Target Bucks & Hunting Plans
Category: hunting-strategy
Topic keys: target-buck, hunting-plan, hunting-plans, hunting-strategy, hunting-advice, deer-hunting, hunting-season, hunting-experience, morning-hunting, moon-phase
Current guidance
As of 2026-06-14, the most recent claim on this subject.
Weather dominates the show’s stated approach to targeting a buck: they call it a huge factor, even trumping the moon and the rut, and recommend hunting after severe cold fronts, especially with snow, since bucks then move before dark or daylight. Once a target buck is identified, Don says he shoots it whenever it appears regardless of season timing, though he has also described passing a clear late-season shot on his own target buck. He recommends hunting as many rut hours as possible if done smart, but admits the rut’s lockdown behavior makes patterning one specific mature buck especially hard. He also favors continually refreshing stand locations rather than hunting the same ones for years, particularly for mature bucks.
How the guidance evolved (most recent 120 of 253)
- 2022-11-06 Terry plans to meet Duane Hopkins for breakfast the next morning before deciding on his hunting plans. 15:01 — Chasing Giants Episode #142 - Heat Wave Rut - What will Don do?
- 2022-11-06 Terry plans to check trail cameras if rain isn’t too heavy, then make a game-time hunting decision with friend Patrick Simpson based on the weather. 15:08 — Chasing Giants Episode #142 - Heat Wave Rut - What will Don do?
- 2022-11-06 Don plans to hunt Monday and Tuesday all day in a stand, taking advantage of the favorable east wind on both days. 26:28 — Chasing Giants Episode #142 - Heat Wave Rut - What will Don do?
- 2022-11-06 Don cites Ben Rising, a logger, as an example of how loggers make fantastic whitetail hunters due to their woods knowledge. 51:07 — Chasing Giants Episode #142 - Heat Wave Rut - What will Don do?
- 2022-12-25 Don says he’ll only sit a tree stand in brutal, howling-wind cold if a giant buck is involved, not just to shoot a doe or a cull buck. 4:37 — Episode #149 Frigid Temps and Deer… Merry Christmas 2022!
- 2023-01-08 Terry said he can’t wait to hear about Joe Miles’ hunting season, believing no one else had a season like his this year. 16:52 — Episode #151 - Winter Scouting Tips
- 2023-01-08 Don said Joe Miles hunts continuously from South Carolina’s mid-August season opener, chasing giant bucks everywhere from Mexico to Canada, Washington State, the Midwest, and Texas. 17:20 — Episode #151 - Winter Scouting Tips
- 2023-01-08 Don plans to be home for about three days, getting a couple afternoon hunts in, hoping to shoot a young buck or a doe. 61:27 — Episode #151 - Winter Scouting Tips
- 2023-01-15 Don plans to hunt after church on the last day of deer season, hoping to shoot a cull buck or possibly a doe. 62:32 — Episode #152 - Are Trade Shows Dying?
- 2023-02-05 Don called trail cameras the biggest game changer he’s seen in forty-some years of deer hunting. 43:06 — Chasing Giants #155 - Hilarious Episode Live from Middlefield, OH
- 2023-02-12 Don advises that when evaluating hunting advice, you should scrutinize the credentials and situation of the person giving it before following it. 41:04 — Episode #156 - Looking for a Buck Bed…
- 2023-02-12 Don recommends only taking hunting advice from someone who has proven their methods actually work. 41:58 — Episode #156 - Looking for a Buck Bed…
- 2023-02-12 Terry advises being cautious of anyone promoting their hunting strategy by bashing someone else’s ideas rather than letting the idea stand on its own merit. 42:04 — Episode #156 - Looking for a Buck Bed…
- 2023-04-16 Terry says most stands he’s visited this year sit where there’s good buck sign, but sign alone doesn’t make it a good hunting location. 39:50 — Episode #165 - Farmers Planting Early Creates New Opportunities - EARLY SPRING
- 2023-04-23 Terry said he and Don spend so much time with deer that they have to pick their battles and forgo other hobbies. 14:55 — Episode #166 - Spring Herbicides
- 2023-04-23 Don said deer hunting is his priority and he’s fine with others chasing turkeys instead. 15:34 — Episode #166 - Spring Herbicides
- 2023-04-30 Terry set the blind next to plowed corn ground anticipating the toms would walk the corner, and the birds walked right into the guys’ laps. 4:40 — Episode #167 - Turkey Season Is Here! Terry Still Hates Turkeys!
- 2023-04-30 Don doesn’t believe getting into turkey hunting would ever make him forget about deer hunting, despite people telling him it would. 70:58 — Episode #167 - Turkey Season Is Here! Terry Still Hates Turkeys!
