EP. 494: Hunting Dead Ground | The Mental Game of Finding Whitetails

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EP. 493: Why Mature Bucks Live Where You Won’t Go | HOS

Most hunters spend their off-season trying to make things easier. Better gear. Warmer clothes. Closer access. And honestly? I get it. Comfort is seductive. Your brain is literally wired to chase it.

But here’s what nobody in the hunting industry wants to tell you: comfort might be the single biggest thing standing between you and consistently killing mature deer.

In this episode, we’re digging into something that underlies everything we’ve talked about in the Hunter’s Operating System series. Discomfort. Not suffering for the sake of suffering, but deliberate exposure to hard things that builds the kind of conditioning most hunters never develop.

Here’s the reality. Mature bucks don’t live in easy places. They live in the margins. The nasty, hard-to-reach terrain that most people look at and immediately write off. If your threshold for discomfort is low, you’ll never consistently go where the deer actually are. Or you’ll go once, decide it isn’t worth it, and head back to the easy spots everyone else is hunting.

I talk about what training jiu-jitsu taught me about this, because a hard round on the mat and a brutal November sit have more in common than you’d think. Both put you in a place where your body wants out and your brain starts building its case for quitting. The difference between hunters who punch tags and hunters who don’t often comes down to whether they recognize that negotiation for what it is: a feeling, not a verdict.

I also get into a two-week Midwest hunt that nearly broke me. Eight days in. Same buck. Two misses. Tag still in my pocket. I almost went home. I didn’t. And in the last 30 minutes of the last day, everything came together.

That’s the hunt. Not the one on day one when you’re fresh and fired up, but the one that happens when you’re exhausted, beaten up, and your brain has assembled a genuinely reasonable argument for quitting.

The hunters who separate themselves aren’t the ones who never feel that pull. They feel it just as much. They’ve just built the capacity to stay anyway.

Every hard thing you choose in the off-season is a decision you’ve already made before the season starts.

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—⁠Waypoint TV

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Why Most Hunters Are Doing Too Much and Enjoying It Less

There’s a version of hunting that looks great on the outside. Big buck, good photos, done by noon. Then there’s the version most of us actually live, which is messy and complicated and tied up in kids and jobs and the slow realization that your priorities don’t stay the same forever.

That’s what Greg Litzinger and I got into on this one, and I’ll be honest, it’s one of those conversations that kept going in my head long after we stopped recording.

Greg isn’t out here pretending that hunting exists in a vacuum. He talks openly about what it means to chase deer when you’ve got a family counting on you, and how the calculus of a day in the woods changes completely once other people are in the equation. That’s not a complaint. It’s just the truth, and it’s the kind of truth that doesn’t get said enough in hunting media.

We spent a good chunk of time on burnout, and I think that part will hit home for a lot of people listening. It’s easy to grind yourself down chasing something that’s supposed to bring you joy. Too many sits, too much pressure, not enough honesty with yourself about why you’re out there. The fix isn’t complicated, but it requires admitting something most hunters resist: that more time in the field isn’t always better, and that scouting smarter beats sitting longer almost every time.

We also got into location and intel, which Greg treats as the serious discipline it is. Knowing where deer want to be before you ever climb a tree is the whole game. That part of the conversation is worth a relisten if you’re building a strategy for the fall.

But what stuck with me most was Greg talking about fitness and time. He’s not dramatic about it. He just lays it out plainly: the physical demands of hunting don’t get easier, ignoring that is a mistake, and the window you have to bring your kids into this thing is shorter than you think. The memories made in the field are the ones that last, not the antlers on the wall.

Whether your kid is old enough to run a treestand or just old enough to tag along and ask a hundred questions, don’t wait for the perfect season. Lead by example and enjoy the process.

Hope you get as much out of this one as I did.

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM PODCAST 492

Scouting and historical sign tell you more about a buck’s potential than any single trail cam photo ever will.
Don’t chase scrapes. They’re exciting, but they’ll burn you. Focus on the habitat instead.
Knowing where a deer isn’t is just as valuable as knowing where he is. Eliminating country keeps you from burning good setups at the wrong time.
Mature bucks will humble you. Missed opportunities and close calls aren’t failures, they’re information.
The shot is just one moment in a very long process. The anticipation, the tracking, the recovery, the emotional weight of it all. None of it is clean or simple.
When you’ve chased a specific animal for years, every decision carries real weight. This episode gets into that honestly.

SHOW NOTES AND LINKS:

—Check out Tactacam Reveal cell cameras

— Save 15% on Hawke Optics code TFTS15

—Save 20% on ASIO GEAR code TRUTH20

—Check out Spartan Forge to map your hunt

—Save on Lathrop And Sonsnon-typical insoles code TRUTH10

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EP. 491: What Years of Hunting One Buck Actually Teaches You

Tom Murphy and I have had a lot of conversations about deer hunting, but this one felt different. We got into the kind of detail that most hunters never talk about out loud, specifically what it actually takes to hunt a mature buck over multiple seasons without losing your mind or your confidence.

