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2019: Public Land Challenge

Here’s what I’m gathering based on listening to this episode as I type:
1. Neither the host of the podcast nor Mr. John have watched the 2018 challenge. That’s shoddy broadcasting if I can be blunt. Know the subject and the people before you put their names and projects in your mouth. Aka watch the damn challenge before podcasting about it. For Mr. John to say “I hope it’s all on the up and up...” WTH does that even mean? If you have seen ONE episode of THP you know there’s NO more up and up than THP. Again, do your freakin’ homework. Neither one of these guys knew that it was Mr. Dan’s idea in the first place! Aaron Warbritton made this immensely clear more than once on their show.
(Okay Scotty, bring it down a notch...)
2. I couldn’t be MORE stoked to see Mr. John sit around this campfire. Those boys are going to melt right through all those layers of activated carbon and guldern experience right to his short-and-curly heart. The way they talk about him on their own podcast (I hope he knows) is both respectful and admiring. This is no contest for them against anyone but nature.
3. I didn’t want to post this, but I’m going to. I think any blue collar hunter who pays their license fees and parks their truck on public (or any) huntable land during public huntable hours doing legal means and methods is on the ******* up and up. To share that knowledge and experience FOR FREE with other people of the same “girth” (to cram a saddle term in there) is not something THP, Mr. Dan, even Mr. John or anyone else HAVE to do, and they do it because they want US to have the SAME success or BETTER. I’m “stuck” hunting public land just like most of us, and it gives me immense respect, and of course a tickle of competition, with every boot on the ground trying to get it done legally.

4. Y’all seen my soapbox riding around here anywhere...?
 
Here’s what I’m gathering based on listening to this episode as I type:
1. Neither the host of the podcast nor Mr. John have watched the 2018 challenge. That’s shoddy broadcasting if I can be blunt. Know the subject and the people before you put their names and projects in your mouth. Aka watch the damn challenge before podcasting about it. For Mr. John to say “I hope it’s all on the up and up...” WTH does that even mean? If you have seen ONE episode of THP you know there’s NO more up and up than THP. Again, do your freakin’ homework. Neither one of these guys knew that it was Mr. Dan’s idea in the first place! Aaron Warbritton made this immensely clear more than once on their show.
(Okay Scotty, bring it down a notch...)
2. I couldn’t be MORE stoked to see Mr. John sit around this campfire. Those boys are going to melt right through all those layers of activated carbon and guldern experience right to his short-and-curly heart. The way they talk about him on their own podcast (I hope he knows) is both respectful and admiring. This is no contest for them against anyone but nature.
3. I didn’t want to post this, but I’m going to. I think any blue collar hunter who pays their license fees and parks their truck on public (or any) huntable land during public huntable hours doing legal means and methods is on the ******* up and up. To share that knowledge and experience FOR FREE with other people of the same “girth” (to cram a saddle term in there) is not something THP, Mr. Dan, even Mr. John or anyone else HAVE to do, and they do it because they want US to have the SAME success or BETTER. I’m “stuck” hunting public land just like most of us, and it gives me immense respect, and of course a tickle of competition, with every boot on the ground trying to get it done legally.

4. Y’all seen my soapbox riding around here anywhere...?
Preach it brother!
 
I will say I am disappointed that they changed venues. It would truly be a public challenge if they were seeing extra fanboys and had to find the deer despite them. I know Michigan thinks it's lands are overrun and the most crowded, but keeping it where it was planned might barely approach the typical NC public land experience by doing so!

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Ya the hunting ag fields and ghillie suits goes out the window when you step on public land in the south (nat forests). I was talking to a wildlife biologist who kills 2 p&y bucks every year here in the south and travels to the midwest states and alberta to hunt. He was saying its night and day difference in hunting from the midwest to the southeast. Easier strategy and different deer behavior up there I guess. Is this some what true? Based on the guys “kill wall” he seems to know what he is talking about.


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To your point @Bwhana told me a story about an out of state hunt where he was told pay close attention to the "thickets". In the south we would consider a thicket anything so thick that you cant walk through it. There it was a few bushes clumped together. On the flip side, if one of us said hunt that creek beside the "big field" those guys would probably drive for a week trying to find a field that they consider big.
 
I would love to see them in the southeast. You can pretty much count John E out unless it’s late Dec.- Jan. Because of scent control. Most guys that are good hunters down here can find and kill critters anywhere on earth.


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Ya the hunting ag fields and ghillie suits goes out the window when you step on public land in the south (nat forests). I was talking to a wildlife biologist who kills 2 p&y bucks every year here in the south and travels to the midwest states and alberta to hunt. He was saying its night and day difference in hunting from the midwest to the southeast. Easier strategy and different deer behavior up there I guess. Is this some what true? Based on the guys “kill wall” he seems to know what he is talking about.


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Yep I'd love to see how they'd tackle the ozark or ouchita national forest. Millions of acres of hardwoods and pine timber with clear cuts and small food plots scattered, zero ag land. I hunted kansas once about 8 years ago and it was hard, but not as hard as here. Basically if you could find any wooded draw especially with clumps of cedars there would be deer sign. Find a hub of a couple different draws coming together and you're in the game.
 
Ya thats kinda what I was getting at. The ozarks would pose a good challenge to them. I did see where they struck out on turkey in arkansas. I enjoy watching the content but as far as liste ing to their strategies, I move on. No easy Ag fields where I hunt. Would be nice to find some good content on how to hunt the southeast nat forests.


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To your point @Bwhana told me a story about an out of state hunt where he was told pay close attention to the "thickets". In the south we would consider a thicket anything so thick that you cant walk through it. There it was a few bushes clumped together. On the flip side, if one of us said hunt that creek beside the "big field" those guys would probably drive for a week trying to find a field that they consider big.
That was the longest walk of my life searching for those thickets!

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Sounds like the walkabout I took looking for “the ravine” in Sanilac County Michigan......that thing wouldn’t even make a decent ditch around here, lmao
Yeah, I hunted at a buddies place a few years ago down in Saginaw County and they told me to walk down a fence row until I came to the ridge then follow it south. Ridge????, it was a gradual rise of no more than 10 ft. :D
 
I will say I am disappointed that they changed venues. It would truly be a public challenge if they were seeing extra fanboys and had to find the deer despite them. I know Michigan thinks it's lands are overrun and the most crowded, but keeping it where it was planned might barely approach the typical NC public land experience by doing so!

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I think Michigan has gotten better over the years but it can still be pretty crowded. In the early 00's I'd say it was probably the worst in terms of archery(400ishk licenses sold?). Gun season has always been crowded in the southern 2/3 of the state. I had a drive go through right next to my tree stand one time of 4 guys hunting in Harrison, MI. I literally packed up right then and left. The upper peninsula is a way better in terms of hunters but there are WAY less deer, almost no AG. The way the state is divided up it's hard to get anywhere without other hunters. The southern part has the most AG but yet has the least amount of public land but has the highest density of hunters on public land. It's VERY crowded. The northern lower peninsula has more public land but less AG and still has a decent amount of hunting pressure. The UP has the least amount of hunting pressure but also has the least amount of AG and the lowest deer density. Pick your poison.
 
Ya thats kinda what I was getting at. The ozarks would pose a good challenge to them. I did see where they struck out on turkey in arkansas. I enjoy watching the content but as far as liste ing to their strategies, I move on. No easy Ag fields where I hunt. Would be nice to find some good content on how to hunt the southeast nat forests.


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My husband and I were just talking about that. The Ozarks are so different. There's no spooking a buck and seeing where he goes to cover around here. It take a lot more boots on the ground to know how the deer are moving. And then the acorns start falling....

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