Man, what a great podcast guys... When I watched that video 10 months ago when he passed Mel up at 216" I couldn't believe it..then he shoots him the following year but takes a nap before recovering him 😂. You guys are running through all my favorites! Hell, once you get Mark Drury, T-bone, Tom Nelson, Roger Raglin, Gregg Ritz and Michael Waddell on then that's practically my whole list since I was a kid! Loving the content, keep em coming! Btw, that Rut Roar is a badass call and the only one I use as well. Best of luck
I live/hunt in Missouri. We have excellent deer here but man if they changed the rifle season to later in the month and limited non-residents. It would be world class.
Dons right. Outa staters came and flooded Illinois and shoot too many 120" 130' 140" deer cuz there big compared to where they come from. But our age structure did take a hit but the outfitters here are starting to struggle. Im blessed my parents and uncles all bought hundreds of acres in the 90's before everyone lost their properties they had permission to hunt. People call my family crazy for buying properties. Then a few yesrs later, they wished they had bought some. Now not many people can afford it.
I live in Texas. It would be interesting to hear what you guys think of our regulations. We allow baiting, our rifle season starts first Saturday of November and goes without a break to January 10th. With bow season starting first Saturday of October.
Texas has a ton of deer space, also a huge whitetail population, but the reason you all can get away with those refs is 99% of that state is privately owned, so TPWD sets the boundaries but the landowners make final decisions on what to kill
@@HUNTRPOD lol yea. I trust what Ben says he is a respectable guy and adam and team 200 must know what they are talking about...after all they have the the success to prove there doing something right
@@HUNTRPOD I used to hunt like in 99 and 2000. I got 1200 ac to hunt by getting stuck in a ditch. First hour in the tree had a 160 at 45 yards did not shoot. Had fun and found better spots in way better county I left fish to tag a whale
Thanks for keeping it real.. you are kilin bucks that i dre abouy killing and prolly never will but my goal is to kill a whitetail over 150 with archery.. im having trouble determining size of deer from stand.. especislly a 140 or 145 from a 160.. can you help me with this.. what is your best advise...
Seems like it all happens so fast.. like i see a buck and have to make the call quick to shoot or pass.. i do have alot of time to hunt but only have a handful of opportinities per season.. i shot a nice 11pt last year that i thought was in 150s but ended up 136.. what are you focusing on
Honestly, and it might sound stupid, if it’s not a no brainer, it’s not a 150+ I’ve found the ones that I have to think about aren’t. That said numbers and length of tines of key…an 8point has a tough time being 150+, 9s and 10s much more likely
I think you guys totally missed Jeffs reason behind no summer food! Why do we need to worry so much of where that buck is during the summer? What happens to most people is they plant all this summer food on a parcel and they attract all these does and then there is no room left for mature bucks!
Oh I get it, I know Don doesn’t agree with it. Our goal is to hear the guests opinion, and call it out to something it may contradict. That said it’s the one thing Jeff and I may disagree with, but I think it’s because of the landscapes we deal with. Mountains versus ag
Ohios 'rifle season' is only pistol caliber cartridges...that are larger than .357, and can not be more than 2" over all cartridge length...and all must be strait wall cartridges...so not your traditional 'high power' rifles. So it is mostly 350 legend and 450 Bushmaster that we see here. Some guys will use the .44 mag lever guns...but if Ohio allowed traditional rifles I'd be pretty pissed. And I agree, baiting should not be legal during seasons. Pre season bait piles, and food plots only. Mineral sites too are fine in my opinion... but I'd rather have it not legal to hunt withing 250 feet of a mineral site. Just my .02 on how to make it better here.
Yea and I know people are pissed we call that stuff out like we are elitist, but damn it’s just trying to make hunting like hunting. Public land guys can’t do it, so wonder they look at private land guys as spoiled brats
I would say lack of access to property to hunt is a major contributor to the hunter decline numbers. It's all about the money these days (lease) in lots of cases. Just my opinion..
