Not every buck is meant to be chased. We dig into Bud’s hard-won blacktail system—how a season of empty sits became a framework for finding “killable bucks” on pressured public land. The shift sounds simple but it changes everything: hunt the animal that proves he’ll move in daylight, in places he already feels safe, on a route you can protect with wind and access.

We walk through the Elvis vs. Charlie saga to show the pivot in real time. Elvis patterned every exit and showed up minutes after dark. Charlie started to daylight when we nudged a stand 40 yards up the hill—proof that micro-moves beat marathon effort. From there, we break down how to read October like a live map: fresh rubs, crisp tracks, and the narrow, quiet trails that skirt heavy doe traffic. We get specific about “dark” cover, why alders lie, how to use mushrooms and holly as subtle habitat tells, and how to read satellite texture to find edges worth your boot leather.

Gear and shots matter once you’re in range. Bud explains the comfort curve at 12 to 18 yards, why nine yards can feel too close, and how heavy arrows and broadhead construction impact penetration on big-bodied blacktails. We compare chisel-tip versus cut-on-contact failures, talk quartering-away priorities, and outline a shot plan that keeps tracking short and clean. Along the way, we cover managing multiple sets without diluting effort, refusing to ask a buck to cross exposed features, and balancing late-season grind with early-season opportunities when a summer pattern gives you a green light.

If you’re heading to our classes or Hunter’s Gathering, bring your pins and 360 photos—we’ll review your actual spots and walk through an e-scouting workflow that blends OnX, Google Earth, and fresh sign. Subscribe, share this with a buddy who’s chasing ghosts, and drop a comment with the one change you’ll make to turn your next buck into a daylight certainty.

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What if the biggest lever for stronger deer herds isn’t predator control, but the ground under their hooves? We dig into fresh data, field studies, and on-the-ground observations across California, Oregon, and Washington to challenge a common assumption: that coyotes, bears, and cougars are the primary drivers of deer declines. Yes, predators take a heavy toll on fawns, but when landscapes lack protein-rich forage, edge, and cover, mortality stays high even where predators are scarce. The thread running through it all is habitat.

We break down population estimates for elk, deer, bears, and cougars, then zoom into unit-level realities like hoof rot in Southwest Washington and how aging forests reduce carrying capacity. The research is striking: in California chaparral, fawn-to-doe ratios jumped from 85:100 in tall, dense stands to 147:100 where prescribed fire and reseeding created a patchwork of grasses and legumes. Even two years after wildfire, ratios rose to 116:100. That mosaic of cover and fresh browse turns out to be a recruitment engine, and the same principle holds in timber country where rotational logging creates productive early-successional forage near security cover.

We also talk age structure and why older does matter more than most people think. Mature mothers pick better nurseries and keep movements tight, boosting fawn survival. Predator control has a role—especially targeted coyote work near fawning windows—but without habitat, gains fade. With habitat, regulated hunting becomes a precise tool for balance, helping prevent density-driven disease and keeping herds resilient.

Our takeaway is simple: build coalitions around habitat first. That message resonates with hunters, hikers, and conservation-minded voters alike and delivers more deer, healthier ecosystems, and better seasons. Join us as we connect the dots between policy, science, and practical land work—and help spread the word. Subscribe, share with a friend who hunts, and tell us: what habitat project would you champion where you live?

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The trailhead looks crowded and it’s tempting to say hunting has exploded—but the numbers tell a different story. We dig into decades of data from California, Oregon, and Washington and find steep declines in license sales even as state populations soar. That drop doesn’t just change who we see in the woods; it guts the funding that keeps wardens in the field, hatcheries open, and habitat projects moving. It also shrinks our political voice, making it easier for decision-makers to ignore science-based game management when only a sliver of voters are hunters.

We talk openly about the culture, too. Social media can turn a quiet hunt into a performance, piling on pressure to “fill a tag” and nudging some toward bad choices. We push back on that and return to first principles: your tag, your hunt, your standard. Meat in the freezer is a trophy. Passing a buck can be the right move. Teaching a new hunter might matter more than posting a grip-and-grin. Those small, ethical choices create a healthier community—and better outcomes for wildlife.

