“If it were easy, everyone would be doing it.” Truer words have never been spoken when it comes to hunting, especially with my approach. In our current era of a social media crazed society, seeing endless amounts of trophy photos when you yourself have nothing to share can make it seem like the season was a failure. Some of us (myself included) are left with tags burning a hole in our pocket and it paints a picture of an unsuccessful season, but was it really?

Hunting isn’t easy nor will it ever be, at least that’s how it is for me. I’m a firm believer that sometimes it takes eating a tag to make a harvest that much more fulfilling the following year. At this point in time in my life, I don’t want a hunt handed to me or anything to come easy because the victory tastes that much sweeter when it finally does come together.

In 2016, I was not able to fill my archery whitetail tag in Eastern Colorado and I’m perfectly okay with that. Finding the time to hunt between working a 40+ hour work week and limited resources are just some of the challenges that myself and many others have to overcome just to have the opportunity to hunt in the first place. On top of this, I choose to make hunting harder. Not because I’m trying to be the ultimate badass or because I have something to prove, I just simply prefer the following; DIY hunting, with archery equipment, on unmanaged land.

Just to be clear, I’m not looking for a pity party; I’ve had one hell of a season. I shot a 6×7 Bull Elk in Colorado With My Bow and to be honest, this was the best hunting season I’ve ever had. This article is intended to show the way I prefer to hunt and how difficult it is to take big game animals on a consistent basis doing it this way.

DIY Is My Style Of Hunting

First and foremost, when it comes to hunting deer and elk, I prefer the “Do It Yourself” way of tackling a hunt. In my opinion, figuring out the puzzle and getting it done on your own forces you to step up your game and in return, the outcome is that you become a better hunter. I embrace the challenge and the work that goes into scouting, hanging tree stands, and running trail cameras (just to name a few) all on my own because without that work, I’ve missed out on what hunting truly is to me. Getting a shot opportunity or harvesting an animal is just a reflection and a small representation of the intensive amount of work that goes into getting that opportunity in the first place.

Running trail cameras is one of many puzzle pieces that is DIY hunting.

I’m not here to knock outfitters by any means but given my current circumstances and preferences at this point in time, I will not hunt with an outfitter because I would miss out on all or some of these steps.

I Don’t Hunt On Managed Land

This is a slippery slope when it comes to this point due to the multitude of variations of what “management” means but here is the scenario I like to portray in regards to this topic:

Take 10 hunters, put them each on their own 500-acres of land that they have never stepped foot on before and give them five days to hunt with all things being equal, the guy who comes out with the biggest/oldest/most-mature/top-scoring animal is the best hunter, in my opinion. Due to the degree of luck that comes into play during a hunt, this scenario should be repeated over the course of 10 years to gather enough data to determine who is the hunting champion.

Now you might be thinking to yourself, “What the hell does this have to do with illustrating your point?” My point is that the scenario described above eliminates any sort of pre-planning, food-plotting, pre-season scouting, habitat manipulation, and pre-knowledge of a particular piece of land which in turn creates a raw and pure hunting scenario with limited time and resources. This is what I truly believe hunting to be.

This is why much of my big game hunting is comprised of public land hunting or door knocking on private land. These areas and parcels allow me access, not manipulation, which forces me to play the cards that are dealt, which is what I prefer and enjoy as “pure” hunting.   

Bow And Arrow Is My Weapon Of Choice

Again, this is a heated debate and a slippery slope but to me, taking and harvesting game with a bow and arrow is what I prefer because of the challenge. Not only do you have to get closer to the animal which requires honed skills, you also have to become very proficient with shooting a bow, which requires endless amounts of practice.

I practice shooting my bow year round to make it count when a shot opportunity presents itself.

With bowhunting, I get to experience more up-close, heart-pounding encounters with animals staring me right in the eye while I try to hold my composure from less than 20 yards away. Hunting with a bow also gives me the ability to see an arrow take flight and watch it bury into an animal at close range.

On the other hand, I also believe there are certain circumstances where archery hunting is easier or can generate more shot opportunities than gun hunting given the time of year, hunting pressure, and season length but I prefer bowhunting based on the reasons stated above and the challenge it presents.

I Support All Legal Forms Of Hunting

My intent with this article is not to divide hunters with certain hunting styles, equipment, and management practices, the intent is simply to illustrate the way of hunting I prefer at this point and time of my life. We all lead different lives, grow up with different experiences, and live in different parts of the world which leads to differences in how we prefer to hunt.

Some people have extremely limited time which leads them to hunt with an outfitter. Some people grow up in families who have thousands of acres of managed land. Some people prefer gun hunting because they simply prefer gun hunting. And you know what, I support all of it because we all come from different walks of life. Who am I to judge someone for something they do differently than me? My life could change tomorrow that could force me to hunt with a gun, on heavily managed land at an outfitter property. I judge no one.

What it ultimately comes down to is this… I’m going to hunt in a manner and style that gives me the most fulfillment and enjoyment, no matter if I bring home an animal or not because that is what makes me happy. I encourage you to do the same.

What is your preferred hunting style and weapon of choice to harvest big game animals? Send me an email at transitionwild@gmail.com or leave a comment below.

