Speaker 1: 0:00

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Speaker 2: 1:05

I'm Frank Mastika.

Speaker 3: 1:07

I'm Squatch.

Speaker 1: 1:09

Ethan Brzezic and guys, let's dive into today's episode and remember to always chase the unknown Guys. We're back Season is literally right around the corner. For me surprising new twist. I'll be out hunting on the 31st in Delaware, new game plan that came up probably a couple weeks ago. So Peyton and I will be out in Delaware. But it's good to be back.

Speaker 1: 1:47

Oh yeah, absolutely. How is everyone's summer? First of all, ethan, let's dive to you Two year hiatus from the crew. You know, I know work and everything has been crazy and things like that. So welcome back. It's good to have you back and it's you know, we're looking forward to it. But how has the last couple of years been?

Speaker 4: 2:12

First and foremost, it's definitely good to be back. So for those who don't know, close friends do, but for anyone listening, I decided to get into the field of law enforcement a couple years ago and I went the municipal route. I worked in a standard small town on a pitman schedule, worked a lot of nights, and I did that for just over a year, and I was happy at the time. But I didn't realize how much it was taking away from me until people in my close inner circle family and friends started bringing it to my attention. So I knew I had to make a change, and just recently I moved from municipal police to my county sheriff's department. From there I work a Monday to Friday, 9 to 5, 8 to 4, depending on the day, and it really made me realize how, how run down I was getting.

Speaker 4: 3:08

I feel a million times better and all of a sudden I have, I have time again for my friends, I have time again to shoot, I have time for to be with you guys here on the show. So it's been a very, very interesting couple of years. I'm very happy with where I'm at now, though, and uh, I wouldn't change the last couple years for anything, but at the same time, I'm very, very happy that I made the changes that I did to be here now. So it's been interesting, but it's been good definitely, definitely, yeah, no, it's.

Speaker 1: 3:37

I. I mean I remember from the minute you got to academy and I mean it happened quick and um, you know, and just here and there, I know last year you got to take a beautiful black bear and you know things like that. So you know, but you really have been, you know MIA, which you know when push comes to shove, when it's when it's work, and you know it's it's just what we have to do, you know. But we're all happy that now you're on a normal schedule and you can. You can get back to also doing what you uh, what you love to do as well.

Speaker 4: 4:10

Yeah, some people are able to. Just, some people are able to handle certain types of schedules better. Um, I got, like you said. I got into it so fast, I didn't really have time to see if it worked for me or not. I was just I blanked and I was in it. I was in working the 60, 70, 80 hour weeks on nights and the whole nine, and I didn't realize, like I said, until I was out of it, until I had that steady going into work every day, leaving the house at 8.30, having time to go to the gym before work, being home every day by 5.30, getting sleep every night.

Speaker 4: 4:46

Until I actually had that, I didn't realize how run down I was.

Speaker 4: 4:51

So now that I'm here, feels damn good being able to get six and a half to seven hours of sleep every night without fail, and I was operating for like better part of a year and a half on like three hours of sleep a night and just caffeine yeah, just caffeine and and being dead inside, and then that was my life every day and then, uh, yeah, everything else had to take a back seat to the fact that I'm here now and, yeah, I'm very, very excited for this, for where I'm at, and then, the season coming forward, it's gonna be a hell of a lot different. I'm excited to get after it, definitely definitely.

Speaker 1: 5:31

And now to our newest team member. You know the Squatch First official episode being a part of the legit team. I know you did Trivia Night and everything like that, but that was for shits and gigs and that was to have fun. But you know, big statement in your, in your next couple of words, that you're going to have. You know. You know, welcome. You know that's. That's all I can say is welcome.

Speaker 3: 5:57

Thank you. I'm honored to be with you guys and you know, looking forward to this season. The brotherhood, the camaraderie, and you know just the times that we get together are hunting, you know it's it's. It's far and few between that. You find really good people, especially in sports, right. So of course I got to know Frank, then I got to know you, mike, and meeting everybody now with the team, and you know I'm I'm the new guy here. You know I can speak my spiel and you know, bring to the table what I can bring. But I'm always interested in hearing what everybody's input is and how they do things and where they're going and what they're after. Like I said, though, but it's a nice honor to be recognized and kind of not hesitated to throw me on the team. By all means. It's not going to my head or anything. I'm not going to get a big head with something. I try to stay as modest as I can with stuff and but I try to hide the excitement a little bit.

