00:00:02 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Wired to Hunt podcast, your home for deer hunting news, stories and strategies, and now your host, Mark Kenyon. Welcome to the Wired to Hunt podcast. I'm your host, Mark Kenyan, and this is episode number four oh one and today's show, I'm joined by a new hunter you've heard on this podcast several times now, Dan Ja Joe, who just recently took the huge step of killing his first dear ever. Alright, welcome to the Wired to Hunt podcast. We have got a really cool episode for you today. It's a store that I'm so glad that we can share. It is the story of how Dan Ja Joe has killed his first dear. We had Dan on the show for the first time last fall, so two thousand nineteen, after I met him at a q d M a Field to Fork Mentors hunt event. This is an event that that paired something like a dozen new hunters with a dozen mentors, had him spend the weekend together and teach him everything they know. So I was a mentor on that hunt. Dan was a guy I met there and and since then we've stayed in touch and I invited him out to the Back forty this year. UM and hopefully you've heard the stories about how that went. He came out in the summer. He helped us work on the farm, planning food plots, planting trees, um. He then came out in the fall for a hunt. That hunt was featured on the Back forty TV show, which you can see on the Meat Eater YouTube channel. So if you were to watch episode two of that show, you would see Dan out there in the summer working with us. If you watch episode six of the show, you'd get to see his hunt. We had a really fun hunt that you know, I had a bunch of ups and downs and ultimately though we were not able to get him his first deer. So that was disappointing, but but you know, that's hunting. And over these subsequent weeks, though Dan kept after it and just recently on his own, the guy's h a tremendous example of persistence. He kept after it. He he wrote out a couple more storms and was able to get the job done. Dan killed his first dear. He's a tremendous example of of you know, what's possible for new hunters, and his story I think is a great example for experienced hunters like myself so I think you know, even if you're a new hunter, I think this is a story to listen to, Beads. I think you will be really encouraged by it. I think you'll be inspired by the journey that Dan has been on that has ultimately led him to now becoming you know, you know, he's been a hunter, but now he's he's successfully filled his first tag. So I think if you're new, they've got to listen to this story. It's gonna give you some some wisdom and some encouragement that I think will help. If you are an experienced hunter though already, I think you need to listen to the story because it's gonna help you see the fruits of your labor in mentoring. This is something I'm trying to do more of this year, taking the time to help other people show them what this thing is all about that we love so much. Let's let's help other people experience that too. I think you're gonna even be inspired by what Dan has to share about his experience and how important mentorship was for him. The impact that mentors had on his trajectory is huge, and and I think this is evidence of the kind of impact that that YouTube could make. So give this one to listen. I hope that it will maybe maybe cue some thinking, Maybe it will trigger you to think about you know, who is there in your life that maybe has expressed some kind of interest in hunting, but you know you never followed up with, Or who do you know out there that that could use some new access so they could get their first year, or or maybe you don't know anyone like that, but how could you seek out and find people who do want help, Because there's a lot of them. Guys, more than a lot of us have realized there are people out there in the world who have never hunted, but in the back of their minds are thinking, you know what if I you know, if I, if I ever had the chance, I might do that. I'd like to get some meat in the freezer and know exactly how it got there. I might be willing to give that a try. But they don't know anybody in their family or their circle of friends who can show them how to do those things, so they never do, and they go through the rest of their lives never having hunted, never having experienced this thing that's so transformational that that we're so lucky to get to do every year. So listen to the story. It's a quick one, it's a fun one, it's it's at least for me, really damn inspirational. So let's get to the story of how Dan killed his first dear and let's just enjoy. This is a great way to start the new year and as a a really important bedrock for me at least when it comes to what I want to achieve this year, which is making these stories happen more often. So, without further ado, here's Dan Jo Joe and the story of his first dear. All right with me on the show today. On the other line is the wise and powerful Dan jo Jo. Dan, welcome back to the show any mark. I wouldn't say why. It's been powerful, but thank you, thank you, thanks for having me back on. Well, hey man, you've got a lot to be excited about lately. You you got engaged. Congratulations on that, Thank you. You killed your first deer, congratulations on that, Thank you man. And most importantly, you finished up your year of pies? Right did you finish up the year pies? You gotta leave at all plumb. I'm throwing it to the bus here. But when for everyone listening, when Dan and I hunted together this November. He mistakenly, Uh admitted the fact that his his girlfriend now fiance was doing this Year of Pies where every month she made a different pie and she made Dan taste test it, and then she instagrammed every time he tasted the pies, and and I forced him to let us watch all these Instagram videos. So please tell me that's done right. She's not gonna do it to again. She was. She was conspiring for another year's resolution, of another year of something, but I had to put the brakes on it. I couldn't handle it. Though it was she did a nice shot. Oh man, Well, I'm glad we get to talk because we actually haven't talked on the phone about the hunt itself. We first off, you texted me and said that you got it done, you killed your first deer. And then I said, can we can you tell me the story? And you said, no, I gotta get this dear. Gutted, I was talking about it, so so then I realized, that's a good idea. Let's not hear the full story until now till we're on the air, and Uh and I can enjoy it for the first time with everybody else. I'm so excited for you. It's been a hell of a journey. I know, it's been really cool to be able to follow along with it the last two seasons now. And what I wanted to do today, man, was is is kind of recap it. So start at the beginning again and kind of briefly get everybody up to speed on on what led you down this path, what got you here and then and then dive deep into the the final weeks of your season and what ultimately led to this very exciting conclusion. So, um, you feeling good about that? That sound good? Yeah, yeah, that sounds great. I'm happy to share the story. Cool. Are you as excited about this as I am? That this happened? Dude? I was pumped, man. I mean when when it all went down, I was just so so happy and just so like, I don't know, I don't know if relieved is the right word, but just the fact that I got it done and I was just like, you know, all this work, all this time, so that it was just like came down to that moment. I was just pumped. So so yes, I can I can only imagine. Man. Well let's let's let's rewind the tape a little bit and just get everybody caught up if they hadn't heard. You know you you joined me last year, I guess for a podcast after we met at one of these mentor hunts that the quti May puts on through their Field of Fork program. So that's how we met, um, and since then we've been in touch. And then we hunted together this fall, did some work together this summer. But but real quick, can you just re how how this whole crazy journey started for you? What? What was the center down this path? Yeah? Man, so I mean growing up, I I I did a lot of fishing with my older brothers, and I've always had an interest