The Obsession Podcast

Land and buck and QDM management differences 101. This is part one of three in a discussion on the differences between Land Management, and Buck management, and of course QDM. We start with the last one QDM. Mike and Karl Discuss QDM. Why most people can't really do it, and even more so the misconception of what QDM really is. In the up coming weeks we will discuss Land Management, and Buck Management in depth on the shows. Lets get into it here we go. Our view of Quality Deer Managements pros, cons, and misconceptions. Thanks for watching and leave...

What is hunting success each Year? Kathy asked the guys what they think hunting success is each year. The Mike and Karl do their best to describe what they believe hunting success is well at least for them! What do you think hunting success is to you? Put it in the comments. We want to hear what each of you thinks you need to have done to feel successful. We hope you all enjoy the show and the comments from others. Also we have the BS corner. A question or comment of the week at the end of the...

Regrets when it comes to buck hunting. Mike and Karl are asked by Kevin if they regret anything or have they ever regretted shooting a buck at anytime? Man that is a question for sure the guys have been at this for a lot of years.But Kevin here is what the guys have to say about regretting of shooting any of the animals they have hunted over the last 30yrs, and some of the thoughts they have on why you should never have any regrets on animals you take or hunts or hunting tactics you have or use...

Food plots are they ruining your hunting? Becky asked Mike and Karl about foodplots hunting them locations on where and when to hunt them. Do we think they are ruining your hunt? Heck ya we think so here is why.

The consensus among many seasoned hunters is that while food plots are excellent for habitat and herd health, hunting them incorrectly or too often can absolutely ruin your hunting opportunities by educating deer to avoid the area during daylight hours. The key issue is not the food plot itself, but the hunting pressure and access/exit strategies...

Mike and Karl, hosts of The Obsession Podcast, have discussed how fog can influence deer movement, noting that the condition of the fog—its density and duration—plays a role in hunting success. They and other hunters have observed both positive and negative scenarios for buck movement depending on the fog's characteristics. Findings on Fog and Deer Movement Here is a summary of the points discussed by Mike and Karl, supported by general hunting consensus: Positive Scenarios (Good Fog): Increased Sense of Security: Many hunters, including those sharing opinions on Facebook, believe deer feel safer and more likely to move...

2025 end of year discussion the good and the bad from this season things we learned, and some things we want to forget! Karl and Mike discuss the season. We also hit on a couple of your questions and thank you all for watching this season. We share the success from many of our listeners. Happy New year to all of you, and as always we appreciate each of you. Thanks for watching.

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...

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+...

"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...

Social media and how much worse it keeps getting our rant on this subject. The guys sit down and talk about what they have seen change this year even more then the past few years on social media. We discuss what we see happening good and bad in our industry. Is all of this B.S killing hunting? Are you actually learning anything, and most importantly. How do you guys feel about what you are seeing here on social media? We really want to here your views so leave a comment here in the comment section on our Youtube...

Deer gun season starts and the Wisconsin DNR puts out deer #'s in the state. Well its gun season here in Wisconsin. We wish everyone good luck and be safe out there. The guys are heading to North Dakota to chase whitetail with a bow. But before they left that talk about the crazy number the Wisconsin DNR says we have for deer they also hit on gun deer season in our state. Expectations and thoughts for success. Besafe and we appreciate each of you. Good luck. #theobsessionpodcast #deerhunting #bowhunting #huntingseason #huntinglife #deerseason #huntingtips #whitetail #whitetailhunting #huntingtips #iminthewoodswhereareyou #strengthinthehuntpowerinthegrind<...

Lockdown now what? Tactics for Success. Well if you still have a tag it is a time consuming sit for the next week or so. That said there are a few tactics Mike and Karl use for success over this time and the guys hit on them in the podcast. These are what the guys use to raise the odds in their favor over this timespan. Thanks for watching and like always we appreciate your time. Good luck out there. General "lockdown" deer hunting strategies often include: Patience and persistence: As mentioned in the prompt, it can be a...

Lockdown and late rut hunting tips for success Nov 9th to Nov 16th We are getting into the Lockdown and things are starting to get tough. Here are a few tactics that we use for success on bucks over this time span. Mike and Karl talk about the things that they have used over the years if they have not filled thier tags at this time yet. With many of the bucks taken already, and all of the pressure that the deer have had over the last few weeks, and with the lockdown in full swing oppurtunities are less...

Rut Hunitng tips and techniques for buck success Nov 2nd to Nov 9th. Now the rut is in full swing and maybe past the middle of the seeking phase in most northern states. Its lock down time or is it. Karl and Mike discuss the tactics they will be using if they have still not filled their tag yet here in Wisconsin. The guys hit on locations to hunt the bigger bucks in your area what to expect to see nad maybe a few ideas on how to change your luck if things are getting tough. Remember depending on...