Speaker 1: 7:11

but I am very excited.

Speaker 3: 7:15

You know, like I said, but I'm getting pumped, man, I don't put a lot of pictures out on social media but I'm after two really good giants here by the house on private land and, um, they're both four and a half year old deer. Uh, one is I call him mr perfect. He's got perfect high, big g2s, crab claws out in the front and he is a mirror image of both sides. Frank can contest, he's seen him. And I got this big whopper eight. He was a six last year and he was pretty damn impressive. I let him walk Last year. I had him dead to rights a couple of times, let's say Impressive block at a six-pointer and I saw him bloom in his velvet this year and I was like, oh man, I don't know if he's going to make the eight mark. And I call him Clyde because, if you guys remember the movie and I'm dating myself here because I'm a little bit older than you guys it was every which way but loose with Clint Eastwood and they had an orangutan in there as their sidekick and they come across these bikers that give them a bunch of hell and he'd say, right, turn, clyde. And he'd smack whoever came up to him. The orangutan would knock him out. And the reason why I call this Buck Clyde is because his right side he's huge, he's like 130 class, he's just beautiful. His other side is a little bit shy, on the left, so I don't know, being as the right side's heavier, and I was like, ah, he's a big old buck and he's a country deer, I'll call him Clyde, so that name stuck.

Speaker 3: 8:59

And, like I said, the other eight's, mr Perfect, over here at the house. They went on a walkabout for three weeks. I didn't see either one of them. I had them there every day. They were there every day on my camera and I was watching them grow and they disappeared and I was like, oh God, where'd they go? I hope they didn't wander off. And just as of not this past Saturday. This Saturday, before the nice eight, clyde showed up and I was like, oh good, he's back. Where's your buddy? Though I said where's Mr Perfect? Because they run together a lot, and I didn't see Mr Perfect until yesterday. And at about 6.30, 7 o'clock I got a picture of Clyde with his doe. He loves this one doe back there, and that eight-pointer stays with them too. And the next picture that came up was Mr Perfect standing very majestic right in front of my camera and he actually turned and walked away and I got a nice going-away shot of him with his big G2s up tall.

Speaker 3: 10:04

So we all know the horror stories we hear. Oh, a lot of times guys seize bucks and they disappear when it's hunting season. I'm just hoping and praying that a big guy upstairs he gives me an opportunity. The really cool thing is they're daylighting right now and that's key. I don't have any nighttime pictures of those bucks, which is really, really significant. And you guys know if you got daylighting bucks, they're very trustworthy to where they are, but they don't know that the squash is coming and where he's hiding. That's right.

Speaker 3: 10:43

So, um, like I said, I hope I can connect. I hope the good Lord is preparing me for this. He's letting me know they're there. So I've been shooting. Um, I just put a new sight on the bow. Um, I started shooting that last night. It's got micro, adjust on it. Don't need no tools. Uh, nice, bright pins. I'm getting old. I need all the help I can get. So, uh, uh, I'm looking forward to it, guys, I'm really, really looking forward to it.

Speaker 3: 11:14

Um, like I said, you know, frankie and I, uh, we did. We did some prep work up there on that piece of state land for the bears. So I'm looking forward to getting with you guys. I don't care if I I don't even care if I shoot a bear, I shoot a bear. I just want to know that we were able to put something together. And you know we did see some action up there.

Speaker 3: 11:35

Frank got some pictures. So we were I was doing cartwheels here in the house, even though I totally can't, but I attempted them. I did hurt myself, but I'm really ecstatic. It's just so cool to see pictures. And you know I'm very hard on myself and I'm probably my own worst critic and and I know that and when I've got people that I take under my wing which is kind of hard for me to do sometimes, but I do do mentor and I do take people under my wing when I don't feel like I've proved myself, that eats me, eats me up, and I I kind of like you know, I say, well, you know things happen, but when I look at a spot, I'm usually a pretty good judge of character or something's coming through, and when it don't happen on my time, I get a little frustrated. But as you can see, we. We did end up getting some pictures, so that's good, and I think it's because the food is still low yet for them. They're working their way up the mountain. So I rambled on enough. I'll shut up now.

Speaker 1: 12:38

Yeah. I'll always love it when you. When you do that, you know good, good stories and good information that you're coming up with, so don't worry about it now. Mr frank, you know broadside ambush. What's up, brother?

