Show Notes
In this episode of the Antler Up Podcast, host Jeremy Dinsmore is joined by good friend Chris Weist to dive into the essentials of hunting success. Chris shares his philosophy on trusting your instincts and simplifying your approach in the field, emphasizing that overthinking can often be a hunter's downfall. They discuss the importance of scouting and fine-tuning your hunting areas, making sure to control the factors within your reach—like gear and pressure on hunting spots. Chris also stresses the significance of shooting well and having unwavering confidence in your equipment.
As the conversation unfolds, Jeremy and Chris explore strategies for planning a hunting season, focusing on prioritizing specific states and areas to maximize opportunities. They touch on the valuable role trail cameras play in understanding deer behavior and scrape activity, highlighting the benefits of locating pre-existing scrapes and utilizing multiple cameras for better insights. Flexibility and adaptability emerge as key themes, with Chris advising hunters to be prepared to adjust their tactics as the season progresses, ensuring they’re ready for whatever challenges the woods may present.
So, grab your gear, sit back, and join us on this episode as we Antler Up with Chris Weist on today's episode of the Antler Up Podcast.
Stay tuned, stay safe, and Antler Up!
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Show Transcript
Jeremy
Hey everyone, welcome back to the show this week. I'm joined by good friend Chris weiss Chris, welcome back to the show brother.
Chris Weist (02:01.035)
Appreciate you having me back, well man, it's always good talking to you.
Jeremy (02:04.994)
Dude, I've, it's been too long to have you back on the podcast, but number two, we actually finally had a chance to hang out in person. We worked the mobile outdoor show. were kind of somewhat neighbors on that same row on the same street and just had a chance to kick it for a little while. Dude, it was awesome to finally meet you in person, hang out. You and I have had countless of conversations on the phone many different times and I love having that opportunity because
What you see is what you get and did I value your friendship, man? And I just want to say it was awesome. And I'm looking forward to more opportunities where we could either do a hunt together, do a scout together, do a, even if you whacked one of your biggest bucks today, you could give me a call and I could help you recover and track that sucker down. I'm just looking forward to more opportunities for us to hang out, man.
Chris Weist (02:57.319)
Yeah dude, was a big surprise. I don't know how we didn't even get in touch and plan on seeing each other there. I walked by your guys' booth, was like, holy shit, they're staring at me.
Jeremy (03:05.742)
You're like there's that midget Man no, dude. I like I said, it was awesome and just to get a chance to hang out man and talk to other people as well and It was it was a good time man. But dude the last time we I mean we had a full big normal episode It was actually it would probably been more of like mid -july like last July and we really did your whitetail checklist
Chris Weist (03:08.639)
Yeah.
Jeremy (03:33.816)
We talked about like July, August, September. you were just coming off of that four buck year and, you put in a lot of time and dude, you got to be one of, if not the most, person that I know within a friend circle group that puts in the time that you do. and since then we've had hunting season has come and gone scouting season, quote unquote, you know, has come and gone. You know, you had a success still last year, but you also had a, you know,
overcome some challenges setbacks, know, what a, you know, reflecting upon that type of stuff, you know, what challenges did you have to overcome last season and that you could kind of think of from, that opportunity of, the season and everything.
Chris Weist (04:18.473)
Yeah, all in all, I still had an awesome season last year. I had countless encounters with plenty of big deer that I would love to have got an arrow into. But I was just talking to adult Lewis and a couple of those guys from the stick boys and Nathan Kaelin on. I kind of got humbled last year. I had shot six or seven deer with my long bow in the past, but I had never taken the full stride on a full season with just the struggle stick in my hand.
And I got humbled. don't think I was near as ready as I thought I was. I still love it. You know, I shoot every day and I got big plans for it, but I'm going to take a step back a little bit and get back to my roots, do things the way that I like to do them. And I'm going to pick up the car and pound a couple of sets this year again with, you know, plans to take the long bow. I got sets just for that. But with that being said last year, you know, I shot two bucks in Maryland with the recurve and just made two bad hits on my end.
hit one tenderloin and hit one right in the ball joint in the shoulder. But all in all, know, those deer survived. I didn't get very much penetration. So I was at least thankful that I didn't gut shoot nothing and, you know, have a fatally wounded deer in that aspect. But other than that, I a couple of misses, you know, that stuff happens, man. It's no joke. know, guys think it's, you know, I'm just going to pick it up, shoot a little bit, go kill a deer, man. You know, even though I've been
Jeremy (05:32.014)
Mm -hmm.
Jeremy (05:41.518)
Yeah.
Chris Weist (05:47.725)
shooting a trap of like, you eight years and I've got a couple under my belt, dude. It's still hard. It's not an easy, it's not an easy thing.
Jeremy (05:54.028)
I didn't.
Dude, what I liked when you brought yours to the show, like seeing it, and I've, I don't have a lot of buddies that really mess with that. My good friend Albert, he has one, but I felt like his, like when I held his, it seemed even longer than yours. And I know he had like, he has a couple two different ones, but that was like the one that I was messing with at his camp in Ohio. But man, like yours is slick. And like you said, you've been doing it for a long time and you know, people.
I always used to say for all the struggles that I would even have with a compound, adding that even more of that struggle stick in hand, that's a challenge, man. like I said, I give anybody respect that goes out there and doesn't necessarily even, like obviously kills no doubt about it, but even tries and puts that themselves. You know, you're basically cutting almost things in half.
and even more probably when it comes to your range and along those lines, just because dude, I don't know how many times you texted me. was like, yep, saw another good one. You know what I mean? And it's like, if he had your compound, you probably would have let, let it eat. And, you just had, you have to stick to your guns. You know what you're capable of and what, what's going along those lines and dude, that was the one aspect is seeing your determination, like from, from a distance, from a friend. It's like, man,
Chris Weist (06:58.894)
you
Jeremy (07:17.507)
He makes me want to be better because of how determined you were to stick with that But it was funny though because you called your shot You're like I'm gonna take the compound out and kill deer and boom guess what you did you did that?
Chris Weist (07:30.05)
Yeah, it took one set. I didn't even know that I I didn't really think I was going to go out and anything. I just kind of wanted to feel like that I could kill. You know what I wanted to feel good if I was in the stand and next morning I had a buck walked by 10 yards and it's just like, God, it's like, you know, you beat yourself up because it's that like one more day. I should have pushed one more day, you know? I'm not saying I want to hit it, but.