Do you want to have the most exhilarating adrenaline rush of your life? Do you dream of close encounters with big, mature deer at eye level? If you answered yes to either of these questions, spot and stalk deer hunting with a Heads Up Decoy should be part of your future hunting plans. Recently, I had the chance to experience an adrenaline rush like no other while archery hunting the eastern plains of Colorado and it was a day that I won’t soon forget.

After spending the majority of my morning hunting out of the back of an old grain truck overlooking a CRP field, I packed up my gear headed back into town to grab some breakfast at the local diner. A week prior I met the owner of the restaurant and he graciously gave me permission to hunt his property for whitetails. The tough part (as I soon found out) is that the 1,200 acre farm is entirely comprised of CRP grass with no funnels, pinch points, or trees to hang a stand in. Spot and stalk on foot would be the one and only option.

I utilize the grain truck for a few reasons. One being that it offers a much-needed height advantage overlooking a flat field of tall grass and the other advantage is that it provides cover for morning hunts when stalking conditions are not ideal. Typically during the early hours of the day, unless it is windy enough to cover my movement, I like to sit in a stationary position in hopes of a shot opportunity or locating a deer on its way back to bed. In an environment of flat, open terrain, I treat a morning hunt much like a scouting mission and when the winds pick up, I make a move if an opportunity presents itself.

The old grain truck offered an advantage of cover and viewing distance in the open plains of Eastern Colorado.

Glassing From The Truck

To start out any spot and stalk hunt, if I haven’t already located a deer during the morning, I like to sit in the truck and glass from the road. This allows me to dissect the area from behind the binoculars to try to catch a rutting buck locked down or cruising an area in search of another hot doe. The truck also allows me to be mobile when needed. Deer can cover a large amount of ground in a very short amount of time so a vehicle comes in handy to intercept a deer or getting into position quickly with the wind in my favor.

At high noon on November 19th, I spot movement in the thick grass approximately 300 yards out and I pull up the binoculars to reveal a wide 8-point frame in search of a hot doe. He’s no giant but I determine he’s a deer I want to pursue and after watching him for a few minutes, I throw the truck in drive and race to the other side of the section to get the wind in my favor. I grab my bow, set up my Heads Up Decoy and begin working my way through the jungle of grass.

It’s hard to describe and I know it’s a bad analogy but as soon as I enter the CRP, I feel as if I’m an army sniper on a secret mission to take out a high profile enemy target. My movements are quick and controlled as I try not to alert the other deer of my presence but within minutes of walking, I am surrounded by deer. Small bucks are cruising, does are running and it’s utter chaos in my mind, but I love it.

Closing The Distance

After over two hours of slow movements, I finally catch a glimpse of a bigger bodied deer in the distance and to my disbelief, it’s the wide 8 cruising alone. This is the ideal scenario that any whitetail hunter can hope for when utilizing a decoy. It’s the November rut and if he’s the dominant buck in the area, he will likely run off any intruders who step foot on his home turf. With this in mind, I literally begin a fast walk, almost jogging in the direction I think he will be to try to cut him off, all while hiding behind the Heads Up Decoy.

The “Wide 8” was hitting a scrape next to the grain truck in early morning hours on November 19th.

I can’t even begin to describe how difficult it is to maintain a line of sight on this buck but he is extremely tough to follow in the thick CRP so I trust my gut and travel steady in the direction of where I think he will be. Five minutes goes by and I still have no sight of him when all of a sudden I look to the left and he is already past me by about 200 yards. Damn! At this point, I beeline right at him and after 50 yards of travel, he stops and looks in my direction. For what feels like an eternity, he eyes me up and down as I huddle behind the decoy in the wide open grass. After a 30-second staring contest, he drops his head and begins walking towards me.

“Oh my god, he’s coming” I mumble to myself as the wide 8 continues to close the distance between us. I know I don’t have a lot of time to get setup so I move to the left in an attempt to conceal myself in heavy cover but this turned out to be my fatal mistake. He gets to 20-yards, I draw my bow and I stop him with a mouth grunt. I let the arrow fly and to my disappointment,  I watch it bury into the tall grass right in front of me. In the heat of the moment, I didn’t take into consideration the obstacles below my field of vision and the arrow clipped the tops of the grass and crash landed short of its mark.

Win or lose, it was one of the most exciting hunts of my entire life. There is nothing quite like a big deer closing the distance to kick your butt, all while hunting from the ground at eye level. This encounter would have never happened if it weren’t for my Heads Up Decoy and I highly recommend it as the most versatile, mobile, packable decoy in the industry. Check out their realistic decoys pick one up for your next hunt and I guarantee you will have some of the most exciting encounters yet.

The pursuit via spot and stalk, above all else, is exhilarating and will give you a rush like no other when closing the distance on a mature whitetail buck. Western hunting in states such as South Dakota, Nebraska, and Kansas offer some of the best whitetail deer hunting in the nation and in order to be successful, it is critical to think outside the box. Sure, tree stand hunting is a great strategy for river bottoms but what happens when you see a giant bed down with a doe in an open CRP field? Do you roll the dice or do you play it safe?

Keep in mind that there isn’t a right or wrong way to spot and stalk and not all terrains are best suited for this tactic but hopefully you can implement some of these strategies on your own hunt later this Fall.

