Speaker 1: 0:00

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Speaker 1: 0:42

That's why your tagline like accidentally drifted my canoe, between a sow and a cub, and she's like charged and like hit. Hit like the back of the canoe, his head hit the ground before his ass did.

Speaker 2: 1:03

Begging, begging and crying to go with my grandfather, go with my father on these deer drives.

Speaker 3: 1:09

You know, the last trip over I shot a great Cape, Buffalo, with my bow charging through the grass and then the whooping.

Speaker 1: 1:16

And then you hear a body drop. What's up, boys? Well, we're back for, I think, field Notes 11, and it's going to be exciting one, because our boy did it again. Well, actually, no, squatch did it right before, got it done with the bow, and then, you know, frank with with the gun. Uh, so this is going to be a good one. So you know we'll, we'll start with'll. We'll start with. You know we'll start with Squatch. I mean, how else, last day before the rifle season starts, to get it with the bow, um, to put some meat in the freezer, to to get it done? You've been working hard, all you know, all year, and everything like that. How, how's it feel, brother?

Speaker 2: 2:03

Well, it's, uh, it's a good feeling. Anytime you shoot a deer with a bow it's always good and it was a quick, clean kill. The deer only went 20 yards. It was a perfect, hard shot. I got him in at 10 yards and let him have it, and it happened in an instant.

Speaker 2: 2:21

It was 11 o'clock in the morning and I heard some noise to my left. I looked and he was coming right down the run that I have in between the two thickets. He was cruising for does and I looked at him and I said, hmm, okay, I'm going to take him. It's the last day. I said tomorrow starts rifle season here in New York. I said it's time. So I didn't even I didn't, you know, bleat at him or anything. He just walked full, full broadside and it happened so quick. I didn't even get a chance to put the camera on which we're all hunters first. I'm not a cameraman. I like getting stuff on film, but when the time comes and I don't have time to hit that button on, uh, you know, I just had to let it rip. So he gave me a perfect broadside 10 yard shot. I picked that small spot and just touched the release off and I seen the arrow cruise right through him, that warhead man and that that wreck broadhead just pounded right through him and, uh, it's stuck in the ground and I could see it was blood covered just from the stand, looking with my binoculars. And he busted through the thicket and I thought I heard him crash. I wasn't sure and I waited about maybe 15, 20 minutes and after that I got down I saw there was, uh, you know, blood all over the arrow. When I went to pull the arrow out of the ground there was blood all over my hands from from it being on the arrow. I said, well, geez, that's a good hit. And, uh, you know I. I said, well, let me go home, I'll give him time to lay down, just in case, cause you know, you always want to give them a good amount of time.

Speaker 2: 3:59

Uh went home, changed out of my heavy hunting clothes, because it was cold that morning, and had warmed up by the afternoon. Uh came back, got on the blood trail. I got a little nervous because I had good blood right from where I shot to where he went in through the thick stuff. But you know they bounce off everything, kicking stuff over. So I was like, oh, geez, I know he went this way.

Speaker 2: 4:21

And then by the time I busted through the thicket, I looked out on my main run and there he was laying there. You know that is a doornail. So I I was ecstatic. I said, oh man, I was starting to get a little nervous, you know that, that little bit of pace, but it was a perfect shot right down through the heart, you know. So I got him, got him out, got some pictures with him, and my father stopped over in the meantime and he took some pictures for me, you know, holding the deer and stuff.

Speaker 2: 4:51

And then I came home, I got them, you know, hung up and and then, um, I had to cut them up soon because it was warm and I knew the next day it was going to drop down cold at night, but it was going to warm up again the next day. So I got them, broke down, basically, uh, I put it in the cooler, I took some heavy, thick paper bags, like shopping bags, put it on top and then laid ice over the top of that so it wouldn't directly touch the meat, and everything was fine. The next day ended up processing it all up and it's in the freezer, ready for us to to enjoy. So it was a good, good time, good time I love it, love, love to hear it.

Speaker 1: 5:24

You know how for for you, and you know the guys that are able to butcher it up themselves. You know when. When you're starting the process, how long, how long does it typically take you? Does it take you a couple hours? What? What's the process kind of look like, sure, when you're breaking it down.