@@HUNTRPOD Illinois makes it a pain in the ass to access public grounds vs any other state that surrounds it. The application process prolly knocks down the amount of hunters by 1/3 atleast. There’s also no real map of the public grounds just listings per region from what ive looked at. Edit: Don is spot on the deer drives in IL is non existent. In iowa however it’s still alive and well. Spent gun 1 this year in south iowa and it was unreal how many gun shots i heard within the first couple days.
@@HUNTRPOD with what I'm saying is I know someone in georgia who has 2 acres, that's all. He's surrounded by farm land, hundred of acres. He can't afford anything else. So he uses corn and he sees deer and has success. He also doesn't shoot young deer though.
That’s like saying there’s no difference between a 6’9” guy and a 5’9” guy. For sure a difference physically and their capabilities like dunking a basketball
@@HUNTRPOD I'm sick and tired of the bait. Planted rw soybeans this year then drilled corn into the beans. Deer loved it corn grew great and they ate all the leaves off any plot that was just beans Lots of effort involved and I need to flip the deer off a corn pile.
Sad part is, this will never apply to 90% of whitetail hunters. Great to grow bucks and harvest monsters but its not realistic nor hardly as big a challenge where these guys manage and hunt.
Great Job. No doubt the DNR has no interest in improving wildlife habitat. The DNR is about as anti-wildlife habitat diversity as you can get. Their idea of whitetail management is giving multiple tags to hunters for a cost to prevent crop damage and auto damage. They have very little to do with enhancing wildlife.
Paul - it seems so state to state variable. There are some states that absolutely are trying to manage and create better habitat. Many others seem to love solely in the “numbers.” Thanks for listening!
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he sent his one and only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”❤
Wish this dude with the gotee beard would talk less bout all his achievements and stop tryin to talk emself up and let don talk that would b great lol. I bet Dons thinkin “these guys get me on here to hear my wisdom or for them to try and impress me lmao Gotee dude used the word “me and I” bout 600 times
I hit the like button before I even watched it. Don is in my my favorites.
A peak inside the mind of a guy who gives monster bucks nightmares lol
Love listening to Don Higgins. He has a great podcast too.
Thanks for watching Brent!
Awesome episode. One I may have to re-watch to take notes!
Don has some serious knowledge bombs in there
Man, what a great podcast guys... When I watched that video 10 months ago when he passed Mel up at 216" I couldn't believe it..then he shoots him the following year but takes a nap before recovering him 😂. You guys are running through all my favorites! Hell, once you get Mark Drury, T-bone, Tom Nelson, Roger Raglin, Gregg Ritz and Michael Waddell on then that's practically my whole list since I was a kid! Loving the content, keep em coming! Btw, that Rut Roar is a badass call and the only one I use as well. Best of luck
Thanks Chris! Don is an unbelievable guy with amazing insight
really interesting podcast, so much information may have to listen again to retain it all!
Soak it in Zack!
Great insight from Don; keep up the great work guys!
Thanks Jim! Appreciate you listening
What a great podcast guys! I’m new to it but I’m hooked! Thank you for such great informative content!!
Love it Troy! Shoot it straight with us when you hear stuff you like or don’t like!
You guys are running through all my favorites!
We will keep ‘em coming Alex
Awesome podcast. Been waiting on this one.
I'd love to spend ride on some of those consulting trips with him and just soak up some of that knowledge
Lots of gems buried in this podcast. Guys like Don just know how to find and kill big bucks
This is gonna be a good one.
Don dropping some knowledge on us!
I live/hunt in Missouri. We have excellent deer here but man if they changed the rifle season to later in the month and limited non-residents. It would be world class.
For sure, but the goal there is opportunity. If it was to manage for big bucks, you are exactly right and wow, that state would be insane
Same time same place. Fact!
