00:00:00 Speaker 1: Hey, this Anthony Warren. You're listening to another big Buck breakdown by the Element podcast. Yeah, what's happening on my woods people? It is, uh, mid November, maybe even getting to the late November at this point. Um. But and it's been a great month. And but I mean there's still some great days ahead. And to be included in that, our friends at Exodus Trail Cameras have some pretty cool things going on. Casey right, they do, man, their biggest sale of the years coming up right now. You know, for a lot of people, the rut me I mean, November means the Rut, but it also means Black Friday in Cyber Monday, which you're both days I try to spend in the woods and not anywhere near a store. But it came you into that sort of thing. You can even do this thing from your cell phone and the tree stand. But they're gonna start the biggest seal of the year on Thanksgiving Day, and we don't really have any details for it because it's kind of secretive, But be sure and sign up for their newsletter and you'll be able to get in on those deals when they have Because it seems like there's only gonna be a limited number of deals. I don't know how it works, but there's some kind of competitive nature going in there, which makes sense for those guys. Also also, um, they did say that they got their cell phone cameras back and stock finally, so that's cool. If you've got a big buck that you really need to put a pattern on, you can get those exttus renders and uh and use use those as well. And those come with just like all the other Exodus Trail cameras, the five year Noblecorn warranty, which is an awesome thing to have. I've never had to use it, but it's good to know it's there. It's kind of what warranty using for kind of help you help you feel good about it. And uh otherwise pretty cool man, Exodus. Uh they actually, Um, I've been checking my camera a good bit at home and got some raging bucks on my uh my lift too here late and I would like to have another lift two or two to put out as well, so it might have to capitalize on this little uh deal they've got going for Black Friday. Sure, well, I've I've got a lift too that's out in Kansas right now that I'm hoping later this week you will check oh maybe maybe even me. Maybe even me. That's I'm gonna say that that's probably second priority. Um, depending on when directions, I might be in there hunting that stand and checking the camera after I've killed a Big Bucks. But it's not I would imagine that card will be fooled this week. So I'm interested to hear of your timeline and your proposed timeline right now because we haven't talked a ton in the last couple of days. So what's happening right now? Oh my gosh, dude, Like it's uh, it's nine o'clock. I'm driving, I've been driving all day and basically I have yeah, I uh, you know, my my wife got sick this weekend and so I didn't get to leave really early this morning, like I was wanting to. Um, So I took kids to school and that kind of thing, and then decided that once I figured out that my wife is feeling better, I was like, Okay, well I'm going hunting. And so I had a few little like loose ends to pull together, mainly just like grab a few groceries, um, some emergency to U try to drink as much of that as I could and then uh my eyes, chest and that kind of thing, and just throw it all. I had most of it in the back of the truck ready to go anyway, um, and took off and finally got out of here, I don't know, probably about ten ten thirty and so I've been on the road all day. It's not it is nine o'clock. I'm driving getting close. Um. I'm gonna probably sleep in the truck tonight since it's pretty mild, and it's gonna be pretty mild and in the next few days and if if I feel pretty comfortable tonight and then I'll stay probably in the truck. Otherwise, if I get really uncomfortable, I may just get a hotel next few nights. But I'm really hoping that. Uh So I found out on the way kind of know this, but I found out on the way that a piece of permission property that we you and I had really good success with that still holds um one of our heads up decoys on uh it is now closed to me. I cannot hunt this property because there's gonna be hunters on it. And I found that out earlier today. So I've been scrambling game planning with our buddy, Um that that lives up here, and it's kind of helped us understand the landscape and the habits of of these deer a little bit better. Uh. He and I have been game planning some stuff looking at map dots. Uh we're going back and forth, I mean for like hours today and uh so we we think we have a pretty good plan for tomorrow. Uh. It's kind of nasty and rainy and like forty one right now, so it's uh it's not like super cold, but uh cool and rainy, and I'm hoping that um that rain kind of subsides is supposed to subside tonight and give me an opportunity to uh see some sunshine in the morning and hopefully some cruising bucks along some ridges uh that are leave an egg. So I'm not really looking forward to the mile and a quarter or whatever it is gonna be in there. I mean straight line, that's what it is kind of so it's probably a little bit further. But um then I don't have my uh my steps. Um, somehow I ended up in the rush that was leaving Kansas. I left those steps in the back of your truck, and I don't even know how you ended up in there because yeah, I don't know, but I saw him in there this morning and then I saw that you were on the road and I was like, that's not good. I've got sticks, I've carried some backups, you know, so I've got on. I just uh, I gotta get everything organized here in a minute when I get to my parking lot or whatever, I'm gonna stay at and sitting sleeping in the truck and get everything organized, uh so that I can haul out pretty early in the morning and uh make the long trip. They're not looking super forward to it, because uh, it's just one of those things, you know, how it is. Man, I like doing I like doing that thing in the in the afternoon where you can see better and you know what's going on, and you know which trees and are in the way. You know that aren't you know a little encouragement though, is that like the trees, especially on those ridges. It's not like East Texas. There's not a lot of undergrowth and understories, so almost every tree you can get shots at of. You know, maybe it's not the perfect tree for the trail and everything, but you know, you can get pretty closed. And I think that maybe I don't know, they've had some weather and maybe by this time of year there's a decent amount of trails up there on the ridges and maybe we haven't see some of that stuff, you know, in the dark with your head lamp and be able to set up, you know. So yeah, we noticed that kind of as we were leaving after we had two snows that like, um, you know, that makes the ground pretty soft, and uh, those big old deer in the Midwest can