EP104 The 7 Basics of Deer Habitat Planning

Show Notes:

There are seven things every hunter needs to know about how to locate, assess, and improve deer habitat to have consistent success in the woods. On this episode I talk about what you can do right now to understand whitetail habitat, find it in the woods, and make adjustments to it to better your chances of success.

Take Aways

  • When deer move they move for a purpose, the more you understand those purposes the better you can hunt.
  • Every deer needs certain things, you need to find or provide them to have good deer movement.
  • People’s intuition is often different from a deer’s intuition. You need to learn how they think.
  • It does not take alot of time or money to improve deer habitat, there is alot you can do at little to no cost.
  • Listen to this episode to hear the 7 basics.

 

EP101 Sectional Density & Ballistic Coefficient 101

Show Notes:

Both sectional density and ballistic coefficient are bullet specifications that matter for hunters but one matters a lot more for new hunters. On this episode I break down the need to know fundamentals of each so you can make better ammunition decisions.

Sectional Density:

  • Is one of the most obscure pieces of information printed on a box of ammo.
  • Is a complicated math calculation that you will likely never need to preform.
  • Is something you can understand quickly and easily and can help you from today onward.
  • Is a very important number for telling the ideal use of a bullet if you want to make decisions based on more than marketing.
  • To best understand the meaning of sectional density you need to understand what makes bullets effective on whitetail deer, elk, moose, and other big game.
  • All of this and more is covered in the episode.

Ballistic Coefficient:

  • Is one of the more popular peieces of bullet marketing.
  • Involves more math than is even worth mentioning.
  • Matters a lot for a small number of hunters.
  • Is easy to understand but less easy to apply.
  • Can make the difference between a terrible bullet and a great bullet at certain ranges.
  • All of this and more is covered in the episode.

 

EP84 Should You Hunt With An AR-15?

Show Notes:

Are AR style rifles good for hunting? Should you hunt with one? Should new hunters use one? This is a hotly debated topic where opinions tend to overshadow facts. On this episode I talk about the pros and the cons without ranting or raving about either position.

Take Aways:

  • I cover both AR-15 rifles and AR-10 rifles because they are the most common.
  • I am familiar with the term “modern sporting rifle” but I’ve opted not to use it in this episode. It is not because I dislike the term but only a percentage of listeners would be familiar with it, so I’ve gone with the more familiar terms. No hate mail please.
  • Are there good reasons to hunt with an AR? Yes.
  • Are there good reason not to hunt with an AR? Yes.
  • Should you hunt with one? Maybe. You need to examine the pros and cons and YOUR situation to answer that question for yourself.
  • The answer an experienced hunter comes to and the answer a beginner comes to may be different however.
  • This episode is not politically motivated or charged. It is motivated by a hunter who wants to help other hunters navigate these questions logically and responsibly.
  • An AR-15 can be used effectively for coyotes, foxes, raccoons, woodchucks, and other small to mid size game, even turkeys with the right load.
  • AR-15s can be used to hunt deer under certain conditions I discuss in this episode but an AR-10 would be a better choice for hunting deer, elk, moose, and other large game.
  • I did not cover recoil in this episode. Mostly because I forgot, but also because it is not that big of a variable for most people. I have a bolt action 223 WIN that has less recoil than most AR-15 rifles that I’ve shot. It is really a non issue until you get to AR-10 platform.
    • In this case, the AR-10 would typically have a little less recoil than a manual action 308 WIN rifle of the same weight. But since most AR-10’s tend to weigh more than a conventional bolt action rife, the felt recoil is even more significantly reduced.
    • This is a benefit to those who are small framed, injured, or physically disabled in a way that they could not comfortably fire a traditional rifle due to recoil but could use an AR-10.
    • Reduced recoil could be a reason someone opts to use an AR-15 for deer hunting.

EP83 Five Reasons To Scout For Deer Antler Sheds

Show Notes:

Hunting for deer antler sheds is fun and rewarding and it can be enjoyed by the whole family. On this episode I talk about five reasons to get out and make the most of this great past time. I also cover some of the basics of how antlers grow and what we can learn from them.