Speaker 2: 12:54

what's going on, man?

Speaker 1: 12:55

another day, we, we were out the other day. We set up a cam listen me, and frank and I both forgot so many things you know, so we, we literally said, all right, this is just going to be our first little scouting mission here in new jersey for for bears, I mean, we still got plenty of time.

Speaker 1: 13:11

So we're not really, you know, we're not really worried about it. You know, we have obviously other other things that we need to worry about. Like you know, bear season in upstate New York, uh, but, um, you know, we, we got out one camera, we did some scouting, saw some sign, um know, and we just had fun and we just, and then we did some shooting and we enjoyed ourselves. But you know, so this is really going to start our, our weekly segments from here on out. So we're going to be calling this is going to be this segment is actually going to be field notes.

Speaker 1: 13:46

So, you know, during the season, we're going to give about 10 to 15 minutes worth of talking for each person, whether you can make it or not, um, everyone, the videos will be, um, the guys will send it over and things like that, and we're just going to give you guys a quick update field notes, yada, yada, yada have some some guys on and and things like that too as well, throughout the season to see what it looks like in other States. But you know where it's, just go time. So, you know, before we, we, you know we really dive into, you know, the hunts that we're going to be going to, one out. Each of us is go over. You know real quick what are. What are some of the new equipment that everyone's going to be using for this new season?

Speaker 2: 14:37

Who wants to go first? Frank, do you think you can go?

Speaker 4: 14:42

I'll start. Well, I feel like for me I have the most significant one Going from the archery athlete, the guy who years ago I gave all my friends you know shit for just the idea of even picking up a gun. I mean, you speak, gotta use a bow. Why would you never? Why would you ever use a gun? You can use a bow to. Now I have an entire safe loaded with firearms that I didn't own two years ago and I'm bringing a muzzleloader across the country from Elkhunt this year. That's probably the biggest one for me is getting that muzzleloader and I'm so addicted I take that thing out shooting every week and damn near dislocates my shoulder every time I shoot it, but it's such a blast yeah, I love mine too um, no, that, that's just the gun.

Speaker 1: 15:29

The gun's the only update, that's it dude?

Speaker 4: 15:32

yeah, I don't, honestly, like I think I've told you about it before I don't. I don't even run cameras like I'll run like one to two cameras throughout the year, maybe three. Um, I really none of my gear has has changed. I've been running the same setups, the same everything for the last couple years Outside of the firearm. I'm pretty consistent with my gear every year.

Speaker 2: 15:55

Look if it works, you know.

Speaker 1: 15:59

Don't fix it. You only got to change it, don't fix it. If it's not broke, don't fix it. Alright, squatch. How about you, brother?

Speaker 3: 16:08

Well, I'm happy to announce that I am going to be joining the saddle club. I just did a couple of little side jobs so I managed to scrounge up some money to invest in all that. So now it's on the shopping spree. I'm researching stuff. You know I like a lot of the stuff I've seen you guys use, so I'm trying to put a little bit together of of everything. Now I just heard that they've got these steps that like circle the tree and you put them up a lot like a lot less weight than the climbing sticks. So there's something else to look at. Um, so that's one of them I'm.

Speaker 1: 16:49

Is that um? Do you know what company that is?

Speaker 3: 16:52

I think it was um, latitude okay, I think I could be wrong, don't hold me to that, I think it was latitude. Um, so, being that I'm going out to ohio and kentucky to hunt with Jason there and Quentin and all them guys around Halloween, I've got tons of climbing stands. I've got so many, it's no problem just to take them out there, but they're heavy and they're not versatile. You guys all know you're using the stuff and everybody's on me about getting a saddle. So I got to get the saddle, but it's just more versatile. I think it's going to help out, especially even in my own woods where I've got stands. I've always thought like, yeah, they kind of get used to you being in the same spot, so it's, it's good to sneak up on them.

Speaker 3: 17:40

Uh, another little uh thing that I'm using now that's new for me this season is, of course, the mulchries, mulchry products, mulchry cameras. Um, been very happy with the way they've been working. Running is, of course, the Moultries, moultrie products, moultrie cameras. Been very happy with the way they've been working and running. If you haven't checked them out, check them out. They're great. A little plug to them, guys. Also, what else let's see? Well, the Warhead Arrows that's a new one. There too. New product the REC Broadheads. I've got fixed blade and mechanicals. Of course there's going to be both of my quiver. I've never been a mechanical guy, don't really care for them. No offense if you guys use them and you like them. Good, I'm happy for you. Use what works for you. I always say that we're fighting.

