Almost nothing about deer hunting has been studied longer than the effects of the moon. And yet with hundreds of years of tradition, culture, and some significant observational research, modern technology has completely changed our understanding of this phenomenon. On this episode I talk about how the moon really impacts deer movement and the whitetail rut.

How this was studied historically:

• Native American Tradition – The rutting moon was long seen as the sign that the prime of hunting season was at hand.
• Anecdotal Observation – People went into the woods, saw deer and concluded it was the moon.
• Descriptive Observational Research – Many notes and observations were compiled and correlated with moon phase to create guidelines. 

How it is studied now.

• Trail Cameras – We can see when deer are active, day or night, and objectively quantify their activity.. 
• Doe Gestational Research – Thousands of roadkill does are studied across multiple years and the average point of conception is compared with the timing of the rutting moon.
• Electronic Deer Tagging – Deer are tagged and tracked day and night to determine if the moon impacts their movement and rutting behavior. 

Listen to the episode to learn about how the moon impacts whitetail deer activity.

There are 3 main reasons why you want to have more than a single deer hunting spot. On this episode I talk about the factors that motivate whitetail hunters to have multiple hunting locations be them tree stands, ground blinds, or any number of simple no cost setups so you can find the right number of spots for you and how you hunt.

Of course you only NEED 1 spot to take deer, but having multiple spots can increase your chances of success and your ability to hunt when it is convenient for you to be in the woods.

Major Factors For Multiple Deer Spots

1. Different winds. Few to no stands can be used for all winds. It is ideal to have a hunting spot for each major wind direction that you typically see in your area.
2. Shifts In deer behavior. Some locations are good one year and not the next, or are good one week and not the next. Having options helps you when a spot goes cold.
3. How much you plan to hunt. Hunting pressure has a huge impact on deer habits, and the more you hunt a specific spot in a short amount of time, the more you will effect deer patterns and movement.

Listen to the episode to help determine out how many spots you need for your hunting style and situation.

Arrow weight plays a major role in archery hunting, it impacts your range, aiming, and effect on the deer. On this episode I talk about how to sift through all the information out there to make a good decision on how heavy YOUR arrows should be.

Key Points:

• Arrow Weight (which is really the mass) is measured in grains, just like bullets.
• Arrow Velocity is measured in feet per second, (MPH = FPS X 0.68)
• Arrow Energy is measured in foot pounds
• Arrow Momentum is measure in slugs per feet per second.
• Arrow Drop is measured in inches at a given distance, often compared to a previously established benchmark.

Assuming a bow has a fixed amount of energy it can put into an arrow, the lighter the arrow the faster a bow will propel it. The faster the arrow the flatter the trajectory the slower it will drop and the easier it will be to aim and take longer shots.

Heavier arrows travel slower, drop faster and are more difficult to aim because even small differences in estimated vs. actual difference can affect your ability to hit a target. However, they carry more energy to a point, and carry significantly more momentum which makes them more effective on a whitetail deer.

There is no best arrow weight, period. There may be a weight that is best for you, depending on how you hunt and where you hunt.

Listen to the episode to hear my recommendation on arrow weight for new hunters.

The early deer season can be the best time of the year for hunting certain areas but it requires a unique set of strategies that is different from the rest of the year. On this episode I share the story of my early season whitetail buck and the tactics that helped me bring him home on opening day.

Take Aways

• Before the whitetail shift occurs, usually around the first frost, deer are often still in their summer habits and areas.
• Your normal deer hunting strategies for temperature, weather, and time of day do not carry as much weight in the early-early archery deer season.
• In the early season deer may be more used to human activity in areas closer to homes, farms, parks, etc. because more people are spending more time outside.
• The number one principle of early season hunting is scouting, in person or by camera.
• Deer movement patterns in the early season usually change greatly by the time of the rut, so if there is favorable activity then capitalize on it right away.
• If your hunting area has been soft on deer activity during the early season, do not lose heart, that may be the place the deer go once the shift occurs.
• Listen to the episode to hear about the early season strategies that helped get my 2021 buck.

The best time of day to hunt bucks changes as the season goes on. It is true that you can take a buck at any time of day and on any day of the whitetail deer season, but there are times when the odds are better. On this episode I talk about the best time of day to hunt bucks in the early season, pre-rut, rut, late season and everything in between.

Take Aways

• Deer movement tendencies will differ by region, landscape, micro-climate, and local food sources and cover. This episode provides broad recommendations that must be measured against what happens in your local area.
• There is no better way to determine the best time to hunt than by real data from your hunting spot. Trail cams provide the best objective measurements of when bucks are moving.
• Consider reviewing last years trail camera data for the time you plan to hunt this year to get a sense of how deer typically use the land.
• Early Season – Deer may still be in their summer habits and habitat and may be less skittish and more forgiving until hunting pressure pushes them to moving less during the daylight.
• Pre-Rut – Bucks are up and covering ground looking for does, they are active much more during daylight.
• Rut – Bucks are active around the clock, chasing does, fighting, and looking for the next moment of excitement, until they putter out and enter a rest phase.
• Late Season – Bucks are still interested in breeding but begin to return to their regular habits, specifically eating and looking for thick cover.
• Listen to the episode to hear about the best time of day to hunt bucks in each phase of the deer season.

The crossbow market can be a crowded place, but if new hunters focus on a few core factors they can navigate things more easily and cheaply. On this episode I talk about how to streamline the consideration process so new users can make simpler and faster purchase decisions.

Take Aways.

• A more expensive crossbow does not always mean a more effective crossbow.
• Often you are paying more to make the bow lighter, smaller, more balanced, more ergonomic, simpler to use, etc. These things all have value but they do not necessarily make the bow more effective at taking game.
• Three factors to focus on are price, speed, and weight.
• If the velocity is high enough to effectively take deer and the bow is light enough to effectively wield, it will do the job.
• Bows do not retain their resale value as well as firearms do, so spending alot of money on one you ultimately do not appreciate can be an expensive mistake.
• It is better to start with something cheap and effective to get you into the woods.
• Then let your own experiences teach you what features best suite your preferences, hunting style, and real world opportunities. 
• Then you can confidently upgrade to something that is a better fit for you down the road.

We should always be learning from our hunting experiences, and the experiences of others. This past season I learned a very important lesson about opportunities in the deer woods and how to manage them. On this episode I talk about how you can make decisions that enable you to enjoy your deer hunt to the fullest.

Listen to the episode to hear about the #1 thing I learned about deer hunting last year and how you can avoid making the same mistake I did.