Tricks + Doubting Thomas Premiere
• An anonymous listener from Nashville asks whether a certain big-name hunter who consistently kills giant urban bucks is using a thermal drone to find them.
  Don says he believes the hunter is likely using thermal drones to locate and pattern these bucks, calling it the only explanation that makes sense. 48:39 — Making Good Tree Stands GREAT | Don Higgins’ Best Habitat Tricks + Doubting Thomas Premiere
• An anonymous listener from Nashville asks whether a certain big-name hunter who consistently kills giant urban bucks is using a thermal drone to find them.
  Don reports he checked with his local conservation police officer and confirmed hunting drones are illegal in Illinois. 49:14 — Making Good Tree Stands GREAT | Don Higgins’ Best Habitat Tricks + Doubting Thomas Premiere
• Land and Martin from Claypool, Indiana ask what to plant on a wet 10-acre weedy patch instead of grass to create better winter bedding cover.
  Don recommends planting the wet area in about 75% pin oaks and 25% swamp white oaks, both of which thrive in wet ground and give conifer-level winter cover. 54:03 — Making Good Tree Stands GREAT | Don Higgins’ Best Habitat Tricks + Doubting Thomas Premiere
• Andy Hendrix from Anderson, South Carolina asks whether, lacking a local dealer, he should replant his half-acre plot in clover or trees instead of Dixie Dozen.
  Don tells Andy to stick with Dixie Dozen since it’s proven effective, and suggests asking a local business to become a Real World dealer to avoid shipping costs. 56:58 — Making Good Tree Stands GREAT | Don Higgins’ Best Habitat Tricks + Doubting Thomas Premiere
• Jerry Sinclair from Chester, Vermont asks how other hunters react when Don hunts a new area given his reputation for killing big bucks.
  Don says he’s rarely welcomed when entering a new hunting area — usually the opposite — so he keeps a low profile to avoid drawing attention to himself. 60:16 — Making Good Tree Stands GREAT | Don Higgins’ Best Habitat Tricks + Doubting Thomas Premiere
• Terry raised concerns about food plotters whose soybean plots aren’t growing, prompting discussion of soil testing, fertilizer, and lime for browse pressure issues.
  Don explained there are no shortcuts with food plots—skipping soil testing and fertilizing, like a farmer never would with his crop, will cost you in the long run. 5:27 — #330 - Can Supplemental Feeding Add 15”+ to a Buck? Don Higgins Answers
• How do you make a makeshift utilization cage to gauge deer browse pressure on food plots?
  Don explained that a utilization cage keeps deer off a small fenced area so you can compare growth and see exactly how much browse pressure your plot is really getting. 8:33 — #330 - Can Supplemental Feeding Add 15”+ to a Buck? Don Higgins Answers
• Danny Sanders asked if perfect habitat alone could match a buck fed high-quality supplemental feed, expecting 10-15 inches more antler growth by year five.
  Don said Danny could realistically gain 10-15 inches or more by year five, especially in bucks conceived from does already on supplemental feed. 42:14 — #330 - Can Supplemental Feeding Add 15”+ to a Buck? Don Higgins Answers
• Danny Sanders asked if perfect habitat alone could match a buck fed high-quality supplemental feed, expecting 10-15 inches more antler growth by year five.
  Don concluded that Danny’s 10-15 inch estimate was very conservative given Georgia’s poor soils. 50:20 — #330 - Can Supplemental Feeding Add 15”+ to a Buck? Don Higgins Answers
• Edward Miller asked whether habitat projects or low fencing around sanctuaries could discourage coyotes from living on or traveling through a property.
  Don shared that hanging a killed coyote on the fence can make other coyotes associate the area with danger and avoid it, though it works better on smaller properties. 54:27 — #330 - Can Supplemental Feeding Add 15”+ to a Buck? Don Higgins Answers
• Drew Harmon asked how long soybean plots need before dropping the fence to let deer in, especially timing before hunting season.
  Don advised that if Drew drops his deer fence before hunting season, deer will pour into the small plot and wipe it out well before the rut. 56:55 — #330 - Can Supplemental Feeding Add 15”+ to a Buck? Don Higgins Answers
• Ben Byler asked Don and Terry to recommend books for young or starting hunters looking to sharpen their skills for bigger bucks.