Keep A Visual

Keeping your eye on the prize seems like an easy thing to do but with terrain changes and heavy cover that whitetails thrive in, one can quickly lose sight of the target. Keeping a visual is the most critical element to success and you as the predator should do everything in your power to maintain a line of sight at all times.

Binoculars are essential for monitoring your target as you close the distance for a shot.

Let me give you an example. My buddy Joey and I located a buck bedded with a doe while hunting public land but he was just over the fence on private. We watched him for over five hours hoping and praying he would push the doe over to his core area on to the public. Eventually, he lost interest and we changed our position to a higher vantage point on top of a hill so that we could keep a bead on him as he went in search of the next hot doe.

As he closed the distance to within 300 yards of our position, we made the fatal mistake of moving off the hill and setting up in a draw for a hopeful ambush scenario. Doing this meant we lost sight of him and long story short, he didn’t read the script.We completely lost sight and the hunt was over. Had we kept a visual on him, we could have changed our strategy with calling or moved in closer for a potential shot opportunity.

Anticipate The Next Move

Business moguls of the world such as Elon Musk and Steve Jobs created empires through innovation and the ability to foresee the marketplace that they competed in by anticipating market demand. The same holds true for spot and stalk hunting. A key piece to a successful spot and stalk hunt is the ability to anticipate where the deer is going to move next and then adjusting your strategy based on prior intel.

Predicting the next move of a whitetail deer is dependent on a number of factors but the ability to interpret data in real time, such as knowing frequented bedding areas or travel routes, will increase the odds of getting a shot. If you can setup with the wind in your favor and in between where he currently is and where he wants to be, you can then formulate a plan to move within bow-range.

Jared Scheffler of Whitetail Adrenaline talks more in-depth about “anticipating the next move” on the Wired To Hunt Podcast, Episode #32: Extreme Rut Hunting Tactics With Jared Scheffler Of Whitetail Adrenaline. I highly recommend you give it a listen.

Get Aggressive

In today’s world of whitetail deer hunting we often hear that low-pressure and low-impact is the secret to killing mature bucks and although this may be true, it is simply not the case for a spot and stalk hunting style. I’ve found, through many failed attempts, that it is best to be more aggressive than passive because of the sheer unpredictability of whitetail deer movements due to unforeseen circumstances that you cannot control. This especially holds true while hunting public lands.

One of my secret weapons is my Heads Up Decoy when covering ground in open terrain.

We sometimes give these animals too much credit and burn it into our minds that mature bucks are almost impossible to kill because of their ability to outwit predators. I’m here to tell you that you would be surprised at what you can get away with when it comes to stalking whitetail deer. If the conditions are in your favor, it’s best to attempt the stalk and get busted than sit back and watch an opportunity slip away, even if there is a slim chance of pulling it off.

What Do You Have To Lose?

Let’s face it, if you’re reading this article, you are risk-taker and enjoy the challenge of pushing the limits beyond what others think is capable. Do not be afraid to leave the tree stand behind and set out on a belly crawl to your next trophy of a lifetime; you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. So get out there, mix things up, roll the dice, and have your most exhilarating hunt yet!

If you’re longing for more info about western whitetail deer hunting, check out some of my other articles: Early Season Strategies For Hunting Western Whitetails and 3 Strategies For Hunting Whitetails In Standing Crops.

– Adam Parr

Just when you think you have it all figured out, plans change due to unforeseen circumstances. Long story short, I was not drawn for a Kansas whitetail tag for the upcoming 2016 archery season and I’m bummed, to say the least. Well, I guess I can say not getting drawn was not unforeseen but it was certainly something that was out of my control. Kansas has been my “go to” state for the last two seasons and ever since that first hunt almost three years ago, I’ve been in love. Although my number one focus in 2016 is the September archery elk season in Colorado, I can’t imagine not hunting whitetails come late October when the rut starts kicking in.

Last Summer I spent a few days knocking on doors in Western Kansas and picked up two good farms to hunt for 2015. After learning the properties and understanding the general deer movement from the first season, I was hoping to put that intel to good use for this coming Fall. I will miss that I’m not going to be able to build a history with the deer I encountered from the year before. I will sincerely miss hanging trail cameras, scouting, and hanging tree stands for the upcoming season. And above all, I will miss the relationships I’ve developed with the landowners who were so great to me, welcomed me openly into their homes, and made me feel like a part of their family.

Ok enough with the pity party… shit happens and life goes on! I’ve come up with a few options to consider for the 2016 deer season:

Purchase a Left Over Kansas Tag

This seems like the ideal scenario on paper but the problem is that it would require an eight-hour drive as compared to my five-hour drive last season, making the weekend hunts tough to manage due to a full-time job. The units that I want to hunt have zero leftover tags and I will have little time to scout due to the upcoming elk season.

I also have to consider the monetary costs of this tag in addition to the time spent traveling. This tag costs $550 which is a lot of money to spend for just a few opportunities to hunt.

It will be a tough to decision not to hunt in Kansas considering I shot a great buck in 2015!

Read more about my successful 2015 Hunting Season in Kansas.

Purchase a Nebraska OTC Tag

The area I have been scouting via Google Earth in Nebraska is roughly a six-hour drive from where I live, which means it will be manageable for weekend hunts. Nebraska also holds a good amount of public land and is known for great deer hunting. The downfall is that hunting pressure will be higher and private land would be harder to gain access.