Speaker 3: 18:27

But you know I am going to try these new wrecks that I'm using, the HXPs. I am going to shoot a doe with it and I want to see what it does to the doe. And they've got a two and a quarter inch cut in diameter. They fly fantastic. They hold their weight retention, they open correctly, like they're supposed to. The HXPs are the fixed blades that I'm using. That's going to be, you know, no matter what hunter green broadhead fixed blade. That's what I believe in, that's what I was raised on and that's what I'm I'm going to use this year. So I'm really excited. It's two new broadheads to try out.

Speaker 3: 19:06

And of, of course, you know, warhead arrows. Man, I'm telling you I couldn't be happier with these, these brand of products that I've taken on. And you know I won't say I like something unless I absolutely do. And I'm telling you the quality of the arrows, the components and the way that they are manufactured and the price of them are very reasonable for a guy who's a hard worker. You know, maybe he's got a family and stuff can't go out and get the best of the best. But let me tell you something you won't know the difference and the deer, sure as hell won't know. What you're hitting them with that arrow is money, man. I'm telling you the the reins are 11.9 greens per inch. I just weighed my arrow it's 510 greens. So it's going to hit them like a 12-gauge shotgun when I let that arrow fly out of that 70-pound bow. But that's really.

Speaker 3: 20:01

You know, as far as I said, probably the biggest, newest thing is the saddle and, like I said, I'm tossing around a couple ideas who to go with. And you know I like the one that Frankie's got. I really like the way that's designed and I love the sticks that he has. So it was just kind of a money thing. I mean I could have just went out and bought it. But you know I'm one of them guys I like to kind of have the money there, justify it, and then, you know, don't break the the bank. But that's where I'm at, you know, I'm just, I'm just excited, man, so much stuff is is happening. I'm seeing a lot, a lot, a lot of good animals where I'm hunting both properties. So it's, it's, they're there. It's just got to be in god's time that I get what I get. So I'm just hoping and praying I get the knowledge to go where I go and slay a big one. You know, with the new stuff that I got out there, super excited.

Speaker 1: 20:58

Definitely love to hear that. Mr Frank, you know, before we get into you, frank, you know, I just will say, because we're, frank and I, are on the same page with one thing this year we both went into the season wanting to go to Ironwell. Yeah right, we both bought Ironwell. We want to say, for me personally, I wanted to try to get a fixed into my, into my quiver. I've been working on that for the last like three or four years, can't get over the hump of. I just don't think there's anything better than sever, right? Finally got it done.

Speaker 1: 21:38

I'm sitting in bed in England and all of a sudden the group chat starts blowing up with Steve and and Frank and they're talking about sever literally just dropped a brand new broadhead, the 1.5 hybrid. The minute I saw that you could kiss iron will or any other fixed blade option, goodbye. I picked up I think like six of them and now I will be shooting the, the hybrids and frank as well. Same thing was gonna go with the Iron Will and then also Switch, and I believe even Steve picked up some of the Sever hybrids as well. So I could say for all three of us and whoever else got the hybrids out there. Like you know, we're really looking forward to using this Arrow. You know it's the best of both worlds and I still hands down. I do not think there's a better mechanical blade out there than Sever, with just the integrity and how it holds up and everything like that. So, with that being said, frank, I'll let you get into all your new stuff as well.

Speaker 2: 22:51

There's going to be a lot of changes for Broadside Ambush this year, so definitely the Severz is the one, but I will also be running not only the hybrids, I'll be doing the 2.0s as well. Actually, I changed a lot of of my of my setup, so my bow this year, um actually went back to a single pin slider. I'll be using the true glow. I think it's the the rover, I believe um. It's pretty cool because it doesn't actually have an actual pin, it just it has like a light up dot. You can actually shrink it, make it bigger.

Speaker 2: 23:31

I've used it in the past. I liked it but I wanted to go back to pins so I switched. But now I made the switch back. Um. Not only that, I switched to a thumb release this year, which I had problems in the past, but I actually bought the um true fire edge four because I didn't want to spend too much money, not knowing if I was going to like it or not. And I'm killing it with the thumb release. I did not think that I was going to be able to because I struggled the first couple times I tried it, but once I got used to it I don't see me going back to an index release I really don't.