Speaker 2: 5:40

Yeah, so basically skinning them out takes me about a half hour, 45 minutes, depending how fresh the deer is, if they've hung for a while or it's really cold, sometimes it's a little longer than that. You've got to take your time, but typically a half hour, if I'm on the slow side, maybe 40 minutes. Skinning them out, breaking down, quartering the animal out, which is taking the two back straps out the two inner loins, the two front shoulders, off the two hind quarters, that's about another 45 minutes for that to happen. And then I bring each rump section inside, I break down the five cuts of meat that are in the rump and then wrap that up individual. If I make steaks, like out of this deer, I made a lot of cutlets. I like cutlets, I like pounding them out thin. So I processed everything in cutlets, bagged it. We put so many to a pack and in this room you take them out and you throw them out. You want to cook them up. You know they're all ready to go and each deer that I shoot because I'll get three or four, probably this year, hopefully, god willing um, you know, like one I'll grind. Like if I get a big, a nice heavy doe I'll grind her totally. But, uh, start to finish on a deer.

Speaker 2: 6:55

It's typically, I'd say, two and a half hours, or maybe after everything's all said and done and cleaned up. It's, you know, and I'm not the average joe, don't, don't. You know, don't forget, I, I grew up learning from one of the best butchers there was, so that was my grandfather. So he, he taught us how to do it pretty good. You know what, everything so, and every year, every year I mean I'm, I'm pushing 50 this year and it's a lot of years doing it. So everything's just old hat. You know, you get them up and strip them down. It's it goes quick anymore, you know. And my wife's great, my wife helps, she, she uh bags everything for me and labels it. You know it's all ready to go. So it's a team effort, it's a team effort yeah, of course, um.

Speaker 1: 7:44

And then you, you know you both roll into the next day of gun season. You know, I believe, frank, you were already at the property that night because you guys all went on a Instagram weekend. And you know, frank, go, go over it because, um, it's you who else went, your uncle my uncle and um three of uh, I guess they're like they basically know the family.

Speaker 3: 8:16

Um, this is actually my first time meeting them, so we had three extra guys up there with us so, okay, all right, yeah, and this is.

Speaker 1: 8:25

This is a family tradition you guys have been doing for years and years and years on the property, yep, um, so special moment for for you guys. Before we get into you know what is. What does it look like for you guys, is it? You know? You've been hunting this property for so long. You know the success rate during gun season, is it? How high is it for for you guys, because I think last year you got it done too as well.

Speaker 3: 8:49

Yeah, and everything like that yeah, I mean, for me it's it's pretty much like I'm like 90 of being successful where I'm at Humble brag, humble brag, there we go. I mean it's only because, you know, normally I hunt up in the woods on top of this ridge and basically I'm surrounded by all the farmer's fields. So we only we basically own most of the woods and you know, I'm basically set up, my gun spot is set up right in the middle of the woods, everything. So I can cover so much. I can see almost everything. So, you know, and my uncle, he basically he's older, so he sticks basically to the fields and I mean he usually sees them before I do. Sometimes he gets a shot, sometimes he sees them go into the power line. He can't see them and then they hit our woods and they end up coming right to me. We got it kind of figured out.

Speaker 1: 10:01

How far is your gun spot from where you bow hunt? Are you close by or do you try to bow hunt and gun hunt like two different pieces of the um?

Speaker 3: 10:10

no, to be honest with you, where I shot my eight pointer this year, um, I was only like 60 yards from where I shot that six or that eight pointer. So I basically I hunt in the same general area because they always seem to funnel through this one section all the time. It's just it's easier with the gun because I could see everything more obviously. So with the gun I mean with the bow I kind of got to move around to get closer to them because there's so many freaking trails. Sometimes they drop, sometimes they go up, you know.

Speaker 1: 10:42

So plus, also, by this time, the leaves the leaves are all down and everything like that. So it opens up everything for you. So you know a hell of a time on the property for you. I mean tagged out in New York, bow and gun. So what happened? Let's hear the story of the weekend.

Speaker 3: 11:06

Yeah. So what happened? Let's hear the story of the weekend. Yeah, so we went up there Friday night and we did a quick live with Squatch and Johnny Nitro and everything had a blast. Everybody had a few beers and you know was all pumped and excited for the morning and you know we go out. I think I got up around like 4 15 and headed out because usually I'm like the first one up, I'm usually the first one in the woods, you know. So I told everybody else I'm like later I'm out, I'm going like all right. So, uh, I get up there and it was so freaking windy Saturday morning up there I was like this is going to suck.

Speaker 1: 11:50

Was it as windy as the first day of bear season.

