Whitetail Research

- ONX Code --ONX CODE: https://webmap.onxmaps.com/purchase/hunt/membership?promo=wrIn this episode, I sit down with Troy Pottenger to talk about mature bucks, scrape behavior, and what separates the scrapes that consistently produce daylight activity from the ones that don’t.Troy has spent decades chasing mature whitetails, and we cover how he identifies high-value scrapes, how terrain and security cover influence daylight use, and what hunters should look for when trying to narrow down where an old buck may expose himself during shooting light.But this conversation goes well beyond scrapes.We also dive into predators and their relationship with deer, hunting pressure, mature buck behavior, what makes a 10+ year old buck, and some of Troy’s experiences in the mountains, including when he finds himself running after wolves to scare them away.It’s a wide-ranging conversation about whitetails, predators, woodsmanship, and what years of paying attention in the woods can teach you.If you’re interested in mature bucks, scrape behavior, and understanding why deer do what they do, I think you’ll enjoy this one.-- PODCAST LINKS --YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@WhitetailResearch/podcastsSPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/4mi77ulOaYycrAi0Cro1Zn?si=5sVK2exTR0GhCfkPecZaOwAPPLE PODCASTS: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/whitetail-research/id1875766041--WTR LINKS---PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/WhitetailResearchLearn more: https://whitetailresearch.comInstagram: https://instagram.com/whitetailresearchWebsite: hhtps://whitetailresearch.com-- Video Chapters --0:00 Intro — Troy Pottenger0:57 Why Are Mature Bucks Bedding With Fawns?10:20 Coyotes, Fawns & Predator Behavior17:34 Are Humans Really the Apex Predator?30:45 Troy’s Whitetail Hunting Philosophy39:52 How Hunting Pressure Changes Mature Bucks48:49 How Does an 11½-Year-Old Buck Survive?1:00:34 Do Old Bucks Teach Younger Bucks?1:11:50 Human Pressure, Safe Zones & Mature Deer1:23:26 Keeping Bucks “Biologically Driven” Through Scrapes1:31:05 True Community Scrapes1:52:59 How Troy Chooses Mock Scrape Locations1:58:50 How Mature Bucks Use Scent During the Rut2:10:11 The 190-Inch Buck & Mock Scrape Case Study2:18:02 Building a Killable Setup: Access, Wind & Thermals2:31:22 How Many Sits Before the Kill?2:41:18 Sliding Your Scent Past Mature Bucks2:44:45 Should You Hunt Field-Edge Scrapes?2:50:59 Trail Cameras: Confirmation, Not Dependency

- ONX Code --ONX CODE: https://webmap.onxmaps.com/purchase/hunt/membership?promo=wrIn this episode, I sit down with Aaron Warbritton from The Hunting Public to talk about the balance between overthinking and instinct in deer hunting.We get into reading fresh sign, making decisions in the moment, why deer seem to disappear, and how easy it is to let too much information complicate something that sometimes needs to stay simple.If you’ve ever found yourself standing in the woods second-guessing every decision, this one is worth a listen.-- PODCAST LINKS --YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@WhitetailResearch/podcastsSPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/4mi77ulOaYycrAi0Cro1Zn?si=5sVK2exTR0GhCfkPecZaOwAPPLE PODCASTS: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/whitetail-research/id1875766041--WTR LINKS---PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/WhitetailResearchLearn more: https://whitetailresearch.comInstagram: https://instagram.com/whitetailresearchWebsite: hhtps://whitetailresearch.com-- Video Chapters --0:00 Intro00:37 Old vs New Farm06:06 High Deer Density 11:07 Browse Preference12:26 ONX Hunt13:10 Property Variables 15:36 Inside Bill's Mind26:32 Parenting31:32 Hunting Industry Changes34:31 Trail Cameras38:16 Patterning a Deer39:36 The Art of Deer Hunting43:37 The Quest#hunting #bowhunting #archery #drone #wildliferesearch #deer #deerhunting #research #deerresearch #whitetailresearch #wildlife

-- ONX Code --ONX CODE: https://webmap.onxmaps.com/purchase/hunt/membership?promo=wr-- Drone Deer Recovery --https://www.dronedeerrecovery.com/?sca_ref=11567175.sCeOBBrGir&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=24038591694&gbraid=0AAAABCFrKifMnihUbZhlKtNwYsc_p0J6m&gclid=CjwKCAjwyabTBhBFEiwAM3mNUIlnwhr1K6_SEiCFk1Hzdf76UWfzCVc2zGudjC7DUGCIsfVLxsNAxhoCAwcQAvD_BwEBill Winke has been one of the most respected voices in whitetail hunting. As the founder of Midwest Whitetail, a longtime outdoor writer, and now the creator of Bowhunting Whitetails, he's seen hunting evolve through countless trends, technologies, and changing philosophies.Whether you've followed Bill's work for years or are hearing him for the first time, I think you'll walk away with a fresh perspective on what it means to pursue whitetails.-- PODCAST LINKS --YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@WhitetailResearch/podcastsSPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/4mi77ulOaYycrAi0Cro1Zn?si=5sVK2exTR0GhCfkPecZaOwAPPLE PODCASTS: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/whitetail-research/id1875766041--WTR LINKS---PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/WhitetailResearchLearn more: https://whitetailresearch.comInstagram: https://instagram.com/whitetailresearchWebsite: hhtps://whitetailresearch.com-- Video Chapters --0:00 Intro00:37 Old vs New Farm06:06 High Deer Density 11:07 Browse Preference12:26 ONX Hunt13:10 Property Variables 15:36 Inside Bill's Mind26:32 Parenting31:32 Hunting Industry Changes34:31 Trail Cameras38:16 Patterning a Deer39:36 The Art of Deer Hunting43:37 The Quest#hunting #bowhunting #archery #drone #wildliferesearch #deer #deerhunting #research #deerresearch #whitetailresearch #wildlife

