Big deer hunting success comes down to two things most hunters get wrong: trigger control and finding the micro pocket that deer actually use. Dan Johnson breaks down how to resist shooting the first decent buck that walks by, why that discipline is the difference between filling a tag and chasing a true target buck, and how access routes, bedding edges, and staging areas can completely change your odds.

He also shares the real-world thinking behind hunting pressure, trail camera strategy, and why the smallest overlooked pocket in thick cover often holds the oldest deer on the property. If you’ve ever felt one good buck away from breaking down and taking the shot, this episode will hit home.

You’ll discover:

• How to build your own “hit list” and stick to it without blowing the season too early
• Why trigger control matters more when you’re trying to move from average bucks to mature deer
• How micro pockets, bedding edges, and soft transitions create high-percentage setups
• The difference between morning and evening access routes and why one bad entry can wreck a hunt
• What staging areas really look like, including the edge sign that gives them away

Dan also gets candid about the sacrifices behind chasing bigger bucks, from eating tag soup to passing deer you’ve already convinced yourself to shoot. This is the mindset episode for hunters who want to level up, make sharper decisions, and stop wasting opportunities on the wrong deer.

Perfect for whitetail hunters heading into archery season, especially if you’re trying to hunt smarter, pass more deer, and finally connect on the buck you’ve been waiting for.

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Ten years changes the hunter, but maybe not in the way you think. Ryan Mead sits down with Dan Johnson to compare notes on a decade of bowhunting, deer behavior, and the hard truth that experience eventually changes how much you care about doing everything “perfect.”

Ryan opens up about what has shifted most since his last appearance on Nine Finger Chronicles - from being overly cautious with trail cameras and stand access to prioritizing time, family, and high-percentage hunts over obsessive preseason perfection. Dan and Ryan break down how that mindset affects when to move cameras, when to hunt mornings, why some properties fire in late October, and why pressure from neighbors can push bucks exactly where you want them.

You’ll discover:

• Why Ryan stopped overthinking every trail camera move and now focuses on efficiency
• How his Michigan properties behave differently from his Northeast Missouri lease
• Why late October can outproduce the “popular” November dates on certain farms
• How deer movement shifts when crops come out, cover changes, and pressure ramps up
• What years of hunting multiple states have taught him about buck quality, timing, and patience

Ryan also shares the reality of balancing deer hunting with work, family, and a side passion for three-on-three basketball at 44, plus the lessons he learned from out-of-state trips in Kansas and Missouri, including the classic “Michigan mistake” - shooting too soon when you finally see the kind of bucks you never get at home.

This episode is perfect for hunters who are trying to decide whether to keep grinding preseason or simplify, and for anyone who has ever wondered if the “right” hunting dates are really the same everywhere. If you like practical deer hunting talk with real-world pressure, access, and timing insights, this one will have you rethinking your own season plan.

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Western Kansas Deer Hunting: Decoys, Glassing, and Mature Buck Strategy Western Kansas hunting gets brutally honest here: when deer numbers fall, CWD spreads, and the wind never quits, how do you still find mature bucks? Travis Glassman breaks down the exact strategies he uses to stay on deer in one of the toughest crossover zones in the Midwest, where whitetails and mule deer live in the same country but behave like completely different animals.

Dan Johnson catches up with Travis after years away from the show, and what unfolds is a practical, boots-on-the-ground conversation about hunting pressure, changing deer numbers, and how fatherhood has reshaped the way he approaches the season. Travis shares how he is now hunting not just for himself, but for his kids too—and why that has changed everything from trail camera strategy to the shots he is willing to take.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• Why whitetail numbers in western Kansas have dropped so hard, and why mule deer are slowly rebounding
• How chronic wasting disease, drought, and shrinking water sources are changing deer movement
• The difference between patterning whitetails and patterning mule deer in flat, open country
• Why Travis starts with cameras, then narrows down with glassing before choosing an ambush
• How decoys can work for both species—and why the wrong decoy can ruin an entire setup

Travis also explains how he hunts terrain when there is almost no terrain, from CRP edges and drainage bottoms to fence lines, milo fields, and tiny patches of cover most hunters would drive past. He gets specific about how whitetail bucks and mule deer bucks respond differently to pressure, why mule deer often avoid confrontation, and how he uses that knowledge to get inside their comfort zone without tipping them off.

