Chasing Giants with Don Higgins

Is there a difference between being a great archer and being a great bowhunter? How far is too far when taking a shot at a whitetail deer? In Chasing Giants Podcast Episode #346, Don Higgins and Terry Peer tackle one of the most debated topics in bowhunting today: long-distance archery shots and the responsibility hunters have to the animals they pursue. After a listener questions hunters taking 70-yard shots at live deer, Don shares his perspective from nearly 50 seasons of bowhunting. He explains why he prefers to get mature bucks within 15–20 yards, why knowing your limitations matters, and why the real challenge of bowhunting may be getting closer rather than shooting farther. But that's only part of this week's conversation! IN THIS EPISODE: Don Higgins' Next Big Habitat Project Don takes us behind the scenes of his 300-acre Illinois property and reveals his plans to eliminate nearly a mile of maintained paths to create larger, less-disturbed bedding areas. He also discusses his long-term goal of producing more mature, giant-antlered bucks and leaving an incredible wildlife habitat legacy for future generations. Fruit Tree Management Tips - How much water newly planted fruit trees need during drought conditions - When and how to transplant young fruit trees - The hidden dangers of mice nesting inside tree tubes - Protecting young trees from damage during fall Food Plot and Herbicide Updates Terry shares the results of a surfactant experiment on waterhemp and marestail at his southern Illinois farm. The results weren't what they hoped for, reinforcing the importance of proper weed management and pre-emergent herbicides. 2026 Rut Report Announcements Don reveals plans for this year's Rut Report, including daily prize giveaways and opportunities for hunters across the country to share what they're seeing in the woods. Listener Questions - What's the best way to organize trail camera photos and track individual bucks over multiple seasons? - Are 70-yard bow shots ethical? - Should you hunt October mornings when access, wind, and temperatures are perfect? Updates on the new Chasing Giants website, consulting resources, the latest ASIO Gear backpack, and Don's recent property tour on Chasing Giants TV. SUNDAY NIGHT PRAYER TIME Wes Delks closes this episode with an encouraging message about church hurt, forgiveness, and the importance of Christian fellowship. Scripture references include Matthew 24:10, Hebrews 10:24–25, and Ephesians 4:26–27. Subscribe for weekly conversations about whitetail deer hunting, habitat management, food plots, land management, and the pursuit of world-class whitetails. Visit our Chasing Giants channels for additional property tours, educational videos, and hunting content. Southland Christian Church Men's Event — https://www.southland.church/feed What's the farthest distance you would personally take a shot at a live whitetail with your bow? And do you think today's bowhunters are putting too much emphasis on shooting distance? Tell us in the comments! If you enjoy the podcast, please LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and SHARE with another serious whitetail hunter. #ChasingGiants #DonHiggins #Bowhunting #WhitetailHunting #DeerHunting Chasing Giants Podcast Sponsors: Asio Gear Real World Wildlife Products Hawke Optics Novix Outdoors Midwest Land Group 360 Hunting Blinds Mike’s Mighty Micros Gingerich Tree Farms TagOut Technique Grubb Implement Brenton USA Mathews Archery Victory GMC & Auto Group Wildlife Farming WiseEye Technologies Chasing Assurance Podcast Sponsors: Heartwood Planning Group WiseEye Technologies Coonless Feeders Green Prairie Seed Company © 2026 Chasing Giants Podcast. All rights reserved. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by guests and hosts during this episode are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Chasing Giants, our sponsors, advertising partners, affiliates, or associated organizations. This interview is presented for informational purposes and to encourage respectful discussion. Copyright Notice: Any unauthorized reproduction, rebroadcast, redistribution, recording, or use of this audio or video, in whole or in part, without the express written consent of Chasing Giants LLC is strictly prohibited.