can really put a dent in the trail pretty quick whenever that starts happening. And so yeah, I definitely noticed that as we were leaving, is that the trails were getting better, you know, not to mention like they're they're not just cruising NonStop in late October, you know, they they're kind of still homebodies. And so now hopefully these trails will be worn in a little bit and I think it's gonna be wrong rolling dudes, I think it's gonna be awesome. The word is, they're moving pretty good up here right now. So if that's the case, man, my ideal situation is to kill tomorrow morning, uh, kind of enjoy the afternoon, maybe see our buddy. He said he'd helped me drag it out and and um and maybe lunch with them and take a few pictures and maybe get headed towards Kansas. I don't know that's the case. Then maybe you and I can spend some time in Kansas again to that together. Yeah, it'll be it'll be nice, man, for sure, because I've got the video thing handled him home. But I've been kind of scrambling like maybe putting uh, you know, my chickens before my my eggs here. But uh, I don't have the ability to take good pictures if I do kill a deer, So I'm like, what am I gonna do? I'm gonna at the bar cameras from somebody or something if you hadn't tagged out yet. But I don't know. That's a that's a problem that we'll address later. Uh. But I do like to be optimistic like that. So well, yeah, it's kind of like you know, going to uh, it would be like kind of going to uh, you know, the the deer stand without arrows because you don't want to you don't want to you know, jink yourself from yeah, shooting a deer, you know exactly. Yeah, Yeah, kind of gotta have it that's right man. Well we uh, we have another optimistic friend and his name is Anthony Warren, and he has good reason for optimism because the dude knows how to kills him deer. Apparently he's been on a streak man. So uh, I think we should probably get him on the on the phone here and let him tell his stories because as of right now, they're a little bit better than what we've got. Well, hopefully, uh, hopefully you can you can put a change to that or you know, sending that tide in different direction here pretty soon, and maybe Anthony will have some some ideas that will help. Yeah. I would make note that I just saw a red fox, so maybe that's good luck. Is good luck hopefully bridge somewhere. No, it was, that's a different one. This one was alive, and well let's talk anyway. Well, let's get Anthony on the phone today. I am driving to Iowa. Casey is in Texas cleaning house, and our good buddy Anthony Warren is in Tennessee. Right or is it Kentucky? Yeah I am, um, But if you actually step out of my backyard, you are in fact in Kentucky. That gumming man, Well you're just you're just kind of all over the place. Man. I think the last time we talked to you, um was on the podcast a couple of months ago maybe, and you're still in Missouri and now you've got this. I mean, are you just living this dream life where you have like multiple homes that all over across the US maybe across the world. Well, um, I am living a dream. Um, but I don't know if it's the dream life. UM, but no, it's it's really not bad. But uh yeah, a couple a couple of months ago, we we did that hunt in Nebraska, and you know, like, uh, shoot, like two weeks after that, I've relocated to Tennessee. UM stationed at Fort Campbell, which kind of uh you know, if you ask anybody, they will say Fort Campbell, Kentucky. Um. But the base actually like two thirds of it's in Tennessee and then about a third of it is in Kentucky. So um, I live right here. Um, you know, pretty much touched the Kentucky line. And uh and yeah, I'm kind of fortunate that you know, I can draw or not really draw, but I can have a resident license in both states. To That's cool, man, that's you know it's just crazy. Um. You know one thing I want to go ahead and inform you of and you might know this, but um, all these quality deer managers that are on the internet, um, have have really tried to blast you about shooting that little velvet buck this year out in Nebraska, and so I've had to like defend you several times, like, well, this guy, like he went active in the army again, he's serving our country and y'all are just hammering this guy. He might not get to hunt the rest of the year, so him putting meat in the freezer is very important for his family. And then here we go. You have one long weekend, like a couple of weekends ago, and you're just slocking deer everywhere, man like monster bucks. No telling how much meat you've got in your freezer right now. So the story, the story, or guess part of it is out. I need the entire story now, man, tell us because we aren't Casey and I we just know a little bit about what happened. But um, dude, you went on like one of the sickest freeze that I've heard of all season. Man. Thanks thanks, Well, Um, I'd love to say you know that like I'm some you know, great hunter or anything like that, but I really think there was, um more just some luck involved. Um. You know, I had a actually a four day weekend, um, you know, the for my my unit, and UM, basically I talked to my supervisor into letting me cut out a day early so I was able to stretch it into a five day weekend. Um. I got off work on a Wednesday five PM, had all my stuff waiting to go, and just threw it in the truck and Drew drove all the way to Kansas to where my leases and uh end up getting in it like one fifteen in the morning. So, um, you know, I drove through a storm getting there, and I just felt good. Um. You know, um, even though I do have a lease that I that I'm on out there, I still hunting some public ground out there, and I had some some real good info from last year. UM, and I just felt good about the wind. I felt good about the rain that was gonna be passing through. You know. Shortly after I got there, I just knew that there was a lot of things that we're going to add up and um hopefully lead to me being successful. But in no way did I imagine that i'd have the day that I did. Um that you know, that was um the seventh of November. So um, you know, I pretty much got into camp, got a two hours of sleep, woke up at four thirty, um, chopped in the shower, and got all my stuff ready. And just because I didn't know where any else was was hunting that was on the lease, I was like, well, I'm just gonna go to this public ground and just see what happens. Um. So I get everything going hopping the truck and I pull up and it's not too far away from the farm and uh. As I I was just about ready to kind of head into the walking ground. Um, this farm truck pulls up and this guy, Uh, first thing he does, he pops his head out and he looks he looks at my license plate and uh and he looks at me. He says, oh, you you're about to go in there and hunt. And I said, I said, yeah, I think so. And uh he was like, oh, I