As you all know by listening to this podcast, we love to cover the controversial topics of the hunting world. This topic could start brawls in just about every hunting lodge you go to. Today we wanted to sit down and discuss why we believe crossbows should not be allowed during the archery deer season. Since 1934, when hunters were granted with the first archery deer season, traditional bows have seen a counter part of their own, the compound bow. With the crossbow gaining more legality to be used during the entire deer season in states across the U.S., we wanted to give our opinions on the subject and answer one major question along the way. Does a crossbow count as archery equipment?

Those who have hunted long enough would love to get inside the mind a of a deer. We want to learn their patterns, their behaviors, habits, the whole nine yards to be able to put ourselves in the tree above them. You spend countless hours in the woods just to learn them a little bit at a time. Well now it seems that hunters may have gotten a small hint of how to understand these whitetails. A recent study released by the Penn State College of Agricultural Science, may have found a few solutions too our questions. The Deer - Forest Study consisted of collaring and tracking just over 1,100 whitetail deer over 10 years. The study tracked statistics of deer movement, home ranges, growth, and much more, to provide Pennsylvania hunters with knowledge on their deer. We wanted to break down this study and compare our own whitetail behavioral theories to the results. We want to know what you guys think of some of these results and how your theories match or differ to them as well. We have provided the link to the study below for you all to check it out yourselves!

Link To Study:

https://www.deer.psu.edu/wp-content/uploads/Deer-Forest_Study_WEB_feb01.pdf

If you have hunted long enough, then you know there are major differences in hunting different states. Hunters all across the country are hunting different subspecies of turkeys, elk, and whitetails. Each hunter faces different challenges when hunting their areas, whether that is the caliber of the animal, the terrain, or in most cases, the quantity of animals to hunt or even land to hunt. Our good buddy Eddie Diaz, from New Jersey, joins on the podcast today. We wanted to break down the major differences in whitetail hunting the Northeastern states to those in the midwest. From land availability, to breaking down the caliber of deer we all hunt, we wanted to still show that no matter your challenges, you can still have success in the areas you hunt.

Bucket list hunts can be hard to come across. When that opportunity arises, it can make the wait worth your while. Easton was able to cross one bucket list hunt off this past month, going to Idaho for a spot and stalk bear hunt. The five day hunt in the high country with his guide from Wind River Outfitters, proved to be incredibly tough but great experience. From rocky terrain, to switching to his back up bow, the hunt proved to show just how tough western hunting can really be. Easton breaks down his whole experience and give us his excitement about going on the high country hunt again!

As summer has now rolled in, many of us are full of anticipation hoping to find a giant buck. Whether you are looking for a past survivor or some new blood in the herd, you are getting that rush of anticipation. As the velvet grows on your bucks, the chess game begins. The major question is, where do you start? We sat down on this podcast to go over some of our theories and experiences! We cover our past hunting seasons, and what we have learned about past bucks to develop our strategies. From summer scouting, to tracking your bucks home range, we cover as much detail as possible to bring you summer scouting success!

Summer weather is upon us, and the long wait has begun. Even though the wait is long, there is still plenty of work to be done. We get questions all the time asking what we do during the summer to be ready for fall bucks. We wanted to give you guys a breakdown of our pre-deer season strategies and bring you some helpful tips to get the edge on your target buck. From doing inventory of your bucks, to getting your plots planted, we cover as much as we can on how we spend the summer months. So while the weather is nice, break out those bows, fling some arrows, and take a drive for velvet bucks. Don't worry folks.......deer season is coming!

When it comes to the idea of booking new hunts, it can be very exciting. The hunt may be one on your bucket list, it may be a hunt for you and your friends, or you may be looking for a new species. However, the logistics that go into planning a Western hunt can pose a huge barrier! The most difficult part can be simply getting started. Like many new hunters, or hunters looking to experience a new species in a new state, the process to get to the fun part is a challenge. We sit down on this episode to help hunters better understand what goes into the license system specifically in Western states. From the difference between preference points and bonus points to draw odds and OTC. We cover a wide array of information in this episode that hopefully helps you figure out where to start when it comes to planning an out of state hunt!

We here it all the time, "how old you think he is"? Many hunters will argue over the answer. The question, "how old is this deer"? Most hunters tend to have an opinion on the subject. They have either learned from charts, friends, hunting professionals, or just their own experiences. The bigger question is, how many of their ages are correct. Can we truly base the age of a deer on body features, such as a sway in their back? Can a deer really have a 20 inch jump in antler growth at 8 years old? For the past few years, we have been sending in the front teeth of our bucks to a lab for cementum aging to try and figure out their ages. Our good buddy Shane sits in with us as we go over the results of not only our deer but a handful of his bucks as well! What do you think, is it possible to accurately age deer? Do you believe cementum anuli aging is accurate?

April has come and gone. For a lot of states, we are in the last ditch effort to try and get one more turkey tagged filled. Toms are going quiet, hens are going to nest, and the hunting is getting much harder. So what can be some of the best ways to get on these pesky late season gobblers? Well we wanted to help with that! We employed two more late season strategies over the weekend, that proved to be pretty lethal in downing two more birds for the Raised Hunting crew. For some birds and areas, it may just be as simple as carrying multiple calls. For others, it may be scouting as much as you can for those birds that haven't been touched or are still fired up. We cover as much as we can to bring you guys success in your last days of your turkey seasons!

Spring thunder is in full swing, and thunder chickens are gobbling their heads off across the country. In some states, hunters may still be seeing birds fired up and causing chaos. While others like us here in Iowa, are beginning to face the late season struggles. Has weather been the problem, are your turkey numbers down, or are you just simply doing battle with pressured birds and your neighbor? In some cases, it may be a multitude of variables that every turkey hunter has to face, and we want to help give you the best chances to beat the odds. We sit down and talk about some of our best late season turkey turkey tactics, as well as just tough turkey hunting in general. From bow hunting to shotgun hunting, decoy set up, to even hunting turkeys like deer, we break down the strategies that have worked best for us. Spring thunder isn't over yet!