The Blacktail Coach Podcast
We're here to share tips, strategies, and stories of hunting the Pacific Northwest.
Whether you're a seasoned hunter or just getting started, we'll help you turn preparation into achievement and passion into results.
So gear up and get ready, because SUCCESS IS NO ACCIDENT!
The Blacktail Coach Podcast
The Blacktail Coach Year in Review
The whitetail deer gets all the glory across most of America, but here in the Pacific Northwest, we're blessed with the chance to pursue a truly special animal - the blacktail deer. Limited to just three states and dwelling in some of the most challenging rainforest terrain imaginable, these beautiful bucks deserve their time in the spotlight.
After wrapping up our final boot camp of the season, we're reflecting on what's been our busiest and most successful year yet. With nearly 95 hunters trained through our classes, field days, and boot camp experiences, we've built a community of passionate blacktail hunters stretching across Washington state and into Canada.
Moving our boot camp from Father's Day weekend to early May proved to be a brilliant decision - not only were more fathers able to participate without missing family time, but we completely avoided the tick infestation that plagued us last year! The success stories continue to roll in as hunters apply our field-proven system and tag impressive bucks that many wouldn't believe exist in our Pacific Northwest forests.
What truly makes this journey special isn't just the hunting knowledge we share, but the connections formed between like-minded outdoorsmen and women. At every event, we watch as initial hunting-camp bravado quickly transforms into genuine camaraderie, with participants exchanging contact information and making plans to scout together. Veterans, father-son pairs, and hunters of all experience levels find common ground in their pursuit of these elusive deer.
This year brought challenges too, particularly with new regulations prohibiting baiting and urine-based scents. But adaptation is part of hunting, and we've developed effective workarounds while emphasizing ethical, legal practices. The core system works regardless of regulatory changes because it's built on understanding blacktail behavior and habitat.
Ready to join our growing community? Coaching sessions begin May 20th, and we still have a few spots available. Reach out today and make next season your most successful blacktail hunt yet!
Nilch'i wind checks nilchi.com
Welcome back to the Blacktail Coach Podcast. I'm Aaron and I'm Dave. This week we just finished boot camp. We just got back on Sunday afternoon and just kind of wanted to wrap up our year. For the most part, it's done. We still have one field day, establishing a set field day which is open to the guys who've gone through the class, and we also have our coaching that will be starting here in about two weeks from recording day. So we've survived two shows. We saved ourselves from a third show. We've had what was it? Four total classes, two field days and the boot camp all packed in, probably the last three months.
Speaker 2:I think we've done more than four classes.
Speaker 1:So we did online two in person and cross the divide. Oh, you're right. And then we did two field days, which we added an extra field day. It just worked out where we realized we needed to add an extra field day Boot camp, which is Friday through Sunday, and then some, because we go set up ahead of time and yeah, yeah, it's been a busy, busy year. And we moved boot camp up this year, which. What did you think about that Moving boot camp up to early May?
Speaker 2:I liked it and the response that we had from guys was really good, so I would say that they liked it too. As far as the timing of it, yeah, we held it on Father's Day last year and thinking that, well, that'd be a great Father's Day gift, and I just want to come out and openly state that I was totally against it, because fathers want to spend time with their families.
Speaker 1:Lo and behold, dads want to spend time with their families, although we did have two father-son pairs last year and this year Yep, yep, but I just say for the fact that we didn't have any ticks this year, there's a lot that was awesome that was that made the whole weekend. So we had, from my count, but between the boot camp and all of the classes we had, like I think it was 94, but I'll just say between 90 and 95, guys went through the course this year.
Speaker 2:That is awesome, and I wanted to say thank you to everybody that did participate in either a class, whether it be online or in person, or field day or boot camp. Thank you. Started I was real hesitant.
Speaker 1:uh, and my wife and and uh, of course, you talked me into doing this and creating the black tail coach, and I gotta tell you it's been a blessing and I've enjoyed meeting everybody that has come through so yeah we just met a lot of great people so way I figure we probably got about 200 guys in in washington o and up into Canada now who are going to be possibly using the system this coming season, which is great. Yeah, four to 500 sets out there, or more if they're doing them for their friends.