ain't no big bucks in there, only seeing a little basket racket and uh. And and I'm kind of of the mind, you know, I've been bs a good bit and and uh, you know, I just kind of played it off. I was like, well, it's like, well, I don't know, you know, it's getting kind of late, and I just probably ought to get set somewhere. He's like, I go across the road. If I were you, you know, why don't you go? Yeah? Yeah? And I asked him before I left. I said, uh, I said, you hunt this, and he's like, no, I I live right over here. And kind of, you know, figured figured it out that his property actually touched this walking ground, and h I imagine that a lot of the deer that I ended up seeing he probably sees as well. And uh so he was probably a little guarded. But I kind of knew that he was blowing smoke, and I just played off as you know, I was a big dummy or something. I was like, well, I just I'm gonna go in here, and huh, you know I got anything better to do. It's getting late. Uh. I kind of knew as I was walking. I was like, man, this sucker. He's trying to play me as a fool. So yeah, you know, long, long story short, I walk in. It's a pretty good little walk. Um, you know, it's not not worth anything, and you know, the property actually looks pretty marginal if you were to say, um, man, I want to hunt a piece of ground in Kansas, and and you know, you start naming off the metrics that you want a place to have. You know it it doesn't really have a whole lot. But what it does have is it has um you know, a pretty good block of of private that's just north of it, and it is in a field. UM. But outside of that, it's it's pretty open on on at least three sides of it. You know, there's a tree line on each side of this uh, this particular act field. And um just the wind that I had, which I believe was a north uh northeast wind, it sets up just perfect to hunt the northwest corner of the property. Um and and so you know, I pretty much walked in um through what would be a like a you know, just a field that they keep cattle in and crossing the fence over um and and setting up and I felt like I got in there are good, you know, didn't make a whole lot of racket and uh, you know, before I know it, um and I see it though, and it's kind of about ten minutes into legal shooting light. So I just grabbed my bow, and I'm like, man, I know what this means. On November seven, there's not generally a doe walking by herself, um this time of year. Um. And sure enough, I had a buck and I throw the bine nos up. I got my bow on my left hand and my bios my right. I'm looking and and it's still dark enough that i can't really tell what the deer is, and I'm like, well, he's kind of short. I think he's a young deer. Um. And about the time that, uh, you know, I kind of was like, I'm probably not gonna shoot that deer. Um I had looked down on his dough was right underneath me. I mean, I could have spit on her, and her and she I think she caught a little bit of my ground sent and she just turned off. Um, and then he started following her. And then it wasn't until he kind of got out of the trees and into the daylight that I wrott that he was a pretty dang good buck. And I was kind of wondering if I was going to regret, um not shooting him. But it was kind of kind of late at that point, so um, you know, I just know that anything can happen on November seven and and I'm just sitting there and I'm like, well, you know, there will be another opportunity. And you know, I think I think you know it was texting um one of you guys. But it was just it was like a you know, a fire hydrant had turned on, and it was just after buck after buck, and unfortunately I kind of found myself a little out of position. You know. Had I been in and one of the other you know, few rooms that was around me, I probably would have had a shot, you know. And we're talking about a difference of ten yards maybe, um, and you know, I wasn't seeing very many does, but it was just buck after buck and UM. As things kind of slowed down, I decided around like ninety five minutes so that I was gonna get down and um I actually started saddle hunting um this year. So what I was gonna do is just move my platform ten yards to the north and I was gonna hop down, um running and grab some breakfast real quick and uh and I was gonna get back in the stand by noon. And uh. Anyhow, I'm I'm up in this other tree and my bow and my backpacking is down at the post of the tree that I was just in and and I had made some some noise kind of breaking off, you know, a couple of branches that were in the way, and I climbed down and I'm strapping my my climbing sticks to my backpack and uh, I hear something over my right shoulder and I turned around and uh, I am those two notes with probably you know hun point and uh yeah, so he I think we both scared the mess out of each other equally. He took off. I had to use the bathroom, and uh, anyhow I watched him run off. He runs to forty yards, just acts like I'm not even there, puts his head back to the ground, and takes off. So um, that was kind of my morning hunt. Um. But at that point in time, I think I had already seen you know, eleven bucks and two does is what I think the count was, and then I was at and so um it was just a pretty incredible, um morning you know, hands down the best action I've ever seen in a morning hunt in November in my life. So, so what happened next? You just saw a bunch of action, or do you shoot a buck? Yeah, he called me to brag, is what he did. Well. I called Casey because I knew Casey was heading up up to Kansas to meet you. And uh, and you know, when you have a morning like that, you you just got to talk to your buddies about it. Just it's one of those special days that you know, and you you don't never know how many of those you may actually do, you know, in your lifetime. But um, anyhow, I went back ate some breakfasts and my buddy he was there and he was like, hey, uh, I mean you don't understand you want to help me not So I was like, no, no, man, I can't. Um, I'm gonna get back in the stand. Um. Plus, I think he makes a career I had of putting up a stand. So I just yeah, I just knew, you know, I just needed to get back. So I think I got back in around um twelve third emails at that news stand. And sure enough, as I'm kind of climbing the tree, I look up and there's a deer and I'm probably three foot off the ground and uh it's a it's a little two and a half year old buck and he just stares at me and I'm like, man, I hate to bust this deer, um, but at the same point in time, I really need to get up in this tree because if a big buck does that, I need to be ready. So anyhow, I climbed the tree. He kind of definitely really understands what I am and he just mozies off, and um. You know, the those hours between you know, noon and um, I think it was probably around three, about three pm or so, they were pretty