Are you like me and love to hunt deer in and along farm fields or larger destination food sources during the hunting season, especially the early season?

In this recent video I discuss ways and means of exiting your stand location when these areas are filled with deer at the end of legal shooting time. And I discuss what I refer as the single most effective method of leaving your stand and being totally undetected by the deer you are hunting. 

​Enjoy!

In my most recent video I discuss what I how the soybeans turned out on our home property along with what I am doing to "sweeten the pot" for the coming archery season. I hope you enjoy!

​Scent Control for Deer Hunting

Take a complete shower with some sort of scent neutralizing soap and shampoo. Always take care of your hunting clothes and all the other items you wear by washing them in a scent-free laundry detergent. Then let the clothes dry outside and not in the dryer. then place the clothes into a scent-free bag or sealed box totes. You can add some leaves, branches, etc. to give them a natural smell. Whenever you go to your hunting location, apply odor eliminators on your clothes, boots, body, and gloves, and let them dry. But don’t forget about your camera, gun, bow and others gear. Be sure to spray those items too so that deer do not detect the smell of plastic, human or other foreign odors.

The bigger and older the deer, the harder it is to fool them. They don’t get big and old by being stupid! But a crazy fact in my experience is, the older they are, the easier they are to pattern.  So they become fairly easy to kill if you can cover up and remove your human scent and pressure.

Is Eliminating Your Scent Useful?
Jeff Murray is a well-known author of a book called “The Moon Guide” and is an expert when it comes to whitetail deer hunting and has provided several useful deer hunting tips. He says that wearing carbon-lined clothing such as Scent-Lok has increased his personal success rate of catching mature whitetail bucks
Does scent blocker really work: What is a hunter’s Opinion?
Does scent blocker really work?
A hunters’ opinion for this matter varies. There are some who swear it works, but there are some who said it has no effect at all. Why do the hunters differ in their opinion? The answer is quite simple.
On one hand hunters who have experienced great success when they have used scent-eliminating products thoroughly believe in them. On the other hand, those hunters who haven’t yet experienced or used them do not.
Why is it that scent-eliminating products will work for some deer hunters and not others?
Hunters who believe in and use scent elimination take deer hunting seriously, and they know there are several steps a hunter must do and go through in order to be completely scent-free. If you miss just one step these will not work for you.

9  Deer Hunting Scent Control Tips – That Actually Work

Tip 1: Hunt the wind – The Untapped Gold Mine Of SCENT CONTROL That Many Have Seemed To Have Forgotten.
Here is the #1 secret scent control tip, and it’s FREE……. hunt the wind! During the off season, You need a bag that you get after you buy a comforter set. You must then place the all your hunting clothes into the bag, poke holes in it, place it in a big tote and fill it with dirt. The dirt will release all the air in the bag and the holes will help the NATURAL earth scent to seep into the cloths.
But the downside of this trick is that if you hunt in the mountains, this trick may not work properly because the wind blows in 360 degrees every 5 mins.

Tip 2: # 1 Form Of Scent Control For Deer – ( If You Can Master This Technique, You Can Hunt Deer Anywhere )
You can do a lot more things for scent control that don’t take a lot of time to do. And if you spend an hour on scent control every time you go into the woods there’s a lot more you need to be worried about. Simply remember, the number one form of scent control is simply your stand location. Where your stand location is set or where you’ve planned it to set is the number one form of scent control. If you have your stand located properly you should be in the driver's seat. If your stand location is set correctly for archery hunting you can take your scent right out of the picture and should be able to fool a deer’s nose easily. That’s the basic foundation of all scent control…making sure that your stand is positioned well first.
A good reminder for all – Your access to any stand location must be planned out well in advance also so that the deer you plan on hunting never have a chance to know you are in their domain.


Tip 3. Scent Eliminator Sprays – The Truth About Scent eliminator sprays
Dress outside the truck when you arrive to your hunting location. Use a scent elimination spray. Even though I believe that it works and I have seen many proofs, scent elimination spray can’t eliminate human scent completely. It just covers up human scent a little bit. Scent control is all about adding up small percentages. A Scent elimination spray might give you some extra advantage.

Tip 4: Activated Carbon Lined Suite – Have You Heard? 
Many claim wearing a carbon-lined suit like Scentlok will make you scent-free. Also some controversies arise whether carbon suits really work. When you are not using your carbon-lined clothing keep it in a separate pack. This will keeps foreign odors from other clothing transferring to your deer hunting clothes.
To make it effective, you must activate it by placing it into the dryer for at least 20 minutes. Once your carbon suit has dried it will be activated and you must then place the suit into a scent-free bag and leave it in there until you arrive at your hunting location. Do not place your activated suit on the back of your truck or hang in your closet because this will attract odors.
Make sure that your suit is scent-free so that it can perform well. There are scent-free bags so that you can make sure your suit remains scent-free.