Another thing to consider is that the Nebraska rifle season falls right in the middle of November, giving me a small window to hunt before the orange army moves in. A positive is that a non-resident tag only costs around $300, which is a pretty good deal in my mind.

Hunt an OTC Unit in Colorado

Colorado implemented an OTC whitetail tag for select units on the front range a few years back and it would only be a three-hour drive to the areas I am looking at. The downfall to this is that the season only runs December 1 – December 31, meaning I would miss the rut. Also, the whitetail densities in these units are low so my whitetail sightings would be few and far between.

The good thing is that the price for a resident tag would be a very low cost of around 25 dollars!

Hunt IL On Highly Managed Private Land

I have access to hunt a number of farms in West Central Illinois where the deer hunting is unreal and the stands are already set. Literally, all I have to do is purchase a tag and show up! The negative to this scenario is that I would not be able to hunt multiple outings because I live so far away, meaning I would only have 1 week to whitetail hunt this year. Also, I really enjoy the challenge and take pride in the work that goes into hunting new farms and/or public land.

Decisions, Decisions

I’ve been trying to wrap my head around what I’m going to do for this Fall and I’m hoping that by writing this article it will help me make my decision. The good thing is that I have a few months to decide. In fantasy land, I would hunt 10 states and take off three months of work to do so, but the reality is that I have limited time and resources so I am forced to choose.

I love this view!

I’m also considering doing the IL hunt in November and then trying my luck with the OTC tag in Colorado where I can hunt the post-rut during December. In this scenario, I would get an awesome week of the whitetail rut and have a closer drive and cheaper tag for late season Colorado.

What are your thoughts? Leave me some words of advice in the comments section below!

1. Kill a Bull Elk With a Bow
2. Join a Conservation Effort
3. Kill a Mature Buck With a Bow Via Spot and Stalk

I know it won’t be easy and there is a pretty good chance, let me rephrase that, a very good chance I will come up short in one or two categories but it doesn’t matter. At the end of the day as long as I have put in 100% of my effort towards making this happen, I will tip the odds in my favor and 2016 could be a year that I will never forget. I’m ready for a good challenge!

1. Kill A Bull Elk With My Bow

One of the many reasons for making the move to Colorado was to be immersed in a new landscape where I could hunt elk and mule deer in my back yard. A rocky mountain elk hunt has been on the bucket list for quite some time and now I can literally walk out my door hunt these amazing animals. It is truly a dream come true.

Knowing that an elk hunt is on the horizon, I am already starting my preparation for September by reading a very informative book titled Elk Hunting Guide: Skills, Gear and Insight written by Tom Airhart. I am literally starting from ground zero for this hunt so I figured this would be a good way to expand my knowledge on elk behavior, strategies, and resources I will need for the backcountry.

This is starting point for my 2016 elk hunt in Colorado.

In addition to reading material, I have been scouring Google Earth like a mad man. Damn, you can really spend a lot of time looking at the computer screen. Sometimes I’ll start scrolling and scouting certain areas and the next thing I know, 3 hours has passed and my eyes are shot and my head hurts! Now that I live mountains, scouting on foot will be much easier and more accessible considering some of these places are in very close proximity to where I live. This is such an advantage over the nonresident hunters who don’t have the time to do the scouting before they arrive.

I spend way too much time on Google Earth!

I am also looking forward to hunting elk with my good friend, Joey Wilson, in 2016 where we will be chasing those big boys in the mountains together! We didn’t get to hunt with each other last Fall so it will be good to make up for lost time!

2. Join A Conservation Effort

One of the hot topics of the hunting industry lately is conservation and hunters responsibility to be involved in all aspects of land management, habitat preservation and giving back to the lifestyle we love. If you haven’t listened to the Wired To Hunt Podcast with Shane Mahoney, stop what you are doing right now and turn up the volume. All sportsmen and women who are avid hunters should take the time to really soak in what Shane has to say because hunting is not a right, it is a privilege.

As I get older I put more emphasis each year on giving back and as a hunter, gatherer and fisherman, I believe it is my role to give back to the landscape I utilize to harvest my food. I have befriended a local DOW Officer and he has agreed to put me to work where I can volunteer my time this Spring and Summer to help make Colorado a better place for the animals, plants, and species I love. I’ll let you know what my tasks end up being in an upcoming blog post this Spring.

3. Kill A Mature Buck Via Spot and Stalk

I damn near completed this goal this past Fall in Kansas on November 7th but the stars just didn’t align. Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades! I was 2 hours into a stalk on a bedded buck with a doe and I was doing everything right. Long story short, I crawled to within 20 yards and missed the shot on a 160” eleven point. To say I was devastated would be the understatement of the year!

This is me failing at a spot and stalk attempt. Look at how sneaky I am! Photo Credit: Steve Trowbridge

Spot and stalk is exhilarating and is unlike any other style of hunting. One of the more valuable tools I have in the bag to raise my level of confidence for a stalk is my Heads Up Decoy. Read my full interview with Garrett Roe, owner of Heads Up Decoy HERE. If you haven’t hunted from the ground, I highly recommend you try it at some point in your life because it is an adrenaline rush like no other. Speaking of an adrenaline rush, if you need a little inspiration make sure you check out the Whitetail Adrenaline DVD’s as they are the best in the business at this style of hunting.