Speaker 2:There's plenty of deer though. Yeah, you know.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but that's kind of a neat part of this system and just talking, because we had a lot of guys up at boot camp who actually knew of the areas when I was telling them where my sets were, and they're like oh yeah, I know exactly where you're at and they know that, yeah, there's just tons of areas up there.
Speaker 2:They're going to have a tree stand in the tree next to yours now.
Speaker 1:Yeah, didn't give them too many details but yeah, they know where they're at. But again, just meeting a lot of really cool guys, a lot of great guys who are just very enthusiastic about the season and about the podcast and just hunting in general. Great conversations over dinner or over all the meals at boot camp, but even just over lunch during the classes and field day.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think what gets me excited is everybody's enthusiasm about blacktail hunting and knowing that I'm not the only one that has this passion to go out and find big blacktail hunting and and knowing that I'm not the only one that has this passion to go out and find big blacktail bucks. Yeah, you know, and so you know, blacktails kind of sat on the back burner for for many, many, many, many decades. Uh, you know, taking back seat to white tail, mule deer and and and that's okay yeah.
Speaker 2:You know, stopping and thinking about it. That's all right because you know we're blessed and fortunate enough to be able to have the opportunity to hunt them every year, such a rare creature, and so in that sense I don't have a problem with that. But it's good to get some kind of recognition and you know, as far as hey, hey, we got these bucks over here. Yeah, that are just.
Speaker 1:You know, they're beautiful yeah, and it's just a completely different species. Yeah, it's, it's different, yep, and, and a limited area, so it's not. You know, whitetail you can be in every state except for maybe alaska, yeah, yeah, and hunt whitetail. Well, blacktail it's three states Right and in a limited area of those three states.
Speaker 2:And a different habitat than what 95% of the country gets to hunt.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:You know, being in a rainforest on this side, and how thick everything grows up. You know I tell the guys we go to Kansas every year deer hunting and we hunt what they call timber and it's up. You know I, I tell the guys we go to kansas every year deer hunting and and we hunt what they call timber and it's. You know and I get it. You know you're used to what you see or what you grew up with. You know that's your norm. But yeah, it's like a park compared to here compared to here.
Speaker 1:So this year I actually joined buck ventures as part of the Woodsmen, as pro staff, and so I went with you and Asha down to Oklahoma. And yeah, same thing, it's completely different. And there are no black tail hunters down there except for us. We're it, and whenever we kind of mention that, oh really, oh yeah, I need to talk to you about that, because I think there's a lot of them.
Speaker 1:Now, whether they'll follow through remains right but it's always that interest, I would say, because oh, you hunt something that like I don't really have an opportunity to right and I wouldn't even know where to begin well and their limited knowledge on black tail and I'm not talking about deer behavior or anything like that, I'm just talking about black tail in general.
Speaker 2:All they know is a lot of them think it's a subspecies of the muley and they're very limited on what they know. They just know that it's west of the Cascades, it's on the west coast, and that's about the extent of it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and that they're all small.
Speaker 2:Yeah, in comparison to what they're going after. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:But I think they're all small but they kind of consider it that there's no big black tail, which isn't true, not at all, and you've definitely proven that in a lot of the other guys who've gotten big bucks recently. So and I mean that was another thing we started off this year with and we did with the, the podcast, you know, with the first year and five guys doing the success stories, and I've told everybody who's gone through the class if you have a success story, expect an email or a call from me wanting you on the podcast to do another success story next year and I you know it'll get to the point where it could just be year-round success stories, because we're going to have so many.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you know, and at first I thought, well, I just limited it to five, but you know people like hearing those stories and how. But you know people like hearing those stories.
Speaker 2:They do, they do.
Speaker 1:And you say this, I think, all the time during the classes. That it's one thing when you say it, and this is why you put a lot of the pro staff out in front of people, because it's a system you've put together that you've been doing for almost 20 years now, uh-huh. But then you're putting pro staff you know the guys Chris or Alex or Scott or Jimmy, and having us or Bud, having us answer those questions from guys who are new to the system when we're new to the system and maybe new to hunting and not knowing anything other than just hunting this way, Right right With a very limited history to draw from and maybe well, in some cases, a very limited hunting background in general.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:You know, and I think for me that's my favorite part of boot camp is when we do have that pro staff panel and the guys are you know, those attending are able to ask you all their questions and, like you said, it's different when it's coming from me.