Take Aways:

    • Antlers have intrinsic value but they also have cultural value. Throughout history they have been sought after.
    • Deer antlers have a lot of uses, perhaps more today than ever before.
    • Make sure to review your local laws about whether it is legal to buy, sell, or trade antlers. 
    • Finding sheds gives you very helpful and unique hunting intelligence that cannot be learned otherwise in most cases.
    • In some areas antler sheds can be devoured by squirrels and other animals within days, while in other habitats they may survive for months or longer. So periodic scouting throughout the prime season is ideal.
    • In most parts of the country, prime antler shed season for deer is mid January to mid March.
    • Antler sheds give you a great picture of the diversity of buck ages in a given area.
    • It is best to scout for sheds when there is no snow on the ground unless the snow has been there for a long time and fresh sheds may be laying on top of it.

 

EP77 3 Ways To Hunt Coyotes During Deer Season

There can be excellent opportunities to turn a deer hunt into a coyote hunt if you think outside of the box and take some basic principles into consideration. On this episode I talk about 3 ways to maximize your time and effort in the woods.

If coyotes are in the area or menacing an area you can convert any deer hunt to a coyote hunt. Simple awareness of the situation is all you need to make some small adjustments to your plan. You do not need to bring much extra gear to hunt predators while out deer hunting.

A simple call, be it a hand call, mouth call, or electric call can be all you need to lure a coyote into rifle range, whether you are in a tree or a hunting blind, or just sitting on the ground. You can easily keep one in your pocket for slow days or times where you spot a predator at a distance. 

People often get sidetracked thinking you need a special varmint rifle to hunting predators, and that could not be further from the truth. Any weapon that will take down a deer will also take down a coyote. You may do some damage to the pelt with a big bore rifle, but chances are you are not going to be overly concerned about selling it, else you would more likely be trapping them. 

Be mindful of your hunting plans, converting a deer hunt to a coyote hunt is best done if you do not plan to hunt deer in that area again in the near future.  Shooting a predator or calling too much for one can sour a spot for deer hunting. So if you are nearing the end of a hunt or an area is proving unprofitable, converting to a predator does not have many potential cons. But if it is your best deer spot you may want to hold off or at least wait until a time where you won’t be in the woods for a while afterwards. 

There is one tactic you can use to literally draw in deer and coyotes at the same time, and take whoever shows up first.

Always be mindful of your blaze orange regulations, many places require you to wear orange to hunt coyotes if it is during a particular deer season. Even if wearing orange is not required, it is a very good idea if you are on the ground and it is a firearms season. If you are in a tree the risk is a little lower but always mind your local hunting laws for you particular hunting jurisdiction. 

Listen to the whole podcast episode to hear it all. 

EP76 Why People Don’t Like The Taste Of Venison & Other Game

If you hunt long enough you will find or may be a person who does not like the taste of some or all game. On this episode I talk about the top four reasons people do not like the taste of game and what you can do to change that.

Venison may be the most common game meat available so more people will have tried it and formed an opinion, but these principles apply to all types of game.  Keep in mind nothing says people need to like game, but I’ve found it can be something that enriches the lives of those who appreciate it.  Enjoying game is also not necessarily something that just happens, you have to develop your pallet, explore different flavor profiles, cooking methods, spices, etc. to learn how to get the most and the best from this new cuisine. 

  • There are good reasons why someone may not like the taste of game, some are very valid, and all but one can be changed.
  • Many people had a bad first impression and have never had a second impression. Or they have formed an opinion with no experience. In both cases there is hope.
  • Most of the time people’s opinion is based on poor quality meat or poor cooking. The big issue here is that people try to cook game like store bought meat and it is not the same thing. Venison is not beef, it does not taste like beef, it does not cook like beef. It is unique and distinct and requires different cooking strategies. Here are two previous episodes that can make all the difference in these departments.
  • You must remember that most children left to themselves will grow up unwilling to eat anything other than pizza, chicken nuggets, and mac & cheese. So it shouldn’t be surprising when adults become so used to a small rotation of food options that they find something different undesirable. But even that does not mean they actually do not like game. They may just have some growing to do before they can appreciate it.

Eating game for the first time, even if prepared well can be a little bit like having eaten chicken regularly and then having beef for the first time. It is very different and if you are expecting it to be the same, you will be disappointed. But in time, many people would come to appreciate beef. The same process and principle are true for deer meat, turkey, duck, goose, pheasant, etc. Many hunters end up preferring venison to beef in time. This is because they have developed a taste for it, have learned how to cook it, and know what to do with the meat throughout processing to assure the highest quality and flavor.

Here is a video I did on 10 reasons why your deer meat tastes bad and how you can improve it. These are principles that can both help you understand why you may have had a bad experience with game, and that can help you have better ones in the future. 