Solutions start with unlikely allies. Deer are an umbrella species; when deer do well, ecosystems do well. That’s why we champion broader coalitions—hunters, anglers, hikers, timber partners, and conservation groups like Mule Deer Foundation, RMEF, and NWTF—focused on habitat restoration, responsible predator management, migration corridors, and access. We also tackle the access debate head-on: gated roads bottleneck people and inflate the sense of crowding, and paid entry can feel unfair, but with intentional partnerships and clear rules, working forests can be wildlife engines and reliable hunting grounds.

We close by calling for science-first management and unified advocacy. When participation falls, we need more voices, not fewer; more mentorship, not more gatekeeping. If you care about blacktails, elk, or healthy forests, your voice matters right now. Subscribe, share with a hunting buddy or an outdoors-curious friend, and leave a review telling us the first step you’d take to strengthen conservation where you live.

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Burn country can feel empty until you read it the right way. We sat down with Joe to break down how a brutal two-fire landscape in Southern Oregon still held mature blacktails in daylight—and how a simple, disciplined system made them visible and killable. Instead of chasing country, we focused on the “bedroom door”: that precise edge of thicker cover where thermals roll, wind crests, and deer stage before stepping out. Joe set a blind on three intersecting trails, used grain, buck urine, and doe estrus, and anchored the camera and access around wind. Within three days, seven to eight bucks were hitting the set in daylight.

We contrast that with a nearby open set that drew only a doe and fawn, showing why 200 yards—and better proximity to bedding—can be the whole ballgame. We talk habitat preferences in inland, drier zones: scrub oak pockets, cedar and willow rub lines, and why post-fire regrowth creates feed that pulls deer tight to cover. You’ll hear why noise rarely pushes deer out when habitat remains, how a 40-yard move can shift arrival by hours, and what to add next season to complete the illusion—namely a solid bedding pheromone to keep mature bucks circling back.

From boot camp takeaways to real-world adjustments, we connect dots on camera strategy, scent layering, and low-impact access that plays with thermals instead of fighting them. We also touch on herd genetics, rut behavior, and why most of your bucks will fall into two dominant lines within a tight home range. If you hunt blacktails in Southern Oregon or Northern California’s inland foothills, this is your blueprint for turning burn scars into buck magnets.

Enjoy the episode? Follow the show, leave a quick review, and share it with a buddy who’s still setting up too far from the bedroom door. Your support helps more hunters find smarter ways to tag a mature blacktail.

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Let’s rethink what success looks like in blacktail hunting. When schedules tighten, budgets pinch, and weather goes sideways, clear cuts offer a practical, ethical path forward that keeps us learning and in the game. We explore why open ground—rich with food, sunlight, and visibility—can help you introduce non-hunters, hunt with kids without frustration, and stay flexible when sets get blown by logging, flooding, or predators.

We walk through the tradeoffs: how longer shot distances change scent control needs, why playing the wind still matters, and when it’s smarter to pivot than to force a pressured set. If you’re holding a doe or any-deer tag and your trophy is meat in the freezer, clear cuts can deliver consistent movement and clean, ethical shots. For hunters dealing with cougars and bears shifting patterns, we share real stories of sets going cold and how having a clear cut backup kept the season alive.

This conversation also honors the social side of hunting—glass cuts with friends, revisit the methods you learned from a grandparent, and build memories that outlast the harvest. We dig into budget-friendly choices, road scouting for future sets, and staying safe when windstorms and rain make tree sits risky. Along the way, we highlight learning paths through classes and gatherings, and we center what matters most: ethics, enjoyment, and steady growth. If your plan is evolving, or you just need options that fit real life, this deep dive will give you confidence to pivot without guilt.

If you enjoyed this conversation, subscribe, share with a buddy, and leave a review. Have a question or a tip from your last clear cut sit? Drop us a message—we’d love to hear it.

