Deer Hunting: Kentucky and Missouri Bucks Down (Episode 369 Transcript)

This is the video transcript. To watch the video for this episode click here.

GRANT: It’s the time of year we celebrate Christmas. And as a boy, I remember looking forward to those extra days off school. I’d hunt, trap and explore the woods behind our farm and we had a tradition of cutting a cedar tree for our family Christmas tree. Tracy and I have kept that tradition and every year, Tracy and the girls and I go out and cut a Christmas tree from here at The Proving Grounds. But more importantly, we take time to celebrate the gift from our Creator – the gift of Salvation through His Son. Through the most important tradition, it’s possible. This year, celebrate the Gift of Jesus with your family.

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GRANT: We’re blessed to have a Pro Staff that works really well together. Recently, Daniel Stefanoff from Oklahoma joined our eastern Kentucky crew to hunt their farm.

GRANT: During the first morning of the hunt, they chose a Redneck that’s overlooking an area of food plots and cover. They call this the Capital Hill Redneck and they’ve had a lot of success during past years from that blind.

GRANT: Last year, Norman took a hit lister they called Pawn from that blind. Graham followed up on the same day – opening day – with a buck they called Double Barrel. Obviously, Daniel was excited to hunt the Capital Hill blind.

DANIEL: (Whispering) My good friends, Norman, Dustin, Graham and Doc invited me up to hunt their place. Really hoping to take the Winchester and connect with a buck today. These guys have worked this habitat extensively over the last three or four years. It’s really paying off for ‘em. They’ve got some big bruiser bucks walking around. So, we’re gonna see. If a doe comes out, we’re gonna harvest a doe. They need to pull some does off the property. I’m really excited to be here. Was happy to get the invite. Looking for a great day.

GRANT: During the summer, the Kentucky crew actually further improved the habitat around the Capital Hill blind. They cut some more cedars and did a prescribed fire to increase the quality of the bedding area in front of the blind.

GRANT: Soon after the hunt started, they spotted a few does easing through one of the bedding areas.

DANIEL: (Whispering) Walking down the hill (Inaudible) even closer.

GRANT: Keeping in mind their deer management objectives and the herd’s overall health, they had asked Daniel to take a doe before he tagged a buck. And Daniel agreed without hesitation.

DANIEL: (Whispering) Yep. The one on the right. Yes.

GRAHAM: (Whispering) Oh dude. You dumped her. You smoked her, man.

DANIEL: (Whispering) We just shot a doe about 200 yards coming off the hillside. The price for admission was to take down a doe. So, I’ve paid my ticket…

GRAHAM: (Whispering) That’s right.

DANIEL: (Whispering) …and, uh, now it’s buck time. Today could be a really productive day.

GRAHAM: (Whispering) Let’s say we get us a buck.

DANIEL: (Whispering) Yup. That sounds good.

GRANT: After reviewing the footage and knowing the shot was true, they settled in hoping to catch a glimpse of a hit list buck.

GRANT: A hit list buck they called A.D. was working the area. And they can see several of the bedding areas and food plots from Capital Hill. So they were confident they might have an encounter.

GRANT: As it always seems to happen, Graham was busy filming some extra shots, when Daniel spotted a good buck about 275 yards away slip across one of the food plots. The buck crossed the plot so quickly, there wasn’t time to get the camera ready for the shot. Both Daniel and Graham felt it was a mature buck.

DANIEL: (Whispering) You on him?

GRANT: But they knew that deer in that area tend to follow a pattern and cross a valley at a certain point. So, they got all set up and studied that area hoping the buck followed tradition.

GRANT: Sure enough the buck appeared in that area pushing some does. And Daniel patiently waited for a broadside shot.

DANIEL: (Whispering) You’re on him?

GRAHAM: (Whispering) Yeah. I’m on him.

DANIEL: (Whispering) Come on, buddy. Turn.

GRAHAM: (Whispering) I’m on him.

DANIEL: (Whispering) I’m taking him.

GRAHAM: (Whispering) Take him, man.

DANIEL: (Whispering) Just like that. Take a shot.

GRAHAM: (Whispering) I’m on him.

GRAHAM: Oh, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho. Oh, you dropped him.

UNKNOWN: Aww.

DANIEL: (Whispering) Oh, man.

GRAHAM: You dropped him, man.

DANIEL: (Whispering) Oh, my gosh. What a, what a nice buck. My first buck. I’m so thankful these guys let me come up here. Oh my gosh. They’ve done such a great job with this place. The deer is phenomenal. We’ve been covered up with deer today. It’s a deer magnet right now. As it is, it’s gonna just get better. I am so thankful for these guys inviting me up here. I’m pumped.

GRAHAM: That’s awesome.

DANIEL: (Whispering) I couldn’t be happier. I mean, it’s in a great place with good friends and I’m just very thankful. It’s awesome. It couldn’t have worked out any better. Just a great hunt; a great experience.

GRAHAM: What about that XP dropping him? I mean there’s no track job.

DANIEL: No, there’s no tracking there. The doe I popped, she mule kicked. She’s probably 30 yards off.

GRAHAM: Yeah.

DANIEL: And, uh, that guy – he didn’t move a muscle. He just dropped. I mean, it’s a great round.

GRAHAM: Heck yeah, man.

DANIEL: Awesome. My gosh, I am so happy.

GRAHAM: Congrats buddy.

DANIEL: Thank you so much. Aw.