Something strange is happening in the deer woods this fall. Don says that in nearly 50 years of deer hunting, he has never seen this much scrape activity during September. Terry is seeing the same thing across properties in Kentucky, Ohio, central Illinois and southern Illinois — and it isn't just bucks. Does are hammering scrapes too. So what's causing it? In this episode of the Chasing Giants Podcast, Don Higgins and Terry Peer dig into the incredible early-season scrape activity they're seeing and discuss what it could mean as we move deeper into October. Don also shares his recent fall habitat work, including why he believes fall is the best time to plant trees and how he's adding oaks, apple trees and pear trees without unnecessarily disturbing his hunting property. Then the conversation takes a much more personal turn. Illinois deer season is open...but Don hasn't hunted yet. He hasn't even shot his new bow. Don explains why his priorities are changing, why he's suddenly more excited about trapping than deer hunting, and how Robin's health and spending time with his grandson have changed his perspective. Terry and Don discuss something every serious hunter eventually has to confront: hunting may be a huge part of our lives, but it shouldn't be the most important part. Also in this episode: • Terry recaps his 50th birthday trip and fishing the Destin Rodeo • Why fall can be the perfect time to plant habitat trees • Don's experience at the Illinois Trappers Association event • Why Scrape Magnet-treated mock scrapes are holding deer for hundreds of trail-camera photos • Why mature bucks sometimes simply disappear • The growing controversy surrounding thermal drones and deer hunting • Drop-away rests vs. Whisker Biscuits • Whether you should mow underneath white oaks, persimmons and other feed trees • Listener questions from across the country • An update on Robin and her upcoming Mayo Clinic visit WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU: Are you seeing more scrape activity than normal this fall? Tell us where you're located and what you're seeing in the comments. We're especially interested in hearing whether you're seeing unusually heavy scrape activity from both bucks AND does. And if you're using rope scrapes or Scrape Magnet, are deer spending more time working those scrapes than you've seen in previous years? Subscribe to Chasing Giants and follow along throughout the 2026 deer season as Don and Terry share what they're seeing in real time. #ChasingGiants #DeerHunting #WhitetailDeer #WhitetailHunting #DeerScrapes #ScrapeActivity #DeerHabitat #LandManagement #Bowhunting Chasing Giants TV Sponsors: Real World Wildlife Products Asio Gear Chasing Giants Podcast Sponsors: Asio Gear Real World Wildlife Products Hawke Optics Novix Outdoors Midwest Land Group 360 Hunting Blinds Mike’s Mighty Micros Gingerich Tree Farms TagOut Technique Grubb Implement Brenton USA Mathews Archery Victory GMC & Auto Group Wildlife Farming WiseEye Technologies Chasing Assurance Podcast Sponsors: Heartwood Planning Group WiseEye Technologies Coonless Feeders Green Prairie Seed Company © 2026 Chasing Giants Podcast. All rights reserved. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by guests and hosts during this episode are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Chasing Giants, our sponsors, advertising partners, affiliates, or associated organizations. This interview is presented for informational purposes and to encourage respectful discussion. Copyright Notice: Any unauthorized reproduction, rebroadcast, redistribution, recording, or use of this audio or video, in whole or in part, without the express written consent of Chasing Giants LLC is strictly prohibited.

Five years. One old South Carolina swamp buck. And an ending Joe Miles will never forget. On Chasing Giants Podcast #344, Terry Peer and Don Higgins are joined by special guest Joe Miles from ASIO Gear for an episode packed with whitetail strategy, hunting stories, and one incredible mature-buck success story. Joe takes us through his long history with a South Carolina swamp buck that somehow survived year after year in an area where hunting pressure makes it extremely difficult for bucks to reach old age. After years of pictures, missed opportunities, travel conflicts, and never actually laying eyes on the deer, Joe decided this was going to be the season he dedicated to him. Then an unexpected clue changed everything. A mineral site that hogs had turned into a muddy water hole became the key to finally patterning this old buck. Joe noticed the deer returning every few days to drink—and built a hunting strategy around it. The result was the first time Joe had ever laid eyes on the buck in five years…and ultimately the opportunity he had been waiting for. Joe, Don, and Terry also dig into several timely topics as hunting seasons open across the country: • Why trail-camera activity seemed to suddenly disappear across much of the Midwest • How heavy acorn crops can completely change deer movement • The increase in scrape and mock-scrape activity • Joe's upcoming hunting plans and his growing addiction to the recurve • New gear coming from ASIO Gear • Whether EHD should change your harvest strategy • Why some mature bucks suddenly become aggressive rut travelers • When to plant fall food plots when the forecast looks dry • Why the most meaningful buck isn't always the biggest buck Joe also discusses the story behind his documentary about his life, hunting background, and the creation of ASIO Gear. It's a full hour of deer hunting conversation with three guys who spend a lot of time studying mature whitetails—and hunting them. Drop a comment below: Have your trail cameras picked back up after the September slowdown? And are your deer abandoning fields and bait for acorns? Subscribe to Chasing Giants and join us each week as Terry Peer and Don Higgins talk mature whitetails, habitat, hunting strategy, and the lessons learned from chasing giant bucks. #ChasingGiants #JoeMiles #ASIOGear #WhitetailHunting #DeerHunting #MatureBucks #Bowhunting #WhitetailDeer