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A season that humbled us also sharpened us. We went all in on named target bucks and ran into a wall of warm temps, atmospheric rivers, and shifting deer behavior that pushed daylight activity into a crawl. Cameras that fired pre-season went quiet. Windstorms changed cover overnight. Predators and pressure added chaos. And yet, we found what matters most when a tag stays unpunched: a clearer system, better timing, and the resolve to hunt smarter next year.

We compare notes across sets and states, from Washington to Oregon, and unpack how habitat and forestry practices affect blacktail behavior. You’ll hear how cougars likely displaced mature bucks that dominated last year’s pattern, how blowdowns turned dark timber into bright openings, and why barometric pressure windows still mattered when a few frosty mornings finally nudged deer back on their feet. We talk honestly about “tag soup” as a strategy, passing legal bucks to stay true to a target, and when it makes sense to pivot late if conditions and intel change.

We also dig into the nuts and bolts that move the needle: separating research cams from hunt sets, using hinge cuts, drags, and entry routes to shape a broadside opportunity, and the nuanced reality of rattling and calling for blacktail. We set new goals with fresh target bucks—Anakin, Hank, Mr. Jones, and Macho Man—and share exactly why age class, character, and multi-year tracking fuel patience. If you’re balancing high standards with hard seasons, this is your blueprint for resilience, smarter scouting, and a better shot at daylight photos that turn into meat and memory.

If this helped you think differently about your blacktail plan, follow the show, leave a quick review, and share it with a buddy who needs a morale boost before next season. Your support helps us bring more deep-dive conversations and field-proven tactics to the feed.

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Nilch’i Wind Checks - An easy to use, must have gear addition to our hunts

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If “more deer, more tags” hasn’t moved the needle in California, what will? We make the case for a better message—forest health and balanced wildlife management—and back it up with a rigorous camera trap study designed to deliver real numbers, not anecdotes. With blacktail deer as an umbrella species, we walk through how the right habitat mosaics lift the entire ecosystem, from neotropical songbirds to lions, and why timing burns and managing succession can make or break recovery.

We break down the science in plain language: how spatial and motion-triggered images capture both habitat condition and large-mammal activity, how AI speeds clean data, and how cameras fit alongside fecal DNA and historical surveys. Early results hint at lower densities than many expected across big landscapes, which is exactly why unbiased sampling matters. From oak woodland savannas to montane timber, we map what deer actually eat, how acorn-rich years change behavior, and why catastrophic fires can flip plant communities away from preferred browse if burns hit at the wrong time.

The conversation also celebrates the craft of hunting in Northern California—patiently aging bucks, respecting tight home ranges, and sticking with tough recoveries. Stories of non-typical giants and river mishaps meet a clear ethic: follow the science, tell the truth, and fix the habitat. Agenda 23 is our campaign to rally hunters, non-hunters, landowners, and agencies around shared outcomes: healthier forests, smarter regulations, and a revived outdoor heritage that welcomes new voices.

Want to dig into the data or get involved? Visit mcbadeer.com, check Wildlife Insights for our project dots, and reach us at [email protected]. If this mission resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a review so others can find it.

Nilch'i Wind Checks
Nilch’i Wind Checks - An easy to use, must have gear addition to our hunts

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A number on a page says California holds 500,000 deer. Our boots say otherwise. We sat down with Paul Trouett and John Wagenet to map the ground truth of blacktail across Mendocino and the B‑Zones—why herds feel thinner, how habitats shifted, and what it takes to bring the Pacific Ghost back into the open.

We start with lived experience: families who learned safety by feel, close shots in thick manzanita, and the art of reading wind, seeps, and sign. From there we move to evidence. The Mendocino County Blacktail Association built a grassroots model—local dollars funding local projects—then partnered with biologists to study what really changed. The findings are blunt: decadent browse with low protein, vanishing canopy that once offered thermal cover, and heavy bear predation crushing fawn survival. Lions are present but less dense than rumor suggests, while kleptoparasitism and scattered enforcement complicate the picture. Add the fallout from years of illicit grows—poisons, pressure, and missing data—and you get decline by accumulation.