Speaker 2:You know, what I mean, and that's not to puff my chest out or anything like that. It's just there's an expectation, because I've developed this that well. Yeah, of course you have confidence in it. You got faith in it. You've been doing it, like you said, for 20 years now and when they hear from you guys, it just makes it more real to them that that, okay, this guy's only been doing it two years, or you know, like alex, one year. Yeah, you know he one year he got his biggest black tail buck and and it made the books and and yeah, so it was like it. You can just see the the walls come down and the confidence in them that I can do this. Yeah, you know what I mean.
Speaker 1:Especially getting out there and seeing exactly what you're talking about. It's why we like the boot camp and the field days, because it helps convey that what we're teaching.
Speaker 2:Right.
Speaker 1:Really getting to see all of that. But Mark Boone and Dan Bunnell and those guys who did the success stories of just they did the system and it worked out for them, and so it proves that it's replicable.
Speaker 2:Right, right, and they're great guys yeah.
Speaker 1:And that's something that and I've said this a lot that guys who are willing to take a class to learn, there's a certain humility that comes with, hey, I don't know everything and I want to learn this, and this attracts those guys and it's a really great quality, I think, for the hunting community and especially when we start connecting those guys. So we had, you know, just again this year at the boot camp, and it's happened every year, where guys who different parts of the state or different states start chatting, exchange numbers and keep in touch through season. That's a great part of that.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And you know, when it comes time to haul a deer out of the woods, they'll have somebody new that could help them if they need the help.
Speaker 2:It's funny, it's funny. It's funny you say that because I was laughing again this year because it starts out the same and I think it's the same with any hunting genre, I guess it is or any kind of hunting event. You get there and there's all the chest puffing and you know, hey, this is what I got. I filled my tag, here's my biggest buck or my biggest bull, or whatever. And then by the second day you can just see that it's all been left behind and guys are just like, man, this is great, we're all here to learn, we're all on the same level ground, kind of thing.
Speaker 1:And helping each other out.
Speaker 2:Yeah, nobody needs to be like that, you know, and by the end, like you said, I mean they're exchanging numbers, they're talking about going scouting together or doing a hunt together, and it's just like, well, no, that's what it's about.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, definitely. So again we got to do the Cross the Divide class. Loved doing that class. Got to interview Mo, the executive director of Cross the Divide, for that episode and really kind of hear what you know just how that's blown up.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And how God's done some pretty incredible things with him helping out veterans with just doing stuff in the outdoors.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And it was interesting that we went to Buck Ventures and there's a guy there who lives in Tennessee, I believe.
Speaker 2:Yes, Mike Young.
Speaker 1:Yeah, who's working with them too? Oh, okay, so, and considering they're the same age, cross the Divide is basically the same age as Blacktail Coach as far as their incorporation, and they were doing some stuff before that, but as a formal group. But they bring out a great crowd and guys are really enthusiastic who go to that. You know we had one of the guys who wanted to come to the class and none of them were working out, but that one worked out so it was great that he was a veteran and so it's just to me it's an impressive group that comes together for these things.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, and that would be probably the driving factor in all of this. Yeah, because you know we've really met some great people and it is an honor and a privilege to help each and every one of them get their trophy.
Speaker 1:And you know, I couldn't get enough of the Cascades Camp and Conference Center so I decided to leave my wallet up there and drive back up. Yesterday I was supposed to go film some content for the Patreon and get a call oh yeah, your wallet's here. So, okay, I guess I'll drive up there. So I'll be doing some content tomorrow. But that's kind of how busy we've been, that it's just kind of been one thing after another, a lot of murphy's law kicking in with in between this, because we always get sick after the show oh my goodness, gracious you know it's, it's great meeting anyone but dave and I are just completely exhausted.
Speaker 1:we have no voice left, and then we're good for a week in bed afterwards, just recovering from whatever illness we've caught that particular year and it's funny and we kind of alternate.
Speaker 2:So I'll be sick at one show and you'll be sick at the other, and it's been that way every year. And what's funny is I still look forward to the shows. I still have a good time.