Something strange happened in mid-September — our trail cameras practically went DEAD. Don went from getting hundreds of deer pictures a day to virtually nothing. Terry started seeing the same thing on multiple properties spread across a huge geographic area. Is it weather? A seasonal transition? Bucks shedding velvet? EHD? Or something else entirely? In Episode 343 of the Chasing Giants Podcast, Don Higgins and Terry Peer compare what they're seeing and ask listeners across the Midwest to check their own trail-camera data. We especially want to hear from YOU: Go back to roughly September 10–11 and look at your camera activity. Did you see a sudden decline in deer movement too? Tell us your state and what you saw in the comments. But that's just the beginning of this episode. Don and Terry also dive into one of the biggest challenges food plotters are facing right now: DRY WEATHER. They discuss what to do when you've planted but haven't gotten rain, how long seed can remain viable waiting for moisture, when it's time to move away from brassicas and toward cereal grains, and why you shouldn't give up on a fall food plot too quickly. They also cover: • What to plant when you're getting into October • Why cereal grains give you a longer fall planting window • Oats vs. rye vs. winter wheat vs. barley • When to plant potted fruit trees • Why December can be an outstanding month for tree planting • Clover vs. alfalfa during drought • When to mow clover one final time before hunting season • Waterhemp problems in soybeans • The importance of residual herbicides and timely weed control • What makes a good land-consulting client • How to choose the right habitat consultant • Where trail cameras should REALLY be placed around food plots • Whether mature bucks avoid elevated box blinds Don also explains why a trail-camera location should be built with the same thought and strategy you would put into a hunting location. Instead of simply observing a large food plot, concentrate deer movement into predictable locations and position cameras accordingly. And when it comes to elevated blinds, Don explains why there isn't a simple yes-or-no answer. Individual bucks react differently, and how you access and hunt the blind can be just as important as the blind itself. QUESTION OF THE WEEK: Did your trail-camera activity suddenly fall off during mid-September? Drop your location and what you observed in the comments. We'd like to compare reports from hunters across different regions and see whether there is a larger pattern. Chasing Giants TV Sponsors: Real World Wildlife Products Asio Gear Chasing Giants Podcast Sponsors: Asio Gear Real World Wildlife Products Hawke Optics Novix Outdoors Midwest Land Group 360 Hunting Blinds Mike’s Mighty Micros Gingerich Tree Farms TagOut Technique Grubb Implement Brenton USA Mathews Archery Victory GMC & Auto Group Wildlife Farming WiseEye Technologies Chasing Assurance Podcast Sponsors: Heartwood Planning Group WiseEye Technologies Coonless Feeders Green Prairie Seed Company © 2026 Chasing Giants Podcast. All rights reserved. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by guests and hosts during this episode are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Chasing Giants, our sponsors, advertising partners, affiliates, or associated organizations. This interview is presented for informational purposes and to encourage respectful discussion. Copyright Notice: Any unauthorized reproduction, rebroadcast, redistribution, recording, or use of this audio or video, in whole or in part, without the express written consent of Chasing Giants LLC is strictly prohibited.

Deer season is officially here, and Chasing Giants is back with plenty to talk about. Terry kicks off Episode 341 with an update from his first hunts of the 2026 Kentucky season, including a fascinating Western Kentucky property where years of habitat improvement, food plots, bedding cover and disciplined buck management are beginning to show major results. Don and Terry discuss why buck management can have such a dramatic impact on a property—not because hunters are “changing genetics,” but because they can influence which bucks are allowed to reach older age classes. They also talk about last-minute food plot work, overseeding standing corn and soybeans, hairy vetch, cereal grains, miscanthus screens and preparing properties for the heart of deer season. Then the conversation takes a turn. Don is going old school. His grandson Walker has developed an interest in trapping, and Don is pulling out knowledge and equipment from a part of his outdoor life that predates his obsession with giant whitetails. Their goal includes catching 50 raccoons and eventually pursuing the different Illinois furbearers together. From there, Terry brings up a fascinating debate happening in another outdoor industry: forward-facing sonar in fishing. It raises a much bigger question: What happens when technology becomes so effective that the younger generation experiences hunting and fishing completely differently than the generation before them? Trail cameras. Cell cameras. Drones. Forward-facing sonar. Where is the line between using technology and losing the skills that originally defined the outdoors? Don gives his perspective on the generational divide and why passing along woodsmanship, character, integrity and faith may be more important than ever. Plus, this week's listener questions include: • Would Don consider becoming Illinois DNR Director if Darren Bailey asked him? • What's the big buck that Don still thinks he should have killed? • Do trail cameras take some of the excitement out of hunting? • How should you hunt a small rut funnel surrounded by larger properties? • How does Don deal with criticism and haters on social media? • Will a buck with an abnormal extra beam grow it again next year? And perhaps one of the best reminders of Episode 341: Keep hunting fun. Hunt the way that makes YOU happy. You don't have to impress social media, Don, Terry or anybody else. Thanks for listening, watching and being part of the Chasing Giants community. BOONE BROTHERS Kentucky hunters have an incredible opportunity to turn their deer harvest into meals for hungry children. One donated doe can provide approximately 115 meals through Boone Brothers. Deer season is officially here, and Chasing Giants is back with plenty to talk about. Chasing Giants TV Sponsors: Real World Wildlife Products Asio Gear Chasing Giants Podcast Sponsors: Asio Gear Real World Wildlife Products Hawke Optics Novix Outdoors Midwest Land Group 360 Hunting Blinds Mike’s Mighty Micros Gingerich Tree Farms TagOut Technique Grubb Implement Brenton USA Mathews Archery Victory GMC & Auto Group Wildlife Farming WiseEye Technologies Chasing Assurance Podcast Sponsors: Heartwood Planning Group WiseEye Technologies Coonless Feeders Green Prairie Seed Company © 2026 Chasing Giants Podcast. All rights reserved. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by guests and hosts during this episode are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Chasing Giants, our sponsors, advertising partners, affiliates, or associated organizations. This interview is presented for informational purposes and to encourage respectful discussion. Copyright Notice: Any unauthorized reproduction, rebroadcast, redistribution, recording, or use of this audio or video, in whole or in part, without the express written consent of Chasing Giants LLC is strictly prohibited.