Jeremy (07:32.258)
Ha ha ha!
Jeremy (07:54.982)
Yep.
That's funny. Yes, you don't know what would have happened that that's that's for dang sure and I told you to a friend of mine I think one of the first times he took it out this year He killed his buck and even on film too, which was pretty gnarly to think about and it's just like Yeah here you have been due to for eight years and struggling and killing deer with it and still doing you know doing a good job with it not saying that you haven't it's just That one time someone else takes it out. It's like, all right, I'll take it I'll try it and they go ahead and kill a
Chris Weist (08:11.82)
Mm -hmm.
Chris Weist (08:27.285)
you
Jeremy (08:28.505)
friggin buck, PA buck with it. But yeah, man, what a.
Chris Weist (08:30.622)
I'll do some people some people have it though. You know, I mean like they just they just have that instinct like I think that's one reason that I've never stopped or just gave it up completely because I just have such a competitive nature to me that it really bugs me that I'm not like super, you know, super awesome at it. You know, I kill stuff and I'm decent, but I'm not like a professional shooter, which bothers me because that's how I have to be with everything else in life before I can hang it up.
Jeremy (08:58.789)
I like it. So when you look back to other than obviously with the stick though, any other challenges that you kind of face and you know, things that you know, like here's what I did you do anything this off season that or right now that you worked on that to help overcome the that situation.
Chris Weist (09:17.184)
As far as everything else, I felt like everything else went fairly smooth I felt like my setups are really solid my access and my my wisdom of ship I feel like all that came into play really well. Like I said, I had a lot of really good encounters and I've seen a lot of good bucks If there was one thing to touch on I think it just be to not overthink the setups you know once you've scouted for a while and seen things you get a gut feeling about stuff and I Think just don't think against your gut
Jeremy (09:29.635)
Hmm.
Chris Weist (09:46.185)
You know, if you know you need to be in a spot, you know, you have the deer is coming through here. This is how the wind works. It's, you know, pick your tree. Don't ever think it set the tree.
Jeremy (09:57.295)
Right. Cause I think back to some of my most memorable hunts, was those situations. was that gut feeling. was that, you know, I haven't been in there in a long time or I haven't, this is going to be my, my Virgin sit in this spot. just know things are going to happen. you know, I think, I think back to the past two bucks that I've killed back at home in PA, Northeast dude, they were Virgin sits. There were spots that like I scouted with my dad.
and whether it be postseason or in the summertime, first sit in those spots during that right time. You know, you have that data. You just know when things are in that location are going to be kind of firing off. First virgin sits, boom, killed bucks. And that's a, go with your gut. The one I think back to two seasons ago, even for, for that I was, it was during gun season. I, I kicked out a deer walking out the one night before and
And going in, kind of heard rustling. It was still dark out and I was like, you know what? I'm just going to cut in here off the, off the two track, a couple of yards, get set up, sit on the ground, wait till daylight, see what anything else comes up. A couple of minutes after daylight, I was actually on the ground, just saddled in just so I could just sit quote unquote in the saddle. So I'm not rustling leaves and all that stuff by moving my butt or anything like that. I was comfortable the way, the way the, kind of rich system ran. was.
kind of hidden behind these trees and I could still overlook down and I just see a couple of doe walking up and blast the one, know, that's just again, going with those gut feelings, seeing things and hearing what was going on around you. And I'm with you like that as far as like going with your gut, understanding that that's something that we've been saying for four years. And it's kind of like the don't overthink things, right? Don't overcomplicate things. And you and I had that conversation before and that's where we wanted to kind of take this is
keep things simple, you know, and, and, cause I feel like the more you you spin your head, you're, doing it yourself, I think a disservice because so many of our friends, so many other great individuals out there put in so much time and effort and it's easy. It's super, I think it's easier to overcomplicate things than it is to keep things simple. You just have to have like either a good friend that's going to tell you like quit the
Chris Weist (11:57.914)
Mm
Jeremy (12:21.043)
Quit the shit man. Like you know what you're doing. Just get in there and go kill and I'm sure good things can happen out of that
Chris Weist (12:28.146)
Yeah, and I think it's easy to overthink because you don't want it to be that easy. Even though the setup might be like, well, this is here, this is here, this is where I need to sit. You don't want yourself to be like, well, it's that easy. It's like, well, it can't be that easy. It's what you're thinking. know what mean? So it's like, where do I actually need to be? Because that can't be it. That's where you start, you know.
Jeremy (12:45.837)
Yeah.
Chris Weist (12:52.542)
You're staring at a tree for like 35 minutes because you're like, well, what if my thermals pull this way or what? You know, I mean, it's like there's like a criteria list where that you should have to check off when you're at a spot. You know, I mean, it's like common sense. You should probably know where your prevailing wind is. We take that. And if there's a low spot where you're at, that's probably where thermals are going to pull. that that kind of like checks off some of the list like
If have a low spot and prevailing wind, can much know where your wind of thermals are going. So you can pick a tree a lot easier based off of those two things.
Jeremy (13:30.273)
Yeah, I agree with that. Yeah, I just, you know what I mean? Like we just going back to what we said, you, we usually put it so much time and effort into it and it's easy to overcomplicate that, it's just simple, simplify things. Just like you said, have that checklist. If things check the box, throw a sit at it. Is that going to be for all worst things about it? The only thing that's bad that could come out of that is that maybe you don't see a deer. Maybe you'll learn something. You're going to learn something out of that sit in some way or one or another, but
No doubt about that when it comes to that. Let me ask you this, Chris, do you do you think with all the time that you put in, are you tackling things more so now, especially when it comes to fine tuning areas? Do you spend like I'm trying to make this that it makes sense. So let's say last year you scout and hunt territory a and this year.
You scouted and tear and did more in territory B to fine tune that because you only scouted that a little bit. territory B last year. do you kind of, do you kind of look ahead when it comes into that? Or is it like, I got ABCD and E and I try to give them as much time because I know those are going to be spots I'm going to hit. is there, do you kind of have any mapping as far as like, one spot might get more time this year compared.
to the year prior because I plan on being there more and it's for this year, if that makes sense.