in the outdoors, um, but never had really much involvement in hunting. Um. As I started to get older, I started doing other things outside, you know, snowboarding, mountain biking, etcetera. Um, but hunting still really never never came into the picture. Um, you know, fast forward, I don't know, A couple of years later, I got my hands on a compound bow and I started shooting that and having a lot of fun with it, and um, you know, I saw it as an avenue to get into hunting. But just didn't really know how to actually you know, put it to work, or or where to go or you know, have other people in my my friend group or peer group that could show me the ropes. Um So, so that kind of led me into getting you know, starting to try to figure it out myself. Um. Obviously started doing research on my own. I caught window meat Eater, started watching episodes on on that you know, caught your podcast, started listening to to what you had to say, and it was all great information, but just found that I just kind of didn't have the real, i don't know, motivation or encouragement to really just start doing it on my own. And I had had a friend at the time that had some property up north, and they took me on a uh, you know, my first couple of hunts up there. Um and that kind of um just got me just my my my fingers kind of in there. And I don't know, it was just a start to what I thought could be a lot of fun and a new activity that I could I could pursue. Um So, so yeah, I you know, as I started to get more interested, I found the field of fork program and um, I met yourself and I met Josh and Jason and you guys were all all, you know, like minded guys that had a lot of experience in hunting, and I kind of took the leap of faith to to get get with you guys, and we did a couple of hunts at the program and they all went really well. Um, and then from there it was just kind of like, all right, well, now I gotta start, you know, figuring this out on my own and doing more research and and you know, keep going and um yeah, and you know that's that's that was last year, right, So fast forward to this year. I started to you know, really yeah, before before you go too much further to two questions about that first year and those those years or months leading up to it. Number One, you got the bow, you liked fishing when you started thinking about hunting. Was it the activity itself that you thought like, hey, this would be a one thing to go do, Like I like the fish, I like to pursue fish, I probably like to pursue animals, or was it I really want to get a bunch of meat. Like which side of hunting was what really drew you in or was it the whole package? Were you thinking the whole picture at that point already. Yeah, it was definitely the whole picture. I mean I'd like, I like the whole kind of adventure aspect of it of you know, going out in the woods and trying to figure out how I can put myself in position to get a to get a deer. But then also on the flip side of things, I also was very excited to get a bunch of meat obviously, Um, you know, obviously through fishing and just growing up fishing my brothers and I would I would love to get a good haul of while I or perch and have a you know, a fish for with family and friends. Um. I just saw this as another way to get you know, some some food on the table as well, and and and enjoy it with family and friends like like I do with you know, with the fish that I get with my brothers. So it was definitely the whole, the whole package there. Okay, what about the flip side then? Was there anything early on that you were worried about? I know in past conversations you told me that some things that have have worried you have been like just being able to get the final act done properly, getting a good cling kill that kind of thing. Um, but were you ever apprehensive about, I don't know, could you kill an animal? Were you ever apprehensive about what would your friends or family think did Was there anybody who thought, oh, hunting's something you shouldn't do, anything like that, or something else that gave you worry as you started going down this path um a little bit. I mean, you know, I, like I said, I don't really have many friends or any friends really in my immediate friend group that that hunted. So when when I kind of started getting into it, they you know, naturally as friends do you you just start ripping on you for stuff that you're doing. So you know that that was always kind of in the back of my mind, you know, just I didn't let it bother me too much. I was going to keep doing what I was doing because I liked it. Right. Um, My family was pretty supportive of it. I mean, any time that I was telling them that, you know, we could have a bunch of meat here, they're they're all about it. So so they were they were gung ho um for me to kill an animal. You know that that lingered in the back of my mind. I knew it was just part of hunting, so I wasn't gonna let it bother me too much. And the fact that you know, like I feel like it's it's it's the best way you can connect to your actual food versus going to the grocery store and and and just completely removing yourself from from that from that kill or or or the harvest of that animal. I just thought it was it was if I was going to do it, this is the best way I could have food for myself and potentially for my family and friends. So so yeah, that that was kind of what was going through my mind. Okay, did you ever end up having um, you know, you you weren't. You weren't worried about any negativity. It sounds like you never you ever got any of it your friends, other than giving you as a good natured hard time, you haven't experienced any any negativity around it. No, not much. I mean, for the most part, you know, it was it was pretty supportive. Um. I never really had any like, oh, you shouldn't be doing that, or you shouldn't go out and kill an animal. Um, you know, and and if and if I ever did, you know, I would kind of explain the whole sustainability aspect of it, of how you know this this is really kind of like the best way you can go out and get your meat. You know that that deer lived its best life in and its natural habitat. Um. I found that it was it was, you know, quite okay to go out and take take an animal from from from their habitat and a sustainable way where that population is being managed, and you know it was okay to do so. So, I mean, I I did my research. It was of what I'm trying to say, and just made sure that if I ever did come across that I was I was prepared to have that conversation. Yeah. Well, you certainly seem that you've given us some thought, which which I love. UM. And and this is just another example of of what I saw this year and that I can just see that you've This wasn't something that you're like, oh, I'm just gonna give it a shot and just gonna go out there and kind of walk around like you've really dove into it, You thought about it, You've done a lot of preparation, You've you've worked hard. Um. And then that first year, you know, at least last year where you you start taking those next steps and you reached out and you you met up with us. Uh, what was it last year that maybe there wasn't Maybe I'm just making assumptions here, but was there something last year that was that like tipping point for you where this went from this thing like you're kind of curious about til like, all right, I'm going into this and I'm really diving into it, um because it seems like you're in a totally different place than you were a year ago. Is it was there something like that? Yeah? Well, I think the first thing was my hunt with Jason last year, where I think we were about a step away from launching an arrow at a box. And I think that moment was just like holy cow, that that actually almost happened. And I, you know, I had that small taste of you know, I quote unquote success and and I think that just kind of launched me down this this black hole of Okay, I I have to figure this out. I was almost there, and you know, it's it's going to happen eventually. I just got to figure out, you know, that last bit of whatever I need to do to really get it done. Um. So that was the immediate thing, and then part of it is I'm I don't know, man, I'm