Speaker 3: 11:55

Almost. It was literally. I had a tree. I actually scared the shit out of me. I heard the tree cracking and it falls and it's only like 50 or 60 yards from me. I was like holy shit, like first of all I'm not going to see shit now, because this huge tree just felt like every everybody was hunting our property, heard it fall and it just happened to fall in front of me and I was literally contemplating do I get down or do I just stay? I'm like, well, I mean, fuck it, I'm up here already, you know like.

Speaker 3: 12:34

So it finally gets daylight and I just first thing I hear is turkeys going nuts, man, I mean going absolutely berserk, gobbling everything. I must have saw at least about 20-25 turkeys and they're just literally walking around me. I, I have one, one beautiful tom, walk right under me. I took a quick video of him but I was like man, I'm like, but where are all the deer? I saw I had one, one doe Actually. She bedded down only like 20 yards from me and then she got up, she left. I had another deer come off our power line. That was just a big doe, she was all by herself. And then I had one more deer come in, and that was pretty much my morning.

Speaker 3: 13:27

So I was like, oh, I'm like, do I stay, do I go? Like it's windy, because usually I'll stay up there for most of the day and all of a sudden I hear a shot coming from our field and one of the other guys that was with us, he ended up being successful. He shot a six-pointer he said it was a six and an eight fighting and as they were walking up the ridge to me, he actually took the shot, thought he was aiming at the eight pointer but ended up dropping the six pointer. So I I never seen the eight. So I'm like I don't know where the like. Usually when they come up that ridge I can see them. I never seen them, so I don't know where the hell he went. So I was like all right. So I think I stayed up there till about it was about quarter to 11. I got down and I was like, all right, let me get get some neat and I'll go back up quick, grab some, grab some neat.

Speaker 3: 14:30

Went back up there around one and boy, first thing I see again is all those turkeys were back again and I was like, yep, all right, here we go, but it was still. It was really windy and I didn't see not a single deer until last light. Like seven deer came off our power line and came in into the woods and I can only tell what the first two were, and those were two does, and the rest I couldn't even tell what they were. So I was like all right, so went back to the house we had, you know, we ate, we celebrated his deer get to.

Speaker 3: 15:10

Uh, sunday morning I'm, I was all pumped. I was like I think today's gonna be the day like because it not, it was not windy, nothing. So I was like all right. Again, I was first one up, first one out, got ready and all of a sudden it gets light, not a single deer. And I'm be honest with you, I'm not used to that in that spot, like I usually see deer all day long, nothing. So I started getting a little worried. I'm not going to lie. I'm like what's going on?

Speaker 1: 15:43

Like it was before we we get into this, I at this point I imagine I have woken up for to go to work that morning.

Speaker 1: 15:55

I have to tell this part because I mean, I still can't believe it happened. But I will tell you no lie, no, nothing. Everyone. I got up in the morning. I knew the, knew the boys were out.

Speaker 1: 16:08

I go to open up my drawer to pick a shirt and I specifically picked the broadside ambush here and I say you know what I'm gonna wear it for good luck. Frank is going to get a deer and I was this close to before the message came in of taking a picture with it on and sending it. In the group chat I just the patients were acting up a little bit so I just got a little distracted. But I will, I like, and I had to call the minute I got that text. I had to call frank because I could not believe that it actually happened.

Speaker 1: 16:43

Like you know it, it's just one of those things where it's I guess that's going to be frank's new good luck shirt. When I, when I have to wear that shirt I can't remember got, because I wear that shirt actually quite often and I can't remember if I was wearing it on the day you killed your, your bo buck, but it is a shirt that I wear pretty often. It was at the top two and it helped, like I saw, and I was like I'm I'm taking this right now because I I got a good feeling, so all right, continue yeah, no man, that that's cool man.

Speaker 3: 17:17

I really appreciate it. Squatch, do you want to tell you what happened or no? Yeah, yeah, I was going to say Since we're on that topic yeah, yeah, something else happened. Mike Go ahead.

Speaker 2: 17:27

Squatch, so that kind of rolled over too towards me. So I've got sometimes with people like clairvoyancy my grandmother had it from the Indian blood and I get it. Sometimes when I talk to people I see something or it's like deja vu or something happens and it's taken me a long time to learn it and what's going on and use it. But when Frank and I were talking the night before, I got a picture of power lines and I was gonna say to him frank, if you gotta stand by the power lines and I know because I was up there, I saw the lay of the land I was gonna tell him I just got a picture of power lines in my head. Go sit by him tomorrow. I think you're gonna shoot a deer there.