Chris Weist (15:04.286)
So basically how I broke it down, I'll just use this year as an example, it's just kind of similar to what I have going on this coming season is I'll run like a fleet of cameras over a giant area. And at this point, you know, in Pennsylvania that I've lived here my whole life, I have pockets, you know, I have giant areas, but I have small pockets that have historically held good there.
Jeremy (15:17.048)
Thank
Chris Weist (15:30.279)
So I always have cameras in all those pockets, even though sometimes those pockets haven't had a good deer in like two years. Every once in a while, I'll get a pocket that is good every three to five. Every three to five, like a big one will show up. And that's why I keep those cameras rolling there, no matter if they're completely dead through the summer or the fall. You know what mean? I just, keep a surveillance on those. And then like right now, basically what I'm doing is I've had my cameras up since like February.
Jeremy (15:49.934)
you
Chris Weist (15:59.227)
Because I already know where I want to be or where I need to be because I've had historical data from those spots from the years past. Excuse me. And so that I'll go back in like around June ish and I'll refresh in all those batteries if I need to. And I'm just seeing what I'm looking for is June over scrapes and things.
I want to see a mature deer like the body. I'm looking at the body. I'm looking for that big hump and that shoulder. I'm looking at your big potbelly as I'm looking to see if there's a mature deer using the area. And then right there, I'm starting to break it down already. So if I got five, six spots where I got a picture of a buck with big pedestals on his head, starting big potbelly, big roll on the shoulder. I'm like, all right, well, I know I need to come back to here for sure in August, see what he turns into. Well, now that it's August.
Now I'm making my rounds again. And after I make all my rounds, pull all these cards, I'll pick like the best, I'll just say four to six best spots that have deer in them. And what I'm really looking for is a spot that has more than one shooter. If you have one shooter in a spot, you still have that chance that he shifts. But a lot of times in the big woods, I feel like they don't shift near as much as what deer do in farm country.
just because the food source changes so much, but mountain terrain, the food source is pretty much the same. just, the only thing that might change is your browse, your forest floor browse and your young cuts, things like that. Once the frost hits it, some stuff dies and they might shift a little bit off of that. But other than that, like the eight cores are usually fairly consistent other than the white oaks. And then I'll just take those four to six areas. And then those are my focus points.
Jeremy (17:21.921)
Mm
Chris Weist (17:50.396)
for the fall. But with that said, you know, let's just say spots one through six are my primary. If something happens, changes where maybe pressure messes them up, or maybe there is some kind of food source change. Maybe there's no oaks at all in one area for some unknown reason. I have spots maybe seven through eight that have good deer, but they weren't like the biggest deer.
Jeremy (18:11.938)
Mm -hmm.
Chris Weist (18:18.268)
And you have those to fall back on. I just, always try to have a list of deer that I have the potential, the opportunity to jump in and hunt. You know, I might have a couple that are like 130, 140 that are like those, that's what I want to kill. But if something happens to where there's deer, maybe I got a roamer that's making a giant circle. And it's just, I don't want to spend the whole season chasing the tail or, but I got like a 120 incher over here, like acting a fool with a scrape, like.
Jeremy (18:42.574)
Right.
Chris Weist (18:47.003)
I could pop in there and fill my tag. I love big deer dude, but I also love shooting bucks. know, so if a 120 is acting a fool and a 140 is making a giant circle and I don't think I could catch him, like I'm gonna go shoot the 120.
Jeremy (18:52.885)
Mm -hmm, yep.
Jeremy (19:01.303)
Well, and that's the, you you're the beauty of hunting. All the different states that you hunt like you, I feel like you're in a hotbed of a great location. You have a great schedule that aligns with that situation. You have a good homework balance for that to allow you to do that. Like you take even your girl out with you and all that type of stuff. And, you know, with you being close to Ohio, having the property there, going then, you know, to.
to obviously Maryland so close to you. You have the opportunity for two bucks in that state and obviously PA your home and then potentially West Virginia like we've talked about in the past. I mean you have a nice little plethora of opportunities to go there and you know I like that with your scouting and your preparation you're doing all the things that you can control like you're doing. You know I'm going to put in that time or like I could hit this
location during this time and let all the camera work kind of keep me giving me data keep tabs on it whether you're going to hunt it or not like that's something that you're able to control outside of that what other things do you what comes to mind when I say like Chris what are the things that you can control that you really try to hone in on to improve
Chris Weist (20:21.625)
I think some of the biggest things that you can control yourself as a hunter One of the most important things is your gear, you know I think if you can't shoot your bow very well, your odds are kind of Yeah, so you got you know, obviously shooting your bow making sure your bows tuned properly are you know me and you already know we're both gear nuts and I was just talking to you the other day I was scared to death to shoot under a 500 grain arrow Just like
Jeremy (20:34.157)
Yeah.
Jeremy (20:42.658)
Mm
Chris Weist (20:49.409)
There's that's the kind of stuff that goes through my head. You know, I mean, I, we put on all this work and, you get a giant buck to step in range. You know, I mean, you want to make sure that everything that you have control of is made, you know, I don't want to, I don't want to hit a buck with a light arrow in my opinion, and then not get the kill. And then that's going to mine crush me for, you know what mean? So, but if I can control, if I can have a good sharp, broad head, heavy arrow, my boast tune, like I've done everything.
Jeremy (21:04.011)
Mm -hmm.
Jeremy (21:13.454)
Mm -hmm.
Chris Weist (21:18.92)
Up to that point, all I gotta do is make the shot, right? So your bow, having it tuned properly, shoot well. I think your gear, like your stand and your sticks and everything, just going through the list, making sure all your bolts, nuts are tight. If something's making a noise, know, obviously try to quiet that down, stealth tape, whatever that is. Even your pack, like I used to carry a really big pack and carry everything but a lunch bucket with me.
Jeremy (21:22.168)
Yep.
Jeremy (21:36.462)
Yeah.
Chris Weist (21:47.957)
Now I'm like down to a fanny pack and I only pack what I need, you know my license Maybe a grunt called I'll use like twice a year, but it's in there a sharp knife extra blades Gave me bag just little stuff just enough to kill a deer and pack it out is basically what I take with me anymore And as far as like like hunting I Think you can control your scouting making sure your scouting is done. You know where you need to be
Jeremy (22:02.285)
Mm -hmm.