kind of a head case, and when when I can't figure something out, I just kind of go crazy and just try to do my research and do my work to to figure it out eventually. Um. I just I just like, I like challenging things, and I mean hunting is is by no means easy, And I just thought it was just something that I really wanted to pursue and you know, figure out and and you know, add it to my list of bobbies that you know, it seems to be growing every day. Um So, so yeah, that was kind of what I was thinking. What about that you mentioned that experience that Jason Um and I'm just curious and we talked about this a little bit last year. People should go back and listen to this full conversation just after that mentor hunt. But what and you've also experienced it this year to what aspect of spending time with a mentor like that did you find most helpful because you finally had someone to sit with you and and talk through some things and show you things. Um, was there anything that you can point to that was like, oh, yeah, this really made a difference, or this this is where I needed help or or maybe it didn't get it, and and and you found yourself still having questions. But anything like that stand out. Oh yeah, definitely. I think just having somebody out there with me showing me kind of what to look for and and and you know what what's good sign versus bad sign? Um? You know what hunting pressure looks like? Um, what where the deer might travel through? Pulling up maps, shown me you know, different terrain features on on X or whatever. Um. You know. Jason also showed me this different resource, this other resource through the Michigan DNR where it shows all the different um I guess trees in a given public plan area and where you can point out oaks which are good food sources for the deer. I mean it was just uh a breath of knowledge that Jason was able to provide that you know, had I been trying to figure it out on my own, could have taken me, like you know, weeks or months or or even years to try to nail down. So the the intel and the knowledge that he had and he was able to give to me, it was just so valuable. Um in that one, I think it was it was two hunts that we did together. And then you know, the hunt that I did with you this year was I mean, you know, I had had kind of got the foundation like Okay, this is what betting area looks like, and this is what you know sign looks like. But from from the hunt we did together, now it's like, okay, now we we have a legitimate chance of seeing some deer. What do we do now? Um? And and you kind of guided me through the whole process of Okay, you know, take a deep breath. We don't need to rush a shot. Um. You know, we want to make sure that the deer is is in a good spot to take a shot. And I mean that alone, you know, you can, you can coach yourself to do it, but you know, um, it's it kind of takes that that that other guy right next to kind of help you and give you those mental cues to really to really help you do do something well. And unfortunately we didn't get it done in that hunt. But like I mean, you know in my other hunts that that's that's like ingrained in my in my mind. Now it's like, don't rush a shot, you know, calm down, just breathe, you know, it's it's it's those things that that have really helped me. Yeah. So so between year season one or last year and this year, um, heading into this season, well, I guess would be last season now for us technically, but um, what what kind of things were you wanting to work on or did you come into the year with I'm doing this different and this different and I'm gonna do this better or was there anything that you brought into two thousand twenty as as a to do or goal or or something you were going to focus on. Yeah. Yeah, I had a list of things, and um, I kind of started. I started pretty early in the springtime, and my first thing was, Okay, I gotta find I gotta find other places to hunt. Um because last I guess, you know, the season it was just kind of me like kicking public land spots and me just kind of walking out and just trying to figure out what looks good and you know, setting up shop right there and then um with not much, with not much you know, rhyme or reason this this upcoming season or I guess this as season. Um, I wanted to be a little more methodical about where I went and you know, have have a purpose as to where I was setting up. So, um, I started, you know, doing some research on ONYX and just trying to find public land spots that just looked good to me, just you know, different terrain features that I thought would hold deer, um you know, where I could find different food sources that they liked. Um, where I where I thought, you know, pressure wouldn't be. So that was my kind of early season start. And then once the weather started getting good, I did a couple of boots on the ground trips just to check out the spots to make sure that what I was seeing online was really legitimate and if I thought, uh, you know the spots that I found, we're worth my while. Um So I did that, and you know, some of the spots that I found online ended up turning out you know good, and I ended up hunting them, and then other spots I was just like, all right, this isn't what I thought it was. So from that aspect, I definitely have some some work to do in terms of like e scouting and what I think would be worth my time actually scoping out. Um So that was the scouting aspect of it, and then I wanted to get a lot better with my bowl. So I shot my bow probably I don't know I started. I think I got a little late start. So I started in this I don't know, midsummer UM leading up to leading up to the fall, and I tried to shoot, you know, three to four times a week. It wouldn't happen every week, but I tried to get it in even if it was only like, you know, five or six arrows. But I tried to shoot my bowl regularly, regularly, regularly, you know. And that that was just all part of like, Okay, if I if I am presented an opportunity, I want to make sure I'm I'm making a good shot. I'm not you know, wounding the deer, hurting an animal. So that was that was the second big thing. And then lastly I wanted to get my gear situation figured out. UM. And when I say gear situations, since I am hunting mostly public land, UM, I didn't really have like a set stand that I would go up and and and hunt UM. And I had bought late in that first season. I bought like a kind of a mobile stand that I would you know, towed around um different my different hunting spots. And I just found that I wasn't really good at setting it up. It would take me a really long time to get up and down the tree. I was really uncomfortable with it, you know, I was really clumsy with it. So I wanted to figure something else out. So I ended up looking up different saddles that I could made me try out, and I finally settled on getting a saddle, and UM practiced a few times in the summer, just getting up and down trees, but I really didn't get super good at it until, you know, until I was doing it in the season and you know, UM, really figuring out my process to get up and down a tree and my process to set up. But no means my super smooth. And I mean I still drop stuff and you know it happens to Yeah, man, I'm still clumsy with it, but I just I'm I'm way more comfortable than that than I was um last year with with with my my tree stands. So I know, those were my three or four things that I wanted to work on over the summer, and um, you know, I think there's still work to do, but I think that was a good start to my season, my season leading up to this year. Yeah, so did those did those things? Did those areas of focus end up? Um? Helping you once the season once a year two began, I mean, how did that all come into play? And what did you two look like as you get started? Yeah, I mean year two was was great. I mean, I'm not going to downplay it. Um. The early part of the season, when I started hunting all my public plan spots, um, I mean it was pretty rough. I didn't really seem many dear, to be honest with you. Um, I think I saw a total of maybe two dear that whole time, amongst you know, a handful of hunts. So it was pretty challenging. My my spot didn't pan out like I'd like them