Speaker 1:Or I'm sick going into the show, you're sick coming out. You're sick going in. Yeah, it always works out great Good times. So Portland and Puyallup. We almost did the Vancouver show. That was a big car wreck. We had a lot of conversations about that Puyallup or the Vancouver show up at boot camp. But there was the scamming individual who did that. We were actually signed up but we were able to get out of doing that show after we found out that he was a bit of a weasel we were one of the first to sign up?
Speaker 2:yeah, I think we were one of the first and, and, uh, I think we were one of the first to drop to realize yeah.
Speaker 1:So thank you to all of the other businesses and whatnot who gave us a heads up to uh investigate this guy, because that was, uh boy, that was that was an eye-opener, yeah and we had, I I think, some participants who had who knew of somebody who'd given him thousands of dollars for because he he used to guide this guy, shane.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:It was.
Speaker 2:It's sad to say, but there are those that are out there and you really got to do your homework and you got to be careful, and if it seems too good to be true, then it probably is.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so had snow at both shows this year, Yep, but didn't seem to slow both shows this year Yep, but didn't seem to slow anybody down.
Speaker 2:No.
Speaker 1:No, most hunters have a nice four-wheel drive rig to make it out.
Speaker 2:They live for those days.
Speaker 1:Hey, I got to do a little forebinding and whatnot.
Speaker 2:So any particular stories that stick out to you, you know, and I think every year we meet some characters. You know what I mean. There's the guys that are really enthusiastic. Then there are guys that come up to the booth and you're like, they seem like they really want to get involved, but when they walk away, you're just like, you know, you can just tell who's really serious and who's not.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you know you can just tell who's really serious and who's not. Yeah, but no, we meet some characters and you know we meet a lot of really great people, and I know I sound like a broken record keep saying that, but it's true, it's absolutely true. We just have, really, I think our Facebook and our Instagram get a big boost every time we do a show.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And this year it just seemed like we had tons of people coming up and referring to the podcast and that's how they heard about us and all of this. But man, it was just nice to meet people that have been really supportive.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:There's some guys that we see every year at the shows. We've been what? Five years into this now and we see them every year.
Speaker 1:I think third year we've had a booth yeah.
Speaker 2:Third year we've had a booth.
Speaker 1:And four years we've been at the shows where you did classes the first time.
Speaker 2:But I mean, you know, I get text messages every week from all these guys and everything, yeah, yeah. And you know, on birthdays and holidays I get you know and it's just like, wow, this is really cool, you know, just to meet guys and develop friendships and whatnot. I really like, I'm kind of a and it's funny because I'm somewhat of an introvert and at the same, time well, yeah, but you wouldn't know. I mean all the public speaking and stuff that I do you know?
Speaker 2:But I really I mean like I have to be alone and quiet to recharge.
Speaker 1:But I'm telling you we have met some great people and I'm so thankful yeah, and even other vendors at the show you know right from the start meeting rj who did the upland bird dog training uh episode that we did a while back great guy always has a joke can't repeat any of them, but he always has a great joke some of them are okay, but are uh pg yeah so, but then, uh, you know just the random people and if you're out there, uh, unknown hunter, we would love to hear from you.
Speaker 1:You know who you are, you know who you are. So there was a a story and this guy came up to tell us about bucky and the unknown hunter. And he was the unknown hunter and the way he told this story, I'm like we've got to do a an episode with this absolutely hysterical yeah, we were. We were just dying laughing listening to this episode or listening to tell this story, and so we wanted to. I'm like, okay, reach out, I want to hear from you. We got to, yeah.
Speaker 2:So if you're here, if anyone knows who we're referring to, if he's listening, please, please, please. We want you to reach out to us so that we can get you on the show.
Speaker 1:Yes, the Gig Harbor area. Yes, that's where he lives, the scene of the incident, so you know just him. It was funny, though, walking around, because we're always wearing our black tail coat, hoodies and T-shirts and apparel. But walking around and guys stopping us.