  Don recommended Roger Rothhaar’s books, especially his favorite, Whitetail Magic, as great reads for young hunters. 59:40 — #330 - Can Supplemental Feeding Add 15”+ to a Buck? Don Higgins Answers
• Ben Byler asked Don and Terry to recommend books for young or starting hunters looking to sharpen their skills for bigger bucks.
  For heavily wooded, mountainous terrain, Don recommended Bobby Worthington’s book as being as good as it gets. 60:20 — #330 - Can Supplemental Feeding Add 15”+ to a Buck? Don Higgins Answers
• Ben Byler asked whether Real World sells any products they don’t personally think are the best, just due to customer demand.
  Don admitted Real World sells an annual screen product due to demand even though he believes their Miscanthus screen is far superior. 60:49 — #330 - Can Supplemental Feeding Add 15”+ to a Buck? Don Higgins Answers
• Neil Compton asked whether bucks shift summer ranges or avoid areas used by does with newborn fawns, since bachelor groups vanished from his cameras after fawns dropped.
  Don explained the pattern reflects survival instinct: nature has geared deer for survival of the species, not just each individual animal, during summer. 62:49 — #330 - Can Supplemental Feeding Add 15”+ to a Buck? Don Higgins Answers
• Neil Compton asked whether bucks shift summer ranges or avoid areas used by does with newborn fawns, since bachelor groups vanished from his cameras after fawns dropped.
  Don added that does take over the best available habitat to hide and nurse fawns, often pushing bucks out of the area during summer. 63:14 — #330 - Can Supplemental Feeding Add 15”+ to a Buck? Don Higgins Answers
• Terry asks why does sometimes have one, two, or three fawns, and whether twin fawns can be sired by different bucks.
  Don explains a mature doe has twins roughly 80% of the time, with singles making up most of the remaining share and triplets around 5%. 30:10 — #329 | Why Don Higgins Gets More Excited About July Than Opening Day
• Terry asks why does sometimes have one, two, or three fawns, and whether twin fawns can be sired by different bucks.
  Don recalls a Mississippi State study, mentioned by Bronson, finding roughly 25-28% of twin fawns have different fathers. 31:17 — #329 | Why Don Higgins Gets More Excited About July Than Opening Day
• An anonymous La Crosse, Wisconsin listener asks what cover crop to plant with soybeans to fight emerging waterhemp.
  Don recommends immediately spraying a heavy dose of glyphosate mixed with Flexstar or Cobra, since it’s too late for a cover crop to fix the weeds. 40:26 — #329 | Why Don Higgins Gets More Excited About July Than Opening Day
• An anonymous La Crosse, Wisconsin listener asks what cover crop to plant with soybeans to fight emerging waterhemp.
  Don stresses that using a pre-emergent herbicide before planting is the real fix for future seasons. 41:15 — #329 | Why Don Higgins Gets More Excited About July Than Opening Day
• An anonymous La Crosse, Wisconsin listener asks what cover crop to plant with soybeans to fight emerging waterhemp.
  Don notes waterhemp emerges later in summer, so the listener likely still has time to rescue his crop while it’s small. 44:21 — #329 | Why Don Higgins Gets More Excited About July Than Opening Day
• A listener asks how to reclaim a south-facing 40-acre cedar thicket that deer have begun avoiding as a sanctuary.
  Don recommends using a skid loader with shears to pinch off cedar trees across an area rather than cutting each one. 45:48 — #329 | Why Don Higgins Gets More Excited About July Than Opening Day
• A listener asks how to reclaim a south-facing 40-acre cedar thicket that deer have begun avoiding as a sanctuary.
  After cutting, Don lets the fallen cedars sit about a year, then burns the whole area the following spring to reset it. 46:10 — #329 | Why Don Higgins Gets More Excited About July Than Opening Day
• Carl Compton from Findlay, Illinois asks whether hairy vetch seeds, known to poison cats, dogs, and horses, are also dangerous to deer.
  Don researched the question and confirmed hairy vetch, particularly mature plants and seeds, can indeed be poisonous. 51:01 — #329 | Why Don Higgins Gets More Excited About July Than Opening Day
• Carl Compton from Findlay, Illinois asks whether hairy vetch seeds, known to poison cats, dogs, and horses, are also dangerous to deer.
