EP135.5 Big Announcement! – Helping Even More Hunters!

The New Hunters Guide Podcast has now expanded to video and has launched on YouTube! We are now not only able to reach more people but we can do more things and unique things with video that we could not do with audio alone. 

Please help us launch and grow the new YouTube channel buy subscribing, commenting, and liking videos! It all effects the YouTube algorithm and helps us reach more people.  You can find the new channel here https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZjvticGCNP4ta-K2-CK_6A 

EP135 Turkey Hunting Food Plot Basics

Show Notes:

Turkeys are constantly in search of food. On this episode I talk about the simplest, easiest, and cheapest ways you can draw gobblers toward a property with food and the types of habitat that produce turkey food naturally.

Take Aways

  • Most turkey food plot mixes and plans focus on creating food in the fall, which does not impact the spring hunt much.
  • Come spring time, birds are looking for whatever they can find, and it can take very little to create an attraction then vs. any other time of the year.
  • Left over mast like acorns can draw birds but this is not a consistent spring hunting strategy.
  • Clearings and low grass will attract bugs and grasshoppers that are favored spring meal items for turkeys.
  • Creating clearings without even planting can draw birds, depending on the surrounding habitat.
  • Clover is a great, easy, and cheap spring food plot idea that grows back every year at the right time. 
  • Cover provides protein and good bug habitat in the spring. It requires no tilling, and a weed whacker is often all you need to create exposed soil.
  • A clearing or clover patch that is as small as 1/8th of an acre can be enough to make a difference.
  • Turkeys will travel for food, especially in the spring. If you can give them food and some cover, you can influence bird movement patterns.
  • Listen to this episode for more details and strategies. 

 

EP134 Is It Easier To Hunt Deer Or Turkey?

Show Notes:

A lot of factors go into trying to determine if one type of hunting is “easier” than another. On this episode I compare whitetail deer and turkey hunting to examine the difficulties and advantages of each pursuit to help new hunters better decide where to start and to help more experienced hunters expand into new areas of hunting.

Factors to consider for hunting either deer or turkey:

  • Geography and habitat are core to determine which type of game is more abundant around you.
  • General hunting pressure will train animals to be more or less skittish around humans.
  • Deer tend to adapt to some human pressure while turkeys seem to get more paranoid.
  • Deer hunting requires excellent preparation, selecting not just the right area but even the right tree in advance.
  • Turkey hunting tends to require more diverse skill sets like perfect concealment on the ground, calling, and moving stealthily at critical times.
  • Deer hunting requires a lot of advanced strategy while turkey hunting requires more decisions that are made in the moment.
  • Turkey hunting requires more gear to start out with but the birds are easier to carry out of the woods.
  • A spooked deer is hard to chase, but a turkey that takes flight may be impossible to ever catch sight of again.
  • Deer are larger and thus harder to conceal than turkeys.
  • Larger animals also tend to leave larger more recognizable sign.
  • Listen to the whole episode for more and to see how both pursuits stack up against each other.

EP133 All About Hunting Backpacks & What To Pack

Show Notes:

From beginner to expert, the backpack is a staple piece of gear for almost all hunters. Picking the right backpack is very important because you will use it for almost every hunt in every season. It is an important decision but it doesn’t need to be complicated or expensive. On this episode I talk about how to pick the right backpack and what to put inside it. 

Take Aways

  • Do not let other people, especially ones selling backpacks tell you what is important to you.
  • Start with something you already have or can get cheap, hunt with it, and let experience tell you what features matter to you.
  • More expensive does not always mean more useful for YOU. 
  • The features that often add cost are not always features that will benefit you or your hunting style.
  • The best backpack out there is the one that will do what YOU need it to do, reliably and consistently. And that usually amounts to something that will carry your stuff. 
  • Your pack does need to be comfortable, concealable, and rugged.
  • Bigger is not better, in fact often smaller is better for longer hunts.

 

EP132 How To Deal With Other Hunters In The Woods

Show Notes:

Navigating the woods in search of game is an involved pursuit. Navigating other hunters can further add to the difficulty of the sport. On this episode I talk about how to deal with other hunters to maximize both your chances of success and theirs.

Take Aways

  • The one big thing is that game is most often found where hunters are absent. If you are too close to other hunters then you can improve your odds by distancing yourself.
  • If you see other hunters from a distance, the best thing to do is often turn around and look for an area without other hunters.
  • If other hunters approach you, your best chance of success is often to withdraw and look for a place with less hunting pressure.
  • Parking lots are great places to chat with other hunters. Deep in the woods is not a great place for talking.
  • Always have a backup plan, and maybe more than one, incase the area you plan to hunt has too many other hunters around.
  • Often the best thing you can do is just go further into the woods than other hunters are willing to go.
  • If you suspect other hunters are in the area, be doubly cautious about using a firearm or getting downrange of someone else.
  • Listen to this episode for real examples, stories, and more precise advice. 

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