Tip 5: Being Scent Free is Easy!
Here are some more deer hunting tips before you leave your home and head to the woods. Make sure to take a shower or bath to make sure you have gotten rid of as much human scent as you possibly can. The smaller amount of human scent your body has, the better off you will be. When you are wearing your carbon suit, it’s extremely important to remember to wear your gloves, hood, and hats. Human hair and breath give off a large amount of odor. To make the carbon suit effective you must wear the entire suit, not just parts of it.

Tip 6: The Lazy Way To Make Your Boots Scent Free
Along with the gloves and hood, you also need to remember to ensure your feet are also scent free. The nose of the whitetail deer detects the human scent that has been left behind by your hunting boots days after you have left the woods. To ensure your boots are also scent free, you should keep your hunting boots in a scent-free container anytime you do not have them on.
During some point of your deer hunting trip, you’ll most likely have to walk a great distance to get to your deer hunting stand or blind. It is pretty likely that several deer will be walking over and around the exact same trail, you walked on. Rubber boots are the best for warm weather simply because the rubber boots will not hold on to foreign odors. On the boots you use for cold weather use a scent free soap in order to wash them. Always use you cover scent spray all over the entire boot and this also includes the soles.
You can also spray scent eliminating spray to your boots and be sure to wear an odor eliminating socks before going into the woods

Tip 7: Use some sort of neutralizer spray -Advantage against a deer’s sensitive nose.
There are varieties of different odor eliminators that also include dirt covering scent. This spray helps to eliminate the odor from your boots and will make them smell just like dirt. Make sure to spray down all of your equipment that you will be bring into the deer woods with you like your bow and any other gear. They may have odd odors on them that could possibly spook a deer. 
Your tree stands along with any other equipment also needs to be scent free. They usually pick up human scent from people being on them. Use some sort of neutralizer spray and/or covering scent spray on every piece of your accessories that you carry in. If any of your equipment is washable then you should wash it and store it along with your clothing.

Tip 8: Beware: Before You Go Hunting
Before you leave for your deer hunting trip you should shower and use scent free shampoos and soaps. You should not use any kind of soap or shampoos that contain a scent. You can also purchase deodorant that is scent free or possibly not use any deodorant at all before you go on your hunt. Remember, do not use colognes, perfumes, or any scented deodorants.

Tip 9: How to Cover Human Scent on Your Breath when Hunting
A great deal of human scent comes from the mouth when breathing and your head. Wearing a carbon-lined hood is of great help.
Chlorophyll tablets are yet another way that can help you eliminate your human body odor. It has been prescribed by doctors to cure extreme bad breath and body odor. Taking chlorophyll pills to help get rid of your human scent by starting with the metabolic level.
 Chewing gum that contains chlorophyll helps eliminate breath odor too.

Conclusion:There are many ways to eliminate your human odor. But regardless of what method you choose, just be sure you have done that before going into the woods.
Anything you can do to help get rid of your human scent helps. The nose of the whitetail deer is similar to a smoke detector. Just as with the smoke detector and smoke, it only takes a small amount of human scent to set the detector or the nose in this case off.
The steps needed to be able to eliminate all of your human scents before you climb into your stand can seem like a great deal of work and time in preparation for your hunt. But think about the extra time as a well-warranted event once you have harvested a large buck. Not to mention that by following these deer hunting tips it can be very easy.
Covering all human scent your body is carrying can be a hard task, but the harder you work to make yourself scentless, the more likely you will get a good, quality deer.

Verdict: Can You Eliminate Your Scent? Regardless of all these scent control deer hunting tips, trying to actually trick a deer’s nose can be a difficult task. And essentially it's impossible. The key is to take some time and effort in scent control and you might actually get that few extra seconds you need to pull the trigger on your trophy buck.

Mental Durability for Bowhunting

Regular exercise schedules condition your body, indeed, yet maybe more significantly, they condition your mind.

Guides who take clients on extreme chases after creatures like bighorn sheep and mountain goats let me know that psychological strength most frequently isolates fruitful clients from ineffective. As a wellness proficient and energetic bowhunter, I know each bowhunter can get things done to build the ability to manage vulnerabilities in the field. Undoubtedly, actual wellness adds to mental durability. Truth be told, wellness preparing prompts individual discipline and upgrades your capacity to be more OK with being awkward - - the structure blocks for mental durability in the field.

Discipline
The craft of discipline truly reduces to needs and execution - - sorting out the main thing to you and following through on the cost to accomplish it.
For my purposes, the need is that pursuit of a mature whitetail from September through early January. In any case, how would I accomplish that need? That deer lives in the most isolated and thickest parts of the forest for the greater part of the year. He endures brutal winters, hunters, and numerous different obstructions, and he everyday trips all over edges just to get food and water. Conversely, I inhabit 2,000 feet, purchase my food at a store, drive to and from work, and don't need to watch over my shoulder for hunters.

