The Rakk Factor Podcast

How can hunters and property owners do big things on a small scale?

In this episode, Tom and Steve sit down with Ty Miller of Small Acre Hunting. Ty is a habitat consultant who shares his tactics on how to improve small tracts of hunting land. He breaks down the factors of using a small property to the hunter's advantage, and shares the story of how he sealed the deal on a trophy-class Hoosier buck on his 23 acre parcel.

www.smallacrehunting.com

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How touchy are mature bucks when you get close to their bedding areas? And what can you do to tip the scales in your favor once you locate his bed?

In this episode, Tom and Steve are joined by Dan Infalt of Hunting Beast Gear. Dan's buck bed tactics and public land hunting style are legendary. Dan shares when and how he scouts for mature bucks, hunts them and then ultimately kills them. He breaks down the factors that have allowed him to harvest numerous trophy class whitetails, and shares the story of how he sealed the deal on a Boone & Crockett buck holed up in the middle of a cattail marsh.

www.huntingbeastgear.com

www.thehuntingbeast.com

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Soybeans are one of the most sought-after food sources in a whitetail’s diet.

But how can you keep and pull deer into your bean plots once the leaves dry up and turn brown?

In this episode, Tom and Steve discuss how to create transitional forage in standing soybeans using Rakk Fuel Wicked Greenz. This technique, which they dub "Boost Your Beans," takes an existing food source and doubles it. They head to the fields of Iowa, where Tom walks through the step-by-step process in an existing bean field, in hopes of drawing in a big late season muzzleloader buck.

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www.wickedwhitetailoutdoors.com

Trail cameras may be one of the biggest game changers for locating big bucks. But where should you put them? And what are some creative ways to acquire that "once in a lifetime" trail camera photo?

In this episode, Tom and Steve are joined by Pat Howard of Tactacam. Pat discusses his favorite trail camera setups for capturing big bucks, the advantage of cellular cameras, and the craziest things he’s come across checking trail cameras in the whitetail woods. He also shares his super secret mock scrape technique, and how he used trail cameras to get the drop on a mature buck he nicknamed "Muley."

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Maps and mapping apps are great tools to use when scouting for big bucks. But what are some key features to identify before ever stepping foot in the field?

In this episode, Tom and Steve are joined by Rick Sanger, former team member for Drury Outdoors. Rick has been using topo maps for decades, and shares some tips and tricks for scouting whitetails with maps and apps like OnX and Google Earth. He makes some suggestions for stand placement on Tom's lease, and Tom and Rick share the crazy story of a deer hunt that nearly ended in disaster in Kansas!

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Imagine getting a phone call telling you that you just won a once in a lifetime tag. Our guest today doesn’t have to imagine…because it actually happened to him!

In this episode, Justin Novinska joins Tom and Steve to talk about winning the tag, his upcoming hunt, and what he’s doing to prepare. They discuss how states' and conservation group efforts are overwhelmingly driven by hunter dollars. Justin also talks about his growing european mount business, and the process he uses to turn trophies into memories.

www.facebook.com/deerskullguy

www.rakkfuel.com

What kind of impact do predators play on the deer hunting landscape? Can trapping be a viable option for controlling predation?

In this episode, Tom and Steve are joined by Michelle Helin of Own The Season TV. They discuss Michelle's first season of trapping and what she learned about the age-old practice. Michelle details her set-ups, the ethics involved with trapping, as well as her approach to overall predator management.

www.arthelinoutdoors.com

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What are the top ways to kill a mature buck during the early season? What tactics work best, and what are some mistakes hunters make during this time?

With deer season just around the corner, Tom and Steve are joined by Joel Artis, owner of Buffalo County Outfitters. As an outfitter and guide, Joel definitely does his homework, and feels early season IS THE BEST TIME to kill a mature whitetail buck. He shares the tips, tricks and mistakes he's learned hunting September bucks, why water holes aren't always the ticket, and how he's integrated hanging vines and hemp ropes into his set-ups.

www.buffalocountyoutfitters.com

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How big is a mature whitetail buck's range? How does killing a buck or doe affect the rest of the herd?

In this episode, Tom and Steve are joined by Art Helin of Own The Season TV and Art Helin Outdoors. They discuss a 5-year deer collaring study that Art was part of in his home state of Wisconsin. Art shares some surprising data about deer herd dynamics, human pressure, and how a buck's range changes with age. He also explains how the data caused him to modify his approach to planting certain food sources.

www.arthelinoutdoors.com

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It's fall food plot time, so what should hunters be planting? And what exactly is food plot architecture?

In this episode, Tom and Steve are joined by Zach Haas, owner of Creek Bottom Land Management. They discuss Zach's involvement in helping develop the Rakk Fuel Premium Food Plot Seed blends. Zach explains how he designs food plot "rooms" with screening blends to funnel target bucks where he wants them. He gives great advice on maintaining soil health, the blends he's most excited to plant, and how to plan next year's plots while sitting in the treestand this season.

ww.creekbottomlandmgmt.com

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