  The seeds contain cyanide, and toxicity mainly concerns mature hairy vetch plants and seeds rather than young growth. 51:17 — #329 | Why Don Higgins Gets More Excited About July Than Opening Day
• Carl Compton from Findlay, Illinois asks whether hairy vetch seeds, known to poison cats, dogs, and horses, are also dangerous to deer.
  Don doesn’t expect hairy vetch toxicity to be a real issue for deer, since it mainly affects cattle and horses on mature plants. 51:49 — #329 | Why Don Higgins Gets More Excited About July Than Opening Day
• Carl Compton from Findlay, Illinois asks whether hairy vetch seeds, known to poison cats, dogs, and horses, are also dangerous to deer.
  Don shares that deer heavily browsed his hairy vetch overseed last fall, eating it down to nothing without apparent harm. 52:37 — #329 | Why Don Higgins Gets More Excited About July Than Opening Day
• Eli Doyle from Lewistown, Illinois asks whether Don has tested the nutrient content of Nutri-Crave Corn as roughage or silage, not just the kernel.
  Don admits he doesn’t have exact figures handy, but recalls locally-grown NutriCrave corn silage tested more favorably than traditional silage corn from the same farm and year. 55:12 — #329 | Why Don Higgins Gets More Excited About July Than Opening Day
• Hunter O’Leary from Rosso, Minnesota asks whether to soak an old weathering rope before hanging Scrape Magnet and how to keep it active.
  Don soaks his ropes for Scrape Magnet in a small bucket, coiling the rope in and pouring the product over it before hanging. 57:19 — #329 | Why Don Higgins Gets More Excited About July Than Opening Day
• Hunter O’Leary from Rosso, Minnesota asks whether to soak an old weathering rope before hanging Scrape Magnet and how to keep it active.
  Don warns that soaking a chemically-treated rope in Scrape Magnet produces a strong ammonia odor from a reaction with the treatment. 57:36 — #329 | Why Don Higgins Gets More Excited About July Than Opening Day
• Hunter O’Leary from Rosso, Minnesota asks whether to soak an old weathering rope before hanging Scrape Magnet and how to keep it active.
  Don says a spray bottle also works to apply Scrape Magnet to a licking branch, not just ropes. 60:14 — #329 | Why Don Higgins Gets More Excited About July Than Opening Day
• Terry asked what Don’s first hay cutting was like and how much he got off given the weather in his area.
  Don called his first hay cutting average, with an early cool spring and adequate moisture but no high temperatures yet. 3:21 — The Biggest Mistake Food Plotters Make in June | Chasing Giants #328
• Terry asked how legumes like alfalfa and soybeans handle heat, and whether they thrive as long as they have moisture.
  Don said most plants, including legumes in deer country, thrive in warm, humid, moist conditions rather than heat alone. 4:34 — The Biggest Mistake Food Plotters Make in June | Chasing Giants #328
• Terry asked whether Don had gotten trail camera pictures or seen fawns yet on his place, and what the status was with fawns dropping.
  Don said he cut all his hay without hitting a fawn and hasn’t seen the first fawn on his place yet. 6:03 — The Biggest Mistake Food Plotters Make in June | Chasing Giants #328
• Terry asked whether Don has double-cropped fields where winter wheat is harvested and soybeans planted afterward.
  Don said by August, double-crop soybeans growing about a month out of wheat stubble become a strong draw for deer. 8:02 — The Biggest Mistake Food Plotters Make in June | Chasing Giants #328
• Terry asked Don to explain browse pressure on soybean bottom leaves, plus weed pressure and when and what to spray.
  Don advised spraying weeds while small, ideally under four inches and definitely under six, for maximum herbicide effectiveness. 9:30 — The Biggest Mistake Food Plotters Make in June | Chasing Giants #328
• Terry asked what he should plant in a small cornfield this spring to avoid going corn-on-corn before returning it to feed corn.
  Don recommended soil-building species like sun hemp, buckwheat, sunflowers, and legumes such as hairy vetch to build tonnage while keeping deer off the field. 14:37 — The Biggest Mistake Food Plotters Make in June | Chasing Giants #328
• Kobe Curtis from Zealand, Michigan asked whether Don or Terry had tried dragging tree tops into switchgrass fields for added structure.
  Don said he doesn’t know anyone who has tried it, since burning switchgrass fields is needed to maintain them. 20:03 — The Biggest Mistake Food Plotters Make in June | Chasing Giants #328

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