Jeremy (22:14.518)
Mm
Chris Weist (22:17.18)
I have trees marked. I'm not a big fan of using a whole bunch of like stuff to mark where you've been. Like I'll never use ribbon tape because that's dead giveaway. But I will use cat eyes, but I only put one cat eye on the tree that I hunt. I won't use them to mark my way in. I use my my Spartan Forge for that. I mark my trace my way out, trace my way in.
Jeremy (22:27.286)
Yeah.
Jeremy (22:31.202)
Yep.
Jeremy (22:38.317)
Right.
Chris Weist (22:46.388)
I know where I'm getting to and all that's doing is just keeping me from flashing my head lamp around looking for my tree. And as soon as I see the dot in the distance, I put my head back down and I'm just V -lining right to it. So I think that just cuts a lot of time down as far as getting to your tree and getting up. And then applying pressure, you can control how much pressure you apply. And that is one of my biggest things. That's another reason why my
Jeremy (22:54.012)
Right. Yep.
Jeremy (23:10.54)
Yeah.
Chris Weist (23:16.117)
My areas are so vast or so spread apart is You know, you can't control how much everybody else is in the timber but you can control how much you're there and just example like if you have a good area from last year and you have some guys that had just showed up for whatever reason and They're kind of put the damper on the deer movement But maybe you have a spot that's off to the side that they don't know about where you think you can still get an opportunity the deer there you have
Jeremy (23:44.76)
Mm -hmm.
Chris Weist (23:46.13)
the control of how much pressure you apply to where the spot that they don't know about. So if you already know that spot and you can stay out of it, then you might be to go in there. You still get a crack at that deer. And that's, know, I try to apply my pressure evenly and not burn spots out. But at the same time, you have to know when to park your butt to, you know, throughout the season. I like to do three days. I like to do three day sets. If I'm like
Jeremy (23:52.877)
Yeah.
Chris Weist (24:15.337)
I usually don't hunt spots that I'm not super confident in. Every once in a blue moon, you know, I might have to throw a set because I have a notion. But usually at this point, the scrapes of stuff that I like to hunt, I got some dates on or maybe I have visual proof, something of that nature. And I like to put at least three days of sitting on that scrape.
Jeremy (24:25.454)
Mm
Chris Weist (24:41.022)
because there's I've had too many times where I set a spot one time leave and then a deer shows up the next day. So and also feel like if he's not hitting it in a three day span, he's probably not hitting it that often or often enough to really kill him other than like a rut set, you know, in a rut. Obviously, if you're in the right spot, they need to park you about for a few days, maybe even a week.
Jeremy (24:41.462)
Yeah.
Jeremy (24:46.12)
Yeah
Jeremy (24:55.256)
bright.
Jeremy (25:02.22)
Yeah. I want to go back to what you're saying about, marking and the tree and finding things, you know, I'm, I guess I'm, I'm guilty of this because that's the one feature I do really like about Spartan Forge is obviously it's, it's in other apps as well as you take the picture, you know, of the tree, you know I mean? And be like, okay, this is, I always do the icon. That's like to get up tree. Right. And you kind of know, but
How many times are we getting in there and it's not gray light and it's not bright out? It's usually dark. You know what I mean? Especially those, those situations. you're like, crap, is that the tree? Is that the base? And that's the one aspect that I've always even, like you said, I've thrown, I've thrown a, a cat eye or something along those lines where it's that single one like you, I do what you do. I'd beeline it right to there. But I always, even if I try to find one where I know, especially for myself,
Chris Weist (25:32.766)
Yep, yep.
Jeremy (25:55.724)
Like, Ooh, I could use that little thicker stump or something along those lines that I could use a little bit extra leverage. I'll even throw another one like on the bottom. So that way, if I know I'm in the vicinity by looking at the Spartan for Jap, and then if I like, let's just say something happened, someone was in there and found my cat. I picked it off. Like usually they're not also looking down. I found, and it's just, I'll even like throw my throw that on there. So if I'm looking as I'm panning that.
trying to find that specific base. it's like, there's that cat eye, or you're able to maybe find that. That's the one aspect that I've tried to do in certain situations. The, like you said, if I'm scouting and it's like, Ooh, there's, could get in here these next couple of days. Sign looks pretty fresh. I'll throw that in there. That's, that's something too, that I've, I've done. And man, for how much you, you get out there and hunt and scout and everything like that, like you said, you don't know when, you know, Tom, Dick and Harry are going to be marching through there. You know I mean? So
Chris Weist (26:54.69)
Mm
Jeremy (26:55.086)
and also like what you were saying about giving it that three day rule, you know, what if day one, the, the browse or the acorns just aren't being eaten where you're at because they're feeding over on something else. But then that next day, the, by that time they sucked them all up and they're finally coming to your location. I kind of liked that rule of thumb. Like you give it that too. Now, obviously you're not going to be there if you, the hot signs not there.
Chris Weist (27:15.706)
Mm
Jeremy (27:24.332)
I'm assuming, right? Yeah. Yeah, that's that's friggin. Yeah.
Chris Weist (27:28.88)
And it's like, just heard this the other day and I never really thought about it in this sense, but like they ever talk about how far deer travel. It's like me and you could walk a mile, like pretty easy. And like, it's like 20 minutes just walking, but like how quick can a buck cover a mile? You know what mean? And you think about how much, you know, how far these deer roam through.
Jeremy (27:47.619)
Mm -hmm.
Chris Weist (27:57.593)
through the mountains and into the darkness of night and you know it's you almost have to put that much time in because the buck can cover that much ground and it's like that you know I mean like he could be from A to B if he wants to be in no time. They just cover so much grounds you just you just have to put yourself in the best position.
Jeremy (28:08.408)
Yep.
Jeremy (28:16.727)
Yeah, I agree with that. Let me ask you this before we dive into like your approach to the season in a sense of like your mentality with it and your overall game plan with with because this is something that I've been tackling with talking with with my my wife of just figuring out kind of the the schedule quote unquote I guess you could kind of say like when I really want to hit certain spots and locations and traveling. You know, how do you not stretch yourself too thin with
your PA West Virginia, potentially Ohio and Maryland, how do you kind of keep a good balance and not feel you're like, my gosh, I'm all over the place and chasing my tail.