Speaker 2: 18:17

And I said no, I don't the guy's. Guy's gonna think you're freaking nuts, don't say that, just just just wish him luck. And I'm thinking, well, what if I tell him to go sit there and the other guy goes in his stand and shoots a buck? Then he's gonna be pissed at me for telling him to go over there. I said just shut up and let him hunt the way he hunts. So he says you know his side of the story when he's gonna tell it, but you'll see what happens. So, frank, go go on from there, because I'm not gonna. I don't want to spoil it yeah, no, I appreciate it, man.

Speaker 3: 18:46

Yeah, so, uh, yeah, I was. I was out there in the morning and I already had put it in my head that I wasn't going to be able to hunt new york state much so if a decent buck came by, I was going to take it, because pretty much I wanted to get my ass back to Jersey to hunt these big bucks that are around. So as I'm sitting in my stand, my phone goes off and there's that 10 pointer I'm after in Jersey and I'm standing right under freaking my stand and I'm like you gotta be shitting me, man. Like the one Day that he had to show up, I knew I wasn't going to be there because it was going to be like I was going to be in New York. So I'm like, so I wasn't seeing anything. All of a sudden, I hear A few shots around me, but Nothing crazy. And right On the other side of the power lines there's like um, um, there's just it's pretty much like a big field and there's more woods. I hear shots and I, and they're close, they're super close, and I was like it wasn't any of the other hunters, it was, it was no, it was uh someone else

Speaker 3: 19:55

yeah, it was, uh, the property next to us. And I mean, I'm not going to lie, I was like praying to God that they missed. So I was like, oh, just let some come. All of a sudden, like literally, I think it was maybe 25 minutes, maybe a half hour, maybe not even, and all I could see was I see this deer coming off the power line, but you know where have the trees were? All I could see was its ass and I'm like is? I'm like oh, ok, like what is it? And I'm trying to look and I just see three on one side and then he starts running. So I don't know like what spooked him, what it was. So I ended up taking a shot at him running Squatch knows the whole story.

Speaker 3: 20:42

I took a shot, I'm running. I missed him the first time. I missed him. He ran, he kind of knew something was up, but then he stopped in this ditch and I could just barely see him and I was like, all right, I'm just going to put it as low as I could, like I'm going to get this here, because I knew he was high but I knew he didn't have, I knew it was at least a six. So I shoot again. I freaking miss him again. I'm like, what the hell? And and believe it or not, he didn't even move. He didn't move. He just stood there, looked around and then he came up. He came up out of that ditch and stood right out and open. I'm like, oh that now it's over. Now I could see him. You know, I knew he wasn't, you know, my biggest deer, but at that point I didn't freaking care, because I just got the text message that you know, my big shooter buck was in jersey.

Speaker 3: 21:41

It's time to head home no, so I, I shot him and he'll, and he only went maybe not even 10 yards and I watched him fall over and I was like that's, when I started texting you guys, I was like down, I got him, like and I, I always say things, things happen for a reason and I swear every time like I miss it or something like that.

Speaker 1: 22:05

It it makes it better because you know what and this is always my thing what if you the shot on the run? What if it would have been a gun? What if it would have? And then, okay, the second shot, you it was. It set it up so you can have that perfect shot. And then the deer only went 10 yards, and that's how I always try to look at things is always in my mindset. Everything happens for mindset, everything happens for a reason, everything happens for a reason, and it's like that, that's like a prime example right there too, because you know what Things could have gone completely in a different, we could be having a completely different conversation, but it set it up for this.

Speaker 1: 22:40

Just the perfect shot opportunity for you, which you capitalize on. The deer went 10 yards and it was like boom, then it was a, it was an exciting text instead of a. Uh, shit, guys, like you know one of those other texts. So, um, absolutely, you know, just say and then it's a whole nother thing too, like now, and it's, you got two bucks on the ground. New y York is done and you're still like down here in Jersey. I mean, we still have the opportunity for six more bucks, I think technically.

Speaker 1: 23:15

Yeah because, we already did our far ball, but we have the permit. You have two for six day with any weapon, one for the muzzleloader. One muzzleloader and then.

Speaker 3: 23:27

but if you get your two for 60, it doesn't that forfeit your shotgun, or they change, I can't remember yeah, if you get two during the, the, uh, the sixth day you can't shoot one during, like the permit shotgun okay, and then we have winter bow.

Speaker 1: 23:40

Still it's crazy. I, I like what new york does I, I like that. Two bucks, any weapon, because you know I'd still be out right now hunting. And I think that kind of makes it better, because if I shoot about a buck during fall bow, shoot one during perm bow, it's like do you do I really need to go out for winter to shoot, to shoot a? Shoot a buck? No, you know, I like that whole method of what you guys have going on over there. I think it's pretty interesting. I wish we would adopt it. Just keep a limited dose. If you're going to cut down on the bucks, just keep unlimited dose. That would keep people, I think, happy.

