In this Q&A edition of the show, we cover a wide array of questions and hot takes from listeners!

• How should you hunt areas with tornado/storm damage?
• Can a property become an immature buck factory?
• Is flat land harder to hunt than hill country?
• Are more trail camera bans coming?
• Are sliding bow sights overkill?

and a lot more!

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What actually creates bigger bucks? Is it genetics, nutrition, habitat, or something else entirely?

In this episode, National Deer Association’s Lindsay Thomas Jr. separates decades of deer research from hunting folklore. We dive into the biggest myths surrounding deer management, aging bucks on the hoof, habitat improvement, feral hogs, and the science that has fundamentally changed how we understand whitetails. If you’re serious about becoming a better deer hunter or land manager, this episode is packed with practical, research-backed information you can apply immediately.

Topics discussed:

• Why genetics matter far less than most hunters think
• The Mississippi State study that changed how we view big bucks
• How to accurately age bucks on the hoof
• Common mistakes hunters make when managing deer
• Why cull buck programs don’t improve genetics
• The truth about nutrition, habitat, and antler growth
• How to improve a property—even if it’s small
• Food plots vs. timber management: where to invest your effort
• How hunting pressure influences mature buck movement
• The four biggest factors that actually affect deer movement
• Why feral hogs are so damaging to deer and turkey populations
• Why trapping is far more effective than simply shooting hogs
• How to work with neighbors to improve deer quality across a landscape
• Lessons from over two decades of deer research and management

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Today we are throwing it back to one of our favorite episodes of all time with whitetail legend Bobby Worthington! In this episode, Bobby talks about perfecting archery setups to get mature bucks in bow range and make the shot count.

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Dillon Harper has spent over a decade hunting North Georgia’s mountains, breaking down the terrain features that consistently produce deer, bears, and hogs. In this conversation, he explains why hidden springheads have become the most important feature he hunts—and how they can concentrate animal movement in vast mountain terrain.

In this episode:

• Why Dillon believes some hidden springheads are more valuable than saddles
• How “community springs” pull multiple game trails into a single location
• Using LiDAR and slope shading to identify overlooked mountain features
• The connection between water, terrain funnels, and rutting buck movement
• Summer scouting strategies for deer, bears, and hogs
• How bear activity helps predict productive deer hunting locations
• Monitoring mast crops and adjusting for changing food sources
• Finding isolated water sources that don’t appear on topo maps
• Trail camera tactics for dealing with curious black bears
• Bear hunting strategies, bedding habits, and locating mature boars
• Wild encounters with bears deep in the mountains
• Why learning to read topography can dramatically improve mountain hunting success

Whether you hunt deer, bears, or simply enjoy learning how animals use mountain terrain, this episode is packed with practical scouting and hunting insights from one of the most dedicated mountain hunters you’ll meet.

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In this episode we hit some listener Q&A submissions, along with some questions that our circle members have been posting over the last week!

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For nearly five decades, Mike Rex has pursued mature whitetails across Ohio and helped score some of the biggest bucks ever harvested in the state. In this conversation, he shares the lessons, mistakes, and observations that changed the way he hunts mature deer.

• Why some of the biggest bucks get killed by beginner hunters
• The surprising places mature bucks feel safest
• How mature bucks learn and adapt to hunting pressure
• What 48 years of deer hunting taught Mike about deer behavior
• Why age is the biggest factor in growing giant bucks
• The difference between hunting big deer and hunting specific deer
• How trail cameras changed what we know about mature bucks
• Wind direction, terrain, and how bucks use both to their advantage
• Why many hunters unknowingly educate the deer they’re hunting
• The story behind Mike’s biggest bucks and the lessons they taught him
• Common mistakes hunters make when targeting mature whitetails
• Why some deer seem impossible to kill—and how they eventually get killed
• The role of hunter access, public land pressure, and predictable human behavior
• How wildlife management and hunting regulations impact deer hunting today

Join our Circle Community here - ⁠https://the-southern-outdoorsmen.circle.so/checkout/join-the-community⁠