Chris Weist (29:00.335)
give me as far as huntin' or home life.
Jeremy (29:04.334)
Well, it's mainly hunting like because you know because you think about Like I for a situation for me What I've learned and I it worked out great last year obviously because because I I Killed a buck but in years past that opening day would would hit I maybe would get a certain buck maybe out back towards the
back at home, but not necessarily where I normally hunt during middle or late October to the right. I'm like, Ooh, if that's the right wind, I could go in say first, second weekend. And now I'm like chasing my tail. Those early octobers for this deer, not knowing specifically exactly where the bedding area is and all that type of stuff, just kind of doing like the prayer thing. And whereas last year was like, you know what? October 19th threw on that's when I'll go back home.
Like any time before that I'll hunt locally. I'll stay home. Maybe we could go with the fam. I, prior to that, I've always just felt like I was chasing my tail with going, going here, hunting and going in blind and doing this. And I just try to simplify things. And I don't know, man. Like I just like, though, so this year moving forward, it's like PA a hundred percent New York's a hundred percent because I bought the, you know, we're
were in on the lease and all that stuff with with me and my buddies and then Ohio is a must because I bought my license already and doing that hunt with Albert like doing that experience and so that will be a rut hunt so it's like okay where does Maryland factor in you know I mean so it's just like how do you try like my and like you said dude I'm not even thinking family like obviously I'm just thinking more so like my gosh
Chris Weist (30:34.51)
you
Chris Weist (30:42.147)
Yeah.
Jeremy (30:52.312)
You know, obviously you can hunt Sundays in New York. could hunt Sundays in all the three other states and specific ones here in PA. I just, I'm just trying to wrap my brain around. Like I'm leaning more towards of the three and maybe Maryland potentially hit Maryland again next year. Do you know I mean? Just because of that situation, I have a little bit more invested in Ohio already with the, with, with the license, invested in New York with the lease and obviously PA is PA.
Chris Weist (31:05.28)
Mm
Chris Weist (31:22.901)
Yeah, I think it just depends on what your goals are to like Maryland opens up so early. Obviously I'm hitting that first and I always say that Maryland, Ohio and Pennsylvania are my top three priorities. And then if I harvest in one of those three, then the next state takes that state's place. So if I kill a say like I always start in Maryland because it opens early September. I'm going to
Just try to kill a buck just a just a rack buck decent buck You know, I'm going through my steps. I'm getting my gear ready for What really matters to me as far as my big bucks states, you know, Pennsylvania, Ohio So I'm just out having some fun trying to kill a good buck But I'm to get all the Kings worked on of my gear and then Ohio opens before PA this year So I'm moving right into Ohio. I'm gonna hunt that for a few days
And I'm gonna come home, hunt Pennsylvania and you know, for a couple of weeks. And I really just gauge, how the season is going. you know, if I harvest in Maryland, then I don't worry about Maryland. And then if I don't harvest in Ohio and I come home, but I, but I kill a buck in Pennsylvania in like two, three weeks. Well, then I'm jumping back on the Ohio train and trying to spend as much time there as I can. but then also like the.
Other states have times like specific times of the season. So like I had five states in mind this year, but that's only if everything works out perfect. That was going to be Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Ohio in between if I need to. And then West Virginia, I have some really, really good dates on a scrape at the end of October, right around the 20th to like the 24th in there.
So I would really like to be there at that time frame, but it's only gonna be if I have already harvested and then Virginia I have some cameras in Virginia and I'd really like to be there for that muzzle later like November 4 through You know a couple days you can buy like a three -day out -of -state license That's fairly cheap and I'd like to do a muzzle at a run hunt down there So it's like I'm not dedicating the whole season to every state. You know, I mean there's just time frames that
Chris Weist (33:44.42)
Makes sense to me that I have the best opportunity to kill in a short time frame and not have to spend A lot of time there were versus if I had to pick a state to spend the most time Out of state of definitely Ohio like I try to get there every weekend if I can because I could hunt Maryland or pennsylvania Every day of the week while i'm home because Maryland's a short drive and obviously I live right by basically everything that I hunt so
Jeremy (33:53.39)
Hmm.
Jeremy (34:13.688)
Right. Yeah. So I was just, that was going to be my next question is like, what's your favorite out of all those states to hunt?
Chris Weist (34:23.418)
I don't know. It's hard to beat home, but there's something about Ohio, man. Ohio just does it for me. It's like, there's so much ground in Ohio. It's like Pennsylvania. I think Ohio is just an enormous amount of public ground, just like Pennsylvania does. And grant like Pennsylvania, dude, like we have some big fricking deer in pockets, but so does Ohio, man. It's like, but the difference is it's just like,
a step or two above Pennsylvania where it's like, like you just don't know where a 180 is going to be hanging out. It could be any crook, cranny corner. And where I have seen those type of deer in Ohio, it like blows your mind. Like why the hell is this deer living here until you see it you're like, well, that makes perfect sense because nobody's dumb enough to go in there.
or everybody walks right past it. It's those stupid spots where these giant deer live. it's just, I, yeah. If I was, I love her death, but if I was a single man, I won't be living in Pennsylvania. I'll tell you that. I'd be 365 in Ohio.
Jeremy (35:38.182)
Yeah, I hear you man, that's funny. Yeah, it's it's crazy to Like I said just mapping it like when you literally map it out. It's it's a lot It's you're like dang like I'm here. You know what I mean? It's I'm here I'm there and I start laughing just because you know sitting here at 37 years old I'd man it's there's
Chris Weist (35:49.506)
it's a tongue.
Jeremy (36:00.876)
you only get so many Halloweens with my girls and all that type of stuff. And that's where it's like, I felt like I've always done a pretty good job, especially the last two years, Chris, where I've been able to really pick and feel good about the decision I made because it's like, yeah, let's let's do Halloween. I got you that night because in a couple of days it looks great.
do what I mean and I'm able to do like a two, three steps like a sit or something along those lines. know, everybody always talks about Halloween and all that stuff, man. Sometimes it's like that before I take that before Halloween, though, like what you said that 19th through 24th, I'll take that any day of the week anymore over my experiences the last couple of seasons on Halloween. It's like after November, like November 3rd, like I almost feel like that 30th through November 2nd, especially back at home for me.
things get quiet. Like I'll still get a buck on camera like during the day and all that stuff. Not saying I, but for some reason it's a dead zone. Yeah. And then all of a sudden after that, it's like a flip switch and it's like chasing is going bonkers.