Speaker 3: 24:15

Yeah, no, absolutely. And I was. You know, like I said, he's not, he wasn't my biggest, but dude, I was pumped, I let my my nerve I was actually telling Squatch on the phone and I was like I let the nerves get the best of me as soon as I seen them. Like my adrenaline started going and I was like I have to shoot this deer, like I have to. You know so, but you know it happens. We're hunters, you know.

Speaker 2: 24:39

When it stops happening, it's not worth it anymore. You know that's the thing that makes hunting hunting. You know you, you get that. You know that eight pointer was not the biggest eight pointer I ever shot either, but it was the last day. Oh, he got my heart going and I said you know what? You got my heart going. I'm taking yours out, yeah.

Speaker 1: 24:57

And I also have to say, like this year and I think, how it happened, like sometimes when they come in so quickly and you don't have the preparation you like it gets, or if they take too long to get in and it builds like my. So my book this year, you know, when I don't think I, I don't think we talked about it on the 200th one was I heard him coming in and then I saw him and all the heart got up there, but I I grabbed my bow and I thought he stopped and then he turned and I talked about this, how he turned. I actually had put my bow down and I was able to pick up the camera because I thought he was going the opposite direction. And then when I noticed he caught wind of the racket on the ground, put the freaking camera back down and was like, all right, he's coming in. I know this now. But then at that point so many things are going through my head that I kind of was able to go through my motions of, oh my God, a big buck's coming in. That wasn't. I was like, oh my God, I'm actually going to get a shot off, like I wasn't. The adrenaline was there, but not like overpowering. Where I made a mistake, I was able to then get it in and he came directly in.

Speaker 1: 26:12

I think if he would have took a little longer, the anxiety definitely probably would have gotten to me at some point where it was like, all right, why is he not coming in? Like now you're getting, when you're just waiting for them and they're just standing there, moving ever so slowly. I think that is the worst on top of it. Just one just sneaking up on you and just being right there and you just see, you just see antlers, and it's like, oh my God, what the hell do I do, like today, like you're fumbling. So I mean, yeah, from from what you? You know what you said, frank. I mean it's, it's a.

Speaker 1: 26:50

I don't blame you for forgetting the way that you know what you said, frank. I mean it's, it's a. Uh, I I don't blame you for forgetting the way that you know when it happens to everyone, I I think that again, like swatch says, once it stops, then it's like, oh, what's, what's the point? You know it's, it's not. We're chasing, you know we're. We're chasing the unknown and the adrenaline. For me, adrenaline rush, I mean I still doesn't compare to anything that I've, I've ever done. I I mean, I haven't jumped out on a plane yet, but you know um it, it's just this whole other thing. And then, once it's done, I mean it's, I don't know it's.

Speaker 2: 27:21

Everyone knows who who's a hunter knows when it's done, it's like, oh God like you're excited, you're happy, you're thankful.

Speaker 1: 27:31

Everything, even your misses and all the the frustration during the season, just it goes away. Yeah, I'll tell you guys, I'm not going to lie, I was. I was beating myself up to like literally I think. Like a couple days before I was so frustrated I got to the low of the season. I mean you guys know, I grind hard and like I'm I'm going full, like speed, and I hunt as much as I can. And it got to the point where I remember every hunt is a success for me, especially if I just see a deer, that's a success.

Speaker 1: 28:08

And I went two hunts in a row not seeing a deer, and I went and I haven't seen any of these big bucks and I was like I'm doing everything right. I mean I'm walking, I, I put in miles and miles and just moving all around and I like it's normal, it's gonna get to you. And I remember and I, I was sitting and I was, I was in the and I was just praying and I was like what? Like I was like this is a test and you're testing me and I I know it is, but right now I was like I am going to to vent and I am going to. You know, I'm just gonna say what, what the hell. But that was me, just like all right.

Speaker 1: 28:43

And then, once it was over, and I was like all right, stop throwing a pity party for yourself, let's, let's get back on the train. And then I found that, moved the camera, found that buck, and two days later, after that prayer, I smoked one. And you know I thank god and and my grandpa and everything like that up there. But it's, it made everything worth it. It made everything coming up to it, even the suck and the thorn, bushes and cuts all over my bodies and me almost falling out the damn saddle this year and and and all those things. It made it all worth it and for all of us I mean every, everyone on our team, I mean everyone's having a tremendous season. I think we're at least probably like at least 10 deer plus in down already through the season. We're still probably what, halfway, little, little more than halfway um through the through the season already.