to, unfortunately. M A memorable moment was I was hunting one more morning and one of my public land spots and I had a group of like forty people on horseback just tropped through the field I was hunting, and I was just so rattled by what was going on. So um, so that was interesting. Um and uh yeah, like I said, I mean, the public plan spots then pan out like I'd like them to. I mean, just dealing with with hunting pressure and just really you know, deer that are really on edge. I just I didn't really think it was a a success, but I mean I did learn a lot that. I mean, I gotta take that away, you know, I gotta do things differently for next year if I'm going to keep hunting public land, which I probably will. Yeah. So then that that took you to the back forty hunt, right, Yeah. And so the back forty hunt. We talked about it, you know, a month and a half ago or two months ago, whenever we did that last podcast. Um, we had three days out there. We saw, you know, a handful of deer every hunt usually um, and I remember in my head, I was thinking, ah, man, this sucks. We're not seeing more dear. Dan's probably really bummed. And then I remember at one point, You're like shaking with excitement, and we saw a couple of dolls, and you know, this is more dear than I've seen all year. And it was such a great reminder for me that I can sometimes get jaded because as because I've been able to do this for so long, and I have been super blessed to be in some really great situations. I've got to see the tippy top of the mountain um in a lot of cases, and it's easy to forget and and shame on me for not remembering to take joy in in seeing a couple of deer. Uh. You know, that's a lot of fun. That's a great thing, and for a new hunter especially, that's not an easy thing. Uh. So that was a huge takeaway from me from our shared hunt together. Um that not only is that something to be enjoyed, but that's also something that so many people don't necessarily get to do every day. And and that's another reason why I want to try to do more of what we did, which is bring new folks out there to places where they can see those deer. Um. Because tell me if I'm wrong. But getting to go out and spend a couple of days in the back forty as a new hunter who hadn't been able to see a lot of deer, who hadn't been able to be in many positions like that, was that a pretty special thing? And was that a great opportunity just to be able to live through those moments? And you know you kind of alluded to it, like learn what to do when you're seeing dear, learn how to spot dear, learn how to get ready for a shot. Those are things that you hadn't really been able to do much before, and then over the course three days we had a bunch of it. Um am I right on that. Yeah, absolutely, man. I mean just just the property alone is such a cool thing to see for somebody that just doesn't have much experience with with deer or or or just property management in general. I you know, everything is done, you know, all your food plots, all your all your different you know cover screens that you guys planted, everything is done with reason. And I just thought that was so cool to see something like that, you know, be worked on over the summer and then come to fruition in the fall, and then have somebody out you know, hunting it and you know, had those things all come together. Just from that aspect, just to see a piece of property like that was was really was really fascinating to me. And then, like I said, having all those things come together and work and you know, you guys are seeing deer now and we're getting actual you know, opportunities at deer. I think that that's just such a neat thing to see as a new hunt hunter, just to see what's what's possible out there, right, Like you out and hunt public plan. But this is a whole another realm of what you can do with a piece of property. That's that's uh. I just thought that was that was pretty cool. Yeah. So so we had their hunt. We saw some deer, We got a shot at one. You got a shot at one. We were counted that whole thing last time, so folks know, uh, you know, I made the mistake of thinking it was a hit based off of what I saw through my binoculars. And then we you know, went through this whole roller coaster of emotions where we're excited we thought you got him, and then we started tracking, couldn't find any blood, couldn't find anything, got a tracking dog, spent all night trying figure something out. And long story short, uh, we believe it was a clean miss now and and that whole thing happened. That was a tough deal. But the next day you kind of dusted yourself off, grabbed the gun again. We shot um, got you, you know, just making sure everything felt good with a gun again, went out for one more hunt, ended up almost getting a shot at a dobe, but she had another deer right behind her um and it didn't end up panning out but we we didn't. I didn't get to hear from you after that hunt on the podcast because we recorded that podcast the morning or no, the day, No, I don't know what it was. It would have been the afternoon before that last hunt, I guess. So with the whole hunt behind you now, and and like that week after the hunt, when you looked back on the back ford the experience. UM, I know you've already mentioned a couple of things that that you learned that you enjoyed experiencing. But did you learn anything about yourself coming out of that experience, having the man us, dealing with that, everything that went on. Um, what was your big takeaway from that experience? Yeah? Yeah, I mean the just so the experience overall was was incredible, man. I mean, you guys did a great job. You and Justin did a great job of just kind of coaching me through everything and and helping me out. And you know, I'm gonna remember that, you know, for the rest of my life obviously. Um, the big takeaways from that from that was, you know, ship happens, right, so so I can't I can't let myself or you know, a mistake or a miss or even a bad hit really really get to me. Um. And obviously just being you know, I like to wear my emotions on my shoulder every now and then, and and you know, I really can't let that get to me too much, right like when when something bad happens, you know what's good? You know, how are you going to get better from it? Um? I think that was a huge takeaway of what I learned. And and you know, those those things happened, and I'm sure you know, like you guys said, happened to to every single person that hunts out there, whether it's dear or something else. Um, you know, and you know, it's just it's just all part of all part of the hunt and all part of the pursuit. So you know, you really can't let that beat you up too much and let that deter you from what you're trying to accomplish eventually, is you know, make a make a clean shot and get put some meat on the table. So what happened from there? Yeah, yeah, we sent you on your way off in your own again. And uh, and I didn't know, I didn't know if you were gonna be done hunting for the year or if you're gonna still keep after it or what um, But but what did you do? No? Man? I mean I think after that hunt, after that last hunt, and how close we were to to to get in one of those dose um, that kind of like lit a fire inside of me on you know, into Okay, I got I gotta, I gotta keep going. I gotta, I gotta get this done this season. I you know, I feel like I feel like this is this is going to happen. Um. So so I think in one of our hunts, you know, we were talking, you know, just just different strategy, and I was asking you questions you were going to be some some good feedback, and you had mentioned, you know, um, because I was hunting a lot of public land, and you had mentioned, you know, you should you should think about tapping your network and just seeing if you possibly can get access to whatever private land properties, if you know a family friend, if you know, um, you know somebody that might have some some some property you can hunt. And I took that as kind of like my my takeaway and just started asking, you know, asking around. Well I didn't really ask too many people. I asked my immediate family and m yeah, and you know my dad had actually mentioned this. You know earlier