Chris Weist (36:55.97)
It's a dead zone. Yeah, I agree.
Chris Weist (37:04.837)
The best day that we had last year was October 28th 100 % I put money on it just from all my camera inventory We had that big cold front come through through the 28th was fire last year. I had so many Mature bucks not just big bucks like old bucks on their feet in the daylight on the 20th October last year
Jeremy (37:11.928)
Mm
Jeremy (37:32.974)
It's crazy. yeah, that's where that's my and I like your mentality of going early, especially be having that opportunity to hunt Maryland early to get your kinks out to figure out your what we just talked about things you can control, right? Of getting out there. That's the beauty of those expos that we just work together because especially, you know, for someone that is just getting into say saddle hunting that just purchased it, you still got a lot of time to get some practice in on in the backyard.
Like you could just, you could, you could feel if you are somewhat athletic and it could understand how to move your feet and, trust, trust a gear. That's the two things I always say is one trust, trust a gear to be athletic. And if you're able to do that, you could just be one foot off the ground in the backyard or somewhere in, on a tree. You just move around, see how it feels, see how it works, lean it, lean into the saddle, all that jazz.
Chris Weist (38:02.494)
man.
Jeremy (38:30.934)
You could feel confident if you do that multiple times to get out there and hunt, right? Obviously practice with your sticks and climbing and getting up and down safely, but actually being in it to hunt. You do it half a dozen times. I think you're, capable of hunting. Then you master it as the season goes, just because that's how I felt, especially my first year going back, what four, four and a half, five years ago, when I got into this, like into my first saddle was like, okay, first time I get into it, I was
like an idiot going around the tree and I'm like, what is what's going on? And then it was until you figure it out, man. And then that's where it's like, OK, it's kind of like you got to be athletic. You maneuver a certain way and all that type of stuff. And it ends up being easier. So those early season hunts, that's why I've every time when I've gone to Maryland or done Delaware, those early season hunts, I've always felt like once new once we get back for the new season here in P .A., it's like, I've already done it this year.
I'm good to go and you've worked out those kinks a little bit better.
Chris Weist (39:33.025)
Yeah, no, I agree. I I think getting in early and getting all the case worked out just sets you up for a better season. And I mean, like I told you before, I've probably killed like 90 % of my bigger deer early season. Like last year was just a fluke, I guess it took me longer, but I mean, I had to stick those. So that's one reason it took me longer. You know, I had opportunities to kill way earlier. I had that like
125 inch 10 in Maryland at 25 yards opening weekend and I had a hundred twenty inch eight point 28 yards in Pennsylvania on the 19th of October Yeah, I mean like that was you know, I started good season. It was just what was in my hand. That's all man Which is which is fine with me, dude, you know, like I was still I was still in had my time in and So I had the encounter so I still won that part
Jeremy (40:19.032)
Yeah. Yeah.
Jeremy (40:29.4)
Yeah. Anything else for this upcoming year that you're really pumped about? Anything new or new areas or anything along those lines that you're excited to see how things come about?
Chris Weist (40:41.55)
dude, I'm just freaking stoked to get in a tree already, man. I'm almost tired of waiting Maryland's like two and a half weeks away and I'm just trumpet the bed, dude I got my I'm washing all my new Osseo gear right now. It's all getting washed and putting bags right now I got my freaking bow tuned and shooting good and I got my stand all together I'm gonna take it out for tomorrow and hang it up mess with it some and I got some new areas. I got plenty new areas, but
Jeremy (40:45.206)
Yeah. Yeah.
Chris Weist (41:10.912)
some of my new areas, know, they're almost for like 2025, 2026, they're getting monitored by the cameras. So I have that intel for years to come, but you know, it's nice to also have those to fall back on throughout the season if something happens with your A1 spots.
Jeremy (41:31.074)
Right. Have you, how many spots do you usually put a camera in and go around scouting and things look good, but then after like that year of either scouting it more or maybe a hunt or the camera, do you check off? you go, do you go through a bunch of those locations? Cause I mean, not every spot is going to be a home run. Like, or is it like how you were saying earlier about prioritizing them? That's like a secondary spot.
Chris Weist (41:55.934)
Mmm.
I'll probably run the cameras.
clear up and well I'd probably give them a fall unless it's like a for sure like man this isn't what I thought it was I would probably let them soak like if I check it twice through like a couple months and there hasn't been nothing on it worth my time that I would probably move the camera I'd probably just change it up you know I mean that's what we're having for the tools the cameras there's just the tool just you know your six your success based off the cameras how you use it
Jeremy (42:07.16)
Mm
Jeremy (42:26.69)
Yeah. Yep.
Chris Weist (42:32.604)
You know, if you use it to look at pictures and just pictures, you're, you know, you're probably going to fall short of what it's actually made for. But if you could actually use it as a tool, like it's intended to be for, and take all the information away from it that, you know, is at your disposal, then you can really use that to help capitalize on your success.
Jeremy (42:53.334)
Yeah. So this is a question I've been asking some of my buddies that have, so it's a repeat as far as like week to week and all that stuff that I know have a lot of good cameras out and get, you know, whether it's dough or bucks or whatever, you know, what kind of dear behavior, have you noticed over the last, you know, couple of years or anything like that? Is it, are you noticing certain bucks have certain characteristics or how man meant when a dough lights this scrape up?
I know pretty soon, you know how those bucks will come fall and check and those later on and I know something that you and I have always geeked out about like man those summer summer months when we get either a young buck or all the does hitting those mock scrapes were like keep coming honey. You know what I mean? Where we get fired up about about that situation. But as far as like deer behavior in general, is there anything that sticks out to you where you're like man that buck was a bully or anything along those lines at all?
Chris Weist (43:39.248)
And you
Chris Weist (43:52.475)
You know, nothing like super, super specific. I really think like in the really big woods, it's hard to get really specific information only because I don't get very many pictures, dude. Like if I get, if I have a camera over a scrape in the mountains, then if I get
Jeremy (44:01.58)
Mm -hmm. Yeah.