Tom’s account of finally closing the deal on a deer he’d been after for years is worth the listen on its own. The shot, the tracking, the emotional weight of the whole thing. He doesn’t sugarcoat any of it.

We also dig into scouting, historical sign, habitat quality, and why knowing where a deer isn’t can be just as valuable as knowing where he is. Simple idea. Hard to actually put into practice.

If you’ve ever locked onto a specific animal and let the whole thing consume a few years of your life, this episode will feel familiar. If you haven’t, consider this a fair warning.

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM PODCAST 491

Scouting and historical sign tell you more about a buck’s potential than any single trail cam photo ever will.
Don’t chase scrapes. They’re exciting, but they’ll burn you. Focus on the habitat instead.
Knowing where a deer isn’t is just as valuable as knowing where he is. Eliminating country keeps you from burning good setups at the wrong time.
Mature bucks will humble you. Missed opportunities and close calls aren’t failures, they’re information.
The shot is just one moment in a very long process. The anticipation, the tracking, the recovery, the emotional weight of it all. None of it is clean or simple.
When you’ve chased a specific animal for years, every decision carries real weight. This episode gets into that honestly.

SHOW NOTES AND LINKS:

—Check out ⁠Tactacam Reveal⁠ cell cameras

— Save 15% on ⁠Hawke Optics⁠ code TFTS15

—Save 20% on⁠ ASIO GEAR⁠ code TRUTH20

—Check out ⁠Spartan Forge⁠ to map your hunt

—Save on ⁠Lathrop And Sons⁠ non-typical insoles code TRUTH10

—Check out ⁠Faceoff E-Bikes⁠

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EP. 490: Why You Blow It When It Finally Happens

There’s a moment in every hunt that matters more than all the scouting, all the prep, all the miles you put in. It’s the one where the deer finally shows up.

And if you’ve done this long enough, you know it doesn’t always go the way you thought it would. Your heart rate jumps, your breathing changes, and all of a sudden you’re not thinking as clearly as you were ten minutes before. You rush something, force something, or just come unglued for a second.

I’ve been there more times than I’d like to admit.

This episode is about that moment—what actually happens when pressure hits, and why most of us aren’t as prepared for it as we think we are. Not from a gear or setup standpoint, but mentally. Being present, staying composed, and letting the moment play out instead of trying to control it.

A lot of it connects back to things I’ve learned on the jiu-jitsu mat. Same kind of pressure, just in a different setting. When things tighten up, your instinct is to react fast, to get out of it. But the guys who are good at it don’t panic. They slow down, breathe, and make better decisions because of it.

Hunting’s no different.

If you can learn to recognize that feeling when it shows up—and not fight it, but work through it—you give yourself a better chance when it actually counts. Because in the end, that one moment is usually what it all comes down to.

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM PODCAST 490

Most hunting mistakes happen under pressure, not from lack of skill.
If you don’t train for pressure, you’ll default to panic when it matters.
Presence and patience are what separate clean execution from rushed decisions.
Pressure doesn’t create problems, it exposes them.
The best hunters slow down when things speed up.
Learning to sit in discomfort leads to better decisions.
Consistency comes from managing the moment, not forcing it.

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EP. 489: Why I Chose the Harder Way to Hunt

This week I’m joined by Kolton Schenker, and we spend some time talking through what it looks like when hunting starts to shift from something you do… to something you really commit to.

We get into his background—years behind a compound bow, time spent out West, and what came with finally stepping into land ownership. But where the conversation really settles in is around his move to traditional gear. What that transition felt like, the frustration that comes with starting over, and why he stuck with it anyway.

He shares a few stories along the way—close encounters, missed chances, and the one that finally came together with a stick bow. And like most guys who make that switch, it wasn’t about making things easier. It was about slowing things down and paying attention in a different way.

A lot of it comes back to the same idea: the longer you do this, the more you realize it’s less about the outcome and more about how you go about it. The work, the reps, the time in the woods—and the people you get to share it with along the way.

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM PODCAST 489

Long-term reps build intuition 19 years in, Kolton still finds new ways to learn.
Trail cams show you what’s there, but observation sets teach you how they move.
Getting lower, tighter, and uncomfortable often leads to more real encounters.
Switching to traditional gear forces you to slow down and truly focus.
Misses aren’t failures, they’re part of the process that makes you better.
The reward isn’t just the shot, it’s the encounters, the moments, the grind.
Hunting becomes more meaningful when it’s shared, with land, with family, with purpose.

SHOW NOTES AND LINKS:

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EP. 488: The Longer You Do This, The More It Gives Back

This week I’m joined by Will Coggin, and it’s one of those conversations where you realize pretty quick how many parallels there are between the things we spend our time on.

We talk about how hunting and jiu-jitsu have a way of bringing people together fast, and how a lot of what Will learned in the military—discipline, structure, adaptability—shows up again in the woods. Not in some forced way, just in how you approach problems, deal with failure, and keep getting better over time.

