Raised Hunting

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!

With a double on opening day by David. Easton and Warren looked to catch up and put turkeys on the ground during opening week. With the deer slayer Joey looking for his first turkey with a bow, him and Easton set out to find some gobblers. The morning they got was incredible! Joey and Easton capitalize on a set up making it the second double of the season for the Raised hunting crew, and the first ever for Joey. Meanwhile for Warren, the challenge of finding birds hit quick. With a challenging first few days, adding in some "Dujew" to give him some luck, and a whopper chopper it all came together! We hope you are having an epic turkey season make sure to share your photos with us!

It is the moment we have been waiting for here in Iowa, turkey season is finally here! After hunts in Nebraska and Alabama, the Raised Hunting crew gets to target birds right here at home. For Warren and Easton, Mother Nature gave them a fit and rained on their parade. The crappy conditions kept the boys inside while David a few miles a way was in for one heck of a morning! After being set for a half hour, two birds hit ground, and David tags out for his 2023 Iowa turkey season!

The time to hunt thunder chickens is upon us! With turkey hunts in Alabama and Nebraska under our belts this year, we experienced two very different styles of hunting turkeys. David took the usual route of setting up a decoy spread and hunting from a blind, while Easton sat against the Alabama timber armed with only a call. With the Iowa turkey season coming in hot on April 10, we wanted to break down what could potentially be the best turkey hunting set ups and strategies! From running and gunning, to blind & decoy set ups, to even talks of shooting turkeys from a tree stand, we break down as many experiences we can think of for you to get an edge on your gobblers this season. Let us know what methods and decoy set ups work best for you, and dust off those calls!

For a lot of hunters, going on a hunt out west is a dream come true. It's a true chance to be away and see things you have never seen before, screaming bulls, mountainous terrain, and just a vast open new world. It can also be a grueling environment if you are not properly prepared to embrace it. A lot of first time Western hunters may not know the best gear or the correct supplies to pack for the hunt they are going on. With an Idaho bear hunt coming up for Easton and Warren, we wanted to break down your top supplies to put in your pack for a Western hunt. From your first major piece of equipment being the boots you wear, to the last possible thing you would think of, we cover as much as we can! The objective is your target animal, your main goal is you and your equipment coming back in one piece.

Turkeys are built to survive. Like many hunters, we struggled with trying to recover our birds after the shot with archery equipment. So what is the best shot placement on a turkey to not only be lethal, but ensure the recovery of your bird? The best shot placement on a turkey to ensure you recover your bird is called "the shiny spot". This method has proven to be incredibly successful when it comes to bringing down turkeys. We broke down exactly what to look for when trying to pin point the shiny spot with images to give you a visual aid. We want to know from you guys how well this method works for you this turkey season! So if you want to recover your turkey, shoot them in the shiny spot!

If you guys are anything like us, you see the comment on many harvest photos of deer saying, "that is a high fence deer", for any buck of mega size. For this buck it was the same case, however, it did come from a high fence. During September of 2021, a mega buck was shot in Kansas by Blake Keating, that scored 366". The buck had escaped months ago from a high fence deer farm, with no ear tag. This begs the question, what would you do? We wanted to sit down and look at this from our own perspective and answer that question. We want to hear from you guys, would you shoot him or turn him in?

Spring is here and that means its time to start getting fired up for some gobbler action! Turkey season has started for some down south, but for a lot of us, we are still in the preparation stage. Most are all still in their big flocks, and haven't started to break off yet. We wanted to bring you guys some insight on how you can be getting some scouting done, to prepare for your turkey hunts this season! From trailcam placement, to track description, to what to look for in purchasing decoys, we cover all your early season questions! We have plenty of turkey episodes coming your way, so hit us with all your turkey questions!