- 2023-04-30 Terry, who has killed many turkeys himself, doesn’t think Don’s deer-hunting passion will ever fade. 71:04 — Episode #167 - Turkey Season Is Here! Terry Still Hates Turkeys!
- 2023-05-07 Don recalled that with his captive deer, certain individual does came into heat on nearly the same calendar day every year, regardless of moon phase. 42:10 — Episode #186 - Regenerative Ag Practices
- 2023-05-07 Don announced the Whitetail Master Academy is holding three contests this year tied to the specific target buck he is chasing this fall. 61:02 — Episode #186 - Regenerative Ag Practices
- 2023-05-07 Don named Cameron Froick as the first contest winner for correctly guessing the target buck’s chosen name, Babe. 62:29 — Episode #186 - Regenerative Ag Practices
- 2023-06-04 Don calls the trail camera the single biggest game changer he’s seen in forty-seven years of deer hunting. 37:49 — Episode #172 - Don is really worried about EHD in 2023
- 2023-06-25 Don plans to try to kill Babe this season if the buck is still alive, though he hasn’t seen him all summer. 51:23 — Episode 175 - June Food Plot Update
- 2023-08-06 Terry noted that Joe Miles hunts 26 states, spending far more time in the tree than Don and Terry do. 22:48 — Episode #181 - What is new with Asio Gear?
- 2023-08-13 Don plans to shift from culling to broader buck management, shooting more management-age bucks this year than ever before. 23:52 — Episode #182 - Don’s Buck Management Plan for 2023
- 2023-08-13 Don plans to shoot at least five bucks off his farm this season as a bare minimum, possibly six or seven, while hosting many guests including his grandsons. 24:39 — Episode #182 - Don’s Buck Management Plan for 2023
- 2023-08-13 Don explains a bedded buck’s proximity on a small property makes it much easier to hunt than one on a large tract. 56:49 — Episode #182 - Don’s Buck Management Plan for 2023
- 2023-09-17 Terry said trail cameras have sealed the fate of some bucks for hunters but likely also saved others from being shot. 39:18 — Episode #187 - Do Trail Camera’s Spook Mature Bucks?
- 2023-09-17 Don agreed that for every buck killed because of a trail camera, another buck was likely saved by one. 39:30 — Episode #187 - Do Trail Camera’s Spook Mature Bucks?
- 2023-09-24 Don plans to let his grandsons hunt the youth deer season first before he hunts his own property this fall. 28:13 — Episode #188 - Apple Trees for Whitetails
- 2023-09-24 Terry plans to hunt over soybeans this weekend since the alfalfa nearby was recently mowed and baled. 63:51 — Episode #188 - Apple Trees for Whitetails
- 2023-10-01 Don plans to skip hunting his own farm this season while scouting other spots for a chance at a decent buck. 59:56 — Episode #189 - Season Opener and Tough Questions
- 2023-10-15 Don’s target buck Babe appeared on trail camera before dark for three straight days right before gun season started. 1:26 — Episode #191 - Babe Out In Daylight - Giant Corn Yields for Food Plotters
- 2023-10-15 Don estimates Babe will score within about two inches of the 180-inch mark. 5:53 — Episode #191 - Babe Out In Daylight - Giant Corn Yields for Food Plotters
- 2023-10-15 Don plans to get Babe removed or killed before November 1, ahead of the rut. 7:16 — Episode #191 - Babe Out In Daylight - Giant Corn Yields for Food Plotters
- 2023-10-15 Don states nothing would have made him happier than seeing his grandsons shoot the big bucks themselves. 13:48 — Episode #191 - Babe Out In Daylight - Giant Corn Yields for Food Plotters
- 2023-10-22 Terry announces his hunting season will be shorter than usual this year because of a career change. 10:38 — Episode 192 - End of October - Tactics and Plans are Changing - PRE RUT!
- 2023-10-22 Terry plans to decide on Sunday whether he’ll hunt in Kentucky or Illinois. 56:12 — Episode 192 - End of October - Tactics and Plans are Changing - PRE RUT!
- 2023-10-29 Don advises against hunting October mornings unless it’s late in the month with a cold front, since bumping a target buck can ruin future chances unknowingly. 13:01 — Episode #193 - Babe is Down!