Today’s guest is Patrick Wightman, the new National Director of Wild Turkey Research and Science for the National Wild Turkey Federation. 

Patrick brings more than a decade of turkey research experience to the role. He earned degrees from Paul Smith’s College, Louisiana State University, and the University of Georgia, where he most recently worked as an assistant research professor leading independent and collaborative wild turkey studies. His work has ranged from field research and habitat studies to utilizing accelerometers to track bird movements and ARU’s  to better understand turkey behavior and survival.

In this episode, we dive into the science behind turkey declines, habitat fragmentation, brood success, habitat initiatives, and what current research is actually telling us about the future of wild turkeys. 

There are a lot of strong opinions surrounding wild turkeys right now, so I wanted to bring on someone directly involved in the research side to help separate assumptions from factual data and give us a clearer picture of what’s really happening on the ground.

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Come along as I try to get inside Zach Ferenbaugh’s head and understand how he consistently positions himself within bow range of mature bucks while hunting from the ground.This podcast is built for hunters who want to understand deer, not just hunt them.

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This podcast is built for hunters who want to understand deer, not just hunt them.Today I’m joined by legendary bowhunter John Eberhart out of Michigan, a man who has spent over six decades hunting exclusively public and permission ground.JOHN’S LINKS BOOKS: www.Tethrd.com/DIYBucksWEBSITE: www.deer-john.netYOUTUBE: www.youtube.com/@eberhartoutdoors4219MORE WHITETAIL RESEARCH CONTENTPATREON: https://www.patreon.com/WhitetailResearchONX CODE: https://webmap.onxmaps.com/purchase/hunt/membership?promo=wrLearn more: https://whitetailresearch.netInstagram: https://instagram.com/whitetailresearchSPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/4mi77ulOaYycrAi0Cro1Zn?si=5sVK2exTR0GhCfkPecZaOwAPPLE PODCASTS: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/whitetail-research/id1875766041-- Video Chapters --0:00 Intro01:12 What Makes John Different?07:10 ONX HUNT09:33 Breeding Activity15:15 Non-Threatening Human Presence27:49 Bumping Deer35:29 Hunting Scentless41:56 Disconnecting Reality for Kids46:31 Scent51:21 Scrapes01:06:37 History Lesson01:15:55 Wounding Bucks01:20:07 Johns New Book01:27:46 2025 Bucks01:31:17 Trail Cameras01:38:03 Wounding A Buck01:49:22 Hunting Bottoms01:56:30 Sparring Sequence02:09:29 Pee In A Bottle02:12:49 Drone Controversy02:16:26 Mid-Day Wind Shift02:22:41 Deer Intelligence02:28:06 Most Difficult Habitat02:31:12 Scent Control02:34:36 John Hunts Me#hunting #bowhunting #archery #drone #wildliferesearch #deer #deerhunting #research #deerresearch #whitetailresearch

Welcome to the first Whitetail Research Podcast episode. I’m not a podcaster by trade; I research whitetail deer. But over the past few years, I realized something powerful: I’ve built a unique body of research through thermal drone observation, mapping, and countless hours in the field that deserves to be challenged, tested, and compared against some of the best bowhunters in the world.That’s why I created the Whitetail Research Podcast.This podcast is built for hunters who want to understand deer, not just hunt them.PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/WhitetailResearchONX CODE: https://webmap.onxmaps.com/purchase/hunt/membership?promo=wrLearn more: https://whitetailresearch.netInstagram: https://instagram.com/whitetailresearch-- Video Chapters --0:00 Biden0:16 Intro0:44 Most Difficult Habitat03:35 Most Important Factor06:36 Bucks Love Humans10:36 Non-Pressured Marsh12:56 Acorns Role for Marsh16:49 Hunting Oak Islands22:40 Hunting Hill Country 24:14 Bed Shifting31:24 Marsh Browse Preference33:05 Bed in Water?33:40 Nocturnal Bucks36:45 Getting to Know a Bed39:59 Cutting Shooting Lanes41:27 Historical Significance45:37 Deer Intelligence48:49 Think Like A Dan53:43 Visual Landmarks54:36 Ending54:55 Next Video Preview #hunting #bowhunting #archery #drone #wildliferesearch #deer #deerhunting #research #deerresearch #whitetailresearch