Speaker 2: 24:14

Um, let's see what else did I change. Oh, so I'll, I'm also going to be shooting, um, the warhead arrows, just like squatch. Appreciate you setting me up there, buddy, making my arrows for me. I'm also, uh, running the reins and I'm, I'm right, around 5 10. I was shooting like, I think, 460 before. Now I'm shooting like 5, 10, so it's a big difference. Um, let's see what else am I shooting. Ah, so actually, um, I'm gonna get in the saddle game this year. So I got, uh, myself a trophy line, covert I think it's the covert pro saddle.

Speaker 2: 25:02

Um, I went with the arsenal sticks and platform the mag 2. I believe they're well. Once I tried, I was like this is the one. I tried a few different ones at the great american outdoors show, but I don't know, man, I was like this is it? It's super light. I loved it. So, um, but I also switched to moultrie this year. So another shout out to moultrie. Um, I mean their cameras. I mean big difference. I, I like them. I really do like them. They're well made, take good pictures. So I just love them. What else did I change? I changed so much this year. I'm trying to think of it Literally. Oh, we're also going to be running Hex this year. I think the whole group, all of us yeah, we're going to be trying the Hex out, so I'm excited to try that out. Gilly Puck's another one. Mike, I still got to get him.

Speaker 1: 26:05

I got to reach out to him and get the code for our team, because we can get whatever we want from them. So don't remind me after this to get on that.

Speaker 2: 26:19

All right? Yeah, no worries Trying to think is there anything else I changed?

Speaker 1: 26:25

Yeah, so everyone listening go to the description and the link and click on hex or gilly puck. I mean those are two phenomenal products.

Speaker 1: 26:35

Um, you know that we're really excited to to use this year. We started using it, um, you know, shout out to mike. Um, you know, he, he, he was like hey, you guys want to join, and I mean it was, it was such a great decision, really excited for that. And then same thing with Gilly Puck, especially as the season gets longer, you know, and you know, your cover starts to go away. You know, I think that's going to play such a huge factor in the hunting that we're doing, especially during the rut and everything like that, when things start to get crazy. And you know, the leaves are mostly already gone and they're now predicting a pretty cold winter, so I'm actually hoping that's that's actually the case, um, but you know, we'll, we'll, we'll believe it when we, when we see it.

Speaker 1: 27:25

No, um, so I mean, I, I guess, for for me, I'm changing a few things up this year. Um, nothing too crazy. Uh, well, first, to even start to go in, like I usually like to work out. Um, but something has been missing. Um, you know, for the last couple years, like you know, I played hockey at such a high professional level. You know, like you work, you train in the morning. You know you do whatever you train in the morning. You know you do whatever you train in the afternoon. You're watching what you eat. You know all these different things.

Speaker 1: 27:55

So I completely changed my whole training regimen this summer. Like, I'm lifting so much more again, I'm running. I'm running with, you know, with the plate carrier. Like I am whooping my ass this year, like it's actually hurting me to sit down right now. Ass, this year, like I, it's actually hurting me to sit down right now. Um, you know. So I've I've kind of got back into that like that beast mode type of of mindset that I used to have when I was playing hockey. You know, and a big part of the big help was, as you know, who I listened to in the morning, and ethan may know this uh, david goggins, huge david goggins. Uh, goggins fan. Um, you know jocko too as well. Those guys, like, when I go to work out and I'm listening to them, they they're like I'll be running up a hill and I'm dying, and it's like the minute freaking goggins, like don't be a bitch.

Speaker 3: 28:41

It's like oh, shit like all right you know, you just you just get motivated right.