- 2023-11-05 Don wanted both mature bucks removed from his farm before the rut and before breeding began this season. 10:05 — Episode #194 - 2nd Target Buck Harvested by Special Guest
- 2023-11-19 Don explained he isn’t hunting this trip because he no longer has a target buck to chase. 2:05 — Episode #196 - Lock Down Breaking Loose as Weather Changes
- 2023-12-03 Don hunted less than usual in November but scouted more than ever, walking many new properties in search of a target buck for this season and next. 1:12 — Episode 198 - Buck Traveling Long Distances After The Rut
- 2023-12-17 Don says that when he has hunting permission on a property, he’ll deploy enough trail cameras to eventually identify every buck living there. 57:07 — Episode 200 - Journey to 200
- 2024-01-07 Don said the best thing deer hunting has ever done for him is the people it has brought into his life. 5:07 — Episode #202 - Strange Sponsorship Requests with Joe Miles
- 2024-03-24 Barry Wensel reportedly said at the legends debate that the first cold, frosty morning of fall is fantastic for hunting, every single year. 27:04 — Episode #213 - Turning old cow pasture in deer sanctuary
- 2024-04-21 Don believes you always need to be ready when a shooter buck shows up rather than playing catch-up. 1:36 — Episode #217 - Now Don wants to go fishing!
- 2024-05-05 Don advised that hunters targeting five- and six-year-old bucks should already be noticing those deer standing out at age three. 29:25 — Episode #219 - The Most Important Aspect of Hunting Whitetails
- 2024-05-05 Don described tracking wind directions using the Intellicast or Weather Underground website’s history to figure out where and when he could lay eyes on the Trump buck. 36:43 — Episode #219 - The Most Important Aspect of Hunting Whitetails
- 2024-05-26 Terry mentions that their new Midwest Land Group partner is also an accomplished deer hunter, and they’ll share hunting stories with him in the future. 50:40 — Episode #223 - Why are Young Bucks Being Hit on the Roads This Time of Year?
- 2024-06-23 Don states there is no second rut in whitetails, despite a common misconception among hunters. 23:40 — Episode #227 - Science Behind Summer Solstice and Whitetail
- 2024-07-28 Joe Miles plans to hunt South Carolina first, then Alberta, then Kentucky as part of his fall hunting circuit. 61:37 — Episode 232 - We are starting a TV Show!
- 2024-07-28 Joe Miles plans to hunt Texas and Kansas for the rut, with Ohio as a real possibility. 61:55 — Episode 232 - We are starting a TV Show!
- 2024-07-28 Joe Miles plans to end his hunting circuit in Mexico at the end of the year. 62:23 — Episode 232 - We are starting a TV Show!
- 2024-08-18 Don admits he has hunted more individual giant bucks over 200 inches without ever laying eyes on them than he has actually killed. 45:27 — Episode #235 - Is EHD Back in 2024? Bucks Dead in Indiana!
- 2024-09-01 Don complains it’s a pet peeve that people promote hunting ideas they’ve never had success using themselves. 43:02 — Episode 237 - Cell Camera Spooking Mature Deer? Don Thinks Maybe So…
- 2024-09-22 Don is worried he hasn’t seen his number-one target buck or another buck on camera in ten days to two weeks amid EHD concerns. 1:33 — Episode #240 - If Don Was DNR, How He Would Make Illinois Better Than Iowa
- 2024-09-22 Don plans to reveal his target buck’s unique name and hunting plan on next week’s episode. 5:17 — Episode #240 - If Don Was DNR, How He Would Make Illinois Better Than Iowa
- 2024-09-22 Don plans to help with a men’s retreat alongside Brent Henderson this Friday and Saturday, then check cameras to track his target buck. 57:01 — Episode #240 - If Don Was DNR, How He Would Make Illinois Better Than Iowa
- 2024-09-29 Terry has tracked his target buck for two years and built history with him, planning to dedicate a whole month this season to hunting him. 6:40 — Podcast #241 - Don’s Target Buck Revealed - Non-Typical Giant!
- 2024-09-29 Terry has a nagging suspicion that something, possibly EHD, may have happened to his target buck this season, though there’s nothing he can do about it. 6:45 — Podcast #241 - Don’s Target Buck Revealed - Non-Typical Giant!
- 2024-09-29 Don got a poor-quality trail-camera photo early one morning that was still good enough to confirm it was the buck he wants to target this year. 7:00 — Podcast #241 - Don’s Target Buck Revealed - Non-Typical Giant!
- 2024-09-29 Don calls this target buck the best buck he knows of right now, though not a 200-inch deer. 19:11 — Podcast #241 - Don’s Target Buck Revealed - Non-Typical Giant!
- 2024-09-29 Don announces the video detailing his target buck’s history will release on Chasing Giants TV on Friday, October 4. 18:58 — Podcast #241 - Don’s Target Buck Revealed - Non-Typical Giant!
- 2024-09-29 Don estimates his target buck will score around 190 inches, definitely over 180. 19:23 — Podcast #241 - Don’s Target Buck Revealed - Non-Typical Giant!