The distinctions in our ways of life make execution of my need an extreme test, and I get an edge over the buck just through a restrained way of life. I punt on rest to get to the exercise center early, set up my dinners ahead of time as opposed to pulling up to the drive-through, plan exercises in my day to day organizer, train with a virtual exercise partner for accountability, and express no to overindulgence. Making little sacrifices every day, limiting alternate ways, and pursuing the more respectable option cultivates an edge for the woods.

Become Familiar With Being Awkward

Please accept my apologies, however cookie cutter preparation won't test your breaking points.
While preparing, perserverance ought to be the main objective, and it's not estimated just by pulse or how much perspiration you produce, but how much work you achieve at all measure of time. Exercises should be observed with a stopwatch so you're contending with the clock. This approach could leave you lying on the ground in a puddle of sweat with your muscles shouting and lactic acid streaming through your body, yet all the same, that is fine.

These come as the consequence of a greatest exertion and proceeding when your body asks for kindness.

Look To Go on With Commitment

Exercises like this not just burn away calories and fat, they additionally adjust your mind to awkward circumstances. All things considered, the unexpected happens constantly in bowhunting: You climb straight up hill two hours before light, sit in an unforgiving tree stand from day break to sunset, battle weariness following 10 straight days of hunting. You get it. What's more, when you're there, you'll be grateful you've prepared for it.

You additionally can improve mental intensity through day to day way of life. Do you search for the more responsible options? Do you challenge your intellectual ability consistently by doing things you would rather not do? I call this psychological molding. It rules out narrow-mindedness, split the difference, or interruption. It constructs an outlook that shapes the bedrock for progress in difficult stretches. So test yourself continually with affliction to fabricate mental durability. It will extend into all that you do, including bowhunting.

Mental Molding

Mental abilities, as actual abilities, need continual repetition. Go get a 3x5 note card and a pencil. On one side of your card list your own keys to progress; on the other, list execution keys to progress. Keep this card convenient and concentrate on it frequently. It will act as a cordial wake up call of the psychological signs required for progress. I'll utilize my own note card for instance:

Individual Keys to Progress

-Discipline
-Hard working attitude
-Persistence

Execution Keys to Progress

-Confidence In Myself
-Top Level Concentration
-Accountability

I compose these things as an understudy, not an educator. I actually have huge space for development in this my home, however I'm continually looking for more truth and sharpening my psychological distraction with progress as the shared factor. Raise your bowhunting experience by being more mentally prepared.

I love to read while in a tree stand or blind of the sort. It's one hell of a lot better than being caught up in some totally pointless conversation on social media when scrolling on the phone. I'll opt to save the battery life for more important things like calling or texting my wife or best friend after a successful hunt or for an unexpected situation. 

I recommend indulging into personal development books like the ones I have pictured below. I highly suggest checking them out and studying them. DON'T just let them collect dust on the couch. You can find them on Amazon. Just click on each image to order, if you'd like to check them out or other great personal development books. Discover secrets to a greater quality of life that the school systems fail to ever teach. And they will give you a greater ability to stay engaged longer into your hunt. I'll almost guarantee it!

Health, Fitness, Hunting : Everything is Circular
 
By no means will I ever tell any of my clients, or anyone I meet, or anyone that exists in my life how to live their lives. That's just plain rude! And definitely none of my business. But, when I'm asked how I stay so "skinny" or how I can zip right up a hillside with very little effort, then I'll gladly share with anyone why staying in shape and trying to have what I perceive as a healthy lifestyle is so valuable to me. Why shouldn't it be at the forefront for any of us. And to me, having little eyes watching me at home is even more important to maintain a healthy lifestyle because my children are being conditioned by observing my choices, habits, and rituals on a daily basis. Ultimately, they will become a product of their environment. 

"How does health, fitness, and overall lifestyle tie into deer hunting?"  

I am so glad you asked!!! Let's take a journey down that rabbit hole, because ultimately your health and your mindset are the two biggest assets in your life that you do have control over, despite your genetics and/or current circumstances in your life.

Every year here in Wisconsin it seems we have at least one fatality in the deer woods due to an unexpected heart attack or some other health related issue. Most of which could have probably have been prevented. But at the same time I realize, too, that even some people given clean bills of health or that seem to be in top physical condition, can ultimately perish due to the unexpected curve ball life tends to throw at every single one of us.

Isn't it worth it to you you to give yourself a fighting chance? Why not be an inspiration to your family members or friends who could be struggling in their own way? Remember, overall health isn't just about the physical.Achievement of any goal in life starts in ones own mind first. And believe me, conquering our own minds is the #1 challenge anyone of us will ever struggle with with anything that happens in or lives.