Speaker 1: 28:46

So I I think that's been a huge, huge difference and it's going to help me, you know, especially in the early part of the year. But another thing I now have no choice but to switch camera arms because I cannot find my pocket. Well, my, my lone wolf pocket arm. It is somewhere. So we redid everything in our basement so we moved a whole bunch of stuff, we put things in storage and I don't know if that by mistake got put into somewhere it wasn't supposed to be. So now I mean I have this by elevate uh, the elevate company right, and I got this at the um, at the outdoor show, and I was going to use it, but I was. It wasn't going to be my main camera arm, it was going to be my main camera arm, it was going to be my second camera arm and my main camera arm when I'm doing a lot of um, hanging hunts and stuff like that is the pocket arm just because of how skinny, how skinny it is and how easy it is to pack into into my bag. So now this still is small, you know, it doesn't weigh a lot. But now I got to figure out how to use this, this buckle right and um, you know. So this weekend I I'm gonna be doing that and that's one of the only new pieces of equipment I'm gonna be using this weekend. Um, and then, of course, the hex suit right, I'll be in boxers and just the hex suit and that's about it. Um, so, besides that, obviously I said, um, the hybrid uh, 1.5 um, but also a brand new arrow setup. So I'll be running two different arrows this year. I will be keeping my eastern aes, which are, you know, they're five millimeter, um, with everything it's. It's a 428 grain arrow and I didn't go too crazy, um, but I went with the mambas 300 spine and this is a four millimeter arrow with, um, much better foc and it is going to be around 450, 460 ish, once I put that, um, that lighted knock on, um, so it is. So far.

Speaker 1: 31:00

I've taken a few practice shots with it, not even sighting in my, in my bow or anything like that, just just letting it, letting it fly, and I and I mean just, you know, I showed you guys the video, the penetration difference. I mean, usually I would have my actual camera, so I know it's hard to see, but I'm going to do a video on these. This is the the Mambas right here, right, and loving the new wrap that a shout out to, should have went to shack, hooked it up. We got the boondocks hunting logo and then we have our podcast logo up there. Um, I'll do a better video on that. And then I'm gonna go yet again, the aes, but just a little bit of difference, um, but I won't use the. I probably won't use the mambas this weekend. That is probably going to be once deer season, maybe bear season, um, down in uh, in upstate new york, but um, yeah, that that's going to be one of the new things. And then I went to arsenal saddle, um, so now I have the arsenal saddle um, I'll probably be running two different saddles, um, but for the most part it'll be the arsenal saddle and everything else is really the same. And then you know, the most important piece no more GoPro for me. I got the DGI action camera. I will never pick up a GoPro ever again in my life and it will probably be just DJIs for my secondary and third cameras, you know, but that's, that's what I got. I think that's really about it, you know.

Speaker 1: 32:27

Yet again, there's just a lot of things, but the arrow was the. The new arrow was a big one and that's probably going to replace the Eastons within the year. I don't think I'm going to buy any more Eastons here on out as long as this arrow performs the way it does, and what Frank and I saw from it at the shoot and Squatch 2 as well. I mean, that was the only arrow that held up against the, the iron bear, um, and just the collar is the only thing that the collar kind of got stuck on the arrow. The arrow was in perfect tack, except for the collar just jammed up on shaq's arrow and we couldn't remove the. The collar kind of just like bent and everything like that. But besides, that arrow was in in perfect health and uh, you know everyone else lost their damn arrows, so pretty excited for that.

Speaker 1: 33:22

But, um, you know we're, you know we're getting a bit long here, um, and I don't want. We still are gonna have have Peyton and Steve that are going to be recording. But you know, ethan, you're going to be heading out to Colorado on the when, exactly the 12th of September. Ok, so you'll be, ethan is going to. So even before that, we have me. Peyton, we're going to be in Delaware this weekend hunting down there for a couple of days for a velvet buck or anything that walks out. At that point that's legal. And then the next weekend, frank Squatch and I are going to be heading to, are going to be in upstate New York for their opening of bear season, which is with any weapon the boys are bringing the guns, I'm bringing the bow and then the following weekend weekend, all of us will be out for jersey opener, except for ethan who will be in colorado. Big, big expectations then on from there. Frank is I mean, um squatch already said it he's going going to be in Ohio and where else?

Speaker 3: 34:31

Kentucky.

Speaker 1: 34:32

Ohio and Kentucky. This year, frank's hopefully going to be at his property. Oh, frank, let's get into that real quick. Just how disappointed I am with New York's wildlife, whoever makes this decision. It's a story that I really want you guys to listen to, because, I mean, I think everyone in our chat was just disgusted by the, by the decision and, uh, you know, I, I just do not, I don't know, I just think it's, it's just wrong in my eyes. So, Frank, why don't you dive into that real quick?

