No Till Food Plots - So Easy

[at1010]

The Drag Out

Every year, hunting season comes and goes so fast. Each passing year, there seems to be a little more animosity than the last.

But as I get older, I feel far less pressure to hunt to impress anyone. I love hunting for myself and my own goals. I enjoy setting goals that can be reached with a small group of close friends who share the same passion.

There’s nothing like tracking a deer, celebrating when you find it, and just about killing yourself dragging it out. Then cracking a cold beer on the tailgate, rehashing the story of how two of you fell dragging the deer out, and the other one keeps retelling how the shot went down. Not to mention the endless jokes and laughs that happen as we all ride the emotional roller coaster of deer hunting and tracking together.

I heard a well-known deer hunter say on a podcast, “All these heads are a burden to someone when we’re gone.”

I couldn’t have agreed more. I’m not saying don’t score a deer or chase a big one. But I do think we should all focus on appreciating what we have: the time, the deer, the friendships, and the memories made along the way. At the end of the day, we’re all out here for the same reason, the love of bowhunting whitetails and the simple joy of sharing great venison with family and friends.

We wait all year for that one moment, to finally lay our hands on a whitetail. Slow down and soak it in. The drag out, the effort, the laughs, and the memories are what make it all worth it.

The drag out and the cold beer on a Friday night tailgate with good friends beats all the negativity on the Internet any day.

Get outside. Enjoy the smells of fall. And enjoy it the way you want to.

 

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Why You Should Mulch Your Leaves, Not Bag Them

Every fall, lawns across the country disappear under a blanket of leaves. For many, that signals hours of raking, bagging, and hauling them away. But what if those leaves weren’t waste at all? What if they were one of the best natural fertilizers you could give your soil? At Vitalize Seed, we...

vitalizeseed.com

 

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Why Hunters Care: The Whitetail Deer and the Heart of Conservation

I felt compelled to write this, though I’m not sure I can articulate it as well as the white-tailed deer deserves, but here goes a try.

There is often a disconnect between hunters and non-hunters, a misunderstanding about the empathy we have toward the animals we pursue. Many people ask, “How could you kill an innocent animal?” But what they don’t realize is that the hunter’s empathy often runs deeper than most could imagine.

For me, this journey toward harvesting fresh, high-quality protein, gathered through methods that echo those used by humans for thousands of years, is one that is deeply rooted in who we are. Hunting, especially with a bow and arrow, taps into something ancient within us. It carries an energy and purpose that no modern-day food source can replicate. It connects us to the land, to our instincts, and to the life cycle itself in a way that is both humbling and revitalizing.

A hunter spends countless hours learning about the animal’s biology, physiology, and behavior. They study wind, weather, habitat, and patterns. They feel the highs and lows of each pursuit, the quiet awe of seeing that animal appear, and the weight of the decision that follows. Long before and long after the shot, a true hunter is thinking and feeling far more than just adrenaline.

When a hunter finally lays hands on that animal, it is often the first time it has ever been touched by a human. In that moment, gratitude and respect are overwhelming. We process that animal carefully, honoring the life it gave. We give thanks for the cleanest, leanest sustenance that God placed on this earth, and in return, we give back to the land that supported it.

To further drive home the point of empathy, this year in parts of southeastern Ohio, the deer herd was devastated by Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD). In some areas, losses exceeded 50 percent, and in pockets, perhaps as high as 80 percent. Recovery will take years, depending on habitat quality. Yet it was not the government or wildlife agencies that first raised the alarm, it was hunters. It was the hunting community, both online and in person, who recognized the scale of loss and responded. They called for restraint, for reduced harvests, and for focused habitat improvement. They understood that conservation is not passive; it is a shared responsibility.

This empathy and connection are what drive hunters to do more than simply hunt. It is what pushes us to restore landscapes, improve forage, and ensure that whitetails can thrive again and forever in the hills and hollows of southeastern Ohio. And that empathy does not just affect the deer. It supports entire rural communities that depend on hunting-related jobs and tourism throughout Appalachia.

That is empathy. That is connection. And for me, I thank the whitetail deer for all it continues to teach us about respect, responsibility, and reverence for the natural world.

It is so much more than just a deer.