in the season to me, but I brushed it off. He has a friend that owns this small, like ten acre property, um, just north where I'm living now. Um, it's probably like a fifty minute drive from from where I live. Um. He you know, they had bought the property, like you know, a year ago. None of them hunt. And he said, hey, like if you want, if you want, I can give you their number and you can you can reach out and see if you can if you can hunt that property. And I had dismissed it, and honestly, I kind of forgot about it, just thinking, Oh, it's it's ten acres like whatever, Like I'm not going to see anything on a ten acre piece of property or you know, I'd rather go out and hunt public land where it's like I'm working with like hundreds, if not thousands of acres of land. UM. And I just kind of said, whatever, maybe maybe this property has something something that I'm not really you know, seeing here. So I reached out. Um. This was actually the Sunday after our hunt, so I think, Um, we wrapped up our hunt on the back forty I don't know, it was like Tuesday that that week, and then the following weekend. UM, I had, you know, reached out and just said, hey, I'm gonna you know, you know, my name is Dan, I'm Um, I'm Frank's son. I'm gonna swing by and and you know, maybe I can you know, hunt your property. I went, They're kind of explained to them, like the whole hunting thing and why I'm out here and what I'm trying to do, because they really just didn't have much of an idea. And UM, the the owner and my dad's friend UM and her son, UM walked me around like the whole property and would be the property line. And I said, oh great, this is this is awesome, like, thank you so much. And UM, I just figured i'd hunt that day. So I had all my gear in the truck, got it out, you know, suited up. UM. And then just by the looks of what, you know, where they took me around and what kind of onyx was showing, there was one real spot that I was just super interested in hunting on that that ten acre piece of property. UM. Obviously my first idea was I want to get away, you know, as far away from the house as I can. UM. And then I end up found finding this little corner of the property where some terrain features kind of all met on this little Uh I don't a low section. There was a few trails that intersected, and there was this really big oak tree that I thought was, you know, a good food source for the deer, at least where the deer felt. I felt like the deer were coming back and forth from UM. And then you know, I went out there. I got in my in my saddle and as I'm up in the tree and just kind of scoping out the surrounding surrounding areas. UM and uh. I think within an hour of my sit I see, you know, three deer pass to my right, and UM, I'm like, okay, well that's that's a that's a great start, you know, not thinking I was going to see anything right off the bat, I'm seeing I'm seeing three deer kind of trot trot right next to me. Um. From there, you know, I saw some turkey. It was. It was really fun hunt. And then UM, I think probably thinking to yourself, dang, why didn't I do this two months ago? Yeah, yeah, definitely, definitely. I was definitely thinking that, um, just because it was a cool area. It was it was easy to get to. And you know, I saw three deer right off the bat that was that was more than I had seen all season just hunting the public land. Um. So, I don't know, it got to about five o'clock and I see this dough by herself, just kind of coming my way, and she's coming my way. She's coming my way, and she's she's by herself, and she's looking behind her, and I'm like, oh my god, like this is this is going to happen. Um. And she's kind of quartering right towards my shooting lane and I'm getting ready, getting ready. She's probably like, you know, five yards from where I need her to be. And then as she takes a couple more steps, right behind her as a as a buck, and I'm like, oh my god, you know that, you know there's a buck right there. He's doing this thing with a dough. This is like obviously some good rut activity happening right in front of me. Um. And right away, I'm just kind of like, Okay, what what do I do in this situation? Um? I'm thinking in my mind, like I just want to shoot a deer, you know, I know this this this buck is right there. But like I would be happy to take this dough. So um, they keep working my way, and finally the dope gets in my shooting lane and I'm like, okay, I'm I'm gonna, I'm gonna, you know, pull back and take a shot. So um, that day, I was getting some snow coming down, and um, my bow was all wet. So as I started to draw back my there was there's this little rubber piece on my wrist and it made this loud squeak and it was like, so as I did, it made that squeak. Dude, it was like I lit a firecracker and and let it off right in front of the deer. She spooped so hard and I was just like, no freaking way, Like, no way did that just happen. So she spooked and I thought she was going to dart, but she didn't. She spooked around my the oak tree that I was kind of sitting right in front of, and um, she ended up going to the trails that kind of intersected right behind the oak tree, and the buck just followed her. The buck just followed her. So at this point I'm like, Okay, I don't think I completely blew it. I think I might still have a chance. Um, this is a little further of a shot that I'd like to take, but I'm just gonna kind of wait it out now. So, um, you know, she kind of did her thing behind this oak tree, and they kind of started working my way. However, the way that, you know, the direction that they were coming was just directly down wind of where I where, you know, where my scent was. So I just knew like at any point, like I'm going to get winded. So anyways, they kept doing their thing, and eventually the do went into this kind of brushy area. But the buck was right in my white right in my range, um, and he was right behind this tree, and I thought, okay, well I don't really have a shot at this dough, but I have a shot at this puck, so I'm gonna try to get ready here. Um. So I just kind of got myself prepared, and I got myself, you know, mentally worked up to try to make a shot. And he he was kind of lingering there for a couple of minutes, um, but but I just wanted to be patient. And then he took another step. He's in my shooting wane. Now now I'm ready to take a shot. All of a sudden, right under me comes this like uh, this this spike, and he's freaking out. You know, he knows, he knows there's a doe over there, and um, but he's right under my tree and I'm like, oh my god, what do I do? Like so it's just like pandemonium in this this one hunt that I just you know, it was my first hunt there. I had no idea it was gonna go down like this. So I said whatever, I'm just gonna ignore the spike. I'm gonna draw back. And as I draw back, the spike under me spoops, the dose spooks what the buck stays. So the buck stays and I'm like, okay, he's looking right at me. He's stomping his feet, but I'm just gonna try to stay as calm as I can. He's twenty five yards, this is this is in my range. I put I put my sight on him, and I let it rip. I let it rip, and I shot him. Um. You know, I I kind of heard this like thump that went into went into his body and right there and then I just knew I hit him. Um, And I was just kind of completely out of my mind at that very moment. After I shot him, I tried to see where he went. Um. I think he darted out into the neighbor's property and I saw him like fall um. But then he just kept going and I was just you know, my my first reaction was, you know, I gotta get down out of this tree, um, you know. And I started trying to tear down my set. I'm like, hold on, wait, wait, wait, I don't want to fall out of this tree. I gotta take until of minutes and just relax. Um. So I gathered myself and got down. Um. I went to the side of impact and I didn't see any blood, and I immediately just got super worried. So I kind of walked. I didn't I didn't want to completely ruin my track job, but I walked probably like I don't know, twenty yards from where I thought I shot him, just following his tracks. We had snow on the ground so it was easy to follow. And I found my my arrow and