Speaker 2: 35:12

eye so frank, why don't you dive into that real quick? Yeah, it's definitely uh disgusting in my eye. So, um, I got word one day that all um a few of the surrounding properties that border our farm um started complaining that the that um the deer were um well, that they lost, I guess, thousands of dollars in crops due to the deer. So from what I was told was, um dc came in, said all right, we're going to issue you um, I think it's a deprivation permit, I believe, and just go ahead and shoot them up. Just no bucks just dozing and fawns, fawns, okay. So um had no idea actually any of this was going on. At first, all uh put up my mulchery cameras and noticed that they were dry, like barely anything. And that's not like it up there. I'm usually like deer after deer all day long, nothing. Um, then I found out that they had killed at least 75 deer before I found out that this was even going on and that they were actually getting a few more guys to come up to shoot a whole bunch more. So I mean, I don't know man, I'm just so disappointed. And I reached out to them and they were like yeah, we issued the permit, but you know, that's basically. They told me that's how it goes, right, you know. They told me, you know, go scratch.

Speaker 2: 36:49

But um, because I was pretty heated, because you know, we I've watched these deer, I, you know, and've watched these deer, I you know, and just for them to get shot up and just basically left there, you know, like I mean they could keep. I guess, from what I understood, they said that they can keep some, but not all. So they were just basically throwing them down like ravines and stuff, or burying them, which is, jesus Christ, just pitiful, you know. So I'm interested to see how it goes up there this year. I just Pulled my cameras out, actually Yesterday, off the property, because I mean they've been there for two months and I've just been seeing the same exact two bachelor bucks and the same probably, I want to say, five or six does. I mean obviously I only had two cameras going but, um, I didn't get to check the other side of the property. But I mean, it's just, I've never seen it like that and my hopes, I mean everything's set pretty low this year, my expectations.

Speaker 1: 38:05

So we'll just see how it goes, I guess yeah, yeah, no, it's a, it's a, it's an unfortunate thing, uh, for sure, um, you know so, before we we jump off, you know um, I know we're gonna be in pa for doing a do a rifle hunt um, ethan and I. So it's gonna be a lot more traveling this year. I'm trying to get to to maine this year and, of course, you know our annual black bear hunt where the guys have most of us was all taken off for that and everything like that. Ethan, you're going to. You get an out this year for black bear.

Speaker 4: 38:40

I'm going to try and get out for a day, you know, being that I'm so new with the new department. I'm already taking off, like I'm taking off pretty much two straight weeks before my field training period is even over. I don't want to take off another couple of days. I don't want to take off another couple of days, like a month later for bear season, but I have the weekends off, so that's.

Speaker 1: 38:59

Saturday.

Speaker 1: 39:00

I'm pretty sure, yeah, yeah, definitely, definitely, yeah, you know. So, anyone out there in New Jersey and if, listen, if you need any help or anything like that, listen, give us a call, we're going to be out there. You know, I think Bobby's taking the whole week off. I'm going to take Monday, tuesday, definitely Saturday, maybe even one other day. We'll we'll see. I'm going to try to be out there as as much as I can for bear season. And yeah, you know, I think the expectations for you know, besides Frank's property, I think, are pretty, pretty high. You know, we'll probably jump on again and we'll go over some of you know some more things. On the next one, hopefully our next uh field notes update is is us with a couple successful deer, hopefully maybe a velvet buck or or something like that.

Speaker 1: 39:48

But you know, listen, it's that time of the year, season's kicking off. It is, if you guys are out there, make sure you're shooting your bows. You know, if you're getting new saddles or you haven't been in saddle, make sure you're at least climbing up and at least getting a shot or two out of the saddle. Um, try to just get comfortable again with with all your, with all your equipment. That's, that's the most important part, you know, and it's funny, like here in new jersey, it's like I I'm like, oh, like I need to go do this.

Speaker 1: 40:16

I told Bianca I was like I need to go do this, I need to go do this, and she's like why this is like, oh, because I'm now I'm going to two other states to hunt before jerseys and so, like now I don't have the time like I usually have the time to to get everything set up. So you know that that's kind of what we're, what we're going to be looking at. I'm actually heading Delaware tomorrow. Boys, bianca and I are going to go down and scout Peyton was out scouting yesterday, you know, found some good sign and you know we're we're just looking forward to that. So you know, everyone out there, I hope you guys are doing everything you need to do and getting ready for the season, and it's almost upon us, uh, you know, and the best six months of of our lives are coming back up and we're gonna be having fun and a whole lot of memories are are to come. So you know, boys, uh, any last words?

