Hunt
The Deer Hunting Lies Most Hunters Believe
If you challenge most hunters on conventional whitetail wisdom, the response will almost always be, “maybe, but not with my deer.” It’s the nature of the beast, but we tend to have strong biases built around the deer we hunt. We also, not surprisingly, are biased toward our abilities as hunters...
Tony J. Peterson
Jun 23, 2022
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Hunt
The Reality of Outfitted Deer Hunts
I wasn’t sure I even wanted to be there.
There were manicured food plots. Carefully placed tree stands and ground blinds. Strategically set trail cameras. A jaw-droppingly beautiful Midwest landscape. And, of course, big giant bucks. Who wouldn’t want to be in the middle of that?
Me, it turns out...
Mark Kenyon
Jun 21, 2022
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Gear
3 Cheap Ways to Silence Tree Stands
With turkey season comfortably in the rearview, it's time to start hammering the checklist for the fall. I love dedicating these next few months to tackling gear tweaks, modifications, and adjustments. I review my notes from last fall to keep the necessary mods fresh in my mind. I record these...
Alex Gyllstrom
Jun 20, 2022
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Contributors
Mark Kenyon
Mark Kenyon is the author of That Wild Country, founder of Wired To Hunt, and host of the industry-leading Wired To Hunt Podcast. He is a nationally published writer, a QDMA certified Deer Steward, and MeatEater's resident "whitetail guy."
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Tony J. Peterson
MeatEater Contributor Tony Peterson has penned hundreds of hunting articles, several books, and developed multiple podcasts. Peterson’s whitetail-related contributions stem from real-world experience and a passion for hunting new ground each season. He's considered one of the top whitetail hunters...
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Spencer Neuharth
Spencer Neuharth is the director of web content at MeatEater, producer of Wired to Hunt, and founder of Rut Fresh. His writing has been featured in over a dozen magazines, including Field & Stream, Petersen's Hunting, and Men's Journal. His work is a reflection of his roots as a whitetail hunter and...
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Clay Newcomb
Clay Newcomb is a 7th-generation Arkansan that grew up in the Ouachita Mountains. He's a hunter, mule skinner, curious naturalist, and observer of rural culture. He's also a writer, filmmaker, podcaster, and owner/publisher of Bear Hunting Magazine.
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Mark Kenyon
Mark Kenyon is the author of That Wild Country, founder of Wired To Hunt, and host of the industry-leading Wired To Hunt Podcast. He is a nationally published writer, a QDMA certified Deer Steward, and MeatEater's resident "whitetail guy."
Read More
Tony J. Peterson
MeatEater Contributor Tony Peterson has penned hundreds of hunting articles, several books, and developed multiple podcasts. Peterson’s whitetail-related contributions stem from real-world experience and a passion for hunting new ground each season. He's considered one of the top whitetail hunters...
Read More
Spencer Neuharth
Spencer Neuharth is the director of web content at MeatEater, producer of Wired to Hunt, and founder of Rut Fresh. His writing has been featured in over a dozen magazines, including Field & Stream, Petersen's Hunting, and Men's Journal. His work is a reflection of his roots as a whitetail hunter and...
Read More
Hunt
Hunt
The Deer Hunting Lies Most Hunters Believe
If you challenge most hunters on conventional whitetail wisdom, the response will almost always be, “maybe, but not with my deer.” It’s the nature of the beast, but we tend to have strong biases built around the deer we hunt. We also, not surprisingly, are biased toward our abilities as hunters...
Tony J. Peterson
Jun 23, 2022
Read More
Hunt
The Reality of Outfitted Deer Hunts
I wasn’t sure I even wanted to be there.
There were manicured food plots. Carefully placed tree stands and ground blinds. Strategically set trail cameras. A jaw-droppingly beautiful Midwest landscape. And, of course, big giant bucks. Who wouldn’t want to be in the middle of that?
Me, it turns out...
Mark Kenyon
Jun 21, 2022
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Hunt
How to Deer Hunt a Small Property
Burnout is real. And hunting small properties requires an extra dose of consciousness to make them productive—a few reckless outings will almost certainly decrease future deer encounters. When hunting small properties, it’s generally a good idea to utilize low-pressure tactics while minimizing your...
Dylan Tramp
Jun 13, 2022
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Hunt
You're Giving Big Bucks Too Much Credit
They are unkillable. Totally nocturnal. Blessed with a sixth sense that allows them to just feel that a predator is nearby. Some might say mature bucks are like a different species of deer.
Which is true in some ways, and in others, total bull.
The smartest buck on the landscape couldn’t out-reason...
Tony J. Peterson
Jun 7, 2022
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Hunt
How K.C. Smith Kills Whitetails in New States
Each year, K.C. Smith travels from his Texas town to states throughout the country in pursuit of public land whitetails. And each year, he punches a few tags. These are his top tips for traveling whitetail hunters.