slow, and so, um, you know, right around three fifteen or so, I look up and there was a dough and let me back up. And and it's gonna sound like it's not really part of the story, but it kind of matters a little bit. So um, right, probably you know, fifteen minutes before I saw that that dough, Um, I see this bobcat walk right, you know, underneath me, and he's walking out in the field. I'm like, oh, that's cool. And uh, anyhow, you know, fifteen twenty minutes goes by and I look up and I see that dough and then all of a sudden, here comes this bobcat with either like a squirrel or a bird in his mouth, and it's like walking straight at this dough. Well, this dough, Um, she's at thirty yards and uh, she blows up. This bobcat doesn't really take off, but she kind of jumps back and and then you know, the bobcat goes on his way. Even about fifteen seconds later, you hear another view um blow and I'm like, dear all over here, and I felt like I was pretty close to the bedding area. Um, And all of a sudden, um, this dough looks looks up and she looks back towards that where that other dear blue. And I'm like, man, that might be a buck the way she's acting. And true enough, I just see times just explode out of the brush and and run in. And I went to pull my bye nose up, and I just saw the deer and saw his body, and I just dropped my binders. I didn't even look at the deer. I was like, let's probably the biggest deer. I may have the opportunity to foot in a long time. And anyhow, I come to full draw and this sucker comes down wind of the dough and I need him to take another like two steps. Probably who I could shoot through this little lane that was probably about three feet wide and he walks straight away from me at that point, and he's probably a hundred eight or nine point just frame, probably you know, thirteen inch g two's his main beams stick out well past his nose and just a tank of a body. And anyhow, he chases her off, and about fifteen minutes I see them come out on the opposite side of this had field and just stroll down this tree line that you know, um had to wind have been right and when I probably would have sat there and he just strolls down there and they disappear, and I'm just sick to my stomach. I'm like, man, how do you know, how do you come to full withdrawal or an animal? I bet? And you just you can't seal the deal? And uh, you know how I got to thinking and I'm like, well, I'm gonna stay positive. It is the rut and uh. And then I kind of I thought about something that that Tyler said quite a bit. And I know Tyler got this from his dad, but it just resonates with me. It's like, um, you will kill as many big Bucks as God intends you to kill. And I just said that, I said that to myself and and I kind of I went, you know, I just felt peaceful about it. Um. I was still upset, but I just was like, Okay, well, God, God has another plan, and I'm gonna kill a better buck. Um. So um, you know, about that time, you know, the rest of the deer's kind just started moving and and it just seemed like deer, We're coming out everywhere. I had a couple of bucks come out on the other side of the field as well again, and um, I had a real nice ten point and I think he'll probably go, you know, around one, and then um, he was kind of just you know, piddling around out in the field on the far side, and all of a sudden, I look up and I've got, you know, dough after dough after dough. I think there's probably six to eight of them. They came right underneath my stand out in the corner of the field, and I'm just sitting there and I'm like, all right, UM, I just need a buck to follow them and I can probably have a tending arch and shot. Um. And then then I started saying to myself, I was like, well, it would be really cool if this ten point across the field, if he would just come over here to try and check out one of these doughs. And no sooner than like I thought that, he just sprint starts sprinting across the field and I'm like, I'm like, oh my gosh, this is this could happen. Um, you know, all those dose were like perfectly in my my shot my shooting window, and I was like, man, this is this could set up real well. So I grabbed my bow and I'm going to do basically at three sixties so that I could get to where I could um shoot through this uh this lane. And as I do that, I hear something right behind me underneath my standard. It's a dough and she'd come from a different direction from all these other doughs that it came out. And I was like, well, she's by herself and she shouldn't be by herself, whether whether she's got a buck or other dos and I and I look up and it was that buck that I had seen very first thing this you know, that morning, and I finally got to see him and he used a lot bigger than I really anticipated. Um you know when that you know that I thought he was in the morning time and his body was just he was a tone Um. So he comes in and and there's kind of like a little ditch line that's always full of water, and it's just, you know, five or six yards to the north of the tree that I'm in, and I'm like, well, he's gonna cross that ditch and and come around me, and I'm probably gonna have a ten to fifteen yard shot. It would be a good you know, good good side and everything. And uh, there's this tree that's kind of laid over. I guess it was blown down, and he starts walking towards it, and I'm like, there's no way that he is going to go under that tree. And he literally goes down on his elbows or whatever you call it on a on a deers hawks and uh, and he goes completely under that tree. And I'm like, I can't believe that I would have remever thought that he would have done that. Um. And at this point in time, UM, he's probably about ten yards away, um, but not quite in my stoing lane. So I I draw back and uh, and he's got basically like a little sapling that's covering his vitals and everything. And I'm just sitting there at full draw and I'm like, Okay, any second, he's just gonna step out and it's it's game over. And I was probably a draw for like two and a half minutes, and I think he may have smelled something and just wasn't sure, but at the end, at the end of it, he you know, I don't know if it was me or what, but he was definitely smelling something. And uh, you know, I released from full draw and uh, and I'm just sitting there watching and he starts taking another step and I come to full draw again. He steps down into that little uh ditch and uh, he's at like seven yards now, and uh, and I just drilled him. I got a complete pass through. He jumps across that ditch and he stands at the border of the private and the public ground and he just he looked pretty hurt and he just starts coughing, and I'm like, oh, he might go down right there. Well, he started harding to walk it off, and and then he went to go run and he just he just tumbled down. So yeah, he he probably went