my air had been it looked like it had been broken off. So um. There was a little blood on my arrow and it looked like it got broken off, and there was probably like five inches or so gone from my arrow. So I had immediately just kind of like thought like, what what happened? Like did it pass through? Did it not? Um? You know, my fletchings weren't bloody, So I was like, I don't think it passed through. Maybe it got broken off. Um, maybe I maybe I hit his arm or something. Um, I'm not sure. So I just got I got really kind of down on myself on that moment, like, God, I didn't make a clean shot. I didn't. I didn't do the right thing here. Um. But like in the moment, I thought like I did everything that you know, I had practiced over the summer. I thought I made I thought I made a really good shot. So I just kind of kept telling myself that, and I pulled out my My first thing to do with just get permission on the neighbor's property to go track the deer. Um. So that was my my first my first step got permission, that was golden um. And then I called my brother. I was like, hey, man, like I might need some help, like can you come out. Luckily he was only like twenty minutes away. Um, So he came out. And then my third thing was like, Okay, I don't know if I made this clean shot, excuse me, I should probably try to get get ahold of a tracker and just see if they could maybe come out and help out with the track job. Just trying to be safe, and you know, rather than myself and my brother who don't really know much about tracking animals, maybe they could give me some help. So I took some pictures of the arrow and kind of what had happened, and I got ahold of a tracker and um, kind of explained the situation, sent him the picture. Um it was like a Sunday night, and I felt really bad bothering this guy. But you know, he said, you know, just from what I had told him, he said, well, I'm thinking this is probably a shoulder shot. And if you only got four or five inches of penetration, you know, I don't think you really hit a longer major artery. So I'm not really sure if you have a dead deer on your hands here. Um, so I'm not really sure if it would really be worth it for me to you know, come out and do the do the do a track job for you. You know, it was snowing and it was kind of like it was dark at that point. I felt bad. So I kind of was just like, you know what, no problem, and he's like, well, you should definitely give it a shot yourself. And UM, you know, if you think that it's really worth it for me to come out, then you know, give me a call and I'll see what I can do for you. So at that point, it had been like two hours from the shot, and we, you know, my brother and I kind of set set off and just try to track it ourselves some Being that there was snow on the ground, we could we could you know, you know, clearly identify some blood. So we, um, we picked up on a blood trail pretty quickly. And the blood trail I thought was pretty good. Um, you know, we were seeing drops of blood here and there. But then we would, you know, every fifteen twenty yards or so, we would kind of find this like almost like a little pool of blood where you know, we thought that we had maybe gotten a lung or something. I wasn't sure, so I now, I kept taking pictures of everything and just try to keep track of what we were seeing. And we kept following this blood trail man for probably like three hundred yards three or yeah, three or four hundred yards and finally I found where where the buck had bedded down, and he had bedded down right next to the swamp, and and it is bad. I could see like or blood just kind of like pulling up right there. And I just I just didn't know what to do at that point, Like did I bump the buck out of his bed? Is this thing gone now? And you know, just completely in the next county or something, I don't know. And then I saw tracks across the stamp. So I called the tracker again and I you know, sent him the pictures and sent him everything that I had, and I just I just said, hey, man, like this is the situation. I've tracked this thing now for like three or four yards. I think we bumped him out of his bed. We saw these tracks across the swamp. Um, you know, do you feel like it's worth it to come out? What are you thinking at this point? And his feedback to me was like, just by the looks of blood and what you're seeing the fact that you've tracked him now for four hundred yards, I really don't think he made a lethal shot on him. And you know, I probably would have pulled out on the track job, you know, you know, a while ago, so um, just me not having that experience, I was just kind of like, oh, man, like this is terrible, Man Like, this is just such a bummer. So um my brother and I just kind of called it, and you just said, like, you know, hopefully the bucks survived and he's out chasing does somewhere and we can kinda let him do his thing and not disturb the areas, you know, any any more than we did. So that was that was a really really big low point for me at you know, just just having that shot wounding the animal and just the fact that I didn't didn't kill him was just like, you know, at that moment, just just awful. You know, it was really bad. Yeah, man, I you went through a rough spell there between that and the back forty hunt, and and you had some some high highs and some low lows. But I gotta give credit you then reached out to me after that and explained what happened. And and I I think that Tracker was a little too negative on you and that um, you know, with that kind of blood trail, Yes, it definitely sounded like a potential shoulder blade hit. And and yes, uh, there certainly was a good chance he was going to make it. But at the same time, you you had blood for a long time, you had tracks. Um. Him telling you that he would have pulled out before the end of the blood trail is insanity to me. So I you know what I told you was, hey, man, you might want to keep looking. Um. Yeah, there's there's certainly a good chance that the deer's out there fine, but you gotta check that swamp. You gotta check the larger area because there's There's also been many times that I know people had thought a deer, you know, kept going and kept going and kept going like, oh, we'll never find this thing, and then you do. So to your credit, you went back out there. I don't know if it was the next day or two days or whatever it was, and you went out there and you grid searched and you kept following it after we talked about some things, and you gave it a serious, serious effort, um in the middle of the night. I know you were out there late after work or whatever it was. So you kept after it and and I really commend you for that. And you didn't find the deer, and that deer probably is just fine. But these deer always deserve, you know, our very very best shot to recover that. And if we're gonna, you know, if we're gonna take that shot, if we're going to do that, we we deserve those animals, deserve our respect to take it through the end and give it everything. And you did that. Um, for the sake of time. I've got so many questions. But for the sake of times, I know you've got a hard stop in fifteen minutes. We gotta now move on to the final piece of this of the season. I know that happened. We talked about things you mentioned like I need to take a little time off. I gotta kind of process all this. So you took a week or two or whatever it was off, and then you finally got back out there. UM, give me the epic finale. Yeah. Yeah, So so that all happened. Like you said, I took some time off just to kind of regather and just you know, I was super bummed out about it, and you know, I took my time to to you know, do my thing, and I was just like, you know what, maybe maybe I'll give it another shot. Um. I decided to get so we my brothers and I will share the shotgun that we've had for for ages, and we have a slug barrel that you know, nobody's ever used. And I got it out last year and I you know, I shot it, you know once last year, and then I just figured, okay, let me let me get it out again this year and let me just put the bow down and then maybe do a late antler less hunt, um and see if I can, if I can get into something. UM took it out