Set Realistic Expectations
While every whitetail hunter has dreams of tagging a 20...
Emily Kantner
May 19, 2022
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Hunt
Following in the Footsteps of a Big Woods Buck Tracking Legend
Snow softly popped beneath my boot like wet popcorn as I eased my heel, then toe, down to the ground. I leaned forward, squinted eyes searching ahead, and thumbed the safety on my rifle. It was there, I was ready. I had to be ready.
“He could be right up hee-ya,” Hal whispered back to me in his...
Mark Kenyon
Apr 20, 2022
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Scout
Scout
4 Natural Food Sources Every Public Land Deer Hunter Should Know
If you're a public land whitetail fanatic, you don't need lush food plots or ag fields to find early-season success. In fact, we often prefer other food sources. Nothing against these two staple spots, but deer are still consuming native vegetation as their primary diet, even on properties where...
Alex Gyllstrom
May 24, 2022
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Scout
Where Do Deer Sleep?
Deer spend most daylight hours lying in their bed, so it’s no wonder why so many hunters talk about whitetail bedding, specifically buck bedding. It’s a deer’s home, essentially—the place they’re most secure and protected. Because of this, they’re often located in areas that humans aren’t likely to...
Beau Martonik
May 19, 2022
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Scout
4 Ways to Save Money on Hunting Trips
If you’re into math, read on. We’ll be doing a whole lot of it. Me? I’m not a math guy. I rely on numbers only when absolutely necessary. But this discussion is one of those instances.
In Michigan, we have pretty fair turkey hunting. But a late-April opener and a one-bird limit leaves too much...
Tony Hansen
Apr 28, 2022
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Scout
Turkey Hunting Can Make You a Better Whitetail Hunter
Turkey hunting is a lot of fun, but at the end of the day, I’m obsessed with whitetail hunting. Every year when I’m chasing gobblers around the big woods of Pennsylvania, I scout new areas for whitetails. The two can go hand in hand if you like the run-and-gun style of turkey hunting that I’m...
Beau Martonik
Apr 14, 2022
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Scout
How to Scout Terrain Features for Whitetails
Pinch points, bottlenecks, and funnels are all the rage for rut hunters.
Simply locate a terrain feature that forces deer movement, put in plenty of stand time in November, and get ready for your grip-and-grin photos. Of course, if it were that easy, bowhunters in most states would have a much...
Tony J. Peterson
Mar 31, 2022
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Scout
Where to Place Trail Cameras in Big Woods
Trail cameras are a critical tool for hunting big woods bucks. I use them most of the year, minus springtime and early summer. They'll give you the confidence and confirmation in your scouting to know whether you are in the right place or need to pivot. I like to adjust my cameras based on the time...
Beau Martonik
Mar 30, 2022
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Scout
3 Places to Find Whitetail Sheds That Aren't Food Sources
Many of us don’t have the luxury of large nearby fields with standing grain to draw shedding bucks. We’ll never be able to go on a simple stroll through perfect shed hunting land and scoop antlers up left and right. It’s no secret that quality destination food sources are an ace in the hole for...
Alex Gyllstrom
Mar 24, 2022
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Manage
Manage
4 Most Endangered Whitetail Destinations in America
It would not be hyperbole to say that we’re quite possibly living in the “golden age” of whitetail deer hunting.
Deer populations might be higher now than ever before and, at least since records have been kept, bigger, older bucks have never been more numerous. Hunters smash world and state records...
Mark Kenyon
Jun 3, 2022
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Manage
How to Improve Any Small Whitetail Property
At one point, I owned three different properties. All ranged in size from 28 to 30 acres, and all were mediocre pieces as far as deer quality and quantity was concerned. I managed to pick up all three in the span of about five years in a soft recreational real estate market. At the time, I had big...
Tony J. Peterson
Jun 2, 2022
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Manage
Are Food Plots Overrated?
A few years ago, after giving a whitetail seminar at the Minnesota Deer Classic, I got into a conversation with one of the attendees. He mentioned that he hunted “up North” and that he just didn’t see very many deer. He then said something to the effect of, “I wish I could get one of those food...
Tony J. Peterson
May 25, 2022
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Manage
How to Create Ideal Fawning Cover for Whitetails
The future of any whitetail herd is in the success and survival of each year's fawn crop. Deer are exceptionally adaptive but certainly require adequate cover for safety. Trying to grow "giant bucks" is futile if you fail to maintain a positive fawn recruitment rate.
What is fawn recruitment rate...
Mark Haslam
May 13, 2022
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Manage
Why Fawn Rescues Fail
Everyone knows to not disturb a bird’s nest. In fact, many folks enforce the myth that birds abandon every egg or fledgling touched by humans.