Dons right. Outa staters came and flooded Illinois and shoot too many 120" 130' 140" deer cuz there big compared to where they come from. But our age structure did take a hit but the outfitters here are starting to struggle. Im blessed my parents and uncles all bought hundreds of acres in the 90's before everyone lost their properties they had permission to hunt. People call my family crazy for buying properties. Then a few yesrs later, they wished they had bought some. Now not many people can afford it.
I live in Texas. It would be interesting to hear what you guys think of our regulations. We allow baiting, our rifle season starts first Saturday of November and goes without a break to January 10th. With bow season starting first Saturday of October.
Texas has a ton of deer space, also a huge whitetail population, but the reason you all can get away with those refs is 99% of that state is privately owned, so TPWD sets the boundaries but the landowners make final decisions on what to kill
Seek One has more pressure than most people think but they also put in countless hours and months in finding those deer and some times years.
We agree! Lots of planning and boots on the ground
Seek one hunts city deer..Tame
Lookin forward to the red moon😎
We are working on getting data to shed some light on this moon buzz lol
@@HUNTRPOD lol yea. I trust what Ben says he is a respectable guy and adam and team 200 must know what they are talking about...after all they have the the success to prove there doing something right
As many hunters as we have in PA we should have a three day season too.
That would be a lot of money and effort for something you can only do 3 days a year. What are you supposed to do for the rest of the year lol
@@devinwillis7787 3 day gun season. How Illinois rolls. You'd still have a wicked long archery season.
Don said something about older males being more likely to contract CWD. I've never heard that whatsoever, is that true?
Don is a giant killer!!!!!
if you want to interview someone from New Hampshire I Gotchu
You guys are awesome I’m getting caught up but you should have 1mil followers lol
Haha I’d take 10,000
Tim Wells would be a good interview
Love the content. Short of the language, this was A++
Yea we get wound up! Sorry but glad you enjoyed the rest!
Nobody asks. What are the 2 deer in your podcast scores. They are big !!!!!
Property sales and leasing has killed the hunter numbers in IL. Hunted here over 35yrs in Pike and Brown Co and it's not getting any better.
It’s definitely a game changer across the country, do you think pike county is overrated?
@@HUNTRPOD I used to hunt like in 99 and 2000.
I got 1200 ac to hunt by getting stuck in a ditch.
First hour in the tree had a 160 at 45 yards did not shoot.
Had fun and found better spots in way better county
I left fish to tag a whale
@@jerimahjohnson8698 So, did you end up taking a whale?
@@russelllangworthy8855 yes
@@jerimahjohnson8698 Wow. Nice deer and a great story. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for keeping it real.. you are kilin bucks that i dre abouy killing and prolly never will but my goal is to kill a whitetail over 150 with archery.. im having trouble determining size of deer from stand.. especislly a 140 or 145 from a 160.. can you help me with this.. what is your best advise...
Seems like it all happens so fast.. like i see a buck and have to make the call quick to shoot or pass.. i do have alot of time to hunt but only have a handful of opportinities per season.. i shot a nice 11pt last year that i thought was in 150s but ended up 136.. what are you focusing on
Honestly, and it might sound stupid, if it’s not a no brainer, it’s not a 150+ I’ve found the ones that I have to think about aren’t. That said numbers and length of tines of key…an 8point has a tough time being 150+, 9s and 10s much more likely
I think you guys totally missed Jeffs reason behind no summer food! Why do we need to worry so much of where that buck is during the summer? What happens to most people is they plant all this summer food on a parcel and they attract all these does and then there is no room left for mature bucks!
