The biggest whitetail mystery? The guys are asked in thier minds what is the biggest whitetail mystery? Karl and Mike sit down and discuss a few of the major things they have seen over the last 30 plus years of hunting that has been the hardest to understand, or to try and figure out why the whitetails do what they do. Let us know what you think is the hardest thing to figure out when you are hunting your areas. Put it right here in the comments lets have a discussion we want your opinions. As always thanks for watching we apprecaitae each of you, and we hope you had a Merry Christmas. 2026 is just around the corner.

The Core Contradiction of letting deer grow and holding them on small properties? The conflict lies between the goal of growing mature bucks and the reality of small property limitations.

"Letting Them Grow" (The Goal):

To harvest mature bucks (often 3.5 to 5.5+ years old), you have to pass on younger bucks.

The mantra is "Let them go, so they can grow."

This requires a long-term investment of time and restraint. "Holding Them" (The Problem):

Home Range vs. Property Size: A mature whitetail buck's home range is typically much larger (often 640+ acres or a square mile) than most small hunting properties (e.g., 20, 40, or 80 acres).

The Risk: You cannot physically "hold" a free-ranging buck on a small property 100% of the time. When you "let him grow" and he wanders off your property (which he inevitably will to feed or breed), he is at risk of being harvested by neighbors who may not share your management goals.

The Paradox: By improving your land to hold more deer, you may attract more bucks, but you also risk feeding and housing them only for them to get shot the moment they cross your fence line.

Common Discussion Points on This Topic

Becoming the "Core" Area: Accepting that you can't hold a deer 24/7, but striving to be the place where he spends his daylight hours (bedding) or feels safest.

The Sanctuary Concept: Designating a large percentage of a small property as a "no-go" zone for humans so deer feel virtually unpressured, encouraging them to stay during daylight.

Neighborhood Co-ops: Trying to build relationships with neighbors to get everyone on the same page about age-structure goals (though this is often difficult).

Attraction vs. Pressure: The balance of improving habitat (food plots, timber stand improvement) without pressuring the deer off the property with too much human activity.

"We discuss the self-defined 'hunter' versus 'killer' labels on social media. Honestly people, what the hell is with the killer labels in social media? The word 'killer' should never be associated with hunters or hunting. A killer is in jail! A good hunter is a totally different thing!

The guys talk about this label that many hunters nowadays think is a sign of excellence. In reality, it's disrespectful to hunters in general and makes us all look bad in the public eye. Being a good hunter starts with respect for the game you are hunting. We talk about excitement, respect, and remorse—the three main things we think every hunter in the world experiences with the harvest of any animal he or she pursues.

As always, we want to hear your thoughts. Leave them right here in the comments. We appreciate each of you! Have a great week and good luck out there if you are still hitting it hard." #theobsessionpodcast #hunting #deerhunting #outdoorlife #bowlife #hunting #landmanagement #huntingtips #whitetailhunting #whitetailhunting #huntingtips #outdoorlife #huntingethics #rushoutdoorswi #iamatthegymwhereareyou #iaminthewoodswhereareyou #bowandarrow