Hunt The Season

What if the week everyone books off for the rut is actually the hardest week to kill a buck?

Cody sits down with Steve Sherk Jr., John Prokop, and Greg Kazmierski to break down November 2-15 — the peak and lockdown window — and why the whole approach comes down to one thing: find the doe, then find the funnel she has to walk through.

If you bow hunt pressured whitetails on public ground with limited time, this is how to pick the right phase day by day, get aggressive without wrecking a spot, and put time in a tree where a buck has no choice but to show.

In this episode:

• Find the doe first — then hunt the travel funnel, saddle, or pinch between doe bedding

• All-day sits: why this window rewards riding it out, and how one dead day precedes a dozen deer

• When bumping does is fine — the rut's micro-shifts mean bucks follow them right back to you

• Why water matters — bucks need to cool down even when they're barely eating

• Seeking vs breeding phase: reading which one you're in, day by day

• Nov 5-12 lockdown — why a hot doe a half mile away pulls every buck in the area with her

• Fresh sign during lockdown: pockets of rubs, scrapes, and chasing sign that most hunters skip

• On a hot doe: sit her path 3-4 hours, don't burn the day, and don't leave her

• How a dominant buck hides a hot doe in tight, odd cover like a creek bottom

• Grunt sequences every 5-10 minutes when a buck is walking away

• Hunt the phase, not the calendar date

Built for mobile public-land hunters chasing whitetails the hard way.

Subscribe for weekly public-land whitetail tactics, mobile setups, and rut hunts.

Are you hunting does and funnels Nov 2-15, or still sitting scrapes? Drop your state below.

#deerhunting #bowhunting #whitetail

Brands I support:

Bullpath gear

Hobo Outdoor Gear

Mobile Hunter prints

Code of Silence Camo

Lone Wolf Custom Gear

Knowhere outdoors

What if the scrape you walk past every November is the most reliable tell a big woods buck leaves behind?

Troy Pottenger joins Cody to break down scrape hunting and land management for big woods whitetails in Idaho — how he reads scrape behavior, habitat, and environmental factors to hunt mature bucks in country where you can't see 40 yards.

If you hunt pressured timber and big-woods country with limited time, this is how to let natural deer behavior tell you where to be, instead of hunting harder.

In this episode:

• Why big woods scrapes work differently than farm-country scrapes

• Reading scrape sign: how bucks use them across a season and what changes week to week

• Habitat and land management — what actually makes big woods ground hold mature deer

• Using environmental factors (weather, terrain, food) to time your sits

• Strategic hunting: setups and access in timber where deer have every advantage

• Lifelong lessons from Idaho — the misses, the challenges, and what finally clicked

• Leveraging natural deer behavior instead of fighting it

Built for mobile public-land hunters chasing whitetails the hard way.

Subscribe for weekly public-land whitetail tactics, mobile setups, and rut hunts.

Do you hunt scrapes differently in big woods versus farm country? Drop your state below.

#deerhunting #bowhunting #scrapehunting

Brands I support:

Bullpath gear

Hobo Outdoor Gear

Mobile Hunter prints

Code of Silence Camo

Lone Wolf Custom Gear

Knowhere outdoors

How do you hunt the pre-rut when bucks shift off early-season bedding?

Cody sits down with Steve Sherk Jr., John Prokop, and Greg Kazmierski to break down Oct 19-Nov 1 for deer hunting — access first, then acorns, then deer scrapes — and how to hunt morning vs evening through the shift into the whitetail rut .

If you bow hunt pressured whitetails on public ground with limited time, this is how to pick better access, hunt acorns without blowing bedding, and read scrapes by time of day.

In this episode:

• Access - how to get in clean for mornings vs evenings without bumping deer

• Acorns - how the crop shifts daylight movement and where to set up

• Scrapes - morning scrapes near buck bedding vs evening scrapes near does and food

• Look past the scrape: funnels and pinch points that kill more 64 big bucks

• Trail-cam history as context, not a guarantee

• When all-day sits are worth it in this window

• Prioritize rut phase over calendar dates

Built for mobile public-land hunters chasing whitetails the hard way.

Subscribe for weekly public-land whitetail tactics, mobile setups, and rut hunts.

Are you seeing more AM or PM movement Oct 19-25? Drop your state below.

#deerhunting #bowhunting #whitetail

Brands I support:

Bullpath gear

Hobo Outdoor Gear

Mobile Hunter prints

Code of Silence Camo

Lone Wolf Custom Gear

Knowhere outdoors

How do you kill an early-season buck when daylight movement falls off?

Mike Athey joins Cody to break down early-season whitetails in Maryland — how he scouts with historical data, reads bedding and staging on acorns, uses cold fronts, and why ditching trail cameras simplified his whole approach.

If you bow hunt pressured whitetails on public ground with limited time, this is how to pick better days, hunt closer to bedding without blowing deer out, and stop wasting October sits.
In this episode:

• Why Mike ditched trail cameras and what he trusts instead for scouting

• Scouting process in Maryland: historical data, sign, and reading busted-up rubs

• Bedding vs staging: where deer bed and where they stage on acorns before food

• Cold fronts and temperature drops that trigger daylight movement

• Hunting close to bedding without pushing deer out

• Maryland bear season, baiting regs, and how regulations shape the hunt

• Wish I hadn't seen that buck — managing expectations and lessons from misses

Built for mobile public-land hunters chasing whitetails the hard way.