- 2024-10-06 Don argued hunters should back up their opinions with proof of mature bucks killed rather than just repeating unproven advice about tactics. 18:50 — Episode #242 - Stop Hunting October Mornings
- 2024-10-06 Don learned that mature bucks scent-check their bedding area before entering even in the dark, making pre-dawn stand access largely ineffective if downwind of any approach. 28:50 — Episode #242 - Stop Hunting October Mornings
- 2024-10-06 Don now only hunts an October morning during a cold front in the last ten days of the month, after decades of avoiding October mornings entirely. 29:37 — Episode #242 - Stop Hunting October Mornings
- 2024-10-06 Don said that when someone gives advice about mature bucks, listeners should ask how many five-year-old bucks that person has actually killed following it. 31:51 — Episode #242 - Stop Hunting October Mornings
- 2024-10-06 Don advises that who a hunter takes advice from is critical, and listeners should only seek guidance from people who have already achieved what they’re pursuing. 43:11 — Episode #242 - Stop Hunting October Mornings
- 2024-10-13 Don and Terry concluded the area holding his prior target buck got decimated by EHD, lowering the odds the deer survived. 22:36 — Episode #243 - Target Giant Non-Typical Buck Success - Don Higgins
- 2024-10-20 Terry said he plans to hunt all weekend with Don despite a forecasted south wind, trying to kill a target buck before the rut. 6:32 — Episode #244 - October Lull? Don and Terry See Bucks Moving in Mid October
- 2024-10-20 Don said he has a plan, not yet shared with Terry, to try to get Terry a shot at a good buck the next day. 6:42 — Episode #244 - October Lull? Don and Terry See Bucks Moving in Mid October
- 2024-11-03 Don asserts that weather is a huge factor in deer activity while the moon phase is only a tiny factor by comparison. 38:14 — Episode #246 - Don Says - Best November Hunting in 50 Years
- 2024-11-10 Don says the middle two weeks of November are the toughest time to target and kill one specific mature buck. 3:37 — Episode #247 - Lockdown, Drone’s, and Deer Pimps
- 2024-11-10 Don recommends hunting as many hours as possible during the rut, as long as you hunt smart. 6:11 — Episode #247 - Lockdown, Drone’s, and Deer Pimps
- 2024-11-10 Don admits he has come to despise the rut because it makes patterning an individual mature buck extremely difficult. 6:47 — Episode #247 - Lockdown, Drone’s, and Deer Pimps
- 2024-11-10 Don tagged his target giant buck this year on just the fourth hunt of the season, unusually early. 18:36 — Episode #247 - Lockdown, Drone’s, and Deer Pimps
- 2024-11-10 Chris Yates and Patrick Simpson each had a target buck they hoped to hunt get shot by a neighbor before they got the chance. 24:29 — Episode #247 - Lockdown, Drone’s, and Deer Pimps
- 2024-11-10 Don shot his first 200-inch buck exactly twenty years ago, the first individual buck he ever specifically targeted, and its mount is right there with them. 29:00 — Episode #247 - Lockdown, Drone’s, and Deer Pimps
- 2024-11-17 Don explains that bucks locked down with hot does in out-of-the-way places become very difficult to kill. 6:05 — Episode #248 - Big Buck Down! Wes Delks Joins Us to Discuss UHAUL
- 2024-11-17 Don plans to put as little pressure as possible on his property during gun season and let gun pressure push deer onto his land. 12:36 — Episode #248 - Big Buck Down! Wes Delks Joins Us to Discuss UHAUL
- 2024-11-17 Wes recalls an unprecedented ten-day stretch of easterly winds in late September in Indiana that disrupted his hunting plans. 11:20 — Episode #248 - Big Buck Down! Wes Delks Joins Us to Discuss UHAUL
- 2024-11-24 Terry described waking to cold, windy weather with the season’s first snow on his truck in Illinois, sensing it signaled a great hunting weekend. 0:37 — Episode #249 - Another Big Archery Buck! Terry Peer and Don Higgins Discuss
- 2024-11-24 Don recalled that rain and strong wind convinced him and Steve Shields to get breakfast in town instead of hunting that morning. 1:07 — Episode #249 - Another Big Archery Buck! Terry Peer and Don Higgins Discuss
- 2024-11-24 Terry explained he lost the buck whose history he’d tracked for several years to EHD this year. 2:32 — Episode #249 - Another Big Archery Buck! Terry Peer and Don Higgins Discuss
- 2024-12-08 Joe plans to fly home from Mexico and resume hunting the South Carolina buck, with about three weeks left in the season. 34:24 — Episode #251 - Update on Don & Joe Miles Kills 2 Giant Mexico Bucks!
- 2024-12-15 Don stated that if a previously identified target buck appears he shoots it regardless of season timing, and advises others to do the same. 27:41 — Episode #252 - Don says, “THERE IS NO SECOND RUT!”
