How To Hunt Deer

Dan J. and Jason T. catch up on the November rut and the realities shaping their hunting season. They talk trail-camera strategy, what cameras can—and can’t—tell you about the bucks nearby, and how terrain can help hunters decide where to focus their efforts.

Standing crops are another big part of the conversation. The guys weigh how corn can provide deer with food and cover while also keeping them tucked away on ground hunters may not be able to access. When crops come out, deer movement can shift quickly.

Jason shares how work, family, and an upcoming knee surgery are limiting his time in the woods. He’s making room for one dedicated rut hunt, but says taking his kids hunting—and helping them enjoy their own success—matters most.

With Veterans Day marking a favorite stretch of the season, Dan and Jason discuss making the most of the days ahead, including all-day sits and decoys. It’s an honest conversation about chasing the rut while balancing hunting with everything else life demands.

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In part two of the rut series, Dan J. and Jason T. look at Nov 9-13 and the weekend of the 15th. They cover what changes after the first week of November and how they plan to hunt it.

They cover:

• Moving trail cameras off scrapes and field edges and onto major trails, funnels and pinch points
• Why bucks stop hanging in bedding areas and start cruising, and why Jason's favorite window is Nov 10-17
• Hunting big transitions and terrain features, like a river-cut ridge that narrows deer movement to 80 to 100 yards
• Calls, rattling, decoys and scent: what each host uses, and what hasn't worked
• Why you can get away with more this time of year, especially around bucks tied to does
• When to get aggressive as your hunting days run out
• Balancing the hunt with family, including Dan's daughter's wrestle-offs on Nov 12-13
• Dan's "sliding scale" on which deer to shoot

The episode is short, so you can listen on the drive to or from the farm. Wear your safety harness, because no deer is worth your life.Send your success photos to the How to Hunt Deer or Nine Finger Chronicles Instagram pages. If you like the show, subscribe and leave a five-star review wherever you listen.

Thanks to our partner Reveal Trail Cameras. Check out their cameras at tacticam.com/cameras.

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The rut is about to kick in, and Dan and Jason T. break down what the next week of whitetail season looks like. This is part one of a two-part series, covering Friday, Oct 30 through Saturday, Nov 7.

They start with the weather. Several days of rain are coming through the Midwest, followed by a big cold front and a drop in temperature. Dan explains why he sees the first days of November as the best of the pre-rut, and why he'll sit in the rain even though he hates it, because deer get up and freshen their scrapes in the breaks. They also take on a listener question: if your PTO is flexible, would you trade two rainy days this week for Nov 9–10?

They cover how each of them runs trail cameras right now, and how to use scrapes, staging areas and doe groups this week. They also go through calling without overdoing it and rotating your stands. Dan shares the first mature buck to daylight on his camera this season. They also talk through what to do with a big buck that only shows up between 1 and 3 AM.

The episode is short, so you can listen on the drive to your stand.Thanks to our partner Reveal Trail Cameras. Check out the new four-point system at tacticam.com/cameras.The transcript spells the show name "How to Hunt Dear". I left it out, so add the correct name if you want it in the description.Do you want me to add this to an episode in your podcast? If so, tell me which podcast and the episode title.

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The best deer hunting lesson in this episode has nothing to do with antlers: stop chasing social media pressure and start hunting your actual property. Dan and Jason break down a real weekend in the stand, and it turns into a brutally honest conversation about cold fronts, PTO, deer movement, and why a "good hunt" is not the same thing as a dead buck.

Dan shares a Friday night sit where he confirmed a key river-bottom setup, watched nine deer come through shooting range, and learned more from the hunt he didn't tag out on than he would have from a rushed kill. Jason adds his own read on the same weather shift, explaining why the cold front didn't create a magical October explosion and why crop harvest, travel corridors, and local terrain matter more than blanket advice.

You’ll discover:

• Why a late-October or November PTO day usually beats chasing a random cold front
• How to decide whether a stand is truly "hot" based on doe movement, access, and wind
• Why cell cameras, trail intel, and social media advice only matter if they fit your specific land
• What Dan’s river-bottom setup revealed about thermals, staging cover, and deer behavior
• Why leaving the phone in the truck can make a hunt feel like hunting again

Jason also explains how limited time, kids, work, and real-life pressure change the way hunters approach the season - and why that makes the simple act of sitting still in the woods even more valuable. If you’ve ever felt behind because you’re not chasing 180-inch bucks on command, this conversation will reset your expectations in the best way.

Perfect for deer hunters who need a reality check, a confidence boost, and a reminder that the story, the process, and the quiet moments still matter more than the grip-and-grin.

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A mid-October cold front is rolling in—but should you use a day of PTO to hunt it? Dan shares a practical way to weigh the forecast against your trail-camera data, deer patterns, property, and schedule.

Drawing on years of hunting experience, Dan explains why a cold front doesn’t automatically mean deer will move in daylight or make the breeding season arrive sooner. He discusses when rain may create a better opportunity, what daylight activity can tell you, and why he often prefers saving time for late October and early November.

If you’re deciding whether to hunt now or wait for a better window, this episode offers a grounded perspective on making the call for your own farm—and balancing hunting with work and family. As always, check your tree stand and safety gear before heading out.

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The October Lull Is a Myth: Make Every Hunt Count

Is the October lull keeping you out of the woods? Dan Johnson and Jason Thibodeau challenge the idea that deer stop moving in October and share how hunters can adapt as crops change, bucks begin to separate, and the rut approaches.