Speaker 2: 29:39

Yeah, so you say how, how beat down you got. And you know if you want to talk about beat down, I got beat down because I had so many pictures of these bucks and and grinding and and and just every day, like you're just out there and you're, you know you got a guy like me. I'm a little older than you guys and you know I know a lot of people look up to me like I'm a wealth of knowledge. I appreciate that and I'm saying to myself I gotta get this done, I gotta get this done, what the hell is wrong with me? Like I'm a wealth of knowledge. I appreciate that and I'm saying to myself I gotta get this done, I gotta get this done, what the hell is wrong with me.

Speaker 2: 30:10

Usually I get a deer down and I'm saying oh, I jinxed myself by getting in the contest. I shouldn't have did that. You know this and that. And then I call my psychiatrist, broadside, ambush, frank, you know. I say I say frankie, what the hell? What did I do wrong? What am I doing? And he's like you're not doing nothing wrong, you know. And and that's what's important with the outdoors, when you've got a certain person or a certain couple people that you can talk to. I mean, usually the guys come to me and, hey, what am I, what's? But I need to talk sometimes because I'm I'm digging myself down in that hole and I'm going, man, I got almost no time. I went out to Ohio and then I came back and I'm like I'm under the gun and I'm trying to, you know, get this all done. I want to shoot a deer, you know really bad, and he's like just keep grinding and you're doing. Fine, it ain't nothing You're, you know you're fine.

Speaker 2: 31:12

You're doing what you're supposed to do, so but, like I said, that's key is having somebody you know, like like frank, frank knows, and he knows goes both ways. It's just like you know it don't matter what time it is. It's like if you got to talk, talk we're there. You know, yeah, and he's, he's consistent. I mean he'll sit, he'll get me, like I'm just getting in my stand. He's like like, hey, good luck today. I know you're out there, you know whatever, and I try to get back to him. You know, if I know he's out and I'm, I'm at work or he's doing whatever, but you know, rely on your brothers and sisters to help you. You know, I mean you're not in this, this fight alone, with bow season and rifle season. Talk it out, you know. Like you see, because it really it screws with you. It really does all the years that I've been hunting. I mean I'm what I tell you the other morning frankie is 30, 36, 37, yeah yeah, I think it was 30, 37 opening days or something you talk to me.

Speaker 3: 32:01

I've been out.

Speaker 2: 32:02

So when you sit there and you think back and you're going well geez, I thought this shit would get easier the older I got, and it's not. It's getting freaking hard you know it's getting hard it's all right though, it's all good.

Speaker 2: 32:15

You know I, I was super happy, I I got that deer with the bow and you know you like you say you pray, you're out there praying, you're like god, you know I'm I'm trying to do everything else right to fall in line with, with keeping me happy. You're happy with me and you know, just grant me to wish back. You know I'm asking for a simple thing here. Can you hear me up there? You don't get it and you don't get it. And then finally, bam, it shows up and all that pounding emotion comes through you like a wave and you're like this is awesome, you know, and that's why we do it. That's why we do it.

Speaker 1: 32:50

Two things on that, like one. First of all, I'm right there with you, but before last year I felt like the biggest jinx. I started this competition, everything like that. I didn't do nothing. I shouldered a deer like terrible, terrible season. And then I roll into this year and it didn't start off well, like I was seeing deer but like I was only seeing bucks in the beginning and I'm like, well, what, what the hell like is this two years in a row? I go, I'm gonna have to just not participate and just run the whole entire day and then and then it clicks and then you know.

Speaker 1: 33:26

This is why I tell people and you know, one of my things I've been preaching for years, especially on this podcast, is you know, when, when I talk about hunting and when I, when I get people into hunting and it's not just hunting like, it's just how we are built as humans too, and, and I believe, like you have to go through the suck. You know, and I remember when I first started bow hunting, I went through the damn suck and I mean countless and countless and countless of either misses or not seeing anything and just not killing anything and like that suck. But that makes you a better bow hunter, because then when you start doing everything correctly, when you go back to that, it's not nearly as bad because you've already gone through it. I was already not successful. So now, okay, I know this is hunting. Hunting is not always a successful thing, but when and I love it when I see new people there, they have success. But it's also I want you to not have success and I want you to fail, because when things get tough in hunting and say you wound an animal or something like that, that could turn you right off from hunting and be like oh well, you know I don't want to do this and I don't want to, I don't want to continue.