Everything Begins With Mindset.... EVERYTHING!

I think it's safe to assume that many of us struggle with the discipline to overcome procrastination. We don't shoot our bows or guns enough when it comes to practice during the off season. We don't accomplish habitat improvements or hunting strategy projects we set out to achieve. We spend more time watching others on social media or TV instead of just getting off of our own duffs and getting to work.

We have to become aware of our own actions, and really, our own inactions when it comes to overcoming procrastination in our lives, And that is especially true when it comes to fitness and health. 

All to often I see good, honest people setting New Year's resolutions to get in shape. Yet by 3 weeks into their desire to transform they start to put it off. They hit the snooze button for "just 5 more minutes" or longer. They reach for their phones first thing when they wake up. And before they know it they've wasted a half our seeking fulfillment and a dopamine hit while ultimately ignoring what they intended to accomplish which eventually leads them back into their old habits of their daily lives.

What happened?

Simple. It's a lack of and failure to shift how they identify who they are.

For your life to change for greater success in any area of your life, including your goals for hunting and the great outdoors, you have to learn to focus on what you want and to shift your identity as though you are already that person you have set out to become. 

It's simply a paradigm shift!

You Are Never Alone! 

Throughout my journey to chase my own health and fitness goals, even starting my own business, I sought out people who had already accomplished the things I wanted to achieve. I was intimidated at first, but so glad I had the guts to reach out to these individuals because they have become some of my greatest mentors and friends. They are the ones who help hold me accountable to my intentions.

I look at my health and fitness from a different view. Sure, it is for my own well being. But it's deeper than that for me. My own journey, health and fitness have helped me help others chase their dream of being a better version of themselves for the coming deer seasons. 

I love helping people be able to climb hills better to reach their deer stands without taking breaks to catch their breath (NO, a motorized or battery powered vehicle is NOT the solution). To not tire so easily while dragging their harvest out of the woods. To ultimately being their own personal inspiration to others in their own lives.

Wrapping Up

Why go another season being out of shape? Why wait for everything to be right to start becoming a better version of the health you want to achieve? Why not have greater stamina and endurance, whether in your deer stand or at work? Where else in your life have you waited for everything to be right and it still hasn't happened?

The best time to start anything you want to accomplish in life is yesterday. Stop waiting for the stars to align.

No, for most of you deer and hunting probably aren't everything to you. Believe it or not, they aren't for me either. My wife, our children, and our family are the most important to me. I owe it to them to be the ultimate version of health and fitness, discipline and integrity that I can be.

Shouldn't you live a life that way? Why not? Why can't you?

The choice is yours! And if you are ready, people like myself are here for you.

September = Deer Season for Many of Us

It's finally September! That means the beginning of many different types of hunting season, from small game seasons to deer and other big game species seasons. Some States opening as soon as September 1. 

The question is, are you prepared?

This is a time where either the rubber meets the road, or it is a time to wrap up habitat and hunting strategy projects on our properties. If hunting Public Land, it is the perfect time of year to be out doing a little speed scouting. Perhaps even setting a secluded, out of sight out of mind trail cameras for critical intel. 

As I write this, our expected daytime temperature today, September 2nd, is expected to be near 90 with high humidity with little to know rain in the near future. But generally, September, for me especially, is a month that we all look forward to with generally cooling daytime highs, making it more of a pleasure to appreciate all of the projects we have completed up to this point. And also more desirable conditions to wrap up any last minute projects we may have before hunting season begins.

My Personal Checklist

 - Brassica food plots receive a top dress of a minimum of 100#/acre of Urea Nitrogen fertilizer just prior to an impending rain.

- Clover and/or alfalfa food plots will receive a minimum of 100#/acre of potash fertilizer to help root systems build carbohydrates in preparation for winter dormancy. It's kind of a golden rule in which a soil test for this application generally doesn't apply. It's more of a common sense approach.

- September is a great time to seed small cereal grains such as winter rye, winter wheat, winter oats, triticale, peas, and even crimson clover. I utilize these forages either mixed as a stand alone crop or to fill gaps in thin soybean or brassica plots. and even perhaps in a corn field that I know will be harvested for ensilage or grain. A harvested field will eventually lead to little to no food source. if on a permission farm or lease, please be sure to talk with the land owner.

- Now is the time to make sure all stands, box blinds, ground blinds, etc. are in place, brushed in with access/exit strategies in place. And also accessorized with safety climbing  lines, bow hooks, bow ropes for pulling up and letting down your bow, accessary hooks for your daypacks, etc.. I will even go the extra mile, because I will have family and other guests out to my properties to hunt, to flag out stand access and locations with flagging tape and reflective thumbtacks.

- All shooting lanes are created and cleared for maximum draw and shot opportunity.