I plan on hunting in Kansas again in 2016 and I plan on killing a mature whitetail on the ground, face to face, mono e mono. Let’s hope I get drawn for the tag!

It’s Good To Set Goals

Setting goals helps push you harder when your season isn’t going exactly as planned and will act as a reminder of the expectations you set for yourself at the beginning of the year. Hunting is a mental game as much as it is physical and when I’m deep into the backcountry, tired as hell from chasing elk to no avail, I’ll think back to my goals and it might be the spark I need to keep going. When I have the choice to either to sleep in on a Saturday morning or go get my hands dirty to support wildlife conservation, I’ll reflect back to this article. When I’m three hours into a spot and stalk on a Kansas whitetail and my patience is wearing thin, I’ll remember why I’m here.

Setting goals will not only push you further, it will also help reflect on your season at the end of the year and measure your progress. Regardless of the outcome, as long I can look back and say I gave a 100% effort, my season will be a success even if it’s just in my own eyes.

What are your “hunting goals” for the year 2016? Share them below in the comments – I would really like to hear from you!

-Adam Parr

My first “real job” out of college was doing sales and marketing for a solar company in Michigan. We attended 10-15 shows each year so I was no stranger to the circuit and quickly became involved in the world of conventions and travel. Although they were fun and it was great to meet people from all over the world, something felt empty. The solar industry was cool but at the end of the day, the people I was working with didn’t hold the same passions as me so I kind of felt lost. Suit and tie was the dress code of choice and I talked to people all day long who had never picked up a bow or even thought about hunting. I dreamt of being part of an organization that would align my career with my passion for bow hunting.

Fast forward to 2015, I started working for a company called QuietKat and immersed myself in an industry I truly loved. I get work with individuals who hold the same level of interest for hunting, archery and the great outdoors, which I believe is my one TRUE calling in life. One of the perks of being on the sales side of an organization is the opportunity to attend industry trade shows. This year I had the privilege of attending my first ever ATA show in Louisville, Kentucky and what an amazing experience it was!

For those of you who may not know, the ATA show is an opportunity for manufacturers, retailers and media professionals to come together and do all things archery related. For manufacturers, it is an opportunity to showcase their latest products, meet with existing and new customers, and to sell products for the upcoming year. Retailers visit the show to place orders, see the latest gear and attend seminars that cover a number of topics relating to the business side of archery. Last but not least, there are a number of TV personalities, bloggers and media people who document the event, meet fans and promote various products.

I spent time shooting a video segment with one of our partners, Midwest Whitetail.

It Feels Good To Belong

If I had to give myself an assessment of whether I am an introvert or an extrovert, I would put myself into the category of an introvert. It’s hard to believe I am in sales but I have always struggled to make small talk with people and develop close relationships in other industries because my heart just wasn’t there. In this industry of archery and bowhunting, I am right where I need and want to be.

It is hard to describe what this show meant to me but just imagine your favorite hobby or interests and being surrounded with thousands of other individuals who are like minded. When you are with these individuals, you can share advice, stories and have a good time together. Like a reunion of life-long friends, its feels damn good to belong.

Although it was great meeting many new and existing customers for QuietKat, one of the coolest parts of the ATA show for me was getting to meet individuals in the industry who have inspired me over the years. As an avid bowhunter I have been reading articles, books and watching shows with names such as; The Drury’s, Michael Waddell, Cameron Hanes, Todd Graf, Jeff Sturgis, Adam Hays and many more. I was fortunate enough to meet all of these guys at the show and because of this, it has inspired me more than ever before to be a better bowhunter.

It was great meeting Cameron Hanes at the 2016 ATA Show!

A Tight-Knit Community

I look forward to next years ATA show for many reasons but above all, I just can’t wait to talk archery with a passionate bunch of people for three days straight! I love the camaraderie between each individual in this industry and although the community may be small, our passion for archery and bowhunting is large. Thanks to everyone who welcomed me to this industry; I hope to be involved for many years to come.

These people of the ATA are not my colleagues, business partners or mere acquaintances; these people are now my friends. It is a brotherhood of which we all belong and share together. Take care, my friends and see you soon.

-Adam Parr

Here are the problems I have experienced with other well-known classified outlets:

Craigslist – They have a great local reach but it is not targeted and is difficult to sell something to a demographic outside of your local area.

eBay – They have an extensive national and global reach but they charge fees and you are at the mercy of the customer when it comes to product returns.

Local Newspaper – They have a good local reach but you have to pay for it. Often times lower priced hunting products do not fit this bill.

I found Zach’s company, Hunterz List via Instagram and I immediately loved the idea of having a network of like minded individuals who have the knowledge and appreciation for products in the hunting and outdoor industry. With roughly 4% of the U.S population comprising of hunters, we are a minority!

TRUE STORY: I had been trying to to sell a camera arm on Craigslist for over a year but to no avail. Ebay had left me with a bad taste in my mouth from an awful customer experience and there was no way in hell I was going to pay for an ad in a newspaper! My options were limited to say the least. Within a month of having my camera arm listed on Hunterz List, I was able to connect with someone who truly understood the product and sold it for my asking price.

