Show Notes
In this episode of the Hunt The Season Podcast, pressured-whitetail, Nick Queen breaks down advanced public-land tactics that put mature bucks on the ground—even in the heaviest hunting pressure. Recorded during Pennsylvania’s rifle season, Nick contrasts PA pressure with Illinois’ unique gun/tag system and explains how he adapts to crowded woods, shifting deer movement, and “educated” bucks that refuse to leave their core area. Nick shares the full story of a giant ten-pointer he chased all season, including close calls, mistakes, thermal tricks on a heated lake, unconventional access routes, and the rmoment he learned the buck was finally killed on adjacent private land. From navigating public-land pressure to understanding bedding logic, parallel trails, faint sign, and “creative entry,” Nick gives real-world deer hunting advice—not generic top-five lists. If you want deeper insight into public land bowhunting, rut tactics, high-pressure whitetails, big buck behavior, and how to outsmart mature deer when everyone else is in the woods, this episode is packed with strategy hunters can apply immediately.
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How do you kill an early-season buck when daylight movement falls off? Mike Athey joins Cody to break down early-season whitetails in Maryland — how he scouts with historical data, reads bedding and staging on acorns, uses cold fronts, and why ditching trail cameras simplified his whole approach. If you bow hunt pressured whitetails on public ground with limited time, this is how to pick better days, hunt closer to bedding without blowing deer out, and stop wasting October sits. In this episode: • Why Mike ditched trail cameras and what he trusts instead for scouting • Scouting process in Maryland: historical data, sign, and reading busted-up rubs • Bedding vs staging: where deer bed and where they stage on acorns before food • Cold fronts and temperature drops that trigger daylight movement • Hunting close to bedding without pushing deer out • Maryland bear season, baiting regs, and how regulations shape the hunt • Wish I hadn't seen that buck — managing expectations and lessons from misses Built for mobile public-land hunters chasing whitetails the hard way. Subscribe for weekly public-land whitetail tactics, mobile setups, and rut hunts.
The October lull is real — but it's not a dead time. It's a window where deer behavior changes, and the hunters who understand what changes win. In this episode, we're joined by Steve Sherk Jr., John Prokop, and Greg Kazmierski to break down how to hunt the first two weeks of archery season on pressured public land. We get into the specifics: How deer herd up and concentrate around food sources early — and why timing + sign recognition matter more than blind effort Using trail camera data to plan your hunts — confirming activity before you commit to a morning or evening sit Reading habitat: clear cuts, green briar, and bedding areas — where to find them and what they tell you about deer security Soft bumping done right — when and how to be aggressive in the field without blowing deer out Mobile setups for the early season — and why confidence and practice matter more than the gear itself Public vs. private land — the different rules of engagement, and how public land pressure changes deer movement If you're a busy hunter trying to make the most of the Oct 5–15 window on land that gets hammered, this one's for you. Connect with the guests: Steve Sherk Jr. John Prokop Greg Kazmierski #DeerHunting #BowHunting #Archery #WhitetailHunting #OctoberLull #PublicLandHunting Brands I support: Bullpath gear: https://bullpathgear.com/ Hobo Outdoor Gear: https://hobooutdoorgear.com/ Mobile Hunter prints: https://www.etsy.com/shop/MobileHunterPrints Code of Silence Camo: https://www.codeofsilence.com/ Lone Wolf Custom Gear: https://www.lonewolfcustomgear.com/ Knowhere outdoors: https://knowhereoutdoors.com/?srsltid=AfmBOooYZ2jAMFUdbtc3sb5pmT8bsvmaWWW4_VjVfSh9vMCdSl9AcAiP
What are 150 trail cameras telling us about big woods bucks right now? Steve Sherk Jr. break down real trail camera data from the big woods of Pennsylvania - seasonal activity patterns, how weather fronts trigger deer movement , and what moon phases actually change for mature bucks. If you hunt pressured public ground with limited time, this is how to use deer hunting intel to pick better days, hang smarter, and stop wasting sits. In this episode: -What 150 cams showed about early vs late season movement -Cold fronts, wind, and rain: when daylight pics spike -Moon: what mattered and what didn't -How to turn trail camera footage into a kill plan for bow hunting season Built for mobile PA hunters chasing big bucks on public land the hard way. Subscribe for weekly PA public-land whitetail tactics, mobile setups, and rut hunts. What are YOUR cams telling you this week? Drop it below. #deerhunting #trailcamera #bowhunting Brands I support: Bullpath gear: https://bullpathgear.com/ Hobo Outdoor Gear: https://hobooutdoorgear.com/ Mobile Hunter prints: https://www.etsy.com/shop/MobileHunterPrints Code of Silence Camo: https://www.codeofsilence.com/ Lone Wolf Custom Gear: https://www.lonewolfcustomgear.com/ Knowhere outdoors: https://knowhereoutdoors.com/?srsltid=AfmBOooYZ2jAMFUdbtc3sb5pmT8bsvmaWWW4_VjVfSh9vMCdSl9AcAiP
Ryan walked away from social media to save his marriage, faith, and love for hunting. In this candid conversation with Ryan Glitsky, he breaks down what changed — at home and in the woods. We talk faith, family, marriage struggles, mental health, and why chasing "15 minutes of fame" was ruining the hunt. Then we get tactical: how to scout steep, rugged public land, read creek bottoms and funnels, use thermals and in-season scouting, run a lightweight mobile hunting setup , and know when a spot is truly hot before you commit. Plus crossbow tech, hunting pressure, changing deer behavior, and how bow seasons should be managed. If you're a busy Pennsylvania deer hunting guy trying to earn it on pressured public land hunting ground with limited time, this one's for you. IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 Why Ryan quit social media 08:30 Faith, marriage, and being present at home 18:45 Mental health and reaching out as men 27:00 How social pressure rushed hunting decisions 35:20 Scouting steep country: creek bottoms, funnels & thermals 48:10 Postseason info + cameras + in-season scouting 58:40 Sacrifice a day to scout, then commit for days 1:08:00 Crossbows, pressure & bow season debate 1:18:30 Declining hunter numbers & improving the resource Subscribe for real Pennsylvania public-land whitetail deer hunting , bow hunting tactics, and hunting tips that work with a full-time job and family. #deerhunting #publiclandhunting #bowhunting Brands I support: Bullpath gear: https://bullpathgear.com/ Hobo Outdoor Gear: https://hobooutdoorgear.com/ Mobile Hunter prints: https://www.etsy.com/shop/MobileHunterPrints Code of Silence Camo: https://www.codeofsilence.com/ Lone Wolf Custom Gear: https://www.lonewolfcustomgear.com/ Knowhere outdoors: https://knowhereoutdoors.com/?srsltid=AfmBOooYZ2jAMFUdbtc3sb5pmT8bsvmaWWW4_VjVfSh9vMCdSl9AcAiP