- If I absolutely have to, and if applicable, now is the time to top off any water sources that must be manually filled.

- Continually shooting at least one arrow a day with my bow. We all have at least 5 minutes in our "busy" lives to shoot our bows on a continuous daily basis. Practice makes improvement, even if you think your perfect.

- Making sure our clothing is as scent free as we possibly can. No, you cannot fool a deer's nose. But to me, scent control via scent free detergents, soaps, and ozone or air tight storage containers are absolutely worth the extra effort.

- Now is a great time to make sure your favorite hunting boots are in shape for the season. Nothing worse than finding out the hard way, like crossing a creek only to find out then that there was a hole in my boots.

- Purchasing the proper licenses.

- And above all, just having fun and living each day as though it could possibly your last.

In Summary

This is just my list that I go through this time of year in preparation for the upcoming season, which for Wisconsin is September 17th this year. Your checklist may be a little different, and that is perfectly fine. but for some of you reading this, I at least you found this list somewhat helpful. 

Good luck this season! And PLEASE, be sure to share your harvest success photos! 

Hunting whitetails has been a family tradition for many generations for my family and I. And I'm almost certain that the majority of you reading this can relate. And for you readers who may not come from a family of hunters, my hope is that you gain a greater understanding of my perception of why I hunt deer and why it lead me to helping so many others chase their passion by helping enhance their own personal experience.

How it all started!

One brisk September day in 1984, at the age of just 6 years old, I was invited by my father and other family members to help complete a home made tree platform project for a great-uncle of mine. I was always up for an adventure with my uncles and cousins, and especially my dad. This project would inevitably set off a spark inside of my soul that now burns inextinguishably. 

After the project was completed my father and I returned to the farmhouse, which at the time was my grandparents. My father proceeded to go up the stairs to his old room as if to get something. To my surprise he returned to the kitchen area with what was his first bow given to him when he was a child. In his left hand were clinched about 4 arrows tipped with blunt field points. To say I was excited was a total understatement.

Dad set me up and taught me how to shoot at the homemade target set up near the dairy barn of the farm where my grandfather was setting up for afternoon chores and milking of his 30 Registered Holstein dairy cows. He, too, took a few minutes to be entertained by my awkwardness of shooting a "real" bow and arrows for the first time in my life.

Shortly after, and before I knew it, I was dressed in camo and headed to the woods with my father for an afternoon/evening hunt. This was my first taste of a hang and hunt type of setup. My father had one portable Lock-On tree stand that he setup and tore down on almost every hunt. I was in total amazement.

He set me up next to a big black oak tree surrounded by sparse white pine saplings. He set his bow case down on the ground so that i would have a place to sit without getting dirt all over myself when I sat down. Then my father set up in another black oak tree about 30 yards away but where he could see me on the edge of the hill we were set up on.

To my knowledge today we were setup on a natural travel corridor deer would use from their bedding area to the farm field about 100 yards away.

I'll stop here and spare the daunting details, but this setup lead to me witnessing my dad run a perfectly place arrow through the lungs of a small "fork horn" buck! And in my excitement I realized that in that moment my dad was the "Ultimate Warrior" of hunting. My hero, if you will.

I've been hooked, or more likely, obsessed ever since that brisk September day of 1984!

What I Learned in My Youth

Like many of you reading this, growing up in the 80's and 90's, and even long before for a lot of you, I recall a time when everyone in camp, at the deer check in stations, the local processors, the taverns, small town restaurants, and so on patted your back and congratulated you even if the deer you killed was a fawn or a just a spike buck.

It was a time when all neighbors got along, willingly opened their farms up to most all neighbors who asked permission, made deer drives together, and much more. Sadly, in many parts of this great country, those days have long faded into history, I'm very blessed I was able to live and experience the tail end of that once great era. 

What happened?

In my opinion, and I'm not trying to rip anyone apart here because I too am now part of the shift that started to skyrocket in the 1990's, it was the increasing commercialization of the industry and TV personalities pushing the "Let 'em go, let 'em grow" mentality. A paradigm shift that actually took me years to consciously accept and discipline myself into developing the habit of letting younger deer walk.

But along with this shift of the masses has come a lot of shaming on the shoulders of those who hunt solely for the sake of providing food for their families and friends. Along with the comradery that hunting season brings to so many of us who hunt whitetail deer.

I have witnessed and experienced this ridiculous act from others all too often. And it's even worse when it happens to a child. Children are so vulnerable and impressionable. It's a shame people cannot see beyond their own ignorance to the obvious simplicities of life. We as hunters wonder why so many youngsters don't want to continue hunting anymore. And that's a terrible shame.

I know I am going off on a tangent. And I too have followed the masses in pursuit of the largest mature bucks I possibly can. I see so many of my fellow hunters who have turned this beautiful sport into a measurement of manhood rather than the true purpose of what hunting is meant to actually be about. Check yourself in the mirror after you read this if you have shamed another for what they have harvested. You cannot lie to yourself.