This was my posting of the Tree Arm.

In addition to wide array of classifieds, they also created a platform for businesses to market products and services to the outdoor community. Hunterz List is continually delivering new content through “Outdoor Entrepreneurs”, a section of the site dedicated to hunting articles, videos, and a recently launched podcast as a way to attract targeted consumers to the site.

Its often funny in life how you end up meeting certain people in this day and age and ever since our first conversation, we have clicked at multiple levels. Zach and I stay in touch on a weekly basis and offer each other advice in regards to our goals, businesses and ideas. It was a pleasure sitting down with Zach and learning more about the past, the present and the future of Hunterz List. Below is my interview with Zach Wolfe, Founder of www.hunterzlist.com.

Business

Where did you come up with idea for Hunterz List? When was that first “Aha” moment?

My “Aha” moment came about a year ago while I was sitting in my NYC apartment exploring start-up ideas that aligned with my passion for hunting & the outdoors. My idea was to create a platform where  a hunting & outdoor consumer and businesses could advertise similar to craigslist. I wanted a strong focus on Business to Consumer sales by entrepreneurs in the hunting & outdoors industry.

What Products and Services do you offer on www.hunterzlist.com?

Since our inception the site has really evolved to offer a wide range of content. I want to break our site down into three categories:

Hunting & Outdoors Classifieds: For both consumer to consumer & business to consumer sales.

E-commerce Store: We partnered with Amazon to create an online hunting store where our visitors can purchase archery products, rangefinders, trail cameras, scent eliminators, game calls, tree stands and hunting clothing directly from out site. 1$ from each sale will be donated to our Hunterz List Veteran Fund.

Outdoor Entrepreneurs Blog & Podcast: This section of our site features hunting articles, videos and our outdoor entrepreneurs podcast. The articles feature both educational and informative articles about hunting. The videos are informative, and we now accept video submissions from business owners in the hunting & outdoors industry that highlight their product or service. The approved videos are then uploaded to our blog and youtube channel for the entire outdoor community to see. Our podcast features interviews with entrepreneurs in the outdoors community.

Outdoor Entrepreneurs section of HunterzList.com

How are you currently marketing and promoting the site? Social Media, Email, Ads?

Currently I’m using various methods to market my site. I use Facebook, Instagram, twitter and youtube. I run sponsored ads via Facebook and have received great results. I try to produce as much high quality content as possible. My goal is to post at least two new blogs a week and one new podcast every two weeks. I currently use a CRM (Customer Relationship Manager) software along with Mail Chimp to produce email campaigns to my subscribers. I’ve just started focusing heavily on SEO and optimizing my onsite content with Yoast SEO via WordPress.

Tell me about the new “Outdoor Entrepreneurs” section of the website? What does this entail?

This section was created to empower hunting & outdoor entrepreneurs with educational information on both hunting & business. This section of our site features hunting articles, videos and our outdoor entrepreneurs podcast. The articles feature both educational and informative articles about hunting. The videos are informative, and we now except video submissions from business owners in the hunting & outdoors industry that highlight their product or service. The approved videos are then uploaded to our blog and youtube channel for the entire outdoor community to see. Our podcast features interviews with entrepreneurs in the outdoors community.

I hear you are in the works of an E-Book! Give us some insight on that and when/where will it be available for purchase?

I’m very excited about this! I’ve been working on the E-Book for about two months now. The title is “Three Secrets To Killing Bigger Bucks”. In about 30 pages it will cover three tactics that WILL help you harvest your dream buck. I’m working hard to finish the book by late October or Early November. It will be available to purchase on Kindle Amazon.

What does the future look like for Hunterz List? Any new ventures in the works?

I’m extremely optimistic and excited about the future of Hunterz List! I’ll have new products launching from the site over the next year and will continue to build my content. I have a business background and have a blessing for creative strategy so new ventures will certainly come. I welcome collaboration!

We all face struggles in starting a new endeavor or business. What has been the most challenging thing since starting Hunterz List?

The most challenging thing was taking action upon my idea and staying consistent. In the beginning no one was paying attention, no one was watching. Being patient and staying consistent was the key.

What has been your greatest success to date?

Pushing myself outside my comfort zone. Putting myself and my business out there for the world to see.

Personal Life / Interests / Background

When were you first brought into hunting? Did your father teach you the ropes and introduce you to the sport?

I was introduced to hunting at a very early age. I believe I was about 5-6 when I first visited our hunting trailer on Marylands Eastern Shore, Pokomoke City to be exact. My father was indeed my teacher.

What is your favorite animal to hunt? Do you prefer gun or bow?

I’m a Whitetail Fanatic and extremely addicted to bow hunting. I do pick up a rifle once a year for opening day. I prefer to sling arrows.

Where do you currently reside? Tell me about your family life – Are you married?

I currently reside in New York City with my wife & miniature dachshund. I am happily married to my beautiful wife Ana Maria. Together we’re a great team!

I know you have a military background – Thank you for your service, Zach. Tell me a little about that?

Thank you! I served in the United States Marine Corps for 6 1/2 years. Parris Island South Carolina made me! I served in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom OEF in 2013. Enjoy my time but it was time to move on. Semper Fi.

What other hobbies or interests do you have outside of hunting and hunting related activities?