Speaker 1:Hey're dave and aaron yeah I wasn't used to that well, and at first I thought, okay, maybe they just saw us down at the booth or we'd met them at some point, or no, it was they recognized from the podcast. Yeah, and yeah, that was. That was kind of a level I wasn't prepared for.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, it was funny Of you know the whole I don't want to say celebrity, but just the whole like people are excited to meet you just because you talk into a microphone for half an hour a week. So now that's not to say it was great meeting all of you and I'm glad we're actually giving you content that's useful, that you enjoy listening to that 's. I mean, if anything, that'll, just that keeps me going yeah, I'm blown away.
Speaker 2:Guys are telling us that, yeah, I've listened to everything like every podcast five, six, twelve times.
Speaker 1:You know I'm like holy cow leaning more and more information out of it and yeah, so, and that actually led to leading up to this season, because I know there's certain ones that are really specific about that are specifically helpful with hunting season. So we're just going to rerun like the top five, six episodes that are that we think are most important information towards hunting blacktail and we're going to re-release those episodes leading up to season this year so that you don't have to dig through and try to figure out, okay, which one of these was going to help me.
Speaker 1:If people go back just kind of re-release them, get a refresher course right as you're heading into season, yeah. And then for everybody who's gone through the class, we always tell them reach out to us, send us an email if you need any help with figuring things out. We like getting those emails and staying connected with people, yeah, Year after year. So one of the things it was a bit odd. So we meet all kinds of people and we had someone and this kind of worried me with the whole baiting thing, the issue. And now we can't use urine-based scents or glandular secretion-based scents and we can't bait. And that's okay, we pivot and we figure it out. But we had someone and he walked up and he's talking to me and I thought it was just somebody random at the show talking to me and I'm answering this question well, what are you going to do? This is all based on baiting. Well, no, it's not based on baiting, it's based on synths. Now, if we weren't able to even use synthetics, that would have been an issue.
Speaker 1:That would have been a game changer could have been, that would have been an issue, that would have been a game changer. But it's just the bait. Okay, that's a minor, you know, it's something that there's workarounds around that and it's not, it's it doesn't shut the door at all. So but he, it was like he was prompting me to say, oh yeah, we don't care what the law says, we're gonna bait anyway. Well, we're not. We know what the law says and we're not gonna bait. And so I had we're not, we know what the law says and we're not going to bait. And so I had this conversation. I was like, well, you know, and I didn't really think anything about it while I was having it, but then I leave, because I go around and try to see what vendors around and make contacts and just chat with other vendors. And I came back and I don't know if he was talking to you or he was talking to one of our pro staff who were working the booth that day. This was at the Portland show and I'm standing off to the side when I walk back. Well, he's asking that pro staff member the exact same questions he was asking me and kind of leading like he was trying to get whichever pro staff for you. I can't remember to say, yeah, we're just going to keep baiting, it doesn't matter what you know, it doesn't matter what the law comes out and says, we're just going to keep doing this.
Speaker 1:And this was well before, when it was just kind of rumor. You know they were going to be debating it or, you know, have a public hearing on it but he was asking those exact same questions from one of our other staff. Okay, now this is getting a little weird. So then I'm thinking, okay, this guy's just odd, well, come to find out. Like the next day he comes in and he's working the WDFW booth. So this is part of it. That why I tried to warn guys at class, the classes and the boot camp and everything of you got to be careful. You know it's, we can't bait, but just be careful, because I think they're and I don't think he was a game warden, he didn't strike me as a game warden and most of those guys are actually all the game wardens I met seem to be really cool guys. They seem to be very helpful as far as like if you had a question, hey, can I do this or this.
Speaker 2:Right.
Speaker 1:They're going to clarify that they want to keep you, you know, but this just felt like Like he was fishing, like he was fishing and like he was a fed plant here.
Speaker 2:Everybody down to the Capitol, yeah, everybody down to the Capitol, yeah head down to the Capitol.
Speaker 1:We're going to start. Yeah, it felt like that. So, guys, just be careful. If you're talking to someone, first off, don't break the law. Yeah, just be ethical, don't break the law. Yeah, now there are probably some workarounds as far as there are scents that smell like food, that aren't food, so it's a scent, so that should as far as I can tell, that should be legal. But yeah, you're not dumping corn or apples or anything out. Don't do that. That's what you're not supposed to be doing. But just be careful, because while I think there could be some people out there that work for these agencies who are trying to get you to self-incriminate, and yeah, just if you don't know them, yeah, I wouldn't be doing too much talking. You know, loose lips sink ships loose lips sink your hunting season.