Why Did I Shift?

Simple! Harvesting a small buck was no longer a challenge for me. I wanted to up my game. I wanted to learn to match wits with the oldest deer in the woods. To watch a buck grow with time and to strike when his age reached the age restriction I had set forth for the properties my family is blessed enough to call our own.

I love to study deer. Whether it be through trail camera intel or in person observations. I love to build a personal relationship with a particular old bruiser. I want to know his tendencies and know why he does what he does given the weather conditions and other factors of nature. It becomes personal. A feeling hard to put into words, but one that many of you reading this can relate to, I'm sure!

So for me, it's simply the challenge. I could really care less of what other hunters kill. If you are happy with your harvest, then hey, I am genuinely happy for you.

My business is based on helping individuals achieve their own personal goals for their own property or the public grounds they hunt. Not for what others out there think they should only be killing. Hunting is about individual preference, NOT to appease the masses.  

In Closing! 

As hunting seasons across this great land start to open let's not forget WHY we hunt based on our individual beliefs, not what will make Tom, Dick, and/or Harry happy. Hunting is about your happiness and fulfillment. Isn't that enough? 

Sure, I have killed many a large bucks that easily will make Pope and Young records. But the one thing you will never find is my name in any of the known record keeping publications out there. I could care absolutely less about those titles. My only title I want is FREEDOM. The freedom to choose what gives my complete fulfillment and to hopefully pass this mindset along to my clients to help them achieve their own individual goals and dreams of their own pursuit of whitetail deer.

Nothing in the world of deer hunting makes me happier than when a client, or my own family members share photos and stories with me about their harvest. NOTHING! And that is why I succeed in my consulting business that so many wish to see fail. And my response to those individuals....well, I'll leave that up to your imagination. 

Good Luck to all of you this fall!!!

There is no doubt in my mind that the shift to cellular style trail cameras are probably one of the single most important tools we can use to monitor large mature bucks that frequent small properties across the whitetail domain here in North America. And they definitely have allowed we as hunters to change the way we hunt our small properties as well, as they give what most naysayers would consider "an unfair advantage," which in my book is the entire point. 

As the old adage goes, "you can't kill a deer sitting on the couch!" Oh yes I can! And keeping the pressure off small properties is vitally important. Cell camera intel, and even cameras that still require one to physically enter the deer woods, have dramatically allowed many hunters change the way we hunt and become more successful at killing mature bucks more consistently, year after year.

But I Want To Hunt As Much As I Can When I Can!

There are no truer words than the above statement when it comes to my own personal philosophy. And, yes, there is no doubt that I am very blessed that I and my family own 3 different properties to take the pressure off. But if you want to have a chance this year, and in the future, at killing the largest mature buck in the area, he cannot not know you are hunting him. And there are so many factors that go into that strategy that I will leave for a future YouTube video. So, stay tuned to my YouTube channel for that.

I love to hunt as often as I possibly can when I can, too! Now with the implementation of trail cameras, especially my own shift to cellular, I am able to better let the bucks tell me when they are ready to be hunted and killed, putting the odds in my favor. And as long as it's still legal where I hunt, you better believe that I will take advantage of it. Even on the public lands I hunt in our area. Which ultimately allows me to kill mature bucks from the comfort of my couch in the living room of my home.

Best Cell Cameras

I believe there are many great cell cameras on the market today that are available to hunters at very affordable pricing that provide value across a very wide spectrum of individual budgets. What is a cell camera worth to you?

To me, a cell camera is worth every single penny. Why? Because even with three different family owned properties to hunt, my largest being just 200 acres, they are small in the grand scheme of relativity. And that mature buck that calls any one of those properties home during the hunting season MUST NOT know that I or any of my family members and friends are in pursuit of him. Cell cameras have changed the game completely.

I've used several cell cams in recent years working with outfitters and land owners across the country over the course of my career. And I have narrowed it down to three brands that I feel are the best and would recommend checking out to anyone.

They are:
 1. Tactacam
 2. The Cudde-Link System from Cuddeback
 3. Black Gate (Which I know works really well in the deep valleys of southern Ohio)

All three have there advantages. But again, it's all a matter of preference and personal choice. I'm not here to pressure you into purchasing anything. 

But if you are interested and/or committed to making the shift toward cell cams yet this fall, check out the three above. All three can be purchased from the banner you will find at the bottom of this blog, or from your favorite retailer.

​Thanks for reading!

What is your scent control regimen?

As whitetail seasons begin to open across the country many of us start to get into our daily hunting routines of scent control.

Some of us have even gone to the extent of building our own climate and scent controlled rooms in our homes, even purchasing separate washer and drier units strictly used for washing our hunting clothes.