EP75 Late Season Deer Hunting Tactics

Show Notes:

Once the rut is over deer behavior begins to change and so do hunting conditions. On this episode I talk about what tactics you can use to be successful at late season deer hunting.

Take Aways:

  • After the rut, bucks go back to their home range and does settle down.
  • Fewer hunters are in the woods when winter begins so hunting pressure begins to diminish.
  • The woods have less food, less cover, and less water for deer.
  • Deer are taking less chances and covering less ground.
  • All day sits are not necessary in winter and can actually be counter productive.
  • When you take all of these and more factors into account, there are some great strategies for late season hunting. Listen to this episode to hear them.

 

EP74 How To Butcher & Cook Venison

Show Notes:

Butchering a whole deer from field to freezer is a big undertaking for new hunters and we don’t recommend trying it your first time. But if you know what to ask your butcher for, and if you are able to cut up your own leg quarters that they prep and return to you, you can enjoy a level of quality and cooking that few hunters experience. On this episode I talk about butchering a leg quarter and how to cook each cut of meat.

Take Aways:

  • All you need to butcher your own leg quarts is a sharp knife and a cutting board. That’s it. Watch the videos below, it’s super easy.
  • When someone asked Chef Wutsch about the best type, brand, and style of knife to use, his answer was “a sharp one”.  Really, that’s all that matters.
  • Most butchers take short cuts and just chop up all the prime leg sections so you will never be able to cook each muscle in it’s ideal way.
  • The front legs are less exciting from a culinary standpoint and have less meat, your butcher can easily turn those into stew meat and ground and you can save a little time. 
  • I recommend handling the back legs and the back straps yourself.
  • Just like beef, elk, lamb, and moose, each deer leg quarter contains:
    • Shank – The most tough but most flavorful cut, braise this for 4 hours with the right seasonings and you will be amazed. But if you grill it, it may be inedible.
    • Top Round – The most tender cut of the leg, this makes great steaks.
    • Bottom Round – Very lean, but not as tender. Perfect for a roast, pot roast, or jerky. If you grill it, treat it like a flank steak, cook it to medium rare and cut very thin across the grain.
    • Eye of Round – A small, lean, semi-tender cut. Great for medallions, or searing and serving.
    • Sirloin Tip – A football shaped, less tender cut that is ideal for roasts and pot roasts. Cook it low and slow and it’s perfect.


EP73 Why Some Deer Taste Better Than Others

Show Notes:

The taste of venison can vary a lot of from deer to deer. The more you know about what impacts the flavor of your meat, the more steps you can take to ensure the most tender and flavorful venison possible. On today’s episode I talk about seven factors that impact the taste of your meat.

Take Aways:

  • Most of this is not unique to venison, it effects beef as well. But beef is raised, slaughtered, butchered, and sold like clockwork in a well tuned and managed system that ensures quality and flavor. When it comes to deer, many of the flavor effecting factors are in your hands.
  • What happens between the hour before you pull the trigger until when the meat enters the freezer makes all the difference. Even the most skilled cooking cannot set right things that were done poorly in the field.
  • Cooking certainly does make a difference though…
  • Venison is not beef, you cannot treat it just like beef and expect to get the same results. It must be cooked differently with different recipes and methods.
  • Venison can taste better than beef, but the measure of “good” is not how much it tastes like beef. Venison is unique, distinct, and should be enjoyed as such.
  • You should not need to soak your meat in milk, vinegar, or anything else before cooking it. That should only be a last resort for if it was mismanaged in the field.
  • Listen to the episode for the seven factors that impact flavor.

 

EP72 The Best Boots for Deer Hunting

Show Notes:

The right pair of hunting boots can make the difference when it comes to comfort, managing terrain, warmth, and scent control. On this episode I talk about how to pick the best type of boots for your deer hunting needs.

Take Aways:

Here are four major boot needs and what features address them.

  • Distance – If you need to hike a lot, more than a few miles, then you need a boot that is light enough for the distance, has enough support for the terrain, and fits snuggly for foot and knee health.
  • Warmth – Even if it’s only mildly cold, after sitting still for three hours you will find cold creeping in. A cold weather boot needs to be warm, windproof, waterproof, and have room for toe warmers.
  • Water – If you want to cross a stream, swamp, or even a little mud you need a boot that is not just waterproof but completely sealed up to your knee. Remember, wet pants can drip into a water proof boot and fill it from the top.
  • Scent – Leather and fabric can hold alot of scent and rub it on everything you walk through. A good rubber boot minimizes your scent trail and lessens the chance you will spook deer.

 

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