Speaker 1:So that was the only the only thing that really kind of stuck out to me. That was a little weird. But I mean, we met the guys from nilchy and they gave us product a couple of shows ago. I used it last year. I think their wind checks are awesome and they they gave us product a couple of shows ago. I used it last year. I think their wind checks are awesome and they gave us a little more product. They're sending me a couple more because they have some different designs on things to test out. But, yeah, great product. And we're going to be doing some commercials where the mid-roll it's called a mid-roll but it's like a break where we talk about a particular product. But I mean, we talk a lot about different products that we use, but this is a blacktail solution cracked out um blacktail drop zone.
Speaker 1:Blacktail drop zone, hex and ozonics ozonics, yeah, just stuff that.
Speaker 2:And that's the thing I mean. We want to endorse the stuff that. That is quality yeah you know, and if you've ever been to any of our outings or anything like that, everything that we do we want to do quality, and if we can't do it quality, then I don't want to do it. That's kind of been our motto from the start. I want guys to feel like not that they just got their money's worth, but that they walk away going. Man, I'm glad I did that.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:That was not only informative, that was not only educational, but that was a good time.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:You know, and then just an opportunity to get out in the woods and learn some things. And so, yeah, we've always stressed quality and whatnot. But it's funny you talk about that incident with that. I was at work today and so at the Portland show I do seminars and everything. Well, husband and wife showed up there and then sat through the seminar and then reached out and contacted us here about a month after the shows and asked if I would come speak at their hunting club.
Speaker 1:Oh, I forgot about that. Yeah, even though I went.
Speaker 2:And Aaron and I went. They bought us dinner. We had a great time, met some great people. Well then, an apprentice comes out to the job site today and is talking with me and says, yeah, I did my hunter's ed and there was these two guys there and they were talking about you.
Speaker 2:And I says what do you mean talking? You know it's like, oh, did I wire something for him? You know, because I'm an electrician and no, no about the black tail coach, and that you came and spoke and everything. And I mean there's probably boy from the time the show happened. That was beginning of February, and this just happened today.
Speaker 2:You know, and here it is, may, it's just like, wow, you know. It's just like wow, you know you. Just, you run into people and you just don't know who's going to enjoy it, who's going to like it, who's going to walk away with something and who's? You know inspired enough to tell somebody else. You know hey, you know, this is really good, or avoid this, that guy is an idiot.
Speaker 1:So and we do like those little one-off, like one-hour seminars, hour and a half. So if you have a, so if you're part of a hunting club, archery club, outdoor club, something like that, and you want, if you arrange guest speakers, reach out to us Now hopefully, especially if it's on a weeknight. It's somewhat close to the Portland Vancouver area.
Speaker 1:Driving up to north of Seattle would be a little tough but yeah, like doing those or even classes like kind of a corporate type class where, if you have some sort of business, we'll do a private class for your group, like the full day class.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, we do stuff like that.
Speaker 1:We're always trying to think of like, okay, what should we do? Is there a new way that we can present this information? And we have some things that are kind of on the back burner that I think will probably be rolling out next year as far as maybe some one-on-one locating potential, where you'll get pro staff out there doing locating with you for a day, working on that one with you for a day, working on that one, some other, some other things you know branching out with working with alex cheney, our pro staff guy, who did all the turkey episodes about getting him involved with teaching guys how to turkey hunt the same way that you teach uh guys, how to blacktail.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you know, he's phenomenal actually what we should be having him on pretty soon. But, dan, he's actually more of a predator hunter than he is a deer hunter. Dan Bonnell and we'll have some episodes with him talking about, because he's taken out your son to coyote and bobcat hunt.
Speaker 2:That guy is a predator killing machine. Yeah, you know, and both those guys, I mean Alex. As far as turkey, dude, they killed six birds in one weekend yeah, what was?
Speaker 2:it, five of them in the group yeah, yeah, dj was slaying them I'm like you gotta be kidding me six birds in one weekend and, like you know he, he is our turkey specialist, and then dan. You know I I try and line up a bunch of hunts for for I don't get an opportunity to go on a lot of different hunts because I'm busy, you know.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:I got basically two jobs I got the black tail coach and I'm an electrician and so I set up. You know, like my son has been the beneficiary of a ton of great hunts with some great people and so Dan took my boy out with one of his buddies and, yeah, predator hunting, teaching them how to predator call and all that stuff. And man, they had what four dogs come in in the morning.