We also get into hunting in the Blue Ridge Mountains—what that terrain demands from you, how it forces you to adjust, and why the process ends up mattering more than the outcome. And somewhere along the way, it turns into a conversation about community too—why having the right people around you matters, and how things like the Veterans Mat Collective are giving guys a place to keep growing, both on and off the mat.

Like most of these conversations, it comes back to a simple idea: if you stick with something long enough, stay open to learning, and surround yourself with good people, you’re probably going to get more out of it than you expected.

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM PODCAST 488

Shared challenges and interests create fast, meaningful connections.
Discipline and structure carry over from the military into hunting and everyday life.
Hunting and jiu-jitsu both reward attention to detail and the ability to stay present.
Mastery comes from learning how to learn, not just repeating the same actions.
Adaptability is critical—both in the woods and in life transitions.
Challenging environments like the Blue Ridge Mountains demand patience, strategy, and persistence.
Community and brotherhood—are essential for growth and purpose.

SHOW NOTES AND LINKS:

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EP. 487: What It Really Takes to Kill Big Bucks on Public Land

This week I’m joined by Vince Battiata, and we spend a lot of time talking about what it really takes to hunt public land the way most guys say they want to—but don’t always follow through on.

We get into the reality of balancing time, making decisions when things aren’t clear, and what it actually looks like to chase big deer that don’t give you many chances. Vince shares some stories from past seasons—some that worked out, some that didn’t—and what those experiences taught him about timing, access, and trusting your gut when it matters.

A lot of this conversation comes back to putting in the work—scouting, learning from past hunts, and staying committed even when things aren’t going your way. And like most good hunting conversations, it ends up in a familiar place: the guys who stick with it, pay attention, and keep showing up are usually the ones who figure it out over time.

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM PODCAST 487

Limited time forces better decisions and sharper focus in the woods.
Confidence and timing matter more than perfect information.
Chasing big deer is a long game built on failure, adjustment, and persistence.
Access and mobility often determine opportunity more than anything else.
Historical sign and past experiences shape better decisions moving forward.
The best lessons come from hunts that don’t go your way.
The reward is in the process—earning it, not just killing one.

SHOW NOTES AND LINKS:

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EP. 486: The Most Beneficial Part of Hunting People Avoid

This week Chad Sylvester is back on, and we get into some of the parts of hunting that most guys would rather avoid.

Not tactics. Not setups. The stuff underneath that.

We talk about taking an honest look at yourself as a hunter—where ego gets in the way, how identity can start driving decisions, and why sometimes the best thing you can do is put yourself in a place you’re not comfortable. New ground, unfamiliar terrain, situations where you don’t have all the answers.

A lot of it comes back to letting go a little bit. Trusting your instincts, staying present, and not trying to control every outcome. Because the longer you do this, the more you realize the hunts that teach you the most are usually the ones that don’t go the way you planned.

And like most good conversations, it lands on something simple—if you’re not willing to sit in discomfort, stick with it, and keep showing up, you’re probably not going to get what you’re after. Not in hunting, and not in much else either.

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM PODCAST 486

Honest self-assessment is where real progress starts—most hunters avoid it.
Ego gets in the way of learning more than lack of knowledge ever will.
The best hunters rely on intuition built from reps, not constant second-guessing.
Growth usually comes from putting yourself in uncomfortable, unfamiliar situations.
You don’t control the outcome—you control your presence and decisions.
Grit is built by doing hard things consistently, not occasionally.
The experience—and what you learn from it—matters more than what you kill.

SHOW NOTES AND LINKS:

—Check out Tactacam Reveal cell cameras

— Save 15% on Hawke Optics code TFTS15

—Save 20% on ASIO GEAR code TRUTH20

—Check out Spartan Forge to map your hunt

—Save on Lathrop And Sonsnon-typical insoles code TRUTH10

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EP. 485: Why Most Hunters Quit Too Early | The Grit Formula

I started thinking about something I’ve run into a lot lately—not just in the woods, but on a jiu-jitsu mat, and honestly even going back to my wrestling days. It’s that moment when things get hard and your brain starts trying to talk you out of it. Not because you’re in real trouble… just because you’re uncomfortable.

I’ve felt it getting smashed by guys half my size, I’ve felt it sitting in a tree when nothing’s moving, and I’ve definitely felt it in a few other places along the way. And the more I’ve paid attention to it, the more I’ve realized that moment—right there—is usually where things start to go one way or the other.

So this episode is really about that. About staying composed when it would be easier not to. About figuring out how to keep going without panicking or making a bad decision just to feel better. Because whether it’s hunting, jiu-jitsu, or anything else, the people who stick with it a little longer tend to be the ones who end up where they want to go.

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM PODCAST 485

The role of grit in hunting and life
Lessons from Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and wrestling
Angela Duckworth’s research on grit and success
Practical ways to develop mental toughness
The importance of a clear top-level goal

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