fifteen yards from where I shot him, and I think, you know, about two yards from the tree I was in. So just just one of those shots that, um, you know, like you you just hope for as a bow hunter really and uh, you know it was it was quick, um and um I just really couldn't have asked for anything better. Um as far as like just a total experience, you know, being able to see that many deer and that you know, that sort of action and thinking that the highs and the lows, thinking I'm about to shoot up you know on SI you know, buck to him running out of my live live to uh, you know, real nast ten point across the field. That's kind of reading the script um to just kind of having the you know, the I guess the eggs the basket right there below me and I do. At that point, I felt like one that the deer I end up shooting was more mature than the other deer. Maybe he maybe a year older. Um. But also I'm not gonna take up I'm not gonna you know, miss out on an opportunity like that to try and maybe shoot a different deer. And and you know, at the end of the day, and it all happened on public land, and it was you know, there's not to to the horn about public land, but it is cool when you can just go to a place whether it be public war private, and and you know, do the kind of scouting and uh you know read the the benefits of of a really awesome hunt, and so I was just no, matter what, that's gonna be one of my biggest accomplishments as a bout hunter. And plus I think, um, I don't know exactly what he scores and it doesn't really matter, but my my buddy that was there at camp, I think he scored him at like one or one forty. And so it's just cool that, uh you know, I ended up killing my my first pope and young fuck. Um you know, after all these years of just trying to get it down out in Kansas. So it's awesome day. It's just crazy cool, man. It the public land aspect, it's cool. The uh you made a good point about the you know, the kind of like more just any whether it's public or private. Just being able to go in and figure something out pretty quick and make it happen. I think that's awesome. And and uh you know, speaking to that like your good luck that weekend didn't end there, right, No, No, So, um, I actually had a buddy that I grew up and uh I went to school with his name's Derek Welch and uh he I took him hunting last year for the first time. Um, and he rifle hunting and killed a doe up there on our place. And he told me, he said, he's like, well, I'm gonna I'm gonna start archery hunting. So um. He bought a bow like last Christmas and started practicing. And I told himself, if you want to hunt up here, you need to need to draw a buck tag. And basically he did everything. He came up and he actually met me that night that uh that I shot my buck and he let me take care of it. So um. So that was cool. Um. And and kind of my goal for the rest of the truth was, um, you know, just to get him a buck, you know. Um. And basically it wasn't the first it wasn't the eighth. Um. We hunted the all day on the eighth together, and then the morning of the ninth, I wasn't feeling very good and I kind of just said, hey, I would hunt over here in this creek system. Uh. And it wasn't too far away from you know where I had hunety And basically he went there and killed a pretty good what I believe is a three and a half year old buck. And so that was basically yeah, I mean, heck, the first year that dude ever drew back on and killed was a buck. So he was he was like a hundred percent, which he for that. Do well, how did you get any guide fees for that or anything? I should? I should I should say hey, and you forgot to tip your outfitter. So anyhow, I was super pumped up, but kind of at that point, um, I think that was shoot, that was Saturday, Saturday morning, and we both decided we're like, hey, if we can both go home, um, you know, we'll we'll go home and and uh, you know because my I only I had to be back by Mondays when I had to be back, so um, He's like, yeah, I'm gonna head home. Um and then uh and I was like, all right, I'll head home. But and I kind of just jokingly said I might go hunt this farm that uh that I you know, have permission on over in Missouri, where I you know, pretty close to where I was living. And he was like it's like, oh, uh well, um you should. And I kind of was like, all right, well I'm going to so I ended up going out, Um the next morning. I'm getting there in time and and bas totally. Um. I've hunt that property a couple of times. And one of the really good things about that property is that it's like two fifty acres and there's not a whole lot of timber on the place, but what it does have is is quite a bit of agg and it's got you know, I think one or two fields that are completely interior um and so no, you know, it can't be seen from any roadways or anything. And so the deer they always feel, you know, real safe and secure, like traveling those uh those field edges. Um, just knowing that you know, people can't see them. And uh, you know pretty much. UM went in and I didn't really have high expectations, but um, you know, as the morning was kind of winding down, I saw you know, a flash of antlers and uh and I said, like, man, that's a good buck and and uh, you know, I was kind of watching him, and I see another deer come out in the field and I'm kind of look at that deer and it was a younger buck and then uh, you know, I I looked back and that buck was gone, but he had stood in one spot for quite a while. It was kind of a real brushy part of of a fifth row, and I was like, I bet, but he betted um right there. Um. So I get down out of the out of the tree, and I'm gonna go and get some lunch, and I'm just thinking about how I'm gonna try and hunt this deer because the wind was gonna switch, but it was I felt like I was barely going to cut the corner on the wind, um, meaning that like, there's a chance this deer could smell me. But at that point I really didn't care, because you know, I had I had one you know, I basically had one more hunt and then I had to head home. So um, you know, I was kind of aggressive. Um that afternoon. I got in early, didn't make any noise. I felt like, you know, the wind was blown enough where I could sneak in and uh and and basically I felt like I was close to eight yards away from where I've seen this buck and uh. I get set up and I wait and wait and wait. And it was warmer that day and so um, I was like, man, I'm not seeing anything. And then I don't know, fifteen minutes before uh legal shooting light was over. You know, I see a couple of does come out on the far side of the field, and then I see a young buck and I'm like, well, dang, that's it, you know, I'm I'm done, and uh, you know, all of a sudden, it's getting you know, getting where it's getting to be crunch time. And I, uh, I see this, this movement through kind of some branches in my