Hope looks practical, not flashy. Oak release and targeted thinning revive acorns and understory nutrition. Prescribed fire and mastication reset habitat quality. Water matters at micro-scale; hidden seeps and mud pockets support both deer and ethical ambush sites. Better bullets improve recovery. Better data reconnects policy to reality. And better access management creates small sanctuaries where a six-year-old buck can make it to seven. We share field stories, study results, and a blueprint any county can adapt: measure, fix habitat, understand predators, and keep the work local.

If blacktail hunting, conservation, and real numbers matter to you, hit play and join the effort. Subscribe, leave a review to boost the mission, and share this with a hunter or landowner who can help turn the next acre into healthy deer ground.

Nilch'i Wind Checks
Nilch’i Wind Checks - An easy to use, must have gear addition to our hunts

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Tinks Scents

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Ever wondered if AI can actually help you tag a smarter hunt, or if it’s just another loud voice with half-truths? We put it on the stand and tested its advice against muddy boots, real rub lines, and the stubborn logic of blacktail country. Starting with a simple question—why bucks shred willows—we dug into nutrition, chemistry, and behavior to see what holds up: soft bark that peels clean, high moisture that flexes, and rich scent from torn cambium that supercharges a buck’s calling card. The more we checked those claims against local sign, the more a pattern emerged around riparian edges, shade, and security cover.

We also mapped what AI misses and how to fix it. Good prompts matter. So does verifying species ranges, reading the original studies, and using plant ID apps to tell willow from alder when fresh rubs turn red or orange. If your woods run heavy on hard-bark trees—mature oak, walnut, beech—expect fewer rubs even with deer present; shift your scouting toward flexible young cedar or pines where odor and fiber reward a rub. We share practical tactics like creating starter rubs and adding a scent rope to wake up travel lines, plus a size guide for trunks that mature bucks prefer.

From there we zoom out into habitat work that turns a micro-range into home base: planting multi-purpose trees, shaping water, and letting edges grow thick so bucks can feed, rub, and vanish in two steps. AI can help draft schedules, organize scent charts, and surface follow-up questions you didn’t know to ask—but it won’t replace the craft or the law. We talk ethics, new rules on cams and drones, and why the spirit of the hunt still lives in woodsmoke, thermals, and patience. If you’re ready to use technology without losing your edge, hit play, subscribe, and leave a review to tell us how you’re building smarter sign this season.

Nilch'i Wind Checks
Nilch’i Wind Checks - An easy to use, must have gear addition to our hunts

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Tinks Scents

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

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Ever passed a buck on the first morning and felt it echo all week? We did, and the story unpacks more than a near miss. We break down a Kansas whitetail hunt that swung from single-digit wind chill to warm afternoons, then connect each lesson to blacktail realities in the Pacific Northwest. Along the way, we dig into why food doesn’t force daylight, how wind and terrain shape movement, and what guided hunts can teach you if you ask the right questions.

We compare whitetail aggression and responsiveness to rattling and snort-wheeze with the quieter, tighter game of blacktail in thick timber. You’ll hear how travel corridors and pinch points trump bait in ag country, why 20-plus mph gusts can relax deer on open hills, and how entry and exit routes decide whether mature bucks ever show in shooting light. We also tackle the context most hunters miss: regional genetics, habitat density, and rainfall all skew body size, antler growth, and what a “good” buck really means.

If you’re building a smarter plan this season, use our three-part framework: e-scout for habitat edges, put boots on the ground to find the bedroom door, and pressure-test your access until it’s silent and scent-safe. For whitetail, layer in biologist intel on buck-to-doe ratios and rainfall to boost daylight odds. Whether you hunt pop-up blinds on greenbelts or hang-ons above finger ridges, the core holds: habitat first, wind always, corridors over hype. Your tag, your memory. Subscribe, share with a buddy who needs a wind check, and leave a review with your biggest “I should’ve shot” story.

Nilch'i Wind Checks
Nilch’i Wind Checks - An easy to use, must have gear addition to our hunts

Dead Down Wind
Scent Elimination Products

Tinks
Tinks Scents

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

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