Back 40 Episode 7: Recovering “The Wide Eight”

Back 40 Episode 5: Doug Duren Shows Up for Pre-Rut

Fall has settled across the Back 40, and deer season is in full swing. With a few target bucks identified, I’ve invited Doug Duren to hunt the late October pre-rut. Both of us are disciples of conservation writer Aldo Leopold, who famously advocated for Americans to develop a new land ethic. Leopold challenged us to shift our relationship with the land, to act as stewards instead of conquerors. We’d love to tag a big buck, but deer down or not...

Back 40 Episode 4: The Farm’s First Deer Hunt

With the preseason commotion on the property now behind me, I can finally start deer hunting. After kicking off the season with little action, I welcome the first guest to hunt the farm. Luke Macauley is a professor and cooperative extension specialist at UC Berkeley, an unlikely spot to find a guy who is thinking about hunting and habitat fragmentation. Macauley’s recent research has taken steps toward proving what I’ve always believed: This...

Back 40 Episode 6: A Successful Rut Hunt

With October in the rear view mirror and two great hunts in the books, I’m ready to hunt the rut. I’m rejoined Ben O’Brien for a week of all-day sits in hopes of taking home one of the few mature bucks that have been spotted on the property. It seems like all the stress of the last five months has led up to these crucial days. Follow along all season and be sure to subscribe to our Whitetail Weekly newsletter for updates. Click here to watch...