This episode is packed with real-world tactics for hunters who deal with low deer density, open country, or long-range setups. But it is just as much about patience, perspective, and knowing when to pass on a deer that is technically shootable but not worth the tag.If you hunt the plains, chase mature bucks, or want a smarter way to think about western deer, this conversation belongs on your playlist.

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Some hunting stories are funny. This one is pure deer-camp gold. Greg Franzoni and Dan Johnson trade the kind of public-land memories, family traditions, and hard-earned lessons that only come from years in the woods - and a few disasters you have to hear to believe.

Greg shares how a second-weekend deer camp became a multi-generation tradition built on communication, patience, and a whole lot of laughter. Dan brings the perspective of a bowhunter and storyteller who knows exactly how much the culture around hunting matters, especially when kids, dads, buddies, and grandkids all start showing up with their own stories.

You’ll discover:

• Why deer camp is about far more than filling a tag
• How Greg’s crew manages public-land deer drives with walkie-talkies, shared maps, and constant awareness
• The hilarious origin stories behind nicknames like Roadkill and Joe Boo
• What it was like hunting with barely any gear, frozen feet, and questionable orange
• Why the meals, the cabin, and the stories around the table may be the real reason the tradition survives

Greg also opens up about becoming a hunter without growing up in a hunting family, how bowhunting changed his approach, and why teaching, sports, and outdoor life all connect through the same competitive, comedic spirit. Dan adds his own unforgettable childhood hunting mishaps, including one that will make every listener wince and laugh at the same time.

This episode is a reminder that hunting is never just hunting - it’s the people, the stories, the rituals, and the shared history that keep bringing everyone back. Essential listening if you love deer camp, public-land hunting, family traditions, or just a great story told by two guys who know how to keep it real.

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Ready to publishPheasant hunting gets a whole lot better when you learn how a father-son crew turned South Dakota bird camp into a 30-year tradition, and why the best hunting stories sometimes start with World Series tickets. Brandon Marcourt breaks down the kind of upland and waterfowl setup most hunters only dream about, from wild pheasants and pothole ducks to the dogs, land access, and family rituals that keep the whole thing running.

Dan Johnson and Brandon trade stories about getting ready for youth season, the pull of cool August mornings, and what it means to finally have the gear, cameras, bow, and stands ready to go. But the real hook is Brandon's story about his dad and a buddy swapping Minnesota Twins World Series tickets for hunting permission in South Dakota, a deal that led to years of pheasant hunts, new land access, and a hunting tradition that has lasted decades.

You'll discover:

• How Brandon's crew built a reliable pheasant and waterfowl routine across multiple South Dakota trips each year
• Why hard winters, iced-over grass, and a bad hatch can make or break pheasant numbers
• What it takes to train a Labrador to hunt both pheasants and ducks, and why a fully trained bird dog is worth the investment
• How experienced dogs like Finn learn to read birds, scent, and wind with less input over time
• Why Brandon believes the best hunting memories now come from watching his kids and dogs work birds together

Brandon also shares what it costs to buy and train a real hunting dog, how he handles different commands in the field, and why pheasant hunting offers a completely different kind of challenge than deer hunting. If you've ever wondered what makes bird camp addictive, how family hunting traditions get built, or why upland hunting becomes more appealing as the years go by, this one will hit home.

Perfect for deer hunters, bird hunters, dog lovers, and anyone who misses that first fall chill and feels the season calling. If you love hearing how hunting traditions get passed down and why the dog is often the heart of the hunt, hit play.

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The phones are listening, the deer are moving, and Jeremy Dinsmore is ready to throw arrows again. If you hunt whitetails, obsess over trail cam intel, or just love the kind of real talk that starts with a conspiracy theory and ends with a better deer season plan, this one is for you.