In this episode, they discuss:

• How shifting food sources affect deer movement
• Hunting bedding-to-food patterns and staging areas
• Using wind, access routes, and in-season scouting to choose a setup
• Hunting does to fill the freezer without putting too much pressure on an area
• Making the most of limited hunting time around work and family schedules

Dan also shares a youth-season lesson from hunting with his son, while Jason walks through his early-October plan for a creek-bottom setup. Their advice is straightforward: pay attention to conditions, stay adaptable, and get in the woods when you can.Hunt safely: wear a safety harness when hunting off the ground, and wear blaze orange during firearm season.

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The season is shifting fast. Dan Johnson and Jason Thibodeau discuss how relentless rain, delayed crop harvest, and changing deer movement are affecting Midwest hunting—and what hunters may need to adjust as the season unfolds.

They share updates from their properties, including trail-camera intel, mock-scrape activity, standing crops, and concerns about fewer mature bucks. Dan also recounts a youth-season hunt with his son, the discovery of a giant dead buck, and the value of patience and responsible decisions in the field.

In this episode:

• How wet conditions and standing crops can change access and deer movement
• Using trail cameras to take inventory and guide hunting decisions
• What mock scrapes and current buck activity may reveal
• How habitat changes and hunting pressure affect deer numbers and patterns
• Why youth hunts are about more than filling a tag

A candid conversation about adapting to a changing season, making the most of time outdoors, and sharing the experience of hunting with the next generation.

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October deer hunting is changing fast, and the hunters who win it are the ones who know when to trust trail cameras, when to trust sign, and when to keep their feet moving. Dan and Jason break down the real early-season shifts happening right now, from buck movement and scrape activity to the exact kind of terrain, food, and access points that can turn a guess into a shot.

Dan shares how reduced scouting and fewer trail cameras are forcing him back to a more instinctive, sign-driven style of hunting, while Jason adds the pressure-cooker reality of juggling kids, sports, work, and still trying to find time in the woods. Together they get honest about what most hunters are actually facing this time of year: limited time, changing food sources, and the need to make every sit count.

You'll discover:

• Why the late-October window can be more valuable than the opening week most hunters rush into
• How to read trail camera intel for early movement, buck shifts, and changing patterns
• When to hunt doe bedding, when to stay off it, and when aggression can cost you a buck
• How to use observation sets, terrain funnels, scrapes, and crop changes to narrow down where deer will be
• Why the next sit after a combine, weather change, or food source shift can be the best one

Dan and Jason also dig into how family life changes the way you hunt, why kids can force you to become a better woodsman, and how to keep hunting fun without chasing the perfect setup every time. If you are trying to make smarter decisions with less time, this episode gives you a practical plan for the weeks that matter most.

Perfect for deer hunters who want a sharper early-season strategy, a better read on October movement, and a reminder that sometimes the best hunt is the one you actually make time for.

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The advice most deer hunters get about access routes is backwards. If you want more daylight deer sightings this season, start thinking like the deer do, not like the guy walking straight to a stand.

Dan Johnson and Jason Thibodeau break down the route-planning mistakes that cost hunters their best chances, and the simple shifts that can make a small property huntable again. If you’re juggling family schedules, limited days in the woods, or a piece of ground that only offers one way in, this conversation gets practical fast.

Dan shares the moment that changed how he hunts forever: when he stopped marching directly to tree stands and started reverse-engineering his approach from the deer’s point of view. Jason adds the realities of hunting smaller parcels, big properties with only a few access options, and what happens when wind, terrain, and pressure all collide.

You’ll discover:

• Why the best access route often starts with the destination, not the truck
• How to use fence lines, waterways, terraces, and terrain breaks to stay hidden
• Why the “rule of ninety” can help you slip into a stand without blowing everything out
• How thermals and water can move scent farther than most hunters realize
• When to hunt aggressively, when to back off, and when to move your stand altogether

Dan also shares a real-world example of tearing down a setup mid-hunt and relocating just 15 to 20 yards to get within range, then killing the buck that evening. Jason explains how he thinks through exits as carefully as entrances, especially when hunting staging areas and bedding areas where one bad walk-out can burn a spot for good.

If you’ve ever wondered whether access routes matter more than stand locations, or how to balance wind, terrain, and limited time in the woods, this episode gives you the kind of field-tested guidance you can use right away. Essential listening for bowhunters, public-land hunters, and anyone trying to turn a good piece of ground into a better one.

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September deer hunting is changing fast, and the hunters who keep using August tactics are about to get left behind. Dan Johnson and Jason Thibodeau break down the second half of September, when drying beans, dropping acorns, shifting deer movement, and early crop harvests start rewriting the map right under your feet.

If you need to figure out where deer are moving now - and how to stay ahead of them before the October opener - this conversation gives you the playbook. Dan and Jason get into what the landscape is telling you, why trail cameras are already revealing key clues, and how to adjust when bucks go from patternable to unpredictable.

You’ll discover:

• Why green food sources, water edges, and fresh acorns matter more as crops dry down
• How to read trail camera photos differently when a buck only shows up at night
• When an observation sit is more valuable than a “normal” hunt
• How harvested fields can suddenly make deer feel exposed
• What small-property hunters should do with the early season vs. the rut
• Why access, wind, and scent control matter even more as cover thins out

Dan also shares a real-world strategy for hunting his best spots earlier than usual this year, while Jason pushes the conversation toward practical judgment - when to pressure a property, when to let it cool off, and how to keep from burning out your best ground. They also touch on a critical mistake many hunters make: obsessing over strategy while neglecting shooting practice, effective range, and gear prep before season hits.

This is essential listening if you hunt whitetails in the Midwest, manage small parcels, or want to tighten up your September-to-October strategy before the woods change again. If you want to be ready when the deer shift, this episode will help you make smarter decisions the next time you step into the timber.

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