shot at a few times. I thought I was good with it. By the way, there's no scope on this thing. It's it's got an iron sight on it. I just figured I'm just gonna roll with it. I'm not gonna I'm not gonna take too far a shot. Something comes in with like forty yards, that's gonna be my max. Um. So yeah, man, it was gosh, it was what was it? It was the day after Christmas and I was just like, all right, I'm just gonna try to get this hunt in real quick. Saturday night. Beyonce wants to hang out, but I'm just gonna, you know, I'm just gonna do this real quick. Just you know, it's all good. Um. So yeah, so, um, I had a head a couple, you know, at one more hunt before that, where I was in that same tree where I shot that book, I just got blown up by a few doughs and I just knew, I gotta, you know, they're onto me at this point, I gotta figure out a different setup. So UM ended up setting up like in a different tree fifteen yards where I was, you know, I was originally was Um this tree had a little more cover for me, had a few trees behind me, so it kind of like broke up my silhouette a little bit, and I just felt I felt like, Okay, I'm gonna have a way better chance than this tree just being a little more stealthy. UM. So gotten the tree probably like two o'clock. UM, I think I was. I was ready to go by like two fifteen, and man like not fifteen minutes later, I saw four dough cruising the neighbor's property to my left, and I was just like, oh my god, this is this is happening way too early. I'm not ready for this to be over, Like what is going on? Um? So these four dough are cruising this, you know, the neighbor's property, and there's this little betting area that butts up right against the property I hunt, and but it's in the neighbor's property. And they go straight to that betting area and um, all four dough just they just sit down and they're there. They end up betting in this little this little thick, nasty stuff and all of this is in my range, Like I can see everything with my buyos, and I see them just kind of all sitting down and just just hanging out, and I'm like, okay, like holy cow, Like you know, if they if they you know, end up getting up and work my way, I'm going to have a legit shot at one of these deer. So it's like two fifteen, and man, they were betted down for what I thought was like eternity. Um, I think it finally got to like four thirty and they started to move around and two dough started working my way. Um, they were still in the neighbor's property. So I didn't want to take a shot just yet. I wanted them to wait, wait over till you know the property that I was on. They start working my way, start working my way very slowly, and then finally like they're in the shooting lane that I knew I could take a shot through. Um. But there was two dough. There was a big dough and there was a little dough, and I, obviously, you know, just of the two, I wanted to take a shot at the big dough. Um. So I got set up, I got my my gun ready, and I have my my sight on, you know, in the general direction of where the deer are. However, the big dough is locked off by a patch of these little trees that didn't want to take a shot through. Um. But the the little dough was kind of like in my sight. UM. So I'm just kind of getting ready and get ready. She's kind of just doing her thing, not moving. All of a sudden, behind me, I hear a blow and I'm like what, like, where did that come from? Like there must have been deer behind me, or deer over to my right that I didn't see that may have picked me off with, you know, the way that the wind was blowing. And I hear blow, and immediately I get nervous and I'm like, okay, like I'm busted. Like I could just completely blow this thing right here. Um, but the deer didn't spook, and I'm just like waiting for this The big dough to step out, and then I hear another blow, and that one got the deer's attention, and I'm like, Okay, now I have to make a decision. Do I wait for this big dough to step out, or do I just take a shot at the little dough just for the sake of getting a deer and just you know, getting some meat on the table. And then I heard another blow and I was like, all right, you know what, I'm not going to take another risk here. I'm just going to take this shot at the little dough. And I did. I let it rip. You know, I felt good right off the bat um took the shot, the deer ran off. Um, she ran off into the neighbor's property, and UM, you know, I just knew right from the start. I was like, I think that was a really good shot. Just by the way the deer reacted, it looked like I had gotten a decent hit, and UM, I was just kind of like it's just overcome. Was just like, oh my God, a sense of relief and just like thank you, Like I think I think this is this is happening. So UM, I gave it some time. I think it gave it, like you know, half hour or whatever. I just took my time, tearing down my my saddle and um, I went down and um. At this point, I had already gotten the neighbor's permission to you know, um, you know track a deer if I if I had, you know, if they had gone over to the property. And man, it was snowing that day, and the blood trail was great, and you know, it was just not twenty yards later. Man, I saw I saw it laying down, and I just, um, I just got so happy. Man. I think I went over to it, and quite honestly, I did feel a little remorseful just seeing it there and just seeing it kind of you know, I had just taken a shot at an animal and it and then it expired right there in front of me. It's just like, you know, I feel like it's it's kind of a natural thing for for you to feel a little remorseful there. And I did get you know, I did get a little sad whatever, but it was just quickly overcome with with happiness and uh excitement, and I was just I was just pumped, man, I was just pumped. It was a good day. It was it was a great time. What I mean so many, so many questions and did it so? So from there you you you enjoyed the moment, you gott of the deer, you brought it home. Yeah, you eventually butchered the deer, I think, right. Yeah, So looking back on all that, what is the A? Was it what you expected? Or did you get out of this what you're hoping you're going to get and be? How do you sum up your feelings about everything? Now? Oh? Man? Um? Was it what I expected? In the moment? It was not what I expected? I I don't know. I feel like I feel like it all happened so fast. Um, but really looking back at it, I you know, I think it was like over like five or ten minutes that I was kind of been the standoff of those two dear. Um, it just I think it just happened so quickly, and um, you know, I really wasn't expecting to feel remorseful, like I said, I just thought I was it was going to be all kind of like happy and like, oh my god, like I did it like but no, it was just kind of like whoa Like I just took I just took a you know, I just took an animal's life here and and you know, naturally I just kind of felt felt weird. Um, but no, I mean eventually that the happiness did come. Um, I mean just the whole season in general, man, was such a grind. I think I told you earlier in the season where after I shot that buck, it was like, you know, right now, it seems like the worst season ever, but probably gonna look back at this and and think like this is probably gonna be one of the best seasons I've ever had, so um, So from that aspect, yeah, man, it was. It was just kind of like so many different things happened and none of which I had any idea We're going to happen, and I just kind of had to roll with the punches throughout those months, and I did and ended up all coming together and I was just so so happy. So has this several year journey of ups and downs and work and challenges and learning and frustration and excitement. Has Has it all been worth it? Oh? Man? Absolutely? Man, I think, you know, just like the taste of success was just so great, and then just the excitement that I've gotten from you know, my family and you know just you know, obviously you guys and you know Jason and everybody else have been so pumped for me. I think that was that that's been really cool. Um. And then you know, we got we got the whole family involved in butchering the deer and that was a lot