Chris Weist (44:19.837)
Couple hundred pictures over like a couple months like that was a pretty good camera pull You know, I mean like they got these freaking cell plans like Not even fit what I need because like if they had a 400 picture plan that would be perfect for me like cheap That's all I'm gonna I'm only gonna use probably 300 pictures of it. I just don't get that many pictures now. There's like a couple things like
Jeremy (44:25.052)
Exactly. Yeah. Yup.
Jeremy (44:33.496)
Hahaha.
Jeremy (44:44.534)
Mm
Chris Weist (44:49.553)
Couple of neat things that I picked out like the last month. I had a buck come in and actually worked the dirt and a scrape already in July. Like he'd come in, know, full velvet. come in and was sitting in the licking branch and I got a series of pictures of him pawing the dirt. All right, that was neat. You know, I he was feeling his cheerios already. It's probably just a cool morning and he's probably as ready as what we are. But, you know, I'm starting to see specific scrapes that
Jeremy (45:12.514)
Yep.
Chris Weist (45:18.169)
does tend to just come to pee in. I mean that I know it's early and that doesn't really mean a lot right now, but I feel like that's just another piece of the puzzle. You know, I mean if she's coming there to pee, you know, I feel like that's going to translate later into the fall because what if I do usually does don't shift like bucks do. So if that does there and she's in there, you know, peeing that scrape all the time at some point she's
Jeremy (45:21.847)
Hmm
Jeremy (45:37.432)
Yep.
Jeremy (45:41.762)
Right. She feels comfortable.
Chris Weist (45:47.0)
She's gonna know where to go where she is and eat. She's gonna go right there, peanut scrape and wait for one of those bucks to come tend to her. So I feel like there's little, little things to pay attention to.
Jeremy (45:50.19)
Mm
Jeremy (45:57.27)
So last year, dude, that's when I ran that I've had a camera on the same tree, same location back at home. And it is nonstop during the spring, during the summer, early fall with doze just up and down this trail. The scrape is literally right on the trail. And she, every time they just stop piss, keep going. Then when they're going back down, they walk down, the blicking branch, stop P and keep going. And it's just a, it's a revolving door and
Chris Weist (46:16.697)
Yeah.
Jeremy (46:25.25)
Dude, like you were saying, the heck you get that first nice cold snap that October 22nd. And that sucker's freshened up. I'm going to sit there.
Chris Weist (46:36.292)
Mm -hmm. Yeah.
Chris Weist (46:42.669)
Like I said, I don't know if it has any kind of translation, but man, if you could find a couple of scrapes that those are always P and then close to dough bedding, man, I would, I would really think that'd be something to zone in on. I mean, there's, there's so much information to learn though. It's like to keep track of everything. Yeah. I keep track of a lot. feel like in my opinion, but there's still like, there's wee little tiny things that I'm just now catching onto even after running cameras on scrapes for years that
Jeremy (46:55.779)
Yeah.
Chris Weist (47:12.364)
Cause you don't get all of that stuff on film all the time. Hell half the time, half the time I feel like the cameras don't even take pictures. You know what mean? These cameras man, they're so hit or miss. You miss so much information. There's shit going on behind the tree that you don't know about off to the sides. You're only getting a small window. That's a lot of times that's why I'm running cluster sets now. Like if it means a lot to me and I know like I cannot miss out on this scrape.
Jeremy (47:19.488)
Right? Yep.
Chris Weist (47:39.936)
I'll set two cameras up there from two different directions that I'll make sure that those cameras are maintenance before hunting season. Like I don't care if I got to go in there a day like in September and blow it up one more time to put new batteries in it. Dude, I'll do it because I just, if it's one of those spots that I feel like I cannot miss out on that information.
Jeremy (48:01.688)
Yeah. Well, I kind of even go back to what I said earlier. It's like that with those does they feel comfortable in those spots? I mean, a lot of the deer, especially the does that where I'm hunting it, that's that's the dough bedding spot. Like my dad and I have always the last couple of years have always said that. That's why we're like, let's just stay out of it. We'll do Labor Day weekend. We'll do the camera refresh at that point in time, you know, freshen up any more different mock scrapes or up another camera. Let one soak maybe.
Chris Weist (48:16.765)
you
Jeremy (48:31.435)
on a different trail or or we extend our range. Basically, you could kind of say in that aspect of things and let it soak and pick it up postseason. And that's when I messaged you and I was like, holy shit. Finally, after I picked up this camera after two years, it's like that big one is has made that loop. He's hit every single camera that I put out specifically for him. And it's like that's when a head scratcher goes in because it's like, gosh dang it. He's on every single one of them. Like there's no it's just like a cat mouse game. We just
Chris Weist (48:58.016)
Yeah.
Jeremy (48:59.886)
I need to take 10 buddies up there and just be like, all right, sit here, sit around here. One of us might see him, but that's going back to that though. I really do. think they're comfortable. They bed there and they're just like you said, dude, I really do think like, okay, this is the spot when it's time for the bucks to move in. There are those locations that they're hitting. And that was honestly, Chris, that was one that I found. Like that was a scrape that I found. It was on that trail. They crushed it.
I'll doctor it up here and there, which is by ripping up the dirt. But I make sure there's that a licking branch of some sort always there. And just, you know, it's a, kind of like a bomb proof situation. They got good cover coming up. it funnels from the rocks and, come a little bit as well. So it's, it's kind of, I don't want to say full proof, but you get, you get in there quiet. I think you have a good chance of seeing something and,
Chris Weist (49:39.446)
Yeah.
Jeremy (49:56.346)
That's what fires me up about that spot. And again, going back to that of learning the deer behavior. Like if I didn't have a camera there and I knew I had a scrape and I saw all the rubs nearby, it's like, okay, I know the spot's good. When do you hunt it though? But it's like after I saw all those does hitting that, like you said, I took the logic of taking the time of timing it and timing it right. And it worked out.
Chris Weist (50:21.612)
I think that's like a, cause you said you found that scrape. The scrape was already there, right? I think that's a misconception too, cause I've noticed lately like, was it the expo? I had a couple of guys ask me about the scrapes that I'm working and working with and hunting and they were asking me about mock scrapes. don't, I don't make mock scrapes that often. Like I'm really big proponent on finding the scrapes that were already pre -existing. And that's because
Jeremy (50:26.798)
Hmm.