- 2025-01-05 Don asserts that weather trumps everything, including the moon and the rut, when it comes to deer activity. 29:09 — Episode #255 - Deer Movement and Weather Fronts
- 2025-01-12 Sitting in his blind during the snow, Don watched coyotes and a hawk catch a small bird, among other wildlife. 2:09 — Episode #256 - Hard Winter and Early Buck Shed? Illinois CWD Announcement
- 2025-06-29 Terry relays that Wes Delks created a strategic water hole specifically to funnel deer movement for hunters, featured on Chasing Giants TV. 42:33 — #279 - Live Hot Seat! Don Higgins Faces Tough Questions from Dealers | 2025 RWWP Summit
- 2025-07-06 Don said his approach differs from Bobby Worthington’s because Bobby hunts the mountains of East Tennessee while Don hunts Central Illinois farm country. 25:05 — Episode 280 - Trail Cams, Big Cats, and Camo Drops | Special Guest Joe Miles
- 2025-07-06 Bobby Worthington told Don that in the mountains hunters have to reach the rut funnel regardless of access, since his whole season is built around funnels and the rut. 25:41 — Episode 280 - Trail Cams, Big Cats, and Camo Drops | Special Guest Joe Miles
- 2025-08-31 Terry planned to wait until the rut and late season to hunt his farm because habitat remodeling reduced his bachelor groups this year. 3:37 — #288 2025 Buck Forecast: EHD Devastation, Trail Cam Insights & Hard Truths About Trophy Bucks
- 2025-08-31 Terry’s plan for the season is to focus on killing some does. 3:54 — #288 2025 Buck Forecast: EHD Devastation, Trail Cam Insights & Hard Truths About Trophy Bucks
- 2025-08-31 Terry said one remodeled spot has a feeder near the barn where shooting a doe won’t push deer into his sanctuary. 4:01 — #288 2025 Buck Forecast: EHD Devastation, Trail Cam Insights & Hard Truths About Trophy Bucks
- 2025-08-31 Terry’s strategy for new permission ground is to hang a cell camera, let it soak, then pack in a stand and hunt the very first time he enters. 12:30 — #288 2025 Buck Forecast: EHD Devastation, Trail Cam Insights & Hard Truths About Trophy Bucks
- 2025-09-07 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 — Deer Velvet Shedding & Fall Buck Shifts: Don Higgins Responds to Rumors | Chasing Giants Ep. 289
- 2025-09-14 Terry reported that Kentucky’s archery season had opened, along with a couple other states, while the region suffered severe dry weather. 12:48 — Faith, Hunting & Courage After Tragedy | Chasing Giants Podcast Ep. 290
- 2025-09-21 Don’s son-in-law Clint told him he liked the buck’s original name but worried people might take naming it after Charlie Kirk the wrong way. 11:58 — Chasing Giants Ep. 291 | Don’s Public Land Quest & the “Turning Point” Buck Story
- 2025-09-21 Don recalls that back in 2017 he named a target buck ‘Trump’ as a fan of the president. 12:12 — Chasing Giants Ep. 291 | Don’s Public Land Quest & the “Turning Point” Buck Story
- 2025-09-28 Don says his early-season sits won’t be in a prime spot and will mostly be observation hunts. 14:59 — #292 - Public Land Busts, Big Timber Dreams, & Target Bucks
- 2025-09-28 Don encourages listeners to use time in the stand reflecting on becoming a better person, Christian, husband, and father. 57:11 — #292 - Public Land Busts, Big Timber Dreams, & Target Bucks
- 2025-10-12 Don said he didn’t hunt during the first seven days of season this year because the weather was too hot. 0:51 — #294 From Old School to High Tech: Don Higgins Reflects on 40 Years in the Deer Woods
- 2025-11-02 Don said this was hands-down his best morning hunt since November 1, after five slower mornings hunting through the end of October. 2:39 — Barometer Secrets & Rut Forecast for Early November! | Chasing Giants 297
- 2025-11-02 Don hunted that morning with his son-in-law Corey, and together they saw six bucks and 15 to 20 does. 3:00 — Barometer Secrets & Rut Forecast for Early November! | Chasing Giants 297
- 2025-11-02 Terry announced that musician Emerson Day and her husband Bryce will visit and hunt with him mid-week during a break in her tour. 11:16 — Barometer Secrets & Rut Forecast for Early November! | Chasing Giants 297
- 2025-11-09 Wes’s video reportedly emphasizes not skipping steps or taking shortcuts in pursuing a specific buck. 17:26 — The Weirdest Rut Ever: Warm Temps, Barometers, and Big Bucks | Chasing Giants Ep #298
- 2025-11-23 Terry plans to hunt gun season willing to take his target buck with a .350 Legend, then pause hunting until around January. 14:07 — EPISODE 300! Don Changes His Mind on the Rut + Drone Debate Heats Up!
- 2025-11-23 Terry announces a bucket-list plan to hunt a huge low-fence South Texas ranch in late January. 14:32 — EPISODE 300! Don Changes His Mind on the Rut + Drone Debate Heats Up!