of fun. Like my brothers and their kids and my dad came out and he showed us a finger too, because he used to do his own butchering, um, you know, back when he was younger. So he showed us a bunch of stuff, and um, the meat is incredible. Um. You know, I've I've had a few meals now from from the deer and it's it's just been awesome. And then um, just being able to share it with with my brothers and my family and I've I've given them meat and they've been so happy with it and just saying like thank you, like this is great, Like you gotta go get another deer right now. No, it's not a season. I gotta wait til next season. So so it's been it's been awesome. Man, it's been great. That's that's so cool. I I couldn't be more excited for you. Uh So it sounds like I already know the answer to this question, but I have to ask it. Uh, is there gonna be a year three? Oh? Yeah, definitely, man, definitely going to be a year three or three for sure. I'm very I'm very happy to hear that. Okay, I know you've got to leave here, probably some important stuff to do with work or life or something more important than this. But but two really quick questions. Number one for other new hunters out there listening, who haven't killed their first dear yet, who are where you were a year or two ago, what would be your piece of advice for someone who who was in the shoes or who isn't the shoes that you were in not that long ago. Yeah, a piece of advice would be, Um, you know, don't be afraid to get out of your comfort zone. Um. You know, I feel like, you know, I take this with anything I do. If I'm not if i'm if I'm feeling too comfortable with something I'm not, I'm not really learning anything. So don't be afraid to get uncomfortable and reach out to like your local q d m A or I guess now it's the d n d A, right, Um, your local NBA chapter and just try to tap some resources that you wouldn't normally tap um and see if you can, if you can find a mentor that would be willing to guide you through the hunting process, even if it if it is something that you wouldn't normally do. I think that that knowledge and the things you learn just hunting with some someone is is invaluable, right, Like it's just you can learn so much um in in such a small amount of time, UM, And I really feel like that that can really help you out in your journey me to have some success. I think that's kind of like the biggest thing for me, right. It's like if you're if you want something you've never had, you've got to do something you've never done before. So so don't be afraid to get out of your comfort zone and take a take a leap of faith and you know, do something like that. So that would be kind of my my big lesson or you know, my big my big thing for a new hunter that's just trying to get into it. It's great advice and any I can you imagine how different your life would have been if you hadn't you know, emailed qtum after listening to that podcast, UM. A whole bunch of things came out from that because you reached out to Josh right after listening to the Mediator podcast and sent you down a crazy road. Huh yeah, man, it's been a it's been a journey, and you know, I gotta thank you. I gotta think, Josh, I gotta think. You know, Jason, you know, you guys are just such, you know, good examples for I guess this up and coming generation of hunters, and you guys are doing the right things. You guys are saying the right stuff, and you know, you guys help more than you really know. So I gotta really thank you guys for everything that you guys are doing. Um, Like I said, setting that good example is just so important for the guys and girls that are coming up and really protecting the future of our you know, of hunting and our habitats and our dear population all these other things. Man, it's just big things to you guys, right, you guys, I feel like deserve the credit and don't get it enough. So big thanks. Thank you for saying that. Dan, And uh, I know we gotta let you go. So just congratulations again, my friend. It's been an honor to get to be a part of it and to see it and watch it and and see your your progress. I'm very excited for you, and uh great, great work pushing through all the ups and downs and coming out the other side. You are You've been a hunter all this time, but but now you are a hunter with with meeting the freezer and that's an important step. So well done in Congrats, Thank you so much, man, I really appreciate it. And you know, thank you for having me on again. It's awesome, man, Thank you so much. All Right, and there you go. Congrats again to Dan. What what a story. I wish we had a little more time he had he had to run off and do some things, but gosh, there's so much that I would love to dive in further too, about how he experienced and and dealt with all these moments after the hunt. You know where his head is at now. It's just it's a lot. And maybe maybe I'm just really excited because I've seen what Dan has has worked through and and the struggles he overcame in the experience he had, and gosh, it's just it's really cool to see a story like this kind of get wrapped up with a happy ending. So I'll say this to all the listening um. If you're a new hunter, take Dan's advice. Reach out to someone, reach out to an organization, reach out to a friend or family member that you know hunts, and and put yourself out there a little bit. It can really pay off. And then number two, to those of you who are already hunters and you want to try to help some people like this out if you'd like to take that next step and you're hunting journey and become a hunting mentor. Number one, the most simple thing you can do, but something that a lot of us don't think about, myself included, is simply offer an invitation. If you know someone who maybe is into some other kind of adjacent outdoor endeavors. Just in conversations, say hey you like to fish, or hey you like to camp, or hey you like to I don't know, you like to shoot guns. Would you ever be interest in hunting? Because I'd love to take you out and show you around sometime. Just do it. Just put it on your list this year, you're gonna ask someone, You're gonna invite someone. It's it's a really simple thing to do, and yes, takes a little bit of sacrifice once you go out there, and spend a day or two with somebody. But it's man, it's not just a good thing to do. It's also a lot of fun and I can attest to that over the last couple of years. It is so fulfilling to share this thing that we love with other people. Number Two. Another great way you could do this is reach out to an organization like the National Deer Association which runs these field to fork mentorship programs. Reach out to them and say, hey, I'm interested in being a mentor. They need more mentors. I'm talking to these guys frequently. They've they want to scale this program to other parts all around the country where you can help educate new hunters and spend a little time with him out there in the woods. They need people, they need you, So go to the National Deer Association website. You're gonna find contact information there to get ahold of folks. Hank Forrester is the guy who who's running these programs. So get ahold of Hank Forrester. He's going to help point you in the right direction or touch base with your regional contacts. Someone like Josh Hilliard, who was on the podcast last week. He's one of the regional directors for the National Deer Association. If he manages your area, reach out to him and he can help connect you with people that are running these programs. It's it's a great way to get involved, it's a great way to make a difference, and it's a great way to make sure that this thing we love continues far into the future so that our kids and their kids and future generations can enjoy wild places and wild animals and the privilege to hunt them and to fill our freezers with the best damn meat that money can't buy. So that's all for me. Thanks all for listening, thanks for your time and your support. Is gonna be a good year. This is gonna be a great year, guys, and I'm excited to share it with you and to be a part of this community. So until next time, thank you, and stay wired to hunt.

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