GRANT: The strategy of their hunt closely resembles the final hunt for Handy. The strategy is simply overlooking thick cover. Oftentimes, does will seek thick cover during the rut to avoid bucks and the bucks are certain to follow.

UNKNOWN: That was our number one hit lister, by the way.

UNKNOWN: (Inaudible)

DANIEL: (Inaudible) This deer is a product of all their hard work and all I did was pull the trigger and it’s just a – it’s just a great opportunity. Uh, Norman, Graham, Dustin, Doc, I just appreciate you guy’s hospitality. Um, it’s a great, great team we’ve got at GrowingDeer.tv and, uh, you guys couldn’t have been more gracious. And I’m very, very thankful.

GRANT: Way to go, guys. Great hunt. And even more importantly, I love the way that you’ve done some habitat management and are now reaping the benefits and sharing those benefits with others.

SETH: What a big…

GRANT: Seth Harker is a long-term GrowingDeer Pro Staffer. He’s clearly a great hunter as he’s tagged some whopper bucks in mountain habitat.

GRANT: Given Seth’s passion, it’s no wonder his young son, Trace, is excited to go hunting with his dad.

SETH: Yeah.

GRANT: We’ve shared hunts with Seth and Trace before and I always love the energy these two bring to every hunt.

SETH: (Whispering) (Inaudible)

TRACE: (Whispering) (Inaudible)

SETH: (Whispering) Wow, wow.

GRANT: This hunt occurred during the last afternoon of Missouri’s youth season. And it’s raining and chilly outside. Clearly, Seth and Trace are happy to be in a Redneck Blind; dry and overlooking a field where Seth knows lots of deer have been feeding.

SETH: (Whispering) Alright. Here we are. We’re hunting a big wheat field tonight. Rain’s coming down. There was a couple does out when we got here. Rain’s really coming down now. Tonight, we’re not gonna be too picky. It’s the last night of the youth season. So, we’ve got the Winchester locked and loaded, ready to go. Hopefully, we take some venison home; some rack home. We’re not gonna be too picky. We are gonna have fun. It’s raining. We’re in a nice waterproof Redneck. You can see a long way, so we’ve got Eagle beans back on there to the west. So. It’s just a great spot; great night. We’re not gonna be too picky.

GRANT: It’s not long until Seth and Trace have some excitement. A group of does enter the field.

SETH: (Whispering) You don’t want to wait on a buck? I’m telling you – a big buck’s gonna come out.

TRACE: (Whispering) (Inaudible)

SETH: (Whispering) (Inaudible)

GRANT: It’s fun to listen to Seth coach his son through the options.

SETH: (Whispering) That is a big doe there. Can you kill her?

TRACE: (Whispering) No. (Inaudible) Shooting this first one.

SETH: (Whispering) Okay. You can shoot her if you want to shoot her. Just let me know when you’re gonna shoot.

TRACE: (Whispering) I’m getting ready to shoot.

SETH: (Whispering) Hold it. She’s moving…

GRANT: The does are moving around and not offering Trace an easy shot. And Trace has really got filling a buck tag on his mind. That opportunity didn’t work out but they’ve got plenty of light left and Trace is really hoping a buck enters the field.

GRANT: After some doe groups come and go, a buck finally comes in view.

SETH: (Whispering) Oh, here he comes. Can you get on him? Do you see him?

TRACE: (Whispering) Yeah.

SETH: (Whispering) Just wait ‘til he stops. I think he’ll come out here and start eating. There he is. Can you get on him there?

TRACE: (Shot) (Whispering) Is he dead?

SETH: (Whispering) Well, I don’t know. I think you got him good.

TRACE: (Whispering) That’s good.

GRANT: Nice shot, Trace. I’m confident the Winchester Deer Season XP did its job and that buck will be laying right over the hill.

SETH: We went and got some help. We got Rylan. Chase was running camera, so we felt like we needed some help. We wasn’t sure on the buck if it was liver. You got anything to say?

TRACE: It’s dead.

SETH: Rylan, you got anything to say?

TRACE: It’s dead.

SETH: Alright.

RYLAN: Nothing. I don’t know.

SETH: Let’s pick it up. (Inaudible) You guys are standing on the last blood.

CHASE: (Inaudible) What do you think about that?

TRACE: Mainframe six point!

SETH: Last rib back. Liver shot.

TRACE: Right there?

SETH: Yup. Hit the last rib.

TRACE: Right here.

SETH: Yeah. He’s on the bullet hole right there. (Laughter) Alright, you boys get to dragging him.

TRACE & RYLAN: Ahh.

TRACE: Why do we get to work first?

CHASE: Get on the other side of him.

SETH: You’ll get that in your eye.

RYLAN: Let’s not go that way.

SETH: Drag. You guys are gonna have to get in front of that thorn tree.

GRANT: It’s often said that if you take your kids hunting and spend time with them, you won’t end up hunting for your kids later on. And I have no doubt Seth and Trace will know where each other are because they’ll be hunting together for years to come.

SETH: What are you guys gonna do if you kill a big one?

TRACE: I don’t know but you…

CHASE: Rylan, get in front and help him. There you go. (Laughter)

SETH: There it is.

GRANT: Hope you have a chance over Christmas break to go hunting with a friend or family member or simply go outside and enjoy Creation. But most importantly, take time every day to slow down and listen to what the Creator is saying to you. Thanks for watching GrowingDeer.