Many of you probably think it's crazy to invest so much money into products that aren't actually 100% effective against a deer's greatest equalizer, his nose. And that is absolutely true.
But if you can reduce the chances of being picked off from a downwind animal, given the products and technologies we have today, don't you think it's worth it?

I sure do!

While it is still 100% part of my hunting strategy to always select stand locations that favor the wind direction, and thermal rise & fall for the day, you cannot always control the direction of a deer's approach 100% of the time.

But, I will always invest in products, services, and strategies that are proven, in my own experience, to put the ball in my court and give me just that split second advantage that could possibly make all the difference in the world at harvesting the mature buck I'm after.

Wouldn't you agree?

My Routine Before Heading Out

 I am adamant about showering in scent eliminating soaps and shampoos before heading out on a morning, afternoon, or all day hunt.

"But Ryan, I don't have time." 

I get it! we all work. We have to get up and get to work during the week to hopefully have a couple hours to rush out to the stand in the evening after work. We like to sleep in on weekends as long as possible, yet still try to make it to our favorite stand to catch a old bold with his guard down as he tries to slip past going from his nighttime food source back to bedding. This can also be said about all day hunts during the rut, especially if you are in a backwoods cabin location without indoor plumbing.

All of that aside, we all prioritize what's important to us. If scent control measures other than wind direction and thermals, that's totally ok. I guess I just tend to be of the mindset that there are products and gadgets out there that I know for a fact have given me a seemingly unfair advantage over my career as a whitetail hunter to be successful at harvesting mature bucks.

Am I saying that if you don't invest in these products and gadgets you won't be successful? ABSOLUTELY NOT!

How I choose to spend my money is totally up to me. And the same can be said for you.

If however, you do go through a scent control protocol, here is how I implement mine:
 - Clothes in a scent elimination bag or closet (Scent Crusher or Ozonics) for at least 20 minutes with the ozone elimination element on.
 - Shower using whichever scent eliminating soaps & shampoos I decided to purchase and use.
 - Dry off using a scent free towel that was washed and dried using scent elimination products.
 - Dress in regular "street clothes".
 - With all of my gear in my truck in scent elimination bags or totes, my ozone generator is plugged in and running in the cab of my truck. (Ozone - Go by Scent Crusher)
 - I change into my hunting clothes when I reach my hunting destination. This is true in early season as well as the coldest of late season hunts.
 - I choose a stand location based on wind direction and how it may swirl here in hill country, also knowing what my thermals will do as the sun rises or sets. Not where I feel like going or my favorite stand location. The elements of the weather and wind direction, and my access/exit are planned out well in advance of my hunt. (Are yours?)

In Conclusion

 Take it as you will, what I do has worked for me and so many others. So to me, it's all worth the extra money and time. But the single most important factor in the game of chess with an old monarch is knowing that his nose is probably his greatest weapon. So still, always be aware of wind direction and the rise and fall of thermals and how the may affect the stand locations you choose to hunt on a given day. Not just during bow season either. The same rings true for my gun hunting strategy as well, not just because it's my favorite stand and it's a tradition. But at the end of the day, the single most question to answer should always be to just have fun. And don't let me tell you what to do. I'm simply sharing what I do and what works for me and could quite possibly work for you. 

Happy Hunting This Fall!

Guest Blog Saturday!!!
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Passing on deer hunting tradition to the next generation of hunters Being a youth hunting mentor to your kids is a mix of entertaining and teaching. Remembering to make it fun will help them take a continued interest.

