The Blacktail Coach Podcast

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The shows are finally in the rearview, the colds are fading, and the conversations we had at the booth lit a fire under us. We met listeners who’ve packed freezers and missed shots, shook hands with makers who obsess over the little details, and left with a sharper vision for where we’re headed: more field-ready skills, smarter gear choices, and a community that knows how to defend what it loves.

We kick off with show highlights—new backdrops, loaned mounts that stopped people in their tracks, and partners whose products actually solve problems. From Bravo Tents to Skullcraft Collective to Blacktail Solution, we spotlight the folks building quality for hunters who care. Then we map what’s next: a coyote hunting run with Cody Sanchez, thermal tactics, smarter predator calls, and hands-on learning through our classes and Hunter’s Gathering.

Midway through, the terrain changes. We tackle the tough policy questions shaping access and opportunity. Can anti-hunting groups game limited-entry draws? How do point systems differ by state, and what does point creep mean for your odds? Most urgent of all, we unpack Oregon’s IP28, a sweeping proposal framed as anti-cruelty that reaches far beyond hunting and fishing into ranching, slaughter, and even pest control. We lay out the economic and public health fallout, and we make the case for alliances across hunters, anglers, farmers, exterminators, guides, and processors who are all on the line together. Public lands also take center stage as we push back on efforts to enable federal land sales, arguing for a nonpartisan, long-term commitment to keep BLM and national forest access open and managed well.

We close with action. If the local rooms won’t hear us, we find bigger rooms: write the White House, contact agency heads, and ask for federal commitments that secure hunting and fishing on federal lands and protect public health. Meanwhile, we’ll keep teaching the craft—predator strategies, gear that works, and better decision-making in the field—because skill and stewardship go hand in hand.

If you value stories from the booth, hard-won tactics, and straight talk on policy, hit follow, share this with a hunting buddy, and leave a review telling us the one issue you want us to tackle next.

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

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Blacktail Solution
Blacktail feed supplements. Use code BTCoach for 15% through March 31 2026

Bonded Outdoors
Personalized leather tags to remember your hunts

SkullCraft Collective
skull mounting systems

Ghost Hook Sale until March 31, 2026

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What if your mount could tell the whole story every time someone walked past it? We sit down with Clay Bond from Bonded Outdoors to talk about turning memories into heirlooms with personalized leather tags and shoulder-mount patches that hold dates, places, spent brass, and even the state-issued tag. It’s a simple idea with real weight: a clean, handsome way to “hang on to the hunt” and keep the people, the work, and the moment alive.

Clay opens up about launching Bonded Outdoors in late 2023 while juggling full-time jobs and opposite schedules. We get candid about the realities of the outdoor industry—hidden fees, website builds, insurance, shipping, and the discipline it takes to limit product options so quality stays high. There’s no gloss here, just field-tested advice: grow slow, master a few pieces first, and let your systems and customer feedback guide what comes next.

We also compare marketing paths that work and those that don’t. Print ads in regulations books and magazines felt promising but delivered little, even with promo codes. Short-form social video did the opposite, driving authentic reach and orders by showing process, first-harvest celebrations, and real mounts. We dig into why consistent branding beats chasing trends, how apparel should support recognition rather than distract, and why “serve first, then hunt” is the culture filter for partnerships and pro staff.

At the center of it all is Duke, the blacktail whose antlers became the “U” in the Bonded Outdoors logo. Clay’s story of a rainy day, a daughter scrambling through laurels, and a family-first harvest brings the brand to life—and proves that meaning beats measurement. If you’re building an outdoor brand, or simply want a better way to honor your own hunts, this conversation is a guidepost.

Subscribe for more honest conversations about hunting, gear, and building a life around the outdoors—and share this episode with a friend who’s sitting on a great idea.

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

Blacktail Solution
Blacktail feed supplements. Use code BTCoach for 15% through March 31 2026

Bonded Outdoors
Personalized leather tags to remember your hunts

SkullCraft Collective
skull mounting systems

Ghost Hook Sale until March 31, 2026

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

Support the show

Send us Fan Mail

Think blacktail won’t daylight over bait? They’re not stubborn; they’re spoiled for choice. We bring on Gary Sims—cofounder of Limbsaver and the mind behind Blacktail Solution—to explain how flavor, precision nutrients, and smart timing flip the script on nocturnal patterns while building a stronger herd. Gary grew up on the Oregon coast with elk and blacktail everywhere, and that background led him to a simple idea with big consequences: if a blacktail likes it, every other ungulate will eat it. The trick is getting them to like it consistently.

We dive into why west-side deer often ignore salt blocks, and how a true supplement fills the gaps: protein for tissue and antlers, calcium and phosphorus for bone density, selenium and zinc for immunity, and iron for oxygen-rich blood. Palatability is the hinge—blacktail are picky—so Gary micro-batches every bag for identical flavor and nutrient delivery. Then comes the behavior shift: put out a small amount in mid-afternoon to create urgency. Early visitors win, late visitors lose, and bucks start sliding into that 4:30 to last-light window instead of 10 p.m.

Along the way, we talk antler jumps from solid frames to genuine trophy class, better doe lactation and fawn vigor, and why this mix draws elk yet tends to be ignored by bears. We cover post-rut recovery, winter stress, and how targeted feeding can reduce wasted effort for weekend warriors. We also address the realities of bait bans, selective harvest, and what real herd health support should look like when seasons are short and pressure is high.

If your goal is bigger racks, healthier fawns, and more daylight chances, this conversation lays out the playbook: precision ingredients, consistent flavor, and timing that changes behavior. Tap to listen, then tell us your smartest feeding tweak or timing trick. If you enjoyed the show, follow, share it with a hunting buddy, and leave a quick review so more folks can find us.

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

Blacktail Solution
Blacktail feed supplements. Use code BTCoach for 15% through March 31 2026

Bonded Outdoors
Personalized leather tags to remember your hunts

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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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?

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

Dead Down Wind
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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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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.

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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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.

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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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.

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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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.

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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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

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.

Support the show