Spending time with my wife and our dog. I love to run. Weight lifting. Reading about online marketing strategy and business.

Hunterz List Overview

Take me through the steps of getting registered on your site – Is it pretty simple to sign up?

Very simple:

1: Vist the top right header on our site and click register.

2: Enter your username, email address and password and press submit.

3: Press the confirmation link in your email to activate your account.

4: You’re ready to post your free ad.

Hunterz List makes registration simple by letting you connect with Facebook!

Does it cost money to join Hunterz List?

Hunterz List is Free.

What kind of products and services can I offer as a user? Can I list my vehicle on your site or is it specifically hunting related products?

You can either list your old or unwanted personal gear, or, you can create an ad to sell your business’ product or service. The categories cover pretty much everything archery, rifles, real estate, fishing, services etc. We do have a section where you can list your pickup truck or trailer. We also welcome and encourage category suggestions.

If I subscribe to the newsletter, what kind of content can I expect to get in my inbox?

We’re working on creating a content-rich, weekly newsletter. Right now if you subscribe you’ll receive constant updates on new content and releases.

Why should I join Hunterz List and list my products there instead of a classified site like Craigslist?

Craigslist doesn’t know the first thing about hunting or the outdoors. Our subscribers and visitors have a hunting & outdoors background. Therefore, your product has the best chance of being sold.

www.hunterzlist.com

After a six-hour drive to my hunting lease in Kansas, I arrive at the farm around 11pm and quickly set up my tent in the gusting wind and darkness. I unpack my gear and settle in for a night of restless sleep as my mind races in anticipation of tomorrows hunt. Although I’m not planning on hunting in the morning, I plan to wake up at sunrise and drive the area to scout for deer movement.

My alarm goes off. I am tired from the work week and the long drive but I jump out of bed in excitement and anticipation of the morning scouting session. Its a cool 40 degrees, which is unseasonably cold for the morning low in mid-September so I am expecting decent activity. After three hours of driving, glassing and scouting from afar, tiredness sets in so I head back to camp.

It’s getting close to 10am so I decide to stop and check trail cameras in the immediate area surrounding the farm. Thinking to myself, “It might be too early in the day to check cameras and I should probably wait a couple hours” did cross my mind but the temptation was too much. After running a trail cam through the latter part of the Summer, I wasn’t getting any pictures of my target buck in this particular area of the farm so my intention was to pull this camera and move it to a different location.

As I close the distance to within 100 yards from my camera, I see a doe and fawn have picked me off. I don’t really think too much of it because there always seems to be a doe in the area no matter what time of day it is so I push on without stopping. As I get closer to the camera she starts to circle in front of me instead of running the opposite direction. At this point I stop and watch her run to another low area with thick cover, littered with willow brush and small trees. In an instant my heart sank as she alerted five does and three bucks from their beds not more than 100 yards from where I stood.

I am in utter disbelief! One of the bucks is the typical 12 point (pictured above), who is my number one target buck for the season on this particular farm and he is accompanied by the second biggest buck on the property which is a heavy 9 pointer (pictured above). None of the deer in the group spotted me or knew what was causing them to run but were alerted by the running doe that I had spooked minutes earlier. I watch them trot across the road as I shake my head and mumble a number of curse words for blowing these deer out of the immediate area.

Lessons Learned

You may remember from one of my earlier posts that I had laid out an exact strategy to hunt this deer throughout the early season. Read the full post: My Exact Strategy For Western Kansas Early Archery Season

The spot where I bumped them from was less than 400 yards from where my tree stand is located, overlooking the waterhole where I have numerous pictures of my target buck. The wind was perfect that evening for him to move during daylight but all bets were off because I had ruined the hunt before it even began. I sat the stand anyways hoping that they bedded up in the milo field to the North but all I saw were does and fawns.

Hindsight 20/20 I should have waited to check that camera until at least noon but I’m not sure if that would have made a difference. I think regardless of the time of day the same scenario would have occurred but I will never know for sure.

One of the main takeaways from this excursion was the realization that I didn’t need trail cameras anymore because they had already done their job. Because of my pre-season scouting, I knew there was a shooter in the area and I knew he was coming to the water tank on a regular basis. I positioned my tree stand accordingly so that he could not wind me on his approach, I put in the necessary work but all was lost because of my excitement and trying to nail down his exact bedding location. For what??

I follow a number of hunting shows where they are constantly running cameras to locate the exact travel pattern and bedding area of a hit list buck. Although this information is extremely benficial, it can also be high-risk, resulting in bumping deer and jeopardizing a hunting area. In this particular scenario, I was caught up in the mentality that I HAD to keep running cameras in order to kill this buck. That would be like me as a salesman getting a person to say “Yes, I’ll buy your product!” and then continue to explain features and benefits for another 10 minutes even though they have already committed to the sale. Ludicrous, right?? How much is too much? Sometimes less is more.

All things aside, it was a wonderful opening weekend and it felt great to get back into the stand with my bow in hand. As hunters, we are constantly putting together the pieces of the puzzle and trying to wrap our heads around these elusive animals in hopes of filling the freezer. After all, this is an entirely new property so I have to expect certain things like this to happen because of my lack of local knowledge. I came away with lessons learned and memories made, and in the end that’s all that really matters. I love deer hunting!