Speaker 1: 34:40

People nowadays and something you know, I started working back out now that you know I have some extra time, not chasing. You know, chasing, chasing deer. So you know what I? I listened to to jaco and I and I listened to david goggins, everything like that. And david says he goes right now. It doesn't take much to be better than ordinary because everyone's so relaxed and so complacent. You know, we don't put ourselves outside of our comfort zone anymore. We're too civilized. He goes. I wake up every morning. He goes. You know what? 37 degrees out, I'll go freaking, run 20 or 30 miles and I hate it and I'm making myself uncomfortable. He goes the minute people get a little bit of suck or something doesn't go wrong, they quit. So that's what. That's how I take it. It's like all right, you know what? You gotta appreciate the suck, because I'm not gonna quit. This is, this is god testing me. We're gonna keep going. We're gonna keep grinding. It is going to work out for you.

Speaker 1: 35:43

It's everyday work life. I work out, I work in the mental health and I tell the kids listen, things are going to work out for you. It's everyday work life. I work out, I work in the mental health and I tell the kids listen, things are going to get better. You have to keep putting the effort in every single day. You can't quit, you can't give up. There is no such thing as I can't do. This, you're, you're not giving up. You know that's life.

Speaker 1: 36:01

You know I'll go out there and you know if I miss a deer, I miss a deer. It sucks, but we've been there before. You know. We know what what comes with the territory, especially bow hunting. We know what's coming with the territory. Let's continue.

Speaker 1: 36:14

You know scotch and I. You know especially and even frank this year I mean, there was how many times you could have given up. You know, and just like you know what this is. This is just not for me. You know I can't do this this year. You know I'm going to just throw the bow away, like I'm going to wait until gun season. I'm going to wait until things get easier. No, you kept on it and look what happened. You smoked a beautiful eight, you carried it over and then you still are going after a 10. You know it's happened to all of us, you know, and everyone listening to this podcast, we know it's happened to you too, you know. Just keep on going. And anyone who's new who list, who's listening to us, are new to hunting, don't worry, we've all gone through it. Just keep on going, have fun, enjoy and learn something. Learn something, you know, I told frank.

Speaker 2: 36:59

I told frank, I said yeah. I said I'm done, I'm taking up golf. And yeah, he said I can't let you do that, brother.

Speaker 1: 37:06

I need you listen not only that, until you start golfing and the ball's not going where you get it, listen, golf, oh my god, you'll be breaking this. Yeah, it'd be everywhere like oh it's time it's. It's time to go back to hunting. All right, never mind you're out golfing and all of a sudden there's a giant eight-pointer right over there. It's like where's the gun?

Speaker 3: 37:32

This sucks too.

Speaker 1: 37:36

You know, but I mean, listen, I said it in group chat I'm proud of all the boys this year. I mean, everyone has done a phenomenal job and, you know, has really push themselves. And you know, I, I know squash you. You told us and you even said in this you know you're under some, some pressure and everything like that. I remember you you said it for through a bunch of times that you, you know, for you personally, you're definitely looking to perform and everything like that.

Speaker 1: 38:00

You're with us. You know you're with the whitetail advantage and everything like that. And you know you, you're talking about warhead and the reak, uh, broadheads and everything like that. So I, I know you know you're like, yeah, you know this, this is coming. This is a big season for you and and pressure and everything like that. You know and it's it's a great thing to see and you know what that makes us everyone, who we are, because we don't want things easy and I, I think we all perform best when the pressure is on. And you know and it's. You learn a lot about yourself and still, you know all of us, we're getting older and everything like that, but you still learn a lot about yourselves and putting yourself through, all through, all this and everything like that. It's. It's a valuable lesson. I don't care how old you are, if you're 13 and hunting, or 60 or 70 and hunting, you know you. You find out a lot about yourself, especially as the temperatures get colder.

Speaker 2: 38:54

It's like they say, iron sharpens iron and diamonds are made beautiful under pressure. So underneath all that pressure, we're gonna, we're gonna succeed and have a beautiful moment. You know is no matter how much is on us. And yeah, it's. It's extremely tough when you're a lot of eyes you know there's a lot of eyes like saying, yeah, what's this guy about? You know he can talk, to talk, does he walk the walk? So you know, you, you you're just trying your best to do your best to be out there and and make every second count. And even my wife said she goes. My God, I've never heard you talk about so many different box. And you saw this one and this one's here and I said, because it's no different than when I went up to the reservoirs to the first time, and I said I was going to slam the reservoirs and break records up there and catch big fish 's the same thing with deer and I said you know I gotta do it. When I put my mind to it, I have to do it.