Dan Johnson and Jeremy Dinsmore kick things off with the creepy feeling that your phone is hearing every conversation, then quickly turn it into a bigger conversation about how modern life, rising costs, and constant distraction are changing the way we hunt and think. From bathroom remodel ads appearing out of nowhere to gas prices, diapers, and the grind of raising kids, this episode blends everyday chaos with whitetail-season anticipation in a way only these two can.

You’ll hear Jeremy break down:

• Why 2023 changed the way he approaches hunting and why he is done letting good opportunities walk
• How fatherhood shifted his mindset from proving something to simply enjoying the season and filling tags
• What he is watching for on trail cameras, including the frustrating mystery of bucks disappearing from pinch points
• Why EHD rumors, wet conditions, and standing beans have him paying close attention to what the landscape is telling him
• How family, camp life, and time in the woods create the stories he wants to pass down to his kids someday

Dan brings his own sharp perspective on deer behavior, pressure, and the weird realities of hunting pressured farms, including a head-scratching example of standing beans that saw almost no deer sign all winter. Jeremy shares what he is seeing in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and the early-season units he plans to hunt, plus why Sundays, weekend hunts, and smarter tag strategy are giving him a fresh edge heading into fall.

This episode hits on more than just deer. It is about what happens when hunting becomes a reset button, a family tradition, and a reminder to stop staring at your phone and start paying attention to the world around you. It is equal parts funny, honest, and fired up for the season ahead.Perfect for whitetail hunters, dads juggling family and the woods, and anyone who is counting down the days until opening weekend.

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Indiana bowhunter Seth Taylor has learned something most hunters spend years chasing: success in the woods has a lot less to do with giant bucks and a lot more to do with reading sign, managing pressure, and keeping the whole thing fun.

If you’re a public land hunter, a mobile bowhunter, or someone who’s ever talked yourself out of a good setup, this conversation will hit home fast. Dan Johnson and Seth break down the lessons Seth picked up after starting with almost no bowhunting experience and quickly finding out what works, what doesn’t, and why chasing other people’s goals can wreck your season.

You’ll hear how Seth approaches southwestern Indiana big woods, why he favors terrain features like saddles, ridges, and creek runs, and how he adjusts on the fly when fresh sign shows up between the truck and his planned setup. He also opens up about the pressure that came after an early 140-inch miss, how that season changed his mindset, and why he now values enjoying the hunt just as much as punching a tag.

Dan and Seth also dig into:

• Hunting public land and a nearby military base with strict check-in rules, no trail cameras, and plenty of deer
• Why acorns, scrapes, and fresh sign matter more than overcomplicating the hunt
• How thermals behave in hill country and why ridge tops can make or break an access plan
• The pros and cons of trail cameras, saddle setups, and ground hunting
• Why Seth now measures success by making the right move, not just killing the biggest buck

Along the way, the conversation drifts into military surplus, Pablo Escobar hippos, and the strange, hilarious stories that only seem to come up when two hunters start talking shop. But beneath the laughs is a practical reminder: deer hunting gets a whole lot better when you stop trying to impress everybody else and start hunting the way that actually fits you.

Perfect for hunters who want a real-world look at public land bowhunting, pressure-free success, and the mindset shift that turns frustration into fun.

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The river-bottom deer hunting playbook is changing, and Lucas Psycho is already adjusting. From dry-year deer shifts and EHD pressure to why trail cameras might actually be making hunters weaker, this conversation gets into the kind of on-the-ground tactics that separate guys who find bucks from guys who just chase screenshots.

Dan Johnson and Lucas catch up on family, coaching varsity basketball, and a summer full of travel before getting into the real stuff: how North Dakota whitetails are using river bottoms differently, why some deer are disappearing from open field edges and pushing deep into thick willow country, and how water levels, farming changes, and hunter pressure are reshaping where mature bucks live. Lucas also breaks down paddlefish season on the Missouri and Yellowstone, including how snagging works, why he releases most of what he catches, and the biggest fish he's ever seen come out of those waters.