tree, and I pulled up the buyos and I dropped them, like, oh, it's just a dough and uh anyhow, the deer makes it to my opening, and I raised my buyos again. It's just kind of like cool just watching deer, you know, and so like I was like, I'm just gonna watch this though walk right by me, and uh sure enough, like all I could see was, you know, was G twos and fo yeah, and uh yeah. I was like, oh that's uh, that's that, dear. So I just dropped my by nose and I grabbed my bow and and it happened so fast, I think, you know, I would have heard about five seconds really to make something happen. Um, you know, by the time he made it completely through my window. But he was at uh I think he was a twenty five yards and I ended up drawing back grunt stopping him, and I shot and I actually spined him, um and so um kind of not what I intended to do, but um, you know I didn't obviously I have to track him. Um I did, I did, you know, follow up and and uh, you know, put a lethal shot on him. But like I was just like really at a loss for words because it happened so quickly, and I'm sitting there thinking, I'm like I don't know what that there is, but he is big, and hey, how I you know, I get down um from the tree and uh, I was like, I was like, I don't I'm afraid just to even walk over there. So I finally walk over and I'm like, oh my gosh, like I don't I don't know exactly what he'll score. Um, you know a by the time I came back, but I think, um, I kind of rough scored him and and he was like right at one thirty four, one thirty five. So you know, I'll be conservative and say he'll definitely you know, make that one thirty mark again. It's pretty much a right, yeah, well he's a nine as Scott. He's got he's got one uh one time on his uh on his left side. I think he's a little crab qual at the end. Um but yeah, and his uh his G two is like right at uh like almost twelve inches, so um yeah, yeah, which, uh you know, after the fact, I kind of realized that he was a younger deer. But um, you know, just the fact that, um, you know, I don't get to hunt that farm and that's the first you know, He's not the first buck I've ever seen but on that place, because there there have been some good deer over there over the years, but he's definitely the first book that I've actually had a chance to take off of that property. And uh, you know, like I said, everything happened so quickly, but I'm so stintive proud um of that deer. You better be and man, and I'm just like still mind blown that I killed two poping Young bucks three days apart. That's you might be the only guy I know, like even remotely know who has done that this season, and the Poping Young double and a weekend it's just it's just awesome, dude, and it's attesting it to you know some of your perseverance and and uh, you know the hard works that you'll put into things. I mean, quite honestly, I don't know what character trait this is, but like if I shot the deer you did in Kansas, I might just be like, I'll go home. You know, I'm happy, you know what I mean. But yeah, I guess it's the hunger that you still have and that that's cool man. Uh you mentioned earlier, Um, how you've gone to a saddle this season. I know it's like all the rage and everybody's talking about it, but a lot of times that's for good reason, right, because it's it seems to be a pretty effective tool. Uh. How did saddle hunting, like, uh impact your ability to get in on these deer this year? Um? Well, in a large part it's I don't think in the grand scheme of things, you know, which I not to like you know, name drop or anything. But I hunted out of a lone wolf last year, and um, it's it's definitely a great stand. And I probably could have done the same exact thing at that stand. But one thing that I know that saddle hunting has done for me this year, um, is like it's it's definitely made it easier. It's made my my you know, payload a lot less. And uh, you know it's just a quieter I think it's just the quieter system. Um. You know you're not really clinking stands around or um or stuff like that. And then you know the I guess the one thing is, you know, I killed the Kansas when I didn't move, um to that other tree. What exactly an ideal tree to put a tree stand in? Um? You know basically you know, free stands are kind of limited by you know, if it's a crooked tree, you may not um, you may not put a stand in there, or it may just sit kind of catty want this or whatever. Um. It's so the I think the saddle definitely gives you an advantage. UM. And I know it's kind of like the hot thing right now everybody everybody's saddle hunting, but um, it's it's definitely I think a game changer. And and more so I've I've used it locally, um just because I have been you know, everybody says, you know they walk a mile, quite walk a mile um where I hunt here? But I do UM have about uh you know probably three dred feet of elevation change and probably a half a mile and and and you know part of that is like if I don't have to have a stand on my back, you know, snagging limbs and everything, like, it's it's just gonna work better. And and uh, kind of going back to the minety Tyler's hunt in Nebraska, Um, I didn't have the saddle yet and it was a home in the butt walking through some of that brush with the tree stand. I know Tyler Tyler can attest to that, but like we just we got our butts who up a couple of times, just getting tangled up. But um, but yeah, I mean it's it has kind of helped out quite a bit this year. And I just like the mobility and in the ease of the use of the actual saddle. So it's not be kind of a weird question on it. But um, do you feel like sink control is easier or more difficult with the saddle? Um? You know, I don't really have an answer for it that yeah said it is a weird question, So I mean I did have I mean, I don't know. I'm such a um, I'm such a kind of like a fanatic about like trying to be as sent free as possible. Um, And you know, I don't know. What I do know is that if you can get high enough in a tree, um, and what I did see, um, you know a couple of times so far this year, is if you get high enough in a tree, um and and a deer comes close enough, um, hopefully your scent can just blow over them. But I generally, I'm always trying to hunt the wind and yeah, even if it's cutting it close, like I'm not afraid to do that. But um, I'm always you know, hunting wind and kind of had my my scent regiment that I go through to before I go get in the woods. So one of the things I can see whether that would be interesting, is that you could put your whole like your tree stands it up, can go inside of a ozone bag, you know, and just treat that thing and and you're pretty much done for Whereas like with a tree stand, Yeah it's not like it's getting a bunch of sind and whatnot, but you know, you're touching with your hands a whole bunch and your feet go on it and I don't