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Check out Latitude Outdoors for your mobile hunting gear - https://2ly.link/1zVDI

Use code TSOP15 for a discount on Mossy Oak - https://linkly.link/2ERb8

Save 10% on your next Vortex Optics order at eurooptic.com using the Promo Code “southern10” - https://2ly.link/1wyYO

Use code SOUTHERN20 for a discount on all Vortex apparel, including eyewear

Have you tagged a deer using something you heard on the show? Submit your listener success story here - Share Your Story Here

NOTE: Not all advertisements run on this show are endorsed by The Southern Outdoorsmen Podcast unless an ad is read by one of the hosts.

Join our Circle Community here - ⁠https://the-southern-outdoorsmen.circle.so/checkout/join-the-community⁠

Got a question for the show? Submit a listener Q&A form - https://l.linklyhq.com/l/1uMXP

Grab some Southern Outdoorsmen merch here - https://l.linklyhq.com/l/1u4aK

Join Woodsman Wire - https://l.linklyhq.com/l/1u4aR

Use the promo code “southern” for a discount on your OnX Hunt membership here - https://l.linklyhq.com/l/1tyfm

Check out Latitude Outdoors for your mobile hunting gear - https://2ly.link/1zVDI

Use code TSOP15 for a discount on Mossy Oak - https://linkly.link/2ERb8

Save 10% on your next Vortex Optics order at eurooptic.com using the Promo Code “southern10” - https://2ly.link/1wyYO

Use code SOUTHERN20 for a discount on all Vortex apparel, including eyewear

Have you tagged a deer using something you heard on the show? Submit your listener success story here - Share Your Story Here

NOTE: Not all advertisements run on this show are endorsed by The Southern Outdoorsmen Podcast unless an ad is read by one of the hosts.

Larry Weishuhn has spent over 50 years studying, managing, and hunting whitetail deer across North America. In this episode, Larry shares lessons learned from decades as a wildlife biologist, including why mature bucks seem to disappear, what hunters misunderstand about deer movement, and how habitat, nutrition, and age shape deer populations.

In this episode:

• Why hunters think mature bucks are gone when they’re still on the property

• The truth about “nocturnal” bucks and midday deer movement

• Larry’s experience managing whitetail populations across Texas and the Southeast

• What helicopter surveys taught him about deer behavior and habitat

• Surviving 13 helicopter crashes

• How nutrition impacts antler growth, body size, and herd health

• The role of age, genetics, and habitat in producing mature bucks

• Whether hunters can actually influence deer genetics through harvest strategies

• Why some bucks move miles from where they’ve spent most of the year

• Common mistakes hunters make when evaluating deer herds

• The biggest changes Larry has seen in whitetail hunting over the last 50+ years

Join our Circle Community here - ⁠https://the-southern-outdoorsmen.circle.so/checkout/join-the-community⁠

Got a question for the show? Submit a listener Q&A form - https://l.linklyhq.com/l/1uMXP

Get a discount on your Poncho Outdoors shirts here - https://linkly.link/2bfPZ

Grab some Southern Outdoorsmen merch here - https://l.linklyhq.com/l/1u4aK

Join Woodsman Wire - https://l.linklyhq.com/l/1u4aR

Use the promo code “southern” for a discount on your OnX Hunt membership here - https://l.linklyhq.com/l/1tyfm

Check out Latitude Outdoors for your mobile hunting gear - https://2ly.link/1zVDI

Use code TSOP15 for a discount on Mossy Oak - https://linkly.link/2ERb8

Save 10% on your next Vortex Optics order at eurooptic.com using the Promo Code “southern10” - https://2ly.link/1wyYO

Use code SOUTHERN20 for a discount on all Vortex apparel, including eyewear

Have you tagged a deer using something you heard on the show? Submit your listener success story here - Share Your Story Here

NOTE: Not all advertisements run on this show are endorsed by The Southern Outdoorsmen Podcast unless an ad is read by one of the hosts.