You'll discover:

• Why Lucas thinks trail cameras are overused, and why he'd gladly hunt without them
• How river levels can move mature bucks half a mile or more
• What EHD looks like when it really rolls through a deer herd
• Why some of the biggest bucks are now bedding in ugly, overlooked spots that most hunters ignore
• How he decides whether to stay, shift, or bail when another hunter shows up first

Lucas also shares how he times vacation days around the opener, rifle season, and the rut, plus the new side project that has everybody talking: a 1991 Kawasaki jet ski he plans to turn into the ultimate buck hauler. If you've ever wanted a real conversation about hunting pressure, weird public-land setups, river-bottom deer, and finding bucks when the obvious spots go cold, this one delivers.

Essential listening for whitetail hunters who like solving problems, thinking outside the box, and staying one step ahead of pressured bucks.

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CWD, fake hunting trends, and corporate money are quietly reshaping the future of whitetail hunting - and Kevin Vistison thinks most hunters are looking at it all backwards.

Dan Johnson sits down with Kevin for a raw, wide-ranging conversation that starts with gear and quickly turns into one of the most provocative hunting discussions of the year. From the brands he trusts to the ones he refuses to support, Kevin breaks down how hunting companies, holding groups, and private equity can influence the culture and even the regulations that affect your time in the woods. You’ll discover:

• Why Kevin believes CWD has been used to justify bureaucracy, fear, and bad policy
• How COVID changed the way he thinks about information, trust, and “official” narratives
• The baiting and feeding contradictions he sees in state regulations
• Why he says hunters should pay closer attention to where their money actually goes
• How modern media, branding, and social platforms are reshaping what hunting looks like to the next generation

Dan and Kevin also get into the evolution of hunting gear, the shift from hauling a truckload of clothes to packing a minimalist system, and why comfort, quiet, and simplicity matter more than macho suffering ever did. Kevin shares the story behind Deer Hunter Gear, why his clothing is made in the U.S., and how he built it around a real problem he saw in the field.

This episode is also about what hunting still means at its best - community, mentorship, and the unexpected connections that change lives. Kevin shares how one podcast introduced him to a lifelong hunting partner, and Dan reflects on the spiderweb of friendships, businesses, and opportunities that this community has created over the last decade.

Essential listening if you care about whitetail hunting, the business behind the brands, and where the future of the sport is headed.

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Baiting changes everything in Georgia deer hunting - and if you think public land and private land play by the same rules, this episode will change how you hunt. Dan Johnson sits down with Eric Chesowitch for a wide-open conversation that starts with NASCAR, turns into a crash course on southern whitetails, and lands on the real tactics that separate tag soup from a punched tag.

Eric breaks down why early season is his favorite time to hunt, how a tiny 3-acre travel corridor can outproduce bigger ground, and why wind direction, thermals, and terrain matter more than most hunters realize. He also shares how baiting actually shapes deer movement in Georgia, why he’s going fully mobile this season, and how he’s planning to set up off the feed instead of right on top of it.You’ll discover:

• Why September is prime time in Georgia, even in brutal heat
• How baiting creates predictable patterns on both private and public-adjacent ground
• Why he now hunts the edge instead of directly over food
• How ridges, saddles, and travel funnels turn small properties into kill spots
• Why public land pressure can empty a property in just a few days
• The wind mistakes that kept blowing him out until he changed his approach

Dan and Eric also get into the realities of southern hunting culture, from small-acreage competition to quota hunts, scent control experiments like camo dust, and the difference between “going deep” and hunting where deer actually feel safe. If you’ve ever wondered how hunters succeed on tiny parcels, in heavy pressure, or in states where baiting is part of the game, this one is packed with real-world strategy.

Perfect for whitetail hunters who want sharper late-summer setups, better wind discipline, and a clearer understanding of how to hunt pressured deer before the rut ever starts.Guest credibility: Eric Chesowitch is a Georgia deer hunter with extensive experience on small private parcels and public land, known for dialing in early-season patterns, bait-based movement, and mobile setups in the Southeast.

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