Jeremy (50:37.305)
Mm
Jeremy (50:48.792)
Mm
Chris Weist (50:50.223)
where they're located, the right scrape is it was there for a reason. You know, I mean, the deer are already there. They feel comfortable there. A lot of times it's in a low spot where, you know, the thermals and the wind plays and, you know, comes into play or everything pulls to that spot because he's not only sent checking that licking branch and the dirt of the dough piston, he's he can sit there and smell everything from that spot. You know, there are lot of times they're very specific if you can figure it out.
Jeremy (51:02.146)
Yeah.
Chris Weist (51:18.663)
So I just want to touch on that because I had some guys ask me about marks now.
Like we've talked before to like I'll use a mark if I have to Like if I'm trying to if I'm just in a situation where I'm trying to cut him off or catch him earlier You know, I'll try to make one close stories bed or something like that. But yeah, I don't I really don't make mock scripts that often I just I just put boot work in and I just find the ones that are already there. I think there's a lot more Great scrapes out there than what people think. They just haven't stumbled into them yet
Jeremy (51:49.954)
Yeah. Yeah. Well, I was like, even going to what you're said about clustering the situation from a couple of years ago, where when I mentioned earlier, when I said, go hunting out back, when I would go out that situation, there was a double scrape and right the tree that I was on right below next to it, there was, don't even know what it was like buckthorn or something. It was just kind of all, all thorny and bushy and there wasn't anything on it was kind of like still dead and right there. Boom. There was a scrape.
I was like 10 yards away is the big double scrape what I'm looking at and then literally right beneath my trees there's there's this sucker so some buck came right through and was probably mulling around with because one other buck because sometimes or especially during the September months I was still getting them clustered a little bit where they were coming in and you know group of bucks so one was probably hitting a double scrape and now other one was hitting that one and then they kind of would rotate I'm assuming
But it was like tore up and I was like dang. All right. This is like a little You know a little scrape haven for these guys. So Yeah, like you said cameras only a toll and it doesn't pick up absolutely everything
Chris Weist (53:02.418)
dude like a example from today, I literally just went into an area where There's a bottom it's got like three big scrapes I just went in there like a week ago and I put two cameras up on these two scrapes I think I sent you some pictures off of those actually already But I the night that I left I cut a big track I fall into a big scrape I put a cell camera up on it and and I tuned it up a little bit and that evening before dark I had a freaking hammer staining in it
Jeremy (53:19.561)
Mm -hmm. Yep.
Chris Weist (53:32.01)
and I just it bothered me that I didn't have a camera on the third scrape because I had these bucks coming in from the direction that kind of threw me off so I'm like man like if this is where I need to be this season I need to know everything I couldn't really pick out anything specific on my map that made sense so just I was like I gotta get in there one more time I had an extra camera with me today I put it on that scrape and I was like while I'm here if I'm gonna
Disturb, know with my presence. I'm gonna get run over and check my other SD card while I'm here Since I'm already laying my scent down and I had three other shooter bucks on that camera my SD that's 50 yards from myself that I never got to myself and I'm just like god But you miss so much with one camera, you know me but if it's a important area to you
Jeremy (54:25.698)
Yep. Yep.
Chris Weist (54:30.767)
Cluster those things man. Just you know, if it's important use the cameras use the tool Because if you're if I was just sitting here on the couch until hunting season Basin everything off that cell camera, then I'd be sitting in the wrong freaking spot I'll tell you that right now, but now that I know what I know, know, I that just boosted my confidence through the roof Because the direction the time, you know how they entered the straight. It's like they walk right past my cell
Jeremy (54:37.252)
Yep.
Jeremy (54:42.189)
relying on that.
Jeremy (54:47.47)
Mm -hmm.
Jeremy (54:52.844)
Yeah.
Chris Weist (54:59.489)
right past that scrape to go hit this scrape. It's like crazy the stuff that you miss.
Jeremy (55:04.652)
Yeah. Well, dude, and you and I, yeah, and you and I are fans of those TASCO and what's the one from Amazon WOS is that that that brand I think too. Yeah, we'll see. We'll see a jump. We'll see a jump in the price on Amazon for those now. What am I doing? I'm going to edit that out. No, no, man. No, I.
Chris Weist (55:12.503)
that's secret. Keep that on the low. Yeah, man.
Jeremy (55:28.846)
Chris, man, I appreciate you dude coming on. I know you're not not feeling a hundred percent dude and wish you speedy recovery, but this was a fun chat and fires me up even more for deer season brother, man. can't wait to see your success. like I said, hopefully, hopefully it'll be early on and you'll be able to be like, Hey, I need your help. Come track and get this sucker. As I walk up, you'll be like, all right, look at him. He's already right there and make me do it for you, but I'll do it.
Chris Weist (55:50.347)
Yeah.
Chris Weist (55:57.025)
Yeah, if anybody's wondering why I sound freaking scratchy, I got some kind of stomach bug going on. I'm just glad nobody can hear me hiccuping the whole time. But now, man, I appreciate you having me on, Yeah, always a draw our conversations and we always have good ones. I look forward to it.
Jeremy (56:02.711)
Yeah.
Yeah, all good, brother. Nah, Always welcome.
Jeremy (56:15.168)
Yeah, dude, you're a real one. I appreciate you, man. Now, check out Unleash the Waste. I like it. So anywhere else, dude, are you doing any more filming this year before we get off?
Chris Weist (56:26.557)
god, I don't know. I'm gonna try, I'll do my best, but I just, I'm scared to death that that camera's gonna mess up a prime opportunity, but we'll see. I think I just need to get some better camera gear, that's all. If I have something that's really sturdy and something that I can rely on, yeah, but...
Jeremy (56:37.443)
Yeah.
Dude, honestly -
Jeremy (56:47.31)
I we just need to get you one of those either like a 360 camera or heck even one of those like painted arrow things to just clip your phone on. Just get one of those good magnets and slap your phone on, hit record and you're golden. It's so easy now for people that just want to get into it. You don't need to get all the fancy stuff and all that. But no man, I appreciate it dude. Go check out Chris, one of the real ones and I appreciate him. So check him out. Thanks again for tuning in everybody. We'll see you next week. Antler up.