​By Shawn Lentz | PUBLISHED August 22nd, 2022 

Back when I was my son’s age if someone had told me that I’d be passing on the legacy of hunting? I would’ve quizzically peered at them through the bangs of my burgeoning mullet while squealing off a crappy riff on my Sears & Roebuck guitar. In those days, I pledged my allegiance to the Gods of Metal. 
Even though I grew up fishing and camping during summers in the North Cascades, hunting wasn’t part of our family tradition.
Like many of us kids from the ‘burbs of Marysville, Washington, I straddled the line between small town existence and dreams of big city life. The sleepy little farming community was already giving way to cul-de-sacs and housing developments. Hunting, it seemed, went out along with the next chunk of ag land scheduled for the chopping block.
Days were spent on BMX bikes, neighborhood hide-n-seek, and learning not to choke on Camel straights. The time between was filled-in with Donkey Kong at the local pizza joint, dodging wayward lawn darts, and roller-skating. Don’t get me wrong, the ‘70s and ‘80s were a kick-ass time to be a kid. But I don’t recall ever hearing one hunting story from anyone I grew up with.
Through the twists and turns of life, I tapped into my inner meat-getter in adulthood. Now, fourteen years into my hunting journey, I can pass on what I’ve learned as an adult-onset hunter to my son. That's the great thing. No matter what age you started, you can teach your kid to hunt as a youth so they may grow up with it.
Most of the red meat we eat comes from elk or deer, and it’s not unusual for me to process it in the kitchen. In addition, scouting trips, deer camps, turkey hunts, and trail camera checks are often a family affair that he’s always been a part of. So he’s essentially grown up immersed in it.
Teaching your kids to hunt can be joyful and gratifying. It can also be maddening and annoying. And that’s just one trip! Here are a few nuggets I’ve obtained as a father, told through the eyes of someone who didn’t start hunting until their 30s. They’ve become my guiding principles that I meditate on when I feel the aggro-daddy edge coming on.
Let Them Decide When They’re ReadyFor example, I bought my son his first bow back in 2016. The summer of 2021 was the first time he used it. Even though he’d lined-up shots hundreds of times on his game’s virtual bows, he didn’t seem to care too much about shooting the real thing at first. He simply wasn’t ready. This was proven by our comedy/tragedy hunts early on. If the Griswolds were a hunting family, we’d surely be their doppelganger.
When I say “let them decide,” I don’t necessarily mean asking them outright. I mean, observe. Take little hunting trips and see how they go. Gauge interest. Kids are all over the place. Sports, YouTube, TikTok, Xbox–there are so many things competing for their attention. They don’t always need Ritalin. Sometimes they just need to grow out of it.
Let them set the pace while you present opportunities to experience hunting and the outdoor adventures that come along with it. See how they take to it. You’ll know when to move on to the next step.
It’s Not About the Inches. It’s About the PoundsOf delicious, truly organic, free-range table fair, that is. Youth hunters need to know that there’s much more to it than the rack size. In this author’s opinion, a field-to-table lifestyle–where putting meat in the freezer is the focal point–is a much more worthy pursuit. That should be the emphasis. 
If you get a toad in the process, it’s an even bigger bonus. That’s my hunting ethos and what I teach my boy. It doesn’t matter if it’s a doe or buck, cow or bull. If it’s legal and we’re hunting an area with healthy male/female ratios, it’s “whichever comes along first.”
We don’t harvest animals to impress the basement-dwelling keyboard warriors on forums and other platforms. And luckily–even though he grew up with the soul-sucking disaster we know as social media–my son is astute enough to know these people (or bots) don’t matter anyway. I love that he’s naturally resilient and lets stuff like that roll off his back.
It’s Youth Hunting, Don’t Forget to Have FunAs dads, we want our kids to soak up every piece of hunting and woodsman minutiae that’s ever been thought of. But the thing is, we’ve obtained what we know over years. Trying to squeeze that into the undeveloped frontal lobe of a youth hunter during one season? That’s like–well, have you ever seen a Twinkie get filled? 
Some of us tend to get overly serious about things when it’s not required. Hunting is one of those things. Without a doubt, it’s essential to raise a good ethical hunter that respects the animals they hunt. When the moment comes, taking a life to feed our families should be taken seriously.
I mean, those of us that hunt aren’t psychopathic mutilators raising little mutilator Mini-Mes. I should clarify. Admittedly, outliers exist that are an embarrassment to our ranks. However, most of us have a deep love and admiration for animals, including those we hunt. That can be a hard thing to reconcile. It’s an even harder thing for folks outside of hunting to understand. Just ask the ones holding little “meat is murder” signs while they chew on a hamburger. They’re really confused.
Yes, the act of harvesting an animal should be taken seriously. Maybe, it should even hurt a little bit. But there’s also time to have fun and enjoy your kids’ company. Indeed, limited vacation days while trying to fill the freezer can amplify frustrations that come with the quickly draining hourglass. Like sports or other pursuits, there’s room to be a patient teacher who understands that hunts will get messed up. That’s the process of learning. 
Learn. Execute. Screw-up. Correct. Rinse and repeat. Hopefully, in the end, you have a nice luxurious sheen, or at least a deer hanging from your meatpole.
Teach. But also make lasting memories. Preferably ones that don’t involve you “being a hemorrhoid,” as my wife is fond of saying. I’ll admit it; sometimes, I can be wound up tighter than my old mullet in a ponytail.
If you remember anything, remember this. Time goes fast, excruciatingly fast. One moment, that toddler fits perfectly in your arms as you place them in their car seat. Then, in a heartbreaking instant, you wake up to more gray in your goatee, your bones are achier, and your kids have morphed into something that nearly resembles an adult. 
Maybe they’ll continue to hunt, and maybe they won’t. If you micromanage and act like a jerk in the early years, you're ensuring the latter. That’s not laying the right groundwork. Don’t forget to have fun. Because at some point, the fun-time memories are all we’ll have. Soon, those days will be gone, and unlike a hemorrhoid–you can’t get them back.

To learn more about more about Shawn Lentz and The Okayest Hunter, click the image above.