know, you know, it's just something else or you know, you throw it in the back of your truck and yeah, you know, no telling, you know you made a head gasoline and the match truck very well, very well yes, but yeah, yeah, I mean, you know, definitely, Uh, it is kind of neat. I've been questioned by a couple other guys hunting publicly in around here and they're like, well, where's your stand ad? And I'm like, well, I'm kind of wearing it, you know, and everybody, you know, kind of everybody around here does the whole climbing the tree stand deal and yeah and whatnot. So it's kind of they just kind of look at you funny when you're like saddle hunting, They're like, what is that? So I think, like knowing you, I think that you're a good decision maker, like your methodical, you think deeply about things, but you still also are aggressive and assertive when you need to be. UM and this may be something that comes from the military, But with that being said, can you kind of talk about finding the tree? Because I feel like you and I are pretty similar in the way we think about things sometimes and I think that, um, like one of the struggles is like you don't want to lay down a bunch of ground scent. But when you go into a new place, you want to make sure that you choose the right tree. And and there's always that I kind of want to like, oh, should I go? Should I go and extra forty yards to see what's over there? You know, see how that looks. So can you kind of talk about that or like what leads up to that as far as maybe that that maybe map, map scouting or whatever it is. Yeah, um, yeah, So it's kind of a loaded question, and I'll kind of try to go through it as as best I can, um and as thoroughly as I can without being too long winded. But um, you know, everything is different, um as far as like the landscape goes, and UM, for me personally right now, I'm really actually trying to, you know, relearn how to hunt. Um you know, kind of for the the way that the train is around here. UM. But you know, kind of if you know, if I were going to be in the Midwest and I was gonna look at something, um, obviously pinch points and funnels are are gonna be the biggest thing. And then my my thought process goes to, Okay, how how could I hunt this spot? And how can I access this spot on a given wind? Um, And then you know, if if I can, I'd like to try and have multiple entry and exit strategies. So whether I come in from the north if it's a south wind, or coming from the south on on a north wind, UM, you know, I I want to definitely look at that. UM. And then kind of the next thing that I think of is, uh, you know, I just I want I want to get into a tree. Um, And I don't want to over analyze, UM, well I could be in this tree or anything like that. Um. You know, I just want to get up in a tree where I feel like like deer are gonna you know, walk by there. I just want to be in in a deer area as the case do you like to call it? So um, you know kind of wants I do that? I just I know, UM, you know I've got the wind right, I've got set up in the trees quietly as I could get um in. Next thing I'm gonna do is start kind of looking at my lanes and stuff like that. UM. And sometimes you're wrong, you know. I've definitely um, you know, sating to stand before and and uh, you know, just didn't never have an opportunity because I was either you know, ten yards at a place or um, you know, even fifty yards at a place. Uh. Kind of like I found myself this evening. But um, the biggest thing is like when you're when you're somewhere, is like, don't be afraid to uh to get a little aggressive and like make a move, you know, if it takes me, you know, fifteen twenty minutes to hang all my stuff in a stand and I see a bunch of deer going somewhere else, like you know what, I'm probably gonna get down and go to where those deer are and and hang, you know, hang my stuff there. And I've only lost you know, probably thirty minutes of time. Um. And and I just feel like the more, um, the more guys been in like death only this year is has been an anomaly for me. Like I never would have fought in a million years that I would have had the opportunities I did this year, But um, I was kind of coming from it at a different angle. Um, this year is like, hey, I've kind of got this this you know, full time military to get going on now and I'm not going to have the same amount of time that I would um on another year to go hunt. So if if five days is all I have, well, then I'm going to look at everything, um from a a very um you know, in an anecdotal standpoint. I'm gonna try and do the things that I can control, um, you know, like hunt good winds and um, you know, put myself in as good a position of the camp. But I'm also going to get aggressive. So if that means that, um, maybe the wind isn't a percent perfect and there's us you know, a ten percent chance that a buck could come from my down one side and win me. Like, UM, I'm gonna do that because UM, when when you only have five days or a week to hunt, um, you you don't really know how many opportunities you're gonna get. And so I kind of air on the on the aggressive side um more often than not. But um, you know in a large part of UM you know, going back kind of to what I'm learning now with this new area that I've been hunting over here in Tennessee and the Kentucky area, is that UM, the first thing that I'm gonna look for is is food. UM. And if I can find food, UM, then I'm just gonna backwards plan um from from that food. Um. And so kind of what I've seen here is we've got a lot of um, you know, oaks and acorns around here. Um, there is some agg but one of the big predominant features that we've got out here is is these big ridges. And so um, my gut tells me that those deer are going to use those ridges at some point in time to move, um you know, wherever they're gonna go. Um. And so my my first step in analyzing something like that is to um kind of sidehill the ridge and see, um if I can find any sign because it's kind of a a you know, a scientific deal that deer a lot of times stick to the military crest or the upper third, and then I'm gonna um make adjustments from there. So um, you know, I just think, um, you know, be a little aggressive, don't be afraid to do something different. It is kind of it is kind of scary um at first, when when you're really used to hunting you know agriculture and field you know, pinch points and and field edges and stuff like that. But um, you know, I hear a lot of guys say, well, there's no big bucks around here. Well, maybe they're not going to where the big bucks like to be. And typically the big bucks don't like to be in a field edge next to a main you know road, you know, so um, you know, maybe maybe you need to be back off of that field edge, um in the timber and maybe there's something like a creek or you know, some contour line or something that