Speaker 1:I think so.
Speaker 2:Yeah, something like that. It's like, that's just like it's crazy.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:You know they're killing coyotes and now they went out with him one time. They got the call that he recommended and they're going out and they know exactly what to do every time and it's just like. Look into that yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:I want a bobcat. That is like the number one. Number two, because it's black tail for me. Number one, but number two is I'd rather have a bobcat than anything else. Cougar bear, just there's something. Their coats are just so incredible looking. Especially when you get them and they have a lot of that orange kind of color to them.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, yeah, especially when you get them and they have a lot of that orange kind of color to them. Uh, yeah, we had one walking through the yard last fall. Maybe that's last summer, oh that's why I don't go?
Speaker 1:because I missed that cat twice.
Speaker 2:So that was apparently inside. Yeah, apparently don't say that. Yeah, that was a small one you shot at the, the female.
Speaker 1:She was small. That was the next day. The day before that, I was just looking out the back window and yeah, now, bobcats, are they a tom as?
Speaker 2:well, yes, yes.
Speaker 1:Big tom. I thought he was the next door neighbor's golden retriever, or lab.
Speaker 2:Wow, he was that tall.
Speaker 1:And then he came walking out of the back tree line and yeah, it was not not a safe shot which is why I didn't shoot at him, but yeah, someday, yeah, so I don't know. That's kind of like the summary of our our season. It was just.
Speaker 1:It was a great year yeah you know, I think and we doubled the amount of guys that went through the class and I know there's a lot of you who couldn't make it this year. Life gets in the way at times. So we'll be seeing you next year and looking forward to that. Probably we'll have guys coming back to the bootcamp again who've already gone Dane and Dan. You know, father son, they came back again.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we've got some guys that are yearly repeaters and it's like that's okay, you know. Yeah, I mean they have a good time. That's what it's about. You know, it's hunting camp, that, yeah, you don't have to clean anything and you get good food and you get to tell a lot of stories.
Speaker 1:It's a good it. We had to sit down for lunch. I remember Saturday it was three meals.
Speaker 2:I was so stuffed.
Speaker 1:We were so full from breakfast. Nobody wanted to really eat, and I think people kind of ate a little bit and then dinner. Everybody was still full from breakfast. So that's the level of how well they take care of us up at Cascades. Yep so another great year, looking forward to next year, looking forward to the coaching that we're going to be doing here, working with those guys, and you know our. Ask the Coach with the Patreon guys.
Speaker 2:We've still got some spots open. If you're interested, guys, there's still a chance for coaching.
Speaker 1:So, yeah, but that starts here in a couple weeks, the 20th. Yeah, may 20th is the first night of our class. So reach out if you're interested in coach, in coaching, and you've gone through the class and uh, we'll, we'll get you set up, but uh, yeah, thank you for a great year, for making this podcast so fun to do, making the classes just great to be part of absolutely the boot camp, yeah it, it's fun and, coming from me, three years ago I was not a hunter and now it's.
Speaker 1:Yeah, just sitting there and I like seeing those pics that you know, people are showing me your brother, you know, the first time that he and I really, you know, we've chatted on occasion, even though, well, I've known you for 30 years now I've, so I've known him for almost that long but never, we never really chatted hunting. You know, because it was fourth of july and you know kind of casual coming but it was like he's gotten some incredible bucks he's got some great bucks.
Speaker 1:Yeah, he really, and so he and my cousin both have, yeah, really nice box, and so it's just kind of it was cool seeing those pictures and hearing about his hunts and and just all the hunts of the other guys and talking about. You know them going out of state and you know the hunting that they do and yeah, it's a good time.
Speaker 2:It's a good time, it is.
Speaker 1:And I almost wish we just did boot camps and everybody came to those. But understand, some people can only do a day and we get that, so we have the classes for you. Anyway, thanks for listening in Again. Unknown Hunter, if you're out there, reach out to us and we will see you all next week.