Rut tactics for big bucks Oct 26th to Nov 2nd. Tactics for hunting bucks oct 19th to oct 26th tips & more. Between October 26 and November 2, bucks are in the early seeking phase of the rut, transitioning from their late-October patterns to actively searching for the first does coming into heat. Bucks will be restless, their testosterone levels are rising, and they are moving more in daylight, making this a prime time for hunters. Karl and Mike discuss the best tactics for taking one of your target bucks over the next week leading up to the rut. Its one of...

Tactics for hunting bucks oct 19th to oct 26th tips & more. Karl and Mike discuss the best tactics for taking one of your target bucks over the next week leading up to the heavy prerut rut. Its one of the best weeks to hunt these bucks using these prerut tactics. Mike and Karl talk about what they are pulling out of the bag this next week weather permitting. Later in the week its time to get the horns, the calls and the decoys into play coming the end of this week. But first remember we still have to play...

Tactics for hunting bucks oct 12th to oct 19th tips & more. Karl and Mike discuss the best tactics for taking one of your target bucks over the next week leading up to the prerut. This is a exciting time don't blow your chances for later in the season by making a bad mistake. the guys talk about the do's and don'ts for this next week as we inch closer to the prerut action coming soon for the best chances to take a giant later this month. Target acorns: Mid-October can be a "lull" because deer shift their focus from...

The Three Best Tactics For You This Year To Take A Great Buck. Karl and Mike are asked what are the three best tactics they use to take big bucks each year. The guys talk about what they have been most successful doing over the last 30 yrs almost while shooting good bucks each season. Karl also brings up the one thing they avoid using like the plague! So checkout this short podcast and maybe catch a couple tips to help you shoot the big buck on your hunting spots this fall!

The First Major cold front is hitting right now! These are some tips for oct 6th to oct 11th the first big cold front of the season is here. These are some of the main plans and tips for hunting this week Oct 6th to Oct 11th Good luck out there. Remember to Like and subscribe it sure will help us out. We appreciate each of you.

For Mike and Karl, the number of years needed for success on mature bucks isn't about physical endurance but rather about accumulated knowledge and strategic adjustments as the body ages. While the physical demands of hunting can become more challenging with age, seasoned hunters often find that experience makes them more efficient, not less. Does success on mature deer come easier with age? Yes, in many ways. Mature bucks are the most difficult to hunt, but they also become more consistent in their behavior as they get older. The deep knowledge gained over decades of hunting helps experienced hunters...

The guys have been asked what is the biggest challenge for them when on a hunt! Then they answer the question on what is the most challenging hunt they do? Wow that is a wide open question. Mike and Karl lay out the challenges they see on each of the different hunts they go on. The demand mentally, and physically depending on what animal you are chancing varies from animal to animal. The mental game is one of the hardest for most to control the guys layout how they prep for each and show the success they have had...

The guys are asked about opening weekend tactics for success here in Wisconsin. These rule apply to hunting anywhere in the Midwest for opening weekend. But over the years the guys have done very well early season here in Wisconsin some of the best bucks they have shot have been the first two weeks of bow season. Here are few of the tactics the guys use to be successful early in the season. Thanks for watching we appreciate each of you.

Hunting bucks based on historical data can be an effective strategy, as mature bucks tend to follow predictable travel patterns and use the same core areas year after year, provided the habitat remains unchanged. By documenting and analyzing past observations, you can identify high-probability ambush points for future hunts. Gathering historical data Trail camera photos: Log the date, time, weather conditions, and moon phase for every quality buck picture. Many hunting apps and modern camera systems provide analytics to show peak movement times and patterns based on these data points. Past sightings: Document every encounter you have from the...

Jon from Wisconsin asks should you hunt in September and early October or wait till later and how do you guys hunt them if you are chasing the early? Thanks for the question Jon. The guys talk about the strategies they have used for early season success, and talk about the best times and places that they have had success over the last 30 yrs of bowhunting early season. What do you all do for the early season and do you push the locations to hunt these bucks? Leave a comment on the channel here and let us know what...

The top three addons needed for hunting success each year. Bill from Illinois asked the guy what are the top addons for small properties for big buck success each and every year? Bill thinks it is food as it should be number one at all times. Well here are the top three addons the guy have clients concentrate on for excellent success each year, and why they say these three in this order. Karl and Mike base their own properties on these concepts in this order so they can take the biggest bucks in the area each year on...

Bowhunting equipment we will not use and why. The guys have been asked by Steven about what are the newest bowhunting equipment that is out that they will not be using this fall. Well here you go. Excessively feature-rich bows: While new bows are constantly evolving to be faster, quieter, and more dead-in-hand, some newer models might prioritize speed or specific features at the expense of a smooth draw cycle or a shorter, less forgiving brace height. A hunter might opt for a slightly older model that offers a better overall balance of attributes for their shooting style. Overly...