Subscribe for weekly public-land whitetail tactics, mobile setups, and rut hunts.

What are YOUR cams showing for early October? Drop it below.

#deerhunting #bowhunting #trailcamera

Brands I support:

Bullpath gear: https://bullpathgear.com/

Hobo Outdoor Gear: https://hobooutdoorgear.com/

Mobile Hunter prints: https://www.etsy.com/shop/MobileHunterPrints

Code of Silence Camo: https://www.codeofsilence.com/

Lone Wolf Custom Gear: https://www.lonewolfcustomgear.com/

Knowhere outdoors: https://knowhereoutdoors.com/

The October lull is real — but it's not a dead time. It's a window where deer behavior changes, and the hunters who understand what changes win. In this episode, we're joined by Steve Sherk Jr., John Prokop, and Greg Kazmierski to break down how to hunt the first two weeks of archery season on pressured public land.

We get into the specifics:

How deer herd up and concentrate around food sources early — and why timing + sign recognition matter more than blind effort

Using trail camera data to plan your hunts — confirming activity before you commit to a morning or evening sit

Reading habitat: clear cuts, green briar, and bedding areas — where to find them and what they tell you about deer security

Soft bumping done right — when and how to be aggressive in the field without blowing deer out

Mobile setups for the early season — and why confidence and practice matter more than the gear itself

Public vs. private land — the different rules of engagement, and how public land pressure changes deer movement

If you're a busy hunter trying to make the most of the Oct 5–15 window on land that gets hammered, this one's for you.

Connect with the guests:

Steve Sherk Jr.

John Prokop

Greg Kazmierski

#DeerHunting #BowHunting #Archery #WhitetailHunting #OctoberLull #PublicLandHunting

Brands I support:

Bullpath gear: https://bullpathgear.com/

Hobo Outdoor Gear: https://hobooutdoorgear.com/

Mobile Hunter prints: https://www.etsy.com/shop/MobileHunterPrints

Code of Silence Camo: https://www.codeofsilence.com/

Lone Wolf Custom Gear: https://www.lonewolfcustomgear.com/

Knowhere outdoors: https://knowhereoutdoors.com/?srsltid=AfmBOooYZ2jAMFUdbtc3sb5pmT8bsvmaWWW4_VjVfSh9vMCdSl9AcAiP

What are 150 trail cameras telling us about big woods bucks right now?

Steve Sherk Jr. break down real trail camera data from the big woods of Pennsylvania - seasonal activity patterns, how weather fronts trigger deer movement , and what moon phases actually change for mature bucks.

If you hunt pressured public ground with limited time, this is how to use deer hunting intel to pick better days, hang smarter, and stop wasting sits.

In this episode:

-What 150 cams showed about early vs late season movement

-Cold fronts, wind, and rain: when daylight pics spike

-Moon: what mattered and what didn't

-How to turn trail camera footage into a kill plan for bow hunting season

Built for mobile PA hunters chasing big bucks on public land the hard way.

Subscribe for weekly PA public-land whitetail tactics, mobile setups, and rut hunts.

What are YOUR cams telling you this week? Drop it below.

#deerhunting #trailcamera #bowhunting

Brands I support:

Bullpath gear: https://bullpathgear.com/

Hobo Outdoor Gear: https://hobooutdoorgear.com/

Mobile Hunter prints: https://www.etsy.com/shop/MobileHunterPrints

Code of Silence Camo: https://www.codeofsilence.com/

Lone Wolf Custom Gear: https://www.lonewolfcustomgear.com/

Knowhere outdoors: https://knowhereoutdoors.com/?srsltid=AfmBOooYZ2jAMFUdbtc3sb5pmT8bsvmaWWW4_VjVfSh9vMCdSl9AcAiP

Ryan walked away from social media to save his marriage, faith, and love for hunting. In this candid conversation with Ryan Glitsky, he breaks down what changed — at home and in the woods.

We talk faith, family, marriage struggles, mental health, and why chasing "15 minutes of fame" was ruining the hunt.

Then we get tactical: how to scout steep, rugged public land, read creek bottoms and funnels, use thermals and in-season scouting, run a lightweight mobile hunting setup , and know when a spot is truly hot before you commit. Plus crossbow tech, hunting pressure, changing deer behavior, and how bow seasons should be managed.

If you're a busy Pennsylvania deer hunting guy trying to earn it on pressured public land hunting ground with limited time, this one's for you.

IN THIS EPISODE:

00:00 Why Ryan quit social media

08:30 Faith, marriage, and being present at home

18:45 Mental health and reaching out as men

27:00 How social pressure rushed hunting decisions

35:20 Scouting steep country: creek bottoms, funnels & thermals

48:10 Postseason info + cameras + in-season scouting

58:40 Sacrifice a day to scout, then commit for days

1:08:00 Crossbows, pressure & bow season debate

1:18:30 Declining hunter numbers & improving the resource

Subscribe for real Pennsylvania public-land whitetail deer hunting , bow hunting tactics, and hunting tips that work with a full-time job and family.