Speaker 1: 39:54

I can't not do it, you know so yeah yeah, I, I agree, um, you know, and it's this year, it's, it's been a fun year, um, you definitely, like we talked about in the 200th episode. You know, I definitely think, especially here in new jersey or wherever other, you know a lot why you see a lot more people having success or so many deer being shot, because I think the numbers have have gotten from that ehd that were that we talked about and things are starting to look better. I know, frank, we we were worried about your area, but you know it's things are looking good, you know, and we're going to continue with this, uh, with the success, and you know, I'm gonna, I'm gonna be back out next week hunting for for some does uh get some, some more points on the board and also more meat in the freezer. Um, you know, and, and that competition, I mean it's, it's where it's in full now, now that it's now that us watch got one and everything like that.

Speaker 1: 40:54

I think it's just Dave and I think Chris are the only ones, and I mean it's it's a matter of time before I know Chris. You know, you know, shout out to Chris. He's out there and he's been. He went back to fighting some fires and everything like that. So shout out to from to to Chris, from from only bows. And you know, with Dave it's only, it's only bound matter of time before he gets one down and everything like that.

Speaker 1: 41:18

So soon I'll be posting everything, I'm going to be making some stuff and I'm going to be actually putting the competition on on social media to get some. You know, see what the people predict of who's going to win, but it's a tight one. I mean it's, it's a really tight one. Justin and Meg came they. She, you know, and shout out to her very successful surgery as well, you know, and we hope that she makes a full recovery. Yeah, and then you know the boys.

Speaker 1: 41:49

You know one thing I'll say thank God Tommy's not in outdoor time, he's not in that competition, because I think he's, I think he has like 10. Doe shot with a or 10 deer shot with a, something like that, which is absolutely, I mean, shout out to him that's, and that's incredible. I mean I wish I had all that room in the freezer and everything like that. I mean I wish I had all that room in the freezer and everything like that. I need more friends to be like, hey, can you get me a whole deer and everything like that before I start doing stuff like that.

Speaker 3: 42:18

But, boys.

Speaker 1: 42:21

I mean, I think that's going to wrap up, you know, upstate New York's opening weekend, Any last minute things you guys want to talk about?

Speaker 3: 42:33

yeah, I just want to say one more thing. So after so we got two six-pointers from, you know, saturday to Sunday. So I get home, two of the guys ended up actually staying. So I was actually telling Squatch. I stayed up there with my uncle, angelo, because you know the whole jersey thing. I didn't want to drop it off at a butcher, since you can't bring the deer back. So I was like, let's skin it up, we'll skin it, we'll chop it up real quick. It'll just be me and you, just, like old times, we'll do it real quick. Yeah, I talked them into it, we did it. So we get home and we are both shot. As soon as I go to lay down, my uncle calls me goes, hey, he goes. One of the other guys that stayed just shot a buck. I'm like. I'm like, did he really? He was like yeah, he was, he was he, he shot another six. He was he also shot a six pointer. So we got three six pointers off our property on opening weekend wow, three sixes yep, what's the odds of that?

Speaker 1: 43:36

that's a hey, that's a successful weekend, that is a very successful weekend. Shout out to to you guys and the family. Shout out to to squatch. I mean that's. That's what. Four, four, new York, a bucks down. And in what three days yeah yep amazing amazing, so open.

Speaker 1: 44:00

Uh, success up in New York, that is that's for sure. Um, ladies and gentlemen, I mean I think that's gonna wrap us up for for this week. I mean I think that's going to wrap us up for for this week. I mean, obviously, we'll be back next week. You know we have, officially are going to have a booth at the empire state show, officially February 28th to March 2nd, I believe I will officially get put the dates in on that. So that is our, our first official like big, big event that we're going to be doing and that we're going to be at. Um, we'll be plugging that in throughout the time.

Speaker 1: 44:38

Um, like I said, we're still looking for our game dinner for april. Um, opening first weekend of of april. I will confirm that too as well once we confirm what, the what, the place and everything like that. But, um, yeah, no, we're, we're, we're chucking along. I can't believe. Literally, thanksgiving is a weekend, like a week and a half away. Yeah, it's insane already. Time is flying. Um, but, everyone, I hope you guys enjoyed this episode and we'll see you guys next time.