The MSU deer lab study on weather effects & deer movement our thoughts and conclusions. Well you asked our thoughts on the findings from MSU, and the weather and how it effects the deer movement! You guys know we are huge on the weather and what it does positive, and negative to the deer movement. So here is the thoughts from us, and if we are going to change some of the ways we hunt due to the findings from MSU. We also hit on our findings and our success after following weather and fronts for success. Lets hear about...

The guys answer this question When is the last time you should be going in on your small parcel for success this fall in our eyes. We talk about why you should be letting your place rest a little before the season when and why. what do you think is the dates for success.

Do you make rules on your property, & then do you follow them? Well we do have our rules when it comes to hunting! Not only on our properties but in general here are a few of the rules we make for our selves. Yes we follow them to a tee its probably why we get along so well, and have been hunting together for over 25yrs this season. What do you guys have for rules on your places or when you go hunting? Or do you think rules are bad for hunting meaning size limits and so on? Let...

The guys are asked If there are two types of hunters and if so what is the difference? Karl, and Mike are not quite sure how to take this question everyone that hunts see themselves as a hardcore hunter we think. Here is our view on being a bowhunter, and these are the good and bad in our view of just being a hunter and what hunting seems to be turning into. Thanks for the question we appreciate each of you! Let us know your thoughts and what you think hunting is to you, and what it is turning...

The real %'s you shoot that giant buck that shows up on your small property Hunting success rates for giant bucks on small properties are not easily quantified with exact percentages. However, several factors significantly impact the likelihood of success. Key factors affecting success Understanding Deer Behavior and Habitat: Recognizing that deer on smaller properties, especially trophy bucks, often utilize a larger surrounding area for their needs, including neighboring properties, is crucial. Therefore, understanding how your property fits into the local deer herd's movement patterns and habitat requirements is paramount. Habitat Improvements: While smaller properties may not offer everything...

Best shooting position from a treestand, and how best to improve as a bowhunter.

Setting up your property & plots to control buck movement. Karl and Mike discuss how to setup your food plots and small properties to be successful each year on some of the best bucks in your area. The guys discuss layouts that they have proven to work year after year for them on the best bucks in the areas the guys hunt. They end up hunting the top ten percent of the bucks in the area they have to hunt. The guys show you how they have been successful with these tactics. They hit on some of the things they...

Morning entrances in the dark are you just educating deer? Jason from Iowa asks the guys their views on morning entrance on small properties or any property in general. Are we just educating deer going in on your hunt in the dark. Well Jason Mike and Karl Discuss how they see the entrance in the dark for your hunt. They have many years of doing it so they tell you some of the things they have found of the years of bowhunting. We appreciate each of you remember to put your views in the comments right here on the...

Hunting deer on plots only? One of our listeners was at a seminar and believes he heard a well known whitetail expert say you should only hunt deer on plots. Well this is our thoughts on the statement. The listener from Michigan may have misheard the information given or misinterpreted what was said. Karl and Mike discuss about the views that they have. How they lay their property and customers properties to hunt plots. Which plots to hunt and which plots not to hunt. When to hunt them and also when to leave them alone. Hunting plots smartly can...

Listener says trail cams are cheating! Well imagine that! Carl tells the guys that he believes that he thinks the use of trail cams is cheating for hunting?? Well the guys talk about their views on Carls statement. Mike and our Karl have some pretty strong views on the use and ability to use cameras as a hunting aid. So the guys talk about how they see things, and the proper use of cams, and other we guess hunting aids. What are your thoughts on cameras and camera use when hunting for animals. Be sure to let us and...

The importance of summer buck pics? Skip asked the guys is it important for them to have pics of bucks on the property in the summer time, and what effects have they seen with buck pics over this summer time imagery? Karl and Mike discuss what they have found over the years when it comes to having bucks on your property at this time and if they think it is important to have these pics at this time. They both talk about the chances they have seen with being able to hunt these deer in the fall. Let us...

Ron from New York asks the guys what are the top property enhancements that they think you need for year one success on your new hunting spots. Well Karl and Mike layout how they go about laying out a new property and how they look at it when setting up your new place for year one success. The guys have a few things they think work the best for getting your place up and running for whitetails. We appreciate you checking out the show subscribe and like for more podcasts that come to you weekly. Have a great week...

Waterholes are they really a great addon and why? Well Kevin asks the guy waterhole are they really worth the time and money as a addon on your hunting property. The guy explain their views on the water and hunting on in around it and even if it is worth the time and money to install it on your property. With 30 plus years of hunting under their belts each the guys have strong view on if water will actually help you kill a big buck on your hunting property. Thanks for watching we appreciate each of you have a...

Morning and evening stands explained for success. Mike and Karl discuss morning and evening stands locations how to decide which stand is morning and which are evening hunts. the guys also hit on the importance on having both on for property for success. Karl and Mike also talk about when to hunt each of these setups as they are very different when it comes to time of year, and when you should spend time in each. As always remember to subscribe to the channel we would appreciate that. We appreciate each of you checking out our show have a...