#deerhunting #publiclandhunting #bowhunting

Brands I support:

Bullpath gear: https://bullpathgear.com/

Hobo Outdoor Gear: https://hobooutdoorgear.com/

Mobile Hunter prints: https://www.etsy.com/shop/MobileHunterPrints

Code of Silence Camo: https://www.codeofsilence.com/

Lone Wolf Custom Gear: https://www.lonewolfcustomgear.com/

Knowhere outdoors: https://knowhereoutdoors.com/?srsltid=AfmBOooYZ2jAMFUdbtc3sb5pmT8bsvmaWWW4_VjVfSh9vMCdSl9AcAiP

Are you hunting deer — or just chasing camera photos?

Southwestern PA hunter Shawn Nicholson from Seven Two Four Outdoors joins us to break down how he kills big woods bucks with minimal time to hunt. No living on cell cams. Just a quiet, efficient system for steep terrain, heavy pressure, and real life with kids at home.

In this episode:

• Why terrain beats cameras in the big woods
• The 30 to 40 yard scrape rule and what sign actually matters
• Why late October through early November is Shawn's most consistent window
• Preset stands vs. pushing in fresh on hot sign
• How pressure pushes bucks steeper — and how to hunt those overlooked benches
• His streamlined saddle-and-hang-on setup for speed and silence

Plus the mental side of being a busy dad who loves to hunt — staying realistic, making the most of limited days, and still getting it done in October.

Guest: Shawn Nicholson - 724 Outdoors

Follow Hunt The Season Podcast for weekly episodes through PA archery season. If this helped you, follow the show and leave a quick review — it helps more PA hunters find us.

Watch the video version on YouTube: Hunt The SeasonBrands I support:Bullpath gear: https://bullpathgear.com/Hobo Outdoor Gear: https://hobooutdoorgear.com/Mobile Hunter prints: https://www.etsy.com/shop/MobileHunterPrintsCode of Silence Camo: https://www.codeofsilence.com/Lone Wolf Custom Gear: https://www.lonewolfcustomgear.com/Knowhere outdoors: https://knowhereoutdoors.com/?srsltid=AfmBOooYZ2jAMFUdbtc3sb5pmT8bsvmaWWW4_VjVfSh9vMCdSl9AcAiP

Four years. One deer. And a hunting lesson that changes everything.

Mike Karazsia turns a frustrating 4-year whitetail chase into a masterclass on when to be patient — and when to get aggressive on a pressured mature buck. If you hunt pressured whitetails, public land, or with mobile setups, this one will hit home.

Growing up in western PA and guiding in Pike County, Illinois taught Mike how to read saddles, funnels, and wind the right way — and he brought those lessons home to a legendary buck in his own backyard. What starts as a conversation about family, schedule chaos, and hunting with kids turns into near-misses, all-day sits, and a twist: after writing the buck off as dead, the story takes one final turn.

YOU'LL HEAR:

→ Why Mike still trusts mobile hunting on almost every setup (even hunting 50/50 public & private)

→ What Illinois taught him about how mature bucks really use terrain and wind

→ How he used trail cameras to backtrack a buck to bedding WITHOUT overhunting it

→ Why most hunters are TOO cautious when it's finally time to pressure a buck

→ The exact sequence of mistakes and moves that built a 4-year cat-and-mouse

#deerhunting #whitetaildeerhunting #publiclandhunting Brands I support:

Bullpath gear: https://bullpathgear.com/Hobo Outdoor Gear: https://hobooutdoorgear.com/Mobile Hunter prints: https://www.etsy.com/shop/MobileHunterPrintsCode of Silence Camo: https://www.codeofsilence.com/Lone Wolf Custom Gear: https://www.lonewolfcustomgear.com/Knowhere outdoors: https://knowhereoutdoors.com/?srsltid=AfmBOooYZ2jAMFUdbtc3sb5pmT8bsvmaWWW4_VjVfSh9vMCdSl9AcAiP

On this episode of Hunt The Season, we talk all about what new and even vet hunters need to hear from gear talk to deer talk we cover it all!

The crew breaks down what really matters when you’re learning to hunt, from the mindset that keeps you from quitting after a bad sit to the habits that turn confusion into confidence. Instead of overcomplicating things with social media hype, they focus on the basics that build successful hunters the hard way - by spending more time in the woods and letting the woods teach you back.

Brands I support:Bullpath gear: https://bullpathgear.com/Hobo Outdoor Gear: https://hobooutdoorgear.com/Mobile Hunter prints: https://www.etsy.com/shop/MobileHunterPrintsCode of Silence Camo: https://www.codeofsilence.com/Lone Wolf Custom Gear: https://www.lonewolfcustomgear.com/Knowhere outdoors: https://knowhereoutdoors.com/?srsltid=AfmBOooYZ2jAMFUdbtc3sb5pmT8bsvmaWWW4_VjVfSh9vMCdSl9AcAiP