- 2025-11-23 Terry and Austin Raisor, possibly joined by Joe Miles, plan to scout a South Texas property for something tied to Lester’s. 14:46 — EPISODE 300! Don Changes His Mind on the Rut + Drone Debate Heats Up!
- 2025-11-30 Don recommended hunting after severe cold fronts, especially ones with snow, since bucks then get up and move before dark or daylight. 12:00 — Late Season Starts NOW — Cold Fronts, Bucks on Food, and Thanksgiving Reflections | Episode #301
- 2025-12-14 Don recounts passing up a clear 30-yard shot at his target buck last Saturday evening during late season, choosing not to shoot him. 34:28 — Episode 303 – Late-Season Deer Movement, Winter Food Strategy & The Future of Big Bucks
- 2026-01-04 John Wise recalls praying for composure as the biggest buck he had ever seen stepped out, saying he could barely feel his hands or feet. 21:02 — Kill More Deer. Feed Hungry Kids. | Boone Brothers | Chasing Giants 306
- 2026-01-25 Terry notes that does currently caring for fawns are potentially raising the bucks that will make a run back to their home range during peak hunting season. 8:25 — Texas Hunt, Brutal Cold, Late Rut Behavior & Winter Habitat Decisions | Chasing Giants Podcast #309
- 2026-02-22 Don says he now uses absolutely no scent-control products, keeping his hunting clothes unwashed in a pile in his garage. 18:34 — Chasing Giants LIVE at the Midwest Sportsmen’s Classic | Shipshewana, IN | Presented by FAE
- 2026-04-12 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
- 2026-05-17 Bryhn Craft says trigger control, more than any other factor, is the biggest problem keeping hunters from killing big deer. 9:50 — Why Most Hunters NEVER Kill Big Bucks (Bryhn Craft Tells the Truth) | Chasing Giants #325
- 2026-05-31 Don recommends continually keeping stand locations fresh rather than getting stuck hunting the same stands for years, especially for mature bucks. 24:40 — Why BIG BUCK Areas Often FAIL Deer Hunters | Chasing Giants 327
- 2026-06-14 Don plans to keep his cell phone in his pocket more this fall and simply take in nature while hunting. 33:40 — #329 | Why Don Higgins Gets More Excited About July Than Opening Day
Contradictions & open questions
Places where the show’s advice on this subject appears to disagree with itself, either between speakers or over time. Both claims are shown as they were said, with dates. Nothing here is resolved — which one applies is the reader’s call, and the owners’.
- Guidance may have changed: One claim states his rule is to shoot any previously identified target buck on sight regardless of season timing; the other describes passing up a clear 30-yard shot at his target buck.
- 2024-12-15 Don stated that if a previously identified target buck appears he shoots it regardless of season timing, and advises others to do the same. 27:41 — Episode #252 - Don says, “THERE IS NO SECOND RUT!”
- 2025-12-14 Don recounts passing up a clear 30-yard shot at his target buck last Saturday evening during late season, choosing not to shoot him. 34:28 — Episode 303 – Late-Season Deer Movement, Winter Food Strategy & The Future of Big Bucks
Questions on this topic (60 of 77)
- Roger Draper from Tennessee asked whether to hunt the last week of October and first week of November, or the first two weeks of November. 52:01 — Episode #223 - Why are Young Bucks Being Hit on the Roads This Time of Year?