Speaker 4: 41:09

yeah, I got, I got one thing, I got one thing I want to say, actually speaking of, uh, the fact that everyone's getting ready for season. I know we're going to get ready to get wrapped up here. It'll be fast. I don't think I told this story on the podcast at all, because last year it was so crazy. Almost just over a year ago it was last July I was getting ready for season. I was hanging in the sand One of the few days that I went out scouting that year and I was climbing up into a permanent set that I had and, self-admittedly, it was one of the only times I had one of those uh, hunter safety system linemen sets were the only times that I actually clipped into that. I never use them and I get halfway up that tree. Now I get almost all the way up the tree.

Speaker 4: 41:55

I'm 25 feet up and I got hit by a couple wasps that were burrowed into that tree and I actually fell out of the tree and that lineman rope saved my ass. So that's a big thing. Tell a lot of people that story. I remember I was pretty jacked up. I jackeded my hand up, my leg up pretty good when I fell. I slammed into the tree but it caught me and I didn't have anything worse happen. So just be mindful of that Everyone getting out into the woods this year. Be safe, be safe.

Speaker 1: 42:28

Yeah, yeah, definitely, definitely be safe. Check your stands, check for wasps. If you're in an area that has venomous spiders or anything like that, just be, be pretty mindful out there. You know of of your surroundings and, uh, you know you have to be safe because that's the only way we're gonna enjoy what we're doing. So don't, you know, take the extra time to to make sure everything is is good and everything like that. Um, you know that's a that's. You know that's a horror story. That's a horror story. So, all right, boys, I think that's going to wrap it up. Everyone who's listening.

Speaker 1: 43:05

We are going to get going. We're about to put Peyton and Steve on. They're going to give us a little update and stuff like that about their season or what they've been doing and their stuff and everything like that. And, yeah, so you know, I hope you guys enjoy this episode. This is the first episode of our Field Notes segment. We're going to be doing this every week until the season is done. A lot of episodes, a lot of talking. It's going to be fun. We're going to have a lot of stories for you guys and you know some of you guys will be on and happy, happy hunting everyone.

Speaker 5: 43:44

Hey guys, just want to talk a little bit about what I'm doing for this upcoming season as it approaches. I'm starting my season here in a few days, early September, with an out-of-state trip to a neighboring state that you know has a good bit of public land opportunities for, you know, with not that far of a drive. So, um, it's a very different style of hunting that I'm used to kind of in the you know, parts of north jersey, uh, where I spent a lot of my time. You know those familiar with the area know that it's a lot of, you know, rolling hills, a lot of topography, a lot of big woodlots, smaller ag fields. You know, in some areas quite suburban, but you know very contrasting where I'm going this early season, with big ag fields, small timber strips, swamps, little very subtle changes in topography. So got some time down there recently, scouted around, kind of hit on a few things I think are going to be important. The first I talked with the guys with recently in the group chat was I think red oaks seem to be dropping a lot more this year than a lot of others. I think whites have been pretty dry, at least from what I've seen, but I've seen a lot of red oaks that are just really hitting the ground hard right now. So that's something that I'm paying attention to, definitely. And then but I'm really hitting that food to bed transition. You see a lot of beds along these ag fields that might be very hard to hunt but it's going to require probably some creative ground setups, but with the little timber that I do have, you know, finding some tree setups that are kind of going to cut off that bed to feed. And then, you know, work some of those red oaks in there as well. That's coming up here shortly.

Speaker 5: 45:38

But you know, know, in the meantime I'm shooting as much as I can, trying to get that, um, arrow placement perfect every time, not most of the time, um, you know as much as possible. But you know I'm also kind of laying down some of my mock scrapes and some of my other. You know kind of more local areas that I've been hitting on this year, um, some new pieces of public that that I'm focusing in on putting out some mock scrapes, hanging some of the mulchery cameras and getting some good bucks on camera. So, you know, when new jersey season does roll around and and I'm going to be paying attention to new jersey, pa, delaware, maryland, maybe some other states this year. But when that New Jersey opener does hit, I'm ready to, you know, find my dough for that. You know that Urtabuck season in September and, you know, hopefully get a big one on the ground there after that.

Speaker 5: 46:28

But for now focus on my out-of-state hunts. Got to get all my gear unpacked and do one last check over to make sure that I have everything. You know, make sure I got the thermosel, all the bug spray. You know all the clothes are washed. You know I got all my binos and optics and sticks and saddle and everything like that. Broadheads are sharp. So for me it's really coming down on the home stretch here. But, yeah, excited and best of luck to everybody as they go into this season.