Why, then, must wildlife agencies remind the masses each May and June to keep their mitts off “abandoned” fawns curled beneath shrubs, backyard decks, and...
Patrick Durkin
May 9, 2022
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Manage
How to Improve Any Bedding Area
In the grand scheme of things, bedding areas are small. Usually, you're working with one or two core locations, and often not more than a handful of acres in size and sometimes it's as small as your living room. So it's important to maximize the overall use and effectiveness of these areas. The more...
Alex Gyllstrom
May 5, 2022
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Gear
Gear
3 Cheap Ways to Silence Tree Stands
With turkey season comfortably in the rearview, it's time to start hammering the checklist for the fall. I love dedicating these next few months to tackling gear tweaks, modifications, and adjustments. I review my notes from last fall to keep the necessary mods fresh in my mind. I record these...
Alex Gyllstrom
Jun 20, 2022
Read More
Gear
Is the Whisker Biscuit Dead?
Just as the bulk of bowhunters fall on opposite extremes in the fixed versus mechanical broadhead debate, most also hold strong opinions on arrow rests. Though drop-away style products reign supreme and continue to push the boundaries of new innovation, Whisker Biscuits still seem to have a place in...
Emily Kantner
Apr 18, 2022
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Gear
How to Soundproof Your Deer Hunting Gear
Consistent deer hunting success is found in the details. Sure, there are people who wander haphazardly into the woods with no preparation at all and manage to get lucky. But if you want to consistently put meat in the freezer and antlers on the wall, this pursuit requires an obsession with getting...
Mark Kenyon
Apr 13, 2022
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Gear
How to Make Your Camping Setup More Efficient
Days are long, nights are short, and the stakes are high. As you head out of town for a highly anticipated adventure hunt, creating efficiencies in your camp setup equates to less time at camp, more time in the field, and more sleep at night. As they say in the business world, time is money. If you...
Dylan Tramp
Mar 28, 2022
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Gear
Boating for Whitetail Bucks
I slid across the lake’s surface like a skater on ice, the bow of my canoe slicing smoothly through the waves while diamonds sparkled on the water and shimmered off the antlers at my feet. This was something new. I’d seen flip-flops, fish, and beers in this context, but never antlers. I could get...
Mark Kenyon
Mar 21, 2022
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Gear
4 Ways to Cut Weight from Your Tree Stand
To be consistently successful on pressured public land, hunters must go where the deer are and other hunters aren’t. This flexible style of mobile hunting might mean moving to a new spot every sit.
But if you’re carrying in a climber or hang-on each time, it can become a real grind—especially when...
Emily Kantner
Mar 4, 2022
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Gear
The Best Time to Upgrade Your Bow
Let’s forget the arguments for and against buying a new bow. Instead, let’s pretend as if you’ve decided that this year is the year you’re going to trade in the old rig for something new.
Since bow manufacturers have been engaged in a who-can-release-it-first war for about a decade ago, the newest...
Tony J. Peterson
Mar 2, 2022
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Latest Wired To Hunt Podcasts
Wired To Hunt
Ep. 514: How to Train a Shed Antler Dog
On this week’s episode, Tony breaks down the strategy for training a dog to find shed antlers through nose-work and visuals.
Connect with Wired To Hunt and a href="http://themeateater.com/">MeatEater
Tony Peterson on Instagram
MeatEater on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube
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Tony J. Peterson
Feb 22, 2022
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Wired To Hunt
Ep. 513: Whitetail Therapy Session with Tony Peterson
Today on the show, Mark talks with his new therapist, Tony Peterson, about what he learned about whitetails -- and himself -- over his most demanding season ever.
Connect with Mark Kenyon and MeatEater
Mark Kenyon on Instagram , Twitter , and Facebook
MeatEater on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and...
Mark Kenyon
Feb 17, 2022
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Wired To Hunt
Ep. 512: Foundations - Shed Hunting with a Purpose
On today’s show, Tony discusses how to plan shed hunting routes and figure out the best timing for your antler finding missions.
Connect with Wired To Hunt and a href="http://themeateater.com/">MeatEater
Tony Peterson on Instagram
MeatEater on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube
Shop MeatEater...
Tony J. Peterson
Feb 15, 2022
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Wired To Hunt
Ep. 511: First Deer Stories on the Back 40 with Evan Barrett, Forrest Waggoner, and Hank Forester
Today on the show, we're talking new hunter mentorship, getting you updated on what’s happened with the Back 40 in 2021, and then diving into a couple great stories about two new hunters that I had the privilege of helping mentor on their first successful deer hunts.
Connect with Mark Kenyon and...
Mark Kenyon
Feb 10, 2022
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