In this episode of Art of the Hunt, I sit down with Johnny Stewart to dive deep into one of the most important—and often overlooked—parts of mature buck behavior: their core area. With decades of real-world experience tracking and killing big, pressured bucks, Johnny breaks down what truly defines a core area, how to find it, and how to hunt it without blowing it up. If you want to consistently get close to the oldest bucks in the woods, this is the episode you need to hear.

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Paul Putera joins Art of the Hunt to break down one of the most critical pieces of mature buck hunting: locating and effectively hunting a buck’s core area. From using terrain and cover to his stealthy in-season adjustments, Paul shares how he consistently gets tight without bumping the target.

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In this episode, Talon sits down with seasoned mountain hunter Ryan Elders to dive deep into the rugged world of big woods whitetail hunting. From dissecting thick edge cover to identifying overlooked thickets, Ryan shares the methods that consistently put him in front of mature bucks in some of the toughest te

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The woods speak—if you’re quiet enough to listen. Bobby Worthington shares the silent lessons that shaped him as a hunter and man. We talk about how solitude sharpens instincts, the value of suffering, and the lifelong education that comes from chasing whitetails deep in the mountains.

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How Jake identifies terrain-based buck bedding areas

The specific features that funnel mature bucks in daylight

Why some terrain looks good but doesn’t produce

How pressure affects terrain-based movement

Real-world examples of terrain-driven hunts that led to success

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Kaylan’s background and how he got into arrow building

Understanding arrow spine and weight 

Choosing the right components: shafts, inserts, vanes, and nocks

Fixed vs. mechanical broadheads: what Kaylan prefers and why

Tuning your arrow for maximum flight and accuracy

Common mistakes bowhunters make with their arrows

How to build confidence through consistent arrow performance

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Tim Smoke joins me to break down his approach to early season success on public land by leaning on historical knowledge and habitat analysis. We talk about how he uses past encounters, old sign, and high stem count areas to locate mature bucks before they get pressured. From reading the land to finding overlooked thickets, Tim shares how his long-view approach helps him consistently stay on big deer.

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In this episode, Talon sits down with traditional bowhunter Chris Weist to break down scrape sign, buck behavior, and reading deer personality through sign. Chris shares how hunting with a trad bow sharpens woodsmanship, how to identify primary scrapes, and how scrape placement reveals a buck’s confidence and tendencies.

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Jacob Lishen shares how keeping it simple leads to consistent success. We talk about how he breaks down ground quickly, focuses mostly on fresh sign, and uses backtracking to understand where a buck is spending time. No fluff, just woodsmanship and results

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Reading terrain features unique to bluff country

How wind and thermals play a massive role in his setups

The scouting strategy Tony uses post-season to predict fall patterns

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