-Adam

Kansas is one of my favorite states to hunt whitetail deer for a number of reasons:

1. It is a draw tag that is relatively easy to acquire for non-residents.
2. The hunting pressure is significantly less than Michigan and other parts of the midwest.
3. Kansas grows lots of big bucks.
4. There is an abundance of public land that holds quality deer.
5. Other wildlife such as grouse, bobcat, badger, pheasant, and hawks are abundant.
6. My hunting property is only a five-hour drive from where I live.

For all of these reasons combined is why I LOVE to hunt in Kansas!

Putting On The Miles

I woke up last Saturday morning feeling a bit tired and groggy after a two-day event in Denver but knowing that good hunting land opportunities were on the horizon, I crawled out of bed and pushed on. I had done a bit of homework prior to this trip and located a general area (three counties) where I wanted to hunt so I headed out to the open prairie.

Since I already had a tri-county already in mind, I resorted to using the Arc GIS app for iPhone, developed by ESRI. This shows you on a real GPS map where Walk-In Hunter Access (WIHA) properties are in proximity to your location. The cool feature is that it is an interactive map so you can click on various properties and it shows you how much acreage the property is, what species can be hunted and what dates they can be accessed. Click HERE to find out more information about WIHA maps and related software programs.

Zoning In

After I had a general area picked out, I started to key in on areas with concentrated WIHA property. My next step was to then start zoning in on river bottoms with trees in close proximity (within a mile) to crop fields for optimal travel routes and food. Once I had located a property with these characteristics, I drove to the area and put the binoculars to work!

After spending some time glassing fields, river bottoms, and ravines, I decided that this particular section was worthy of trying to get additional private land access so I set out to start knocking on doors. It never hurts to have more options! “I have way too much hunting property” said NO ONE EVER!

The First House

First off let me start by saying that the people in Western Kansas are some of the nicest people I have ever met in my life. By the time I pulled up to the first driveway it was already 95 degrees outside with about 90% humidity and it takes by breath away when I leave the comforts of an air-conditioned truck. After knocking on the door I was greeted by a young guy about my age named John. I explain why I am there and he invites me out of the blazing sun into their cool air-conditioned house. I thought to myself “Wow, you don’t find people too often these days who just let you in to their house after 10 seconds of conversation”

I get to talking with him and his family and next thing I know he gives me permission to hunt the family farm. He starts explaining all of the property in the area and he offers to ride along in my truck to show me exactly where each parcel is, where to park and the best access locations. His family doesn’t really hunt and John is moving to Illinois to move in with his fiancé. I seriously can’t thank him enough for him letting me access 5,000 acres of good hunting property. John, I owe you big time!

My Secret Scouting Weapon

Below is a quick 30 second video of me using my QuietKat to quickly scout potential ground. It came in useful after gaining access to some new property!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LflqzunmRo

The Next Attempts

After leaving John’s house I headed up the road to talk to the neighbors to the East because the property had good characteristics and was hoping for more success. Upon talking with the owner, he stated that his son-in-law hunts the farm, meaning no hunting privileges for me. It was still really good to talk with him because he said there are some big ones in the area and he had a pile of shed antlers in the yard to prove it! I thanked him for his time and headed on my way.

My next move was to head to the neighbors to the West. After speaking with him I was also denied access due to other people already hunting the property. Once again, I received great info from talking with him and he too had a bunch of fresh sheds lying around the yard. He said he doesn’t actively look for them but instead picks them up out of the pastures when he lays an eye on one.

After leaving the last farm I chose to head further East. After a few miles of driving I spotted a few good farms mixed with river bottoms and crop fields so I had to stop. I too was denied access to these properties because they already had hunters. Both guys mentioned that there were a lot deer in the area and how they wished there weren’t so many!

Picture Time

Below are a few pictures from the open prairie of Kansas. The photo of the building is actually an old school-house. One of the neighbors I talked to said he actually attend school there as a young boy.

My Luck Strikes Again

After many failed attempts I connected on another farm about 5 miles from the first property. This parcel is much smaller at 500 acres, but when you are coming from Michigan, 500 acres is still a lot of hunting ground! Although smaller in size by Kansas standards, I really like the way this property is laid out.

This piece of property is located where a river bottom and a ravine intersect in to each other; both natural funnels. The other reason I really like this piece is because it has a water tank on the property, making it very attractive to thirsty whitetail deer! The river bottoms in the area are dry which could mean great success if I can set up a stand or ground blind along the travel route to and from the water tank.

Scouting Trip Recap

All in all I was very pleased with my results for the trip. I scouted thousands of acres of public land and picked up approximately 5,500 acres of solid private land to hunt on this fall. To say I’m excited for the season to begin is an understatement!

Already, I have learned a lot about the area by seeing it in person and talking with local land owners. In the coming weeks I will write a blog post showing how I will hunt these properties and how my tactics will change as the season progresses. Hopefully in a few weeks I will be able to get back out there with some trail cameras and really begin scouting.

In closing, if you are actively looking for private hunting land this Fall don’t be afraid to knock on doors. Sometimes it can be intimidating but the more you do it, the easier it becomes. It’s a numbers game; meaning the more houses you approach, the more likely you will be able to gain access. Keep going and never give up.

-Adam