- Chase Nicely asked what Don looks for in trail camera placement when trying to locate and pattern a specific target buck. 26:27 — Episode #219 - The Most Important Aspect of Hunting Whitetails
- Mike Miller asked whether hiring a consultant thirty years ago would have made Don’s deer herd and harvested bucks mean less to him now. 30:45 — Episode #166 - Spring Herbicides
- 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
- Terry asks whether young Don Higgins would be more surprised by his record deer or by his current podcast ministering to young men about faith. 34:55 — Episode #269 - Genetics, Nutrition, or Age (which is more important)
- Nicholas Workman from Andover, Kansas asks whether a watering hole counts as a food source before the rut. 53:44 — Episode #269 - Genetics, Nutrition, or Age (which is more important)
- Is Don’s target 172-174-inch buck number one on his Illinois hit list, and is it located in Illinois or Iowa? 13:46 — Episode #83 Don’s Buck Inventory shows 32 bucks over 150”
- Terry poses a scenario to Don: with little shooting light left while hunting a target buck, a coyote walks out—what do you do? 47:21 — Episode #15 - Passion vs. Discipline
- Jesse Vandenberg asks whether Don’s goal this year is to document and harvest his up-and-coming buck with potential to score 200 inches. 29:39 — Episode #165 - Farmers Planting Early Creates New Opportunities - EARLY SPRING
- Starting over with a clean slate, where would Don buy land, and would he buy one big farm or multiple smaller farms? 46:10 — Episode #42 - Christmas Gift Ideas, Hanging Tree Stands in February, and Last Giveaway for 2020
- How did the youth season go with the boys? 1:08 — Episode #191 - Babe Out In Daylight - Giant Corn Yields for Food Plotters
- Were the boys just hoping to kill a good deer, or were they hunting a specific target buck? 2:32 — Episode #191 - Babe Out In Daylight - Giant Corn Yields for Food Plotters
- Would you draw on a target buck near an unaware doe, risking her spooking and ruining the shot? 34:59 — Episode #191 - Babe Out In Daylight - Giant Corn Yields for Food Plotters
- Do you two have any hunts or bucks that still haunt you? 63:18 — Episode #191 - Babe Out In Daylight - Giant Corn Yields for Food Plotters
- Derek Hammond asked whether smaller landowners should hunt deep in a property’s dark reaches to reach less-pressured deer. 56:34 — Episode #29 - Don previews some HIT LIST and UP-AND-COMER bucks while Terry is chasing a good buck in KY
- Tyler Webb from Lawrenceburg, Tennessee asks why hunters avoid morning hunts in early season, questioning if bumping risk differs between morning and evening entries. 30:55 — Episode 199 - Dewormer in Deer Feed, Tractors, Screens, and Windmills
- Garrett asks Don’s thoughts on culling does based on age, citing a theory that older does won’t let small bucks breed them. 52:08 — Episode #149 Frigid Temps and Deer… Merry Christmas 2022!
- A Kentucky one-buck-state listener asks whether to shoot a known mature buck in velvet early or wait for the rut. 48:58 — Episode #130 - Don buys a scent elimination device
- What percentage of Don’s hunting time is spent near food plots versus natural funnels, and how do food plots factor into his strategy? 56:54 — Episode #125 - Wheat Prices May Change Late Season Hunting
- David Adams asks how to hunt a buck he’s watched on camera for three years, active around 5 AM and likely bedding in an unhunted 80-acre cutover. 40:49 — EPISODE #107 - Don Knows How To Fire Up Southern Folks!
- After a CWD-positive test led to an earlier rifle season, is that something hunters should worry about? 70:34 — Episode #160 - Live with Dr. Bronson Strickland at Whitetail Master Class
- Andy Hendrix asks how Don would hunt if given five equally good public-land areas to choose from. 40:54 — Episode #240 - If Don Was DNR, How He Would Make Illinois Better Than Iowa
- An audience member asks whether Don and Terry would kill a management buck out of one of their best buck stands. 35:14 — Episode #211 - Live from RWWP Dealer Event - BINGO
- Terry asked Don to discuss the importance of wind and how to play it for the rest of the season. 8:39 — Episode #36 Peak Rut Update, Warm Weather, maybe a little election and religion
- Terry asks John Wise whether he has ever deliberately targeted one specific deer he knew about from a previous year. 64:56 — Kill More Deer. Feed Hungry Kids. | Boone Brothers | Chasing Giants 306
- Besides hunting less and running more trail cameras, what have you started doing or learned that helps you kill giant bucks? 65:24 — Episode #112 - Chasing Giants in the Big North Woods
- Don asks Terry for advice on a target buck that keeps showing up on trail camera about half an hour after dark. 22:02 — Episode #86 - 17,764 trail cam pics in 25 days - no bait or attractant
- Matthew Montag asked whether Don ever uses scents like doe or buck estrus while deer hunting, and why or why not. 38:46 — Episode #86 - 17,764 trail cam pics in 25 days - no bait or attractant
- Is the idea that the moon phase affects deer movement fact or fiction? 44:06 — Episode #80 - Don’s 2021 Buck Forecast
- Maynard Miller asked why young people often hate on successful people instead of learning from them, and requested advice for young hunters. 29:33 — Episode #138 - Hunting the Full Moon
- Keith Evans asked whether Don and Terry always exit a stand the same way they entered, or use an alternative exit route. 40:29 — Episode #138 - Hunting the Full Moon
- With an abundant doe herd, what part of the season is best for taking does? 40:54 — Episode #95 - Live from Guthrie, KY
- 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 — Episode #95 - Live from Guthrie, KY
- When deer are living in standing corn, how do you hunt them? 82:26 — Episode #95 - Live from Guthrie, KY
- Garrett asked whether a three-and-a-half-year-old buck scoring 250-plus inches, having added 100 inches from the prior season, would be a target on Don’s farm. 43:25 — Why Some Hunting Properties Work Instantly… And Others Fail - Chasing Giants Podcast #319
- Dan Branham from Milltown, Indiana asked if Don and Terry use scent lock, noting he still got winded despite full scent-control gear and went back to playing the wind. 64:37 — Episode #202 - Strange Sponsorship Requests with Joe Miles
- Garrett Geiger asked whether Don and Terry worry about keeping their truck or hunting trailer scent-free during the season. 35:37 — The Magic of Late October | Cold Fronts, Big Bucks & Character in the Woods | Chasing Giants #295
- How long does it take to gather enough data on a new hunting property to consistently be successful on it? 43:16 — Episode 225 - Big Antlers this Spring Mean Big Decisions this Fall!