you're just not you know seeing that would you know a queue and so like, um, I don't know. The biggest thing that I do is like I try to put a lot of you know, time in studying maps and uh and that sort of stuff. That way I can be prepared and I can disqualify, um, you know, the places where I'm not gonna hunt. So um, you know, if I see something, you know, I'm I'm not afraid to make a move and and and you know, adjust to whatever the deer are doing and and uh you know that whole I'm you and I have talked about this, uh probably in the last couple of days. Um, but you know, just the whole aggressive thing. It's a lot easier to do when you've got multiple pieces of property where that's private or public, and so like setting yourself up that way is is can be pretty fun. Uh. You know. Granted, like if you've got a really giant deer on one piece of property, you might can be kind of conservative with it if it's private and and and work your way in. But um, you know, that's that's one reason to give yourself several options, whether that's knocking on doors, cold calling, or just finding pieces of public in the area. Um, to give yourself multiple, multiple different pieces of property that are separate from each other so that if you mess one up by being too aggressive, you still have options to go shoot you know, a different deer. So, uh, that's that's a what that's I mean to me, that's just a case in point with your Kansas situation there. You know, like you've got at least but you went and killed the pope and young class deer that's probably five years old on a you know, on a piece of public because that was one of your extra options. So awesome story, dude. I'm super proud of you, man, and just like so excited for you. Man. I think it's just one of the coolest stories of the season man that I've heard. And uh, I'm just glad that your season is turned out good and hoping that after talking to you tonight that the luck will rub off on me and when I head in a mile and a quarter tomorrow that I'll have similar luck. Yeah. Absolutely, well, Um, I definitely uh feel for you. I know those long walks are not the funnest, but hope either. Yeah, hopefully it pays off for you. And uh, and then you're gonna be calling me and I'm gonna have to host you giving your big Buck breakdown. There we go. That's a pretty good idea, man, I mean, you've got the intro down, so that's right. I've listened to a few episodes. Thanks, man, I appreciate that. We feel your support. Man. We see that one download from Tennessee every week. Man, Well, dy'd awesome deal. Thanks for coming on and spending time with this evening and and good luck we're in Tennessee this year. Man. Hey, thanks guys. I appreciate you guys having me one sure thing, dude, I'll dude, that's awesome. Uh, Kansas and Missouri bucks all in within a couple of days. I guess technically three bucks and um, um, you know, I guess if you make like a loop up northward if he was just to make a loop up northward. Who he ended up in Iowa, which is where I'm at. And uh we were actually here, I guess, uh late October. And so there's four videos from that trip in a series that are releasing right now, so if you're interested in checking that out, we had some pretty sick, nasty encounters. Uh, one evening in particular. I think it's gonna be the third video maybe, um, of that series where Bucks were like squaring off like big bucks, man. And it makes me to even talk about it. Yeah, I can't go back there. Yeah, man, well hopefully I don't know. Hopefully it's it's for the best, man, It is for the best, no matter what. But like selfishly, we want you to kill a big buck. So uh, maybe this is gonna force you into going and trying a new place that's going to pay big dividen man, I think that there's a good chance for it. Oh yeah, I hope so too, man. And And to be honest, um, you know, I don't think necessarily I'm not the type that necessarily thinks that well you know, well, it's just means I'm gonna kill a bigger deer. But um, you know, I would be happy with just a solid deer, even if he is a little bit smaller than either one of those deer that we were chasing on those properties. So uh, you know, I just want to shoot and I slid mature buck, somewhat mature buck. I mean when I when I say that, like a big three year old is probably gonna get smoked, you know. So yeah, anyway, that's just what it is. Man. But I'm I'm I've gotten some of my Iowa experience and I'm gonna get a full experience tomorrow when I head in for that long trip and by myself with the sticks and everything. So anyway, I guess, uh, you know, you can see the October stuff coming up after that. Um, depending on how lucky I am on this trip hunting deer, I'm gonna get to the Texas videos. And that's a pretty cool series I think you guys will enjoy. So we are all very excited about that because, uh that's the I went there for that one, you know, So you've shown me a little bit of stuff, but I know that it just gets it pretty epic whenever you put it into like a timeline and make a video out of it. So I'm pretty stoked for that one. Man, It's gonna be cool. Man. Uh. You know another point that I would I would make that, uh not point, but just a little thing to note, uh, is I went, you know how I told you the last I may have even said this in the podcast. I think I did. But the last morning in Kansas, I was sitting there doing my like, you know, wrap up interview and that Buck came through. Yeah. I kind of glimpsed at that clip on the camera before I formatted the card this morning. Buck is big dude, and he ain't he ain't just eight point oh he I know for sure. He's got G four on his right side, and he's heavy, and he's got looking like some good main beams. And I'm just like, this deer is bigger than I thought, and it makes me want to cry more than I thought. I'm interested to see him because I don't know how the timeline all works out and whatnot, but it might be a deer that we've seen before. And well I've talked more about that off there. Yeah we will, we will. So anyway, well, there's a lot of cool stuff coming out. We're putting it out as much as we can. I really just enjoying as much hunting as I can in November. And uh, every day that I that I'm off of the or out of the woods, I'm I'm trying to get some edited foot to you guys, So I hope you can have some patience, and uh, in the meantime, watch some of our good buddies here are putting out some stuff right now too. So anyway, God bless you guys, and remember this is your element living and meet you only inside. I'm not sure why we even have to fucking grew up being in the same situation the river between. It's caused a lot of frustration, brothers. Let's forgiving for games. Blood in the river and that's why they call it the red bud in the river, and that's why they call it the reg

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