Oh I get it, I know Don doesn’t agree with it. Our goal is to hear the guests opinion, and call it out to something it may contradict. That said it’s the one thing Jeff and I may disagree with, but I think it’s because of the landscapes we deal with. Mountains versus ag
Ohios 'rifle season' is only pistol caliber cartridges...that are larger than .357, and can not be more than 2" over all cartridge length...and all must be strait wall cartridges...so not your traditional 'high power' rifles. So it is mostly 350 legend and 450 Bushmaster that we see here. Some guys will use the .44 mag lever guns...but if Ohio allowed traditional rifles I'd be pretty pissed. And I agree, baiting should not be legal during seasons. Pre season bait piles, and food plots only. Mineral sites too are fine in my opinion... but I'd rather have it not legal to hunt withing 250 feet of a mineral site. Just my .02 on how to make it better here.
Yea and I know people are pissed we call that stuff out like we are elitist, but damn it’s just trying to make hunting like hunting. Public land guys can’t do it, so wonder they look at private land guys as spoiled brats
I would say lack of access to property to hunt is a major contributor to the hunter decline numbers. It's all about the money these days (lease) in lots of cases. Just my opinion..
It seems like there isn’t a ton of public unless you hunt Shawnee which seems legitimate. I assume if you can’t lease, it’s rare to find access
@@HUNTRPOD Illinois makes it a pain in the ass to access public grounds vs any other state that surrounds it. The application process prolly knocks down the amount of hunters by 1/3 atleast. There’s also no real map of the public grounds just listings per region from what ive looked at. Edit: Don is spot on the deer drives in IL is non existent. In iowa however it’s still alive and well. Spent gun 1 this year in south iowa and it was unreal how many gun shots i heard within the first couple days.
It's 100% disrespectful to invite the guy over, and not even know he has a podcast.
If you can't afford to buy giant properties or food plots you shouldn't be allowed to increase your odds?
How so?
@@HUNTRPOD With how you talked about someone who does management and food and cover, but your neighbor shows up with a pile a corn isn't right.
@@bloodlines9610 hmm. I don't remember the specific convo but we're all for corn piles where legal.
@@HUNTRPOD with what I'm saying is I know someone in georgia who has 2 acres, that's all. He's surrounded by farm land, hundred of acres. He can't afford anything else. So he uses corn and he sees deer and has success. He also doesn't shoot young deer though.
@@bloodlines9610 cool, no we're all for it!
Why is a 150 class deer any better than a 130 or a 170 inch deer better than a 150. It's just a few inches different. The bottom line it's a deer.
That’s like saying there’s no difference between a 6’9” guy and a 5’9” guy. For sure a difference physically and their capabilities like dunking a basketball
Get rid of bait in Ohio.
Team don
It does seem like that one rule change could make Ohio the best whitetail state
@@HUNTRPOD I'm sick and tired of the bait.
Planted rw soybeans this year then drilled corn into the beans.
Deer loved it corn grew great and they ate all the leaves off any plot that was just beans
Lots of effort involved and I need to flip the deer off a corn pile.
Agree
Sad part is, this will never apply to 90% of whitetail hunters. Great to grow bucks and harvest monsters but its not realistic nor hardly as big a challenge where these guys manage and hunt.
Great Job. No doubt the DNR has no interest in improving wildlife habitat. The DNR is about as anti-wildlife habitat diversity as you can get. Their idea of whitetail management is giving multiple tags to hunters for a cost to prevent crop damage and auto damage. They have very little to do with enhancing wildlife.
Paul - it seems so state to state variable. There are some states that absolutely are trying to manage and create better habitat. Many others seem to love solely in the “numbers.” Thanks for listening!
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he sent his one and only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”❤
Hahahaha in Ohio we support private land owner rights . Plenty of monsters. non issue
P
Wish this dude with the gotee beard would talk less bout all his achievements and stop tryin to talk emself up and let don talk that would b great lol. I bet Dons thinkin “these guys get me on here to hear my wisdom or for them to try and impress me lmao Gotee dude used the word “me and I” bout 600 times
Haha cool my podcast, I can do what I want
Eliminate baiting country wide...cheap way to hunt my opinion
I’m extremely surprised Don even came on this podcast due to the profanity in here sometimes!
Can we keep deer politics off the podcast it’s really hurting the quality of the show