- Mario Casa Sola asked whether Don would support any of three sanctuary-timing options for a newly bought 100-acre property, or propose a different approach. 45:18 — The Weirdest Rut Ever: Warm Temps, Barometers, and Big Bucks | Chasing Giants Ep #298
- Andrew asks if Don’s wife hunts with him and whether he’d let her shoot Babe or another target buck. 53:50 — Episode #186 - Disappointing 2023 Buck Forecast
- Terry asked whether the breeding effort also targeted apples that ripen later in the year for deer hunters, rather than earlier. 12:43 — Episode #188 - Apple Trees for Whitetails
- Jason Clark asked why hunters avoid October mornings and what really differs between October and November besides weather and the rut. 59:33 — Episode #188 - Apple Trees for Whitetails
- How do you access a stand for an October morning hunt without blowing deer out on a property with only one way in? 40:34 — Episode #5 - November is Here!
- What has deer hunting taught you that you’ve carried through life outside the woods? 41:59 — LIVE at 360 Blinds: No Script, No Filters — Just Real Questions | Chasing Giants 308
- Brandon asked what the most memorable moment has been over Don’s hunting and consulting career. 50:06 — Episode #73 - How much bigger will bucks get? Don’s best and worst of the week!
- An audience member asked Don’s opinion on hunting by moon phases. 75:03 — Episode 159 - Captive Deer Breeding… Why Don Got Out
- Jesse Fromm asked whether Don would offer a discounted service reviewing satellite and topography maps to help build hunting plans for those who can’t afford full consulting. 40:06 — Episode #6 - Don Kills 2 Booners on Back to Back Hunts
- Terry asks whether, starting from scratch, Don would prefer four micro food plots for wind versatility or one large diverse plot huntable in multiple winds. 10:54 — Episode #44 - New Year’s Resolutions, Bedding Cover, Hunting Cold Temps, and Sharing Hunting Property with Family
- How far from cover edge is Don’s average tree stand, and what’s the farthest he’d place one before ruling out a spot? 59:43 — Texas Hunt, Brutal Cold, Late Rut Behavior & Winter Habitat Decisions | Chasing Giants Podcast #309
- What’s Don’s plan for hunting this year’s target buck? 64:36 — Episode #161 - Live from Last Master Class - Inside QuietKat E-Bike
- Terry asked how far away Don was when he got the footage of Babe. 9:31 — Episode #181 - What is new with Asio Gear?
- Jeff Sparks asked how Joe, a former moon guide owner, actually uses the red moon given he hunts almost every week. 47:09 — Episode #181 - What is new with Asio Gear?
- Wayne Fry asks whether the turning point buck will be Don’s target for next year or if another buck is on the list. 54:49 — Chasing Giants LIVE at the Midwest Sportsmen’s Classic | Shipshewana, IN | Presented by FAE
- Nick Collins asked how Don copes emotionally with harvesting a mature buck after years invested watching and pursuing it. 54:29 — Episode #167 - Turkey Season Is Here! Terry Still Hates Turkeys!
- Bo Hammock asks about hunting October mornings in early season, noting good success sitting tight to bedding in the transition area between bedding and food. 42:31 — Episode #88 - Hunting MATURE Bucks on October Mornings?
- What is Travis’s strategy for approaching his stand access — waiting for daylight or moving in the dark? 35:31 — Episode #108 - Mind Blowing Deer Management with Dr. Bronson Strickland
- Does research support that weather fronts matter more than moon phase for daylight deer movement? 25:27 — Episode #108 - Mind Blowing Deer Management with Dr. Bronson Strickland
- Mark Gingerich from Gays Mill, Pennsylvania asked whether Don pays attention to the moon phase, including red moon theory, when deciding when to hunt. 33:23 — Episode #89 - 2021 Rut Setting Up To Be FANTASTIC!
- Adam Rosendale from Forest, Ohio asked Don to elaborate on mature buck tendencies for morning hunting outside of November. 46:36 — Episode #89 - 2021 Rut Setting Up To Be FANTASTIC!
- Mark asked whether October mornings are a good time to harvest does or if he should wait until later in the season. 45:51 — Episode #244 - October Lull? Don and Terry See Bucks Moving in Mid October
Unofficial fan project. AI-synthesized from public episodes; may contain errors.